Back in the day...

[QJ]

Saturday 10 November 1979
(Leaping about after work as shifts allowed again, I headed north out of Euston on the Friday on the 1740 to Birmingham then
spent time shuttling between Brum and Wolves to waste time before doubling back to Rugby for 81014 on the Inverness)

81004 GW 2130 Bristol - Glasgow Central (Crewe to Wigan North Western)
85015 CE 1928 (09/11) Inverness - London Euston (Wigan North Western to Crewe)
81007 GW 2355 (09/11) Glasgow Central - Bristol Temple Meads (Crewe to Birmingham New Street)
45018 TI 2355 (09/11) Glasgow Central - Bristol Temple Meads (Birmingham New Street to Cheltenham Spa)
47463 CD 0730 Bristol Temple Meads - Manchester Piccadilly (Cheltenham Spa to Worcester Shrub Hill)
25057 LA + 25058 LA 0535 Plymouth - York Charter (Worcester Shrub Hill to York)
(via Birmingham - Stafford - Stoke - Stockport - Rochdale - Wakefield Kirkgate)

I was expecting to head back south and west on the return charter but couldn't resist a trip over the Pennines
behind a Deltic. A parallel departure from Lime Street between 86004 and 55018 provided great entertainment
until the 86 showed Ballymoss a clean pair of heels. Then followed the unexpected opportunity of class 84 haulage
whilst planning to change trains at Crewe. Another change of plan that left me with the only way south, for a private
visit to Old Oak Common, being the overnight to Gatwick from Piccadilly (according to my notes terminating at East Croydon
owing to engineering work).

55018 FP 1542 York - Liverpool Lime Street (York to Liverpool Lime Street)
86004 WN 1905 Liverpool Lime Street - London Euston (Liverpool Lime Street to Crewe)
84010 CE 1735 Glasgow Central - Manchester Piccadilly Charter (Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly)
47196 CD 2330 Manchester Piccadilly - East Croydon (Manchester Piccadilly to East Croydon)
(via Stockport - Crewe - Stafford - Rugeley - Cannock Chase - Walsall - Birmingham NS - Nuneaton - Rugby
- Weedon - Willesden Junction - Kensington Olympia - Clapham Junction)

 

[CW2]

Not so long ago, but I hope it is still of interest:

Sunday 11/11/07
43148 + 43127 1715 Reading – Paddington (1600 Bristol TM - Paddington
I was booked on the Inverness sleeper from Euston, specifically to do the diversions it was scheduled to take.

90034 2000 Euston – Crewe (2000 Euston – Inverness) via Stechford, Bescot, Bushbury
67027 + 67029 (+90034 dead and 67021 on rear for ETH) 2325 Crewe – Preston (2000 Euston – Inverness) via Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly, Salford Crescent, Bolton

In theory it is possible for 67s to share their ETH load when working in multiple, but apparently it takes a lot of faffing around requiring drivers and fitters to set it up, so it is avoided if possible. The alternative on this occasion was a pair of 67s on the front of the train (both powering but only one providing ETH), and a third 67 on the rear, for ETH purposes only (with the ETH cables uncoupled mid-way down the train). Naturally I required the one on the rear for haulage too, but of course I couldn’t count it – and in fact it turned out to be the one which eluded me for the longest. I didn’t catch up with 67021 until 2013.

It's one of those occasions when I almost wished I could be outside the train to watch it passing through (say) Bolton, with two 67s towing a dead 90 and 16 Mk 3s with another 67 on the rear. It must have been quite a sight.

Monday 12/11/07
90034 0107 Preston – Edinburgh (2000 Euston – Inverness)
67011 0420 Edinburgh – Inverness via Kirkcaldy, Dundee, Aberdeen, Elgin

The Highland Main Line was shut for several weeks for engineering work near Aviemore (?), so the Inverness sleepers were booked via Aberdeen. This was my first (and so far only) trip with a 67 between Aberdeen and Inverness. (Incidentally, there are more sleeper diversions via Elgin coming up over the next few weekends, so I assume it will still be 66 + 73 combinations. We'll see...)

After a punctual (retimed) arrival, I suppose I could have wasted the day in Inverness and come back via Aberdeen with the southbound sleepers, but I had an urgent appointment to see Reading versus Arsenal at the Madejski Stadium in Reading that evening, so desperate measures were called for:

Bus Inverness – Inverness Airport
EasyJet Inverness – Bristol
Bus Bristol Airport – Bristol Temple Meads
That is the only time I have used Inverness and Bristol airports.
43186 + 43015 1430 Bristol Temple Meads – Reading (1430 Bristol TM – Paddington)

After all that, Reading were soundly beaten 3-1 by Arsenal! Was it worth the effort?

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 11th November 1978

I picked up a couple of Class 40s between Edinburgh & Haymarket, some may say desperate, however it was the only time I had 40066 for haulage.

55009 York-Edinburgh (2230 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
40101 Edinburgh-Haymarket (0805 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
Sc51513/51800/55013 Haymarket-Edinburgh (0710 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
40066 Edinburgh-Haymarket (0845 Edinburgh-Aberdeen)
27102+27202 Haymarket-Linlithgow (0845 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
27205+27212 Linlithgow-Haymarket (0835 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
40062 Haymarket-Perth (0940 Edinburgh-Inverness)
26018 Perth-Glasgow QS (1138 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
27109+27210 Glasgow QS-Falkirk G (1405 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
27103+27208 Falkirk G-Glasgow QS (1415 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
27103+27208 Glasgow QS-Haymarket (1530 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
DMU Haymarket-Edinburgh (1522 Dundee-Edinburgh)
46029 Edinburgh-York (1755 Edinburgh-Leeds)

Sunday 11th November 1979

There was planned engineering work that would close both the ECML & WCML requiring overnight trains to be diverted along the Glasgow & South Western via Dumfries & Kilmarnock. I didn’t believe that Deltics would be used on the diversions because of crewing issues. When another basher suggested that it was worth trying I reluctantly agreed to spend an overnight in this quest. There were four overnight services from KX to Edinburgh these being the 2000 (1S60), 2100 (1S66), 2215 Sleeper Only (1S70) and finally the 2230 (1S72). I understood the loco on 1S60 would be re-engined at Newcastle where it would then go to Gateshead for fuel before returning to take over 1S66, i.e. the locos would drop back a service at Newcastle. So waiting at York 1S60 arrived, disappointingly with a 47, as this would potentially be the loco to work 1S66 forward from Newcastle. After waiting a couple of hours at York Deltic 15 arrived with 1S66 so we took this to Newcastle believing that it would work 1S70 forward from there. This would be of no use to us because this was a sleeper only service. Arrival into Newcastle saw No 15 being dispatched to Gateshead and the expected 47 attached to the train. Next up after a further 90 minute wait was the very pleasing sight of Deltic 17 on 1S70. This fingers crossed would drop onto the final service to Edinburgh 1S72. There was however a concern, Deltic 15 did not return from Gateshead to work 1S70, in its place another class 47. If No 15 wasn’t able to work forward to Edinburgh, would the same reason apply to No 17? Were there crewing issues preventing the use of Deltics? Were we wasting our time in the middle of the night at Newcastle? What was the next train home? I knew the answer to my last question, a long time! The wait for the final service, 1S72 was tense made worse by its delayed arrival. As we waited we kept listening out for the sound of a Deltic, hopefully coming off Gateshead to work 1S72 forward. It must have been around 0530 when 1S72 finally arrived and at the same time Deltic 17 appeared from Gateshead. We were on our way to Edinburgh; a 220 mile journey instead of one less than 125. Undertaking engineering diversions during the night over unusual routes has the problem that you cannot see where you are, but by the time this train diverged onto the GS&W at Gretna Junction it was gone 7 in the morning. As the train continued through the Glasgow suburbs I noticed other passengers being astonished and perplexed as to where they were and at what time would they arrive at their destination. After Polmadie the train now headed up the WCML before it came to an abrupt halt at Holytown. The train had stopped at a green signal, however the route indicator was set for the line to Carstairs; our train was booked to go via Shotts. After the driver called the signaller the signal was reset to danger. We then waited for some time until the confusion as to our correct routing was sorted out. It was at this point that I and the other bashers, about 10 of us, got out onto the platform to chat with the driver. There is a photo of this on Napier Chronicles which you can see on the following link:

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/17_11-11-79.htm

The train finally arrived into Edinburgh around 1030, 12 hours after it’s departure from London! The usual move out of Edinburgh would be to take the 1120 to Plymouth, booked for a Deltic as far as York. We knew that with Deltic 17, having only just arrived and being the only member of its class in the Scottish capital then our train south was going to be a Duff. Most of us headed south with 47401, the alternative being an HST. The fun wasn’t quite over because on our departure from Durham 47401 came to a stand on the viaduct where it was declared a failure. Deltic 13 was called upon from Gateshead and pushed the train to Ferryhill. Here it was able to run around the train and take the train forward to York.

55015 York-Newcastle (2100 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
via Stockton & Leamside
55017 Newcastle-Edinburgh (2230 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
via Carlisle, Kilmarnock, Crossmyloof Jnc, Holytown & Shotts
47401 Edinburgh-Durham locomotive failure (1120 Edinburgh-Plymouth)
55013+(47401) Durham-York (1120 Edinburgh-Plymouth)

 

[CW2]

Sunday 11th November 1979

There was planned engineering work that would close both the ECML & WCML requiring overnight trains to be diverted along the Glasgow & South Western via Dumfries & Kilmarnock. I didn’t believe that Deltics would be used on the diversions because of crewing issues. <snip>

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/17_11-11-79.htm

Another excellent diversion - and one I most certainly would have done if only I had been around at the time. Well done sir!
What a fine collection of bashers on the platform at Shotts - and what an unusual place for a phot with a Deltic.

 

[D1537]

Saturday 11th November 1978

I picked up a couple of Class 40s between Edinburgh & Haymarket, some may say desperate, however it was the only time I had 40066 for haulage.

Don't worry about that, I only ever had 40065 for 1.24 miles and 40161 for 2.48!

 

[D1537]

Early post, busy day tomorrow!

Saturday 12 November 1988
Football move.
87020 1H06 Rugby-Manchester Picc
47448 1E57 Manchester Vic-Leeds

Leeds 2-1 West Brom

43037+43191 1V85 Leeds-Birmingham NS
317329 Birmingham NS-Rugby

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 12th November 1983

45126 York-Leeds (0745 Scarborough-Liverpool LS)
47593 Leeds-York (0905 Liverpool LS-Scarborough)

 

[Sultan1056]

Thursday 13th November 1980

55005 York-Selby (1955 York-Kings Cross)
55008 Selby-York (1805 Kings Cross-York)

Friday 13th November 1981

55010 York-Peterborough (1814 York-Kings Cross)
55016 Peterborough-Doncaster (1940 Kings Cross-Hull)
47053 Doncaster-York (2015 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)

Saturday 13th November 1982

I went to watch Man Utd play Spurs, the result, 1-0 to Utd.

45115 York-Manchester Vic (0922 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
45101 Manchester Vic-York (1705 Liverpool LS)-Scarborough)

 

[D1537]

Wednesday 13 November 1985
Very little for this day as well, standard beer move.

43096+43082 Newcastle-Durham
47435 1E59 Durham-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Friday 14th November 1980

55009 York-Kings Cross (1955 York-Kings Cross)

Saturday 14th November 1981

Deltic 19 had returned to service having spent six weeks out of traffic. However all was not well with the locomotive and it lost an engine after departure from KX. The driver called for assistance and 31175 was added to the train at Peterborough. Quick progress was made to Doncaster with the 31 regularly exceeding its 90mph top speed, no doubt helped by No 19. I left the 31/55 combo at Doncaster and returned to London with Deltic 16. I believed wrongly that the next Deltic departure from KX the 1403 to York would be a Duff leaving No 16 to work the 1603 to York. With no Deltics north of the border that day there would be little likelihood of any southbound overnight trains producing a Deltic. How wrong could I be; Deltic 7 worked the 1403 to York returning south with the 1814 to London. Deltic 21 was turned out by York to work the 1550 service to London and after Deltic 16 ended its daytime duties at York it was turned out to re-engine the 2045 Edinburgh-KX service. In addition to this Finsbury Park turned out Deltics 8 & 13 for the northbound overnight services. So I could have spent a good day with Deltics but having spent the previous two weekends chasing Deltics with little success I decided to head west. In retrospect I know that I should’ve stayed on the ECML.

55007 York-Kings Cross (2025 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
55019 Kings Cross-Peterborough (0550 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
31175+55019 Peterborough-Doncaster (0550 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
55016 Doncaster-Kings Cross (0808 York-Kings Cross)
33106 Waterloo-Basingstoke (1210 Waterloo-Salisbury)
33119 Basingstoke-Reading (1140 Poole-Newcastle)
33119 Reading-Basingstoke (0755 Newcastle-Poole)
33031 Basingstoke-Salisbury (1410 Waterloo-Salisbury)
33007 Salisbury-Fareham (1514 Bristol TM-Portsmouth H)
1403 Fareham-Southampton C (1710 Portsmouth H-Westbury)
33030 Southampton C-Fareham (1614 Bristol TM-Portsmouth H)
33035 Fareham-Salisbury (1810 Portsmouth H-Bristol TM)
50038 Salisbury-Exeter St D (1910 Waterloo-Exeter St D)
W51305/51313/51320/51328 Exeter St D-Newton Abbot (2254 Exeter St D-Plymouth)

Sunday 14th November 1982

This was the last time that I had a blue liveried Class 40 for haulage. I perhaps should have gone to Liverpool with it. By now my tastes had changed preferring beer and curry.

40052 York-Leeds (1532 York-Liverpool LS)
E51833/52073 Leeds-Bradford Exchange (1620 Leeds-Bradford Exchange)

 

[D1537]

Saturday 14 November 1987
47631 1M09 Coventry-Wolverhampton
47479 1O03 Wolverhampton-Oxford
47471 1M12 Oxford-B'ham NS
47632 1V75 B'ham NS-Paddington
47583 1B56 Paddington-Oxford
47451 1M40 Oxford-Coventry

Monday 14 November 1988
47660 1S39 Coventry-B'ham NS
47566 1V50 B'ham NS-Cheltenham
47568 1M56 Cheltenham-B'ham NS
47572 1V97 B'ham NS-Oxford
47564 1F50 Oxford-Banbury
47603 1M58 Banbury-Coventry

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 15th November 1980

A triangle of Hoover haulage; I’m not sure if 31231 helped or hindered 50016s progress over the Devon banks!

50016 Paddington-Exeter St D (0002 Paddington-Penzance)
31231+50016 Exeter St D-Plymouth (0002 Paddington-Penzance)
50044 Plymouth-Birmingham NS (0626 Plymouth-Liverpool LS)
85040 Birmingham NS-Wolverhampton (0850 Paddington-Manchester Pic)
86239 Wolverhampton-Birmingham NS (1140 Shrewsbury-Euston)
50045 Birmingham NS-Paddington (1122 Liverpool LS-Paddington)
55010 Kings Cross-Retford (1705 Kings Cross-Hull)
55009 Retford-Peterborough (1813 York-Kings Cross)
55021 Peterborough-York (2000 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)

Sunday 15th November 1981

I returned overnight to London and managed to get a Deltic back to York. Another poor weekend for Deltic haulage, would it or could it improve for the following weekend?

50007 Newton Abbot-Exeter St D (2045 Penzance-Paddington)
50047 Exeter St D-Paddington via Yeovil Pen Mill (2045 Penzance-Paddington)
50018 Paddington-Reading (1125 Paddington-Plymouth)
31273 Reading-Paddington (1130 Oxford-Paddington)
55007 Kings Cross-York (1405 Kings Cross-York)

 

[Sultan1056]

Sunday 16th November 1980

Engineering work between Doncaster and Peterborough made for welcome alternative to changing trains at Newark.

55009 York-Lincoln C (1550 York-Kings Cross)
55003 Lincoln C-York (1505 Kings Cross-York) Additional

 

[D1537]

Yesterday and today

Saturday 15 November 1986
Today's big news was the return of 47452, after 18 months out of service after it fell over at Morpeth. It was quite funny to see heads out of windows for what would be a normal Trans-Pennine working!
47594 1M73 Newcastle-St.Helens Jc.
dmu St.Helens Jc-Easrlestown
47452 1E53 Earlestown-York
47610 1M32 York-Huddersfield
47594 1E59 Huddersfield-Newcastle

Saturday 16 November 1985
Rocked up for the usual Saturday move, only to find a set of MkIs in the station with this being attached to them. Cheers.
47009 1F92 Newcastle-Scarborough (Dundee-Scarborough Adex)
47009 1F92 Scarborough-York (Scarborough-Dundee Adex)
47416 1E88 York-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 17th November 1979

I have large gaps in my memory from this day. All I remember after taking Deltic 3 to York was a long wait until the afternoon when I took Deltic 5 to Liverpool. However according to Napier Chronicles I must have let Deltic 18 go on the 1215 to KX and Deltic 13 on the 1431 to Edinburgh (ex Plymouth). Apparently during this time Deltic 5 arrived into York on the 1128 Newcastle-Liverpool service but was removed from the train. Deltic 15 also followed Deltic 5 to Liverpool on the next service but I don’t remember any of this.

55006 York-Kings Cross (2025 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
55003 Kings Cross-York (0550 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
55005 York-Liverpool LS (1547 York-Liverpool LS)
55005 Liverpool LS-York (1905 Liverpool LS-York)

 

[D1537]

Sunday 17 November 1985
Usual Sunday beer move.
47413 1A88 Newcastle-York
47627 1E37 York-Newcastle

Thursday 17 November 1988
It is lost in the mists of time why I spent this day (and the next) whizzing off to the South West with 47636. Some sort of ticket shenanigans, presumably.
47591 1M88 Coventry-Birmingham NS
47657 1E30 Birmingham NS-Chesterfield
47538 1M21 Chesterfield-Birmingham NS
47636 1V50 Birmingham NS-Newton Abbot
47651 1M79 Newton Abbot-Birmingham NS
317330 Birmingham NS-Coventry

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 18th November 1978

47542 York-Edinburgh (0730 Leeds-Edinburgh)
27112+27208 Edinburgh-Haymarket (1145 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
27105+27209 Haymarket-Edinburgh (1105 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
25066 Edinburgh-Perth (1250 Edinburgh-Perth)
47269 Perth-Glasgow QS (1340 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
27104+27201 Glasgow QS-Haymarket (1650 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
46008 Edinburgh-York (1755 Edinburgh-Leeds)

Sunday 18th November 1979

Having had Deltic 5 to Liverpool the previous day I was surprised to see it on a Liverpool service again today. However it was removed from the train at Leeds for reasons unknown. It was replaced by 40083 which I had to Manchester before I headed home.

55005 York-Leeds (1535 York-Liverpool LS)
40083 Leeds-Manchester Vic (1535 York-Liverpool LS)
47451 Manchester Vic-York (1705 Liverpool LS-Newcastle

Tuesday 18th November 1980

55014 York-Newark (1810 York-Kings Cross)
55019 Newark-York (1805 Kings Cross-York)

 

[D1537]

Wednesday 18 November 1987
47542 1V68 Newcastle-Doncaster
43162+43089 1L15 Doncaster-Leeds
47401 1E19 Leeds-Durham
47421 1M19 Durham-Leeds
47413 1E93 Leeds-Newcastle

Friday 18 November 1988
47636 does 1V50 for the second day running, so off to the West Country again. This time, coming back via the Up Midnight beds.
317330 Coventry-Birmingham NS
47636 1V50 Birmingham NS-Plymouth
47651 1S19 Plymouth-Newton Abbot
43150+43169 1C76 Newton Abbot-Plymouth

 

[lostwin(m)]

I realised that I was a few months behind on this thread and have spent a thoroughly enjoyable time over the last couple of days catching up. My bashing days in the early 80's were never as insane committed as displayed here, but I can certainly latch on to the passion and shear dogged resilience involved.

In the early 80's, 47's were not really my machines - there was too much other variety available - but I can certainly see how moving into the late 80's and 90's they could become the focus of attention, and however you do it and whatever you do it with, @D1537 half a million miles is some achievement.

I'm loving the Deltic tales, especially as we are now in mid November and that means, for the 1981 entries, we are in the final few weeks of countdown and the desperation is really starting to kick in. I just missed out (too young to travel) on seeing the Deltics in action, but I do recall following in the Railway press the fervour around the last few workings and it had a real impact for me about the passion the hobby could provoke. I'm going to enjoy reading how this played out on your side @Sultan1056

All of which brings me to a question, which probably displays my gap in knowledge for the last 35 years. The Deltics had a very specific end date and whilst all were not still in service at that date, there was a pre-ordained date of destiny. I think something similar happened with the Westerns, but has it happened with any class of mainline passenger locomotive since? For me the 40's and 45's slowly dwindled away as servicing was withheld and anything other than a simple fix meant withdrawal. Did similar happen with the 33's and 50's, or has there been another example since where the date was set in advance and that was that?

 

[Sultan1056]

For me the 40's and 45's slowly dwindled away as servicing was withheld and anything other than a simple fix meant withdrawal. Did similar happen with the 33's and 50's, or has there been another example since where the date was set in advance and that was that?

For me after the Deltics my interest in the railways ebbed somewhat and I moved away from an “insane” pastime. I began to lead a normal life and as a result I didn’t take pay much attention into the rundown of other classes of locomotives. However IIRC, the final Class 50 in service was a special to York where the 50033 was deposited into the NRM.

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 19th November 1983

45103 York-Leeds (0850 Scarborough-Bangor)
47567 Leeds-York (0905 Liverpool LS-Scarborough)

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 20th November 1976

47403 York-Kings Cross (1910 Aberdeen-Kings Cross)
47417 Kings Cross-York (1900 Kings Cross-Newcastle)

 

[D1537]

Missed a day again!
Saturday 19 November 1988
47582 1A02 Plymouth-Reading
47637 1M09 Reading-B'ham NS
47552 1O11 B'ham NS-Coventry

Saturday 20 November 1982
Adex to Edinburgh.
85004 1L32 Rugby-Carstairs
47271 1L32 Carstairs-Edinburgh
27040 2L40 Edinburgh-Haymarket
47707 1O32 Haymarket-Glasgow QS
47703 1O37 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh
27037 2L52 Edinburgh-Haymarket
27007 2G75 Haymarket-Edinburgh
47271 1L32 Edinburgh-Carstairs
85004 1L32 Carstairs-Rugby

Friday November 20 1987
Standard Pennine move, with 1N20 (the FO KGX-NCL) to lead onto an overnight ... farce incoming!
47411 1M63 Newcastle-Liverpool LS
47411 1E16 Liverpool LS-York
47401 1M19 York-Leeds
47417 1E93 Leeds-York
47436 1N20 York-Durham

 

[xotGD]

Saturday 20th November 1976

47403 York-Kings Cross (1910 Aberdeen-Kings Cross)
47417 Kings Cross-York (1900 Kings Cross-Newcastle)

Has @D1537 hacked your account?

 

[Sultan1056]

Has @D1537 hacked your account?

Haha! I suppose it does. I remember that during 1981 I ended up producing a list of half a dozen or so of Eastern Region 47/4s that were becoming quite high mileage machines. The list was a reminder to me to try and avoid being bowled by them as they were quickly approaching the 1000 mile mark!

 

[lostwin(m)]

I remember getting a bit fidgety if a red lined loco had 3/4 of a mile against it - say Portsmouth & Southsea to Harbour, or Exeter St Davids to Central (particularly if the latter was down the hill). Beyond that, it was done and move on!

 

[D1537]

Haha! I suppose it does. I remember that during 1981 I ended up producing a list of half a dozen or so of Eastern Region 47/4s that were becoming quite high mileage machines. The list was a reminder to me to try and avoid being bowled by them as they were quickly approaching the 1000 mile mark!

Even before I started doing 47s exclusively, my usual summers doing East Midlands Rovers doing Deltics between Peterborough and Donny resulted in some of the ER stalwarts (47401-424,47518-528) getting some quite decent mileage!

 

[D1537]

Thursday 21 November 1985
47432 1M19 Newcastle-York
47416 1E59 York-Newcastle

Saturday 21 November 1987
47663 1E10 Durham-York

663 shut down leaving Darlo, was restarted, seemed OK but was then routed into the platforms at Thirsk for the driver to do more fettling. After a while we left, but then suffered another issue just outside York. Meanwhile, 1S79 - my train to Scotland - swept past. 663 was restarted again and stumbled into York, too late for my intended move. (Un)luckily, York had a spare ETH loco, well "loco" might have been pushing it a bit, because it was 31406. Plan B - Settle and Carlisle day and an early night for a few beers.

47662 1S29 York-Newcastle
47407 1M53 Newcastle-Leeds
47475 1M09 Leeds-Carlisle
47523 2E38 Carlisle-Newcastle
47418 1M76 Newcastle-Leeds
47417 1E19 Leeds-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Friday 21st November 1980

43058+43100 York-Newcastle (1735 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
E51489 Newcastle-Morpeth (2122 Newcastle-Morpeth)
55022 Morpeth-Kings Cross (2025 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)

Saturday 21st November 1981

For me November 81 was proving to be a difficult month for chasing Deltics. I thought my luck was changing when I travelled up to London with Deltic 15, which was now reserved for railtour services. I would have hoped to return from KX with the 0550 Aberdeen service, but as this wasn’t a Deltic I decided to have a trip out to Salisbury. I returned to KX and was thankful for a Deltic on the 1403 to York. I must have been in receipt of some “Gen” because rather than returning south with Deltic 10 on the 1814 service to KX I headed north to cover the southbound overnight services. This was the correct move because that night there were no Deltics out of KX on overnight services.

55015 York-Kings Cross (2230 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
50022 Waterloo-Salisbury (0650 Waterloo-Exeter St D)
33015 Salisbury-Southampton C (0653 Cardiff C-Portsmouth H)
33064 Southampton C-Salisbury (0920 Brighton-Exeter St D)
50017 Salisbury-Waterloo (0940 Exeter St D-Waterloo)
55010 Kings Cross-York (1403 Kings Cross-York)
47403 York-Newcastle (1705 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
E50225 Newcastle-Morpeth (2134 Newcastle-Morpeth)
55021 Morpeth-Kings Cross (2045 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
via Normanton, Lincoln & Sleaford

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 22nd November 1980

50021 Waterloo-Basingstoke (0650 Waterloo-Exeter St D)
50005 Basingstoke-Waterloo (0700 Salisbury-Waterloo)
50019 Waterloo-Basingstoke (0910 Waterloo-Exeter St D)
33110 Basingstoke-Waterloo (0737 Exeter St D-Waterloo)
55014 Kings Cross-Newark (1205 Kings Cross-Hull)
55022 Newark-Kings Cross (1234 Hull-Kings Cross)
55010 Kings Cross-Doncaster (1605 Kings Cross-York)
55011 Doncaster-Peterborough (1813 York-Kings Cross)

Sunday 22nd November 1981

Today was a very poor Deltic day; the three day time trains out of KX (1005/1405 & 1605) all dropped, even though there were six Deltics present on Finsbury Park. After the 1005 dropped I took a quick trip out to Reading in time to cover the 1405. Once I had found out there would be no Deltics out I headed home via the MML.

50025 Paddington Reading (1125 Paddington-Plymouth)
47078 Reading Paddington (1130 Oxford-Paddington)
45121 St Pancras-Sheffield (1600 St Pancras-Sheffield)
45062 Sheffield-York (1555 Cardiff C-Newcastle)