East Coast Mainline Diversions

Yesterday i took a trip out to Deeping Saint Nicholas to get photos of trains being diverted away from the ECML owing to Engineering work between Grantham and Retford, trains were running via Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln and Gainsborough to rejoin the ECML at Doncaster.

Some East Coast trains were dragged using EWS 67s and others were stepped up to be HST sets.

The first one across the line was East Coasts 1S17 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, which was formed of 43296 and 43277.

After that, we had about an hour for the next one, which saw us drive around aimlessley for a bit looking for a shop, which took us into Spalding, and came across the only Sainsbury in the world that was closed for refurbishment. Thankfully the petrol station shop had a mute selection of grub available so we headed back, and stopped off at a different crossing this time which was in the middle of a field, and gave a good photo across the fields og 1G22, London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley which had 43257 with 43295. Bit of a shame the sun had moved around further than i had imagined.

Unfortunatly the first eastbound (or northbound, whichever was you want to look at it) we missed, as i had missed the message in the time it took us to walk back to the car and drive back into Deeping Saint Nicholas, we arrived back at the first crossing intime to see 67025 take a mkIV set through.

Another 40mins later we got our 3rd HST set, which was 1S21 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley, cant make out the number on the front power car but looks like 43239, and 43317 on the back.

Just as 1S21 went by, from the otherway came 66085 and 66005 on an RHTT duty from Peterborough to Lincoln and back Not sure of the headcode of this one, however.

The first west/southbound drag came just before 1600, with 67022 dragging 1A31 Leeds to London Kings Cross and newly painted 91128 and a old GNER liveried set of MkIVs, which made for a nice shot across the fields in the sunlight.

After this one, things started to get a bit busier, we got our first Grand Central divert, formed of 43484 and 43480 on 1N24 London Kings Cross to Sunderland.

5mins after this one, another East Coast HST set came, with 1E13 Inverness to London Kings Cross. After the Highlands of Avimore, the scenry around the South Lincolnshire Fen must be a bit of a come down!! 43311 and 43314 provided the traction.

The first Southbound Grand Central set was following on from 1E13, and was 43423 and 43467 forming 1A65 Sunderland to London Kings Cross.

 After this we walked back to where we started, and got 43308 with Midland 43074 forming 1S23 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, followed by Grand Central`s Class 180105 on 1D73 London Kings Cross to Bradford Interchange.

In the quickly fading light, i managed to photo the 2nd Northbound drag, again with 67022 but attached this time to still GNER Blue 91126 working 1D21 London Kings Cross to Leeds.

The last train we saw there was 1N25 London Kings Cross to Newcastle Central, which was worked by 43290 and 43237, and the former East Midland Train Mk3 stock.

As we did leave, we stopped again pretty sharpish to grab a photo of the sunset:

I hope you`ve enjoyed reading this, i know most enthusaists would show a day out by simply sticking their photos on Flickr and leaving it at that, as i have done many times, but i think this is a different and prehaps a better way to showcase a day out.

Thanks to the Gen providers on East Coast Rail News for keeping us up to speed yesterday.

Greys of Ely

I called into Greys of Ely on the 18th October at about 1700 after  dropping Dad off to catch a train home at Ely Station, to try and photo some more of their Leyland Olympian and Dennis Condor Tri-Axle school buses.

The kind staff allowed me permission to have a walk around and photo their vehicles, one of the Dennis Tri-axles was inside along with Leyland Olympian H806BKK, which when i was last here had only been delivered from Stagecoach East Kent for a few days and was still in Stagecoach Livery. Outisde the Shed were Grey`s two Tri-Axle Volvo B12B Johnckheere SHVs, as imposing as ever.

What i didnt expect to see, as i had forgotten they had it, was their new Volvo B9R Plaxton Panther II, G15ELY which was waiting to be cleaned. Also what appared to be a recent additon was ex Stagecoach Manchester Tri-Axle Dennis Dragon M687TDB, which was just being driven out as id photographed it.

Some other fleet news is that Volvo B7R Plaxton Profile G18ELY has been sold to an operator in the Shetlands, and a `new` coach is due in November. I hope to find out what this is in due course.

Thanks indeed to the crew at Greys of Ely for allowing me permission to photograph their vehicles in the depot.

Bury St Edmunds, 12th October

Better late than never.

Bury St Edmunds then. The only place in the world where the town council gets its name back to front. (Saint Edmundsbury), and it also seems that First Group forgotten they got some buses there.

With thanks to Adam Dowling, we had a afternoon at the Bus Station to photo the extra services that are put in for the Market Day. Unfortunatly it would appear that some of the routes that used to run have been cut off with budget cuts, and/or taken over by the other local operators.

What was unexpected, was Headingham Volvo B7RLE 340 - EU05CLJ on route X16 to Chappel.

Also making a surprise visit was Euroview`s (Dereham) Scania Irizar PB YN08DGV, but where it was going was unclear. Infact judging by the fact the Driver and Second (Wo)man are not looking where theyre going, im not even sure they know.

Stephensons, Rochford, who picked up the shattered remains of Burtons Coaches (Haverhill) run quite a few services out of Bury, using a mixture of Leyland and Volvo Olympians (Market Specials or maybe daily single journeys?) alongside a pair of Enviro 200s YX11CTO/U which seemed to be mostly on local routes. Chambers of Burres are still using a mixture of Volvo Olympians on their service to Sudbury, and a few others (again, i assume Market specials, but may just be daily single journeys)

Ambassador, Great Yarmouth and Chenery, Dickleborough both run National Express services through Bury St Edmunds on the 496 and 497 Cromer/Great Yarmouth to London and back, using mostly Volvo B9R Ceatano Levantes (Chenery) and similar Scania examples, although spare vehicles do show up often. Ambassadors 206 - FJ09DXA seen here approaching the Bus Station

More photos from Bury St Edmunds can be seen here.

Lastly, i highly recomend Bury Fish and Chip shop (That is its actual name) a short walk from the bus station (turn right out the bus station building, over the mini roundabout then a few yards on the right hand side) I had the best ever Haddock and Chips there, not the cheapest by any means, but you really do get what you pay for. Situated on the main road to the bus station you can even sit back, have some top quality food and see what your missing! :)

Wincanton Group Fleetlist

Morning All!

A few of the vehicles listed in the Wincanton fleet list now have photos of the specific vehicle attached to them. All you have to do is click on the vehicle listed, and it will take you to a photo of it which is on my Flickr Photostream.

Obviously not all of them will have a photo attached, but i will try to get as many paired to a photo, in time. I will also be doing the same to the Glazewing one shortly as well.

All the best;
Rob.

Decker Bus Update

Decker Bus of Whittlesey today took delivery of C59HOM, a Volvo B10M with Alexander P bodywork, which looks to have been previously operated by Sussex Coaches, Ayling, but has been of the radar for a while

Im advised this is to be their new `project`, hopefully more will be known soon!

Centrebus (Midlands) Update

Centerbus recently took charge of operations from Paul James, Coalville after being unloaded by Veolia, and have now relesed details of the new fleetnumbers for the transfered buses, all of which are based at the Saxby depot, just outside Melton Mowbray.

Im advised that the Coach Tour side of Paul James has been transfered to locally based Roberts, Hugglescote.

The below is provided to me courtsey of TAL124.

235 YJ07 EFY Optare Solo M710 SABCNEAB07R192048 Optare B22F 3.07
236 YJ07 EFZ Optare Solo M710 SABCNEAB07R192049 Optare B22F 3.07
237 YJ07 VRV Optare Solo M710 SABCNEAB07R192805 Optare B22F 5.07
238 YJ07 VRW Optare Solo M710 SABCNEAB07R192806 Optare B22F 5.07
239 YC51 HAA Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000738 Optare B33F 11.01
240 PJZ 9450 (MX03 EJY) Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000918 Optare B33F 3.03
241 W654 PUT W 20 PJC Optare Solo M920 VN6402 Optare B34F 4.00
242 S 20 PJC YG52 DHA Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000882 Optare B33F 9.02
243 W 30 PJC Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000658 Optare B34F 8.01
244 W 40 PJC Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000661 Optare B34F 11.01
245 W 50 PJC Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000662 Optare B34F 11.01
246 W 60 PJC Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000000741 Optare B34F 11.01
247 CE52 UWX Optare Solo M850 SAB19000000000967 Optare B27F 10.02
248 CE52 UWY Optare Solo M850 SAB19000000000968 Optare B27F 10.02
249 YJ06 YPT Optare Solo M990 SABDNDAF06L192429 Optare B37F 7.06
250 MX05 ELO Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000001355 Optare B33F 3.05
251 YJ56 AUN Optare Solo M990 SABGWFAE06L192482 Optare B36F 9.06
252 YJ56 AUO Optare Solo M990 SABGWFAE06L192483 Optare B36F 9.06
253 YJ56 WVO Optare Solo M990 SABGWFAE06L192533 Optare B36F 11.06
254 YJ06 YRX Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000001906 Optare B33F 6.06
255 YN03 ZXB Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000001184 Optare B33F 5.03
256 YN03 ZXC Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000001185 Optare B33F 5.03
257 YN03 ZXD Optare Solo M920 SAB19000000001186 Optare B33F 5.03
398 YJ60 LPY Optare Solo M950 SABFW3AF0AL193717 Optare B33F 10.10
399 YJ60 LPZ Optare Solo M950 SABFW3AF0AL193718 Optare B33F 10.10
430 YU04 XHY Mercedes Benz O814D WDB6703742N113180 Plaxton 048.5MXV5415 B29F 8.04
551 FM52 GKV Dennis Dart SLF SFD6BACR32GW86797 Transbus 2023/8 B29F 1.03
571 LX51 FGP Dennis Dart SLF SFD212BR11GW65835 Alexander 0070/61 B34F 9.01

Arriva 150 goes on hire to NXEA

Today Arriva Trains Wales sent a Class 150 DMU 150280 on hire to National Express East Anglia, to try and help reduce the unit shortage they have seemingly had since they picked up the remains left by the heroic failure of `One` Railway.

The Unit is seen here approaching March at 1449hrs today forming 5Z30 Cardiff Canton TMD to Norwich Crown Point:

150280 passing Tufts Occupational Crossing

Bypass Lorry Spotting 4th October

Evening All


A Quick write up on a half hour spotting session on the A47 Wisbech Bypass this afternoon;

I had one of those rare things, a free time between coming home from town and going to March to photograph a 150 which i decided to fill with some lorry photting on my usual perch on the A47 Wisbech Bypass, and thankfully i did, as i got myself about 20 new spots, including 4 vehicles from my 2 favourite hauliers, one of which, was a very nice surprise indeed.

From Stobart Group: Volvo FH PX11EYM and MAN TG-X PX09DWE, which must be on borrowed time now owing to the fact the vast majority of the 58 plate MANs have now been withdrawn.

6138 - PX09DWE

Other sightings included local fleets such as M.S Wayman, 3 DAF XFs from Jack Richards, a few Freshlinc and Turners, and 3 Renault Premiums from Browns.

Photos from the session will soon be uploaded to my Flickr Photo Stream