MidlandRed.net

The GBRf 2021 'This Time it's Personal' Charity Rail Tour passed through Shrub Hill at 17-30 today Sunday 5 September 2021 en route between Bescot and London Paddington with 69002 'Bob Tiller CM & EE' and 69001 'Mayflower' in charge. 66765 brought up the rear.

Class 69 have been re-engineered from withdrawn Class 56 locomotives, the Ruston-Paxman RK3 engine has been replaced with an EMD (Electro-motive Diesel [General Motors]) 710 12 cylinder powerplant and other upgrades as fitted to Class 66 locomotives.

Nice photo's. It seems that the two 69's were not always working in multiple.

Excellent shots Tim

69002 allegedly had fuel starvation near Honeybourne which was eventually resolved further along the the North Cotswolds Line, which meant 69001 doing all the work for a number of miles until the front locomotive's glitch was resolved. This 5 day charter was fraught with problems including omitting the New Street to Bromsgrove night-time leg with Class 86 electric locomotive because of engineering work at University station, curtailment of the Edinburgh leg at Carlisle because of an outbreak of Norovirus affecting 34 passengers and crew (whole train deep cleaned and disinfected). Then there was doubt about the use of Class 69, reportedly because of a dispute about the driving cab accommodation. My naive question as to why two powerful locomotives were necessary to haul the train was answered by other enthusiasts "teething problems!" - which proved to be true on the day. All in all very lucky to have these photographs at all, full credit to GBRf crews and management for keeping going in the face of adversity and raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK Charity.

Today, Saturday 24 June 2023, saw 69005 'Eastleigh' and 69006 'Pathfinder Railtours' at Shrub Hill hauling the Pathfinder Mazey Day Special from Tame Bridge Parkway to Penzance via Stourbridge, Worcester, Cheltenham and Bristol.

At the other end of the journey - apologies for the poor quality of these photos; I took them in a rush after my carefully planned day went to hell! 47s first, followed by 69s.

Thanks Matt, good to have visible proof that the charters actually reach their destinations. I note on RTT (Realtime Trains) live website that both charters were held at, or near, Newton Abbot for over half an hour; wonder what that was all about? The pair of 69's departed late but soon picked up time and seemed to be running early or on time all the way back to Tame Bridge Parkway so the digital control malfunction which sidelined them for many months seems well and truly sorted now!

I believe it was a points failure at Plymouth, I had planned to catch them on Lostwithiel station but ended up on the usual overbridge near my house due to lack of time. Managed to post the same pictures twice though