36. A quartet of freight & a VERY late Sleeper-23.04.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 36. A quartet of freight & a VERY late Sleeper-23.04.20

Taking my usual morning walk to the village garage to buy supplies found me crossing the railway. Today this coincided with the passage of four freight workings within ten minutes! Later in the morning, I went for my daily walk a little earlier than normal in order to catch the passing of the up Highland Sleeper running an eye-watering three and a quarter hours late!

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Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.

66551, 03.39 Garston-London Gateway (4L52, 72E), site of Roade station
Emerging from the shadows of Roade cutting 66551 bursts into the morning sunshine leading the 03.39 Garston to London Gateway Freightliner. As has become common practice, this freight has been routed on the up fast line avoiding the Northampton loop line. This would be unheard of in normal times with a number of early morning up Pendolino workings working from signal to signal.
Keywords: 66551 03.39 Garston-London Gateway 4L52 site of Roade station Freightliner

86639 & 86637, 21.25 Coatbridge-Felixstowe North (4L89, 4E), site of Roade station
Hot on the heels of the previous freight, 4L52 led by 66551, 86639 and 86637 are slowing down due to adverse signals at the site of Roade's former station. The Class 86s are leading the 4L89 21.25 Coatbridge to Felixstowe North Freightliner service. Note that the leading locomotive appears to be in receipt of a refurbished pantograph.
Keywords: 86639 86637 21.25 Coatbridge-Felixstowe North 4L89 site of Roade station

66735, 03.10 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park (4M21, 27E), site of Roade station
A little side-lit but 66735 'Peterborough United' still looks good leading the 4M21 03.10 Felixstowe to Trafford Park Freightliner. The train is seen passing the site of Roade station on the down slow line but, unfortunately, it has not all fitted in view with the tail of the train out of site under Ashton bridge such was its length!
Keywords: 66735 03.10 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park 4M21 site of Roade station Freightliner Peterborough United

DR73806, 07.10 Bletchley Cambridge sidings-Rugby DED (18E), site of Roade station
Colas Rail operated Plasser and Theurer 08-16/32U-RT tamper DR73806 'Karine' brings a touch of orange as it passes the site of Roade's former station. It was making the relatively short journey from Bletchley's Cambridge sidings to Rugby. With its rather slow top speed control quite sensibly put the tamper on the Northampton line rather than the fast route via Weedon.
Keywords: DR73806 07.10 Bletchley Cambridge sidings-Rugby DED site of Roade station Karine Colas Rail-operated Plasser & Theurer 08-16/32U-RT Tamper

86632 & 86612, 02.50 Felixstowe North-Garston (4M45, 55E), site of Roade station
With a combined age of one hundred and ten years, AL6s 86632 and 86612 lead the 4M45 02.50 Felixstowe to Ditton Freightliner. The train is seen passing the site of Roade station on yet another superb spring morning that became a feature of the country's COVID-19 lockdown period.
Keywords: 86632 86612 02.50 Felixstowe North-Garston 4M45 site of Roade station Freightliner

92038, CS 20.26 Inverness, 21.12 Aberdeen, 19.00 Fort William-London Euston (1M16, 189L), Roade cutting
It is rare to see the Caledonian Sleeper passing through Roade cutting at nearly ten o'clock in the morning. Usually, it passes just before seven. Due to a problem in the Borders in the middle of the night the 1M16, led by 92038, is running incredibly late. It eventually arrived at Euston well over three hours adrift but I am not too sure how many customers would have been inconvenienced with passenger numbers down ninety per cent due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Keywords: 92038 20.26 Inverness 21.12 Aberdeen 19.00 Fort William-London Euston 1M16 Roade cutting Caledonian sleeper

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.