Despite starting our journey from relatively close at hand, set out early and arrived in Stratford in time for a stupidly expensive breakfast courtesy of The White Swan. Stratford is, after all, a town designed to fleece passing heritage hungry tourists of their cash - and early on a Saturday morning there are few options but to dig deep. Ate lots to make up for it, and hoped there wouldn't be any queasiness on the bus to Long Marston. Made our way back to the station in time to start the queue for the bus, which despite a lack of information arrived bang on time to meet the train. A short trip through the Warwickshire countryside to the former MOD base, and we were soon queueing to enter Long Marston with it's untold riches of stored locomotives and rolling stock.
Sneezed my way into the site, clearly finding lots of unfamiliar pollen we just don't get down south. Greeted by the site of a single Class 87 reminding us of the purpose of today - to bid a sad farewell to an entire class of West Coast Mainline workhorses which it seemed would just keep going on! However, they sit here in the countryside, miles from the nearest overhead line, awaiting shipment to Bulgaria and a new useful life.
The scale of the site was simply vast. After working our way up and down the lines of stored locos and wagons, we continued to find new things hiding in corners - I can honestly say that few open days have held my attention for so long on the basis of the exhibits alone. Once we'd photographed, noted and discussed all the stock we could, headed for the small platform near the East Gate for the DMU ride around the site to the West Gate and a little beyond. A decent run, around some very tight curves. More stock and wagons spotted on the run. The only things remaining out of sight being a group of 31s we'd seen a while back at Meldon Quarry and the ill-fated Pendolino 390033 which was stored, respectfully out of view given it's recent history.
Mid-afternoon the UK Railtours service arrived on site, with a pair of 66s creeping around the busy area. As the railtour guests swelled the ranks in the site, we decided to consider leaving having had a happy, dry and fruitful day.
The highlight for me was to hear about the possibility of 87002 'Royal Sovreign' working future railtours on classic electric mainline routes. A re-enactment of the Electric Scot Farewell might be fun?
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
