These weather people seem to be getting quite good at their job, with the predicted good weather having continued today with glorious conditions. I had planned on going over to the WCML today but on checking planned engineering works it appeared to be shut. That was until I saw a message stating 57303 was working Euston – Wolverhampton. Upon reading this I checked again and if I had read the planned works properly I would have seen it was closed from 21.30 Saturday so was still open during the day. I jumped in the car and headed off to Cheddington on the WCML.
There were three Southbound Intermodals booked on the WCML from mid afternoon onwards which would be nice change to photograph something different. My photos of electric traction are rather lacking but sadly I wouldn’t be adding to them today either as we will see shortly. It was a rather quiet afternoon with the slow lines shut through Cheddington forcing all the workings onto the main lines. No freight at all for about two hours thought 87001 was noted heading into Euston on a Virgin West Coast service. Finally a 66 appeared in the haze to the North and it turned out to be 66152 on an Intermodal service although I couldn’t identify which one.
I mentioned earlier 57303 had worked to Wolverhampton earlier in the day and it was also booked to do 1A60 Wolverhampton – Euston. I like the livery on the Virgin thunderbirds so was looking forward to getting a photograph of one at work. Just after 5pm it came thundering through the station on the slighty late running 1A60 service. I should try and get over to the WCML mainline more often to photograph more of the 57/3s before they destroy them like they have 57301! All for now…
The second movement of 87s from Wembley to Bicester for storage was scheduled today. With the working due into Bicester at 09.25 that meant an early rise. The alarm was set for 7am but I must have been well gone as I woke at 8am. If it was running to schedule I had pretty much no chance of getting out but I thought what the heck lets try it anyway. I went for Didcot North and there was a photgrapher on the bridge which was a good sign. I asked and he said they hadn’t been through yet so it looked as though I would be in luck.
The time ticked by and while I was waiting 57011 turned up on 4M50 Southampton – Hams Hall and it was powering nicely as it came over the junction. As soon as it had cleared 66242 appeared from the station with a rake of Monster Box wagons which I think was 6A13 Westbury – Appleford.
By now the storage move was well late and I was beginning to think it may have been caped but as with Wednesdays working it was running late and around 10.20 a freightliner 66 came out of the station with 87s in tow. It was 66550 with 87034/017/011.
I don’t know of anymore storage movements at the moment but I guess there is a good chance as the 87s are switched off. The forecast is good this weekend so hopefully I can get out and about.
These updates are still fairly infrequent mainly due to poor weather and not much to phot. Well today the weather was still poor but the consist made up for it. I was checking my emails late this morning when I saw a post about a Freightliner 66 hauling some 86s through Slough! This is rather unusual and after scanning some messages I discovered it was 66546 working 0T19 Wembley – Bicester MOD. The consist was 87018/020/009 going for storage and thus giving the rare sight of an 87 through my local line. As the working was already past Slough I didn’t have much time to waste so I settled on my nearest station which is Radley.
I arrived at Radley with plenty of time to spare and noted 66175 on 6A49 Didcot – Bicester MOD and 66520 heading LD South. I presume the 66/5 was from Hinksey VQ and running to Didcot for fuel. A short while later 66546 appeared in the distance and rumbled through Radley with the 87s in tow. I understand there is a repeat run on Friday with another 4 87s for storage at Bicester so I plan to phot that working somewhere as well.
