Western Tribute , Saturday 26th February 1977
· The Memories
The day dawned bright and sunny, very rare in my 3 years as a Swansea student being more regularly monsooned upon! on the long walk to Swansea High St, East Dock and Landore depot. Arriving at High St around 1100 there was already a small group of enthusiasts awaiting the tour. The word was “right time” and was “a pair”. A few 47’s came and went including visiting 47012 (BS), plus a few “flying bananas”(HST’s) .
Then bedlam as 1023 and 1013 arrived with the tour, with the biggest headboard I’d ever seen. I had arranged to meet a Luton based mate during the tour run round but it was chaos, enthusiasts everywhere, up lampposts, signal posts, the track and everywhere else! The mood was celebratory almost, no time to dwell on the last “Whizzo’s” in South Wales or even “BR”, just get the phots and memories in!
About an hour later the tour departed for the South West and finally Paddington, Swansea High Street returned to quiet Saturday afternoon normality. After 47483 arrived on the 1015 “Padd” I wandered up Prince of Wales Road to Landore depot.
About 25 locos were on , the usual stuff mind, and all was a bit subdued after the earlier fun during the tour run round. Returning home from the depot, I stopped at Hafod Bridge, a small footbridge over the lines into High St, a bit North of the station.
A snarling, growling, smoking, hooting, grubby 37236 on a passing parcels soon restored my faith, no more “Whizzos”, but plenty “syphons” to enjoy in South Wales!!!
· The Gen
Swansea High Street, (1100-1345)
253008 1100 Swansea-Padd
47131 1112 Swansea-Carmarthen
253006 0800 Padd-Swansea
47145 Swansea-Padd Parcels
47012 1208 Swansea-Fishguard H
253006 1200 Swansea – Padd
253012 0900 Padd-Swansea
08848 Pilot
08942 Pilot
1013 and 1023 “Western Tribute”, “Farewell Railtour” arr 1235 dep 1336
Padd-Swansea-Bristol-Plymouth-Padd
47483 1015 Padd-Swansea
253005 1400 Swansea-Padd
87A -Landore
37306, 47496, 37305, 37184, 47494, 47128, 47498, 37142, 47507, 37191, 37183, 37290,
08663, 08660, 08286, 37224, 47495, 03119, 03151, 47540, 47473, 03144, 08578, 37192,
47530, 03120, 08819
Hafod Bridge
37236 pcls
· The phots
Apologies for the quality of these but they are print scans of faded Kodak Instamatic’s we all had back then, and it was 34 years ago they were taken……
The impressively large headboard carried here by “Ranger”
1023 and 1013 run round the tour at Swansea High St
1013 and 1023 leave Swansea for the last time….
The session ended with 47483 arriving with the 1015 Padd-Swansea
Saturday February 26th 1977 a day etched on the memory of many enthusiasts…..
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