The recent failure of preserved 89001 on its inaugural railtour (with paying passengers) on August 18th 2026. The 89 failed at Warrington BQ on a Crewe – Glasgow tiur which was caped at Carlisle with 90001 rescuing the failure 90 mins down. That got us thinking of other memorable railtour failures, there have been loads but an initial selection below with the most famous failure of all at Berwick in Nov 96 the lead…
Deltic Deliverance, November 30th 1996
The first Deltic back on the mainline since January 81. Thanks to “TC” for the memories and dramatic phot!
“The day was a fiasco from start to finish. The northbound KX – Edinburgh leg was around 70 late all the way north after the loco (86424) was late coming across from the WCML. D9000 had come across that morning from Springburn was sat at Edinburgh huming away to itself for a lot longer than planned. After we had the loco change at Edinburgh we were away, still an hour late.
It was noted that the Deltic was working harder than it should have been, dragging brakes maybe? The stock had been used the previous week on a tour and dragging brakes / vacuum fault was given as the reason why the tour was nearly an hour late early in its journey.
The combination of the Deltic working harder, idling for a lot longer than planned was the reason why there was a build up of oil in the exhaust system.
We stopped at Berwick for the driver to investigate the fault, next thing there were flames coming out of the exhaust, Berwick station canopy nearly catching light. Power off, Fire Brigade called, Deltic shut down, eventually 37702 (needed a vacuum brake loco) came from Tyne Yard, ~We had been at Berwick just over two hours when the wheels finally moved again, or nearly three hours late on our booked times (14.08 to 16.57). 37702 to Newcastle for 86430 forward, bailed at Peterborough as the car was at Sandy.
D9000 in trouble at Berwick, she was eventually shut down and removed from the inagural main line Deltic Tour, a “TC” phot with thanks
Postscript..
Me (TC) and Tony “kept the faith” and a month later we were raising a glass (at 09.00 in the morning) as we passed Huntingdon (58 miles, the same as Edinburgh – Berwick) on the Deltic Reunion. I had done a nightshift before this tour, a longstanding agreed swop with a work colleague who wanted to see the new year in!.”
Western Finale, February 12th 1977
I wasn’t booked on this tour but like many others we made the effort to see the mighty D1023 on the “Western Finale” tour at Bristol Temple Meads. Watching her leave I joined a much less rateable 47502 on the Plymouth – Edinburgh. We were checked for some time South of Charfield, I thought 1023 had blown up!
1023 hit a herd of cows on the line near Charfield with the loco initially disabled. A fitter from Gloucester depot had to clear the horrible blood and guts and eventually fix the broken airpipe with a 10p coin! He deserved the impromptu whipround from all aboard. Thousands of enthusiasts were at York to see her arrive a few hours later, all thanks to a Gloucester fitter!
Apologies for quality but before the nasty collision heres 1023 steaming nicely at Temple Meads with the Western Finale tour
DAA North West Rambler, March 10th 1984
Once back at Stockport hordes of 40 bashers gathered as the rare 40082 replaced the EH peak 45104. A thick black clag hinted all was not well up front and after passing 40063 on chemical tanks near Ashton Moss 40082 finally failed at Park. The whole train was now leaning out of the window in and the atmosphere tensed a bit as rumours of a 47/4, or even the peak 45104 again, to the rescue circulated. Newton Heath, to their credit, kicked out a sound rescue engine in 40155 which took the tour and dead 40082 to Ashburys where 40082 was detached.
Timekeeping by now was also out of the window as we left Ashburys 100 mins down and with a long lost path more time was lost as 40155 slogged over through the Hope valley and back to New St but the tour atmosphere remained as lively as ever, happy days.
Tours featuring “40s” were regular events in 1984 and “rare” 40082 was arranged for the DAA North West Rambler on March 10th 1984. 40082 was obviously in poor health and expired at Park after a short run from Stockport, seen here near Guide Bridge
After a long tense wait with rumours of an eh 47 rescuing us Newton Heath to their credit supplied 40155 as the rescue machine on the DAA North West Rambler Tour on March 10th 1984. Seen near Park, Happy days on a classic multi traction tour Also featured on this epic tour of the North Midlands were 25218/25059/31187/31273/45104/85039 and 86254! They simply don’t have tours like this anymore!
Coastway Crusader, July 27th 1986
A penny for your thoughts driver…..25181 and 25191 at Bristol TM with the Coastway Crusader tour on July 27th 1986. A bogie defect on 25181 was see this loco fail at Ludgershall and never work again…
This tour initially featured 25181 and 25191 on an expected tour of rare class 25 haunts on the Southern. At Andover the rats ran round and being right time my Buzzard colleague commentated how the reasonable plus, back at Andover onto the 1110 Waterloo – Exeter looked “safe”. He had to get back to Cornwall for some family event off this.
Sadly at Ludgershall things went badly wrong. We heard 25181 shut down due to a bogie fault that would never see her work again……
A protracted run round as a result saw us 50 late and we were then checked outside Andover station for some time. This was despite a tour assist engine in 33011 already on hand. 25191’s ploughs were considered unsafe for the SR third rail so a further delay followed. The “Buzzard’s” connection obviously came and went so he stayed aboard to make a tram out off Reading via the “Bas” stop later…! 25181 never returned to her Midland home being cut at Eastleigh 2 years later…
Game over for 25181, removed from the tour she is seen dumped at Andover she never returned home ….
The Baker’s Dozen, Sunday June 28th 1987
Was at Leighton to phot this tour one bright Sunday morning. Then came the gen the tour was a “failure” so a long wait followed…45062 failed at South Kenton with the Euston – New St leg of the tour, The tour with 31305 and an almost idling 45062 passed Leighton about an hour down. 45128 worked the tour forward from New St
Tay Forth Centurion, April 14th 1990
26001 and 26005 crossing the Tay Bridge was perhaps the highlight of the trip, more bellowing. 10 minutes had been booked for the Dundee run round which obviously was unlikely and we departed Dundee 16 late but spirits remained upbeat with the xos pair thrashing away.
During the Markinch photo stop disaster struck. 26005 had a smoking traction motor so somebody decided to call the fire brigade and obviously it was game over for they 26’s. We were delayed near on 2 hours and things got worse with the rescue engine being 47822, Boy did we moan!
The late running meant the tour’s evening break at Edinburgh was cancelled, meaning we had been trapped on the stock all day, spirits and the tour atmosphere dipped that bit more. 47822 sped us South along the WCML, but heavy doss meant i know not how she did over Beattock or Shap, though 85022 would have been much better received on the tour by many!
Our doss was disturbed at Kings Norton where we learned that 47822 had now also failed! Now with vb stock an exotic rescue engine was unlikely, but a nice dual braked 37 would have done. Over 3 hours late 47852 arrived to haul us incl 47822 to Gloucester where she dumped the failed “twank”, before continuing to Bristol and Swindon. At Bath the cheery announcer asked “what kept you lads?” over the tannoy as a few bailed off the very late charter. At Swindon it was a relief to get off the tour, an awful lot of suffering for 100 miles or so behind each 26’0.
This ends this initial selection of Railtour failures, obviously there have been hundreds but the above six tours carry a good few memories, good and bad!
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