54. 1Z50 & Sunday freight-08.09.14

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2014 > 54. 1Z50 & Sunday freight-08.09.14
The curiously named 'AC/DC Highway to Hampshire' private charter was operated by GBRf being run to raise money for their chosen charity for this year Leukameia and Lymphomo Research. As it was a glorious late summer day I took the opportunity to spend a little extra time in Roade cutting as there was a surprising amount of other traffic for a Sunday afternoon.
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Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.

66008, 09.15 Halewood-Southampton Eastern Docks (6O38), Roade cutting 66008 leads the 09.15 Halewood to Southampton Docks loaded cartic train through Rode cutting. This 6O38 train would usually travel via Banbury, Oxford and Reading but due to engineering works it was diverted up the WCML. Notice the very subtle changes to the vegetation lining the top of the cutting as we have just entered September the warm mellowness of autumn is just starting to show its hand. Keywords: 66008 09.15 Halewood-Southampton Eastern Docks 6O38 Roade cutting EWS
66514, 08.50 Rugby Long Lawford Junction-Willesden HOBC (6Y15), Roade cutting 66514 heads the 08.50 Rugby (Long Lawford Junction) to Willesden Junction HOBC ‘jumbo’ train through Roade cutting. This is an extraordinarily heavy and long train that would normally be far too much for a single Class 66 so another one usually works from the rear. However, on this particular occasion, 66563 still out of sight at the rear was turned off leaving 66514 doing all the work. It was almost at a walking pace here at Roade cutting at the top of an almost constant 1:200 climb from Northampton, a distance of some four miles. Keywords: 66514 08.50 Rugby Long Lawford Junction-Willesden HBOC 6Y15 Roade cutting Freightliner
66563 (DIT), 08.50 Rugby Long Lawford Junction-Willesden HBOC (6Y15), Roade cutting Quite why 66563 was switched off and providing no assistance pushing the gargantuan 08.50 Long Lawford Junction to Willesden Junction HOBC ‘jumbo drain train’ I do not know. This left 66514, out of sight in this image, leading the entire train on its own and accounts for why it was moving at little more than walking pace here in Roade cutting! Keywords: 66563 DIT dead in tow 08.50 Rugby Long Lawford Junction-Willesden HOBC 6Y15 Roade cutting Freightliner
390155, VT 11.55 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A23), Roade cutting 390155 ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ works the 1A23 11.55 Manchester Piccadilly to Euston Virgin service through Roade cutting. Another example of a Pendolino running with its draw gear cover in the retracted position that does nothing for its aerodynamic efficiency or its good looks! Keywords: 390155 11.55 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston 1A23 Roade cutting Virgin West Coast Pendolino X-Men: Days of Future Past
Class 221s, VT 12.50 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1B24), Roade cutting An unidentified pair of Class 221 Voyagers pass through Roade cutting working the 12.50 Birmingham New Street to Euston Virgin West Coast service. I never cease to be amazed at the number of times that I observe a diesel unit operating under the wires that always seems such a waste of Virgin’s resources. I am not a train planner and am not fully aware of the logistics associated with it but is their full attention paid to this situation? Keywords: Class 221 12.50 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1B24 Roade cutting Virgin West Coast Voyager
Class 221, VT 10.55 Holyhead-London Euston (1A27), Roade cutting Just a few minutes behind the previous Voyager service another single set heads south through Roade cutting. This time, it is working the 1A27 10.55 Holyhead to Euston Virgin train. Keywords: Class 221 10.55 Holyhead-London Euston 1A27 Roade cutting Virgin West Coast Voyager
350108 & 350103, LM 11.37 Crewe-London Euston (1U30), Roade cutting The 11.37 Crewe to Euston London Midland service is seen, as it is a Sunday, passing through Roade cutting on the up slow line rather than the fast as would be the case in the week. On this lovely early autumn day (or is it late summer?) 350108 and 350103 are working this train. Keywords: 350108 350103 11.37 Crewe-London Euston 1U30 Roade cutting London MIdland Desiro
92028 & 92038, 11.53 Crewe-Basingstoke GB Railfreight Excursion (1Z50), Roade cutting Something that is not seen that often this far south now but that was more common a few years ago is a Class 92 and even rarer a working pair hauling a non-freight train! 92028 ‘Saint-Saëns’ leads 92038 ‘Voltaire’ through Roade cutting heading the comically titled ‘AC/DC Highway to Hampshire’ ‘private’ charter operated by and for GBRf employees and other invited guests. Unlike many charters with ridiculously early start times, this was far more leisurely leaving Crewe at 11.53 and completing a there-and-back trip to Basingstoke with a brace of the company’s Class 73 taking over from Wembley Yard. Notice that the Class 92s are wearing their Europorte branding as this French company acquired GBRf for an eyewatering £31 back in 2010. Keywords: 92028 92038 11.53 Crewe-Basingstoke GB Railfreight Excursion 1Z50 Roade cutting Europorte Saint-Saëns Voltaire
390008, VT 12.35 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A28) & 390135, VT 13.20 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (1G18), Roade cutting With a probable approach speed of two hundred miles per hour 390008 ‘Virgin King’ is about to pass 390135 ‘City of Lancaster’ in Roade cutting. The former is working the 1A28 12.35 Manchester to Euston whilst the latter the 1G18 13.20 from Euston to Birmingham New Street. Keywords: 390008 12.35 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston 1A28 390135 13.20 London Euston-Birmingham New Street 1G18 Roade cutting Virgin Pendolino Virgin King City of Lancaster
66232, 08.00 Weedon-Wembley-Bescot (6R02), Roade cutting 66232 leads an afternoon engineering train through Roade cutting. It is working the 08.00 Weedon to Bescot that had initially headed south earlier in the morning to Wembley Yard. It is carrying used ballast from the mainline that is being taken to Bescot for recycling and cleaning for possible reuse. Keywords: 66232 08.00 Weedon-Wembley-Bescot 6R02 Roade cutting EWS
66047, 09.05 Southampton Eastern Docks-Halewood (6M38), Roade cutting Another diversion due to the closure of the Oxford to Banbury route that is not seen that often is the 6M38 09.05 Southampton Docks to Halewood empty cartics. On this Sunday it is seen off-route on the WCML being lead by EWS liveried 66047 on this glorious early autumn afternoon. Keywords: 66047 09.05 Southampton Eastern Docks-Halewood 6M38 Roade cutting EWS

Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.