50007+50049 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' +50049 'Defiance' arrive at Perth with 1Z50 Inverness - Perth 'The Grampian Highlander' railtour 25.8.24 Over the English Bank Holiday Weekend of 24th - 26th August, Pathfinders Railtours operated a 3 day tour departing from Taunton in Somerset called the 'Grampian Highlander', initially using 66306 to haul the train to Gloucester, where 306 was removed and swapped over for newly repainted class 50s 50007 & 50049, which would remain on the tour over the weekend.   The tour then made the long journey north, heading to Aberdeen!

Sunday 25th August was day 2 of the 'Grampian Highlander' railtour, which travelled from Aberdeen to Inverness, then Inverness to Perth and back to Aberdeen.   Monday 26th was the final day of the tour, departing from Aberdeen and visiting the recently opened branch to Leven, before heading south back to Gloucester and a traction swap back to a class 66 for the final leg to Taunton.   

I had went out to photo the tour on the Saturday at Greenfaulds, however, having been cloudy and raining off and on for most of the afternoon, the sun came out just before the tour arrived and was right behind the train and unfortunately the backlighting from the sun wrecked the shot!   I knew I wouldn't be able to get any photos on the Monday as I was working (Monday wasn't a Bank Holiday in Scotland), so I decided to make a 2nd attempt to photo the tour and headed up to Perth on the Sunday afternoon!

Rather than heading into the station it's self, I parked on Priory Place, and took photos from St Lenoards Bridge, which overlooks the station and also provides a good vantage point for movements from the south.  

Having been a dreadful day weatherwise, I didn't hold out much hope of staying dry, however it did stay mostly dry apart from a couple of showers and the sun also came out very briefly as well!   The tour was in the vacinity of the station for around an hour with various movements and shunts to get the stock from Platform 4 (on the Inverness line) to Platform 2 on the Aberdeen line.   Below are a few photos of the action with a brief description under the shots.   The tour featuring the newly repainted GBRF class 50s: 50007 'Hercules' & 50049 'Defiance' in BR Large Logo livery.

50007+50049 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' +50049 'Defiance' arrive at Perth with 1Z50 Inverness - Perth 'The Grampian Highlander' railtour 25.8.24	50007+50049 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' +50049 'Defiance' are seen at Perth with 1Z50 Inverness - Perth 'The Grampian Highlander' railtour as BTP liveried 170407 departs with 1T84 15.32 Aberdeen - Glasgow Queen Street service 25.8.24
50007 & 50049 have just arrived at Perth working as 1Z50 from Inverness	50007 & 50049 await the departure of BTP liveried Scotrail Turbostar 170405 with 1T84 15.32 Aberdeen - Glasgow Queen Street service
50007 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' departs Perth to run round to the rear of the 'Grampian Highlander' railtour 25.8.24	50007 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' runs round at Perth, heading to the rear of the 'Grampian Highlander' railtour 25.8.24
50007 then draws forward out of Platform 4, under the road bridge	Having crossed over to the northbound line and then reversed, 50007 once again approaches the station and will pass through platform 7 and will reverse onto the rear of the train.
50049 tnt 50007 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50049 'Defiance' and 50007 'Hercules' top and tail the 'Grampian Railtour' as they prepare to depart Perth southwards from platform 4 to change ends and head into platform 2 with 1Z51 to Aberdeen 25.8.24	50049 tnt 50007 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50049 'Defiance' and 50007 'Hercules' top and tail the 'Grampian Railtour' as they prepare to depart Perth southwards from platform 4 to change ends and head into platform 2 with 1Z51 to Aberdeen 25.8.24
50049 then leads the tour out of platform 4 with 50007 now on the rear of the train, initially south before crossing over to head northwards via platform 2	50007 is seen on the rear as the tour snakes across onto the northbound line before reversing back into the station
50007 tnt 50049 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' and 50049 'Defiance ' top and tail the 'Grampian Railtour' as they arrive at Perth with 1Z51 to Aberdeen 25.8.24	50007 tnt 50049 at PerthBR Large Logo liveried 50007 'Hercules' and 50049 'Defiance ' top and tail the 'Grampian Railtour' as they depart Perth with 1Z51 to Aberdeen 25.8.24
In a brief moment of sunshine, 50007 now leading, heads the tour stock as it heads into platform 2, now working as 1Z51 to Aberdeen.	After picking up some of the passengers that didn't get back on at Platform 4, the tour departed northwards, 50049 is seen on the rear of the stock as the tour leaves.