Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

It was all going so well until the pantograph on the loco hauling the 16:00 Liverpool Street to Norwich service was ripped off by the overhead wires, just outside Chelmsford, leaving the train to roll to a stop - no pantograph meaning no power for the loco or for the 1000V bus that runs the air conditioning. After Greater Anglia faffed around with about twenty different plans that were to be "put in to place", which went from a rescue loco to actually evacuating the train - which would have been totally cool if it had happened - the fabled resuce loco did finally turn up, once it had been de-coupled from another working set. It then proceeded to haul the carriages on towards Norwich, three hours later, whilst the loco with its missing pantograph was left behind. The next day, there's further joy as Liverpool Street station is down to five platforms from sixteen and the train is cancelled at Colchester. Before all of that, there's a Thursday BSCC ride out to Kennninghall Red Lion, The BBs are playing a gig in the confines of the Pennoyer Centre in Pulham St. Mary, and there's a trip to Norwich.

next album: A Weekend in the Camper Van, West Harling, Norfolk - 21st June 2014
previous album: Isobel's Race For Life, Chantry Park, Ipswich - 11th June 2014

Pip and Apple outside the Kenninghall Red Lion, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Pip and Apple outside the Kenninghall Red Lion

A brave Blackbird, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

A brave Blackbird

Apple looks around, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Apple looks around

A pitcure of the R34 airship, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

A pitcure of the R34 airship

In Pulham St. Mary, the sight of a derelict pub, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

In Pulham St. Mary, the sight of a derelict pub

Max, Rob and Henry outside the Pennoyer Centre, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Max, Rob and Henry outside the Pennoyer Centre

A duck and its offspring take a walk, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

A duck and its offspring take a walk

Peace and quiet on a briefly-empty train, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Peace and quiet on a briefly-empty train

An empty Mark 3 coach, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

An empty Mark 3 coach

An old Class 47 diesel waits at Norwich Station, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

An old Class 47 diesel waits at Norwich Station

Class 47 47805 'John Scott' at Norwich, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Class 47 47805 'John Scott' at Norwich

Platforms at Norwich station, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Platforms at Norwich station

A large derelict warehouse or factory, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

A large derelict warehouse or factory

Some groovy graffiti under a road bridge, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Some groovy graffiti under a road bridge

The driver jumps off the train, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

The driver jumps off the train

The driver talks to the guard, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

The driver talks to the guard

Network Rail staff look for the lost pantograph, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Network Rail staff look for the lost pantograph

There's a discussion by the guard's van, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

There's a discussion by the guard's van

Engineers attach rescue loco 'Lord Nelson', Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Engineers attach rescue loco 'Lord Nelson'

A ladder is hauled out, just in case, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

A ladder is hauled out, just in case

Class 90 90005 'Lord Nelson' is stuck on the front, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Class 90 90005 'Lord Nelson' is stuck on the front

The dead train is hauled off, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

The dead train is hauled off

The train trundles off, with the loco missing, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

The train trundles off, with the loco missing

A single Class 153 unit rumbles through Diss, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

A single Class 153 unit rumbles through Diss

500 people pile off the terminated train at Colchester, Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

500 people pile off the terminated train at Colchester

Another shot of the brake wagon at Shenfield , Railway Hell: A Pantograph Story, Chelmsford, Essex - 17th June 2014

Another shot of the brake wagon at Shenfield

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Pip and Apple outside the Kenninghall Red Lion

Pip and Apple outside the Kenninghall Red Lion

A brave Blackbird

Apple looks around

A pitcure of the R34 airship

In Pulham St. Mary, the sight of a derelict pub

Max, Rob and Henry outside the Pennoyer Centre

A duck and its offspring take a walk

Peace and quiet on a briefly-empty train

An empty Mark 3 coach

An old Class 47 diesel waits at Norwich Station

Class 47 47805 'John Scott' at Norwich

Platforms at Norwich station

A large derelict warehouse or factory

Some groovy graffiti under a road bridge

The driver jumps off the train

The driver talks to the guard

Network Rail staff look for the lost pantograph

There's a discussion by the guard's van

Engineers attach rescue loco 'Lord Nelson'

A ladder is hauled out, just in case

Class 90 90005 'Lord Nelson' is stuck on the front

The dead train is hauled off

The train trundles off, with the loco missing

A single Class 153 unit rumbles through Diss

500 people pile off the terminated train at Colchester

Another shot of the brake wagon at Shenfield