More fun at the local - Monday 22nd July 2019
As the weather was nice (a little too nice actually), I decided to venture down to the local last Monday for a few hours to enjoy the afternoon rush. So armed with my book, I ventured down Station Road where I was able to see 47813 heading back to Leicester L.I.P - it produced a fine example of that 47 growl as well. There were a couple of workings which caught my eye on RTT so I ventured over to P5/6 as a couple were pathed through the little used platform 6 and from here I spied my first shed of the day as dud 66135 ventured through with a rake of cars on route to the docks at Southampton. Departmental workings have become my friend at the local with winners becoming less frequent and it was nice to see
DR98004 for the first time as it enjoyed a 20 minute wait in the goods loop
DR98004 & DR98003 by
The_Train
The regular sighting of 66429 was next as it remained on the Crewe Basford Hall to Cliffe Hill Stud working but then all hell seemed to break loose, which seemed to be because of the late arrival of 1F16 1324 VTWC service to Liverpool. 37800 was working light from Leicester to Crewe South Yard and it appeared on the down fast, where it was held for a lengthy period of time as passenger services were pathed in favour of it. This working would normally head through the GL or P6/5 but with the goods loop occupied and the signallers clearly wanting to keep P5 clear for passenger workings, I was still confused as to why P6 wasn't used. That was until 350117 appeared in P6 to make a scheduled stop so that the late running VTWC service could remain in its planned platform 3. This would have worked quite well had a Crewe Gresty Bridge to Crewe Gresty Bridge light engine working (I'd noticed it was working as 0Z88 so thought I might be in luck with an 88 I need) not been sat at Little Bridgford Jct waiting for a path into P6. Whilst trains queued up behind this, the signallers eventually got things moving again with dud 88007 eventually arriving into P3. Whilst all this was going on 88001 made its way through P5 with the Daventry to Mossend working before DR98004 finally departed and allowed me to see that it had
DR98003 for company
88001 by
The_Train
There was also a Crewe Electric to Wembley working out and about and this is one that can throw up something as plain as a FLR 90 or something a bit more interesting such as 67021, in its Pullman Brown and Cream livery, hauling
59206 southbound
67021 and 59206 by
The_Train
Things started to calm down a bit after this with just dud 66164 passing through alongside the multitude of Pendos, 350s and Voyagers such as 221133
221133 at Stafford by
The_Train
A couple more FLR 66/5s went onto the dud list before
66148 brought a smile to my face as it headed towards Daventry having worked from Mossend in place of the usual 90s (something to do with the diverts in place I believe?)
66148 by
The_Train
Just 5 minutes later and the MPVs were making my winner count seem extraordinary as
DR80303 and
DR80301 passed by heading towards Edge Hill
DR80303 and DR80301 by
The_Train
6 winners at the local already. Been a long time since I made it to double figures here but could today be the day to do just that? Well my hopes were certainly raised a few minutes later as
66074 went into the book whilst hauling a rake of cement wagons to Theale. It was 20 minutes to the next freight working so I immersed myself in yet another new book before
66116 passed through as it hauled a rake of containers to London Gateway. I enjoyed a stroll across to the south end of the P3/4 for no reason whatsoever, but I did spy dud 66508 heading north
66508 by
The_Train
One of the workings that caught my eye was a Crown Point to Crewe Electric as I'd hoped this might be something that I'd missed out on during my trip to Anglia. It was pathed into P6 with a bit of a wait, so I headed back across there only to be disappointed when I saw that it was a 57 running light. However, my disappointment soon faded when I realised it was the very much required 57003
57003 by
The_Train
That took my tally for the day to 9 and I felt that despite this being an unreal haul at the local, there'd be a tinge of disappointment at not making it to double figures. However, those fears were soon alleviated when
66522 made an appearance as it headed South towards Felixstowe
66522 by
The_Train
68004 flew through next as it headed home to Gresty Bridge on an STP working from Bescot before the fantastic looking 66780 showed off it's glorious Cemex livery as it worked from Longport to Basford Hall
The No.1 livery? by
The_Train
I was planning to hang around for a light engine working from Wembley but I was told that it was a FLR 90 so decided against waiting for that, instead I waited for 66221 to come by on an Ince & Elton to Bescot working as, thanks to my new fangled spreadsheet, I knew I needed a photo of it which I duly grabbed before heading home happy with such a great haul of 10 winners.
A few days later, having just completed my daily exercise and with me about to head into the shower I received a message from
@47403 advising me that
@palmersears had posted gen on here regarding 88009 which was a requirement for me. Unfortunately with 3 conducting necessary works locally, I had very limited access to the internet so would have missed this had Mr 403 not had the foresight to text me. Only problem was 009 was only 15 minutes away from Stafford so it was a swift shower, followed by a swift change and it allowed me to see a southbound
88009 as I walked towards the station (I wasn't quick enough to make it onto the platform for a pic). I decided to have a swift walk around the block to continue my exercise theme and as I headed back past the station 68009 passed through before I headed home where I felt like I needed another shower after all that rushing about - it's been a bit hot this week hasn't it?
Summary as ever is below:
For Sight
Winners:
11
Coaching Stock Winners:
0
Classes completed:
N/A
Sub classes completed:
N/A
TOCs completed:
N/A
TOC sub classes completed:
N/A
37: 37800
47: 47813
57:
57003
59:
59206
66:
66074,
66116, 66135,
66148, 66164, 66221, 66429, 66501, 66508,
66522, 66537, 66538, 66740, 66780
67: 67021
68: 68004, 68009
88: 88001, 88007,
88009
220: 220002, 220005, 220007, 220010, 220014, 220022
221: 221103, 221105, 221108, 221110, 221113, 221114, 221115, 221121, 221122, 221133, 221136
350: 350105, 350107, 350108, 350110, 350112, 350114, 350117, 350118, 350122, 350126, 350128, 350130, 350234, 350237, 350240, 350249, 350250, 350255, 350258, 350259, 350266, 350267, 350370, 350375
390: 390045, 390047, 390107, 390122, 390124, 390131, 390135, 390136, 390137, 390138, 390141, 390155
OTMs:
DR80301,
DR80303
MPVs & MMUs:
DR98003,
DR98004
I don't think there's really any rangers in the Edinburgh area these days, which is a shame. I'm sure you already know about the footbridge at Haymarket, incredibly helpful and far superior to the one that was there in my spotting hayday! Waverley is a pain to spot at, such a maze of platforms. And that was before the new eastern bays!
66129 by The_Train
67029 by The_Train
66034 by The_Train
70002 by The_Train
Tractors at Stafford by The_Train
OTM action at Stafford by The_Train
66721 and 92032 by The_Train
92032 by The_Train
57314 & 57601 by The_Train
350104 by The_Train
66130 by The_Train
FLR's Fab 4 by The_Train
70006 by The_Train