Unfortunately I didn't get to drive Gordon Highlander as planned due to a problem in the morning with loss of air pressure. However, all was not lost because Royal Scots Grey was on hand to step in and fulfil Gordon’s afternoon roster. I hope the air pressure problem was not too serious and that it has been identified and/or fixed. My Diesel Footplate Experience exceeded all expectations and driving RSG from Heywood to Ramsbottom on both engines is an experience I shall never forget (even if my performance coming down from the ski jump into the curve at the signal box was less-than-average). I'll close by saying "Thank You" to you and the 16/22 team for giving me such a fantastic day and for keeping these two magnificent locomotives on the rails.
I grew up in the 60's, walking distance from Bristol Temple Meads station,went to school along side Lawrence Hill junction,where the Midland line crossed the GWR London line. My friends and I could never understand what all the fuss was about 'The Deltic' surely nothing could be better than our Westerns!! We now live in York,I was walking our dog on Rawcliffe Ings alongside the Ouse to the north of York,the dog stopped and stared at the railway and I became aware of the most odd warbling sound,Yep it was '22 heading north,The sight sound and smell ( I was downwind of the uphill gradient) was amazing and some thing i will not forget Thank You and your colleagues for keeping this beast alive.
Just had to email you and let you know what a smashing time we had on the March 5th Edinburgh tour (even the wife was in raptures about it),although we could only get tickets from York to Edinburgh and return (and I believe we only got these courtesy of DPS members who had vacated at York to attend their AGM,thanks guys) it was a terrific 6 - 7hrs of Deltic haulage.As someone who was involved with the preservation of RSG and GH back in the early eighties it warms the soul to see both locos reunited,in safe hands and with very promising futures, I'm sure,so hats off and good luck to you and your dedicated team and I personally am looking forward to enjoying the whole experience with another tour this year,any chance of an ECML/Settle and Carlisle tour with RSG sometime soon, please!
Martin, I can't thank you enough for the fantastic effort in putting RSG onto the ECML on her 50th bithday week. I saw her at Durham and she looked and sounded absolutely superb, and brought back many memories for me. Well done to all concerned.
Just a quick courtesy line to congratulate you on all the hard-work and outstanding commitment that you have repeatedly demonstrated. The pleasure that this gives to many I am certain cannot be quantified sufficiently. I am joining at Crewe tomorrow, with my 82 year old Dad who is originally from Newton Le Willows and recalls the Deltics being built.
I wanted to thank you personnally for such a wonderful day for me... and what looks like a great weekend. I will try to get up to the East Lancs railway at some point this year, maybe later this year, and try to acquaint my two boys with the locomotives that ruled the mainline when I was a small boy... Saturday's run suberb... Deltics still seem to have their place - if only this was a more common occurence. Congratulations to you and the whole team... you all deserve to feel very pleased with yourselves... Royal Scots Grey did you us proud.
Having spent twenty years maintaining these machines at Finsbury Park depot I have mixed feeling for them. I must say that I hope you revert the paintwork back to all over blue full yellow ends at some time. When York depot elected to paint up Deltics with silver paint everywhere it didn't go down to well in London. Below the sole bar there should only be six white air pipes to the brake cylinders along with white tyres. At the ends flexible hoses should be natural and not painted, the coupling heads should be red for vacuum and air brake hoses and yellow for the 100psi feed pipe. the steel vacuum pipe attached to the buffer beam should be red. Buffer beam cocks red for the ATP and yellow for the feed pipe. The steam heater cock and fibreglass cover can be silver. Handrails and lamp brackets yellow and the surround to the route indicator should be kept raw aluminium and not painted. To brighten up the bogies an inch and a half red band through the axlebox covers works wonders.
Just have to say what an amazing tour 55022 did Saturday. I have been waiting for a KX - Edinburgh run since 1982 (when I missed the final railtour, as it was booked up very quickly). I never had the funds to go any further than Peterborough - Doncaster in those days, using paper round money. Seeing the livery was an added bonus. It really brought back memories of 30 years ago when I viewed 55022 on 30/12/81 at Peterborough departing south - the last Deltic I saw on a service train. The condition of 55022 was outstanding and it really did sound healthy. Amazing. The best tours for Deltics are on the ECML. I just hope this happens again. A truly great tour by Spitfire.
I'm sure loads of other people have said something similar already but Saturday was brilliant!! Highlight for me was probably zooming thru' Doncaster at warp speed on the return - the people on the platform must've had a real treat to witness that! As always, thanks a million for all you've done with '22'......
Just a quick note to say a very big thank you to you and your team for a cracking 3 days. Without doubt a very professional performance; one thing that should not be overlooked is the amount of 'happiness' you are providing from the grins in the train to those on punters and linsiders as she hammers by. I'm off to recover now after a 3 day sensory overload.
Thanks for a really enjoyable day out yesterday, RSG looked and sounded in superb condition, it is a credit to RSG and those that look after her that she can still hold her own on the modern busy ECML, looking at the timetable in the Spitfire brochure I think we should have been held at Grantham to let a following scheduled express pass, looks like traffic control did not consider this necessary!
i had the privlidge to see your loco RSG again today at newcastle central station , and what can i say but hats of to you & the 22 crew , this loco is outstanding the best sight on the mainline today, the loco is a credit to you & your team , this is the best she has looked and the sound well it was outstanding they honestly sounded like new engines , there is some exellent footage on you tube from up & down the country and i can say the draw this loco pulls is really amazing , the coaches were packed full of RSG followers , enthusiasts, deltic lovers, what ever you want to call them looked like it was an amazing succes, you would not believe this loco was 50 , it really is simply stunning, i hope she has many more birthdays to come and i cant wait for the next time shes up north , so thanks to you, the 22 crew, and RSG herself for bringing us memorable days like these , truly amazing from a proper locomotive
Just to let you know, our tickets arrived after all, and we enjoyed a great day out behind 55022. It was hugely satisfying given that Scotland's "modern railway network" virtually ground to a halt yesterday, that a 50 year old Deltic sailed through the countryside with no apparant difficulty. Many congratulations to everyone who made this such a success - maybe you guys could offer Scotrail some advice on how to run a railway............
I've just been looking at some footage from youtube of royal scots grey on the edinburgh explorer railtour 4th dec, when most modern trains this week have been cancelled or failed and yet this grand old lady comes out and does a railtour like that is simply stunning, this class 55 loco is a credit to the hard work and commitment you and the 22 team have done for all of us to have days like these, i dont bother with the railways of today their boring, but im straight down the ecml when this loco is out & about, i love seeing this deltic, and im looking forward to seeing her next year again on the ecml, mind i am surprised the 22 website has not got a 00 gauge model of rsg for sale, id buy one for sure, anyway thanks for your commitment and the 22 teams hard work for giving us memorable days like these, they are much appreciated .