IMAGES OF 2017
The first weekday of 2017 was one of wall to wall sunshine, but only one locomotive working passed through Bredicot during daylight, and this consisted of a convoy of three clean Colas livery locomotives, Class 70s Nos.70801 and 70802 and class 66 No.66846 on their way from Bescot to Westbury. Photographed by Steve Widdowson.
Tuesday 28th February 2017 saw a rare running of the Crewe to Berkeley nuclear waste train. Robert Pritchard photographed the return working at Norton. The load consisted of one wagon with class 57 diesel locomotives Nos.57305 and 57301.
Steve Widdowson photographed (above) two unusual workings at Worcester Shrub Hill on 19th April 2017. Network Rail's "Class 150" two-car diesel multiple unit Nos.999600 and 999601 was working the 10.36 from Derby to Bristol (left) whilst class 37 diesel locomotive No.37409 with carriage No.975025 worked the 08.02 from Ealing Broadway to Crewe (right).
On Saturday 17th June, class 150/0 three-car diesel multiple unit No.150001, which used to be seen regularly in the county when it was based at Tyseley, made its first visit since transfer to Reading, where it normally works services to Basingstoke.
The reason for its normal short diagrams is because it had smaller fuel tanks, along with No.150002. No.150002 has been given a set of 1600 litre tanks. It is not known if No.150001 has had bigger tanks fitter now as well.
Another photographer was drinking tea in Lady Emily Foley's Tearoom at Great Malvern whilst awaiting arrival of train code 1V94 09.00 Brighton to Great Malvern but, after arriving 30 minutes late at Worcester the ever-helpful Great Western Railway train company terminated it there in order to start the return working on time as train code No.2O94 15.08 Worcester Shrub Hill to Weymouth. This action stranded many passengers who had been to the final day of the 2017 Three Counties Show, and left them with a two hour delay.
Photograph taken by Steve Widdowson at Abbotswood.
