Statesman Charter to Kingswear 28 Aug.2020

[TimBrown]

I went to Worcester Shrub Hill station this morning and took these photographs of The Dartmouth Royal Regatta Statesman charter train operating from Rugby to Kinsgwear with two immaculately presented LSL (Locomotive Services Ltd.) Class 47s D1935 (47805) 'Roger Hosking MA 1925 - 2013' and D1944 (47501) 'Craftsman' in charge. Despite Covid 19 restrictions, this charter was very well loaded, unlike the service trains seen arriving and departing from Worcester!

[ANDREW]

Thanks for posting ! Green Brush 4's , blood and custard stock and lower quadrant semaphore signals . . . . . A "Tardis" moment for sure. Or had blood and custard stock all been repainted before dieselisation ?

[chason]

Thanks for posting. Not many charters around at the moment which could explain the decent loading.

[TimBrown]

Thanks for posting ! Green Brush 4's , blood and custard stock and lower quadrant semaphore signals . . . . . A "Tardis" moment for sure. Or had blood and custard stock all been repainted before dieselisation ?

According to this link BR Western Region still had a 'blood & custard' carriage in service 1964, but it was repainted blue and grey that year so it seems that 47501 didn't haul any back then as it was built in July 1966. I thought the two-tone green livery really suited the Class 47s adding to the generally smooth, handsome lines. However, those British built double-bank Sulzer engines designed in the early 1900s always produced clouds of heavy black carcinogens on the move. When both engines opened up just outside the station this morning the line was obliterated by a dark lingering clag cloud!
https://www.bloodandcustard.org/#DemiseCLC

[MattW]

Great to see Tim, and thank goodness it was well loaded. It's about time people were being told that its quite safe to travel on trains (recent accidents notwithstanding!)

[ANDREW]

Thank you Tim for the above info , certainly a new web-site for me to browse. Plum and spilt milk was a phrase I had not come across before - even in my advanced years. A quick web search comes up with a dining establishment at Kings Cross with the same name. !!