Well, what a day. After several weeks of planning, yesterday saw us finally set out on our mission to liberate 56301 and 56302 from the On Track Machine depot on the down side at Hitchin. We set out with 47580 and 56101 (also headed for Barrow Hill for repairs) as 0Z56, the 10:00 from Dereham – 47580 carrying the Arnold Lane MPD headboard with pride! Running via Wymondham, Ely, Cambridge goods for a brief stop, and Royston, our first destination was Welwyn Garden City up yard to run round. After Welwyn, we carried on back down the East Coast mainline to Hitchin where we reversed from the down slow line into Hitchin OTM depot where Grids 301 and 302 where waiting for us (thanks to Dave and Ian for getting 302 out of the shed).

Somewhere around then it was commented on how smoothly the day had gone so far – and sure enough it all went down hill from there. We were put in a difficult situation having the 56s at Hitchin, with no means to carry out a functional brake test (one of the requirements of a fitness to run examination) prior to the day of the move, meaning we had to leave it to pre-departure using the train loco. This isn’t ideal for obvious reasons. Problems gaining any form of brake reservoir pressure on 56301 saw us miss our slot back out on the the ECML. A systematic check of all the brake gear and control gear found nothing awry. After several calls to Budgie Control (cheers Gareth and Mick) and some joined up thinking from our FTR examiner Geoff Armstrong (to whom we are eternally grateful), we finally gained satisfactory brake pressure on all 3 dead 56s around 18:50. Several phone calls to Kings Cross PSB and we were finally on our way at 19:27, over three ours late.

Our route from Hitchin saw us take the down slow line all the way to Peterborough where we were checked down and put inside on the “fly ash” (goods line A, adjacent to Platform 5 – did anyone get a photo?) for crew change. Departure from Peterborough shortly after 20:30 saw the final non-stop leg of our journey take us via Melton Mowbray, Loughborough, Trent Junction, Toton, and Tapton Junction before finally arriving at Barrow Hill just over 90 minutes late, having made up a bit of time.

Now, work can start full swing to re-activate 56301 for the Swanage diesel gala in a few weeks time.

Our thanks must go to Steve F, Mel D and John D at West Coast, Geoff A for his help at Hitchin, Dave B, Ian S and Nick J at Fastline, Tony B and everyone at the Stratford 47 Group, Alan F for his help over the last few weeks and course yesterday, and anyone else who I’ve forgotten (please shout up!). Here’s a few photos from the day, and a short video produced for us by Marcus Dawson at Rail Net to give you an idea of the mood at Hitchin last night

See you at Swanage?

Cheers,

Oli Smith

47580 and 56101 sit in the Up Yard Line at Hitchin working 0Z56, having been put inside. We were quickly on our way again once Kings Cross had ascertained we were for Welwyn Yard!

Hitchin – to the left is the yard where the stone and scrap trains discharge, to the right is the ECML.

56101 in Welwyn Garden City Up Yard, stabled while 47580 runs round via the adjacent road.

Arnold Lane MPD headboard taking pride of place, 47580 and friends sit in the OTM yard at Hitchin just before drawing up the the outlet signal.

3… 2… 1… We’re outta here!