1st July 2000

Worksop Depot C.T.C.
Class 58 Farewell

Route :
1Z58 : Worksop to Cardiff Central
1Z90 : Cardiff Central to Worksop

Notes :
(1) 60070 on rear.
(2) 58024 + 58037 on rear.

Source : David Clark (joined/left the train at Sheffield)

Tour review
(by David Clark)

This was to be a 58 farewell tour. Well that was until the cancellation of the Calder Revolver which was booked for a 58 to feature also. So another 58 to look forward to! Anyway back to this tour, this was to feature as per usual for depots own tours a pair of 58s down to South Wales and included a 66 as the top 'n' tail loco.

A 6.50 departure from Sheffield meant a 5.20 drive from Scunthorpe but a relatively early arrival back in to Sheffield. We got to the station in plenty of time and found the platform for the train. On the platform I saw some mates and we were talking about 31s thrashing through Glasgow Central Low Level surprising all the inhabitants of the station (including empty beer cans thrown!!!).

The two 58's quoted were 58024 and 58037 "Worksop Depot". Indeed after the tour left Worksop at 6.20 the tour arrived at Sheffield at 6.40 with 037 leading looking very smart in its EWS colour scheme. They sounded excellent. Our coach was towards the back, so this meant a long walk. Our departure time of 06.50 came and went and the announcements came over the station tannoy that the train would wait for the passengers!!! What, a train waiting for the passengers!! Why should a charter wait when TOUs don't!

Anyway we departed at 6.55 and headed for our final pick up point at Derby. Again, we waited. The Newquay train came in with 43084/43184 and went, while we awaited these passengers for the tour. They arrived on the 07.24 ex Sheffield to St. Pancras. So we departed over 20 minutes late. 37065 headed through Derby to the engineers yard. We now headed out to Birmingham. 60077 was seen at Kingsbury, 66125 was in Washwood Heath Yard, 08884 shunting in the yard, 08419 RMC Stone Terminal while on Saltley was 60047, 66134, 66237, 66175, 66213, 66220, 08628, 08765, 66013, 66009 and 47807. 47345 was in the Freightliner terminal and 47488 passed on a Nuneaton drag. Where were the 58s on these trains?????

We stopped at Landor Street Jn for a crew change, and took the Birmingham avoiding line down to Kings Norton soon to be very important when New St is closed temporarily. Mile by mile we picked up time on the schedules and by Cheltenham Spa we were on time. We took the line from Gloucester in to Chepstow and down to Severn Tunnel Jn with the mass of 37s and 47s located on shed (well I can dream can't I!!!!). At Newport the assisting loco was to be attached. It soon became clear it was no shed but a 60. Well far better traction.

Reports were made through out the day concerning the "other tour" that day. This was the tour with the 67's. Knowing a few people on the tour I got updates about it and the progress on the tour. But there was no choice for me when I found out the 58's were the same day as the 67's. The 67's have many more years to come but the 58's are on borrowed time with EWS.

At Newport 66080 was seen on an MGR, 43018/016 headed out to London with 018 at the London end. It was here that the full story came out about the passengers who were on a train at Doncaster and the train ran out of fuel. Hmm!!! Also humour was abound on our train in the brake coach where the committee were seated. In one compartment two young ladies had decided to put up some posters. These reading "Hello Mr Trainspotter", "How are you?", and the final one reading "Do you like friends as we do". Well not much can be said about that although they were very friendly.

We departed for Cardiff as 66017 passed through on another coal train. On Godfrey Road 66103, 60041, 66070, 09102, 66008 and 47732 were seen. 09203 and 09017 were seen in the yards outside Newport. On Pengam was noted 47361, 47370 and 66501. During the stop over at Cardiff there was a manic period of freight. I had never seen any thing like it before on a Saturday lunch time! There were no less than 5 freights! 66151 (coal), 60021 (steel), 66048 (another coal), 60014 (steel) were all seen together with 66080 and 66017 on coal trains. Long live King Cole!

People at Cardiff had the option of staying on the train or going on for some South Wales track. What a choice! We departed Cardiff at 11.50 and headed out towards Barry. 60094, 08955 and 37414 were seen on Canton together with many more locos. 66217 was seen coming off the Leckwith loop on guess what, yes another coal train! We passed through Barry, Aberthaw (where more coal trains were seen!), and St Athan before waiting for time at Barry Jn, Bridgend.

We picked up speed at Bridgend and headed out along the GW Main Line. On Margam was noted 67002, 60071, 60024, 09003, 67019, 37401 and 08993 shunting around the yard. At Court Sart Jn we took the Swansea district line down to Jersey Marine Jct. At Swansea Burrows we reversed and headed back towards Margam utilising the same route as inward. At Margam, we were held for some unknown reason before heading out to Tondu. This line was full of wood, open cast mines and nothing much else. By now the weather was very hot and people were gagging for a bit of fresh air!

At Tondu, we were placed in to the Goods loop, as many of the inhabitants of the town came and took photos of our train. After having the 60 since Swansea it was time to revert to the 58's for the final trip in to Cardiff down the Maesteg to Bridgend line.

At Leckwith Jn, we took the line through to Ninian Park arriving back in to Cardiff for an hour and a bit for a fester in the town. Well Burger King actually! Back at the station plenty of coal trains were seen passing through the station. No 56's, coal sub sector 37's but 66's reigned. 66081, 66048 and 66073 all passed through the station with 66067 heading towards Newport light engine. The stock arrived back in to the station late (no surprised there!) for our departure.

Our return journey was via the Great Western main line until near Didcot and by taking the West Curve up to Oxford, Leamington Spa and as far as Small Heath and then on to the Birmingham avoiding line. Passing through Godfrey Road saw us see 47732, 60041, 66154 and 66167. We passed through the centre road at Newport and headed out to Severn Tunnel and Bristol Parkway where the new Postal Terminal was seen. On the main line I was impressed by the speed of the 58's. But with 6,000hp up front what do you expect??? 08856 was seen at Swindon before we got held at Foxhall Jn while four FGW HSTs passed us.

We passed through the Thames Valley with many people standing back as our train passed through their station. The locos would have been seen through these stations in the day of the Toton to Didcot PS coal trains. As we passed through Leamington Spa many people viewed the train. The speed and acceleration through this bit of track was impressive as we passed through Dorridge and Warwick in to Tyseley where a few 31s' and 33's were seen together with loads of 170s on the unit depot. Travelling through the suburbs of Birmingham near St. Andrews Jn saw many young children view the train. In fact many of them were waving at the train (I am surprised they didn't throw something at the train!).

We swapped crews at Saltley, with quite a few of the 66's disappeared there was 60066, 60072, 47768, 47488 and 47762. The journey went well with many people asking how the tour was going on. At Stenson Jn 58026 was seen coming off the line from Sheet Stores Jn with an engineers train. Three 58's at the same time. Pure magic! A set down was made at Derby and then the driver just let rip. We flew from Derby to Sheffield, with high speed runs made through Chesterfield and were soon passing through Dore and passing Tescos before pulling in to Platform 2 at 21.34.

The train departed at 21.37 with both 58's sounding excellent. Once they left Sheffield it was time to reflect on an excellent tour. So a verdict, the traction performed excellently (well what do you expect from British Locos???), the routes were varied and interesting (oh and a few required ones too!), and the committee staff deserve a big praise for all the hard work they put in to organising the tour and doing all the jobs of cleaning throughout the day. A final praise goes to the young helpers who could have spent the day at home, but instead helped with the train and keeping people amused by placing posters in their carriage! If the rumours are true it will be a pair of grids next year!!!

MEGA THRASH!!!

That's if the 58's are all out of service. I hope not for the enthusiasts sake.

David Clark

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from David Clark & Gordon Lacy)

Mini tour :

Main tour :

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