Part 1 (January - April)

Riviera Trains' 47812 visited Leeds in late January on road-learning duty for Virgin CrossCountry. The 'Brush' is pictured here stabled at Freightliner's Midland Road depot amongst the ranks of Heavy Haul '66s' (28/01/2006)

My first 'Brush' of the year was a long time coming... 47402 'Gateshead' pauses at Ramsbottom with the 0900 Bury-Rawtenstall during the East Lancashire Railway's 'Sulzer Day' (18/02/2006)

Also in action at the ELR was Riviera Trains' 47575, seen here at Rawtenstall with the 1217 to Heywood (18/02/2006)

The next morning, 47575 waits to depart Bury with the 1022 to Heywood (19/02/2006)

A bonus feature of yesterday's theme day was an extra diesel diagram on the Sunday, which prompted several of us to make a weekend of it. 47575 waits to cross a steam-hauled service at Ramsbottom with the 1507 Rawtenstall-Heywood (19/02/2006)

47853 'Rail Express' calls at Crewe with an additional 1Z47 0805 Manchester-Cardiff. Arriva Trains Wales had laid on extra trains to assist with moving some of the thousands of Manchester United fans to the Welsh capital for the Coca Cola Cup Final (26/02/2006)

47853 waits time at Hereford with 1Z47. The loco and stock had been treated to a 'repaint' whilst stabled in the Longsight area the previous night (26/02/2006)

47839 brings up the rear of 1Z49 as the train departs Hereford. The loco later worked the 1Z49 1710 return leg from Cardiff to Manchester later that evening (26/02/2006)

WCRC's 47854 passes through Hereford with 1Z68 0827 Leyland Cardiff - a charter train for the opposition fans from Wigan (26/02/2006)

47826 'Springburn' brings up the rear of 1Z68 as the train heads south (26/02/2006)

With five of their own fleet already in action, Riviera Trains hired in Freightliner's 47811 to top-and-tail with 47815 on the addtional 0908 from Manchester. Still carrying the 'FGW' colours of its former owner, the Heavy Haul machine is pictured on arrival at Cardiff (26/02/2006)

47847 'Brian Morrison' is seen here after arriving at Cardiff with 1Z69 0930 charter from Wigan (26/02/2006)

47805 was on the rear of 1Z69, and would later work the return 1Z84 back to Wigan after the match (26/02/2006)

47839 is pictured in Platform 13 at Manchester Piccadilly after working the additional 1Z49 1710 from Cardiff Central. 47853 would then take the empty stock back to Crewe via Earlestown due to the temporary closure of the direct line via Wilmslow for signalling work (26/02/2006)

A total of eight different '47s' were involved in the various trains to the Welsh capital today, and to complete the set, here's 47815 'Great Western' on arrival back at Manchester Piccadilly with 1Z50 from Cardiff Central (26/02/2006)

47851 'Traction Magazine' arrives at Darlington with the empty stock (which had stabled overnight at North Road station) for 1Z47 0752 charter to London Kings Cross (04/03/2006)

The Northern Echo's second attempt (apparently they hadn't been impressed with FM Rail towards the end of last year) at running charter trains utilised West Coast loco's and stock. 47851 is pictured again on arrival at Kings Cross with 1Z47 (04/03/2006)

On the rear of the train was 47826, which would later work the return 1Z48 1902 from Kings Cross to Darlington (04/03/2006)

Last orders are being consumed in the 'Trackside' behind me after a hellfire trans-pennine pub-crawl as 47402 waits to take over the 0030 Heywood-Rawtenstall at Bury Bolton Street (19/03/2006)

47402 'Gateshead' bathes in the early morning sunlight at Rawtenstall after working the 0645 from Heywood. The loco had been used for the 'overnight' leg of the East Lancashire Railway's 'Night Rider' event, which rekindled a few happy memories of nights

47402 is seen again on arrival back at Heywood with the 0745 from Rawtenstall. The loco completed its duties with the 0946 Rawtenstall-Heywood, after which it was breakfast time (19/03/2006)

47117 'Sparrow Hawk' runs round at Leciester North after working 1A10 1050 from Loughborough during the Great Central Railway's '1960s' Gala (26/03/2006)

47117 is seen again back at Loughborough Central with 2B23 1415 from Leicester North (26/03/2006)

The loco runs back through Loughborough station on its way to pick up the 'TPO' set for its next working (26/03/2006)