Sunday 13th May 2012

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Welcome to Super Sunday! Some of you may be familiar with Sky Sports Super Sunday football coverage but today I have something completely different, this is Super Tug Sunday! Today’s working is something I had been planning on doing for some time but it involved getting up early on a Sunday plus I need some good weather to boot. Well the weather obliged so I thought I should make the effort.

The target was going to be the Colnbrook tanks which runs from Lindsey to Didcot on the Saturday where it recesses until early Sunday morning before continuing the short distance to Colnbrook. Early morning shots are limited in the Thames Valley but I was sure I could do something in the Cholsey area. I managed to find a nice lineside shot and waited in the pleasant morning sun and I didn’t have long to wait until 60007 eased the 6A70 Didcot Yard – Colnbrook loaded tanks along the GWML making a nice sight.

That would have been the end of the days excitement but despite the forecast the weather stayed good all day so I thought it would be rude not to head out and bag the return working. :-) I knew the shot at Culham would be even better than when I bagged 70019 a few weeks ago as the days had lengthened even more. Again running right on schedule 60007 worked the 6E38 Colnbrook – Lindsey empties through the Oxfordshire countryside making a fine sight.

Saturday 12th May 2012

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The weather has continued to be pretty dire even since my previous update but finally we got a break in the rain and the sun came out to play. I wanted to make the most of it and today I had a choice for a change. I could head out West to photograph a shiny 60063 in DBS livery on the 6B33 tanks or I could head East and phot a pair of 37s on the Cruise Saver ECS. I opted for the Cruise in the end as the 60s *should* be around for a number of years giving me plenty more opportunities to phot them.

Having done the shot a Cholsey previously I moved along the line slightly to Moreton Cutting for today’s working which would be in the hands of a pair of 37s. The change in traction was due to a Class 47 failing on one of these workings a few weeks previous and a pair of tractors up front provides a bit more insurance and the other benefit is that a pair of 37s make a heck of a lot more noise! The driver was obviously enjoying himself as the horn could be heard tooting in the distance before the distinctive Class 37 roar grew louder as 37259/602 thundered past with more horn blowing working the 5Z77 Crewe CS – Eastleigh ECS :-)

Saturday 21st April 2012

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After my gorgeous week of sunshine at the end of March things took a turn for the worst and the associated April showers rolled in on a daily basis for pretty much the whole month however we did get some brief sunny spells. One of these spells happened to coincide with the this years inaugural running of the Cruise Saver which runs during the summer months from Edinburgh – Southampton docks to meet with various Cruise Ships.

These workings are diagrammed for DRS traction which provides a nice bit of livery variation all the way down here which is nice. Todays working was running with top and tail Class 47s with 47841 heading up the 1Z73 Edinburgh – Southampton Docks with 47818 on the rear and made a fine sight as it thundered through the Thames Valley at Cholsey running bang on time.