73962 with 1Q41 Chapel Milton viaduct Chinley. 16th January 2023.
73962 Dick Mabutt heads up test train 1Q41over the western Chapel Milton viaduct towards Chinley from Peak Forest having earlier traversed the eastern viaduct glimpsed behind on its way up to Buxton from Derby. The train is tailed by 73964 Jeanette and will traverse the southern parts of the Merseyrail system before heading back to Derby by the following morning. January the 16th 2023.
Did I ever mention ? 73s are, with the exception of the locos on the Caledonian Sleeper, my nemesis. Turn, up, they don't run, the weather is non descript or the location is chosen at the last minute, it is a poor choice. Never mind poor photography by myself. Always has been the case. And, Third Rail Land is far away from Yorkshire. On this day I have been given a job just above Buxton, not far from the Tunstead Quarry. Always a good schedule. So long as I get the work done.
On this day I do, dropping down to Peak Forest mid afternoon. A pair of 20s have just been dispatched to shunt Dove Holes but have just been parked up far within the quarry lines and are not going to move far anytime soon. It is all very quiet. A quick search on the Realtime reveals that a 1Qxx test train is due within ten minutes. I make the decision to run up along the footpath to the far end of the stabling point and get a picture of it running downhill towards Buxton, only just making it in time. An unfamiliar train front appears in the distance as I fumble for my camera. It is not the expected 37s, and not HST power cars either. No, its class 73s! But my judgement is poor. The sun shines low in the sky and a line of wagons parked up in the stabling point throws a shadow halfway up the sides of test train. The result is appalling, but I decide right there that I should keep it just to make my point about the nemesis.
The train heads up to Buxton and I head off home. Passing under the Chapel Milton viaducts i see that they are still bathed in the sinking light of the sun. Parking up by the church in between the two viaducts, I see that it will not be too long before the train returns and crosses one of the two, and a closer check reveals that it will be the western viaduct. Having passed by but never having checked out this area I have no idea where to look, but a quick scan reveals a public footpath leading down to the area below the western viaduct. Low and behold, beyond the mudbath of the footpath a clear spot is found, and within ten minutes the train passes over the viaduct in beautiful low sunlight. Nemesis broken!
73962 with 1Q41 Chapel Milton viaduct Chinley. 16th January 2023.
73962 Dick Mabutt heads up test train 1Q41over the western Chapel Milton viaduct towards Chinley from Peak Forest having earlier traversed the eastern viaduct glimpsed behind on its way up to Buxton from Derby. The train is tailed by 73964 Jeanette and will traverse the southern parts of the Merseyrail system before heading back to Derby by the following morning. January the 16th 2023.
Did I ever mention ? 73s are, with the exception of the locos on the Caledonian Sleeper, my nemesis. Turn, up, they don't run, the weather is non descript or the location is chosen at the last minute, it is a poor choice. Never mind poor photography by myself. Always has been the case. And, Third Rail Land is far away from Yorkshire. On this day I have been given a job just above Buxton, not far from the Tunstead Quarry. Always a good schedule. So long as I get the work done.
On this day I do, dropping down to Peak Forest mid afternoon. A pair of 20s have just been dispatched to shunt Dove Holes but have just been parked up far within the quarry lines and are not going to move far anytime soon. It is all very quiet. A quick search on the Realtime reveals that a 1Qxx test train is due within ten minutes. I make the decision to run up along the footpath to the far end of the stabling point and get a picture of it running downhill towards Buxton, only just making it in time. An unfamiliar train front appears in the distance as I fumble for my camera. It is not the expected 37s, and not HST power cars either. No, its class 73s! But my judgement is poor. The sun shines low in the sky and a line of wagons parked up in the stabling point throws a shadow halfway up the sides of test train. The result is appalling, but I decide right there that I should keep it just to make my point about the nemesis.
The train heads up to Buxton and I head off home. Passing under the Chapel Milton viaducts i see that they are still bathed in the sinking light of the sun. Parking up by the church in between the two viaducts, I see that it will not be too long before the train returns and crosses one of the two, and a closer check reveals that it will be the western viaduct. Having passed by but never having checked out this area I have no idea where to look, but a quick scan reveals a public footpath leading down to the area below the western viaduct. Low and behold, beyond the mudbath of the footpath a clear spot is found, and within ten minutes the train passes over the viaduct in beautiful low sunlight. Nemesis broken!