View allAll Photos Tagged directing
Direct Rail Services Class 37/6 37604 diesel-electric locomotive stabled in the former carriage sidings at the south end of Workington Main railway station on the Cumbrian coast railway line. It is here as a training loco for the Arriva train crew who work on the 37/4 powered passenger trains on this line.
Direct Rail Services 57303 on hire to Rail Operations Group passes through Potbridge with former Greater Anglia 317666 & 317503 in tow working 5Q87 Ilford to Eastleigh, where the 317s will be scrapped.
My travels around the UK by car for three weeks with my son. June/July 2019 Scotland.
Day fourteen .. making our way to Inverness, where we are staying the night.
Glenfinnan is a hamlet in Lochaber area of the Highlands of Scotland. In 1745 the Jacobite rising began here when Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard on the shores of Loch Shiel. Seventy years later, the 18 m Glenfinnan Monument, at the head of the loch, was erected to commemorate the historic event.
Glenfinnan lies about halfway between Fort William and Mallaig on the picturesque West Highland Railway. Along with a regular rail service by Abellio ScotRail, the line is used by the Jacobite steam train. A small, privately-owned railway museum operates at the station, utilising the former booking office, the disused signalbox and some stored coaches.
Sir Robert McAlpine had the Glenfinnan Viaduct constructed between 1897 and 1898. The structure, which is built entirely out of concrete, has 21 arches with spans of 15 m (49 ft) and reaches a height of 30 m (100 ft) above the valley. To commemorate the viaduct's centenary in 1997, a plaque was unveiled at the base of one of its arches.
The landscape in which the viaduct is located has made it popular with film producers. In 1969, it was used in Ring of Bright Water, starring Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna. It has since come to prominence in the cinematic releases of the Harry Potter series. The Hogwarts Express, is filmed crossing the viaduct in several of the films beginning with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002. The train filmed is the Jacobite Steam-Locomotive Train, a tourist train.
Framed by spectacular Highland scenery at the head of Loch Shiel, the Glenfinnan Monument is a striking tribute to those who fought in the Jacobite Risings.
Less than a year before the Battle of Culloden, Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his father’s Standard at Glenfinnan, marking the start of the 1745 Jacobite campaign. An army of 1,500 rallied to join Bonnie Prince Charlie – they marched as far south as Derby before the retreat began that would seal their fate.
In 1815, the 18m-high monument was built here, with the lone, kilted Highlander at the top providing a poignant reminder of the clansmen who gave their lives to the Jacobite cause.
For More Info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenfinnan
DRS' 68004 leads 60034 with the 1Z46 'The Retro Blackpool Belle' seen here through a rainy Blackburn station.
Direct Rail Services Vossloh/Stadler Class 68 number 68 031 'Felix' operated by Transpennine Express is seen on Platform 2 at Scarborough Railway Station at the head of 1T72, 1534 Scarborough to York.
« If you appreciate my work and would like to support me becoming an independent photographer, become a Patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/alexdehaas, or buy me a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/alexdehaas :) »
Direct Rail Services Class 68 No. 68017 'Hornet' is seen on approach to Plymouth Station with the first visit of the class to the station while working the 0Z68 10:22 Exeter St Davids to Penzance Route Refresher for upcoming work with the class in the South West area.
A kestrel pauses for a brief moment, turning to look directly into the camera before taking to the air again.
DC Direct Batman Superman Series 7 Batman, DC Direct Elseworld Supergirl, DC Direct Elseworld Batgirl, DC Direct Batman Superman Series 7 Superman
Sigma DP2 Merrill
Foveon x3 direct imagesensor CMOS
Image Sensor Size 23,5x15,7mm
46 MP (4.800 x 3.200 x 3)
aspect ratio 3:2
Focal Lens 30mm, F2.8 - F16
9 AF-points select mode
manual focus 28cm >
photo with Canon G12
my photos overview
For the first time since at least 2016 when the DB 92s were restricted to the Channel Tunnel/HS1 only, a Class 92 ran under its own power direct from Dollands Moor to Crewe ETD.
GB Railfreight Class 92, 92 032 "IMechE Railway Division" made the c.225 mile trip from the Kent coast to Cheshire for a brief visit to DB Cargo's Crewe ETD - or Crewe International Electric Maintenance Depot (IEMD) to give it its full name.
Crewe IEMD was the original base for the entire Class 92 fleet and after over a decade away, the 92s owned by GB Railfreight are once again regular visitors for major repairs and certain specific work that cannot be done at Wembley.
032 - seen at Crewe - was on its way to have its annual TVM430 recertification performed. Crewe ETD is one of only two places to have the equipment to do this - the other being Eurotunnel in France.
TVM430 is the in-cab signalling used in the Tunnel/HS1 - the antennae is housed in the black box beneath the buffers. TVM stands for "Transmission Voie-Machine" or "track-to-train transmission" with the 430 referring to the maximum speed in km/h it can control trains up. 430 km/h is required for the TGVs where this system is used in France, but is more than enough for the 140 km/h top speed of the 92s.
Wedensday.
And still on the Island.
Through the night, yet more rain fell, and into the morning so I woke to the sound of yet another cloudburst. But it should be clearing soon.
So, I leap out of bed, do 50 press-ups, have a cold shower and am ready for the rigours of the day ahead, and in this I would be helped by a pot of black coffee and the finest sausage and bacon sandwich known to man.
And a man in the kitchen makes it for me, so all I have to do is eat it.
Non nom nom.
I drink the last dregs off the coffee, and I'm away to work.
It was supposed to be a slow and easy start, but I was summoned to an emergency department meeting, and needed to be at the factory to get internet access.
Our soon-to-be-ex-boss is now officially our ex-boss, and we have a new interim manager.
That's it.
So on with the audit.
Outside, the clouds did clear and the sun did shine, and did shine into the meeting room where even in November was so warm the air conditioning could not cope and we got very warm indeed.
We broke for lunch, and talked about the struggles we face, and how jolly nice the Island is.
Well, it is.
We were done by half three, so I drove back to the hotel, but saw the sign I had passed dozens of times, pointing to the 11th century church of St John the Baptist. Today would be the day to visit.
Light was fading fast, but with a warm light, and only with my compact camera, my shots won't win many prizes, but the best camera is the one you have.
From the outside, it seems to be a very Victorian church, but there is a Norman arch in the porch, and many more details inside, among the Victorian fixtures and fittings.
Inside there is a very tall and narrow Jacobian pulpit, some fine monuments from before the 19th century work, and some what I think is medieval glass, or at least fragements reset.
Back at the hotel I wrote a little then decided I really should go an exercise my fat little legs, so should walk into Cowes for a pint at the Ale House, where there was a fine firkin of porter on.
But, before then, as I walked along the promenade, over the other side of the Solent, the just past full moon rose over the Pompy skyline. It was pretty breath-taking, I leaned on railings to watch it rise and get brighter and its yellow colour fade to pure white.
Dozens of other people were doing the same thing too.
And it was a free show.
My favourite price.
I walk into town and up the Ale House, a group of sailing types were talking over pints of fizzy Eurolager, so I order porter just because I can.
There was a wide range of places to eat, most with lots of free tables.
I wasn't in a seafood mood, curry perhaps, but then at a restaurant I saw they had a dish called "sambal chicken". Sambal is a spicy chili sauce from Indonesia, that I sued to eat lots of when I was on the survey boats.
I asked, do you make your own sambal?
They did.
And cocktails were two for £15.
I order the sambal chicken and a marshmallow martini.
Very fuckin sophisticated.
The sambal was hot, just about bearable, but not not leave any doubt, it came with sliced fresh chilli, as did the Thai spiced cheesy chips.
I eat most of it all, then finish up with a "rhubarb and custard cocktail, which did mix quite poorly with the sambal on the walk back to the hotel.
Back to the hotel, I settle the bill and so all ready to leave in the morning, as I have to catch the six o'clock ferry.
--------------------------------------------
The Church of St. John the Baptist is a parish church located in Northwood, Isle of Wight. The church dates from the 12th century. The mid-19th century saw extensive restoration work carried out on the church. In 1864 the wooden tower and dormer window were both swept away. The restoration was completed in 1874. Despite this restoration work, the church still retains many of its original features including a Norman arch over the south doorway and a Jacobean pulpit.
www.spottinghistory.com/view/12080/church-of-st-john-the-...
----------------------------------------------
NORTHWOOD
Northewode (xiii cent.).
Northwood is a parish and village midway between Newport and Cowes, and now includes Pallance Gate. In 1894 the parish was extended to include a part of the parish of St. Nicholas. (fn. 1) The soil is for the most part loam, while the subsoil is of clay and gravel. The parish contains 4,333 acres, of which 878 acres are arable, 2,612 acres are permanent grass and 419 acres woodlands. There are also 292 acres of foreshore, 2 of land covered by water and 78 by tidal water. Cowes contains 576 acres, of which 2 acres are arable and 166 permanent grass. There are also 35 acres of foreshore and 5 acres of land covered by water. (fn. 2) There is a station on the Isle of Wight Central railway at the cement works, available for Northwood, and the pumping station of the Cowes Waterworks is situated at Broadfields within the parish. The Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers have large works on the Medina at the West Medina Mills, and there are brickworks at Hillis belonging to Messrs. Pritchett. There existed a confraternity of Brothers and Sisters of St. John Baptist (fn. 3) in a building, later called the Church House, which was standing in 1690. It was founded c. 1500 and dissolved in 1536. An old glebe barn, with a date stone 'Restored 1742,' was pulled down in 1901. There is a Council school (mixed), built in 1855 and enlarged in 1906. The rectory-house lies to the east of the church and dates from the 18th century. (fn. 4)
The parish has a long seaboard as the north-west boundary, which includes the bays of Thorness and Gurnard, the latter the landing-place of Charles II in 1671. Gurnard (fn. 5) is a small village, mostly consisting of villas with a number of artisans' dwellings. There are a coastguard station here and a Council school, erected in 1863.
Northwood Park, the property of Mr. E. Granville Ward, was occupied from 1902 to 1906 by a community of Benedictine nuns, who have since moved to Appley, near Ryde (q.v.). The house, which is properly in Cowes, was built in 1837, on the site of a former residence called Belle View, by Mr. George H. Ward, uncle to the present owner, and is a somewhat stately stone building of classic detail, to which a wing has been since added.
At Hurstake on the Medina there was in the 18th century a flourishing shipyard, but by the end of the century it had fallen to decay. (fn. 6)
Cowes was taken out of Northwood and constituted a separate parish under the Local Government Act of 1894. (fn. 7) It is a thriving seaport town, daily increasing inland to the south, and is a terminus of the Isle of Wight Central railway and the main entrance to the Isle of Wight from Southampton. A steam ferry and launch service connect it with East Cowes. The town affairs are regulated under the Local Government Act of 1894 by an urban district council, who have acquired control of the water supply and gasworks. There is a steamboat pier and landingstage, and the Victoria Promenade Pier was built by the urban district council in 1901. There are wharves and storehouses along the Medina. The principal industries are the shipbuilding business of John Samuel White & Co., Ltd., the brass and iron foundry of Messrs. William White, the ropery of Messrs. Henry Bannister & Co. and the well-known sail-making establishment of Messrs. Ratsey & Lapthorn. A recreation ground of 9 acres was presented to the town by Mr. W. G. Ward in 1859.
The main or High Street of Cowes is a narrow, winding, old-fashioned road, widening as it approaches the shore at the north end, and finally terminating in the Parade, the principal sea-front of the town. At the end of the Parade is the Royal Yacht Squadron (fn. 8) Club House, converted to its present use in 1858, and beyond is the 'Green,' made over to the town authorities in 1864 by Mr. George R. Stephenson. The well-known annual regatta is held here the first week in August. (fn. 9) The oldest inn is the 'Fountain,' by the landing-pier, dating from the 18th century. The Gloucester Hotel, by the Parade, was the former home of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and probably owes its name to the visit of the Duke of Gloucester and his sister the Princess Sophia in 1811. The Royal Marine Hotel, also on the Parade, was certainly in existence at the beginning of the 19th century. (fn. 10) A public cemetery, about half a mile south of the town, was opened in 1855, and is under a joint burial board composed of members from Cowes and Northwood.
Besides Northwood Park, the principal residences are Egypt House, (fn. 11) the property of Mr. E. Granville Ward, and Nubia House, the home of Sir Godfrey Baring, late M.P. for the Island.
The name Cowes dates from the beginning of the 16th century, before which time the port—if port it could be called—was higher up the river at Shamblers. (fn. 12) In 1512 the fleet under Sir Edward Haward victualled at Cowes (the Cowe) on its way to Guienne, (fn. 13) so it is evident the place did not take its name from the defensive work, which was certainly not built before 1539. (fn. 14) Leland speaks of forts both at East and West Cowes, (fn. 15) but the former had become a ruin by the 17th century. (fn. 16) The latter, however, was kept up and added to, and had, in addition to the gun platform and magazine, apartments for the captain and gunners, and at the end of the 18th century mounted eleven nine-pounders. (fn. 17)
The inhabitants of this part of Northwood parish seem to have been seafarers and traders, or at any rate smugglers, as early as the 14th century. In July 1395 Thomas Shepherd received a 'pardon of the forfeitures and imprisonment incurred by him because he and two of the ferrymen sold two sacks of wool to men of a skiff from Harflete, carried the said wool as far as le Soland and there delivered the same, taking money.' (fn. 18) At another time he 'sold wool without custom . . . with the clerks of the chapel of the Earl of Salisbury, and at another time with a skiff from Harflete belonging to Janin Boset of Harflue.' (fn. 19)
The merchants' houses and stores were principally at East Cowes, where most of the business was transacted; but West Cowes in the 18th century became a shipbuilding centre, contributing many first-class battleships to the English navy. (fn. 20) By the year 1780 it was 'the place of greatest consideration in the parish of Northwood,' (fn. 21) and though the town was indifferently built, with very narrow streets, the inhabitants managed to be 'in general, genteel and polite although not troublesomely ceremonious.' (fn. 22)
In 1795 there were 2,000 inhabitants and the town had a good trade in provisions to the fleets riding in the roads waiting for a wind or a convoy. While the lower part of Cowes was crowded with seamen's cottages and business premises, the upper part on the hill slope was occupied by villas, chiefly of retired naval men. (fn. 23)
By the 19th century the tide of prosperity began to flow from East to West Cowe, which became a favourite bathing and boating resort, patronized by Royalty. The town now grew rapidly, and in 1816 an Act was passed for 'lighting, cleansing and otherwise improving the town of West Cowes . . . and for establishing a market within the said town.' (fn. 24)
The advent of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and the consequent popularity of racing, put a seal on West Cowes. It became fashionable and has remained so ever since—the hub of the yachting world.
There are two halls for entertainments—the Foresters' Hall in Sun Hill and another in Bridge Road, each capable of seating over 500 people.
There are Council schools in Cross Street (infants), and a mixed school has been lately erected in the same street; boys' and infants' in York Street; non-provided (boys and girls) in Cross Street.
MANORS
There is no mention of a manor of NORTHWOOD in Domesday Book, and it seems probable that then, as in the 13th century, the greater part of the land in the parish formed a member of the manor of Bowcombe in Carisbrooke (fn. 25) (q.v.). In the 17th century this land came to be regarded as a separate manor, but it continued to follow the descent of Bowcombe (fn. 26) until the latter half of the 18th century, when it was presumably sold to the Wards, whose representative, Mr. Edmund Granville Ward, is the present lord of the manor.
There was a small holding in Northwood possibly, as Mr. Stone suggests from research he has made, to be identified with Shamlord (q.v.). It was held, together with other property, under the manor of Bowcombe by a branch of the Trenchard family at least as early as 1338. (fn. 27) In 1560 Richard Trenchard, who seems to have been the grandson of John Trenchard of Chessell in Shalfleet, died seised of this property, which he had held 'in socage by fealty and rent of 25s. yearly, suit at court and finding one man and one woman yearly to mow the corn of the farmer of Bowcombe for one day.' He was succeeded by his son William. (fn. 28)
There were also lands in Northwood which formed a member of the manor of Alvington in Carisbrooke and were held in the reign of Henry III by William de St. Martin. (fn. 29) They afterwards belonged to Sir Stephen Popham (fn. 30) and descended to Sir Nicholas Wadham in the early part of the 16th century, at which time they were regarded as a separate manor; they continued, however, to follow the descent of Alvington (q.v.).
In the reign of Henry VIII there was in the parish much woodland which belonged before the Dissolution to the Prior and convent of Christchurch Twyneham, (fn. 31) who had perhaps bought it from the abbey of St. Mary, Romsey, to which it belonged in the 13th century. (fn. 32) In 1280 this abbey had received from Edward I a confirmation of a charter of Henry II granting them 'all their wood of Northwood, as King Edward gave it to them.' (fn. 33) There is, however, no mention of any property in Northwood among the possessions of Romsey Abbey at its dissolution. In 1544 the wood was granted to Thomas Hopson (fn. 34) and subsequently followed the descent of Ningwood in Shalfleet (q.v.). It was described as 'the manor of Northwood' in 1626, at which time it was in the possession of John Hopson. (fn. 35)
The manor of WERROR (Werore, xii cent.; Werole, xiii cent.; Warror, xvi cent.) was granted to God's House, Southampton, immediately after its foundation about 1197, for it was confirmed to the hospital by Richard I in 1199. (fn. 36) It had been given to the hospital by a certain Mark, and his gift was confirmed in 1209 by his son Roger, of whom the manor was to be held at a yearly rent of 6d. (fn. 37) William de Redvers Earl of Devon (1184–1216) granted to the hospital rights of pasturage and fuel, except for six weeks each year, over the whole land of Werror which belonged to his fee, and which is described as lying within Parkhurst, Northwood, Carisbrooke and the Medina. (fn. 38)
The estate remained in the hands of successive priors until the Dissolution (fn. 39) and passed with God's House to Queen's College, Oxford, (fn. 40) by whom the manor is still owned. (fn. 41)
CHURCHES
The church of ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST lies to the east of the road from Newport to Cowes. It was built as a chapel for the northern portion of the parish of Carisbrooke in the middle of the 12th century, and consists of a chancel, a nave with north and south aisles and a modern tower with spire added at the west end in 1864. The south door is a good specimen of 12th-century work, to be classed with those of Yaverland and Wootton. Both aisles are very narrow and are of four bays, with columns having the characteristic splay-cornered capitals found elsewhere in the Isle of Wight, (fn. 42) and must have been added towards the end of the century, the south being the later. (fn. 43) There are curious flying arches across these, evidently inserted later, to withstand the thrust of the roof and carry the flat above. In the 15th century windows of the period were inserted in the walls and the chancel reroofed, (fn. 44) if not rebuilt, and a small door inserted in the north wall of the nave. There is a good canopied Jacobean pulpit, somewhat similar in detail to that at Wootton. The chancel arch is a plain splay springing direct from the wall without an impost, and looks as though the earlier one had been destroyed and the opening widened in the 15th century. The memorials of interest are a painted wooden tablet to the children of Samuel and Grace Smith, who died in 1668 and 1670, and a curious memorial to Thomas Smith, rector, who died in 1681. (fn. 45)
The one bell, founded by Mears, was hung in 1875.
The plate consists of a chalice inscribed 'T.H. E.L.'; a paten inscribed 'Thomas Troughear, D.D. istius Ecclĩae Rector,' dated 1732; a flagon (plated) inscribed 'Northwood Church, 1831'; an oval paten inscribed '1813.'
The registers date from 1539, and are in seven books (fn. 46) : (i) 1539 to 1593; (ii) 1594 to 1598; (iii) 1599 to 1605; (iv) 1606 to 1618; (v) 1621 to 1660; (vi) 1653 to 1759; (vii) 1743 to 1812.
There is a mission church in Pallance Road with a Sunday school attached.
The church of ST. MARY, WEST COWES, built in 1867 on the site of an earlier church erected in 1657, is a stone structure consisting of chancel, nave of four bays and aisles, with a tower containing one bell and a clock. It has a handsome reredos and a fine organ. There is a brass memorial tablet to Dr. Arnold of Rugby. The living is a vicarage in the gift of the vicar of Carisbrooke. The register dates from 1679.
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, built of brick in 1832 at the sole expense of the late Mrs. S. Goodwin, was enlarged by the addition of a chancel in 1862. It has a western tower with embattled cornice and angle pinnacles. The register dates from 1833. The living is in the gift of Mr. Ll. Loyd.
The Roman Catholic church of St. Thomas of Canterbury in Terminus Road is a white brick building erected in 1796. There is a large altar-piece by Cau representing the Descent from the Cross, and another of the Death of the Virgin, on the north wall.
At Gurnard is the church of ALL SAINTS, attached to Holy Trinity, Cowes. It is of brick with Bath stone dressings, and has nave, chancel, north and south transepts and a turret with one bell.
ADVOWSONS
The church of Northwood was a chapel of ease to Carisbrooke, and belonged in early times to the priory there, (fn. 47) to which it had been granted by William de Redvers Earl of Devon. When the prior and convent obtained the rectory and endowed the vicarage of Carisbrooke, the tithes of Northwood, both great and small, were assigned to the vicar. (fn. 48) In the reign of Henry VIII Northwood obtained parochial privileges and was exempted from contribution to the repairs of Carisbrooke Church. (fn. 49) The living is still attached to Carisbrooke, and the patrons at the present day are the Provost and Fellows of Queen's College, Oxford.
Cowes is ecclesiastically divided into two districts. The church of St. Mary was built in 1657, and further endowed in 1679 by George Morley Bishop of Winchester, 'provided that the inhabitants should pay the minister (who is always of their own choosing) £40 a year.' (fn. 50) The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £130, in the gift of the vicar of Carisbrooke.
The Roman Catholic church of St. Thomas of Canterbury was served at the beginning of the 19th century by two chaplains of Napoleon's Foreign Legion. The earliest register contains the names of several of the officers and men.
¶There are several large Nonconformist chapels in the town. The oldest of these is the Congregational chapel, which was built in 1804. The Wesleyan chapel was built in 1831, the Baptist chapel in 1877 and the Primitive Methodist and United Methodist Free Churches in 1889.
Direct Rail Services Class 68 No. 68027 "Splendid" on display at the "All Change" charity open day at Locomotive Services' Crewe Diesel Depot on 8th June 2019.
Direct Rail Services' 37716 (with 68016 on the rear) are seen passing Denton School crossing (just west of Gilsland) working 6Z60 1323 Seaton-on-Tees to Crewe Coal Sidings nuclear flask on the afternoon of Monday 9th May 2016.
This is the first time a Class 68 locomotive has appeared on the Seaton working; the inward light engine 0E44 this morning had the '68' leading. Various other '68s' have appeared on the Tyne Valley prior to now, however. Notably 68007 on a route refresh trip to Middlesbrough and Nunthorpe and 68003 on an empty stock Northern Belle to Craigentinny.
Direct Rail Services Class 37 37603 thrashes through Tamworth with the 15:10 Derby RTC to Haverfordwest Test Train.
City Direct MAN Wright Eclipse Meridian 08-G-19320 at Eyre Square Galway on route 411 to Knocknacarra.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
Direction l’Ardèche ce dimanche.
Sur un court d'eau qui est déjà
a son étiage d'hiver.
Mise a l'eau a la gelée matinale les laisses d'eau étaient gelées.
Mais les lumières de l'eau était d'une beautés..
Voici l'Ibie
I took this a week too early for the utata weekend project "lines", but it would have fit the bill, being a poster for a regular air line.
I had to take it at an angle to avoid the reflections of lamps in the glass - it's on display at the history museum, Musée d'Histoire de Lausanne.
The two main roads leading down from the airport to the city centre are still there (Plaines du Loup and Avenue du Grey). All the greenery in between is now covered in apartment blocks apart from the football fields which are now being built on, too. But what I love is that my street is there, with some old houses on it - possibly the one that was demolished for my building.
The red airport buildings on the right have mostly been replaced by modern ones; those on the left have gone; that whole area is being developed as a huge sports centre.
4E49 Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal Victa Westlink Rail To Doncaster Marshgate Sidings Fastline Freight Passing Through Stenson Junction
Direct Rail Services Kingmoor Depot seen through the 'knitting' on Tuesday 4th February 2014 as Driver Mike Wylie makes up the stock for the 5Z69 Carlisle-Crewe test train with 47853 'Rail Express'. The class 68 No.68002 is still lurking within the shed building, road 1, at this time. The class 47 (Brush Type 4) was delivered new to Newport Ebbw Junction shed (86A) in June 1964 as D1733 and bearing the unique 'XP64' Turquoise-Blue livery, with the now famous 'arrow' or 'barbed wire' logo affixed to all four cabsides with a red background. This was soon removed after publicity photographs had been taken. The official launch of 'XP64' did not take place until May 1964 ,but the livery was ultimately rejected by the BRB. When the new BR image was finalised the shade of blue chosen, known as 'Monastral Blue', was darker than 'XP64' and the last nine locos outshopped from Brush at Loughborough (D1953-61) duly appeared in this colour from new. Today the celebrity loco wears a rather different shade of blue again. It is quite fitting that this loco, alos in the public eye in its day, should be chosen to drag the new class 68 to Carlisle station on its inaugural journey on the main line.
© Copyright Gordon Edgar - No unauthorised use
Ex First London / Tower Transit Enviro 400 DN33776 (SN12 AVR) now operates for City Direct as 12-G-7463 and is seen in Galway, 12th July, 2023.