Two 'tugs'; four 'sheds'

As the title indicates this post, 30th March 2011, features two class 60s and four class 66s on various workings.

Pic number one is from Bob McClellan. Double heading  tugs, 60088 in BR triple grey livery and Mainline logo and 60091 in BR triple grey livery and Railfreight coal logo are shown heading a loaded bitumen working "on the Haydock Branch diverted to Ashton due to a fault with a discharge facility at Preston". The pic is dated 29th December 2004.

Pic number two is from Jeff Nicholls. It was taken at Winwick on 16th March 2011 and shows double heading  class 60s, EWS (DBS) 66053 and DRS 66433, on a southbound, engineering working.

Alan Rigby has sent in the third pic, taken on a sunny day. A southbound intermodal working through Winwick is headed by Stobart liveried class 66 (of DRS), 66414 James the Engine, on 18th March 2011.






The fourth and final pic is from David Wood. GBRf liveried class 66, 66732  GBRf the First Decade 1999-2009 John Smith MD, is depicted heading a gypsum working, northbound, through Winwick on 17th March 2011.

Four Different Locomotives

Today, 27th March 2011, I am using another four pics, all of them from regular contributors, representing another mixed bag of locomotives.


The first pic is from John Smith. LMS 'Princess' class locomotive, No.6201 Princess Elizabeth of William Stanier, passed through Winwick on 26th March 2011. She was en route to Carlisle with 'The Settle & Carlisle' charter and was photographed, southbound, at Red Bank.

Pic number two is from Alan Rigby. EWS (DBS) class 92, 92003 Beethoven, is shown heading silver bullets (china clay tanks) on a Dollands Moor - Irvine working on 23rd March 2011. The location is a very misty Winwick.

Jeff Nicholls has supplied pic number three, a scan from a 1986 pic. Featured is class 31, 31302, in Railfreight large logo livery, at the head of a breakdown train. The train had stopped at Bank Quay late in the day, for a crew change; the date was 13th November 1986.

'Hot off the press' is the fourth and final shot, from Geoff Monks. DBS liveried class 67, 67018 Keith Heller,  is shown on a Preston - Eastleigh empty coaching stock move through Winwick, today, 27th March, 2011.

King Coal

As I am getting many pics submitted at the present time, I am using four pics in today's post, 25th March 2011, from three workers. Coal - does anything else get carried on our railways these days? If we didn't have coal traffic we would have little to photograph at the moment. Will  things get any better? Views please.



Alan Rigby hasn't posted for a while but here are two of his latest pics. Pic number one is of  Freightliner 'PowerHaul' class 70, 70002, on the Ellesmere Port - Fiddlers Ferry Power Station (FFPS) loaded coal working, on 23rd March 2011. The location was the Ferry Inn Crossing.





Alan's second pic shows EWS (DBS) class 60, 60011, on FFPS - Liverpool Bulk Terminal coal empties duty,  taken on the same day, 23rd March 2011. The location was Monks Sidings.






Pic number three is from Barry Rigby. Featured is EWS (DBS) class 66, 66081, with empty coal hoppers  from FFPS to Arpley Sidings. The pic is dated 19th March 2011.







John Smith has sent in pic number four. It shows a Northern class 156, 156451, in a trial white/mauve livery from 2007. John took the shot at Parkside; the exact date is not known.

Another Three from Three

Three pics from three workers, showing three different locomotives, comprise today's post, 23rd March 2011.



Shot number one is from Barry Rigby. Taken at Arpley Junction on 19th March 2011, Barry's pic features EWS (DBS) class 60, 60071 Ribblehead Viaduct (been on the blog several times lately). The loco is heading coal hoppers to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station having just done the famous 'run around'.





Our second shot has been sent in by Paul Holland. Stanier 'Pacific' class '8P' No.6233 Duchess of Sutherland is featured approaching the Mersey Crossing on the low level line on 23rd August 2009. The charter was the 'North West Coast Express', working from Liverpool Lime Street to Holyhead, via Chester, and return.







The third pic is from Ken Young. 'Not so silver' bullets, (china clay tanks) are shown behind EWS (DBS) class 92, 92005 Mozart, at Bank Quay on 12th January 2011.

A Mixed Bag

Today's post, 20th March 2011, is a real mixed bag of pics featuring a steam loco, a special DMU and a 'tug'.

Pic number one is from Jeff Nicholls. 'Black Five' 4-6-0 No.44932 passed through Winwick, northbound, on 16th March 2011. It was complete with its support coach and was 'chased' by a class 175 DMU which can be seen in the picture.

Bob McClellan has sent in pic number two. Originally a class 101 DMU, No.901002 was converted in 1991 into a BR test train known as Lab 19 - Iris II. It was sold by Network Rail in 2008 to a private buyer and can now be seen on the West Somerset Railway. The pic is dated 20th April 2007 and the location is Winwick.

The third pic is from John Smith. EWS 'tug' 60021, Star of the East, is shown heading cargo vans on an Arpley Yard - Immingham working. The shot was taken at Parkside on 13th April 2007.

Tangmere..... at last

Tangmere was supposed to have come through Winwick (southbound) on at least one of two possible occasions before today, but it has made an appearance at last. Complete with support coach, the Bullied 'Battle of Britain' 4-6-2 was photographed by several people, and I will 'bank' the pics not used here for future use.

Pic number one is from David Quayle. David hasn't posted for a while but this was worth the wait. The locomotive, No. 34067 was, however, devoid of its nameplate and badge. Date - today, 18th March 2011.

Our second pic, from Paul Holland, features EWS (DBS) class 60, 60071, Ribblehead Viaduct taken at a different Warrington location than we have seen previously (I think) - Littons Mill Crossing. The working is Fiddlers Ferry Power Station (FFPS) - Liverpool Bulk Terminal (LBT) empty coal hoppers and the date, today, 18th March 2011. 

Geoff Monks has provided our third and final shot - of  EWS (DBS) class 66, 66002. The working is the same as above, FFPS - LBT  and the pic is dated  14th March 2011. Geoff advises that winter is the best time for this location, before the lineside trees are fully leaved. 

Well done to everyone for getting around the problems that we face with the engineering work at Winwick. I still have plenty of pics coming in - keep them coming.

Three Locomotive Classes; Three Contributors

The title says it all for this post, 16th March 2011.


The first pic, from John Smith, features two class 37 (97) Network Rail locos with a measurements coach sandwiched between them. The locos, in NR yellow livery, are 97302 and 97303 and the shot was taken at Red Bank on 14th March 2011. The working was Derby - Oxenholme.





Pic number two is from Bob McClellan and shows GBRf class 66, in Metronet livery, 66720 Metronet Pathfinder, passing through Earlestown with a Castleton - Peterborough engineering (rails) working. The pic is dated 12th December 2006.






The final pic in this post is from Geoff Monks. DBS liveried class (Super) 60, 60011, is depicted at Bank Quay on the lunchtime Liverpool Bulk Terminal - Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, loaded coal working.

20,000 Hits

I really cannot believe that in just over a year we have had 20,000 hits. Congratulations and well done to everyone who has contributed. There would be no blog without you guys; you have had an extraordinary 645 pics published up to 12th March 2011. Also many, many thanks to everyone who views/reads the blog, your support is very much appreciated.

Today's post, 14th March 2011, comprises three pics from three regular contributors. Pic number one is from Bob McClellan and shows a close up of class 92 loco, 92014 Emile Zola, and its French National Railway Corporation logo. The class of 46 was built between 1993-96, designed to operate between Britain and France through the Channel Tunnel. In 2000, Eurostar (UK) offloaded their seven class members, which were put into storage at Crewe. French SNFC owned locomotives were given the class name CC 92000. Bob's shot was taken at Bank Quay on 24th November 2004.

Pic number two is from yours truly. Depicted is a double heading pair of DRS locomotives - class 37, 37059 and class 20, 20305. The working is a WCRC empty stock move, through Winwick, on 23rd April 2010.

The third pic is from John Smith. DRS class 66, 66414, is pictured with a Virgin coach empty stock move, through Winwick, on 30th April 2007.

It's a first for the blog. Remember Dave Harris's shot in the 1st February 2011 post showing the new, 11-car Pendolino set. The post was called 'Extendolino'. Well, Dave's shot has made page 13 of the latest RAIL magazine. Have a look, but remember, you saw it first, on our blog.

More Blue Pullman

If you read the previous post about the Cotswold Rail Blue Pullman you will understand why FM Rail (Fragonset Merlin) was the franchise holder for this famous set of coaches, in 2006. In today's post, 12th March 2011, Bob McClellan's shot of the Blue Pullman on a railtour, is backed up by two other pics from other contributors.

In Bob's pic, FM Rail class 47 47832, Driver Tom Clarke OBE, is featured on the tail of  the blue and white Pullman coaches as they all pass, northbound, through Winwick on Thursday 14th September 2006. At the head was FM Rail class 47, 47712 Artemis. The 'Lake Windermere Blue Pullman'  railtour ran Euston - Oxenholme and return.

The next pic is from Jeff Nicholls. The Deltic class 55, 55022  Royal Scots Grey, is pictured on a Preston - Euston  railtour, southbound, through Winwick on 4th March 2011. The Spitfire Tour, using WCRC passenger stock, was titled 'Royal Scots Grey Positioning Tour Outward' and WCRC class 57, 57601, was on the tail.

The third pic is from Paul Holland. Shown is Freightliner class 66, 66551, on an empty coal hopper working from Walton Sidings to Liverpool  Docks at the Mersey Crossing.

Blue Pullman

Today's post (10th March 2011) features a pic from Bob McClellan, with overtures from the past. The Blue Pullman was a diesel-electric, multiple unit luxury train, built by Metro Cammell in 1960. It was used by British Railways until 1973 and was the first, diesel-electric, high speed Pullman train. Cotswold Rail acquired the rights to the Blue Pullman service in 2007, following the demise of FM Rail. This empowered the company to use the blue and white luxury coaches with its own silver-liveried class 47 locomotives.



Bob's shot shows double heading, Cotswold Rail class 47s, 47828 Joe Strummer, and 47813 John Peel, heading a railtour 'The Northern Fells Express - Blue Pullman', through Red Bank, on 24th March 2007. The railtour ran Watford - Carlisle - Watford and Bob's shot was taken a.m., northbound.




The second pic in this post is from John Smith. EWS (DBS) class 60, 60071 Ribblehead Viaduct, is pictured travelling southbound, through Winwick, on 12th February 2011. The locomotive's mirror
image  is superbly captured in 'Lake Winwick'.





The third and final pic is from Jeff Nicholls. Freightliner class 66, 66608, is depicted on an engineers working, southbound, through Winwick on 7th December 2010. The lighting is a little abnormal but conveys lots of impact to the picture.

Five from Three

Three contributors have sent me pics for this post, 7th March 2011, involving five locomotives and three classes.

The first pic is from Paul Holland. Double-heading, light engines are shown heading from Walton Sidings to Crewe close to the Mersey Bridge. Locomotives are Freightliner class 60s, 66528 and 66556.

The popular Liverpool Bulk Terminal - Fiddlers Ferry Power Station loaded coal working is shown in the next pic from Geoff Monks. EWS (DBS) class 60, 60071 Ribblehead Viaduct, is featured at Barnard Street, between Monks Siding and Sankey Bridges, on 3rd March 2011. Crosfield Works is clearly visible on the skyline.

The next two shots are both from Bob McClellan. The first is a very interesting and historic shot depicting the first Tesco Express intermodal working. The pic was shot at Winwick and the working was northbound. The locomotive at the head is DRS class 66, 66411 Eddie the Engine, in Stobart livery. The pic was shot after the launch ceremony had been held at Daventry on 19th September 2006.

Bob's second shot is of class 37, 37261. It was taken on 7th March 2005  The locomotive was owned by Ian Riley at the time and was moving passenger stock, northbound, through Winwick.

Diverse Mix of Locomotives

For today's post, 5th March 2011, I am using  four pics showing three diesel classes, an electric and a preserved steam locomotive. Four pics are used as I have received  a great response from contributors lately.


Pic number one, showing a superb pair of double-heading class 50s, is from Bob McClellan. 50031 and 50049, in BR large logo livery, were heading a mixed rake of passenger stock, on a railtour dated 7th March 2005.We don't get many class 50 shots on the blog so these are very welcome.




Pic number two is from Bevan Price. On Wednesday 2nd March 2011,  class 87, 87002 Royal Sovereign, in BR small logo livery, passed through Winwick, southbound, light engine, and Bevan was there to photograph it.




The third shot is from John Smith. EWS class 37, 37405, is depicted at Bank Quay on a metal scrap working, Arpley - Liverpool Docks. The pic is dated 3rd May 2007.

The final pic is from Jeff Nicholls. EWS (DBS) class 67, 67026 is shown in a double headed consist with BR 'Standard' class 'Pacific' No.71000 Duke of Gloucester. The pair were photographed at Chat Moss on 3rd March 2011.

Four Locomotives, Two Classes

Two class 66s feature in today's post, 3rd March 2011, along with two class 37s. They were photographed by three contributors, Daniel Irwin, Ken Young and John Smith.


Daniel's shot shows the GBRf class 66, 66722, Sir Edward Watkin, in the superb Metronet livery, heading a gypsum working out of Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. The pic is dated 25th January 2011.







Another class 66, of Freightliner, 66545 is pictured next. Ken Young's shot was taken at Bank Quay Station on 14th January 2011. The working was an engineers (ballast?) special. This is Ken's favoured location as it is not far from where he lives.



The two class 37s are pictured together, as a double headed consist at Winwick on 11th April 2007. The EWS locomotives in John's shot are 37405 and 37422 Cardiff Canton and the working was engineering training to Crewe.