
Four days, 2,000 miles, 18 locos, and numerous ground-breaking ‘firsts’ by several locomotive classes in unfamiliar locations and over routes many thought impossible. If anybody could do it, GB Railfreight could - this was quite simply the railtour of the year. This DVD is the inside story of the GBRf 2018 ‘Out Of The Ordinary’ charity train and how it all happened. As well as featuring lineside footage of the train as it made its way around England, Scotland and South Wales, there are scenes from the driving cabs on the fourth and final day of the tour, as well as interviews with the key people that planned the ambitious itinerary.
The tour set off from London Victoria to Bristol on Thursday September 20th behind 66782 before heading to Port Talbot in South Wales with Class 73/9s. The first day ended with the first ever Class 87-hauled passenger train on the Great Western main line from Didcot into Paddington.
Day 2 started with Class 20s heading out of London Euston for a spin around Kent, while the evening’s entertainment featured the first ever Class 92 to work out of Waterloo International…which later arrived at Blackpool North!
Day 3 saw the unlikely combination of Colas Rail’s 56113 and GB EDs 73107 & 73141 head over the West Highland Line to Fort William. In keeping with the name of the tour, 73141 actually led the train into the West Highland terminus. The ensemble then headed back to Glasgow where they travelled over the sub-surface Low Level Lines via Charing Cross. For good measure the two 73s later hauled the train over the Forth Bridge!
The fourth and final day saw the Class 73s working out of Glasgow Central for a trip to Paisley St James…and then back into Glasgow Central. This cab ride footage must rank as the most bizarre we have ever filmed! The tour then headed back south with 47749 as far as Carlisle, where a pair Freightliner Class 86s hauled the train over Shap to Crewe. Another traction change saw 50007 & 50049 take charge of the penultimate leg of the tour which travelled via Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Coventry and High Wycombe before reaching Hanwell. The final leg was most definitely ‘out of the ordinary’ as 73107 & 73141 hauled the tour the final eight miles into London Paddington – producing an extraordinary end to an extraordinary tour.
Produced by - Locomaster Profiles
Running time - 110 Minutes
DVD only
Released - November 2018