Scan of a slide taken in July 1998: this snap is easy enough to roughly date, as I know it was the first transport snap I took after we moved to the Hants/Dorset border and less than a week into the move I headed back to London for a reunion with some ex-colleagues taking this snap at the start of the journey.
At this time the 442s were ten years old and would dominate Weymouth services until 2007 when the introduction of the Desiro units displaced them. During that period although some services were worked by slam door stock, the 442s carried me on most of my commutes to work between Hinton Admiral and Bournemouth.
Scan of a slide taken 25/03/98; The Class 47 is working the diesel leg of a Hertfordshire Tours 'Settle and Carlisle Circular' Merrymaker excursion from Kings Cross. The Class 47 took over at York and reached Carlisle via the Settle and Carlisle line. The route back to York was via Low Fell junction and Ferry Hill South Junction. At York an electric loco would take over and head the excursion back to Kings Cross.
Scan of a slide taken 25/03/98; The Class 47 was working the diesel leg of a Hertfordshire Tours 'Settle and Carlisle Circular' Merrymaker excursion from Kings Cross. The Class 47 took over at York and reached Carlisle via the Settle and Carlisle line. The route back to York was via Low Fell junction and Ferry Hill South Junction. This was taken in the gloaming at York where Class 86 No. 86-426 took over to head the excursion back under the wires to Kings Cross.
Scan of a slide taken 25/03/98; The Hertfordshire Tours 'Settle and Carlisle Circular' Merrymaker excursion from Kings Cross was worked by a Class 86 from Kings Cross to York, then by a Class 47 to Carlisle via the Settle and Carlisle line. The Class 47 then worked back to York via Low Fell junction and Ferry Hill South Junction. This was taken at York where Class 86 No. 86-426 took over to head the excursion back under the wires to Kings Cross.
Class 86-426 carried the name 'Pride of the Nation' but I'm not sure whether this was the case at the time or not.