1A06 quest part I

... like it was about five minutes before this photo was taken, and then again a few minutes later. It takes a twenty-odd minute brisk cycle ride to reach this spot from home, and when I set out there were few clouds in the sky. How quickly the conditions can change. A First Great Western HST approaches Chelvey Bridge in North Somerset with the 06:20 Western-super-Mare - Paddington service on Thursday 3rd July 2014. Notice the makeshift sun visor in the cab of this leading Class 43. The cable running from left to right across the shot is an unavoidable "feature" of the view in the down direction from this bridge.

Tags:   Chelvey bridge North Somerset England Great Britain UK 2014 Class 43 diesel electric locomotive train HST High Speed Train First Great Western 1A06 20140703_8739_P1

© All Rights Reserved

1A06 quest part II

On this morning I drove to Flax Bourton's former station but saw that the light was all wrong for the time of day and date, so went instead to the nearby Station Road bridge. A First Great Western HST approaches with the 06:20 Western-super-Mare - Paddington service on Thursday 10th July 2014. The area on the right is a former petroleum storage depot; it was built in the late 1950s as part of the Government Pipelines and Storage System, intended mainly for the stockpiling of aviation fuel. It was connected by pipelines to similar sites at Redcliff Bay and Portishead on the North Somerset coast. During its operating life the depot was rail connected, the sidings joining the main line very near where the leading Class 43 is passing.

Image replaced with new version on 9th October 2024.

Tags:   Flax Bourton North Somerset England Great Britain UK 2014 Class 43 diesel electric locomotive mtu train HST High Speed Train petroleum storage depot Government Pipelines & Storage System railway 1A06 20140710_8774-101_crop.jpg

© All Rights Reserved

1A06 quest part III

In an almost exact reversal of what happened on an earlier occasion, the sun decided to emerge at just the right moment. A First Great Western HST approaches Claverham Bridge in North Somerset with the 06:20 Western-super-Mare - Paddington service on Tuesday 22nd July 2014.

Update 01/04/2017: I was at this location today and have to report that the shot above is no longer possible. Some lovely green 'palisade' fencing has been erected just here, to the height of the bridge itself. In fact the new fencing is now blocking the view at all four 'corners' of this bridge.

Tags:   Claverham Bridge North Somerset England Great Britain UK 2014 train railway HST High Speed Train Class 43 diesel electric locomotive First Great Western 20140722_8879_P1 1A06

© All Rights Reserved

1A06 quest part IV

The forecast said it would be sunny, but the sun didn't fully materialise. Class 43 No. 43124 heads the 06:48 Weston-super-Mare - Paddington service past Mud Lane crossing in North Somerset on Thursday 30th July 2015. Time has been called on the First Great Western brand name, and the clock is ticking for the blue and pink livery worn by this HST.

The speck in the sky towards the top of the frame proved to be, on closer inspection, an aeroplane, which has probably just taken off from nearby Bristol Airport.

For some reason the reporting number "1A06" is now "1L06". I don't know why.

Update 05/10/2015: I've since learnt that GWR doesn't intend repainting any more HSTs in the green livery, so my administering of the last rites to blue and pink was premature.

Tags:   Mud Lane crossing North Somerset England Great Britain UK 2015 Class 43 diesel electric locomotive 43124 HST High Speed Train First Great Western morning DSC_0554-101_crop 1A06 1L06

© All Rights Reserved

1A06 quest part V.

Class 43 locomotive No. 43127 leads the 06:20 Weston-super-Mare - Paddington service into Yatton station on Tuesday 9th August 2016.

In the foreground is The Strawberry Line, a cycle path that leads from here to Cheddar and beyond along the trackbed of the former Yatton - Witham railway line, which closed to passengers in 1963 and freight the following year. The line was so called because of the large quantities of strawberries that were collected from stations along the route during the summer season.

Tags:   Yatton railway train England Great Britain UK 2016 43127 Class 43 diesel electric locomotive mtu HST High Speed Train Inter-City 125 GWR Great Western Railway Strawberry Line Cycle path National Cycle Network 20160809_3773-101 1A06

© All Rights Reserved