Driver Training

DRS loco 37038 passes Aldridge on a driver training run to Berkeley (Glos) this morning.

The Oxfordshire Express

Not at all on the Sutton Park line but included as a local photo for the steam buffs, 6233 "Duchess of Sutherland" coasts through a gloomy Saltley this evening on the return Didcot-Derby leg of the Oxfordshire Express. Ah, the authentic smell of LMS/BR steam...

Convoy

This convoy of loco's was caught running light through the Blue Hole cutting this afternoon, from Washwood Heath to Bescot. They are 66086+055+059+162.

Double Grid

Two in one afternoon - 56303 approaches Aldridge with 4O90 for Grain (Kent), then a couple of hours later 56302 is pictured at Daw End with 6Z56 Crewe-Doncaster empty flats.

Boxes

As freightliner 4M70 runs down behind 66002 this morning, 67021 heads up light for Birch Coppice, through Daw End.

Rumblings at Ryecroft

37410 gets a tow back to Bescot behind 66086 this evening, on 6G45 from Toton.

Yet more engineering work

For the 3rd successive weekend the Sutton Park line has been closed for re-ballasting and fitting of new concrete sleepers. The photo's below show -

1. Road/railer at work Ryecroft Junction.

2. 60026 with engine switched off below Albert St bridge, whilst 66203 finds itself parked on a ballast train below Park Street tunnel, Walsall.

3. 60034 "Carnedd Llewelyn" standing at Sutton Park.

4. Another road/railer, this one at work unloading ballast in the rain, on the up line near Streetly, while 66035, 60091 and 60034 stand silent lined up on 3 ballast workings.

Streetly Skip

67030 at Streetly Gate, Wednesday 16th May 2007.

Euro Star

Loco's 66118 + 66209 roll past under the pylons at the Aldridge quarry site this evening, on a train of empties from Toton to Bescot (6G45). The hoped-for class 60 obviously didn't appear, but at least 66209 is a European-modified loco with different branding to the EWS norm, also showing painted bogies and stripey snowploughs. The service ran about 10 minutes late, following a down Freightliner/Heavy Haul coal train which was occupying 6G45's booked path...

Stoned

60027 on the approach to Aldridge this afternoon with a train of stone from Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, to Bescot (6G47).

Flask

At Aldridge today. 37229 "Jonty Jarvis" plus 20302. Large.

Sparking Grid

Grid 56302 throws off a few sparks from it's leading bogie under braking at Aldridge this afternoon.

Triple Sheds !

3 class 66s head 6D44 Bescot - Toton in the rain over Rushall this afternoon. The third loco is 66071 which has been modified for European use, but is still in service in the UK...

Return Steel

60034 passing through Rushall this morning with 6E08 Wolverhampton - Doncaster steel empties (including "pigsheds" !).

Bank Holiday Engineering work

5 spoil/concrete sleeper trains lined up nose-to-tail on the down line at Sutton Park last Monday were joined by a tamper on the up line which promptly shut down, leaving all trains standing silent and un-moving strung out across the Park, with no railstaff in sight !

Hoovering Up At Walsall

Hoover 50006 Neptune waits to depart Walsall with an unknown charter working on 10.06.1984.

Photo taken by D Jennings

Snow Rat

25310 passing a snowy Ryecroft Jnc on 11.01.1982.

Photo taken by D Jennings

6Z37 At Streetly Gate

DRS tractor 37087 working 6Z37 Doncaster to Bescot through Streetly Gate on Monday 12th March 2007.

The Rutland Renegade

20306 + 20309 + 20314 at the Lime Pits, Rushall while working Pathfinder Tours 'The Rutland Renegade' on Saturday 26th August 2006.

Sutton Park Rat

25224 inside the G.P.O. sidings at Sutton Park on 14th August 1981

Photo taken by D Jennings

The 406 & 422 show continues...

as 37406 heads for home with a massive train from Birch Coppice today.

37422 at Sutton Park

Heading for Birch Coppice this morning with 4 trucks.

Freightliner Evolution

Running two hours late behind loco 57003, the 4M55 liner from Southampton to Crewe passes one of the numerous repeater signals that are strung out along the Sutton Park line, on the approach to Aldridge this afternoon. 57003 was Brush Type 4 D1798 in a past life, built at Loughborough in January 1965. Unusually the trackside relay cabinets here are mounted on platforms above the cess and troughing.

Hard Road

37406 slogs up the bank from Ryecroft with a heavy load of steel for Burton yesterday. This loco and also 37422 have been based at Bescot for the last couple of weeks...

If you go down to the woods today...

You might just see 37406 roaring through... (again).

45 miles from Derby

Two liners pass the 45 milepost at Aldridge, 56303 is destined Grain in Kent, and 66541 is headed for Crewe. Friday last.

Even better...

37406 appeared on the Birch Coppice working on Friday. Just like the old days...

Another trip

But with a difference, as it is quite unusual to see a class 60 working the Birch Coppice to Bescot move, as happened on Thursday with loco 60060.

Race day at Ryecroft

Four class 67s within ten minutes at Ryecroft Jn this morning, as two raceday specials to the Grand National at Aintree take the Cannock line from Walsall. Both trains were diverted off the Grand Junction line at Bescot due to the OLE wires being down at Penkridge. 67015 + 67014 top and tail the first train, followed by 67005 + 67026 on the second. Technically this isn't the Sutton Park line of course, but Ryecroft does lie at the Walsall end of said line !

Strange things happen

Unexpectedly bursting upon the scene at Streetly crossing yesterday was one of the now-rarely seen EWS Type 3 loco's, 37406, heading a very late running Bescot to Eastleigh mixed freight. Passing on the down line at the same time was the return Birch Coppice - Bescot intermodal traffic behind EWS Type 5 loco 67018. A busy time at the crossing !

Meanwhile, back at Walsall...

a train of loaded stone "auto-ballaster's" emerges from Park St tunnel behind "shed" loco 66185, and heads out over the Sutton Park line.

Today's Birch Coppice trip

...with 67018 (YAWN...).

Withdrawal of passenger services

Official BRB-issued notice showing withdrawal of passenger services from New St to Walsall via the Sutton Park line with it's four stations, as from January 1965, and the alternative bus services that were available.

Diverted liner

Due to engineering work between Coventry and Rugby over the Easter weekend, the "supermarket" terminal at Daventry was inaccessible. DRS trains were therefore diverted to Birch Coppice terminal, and here's late running 4S44 to Grangemouth returning north on Good Friday behind loco 66404, running some 150 minutes late but with only 2 or 3 containers on board ! In the background is the old Aldridge Station and Goods Yard site, now only a cross-over remains from the entire former set-up.

A sea of blue and green

Hertfordshire Rail's charter tour from Paddington to Llandudno negotiates the tight curves at Streetly Hardwick Woods crossing this morning with Oxford blue loco 47839 PEGASUS leading and early-BR two-tone green 47812 (D1916) trailing.

Red runners

60024 on an up freight from Bescot to Burton, and 67018 RAPID on the down Birch Coppice - Bescot intermodal, at Streetly Gate foot crossing.