35A

Can't argue with that 😁 - I was in hospital, about 200 metres away, at the time. The 37, in the final picture (C1728), would have been 37 102, again. The earlier picture (C1715) will be of it, having arrived on the Harwich Parkeston Quay to Peterborough service (1B13), waiting to set back into Nene Sidings, to run round. The final image will be of it waiting to head back to Harwich on 1C15, the Deltic being on 1E11.

Apologies for the tardy response, Andrew. I'm only just catching up! FYI, I've found some further information, from when this image was last posted, on page 341. Member 45125, who states that he was at York in 1977, suggests that 434 had a working headlight, at the time when he was a trainee. Perhaps, one day, one of us will chance upon a photograph to prove it one way or the other! David - J1462 (from Saturday's batches) is D9021.

The caption on J1718 has a typo, David. D5871 vice D5671 (the Brush 2's ended at D5862) - as per the following image, J1719.

47 434 did, indeed, also have the quartz headlight fitted. At that time, 432 was a York loco and 434 a Holbeck loco. However, the photographs that I can find of 47 434 show that the headlight was blanked off in April and May 1975 (and may still have been in June). Also, the number 2 end drivers-side cab doors of 47 432 were fitted with the white "Experiment DL/xxx" information plaque - which you can just see in J4499 (I haven't found an equivalent for 47 434 - although it would very likely have carried them at one end). I'd tend towards it being 47 432, myself.

The Farringdon shots are wonderful. I've spent many an hour there, over the years, going to or from work. It's interesting to study the track layout at that time, with the crossover from the LT tracks to the Widened Lines. I wonder why, over the years, I have never taken a photograph there! Similarly, as always, I love the Essendine photos. The green English Electric Type 4 (Class 40) in J2665 is most likely one of only four remaining green Eastern Region examples, with discs, at that time. I *think* that, zooming in on it, it is either 252, 254 or 257 (sadly, not clear enough to venture an absolute identification). The fourth example was 239 - but the shape of the numbers doesn't look as though it is that one. All of the other Eastern Region 40s (237. 238, the 25x, 27x and 28x batches) were blue by 1971. Looking closely at the 'Deltic', in J2731, I think that it is, most probably, 9014 - it's clearly got a Gateshead style brass nameplate and is, obviously, not 9008 (single line plate). From the size of the nameplate, I don't think that it is 9002, 9005 or 9011 (longer plates) or 9017 (shorter plates). It's not in typical Gateshead condition (i.e. filthy) and, looking at The Napier Chronicles, 9014 was released from overhaul at Doncaster at the very end of the previous month.

C3403 - 20 135 only made one appearance on the "Jolly Fisherman", on 4th August 1977, when it was paired with 20 068. On that occasion is was on 1E85 09:20 Derby - Skegness, rather than the Leicester train. Gen courtesy, as usual, of RailGenArchive. Sorry to read that you have been under the weather, David. Best wishes for a speedy return to full health.

A quick zoom reveals C4257 to be 45 104 "THE ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE FUSILIERS" - one of the handful of class 45s that could easily trick you into mis-identifying it (at a distance) as a class 46, due to the ventilation grilles.

It was J1601 that drew my attention in this batch, the Midland General Eastern Coach Works-bodied Bristol FLF, with the very early registration 1392 R. I always had a soft spot for the FLF and spent a lot of time riding them to and from school. No height warnings on the bridge and good driver knowledge, no doubt. Unlike so many today!

C3393 - according to RailGenArchive, 20 166 only worked the "Jolly Fisherman" on Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st, during July 1977, on both occasions paired with 20 163. On the Saturday it worked the Nottingham relief train and on the Sunday it worked the Leicester train.

In C7309, at Ashington, the Class 14 appears to be NCB number 507, which would make that the former BR D9525.

According to RailGenArchive, 20 181 was paired with disc-fitted 20 047, from 7th to 20th July 1981. That was its last "Jolly Fisherman" appearance that month. It had made one earlier appearance but paired with headcode-panel equipped 20 136.

Might be D239, as that was a long-term Eastern Region loco. I think that it was a Gateshead loco at that time and certainly was so in 1970 and until, at least, 1972 (and still green). Latterly, it moved to Healey Mills.

C1693 is 08 324. C1703 is 55 008. I wish that I could identify C1711. Maximum zoom doesn't quite cut it. Last two digits look like they might be 21 - in which case it would have to be 37 021. Most Saturdays in the 1970s I would have been around and have the notes to back it up - but May to August 1974 I was "missing, out of action" 😁. C1702 puzzles me. I don't remember a 5D(anything)5 around that time, on a Saturday or any weekday. Curious.

Interesting to see a shot of 08 315 (the former D3385) at Stratford. It was a March loco, one of the ones subshedded for most of its life at Peterborough. It was involved in a shunting 'mishap' in the West Yard at Peterborough, in late 1978/early 1979, and was condemned in February 1979. I wasn't aware of it before but it appears that it was moved to Stratford, possibly for stripping for spares? Ultimately, it was cut up at Doncaster Works, in January 1980.

I haven't found a definitive article on the subject, yet, but I'm wondering whether this experiment was linked to the testing of the APT-E at that time. It may have been an insurance against overruns at high speed. They certainly had one with a 'Peak' (185) and the P-0-P set (the unpowered three-car framework test train), which ended up in the dirt on one occasion, having failed to stop in time!

So sorry to hear that you've been under the weather for the past few weeks, David. I hope that they've got you sorted out now and that you'll be steadily improving - we're forecast some warmer weather, so let's that that helps "clear you out". 😁 I'm going to be a pain and challenge you, again, on J2192. I don't think that it is 9004 - the plate is too short for "QUEEN'S OWN HIGHLANDER". Also, 9004 was in works from 3rd to 21st of August 1970. Clearly, it's one of the four Haymarket ones with a single line plate. It's not 9013 "THE BLACK WATCH", as it has a crest. Zooming the image up, the nameplate has a three word name. Given that - and the fact that it appears to have the square-edged front footstep - I'd respectfully suggest that it was 9000 "ROYAL SCOTS GREY".

C1725 - 1C15 was the return Peterborough to Harwich Parkeston Quay, rather than Norwich. There was some confusion around that time, in the mid-70s, when they introduced a parcels service from the Peterborough Parcels Terminal, into East Anglia, that followed about twenty minutes behind the HPQ, coded 3C15. After a couple of years, the Harwich was recoded 1C18.

C3402 - according to RailGenArchive, 20 035 put in several appearances on the "Jolly Fisherman" during August 1977 and was always paired with 20 066.

C2135, David - if that is 1C18, then that would be the 16:xx Peterborough to Harwich Parkeston Quay. I forget the exact time - it moved around from 16:42 to 16:48 to 16:52 to 16:55, at different points during the 1970s!

That's a lovely set of infrastructure shots, David. The Yarwell Junction view is probably the one that has changed the least, in the intervening years. J2470 looks like 357 to me, rather than 237. It's certainly 345 or above, due to the central headcode panel (the Haymarket batch 260-266, that had their nose-ends modified by the ScR, are easily distinguishable from the rest of the central headcode equipped batch). While I'm here, J1644 is D9008. C6141 reminds me of ten or fifteen years earlier, when we raced around on our bikes, shirtless - getting excited by every passing train. Sadly, these days, it's more of a stagger, I wouldn't dare go shirtless (it would frighten the horses) and I often take very little notice of what's passing - unless it's a sound that makes my ears prick up. 😁

J1286 - ITYF, David, that that's D9004.

There doesn't seem to have been an abnormal number of Deltics in works during August 1975 (6 most of the time - "Meld" and "Pinza" doing a swap mid-month). Perhaps a few on depot minor failures?

C2685 - Easter 1976 was the weekend of 18th April, so 1S93 would be an Easter relief. The Eastern Region tradition at that time was to number scheduled reliefs using the standard reporting format (1Axx, 1Dxx, 1Lxx, 1Nxx, 1Sxx etc.) but utilising the 80 and 90 series (as opposed to using 1Zxx or 1Gxx). J1219/1220 - I was up in Pateley Bridge about fifteen months ago, for a long weekend, staying in a property behind those pictured behind the station buildings, to the left, in J1220. That area has (understandably) been redeveloped significantly, with a footpath and access road, along with some new properties, along the old track formation and a public car park at the far end of the site, as viewed in J1220. The station buildings are privately owned and beautifully restored but their origins can clearly be seen. To the right of J1219 and to the left of J1220 runs the River Nidd, on its way to Knaresborough and the River Ouse. J1221 - I don't think that there is any remaining trace of the box. I certainly can't recall seeing it. Unfortunately, I didn't take my digital SLR with me that weekend and didn't think to use my phone camera!

Congratulations on reaching the magic 1000, David. Thanks for another wonderful day of time travel.

Not that it is any help (whatsoever) but, in March 1972, 51279 was running with 56101 - which was a Gloucester driving trailer. Oh, and the 'Deltic' in J4007 is 55 004 (long nameplate, oval crest).