4. A snowy winter's walk-24.01.21

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2021 > 4. A snowy winter's walk-24.01.21
After some snow fall I wrapped myself up appropriately and took my daily constitutional! With the slow lines closed for various works, including opposite my home in Roade to repair the embankment, I took the opportunity to capture the Sunday 4L48 Tesco Express diverted via the Weedon (the fast) line. Particularly noticeable today was the significant reduction in services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gone (for the moment at least) is the almost continuous passage of Pendolinos, Voyagers and Class 350s with significant waits between services that is something I am not used to here on the southern section of the WCML, even on a Sunday!
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66122, 10.10 DIRFT-Ripple Lane (4L48, 1E), between Roade & Ashton I ran out of time here! Having seen the 4L98 had left Rugby, after initially heading north from Daventry and changing ends, I raced as quickly as I could in snow boots to a spot near to Roade Hill. I wanted to get away from my usual haunts to get a photograph of the train running on the up fast line. However, 66122 hauling the earlier timed 10.10 Daventry to Ripple Lane Tesco Express made better progress than I was able to make so I had to make do with this spot in the middle of a snowy field. GBRf is still struggling with locomotive availability as it is still using hired in Class 66s from DB Cargo, in this case, an example still wearing the defunct EWS livery that it had since arrival in the UK in late 1999. Keywords: 66122,10.10 DIRFT-Ripple Lane 4L48 between Roade & Ashton EWS Tesco Express GBRf
390112, VT 09.38 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston (1A09, 7L), Roade Hill The snow has started again after a couple of hours of steady precipitation as 390112 passes between Roade and Ashton on the southern WCML. The Avanti West Coast Pendolino is working the 1A09 09.38 Liverpool to Euston, a journey of just under two hundred miles. This service is one of those remaining after Network Rail, Avanti and the Government have recently culled the timetable in the wake of the latest COVID-19 lockdown that has witnessed passenger numbers haemorrhage once again with a very uncertain future ahead for the railways. Keywords: 390112 09.38 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston 1A09 Roade Hill Avanti West Coast Pendolino
350258, LN 10.53 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y52, 5L), Victoria bridge With the up and down slow lines out of use due to a possession, they remain covered in snow with the fast lines carrying all traffic. 350258 and another unit pass Victoria bridge just south of Roade with the 10.53 Birmingham New Street to Euston diverted away from its usual route through Northampton. Keywords: 350258 10.53 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y52 Victoria bridge London North Western Desiro
Class 390, VT 10.49 London Euston-Wo;verhampton (9G06, 37L), Victoria bridge A photograph of a Pendolino taken from this position would normally find me identifying the set from the small car number written on the section of raised roof near to the pantograph. However, due to the build-up of snow, this is not possible so this one remains unidentified. The Avanti West Coast 10.49 Euston to Wolverhampton service passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade on time but things were to go badly wrong in just over twenty miles at Rugby with all trains suffering from delays caused by the inclement weather. Keywords: Class 390 VT 10.49 London Euston-Wolverhampton 9G06 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino

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