1550 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

Two Sundays in August 1981 saw celebrity Deltic 55002 (D9002) "THE KING'S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY" employed by BR Eastern Region on 'Merrymaker' trips from Newcastle to Whitby. The excursions included return trips from Whitby to Middlesbrough before returning from Whitby to Newcastle. With the second of these tours on 30th August 1981 55002 is seen arriving at Billingham, on the Sunderland coast line, with the outward 1G30 08:53 Newcastle - Whitby leg of the trip...


1549 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...Following arrival at Whitby 55002 is seen having reversed the stock out of the platform to facilitate the run-round...


1548 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...With Whitby's semaphores flanking 55002 the locomotive runs-round the stock of a 'Merrymaker' trip from Newcastle on Sunday 30th August 1981...


1547 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...55002 (D9002) "THE KING'S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY" forms the 1G30 12:44 Whitby - Middlesbrough 'Merrymaker' service at Whitby on August 30th 1981...


1546 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

... Second arrival of the day at Whitby sees 55002 (D9002) "THE KING'S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY" with the 1G30 15:10 Middlesbrough - Whitby 'Merrymaker' excursion service...


1545 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...Now with the summer sun shining 55002 waits to run-round at Whitby for the final time on 30th August 1981...


1544 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...It is possible that BR Eastern region had requested green-liveried 55002 for both 'Merrymaker' trips from Newcastle to Whitby on Sundays 2nd and 30th August 1981, however, the second of the trips may have been close to seeing another member of the class visit the east coast resort, as 55002 had required Doncaster Works attention, for a power unit change, only days before this view at Whitby on Sunday August 30th...


1543 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...With just about every vantage point taken, including Whitby's signal box, 55002 (D9002) "THE KING'S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY" runs-round its train thus forming the final part of its days activities a return to Newcastle...


1556 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...Now ready with its final train of the day 55002 waits at Whitby with the 1G30 17:27 Whitby - Newcastle 'Merrymaker' service on Sunday 30th August 1981...


1555 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...With four trips over the section between Middlesbrough and Whitby, on Sunday 30th August,  Battersby box was certainly kept busy with four run-rounds for 55002 and its 'Merrymaker' services. Here 55002 completes the last of the manoeuvres as it backs onto the 1G30 17:27 Whitby - Newcastle service...


1554 - Photo: Jerry Glover.

...55002 (D9002) "THE KING'S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY" waits to depart Billingham for a trip via the coast and Sunderland to Newcastle on Sunday 30th August 1981 with a BR 'Merrymaker' service from Whitby.

 30/08/81 - 1G30 17:27 Whitby - Newcastle. Deltic Deadline No.40: Page 14.
30/08/81 - 1G30 17:27 Whitby - Newcastle. Last Days of the Deltics: Page 72.

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