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The_Train

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Tuesday 14th May 2019 - No fog on the Tyne

Part 2 - Into the Toon

My journey from Darlington to Newcastle was fairly quiet on a lightly loaded XC Voyager although whilst admiring the views of Durham I did manage to miss the number of a shed heading through (later identified as dud 66109). Tyne Yard offered very little except for 3 Azumas, with only dud 800107 being identifiable at the front of the 3. However, that disappointment was soon forgotten as we ventured over the Tyne where the views are just incredible from the comfort of a train seat. Dud 142063 was the 1st offering that Newcastle threw my way but my first winner in this glorious old station soon followed with 142020 finding it's way into the book. I was in need of a coffee so it was to Costa for a vanilla latte before a full sweep of the station saw me find DB 67013 sat at the South end awaiting any thunderbird duty that comes it's way
67013 Thunderbird Loco by The_Train

My sweep of the station complete, me and my coffee headed to the North end of platforms 3/4 to settle down in the sun and it was here I met the lovely Keith and Les who had become friends through the hobby having met each other on a platform somewhere. I spent a good couple of hours chatting with these pair and thoroughly enjoyed their stories and the laughs they gave me whilst also realising just how helpful this hobby can be to those who are left with little social interaction for whatever reason. Anyway, as I chatted away I was able to start chalking winners off with 156449 falling just before 156480, in its gorgeous RAF 100 livery went into the book
Northern Rail 'sprinter' 156480 by The_Train, on Flickr

Dud 91118 was the first of many LNER services that I got to see and came with another full set of required coaching stock. Slightly better luck with the next set as 91124 became my first winner of this class for today and also came with yet more needed coaching stock. Unfortunately 82206 was at the other end to ruin the chance of a complete winning set and there was a lack of luck with the next arrival as dud HST power cars 43306 and 43300 arrived with a sandwich filling of required coaching stock
43306 arrives into Newcastle by The_Train
LNER HST power car 43300 by The_Train

It was freight time next with a biomass working from Tyne Coal Terminal to Lynemouth Power Station and having been pre-warned that these movements should be 60 lead, if was disappointing to see a shed until I realised it was winner 66786
GBRf 'shed' 66786 by The_Train

This was followed by a little run of duds before 91127 brought my 91 needs down to just 2. Could today be the day the klaxon sounds? No time to dwell on that now though as I had another set of coaches to add to the book of sights but yet again the DVT failed to complete the set. A 2nd biomass working was next on the agenda but yet again it was a shed.....good job I don't see many of these at the local....and this time my luck was out as the famous 66780 in its lovely Cemex livery trundled through towards the Tyne Coal Terminal. My Northern requirements kept creeping downwards and 156444 helped with that before a full set of LNER stock went into the book with required 43312 and 43257 arriving on route to Inverness with a full quota of needed coaching stock
43312 at Newcastle by The_Train

A dud set of LNER stock rolled by at around the same time a very excitable local lad arrived, announcing that the Doncaster to Millerhill working was a loco move involving a 70 and 2x56s. His excitement spread around us all as dud 70814 strolled through with 56113 and 56090 in tow
A Colas flavoured trio by The_Train
Colas 56090 at Newcastle by The_Train

This had been touch and go as to whether Keith and Les would get to see these locos but their early running meant they got to see them just before they departed. I spent the next 10 minutes are so chatting all things trains with the lad who'd come to see the 70/56 trio whilst noting down a few duds before dud 82229 arrived with a full rake of required coaches.....
1E18 1400 Edinburgh to London Kings Cross by The_Train

.....and 91110 on the rear in its gorgeous and poignant livery
The fastest electric loco in the UK..... by The_Train

My luck with the Northern stock had begun to dry up so thankfully LNER kept the winners ticking over with 43299 next in the book along with its coaching set, although it was supported by dud 43208 as it arrived with a terminating service from KX
LNER 43299 at Newcastle by The_Train

Shortly after this, dud 91113 arrived next to the terminating HST with the only positive of this set being yet another rake of coaches being ticked off
43208 and 91113 sit at Newcastle by The_Train

My luck with the Northern stuff changed briefly when 142022 was seen for the first time before I nabbed 82211 to become my first DVT winner of the day and leaving me with just the 3 to find. 91122 at the other end wasn't required but more coaches fell before I hit another run of Northern duds with 156487 finally breaking the mini-deadlock
Which is older...the castle or the Pacer? by The_Train

The next LNER arrival was only good for coaching stock again but I managed to chalk off another pacer when 142068 calling in. A full set of HST duds was next before my 2nd DVT winner of the day, in the form of 82217, brought my needs down to 2 for the LNER driving coaches. 1x91 and 2x82s needed and just over 2 hours left to go......no problem......surely?!?!? The reason for my haste in clearing the LNER loco stock made an appearance next as, less than 24 hours before making their debut in passenger service, Azuma 800105 arrived on a training run from Edinburgh
New LNER Azuma 800105 by The_Train
A shiny new train by The_Train

156481 was next into the book before the main event of my day. With my eyes tired and weary at 6:30am I'd received a PM on here from Tyneside's favourite son, @47403 offering his company for a couple of hours in the early evening. I'm not sure if it was the tiredness but I agreed and it was around this time that Mr 403 arrived, becoming my first meeting of any forum member on here and it was certainly a pleasure to meet him, mainly because one of the first things he did was crack open a flask of coffee. He also offered me the opportunity to sample a cheese scone, which I'd been racking my brain over all day as to what it could be......what I hadn't expected was it to be an actual scone with cheese but I have to say it was delicious and what was even more amazing was the fact that he was armed with a glut of them for me to take back to the Midlands with me......top man! We were soon talking about anything and everything and it came at a good time as I went on a lengthy run of duds before 43272 and 43251 arrived into Newcastle and into my book of sights along with their coaching stock. I was amazed to find out that a Newcastle lad was still hunting for some of the LNER coaching stock - 10332 and 11526 so I kindly checked through my numbers for the day to see if I'd marked them down during the day but I didn't have good news for him. However, the next LNER service was headed up by 82206 and Mr 403 had gone fairly quiet which I assumed was because he could see the concentration in me writing numbers down but the smile on his face said differently as both of his final requirements for LNER were part of the set and the day before the new stock enters service, he had completed LNER. Whilst writing this report, I have realised that my info was incorrect and I had seen this set earlier in the day, must be my eye.....sorry mate (not that you'll be bothered now). Another classic sprinter winner came by with 156483 being the next to fall before another set of MK4 coaches were chalked off to help my own quest with these. Time was becoming short now but there was still plenty of time to listen to and enjoy the story's of old from 47403's time bashing the locos around the Tyne area, alongside his drunken Scottish chums :E He was even able to point out where the Gateshead shed used to be. Still, there was time for more winners and 156465 kept my Northern needs ticking over before 91130 took my 91 requirements down to just a single loco - I'd said to 403 that the final 2 things to complete my day would be to see the IC Swallow liveried 91 and to have a HST ride home and amazingly it was 91119 that I now needed to complete the set.

My train home was running 15 minutes late so gave me a chance to see my penultimate HST of the day as dud 43320 arrived with a fully required set of stock along with winner 43277 on the other end but there was little else to see until my steed for leg 1 of my journey home arrived, headed by 43314 with yet another set of coaches for the book of sights and also required for everything 43315 at the other end. Having said our goodbyes a fantastic couple of hours with Mr 403 came to and end and I settled into the comfort of the HST coaches for the jaunt to Doncaster but with my connection down from 20 minutes to 5 minutes there, I did do a bit of clockwatching. Leeds took my mind off this as I was able to tick off 170458 and 142040 as we paused there before we eventually made it into Doncaster with a few minutes to spare....I grabbed this pic of 43315 just as my next train was pulling in
LNER 43315 at Doncaster by The_Train

I'd hoped to have a good scour around Donny as there seems to be quite a few of the new Northern units being stored there at the moment but because of my narrow connection I was left with just 331102 and 331106 to chalk off as they were parked in the bays that I could see from the window of TPE 185122 which was to be my haulage to Stockport. Tiredness was really hitting me hard now but not hard enough for me to miss 142035 which was at Sheffield as we called there but there was nothing else of note on this journey except for me eating more sandwiches. Stockport offered a few dud Northern units before dud for everything 221120 arrived to form the final leg of my journey home, which was enough time to spy one more winner with 323227 sat in the bay at Stoke. Finally, 16 and half hours after departing I was back at Stafford and looking forward to my bed

For Sight

Winners: 49
Coaching Stock Winners: 175
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: N/A
TOCs completed: Cross Country
TOC sub classes completed: N/A

For Haulage

Winners: 10
Total Mileage: 456 miles 06 chains
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: N/A
 
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Techniquest

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Certainly a long day, but definitely ultra productive. Worth the expense in going, clearly! Getting to meet the mighty LSG (Lord Spoon Goon, can't remember how some of us got to giving each other nicknames now, must have started in the long-closed Twitter chatter group) would have been a big bonus too, nearly 2 years since I was last up his way! Going to have to find my trip report from June 2017 now!
 

The_Train

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Certainly a long day, but definitely ultra productive. Worth the expense in going, clearly! Getting to meet the mighty LSG (Lord Spoon Goon, can't remember how some of us got to giving each other nicknames now, must have started in the long-closed Twitter chatter group) would have been a big bonus too, nearly 2 years since I was last up his way! Going to have to find my trip report from June 2017 now!

Was definitely one of my favourite outings. Really enjoyed the day and it wasn't too bad for the book of sights :E
 

xotGD

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Goodness knows how many hours I spent on the Newcastle platforms back in the day...

I hope you didn't miss the TPE and other stuff arriving in the bay platforms 9 to 12.

Next stop South Wales?
 

The_Train

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Goodness knows how many hours I spent on the Newcastle platforms back in the day...

I hope you didn't miss the TPE and other stuff arriving in the bay platforms 9 to 12.

Next stop South Wales?

I ventured down to the 9 to 12 bays now and again but was happy to let much of the TPE stuff go (in favour of basking in the sun) as I'm confident that another trip to Manchester will sort the 185s out.

I had considered a trip to Bristol on Friday with an extension to Cardiff for a few hours. Thought it might help with the turbo units, along with the GWR 158s and pacers but no sure what Bristol and Cardiff sees these days as I've been told that much of the GWR pacers are stuck in Devon/Cornwall these days
 

Kite159

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Pretty much all the GWR Pacers operate on the Devon Metro services (Paignton - Exmouth - Barnstaple), one might escape every now and again to run to Plymouth or even to Cardiff depending on unit shortages. A good few hours at Exeter St Davids would clear the majority of the 143s (plus other units passing by)
 

47403

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Great read again Mr Train, Firstly I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, you done well and I bet the Book of sights looks a damn sight healthier for it. It's quite funny how your local appears to visitors, I don't go as much as I really should. Secondly, I'm glad you enjoyed the cheese scones, still cant believe you hadnt had a cheese scones before, even better compliment, seen as I made them myself. Lastly thank you for the kind words', I was just showing you, what we call Geordie Hospitality. Was a pleasure meeting you too and them couple of hours flew by.

You getting to meet Keith and his Geordie friend Les, Keith is the smilevideotrains Vlogger, so to spend an spend an afternoon with them and be in his youtube video, was a bit of a bonus for you too.

I'd also like to bet there's not many folk on here can say, they came to Newcastle and spent the whole day in shorts, enjoying the sunshine as well as the coming and goings.

Yeah it was nice to knock them 2 last coaches off and yes, i did go deathly quiet, soon as i seen 82206 and 11414, I thought, hello, i think I'm in here and I did have to shut up, cos I kept withering on while you were noting down the stock. Gotta say Mr Train, do you have the faintest idea how many coaches I've looked at on the ECML to get them last 2?. No, funnily enough neither do I :lol: but it's bloody loads.

I'd forgotten I'd shown you, where Gateshead Shed used to be, my mates and I used to sit on a parcel barrow, brute I think they were called, at the opposite end of the platforms from where we were stood, as xotGD probably testify, if hes as old as I am at least, will testify, it was platforms 9 and 10 those days. We'd be looking over the water, to see stuff coming over the King Eddie bridge' mainly to see what locos would be running light off the shed to run up to Heaton to pick up the stock on the loco hauled trans pennine turns, if it was owt we needed for haage we'd bail over to the ticket office for a return to Durham or Darlo.

I also remember telling you about where the 1S15 Newcastle to Edinburgh stopper, used to leave from and telling you about the hole, a nickname for where locos and parcel vans would be stabled. Obviously since the place was refurbed, the hole, was replaced by platforms 6, 7 and 8. I'm sure xotGD will remember all well too. An 03 was normally always parked up there too. Christmas Eve would also see an abundance of locos parked in the hole too. The pic below is Vince Mintos pic of the aforementioned, the Hole, way back in the mid 80s. Christmas Eve, my mates n I would visit Gateshead Shed, the hole and Tyne Yard as locos were being parked up for the Christmas holidays. Gateshead would be bursting at the seams Christmas Day.
received_1201163029977155.jpeg

I have to thank Mr Train, for the gen on on the Lynemouth to Tyne Dock working, if he hadn't of told me 66786 was on said working, I'd have gone home and missed out on another cop. So I'm really grateful for that mate.

156513 came in about 5mins after you left too. There were 2 others in at the time too, so there was actually more jock rail liveried units on Central than Northern ones.

2 years already Tech!!! Where did that time go?. Was that when Dan and yourself were on the ALR and we went up the Fort for a couple of beers or when I met up with you and rg177 on your metro bash. My minds going bud.
 
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433N

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Nice report there, Mr Train.

So, as one with an unhealthy interest in Pacers, could you tell me how many you saw at Newcastle during your time. I'm figuring I'll take a trip some time this year.

If it's any consolation, I saw 91119 quite a few times last week - still, it will probably be one of the last ones to go since it has had such a thorough overhaul recently - so you should still have a bit of time. :)
Hope you are luckier than me. It took me an absolute age to see my last 91, 91105, it got ridic.
 

Techniquest

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2 years already Tech!!! Where did that time go?. Was that when Dan and yourself were on the ALR and we went up the Fort for a couple of beers or when I met up with you and rg177 on your metro bash. My minds going bud.

Nearly 2 years, I think it was June 2017 when me and Dan were on that ALR and I dashed off to do my last two Metro shacks. We did indeed go to that pub on that occasion, I'd have to check my trip report for the details now as I've got blanks in my memory there.

I must confess to forgetting about the Metro bash with rg177, I don't even remember when that might have been. Definitely a plus to doing trip reports, they have a tendancy to spark memories that have been forgotten. Too many trips over the years to remember everything!

I was re-reading some 2015 trip reports yesterday, found your recommendation for that takeaway in Pelaw. Still not been there, one day!
 

The_Train

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Pretty much all the GWR Pacers operate on the Devon Metro services (Paignton - Exmouth - Barnstaple), one might escape every now and again to run to Plymouth or even to Cardiff depending on unit shortages. A good few hours at Exeter St Davids would clear the majority of the 143s (plus other units passing by)

What lifespan have these pacers got now? And the TfW ones for that matter?

Trying to plan my outings around this sort of info now. I've also got a trip to Anglia in mind as it seems the 90s will be gone fairly soon so might do that before the South West
 

The_Train

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Nice report there, Mr Train.

So, as one with an unhealthy interest in Pacers, could you tell me how many you saw at Newcastle during your time. I'm figuring I'll take a trip some time this year.

If it's any consolation, I saw 91119 quite a few times last week - still, it will probably be one of the last ones to go since it has had such a thorough overhaul recently - so you should still have a bit of time. :)
Hope you are luckier than me. It took me an absolute age to see my last 91, 91105, it got ridic.

Thanks mate. With regards to the pacers my general answer would be not as many as I'd hoped but more than I'd expected.....if that makes sense. I'm out now but I'll send you more detail when I get home.

As for the 91, it was what I thought as well that it would be one of the last to go. In fact if they are planning a send off GWR style then it will be there for the final run....surely? Haha
 

Kite159

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What lifespan have these pacers got now? And the TfW ones for that matter?

Trying to plan my outings around this sort of info now. I've also got a trip to Anglia in mind as it seems the 90s will be gone fairly soon so might do that before the South West

I think the GWR ones are due to go in the next few months, the IETs have taken over some more Turbo services in the Thames Valley which would allow more turbos to transfer to the west. But unless they get given permission to continue they will need to be gone by the end of the year due to the 2020 stuff.

There was talk on Twitter that the first 91s will go off-lease from the end of June, now the 800s have entered service they are on borrowed time
 

xotGD

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Just to add to the Newcastle nostalgia, from the west end of the old platform 9 & 10 you could see locos stabled on 'the ash heaps' over at GD and identify them with binoculars. There were two large hose points that were ideal for balancing your bins on top.

I once got a haulage/shunt in and out of the Hole when a defective coach had to be dumped. Then got back off the train when we returned to Platform 10!
 

47403

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Just to add to the Newcastle nostalgia, from the west end of the old platform 9 & 10 you could see locos stabled on 'the ash heaps' over at GD and identify them with binoculars. There were two large hose points that were ideal for balancing your bins on top.

I once got a haulage/shunt in and out of the Hole when a defective coach had to be dumped. Then got back off the train when we returned to Platform 10!

NOT many can say that they'd been shunted into the hole, that's a mega rariety indeed. Was it with one of the 03's too. The rarest thing I got to that, was being diverted round the back of Tyne Yard on a Summer Saturday afternoon turn, might've been the Yarmouth but I can't remember now. Not a patch on that though.

As for the ash heaps, we'd always go round the back of Gateshead shed anyway, we'd pick off the front ones on the bank side, if the break down set wasn't there, cross over the crossing by the Robin Reliant garage, up the path towards the foreman office, picking off the locos and shunters, before cutting through the old building, think it was the old Greensfield works or something, then along the back road and clamber up the bank to see the other locos. Odd time, we'd climb through(well scarper) the gap in the fence and quickly get in between the 2 lines of locos and get the locos blocked by the breakdown set before legging it back off.

Other times we just asked the foreman if we could go round the depot. 9 times out of 10 it was no but when we got a bit older, you'd get, youve got 15minutes. The stored shunters in the back, first time I saw them, they were gold dust to our locosheds/platform 5. We always used to pester the foreman on both Gateshead and Tyne Yard for TOPS reports too.

Sorry Mr Train I've seemingly, inadvertently highjacked your thread. My apologies mate.
 
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The_Train

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I think the GWR ones are due to go in the next few months, the IETs have taken over some more Turbo services in the Thames Valley which would allow more turbos to transfer to the west. But unless they get given permission to continue they will need to be gone by the end of the year due to the 2020 stuff.

There was talk on Twitter that the first 91s will go off-lease from the end of June, now the 800s have entered service they are on borrowed time

Sounds like I need to get down to Exeter sooner rather than later then. I feel like I've remained the hobby at the worst possible time....I'm just chasing units that are heading for the scrap heap haha.

Yeah I've seen that as well about the 91s. I'm confident my one remaining requirement will continue to operate right until the end though so hopefully I've got time on that. I do need 2 of the DVTs though as well.
Not seen any talk of the LNER HSTs though so are they carrying on for the time being?
 

The_Train

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Just to add to the Newcastle nostalgia, from the west end of the old platform 9 & 10 you could see locos stabled on 'the ash heaps' over at GD and identify them with binoculars. There were two large hose points that were ideal for balancing your bins on top.

I once got a haulage/shunt in and out of the Hole when a defective coach had to be dumped. Then got back off the train when we returned to Platform 10!

NOT many can say that they'd been shunted into the hole, that's a mega rariety indeed. Was it with one of the 03's too. The rarest thing I got to that, was being diverted round the back of Tyne Yard on a Summer Saturday afternoon turn, might've been the Yarmouth but I can't remember now. Not a patch on that though.

As for the ash heaps, we'd always go round the back of Gateshead shed anyway, we'd pick off the front ones on the bank side, if the break down set wasn't there, cross over the crossing by the Robin Reliant garage, up the path towards the foreman office, picking off the locos and shunters, before cutting through the old building, think it was the old Greensfield works or something, then along the back road and clamber up the bank to see the other locos. Odd time, we'd climb through(well scarper) the gap in the fence and quickly get in between the 2 lines of locos and get the locos blocked by the breakdown set before legging it back off.

Other times we just asked the foreman if we could go round the depot. 9 times out of 10 it was no but when we got a bit older, you'd get, youve got 15minutes. The stored shunters in the back, first time I saw them, they were gold dust to our locosheds/platform 5. We always used to pester the foreman on both Gateshead and Tyne Yard for TOPS reports too.

Sorry Mr Train I've seemingly, inadvertently highjacked your thread. My apologies mate.

Loving the nostalgia guys, keep these sort of stories coming. Roaming around yards is something I missed out on as a youngster :frown:
 

xotGD

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OK, found the gen:

6-7-85: 37021 Newcastle Platform 10 to the Hole & back 1F92

The same day we got propelled from the rear from Ouston Junction to Durham Loop by 31188 after 47207 fagged. 47238 then arrived to take us forward on 1E28.

Then:

37199 Darlo - Newcastle 1N13
45111 Newcastle - Darlo 1M32
37021 Darlo - Newcastle 1S51 (Got it properly!)

Next evening it was across to Carlisle on the last unit to start a Freedom of Scotland
Happy days!
 

The_Train

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I have to thank Mr Train, for the gen on on the Lynemouth to Tyne Dock working, if he hadn't of told me 66786 was on said working, I'd have gone home and missed out on another cop. So I'm really grateful for that mate.

156513 came in about 5mins after you left too. There were 2 others in at the time too, so there was actually more jock rail liveried units on Central than Northern ones

No worries on the gen, got to share the goodness haven't you? Haha

And 156513 is a requirement of mine so that's quite painful to know I was so close to an extra winner. Ah well, all part of the fun....apparently :E
 

The_Train

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Afternoon folks, I have a few updates I'm wanting to do but as Flickr seems to be very much down at the minute, I was going to use the upload function on here (using the spoiler function as well like @Kite159 does as I believe this won't affect people's data usage unless they want it to) to include a few pics. However, whenever I do so - I upload the pic, click add full image and then put it in the spoiler brackets - the preview of my post doesn't show the photo, just a link to an attachment. Can anyone help with what I'm doing wrong please?
 

47403

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OK, found the gen:

6-7-85: 37021 Newcastle Platform 10 to the Hole & back 1F92

The same day we got propelled from the rear from Ouston Junction to Durham Loop by 31188 after 47207 fagged. 47238 then arrived to take us forward on 1E28.

Then:

37199 Darlo - Newcastle 1N13
45111 Newcastle - Darlo 1M32
37021 Darlo - Newcastle 1S51 (Got it properly!)

Next evening it was across to Carlisle on the last unit to start a Freedom of Scotland
Happy days!
Im not doubting you here but I've been given duff gen then. I was on 47207, my mate says 47207 was put on Glasgow-Scaborough at Newcastle, after 26014 brought in 37017( 8th June.85) I was on that from Berwick and told that was the same day as 47207 replaced it. I was definitely on that move. My mate also told me it was 31190 that pushed us from Ouston into the loop at Durham and 47314, dragged us out the loop into Durham and onwards. Cheers for clarifying that xotGD. I lost all my records and asked him, he didn't have records to hand but he was fairly sure of it. Well I never.

37199 on the Yarmouth, I remember that. Remember 37305 better and 37289 on the Scarborough - Newcastle via the Durham Coast.
The 1S51 was that the return of Scarborough - Queen Street.
Freedom of Scotland in them says would've been amazing too. Now there's a trip I'd like to read about.
 
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xotGD

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Im not doubting you here but I've been given duff gen then. I was on 47207, my mate says 47207 was put on Glasgow-Scaborough at Newcastle, after 26014 brought in 37017( 8th June.85) I was on that from Berwick and told that was the same day as 47207 replaced it. I was definitely on that move. My mate also told me it was 31190 that pushed us from Ouston into the loop at Durham and 47314, dragged us out the loop into Durham and onwards. Cheers for clarifying that xotGD. I lost all my records and asked him, he didn't have records to hand but he was fairly sure of it. Well I never.

37199 on the Yarmouth, I remember that. Remember 37305 better and 37289 on the Scarborough - Newcastle via the Durham Coast.
The 1S51 was that the return of Scarborough - Queen Street.
Freedom of Scotland in them says would've been amazing too. Now there's a trip I'd like to read about.
I remember seeing the 26 roll in to Newcastle on the Glasgow - Scarborough. Pity it didn't work forward!

305 and 289 - yes they were huge.

I'll have to put a post up with the Freedom of Scotland moves. Watch this space...
 

47403

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I remember seeing the 26 roll in to Newcastle on the Glasgow - Scarborough. Pity it didn't work forward!

305 and 289 - yes they were huge.

I'll have to put a post up with the Freedom of Scotland moves. Watch this space...
I night on soiled myself when the 26 snd 37 came into view at Berwick.
Now there's s trip report that'll be a nostalgia fest. Have you read Andy Furniss's book, 'Scotland in the 1970's and 1980's'. It's his account of a Freedom of Scotland, quite a lot of photos but a good read nonetheless.
Oi, get your own space ;):E

:lol::lol::lol: Brilliant
 
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The_Train

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Since my epic trip to the North East I've made a few calls at the local, usually based on something catching my eye on RTT.

2 days after Newcastle, I decided to head out to check out the morning Mountsorrel to Carlisle run with this having become a Colas working. It's been a bit of a slog to find the Colas stuff so this working is a pleasant change and after witnessing a few dud sheds (along with the usual plethora of Pendos, Voyagers and Desiros) required 70803 rolled through with a full rake of ballast wagons. I'd planned to grab a photo of it as well and having prepared fully for its arrival, I was left extremely annoyed when my camera decided to malfunction at the imperfect time.....I was going to post an alternative photo here but upon loading them onto Flickr I managed to set a few as private and with the on-going work on that site, I'm currently finding it difficult to change them. Anyway, the next move I'd seen was a Burton Wetmore to Crewe H.S. light loco move and, having seemingly solved the issue with my camera, I readied myself for its arrival but as 47593 "Galloway Princess" (47790 on TOPS I believe) passed by with its immense large logo livery, my camera repeated it's actions of earlier and failed to grab a snap. Ah well, a winner for sight none the less but my camera had made my mind up for me to call time on this little venture. However, a few hours later I decided to return to check out the afternoon rush and I was almost immediately rewarded with another FLR shed falling in the form of 66554 working a Felixstowe to Ditton intermodal. The more expected duds arrived for the next hour until I was blessed thanks to the Peterborough to Crewe driver training run which, on this occasion, was conducted with 47830 which went into the book. That would prove to be it for today as, after finding out that Freightliner seem to be operating the Toton to Crewe engineers run nowadays (we've been spoilt with the liveries from GBRf on this working), I decided to call it a day.

Full log for 16/05/19:

47: 47790, 47830
66: 66018, 66142, 66506, 66509, 66554, 66570, 66591, 66711
70: 70803
90: 90042, 90045
220: 220007, 220009, 220017, 220020, 220024, 220027, 220031
221: 221114, 221117, 221119, 221120, 221123, 221138, 221142, 221143
350: 350111, 350112, 350117, 350119, 350121, 350122, 350123, 350124, 350128, 350234, 350239, 350253, 350370, 350371
390: 390002, 390005, 390010, 390011, 390016, 390043, 390044, 390049, 390050, 390104, 390114, 390117, 390125, 390126, 390127, 390130, 390131, 390136, 390151, 390154, 390156, 390157

The following day, I was tempted out yet again having received some gen of steam workings. I arrived at the local just in time to see 61306 "Mayflower" crawling through as it worked Carnforth to London Euston on the final day of the Highland and Islands multi-day tour
Mayflower at Stafford by The_Train

And as an added bonus, WCRC 47802 was at the rear to make it a double success
47802 by The_Train

Chiltern liveried dud 68010 rolled through soon after with a light working to the DRS depot at Crewe and there was also dud 66509 working the Felxistowe to Ditton containers which had offered me a winner the previous day. I had one more steam working to check out but I decided to head down to Tamworth to photograph this (purely for something a bit different) so I jumped on 350235 for the quick hop down the Trent Valley. My arrival there was met by a HST arrival and having chased it for so long, would you believe that one of the power cars was 43207. Ah well it did allow me to chalk off another of the XC coaching stock - I think I also needed the coach at the very front but decided that would wait as I wanted to get down to P1 to position myself for the steam. My gen had suggested it would be 45231 "The Sherwood Forester" working to Southall and although I didn't need it for sight, I thought it was worth grabbing a photo of. So, all set for the arrival and with the working approaching, I took a glance over my shoulder to see a FLR 70 approaching with a rake of containers. Knowing you are going to be bowled and being able to do nothing about it is quite annoying but my mood was lightened when I realised that it was actually a 47 at the front of the Southall working. I hung around Tamworth for an hour or so but only managed a few dud 66s before a Canton to Nottingham Eastcroft working threw up this little beauty
076J 1427 Canton Sidings to Nottingham Eastcroft by The_Train

Yes, it was 50050 "Fearless" and it had for company Colas 70808 which was a requirement for me. That made my trip to Tamworth worthwhile but having heard a couple of locals talking about 66s on the oil workings, I decided to call it a day so jumped on 350251 and 350248 for the jaunt back North.

A week later, and with the sun shining I decided another few hours at the local would be a good idea. It wasn't particularly as all I got for much of the time there was sunburnt arms as dud after dud rattled through. Here is a selection of photos of these duds, with the rest being on my Flickr
390126 by The_Train
The Desiro and the Pendolino by The_Train
Cats on the prowl by The_Train
66161 by The_Train

It was the more typical outing to the local with any winner being a good winner here but I did have my eye on a Bletchley to Manchester working which is typically a TPE MK5A set out on test/mileage accumulation so this had kept a little bit of hope within me. And I wouldn't be disappointed as 68031 "Felix" rolled into P6 for a short break, during which the man from CAF was very busy hopping between the loco and the unit behind
68031 at Stafford by The_Train

I spied my chance to interrogate the driver on where they were at with this set, which was TP04, and he advised it still had 'a few hundred miles of fault free testing to get through'.

And here it is departing for something a bit different to the text and photos I usually stick to on my reports


Full log for 23/05/19:

37: 37059
57: 57308
66: 66161, 66503, 66551, 66553, 66568, 66592, 66599, 66712
68: 68002, 68004, 68031, 68034
70: 70003, 70008
88: 88006
220: 220008, 220019, 220021, 220022, 220028, 220030
221: 221109, 221110, 221114, 221115, 221116, 221118, 221120, 221123, 221124, 221132, 221143
350: 350101, 350103, 350109, 350113, 350116, 350117, 350119, 350125, 350126, 350130, 350233, 350238, 350245, 350246, 350248, 350253, 350257, 350259, 350264, 350377
390: 390001, 390006, 390013, 390016, 390039, 390042, 390044, 390049, 390050, 390104, 390107, 390112, 390115, 390125, 390126, 390130, 390136, 390138, 390148, 390154
TPE Mk5a DTSO: 12804

My most recent outing was on Friday just gone and was a decision made based on workings spotted on RTT. The couple of hours spent on the platform this time around began, yet again, with a host of duds including 90028 and 90019 running as a pair to Wembley. Also, as it's Pride season within the LGBT community LNWR have joined the fun with a bit of an addition to 350375....
A colourful 350375 by The_Train

A couple of dud sheds later and it was time for the reason I'd headed out today. So after positioning myself on the footbridge for a quick dash, I monitored the movement of 0Z48 until I saw it being pathed into platform 6 where you positioned myself to see 47501/D1944 "Craftsman arrive
47501 at Stafford by The_Train

And if that wasn't enough, we were blessed with the sight of a lovely BR blue livery as 37190 was also in attendance as they headed from Butterley Midland Railway Centre to Crewe Holding Sidings
BR Blue 37190 by The_Train

And then as the swathes of photographers caught up with these 2 beauties, I caught sight of yet another locomotive and in a throwback to a bygone era when the loco was king, 57308 pulled up alongside the 47 as it worked light from Birmingham International to Crewe for VTWC
47501 and 57308 by The_Train


And then like that wasn't enough, after the departure of the 47/37 combination and with the 57 still awaiting a path, dud 66427 pulled into platform 5
66427 and 57308 by The_Train

After all of the delicious diesels, the excitement didn't stop there as we were next taken even further back into the past as dud kettle 46233 "Duchess of Sutherland" passed by with a lone coach as they worked from Carnforth to Southall
LMS Princess Coronation Class 6233 by The_Train

My desperation for winners at the local saw me lay claim to the lone coach that the Duchess brought through with her but that would prove to be my lot for what turned out to be a really good couple of hours. Full log of sightings for 24/05/19 is below:

37: 37190
47
: 47501
57: 57308
66: 66427, 66549, 66772
70: 70008
90: 90018, 90019, 90028, 90040, 90042
220: 220008, 220017
221: 221116, 221117, 221122, 221123, 221132
350: 350116, 350118, 350119, 350121, 350240, 350242, 350244, 350254, 350259, 350261, 350263, 350371, 350375, 350377
390: 390039, 390114, 390118, 390123, 390127, 390136
Steam - LMS: 46233

Overview for these 4 trips to the local is below:

For Sight

Winners: 9
Coaching Stock Winners: 2
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: N/A
TOCs completed: N/A
TOC sub classes completed: N/A

For Haulage

Winners: 3
Total Mileage: 47 miles 04 chains
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: N/A
 
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