Stay of Execution
When Traction Magazine, the East Lancashire Railway and EWS got together
to stage a diesel event and decided it would be the biggest and best of
its kind ever, they meant it! Not only had EIGHT of the visiting main
line locomotives never operated over a private railway before, but it
was the first time withdrawn locomotives had been resurrected from the scrapline for such a show!
The three-day "EWS Classic Traction Event" featured this
amazing EWS motive power line-up:
31110 - newly re-painted back into British Railways green livery as
D5528;
33202 - brought out of store at Immingham specially for the show;
complete with Burma Star nameplates;
37351 - the ‘Clag Monster’ - temporarily re-numbered 37002 with
black headcode boxes; 37906 another escapee from Immingham, this
loco stole the show with its amazing flame-throwing exploits and it
teamed up
with classmates 37029 & 37351 to produce a spectacular Tractor
triple-header;
47306 - dragged off the Old Oak Common scrapline at the last minute, The
Sapper had not worked a train for 9 months;
56006 - rescued from Immingham and sent to Old Oak for a re-paint into
original BR blue, the Rumanian Grid looked stuning hauling a rake of
blue and grey Mark 1 coaches;
73129 & 73133 - were the event’s most bizarre visitors - the first
EDs to work over the East Lancs!
This 110 minute programme is the official
DVD of the event and was produced with the full co-operation of EWS and
the East Lancs Railway. Not only are there plenty of stunning lineside
shots but also three mini ‘Wired for Sound’ cab-ride sequences
featuring 37 906, 47 306 and 73 133. There is also behind the scenes
footage from Immingham and Old Oak Common depots showing how the locos
were resurrected from the scrapline and prepared for their moment of
glory. The are also two fascinating interludes which show the entire
start-to-finish re-paints of 31 110 and 56 006 at Old Oak. This
programme has been digitally re-mastered and also includes an additional
20 minutes bonus footage not featured in the original VHS
version….plus a ‘Where are they Now’ feature. If you were at the
event, you will know what to expect. If you weren't you'll wish you had
been!
"An extraordinary record of a unique
spectacle." RAILWAY MAGAZINE
