16. A Blue Pullman (aka HST) Charter-18.03.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 16. A Blue Pullman (aka HST) Charter-18.03.23

Andy and I took a short trip east to a favourite spot of ours on the ECML just north of Sandy at the bizarrely named New Zealand bridge. The purpose of our Saturday morning visit was to capture the passage of LSL’s Blue Pullman HST conversion heading north on the first leg of its three-day charter. Being one of the strike days we were pleased that it was still able to run but were not expecting much else to be around. We took breakfast on our return journey courtesy of Tesco in Bedford.
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Images 1-9 of 9 displayed.

66501, 22.09 Coatbridge-Wembley Reception (4L59, 40E), Sandy TL176510 Just as Andy arrived at New Zealand bridge near Sandy, a train was observed approaching somewhere near Tempsford. 66501 ‘Japan 2001’ is seen leading the 4L59 overnight Freightliner that left Coatbridge at 22.09 destination Wembley Yard. This service, like all of the others observed on this quiet day on the railways, arrived early with the rest being the same or on time. Keywords: 66501 22.09 Coatbridge-Wembley Reception 4L59 Sandy TL176510 Freightliner
802304, HT 07.27 London King's Cross-Hull (1H01, RT), Sandy TL176510 It appeared that both Hull Trains and Grand Central were unaffected by the industrial action on this day with all of their services appearing to operate. Paragon set 802304 ‘William Wilberforce' passes New Zealand bridge close to Sandy working the 1H01 07.27 King’s Cross to Hull service Keywords: 802304 07.27 London King's Cross-Hull 1H01 Sandy TL176510 Hull Trains Paragon
700118, TL 07.24 Peterborough-London King's Cross (1P13, 1E), Sandy TL176510 Managers at Thameslink were able to operate some sort of service despite the industrial action in place on this Saturday. The 07.24 Peterborough to King’s Cross service approaches its next stop at Sandy taken from New Zealand bridge. Like many other Desiro City units this example has been subject to a vandal attack above the driver’s window. I am not sure as to why they seem prone to graffiti being applied in this spot on their bodies Keywords: 700118 07.24 Peterborough-London King's Cross 1P13 Sandy TL176510 Thameslink
801201, GR 07.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S06, RT), Sandy TL176510 One of the handful of LNER services to run on this strike-riven day passes Sandy with the Middlefield Industrial Estate as a backdrop. 801201 works the 1S06 07.30 Kings Cross to Edinburgh that arrived bang on time like all other trains observed on this day due to the lack of other traffic holding things up no doubt! Keywords: 801201 07.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S06 Sandy TL176510 LNER Azuma
M43047, outward leg of the West Highland Pullman, 07.19 Finsbury Park-Fort William (1Z37, 5E), Sandy TL176510 I believe that the ECML never had any scheduled Pullman workings but I stand to be corrected! Going some way to address this matter LSL’s outward leg of the West Highland Pullman three-day charter passes New Zealand bridge just north of Sandy with the former HST doing a very reasonable job of looking like a proper Pullman set! Passengers left Finsbury Park at 07.19 with pick-ups further north and arrival in Fort William in the early evening. In this formation M43047 is the leading power car that in its last life was in operation for EMT on the MML, see…. https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/28462366004/x43047-05-30-sheffield-london-st Keywords: M43047 The West Highland Pullman 07.19 Finsbury Park-Fort William 1Z37 Sandy TL176510 HST
M43046, outward leg of the West Highland Pullman, 07.19 Finsbury Park-Fort William (1Z37, 5E), Sandy TL176510 M43046 ‘Geoff Drury 1930-1999 Steam Preservation and Computerised Track Recording Pioneer' (to give it its full and proper name!) is seen at the rear of the outward West Highland Pullman charter as it passes New Zealand bridge, Sandy. The passengers have paid a premium price to travel aboard the former East Midlands HST set that will take them on a three-day trip to Fort William and Mallaig (on Sunday) and a return to London; one wouldn’t want to do this on a modern unit such as a Voyager! Keywords: M43046 West Highland Pullman 07.19 Finsbury Park-Fort William 1Z37 Sandy TL176510 HST
802301, HT 05.57 Beverley-London King's Cross (1A91, 2E), Sandy TL176510 Looking very smart in its Hull Trains’ livery 802301 ‘Amy Johnson’ approaches Sandy at New Zealand bridge working the 1A91 05.57 Beverley to King’s Cross service. With other operators affected by industrial action on this Saturday morning, this service was heavily loaded or so it seemed from what I saw through the windows as it swept past me! Keywords: 802301 05.57 Beverley-London King's Cross 1A91 Sandy TL176510 Hull Trains
180108, GC 07.51 London King's Cross-Eaglescliffe (1N90, RT), Sandy TL176510 Compared with other trains on the ECML the ageing Class 180 Adelantes are beginning to look a little out of place! They are the ultimate in hand-me-downs having been all over the country in the hands of various operators since their introduction some twenty-three years ago. 180108 ‘William Shakespeare’ heads north past Sandy’s New Zealand bridge working Grand Central’s 07.51 King’s Cross to Eaglescliffe service. I am not sure as to why this service was terminating at Eaglescliffe on this day, perhaps engineering works precluded it from working any further north with the dreaded bustitution in place for the hapless passengers aboard! Keywords: 180108 07.51 London King's Cross-Eaglescliffe 1N90 Sandy TL176510 Grand central
700137, TL 07.54 Peterborough-London KIng's Cross (1P15, 1E), Sandy TL176510 Our final train observed at New Zealand bridge near Sandy is another Thameslink Class 700 with graffiti applied in the same place as all the others seem to. 700137 heads south working the 1P15 07.54 Peterborough to King’s Cross service that arrived slightly early into its destination probably due to the massive reduction of services due to further industrial action. Keywords: 700137 07.54 Peterborough-London KIng's Cross 1P15 Sandy TL176510 Thameslink

Images 1-9 of 9 displayed.