58. The Westbury Wizzo-06.07.24

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2024 > 58. The Westbury Wizzo-06.07.24

As tickets for the DRS Open Day at Kingmoor had sold out by the time I got around to buying them Andy and I had a spare day on our hands. A quick search found that UK Railtours' Westbury Wizzo charter would suit our needs. It was an excellent day out behind D1015 'Western Champion' ending up in my old stomping ground of Westbury where I photographed Westerns in my very early trainspotting days!

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Images 1-28 of 28 displayed.

700114, TL 07.18 Bedford-Brighton (Cancelled from Three Bridges (9T13, 2L), Bedford station
Some Thameslink staff exchange words as 700114 waits to depart from Bedford working the 07.18 service to Brighton. Unfortunately, something went wrong later on its journey and it was cancelled from Three Bridges.
Keywords: 700114 07.18 Bedford-Brighton Cancelled from Three Bridges 9T13 Bedford station Thameslink

700018, TL 05.14 Three Bridges-Bedford (9R02, RT), Bedford station
The 05.14 Three Bridges to Bedford Thameslink service arrives at its destination worked by 700018. These Desiro City units have been in squadron service for six years now and are proving reliable. However, I must admit that the rather plain white livery with very limited branding does look a little bland when compared to the schemes applied by other operators.
Keywords: 700018 05.14 Three Bridges-Bedford 9R02 Bedford station

360117, EM 06.40 Corby-London St. Pancras (1H06, 3L), Bedford station
Bedford enjoys plenty of stopping services south towards London but very few direct 'fast' services. East Midlands Railways operates a regular service with its Corby services calling at the station but the longer distance services operated by the Meridians pass straight through. 360117 pauses at the station working the 06.40 Corby to St. Pancras train.
Keywords: 360117 06.40 Corby-London St. Pancras 1H06 Bedford station Desiro EMR

150141, LN 06.42 Bletchley-Bedford (2S03, 2E), Bedford station
When I last photographed 150141 it was in a very different location to here at Bedford, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/23847805404/x150141-150271-2n27-preston-station The legacy of its former operator, Northern, can be seen on the flanks of the unit just after it has arrived with the terminating 2S03 06.42 from Bletchley with the graphics forming the majority of its livery with just a nod towards London Northwestern (or West Midlands Trains) towards the front. At least trains are finally operating on the Marston Vale route again after many, many months of bustitution; a shocking state of affairs.
Keywords: 150141 06.42 Bletchley-Bedford 2S03 Bedford station

700018, TL 07.34 Bedford-Three Bridges (9R07, 3L) & 66067, 02.00 Peak Forest-Limbury Road (6C76, 9L), Bedford station
Whilst 700018 waits to leave Bedford with the 07.34 returning service to Three Bridges 66067 brightens up a dull morning as it passes at speed leading the 6C76 02.00 Peak Forest to Limbury Road loaded stone train. Limbury Road is another of the virtual quarries that operate around the network to locally handle stone that is supplying infrastructure projects. Limbury Road is located just south of Leagrave station and operates very similarly to Northampton's 'quarry' that is supplying aggregates to HS2.
Keywords: 700018 05.14 Three Bridges-Bedford 9R02 66067 02.00 Peak Forest-Limbury Road 6C76 Bedford station

700018, TL 07.34 Bedford-Three Bridges (9R07, 3L) & D1015, outward leg of the Westbury Wizzo, 06.02 East Midlands Parkway-Cranmore, (1Z77, 3L), Bedford station
Not a sight that is seen at Bedford every day! D1015 'Western Champion' comes to a halt with the outward leg ofUK Railtours' Westbury Wizzo charter. Andy and I travelled on the charter to Westbury but not onwards to Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway. Notice the wreath attached to lamp bracket of D1015. This was in honour of Andy Venn who passed away just a week before the charter ran. He was one of the founding members of the DTG who worked on D1015 when it was languishing at Swindon and later Oal Oak Common. More recently he has been one of the DTG's technical riders accompanying the locomotive on its wanderings.
Keywords: 700018 07.34 Bedford-Three Bridges 9R07 D1015 Westbury Wizzo 06.02 East Midlands Parkway-Cranmore 1Z77 Bedford station DTG Western Champion

Passenger information screen, Bletchley station
During our pause at Bletchley after traversing the Marston Vale line from Bedford I pointed my camera up towards one of the recently installed departure screens. It is interesting to see the Westbury Wizzo charter getting such prominence and with lots of detail It is just a shame that the spelling of the destination is incorrect but top marks for trying!
Keywords: Passenger information screen Bletchley station

D1015, outward leg of the Westbury Wizzo, 06.02 East Midlands Parkway-Cranmore, (1Z77, 3L), Westbury station
D1015 'Western Campion' has returned to one of its many rightful homes - Westbury. The first time I copped D1015 was on the shed at Westbury back in 1976, so it is interesting that I am back again photographing it nearly fifty years later. I have just alighted from the Westbury Wizzo charter whilst it prepares for 66359 to be attached to the rear for its short onward journey to Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway. The sight, sound and smell of a Western is something to behold and is up there the very best that BR produced along with the Deltics.
Keywords: D1015 the Westbury Wizzo 06.02 East Midlands Parkway-Cranmore 1Z77 Westbury station Western Champion

66075, shunting, Westbury yard
66075 is seen from the platform end of Westbury station undertaking various moves up and down the sidings adjacent to some rakes of stone wagons. Still a mecca for all sorts of locomotives a further two red DB Class 66s can be seen further down the yard. Back in my 1970s spotting days I used to take a small pair of binoculars with me when visiting Westbury in a vain attempt to get the numbers of the locomotives on-shed unless I made the walk all the way from the station around and down to the shed and blagg a quick walk round!
Keywords: 66075 shunting Westbury yard EWS

158745, GW 11.42 Bristol Temple Meads-Salisbury (2O10, RT), Westbury station
Rather than continue on the charter to Cranmore, Andy I and I decided on a run to Salisbury and back. After the purchase of some return tickets, we travelled on GWR's 11.2 Bristol to Salisbury service worked by 158745. The train is seen entering Westbury station passing on the right the location of the former North signal box that closed in 1984.
Keywords: 158745 11.42 Bristol Temple Meads-Salisbury 2O10 Westbury station

159020, stabled, Salisbury station
159020 stands stabled in Salisbury's south-facing bay platform six. Later, it would work the hourly 13.47 service to London Waterloo. I have taken the photograph slightly off-centre in order to include the former GWR station frontage that was closed to passenger traffic in 1932. The Brunel-designed station is now Grade II listed and partially in railway use by SWT.
Keywords: 159020 Salisbury station SWT South West Trains

159107, SW 11.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo (1L44, 3E), Salisbury station
159107 arrives at Salisbury station working the 11.25 Exeter to Waterloo service. It is passing a very odd structure purported by some to be a former signal box but I have yet to see or read any actual evidence of this.
Keywords: 159107 11.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo 1L44 Salisbury station

159018, SW 12.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo (Cancelled from Basingstoke) (1L48, RT) & 159885, SW 13.08 Romsey-Salisbury (2S35, 4L), Salisbury station
159018 catches the sun at Salisbury station working at the rear of the 12.25 Exeter to Waterloo service. Meanwhile, 159885 is in the shade having just terminated with the 2S35 local from Romsey. I have been to Salisbury station many times since my early spotting days and have always found it busy and interesting but the diversity of traction is not quite the same from when I visited in 1981, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/C385496854/x14-day-trip-to-salisbury-08-08-81
Keywords: 159018 12.25 Exeter St. David's-London Waterloo Cancelled from Basingstoke 1L48 159885 13.08 Romsey-Salisbury 2S35 Salisbury station SWT

Building (former signal box?), Salisbury station
I have seen discussion that this stricture is a former signal box on Salisbury station and it certainly looks like one. However, I am not at all convinced as it has no windows or evidence that there were windows t the upper level. I have also to find any information about the structure in the Signalling Records Society book or in the internet; can anybody advise? All I do know is that the swifts were making the best use of it now with many nests under the eves.
Keywords: Building former signal box Salisbury station

158885, SW 13.08 Romsey-Salisbury (1L35, 2L) & 158886, SW 14.47 Salisbury-London Waterloo (Cancelled from Basingstoke) (1L50, 1L), Salisbury station
158885 arrives at Salisbury station with the 13.08 local service from Romsey. Meanwhile, to the right 158886 will work the 14.47 service to Waterloo. This train was cancelled from Basingstoke with passengers forced to change to other services to complete their journeys to London.
Keywords: 158885 13.08 Romsey-Salisbury 1L35 158886 14.47 Salisbury-London Waterloo Cancelled from Basingstoke1L50 Salisbury station

158766, GW 13.23 Portsmouth Harbour-Bristol Parkway (1F20, 1L) & 158886, SW 14.47 Salisbury-London Waterloo (Cancelled from Basingstoke) (1L50, 1l), Salisbury station
After our brief stop in Salisbury, it was time for Andy and me to head back to Westbury to re-join the Westbury Wizzo charter. Our train back arrives at Salisbury worked by GWR's 158766. We took the 13.23 Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Parkway as far as Westbury. The train was terminating at Parkway rather than continuing to Cardfif as the Severn Tunnel was closed for engineering work. To the right, 158886 waits to leave with the 14.47 service to Waterloo that was, unfortunately, cancelled from Basingstoke.
Keywords: 158766 13.23 Portsmouth Harbour-Bristol Parkway 1F20 158886 14.47 Salisbury-London Waterloo Cancelled from Basingstoke 1L50 Salisbury station

Andy, former platform 1, Westbury station
Andy poses on the former platform one at Westbury station. This was taken out of use many years ago and the twin tracks were reduced to one and it was realigned. There have been discussions to re-open the platform for passenger use again but the cost estimate produced by Network Rail was out of all proportion with the the work needed. I think that they do this deliberately when they are confronted with a project that they are not in favour of. The reason for this image was an attempt to replicate an image taken in 1976, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24049436004/b578-class-119-dmu-westbury-station
Keywords: Andy former platform 1 Westbury station

166216, GW 14.10 Gloucester-Frome (2C17, RT), Westbury station
166216 leaves Westbury station working the 14.10 Gloucester to Frome service. Since being cascaded from the Thames Valley these turbo units have become the mainstay of operations around the Bristol area. Whilst they look smart in their GWR livery there is no disguising that they are now over thirty years old.
Keywords: 166216 14.10 Gloucester-Frome 2C17 Westbury station

802103, GW 14.35 London Paddington-Plymouth (1C85, RT), Westbury station
In the same way that some Pendolinos sometimes are operated with their nose covers open on the WCML some of GWR's IETs also run in this iefficent manner. 802103 arrives at Westbury station working the 1C85 14.35 Paddington to Plymouth service.
Keywords: 802103 14.35 London Paddington-Plymouth 1C85 Westbury station GWR IET

D1015, return leg of the Westbury Wizzo, 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway (1Z79, 12L), Westbury station
Having run round its stock on East Somerset Railway metals D1015 'Western Champion' approaches Westbury for the return run home to East Midlands Parkway via an interesting and circuitous route. Running as 1Z79 the 15.15 ex Cranmore attracts the attention of enthusiasts including a former spotting colleague of mine from my schooldays spent on Westbury station whom I bumped into on the platform end. He is centre in this view taking his photograph.
Keywords: D1015 Westbury Wizzo,15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway 1Z79 Westbury station Western Champion

66309, return leg of the Westbury Wizzo, 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway (as far as Westbury), (1Z79, 12L), Westbury station
66309 'Charley Wallace' is seen at the rear of the returning Westbury Wizzo charter after its arrival back into Westbury. It had been used on the charter when it left Network Rail metals on to the East Somerset railway. It took some time for GBRf staff to detach the 66 from the rear of the train before D1015 'Western Campion' could lead the train back towards the London area.
Keywords: 66309 Westbury Wizzo 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway 1Z79 Westbury station Charley Wallace

D1015, return leg of the Westbury Wizzo, 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway (16.41 Westbury-Bedford) (1Z79, 12L), Westbury station
D1015 'Western Champion' idles at Westbury station waiting to lead the Westbury Wizzo charter back towards London and then north to the East Midlands. As usual, I was part of a huge arc of enthusiasts eager to take their photographs of this fine locomotive before it departs. Unfortunately, this image is taken into the afternoon sun so is not of the highest quality.
Keywords: D1015 Westbury Wizzo 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway 1Z79 Westbury station Western Champion

Acton Wells Junction signal box (NL, c1882)
This is a signal box that I have been trying to photograph since 1979! Acton Wells Junction is impossible to access lineside buried as it is on the suburban expanses of west London. The nearest that I got to it was in November 1979, see...https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/27444279404/acton-well-junction-signal-box-signals but an opportunity from the passing Westbury Wizzo charter means that it is in the bag. The box is a North London structure dating from approximately 1882 but has been considerably modified with UPVC cladding and windows. It no longer controls any semaphores having a workstation installed in 2012.
Keywords: Acton Wells Junction signal box North London

Acton Canal Wharf signal box (NR, 2004)
Acton Canal Wharf signal box is totally unrecognisable from the box that I photographed (and visited) on a cold and bright day in November 1979, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/27444280004/acton-canal-wharf-signal-box-tq211829 Whilst the brick base is just visible below the UPVC cladding the old Midland box dating from 1894 is all but gone with Network Rail encasing the old structure and then removing it from within. In a nod to the old structure, it appears that the original Midland wooden nameboard has been retained.
Keywords: Acton Canal Wharf signal box

59001 & 66598, Wembley Yard
59001 'Yeoman Endeavour' and 66598 sit in Wembely Yard at the head of a stone train. Being a Class 59 means that it will have worked up from the West Country and will be returning there. However, by Tuesday (according to TOPS) the train and locomotives were still at Wembley so I am not sure when it returned.
Keywords: 59001 66598 Wembley Yard Yeoman Endeavour

D1015, return leg of the Westbury Wizzo, 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway (1Z79, 12L), Bedford station
Having arrived back at Bedford it was time for Andy and me to leave the Westbury Wizzo charter and let it continue its journey north to East Midlands Parkway. The driver peers back down the platform waiting for the RA but is 'wrong side' so will have to cross back to his seat and put down the power without a further confirmational look. Notice the feather on the gantry above the tracks indicating that D1015 'Western Champion' will be crossing over to the fast line for its journey. All in all, Andy and I had a great day out on the charter with the Western performing faultlessly.
Keywords: D1015 Westbury Wizzo 15.15 Cranmore-East Midlands Parkway 1Z79 Bedford station Western Champion

Tickets & charter guide
Our e-tickets and charter guide for the Westbury Wizzo charter. As usual, UK Railtours did a great job organising the charter with everything going to plan.
Keywords: Tickets & charter guide

29. Tickets, Westbury-Salisbury-Westbury
Having renewed our Two Together card on the train charter train travelling down to Westbury Andy and I were able to take full advantage for our journey to Salisbury and back. It's a smashing trip along the Wylye Valley and is a much under-photographed area that provides some super photographic opportunities. Strangely, when I lived relatively close to the area I rarely ventured along the route bot linesiding and on a train.

Images 1-28 of 28 displayed.