99. Around Roade with Andy-08.10.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 99. Around Roade with Andy-08.10.20

Andy popped over for a few hours on the first day that it had not rained for many in a row - or so it seemed! We took a walk around the village and managed a total of seven freights in an hour and a half!

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-8 of 8 displayed.

66545, 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway (4L46, 2E), site of Roade station
66545 heads south past the site of Roade station leading the 4L46 12.16 Lawley Street to London Gateway Freightliner. After what had seemed like days of relentless rain but was only, in fact, four in a row, the sun had come out and it was pleasantly warm on the back whilst waiting around for trains to come. I was really pleased to see this particular locomotive leading the train as it was a photographic 'cop'!
Keywords: 66545 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway 4L46 site of Roade station Freightliner

390042, VT 13.43 London Euston-Blackpool North (9P77, RT), site of Roade station
Masked 390042 speeds through Roade approaching the site of the old station working the 9P77 13.42 Euston to Blackpool North service. I am constantly surprised at the lack of photographs that I have of these services to the Lancashire Coast so every time I see one approaching on RTT I try to get a photograph. Interestingly, I took a photograph of this same Pendolino wearing its yellow mask at the same location on the day (15.06.20) it became mandatory to wear a face-covering on public transport back in the high summer, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29197581804/x390042-17-30-london-euston-glasgow
Keywords: 390042 13.43 London Euston-Blackpool North 9P77 site of Roade station Virgin Pendolino AWC Avanti West Coast

66537, 09.25 Southampton MCT-Garston (4M28, 14E), site of Roade station
As is all too common with our hobby the sun often dives behind a cloud at the crucial moment to coincide with the passage of a particular train! With the new houses in the background that occupy the former Pianoforte site and the rear of the train bathed in lovely October sunshine, the 09.25 Southampton to Garston Freightliner, led by 66537, is in the shade! This working is a strange one and I have never quite understood why it is routed via the busy WCML rather than the more normal Oxford and Banbury route. Explanation anybody?
Keywords: 66537 09.25 Southampton MCT-Garston 4M28 site of Roade station Freightliner

66711, 10.36 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall (4M23, 4L), site of Roade station
Peering through the viewfinder as the train approached from the distance I could see that it was one of those wearing a celebrity livery but could not work out which one until it was much closer. Hoping that it would be one of those that I needed a photograph of I was a little disappointed that it was 66711 'Sence' that I have seen a number of times. However, wearing its GBRf - Aggregate Industries paint scheme is always something different from the more normal Freightliner and DRS locomotives that roll past through Roade all day long! It was leading the 4M23 10.36 Felixstowe to Hams Hall service.
Keywords: 66711 10.36 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall 4M23 site of Roade station Sence

66304, 13.50 DIRFT-Ripple Lane (4L45, 1E), site of Roade station
The daily southbound Tesco Express 4L45 is seen passing Roade at the site of the old station in semi-shaded conditions as the sun had just popped behind a cloud but at least the driver was happy as he gave Andy and I a good blow on the horn as he approached! This 13.50 (or thereabouts) Daventry to Ripple Lane is a seven day a week operation as is the return northbound service. The unloaded containers are heading south to be filled and return next day ending up at the food giant's huge distribution centre at Crick. These trains even enter and leave the depot on their own dedicated spur of track all in an effort to keep the food giant's supply chain going and the shelves filled and to keep us consumers happy!
Keywords: 66304 13.50 DIRFT-Ripple Lane 4L45 site of Roade station DRS Direct Rail Services Tesco Express

66148, 14.47 DIRFT-Dollands Moor (6M45, 1E), Hyde Road bridge
My second photographic 'cop' of the day is about to pass under Roade's Hyde Road bridge - well not quite strictly true! Whilst I have a number of photographs of 66148 I have none of it in its Maritime livery and since its naming. So I can tick 66148 'Maritime Intermodal Seven' off the required list with just three now to get. The locomotive has been hired in by DB to haul the daily empty water bottle train from Daventry (DIRFT) to Dollands Moor. Notice the subtly changing colour of the trees high above Roade cutting - it can only be early autumn!
Keywords: 66148 14.47 DIRFT-Dollands Moor 6M45 Hyde Road bridge Maritime Intermodal seven DB

66556, 09.32 Felixstowe North-Ditton (4M88, 6E), Hyde Road bridge
Freightliner's 66556 leads the 09.32 Felixstowe North to Ditton train through Roade about to pass under the village's Hyde Road bridge. The bridge in the background carries the busy A508 road through the village and the white building beyond that is named Station House and was the home to the various station masters over the years.
Keywords: 66556 09.32 Felixstowe North-Ditton 4M88 Hyde Road bridge Freightliner

66616, 13.17 Willesden down sidings-Tunstead (6H50, 54L), Hyde Road bridge
Although in the timetable every day this particular working does not operate very often. 66616 leads the 6H50 Willesden to Tunstead empty stone train on the southern approaches to Roade cutting. The return loaded working is also a little unreliable and often is routed via the MML crossing to the WCML via the Marston Vale line.
Keywords: 66616 13.17 Willesden down sidings-Tunstead 6H50 Hyde Road bridge Freightliner Heavy Haul

Images 1-8 of 8 displayed.