This tour was originally scheduled for the end of last October, and was re-dated when Western Champion suffered some engine problems. However, with the usual care and attention lavished by The DTG things were soon sorted. One hangover from the original date however was the early start, which saw me staggering across the bridge to Temple Meads from my hotel at around 05:30. I wasn't feeling great - a sleepless and painful couple of days with a damaged ankle had left me tired and miserable - but I was determined to enjoy today's journey. Despite my fantastic vantage point above the station, I hadn't seen D1015 moving around either last night or this morning - and indeed there was no sign of the stock in the station. Wandered down to check if coffee was available yet and was disappointed. However, with the train crawling into the station with D1015 producing a cloud of blue smoke I used the time productively to get an atmospheric shot in the gloom of the station.

Found my seat and settled in for the day. The headache I'd been nursing began to disappear once coffee was served, and we were soon speeding northwards. A particularly fun ascent of the Lickey Incline saw D1015 working hard and making a fantastic noise at the front of the train. However, noted a message about disruption along our route - the Spitfire tour (which I would have been on but for this re-dating) had already been turned back to New Street and sent via Lichfield, and it was unclear quite what we'd end up doing. So, we had a longer than expected break in Birmingham and once a pilotman was found set off via Aston for Lichfield, rejoining our booked route at Wichnor Junction. Tours almost never seem to go this way because of the intensive Cross City service, but when it suits Network Rail it is, of course a different matter. Made our booked pick-ups at Derby and Chesterfield before taking the Old Road to bypass Sheffield as we headed for Wakefield Kirkgate via the link from Hare Park to Crofton West. After slowing a little before Huddersfield, the driver opened up Champion with an almighty blast of noise which visibly startled the waiting passengers. Once under the Pennines at Standedge we worked our way south to Stockport via a break at Denton where barely a coach made it onto the platform. Whilst these journeys with D1015 are full of 'firsts', this was a truly unique moment as this tiny station which receives one train each week hosted several hundred tour passengers! Back on board for the long, hard climb up to Buxton which prompted further music from the twin Maybach engines. A memorable trip indeed.

Buxton is a strange town with a steep hill in the middle. Most of what is at the bottom is duplicated at the top, meaning that people presumable have little need to move between the two parts? Decided, in the absence of anything much to do and with a steady drizzle falling, to walk up the hill which I'd decided against on my last visit. Finding nothing much of interest, I walked back down and explored some of the historic spa buildings. The town is pleasant if a little isolated - and that strange, frontier-town vibe seems to spur the locals into some very odd behaviours. Not least, some of the slowest walking I've experienced in years. Stocked up on provisions for the trip home and set off for the station. While I can see the reasons tour operators need to mix trips for 'normals' and 'cranks' in these tricky times, I'm not convinced the technique of dumping everyone at a destination for a few hours is the right way. Spitfire's method of running mini-tours and add-ons seems to work better and avoid half the train huddling miserably at the station for an hour or so!

Once the service train had shunted over into the other platform, our train returned to the platform, and cold, damp passengers gratefully boarded. For me, the next part of the trip was the clear highlight - propelling into the former XYZ sidings, we set off southwards, curving high over Buxton and travelling alongside the Hindlow branch for a while, before plunging into a deep gorge with the road and river below. The network of railways and tramways here was complex and there were occasional tantalising glimpses of this heritage as we turned north again towards Great Rocks. This area with its regular freight workings had been a source of wonder for many years, and with the weather a little brighter, it was fantastic to pass through the rather strange scenery in the quarries as we made swift progress towards Chinley, where we rejoined the Hope Valley line. The earlier problems with debris placed on the line at Tamworth had been cleared, but a fatality near Sheffield had produced further problems, particularly for Crosscountry whose service was in tatters. Thus unhindered, we sped south and made amazing progress arriving at New Street very early. We were booked a fairly long stop here, and rather strangely were held until time - well over 50 minutes by my reckoning despite nothing much being in our way. An early departure would also have avoided the need to divert into Gloucester and run the loco around - a late addition to the timings put in solely to path us around an express on the mainline. However, we duly completed the reversal, losing time into the bargain. Started to get a little nervous, with a 16 minute connection at Temple Meads into the last train home and about 10 minutes of delay already.

I need not have worried. The run from Gloucester to Bristol was one of the most incredible journeys I've done with D1015 which must have achieved some very impressive speeds. Presented ourselves at Bristol Temple Meads early, and as is traditional we were held at signals until our due time, before being let into the station about a minute late! Made the train home in plenty of time, with D1015 still singing quietly on the platform as we set off on an HST powered by a distant relative of the Maybach engine. Whilst today was a little too damp and dull to make the time in Buxton quite as enjoyable as it might have been, there were some stunning and memorable moments with Champion and some interesting track and scenery along the way. There are to be a few more trips later in the year which might need some serious investigation...