With the Guard stepping up to board the train, Southern's Saturday-only 9.01pm Tonbridge - Redhill service (2K65), prepares for an on-time departure in some 6 minutes time.

The unit doing the honours in this case, 377312, is one of Bombardier Transportation's 'Electrostar' class 377s, built between 2001 - 2014 at what used to be British Rail Engineering's Carriage and Wagon Works at Litchurch Lane, Derby.

Now under Alsthom's ownership and the only rolling stock manufacturer left in the UK, how sad that Alsthom had to approach the Government a few weeks ago attempting to secure orders for a minimum of ten trains to prevent the layoff of workers and the permanent loss of manufacturing capability at the site.

Will someone step up to save the plant and avoid the loss of yet another manufacturing capability in the UK? Only time will tell.

Exposure details: 1/60s @ F8, and 6400asa. Best viewed full-screen.

8.55pm, 23rd March 2024

Info courtesy of Wiki and other news sources.

STEPPING UP 086A9984-Edit-DNAISNV2

Tags:   Tonbridge Kent 2024 Spring Bombardier Night After dark Railway Station Class377 377312 Electrostar Southern South East Train Manager Guard 2K65 UK built Built in the UK

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One of the first to be released to traffic of what will eventually be sixteen members of GBRf's class 69 conversions, unit 69002 'Bob Tiller CM&EE'; stands at Tonbridge West Yard awaiting its next turn of duty.

Converted by Progress Rail at their Longport facility in Staffordshire, each locomotive is a substantial rebuild from a class 56 unit (aka 'Grid') released to traffic in the period 1976-1984.

The story behind the conversions is that GBRf, the owners, were looking for more locomotives offering similar performance to the class 66s which, since 2010, could no longer be purchased as they were deemed non-compliant with National Technical Specification Notices. As a consequence it was determined that converting an existing locomotive would prove to me more cost effective than designing and buying something completely new. The 69s include many similar control systems, as well as the same power plant, as that used in the class 66s.

In the case of 69002, the rebuild was from 'Grid' 56311 which was released to traffic in 1979 as unit 56057 fresh out of Doncaster Works.

Rather than take this shot over the footbridge rail, I opted to take it through the grid mesh as a spin on the narrative. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but........

4.10pm, 25th March 2024

Background info courtesy of Wiki

Tags:   Class69 69002 Class56 56311 56057 GBRf GBRailfreight Tonbridge Kent Tonbridge West Yard 2024 Spring Railway Grid Progress Rail Off Grid Bob Tiller CM&EE SR Southern Region South East SE Class375 375814 South Eastern Trains

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Ramsgate railway station

2.43pm, 23rd March 2024

Tags:   Ramsgate Railway Station Infrastructure 2024 Kent UK South Eastern Trains Passage Stairwell Subway Tunnel Dark Place Mood Atmosphere Train Atmospheric Symmetry

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Having just spent the better part of a couple of minutes in the dark depths of the 2 mile long Sevenoaks Tunnel, a pair of GB Railfreight class 73 electro-diesels emerge into sunlight and approach the station on the Up Slow line with no intention of stopping.

The locomotives are 73961 and 73963 (rear), and the train is the 8.55am Tonbridge West Yard - South Croydon track testing service (1Q69) travelling via Sevenoaks - Orpington - Sevenoaks - Tonbridge - Ashford - Tonbridge and Redhill.

Both electro-diesels are now just a few years short of 60 years old, but each was re-engined by Brush Traction (Loughborough) in 2014 and, together with a few other enhancements, were re-badged as class 73/9 and given a new lease of life.

The rather more recently-built Thameslink 'Desiro' train stabled in the background, unit 700006, will eventually join the daily roster and head to London Blackfriars via the Bat & Ball / Swanley route.

9.25am, 23rd March 2024

Tags:   Sevenoaks Kent GBRf GBRailfreight 2024 Spring 1Q69 Class73 Track Testing Class73/9 73961 73963 Thameslink Class700 700006 Siemens Siemens Mobility Desiro SR Southern Region South East Railway Station Yellow

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A quiet station moment...

9.10pm, 22nd March 2024

Tags:   Tonbridge Kent Railway Station Stairs Stairway Night After dark Darkness 2024 Exit Way out Square

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