10. My first trip out in March!-11.03.21

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2021 > 10. My first trip out in March!-11.03.21

Things are not going well this year! With COVID 19 continuing to make life difficult for everybody my railway activity has been curtailed. My first trip of March and we are ten days in - such is the drop-off in trips out! I hope that the better weather and improvements in the COVID situation will inspire me! A nice day, in between the showers, got me out around the village of Roade with my camera over my shoulder.

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.

DR73XX, 13.13 Rugby access sidings-Watford London Concrete (35L), Roade cutting
For a change, I have adopted a full wide-angled view of Roade cutting taken from one of three bridges that cross it. In the coming year or so a fourth bridge will be constructed between where I am and the green aqueduct in the distance that will carry Roade's much-needed bypass. An unidentified track machine in the DR73XX series heads south through the cutting as the 13.13 Rugby to Watford London Concrete sidings.
Keywords: DR73XX 13.13 Rugby access sidings-Watford London Concrete 35L Roade cutting

66556, 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street (4M94, 56L), Roade cutting
The 4M94 07.50 Felixstowe to Lawley Street Freightliner service passes through Roade cutting with 66556 leading. There was a fair amount of fresh air being dragged along by this engine with some boxes towards the rear of the train.
Keywords: 66556 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street 4M94 Roade cutting Freightliner

90047 & 66418, 08.01 Felixstowe North-Crewe Basford Hall (4M81, 38L), Roade cutting
The 4M81 is a rare visitor to the WCML as it usually takes the Ely, Peterborough and Leicester route. I think that it was re-routed due to the failure of 66418 'Patriot - In Memory of Fallen Railway Employees' seen second in the consist as the timings on RTT showed it languishing at Ipswich for some time. I suspect that the only locomotive available to take the train forward was 90047 hence it having to be re-routed under the wires. The 08.01 Felixstowe to Crewe Basford Hall Freightliner only arrived some forty minutes adrift so things did not end up as bad as they may have done!
Keywords: 90047 66418 08.01 Felixstowe North-Crewe Basford Hall 4M81 Roade cutting Freightliner Patriot-In Memory of Fallen Railway Employees

66610, 13.20 Willesden up & down relief-Barrow Hill (6H50, 2L @ Chinley North), site of Roade station
The 6H50 13.20 Willesden to Barrow Hill, composed of a number of MWA wagons, passes the site of Roade station hauled by 66610. This train did not make it as far as Barrow Hill disappearing from RTT at Chinley making me wonder if it ended up at Peak Forest. The heavily graffitied MWA wagons are relatively new being converted from redundant HHA coal vehicles.
Keywords: 66610 13.20 Willesden up & down relief-Barrow Hill 6H50 Chinley North site of Roade station Freightliner

66554, 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway (4L46, 4L), site of Roade station
The 12.16 Lawley Street to London Gateway 4L46 Freightliner passes the site of Roade station in some welcome afternoon sunshine. Whilst this seemingly anonymous Class 66 leads the train, for me, it was a photographic cop making my afternoon sortie worthwhile!
Keywords: 66554 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway 4L46 site of Roade station Freightliner

66424, 13.51 DIRFT-Ripple Lane (4L48, 1E), site of Roade station
The 4L48 is one of the most dependable and long-running freights on the southern section of the WCML. It leaves Daventry at lunchtime, in this case, 13.51, and is operated by DRS going to Ripple Lane and then on to the Purfleet deep water port. It is seen here passing the site of Roade station, with the sun having gone back in, led by 66424.
Keywords: 66424 13.51 DIRFT-Ripple Lane 4L48 site of Roade station DRS Direct Rail Services

66952, 09.30 Southampton MCT-Garston (4M58, 37E), site of Roade station
This was not quite the photograph that I had intended to take of the 4M58 Southampton to Garston Freightliner. As the sun was in I had positioned myself to the left-hand side of the bridge. As it appeared around the corner a three-set Class 350 came along the up slow line running at caution behind the previous 4L48. Realising that I would be bowled, I dashed to this end of the bridge and attempted this grab shot of the train with 66952 leading. As can be seen, the unit just would have cleared the front if I had stayed at the other end! As it transpires, I think I prefer this view with its dramatic and menacing skyscape that I would not have got from the left.
Keywords: 66952 09.30 Southampton MCT-Garston 4M58 site of Roade station Freightliner

Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.