28+30/03/09


16210 at Wisbech © Rob Brooks

Spent the weekend gone on the Mid Norfolk Railway so iv seen very few X9 movements, but i was made aware of the following:

Saturday:
16210 - R560DRP was in place to do the 0805 Wisbech - Cambridge, this being the last of the DRP lot i needed for photo.

Monday:
un/id B10 PS was on the 0540 Long Sutton - Cambridge, running about 5 late.
20855 - P855GND was on the 0640 Wisbech - Peterborough, ontime throughout, normaly as Olympian turn this, when it got to Peterborough it then done a 24A Oundle turn
16210 - R560DRP was on the 1715 Wisbech - Ely. Ta Gerard for this one.

26 and 27/03/09

26/03
Gerard Informs me that 16216 - R566DRP done the 1715 Wisbech - Ely departing at 1716.

27/03
20855 - P855GND done the 1335 Peterborough - Wisbech and the 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge

16212 - R562DRP done the 1340 Cambridge - Wisbech, 1605 Wisbech - Peterborough and finaly the 1735 Peterborough - Wisbech.

25/03/09 ~ Tuesday and Wedensday

24/03
16213 - R563DRP 0835 Peterborough - Wisbech and 1005 Wisbech - Cambridge
Was 3 late at Eye 0853
Ontime Horsefair 0930
1005 to Cambridge depart 1007 2 late
20533 - P533ESA on 1035 36 Wisbech - Peterborough
33806 - R806YUD parked OOU
16212 - R562DRP 1715 Wisbech - Ely

25/03
20534 - P534ESA 0540 Long Sutton - Cambridge 7 late Elm 6 early March Board Street and left ontime
16217 - R567DRP 0645 X7 March - Cambridge ontime leaving March Broard Street and 3 early at Drummer Street
16216 - R566DRP 0705 Chatteris - Wisbech ontime
16214 - R564DRP 1305 Wisbech - Cambridge depart 1308. With thanks to Gerard for this.
16212 - R562DRP 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge arrived 8 late ay 1731 vice 1723 and then done 1740 Chatteris departing at 1741
20857 - P857GND 1755 March Express

23/03/09 ~ Its a MANs Job

22304 leaving Cambridge, photo © Jamie Armstrong

Today, 22304 - AE51RXZ done the 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge and 1740 Cambridge - Chatteris. Thanks to Jamie for the gen on this!!
Jamie also informs 16216 - R566DRP on the 1755 X7 March Express.

21/03/09 ~ March in March again!

As mentioned in the previous blog, i was able to view a few operations in March on Saturday:
20210 ~ N210LTN 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge ontime in March
20531 ~ P531ESA 1540 Cambridge - Long Sutton passing March Railway Station 4 late at 1731
16216 ~ R566DRP 1715 Wisbech - Ely passing March Railway Station at 17465, running 3 early.

20/03/09 ~ More from Mr G

Gerard is again the saviour of todays little log, informing me that 16214 - R564DRP was on the 1040 Cambridge - Wisbech, running 5 late arriving at the Horsefair at 1305.

16216 - R566DRP was seen heading along Churchill Road in Wisbech bound for the Horsefair at 1400 on the 1140 from Cambridge.

Dodgey Dart 33806 - R806YUD was on 39s today, a cascade to Peterborough from Cambridge.

Thanks Gerard yet again for the infomation. I myself am in March today, keep an eye out for a update tonight.

19/03/09 ~ Bits and Bobs

16587 - S588BCE done the 1205 Wisbech - Cambidge today, with 33324 - P324EFL being in use on the Wisbech - Long Sutton 39 turns.

Yesterday, 20533 - P533ESA left Wisbech at 1355 to Cambridge, probaly as a result of the chaos on the A47!

All above info recieved from Mr. G

Adam D informs me that 20513 - R513KSA is on the 1740 Cambridge - Chatteris.

17/03/09 ~ Tales Of A Trident

17079 at Peterborough Queensgate after arriving on the 1605 from Wisbech. © Rob Brooks


16212 [left] and X9 regular 16217 [right] at Wisbech Horsefair © Rob Brooks

Today started off with a text message from Jamie, saying ALX400 Trident 17079 - T679KPU was on the 0645 X7, and will do the 0840 X9 to Wisbech

I checked the timetables and found this would later do the 1340 from Cambridge to Wisbech, which then does the 1605 Peterborough, which id planned to go on. Superb.

17079s day, therefor goes something like this.

0645 X7 March - Cambridge
0840 X9 Cambridge - Wisbech
1105 X9 Wisbech - Cambridge
1340 X9 Cambridge - Wisbech
1605 36 Wisbech - Peterborough
1735 36 Peterborough - Wisbech

And will now, presumably, berth at Long Sutton for the night, and will do either the 0540 Long Sutton - Cambridge, 0640 Likewise, or 0640 Peterborough. If it stables elsewhere, then, to be frank, i havent a clue what itl do!!
This isint to say, however, that 17079s day went trouble free.
17079 arrived at the Horsefair at 1604, 4 late and formed 1605 Wisbech - Peterborough which departed at 1613 after a lot of high pitched screeching from the cab, including the driver checking all the emergancy exits, but still the screech continued, as far as the Horsefair roundabout, when the what I can only assume was the burglar alarm kicked in! Eventualy, the problem was sorted and we moved again 1623, now 13 late. Arrived Queensgate 1715, 15 late.

Others on the X9 today are as follows:

16217 - R567DRP 1240 Cambridge - Wisbech 3 late arriving at Wisbech Horsefair and then done the 1605 to Cambridge departing 2 late at 1607

16212 - R562DRP 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge

16213 - R563DRP 1540 Peterborough - Wisbech approaching Wisbech St Mary 1630, stuck behind a tractor, and Jamie informs me it also done the 0940 off Cambridge to Wisbech and that 20575 - M475ASW did the 17.55 x7 Express to March from Cambridge.

16/03/09 ~ Missing In Action

Un/id Olympian 1340 Cambridge - Wisbech witnessed from my garden at 1600, and un/id B10PS thingy on 1540 Cambridge - Wisbech, witnessed from co-op carpark....yes it was a busy day for me today!! So, anyhelp with gaps would be most welcome!! Thanks.

14/03/09 ~ March in March



16217 passing along Station Road in March on the 0940 Cambridge - Wisbech © Rob Brooks

16210 and 16588 (furthest) await 2 Cross Country 170s to depart March before proceeding. © Rob Brooks

Today i spent the day on the trains in March, but thankfully i was also able to observe a few X9 movements.

I travelled on the 0705 from Wisbech (0640 Long Sutton - Cambridge) which produced 16217 -R567DRP and was 3 early getting to March Railway Station. I also saw this on the 0940 Cambridge - Wisbech running about 3 late.

16214 - R564DRP done the 1105 Wisbech - Cambridge, and was seen passing March Railway Station at 1132, 6 early on its scheduled time of 1138.

20210 - N210LTN done the 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge, i saw this leaving its Broard Street stop 2 mins early than its booked departure time of 1540.

16210 - R560DRP, as seen in above photograph, done the 1605 Wisbech - Cambridge, and was 6 early at the Railway Station in March, and it met fellow Olympian 16588 -S588BCE, running 5 late going the other way on the 1440 Cambridge - Wisbech, which provided my ride back to base.

12/03/09 ~ Just the one

16214 on the bypass roundabout in Elm on the 1340 from Cambridge. © Rob Brooks

As you can see from the photo, the only working i managed to see today was the 1340 Cambridge - Wisbech, which produced Volvo Olympian 16214 - R564DRP, already blinded to do the 1605 Wisbech Horsefair - Peterborough Queensgate. 16214 was running approxomatly 7 late when photographed.

11/03/09 ~ The bus that dosent exist, but it does!

On Wedensday, i was traveling over to Wisbech as normal, and after checking the 36 timetable, i saw i could catch the 1235. Which was handy, because my 32 from Whittlesea arrived at 1230.

So i walked over to Ackland Street to see what bus id have, and 20530 was parked up, showing Wisbech 36. Not the best bus to have, but at least it was there, so over to Queensgate i went.

1235 came and went, and at 1300 i rechecks the timetable. Lo and behold the 36 at 1235 is from Wisbech! What a plonker i was!

Never mind, it gave me the chance to try out the Wedensdays only Route 390, which takes the very senic route to Wisbech, and the bus that was on it was Stagecoach In The Fens only remianing MCV Evolution bodied dart, 33311 ~ AE56MDN.

Anyways, back ontopic now, and the relevant X9 and 36 bits.:
20530 - P530ESA 1335 36 Peterborough - Wisbech. As already said, it was parked up at Ackland Street, and was then seen arriving Wisbech Horsefair at 1428, 2 mins early and empty.
16588 - S588BCE 1235 Wisbech - Peterborough arriving at Peterborough at 1332
16012 - P812GMU arrrived Wisbech Horsefair at 1504, 4 late on the 1240 from Cambridge, showing X9 Chatteris on the blind
20530 then worked the 1505 Wisbech - Cambridge.

10/03/09 ~ Wisbech Observations

Gerard emailed me the following this evening:


13.05 Wisbech to Cambridge was 16012 - P812GMU.
20855 - P855GND went empty at 17.05 from Wisbech to Long Sutton.


Thanks for those, G.

I myself will be in Wisbech from Wedensday afternoon, heres hoping i can see some operations.

09/03/09 ~ March Observations

This afternoon i found myself in March for a few hours, noted the following.

20855 - P855GND 1405 Wisbech - Cambridge 4 early march train station, then after a passenger and freight passed was ontime. Arrived cambridge 1620 Thanks to Adam D for that.

16587 - S587BCE 11 late passing March railway station at 1638 on the 1440 from Cambridge. It was allready late, and was delayed by the same two trains as above. I thought id missed the sighting!!

Un/Id Olympian on 1605 Wisbech - Cambridge (likely 16587) passed March Railway Station 8 early

08/03/09 ~ Updates

Gerard was in touch yesterday and informed me of the following:

Thursday, 16587 - S587BCE arrived at Wisbech Horsefair at 1305 on the 1040 from Cambridge, 5 mins late.

Friday, 20854 - P854GND departed Wisbech Horsefair on the 1305 to Cambridge at 1307, 2 mins late.

Saturday, Adam informs me that 16212 - R562DRP was seen arriving at Cambridge Drummer Street at 1130. This would have been the 0905 from Wisbech arriving 7 late.

I also saw an un/id B10M PS on the 1640 Cambridge - Wisbech at March at 1840.


Thanks to those who have been able to send me info whilst i havent been able to go out myself.

04/03/09 ~ Wisbech Observations

20855 - P855GND done the 1035 36 to Peterborough and the 1335 return, arriving at the Horsefair at 1427, 3 mins early. It then went on to do the 1505 to Cambridge.

16217 - R567DRP done the 0840 Cambridge - Wisbech, terminating at 1102, 2 mins late. It then headed back to Cambridge on the 1105.

16214 - R564DRP was seen on the 1240 Cambridge - Wisbech, also 2 minuites late. This would have worked back on the 1505.

03/03/09 ~ A few bits

Monday 2nd, Jamie noted 16023 - P823GMU on the 1755 X7 Cambridge - March.

Tuesday 3rd, i was on works communications course in Ely,and noted 16591 - S591BCE swinging into Ely Tescos at 0850 on the 0640 Long Sutton - Cambridge running 5 late.

Gerard noted 16214 - R564DRP on the 1305 Wisbech - Cambridge.

26-28/02/09 ~ The Past Few Days

Iv not been totaly dedicated to the upkeep of the blog for the past few days, so i apollogise for that:

On thursday, Trident 17079 was back out earning its keep on the X9 by doing the 1240 Cambridge - Wisbech and inplace for the 1505 back.

Then also it should have done the 1740 Cambridge - Chatteris. Thanks to Jamie & Adam at Cambridge for the info on this.

Friday saw 17079 AGAIN out on the X9! and Olympian 16013 - P813GMU done the 1305 Wisbech - Cambridge. Thanks to Gerard for the info on the Olympian.

Intresting times ahead for the X9. Some service changes have been registered to change the routing and timetable, when these become clear i shall update the blog.