Clean classics, shame about the diesel loco
March, Cambridgeshire, Autumn 1989
Class 31 diesel-electric locomotive No 31 232 looks gloriously grimy as it rumbles past the much sprucier cars belonging to British Rail staff at March’s Whitemoor yard. Given the nature of the site, the cleanliness of all the cars is quite remarkable. We’re very taken by the 1983 Vauxhall Chevette L Special saloon, with its two-tone metallic Antique Gold and Mocca Brown complemented by straked wheeltrims. Oh, to be watching the trains go by from the comfort of its Donegal Tweed cloth trim interior.
The Vauxhall that replaced the Chevette, an Astra, is next. It is an early MkII dating from 1984. Then there’s a glimpse of C97 HAX, a 1297cc 1986 Peugeot 309, after which there’s a real rarity, a Datsun New Sunny B310 van, as built from 1977 to 1983 (although this one looks to be a post-October 1979 facelift). Do any still survive?
Tri-wheeled splendour
After the smart-looking 1984 Vauxhall Cavalier MkII, there’s the tri-wheeled Reliant Robin MkI, keeping company with a Talbot Alpine showing off its 1980-facelifted rear. The final vehicles that can be discerned are a red 1973-79 era Colt Lancer, a Volkswagen Golf MkI in the same hue and also sporting a black vinyl roof, then an Austin Maxi in one of Leyland’s favourite overarching shades, Sandglow.
Nothing here with discernible numbers survives, including 31 232; it was cut up in 2003.
