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Blackpool Heritage Trams on Bank Holiday Weekend 28.4-1.5.17
I spent the Bank Holiday weekend in Blackpool from 28th April - 1st May and there were plenty of heritage trams out during that time. 11 different heritage/ illuminated trams were out in service over the weekend with 3 B Fleet trams also seeing use. The only servicable trams from the heritage/B fleet not used were: 227(602) (undergoing an internal repaint), 230(604) (stored awaiting an internal repaint), 675+685 (work going on to its wiring), 718 (being repainted) and 719 (unknown).
Friday 28th
Friday wasnt originally organised as having heritage trams running, however a late change saw Brush car 631 and Balloon 701 out on Pleasure Beach - North Pier/Cabin workings from 13.40 and into the evening, a couple of runs to Cleveleys and Fleetwood.
The Photo on the right shows Brush Car 631 passing the site of the old Imperial Hotel tram stop en route from Fleetwood - North Pier on a heritage working on 28.4.17.
There was to be a 7 tram heritage service operating over the weekend instead of the usual 6 route Bank holiday service. Route G was an extra bonus working over the weekend and featured an illuminated tram on each of the 3 days. It started later on the Saturday as it was used to take the FTS group from Rigby Road to Fleetwood for their annual convention around lunchtime. Route F duties were shared between Bolton 66 and Fleetwood 40, whilst Route C was the shop tram and utilised a B Fleet balloon on each of the 3 days.
Saturday 29th
7 Heritage trams were due out on Saturday, allocated routes A-G.
A: Ex towing railcoach 680
B: Balloon 701
C: Balloon 700
D: Brush Car 631
E: Balloon 723
F: Bolton 66
G: Frigate 736
Balloon 723 had replaced Balloon 715, which had been due to work on route E. The tram was later seen parked outside the electrical compound.
Also spotted at Rigby Road was Balloon 703, which has recently returned to Blackpool from Beamish and is sporting red and cream Sunderland livery from its time masquerading as Sunderland 101. Brush Car 621, which is in the process of being prepared for a return to service in September for the Brush Car's 80th Anniversary in service, was partly visible parked at the front of the electrical compound (seen via the 60 x zoom on my camera). I didn't travel on the heritage trams on this day as I decided to take photographs instead. The photo above shows F736 and Balloon 701 stabled at Pleasure Beach in between workings on 29.4.17.
Sunday 30th
7 Heritage trams were due out on Sunday, allocated routes A-G.
A: Brush Car 631
B: Balloon 715
C: Balloon 711
D: Balloon 723
E: Centenary 648
F: Fleetwood 40
G: The Western Train 733+734
The 7 trams ran as per the original allocations although 631 on route A and 648 on route E swapped routes during the afternoon. I managed to travel on 6 of the 7 trams during the day including a run from Cabin - Cleveleys on 648, Cleveleys - North Pier on 631, North Pier Cabin on Fleetwood 40, Cabin - Fleetwood on the top deck of 711, Fleetwood - Pleasure Beach on the Western train, Pleasure Beach - Bispham on 723. The above photo shows Balloon 715 at Bispham on a working to Pleasure Beach.
Monday 1st
7 Heritage trams were due out on Monday, allocated routes A-G.
A: Centenary 648
B: Balloon 717
C: Balloon 713
D: Balloon 701
E: Boat 600
F: Bolton 66
G: Frigate 736
Once again, all 7 ran as per their original allocations and again I managed to travel on 6 out of 7 trams. The use of Balloon 713 on this day was a highlight as I havent seen or been on this particular tram since July 2011. Journeys included Cabin - Bispham - Pleasure Beach on 713, Pleasure Beach - North Pier on 736, North Pier - Bispham on 701, Bispham - Little Bispham - Pleasure Beach on 717, Pleasure Beach - North Pier on 66 and Pleasure Beach - Cabin on 648. The photo above shows Balloon 713 in all over advert for Hounds Hill Shopping Centre working the first heritage working of the day from Pleasure Beach - Bispham on 1.5.17.
As well as the heritage workings, the usual diet of Flexities were out with 14 out of 16 seen. Only 003 and 016 weren't seen out over the weekend. Overall, it was a fantastic weekend and the weather was good, which is always a bonus!
My photos from the weekend can be found at: http://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p474188147
Crawford Engineering workings 22.4.17
Engineering works were taking place on the West Coast Mainline at 2 Scottish locations today, these were Lockerbie and Abington. As a result, the area around Crawford was busy with engineering workings this morning.
In the space of 1 hour, the following workings were seen passing Crawford:
66063 heads south past Crawford with 6K05 Millerhill - Lockerbie engineering working
66004 passes Crawford with 6K10 Carlisle Yard - Abington engineering working
66415 approaches Crawford with 6K15 Millerhill - Lockerbie engineers
66031 waits at Crawford with 6K11 Carlisle Yard - Abington engineering working
66551 passes Crawford with 6K12 Carlisle Yard - Abington engineering working
66507 waits at Crawford with 6K14 Carlisle Yard - Abington engineering working
66621 waits at Crawford with 6K13 Carlisle Yard - Abington engineering working
73967 at Arrochar and Tarbet 17.4.17
The Caledonian Sleeper Edinburgh Waverley - Fort William Portion has been in the hands of one of GBRF's pool of 6 Caledonian Sleeper Class 73 locos for a number of months. They took over the workings from the DBS owned class 67's.
73967 is seen preparing to depart Arrochar and Tarbet with 1Y11 London Euston - Fort William (Edinburgh Waverley - Fort William Portion) Caledonian Sleeper service.
37421 tnt 37057 today
Colas liveried 37421 top and tailed with BR Green liveried 37057 were out and about today working 1Q75 Mossend - Mossend Network Rail PLPR test train. It was seen in 3 different places: Holytown, Lanark and Cartland. Here are the photos of the working today.
Holytown with 37421 leading
Lanark with 37057 leading
Cartland with 37057 leading
37421 and 37057 at Carstairs 12.4.17
Colas liveried 37421 top and tailed with BR Green Liveried 37057 seen approaching Carstairs South Junction with 1Q74 Carlisle Wapping Sidings - Mossend Network Rail PLPR Test Train
Also seen were:
An unidentified triple set of class 325's heads south from with 1M44 Shieldmuir - Warrington Royal Mail delivery
New Transpennine Express liveried 350402 accelerates away from Carstairs South Junction with 1M91 Edinburgh Waverley - Manchester Airport
66592 heads south from Carstairs with 0Z82 Coatbridge Freightliner Terminal - York South Yard light engine movement
Collection of 47813 and 37601 in pictures
Rail Operations Group sent DCR liveried 56303 to Carlisle today (11.4.17) to collect ex DRS locos 37601 and 47813. 37601 has been bought by Europhoenix and 47813 by Rail Operations Group. Here is the move in pictures:
56303 arrives at Carlisle with 0N09 Leicester LIP - Carlisle light engine movement
56303 couples up to 37601 and 47813 in High Wapping Sidings
56303 hauls 37601 and 47813 from High Wapping Sidings to the sidings behind Platform 1
56303 uncoupled from 37601 and 47813 and headed north to run round
56303 runs round on Platform 1 and heads south
56303 runs round at the south end of Platform 1
DCR Liveried 56303 with 47813 and 37601 dead in tow depart Carlisle with 0M59 Carlisle - Leicester LIP loco move
Carlisle 11.4.17
I went back to Carlisle today for the last time over the Easter Holidays. After a very quiet start (with no freight or loco moves from 11am when I arrived until 1.30pm) the afternoon was quite busy!
Here are my sightings
350403 departs with a Glasgow Central - Manchester Airport service
142021 departs with a service for Newcastle
153317+158851 depart Carlisle with a service for Leeds
153307 at Carlisle (on this service, which arrived more than 25 minutes late 153307, the rear unit on arrival which should have formed the 12.08 to Barrow was removed from the train at Carlisle and stored in platform 6 for a time. It appeared to have developed a fault, the other 153 formed the service back out to Barrow departing almost 45 minutes late)
158855 is shunted into the siding behind platform 6
156490 departs with a service to Newcastle
142053 arrives with a service from Barrow in Furness
158872+158907 arrive with a service from Leeds
88002+88001 (making it's debut run) approach with 0Z89 Crewe - Carlisle Kingmoor light engine test run
66304+37259 wait on the centre track at Carlisle for a path heading southwards with 0K27 Carlisle Kingmoor - Crewe Basford Hall light engine move
66100+67014+66099 pass with 6E50 Carlisle Yard - Tyne Yard engineers
56303 arrive with 0N09 Leicester LIP - Carlisle light engine movement
BR Large Logo Liveried 37401 approach with 2C49 Barrow in Furness - Carlisle Northern Service
156509 departs Carlisle with a service from Glasgow Central - Newcastle
BR Large Logo Liveried 37402 departs Carlisle with 2C34 Carlisle - Barrow in Furness Northern Service (37402 and the spare set replaced 401 at Carlisle and subsequently broke down 50 minutes later and had to be towed back by 57304!)
153332 prepares to depart with a service for Barrow in Furness
DCR Liveried 56303 with 47813 and 37601 dead in tow depart with 0M59 Carlisle - Leicester LIP loco move
Class 68 and 88 names
68001 'Evolution'
68002 'Intrepid'
68003 'Astute'
68004 'Rapid'
68005 'Defiant'
68006 'Daring'
68007 'Valiant'
68008 'Avenger'
68009 'Titan'
68010 'Oxford Flyer'
68011
68012
68013
68014
68015
68016 'Fearless'
68017 'Hornet'
68018 'Vigilant'
68019 'Brutus'
68020 'Reliance'
68021 'Tireless'
68022 'Resolution'
68023 'Achilles'
68024 'Centaur'
68025 'Superb'
68026
68027
88001 'Revolution'
88002 ' Prometheus'
88003 'Genesis'
88004 'Pandora'
88005 'Minerva'
88006 'Juno'
88007 'Electra'
88008 'Ariadne'
88009 'Diana'
88010 'Aurora'
New livery for TPE Class 350's
The Transpennine liveried class 350/4's are beginning to be revynaled in First Transpennine Express's new livery. 350402 was the first to receive the new livery last week, with 350403 appearing today in the new livery.
88's at Kingmoor 10.4.17
Since I visited the Nature Reserve at Kingmoor last week, a shunt has taken place, with 68026 and 027 having been moved, with a further 2 88's added to the lineup along the fence at the edge of Kingmoor.
From right to left is:
88005 'Minerva'
88004 'Pandora'
88007 'Electra'
88010 'Aurora'
88009 'Diana'
88006 'Juno'
From the bridge 88001 'Revolution' is at the head of the 2nd line. 88002 is next then behind the DBSO is 88003 and 008