5th March 1977

British Rail
(Day Excursion)

Route : 1Z94 throughout

Notes :
(1) Howard Parker's details for this trip (as shown above) differ from those in David Hills report in a couple of respects; Howard has 45008 working the train from Leicester (where he joined) and that it was not routed through Derby (per David's review) & whilst David Hills recalls having 47147 on a service train from Haymarket into Waverley and 45008 home, Howard has the return tour loco as 47147. Confirmation of the return traction being 47147 has been provided by Dale Green (via social media).
(2) Howard Parker comments: promotional literature shows this excursion also available from Burton-on-Trent, Derby & Beeston so it is assumed that a connecting service was provided. On the return it was noticed that the main line was closed north of Tapton Jn (Chesterfield) so presumably at least as far as Dore & Totley.

Sources : David Hills (joined/left at Derby) & Howard Parker (joined/left at Leicester)

Tour Review
(by David Hills)

This was one of the regularly scheduled excursions from the East Midlands to Edinburgh. The provision of 45008 meant good news for the travellers as steam heating would be available at this early part of the year for this rake of Etches Park Mk1's. Control was often more than content to cobble us with a no-boilered Toton MGR '47', which happened from time to time and led to a very chilly, depressing return trip.

Routing via the ECML tended to provide more 'numbers in the book' than if sent via Carlisle. York depot produced such fine sights as 40002/047/049 and 03172 whilst Newcastle produced some of its fleet of 03's, this time 03059/066/079 were on display with 08001 also noted.

After five hours spent in a train what better thing to do than get out at Edinburgh Waverley, buy a ticket for Glasgow and jump right back onto another train! The first westbound happened to be an Inverness service with 26008 & 26035 as far as Haymarket, where 27104 & 27209 were leapt upon for some thrash to Glasgow. Here a taxi was procured for the cross town dash to Polmadie. Venerable machines noted here were 24103/116/121/123, 25002/004/009/025. From here it was hunt down another taxi for the dash over to Eastfield where sixty more locomotives went 'in the book', including 20002, 24006, 25010/021, 27001. Another hell bent for leather taxi ride back to Queen Street, to pick up 27210 & 27203 back to Haymarket for a whirlwind tour of the depot, before 47147 did the last leg into Waverley.

And as expected 45008 was on hand to return us south of the border, steam heat crackling through the pipes. Although sleep came quickly 40027 was noted at Newcastle, a plague of 31's at York, whilst greeting us on arrival at Derby were station pilot 08142 and 56003.

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Howard Parker)

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