With the driver training over, today saw the latest chapter in the ongoing story of loco-hauled services to Great Yarmouth. Over the years everything from a single 20 (20304) to a Hoover (50050) have worked timetabled service trains to the coast, but as yet no class 68s have done so. However thanks to the rather unfortunate incident suffered by 170204, AGA decided to hire in an additional rake of Mk IIs and use 68s. The use of the Cats was even advertised in the local paper, thus generating more than the usual attention.
As my office is 5 minutes walk from Norwich station, I decided that I'd cover the first departure at 06:52 and the 07:30 return from the coast, before heading off to the office for a days work. Not wishing to risk an early morning bus move, I walked the three and a half miles from home through the deserted streets to arrive at the station in good time. On the way in I had bumped into one of the local "characters" renown for "duff" gen (duff as in wildly inaccurate not Brush type 4), who stated that the Cats weren't out. He was of course totally wrong as platform 6 was occupied by 68023 leading 68016. With a quick breakfast purchased, I headed over and after a quick photo the doors were duly unlocked and a few passengers clambered aboard.
Dead on time, the unmistakeable sound of a Cat in full cry heralded a rapid departure. A BBC Radio Norfolk reporter was on board and after an interview with Jonathan Denby from AGA, listeners were treated to the sound of 68023 from the front vestibule - just what you want with your cornflakes. Rather typically the line of questioning focused mainly on the age of the Mk IIs rather then the comfort afforded by seats that actually line up with the windows and give plenty of legroom. Anyway I was too busy concentrating on the thrash to worry about the stock. With only 3 coaches and 68016 on the rear, the starts away from the intermediate stops were pretty quick to say the least. Several other enthusiasts were noted taking a rather unusual route to work, as the normal commute to work took in a trip to the coast. Pretty soon we were running parallel to the Acle Straight where we overtook an Enviro 400 on the X1 before arriving a few minutes early at 0722.
Photos were duly taken of 68023 at the buffer stops before attention turned to the return run with 68016 Fearless in charge. My mind soon turned back to the events of July 1999 when another loco named Fearless (50050 of course) did this same run. On balance I guess the 50 was the most hellfire, but only just as the phenomenal acceleration away from station stops at Acle, Lingwood, Brundall and Brundall Gardens by 68016 was music to my ears. On leaving Brundall Gardens for the last leg into Norwich I headed for the nearest window, to savour the thrash from close quarters. All loco hauled trains have a 20 mph slack at a bridge close to MP 3.5 which means that you get a real dose of thrash as the train roars under the Norwich Southern Bypass half a mile on. "Fearless" didn't disappoint with a raucous romp into Norwich through Whitlingham Jn and past Crown Point Shed where 90014 was noted having a rest. On arrival back at Norwich, there was time to witness the departure of the 0809 to Great Yarmouth with "Achilles" in full flight, before I sourced a coffee from Costa, which was conveniently on my route to work. I thus arrived at my desk for 9:00 having ticked off two more Cats and a first trip to the coast with them. With 68019 lurking in the Royal Dock as well, I might be doing another trip before long!!
Andrew
As my office is 5 minutes walk from Norwich station, I decided that I'd cover the first departure at 06:52 and the 07:30 return from the coast, before heading off to the office for a days work. Not wishing to risk an early morning bus move, I walked the three and a half miles from home through the deserted streets to arrive at the station in good time. On the way in I had bumped into one of the local "characters" renown for "duff" gen (duff as in wildly inaccurate not Brush type 4), who stated that the Cats weren't out. He was of course totally wrong as platform 6 was occupied by 68023 leading 68016. With a quick breakfast purchased, I headed over and after a quick photo the doors were duly unlocked and a few passengers clambered aboard.
Dead on time, the unmistakeable sound of a Cat in full cry heralded a rapid departure. A BBC Radio Norfolk reporter was on board and after an interview with Jonathan Denby from AGA, listeners were treated to the sound of 68023 from the front vestibule - just what you want with your cornflakes. Rather typically the line of questioning focused mainly on the age of the Mk IIs rather then the comfort afforded by seats that actually line up with the windows and give plenty of legroom. Anyway I was too busy concentrating on the thrash to worry about the stock. With only 3 coaches and 68016 on the rear, the starts away from the intermediate stops were pretty quick to say the least. Several other enthusiasts were noted taking a rather unusual route to work, as the normal commute to work took in a trip to the coast. Pretty soon we were running parallel to the Acle Straight where we overtook an Enviro 400 on the X1 before arriving a few minutes early at 0722.
Photos were duly taken of 68023 at the buffer stops before attention turned to the return run with 68016 Fearless in charge. My mind soon turned back to the events of July 1999 when another loco named Fearless (50050 of course) did this same run. On balance I guess the 50 was the most hellfire, but only just as the phenomenal acceleration away from station stops at Acle, Lingwood, Brundall and Brundall Gardens by 68016 was music to my ears. On leaving Brundall Gardens for the last leg into Norwich I headed for the nearest window, to savour the thrash from close quarters. All loco hauled trains have a 20 mph slack at a bridge close to MP 3.5 which means that you get a real dose of thrash as the train roars under the Norwich Southern Bypass half a mile on. "Fearless" didn't disappoint with a raucous romp into Norwich through Whitlingham Jn and past Crown Point Shed where 90014 was noted having a rest. On arrival back at Norwich, there was time to witness the departure of the 0809 to Great Yarmouth with "Achilles" in full flight, before I sourced a coffee from Costa, which was conveniently on my route to work. I thus arrived at my desk for 9:00 having ticked off two more Cats and a first trip to the coast with them. With 68019 lurking in the Royal Dock as well, I might be doing another trip before long!!
Andrew
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