Saturday May 9th 1987-Moves
86249 1A30 0740 Northampton-Euston LB-EU
85022 1B01 0925 Euston-Northampton
40122 1014 Liverpool St-Norwich “Anglian Diesel Farewell” Railtour LS-HA
37138 1014 Liverpool St-Norwich “Anglian Diesel Farewell” Railtour HA-NO
31407 1C57 1840 Norwich-Liverpool St
40122 1910 Norwich-Liverpool St Railtour NO-LS
31273 1P30 1055 Liverpool St-Yarmouth
086 2155 Euston-Northampton EU-LB
Organiser – Hertfordshire Railtours
Headcode – 1G50
Load 11 x Mk I
A very late 1014 departure from Liverpool St allowed a very leisurely start from Leighton to make the tour. Around 8am me and Neil Evans awaited the first “Cobbler” of this Saturday South. This “Cobbler” was a virtually solid “can” so it was no surprise when 86249 droned in on 1A30. We joined the empty rear coach in disgust!
At Euston we had to flag off 85022 which was to return North with half the “Cobbler” rake on 1B01 0925 Euston – Northampton, 1B01 was a good bet for a “roarer” on Saturdays. Liverpool St was a building site, dumper trucks and passengers mixed in HSE free days. The enclosing of the formerly open country end meant only a glimpse of the “Queen of Green” could be seen.
We departed with a good thrash up Bethnal Green bank, the packed 11 mk I’s already containing a highly charged atmosphere which was to last all day. A 40 through Cambridge and through the flatlands to Kings Lynn. The hot sunny weather was to continue all day, adding to the atmosphere that bit more. From Kings Lynn we headed cross Fenland country through Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Harwich Town.
The Queen of green, 40122 at Kings Lynn with the tour
37138 at Harwich Town about to work the Harwich-Lowerstoft-Norwich section of the tour
Here a winning 37138 was attached to the tour for 92 miles of growlage to Lowerstoft (run round) and Norwich. The 37 was’nt well received by many, but a radio fitted requirement for working the East Suffolk line precluded a “monster”.
Full electrification of Norwich – Liverpool St services using “cans” was to begin on the following Monday May 11th 1987, the electrics working from Ipswich to Liverpool St prior to this. Our non stop run from Norwich to Liverpool St was under threat way before departure with 31407 working the 1840 Norwich to Liverpool St to Ipswich half an hour before our departure, but to be fair 31407 didnt delay us..Much fast running from 40122 as we stormed South on our booked non stop run but sadly a signal failure near Witham thwarted the return non stop run. We were also checked by a red peg entering Liverpool St but to a huge cheer the signal cleared, 40122 growled and snarled , nearly overloading, before arriving at Liverpool St in 1h 58m from Norwich, pretty good for a 1958 built machine!
40122 back at Liverpool St after a superb fast run from Norwich
A few phots then everybody headed home very content with the storming performance put in by the “Queen of Green”, 310086 was our final power home.
end
Leighton Lists 