Sunday 28th March seen a trial service take place along the Coventry - Nuneaton line in conjunction with The Wasps -vs- Harlequins game at the Coventry Arena (formerly Ricoh Arena).

Since opening in January 2016, the station has received much bad publicity mainly due to the fact that despite being situated next to the Arena, there would be no extra capacity available on match days or events due to London Midland only using a single coach Class 153 DMU which can only carry 75 passengers. 

To overcome this, The Wasps and London Midland, in a joint venture with DB Schenker hired in a 6-coach train set formed of former Anglia Railways MKII coaches from Riviera Trains. The motive power came in the shape of 2 Class 67 diesel locomotives with one at each end of the set to ease run round at Nuneaton and Coventry stations. The particular loco's on the day was EWS-liveried 67028 and Royal Train 67006 Royal Sovereign with the latter being on the Nuneaton end from Coventry.

I took full advantage of the day and photographed the train at various points along the Coventry - Nuneaton line starting off at Bermuda Park Station, another new station which also opened on 18th January 2016 alongside Coventry Arena. Unlike the usual London Midland service -  which on this day was in the hands of 153364 and 153354, the loco-hauled service did not call at Bermuda Park or Bedworth, only just stopping at Coventry Arena and then Coventry.

TIMINGS.

• 2T01 12:18 Coventry - Nuneaton.
• 2T02 12:50 Nuneaton - Coventry.
• 2T03 13:20 Coventry - Nuneaton.
• 2T04 13:50 Nuneaton - Coventry.
• 2T05 14:19 Coventry - Nuneaton.
• 2T06 14:50 Nuneaton - Coventry.
• 5T08 15:25 Coventry - Nuneaton.
• 2T08 16:50 Nuneaton - Coventry.
• 2T07 17:19 Coventry - Nuneaton.
• 2T10 17:50 Nuneaton - Coventry.
• 2T09 18:19 Coventry - Nuneaton.
• 2T12 18:50 Nuneaton - Coventry.

Personally, I can't figure why it was an ECS movement from Coventry back to Nuneaton but I'm sure there was a reason.

​ 67028 Nuneaton.67028 recesses in Platform 1 at Nuneaton Station whilst awaiting it's next diagram; 2T08 16:50 Nuneaton - Coventry service.