3. The Enigmatic Logistician-12.01.13

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2013 > 3. The Enigmatic Logistician-12.01.13
A day of two halves! In the morning I drove to the MML just north of Bedford hoping to capture the Class 37 hauled Enigmatic Logistician charter. This was supposed to be heading south towards London taking in various odd sections of track before heading north along the WCML in the afternoon. However, failure of one of the 37s severely curtailed the tour with it seen in the afternoon heading wrong way along the WCML trying to salvage something from the original scedule.
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Images 1-13 of 13 displayed.

222014, EM 11.02 Nottingham-London St. Pancras, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 EMR's 222014 is seen heading south just north of Bedford working the 11.02 Nottingham to London St. Pancras service. This is the last few miles of four-track railway from London before becoming three-track from Sharnbrook Junction but there appear to be plans afoot to reinstate the fourth line, possibly as far as Kettering. 
 Keywords: 222014 11.02 Nottingham-London St. Pancras, Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 EMR East Midlands Railway Meridian
43050, EM 12.15 London St. Pancras-Nottingham, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 The 12.15 St. Pancras to Nottingham HST working accelerates away from Bedford passing near the village of Bromham lead by power car 43050. This power car dates from the summer of 1977 when it was introduced on the Western Region as part of set 253025. With the announcement that the GWML will be electrified as far as Bristol and Swansea the MML will remain the only trunk line radiating from London not under the wires; but for how long I wonder? 
 Keywords: 43050, EM 12.15 London St. Pancras-Nottingham, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518
222003, EM 12.25 London St. Pancras-Sheffield, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 East Midlands Railway Meridian 222003 'Tornado' passes near the village of Bromham just north of Bedford working the 12.25 St. Pancras to Sheffield service. The leading car of the set carries the number 60163, the same as the new-build Peppercorn A1 hence its shared name. 
 Keywords: 222003 12.25 London St. Pancras-Sheffield Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 Tornado EMR Meridian
222006, EM 11.28 Nottingham-London St. Pancras, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 As 222003 heads off into the distance towards Sharnbrook Junction 222006 approaches the camera at Bromham north of Bedford working EMR's 11.28 Nottingham to St. Pancras train. Notice the odd double slew in the slow lines exacerbated by the zooming effect of the lens set to 200mm. 
 Keywords: 222006 11.28 Nottingham-London St. Pancras Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 EMR East Midlands Railway
222019, EM 12.30 London St. Pancras-Nottingham, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 A portrait of a Meridian in full flight! After passing Bedford 222019 is building up to line speed for the climb of Sharnbrook bank, a five-mile climb with lengthy gradients of around 1:120. Modern diesel units have no real problems with this accent but in steam days crews had to work their locomotives hard to keep up to speed. The meridian is working the 12.30 St. Pancras to Nottingham EMR service. 
 Keywords: 222019 12.30 London St. Pancras-Nottingham Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 EMR East Midlands Railway Meridian
222007, EM 12.17 Corby-London St. Pancras, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 The 12.17 Corby to St. Pancras train passes Bromham (Lower Farm Road bridge) near Bedford worked by Meridian 222007. This location is fifty-four miles north of St. Pancras with this train running non-stop to the capital arriving in just over thirty minutes. 
 Keywords: 222007 12.17 Corby-London St. Pancras Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 EMR East Midlands Railway Meridian
222103, EM 12.55 London St. Pancras-Sheffield, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 With The Enigmatic Logistician charter now running very late and news filtering through of a problem it's time to prepare to head for home. 222103 heads northwards working EMR's 12.55 St. Pancras to Sheffield 'fast' service. Notice the graffiti vandalism on the back of the signal, who and why? 
 Keywords: 222103 12.55 London St. Pancras-Sheffield Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 EMR Meridian
222015, EM 12.02 Nottingham-London St. Pancras, Lower Farm Road, Bromham TL028518 
 Cold, hungry and now a little bored waiting for a failed railtour this is my last photograph at Bromham near Bedford! 222015 speeds southwards working the 12.02 Nottingham to St. Pancras EMR service. Close examination of the driver's cab appears to show him waving a white handkerchief (or some such), perhaps a subliminal message for me to give up and go home! 
 Keywords: 222015 12.02 Nottingham-London St. Pancras Lower Farm Road Bromham TL028518 EMR East Midland Meridian
66704 unidentified Freightliner (4M23?), Roade Hill 
 After the dullness of the morning session on the MML near Bedford having moved to the WCML near to home at Roade the sun has come out. In the weak afternoon sunshine GBRf's 66704 'Colchester Power Signal Box' heads north with an unidentified Saturday afternoon Freightliner service.

UPDATE.....Looking at Network Rail's excellent resources in 2023, which include the working timetables, have me believe that this was the 4M23 10.17 Felixstowe to Hams Hall service that was a GBRf-operated working and due at about this time in the afternoon; I stand to be corrected though! 
 Keywords: 66704 Freightliner, Roade Hill GBRf Colchester Power Signal Box
66039, DIRFT-Dollands Moor (6O67), Roade Hill 
 The daily empty bottled water train (6O67) passes southbound between Roade (in the background) and Ashton in Northamptonshire. Unfortunately, I have not framed the Daventry (DIRFT) to Dollands Moor particularly well is led by EWS' 66039 on this winter's afternoon. 
 Keywords: 66039 DIRFT-Dollands Moor Roade Hill 6O67
37611, 37259 (failed) & 37425, outward leg of The Enigmatic Logistition, 08.21 Crewe-Wolverton (1Z34, 2L), Roade Hill 
 At last! After an engine failure of 37259 (second locomotive) The Enigmatic Logistition charter has finally made some progress and is seen passing on the WCML just south of Roade in Northamptonshire. The excellent website Six Bells Junction documents the day's events well, see....https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/ . The train is now led by 37611 with 37425 giving some power at the rear. Note the motley collection of stock with four different liveries in evidence. This photograph was published in Rail. 
 Keywords: 37611 37259 failed 37425 The Enigmatic Logistition 08.21 Crewe-Wolverton 1Z34 Roade Hill DRS Direct Rail Services
37611 & 37259 (failed), outward leg of The Enigmatic Logistition, 08.21 Crewe-Wolverton (1Z34, 2L), Roade Hill 
 A pair of DRS' finest lead the outward leg of The Enigmatic Logistition charter south on the WCML between Roade and Ashton. Running as 1Z34 the charter left Crewe at 08.21 but had its planned itinerary severely modified due to the failure of 37259 seen second in this photograph leaving 37611 to do the work at the front. I am not so sure that the hapless chartergoers on board would have been too happy to have lost what was effectively half of their planned route. 
 Keywords: 37611 37259 failed The Enigmatic Logistition 08.21 Crewe-Wolverton 1Z34 Roade Hill DRS Direct Rail Services
37425, outward leg of The Enigmatic Logistition, 08.21 Crewe-Wolverton (1Z34, 2L), Roade Hill 
 With its engine running but not actually under load 37425 is seen being dragged at the rear of The Enigmatic Logistition charter as it makes its way south between Roade and Ashton. Having missed out on all of its run along the MML to London earlier in the day it is now going to reverse at Milton Keynes and enter the Wolverton Works complex (what's left of it that is) before returning north again after dark. This will mean that the passengers will have covered less than half of their planned itinerary. Incidentally, there was a further long delay encountered later in its journey back through the West Midlands with a passenger taken ill on the train; let's hope that they made a full recovery. 
 Keywords: 37425 The Enigmatic Logistition 08.21 Crewe-Wolverton 1Z34 Roade Hill

Images 1-13 of 13 displayed.