Photo Class 222009 East Midlands Trains DEMU Wellingborough 2016

East Midlands Trains Class 222009 DMU Wellingborough Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains Class 222009 Bombardier Meridian diesel multiple unit, pauses at Wellingborough station before continuing its service to London St. Pancras station.

The former Midland Railway Victorian goods shed can be seen at the far left of the picture.  The shed attained Grade II listing on the 5th May 1981.

This photo was taken in 2016.

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.

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Night Photo Class 220028 Cross Country Voyager DEMU Train Leamington Spa 2016

Class 220028 Diesel Electric Multiple Unit, Leamington Spa

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Night photo of Cross Country Trains Bombardier Voyager diesel multiple unit, (DMU), Class 220028, stands at Leamington Spa station before continuing on to Birmingham New Street station on the 23rd August 2016.

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Photo Electrostar Class 377207 Thameslink EMU Train Bedford 2015

Class 377207 Electric Multiple Unit, Bedford Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Thameslink Trains, Class 377207 Electrostar electric multiple unit, EMU, in Thameslink Dark Blue livery, arrives at Bedford station in the early evening of the 2nd December 2015.

   

When this photo was taken, time was nearly up for this class of Thameslink train.  They would soon be replaced by Class 700 units.

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Photo Thameslink Trains Electrostar Class 377521 EMU Train Bedford Station 2015

Class 377521 Thameslink Electric Multiple Unit, Bedford

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Thameslink Trains Electrostar Electric multiple unit, (EMU) Class 377521 in Thameslink Dark Blue livery, stands in the early evening at Bedford station on the 2nd December 2015.

When this photo was taken, time was nearly up for this class of Thameslink train.  They would soon be replaced by Class 700 units.

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Photo British Rail Class 304032 EMU Train Bescot Station 1990

Class 304032 BR Electric Multiple Unit, Bescot 

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Leaving a nearly deserted Bescot station, British Rail Class 304032 electric multiple unit, (EMU) commences its journey towards Birmingham New Street on the 6th March 1990.

 

No safety barriers in these days; obvious by my photographing position off the end of the platform.

Built at British Rail's Wolverton Works, Buckinghamshire, within a stone's throw from Wolverton station, the Class 304 electric multiple units originally classified as AM4 units - 45 constructed in all - were built in 1960 for use on suburban services on the first phases of the West Coast Main Line electrification between Crewe and Manchester/Liverpool/Rugby.

Introduced into service in 1960 and refurbished in 1980, the Class 304 units were to be found operating on the West Coast Main Line, Crewe to Manchester Line, Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway, Chase Line.

The Class 304 electric multiple units came to the end of their working lives in 1996 and every example of the class were scrapped.

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Wooden Toy Train Floral Art Display Leamington Spa Station Platform 2016

Wooden Floral Train Leamington Spa Station 2016

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Children from 18 local Royal Leamington Spa schools participated in the 2016 project to grow plants for two floral trains.  One in Jephson Gardens and the one above on a platform of Leamington Spa station.

 

2016 was the fourteenth year the wooden trains, crafted by apprentices of Moreton Morrell College, have been on display.

The names of each school involved are displayed on the side of the little trucks.


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West Country Class 34027 'Taw Valley' 4-6-2 Steam Loco Cab Number

Class 34027 Southern Railway Bulleid Locomotive Cabside

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Cab-side photo of preserved West Country Class 34027 'Taw Valley' Southern Railway steam locomotive at the Severn Valley heritage railway.

The West Country Class of loco was designed by O.V. Bulleid for express passenger duties on the Southern Railway sector of British Railway.

Built in April 1946 the locomotive was first allocated to 74B Ramsgate depot and then at 72A Salisbury.

Class 34013 'Okehampton' at Salisbury 72A Loco Shed
Photo: tomcurtisrailgallery.weebly.com

With the age of steam coming to a close, 34027 was withdrawn from British Railways service on the 31st August 1964.

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West Country Class 4-6-2 Steam Loco 34027 'Taw Valley' Nameplate

Class 34027 'Taw Valley' Steam Locomotive Nameplate

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Original Taw Valley nameplate photographed attached to preserved Southern Railway 4-6-2 West Country Class steam locomotive, 34027, on the Severn Valley Railway heritage railway, Kidderminster.

This class of steam locomotive was introduced into service on the Southern Railway in 1945.  

Designed by O.V.Bulleid it was intended for express passenger service and was a smaller version of the Merchant Navy class locomotive.

In its day it was seen operating express services on all principal non-electrified main lines of the Southern Railway.

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Night Photo Class 20314 HN Rail English Electric Diesel Loco Banbury 2016

Class 20314 Diesel Loco Night Photo, Banbury

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Built between 1957 and 1968, English Electric HN Rail Class 20314 diesel locomotive, formerly numbered 20117 in British Rail days, pauses at Banbury station on the evening of the 4th May 2016.

Class 20314 was part of a train, consisting of new S-Type London Underground Trains stock, which had journeyed from Old Darby Test Track in Leicestershire, to West Ruislip. 

The locomotive at the rear in this night photo is English Electric Class 20311.


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Night Photo BR Class 20107 English Electric Diesel Locomotive Banbury 2016

British Rail Class 20107 Diesel Loco, Banbury Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Built in December 1961, BR Class 20107 diesel locomotive in BR Blue livery, is seen paused at Banbury station during the operation of transporting new S-Type London Underground stock from Old Dalby test track, Leicestershire, to West Ruislip.

The original number for Class 20107 was D8107.


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Night Photo S Type London Underground Train Banbury Station 2016

Class 'S' Type London Underground Train, Banbury

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

A passenger train of new S-Type London Underground stock pauses at Banbury station on the 4th May 2016 during its journey from Old Dalby Test Track, Leicestershire, to West Ruislip, Greater London.

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Night Photo Class 165015 Chiltern Railways Network Turbo DMU Train Banbury 2016

Chiltern Railways Class 165015 Diesel Multiple Unit, Banbury Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Night photo of diesel multiple unit (DMU), Chiltern Railways Network Turbo Class 165015 passenger train  about to leave Banbury Station operating an evening service to London Marylebone in May 2016.

The red and white carriages on the right are a train of new S-Type, London Underground stock brought into the station by a pair of Class 20 diesel locomotives.

 

 

 

Video Clip - Class 168001 DMU Arrives at Banbury Station

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Night Photo Class 168216 Chiltern Railways Clubman DMU Train Banbury 2016

Class 168216 Clubman DMU, Banbury Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Night photo of Chiltern Railways Clubman diesel multiple unit (DMU) Class 168216 as it sets down passengers at Banbury station after operating an evening service from London Marylebone in May 2016.

 

Clubman diesel multiple units passenger trains, such as Class 168216, were constructed between 1998 and 2004, with the earliest examples entering service on the 20th May 1998.

In all, 19 trainsets were built with 2/3/4 cars per set.  With a top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h), 4-car unit Class 168216 offers 272 seats with air-conditioning throughout.

The 168 Clubman Class of dmu can be found operating on the Chiltern Main Line, London to Aylesbury Line, London Marylebone - Oxford, Princes Risborough - Aylesbury Line.

Network South East, then operated by British Rail, originally planned the Class 168 for their expansion of services on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill or New Street stations. In the event, privatisation put and end to the NSE plans.  

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Photo Class 170398 Cross Country Turbostar DMU Train Leaves Oakham

Class 170398 Cross Country DMU Oakham Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Cross Country Trains, Class 170398 Turbostar diesel multiple unit (DMU), photographed curving to the left as it leaves Oakham railway station heading towards the iconic latticework passenger footbridge, and the famous Grade II listed Oakham signal box.

It was this particular signal box, built in 1899, that Airfix, manufacturers of plastic modelling kits, took as the prototype for part of their railway buildings model kits.

 

 

 

Oakham Lattice-Work Bridge and 'Airfix' Signal Box

 

 Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

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Photo Class 444030 Desiro EMU in South West Trains Livery at Brookwood 2014

Class 444030 Desiro EMU Brookwood Train Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

South West Trains, Desiro Class 444030 electric multiple unit, (EMU), photographed speeding through Brookwood station, Surrey, England, operating a 'fast' service to London Waterloo on the 29th June 2014.

The station building behind the train on platform 2 is an historical structure.  It was built for the Necropolis Railway which operated in Victorian times from 1854 until 1941- first from Westminster Bridge Road, London, (1854 - 1902) and subsequently from Waterloo Station (1902 - 1941).

The station was built specifically to handle transportation of coffins and mourners to Brookwood Cemetery.

The cemetery boundary was close to the station building and could be accessed by an underpass.  

The original station underpass is still open as is the cemetery.

Further details about the Necropolis Railway can found in a blogpost on 'Along These Tracks' entitled, Victorian Funeral Railway History. 

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Night Photo Class 390122 Virgin Pendolino EMU Train Rugby 2016

Class 390122 EMU, 'Penny the Pendolino' Rugby Train Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

A sleek-looking Virgin Trains Pendolino, Class 390122 (formerly 390022) electric 11-car multiple unit (EMU), seen at night carrying the name 'Virgin Star', pauses at Rugby station before speeding along the West Coast Main Line towards its destination - London Euston in August 2016.

 

Around 2018 the train was renamed 'Penny the Pendolino', by Virgin staff, and its nameplate fitted without ceremony at Wembley depot.  

 
To date 'Penny' is the leading Pendolino with the highest mileage attained.

With a design speed of 140 mph (225 km/h), though actually restricted to 125 mph (200 km/h) while in service, the Class 390 Pendolino tilting trains were introduced July 2002.

Built at Washwood Heath, England and Savigliano, Italy, these electric multiple units replaced three class of locomotive classes previously providing the motive power for the services that the Class 390s now operate; Class 86, Class 87 and the Class 90.

In all 57 train-sets were manufactured, though Class 390033 'City of Glasgow' was scrapped after serious damage caused as a result of its derailment at Grayrigg, Cumbria, on the 23rd February 2007.

Faulty points were blamed for the derailment which resulted in the death on one passenger and injury to 88 others.

 

Pendolino News Update:
The final Virgin Pendolino will leave Manchester Piccadilly on a scheduled service to London Euston at 8.35pm on the 7th December 2019.  And at 11.39pm, the last Virgin arrival from Euston should arrive at Piccadilly.

After that, Virgin Trains will no longer run on the West Coast Mainline (WCM), 22 years after Sir Richard Branson launched the rail franchise.

First Group and Trenitalia, operating as Avanti West Coast, will run scheduled services on the WCM until 2031.


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Photo Class 375905 South Eastern Trains EMU at Ashford International 2013

Class 375905 'South Eastern Trains' EMU at Ashford Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

South Eastern Trains, Class 375905 Electrostar electric multiple unit (EMU), stands in Ashford International Station before continuing on towards Dover in June 2013. 

The British Rail Class 375 Electrostar electric multiple unit passenger train was built by Bombardier Transportation (previously ADtranz) at their Derby Works, from 1999 to 2005. 

The Electrostar family, which also includes classes 357, 376, 377, 378, 379 and 387, is the most numerous type of EMU introduced since the privatisation of British Rail.

More trains photographed at Ashford:
South Eastern Trains Class 395021 Javelin EMU 'Ed Clancy MBE' Ashford 2013

 
Southern Trains Class 171721 Turbostar DMU

 
Class 377521 and Class 465923 EMUs

 
Eurostar Trains 3001 and 3230, 2013

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Night Photo Bedford Station Shining Railway Tracks 2018

Bedford Stn Railway Tracks at Night

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

During a lull in my trainspotting activities at Bedford station one early evening in 2018, I happened to be standing near the end of platform 2 when this green signal light caught my attention; how it really stood out against the dark background.

Looking past the signal light I then noticed how the rails were shining so brightly, like narrow silver streams, as they meandered towards Bedford electric multiple unit stabling point, illuminated beyond the bridge.  I knew I had to try to get a record of this image.  The scene was crying out to be 'clicked'.

Unfortunately, fool that I am, I had left my tripod at home.  But, in my defence, I had not expected to stay so long into the night at Bedford station.  

With only one option left open to me I perched my camera on top of the gate post at the platform's end, steadying it the best I could, and took the photo with a long exposure.

I was amazed that this night photo came out at all, let alone with a modicum of quality.  Far from being perfect I had at least managed to capture something of the railway atmosphere that I felt at that moment.  Though to be perfectly honest, it did take three wobbly attempts.

On a purely personal note, the image still remains one of my all time favourite photos.

Satellite image of Bedford Stn.           Courtesy Google Maps

The red asterisk indicates the exact spot from where the night photograph was taken; at the end of platform 2 looking towards 'Ford End Rd' road bridge. 

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