Fantastic four
A world first as thousands gather to witness East Coast Main Line trains of the past, present and future.
THOUSANDS lined the trackside near York at 0600 on April 23, to witness a ‘world first’ as four generations of East Coast Main Line traction ran parallel for around six miles.
Millions more watched the event online or on television, as the National Railway Museum’s A3 60103 Flying Scotsman, Virgin Trains East Coast 43238 National Railway Museum 40 Years 1975
2015, VTEC Mk 4 Driving Van Trailer 82205 and Hitachi Rail Europe 800101 ran south from Tollerton to York station. West Coast Railways and GB Railfreight provided crews for the A3 and Class 800 respectively, while the NRM’s D9002 The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was on the rear of the A3’s train.
The event was the brainchild of Rob McIntosh, Network Rail’s Managing Director for the London North Eastern and East Midlands Route. Speaking exclusively to RAIL on April 28, McIntosh said the idea “was as much of the future as it was the past”.
Following the Plandampf event on February 14-16, using 60163 Tornado to haul scheduled passenger trains for Northern ( RAIL 821), this was McIntosh’s second event highlighting what rail can do. But he said the idea for the Four Trains event was conceived before
Tornado’s big day. Asked why he did it, McIntosh replied: “I would say, why not? When I came into the job in January 2016, we were looking forward to Azuma. Travelling as much as I do on IC225s, they had to be there. A few months later
Flying Scotsman made its runs. “It crossed my mind - the East Coast Main Line, which I am part of and proud of, has a unique heritage. Flying Scotsman is arguably the most famous train in the world. HST was a fantastic thing when I was young. When I joined the railway in 1996 the IC225 had recently came into traffic. And the Azuma will be fantastic.”
The event was made possible because the ECML was closed for a possession at Thirsk, enabling this section of railway to remain clear. The date was also specially selected to ensure the correct conditions in terms of light and weather. McIntosh said it had to be April or May to get the full effect.
As for what’s next, he said NR was planning various things, and that he hoped to make announcements in the next few weeks.
“There are ambitious plans for Azuma next year, too,” he said. He would not give hints, other than to say that the Great Exhibition of the North - planned to take place between June 22 and September next year, is likely to be a key part of the thinking. He added that there was no shortage of volunteers to work the event for NR, and that the Rail Operating Centre (ROC) at York was full.
RAIL Managing Editor and Events Director Nigel Harris helped compere the event.