Train was over-length for a Castle up Old Hill Bank so required a pilot from Worcester or Stourbridge.
5043 did well and could probably have managed Old Hill. I was told that the main issue was that another water stop would have been needed if the loco was to be worked hard all the way. 5043 had been working quite hard from Oxford due to a pursuing HST only 30 minutes behind.
We hoped that the 47 could be put on the rear to give a push up Old Hill, but to save time it was coupled to the front. It caused a bit of a issue at Tyseley as the 47 had to be taken off before the Castle could pull the train into the platform, otherwise there probably would not have been a carriage door on the platform!!
47 haulage up Old Hill is still pretty rare, especially double headed with a Castle!
