Night Photo Super Sprinter Class 153364 London Midland DMU Bedford 2015

Class 153364 DMU Alone At The Platform

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

This night photo London Midland 'city' DMU, Class 153 364, was lucky to make it onto my camera's memory card on one particular visit to Bedford railwaystation in 2015.

On that particular day I had been photographing a small variety of trains when, during a quiet spell just as the evening was beginning to draw in, Class 153 153364 slid into a bay platform at Bedford station following a run from Bletchley

I hadn't seen an example of this class of diesel multiple unit up until then and I was eager to photograph it. However, there was a problem. I had no tripod with me, which I really could have done with for a long exposure time.

Looking around for something stable on which to place Nikon D3200 camera, it quickly became apparent that nothing was usable within the area. So, if I wanted to record the image, there was nothing for it but to hold the camera in the usual way and hope for the best.

Setting the camera to a four second exposure I planted my feet shoulder width apart, tucked my elbows into my sides, framed the shot, held my breath, pressed the shutter button...and prayed that I would not cough, sneeze or feel the need to scratch my nose.

After what felt like four minutes, rather than four seconds, the shutter clicked closed and my breath came out in one loud whoomph!

Tentatively I looked at the rear screen, dreading that the whole exercise had been a complete waste of time.

However, my anxiety turned to delight when I saw, apart from a little softness to the picture that, in the end, all things considered, things had worked out quite well in the end.

Though I would not want to repeat the same process too many times.

 

 

The sprinter Class 153 diesel multiple units such as the example above, were built by Leyland Bus between 1987 and 1988 as two-coach commuter train units before being converted to single-car units in 1991/92 by Hunslet-Barclay.

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Other 'London Midland Trains' blog posts you may wish to see:

Class 350 250 EMU at Wolverton Station 

Other Class 153 DEMU's:
Class 153 366 DEMU at Bletchley 2015
GWR Class 153 370 Super Sprinter DEMU Entering Truro

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Night Photo Class 66013 and 66502 GM Diesel Locos Rugby 2016

Class 66013 & 66502 at Rugby Lit By Lamps

Class 66013 Loco           Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 66013 was built in October 1998 and allocated to Toton TMD (Notts.).

Photographing a Class 66 diesel locomotive, or any other class for that matter, alongside a platform at Rugby railway station at night has, for one reason or another, always been out of reach for me.

At least that was the position prior to the 25th August 2016 when everything changed.

I was visiting Rugby station on that day photographing the station buildings on a windy, rainy night.

At one point during the evening I was sheltering beneath the platform canopy waiting while a shower of rain to pass by before venturing out into the open once more.

Glancing towards the southern end of the platform I saw EWS Class 66013 diesel freight locomotive coming slowly into the station, stopping about 25 yards from where I was standing; my camera on its tripod stood close by and ready for action.

As I jotted down the number I noticed someone jump from the cab and walk towards one of the nearby station buildings.  Was it the driver?

I didn't wait to find out.  Grabbing camera and tripod I ran as fast as was safely possible towards the EWS liveried freight locomotive.  At the instant the tripod feet settled on the platform surface I saw a man - the driver or new driver? - leaving the same building.  Would I have time to grab a shot?

Knowing I would need around twenty seconds exposure for a photograph I framed, focused as fast as I could, prayed, and hit the shutter button.

The seconds crawled by and I willed them to move quicker towards the magic 20 seconds.  I was certain that Class 66 66013 would begin to move before the time was up.

Finally exposure time was up and the shutter closed with a satisfying click.  I'd done it!

But this was not the end of capturing a diesel locomotive on my camera that night.

Freightliner Locomotive Class 66502    Photo: Charles Moorhen

A short while later, after photographing Virgin Trains Class 390 128, I was amazed to be going through the whole nerve-shredding process again.  I could hardly believe my luck.

The second time the diesel locomotive in question was Freightliner liveried Class 66 66502 'Basford Hall Centenary 2001'.


As I headed home that night, damp and happy, a random thought kept running through my mind - 'photograph one, get one free!'

Class 66502 was built in July 1999 and allocated to Leeds Midland Road TMD.

 

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Night Photo Class 20314, 20107, 20311 Diesel Locos Banbury 2017

Class 20314, 20107, 20311 HNRail Locos

HN Rail Class 20314 Diesel Locomotive
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 20107 and Class 20096 heading London Underground rolling stock
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Late evening, on the 11th April 2017, a Derby to London train of new London Underground S1 rolling stock paused for around forty-five minutes at Banbury railway station.

Motive power for the train were four classic Class 20 diesel locomotives.  Heading the train were Class 20107, built in December 1961, and Class 20096 built in October 1961, both in BR standard livery.

At the rear of the train, in Harry Needle Railroad Company livery, were Class 20314, built in February 1962, and Class 20311, built in December 1961.

Class 20311 standing next to Chiltern Railways DMU 165 015
     Photo: Charles Moorhen

The new London Underground stock, sandwiched between the four ageing diesel locomotives, built by Bombardier in Derby, have air-conditioning, more space, improved accessibility and better customer information systems.

The trains have an increased passenger capacity of up to 25%, compared with their predecessors, while providing enhanced comfort.

 

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Photo Class 222015 DMU East Midland Trains Wellingborough 2014

Class 222015 DMU In Black & White

Photo: Charles Moorhen

In the summer of 2014 I visited Wellingborough railway station on the Midland Mainline to photograph the Grade II listed former Midland Railway goods shed situated at the 'London' end of platform one; something I had been meaning to do for a number of years.

 

Although the weather was slightly overcast I did manage to record enough images of the old building to make the trip worthwhile. (The results can be seen in a 'Along These Tracks' blog post by clicking here).

In addition to photographing this surprisingly well-preserved example of railway architecture, I also fired off a few frames of DMU's, locomotives and Intercity 125 Class 43's that came and went throughout my time at the station.

Noting that the available light was deteriorating as the day wore on, I reluctantly made the decision to pack up and go home.

However, as quickly as I had made that decision...I reversed it.

I was at the furthest point I could be at the southern end of platform one when the sound of a diesel engine attracted my attention. The noise came from an approaching East Midlands Trains Class 222 DMU.

It was obvious from its speed that it was a stopping service, but, even so, the distance between train and station was shortening rapidly.

Would it be worthwhile going for the shot I thought as I instinctively grabbed the camera from its bag? Class 222015 - one of a fleet of 27 trains sets - was by now making an impressive attempt at completely filling the frame by this time.

Acutely aware that the dmu was bearing down on me, I hastily checked the exposure, framed the shot, hit the shutter button – all in one panicky movement - and prayed as I was aware a second later of the air turbulence as 222015 swept by me.

Had I been too late? Would this shot become yet another victim of my camera delete button?

Fortunately, this time, there was no need for the dreaded delete button. As I examined the picture on the rear screen I saw that I had captured the only decent image of a train that day!

 

 

Class 222015 DMU was built between 2003 and 2005 and allocated to Derby Etches Park.

Class 222015 DMU unit coach numbers are as follows: 60255  60925  60635  60535  60175.

News Update:

Seeing East Midlands Trains colourful livery of red, white, orange and red flashing along the railway tracks, will soon become a thing of the past.

Abellio will take over the East Midlands Trains franchise on Saturday 18th August 2019. The Class 43 HST Intercity 125 and Class 222 diesel multiple unit will gradually be phased out by brand new Hitachi trains that will be a variant of the bullet-nosed Class 800 bio-mode DMU.

The new trains will have a lavender livery and be branded with 'EMR' on both sides.

Other Class 222 DMU blog posts:

East Midlands Trains Class 222 002 Train at Wellingborough Station

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Blog update:

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