35A

Going back to Saturday's Widdrington photographs (sorry, David, I've been away and am just catching up), may I suggest that the J94 in C5478 is actually 68078, rather than 69078 (https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/68078-wd-71463-lner-8078-br-68078/). With regards to your query against the Class 11 in C5475 & C5476, MP228 is the former 12052 According to my most recent records, it is at the Caledonian Railway in Brechin, these days.

For me, the shot of this batch is the Brocklesby Junction picture (J2174) of 1888 on oil tanks. Yet another shot that highlights how magnificent Brush 4's looked, in (clean) two-tone green with full yellow ends. A lovely study of both train and environment.

Thoughts are with you, David. However prepared we are for these things, it takes some time to fully accept them. Particularly when you have been so close.

Sorry to read of your recent brush with the dreaded virus. It must be particularly concerning and inconvenient with the situation with your Mum. I hope that you are both coping. We look forward to your return to rude health and, in due course, some more gems from your extraordinary photo collection. Very best wishes.

Our best wishes to your Mum for a speedy return to good health. Please don't be concerned about posting late - or even at all, if circumstances are not convenient. There are other things, far more important than keeping us (to quote Ian Walmsley) "superannuated anoraks" satisfied. Congratulations on the eighth anniversary. I think that I've been following the thread for about half of that time (but viewed all of the images). Thank you for all of the time and effort that you put into it, David. It is hugely appreciated.

That lovely shot at Brinklow took me right back to gloomy Saturday afternoons, sat at Blisworth, watching the electrics on expresses, in 1971/72.

By coincidence, I was on a railrover in the area in September 1987, when you took J9285. It was not only Newcastle to Carlisle workings, some of the services further east were also being substituted. I had a trip out from Newcastle Central, on 22nd September, on 2B07 14:30 to Middlesbrough (behind 47 608), returning on 2J18 16:03 Middlesbrough to Hexham (with the same engine) as far as Thornaby. I subsequently picked up a train to Darlington, the 15:48 Saltburn to Bishop Auckland, which was formed of vehicles from C313 and C590 (as pictured in J9285). However, that formation had a Class 119 centre car (53900+59418+51058) and the opposing class 116/119 driving vehicles from that which you photographed. Both the class 116 and the class 119 were transferred from Canton to Heaton on 6th September 1987 (according to www.railcar.co.uk) and so it would appear likely that the former C313 and C590 had exchanged a driving vehicle - which would imply that the formation that you have photographed was 51087+59040+53847!

A fascinating study of East Lincolnshire, that just pre-dates me! Although relatively local, I never had the opportunity to explore any of the lines that were closed in 1970, being just fractionally too young to venture forth on my own or with a mate. I do, however, remember the last couple of months of King's Cross to Cleethorpes trains running that way, viewed most evenings but never sampled.

A timely look at 43079, in J10667. That was one of the first three MTU-equipped power cars that was sent for scrap at Sims Metals, Newport last week - it's reported that they have all now been broken up. That's five HST power cars gone now (excluding those that were broken up following accidents).

J10578 - that's a lovely shot of 56 119 "giving it some beans". I can hear it from here. Mind you, these days that's a shot to send the environmentalists apoplectic.

Sorry for the slow response - first time that I've looked at the thread, this week. Interestingly, I notice that you happen to have captured the movement of the most recent three Eurocargorail Class 66s, that have returned from France and were on their way from Dollands Moor to Toton, via Scunthorpe Trent Yard! Good timing.

I wish they had! C18547 was taken on my 35th birthday. Who's for the scrapyard first?

Original image, included for context. Wow. This one brought back a cascade of memories. Memories of back in the day, when the LC was still in place, when we used to cycle up to Hurn Road in the school holidays (occasionally Waterworks Lane), as a variation on Walton crossing or Spital Bridge; standing on the old GNR footbridge, looking down, as a Deltic accelerated away on the down fast, trying to position ourselves between the V of the exhausts; watching the crossing keeper attending to the gates, as the occasional road vehicle trundled down; the occasional pedestrian (rare) ambling along. Thanks to all who have been following this project for us, for the past couple of years. It's been fantastic to follow - especially for those of us Peterborians who are no longer in the area and only visit, periodically, to see friends and family - and, consequently, rarely have the time to seek out old haunts. It has been much appreciated.

There's a typo on the caption to C9205, Dave (the first one of today's batch). It 47 450, not 47 550.

It was a Gateshead locomotive, at the time (moved to York the following month). Interestingly (well, I thought so), when looking that up, I noticed that it was delivered new to Gateshead before later transferring to York (North). It then returned to Gateshead and back to York a couple more times before withdrawal, those being its only homes.

HAAs on MGR coal trains, with 56s and 58s on the front. Seems a lifetime away.

Thanks for the reminder, Rob. I'd forgotten all about that trio. Easily distinguishable by the four sealed window units on the compartment side of the vehicles.

If I go and stand on the apex of my roof, I shall just about be able to see HS2 construction in progress (I can certainly hear it).

Once again, regarding J2769 (the first modern traction image): the loco is a class 40, rather than a class 47 and (as previously queried) the buffet car is either E1705E or E1706E - the two Thompson vehicles. Given the date (1971), the loco and the catering vehicle, I would suggest that this is the down "Highwayman".

You're right, Russ. Looking further into it, at other photographs and threads, it appears that no 2 was the only one that had ETS jumpers at both ends.

Quite apart from the weedkilling train, you've captured a historically interesting (to some!) trio of motive power in today's selection. J9555 - 43159 is the joint holder of the world's fastest diesel train record (along with the NRM's 43102). It is now in the care of the 125 Group at Ruddington. J10590 - 43089 is the power car that was used for the diesel-battery hybrid experiments, named "Hayabusa". Although subsequently restored to one of the standard configurations it, too, is now preserved in the care of the 125 Group. C15463 - 47 825 "Thomas Telford" was used as the prototype for the ETS-equipped Class 57s, becoming 57 601, now belonging to West Coast Railway Company.

There was some very good coverage, a couple of years ago, in Tim Dunn's excellent "The Architecture The Railways Built" series, on the Yesterday channel. It was in series 2, episode 7 (titled "Sheffield"), which is still available via the UK TV catch-up service.

Interesting to see (a couple of postings back) that, by the 1979 repaint, ADB968000 (the former Haymarket loco) has lost its ETS jumpers, whilst ADB968002 (the former Bradford, Hammerton St. loco) retains them. It's something that I'd never noticed before. The Hammerton St. and Hornsey heating units were the only ones that I ever saw at their original home depots. I had to wait for the Haymarket and Heaton ones to come south before I tracked them down.

There was a M-F service from the Parcelforce sorting centre at Peterborough (New England - roughly on the site of the current GBRf facility), from around 1973, down into deepest, darkest East Anglia. The 37 would run 0C15 from Peterborough stabling point to New England, just before 17:00, returning about 20 minutes later as 3C15. Occasionally, a 31/1 would substitute but it was almost always a Stratford 37. Annoyingly, despite seeing it many times, I don't think that I ever took a picture of it.

It was certainly an improvement on the 'original' original livery. As first painted, the power cars of 253 001 had the (subsequently blue) band painted gloss black. I have a picture that I took at the Crewe Works Open Day, in 1975, of either 43002 or 43003, during their brief time in that livery (I wonder if they even made it out into the open air - or, perhaps, that's when they realised that it didn't work?).