1. Journey there-14.12.23

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2023 > 89. Trip to London-14-16.12.23 > 1. Journey there-14.12.23

What should have been a pretty straightforward trip up from Northampton to Euston got off to a cracking start and it was a bit of a fluke really caused by a short-formed and consequentially over-crowded train.
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Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.

350104, LN 10.06 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y30, 1E), Northampton station Celebrity liveried 350104, to commemorate Liverpool's hosting of Eurovision 2023 in lieu of it being held in war-torn Ukraine, satnds at Northampton working the 10.06 Birmingham to Euston service. My wife and I intended to catch this train but found that it was short-formed and consequently full and standing. We opted to have a coffee and wait for the next service south, a move that worked out for the best; for me at least! Keywords: 350104 10.06 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y30 Northampton station Class 350 Desiro London Northwestern
56301, 07.44 Chaddesden Sidings-Wembley Reception Sidings (4Z43, 8E), Northampton station Grid 56301 passes through Northampton's centre road leading the 07.44 Chaddesden to Wembley stone train, a move in association with HS2. As 56045 this Doncaster-built example entered service in the summer of 1978 and is seen here still wearing its now-defunct Fastline livery. It is a mainline registered preserved member of the class owned by the Class 56 Group on hire to spot hire company BARS (British American Railway Services). So as a forty-five-year-old locomotive heads south an even older one was approaching me from behind...... Keywords: 56301 07.44 Chaddesden Sidings-Wembley Reception Sidings 4Z43 Northampton station Grid
47830, 11.01 Wolverton Centre Sidings-Crewe Basford Hall (4G97, 25E), Northampton station Just as the tail of the previous train, the 4Z43 07.44 Chaddesden Sidings-Wembley Reception Sidings led by veteran 56301, disappeared from view the 4G97 appeared led by an even older locomotive! 47830 (formally 47061 and 47649) 'Beeching's Legacy' leads the 11.01 Wolverton Works (Centre Sidings) to Crewe Basford Hall. This short train was conveying a short rake of former MGR hoppers that are used for barrier work when towing various units. The contrast between the smart appearance of the Class 47 and the graffiti-ridden state of the wagons is extremely marked! Approaching its sixtieth year in operation 47830 trumps the previously seen 56301 at forty-five years but with a combined age of over one hundred years does it dispel the notion that we have a modern railway? Keywords: 47830 11.01 Wolverton Centre Sidings-Crewe Basford Hall 4G97 Northampton station Brush Duff Beeching's Legacy
350375, LN 10.36 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y32, RT), Northampton station Travelling half an hour later than planned permitted my wife and I to have a seat on a train that was not horribly overcrowded! 350373 and another unit arrive at Northampton working the 10.36 Birmingham to Euston service that we took to London. Notice the gaggle of enthusiasts gathered around the signal who had been present for the 4Z73 and 4G97 freights that had passed through the station shortly before the Desiro arrived Keywords: 350375 10.36 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y32 Northampton station London NorthWetern Desiro
390122, VT 12.53 London Euston-Manchester Picadilly & 221114, VT 13.02 London Euston-Chester (1D87, 1L), London Euston A scene that should have been banished from Euston by now! With the bi-mode Class 800s undergoing testing, crew training and mileage accumulation runs surely the removal of the the unloved Voyagers from this route is imminent. 221114 is prepared and passengers board for it to work the 1D87 13.02 Euston to Chester service. 390122 waits in the adjacent platform with the 12.53 to Manchester Picadilly. Keywords: 390122 12.53 London Euston-Manchester Picadilly 221114 13.02 London Euston-Chester 1D87 London Euston
Tickets, Northampton-London Euston As per our previous trip to London, the fare for our off-peak return tickets was just over £25 each. It will be interesting to see what this price will be next time after the New Year fare increase has come into play. Keywords: Tickets Northampton-London Euston

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.