Photo Class 350257 London Midland Desiro EMU Train Wolverton 2013

 

Class 350257 EMU flashes through Wolverton      Photo: Charles Moorhen

A lucky photo of London Midland Trains Class 350257 Desiro EMU passing at speed through Wolverton station, UK.

 

It had been a busy afternoon at Wolverton, grabbing photos of trains on this particular day.  A variety of Class 390 Pendolino EMU's had belted through the station on the far track, too quick for me to even attempt a shot, a regular supply of London Midland Train Class 350 EMUs had kept my shutter finger busy and a small amount of freight had passed by.  

And it was due to a passing freight train that I nearly missed the above image.

I had just managed a grab-shot (the story of my life!) of a couple of Class 90 diesel locomotives double-heading through the station, when flicker of movement at the corner of my eye caused me to look to my left.

The last wagon of the freight train was about to pass under the bridge at what I refer to as the London end of the platform, when a profusion of green, black and white burst forth from under the road bridge.

Oh dear! Panic panic!  I wasn't ready.  My camera was still in its 'view images' setting. 

Fumbling, I switched the camera controls to the 'camera icon' and raised it to my eye so fast I thought I might blind myself in the process.  I had no time to check the camera settings. All I could hope for was that the settings that were in place to take the photo of the Class 90s would work for this shot. 

The shutter clicked, Class 350257 flashed past at speed heading for Crewe, and it was all over.   Did it work?  I was not very optimistic.

Gingerly, I lowered the camera and flicked the switch to 'view image'. It was then that I realised I had been holding my breath, probably since the moment I caught sight of the London Midland Trains EMU.  With a satisfied whoosh I breathed out,  fogging the screen on the camera's back in the process. 

When the 'mist' had cleared, and my impatient foot had stopped tapping, I dared to take a look. 

Well, there it was in all its glory. But, taking everything into consideration, I was quite surprised.  The image was not as bad as I feared it would be.

Looking at the picture again and again, I swore to myself that from that moment on I would learn to be more alert - more on the ball.  

And did I succeed? Well, not really.  Within minutes of making that solemn oath I managed to miss yet another passing train.  

Oh well! Keep working at it.

Photo Class 90029 DB Cargo UK Electric Locos Double Heading Wolverton 2013

 

 Class 90 Locomotives Double-Heading Through Wolverton    
Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

 

A black and white photo taken on the 9th July 2013 of two DB Cargo Class 90 electric locomotives seen double-heading a fast moving freight train through Wolverton station, Buckinghamshire, UK.

 

The leading locomotive is numbered Class 90029, while unfortunately the second loco went unidentified.

The train had recently passed through Northampton and was headed towards Bletchley.

Class 90029, bearing the Deutsche Bahn Cherry Red livery along with DB Schenker branding, was built by British Rail Engineering Ltd Crewe Works in April 1989 - one of 50 produced.

On 26/3/1998 the loco was named 'Frachtverbindungen' but later lost its name on 31/1/2003.

On the 8/4/2003 it was named once again, this time as 'The Institution of Civil Engineers'.

According to details listed in the 2014 Platform 5 Locomotives Pocket Book, Class 90029 had by this date lost its latest name.

 

Photo Freightliner Powerhaul Class 70007 UK Diesel Loco Wolverton Station 2012

Class 70007 Freightliner Diesel Locomotive

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK Diesel-electric locomotive, Freightliner Powerhaul Class 70007 photo, distinctive in its yellow and green livery, hauls a container freight train as it passes through Wolverton station, Buckinghamshire, England, heading towards Northampton and Rugby in March 2012.

Manufactured by General Electric, Erie, Pennsylvania, 37 of the Class 70 locomotives completed the order for the UK railways produced between 2008 and 2017.

Operated by Freightliner and Colas Rail, the loco fleet numbers are, 70001-70020 and 70801-70817.

On the 8th November 2009, two locos (70001 and 70002) were unloaded at Newport Docks, with four more arriving at the docks on the 2nd December 2009.

To date (2019) only two of the Class 70's have been named - 70001 'PowerHaul' and 70004 'The Coal Industry Society'.


Wolverton railway station historical note:
It was at Wolverton railway station in Buckinghamshire, on the 9th September 1845, that bare-knuckle fighter, Bendigo, stepped from a carriage of a London & Birmingham Railway train surrounded by a horde of his supporters.

His destination was the nearby town of Newport Pagnell where it was arranged that he would take part in an illegal fight with Ben Court.

At the last possible moment, for various reasons, the venue was switched to the village of Lillington Lovell, 4 miles north of Buckingham.


The match went ahead with Bendigo being heralded the winner after 96 gruelling rounds.

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Photo Class 350105 London Midlands Desiro EMU Train Enters Wolverton Station 2013

Class 350105 London Midland Trains EMU Heading For London

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK passenger train Class 350105 electric multiple unit (DMU), in London Midland Trains livery, photographed entering Wolverton station, Buckinghamshire, with a regular commuter service to London Euston.

London Midland Trains would, on the 10th December 2017, be taken over by West Midlands Trains whose franchise will run until March 2026.


Wolverton railway station historical note:
It was at Wolverton railway station in Buckinghamshire, on the 9th September 1845, that bare-knuckle fighter, Bendigo, stepped from a carriage of a London & Birmingham Railway train surrounded by a horde of his supporters.

His destination was the nearby town of Newport Pagnell where it was arranged that he would take part in an illegal fight with Ben Caunt.

At the last possible moment, for various reasons, the venue was switched to the village of Lillington Lovell, 4 miles north of Buckingham.


The match went ahead with Bendigo being heralded the winner after 96 gruelling rounds.

 

 

 

Two Class 350 EMUs Pass at Bletchley Station

 

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Photo Class 321403 Silverlink Trains EMU Wolverton 1990s

'Silverlink Trains' Class 321403 Electric Multiple Unit, Wolverton

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Photo of UK Silverlink Trains Class 321403 electric multiple unit (EMU), leaving Wolverton station, Buckinghamshire, heading for the next stop on the line - Northampton, in the 1990s.

The Silverlink Class 321 units passenger trains on the Northampton Line were later superseded the Class 350 emu's when London Midland Trains took over the franchise, and then again by West Midlands Trains.

Short video of a Silverlink Trains Class 321 EMU Entering Wolverton Station.

(Not Class 321403 in this post, but worth a look)

Wolverton railway station historical note:

It was at Wolverton railway station in Buckinghamshire, on the 9th September 1845, that bare-knuckle fighter, Bendigo, stepped from a carriage of a London & Birmingham Railway train surrounded by a horde of his supporters.

His destination was the nearby town of Newport Pagnell where it was arranged that he would take part in an illegal fight with Ben Court.

At the last possible moment, for various reasons, the venue was switched to the village of Lillington Lovell, 4 miles north of Buckingham.

The match went ahead with Bendigo being heralded the winner after 96 gruelling rounds.

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

Blog update:

Previous posts are now easier to find.  

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Photo Virgin Trains Driving Van Trailer Class 82127 Train Wolverton 2005

Class 82127 Virgin Trains Driving Van Trailer, Wolverton Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK Virgin Trains Mk3 Driving Van Trailer Class 82127, in early Virgin striped livery, is photographed standing in Wolverton station in April 2005 while operating a passenger service heading north along the West Coast Main Line from London Euston to the north.

A Driving Van Trailer, such as the one above, was a class of purpose-built control car, allowing the driver to operate the locomotive from the opposite end of the train, using the DVT as the leading vehicle.

Built by British Rail Engineering Ltd., Metro-Cammell, Breda.  Mk3 Class 82127 was one of a fleet of 52 units bearing the numbers 82101 - 82152.

Virgin Trains operated the Mk3 DVT on push-pull services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between London Euston, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow in conjunction with locomotive classes 86, 87 and 90.

This operating procedure came to an end with the introduction of the Class 390 Pendolino electric multiple unit tilting trains in 2002.




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Photo Silverlink EMU Train Class 321422 Wolverton 1990s

'Silverlink Trains' Class 321422 Electric Multiple Unit, Wolverton

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Photo of UK 'Silverlink Trains' electric multiple unit, (EMU), Class 321 321422 entering Wolverton station in Buckinghamshire whilst operating a service from London Euston to Northampton.

Owned by National Express, 'Silverlink Trains' passenger trains operated passenger services on various lines between March 1997 and November 2007, taking over from the 'boxy-shaped' Network South East Class 317s.

The Class 321 electric multiple units consisted of 117 4-car units drawing from power from overhead lines.  The trains were built between 1988 and 1991 at British Rail Engineering Limited's York Works in three batches.

The Silverlink Class 321 units on the Northampton Line were superseded the Class 350 emu's when London Midland Trains took over the franchise, and then again by West Midlands Trains. 


Wolverton railway station historical note:
It was at Wolverton railway station in Buckinghamshire, on the 9th September 1845, that bare-knuckle fighter, Bendigo, stepped from a carriage of a London & Birmingham Railway train surrounded by a horde of his supporters.

His destination was the nearby town of Newport Pagnell where it was arranged that he would take part in an illegal fight with Ben Court.

At the last possible moment, for various reasons, the venue was switched to the village of Lillington Lovell, 4 miles north of Buckingham.


The match went ahead with Bendigo being heralded the winner after 96 gruelling rounds.

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

Blog update:

Previous posts are now easier to find.  

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Photo London Midland Trains Class 321412 EMU Train Wolverton 2000s

Class 321412 Electric Multiple Unit, Wolverton Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Electric multiple unit, (EMU), passenger train Class 321412, in London Midland Trains livery, waits at Wolverton station in Buckinghamshire with a service from London Euston to Northampton.

The Class 321 EMU fleet of 117 units were built between 1988 and 1991.  These passenger trains superseded the Network South East Class 317 units that themselves had replaced the old and worn out British Rail Class 310s.

Wolverton was once well-know for the Carriage and Locomotive Works since being established in 1938 by the London and Birmingham Railway Company.  Part of the works stood approximately where the block of flats in the background now stand.

Nowadays Wolverton Works is much reduced but remains notable as the home of the British Royal Train. 


Wolverton railway station historical note:
It was at Wolverton railway station in Buckinghamshire, on the 9th September 1845, that bare-knuckle fighter, Bendigo, stepped from a carriage of a London & Birmingham Railway train surrounded by a horde of his supporters.

His destination was the nearby town of Newport Pagnell where it was arranged that he would take part in an illegal fight with Ben Court.

At the last possible moment, for various reasons, the venue was switched to the village of Lillington Lovell, 4 miles north of Buckingham.


The match went ahead with Bendigo being heralded the winner after 96 gruelling rounds.

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

Blog update:

Previous posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Night Photo Desiro UK Class 350250 EMU UK Passenger Train Wolverton 2016

London Midland Trains Class 350250 EMU

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Strangely enough, this 2016 night photo of London Midland Trains Class 350 250, UK passenger commuter train, standing in Wolverton station on its way to Euston station, London, came about following the change of a set of spark plugs in my car earlier in the day...and an infuriating lapse of memory.

In my eagerness to ensure that I had set the plug gaps to the correct size I decided to drive the 16 miles to Wolverton railway station, a station I've visited a number of times in the past, to test how the car was performing and do a spot of night photography while I was there.

Arriving at Wolverton station I opened the boot only to find that I had left behind a vital piece of equipment - my tripod!  

Now I was left with two options.  Drive back home and collect the tripod, or take my chances hand-holding the camera and hoping for the best.  

Well, the first option was totally out of the question as it would have meant a total driving mileage for the evening of around 64 miles. And it was only meant to be a quick trip!

So, it was the latter option or a complete waste of time and petrol.

After a couple of blurred, out of focus failures I managed to produce a small number of half decent hand-held photos, this one of electric multiple unit, Class 350 250, probably being the best of the bunch.   

The moral of this little tale?  Even if the odds are pretty much stacked against you have a go anyway.  You may be pleasantly surprised!

And yes!   The spark plugs worked fine.

 

 

 

Video Clip - Two Class 350 EMUs Passing at Bletchley Station

Class 350250 electric multiple unit was built between 2008 and 2009 and is allocated to Northampton King's Heath Siemens Depot.

The unit coach numbers for this EMU are as follows: 61450  65250  67550  61550.

 

Wolverton railway station historical note:
It was at Wolverton railway station in Buckinghamshire, on the 9th September 1845, that bare-knuckle fighter, Bendigo, stepped from a carriage of a London & Birmingham Railway train surrounded by a horde of his supporters.

His destination was the nearby town of Newport Pagnell where it was arranged that he would take part in an illegal fight with Ben Court.

At the last possible moment, for various reasons, the venue was switched to the village of Lillington Lovell, 4 miles north of Buckingham.


The match went ahead with Bendigo being heralded the winner after 96 gruelling rounds.

___________________________

 

 

 

A few historical facts about Wolverton railway station:

• The first station was built on the canal embankment above Wolverton Park and opened on the 17th Sept. 1838

• In 1840 a newer, more permanent station was built close by.

• The waiting room of the newer structure, which surprisingly had a full-time staff of 29, was lavishly redecorated for the visit of Queen Victoria in 1824.

• In 1881 yet another station was constructed replacing all previous buildings.

• The wooden station buildings built on the road bridge over the tracks stood for 100 years until British Rail demolished them in 1991.

• A modern brick station building, close to the car park and platforms, was opened on the 21st June 2012.

• Wolverton station has four platforms although only two are used for 'stopping' trains; the other two being reserved for fast 'through' expresses.

• Between 1865 and 1964 there was a branch line from Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Railway Station, primarily for employees at the nearby Wolverton Railway Works.  It was closed to all railway traffic in 1967.     

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

Blog update:

Previous posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".