4th June 1988

For years, and certainly for all the time that I was a keen train spotter at Exeter St. Davids, in the late '70s and throughout the 1980s, the Class 45 and 46 "Peaks" were a constant feature of cross country, and some local, trains. But by the twilight years of the 1980s the "Peaks" were out of favour and working their last trains. I had been observing their demise over the years and tried to record and travel behind as many as I could, but by 1988 the end was imminent. The non-ETH Class 45/0 and 46s had already gone, but the Class 45/1s were still operating a few cross country trains.

I had read in a magazine that the very last "Peak"-hauled passenger train to and from the west country, the 12.10 Paignton to Rose Grove, would be running on this day. So, I took a chance that it would actually happen and was therefore relieved to be able to record 45141 "Zephyr" taking the very last BR service train out of Devon hauled by a member of this class. I had seen the earlier service arriving at Exeter St. Davids that morning.

Thinking back now, in these days of the internet and social media, when anything that happens is broadcast instantly, and as a railfan you can more or less know what is coming in advance, it is quite remarkable that I had to rely on something that I read in a printed magazine weeks before in order to catch this working!

As a post script, 45141 was taken out of service two months later on 4th August, with bogie fractures.