Photo British Railways Class 117 DMU W51405 Ropley Mid Hants Railway

BR Class 117 W51405 DMU on Mid-Hants Railway

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Early generation diesel multiple unit, Class 117 51405, is photographed above in immaculate original British Railways green livery, standing in Ropley station on the Mid-Hants heritage railway in Hampshire, UK.

Class 117 51405 dmu UK passenger train was built between 1959 and 1961 by Pressed Steel through associate company Budd Corporation in their engineering factory at Linwood, Scotland.

When introduced into service on the British railway network, dmu units such as 51405 worked on the Western Region operating suburban services out of London Paddington.

When replaced by more modern units, the class 117s worked for a number of years alongside diesel multiple unit classes 115, 116, 118, and 121 on the Birmingham Cross-City Line until complete withdrawal by 1995.

Class 117 51405 dmu is now in full restoration and owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd.

 

 

Class 117 51405 DMU at Toddington in 2016.  

Photo: wheelsnwings2007/Mike (flickr)

 

 

Class 117 diesel multiple unit on YouTube:

Class 117 DMU departing Toddington.

Class 117 DMU on Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

Class 117 DMU enters Sleaford.

Class 117 DMU leaves Ramsbottom.

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Photo EWS Class 66145 UK Diesel Loco Passing Banbury 2012

Class 66145 EWS Diesel Locomotive, Banbury Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK diesel locomotive, EWS Freight liveried Class 66145, photographed passing slowly through Banbury rail station, Oxfordshire, England, in a late August afternoon of 2012, heading north hauling a train of Ford Transit vans.

Class 66145 arrived new in the UK at Newport docks aboard the MV Gajah Borneo on the 18th August 1999.

 

Along with its normal railway network duties, this EWS liveried loco has featured in two railtours:  'The Valley Voyager' on the 16th March 2002 where it 'top-and-tailed' with 37038 & 37197 hauling a 13-coach train from Cwmgwrach to Neath & Brecon Junction, and from Onllwyn to Burrows Sidings.

 

On the 26th April 2003, Class 66145 provided power for 'The North Eastern Express' railtour hauling a 13-coach train from Hooton to Newcastle and back. 

 

The locomotive is currently operated by DB Cargo UK.

More Class 66 Locomotive Images on 'Along These Tracks'.

Class 66005 at Wellingborough

Class 66013 & 66502 at Rugby (Scroll down blog page for '66502' image)

Class 66044 at Northampton

Class 66086 at Didcot

Class 66086 and 66237 at Didcot

Class 66117 at Northampton

Class 66130 at Banbury

Class 66187 at Wellingborough

Class 66206 at Northampton

Class 66414 at Northampton

Class 66509 at Wellingborough

Class 66536 at Banbury

Class 66551 at Rugby

Class 66717 at Wellingborough

Class 66729 at Wellingborough 

Class 66765 at Wellingborough

Four Unidentified Class 66s Didcot.

Four Unidentified GBRF Class 66s Wellingborough

 

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Photo Four EWS Class 66 UK Diesel Locos Didcot Train Station 2004

 EWS Class 66 Diesel Locomotives, Didcot Parkway 2004

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

In colourful EWS Freight livery, four UK Class 66 diesel locomotives stand on Didcot sidings on a sunny day in 2004.

The front locomotive is Class 66153 and behind is Class 66016.  The third '66' number is unreadable.

Above the locos a thunderstorm threatens to engulf Didcot station.  In fact a short while after taking this picture the heavens did open.  The after effects of which can be seen on the platform as First liveried Class 166205 3-car dmu pulls into the station elsewhere on the blog.

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Photo Sunset Shines On Freightliner UK Diesel Loco Class 66551

Class 66551 Freightliner Diesel Loco At Sunset

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

As the sun shines on the Warwickshire town of Rugby, UK Freightliner Heavy Haul diesel locomotive Class 66551 stands in a bay platform of Rugby station.

 

Unfortunately the identity of the other Freightliner locomotive is unknown.

A photograph such as this would be virtually impossible these days owing to the profusion of safety barriers that now exist at Rugby station.

This image was taken shortly before the station was modernised between 2006 and 2008.

Freightliner Class 66551 locomotive was built by General Motors Electo-Motive Division (EMD) in December 2001.

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Photo Midland Mainline Trains Class 43082 125 HST Wellingborough 1990s

Midland Mainline Liveried Class 43082 Intercity 125, Wellingborough

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

This photo of UK Intercity 125 Class 43082 high speed train power car, in Midland Mainline livery, was taken as the train from London St. Pancras was standing in Wellingborough station before continuing on northwards.

 

Class 43082  Intercity 125 passenger train, whose depot is Neville Hill T&RSMD (Leeds), was built Crewe Works in 1978.

On the 10/11/1997 the power car was named Derbyshire First,  then in 30/11/2004 it had the name removed until on the 13/9/2009 it was renamed The Voice of Street Children Worldwide.  In the 2019 Platform 5 Pocket Book it is recorded as bearing the name, Railway Children - Fighting for street children.

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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Photo Class 31124 and 31102 BR Diesel Locos Double Heading 1989

BR Class 31124 and 31102 Diesel Locomotives, Whitemoor Yard

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Back to the year 1989 for a nostalgic look at two UK British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives double-heading.

 

Class 31124, in BR Blue livery, leads this duo with Class 31102, in BR Railfreight livery, following.  In a cloud of blue diesel exhaust smoke - it appears that 31124 is providing the sole power - the pair exit Whitemoor Yard near March station, Cambridgeshire, in May 1989.

This Class 31 photo was taken from the road bridge over the tracks not far from March station.

Red asterisk identifies location of Class 31's in above photo
Image: Google Maps

When I visited March railway station in 1989 for a spotting trip, I was totally unaware that Whitemoor Yard even existed.  I was not until I noticed the occasional diesel locomotive using a track in the distance.

After a short walk I found the yard, and was glad that I did.  

Staying well clear of the working tracks I was able to photograph some 'Peak' locomotives lined up for scrap as were a couple of Class 08 shunters.  I returned later in the evening before heading home an was able to photograph another 'Peak' as the sun was going down behind it.  

That particular photo is available elsewhere on this blog by clicking here.

Class 31 Diesel Locomotive Historical Note:

Whilst hauling a train in which Queen Elizabeth II was travelling on 4th January 1961, D5667 (31240), broke down south of Cambridge.  

Two onboard Brush fitters, on hand to deal with any mechanical problems that may occur, were unable to fix the problem and a steam loco had to be sent for in order to rescue the stricken diesel adding over an hour to the completed journey.

 

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Photo Class 47822 UK Diesel Loco Intercity Swallow Livery at Basingstoke 1990s

Class 47822 Intercity Liveried Diesel Locomotive, Basingstoke

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Photo of UK diesel locomotive Class 47822 in Intercity 'Swallow' livery  standing at platform 2 of Basingstoke station in the 1990s.

Class 47822 was built in May 1964 at Brush Traction, Loughborough.

The locomotive was renumbered to 57305 on the 19 December 2002. 

Throughout its life it has carried four names, Alan Tracey - Thunderbirds,  John Tracey - Thunderbirds, Pride of Shrewsbury and Northern Princess.

Class 57305 (47822) is still in mainline service, owned by Direct Rail Services (DRS), operating such services as the DRS Northern Belle.

512 Class 47s were built, of which 30 have passed into preservation and can be found (at time of blog-page publication) at the following locations, though this may be subject to change for various reasons.

D1524  47004 - Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway.

D1693  47105 - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1705  47117 'Sparrowhawk' - Great Central Railway.

D1842  47192 - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1855  47205/47395 - Northampton & Lamport Railway.

D1994  47292 - Great Central Railway Nottingham.

D1787  47306 'The Sapper' - Bodmin & Wenford Railway.

D1886  47367 - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1895  47376 'Freightliner 1995' - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1500  47401 'North Eastern' - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1501  47402 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1516  47417 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1566  47449 - Llangollen Railway.

D1662  47484 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel' - (Private Location).

D1107  47524 - Dean Forest Railway.

D1778  47183/47579/47793 'James Nightall G.C. - Mid Hants Railway.

D1762  47167/47580/47732 'County of Essex - Carnforth.

D1933  47233/47596 'Aldeburgh Festival' - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1606  47029/47635 'Jimmy Milne' - Epping Ongar Railway.

D1970  47269/47643 - Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway.

D1948  47505/47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1619  47038/47564/47761 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1643  47765/47059/47631 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1946  47503/47771 - Eastleigh Works.

D1755  47541/47773 - (Location Not Known).

D1909  47232/47785/47820 - Wensleydale Railway.

D1656  47072/47609/47834/47798 'Prince William' - York Railway Museum.

D1654  47070/47620/47799/47835 'Prince Henry' - Eden Valley Railway.

D1966  47266/47629/47828 - Carnforth.

D1661  47077/47613/47840 'North Star' - West Somerset Railway.

More Class 47 and 57 images on 'Along These Tracks'.

Class 47100 'Merlin'

Class 57316 'Fab 1'

Class 57305 'John Tracy'

Class 57308 'Tin Tin'

Class 47701

Class 47790 'Galway Princess'

Class 57307 'Lady Penelope'

Basingstoke railway station historical note:
In the mid-1800s, a special train was permanently kept in a state of readiness by the London & South Western Railway for the sole use of the Duke of Wellington - hero of the Battle of Waterloo - at Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK, should he require it.


 The 'Iron Duke' was not a fan of the 'new fangled railways' and it is not known if he ever used his train.

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Photo Class 43075 East Midlands Trains HST Intercity 125 Cab Front

East Midlands Train Class 43075 Intercity 125, Wellingborough

Photo: Charles Moorhen

A colourful close-up photo of freshly repainted UK Class 43075 Intercity 125 High Speed passenger train cab front taken at Wellingborough station.

It was purely the collection of rich colours that prompted me to take this photo, plus the fact that it suits the pointed shape of the Class 43 so well.   A real improvement on the early Midland Mainline livery that was a common sight for a number of years on this line.

East Midlands Trains Class 43075 diesel power unit was built at Crewe Works in January 1976.

The locomotive's depot is Neville Hill T&RSMD (Leeds).

 

SCRAPPED:

The end of the line finally came for East Midlands Trains Intercity 125 power car 43075 when, on the 27th October 2021, along with power car 43061, it was towed by diesel locomotive Class 57312 from Long Marston to Newport to be disposed of at Sims Metals.  The two power cars were the first to be sent for scrapping that had not been involved in an accident.

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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Photo Intercity 125 Class 43057 HST Train in Swallow Livery Wellingborough 1990s

Class 43057 Intercity 125, Wellingborough Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Approaching Wellingborough railway station, UK Intercity 125 High Speed Train Class 43057 in 'Swallow' livery, as it heads for its destination of London St. Pancras.

In 1988 Class 43057 this train was carrying the name, 'Bounds Green'.  

Please note the oil-stained wooden crossing sleepers and lack of end-of-platform safety barriers in this pre-privatisation photo.  

Crossing sleepers such as these were once commonplace across the British Railway network, enabling station staff to move items by hand trolley from one platform to another.  

Although intended for railway station staff only, it was not unusual for passengers to use these crossings rather than walk up the steps of the station footbridge.

The two 'lollipop' lights only a few metres from the front of Class 43057 Intercity 125 carries a sign which reads, 'Caution  Cross Only When Light Showing'.

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.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

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Photo British Rail Intercity 125 HST Class 43048 Wellingborough

Class 43048 Intercity 125, Wellingborough Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK HST Intercity 125 train Class 43048, in Intercity 'Swallow' livery, disgorges its passengers as it waits at Wellingborough station to continue its journey to the north.

At the time of writing, (2019) Class 43048 carries the name, 'T.C.B. Miller MBE'.

It is plain to see that this is a pre-privatisation scene by the uniform that the guard is wearing as he waits by the open carriage door.  

Note the lack of safety barriers at the platform ends which have become commonplace at railway stations todayl

I wonder how many local people from the Wellingborough area, or indeed those who sped through this once busy former Midland Railway station, can remember the BMC-branded (British Motor Corporation) water tank in the background at the far left of the picture?
This no doubt became a useful landmark during a journey between London and the North.

Sadly, the iconic tower had long since disappeared remaining only in the memory.

 

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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Photo Class 31 UK Diesel Loco in BR Blue Northampton Station 1980s

 Unidentified Class 31 Diesel Locomotive, Northampton Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

A distinctly scruffy unidentified UK British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotive, in BR Blue livery, heads a post train south through Northampton station in the late 1980s.

 

Class 31 Diesel Locomotive Historical Note:

Whilst hauling a train in which Queen Elizabeth II was travelling on 4th January 1961, D5667 (31240), broke down south of Cambridge.  

 

Two onboard Brush fitters, on hand to deal with any mechanical problems that may occur, were unable to fix the problem and a steam loco had to be sent for in order to rescue the stricken diesel adding over an hour to the completed journey.

 

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Photo Intercity 125 Train Class 43116 'City of Kingston upon Hull' Wellingborough

Class 43116 Intercity 125, Wellingborough Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

As the sun begins to set, UK Intercity 125 HST Class 43116 passenger train, bearing the nameplate 'City of Kingston-upon-Hull', waits at Wellingborough railway station before commencing its journey south to London St. Pancras.

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.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

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Photo Class 43079 British Rail HST in Intercity 125 Livery Basingstoke 1990s

Class 43079 Intercity 125 HST, Basingstoke Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

On a sunny summer day Intercity 125 High Speed Train Class 43079, in 'swallow' livery enters Basingstoke station in Hampshire, heading for the south-west of England in the 1990s.

Basingstoke railway station historical note:

In the mid-1800s, a special train was permanently kept in a state of readiness by the London & South Western Railway for the sole use of the Duke of Wellington - hero of the Battle of Waterloo - at Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK, should he require it.


Wellington was not a fan of the 'new fangled railways' and it is not known if he ever used his train.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

 Blog update:

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