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Class 59/1(After 01 August 2020)
Formally ARC Engines but now owned by Hanson in turn owned now by Heidelberg Cement.based at, or around the Mendip-Quarries.
The fairly irregular '7V07' 13:41 from Chichester down to Merehead emptied stone boxes passes Styles Hill in Frome. Good old 'Hanson in the Sun' 59103 being the loco today.
..27 july 2021..
'7A09' the 07:12 from Merehead to Acton-TC was hauled today by the inevitable 'Hanson in the Sun',this time it was 59104's turn.Seen at Clink in the relatively cool of just 08:00 in the morning with the temperature only about 20 degrees-C...Lovely!
..21 july 2021..
Given the current spell of hot cloudless weather it would be virtually impossible not to picture a 'Hanson in the Sun' wouldn't it! So here is 59101 with '6V18' the 11:20 from Allington going to Whatley.Sadly as with most of the aggregate hoppers these days the train is covered in pointless graffiti!
..20 july 2021..
Good 'OL' Boy 59102 slowly gets away from the loop at Woodborough with '7A09' the 07:12 from Merehead going up to Acton-TC.This location is used as a stabling Point for an occasional Track-Machine as it is today.Also in the yard is a 'cripple' HOA stone hopper that has been there now for quite a few weeks.
..19 july 2021..
Unlike its slightly older 59/0 brathers these 'Hanson' version did not receive any additional nameplates-etc to commemorate 30 years of hard graft working out of the Mendip Quarries since they began working in 1990. Anyway here is 'Village of Chantry' 59102 passing Clink as it has many thousands of times before with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC going to Merehead.------Well-the sun was out wasn't it!
..14 july 2021..
July is always a colourful month here at Styles Hill in Frome as the large beds of Rosebay-Willow Herb here burst into bloom.Here is 59103 passing with '7B12' the 11:23 from Merehhead going up to Royal Wootton Bassett.Its even more colourful looking the other way when something interesting in passing!
..5 july 2021..
'Good 'Ol' Boy' 59102 drones through Bratton on the B&H with '7A17' the 10:24' from Merehead heading up to Acton-TC with about 4000-tons of the Mendip's finest aggregates.
..2 july 2021..
'6L21' the 13:23 from Whatley to Dagenham Dock kicks up a bit of a dust storm as it approaches Fairwood Junction.Good 'OL' Boy 59101 doing the job.I wonder just how much weight is lost from this train by the time it gets to its destination.For sure at least a few tons anyway?
..23 june 2021..
Hanson 59103 motors past the site of the long gone Brattom Station on the B&H.Note that the old goods shed still remains in use as an industrial unit. The working is '7A17' the 10:24 from Merehead going up to Acton-TC.
..23 june 2021..
Hansen 'Doyen' 59101 waits at Clink Junction for this Exeter to Paddington Express '1A89' to pass before crossing over to continue on down to Whatley Quarry..This train being '6C74' the 14:5 from Theale.
..8 june 2021..
Hanson's 'Good Ol' Boy' 59104 gets away from a stop in Westbury to allow a Plymouth bound extpress to overtake it.Here seen under a cloudless sky at Fairwood.
..8 june 2021..
Yes you have guessed it! It's a 'Hanson in the Sun'...59102 with an all box-wagon '6C64' the 15:25 from Acton-TC to Merehead is seen approaching East Somerset Junction in superb evening light.Well it was until 20 seconds later when clouds covered the sun for the rest of the evening. That was lucky! ..4 june 2021..
A good day for 'Hansons' today.I saw all 4 working and shot 3 with sun on the nose which is definately unusual! So here is 59103 with '7V62' the 13:21 from Southampton Up Yard to Whatley empties.This loco was looking very clean indeed.Its hard to believe it has now worked in this livery style for several decade.Indeed this is now the oldest original livery still running.Heritage repaints etc do not qualify!
..27 may 2021..
'Hanson in the Sun' 59103 with the 14:39 from Acton-TC to Whatley Quarry draws its train of completely defaced/gaffitied hoppers through Berkley in superb evening lighting.
..26 may 2021..
Amazingly I havn't featured a singleton 'Hanson in the Sun' for quite some time So I though I would remedy that omission tonight...Here is 59101 against a nice darkened backdrop with '7C64' the 15:25 from Acton-TC going down to Merehead Quarry.
..24 may 2021..
There is always a 'Hanson in the Sun' to be had when the skies are totally clear!.This is 59101 with 7V16' the 11:55 from Fareham going to Whatley.Viewed at Fairwood Junction just west of Westbury.
..22 april 2021..
'Hanson's in the Sun' are like Buses,you wait 4 months before you see one then 2 come along withibn a day or so! This time its 59104 with '6C74' the 14:55 from Theale empties back down to Whatley Quarry.Pictured inevitably for now I'm afraid Clink.
..16 march 2021..
Running an hour later than booked.'7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC scuttles through Clink as the shadows are lengthening.Photography again now just possible here at 16:15 in the afternoon.'Hanson in the Sun' 59102 being todays loco.Unbelievable this is my first 'Hanson' shot since 6 november 2202.---Over 4 months ago!!!!!
..15 march 2021..
This was a VSTP from Whatley to Merehead to transfer a varied mix of open boxes anf hoppers between the Quarries.'Good O Boy'59101 being used as the power.Departure from Whatley was 11:20 but the 'Z' number was not known.Seen at Berkley.
..6 november 2020..
For a change today 'Hanson in the Sun' 59104' was in charge of '6M20' the 10:38 from Whatley to Churchyard Sidings in London.With a time gap between this and the previous ex-Whatley working '6Z26' of just 15 minutes I was able to move from the previous bridge location just one more further east.
..5 november 2020..
For sure you are almost guaranteed to get a 'Hanson in the Sun' if you hang around nr Westbury for long! So here is 59104 with '6C31' the 10:08 from Theale returning empty hoppers to Whatley Quarry.Seen at Fairwood just west of Westbury.
..4 november 2020..
Dear old 'Hanson in the Sun' 59101 turns left at Fairwood Junction taking the route via the Westbury Station Complex with '7A17' the 10:14 from Merehead to Colnbrook-FY.A pair of the now 'not so new' Touax HOA's behind the loco.
..25 september 2020..
'Hanson in the Backlit Sun' 59102 rolls through the Somerset Countryside at Berkley with the 06:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead.A few newer Touax hoppers breaking up the uniformity of the set of mainly FY-hoppers.
..25 september 2020..
'7O40' the 13:35 from Merehead to Eastleigh Yard comes off the Romsey line at Eastleigh East Junction.'Hanson in the Sun' 59104 is seen dodging the shadows on its approach to Eastleigh Station.
..18 september 2020..
59102 with its predominantly 'Touax' red train on empty JNA's from Woking to merehead as '7V12' passes the grazing cattle at Berkley Marsh nr Frome on an idyllic sunny evening in deepest Somerset. ..26 august 2020..
59101 passes the cow pastures at berkley with '7C64' the 15:25 from acton-TC to Merehead.Currently this working tends to run earlier (about 40-minutes or so) than booked as Woodborough Loop is out of action for a while with a track defect.It usually 'waits' time there but not at the moment.
..26 august 2020..
On a day when the clouds-sun patches were scudding across the landscape at speeds in excess of 40 to 50 mph shots in sunlight were always going to be lucky.I came here for the 'Puma' Tug 60074 on '6B33' but along with another Freightliner stone working both passed in dullness.Typically the only train well lit was an inevitable 'Hanson in the Sun'.This one being 59101 with '7C77' the 12:41 from Acton-TC to Merehead with unusually just a single portion of open-boxes.Pictured at Cowleaze Lane nr Bratton on the B&H.
..25 august 2020..
A few years ago this location was clear enough to enable a reasonable side-on shot of workings on this stretch of the Westbury Avoiding Line at Fairwood.Sadly now this is just about the best that is possible.The once well open shot down the lane to the left is also totally bushed up.Hopefully the NR vegetation clearing team will do something about in the next year or so? So here is '6L21' the 13:23 from Whatley going to Dagenham Dock.59103 being the loco in use.It was supposed to go via the station hence the head-on shot from a quick dash around from Fairwood Bridge!
..18 august 2020..
59101 still wearing Hanson-Blue as it has for decades with a train of mainly JNA's of different ages passes the nicely lit fields nr Frome with '7C64' the 15:25 from Acton-TC to Merehead.