Modern Traction Archive: Volume 31 (Bletchley WCML and Wellington area, Somerset). British Trains

This programme concludes our periodic look at action from the West Coast Mainline at Bletchley, this time from 1987. A whole of locomotive-hauled services are seen passing through the station including, Intercity, parcels, freightliner, speedlink freight and empty stock workings. Individual locomotive numbers featured are: 31 101, 146, 162, 168, 215, 296 & 401; 47 337, 81 011, 013 & 019; 85 011, 013, 015, 019, 028, 031, 035, 036 & 040; 86 102, 103, 206, 208, 213, 215, 217, 222, 223, 228, 230, 236, 238, 239, 240, 243, 249, 251, 252, 253, 254, 257, 259, 260, 262, 401, 402, 404, 405, 407, 412, 413, 414, 417, 421, 422, 423, 427, 428, 430, 431, 432, 434, 435, 436 and 438; 87 001, 008, 011, 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 023, 034 and 035. With such a wealth and quantity of traction this programme is a must for anyone interested in UK electric traction.
In the second part of this programme we travel to the Devon-Somerset border in 1988 to witness passenger and freight train operations between Taunton and Exeter. Cross-country, London Intercity services, parcels, fuel, speedlink, cement, china clay and ballast duties are all seen. Motive power featured includes: 31 288, 450 and 460; 33 012, 015, 021, 030, 035, 039, 046, 048, 057, 064, 110, 115, and 201; 37 072, 131, 263, 672, 673, 675 and 675; 47 002, 116, 144, 211, 214, 225, 235, 293, 313, 345, 353, 360, 442, 478, 480, 508, 513, 521, 526, 528, 536, 552, 566, 582, 583, 585, 588, 590, 591, 592, 599, 603, 611, 619, 620, 624, 625, 626, 627, 645, 653, 654, 658, 662, 664 and 665, 50 001, 009, 012, 015, 017, 022, 029, 031, 034, 040, 041, 042, 044, 046, 048 and 149. The West of England mainline had a surprisingly wide variety of train types to be seen as well as a good quantity of freight train services and intercity loco-hauled passenger services, which can be seen in this programme. This includes weekday and summer Saturday workings with large-logo,liveried class 50 and blue-liveried class 31s in charge. If you’re into pure nostalgia or modelling the then railway scene, this programme is an ideal accompaniment to any collection.