Now you can experience the sounds too!

You now have an opportunity to actually hear some of what I was up to in the late 1970's and early 1980's as I spent much of my spare time on the East Coast Main Line bashing Deltics. In those days my trusty and battered cassette recorder went everywhere with me and some of the results of those days out are now available along with others by sound recordists John Bachelor, Malcolm Hicks and Bob Mullins on two CD's just released by Ian Stange.

They can be ordered by going to Ian's Website Deltics & Other Diesels On Audio CD, Cassette & Mini-Disc

The recordings in detail:

Blue Haze 1

"Deltic Devonian" railtour 28th November 1981:
1* 55016 heading west from Ealing Broadway. We are signal-checked and the Deltic experiences wheel-slip. Wheel-flats on our coach help to give a great sensation of acceleration. Rather than biding his time between checks, this driver prefers to give full blast at every opportunity! The field-divert stage provokes more wheel-slip, losing power just briefly. (JB)
2* 55016 continuing towards Reading after another signal-check. (JB)
3* 55016 storms the bank out of Exeter St. Davids to Exeter Central, and continues towards Pinhoe. (JB)
4* 55016 passes Pinhoe and speed builds up rapidly as the track alternates between welded and jointed. The recording ends at Whimple. The glorious roar of the exhausts is something that one could listen to all day... but you will have to be content with 6 minutes' worth. (JB)
5* 55016 departs Salisbury. (JB)
6* 55016 in the Brondesbury area of London. (JB)
7* 55016 nears journey's end crossing north London. (JB)
8 55016 runs light out of London Liverpool Street. (JB)

1977 lineside recordings:
9 55012 rushes south through Peterborough. August 1977. (RM)
10 At Sandy, 55012 is faintly heard approaching then the power is shut off. Full power is re-applied and it rushes through on the down "Silver Jubilee". 24th September 1977. (RM)

St. Neots, 10th June 1978:
11 55006 tears passed on the 0705 Edinburgh-Kings Cross. (GT)
12 55006 returns with the 1500 to Aberdeen, as youngsters shout. (GT)
13 55010 passes on the 1040 Aberdeen-Kings Cross. (GT)
14 55019 rushes passed on the 1200 Edinburgh-Kings Cross. (GT)

January 1980:
15 55014 departs Grantham on the 1956 York-Kings Cross, and roars into the distance, 11th January 1980. (GT)
16 55014 departs Peterborough on the 1220 Kings Cross-York. 12th January 1980. (GT)
17 55005 pulls out of Peterborough on the 0830 Hull-Kings Cross. 13th January 1980. (GT)

The first DPS railtour, "Deltic Detour", 14th October 1979:
18* Departure bell rings at York, as David Williams (DPS Preservation Officer) just manages to scramble aboard. 55009 soon gets into its stride. (RM)

On-train recordings from 1980/81:
19* 55013 departs Peterborough (1935 Kings Cross-Hull) 14/8/80. (GT)
20* 55006 eases out of Kings Cross, slowly at first, before a great blast through Gasworks and Copenhagen Tunnels! (1405 Kings Cross-York) 21st September 1980. (GT)
21* 55012 pulls away from a signal stop between Doncaster and Retford, on a York-Kings Cross semi-fast. 17th January 1981. (RM)

Kings Cross, 28th November 1981:
22 Early morning at the buffer stops with the amazing scene of 4 Deltics (either 2 or 3 running) in adjacent platforms 5 to 8 (in order: 55007/8/13/10). One of the Deltics is heard uncoupling. (JB)
23 Late evening (and very lively!) light engine movements from 55010, doing the "Kings Cross shuffle", starting off from the east sidings. (JB)

On-train recordings from late 1981:
24a)* 55010 departs York on the 1550 to Kings Cross, leaving behind 55007 which departs a few seconds later on the 1550 to Liverpool.
24b)* As 55010 approaches Chaloners Whin Junction, 55007 overtakes swiftly as its drivers eases off power. After clearing the junction, 55010 opens up again. 5th December 1981. (JB)
25* After easing slowly out of Kings Cross, 55009 enters Gasworks Tunnel and opens up. Wheel-slip occurs between the tunnels and again inside Copenhagen Tunnel, with full power re-applied each time. The exhausts roar loudly as we continue. 21st December 1981. (JB)

14th November 1981:
26* 55009 departs Peterborough on the "Deltic Cumbrian" tour, at about 2025hrs (platform 3 southbound), over-taking 55007 (platform 2) on a service train! (JB)
27 55009 runs light out of platform 2, Kings Cross. (JB)
28 31408 departs Kings Cross at 2213hrs. 55007 then moves light up to the platform end. (JB)
29 55007 runs out of platform 3, Kings Cross, at 2215. (JB)
30 Kings Cross at 2305hrs, with 55008 and 55009 in the background, 47542 departs for Gainsborough from platform 4. 55009 follows up behind and pauses. 55008 then runs out of platform 2, as 55009 idles. In the background, 55008 then runs into platform 6. 55009 blasts out of the station, demonstrating how to shift 100 tons very quickly indeed! 55008 shuts down. (JB)

* denotes on-train recording.

(JB) denotes recording copyright of John Bachelor.
(RM) denotes recording copyright of Bob Mullins.
(GT) denotes recording copyright of Gary Thornton.

Blue Haze 2

1* The driver of 55016 was asked to "show us what it can do" and he obliges! Deltic 16 blasts out of Kings Cross on 1D02 (1205 Kings Cross-Hull), opens up again in Gasworks (power is lost twice). Full power again in Copenhagen Tunnel (more wheel-slip!). 12th January 1980. (GT)
2* 55016 continues its lively run as it departs Huntingdon. (GT)

St. Neots 10th June 1978:
3 55005 tears passed on the 0900 Kings Cross-Edinburgh. (GT)
4 The driver of 55018 sounds a warning before rushing through northbound. (GT)
5 55017 cruises through southbound. (GT)
6 55015's rear engine picks up before passing on the 1055 Kings Cross-Edinburgh. (GT)
7 55003 opens up and roars through (1250 Leeds-Kings Cross). (GT)

"Deltic Ranger" re-run railtour (1Z15), 5th March 1978:
8* 55003 accelerates after passing Torre, on the Paignton to Newton Abbot leg of the tour. (GT)

Deltics during 1980:
9* 55009 departs Peterborough on 1L44 (1605 Kings Cross-York) 12th January 1980. (GT)
10 55005 departs Huntingdon on the late running 1215 York-Kings Cross and roars into the distance. 55003 arrives on the 1405 Kings Cross-York. 18th February 1980. (GT)
11 55003 revs wildly as it sets off from Peterborough (1405 Kings Cross-York). 18th February 1980. (GT)
12 55014 makes a spirited departure from Huntingdon (1245 Hull-Kings Cross), an HST passes by, and the Deltic is heard in the distance. 18th February 1980. (GT)
13 55018 departs Huntingdon (1550 York-KX). 18th Feb. '80. (GT)
14 55006 departs Huntingdon (1143 York-KX). 3rd Aug. '80. (GT)
15* 55021 departs Haborough. (1313 Cleethorpes-Kings Cross) 14th August 1980. (GT)
16* 55019 makes a storming departure from Newark (0840 Kings Cross-Newcastle) 17th August 1980. (GT)
17* 55018 departs Kings Cross (1005 to York) 22nd October 1980. See cover photo. (GT)
18* 55004 departs Peterborough (0933 Hull-KX). 22nd Oct. 1980. (GT)
19* 55011 departs Huntingdon (1205 KX-Hull). 22nd Oct. 1980. (GT)

1981 recordings:
20 The final Deltic-hauled "Hull Executive" hurtles through Peterborough behind 55015. 3rd January 1981. (RM)
21* 55017 departs Leuchars (0910 Dundee-KX), 15th Aug. '81. (GT)
22* 55015 blasts out of Dunbar (0550 KX-Aberdeen) 15th Aug.'81. (GT)
23* 55013 departs Arbroath (0550 KX-Aberdeen). 17th Aug. 1981. (GT)
24a) 55007 "Pinza" moves out of Finsbury Park shed road (after cleaning for the "Deltic Anglian" railtour).
24b) 55007 moves onto an adjacent line. Once in position for photos she is shut down.
24c) 55007 is started up and shut down specially for the sound recordist. 11th September 1981. (RM)
25* 55015 accelerates between Stratford and Finsbury Park, on the outward leg of the "Wessex Deltic" railtour. 10th October 1981. (JB)

Kings Cross:
26 A class 31 departs on vans as 55014 moves up to the end of platform 3, at 1157. 31st October 1981. (JB)
27 55014 runs light out of platform 3 at 1159. 31st October 1981. (JB)
28 Three different classes of light engine. 40075 runs hastily out of platform 5 at 0818. Then 55013 leaves platform 7. 31222 is heard in the west sidings with the Deltic and 40 (running into platform 3) in the background. 55013 runs into platform 5. 7th Nov. 1981. (JB)
29 40075 departs platform 1 with ECS at 0825 (horns from 312711 running into platform 10 are heard). 7th November 1981. (JB)
30 55016 hauls away some empty stock (from a York service) from platform 3 at 1137. 21st November 1981. (JB)

A lively run with 55010 on a weekday service train, 30th November 1981:
31* 55010 departs Doncaster (1A31, 1814 York-Kings Cross). (MH)
32* A hasty standing start from Grantham, as 55010's wheels slip. (MH)

55017's final working, the 1603 Kings Cross to York, 31st December 1981. This service was seen off by TV news cameras and the loco carried headboards and a wreath. We join it just north of Hitchin:
33* 55017 recovers from a signal-check north of Hitchin at 1631. (JB)
34* 55017 departs Huntingdon at 1652, both engines still running. (JB)
35 55017 sets off from Peterborough at 1713. (JB)
(After reaching Grantham, this service was terminated due to a broken rail further north. 55017 then ran an additional service back south, which our sound recordist, John, re-joined):
36* 55017, now running on one engine, departs Stevenage at 2004hrs. As speed gathers, the Deltic's control circuit breaker apparently trips, the engine shuts down and the emergency brakes come on. After we stop, even the 'bashers' are silent for a few moments! (JB)
37a)* 55017, having re-started both engines and drawn up to the next signal, revs up an engine. One engine stalls. (JB)
37b)* 55017 revs up again. (JB)
37c)* 55017 has its second engine re-started, which stalls and is started again. (This service only made it as far as Knebworth, where 55015 overtook the stranded enthusiasts). (JB)

Stereo recordings:
38 55016 awaits the off with a York train, on a freezing cold 12th December 1981 at Peterborough. Recorded just after the DPS committee meeting that decided on which Deltics the DPS would purchase. (RM)
39 55009 and 55019 leave Doncaster Works after being officially handed over to the DPS. 20th August 1982. (RM)
40* With snow lying thick and even, 55009 departs from Norwich with the "Deltic Broadsman" railtour, on a freezing cold 19th December 1981. Once clear of the junctions, 55009's exhausts roar very loudly as we gather speed. (RM)

* denotes on-train recording.

(JB) denotes recording copyright of John Bachelor.
(MH) denotes recording copyright of Malcolm Hicks.
(RM) denotes recording copyright of Bob Mullins.
(GT) denotes recording copyright of Gary Thornton.