{"id":11727,"date":"2024-08-23T19:04:25","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T18:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/therailwaydog.co.uk\/?p=11727"},"modified":"2024-08-24T13:39:54","modified_gmt":"2024-08-24T12:39:54","slug":"peak-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/therailwaydog.co.uk\/?p=11727","title":{"rendered":"Peak Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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An early morning start for Yoshi and I to see a piece of history as Class 45 No. 45118 ‘The Royal Artilleryman’ is the first member of its class to haul a mainline passenger train in 17 years as she prepares to depart Bristol Temple Meads with “The Diamond Jubilee Express” 1Z45 0703 Bristol Temple Meads to York – 27\/07\/2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Backtracking….<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Saturday 27th July 2024 I had the mad notion of leaving home in the early hours in order to arrive at Bristol Temple Meads in time to see Locomotive Services Limited’s (LSL) newly restored Sulzer Type 4 Class 45 diesel locomotive No. 45118 ‘The Royal Artilleryman’ passing through the station with the empty coaching stock (ecs) ahead of her departure proper working inaugural railtour “The Diamond Jubilee Express” 1Z45 0703 Bristol Temple Meads to York. I should have had an extra hour in bed, as the day before the “Peak”, while on her way South, had to be rescued by stablemate Class 47 No. D1924 (47810) ‘Crewe Diesel Depot’. As insurance it was decided that the Class 47 would remain on the train for the Saturday in case of further trouble with the Class 45. This of course meant that the ecs move through Temple Meads was no longer required in advance of 1Z45’s departure as the Class 47 was able to pull the train into the station with no requirement for the Class 45 to run around the carriages for her to be at the correct end ready for setting off on the journey to York. This hadn’t crossed my mind until I was well on my way to Bristol – d’oh!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A last minute platform change meant a mad dash over to platform 15 – possibly the least desirable location for the train to depart in the morning light. By the time Yoshi and I had made our way over from platform 7, the “Peak” and carriages had already arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I was pleased to discover this image posted by Jack William on Facebook which shows me attempting to get Yoshi to pose for a photograph with Class 45 No. 45118 ‘The Royal Artilleryman’ at Bristol Temple Meads. Many thanks to @smithy.377 and the member of station staff who assisted in persuading the boy to deign to look in my direction – 27\/07\/2024 (With kind permission of Jack William)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No. 45118 was built in 1962 and allocated to Derby shed numbered D67. She was fitted with electric train heating (ETH) in December 1973 and renumbered under the TOPS system. Withdrawn in May 1987 she was put in storage at March Whitemoor Yard from where she was purchased by David Young who moved her to the Northampton Steam Railway in September 1990. Unfortunately the locomotive suffered from vandalism by metal thieves and she subsequently found a new home at Rail Vehicle Engineering Limited based at the Derby Railway Technical Centre (RTC) in August 2009. LSL purchased the “Peak” in 2018 and contracted Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC) for her restoration at Barrow Hill. No. 45118 is currently the only main line-certified Class 45 on the UK network and follows in the steps of previous “Peak” locomotives; Pete Waterman’s No. D172 (46035) ‘Ixion’ and No. 45112. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 27th July charter was originally scheduled to run as far as Chesterfield but was extended to York, where the train arrived two minutes early despite leaving Bristol Temple Meads nine minutes late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Class 45 No. 45118 ‘The Royal Artilleryman’ made a fine sight as she leaves Bristol Temple Meads bound for York – 27\/07\/2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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