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Saturday 27 January 2018

Photo Chiltern Railways Trains Assorted Diesel Rolling Stock Aylesbury Depot

Assorted Diesel Traction, Aylesbury Depot

photo of various examples of diesel rolling stock at aylesbury depot Class 165025 dmu, a Ruston diesel locomotive 01509 named 'Lesley' and a Class 117 DMU all stand together.
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.


                               *************************************************************

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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Thursday 25 January 2018

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


Class 310086 British Rail EMU, Northampton Train Station

photo of class 310086 electric multiple unit at northampton 1988

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was replaced on the Euston to Birmingham service in 1987 by the unattractive, box-shaped Class 317, which itself was superseded by the Class 321 and then by Class 350.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 electric multiple unit train in Network Southeast livery stands in Northampton station. It was this class of EMU that replaced the Class 310 electric multiple units on this line.
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 electric multiple unit in Silverlink livery, waits at Wolverton station while operating a passenger service from Birmingham to London Euston.
          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.




Electric Multiple Unit Class 350104 in London Midland Trains livery, waits at Rugby station while en route north.
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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Saturday 20 January 2018

Photo British Rail Class 317327 Network Southeast EMU Train Northampton 1980's




Class 317327 Network South East EMU, Northampton Train Station
photo of class 317327 electric multiple unit at northampton 1980s

Photo: Charles Moorhen



4-Car unit Class 317 327327 EMU in Network South East livery, allocated to Bletchley, stands at Northampton's Platform 2 in the 1980's on its way first to Rugby and then on to Birmingham New Street station, where seventeen of the class operated between 1987 and 1989.

****************************************************


Class 317327 unit coach numbers are as follows: 77026  62687  71603  77074

This class of electric multiple unit replaced EMU Class 310.  The Class 317 was later to be superseded by EMU Class 321 operated by Silverlink Trains, and then by EMU Class 350 run by London Midland Trains

In all, 72 all-steel 4-car Class 317 commuter train units were produced in two batches between 1981 and 1987 able to reach a maximum speed of 100 mph.
 


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Tuesday 7 November 2017

Photo British Rail Diesel Shunter Loco Class 08909 Bay Platform Rugby 1988


Class 08909 BR Shunter, Rugby Station

photo of british rail diesel shunter class 08909 in br blue livery in a bay platform at rugby railway station England in 1988
Photo:  Charles Moorhen

 

Once a common sight pottering around Rugby station, British Rail  Class 08909, built between 1952 and 1962 and allocated to Bletchley TMD, in BR blue livery, similar in design to its sister Class 09 is seen parked up in one of the station's bay platforms at the eastern end in November 1988.


The condition of Rugby station roof is a sad testament to how derelict the station canopy had become before its refurbishment that was to come years later.

Class 08909 diesel shunter loco survived until 2011 when it was sent to C.F. Booth's for scrapping on the 10th August of that year.

A total of 996 examples of the Class 08 diesel, or 'Gronks' as they were nicknamed by the railway enthusiast fraternity, were produced for British Railways. 
 
 
Class 08 Shunter Historical Note:
At Tinsley Marshalling Yard near Sheffield, UK, six '08' shunters were coupled in three pairs for shunting operations.  In each pair one locomotive cab was removed; its power controlled from the 'cabbed' 08.  This combination of power units were classified as Class 13.
The three pairs worked together in Tinsley Yard for twenty years until early 1985 when hump-shunting came to an end.
 
They were numbered thus:
D4500 (D3698  D4188), D4501 (D4189  D4190), D4502 (D3696  D4187).


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Photo Class 66086 and Class 66237 Diesel Locos Didcot Sidings 2004


Class 66086 and 66237 Locos, Didcot Station

photo of two red and yellow EWS freight liveried diesel locomotives class 66086 and class 66237 stabled on sidings at Didcot Parkway station England 2004
Photo:  Charles Moorhen


On my first ever trip to Didcot railway station in Oxfordshire, in 2004, I was fortunate to capture an image of these two General Motors EMD EWS Class 66 diesel locomotives stabled on Didcot sidings - Class 66 66086 and Class 66 66237.

 

Class 66086 was built in April 1999 and allocated to Toton TMD (Notts.).
Class 66237 was built in May 2000 and allocated to Poznam (ECR Poland).

The way they look it is almost as if they were deliberately posed.  "Oh! to have that sort of power!" 

On the same day that I took the above image I was fortunate enough to photograph Class 60 60016 'Rail Magazine' one month before it was renamed, 'Langdale Pikes'.



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Monday 6 November 2017

Photo DR73116 Network Rail Plasser & Theurer Tamper Northampton 2014

Class DR 73116 Network Rail Tamper Machine, Northampton Station


photo of yellow liveried network rail railway track tamper machine dr 73116 passing through Northampton station England 2014
Photo:  Charles Moorhen


During the modernisation of Northampton railway station in 2014, Network Rail's track machine, DR 73116, passes through, heading in the general direction of Rugby on the 17th July.


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Monday 18 September 2017

Photo GM Class 67017 Arrow Diesel Loco Leamington Spa 2000




Class 67017 Diesel Loco 'Arrow', Leamington Spa Station



photo of EWS Freight liveried diesel locomotive named arrow class 67017 hauling passenger train at Leamington Spa, England 2000
Photo:  Charles Moorhen



Class 67 67017, built in March 2000 and allocated to Crewe International Electric T&RSMD, seen here in EWS livery, hauling a Chiltern Railways train, was photographed at Leamington Spa station.


A number of diesel locomotives are giving nicknames by railway enthusiasts, one such example was the once popular, Class 50 locomotives known as "Hoovers", and the Class 67 is no exception; though I wasn't aware of this when I took the photo. 

It was much later that someone on a platform somewhere informed me that they were called 'skips'. I couldn't imagine why they were given that particular name until someone suggested that I imagine the locomotive upside down.

The old saying, “what's in a name”, certainly rang true in this instance.


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Tuesday 4 July 2017

Photos Classes 67006 'Royal Sovereign' and 67026 'Diamond Jubilee' Locos 2014


Two 'Royals' Stop at Northampton Station

 


Photo of class 67006 'Royal Sovereign' diesel locomotive in Royal Train livery at Northampton station, England 2013
Royal Train Loco Class 67006

 Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 67026 Diesel Locomotive 'Diamond Jubilee' in silver livery with Union Jack logo Stands in Northampton Railway station, England
Class 67026 'Diamond Jubilee' Locomotive    

Photo: Charles Moorhen


During the reconstruction of Northampton's railway station in 2014, I decided to take a trip there in June to see how things were progressing and if there would be any traffic coming through that would be worth photographing.  


As it turned out it was well worth the time and energy consumed that afternoon.

In addition to the usual Class 350 EMU's, a number of Class 66's and Freightliner Class 70017, I was lucky to photograph a couple of Class 67 diesel locomotives; Royal Train locomotive Class 67 67006 'Royal Sovereign', and, Class 67 67026 'Diamond Jubilee', coupled together and running light.

Class 67006 was built in February 2006 and allocated to Toton TMD (Notts.).
Class 67026 was built in March 2012 and allocated to Crewe International Electric T&RSMD.

Class 67006 is just one of a long line of locomotive providing the motive power for the Royal Train.  The first official Royal Train locomotive was broad gauge engine 2-2-2 Phlegethon of the Firefly class, driven by Daniel Gooch and assisted by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, where it hauled the train containing Queen Victoria from Slough to Paddington on the 13th June 1842.

Since that time many locomotives have provided the pulling power for the Royal Train, with a few examples listed here:
6233 Duchess of Sutherland  - LMS Princes Coronation Class 4-6-2.
6024 King Edward I  - GWR 'King' Class 4-6-0.
60163 Tornado - Peppercorn Class A1 4-6-2.
60028 Walter K. Whigham - Gresley A4 Pacific 4-6-2.
30938 St. Olave's - Maunsell 4-4-0.
70000 Britannia - BR Standard Class Britannia Pacific 7MT 4-6-2.


Running the Royal Train does not come cheap.  
In the year ending the 31st March 2012, the total cost of operaing the train, for a mere 13 trips covering a total distance of 912 miles, was a staggering £900,000; equating to £69,230 per trip!  







Close-up photo of 'By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Plaque on the side of Class 67006 diesel locomotive 'Royal Sovereign' at Northampton 2014
By Appointment Plaque on Class 67006 'Royal Sovereign
Photo: Charles Moorhen



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Sunday 2 July 2017

Photo BR Class 09018 D4106 Diesel Shunter Loco Lives On 1988

Class 09018 (D4106) Shunter, Dover Marine Station

black and white photo of class 09018 diesel shunter locomotive in BR blue livery on sidings at Dover Marine station sidings England 1988

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Diesel Electric Shunter Locomotive 0-6-0 Class 09018 - original number D4106 - one of a class of 26, photographed as the sun is about to set on sidings close to Dover Marine Station (now a cruise liner terminal).  


Class 09018 (D4106) was built in November 1961 and allocated to Derby Locomotive Works (BREL).

Little shunters such as this, a variant of the Class 08, were built between 1959 and 1962 at the British Railways' Darlington Works.

The locomotive above was used for general shunting duties in the Dover area during the years of Channel Tunnel Construction.

The angle of the photograph is a bit odd as I had to get between the 09 and another train which was directly behind me, thereby severely restricting how I used the camera. Nowadays, Health and Safety would have had a fit if they'd seen me getting this photograph.

Unlike many ex-British Railways locomotives, 09018 escaped the fate of the scrapyard cutting torch.  


After a number of years it was eventually purchased by the Harry Needle Railroad Company who, in 2012, sold it to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex where it now resides working on the heritage railway.



photo of fully restored Class 09018 in British Railways green livery stands on sidings at the Bluebell heritage Railway Sussex, England


D4106 (09018) on sidings at the Bluebell Railway




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Friday 30 June 2017

Messerschmitt ME 109 WW2 Bullet Holes Truro Station Footbridge 2017

WW2 Messerschmitt Bullet Marks, Truro Station

photo of bullet mark damage from ww2 air raid at truro station cornwall
Bullet indentations on exterior footbridge panel          Photo: Charles Moorhen
 


                 


During World War Two At around 7:30 on the evening of Thursday the 6th August 1942, Truro railway station, Cornwall, came under attack from a lone German Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft - better known as the Messerschmitt ME 109.


The physical results of this terrifying incident can still be seen in one of the east-facing side panels of the platform footbridge spanning the tracks where two bullets slammed against the bridge metal; one almost penetrating it.


photo of Messerschmitt ME bullet indentations inflicted on Truro station footbridge, England, during WW2 air raid.

                       Bullet indentations on interior of Truro station footbridge panel                                            Photo: Charles Moorhen



Truro Railway Station footbridge across platforms 1 and 2 containing World War Two German bullet marks

               Bullet holes on Truro footbridge panel just above platform roof gutter on right    Photo:  Charles Moorhen     



At the time of the attack the mail train from Penzance to London was standing in the station, and it is widely believed that it was the presence of the train which momentarily distracted the attention of the German pilot away from his main target - the city of Truro itself.

As the ME 109 flew on towards Truro, to join the raid which killed 14 people and resulted in the injury of another 100, it left behind two fatalities and a number of wounded.



Messerschmitt ME 109



Those who died were railway worker, Mr. P. Williams, 52, and postman, Mr. E. Pentecost, 41.


*************************************************************************

While on the subject of Cornish railways and WW2, it is worth noting that many children were evacuated by train to Cornwall at some point during the years of hostilities.

Here are just two brief examples:

On Friday the 1st September 1939, 544 evacuee children and their teachers arrived at St. Austell station, Cornwall, on the 6:30 from Paddington, London, on Evacuation Train No.103.
On the 3rd September 1939, an evacuation train with the identification number 116 painted across the front of the engine boiler, brought 230 children and mothers to Truro station from Acton, London, to be billetted in Truro and the surrounding area.


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Wednesday 28 June 2017

Photo Class 450108 Desiro South West Trains EMU Brookwood Station 2014

Class 450108 EMU Brookwood, Surrey

photo of class 450108 in orange blue and red livery of South West Trains electric multiple unit at Brookwood station, UK
Desiro Class 450108 EMU
Photo: Charles Moorhen



South West Trains Class 450 450108 third-rail electric multiple unit, is seen at Brookwood station operating a stopping service to London Waterloo on the afternoon of Sunday the 29th June 2014.


Class 450108 commuter train was built between 2002 and 2006 and allocated to Northam (Southampton) EMUN.

Class 450108 unit coach numbers are as follows: 63708  66858  66808  63758.

Although it was a Sunday I saw a fair amount of Class 450 and Class 444 EMU activity on the line - but no freight.  

It was my first trip to Brookwood station, although I passed through it many times as a boy in the 1950's behind a variety of Southern Region steam locomotives on my way to Basingstoke for my school holidays.  





Apart from the absence of smoke-stained Southern Railway green paint, not to mention equally smoke-stained railway staff, it seemed as though it had hardly changed a bit.

****************************************************************


Brookwood station features elsewhere on this blog under the title, Brookwood Cemetery Station and the London Necropolis Funeral Railway.  
The blog post makes for interesting reading if you are partial to a bit of unique railway history.



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