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.
30 minutes at Camelon 12.8.17
170396 arrives at Camelon with 2P37 Edinburgh Waverley - Dunblane
170478 departs Camelon with 2P38 Dunblane - Edinburgh Waverley
60085 approaches Camelon with 6S36 Dalston - Grangemouth tanks
66429 approaches Camelon with 4A13 Grangemouth - Aberdeen containers 12.8.17
Carstairs 66's 11.8.17
66432 top and tailed with 66430 were seen this afternoon waiting in the down goods loop at Carstairs with 6Z18 Carlisle Yard - Mossend engineering working
Bo'ness 37's 11.8.17
I had a quick visit to Bo'ness this afternoon and saw a line up of class 37's in the Diesel Yard!
One of Bo'ness' resident 37's 37261 was parked outside of the Diesel shed with DRS 37's 37602+37609, which are up to work the Northern Belle from Edinburgh - Oban tomorrow and West Coast's 37685.
Also seen was 27005, which was stabled in the display shed in between restoration work being carried out on it.
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| 37261, 37602, 37609 and 37685 at Bo'ness | 27005 in the display shed at Bo'ness in a lul in work to its restoration |
37602+37609 at Camelon 10.8.17
On Saturday the Northern Belle is visiting Oban. Due to Route Availability, traction that can be used on the Oban line is limited so a pair of 37s are required. In connection with this working, 37602 and 37609 complete with a support coach, worked as 5Z37 from Carlisle Kingmoor to Bo'ness.
37602+37609 were seen today approaching Camelon on 5Z37 Carlisle Kingmoor - Bo'ness
Edinburgh Tram 266's new advert 10.8.17
I decided to pop back to Edinburgh and try and get a photo of Edinburgh CAF Urbos 3 tram 266 in its new advert livery, having missed it yesterday and I wasn't disappointed!
266's advert for CR Smith features a CR Smith van on one of the wheel sections with a Musselburgh Racehorse and Falkirk Kelpie on the other wheel section.
The advert looks stunning and is very well designed.
Trams 259 and 266 are the first of 18 trams that will carry CR Smith adverts and it is expected that the 3rd advert liveried tram, which will feature the Orange and White striped lighthouse at Peterhead and Glasgow's Duke of Wellington statue complete with traffic cone and is expected out soon.
When the 18 trams are complete, there will be 20 trams in advertising livery, with 251 wearing the #tramspotting advert and 261 wearing the Edinburgh Festival advert, although this will probably be changed for another in house advert once the Festival is over at the end of the month.
Some of the detail of 266's advert
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| Kelpie and Racehorse on one of the Wheel Sections | CRSmith Van on the other wheel section |
A closer look at 261's advert
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| 261's Edinburgh Festival Advert | All Night Trams every Saturday during August panel | 70th Anniversary pane |
More Edinburgh Tram adverts! 9.8.17
Following on from the Edinburgh Festival advert tram a further 2 trams have appeared in advert liveries, both being launched today. Edinburgh Tram and CR Smith have signed a 2 year deal for CR Smith to advertise on an incredible 18 out of the 27 strong fleet!
On 9th August, the first 2 adverts were unveiled featuring stunning artwork pairing iconic Scottish locations or images that reflects not only the geographical spread of CR Smith’s customer base, but also celebrates Scotland’s soul and personality.
The first designs revealed include:
- a Musselburgh racehorse racing alongside a Falkirk Kelpie (carried by 266)
- the oldest stone bridge in the highlands at Carrbridge, arching over the Forth Rail Bridge (carried by 259, see photo on right)
- Glasgow’s cone crowned Duke of Wellington with the white and orange striped lighthouse at Peterhead (still to be unveiled).
It should be an interesting time for the Edinburgh Tramway with as many new advert liveries appearing in the next few weeks, talk of a 3 minute service during morning and afternoon peaks and with thoughts also turning to extending the tramway to Newhaven.
Detail of 259's new advert livery
251 in Tramspotting livery at Gogar Depot
Detail on 251's Tramspotting Livery
Birkenhead Tramway and Wirral Transport Museum 4.8.17
I spent an enjoyable couple of hours on the Birkenhead Tramway on Friday 4th August. It was my first visit to the line and I was very impressed. After getting off the ferry at Woodside, Lisbon 730 and Hong Kong 70 were waiting at the terminus. Lisbon 730 was the service car, whilst Hong Kong 70 was out on Driver Training and was running just in front of the service car.
Hong Kong (Birkenhead) 70 was built in Hong Kong (to the same style as the famous Hong Kong double deckers) in 1992 along with sister car 69, which was in Taylor Street depot. Both trams were delivered to and used occasionally on the Blackpool tramway until 1994 until the Birkenhead line was ready for testing.
Lisbon 730 was built in 1930 and spent many years operating on its native system before it was acquired for further use at the Seaton Tramway. However this didn't happen and eventually after a period in store, 730 ended up at Birkenhead in 2004, where it was restored (and reguaged from 2ft 11 7/16 inches to standard gauge), returning to service in 2006.
After a short 5 minute journey to the Wirral Transport Museum, both trams waited before heading back to Woodside.
Inside the museum were 4 tramcars, these were:
Warrington 28: A 4-wheel G F Milnes car. This was originally car 2, which was withdrawn in the 1930s, and was used as a shelter on a bowling green at Cuddington until 1977. It was based at St Helen's Bus Garage till 2004. Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society began to procure parts to help with it's preservation. The preservation will include a covered top deck with open balconies. Number 2 did not run in this form but number 8 did so the tram will be numbered 28 when complete.
Liverpool Baby Grand 245: 245 moved to Birkenhead in 2006 and restoration started in 2010. After 4 years of Hard work, 245 was completed and ready to grace the rails once more.
Liverpool Corporation Tramways 'English Electric' fully enclosed 8-wheel bogie car No.762. After withdrawal in 1956, the lower saloon was used as a clubhouse for the Newsham Park bowling green. The remains were rescued by the MTPS in 1977, and it was restored intermittently, arriving on the tramway on 6 February 2000. It entered public service in 2001.
Wallasey Corporation Tramways 'Bellamy' Brush 4-wheel car No.78. This tram was built in 1920, although it was old-fashioned in its design, having a covered central section of the upper deck, but open balconies at each end. On closure of the Wallasey system in 1933, it was used for storage on a farm in North Wales. The farmer gave it to the MTPS in 1986, and some initial restoration work was carried out in 1987. In 1997, the society obtained some Heritage Lottery Funding to allow them to complete the restoration, and the tram entered service in August 2002.
The museum also featured many photographs and displays from all the local and now closed tramways as well as some buses, cars and motorbikes from the local area. There was also a model railway.
After visiting the museum, it was time to catch Lisbon 730 back to Woodside. Once again, Hong Kong 70 followed behind and the pair were once again stabled at the terminus.
Chester and Southport 6.8.17 and 7.8.17
I was at Chester over the weekend, here are my sightings:
6.8.17
An unidentified pair of Arriva Class 158's and a class 153 on the rear pass Chester Racecourse with 1G26 Chester - Birmingham International
142044 seen stabled at Chester
Arriva Trains Wales liveried 158836+158837 wait at Chester prior to departure with 1G30 Chester - Birmingham International
175003 and 175010 seen stabled in the DMU sidings to the north of Chester Station
Arriva Trains Wales 175105 prepares to depart Chester with 1H88 Holyhead - Manchester Piccadilly
Colas Track Machines DR73921 and DR73922 at Chester
Mersey Travel liveried 3rd rail unit 508131 departs Chester with 2C46 Chester - Chester via Liverpool Central
7.8.17
67022 approaches Chester Racecourse with 1D34 Manchester Piccadilly - Holyhead Arriva Trains Wales Loco Hauled service
a pair of unidentified Class 221's pass Chester Racecourse with 1D83 London Euston - Holyhead
an unidentified class 158 passes Chester Racecourse with 1D12 Birmingham International - Holyhead via Chester service
On the way home, there was an unexpected stop off in Southport
507007+508126 prepare to depart Southport with 2U41 Southport - Hunts Cross
3rd rail Mersey Travel liveried 508136 and 507017 at Southport
150119 and 150218 seen at Southport
142070 at Southport
508136 and 508117 at Southport
507021 and 508117 at Southport
Colas Test Train 2.8.17
I headed out this afternoon to catch the Colas test train. My intention was to catch it at Carstairs South Junction.
I headed there but as I approached, I saw 66731 heading round the curve at Carstairs East Junction.
66731 with 6S50 Carlisle Yard - Millerhill Departmental
The heavens opened shortly afterwards so I decided to head further south to Crawford to catch the Colas test train, which I did, closely followed by a 68/66 combo.
37219 top and tailed with 37421 1Q74 Carlisle Wapping - Mossend Yard via Ayr, Carstairs South Junction and Shotts
68007+66429 pass with a Carlisle Kingmoor - Motherwell TMD Light engine move
Edinburgh Trams all over adverts 28.7.17
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
