Double Headed BR Class 50s at York - The Toots Express - 12/09/2026

On 12th September 2026, The Branch Line Society ran ‘The Toots Express’ railtour from Alexandra Palace to Edinburgh, with a pair of Class 50 locomotives 50049 ‘Defiance’ & 50007 ‘Hercules’ hauling, and a Class 57 sitting on the rear. The tour made good time on the outbound trip, and both locomotives sounded amazing as they left York.
The return journey of the tour didn’t go so smoothly as 50007 ran into trouble, and 57306 had to take its place behind 50049. The train was an hour late leaving Edinburgh and the original plan for the return was for the train to go via Stockton, but was instead sent back down the ECML to make up time. The tour arrived back in York around 25 minutes late and was altered into Platform 10, originally scheduled to be Platform 5. The train later arrived at its final destination of Finsbury Park and hour and a half late.

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