Clan Line - British Pullman - 3/8/13

And what a fine gentleman he is! I am very sad to hear he is retiring - he looks like he has years on driving still in him! What a way to go - with Clan Line and not forgetting that just a few weeks ago, he drove the 90mph tour with Bittern.

I guess it's down to mowing the lawns, tending the garden and painting the garage door?

Good luck in the future Don.

Nick

 

It must be voluntary I guess, because new legislation means that your employer cannot insist on retirement if that person is capable of doing the job, and Don Clarke certainly fits that bill. I guess it has to have been his choice therefore.

As for West Coast, you will be amazed at how few have done the DBS/EWS move over the years. When the likes of Rodney Tizzard of Eastleigh fame reached retirement age, the last thing he would ever have done, was to move to them. How do I know? Because he told me so at his retirement do at Eastleigh Railway Club!

 

I do hope the photographers are out in good numbers today and send the results to Don afterwards.

 

Video at Worplesdon, Clan Line easily canters up the grade into the station, kid on the platform so we get a good whistle. No diesel
FF to 1:00 to miss the intro.

 

Just a few hundred yards and one last whistle to go for Don Clarke on the return to London Victoria:

Journey's End 1

Journey's End 2

Journey's End 3

 

Excellent shots!

 

If those photos can be got to Don, I would imagine he would very much appreciate them.

But seeing your occupation and where you took them I imagine you already have that in hand!

 

There were many well wishers on arrival at Victoria and it seemed they announced to the passengers on the VSOE that this was the driver's last run before retirement as dozens of them wanted to have a photo of the driver on arrival.

Don was presented with a bottle of champagne on the footplate from someone in authority and it was a fitting end to a fantastic career.

On being towed out of Victoria, I asked Don if he could give a last few blasts on the whistle (frowned upon by those in charge at Victoria because it upsets the pigeons!) and he came up trumps with several blasts!

As a footnote, Don tells me that there is a chance he will come back as a traction inspector as some stage. He also said that he was booked to run the York to Kings Cross high speed run with Bittern which he was particularly looking forward to coming down Stoke bank, but the the tour was postponed to August. Don was asked to extend his retirement date so that he could drive the special and Don was happy to do this, only to realise that the new date clashed with his holiday in Spain which had long since been booked and what is more, paid for!! Nevertheless, he was extremely honoured to have been asked.

I was informed that NR has lifted the steam fire-risk ban for the route that Clan Line ran today but I do not know if this covers all of the "Southern" region.

 

Seconded. Wonderful shots.

Dave

 

I can't compete with those but here's a couple leaving Victoria earlier:


130803-1229-723C3143.jpg by David J Pearson, on Flickr


130803-1229-723C3149.jpg by David J Pearson, on Flickr

 

Don Clarke said that the diesel pushing out of Victoria dropped off too soon, as can clearly be seen in the last photo. this meant Clan Line had to manage the remainder of the significant climb alone with a very heavy train. Needless to say, Don and Clan Line managed it with flying colours!

 

Yeah, you can see the resultant exhaust from the extra effort required of Clan Line! It looks good, has a late 50's smoky feel about it when steam would have been working out of there. Like both those sets of photos, clearly not been over processed to within an inch of their lives by photoshop.

 

I had a few slightly earlier "leaving Victoria" pics that weren't as nice. In none of them was the diesel pushing.

 

What time did it leave Victoria as there were quite a few a few people with Camera's at Clapham but this was about 13:00 and didn't see 35028 when I got to Victoria