Page last Updated :  20-01-08       "Mutly" recalls a Hellfire day... "A very cold foggy winter morning, A dead cert for solid EH on the Pennines out of Liverpool. The day Started with the usual 0500 trip to Birkenhead Mollington Street,( Just a five minute walk from home) where I had instant access to TOPs, for the Gen.  As I looked down the screen for Liverpool, there appeared a suprise, 40012 due in from Redbank with 5L07, ECS for a Yobbex!, normally what ever brought in the First ECS would work the Second Yobbex. Today was no different as 'Aureol' was then allocated on 1L09 to Stoke. Hellfire!, A trip to the Potteries looked like order of the day.  However, she wasn't due to depart until 1140, So a fill in move was required. So off to Liverpool i went.   Once at Liverpool i met up with a couple of the lads and after informing them of 012 we decided we may as well go out to St Helens for 2F15, the 0734 from Manchester Victoria all stops to Lime Street. One of the lads decided as our train out was a plus 12 at Victoria, (1E52 0630 Liverpool - Newcastle) He was going to take 45135 to there, As he said it beat festering at the Junction in the Fog!   According to TOP's we were in for 45134 on 2F15, in reality we were in for a shock.  At 0820, with St Helen's swathed in thick Fog, there came in the distance a familiar high pitched whistling sound, Nice one there was a 40 about, But where we couldn't see it, '012's early with the ECS' some one said, 'It must bee round Sutton Oak' said another, when suddenly from under the Footbridge appeared the familiar nose of a Centre Box 40, the next was a rake of mk2's, it was 2F15! and standing at the head of it was 40168!.  The last thing we expected on a morning like this was a 40 on the Pennine's, especially a NB!, TOP's hadn't mentioned one, so where had she come from?.   Departure from the Junction was memorable to say the least!. with all the Fog the rails were wet as hell, and since the way out to Liverpool was uphill, the Driver gave her full throttle and after lots of noise,Wheel slip and pyrotechnics she made a she made, shall we say a spirited climb up the hill.  Onboard the train was our mate who had took 45135 to Man Vic, we were well bowled!, normally our move if we do the 0630 was to go to Newton-le-Willows for 2F15 from there, Today, the one day it produced, we stayed at the Junction. But that wasn't the end of it! Our mate (i can't remember who it was) informed us that that 45134 had packed up at Red Bank and 40168 had been Knicked off its duties as the Miles Platting Banker, But there was another suprise in store,  The 1D34, 0747 Manchester - Bangor was 40118! MY LORDS! it was like the old day's. On Arrival at Lime street we decided to hit the TOP's office to find out what was going on. According to TOPs 40118 was going to work to Bangor and return to Newcastle, so that was it, we were going over the Pennines, we were going to have to forget 40012 on the Yobbex.  After some Breakfast at the Taxi drivers cafe, we returned to see what 40168 was going to do next, She couldn't be working 1E79, 1005 Scarborough, could she?.  The answer to that was NO!, Allerton had found 45146 and sent that down to work the rest of the Diagram. Anyway, Later that Afternoon, we found ourselves at Earlestown, Awaiting the arrival of 40118  Right on cue she rolled around the Corner and off we went, My plan was to take her to York But as i was on a MPTE Saveaway scratch card, i had to bail at leeds when a couple of TTI's got on.  So it was 45146 back to Liverpool on 1M75, 1400 ex Scarboro (And to think this could have been 168).  On arrival back at Lime Street, it was decided to do a desperate move, Just to Finish the day off in Style,  Time to do a Unit to Allerton, to await the Arrival of 40012 on 1L10, 1745 Stoke - Liverpool Footex.  This involved Hiding UNDER the Platform at Allerton while the Cops/TTI's seen to the Departing Supporters and Diving on when the Platform got crowded, it usually worked and today was no different,On we charged and we were off, All stations to Lime Street. the second time today with a 40.  So at 1900 on a cold,wet November evening there we were standing at Liverpool, Admiring a fine Engine, reflecting on the fact that, with just over Two month's left in them, we had managed to travel on THREE different 40's in one day, I would love to know when the last time anyone could say that!, It may even be the last time it could be done.  A TRULY HELLFIRE DAY INDEED!"

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