| Mercia Charters and Pathfinder Tours That Which Survives railtour was a Rotterdam to Rotterdam circular extravaganza, taking in freight only branches to Moerdijk and Oosterhout Weststad on the south shore of the River Maas and a trip over the Veluwsche Stoomtrein Maatschappij museum line from Dieren to Apeldoorn. Motive power was provided from the eclectic fleet of open access freight operator ACTS, ex-SNCB EMD powered diesel 6703, ex-NS Baldwin-Westinghouse designed straight electric 1251 and ex-EWS 5814. For transit over the VSM a Dutch version of the BR 08 class (NS 500/600 class) was provided, which was a very strange sight at the head of a passenger train and dragging three other locomotives.
The stock was provided by a Belgian society - five vintage AK carriages and an ex-Deutsch Reichsbahn restaurant car in Mitropa livery. In true railtour style it tended to run late throughout, leaving Apeldoorn on the return to Rotterdam at least 90 minutes down. All three locomotives had their opportunity to shine on the head end and the weather, generally, was kind. I spent the day chasing the train, or rather staying ahead of it, helpfully provided by txts from on board so I knew where it was, which was invaluable in tracking down suitable photo opportunities. It was a long day, I arrived home here in North London at about 00  0, some 20 hours after I got up, and 90 minutes later than expected courtesy of Easyjet's lamentable timekeeping (but that's another story). But it was worth it. |
