Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN) 24th May 2014

A1A Locomotives 31162 was rostered to work the full service on Saturday 24th May at the Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN); and what a bleak day it was to be out doing 31s! It rained almost constantly all day and the first trip over the line was a terrible for the driver; with 31162’s wheels spinning on the wet rails even when not under power!! These terrible conditions put pay to any thrash that would have occurred on the first trip. I’m glad to say things did improve throughout the day in the thrash stakes, even if the weather didn’t.

31162 was faultless and worked the following:

1030, 1215, 1400, 1545 Ruddington – Loughborough

1112, 1257, 1442, 1627 Loughborough – Ruddington

It’s not every day that there are 3 Class 31’s visible while you’re looking at the entrance to Brush Works, of course the birthplace of the class 31’s, but this day offered up a unique experience when someone spotted 31190/601, dragging 45133 & some stock, while working 5Z45 1236 Chaddesden – Dereham on the main line as we approached Loughborough with the second trip of the day on 31162. What nobody expected was for the pair to actually be stopped in the platform at Loughborough when 31162 came to a stand near the entrance to Brush Works, ready to return to Ruddington.

After a bit of mutual horn blowing to acknowledge the historic occasion 31162 departed back towards Ruddington and 31190/601 drew up to the signal to await the road to Dereham. The gave a very unique photo opportunity to capture both 31190/601 & 31162 in the same frame with the Brush Works sign at the entrance to where all three locos had emerged 54 years previously!

While not the best of photographs here they are: