Those of us that have been around for a while remember the ill-will from enthusiasts that greeted the introduction of class 60, the last British-built locomotive to be used on our network. They were reviled as being the reason for the withdrawal of older locos. I find it strange that this has all turned around and that 60s are now another cult loco with detailed information about all their workings posted on gen groups. I hope that the pictures shown here will give an idea of their wide realm of operations in and around the Midlands. A few members of the class have achieved celebrity status by being painted into various non-standard colour schemes and I give here some examples of these.


It is perhaps appropriate to start the this section with a shot of the first class 60, 60001. The locomotive is seen heading north with a ballast train near Croome Perry in Worcestershire on the afternoon of Sunday 13 April 1997. I was there to photograph the first mainline run of a preserved class 55 Deltic, which had gone south a few minutes earlier. I had never seen so many people in this location, in excess of 40, characterised as is so often the case on these occasions by a group of loud-mouthed individuals arriving at the last moment and pushing their way into the previously well-ordered gallery. 645
This train is 6V17, the 16.32 Bescot to Portbury which earlier forms a service from Fidlers Ferry Power Station. Its booked traction is an EWS class 66 but has had a 60 in charge this week, giving the rare chance to photograph one on HTA hoppers. I knew that 60056 was allocated although as the weather wasn't too good hadn't really given it much thought, but when a message from Andy Williams arrived saying that the train had passed him on the Sutton Park line at 17.03 I had a squint at the sky to the south-west and decided it would be worth a go given that the cloud was fast breaking up in that direction. The nearest location to my home where I knew that the sun would be clear at about 18.45 is Croome Perry, where the line comes out of the wood. I fully expected there to be quite a gallery already in situ but was amazed, given the coverage this train had received in recent days, to be alone. The class 158 unit from Worcester passed me in beautiful light but the sun was dropping rapidly towards a large black cloud and I felt that if 6V17 wasn't already at Abbotswood Junction, just up the line, that there would be no chance. Luckily, I soon heard something much heavier rolling towards me and 60056 and its train came by less than a minute before the sun went in.
One of my target trains recently has been 6Z98, the Lindsey to Westerleigh loaded oil tanks. One can never be sure if a "Z" will run for long so I usually try to get a few shots in case it ceases to runbefore it gets a permanent headcode. 60018 was allocated to the train on 2 April and here it is passing Croome Perry wood, in rural Worcestershire at 14.42, thus completing a busy spell of 3 freights in just a few minutes.
The final southbound freight I photographed at Croome Perry during the sunny afternoon of 2 April, 2007 was 6V07, the empty steel wagons from Round Oak to Margam. Breaking the run of red locomotives was 60068 with the EWS creatures on a vinyl sticker affixed to the bodysides. Some people appear to resent these adornments but I quite like them, marking as they do, a transitional stage before eventual repainting into full EWS livery. 60068, in common with 60090 has larger than standard numbers on the cab end.
Thursday 25 January 2007 was a beautiful day with both clear skies and that lovely quality of light one sees in the winter. There was a choice of targets; a light engine move involving 47853 + 45112 or a real train, 60054 in the former Petroleum sector colours on 6E48 Didcot to Lindsey empty oil tanks. No choice there then. The tank train was a little late arriving at Hatton North Junction but the low sun held up just long enough for the photograph. There has been a rash of new concrete trunking all around here recently which does little to enhance the shot along with the other detritus by the old platelayers' hut. Still, in years to come that may be enough to trigger a memory of the short session here...
The afternoon of 14 February 2007 was forecast to be clear and sunny and so it turned out. I decided to go across to Abbotswood Junction, near Worcester as were are several scheduled freight workings together with a couple of specials. The first of the former was 6V92 Round Oak to Margam and this appeared behind 60038 pretty much on time. Locomotives tend to be a bit grubby at this time of year at 60038 was no exception, with what appears to be the aftermath of a coolant overflow on the bodyside and evidence of having run in the recent bad weather.
This train, the 13.48 6E55 Theale - Lindsey empty oil tanks, has recently received a new reporting number; it used to be 6E10. I think this is because the Monday working has been retimed a couple of hours latter to compensate for a later arrival at Theale caused by engineering work affecting the southbound run. The run on Wednesday 21 March 2007 was in the usual. earlier path and 60019 is here seen throbbing up the gradient of Hatton Bank at 16.16. The sun had just exited a large block of dark cloud which, considering that there was at least 80% cover at the time was more than a little fortuitous. The train was conveying 3 different colours of tanks; the older brown variety, newer EWS examples and some grey VTG-branded ones, just out of sight behind the trees beyond the footbridge.
The weather forecast for 2 April 2007 turned out to be spot on, so after lunch I decided to make the short journey to Croome Perry near Pershore to get a few sunny shots of day-to-day freight. I tend to avoid this location when anything "special" is running because it is too popular, but on a normal day it's usually fine. The first freight to arrive from the north was 6V92, the Corby to Margam empty steel coil carriers headed by 60038, which passed me at 14.25. Here is the train emerging from the wood, located just to the south of Abbotswood Junction.
The Theale to Lindsey empty oil tanks were scheduled to run behind 60042 on 4 April 2007. By the time 6E55 reached Hatton North Junction the sun had broken through the cloud and the light was just right. I was pleased that the cleaner tanks were on the front, with the older and muckier ones on the back and just out of sight around the curve. I don't mind losing the back of a train when it's through a combination of a curve, vegetation and the use of a short telephoto lens intended to give a stronger image than would a shorter focal length.
I have been meaning for a while to photograph 6E55, the 13.33 Theale to Lindsey empty tanks, at Bentley Heath crossing so when the sun appeared in the early afternoon of 27 April 2007 I decided that today was the day. The train headed by 60068 was reported as passing Purley on Thames, between Reading and Didcot at 13.40 but this early running rarely lasts and it generally appears in this part of the world pretty much on time. This part of the GWR line from Leamington Spa to Birmingham was four track at this point and a vestige of this remains here with the up and down loops still extant. The down loop is mostly used by the DMUs on terminating trains to and from Dorridge station and the up loop by freights having to be put out of the way of the frequent Chiltern and Virgin expresses. There has been a lot of engineering work in the area recently and various examples of this are visible as 60068 heads towards the crossing with 6E55.
After spending the morning of 5 April 2007 at Hatton Bank I went home at lunchtime to earn a few brownie points in the garden. Ho hum... I received a 'phone call after I had been in the house for no more than 90 minutes, with no gardening done, saying that 6E55, the Theale to Lindsey tanks was running with 60068 in charge. As this is a nice grubby grey example with EWS stickers I decided it was too good to miss so went back to Hatton for a shot. It was with some anticipation that I awaited its arrival after a friend photographing it further up the line 'phoned to say that the train was a rake of red MURCO tanks. Here is the unusual-looking train for this line at Hatton in some pretty decent light. Earlier in day, 60068 was shown as working 6A11 from Robeston to Theale, followed by the usual and very popular 6B33 return. This working was the result of a forthcoming blockade on the South Wales main line which meant that Robeston refinery was not accessible. The tanks were therefore sent to Lindsey for reloading to avoid a shortage of fuel at Theale.
The Theale to Lindsey tanks ran again on Friday 6 April, this time with 60500 at the front. As the warm and sunny weather held throughout the afternoon, I went out again for a shot, this time to a location a few yards to the north of Warwick Parkway station. 6E55 is here seen on the climb of Hatton Bank, with a dead hen pheasant on the buffer beam. Prominent in the background are the Round Tower of Warwick Castle and the tall tower of St. Mary's Church. The architectural slendour of Warwick contrasts nicely with the abandoned shopping trolley in the bottom right-hand corner...
The weather forecast for 2 April 2007 turned out to be spot on, so after lunch I decided to make the short journey to Croome Perry near Pershore to get a few sunny shots of day-to-day freight. I tend to avoid this location when anything "special" is running because it is too popular, but on a normal day it's usually fine. The first freight to arrive from the north was 6V92, the Corby to Margam empty steel coil carriers headed by 60038, which passed me at 14.25. Here is the train emerging from the wood, located just to the south of Abbotswood Junction.
As 1 June 2007 was a Friday, there was a good chance of 6E55, the 13.33 Theale to Lindsey empty oil tanks, running. I asked someone I knew to be at the lineside further south if it was running to be told it had left Didcot at 14.15. As the time then was 15.20 I knew it couldn't be far away. Sure enough, after only a few minutes 60026 crawled around the curve from Hatton station towards an adverse signal. As the locomotive passed the unsightly cabin the signal aspect clearly changed, as the controller was opened and the tanks were accelerated past me with a very satisfying throb from the 8 cylinder engine.
One of my target trains recently has been 6Z98, the Lindsey to Westerleigh loaded oil tanks. One can never be sure if a "Z" will run for long so I usually try to get a few shots in case it ceases to runbefore it gets a permanent headcode. 60018 was allocated to the train on 2 April and here it is passing Croome Perry wood, in rural Worcestershire at 14.42, thus completing a busy spell of 3 freights in just a few minutes.
The final southbound freight I photographed during the sunny afternoon of 2 April, 2007 was 6V07, the empty steel wagons from Round Oak to Margam. Breaking the run of red locomotives was 60068 with the EWS creatures on a vinyl sticker affixed to the bodysides. Some people seem to resent these adornments but I quite like them, marking as they do, a transitional stage before eventual repainting into full EWS livery. 60068, in common with 60090 has larger than standard numbers on the cab end.
After a bit of a dull and misty start, 26 March 2007 turned out to be a beautiful Spring day so I decided to have a couple of hours at Defford, on the Birmingham to Gloucester line. The first train to come into view was 6E41, the 11:22 Westerleigh-Lindsey empty oil tanks tanks. This is here seen behind 60009 having just crossed the Warwickshire Avon at Eckington. Some of the mist from the morning can still be seen over Bredon Hill, although this is accentuated by the backlighting one has for northbound trains at this time of day, 14.16.
Another regular class 60 working through Defford is 6V92, the 10:10 Corby-Margam empty steel coil carriers, although it does prodice a 66 from time to time. On 26 March, though, 60017 was provided as seen here with the train passing through the site of Defford station. There has been quite a lot of track renewal work here in recent times and no doubt the 2 Portaloos were provided for the workforce employed here. Whilst not exactly enhancing the scene they do mark the time and place and give a unique feel to the photograph.
Only a few minutes after 60017 had gone south, as shown above, 66040 quietly and efficiently slipped under the roadbridge with 6V16 coal empties from Washwood Heath to Portbury. I decided, for this shot, to put on a slightly longer lens to cut out some of the distracting background and to bring up the tree with its blossom just bursting into flower.
I hadn't see a list of class 60 workings on 26 March 2007 so was pleased when the former Mainline locomotive 60078 appeared on 6V07 Round Oak to Margam. When checking the image for sharpness of my camera's screen - although I don't why I bother, because there's nothing to be done if it's not sharp - I noticed that the locomotive has a First Group logo on the front. This apparently was added some years ago when there were rumours circulating that EWS was to be taken over by First Group.
An additional oil train has been running from Lindsey Oil Refinery to Westerleigh in recent weeks. The fourth of the afternoon's 60s was working this, and gave me my first photograph of the oddly-renumbered 60500. Here is 6Z98 passing Defford at 15.33. There was a fair amount of fluffy cloud building up by now, so with at least an hour to wait before the next freight was due, I decided to call it a day and headed home.
This photograph is something of a rarity. It shows 60089 with the Saturday working of 6V05 from Round Oak to Margam passing the loop and semaphore signals at Peachfield Road, Malvern on 21 March 1998. Any freight along here is extremely unusual and during the Spring of 1998 this train was diverted this way on 3 consecutive weekends through engineering work at Barnwood Junction, Gloucester. I went to Malvern Wells station for the first run and was bowled out by a Thames Turbo coming into the platform from behind me at exactly the wrong moment. The following week we were due to travel to Devon for a week's holiday but I made a bit of a diversion to get this shot. The weather was dull in the extreme but it was well worthwhile making the effort in order to secure the photograph.
The latest locomotive class to receive attention from enthusiasts is the class 60, making a bit of a change from they were first introduced. Here, 60065 passes through the almost-gone remains of Defford station in Worcestershire on 2 November 2006 with 6V92, the Corby to Margam empty steel coil working. The shadows do begin to grow longer here in the early afternoon, but to my mind, this adds some atmosphere to the shot and reminds one that we are lucky in having a clear and sunny day at this time of year.
60078 had, at the time of writing, 2 November 2006, been reinstated to traffic for a few weeks after the summer lay-off favoured by EWS. The locomotive is here seen at Defford with 6E09, the 09:20 Margam-Lackenby empty steel wagons running pretty much to time. This is an interesting location from an agricultural point of view and the seasonal changes can be seen, especially in the field of asparagus to the right of the railway, the leaves of which are gaining their Autumn tints.
My final photograph from the afternoon of 2 November 2006 was this of 60062 with 6V07, the Round Oak to Margam empty steel vans. It was touch-and-go whether this arrived before the shadows really took over but in the event the outcome was fine. What appears to be a shadow down the bodyside of the 60 is actually a stain from some sort of fluid leak, probably coolant, perhaps caused by overfilling.
The afternoon of 14 February 2007 was forecast to be clear and sunny and so it turned out. I decided to go across to Abbotswood Junction, near Worcester as were are several scheduled freight workings together with a couple of specials. The first of the former was 6V92 Round Oak to Margam and this appeared behind 60038 pretty much on time. Locomotives tend to be a bit grubby at this time of year at 60038 was no exception, with what appears to be the aftermath of a coolant overflow on the bodyside and evidence of having run in the recent bad weather.
One of the special workings I had hoped to picture on 14 February 2007 was 47703 with an HST power car and barrier wagon en-route from Loughborough to Landore. This had been reported at Whitacre Junction, north of Birmingham, at 15.53, and I didn't think there was any chance of seeing it before the sun had dipped into some cloud near the western horizon. This being the case, I moved off up the field towards the road and hadn't gone for more than 100 yards when it appeared at 16.38. I was, of course, alongside some especially thick brambles when it came so there was no chance of a shot. While watching it go south a headlight appeared which turned out to be 60021 on the 6M41 Llanwern to Round Oak and it just about found a sunny patch on the main line before turning left onto the Worcester line at Abbotswood Junction. The smoke haze at the rear of the locomotive is testament to the work it was doing to get the heavy steel train on the move after a signal stop to allow a passenger train off the single track lead from the Worcester line.
One of the freights I was after on 8 September 2006 was this, the 6Z41 Theale to Lindsay empty oil tanks. This has been running on a Saturday afternoon but I was pleased when it showed up for today as it meant there were 2 trains worth going out for rather than just 6M01 from Hinksey to Stud Farm. 60020 was roaring as it reached the summit of Hatton Bank at 16.35, just late enough for the sun to be round onto the front. I'm not too bothered about this as a rule, but I wasn't complaining today!
I had no intention of going out for any photographs on Saturday 9 September, but when a friend rang to say that 60042 was at Landor Street in Birmingham with a very late running 6X12 17.21 Carlisle - Eastleigh I had a rapid change of heart. Not only is this train normally far too early to photograph around here but I was told that the consist was particularly good with 4 TTAs, 5 FAAs, 5 IGAs, 2 china clay tanks for Quidhampton and some engineering wagons being conveyed. I went to Hatton South Junction where this image was captured at 09.34.
6E48, the 13.35 Didcot Power Station to Lindsey empty oil tanks is one of the few freights to run on the GWR's line from Leamington Spa to Birmingham that offers the chance of something other than a class 66 in one colour scheme or another. It generally runs only in the Autumn and Winter and is booked to pass Hatton at around 14.45 so is clearly a bit of a gamble. The preceding Virgin Voyager on 23 November 2006 ran in perfect light up Hatton Bank but the sun had dipped into cloud by the time 6E48 came some 7 minutes later and the edge has been taken off the colours by the lower light levels. While heading back to my car at Hatton Locks, I took this photograph of St.Mary's Church at Warwick over the well-known Hatton flight of locks. I guess one could call it "The Stairway to Heaven"...
I spent an hour or so at Hatton station on Saturday 30 September. One of the trains that came along was this, 0A16 12.00 Washwood Heath to Didcot. I don't normally bother with light engine moves, but as this had recently reinstated 60007 at the front with amended EWS stickers, I thought it worth a shot. The 66s are 66091, 66128 and 66193. Click here for a closer view of the curtailed vinyl.
On Saturday 21 October 2006, 6V40, a Lackenby to Margam train of steel slabs was diverted from the Cheltenham line to run via Solihull and Oxford. It is here seen passing the station at Dorridge behind 60092. The train had been in the up loop, out of sight just to the north of the station and was accelerating powerfully away to the extent that the bridge panels upon which I was leaning were vibrating quite considerably. I chose this location quite deliberately in order to give an easily identifiable background for an unusual working.
One train that no longer runs is the 6O72 Wolverhampton to Hoo Junction empty steel. This service turned up quite a variety of motive power and I recorded it behind single 37s, a pair of 37s, 58s, 60s and 66s at various times. Here is 60044 about to pass Hatton station on 14 June 2003 with the empty "pig sheds" on its way south.
Four class 86s were last week moved from Immingham to Bescot in preparation to be tripped into Long Marston for secure storage. The final leg of their journey took place in dreadful light on 30 November 2006, being hauled from Bescot by 60042. This is only the second class 60 to have traversed the former Stratford-upon-Avon line and the first to have entered the Long Marston complex. The train is here seen approaching the end of the branch, with 60042 hauling 86247, 86245, 86234 and 86260 towards their new home.
Very little time was wasted in getting 60042 detached from the class 86s and within minutes of arrival it was leaving the site ready for the run back to Honeybourne and thence Bescot. Once the gate had been closed, the Hunslet shunter was taken to the front of the line of 86s, hooked onto 86247, and hauled them to the secure part of the site. I was later told by a kind source within the railway industry that the visit of 60042 caused a bit of a stir within Network Rail. The class is banned from using the branch, and once it had left, it was necessary for the line to be walked so that it could be checked for alignment, for 2 structures to be checked for integrity and for several culverts to be examined in case of damage or collapse. All was reported to be in order. This had made me doubly glad that I went across in such poor conditions as I bet another 60 won't set foot on the branch on the forseeable future, sunshine or no sunshine...
Saturday 23 September 2006 saw 6E41, the Westerleigh to Lindsey empty oil tanks diverted from the Cheltenham line because of engineering work and run via Oxford and Hatton. It was hauled by 60058, coincidentally the same loco I photographed this service on at Ashchurch a few weeks ago. It is here seen here passing Hatton in a very lucky patch of sun at 16.14.
New   On Saturday 27 February 1992 I spent a few hours on the footbridge adjacent to the   crossing boxat Bentley Heath near Dorridge. This box has been reduced in status from a very busy place controlling a four-track main line with several crossovers along with entrances and exits from a large goods yard to one used only for raising and lowering the barriers on the road crossing. The level of traffic on this day was remarkable for a Saturday - I saw 7 MGR movements, a Mountsorrel to Reading ballast train, a freightliner and couple of light engines moves as well as the usual local DMUs. Here is one of the MGRs, headed by 60067, en-route to Didcot Power Station , approaching the crossing at 12.23.
New   This was the view looking towards Dorridge station on 27 February 1994 as 60058 approaches Bentley Heath crossing with an empty MGR from Didcot Power station. The 12.20 Lawley Street to Southampton freightliner headed by 47351 can just be seen receding in the distance. I didn't manage to get a photograph of this train as I was facing south watching 60058 leave a signal check at the station as the freightliner quietly sneaked up behind on adverse signals.
New   60011 and its train of Redland hoppers provided a touch of variety from MGRs and DMUs at Bentley Heath on 27 February 1992. It was heading for Reading with a train of ballast from Mountsorrel quarry in preparation for a Sunday engineering possession. The trees on the left of this location have grown several feet in the intervening years and cast shadows from mid-afternoon even in the height of the summer. This notwithstanding, it is still a bridge I like to visit on sunny afternoons when some freigbt is in the offing.
After a short period with the oil tanks for Didcot Power Station running from South Wales, they have, from early September 2005 reverted to coming from the North East. On 12 September 2005, 60079 was rostered for the job and is seen here at Bentley Heath crossing, near Dorridge with the returning 6E48 empties.
When a message about 60007 working a 6P14 Bescot to Dorridge arrived on my BlackBerry on the morning of 10 June 2006 I was a bit dubious about going out for a photograph of it. Not because I doubted the veracity of the message, but more that years of waiting for ballasts and other trains going into possessions have shown that they are intrinsically unreliable. It was with some pleasure, therefore, that a message from Andy Williams at about 16.15 said that the train was being prepared. A slightly later message confirmed that 6P14 had left the yard some 10 minutes early - click   here   for Andy's shot at Wylde Green on the Sutton Park line. This gave me plenty of time to drive over to Bentley Heath for a photograph. The smell of barbequeing meat from some nearby houses on this perfect evening was almost overpowering by the time the train arrived at 18.05, but I managed to hold my concentration long enough to capture this image.
New   MGR trains to Didcot Power Station from the East Midlands coalfields still ran to a roughly hourly pattern in March 1993. The vast majority ran via Solihull and Hatton as did this northbound service headed by 60004 newly bedecked in its coal sector markings on 19 March 1993. The couple out for a stroll seemed transfixed by the passage of the train and came to ask me what it was and expressed the sentiment that it was a shame it hadn't a been steam engine on the front. I suggested that if they had stood where they were when 60004 passed that they may have revised their idea bearing in mind the amount of abuse they would have received from certain quarters for having the timerity to be in shot. To my eye, they add quite an interesting balance to the picture.
New   Here is another, slightly earlier shot of 60004 with an MGR on Hatton bank, this time a bit further south at Budbrook. It was taken at at 14.39 on the glorious afternoon of 6 January 1993 and was the only locomotive-hauled train to appear in the 2 hours or so I spent there. In the background are the tower of St Mary's Church, Warwick and the Round Tower of Warwick Castle. The former is quite interesting in that the cathedralesque church was originally built without a tower but after time was found to be sinking in a westerly direction due to the weight of the roof. This accounts for the unusual position of the tower at the west end of the building, rather than the more usual east end, as it forms an effective and highly atractive buttress.
New   It was fairly commonplace to manage a shot of a passenger train passing a stationary MGR at Leamington Spa in the 1980s and 1990s, but much less so to see a freight doing so. Here, on 9 March 1993, 47218 has been routed via the platform road with its Trafford Park to Park Royal Guinness vans while 60088 waits with a train of HAAs bound for Didcot Power Station. The MGR had been stood on the up main for some time to allow the passage of an inter-regional express and I imagine that as the Park Royal train was likely to be a faster runner than the heavy coal train, the signaller gave it precedence.
New   This is the southbound shot of a train from the same location as the first picture of 60004 above. This time it is a shot of 60056 on a Didcot-bound MGR on the same day, 19 March 1993. Without knowledge of the weekly coal programme it was difficult to accurately identify these trains, but it is a fair bet that it came from the Nottinghamshire coalfield and quite possibly originated from Welbeck Colliery. There were several boarded crossings on this line in those days and early warning of a train was given when the driver responded to the "W" boards. The crossings have now been replaced with bridges and the early warning system no longer works...
New   I used to spend a fair amount of time on the Castle Donnington line, which runs between the Stenson and Sheet Stores junctions. It was busy with all sorts of freight, but coal traffic to and from various power stations formed the bulk of the traffic. Here is 60087 heading west on 16 July 1992 past the bridge at Barrow on Trent with a train for Willington, Rugeley, Ironbridge or Didcot power station - I've no idea which!
New   Class 60 was, in the winter of 2005, the pricipal motive power for steel trains from the North-East to South Wales. In laye 2006, the situation is different with class 66 working turn and turn about with 60s. Here is 60012 with 6E09 from Llanwern on Saturday 12 February 2005 about to pass Abbotswood Junction near Worcester. At this time of year, backlighting is the order of the day for this train, but I like the effect of this, especially the small amount of lens flare visible in the brances of the oak tree at the top right of the picture.
I was expecting to see several steel trains during the morning of Saturday 17 June 2006, including a couple diverted from the North & West line. However, the only one to appear while I was at Stoke Prior was the 6E09 08:38 Margam-Lackenby; one of the regulars on this line. The train is seen here behind Transrail 60084, crawling towards Bromsgrove where it was looped to allow the passage of a northbound Virgin Voyager. The light had become a little flat by this time, 11.56, thanks to some high level wispy cloud. This can be a tricky location thanks to the radio masts in the background, which show only too plainly if one's verticals are awry!
60096 had gone west through Whitacre Junction with the 6M61 Humber to Bedworth tanks at 09.10 en-route to Washwood Heath where it runs round. The train had come via Tamworth and the slow lines from Kingsbury Junction rather than by its usual route via Nuneaton. Here is the train after run-round heading for Nuneaton and thence Bedworth at 10.30.
Various emailed locomotive allocation lists showed that the afternoon of 4 July 2006 should produce at least 3 class 60s along the Cheltenham line. The weather was very hot and sultry so I decided on the easy option and once again headed for Croome Perry, near Pershore. The first freight to appear was, as expected, 6V92 Corby to Margam headed by 60015, but with the added bonus of 66126 being transported dead in tow. The sun was out but the light in the early afternoon at this time of the year is too harsh for my liking - I much prefer it after 16.00 hours.
Here is 6V07, the Round Oak to Margam empty steel wagons at Croome Perry on 4 July 2006 with the diagrammed 60061 at the pointed end. Round Oak steel terminal is currently taking 4 trains each weekday, a total of some 40,000 tonnes of steel each week. Imagine that lot on the M4 and M5...
Mainline blue 60044 was booked on 6V40, the Lackenby to Llanwern steel train on Saturday 15 July 2006. It appeared in the distance at Ashchurch at 15.35 and passed me 3 minutes later. At the time of writing, there are just 24 class 60s in traffic so it was good to get this former Mainline example in some decent light.
The last active locomotive in the popular LoadHaul colour scheme is 60059 and on 4 July 2006 it was allocated to the 6V36 08.16 Lackenby to Margam steel slabs. This was looped at Abbotswood Junction to allow a Virgin Voyager and a class 170 (from the Worcester line) to pass. The sun was rapidly heading towards a bank of very ominous-looking bank of cloud that had been building up over the Malvern Hills for the last hour or so. Fortunately, the light held as 60059 was released from the loop and slowly made its way down the line to the waiting small gallery.
I have been meaning to spend an hour at Norton Junction, near Worcester, for some time now. As the weather forecast promised higher temperatures later in the week, I decided to go today, Monday 24 July. The primary target was the 6V07 Round Oak to Margam empty steel, which according to a list posted in the morning, was due to be hauled by 60003. As it happened, 60021 turned up on the train; this locomotive was shown to be on 6V05, the morning empties from the same terminal. Here is the train coming past the lower quadrant semaphores controlling the junction with the line to Abbotswood Junction and the Cotswold line to Oxford. Use this hyperlink for a closer view of the signals.
I think that my favourite colour scheme carried by class 60 was the one seen here adorning 60078 at Didcot. The Air Force blue applied by Mainline Freight seemed to suit these large locomotives really well and, in good light, looked most stylish. This is an empty MGR from Didcot Power Station to Avonmouth, the loco having run round the hoppers in the West End sidings at the back of the train. 645
This picture shows another class 60, 60064, leaving Didcot with an empty MGR heading for Avonmouth. The shot was taken from the edge of a field just to the east of the main road bridge at Milton on the afternoon of 13 February 1998. 645
Very few class 60s have been on the line to Stratford-upon-Avon; I have photographed just one other; so it was pleasing to hear and then see 60096 with 6P04 coming off the West to North curve at Hatton. Another train was scheduled to follow 6P04 but was heavily delayed at Bearley, sadly, through a suicide taking place on the track at Olton, near Solihull when someone took his life by jumping in front of 60096.
The empty fuel tanks from Theale to Lindsey, 6Z41, ran again on 24 June. A message from Reading said that it had left the west loop at 13.05 behind grey 60090, so I decided to go to Hatton for a shot of it. Given the intensity of passenger traffic it was clearly looped once or twice as it did not pass me until 15.35. This location is becoming a little overgrown now, with the gap in the growth available for a train becoming very limited, in the summer months at least.
On of my favourite shots of class 60 taken during 2005 was this from 17 November at Claydon, near Ashchurch. It shows 60067 on 6V07 Round Oak to Margam empty steel wagons. The light was a lovely gold colour by 15.32 but was getting a little weak. This picture needed ISO 320, 1/500 @ f4, the lens being set at 180mm with the camera being supported on a monopod. I was unsure if the result would be OK, and it was something of a relief when I saw the finished image on screen. I must add that it has not been manipulated at all.
I spent a few hours at Ashchurch during the morning of 6 June 2006. The first photograph I took was of the 6M96 Margam to Corby loaded steel coils hauled by 60030. The heavy train seen here having just passed through the station.
The afternoon of 8 June looked like staying sunny so after lunch I decided to drive over to Abbotswood Junction, near Worcester. One of the targets was grey semi-Transrail 60082 was booked on 6V92, the Corby to Margam empty steel coil carriers. In fact, I was quite lucky to get this shot in the sun, as, as is typical on days like this after some earlier wet weather, cumulus clouds were building up over the very rural landscape. The sun was obscured more often than not, but did appear just in time for 6V92.
This picture shows a short-term flow that ran in the summer of 2003. It is the return working of a Robeston to Kingsbury oil train pictured at Croome Perry, taken at 18.55 on 14 July 2003. The train was running as 6Z69 and the flow did not last long enough to acquire a 6M/6V headcode. It is apparent from looking at my notes that I knew the train was running and took my cameras to work in the morning with the intention of obtaining this picture. 60059 is the locomotive, one which I photographed more than any other Loadhaul, and which seemed to follow me wherever I went. 645
In contrast to the picture above, this one taken on 19 July 2000 shows a recently repainted class 60 displaying the corporate colours of EWS. The locomotive is 60027, the location Catholme, near Wichnor Junction and the train 6E28 07.05 Wolverhampton to Scunthorpe empty steel carriers. 645
A new train to go in front of my camera on 10 February 2006 was the 6V19 Immingham to Margam Enterprise working. It was running some 8 hours late when I recorded it near Claydon in Gloucestershire behind Transrail liveried 60063.
A class 60 was unusually allocated to the 6M31 Banbury to Mountsorrel stone empties on 27 October 2005. The train, hauled by be-stickered, or as President Bush would probably say, stickerified 60060 is seen here passing the foot crossing at Coleshill at 12.22. This would not have been the first choice of location but the train was seen at Hatton roadbridge whilst waiting for an ECS move from Tyseley to Old Oak Common which did not materialise. As the sun was shining it seemed like a good idea to try to photograph the unusual motive power for this train, and it seemed a safe bet that it could be beaten to Coleshill.
A coal sector liveried class 60, 60091, was booked for the diverted 6E48 empty steel service on Sunday 16 October 2005. As the sun was shining I decided that another trip to Hatton would be in order as steel trains have never been commonplace on this road. I knew that it was running in the region of 90 minutes late so arrived at my chosen location at 13.34, which I reckoned should give me about a 20 minute wait. Sure enough, the train, with 60091 throbbing very nicely on the 1/110 gradient, passed me at 13.56.
In recent weeks an additional train has been running from Lindsey refinery to the oil terminal at Theale in Berkshire. It has been diagrammed for weekdays and through work commitments I have been unable to get a shot of the return, 6Z41, which is timed to pass Hatton at around 15.40. However, a Saturday working was booked for today, 29 April and I made the short journey from home to photograph 60054 with the tanks climbing Hatton bank, which it did at 15.30. It is interesting to note the differences between this picture and the one above of 60091 taken last October.
6E48 Didcot Power Station to Lindsey empty oil tanks hauled by 60052 was running rather late on 8 June 2005, which was fortunate in that the sun was on the front for once. After a long hot session with a diet of Chiltern Turbos and Voyagers it finally appeared in rather nice light at 17.42 near Hatton North Junction, where the line from Stratford-upon-Avon joins the GWR line from Leamington Spa to Birmingham. I've always disliked the tatty hut by the junction - this is how the shot should look.....   P_Way hut demolished!
Here is another shot of the 6E48 Didcot Power Station to Lindsey empty oil tanks, taken on 22 September 2005. This time, the loco is 60053 but the location is still Hatton North Junction. The train was again running over an hour late.
The same location as the picture above is seen here a few years earlier on 15 February 2001. The train is the 6M01 Hinksey Yard to Stud farm ballast empties, hauled by 60059 running some 114 minutes early. This sunny afternoon saw 3 freights in not much more than one hour. A class 37, this Loadhaul 60 and a class 47 on the 4M55 freightliner. No red or green that day! 645
Class 60 has been the staple motive power for the North East - South Wales steel traffic since it started running in earnest. Here, partially "Loadhauled" 60070 is seen at Whitacre Junction having run via the slow lines from Kingsbury Junction with 6V36 on 6 March 2003. 645
Back to the days when the coal from Avonmouth to Didcot was class 60 hauled. Here is 60095 with a failed 60010 arriving at their destination on 6 March 1997. 60010 was removed from the train before the run-round in the West End sidings and entry into the power station complex. The date was 6 March 1997. 645
Another shot taken at Didcot on 6 March 1997 was this one of 60090 arriving at the station with the Robeston to Langley block oil train. This train was running some 3 hours late which meant that it not one that is often photographed on the outward run. 645
A few class 60s ran for a while in grey undercoat before being painted into EWS's house colours. 60022 is seen here at Barton-under-Needwood on 21 March 1997 with a Kingsbury to Humber train of empty oil tankers. I imagine that a very thorough clean, if not another coat of grey, was needed before this loco turned red and gold. The scene has dramatically changed with the building of Virgin's Central Rivers depot. 645
Another Kingsbury to Humber train, 6E59, is seen here at Portway and hauled by the next 60 in the numbering sequence, 60023 which already has received its latest livery. The date of this photograph is 10 September 1997. 645
Some class 60s were painted into the attractive blue depicting their ownership by Mainline Railways, one of the 3 freight companies later absorbed into EWS. It is seen here passing Croome Perry on 20 April 1997 with the 7V18 07.32 TWFO Silverdale to Llanwern MGR. 645
A very welcome diversion from the Cheltenham line on 17 September 2005 was 6V97 12.00 Beeston-Cardiff Tidal scrap. It was hauled by former coal sector 60060 now wearing the new EWS stickers, rather than by the booked class 66. These stickers are being applied to those locomotives still not in the EWS corporate colours to demonstrate the company's ownership of the asset. The train is seen here passing Hatton Station junction at 14.45.
At the time of writing, 19 July 2005, there were but 27 class 60s in use. 6V92 Corby to Margam is one of the few workings now to produce a member of the class on the Birmingham - Cheltenham line. Here, 60065 is seen passing the site of Defford station with this train just after the sun had passed behind a large cloud.
Stratford-upon-Avon does not see many locomotive-hauled trains so the appearance of a ballast train on 15 February 2004 was a special event. It was made even more special by the fact that a class 60, 60016 was rostered for 6P08 from Bescot as this was possibly the first of the class to visit the terminus. I am not absolutely certain of this as a signalman friend thinks he saw a member of the class on an overnight engineering train a couple of years earlier. However, it is certainly the only 60 I have photographed here and it was typical that the light was dreadful.  66089  was on the other end of the train. I should have liked to have crossed to the other platform for a shot, but the station was closed to the public as "bustitution" was in force and the person-in-charge politely but firmly refused me access to the platform and footbridge.
I don't know how many class 60s worked the 6G36/6G42 Bescot to Birch Coppice automotive parts train but this occasion was the only time I saw a member of the class on it. Heavily backlit 60016 is seen here approaching the junction at Kingsbury with this working at 10.23 on 25 February 2004.
The news that a Loadhaul machine was heading south to Llanwern meant a Sunday outing looked likely. Sure enough, the weather held and the chance for a shot of 60059 on such a nice afternoon was too good to miss - even Pam agreed and came along for the ride! This train, taken at 17.53 on 26 June 2005, is the 6V42 10.03 Lackenby to Llanwern loaded steel slabs crossing the Warwickshire Avon at Eckington. I have a session here now and again as it is pleasant place to spend a few hours even if the photographic opportunities can be a little limited. The young angler in the foreground did not even look up as the train passed. Kids today! Class 60 sightings on this line have diminished somewhat in recent weeks with 66s having taken over some workings.
In contrast to the shot above, here is a photograph of 60008 heading in the opposite direction on an absolutely freezing cold 18 February 2003. The Warwickshire Avon on a windy winter day is not the pleasantest place on the planet, but the superb light made up for the danger of hypothermia. The train is 6E09 from Llanwern to Lackenby.645
Possibly the most followed celebrity 60 is 60081 which was repainted into a sort of Great Western livery. A decent well-lit photo of the locomotive has eluded me although I do have several not well-lit and some black and white images! This is about the best of a bad lot and shows it hauling the 6E09 11.14 Llanwern to Lackenby steel empties towards Croome Perry on Saturday 11 December 2004. It's a shame it wasn't allocated to 6V40 on this day as I might have then obtained the shot of it I really wanted as it would have been heading in the opposite direction with the sun in the right place. Since this caption was written, IKB has suffered a fatal engine failure that involved bits of machinery exiting the block and damaging the bodywork.
60033 was one of 2 locomotives selected to receive the colour scheme of British Steel to mark the relatioinship between the steel manufacturer and EWS. On 29 October 1997 the locomotive was having to do with metals traffic as it was photographed leaving Didcot Power Station with a rake of hooded MGR wagons heading for Avonmouth for reloading.
While 60033 was running round its train in Didcot West End sidings I drove down to the bridge at Milton to take advantage of the lovely afternoon light on this day, 29 October 1997. 60033 was later repainted yet again into the house colours of Corus, British Steel's successor.
With a staggeringly inappropriate piece of timing, EWS repainted 60033 into the house colours of Corus just as the steel company announced the virtual closure of Llanwern steelworks. The is pictured here leaving the steel works en route to Port Talbot with a rake of empty iron ore tipplers on 7 February 2001. The loaded train was unfortunately already in the steelworks when I arrived so I missed the shot of entering the complex. Although I do have other photographs of the loco showing the colour scheme off to better advantage, I felt this shot was more appropriate given the appalling run down in the industry of South Wales.
There are not many class 60 workings along the Coventry to Birmingham line but one that does appear on Saturdays is the 6D30 Northampton to Mountsorrel empty stone. This train is seen passing Berkswell at 14.38 on 13 November 2004.
In contrast to the Coventry line, there is currently no shortage of class 60s on the Derby to Birmingham line. On 26 November 60074, still with Mainline markings was put in charge of the 6M11 08.30 Washwood Heath to Peak Forest stone empties. I pictured it approaching Kingsbury at 09.40 just after a shower of rain was clearing to a little welcome brightness.
The same train as that shown above is seen a little south of Kingsbury on 17 April 2003. 60026 is taking the Washwood Heath to Peak Forest train past Lea Marston on a beautiful morning and one which guaranteed that northbound trains would run this way rather than via the Kingsbury loop. The up slow lines were out of commission at this time due to a faulty point at Whitacre Junction.
An interesting train that was running in the summer of 1997 was the 6M23 14.02 Fawley to Washwood Heath and Longport. The train conveyed LPG in the white and orange pressurised tanks and bitumen in the brown tanks at the rear of the train. It is seen running behind 60056 alongside the M40 near Rowington in Warwickshire at 17.36 on 29 May 1997.
Moving back in time to 30 March 1991, this picture shows 60025 hauling a failed 47830 and "The Dorset Scot" about 30 minutes late away from the Basingstoke stop. The 60 worked only as far as Reading and returned light engine later that day. I believe that this was the class's 3rd passenger working.
Although never a celebrity loco, 60060 is popular by virtue of it's carrying coal sector decals. It is seen here, heavily backlit, at Whitacre Junction on 14 March 2003 while working the 6E35 11.14 Llanwern to Lackenby empty steel train.
The picture above was an afternoon shot and in contrast this was taken at 10.12 on the morning of 30 August 2003. The train is the Washwood Heath to Bardon Hill empty stone working.
One of the first class 60s I saw was 60008. It is seen climbing Hatton Bank on 26 September 1990 while on crew training duties. The sun disappeared behind a large cloud only seconds before the train appeared.
Several 60s were painted into the attractive Loadhaul livery and a couple survive in this colour scheme into 2005. 60059 was working the 6M35 Kings Cross to Calvert spoil train through Quainton Road station when photographed on 4 September 2003. This train has now ceased running meaning that one less photographable working is available on this fascinating piece of line. The impressive preservation site at Quainton Road is quite literally cut in half by the freight line from Aylesbury to Calvert - there is no rail connection between the two parts. This day was much busier than usual as both the Calvert to Bath/Bristol "binliner" (6V40) and the Didcot to Bicester MOD train (6A48 but running on this day as 6Z48) had been diverted this way due to engineering work. I had a great day - the 3 main line trains ran in lovely early Autumn light and I thoroughly enjoyed looking around the stock, locos and musueum resident on the site in between the workings. 645
Here is an earlier photograph of 60059 leaving Didcot power Station on 18 February 1998. This day was quite interesting as an officious security guard from the Power Station told me it was not allowable to park on the grass by the road adjacent to where this shot was taken. I asked him to show me the signs and if he could then I would move. He just told it it was private land and that if I didn't go he would call the police. "Fine", I said, "Call them, as verges of this nature belong to the local County Council and you have no jurisdiction over them." Not to be outdone by a train spotter (sic) he rang the police from the telephone in his Land Rover and a patrol car appeared within a couple of minutes. The officers agreed with my point of view saying that my car was legally and safely parked and told the guard to stop wasting their time or he would be the one in trouble!
The staple motive power for the 6V70 Cliffe Vale to St. Blazey was class 60 for several years. 60010 was in charge on 15 August 2001 and is seen here passing the welcome shelter of the oak tree just south of Abbotswood Junction.
This picture was taken at the site of Moira station on the Coalville line on 18 February 1995 and shows a heavily backlit 60011 heading for the Birmingham to Burton-on-Trent line. The train had originated from Coalfield Farm disposal point but I'm not sure of the destination. Note the small pile of coal on the loco's roof. I'm sure that this blew off when higher speeds were attained than were possible on this heavily restricted freight line.
A regular working for class 60 on the Birmingham to Cheltenham line in the summer of 2003 was the 6V97 Beeston to Newport train of scrap metal. This train is seen here passing Croome Perry wood at 16.33 on 6 May.
Another working which can usually be relied upon to produce a class 60 is the 6V05 Round Oak to Margam empty steel train. This is pictured here approaching Ashchurch at 11.22 on 23 January 2003. The photograph was taken using my 300mm telephoto lens to compress the perspective and produce a more striking image.