55009 (D9009) "ALYCIDON" prepares to re-engine the 1M69 09:45 Edinburgh - Liverpool service at York on the 27th December 1981 - complete with headboard and wreath it was to be the last Deltic hauled passenger service over the Pennines to Liverpool...
On Sunday 27th December 1981 55009 (D9009) "ALYCIDON" had the honour of being the last Deltic to work service trains via the Pennines. The locomotive is seen at Bradford with the 1M69 09:45 Edinburgh - Liverpool, which it had taken forward from York, suitably adorned with a headboard. The return working, and subsequently the last service was the 1E22 19:10 Liverpool - York...
...English Electric traction shares Liverpool Lime Street, on the evening of 27th December 1981, as an AC electric class 86, the more usual visitor to Liverpool, rests alongside Deltic 55009 (D9009) "ALYCIDON" as it prepares to return to York with the 1E22 19:10 service...
...The Deltic locomotives first saw use on 'out-and-back' services to Liverpool in 1979, on the 19th June of that year 55015 (D9015) "TULYAR" surprised most when it was rostered for the 1M73 11:28 Newcastle - Liverpool and 1E16 17:05 Liverpool - Newcastle services. At this time the Deltic locomotives were finding themselves displaced from Anglo-Scottish express services and with the ECML in turmoil with the closure of the line at Penmanshiel (due to tunnel collapse), it was decided the class could be put to use on Trans-Pennine services to Liverpool using Newcastle and York crews already familiar with the class. With the exception of early withdrawal casualties 55001 (D9001) "ST. PADDY" and 55020 (D9020) "NIMBUS" all the remaining production machines made the trip to Liverpool over the following two years with 55007 (D9007) "PINZA" the last to visit Liverpool on the 16th August 1981. Needless to say in late 1981, as each farewell to the class was marked with headboards and wreaths, the final trip over the Pennines was also suitably adorned and on the 27th December 55009 (D9009) "ALYCIDON" became the last Deltic to complete the trip. Here 55009, complete with "Trans-Pennine Deltic Lament" headboard is seen after arrival back at York with the final run from Liverpool the 1E22 19:10 service from Lime Street.
