News Archive for November 2022

Published on 25th November 2022

Locomotive Services Ltd retro-repaint Class 37 No. 37688 'Great Rocks' ventured to Devon and Cornwall on the 23th/ 24th/ 25th November to collect four former First Great Western (GWR) Mk3 coaches and take them for scrapping.

On the 23rd No. 37688 'Great Rocks' headed south operating 5Z31 13:47 Reading Depot - Exeter Riverside with four barrier vehicles (6348, 6336, 6393, and 6394). On the 24th the train continued to Cornwall to collect two redundant Mk3 coaches from Long Rock, before collecting a further two from Laira and returning to Exeter. In stunning winter lights, Friday 25th November saw No. 37688 'Great Rocks' operated north through Taunton as 5Z34 09:05 Exeter Riverside - Newport (Sims Metals) with Mk3 coaches 42094, 42095, 42566, and 44100. Upon arrival at Newport all four coaches would enter the recycling facility for scrapping.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 22nd November 2022

Operating a rare daylight appearance for the southbound China Clay empties originating from Cliffe Vale.

DB Cargo Class 66 No.66009 hauls with 18 empty JIA China Clay bogie covered hoppers westbound over the summit at Whiteball on Tuesday 22nd November 2022. An unusual daylight run operated as 6V99 07:38 Bescot Down Side to Exeter Riverside, continuing further west from Exeter the next day into Cornwall.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 20th November 2022

To say the weather has been changeable in the last couple of weeks is an understatement, with torrential downpours followed by periods of windy and sunny conditions railway photography has been a gamble at best.

We feature two such images taken on the Somerset Levels on the 20th November giving a complete contract to the persistent squalls passing through the area.

The GWR tribute to the tragic loss of the Penlee Lifeboat crew, No. 802008 'RNLB Soloman Browne / Rick Rescorla' leads No. 802013 'Michael Eavis' runs just ahead of the approaching downpour eastbound through Oath on Sunday 20th November 2022. Working 1A84 13:41 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington, evidence on the front end of the deluge to come is clearly visible in this view.

GWR Hitachi Class 802 'LILY'S KITCHEN' / 'Santa Paws Express' No.802106 heads eastbound through Oath on the Somerset Levels on Sunday 20th November 2022 working 1A86 14:13 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 16th November 2022

With Autumn colours appearing much later during 2022 due to the warm weather, colourful scenes have been able to be captured in recent days in the Whiteball area.

The railways have also done their best to provide a splash of colour to the scenes. We hope you enjoy this recent selection of railway operating passing through the Whiteball area.

Published on 9th November 2022

Over the years there have been some random 'advertising' liveries applied to passenger rolling stock, starting with British Telecom in the 1980s.

We've seen Hewlett Packard, Singapore Airlines, Tourist Hotspots, and the NHS. One thing is for sure Dog and Cat Food has to be a first for the railways and GWR. Lily's Kitchen branding has been applied to the first class end of GWR Hitachi IET No.802106. The colouful advertising for proper food for pets bringing a unique splash of colour to the GWR dark green which will brighten up the winter months ahead. Be sure to look out for this colourful addition to the GWR IET fleet.

GWR Hitachi IET No.802106 rounds the curve at Creech St Michael on the 9th November 2002 operating 1C80 12:04 London Paddington - Penzance.

Published on 9th November 2022

A change of locomotive has taken place on the South West based Rail Head Treatment Train.

DB Cargo red Class 66 No.66069 has been removed and replaced with a identical classmate No.66105. EWS-livered No.66129 remains on the south end of the current set.

Passing Cogload Junction on Wednesday 9th November 2022. EWS Class 66 No.66129 leads classmate No.66105 while operating 3J13 08:46 Westbury - St Blazey via Salisbury RHTT. Passing in the opposite direction GWR Hitachi IET No.802105 heads for London operating 1A80 08:15 Penzance - London Paddington.

Published on 9th November 2022

Former Western Region Class 47 No.47811 was officially sent for scrap on the 9th November 2022, having been languishing in Crewe Basford Hall for the past 14 years, the locomotive had been stripped to to the core with all usable parts removed, including bogies, doors, windows, buffers and lights.

The locomotive shell left Crewe Basford Hall Freightliner Yard by low loader heading for scrap.

No.47811 was built as D1719 and delivered into traffic on the 25th February 1964, and enjoyed an operational life of around 44 years. The loco spent its early life dedicated to passenger operations on the Western Region, allocated to Laira, Bristol Bath Road, Cardiff Canton, and Landore Depots. It also enjoyed a short spell operating in Scotland from 1986/87 based at Edinburgh and Gateshead depots before returning south in 1988 to Bristol Bath Road. The loco remained in the west country operating its final passenger services for British Railways and entered privatisation with First Great Western. The loco remained with FGW until 2004, when the loco was then transferred to Freightliner Heavy Haul.

During its life the loco carried four numbers, (D1719, 47128, 47656, 47811), nine different liveries and was never named.

Once with Freightliner the loco spread its wings further afield and was used on all sorts of random freight turns around the UK for Heavy Haul, it was also a regular performer on light engine route learning trips. The loco was used on the 29th September 2006 to deliver wagons and infrastructure equipment to Fairwater Yard becoming the first Class 47 to visit the newly refurbished yard.

47811 also carried the accolade of being used to rescue a Pathfinder Tours charter at Penzance on the 29th June 2002 when tour locomotive (No.58021) was accidently switched off at Penzance and was unable to be restarted. Having arrived from London Paddington with a passenger service No.47811 was promptly added to the front of 'The Cornish Explorer' charter through to Plymouth where another loco change took place.

We hope you like the selection of images we have recorded of the locomotive operating in the Taunton area during it's life.

Published on 1st November 2022

DB Cargo Class 66 locomotives No.66129 and No.66069 continue with their south west RHTT duties on Tuesday 1st November 2022 pictured at Whiteball running down grade with the 3J13 08:46 Westbury to St Blazey via Salisbury.

The Network Rail Class 950 Track Assessment Unit No.950001 at Eastbrook on Tuesday 1st November 2022 having just passed over Whiteball Summit while working 2Q08 05:03 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth Park Sidings. The lengthy route had taken the unit to both Whatley and Merehead Quarries, three visits to Westbury and two to Bath Spa before re-joining the GWR mainline from Bristol to Plymouth via Bridgwater.