[Photoplug] Castles to Chester, 4 March 1967

To mark the end of through services between Paddington and Birkenhead, Ian Allan ran two specials over the route starring 4079 Pendennis Castle and 7029 Clun Castle.

D1028 Western Hussar worked 'The Birkenhead Flyer' (1X82) from Paddington to Didcot, where 4079 took over as far as Chester. 73035 then worked the train to Birkenhead Woodside and back. 4079 and D1018 then worked the return legs to Didcot and Paddington respectively.

'The Zulu' (1X83) ran via High Wycombe. An unknown Hymek diesel worked it from Paddington to Banbury; 7029 then took it to Chester; and 73026 took it from Chester to Birkenhead and back. 7029 worked the return leg as far as Wolverhampton Low Level, whence the Hymek took it back to Paddington.

Both Castles were privately preserved by the time of these tours, and both carried Great Western markings (even though 7029 was built by British Railways!)

19 photos are here:

http://andrewstransport1960.fotopic.net/c1817840.html

Cheers

AN

 

I was 14 and stood on the (crowded) platform at Birmingham Snow Hill to see them both - think about it every time I catch a train from approximately the same position on the new Snow Hill platform back to Droitwich Spa

 

Many thanks for putting these up.

Jeff

 

3 colour shots on my Fotopic site in National Pres. Index collection:

http://50002superb.fotopic.net/c1061864.html

 

Hello AN I to was on the platform with my dad at the same time watching both engines arrive, but I can not access the photos of them, Link not working. I was wondering if you had saved them, thanks moggie