On 30th & 31st May 2021 a pair of BR class 37 locomotives powered a Network Rail test train from Derby to Ipswich on the first day then from Ipswich to Derby via the freight only Sizewell Branch and the Norwich to Sheringham branch in Norfolk.

On the 30th May it is seen passing Thurston station, running about ten minutes early. After examining the times on Realtime Trains it was apparent that the Greater Anglia train to Cambridge would pass around the same time so I relocated to the southbound platform.

On 31st May the train is seen stopping at Saxmundham to collect the token for the branch and then proceding off toward the junction. There are six manually gated crossings on the branch and the train was timed for about 45 minutes to travel from Saxmundham and the Sizewell nuclear flask transfer yard at the edge of Leiston. The train did not use the last crossing in to the yard. I did manage to intercept the train at the second crossing from Saxmundham. 37421 passed at moderate power with the traction motors groaning, no more than you could expect on a low speed branch with plent of stops.

Finally, the train is seen at the crossing on King George's Avenue. I had positioned to capture the train entering the yard and moved to the crossing gate when it was clear the train would not go any further.


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00:00 Thurston Station
01:50 Saxmundham Station
04:59 Road Crossing
05:32 Leiston

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