In tribute to my great friend Llew. Class 50 50002 'Superb' at Worcester Shrub Hill with 1B56 from London Paddington - with my good friend Llew giving it the pose 😎 :)

Out on the Bash with my friend Llew - Mon. 11th August 1986
In this shot we see my friend Llewellyn out on the bash with yours truly, nearing the end of a great ride behind my very last VAC for haulage 😎 :) The service was 1B56 18.07 Padd - Hereford. The loco in charge was 50002 'Superb' resplendent in large-logo livery - bespoken by Laira depot with red buffer beams and black roof :)
Perhaps the youngster stage right can recognise himself today! Now aged about 45?

Memories of the fine art of Vac bashing
Between 1983 and 1991 I spent many happy hours with my friends riding the rails behind the mighty 'Hoovers' or Class 50s on the Paddington-Oxford and Waterloo-Exeter routes, with many a ride and a drink or two in Oxford, regular forays down to Exeter, and on occasion into deepest Cornwall.

My interest in the railways waned permanently around 1990-91 with the demise of the Class 50s, initially from the Paddington-Oxford route in 1990, and finally when they retired from the Waterloo-Exeter services in 1992.

As well as enjoying the thrash, I managed to record many of the trips and railway scenes encountered on film for posterity. Those days are now long gone, but happily the photos remain for me to reminisce over and share. ;)

Locomotive History
D402 - entered service 23-Dec-67
Renumbered 50002 in 1974
Named 'Superb' 21-Mar-78
Withdrawn 09-Sep-91
'Superb' was preserved and based at the South Devon Railway.

50002 'Superb' worked its last train in August 1991 and was withdrawn in September 1991 due to power unit damage, thereby becoming the 40th Class 50 locomotive to be withdrawn after over 23 years of active service. Its engine hours stood at 8,043.

After its withdrawal, 50002 was purchased by the Devon Diesel Society in December 1991. Two months later it was started-up and in April 1992 50002 became the first of the class to haul a passenger train in preservation. In December 1998 the owners entered into a hire agreement with Deltic 9000 Locomotives Ltd (DNLL) who had plans to run 50002 on the national mainline. Unfortunately this never transpired and the locomotive was left to decay and fall into disrepair at Barrow Hill. In September 2003, following the demise of DNLL, it was finally removed from Barrow Hill and returned to its owners.

The locomotive now resides back at the South Devon Railway again. Although a return to service is a long way off, work has started on the extensive repairs needed to restore the locomotive to working order. Externally 50002 is being cosmetically restored close to an ex-delivery condition by the removal of the high intensity headlight and the restoring of the sandbox covers, roof cut-in and glass headcode panels. The locomotive will also carry its original D402 number. More information at: www.englishelectric.org.uk/50002

'A day in the life' - log book update:
Monday 11th August 1986 - 50002 on 1B56 18.07 London Paddington-Hereford
LONDON PADDINGTON
OXFORD
Charlbury
Moreton-in-Marsh
Evesham
Pershore
WORCESTER SHRUB HILL
Worcester Foregate St.
Malvern Link
GREAT MALVERN
Ledbury
HEREFORD

150 miles

Taken with a Zenith TTL SLR camera. Scanned from the original negative with no digital restoration

You can see a random selection of my railway photos here on Flickriver: www.flickriver.com/photos/themightyhood/random/

Taken in: UK / England / Worcester District (show map)

Taken on: August 11, 1986

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402

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Camera: NORITSU KOKI EZ Controller (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	NORITSU KOKI EZ Controller
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	EZ Controller 6.60.031 (160615)
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