70's and 80's Loco wanderings, old Railway World column.

[w124bob]

When buying Modern Railways/Railway World back in the 70's and early 80's(and early editions of Rail) one of the first columns I would read was the one that described the sightings of loco on odd/unusual workings etc. For example, "on the 24th 44004 worked a Toton to Dewsnap engineers train throughout". Anyone with access to these fancy posting up the odd snippet, or just odd loco spotting memories from the period. 

[johnw1]

On the 4th April 1978 one of the most unusual workings of the decade occurred when 33009 left Fawley with a train of empty oil tankers bound for Colwick, a few miles to the east of Nottingham. Class 33’s were common in the mid 1970’s on Fawley – Bromford Bridge (Birmingham) oil trains and one would have expected that 33009 would have been replaced en-route at Washwood Heath by a London Midland Region engine from Saltley. For some reason 33009 was not replaced and sufficient train crew with the relevant traction knowledge and route knowledge were made available for 33009 to continue all the way through to Colwick. On arrival at Colwick it was immediately dispatched light engine back to Birmingham and it is seen here heading west past Nottingham Wilford Road Goods yard. On arrival back in Birmingham it returned to the Southern Region on the 17:21 service from Birmingham New Street to Poole.

33009 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/24302437830/