69009 Honeybourne 2 March 2026

This is definitely not the picture I intended to take at Honeybourne on 2 March 2026! What should have been the 5Q70 14:42 Long Marston to Wimbledon Park Depot Sidings, conveying a pair of Class 701 EMUs, turned out to be this light engine move. 69009 Western Consort had arrived at Long Marston on time as the 0V70 08:49 Leicester Loco Inspection Point to Long Marston, but when eventually the loco reappeared at Honeybourne 42 minutes late, the small group of photographers on the bridge were not impressed to see there was no train! Presumably there was some problem coupling up, or releasing the brakes, as has often happened before. The loco stabled in Honeybourne Sidings, and then went back from whence it came the following morning as the 0Z69 09:30 Honeybourne Sidings to Leicester Loco Inspection Point. What a complete waste of time and diesel!