May 2012

My first day out on Sunday 6th May 2012 after my bout of appendicitis with follow-up problems and a couple of weeks in Stoke Mandeville hospital (thanks to all the staff for looking after me so well!). VWC diverts to start with, including set WB64 "Pretendolino" topped and tailed by Class 57/3s. Plenty of action on Chiltern Railways with the testing of the new power doors set over a couple of weeks and a run out on the final test train from Birmingham Moor Street. Throw in the odd special and it's been quite a busy month!

From Little Missenden it was back to Haddenham & Thame Parkway in time to see the power door test train, 5R00, stop at the station. The set had been turned during the previous weekend, presumably in order to even out door usage on each side. 67014 "Thomas Telford" eases to a stop at the station prior to the doors being further put through their paces. 12:18, Tuesday 22nd May 2012. Digital Image No. GMPI11906.

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From Little Missenden it was back to Haddenham & Thame Parkway in time to see the power door test train, 5R00, stop at the station. The set had been turned during the previous weekend, presumably in order to even out door usage on each side. 67014 "Thomas Telford" eases to a stop at the station prior to the doors being further put through their paces. 12:18, Tuesday 22nd May 2012. Digital Image No. GMPI11906.

GMPI11906 67014 HaddenhamStn 5R00 220512 LHCS

Peter Skuce
on May 26, 2012
I was on the Chiltern Railways website and it had an artist illustration detailing the proposed interior of a refurbished Mark 3 carriage. It showed the interiors to feature the same interiors as the Class 168 Clubman Turbo DMU trains, right down to the same carpet and same seat design. This would have meant that there would have been no InterCity 70 seats with the horrible fixed armrests. Is there going to be a refurbished set with the same interiors as the Class 168 Clubman Turbo DMU or will all refurbished sets have the former Wrexham & Shropshire interior?

May 2012

Peter Skuce