55009 'Alycidon' | At speed on the ECML with 'The Capital Deltic Reprise' - Saturday 29th July 2023

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Saturday 29th July would see Deltic no.55009 return to main line railtour duty at the head of Pathfinder Railtours 'The Capital Deltic Reprise' Starting at Willington, the tour ran via Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield to Doncaster - before a circular run round Pontefract and Selby to return to Doncaster for a second time ready for a fast run to London Kings Cross via the ECML, with a short diversion out from Peterborough to Ely and then back to the ECML via Cambridge and Hitchin. The return would see a run down the ECML to Newark, before heading to Cleethorpes before finally back to Willington via the outward pick ups.

A tour with London as the destination rather than the start and end offered a chance to see it twice in the middle of the day, a rarity when compared with most steam charters. We start at Knebworth and what I hoped would be a fast run on the up fast up the 1 in 200 from Langley Junction was scuppered by the later running Cambridge to London Kings Cross all stations stopper being given the road through the twin track Welwyn section shortly before 'Alycidon' came into view. Two cameras see 'Alycidon' pass through braking for the signal check. For the return we headed to Welwyn North and this time we see 'Alycidon' pass through at speed heading down the ECML, albeit assisted by the WCRC diesel on the rear. As always thank you to everyone involved in the tour!

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