95. A drag and a squirt-22.10.24

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2024 > 95. A drag and a squirt-22.10.24

A smashing autumn afternoon off work coincided with one of the drags of SWTs' refurbished Class 458s heading back to third rail territory. And, with the clocks about to change, this is probably one of my last opportunities to capture one of the RHTT 'squirters' passing at tea time.
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Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.

57306, 64664, 458402 & 64707, 11.40 Widnes Transport Tech-Wembley Yard (5Q63, RT), Victoria bridge With the sun just too low in the mid-October afternoon to illuminate the relatively shallow cutting at Victoria bridge just south of Roade 57306 leads the 5Q63 11.40 Widness Transport Tech to Wembley Yard transfer. Immediately behind the former Thunderbird is Arlington Fleet Services translator coach 64664 'Llwet' with 64707 'Labezerin' at the rear that together form set T7. Sandwiched in the middle is a very smart-looking refurbished (but no one coach shorter) 458402. Having been at Alstom's Widness facility the Juniper set is returning to southern territory for use, not on the Portsmouth route as originally planned, but on limited outer suburban services from London Waterloo. Keywords: 57306 64664 Llwet 458402 64707 Labezerin 11.40 Widnes Transport Tech-Wembley Yard 5Q63 Victoria bridge set T7
64707, 458402, 64664 & 57306, 11.40 Widnes Transport Tech-Wembley Yard (5Q63, RT), Victoria bridge I don't routinely present going-away shots but when a train is interesting, as is the case here, I will make an exception. Translator vehicle 64707 'Labezerin' brings up the rear of the 11.40 Widness Transport Tech to Wembley Yard SWT drag move. Fellow translator (as part of set T7) 64664 'Llwet' is directly behind 57306 which is leading the train past Victoria bridge between Roade and Ashton. Sandwiched safely in the middle of the 5Q63 move is a smart-looking refurbished and reconfigured (having had one vehicle removed from the set) SWT 458402. On arrival at Wembley Yard, the train would stay overnight and move to Bournemouth TMD the following day. Keywords: 64707 Labezerin 458402 64664 Llwet 57306 11.40 Widnes Transport Tech-Wembley Yard 5Q63 Victoria bridge
66716, 13.57 Birch Coppice-London Gateway (4L68, RT), Roade Hill One of the field's resident alpacas takes no notice of the passing 4L68 13.57 Birch Coppice to London gateway service hauled by 66716 'Locomotive & Carriage Institution Centenary 1911-2011'. I am standing by a gate on Roade Hill with the M1 windfarm (so named due to its location adjacent to the motorway) is seen to the top left. Keywords: 66716 13.57 Birch Coppice-London Gateway 4L68 Roade Hill Locomotive & Carriage Institution Centenary 1911-2011
66430, 13.37 DIRFT-Tilbury Docks (4L48, 210L), Roade Hill Running extremely late, by over three hours, the daily 4L48 13.37 Daventry to Tilbury Docks passes just south of Roade catching some very late afternoon sunshine worked by DRS' 66430. I was willing the alpaca to stop walking to the left seconds before the passage of the train so that he was completely in the patch of sun, but, alas it was not to be! Keywords: 66430 13.37 DIRFT-Tilbury Docks 4L48 Roade Hill DRS Direct Rail Services
805012, 16.35 London Euston-Crewe (3K97, 3L), Roade Hill AWC's Evero 805012 undergoes yet another test/mileage accumulation/staff training run* between Roade and Ashton running as 3K97, the 16.35 Euston to Crewe. It is noticeable now that the number of Voyagers passing is significantly less as more of the 805s enter service. If the work to get them all running has been chronological then it means that this is the penultimate one with just 805013 to be seen. But, then there are the much delayed Class 807s of course! * delete as appropriate! Keywords: 805012 16.35 London Euston-Crewe 3K97 Roade Hill AWC Avanti West Coast Evero
66701, 11.52 King's Norton OT Plant-Bletchley (3J01, 5L), Roade Hill With the last vestiges of sunshine illuminating parts of the train 66701 leads the daily 11.52 King's Norton to Bletchley RHTT just south of Roade. The 3JO1 takes a circuitous trip around and through Birmingham to Rugby, then north as far as Stafford and south to Bletchley and along the Marston Vale line to Bedford and back. Unfortunately, my chosen location, to maximise lighting, did not quite come off as intended. With the train running a little late the sun has just gone too low and the full length of the RHTT service did not quite fit in the space available; never mind though! Keywords: 66701 11.52 King's Norton OT Plant-Bletchley 3J01 Roade Hill GBRf
66752 & 66701, 11.52 King's Norton OT Plant-Bletchley (3J01, 5L), Roade Hill A second 'grab' photograph of the 11.52 King's Norton to Bletchley (via much of the Midlands!) RHTT passes just south of Roade. As can be seen, the full length of the train almost fits in the gap but any further left and it would have been in complete shade! Leading the 3JO1 is 66701 with 66752 'The Hoosier State' bringing up the rear. The latter locomotive is one of the initial batch of twenty-one ordered by GBRf that arrived on UK soil ten years ago. Unusually, this example was named before it left EMD’s Muncie facility in the USA for UK soil. Keywords: 66752 66701 11.52 King's Norton OT Plant-Bletchley 3J01 Roade Hill GBRf RHTT

Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.