Memory from the 50s

[Shuggie]

Hi

I'm not sure whether I'm posting this is the right forum on the site or even whether RailUK forums sets out to handle posts like mine. If not, I'd welcome advice about where I might get the answer to my question.

As a teenage trainspotter in the 50's I visited York station several times for the day. On a couple of occasions an ancient loco with one large driving wheel (on each side) was put onto a southbound passenger train. It set off, on each occasion at the same time as the train I was taking home towards Rotherham and Sheffield and we "raced" it on parallel lines for several miles before our routes diverted. Does anyone remember this or have any knowledge of it?

Shuggie

 

[LE Greys]

Quite possibly this beauty, current star of The Railway Children. I don't remember whether the 8ft single got any use on ordinary passenger trains, but she certainly worked a few tours, including the Plant Centenarian to Doncaster. City of Truro certainly worked a few passenger turns around Swindon in 'preservation', so it's not unknown.

 

[Shuggie]

Thanks - it looks quite possible. Perhaps I'll contact the National Railway Museum and see whether they have any records.

Shuggie

 

[matchmaker]

The Caley single no 123 was used on railtours around that period. Not sure if it made it down to England, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Railway_Single

 

[Bevan Price]

The Caley single no 123 was used on railtours around that period. Not sure if it made it down to England, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Railway_Single

It worked on a tour from London to Haywards Heath & back on 15 Sept. 1963, according to the Six Bells Junction site:

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/

Not sure how it got from Scotland to London.