95. Trip to Nottingham-25.09.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 95. Trip to Nottingham-25.09.20

A trip with Andy to Nottingham in order to collect his wife's new car. Travelling by train remains a very different experience to what it always has been in the past with CrossCountry not even allowing us to sit next to each other as they do not permit customers sitting in the aisle seats of their services. We also took a short trip on one of NET's excellent trams and had a stop at Toton on the return drive taking in the full vista of the yard from the famous bank!

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350251, LN 07.15 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (1Y05, 1E), Northampton station
Our first of three trains to Nottingham arrives into a gloomy Northampton station. Andy and I took 350251 to Birmingham New Street as the 07.15 ex Euston. As with so many trains at the moment, it was virtually empty meaning that social distancing was easy to manage. The train manager walked up and down the train indicating his presence but stated that London Northwestern's policy on ticket inspection was that it was at the train manager's discretion. This we found totally different to our next carrier from New Street - CrossCountry.
Keywords: 350251 07.15 London Euston-Birmingham New Street 1Y05 Northampton station

Rail travel COVID-19 style
The face of train travel COVID-19 style! Andy wearing the Class 40 (marker disk type) face mask and yours truly wearing the Class 50 version (post refurbished with central headlight) enjoying our journey from Northampton to New Street aboard 350251. It was notable that throughout the journey from Northampton to Nottingham, including around all the stations, there was almost complete compliance with the face mask policy.

Many other variants of these masks are available from.....https://pixelshack.co.uk/collections/face-masks
Keywords: Rail travel COVID-19 style

390016, VT 09.30 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1B35, 16L), Birmingham New Street station
Avanti's 390016 pokes its nose into the bright autumnal sunlight from the gloom of Birmingham New Street station. It will soon leave with the 09.30 service to Euston, a journey of one hundred and twelve miles that takes just short of ninety minutes. Forgive the rather hackneyed black and white conversion of the colour image. The original had taken on a strange colour cast due to the extreme contrast and it was too much like hard work to sort it out!
Keywords: 390016 09.30 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1B35 Birmingham New Street station Virgin Pendolino AWC Avanti West Coast

170634, LM 08.36 Great Malvern-Birmingham New Street (1M05, RT), 170105, stabled & 170517, LM 07.32 Hereford-Birmingham New Street (1M57, RT), Birmingham New Street station
A furtively taken photograph of a trio of Class 170s at Birmingham New Street station. I had to take this at waist level using the flip-out screen facing upwards as a roving Network Rail employee had just told us that we were not allowed to take photographs on the station without first signing in. Now, I normally bristle when challenged on stations about such matters but as he was absolutely correct in his explanation and actually very helpful about it I could not argue. However, if he had said (as is all too common, unfortunately,) 'you are not allowed to take pictures on stations' then I would have challenged him. So full marks on this occasion for avoiding a row with me as the leader of the Awkward Party!

Left - 170634, just arrived with the 1M05 08.36 from Great Malvern.
Centre- 170015, stabled.
Right - 170517, having just worked the 1M57 07.32 from Hereford.
Keywords: 170634 08.36 Great Malvern-Birmingham New Street 1M05 170105 170517 LM 07.32 Hereford-Birmingham New Street 1M57 Birmingham New Street station

221138, XC 06.27 Plymouth-Edinburgh Waverley (1S39, RT), Derby station
A photograph for the records of 221138 leaving Derby station with the 06.27 Plymouth to Edinburgh as Andy and I had just travelled on it from Birmingham New Street. Seating on the train was very restricted with no reservations despite our advanced ticket indicating that we had them. Passengers could only sit at window seats one to a pair. As soon as we left New Street a team of fully COVID proofed cleaners disinfected all the empty seats, tables and other fittings. The train manager did undertake a ticket check but did not like it that we had paper tickets meaning that he had to handle them. So, I was asked to place them out on the adjacent drop-down table and he marked them with a blue marker pen.
Keywords: 221138 06.27 Plymouth-Edinburgh Waverley 1S39 CrossCountry Trains Derby station Voyager

222102, EM 09.26 Corby-Derby (1M06, RT), Derby station
A curious working that I have never photographed is the 09.26 Corby to Derby EMR service. I suspect that a study of 222102's diagram would reveal that it worked a service from St. Pancras to Corby earlier in the morning and that rather than run it as an ECS working it is utilised as this fill-in working. It is seen arriving at Derby where after a short break it headed off north empty appearing to take the line off to the right towards Chaddesden sidings.
Keywords: 222102 09.26 Corby-Derby 1M06 Derby station East Midlands Railway EMR Meridian

43238, EM 10.29 Sheffield-London St. Pancras (1C35, 3L), Derby station
Looking decidedly tatty, not surprising really, 43238 arrives at Derby leading the 1C35 10.29 Sheffield to St. Pancras service. This former LNER power car still wearing the bright Virgin East Coast livery is in its final months of service prior to the introduction of new stock once the electrification between Bedford, Kettering and Corby is completed. Andy and I were not ready for this train to be an HST as it was scheduled to be a Meridian so obviously something had gone wrong in the train planning office earlier.
Keywords: 43238 10.29 Sheffield-London St. Pancras 1C35 Derby station HST Virgin East Coast LNER EMR East Midlands Railway

43047, EM 11.45 Nottingham-London St. Pancras (1B38, 3E), Nottingham station
Just travelling the short distance from Nottingham to Derby brought about a huge change in the weather, from bright sun and a clear sky to overcast and cloudy conditions! HST power car 43047 'Paxman VP185' waits to power the rear of the 11.45 service to St. Pancras. EMR has been gradually withdrawing its Paxman HST power cars with them being deemed as non-standard. As a West Country lad who grew up around all things hydraulic, this all sounds very familiar! To do this EMR has inherited a number of the former LNER East Coast MTU engined power cars as an interim arrangement prior to the introduction of new stock as a result of the electrification of the southern MML as far as Corby.
Keywords: 43047 11.45 Nottingham-London St. Pancras 1B38 Nottingham station HST Paxman VP185 East Midlands Railway EMR

156473, EM 10.37 Matlock-Newark Castle, (2N31, 1E), Nottingham station
156473 stands at the very end of Nottingham's distant (from the concourse) platform 4b. The East Midlands Railway unit was working the 10.37 Matlock to Newark Castle 2N31 service that Andy and I had just travelled on from Derby. The relief driver is seen just about to climb aboard the train during its generous seven minutes' dwell time.
Keywords: 156473 EMR 10.37 Matlock-Newark Castle 2N31 Nottingham station East Midlands Railway Super Sprinter

Vinyl, 43047, EM 11.45 Nottingham-London St. Pancras (1B38, 3E), Nottingham station
Whilst not strictly a nameplate and not officially named 43047 does carry this commemorative vinyl on its flanks. It states, in the small print, that 43047 was the first power car to receive a replacement Paxman VP185 engine back in 1995 installed at Neville Hill. This power car was the first of a second batch released into service on the Western Region in March 1977 as part of set 253023. In this photograph, the power car is about to leave Nottingham at the rear of the 1B38 11.45 to St. Pancras.
Keywords: Vinyl name 43047 EMR 11.45 Nottingham-London St. Pancras 1B38 Nottingham station HST Paxman VP185 East Midlands Railway

158858, EM 08.56 Norwich-Liverpool Lime Street (1R74, 1E), Nottingham station
158858 leaves Nottingham station working the 1R74 08.56 Norwich to Liverpool service. Notice the new bridge above the train and the station canopy. This was one of only two constructed as part of Nottingham Express Transit's (NET's) second phase of expansion. The bridge was opened in October 2014 and also is home to NET's interchange station that did seem a little exposed to the elements. Fine on a day like today but on a windy, wet and cold winter's day it would not be quite such a nice place to wait for a tram. So it is lucky that their service intervals are pretty short!
Keywords: 158858 EMR 08.56 Norwich-Liverpool Lime Street 1R74 Nottingham station East Midlands Railway Express Sprinter

219, Hucknall-Toton Lane service, Nottingham NET station
This is my first time travelling on Nottingham Express Transit (NET) and I was impressed! This unit is one of the newer twenty-two Alstom Citadis 302 sets introduced in 2013/14 when the phase two section of the network was opened to the south of the city. 219 'Alan Sillitoe' pauses at Nottingham station's NET stop with a Hucknall to Toton Lane service.
Keywords: 219 Hucknall-Toton Lane Nottingham NET station Nottingham Express Transit Alan Sillitoe

232, Toton Lane-Hucknall, Nottingham NET station
Tram 232 'William Ivory' arrives at Nottingham NET's station with a Toton Lane to Hucknall service. All of the newer Alstom Citadis 302s, dating from 2013/14, have been named after Nottingham luminaries including playwrights, sportspeople and dignitaries.
Keywords: 232 Toton Lane-Hucknall Nottingham NET station Nottingham Express Transit William (Billy) Ivory

217, Phoenix Park-Clifton South working, Nottingham NET station
217 'Carl Froch' arrives at Nottingham's NET station with a Phoenix Park to Clifton South working. Andy and I took this tram the relatively short distance to Wilford Village in order to walk to a dealership to collect a car for our journey home. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, the tram was well loaded but with everybody appearing to wear face coverings.
Keywords: 217 Phoenix Park-Clifton South working Nottingham NET station Nottingham Express Transit Carl Froch

60008, 60075 & 60004, stored, Toton yard
A number of forlorn-looking Class 60s at Toton are seen from the bank. Of those that I could identify are 60008 'Sir William McAlpine' still wearing its nameplates, 60075 formally 'Liathach' and 60004 formally 'Lochnagar'. This is an interesting view and one that is virtually identical to the image that I took of 44007 (ex D7 'Ingleborough') back in October 1979, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/27432132604/x44007-freight-toton-yard. Whilst it is hard to believe that the view is the same close examination of the two images reveals the white lock gates on the Erewash Canal in the middle distance to the right as reference points. Further scrutiny reveals that some of the houses are still the same, those now not hidden by trees that is!
Keywords: 60008 Sir William McAlpine 60075 Liathach 60004 Lochnagar stored Toton yard

Former Toton wagon works site
This is an extraordinary view looking south-west from the Toton bank showing the site of the former wagon works now completely taken over by hundreds of trees. In normal circumstances, this unused expanse of land would have been snapped up by developers to build yet more houses to satisfy this country's insatiable appetite for new properties. However, this land is earmarked for the East Midlands' hub of HS2 with virtually everything seen in the foreground to be wiped away - we'll see! Notice the 2000MW Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station on the skyline. Opened in 1968, this coal-fired power station is due to be fully decommissioned by October 2025 to be replaced by a huge waste incinerator also to be used to generate electricity for the grid.
Keywords: Former Toton wagon works site

66199, 66012, 66247, 66211, 67019, 66182, 60065 & 60021, stabled & stored Toton yard
This is what the modern-day Toton is all about! A mass of locomotives mixed in with a variety of wagons and, at the rear, a lot of autoballasters. The locomotives on view are a mixture of those in current service and those stored. From left to right I can identify 66199, 66012, 66247, 66211, 67019 (stored since March 2015), 60065 'Spirit of Jaguar' and GBRf liveried 60021 'Pen-y-Ghent'.
Keywords: 66199 66012 66247 66211 67019, 66182, 60065 & 60021, stabled & stored Toton yard Spirit of Jaguar Pen-y-Ghent

Class 60s, stored, Toton yard
What a sight! Since our last visit, admittedly quite some years ago, the Class 60s stored at Toton and in all likelihood heading for the breakers have been moved. They are now lined up in two extensive rows extending right under the A52 road bridge in the background. Unfortunately, I could not get many of the numbers but the leading three are 60067 formerly 'James Clerk-Maxwell', 60032 formerly 'William Booth' and 60088 formerly 'Buachaille Etive Mor'. If anybody can furnish me with the list of 60s in the right order it would be appreciated particularly more so for Andy as he is far more of a number collector than I am! I took a photograph back in 1979 at a very similar angle to this one but with a zoom lens that featured two Class 44s and an absolute myriad of stock, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/27432132804/x44007-44008-freight-workings-toton
Keywords: Class 60s stored Toton yard 60067 60032 60038 James Clerk-Maxwell William Booth Buachaille Etive Mor

60067, 60032, 60088, 67019, 66182, 60065, 60021, 66090 & 66024, stored & stabled, Toton yard
The three Class 60s in the foreground (60067 'James Clerk-Maxwell', 60032 'William Booth' & 60088 'Buachaille Etive Mor') are probably destined for one final journey having been stored for a number of years at Toton. At the rear is 67019 stored since 2015 and then DB's red 66182. Then there are two Class 60s, 60065 'Spirit of Jaguar' and the renamed GBRf 60090 'Pen-y-Ghent'. I was pleased to see a blue Maritime Class 66 tucked in at the back hoping that it was one of the remaining three that I need to photograph. Alas, I was to be disappointed as it was 66090 'Maritime Intermodal Six' that I have numerous photographs of. Tucked in right at the end is EWS liveried 66024.
Keywords: 60067 60032 60038 67019 66182 60065 60021 66090 66024 stored stabled Toton yard James Clerk-Maxwell William Booth Buachaille Etive Mor Spirit of Jaguar Pen-y-Ghent Maritime Intermodal Six

Andy & 60067, 60032, 60088, 60003, 60058 & 60051, stored, Toton yard
Just as Andy and I were going to return to the car for the journey home, the sun burst out through a hole in the cloud so we both retrained our cameras on the glorious scene above Toton Yard! I have gone for an ultra wide-angled image that includes Andy off to the far right. The line of stored Class 60s in the foreground are (as far as I could get)....60067 'James Clerk-Maxwell', 60032 'William Booth', 60088 'Buachaille Etive Mor', 60003 'Freight Transport Association' (still wearing a sort of homemade nameplate), 60058 'John Howard' and 60051 'Mary Somerville'. I suspect that if or when Andy and I next visit the famous bank that the line of Class 60s will have gone and been unceremoniously cut up but I expect we said that when we last visited back in 2010!
Keywords: Andy 60067 James Clerk-Maxwell 60032 William Booth 60088 Buachaille Etive Mor 60003 Freight Transport Association 60058 John Howard 60051 Mary Somerville stored Toton yard.

66305, 11.06 DIRFT-Doncaster iport (4E49, 3E), Toton yard
Just as we were returning to the parked car on the appropriately named Banks Road 66305 drifted slowly into the yard leading the 11.06 Daventry to Doncaster iPort 4E49 Tesco Express. This is my first photograph of this particular train but not of the locomotive that I have many images of around my home at Roade on the WCML near Northampton!
Keywords: 66305 11.06 DIRFT-Doncaster iport 4E49 Toton yard

Tickets, Northampton-Nottingham
Our tickets from Northampton to Nottingham. As is always the case, I used split ticketing to reduce the fare and it did make some saving on the single start to finish fare. The oddest split on this particular journey, that I have never had before, was Northampton to Marston Green and then on to Birmingham New Street that saved a few pence but, as they say, 'Every penny counts!'
Keywords: Tickets Northampton-Nottingham

Tickets, Nottingham station-Wilford village
Our NET tram tickets. NET operates many fare options one of which is a flat fare system that allows for any one journey up to a maximum of ninety minutes from the time of issue. We got pretty poor value from the £2.40 fare as we only travelled three stops from Nottingham NET station to Ellford village. I would like to revisit Nottingham again and use the trams more extensively finding them to be clean and efficient - other large towns and cities take note!
Keywords: Tickets Nottingham station-Wilford village

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