109. A crisp winter's day walk-26.11.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 109. A crisp winter's day walk-26.11.20
A stunning and crisp early winter's day got me out for my daily walk with my camera over my shoulder. I managed six freights in about two hours and an unusual working heading for Wolverton Works but, by this stage, the light had really begun to fail very badly!
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Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.

350121 & 350265, LN 12.14 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y22, 2E), Victoria bridge Despite it being only just after lunch, the low cutting at Victoria bridge near Roade is nearly in complete shade so low is the sun just a month away from the shortest day. 350121 and 350265 pass working the 12.14 Birmingham New Street to London Euston. Keywords: 350121 350265 12.14 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y22 Victoria bridge
350124, 350257 & 350106, LN 12.24 London Euston-Northampton (2N65, 1E), Victoria bridge The sun is just managing to catch the sides of the 12.24 Euston to Northampton worked by 350124, 350257 and 350106 as it passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade. Railway photography is tricky at this time of the year with exposure settings always having to be thought about carefully to help manage the extreme contrast created by the low light. I tend to expose for the lighter areas and bring the shadows back in Photoshop. My reasoning is that there is always detail to be found within the darker areas of digital images but in overexposed areas most is lost. However, the downside of this method is that digital noise can become a problem in the darker areas when forcing them back so it's all about a compromise! Keywords: 350124 350257 350106 12.24 London Euston-Northampton 2N65 Victoria bridge
66594, 09.12 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park (4M63, 19L), Victoria bridge In almost complete shade 66594 'NYK Spirit of Kyoto' passes Victoria bridge between Roade and Ashton leading the 4M63 09.12 Felixstowe to Trafford Park Freightliner train. On the down fast an Avanti West Coast Pendolino is about to race past. Keywords: 66594 09.12 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park 4M63 Victoria bridge NYK Spirit of Kyoto
66957, 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway (4L46, 2L), site of Roade station The highest numbered member of the four hundred and fifty-five Class 66s passes through Roade. Freightliner's 66957 'Stephenson Locomotive Society 1909-2009' leads the 4L46 12.16 Lawley Street to London Gateway just catching some winter sunshine on its front end. The tall white building to the top of the photograph is the former station master's house. Keywords: 66957 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway 4L46 site of Roade station Stephenson Locomotive Society 1909-2009
66955, 13.14 Willesden-Barrow Hill (6H50, 4L), site of Roade station I had been tracking the progress of this one-off working since it left Willesden Yard earlier in the afternoon. 66955 leads a long rake of MWA open wagons that were built at the Greenbrier Europe factory in Poland with the first ones being delivered back in 2016. They were not quite new builds as the bogies were largely recycled having been removed from redundant HHA coal hoppers. Many of the wagons in this rake were absolutely covered with graffiti whilst others were left untouched. The 6H50 13.14 Willesden to Barrow Hill working is seen passing Roade in lovely winter light. Thanks to Mike for the reporting number. Keywords: 66955 13.14 Willesden-Barrow Hill site of Roade station
66415, 09.25 Southampton MCT-Garston (4M28, 14E), site of Roade station With the sun getting very low in the sky by this time I was glad that the 4M28 Southampton to Garston Freightliner was being led by 66415 'You Are Never Alone' in its bright new Genesee & Wyoming livery. With the programme to rebrand all of Freightliner's Class 66s underway now more of these orange machines will be seen as time moves on. The train is seen passing the site of Roade's former station. Keywords: 66415 09.25 Southampton MCT-Garston 4M28 site of Roade station You Are Never Alone Genesee & Wyoming
66765, 10.36 Felixstowe N-Hams Hall (4M23, 44L), site of Roade station It's not even 15.00 and the sunlight has all but abandoned me at Roade! Working well GBRf's 66765 brings the well-loaded 4M23 10.36 Felixstowe to Hams Hall past the site of the village's former station. With the upgrading of the Ely to March and Peterborough to Leicester routes it is these sort of workings that will move away from the WCML easing congestion on what is the busiest route on the UK's network. However, will COVID change things forever? We'll see over the coming six months or so! Keywords: 66765 10.36 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall 4M23 site of Roade station GBRF
66701, 12.05 London Gateway-Hams Hall (4M46, 30L), site of Roade station I didn't come out for this but for something far more interesting instead coming the other way in a few minutes time! However, I like a challenge and getting this photograph was certainly that! With the sun set below the horizon at 15.35 66701, leading the 4M46 12.05 London Gateway to Hams Hall, is in full and heavy shadow even though there is still some light in the lovely early evening sky. Keywords: 66701 12.05 London Gateway-Hams Hall 4M46 site of Roade station
47813, 12.00 Derby RTC-Wolverton Centre Sidings (5H70, 13E), site of Roade station Had this been running much later I would have not managed a photograph! 47813 'Jack Frost' leads a rake of barrier coaches past Roade with 57312 bringing up the rear. As the 5H70 it left Derby RTC heading for Wolverton Works one hundred and ten minutes late and then updates promptly ceased and, for a while, I thought it had been stopped. However, by using Rail Record rather than RTT I was able to ascertain that it had gone off route. Rather than going via the planned route south to Leicester and then across to Nuneaton, it took the Burton route to Litchfield where it took the spur on to the WCML to then change ends and head south on the WCML as per planned from Nuneaton. All these shenanigans should have added even more time but it was suddenly now twenty-two minutes early as it joined the Northampton loop at Hilmorton Junction! It lost a little time being held at Northampton but passed me here at Roade ten minutes ahead of schedule. Keywords: 47813 12.00 Derby RTC-Wolverton Centre Sidings 5H70 site of Roade station Jack Frost
57312, 12.00 Derby RTC-Wolverton Centre Sidings (5H70, 13E), site of Roade station A going-away photograph at Roade sees former Virgin Thunderbird 57312 dead-in-tow at the rear of the 12.00 Derby RTC to Wolverton Works 5H70 working running ten minutes early. It's difficult to make out but 57312 is painted in black with ROG blue vinyls over the top. At the front, 47813 'Jack Frost' is leading the train. The carriages were being moved to Wolverton to be used as barrier coaches the next day for the conveying of 442414 back to its home depot at Bournemouth by the two ROG locomotives. Keywords: 57312 12.00 Derby RTC-Wolverton Centre Sidings 5H70 site of Roade station Jack Frost 47813

Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.