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Mystery train on GWML

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norbitonflyer

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I was walking along the Thames Path near Cholsey today when I saw something unexpected crossing the river bridge there. Unfortuneatly as I was very close to the bridge I could only see the roofs of the vehicles over the parapet, but it looked like a pair of HST power cars sandwiching three other vehicles, one of which had a raised pantograph. RTT doesn't reveal anything obvious, so i wonder if anyone can identify what it could have been?
 
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aw1972

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Probably the overhead line testing train I saw at Swindon last night. 43301 and 43303 sandwiching 91117 and some mark 3 coaches.
 
fgwrich

fgwrich

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aw1972 said:
Probably the overhead line testing train I saw at Swindon last night. 43301 and 43303 sandwiching 91117 and some mark 3 coaches.
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Correct, it would have been this returning back to Loughborough where the set will be disbanded. It’s been staying in Swindon this week.
 
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Wyrleybart

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norbitonflyer said:
I was walking along the Thames Path near Cholsey today when I saw something unexpected crossing the river bridge there. Unfortuneatly as I was very close to the bridge I could only see the roofs of the vehicles over the parapet, but it looked like a pair of HST power cars sandwiching three other vehicles, one of which had a raised pantograph. RTT doesn't reveal anything obvious, so i wonder if anyone can identify what it could have been?
Click to expand...
I reckon the train you saw was powered by 43301 and 43303 and had 91117 in the formation. There was a 5Q01 from Loughborough to Swindon on 23rd May, then on 25th and 26th it worked 1Q90 and 1Q91, then today it ran as 5Q01 0943 Swindon - Loughborough.

1Q90 on 25th was 1940 Swindon - Swindon shuttling to and from Severn Tunnel Jn and Reading.
1Q91 on 26th was 1944 Swindon - Swindon shuttling up and down betwen Reading and Swindon.
5Q01 today was 0942 off Swindon, running initially to Scours Lane, then transiting back to Loughborough via the Cherwell Valley, Coventry, Nuneaton, Abbey St (REV) and Hinckley.
 
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norbitonflyer

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Mcr Warrior said:
@norbitonflyer. The obvious question is... At what time was this?
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sorry -shortly before 12 noon

RTT shows 5Q01 passing Goring & Streatley northbound at 1151, which fits perfectly.

I had searched in RTT for trains passing Cholsey aruynd that time - for some reason RTT didn't give it a passing time there.
 
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Peter C

Peter C

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There are a couple of nice photos of the train on the HondaWanderer website:

The 5Q01 09:42 Swindon Transfer to Loughborough Brush passes Uffington on 28 May 2025 with 43301 leading and 43303 bringing up the rear. 91117 Project Electra is in the centre of the train. This was running 45 minutes late, due to an earlier failed freight train. The late running had improved the light angle, but the chance of actually getting any light was diminishing by the minute. Luckily this came in one of the last sunny periods.
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91117 Project Electra is dragged past Uffington on 28 May 2025, in the centre of the late running 5Q01 09:42 Swindon Transfer to Loughborough Brush, led by 43301. The loco had been used over the weekend for overhead line testing.
Click to expand...

(Apologies - I can't get the photos to paste into this post.)

-Peter
 
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