The East Anglian, Oct 85

                                                          12/10/85 Sa

85024                    0350 Euston-Bletchley                                       LB-BY

076                         0430 Euston-Birmingham                                 BY-CO

87031                    0726 Coventry-Glasgow                                    CO-NS

37239}                  0550 Cardiff-Norwich Railtour 1Z08              NS-CO

33024}

25297}                  0550 Cardiff-Norwich Railtour 1Z08              CO-LS

25268}

85007                    1020 Euston-Manchester Footex

37053                    0550 Cardiff-Norwich Railtour 1Z08              LS-NO (via Ip)

37226                    1510 Norwich-Cardiff Railtour 1Z08              NO-LS (via Cam)

31144}                  0550 Cardiff-Norwich Railtour 1Z08              LS-CO

25268}

81003                    1927 Wolverhampton-Euston         

37239}                  1510 Norwich-Cardiff Railtour 1Z08                             

33024}

080                         2021 Birmingham-Euston                                 CO-LB

Organiser F & W

Headcode 1Z08

Load 10  mk I

Weather grey am, sunny pm

Timekeeping 40 late max

Leighton station just after 5 am myself and Railman Jock await the legendary “milk empties” composed of 2 vans and a BSK. 85024 could be heard roaring away well before she arrived. At Bletchley it was a 310 forward the power car being joined by Tony Ewer, “Smudger” Smith (the buzzard”), Steve Wolverton and Northampton Mick all joining 310076 en route for the tour.

87031 “Hal” forward from Coventry to New St where a good crowd awaited the tour. The rare combination of 37239 and 33024 arrived 30 down with the tour for a short blast of EE/Sulzer power to Coventry.. The rat run that followed from 25297/25268 was sheer hell! Rugby, sociably gave us the “old Road” via Weedon and a top whack amp driver plus a strong pair saw speeds of 98 mph plus sustained on the descent from Hanslope virtually to Watford. It was rumoured that some can ahead of us were holding the racing rodents back.

Rare, massive, monstrous 37053 was given fast 2h 15m timings non-stop Liverpool St – Norwich via Ipswich but she failed to match the rodents for excitement. Sheffield – Blackpool regular 37226 returned us via the familiar old SF and MR syphon haunts of Cambridge and Audley End back to Liverpool St.

Thanks to “TC” for this East Anglian tour view of 25268 and 31144 at the Street about to return to the West Midlands

Disaster here in that 25297 had been failed on SF with defective brake blocks and 31144 substituted. The goyle did not multi at all well so we staggered home. Passing Stonebridge Park there were plenty 25’s stabled but we had to make do with the 25/31 combo. Rugby PSB routed us via Northampton adding to the totter factor. To add a final withering we lost just enough time to miss the 1927 Wolves-Euston home from Coventry, fate decreed exotic power in 81003 that night.

The 37/33 combination replaced the odd couple at Coventry to end a good tour but a shame about that slow speed fitted goyle! 310080 returned our still merry band home.