'Whistler' 40152 arrives at York Platform 16 with 1E71 Blackpool-Newcastle
<b>Class 40 Indian Summer</b>
After having enjoyed the delights of 40118 on local service 2J66 from Preston-Man Vic, and then again on 1E19 from Man Vic to Leeds - and then a too-long fester at York - the gen was out and finally the late-running 1E71 12.15 Blackpool-Newcastle turned up behind 40152 (Beast!)
Here is the view as 40152 finally rolls into York's excursion Platform 16 with a fine rake of ten Mark 1s. The first couple of coaches are very well loaded with happy bashers, with a good many more on the platform :)

<u><b>'A day in the life' - log book update:</b></u> 
<u>Saturday 28th July 1984</u> - 40152 on 1E71 12.15 Blackpool - Newcastle [Load 10x Mark 1s].
<b>YORK</b>
Thirsk
Northallerton
<b>DARLINGTON</b>

<b>44 miles</b>

This followed two runs earlier in the day with 40118:
40118 on 2J66 06.55 Blackpool - Man Vic.
<b>PRESTON</b>
Leyland
Chorley
BOLTON
<i>Agecroft Jnct.
Windsor Bridge Jnct.</i>
Salford
<b>MAN VIC</b>

<b>31 miles</b>

40118 on 1E19 08.40 Man Vic. - Scarborough
<b>MAN VIC</b>
Miles Platting
Park
STALYBRIDGE
Greenfield
Marsden
HUDDERSFIELD
Mirfield
DEWSBURY
Morley
<i>Holbeck East Jnct.
Whitehall Jnct.</i>
<b>LEEDS</b>

<b>44 miles</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 31 by the time I had 40152 towards the end of July. 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end of the summer timetable, just 25 remained in service, and only 17 of the class survived into 1985, all but 3 being withdrawn over the weekend of 21st/22nd Jan 1985.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>Locomotive History</b>
<b>D352 / 40152</b>
D352 was built by the English Electric Company at their Vulcan Foundry Works, Newton-Le-Willows, Lancashire and entered traffic in July 1961 and was an Eastern Region loco for most of its life. It lasted in service until the end for the class in January 1985.

<b>Detailed Locomotive History</b>
<b>D352 / 40152</b>
Originally D352 it was built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry and entered traffic in July 1961, allocated to York MPD. It was built with the final variation of nose design featuring a central four-digit headcode panel (although by this date it has acquired a “domino” screen to the panel) and no gangway doors, giving a much neater appearance. 40152 would be for most of its career associated with Yorkshire and the North East being allocated to Gateshead, Thornaby, York or Healey Mills until 1983 when it transferred to Longsight. It received its last classified repair at Crewe works in September 1979 well after withdrawals had commenced and this enabled 40152 to survive in traffic until January 1985 when it was withdrawn. Even then it was still serviceable and was condemned only because it was “surplus to requirements”. However this did not stop 40152 from being broken up almost immediately two months later in March 1985 at Doncaster works. Extra info courtesy of: <a href="/photos/pics-by-john/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">John Woolley Photos</a> 

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. ;)

Taken with a Zenith TTL SLR camera and standard lens. <b>Scanned from the original negative with no 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>
40152 352 d352 york station class40 1e71 bashers platform