Jack Jolley Railway Blog

26/12/2025

A mixed set of locomotive and movement types at Springs Branch including an LSL class 37.

An interesting mix of freight trains, empty coaching stock and light engine moves seen speeding along the west coast main line south of Wigan on the afternoo...

23/12/2025

The Lumo Class 222 returns south after a successful period further north on route leaning jobs.

A look into what will be the normal in 2026 with Former East Midlands Railway Class 222 Meridian unit 222005 speeds south along the west coast main line and ...

22/12/2025

The Northern Belle train passes Ince which is pretty rare on another excursion around various parts of the north west.

West Coast Railways Class 57 locomotives 57313 "Scarborough Castle" and 57315 slowly cruise through Ince station just east of Wigan on the afternoon of Satur...

20/12/2025

A western locomotive passes Ince station Wigan for the first time ever marking the sad end to operations for Pathfinder Railtour company

D1015 Western Champion making an extra special and unusual sight passing Ince (Manchester) station just outside central Wigan on the afternoon of Saturday 20...

17/12/2025

Rail Operations Group Class 93s seen twice on the wcml heading upto Scotland and collect a Class 334 unit before seeing tye actual drag move on consecutive days.

Rail Operations Group Class 93 locomotives are seen twice on consecutive days speeding north and south along the west coast main line through Springs Branch ...

16/12/2025

Finally managed to catch the new this year Avanti West Coast poppy train on recognition of remembrance day with special poppy's painted onto the side

Avanti West Coast has joined the Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland to create and transport a wreath to London on its specially decorated train ahead of ...

15/12/2025

37116 & 37425 Passes Springs Branch - 15th December 2025

Colas Rail Freight liveried class 37 locomotive 37116 is seen hauling Regional Railways liveried 37425 "Concrete Bob" south along the west coast main line an...

14/12/2025

Class 60 hauled sand train speeds through Bryn on a cold December night.

GBRF Class 60 locomotive still wearing it's former employers Colas Rail livery seen seen charging westbound through Bryn station near Wigan on the cold night...

12/12/2025

66786
4F57 1058 Hams Hall Gbrf to Seaforth C.T. (Gbrf)

Crossing the Leeds Liverpool canal Leigh Branch (Bamfurlong Bridge) which Bamfurlong junction is just to the right off.

Friday 12th December 2025

11/12/2025

A video from earlier in the year when a class Freightliner Class 70 made a rare appearance.

Freightliner Class 70 locomotive speeds south along the west coast main line and through Bamfurlong south of Wigan on the afternoon of Wednesday 9th April 20...

08/12/2025

Another sad day. I'm lead to believe West Coast Railways will no takeover rescuing trains with likely 57s.

Today marks the end of our provision of Thunderbird duties on the West Coast Main Line.
For the past 13 years, DRS has been on call to clear the line in the event of a Pendolino breakdown.
Avanti West Coast – and Virgin before them – has relied on DRS to rescue Pendolinos and ensure passenger journeys experience the least possible disruption when something goes wrong.
Avanti has expressed its thanks for DRS’s support over the years, recognising that DRS has often gone above and beyond when called into action. We would like to thank all of our, traincrew, engineers and everyone who has contributed to making this service a success.
F.A.B.

06/12/2025

The class 90 locomotive is the spotlight in another edition of Icons Of British Rail series

Welcome to another episode in my series of Icons of British Rail where we put together movies of each individual locomotive we focus on each month. In today'...