114. A New Year's Eve walk-31.12.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 114. A New Year's Eve walk-31.12.20

Well that's it then - 2020 is over so goodbye and thanks for nothing! Who would have thought that this time last year that twelve months later the world would be so different? I went on my traditional end of year walk and took a few photographs despite the misty and bitterly cold weather.

Click here to search The Archive Files


Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.

350105, 350130 & 350111, LN 11.25 Northampton-London Euston (2N22, RT), Victoria bridge A three-set Desiro heads south past Victoria bridge working the 11.25 Northampton to Euston formed by 350105, 350130 and 350111. On any normal New Year's Eve, I would be commenting about the train being full of revellers heading for London to celebrate on the Thames embankment with the chimes of Big Ben ringing out at midnight but not this year. With nearly the whole country in Tier Four restrictions, the populous will be celebrating the end of 2020 at home. Keywords: 350105 350130 350111 11.25 Northampton-London Euston 2N22 Victoria bridge London Northwestern Desiro
390046, VT 11.10 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S58, 2E), Victoria bridge 390046 emerges from the cold fog on the last day of the year working the 1S58 11.10 Euston to Glasgow Central. It is fitting that the last day of the year is such a miserable one just about summing up the previous ten months or so! Keywords: 390046 11.10 London Euston-Glasgow Central 1S58 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino
390006, VT 10.15 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A22, 4E), Victoria bridge 390006 'Rethink Mental Illness' has just fifty-eight miles to go to complete its journey as the 1A22 10.15 Manchester Piccadilly to Euston Avanti West Coast service. Despite having hundreds of photographs of Pendolinos I have precious few of 390006 with this being the first time I have caught it in its Avanti livery. The train is seen passing Victoria bridge just south of Roade. Keywords: 390006 10.15 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston 1A22 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino Rethink Mental Illness
390005, VT 06.52 Edinburgh Waverley-London Euston (9M50, 11L), Roade Hill I have not used this particular location on Roade Hill between Ashton and the village of Roade for a long time, being disappointed at how overgrown it has been getting. However, in the winter months with less foliage, a tolerable photograph can be taken. 390005 'City of Wolverhampton' heads south still wearing its 'nude' de-branded livery working the 06.52 Edinburgh to Euston service. Something had gone badly awry earlier in its journey just south of Lancaster as it was running for some time over an hour late. However, control re-routed the train from its planned route via Wolverhampton and New Street through to the Trent Valley route from Stafford. This meant that by the time it passed me here in south Northamptonshire it was just twelve minutes delayed - time it did not make up by the time it arrived into London. Keywords: 390005 06.52 Edinburgh Waverley-London Euston 9M50 Roade Hill Avanti West Coast Pendolino City of Wolverhampton
350124, 350101 & 350126, LN 12.05 Northampton-London Euston (2N06, 1E), Roade Hill In the gloom of the last day of the year, the 12.05 Northampton to Euston Desiro service passes Roade Hill with the village of the same name in the background. The train is made up of three units all from the initial batch of thirty Desiros introduced between 2004 and 2005 by the then operator Silverlink. The Desiros never actually carried any Silverlink branding remaining in a livery very similar to the one being carried by 350124 in this photograph. Only when London Midland took over the franchise in late 2007 did the units receive a livery and branding matching their operator. Keywords: 350124 350101 350126 12.05 Northampton-London Euston 2N06 Roade Hill London Northwestern Desiro
319005, 12.17 Northampton-Bletchley TMD (5B01, 17L), Roade cutting And so we come to my final photograph of 2020 - let's draw a line under it and move on to 2021! It shows the 12.17 Northampton to Bletchley empty coaching stock 5B01 move passing through Roade cutting. London Northwestern still maintains a small fleet of Class 319s to supplement its operations but with hardly any commuter traffic now taking place the necessity of keeping them operational is surely in question? Still wearing its Thameslink white and light blue colourings 319005 dates from 1987 and was built by BREL at York and like so many units of the time was built around a Mk.III coach. A happy New Year to all my readers; here's to a far better 2021! Keywords: 319005 12.17 Northampton-Bletchley TMD 5B01 Roade cutting London Northwestern

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.