2018 The Mazey Day Cornishman

50007 Hercules and 50049 Defiance at different stages during The Mazey Day Cornishman tour run by Pathfinder Tours.

The tour started at Tame Bridge Parkway behind locomotive 66149 for the first leg to Worcester. Upon arrival, this was replaced by the two Class 50s which worked the tour forward from Worcester Shrub Hill to Penzance and the return to Kidderminster to be replaced by 66152 Derek Holmes Railway Operator, a total of 631 miles for the one-day trip.

For the outward journey 50049 sported a headboard fitted in memory of Neil Morgan (known as 'Slim'). Neil had been a widely respected and extremely knowledgeable Class 50 preservationist and had played a huge part in getting them back onto the mainline.

Both locomotives masqueraded as two now-scrapped members of the class, having different TOPS numbers and nameplates fixed to one of their bodysides. 50007 temporarily sported the details of 50006 Neptune and 50049 those of 50011 Centurion. These locomotives were chosen as they had been the first two to be withdrawn and condemned back in 1987.

Date: 2018-06-23