Photo BR Class 08466 and Class 37's Bescot Station England 1989

Class 08466 and Class 37 Locos, Bescot Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Back to the 20th century and a cold day at Bescot yard on the 17th March 1989.  In those days I was using a Russian-made Zenith EM 35mm film camera to capture a British Rail Class 08 shunter and two Class 37 locos.  A far cry from the versatility of today's digital cameras.  But, great fun nonetheless.

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In the foreground is Railfreight Class 08466, built in October 1958, is seen pottering about Bescot sidings.  

Behind 08466, in the middle, is Class 37271 with Class 37890 in the distance.

Diesel shunter Class 08 08466 was withdrawn on the 30th September 2010 and subsequently scrapped at CF Booth, Rotherham.


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Night Photo Class 390128 'City of Preston' Virgin Trains Pendolino EMU Rugby 2016

Class 390128 'City of Preston' Pendolino EMU, Rugby Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Virgin Trains Pendolino Class 390 128 'City of Preston' EMU, built by Alstom, stands in Rugby station on the evening of the 25th August 2016; the same rainy night that I had photographed locomotives EWS Class 66013 and Freightliner Class 66502.  Class 390128 unit coach numbers are as follows: 69128  69428  69528  69628  65328  68928  68828  69728  69828  69928  69228.

And got fairly wet in the process!

Once again, dashing between sudden downpours, I managed to scamper with camera and tripod from one platform to another in order to get this shot.  Thinking all the time...I'm going to trip over, I'm going to trip over!

How hectic it all seems at the time when one is trying to set up a tripod and adjust the camera to the correct settings for a night photo, while all the time being aware that the time for the train to depart and the camera to record the scene is quickly running out.

But, all said and done, I believe that is was worth it in the end!

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Looking at the amount of artificial light in the photo above, it started me thinking.

When one considers how brightly lit railway stations are nowadays, it is difficult to imagine how stark the comparison would be with the standard of lighting back in the days of the Victorian railways, and how hazardous it must have been travelling at night back then.

During the Victorian era, station name-boards, although larger than they are today, were difficult to see at the best of times.  Especially from a moving train at night, maybe in fog, or worst of all - both.  

The style that the Victorians favoured was dark lettering on a lighter background - not the ideal choice for sign which would instantly catch the eye.  And at night the sign would be illuminated by the feeble glow from a gas lamp.

The unfortunate result of this combination led to a large number of instances whereupon rail passengers alighted from a railway carriage only to find that they had done so at the wrong station.  

However, far more serious were the occasions which led to a number of serious injuries and fatalities resulting from an unsuspecting passenger stepping from a railway carriage, only to find that there was nothing beneath their feet fresh air; the train having merely stopped temporarily at a signal.

Without doubt today's railways have a lot to answer for, one way and another, but it has to be said that at least we are safer and more fortunate than many of our Victorian predecessors were.

Just a passing thought.


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Photo Chiltern Railways Trains Assorted Diesel Rolling Stock Aylesbury Depot

Assorted Diesel Traction, Aylesbury Depot

Class 165 025 DMU, Ruston Diesel Locomotive 01509, and Class 117 DMU
Photo: Charles Moorhen

A collection of the old and the new photographed at Aylesbury Rail Depot, Buckinghamshire.
From left to right is Chiltern Railways Class 165 025 DMU; one of a total of 39 trainsets for 165/0 with a further 37 trainsets for 165/1.

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At the centre is Class 117  960301 DMU used by Chiltern Railways for departmental purposes.

Owned by Chiltern Railways, on the right is Ruston diesel locomotive, No. 01509, 'Lesley'.

From an entirely personal perspective, I love the collection of brand new axles in the bottom right-hand corner of the picture which was taken from the railway station footbridge.


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Photo British Rail Liveried Class 310086 4-Car EMU Northampton 1988

Class 310086 British Rail EMU, Northampton Train Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 310 086 EMU British Rail commuter train, in standard British Rail blue livery, is seen waiting at platform 2 of Northampton railway station in June 1988 with a destination board that reads 'special'.

Class 310086 unit coach numbers are as follows: 76170  62111  70771  76220. 

    

Note the use of curtains in the windows of the First Class carriage. Talk about luxury!                                                                                                                                                          

50 of these 4-car slam-door trains were produced, as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification project, at British Rail C & W Works, Derby, between 1965 and 1967 and had a maximum speed of 75 mph. 

This class of non-corridor electric multiple unit was replaced on the Euston to Birmingham service in 1987 by the unattractive, box-shaped Class 317, which itself was superseded by the Class 321 and then by Class 350.

On the 11th October 1984 Class 310 310086 & Class 310 310067, forming an eight-car 17:54 service from Euston to Bletchley, was involved in a serious accident with a freight train.
The freight train, headed by Class 86 86006 & Class 85 85035, collided with the electric multiple unit.

The driver of the passenger train had passed a signal at danger.

Three passengers died as a result of the collision and the driver of the passenger train, along with 17 others, were injured.

Following refurbishment in 1985, the Northampton-line Class 310's continued in service until eventually being withdrawn between 2001 and 2002.

Class 317327 EMU in Network Southeast livery, Northampton.  Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

The Class 317 4-car electric multiple unit replaced the Class 310's on the Euston - Birmingham service.

          Class 321437 Waits at Wolverton Station en route to London Euston                               Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

       

 

The Class 321 4-car electric multiple unit (321437 seen above in Silverlink livery)  subsequently took over from the Class 317 units.

Class 350104 Waits at Rugby Station

                                                       Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

 

The Desiro Class 350 4-car electric multiple units subsequently replaced the Class 321 units on the Euston to Birmingham line.

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