37240 Thrashes North at Springs Branch on Blackpool Illumination Explorer - 15th November 2025

Vintage Trains locomotives 37240 and 47773 are seen speeding north along the west coast main line through Springs Branch south of Wigan on the cold and windy afternoon of Saturday 15th November 2025.

The locomotive pairing were working the northbound leg of "Blackpool Illumination Explorer" railtour from Birmingham New Street to Blackpool North. A rare special train in the modern day for the iconic illuminations at the seaside resort. Blackpool Illuminations is an annual lights festival that started on 18 September 1879, held each autumn in the British seaside resort.

The train was in sensational form here working hard thrashing along running 22 early having ran through a pathing stop at Warrington.

37240 wears the superb Transrail "Big T" livery whilst 47773 wears the more traditional BR Green.

The official working today 37240 & D1755 aka 47773
1Z40 1037 Birmingham New Street to Blackpool North

Passed 1253
Running 22 early

Blackpool Illumination Explorer (Vintage Trains)
37240 and 47773
Birmingham New Street (pu) - Wolverhampton (pu) - Stafford (pu) - Crewe (pu) - Blackpool North (break/rev) & return

A similar tour back in 2023 in the sunshine with 37418 on that occasion.
https://youtu.be/mkxeFiTbsf0

Or all the back to 2019 for a steam variety with 60163 Tornado.
https://youtu.be/R5xAN5C1Nmw

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Filmed at Springs Branch
Filmed Saturday 15th November 2025

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