Photo British Rail Blue Class 31168 UK Diesel Loco Bletchley 1988

Class 31168 Diesel Locomotive, on Bletchley Sidings Waiting To Be Scrapped

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Looking in a sad state of affairs, with its rusty bodywork and oil-soaked underframe, UK British Rail Class 31168 diesel loco in BR Blue livery stands on the sidings at Bletchley station.

Sandwiched between two other Class 31s, 31168 which was built at Brush Traction, Loughborough, in February 1960, was withdrawn from service on the 20th December 1991 and subsequently scrapped on the 31st May 2001.

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 31146 BR Diesel Loco Railfreight Livery March Station 1989

  Class 31146 Diesel Locomotive, March Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

British Rail Class 31146 UK diesel loco, in BR Railfreight livery, hauls an empty freight train between the deserted and weed-strewn platforms of the single-line March railway station, Cambridgeshire, in 1989.

 

Class 31146 in November 1959 at Brush Traction, Loughborough, and once carried the name Brush Veteran.

This diesel locomotive was withdrawn from service on the 24th March 2000 and scrapped on the 1st July 2004.

 

 

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 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.

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 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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