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.

DR 80212

A dappled shot of Pandrol Jackson stoneblower number DR80212 on her way to Walsall, Monday 19th July.

Obstruction Danger

The shaken lady driver of this car was lucky to escape with cuts and bruises on Wednesday evening, when she lost control of the vehicle causing it to plunge through a fence and hedge, career down a fifty-foot embankment, cross the up line and come to rest across the down line at Aldridge.

Container train 4M63 running from Bescot to Hams Hall had passed the site literally seconds before the car crashed onto the tracks.

Three trains (including 6M51 and 6G45) were held along the Sutton Park line while the vehicle was winched clear, and two hours later at 2000 the line was open for business.

Thanks to Network Rail for permission to reproduce these three photographs.

Street Spirit

After being released from repairs at Toton, 60074 Teenage Spirit makes a welcome return to traffic. The tug is seen at Streetly Gate while working 0Z98 Toton to Bescot and is seen later in the consist of 6V69 Bescot to Alexandra Junction hauled by 66087.

5Z12 passes Streetly

Passing the old Streetly station site this afternoon was 67002 'Special Delivery' with a stock move to Barrow Hill, running 190 minutes late...

Sunrain

37425 being hauled to Toton in the consist of 6D44 on 9th June 2010 during a sunny rainshower.

Robin of Streetly

47739 Robin of Templecombe is caught at Streetly Gate while working 6Z47 10:00 Doncaster to Donnington RFT. The train was running over two hours late after 47739 needed a coolant top up at Washwood Heath.

Class 59 at Aldridge

DBS (formerly EWS) loco number 59202 heads out across the Sutton Park line earlier this evening with a returning Pathfinder charter express train.

This species of loco, the forerunner of the ubiquitous Class 66, is hardly to be seen in the West Midlands area, though one happened to work the Walsall cement train on a rare occasion last year.

The loco had backed onto the train at Bescot, relieving a pair of DRS Class 37s.

Magic Moment

37706 and 5972 Hogwarts Castle are caught at Streetly Gate crossing while working 5Z59 10:39 Southall to Carnforth. The steamer had been in London in connection with filming for a new Harry Potter movie.

Class 97s at Aldridge

This pair of yellow beauties sailed through Aldridge early this afternoon, the Network Rail ex-Class 37s were presumably en route Derby - Shrewsbury as 0Z97.

97302 + 97303 were photographed from what was once the end of the Aldridge station upside platform, near to the current crossover points which was the former junction for the Walsall Wood and Brownhills Watling Street branch.

Wish I could get onto the sunny side viewpoint across the tracks though.....

We Got A Great Big Convoy

Wednesday 19th May saw 47580 work 0Z98 09:10 Kidderminster (SVR) to Tyseley via Butterley. The consist included 37264, 45133 and 31271 which had all appeared at the previous weekends Swanage Railway diesel gala.

The DBS Managers Train makes a rare appearance in Sutton Park, heading back to Reading from Wales on the evening of 12th May 2010. DVT 82146 was leading the set, with flagship loco 67029 'Royal Diamond' bringing up the rear.

A Brush With The Devil

WCRC's 47245 and 47826 top 'n' tail Nenta Train Tours 'Aberystwyth & The Devil's Bridge' through Streetly on their way from Norwich to Aberystwyth.

Park Tours

Saturday 24th April saw two railtours routed via the Sutton Park line. First up was 67005 Queen's Messenger working Northern Belle's 'Harrogate Spring Flower Show'. This was closely followed by 47787 Windsor Castle & 47786 Roy Castle OBE working top 'n' tail on Green Express Railtours 'The Devonian'.