Twentys, Rats and Roarers, Aug 89

20s, rats and roarers, Aug 89

Friday August 11th 1989

The 0524 beckoned off Leighton with 317316 producing. Limited doss to Northampton the 317’s rancid seats hardly helping. At Northampton it was cover the morning Cobblers time, a depressing procession of cans hardly lifting spirits. Gen from Dave Jackson instantly lifted the gloom however, 85003 was allocated on the Down Clansman and 85014 on the Up Clansman!

So we joined one of the few “proper unit” turns left locally with 310063 on the Bletchley – Stoke. We took our obligatory power car seats for the noise from the settee like seats. A Cov bail then the quoted 85003 arrived on the Clansman as hoped for. 85003 delivered on the noise and manic acceleration up front and a good few bashers enjoyed the experience before a mass bail at Crewe.

Pairs of 20s had been working most Crewe – Derby services vice Sprinter since July 31st and were expected to end on August 12th. 1 Sprinter diagram remained however so we all had to suffer 150105 from Crewe to Etruria, the connection at Stoke being very tight. Sadly as part of WCML improvements for Pendo’s Etruria closed on July 21st 2005, those busy days for the station in August 89 a distant memory by then.

A good crowd of bashers including Jed at Etruria look on as 20159 and 20045 are about to leave with the 1447 Crewe – Derby on August 11th 1989

20090 and 20135 whistle through Etruria with Westbound MGR’s on August 11th 1989

A workstainded 47425 at Derby with vans for St Pancras on August 11th 1989

So the normally deserted shack of Etruria saw hordes of bashers all day long as we this was the main leaping point between pairs of 20’s. At Etruria we joined 20127/20114 for a mileage move to Crewe, then Derby and back to Crewe. Here as we all got up to bail, Jed shouted “stay here”. He knew what was about to happen as 08784 backed on to haul our very busy “ECS” back to past the carriage sheds to release 20127 and 20114. 20045 and 20159 then took our 4 Mk IIs to Etruria for 20188 and 20127 back to Crewe.

20188 and 20227 arrive at Etruria with the 1422 Derby – Crewe on August 11th 1989, this was the last time i ever did the now closed Etruria station

37514 and 37516 pass Derby with steel empties for Thornaby on August 11th 1989

From Crewe it was 20114 and 20127 to Derby where after a short fester i joined Neil Evans in his Morris Minor for a fast car leap to a sociable B n B in Pickering.

The moves

11/8/89 Fr

317316 0426 Euston-Northampton LB-NO

063 0714 Bletchley-Stoke NO-CO

85003 0735 Euston-Inverness CO-CR

150105 1032 Crewe-Derby CR-ET

20127} 1013 Derby-Crewe ET-CR

20114}

20114} 1142 Crewe – Derby CR-DE

20127}

20127} 1305 Derby-Crewe DE-CR

20114}

08784 Shunt release (and back) CR-CS

20045} 1447 Crewe-Derby CR-ET

20159}

20188} 1422 Derby-Crewe ET-CR

20227}

20114} 1547 Crewe-Derby CR-DE

20127}

Saturday August 12th 1989

No desperate Crewe overnight or 0524 start this morning it was a very civilised 0800 breakfast served up by a pretty rateable landlady. The Morris then took us across the Moors to Grosmont where the Saturdays Only diesel turn beckoned.

It was reassuring when the advertised 25191 chattering away small Sulzer style emerged from Grosmont tunnel to pass us to couple up to the load 4 blue and grey Mk I set to form the 1100 departure to Pickering.

2 round trips on the lightly loaded but heavily thrashed turns through stunning North Yorkshire Moors scenery saw our rating of class 25’s rekindled, great fun. Around 5 o’clock at Grosmont we watched 25191 thrash off to the depot and it was Morris Minor thrash home via the A1, M18, M1 and A5, a hugely enjoyable couple of days….