47403
Established Member
As usual there'll be the back story, a trip to Blackpool, thrown in too, part rail related, then the main agenda, along with a few photo's from the mobile thrown into the mix too, so please bear with me. Go make a cuppa and grab a pack of your fave biscuits before reading on.
Not long after returning from my jaunt doing the Roundabout ticket up in Glasgow, maybe even before, I seriously can't remember, GBRf announced they were doing the 4 day tour, my first thought was I'll have a bit of that, I fancied 2 of the 4 days, however that was scuppered with work and obligations to my daughter, my daughter obviously supersedes any Rail Tour, however I could manage 1 day of the tour, which day depended on what traction was in use.
I eagerly awaited the traction line up and I have to admit, when GB announced the line ups, they were all rather tempting, especially day 3 and 4. To keep a long story shorter, I went for day 3, a chance to be hauled by a 47 again on the main line was just too hard to turn down. Its been well over a decade since my last 47 on mainline rails, on the XC Bristol-Newcastle-Brum turn and well over 2 decades since I had choppers for haulage on the Tyne Tees Scarborough Express. Needless to say, when booking opened, I booked and was all giddy, when the confirmation email came through.
I also now had the hassle of finding digs in Edinburgh, I knew that wouldn't be cheap but managed to find a B n B in Newington for a reasonable £84 for 2 nights, even better it had a pay later option, which worked out fine because I was off to Blackpool with my daughter for a few days and that money was earmarked for then.
The time in Blackpool was for a bit quality time with my daughter, shes now tall enough to ride rollercoasters and I'd made a pinky promise to her, as soon as she was tall enough, I'd take her to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I also made it a bit rail related for myself, plus I really didn't wanna be stuck on a coach for hours on end either.
To keep the story shorter, it was a dud 91109 to York, a brisk walk over the bridge, straight onto winner 185131 for the ride to Man Picc, for double winners 156488 and 156425 to Blackpool North. We had a cracking time in Blackpool and I found out my daughters too brave for her own good, hands in the air on the Big One, whilst I was clinging onto the bar for grim death. I managed to score 15 trams for sight, a mixture of new and vintage ones, whilst sampling 005 and 009 for haulage. On the way back, I'd planned to come back via the WCML, with an hour or so at Preston. Winner 158755 took us from Blackpool to Preston, where after buying some cold drinks and a few snacks for the remainder of our journey home, I settled for a bit spotting, whilst the daughter played games on my phone. A very profitable hour it was too, 142045, 142046, 319378 and 66422, were clicked for sight and the crowning glory, my last required Trans Pennine 350, needed for haulage was our steed to Carlisle. 350403 completing the set, much to my delight.
Arriving in Carlisle, it was awash with 37's, 37688 on a test train, 37611, parked over on the back wall, whilst 37409 was waiting in the station and promptly replaced the arrived 37403 on the Cumbrian Coast turn. Even 66421 with 68006 arrived in on a ballast train, I presume headed for Gresty before winner 156503 rolled in to take us over the Tyne Valley and home. Not bad for half an hour.
Fast forward a few weeks and with a few weeks to the tour, a chance look at the Railtours and Preservation thread, had my eyes as wide as saucers, GBRf no longer had the 47's on their roster of loco's, in a fit of panic, I sent an email to the tour organisers, telling them the 47 was the main draw for me, where they still using the 47? within a day, they'd replied, saying, they'd hope to be using a Colas 47, I was delighted. A few days later on twitter someone posted a pic of a freshly painted 47749, alongside a few of equally immaculate Grids of theirs. I was convinced, 47749 was the chosen one for the Tour. I was also hoping GB liveried 20901 and 905, would be our steeds to Inverness, 20901 is required for sight too. Alas, I found out a week before, they wouldn't be on it but still no word of confirmation regarding the 47. The week leading up, I was looking for movements on RTT, to see when the 20's and 47 would do a positioning move to Craigentinny, on the Thursday before I was sent a tweet of times for the tour, which contained 2x 20's top n tailed by 66/7 but was also told 47739 was stabled in Donny. Inside I was screaming if I get a shed, I'll be sick as a chip.
After fleeing round like a lunatic, getting everything ready for the Friday, dropping the bairn off at school in the morning and racing over to Central for the 09.46, making it with 10mins to spare, There was very little of interest to report, even less so when dud 91114, plus equally dud for sight, coaching stock, rolled in to take me on the journey to the Scottish Capital. Heaton came and went with only Grand Central's gronk 08648 on show, a lone UID Colas 60 was on Oxwellmains but at Craigentinny, it was shed fest, 66743, 746, 737 and 739, 66737 was shunting the Royal Scotsman stock, also on show was resident EC shunter 08472 but a stranger was with it, 08596 became the 1st cop of the trip. Obviously pleased with the bonus Gronk, the amount of sheds on Craigentinny seemed to realise my worst fears about the tour the day after. Arrival was bang on into Waverley and after doing a quick sweep of the station, to see what was floating round, I went and got my Anytime return to Dunfermline Town for the evening's entertainment, walked off the station, up the ramp, had a ciggy, noted a few trams for sight, then jumped in a taxi to my B n B.
To say the taxi driver was a complete and utter knob, was understating the fact, after cutting someone up at the lights, a burly bloke came and brayed on his window, he just told him to shut up and wound his window up, then took his hassle out on me, when he shouted to me, I TOLD HIM, Newington Road. I said, I don't think so, I told you, Mayfield Road in Newington and it's not my fault your having a ****ty day, so please, don't take it out on me and just take me to the Mayfield Lodge on Mayfield Road please. He screwed his tip and I managed to bundle enough crappy change together to pay the exact fare and slammed the door without a cheers mate, kiss my arse or nothing.
I checked into the B n B, made my to the room, had a coffee and made for the bus back to Waverley. I was gonna do a CSR but engineering work put me off, so I decided I'd do the fife turn on that evening, retire back to the B n B earlier and get a good nights kip for the early rise for the rail tour next day. The Sunday I was going to play tourist in Edinburgh, calling in at Haymarket and Waverley at various points through the day, where hopefully my wanderings would get a few more of the trams underlined to boot. I made my way out and the ten minute stroll to find a bus stop to take me to Princess Street.
By around 2pm, I'd got off the number 37 bus, a double decker of some sort and was stood at the top of Platform 19, watching various units coming and going, clicking a couple of IS(Inverness not the radicals) 158's, 1 of HA's out the 5, I required for sight, a few 170's and more than a few 334's. I got talking to a fella from the Midlands, who was on a coach trip round Scotland, going to various stations and yards in Scotland. He too was going on the Fife turn, taking the first one to Haymarket before bailing the 2nd one at South Gyle, where their coach was parked up. Those few hours whizzed by before it was time to meander down to Platform 2 for the 17.08. It was an absolute crank fest, obviously those up for the tour had the same idea. I'm not kidding when I say the say the 1st coach was rammed with cranks and no wonder when this Beast was on it
all round winner 68023 took me through the tunnels for a bit Cat thrash to Haymarket, where I bailed and waited for the 17.20 to arrive. About 8 down dud 68007, rolled into Haymarket and thrashed it's way and me up to Dunfermline Town. Quickly bailing, I darted through the underpass and awaited the unit down to Inverkeithing, 30 seconds later, in rolled winner 170474, so I climbed aboard and I was out of Dunfermline quicker than a greased weasel on a pipe.
The 40mins fester passed relatively quickly, I was going to go in the waiting room but some form of God Squad, sporting Sky Blue jackets and caps adorning Railway Patron's, had took over the place and were having a bit of a jamboree, singing hymns. I stayed well clear, fearing that if I stepped in there, him above would send a lightening bolt, as a warning to stay clear of Gods work. Many others remained outside too. All too soon 68023 reappeared and the front coach was still wedged with cranks, obviously the cranks had just took a trip round the Fife Circle with it.
Extending my miles behind 68023 was an absolute joy but all too soon we were back in Waverley. Where after another quick sweep of the Station, I left the station and stood on Princess Street, watching the trams go by and look for my bus back to Newington, via McDonalds for a coffee and a burger ofcourse. Not bad for a 1st day of the trip, 29 cops in the book and 2 new winners for haulage. Needless to say, I slept quite well that night.
Not long after returning from my jaunt doing the Roundabout ticket up in Glasgow, maybe even before, I seriously can't remember, GBRf announced they were doing the 4 day tour, my first thought was I'll have a bit of that, I fancied 2 of the 4 days, however that was scuppered with work and obligations to my daughter, my daughter obviously supersedes any Rail Tour, however I could manage 1 day of the tour, which day depended on what traction was in use.
I eagerly awaited the traction line up and I have to admit, when GB announced the line ups, they were all rather tempting, especially day 3 and 4. To keep a long story shorter, I went for day 3, a chance to be hauled by a 47 again on the main line was just too hard to turn down. Its been well over a decade since my last 47 on mainline rails, on the XC Bristol-Newcastle-Brum turn and well over 2 decades since I had choppers for haulage on the Tyne Tees Scarborough Express. Needless to say, when booking opened, I booked and was all giddy, when the confirmation email came through.
I also now had the hassle of finding digs in Edinburgh, I knew that wouldn't be cheap but managed to find a B n B in Newington for a reasonable £84 for 2 nights, even better it had a pay later option, which worked out fine because I was off to Blackpool with my daughter for a few days and that money was earmarked for then.
The time in Blackpool was for a bit quality time with my daughter, shes now tall enough to ride rollercoasters and I'd made a pinky promise to her, as soon as she was tall enough, I'd take her to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I also made it a bit rail related for myself, plus I really didn't wanna be stuck on a coach for hours on end either.
To keep the story shorter, it was a dud 91109 to York, a brisk walk over the bridge, straight onto winner 185131 for the ride to Man Picc, for double winners 156488 and 156425 to Blackpool North. We had a cracking time in Blackpool and I found out my daughters too brave for her own good, hands in the air on the Big One, whilst I was clinging onto the bar for grim death. I managed to score 15 trams for sight, a mixture of new and vintage ones, whilst sampling 005 and 009 for haulage. On the way back, I'd planned to come back via the WCML, with an hour or so at Preston. Winner 158755 took us from Blackpool to Preston, where after buying some cold drinks and a few snacks for the remainder of our journey home, I settled for a bit spotting, whilst the daughter played games on my phone. A very profitable hour it was too, 142045, 142046, 319378 and 66422, were clicked for sight and the crowning glory, my last required Trans Pennine 350, needed for haulage was our steed to Carlisle. 350403 completing the set, much to my delight.
Arriving in Carlisle, it was awash with 37's, 37688 on a test train, 37611, parked over on the back wall, whilst 37409 was waiting in the station and promptly replaced the arrived 37403 on the Cumbrian Coast turn. Even 66421 with 68006 arrived in on a ballast train, I presume headed for Gresty before winner 156503 rolled in to take us over the Tyne Valley and home. Not bad for half an hour.
Fast forward a few weeks and with a few weeks to the tour, a chance look at the Railtours and Preservation thread, had my eyes as wide as saucers, GBRf no longer had the 47's on their roster of loco's, in a fit of panic, I sent an email to the tour organisers, telling them the 47 was the main draw for me, where they still using the 47? within a day, they'd replied, saying, they'd hope to be using a Colas 47, I was delighted. A few days later on twitter someone posted a pic of a freshly painted 47749, alongside a few of equally immaculate Grids of theirs. I was convinced, 47749 was the chosen one for the Tour. I was also hoping GB liveried 20901 and 905, would be our steeds to Inverness, 20901 is required for sight too. Alas, I found out a week before, they wouldn't be on it but still no word of confirmation regarding the 47. The week leading up, I was looking for movements on RTT, to see when the 20's and 47 would do a positioning move to Craigentinny, on the Thursday before I was sent a tweet of times for the tour, which contained 2x 20's top n tailed by 66/7 but was also told 47739 was stabled in Donny. Inside I was screaming if I get a shed, I'll be sick as a chip.
After fleeing round like a lunatic, getting everything ready for the Friday, dropping the bairn off at school in the morning and racing over to Central for the 09.46, making it with 10mins to spare, There was very little of interest to report, even less so when dud 91114, plus equally dud for sight, coaching stock, rolled in to take me on the journey to the Scottish Capital. Heaton came and went with only Grand Central's gronk 08648 on show, a lone UID Colas 60 was on Oxwellmains but at Craigentinny, it was shed fest, 66743, 746, 737 and 739, 66737 was shunting the Royal Scotsman stock, also on show was resident EC shunter 08472 but a stranger was with it, 08596 became the 1st cop of the trip. Obviously pleased with the bonus Gronk, the amount of sheds on Craigentinny seemed to realise my worst fears about the tour the day after. Arrival was bang on into Waverley and after doing a quick sweep of the station, to see what was floating round, I went and got my Anytime return to Dunfermline Town for the evening's entertainment, walked off the station, up the ramp, had a ciggy, noted a few trams for sight, then jumped in a taxi to my B n B.
To say the taxi driver was a complete and utter knob, was understating the fact, after cutting someone up at the lights, a burly bloke came and brayed on his window, he just told him to shut up and wound his window up, then took his hassle out on me, when he shouted to me, I TOLD HIM, Newington Road. I said, I don't think so, I told you, Mayfield Road in Newington and it's not my fault your having a ****ty day, so please, don't take it out on me and just take me to the Mayfield Lodge on Mayfield Road please. He screwed his tip and I managed to bundle enough crappy change together to pay the exact fare and slammed the door without a cheers mate, kiss my arse or nothing.
I checked into the B n B, made my to the room, had a coffee and made for the bus back to Waverley. I was gonna do a CSR but engineering work put me off, so I decided I'd do the fife turn on that evening, retire back to the B n B earlier and get a good nights kip for the early rise for the rail tour next day. The Sunday I was going to play tourist in Edinburgh, calling in at Haymarket and Waverley at various points through the day, where hopefully my wanderings would get a few more of the trams underlined to boot. I made my way out and the ten minute stroll to find a bus stop to take me to Princess Street.
By around 2pm, I'd got off the number 37 bus, a double decker of some sort and was stood at the top of Platform 19, watching various units coming and going, clicking a couple of IS(Inverness not the radicals) 158's, 1 of HA's out the 5, I required for sight, a few 170's and more than a few 334's. I got talking to a fella from the Midlands, who was on a coach trip round Scotland, going to various stations and yards in Scotland. He too was going on the Fife turn, taking the first one to Haymarket before bailing the 2nd one at South Gyle, where their coach was parked up. Those few hours whizzed by before it was time to meander down to Platform 2 for the 17.08. It was an absolute crank fest, obviously those up for the tour had the same idea. I'm not kidding when I say the say the 1st coach was rammed with cranks and no wonder when this Beast was on it
all round winner 68023 took me through the tunnels for a bit Cat thrash to Haymarket, where I bailed and waited for the 17.20 to arrive. About 8 down dud 68007, rolled into Haymarket and thrashed it's way and me up to Dunfermline Town. Quickly bailing, I darted through the underpass and awaited the unit down to Inverkeithing, 30 seconds later, in rolled winner 170474, so I climbed aboard and I was out of Dunfermline quicker than a greased weasel on a pipe.
The 40mins fester passed relatively quickly, I was going to go in the waiting room but some form of God Squad, sporting Sky Blue jackets and caps adorning Railway Patron's, had took over the place and were having a bit of a jamboree, singing hymns. I stayed well clear, fearing that if I stepped in there, him above would send a lightening bolt, as a warning to stay clear of Gods work. Many others remained outside too. All too soon 68023 reappeared and the front coach was still wedged with cranks, obviously the cranks had just took a trip round the Fife Circle with it.
Extending my miles behind 68023 was an absolute joy but all too soon we were back in Waverley. Where after another quick sweep of the Station, I left the station and stood on Princess Street, watching the trams go by and look for my bus back to Newington, via McDonalds for a coffee and a burger ofcourse. Not bad for a 1st day of the trip, 29 cops in the book and 2 new winners for haulage. Needless to say, I slept quite well that night.
