The unfortunate derailment of 350247 closed the slow lines for most freight traffic from around lunchtime on Thursday June 26th until 1630 on Sunday June 29th. This gave us the opportunity to phot freight traffic on the fast lines locally in daylight, something that doesn’t happen often these days.
1/Friday June 27th – Linslade Tunnel South (0605-0735)
As I arrived an EWS liveried shed went North on the down fast with liners so i knew they hadn’t reopened the slow lines at Denbigh Hall yet. There had also been an overnight total block at Denbigh Hall from 0000-0500 (for unit rerailing) meaning some Northbound freight would be held back.
The Down fast freight procession
4M83 London Gateway – Trafford Park – EWS 66 booked time 0540 actual 0605
4M42 London Gateway – Trafford Pk – 90048 n 90018 – booked 0631 actual 0637
4M77 Tilbury – Daventry – 88005 – booked 0644 actual 0644
4S60 London Gateway – Basford Hall – 90016 n 90045 – booked 0142 actual 0704
6X41 Dagenham – Garston vans – 66725 – booked 0207 actual 0712
4M45 Felixstowe – Garston – 66520 – booked 0736 actual 0730
4M86 Ipswich – Lawley St – 66532 – booked 0805 actual 0735
90048 and 90018 looking good head North with 4M42 London Gateway – Trafford Park
Powerful beast 88005 passes on time with 4M77 Tilbury – Daventry Tesco train
90016 and 90045 with 4S60 held back from its 0142 passing time with 4S60 London Gateway – Crewe around 0700 on June 27th 2025
Well worth getting up at 5am for! The WCML was closed locally from 0100-0500 for the rerailing of 350247 so much overnight freight traffic had to be held back. Normally passing around 1am a rare daytime DF sighting of 66725 approaching Linslade Tunnel South with 6X41 Dagenham – Garston Ford Vans working on June 27th 2025
2/Friday June 27th – Old Linslade bridge 139 area
More fast line afternoon freight on the fast plus a bonus up slow working that had been routed via the Bedford – Bletchley line thus avoiding the 350 farce.
Fastline freight brought much grid action locally, heres 56302 at Rugby with 4O90 Doncaster – Grain on October 26th 2006
37901 heads North through Old Linslade 20 minutes after she had headed South! 37901 was on a 1Z99 Leicester – Denbigh Hall derailment assist move on the afternoon of June 27th 2025
70002 coasts round the Old Linslade curves with 4O38 Lawley St – Soton , a booked 70 turn locally
Fast line freightliner with 90003 and 90005 on 4M63 Felixstowe – Garston
Booked on the DF back then, the last and final Speedlink service from Dover to Moss End passes Old Linslade with still blue liveried 47376 powering on July 5th 1991
OK its on the Up slow but its the rare combination of 20311 and 20302 on 6O43 Worksop – Dollands Moor at 1430 on June 27th 2025
The fast line freight (and local unit) running continued till late on Sunday June 29th, a fascinating variation in local traffic flows…
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