NORTH NORFOLK GALA

A Class 50 has become the first of its class to haul a passenger train at the North Norfolk Railway.

The NNR’s diesel gala on June 9-12 celebrated the 30th anniversary of Network South-East, and 50026 Indomitable was one of the stars.

The Type 4 made the NNR passenger debut for the class on June 9 (ahead of the official threeday gala), during a special preview evening that involved four round trips hauled by the locomotive.

Owned by Paul Spracklen, the ‘50’ carries revised NSE livery and has been out of traffic at Eastleigh Works for more than a year undergoing repairs. This was its first gala appearance since attending the Swanage Railway event in May 2014. It did haul trains at the Dartmoor Railway as part of the ‘Polar Express’ operations later that year, but failed and was removed from traffic.

Also attending the gala was Pioneer Diesel Group 33035 - this was also part of the NSE fleet during the late 1980s and 1990s and even carried NSE colours. It was also the first time a Class 33/0 had hauled trains at the NNR, although a Class 33/1 had worked there in 2013.

GB Railfreight 66772 also attended the gala, and was the first ‘66’ to haul NNR trains (although 66011 and 66107

hauled a UK Railtours charter on NNR metals on May 7 2011). The GBRf locomotive was also hauling its first passenger trains since being delivered to the UK last year from America. It is the 60th of GBRf’s 78 Class 66s to haul a passenger train.

The fourth visiting locomotive at the NNR was 20227, owned by the Class 20 Locomotive Society. The Type 1 is on hire to the railway for the summer.

Resident locomotives D3940 (08772), D5631 (31207), D6732 (37032) and 25057 also hauled trains, while Class 101 diesel multiple unit 101693 was also used. The Class 25 suffered a traction motor fire on June 10 and was withdrawn from the gala, to be replaced by the ‘20’ and ‘37’ on various duties throughout the weekend.

The Class 37 has been withdrawn following the gala for a C exam, leaving the ‘20’ and ‘31’ to haul trains this summer at the NNR.

ANDY MARRISON. DAVID PALMER. DUNCAN LANGTREE. On June 9, 50026 Indomitable passes Kelling Heath with the 1710 Sheringham-Holt. This was the first of four trips hauled by the ‘50’ that evening, and the first Class 50-hauled passenger train at the North Norfolk Railway. Resident 25057 stands at...

COLIN POTTLE. DARREN FORD. DARREN FORD. AL PULFORD. Two Network SouthEast stalwarts cross at Weybourne on June 12, as 33035 arrives with the 1148 Sheringham-Holt, passing 50026 Indomitable on the 1145 Holt-Weybourne. The ‘50’ is dragging diesel multiple unit 101693. Two visiting locomotives stand at...