tsr
Established Member
377472/474 achieved what is still the fastest official time by rail from London Bridge to Brighton. A subtle special commemorative livery was created.
Right here's another for the list, and which requires a little more information. From memory in the late 1980's I recall two class 20's which were painted in green. By this stage I was no longer a rail enthusiast but I do remember seeing them at Derby station. I'm guessing that they were based at either Toton or Tinsley. Any ideas?
They're still around, both in preservation now, 47798 with the NRM and now restored to its' RES style royal livery and 47799 at the Eden Valley Railway.You might add the two Class 47s (I think - somebody will correct me) - that used to haul the Royal Train - but I haven't seen them lately.
We need to know what a celebrity loco is, I suppose. In human terms the definition of a celebrity seems to be "appears on TV a lot". On that basis there are very few contenders - Locomotion (replica), Rocket (replica) , Flying Scotsman and Tornado plus maybe Mallard. You might add the two Class 47s (I think - somebody will correct me) - that used to haul the Royal Train - but I haven't seen them lately. There are lots of locos which play bit parts and have walk-on appearances but I am afraid nobody (except the initiated) notices them much.
According to the page linked below, units 2401 and 2403:Which 442 broke the third rail speed record?
Yes, quite a distinguished little group. On which note, I think that it's also worth mentioning the two Stratford 47s which received full height painted Union Jack flags a couple of years earlier to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977; 47163 and 47164.And naturally the Stratford 47s, especially the five counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire along with Great Eastern, James Nightall and Benjamin Gimbert.
It is interesting to consider which depot pets received heritage schemes in the late eighties:Any suggestions would be very welcome, including class 08's which received fancy paint jobs.
There was also the HST set which became a TV celebrity on 30th August 1984, when it was filmed for a special episode of Top of the Pops performing a record breaking run of 62 minutes 33 seconds for the 117 miles from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads with a shortened 2+5 set; an average speed of 112.7mph; with power car 43002 being named "Top of the Pops" by Jimmy Saville upon arrival.
Is that the one that went to the Coventry railway museum, along with the 4SUB and Tyneside EPB?
No thats a 503
That jogged a bit of a memory, so had to go and look it up: HST power car 43108. Apparently, at least one of the stick-on nameplates (which read "BBC Television Railwatch" in full) remained stuck on for around two months, rather than the week or so that was intended!On a more cheery note, how about the train which (momentarily) became "Railwatch" (or it might have been "BBC Railwatch - can't find a picture) in conjunction with the special 1990 BBC series of that name, including such TV luminaries as Rob Curling, Paul Coia and the late Mike Smith !
That jogged a bit of a memory, so had to go and look it up: HST power car 43108. Apparently, at least one of the stick-on nameplates (which read "BBC Television Railwatch" in full) remained stuck on for around two months, rather than the week or so that was intended!
There was also the HST set which became a TV celebrity on 30th August 1984, when it was filmed for a special episode of Top of the Pops performing a record breaking run of 62 minutes 33 seconds for the 117 miles from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads with a shortened 2+5 set; an average speed of 112.7mph; with power car 43002 being named "Top of the Pops" by Jimmy Saville upon arrival.
It is interesting to consider which depot pets received heritage schemes in the late eighties:
08601: London, Midland & Scottish Railway Black (Bescot)
08604: Great Western Railway Green (Bescot)
Is that the DMU that was operating stopping services on the Hope Valley route in the 1990's?
There's certainly a good few shots of 08601 online in and around the environs of New Street acting as pilot on coaching stock shunts.I'm guessing here that those would have been station pilots at New Street?
It is interesting to consider which depot pets received heritage schemes in the late eighties:
BR Black: 08730 (Edinburgh Haymarket)/867 (Thornaby)
BR Green: 08011 (Bletchley)/647 (Doncaster works)/691 (Tinsley)/772 (Stratford)/869 (Norwich)
08601: London, Midland & Scottish Railway Black (Bescot)
08604: Great Western Railway Green (Bescot)
08642: London & South Western Railway Black (Eastleigh works)
08793: London & North Eastern Railway Apple Green (Edinburgh Haymarket)
08833: Great Eastern Railway Blue (Stratford)
08907: London & North Western Railway Black (Crewe Diesel)
whats "famous" depends very much on your personal experience.....for many who served in the military in Europe post WWII it could well be EM1 26000
Yes though 26020 was the one preserved while "Tommy" was scrapped. I'm sure i read once 26020 was chosen as it was a "celebrity loco" does anyone know why?