60532 Blue Peter's Inaugural Run!

In this video, we see the inaugural run of 60532 Blue Peter as she returns to the ECML hauling a charter train for the first time in 23 years! On 13th July 2024.

This day would see the A2 haul a private charter with owner Jeremy Hosking on board from London Kings Cross to York whilst prior to this she would be rededicated in a ceremony at Kings Cross.

We first see Blue Peter at Watton-at-Stone charging up the gradient at speed as if it was flat with some toots from the teapot whistle to the crowd on the very busy station.

We then move just north of Peterborough, to Tallington where we see the A2 storming northbound over the big and busy level crossing and under the bridge which.

Next we were supposed to capture the locomotive at Claypole after departing the loop but due to passing the loop without stopping making her 25 mins early where she was looped at Carlton-on-Trent Loop so we decided to try getting to Sutton-on-Trent instead but sadly due to the train being let out the loop 18 mins early we also missed this shot.

After the disappointments in Nottinghamshire, we moved into Yorkshire where we 60532 passing through Doncaster where she was built. Unfortunately however the hopes of a fast pass through were dashed as she looped to let a passing Azuma heading fro Edinburgh by due to the tour now being 11 mins late after departing the booked water stop location of Babworth Loop in Retford. We see the A2 powering back up to speed after she was held up.

The final location of the video would be Burn as the pacific makes her way towards York at speed to end off the day.

Overall in terms of the day, apart from annoyingly missing a shot it was a pretty good day...

But cannot describe how happy I have been to see Blue Peter return to steam and back on the mainline where she belongs, having grown up with her living locally to me on display at Barrow Hill Roundhouse, ever since I was a kid I dreamt of the day that I would see this legend of steam running again and the day finally came over 10 years after it was announced she was going to return to steam.

She truly is a great locomotive and hopefully, she can make many appearances on the channel in the future!

A big thanks also goes out to Lewis Shields & John Astley for sharing their footage of her at Doncaster!

Chapters:
00:06 - Video intro
00:07 - Watton-at-Stone
01:17 - Tallington
02:27 - Doncaster
03:48 - Burn
04:50 - Video outro

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