19th April 1980

British Rail
(Day Excursion)

Route :

Notes :
(1) For visit to Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway.

Source : Craig Simmons

Tour Memories
(from Craig Simmons)

This was the day after the APT derailed just north of Carnforth and the unit was in the process of being re-railed in the loop south of Carnforth station during our time at Steamtown – not that I went around the former steam shed as I was 100% modern traction at the time and a black five held no sway over the 40’s coming through on the main line on a procession of freights! I well recall some old boys in my compartment had been slating 40117 for our excruciatingly slow progress to Ravenglass and back – not realising it was down to the Cumbrian coast line itself and SLW around a derailed freight.  On arrival back at Carnforth, one old timer pulled his head in from the window and with a smile to his pals said “great, they’ve put an electric on, we’ll fly now, and sure enough we did.  For the next 20 or so mins, they chortled about leaving the poor old whistler in our wake, but I couldn’t resist pointing out ‘117’ shut down on Preston SP as we passed, the driver already vacating his cab – “must be a different engine” they all muttered “it can’t have got here that quick!”

L-R: APT 370001/005, 40083 & the tour stock at Carnforth
(photo: Craig Simmons)

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