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Class 59/1(After 01 August 2019)
Formally ARC Engines but now owned by Hanson in turn owned now by Heidelberg Cement.based at, or around the Mendip-Quarries.
59103 'Village of Mells' (Which is just a few miles from this location) passes Berkley with the 15:25 from Acton-TC going to Merehead as '7C64'.All the new Touax-JNA's are becoming well mixed in with the older wagons now as maintenance requires individual wagons to be split out of their formations for work to be carried out and then re-integarted.
..28 july 2020..
59102 which was pictured this morning going to Theale is viewed on the returning empties nr Clink as '6C74' the 15:28 off from there.Its only 17:30 and already the early evening shadows are beginning to lengthen as August is only a few days away.Where has 2020 gone.....I think the answer is down to toilet mainly! I certainly haven't ventured out too far myself for sure.
..28 july 2020..
A very busy 15 minutes here at Clink this morning with four freights in just 15 minutes! (09:17 to 09:31) Final one before I went home for my morning coffee was 59102 with '6A74' the 08:58 from Whatley Quarry going up to Theale.Rarely,for nowaday there wasn't a single 'Touax' wagon in the train make-up.
..28 july 2020..
59103 worked todays '6C76' from Acton-TC (14:39 away) to Whatley.Oddly there has been no traffic in or out of Merehead since early this morning. The trains into Whatley have been un-effected.Seen nr Clink in Frome.
..16 july 2020..
'Hanson in the Sun' 59102 powers '6C64' which was '7C64' until Westbury where the hoppers were removed from the train passes a sunny Berkley nr Frome going to Merehead from Acton-TC (dep at 15:26).Note the lone Touax 'JNA' which has become seperated from all its fellow new batch members.
..6 july 2020..
As usual when I come here to Great Cheverell for '6B33' and a nice sunny shot of a Class-60 something goes wrong.Today it failed and was dragged back to S-Wales via Reading.Previously I've been shafted by clouds,its been diverted or its run early...just another day I suppose.Anyway 2nd prize which proved to be the icing on todays 'Hanson in the Sun Cake' was '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead with a matching pair of 'Hansons in the Sun' 59103 leads with 59102 tucked inside.The load being some of the now not so new looking Touax-JNA's with hoppers behind.
..23 june 2020..
59101 leans into the curve at Great Cheverell on the B&H with '6L21; the 13:23 from Whatley Quarry to Dagenham Dock-ARC.
..23 june 2020..
Amazingly today I pictured all 4 59/1 at work hauling trains consecutively. For me that's the first time I have ever achieved that feat and I have lived near Clink Road Junction now for nearly 40 years! Anyway here is 59104 with '7A17' the 11:39 from Merehead to Theale.Seen at Masters Farm Crossing on the approach to Fairwood Junction. Note a new Touax HOA hopper mixed in with older hoppers.All its new companions are on the rear of this working.
..23 june 2020..
59102 with '6L21' the 13:23 from Whatley Quarry going to Dagenham Dock.Bogie number-8 seems to have some kind of problem with the hopper doors looking to be partially open.Hence the massive spray of mendip-dust. Something was spotted later in the journey and at 19:15 that evening 5 hours later it was still stopped in Dawley Loop nr Hayes & Harlington about 110 minutes behind schedule! Viewed at Fairwood Junction nr Westbury taking the line that avoids the station and yards.
..17 june 2020..
This evenings '7C64' the 15:26 from Acton-TC to Merehead was headed by 'Hanson in the Sun' 59102 with 'AI' 59002 along for the ride.Seen from the public foot crossing at Blatchbridge Junction on the outskirts of Frome.
..29 may 2020..
If all else fails there's always a 'Hanson in the Sun' as a back up! Here is 59104 with an almost full set of 'Touax' jna's running through Berkley with '6V12' the 15:38 from Woking bound for Merehead Quarry. ..27 may 2020..
Freightliner's-Hanson 59101 heads a mix of JNA's on '7C64' going to Merehead from Acton-TC (15:26 away).Viewed over the fields at Berkley Marsh.
..19 may 2020..
'Hanson in the Sun' 59103 draws '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead through Frome at Clink. This Blue/White livery is now the longest lived original still operating in the UK.Ignoring the repaints or heritage versions.How long before these 59's go G&W-Orange??
..12 may 2020..
'Good ol Boy' 59104 passes Clink on yet another bridge a few hundred yards from my home as the bicycle flies!Taken just 7 minutes after a previous shot on the bridge in the distance a good sprint was necessary to get there in time. The working being '7C31' the 10:08 from Theale to Whatley Quarry.
..6 may 2020..
A good old 'Hanson in the Sun' this time its 59102 with '7V12' the 11:56 from Farehan to Whatley Quarry.Seen approaching Clink as the 'lockdown' early continuous summer continues to shine annoyingly!
..22 april 2020,,
59103 with a set of now very dirty 'Touax' jna's in tow passed Clink Junction with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead.This location has now turned very green in the 4-weeks since the Lockdown....
..21 april 2020..
'Village of Chantry' 59102 continues to haul aggregates away from the Quarries three weeks into the national lockdown to feed the still functioning building industry.Here it is at Clink having just come over Clink Road Junction with '6M20' the 10:38 from Whatley going up to Churchyard Sidings in the Capital.
..9 april 2020..
With the Coronavirus Epidemic now in full swing and my age placing me in an 'at risk' category I am now keeping a low profile only venturing out when necessary.Thankfully this location is just 150yds from my home address and usually quite deserted...So here is 'Hanson in the Sun' 104 'Village of Great Elm' with '7V77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead empties...Given the increasing shutdown of society as we know it how long before these aggregate trains become suspended until further notice I wonder?
..18 march 2020..
After about at least a week of continuous rain this afternoon was amazingly quite settled.So here is 'Hanson in the Sun' 59104 creeping slowly out of Westbury at Fairwood with the 12:41 from Acton-TC going down to Merehead as '7C77'.Note the shiny new JNA boxes in the train in a brownish/red livery.They are leased from a company called 'Thouax'.That's a new one on me????
..26 february 2020..
59102 rounds the bend at Great Cheverell on the B&H with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC going down to Merehead.Nominally a train of empties the first three boxes still have their load for some reason,
..29 january 2020..
Last friday GBRf's 59003 on hire to Freightliner unexpectedly worked this train '7B12' the 11:23 from Merehead to Wootton Bassett.Hopes were high that it might do it again today but no! it was 'Good-Ol-Boy' 59102 that hove into view in perfect autumn light. Its only been 22 years since I saw that 59003 going off to Germany seemingly never to be seen again on the Merehead Stone Trains.I guess I will have to wait a little bit longer..
..18 november 2019..
With just a couple of weeks to go before the clocks change(back one hour) this shot will be gone again until next spring.So here is 'Good Ol Boy' 59104 with '6V18' the 11:25 from Allington-ARC going down to Whatley Quarry.Not long now before the trees go brown and the loco's turn orange!
..18 october 2019..
'Hanson in the Sun' 59101 rolls around the Westbury Avoiding Line with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead.A somewhat unothodox angle due to the trains unexpected diversion avoiding the route through the station area.Pictured from Fairwood Junction farm bridge.
..15 october 2019..
Busy-Busy-Busy! With '6L21' to Dagenham Dock as a backdrop 59104 comes away from Westbury at Fairwood with '6C68' the 12:25 from Avonmouth returning empties to Whatley. The aggregate taken to Avonmouth is then shipped to Bridgewater then lorried out to the new Nuclear PS-C Site under construction there at Hinkley Point.
..20 september 2019..
Given how nice the weather has been this month this is surprisingly only the 2nd 'on the nose' shot of a 'Hanson in the Sun' I have managed this month so far. Anyway here is 59102 with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead.Quite a nice gathering here at Great Cheverell of various photographers from all over.About 5 or 6 altogether. The misery guts that lives in the house just here didn't do his usual shouting and moaning today.No doubt because he was well outnumbered which proves he is just a rank chicken!
..19 september 2019''
59102 pauses briefly in the Up-Loop at Woodborough on the B&H to allow a GWR Green-Worm to pass going to Paddington.
..19 september 2019..
So this is this month's 'Hanson in the Sun'. here is 59102 'Village of Chantry' rolling along the B&H at Great Cheverell working '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton TC going down to Merehead.
..13 september 2019..
'7C77' the rather shortened boxes only 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead speeds away from Fairwood Junction having used the avoiding line thus missing out the Westbury station stop.Hanson 59103 being today traction.
..30 august 2019..
Good ol Boy 59102 rolls away from Fairwood with '6C58' the 12:25 from Avonmouth to Whatley Quarry.
..30 august 2019..
Another Hanson in the Sun!---59102 with ''7C64' the 15:26 from Acton-TC passes Berkley going down to Merehead.
..23 august 2019..
Good-Ol-Boy Hanson 59101 brings '7B12' into Westbury with yet more aggregate from Merehead (11:23 off) going to Wootton Bassett.Note the horses in the paddock behind the train.What you cannot see is the several BeeHives in the corner.The bees are quite an aggressive strain and I have had the pleasure of being stung here by them on this bridge on quite a few occasions!
..23 august 2019..
Hanson 59101 brings the 60 minute late '7C29' 06:27 from Acton-TC to Merehead through Clink.Of the twenty hoppers on the front of this train just one has escaped the attention of the graffiti scumbags that infest the freight-yards in and around the Capital. Just what are the Transport Police doing to stop this continual vandalisation?????? Not a lot by the look of things!
..22 august 2019..
Here is the regulation 'Hanson in the Sun'.Todays effort being 59102 working '7C28' the 13:44 from Exeter-Riverside going to whatley Quarry passing through Berkley Marsh nr Frome.