17th June 2023

"Shoe boxes" on the Southern Mainline west! (1): A pair of Class 73s on "The Mule" is a rare enough event for sure. At 11.34 GBRf nos. 73962 "Dick Mabutt" + 73964 "Jeanette" start the climb up the bank with the 1Z61 07.14 London Waterloo to Exeter St. Davids, a UK Railtours railtour entitled "The Magic Carpet". This train was primarily taking passengers to Axminster for onward coaches to either the Seaton Tramway or Pecorama. Tickets were sold on the day for anyone wanting to take the train onward from Axminister to Exeter and back behind the 73s - very enterprising! The sun came out thankfully after a bit of a gloomy start that included an unexpected downfall of rain.