Mid 80s, summer Saturday. My mates and I took a zing up to Berwick for the Glasgow QS-Scarborough, the idea was to get this to Durham and catch the Scarborough-Newcastle back into Toon. Now I apologise, I no longer have the notes and I've totally forgot the locos, involved but the ones I use seem to be vaguely familiar. I apologise but if anyone can fill these blanks, I'd greatly appreciate It.
At Berwick, It didn't take long to realise something had gone a bit tits up, the PA announcing the train to Scarborough was delayed and the time just grew. About 50 down, when it was announced the train approaching is the delayed....... We looked up the line to see, a BR Blue, looked ex works 26, may have been 26040 dragging a dead 37114(I think), we were moaning like hell about missing out on the 37 on the Scarboro turn, now we're aboard a 26/37 combo heading south to Newcastle. I was reliably informed the 37 went pop just South of Craigentinny and the 26 had been scrambled from Millerhill. Into Newcastle the 26 and 37 were removed and replaced by an NB 47, sure it was 47205 or something like that. Anyway, a guy we knew, called.us jammy so n so' s, adding the Scarboroughs running mega late too, meaning suddenly, we had a chance after all. Onwards we went in hope, no mobiles, RTT or the like, we fully expected a 37 to roar past us en route. Even more so, when at Low Fell junction we got hoyed on the slow, a southbound zing flew past us but we remained on the slow, past Tyne Yard, when we ground to a standstill just after Ouston Junction.
About 5mins later, the 47 was declared a failure, within 5mins a 31, 31190, the 1 I do remember, was sent from Tyne Yard to rescue us. The 31 was attached.to the back coach and proceeded to push us into the loop just outside Durham Station. Another NB 47 was sent, from where I'm not sure, think it was 47238. As it was coupled to the front of the stricken 47 up front and then 31190 was detached, we had ignominy of watching our intended 37, think that was 37229 arrive and leave, whilst getting stick off those with heads out the window. Needless to say we bailed at Durham but 5 locos between Berwick and Durham was a fine haul. Still bugs me, I don't remember the numbers, especially on something like this. Nowadays it'd be caped at Berwick or dragged back to Edinburgh.
Also mid 80s, 47423 on an evening trans pennine Newcastle-Liverpool turn, in fairness 47423 was spluttering over the King Edward Bridge, we again got routed onto the slow. By Low Fell Junction, we'd stopped dead twice, only for the driver to revive 47423 again, we crawled past Tyne Yard and just ground to a halt, just past the South entrance into the Yard. The guard told my mates and I, the driver had declared 47423 a failure.
We sat there for a good half an hour, when my mate came from the window back into the coach, declaring, there's a 56 coming down the line, my mates n I, just said, aye right. Then about 30secs later 56115 went past light engine, we scrambled to the vestibule windows and saw 56115, run up to Ouston Junction and stop, before reversing towards us a shuntsman climbed from the cab and coupled 56115 on. Despite having tickets for Durham, we took it to Darlo and told the guy at the barrier, we'd got on the wrong train, showing him a Durham-Newcastle single, we got hoyed on a zing and he told the guard we'd got the wrong train, they're going to Newcastle, however we bailed at Durham, showing the guy on the barrier there our Newcastle-Durham ticket and hid till the zing had gone and then got on the platform and waited for the next trans pennine turn home.