Enfield Town to Pitsea

[vinnym70]

It's not often you see a class 69 on the GEML but I happened across one today, trundling past the Crossrail portal near Stratford as I was sat on the DLR at Pudding Mill Lane.

69006 according to RTT and just light loco. Runs from Broxbourne (Broxbourne DN TMP SDG GBF) to Enfield Town, then Enfield Town to Pitsea and then back to Broxbourne. Circuitous routes on the first leg but that may be the only legitimate route between Broxbourne and Enfield Town.

It might be a regular working but it was just something I spotted and it just looked out of place. But then, I don't associate light diesel locos heading up to Enfield Town in normal traffic?

Any ideas?

First working here: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:93685/2023-09-12/detailed

 

[Halish Railway]

I would bet on it being used for road learning for the forthcoming Railhead Treatment Trains which will run during leaf fall season. In the past Class 69s have provided the traction for these trains.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Indeed, 69006 was out last week on a similar trip.

 

[vinnym70]

Thank you both. Seems perfectly reasonable now. Can I assume that RHTT will be class 69's in GEML land this year then? Traditionally I seem to remember them being 37's but that was probably pre-covid.

 

[BigB]

Here's the working at Stratford just departing for Enfield

Just as soon as I can get the image smaller....

 

[foxes]

69006 has been enjoying some comprehensive tours of GEML/London Overground land hasn't it: for some reason trips to Upminster from Barking and the Gas Factory Junction loop near Limehouse seem to have been particularly frequent!

I had also concluded that these must be route learning jaunts for the Broxbourne-based RHTT's, particularly given the time of year, and that class 69 motive power is most likely. These RHTT's have been class 66 hauled since I moved to the area a few years ago and as far back as 2008 from what I can work out.

69006 came up the Chingford line again on Thursday 21st September before heading off to Network Rail's Whitemoor Local Distribution Centre, then yesterday (Friday 22nd) it was pathed back to Broxbourne as 3S10 - presumably having picked up the RHTT itself at Whitemoor - but this was cancelled at the last minute.

Railcam was showing that 69006 was due to be joined by 69010 on this movement, which would make sense as the RHTT is always topped and tailed, but I don't know what this was based on.

I'm therefore expecting this movement to happen sometime next week, but if anyone has any intel or concrete info I'd appreciate it.

69010 is very new and I can only find pictures/video of it in primer, so if anyone knows what livery it's wearing I'd be interested to know that too!

 

[Class 170101]

Railcam was showing that 69006 was due to be joined by 69010 on this movement, which would make sense as the RHTT is always topped and tailed, but I don't know what this was based on.

You need a driving vehicle of some short and normally its two locos.

 

[55002]

69002/003 were on the Broxbourne RhTT last week, looks like another pair joined them this morning. 004/006 were at Whitemoor yesterday so they could be the candidates.

edit. Confirmed 4 and 6