13. A wander around the West Midlands-02.03.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 13. A wander around the West Midlands-02.03.23

Having not seen each other for a few weeks Andy and I negotiated a few hours out doing railway things! We popped up to Water Orton which remains a centre of frequent rail activity that we enjoyed for an hour or so until the cold weather drove us to the warmth of Morrisons for breakfast! After being bolstered by the food we headed home via Atherstone and took a short break at the well-known bridge at Cathiron, north of Rugby.

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Images 1-19 of 19 displayed.

66144, 05.47 Wakefield Europort-Souhampton Western Docks (4O43, 3E), Watwer Orton station
It seemed a bit of a cold morning for the driver of 66144 to have the cab door open but both the front and rear doors were both wide open! The 4O43 05.47 Wakefield Europort to Southampton Western Docks passes through Water Orton on this particularly dull and chilly morning. Notice the white rectangle of paint applied to the overbridge. This will have been to have aided sighting when there were semaphore signals in place.
Keywords: 66144 05.47 Wakefield Europort-Souhampton Western Docks (4O43, 3E), Water Orton station

170105, XC 06.40 Cardiff Central-Nottingham (1M00, RT), Water Orton station
170105 passes through Water Orton station working the 06.40 Cardiff Central to Nottingham CrossCountry service. These Turbostars have become a familiar sight throughout central England with them crisscrossing on various routes. This example is one of ten three-car units in the 170/1 sub-class operated by CrossCountry.
Keywords: 170105 06.40 Cardiff Central-Nottingham 1M00 Water Orton station CrossCountry Turbostar

220021 & 221141, XC 06.45 York-Plymouth (1V46, RT), Water Orton station
Voyagers 220021 and 221141 pass at a fairly sedate pace through Water Orton station being checked by a signal at caution for Water Orton's West Junction. The CrossCountry Voyagers were working the 06.45 York to Plymouth 1V46 service.
Keywords: 220021 221141 06.45 York-Plymouth 1V46 Water Orton station CrossCountry Voyager

37099, 06.44 Cardiff Central-Derby RTC (1Z59, 16E), Water Orton station
It always gladdens the heart when something interesting appears and makes it worthwhile to turn out to the lineside on such a cold and miserable morning! With a toot from the enthusiastic driver 37099 'Merl Evans 1947-2016' passes through Water Orton station leading the 06.44 Cardiff Central to Derby RTC 1Z50 test train. The train left Cardiff on schedule but steadily gained time on its journey from South Wales arriving at Derby just over a quarter of an hour ahead of time with the driver no doubt pleased to get his breakfast in the mess room!
Keywords: 37099 06.44 Cardiff Central-Derby RTC 1Z59 Water Orton station Merl Evans 1947-2016

56113 & 70802, 08.30 Bescot Yard-Doncaster Works Wabtec (0Z75, 3E), Water Orton station
The second Colas Rail operation within a few minutes passes Water Orton station. With the Class 37 Cardiff Central to Derby test train having swept through 56113 leads 70802 as the 0Z75 08.30 Bescot to Doncaster Works light engine move. I am not sure as to why the Class 70 was being towed to Doncaster, perhaps it was part of a strategic move or if it was going for some sort of repair or other attention? Either way, it was good to see a locomotive dating from 1982 leading one over thirty years its junior!
Keywords: 56113 70802 08.30 Bescot Yard-Doncaster Works Wabtec 0Z75 Water Orton station Grid

70802 & 56113, 08.30 Bescot Yard-Doncaster Works Wabtec (0Z75, 3E), Water Orton station
Having had various derogatory names applied to them due in a large part to their controversial and, to some, ugly design the Class 70s have been operating on the network for over ten years now. I do not know why Colas' 70802 was being towed from Bescot to Doncaster Works by 56113 but the pair are seen passing through Water Orton station as the 0Z75.
Keywords: 70802 56113 08.30 Bescot Yard-Doncaster Works Wabtec 0Z75 Water Orton station Grid Ugly Betty Ugly Duckling

66534, 06.04 Leeds FLT-Southampton MCT (4090, 7E), Water Orton station
Having taken his photograph Andy observes 66534 'OOCL Express' eager to get its number as it passes through Water Orton station. The Freightliner Class 66 was leading the 4090 Leeds FLT to Southampton service on this very grey and chilly March morning. Andy and I had been on the desolate platforms of Water Orton station for getting on for an hour by this time and we were now looking forward to going for some breakfast!
Keywords: OOCL Express 66534 06.04 Leeds FLT-Southampton MCT 4090 Water Orton station Freightliner

66170, 09.33 Bescot Yard-Scunthorpe BSC (6Z82, 46L), Water Orton station
In its as-built condition, EWS liveried and branded 66170 gets the 6Z82 09.33 Bescot to Scunthorpe up to speed after being held for some time prior to joining the mainline at Water Orton West Junction located just beyond the colour lights near the overhead transmission pylon. Andy and I have seen and photographed this particular Class 66 before on two previous forrays in very different locations, firstly in the south https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24848714604/x66170-66133-10-17-scunthorpe-trent and secondly in East Yorkshire https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24425940804/x66170-16-25-hedon-road-sidings-masborough and none of these times were in the sunshine!
Keywords: 66170 09.33 Bescot Yard-Scunthorpe BSC 6Z82 Water Orton station

170108, XC 09.15 Leicester-Birmingham New Street (1P08, 1L), Water Orton station
The 09.15 Leicester to Birmingham stopper service arrives at Water Orton station formed by 170108. The station currently gets an hourly service sandwiched in between various other non-stop passenger and freight services. Notice my blue mug on the planter. The remnants of the coffee were stone cold now so it was definitely time that Andy and I walked back to his car and found some breakfast! However, as is often the case, there was just one more train to wait for........
Keywords: 170108 XC 09.15 Leicester-Birmingham New Street 1P08 Water Orton station CrossCountry Turbostar

66419, 09.52 Lawley Street-Felixstowe North (4L99, 1L), Water Orton station
Just one more train of interest kept us on Water Orton's desolate and cold platforms! 66419 'Lionesses' Roar' leads the 4L99 Lawley Street to Felixstowe Freightliner service. that was certainly working at line speed whipping past us and disturbing the chilly air! The Class 66 was named in October last year (2022) some months after the England women's team won the Euros at Wembley in July. I am very pleased that the apostrophe has been applied in the correct place on the nameplate!
Keywords: 66419 09.52 Lawley Street-Felixstowe North 4L99 Water Orton station Lionesses' Roar Freightliner Genesee & Wyoming

170619, XC 09.07 Nottingham-Cardiff Central (1V06, RT), Water Orton footbridge
Andy and I walked back to the parked car via the open footbridge just to the east of Water Orton station. It still offers an impressive range of angles to photograph the passage of trains but for another day as it was even more exposed that the desolate station platforms! 170619 passes with CrossCountry's 1V06 09.07 Nottingham to Cardiff service. We vowed to revisit this spot again when the weather was more appealing!
Keywords: 170619 09.07 Nottingham-Cardiff Central 1V06 Water Orton footbridge CrossCountry Turbostar

88002, 05.46 Mossend Down Yard-DIRFT (4M27, 6E), Atherstone station
Doing what it was designed and what they do so well, namely hauling one of the Anglo-Scottish Tesco Express services 88002 'Prometheus' passes through Atherstone station. The 4M27 05.46 Mossend to Daventry was well loaded having taken just over six hours to reach this point in Warwickshire with just twenty minutes or so left before arriving at DIRFT. These fast locomotives have proved to be reliable and efficient in service and must represent a good choice for DRS back in 2012 when the process of procurement began.
Keywords: 88002 05.46 Mossend Down Yard-DIRFT 4M27 Atherstone station Prometheus DRS Direct Rail Services

66126 & 66122, 12.16 DIRFT-Mossend Down Yard (4S44, 2L), Atherstone station
Having seen the southbound 4M27 in the hands of a very capable Class 88 Andy and I were fully expecting to see the balancing 4S44 12.16 Daventry to Mossend service (for Tesco) also being electric hauled as is normally the case. With availability obviously an issue, DRS have substituted two Class 66s to operate the train, seen passing through Atherstone. 66126 and 66122 would both be powering the train as with just one diesel the service could not keep up to the timings demanded by a Class 88 particularly when it came to Shap and Beatock.
Keywords: 66126 66122 12.16 DIRFT-Mossend Down Yard 4S44 Atherstone station DRS Direct Rail Services

37608 & 720602, 10.08 Derby Litchurch Lane-Wembley Yard (5Q75, 2E), Atherstone station
The second Class 37 of our short trip to the West Midlands sees 37608 'Andromeda' leading newly built 720602 through Atherstone. The unit is part of a later order from c2c for ten five-car trains that will operate on the London, Tilbury and Southend line. I am not sure if this unit was being delivered following its construction at Litchurch Lane or if had returned there for rectification work. I say this as there are other photographs of subsequently numbered 720603 having been delivered to Essex nearly six months ago.
Keywords: 37608 720602 10.08 Derby Litchurch Lane-Wembley Yard 5Q75 Atherstone station ROG Rail Operations Group Andromeda

720602 & 37608, 10.08 Derby Litchurch Lane-Wembley Yard (5Q75, 2E), Atherstone station
Andy secures his photograph of newly built 720602 as it is dragged through Atherstone station as the 5Q75 Derby (Litchurch Lane) to Wembley Yard stock move with 37608 'Andromeda' leading. The bright c2c livery applied to the Aventra certainly brightens up an otherwise dull scene but the sun had begun to put in an appearance witnessed by the breaks in the cloud.
Keywords: 720602 37608 10.08 Derby Litchurch Lane-Wembley Yard 5Q75 Atherstone station Andromeda Aventra

66562, 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street (4M94, 18E), Cathiron SP4667783
Not the finest of photographs when it comes to composition with the catenary getting in the way but it was a rushed shot. As I was climbing the steps of the bridge at Cathiron I saw the 07.50 Felixstowe to Lawley Street Freightliner approaching with 66562 leading. I rushed to the opposite side of the bridge and lay down to avoid the signalling gantry blocking the view and secured this what must only be described as a purely record image.
Keywords: 66562 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street 4M94 Cathiron SP4667783 Freightliner

66588, 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway (4L46, 18E), Cathiron SP4667783
Freightliner's 66588 leads the 4L46 12.16 Lawley Street to London Gateway service along the up slow at Cathiron in Warwickshire. This is a classic location for the railway photographer offering wide-open views of the busy WCML Trent Valley route just north of Rugby. However, for some angles a camera with a fold-out screen is a distinct advantage as is the ability to climb on to the railing as is the case here!
Keywords: 66588 12.16 Lawley Street-London Gateway 4L46 Cathiron SP4667783 Freightliner

390132, VT 12.35 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A39, 3E), Cathiron SP4667783
A pretty mundane photograph of 390132 passing Cathiron working the 12.35 Manchester Piccadilly to Euston service. However, I was so overcome with joy that the sun had come out that I fired off the shot through the wire railings of the footbridge totally blind without using either the viewfinder or the fold-out screen and hoping for the best! Apart from a little bit of straightening up the digital image needed no other work, quite remarkable really!
Keywords: 390132 12.35 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston 1A39 Cathiron SP4667783 AWC Avanti West Coast Pendolino

720124, 13.52 Rugby-Willesden TMD (5Q28, 6E), Cathiron SP4667783
When Andy and I visited this same spot at Cathiron during the Covid-ravaged autumn of 2020 (over two years previously) we also saw and photographed a Class 720 Aventura on test, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29767268204/x720539-720540-13-49-rugby-wolverton. Today, another Aventura in the form of 720124 is seen on a mileage accumulation run as the 5Q28 13.52 Rugby to Willesden TMD via a blast down and back up the WCML Trent Valley route with a reversal at Stafford.
Keywords: 720124 13.52 Rugby-Willesden TMD 5Q28 Cathiron SP4667783 Greater Anglia Aventura

Images 1-19 of 19 displayed.