Hi, Welcome to my blog. It will contain my latest sightings, links to my latest photos and info pages and any relevant news updates. It will be updated when possible.
There are currently 2 adverts on the Edinburgh trams, the first is 251 with 'Tramspotting' all over advert and revynaled in the past couple of days tram 261 is wearing a vynal advertising the Edinburgh Festival. Both are seen at Ingliston Park and Ride on 28.7.17.
Tram 251 in 'Tramspotting' advert
Tram 261 in Edinburgh Festival advert
The other side of Tram 261's advert
I spent a couple of hours at Camelon this afternoon, here are my sightings:
68017 approaches Camelon with 5G13 Motherwell TMD - Edinburgh Waverley Fife Circle ECS
170460 pauses at Camelon with 2P32 Dunblane - Edinburgh Waverley
158726 arrives at Camelon with 2J72 Glasgow Queen Street - Falkirk Grahamston
170456 waits at Camelon with 2P34 Dunblane - Edinburgh Waverley
158726 arrives at Camelon with 2J73 Falkirk Grahamston - Glasgow Queen Street
60095 approaches Camelon with 6R46 Prestwick - Grangemouth tanks
66135 passes through Camelon with 6M80 Grangemouth - Sinfin Sidings Aviation Fuel tanks
I spent 30 minutes at Bargeddie this afternoon, here is my sightings:
320319+320415 arrive at Bargeddie with 2R40 Dalmuir - Whifflet
56094 passes through Bargeddie with 6R46 Prestwick - Grangemouth oil tanks
318252+320413 depart Bargeddie with 2S01 Motherwell - Dalmuir
Colas liveried 47749 passes through Bargeddie with 0Z47 Polmadie - Mossend light engine move
An unexpected early finish led to an afternoon of spotting!
I wasnt expecting to get out spotting today but an unexpected early finish at work meant an afternoon out!
First I headed to Carstairs for 66737 with 4 flats heading south with 6M63 Glen Douglas MOD - Carlisle Yard wagon move
then went to Greenfaulds and saw the following:
68017 with 5G13 Motherwell - Edinburgh Waverley Fife Circle ECS move
318257+320415 with 2F01 Cumbernauld - Dalmuir
320309 departs with 2V54 Cumbernauld - Dumbarton Central
334010 arrives with 2V56 Dumbarton Central - Cumbernauld
156496 arrives with 2J71 Falkirk Grahamston - Glasgow Queen Street
158789 arrives with 2J72 Glasgow Queen Street - Falkirk Grahamston
318253+318252 arrive at Greenfaulds with 2C02 Milngavie - Cumbernauld
60085 approaches with 6R46 Prestwick - Grangemouth oil tanks
I spent 30 minutes at a gloriously sunny Carstairs and caught 3 freights in that time! Here are my sightings:
88007 heads south from Carstairs with 4M48 Mossend - Daventry containers
90039+90040 approach Float Viaduct with 6M76 Mossend to Warrington Arpley
86609+86622 approach Float Viaduct south of Carstairs with 4L81 Coatbridge - London Gateway Containers
Sightings from Carlisle Station 22.7.17 2.45pm - 5.10pm
156483 arrives at Carlisle with 2C33 Lancaster - Carlisle via the Cumbrian Coast service
185153 arrives at Carlisle with 1S61 Manchester Airport - Glasgow Central service
46233 reverses into Carlisle with 5Z46 Carlisle - Carlisle loco and support coach turning move
158907 arrives at Carlisle with 2H88 Leeds - Carlisle service
156490 departs Carlisle with 2N40 Carlisle - Middlesborough service
158859 prepares to enter Carlisle with an ECS working from the siding behind platform 6
46233 prepares to depart Carlisle with 1Z34 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' railtour from Carlisle - Crewe
66096 passes through Carlisle with 4M30 Grangemouth - Daventry containers
66516 passes through Carlisle with a light engine working from Tyne Yard - Carlisle Yard
68004 prepares to depart Carlisle with the Pathfinders railtour from Carlisle - Bristol Temple Meads
156460 arrives at Carlisle with 2C37 Barrow in Furness - Carlisle
142063 arrives into Carlisle with 2N37 Newcastle - Carlisle
West Coast's 37516 passes through Carlisle with 5Z51 Fort William - Carnforth ECS working
I went to Carlisle for the DRS depot open day in Carlisle. It was a great day out, even if the weather didn't play ball in the afternoon! Here are my sightings:
From the bridge outside Kingmoor:
Once I had seen 88007 pass, I went into the depot. There was a good selection of locos on display to see throughout the depot. There was a lineup of 4 68's in 4 different liveries with 68026 in the plain blue livery, 68001 in Compass livery, 68012 in Chiltern Livery and 68006 in Scotrail livery. 66301 was also named 'Kingmoor TMD' during the afternoon.
Locos seen included:
The heavens opened at around 1.30pm and it was torrential rain! I hung around till the naming ceremony for 66301 and then went into Carlisle Station.
I went to Blackpool for the day on Sunday for the annual Fleetwood Transport Festival (Tram Sunday). I arrived in Blackpool at 1pm and went to North Pier for the tram to Fleetwood. There was a 20 minute Heritage service running to Ash Street as well as the regular Flexity service. Trams on the Heritage Service were:
Route A: Brush Car 623 and Ex Towing Railcoach 680
Route B: Millennium Balloon 718
Route C: Bolton 66
Route D: Balloon 717
Route E: Balloon 715
Route F: Balloon 723
I caught Balloon 717 from North Pier to Ash Street and had a wander round the event. Stabled at Pharos Street was Fleetwood Box Car 40, B Fleet Balloon 711 and Illuminated Trawler 737. I headed back to Ash Street to catch the tram to Blackpool and just as I arrived, Brush Car 623 and Ex towing railcoach 680, which were both operating on route A arrived.
623 has recently returned to Blackpool on loan from Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester and will be in Blackpool till the end of the illuminations as part of the 80th Birthday celebrations for the Brush Cars. It required a reduced height trolley tower to allow it to fit into the depot at Heaton Park. When it returned to Blackpool a couple of weeks ago, it required an extension to the trolley tower to allow the pantograph to be able to reach the wire. 623 had last ran in Blackpool in November 2009 on the last day of service to Fleetwood before the line from Ash Street to the Ferry closed for upgrading. It moved to the Museum of Museums in Manchester along with Balloon 702 in 2010, then to Heaton Park in 2011 where it made its debut in 2012. 623 made it's debut back in Blackpool on a tour on 14th July in Wartime Green and Cream livery.
I caught 680, which ran a short distance behind 623 heading back to Pleasure Beach. At Cabin, 623 and 680 were joined by Balloon 717, which had arrived on a short working from Pleasure beach and was returning there. So from Cabin to Pleasure Beach, there was a 3 car heritage convoy made up of 623, 680 and 717, bringing back memories of the pre upgrade tramway where convoys of trams was commonplace.
Once at Pleasure Beach, the 3 trams unloaded and headed back north to the Foxhall, where they would reverse and head back to Rigby Road. Bolton 66 made an unscheduled journey to Pleasure Beach and was soon followed by Balloon 723, the last Pleasure Beach working of the day. After a trip to the Velvet Coaster for Dinner, it was time to head back to Blackpool North for the train home.
More Photos from Tram Sunday can be found at http://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p553573863
I spent a week on holiday in Blackpool and had a few journeys on the heritage trams!
The following trams were out on the heritage service during the week:
6 different trams were used on the service during the week, 66 was out twice, 600 was out 3 times as was 715. 717 was out 4 times and 723 and 680 were out only once during the week.
Balloon 717 also worked a Private Hire from the North Pier heritage siding to the Savoy Hotel near Gynn Square via Little Bispham loop on Friday 7th, while Fleetwood Box Car 40 was out on a tour from Pleasure Beach on Saturday 8th, unfortunately I was already on my way home by this point so didnt manage to get a photograph.
Of interest at Rigby Road, Brush Car 625 and Standard 143 were stabled at the front of the depot as was newly repainted Millennium Balloon 718, while Brush Car 623 was visible in the Electrical Compound.
More photographs from the week can be found at http://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p399815755