CREWE DIVERSIONS
November 7th 2000

With various lines closed due to flooding or restricted due to repairs, Crewe seems to be taking a fair proportion of North/South traffic. Virgin trains running from London to Manchester are using Crewe and Birmingham and freight traffic which normally uses the Wrexham route is also being diverted through the Grand Junction. In the space of one hour there was quite a lot to see as the pictures reveal. 

First out was 175003 on a Holyhead-Birmingham train so the Chester line was now open after being flooded yesterday. 7/11/2000

 Next was Class 87 number 87001 "Royal Scot" on a Virgin train, so they were also running. 7/11/2000

 Another Virgin train this time with Inter-City liveried Class 86 number 86234. These locomotives can be distinguished from the Class 87's by the windscreens, Class 87's have two panes. 7/11/2000

 Mainline liveried 37216 was on the Middlewich-Warrington freight again. 7/11/2000

 86401 "Hertfordshire Railtours" entered platform 12 with a mail train and soon departed up the West Coast Main Line. 7/11/2000

 Class 47 number 47843 "Atlas" left the Diesel Depot and took the centre road before departing along the Chester line. 7/11/2000

Another Class 86 hauled Virgin train departed South. 7/11/2000

Class 60 number 60003 "Freight Transport Association" entered the centre road with a steel coil train which, I understand, should have run via Wrexham. The Wrexham line was closed due to flooding. 7/11/2000

 Another mail train this time double headed by Class 67 number 67030 and Class 47 number 47736 "Cambridge Traction & Rolling Stock Depot". 67030 is the last member of its class to be introduced. 7/11/2000

The train, comprising 13 vans, stopped at the North end of platform 12 where the two diesels were detached and Class 90 number 90028 took over. The diesels then went onto the depot yard to join 67011 and 67029 - 10% of the Class. 7/11/2000

90028 "Vrachiverbinding" takes over at the head of the mail train, presumably en route to Warrington. 7/11/2000

 37421 arrived in platform 11 on 1D71 the 12.07 Birmingham-Holyhead. 7/11/2000

 Meanwhile 60003 with its load of steel strip was still waiting for a green at the North end of the station. 7/11/2000

 While round the back of the station, the two diesels off the mail train were heading for Crewe Diesel Depot. 7/11/2000

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