'The North Midlander' railtour -  Class 40s 40076 + 40044 seen at Toton depot in the summer of 1983
<b>Class 40s at Toton</b>
Here we have quite an unusual sight at Toton TMD as Class 40s were never based there, and here we have two of the class in the form of 40076 and a glimpse of 40044. To make it a triple, inside the shed was 40122 / D200 awaiting a new power plant from donor locomotive 40076.

<b>40076</b> had been withdrawn at Crewe on 18th April 1983 [it had been 'on decision' since 1st April 1983]. The loco was utilised as a donor to enable the return to service of a rundown 40122 a.k.a D200. 40076 remained engineless at Toton until at least 26th July 1983, and arrived at her final resting place - Doncaster Works - on 10th August 1983 for scrapping. She had been cut up by 28th November 1983.

From what I have been reading, I understand that 40076's engine did not last very long - throwing a piston - and D200 had a second transplant, this time from donor loco 40170!
 
<b>Sun. 5th June 1983 1Zxx - 'The North Midlander' railtour</b> Another great railtour - this one managed to include scheduled stops at Doncaster Works and Toton TMD open days :)

<b>Locos Used</b>: 45149, 45125
<b>Locos &amp; Route</b>
45149 London St Pancras - (via MML) - Kettering - Corby - Manton Jn - Oakham - Syston East Jn - Syston North Jn - (via MML) - Trent - Toton Centre - Trowell Jn - Pye Bridge Jn - Clay Cross South Jn - Chesterfield - Dronfield - Sheffield - Doncaster [for works visit]
45149 Doncaster -Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield - Clay Cross South Jn - Ambergate Jn - Derby - Spondon - Sheet Stores Jn - Trent - Stapleford &amp; Sandiacre
45149 Stapleford &amp; Sandiacre - Toton Depot [for depot visit]
45125 Toton Depot - Stapleford &amp; Sandiacre
45125 Stapleford &amp; Sandiacre - Trent - (via MML) - London St Pancras Info.courtesy: <a href="https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/830605lc.htm" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/830605lc.htm</a>

<b>Class 40 Indian Summer</b>
Between 1982 and 1984 I spent many happy hours with my friends chasing around the North of England after the remaining Class 40s. At the beginning of 1984, there were still 50 members of the fleet in service, but this had already reduced down to 36 by the time I had 40155 at the end of May. By the end of the summer timetable, just 25 remained in service, and only 17 of the class survived into 1985, all but 3 being withdrawn over the weekend of 21st/22nd Jan 1985.

<b>40044 was one of the few Class 40s to perform passenger duties in the final month of the Class's history - January 1985</b> - see comments section below.

D200/40122, 40118 and 40012 were kept on just for rail tours, although D200 had a second Indian summer :)

My interest in the railways waned permanently 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. ;)

<b>Photos that were nearly lost to oblivion!</b>
The original slide was rescued from a box of 'duds' that I could never quite bring myself to throw away - now I am glad that I kept them ;)

Taken with a Zenith TTL SLR camera and standard lens. <b>Scanned from the original slide with minimal digital restoration</b>

You can see a random selection of my railway photos here on Flickriver: <a href="http://www.flickriver.com/photos/themightyhood/random/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.flickriver.com/photos/themightyhood/random/</a>

<i>'Indian Summer' - a period of happiness or success occurring late in life...English Electric Type 4 1958-1984</i>
40044 d244 244 40076 d276 276 class40 class31 class20 diesel toton nottingham shed depot 20190