S15 828

Great, if tiring, weekend.
The first Yeovil Railway Festival, held on 8 & 9 October 1994, saw 30053 (re-numbered as former Yeovil-based 30129) running shuttles from Junction to Pen Mill; run-round; then to/from Maiden Newton and return. This latter section included heroic climbs of Evershot (around 1 in 51) which certainly caused the boiler to create steam in amounts not seen since BR service I suspect. I seem to recall those shuttles consisted of 3 maroon Mk1 TSOs plus a garish (Pilkington liveried) BSK. Not a bad load for the M7.

 

Weren't the mid 1990's great? Just out of interest how come 30053 went mainline?

 

AFAIK BR wanted it for some sort of aniversary

 

It worked Woking - Aldershot - Guildford shuttles i/c/w Woking Borough's Centenary in 1995 (I think). It arrived at Woking on a Sunday evening behind the bulled-up JA (73005?) and a support coach. I had to get the crew of 53 to do a couple of moves in the Down Yard (a dirty job but someone had to do it!). (Driver was Terry Ailesbury, once of Guildford Loco.)
Pat

 

Although that was some kind of mainline test run, and she did fail near Ambergate, it wasn't her first mainline trip. My video includes footage of her double-headed trip to Yeovil Junction with 34027 on 26th Sept '93 and a weekend of Salisbury - Southampton shuttles shared with 70000 9th-10th Oct '93, and there may have been others I didn't get to see.

 

There were two test runs:
23 Feb 1993 Loco and SR brake vans
Eastleigh - Salisbury, turn loco then Salisbury - Redbridge - Eastleigh.
Only after turning the loco it was meant to be Salisbury - Redbridge RR - Salisbury - Eastleigh.
The decision to run direct to Eastleigh was made after departing Salisbury as 828 was running well by Steve McColl who was on the footplate. Quite a few photographers were in the wrong place, including yours truly!
8 July 1993 Load Test
Loco & PO brake Cranmore - Westbury, then turned via Hawkeridge Curve.
Loco DL and 12 mark 1's Westbury Salisbury where DL detached.
Salisbury - Southampton - Eastleigh - Salisbury.
Loco turned then loco & PO Brake Salisbury - Eastleigh. DL hauled coaches back to Bounds Green.

Cheers, Neil

 

True, but it was the loco's owners (Drummond Loco Society - now Limited) that decided to go for a BR main line certificate earlier in the 1990's. Almost 30 years ago and I can't remember the date now when 53 hauled an eight (?) coach test train at Swanage, for the BR Inspector, to gain it's main line ticket.

Another great (and tiring!) weekend on the main line doing Woking - Guildford - Aldershot triangular trips (both clockwise and anticlockwise circuits).
The whole weekend completed by 53 running non-stop from Woking to Waterloo, on Sunday 26th March 1995, and having to slow down to enable 35028 to pass us and get into Waterloo before us. Well, it did have one more coach to pull than 53 [and left later]. 53's sedate progress through Weybridge:
After arrival at Waterloo: RES 47767 is seen taking 53's five coaches and then 53 coupled to 6 coaches and 35028 (- a heavy load to lift out of Waterloo with a dirty fire). The RES 47 returned '53 to Woking Down Sidings eventually.

 

Thanks for posting @buzby2 great to small a smaller loco going nicely!

 

Takes me back! And the Down Yard almost weed free!
Pat

 

We at ERPS have a number of difficulties in the last few months over and above covid 19. If you need to contact someone in ERPS or are a member wondering what has happened, please contact me by "personal message" on here.

Thanks, Neil Kearns,
Acting Membership Secretary

 

Remember when 828 went on tour?

828-Haworth-april-1994-(richard-higgins) -erps-collection-jpg.

Cheers, Neil

 

Hi. Does anyone know the date of a tour that 828 did from Eastleigh to Bristol and return in late '96 or early '97 please? It was before February '97 and the subsequent tour for the loco was the trip to Salisbury from Guildford via Newbury on the 6th of April that year. Thank you.

 

I don't know if this is the one you mean? It's a bit earlier than you suggested, and 828 did other trips before the 6th April 1997 trip, but the route matches.
https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/90s/960525er.htm