30 minutes at the farm.
No, nothing to do with cows or sheep! Our member Spike Windows went out on Friday 26th June and spent 30 minutes at a location known locally as Heamies Farm just north of Norton Bridge where the new slow lines drops back down to meet the WCML after negotiating the Searchlight Lane deviation.
Here’s what he saw:
Photo 1 – Avanti West Coach have started to apply their house colours to more Pendolinos recently but only on the driving cars as opposed to the full train as on the first two sets done at the Franchise change over. Time will tell if the whole trains get the makeover in future, Here 390125 speeds north with the 1F14, 10.07 London Euston to Liverpool service.
Photo 2 – One of DRS Bi-Mode diesel/electric class 88 No.88005 glides quietly south with the 4M48 05.48 Mossend to Daventry intermodal service.
Photo 3 – One of the Pendolinos that hasn’t yet received the new livery is 390122 which is one of two that now wears a face mask and carries a “Wear a face covering, Safe travel logo”. Seen here heading north with the 1S52, 10.10 Euston to Glasgow service.
hoto 4 – Db owned 90029 has been rebranded into Grand Central black and orange livery for their new Blackpool to London service which should have started this summer but has been put on hold due to the current pandemic. Here it is seen heading south as 5Z90, 09.37 Widnes to Wembley empty stock move with two rakes of their MK4 stock that will be used on the new service which had been made redundant from East coast service by the arrival of Hitachi IEP train sets.
Photo 5 – The new service when it starts will be made up of 5 trailers and a DVT with a hired in class 90 to provide traction. Here the two rakes head south and sees the strange sight of a DVT No.82227 coupled to the rear of the front set of coaches.
Photo 6 – Bringing up the rear of the train was another of the hired in traction in the form of DB owned but Grand Central liveried class 90 No. 90026.
