A classic tale from “TC” with thanks
During the late 1980’s the railway went through a period of great change, everything was being carved up into different sectors, ready for privatisation. Of course this now made our bashing hobby very predictable with the same locos for the same trains. Freight locos became impossible to get, If you wanted to use another sector’s engine , you had to pay for it, and more often than not, it became easier to cancel a train if the loco failed.
It was around this time, along with my future wife, Liz, we bought a house. The financial commitments meant that I could not spend as much time on my hobby, so in September 1989 I decided to do one last rover. My wife who also worked on the railway expressed an interest to come along (she is quite “genned” up and knows her Deltics from her 37’s you know!). After some planning we settled on some moves which would allow her to see some scenery, and allow me to get some locos in! I didn’t really expect to score anything, it was just a last rover.
So on Monday September 3rd 1989, we got to Euston for the 2145 boat train to Holyhead which we took to Crewe. The train was deserted, with a tatty rake of Mk II’s, 86431 flew along, and every so often the coach lights kept going out, resulting in the guard walking backwards and forwards to keep fixing them. Liz found this all rather amusing, the guard no doubt pleased when he bailed at Crewe!
We too bailed at Crewe for the Fort William sleeper and a trip on the steam between Fort William and Mallaig. We returned the next night, planning to leap at Birmingham, which became Crewe because of late running. A 304 unit was laid on for us, non stop to Birmingham. The initial plan of heading to Cardiff for a trip over the Marches was put on hold when 85011 appeared on the 0805 Birmingham – Manchester. Now, I was down to one 85, 85007 but fancied a trip on 85011, so we decided to head to Manchester instead.
We settled in the front coach behind 85011 and I set about with the timetable planning for the rest of the day. As we pulled into Stoke I noticed an 85 coming in on the opposite platform. I said to Liz only jokingly, “it that’s 8500”, I didn’t get as far as the 7, everything was hastily thrown in the bag, the door was thrown open and I hit the platform running as though my life depended on it. Liz was behind me, quite aware that if I made 85007 and she didn’t, she’d be left behind!
I got to the underpass and threw myself down the stairs, about half way under I heard a whistle, was it for 85007 or 85011? I didn’t know, I got up the stairs and headed for the platform, the last door was just being closed, so I made a run for it. Then I remembered Liz! I kept the door open for her. She was not impressed, and when she got her breath back, she let me know exactly how she felt! We did 85007 to Wolverhampton (on the 0818 Manchester – Poole) for maroon 47973 to Shrewsbury on the 0740 Euston – Shrewsbury for 37428 on the 0915 Liverpool – Cardiff to Cardiff.
Apart from early withdrawn 85027 and 85033, I had cleared my 85’s and was well happy!!!
Heres the fine “roarer” that starred in TC’s tale at Euston with an up overnight on October 19th 1985, Brutes filled with mail, taillamps and much more real railway nostalgia feature too.
Leighton Lists 