CLASS 33
With the London Underground 4TC set in tow, No. 33012 Lt Jenny Lewis RN handled the 5Z33 13.00 Eastleigh Works-Alton (Mid Hants Railway) on July 12, the ‘Crompton’ returning to its Swanage base on July 24, after depositing the 4TC back at Eastleigh. West Coast Railways No. 33025 ventured onto the main line on July 22, taking the 5Z51 05.25 Southall-London Paddington empty coaches for a steam-hauled tour to the West Somerset Railway. No. 33025 returned to the terminus that evening to collect the tour stock and ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas.
CLASS 37
The ‘East Anglian Explorer’, operated by Vintage Trains, ran outward as the 1Z15 07.56 Birmingham New Street-Norwich on July 19, ‘top and tailed’ by Nos. 37403 Isle of Mull and 47773.
A round trip to Great Yarmouth followed before the tour returned to the West Midlands. The same pairing had charge of the 1Z27 07.25 Birmingham New Street-Skegness ‘Jolly Fisherman’ special on July 29. West Coast Railways No. 37706 is a regular choice for summer charters and during July the English Electric Type 3 was involved on three separate occasions. On July 15 for instance, Nos. 47804 and 37706 handled the 1Z30 07.59 Crewe-Carlisle via Liverpool Lime Street and St Helens Central prior to handing over to steam traction at Hellifield. On either side of that trip, No. 37706 undertook two ‘Dalesman’ journeys between Chester and Hellifield (and back) with No. 47245 VE Day 75th Anniversary on July 4, and then No. 47746 Chris Fudge 29.7.70-22.6.10 on July 25.
The unique No. 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer made a brief appearance on the main line on July 3, when paired with No. 37418 An Comunn Gaidhealach to move six JNA wagons on the 6Z37 10.48 Derby Railway Technical Centre (RTC)-Stapleford.
Seven days earlier the same pair had taken a similar load from Derby to Toton, and they were reunited on July 28 to haul the 6Z37 07.01 Derby RTC-Whitemoor. WCR No. 37706 was used to take saloon No. 999506 from Carnforth to Shrewsbury on July 9 allowing Network Rail No. 97302 (ex-37170) to operate trips between Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Barmouth on each of the following four days. No. 37418 linked up with saloon No. 975025 prior to heading from Derby to Penzance on July 18. Next day the duo
