APOLLO Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Christmas ghosts - The January issue of The Railway Magazine for the last few years allways includes a railway ghost story, this year also. The best one in my opinion was a few years ago based on the Settle & Carlisle, a Christmas Eve fast freight from Carlisle to Leeds, Jubilee hauled with a Ghost driver, story told by the fireman - eerie. Anyway, back around 1986 or so we where camping in the Yorkshire Dales, and visiting Goathland. In came a train headed by a blue Deltic, we had to "have a ride" and the timetable just allowed us a return trip to Pickering. Head out of window both journeys, right next to the screaming banshee !!. At Goathland, bookshop opposite station I bought an interesting book - Railway Ghosts by J A Brooks (Vol 1) - many "interesting" stories similar to the Railway Mag ones. Last night, nothing on the box (for me anyway), cold outside I was in the loft, doing a bit of maintainence work. Time to paint that Diesel Depot track and apron, so off came the locos. I opened the loft window to let out the spray tin fumes, and after cleaning up I was replacing the locos, last one a Lima "St Paddy" in two tone green. Strange, I thought, that sounds like a deltic thrumming away. Getting louder, I stuck my head out of the loft window, "St Paddy" in hand as a Deltic powered express thundered north out of Wigan at around 22-45. Pitch black, I saw nothing but the carriage lights flash by. Listened for a couple of minutes as she powered over Boars Head towards Standish, her deep thrum slowly fading away. Closed the window, rerailed"St Paddy", and by now everyone at home had gone to bed - so did I, that deltic still ringing in my ears. I had to find out - Had I seen a ghost? - Alas no, an internet trawl showed it was Spitfire Railtours 55 022 Royal Scots Grey hauled "Edinburgh Explorer" having left Wigan on time at 22.43 bound for her final destination, Preston. (having come from Edinburgh via York & Manchester. 2010 & that Deltic howling thrum still haunts. A bit early, but Happy Christmas everyone. Beware of the Ghosts. Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Nice story. I remember as a kid (our house was about 50 yards from the ex.GER mainline at Shenfield) my Dad telling me that the "Ghost Train" was outside, invariably as I was going to bed - of course I took him literally.......... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Deltic hauntings... Christmas ghosts... long-dead main-lines giving-up their secrets... You'll start Max and I off if we carry on in this vein Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87023Velocity Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 Just for you Brit15, Heres a ghostly image of 55022 disappearing into the mist at Heywood, taken this Sunday 5th December. We were just getting the kids strapped into the car at Heywood car park when we realised what was approaching, hence the quickly taken shot. Now we know were it had come from. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modfather Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Nice pic Simon, hopefully a couple of dcc heads will see the picture and tone down their lighting accordingly! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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