Essex and East Anglia 2015
Looking at the date today ,11 Jan 2016 ,and wondering whether I would get a picture this month , I see it wasn't until 19th January that I managed my first couple of shots in 2015.
66414 crosses the viaduct in Central Park , Chelmsford 19th January 2015 11.05hrs.4R97 09.12 Felixstowe N.FLT-Tilbury RCT
The stone from Acton-Chelmsford started early in January 2015 but I was made to wait until 19th for my first picture of it.
66187 Central Park. 11.09hrs. 6Z17 10.54 Chelmsford Rec-Acton TC
I did try ,honest.
After yesterday morning's hard frost I was hopeful for the Kelvedon location for today's pictures. I went ,but the field there was 6" deep in mud; the Witham shot had building shadows across the line , so back to old faithful, Terling Road.
This was the last chance for a weekend shot as the line is now closed every Saturday and Sunday for 2 months.
Some works trains perhaps ?
66709 10.40hrs.6Z80 10.09 Marks Tey GBRf-Wellingborough GBRf Up TC
70020 Terling Road 24.1 2015 11.32hrs 4M87 09.20 Felixstowe S.FLT- Crewe BH SSN.
No comment !
Following the failure of 47853 on yesterday's intended working , a substitute loco 47790 " Galloway Princess " was found to work the train one day late instead.
Terling Rd End 27.1.2015 09.55hrs. 5Z55 08.36 Stowmarket DGL-Wolverton Centre Sdgs.
66753 Terling Road End 30.1.2015 12.27hrs.4M23 10.46 Felixstowe N.GBRf-Hams Hall GBRf.
4 minutes later when 66762 passed with sand ex Marks Tey , the sky had turned black and it was a race back to the car to beat the snow.
While waiting for the GBRf jobbies , 90007 passes at 12.10hrs. on 1P24 11.30 Liverpool St.-Norwich
Under orders from some members of Ipswich Mafia travelling on the train to take this " whatever " , I did. Please excuse.
61306 " Mayflower " Terling Road 11.2.2015 10.30hrs.1Z61 08.03 Norwich-Windsor and Eton Riverside.
With Saturday's steel running a day early and a Full Sun forecast I slipped down to the LT&S for an hour or so. 27th February 2015.
First up ,86638+86607 10.23hrs.4M54 10.10 Tilbury RCT-Crewe BH SSN
The Main Event. 27th February 2015.
With "Full Sun " in danger of disappearing imminently 60085 passes dead on time at 11.35hrs. 6V62 11.24 Tilbury Riverside-Llanwern Exchange Sdgs.
Lucky also as a few seconds later I would have had a "reverse blocker " with the local Fenchurch St-Grays half hourly passenger.
66091 Terling Road 4th March 2015 09.34hrs. 6R34 08.31 Ipswich SS-Ripple Lane West SS.
You may think the shot was taken a fraction early but with the sun disappearing completely just 2 seconds later, it was spot on. Lucky ,or what ?
With stock pinched from Virgin West Coast 90015 heads towards London 25th March 2015 09.45hrs. 1P21 08.30 Norwich-Liverpool St.
Star of the morning Show , but not even running according to FreightLocate ,half and half red 66184 plus new truck.
Terling Road 25th March 2015 10.02hrs. 6Z79 09.40 Marks Tey-Acton TC
Wearing her new colours, 66414 Terling Rd.25th March 2015 09.27hrs.4M94 07.39 Felixstowe S.FLT-Lawley St.FLT.
I think I prefer the blue.
With cloud building steadily,late running 66164 just makes it before the curtain comes down.
Terling Road 25th March 2015 10.05hrs.6R34 08.31 Ipswich SS-Ripple Lane West SS.
I heard the following day that future fuel oil deliveries will be Freightliner operated and coming down from LindseyOR ,so this could well have been the last working of this train. As it happens, it wasn't quite the last . At least one further train ran a week later ,on 1st April ,see picture taken at Central Park , Chelmsford.
When it does finally go it will be yet another blow to the variety of freight on the GEML. Shame. Big Shame.
More Virgins , or rather the same old tired ones.
A week later, Chelmsford Central Park. 1st April 2015 10.27hrs.1P18 10.00 Liverpool St.-Norwich
Duff gen last week. Following on from last Wednesday's " last Ever 6R34 " The Ripple Lane-Ipswich and return fuel oil tanks had another "final run " today. 1st April 2015. Central Park , Chelmsford ,09.43hrs. 66139 6R34 08.31 Ipswich SS-Ripple lane W SS
Will this really be it ,or will it run and run ?
Never sure whether this one is going to appear these days in view of the rumour of it ceasing first heard a month ago , but turn up it did.15th April 2015.
66011 ,60' late, 10.34hrs. ,6R34 08.31 Ipswich SS-Ripple Lane West SS.
This really was the last one. A sad day.
NR working on the system somewhere meant there were a few Saturday Morning diversions over the GEML. 18th April 2015.
5 eastbound FL/Intermodals were booked through Witham between 07.26 and 09.06hrs. Despite the full sun all day forecast ,it began clouding up at 8.00am so I missed out on one shot ,but did manage an EWS job plus the " star " of the show just after 9.10hrs.
Starting with 66517 07.26hrs.4R98 04.51 Tilbury RCT-Felixstowe N.FLT
We used to get a couple of these EWS jobs each day until they began to run over the fields via Bury a year or so ago.
Nice to see 66172 at 08.09hrs. on a diverted Wakefield-Felixstowe N.FLT. 18th April 2015.
Thanks to RTT who did show it , but shame on Freightlocate who missed it completely.
I missed out on the next FL66-hauled one by just a few seconds and then it was touch and go as to whether the last of the 5 early morning booked workings ,this GBRf job, would come in sun.
A strong East wind had been blowing the clouds in off the sea and sunny spells were becoming less and less frequent.
I had seen that 66720 had been working to Felixstowe for the last couple of days , so fingers were crossed that it and the sun would appear today.
4L02 04.45 Hams Hall-Felixstowe N.FLT. 09.12hrs. 18th April 2015.
Unbroken sunshine forecast. Not many out of 10 yet again , Met Office.
Lucky escape today. Showing at Felixstowe early this am was this one and 66718.
66723 Terling Road 20th April 2015 12.27hrs.4M23 10.46 Felixstowe N.FLT-Hams Hall.
This may look familiar but it's my first ever shot of the 6M56 12.00 Ipswich Griffin Wharf-Watford London Concrete ,sea-dredged sand job.
66075 Terling Road 20th April 2015 13.31hrs.
Finding out quite late this morning about the 2x37 trip from Norwich-E.London ,I decided to wander over to the local spot. Just 25 minutes to wait until the booked time ,but it never turned up and I gave up and went home for some dinner. Checking when I got back I saw it was 81 late at Witham and had I waited 10 mins I would have got it. Some things are just not meant to be.
While waiting , 90042 passed at 11.29hrs. on 4M81 08.01 Felixstowe N.FLT-Crewe BH SSN.
First Summer evening shot of 2015. Terling Rd. 23rd April 18.48hrs.
66740 Terling Rd. 19.14hrs. 23.4.2015 . 4M02 17.34 Felixstowe N.FLT-Hams Hall GBRf.
A 90 on a Freightliner did come a few minutes before but I didn't want to start the season with a dirt-box.
Slightly brighter at 11.17hrs. for 90016 4M81 08.09 Felixstowe N.FLT-Crewe BH SSN.
66748 Marks Tey 24th April 2015. 09.45hrs.
Not only did we lose the WO Ipswich oil tanks in early 2015 but this flow of GBRf worked aggregates from Marks Tey also came to an end in April 2015.
Both workings which provided some welcome variety to the endless stream of liners will be sorely missed.
Well weird ,or what ??!!
59001 Chelmsford Central Park 27th April 2015 11.05hrs. 6Z17 10.54 Chelmsford Rec-Acton TC
Yet another Met Office no cloud day. Useless so and so's.
Just 2 minutes in front of the stone empties, 66568 crosses the viaduct 11.03hrs 27th April 2015, Central Park, Chelmsford.
4R97 09.12 Felixstowe N.FLT-Tilbury RCT.
90045 Terling Rd. 29th April 2015 19.00hrs. 4S88 16.13 Felixstowe N.FLT-Coatbridge N.FLT
66567 rather than the usual 90. Terling Rd. 12.5.2015 19.01hrs 4S88 16.13 Felixstowe N FLT-Coatbridge FLT
With loco pushing and train coming along at speeds of up to 100mph from behind ,it's quite difficult to judge just when to press the button. So , I'm quite pleased with this one which did work. For every one good one there are usually 3 " misses ".
90010 Terling Rd. 12.5.2015 19.06hrs. Late running 1P54 18.10 Liverpool St.-Norwich.
A Cop ! 66762 Terling Rd.19.14hrs.4M02 17.34 Felixstowe N.-Hams Hall GBRf
Just a couple of minutes later at 18.59hrs. 90049 on 4S88 16.13 Felixstowe N.FLT-Coatbridge FLT passed the other way,
Failed to get a picture of this loco on this train 4 times out of 4 Mon-Thu this week and even on this Friday evening cloud build up gave little hope for what would be my last chance . The Sun was in and out , but less than a minute before 66711 arrived , it burst through again. Persistence paid ,this time at least. Very lucky boy !
19.11hrs. Terling Rd.19th June 2015 4M02 17.34 Felixstowe N.GBRf-Hams Hall GBRf.
No use saying I'll pay for this. Over this way these last two months it's been a case of Pay in Advance. I'm owed more than a few.
Dashing to the Co-op for a few bits for lunch , I called in at Hatfield Peverel Station mid-morning ,just missing out on 66715 but getting this pair , 86637+ 86628 ,at 10.57hrs. on the 4L89 04.10 Crewe BH SSN-Felixstowe N.FLT. 24.6.2015.
Light somewhat better than at dinnertime ! 100% better.
Another " cop ".
66719 Terling Rd. 29.6.2015 19.13hrs. 4M02 17.34 Felixstowe N-Hams Hall GBRfTerling Rd. 29.6.2015 19.13hrs. 4M02 17.34 Felixstowe N.Hams Ha
Just thought you'd like to see the bane of my life...the 7 o clock cloud which more times than not comes over to spoil my shot of the FL 90 and GBRf 66 on the early evening 18.58 and 19.07 southbound freightliners.
While I had the chance I bought a second Fuji S3 and Nikon lens ,just in case....
Tonight was my first chance to try them out. As usual ,the 7.00pm cloud was present for most of the time , but I was lucky for 90045 at 19.01hrs.Terling Rd. 17.7.2015 on 4S88 16.13 Felixstowe N.FLT-Coatbridge FLT.
I don't think I need to send camera or lens back.
66716 Hatfield Peverel 4.8.2015 10.48hrs.4L02 03.49 Hams Hall-Felixstowe N.GBRf.
Train powering through at top speed today. This spot was in shadow as the loco came under the bridge ,but my nerve held and it cleared just at the last second, enabling me to break my 2 1/2 week snapping duck.
66570 Witham 7.8.2015 07.30hrs.4R98 04.24 Tilbury RCT-Felixstowe N.FLT.
A constant stream of trains ,pretty much nose to tail , heading the other way made up the morning rush-hour traffic to Liverpool St..
Very fortunate not to have a Blocker !
66131 Witham 7.8.2015. 07.07hrs. 6Z76 00.34 Mountsorrel Sdgs- Marks Tey Tarmac. Loaded Self-discharge train .
Sticking with my philosophy of sharing the pain and the pleasure ,here's this year's pain... April Fool's Joke 66718 for you.
Chelmsford Park. 1.4.2015 10.39hrs.4L02 03.49 Hams Hall-Felixstowe GBRf
Placed at regular intervals along the platforms of stations along the GEML are these rather sinister Black Boxes , presumably for pest control.
Station staff have instructions not to touch them.
90034 Terling Rd.17.8.2015 10.19hrs. 1P23 09.00 Norwich-Liverpool St.
With a single 37 on a Norwich -Willesden coach movement, 2 x 86's on a Liner ,and T and T 37's on a NR measurement train ,I was slightly disappointed I got none of those but just this one and the following two pictures.
To add to my pain ,while I was on a fool's errand here, my wife had an Osprey fly over the house. Lucky Girl.
66122 Terling Rd. Half light and a bit. 17.8.2015 13.34 hrs. 6M57 12.00 Ipswich Griffin Wharf-Watford London Concrete.