Iced Up

Some views taken along Longwood Road, Aldridge during the big freeze, the afternoon of 7th December.

Napier Navigator

Another of Richard's excellent captures sees Porterbrook Deltic D9016 Gordon Highlander heading the 'Napier Navigator' charter excursion from Crewe to York on the 6th April 2002.

The view is that as seen from East View Road, near Wylde Green, before the pallisade fencing uglification.

Photo Copyright R Coghlan.

Back to the 70s!

It's been a while since I've noticed a 70 work the ballast from Stud Farm-Bescot, so it was nice to see 70006 rounding the curve at Ryecroft Jn with 6G16 on Wednesday 08th December. I'd have been even happier if it had run a tad late to enable the sun to get round more, but these things can't be helped!

Streetly Snowfall

Tuesday 30th November 2010 was a day of snowy conditions on the Park. 66577 is shown passing Streetly Gate in a heavy snow shower hauling what was assumed to be 4L68 12.15 Birch Coppice to Felixstowe freightliner.

The day also saw a strange move take place. The previous night's 6M00 11.33 Humber-Kingsbury tanks hauled by 60011, which was due to arrive at 17.15, didn't get to Kingsbury until midnight, long after the oil terminal closed. As soon as Kingsbury reopened it was allocated 6E68 back to Humber to clear the terminal for this mornings inbound tanks but then changed to 6Z68 Kingsbury-Bescot DS which duly ran. The loco then refuelled at Bescot before rejoining it’s train of tanks sat in the yard and then ran as 6Z68 13.35 Bescot-Humber complete with it's 31 tanks still unemptied and is again seen passing Streetly Gate.

Black and White

Saturday 27th November 2010 saw the first snowfall of the winter in the West Midlands and was also the day that ex LMS Class 5MT 45305 took 1Z34 The Deva Explorer from Tyseley to Chester. The Black 5 is shown passing Hardwick Woods just after sunrise with a dusting of snow still visible on the track and the trees.

Heavy Weight Freight

A filthy 66039 drags a single wagon on 6D99 08.06 Bescot-Toton departmental freight through Hardwick on Saturday 27th November 2010. The dirty condition of the 66 implies that it has recently been used on RHTT duties somewhere.

Bone Inspection

Class 58 'Bone' loco number 58002 passes Sutton Park old station on 13th June 1988 with a Walsall-bound inspection saloon. Note that the platforms and station buildings were still intact at this time.

Thanks to Richard Coghlan for this excellent photograph.

The Odd Couple

20303 & 37038 worked the Berkeley flasks on Tuesday 16/11/10. They are seen here at Ryecroft coming off the park about 10 minutes after the sun had given up for the day!

More new signals

Another two new signalposts have been installed at Walmley, not far from Penns old station site, along with what looks like a new base for electrical equipment cabinets.

No doubt this in connection with the ongoing West Midlands resignalling scheme, and the eventual closure of Walsall and Saltley Power Signal Boxes within 2 - 3 years.

Photo 1. The new signal on the down line can just be made out under Ashurst Rd bridge, on the right of the tracks. The signal at left is the current SY265 repeater on the up line. Loco 66159 stands at a red on SY265 signal proper, in the distance at Park Lane Jcn.

Photo 2. The new (not-yet commissioned) signal on the up line.

Photo 3. Locomotive 66159 passing the new signal, en route for Washwood Heath.

Photo 4. New base for lineside cabinets ? (on the right, the rail entrance to the former Penns Good Yard also used to be here). On the left can be seen a Termination board for a 20mph emergency speed restriction on the up line which has now been here for a year or more...

Golden Section

A golden autumnal scene belying the rain and gloom yesterday afternoon, as 60073 rushes eastwards with the 6E08 Wolverhampton - Immingham 'pigsheds'.

Resignalling

A new signal post and phone have appeared at the site of the old Sutton Park station, at the western end of the former downside platform. The signal number appears to be WL40/1A, although some graffiti has already been sprayed onto it... Also at the site was some 'roadrailer' machinery of various types. The points levers for the temporarily-dismantled crossover can also be seen.

Tug On The Steel

The 25th October saw 6E08 Wolverhampton-Immingham ST in the hands of 60019, seen here near Sutton Coldfield.

Ironbridge Cradle Of A Nation

67028 is seen working UK Railtours 'Ironbridge Cradle Of A Nation' on Saturday 18th September.

Red Army Faction

Today was the turn of DBS 'Army' locomotive number 60040 to do the honours with the empty steel working 6E08 from Wolverhampton. This is the fourth Class 60 to appear over the Sutton Park line this week (the others were 60049, 71 and 73, and additionally 60011 has been passing nearby Water Orton on tanks), which isn't bad going considering that there are only half a dozen left in service !

Happy days...

Return of 60073

60073 made a surprise appearance this afternoon on the returning Wolverhampton - Immingham steel 'pigshed' empties, 6E08. It must be a good 3 years since I last saw the locomotive (see post 'Sixties at Aldridge' of November 2007).

Also making a show was 70006 working the same train as Josh photographed yesterday (4V74). It'a a good few months since I saw one of this class too, and i'm still waiting to get a shot of one working a freightliner container train across the Park, which to my knowledge hasn't happened yet ...

70's Revival

70006 is seen approaching Sutton Park old station working the late running 4V74 Rugeley Power Station to Stoke Gifford while 66590 works in the opposite direction on Tuesday 14th September.

Atomic Kittens

There's been plenty of DRS Class 37 action across the Sutton Park line recently. On Thursday 9th September 37688 + 37087 did the honours on 6M56 Berkeley to Crewe and 37259 + 37218 were in action today.

North Wales Explorer

5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe is seen getting into her stride just after joining the Sutton Park line at Park Lane Junction. The Castle was working Vintage Trains 'North Wales Explorer' from Tyseley to Llandudno Junction.

Nice Weather For Ducks

Here's another shot of 60009 working yesterday's 6G45 Toton to Bescot. The 'Tug' is seen approaching Streetly Gate crossing in monsoon conditions.

Full Downpour 'Tug'

60009 is seen running down towards the Blue Hole with 6G45 from Toton to Bescot yesterday evening. The weather could have been best described as a torrential downpour...

Full-Sun Shed

66194 takes 6D44 Bescot - Toton under the Wylde Green Road bridge on Monday 16th August.

Both Sides of the Bridge

66078 with a down train of empty 'flats', and 66035+66168 with 6D44 on the up, seen from both sides of Mayers Bridge in Sutton Park.

A Royal Diamond

67029 'Royal Diamond' is caught passing Water Orton yesterday morning with 1Z24, a charter express running from Bristol to Hartlepool. Also shown is coach 'Riviera' bringing up the rear of the train.

A Station Rainbow

While waiting for the charter train at Water Orton on Saturday morning this rainbow appeared over the old station entrance building.

6M67 Bridgwater - Crewe

37059 + 37069 charge through Streetly on the 5th August with a diverted flask working (this service usually runs via Bescot).

Steady as she goes, driver

The odd-looking sight of 6201 'Princess Elizabeth' running tender-first with support coach in tow on Monday 19th July. The combo ran from Tyseley to Bescot where the coach was remarshalled to the rear and the train departed boiler-first back home to Crewe.

The loco had worked the historic 'The Midlander' charter train the previous Saturday, the first steam-hauled train from Birmingham's New Street station since the mid-1960s.

Sheds in a Field

66143 + 66125 streak across the cornfields at Branton Hill on Wednesday 28th July 2010 with 6D44 Bescot - Toton, consisting of a few wagons loaded with concrete sleepers (most likely from Washwood Heath CMX depot).

Another blue day...

60011 heads 6E08 from Wolverhampton Steel Terminal across Sutton Park during mid-afternoon on the 28th July. A couple of VTG Carless tanks had been attached to the empty steel train at Bescot before proceeding.

Nice to see yet another blue-liveried loco passing through the area, even if she did look a little shabby after the removal of the 'Mainline' decals !

Testing times (for foliage)

Otherwise known as where did that damn Birch shrub spring from ? ! BR blue-liveried 31106 does her best to hide behind the foliage as she passes through Daw End on the 23rd July with test train 1Q18 bound for Derby. On the rear of the set was departmental locomotive 97301.