2018 The Wessex Wanderer

50007 Hercules and 50049 Defiance at different stages during The Wessex Wanderer tour run by Pathfinder Tours.

The tour started at East Midlands Parkway behind locomotive 66742 Port of Immingham Centenary 1912-2012 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 Weymouth and the return to Kidderminster to be replaced again by 66742, a total of 532 miles for the one-day trip.

The outward leg of the journey went out via Cheltenham Spa, Bath Spa and Yeovil Pen Mill. The return leg of the journey went via the scenic Cotswold Line, an old stamping-ground for the class.

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 These locomotives were chosen as they had been the first two to be withdrawn and condemned back in 1987.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: 2018-09-08