WCML Carstairs to Beattock Bank

Virgin liveried 90009 propells its West Coast service away from Carstairs bound for London Euston. This is 1M18 0720 Glasgow Central to Euston running late by around 100 minutes. There had been a signalling fault earlier in the morning.

EWS liveried 90030 approaches Carstairs South Junction with 4S99 0250 Willesden Euro terminal to Mossend Intermodal service. The 7,860hp locomotive has a feather weight load of just four FHA piggyback wagons each carrying a Royal Mail Parcel Force lorry trailer.

90028 runs in front of the State Secure Hospital at Carstairs with 5B26 0822 Edinburgh to Polmadie CS ECS sleeper stock. It too is running late. 90028 is painted in the livery of the Belgian State Railways.

Virgin Cross Country 86236 leans into the adverse camber as it joins the WCML off the Edinburgh branch at Carstairs South Junction. The train is 1O38 0910 Edinburgh to Bournemouth working. The electric loco will come off at Preston in favour of a class 47 diesel.

The weather was hazy into sun and a bitterly cold easterly wind was blowing this day. 220017 runs towards the junction station with 1S45 0556 Manchester Airport to Edinburgh train. It was held to the south for about 20 minutes before approaching.

66099 runs a short distance along the Edinburgh branch as it runs round its train, 4Z30 Mossend to Law Junction empty vans.

A Freightliner service approaches from the south with 86604 and 86615 providing some 11,800hp for its train, 4S50 0602 Crewe Basford Hall to Coatbridge.

A busy shot with lots happening. On the Edinburgh branch in the sun is 43007 and 43099 working 1D84 0924 Edinburgh to Glasgow Central. On the main line in the shade is an unidentified class 90 powering 1M22 0936 Glasgow Central to Euston about to pass 66012 hauling 6S36 0858 MX Dalston to Grangemouth empty bogie tanks.

A long distance cross country working passes over the River Clyde on Float Viaduct with 86240 in charge of 1V50, 0840 off Glasgow Central to Penzance. The class 86 will come off at Preston to be replaced by a class 47 for the run to Cornwall.

A move to Lamington and 86249 still wears the colours of the former InterCity sector but the coaches has been repainted into Virgin livery. The train is 1S46 0655 Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central and on the rear is 86253 with its pantograph down.

Royal Mail owned clas 325 electric unit 325010 speeds by with 5M89 1118 Motherwell TMD to Warrington RMT.

A pair of class 220 Voyager units pass by the site of Lamington station (closed on 4/1/1965). 1O40 1040 off Edinburgh to Brighton is worked by 220018 and 220020 and was the second of two Voyager worked trains seen this day.

An northbound engineers working passes over the level section of track just north of the viaduct over the River Clyde at Lammington. 66003 fronts 7S50 1142 Carlisle to Millerhill running over an hour early. The long rake is made up of YEA "Perch" long welded rail wagons.

A Virgin West Coast service hurries north with 87012 in charge of 1S47 0625 Euston to Glasgow Central.

Moving again to the south of Abington and the weather is getting better. DVT 82141 leads the VWC flagship train, 1M25 1148 Glasgow Central to Euston, the up "Royal Scot".

Turning round for the going away shot of the motive power and surprisingly it isn't the booked class 87 or a Stanier Duchess, but a hired in RES class 86, 86430.

The Devon Scot is a VXC working from Aberdeen to Plymouth, 1V57 is due to leave at 0915. HST powercars 43069 and 43155 provide the motive power for this train.

Moving again to Crawford this time and the railway skirts round the east side of the village. The sun glints off the top of 86242 as it passes by with 1S48 0715 Bristol Temple Meads to Edinburgh.

86253 is seen again this time it is working. It climbs the 1 in 240 grade in charge of 1O16 1230 Glasgow Central to Poole. The loco looks almost exworks.

A down VWC train tears by with 87034 in charge of 1S55 0830 Euston to Glasgow Central.

Moving a few miles further south and another Royal Mail working heads south, this time at Beattock Summit. An unknown pair of class 325's form 1M90 1323 Shieldmuir RMT to Willesden Railnet loaded mail train. It carries bags of semi sorted mail.

Just on the north side of Beattock Summit is an unsafe and closed off occupation overbridge. This is the viewpoint from that unsafe bridge of 82121 leading 1M28 1340 Glasgow Central to Euston, the up "Caledonian".

Beattock is the highest point on the WCML at 1,016 feet above sea level. 87012 breasts the summit propelling its train, the up "Caledonian" through the loops and sidings.

86256 comes over the summit and starts the 1 in 99 descent with its cross country working 1S49 1031 Birmingham International to Edinburgh. On the right is the down passenger loop and cripple siding. On the left is the up passenger loop and the cripple siding.

1S57 is the down "Royal Scot" train, 1030 off London Euston to Glasgow Central. 87021 blasts over the top with its rake of mkIII coaches and DVT, shame it wasn't a Duchess!!

Another move and Harthope Viaduct over the old A74 shakes to DRS type 3s 37607 and 37608. The are heading for Grangemouth to work the evenings train to Daventry. This working is 0S30 1427 Kingmoor Shed to Grangemouth.

The road below Harthope Viaduct is quiet now it has become a side road after the M74 has opened. It is safe to stand and photograph the passing trains. 86242 is rostered to 1M33 1440 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street. 5 years after Virgin took over the West Coast and Cross Country services, InterCity liveried vehicles still turn up.

43068 carries the name "The Red Arrows" and just as the set crossed the viaduct a RAF Hawk aircraft passed overhead. The northbound HST climbs for Beattock Summit at 1 in 74 with 1S85 0720 Plymouth to Aberdeen.

Another different location and a new one for me, south of Beattock Summit near to the former location of Greskine signalbox, a section known as "Greskine Bank". 67028 tears down the 1 in 75 gradient with an up mail train, 1M51 1525 off Shieldmuir RMT to Willesden Railnet.

It takes little effort to descend the 1 in 79 of Greskine Bank, DVT 82120 leads 1M31 1536 Glasgow Central to Euston with its locomotive, 87034, virtually unseen at the rear.

A VXC HST set climbs the 1 in 79 of Greskine Bank with 43008 at the rear and 43197 at the front of 1S71 0719 Penzance to Glasgow Central.

InterCity liveried 86249 returns working soutH with a cross country working to Birmingham New Street from Glasgow Central, 1M44 1606 off.

A pleasant change from the constant EWS red and gold livery is the green of a Freightliner locomotive. The driver of 66506 gave a toot on his horn as he passed working 6M25 1611 Mossend to Crewe Gresty Lane empty JLA cartics.

A final shot on Greskine Bank as the shadows creep closer to the railway, 67016 powers what looks like another mail train but isn't. This is 1M03 1638 Motherwell TMD to Walsall NIA vans operating a service for Securicor.

Tewsgill Hill behind Crawford is bathed in warm evening sunshime and forms a wonderful backdrop to an unknown DVT and class 87. The train is climbing at 1 in 142 at this point and the train is 1M34 1700 Glasgow Central to Euston.

And finally just before Ross and I head home, 86256 runs south heading for Derby from Edinburgh, 1710 off 1M35. It is seen passing by the northern end of Abington Loop. A great day.