BLS "Crompton Weekend", 7th to 9th March 2020

Three days of trips behind various Class 33 "Cromptons" and a Class 47, two enhanced positioning moves either side of the main "Devonian Crompton" tour on Sunday 8th March 2020. Run in conjunction with West Coast Railways, Network Rail and 71A Locomotive Group, the tours were raising funds for the Help for Heroes Charity and also for Tommy's. All three days were excellent though I wasn't able to do the full trip on any of them due to logistics - it also turned out to be my last efforts for a while due to the Covid-19 outbreak curtailing activities. Please note - all photos taken from ground positions are with permission and under supervision. As usual, a few photos to start, more to be added as time permits!

BLS 'Devonian Crompton', 33207, Coleford Junction, 8th March 2020

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BLS 'Devonian Crompton', 33207, Coleford Junction, 8th March 2020

The BLS "Devonian Crompton" has reached the outward journey's end as the train stands at the former Coleford Junction. With 33012 (D6515) on the far end of the train at the boundary between Network Rail and the Dartmoor Railway, 33207 will be leading back to Crediton and Exeter St. David's. The crew are in the process of changing ends, and the headcode blinds are changed as well. Nowadays, the two tracks here are parallel single lines from Crediton, that on the right being the Up & Down North Devon line from Barnstaple and the train is standing on the Up & Down Okehampton Line. The train had run this far as 1Z38, 09:38 from London Victoria, and was about to return as 1Z39, 16:40 from Coleford to London Waterloo. 16:21, Sunday 8th March 2020. Digital Image No. GMPK7598.

GMPK7598 BLS DevonCrompton 33207 ColefordJcn 080320 geoff plumb