Unknown Rail Tour

[EbbwJunction1]

The forthcoming "reunion" between 4079 and 4472 at Didcot in June has prompted me to look for other occasions when they both worked together in the UK.

I have some images of 4079 and 4472 at Newport hauling a rail tour on or around (according to my records) 8th May 1974. However, I can find no record of a tour on this date on Six Bells Junction, although there is a record of one on 6th April 1974. This was "The Great Western" between Swansea and Shrewsbury and back, run by Flying Scotsman Enterprises in association with The Western Mail newspaper. However, there seems to be some confusion over what did happen with this, as it seems to be uncertain whether 4472 actually took part in this one and, instead, hauled a different FSE excursion over the same route on the same day ("The Great Northern") .

My images show both locos leaving Newport towards the Marches Line, but on different trains, so I think that I just have the date wrong!

Can anyone confirm that it was one of the two 6th April excursions, please? Thanks.

(I'm afraid that I can't scan and add the images - sorry!)

 

[RGM654]

This, from my diary for 6 April 1974, should help:
"Railtour Watford*, North Pole Jn, Severn Tunnel, Newport, Pendennis Castle → Hereford, Shrewsbury, Flying Scotsman → back to Newport, same way back"
This pretty well confirms that "The Great Western" must have run Newport - Shrewsbury and back on the same day with the other loco on each leg. That is contrary to Note 2 on the Six Bells Junction page for this trip, which says:
"(Newport - Hereford - Shrewsbury) leg originally uploaded as hauled by 4472. It is reported that 4079 & 4472 were shared with 'The Great Northern', also organised/run by FSS on this date. David Goodall however comments that he did not see 4472 'Flying Scotsman' that day and that 4079 hauled this train from Newport to Shrewsbury and back again."

I have digitised copies of slides from that trip, like yours showing both locos. I am attaching one which doesn't show either loco but does show what we could do in those days: coach off the end of the platform and nobody bothering about steps.

* My father and I would have joined at Watford Junction.

 

[robert thomas]

This, from my diary for 6 April 1974, should help:
"Railtour Watford*, North Pole Jn, Severn Tunnel, Newport, Pendennis Castle → Hereford, Shrewsbury, Flying Scotsman → back to Newport, same way back"
This pretty well confirms that "The Great Western" must have run Newport - Shrewsbury and back on the same day with the other loco on each leg. That is contrary to Note 2 on the Six Bells Junction page for this trip, which says:
"(Newport - Hereford - Shrewsbury) leg originally uploaded as hauled by 4472. It is reported that 4079 & 4472 were shared with 'The Great Northern', also organised/run by FSS on this date. David Goodall however comments that he did not see 4472 'Flying Scotsman' that day and that 4079 hauled this train from Newport to Shrewsbury and back again."

I have digitised copies of slides from that trip, like yours showing both locos. I am attaching one which doesn't show either loco but does show what we could do in those days: coach off the end of the platform and nobody bothering about steps.

* My father and I would have joined at Watford Junction.

I was on the train from Swansea with D1023 to Newport then 60103 to Shrewsbury 4079 back to Newport and D1023 to Swansea. Coincidentally I travelled in coach W4079.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Thank you both, for your help with this.

I'm going to give my images to the Didcot Railway Centre for them to scan and use as they wish, and this information will be very useful as an explanation of what happened. I hope that you don't mind, but I will include your respective comments in my explanation. I'll just say that they have come from members of this forum with no direct attribution; if you want me to change any of this, please let me know.