Lage Zwaluwe is the junction for both the Moerdijk and Oosterhout branches, that the tour was to explore. It's also where the mainline to Venlo and Germany parts company from that to Roosendal and Belgium. Freight activity is intense. This class 66 is in charge of ERS train 40131 a Maasvlakte (Rotterdam) to Padova (Padua) intermodal. 2712x1703 20070707_01.jpg |
Whilst waiting seven freight trains passed. This is a Veolia operated intermodal, probably heading for Blerick in SE Holland, behind Vossloh G1206. 2642x1728 20070707_02.jpg |
A semi-fast train, bound for Breda so I was told, approaching Lage Zwaluwe station 2816x1614 20070707_03.jpg |
Eventually the special, train no.38000 appeared from the direction of Moerdijk, already some 70 minutes late 2453x1857 20070707_04.jpg |
As it approached a Railion train of laden coal hoppers bound for Germany appeared on the flyover 2648x1619 20070707_05.jpg |
6703 is an ex-SNCB 6200 class. Built by BN it is powered by an EMD 12-567C 3028x2002 20070707_06.jpg |
It continued through Lage Zwaluwe on to the Oosterhout branch whilst it's fellow ACTS fleet members rested in the sunshine. 5814 is in VOS Logistics livery, whilst 1251 is dressed conventionally in ACTS blue 2899x1653 20070707_07.jpg |
A couple of shots of the 5814... 1773x2556 20070707_08.jpg |
...this sticker adorning 5804's side is promoting the new Betuwe freight line across Holland, opened by the Queen in June. To date it is used by maybe one train a day. How successful it will be remains to be seen... 1892x2500 20070707_08a.jpg |
...never the most handsome of front ends it is still a pleasure to see them in regular service, even if it is a few miles distant from their original stamping grounds. 1958x2816 20070707_09.jpg |
Whilst looking around Lage Zwaluwe, this NS IC train bound for Venlo raced through the station. 2755x1834 20070707_10.jpg |
Returning from Oosterhout, the driver of 6703 gives a friendly wave. 2523x1809 20070707_11.jpg |
The Mitropa restaurant car. Mitropa (Mitteleuropäische Schlaf und Speisewagen Aktiengesellschaft - Central European Sleeping & Dining Car Company) was the German equivalent of CIWL. 2972x1787 20070707_12.jpg |
Founded in 1916 to replace services in Germany & Austria-Hungary previously operated by CIWL it's famous logo adorned the catering cars of the Deutsch Reichsbahn up to re-unification in 1989. Today it has no involvement in on-train catering anymore. 1888x2792 20070707_12a.jpg |
From Lage Zwaluwe the train, now operating as 38001 headed east towards the VSM via Breda, Tilburg, 's-Hertogenbosch, Utrecht (reversal) and Arnhem. This is the line from 's-Hertogenbosch to Utrecht, to the north of Geldermalsen. An intercity train heading towards Amsterdam behind a class 1700. 2749x1927 20070707_13.jpg |
A graffitti defaced 64-II EMU on a northbound local crossing the grade crossing 1938x2717 20070707_14.jpg |
A moment later a southbound pair of 64-II EMUs is lit by a shaft of sunlight. 2682x1739 20070707_15.jpg |
The light was a bit hit or miss at this time of the day, but thankfully behaved itself when 38001 appeared, with 5814 in pole position. 2735x1854 20070707_16.jpg |
The same could not be said about an hour later. 30 seconds before the sun was out... 2880x1798 20070707_17.jpg |
...and 20 seconds later it was too. That's 38001's tail lamp on the right. 2606x1798 20070707_18.jpg |
Beekbergen. The VSM have a number of German steam locomotives. This is 2-10-0 52-8053... 2793x1689 20070707_19.jpg |
...built by Henschel during WW2... 2450x1421 20070707_20.jpg |
...earlier in the day it had operated a wedding special using the VSM's dining train to Dieren and back. Now it was shunting... 2878x1918 20070707_21.jpg |
...this beauty, 23-076 a 2-6-2 built in 1956 for service on the Deutsch Bundesbahn. 2846x1815 20070707_23.jpg |
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0, some 20 hours after I got up, and 90 minutes later than expected courtesy of Easyjet's lamentable timekeeping (but that's another story). But it was worth it.
