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The Getting Wet Round Britian tour
Day 2 - 3 Tractor Chasing and the road to Scotland
Wednesday, 25th August, 2004

Probably the most photographed passenger working in the country today is the Arriva Trains Leeds to Carlisle working that is top and tailed by EWS Class 37s locos. The initial plan for day 3, and the back end of day 2, was to get some shots of this working along the Settle to Carlisle line. But a few surprise pieces of gen altered this plan....

Day 2 - I did actually catch the ECS move to Knottingley the night before!
37411 The Scottish Railway Preservation SocietyWith the ECS move to Knottingley the Arriva trains 37s (411and 408)head south through Colton junction
37408 Loch RannochWith the ECS move to Knottingley the Arriva trains 37s (411and 408)head south through Colton junction

Day 2 - After a glorious night at the Colton Travel Lodge I got up nice and early to start the chase of the 37s up to Carlisle, 2 minutes down the road and I was back at Colton Junction.
91000 An early morning London service as the sun rises over Colton Junction
91000 An early morning London service as the sun rises over Colton Junction
37411 The Scottish Railway Preservation SocietyHeading into York the Arriva ECS working to Knaresborough with 37411 at the front
144009 Looped at Poppleton awaiting the passing of 144009 enroute to York the tractors wait.
37411 The Scottish Railway Preservation SocietyBacklit by the rising sun 37411 accelerates out of Poppleton
37411 The Scottish Railway Preservation SocietyUnder the watchful eyes of an early morning commuter, 37411 pauses at Kirk Hammerton, for an eastbound unit
37411 The Scottish Railway Preservation Society37411 pulls out of Kirk Hammerton
37408 Loch RannochPassing under the A658 road bridge at Flaxby 37408 on the rear
A complete lack of preparation, and a field of mud prevented me from finding a Harrogate Viaduct shot :o( so I go this instead...
37411 The Scottish Railway Preservation SocietyNow with passengers on board the 37s head into Leeds, seen here passing North Rigton

A bit of Rail-gen coming in caused me to change my plans and head away from the Settle to Carlise line as I had planned, but the thought of 2 DRS 37s on the Malcoms was too much to ignore.
37605 DRS 37605 and 611 head up the 4M44Coatbridge to Daventry Malcolm's intermodal working south near Euxton
followed very closely by
390000 Rushing south towards London a Virgin 390

Also in the area was the test run of 71000 Duke Of Gloucester
71000 Duke of Gloucester71000 Duke of Gloucester pauses at Hellifield whilst on a test run from Carnforth
71000 Duke of GloucesterDuke of Gloucester passes Gisburn over an hour late on its loaded circular test run from Carnforth
71000 Duke of GloucesterDuke of Gloucester passes Gisburn over an hour late on its loaded circular test run from Carnforth
Fortunatley there was some 'real' (well gm modified) traction on the rear.
57601 Insurance locomotive 57601 on the rear of the Duke's loaded test train, shame it wasn't on the front!

Next gen related change of plan.. DRS 47501 was reported on the 6M53 Grangemouth-Carlisle Kingmoor dud wagons train.
47501 DRS 47501 hauls 66403 dit towards Kingmoor across the River Esk at Metal Bridge
390000 A virgin 390 races north into Scotland at Metal Bridge

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