The Don and Fiddler tour, Saturday October 20th 1984
Tour Organiser…Hertfordshire
Power 31121, 31117, 40012, 47316, 81013
Headcode 1Z36
ching £16.75
For a change a tour off Luton. The 0636 X70 bus (probably a National) from Leighton whizzed through a traffic free Dunstable to have me in Luton on a safe plus hour for the “Don and Fiddler” tour. 31121/31117 both required arrived the booked 30 down with 11 dual heat Mk I’ corridor stock in tow.
The usual special train route saw us pass Leicester, Toton and Sheffield where the ever popular 40012 “Aureoul” was waiting. A quick loco change saw 40012 on the move 12 minutes after the goyles arrived, our compo mood became more upbeat with EE sounds aplenty. Near Barnsley we passed 47316 stabled, one of our compo crowd mentioned “possible banker there”. I was unaware of the steepness of Summer Lane bank North of Barnsley but as 40012 slowed and slipped we all knew about the bank now! 40012 came to a slipping halt at Silkstone and after a short delay, winning 47316 proceeded to bank us 6.5 miles to Penistone.
Thanks to Mister C flickr pages for this nice view of 31121 and 31117 at Ealing Broadway with the tour
40012 at Sheffield about to take the tour forward
Alan Bark catches the tour during the Denby Dale photo stop
No 76’s here obviously but still some surviving gantries as a reminder of better times. Memories of me and 2 mates spending a curtailed day here in August 74 when hardly any power was seen returned, linked here.
A photo stop at Denby Dale and Huddersfield where 40012 ran round. A thrash over Diggle then Stalybridge, Ashton Moss, Park, Ashburys, Gorton, Hyde to Warrington Central and Liverpool Lime St. The quoted 40086 for the tour forward had failed so 40012 had to be shunt released. Personally the highlight of the tour followed as most remained aboard a roaring display enhanced by Lime St tunnels from 81013 impressed many. Unforgettable noise, even David Maxey of the “roarer hating” Ned News” comic was impressed reporting “she sounded magnificent”.
40012 returned us East passing under the WCML at Warrington BQ from hazy memory then more rare South Manchester freight track to Chinley and back to Sheffield via Edale. Here those 31’s were waiting to return us South and still 30 or so down i got back to Luton at 2121 for a quick stroll over Bute St footbridge to make the 2135 bus home.
A good but not spectacular tour, late running between 30-50 minutes didn’t help but oh 81013 didn’t half steal the show that grey October day!
20/10/84 Sa
31121} 1Z36 0650 Reading-Liverpool Railtour LU-SH
31117}
40012 1Z36 0650 Reading-Liverpool Railtour SH-LS
47316 1Z36 0650 Reading-Liverpool Railtour SU-PE
rear end assist Summer Lane-Penistone
45140 1E98 1205 Liverpool-Scarborough
81013 1Z36 1535 Liverpool-Reading Railtour LS-TU (and back)
40012 1Z36 1535 Liverpool-Reading Railtour LS-SH
47619 1P33 1614 Liverpool-Preston
31121} 1Z36 1535 Liverpool-Reading Railtour SH-LU
31117}
end
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