68. The Deltic Delight-24.09.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 68. The Deltic Delight-24.09.22

A Deltic out on the mainline will usually get me out and about. With 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' hauling a charter from Wolverhampton to Newcastle I decided to set the alarm extra early and drive to Staffordshire to capture it shortly after departure. Unfortunately, my plans were stymied by a lack of local knowledge (despite some Google Earth and Ordnance Survey map research) and a heard of cattle! I ended up seeing the charter but not in the best of locations but with 1Z86 not far behind the morning did improve a little!
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350267, LN 06.37 Northampton-Crewe (2U21, 2L), Little Bridgeford Partially obscured by catenary 350267 heads northwards past the village of Little Bridgeford working the 06.37 Northampton to Crewe service. I was getting pretty desperate by this stage with just a short time before the arrival of the Deltic hauled charter. My attempts to get a fairly remote spot where a footpath crosses the line just south of Great Bridgeford had been thwarted by a lack of somewhere to park the car and a herd of cattle. Having found a parking spot some distance from where I wanted to be I started to cross the first of three fields when the cattle started massing and heading towards me at some speed so I turned heel and headed back! Keywords: 350267 06.37 Northampton-Crewe 2U21 Worsten London Northwestern Desiro
390129, VT 07.21 London Euston-Blackpool North (1P92, 1L), Little Bridgeford 390129 'City of Stoke-on-Trent' catches the early morning sun as it sweeps around the sharp curve at Little Bridgeford just north of Stafford working the 1P92 07.21 London Euston to Blackpool North. Notice that the cab also carries the name Brett which was applied during a short ceremony at Stocke station in April 2022. It was named in honour of the station's Duty Control Manager Brett Hobson who unfortunately died from cancer earlier in the year. Keywords: 390129 07.21 London Euston-Blackpool North 1P92 Little Bridgeford Avanti West Coast Pendolino City of Stoke-on-Trent
3. 66303 & 66431, 06.40 DIRFT-Mossend (4S43, 1E), Little Bridgeford
55022, outward leg of The Deltic Delight, 07.55 Wolverhampton-Newcastle (1Z55, 1L), Little Bridgeford Looking absolutely superb in its reproduction green livery with a blood and custard set of ETH Mk. 1s (apart from the first coach of the consist) 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' makes fairly leisurely progress along the down slow line at Little Bridgeford. The Deltic is leading the outward leg of the 07.55 Wolverhampton to Newcastle charter that was routed via the WCML to Carlise where it would take the little-used single-track spur via London Road Junction that would permit it to continue along the Tyne Valley to its destination. Notice that the Deltic is running on one engine that was and is pretty common practice and not necessarily a cause for concern after all 47805/D1935 'Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013' was available for additional power if needed on the rear. Keywords: 55022 The Deltic Delight 07.55 Wolverhampton-Newcastle 1Z55 Little Bridgeford Royal Scots Grey
66714 & 70015, 08.36 Crewe Basford Hall-Southampton MCT (4O29, 24E), Heamies bridge A spot that I came across more by chance than by planning was Heamies bridge at the very northern extreme end of the remodelled Norton Bridge Junction. Keywords: 66714 70015 08.36 Crewe Basford Hall-Southampton MCT 4O29 Heamies bridge Cromer Lifeboat
86259, outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express, 07.08 London Euston-Carlisle (1Z86, 2L), Heamies bridge Rather backlit but as I had limited knowledge of the area I had to make do with this spot at the very northern edge of the recently remodelled Norton Bridge Junction. In fact, the completely new down slow line is seen to the immediate right lunging down from the dizzy heights of where the line passes under Searchwood Lane having bypassed Norton Bridge completely. Old favourite 86259 'Les Ros/Peter Pan' is seen leading the outward leg of The Cumbrian Coast Express running under its usual guise of 1Z86. Passengers enjoyed a run along the WCML as far as Carlise where Stanier Black 5 44932 would take over for a spectacular run south along the Cumbrian Coast to Carnforth. Keywords: 86259 The Cumbrian Coast Express 07.08 London Euston-Carlisle 1Z86 Heamies bridge Les Ross Peter Pan AL6
66059, 08.10 Trafford Park-Bescot Down Side (4Z27, 15L), Heamies bridge I read in the railway press that DB Cargo UK is to make a concerted effort to repaint and rebrand their remaining locomotives that still carry the defunct (since 2007) EWS livery some still with their original branding as seen here. They will have a lot of work to do as many Class 66s are still operating in this guise so I suspect that they will be around for a while yet. 66059 passes south on the approach to Norton Bridge Junction having just passed under Heamies bridge. It is leading the 4Z27 08.10 Trafford Park to Bescot working that is conveying a small number of box flats probably for maintenance at the large West Midlands facility. Keywords: 66059 08.10 Trafford Park-Bescot Down Side 4Z27 Heamies bridge EWS DB Cargo UK
390157, VT 06.30 Glasgow Central-London Euston (1Z07, 3L), Heamies bridge The last of the set, 390157 'Chad Varah' sweeps around the deeply cambered (or canted to use correct railway parlance) on the approach to Norton Bridge Junction working the 06.30 Glasgow Central to Euston Avanti service. It is unfortunate that the strong early morning sunshine has not come around far enough to illuminate this side of the train but I really like the perspective and the framing of the image that conveys what a Pendolino does best! Keywords: 390157 06.30 Glasgow Central-London Euston 1Z07 Heamies bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino Chad Varah
66302, 09.14 Gresty Bridge-Bescot Up Engineers (0G66, 47E), Heamies bridge DRS recently announced that it was going to return its small fleet of five former Fastline Class 66/3s back to the leasing company. With this process underway 66302, formally named 'Endeavour', has been stripped of its nameplates and branding at DRS's Gresty Bridge depot and is heading south as the 0G66 light engine move to Bescot Yard. I am not at all sure what Beacon Rail has in mind for the off-lease locomotives but time will tell. Incidentally, another of the five Class 66s was seen a little earlier heading north with its time with DRS likely to end very soon, perhaps it was even going to be removed when it arrived at Crewe a short time after this photograph was taken, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30032552245/x3-66303-66431-06-40-dirft-mossend Keywords: 66302 09.14 Gresty Bridge-Bescot Up Engineers 0G66 Heamies bridge
390042, VT 13.47 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston (1A43, RT), Roade cutting Overshadowed by a substantial crane towering above Roade Cutting 390042 heads south working Avanti's 1A43 13.47 Liverpool to Euston service. The crane has been involved with the installation of the new bridge girders that will carry Roade's bypass. The huge girders were lifted in over two Saturday night to Sunday morning possessions. Keywords: 390042 13.47 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston 1A43 Roade cutting Avanti West Coast Pendolino
66013, 14.41 DIRFT-Dollands Moor (6O67, 3E), Roade cutting EWS liveried 66013 leads the 14.41 Daventry IRFT to Dollands Moor empty water train through Roade cutting. Towering above the cutting is a substantial crane that had installed the girders seen spanning the lines. These girders will support Roade's new bypass that will circumvent the village to the western side; something that the locals have been desperate for many years. However, being funded by a private company rather than by the highways or local authorities tells a further tail. As a planning sweetener it was agreed that it should be privatly funded if planning was given for the nearby and absolutely huge rail connected SERGO Logistics Park; some locals are concerned that the development is a price too far. Keywords: 66013 14.41 DIRFT-Dollands Moor 6O67 Roade cutting EWS Class 66 water train
66561, 12.34 Wembley Reception Sidings-Crewe Basford Hall (7H50, 57L), Roade cutting A short train but one making a heck of a row! Running as 7H50 meaning that it was limited to forty mph and this was for a reason as at least one of the wagons had a severe wheel flat that echoed around Rode cutting so much so that the passing grasped the attention of some normals crossing the bridge walking their dogs! 66561 was leading the 12.34 Wembly to Crewe Basford that I pressume was retiuring the errant flats, complete with their payload, to Crewe for repairs. Keywords: 66561 12.34 Wembley Reception Sidings-Crewe Basford Hall 7H50 Roade cutting Freightliner

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