Deltic in late 90s: Did I imagine it?

[Mugby]

No I didn't but someone doesn't believe me so I would appreciate some confirmation.

When XC services were still loco hauled just before the introduction of Voyagers, I understand that Virgin XC, as it then was, were experiencing some shortages of motive power.
Well I was waiting at Derby station one Saturday night for the last service to Birmingham and I was absolutely astounded when I rolled in, hauled by a Deltic.

Does anyone remember this happening and what year it was?

 

[RichmondCommu]

No I didn't but someone doesn't believe me so I would appreciate some confirmation.

When XC services were still loco hauled just before the introduction of Voyagers, I understand that Virgin XC, as it then was, were experiencing some shortages of motive power.
Well I was waiting at Derby station one Saturday night for the last service to Birmingham and I was absolutely astounded when I rolled in, hauled by a Deltic.

Does anyone remember this happening and what year it was?

Virgin did indeed hire in a Deltic but I have no idea as to which year it was. I'm guessing that it might have been 1997. I had no real interest in railways at that time but remember it passing through Duffield when I was visiting my Mum.

 

[Matt Taylor]

This is correct, certainly in the summer of 1998 there was a regular turn which took 55022 from Birmingham to Ramsgate and back with various VXC mk2 coaches in tow!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/74009/4942574415

 

[Timothy Turtle]

Great photos!!

 

[overtonchris]

No I didn't but someone doesn't believe me so I would appreciate some confirmation.

When XC services were still loco hauled just before the introduction of Voyagers, I understand that Virgin XC, as it then was, were experiencing some shortages of motive power.
Well I was waiting at Derby station one Saturday night for the last service to Birmingham and I was absolutely astounded when I rolled in, hauled by a Deltic.

Does anyone remember this happening and what year it was?

You are absolutely correct - they were scheduled in for quite a while in the late 90's....I used to travel miles just to get a sight of one.....did seem strange seeing them with VXC carriages though!!

 

[ExRes]

Yes indeed, a few of us had to sign 73s for the PRDC-Dover TPO around 1997/8, not sure exactly just now which year it was though

Due to union silliness we couldn't learn them with our own company "colleagues" at Hither Green or Eastleigh so EWS paid Gatwick Express to train and pass us out

On the day I passed out there was a Deltic being prepped and moved at Stewarts Lane ready for a XC working bringing tears to the eyes of my instructor who had been a Finsbury Park man

 

[breadfan]

I remember reading in a rail magazine that D9000 was doing a XC run. At this time I had very little interest in railways but had bought the magazine to see if any railtours were of interest. Anyhow, this service train was due through Preston heading North around 9am. I finished a night shift at 7am and headed home. Not being too tired I thought I'd have a run up to Carlisle with it. My girlfriend was still in bed so I woke her and said I was nipping to Carlisle and coming straight back. When I explained why, she asked if she could come too.

The walk up fare certainly took me by surprise. And I had my girlfriend to pay for too! Expensive run, that.

It would be around late 96 to late 98 I reckon.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It called at Kensington Olympia and Bromley South meaning that Deltic haulage was available with a Travelcard. When it wasn't hauled by the 55, the Ramsgate turn did have a habit of throwing up other rare locomotives as well as the more normal 47/8 examples.

 

[Tio Terry]

Nothing to do with the subject really, but I was in York yesterday and a Deltic passed through - you could hear it before you saw it - towing a dead D6700. Didn't get to see which one it was unfortunately.

 

[Strathclyder]

There are a few videos of it up on Youtube:
[youtube]?v=z2TxD6M_SIk[/youtube]

[youtube]?v=muND1rE0_M0[/youtube]

OT, but they even drafted in a class 56 in red-stripe Railfreight livery in 1998.

 

[theblackwatch]

D9000 worked from Birmingham to Newcastle on XC on a couple of occasions in 1998 - September 19th and December 5th. More details on the two workings are at http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/22-98.htm

 

[cambsy]

Did few runs on VXC Deltic D9000 hauled trains in 90's, mainly to Ramsgate, most memorable was when it did 06.55 Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central on a Friday and back from Edinburgh about 9am on the Saturday back to Birmingham International, think was to do with 100mph certification, if memory correct it clocked 116mph down Shap and maybe couple of other places due to under reading speedo, was load 8 mk 2, was brilliant runs.

 

[DiscoStu]

Am I the only one who thinks Deltics sound boring?

They look nice, but I prefer the sound of most other loco's (even a roarer) to a Deltic.

*prepares for onslaught*

 

[Darren R]

Am I the only one who thinks Deltics sound boring?

Yes.

 

[DiscoStu]

Am I the only one who thinks Deltics sound boring?

Yes.

I just think it's a dull, monotonous drone. Nowt special.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

A Deltic did a turn on the S&C Diversions in the late 1990s when Mk3 VWC trains were being dragged over the Midland Line. Pretty sure I have a film photo of it somewhere.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I just think it's a dull, monotonous drone. Nowt special.

Some people like to ask others to define what a 'spiral staircase' is. They like to do it not to learn about stairs, but to watch the teller spin their arms in circles, as it appears that people cannot define a spiral staircase without making elegant patterns with the arms.

It's the same with the Deltic engine.

Ask someone to describe how a Deltic engine works, and if they're going to do so effectively, then they will also entertain you with some of those lovely circular patterns drawn in the air. But if you are not attracted to those dance-like arm waves, then the sound of the engine should be equally instructive, and perhaps, enjoyable.

 

[oldrailman]

Virgin did indeed hire in a Deltic but I have no idea as to which year it was. I'm guessing that it might have been 1997. I had no real interest in railways at that time but remember it passing through Duffield when I was visiting my Mum.

This sounds familiar. In the 90s I worked at New St and D9000 was booked to work a Virgin Saturday service (1O99) to Ramsgate and (1S87) Ramsgate-Edinburgh return as far as New St during Summer 1998. I recall one Saturday when there was a bit of a Class 47 shortage and the Deltic ended up working, I believe, the 10.45 off New St to Newcastle and a return trip to Plymouth via New St. This is all covered on a DVD on D9000 which I have.
Hope that clears up some of the mystery and doesn't muddy the waters too much.

 

[nw1]

To add to this: 55022 did a Poole-Liverpool journey one Saturday in late November 1998 (the last Saturday of the month, I think). Remember getting up very early (it was semi-dark still) to do it just between Southampton Central and Parkway (no time to go further with it)