A yet un-named English Electric Deltic D9010 emits the trademark blue exhaust as it accelerates through Doncaster station with the 1A47 13:30 Edinburgh to King’s Cross service; the ‘Heart of Midlothian’. The locomotive was named ‘The King’s Own Scottish Borderer’ on 8th May 1965 at Dumfries, and withdrawn on 24th December 1981.
The Offord Derailment, 7th September 1962.
In the evening of 7th September 1962, Peppercorn A1 60123 ‘H.A. Ivatt’ derailed at Offord whilst in charge of a northbound freight. For the next two days, whilst the accident was cleared, trains were diverted between Hitchin and Peterborough via Cambridge and Ely. The collection of photographs now available shows a number of trains as they passed through Doncaster station on the 8th September; including a couple of surprises…
A York based Raven B16 on a GN passenger train from the south is the highlight of the workings photographed on the 8th September. A host of spotters spilling off the platforms captures the train-spotting hobby during this transition period from steam to diesel on the GN/ECML. We have more images to add to this collection in the New Year.
The southbound standby loco (an A1) is seen just above the first coach. The evening light captures the graceful lines of the Deltic locomotive, shown off by the two-tone green livery. Today, this scene is a mass of overhead wires, rationalised track-work and the Doncaster Power Signal Box.
This photograph was taken nearly 55 years ago when the railway was undergoing major changes in locomotive power. The 22 Deltics replaced some 55 steam locomotives; indeed the day after this photograph was taken was the first day when all 22 Deltic locomotives were in operational use. When seeing images like this I cannot help but think what a ‘soulless’ place the railway has become….
