86. A birthday jaunt with Andy-07.12.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 86. A birthday jaunt with Andy-07.12.23

It has become a bit of a tradition that Andy and I go out for a jolly on or as close as possible to our respective birthdays. Having gone east on my birthday earlier in the year we went north for Andy's but the weather curtailed our plans a little; we spent more time drinking coffee and eating a birthday breakfast than actually watching trains!

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-8 of 8 displayed.

170501, EM 08.24 Nottingham-Leicester (2L14, RT), Syston station
In horrible weather, EMR's 170501 arrives at Syston's single platform station working the 08.24 Nottingham to Leicester local service. On days such as this, the normals do tend to look at us out with our cameras looking a trains in an odd manner; mind you that tends to happen even when the weather is better!
Keywords: 170501 08.24 Nottingham-Leicester 2L14 Syston station EMR Turbostar

2. Former weighbridge office, Syston station
Syston station opened in 1840 to be rebuilt in 1874 when the track was quadrupled. It was closed by British Rail in March 1968 with the attractive station building removed brick by brick and rebuilt at the Butterley Midland Railway Centre. After a protracted campaign, the station was reopened in 1994 as part of the Ivanhoe Line project. The only remnant of the original station appears to be the weighbridge seen at the station entrance road. It appears to have present-day use as some sort of office.
Keywords: Former weighbridge office Syston station

66707, 05.52 Washwood Heath-Tunstead Sidings (4H73, 7E), Sileby station
In pouring rain 66707 'Sir Sam Fay Great Central Railway' passes at speed leading the 4H73 05.52 Washwood Heath to Tunstead Sidings empty stone train. This working is in association with the construction of HS2 and will return full of stone to be used in the Birmingham area. When HS2 is completed, in whatever form it ends up being, the loss of the many stone workings will be noticeable throughout the country.
Keywords: 66707 05.52 Washwood Heath-Tunstead Sidings 4H73 Sileby station Sir Sam Fay Great Central Railway

170506, EM 08.39 Grimsby-Leicester (2L58, 1L), Barrow-on-Soar station
The present-day Barrow-on-Soar station was another re-opening as part of the Ivanhoe Line project in May 1994. The original station was located behind me on the other side of a bridge but straddled all four lines and had a delightful Midland Counties Railway building, the only remaining example until it was ceremoniously razed to the ground days after closure. In this modern-day view, 170506 arrives at the station working the 08.39 Grimsby to Leicester EMR service.
Keywords: 170506 08.39 Grimsby-Leicester 2L58 Barrow-on-Soar station EMR Turbostar

5. 170511, EM 10.43 Leicester-Lincoln Central (2L65, 4L), Barrow-on-Soar station
170511 arrives at Barrow-on-Soar station working the 10.43 Leicester to Lincoln Central service. The bridge in the background was the one that partially collapsed in August 2016 during Network Rail maintenance that blocked the up and down fast lines the arch of which can be seen to the right above the leading car of the unit
Keywords: 170511 10.43 Leicester-Lincoln Central 2L65 Barrow-on-Soar station EMR East Midlands Railway Turbostar

222021, EM 10.13 Chesterfield-London St. Pancras (1C35, 4L), Barrow-on-Soar station
In appalling winter light, I took a gamble on this 'grab shot' of 222021 passing Barrow-on-Soar station. The camera, Photoshop and Neat Image (a superb ISO noise, grain and artefacts reduction software package) have all worked together to present this presentable, if not overwhelmingly striking, image of the 10.13 Chesterfield to St. Pancras service.
Keywords: 222021 10.13 Chesterfield-London St. Pancras 1C35 Barrow-on-Soar station EMR Meridian

222104, EM 10.05 London St. Pancras-Nottingham (1D26, 1E), Loughborough station
222104 arrives at Loughborough station working the 1D26 10.05 St. Pancras to Nottingham EMR service. Loughborough station remains a pleasant station that has been tastefully restored and modernised but the grand new gate line at the southern end of the down platform remained open with no ticket checks taking place, fine for us as enthusiasts to get entry to the platforms but not so good for revenue protection!
Keywords: 222104 10.05 London St. Pancras-Nottingham 1D26 Loughborough station EMR Meridian

Frontage, Loughborough station
Ignoring the modern car parking and infrastructure in this photograph the frontage of Loughborough station is essentially the same as when I last photographed it back in 1981, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30036330549/frontage-loughborough-station Notice that the Brush factory behind the station is also virtually unchanged even though its role as a railway manufacturing facility has changed.
Keywords: Frontage, Loughborough station

Images 1-8 of 8 displayed.