Porterbrook purple

Our fourth October post (8th October 2010) features pics of both sides of a Porterbrook liveried class 87; also double-heading class 66s and a class 70.

The two pics of the class 87, 87002, painted in the purple/mauve Porterbrook livery are scans of early photographs which display acceptable quality. The locomotive is heading Virgin passenger stock in both shots. The pics were taken at Winwick on 21st May 2004 and 3rd November 2004, and show both sides of the locomotive. The photographer was John Smith. The locomotive was named Royal Sovereign between 1978 and 2003. In the latter year she was reliveried into the purple/mauve livery of its new owners, Porterbrook Leasing. It remained nameless until 2005 when it was renamed The AC Locomotive Group, its present owners.

Pic number three is from Ken Young and shows double-heading, light engine Freightliner class 66s passing through Warrington Bank Quay on 21st July 2010. The first loco is 66620 but the second one is hidden behind.

The final shot in this post is from Jeff Nicholls. Freightliner class 70, 70003, is depicted at Sankey Bridges on an Ellesmere Port - Fiddlers Ferry coal working. The date was 7th October 2010.

New contributor

For this post (6th october 2010) we welcome another new contributor and Winwick enthusiast, John Shoebridge. We also have shots from regulars Geoff Monks and John Smith.

The first pic is from John Shoebridge. Pictured is Leander, 4-6-0 'Jubilee' class loco, on a steam charter the 'Severn Valley Limited'. The pic was taken at Bank Quay on 2nd October 2010.

Pic number two is from Geoff Monks. Class 31, 31465, is depicted on a Network Rail Measurements Train. Geoff adds that the working was Stoke-Polmadie (Glasgow). The location was Winwick, the date was 4th October 2010.

The final pic is of an extraordinary consist of five locomotives travelling through Winwick, light engine, on 25th July 2008. The DRS locomotives were class 57, 57010; class 47, 47802 Pride of Cumbria; class 37, 37229 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005; and two class 20s, 20307 and 20302. The photographer was John Smith.

I have many pics in at the moment so please be patient if some of them are yours.

Steam and Diesels

This post (4th October 2010) comprises shots from two photographers who were at Winwick on Saturday 2nd October to shoot a steam charter, and diesel locomotives representing three different classes.
From information supplied by the two contributors, Jeff Nicholls and Geoff Monks, the following was gleaned: The 'Severn Valley Limited' steam charter ran Bridgenorth - Blackpool with 'Jubilee' class 4-6-0, 5690 Leander, at the head. As the charter passed through Winwick, double heading WCRC class 37, 37685 and class 47, 47760 waited on the slow line. As soon as Leander had cleared Load Haul liveried class 60, 60059 Swinden Dalesman appeared with a Fiddlers Ferry coal working from Liverpool Docks - the class 37 and class 47 were held at the lights. The latter locomotives then followed the steam charter to Blackpool to return the train to Kidderminster.

Pic number 1 is from Geoff Monks and shows the steam charter.

The second pic is from Jeff Nicholls - the steam charter is shown heading north past the two diesel locomotives, both on the slow line.

In Geoff Monks' pic, number 3. the class 60 is depicted heading the Liverpool Docks - Fiddlers Ferry coal working with the two diesels held at the lights.

The two photographers also got other shots during a mad hour or so at Winwick - look out for them in the near future.

Incidentally, if you know the guy on the railings in Jeff's pic, please inform him that he is not endearing himself to his fellow photographers by standing in camera shot.

10,000 HITS

We began our journey in January 2010 with just two posts, the first introductory post from myself and the second from Dave Harris. Now 139 posts later (141 in total) we have reached October and received over 10,000 hits - what a story. We must be doing something right. Three hundred and eighty three of your pics have been used so a huge thank you to everyone who has taken part - please continue to do so. Thank you also to enthusiasts from outside 'our patch' who view the blog - please carry on. Also, to Winwick enthusiasts who havn't contributed yet, please send something in to me and let others see your pics.

The first pic for today (2nd October 2010) is from Bob McClellan. Looking almost new, a DRS class 66, 66406, is pictured on a container intermodal, southbound through Winwick, on 9th September 2004.

Pic number two is from John Smith. The popular gypsum working is shown northbound, on the slow line, through Winwick on 22nd September 2010. The locomotive is GBRf class 66, 66732, GBRf the first decade 1999-2009 John Smith MD.

An EWS (DBS) class 66 is featured next in a pic from Ken Young. Taken on the low level line near Bank Quay, 66067 is heading an empty 'cartic' working on 12th August 2010.

To complete this post, comprising all class 66s, is a shot from Jeff Nicholls taken on 22nd September 2010. The short, EWS coal hopper train (empty) was headed by EWS (DBS) class 66, 66122. Jeff adds that the working was probably an Arpley - Horbury Wagon Works trip for wagon overhaul.

1980's revisited

This final September post (30th) is meant to stir the memory banks once again. Three contributors have each sent in a pic, taken in the 1980's - scanned from slides/prints with corresponding quality.

The first is from Jeff Nicholls. The old Thames Board Works in Warrington acts as a backdrop as class 56, 56085 ambles by. The pic is dated 25th August 1982.

Pic two, taken in 1987, is from Dave Harris. A class 47, heading possibly a Blackpool - Euston passenger working, is pictured at Winwick Junction. Can you name the classic 80's cars at the popular photographers spot by the level crossing gate?

The final shot is from the old picture album of Ken Saunders. A class 56, 56025, is shown heading a coal working, by a busy Arpley Yard. The pic is dated 3rd September 1985.

I have more 'golden oldies' to show you in the near future thanks to several enthusiasts who have sent in older material. If you have any pics or scans from old pics/slides, originally photographed on 'our patch', please send them in by email (scans) or hand them to me at Winwick (pics).

Four Pics; Six Locos

Todays post (29th September 2010) comprises four pics, from four different contributors, and features two class 37s, three class 66s and a class 92.

Pic number 1 is from Jeff Nicholls. Pictured are double heading DRS class 37s, 37610 T.S. (Ted) Cassady 14.5.61 - 6.4.08 and 37608 on a Spitfire Railtours charter 'The Highlander'. Taken at Winwick on 18th June 2010.

Pic two is from Ken Young. Metronet liveried, GBRf class 66, 66722 Sir Edward Watkin is shown on a gypsum working on the low level line near Slutchers Lane, Warrington. An empty coal hopper train is passing headed by a freightliner class 66. The pic is dated 19th August 2010.

John Smith has sent in the third pic - a EWS (DBS) class 66, 66142 working empty tank wagons through Earlestown Station on 4th August 2010. John adds that the train was a diverted Preston Docks - Lindsey working.

The final pic is of a class 92, 92042 Honegger (this one has appeared a few times lately) on an empty logs wagon working through Bank Quay. The photographer was Andy Appleton; the date was 15th May 2006.

Coal

In previous posts I have concentrated on special workings such as gypsum, the 'logs' and china clay. Today (27th September 2010) I am concentrating on a slightly less interesting, although important working, coal. I have used many coal trains in previous posts but this is the first post dedicated to this important working

 



The first pic is from Jeff Nicholls. Freightliner class 66, 66595, is shown heading heavy haul, HHA/HXA bogie hopper wagons. Jeff adds that the loco had just run round its load of wagons in Walton Yard and was crossing the Mersey at 12 Arches. The pic is dated 22nd September 2010.

Pic number two is from Alan Rigby. Freightliner class 70, 70004, is pictured heading similar coal hoppers on the low level line past Arpley Yard. The pic is dated 22nd February 2010.

The third pic was taken on 9th September 2005 by Andy Appleton. Mainline liveried class 60, 60086, Schiehallion, is shown heading blue JMA coal hopper wagons through Winwick.

The final pic is from myself and depicts EWS (DBS) double heading pair of class 60s, 60049 and 60039, heading (HTA?) coal hoppers through Winwick on 21st October 2009.

Coal hopper wagons are difficult to id and a good site to attempt to classify them is http://www.wagons.fotopic.net/ For intance the difference between Freightliner HHA and HXA hoppers is length - the capacity is the same but the HXA is shorter, allowing one extra wagon per train. Having said, that I may have got them wrong, but I'm sure that you will let me know.

China Clay

One of the more interesting workings through Winwick these days is the china clay train that runs on Wednesday mornings. The working is Antwerp - Dollands Moor - Irvine, servicing the Caledonian Paper Mill in the Scottish town. The photographic attraction is the unique ICA wagons used to transport the clay, known affecctionately as 'silver bullets'. However, they are rarely clean, more often dirty brown than silver. This post (25th September 2010) features three pics covering the china clay working, from three different contributors.



The first shot is from Geoff Monks. EWS (DBS) class 92, 92042 Honegger, is pictured at Froghall Lane, near Warrington Bank Quay, heading the tank wagons on 25th August 2010.

Pic number two features EWS (DBS) class 92, 92005 Mozart, travelling north from the Winwick Quay direction, on 22nd September 2010. The pic is by John Smith.

The final pic is from yours truly, taken on 21st October 2009. The locomotive is one of the two class 92s (the other is 92001 Victor Hugo), that retain the old EWS livery - 92031, The Institute of Logistics and Transport. The working was northbound, through Winwick.

Leander at Winwick

For today (23rd September 2010), because you are keeping me very busy, I am using four pics from four different photographers. Included is a shot of a 'Jubilee' class locomotive, the first on the blog, I think.

The 'Jubilee' class of Sir William Stanier was built at the same time as the 'Black 5s' - both have the 4-6-0 wheel configuration. The latter reflected Stanier's service on the GWR before joining the LMS. The class of 'Jubs' reached 191 between 1934 and 1936 and John Smith's picture shows a preserved example, LMS No. 5690 Leander, with support coach. The shot was taken at Winwick on 20th September 2010.

Pic number two is from Bob McClellan and features Riviera Trains liveried class 47, 47839, travelling north through Winwick heading a Holyhead-Manchester express. The pic is dated 13th September 2004. This working was for Arriva Trains Wales who hired the locomotive from RT until 2005. The loco was the first painted in the corporate (Oxford) blue livery of RT. She was named Pegasus at a special ceremony at Crewe in September 2006.

The third shot is from Jeff Nicholls. Pictured is DRS class 47, 47802 Pride of Cumbria, heading a Compass Tours charter through Winwick on 22nd September 2010.The 'Snowdon Mountain Ranger' ran Burnley - Blaenau Ffestiniog. Although it can't be seen in this shot, DRS class 47, 47712, Pride of Carlisle, was on the rear of the train.

The final pic is from Andy Appleton. Andy shot EWS class 60, 60076, light engine as it travelled southbound through Winwick. Note the 'clag'. The pic is dated 17th March 2008. The 100, class 60 locomotives were the last diesels built by BR; the first 'tug' entered service on 30th June 1989. However, the latest 'Rail' magazine gives details of twenty 'tugs' being released by DBS, for sale or scrap, and no less that 69 in storage.

Class 92s, Class 66s and a Class 37

In today's, 135th post (21st September 2010) I am using three pics from regular contributors, each pic showing at least three locomotives/trains.

The first pic was taken on 13th August 2010, at Bank Quay, by Ken Young. In a bay at the station stands EWS (DBS) class 92, 92009 Elgar, fronting Stobart liveried class 92, 92017 Bart the Engine. Entering the station is Freightliner class 66, 66507, on a loaded coal hopper working.

Pic number two is from Alan Rigby. In his picture, a northbound Pendolino is overtaking a double-heading pair of Freightliner class 66s - the first is 66602. On the slow line, southbound, an EWS class 92, 92034 Kipling, is heading an Imerys mineral wagon working. Imerys is an International company owning 115 mines, supplying 29 different minerals including china clay (kaolin), alumina and aggregates. A British base is in Cornwall. The pic was taken at Winwick on 12th June 2006.



The final pic is from John Smith. Depicted is a DRS treble-header of class 37, 37667, class 66, 66420 and class 66, 66417. The pic was taken at Winwick on 3rd September 2010.