A workstained Freightliner Heavy Haul 66513 waits its path out of the down passenger loop at Carstairs with a rake of empty HHA coal hoppers. The working is 4S34 0337 Leeds to either Killoch or Chalmerston open cast pit for reloading.
The day was very cold and overcast at this time in the morning with the snow frozen. National Express branded 91102 propels its train over the turnout and adverse camber onto the Edinburgh branch of the former Caledonian Railway's west coast route. The service is 1E07 0750 Glasgow Queen Street to Kings Cross.
A Virgin West Coast class 221 Super Voyager, 221117, approaches a dull Carstairs station with 1M51 0800 Glasgow Central to Birmingham New Street. Parked up in the up passenger loop is 1Q26 the Network Rail Measurement Train with powercars 43013 and 43014.
Having sat for at least 30 minutes probably being regulated and waiting for its booked path, 66513 gets the road away from Carstairs and powers up and leaves the loop.
The NMT had been sitting in the loop since before I arrived at Carstairs and I have not been able to find out what it was working. But now it is on the move and the lead powercar 43013 has put out a clag cloud as it cleared its throat when the driver powered up. Here it slowly leaves the loop.
Yesterday the set was in Ayr but today its route is not known. The pantograph is up on the centre coach as the set gathers speed through the camber of Carstairs station's up platform.
221115 passes through a very cold Carstairs station with 1S34 0557 Crewe to Glasgow Central.
National Express 91125 brings its train off the Edinburgh branch and over onto the down main line. This service is 1S01 0625 Newcastle to Glasgow Central.
EWS liveried 90028 comes off the Edinburgh branch onto the up main line with 5B26 0820 Edinburgh to Polmadie empty sleeper stock. The camber is set for the main line so the turn out for branch traffic will be at odds with it.
The train crosses over the up road onto the short link to the down road and onto Polmadie.
A move away from the station and to the south as the cloud moves away to allow the sun to come out. An unknown class 221 Super Voyager crosses the River Clyde over Float Viaduct with 1M52 0852 from Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street.
The sky to the east was clear and the cloud was slowly moving west and the whole scene would soon be in sun. An unknown class 221 gathers speed away from Carstairs with 1S36 0617 Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh.
The sky has now cleared and the sun lights up the landscape but has little warmth. Pendolino 390005 speeds away from Carstairs with 1M10 0940 Glasgow Central to Euston. The sun still favours the east side of the line.
Over on the Edinburgh branch, 185140 waits for the road with 1M53 0955 off Edinburgh to Manchester Airport. Behind it an unknown mkIV set heads for Edinburgh with 1E11 0950 from Glasgow Central to Kings Cross.
I have moved to the east side of the line but the sun is virtually head on to southbound traffic. 221113 makes progress with 1M53 1000 Glasgow Central to Birmingham New Street.
Having been held at signals at Carstairs East Junction, First Group Trans Pennine Desiro 185140 gains speed and passes over Float Viaduct with an Edinburgh to Manchester Airport service, 1M93 0955 off.
The going away shot of 185140 was almost into sun but I was able to recover it thanks to the wonders of photoshop.
Another Desiro unit passes by heading north this time as 185139 crosses Float viaduct with 1S38 0725 Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh. The sun had no favour to either side of the line.
Yet another Desiro unit passes by, this one heading south very soon after the previous southbound set. This is 185130 working 1M94 1010 Glasgow Central to Carlisle where it will join the Edinburgh one and form one train to continue to Manchester Airport.
221143 forms 1S39 0719 Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central. This class 221 unit is one of four or so Super Voyagers that were built as four coach sets, all the others had 5 coaches.
An unknown pendolino charges over Float Viaduct working through to London with the 1040 Glasgow Central departure, 1M11. Carstairs State Hospital is in the background.
Whilst re positioning and missing the Dalston tanks, I was almost caught out by 92009 working north with 6S65 WO 0935 Carlisle to Mossend Enterprise freight. The payload was a mixture of cartics and china clay slurry tanks and is seen near Thankerton.
A new location for me is Crawford Bridge just by the village of Crawford. Freightliner 66526 powers north with 4S12 0437 Drax Power Station to Ravenstruther empty HHA coal hoppers.
DRS type 5 66417 crosses over the River Clyde on Crawford Bridge heading for Coatbridge from Kingmoor Depot running as 0Z26.
The railway follows the base of Castle Hill and also the River Clyde on an embankment above the valley floor.
An unknown class 390 Pendolino unit speeds by heading south with 1M12 1140 off Glasgow Central to Euston. The set powers south climbing at 1 in 240 towards Beattock summit 6 miles away.
North bound trains are a challenge to photograph doing 95mph. Hear the train, get the camera out of the warmth of the jacket, turn it on, line up and fire AND try and note the number all within 5 seconds!! 390050 works 1S45 0830 from Euston to Glasgow Central.
Short formation Super Voyager 221143 heads south forming 1M55 1200 off Glasgow's Central station to Birmingham's New Street station.
This northbound class 221 is formed with the usual 5 vehicles. 221103 left Birmingham New Street at 0920 running to Glasgow Central as 1S47. It crosses Crawford Bridge over the River Clyde.
Desiro 185137 comes north over the bridge so favoured by the late Derek Cross, with 1S46 1000 from Manchester Airport to Glasgow Central.
DRS 66419 has a light load on the drawbar with 6 pairs of empty container flats forming 4Z11 off Carlisle Kingmoor to Elderslie.
An unknown Pendolino heads towards Crawford village with 1M13, 1240 off Glasgow Central to London Euston. It is due in at 1712.
390011 flashes towards Crawford Bridge at 95mph having passed through the village of Crawford. The set does not have far to go until journey's end with 1S48 0930 Euston to Glasgow Central.
390011 crosses Crawford Bridge. Areas where the sun gets to most has lost the snow, elsewhere it is still quite thick.
Virgin West Coast 221110 passes over the River Clyde with 1S54 1020 Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh. Since the last round of franchise changes the WCML is no longer served by Cross Country trains, Trans Pennine and Virgin West Coast have the traffic now.
92009 is seen for the second time today this time heading south light engine. This should be an MoD stores turn, 6M12 T/WO 1357 from Mossend to Carlisle Yard. Today there is no load so it runs light.
An northbound engineers working approaches with 66113 leading 6S50 Carlisle yard to Millerhill. The first three vehicles are loaded with new concrete sleepers. I didn't notice if the auto ballasters were full or empty.
66113 crosses over Crawford Bridge in brilliant winter sunshine with a clear blue sky.
First Trans Pennine Desiro 185137 hammers south with the 1410 from Glasgow to Preston. There it will join another set from Lancaster and together they will continue to Manchester Airport.
The first Freightliner coal train for several hours heads north with 4S41 MX 0907 Sudford Lane to Hunterston empty coal hoppers. Still the sky has a wonderful blue colour without a single cloud, also the sun is coming round to light the front of northbound traffic.
This location favours northbound loco hauled trains, units are not a problem. 66227 runs south with the unusual sight of loaded HAA coal hoppers on 6M04 FX 1312 Mossend Yard to Carlisle Yard.
Looking to the north and a southbound Freightliner coal train comes round the sweeping curve with its train of loaded HHA coal hoppers. 66526 fronts 6E65 1431 Ravenstruther to Drax Power Station.
This train is running just over an hour late, unique DRS 66411 in Eddie Stobart livery.
66411 fronts 4S43 0612 Daventry to Grangemouth intermodal, this is the "Tesco Express" block train conveying containers for Tesco.
Another class 92 comes into view but this time it is the sole EWS liveried member of the class. 92001 provides the motive power to 6S94 WO 0305 Dollands Moor to Irvine loaded silver bullets. This train conveys china clay slurry to the Caledonia Paper Mill in Irvine. The slurry used to come from Cornwall but now is sourced from abroad.
I had moved to the other side of the line to get into the car and move when 221117 approached from the south heading for Edinburgh with 1S60 1220 from Birmingham New Street. The snow on the hills behind Crawford looks great.
A pair of Freightliner class 86 locos head south and cross Crawford Bridge with the daily Freightliner service to Crewe, 4M74 1401 from Coatbridge. The lowering sun reflects off the rear windscreens of 86604.
The first couple of flats were devoid of containers which gives this good view of the two veteran 46 year old locos still gainfully employed.
