Part 3 (August - December)

47792 'Saint Cuthbert' rounds the curve into Marsden with the empty stock for 1Z50 0622 Green Express charter to Edinburgh (02/08/1997)

Several hours later 47792 is pictured again on arrival at Edinburgh Waverley after an outward run via the S&C and Beattock (02/081997)

Shortly afterwards 'Saint Cuthbert' is seen departing Waverley with the ECS for Craigentinny (02/08/1997)

Later that afternoon 47792 'Saint Cuthbert' is seen waiting to depart from Edinburgh Waverley with the 1Z50 1650 return leg to Marsden via the ECML. Amazingly the train enjoyed an uninterrupted 204-mile non-stop run to York (02/08/1997)

A week later, Scotland's Capital was once again the destination for a Green Express charter. 47773 'Reservist' is seen arriving at Steeton & Silsden with 1Z53 0640 Skipton - Edinburgh (09/8/1997)

My leisurely Sunday morning drive back to Aylesbury from Bingley off the previous day's charter suddenly became a cross-country dash to Basingstoke with the gen that 47305 was working 1E27 1305 Poole - York as far as Birmingham. The Frightliner machine is seen here at Oxford (10/08/1997)

An hour or so later, 47305 is pictured again having arrived at Birmingham New Street with 1E27. The loco was removed here but then worked back south with 1O13 (10/08/1997)

A phone call whilst I was getting ready for work the next morning brought the news that 47305 was about to leave Poole at the head of 1M01 0642 to Liverpool. Having hurriedly booked the day off I scurried off over to Oxford to intercept the train, which is seen here at Stafford (11/08/1997)

Journey's end: 47305 is pictured on the blocks at Liverpool Lime Street after working 1M01 0642 from Poole (11/08/1997)

Later that afternoon 47305 is seen again at the country end of Lime Street station after arriving on the rear of the ECS for 1O14 1510 Liverpool - Poole (11/08/1997)

Freightliner's 47305 pauses at Banbury with 1O14 1510 Liverpool - Poole, which turned out to be its last ever passenger working. The loco had been hired for three days by Virgin Cross Country due to a shortage of 47/8s (11/08/1997)

47976 'Aviemore Centre' is pictured on arrival at Ramsgate with 1O99 0856 from Birmingham New Street (16/08/1997)

Another view of 47976 at Ramsgate whilst running round to work the return 1M79 1348 back to Birmingham (16/08/1997)

Having run round 1O14 1510 Manchester - Poole, 47314 'Transmark' waits to depart from Reading on the last leg of its journey to the South Coast. The RfD machine had worked the train forward from Birmingham, and thanks to mobile phone technology we'd got the gen as '976 was approaching Coventry on 1M79. Not a bad little move! (16/08/1997)

Some 16 hours (and a night in the park following a fruitless search for accommodation) after we'd arrived in Poole, 47314 is seen entering the station with the ECS for the SuO 1E27 1303 to York (17/08/1997)

Another view of 'Transmark' at Poole with 1E27 1303 to York (17/08/1997)

47540 'The Institution of Civil Engineers' was added to the consist at Reading in order to provide some much-needed air-conditioning within the train. With 47314 having run round the pair are pictured prior to departure (17/08/1997)

47314+47540 pause briefly at Oxford with 1E27 1303 Poole - York (17/08/1997)

A slightly more composed view of 47314 +47540 at Leamington with 1E27 1303 Poole - York. I'd opted to miss out on the final 28 miles through to Birmingham as this wasn't the only working of note on the 'Line' that day... (17/08/1997)

Completing a weekend that will live long in the memory, former RES but now Crewe ballast sector loco 47535 awaits departure from Reading having run round 1O15 1310 Liverpool - Southampton (17/08/1997)

47782 is pictured on arrival at Edinburgh Waverley with 1Z52 0600 Green Express charter from Leeds via Bolton and the S&C (23/08/1997)

Three of the train's passengers anticipate a tour of local public houses alongside 47782 at Waverley (23/08/1997)

A nocturnal view of 47782 on arrival back at Leeds later that evening with the 1710 return leg from Edinburgh (23/08/1997)

47780 is detached from 1E06 1100 Edinburgh - Kings Cross having dragged the '91' and Mk4s from Newcastle via Hartlepool due to engineering work on the ECML through Durham (24/08/1997)