All Our Yesterdays – 35 Years Ago – August 1976

Extracts from The Railway Observer

Locomotives Withdrawn
1021, 25003/30, 40045/53

Locomotives Reinstated
20013/37, 40106

Locomotives Stored:
06001, 08077, 08180, 08318, 08495, 24103

Locomotives Modified
Dual Brake Fitted:
47108

Air brake fitted and vacuum brake removed
08816

47108 was the last class 47 to be fitted with dual brakes.

On the 4th August 1976 the first two class 56 locomotives (56001/02) arrived at Harwich on the train ferry from Zeebrugge and were towed by Tinsley on the 7th August. 56003/04 arrived a week later on the 11th August but not towed to Tinsley until the 17th August. Interestingly at this point in time commissioning was expected to take about a week per locomotive before then being accepted by British Rail.

On the 14th August 1976 1V96, 09.49 Nottingham Paignton was worked through out by 25211 and 25029.

On the 15th August 1976 33102 arrived at Birmingham New Street with a Weymouth – Newcastle special, being replaced by 47061. 33102 returned south with a Lincoln – East Grinstead special replacing 45013.

The first two diagrams for the production series of High Speed Trains commenced on the Western Region on the 9th August 1976.

A number of the above I have photographed and can be seen below

25029 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5938746669/
56001 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5614957377/
56003 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6059797769/
56003 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6060337354/