European Railroad Discussion > Back in North London

After moving away about a year ago, I was glad to be back in London for a visit. I enjoyed checking out my favorite trainwatching locations, especially along the North London line. Photos taken Wed 24 October 2017.

1) Started at Highbury & Islington, with its frequent Overground services. Here a westbound Stratford-Clapham Junction train approaches.
2) The Overground train was followed by a westbound RHTT train (Rail Head Treatment Train), powered by 66710.
3) Local wags check out the steam spray action on the RHTT.

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4) Was surprised to see a sparkling clean Class 37 37601 deadheading WB through Camden Road.
5) Eastbound Overground for Stratford approaches Camden Road.
6) Another surprise - an Overground train named for Peter Hall. Hall was a professor of transportation geography at University of Reading (UK), and at UC Berkeley. He also wrote "Great Planning Disasters", which is a must-read for anyone interested in planning/engineering.

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7) Westbound intermodal at Camden Road with 70003 on the point.
8) RHTT previously seen at Highbury and Islington comes back eastbound through Camden Road. 66723 leads on the eastbound move.
9) New Hitachi trainset still needing a paint job deadheading eastbound through Hampstead Heath.

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Remainder of photos in this set are taken at Harrow & Wealdstone, on the West Coast mainline.
10) At Harrow & Wealdstone - Bakerloo line train waits in pocket track while Overground train on a Watford-Euston working passes. Bakerloo and Overground share track and station platforms on this line, despite different car floor heights.
11) Southern EMU set on through working to Milton Keynes.
12) London Midland EMU set.

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13) London Midland EMU is overtaken by a Virgin Trains Pendolino.
14) Royal Mail EMU set heads north, having departed Willesden Jct at 4pm. Bakerloo train laying over in background.
15) Northbound intermodal freight headed by 70007.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/17 22:21 by dwatry.

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16) Another northbound intermodal, headed by 66956.
17) Passengers for a London Midland train heading back to London.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/17 22:12 by dwatry.

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Nice pictures :)

Nice collection Duncan

Great variety! Thanks for posting.

Is the Hitachi set still in test mode, or is it in revenue service.

I'd love to learn more about the Royal Mail EMU. Where does it operate to/from? Intermediate stops? Frequency. Pretty nifty.

Very Nice! Thank you for sharing ! I never tire of looking at these photos of the UK !!! :):):)

King_Coal Wrote:
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> I'd love to learn more about the Royal Mail EMU.
> Where does it operate to/from? Intermediate stops?
> Frequency. Pretty nifty.

Class 325, specially built to carry pre-sorted mail, they wear Royal Mail livery and run from the Royal Mail's distribution centre at Willesden in NW London to Warrington (in NW England), Shieldmuir (near Glasgow) and Low Fell (near Newcastle in NE England). These are all specialised mail sidings. In terms of frequencies Low Fell is served by a daily train in each direction, both running at night, they pass each other at Peterborough at 00:10. Shieldmuir sees at least two trains a day in each direction, sometimes more, most running as far as Warrington. The train Duncan shot is the 1S96 16:22 Willesden to Shieldmuir which arrives at its destination at 22:36 including a 40 minutes stop at Warrington.

Thanks for the description.

I'm glad Nick knew the answer to that one because I did not know the details of the Royal Mail operation! Just glad to see mails still on the rails!