Virgin Cross Country announced that D9000 would have a regular diagram during the summer 1998 timetable, this being the Saturdays
only Ramsgate train. The first day of operation was 30 May 1998, and I positioned myself at Roade near Northampton. The thought of
a Deltic working a regular passenger diagram in 1998 was something that I would believe when I saw it, or to be more precise, I would
believe about 5 minutes before I saw it when I could hear the unmistakable sound of a Deltic approaching in the distance. D9000 races
through Roade with 1O99, 0658 Birmingham New Street to Ramsgate.
Date: 30 May 1998