Class 50 Passes Through

50007 is seen in the Blue Hole Cutting this evening with a stock move from Crewe to Washwood Heath, probably a couple of barrier vans. The loco had run light to Crewe to fetch the vans earlier in the afternoon. Good to see a '50' out working trains again.

37423

Seen in her new Class 68-style livery, 37423 runs light from Plymouth Keyham to Crewe as 0Z40 on Friday 16th May. Aldridge (Blue Hole cutting).

Convoys

Two recent convoys over the Sutton Park line pictured here. The first featured Deltic 55002 with D6700+47292+41001+55019 in tow, running from the NRM at York to Kidderminster SVR as 0Z55 on May Day evening. Today's 0Z56 was ex-Fastline Freight 'Grid' 56301 hauling 'Slug' 37906 from the SVR to Leicester.

The Mid-Wales Rambler

1Z88 seen powering over Sutton Park at 1000 this morning with a Norwich - Chester Nenta Tours outing.

One Of Our Bridges Is Missing

Today saw the removal of bridge number 31 over Rectory Road in Sutton Coldfield for a complete rebuild. Only the utility pipe remains at present. The line is due to re-open on Tuesday morning, 22nd April.

Double Fugly

Tuesday 11th March 2014 saw two Colas Class 70's 70802 and 70805 in charge of

6M50 Westbury to Bescot shown here at Mill Lane, just north of Walsall.

70805 was to be left at Bescot joining 70803 which top and tailed an engineering train on the former Wednesbury Line on the following day.

Diverted Lindsey Tanks

Refurbished DBS Class 60 number 60063 pounds through Aldridge on Tuesday 18th February, bang on time with the diverted 6E41 Westerleigh - Immingham empty tanks.

66731 With Moreton-on-Lugg Hoppers

GBRf loco 66731 "Interhub GB" runs past Aldridge Branton Hill in driving rain late this afternoon with Peterborough - Moreton-on-Lugg empty roadstone hoppers (some of which were still loaded !)..

More Shots of 6Z96

57002 + 57009 pick up speed through Water Orton and 57003 + 57012 hammer through Streetly with 6Z96 Crewe - Toton engineers train, February 2014.

0Z96 Bescot - Toton Class 57's

Another shot of the Crewe - Bescot - Toton engineers train now operated by DRS, this time seen running light engine from Bescot - Toton, as the Chiltern Rail-owned green driver-training 'bubblecar' passes on the down, East View Road, January 2014. Thanks to Richard C. for this photograph.

DRS Engineers

DRS recently took over 6Z96 Crewe-Toton engineers that was previously in the hands of Freightliner Heavy Haul.  Not a great time of year for shooting on the Sutton Park line what with the inevitable shadows, but I'm happy enough with this shot of 57012 & 57003 passing East View Rd on 11/02/14.

Bubble Car Trainer

A route-learner for Cross Country drivers utilising a Class 121 "bubblecar" number 121034, New Street to Nuneaton via Sutton Park.

Fifty Years Today...

A two-tone green-liveried Class 47 runs alongside the pine trees near Blackroot Pool on the up line, on New Years Day 1964. The loco is showing headcode 8T64 (incorrect for a light engine), which was one of the numerous Saltley area trip workings. The photo was taken from one of the cattle arch bridges which pass under the line here. Note the old telegraph poles, long since gone! The second photo shows what became Class 25 number D5225 at Castle Bromwich, just off the Sutton Park line, also in 1964. This loco was apparently the last of the Class 25's to be renumbered, becoming 25075 in December 1974.

All Steamed Up

A Birmingham New Street to Walsall push-pull auto service stands in the down platform of Sutton Park during August 1957, while another passenger train stands on the upside. Ivatt 2MT-A engine 41220 is providing the power on the Walsall-bound service. This was the time of the World Scout Jamboree at Sutton Park, when many engines rare to the area arrived with trains from all points of the compass. The second photo shows Stanier Black 5 number 45422 shunting vans into the Post Office sidings at Sutton Park sometime during 1964. Two years later this locomotive was cut up at Cashmores, Great Bridge. Hornby have since produced a model of this very engine.

90005 Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson

Smartly re-painted electric Class 90 locomotive 90005 'Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson' is towed past Streetly Gate foot crossing early this afternoon by DRS loco 37609. The combo was running from Toton to Norwich via Bescot. An interesting move for the last day of the year !

Good Old Boy

GBRf blue loco 66717 'Good Old Boy' powers across Sutton Park on the up with 4V94, the Ironbridge Power Station to Portbury Dock empty biomass wagons. The loaded train runs in to Ironbridge (sometimes via the Park) during the early hours.

Peak D15 At Sutton Park

Peak locomotive (possibly D15) passes through Sutton Park station with express 1O95 on this uncredited photo from the mid 1960s. Practically everything in the photograph has now gone, except the upside island platform which is very overgrown. The downside platform remains (left) were recently cleared away and the area fenced off in connection with a new development, possibly part of the nearby post office depot expansion.

With regards to the loco, Mel Holley writes: "Great picture - and brilliant trackwork - that single slip! I don’t wish to be a party-pooper, or a pedant, but it cannot be D15, as this was one of the four built with centre doors and split headcode boxes. From D16 onwards, they were split box, but built without doors. D15 survived long enough in this form (at least until 1967 when it was pictured at Bristol Temple Meads) with its centre doors, so it was converted to flush doors after it had been painted blue. Perhaps this is D25?”

56311 With Slinger Set

56311 rushes through Sutton Park on 26/09/13 with a condemned rail lifting set which had been stored at Donnington RFT. The wagons were en route Rotherham Booths but only ran as far as Derby on that particular evening

New Signals

WR5436 on the up, and WR5441 on the down at Aldridge. In use as from 0500 27th August 2013.

Old Signals

Superseded signals at Aldridge 23rd August 2013. WL42R & WL42 up, WL40 down

Compass Tours Charter Train

Double-headed express tour 1Z20 with 37419 & 20312 pass through Aldridge with the Jolly Fisherman tour on the morning of Saturday 20/07/2013. The charter was running from Hooton to Skegness.

GBRf Blue Class 66's

66702 and 66716 seen on different days in May with the 4V94 Ironbridge - Portbury biomass empties.

Flask at Aldridge

37218 + 37605 stand at WL40 signal at 1600 this afternoon with the 6M56 Berkeley - Crewe flask train.

P Way Hut

This decrepit shack is one of only two Permanent Way / Fogman's buildings left standing (just) along the Sutton Park line, located near to the old Sutton Town station.

0Z35 Crewe - Berkeley

37259 + 20303 pass Aldridge Junction today.

The Great Marquess

61994 is seen passing through Sutton Park on 19th March, running from the East Lancs.Railway to Tyseley for works attention. Three days later and some late winter snow had arrived with a vengeance, 61994 was oblivious to the weather though as she ploughed through Aldridge on her return to the ELR. There must currently be a shortage of steam support coaches...

On The Hunt

This unusual 1937 photo shows a loco hauled short freight of about five wagons plus brakevan, stopped near bridge 41 at Bracebridge in Sutton Park. Looks like the local huntsmen have lost their hounds, or maybe a fox is hiding under the wheels of the train ? Copyright GWR.

Sunset over Aldridge

Slightly blurry shots of 56302 passing Aldridge Junction at dusk on Sunday 17th February. The Colas-owned engine was running light from Crewe to Cardiff, a re-run of its trip on Thursday as 6Z56.

Bridge Under Repair

Bridge 31 over Rectory Road in Sutton Coldfield is in a poor condition and currently undergoing repair, necessitating a 5 mph ESR on the down Sutton Park line. 15th February 2013.

56302 Lives On

Colas-owned loco 56302, the former Fastline Freight 'Wilson Walshe' passes through Daw End on Thursday 14th February with 6Z56, a short HOBC engineers set running from Crewe to Cardiff Canton.

60059 Steels

60059 is seen exiting the Blue Hole cutting on approach to Aldridge with 6E08 empty steel carriers from Wolverhampton, Friday 8th February 2013.

Berkeley Flask 2013

20312 + 20308 run through the Blue Hole cutting west of Aldridge at 1545

on Thursday 24th January 2013 with the 6M56 Berkeley - Crewe nuclear flask train, the first time this service has run for almost six months.