3. Clearance work in Roade cutting-07.01.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 3. Clearance work in Roade cutting-07.01.22

With the 'old line' or the Weedon loop closed for an extended period to complete various work including improvements to drainage, the opportunity was also taken to undertake some embankment management around Roade. Particular attention was paid to the area that caused a closure of the route back in October due to a fallen tree.

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Trackworkers, site of Roade station
With the up and down fast lines shut for an extended period enabled by the COVID induced significant drop in passenger numbers and the consequential reduction in services, Network Rail undertook extensive work on the Weedon or 'old' route. Having been undertaking embankment clearance slightly further along the line two workers return to their access point in the January sunshine. Evidence of work undertaken a few days earlier is seen to the left of the photograph taken at the site of Roade's former station.
Keywords: Trackworkers site of Roade station

390130, VT 07.37 Edinburgh Waverley-London Euston (1M08, 3L), site of Roade station
As two track workers involved in extensive embankment clearances walk along the up fast line at Roade 390130 'City of Edinburgh' heads south on the up slow line working the 1M08 07.37 Edinburgh to Euston service. For a week now all Avanti West Coast and other services for that matter were being diverted through Northampton avoiding the Weedon route due to Network Rail taking the opportunity to undertake much maintenance work taking advantage of the significant reduction in services due to COVID.
Keywords: 390130 07.37 Edinburgh Waverley-London Euston 1M08 site of Roade station City of Edinburgh

Trackworkers & R2R 4x4 multi-purpose road rail vehicle, site of Roade station
Trackworkers engaged in vegetation and tree clearance close to the site of Roade's former station gathered around a hired-in Aquarius Road2Rail Landrover Defender with a flatbed trailer attached. I am going to pop my tin hat on now but please note that none of the workers are actually engaged in any work. I observed these and a group of others further along the line for some time and the exact time that they were actually engaged in work activity was very small with a lot of standing about, joshing with colleagues and standing (or sitting) about on mobile phones. I appreciate that my observations were just a snapshot of one day and that what I saw did not necessarily represent the entire day - tin hat off!
Keywords: Trackworkers R2R 4x4 multi-purpose road rail vehicle site of Roade station Land Rover Defender

319373, 05.34 Shieldmuir-Willesden PRDC (3Q41, 6E), site of Roade station
On the day when I was out, as was the sun, Orion's 05.34 Shieldmuir to Willesden 3Q41 service was composed of one unit and was not locomotive-hauled as had been the case for the last week or so! 319373 passes through Roade taken from the village's Gravel bridge located at the site of the former station.
Keywords: 319373 05.34 Shieldmuir-Willesden PRDC 3Q41 site of Roade station Orion Logistics

66519, 09.52 Lawley Street-Felixstowe (4L99, 1E), Roade cutting
Fighting for its path through a raft of Avanti West Coast Pendolinos and London Northwestern units all crammed on to the up slow lines 66519 climbs through Roade cutting at a congestion creating speed! The Freightliner Class 66 is hauling the 4L99 09.52 Lawley Street to Felixstowe service that arrived on time at its Suffolk destination.
Keywords: 66519 09.52 Lawley Street-Felixstowe 4L99 Roade cutting Freightliner

66531, 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street (4M94, RT), trackworkers & R2R 4x4 multi-purpose road rail vehicle, Hyde Road bridge
Whilst another group of track workers appear to be engaged in not very much activity 66531 passes leading the 07.50 Felixstowe to Lawley Street 4M94 Freightliner service. The workers are engaged in clearance of the bank on the right at the same spot back in October where a tree was blown on to the catenary causing a full day of closure of the line, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30021090637/x66504-12-05-bletchley-relief-bescot. Nothing like acting after the horse has bolted!
Keywords: 66531 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street 4M94 trackworkers & R2R 4x4 multi-purpose road rail vehicle Hyde Road bridgeFreightliner

66130, 06.53 Dollands Moor-DIRFT (6M45, RT) & trackworkers, site of Roade station
With one load of cleared vegetation and trees having been cut and then carried back to this worksite in Roade, contractors are now chipping and stacking the logs. This type of work can only be carried out at certain times so as to protect birds and other small nesting animals after a survey has been undertaken. Whilst this may seem a little over onerous if the embankments were managed better in the first place not allowing them to get so grossly overgrown it would not be an issue. 66130 passes heading north with the 6M45 06.53 Dollands Moor to Daventry bottled water train.
Keywords: 66130 06.53 Dollands Moor-DIRFT 6M45 trackworkers site of Roade station DB

Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.