77. The Grampian Highlander Day 1-24.08.24

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2024 > 77. The Grampian Highlander Day 1-24.08.24

After a long warm and dry summer spell, the weather broke with cool temperatures and rain just in time for me to see the Grampian Highlander charter! I decided on an unusual move to see it by taking an early morning train to Birmingham New Street and then a local to Bescot Stadium station. Thinking that I would be on my own, I was wrong with plenty of others also choosing this spot to see the immaculate and matching pair of Class 50s lead the charter through the rain!

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-15 of 15 displayed.

66607, 00.51 Tunstead Sidings-Northampton Castle Yard (6B30, 38E), Northampton station car park
Regular stone trains have become a feature of Northampton Castle Yard with daily trains, sometimes twice a day, delivering crushed stone of various grades and types into the virtual quarry which is also on-site. The deliveries of the vast amounts of stone are associated with the construction of HS2 with regular lorry movements to and from the various work sites a bit of an issue to the western side of Northampton. 66607 has brought the 00.51 Tunstead to Castle Yard working in and is involved in some convoluted shunting that involves the wagons being split for unloading before the whole train returns north again later in the morning. The photograph is taken through the gates from the station car park.
Keywords: 66607 00.51 Tunstead Sidings-Northampton Castle Yard 6B30 Northampton station car park Freightliner

350377, LN 05.39 London Euston-Birmingham New Street, (2Y03, 7L), Northampton station
My train from Northampton to Birmingham New Street stands at Northampton station in the pouring rain! I travelled on board 350377 working the 05.39 Euston to New Street service and made use of the wifi on my laptop, finding that it actually was working - if a little slow!
Keywords: 350377 05.39 London Euston-Birmingham New Street 2Y03 Northampton station London Northwestern Desiro

350402, LN 07.48 Wolverhampton-Walsall, (2A07, RT) Birmingham New Street station
My second London Northwestern Desiro of the day stands inside New Street station. With the slightly late arrival of my inbound train, I only had a few minutes to change platforms and catch the 07.58 Wolverhampton to Walsall service grabbing a hasty photograph as I walked towards the train. I travelled on board 350402 as far as Bescot Stadium station, my chosen spot for capturing an image of the charter.
Keywords: 350402 07.48 Wolverhampton-Walsall 2A07 Birmingham New Street station London Northwestern Desiro

66587, 66593, 66597 & 66553, 07.03 Crewe Basford Hall-Bescot Yard (0Y60, 55L), Bescot Stadium station
Running nearly an hour late the 0Y60 07.03 Crewe Basford Hall to Bescot Yard approaches its destination passing through Bescot Stadium station. 66587 'As One We Can', 66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway', 66597 'Viridor' and 66553 will be involved in engineering work over the coming Bank Holiday weekend. Of course, in past years locomotives would simply have been taken from the well-stocked Bescot Depot located to my left rather than being moved in convoy from Crewe, some distance away; progress, I am not too sure?
Keywords: 66587 As One We Can 66593 3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway 66597 Viridor 66553 07.03 Crewe Basford Hall-Bescot Yard 0Y60 Bescot Stadium station

350260, LN 07.52 Birmingham International-Rugeley TV (Cancelled from Hendesford) (2H31, 28L), Bescot Stadium station
Running nearly half an hour late, 350260 passes through Besot Stadium station working the 07.52 Birmingham International to Rugeley Trent Valley service. Due to its late running, the train was terminated at Hendesford and returned as the balancing working running to time. Whilst this move got the timetable back to time again, what happens to the passengers at the stations beyond the cancellation point?
Keywords: 350260 07.52 Birmingham International-Rugeley TV Cancelled from Hendesford 2H31 Bescot Stadium station

350123, LN 08.18 Wolverhampton-Walsall (2A09, 2L), Bescot Stadium station
With the rain coming down again the 2A09 08.18 Wolverhampton to Walsall cross-Birmingham service arrives at Bescot Stadium station worked by 350123. I have visited Bescot Stadium station a few times, twice with Andy, but have not seen many passengers apart from today when it was quite busy at times.
Keywords: 350123 08.18 Wolverhampton-Walsall 2A09 Bescot Stadium station London Northwestern Desiro

66587, 66593, 09.14 Bescot Yard-Bromford Bridge (6Y60, 30L), Bescot Stadium station
Having arrived nearly an hour late, along with three other Class 66s, a little earlier, 66587 'As One We Can' leads the 09.14 Bescot Yard to Bromford Bridge engineering train, also late. Through the pouring rain, 66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway' can be seen at the rear of the train.
Keywords: 66587 66593 09.14 Bescot Yard-Bromford Bridge 6Y60 Bescot Stadium station As One We Can 3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway

66593, 09.14 Bescot Yard-Bromford Bridge (6Y60, 30L), Bescot Stadium station
66593 '3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway' is towed at the rear of the 6Y60 09.14 Bescot Yard to Bromford Bridge engineering train seen from Bescot Stadium station. After the late arrival of this locomotive and the leading one, 66587 'As One We Can', in from Basford Hall this train left over thirty minutes late. Its seventeen-mile circular route to its destination took it all the way back south right into the chaotic HS2 work zone near Castle Bromwich. Notice the signage on the elevated M6 motorway above the train.
Keywords: 66593 09.14 Bescot Yard-Bromford Bridge 6Y60 Bescot Stadium station 3MG Mersey Multimodal Gateway

730018, LN 08.48 Wolverhampton-Walsall (2A11, 1L), Bescot Stadium station
In absolutely pouring rain, 730018 'Hurst Street' arrives at Bescot Stadium station working the 08.48 Wolverhampton to Walsall West Midlands Trains service. At present, this is the only named Class 730 receiving its vinyl 'plates' as part of the Birmingham Pride events in May 2024.
Keywords: 730018 08.48 Wolverhampton-Walsall 2A11 Bescot Stadium station Hurst Street

66597, 09.44 Bescot Yard-Bromford Bridge (6Y61, 43L), Bescot Stadium station
The second engineering train within ten minutes taking the same route passes Bescot Stadium station. As the first one was late departing from the Up Yard due to the lateness of the inbound locomotives, this one is also behind schedule but not by so much time. 66597 'Viridor' leads the 09.44 Bescot Yard to Bromford Bridge 6Y61, a circular journey of just over seventeen miles.
Keywords: 66597 09.44 Bescot Yard-Bromford Bridge 6Y61 Bescot Stadium station Freightliner Viridor

730018, LN 10.07 Walsall-Wolverhampton (2W18, RT), Birmingham New Street station
Aventra 730018 pauses at Birmingham New Street having just arrived with the 10.07 Walsall to Wolverhampton service. I had just travelled on this train in from Bescot Stadium station. This marked my first time travelling on board one of these units, finding it to be pleasant enough (hard seats aside) with strong lighting and noting how quiet it was. It's a shame that the uncontrolled lineside growth on the route was dragging along the side of the train doing nothing for the smart new paintwork!
Keywords: 730018 10.07 Walsall-Wolverhampton 2W18 Birmingham New Street station London Northwestern Aventra

196003, LN 10.52 Birmingham New Street-Shrewsbury (1J48, 2E), Birmingham New Street station
One of West Midlands Trains' twenty-six Civity units stands with its first carriage emerging from the gloomy interior of New Street station. 196003 is one of the twelve members of the 196/0xx sub-class composed of two cars that are both powered. This example is about to leave with the 10.52 service to Shrewsbury, a distance of just over forty miles.
Keywords: 196003 10.52 Birmingham New Street-Shrewsbury 1J48 BNS station Civity

350263, LN 11.06 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y26, 6L), Birmingham New Street station
My journey home from Birmingham to Northampton was a straightforward one but notable by how busy the train was reinforcing the notion that leisure travel is now more significant for the railways than is the commuter. 350263 and another member of the class will work the 1Y26 11.06 Birmingham New Street to Euston London Northwestern service.
Keywords: 350263 11.06 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y26 Birmingham New Street station London Northwestern Desiro

Tickets, Northampton-Bescot Stadium-Northampton
My off-peak day return tickets for my trip to Bescot Stadium. Not knowing what trains I wanted to travel on and even if I would go precluded a pair of advanced tickets and the saving was marginal anyway.
Keywords: Tickets, Northampton-Bescot Stadium-Northampton

Images 1-15 of 15 displayed.