Visitors star at East Lancs diesel gala… and two are staying
FIVE visiting locomotives attended the East Lancashire Railway’s diesel gala on July 7-9.
Two Class 47s from Crewe Heritage Centre, 1842 (47192) and 47712 Lady Diana Spencer, were joined by Class 25 D7629 (25279) from the Great Central Railway and the Class 56 Group’s 56006 in working on all three days. A fifth visitor, Colas Railfreight’s 60026, had been booked to work on July 8 only, but topped a train the following day as it left the ELR.
Days before the event, the C56G had confirmed that its Romanianbuilt Class 56 will be staying at the ELR for a period of at least three years. This is the first ‘56’ to be based at the railway. The Class 25 is also staying at the ELR for the time being.
Members of the home fleet were also in action, including 33109 Captain Bill Smith RNR, which prior to the event had been outshopped in departmental grey (as carried by Class 33/1s in the early 1990s). The gala marked the debut for the ‘33’ since its repaint.
Also making its debut following a repaint was D1501 (47402). The Class 47, the second-oldest surviving member of its class, had been repainted into the same BR two-tone green condition as it was delivered in 1962. The work was carried out at the ELR.
One member of the ELR fleet (37418) left the railway during the gala. The Type 3 has gone on hire to Colas Railfreight and left on July 9, hauled by 60026. The ‘60’ and ‘37/4’ topped 40135 on the 1145 Bury Bolton Street-Heywood, before continuing to Barrow Hill.
It was also the last ELR gala appearance for 31466 and 73001 before their return to the Dean Forest Railway. The locomotives have been based at the ELR for more than a year.
Resident locomotives from the ELR fleet in use were: D832 Onslaught, D1501 (47402), D7076, D9531/537, 345 (40145), 33109 Captain Bill Smith RNR, 37109, 40106 Atlantic Conveyor, 40135, 45108, 50015 Valiant, 73001.