The remaining mainline registered survivors, so often involved with my misspent youth.
Last Update: 8/7/13.
56312 - 0Z56, 3/7/13.
Finding 56312 stabled at BTM was a complete surprise to me, the "Grid" having worked in as 0Z56 (ex-02:30) Wembley Yard-BTM. Later in the day it worked 0Z56 BTM-Cardiff Wentloog, having collected 70018 it then worked 0Z70 Wentloog-Cardiff Canton where it dropped the errant "Bulldog" off, leaving the Western Region as 0Z56 Cardiff Canton-Willesden.
37601/605 - 1Z13, 10/6/13.
37601 "tnt" with 37605 powers away from Charfield loop with 1Z13 Derby RTC-Newport ADJ test train.
47580 - 5Z55, 8/6/13.
Sounding mightily impressive, even for a "Duff", 47580 thumps through Ram Hill with 5Z55 Carnforth-Bristol Kingsland Road. This was an ECS to provide stock for the following day's A4 60009 hauled 1Z37 Bristol Temple Meads-Par.
31190 - 6Z32, 27/5/13.
DCR's very smart looking BR green 31190 (D5613) passes Fox's Wood, Keynsham, heading Bristol Kingsland Road-Weymouth Jersey Siding.
47773 - 1Z49, 27//4/13.
Sporting the original two-tone green livery bestowed upon the Brush Type 4s for their entry into BR service, 47773 slowly passes Dr Day's Junction with the Tyseley-Bristol Temple Meads leg of "The Cornishman". At BTM the 47 was removed, the subsequent run to Plymouth being worked doubleheaded by "Hall" 4965 & "Castle" 5043.
37612/611 - 6M67, 24/4/13.
Allied with 6Z52 below, this was certainly an interesting 15 minutes or so at Dr Days. Here, 37612 and 37611 crawl past with 6M67 Bridgwater-Crewe.
56105 - 6Z52, 24/4/13.
The increasing re-emergence of Class 56s on the network happily continues to gather pace, slowing on the approach to Dr Days Junction is 56105 with 6Z52 Chirk-Teigngrace timber empties.
37402 - 6K73, 20/4/13.
Passing Crewe Station and nearly at journey's end, immaculate 37402 leads 57011 with 6K73 Sellafield-Crewe CLS.
37607 - 0Z37, 20/4/13.
A lovely moment at Crewe, as 37607 noisily ticks over after having arrived as 0Z37 Derby RTC-Crewe Gresty Bridge.
47811 - 20/4/13.
Despite the tatty FGW livery, 47811 is pretty much operational after FL recently spent £80,000 on repairs, so a future still exists as a CBH "super shunter".
47818 - 20/4/13.
A sadly forlorn looking 47818, unlikely to be restored as a Crewe Basford Hall "super shumter", stands laid up in a head shunt within the extensive yard.
47727 - 6Z48, 5/4/13.
In early evening sunshine at Lawrence Hill, 47727 has just passed beneath the bridge carrying the trackbed of the old LMS route into Bristol with the rather paltry 6Z48 Cardiff Canton-Taunton Fairwater Yard, consisting of DR92701.
47500 - 5Z31, 16/12/12.
Piloting a surprisingly in steam 34067 "Tangmere", 47500 heads 5Z31 Bristol Kingsland Road-Southall ECS through Newton St Loe.
56094 - 6Z52, 17/10/12.
A happy moment, 56094 screams through Severn Tunnel Junction with 6Z52 Chirk-Teigngrace empty logs.
47245 - 5Z92, 30/6/12.
Everyone seems to complain about how drab WCRC maroon is, perhaps the answer for Carnforth staff is not to clean their loco fleet too often as demonstrated here by the wonderfully grimy 47245, working 5Z92 Carnforth-Bristol Kingsland Road ECS. Given that it rained pretty much all afternoon on this day, this ten minute spell of sunshine can be considered rather lucky. I also like the couple of SR green coaches included, giving the rake an almost (save for the Mark 2s) S&D look, although I wish I'd noticed the "discarded" garden chairs in the background beforehand!.
47851 - 5Z96, 27/5/12.
Working the 5Z96 Bristol Temple Meads-Carnforth empty coach stock, 47851 gingerly approaches Dr Day's Junction at the start of its journey north via the Severn Tunnel and the "North & West". With a busy road immediately behind you this is a rather unpleasant vantage point in some ways, however it's worth enduring all the road noise due to the wealth of railway interest it provides. What a shame that an HTA is all but obscuring LNWR's dear old 08516 stabled on Barton Hill T&RSMD.
47500 -1Z87, 12/5/12.
Former GW green "celebrity" 47500 (my favourite of that batch was 47079) speeds through Patchway working 1Z87 Paddington-Shrewsbury, worked on from Newport by two Stanier Black 5s.
47760 - 1Z87, 12/5/12.
Tailing 47760, which worked the return 1Z88 Newport-Paddington leg.
47790 - 5Z41, 27/4/12.
A nice variation on my April 2012's "full gloom" images, this was taken in "full drizzle". Despite the conditions 47790 makes a nice sight passing Patchway working 5Z41 Cardiff Pengam-Bath Spa (with 47832 on the tail), an ECS to form the return 1Z41 Bath Spa-Norwich excursion. I'm intrigued as to why the stock couldn't of been berthed in Bristol?.
47832 - 5Z41, 27/4/12.
47832 on 5Z41's tail.
37409 - 2Z02, 18/4/12.
37409 passing Patchway hauling 975025 "Caroline" working 2Z02 Ealing Broadway-Ealing Broadway, "via the world" as the wags say on gen groups (I believe this part of the return leg was via Cardiff and Bath). Afterwards I checked my spotter book from Autumn 1986, sadly whilst on a family holiday in Scotland in August of that year I failed to see the then Eastfield allocated 37409 (but amongst a raft of other classes I did see 37/4s 37407/12/15/18/22/23/24/25 - happy days).
975025
975025 "Caroline"...not a bad way to travel.
31454 - 1Q14, 10/4/12.
Sadly DBSO 9701 was leading 1Q14 Derby RTC-Eastleigh "Radio Survey Train" as it arrived at Westbury, still, thanks to the test rain having a lengthy lay over in Westbury's down reception line it was nice to subsequently walk down to the station and have a coffee next to 31454 as it ticked over awaiting departure.
97301 (37100) - 0Z13, 21/3/12.
97301 enroute to Devon to attempt to save the errant test train 1Q13, here passing Patchway as 0Z13 Derby RTC-Exeter Riverside. Sadly not the best vantage point to record a light engine move but I was aware 6M04 wasn't far away so was rather 'hedging my bets'.
56302/47375 - 6Z23, 8/3/12.
Just over a week later from the following photograph and 56302 was disturbing the peace on former Western Region metals once again, this time with dit 47375 along for the ride, seen here passing the site of Coalpit Heath Station working 6Z23 Burngullow-Burton Wetmore Sidings. I can remember when those bullets were silver.
Photo: Chris Hudd.
56302 - 6Z56, 27/2/12.
I believe the expression is "in full gloom", but regardless of the poor light this image to me is absolutely priceless. A late change of heart and the decision to go for it meant blagging an early finish from work, and a frustratingly slow bus journey home (especially given 6Z56 was running rather early at one stage). It was well worth the effort though to witness 56302 thumping through Patchway working 6Z56 Wembley Yard-Cardiff Canton, conveying scrap wagons (...to carry scrap) for overhaul.
31285 - 1Q06, 14/2/12.
Both of these test trains were stabled at Bristol Temple Meads on this day, 31285 had arrived the previous night noisly passing Patchway Junction at 23:23 enroute to BTM from South Wales. Here we see the veteran 31 with its Structure Gauging Train, next working later in the evening being 1Q06 Bristol Kingsland Road-Didcot.
97301 (37100), 3Z24, 14/2/12.
Stabled in the old headshunt for the sadly missed Bristol Bath Road TMD, 97301 stands with its Ultrasonic Train, next working being 3Z24 Bristol Kingsland Road-Crewe. Someone had daubed the name "Whitney" on the 37s side, presumably in tribute to the then recently deceased singer.
31106 - 3Z10, 12/2/12.
Thanks to the presence of "King" 6024 Bristol Temple Meads was awash with steam enthusiasts when I arrived, despite 6024 still being sat in platform 4 with its "Cathedrals Express" stock most of them had disappeared when 31106 at first reversed 3Z10 out of the old Parcels bay, and then headed north with 3Z10 Bristol TM-Derby RTC (infact there was only one other person around interested in the 31's reappearance after reversal and he was filming). Considering on this day I was expecting to merely capture the 31 stabled, recording 3Z10's departure was a huge bonus.
37602/606 - 6M67, 25/11/11.
With such a light load I rarely seem to be fortunate enough to witness DRS's classic traction working hard when in charge of the nuclear flask traffic, as was the case on this occassion as 37602/606 flew quietly past Filton Abbey Wood with 6M67 Bridgwater-Crewe. Always just fantastic to see them though.
47828 - 1Z80, 19/11/11.
The sun has risen just enough early on a cold November morning to illuminate DRS's 47828, with 47832 on the tail, working hard with 1Z80 Cardiff Central-Kensington Olympia consisting of the Northern Belle stock.
56311 - 6Z56, 12/7/11.
Having only found out about 6Z56 In the morning, after work I caught a 158 to Severn Tunnel Junction in order to record this photo, here we see 56311 at speed with 6Z56 Grimsby Town-Cardiff Tidal loaded scrap. Amazingly given their previous long association with the area, this was the first visit of a Grid to South Wales since 2004. A fantastic moment.
56311 - 6Z56, 15/7/11.
Having been stabled at Cardiff Central for the next few days, 56311 subsequently worked the resultant empties away from South Wales as 6Z56 Cardiff Tidal-Hoo Junction, happily seen here passing Patchway.
97301 (37100) - 2Q88, 13/6/11.
97301 (formerly 37100) propels 2Q88 Bishop's Lydeard-Cardiff Canton through Patchway on a lovely summer's evening, sadly the opportunity to enjoy the sound of the 37 working hard never arose as it drifted quietly past.
47500 - 1Z82, 11/6/11.
This day of course was the infamous event of BoB Pacific 34067 "Tangmere" stalling on Filton bank with 1Z82 Poole-Cardiff "Welshman" tour, being rescued by 47500 which was stabled at Parkway having worked in on a tour from Paddington (Subsequent Parkway-South Wales leg taken on by "King" 6024). I was aware 34067 was in trouble but had no idea 1Z82 had restarted let alone been saved by the 47, and was infact waiting at Patchway for the Wentloog-Southampton freightliner.
47760 - 5Z35, 10/6/11.
At Filton Abbey Wood, West Coast's 47760 eventually arrives with 5Z35 Carnforth Steamtown-BTM, an ecs for a tour starting from Newport the following day. Seen here in a brief break in heavy rain, the adverse weather had caused the 47 to stall at Cattybrook on the long climb from the Severn Tunnel, requiring help to restart the train from the tailing 57601.