Part 3 (July - August)

Having only recently returned to traffic after a lengthy overhaul (which included bodywork repairs and a repaint into 'BR blue' livery) 47117 'Sparrowhawk' is pictured on arrival at Leicester North with 2A09 1020 from Loughborough Central (01/07/2018)

A close-up of 47117 whilst running round at Leicester North after working 2A09 during a running day at the Great Central Railway (01/07/2018)

Rail Operations Group's 47812 enjoys the early morning sunshine at Derby. The North Dock, where the loco had been stabled, would shortly be swept away by the multi-million pound re-modelling scheme (07/07/2018)

With the previous week's restrictions on the use of steam locos still in place, 47117 is readied to work 2A05 0930 to Leicester North at Loughborough Central at the start of a bumber 75-mile running day at the Great Central Railway (07/07/2018)

A track circuit failure withing the station limits culminated in this rather unusual manoeuvre whereby 47117 had to be shunted onto the front of its train by Bratannia Pacific no. 70013 'Oliver Cromwell'. The latter was allowed to be used for 'Driver Experience' courses and the dining train by virtue of being fitted with a spark-arrestor to reduce the likelihood of the loco starting lineside fires (07/07/2018)

With normal service finally underway, 47117 is pictured on arrival at Leicester North with the late-running 2A05 (07/07/2018)

'Sparrowhawk' runs round after arriving back at Loughborough Central with the 2B05 1010 from Leicester North (07/07/2018)

Later that afternoon 47117 repeats the process (albeit viewed from a different angle) after working the 2B29 1530 Leicester North - LOughborough Central (07/07/2018)

In the very last of the daylight, GBRf's 47727 'Caisteal Dhun Eideann' awaits departure from Birmingham New Street with Pathfinder's returning 1Z85 1555 Sunderland - Gloucester charter (14/07/2018)

Having just run round its train, 47401 'North Eastern' is coupled up to 2H12 1246 Riddings - Hammersmith during a running day at the Midland Railway, Butterley (15/07/2018)

47727 'Edinburgh Castle' arrives into Cardiff Central with the empty stock for Pathfinder's 1Z53 0717 charter to Portsmouth Harbour (21/07/2018)

The 'Caledonian Sleeper' liveried machine is seen here during the Gloucester pick-up, with the train routed the long way around the Severn Estuary rather than taking the direct route through the Tunnel (21/07/2018)

Later that afternoon 47727 is pictured again at Littlehampton after arriving on the rear of the next leg of the tour (1Z54 1342 from Portsmouth Harbour) hauled by 66741 (21/07/2018)

47727 is pictured here at Fratton after working 1Z55 1638 from Littlehampton, which had been terminated here due to a failed 'SWR' EMU blocking our booked platform at Portsmouth Harbour. From here the '66' worked the final leg of the tour as far as Bristol Temple Meads, from where the '47' continued through to the Welsh Capital after a furtherl reversal (21/07/2018)

47245 makes light work of its four coach load on the climb up to Copy Pit summit with 5Z47 1325 Doncaster Roberts Road to Carnforth Steamtown empty stock move. The '47' had been for tyre turning along with the baggage car from the 'Northern Belle' and three former 'Manchester Pullman' vehicles (25/07/2018)

47640 backs onto the 1110 to Shenton at Shackerstone during the Battlefield Line's 'Rails and Ales' weekend (28/07/2018)

After an absence of three years the resident '47' had been resurrected ahead of the railway's annual Beer Festival. Despite a successful short notice running day earlier in the month though, things didn't quite go to plan and having been shut down for a water stop the old girl had to be coaxed back into life with a little help from the T1LA chaps from Loughborough who thought they'd come for a day out! With order seemingly restored again, 'University of Strathclyde' runs round at Shackerstone after arriving with the 1400 from Shenton (28/07/2018)

Another view of 47640 as it eases onto the stock for the 1440 to Shenton (28/07/2018)

Now coupled up to the train, 'University of Strathclyde' awaits departure with the 1440 to Shenton. We didn't know it at the time but this was to be the loco's last round trip of the weekend, as a steadily worsening leak caused the engine to shut down en route back from Shenton. After the tank was replenished at Market Bosworth she did eventually make it back to base but was replaced by the resident DMU on arrival (28/07/2018)

47376 'Freightliner 1995' waits to depart from Toddington with the 1100 to Cheltenham race Course during a running day at the GWSR (04/08/2018)

Later that afternoon the loco basks in the summer sunshine after arriving back at Toddington with its final train of the day, the 1630 from Broadway (04/08/2018)

A busy scene at Chesterfield: Caledonian Sleeper liveried 47727 'Caisteal Dhun Eideann' arrives at the head of the returning 1Z48 1714 Scarborough - Crewe GBRf staff charter as an EMT '222' calls with a St Pancras - Sheffield working. On the far right of the picture is my train home from Cheltenham, which was waiting time having conveniently hit an earlier slot north through the Erewash Valley (04/08/2018)

A rare opportunity for me to travel to work (well, the York office for the afternoon!) in style as 47245 arrives at Woodlesford with 1Z21 0741 Carnforth - Scarborough (09/08/2018)

47245 brings up the rear of 1Z21 as the train departs York for Scarborough (09/09/2018)