73. A few pre-holiday snippets-13.10.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 73. A few pre-holiday snippets-13.10.23

I should have been attending to matters in preparation for our forthcoming holiday in Norfolk but I got distracted by two interesting workings that were passing through Northampton. In the end, I had time to do everything including a Costa!
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730011, 10.02 Bletchley CS-Bletchley (via Kilburn & Northampton) (5Q85, 2E), Northampton station 
 Whilst this unit will soon become part of the West Midlands Train operational fleet it will not be seen this far south being confined to the suburban West Midlands network around Birmingham replacing the Class 323s. Undergoing mileage accumulation and staff training 730011 is seen passing through Northampton as the 5Q85 10.02 Bletchley Carriage Sidings return working via reversals here at Northampton and also at Kilburn. 
 Keywords: 730011 10.02 Bletchley CS-Bletchley 5Q85 Northampton station
66555, 06.15 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North (4L97, 67L), Northampton station 
 Complete with his umbrella at the ready one of the gathered enthusiasts at Northampton station captures 66555 passing south leading the 06.15 Trafford Park to Felixstowe Freightliner. This service was fully loaded with boxes unlike the next freight to pass....... 
 Keywords: 66555 06.15 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North 4L97 Northampton station Freightliner
66532, 06.46 London Gateway-Lawley Street (4M41, 9L), Northampton station 
 Whilst the previous freight seen passing south was fully loaded, the 4M41 06.46 London Gateway to Lawley Street was completely devoid of boxes like the same working observed last week, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30046773780/x66588-06-46-london-gateway-lawley. Today, 66532 'P&O Nedlloyd Atlas' is leading the train attracting my camera's attention as well as the dozen or so enthusiasts who had gathered at the station on this ordinary Friday. 
 Keywords: 66532 06.46 London Gateway-Lawley Street 4M41 Northampton station P&O Nedlloyd Atlas Freightliner
43480, 43468, 43465 & 43484, 05.01 Kirkdale CS-Wembley Yard (6Z81, 34L), Northampton station 
 Having delivered a new class 777 to Mersyrail self-titled 'interim operator' rail adventure HST/barrier coach combo heads south ready for its next delivery. The four HST power cars are becoming a familiar sight now due to the number of new stock moves now taking place with many of these new and expensive machines going straight into storage; you couldn't make it up, could you? The power cars are all ex-Grand Central units that first saw use in the ECML up to forty-five years ago, 43480, 43468, 43465 and 43484. 
 Keywords: 43480 43468 43465 43484 05.01 Kirkdale CS-Wembley Yard 6Z81 Northampton station HST Rail Adventure
66571, 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street (4M94, 7L), Old Towcester Road M1 bridge 
 Despite driving over the bridge that I am standing on, which used to carry the former A43, hundreds of times I have never actually stopped and taken a photograph of the railway bridge slightly to the south. With the M1 below, 66571 crosses the always heavily graffitied bridge leading the 07.50 Felixstowe to Lawley Street 4M94 Freightliner. This location is near the Northamptonshire village of Milton Malsor just over the road from the Three Counties Crematorium. 
 Keywords: 66571 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Street 4M94 Old Towcester Road M1 bridge Freightliner
68019, 07.57 Eastleigh Arlington-Crewe Coal Sidings (6Z63, 15E), Old Towcester Road M1 bridge 
 68019 'Brutus' crosses the M1 near Northampton leading a short rake of newly built nuclear flask flats that are, unfortunately, out of sight behind the bridge parapet as the 6Z63 07.57 Eastleigh Arlington to Crewe Coal Yard. The DRS-owned and maintained Class 68 wears its Trans Pennine Express livery for which it will do no more work now that the state-owned company has announced it is dispensing with its five-year-old locomotive-hauled sets that are currently being eyed up by Chiltern. 
 Keywords: Brutus 68019 07.57 Eastleigh Arlington-Crewe Coal Sidings 6Z63 Old Towcester Road M1 bridge DRS TPE Trans Pennine Express

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.