8. My first trip with Andy of 2022-02.02.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 8. My first trip with Andy of 2022-02.02.22

My first trip out with Andy for 2022 found us venturing out locally in his trusty Nissan Micra. We took a drive over to Peterborough to have a look at the recently re-opened Werrington dive-under and then returned to the MML at Harrowden Junction. Amazingly, this was the first time that I had returned to the junction just north of Wellingborough since the electrification work was completed.
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Images 1-20 of 20 displayed.

158857, 09.40 Nottingham-Norwich (1L06, 2L), Marholm TF154036 EMR's 158857 heads south towards Peterborough working the 09.40 Nottingham to Norwich service. EMR split its inter-regional services last year rather than running through services between Liverpool and Norwich. They now start and terminate at Nottingham; something that has not gone down well with everybody! Keywords: 158857 09.40 Nottingham-Norwich 1L06 Marholm TF154036 East Midlands Railway Regional
800103, GR 10.00 London King's Cross-Aberdeen (1W11, 1L), Marholm TF154036 With evidence of the Werrington-dive under in the background 800103 heads north past Marholm working the 10.00 King's Cross to Aberdeen LNER service. Notice the driver waving that was also accompanied by a blast on the horn acknowledging a small family group standing on the bridge doing what family groups have done for years, cheering the passing of trains! Keywords: 800103 10.00 London King's Cross-Aberdeen 1W11 Marholm TF154036 Azuma LNER
801107 & 801106, GR 08.43 Bradford Forster Square-London King's Cross (1A19, 29L), Marholm TF154036 A pair of Azumas pass Marholm just north of Peterborough working the 1A19 08.43 Bradford Forster Square to King's Cross LNER service. The ten-car train is being worked by consecutively numbered 801107 and 801106. Keywords: 801107 801106 08.43 Bradford Forster Square-London King's Cross 1A19 Marholm TF154036 LNER Azuma
170102, XC 10.00 Cambridge-Birmingham New Street (1N49, RT), Marholm TF154036 The view looking south from Marholm's ever-popular (within the railway enthusiast fraternity at least!) footbridge reveals a very different view in terms of the track layout. With the Stamford lines now realigned and slewed away from each other the new dive-under that avoids conflicting moves crossing the ECML can be seen between them. This scheme, which is part of the £1.2bn East Coast upgrade, is approaching completion with the final stages of returning the wider site back to nature. CrossCountry's 170102 is seen leaving the Peterborough area working the 10.00 Cambridge to Birmingham New Street service. Keywords: 170102 10.00 Cambridge-Birmingham New Street 1N49 Marholm TF154036 Cross Country
801207, GR 06.56 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross (1E04, 24L), Marholm TF154036 The 06.56 Edinburgh Waverley to King's Cross approaches Marholm just north of Peterborough worked by Azuma 801207. Notice buried in the grass to the left adjacent to the electrical boxes the eighty-miles post indicating the distance from King's Cross. Just by way of comparison, the same distance on the other main arterial routes from London are as follows:- GEML - Stowmarket MML - Market Harborough WCML - Hillmorton Junction (Rugby) Chiltern Mainline - Hatton (Warwickshire) GWML - Just west of Swindon SWML - Millbrook (Southampton) North Kent line (as the SEML does not quite extend that far with Dover at seventy-seven miles!) - Ramsgate Keywords: 801207 06.56 Edinburgh Waverley-London King's Cross 1E04 Marholm TF154036 LNER Azuma
Class 800, GR 09.45 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A20, 4L), Marholm TF154036 An unidentified Class 800 Azuma approaches Peterborough from the north about to pass under Marholm's footbridge working the 1A20 09.45 Leeds to King's Cross service. Whilst this is a popular spot for railway photographers offering commanding views of the lines north and south, on a windy February day it is a pretty exposed spot and with me a little ill-prepared being somewhat under-dressed I felt it! Andy and I found shelter in his Nissan Micra between trains supping hot coffee from flasks! Keywords: Class 800 GR 09.45 Leeds-London King's Cross 1A20 Marholm TF154036 LNER Azuma
66119, 08.00 Felixstowe North-East Midlands Gateway (4M79, 10E), Marholm TF154036 The 4M79 08.00 Felixstowe to East Midlands Gateway intermodal service accelerates away from Peterborough past Marholm taking the Stamford line as it continues its journey north westwards. It never ceases to amaze me that there are still 'as-built' Class 66s, such as 66119 seen here, still operating with the company not being officially a freight operator since 13.11.07, nearing fifteen years ago! I suppose this is akin to the final few locomotives still running around in British Railways' green livery back in the early 1980s but there are a lot more of these Class 66s still about as there was back then. Keywords: 66119 08.00 Felixstowe North-East Midlands Gateway 4M79 Marholm TF154036 EWS
66544, 08.01 Felixstowe North-Crewe Basford Hall (4M81, 12E), Marholm TF154036 66544 accelerates up to line speed leading the 4M81 Felixstowe to Crewe Freightliner at Marholm just north of Peterborough. This 4M81 Freightliner has been known to travel via the WCML at times depending, it seems, on the availability of electric traction. Notice 91106 bearing down on the freight leading the 10.33 King's Cross to Leeds LNER service of which there is a better photograph coming next in this sequence, see...... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30023305716/x9-91106-gr-10-33-london-king-s-cross Keywords: 66544 08.01 Felixstowe North-Crewe Basford Hall 4M81 Marholm TF154036 Freightliner
91106, GR 10.33 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D10, RT), Marholm TF154036 Despite LNER's efforts to oust locomotive haulage from the ECML and even with it running a seventy-five per cent COVID timetable it still does not have a high enough Azuma availability to replace them all. In fact, at the time of writing in the winter of 2022, there remain five locomotive-hauled diagrams making twenty-eight services a day operating using the superb Mk.IV stock dating from the late 1980s. With the reduced timetable some of these diagrams are Azuma operated but with LNER's stated aim to return to a full timetable very soon I suspect that the full five diagrams will return to locomotive-hauled sets again. Having worked up in the morning as the 06.56 from Skipton it heads north again as the 1D10 10.33 King's Cross to Leeds diagram five being worked by 91106 and with DVT 82229 on the rear. One can only speculate as to how long LNER will operate these services so get your photographs whilst you can! Keywords: 91106 10.33 London King's Cross-Leeds 1D10 Marholm TF154036 IC225 LNER Class 91
158858, EM 10.40 Nottingham-Norwich (1L07, RT), Marholm TF154036 158858 approaches Peterborough from the north and is about to pass the new Werrington dive-under junction that is all but completed. The EMR service is the second of the clockface Nottingham to Norwich trains that we observed with this one leaving Nottingham at 10.40 taking just less than an hour to reach this location on its journey to Norwich. Keywords: 158858 10.40 Nottingham-Norwich 1L07 Marholm TF154036 East Midlands Railways
803005, LD 10.45 London King's Cross-Edinburgh (1S93, RT), Marholm TF154036 We are sold the idea that the few open-access operators are small independent companies running services and challenging the big boys in the best spirit of private enterprise; don't believe it! Beginning its operations in the pandemic ravaged year of 2021 LUMO is not actually independent but part of the giant First Group who is the largest operator on the UK network with seven franchises including one of the other open-access ones operating on the ECML, Hull Trains. Grand Central is the third open-access operator on the ECML and is, again, not independent being owned by Arriva that has reduced its operations on the UK network in recent years having fallen out with the Department for Transport now only running Chiltern (until the end of 2023) and CrossCountry. My first photograph of a LUMO service sees 803005 passing Marholm working the 1S93 10.45 King's Cross to Edinburgh service. Keywords: 803005 10.45 London King's Cross-Edinburgh 1S93 Marholm TF154036 LUMO
66158, 08.47 Mountsorrel-Barham (6L42, 6E), Marholm TF154036 66158 leads the 6L42 08.47 Mountsorrel (Leicestershire) to Barham (near Stowmarket) loaded stone train. It is seen trundling along the up Stamford line at Marholm just north of Peterborough. This is the second EWS liveried and branded Class 66 of the day observed within an hour. Keywords: 66158 08.47 Mountsorrel-Barham 6L42 Marholm TF154036 EWS
66738, 11.32 Whitemoor Yard-Doncaster Decoy (6E30, 23E), Werrington footbridge Andy and I moved slightly further south of the classic location at Marholm from the bridge on Hurn Road to the new and somewhat over-engineered one in the middle of the Werrington industrial estate. Despite its gargantuan size, photographic opportunities are somewhat limited due to its huge parapets preventing views of the lines. One position that can be used is from the lower side of the bridge on the western side revealing a reasonable view of trains on the down Stamford line. 66738 'Huddersfield Town' is seen leading the 11.32 Whitemoor Yard to Doncaster Decoy that will run on this line as far as Helpston where it will cross to the down slow of the ECML. To the immediate left of the locomotive, the Werrington dive-under can be seen with the top of one of its colour lights juts in view. Keywords: 66738 11.32 Whitemoor Yard-Doncaster Decoy 6E30 Werrington footbridge Freightliner Huddersfield Town
360107 & 360110, EM 13.40 Corby-London St. Pancras (1Y34, 1L), Harrowden Junction Andy and I drove from Peterborough back to Wellingborough deciding to visit Harrowden Junction. It was my first time at this classic location since the completion of the electrification but still finding it a reasonably good photographic spot despite the masts, wires and palisade fencing. 360107 and 360110 head south on the up slow working the 13.40 Corby to St. Pancras service. With the leading unit being in receipt of a full repaint into EMR's house colours the front of the Desiro takes on a very different look that is no bad thing as, personally, I do find the front end of these trains a little odd looking! Keywords: 360107 360110 13.40 Corby-London St. Pancras 1Y34 Harrowden Junction East Midlands Railways Desiro
222018, EM 12.37 Sheffield-London St. Pancras (1C50, 5L), Harrowden Junction EMR's 222018 speeds over Harrowden Junction between Wellingborough and Kettering working the 1C50 12.37 Sheffield to St. Pancras service. With the arrival of the bi-mode Class 810s due in the next year, 2022 will be the final full year of Meridian operations on this route so get your photographs whilst you can! Keywords: 222018 12.37 Sheffield-London St. Pancras 1C50 Harrowden Junction EMR Meridan
180113, EM 13.12 Nottingham-London St. Pancras (1B52, 1L), Harrowden Junction The four Class 180s that East Midlands took on during 2020 replacing the then imminent withdrawal of the HSTs will only have a limited life on the MML moving on again (unless storage or even withdrawal looms) during next year when the Class 810 bi-modes are introduced. 180113 works the 13.12 Nottingham to St. Pancras service past Harrowden Junction striking quite a pose compared to the more mundane Class 222 Meridians. Keywords: 180113 13.12 Nottingham-London St. Pancras 1B52 Harrowden Junction EMR East Midlands Railways Class 180 Adelante
222004, EM 13.35 London St. Pancras-Nottingham (1D43, RT), Harrowden Junction 222004 accelerates north away from Wellingborough passing Harrowden Junction working the 1D43 13.35 St. Pancras to Nottingham service. Notice the lower lip under the Delinier coupling gear that has obviously been replaced with a stock item from when they were painted in their East Midlands Trains livery. I suppose any unnecessary expense such as repainting is not being undertaken given that the Meridians are only going to be active on the MML for another year or so. Keywords: 222004 13.35 London St. Pancras-Nottingham 1D43 Harrowden Junction EMR East Midlands Railway Meridian
66739, Wellingborough Yard-Coton Hill, Harrowden Junction This was a very tricky train to identify in that it was not on RTT and it is only thanks to Mike who has access to TOPS via Freightmaster that it was found to be a MWO empty stone train from Wellingborough's Yard to Coton Hill in Shrewsbury. On this particular Wednesday, it is seen passing Harrowden Junction being led by 66739 'Bluebell Railway' formed of a set of JNA bogie wagons. As can be seen, it is crossing from the down slow onto the up fast to then move to the down fast just behind the bridge on which I am standing. Keywords: 66739 Bluebell Railway Harrowden Junction Wellingborough Yard Coton Hill
66531, 15.52 Radlett Redland-East Usk Yard (6V54, 21E), Harrowden Junction 66731 is seen leading tatty looking and graffiti ravaged former coal wagons now converted to carry stone and ballast past Wellingborough's Harrowden Junction. The 15.52 Radlett to East Usk Yard 6V54 (thanks to Mike for the reporting number) is commonly known in this area by enthusiasts as the Redlands and is a pretty dependable working. As can be seen here it is on the down fast where it will stay until it curves away from the slow lines at Kettering North Junction. I suspect that if a full timetable was in operation rather than the COVID induced seventy-five per cent version that this train would have progressed along the slow line from its start point at Radlett as far as here, the last place that it could move to the fast before the lines split. Keywords: 66531 15.52 Radlett Redland-East Usk Yard 6V54 Harrowden Junction Freightliner
Andy, 15.52 Radlett Redland-East Usk Yard (6V54, 21E) & 222102, EM 13.00 Sheffield-London St. Pancras (1C53, 2L), Harrowden Junction Andy captures the action at Harrowden Junction on his trusty but rather ancient, by digital camera standards at least, Canon D60! I hope that he was pleased with his twin-train shot showing EMR's 222102 approaching Wellingborough working the 13.00 Sheffield to St. Pancras service with the tail end of the 6V54 'Redlands' (the 6V54 15.52 Radlett to East Usk) just going out of view. These were our last two trains of our short trip on this grey February day before we headed home; here's to some more days out this year! Keywords: Andy 15.52 Radlett Redland-East Usk Yard 6V54 222102 13.00 Sheffield-London St. Pancras 1C53 Harrowden Junction EMR East Midlands Railway Meridian

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