Archive-2025

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Here we go again.....another year and another one (hopefully!) packed with railway activity. With most industrial action over apart from a dispute between train managers and Avanti West Coast. Indeed as I type this on the second day of 2025 I am listening to Mick Lynch being interviewed on The Today programme explaining his members' actions. I suppose the biggest change to come this year is more ToCs coming into public ownership as part of the newly elected Labour Government taking back more central control of the railways; a sort of 'soft' nationalisation. Politics aside, let's hope that the railways celebrate two hundred years in style, at least the whistle-in at 12.00 on New Year's Day got national news coverage!
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1. New Year's Day on the NLR-01.01.25 With the stormy weather delaying our customary New Year's Day trip to the Northamptonshire and Lamport Railway we did enjoy a slightly later trip behind a steam train. In addition, it was our first run to Boughton on their extension south which was opened earlier in 2024.

With the stormy weather delaying our customary New Year's Day trip to the Northamptonshire and Lamport Railway we did enjoy a slightly later trip behind a steam train. In addition, it was our first run to Boughton on their extension south which was opened earlier in 2024.
2. A load of engineering trains-02.01.25 The second day of the year dawned very different to the first being sunny, bright and cold. RTT indicated a number of infrastructure trains should pass through the village in association with a possession of the slow lines between Cheddington and Tring. Unfortunately, the possession appeared to have overrun with all of the trains leaving it extremely late and the lines closed to all trains until the mid-afternoon causing much delays for all services with all having to use the fast lines.

The second day of the year dawned very different to the first being sunny, bright and cold. RTT indicated a number of infrastructure trains should pass through the village in association with a possession of the slow lines between Cheddington and Tring. Unfortunately, the possession appeared to have overrun with all of the trains leaving it extremely late and the lines closed to all trains until the mid-afternoon causing much delays for all services with all having to use the fast lines.
3. An HST & and a Capitalstar drag-04.01.25 A test train running on a Saturday is not common but with the Christmas and New Year breaks causing affecting the normal fixed programme of trains, I suspect this ran in an effort to get things back to schedule. In addition, at about the same time a Class 37 was involved in a unit drag from South London.

A test train running on a Saturday is not common but with the Christmas and New Year breaks causing affecting the normal fixed programme of trains, I suspect this ran in an effort to get things back to schedule. In addition, at about the same time a Class 37 was involved in a unit drag from South London.
4. The day after the snow fell-05.01.25 What a strange day for the weather. A significant overnight fall of snow was melting in record time due to a rise in temperature from one-degree Celsius to nine in about two hours. This created very misty conditions during which I took my customary Sunday walk.

What a strange day for the weather. A significant overnight fall of snow was melting in record time due to a rise in temperature from one-degree Celsius to nine in about two hours. This created very misty conditions during which I took my customary Sunday walk.
5. A winter's afternoon walk-09.01.25 A beautiful but extremely cold winter's day got me out after lunch (after completing my chores to the wife's satisfaction!). My walk coincided with three regular freights and a Class 37 light engine move.

A beautiful but extremely cold winter's day got me out after lunch (after completing my chores to the wife's satisfaction!). My walk coincided with three regular freights and a Class 37 light engine move.
6. The Capital's Scot-10.01.24 An early meeting with Andy at Milton Keynes station on a very cold morning to see the first charter of the year, The Capital's Scot. Hauled by 87002 'Royal Sovereign' the charter attracted a lot of attention for such a bitter morning. After we enjoyed a heart breakfast at Morrisons. Later in the day I went out for my customary afternoon walk with camera in hand.

An early meeting with Andy at Milton Keynes station on a very cold morning to see the first charter of the year, The Capital's Scot. Hauled by 87002 'Royal Sovereign' the charter attracted a lot of attention for such a bitter morning. After we enjoyed a heart breakfast at Morrisons. Later in the day I went out for my customary afternoon walk with camera in hand.
7. Freights on the fast-18.01.25 With a weekend of engineering works to the north of Northampton a full possession was in place with no trains running to and from Rugby, including freight. While some freight was diverted or did not run others were diverted on to the 'old' line via Weedon.

With a weekend of engineering works to the north of Northampton a full possession was in place with no trains running to and from Rugby, including freight. While some freight was diverted or did not run others were diverted on to the 'old' line via Weedon.
8. An afternoon walk-24.01.25 Following the completion of my Friday chores, I took a walk out around the village with the camera thrown over my shoulder. I caught two freights, both by the skin of my teeth arriving at bridges just as they appeared, more by luck than judgment I might add!

Following the completion of my Friday chores, I took a walk out around the village with the camera thrown over my shoulder. I caught two freights, both by the skin of my teeth arriving at bridges just as they appeared, more by luck than judgment I might add!
9. Some New Year Wolverton Works action-25.01.25 After a break over the Christmas and New Year period, movements in and out of Wolverton have begun again. I popped out to see the incoming train and later in the afternoon the balancing return working.

After a break over the Christmas and New Year period, movements in and out of Wolverton have begun again. I popped out to see the incoming train and later in the afternoon the balancing return working.
10. The Cumbrian Mountain Express & a Northern returner-01.02.25 The first Cumbrian Mountain Express of the year found me heading for Rugby to see the charter pause to pick up passengers.

The first Cumbrian Mountain Express of the year found me heading for Rugby to see the charter pause to pick up passengers.
11. 0Z86-02.02.25 What a difference a day makes! After yesterday's dull and grey weather, today it is clear blue skies and sun! I popped out on Bertie the Brompton to capture the returning 0Z86 light engine move following yesterday's Cumbrian Mountain Express charter.

What a difference a day makes! After yesterday's dull and grey weather, today it is clear blue skies and sun! I popped out on Bertie the Brompton to capture the returning 0Z86 light engine move following yesterday's Cumbrian Mountain Express charter.
12. An East-West Rail HST test train-04.02.25 With further testing taking place on the first portion of the East-West rail link Colas were due to run a test train from their Rugby base to Oxford and back making two return runs. I kept an eye on RTT and Open Train Times with it eventually leaving extremely late after briefly appearing and seemingly ready to go nearer to its scheduled time.

With further testing taking place on the first portion of the East-West rail link Colas were due to run a test train from their Rugby base to Oxford and back making two return runs. I kept an eye on RTT and Open Train Times with it eventually leaving extremely late after briefly appearing and seemingly ready to go nearer to its scheduled time.
13. A run around Rutland & The Verney Venturer-14 & 15.02.25 Andy and I enjoyed a two-day trip composed of a return visit to the Oakham area to enjoy some semaphore and signal box action followed by a great run out on the Verney Venturer railtour. Between the two activities we stayed at Nuneaton, making for a far more relaxed start to the day of the railtour thanks to Premier Inn and enjoying our now customary curry.

Andy and I enjoyed a two-day trip composed of a return visit to the Oakham area to enjoy some semaphore and signal box action followed by a great run out on the Verney Venturer railtour. Between the two activities we stayed at Nuneaton, making for a far more relaxed start to the day of the railtour thanks to Premier Inn and enjoying our now customary curry.
14. Trip to London-19-22.02.25 A welcome short break in London with my wife. As we often do, we stayed centrally in Covent Garden, making it easy for me to get out twice to see an interesting Class 20-hauled charter.

A welcome short break in London with my wife. As we often do, we stayed centrally in Covent Garden, making it easy for me to get out twice to see an interesting Class 20-hauled charter.
15. The Shakespearean Sonnet ECS & 0Z86-21.02.25 My third day in a row out to see The Shakespearean Sonnet, this time the returning ECS working. A little later, the 0Z86 light engine also passed close to home following hauling another Cumbrian Mountain Express the previous day. Both trains were routed away from Northampton on the 'old' line via Weedon due to planned engineering works.

My third day in a row out to see The Shakespearean Sonnet, this time the returning ECS working. A little later, the 0Z86 light engine also passed close to home following hauling another Cumbrian Mountain Express the previous day. Both trains were routed away from Northampton on the 'old' line via Weedon due to planned engineering works.
16. A lovely early spring afternoon-27.02.25 The penultimate day of February was a sparklingly sunny after a frosty start. I needed to reconnoitre a local spot for the weekend's charter (The East Anglian 2) so went out in the afternoon after completing my household chores.

The penultimate day of February was a sparklingly sunny after a frosty start. I needed to reconnoitre a local spot for the weekend's charter (The East Anglian 2) so went out in the afternoon after completing my household chores.
17. The East Anglian 2-01.03.25   A beautiful first day of March found Andy and me out on a frosty morning to capture the passage of the Class 40-hauled East Anglian 2 charter. We decided on a local spot that I rarely use but that needed a fair bit of joint pruning due to bramble and sapling growth;  It's a good job that I reconnoitred  it two days previously!

 

A beautiful first day of March found Andy and me out on a frosty morning to capture the passage of the Class 40-hauled East Anglian 2 charter. We decided on a local spot that I rarely use but that needed a fair bit of joint pruning due to bramble and sapling growth; It's a good job that I reconnoitred  it two days previously!
18. A Scottish interloaper-02.03.25 More work for Wolveron Works sees yet another unit move. This time, a ScotRail Class 320 came south for attention; not a class that I have photographed away from thier Scottish haunts before.

More work for Wolveron Works sees yet another unit move. This time, a ScotRail Class 320 came south for attention; not a class that I have photographed away from thier Scottish haunts before.
19. A London NorthWestern Class 730 drag-06.03.25 After completing my chores at home I took my lunchtime walk to coincide with a stock move revealed on RTT. It was another superb early spring day with the warmest day of the year so far recorded.

After completing my chores at home I took my lunchtime walk to coincide with a stock move revealed on RTT. It was another superb early spring day with the warmest day of the year so far recorded.
20. 5V42-13.03.25 After something went wrong the previous Sunday with an empty stock move from Carnforth to Southall being capped at Rugby, the locomotive and its support coach spent the week stabled in the carriage sidings. With railtour duties beckoning, it was given a slot to continue its journey south on this day. With the days getting longer, being just three weeks off the change to British Summer Time, passing my home location at about 18.00 was still going to be a challenge!

After something went wrong the previous Sunday with an empty stock move from Carnforth to Southall being capped at Rugby, the locomotive and its support coach spent the week stabled in the carriage sidings. With railtour duties beckoning, it was given a slot to continue its journey south on this day. With the days getting longer, being just three weeks off the change to British Summer Time, passing my home location at about 18.00 was still going to be a challenge!
21. The Cheshireman-15.03.25 On a bitterly cold March morning, that even saw a snow shower en route, I took a short drive from home to a spot just north of Wolverton to see The Cheshireman charter. Following this, my walk to get a warming coffee just so happened to coincide with a GWR Turbo unit leaving Wolverton Works; sometimes things do just work out!

On a bitterly cold March morning, that even saw a snow shower en route, I took a short drive from home to a spot just north of Wolverton to see The Cheshireman charter. Following this, my walk to get a warming coffee just so happened to coincide with a GWR Turbo unit leaving Wolverton Works; sometimes things do just work out!
22. League Cup footex charters-16.03.25 As has become customary, the railways step up when there are big football events on at Wembley. The first silverware of the year up for grabs is the EFL Cup (the Carabao Cup) with Liverpool playing Newcastle United. Newcastle chartered a train from the Northeast with two trains coming from Merseyside and passing near to my home within and hour of each other.

As has become customary, the railways step up when there are big football events on at Wembley. The first silverware of the year up for grabs is the EFL Cup (the Carabao Cup) with Liverpool playing Newcastle United. Newcastle chartered a train from the Northeast with two trains coming from Merseyside and passing near to my home within and hour of each other.
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