Well, that's it for another year. Turkey, sprouts, Christmas pudding, alcohol - what ever your particular persuasion - the festive period is over; and even though we may be a few pounds heavier it's back to normal for us all. This post, 23rd January 2017, the first of the new year, has only two contributors (those extra pounds again?), but ten photographs.
We begin with five shots from Jeff Nicholls. Jeff tracked the 'Mersey Weaver II' Special on 14th January 2017 as it travelled through our region.
The following pics read left to right, top to bottom; he describes them as follows - the tour was top and tailed by two DB class 66s, 66182 and 66056 and passed through Arpley Yard underneath the WCML via 'The Hole', (Jeff adds that he had never seen a passenger train do this before) and against the light. Then through Bank Quay to Earlestown where it reversed and passed the Royal Mail Terminal at Dallam. Then on to Frodsham where Jeff pictured it crossing the River Weaver and finally, in the dark, passing through Crosfields. The latter was shot at 6400 iso and converted to mono for better effect.
Ieuan Wood has sent in this pic of DB class 66, 66058 Derek Clark, passing through St Helens Central on 11th January 2017. The working was Ravenhead - Arpley empty sand wagons.
The final four pics are also from Jeff Nichols. Up first are two shots, below, of Freightliner 'HeavyHaul' class 70, 70006, on the same working, on consecutive days. The first (left) was taken at Bank Quay on 20th January 2017 and the second, at Winwick Quay, on the following day. The working was Coatbridge - Daventry intermodal.
Jeff's final two shots in this post are as follows. This one shows Freightliner class 66, 66519 on the same working as 70006 above but on 4th January 2016.
This last shot features GBRf class 92, 92032 IMechE Railway Division, on the weekly china clay working through Winwick, on 4th January 2017. GBRf have recently taken of the china clay working.