35. Trip to Carlisle-15.06.21

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2021 > 35. Trip to Carlisle-15.06.21

A day trip to Carlisle in order to collect a car and drive it back to Northamptonshire. Andy joined me for this trip enabling us to travel with a discount on our train fares using our Two Together card even though no discounts are applied until after 09.30. The weather was largely good including during the short time that we popped over the border into Scotland.

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Images 1-22 of 22 displayed.

66749, 02.17 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall (4M01, RT), Northampton station
66749 'Christopher Hopcroft MBE 60 Years Railway Service' leads the 4MO1 02.17 Felixstowe to Hams Hall Freightliner through Northampton station. Until 2016 this member of the class carried a European all-over plain grey livery following its use on the continent ostensively on the Netherlands.
Keywords: 66749, 02.17 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall 4M01 Northampton station Christopher Hopcroft MBE 60 Years Railway Service

73720 (350110) & 63732 (350122), LN 07.07 Northampton-London Euston (2N02, 2L), Northampton station
Both of these Class 350s were from the original batch of thirty units that entered service during the summer of 2005 with Central Trains and Silverlink. In recent years their latest operator, London NorthWestern has embarked on a somewhat chaotic repainting of the sets but there appears to be no methodology as to how they are doing it! By way of example at Northampton, to the left car 73720 as part of set 350110 wears its rather lurid metallic green paint scheme whilst to the right 63732 as part of set 350122 wears plain off white paint very similar to when they were introduced into service sixteen years ago.
Keywords: 73720 350110 63732 350122 07.07 Northampton-London Euston 2N02 Northampton station London Northwestern Desiro

350406, LN 05.34 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (2Y34, 1L), Northampton station
The first train of our journey to Carlisle drifts into Northampton station. Andy and I travelled on 350406 as far as Rugby working the 05.34 Euston to Birmingham service. It was unfortunate that we only travelled as far as Rugby on this particular unit as the ten former TPE units have a far better ambience inside the carriages with better seats and they seem roomier to me?
Keywords: 350406 05.34 London Euston-Birmingham New Street 2Y34 Northampton station London NorthWestern Desiro

90043 & Class 86s, stored, Crewe Basford Hall
The future of the stored Class 86s is pretty grim with the ones seen here probably going for scrap once Freightliner can get this organised. Also in this view of Crewe Basford Hall is 90043 to the left and an unidentified Class 70 partially hidden to the right.
Keywords: 90043 Class 86s Crewe Basford Hall

350264, LN 06.28 London Euston-Crewe (1U23, RT), Crewe station
After arrival at Crewe's platform seven I have turned the camera round to view the terminated 06.28 Euston to Crewe 1U23 service. Andy and I had travelled on this service from Rugby on this train that looks as though it had an unfortunate coming together with some sort of bird!
Keywords: 350264 06.28 London Euston-Crewe 1U23 Crewe station London NorthWestern Desiro

390157, VT 07.10 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S42, 4E), Carlisle station
390157 'Chad Varah' whisked Andy and me from Crewe to Carlisle working the 1S42 07.10 Euston to Glasgow Avanti West Coast service. The train is seen getting away from Carlisle station bang on time. The trains are now very nearly twenty years old and they remain comfortable and supremely reliable. The only issue that they still have issues with is the smelly waste tanks that were doing what they have always done on this train, stinking out the vestibules!
Keywords: 390157 07.10 London Euston-Glasgow Central 1S42 Carlisle station Avanti West Coast Pendolino Chad Varah

156487, NT 11.07 Carlisle-Barrow-in-Furness (2C50, 2E), Carlisle station
Northern's 156487 waits at Carlisle's south-facing double bay platform in a welcome burst of summer sunshine. In a few minutes, it will leave working the 11.07 Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness 2C50 service. This will travel along the incredibly picturesque Cumbrian Coast route one of the most underrated lines on the network.
Keywords: 156487 11.07 Carlisle-Barrow-in-Furness 2C50 Carlisle station Northern Sprinter

390121, VT 06.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley (9S44, 1E), Carlisle station
The service pattern currently being operated by Avanti West Coast is that they run a Glasgow service followed a short time later by an Edinburgh train or vice versa. As Andy and had just alighted from the Glasgow train at Carlisle the 9S44 06.43 Euston to Edinburgh arrives a short time later being worked by 390121. I like Carlisle station with its busy and varied trains. I also have fond memories of spending some time there at unearthly hours during my 1984 Scottish Railrover but these photographs have yet to be scanned and uploaded...maybe in ten years' time, given my present rate of progress on the site but, their time will come!
Keywords: 390121 06.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley 9S44 Carlisle station Avanto West Coast Pendolino

156507, SR 10.13 Glasgow Central-Carlisle (1L53, 1L), Blackrigg bridge NY364624
Blackrigg bridge is located six and a half miles north (according to the milepost) of Carlisle a short distance away from the enormous Kingmoor Yard near the village of Rockcliffe. It affords reasonable views of the WCML that are more favourable looking north as seen here. ScotRail's 156507 works the 1L53 10.13 Glasgow to Carlisle 'local' that has travelled the Glasgow and South Western Railway route via Kilmarnock and Dumfries.
Keywords: 156507 10.13 Glasgow Central-Carlisle 1L53 Blackrigg bridge NY364624 ScotRail

156502, SR 12.32 Carlisle-Dumfries (1L56, RT), Blackrigg bridge NY364624
With Blackrigg farm in the background giving its name to the bridge on which I am standing 156502 heads north with the 12.32 Carlisle to Dumfries ScotRail service. This location is just north of the vast Kingmoor Yard with the access line in the foreground just beginning to gain height in readiness to cross the other running lines some half a mile south of this location.
Keywords: 156502 12.32 Carlisle-Dumfries 1L56 Blackrigg bridge NY364624 ScotRail

390152, VT 11.33 Glasgow Central-London Euston (Cancelled from Rugby) (1M12, 3E), Blackrigg bridge NY364624
With the sun just managing to put in a most welcome appearance at Blackrigg bridge between Carlisle and Gretna 390152 is seen working the 11.33 Glasgow Central to Euston train. The 1M12 Avanti West Coast service did not make it to London being cancelled from Rugby due to signalling issues further south.
Keywords: 390152 11.33 Glasgow Central-London Euston Cancelled from Rugby 1M12 Blackrigg bridge NY364624 Avanti West Coast Pendolino

390112, VT 08.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley (9S54, RT), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654
Under a vast skyscape and with the northern fells of the Lake District in the background 390112 speeds northwards working the 9S54 08.43 Euston to Edinburgh Waverley Avanti service. The photograph is taken from a small access road that runs under the M6 motorway located immediately behind where I am standing.
Keywords: 390112 08.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley 9S54 Mossband M6 bridge NY347654.

390153, VT 09.10 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S48, 12L), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654
Passing Mossband just a mile or so south of the Scottish border 390153 heads north working the 08.43 Euston to Edinburgh Avanti service. What a delight it is to be able to take unrestricted photographs without the limitations and intrusion of palisade fencing! Despite this rural setting, I am standing directly in front of a vast concrete viaduct that carries the M6 motorway over the railway.
Keywords: 390112 08.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley 9S54 Mossband M6 bridge NY347654.

397001, TP 12.07 Glasgow Central-Liverpool Lime Street (1M87 1L), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654
An unusual angle but one that I actually like showing the vast concrete structure named Mossband bridge that carries the M6 across the WCML just south of Gretna. The bridge was opened in December 2008 along with the associated section of motorway linking the M6 with the M74 by Lord (Andrew) Adonis that had long been a congested section of road that the English Highways Agency and the Scottish Executive had spent many years wrangling over as to how to solve. 397001 passes under the bridge working the 12.07 Glasgow to Liverpool TPE service.
Keywords: 397001 12.07 Glasgow Central-Liverpool Lime Street 1M87 Mossband M6 bridge NY347654

397004, TP 12.12 Edinburgh Waverley-Manchester Airport (1M97 RT), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654
A 'going away' photograph of TransPennine Express' 397004 heads south past Mosband on the Scottish border working the 1M97 12.12 Edinburgh to Manchester Airport service. Andy and I really liked our all too brief stop at this location with its open views of the northern WCML and wished that we could have stayed a little longer and that we had been able to capture a freight working. However, we had the prospect of a long drive south back home to Northamptonshire ahead so decided that we should soon be pushing on.
Keywords: 397004 12.12 Edinburgh Waverley-Manchester Airport 1M97 Mossband M6 bridge NY347654 TPE TransPennine Express Nova 2

397012, TP 12.02 Preston-Glasgow Central (1S51, 3L), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654
397012 passes Mossband a short distance south of Gretna working the 12.02 Preston to Carlisle TransPennine Express service. The Nova 2 units have been in service for a year and a half now ousting the Class 350/4 Desiros that have moved south to augment London NorthWestern's operations.
Keywords: 397012 12.02 Preston-Glasgow Central 1S51 Mossband M6 bridge NY347654 Nova 2 TPE TransPennine Express

156413, SR 13.05 Dumfries-Carlisle (2L77, 1L), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654
Andy and I decided to stay for one final train at Mossband bridge between Carlisle and Gretna before moving on. I went to the northern side of the bridge, that was constructed in 2007/8 to carry the M6/M74 contiguous section of road linking Scotland with England over the border near Gretna. 156413 picks up speed after joining the WCML at Gretna Junction working the 13.05 Dumfries to Carlisle local service. The milepost indicates that this location is eight and three-quarter miles north from Carlisle heading towards Glasgow and Edinburgh via the LMS route.
Keywords: 156413 13.05 Dumfries-Carlisle (2L77, 1L), Mossband M6 bridge NY347654

397011, TP 12.10 Manchester Airport-Edinburgh Waverley (1S56, RT), Langloaning bridge NY326688
Having visited a local takeaway establishment in Gretna's renowned Gateway outlet village, incidentally where my wife, son and I had our wedding breakfast back in 2010, Andy and I drove the short distance north of the village to Langloaning bridge to eat it. As the sun was out we were hoping for a few trains to pass this lovely quiet spot but, alas, only one was due. TPE's 397011 works the 12.10 Manchester Airport to Edinburgh 1S56 service.
Keywords: 397011 12.10 Manchester Airport-Edinburgh Waverley 1S56 Langloaning bridge NY326688 TPE Nova 2 TransPennine Express

Andy & commemorative plaque, Blacksyke bridge NY316695
Andy and I were both keen to visit the site of the 1915 Quintinshill disaster site to pay our respects to the two hundred and twenty-six who died. Andy stands on Blacksyke bridge located just north of the infamous loops and reads the commemorative plaque that was unveiled in 2010. This is the second time that we have visited such spots, see...... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/27318117004/andy-paying-his-respects-penmansheil
Keywords: Andy commemorative plaque Blacksyke bridge NY316695 Quintinshill crash disaster

Quintinshill Loops & commemorative plaque, Blacksyke bridge NY316695
One cannot even begin to imagine the sight and the carnage that ensued at this benign Scottish location during the early morning of 22.05.1915 when, following a disastrous chain of events, four trains were in collision with each other. The signal box from where the chain of events was created by signalmen Meakin and Tinsley was located to the far left directly below the second wind turbine. Notice the plaque affixed to Blacksyke bridge that was unveiled in 2010.
Keywords: Quintinshill Loops commemorative plaque Blacksyke bridge NY316695

390131, VT 13.35 Glasgow Central-London Euston (1M14, 66L), Quintinshill Loops NY316694
The 13.35 Glasgow Central to Euston Avanti West Coast Pendolino is worked by 390131 'City of Liverpool' and is seen passing southwards (this is a 'going-away' shot) past Quintinshill loops. This is the exact spot where the worst British railway disaster occurred at 06.49 on 22.05.1915 that resulted in the deaths of two hundred and twenty-six passengers, mainly territorial soldiers from the 1/7th (Leith) Battalion, the Royal Scots who were heading off to fight at Gallipoli tragically not even making out of their own country. On this beautiful and clear summer's afternoon, the scene is very different to the absolute carnage and resultant inferno (that killed the majority of people) that ensued on that spring morning all those years ago.
Keywords: 390131 13.35 Glasgow Central-London Euston 1M14 Quintinshill Loops NY316694 Avanti City of Liverpool West Coast Pendolino

Tickets, Northampton-Carlisle
Our e-tickets from Northampton to Carlisle were split three ways in order to save us a few pounds. We used our two together card for a further discount but as they are not valid until after 09.30 these did not save us a great deal as by this time we were north of Warrington on a Pendolino!
Keywords: Tickets Northampton-Carlisle

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