June 2023

Minus its bogies which are under refurbishment, 59002 'Alan J Day' basks in the afternoon sunshine at Freightliner's Midland Road site in Hunslet (02/06/2023)

66518 and 66955 top-and-tail three empty intermodal flat wagons past Balm Road whilst en route from Hunslet Yard across to Midland Road via Engine Shed Junction as an unscheduled 6G02 trip working (02/06/2023)

66756 'Royal Corps of Signals' catches the low evening sun as it rounds the curve towards Hunslet Station Junction with an additional 6E44 1619 Bredbury Tarmac - Hunslet Tilcon empty stone train (02/06/2023)

Northern's 150108 accelerates away from Smithy Bridge with the 2K63 1720 Blackburn - Rainford (05/06/2023)

Following closely behind was 60002 'Graham Farish' at the head of 6M09 1628 Drax - Liverpool Biomass Terminal. The aim of the exercise had been to capture this train from the road bridge behind me at Belfield, but sadly that's another view that's been consumed by nature since I was last here four years ago (05/06/2023)

218824 + 218834 on 'Thunderbird' duty at Stuttgart Hbf (08/06/2023)

My intended move out of Stuttgart involved the 'SVG Freizeitexpress' to Singen, which as today was 'Ascension Day' was due to operate in addition to its normal weekend slot. Unfortunately the train was cancelled at short notice due to a technical fault. Instead, an ICE to Ulm via the new high speed line, for an overcrowded '633' unit forward got me to Immenstadt, where 218414 rounds the curve into the station at the head of IC2084 0937 Oberstdorf - Hannover (08/06/2023)

Under an almost clear blue sky, 218414 departs Kempten Hbf for Augsburg via Buchloe with IC2084 (08/06/2023)

Shortly afterwards 218425 + 218429 arrive into Kempten from the south at the head of IC2012 (08/06/2023)

After arriving with IC2012 the pair are seen on the blocks at Stuttgart Hbf before moving out to the sidings to await the arrival of their back-working (08/06/2023)

218494 prepares to depart Stuttgart Hbf for the shed with a failed Class '443' EMU that was unable to move under its own power (08/06/2023)

After this morning's disappointment with the Singen 'bike train' the day hit a new low with the cancellation of IC2013 at Stuttgart thanks to the combined impact of an incident at Bad Canstatt and an hour of torrential rain which followed a thunderstorm. In a bid to salvage something I had a run up to Heidelberg, where I nearly missed my train back after the guard was unable to release the doors for several minutes after arrival! 101068 + 101035 are seen here at the head of the delayed IC118 0854 Innsbruck - Dortmind Hbf as the crew continued to try and rectify the problem (08/06/2023)

618.629 awaits departure from Budapest Deli with the 'Balaton Brush' railtour to Fonyod. The 'Nohab' was a late replacement for the unavailable 47375, which was still undergoing repairs in the early hours in a bid to get it ready for the train (10/06/2023)

On the rear of the train was Romanian- built Sulzer-engined 60 0734, seen here during a pathing stop at Badacsonytordemic-Szigliget (10/06/2023)

Another view of the '60' at Tapolca alongside 418 318 at the head of E 19705 1136 to Budapest-Deli (10/06/2023)

Seven hours on a RailJet from Budapest to Munich, an ICE forward to Ulm and then another hour on a kart down the Südbahn delivered me to Friedrichshafen, where after the disappointment of Thursday it was time to bag my 100th '218' for haulage. NESA's immaculate 218105 sparkles in the low evening sunshine at Plochingen as it waits time with SVG19932 1607 Singen (Hohentweil) - Stuttgart 'freizeit express' (11/06/2023)

Stranger in the Allgäu: Niebüll's 218345 is a long way from home as it waits to depart Oberstdorf for Augsburg with IC2084 0937 to Hannover. For reasons as yet unknown the loco seemingly worked the previous afternoon's IC2085 in place of the anticipated 218446 (12/06/2023)

218425 + 218414 enjoy the early morning sunshine prior to departing Oberstdorf for Stuttgart with IC2012 0950 to Dortmund Hbf (12/06/2023)

Just under an hour later the pair are seen arriving into Immenstadt with IC2012 (12/06/2023)

218345 departs Immenstadt for Augsburg with IC2084 as 218414 + 218425 back onto IC2012 after the run round (12/06/2023)

218425 + 218414 are coupled to the front of IC2013 0950 ex-Dortmund at Stuttgart Hbf prior to working forward to Oberstdorf (12/06/2023)

218425 + 218414 are pictured again at Immenstadt as they run round before the last leg of their journey up the 21km long branch line into the mountains (12/06/2023)

218414 + 218425 at journey's end after arriving into Oberstdorf with IC2013. The stunning backdrop is I believe the 2224m high Nebelhorn (12/06/2013)

The following morning 218425 was in charge of IC2084 0937 Oberstdorf - Hannover as far as Augsburg, and is seen here prior to departure (13/06/2023)