23rd NOVEMBER 2024: 1Z82 BARROW-IN-FURNESS (THE CHRISTMAS WHITE ROSE) to YORK with 61306 'MAYLOWER'.

 What a day! Was going to get to York early to catch the 07:29 departure of 'The Lanashire Fusilier', but it was dark (4am), cold and raining buckets! So I went back to bed. Got up later and took the 11:11am train up to York for my first ever meeting with 61306 'Mayflower'.

As usual for a Saturday, the station was busy with visitors to York and the Christmas season is upon us, so that doesn't help. It was cold and very wet, the rain was constant. So staying under cover was essential. Enthusiasts are a friendly bunch and we passed the time chatting. 

'Mayflower' was due in at 12:21pm, but an announcement over the tannoy indicated that the scheduled time would slip due to the inclement weather east of Leeds. Indeed, 61306 was 30 minutes down before I left home at 10:30am.

Still, staying under cover against the relentless rain, I execrcised my camera and chatted to others. Another anouncement: "The Charter Train will arrive on platform 11". Everybody races to the platform against the tide of passengers arriving for a days shopping.

'Mayflower' finally arrives...at platform 11.

As you'd expect on platform 11, it's quite tight for space at the north end as all the enthusiasts pack the platform.  But at 13:20hrs, 59 minutes behind schedule, 1Z82, 61306 'Mayflower steadily rolled alonside platform 11. What a great-looking steam loco and my first for this one. A passenger who alighted from the train asked me to take a photo of him and his family beside 'Mayflower' amongst the scrum of sightseers. Eventually I made my way towards the front of the platform. Unfortunately, I was getting soaked and more importantly, so too was my camera! Photos taken, 61306 slowly moved off to the North Sidings.

'Mayflower' departs the station for the North Sidings.

Now, a mad scramble to get my train home at 2pm and to get my camera dry and myself too!

61306 Mayflower at  platform 11 York Rail Station.

61306 Mayflower buffer detail.

61306 Mayflower cab detail.

61306 Mayflower cab detail.

61306 Mayflower cab detail.

61306 Mayflower nameplate.

61306 Mayflower steams up ready to depart platform.

61306 Mayflower departs to sidings.

TPE class 185, 2x3 car train nos, 114 & 118 departs platform 3.

TPR 185114&118 Saltburn-Manchester Airport at P3.

Freightliner 66553 passes platform 5 south at York Rail Station.

Freightliner 66553 pulls up at signal to await passing train.

66730 leads 66756 as they pass platform 3.

66553 gets the 'GO' light, withh 66416 at the tail.

1V58 service 220004&002 Edinburgh-Penzance at P5.

Service 9M31 TPE 802218 Newcastle-Liverpool Lime St at York Rail Station.

155344 service 2R90 Bridlington-York arrives P1 York Rail Station .

Network Rail IMVU 153311 York Sidings.

My ride back home departs P1 Doncaster Rail Station.

Please note, the time on photos is incorrect. It is still showing BST.

RJC

END.