May 2023

66765 passes through Stourton Cutting with 6M37 1125 Arcow - Pendleton (03/05/2023)

47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' stands at Newport with 1Z34 0614 Cardiff - Carlisle 'Statesman' charter (06/05/2023)

The near-side view of 47712 waiting time at Newport in what was atrocious weather for a Spring morning. Whether by accident or design I actually found it quite appropriate that the loco which many years ago was named after the woman that was once destined to be our future Queen should find itself at the head of a main line passenger train on the day of King Charles lll's Coronation (06/05/2023)

After electrical gremlins reared their heads on the way up the 'Marches' the opportunity was taken to exchange '712 for 47805 at Crewe. The latter is pictured on arrival into Carlisle with 1Z34 (06/05/2023)

At the rear of the train 47593 waits to lead the 5Z35 1423 empty stock out to Upperby for servicing (06/05/2023)

Later that evening 'Galloway Princess' drops-off at Newport with 1Z35 1604 Carlisle - Cardiff after the lengthy trek back south via the Cumbrian Coast (06/05/2023)

The next morning 47105 + 47376 await departure from Cheltenham Race Course with 2B06 1115 to Broadway during a running day at the GWSR (07/05/2023)

The duo are pictured again at Winchcombe during a perfectly timed burst of sunshine (07/05/2023)

47105 runs round at Broadway before working back south to the Race Course (07/05/2023)

47376 at Broadway on the rear of 2C13 1235 to Cheltenham Race Course, which was hauled by its class mate (07/05/2023)

Later that afternoon 47376 waits time at Winchcombe with 2B14 1420 Cheltenham Race Course - Broadway (07/05/2023)

47813 stands at Manchester Piccadilly after working an additional 1Z53 1300 from Liverpool Lime Street (14/05/2023)

47826 departs Piccadilly on the rear of 5Z54 shunt to Longsight Down Goods Loop (14/05/2023)

47826 is pictured again on arrival back into Liverpool Lime Street with 1Z54 1416 from Manchester Piccadilly. The trains had been chartered by Network Rail to assist with the movement of passengers in the aftermath of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, which had been held in the city the previous night (14/05/2023)

47828 + 47593 propel their 5Z35 1356 empty stock into Weymouth's Jersey Siding after arriving with 1Z34 0530 'Statesman' charter from Whitchurch (20/05/2023)

An hour or so later the pair ease the return 5Z36 1520 from Jersey Siding into Weymouth station before working 1Z36 1535 back to Whitchurch (20/05/2023)

66733 'Cambridge PSB' rounds the curve at Engine Shed Junction, Holbeck, with an additional 6M72 0445 Rylstone - Bredbury loaded stone train (24/05/2023)

47813 passes East Ardsley with 1Z11 1126 'Northern Belle' charter from York to Hull via Leeds and Wakefield (26/05/2023)

90015 + 90009 depart Carlisle after a change of driver with 4M11 1805 Coatbridge FLT - Crewe Basford Hall intermodal (26/05/2023)

47593 + 47712 arrive into Ayr with 5Z60 0506 from Falkland DGL, where the pair had overnighted after working north from Crewe the previous day (27/05/2023)

Having run round their train, 47712 + 47593 are readied for the journey south with 1Z60 0540 Ayr - Scarborough 'Statesman' charter (27/05/2023)

With the sun rising here's a final look at the former ScR duo with the remains of the Station Hotel in the background. Unfortunately a burnt out electrical coil ended 47712's participation shortly after departure. Some complex shunting manouevres at Kilmarnock then saw 47593 tow its class mate all the way to the Yorkshire coast before working the return leg solo later that afternoon (27/05/2023)