Col, correct, flasks to Sizewell to pick up spent fuel rods, which were then transported to Sellafield I think for processing as fuel for French reactors.
Rob, you may find these views helpful
Twin 37's were the norm, gorgeous evening on Belstead Bank, you could hear them growling all the way from East Ipswich Jct up the grade, I got here early and spent some time removing all the twigs and dead fern foliage in the foreground, missed that one at far left though......
For a while we had twin choppers on the run, they were nice to listen to.
Belstead bank, it's hard to see here but it's throwing it down from a summer shower, I'd gone to do pan shots and got some really nice 91 and DVT pans so wasn't set up for a full consist pan, it was late in the evening and I had thought 6L69 had already gone so it caught me by surprise, hence the foreground clutter. I bottled it and ramped up the shutter for a half pan rather than a full pan and botched exposure or shake.
The loco only shot came out much better though, but no flasks in view.
Poor timing as the branch at right just clipped the lead loco.
Of course, being DRS, things could get mixed up.
Best yet was this spectacle coped near Woodbridge. I'd scoped this location out a while back and actually wanted one further around the bend that showed the big arch bridge (where the class 20 elevated back lit shot was taken from) but didn't get there in time.
My mate was on nights at Colchester PSB as was I on the Port and he tipped me it was a triple header but the gen was that the lead 37 was going to come off at Willesden. Just after 04:00 he told me it was still on and he knew I finished at 07:00, it'd be close getting here. The foliage is really thick so I had to use a long lens to get a decent shot, my mate said put your high viz on and get ready. soon as it came round the bend the crew saw me, nice tones and full throttle with a friendly wave, he'd tipped them I'd be there
I wandered back to Woodbridge which was a mandatory stop, even if they had the token they would always stop, the station buffet cooked a really good bacon sarnie and the crew would debunk, grab a handful and then board and chug off.
6M69 and 6L70 never advertised or ran to any set schedule but most of the time it was a Weds or Thursday and arrived in Ipswich either in morning darkness or around five or six in the evening.
The furthest south I ever managed to bag 6L70 was Brantham at 06:30 , another mate of mine got it crossing the Manningtree bridges with almost prefect mirror waters, cracking photo it was. I couldn't get there in time and bailed out at Brantham, even then there was only minutes to spare. Then I had to leg it back to work for a 07:00 start, I did it....just!
I was lucky as I was part of a group where some had access to TOPS and one was a Colchester signalling supervisor and working shifts it was easy to pick it off, I say easy, you knew the day but the time was still a case of sitting line side for hours to catch it.
There was a period when Sizewell A was being decommissioned and they ran three sometimes four trains a week, usually single flasks but three was the most I saw. Prior to that we went nearly three months with no flasks at all.
The nearer you got to Leiston and the loading point the more chance of the BTP nabbing you and moving you on, they used to patrol every 15 mins or so and all day.
Sorry for the flood posts, summer 2010 - summer 2011 were good years to chase the 'flasks'
