23rd March 2019

This would be a day of classic traction on the main line! First up, Pathfinder Tours ran their "Class 50 Terminator - Phoenixed", marking the 25 anniversary since the last train hauled by Class 50s for BR ran on the main line, the 1Z50 07.08 London Paddington to Penzance. Passing Oath at 09.16 the train is hauled by 50049 "Defiance" and 50007 "Hercules" - masquerading as 50014 "Warspite" on one side. Both locos had only just been turned out in GBRf blue and orange, a commercial tie-up with the loco owners. Not traditional in any sense but they did look very sharp in their new paint. You'd have to squint - a lot - and imagine that this was large logo!

See the train on video: https://youtu.be/UbUsJZwq-Eg

The train later returned to London Waterloo via Salisbury, but sadly after dark. I did manage to record the train as it left the loop at Chard Junction. See the video: https://youtu.be/wyhDoGj835k

The second classic traction train seen this day was a pair of Class 33s returning from Weymouth - see my photos in the Yeovil Penn Mill gallery.