35018 'British India Line' on the Nigel Dobbing Memorial Special - 17/03/2019

Описание: After forming the Railway Touring Company which has run for 20+ years, running tours all over the UK and around Europe, Nigel Dobbing's passing was sad news for mainline steam enthusiasts. A fitting memorial was required and what a way to remember his legacy by running a private railtour from Kings Lynn (the Railway Touring Company's base location) to Melton Mowbray (Dobbing's childhood home) with BR(S) Merchant Navy 35018 'British India Line' - a locomotive Nigel had hoped to ride behind, but sadly never got the chance.

The Merchant Navy would run on it's own from Carnforth to King's Lynn with load 7 in tow (5 mk1 converted Pullmans), as other private charters had done in the past for Nigel Dobbing, on Saturday 16th March 2019, before working the charter via Ely, Peterborough, Grantham, Nottingham, Syston Jc, Melton Mowbray, Stamford, Peterborough and return. The set would return north on the Monday. Unfortunately, due to flooding in the Hellifield area, the tour was delayed by some 4.5 hours (3 by Peterborough).

The Saturday ECS is seen flying through Grantham in the dark. The Sunday railtour is seen coming off the old line to the docks at Kings Lynn, powering under the A149 at the Hardwick Retail Park, coasting through Whittlesea, flying up the bank Muston, accelerating away from Syston at East Goscote, taking water at Melton Mowbray, departing Melton at Lag Lane and finally powering away from Peterborough at Stanground. I had planned to see the return ECS on the Monday, but due to early running, I missed it.