I had to travel to Derby to collect my new car, so decided to go by train from Grantham. Just after arriving at the station and buying my ticket, a class 66 with a long string of containers on flatcars arrived and stopped next to the station to avait a path on the busy east coast main line. This was my first sight of a GBRf class 66 locomotive (built by GM in London, Ontario).
West of Nottingham are several sidings which are still in place, but obviously have not been used for some time! The marks above the trees are dirty marks on the train window
Excellent pictures alan, i think those 66 class locos look kinda weird, but i like them. they look powerful. i recall seeing an article somewhere about them being shipped over to england from ontario.
Approaching Derby station past the site of the works, this Midland Mainline class 08 shunter was standing in the sidings. One of several Mk 3 HST coaches is also seen.
A Midland Mainline HST arrives, the lead power car is an ex-Virgin unit, the rest of the trainset is in MML livery The rear power car Nameplate of the rear power car
Midland Mainline has embarked on a programme to refurbish all their HST's. Here is one set in the new livery, which I think is very striking. The interiors have received high praise from the railway press.
Great pictures Alan. Derby used to be one of my railfanning haunts but I haven’t visited for ages. I like the new Midland Mainline livery on the power cars but I’m not sure that it “matches” that on the trailers despite the common theme. Many people are likening the blue on the power cars to the old corporate rail blue of the 70/80s. John. [ 31. March 2003, 10:32: Message edited by: John Whitby ]
<font color="336633">I do like the new livery on the coaches, they look a lot newer than they are! But like John, I do think the power cars look sort of odd next to the coaches, if they had been painted like the coaches i think it would have looked better, but i am not sure they would have stayed clean very long..... in fact i cant remember the last time I seen a clean HST set.</font>
Superb photos Alan - such a shame most of our railway installations look so sad compared to the busy days of steam - hardly any rolling stock to be seen and even fewer railway personnel!
I kind of like the new colours, though it's interesting that it hasn't been designed to be "seamless" with the coaches as all previous HST schemes have been. I liked the "old" teal-n-tangerine scheme they had, but it has dated rather fast... MML are having a fleet expansion, gaining many ex-Virgin vehicles as they are starting a Manchester-East-Midlands-London St Pancras through service to cover the West Coast mainline blockades this summer. I presume the Virgin ones will be the first into the works for a refurb to gain these new colours! They also have some new "Meridien" trains on order, which are based on the Bombardier/Virgin Voyager design, but with a whole heap of modifications. They even have some 9 car sets of these!
Yes Martyn, I wish they had at least carried the scheme on the coaches over onto the power cars, at least a short distance. This would have given more of a uniform look to the trainset. The coaches look really good, but the power cars seem mis-matched. I await the Meridien sets with interest. I wonder what the "modifications" are? Several are obviously needed, according to "customer" comments" I missed photographing a Voyager unit as I was having a cuppa in the cafe
