sprinterguy
Established Member
Evening all, I was wondering if anybody might be able to clarify a few things that I have witnessed on a journey from Sunderland to York today, as well as a few other related points:
While travelling on Grand Centrals' 12:28 service from Sunderland today, my train passed one of Northerns' 150/2s heading north on the slow line a little bit north of Thirsk: 150s are pretty "exotic" in Northern England beyond Skelton Junction, so I was quite surprised to see one on the "racing stretch" of the ECML.
I presume that the units' destination would be Heaton to allow some sort of work to take place, as there have been occasional occurences of 150s turning up at Heaton depot over the last few months. Can anybody confirm if this was the case, and if so, provide any details of what work is to be carried out, as well as the identity of the unit involved?
Also, I have noticed recently that quite a few class 144 workings, and even the occasional 142, have been making a reappearance on the Harrogate Circle services from York when I thought that these services were primarily in the hands of Northerns' 150s these days. Is it the case that more Pacer operated services are beginning to creep back in on the Harrogates?
Finally, does anybody know if the NRM are having something of a reshuffle of the layout of the locomotives in the Great Hall? Over the course of the last few days and weeks, I have seen a number of the exhibits that are generally ensconsed permanently within the Great Hall out in the open air: Firstly "Mallard" shortly after its' return from Shildon, and today LMS 2-6-4T 2500 was visible alongside the workshops while I also witnessed "Duchess of Hamilton" being shunted around York North Yard and quite memorably into York station by 47798, which I was extremely pleased about as it gave me the chance to see the loco in its' streamlined form for the first time.
On Friday afternoon I also saw 47798 and 37350 top and tailing Black Five 45407 on a shunting manouvre around Yorks' freight lines: The Black Five was in steam, so does anybody know if it had seen recent use on a railtour of some form or another?
Thanks in advance for anyone who can shed some light on any of my observations!
While travelling on Grand Centrals' 12:28 service from Sunderland today, my train passed one of Northerns' 150/2s heading north on the slow line a little bit north of Thirsk: 150s are pretty "exotic" in Northern England beyond Skelton Junction, so I was quite surprised to see one on the "racing stretch" of the ECML.
I presume that the units' destination would be Heaton to allow some sort of work to take place, as there have been occasional occurences of 150s turning up at Heaton depot over the last few months. Can anybody confirm if this was the case, and if so, provide any details of what work is to be carried out, as well as the identity of the unit involved?
Also, I have noticed recently that quite a few class 144 workings, and even the occasional 142, have been making a reappearance on the Harrogate Circle services from York when I thought that these services were primarily in the hands of Northerns' 150s these days. Is it the case that more Pacer operated services are beginning to creep back in on the Harrogates?
Finally, does anybody know if the NRM are having something of a reshuffle of the layout of the locomotives in the Great Hall? Over the course of the last few days and weeks, I have seen a number of the exhibits that are generally ensconsed permanently within the Great Hall out in the open air: Firstly "Mallard" shortly after its' return from Shildon, and today LMS 2-6-4T 2500 was visible alongside the workshops while I also witnessed "Duchess of Hamilton" being shunted around York North Yard and quite memorably into York station by 47798, which I was extremely pleased about as it gave me the chance to see the loco in its' streamlined form for the first time.
On Friday afternoon I also saw 47798 and 37350 top and tailing Black Five 45407 on a shunting manouvre around Yorks' freight lines: The Black Five was in steam, so does anybody know if it had seen recent use on a railtour of some form or another?
Thanks in advance for anyone who can shed some light on any of my observations!