'Falcon' visits to OOC?

[david ellis]

D0280 Falcon at Exeter on 23 May 1969

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/103762044@N02/23198818481/

[jonny777]

I have just had a look through my 1969 Railway Observers and there is no mention of Falcon, except for the reference to a regular turn on 1Z17 from early August.

 

I am beginning to believe that my idea of the Motorail is my memory playing tricks on me.

 

I probably did see the Kensington-Totnes service while travelling to St Davids, and I know I saw D0280 on a few occasions at Dawlish, but I think my brain has combined the two events. The 0900 from Temple Meads being at Dawlish at 1050 (the same time as the northbound Devonian) is highly likely, and given the timings and the fact that Falcon would turn left at Aller Junction, means that the Motorail (on the days that it ran) was probably the next down service behind 1Z17.

[Hippel]

I only came back to spotting and photography in late 1973, after a decision to go on a Merrymaker Mystery Excursion took us to Weston-Super-Mare..

We couldn't understand the renumbering, especially Peaks, so bought a book on Temple Meads platform and away we went.

 

Having noted that Falcon was still around, though purported to be not much longer, I went on a Dalescroft Railfans tour of South Wales and did manage to find it out of use at Ebbw Junction. Duly photographed, I went home happy.

Wow there's a blast from the past, Dalescroft! I remember seeing Falcon at Ebbw Jn with Dalescroft - it was the first loco that I 'engine-roomed' and remember seeing 'VW' on some of the engine parts.

 

Paul

[JeffP]

Dalescroft were legend.

 

Picked me up at 0005 at Nottingham Midland, on a cold dry January day, first stop, Aberbeeg, 4am, freezing cold and dark. Two nutters climbed down the embankment in the dark to get the numbers of the three 37's and one 08 we could see.

 

Ended at STJ, pitch dark, 7pm, went round getting numbers with a lighter to see by and one small torch. The foreman just sighed........

 

Dropped me off where the A52 crosses the ring road, with a 2-mile walk back to Clifton.

Luckily, I thumbed it and got a lift.

[bingley hall]

D0280 Falcon at Goodrington Sidings, Paignton. 13 August 1969

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63923883@N03/16824229591/

 

Great find thanks - I'll have to see if I can dig my shot out now.

[The Johnster]

Dalescroft were legend.

 

Picked me up at 0005 at Nottingham Midland, on a cold dry January day, first stop, Aberbeeg, 4am, freezing cold and dark. Two nutters climbed down the embankment in the dark to get the numbers of the three 37's and one 08 we could see.

 

Ended at STJ, pitch dark, 7pm, went round getting numbers with a lighter to see by and one small torch. The foreman just sighed........

 

Dropped me off where the A52 crosses the ring road, with a 2-mile walk back to Clifton.

Luckily, I thumbed it and got a lift.

 

You'd have to be a nutter to go down that bank in daylight, although I suppose it's less scary in the dark because you can't see how stupid you're being!  You should have been ok at STJ, though, there were plenty of floodlights there!

[Johnfromoz]

I remember seeing 1200 inside Stratford DRS on the wheel lathe in either March or May 71, I think it was March, but unfortunately had run out of film. I'm pretty sure also I saw it there again and think it may have been in 1973. Having seen and photographed Falcon many times during its life I never wrote it down as it was easy to remember at the time....................now 40 years on I wish I had made an exact note of it...........and everything else!

Really interesting sighting Brush Veteran, and thanks for recording your recollection here.

 

To get 1200 Falcon over to Stratford for tyre turning you would have almost certainly thought it would have been tripped over the NLL by a London crew from OOC.

 

John

[Rugd1022]

Really interesting sighting Brush Veteran, and thanks for recording your recollection here.

 

To get 1200 Falcon over to Stratford for tyre turning you would have almost certainly thought it would have been tripped over the NLL by a London crew from OOC.

 

John

 

More likely to be a Bristol crew with an Old Oak man conducting them over to Stratford and back, either on the same day or separate days depending on how long it was due to be left at Stratford. Having worked with and spoken to many old hands at Old Oak I've not heard of any of them being trained on Falcon.