Edinburgh Variables

Well this is a real surprise and not the usual sight to behold in Edinburgh Waverley. The class of sprinter is run of the mill but one in South West Trains livery is most definitely not run of the mill. Interloper 158789 has just arrived with 2G55 1253 Haymarket to Edinburgh via the clockwise Fife Circle. The unit had been transferred north for use by ScotRail. 19/3/2007

91119 is the propelling motive power for a GNER service from Glasgow Central to London Kings Cross, 1E19 1500 off. The doors are closed and the platform staff have indicated the train is ready to leave.

158789 awaits its next turn of duty. I wonder how many of its passengers knew where it has come from?

A pair of sprinters in the more usual and familiar ScotRail livery. 158733 and 158711 form 2P69 1503 Edinburgh to Dunblane class 2 service. The train departs the new platform built on the former Klondyke through siding.

Down in the former motorail siding, EWS 90035 sits quiet. It will next be used later in the evening when it takes out the Edinburgh portion of the Lowland Edinburgh and Glasgow sleeper to London Euston.

Also present on the next road is EWS 67028 also sitting quiet. This is the GNER northern "Thunderbird" or rescue loco, poised like a coiled spring to launch into action at a moments notice. 19/3/2007

158741 powers up and slips away from platform 10, one of two new platforms to increase the operating ability of Waverley station. The working is 2P61 1133 Edinburgh to Dunblane.

In the old guard of National Express livery, 170423 comes in with a terminating working from Glasgow Queen Street, 1R46 1045 off.

Virgin Cross Country class 220 Voyager set 220007 gets away from Edinburgh with 1M93 1152 off for Manchester Piccadilly. 10/5/2007

In early 2007 there was extensive rebuilding work being undertaken at Waverley and on this visit 66106 is employed with a rake of spoil wagons. 20/4/2007

On the other end of the wagons is 66061.

The thunderbird loco is 67012.

90020 is resting between sleeper duties. 20/4/2007

In 2021 all the talk is about "hybrid" trains being diesel and OLE capable or running on batteries. Back in 2008 this technology was being tried. Class 43 powercar 43089 is part of Network Rail's New Measurement Train. It can take power from its diesel powerplant and also from batteries carried in the first coach. It carries the name "Hayabusa" which means "Falcon" in Japanese. 28/1/2008

On the rear is conventional powercar 43014 and the set departs Waverley as 1Q22 1036 MO Q Heaton to Glasgow Queen Street Measurement Train.

During a loco and coach run from York to Thornton with A4 60009, we run into Millerhill yard and 66101 is present with a rake of engineers wagons. 7/4/2009

The loco was engaged in shunting the yard.

Freightliner Heavy Haul 666621 passes through Millerhill Yard light engine heading south. It may be heading back to the cement works and Oxwellmains.

Parked up at the end of a siding is class 09 shunter 09014

Steam from 60009 wafts across towards the shed building at Millerhill with 66117 parked up outside it. 7/4/2009

Edinburgh Haymarket station is the location for 158736 and 158703 with 2P27 2033 Edinburgh to Dunblane. 21/5/2009

A down National Express HST set departs Haymarket on time heading for Aberdeen, the service is 1S23 1600 off Kings Cross. The powercars are 43311 on the fronts and 43299 on the back.

An Up HST gets away from Haymarket with 43238 on the back of 1B75 1816 Aberdeen to Edinburgh. It looks like my train is approaching the tunnel. 21/5/2009

This is strictly not Edinburgh but Dalmeny but I'm going to include the next few photos here. 43299 leads 1S20 1400 Kings Cross to Aberdeen and it passes K4 61994 and its support coach which are in the down passenger loop at Dalmeny to allow a few trains to pass us. 24/4/2012

On the other end of the HST set is 43290. Just ahead of the train is the Forth Bridge.

As the Aberdeen train passes through Dalmeny station, 67017 makes its station stop with 2G13 1708 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the Fife Circle. Due to DMU shortages ScotRail have hired a couple of class 67 locos and a couple of rakes of mkII coaches for morning and evening commuter trains.

The class 2 local service enters the up passenger loop at Dalmeny to wait for a while to allow a few other services to overtake. 24/4/2012

This is Niddrie West Junction on the Edinburgh Suburban line. 66736 wheels over the turnout with 6E45 0807 Fort William to North Blyth empty alumina tanks. The train is heading for Millerhill Yard and the single line on the foreground runs round to join the ECML at Portobello Junction. 9/9/2015

More freight action as DBS 66151 passes by with 4E99 1511 Mossend to Tees Dock Intermodal. The Edinburgh Suburban lines are predominately used by freight traffic, and even that is much reduced from say ten years ago. It used to have a passenger service with circular trains calling at some half a dozen stations all now long closed.

This is the train I specifically wanted to see, the second of the two ECS loco hauled ScotRail trains operated by DRS. Prominent on the skyline is the tall spire of Marchmont St Giles' Parish Church.

The six mkII coach train is hauled by brand new type 5 68006 "Daring" and is on hire to ScotRail and is in their Saltire livery, as is the coaches.

I have been to this location before but I made a hash of getting to the supermarket carpark and in doing so I missed the first ECS. This working is 5L69 1600 off Motherwell depot for Edinburgh. It will then run a commuter service to Cardenden on the Fife Circle.

The bi-directional line curves sharply round and will join the ECML at Portobello Junction.

I have moved, via Shawfair station on the Borders line, to Monktonhall Junction where the line into Millerhill Yard from the south leaves the ECML. Here 66096 gets the road off the spur with 6E30 1332 Dalzell to Tees Yard empty steel flats. The train has recessed in Millerhill Yard for some 3 1/2 hours.

The loco passes over a small bridge which gives access to the houses on the other side of the railway. Today, 2021, this field is a building site with new houses being built.

This working is the empty return runs of flats which came north to Dalzell plant loaded with steel billets. This line will join the ECML about a further 1/2 mile or so.

Still in the field, being careful where I stand due to the field being popular with dog walkers, and 66151 is seen again.

66151 passes over the small bridge which is nothing more than an occupation bridge. This train had recessed for about 35 minutes.

This afternoon had been a very enjoyable one allowing me to get a few shots in new locations and photos I have wanted for a while. 9/9/2015

My camera, Canon EOS 5D mkIII, is capable of seeing in the dark and I can take photos like this. 66137 passes Newcraighall station with 4E99 1511 Mossend to Tees Dock Intermodal. 5/11/2015

The line through the platform is bi-directional and trains to and from Tweedbank stop here.

The going away shot of 66137 which will recess in the yard for 35 minutes giving the driver time for a break or there may be a crew change. 5/11/2015

Five days after the last few photos and I'm back in Edinburgh and this time I am at Brunstane station, another new build to serve the south east of Edinburgh. DRS 68007 "Valiant" is on hire to ScotRail and is in their livery. This working is 5G13 1545 Motherwell Depot to Edinburgh ECS. It will go on to form a clockwise Fife Circle commuter working. To the right of the tracks is part of the abutment for the bridge which carried the former Lothian Lines over the tracks here, the embankment has been completely removed. There was a North British Railway built signalbox just to the right on the bridge, Niddrie North Junction 'box, photos of it are here https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/33/8/ and here https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/32/80/

The bizarre remains of the Lothian Lines bridge which spanned the tracks here. The abutment walls and the central pier still stand despite the embankments having been removed in the mid to late 1970's. There was an absolute mass of lines in this area, all of which have gone apart from what is visible here. A map can be viewed here.... https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/1/404/ The driver of 68007 comes slowly through the folly like brick remains and will run up to the signal which protects Portobello Junction.

The signal is out of sight round the curve beyond the bridge. The ECS will wait for some time before it gets the road to run into Waverley.

I knew this was running so I made sure I was here at Newcraighall to see it. 37409 leads 37607 with four nuclear flasks on the drawbar. The working is 6M50 1512 TO Torness Power Station to Kingmoor Flask train. The driver gave me a short blast on the horn as he approaches.

Turning round for the going away shot and the train has the road and the feathers to indicate the route is to the left along the Niddrie Curve and onto the Edinburgh Suburban line, then to Carstairs and left again onto the WCML south to Carlisle Kingmoor Yard.

Not long after the DRS train had gone by, the second freight of evening appeared out of the darkness. 66023 fronts 4E99 1511 Mossend to Tees Dock Intermodal. It had started to lightly rain and it can be seen in the beam from the left headlight.