5529 Jinx or fond memories? Like 47555 in the UK wherever you go it turns up. I was to “have” 5529 on numerous occasions after this photo was taken. It is seen at the head of a service to Liers via Gouvy and Liege. To this day these services run bi hourly as “IR” trains every two hours. The line from Gouvy to Liege was not electrified in 1992 so diesels were the order for quite some time to come. Today the trains still run to much the same timetable with dual voltage electric locos (normally CFL class 3000). The almost three hour ride via Gouvy behind a GM with an open window was so much better than the ride down on the units. This was my first experience of the GMs of Belgium and whilst not everyone rated them, they were similar in sound to the Irish class 121s / 141s so I was hooked and know I would be back.

17th November 1992.