Photos Classes 67006 'Royal Sovereign' and 67026 'Diamond Jubilee' Locos 2014

Two 'Royals' Stop at Northampton Station

 

Royal Train Loco Class 67006

 Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 67026 'Diamond Jubilee' Locomotive    

Photo: Charles Moorhen

During the reconstruction of Northampton's railway station in 2014, I decided to take a trip there in June to see how things were progressing and if there would be any traffic coming through that would be worth photographing.  

As it turned out it was well worth the time and energy consumed that afternoon.

In addition to the usual Class 350 EMU's, a number of Class 66's and Freightliner Class 70017, I was lucky to photograph a couple of Class 67 diesel locomotives; Royal Train locomotive Class 67 67006 'Royal Sovereign', and, Class 67 67026 'Diamond Jubilee', coupled together and running light.

Class 67006 was built in February 2006 and allocated to Toton TMD (Notts.).
Class 67026 was built in March 2012 and allocated to Crewe International Electric T&RSMD.

Class 67006 is just one of a long line of locomotive providing the motive power for the Royal Train.  The first official Royal Train locomotive was broad gauge engine 2-2-2 Phlegethon of the Firefly class, driven by Daniel Gooch and assisted by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, where it hauled the train containing Queen Victoria from Slough to Paddington on the 13th June 1842.

Since that time many locomotives have provided the pulling power for the Royal Train, with a few examples listed here:
6233 Duchess of Sutherland  - LMS Princes Coronation Class 4-6-2.
6024 King Edward I  - GWR 'King' Class 4-6-0.
60163 Tornado - Peppercorn Class A1 4-6-2.
60028 Walter K. Whigham - Gresley A4 Pacific 4-6-2.
30938 St. Olave's - Maunsell 4-4-0.
70000 Britannia - BR Standard Class Britannia Pacific 7MT 4-6-2.

Running the Royal Train does not come cheap.  
In the year ending the 31st March 2012, the total cost of operaing the train, for a mere 13 trips covering a total distance of 912 miles, was a staggering £900,000; equating to £69,230 per trip!  

By Appointment Plaque on Class 67006 'Royal Sovereign

Photo: Charles Moorhen

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Photo BR Class 09018 D4106 Diesel Shunter Loco Lives On 1988

Class 09018 (D4106) Shunter, Dover Marine Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Diesel Electric Shunter Locomotive 0-6-0 Class 09018 - original number D4106 - one of a class of 26, photographed as the sun is about to set on sidings close to Dover Marine Station (now a cruise liner terminal).  

Class 09018 (D4106) was built in November 1961 and allocated to Derby Locomotive Works (BREL).

Little shunters such as this, a variant of the Class 08, were built between 1959 and 1962 at the British Railways' Darlington Works.

The locomotive above was used for general shunting duties in the Dover area during the years of Channel Tunnel Construction.

The angle of the photograph is a bit odd as I had to get between the 09 and another train which was directly behind me, thereby severely restricting how I used the camera. Nowadays, Health and Safety would have had a fit if they'd seen me getting this photograph.

Unlike many ex-British Railways locomotives, 09018 escaped the fate of the scrapyard cutting torch.  

After a number of years it was eventually purchased by the Harry Needle Railroad Company who, in 2012, sold it to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex where it now resides working on the heritage railway.

D4106 (09018) on sidings at the Bluebell Railway

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Blog update:

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