Friday
31st January 2003
5Z52
19.22 Old Oak Common - Southall Yard.
Saturday
1st February 2003
5Z29
04.15 Southall Yard to Slough.
1Z29
04.45 Slough to Bristol Temple Meads.
1Z29
07.15 Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter Riverside Yard leading steam loco 5029
Nunney Castle.
5Z52
08.48 Exeter Riverside Yard - Plymouth North Road.
1Z52
18.54 Plymouth North Road to Bristol Temple Meads.
5Z52
21.45 Bristol Temple Meads - Bristol Parkway.
0Z52
Light engine Bristol Parkway to Bristol Barton Hill.
On
the 21st January 1963 D1015 Western Champion entered service for
British Railways in the snow. 40 years later and nothing has changed! At 04.35
in the morning Western Champion stands at Slough heading West towards Bristol.
20 minutes and 15 miles later the snow had gone and rain filled the air.
The
view from the back cab of Western Champion as we pass through Taunton at 75 mph!
Once
uncoupled from the front of the steam loco D1015 ran to the back of the train in
Riverside Yard to collect the train heating generator coach. Here we see D1015
basking in Glorious Devon sunshine, a stark contrast to grid locked London just
four hours previously.
At
Plymouth North Road D1015 ran around the generator coach. Running through the
centre road at Plymouth Western Champion runs in towards the coach. This road
was often used to keep Westerns on ready for engine changes of trains from the
North and the Capital heading into Cornwall. When was the last time a Western
stood here?
Once
coupled D1015 hauled the coach to the East end of the station ready to attach it
to the rear again of 1Z29.
Western Champion and Castle 5029 together at North Road'