Author: freelancewastrel

On This Day… A curiosity at the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway

My (so far, only) visit to the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway has featured here before but this vehicle is something I’d pretty much forgotten about.

19001-20181102b
19001
Bo’ness, 2 November 2018

Previously used on West Coast Main Line (WCML) services this Mk.3b Driving Van Trailer, number 82113, was being used by Artemis Intelligent Power to test the viability of using hydrostatic transmission to reduce engine emissions and had been fitted with two JCB diesel engines and…

19001-20181102a
19001
Bo’ness, 2 November 2018

A second driving cab.

Following conversion 82113 was renumbered as a diesel locomotive and allocated the TOPS number 19001. Since my visit it’s changed hands and is being/has been used to carry out magnetic wheel adhesion testing by Lenz Labs of Edinburgh.

‘Join the Ghost Train’ at Dundee

'ScotRail Join the Ghost Train' vinyl adorning 170425-20171026 (Dundee)
‘Join the Ghost Train’ vinyl adorning 170425
Dundee, 26 October 2017

Although I’m not a huge fan of Halloween (or All Hallows’ Eve as it’s known in Scotland) it was nice to see ScotRail getting into the ‘spirit’ of things back in October 2017.

170425 & 170475-20171026b (Dundee)
170425 & 170475
Dundee, 26 October 2017

170425 later departed with train 1T82, the 12.13 Saturdays & Sundays excepted (SSuX) service to Glasgow Queen Street.

Spotted Today – D7659 (25309) at Peak Rail

Class 25 D7659-20230407 (Peak Rail)Class 25/3 D7659 (25309)
Rowsley South, Peak Rail, 7 April 2023

D7659 was the final Class 25 locomotive built by Beyer, Peacock & Co Ltd (in 1966) and had a fairly uneventful pre-preservation career.

Renumbered 25309 under British Rail’s TOPS system in April 1974 and again (to 25909) in December 1985, withdrawal beckoned in September 1986. After asbestos removal the locomotive left Vic Berry’s scrapyard in Leicester on 2 June 1988 for display at Coalville Open Day on 4 June before moving into preservation at the East Lancashire Railway (ELR).

Now owned by pop impresario Pete Waterman, D7659 is based at Peak Rail in Derbyshire and today hauled three return trips between Rowsley South and Matlock, the above pic is of the 13.00 departure from Rowsley South.

From the Archives – ‘Daisy’ at the Midland Railway-Butterley

Is it really over four months since I posted anything here? 😬

Clearly, one of my New Year’s resolutions for 2023 must be to post more often!

Class 101 DMBS 50164-20100101 (Midland Railway-Butterley)
Class 101 DMBS 50164 Daisy
Midland Railway-Butterley, 1 January 2010

These two class 101 diesel multiple unit (DMU) vehicles formed set no.101685 and were amongst the last five class 101 sets to be withdrawn from service by First North Western in December 2003.

Built by Metro-Cammell in 1956, 101685 had regained its early British Railways livery in 1994 and was named Daisy (unofficially) after the diesel railcar in The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry.

Class 101 DMCL 53160-20100101 (Midland Railway-Butterley)
Class 101 DMCL 53160 Daisy
Midland Railway-Butterley, 1 January 2010

Both vehicles are now preserved at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Spotted Yesterday – D6700 at the Great Central Railway

Class 37 D6700 (37119, 37350)-20220821D6700 (37119, 35350)
Loughborough Central (GCR), 21 August 2022
Having arrived with train 2B25, the 14.45 departure from Leicester North

I spent an enjoyable hour at Loughborough Central station on the Great Central Railway yesterday, mainly because I wanted to photograph the first built Class 37 (or English Electric type 3) diesel locomotive, D6700, which is currently on loan from the National Railway Museum in York.

Built by the English Electric Co Ltd at Vulcan Foundry, D6700 entered service in December 1960 and was first allocated to Stratford Depot (30A) in East London.

Renumbering under the TOPS scheme (to 37119) followed in February 1974 and again (to 37350) in March 1988 (when it was fitted with regeared cast frame type CP7 bogies).

Repainted back into green livery in August 1988 ‘D6700’ became something of a celebrity and appeared at many open days before acquiring the name NRM NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM in November 1998.

Withdrawal followed in December 1999 and D6700 was claimed for preservation by the NRM.

Spotted Yesterday – 43184 at Derby

43184-2022080643184
Derby, 6 August 2022

Last month CrossCountry unveiled one of its High Speed Train power cars in the livery it first carried in the 1980s… 43184 was built in 1981 at Crewe Works and renumbered 43384 when rebuilt with an MTU engine in 2008.

CrossCountry have reinstated not only the original TOPS number but also the the set number ‘253051’ across the power car’s nose.

I had a tip that 43184 was leading train 1E67, the 16.27 service from Plymouth to Leeds so I popped down to Derby hoping to grab a pic in the failing light… and I’m glad I did.

For the record 43303 (the former 43103) was on the rear of the train.

Spotted Yesterday… 57314 at Belper

57314-2022062457314 Conwy Castle
Belper, 24 June 2022

Spotted last night, West Coast Railway Company’s 57314 Conwy Castle approaching Belper with train 1Z64, the 16.47 return leg of the ‘Scarborough at Leisure’ railtour from Coventry.

Classmate 57313 Scarborough Castle was on the rear of the 11 coach rake.

Spotted Yesterday – At York…

… my first Mk.5a coaching stock and a pair of TransPennine Express-liveried Class 68s.

Mk.5a Driving Trailer 12804 & 68023-20220517Mk.5a Driving Trailer 12804 & 68023 Achilles
York, 17 May 2022

TransPennine Express operate a fleet of 66 Mk.5a coaches which includes 14 driving trailer vehicles. 12804 was at the rear of a five-coach rake (12804, 12712, 12711, 12710 and 11504) that formed train 1E29, the 11.17 to Scarborough, hauled by…

458512-2022041368032 Destroyer
York, 17 May 2022

The Class 68s are operated by Direct Rail Services (DRS) and 16 members of the 34-strong fleet have been modified to operate with the TransPennine Express coaching stock in push-pull mode.

Spotted Yesterday – In 35 minutes At Norbiton

… on the New Malden Junction-Shepperton line in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in London.

Class 455/8 5856-20220413Class 455/8 5856 (plus Class 455/7 5710)
2O37, 14.03 South Western Railway (SWR) service from London Waterloo to London Waterloo

458512-20220413458512 (plus 458513)
2K37, 14.27 SWR from London Waterloo to London Waterloo

707030-20220413707030 (plus 707023)
2H44, 14.41 SWR from Shepperton to London Waterloo

Class 455/8 5857-20220413Class 455/8 5857 (plus Class 455/7 5720)
2O39, 14.33 SWR from London Waterloo to London Waterloo

I was pleasantly surprised by the (albeit small) variety of EMU classes passing through the station… but even more surprised to find this relic of the Southern Railway!

'Notice Is Hereby Given'‘Notice Is Hereby Given’