A little trip to Derby

As i was not working last Friday i headed up to Derby to see some trains. I did see the new Aurora on test, though unfortunately only at a distance. I did get to see a test train up close and also a Chiltern unit well off it's usual beaten path up north for maintenance! You can see my photos here.

Passing through Belper

Grand Central 180 on it's way up north.

Hinckley freight

A container train heads through.

Derby departure

Heading off into Litchurch Lane Works.

Up and down the Bakerloo Line

At the weekend i headed down to London, i haven't been for a few months. I didn't want to visit any new stations this time, rather revisit some stations such as Lambeth North that i have not been to for some years. So, i headed up and down tbe Bakerloo Line, getting some updated photographs and also some street scenes at Lambeth, Maida Vale and Kilburn Park. You can see my photos here.

Crewe departure

Heading off to Derby.

Heading through Codsall

This one is not stopping, hopefully the next one is!

Departing Stoke Mandeville

Heading to London.

Crewe views

Yesterday i headed up to Crewe to take some photographs of trains. There was nothing that unusual running but plenty of interesting workings to see, and the good sunlight always seems to make Crewe, and it's faded glory, much more welcoming. You can see my photos here.

Freight action at Stafford

Coming through.

The Greatest Gathering

The railway industry is celebrating 200 years since the opening of the first (maybe) passenger railway - the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The main event was a three day exhibition at the Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, and i attended last Friday. What an incredible event too, it was called the Greatest Gathering (of rolling stock) and it would be hard to argue with that. Everything from some of the oldest steam locomotives to modern locomotives so new they haven't entered service yet!

You can see my photos here. I saw so much, but missed a few locomotives too. I'll just have to wait for the next big event in fifty years time.

Little Kimble arrival

In Buckinghamshire.

Stafford trains

At the start of the month i changed to a new work regime where i don't work Fridays anymore (well for now anyway), up until now i have spent my free Fridays doing gardening but finally this week i took advantage of the day to do some rail photography at Stafford. It is always better doing this on a weekday as you can see much more freight and special workings. You can see my Stafford photos here, it was not disappointing though getting sunburnt did put a bit of a crimp on my day!

Tame Bridge Parkway

Arriving at Tame Bridge Parkway.

Departing Caersŵs

On the Cambrian Line.

Stoneleigh 701

My first time seeing a 701 out in the wild (i did see one Derby on a delivery trip a few years ago), also the first time i have travelled on one too.

Coventry and Walsall rails

Over the last few months i have been trying to visit nearly every railway station in the West Midlands so i can update my photography ready for my forthcoming book. I have nearly finished that now with very few stations remaining after i visited Coventry and Walsall at the weekend. I think i have all of the photography i need now. The aim is to get the book completed by the end of this month and do plenty of checking before it is submitted to the publisher at the end of next month. You can see my photos here.

Olton freight

Another freight train video, this time at Olton.

Fleet Freightliner

Freight action in Hampshire.

Guildford trip day 2

The second day of this year's Guildford trip involved travelling to a number of stations in Surrey as well as walking through the nice town of Ewell. Later on i had time to revisit Farnborough and take some more photos, although fatigue was setting in so i didn't explore too far! My Surrey railway photos can be seen here, Ewell photos are here.

Another successful trip to Guildford, either my sixth or seventh (lost count!) We'll be back next year.