Crompton Countdown
In
the early 1980's the class 33s were at the peak of their career. From an
original total of 98 locomotives, all but 4 were still in traffic - their
sphere of operation at an all time high. However, as the decade progressed
so too did modernisation, the effects of which had virtually halved the
class by 1990. Five years later with no passenger work and only a handful
of civil engineers duties, the Cromptons had dwindled to a mere 20. This
video traces the changing fortunes of the 33s from their heyday in the
early 80's through to "civil" years of the 90's, depicting the
class at work on a superb variety of workings;
PASSENGER: Waterloo - Salisbury "push-pulls" and "top
and tails", Crewe - Cardiff - Bangor, Bristol - Portsmouth, Exeter -
Barnstaple and Paignton, Southampton and Weymouth Boat Trains.
FREIGHT: Northfleet Cement, Dungeness Nuclear Flasks, Kent Coal, Dover
Linkspan, ARC Stone, BRT cable-laying, Angerstein Aggregates.
CLASSIC RARITIES: 33008 at Norwich with VSOE, the airborne recovery of
33064 at East Grinstead, 330202 towing D1041 Western Prince through
Winchfield, 33116 in the Peak District, 33109 and 33116 in Aryshire for
the filming of Mission Impossible!
AND there's naming ceremonies, snow plough duties, drags and railtours
too as well as shots of the Eurostar "test-bed" 83301 in action.
In all 70 of the class feature in the comprehensive programme about arguably
the most interesting 15 years of class 33 operation.
“A very enjoyable and top rate production you will
want to watch again and again.” RAILWAY Magazine
