The weekend of June 15th and 16th saw two LDG locos in use on the same weekend for the first time since September 2012 – but on different railways!
On Saturday 15th June 6940 worked the scheduled 4 trip B diagram at Llangollen, again performing faultlessly as she had done for the driver’s experience day on the 25th of May. The day also saw Group stalwart Iain Ross put down his firing shovel long enough to pass out as a diesel driver. Well done Iain! Terry Briggs sent us the superb shot below of 6940 arriving at Llangollen, passing 44806 on a driver experience. Iain and his mane of hair (I’m only jealous) can be seen in the chair.
Meanwhile, D5310 was involved in the Great Central Railway Type 2 Weekend with D7612 and D5401. The 26 did what she normally does – performed superbly. The link between the two locos was again Iain Ross who, fresh from passing out as a driver at Llangollen on Saturday, then drove D5310 at Loughborough on the Sunday!
D5310 did not hang round for long at the GCR, working light engine to Rothley after services had finished on Sunday 16th ready for collection the next morning. By 6pm on the following day she was back on LR metals. Phew! An oil change will take place very soon.
Thanks to Mav for the photo – who had nothing else better to do at this point, seeing as the low loader had blocked his car in! Sincere thanks also go to all at the GCR who supported our visit and made us so welcome. We are also very grateful to Ant Philp from the Northampton Type 2 Group for providing a heater, desk cowl and spare speedo for D5310. 3 very useful bits!
Attention now turns to summer running in North Wales with diesel running taking place at both the Classic Transport Weekend on 6th/7th July (one loco per day, roster tbc asap!) and the 60’s Weekend on 27th & 28th July (both 6940 and D5310 in use on both days – TT available in a couple of weeks).
And we’ve not forgotten about D1566 either. An intensive working week is planned later this summer to begin stripping the top end of the power unit in readiness for changing the transition joints. A repaint is on the cards as well, but will remain a secret until unveiling. Obviously it’s going Load Haul then!
And finally tonight (as John Craven used to say), here’s one from the archives. Bruce Galloway shared this superb and very evocative image of a work-stained BR blue 37240 drifting through Cardiff with a coke working in July 1982 on the Railway Photography Facebook Group. This Group is well worth “liking” if you do Facebook!
Give it another couple of harsh Welsh winters and 6940 will be looking like this – no bad thing!