Thanks to Dave Spencer for the memories and phots.
Saturday 21st July 1984 saw me without a “Mid” ticket just had the “annual WM travel card”.
I had no intention of buying a “Mid” as I was going away the following day on a “Wessex” so what to do?
Think there was some info about that the 10:10 Aberystwth- Euston was a big pair 25279 and 25313. This was do-able from Wellington. A day return from Wolves should cover that.
You couldn’t cover this off the 10:10 Euston-Aberystwth as that didn’t stop at Wellington. So you had to go on the 11:50 Wolves-Salop.
I arrived at “Dump St” around 10:30 to cover the 10:55 Carlisle in case it dropped a 304 unit.
No chance today it was a 310 set. Never noted the number but took it to Wolves where the 25’s for the 10:10 Euston-Aberystwth were waiting in the coal yard.
“Old number” painting has spread to 25324
I didn’t want either of these for haulage so reverted to “Plan A”.
The 11:50 to Salop was a Derby 116 set and I rode in M53123.
These sets had made a return to the Chester-Wolverhampton line where they used to rule the roost in the 1960’s now that the trailers had been swapped to provide lavatory facilities.
The 116’s could now truly be called “Bog Carts”
“My Lords” 25282 & 25324 power through Wellington on the 10;10 Euston-Aberystwth
25313 & 25279 arrive Wellington with the 10:10 Aberystwth-Euston . Quick leap over the footbridge was called for.
At Wolverhampton electric traction took over with 85036 coming on.
Now arriving back in Birmingham, I was pleasantly surprised to see the 10:20 Paignton-Glasgow turn up with 45069.
This was a through diesel to Wolverhampton and was routed via Aston and Bescot so a couple of extra miles was caned in
I had an early finish with 87026 on the 12:59 Blackpool-Euston to Birmingham
Nowadays there is nothing of interest at all to do.
Yes I had a good Wessex apart from being bowled with a 50 at Exeter Central!
end.
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