National Express liveried class 158 and a First Group liveried class 170 cross the north viaduct with 1B22 1052 Inverness to Edinburgh.
This unknown class 170 turbostar forms 2G57 1350 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the clockwise Fife Circle clatter over the north viaduct high above the village.
A southbound coal train eases onto the north viaduct behind 66046.
66046 fronts a rake of empty HAA coal hoppers and is about to enter the north portal to the Forth Bridge. It is forming 6J13 1222 Longannet power station to Hunterston.
Looking to the south and the south viaduct with 66171 slowly heading across the Firth running as 0Zxx Millerhill to Inverkeithing light engine.
Huge parts of the bridge at covered in a white plastic protective covering where the descaling and repainting is taking place. This keeps the debris, from the shotblasting to bare metal before the application to a special paint is applied, from falling into the river below.
66171 will shortly run off the north viaduct and onto terrafirma at North Queensferry.
A southbound unit enters the north cantilever with 2K01 1245 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the anticlockwise Fife Circle.
An unknown class 170 turbostar rumbles high above North Queensferry forming 1B28 1225 Aberdeen to Edinburgh.
Coal trains are restricted to 10mph on the bridge so a crossing takes quite a few minutes. 66195 creeps north with a loaded coal train, 7G17 1125 Hunterston to Longannet power station.
The loaded coal train passes high above the village, or so it appears. In fact the visible houses are to the west of the bridge and not actually below it.
66195 brings its train into Fife. Once the line from Stirling to Longannet via Alloa is open, these sights will be gone.
This train, 6R14 1330 Longannet power station to Ayr Falkland Yard, is the only train which doesn't go back to Hunterston for reloading, Saturdays excepted when it does go there. 66145 fronts the graffitied wagons.
The length of the train occupies the entire north viaduct as the sun glints off the front of the loco.
An uknown class 170 turbostar heads north with 2K05 1445 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the Fife Circle inner or anti clockwise. On the water is a boat operated by Calypos Marine heads upstream to its moorings at nearby Port Edgar.
A northbound GNER HST set strides out high above the River Forth. Powercars 43112 and 43008 power 1S12 1030 Kings Cross to Aberdeen service
43112 emerges from the portal of the north tower in which the cantilver is anchored.
Whisps of white clouds hang in the blue sky as a pairing of classes 170 and 158 pass over the houses of the village with their train 2K63 1510 Edinburgh to Markinch.
66171, with a glint, returns to head south with 8 loaded HAA coal hoppers. They have been in the sidings at Inverkeithing since 26/5/06 when a problem developed on 7G09 Thornton to Cockenzie power station. Now they are completing their journey a week late.
Some class 170 and 158 units are still in the colours of the previous TOC. This sprinter set is one such National Express liveried unit, albeit with flying "F" logo. It forms 2K07 1545 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the Fife Circle Inner.
Coal is loaded in Fife for customers to the south and to England. 66009 leads 7G08 1517 Thornton Yard to Drax loaded coal train.
A pairing of class 170 and 158 units form 1A79 1605 Edinburgh to Dyce for Aberdeen Airport. The train will not stop at North Queensferry or many other stations in Fife either.
A boat, possibly owned and or operated by BP, speeds up river.
Poor Floppy dog sitting in the heat with her eyes closed. I miss taking her with me on outings like this, she was good company. I suspect she was too hot.
Another coal working loaded with imported foreign coal shakes the metalwork of the bridge. 66083 fronts 7G18 1300 Hunterston to Longannet power station.
The afternoon sun glints off the side of 66083, nice. What isn't so nice is the residents of North Queensferry complained about small coal particles raining down from passing trains. So now they are coated with a sticky gel to stop this happening. You just can't make it up can you?!
The passage of the coal trains break up the monotony of the procession of turbostars and sprinters. 66126 fronts 6J15 1500 Longannet to Hunterston.
Virgin Cross Country unit 221143 heads out over the water on the south viaduct with 1S54 1203 Birmingham New Street to Aberdeen.
The four coach unit fits nicely it the span between the cantilvers.
There were moves afoot (6/07) to have these sheets painted or coloured the same as the bridge so to blend in. It never happened.
The four vehicle super Voyager unit passes over the north viaduct.
Several small boats make foreground interest as an uknown turbostar passes behind on 2K09 1640 Edinburgh to Edinburgh via the Inner Fife Circle.
This class 170 unit is running to Cowdenbeath as 2G21 1647 off Edinburgh.
A nine coach GNER southbound high speed train takes up almost the entire length of the north viaduct. The powercars are unidentified but the train is 1E24 1455 from Aberdeen to Kings Cross.
