 | 1st Feb 2010 | AROUND & ABOUT FEBRUARY 2010 
UPDATED 8th FEBRUARY 2010
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 | 14th Jan 2010 | AROUND WESTON-SUPER-MARE 2010
UPDATED 4th FEBRUARY 2010
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 | 3rd Jan 2010 | DENT, SETTLE & CARLISLE LINE
A family holiday staying in Dent station over the New Year holiday allowed a few photographs in the snow. Sadly there were very few loco hauled trains during daylight. Between 01:00 & 07:00 on the Wednesday morning I heard 8 loco hauled trains go through!!
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 | 1st Jan 2010 | AROUND & ABOUT JANUARY 2010
UPDATED 28th JANUARY 2010
It has been a very dull & grey January!
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 | 27th Dec 2009 | SEVERN TUNNEL JUNCTION UPGRADE WORK CHRISTMAS 2009
A series of photographs taken on the 3rd; 27th December 2009 and 28th January 2010 showing the alterations to the layout at Severn Tunnel Junction to increase the number of platforms and raise line speeds through this busy location. It also involved upgrading the signal infrastructure as far as Pilning.
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 | 3rd Dec 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT DECEMBER 2009
UPDATED 18th DECEMBER 2009
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 | 1st Dec 2009 | AROUND WESTON-SUPER-MARE 2009
UPDATED 24th DECEMBER 2009.
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 | 8th Nov 2009 | FREIGHTLINER POWERHAUL CLASS 70 LAUNCH
On the afternoon of Sunday 8th November 2009 Freightliner and General Electric unveiled to the railway media the first two Class 70s to arrive on UK soil at Newport docks.
Updated 13th November 2009 with a visit to Stoke Gifford yard to see 70002 whilst traction training was underway.
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 | 1st Nov 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT NOVEMBER 2009
UPDATED 18th NOVEMBER 2009
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 | 26th Oct 2009
to 28th Oct 2009 | AROUND ULM, SOUTHERN GERMANY
A two and half day visit to the Ulm area at the end of October, with plenty of Class 218s in action. Any help identifying some of the workings would be greatly appreciated. Plus a special thanks to Steve Weeks for making it happen.
Once again compared to the UK it was good to see so much variety in motive power in a short space of time.
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 | 13th Oct 2009 | NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST ANGLIA & 0THERS
A visit to 3 locations on Tuesday 13th October 2009.
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 | 13th Oct 2009 | 321313 NAMING AT SOUTHEND VICTORIA. 13th OCTOBER 2009
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Essex, Professor Colin Riordan named EMU 321313 at Southend Victoria on the morning of 13th October 2009. The plate is applied to TSOL 71892.
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 | 1st Oct 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT OCTOBER 2009
UPDATED 21st OCTOBER 2009
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 | 1st Sep 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT SEPTEMBER 2009
UPDATED 24th SEPTEMBER 2009
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 | 20th Aug 2009 | WEST MIDLANDS
Another visit to the Elford area for a boys day out on Thursday 20th August 2009 which was very enjoyable.
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 | 1st Aug 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT AUGUST 2009
UPDATED 24th AUGUST 2009
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 | 23rd Jul 2009 | SOUTH WALES MAINLINE. 23rd JULY 2009
On hearing on the morning news that the London to Swansea route was to be electrified, I thought I better get a few shots in before the wires went up! :-)
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 | 9th Jul 2009 | ELFORD LOOP & WILLOW BOTTOM LANE PORTWAY
A visit to these two popular locations on the 9th July 2009 but sadly once again the weather wasn't to kind and traffic levels down with very few of the 'Q' workings showing up!
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 | 8th Jul 2009 | 'TORBAY EXPRESS' 2009 SEASON
UPDATED 20th SEPTEMBER 2009
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 | 1st Jul 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT JULY 2009
UPDATED 20th JULY 2009
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 | 12th Jun 2009 | WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY MIXED TRAFFIC GALA
A visit to the gala on Friday 12th June but sadly the sun stayed away.
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 | 7th Jun 2009 | LONG MARSTON OPEN WEEKEND JUNE 2009.
Some photographs from Sunday 7th June when the weather improved for the better!
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 | 1st Jun 2009 | EMRPS PHOTO CHARTER, CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY
Featuring 37075 & 25322 'Tamworth Castle' on a breakdown train and a train of vans in cloudless skies allday. Monday 1st June 2006.
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 | 1st Jun 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT JUNE 2009
UPDATED 16TH JUNE 2009.
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 | 1st May 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT MAY 2009
UPDATED 28th MAY 2009
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 | 3rd Apr 2009 | BARROW HILL BR EASTERN REGION LINEUP PHOTO CHARTER
A Russ Hillier photo charter 3rd April 2009 ahead of Barrow Hill's LNER themed weekend.
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 | 1st Apr 2009 | AROUND AND ABOUT APRIL 2009
UPDATED 30th APRIL 2009.
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 | 2nd Mar 2009 | AROUND AND ABOUT MARCH 2009
UPDATED 29th MARCH 2009
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 | 16th Feb 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT FEBRUARY 2009
UPDATED 18th FEBRUARY 2009
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 | 1st Jan 2009 | AROUND & ABOUT JANUARY 2009
UPDATED 22nd JANUARY 2009.
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 | 16th Dec 2008 | A VERY DARK, DAMP & FOGGY DAY IN SOUTH WALES!
A visit to see the loco hauled services introduced with the new timetable, which nearly went wrong but came right in the end.
16th DECEMBER 2008.
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 | 7th Nov 2008 | WHEN THE BOAT COMES IN
On Wednesday 5th November 2008 Jumboship MV Stellanova docked at Newport with 9 new Class 66's consisting of 66302, 66431, 66432, 66433, 66434, 66954, 66955, 66956 & 66957.
Six loco's were unloaded on Thursday the 6th with the final three being unloaded on the morning of Friday 7th.
Many thanks to the crew for allowing us on board to witness what is probably the last big shipment of 66's and almost certainly the last but one delivery.
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 | 23rd Oct 2008 | AROUND & ABOUT - OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2008
UPDATED 22nd DECEMBER 2008
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 | 21st Oct 2008 | SEVERN TUNNEL JUNCTION
A visit on Tuesday 21st October 2008 to make the most of some nice winter light and before the clocks change.
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 | 9th Oct 2008 | WATER ORTON AREA
A visit to the Water Orton area on Thursday 9th October 2008.
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 | 2nd Oct 2008 | AROUND WESTON-SUPER-MARE 2008
UPDATED 9th DECEMBER 2008.
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 | 24th Sep 2008 | AROUND BERLIN
A visit to the Innotrans Exhibition in September allowed some time photographing around the Berlin area.
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 | 23rd Sep 2008 | INNOTRANS BERLIN 2008
A visit to InnoTrans 2008 at Berlin Messe (exhibition centre) which occurs every 2 years at the end of September to showcase everything that is new in the European railway world. Sadly on our visit the weather consisted of steady drizzle for the outdoor exhibits, but at least there weren't many people about to get in the way of your shots! Roll on the 2010 show which promises to be even bigger!
23/09/08
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 | 6th Sep 2008 | SATURDAY'S 6th & 13th SEPTEMBER 2008
With Filton West Curve closed for engineering a trip out to see the Cross Country services in unusual locations as they were diverted via Chepstow and Newport. Sadly weather not brilliant again and non of the HST sets ran.
A furthder visit for a couple of hours on Saturday 13th September produced a few more shots, including an HST.
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 | 1st Sep 2008 | AROUND & ABOUT, JUNE to SEPTEMBER 2008 |
 | 30th Aug 2008 | A SUMMER SATURDAY IN THE WEST
Some shots from around Torbay on Saturday 30th August 2008.
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 | 19th Jul 2008 | SUMMER HST's IN THE WEST 2008
UPDATED 18th AUGUST 2008.
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 | 13th Jul 2008 | TORBAY EXPRESS 2008
UPDATED 22nd DECEMBER 2008
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 | 5th Jul 2008 | GWR SUMMER DIESEL GALA 2008
A few photographs from Saturday 5th July 2008
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 | 2nd Jul 2008 | A BUSY LUNCHTIME AT RAM HILL
A visit on Wednesday 2nd July 2008 to Ram Hill footbridge which is located at the site of the long closed Coalpit Heath station on the line between Westerleigh Junction and Stoke Gifford/Bristol Parkway. A very busy period, just a shame about the dull weather.
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 | 12th Jun 2008 | LONG MARSTON FAREWELL TO THE 87's WEEKEND.7th & 8th JUNE 2008.
Being present at the event with the 'Modern Locomotives Illustrated' magazine stand, allowed a few shots before the public arrived.
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 | 1st May 2008
to 7th Jan 2008 | AROUND & ABOUT JANUARY TO MAY 2008
UPDATED 29th MAY 2008
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 | 28th Apr 2008 | MAJOR UPGRADES AT PILNING
A visit today found some major upgrade work to the South Wales Mainline underway. First surprise was the new signal gantry which had been erected over all 4 running lines just west of the station on Sunday 27th April 2008. This gantry will carry just one signal ('up' main) for sometime to come. Apparently all new signals have to be of the overtrack design to allow for electrification projects in the future! Also alonside the 'up' loop a point and track panels were being pre fabricated, possibly to replace the existing loop to mainline turnout, although one of the workers on site said it was for a new refuge/cripple siding, but I feel the former is probably more likely.
UPDATED 8th MAY 2008
A further visit found a bit more progress in the work and my presumption was correct, it is a new point and trackwork for the loop, with work also being carried on the point for the 'down' loop to bring them both up to passenger standard.
UPDATED 12th MAY 2008
The 'up' loop point was replaced over the weekend 10th/11th.
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 | 18th Apr 2008 | SYDNEY GARDENS, BATH
A brief visit on Thursday 17th April 2008.
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 | 13th Apr 2008 | WEST MIDLANDS
A long weekend visit to the Midlands visiting relatives also allowed a few shots to be taken!
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 | 9th Apr 2008 | GLOUCESTERSHIRE & WARWICKSHIRE SPRING DIESEL GALA
A very brief visit on Friday 4th April 2008 in some nice spring light.
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 | 9th Apr 2008 | 40 STEPS TAUNTON
A short visit on Wednesday on 2nd April 2008.
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 | 17th Mar 2008 | EMRPS NIGHT PHOTO SHOOT AT TODDINGTON
The shoot on Saturday 15th March 2008 used both the Growler Group's Class 37's based on the Glous & Warwicks Railway with a train of ballast wagons. The conditions were appalling with heavy rain and strong winds the whole time, so a big thank you to the lighting lads for working in those conditions.
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 | 5th Mar 2008 | 60074 IN IT'S NEW COAT OF BLUE PAINT.
On Wednesday 5th March 2008 following the launch at the NRM on the 1st, 60074 made it's second appearance on the Lindsey to Westerleigh tanks. The return working 6E41 was photographed at 3 locations.
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 | 4th Mar 2008 | NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST ANGLIA LAUNCH.
On Wednesday 27th February 2008 National Express launched their East Anglia franchise with the first 3 trains in the new colours being shown off at Liverpool Street station.
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 | 25th Feb 2008 | EMPRS PHOTO SHOOT, NENE VALLEY RAILWAY
An excellent photo shoot on Saturday 23rd February with loco's 24081, 27066, 33053 & 47250 all in corporate blue colours.
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 | 10th Feb 2008 | AROUND NEWPORT 9th FEBRUARY 2008
A visit to the area on the Saturday morning to see the traffic for the first of the season's rugby internationals.
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 | 22nd Nov 2007 | WYLYE VALLEY DIVERSIONS
A visit to the area on a very dull November 17th 2007 to see the Freightliner diversions due to the Basingstoke blockade.
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 | 12th Nov 2007 | ARRIVA CROSS COUNTRY LAUNCH AT BRISTOL
The launch used ex Virgin Voyager 220017 re-branded for Arriva Cross Country.
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 | 5th Nov 2007 | FIRST GREAT WESTERN UNVIELS ITS NEW LOOK CLASS 150's
On Monday 5th November 2007 First Great Western unveiled the latest vehicle in its new look West Country Regional Fleet, which is part of an £11 million investment in the train operator’s local services. The first of 17 new look Class 150 trains were unveiled in the Pullman Group workshops Cardiff Canton.
The investment, which includes a major engineering overhaul, new interiors and new livery, will improve performance and reliability, as well as providing a better environment for both passengers and staff.
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 | 30th Oct 2007 | AROUND & ABOUT 2007 - 2
UPDATED 12th DECEMBER 2007
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 | 28th Oct 2007 | AROUND WESTON-SUPER-MARE 2007
UPDATED 4th DECEMBER 2007.
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 | 27th Oct 2007 | 20 MINUTES AT MAGOR
A brief visit to Magor on a very dull and damp Saturday 27th October 2007 to see the Western.
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 | 11th Oct 2007 | SUNDAY OCTOBER 7th 2007. |
 | 10th Oct 2007 | AROUND & ABOUT 2007
UPDATED 23rd OCTOBER 2007
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 | 9th Oct 2007 | SOUTHAMPTON BOYS DAY OUT.
A visit to the Southampton area with the boys on Wednesday 26th September 2007 was also my first use of the new Canon 40D. Whilst the RAW images were fine the JPEGS were dire! A change of bodies seems to have rectified this problem.
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 | 24th Sep 2007 | THE GREAT LITTLE TRAINS OF WALES
A short holiday in Snowdonia during August allowed a visit to several of the narrow gauge railways in the area, plus a couple of the big ones!
***Including the winning shot from the 'Model Engineer' Magazine 2007 Photo Competition.***
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 | 8th Sep 2007 | SATURDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2007
A trip out to see the 40 tour and the last Saturday of the hire-in HST workings.
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 | 23rd Jul 2007 | A BUSY WEEKEND AROUND WESTON-SUPER-MARE
It was due to be a busy weekend with the Royal Train, the start of the 'Butlin's Express' a double 'Torbay Express' and the specials for the T4 Concert on the beach but the wet weather took it's toll.
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 | 9th Jul 2007 | AROUND DAWLISH
A brief visit on Saturday evening and Sunday morning 7th/8th July 2007.
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 | 20th Jun 2007 | HIPPY EX's
A visit to Wyke Champflower on the afternoon of 20th June 2007.
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 | 18th Jun 2007 | WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY'S MIXED TRAFFIC WEEKEND.
A visit to the Gala on Saturday 16th June 2007 which was slightly spoilt by getting soaked to the skin and loosing my Blackberry!!!
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 | 11th Jun 2007 | AN AFTERNOON AT GENEVA
The French holiday also allowed an afternoon at Geneva on Wednesday 30th May 2007, which once again proved how low down we are in the loco hauled stakes!
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 | 7th Jun 2007 | SNCF
A family holiday to Lake Annecy in France allowed these few shots of some SNCF motive power.
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 | 3rd Jun 2007 | BRISTOL STONE COAL HAUL RAILTOUR
A few shots of this Railtour around Bristol on Sunday 3rd June 2007.
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 | 23rd Apr 2007 | LUNCHTIME AT UNDY
A brief vist on Monday 23rd April 2007.
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 | 17th Apr 2007 | SEVERN TUNNEL JUNCTION AREA.
A visit to STJ for work allowed these few shots.
Tuesday 17th April 2007.
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 | 14th Apr 2007 | ALGARVE TRAINS.
A couple of real trains and some fun trains viewed on a visit over the Easter Holidays.
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 | 30th Mar 2007 | GWR DIESEL GALA 30th MARCH 2007.
A visit to the Gala on Friday 30th March 2007, sadly the weather was not that good.
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 | 18th Mar 2007 | FINAL ATW LOCO HAULED TRAINS.
On Saturday 17th March the final loco hauled extra's ran for Arriva Trains Wales. The shuttles ran between Cardiff & Swansea using a top & tailed Class 50 & 47, whilst the Cardiff/Gloucester service was in charge of top & tailed 47's.
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 | 12th Mar 2007 | WEST SOMERSET Rly PHOTO CHARTER.
A Sentimental Journey's photo charter with 7822 'Foxcote Manor' and 5051 'Earl Bathurst' providing the traction with the SRPS maroon stock on Monday 12th March 2007.
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 | 12th Mar 2007 | WILLITON WORKS
A visit to the works area at Williton on Monday 12th March 2007.
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 | 10th Mar 2007
to 23rd Mar 2007 | SOMERSET STEAM.
Hopefully an expanding collection of shots in connection with the West Somerset Railway's Spring Steam Gala over the next couple of weeks.
Updated with a visit to the Gala on Friday 23rd March 2007.
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 | 6th Mar 2007 | MIDLANDS DAY OUT
A visit to the Kingsbury & Tamworth area on Tuesday 6th March 2007 in some good light and with some good company thrown in.
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 | 20th Feb 2007 | NETWORK RAIL’S WEST OF ENGLAND HIGH OUTPUT OPERATIONS BASE
Taunton Fairwater Yard has become the West of England High Output Operations Base for Network Rail. The site has been re-developed at a cost of £1.7 million from disused sidings originally laid down during WWII. Work began in January 2006 and the base became fully operational in January 2007. 4,750 metres of track were replaced and 14 sets of points installed, most of which came from the High Output test site at Margam. All buildings on the site are of modular construction and the whole operation can be moved to a new operations base in the future.
The base is the home of the High Output Track Renewal System (HOTRS) which comprises of 4 units:-
The High Output Ballast Cleaner (HOBC) is half a mile long, weighs 3,000 tonnes, generates 1,000 tonnes of spoil per shift and requires 26 engineers to operate the systems. It was built by Plasser & Theurer of Austria.
The High Output Track Renewal Train (HOTRT) is also up to half a mile long depending upon configuration, weighs 3,000 tonnes and needs up to 35 engineers to operate the onboard systems. The main operating plant was built by Matisa of Switzerland and the specialised wagons by W.H.Davis of Mansfield, UK.
Plus a Combined Tamper & Dynamic Track Stabiliser and a Ballast Regulator both built by Plasser & Theurer.
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 | 6th Feb 2007 | NEW CLASS 66's FOR FREIGHTLINER AT NEWPORT DOCKS
On Tuesday 6th February 2006 Jumbo Shipping Lines vessel MV FAIRLOAD arrived at Newport Docks conveying 2 Class 66's on delivery from EMC in Canada. One was in a dedicated livery for Bardon Aggregates.
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 | 25th Jan 2007 | LUNCH TIME AT 40 STEPS TAUNTON.
A fairly brief visit on Thursday 25th January 2007.
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 | 23rd Jan 2007 | WARRINGTON & CREWE
A visit to both locations on Tuesday 23rd January 2007, taking advantage of a free ticket from Virgin's 10th Anniversary draw.
Thank you Virgin for an enjoyable day out.
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 | 19th Jan 2007 | A MORNING AT UNDY
A first visit for 2007 to the South Wales Main Line. 19th January 2007.
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 | 28th Nov 2006 | A DAY AT MAGOR, SOUTH WALES.
A visit on a nice bright winters day to se the SERCO working, but it ran so late that it only made one pass on the South Wales Main Line instead of the diagrammed 3!
Tuesday 28th November 2006.
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 | 21st Nov 2006
to 6th Dec 2006 | WORLE JUNCTION TO COGLOAD JUNCTION POSSESSION.
3 weeks from the 20th November 2006 there is a total possession between the above locations for line re-placement in several locations. First views are of work in the Highbridge area on Tuesday 21st November 2006.
On Wednesday the 22nd November 2006 the Track Renewal Train(TRT) was at work in Uphill Cutting.
Updated 30th November with tamper work in Uphill Cutting.
Updated 1st December with the RHTT at work.
Updated 5th December with more work in Uphill Cutting.
Updated 6th December with tamping work at Highbridge.
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 | 19th Nov 2006 | ENGINEERING WORKS AT BEDMINSTER,BRISTOL.
Over the weekend of 18/19th November 2006 there was a total possession of the main line between Bristol Temple Meads and Cogload Junction. There were many works sites on this section and these photographs show the site at Parson Street, Bristol on Sunday morning 19th November 2006.
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 | 10th Nov 2006 | GLOUS & WARKS NOVEMBER DIESEL GALA.
A visit to the railway on Sunday 5th November produced some very nice light until about 2.00pm.
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 | 7th Nov 2006 | CARDIFF RUGEX's 2006.
A visit to the Cardiff area on Saturday 4th November 2006 to see the first of the specials for the new season of internationals.
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 | 1st Nov 2006
to 18th Dec 2006 | AROUND AND ABOUT 2006 - 2
Updated 18th DECEMBER 2006
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 | 31st Oct 2006 | FIRST GREAT WESTERN IMPROVES ST PHILLIPS MARSH DEPOT TO MAINTAIN IT'S DMU FLEET.
On Friday 20th October 2006 an £8m redevelopment for First Great Western at its St Phillips Marsh depot in Bristol was launched for the improved maintenance of it’s DMU fleet which operate on the former Wessex Trains routes.
The work is designed to improve train punctuality by offering a state-of-the-art depot, centrally located for First Great Western’s network.
The development will be adjacent to First Great Western’s existing High Speed Train depot at St Philips Marsh and will involve the creation of a new maintenance shed, the extension of an existing maintenance shed, new sidings, a carriage washing plant and extending an existing 60 metre long maintenance shed by around 15 metres so it can accommodate two, three-carriage units.
Two new tracks will be installed at sidings for overnight storage of the trains, and the latest technology will be used in the carriage washing plant, so that water and chemicals can be recycled to minimise the environmental impact.
When the work is completed, and trains enter the depot, staff will first refuel the trains. They will then travel to the extended maintenance shed and before entering service the next day will be cleaned in the new carriage washing facility.
Existing facilities, which form part of the High Speed Train depot, will also be available to improve the maintenance of the DMU fleet. These include a lathe for repairs to wheels and heavy lifting equipment to allow work on undercarriage equipment to be carried out more easily.
The investment at the St Philips Marsh depot is part of First Great Western’s commitment to invest £200m after winning the Greater Western franchise.
Much of the investment will be focused on the train fleet. As well as the new depot facilities at Bristol, the interiors of the entire DMU fleet will be refurbished, while the company’s High Speed Train fleet will be fitted with new interiors, and cleaner, more reliable engines.
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 | 22nd Oct 2006 | NORTH & EAST LONDON.
A visit on Wednesday 18th October 2006 mainly to capture some shots on the North Woolwich branch before closure at the end of the of the current timetable.
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 | 21st Oct 2006 | ROYAL NAMING AT BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS
On Tuesday 17th October 2006 Prince Michael of Kent named First Great Western HST Power Car 43165 which was fresh out of works after it's MTU upgrade after himself.
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 | 17th Oct 2006 | RUGBY
After our morning at Water Orton we moved onto Rugby to check out the late afternoon action.
Thursday 12th October 2006.
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 | 16th Oct 2006 | WATER ORTON.
A visit to this busy location on Thursday 12th October 2006.
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