Dawlish Trains www.dawlishtrains.com
December 2017
Direct Rail Services brought a nice little Christmas present to the South West on 28/29 December 2017, when Class 57/3 No. 57303 and Class 37/0 No. 37059 operated light from Crewe to Plymouth to operate train 5Z63, the 10.55 Laira depot to Crewe CS on 29 December, formed of for ex Virgin Mk3s Nos. 11018, 10212, 12133 and 12078. After heavy storm rain, the train is seen in glorious sun passing along the Dawlish Sea Wall at Black Bridge (Rockstone).
143621 approaches Rockstone Bridge, Dawlish, 2F25 11.15 Paignton - Exmouth, 29 December 2017.
Arriva Trains Wales No. 150235 passes Badgeworth, south of Cheltenham Spa, 2L54, 13.45 Cheltenham Spa to Maesteg. 28 December 2017.
DRS Class 66/4 No. 66431 passes Badgeworth, south of Cheltenham Spa, 4V44, 10.47 Daventry DRS (Tesco) to Wentloog. 28 December 2017.
GWR Class 158 No. 158766 passes Badgeworth, south of Cheltenham Spa, 2B94, 13.20 Cheltenham to Swindon. 28 December 2017.
CrossCountry Class 221 No. 221138 passes Badgeworth, south of Cheltenham Spa, 1V53, 11.07 Manchester Piccadilly - Bristol Temple Meads. 28 December 2017.
Three-car GWR Class 150/0 No. 150002 passes Badgeworth, south of Cheltenham Spa, 2O90, 12.51 Great Malvern to Weymouth. 28 December 2017.
CrossCountry Class 170/3 No. 170398 passes Badgeworth, 1V08, 11.10 Nottingham to Cardiff Central (started as the 12.30 Birmingham NS. 28 December 2017.
Two-car GWR Class 158 No. 158766 approaches Standish Junction, 2G83, 11.36 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa. 28 December 2017.
CrossCountry Class 221 No. 221121 passes Badgeworth, 1S47, 08.28 Penzance to Glasgow Central, 28 December 2017.
Direct Rail Services Class 57/3 No. 57303 and Class 37/0 No. 37059 pass Standish Junction, 0Z63, 09.35 Crewe Gresty Bridge to Plymouth station, 28 December 2017.
CrossCountry HST Nos. 43321/-/43301 pass Standish Junction, 1V50, 06.06 Edinburgh Waverley to Plymouth, 28 December 2017.
FGW HST, 43195/-/43022 appraches Severn Tunnel Junction, 1L42, 07.30 Carmarthen to Paddington, 28 December 2017.
CrossCountry Class 170s, Nos. 170108 and 170114 approach Severn Tunnel Junction, 1M94, 10.45 Cardiff Central to Nottingham, 28 December 2017.
GWR Class 158 No. 158956 approaches Severn Tunnel Junction, 1F09, 09.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour, 28 December 2017.
DB-C Class 60 No. 60039 approaches Severn Tunnel Junction, 6B13, 05.00 Robeston to Westerleigh, 28 December 2017.
DB-C Class 60 No. 60039 approaches Severn Tunnel Junction, 6B13, 05.00 Robeston to Westerleigh, 28 December 2017.
GWR three-car Class 150/0 No. 150001 approaches Severn Tunnel Junction, 2C71, 09.59 Cardiff Central to Taunton (terminated at Bristol for set swap), 28 December 2017.
FGW-liveried Class 158 No. 158958 approaches Severn Tunnel Junction, 1F88, 10.30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour (train started at Newport 10.45 due to late running on inbound service). 28 December 2017.
GWR Class 800/0s Nos. 800023 and 800010 approach Severn Tunnel Junction, 1L48, 09.29 Swansea to Paddington. 28 December 2017.
Colas Rail Freight Class 70 No. 70812 approaches Severn Tunnel Junction, 4C21, 09.55 Aberthaw to Avonmouth Sil. 28 December 2017.
Running as a single set, Class 800 No. 800011 passes Magor, west of Severn Tunnel Junction, 1L52 10.29 Swansea to Paddington, 18 December 2017.
Class 800s Nos. 800015 + 800018 head west at Magor, west of Severn Tunnel Junction, 1B20, 09.45 Paddington to Swansea, 18 December 2017.
Class 800s Nos. 800015 + 800018 head west at Magor, west of Severn Tunnel Junction, 1B20, 09.45 Paddington to Swansea, 18 December 2017.
Class 800s Nos. 800020 + 800012 pass Magor, west of Severn Tunnel Junction with train 1L51, the 10.55 Cardiff Central to Paddington on 18 December 2017.
Class 800s Nos. 800020 + 800012 pass Magor, west of Severn Tunnel Junction with train 1L51, the 10.55 Cardiff Central to Paddington on 18 December 2017.
Class 800s Nos. 800006 + 800013 head west at Mago, west of Severn Tunnel Junctionr, 1B15 08.45 Paddington to Swansea. 18 December 2017.
Class 800s Nos. 800012 + 800020 head west at Magor, west of Severn Tunnel Junction, 1B12 08.15 Paddington to Cardiff Central. 18 December 2017.
A nice little pair. Great Western 'Heritage' liveried Class 57 No. 57604, pilots failed GWR-liveried No. 57602 out of Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish on 17 December 2017 forming train 5Z70, the 10.11 Penzance to Paddington 'Night Riviera' stock move. The train was required as yesterday (Saturday) morning, Penzance held both sets of sleeper stock and three Class 57s, following failure of the up train on Friday night.
This what happens if you leave the sleeper stock in Penzance for too long.
Freightliner Class 66s Nos. 66511 and 66562 'top and tail' through Dawlish on 17 December 2017 forming train 6Y54 the 08.00 St Budeaux Victoria Road to Westbury empty ballast.
Freightliner Class 66s Nos. 66511 and 66562 'top and tail' through Dawlish on 17 December 2017 forming train 6Y54 the 08.00 St Budeaux Victoria Road to Westbury empty ballast.
Freightliner Class 66 No. 66569 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish on 17 December 2017 forming train 6Y53 08.20 St Budeaux Victoria Road to Westbury empty ballast.
The 'stand-in' NMT visited the far west on 15 December 2017, when Colas Rail Freight Class 67s Nos. 67027 and 67023 'top and tailed' Network Rail vehicles 96606, 72639, 977974 and 6260 as train 1Q18, the 05.25 Old Oak Common to Paignton via Paddington, Penzance and Teignmouth. The train is seen passing Dawlish just seconds after sun rise.
The 'stand-in' NMT visited the far west on 15 December 2017, when Colas Rail Freight Class 67s Nos. 67027 and 67023 'top and tailed' Network Rail vehicles 96606, 72639, 977974 and 6260 as train 1Q18, the 05.25 Old Oak Common to Paignton via Paddington, Penzance and Teignmouth. The train is seen passing Dawlish just seconds after sun rise.
On 13 December 2017, a test run operated from Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads and return, for the planned 'short form' 2+4 GW 'Castle' HST sets. The train operated as 5Z25, 08.25 Plymouth Laira to Bristol Temple Meads via Plymouth station and was formed of power cars 43163 and 43135 with saloons 42184, 42183, 42107 and 44001. The train is seen approaching Dawlish Station.
The end of the 2017 leaf-fall season in the west was marked on 13 December by the St Blazey out-based RHTT set starting its journey back to York for storage. The twin-set 642035 and 642020 'top and tailed' by Class 66s Nos. 66041 and 66127 operated as train 6Z11, the 08.04 St Blazey to Exeter Riverside for onward transfer. The train is seen approaching Dawlish.
On 13 December 2017, a test run operated from Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads and return, for the planned 'short form' 2+4 GW 'Castle' HST sets. The return train operated as 5Z26, 12.37 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth Laira via Plymouth station and was formed of power cars 43135 and 43163 with saloons 42184, 42183, 42107 and 44001. The train is seen approaching Kennaway Tunnel.
Freightliner Class 66 No. 66532 powers train 6Y55, the 08.33 St Budeaux Victoria Road to Westbury empty ballast on 10 December 2017. The train is seen approaching Rockstone Bridge, Dawlish.
Freightliner Class 66s Nos. 66562 and 66592 'top and tail' train 6Y56, the 08.00 St Budeaux Victoria Road to Westbury empty ballast on 10 December 2017. The train is seen approaching Rockstone Bridge, Dawlish.
In low soft winter light, Colas Rail Freight Class 70 No. 70816 passes Powderham Church and approaches Powderham Crossing with train 6C36, the 11.38 Moorswater to Aberthaw empty cement on 7 December 2017.
Network Rail Class 950 No. 950001 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish on 5 December 2017 forming NR test train 2Q08, the 02.48 Laira depot to Bristol via Gunnislake, Plymouth, Parkandillack, Lostwithiel and Fowey. Running almost two hours late due to problems obtaining the token to traverse the Fowey branch, but, at least I got a wave and toot from the man on the handle.
Network Rail Class 950 No. 950001 passes Dawlish on 4 December 2017 running as test train 2Q08, the 08.18 Derby RTC to Plymouth Laira.
Noo-Noo hitches a lift. A somewhat unusual train operated on 1 December 2017, the booked up cement from Moorswater to Aberthaw first operated west from Moorswater to Burngullow to collect RailVac 4, which was due to return to Westbury, thus avoiding a light loco move to collect it. The RailVac was coupled between the loco (No. 70816) and the train and is seen emerging from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish. The train operated as 6X54, 13.30 Burngullow to Westbury.