40. The Cheshireman-10.06.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 40. The Cheshireman-10.06.23

A stunning early summer's day coincided with the passage of 60103 'Flying Scotsman' working The Railway Touring Company's Cheshireman charter. The timings were embargoed until the previous day but despite this those-in-the-know locals still managed to find out when it was passing and came out in their droves including to the remote and quiet spot that I elected to use expecting to be on my own! In the evening, I went out again to capture its return and saw nobody else about!
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Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.

66653, 02.57 Felixstowe North-Garston (4M45, 43E), between Roade & Ashton The oilseed rape just going over it's over a month after it should have been harvested! Such are the problems and risks taken by farmers growing the crop now following the banning of neonicotinoids that combat the cabbage stem flea beetle that can decimate the crop in its early stages of growth. I suspect that the days of the bright yellow field in spring acting as dramatic backdrops to railway photographs are now getting extremely rare but here is one showing 66643 approaching Roade from the south leading the 02.57 Felixstowe to Garston Freightliner service. Keywords: 66653 02.57 Felixstowe North-Garston 4M45 between Roade & Ashton Freightliner
66516, 03.25 Garston-London Gateway (4L52, 6L), between Roade & Ashton On a perfect and glorious summer morning, 66516 heads south between Roade and Ashton in Northamptonshire leading the 4L52 03.25 Parston to London Gateway Freightliner service. To make up for the rather dismal display of oilseed rape the poppies add a splash of colour to the foreground. Keywords: 66516 03.25 Garston-London Gateway 4L52 between Roade & Ashton Freightliner
66572, 04.17 Southampton MCT-Lawley Street (4M62, 4L), between Roade & Ashton The Nuneham bridge (or viaduct as it is all too frequently referred to) in Oxfordshire having reopened to traffic yesterday (Friday 09.07.23) I was not expecting to see any more diverted freight services. However, the 4M62 04.17 Southampton to Lawley Street service hauled on this superb early summer morning is still 'off-route' as it approaches Roade in Northamptonshire hauled by Freightliner's 66572. Keywords: 66572 04.17 Southampton MCT-Lawley Street 4M62 between Roade & Ashton Freightliner
66775, 06.21 Hams Hall-London Gateway (4L12, 4L), between Roade & Ashton I chose this relatively remote (or so I thought) spot to capture the passing of 'Flying Scotsman' hoping and thinking that others would not venture her from the nearby village of Roade; how wrong I was! Some twenty minutes before it was due no fewer than six locals gathered which includes my neighbours but two! As an aperitif for them 66775 'H.M.S. Argyll F231' does not attract all of their collective attention leading the 4L12 06.31 Hams Hall to London Gateway service. As I was sitting on my small stool low down in the tram lines of the field I don't think that even spotted me! Keywords: 66775 06.21 Hams Hall-London Gateway 4L12 between Roade & Ashton H.M.S. Argyll F231
60103, outward leg of The Cheshireman, 06.48 London Euston-Chester (1Z38, 1L), between Roade & Ashton I deliberately chose a higher-than-required iso setting to thus close the aperture down to gain the maximum depth of field so I could keep the poppies in the foreground in focus as well as the subject passing in the distance. The subject, in this case, is none other than celebrity steam locomotive 60103 (4472) 'Flying Scotsman' that is attracting the attention of locals even in such a remote spot as this in the open fields south of Roade in Northamptonshire. In its centenary year, the locomotive is much in demand and has a busy schedule of events including hauling The Cheshireman charter (seen here) running as 1Z38 that left Euston at 06.48 heading for Chester. Keywords: 60103, outward leg of The Cheshireman, 06.48 London Euston-Chester 1Z38 between Roade & Ashton Flying Scotsman 4472
730020 & 730001, 12.30 Oxley Carr MPD-Bletchley TMD (5Q01, 4L), Roade cutting The shape of things to come passes through Roade cutting. Aventras 730020 and 730001 work the 5Q01 12.30 Oxley Carr MPD to Bletchley TMD testing run. A sub-class of these units, probably wearing the London Northwestern house livery, will be replacing the Class 350/2 units and the elderly Class 319s that are still used for peak services between London and Northampton. However, in an all too familiar tale, delivery was late and testing has thrown up issues that need addressing meaning that their introduction is now extremely late. Keywords: 730020 730001 12.30 Oxley Carr MPD-Bletchley TMD 5Q01 Roade cutting west midlands railway Aventra
66165, 09.46 Southampton Western Docks-Halewood (6M48, 43E), Roade cutting Another example of a diverted freight that I was not expecting to see with the Nuneham bridge (Oxfordshire) having reopened to traffic the previous day. DB's 66165 leads the 6M48 09.49 Southampton Western Docks to Halewood empty cartics. When freight such as this returns to ts regular route, which I suspect will now be next week, I will miss the extra variety. Keywords: 66165 09.46 Southampton Western Docks-Halewood 6M48 Roade cutting DB
66763, 14.08 Garston-Dagenham Dock Reception (6L48, 12L), Ashton Road bridge Approaching the longest day it is quite possible to take reasonable photographs fairly late into the evening. Even though 66763 'Severn Valley Railway' leading the 6L48 14.08 Garston to Dagenham Docks Siding is deep in a cutting just south of Roade the evening sun still catches the side of the train and creates some nice lighting. Taking photographs at this location from Ashton Road bridge is tricky and requires a ladder and one needs to keep one's wits about you as it is a reasonably busy single-track section of road! Keywords: 66763 14.08 Garston-Dagenham Dock Reception 6L48 Ashton Road bridge GBRf Severn Valley Railway
66786, 15.04 Birch Coppice-London Gateway (4L68, 48L), Ashton Road bridge A photographic cop! 66786 'CURC Cambridge University Railway Club Founded by Junior Members 1911' passes Roade leading the evening 15.04 Birch Coppice to London Gateway service that was running nearly and hour late at this time. It appears that the camera, in trying to cope with the extreme contrast has done something strange to the sky. However, it has actually rendered it correctly as the day-long intense blue sky was being encroached upon by some grey haze moving in from the northwest. Keywords: 66786 15.04 Birch Coppice-London Gateway 4L68 Ashton Road bridge GBRf CURC Cambridge University Railway Club Founded by Junior Members 1911
60103, return leg of The Cheshireman, 15.40 Chester-London Euston (1Z41, 5L), Ashton Road bridge After the almost rabid scenes of excitement from earlier in the day, the return Cheshireman charter from Chester to Euston hauled by 60103 'Flying Scotsman' saw nobody else (near me at least) out to witness the event. Just catching the last of the day's sun at 20.00 the 1Z41 charter is seen from Ashton Road bridge just south of Roade. Keywords: 60103 The Cheshireman 15.40 Chester-London Euston 1Z41 Ashton Road bridge Flying Scotsman 4472
47812, return leg of The Cheshireman, 15.40 Chester-London Euston (1Z41, 5L), Ashton Road bridge After securing a photograph of 60103 'Flying Scotsman' hauling the returning Cheshireman charter a jump off my steps and a dash across the road to climb them again allowed this going away photograph of WCR's 47812 pushing at the rear. Obviously, looking in this direction with the sun behind me the lighting is more normal than in the one taken of 'Scotsman'. I like taking photographs from this bridge between the villages of Roade and Ashton but a ladder is a requisite and be prepared to put up with some strange glances from normals passing uncomfortably close in their cars! Keywords: 47812 The Cheshireman 15.40 Chester-London Euston 1Z41 Ashton Road bridge WCR West Coast Railway 4472 60103 Flying Scotsman

Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.