On July 7th I heard there was a couple of special coming through Reading so living just down the road I just had to pop down.
Britannia class 70017 Oliver Cromwell was booked to come through so I thought as I havnt seen it for a little while its worth a shot.
Also the Hastings Diesel Unit was due in just as Cromwell departs, so this means I have to give priority to one or the other.
I knew the Hastings was due in on platform 7 but I didn't know which platform Cromwell was headed so I tried to find the best place to catch them both which isn't easy as the station is undergoing a major rebuild.
Then a station announcement came saying it was due on platform 10 which was the other side of the station so I got in position to get shots of it coming in.
Fortunately it came in a minute or so early which gave me chance to get a couple of shots then dash over the other side for the hastings unit.
As the steamer was pulling out I could see a slim strip of yellow in the distance which was motor car 60016 "Mountfield"
There are currently 3 operational Hastings Motorcars and 60016 has been painted with a full yellow end which a small number carried in the late 60's.
Unfortunatly there was a First Great Western HST in platform 8 blocking my view but after a little bit of cursing it cruised out exposing the full length of the platform.
As it rolled in I managed to get shots of all 6 vehicles in the formation, and as it was only in for 3 minutes I had to dash down the platform to get shots of it departing.
So Happy with my efforts I wandered back over to platform to wait for my train back to Reading West as the heavens opened so I was thankful of the shelter then there was an announcement saying to stand clear of platform 9 as a non stopping train was coming through.
I though this would be a freight hauled by the regular 59's or 66's but instead it was a 67 hauling the Orient Express Pullmans.
Well you can't win them all but I got some good shots of Cromwell and the Hastings which you can't beat for 10 minutes work
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| Oliver Cromwell sitting under the new station complex at Reading |
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| The hastings unit lead by 60016 alongside platform 7 |
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