Photo BR Class 31130 UK Diesel Loco and BR Brake Van Wellingborough 1990s

British Rail Class 31130 Diesel Locomotive, Wellingborough

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Running virtually 'light' UK British Rail Class 31130 diesel locomotive, in BR Railfreight livery, hauls a lone former British Railways brake van through Wellingborough station on a summer's day in the 1990s.

 

Built in 1959 at Brush Traction, Loughborough, UK, Class 31130 was  originally number D5548 and based at Ipswich shed.

31130, now carrying the name Calder Hall Power Station, is one of two Class 31 diesel locomotives based at the Avon Valley Railway, Bath Road, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS30 6HD.

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 222001 East Midlands Meridian DEMU Train Wellingborough 2011

Class 222001 Diesel Multiple Unit, Wellingborough

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

On a bright summer's day, East Midlands Trains Class 222001 UK diesel multiple unit (DMU), flashes at speed through a virtually deserted Wellingborough station on its way north on a passenger service from London St. Pancras in September 2011.

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 31108 'Eastenders' UK Diesel Loco Northampton 1990s

British Rail Class 31108 Diesel Locomotive, Northampton Sidings

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK British Rail diesel loco Class 31108 in BR Railfreight livery is seen stabled overnight on the weed-strewn sidings adjacent to Northampton station in the late 1980s early 1990s.

31108, original number D5526, was built by Brush Traction, Loughborough, on the 16/04/ 59.

Between 23/05/09 and 25/05/09 Class 31108 locomotive made a guest appearance at the 'Eastleigh 100' Works Open Weekend.

The diesel loco was withdrawn from British Rail mainline service on the 27/09/91 and is now preserved at the A1A Group, Butterley, near Ripley, Derbyshire.

Class 31108 was featured in an episode of 'Eastenders' (BBC1 tv) when 'Janine's' car is stuck on a level crossing...(Link).  

Filming took place at Wansford on the Nene Valley heritage Railway. 

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 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.

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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.

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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 BR Class 73005 Diesel Electric Loco 'Mid-Hants Watercress Line' 1989

  British Rail Class 73005 Diesel Electric Locomotive, Eastleigh Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

British Rail UK electro-diesel locomotive, Class 73005 in BR Blue livery, carrying the nameplate, 'Mid-Hants Watercress Line', is seen here waiting at Eastleigh railway station in 1989.

A total of 49 examples of the Class 73 locos were built between 1962 and 1967.

The class 73/0 were built at British Railways Eastleigh Works, with the 73/1 sub-class  constructed by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry.

Throughout their working life they were operated by British Rail, Eurostar, Gatwick Express, GB Railfreight and South West Trains.

Class 73205 used on Gatwick Express services

GB Railfreight Class 73

Class 73130 Used for various duties by Eurostar

                              South West Train Class 73109

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Photo Class 50036 'Victorious' UK Diesel Loco in BR Blue Livery 1989

Class 50026 Diesel Locomotive 'Victorious', Shrub Hill Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

UK British Rail diesel locomotive Class 50036, bearing the nameplate 'Victorious' after a Royal Navy aircraft-carrier, stands in BR Blue livery at Shrub Hill station, Worcester, in May 1989, after pulling in with a rake of Network South East liveried coaches.

Although Class 50036 - original numberD436 -  was out-shopped in standard blue livery, it did in fact carry two other liveries; large logo BR blue, and BR blue with grey roof.

The Class 50 locomotives were dubbed with the nickname 'Hoovers' due to their shape and the noise they made whilst in operation.  However, others maintain that the nickname was in fact attached to the 50's by staff at Paddington station.  

50036 'Victorious' was named on the 16th May 1978.

On the 10th May 1987, the loco had the 'honour' of operating the final loco-hauled service from Paddington to Worcester.

Class 50036 was withdrawn from service on the 12th March 1991 and scrapped at Booth-Roe scrapyard , Rotherham, in July 1992.

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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.

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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.

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Photo British Railways Semaphore Signal Against Angry Storm Clouds

Storm Clouds Loom Menacingly Behind a Railway Semaphore Signal

 

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Photo of one of the semaphore signals along the trackside close to Ropley station on the Mid Hants Railway in Hampshire, England, conjuring up memories of the magical long-departed days of steam railways.

Photographed against the darkening threat of an impending thunderstorm.

Satellite image of Ropley area, Hampshire, England.  Courtesy: Google Maps

The red asterisk (not the red target drop) identifies where Ropley railway station is situated, just above Ropley Dean village off the A31 road between Alton and New Alresford.

The signal/cloud photo was taken from Ropley station footbridge.

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Photo Brush BR Ruston Class 56302 Diesel Loco Wolverton 1980s

Class 56302 Diesel Locomotive, Wolverton Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 56302 diesel locomotive, in Fastline livery, thunders through Wolverton station, on the West Coast Mainline, with a freight train of containers.

The locomotive was built by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) at Doncaster Works and the whole fleet of 135 Class 56s were built between 1976 and 1984.

Class 56302 is seen passing through Wolverton station in the 1980s.




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 Alstom Adalante Class 180103 First Great Western DMU Train Didcot 2004

First Great Western Class 180103 Alstom Adalante DMU

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

In First Great Western Trains livery, 5-car unit Class 180103 Alstom Adalante diesel multiple unit enters a damp, Didcot Parkway station on the 5th October 2004.

 

Fourteen 5-car Alstom Adelante dmu passenger train units were built by French company Alstom in their former works at Washwood Heath, Birmingham, UK

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Photo Class 166205 Network Express Turbo DMU Train Didcot 2004

First Great Western Trains Class 166205 Diesel Multiple Unit, Didcot Parkway

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

First Great Western Trains Class 166205 diesel multiple unit, (DMU), Network Express Turbo, enters Didcot Parkway after a sudden torrential October downpour.

 

This photo of  3-car UK passenger train, Class 166205 dmu, was taken at the station in the 2004.

The class of 166 Turbo Express diesel multiple units (DMU) were built between 1992 and 1993 by ABB Yorks works.

The Class 166 3-car units, a fleet of 21, (fleet numbers are 166201 - 166221) were designed as a faster variant of the Class 165 Turbo and both classes were originally known as Networker Turbos, but today are generally referred to as Thames Turbos.

The Class 166 diesel multiple units are operated by the Great Western Railway and the lines they serve are; Severn Beach Line, Golden Valley Line, Heart of Wessex Line, and the Wessex Main Line. 




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