Just 'click' the thumbnails for a fullpage image! (1280 +827 nominal)
Class 59/0 (After 01 August 2019)
The Engines that started the GM Revolution in the UK. 5 built but 59003 was exported to Germany in 1997.However in 2015 it was repatriated and has started working in the UK for GBRf leaving 4 working out of Merehead for Aggregate-Industries who took over Foster-Yeomans.
AI's 59004 hauls '7C64' the 15:25 from Acton-TC to Merehead towards Frome and beyond.
..30 july 2020..
Doyen of all things GM in the UK c/w its presentation bell passes Clink with '6m20' the 10:38 from Whatley Quarry going to Churchyard Sidings up in the Capital.Of note is the total lack of any Touax wagons in this train make-up.Something that is now becoming increasingly rare.
..30 july 2020..
'AI' 59005 runs through Berkley with '7A09; the 07:12 from Merehead to Acton-TC on a superbly sunny early morning.Note the now well mixed up older and new Touax JNA's & HOA's in the consist.
..30 july 2020..
'6V18' appears to have been retimed,now departing Allington at 13:30 instead of 11:20 passing here at Fairwood at 18:30,some 2 hours or so later.Destination still remains as Whatley Quarry.59001 doing the duty.
..29 july 2020..
'Paul A Hammond' 59004 powers up the level straightaway from Fairwood Junction with '7V12' the 15:38 from Woking to Merehead empties.The train consisting mainly of newish Touax JNA's.
..29 july 2020..
It's quite sad really to see a loco such as 59003 spending its time running up and down exclusively between Westbury and Eastleigh with such small loads.Something that even an old Class-20 or 24 could handle easily! So here is good old 59003 in its new coat of GBRF paint working '6V40' the 14:05 from Eastleigh East yard to Westbury with a few old 4-wheelers and JNA's in tow.Seen with Arn Hill nr Warminster as the backdrop.
..20 july 2020..
If all else fails there always Clink Road Junction just about 200yds from my front door for a quickie! Here is 'AI' 59004 with '6C76' the 14:39 from Acton-TC to Whatley Quarry.Sadly even at 17:45 the shadows are now beginning to lengthen here.Within 15 minutes they would be reaching the down line!
..17 july 2020..
The FY-Outcast 59003 continues to work out of Westbury albeit now with GBRf.Here seen in its coat of the latest paint by GBRf.It working its usual '6V41' from Eastleigh East Yard to Westbury infrastructure duty.Today that being a loadedCWR-Train.
..16 july 2020..
'Yeoman Endeavour' 59001 creeps through Berkley Marsh with '6C76' the 14:39 from acton-TC to Whatley.
..25 june 2020..
Less than 5 minutes after a 'plastic express' from Plymouth to Paddington has passed 59001 with '6A74' the 09:58 from Whatley Quarry to Theale put in an appearance.Bell-End leading this loco now well over 30 years old continues to give excellent service albeit now a Freightliner owned loco after being sold by Mendip Rail about 9 months ago.Seen at a still unsullied by palisade fencing Berkley Marsh nr Frome.
..9 june 2020..
Another 'AI',this time 59002 runs '6C31' the 10:08 from Theale to Whatley Quarry past Clink under clear blue skies.
..1 june 2020..
59004 hauls '7A09' the 07:12 from Merehead to Acton-TC steadily through Berkley Marsh nr Frome.The fairly new Touax boxes are now well mixed up with older JNA's.
..1 june 2020..
This was a working that was something out of the ordinary.Listed as '6V53' it was supposed to be the 12:28 from Hitchen to Merehead.In fact the wagons came from Newhaven I was informed.It actually passed here nearly 2 hours early having missed out both of its prolonged booked stops in Towney and Woodborough Loops.Which was nice! ..29 may 2020..
59004 'Paul A Hammond' runs through Berkley Marsh nr Frome with a light engine movement all the way from Merehead (17:05 off) going to Colnbrook as '0A97'.It hard to believe that the clearly visible Westbury White Horse in the background is nearly 6 miles away.Ample evidence that the current lack of car and aeroplane traffic does allow the atmosphere to clear considerably!
..20 may 2020..
'Paul A Hammond' 59004 works a 90 minute earlier than scheduled '7C64' down through Clink .This is normally booked to leave Acton-TC at 15:26 going to Merehead.
..11 may 2020..
The 12:41 from Acton to Merehead '7C77' again, this time it's the grandaddy of them all 34 year old 59001 'Yeoman Endeavour' with its bell-end leading doing the honours.
..24 april 2020..
Although it has now been about 4-months since the takeover of the Mendip Stone traffic by Freightliner none of the Class 59's have yet to be rebranded let alone reliveried.Apparantly 59206 is to be the first for a G&W makeover some time quite soon.meanwhile the FY and hanson version currently look the same as they have done for many years.here is 59005 'Kenneth J Painter' at Clink nr Frome with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead.No doubt before 2020 is out some of these orginal 59's will get an orange coat of paint!
..4 march 2020..
AI's 59005 passes the site of the long gone Bratton Station on the B&H.The Goods Shed still remains in use as an Industrial Unit.The service is '7A77' the 11:39 from Merehead going up to Theale-FY.
..27 february 2020..
Alan J Day' 59004 draws '7V77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead Quarry away from Westbury under a threatening skyscape.Thankfully these storm clouds were heading away from me shortly after a heavy downpour! ..13 february 2020..
'Yeoman Highlander' 59003 continue's to spend its time shuffling back and forth between Westbury and Eastleigh on booked regular engineering movements.This time its '6V40' the 14:05 from Eastleigh-East Yard to Westbury Dn-TC via Chandlers Ford.Here seen passing through Warminster is pretty dire lighting (1600-iso) hauling a set of empty NR-JNA's.
..10 february 2020..
With a friendly wave the driver of '6O41' the 10:14 from Westbury to Eastleigh regular engineering working approaches Dilton Marsh Halt on the climb out of Westbury.59003 is now back on this duty after a period on loan to Freightliner.70805 was also in the consist along with the RHTT wagons off the St Blazey based train.
..23 december 2019..
'6M20' the 10:37 from Whatley Quarry to Churchyard Sidings in London now seem to used the Westbury Avoider on a regular basis as do most trains now coming or going via the B&H.Here is 59002 'Alan J Day' on that duty with its now far less distinctive set of wagons as well.Gone now are the red DB sets ansd the old ex-RMC rust buckets.......All very mundane now?
..28 november 2019..
'AI' 59002 with '7C31' the 09:47 from Theale to Whatley Quarry empties runs away from Fairwood Junction nr Westbury having used the Avoiding Line.Something that is increasingly common now that Freightliner are working the Mendip Quarries.Note 3 out of the first 4 hoppers are brand new 'IIA' type wagons owned by VTG and leased to MRL How long before those are defaced by the nocturnal twats that roam the freight yards in London?.
..18 november 2019..
'7V16' the 11:55 from Fareham-ARC gets away from Westbury going to Whatley Quarry.59004 now owned by Freightliner doing the job.Only a week or so now before that company takes over completely from DB out of the Quarries...Quite a sad landmark day really.....Seen at Fairwood in a patch of nice lighting.
..24 october 2019..
This was a bit of a bonus.The normally Fridays-only '7O40' 13:35 from Merehead to Eastleigh Aggregate Sdg's worked today on a Wednesday and it was only 20 minutes behind the GBRf MOD train I had com to this location(Heytesbury) for.Additionally the large blue patch overhead lasted just long enough to picture this one as well in full light.59001 'Yeoman Endeavour' in its 'AI' incarnation albeit with the bell-end leading was doing the duty.
..24 september 2019..
59002 'Alan J Day' comes under Pot Lane bridge at Berkley Marsh past the freshly cut cornfields with '7V12' the 15:38 from Woking going down to Merehead.This train passed here at 18:41 whilst sunset is barely 20 minutes later.Well and truly a final shot of the day!
..20 september 2019..
The FO '7O40' 13:35 from Merehead to Eastleigh Aggregate Sdg's passes Heytesbury in the Wylye Valley with a heavy load on the hook.The final 'AI' 59005 'Kenneth J Painter' being todays allocated loco. Strangely the use of the three Sixty's now allocated to Westbury seems to have currently stopped.They havn't been used on any stone trains now for three days.This working was one of those they were allocated too regularly but not today! Oh Well.
..20 september 2019..
'Yeoman Highlander' 59003 is currently on hire to Freightliner from GBRf to enable their engine crews to route learn and also understand the techniques required when driving the Class-59's when that company takes over the Quarry operations in early November.Here is that lone GBRf 59 with a 12:03 from Westbury going to Stoke Gifford yard in Bristol via the Frome Station loop and Merehead Quarry via Whites Crossing.Viewed at Bunns lane nr Withan Friary.All very interesting but I would love to see this loco once again hauling multi-1000 ton trains away from Merehead which is really where it belongs! You never know?
..20 september 2019..
'Alan J Day' 59002 approaches Woodborough on the B&H with '6C58' the 11:45 from Oxford-Banbury Road returning empty boxes back down to Whatley Quarry.
..19 september 2019..
'7A09' the 07:17 from Merehead to Acton-TC was a late runner today finally passing Fairwood Junction here about 80 minutes late! 59004 is seen taking the avoiding line thus missing out the station probably to regain a few minutes of the time lost.
..19 september 2019..
With the first signs of autumn now beginning the show the the lineside bushes and shrubs 59002 'Alan J Day' passes Clink with '6V18' the 11:25 from Allington to Whatley Quarry.
..18 september 2019..
With Number-2 end leading Doyen of all the GM's in Europe 59001 'Yeoman Endeavour' rolls past Masters Crossing nr Fairwood on the approach to the junction there.The train which has now been turned into a mobile graffiti art gallery for the London area urban sclubs is '7A17' the 10:21 from Merehead taking a considerable load up to Colnbrook-FY.
..18 september 2019..
59005 passes the stubble fields of Berkley Marsh with '6Z42' the 14:31 from Acton-TC to Merehead.Oddly this working is routed via Swindon and not the B&H like most of the other returning empties from the London area.
..17 september 2019..
The 70 minute late running '6V18' from Allington-ARC to Whatley Quarry due to a delay at Acton finally passes Berkley Marsh finally approaching journeys end.59002 'Alan J Day' being todays loco choice.
..17 september 2019..
'7V12' the 15:38 from Woking Down Yard makes it way past Berkley Marsh with 'AI' 59005 at it head.
..13 september 2019..
'Kenneth J Painter' 59005 passes Clink with '6V18' thr 11:25 from Allington-ARC heading down to the quarry at Whatley.
..23 august 2019..
Here is the locomotive that started the GM-Invasion just over 33 years ago and amazingly it is still going as good as ever,certainly not showing it age! So here is 59001 'Yeoman Endeavour' with its Bell-End leading rolling though Clink with '7V16' the 11:55 from Fareham going to Merehead. Typically every time this working has been one of the Class-60's currently in use out of the quarries it has passed me in various places invariably under cloud cover...What can you do?
..21 august 2019..
'Alan J Day' 59002 looking rather smart rolls down through Berkley Marsh with '7V12' the 15:38 from Woking heading for Merehead. For sure when Freightliner take over in November these 'lighter' loads will be in the hands of Class 66/6's.
..12 august 2019..
'6C68' the 12:25 from Avonmouth-Hanson Sdg to Whatley Quarry empties today produced 59005 in 'AI' colours.Here seen at Masters Crossing just west of the junction at Fairwood.The wagons on this service looked to be almost brand new!