5. A dull & cold January day-25.01.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 5. A dull & cold January day-25.01.22

With what seemed like an eternity of anticyclonic grey dullness having dominated the weather I gave up waiting for a good day to get out and take some photographs! I timed my walk to get some provisions with the passage of the 0Z45 light engine move that had been flagged by a number of others on the internet and later timed my afternoon walk with a little freight action.
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Images 1-5 of 5 displayed.

60029, 07.07 Chaddesden Sidings-Wembley Reception (0Z45, 3L), site of Roade station 
 Looking very smart in its DC Rail Freight livery 60029 'Ben Nevis' passes the site of Roade station as the 0X45 07.07 Chaddesden Sidings (Derby) to Wembley Reception sidings light engine. Class 60s are not common on the WCML so are always worth the extra effort, despite the unpleasant weather, especially as this particular example is a photographic cop! The purpose of this move was to get the Class 60 to the North London area in order to work HS2 infrastructure trains. Notice in the background evidence of recent embankment clearance that took place over a ten-day possession of the fast line at the start of the year. 
 Keywords: 60029 07.07 Chaddesden Sidings-Wembley Reception 0Z45 site of Roade station light engine Ben Nevis
350262, LN 13.05 Northampton-London Euston (2N08, 2E) & 390112, VT 12.35 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly (1H67, 2L), Roade cutting 
 350112 leads a classmate through Roade cutting working London Northwestern's 13.05 Northampton to Euston service. 390112 has just passed under where I am standing in Roade cutting working Avanti's 12.35 Euston to Manchester train. Notice the clearance of the embankment above the middle of the Class 350. This marks the spot where a huge new bridge will span the cutting carrying Roade's new, but much needed, bypass that will, unfortunately, ruin this viewpoint! 
 Keywords: 350262 13.05 Northampton-London Euston 2N08 390112 12.35 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly 1H67 Roade cutting Avanti West Coast London Northwestern
325013 & 325004, 11.20 Crewe TMD-Willesden PRDC (5A91, 13E), Roade cutting 
 Following routine maintenance at LNWR Crewe facility 325013 and 325004 return south to the Park Royal Mail centre at Willesden ready to take up its duties again. Running as the 5A91 11.20 ex Crewe the duo are seen passing through Roade cutting on a particularly dull and cold January day. 
 Keywords: 325013 325004 11.20 Crewe TMD-Willesden PRDC 5A91 Roade cutting Royal Mail
66426, 10.03 Tilbury-DIRFT (4M07, 19E), Roade cutting 
 This 4M07 10.03 Tilbury to Daventry was absolutely flying as it passed me heading north through Roade cutting! Freights normally trundle their way along the WCML at a relatively sedate pace with the locomotives working hard hauling their payloads. However, observation of this photograph reveals that today's 4M07 is extremely short with just ten boxes being hauled making for a particularly light load. With the driver eager to take advantage and get an early cup of tea on arrival at DIRFT the train's approach caught me off guard and found me having to ramp up the shutter speed at the last second to avoid motion blur! 
 Keywords: 66426 10.03 Tilbury-DIRFT 4M07 Roade cutting Tesco Express
66587, 09.12 Felxstowe North-Trafford Park (4M63, 1L), site of Roade station 
 One of the 'Pink Ones' 66587 'As one We Can' brings a splash of brightness to the dull Northamptonshire weather as it passes through Roade on the down slow line. The Freightliner operated Class 66 in partnership with the relatively new global container shipping company OceanNetworkExpress (ONE) was leading the 4M63 09.12 Felixstowe to Trafford Park service. Rather like the earlier 4M07 this was also very lightly loaded perhaps indicating more difficulties with international shipping and contributing to further consumer shortages and thus driving our old enemy inflation currently running at a thirty-year high of 5.1%. 
 Keywords: 66587 09.12 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park 4M63 site of Roade station As one We Can

Images 1-5 of 5 displayed.