End of the steam era...

[L+Y]

If one were able to travel back in time to, say, June 1968, how much working BR steam would be actually observed in the North West? Assuming our hypothetical time traveller had no access to WTTs or whatever.

Did any lines see booked steam passenger workings at this point, besides the Blackpool South and Ormskirk/Liverpool Exchange portion workings from Preston?

And how far outside Lancashire could BR steam be seen in the final months?

 

[70014IronDuke]

If one were able to travel back in time to, say, June 1968, how much working BR steam would be actually observed in the North West? Assuming our hypothetical time traveller had no access to WTTs or whatever.

Well, that's a difficult question. You put June as the month of choice - and that includes the Manchester area sheds - Patricroft, Newton Heath and Bolton. I can't answer for those, as I was only up in the final 12 days, late July to August 3.

But at that point, if you were hanging around the shed areas (ie Carnforth, Lostock Hall and Rose Grove) there was usually something going on - locos being coaled, taking water, some very limited maintenance, passing freight. In fact, one of the most astonishing things at the time for me was: How are they going to end ALL this in a few days time?

But of course, once away from the sheds on specific lines, you had to rely on the odd freight or mineral goods. But yes, you did see (and could photograph) these, certainly at Preston, mostly limited to the East Lancs line IIRC.

Did any lines see booked steam passenger workings at this point, besides the Blackpool South and Ormskirk/Liverpool Exchange portion workings from Preston?

In the last month, I don't think the 21.xx Preston - Liverpool Exchange could be relied upon as a steam working. It was steam on Friday, Aug 2 (a surprise) and Saturday Aug 3, but not every day at all. I got the impression it was more often a Cl 24 or 25.

In the final 12 days, there were no other steam workings that I knew of, except for a failed DMU on the Windermere branch, which was hauled on the main line by a Black 5. We passed that early one morning on a Carlisle - Euston train, IIRC on the Tuesday of the last week.

And how far outside Lancashire could BR steam be seen in the final months?

Again, it depends how you define the "final months", but after Carlisle (end 67) and Liverpool (not sure when, March?) and Tebay (April?) sheds closed Things got much more restricted to historical Lancashire. I don't know when the last steam worked north from Barrow-in-Furness, and I forget if there were trip workings to Skipton at the end. And you still had stuff going over Copy Pit.

Someone else will surely have more details. This was my first time in the Lancashire area north of Manchester and Liverpool, so it was all new and a learning process for me. Magical time though.

 

[Harvester]

If one were able to travel back in time to, say, June 1968, how much working BR steam would be actually observed in the North West? Assuming our hypothetical time traveller had no access to WTTs or whatever.

Did any lines see booked steam passenger workings at this point, besides the Blackpool South and Ormskirk/Liverpool Exchange portion workings from Preston?

And how far outside Lancashire could BR steam be seen in the final months?

At the end of May 1968 the only passenger train booked for steam was the SO 20:50 Preston-Blackpool South. However numerous steam substitutes occurred on passenger workings throughout June and July, including the 21:25 Preston-Liverpool on a few occasions.

The Railway Observer (July 68) also lists 26 trains (parcels and freight) that remained steam hauled through Preston at the end of May.

 

[Bevan Price]

It was just a slow, steady decline. Often just short trip freights, infrastructure trains, light engine movements, plus (mainly) assorted railtours. The last steam movements I photographed around Todmorden & Bolton seem to have been on 26 June 1968, but in early to mid-July, I was on a family holiday in Cornwall.
75019 did a trip working from Carnforth on 3 August, and the last of all (apart from railtours) seems to have been 48519 on a ballast working at Rose Grove on Sunday 4 August 1968.

The unluckiest loco at that period seems to have been Black 5 no. 44888 - specially cleaned and towed to Derby for the Works Open Day on 31 August 1968 - but failed to survive into preservation.

 

[nw1]

On a related topic, how long did steam survive on Waterloo-Exeter? Did it convert to diesel haulage at the same time as the introduction of REPs and TCs to Bournemouth, i.e July 1967?

I would (naively) guess the two things happened about the same time, assuming steam locos were shared between the two routes.

 

[Magdalia]

On a related topic, how long did steam survive on Waterloo-Exeter? Did it convert to diesel haulage at the same time as the introduction of REPs and TCs to Bournemouth, i.e July 1967?

I would (naively) guess the two things happened about the same time, assuming steam locos were shared between the two routes.

No. Salisbury-Exeter was transferred to the WR, and Warships took over at the winter 1964 timetable change.

 

[Taunton]

No. Salisbury-Exeter was transferred to the WR, and Warships took over at the winter 1964 timetable change.

Likewise the local passenger services, as the wayside stations between Salisbury and Exeter were still open until around 1966, were changed over to Western Region diesel multiple units, a motley bunch transferred in spare from elsewhere, including former Cardiff Valleys suburban units with no toilet etc facilities, which caused much complaining. Exmouth Junction steam shed closed in summer 1965, ending steam facilities.

I believe east of Salisbury still remained steam to the end on some Waterloo services, right to the final steam day. If I recall correctly the regular stopping services from Basingstoke to Salisbury and to Reading had been joined together and worked by Southern demus from when they were built in the early 1960s.

 

[nw1]

No. Salisbury-Exeter was transferred to the WR, and Warships took over at the winter 1964 timetable change.

Ah, ok, many thanks. Presumably that's when the ACE and the like also finished.

What sort of coaching stock was operating the route by 1967? I see in the 1967 SWD CWN (a fascinating document, covering both hauled stock and EMUs) on the brcoachingstock group that some services were made up of numbered "sets". For example the 1100 Salisbury, off 0615 Exeter, is shown as "3 set 155/160; 4 RMB Set 170/171; 3 Set 155/160".

That does not sound like standard Mk-I as, from what I understand, these were never made up into 3- or 4-car "sets", so was the coaching stock something older than Mk-I?

I believe east of Salisbury still remained steam to the end on some Waterloo services, right to the final steam day. If I recall correctly the regular stopping services from Basingstoke to Salisbury and to Reading had been joined together and worked by Southern demus from when they were built in the early 1960s.

TimetableWorld contains some timetables from this era, and the BR Coaching Stock group on groups.io has some CWNs. The pattern around 1963 seemed to be a clockface xx54 steam service to Basingstoke (fast to Woking then all). Some of these went through to Salisbury. A few years earlier, late 50s, more of these extended beyond Basingstoke.

The up service seemed a bit more irregularly timed.

Wondering if this service (Waterloo-Basingstoke stopper) remained steam, in the xx54 slot, right up to electrification? Don't have any 1965 or 1966 CWNs or timetables to hand.

 

[neilmc]

You'd think that steam would have been confined to the North West once the Eastern Region depots closed to steam in 1967 and the last servicing depot, Normanton, stopped servicing cross-Pennine LMR locos at the very end of the year, but in fact there were still workings into Yorkshire in 1968 right up to the end of steam. Rose Grove locos worked coal trains to and from Healey Mills near Wakefield and Carnforth 9Fs took oil trains to Leeds right up until the final few weeks if not days. I'm not sure Eastern Region were too pleased to see these but as long as the crew could take them out and back in a day on one load of coal and water there wasn't much they could do.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Ah, ok, many thanks. Presumably that's when the ACE and the like also finished.

What sort of coaching stock was operating the route by 1967? I see in the 1967 SWD CWN (a fascinating document, covering both hauled stock and EMUs) on the brcoachingstock group that some services were made up of numbered "sets". For example the 1100 Salisbury, off 0615 Exeter, is shown as "3 set 155/160; 4 RMB Set 170/171; 3 Set 155/160".

That does not sound like standard Mk-I as, from what I understand, these were never made up into 3- or 4-car "sets", so was the coaching stock something older than Mk-I?


TimetableWorld contains some timetables from this era, and the BR Coaching Stock group on groups.io has some CWNs. The pattern around 1963 seemed to be a clockface xx54 steam service to Basingstoke (fast to Woking then all). Some of these went through to Salisbury. A few years earlier, late 50s, more of these extended beyond Basingstoke.

The up service seemed a bit more irregularly timed.

Wondering if this service (Waterloo-Basingstoke stopper) remained steam, in the xx54 slot, right up to electrification? Don't have any 1965 or 1966 CWNs or timetables to hand.

SR Mk 1 vehicles were formed up into sets (some from new) as well as remaining loose and the 3 car and 4 car sets that you gave seem to be (in 1967) Mk 1 BSK-CK-BSK and BSK-FK-RMB-BSK respectively. With the demise of the previous “painted number” sets in 1966, because the changes to formations was becoming too frequent, the “sets” in existence after then could be a right mixture of (unallocated by painted number) SR and BR stock until in 1967, when the SR tried to get some order back into it all and they allocated individual vehicles back into new sets for the post electrification service.

 

[Snow1964]

Ah, ok, many thanks. Presumably that's when the ACE and the like also finished.

What sort of coaching stock was operating the route by 1967? I see in the 1967 SWD CWN (a fascinating document, covering both hauled stock and EMUs) on the brcoachingstock group that some services were made up of numbered "sets". For example the 1100 Salisbury, off 0615 Exeter, is shown as "3 set 155/160; 4 RMB Set 170/171; 3 Set 155/160".

That does not sound like standard Mk-I as, from what I understand, these were never made up into 3- or 4-car "sets", so was the coaching stock something older than Mk-I?


TimetableWorld contains some timetables from this era, and the BR Coaching Stock group on groups.io has some CWNs. The pattern around 1963 seemed to be a clockface xx54 steam service to Basingstoke (fast to Woking then all). Some of these went through to Salisbury. A few years earlier, late 50s, more of these extended beyond Basingstoke.

The up service seemed a bit more irregularly timed.

Wondering if this service (Waterloo-Basingstoke stopper) remained steam, in the xx54 slot, right up to electrification? Don't have any 1965 or 1966 CWNs or timetables to hand.

Sometime in late 1966, the Basingstoke stoppers went over to EMUs (the Sturt Lane Junction to Basingstoke section was turned on about year before the Basingstoke-Branksome part).

 

[nw1]

Sometime in late 1966, the Basingstoke stoppers went over to EMUs (the Sturt Lane Junction to Basingstoke section was turned on about year before the Basingstoke-Branksome part).

Ah, ok, thanks. Wonder if this is also when the very long standing xx12/42 (ish) Basingstoke pattern was introduced, or did that only come in with full electrifcation the following year?

SR Mk 1 vehicles were formed up into sets (some from new) as well as remaining loose and the 3 car and 4 car sets that you gave seem to be (in 1967) Mk 1 BSK-CK-BSK and BSK-FK-RMB-BSK respectively. With the demise of the previous “painted number” sets in 1966, because the changes to formations was becoming too frequent, the “sets” in existence after then could be a right mixture of (unallocated by painted number) SR and BR stock until in 1967, when the SR tried to get some order back into it all and they allocated individual vehicles back into new sets for the post electrification service.

OK thanks - interesting to know.

 

[70014IronDuke]

No. Salisbury-Exeter was transferred to the WR, and Warships took over at the winter 1964 timetable change.

They were diagrammed to take over, but of course, they failed with alarming regularity and what would be put on the front but any spare Bulleid hanging around in steam! (Or, I suppose, a Standard 5 at times.)

I don't know what facilities were left at Exmouth Jcn, but they definitely had to turn and water steam workings because of Warship failures well into 1965 and I strongly suspect well into 66 too. I suppose at some stage the WR said: No steam on trains west of Salisbury! But I don't know when that was.

I believe east of Salisbury still remained steam to the end on some Waterloo services, right to the final steam day. If I recall correctly the regular stopping services from Basingstoke to Salisbury and to Reading had been joined together and worked by Southern demus from when they were built in the early 1960s.

ISTR reading that on the final Saturday of steam, one of the early Waterloo - Salisbury trains was worked by an 80xxx Standard tank. And yes, there were Salisbury - Reading (and, I think, Southampton Liner Terminus - Reading) DEMUs - Hampshire and Sussex? sets.

You'd think that steam would have been confined to the North West once the Eastern Region depots closed to steam in 1967 and the last servicing depot, Normanton, stopped servicing cross-Pennine LMR locos at the very end of the year, but in fact there were still workings into Yorkshire in 1968 right up to the end of steam. Rose Grove locos worked coal trains to and from Healey Mills near Wakefield and Carnforth 9Fs took oil trains to Leeds right up until the final few weeks if not days.

There were no 9Fs in service in July or August 1968. When the last ones were withdrawn, I know not, but they were not moving at the end. And, from memory, there were only 2-3 dumped at Carnforth by that time. If I can find my logbook, I could confirm that. My feeling is that the last ones must have been withdrawn by May 68 at the latest, but more likely March or April.

In the final two weeks of steam, the bulk of working locos were Black 5s and 8Fs. From memory, there was one Standard 5 (transferred from Patricroft in June, especially saved by the shed foreman, I believe, as an excellent loco) and I think two Standard 4 4-6-0s, which I think had been Tebay bankers.

 

[Harvester]

Wondering if this service (Waterloo-Basingstoke stopper) remained steam, in the xx54 slot, right up to electrification? Don't have any 1965 or 1966 CWNs or timetables to hand.

The 18:54 did, remaining steam hauled throughout the 12 June to 9 July 1967 interim timetable, introduced because of the delays to electrification. The last steam run was on Friday 7th July with WC 34025.

The last Waterloo-Woking/Salisbury stopper was the 04:40 departure from Waterloo on Saturday 8th July behind Standard 2-6-0 76066.

Edit: Checked again after @70014IronDuke posted, and indeed the last Waterloo-Salisbury was the 07:18 departure on Saturday 8th July behind Standard 2-6-2T 82029. Nine Elms must have been desperate for motive power by then.

 

[Clarence Yard]

On the last day it was a way of working locos to Salisbury for eventual disposal.

 

[neilmc]

There were no 9Fs in service in July or August 1968. When the last ones were withdrawn, I know not, but they were not moving at the end. And, from memory, there were only 2-3 dumped at Carnforth by that time. If I can find my logbook, I could confirm that. My feeling is that the last ones must have been withdrawn by May 68 at the latest, but more likely March or April.

In the final two weeks of steam, the bulk of working locos were Black 5s and 8Fs. From memory, there was one Standard 5 (transferred from Patricroft in June, especially saved by the shed foreman, I believe, as an excellent loco) and I think two Standard 4 4-6-0s, which I think had been Tebay bankers.

Just looked up a magazine I have regarding the end of steam and the last two 9Fs, 92160 and 92167, went in June 1968 so I think for the very last few weeks 8Fs took over these duties, I recall seeing one at Neville Hill some time in 1968.

 

[Harvester]

I don't know what facilities were left at Exmouth Jcn, but they definitely had to turn and water steam workings because of Warship failures well into 1965 and I strongly suspect well into 66 too. I suppose at some stage the WR said: No steam on trains west of Salisbury! But I don't know when that was.

There were a couple of summer Saturday trains running from Waterloo to Exmouth (via Budleigh Salterton) and Sidmouth in 1965, steam hauled to Sidmouth Junc. The locos then ran LE to Exmouth Jc for turning and servicing, so facilities were certainly retained by the WR during that summer and maybe beyond. IIRC there were also lots of specials to Exeter Central during 1966, some using foreign locos (A4 Kingfisher springs to mind) that were serviced at 72A.

 

[Taunton]

There were a couple of summer Saturday trains running from Waterloo to Exmouth (via Budleigh Salterton) and Sidmouth in 1965, steam hauled to Sidmouth Junc. The locos then ran LE to Exmouth Jc for turning and servicing, so facilities were certainly retained by the WR during that summer and maybe beyond. IIRC there were also lots of specials to Exeter Central during 1966, some using foreign locos (A4 Kingfisher springs to mind) that were serviced at 72A.

I think these were the last steam passenger turns in the West (excluding the Somerset & Dorset), Warship from Waterloo to Sidmouth Junction, with 412xx tank engines taking over the summer Saturday through trains at Sidmouth Junction to Sidmouth and Exmouth. I believe the tanks double-headed it down to Tipton St Johns, where the train was divided and one each took it on. As the timetable showed they passed the comparable Up Waterloo train joining up at Tipton, it must have been a bit of a mob scene. The GW steam shed at Exeter had closed by summer 1965, but a few Western steam locos made it through there and went up the hill to Exmouth Junction for servicing. Yeovil shed was still open as well, but last year for both I believe.

Also summer 1965, a lazy hot afternoon at Taunton, steam gone, when all the Down Main signals unexpectedly came off. Running at speed, one of the last 38xx 2-8-0 came through with a block Presflo cement train, which I later found was periodically run from Westbury to Exeter, and which would have had to go up to Exmouth Junction for servicing. Unusually linked up, with notably short exhaust beats making almost a drumming sound which I still recall, it swept grandly by and disappeared under the Staplegrove Road bridge. And that was the last steam train, ever, that I saw at Taunton ...

 

[52290]

My photos taken during the last week of steam show Black 5 45318 seemingly pulling out of Preston with a passenger train or it could have been ecs. Taken on 1/8/68. All the rest were taken on Friday 2/8/68 wow exactly 54 years ago this day. The 8F is at Hoghton with empties from Whitebirk power station, the Black 5 is at Cadley, north of Preston, with mainly cattle trucks, no cows though! The standard 5 is no doubt the one referred to by @70014IronDuke at Carnforth shed. I also have a photo of 92091on the scrap line at Carnforth on this date.

 

[Beebman]

The 18:54 did, remaining steam hauled throughout the 12 June to 9 July 1967 interim timetable, introduced because of the delays to electrification. The last steam run was on Friday 7th July with WC 34025.

The last Waterloo-Woking/Salisbury stopper was the 04:40 departure from Waterloo on Saturday 8th July behind Standard 2-6-0 76066.

Edit: Checked again after @70014IronDuke posted, and indeed the last Waterloo-Salisbury was the 07:18 departure on Saturday 8th July behind Standard 2-6-2T 82029. Nine Elms must have been desperate for motive power by then.

According to John H Bird in his book 'Southern Steam Surrender' (published by Kingfisher in 1987), the booked engine for the 07:18 departure failed and the only loco that Nine Elms could find was 82029 which was in use as a station pilot (presumably at Waterloo?).

 

[Magdalia]

My photos taken during the last week of steam show Black 5 45318 seemingly pulling out of Preston with a passenger train or it could have been ecs. Taken on 1/8/68. All the rest were taken on Friday 2/8/68 wow exactly 54 years ago this day. The 8F is at Hoghton with empties from Whitebirk power station, the Black 5 is at Cadley, north of Preston, with mainly cattle trucks, no cows though! The standard 5 is no doubt the one referred to by @70014IronDuke at Carnforth shed. I also have a photo of 92091on the scrap line at Carnforth on this date.

In the Preston picture the loco looks like it is carrying class 1 express passenger lamps.

According to Railway Observer October 1968 45318 was the last steam loco to haul a timetabled passenger service, working 2125 Preston-Liverpool on Saturday 3 August 1968. There is a lot of other information on workings around end July/start August, too many to repeat here.

 

[Harvester]

According to John H Bird in his book 'Southern Steam Surrender' (published by Kingfisher in 1987), the booked engine for the 07:18 departure failed and the only loco that Nine Elms could find was 82029 which was in use as a station pilot (presumably at Waterloo?).

Yes 82029 was used to replace a failed Standard 2-6-4T (which was deputising for the booked Crompton Type 3). The motive power situation was quite dire at Nine Elms in the early hours of Saturday 8th July, with few locos available for use. Incoming locos had to be swiftly turned back out, to work the early morning newspaper trains.

 

[70014IronDuke]

In the Preston picture the loco looks like it is carrying class 1 express passenger lamps.

On 1/8/68, together with a lad who lived at Skipton, I went Skipton - Carnforth - Preston - Wigan - Man Vic. 45318 is noted in my logbook seemingly near or at Wigan NW. But it surely was not on a passenger working at this point.

According to Railway Observer October 1968 45318 was the last steam loco to haul a timetabled passenger service, working 2125 Preston-Liverpool on Saturday 3 August 1968.

Yes, well documented.

Just looked up a magazine I have regarding the end of steam and the last two 9Fs, 92160 and 92167, went in June 1968 so I think for the very last few weeks 8Fs took over these duties, I recall seeing one at Neville Hill some time in 1968.

OK. Both in store/dumped on 10A late in July.

On July 22, I have 49 locos on Carnforth shed (I'm guessing at about 14.00hrs). The list includes 7 x 9Fs (so more than I thought earlier) 92071/88/91, 92118/60/67, 92223.

On Tuesday, July 30, 1968 - after ovenighting on a Euston - Glasgow? sleeper to Carlisle and then bunking Workington shed very early that morning, it seems I returned to Carlisle to catch D401 to Oxenholme, where I have noted 44894 hauling a failed DMU. In my memory, I didn't alight at Oxenholme, just passed the Black 5 hauling the failure. Whether it made it to Windermere I know not.

The Standard 5 seems to have been 73069. I saw it somewhere between Preston and Carnforth on 22 July - I have a strong suspicion it was doing station pilot duties at Lancaster Castle.

 

[Taunton]

According to John H Bird in his book 'Southern Steam Surrender' (published by Kingfisher in 1987), the booked engine for the 07:18 departure failed and the only loco that Nine Elms could find was 82029 which was in use as a station pilot (presumably at Waterloo?).

To the end there was a substantial ecs operation between Waterloo and Clapham Yard of hauled stock, which employed several tank locos at any one time. With the coaching stock yard being further out than the loco depot at Nine Elms, it was not so practical to use main line locos from their Waterloo turns to handle empty stock, as for example happened from Old Oak Common with Paddington trains, as such a loco would first have to run light down the main line anyway.

Their pinnacle moment was the 80xxx tank which brought the stock of Sir Winston Churchill's funeral train into Waterloo in 1965, which like the rest of the train had seemingly been polished for a week beforehand.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

not so practical to use main line locos from their Waterloo turns to handle empty stock

Not to forget there were some restrictions at Waterloo (platform lengths). I have a hand written memo dated 3 Oct '63 from the SMO (Station Masters Office) listing same for loco hauled trains using platforms 8 - 15, the core of the Main line part of the station.
Platforms 8 & 13 could accommodate 10 bogies, be the train loaded in and out, or empty one way, loaded the other, with two (main line) locos involved.
Platform 10 likewise, but with 12 bogies, and same for platform 15 with 8 bogies.

Platform 9 could take 10 bogies loaded in and out, but 11 if empty one way or other, therefore a tank had to be used on the empty leg in the latter scenario.
Platform 11 likewise, 12 loaded in and out, but 13 if empty one way or t'other.
Platform 12 likewise, 10 loaded in and out, but 11 if empty one way or t'other.
Platform 14 is slightly different in that it states 9 bogies loaded in and out, also 9 bogies empty in (tank engine?) and loaded out, but 12 bogies loaded in/empty out. This suggests to me a signal gantry position, whereby the loaded in/empty out move could depart on a dummy signal, with the main signal closer to the buffers.

 

[D6968]

On 1/8/68, together with a lad who lived at Skipton, I went Skipton - Carnforth - Preston - Wigan - Man Vic. 45318 is noted in my logbook seemingly near or at Wigan NW. But it surely was not on a passenger working at this point.

Yes, well documented.

OK. Both in store/dumped on 10A late in July.

On July 22, I have 49 locos on Carnforth shed (I'm guessing at about 14.00hrs). The list includes 7 x 9Fs (so more than I thought earlier) 92071/88/91, 92118/60/67, 92223.

On Tuesday, July 30, 1968 - after ovenighting on a Euston - Glasgow? sleeper to Carlisle and then bunking Workington shed very early that morning, it seems I returned to Carlisle to catch D401 to Oxenholme, where I have noted 44894 hauling a failed DMU. In my memory, I didn't alight at Oxenholme, just passed the Black 5 hauling the failure. Whether it made it to Windermere I know not.

The Standard 5 seems to have been 73069. I saw it somewhere between Preston and Carnforth on 22 July - I have a strong suspicion it was doing station pilot duties at Lancaster Castle.

I believe there is a photo somewhere of the Black 5 being watered from a hosepipe at Windermere, due to the water column being out of use.
Can’t remember where I saw it though.

 

[341o2]

Ah, ok, many thanks. Presumably that's when the ACE and the like also finished.

It indeed ended in early September 1964. Closure of Salisbury - Exeter was one of the Beeching proposals which was not implemented, and designated a grey route, that is to say that it must generate its own traffic to survive without further investment

 

[Big Jumby 74]

It indeed ended in early September 1964

The CWN commencing 7th September '64 lacks a certain premier train , replaced by the 11 am Waterloo to Salisbury (3 Set L + 4 RMB Set(12) + 3 Set L). This provided a connection at Salisbury in to the 1025 Brighton to Plymouth, off Salisbury at 1306. The stock off the 1100 ex Waterloo forming the rear part of the 1436 Salisbury to Waterloo.
For interest, attached is the Waterloo CWN page for the summer of '63 including the ACE and the 1105 relief to same.

PS: apologies. I plead guilty to straying a tad from the original post again...

 

[Gloster]

It indeed ended in early September 1964. Closure of Salisbury - Exeter was one of the Beeching proposals which was not implemented, and designated a grey route, that is to say that it must generate its own traffic to survive without further investment

I don’t think that Salisbury-Exeter was proposed for closure, merely to see a ‘Modification of service.’

 

[GRALISTAIR]

My family moved to 4 miles north of Preston (right at start of Barton Loop) February 1966 backing onto the railway. I used to see Brittania class and others regularly. I remember D400s being introduced but I remember seeing steam workings into 1968. Never noted what they were working though some freight I seem to remember.