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50008 Thunderer at different stages during The Return Of The Thunder Vac tour run by the Branch Line Society.

The tour was a rather special circular tour charter in partnership with Hanson & Hall Rail Services Solutions for the much anticipated return of 50008 Thunderer to mainline passenger operation. The last recorded recorded working of 50008 on a mainline passenger charter was back in November 1991, not long before its withdrawal in June 1992.

The tour started at Derby and travelled north to Newcastle and over the Hadrian's Wall line to Carlisle. It then returned to Derby via the scenic Settle-Carlisle line, a total of 465 miles for the one-day trip.

Locomotive 67002, was used as tail-gunner throughout the tour as insurance against a mainline failure. In reality it was only used for stock positioning purposes.

Date: 2019-07-27