European Railroad Discussion > Autumnal colours in the south of England

We've enjoyed a very quiet autumn in southern England. We've had no Atlantic gales so far this season, the weather being dominated by high pressure over continental Europe. That's meant a relatively dry, cool easterly airflow. It's also meant, by our standards a rather colourful leaf fall season, which I've tried to capture.

1: On Monday last week, as the remnants of a shower receded a Victoria to Gatwick Airport service speeds through Earlswood, some four miles from its destination.

2: Looking the other way a London bound set takes the Quarry Line to Stoats Nest Junction.

3: At Haywards Heath, 37 miles from London Victoria, one of the Railhead Treatment Trains (RT) reverses direction towards Brighton. GBRf 66s 66724 Drax Power Station and 66738 Huddersfield Town are the motive power.

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4: I worked last Wednesday in order to attend a meeting, en route I stopped at Tinsley Green, just south of Gatwick Airport for a shot of the same RHTT I saw at Haywards Heath, 66738 and 724 were still on duty. The plane landing is an Air Malta Airbus.

5: So instead of Wednesday I took Friday off and went for a bike ride round north and north west London. At 8:45 the light was just about OK for this shot of 86612 and 605 on the 4L89 Coatbridge to Felixstowe at Headstone Lane, between Watford and Harrow.

6: From there I rode on to Kew East Junction for the Angerstein Wharf to Churchyard Sidings sand train. Angerstein is on the south side of the Thames, East of Tower Bridge, handling sea dredged sand and gravel, and Churchyard sidings are just outside St Pancras International.

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7: Crossing Kew East Junction, which is right below the elevated freeway that connects London Heathrow Airport with the centre, is the 6Z92 Bow to Tonbridge behind 66714 Cromer Lifeboat.

8: At Acton Yard 56312 passing the DBS yard on a train of empty box wagons from Calvert landfill site, some 45 miles north of London, to Willesden where the spoil is loaded.

9: Finally, before I had to get home, a Bakerloo Line 1972 stock train on a Harrow and Wealdstone to Elephant and Castle service, approaching Willesden Junction. These are now the oldest trains in service on the London Underground and are likely to reach their half century before replacement.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/16 22:55 by 86235.

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Nick - love the trackwork in #7!  Isn't that Hornby trackwork?

Thanks for posting these excellent photos. 
ALLEN

krm152 Wrote:
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> Thanks for posting these excellent photos. 
> ALLEN
Thanks, glad you like them.

dwatry Wrote:
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> Nick - love the trackwork in #7!  Isn't that
> Hornby trackwork?

😄 yes, it's a pair of R8073s and an R614!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/16 22:50 by 86235.

Nik - super set of colourful photos. The spoil from Willesden, just where is that from. Is it from the mega-sewer construction as I thought all Crossrail tunneling had finished.
Also, can we please have 'our' 2 locos back in Yorkshire!!  Drax & Huddersfield. Chris uk.

55002 Wrote:
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> Nik - super set of colourful photos. The spoil
> from Willesden, just where is that from. Is it
> from the mega-sewer construction as I thought all
> Crossrail tunneling had finished.
> Also, can we please have 'our' 2 locos back in
> Yorkshire!!  Drax & Huddersfield. Chris uk.

Eyup!!

55002 Wrote:
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> Nik - super set of colourful photos. The spoil
> from Willesden, just where is that from. Is it
> from the mega-sewer construction as I thought all
> Crossrail tunneling had finished.
> Also, can we please have 'our' 2 locos back in
> Yorkshire!!  Drax & Huddersfield. Chris uk.

I did wonder where the spoil came from, I think you must be right.

Great set!

How old is 56312?

NH2006 Wrote:
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> Great set!
>
> How old is 56312?

Thanks Alan, it's about 40 years old.