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Les goes loco for his train!
Dec 14 2006 By Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail
RADIO presenter Les Ross is living a childhood dream - by buying his own train.
The pint-sized DJ is now the proud owner of the 40-year-old locomotive named after him to mark the end of his 26-year stint on BRMB in 2002.
A year later the train - which clocked up more than five million miles - was retired from its duties along the West Coast Main Line.
But for the last five months the 57-year-old has been rolling up his sleeves to help restore the vintage engine to its former glory so it can make a return to the rails next year.
Les said: "It was one of those ideas that kind of emerged, so instead of just buying the name plates I ended up buying the engine.
"I've been into trains since I was a kid and Virgin named it after me because I'm a celebrity train spotter. I probably saw this engine when it was brand new. I was 16 when it came out little knowing I would end up owning it.
"It's a childhood dream to get to work on your own train. But can you imagine as a train enthusiast having one named after you to start with, to then be able to own it later?
"I could never have dreamt it really."
The electric loco, built during the mid-1960s, is 58ft long and weighs 84 tonnes. During its transformation at Tyseley Locomotive Works it was given back its original 1966 British Rail bright blue livery.
Les added: "It's spent pretty well all of its 40 years running up and down the West Coast Main Line and gone through the Midlands, so it's very familiar with the Birmingham area."
The engine is being unveiled at the depot on WednesdayDec 20 and Les hopes it will be running with Vintage Trains in 2007.
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