Thursday 28th March ~ Slow train to Preston

Going up to Blackpool for Easter. My ride from London Euston to Preston was 390 128 City of Preston on the 11.33 Euston-Preston additional. This train called at Rugby, Crewe, Warrington and Wigan and was somewhat slackly timed, spending several minutes at each of it's station stops. Some things I saw on the way... preserved 86's NSE liveried 86401 Northampton Town and InterCity liveried 86213 Lancashire Witch at Willesden, along with Cola's liveried 86701 Orion. At Wembley, 90047 was at the head of 4L97 Trafford Park-Felixstowe freightliner, while alongside pointing in the other direction were 86628 + 86622 with 4M54 Tilbury-Crewe freightliner. In Wembley yard were royal 67006 Royal Sovereign and 90018 newly painted in DB Schenker livery. Heading north we overtook 66590 on 4M94 Felixstowe-Lawley Street freightliner at Cheddington, and at Bletchley passed 66955 heading south with 4L93 Lawley Street-Felixstowe. While we were stopped at Rugby, 66424 went past at 12.22 with 4S44 Daventry-Coatbridge intermodal, although we re-overtook it south of Nuneaton. At Crewe Basford Hall, 66513 was reversing with a ballast train, while over at the LNWR depot were 86247 in Europhoenix livery, and much travelled, now DRS liveried 47712 Pride of Carlisle. At Warrington Arpley, 66102 was at the head of a train of concrete sleepers, also present were 60092 and 09106. At Preston, 57308 was lurking in the bay behind the old parcels platform.

The nameplate of Pendolino 390 128 City of Preston, at Preston

Finally at Preston it was on to 142 039 with the 15.02 to Blackpool South (13.50 ex Colne), which I took to Squires Gate.