37. An Essex Escapade-23.06.21

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2021 > 37. An Essex Escapade-23.06.21

As I had to collect a gearbox from a supplier in Essex I decided to invite Andy along for the trip so that we could combine the drive with some railway activity. Luckily, I chose a good day in a run of otherwise recent pretty miserable June days.

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Images 1-23 of 23 displayed.

700110, TL 06.54 Horsham-Peterborough (9J14, 1L), Arlesey station
Under clear blue skies at Arlesey station on the ECML Thameslink's 700110 arrives working the 06.54 Horsham to Peterborough service. The station was opened on 03.10.88 on the site of the original station that was closed by British Railways in January 1959. The bridge carries the A507 over the railway linking Stoffold with Shefford.
Keywords: 700110 06.54 Horsham-Peterborough 9J14 Arlesey station Thameslink Desiro City

82225, GR 06.30 Bradford Forster Square-London King's Cross (1A09, 3E), Arlesey station
At the time of writing, LNER has retained a number of IC 225 sets to supplement the squadron service of its Azumas. Even with COVID still having a profound effect on passenger numbers, the TOC has several diagrams rostered for these sets that are now over thirty years old. The 06.30 Bradford Forster Square to King's Cross is one of those rostered diagrams and is seen passing Arlesey with DVT 82225 leading.
Keywords: 82225 06.30 Bradford Forster Square-London King's Cross 1A09 Arlesey station LNER DVT

91119, GR 06.30 Bradford Forster Square-London King's Cross (1A09, 3E), Arlesey station
To commemorate thirty years in passenger service in March 2019 91119 'Bounds Green Intercity Depot' was repainted into its InterCity Swallow livery that it carried from new. Having a stay of exucution on the ECML it has been retained by LNER to augment its Azuma operation on a temporary basis. It is seen powering at the rear of the 1A09 06.30 Bradford to King's Cross service passing through Arlesey station.
Keywords: 91119 06.30 Bradford Forster Square-London King's Cross 1A09 Arlesey station IC225 LNER Bounds Green Intercity Depot

91110, GR 08.33 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D06, RT), Arlesey station
91110 'Battle of Britain Memorial Flight' flies through (excusing the pun!) Arlesey station leading the 08.33 King's Cross to Leeds 1D06 LNER service. Having been in service on the ECML for over thirty years now these fast and powerful locomotives have certainly earned their place on the list of historic motive power to work the line along with HSTs, Deltics and A4s, now, where's my tin hat! This IC225 set will be in service for a short while yet to support the squadron service Azumas introduced two years ago.
Keywords: 91110 08.33 London King's Cross-Leeds 1D06 Arlesey station LNER IC 225 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

745101, LE 09.57 Stansted Express-London Liverpool Street (1B35, RT), Stansted Mountfitchet station
With the rear of the train just catching a little morning sunshine at Stansted Mountfitchet station it leaves heading towards London just thirty-three miles away. Greater Anglia's 745101 is working the 09.57 Stansted to Liverpool Street service.
Keywords: 745101 09.57 Stansted Express-London Liverpool Street 1B35 Stansted Mountfitchet station FLIRT Stadler Greater Anglia

379030 & 379017, LE 09.28 London Liverpool Street-Cambridge North (2H16, RT), Stansted Mountfitchet station
A pair of Greater Anglia Electrostars arrive at Stansted Mountfitchet station working the 09.28 Liverpool Street to Cambridge North service. Andy is not convinced that he has visited the station since it gained its new name from just Stansted in 1990 then under the control of Network Southeast. It was renamed to avoid confusion with the closely located Stansted Airport station.
Keywords: 379030 379017 09.28 London Liverpool Street-Cambridge North 2H16 Stansted Mountfitchet station Electrostar

Click-clack clock, Stansted Mountfitchet station
Variously referred to as click-clack or flip clocks these fine pieces of eighties technology were once found all over Network SouthEast route's stations. With their distinctive sound, they kept the travelling public informed of the time accurately wherever they may have been. I believe that there are just six left in operation with this being one of them at Stansted Mountfitchet on the up platform. Whilst this example has lost its NSE branding and colouring it is still faithfully keeping time! The last examples that I photographed were back at Liverpool Street in 2019, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/26206737404/x90006-13-30-london-liverpool-street and before that at Victoria station during 2015, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/28842982404/x465047-11-36-orpington-london-victoria I believe that both of these have now been removed.
Keywords: Click-clack clock Stansted Mountfitchet station flip clock Network Southeast

321311, LE 13.05 Clacton-on-Sea-London Liverpool Street (1N39, 1E), Ingatestone station
The 13.05 Clacton-on-Sea to Liverpool Street Greater Anglia service departs from Ingatestone station take, rather unfortunately, into the strong afternoon sunshine. Whilst I cannot make out every word on the piece of A4 taped to the second man's window of the cab, the words towards the bottom read 'This label must only be removed by engineering colleagues'. Despite making out these words I am none the wiser as to what it is all about!
Keywords: 321311 E 13.05 Clacton-on-Sea-London Liverpool Street 1N39 Ingatestone station Greater Anglia Dusty Bin

37057, 10.14 Welwyn Garden City-Cambridge Reception Sidings (1Q18, 4E), Ingatestone station
37057 makes a heck of a racket as it passes at speed through Ingatestone station on the GEML. It is leading the 1Q18 10.14 Welwyn Garden City to Cambridge test train. Out of sight at the rear was 37254 'Cardiff Canton'. Notice Ingatestone signal box to the right of the colour light that is now demoted to a crossing box with a mini panel installed. I photographed the box in my previous visit to this Essex town back in the summer of 2017, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24686002204/ingatestone-signal-box
Keywords: 37057 10.14 Welwyn Garden City-Cambridge Reception Sidings 1Q18 Ingatestone station Colas Rail

37254, 10.14 Welwyn Garden City-Cambridge Reception Sidings (1Q18, 4E), Ingatestone station
37254 'Cardiff Canton' provides the power at the rear of the 10.14 Welwyn Garden City to Cambridge Network Rail test train. The train is seen passing through Ingatestone station on the GEML in Essex. Andy is just visible partially obscured by the fencing in this photograph recording his own image.
Keywords: 37254 10.14 Welwyn Garden City-Cambridge Reception Sidings 1Q18 Ingatestone station Cardiff Canton Colas Rail Freight

321305, GA 13.35 Colchester Town-London Liverpool Street (2F45, 3E), Ingatestone station
321305 leads another 'Dusty Bin' classmate through Ingatestone station as the 13.35 Colchester Town to Liverpool Street Greater Anglia service. These BREL (York) built units are now well over thirty years old and have been in continuous use on this line since their introduction replacing many classes of slam-door stock. They have been supremely reliable over the years but they are presently being withdrawn and scrapped due to modern stock, built abroad off course, replacing them.
Keywords: 321305 13.35 Colchester Town-London Liverpool Street 2F45 Ingatestone station Dusty Bin Greater Anglia

745007, GA 13.00 Norwich-London Liverpool Street (1P39, 3L), Ingatestone station
Ingatestone station is located some twenty-three miles from London and during 'non-COVID' times is extremely busy with commuters. The present station building (to the immediate left in this photograph) was opened in 1844 built to a reproduction Tudor style with diaper brickwork. Stadler built 745007 passes the station at line speed with the 13.00 Norwich to Liverpool Street 1P39 Greater Anglia service. Until recent times this service would have been a rake of rather tired Mk. II coaches hauled by a Class 90 with the customary DVT at the country end.
Keywords: 745007 13.00 Norwich-London Liverpool Street 1P39 Ingatestone station Stadlen Great Anglia

321484, GA 14.02 London Liverpool Street-Ipswich (1Y20, 2E), Ingatestone station
The ultimate in lazy railway photography taken from the luxury of a platform bench! I was enjoying a coffee and a snack whilst 321484 passed with the 14.02 London Liverpool Street to Ipswich 1Y20 service. It is the little things like the small yellow-painted social distancing reminders on the platform that we will forget when the pandemic becomes a thing of the past in a few years time!
Keywords: 321484 14.02 London Liverpool Street-Ipswich 1Y20 Ingatestone station Greater Anglia Dusty Bin

720545 & 720564, GA 13.37 Colchester-Shenfield (5Q06, 1L), Ingatestone station
The Greater Anglia Bombardier Transportation Class 720 Aventras (sic) have yet to complete a year in service but they have already proved to be a step-change for the passengers on the GA network. 720545 and 720564 work the 13.37 Colchester to Shenfield empty coaching stock 5Q06 passes through Ingatestone station.
Keywords: 720545 720564 13.37 Colchester-Shenfield 5Q06 Ingatestone station Greater Anglia

321406 & 321307, GA 14.05 Clacton-on-Sea-London Liverpool Street (1N41, 2E), Ingatestone station
It's good to see an old friend! 321406 was a unit that I have many photographs of close to my home area when it was in use with Silverlink back in the early 2000s. Prior to that, the 321/4 sub class were operated under the North London Railways franchise that was later to become Silverlink. From new up until Eversholt Rail acquired the units they were operated by Network SouthEast replacing the Class 317s that had a very short-lived use between London and Northampton and Birmingham themselves replacing the venerable slam-door Class 310s. With 321397 at the rear, the pair of units work the 1N41 14.05 Clacton to Liverpool Street service as it approaches its stop at Ingatestone station.
Keywords: 321406 321307 14.05 Clacton-on-Sea-London Liverpool Street 1N41 Ingatestone station Great Anglia Dusty Bin

321307, GA 14.05 Clacton-on-Sea-London Liverpool Street (1N41, 2E), Ingatestone station
321307 is seen at the rear of the 14.05 Clacton-on-Sea to Liverpool Street Great Anglia service as it leaves Ingaststone station. It is viewed in one of the large mirrors located on the platforms to aid driver's getting their trains away. They used to be close to the platform ends but are now set back as the platforms have been extended to accommodate the new ten-car Aventra units now in operation on this route.
Keywords: 321307 14.05 Clacton-on-Sea-London Liverpool Street 1N41 Ingatestone station Dusty Bins GA Greater Anglia

66420, 13.13 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street (4M93), Ingatestone station
This was one of those most frustrating of photographs that could have been a whole lot better if it was taken some fifteen seconds later! The sun was behind a large cloud with the light heading fast towards me from behind as the train approached but the two did quite coincide. If I had wanted a photograph of the fourth or fifth box they would have been in full light; it was that close! 66420 leads the 4M93 13.13 Felixstowe to Lawley Street Freightliner through Ingastone station.
Keywords: 66420 13.13 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street 4M93 Ingatestone station Freightliner

345017, XR 15.18 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street (2W89, RT), Shenfield station
The Class 345 Aventras (sic) should by now be operating through trains under the capital via Liverpool Street to Paddington and beyond to Heathrow and Reading. However, as we are all aware, this has not happened due to the chronic overrun and huge costs increases associated with the underground section that may now open sometime in 2022. So, for the present time, 345017 will work the 15.18 from Shenfield as far as Liverpool Street. It is seen prior to its departure from the Essex town located twenty miles from Liverpool Street.
Keywords: 345017 15.18 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street 2W89 Shenfield station CrossRail

345007, XR 15.26 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street (2W91, RT), Shenfield station
345007 waits at Shenfield station and is being prepared to work the 2W91 15.26 Crossrail service to Liverpool Street. Whilst a number of units have been introduced to work what are effectively twenty-mile shuttle services others are doing the same between Paddington and reading but, for the moment, never the twain will meet! Once the Elizabeth line actually opens, sometime next year (2022) then they will be united and will be able to run through services for the full length of the Crossrail route.
Keywords: 345007 15.26 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street 2W91 Shenfield station CrossRail

345022, XR 15.32 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street (2W93, RT), Shenfield station
The 15.32 Shenfield to Liverpool Street 2W93 service waits at its start point to leave in about ten minutes time. I was surprised that Andy and I were permitted access to this closed station but on asking at the gate line we were simply waved through; how refreshing!
Keywords: 345022 15.32 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street 2W93 Shenfield station CrossRail Aventra

345017, XR 15.38 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street (2W95, RT), Brentwood station
After being permitted access to Shenfield station by the gate line staff the same things happened at Brentwood, a great double! 345017 leaves the station working the Crossrail 15.38 Shenfield to Liverpool street service. By 16.00 the station should be getting very busy with the early arrival home of commuters but COVID has put paid to that with very few passengers around and virtually empty trains.
Keywords: 345017 15.38 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street 2W95 Brentwood station Crossrail Aventra

313857 & 313838, TFL 15.56 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street (2W03, RT), Brentwood station
TfL Rail retains a small number of these elderly Class 315 units that date from 1980/1. They are used on the Shenfield to Liverpool Street route during weekdays only and during peak times, not that this is an issue at the moment with the much-reduced passenger numbers. 315857 leads 315838 into Brentwood station working the 2W03 15.56 Shenfield to Liverpool Street service.
Keywords: 313857 313838 15.56 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street 2W03 Brentwood station TFL

313838 & 313857, TF 15.56 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street (2W03, RT), Brentwood station
The veteran Class 313 EMUs have been in operation for some forty years now and I think that it's safe to say that the railways have had pretty good value out of the BREL (York) units! However, the remaining sets will not be about for much longer with about half now having already been scrapped. 313838 and 313857 leave Brentwood station working the 15.56 Shenfield to Liverpool street a remaining journey distance of eighteen miles.
Keywords: 313838 313857 15.56 Shenfield-London Liverpool Street 2W03 Brentwood station TfL Rail

Images 1-23 of 23 displayed.