The Branch Line Society is running a ‘Down to Dundee’ rail tour from the East Midlands to Dundee on Thursday, 19th March, with all profits being donated to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH).

The tour is being run to position stock ready for the society’s three-day BWC4 tour around Central Scotland, which starts on Friday, 20th March.

A Class 57/3 will be at the head of the train when it departs from Peterborough at 11:00 on its way to Leicester.

At Leicester, the Class 57/3 will be substituted for a pair of Europhoenix Class 37s, including a Class 37/4. The tour will depart at 12:00, and continue via the freight-only line to Castle Donnington and the North Staffordshire line to further stops to pick up passengers at Uttoxeter at 12:45, Crewe at 13:40, and Preston at 15:50.

Travelling north along the WCML, the train continues via Shap to Carlisle for a further pick-up at 15:50, then via Beattock into the Scottish lowlands to Cumbernauld for a pick-up at 17:30 before arriving in Dundee at 19:00.

It is hoped that the stops at Preston and Carlisle will be long enough for participants to photograph the Class 37s at the head of the train. The ascents of Shap and Beattock should generate some typical Tractor noise, from the Class 37s

A 19:00 arrival at Dundee will allow plenty of time to explore the city, known as the “City of Discovery”, with its blend of heritage, design, and natural beauty. Participants can also sample many historic pubs in the city, and restaurants in the modern, redeveloped waterfront.

On board the train, there will be a buffet car serving drinks, snacks, and light refreshments, and a real ale bar.

The tour is restricted to Branch Line Society members only, and tickets cost £89; non-members can join the Branch Line Society via its homepage for £12 per year.

The Branch Line Society occasionally runs positioning moves when locomotives are delivered to different locations for rail tours, such as last year when a tour hauled by Class 50 No. 50008 was scheduled from Eastleigh to Kidderminster Severn Valley Railway, and a return repositioning move back to Eastleigh.