Great Britain VIII

[Frapps]

Hi everyone,

We're getting closer to that time of year when we in the NE of Scotland get our yearly taste of Steam action......

According to the Railway Touring Co (and I really hope they don't change it!!) the leg that runs from Edinburgh to Inverness is going to have a Big Lizzie on the sharp end.

Apart from the Duchess being my favourite (yeah, I'm biased I know...) it's always nice to have something different.

Previous years have given us a Streak, a Brit, a Royal Scot and a couple of Black 5s.

My question is though, does anyone have any idea how long ago a Duchess was last seen in Aberdeen station?

I'm guessing late 50's / early 60's but not too sure.

Cheers!!!

 

[PHILIPE]

I think a Duchess used to work an afternoon Parcels to Carstairs from Aberdeen in the afternoon in the 60s..

 

[Dawg]

I'd guess 1964 - the remaining locos after the initial withdrawals of 1963 were all pushed to Crewe and Carlisle sheds - I would imagine that the summer of 1964 would be about right as they had all gone by September '64. A travesty considering the motive power that replaced them was not as up to the job.. Class 40 Diesels were underpowered for fast 14 coach expresses and Britannias had to be double headed or struggled solo. I sometimes wonder if they had lasted to 1966, a couple more might have been preserved..


Sir William A Stanier FRS was the last Duchess to run in BR ownership - on it's last trip (a special) passengers on board decided to get together and try and save it from the torch. BR was approached and came back with a figure of £2000. They couldn't raise it...