West London Backwater - a photo on Flickriver

            One of the most exciting bits of news for West London railway enthusiasts is the forthcoming conversion of the Greenford Branch to battery power. Using ex TfL D Stock Underground Trains, otherwise known as Class 230s or 'Vivarail D Trains'. The 2 car ex tube stock conversions will be fast charged at West Ealing each time the train terminates there on it's half hourly service. Here, 165 125 approaches South Greenford in some, currently, rare lovely sunshine. I'll be adding more shots of workings on this route in the future before and after the Class 250s arrive. The branch is within cycle distance of home so I've shot a few workings on this backwater branch line in the past. 

The Greenford Branch itself is a bit of a survivor and many would say it's now a bit of a pointless service as well. Connecting Greenford Underground Station on the Central Line to West Ealing on the TfL Rail/GWR Mainline. It's 3 intermediate stations are all but unstaffed halts and if it wasn't for the freight that use the route it might be closed completely. In the past it was a bit different. The passenger service used to run to Paddington Station (so giving it a purpose) before Crossrail swallowed up the bit between West Ealing and Paddington. And before Old Oak Common closed as a major depot FGW services used the branch as a back entrance into the depot and for stock movements using the junction in the background. FGW HSTs used it as a diversion route as well on a number of occasions when the GWR Mainline was shut. Now it sees a bit of freight (Bins traffic), a once daily Chiltern non stop parliamentary service and this two car GWR service every half hour which carries a handful of people at a snails pace at the best of times.  The conversion to battery EMU is supposed to happen in the Spring but wait and see I think is the best guess...

Taken in: UK / England / Ealing / Greenford Green (show map)

Taken on: March 8, 2022

Tags:

Class 165

165 125

Great Western Railway

DMU

Diesel Multiple Unit

Greenford Branch

South Greenford

Branchline

Train

Railway « less

Sets appears in: • First Great Western/GWR • Diesel Multiple Units more » • Railways « less

Groups appears in: • Rail • Trains and railways more » • Railway • Railway and all the things around • London Mainline Rail • I Love Trains • UK Railways • Transport In The Frame • passenger trains • DMU's, RDC's Rail Motors • Train Photography • RailwayWorld • The Railway Age • World Trains • transport of the world • Railways of Britain • UK Trainz (Diesel 'n' Electric) • 1,000,000 TRAINS • UK Trainz - Diesel • British Multiple Units • UK Trainz • UK Class 165/166 Network Turbo • International Railroad Photography Gallery • GB Railways • UK Class 165/166/168/170/171/172 - Turbo, Clubman and Turbostar • First Class British Railways • Train Photos - Embrace The Wedge! • Trains-new and old-past and present • UK Train Pics • Train All Around The World • Diesel train the world • Transport World Wide • Train and Railway/Railroad Lovers - photos and videos.. (No 30/ • Railway Enthusiasts Camera Club • Railways in the UK • Anything Railway • Diesel & Electric Multiple Units / HST's / Trams of the World. • UK Railway photos • Diesel multiple unit • ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. • UK Diesel Multiple Units • Railroad Photography Junction • GWR - Rail • RAILROAD 1 • Worldwide Railfanning (WRP Flickr) • Transport in London, The Home Counties and South East England - • World Of Trains Europe • Railway activity around the world • Second and Third Generation Multiple Units • flickrailroad • Canon Railfan Group • ! * All forms of UK Transport no limits • Rails of London « less

Camera: Canon EOS 750D, f/8.0, 1/200 sec, 70mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 750D
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:	70mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Show full info

Stats: 2,583 views / 8 comments

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: