Part 3 (July - August)

47401 'North Eastern' is pictured on arrival at Ramsbottom with 2E61 0900 ex-Bury, the first train of the East Lancashire Railway's three day Diesel Gala (04/07/2014)

An hour or so later 47401 I seen again at Heywood after working 2F62 0937 ex-Ramsbottom (04/07/2014)

Also visiting the East Lancs was the SF47 Group's flagship 47580. 'County of Essex' is pictured on arrival at Rawtenstall with 2J69 1025 ex-Heywood after taking over the train at Bury from 47401 (04/07/2014)

'Essex' runs round its train at Rawtenstall after arriving with 2J69 (04/07/2014)

47580 is pictured again shortly before departure from Rawtenstall with 2J70 1146 to Heywood (04/07/2014)

Much of the opening day of the Gala was accompanied by heavy showers, evident in this view of 47580 waiting time at Bury with 2J70 (04/07/2014)

47580 is pictured again on arrival at Heywood with 2J70 1146 ex-Rawtenstall (04/07/2014)

The absence of any sunshine at least enabled this view of 47580 waiting to cross a southbound train at Ramsbottom later that afternoon whilst working 2J87 1545 Heywood-Rawtenstall (04/07/2014)

For its next (and final) normal working of the day, 47401 was entrusted with a load of six coaches plus 47580 on the rear of the train. 'North Eastern' awaits departure from Rawtenstall with 2G88 1706 to Bury (04/07/2014)

With the first stage of its three-day mission accomplished, 47401 is pictured on arrival at Bury with 2G88 (04/07/2014)

There was however the bonus of the evening dining train to look forward to, and 47401 is seen here at the head of 1D00 1930 to Heywood at Bury. The discovery of a serious water leak saw shortly before departure saw it swapped for 47402 and unfortunately the loco took no further part in the weekend's activities (04/07/2014)

Early the next morning 47853 'Rail Express' waits to depart from Liverpool Lime Street with 1Z80 0622 to Scarborough. Rather than a charter train, this was actually a TransPennine Express service train formed of hired-in locomotives and coaches to provide additional capacity on the route for the 'Tour de France' cycle race which was due to start from Leeds later that morning (05/07/2014)

On Sunday 20th January 1991 I remember photographing 47422 from a similar vantage point on what I always believed would be my final '47'-hauled trip across the Pennines on a service train. It's taken a long time, but thanks to a bike race and some cross-industry collaboration today provided an opportunity to revisit some old haunts. 47853 is pictured at Liverpool Lime Street after arriving on the rear of 1Z85 0950 ex-Scarborough (05/07/2014)

Day two of the 'Grand Depart' started in similar fashion: 47853 is pictured again at Liverpool Lime Street at the head of an additional 1Z80 0600 TransPennine Express service to York (06/07/2014)

Passenger loadings were considerably lower than the previous morning, and the relaxed schedule allowed for a couple of photo opportunities en route across the Pennines. 47853 is seen here waiting time at Manchester Piccadilly (06/07/2014)

47813 is pictured on the rear of 1Z80 at Leeds. 'Solent' had replaced 47841 as 853's partner on arrival at Edge Hill the previous overnight due to a suspected generator fault (06/07/2014)

I'm struggling to recall the last time I'd had a '47' on a service train out of Leeds prior to this weekend, but I suspect it was during the last days of the VXC loco-hauled sets back in 2002. 47853 prepares to depart from Leeds on the last leg of its journey to York with 1Z80 (06/07/2014)

Luckily for me, late on Friday afternoon the failure of a Pendolino in the Crewe area had resulted in 57309 being removed from the other end of the set to embark on a rescue mission and 'standby' loco 47810 took its place. 'Peter Bath' awaits to depart from the unusual surroundings of Bradford Interchange with an additional 2Z15 1021 to Blackburn (06/07/2014)

The last time I'd sampled a 'Brush' out of Bradford Interchange was way back in 1994 on a charter to Kings Cross - but that was routed via Pudsey. I'd not had a '47' through Halifax for almost thirty years, and better still I'd never had one at all between Dryclough and Milner Royd Junctions! All that was to change shortly afterwards though so I make no apology for a second shot of 47810 at the head of 2Z15. I'm just glad I went for the first of what were on paper four opportunities at this piece of track as the events of later that day are well documented (06/07/2014)

After my early morning detour, it was time to catch up with the 'TPE' set once more, and 47813 'Solent' is seen here arriving at Manchester Piccadilly with an additional 1Z82 1200 ex-York, which had actually started forward from Leeds after a track fault prevented the empty stock from leaving the north end of Holgate Loop (06/07/2014)

With Day 2 of the Tour de France finishing in Sheffield, TPE had used their hired-in 'DRS' stock to run a relief from Manchester to Doncaster via the Hope Valley, Later that afternoon 47813 waits to depart from Doncaster with the 1Z86 1750 back-working to Liverpool (06/07/2014)

At the end of a weekend that will live long in the memory, 47813 is pictured on arrival at Liverpool Lime Street with 1Z86 1750 ex-Doncaster (06/07/2014)

47854 'Diamond Jubilee' crosses the River Ouse on the approach to York station with 1Z73 0823 'Royal Scotsman' charter from Scarborough (17/07/2014)

47804 was on the rear of 1Z73 and is seen here adjacent to York's Platform 4 (17/07/2014)