The Flickr Multipleunit Image Generatr

John Lennon observes the passage of Class 66 locomotive No. 66601 through Rugeley Trent Valley station hauling 6H40, the 12:31 Northampton Castle Yard to Crewe Basford Hall working on Saturday 10th February 2024. Meanwhile Class 350 electric multiple unit No. 350258 waits at platform 1 with 2I32, the 13:50 service to Birmingham International via Walsall.

I had just scored some new track: from Lichfield Trent Valley to Rugeley Trent Valley. That just left me with one missing piece from the entire West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Glasgow Central still to be done (the section between Lichfield Trent Valley and Rugby). Surprising, I know, for someone who's been a railway enthusiast (on and off) for over fifty years.

2B83 Lanark to Glasgow Central. Class 385 AT200 in Scotrail Saltire livery arrives into Central Station from Lanark on a glorious winters evening.

Class 323 electric multiple unit No. 323203 departs from Lichfield City station at the rear of 2P21, the 10:03 Bromsgrove to Lichfield Trent Valley service on Saturday 10th February 2024. Sister unit No. 323204 was at the front.

Departing for London Kings Cross

TransPennine Express class 802 no. 802203 heads past Hessle Road Signal Box with a crew training run as part of the preparation for these units being introduced on TPE's Hull services later in the year.

A two car DMU comprised of Gloucester class 119 DMSL W51104 and DMBC W51074 at Blundson on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on Sunday 9th July 2023.

This 2-car DMU includes two of the three surviving class 119 vehicles - the other being DMBC W51073 at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. No centre cars (all of which were buffet cars, designated TSLRB) survive.

"These Gloucester built "Cross Country" sets were one of many DMU designs based on the Mk1 coach with the standard "Derby style" front ends. Unlike many DMUs, longer distance travel was considered, so these vehicles were unusual in having large areas for first class, large brakevans and even buffets in some centre cars.

"Although built as 3-car sets, no centre cars were saved, and the powercars were lucky to escape scrapping, as this class was badly hit with asbestos problems, putting off any would be preservationists. Luckily, a single 2-car set was preserved to represent the class, now based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. An additional DMBC was also preserved, although it was badly stripped mechanically and electrically. Their use with Network SouthEast prolonged their life sufficiently to prevent them being lost as a class, like several other asbestos prone classes.

"All the surviving vehicles are currently under restoration, all three requiring work before a return to service is envisaged."

References:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_119

preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class119.html

A Gloucester class 119 DMSL W51104 at Blundson on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on Sunday 9th July 2023. Coupled to it is DMBS W51074.

W51104 is one of only three surviving class 119 vehicles - the others being DMBCs W51074 (to which W51104 is coupled here) and W51073 at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. No centre cars (all of which were buffet cars, designated TSLRB) survive.

"These Gloucester built "Cross Country" sets were one of many DMU designs based on the Mk1 coach with the standard "Derby style" front ends. Unlike many DMUs, longer distance travel was considered, so these vehicles were unusual in having large areas for first class, large brakevans and even buffets in some centre cars.

"Although built as 3-car sets, no centre cars were saved, and the powercars were lucky to escape scrapping, as this class was badly hit with asbestos problems, putting off any would be preservationists. Luckily, a single 2-car set was preserved to represent the class, now based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. An additional DMBC was also preserved, although it was badly stripped mechanically and electrically. Their use with Network SouthEast prolonged their life sufficiently to prevent them being lost as a class, like several other asbestos prone classes.

"All the surviving vehicles are currently under restoration, all three requiring work before a return to service is envisaged."

References:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_119

preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class119.html

A two car DMU comprised of Gloucester class 119 DMBC W51074 and DMSL W51104 at Blundson on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on Sunday 9th July 2023.

This 2-car DMU includes two of the three surviving class 119 vehicles - the other being DMBC W51073 at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. No centre cars (all of which were buffet cars, designated TSLRB) survive.

"These Gloucester built "Cross Country" sets were one of many DMU designs based on the Mk1 coach with the standard "Derby style" front ends. Unlike many DMUs, longer distance travel was considered, so these vehicles were unusual in having large areas for first class, large brakevans and even buffets in some centre cars.

"Although built as 3-car sets, no centre cars were saved, and the powercars were lucky to escape scrapping, as this class was badly hit with asbestos problems, putting off any would be preservationists. Luckily, a single 2-car set was preserved to represent the class, now based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. An additional DMBC was also preserved, although it was badly stripped mechanically and electrically. Their use with Network SouthEast prolonged their life sufficiently to prevent them being lost as a class, like several other asbestos prone classes.

"All the surviving vehicles are currently under restoration, all three requiring work before a return to service is envisaged."

References:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_119

preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class119.html

A pair of 3-car 165s (165034 nearest the camera) at Harrow on the Hill on a Marylebone shuttle working. 14th April 2024.

A class 117 DMU waits at Harmans Cross on a Swanage - Norden service. 51388 is leading, followed by 59486 and 51356.

Just a couple of minutes to go before Hastings DEMU 1001 got the green light to leave Platform 18 at London Waterloo on 'The Cogload Climber' Railtour.

1K79 Newark Castle to Crewe. Class 170 Turbostar Combo in EMR regional purple livery head into Derby Station where the service reverses and heads out south towards Crewe.

222016 and 222023 at Derby on 24th November 2004.

Hastings DEMU 1001 on the 'Cogload Climber' Railtour arrives into Platform 18, London Waterloo for a night stop. It would soon depart back to the South Coast via Eastleigh. The 455 on Platform 19 had arrived minutes before somewhat limiting photographic opportunities on a platform that would quickly get very crowded!

Nameplate of class 115 DMBS vehicle 51899 "Aylesbury College Silver Jubilee 1987", photographed in 1999.

The last time I tried to get this shot, Hastings DEMU 1001 only made it as far as Tunbridge Wells in Kent before an errant fire suppression system brought the railtour to a halt. The weather was better that day as well! 1001 also has an extra coach now, and it's the 'proper' Hastings narrow bodied width. The two 'full width' carriages from a standard sized EMU can be seen half way along the train.

It was an early start to get to Cromwell Road between West Brompton and Kensington Olympia on the West London Line to get this shot. And not even having the Central Line terminating at White City stopped me. I just took my fold up bike and cycled the rest of the way. So here is the seven coach Hastings DEMU 1001 on the 'Cogload Climber' Railtour heading to Exeter through West London. It would return late evening via a stop London Waterloo. An outstanding run post departure meant that even though 1001 had left Hastings 30+ late it arrived here a few minutes early!

1B26 Inverness to Edinburgh. Class 158 Express in Scotrail Saltire livery leads with Class 170 Turbostar in Scotrail Saltire livery on the rear head south on the HML seen here on the approach to Slochd Summit.

1A13 Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central. Class 156 Super Sprinter in Scotrail Saltire livery heads back towards Glasgow seen here on the approach to Crossmyloof Station.

Class 37 locomotive No. 37800 passes through Hartlebury station with 5Q79, the 07:58 Allerton Depot to Newport Docks working on Wednesday 7th February 2024. In tow is Class 319 electric multiple unit No. 319369, on its way to its final destination at the Sims Metal scrapyard.

Thanks to Rob Class66 for the tip-off about this working on the day.

From a slide I took in the 1980s. Passing Rocks China Clay Dry near Bowling Green, Bugle, Cornwall. The train is on the Par to Newquay branch line.
The Class 119 was built by Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon works in the 1960s.