The Brexit Express, 30th and 31st March 2019

Whoever organised this train was clearly an optimist!
Running at least two weeks early, The Brexit Express blasts through Holmes Chapel station hauled by BR Standard Class 7MT 4-6-2 No. 70000 Britannia. The train ran from Swansea to Sunderland with steam haulage from Crewe to York.

 

Given the pandemonium if the UK Parliament maybe the hauling loco should have been 70013 Oliver Cromwell.

 

Still showing optimism in the face of what I personally hope will turn out to be the triumph of hope over experience, The Brexit Express return journey to Bristol (rather than its original starting point of Swansea) on Sunday 31st March 2019 was hauled as far as Crewe by BR Standard Class 7MT 4-6-2 No. 70000 Britannia, shown approaching Chelford.


Cheers,

 

Far from my favourite topic but I have to give LSL/Saphos/JH credit for how well turned out 70000, D1924 and the stock was for this trip. Plenty of people out to see it and i'm sure a few people will be looking up Saphos Trains after seeing it pass by.

Shot from Colton Junction on the return to Bristol. Also saw both York arrivals yesterday while working at the station although sadly didn't manage a decent shot there .

 

A wonderful performance approaching Marsden.

 

Who thought this was a good idea...

 

I wondered at first whether the train had been sponsored by UKIP supporters, but Britannia is carrying both EU & UK flags so maintaining a bit of balance.

Politics can be dangerous territory for trains. The (original) Great Central named a 4-6-0 in 1920 after Lloyd George, but the name was removed after 3 years when that gentleman lost popularity.

In the Scotland volume of the "Regional History of Railways" books, there is a photograph from 1892 of a North British 4-4-0 with a bust of Gladstone on the front - the engine was to haul his election campaign train from Edinburgh to Glasgow.