Home Latest Recent Links Archive Videos Contact   3.05.2008 Bank Holiday and no engineering work today on the WCML so a spate of excursions travelled north this morning. The first involved a rare appearance up here of D1015 Western Champion with a Birmingham-Edinburgh tour, seen here powering past the camera at Wellheads near Oxenholme. The next was a Northern Belle excursion from Manchester to Helensburgh led by Wrexham & Shropshire liveried 67015 with 67025 on the rear captured just north of Oxenholme. A short mixture of stock with the immaculate 86259 Les Ross on the front formed Vintage trains Cumbrian Explorer from Birmingham to Oxenholme and Carlisle, seen here at Beckhouses. Heritage liveried 47773 tags along on the rear. After all that 66088 followed with the 6C02 Crewe-Carlisle engineers train.. With steadily improving weather conditions through the afternoon, there would have been a reluctance for passengers to return from the their day in the Lakes to rejoin the tour at Oxenholme. 86259 comes slowly south at Docker on its return to the Midlands. 2.05.2008 Just a couple of opportune shots today taken on route to a family visit in Yorkshire. 66549 runs down towards Settle Junction with a coal train. And from the same location but looking across to the Little Northwestern line coming in from Carnforth, 67025 on a route learner. 1.05.2008 20302+20306 seen here just north of Oxenholme take the long way round via Shap on their journey from Crewe to Drigg with some low grade waste. More DRS action at Elmsfield with 66412 on the Russells once more. The Dreds are even taking over the coal trains up here with both northbound daytime Heavyhaul trains behind DRS power. Click on image for a picture of 66427 at the same location with a 4Z42 Rugely-Carlisle working. With a haze of exhaust hanging over its roof 66087 comes the other way with the 6K05 Carlisle-Crewe. Trees are starting to green up now and over on the Furness line at Middlebarrow Quarry crossing 20307+20310 run through the blossoming countryside with this afternoons 6K73 Sellafield-Crewe. 30.04.2008 Always photogenic, EWS liveried 92001 was in charge of the 6S94 china clay tanks today. On its climb to Grayrigg, 66412 powers round the flank of Hayfell at Paddy Lane with the 4S44 Russells. The normally panoramic view across the valley at Rowell has been completely obscured by this evening thunder storm. But the interest is in the train. Running as 6X13 to Bescot the Carlisle-Eastleigh Enterprise has 92022 up front with 60083+66035 dit and the usual mix of MOD and engineering traffic. Click on images to enlarge 28.04.2008 Some spectacular cloud effects today with the cumulus bubbling up already as 66415 climbs past Lambrigg with 4S43 this morning. 66511 under cotton wool clouds at Elmsfield with the 6P24 Shap Quarry to Crewe ballast train. ...and 66159 follows with 6K05 at the same location. Reports of four 20s on the 6K73 Sellafield-Crewe sent me scurrying to the Furness line. 20306+20302+20307 and 20310 cross the viaduct at Arnside with three FNAs and a couple of PFA wagons. Click on images for full screen versions. 28.04.2008 After a soggy start to the day things were brightening up as new Fred, 66596 powers north away from Oxenholm with the 4S41 coal empties for Chalmerston. Lucky with the sun this afternoon as 86604+86627 come south at Rowell with the 4M74 'liner.... ...and another lucky break half an hour later as 47853 heads the 1M44 Shieldmuir-Willesden. Click on images. 27.04.2008 A damp grey day but not too wet for a walk in some pleasant countryside. A diverted Birmingham-Glasgow service crosses Smardale Viaduct. And 57312 shatters the peace of sleepy Crosby Garrett with the morning diverted Glasgow-Euston service. The Lune Gorge and 60089 finds itself posed in virtually the same location as this time last week but this time facing north with a train of track panels. 26.04.2008 Engineering work continues in the Low Gill area this weekend. 66101 waits with a ballast train at Low Carlingill. There was some brightness over at Waitby Common as 67019 came north with a Kings Cross-Carlisle excursion, but the weather deteriorated rapidly after that so I didn't wait for any diversions. 67029 was on the rear for the return via the Tyne Valley. 25.04.2008 92003 descends the bank into Oxenholme under grey skies with the 6O60 Mossend-Dollands Moor empty china clay train. Rain had set in by the time this ecs movement from Carnforth to Lincoln was heading east through the countryside near Arkholme. Click on the image for a picture of 57601 on the front, whilst 47760 sits on the rear. The stock is for tomorrow's tour to Holyhead which also includes 6233 on the front from Crewe. 24.04.2008 37229 rushes past the backgarden at Oxenholme on a driver training run from Kingmoor to Carnforth and back. Click on the image for a panoramic shot of the monster track finishing machine DR77001 in the siding. Continuing the DRS theme 66424 on loan to Freightliner, comes south at Beckfoot with the 6P24 Shap Quarry to Crewe ballast train. And heading north at Beckhouses 66409 drags a failed 37688 with its train of flats from Stoke to Carlisle. A cloudy end to the day compared to yesterday evening but at least the 6X12 Carlisle-Eastleigh Enterprise turned up at Rowell on time with its usual interesting mix of wagons.