102. The Christmas White Rose-16.11.24

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2024 > 102. The Christmas White Rose-16.11.24

A dull and grey morning found Andy and I heading to the ECML between Sandy and St. Neots to see one of the Christmas White Rose steam-hauled charters running on this day. Amazingly, north of Peterborough this charter would be followed by the second charter of the same name hauled by 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' - what a treat for the enthusiast!
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802304, HT 05.57 Beverley-London King's Cross (1A91, RT), Tempsford level crossing 802304 'William Wilberforce' passes Tempsford working the 05.57 Beverley to London King's Cross service. The Class 802s have been in service with Hull Trains for nearly five years this December and have proved to be reliable (as to be expected) but still have the dreaded ironing board seats as do their GWR counterparts. It's sobering to think that open access operator Hull Trains has been in operation for nearly twenty-five years and it's worth remembering some of their past stock used, Class 170s, Class 222s, Class 86s hauling Mk. III stock, HSTs and of course the dreadful Class 180s. Keywords: 802304 05.57 Beverley-London King's Cross 1A91 Tempsford level crossing Hull Trains William Wilberforce
180108, GC 07.48 London King's Cross-Sunderland (1N90, 5L), Tempsford level crossing Grand Central's 180108 'William Shakespeare' works the 07.48 King's Cross to Sunderland service past Tempsford. The station was located directly behind the train closing in 1956 but the goods shed still survives seen above the second coach of the Adelante. If the third section of the new East-West link ever comes to fruition, Tempsford could once again have a station with a new interchange built half a mile north of this location where the new line would cross the ECML - in my lifetime; I'm not so sure! Keywords: 180108 07.48 London King's Cross-Sunderland 1N90 Tempsford level crossing Adelante Grand Central
700030, TL 07.54 Peterborough-Horsham (9J15, 3L), Tempsford level crossing The Class 700 Desiro City units entered service in December 2016 (where has all that time gone?) and are now a familiar and reliable train seen operating between Peterborough/Bedford, through London to Brighton. The 9J15 07.54 Peterborough to Horsham service passes Tempsford level crossing on the up slow line. Keywords: 700030 07.54 Peterborough-Horsham 9J15 Tempsford level crossing Thameslink Desiro City
801230, GR 08.00 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S07, RT), Tempsford level crossing The 08.00 King's Cross to Edinburgh Azuma service passes Tempsford level crossing on this very dull November morning. Keywords: 801230 08.00 London King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S07 Tempsford level crossing LNER Azuma
800102, GR 06.47 Leeds-London King's Cross (1A06, 14L), Tempsford level crossing The section of the ECML from just north of Sandy to Little Barford is dead straight and makes an impressive site when viewed north or south from the level crossing at Tempsford just behind me. 800102 takes full advantage of this straight-as-a-die section of track at speed working the 06.47 Leeds to King's Cross service. Keywords: 800102 06.47 Leeds-London King's Cross 1A06 Tempsford level crossing LNER Azuma
387123, GN 08.13 Peterborough-London King's Cross (1P83, RT), Tempsford level crossing On the up fast line at Tempsford 387123 (along with another unidentified unit at the rear) is probably at its top operating speed of one hundred and ten miles per hour as it heads south working the 08.13 Peterborough to King's Cross Great Northern service. Keywords: 387123 08.13 Peterborough-London King's Cross 1P83 Tempsford level crossing Great Northern Electrostar
44871, outward leg of The Christmas White Rose, 07.38 London King's Cross-York (1Z52, 2E), Tempsford level crossing Black 5 44871 is seen working hard and creating quite an exhaust as it passes Tempsford leading the outward leg of The Christmas White Rose charter that left King's Cross at 07.38 heading for York. Its departure from Peterborough was planned to be just ten minutes before another steam-hauled charter also called The Christmas White Rose with 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' at the helm. This would then mean that until Carlton Loops where one of the charters was held that both trains would pass along the ECML within a few minutes of each other; quite extraordinary! Things went largely to plan but the Black 5 charter, seen here, was running late so ended up being behind Gresley rather than in front of it as planned. Keywords: 44871 The Christmas White Rose 07.38 London King's Cross-York 1Z52 Tempsford level crossing
47848 & 44871, outward leg of The Christmas White Rose, 07.38 London King's Cross-York (1Z52, 2E), Tempsford level crossing Offering little in the way of assistance WCR's 47848 brings up the rear of the outward Christmas White Rose charter running as 1Z52. Leaving King's Cross at 07.38 the charter would arrive at York just two minutes adrift at 12.19 giving passengers the afternoon to explore the opening weekend of the York Christmas Market. The exhaust at the front of the train is from Black 5 44871. Keywords: 47848 44871 outward leg of The Christmas White Rose 07.38 London King's Cross-York 1Z52 Tempsford level crossing West Coast Railways
801108 & 800028, GR 08.33 London King's Cross-Leeds (1D06, RT), Tempsford level crossing A small break in the unrelenting gloom allows just a little illumination on the flanks of 801108 and 800028 as it passes Tempsford. Andy and I had waited for this train as it was supposed to be part of a Class 225 Class 91 hauled digram. Not today though with passengers on board the 08.33 King's Cross to Leeds having to endure ironing board seating rather than a far more luxurious Mk. IV! Keywords: 801108 800028 08.33 London King's Cross-Leeds 1D06 Tempsford level crossing LNER Azuma

Images 1-9 of 9 displayed.