Four from four

This last May post - 31st May 2011 - comprises four pics from four different photographers.

The first pic is from John Smith. Featured is class 8F 2-8-0 48151, Gauge O Guild. The loco was passing through Winwick, with support coach, on a Carnforth - Shrewsbury working on 20th May 2011.

Pic number two is from Ken Young. Colas Rail class 66, 66845, is shown heading the popular logs working through Red Bank on 20th April 2011.

The third pic is from myself and shows a steel working from 2010. This working hasn't appeared much (if at all) this year so here is a reminder. The loco is EWS (DBS) class 66, 66015 and the working is Arpley - Liverpool Steel Terminal. The date was 3rd March 2010.

The final shot, a 'golden oldie' scan, is from Jeff Nicholls. Class 25, 25202 is shown double heading with class 40, 40001 on a BOC tanks working through Winwick on 31st March 1984.

Northern Belle

This post, 28th May 2011, features the freshly liveried and named DRS class 47, 47790 Northern Belle. The chocolate and cream livery is very eye-catching and matches the Pullman coaches associated with this luxury railtour.

The first pic is from John Smith. It was taken on 24th May 2011 at Winwick and shows the handsome 47790 on an empty Pullman stock move - DRS class 47, 47810 is on the rear. DRS is contracted to supply the Brush Type 4 traction for the train. It is rumoured that another loco is to receive the same livery.



Pic number two is also from John Smith. BR 'Standard' class 8, No.71000 Duke of Gloucester, is pictured passing through Winwick, southbound, on the Carlisle - Settle - Crewe 'Cumbrian Mountain Express'. The pic is dated 21st May 2011.



The third shot is from Ken Young. The 11-car 'Pendolino', 390054. has been covered in previous posts but Ken's pic is a real close up, showing the Alstom branding. The pic was taken at Bank Quay on 19th April 2011.





Jeff Nicholl's pic, number 4, was also taken on 19th April 2011. Freightliner 'PowerHaul' class 70, 70002, is shown approaching 12 arches near Bank Quay, heading a Carlisle - Mountsorrel engineers working.

25,000 Hits

What an achievement. Well done to all our contributors who have provided  the pics and info' that have attracted so many viewers to our blog. I'll bet none of us could have predicted this when we started in January 2010. And a huge thank you to all our viewers, your support is greatly appreciated by all blog contributors.For this special post, 22nd May 2011, I am using five more pics from different photographers featuring three classes of locomotive.

First up is a pic from Bob McClennan, of EWS (DBS) class 59, 59202 Vale of White Horse. The working is loaded coal, Liverpool Bulk Terminal - Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. The location is just outside Walton Sidings and the date, 20th May 2011.





Pic number two is from John Smith. EWS (DBS) class 66, 66197, is shown on an engineers (ballast) working in connection with the current remodelling of Winwick Junction. The pic is dated 23rd April 2011.



Alan Rigby has sent in pic number three. Network Rail's class 31, 31465, is pictured, light engine, passing through Winwick on 8th May 2011.






Ken Young's shot of GBRf (Eurotunnel) class 66, 66714 Cromer Lifeboat, is next. The loco is on a gypsum working on the low level line at Slutchers Lane. This pic is dated 22nd March 2011.





The final pic (left) is from Richard Jones, one of his 'golden oldies'. Taken in May 1992 and in the unusual vertical format, the shot features class 90, 90149, in Railfreight livery with 'Speedlink Distribution' diamonds logo. The pic was taken at Winwick.






As mentioned in the previous post, I am unavailable to post any pics/info' next week. Please send in your contributions from 29th May 2011;  post number 249 will appear soon after.

Three Steam, Two Diesels, One DMU

Three more steam shots in today's post, 20th May 2011, two old and one from today. Another shot shows two class 20 diesels with a fifth featuring a rare diesl unit.


Pic number one is from Ken Young. It shows LMS Stanier 'Pacific' 6201 Princess Elizabeth heading 'The Settle & Carlisle' railtour  through Red Bank on 26th March 2011. The railtour ran Crewe - Carlisle - Crewe with the latter leg on the Settle & Carlisle line.




The second pic is from Colin Platt and features Collett  'Castle' class 4-6-0, 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, at Winwick, southbound, on 16th April 2011. The railtour was 'The Red Rose'.





The third steam pic is from Glenn Oakley, taken today at Winwick. Stanier class 8F, 48151 Gauge O Guild, with support coach, was on a Carnforth - Shrewsbury working.




Shot number four is another from Ken Young. DRS class 20s, 20308 and 20309, are pictured, southbound, passing through Winwick, light engine double headed, on 15th April 2011.




The final pic features a rare diesel unit for Winwick - an Alstom 'Adelante' class 180, 180103. The pic is by Bevan Price and the date, 19th May 2011. The working was Wolverton Works - Newton Heath Depot, northbound.



NOTE : I will not be available to do any blog work next week so please hold on to any contributions until 29th May 2011.

ALSO :  PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS AT THE TOP OF THE BLOG.

Four Locomotive Classes

Today's post, 17th May 2011, comprises five pics from four contibutors showing the following locomotive classes - 92, 66, 70 and 60.

The first pic is from Alan Rigby. His shot is dated 27th April 2011 and was taken at Winwick. EWS (DBS) class 92, 92022 Charles Dickens, is shown on the mid-afternoon intermodal working.




Pic number two is from John Smith. John moved down the line a little to the East Lancs Road at Golborne for his shot of DRS class 66, 66421, on a coal working. The pic is dated 12th April 2011.



A Freightliner 'Powerhaul' class 70 is next, in a shot from Jeff Nicholls. Jeff photographed the loco, 70002, on an engineering working through Winwick, on 12th May 2011.





A 'tug' is the subject of Paul Holland's pic, taken at Arpley on 13th May 2011. DRS class 60, 60040 The Territorial Army Centenary, in deep red livery, is stationary in the yard.






The fifth and final pic, featuring a second class 92, is from Ken Young. DBS class 92, 92017 Bart the Engine (nicknamed 'Bart the Spark'), in Stobart blue/white livery, is pictured crossing the Mersey Bridge at Warrington with the famous Tesco Express Intermodal.



May I add my congratulations to both Jeff Nicholls and John Smith who have had 100 photographs published on the blog. Well done to both of you.

Full Steam Ahead

Steam enthusiasts have had a great time over the past few weeks on 'our patch' with a 'Princess', a Bullied 'Pacific', two different  'Castles', a single and double heading 'Black Fives' and a 'K4', all passing through. I have used some pics of each previously, but here are a few on 15th May 2011 which I had 'banked', plus a couple of more recent pics.


Pic number one is from Ken Young. Gresley 'K4' 2-6-2, No.61994 The Great Marquess, is featured with its support coach at Red Bank (?) on 6th April 2011.





The second pic is from John Smith. 'Castle' class 4-6-0, No.5029 Nunney Castle, designed by Charles Collett,  is depicted with its support coach at Winwick on 21st April 2011. The same locomotive passed through again, a day later, when it headed a leg of the 'Great Britain IV' railtour.


Another 'Castle' had previously passed through Winwick on the 16th April 2011, No.5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. The third pic, from Jeff Nicholls, shows 5043, complete with prominent double chimney,  heading 'The Red Rose' railtour on the Tyseley - Crewe - Manchester Victoria leg. The pic was taken on Chat Moss at Astley.



Pic number four is from yours truly and shows Ian Riley's 'Black Five' 4-6-0, No.44871, designed by William Stanier, heading a railtour through Winwick on 2nd April 2011.




The fifth pic is from Geoff Monks. Two 4-6-0 'Black Fives' of Ian Riley are pictured on 'The Cathedrals Explorer' railtour of 12th May 2011. They are double heading pair, No.45407 The Lancashire Fusilier, and No.44871. The pic was taken at Winwick.

The sixth pic is from Glenn Oakley. The same double heading 'Black Fives' are pictured coming off the bend at Winwick, on the same date.

And there are more steam pics 'in the bank' for future use.

Eight Locomotives, One Track Machine

Apologies, but through no fault of my own, the pics and info I posted on 11th May 2011, have disappeared. This is the result of the maintenance team overhauling the 'Blogger' system. So, here we go again, with a repeat (if I can remember what I posted). Because of the huge number of contributions at the present time, today's post - 13th May 2011 - comprises five pics from five different photographers.

Pic number one is from David Wood who hasn't contributed for quite a while. Virgin liveried class 57, 57307 Lady Penelope, is pictured at the lights at Winwick, where it had stopped, on 11th May 2011. It then returned from where it had come from - along the Earlestown line. Driver training was the likely reason.




The second pic is from John Smith. A couple of posts ago I described a pic from Ken Young involving three class 37s heading a single, spent nuclear fuel flask. Well, John Smith has gone one better. In his shot, taken on 11th May 2011, four class 37s are heading a single flask on a Crewe - Sellafield working. The DRS locos are 37608, 37059, 37603 and 37667.


Alan Rigby's shot of Freightliner 'PowerHaul' class 70, 70010, on a standard, southbound coal working, is next - pic number three. The picture was taken at Winwick, on 27th April 2011.  




Pic number four is from Jeff Nicholls. Two WCRC class 47s are in charge of an empty stock move, southbound, through Winwick on 12th May 2011. The locos are 47826, complete with 'Steam to Scarborough' advertising panels, at the head, and 47803 on the tail.



The last, but by no means least of today's pics, is from Ken Young. A rather spectacular, orange track machine of Colas Rail is shown at Red Bank (?). The machine is a Plasser and Theurer, 08-4x4/4S-RT Switch and Crossing Tamper, taking part in the remodelling of Winwick Junction, possibly.

86101 x 2

Today, 9th May 2011, I am using two pictures of the same train, from two different photographers. Jeff Nicholls has sent in a conventional pic, in colour, whilst Dave Harris has tried to attain a retro look for the same train, pictured in a different location. Dave has produced his pic in monochrome with a couple of 'bits' altered or removed digitally.

Both pics are of the Rail Blue Charter 'West Coast Premier II' which ran through Winwick on the Watford - Edinburgh leg on 6th May 2011. The AC Loco Group's class 86 electric 86101, Sir William A. Stanier FRS, was at the head. Jeff's pic was taken at Winwick.



Dave's original pic was taken at Red Bank as the train was passing Vulcan Village and his monochrome retro look includes a black headcode box and removed, front RCH cables.

Four Pics, Nine Locos

For today's post, 7th May 2011, we welcome back a regular contributor who hasn't posted for a while, Ken Young. Two other regulars, Bevan Price and John Smith are also represented.


Ken's first shot is of treble heading, DRS class 37s, 37603, 37602 and 37607, heading a nuclear spent fuel flask at Bank Quay on 20th April 2011. Yes, you read that correctly; three locos, one flask.




Ken's second pic is of an empty stock move on 25th April 2011. The locos in the shot were on the tail of the train - WCRC class 37s, 37685 and 37676 Rannoch Loch. WCRC class 57, 57601 was at the head. 'The Holy Oakes' railtour ran on the following day from Weston-Super-Mare to Holyhead and return, with the same three, WCRC locos and stock.


Pic number three from Bevan shows double heading, light engine class 66s, of GBRf (Eurotunnel), 66716 and 66705, on a Peterborough - Longport working. 66705 carries the union flag emblem and the name Golden Jubilee. The loco was named at Alstom Traincare's Willesden Depot on 22nd June 2002, to comemmorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.


The last pic is from John Smith and it's a scan from a slide taken on 12th September 2003. A DRS class 33, 33025, is shown heading two empty acid tanks at Winwick Junction on a Sellafield - Sandbach working. A DRS class 37, 37229, is on the tail.

Ray's birds

A total change of subject for today. In the post of 5th February 2010, I described the member of our 'Winwick Enthusiasts Club' often referred to as 'the bird man'. He feeds his feathered friends throughout the year but especially in winter; nuts, fat balls, mealworms, toast and other nourishment, is always on offer.

Railway photographers, in the lean times between trains, unashamedly take advantage of this photogenic bonanza when birds descend on fence posts or trees, or hang from stringed peanuts or fat balls. Ray Whitfield is the man, and today's post, 4th May 2011, is dedicated to him and his friendly robins, blue, great and long-tailed tits, dunnocks, yellowhammers etc., etc., and the occasional pheasant.

Pic one is of a blue tit which is the most numerous species to feed on Ray's fayre, especially the fat balls.





Robins are perhaps the favourite of most enthusiasts; they are fond of mealworms and very friendly and approachable for photography. Pic number two features a robin that has just finished off some of Ray's mealworms on top of a fence post.





Long-tailed tits can also be seen regularly in the company of blue tits and a long tailed tit is shown in pic number three. (The background has been subdued and monochromed to highlight the delicate colours of the bird). On one occasion I photographed four long-tails 'mugging' a single fat ball. 



To complete the set of four pics, Ray himself is portrayed. All pics are from yours truly.

For interest, other wildlife seen at Winwick over the past year includes the following - brimstone and gatekeeper butterflies, greater water boatman on a parked car, carrion crows, buzzards, kestrels, stoat, snipe, partridge, peregrine and skylark.

Intermodal, Engineering and Coal

This post, 2nd May 2011, comprises four pics, from three photographers, showing three locomotive classes.


The first shot is from Glenn Oakley. DRS class 66s, 66420 and 66428, are depicted double heading an intermodal working, northbound through Winwick, on 18th April 2011.






Another class 66 is shown in pic number two, from Bevan Price. EWS (DBS) 66199, is shown with an engineering working, in conjunction with the current track remodelling work, on 30th April 2011. Note the special wagons used for carrying points.



Two coal trains are up next. EWS (DBS) class 59, 59202 Vale of White Horse, is shown in pic number three, heading a coal working through Winwick, on 26th April 2011. The pic is from Jeff Nicholls.





Alan Rigby has sent in pic number four showing EWS (DBS) class 60, 60049, on a similar working through Winwick. This pic is dated 27th April 2011.