Spotting 2024 – Week 43

The early part of the week was once more consumed by weather and household chores but come Thursday we were good to get out and about. Back in early August I did a couple of trips out to photograph the Class 455 units as their time is almost up. I decided to get some more ‘in the can’ especially as it has been reported that 5917 has been withdrawn, a unit that I caught a photo of passing Corinthian Casuals ground near Tolworth back in 2023…

On this occasion I took a trip out to Hampton Court, riding 5739 out from Waterloo and 5728…

…back as far as Raynes Park where I stopped to take a few more photos. Here’s 5862 arriving with a Chessington South service…

During the course of the day I made my way round to Richmond for lunch and then to Chiswick via Barnes. At Chiswick I got a chance to photo one of the newly refurbished Class 458’s, 458408…

…working with 458421 which I rode back to Clapham Junction. I found the newly refreshed seats very comfortable with plenty of legroom👍

Back at Clapham I logged 6 of the new Class 701’s that will replace the 455’s and I also noted during the day, 701037 in service and 701025 on driver training. Evidence that the end is truly nigh for the 455’s.

On my way home, having heard of disruption on the Northern Line, I decided to route round via West Hampstead. This proved fortuitous as I saw my first Class 88 locomotive at Gospel Oak although I wasn’t in a position to photograph it. That brought the day’s tally to 184 logged of which I needed 13 and I picked up 7 new for haulage.

A Saturday without football… As mentioned last week I had a plan and although the weather was a bit grey with occasional spits of rain, I decided to put it into action. We’re off to Didcot Railway Centre, home of the Great Western Society.

Once this was a bastion of steam and infernal combustion was not welcome. The token diesel was preserved railcar no.22. As luck would have it, that vehicle was operating the Didcot Halt to Transfer Shed shuttle. AEC diesel – I’ll have some of that😅…

The centre now houses several non-steam locomotives and their value is recognised. One notable incumbent is 18000…

…Built by Brown-Boveri in 1949, it was a Gas-Turbine locomotive. In service with British Railways it proved unreliable and uneconomic. I suggest looking it up on Wikipedia for more info.

On my visit, another of the non-steam locos was called into action by the delivery of a wagonload of coal. DL26 is a Hunslet diesel mechanical shunter similar to the British Rail Class 05. There seems to be some confusion over its age – the GWS say 1957, the British Transport commission plate says 1958 and some websites quote 1962! Whatever, here is ‘The Rat’ shunting a load of coal up to the coaling stage…

Of course, most visitors come here for the steam locomotives and there are a lot to find around the site. While some are in operational condition, many are in various states of restoration / repair. Here’s ex-GWR pannier tank 3650 in the locomotive works…

…There is also a carriage and wagon works.

The main shed is crammed full of locomotives, such that getting any decent shots of the incumbents is impossible. However, here’s a couple of views…

It is possible to get a reasonable view of a loco poking it’s head out of the doors, 5051 ‘Drysllwyn Castle’…

And a few locos are parked outside like 2999 ‘Lady of Legend’…

…This was one of many ‘Hall’ class locomotives preserved but has been retro-rebuilt into a representation of the earlier Saint class. A relatively easy conversion due to the commonality of boiler types used by the GWR over a very long period.

Of course, everyone coming to a steam museum wants to see and ride behind a steam locomotive. Didcot has a mix of events and not all have operating steam locomotives so you have to look at their website and check the calendar. Saturday was a steam day and Prairie Tank 4144 was the motive power being demonstrated…

…She posed for the camera during the crew lunchbreak…

…and mid-afternoon shift, the crew could be seen taking a breather between runs…

I enjoyed my rides on the railcar and behind 4144 but, after a quick visit to the museum shop I decided it was time to go. And, not a moment too soon for I had just got back onto Didcot Parkway station when the heavens opened…

…Even 66121 looks suitably unimpressed😅 I made my way back home, avoiding central London by taking the Bakerloo Line north to Willesden Junction from Paddington. The day’s tally: 143 logged of which I needed 46. I also picked up 7 for haulage.