Lady Di's Mainline Passenger Return
Crewe Diesel Preservation Group's Class 47/7, 47712 "Lady Diana Spencer" lays down the power as she hauls the final leg of Saphos Trains' "The White Rose" railtour through Nantwich.
The veteran ScotRail engine had worked the initial Shrewsbury to Crewe leg of the tour in the morning before handing over to Britannia for the excursion to York and back. 47712 then took over the reins once more at Crewe for the final stint back to Shrewsbury.
These workings marked Lady Di's return to mainline passenger traffic for the first time since August 2011. The loco had only completed its mainline acceptance test run three days earlier (on 4 March).
It is also believed to be the first time a ScotRail-liveried 47 has hauled a mainline passenger service in over 25 years.
CDPG announced in February 2019 that its Brush-built Type 4 was to return to the mainline as part of an 18-month agreement with Locomotive Services Limited.
The press release indicated 47712 would support the main LSL 47 fleet on fill-in duties such as driver training and route learning - however I doubt anyone was complaining that she was given a Class 1 outing so soon after returning to mainline status.
Lady Di's Mainline Passenger Return
Crewe Diesel Preservation Group's Class 47/7, 47712 "Lady Diana Spencer" lays down the power as she hauls the final leg of Saphos Trains' "The White Rose" railtour through Nantwich.
The veteran ScotRail engine had worked the initial Shrewsbury to Crewe leg of the tour in the morning before handing over to Britannia for the excursion to York and back. 47712 then took over the reins once more at Crewe for the final stint back to Shrewsbury.
These workings marked Lady Di's return to mainline passenger traffic for the first time since August 2011. The loco had only completed its mainline acceptance test run three days earlier (on 4 March).
It is also believed to be the first time a ScotRail-liveried 47 has hauled a mainline passenger service in over 25 years.
CDPG announced in February 2019 that its Brush-built Type 4 was to return to the mainline as part of an 18-month agreement with Locomotive Services Limited.
The press release indicated 47712 would support the main LSL 47 fleet on fill-in duties such as driver training and route learning - however I doubt anyone was complaining that she was given a Class 1 outing so soon after returning to mainline status.