This was a belated 50th Birthday treat, the tour having been postponed from the 21st July 2018. As a bonus for me, A3 60163 ‘Tornado’ was unavailable and my favourite steam engine A4 60009 ‘Union of South Africa’ was drafted in. My Wife couldn’t see the benefit – but I couldn’t have been happier as we took our seats in the second coach back from the engine. This was the first time I had travelled in the first-class dining option – and we were not disappointed.

Greeted on board by a glass of bucks fizz, we departed on time at 07.55hrs and it wasn’t long before we were tucking into a full English Breakfast sprinkled with the obligatory soot from the partially opened window. Water stops were made at Holme Junction just south of Peterborough (09.34hrs) and Carlton on Trent (11.12hrs) before we arrived in York at 12.26hrs. It was funny coming to a stand on the ECML slow line in the middle of nowhere – the only thing visible other than a red signal being a water truck with a great length of hose and the noise of a petrol-powered water pump running – it was all very well co-ordinated. We met family for half an hour on the platform whilst more water was taken on board at York, and I’d given a couple of friends the timings so they could get to Pilmoor to see us go past. Arrival in Newcastle was two minutes early at 14.33hrs.

Three hours in Newcastle were spent shopping and meeting up with some good friends over a glass of wine – and it was soon time to head back to the Station alongside all the disgruntled Newcastle United fans who had just seen their team loose to Arsenal at St James park 1-2. As we entered the station, I immediately picked up the sound of twin Napier’s vibrating the station roof. We headed over to platform 3 – disaster – Alycidon was on the north end of the stock – opposite end to our coach – oh well.

As my Wife took her seat, I wandered up to the front for some photographs and was pleased to see the loco getting uncoupled ready for running round the stock.

As Alycidon backed onto the stock a coach down, on quite a tight corner of platform 3 – we waited for the off at 17.47hrs. As I bagged one of the front drop down windows, I could see there was a problem coupling up on such a tight corner. Bugger. There were a few attempts – a bit of pushing and accompanying jolts – but thankfully we got there and departed 10 minutes late. Phew! I have some video footage of our departure from Newcastle below.

What followed – not including the meal – was one of the fastest runs to London Kings Cross I’d ever experienced – certainly on a Deltic. Have you ever experienced a five-course meal served at your table whilst listening to a Deltic at full tilt at 100mph+ – Will live long in the memory!

Official timings (courtesy of ‘six bells junction’) show;

Durham + 15 minutes (late)

York + 18

Doncaster +14

Peterborough +11

Stevenage + 6

Finsbury Park -9

London Kings Cross – 9

Making up over 25 minutes en-route. My GPS ‘speedo’ clocked 117mph near Welwyn Garden City – surely not?

The food and drink served were fantastic, and yes, it is expensive for a day out – but for special occasions it is worth the cost – without doubt one of the best days out I have ever had on the railway – Happy Birthday!