The RCTS:then and now
THERCTSgainedits unrivalled reputationfor organisingrailtours during the daysof steam.However, afterAugust11,1968,occasionatlours wererun usingsomeof the most charismaticof the first generationof diesels,includingthe'Deltics'.
Fromthe momentwhen English Electricunveiledthe prototype DP1 De/ticin November1956its strikingpale powderblueliverywith creamlining and'speedwhiskersc' aptivatedthe public'simagination.
TheROreportedits first public workingwason December13,when it workedthe Up'MerseysideExpress' to Eustona, rriving25minuteslate becauseof operatingproblems,but on the Downtrip arrivedat LimeStreet on time.
Overthe yearsthe ROreportedon the testingof DP1andthe introduction of the production'Deitiesa' nd their inevitableteething problems, allocationsa, ndthe eventualnaming ofall 22.
Nodoubt becauseof their intensive usethe classseemedrarelyto appear on railtour dutiesuntil after 1968.In 1970the RCTSorganisedsixtours,four usingdiesel-multipleunits,one a Class47,and onefeaturing'Deltic' No.9012Crepe/loa, reminderof which appearedin the April 2020edition in the form of a photographtakenat Stowmarket.
Ashappenedwith toursduring steamdaysthis trip wasorganisedby two of the RCTSr'segionalbranchest,he WestRidingand Sheffieldgroups.
It ranon SundayM, ay17,from Leedsto Diss,wherecoachestook the participantsto the developingsteam centreof BressinghamGardensS. uch wasthe appealof this outing that eight Mk2coacheswere providedfor what turned out to be a 460-mileroundtrip from Leeds.
LeavingLeedsat 08.10the train wasroutedto SheffieldviaWakefield WestgateW, akefieldKirkgateC, udworth and RotherhamD. epartingfrom Sheffield,overrunningengineering worksbrought a diversionfrom Clay CrossSouthJunctionto Chesterfield andTrentJunctionto Nottingham.
Thecross-countryrun to Disswas then via Grantham,Peterborough East,Elyand NorwichThorpe,with arrivalat Dissat 15.04W. hilevisiting BressinghamGardenC, repe/loranto Stowmarketo run rounditstrain before returningto Dissto returnthetrainto Sheffield.
Theintroductionof the HSTsin 1979wasintendedto seethe demise of the'Deitiesb' ut somesurviveduntil 1982.
TheROduly reportedNo.55017 wasthe lastof the classto receive a powerplant changeat Doncaster Works.OnJanuary2, 1982,No.55015 Tulyarworkedthe 'DelticScotsman Farewell'fromKing'sCrossto Edinburgh with No.55015in chargeof the return journey.
Not all the'Deltics'werescrapped andsixof the 22-strongclasswere preserved.
In the 38yearssincethe demiseof the classon BritishRailthe ROhaskept its readersup to datewith the status of the classw, hetheroperatingon the mainline,on preservedlines,or asin the caseof No.55002at the NRMbasesof Yorkor LocomotionShildon.
Forinformationon the societyvisit: www.rcts.org.uk