European Railroad Discussion > It's not like this anymore

During this third period of Lockdown I've been going through some of my earliest digital pictures from Spring 2006. So much has changed in the intervening years.

1: My first day out with the new digital SLR, a Nikon D70s, was spent on the Midland Mainline at Souldrop. 60019 is heading back to Croft Quarry on the bi-directional low level freight line. Today it's all change, the low level lines have been doubled and all lines are electrified, although electric working is yet to start. I'm pleased to say 60019 is still in service with DBC, today it's called Port of Grimsby and Immingham.

2: On the same day an HST of then franchisee, National Express subsidiary Midland Mainline, descending from Sharnbrook Summit on a St Pancras bound service.

3: Heavy industry is not usually associated with Southeast England, but on the Isle of Sheppey, about 45 miles SE of London was Sheerness Steel, an electric arc furnace steelworks which took in scrap by train and by barge. It opened in 1971 but has closed and reopened a number of times since (it's currently closed). Back in 2006 it restarted receiving scrap by train on April 3rd, this was the first working.

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I really enjoy looking at your posts over the years.. I've made a few trips over the pond and can relate to your photos. Unfortunately none of the trips were for rail fanning. Keep them coming.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

Thanks photobob, coming from you that is a great compliment, I'm very grateful.

4: One, which was another National Express subsidiary, won the amalgamated Anglia and Great Eastern franchise. It was a bloody silly name but the livery was quite striking. This 170 is passing Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire on one of the new services One introduced, from Peterborough to London Liverpool Street via Ipswich.
5: On 1st April 2006 the Thameslink franchise switched from GoVia to First Group, this was taken just after First Capital Connect took over. A pair of 319s are approaching Loughborough Junction in South London, the trailing unit is in the final GoVia livery, which presumably the front unit would have received if GoVia had retained Thameslink at the time (they subsequently won it back).
6: Harringay Park Junction with a wagonload trip working from Cricklewood to Wembley. The semaphores and signal box went in December 2009 and the line was finally electrified in 2018, consigning this shot to the history books.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/21 02:06 by 86235.

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Nice photos - I agree on the name, ONE was rather silly.

"Platform One for the ONE service to Norwich", announcements like that made it all the more ridiculous!

The livery was also not one of the best with those strange multi coloured stripes at the end.

Posted from Android

Thanks for the photos, Nik. It's always good to look back, and to an area away from home for me. Amazing how many liveries and TOCs have bit the dust in such a short time. Chris uk

55002 Wrote:
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> Amazing how many liveries and TOCs have bit the
> dust in such a short time. Chris uk

Not long until even more bite the dust with the end of franchising

Posted from Android

Splendid collection, much enjoyed.

Gordon

Hexagon789 Wrote:
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> Not long until even more bite the dust with the
> end of franchising
>
> Posted from Android
Not sure that's true, franchising may be dead but separate operators with management contracts will replace the franchises so we'll still have a multiplicity of liveries.

It's my understanding each regional/InterCity group will get a livery for the group and not dependant on who operates it. Like ScotRail has a fixed livery decided by Transport Scotland that doesn't change with whoever runs the show.

Posted from Android

My point was that there will still be many different liveries, but I take your point that the livery won't change if an operator changes.

86235 Wrote:
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> My point was that there will still be many
> different liveries, but I take your point that the
> livery won't change if an operator changes.

I think we were getting at the same thing just in different ways!

Yes, that's basically what I meant.

Posted from Android

Very nice series of shots!  Never been over there, afraid to fly!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX