Railway Photo Gallery
April 2010
Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.
3rd
April 2010 -
Easter Saturday Blackpool Trams
Blackpool trams returned to the tracks over
the Easter weekend after a winter off due to tramway upgrade works. Of course
many of the trams that finished the 2009 season won't be re-appearing for the
2010 season as many of them have been sold off, but despite this there were
still one or two trams of interest to photograph. Brush car 626 recently
reinstated and painted in green and cream was on Cleveleys service, Balloon 717
put in an appearance, as did Standard 147 and the illuminated trawler. The rest
of the output conisted of Brush cars, Centenaries and the two Jubilee cars. The
weather played ball, and after an overcast spell just before lunch, the skies
cleared to cover Blackpool in lovely warm Spring sunshine.
8th
April 2010 -
Pre-Work Test Train
37259 and 37069 were top and tailing a test
train down the MML, so I made a pre-work move to Cossington for them. Also
managed a 66 on a freight and an EMT HST while I was waiting.
10th
April 2010 -
Southern Miscellany
A move down south, primarily for an Eastleigh
to Wivelsfield engineers train that was to be worked by a pair of ED's. As well
as nailing the ED's at Lancing, I was able to photograph a trio of 66's on other
engineer's trains and a whole host of multiple units.
15th
April 2010 -
Beamish Open Air Museum
A day at the Beamish Open Air Museum to
attend a photo charter organised by David Williams. The charter ran before the
museum opened to the public in the morning, and then again after the museum had
closed, and the highlight of the charter was to be Blackpool 31 which was
running in works car green livery and carrying it's former works car identity of
number 4. It was cloudy all day except for one very short sun burst on Cardiff
131 in the afternoon, and I really thought I would go home without a sunny shot
of the Blackpool Works car. Thankfully, it wasn't going to be the case and the
sun burst through for about an hour in the evening and some delightful pictures
were captured. The day then rounded off with a night shoot in the main street. A
big thanks to David for organising a very enjoyable charter and to all the staff
and volunteers who helped to make sure we all got the shots that we wanted.
16th
April 2010 -
Sheep on Tour
GB Railfreight named loco 66729 after Derby
County football club. The loco then top and tailed with 47580 on and out and
back trip to Melton Mowbray with invited guests on board, and I was able to get
to Cossington after work to photograph the return working.
17th
April 2010 - Days
that Start Badly Can Only Get Better!
I went to Westhouses to get 47245 on a
Spondon to Edinburgh railtour, however, it crossed over and went up the goods
loop meaning there was no shot - d'oh! Had I studied the timings a little closer
I would have realised it was booked to go in the loop. Just a few minutes behind
the 47 was 67003 on a Leicester to Carlisle tour, so at least I got a shot and
my journey wasn't wasted. On the way home I diverted into Nottingham in an
attempt to get tram 211 which carries a fairly new all over advert. I managed a
few shots of this before heading for home. But the best was yet to come, later
in the day 37667 and 37510 were working a Sheerness to Tyne Dock train of scrap
empties which I was able to photograph at Elford, a great way to end the day.
18th
April 2010 - HS1
With a photo charter booked at the Spa Valley
Railway on the Monday, I decided to journey down to Kent on the Sunday and stay
overnight. I therefore was able to spend the late afternoon photographing on
HS1.
19th
April 2010 - Spa
Valley Railway Photo Charter
A superb day at the Spa Valley Railway on a
photo charter with 37254 on an engineer's train. Sunny weather, a nice railway,
and a tractor, what more can you ask for? A big thank you to the train crews who
were superb and provided us with some great shots and some excellent run pasts.
A big thank you too to the participating photographers who supported the
event.
21st
April 2010 - It's
Them Tractors Again!
Having nailed 37667 and 37510 on Saturday at
Elford, by Wednesday they were in the area again, this time working a Tyne Dock
to Sheerness loaded scrap train down the Midland. Their passing slotted in quite
nicely after work. A signal check at Syston allowed me to get a second shot at
Thurmaston. I then had a surprise when I drove by Loughborough Central to find
37255 just departing south with some new tank wagons on test.
22nd
April 2010 - New
Tank Wagons on Test at the GCR
Having seen 37255 testing some new tank
wagons on the GCR the previous day, I ventured up to Quorn after work to see if
the wagons were still on test. They were, and I was able to photograph class 45
D123 as it shuttled up and down with four tank wagons in tow.
23rd
April 2010 - This
is Getting Silly Now - It's Them Tractors Again!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! I
cannot believe I have had so many opportunities to photograph top traction on my
doorstep in the last week! 37667 and 37510 were working the scrap empties from
Sheerness to Stockton and worked north up the Midland. My chosen location was
Loughborough.
24th
April 2010 -
Local Stuff
I stayed local and picked off a railtour and
a test train.
