PRE-‘RAMBLE’ RAMBLE AS PANNIER PAIR PREPARED

You can never have too many panniers… Sadly, real life seems not to be like that, with main line spins tending to be more of an occasional treat. However, this year’s offerings doubled in number at short notice in October, with Vintage Trains adding an extra trip that also acts as a bit of a trial for visiting Hawksworth 0-6-0PT No. 9466. Indeed, the notice is so short that, unless you’re a subscriber and get this copy of SR promptly AND read these words ‘PDQ’… it may well have taken place yesterday. For, with the BR-built engine due to take its place alongside Tyseley’s own Collett 0-6-0PT No. 9600 on November 12’s ‘Pannier Rambler’ (SR459), No. 9466 was to get a ‘pre-Ramble’ on November 3. That’s a little evening jaunt from the classic GW North Warwickshire line station at Hall Green (down two spaces from Tyseley) to Stratford-upon-Avon and back. Think of it as a kind of limbering up. As for November 12’s ‘Rambler’ itself, tickets are still available as I write for what’s now an ‘early crest’ BR tankie pairing, but they’re limited in all classes. Given the rationing of main line pannier trips, and a tasty itinerary including Stratford, Worcester and a blast up the ‘Lickey’… that’s maybe no surprise.