2. The Highlands & Islands Explorer

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2014 > 24. The NVR Gala & The Highlands & Islands Explorer-17.05.14 > 2. The Highlands & Islands Explorer
After spending some time at the Nene Valley Railway's diesel gala I took a short drive to the ECML just south of Peterborough to record the passage of the returning Highlands & Islands Explorer railtour being hauled by 60009 'Union of South Africa'. Due to it having a scheduled layover in the Connington Loops I could see it again a little further south.
Click here to search The Archive Files


Images 1-17 of 17 displayed.

91130, GR 16.03 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D21), Yaxley TL194921 91130 approaches Peterborough from the south passing Yaxley leading the 1D21 16.03 London King's Cross to Leeds East Coast service. Keywords: 91130 GR 16.03 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D21), Yaxley TL194921 East Coast InterCity 225
365504, FC 15.36 Peterborough-London King's Cross (2P20), Yaxley TL194921 356504 picks up speed past Yaxley shortly after leaving Peterborough with the late running 15.36 service to King's Cross. The announcement by the Government as to who has been awarded the franchise to operate these services is imminent with the TOC to take over operations in Septemeber. Keywords: 365504 15.36 Peterborough-London King's Cross 2P20 Yaxley TL194921 First Capital Connect
82223, GR 13.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross (1E16), Yaxley TL194921 82223 pilots the 13.00 Edinburgh to King's Cross service past Yaxley just south of Peterborough. The field of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in the foreground has just gone over being past its resplendent yellow best of a week or so ago! Keywords: 82223 13.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross 1E16 Yaxley TL194921
60009, return & final leg (Day 9!) of The Highlands and Islands Explorer, Edinburgh Waverley-London Victoria (1Z80), Yaxley TL194921 Passengers aboard the ambitious (and highly successful) Highlands and Islands Explorer charter had enjoyed (or endured?) nine days of train travel with more locomotives than I could mention all over Scotland. On day nine of nine, the charter returns south to King's Cross as 1Z80 passing Yaxley just south of Peterborough. The train had left Edinburgh in the morning with 6009 'Union of South Africa' leading. Just after this photograph was taken, the train was halted in Connington loops for a scheduled pathing layover that gave me an opportunity to get south of it again but would it still be in the sun at my chosen location? As it was preparing to enter the loop it had shut off and this combined with the warm afternoon meant absolutely no exhaust! Keywords: 60009 The Highlands and Islands Explorer, Edinburgh Waverley-London Victoria 1Z80 Yaxley TL194921 Union of South Africa
Class 91, GR 16.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S25), Yaxley TL194921 As I was returning to the parked car at Yaxley the 16.30 King's Cross to Edinburgh service passed heading north. Whilst I could not identify the Class 91 hauling the train and that the edge had just been taken off the sun by an errant cloud, I like the composition of this image with the furrowed track going through the middle of the field of oilseed rape drawing the eye to the train. It's also a shame that I have not quite managed the full length of the train in the composition.....next time perhaps! Keywords: Class 91 16.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S25 Yaxley TL194921 East Coats InterCity 225
82208, GR 16.05 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A40), New England bridge TL219796 The sun has just dived behind a cloud as the 16.05 Leeds to King's Cross East Coast heads south near Connington. DVT 82208 is leading the train that is about to pass under New England bridge. Keywords: 82208 16.05 Leeds-London King's Cross 1A40 New England bridge TL219796 East Coast DVT
365529, FC 16.36 London King's Cross-Peterborough (2P24), New England bridge TL219796 365529 works the 2P24 16.36 King's Cross to Peterborough FCC service past New England bridge located between Huntingdon and Peterborough. The three-track arrangement on this section of the ECML, which actually is reduced to just two a few miles north of this location on the run into Peterborough, is a severe bottleneck. In this case, the Networker Express is on the down fast line. Keywords: 365529 16.36 London King's Cross-Peterborough 2P24 New England bridge TL219796 First Capital Connect FCC
365519 & Class 365, FC 17.46 Peterborough-London King's Cross (1P73), New England bridge 365519 has worn its dramatic all-over vinyls that depict Peterborough for a number of years now. At one point was named 'Peterborough-Environment City' but the vinyl plate appears to have been removed. It is seen climbing the 1:200 gradient away from Connington with another Class 365 working the 1P73 17.46 Peterborough to King's Cross service. Keywords: 365519 Class 365 17.46 Peterborough-London King's Cross 1P73 New England bridge Networker Express FCC
43272, 14.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross (1E18), New England bridge TL219796 HST power car 43272 leads the 14.00 Edinburgh to King's Cross 1E18 East Coast service just south of Connington. The photograph is taken from the lofty height of New England bridge that carries a minor road over the line and the cutting it is in that heads towards the village of Wennington. The bridge in the distance might well have afforded a better vantage point but that would be tricky as it is actually an aqueduct carrying a small watercourse over the line. Keywords: 43272 14.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross 1E18 New England bridge Wood Wennington TL219796
180101, GC 15.22 Bradford Interchange-London King's Cross (1A67), New England bridge TL219796 180101 takes the climb from Connington loop towards Huntingdon in its stride working the 15.22 Bradford Interchange to King's Cross service. Photographing trains in black livery (be they diesel or steam locomotives) is tricky at the best of times. With the large orange stripe along its flanks, the extreme contrast of the gloss black paint scheme is tempered slightly but some tinkering in Photoshop was still required. Keywords: 180101 15.22 Bradford Interchange-London King's Cross 1A67 New England bridge TL219796 Grand Central
91108, GR 17.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S27), New England bridge TL219796 Despite it being past 18.00 the lovely evening sun is still able to illuminate a train in the depths of the cutting on the approach to Connington between Huntingdon and Peterborough. InterCity 225 91108 leads the 17.30 King's Cross to Edinburgh 1S27 East Coast service at speed on the down fast line. If anybody fancies visiting this location to take photographs or to simply observe the passage to trains you will be disappointed unless you take a step ladder as the bridge parapet is extremely high! Keywords: 91108 17.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S27 New England bridge TL219796 East Coast IC 225
91119, GR 17.35 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D24), New England bridge TL219796 91119 hares down the 1:200 dropping gradient from Abbots Ripton just north of Huntingdon with the 17.35 King's Cross to Leeds 1D24 service. It's a good job that the train was not on this down slow line as it would have been fully shaded from the evening sun! Keywords: 91119 17.35 London King's Cross-Leeds 1D24 New England bridge Wood Wennington TL219796
82203, GR 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross (1E19), New England bridgeTL219796 The 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley to King's Cross service is about to pass under the oddly named New England bridge just near the village of Wennington (that is Wennington Cambridgeshire rather than Wennington Lancashire that I have visited a number of times, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/26751472204/x4472-outward-leg-north-yorkshireman The East Coast service is being led by DVT 82203 with an unidentified Class 91 doing all the work at the rear, Keywords: 82203 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross 1E19 New England bridgeWood Wennington TL219796 East Coast DVT
180105, GC 15.29 Sunderland-London King's Cross (1A68), New England bridge TL219796 Grand Central's 15.29 Sunderland to King's Cross service is about to pass under New England bridge located between Huntingdon and Peterborough. 180105 has been operated by Grand Central since 2009 after it left the Western Region in 2007 and underwent an overhaul. Notice the lofty position of the appropriately named Hill Farm on the skyline! Keywords: 180105 15.29 Sunderland-London King's Cross 1A68 New England bridge TL219796 Grand Central.jpg
43307, GR 14.00 Craigentinny-London King's Cross ECS (5N33), New England bridge TL219796 I am sure that East Coast has its reasons that I am not party to but, quite why is an HST runs empty all the way from Scotland to London is a mystery? Power car 43307 left Craigentinny depot at 14.00 running as 5N33 to King's Cross. 43307 has been on the ECML all of its working life being introduced in December 1978 as part of set 254026. In the very distance to the left above the aqueduct is the tower of the redundant Anglican church of St Andrews Church that stands in an isolated position in fields adjacent to the ECML and is clearly visible from passing trains, see.... http://www.woodwalton.org.uk/ Keywords: 43307 14.00 Craigentinny-London King's Cross ECS 5N33 Wood Wennington TL219796 East Coast HST New England bridge
60009, return & final leg (Day 9!) of The Highlands and Islands Explorer, Edinburgh-Victoria (1Z80), New England bridge TL219796 Having had a lengthy layover in Connington loop a short distance north of this location at New England bridge, 60009 'Union of South Africa' is getting underway again leading the final leg (day nine!) of the epic Highlands and Islands Explorer charter. I was disappointed, having specifically chosen this location with its 1:200 gradient, to find that 60009 was producing very little exhaust. As it left the loops a little later than planned, the sun has also dropped rather low in the sky meaning that the loco. and stock is only partially illuminated. Keywords: 60009 The Highlands and Islands Explorer Edinburgh-Victoria 1Z80 New England bridge TL219796 Union of South Africa
60009, return & final leg (Day 9!) of The Highlands and Islands Explorer, Edinburgh-Victoria (1Z80), New England bridge TL219796 In order to secure this photograph after taking the approaching image, I had to jump off my ladder, cross the road, set the ladder again and then climb it to get the camera over the parapet! Taken from the top of New England bridge between Peterborough and Huntingdon and shows 60009 'Union of South Africa' leading the final and returning leg of The Highlands and Islands Explorer nine-day charter. The passengers aboard had travelled down from Edinburgh and would arrive at King;'s cross in about an hour. Keywords: 60009 The Highlands and Islands Explorer, Edinburgh-Victoria 1Z80 New England bridge TL219796 Union of South Africa

Images 1-17 of 17 displayed.