2. The Edinburgh Christmas Market & journey home-23.11.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 82. Trip to London-21-23.11.23 > 2. The Edinburgh Christmas Market & journey home-23.11.23

Prior to our return from London to Northampton I set the alarm and made the journey to King's Cross on the Victoria Line to witness The Edinburgh Christmas Market charter ecs arrive and then the service to depart. I was really pleased that it was to be Deltic hauled bringing D9000 back to its native terminus station! Whilst there were a few enthusiasts about to witness the event, I was surprised that there were not more.

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Images 1-16 of 16 displayed.

Graphics, 801228, GR 08.03 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D05, 8L), London King's Cross station
An interesting graphic applied to the side of Azuma 801228 photographed inside King's Cross station. The LNER came about due to grouping and became one of the 'big four' on 01.01.23. In a nod to its heritage, the now state-owned LNER chose to celebrate this centenary at the start of this year illustrating key points in its hundred-year history.
Keywords: Graphics 801228, GR 08.03 London King's Cross-Leeds 1D05 London King's Cross station LNER Azuma

91107, GR 04.40 York-London King's Cross (1Y00, 2L), London King's Cross station
It's good to see LNER depot staff making a concerted effort to keep the ageing IC225 sets looking clean and smart. 91107 'Skyfall' has recently arrived at King's Cross propelling the 04.40 from York. It's a sobering thought that the IC225s have been in service on the ECML, admittedly no further north of York and Leeds now, far longer than the mighty Deltics were operating.
Keywords: 91107 04.40 York-London King's Cross 1Y00 London King's Cross station IC225 LNER Skyfall

82222, GR 04.40 York-London King's Cross (1Y00, 2L) & 180106, GC 08.27 London King's Cross-Sunderland (1N90, RT), London King's Cross station
Grand Central is now the only operator using the Class 180 units increasing its interest in them by leasing two of the sets that went off-lease from East Midlands earlier this year. 180106 is seen on the blocks at King's Cross ready to work the 08.27 service to Sunderland. In the foreground, LNER DVT 82222 recently arrived leading the 1Y00 04.40 from York.
Keywords: 82222 04.40 York-London King's Cross 1Y00 180106 08.27 London King's Cross-Sunderland 1N90 London King's Cross station LNER DVT Grand central

801208, GR 08.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S08, RT), 91114, GR 05.30 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A02, 9L) & 91107 , GR 08.33 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D06, 12L), London King's Cross station
When full Azuma operation commenced in 2020 LNER announced that a small number of the Class 225 sets would remain in operation until 2023. Writing this fast approaching the end of their target year I can find no news as to when they will be stood down even on the 225 Group's website. In the early morning light at King's Cross 91114 'Durham Cathedral' has just arrived propelling the 1A02 05.30 from Leeds and rests next to 91107 which will work the 08.33 to Leeds. Azuma 801208 is to the left and will soon leave with the 08.30 1S08 service to Edinburgh.
Keywords: 801208 08.30 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S08 91114 05.30 Leeds-London King's Cross 1A02 91107 GR 08.33 London King's Cross-Leeds 1D06 London King's Cross station LNER Azuma Durham Cathedral

800202, GR 08.06 London King's Cross-Lincoln Central (1B80, 16E), London King's Cross station
Leaving platform one at King's Cross LNER Azuma 800202 works the 1B80 to Lincoln. In a situation similar to my local station of Milton Keynes I have stopped adding 'Central' to my comments now despite Network Rail and operators referring to both of them as such, Lincoln has only had one station since 1985 and Keynes has only ever had one since it opened in 1982; rant over! Soon after the Azuma vacated the platform a far more interesting train arrived and occupied it......
Keywords: 800202 08.06 London King's Cross-Lincoln Central 1B80 London King's Cross station LNER Azuma

D1924, 02.18 Crewe HS-London King's Cross ECS (5Z45, 15E), London King's Cross station
D1924 'Crewe Diesel Depot' eases the empty coaching stock for The Edinburgh Christmas Market charter into King's Cross station. Now owned and operated by LNWR Heritage (Crewe) it is used throughout the country on charter work such as this being now approaching sixty years old. In that time it has carried various numbers, 47247, 47655 and 47810 as well as a variety of names.
Keywords: D1924 02.18 Crewe HS-London King's Cross ECS 5Z45 London King's Cross station LSL Crewe Diesel Depot LNWR Heritage

D9000, outward leg of The Edinburgh Christmas Market, 08.44 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1Z46, 18L), London King's Cross station
Looking resplendent in its now familiar green livery and returning to its natural home D9000 'Royal Scots Grey' takes The Edinburgh Christmas Market charter away from King's Cross running as 1Z45. Looking at the exhausts it is clear that the locomotive is running on both engines meaning plenty of power will be in hand to get the train to York where 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' was to take over. Just as an aside, footage that I have seen of the train on arrival at York appears to show just one engine running so perhaps there was a problem en route or one was shut down as an economy measure.
Keywords: D9000 The Edinburgh Christmas Market 08.44 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1Z46 London King's Cross station 55022 Royal Scots Grey Deltic

91111, GR 06.05 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A04, 16L) & 800105, GR 05.26 Newcastle-London King's Cross (1Y05, 11L), London Kings Cross station
As Azuma 800105 arrives at King's Cross the rear of the 1Y05 06.05 ex-Leeds has already come to a halt and its passengers are seen departing from the train with their luggage. The Leeds train has been powered by celebrity liveried 91111 'For The Fallen' whose vinyl graphics remain as smart as ever. It is pleasing to see the efforts made by depot staff to keep both the remaining IC225 and Azuma stock looking smart and presentable something that BR always struggled to do with the exterior of stock and locomotives looking filthy and unkempt, particularly during the winter months.
Keywords: 91111 06.05 Leeds-London King's Cross 1A04 800105 05.26 Newcastle-London King's Cross 1Y05 London Kings Cross station IC225 LNER Azuma For the fallen

Nameplate, 91111, GR 06.05 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A04, 16L), London Kings Cross station
In stark contrast to the livery-laden locomotive, the discreet but interesting nameplate attached to the flank of 91111 is seen as it stands at King's Cross having just arrived with the 06.05 1A04 service from Leeds. The small regimental badges to the right of the name 'For the Fallen' are from (in clockwise order from top left) the Honourable Artillery Company, the Tyneside Scottish, the Royal Dragoon Guards, the Royal Regiment of Scotland and finally, central the Yorkshire. All regiments were based through areas where the ECML and thus the Class 91s worked when in squadron service on the route.
Keywords: Nameplate, 91111, GR 06.05 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A04, 16L), London Kings Cross station

350108, LN 11.23 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (1Y31, 2L) & 390151, VT 11.13 London Euston-Manchester Picadilly (1H16, 23L), London Euston station
As 390151 gets away from Euston on time working the 11.13 service to Manchester our train home to Northampton waits at the adjacent platform. My wife and were to travel aboard 350108 working the 11.23 Birmingham train as far as Northampton. Unusually, the train was timetabled to depart from platform two at the far easterly side of the dark cavern that is Euston station!
Keywords: 350108 11.23 London Euston-Birmingham New Street 1Y31 390151 11.13 London Euston-Manchester Picadilly 1H16 London Euston station London Northwestern Desiro AWC Avanti West Coast Pendolino

390002, VT 08.43 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston (1A16, 6L) & 390008, 11.16 London Euston-Blackpool North (9P65, 32L), London Euston station
A pair of 'namers' stand side by side at London Euston! To the left, 390002 'Stephen Sutton' has recently arrived working the 1A16 08.43 from Liverpool Lime Street. To its right, 390008 'Charles Rennie Mackintosh' is a minute away from departure (according to my camera's file information) with the 11.16 to Blackpool North. Unfortunately, it may have departed on time but something went awry in the Trent Valley with a severe delay that was never recovered from with its eventual arrival thirty-two minutes late. I am curious about the off-white panel in the centre of the drawbar cover of 390002. Whilst I know that this is where the former Virgin plaques were attached the bottom of the small panel is the wrong shape and too short; can anybody advise?
Keywords: 390002 08.43 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston 1A16 390008, 11.16 London Euston-Blackpool North 9P65 London Euston station Avanti West Coast Pendolino AWC Stephen Sutton Charles Rennie Mackintosh

66422, 10.02 Tilbury-DIRFT (4M07, 3E), Willesden
As our train picked up speed through Willesden we began to pass a long rake of Freightliner wagons and I held my camera primed and hopefully in a position to capture the locomotive. Using the rapid burst mode I managed this side on view of DRS stalwart 66422 'Max Joule 1958-1999' leading the 4M07 10.02 Tilbury to Daventry. I was at Crewe Gresty Bridge's open day back in 2022 with Mike when this locomotive was named with the honour having been passed on from 20303 when it was disposed of by DRS
Keywords: 66422 10.02 Tilbury-DIRFT 4M07 Willesden Max Joule 1958-1999

66735, 09.28 Dagenham Docks-Gaston (6X43, 20E), Wembley Yard
66735 'Peterborough United' is seen held in Wembley Yard leading the 6X43 09.28 Dagenham Docks to Garston car transporter train. The train contained a good representative example of Ford's car and van range all built in mainland Europe and imported to the UK. They are transported by rail to Garston for distribution around the country by the car giant. Of course, the likelihood is that many of the vehicles will have been fitted with engines that were built at Dagenham and then themselves sent across the channel to be installed into the cars being built abroad; I suppose it makes sense to someone!
Keywords: 66735 09.28 Dagenham Docks-Gaston 6X43 Wembley Yard Peterborough United Ford

66592, 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Sreet (4M94, 2E), Northampton station
Rather side lit 66592 'Johnson Stevens Agencies' passes through Northampton leading the 07.50 Felixstowe North to Lawley Street Freightliner service. 4M94 is a weekday Freightliner flow that is usually pretty well loaded as was the case today, a fact not missed by Mrs. Ontheupfast who observed the train sitting just to my left. Not unexpectedly, she did not get a notebook out of her handbag and take a record of the locomotive and wagon numbers.
Keywords: 66592 07.50 Felixstowe North-Lawley Sreet 4M94 Northampton station Freightliner Johnson Stevens Agencies

45593, 10.19 Southall WCR-Carnforth Steamtown (5M43, 23L), Northampton station
On this fine November day 45593 'Bahamas' should have been working a charter from St. Pancras to Nottingham. Unfortunately, the charter had been cancelled (I suspect due to poor loadings, yet to be confirmed) so West Coast Railways sent the locomotive back from its Southall depot to its Carnforth headquarters. It is seen passing through Northampton station leading a support coach running as, rather oddly, 5M43.
Keywords: 45593 10.19 Southall WCR-Carnforth Steamtown 5M43 Northampton station Bahamas

Tickets, London Euston-Northampton
Our off-peak return tickets from Euston to Northampton. £50 for the pair of us to and from London is still pretty good value but this is with our two-together discount loaded.
Keywords: Tickets London Euston-Northampton

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