67006 & 67021, 07.50 London Victoria-Liverpool South Parkway (1Z39, 3L) & Class 390, VT 08.47 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1B29, 3L), Roade cutting
As the 08.47 Birmingham New Street to Euston Avanti West
Coast service heads south through Roade cutting as something far more interesting heads north! 67006 'Royal Sovereign' leads the 1Z39 07.50 Victoria to Liverpool South Parkway charter with 67021 on the rear. The train is conveying racegoers, no doubt enjoying a champagne breakfast, to Merseyside for the Grand National. In past years the charter would have been able to access the racecourse directly terminating at Aintree station which had a number of excursion sidings for the stabling of stock. With those now long-gone passengers are forced to transfer to Merseyrail services for the final leg of their journeys; not quite the same is it really? With regard to the race itself, last year's winner Corach Rambler failed to finish with the joint favourite I Am Maximus winning at 7/1. My wife and son both were able to collect a healthy payout as they both backed the Willie Mullins-trained winner recovering their losses over the last ten years or so of betting on the National!