10th July 1999

Past Time Rail
The Edinburgh Explorer

Route :

Source : Gary Thornton.
(joined/left train at Northampton)

Tour review
(by Gary Thornton)

One of my rare outings on a "normals" tour, this was basically just a day out with the family - though I had a couple of things I wanted to achieve whilst in Edinburgh.

As the train picked up from my local station (Northampton) and it was a nice morning I decided to walk down (about 40 minutes) and meet my parents and sister there rather than using the car. Whilst waiting for our train we did see 90020 and 90039 pass through on freight trains (the latter on a very long car train full of Fords). Our tour turned up just after 07.30 with 86261 "The Rail Charter Partnership" in charge - not one of my required haulages, but then I was not expecting a required "can" anyway.

As a straight "out and back" tour to Edinburgh there was no need for a loco change or fancy routing however the journey was still quite interesting. At Rugby my father saw his first 66's (028 and 101) whilst I was more interested in the 37's there - 675, 678 and 796. The sightings at Crewe included Deltic D9009 "Alycidon" on the carriage shed and a mix of 37's and 47's on Crewe Diesel Depot. At Warrington 08485, 37298, 37669, 37799, 56115 and 66107 were noted on the depot and 60017 plus 60006 at Bank Quay station. Next point of interest was the EWS "component recovery" depot at Wigan where the residents included 31134, 31302, 31519, 47284, 47363, 47467, 56092 & 56126 all in various states of stripping. Final point of railway interest was the DRS depot north of Carlisle station where sightings included 20305, 20310, 20312, 20313, 20314, 20315, 20906 and 37604. A storming run northwards had us approaching Edinburgh about half an hour up on the schedule but in the event a slow approach brought us in 15 minutes early.

I said goodbye to the family (they were off shopping) and had a wander round the station to see what was about. Goal one of my stay was to see 158710, the only "scud" I still required for sight. Various ones came and went then in rolled 710 :-) This now left me free to go and achieve my second goal - to visit the Hard Rock Cafe in the city, which had opened since my last visit. Of the 100+ in the world this is only the second in the UK behind London (which was the first one ever to open). I settled down in the bar and consumed a couple of pints whilst chatting to a guy who was, I soon discovered, somewhat more "into" doing HRC's than myself - this was the 7th one I've visited but his 74th!! Beers drunk and T-shirt duly purchased I headed back to the station to see the arrival of another railtour - "The Worksop Midlothian" - on which a couple of friends were travelling. It rolled in about 4pm with 58016/048 at one end and 37682 "Harlepool Pipe Mill" on the other. Chance to catch up with my friends before heading over to platform 20 to catch my tour home.

Not so much to say about the return run - 86261 again and all the same sightings as outward, except that 55019 "Royal Highland Fusilier" had joined D9009 at Crewe. The only other notable thing on the return journey was the on-train raffle - notable on this occasion as my sister held the winning ticket! Arrival back into Northampton was a few minutes early just after 10.20pm.

Route, Distances and Timing's (Actual only)

No timing sheet was supplied to passengers so the tabulation below is solely actual passing timings as recorded by myself.

Key;
a : arrival time
c : crew change
d : departure time
/ : passing time

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