After the passing of Nigel Dobbing the founder of The Railway Touring Company it was only fitting that as a tribute to the great man a special railtour would be run. What better steam locomotive to use for such train than the rebuilt Merchant Navy class 4-6-2 no, 35018 British India Line, a loco the Nigel worked so hard to get on the front of that famous Railway Touring Company train The Great Britain in 2018, sadly Nigel missed that tour but I'm sure that putting 35018 on his memorial train was the perfect choice.
We start the video off with the empty coaching stock move from Saturday night running as 5Z65 from Carnforth Steamtown to King's Lynn T.C. avoiding the football fans at the same time. The next day we started our journey at Watlington to see BIL passing as she heads south working 1Z66 from King's Lynn to Melton Mowbray via Peterborough, Grantham & Nottingham where thanks to a courteous Great Northern driver everyone was able to get their photos. I then moved on to March and set up shot at March West Junction to see the Bullied Pacific pass again. After taking on water the memorial train is seen again, this time at Bottesford and thanks to the car and the cut back I was able to get to East Goscote where I saw the tour yet again after it's run past Nottingham & Loughborough. Next up, the big one as part of this tour... Melton Mowbray itself where the train moves out of the way into the sidings for servicing, we also take a small look around the station in particular the plaques in the waiting room, in particular the new one commemorating the life of Nigel Dobbing. After a short and quick drive the next shot is at Lag Lane where the service now running as 1Z68 powers away from Melton Mowbray. Our final shot is at Ramsey Road in Whittlesea as the tour returns back it's origins this time running via Ely station
R.I.P. Nigel Dobbing, 1952 - 2018