October 2015

66046 / RHTT / 66068 departs from Nottingham and passes Eastcroft depot on 28 October 2015 forming the previous evenings 21.03 Toton to Toton via the world RHTT service.

East Midlands Trains Class 156 No. 156406 calls at Hucknall, 2H05 08.54 Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse.

70000 Britannia passes Dawlish on 24 October 2015 powering train 1Z19, the 06.59 Slough - Kingswear. Pity about the weather!

A large number of UK maintenance depots have been 'twinned' with a specific train or locomotive over the years. On 28 October 2015, East Midlands Trains Nottingham Eastcroft depot joined these ranks when Class 158 No. 158773 was named Eastcroft Depot. After agreement for the naming, Eastcroft depot manager Simon Roberts decided that the unveiling should be performed by Engineering Team Leader Derek Towle, who in November 2015 has clocked up 56 years continuous railway service, having started at Nottingham in November 1959. To mark the event many of Derek's family were invited to the depot on 28 October to witness the name unveiling. Nottingham Eastcroft depot is the home of the East Midlands Trains DMU fleet consisting of 25 Class 158s, 17 Class 153s and 15 Class 156s. The depot, built in the 1990 to accommodate the then new Class 170 fleet, it occupies a site just east of the station where once main line diesel locos were stabled and services. Today the facility employs around 100 staff on a three shift basis.

Deck chair only service, 0Z70 13.30 Laira to Old Oak Common via Plymouth formed of 43134/017 emerging from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish 19 October 2015.

EWS Class 66s Nos. 66138 and 66061 pass Dawlish on 19 October 2015 forming RHTT train 3J13, the 08.45 Westbury to St Blazey via Salisbury.

Colas Rail Freight Class 66 No. 66847 passes Dawlish working 0C54 08.29 Westbury to Lostwithiel to move the RailVac vehicle to Burngullow and and return light to Westbury. 19 October 2015.

Today (14 October 2015), the Dawlish Sea Wall has had a visit by 'Noo-Noo The 4th' or RailVac vehicle No. 709515004-8, which was powered by Colas Rail Freight Class 70 No. 70804 as train 6X54, the 08.30 Westbury to Lostwithiel, for a few evenings of quality sucking in the Duchy.

With little else to photograph, today (13 October 2015) was another GWR green HST day. 43187/LA15/43188 (which were actually the original 253053 set) passes along the Dawlish Sea Wall at Black Bridge (Rockstone Bridge), forming train 1A81 08.44 Penzance - Paddington.

In good low sun this GWR-liveried set can look quite pleasing. Captured on 12 October 2015 passing under Skew Bridge, Teignmouth, 43187/LA15/43188 form train 1A81 the 09.51 Par to London Paddington. This train should have started from Penzance at 08.44 but following an earlier problem, the set only reached Par to start the up train.

In good low sun this GWR-liveried set can look quite pleasing. Captured on 12 October 2015 at Teignmouth, 43187/LA15/43188 form train 1A81 the 09.51 Par to London Paddington. This train should have started from Penzance at 08.44 but following an earlier problem, the set only reached Par to start the up train.

EWS-branded Class 66s Nos. 66138 and 66061 'top and tail' the RHTT set passing Dawlish on 12 October 2015 forming the 08.42 Westbury to St Blazey via Salisbury.

Ever since this green GWR HST has been in traffic, I've had the classic 'above Dawlish' picture in mind, but with the reducing light with the sun on the land side in the late afternoons and the services the set has worked, until today its just not happened. However, on 12 October 2015 it was on the right train, 1C84 the 14.06 Paddington to Penzance and the sun was out. Led by 43188 formed of LA15 and with 43187 on the rear the train passes along the front at Dawlish, taken from Lea Mount Gardens.

GWR Liveried HST set 43188/LA15/43187 passes Dawlish on 9 October with 13.05 Paddington to Plymouth.

70804 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish on 4 October 2015 powering train 7C22, the 08.58 Largin to Westbury (running 222 minutes late). First vehicle behind loco is twin-jib crane 78235

EWS-liveried Class 66 No. 66076 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish on Sunday 4 October 2015 powering train 5Z44, the 13.50 Laira TMD to Warrington Arpley, en route to Kilmarnock with FGW Mk3 HST stock for overhaul.

This weekends engineering work in Cornwall sees three Colas Rail Freight workings from Westbury, two trains are powered by Class 70s (70804/810), while one, train 6C20 the 17.07 Westbury to Par was powered by Colas Rail Freight Class 60 No. 60085. Seen here storming through Dawlish. Thank God for high ISOs to record such trains on the move.

66076 down passing Dawlish with train 5Z43, the 11.51 Bescot Down Sidings to Laira, with stock ex Brush Kilmarnock to Laira (formed from front 5341, 44093, 42283, 42264, 42098, 40101, 41180, 41094, 42004, 5366).

Another nice and sunny morning in Dawlish on 3 October 2015, with good photographic light and the GWR-liveried HST played ball and turned up forming train 1A77, the 07.47 Plymouth to Paddington. Recorded in the classic view between Kennaway Tunnel and Dawliah station, skirting King's Walk and Marine Parade. The train is formed of power car No. 43187, set LA15 and power car No. 43188 on the rear.

Thunderbirds are go! GWR-liveried No. 57605 passes Dawlish on 2 October 2015 running as 0Z78, 12.45 Old Oak Common to Penzance light loco to power tonights up Penzance to Paddington sleeper following problems with the booked loco while working last evenings westbound service.

Great Western Railway-liveried HST set formed of power cars 43187 and 43188 with passenger set LA15 passes Dawlish on 2 October 2015 forming train 1A81, 08.44 Penzance to Paddington.

Dawlish Trains www.dawlishtrains.com

October 2015