1. Journey there-03.08.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 55. Trip to London-03-05.08.23 > 1. Journey there-03.08.23

Wondering if the overtime ban would affect our journey we made for a slightly earlier train from Northampton to Euston just in case. In the end, all ran as scheduled with my wife and I arriving in the capital just before lunch
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66702, 03.41 Tunstead Sidings-Northampton Castle Yard (6B99, 2L), Northampton Castle Yard As I was popping the car back to a parking spot away from the station the daily 6B99 (or similar) Tunsetad to Northampton Castle yard loaded stone train had just arrived led by 66702 'Blue Lightening'. It was just setting back into a short siding from the headshunt so that the stone could be unloaded by the JCBs. The virtual quarry that has grown over recent years in the castle Yard sees a lot of daily activity with regular lorry movements in and out on the streets of Northampton. The locals also have to put up with a fair amount of dust when it is dry and the wind is blowing from the west. Keywords: 66702 03.41 Tunstead Sidings-Northampton Castle Yard 6B99 Northampton Castle Yard GBRf Blue Lightening
350124, LN 09.06 Birmingham New Street-London Euston, (1Y26, 10L), Northampton station Our journey down to London from Northampton was aboard a very crowded 350124 working the 09.06 Birmingham to Euston 1Y26 service. The train got extremely busy from Milton Keynes (with no further stops from there) as it was a short-formed service with just four carriages. This did mean that I could not get my usual array of photographs as we passed Wembley Yard as I could not get near a window! Keywords: 350124 09.06 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y26 Northampton station London Northwestern desiro
805003, 12.19 London Euston-Crewe (5Q32, 5E), London Euston station My first view of an AT300 class 805 unit! I had missed several chances to photograph the testing of these trains so was pleased when a southbound example passed us whilst we were waiting to pass from the up slow to the up fast at Ledburn Junction just south of Leighton Buzzard. On arrival at Euston, I left my wife for a few minutes and went in search of it finding it at the extreme west of the station on platform sixteen. It was ready to work back north as the 5Q38 12.19 Euston to Crewe but was in fact only going as far as Stafford. The four-car units were supposed to have been in service nearly a year ago but the usual delays (COVID was heavily blamed as it has been for so many things!) have held things up. Notice the Voyager, 221108, that will be replaced by the AT300 waiting in the background. Interestingly, the lady standing to the left commented to me how much better these are when compared to the Voyagers but there are over twenty years between them I suppose! Keywords: 805003 12.19 London Euston-Crewe 5Q32 London Euston station Avanti West Coast AT300
805003, 12.19 London Euston-Crewe (5Q32, 5E), 390152, VT 11.53 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly (1H18, 6L) & 221108, VT 12.02 London Euston-Chester (1D86, 8L), London Euston station Is it an IET, is it an Azuma, is it a Paragon or even a Lumo they all look the same and basically they are. The new kid on the rail block is another member of the family in the form of Avanti West Coast's Class 805 here undergoing a test run from Euston. 805003 is one of thirteen units ordered back in 2019 to replace the ageing and, let's face it here, terrible Vaygers that came into service back in 2002. The 12.19 testing and staff training run to Crewe (terminated at Stafford) is seen waiting at platform sixteen prior to departure with two other Avanti units in the background the Voyager of which will be taken out of service when the AT300s start public operations. Keywords: 805003 12.19 London Euston-Crewe 5Q32 390152 11.53 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly 1H18 221108 12.02 London Euston-Chester 1D86 London Euston station AT300 AWC Avanti West Coast
Tickets, Northampton-London Euston Our outward tickets from Northampton to Euston. It is pretty common for my wife and me, using our two-together discount, to travel on an off-peak return booked in advance. However, the price is creeping steadily up and up; gone are the days of the £12.50 return! Keywords: Tickets Northampton-London Euston

Images 1-5 of 5 displayed.