I have just had a look through Jim’s trips to Belgium in 2010.
Link to Jim Burton’s 2010 moves gen
Looking at the trip at the end of March 2010, this coincided with one of my trips. I arrived in Brussells on Tuesday 30th March 2010 before heading on to Germany on Friday 2nd April to cover some special trains and a “plamdampf” at Trier, returning via Luxembourg and Belgium to the UK on Sunday 4th April 2010. A “plandampf” is an event where steam traction takes over some of the normal service trains. Hard to believe for the UK, but on that Friday afternoon I was on a train from Trier into Koln Hbf, an ordinary service train, but with a German class “01” steam locomotive pulling it.
Anyway back to the Belgian bits, by the end of 2009, the elderly class 22 and 25 electrics had all been withdrawn. Their replacements on the rush hour “P” trains were class 23 electrics,another class of elderly electrics but noted more for working in pairs on freight trains rather than on commuter trains. Their replacement on freight work was modern multi voltage locos working through from France and Germany.
Tuesday 30th March 2010.
I arrived around lunchtime, and I see that we were both on the 13.20 Binche – Louvain la neuve Uni, out of Brussells Midi with 2608 top and tailing 2615. The top and tail class 26’s on modern double deck stock were a bit strange, and class 26’s were mainly freight locomotives, so this was an easy way to get them. Sadly, the powers that be decided to just use (in theory) a small batch of the class 26 as that would be easier for the maintenance, the argument being that these diagrams clocked up far more mileage and use rather than their usual relaxed life on freight workings.
JIm took these to the end of the line, and returned with the same pair, meanwhile I had got off at Etterbeek, to come back to cover the class 23’s in the rush hour. I picked up three “winners” in 2338, 2370 and 2317. I see that Jim also had 2338 into Brussells Noord on P8067 for 2353 back across Brussells on P8741. My hotel was in Leuven, so 2317 on the 17.34 Brussells Midi – Hasselt was my ride back to Aarschot for an electric unit back to Leuven.
Wednesday 31st March 2010.
An early start for me to cover the Landen – Brussells Midi “P” train, around 06.50 off Leuven which was 2318. I covered the class 26’s on the Binche circuit, 2608+2615 on one turn and a winning 2611 with 2614 on the other turn. In the afternoon we were both on P8066 15.40 Brussells Midi – Gent across Brussells, before going different ways. My moves 2355, 2370, 2326+2367, 2317 and finally 2309. You soon get used to some of the rush hour turns getting the same loco for a few days until it either breaks or was due maintenance. 2370, 2353 and 2317 were all on the same trains as the day before. A quick word about 2326+2367, the 07.00 Chatelet – Schaarbeek and the 17.06 Schaarbeek – Chatelet were booked a pair of 23’s working in multiple.
Thursday 1st April 2010.
Another early start for me, going across to Aarschot to cover the three turns into Antwerp, two which started at Aarschot and the third which came up from Hasselt. No winners for me but 2325, 2339 and 2341 on the three turns. In the afternoon we were both on the 15.40 out of Brussells with 2359, with Jim covering 2333, 2355 and 2368 where as I did 2355 and 2353 (again!). Jim was at Brussells Central for 2312+2338 on P8724, I turned them down as I was hoping on a new class 28 on the next Amsterdam train. However my winner was swopped and it was a dud 2842 which rolled in.
Friday 2nd April 2010.
Another early start with 2346 on the Landen – Brussells, and then a run back across Brussells with the previous nights pair,2312+2370. After that I headed off towards Germany.
I have attached a couple of pictures from that week.
2326+2367arriving at Brussells Noord with P8724 17.06 Schaarbeek – Chatelet on 31st March. We both got on this here.
2615 top/tail 2608 also arriving at Brussells Noord, with IR3937 15.41 Louvain la neuve Uni – Binche on 1st April. These locos were regular locomotives on these turns.
Link to Jim Burton’s 2010 moves gen
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