PICTURES and VIDEO: Trainspotting delight as historic steam locomotive visits Wick railway station
Trainspotters travelled from far and wide to visit Wick railway station on Thursday (May 1) as a gleaming black steam locomotive shunted in.
The North Highland Explorer train was hauled by a diesel engine on the way to Wick the day before, but hundreds showed up to witness the rare sight of a steam locomotive couple up with the 10 carriages and take over for the return leg to Inverness.
Crew member Peter Smith said: “I’m one of the stewards who has accompanied the train up from Inverness this morning.
“It’s part of the railway touring company’s Great Britain nine-day rail tour that started in London last Saturday and will end up back in London on Sunday of this week. We came out with a diesel engine on the front and are returning with a steam engine.”
The Black Class 5 locomotive, dating from the 1930s, caused quite a stir as many sought a good vantage point for taking photos and videos. After the historic diesel engine was moved to a side track, the steam engine slowly reversed to couple up with the 10 carriages.
Peter added: “They’re preparing the buffers at the end of the support coach so it can be connected to the train.
“There are different coupling methods they can use. The guards are activating the coupling house so it automatically engages when it backs onto the end of the train.”
Peter was able to provide a brochure with detailed information about the train and its journey. The booklet provided a route description, with maps and gradient profiles, along with a timing sheet for passengers to follow its progress.
The North Highland Explorer journey was organised by the Railway Touring Company, which provided detailed information on the steam locomotive.
The Black 5 (or Class 5 Mixed Traffic) was designed by Sir William Stanier when he was chief mechanical engineer for the London Midland and Scottish (LMS) railway.
The 5-MT was first introduced in September of 1934. There were a number of experimental engine types which variously had double exhaust pipes, steel fireboxes and roller bearings. A total of 842 of these locos were built, and they became the most numerous class in Britain.
The loco visiting Wick was number 45407 and was built by Armstrong Whitworth at its Scotswood Works in Newcastle upon Tyne. Work was completed on September 4, 1937.
She was to spend most of her working life in the Midlands. With nationalisation of the railways in 1948, the loco received its new black livery along with the BR Lion and Wheel crest.
Number 45407 was once clocked at over 80mph whilst working a passenger train between London St Pancras and Nottingham. With the rundown of steam on the national network, 45407 was finally withdrawn from service in 1968.
It was saved for preservation and is based at the East Lancs Railway at Bury when not undertaking mainline work. On November 13, 2004, the 45407 was named ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ at a ceremony in Bury.
Chris Herrick is a ScotRail train driver on the far north line, and his base is at Wick railway station. “It’s nice to see these Black 5 chartered trains come up here, which would have originally driven on this line back in the day.
“It’s also nice to see the old 37s, too. That’s the diesel train alongside. It’s great to see, and it promotes the line and the far north for tourism. The train’s an LMS Black 5 that’s been painted in British Rail livery. You would have seen these trains on the lines up here post-war.
“Eventually, they were replaced by Class 26 and 27 diesels and then the Class 37s. Seventy-odd years ago, this would have been your regular local train leaving Wick.”
Network Rail staff carefully inspected the track before and after the train’s visit. “It’s quite a heavy train and could cause a bit of damage,” said staff member Will Garscadden.
One trainspotter was particularly delighted to have the chance of obtaining a platform ticket for Wick railway station. “This is a rare one for my collection,” he said with obvious enthusiasm.
