Two from two

The pics in today's post (30th November 2010) comprise a scan from an old slide or pic, and a photographic copy of an older image. The quality in each has suffered a little as a result, but the content is excellent.

The first shot is dated 5th August 1985; it has been sent in by Jeff Nicholls. Two class 20 locomotives, in BR large logo livery, are shown double-heading a train of HAA coal wagons. The locos are 20010 and 20132, and the location is close to Bank Quay.

The second shot is from Ken Young. Although slightly degraded by the copying process the picture is a first for our blog. Rail grinding is an essential maintenance task carried out by contractors working for Network Rail. Rail grinders are used to extend the life of railway lines by grinding away irregularities in rails and re-profiling them. Fatigue is, thus, minimised. The task is normally performed at night, accompanied by masses of sparks. The photo shows a Harsco RGH20C Switch & Crossing Rail Grinder at Winwick on 23rd October 2006. The first one entered service in 2003 and four more had followed by the end of 2004.

Four of Four from Three

The title of today's post (28th November 2010) is simple - it comprises four pics, showing four loco classes from three photographers.
Pic one is from Andy Appleton. A Virgin class 57, 57308 Tin Tin, is shown dragging a Virgin class 87, 87015 Howard of Effingham, itself heading Virgin passenger coaches, at Bank Quay on 15th April 2004.

The second pic was taken in 2004 by Ken Young and copied recently by him - the exact date is unknown. EWS class 60, 60097 ABP Port of Grimsby & Immingham, is depicted heading blue hopper wagons through Winwick Junction.

A second 'tug' is shown in pic number three - EWS class 60, 60042 The Hundred of Hoo, is heading cargo vans through Winwick on 11th May 2005. The pic is another from Andy Appleton.

The final shot is from Jeff Nicholls. Freightliner class 70, 70005 is pictured heading the Ellesmere Port - Fiddlers Ferry P.S. working on 23rd November 2010. The location is near Bank Quay.

Six Classes

Today's post (26th November 2010) comprises a mixed bag of loco classes, reflecting the range and number of pics 'in the bank' at the present time.

Pic number one is a copy of an old photograph - original pic and copy by Ken Young - showing class 33, 33108, class 31, 31454 and another unidentified class 31, treble-heading, light engine at Bank Quay in 2004 (specific date not known).

The second pic is from Geoff Monks. The popular gypsum working, Fiddlers Ferry - Newbiggin, is featured at Winwick on 16th November 2010. The locomotive is GBRf liveried class 66, 66707, Sir Sam Fay Great Central Railway.

The next pic is from Jeff Nicholls. A class 37 and a class 20 are featured on the Sellafield - Crewe nuclear flasks working. The locos are double-heading DRS class 37, 37229 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005, and DRS class 20, 20303. The pic is dated 20th November 2010.

The fourth and final shot in this post is from Andy Appleton. Double-heading, light engine locomotives, class 66, 66419 and class 47, 47832 are depicted on a Loughborough - Carlisle working on 17th March 2008. The class 66 is in DRS livery and the 47, in Riviera Trains liveried.

If you are interested in steam locomotives and how they are portrayed in other hobbies, have a look at my other blog titled http://www.steamtrainjigsaw.blogspot.com/. Steam trains are a popular subject for thematic jigsaw collectors. I will link the jigsaw blog at the right hand side of this Winwick blog.

'Bodysnatchers'

Class 57s were called 'bodysnatchers' (by some) because of the way they were re-incarnated from redundant class 47s. Basically, the chosen class 47s were stripped internally and the body shells re-wired and re-engined. This took place between 1997 and 2004. Freightliner had twelve locomotives (57/0) operating from 1998 and Virgin, twelve (57/3) from 2002. The latter were famously named after Thunderbirds characters. This number was later increased to sixteen. In 2003 First Great Western (FGW) purchased four locos (57/6). WCRC also purchased a 57/6 loco from the original owners, Porterbrook Leasing. All rebuilds were performed by Brush Traction at Loughborough.

Today's post features two pics of class 57/3s from Andy Appleton and a 57/6 from yours truly.

Andy's shots show Virgin class 57/3 locos on different workings. Number one features 57310, Kyrano, heading empty logs wagons at Winwick on 13th September 2007.

Number two shows 57308, Tin Tin, dragging Virgin class 87, 87015 Howard of Effingham and Virgin passenger stock through Bank Quay, on 15th April 2004.

The third pic, from yours truly, shows a class 57/6 loco owned by the West Coast Railway Company (WCRC) and liveried in dark maroon with a red stripe. This pic, of 57601, was taken at Winwick on 21st October 2009.

Class 47s

Four pics, all featuring class 47 locos, comprise today's post (22nd November 2010).

The first two pics are both from Bob McClellan. Number one features XP64 liveried class 47, 47853 Rail Express, heading Virgin passenger stock through Winwick Junction. The pic is dated 14th August 2005.

Bob's second shot was taken at Winwick on the following day, 15th August 2005. Pictured is First Great Western liveried class 47, 47811, heading Virgin coaches on a Manchester - Holyhead working.

Andy Appleton had supplied pic number three. Taken at Winwick on 27th October 2006, Riviera Trains liveried class 47, 47848 Titan Star, is shown on a Sandbach - Sellafield working.

The final shot is by Bevan Price. DRS liveried class 47, 47501, is shown at Winwick dragging Fastline liveried class 66, 66304, southbound to Crewe. Bevan adds "66304 was stranded at Carlise when Fastline ceased trading earlier this year and had been stored at the DRS depot for several months. It was towed to Crewe to join other Fastline class 66s (66301/02/03/05) and has since been moved to Longport for overhaul".

Steam x 3

Two steam locomotives and three pics feature in today's post (20th November 2010).

Two 'Pacifics', designed by A. H. Peppercorn and R. A. Riddles, have been photographed on 'our patch' lately. Described in detail in the 11th November post, I am using the minimum of words this time.

Pic number one is from Jeff Nicholls. Featured is the LNER liveried class 'A1' 4-6-2, No.60163 Tornado, with support coach at Bank Quay, on 9th November 2010.

On the same day the BR class 7 4-6-0, No.70000 Britannia, also passed through Bank Quay on a test run. WCRC class 47 diesel, 47500, was on the tail. Britannia was in black livery and without identification nameplates and cabside numbers. The pic is by Geoff Monks, the date was 9th November 2010. How lucky are we to see two 'Pacifics' at Bank Quay at the same time, on the same day? Geoff poses the following question "Does anyone know what the rather ugly plate/bracket to the bottom left of the smokebox is for?"

Tornado passed through Winwick again today (20th November 2010) and so far I have received just one pic. It is from Jeff Nicholls and shows the locomotive heading a 3-day, 'Christmas Coronation' charter, on the final southbound, leg. The itinery was complicated - day1 (18th) was Kings Cross - York - Edinburgh; day2 (19th) was Edinburgh - Newcastle - Carlisle - Edinburgh; day3 (20th) was Edinburgh - Carlisle - Crewe - Euston.

DRS Stickers

In this post (19th November 2010) I am using two pics of aggregate/coal workings, taken at Winwick. One is unusual.

The first pic is from Geoff Monks. The working is a Shap-Hope Street (Manchester) and the hoppers are carrying stone. Geoff adds "Note the newly applied (?) DRS stickers on the leading wagons; the remainder appear to be ex-Fastline". The pic is dated 16th November 2010.

The second pic was/is a fairly common sight recently. Load Haul liveried class 60, 60059 Swinden Dalesman is shown heading EWS (DBS) grafiti-laden coal hoppers. The shot is by David Wood and the pic was taken on 9th November 2010.

Workhorses

It's time for something a little different. Apart from the 'Pendolinos' and 'Super Voyagers', diesel multiple units make up the bulk of traffic through Winwick on any single day. These workhorses don't get much recognition by photographers but in today's post (17th November 2010) I am aiming to put this right. Like them or loathe them they are here to stay.

The montage pic I have produced depicts four types of dmu seen at Winwick. Top left is the least common of the four examples shown, a class 158, 158825, in an indistinct grey livery. The 182, class 158 'Express Sprinter' units were built by BREL at Derby, between 1988 and 1992. Most were 2-car sets but 17 were made as 3-car sets.

Top right is a class 142, 142041, in Northern Rail livery. Affectionately known as 'nodding donkies' because of the unusual 'nod' when travelling over a line imperfection, they were also built by BREL. Ninety six units, known as 'Pacers', were built between 1985 and 1987.

Bottom left is a class 150, 150146, in Northern Rail livery. 137 units were built by BREL between 1984 and 1987; they were known as 'Sprinters'.

The class 175, 'Coradia' units are pictured bottom right, built by Alstom of Washford Heath, Birmingham between 1999 and 2001. The 27 sets ( 11 x 2-car and 16 x 3-car) are leased by Arriva Trains Wales from Angel Trains. The unit depicted is class 175, 175110.

Three Locations on 'Our Patch'.

I am using three pics from three contibutors for today's post, (15th November 2010) each shot taken at a different location on 'our Winwick patch'.

The first, from Jeff Nicholls, depicts two workings passing each other at Winwick. DRS class 66, 66421 on an intermodal working is passing EWS (DBS) class 59, 59203, heading coal hoppers. The pic is dated 10th November 2010.

Pic number two is from Ken Young. Taken at Bank Quay on 21st July 2010 the pic shows an EWS (DBS) class 66, 66194, in close up, heading tank wagons.

Bob McClellan is contributor number three. His shot is of GBRf, black liveried class 87, 87019 ACorP, dragging class 325 emus through Red Bank, location number three on 'our patch'. This, the oldest pic in this post, was taken on 8th August 2005.

Incidentally, if you read the latest edition of Railway Herald, a pic of Britannia (similar to that of Jeff Nicholls in the Nov 11th post, and of Geoff Monks, which I have still to use) is featured, with Bank Quay as the location. Check the link at the right hand side of the blog.

'Lizzie' + Four

This post (13th November 2010) features the LMS 'Princess Royal' class (8P) 'Pacific', 6201 Princess Elizabeth, of William Stanier, and four other more modern locomotives, all photographed by Bob McClellan.

2005 was a busy year for Bob in and around Winwick, all three pics and more to come in future, were taken in that year.

Pic number one is a shot of the Stanier 4-6-2 heading a railtour, northbound, through Winwick Junction on 23rd August 2005.

Bob's second shot features Freightliner locos treble-heading an intermodal working through Red Bank on 22nd August 2005. The locos were Freightliner class 86s, 86609, 86610 and class 90, 90048. The latter was heading south from Polmadie.

The final shot is of Virgin liveried class 57, 57314 Fire Fly dragging a Pendolino set through Winwick Junction, due to overhead wires problems further north.

Britannia and Tornado

This post (11th November 2010) is comprised of four pics from two contributors with the focus on two famous steam locomotives Britannia and Tornado.
Robert Riddles' 'Britannia' class 4-6-2 locomotives hit BR metals between 1951 and 1954 - there were 55 in total. They were designated class 7; first in the class was No.70000, Britannia.
The 'A1' class of 49 locomotives was designed by the LNER Chief Mechanical Engineer A. H. Peppercorn. However, the class was delivered after the LNER had been nationalised to form part of British Railways at the start of 1948. All were scrapped between 1962 and 1966. In 1990 a group of enthusiasts gathered to form the 'A1 Steam Locomotive Trust' with the objective of building a new Peppercorn 'A1'. The Trust's 4-6-2 locomotive, No. 60163 Tornado, appeared under its own power in 2008.

Both locomotives were on 'our patch' on Tuesday 9th November and Jeff Nicholls and Geoff Monks were on hand to photograph them at Bank Quay Station.

The first, from Geoff Monks, shows Tornado and support coach passing through the station.

The second and third pics are from Jeff Nicholls and Geoff Monks, respectively. Jeff's shot of Britannia, liveried in black and without cabside numbers and nameplates, depicts the loco with support coach; WCRC class 47, 47500, out of camera shot, was on the rear.

Geoff's pic shows the trio more clearly with the class 47 to the fore followed by the support coach and Britannia.

The fourth pic from Jeff shows both locomotives in the station, concurrently. "When did this last happen; two 'Pacifics' at Bank Quay" asks Jeff.

Six Locomotives; Four Classes

I am being inundated with pics again at the moment (2 steam locomotives through Winwick / Bank Quay today 9th November 2010)) so here are four pics from four different contributors. The steam locos will be used in the next post. Keep sending in pics/info etc., - I can bank contributions for future use.

The first pic is from Chris Sutcliffe. EWS (DBS) class 59, 59203, is depicted passing the site of the former station at Sankey Bridges heading empty coal hoppers to Latchford, to run round. The train returned later heading back to Liverpool Bulk Terminal. The pic is dated 5th October 2010.

Pic number two is from Jeff Nicholls. In this shot Virgin liveried class 57, 57306 Jeff Tracy is pictured on the Twelve Arches bridge, across the Mersey, returning empty timber wagons from Chirk to Carlisle.

A triple heading, light-engine consist of three class 66s is shown next, passing southbound through Winwick on 18th October 2010 - the photographer was Bevan Price. The locos are EWS (DBS) class 66s 66115, 66056 and 66106. The locos had been scheduled for engineering train duties previously.

Dave Harris has forwarded the final (scanned) pic in this post, a class 31 at Winwick Junction. The pic is dated 1986 and features 'Railfreight Red Stripe' liveried class 31, 31247 heading an infrastructure working (relaying ballast) at Winwick Junction. Note the two class 20s on the rear.

The Olympics 2012

You may be asking what on earth have the London Olympics of 2012 to do with our blog? Well the answer is simple. A class 87 locomotive was used as a communication tool in 2005/06 to "provide visual reinforcement" to the general public of the London Olympics bid. Today's post (7th November 2010) is about that locomotive.
Class 87 locomotive 87012 was named Coeur de Lion from 2001 - 2005 but in the latter year she was renamed The Olympian and the slogan 'Back the Bid London 2010' was added to the sides of the locomotive. The locomotive was liveried in Network SouthEast colours. However, in December 2006, the locomotive was sold to a Bulgarian Railway Company (see the post for 26th May 2010 for details), so the PR excercise was short-lived.
The first pic is from Bob McClellan and shows the locomotive 'dragging' class 325 Royal Mail emus through Red Bank. The shot is dated 22nd August 2005.
John Smith has supplied the second shot taken on 3rd October 2005. The locomotive is shown in a consist of three, light-engine, with class 73s, 73204 and 73205 behind. The slogan seems to be slightly different in this shot - it appears to read 'Host City London 2012'. Not too much info on this working but John thinks that the locomotives were travelling to Scotland.

First 'B1' on the Blog

I am delighted to include a pic of an LNER class 'B1' of Edward Thompson in today's post (5th November 2010), a 'first' for our blog. The pic was taken ion 4th April 2005 as the locomotive and support coach passed, southbound, through Winwick.

Edward Thompson succeeded Sir Nigel Gresley in 1941 as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER. His class of 'B1' 4-6-0, mixed-traffic locomotives was the LNER equivalent of the GWR 'Hall' class and the LMS 'Black 5' class - 410 'B1' locomotives were eventually built. The first one, No.8301, hit LNER metals in 1942 and was named Springbok. The 'B1' in Bob's shot, No.61264, is owned by the Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust; she was rescued from the scrap heap in 1976 and completely restored for mainline duties by 1997. She is currently undergoing boiler renovation. A second 'B1' is currently preserved on the Nene Valley Railway - No.61306, Mayflower.

The second pic in today's post is from Bevan Price. He shot a triple-heading, light-engine consist of EWS liveried, DBS locos passing through Winwick, northbound, on 18th October 2010. They were class 67, 67026, class 67, 67017 Arrow, and class 92, 92019 Wagner. The working was Arpley-Mossend.

The final pic is from Jeff Nicholls, taken at Winwick on 3rd September 2005. BR, two-tone green class 47, 47851 (D168) Traction Magazine, is depicted according to Jeff "on a northbound special working that returned behind locomotive No.71000 Duke of Gloucester".

Measurement Trains

John Smith and Alan Sherratt have provided the pics for today's blog (3rd October 2010), both based on railway measurement trains.

The first pic is John's - two DRS class 37s are shown with the yellow-liveried overhead wires measurement coach, Mentor, (provided by Serco*) sandwiched between them. Mentor ensures that the overhead lines are in specification to supply power to electric trains. The locomotives are 37208 in front and 37069 at the rear. The pic is dated 11th October 2010; the location was Winwick.

Alan's shot is of a yellow- liveried Network Rail Test Train. A class 31, 31285 and class 97, 97303 passed through Winwick on Saturday 30th October 2010 with the a Serco* Structure Gauging Train (SGT). The working was Mossend-Derby RTC.

*Serco Rail Operations is a licensed train operator, specialising in measurement trains on behalf of Network Rail, to ensure that the UK rail infrastructure is managed as a safe transport environment. The Structure Gauging Train (SGT) uses light and laser technology to measure the distance between the track and structures to ensure that there is sufficient clearance to operate trains.

Three from Three

Three pics from three contributors comprise today's post (1st November 2010).

The first is a shot from Jeff Nicholls showing a different viewpoint for blog photographers. The Fertis hire livery is shown clearly on DBS class 56, 56018, which has been stabled at Arpley Yard for ages, (or so it seems). The locomotive is used as a front for the New Measurements Train, on the mainline behind. The Network Rail liveried train is headed by class 43, 43013. The pic was taken on 22nd September 2010.

Bob McClellan has sent in pic number two, taken on the approach to Bank Quay on 27th January 2005. The DRS livered class 37, 37029, is heading empty flats. The Epping Ongar Railway is now the home for this class 37.

The third and final pic is from Dave Harris. The 'West Coast Circular' charter of Rail-Blue Charters was pictured as it passed through Red Bank on 30th October 2010. The Watford - Carlisle - Watford special composed of InterCity stock, was headed by EWS liveried, DBS class 67, 67025 Western Star. The TOC was WCRC.