The RETURN of 60532 'BLUE PETER' Part 1 | 60007 & 70000 HEAD FOR THE ELR + FREIGHT ACTION at CREWE

As 60532 'Blue Peter' prepares for its celebration ceremony this weekend, with a private charter from Kings Cross to York, this mini series charts some of the significant movements of the sole surviving A2 pacific since it’s return to steam earlier this year.

Part 1 comes from an action packed Thursday at Crewe back in March, and we start at the 'Muck Hole'. Dwarfed by Crewe Alexandra football stadium, the ‘Muck Hole’ is the term used to describe the freight avoiding independent lines which dip underground beneath the north junction layout at Crewe, to rejoin the mainline going towards Manchester and Liverpool/ Warrington.

Better known as Salop Goods Junction, there stands an old LNWR signal box and from a great vantage point by the Station, it’s possible to catch some interesting freight action on these lines. During my trip there were some great freight and loco movements and things out of the ordinary through here, as well as through Crewe station itself under the wires, so we see a miscellaneous selection of the mornings movements showing just of what Crewe had to offer whilst I was up there!

The Legends of Steam BR 70000 Britannia and LNER 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley rolled off LSL’s shed looking splendid at lunchtime as they double headed with their support coaches and D6851/ 37677 ‘Flopsie’ heading to Bury for the East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Legends of Steam’ gala weekend with plenty steam and lots of shunting action going on in the LSL sidings.

And then, no sooner had Gresley and Britannia left for the ELR, something truly incredible and completely unexpected happened that afternoon, as the newly overhauled Peppercorn A2 pacific 60532 ‘Blue Peter’ appeared running around the LSL site in steam for the first time in 22 years!

I had never seen this engine in person, let alone in steam and this was completely unexpected and very impressive, and the perfect way to round off a couple of fantastic days up in Crewe. This was spectacular and testament to the LSL team for the work they’ve done on her, and shows the first part of the return of the A2! | 14.03.2024

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