After a four hour drive from Dorset to Clay Cross Junction, this was my first train. 31106 leads 31190 with 5Q03 0943 Derby to Heaton SERCO Test Train running empty. Marvellous!
The rear loco is 31190 in two tone green livery. What a good start to the day and week.
Midland Mainline 43104 leads 43054 off the Derby road at Clay Cross with train 1F10 0825 St Pancras to Sheffield.
Central Trains 170111 forms a late running 1M08 0750 Ely to Liverpool Lime Street service.
Virgin Cross Country 220012 comes round from Derby over the junction. Due to engineering works in the Erewash Valley the junction was closed and all traffic that normally use that route being diverted. This in not one of those diverted trains, 1E37 0700 Cardiff.
A southbound MML HST passes by with 43184 leading 43060 on 1C25 1022 Sheffield to St Pancras.
Three car sprinter 158777 forms 1L13 0852 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich on the road to Derby. It should have taken the Erewash Valley route but that is closed due to engineering works.
A Paignton bound Voyager passes by Clay Cross with 221110 forming 1V43 0824 off Newcastle. The cab door is open.
The first freight of the day appears behind 66100 working 4E69 Washwood Heath to Wakefield Europort intermodal.
This is the first Midland Mainline Meridian unit I have photographed and I failed to get the number of it! It is rostered to 1F14 0925 St Pancras to Sheffield service.
Virgin Cross Country 221131 speeds towards Derby with class 9 working 9O14 0600 Glasgow Central to Bournemouth.
The sun made a rare appearance and lights 220024 as it heads north with 1E39 0640 Plymouth to Newcastle Cross Country service.
It is nearly 22 1/2 years since I last photographed a pair of HST powercars running back to back, it was on the 15 Dec 1984 at Holgate Junction, York. On this day 43079 and 43055 head north probably for Leeds Neville Hill depot.
This set has been seen before heading north. Now 43104 and 43054 return south to London with 1C29 1127 Sheffield to St Pancras.
158812 is another diverted service, 1L15 1032 Manchester Piccadilly to Norwich, taking the Derby road instead of the Erewash Valley route.
221106 clatter over the turnout at Clay Cross Junction as it runs off the Derby road. This is a long distance cross country service, 9S53 0730 Bournemouth to Edinburgh.
220033 passes by in the warm sun with 1V47 0935 Newcastle to Bristol Temple Meads.
Freightliner Heavy Haul 66558 powers a northbound train of empty HHA coal hoppers. I have not identified this working. Time for a move.
Tupton is located a mile or so to the north of Clay Cross Junction and another welcome sight appears heading south, refurbished type 5 Grid 56303 catching a patch of sunlight through the trees at milepost 143 from St Pancras.
Fastline is a new company on the Railfreight scene and their first locos are refurbished class 56's. This is 56303 at the head of 4O90 1101 MThO Doncaster Railport to Thamesport Intermodal.
A going away shot of 56303 as it passes below the tower of St Lawrence church, North Wingfield.
More mundane traffic now as 158847 runs north with 1M12 0857 Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street working.
Arriva has been awarded the Cross Country franchise as of the November of this year so this livery will soon be a thing of the past. An unknown class 220 Voyager forms 1E40 0905 Cardiff Central to Newcastle.
In the distance is the famous Chesterfield Crooked Spire rising 228 feet on the Parish Church of St Mary and All Saints. It leans 9' 6" to the south west and the spiral twist at the base is about 45 degrees from west to east and is by design.
The train is 1C32 1227 Sheffield to St Pancras and the unit is not known.
Turbostar 170637 is rostered to 1L17 1052 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich. It will bear right at Clay Cross and take the diverted route via Derby.
On the down fast is 221114 working 9S57 0825 Plymouth to Edinburgh cross country.
The sun does not favour the fast lines here in the down direction as 43007 backed up by 43050 power 1F22 1125 St Pancras to Sheffield MML train.
In the up direction things are slightly different as an unknown class 220 Voyager forms 1V55 1122 Newcastle to Bristol Temple Meads.
A small lens is the only one of choice for up trains. 43178 with 43046 at the rear works 1C37 1327 Sheffield to St Pancras.
Turbostar 170511 is rostered to 1G32 1334 Nottingham to Birmingham New Street Central Trains service.
Freightliner Heavy Haul 66/6 subclass loco 66603 is in charge of a loaded coal working, 6M49 0800 Hull Docks to Rugeley Power Station. Time to move on to Buxton.
