The Midland Spinner

When the Spinner was re steamed for the Rocket 150 in 1980 did she run any passenger trains before or after the event? I'm asking because in this months Modern Locomotives Illustrated (Class 24s/25s) there is a picture of the Spinner, 4027 both in steam for lubrication presumably, a steam crane, 2 LMS coaches amd a brake van being hauled by a 25 heading to the Midland Railway

 

I can't recall any, but I'd love someone to find some photographs proving me wrong on this, & put them up here \/

 

From memory it was only just restored in time for Rainhill.
After the event it went to York rather than back to MRC,so hasn't worked since Rainhill.

 

After Rainhill the loco did return to MRC. There is a photo by Les Nixon of it returning to Butterley from a open day at Tinsley passing Treeton on the 15th of June 1980 under it's own power double heading with 4027 in "The Wyvern" issue 43 on page 23. The pair have coaches M612 and M7991 and a brake van in tow.

 

Thanks for that, DR73202 =D> . I'll have to find a copy now \/

 

The Spinner returned from Bold colliery sidings to Butterley with 4027 on 28th May 1980 hauled by 25 217. The pair visited Tinsley open day on Sunday 15th June 1980 and were booked back to Butterley that evening after dark, but the crew arrived early and got the road as soon as requested. They got as far as Chesterfield before sunset. When I find the pictures I'll try posting one or two.

 

The Spinner on the main line!

 

Next stop St Pancras!

 

Great! Would love to see this engine & a few more pre-grouping engines steaming again.

 

Excellent pics =D>

Thanks very much.

 

As an aside, there is/was a pub at Warmley, on the outskirts of Bristol called "The Midland Spinner". It was close to the defunct station/level crossing where the Midland Birmingham - Bristol line crossed the A420 (now a cycle track, as the Brum - Brizle trains now divert onto the GWR route at Westerleigh).

The pub sign was an accurate depiction of a Spinner, but I should imagine it has long since been replaced with "an artist's impression of a steam train", or more likely; the pub has been renamed "The Spinning Wheel" or "The Cotton Picker"!

Any Brizlers out there care to update me?

PS: I do not wish to be guilty of (re-)starting the pub sign furore!