Deltic Devonian: a southern tribute to those magnificent machines!

The prospect of a "Deltic" flying through Axminster at high speed, and stopping at Chard Junction to allow an Exeter train to cross, would have been enough for any young railway enthusiast to get excited about, and it was good enough reason for me to pester dad to take me out to see this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. And that is exactly what happened back on 28th November 1981 when one of British Rail's farewell tours run in honour of the hugely popular and charismatic East Coast Main Line racehorses, the English Electric Class 55, was routed to pass along "The Mule", as our line was often referred to as, on an out-and-back trip from Finsbury Park, London to London Liverpool Street (why not Kings Cross I wonder?).

I think I am right in saying that the tour was originally booked to run behind no. 55002 "King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry", but due to a mechanical fault the stand-in loco for these tours, no. 55016 "Gordon Highlander", stepped in at short notice to "take the reigns" of the train for the day (good grief, how many more equine clichés can I include in this blog??).

You have to remember that back in 1981 there was no other way in knowing about these special trains other than seeing the adverts in magazines, acquiring a little knowledge on the grape vine, and if you had any sense, ask at the booking office to see if the local staff know anything about it! So that is what exactly my dad did and thankfully the "gen" was given willingly, no doubt due to the fact that the station staff were excited about it too!

The train, reporting number 1Z40, the 08.34 Finsbury Park to London Liverpool Street, via Exeter St. Davids, was booked through Axminster at 13.35. The train was routed down the ex-GWR "Berks & Hants" route through Westbury and Taunton, to Exeter St. Davids, after which it would have stormed up the 1 in 37 incline up to Exeter Central station and on up towards Yeovil, Salisbury and Clapham Junction, from where it was routed around London into Liverpool Street, due in at 17.42. The day was wet and blustery but that was not going to dissuade me to want to see the train and happily dad was also keen to see it too. In 1981 I had not yet (regrettably) taken up railway photography seriously but I did have access to my dad's crappy "110" camera as well as his cassette tape recorder, so I had the opportunity to record the event for posterity.


We arrived at Axminster station in good time and positioned ourselves at the London end of the platform (the part beyond the road bridge that is now out-of-use). Because it was raining I think we sheltered under the bridge until the train came. I think everything was running to schedule as in no time I could hear the distinctive sound of the Napier engines on "Gordon Highlander" approaching from the west. Then that unique profile of the cab nose came into view - quick, turn on the tape recorder and get ready with the camera! Everything synchronised to plan and the photo, such as it was, was taken, along with a poor quality mono sound recording of the train shooting through the station, and then it was all over. Or was it?

I reminded dad that the train was pausing at Chard Junction to allow a down train to pass, and if we were quick enough we could get there and see it depart. So off we went, me sat in the passenger seat of the car anxiously hoping that we would be in time. I need not have worried though as it seems that the Exeter train was running late (hooray!).

The special was waiting alongside the old up platform at Chard Junction when we arrived, so dad parked up and we marched over to see what we could see. Things were quite relaxed in 1981 and it was very easy to just walk on to the old platform at Chard Junction, passing the original L&SWR signal box and get up close to the train. There were hoards of people on the platform, it seemed like every man, woman, child and dog from the area had come out to see this special train and there was a real carnival atmosphere. The old station buildings were still standing then, as was the goods shed in the yard. Chard Junction station was just as it was when it closed back in 1966 other than for the fact that the down platform had been removed.


I had never got up so close to a "Deltic" before and I immersed myself in the sight, sound and smell of this magnificent locomotive as it rumbled away to itself as only a "Deltic" could, waiting impatiently for the time to leave. Even now I can take myself back to that moment, and happily I also have another sound recording I made whilst I was standing alongside the "beast" to help take me back!

Soon a fellow English Electric locomotive, Class 50 no. 50015 "Valiant", carefully approached the passing loop with the down 11.10 London Waterloo to Exeter St. Davids service (the train closest to the old "Atlantic Coast Express" timings that existed then). Once that train was safely through the loop the "Deltic Devonian" was cleared to leave and after a weak and feeble "blast" on the horn (to me the Deltics never seem to have a horn that was capable of matching their importance as a main line express passenger locomotive) no. 55016 was on its way, leaving those of us on the platform dazed and elated, but also feeling a real sense of anti-climax - did that really happen? Was I really there?

My photos were not the best but they instantly take me back to that day in 1981, and once in a while I will play those rather dubious sound recordings as well to reawaken the senses and memories from over 40 years ago. And thanks to dad for sharing my enthusiasm on the day and acting as information gatherer and taxi driver! Without his help I would never have been able to participate in this historical occasion.

Despite my early enthusiasm for railways, and despite all of the opportunities that were probably available to me, I still managed to miss out on seeing much of the Deltics in service properly, other than for a brief time whilst in York earlier in 1981, so being able to witness "Gordon Highlander" on this special train whilst still in BR service was important to me and an event I was so glad to witness.

Whilst preparing my notes for this blog I luckily found this amazing piece of old cine film footage, complete with original sound, on You Tube, uploaded by John F. Kappler, and recorded from on-board the train as it arrives at Chard Junction, passing the creamery (still in business but having despatched its last milk train by then), and waiting for no. 50015 to pass through. A real gem and an unexpected find!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOu1CbfVC3w

I also made use of the amazing resource that is the Six Bells Junction website - https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/

And to end this piece, who would have thought that over 40 years later both 55016 "Gordon Highlander" and 50015 "Valiant" are still with us, the former at the museum established in the old Hornby factory in Margate, and the latter at the East Lancashire Railway. Wonders never cease.