22nd August 2026

S.R.P.S. Railtours
The Thistle & Dragon

Route :
1Z25 : Kirkcaldy to Llandudno
1Z26 : Llandudno to Kirkcaldy

Notes: 
(1) D213 dead on rear.
(2) 50050 dead on rear.

Source : Tony Zayachkivsky (on the train from Edinburgh to Chester & return)

Photo Review

50050 waiting to depart from Carlisle (photo: Tony Zayachkivsky)

D213 at journey's end, Edinburgh Waverley (photo: Tony Zayachkivsky)

Tour Review
(by Tony Zayachkivsky)

This promising tour, run by SRPS using LSL motive power, was advertised as booked for haulage by D213 Andania and 45118 The Royal Artilleryman. The tour was initially planned to start from Leven, with an option of 4 1/2 hours in Chester or 2 hours in Llandudno. Based on this, I booked a ticket with the intention of joining at Edinburgh Waverley and alighting at Chester. However, all of those original plans didn't come to fruition! D213 was the first announced motive power change, pulled from the schedule and replaced by 50050. Afterwards, 45118 suffered a broken spring due to its recent ground breaking ScR explorations so was not available for the tour, but was replaced by a rejuvenated D213! The next change involved the route where NR precluded a visit to Leven due to lack of capacity, despite a path being found for the Royal Scotsman to Leven later the same day. Booked passengers were offered alternative road transport from Leven to Kirkcaldy and return as required, all covered by SRPS railtours. None of this put me off, as the promise of Fearless out of Edinburgh and Andania 'back up the road' was very appealing and I hadn't intended on starting from Leven anyway. Obviously the rest of the passengers felt similarly, as the tour was a sell out on the day. Although the train wasn't full by Edinburgh Waverley, additional passengers joined at Lockerbie and Carlisle to fill any gaps.

50050 made a fine departure on 1Z25, roaring out of a gloomy and overcast Waverley station towards Haymarket station, for me this brought back vivid memories of a then rare event, 50030 at Waverley heading for Haymarket depot open day in 1985. We recorded 90 mph on our apps on the run to Carlisle. Even with just a few open windows in our mk1 carriage coach H directly behind the locomotive, the English Electric sound and diesel fumes percolated all around to heighten the performance Fearless was putting in up front. By Lockerbie the gloom burnt off to reveal a clear blue sky which remained the norm for the vast majority of the rest of the trip, the temperature in the carriage rose and the rest of the windows were slid open!

A 26 minute stop at Carlisle allowed for an 'old fashioned photo stop' with Fearless gleaming in the sunshine. I and some others even had time for a cab visit and chat with the driver, who advised they would be going for the ton down Shap. Our train was looped at Abington and Beattock southbound, to allow for a procession of more aerodynamic Pendolinos and other passenger trains to pass. Eagerly checking our apps, we can confirm 100mph running was achieved descending Shap and at other locations further south. As Fearless continued its raucous southbound run, the flow of miniature spirits from the buffet meant the atmosphere was raucous in the carriage as well!

We were impressed by the turnout of line-side enthusiasts photographing the train, aided by the fine weather and ban on body parts protruding from carriage windows, as clearly instructed in the complimentary SRPS souvenir brochure. On arrival at Chester only 2 minutes late at 1243, I alighted as planned, leaving my travelling companions to continue on to Llandudno. Apart from the procession of class 197s and overdressed patrons of Chester racecourse ladies day crowding the station, a particular highlight was 5Q40 Cardiff Canton- Holyhead with 37512 passing through looking even more well dressed hauling 756004 and 756115 for wheel lathing.

The return journey 1Z26 arrived back into Chester 8 minutes late, the whistling Andania was turned out as immaculately as Fearless. As 50050 was detached from the rear, I boarded to meet up with my travelling companions again. Departure was only 3 minutes down and we retraced our steps back to Warrington. Behind D213 we recorded a maximum speed of 90mph and were around 10 minutes late all the way to Carlisle. North of Carlisle we were again looped at Lockerbie and Abington. Of note, as we were held in Lockerbie loop, Lumo's new acquisition and also gleaming 222605 passed us on a London Euston to Stirling service. Hopefully the toilets were all operational on this service. Soon after, darkness fell, so unfortunately we couldn't make out any features around the Edinburgh suburban line except Cameron Toll. Arrival at Edinburgh Waverley was at 2316, only a minute down on the schedule which was slack due to a scheduled 20 minute wait at Portobello Junction. I alighted at Edinburgh and had time to take a few photos of D213.

Overall this was an excellent tour by SRPS railtours.

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(booked from Tony Zayachkivsky & actual from Realtime Trains)

Miles & Chains above are per the SRPS brochure but it should be noted that they do not match those that were given on Realtime Trains.
Realtime Trains had the outward leg as 319m 14ch (return mileage was not given on Realtime Trains).

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