2. Arle & Cheltenham station-06.04.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 24. Trip to Cheltenham-05-07.04.22 > 2. Arle & Cheltenham station-06.04.22

Having plugged the car in for a free charge at a nearby Tesco I popped out on my bike for an hour or so. I first went to another of my old haunts from my university days in Cheltenham at Arle bridge. Later in the day I went to the station with the sun actually putting in an appearance!
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Images 1-12 of 12 displayed.

170622, XC 07.45 Cardiff Central-Nottingham (1M92, RT), Arle bridge 170622 accelerates away from Cheltenham and is about to pass under Arle bridge working the 07.45 Cardiff Central to Nottingham service. It felt strange being back at this location that I visited many times back in the mid-1980s during my student days in Cheltenham. Off course, back then the main focus of my interest was the many locomotive-hauled services, particularly those hauled by Class 50s. The HSTs and first-generation DMUs took a bit more of a back seat but I did manage to photograph some of these too! Keywords: 170622 07.45 Cardiff Central-Nottingham 1M92 Arle bridge CrossCountry
221137, XC 06.11 Leeds-Plymouth (1V44, 14L), Arle bridge Approaching Arle bridge from the north 221137 is slowing for its stop at Cheltenham Spa working the 1V44 06.11 Leeds to Plymouth service. Back in the 1980s the waste land behind the train and further space now occupied by the large units was home to a coal concentration yard that was rail connected. It also had a small resident diesel shunter that chuntered about moving wagons. Keywords: 221137 06.11 Leeds-Plymouth 1V44 Arle bridge XC CrossCountry Voyager
158767, GW 09.07 Cheltenham-Gloucester Locomotive Spur (5G81, 6E), Alstone Lane crossing Just moving away from its stabling point adjacent to Altone Crossing signal box 158767 forms the 5G81 ECS to Gloucester. The signal box in this photograph is an interesting survivor dating from the Midland Railway days being constructed in 1891. Today it contains an IFS panel and monitors the three-level crossings in the Cheltenham area. There appear to be no plans at present for its closure. Keywords: 158767 09.07 Cheltenham-Gloucester Locomotive Spur 5G81 Alstone Lane crossing GWR
221124, XC 06.27 Plymouth-Edinburgh Waverley (1S39, RT), Alstone Lane crossing Passing a classic Midland signal box of 1891 vintage just north of Cheltenham station at Alstone Lane level crossing 221124 gets into its stride working the 06.27 Plymouth to Edinburgh Waverley service. While the weather is super dull this morning it's actually a blessing in disguise as this photograph would have been all but impossible if the sun had been out as it was looking southeast! Keywords: 221124 06.27 Plymouth-Edinburgh Waverley 1S39 Alstone Lane crossing
170116 & 170115, XC 07.04 Nottingham-Cardiff Central (1V04, 2L), Alstone Lane crossing 170116 and 170115 pass Alstone Lane level crossing to of north of Cheltenham station woking the 07.04 Nottingham to Cardiff service. A sensible lengthy train for this service with a total of five coaches on offer but it will only be single crewed and no connecting doors. The bridge in the background carries Arle Road and was where I took a couple of photographs a little earlier, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30025327542/x170622-07-45-cardiff-central-nottingham Keywords: 170116 170115 07.04 Nottingham-Cardiff Central 1V04 Alstone Lane crossing XC CrossCountry
166214, GW 08.45 Great Malvern-Westbury (2C12, RT), Arle bridge A regularly photographed GWR Turbo unit, by me at least, approaches Cheltenham taken from Arle Road bridge. 166214 is working the 08.45 Great Malvern to Westbury 2C12 service. Tewkesbury Road bridge, one of the main roads out of Cheltenham to the west, is seen in the distance. Keywords: 166214 08.45 Great Malvern-Westbury 2C12 Arle bridge GWR Great Western Railway
166212, GW 13.40 Westbury-Great Malvern (2E65, RT), Cheltenham station With a little tweaking in Photoshop, this image taken, rather irritatingly, into the afternoon sunshine presents reasonably well. 166212 arrives at Cheltenham Spa station working the 2E65 14.40 Westbury to Great Malvern service. Keywords: 166212 13.40 Westbury-Great Malvern 2E65 Cheltenham station GWR Great Western Railway
221138 & 220028, XC 11.39 Newcastle-Penzance (1V58, 1L), Cheltenham station Back in the 1980s when I was photographing trains at Cheltenham during my four-year stay in the town this position was not possible but the platform extension has allowed one to wander much further. However, another of my favoured positions then was the waste ground to the right now occupied by the building (now a gym). This land was the point where the former GWR ran side by side to the Midland route for a short distance before heading off to Malvern Road, a short spur to St. James' station and then the route to Birmingham now partially occupied by the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway. 221138 and 221028 leave working the 1V58 11.39 Newcastle to Penance service. Keywords: 221138 220028 11.39 Newcastle-Penzance 1V58 Cheltenham station CrossCountry Voyager
66047, 11.45 Margam-Round Oak (6M41, 11E), Cheltenham station Hurrah! A photographic cop for this 66 in the Maritime livery! 66047 'Maritime Intermodal Two' leads the 6M41 11.45 Margam to Round Oak loaded steel coil train very slowly through Cheltenham station. The train is composed of a mixture of BYA and Sfhimmns hooded wagons in the 46XX series but I am not sure of their classification; can anybody please advise? With 66047 now in the photographic bag this just leaves 66162 to capture; I think that I'll need to speak to my railway colleague, Mike, who has access to TOPS and hunt it down! Keywords: 66047 11.45 Margam-Round Oak 6M41 Cheltenham station Maritime Maritime Intermodal Two
800013, GW 15.59 Cheltenham-London Paddington (1L82, 29L), Cheltenham station Having spent a short time stabled in Alston sidings to the north of the station 800013 arrives back in Cheltenham Spa station ready to work the 15.59 to Paddington. Notice the mural to the right of the train paying homage to Cheltenham's horse racing heritage being off course home to the March festival with its Callender topping Gold Cup race. Keywords: 800013 15.59 Cheltenham-London Paddington 1L82 Cheltenham station
220008, XC 15.35 Bristol Temple Meads-Edinburgh Waverley (1S53, 3E), Cheltenham station 220008 arrives at Cheltenham station working the 1S53 15.35 Bristol to Edinburgh CrossCountry service. Not my finest photograph of a Voyager but one that simply acts as a record shot! Keywords: 220008 15.35 Bristol Temple Meads-Edinburgh Waverley 1S53 Cheltenham station XC CrossCountry Voayger
220008, XC 15.35 Bristol Temple Meads-Edinburgh Waverley (1S53, 3E) & 170106, XC 14.07 Nottingham-Cardiff Central (1V11, 2L), Cheltenham station As 220008 leaves Cheltenham Spa working the 15.35 Bristol to Edinburgh 170106 arrives with the 1V11 14.07 Nottingham to Cardiff service. If I am honest, out of the two offerings from CrossCountry in this scene I would rather travel on the Class 170 rather than the Voyager such is my dislike of the latter! However, if I was travelling for any distance I would hope that the WiFi was working properly, that on the 170s can be a little glitchy in my experience! Keywords: 220008 15.35 Bristol Temple Meads-Edinburgh Waverley 1S53 170106 14.07 Nottingham-Cardiff Central 1V11 Cheltenham station CrossCountry Voyager XC

Images 1-12 of 12 displayed.