As well as working the whole line as a pair the 25s were split and shared some 'local' services between Loughborough and Rothley. The train consisted of four vehicles, reminiscent of Class 27s on Edinburgh - Dundee services. Here 25265 prepares to draw past the nearby siding before being detached from the train. 25279 will emerge from the shed and move the train into a siding while 265 retires to the shed. The Gala was also the occasion of the first passenger duty for 265 in 2001 as (disappointingly) it spends most of the time in use on engineering trains.
And here is 279 on a similar duty. By Sunday the locomotive had run in very well and sounded an absolute treat.
Click the speaker for an engine room recording made from the No.2
end cab. Many thanks to the loco's owner Mark Fowler for this! (Real Audio file
315kb)
Click the speaker to hear 279 idling at Loughborough. (Real Audio
file 260kb)
Click the speaker to hear 279 leaving Loughborough (Real Audio
file 435kb)
Another view of 265 and 279 at Rothley.
Click the speaker to hear 265 and 279 leaving Leicester North.
(Real Audio file 275kb).
All photos on this page by Phill Taylor.