Train Sightings on a Trip to Stafford 28th March 2012

Train Sightings List on a trip to Stafford 28th March 2012.

Newly Painted 37259 at Crewe

Trip wasn't a good start the planned Arriva Trains Wales 06.19am Barry Dock to Cardiff did not turn up wish pushed my timings back fifteen minutes, and meant I would miss the planned Arriva Trains Wales 06.50am. to Manchester.  This was extremely annoying to say the least but proved to be fate has various sightings at Shrewsbury and Crewe would have been missed had the 06.19 turned up. My body was still suffering from the long haul yesterday but the last day of the Arriva Trains Over 55 £19 ticket had to be taken advantage off, and today I am armed with a stool to sit on.  On arrival at Cardiff and a quick look at the boards I decided on the 07.20am to Holyhead has far as Shrewsbury, then wait for the next train to Crewe, then on to Stafford.

Cardiff  06.50 till 7.20

56302 56312 still on the blocks
7.05am 66015 East with HTAs
7.15am 66155 West with HTAs

07.20am 175109 to Shrewsbury.

Compass Tours Huddersfield to Cardiff Railtour was parked up in the platform at Shrewsbury departed 9.55am

47786 top n tail with 57601
Coaches were:- 6022 6103 W5928  6115 6000 W1201 3362 3359 3350 3431 3313 9496

Shrewsbury 9.25 till 10am

153367 153364 158831 17501 175101

10.00am 175008 to Crewe

Crewe 10.30am till 11.15am

20309+20308 at Gresty
37259 in the Platform awaiting siganal clearance (looks freshly painted)
700015 arrived with auto ballast train hoppers and ran around then departed South
DR73906 "Panther" Swith/Crossing Tamper heading South
86614+86607+90045 arrived.

390041 390035 350122 221142 221118 323226 221116 323237 350117 390052 221112 390054 153323 150237

11.15am 350101 to Stafford

Seen on route to Stafford

47712 90042 66060

Stafford 11.40am - 6pm

 Loco Movements


12.16pm 66715 North with Containers
13.04pm HST Test Train 43013+43062 in charge going South
13.15pm DR79262 Switch/Crossing Rail Grinder North
13.18pm 66428 North with Containers
13.30pm 66009 South loaded Car Carriers (Range Rovers)
13.56pm 66703 South with Containers
14.38pm 66599 South Light Engine
15.01pm 66059 South with Containers
15.17pm 66562 North with Containers
15.38pm 70005 North Ballast train
15.41pm 86609+86627 North with Containers
15.48pm 70016 North with Coal Hoppers
16.10pm 66568 North Light Engine
16.11pm 66429 South with Containers
16.21pm 86638+86604 North with Containers
16.35pm 66130 North with Lime Hoppers
16.44pm North with empty Car Carriers
17.09pm 66186 North towing MPV DR98911 and 2 JNA Ballast wagons
17.11pm HST Test Train 43013+43062 in charge goingNorth
17.20pm 90047 North with Containers
17.22pm 66558 North with Containers
17.27pm 90016 North with Containers
17.34pm 66590+66418 South with Containers
17.39pm 66027 North with MLA Ballast wagon train
18.00pm 90020 South empty Car Carriers

Passenger Units at Stafford


Class 220
220001/003/005/010/017/026/029/030/032/033


Class 221
221101/102/103/105/106/107/109/111/112/115/117/118/121/123/127/129/135/140/141/142/143

Class 350
350101/107/109/110/112/116/117/119/121/122/127/129/211/227/231/238/242/245/252

Class 390
390001/003/004/005/006/008/011/012/013/014/015/017/018/020/021/024/025/026/027/028/032/035/038/039/040/041/043/048/049/051

17.55pm 390051 to Crewe

Crewe 18.30pm till 19.08pm

18.50pm  67002 arrived on the Cardiff to Holyhead

18.54pm Royal Mail 325004+325003+325002 going North

350117 158780 390047 350127

Scrap Lines
94476 94517 94529 6027 9428

19.08pm 175116 to Cardiff

at Shrewsbury 97303 top n tail with another yellow 37 and ballast hopper train awaiting to head South

Well what another brilliant day at Stafford, met some great train enthusiasts and station staff.  Station was very clean and Station Staff only to willing to help with any questions.
With that amount of sightings in one day I will most definately be returning in the near future when funds allow.
Highlight of the day my first ride on the Class 390 Pendelino full speed full tilt.

390021 Pendelino at Stafford

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Class 50 convoy Leaving Cardiff Canton 29th March 2012

On 29th March the three Class 50 locomotives, Class 37 locomotive and three wagons that had been based at Cardiff Canton for a good many years were being moved to the Severn Valley Railway.  I was lucky enough to photograph the departure in full sun.  Rumours have it that Colas have now taken over the Cardiff Canton Depot but I have not seen this confirmed.  Also noticed yesterday was that the very distinct water tower at Cardiff Canton has been more or less demolished., I am sure I have a picture of it somewhere.

Here is my photographic record of the 09.10am 6F50 Cardiff Canton to Kidderminster departure.

50049 "Defiance" in charge of the convoy

50049 "Defiance"

37308 in a rather sad state

50135 "Ark Royal"

W95194 Parcels Wagon

200176 VAA wagon

201056  VDA wagon

50044 "Exeter"

Thanks for Viewing - Hope you enjoyed

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Train Sightings on a Trip to Stafford 27th March 2012

Train Sightings List on a trip to Stafford 27th March 2012.

86632 + 86622 at Stafford  27th March 2012

06.19am 143607+142073 to Cardiff

56302+56312 on the Blocks at Cardiff
06.47am 66230 East with HTA wagons

06.50am 158825 to Crewe

Seen at Crewe

66525 47769
221106 323237 390012

09.45 350102 to Stafford

Stafford Station 10.15am till 17.09pm

Loco Movements

10.27am 86632+86622 South with Containers
10.33am 66431 South with Containers
11.18am 86607+86610 North with Containers
11.20am DR73108 South
11.41am 70018+66536 South with Containers
12.18pm 66703 North with Containers
12.24pm 66418 South with Containers
13.15pm 66136 South with loaded car train (new Range Rovers)
13.21pm 66430 North with Containers
13.48pm 66184 South with China Clay hoppers.
13.53pm 66221 North with Empty Car wagons
13.55pm 66715 South with Containers
14.08pm 70016 North with Freighliner Coal Hoppers
14.15pm 47501 South Light Engine (caused a big stir among the spotter fraternity)
14.39pm 66115 North Stone Hoppers ( was told Bletchely to Peak Forest)
15.14pm 66167 South with Containers
15.18pm 86501 North with Containers
15.20pm 66517 North with Containers
15.30pm 86639+86628 North with Containers
15.45pm 66424 South with Malcolm containers
16.00pm 70003 North Light Engine
16.14pm 86637+86614 South with Containers
16.23pm 20301+20302+Nuclear Flask North - was held for 20 minutes on the old Royal Mail line.
16.28pm 66117 North with Tarmac Lime Hoppers
16.35pm 70015 North with a Ballast Train
16.50pm 70005 North with Containers
16.55pm 66102 South with Containers
17.04pm 66040 North with Rail Carrier and Laying train
17.10pm 66589 North with Containers
17.14pm 66535 South with Containers

Passenger Units at Stafford

Class 180
180106 South Newly Painted and looking good (test run was told)

Class 220
220002/003/006/021/024/026/029/031/033/034

Class 221
221101/102/104/107/108/109/110/111/113/117/123/127/128/129/131/135/140/142/143

Class 350
350101/102/104/109/110/112/114/115/119/120/122/123/124/128/129/229/231/256/261

Class 390
390001/003/005/009/010/011/012/013/014/015/018/019/020/021/025/026/027/028/029/036/038/039/040/043/044/045/046/047/048/051/053/054

17.10 35112 to Crewe

Crewe 17.36pm till 18.08pm

90049 90048 90044 323223 390025 350120 153376 221003

18.08pm 175108 to Cardiff and home.

On the journey home I came up with the idea of doing it all again tomorrow, fool maybe, but it was such a good day, and besides tomorrow is the last day of the Arriva Trains over 55 £19 tickets so has to be taken advantage off.  I may not survive but as always will enjoy what I am doing.

390029 Pendelino arriving at Stafford

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Train Sightings at Cardiff 26th March 2012

Cardiff Sightings 1.45pm till 6.30pm
 

2.55 66076 Steel coil carriers East
3.05 66047 + HTAs to Cwmbargoed via Queen St
3.15 66847 light engine heading East
3.20 66075 Intermodal Barry Dock to Newport ADJ
3.20 66046 Cwmbargoed to Aberthaw HTAs loaded
3.40 66057 HTAs heading East
3.55 66014 empty coil carriers heading East
4.15 67002+coaches 10259 5976 6137 9521 first 67 hauled service Cardiff to Holyhead taking over from Class 57s from today.
4.20 66585 loaded HIA wagons heading East
4.45 66076 coil carriers West
5.25 66199 Steel coils loaded East

43002/009/012/013/017/018/020/021/031/032/033/086/122/126/132/140/143/156/159/172/174/175/180/183/194

142002/006/069/072/073/074/076/077/080/081/082/083/85
143601/602/604/605/606/607/608/610/614/616/623/625
150121/127/208/217/227/230/231/232/237/240/241/245/250/254/255/257/259/260/262/263/264/267/276/279/281/282/283/285

153361/362
158798/825/840/952/954/956/958/960
170102/104/398/518/637
175001/003/006/007/008/009/101/104/106/109/112

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Train Sightings at Cardiff 24th March 2012

Cardiff Central Station Train Sightings

1.40pm - 4.15pm

60007 west at 2.35pm empty BLA coil carriers

66050 west at 2.05pm  BEA wagons steel slabs.

70014 light engine onto Canton 3.10pm

66162 east at 3.30 with empty MEAs from Barry Dock.


43004/023/037/071/078/098/151/158/161/197

142002/006/067/069/072/073/074/076/077/080/081/083

143601/602/604/605/606/607/608/610/614/616/622/623/625

150101/124/217/227/230/235/236/240/241/242/245/251/252/254/255/257/262/264/267/269/278/279/282/285/288

153312/320/361/370

158798/826/838/952/954/960

170101/109/117/519

175004/009//109/112

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Train Trip to Stafford Sightings 8th March 2012

Arriva Trains Wales were offering £19 returns till the end of March so I thought I would take advantage and take a trip to Stafford with maybe more trips to follow.  To my surprise you can get a further £2 off with certain Rail Cards, also the tickets can be purchased on the train on the day of the journey, which is also good so you can choose the day and the weather.  So a return from Crewe to Stafford was also purchased with my Rail Card so total fare from Barry to Stafford was to be £23 instead of £70 plus, I think that was really good value.  So armed with a bag of sandwiches, hot water to make my own coffee, a note pad and the all important camera gear I was off on a very pleasant journey and day out.  The countryside travelling up to Shrewsbury was a pleasure to view again, there are some spectacular views and of course this time of year the fields were filled with newly born lambs. I really do not understand why people bury their head in a book, newspaper mobile phone with such wonderful scenery to see.  I travelled this line in the 50s and 60s very frequently due to my fathers family living just outside Shrewsbury, it was always a wonderful trip.  My mothers words still ring in my ears has we passed the golf course not far outside Shrewsbury "we are nearly there time for a quick wash and get your things together", so long ago but the memories are still clear.  Thanks go out to Brad Joyce whom I met at Stafford and was a very helpful young man giving heads up information on a few movements of that day.  How Stafford has changed gone were the Locomotive hauled trains of 2003 which I think was the last time I visited, Classes 86/87 and 47 at speed and fully loaded with comfortable coaches were always an awesome sight.   Even though now it is mostly units, it was a pleasant change of type and livery from the regular stock sighted at Cardiff

57008 + 47818 + 90015 at Stafford

This list shows my sightings for the day hopefully it will be of interest to some.

7.20 to Cardiff 150260

Cardiff 7.45 - 8.05

150127
158955
175006/009/115
43069/148/156/160
66160

8.05 to Crewe 175009

Newport Area
66188 ADJ
66520 Maindee Junction

Approach to Crewe

47841
56051/69/103
66562

Crewe 10.29 - 11.22

90048+86659+86614 convoy
47257+47854 convoy
90049
150227
153309
175108
221103/106
350103/105/110/258
390022/030/034/037/054/056/103

11.22 to Stafford 350266

Stafford 11.45 - 14.35

66132
66434
66557
66716/718
DR73108
57008+47818+90015 convoy
220005/011/017/018/029/032/033
221104/105/109/113/115/135/139/141
350101/105/108/109/112/113/114/242/250/258/262/266
390002/003/009/017/022/030/032/039/040/041/042/044/049/051/058/104

14.35 to Crewe 350113

Crewe 14.55 - 14.10

47257+47854 stabled in Platforms
221111/116
390002

15.10 to Cardiff 175011
17.55 to Barry 150237

350109 at Stafford

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