Midland
Miscellany 2
Double CD
Stereo recordings during 1983 to 2014.
Highlights include:
** Deltic blasts away from Coventry station.
** Peak at Leicester.
** Steam and diesel action on the Lickey.
11.50 (double CD)
Price includes worldwide postage.You can download a pdf version of the playlist:
Midland Miscellany 2 playlist PDF
Here is the full recording list:
CD - 1
1 - A cock crows just before 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier starts up at Bridgnorth prior to working a train back to Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway - 14/9/02.
Birmingham New Street
2 - On board a diverted Euston to Wolverhampton train as Virgin Thunderbird 57305 John Tracy is heard accelerating away from a signal check into New Street South Tunnel and then entering the station. 57305 then departs towards it s next stop, Sandwell and Dudley - 30/8/03.
3 - D9000 Royal Scots Grey arrives from Poole on a Virgin normal service train to Liverpool, it s distinctive engines booming in the confined space. 47703 standing nearby starts up in readiness to take over whilst D9000 moves off. The 47 then departs with the train - 28/11/98.
4 - On board a Wolverhampton express hauled by 87033 Thane of Fife as it springs into life and accelerates over the pointwork into New Street North Tunnel. Once inside, the powerful 5,000 hp traction motors can be heard working hard with speed picking up quickly as the train exits and heads towards The Black Country - 14/9/02.
Banbury
5 - 37174 accelerates away with The County of Kent rail tour from Worcester to Canterbury - 3/4/04.
6 - Due to engineering work on the route from Birmingham to Bristol the rare sight of NE/SW HST s at Banbury were experienced. Here one leans to the curve as it roars through on it s way to Didcot where it would join the South Wales Main Line to Bristol- 3/10/98.
7 - The problem with using four coach trains from Brighton to Edinburgh !
8 - Standard Class 5, 73096, raises echoes from the nearby buildings as she makes a strong departure northwards with The Worcester Standard from Alton (Hants). Note the sound of the lower quadrant signal arm going back to danger as the train passes - 24/4/99.
Claydon
9 - 5029 Nunney Castle accelerates up the grade to Fenny Compton with the return working of The Bristol Explorer back to Solihull - 26/7/08.
Loughborough Midland
10 - With the noise of the old Brush works in the background, 4953 Pitchford Hall departs northwards in true GWR fashion with The Ebor Express from Tyseley to York - 9/12/06.
11 - A HST roars through bound for St.Pancras, with the resultant wind disturbing an empty drink can - 19/4/97.
Leicester
12 - The old order of things on the MML before the introduction of HST s is recalled by the departure of Tinsley allocated Peak 45 108 on a down express - 5/2/86.
13 - A loudspeaker announcement about an 85 mins delay to a train from Norwich - it wasn t all milk and honey in the BR days ! - 5/2/86.
14 - In freezing conditions, Brush Type 2, 31414 of March depot, departs for Peterborough and Norwich- 5/2/86.
15 - With snow about to fall, a guard s whistle and a loco horn are heard before a London bound HST departs with 43075 on the rear - 5/2/86.
16 - Brush built 60048 EASTERN rumbles past southwards with a train of ballast wagons - 25/1/03.
17 - The even older order of things is evoked as Stanier Black 5, 45407 in the guise of 45157 runs through non-stop with The 1941 Ltd en route to Nuneaton and eventually Preston - 1/9/01.
18 - After a heavily delayed trip from Stratford-upon-Avon, weary rail tour passengers erupt with resigned laughter at the news of another delay, this time due to cows on the line. Eventually departure south on a normal service train (a HST) takes place and it is heard from onboard accelerating out of Leicester - 24/4/93.
Narborough
19 - Rain is falling as the level crossing barriers are lowered for 4965 Rood Ashton Hall as it makes it s steady way towards Nuneaton with the East Midlander - 24/5/03.
Rugby
20 - 57003 (in green Freightliner livery - unnamed) departs northwards on a freightliner - 22/5/01.
21 - Despite it being a week-day enthusiasts were out in force to see blue liveried 55022 Royal Scots Grey depart onto the up mainline with a positioning rail tour from Preston to Euston. It was immediately followed by 66956 on the slow line with a freightliner. A few minutes later, a pair of 86 s make a very pronounced electrical sound as they pass south with another freightliner and a London bound Voyager from Holyhead is slowed on the main , no doubt waiting for RSG to clear the section ahead - 4/3/11.
22 - 47854 arrives on a charter service to Liverpool. After a brief stop she departs with 47826 on rear and 57316 on Thunderbird duties idling in the background. Shortly afterwards, 66537 passes with a freightliner - 10/2/07.
23 - On a day when Northampton was Euston on the WCML because of extensive engineering works, departure (on board) to the town hauled by 87023 Polmadie was very rare, it being the final stop for the express- 23/8/03.
Wellingborough
24 - Outside Wellingborough signalbox on a warm cloudless summer evening. With windows open to let out the summer heat the signalman is heard whistling a very creditable rendition of Ghost Riders in the Sky . He fills his kettle in readiness for an evening cuppa and then pulls off a signal for a northbound passenger train. An elderly man enquires of the train s whereabouts, a HST arrives, a freight passes and the HST then departs - 29/7/83.
25 - A HST passes northwards as gricers bemoan the fact that Jubilee 5690 Leander was passing on the slow line rather than the fast with the return Midlander from St Albans to Tyseley - 8/4/06.
26 - A4, 60009 Union of South Africa makes a fine sight as it charges round the bend and heads towards Kettering and her final destination of Barrow Hill with the Cathedrals Express from Alton - 19/11/05.
27 - On a bitterly cold day a heritage DMU arrives and then departs for Kettering with workmen busy in the background on the station renovation. Soon after, on board a Nottingham bound express, Peak 45 108 departs from Wellingborough and makes steady progress northwards - 5/2/86.
28 - Later on the same very cold February day as in the previous track, snow is falling as 56 083 passes on the slow line with a Redland stone train to Mountsorrel. Workmen are still hard at it as newly built 59 001 then passes north on a light engine test working - 5/2/86.
Interlude
29 - Double jointed rail sequences as heard from a Mark 1 coach in the Erewash Valley- 30/9/84.
CD - 2
Derby
1 - 58025 which was employed during the week hauling heavy merry go round coal trains, has a Saturday outing to York with The Cleveland Cleric where it would come off and a 56 would be put on to take the train to Bishop Auckland. After a quick call and a blast of the horn the train heads northwards- 22/9/01.
2 - With safety valves blowing, 6233 Duchess of Sutherland departs northbound with the Yorkshire Royale bound for Doncaster and York - 27/11/04.
Duffield
3 - Deltic , 9016 Gordon Highlander in pink Porterbrook livery surges through the station and heads northwards with The Napier Navigator from Crewe to York and Scarborough - 6/4/02.
The Lickey Incline
4 - On a cold wet and windy day just after 18.00, 5690 Leander s initial ascent of the bank unaided mingles with the birdsong. Slowly, the roar of the 4-6-0 becomes more pronounced until it is all engrossing as it passes Vigo Bridge about two thirds the way up with a special from Cardiff - 25/3/06.
5 - 60097 ABP Port of Grimsby and Immingham slugs it out up the grade past Vigo Bridge with a train of steel from Margam to Corby assisted by 66056 at the rear. Later, the unmistakable sound of a Deltic , 55022 Royal Scots Grey (in blue livery) can be heard attacking the climb and eventually passing at much the same speed as the freight - 29/3/08.
Coventry
6 - 37427 departs with a flourish and heads onto the Leamington line with the Aggregated Syphons rail tour to Colnbrook and Ardingly (Haywards Heath) - 12/3/05.
7 - A Deltic at Coventry in BR days would have been very rare indeed, however, thanks to Virgin Trains D9000 Royal Scots Grey could be seen twice on summer Saturdays in 1998 and 1999 as it powered a normal service train from Birmingham to Ramsgate. Here, D9000 departs towards Birmingham and can be heard accelerating in the distance despite a loudspeaker announcement and a dmu departure. Excited enthusiasts sum up the experience - 29/8/98.
8 - On a cold and cloudy February morning 50015 Valiant arrives on a service to Liverpool. Once on board and underway, the powerful English Electric engine rasps in the crisp cold air and passes Canley and Tile Hill at speed - 29/2/84.
9 - More memories of the past are evoked as D1015 Western Champion arrives on The Western Yorkian rail tour from West Ruislip. After a short stop, departure northbound is in true Western style - 26/11/05.
10 - On one of the final Ramsgate runs, D9000 really ramps up the amps as she departs towards Birmingham - 4/9/99.
11 - Finally, on board a Ramsgate bound service as D9000 departs along the West Midlands main line towards Rugby - 29/8/98.
Kettering
12 - On board a Corbyrail special to Llandudno with 47459 awaiting departure from Kettering as a ballast train passes. Departure is then made along the slow line towards Glendon Junction and the first stop, Corby - 15/9/85.
13 - Fellow enthusiasts can be heard waiting excitedly for 6233 Duchess of Sutherland to arrive on The Midlander for a water stop. Later, nearly under cover of darkness and in very cold conditions she is heard storming southwards through Wellingborough, her white exhaust laying a trail in the freezing air - 8/12/01.
Glendon Junction
14 - 60029 passes on freight as 37426 plus one other pass north on a special followed by a HST rushing southwards - 15/8/98.
Desborough
15 - Standard tank, 80098, passes northbound with one of the Harborough Rail 150 shuttles - 18/9/00.
Leamington Spa
16 - 5051 Drysllwyn Castle / Earl Bathurst passes northbound on The Castle Jubilee rail tour from Paddington to the Severn Valley Railway - 8/9/84.
17 - A memory of a famous named train of the past is stirred as a HST on the northbound Pines Express runs through non-stop - 24/4/93. 18 - 37378 + 37055 pass slowly along the through road and then erupt in the distance as the signal clears to green with a maritime freightliner bound for Southampton - 24/4/93.
Tyseley
19 - On board a class 150 dmu as it travels to Tyseley from Birmingham Moor Street - 18/12/04.
20 - 4965 Rood Ashton Hall arrives and then departs on a Christmas luncheon circular tour which took in Tamworth, Bardon Hill and Nuneaton before returning to Tyseley and Dorridge- 18/12/04.
Worcester Shrub Hill
21 - D1015 Western Champion arrives on The Western Noon from Paddington and then departs with the ecs to the carriage sidings which are on the site of the old Worcester shed (85A) -17/8/02.
22 - Standard Class 5, 73096, has arrived earlier on The Cathedrals Express from Alton and is swilling out as a DMU departs. The standard moves off to the sidings and one of the lower quadrant signals is heard changing - 25/10/03.
23 - Later, 73096 departs south to Hampshire followed another lower quadrant signal going back to danger after she has passed - 25/10/03.
Northampton - Steam at Night
24 - It could almost be Peterborough North in the late 1950 s as A4, 60009 Union of South Africa , departs with several slips towards Euston on The Cheshireman - 20/9/14.
25 - 46115 Scots Guardsman plus one coach is heard passing through en route to Southall depot in order to be able to work a tour out of St Pancras two days later. The Scot seems to positively romp up the gradient to Hunsbury Hill. - 7/11/14.
26 - 46233 Duchess of Sutherland comes under Spencer Bridge and accelerates in the night air towards Rugby with the return working of a PMR Excursion to Derby - 22/11/14.
27 - Another A4, this time 4498 Bittern in LNER blue livery, accelerates southwards with the The Cathedrals Express from Chester. The three cylinder beat can be heard powering up the climb - 22/11/14.
28 - Finally, Black 5 s 44871 / 45407 depart southbound together into the night with another rail tour from Chester. It sounds almost like 50 years ago ! - 30/11/13.
11.50 (double CD)
Price includes worldwide postage.
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