The Crewe Open Day Special, Sat 21st July 2018
Organiser…..UK Railtours
Power….88005, 68016
Headcode….1Z18 o/w 1Z19 r/t
Load… 13 MkIId/e…17105(genny), 3364, 3304, 1657, 3356, 3345, 3397, 1200, 5998, 5961, 6024H, 6054, 6158
Route o/w..Euston – Watford Jn – M.Keynes – Weedon – Rugby – Nuneaton – Stafford – Crewe
Route r/t..Crewe – Chester – Wrexham – Shrewsbury (up avoiding road) – Wolves – Walsall – Sutton Pk – Nuneaton fly (part) – WCML flat Jn – Rugby – Northampton – M.Keynes – Euston
Timekeeping …Right Time to 20 Early
Ching …£88
Weather..Sunny am, cloudy pm
Photo stops..M.Keynes, Crewe
On approach to Euston on the 350 a very depressing sight, the Down Side Carriage shed was being demolished, another chink of our railway lost. At Euston’s plat 15 DRS monster electric 88005 was at the head of 13 well filled Mk II’s and 68016 on the rear.
88005 at Euston prior to a storm up Camden Bank!
We shot up Camden bank much in the style of an 87 then many bouts of 100 mph running. At Watford 6 bashers bailed having beaten the grip! Booked a ridiculous 54 minutes Watford – M.Keynes we arrived at the Keynes 20 early. The impromptu photo stop upset the security guard with much shouting over encroachment on the yellow lines. The booked 24 minutes Keynes – Rugby was tight for 100 mph stock and we arrived 4 down, the only late running of the day.
88005 at the Keynes where we arrived 20 early
A right time arrival at Crewe the station literally awash with spotters! Whilst most headed for the buses to Gresty Road i headed for Chester for Llandudno – Crewe Relief with 67013
67013 at Chester with the Llandudno – Crewe Relief
A rateable Stanway’s Olympian J622 GCR was then joined to Gresty Road where the open day power on view was:
20302, 20303, 37069, 37218, 37259, 37403, 37407, 37422, 37424, 37606,
57007, 57301, 57303, 57312, 66421, 66424, 66425, 68014, 68019, 68020,
68021, 68029, 88002.
37407 at Gresty Road
37706 dragging some kettle coasts into Crewe on a Carnforth – Bristol run
With 68016 now leading we returned Westwards through Chester, Wrexham and Shrewsbury’s Prison side through road and the middle road at Wellington. Oxley yards were depressingly empty, then Walsall, Sutton Park and the old table 18 route into Nuneaton. A totter via Northampton where a good few 365 units were stabled in the old coach sidings, a ritualistic bellow through Leighton then into Euston at 2048.
68016 back at Euston, the tour over….
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