xotGD
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Should have been named Len Shackleton when it travelled from Newcastle to Sunderland.
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Back in the day...
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Not up to the job, prone to breaking down, perhaps Titus Bramble would have been more appropriate
D6130
Established Member
....or perhaps "Wee Willie Winkie" when it did its other regular turn - the Newcastle-Darlo sleepers via the coast and back again in the morning?
Another European “Back in the Day from me. Some of you may have read a version of this a very long time ago in the magazine “European Report”. I don’t have the original text to hand, so this may differ in some respects. I also mentioned it in passing on the Year 2000 thread on this site …
For a bit of background, back in the year 2000, I was living in Reading and working in London. I timetabled freight trains through the Channel Tunnel, so I would have cause to visit various parts of Europe quite regularly. However, one commitment was that I had to be home on a Saturday because my wife taught music on a Saturday morning at the local music centre, which my children also attended. I had to be around to look after the youngest, then take her to her lesson mid-morning. This is a long way of explaining that getting any time off to go cranking on a Saturday was always going to be tricky. The Domestic Exit Visas were strictly controlled, and in very short supply!
Fortunately, whenever school holidays – such as half term – were on, the music centre was closed, so I might be able to escape a little more easily.
One trip I had been wanting to do for some time was a solo trip on the Ski Eurostar to Bourg St Maurice. Knowing that at half term I could get the Saturday morning off childcare duties, I tried to book the Friday overnight Eurostar from Waterloo to Bourg St Maurice and the Saturday overnight return (to cover two different sets, and to give me a chance to do some track bashing in France). Unfortunately – it being peak ski season – demand was very high, and the only trip available for booking was straight out on the Saturday daytime service and immediate return overnight. OK, that’s better than nothing.
A few days before I was due to depart, I was passing through Waterloo and dropped in to the booking office just to double check seat availability. By some miracle there had been a cancellation, so I was able to get on the Friday evening departure after all.
Friday 25/02/2000
3229 + 3230 1957 Waterloo – Bourg St Maurice via Tonbridge, Channel Tunnel, LGV Nord, Paris CDG, LGV Sud Est, Dijon.
I was able to book a first class seat at a table for two, so I had the full wining and dining experience before dossing fitfully through the night.
Saturday 26/02/00
Having arrived in Bourg St Maurice relatively punctually, I left the thronging hordes of would-be skiers to their own devices and chose a device of my own, namely:
22298 0819 Bourg St Maurice – Chambery
It soon became very clear to me that travelling in France’s main skiing area at the peak weekend of the ski season was not going to be an easy experience. This particular train was uncomfortably full but had nothing on what came next:
67360 + 67353 1106 Chambery – Valence.
This was the 0923 Geneve – Nice, and it arrived 20’ late. It was load 16, mostly old banger stock which only came out for peak weekends like this. The train was entirely full and standing throughout. Some compartments even had people standing in the middle of them. I managed to clamber on board and stood somewhere near the front for most of the journey, admiring the snow-covered scenery, and listening to the pair of diesels working hard. This was all new track for me too. Arrival in Valence was 45’ late, mostly station overtime due to the sheer number of passengers.
From Valence I had a particular train I wanted to cover. The 0901 Nice to Bruxelles Midi was diagrammed to be worked by one of the Eurostar sets which SNCF had withdrawn from Channel Tunnel duties in favour of using them on non-UK long distance services.
3203+3204 1349 Valence – Lyon Part Dieu.
This was a massive claw-back for me, as I had never managed to have this set in Eurostar service before the French reclaimed it for themselves. Job done! Now it was a simple case of bashing some more track and locos prior to my overnight home:
25247 1451 Lyon Part Dieu – Aix les Bains via Amberieu
7404 1642 Aix les Bains - Chambery
22298 (for the second time today!) 1750 Chambery – Albertville, reversed and reengined there to:
22217 1846 Albertville – Bourg St Maurice
So now all I had to do was get on board my waiting Eurostar to take me back to Waterloo. If only it was that simple.
It became apparent that the Eurostar from Waterloo had not long since arrived, several hours late. Given the degree of operational mayhem that the peak ski weekend was causing, I wasn’t entirely surprised. What did surprise me was the presence of a pair of class 67xxx diesels at Bourg St Maurice. I wonder how they got there …
I joined the long queue of passengers waiting to join the Eurostar. I noted that some of them were entirely fit, and were not wearing plaster casts, slings, etc. On the other hand, there were several who looked distinctly “travel worn”. I can understand why travel insurance gets very expensive if you want winter sports cover.
The train was formed of Eurostar 3223 + 3224, which was mildly annoying since I’d had that very same set only four days previously from Waterloo to Lille Europe whilst at work.
3224 + 3223 2208 Bourg St Maurice – Waterloo
We departed somewhat late. All was going well until we approached Albertville, where the train was scheduled to reverse. The guard came on and announced (in an outrageous French accent that Monty Python would have loved) “Lades an Gennelmen, please return to your seats. Due to an electric problem, we will ‘ave to turn off the lights during about one hour.”
Hmm, interesting.
What this meant (when translated from the original Franglais) was that the Eurostar set was incapable of working on 1500v DC. From Bourg St Maurice to Albertville was 25kV AC, so that was fine, but the Albertville station area and beyond was all 1500v DC. The cunning plan was this. The Eurostar would get the road into Albertville, then take power as far as the neutral section, and coast downhill to a gentle halt in the platform, where the pair of diesels I had seen earlier at Bourg St Maurice would attach to the rear and haul us as far as necessary to reach 25kV again. A great plan, slightly flawed in the execution. We got the road, took power, reached the neutral section, coasted … slowed down … and ground to a complete halt straddling the station throat! Job entirely stopped. After some delay, the pair of diesels – which had been following us down from Bourg St Maurice – attached to the rear of the train and propelled us into the station. That’s when another problem emerged. The 18+2 Eurostar was just within the maximum length for the loops at Albertville station, but when you attached a pair of diesels to one end, we were too long for the loop, fouling the points at one end or the other. Despite the late hour, there were still several more trains that needed to come into Albertville and run round or re-engine, so for the next hour or so we shuffled backwards and forwards a couple of coach lengths at a time, to clear one end of the loop for a train to arrive, then the other end for the loco to run round, then back to the other end again for the loco to attach and depart. This carried on until well into the small hours, by which time we were the only train left. Finally we were allowed to depart:
67217 + 67215 (hauling 3223 + 3224 dead) 2315 Albertville – St Andre le Gaz
To my surprise, instead of following the same route as we had on the outward run, from Chambery we took the branch line route direct to Saint Andre le Gaz, as that was the closest part of the 25kV network (a good call by SNCF Control). More new track for me. By this stage, the train had been entirely without heat or light for a couple of hours. There weren’t even any emergency lights working. I witnessed one of the stewardesses walking through the carriage carrying two disposable lighters, one in each hand, which she was flicking on and off to give her some basic lighting, but they were burning her fingers as the lighters got too hot. Night-time in the French Alps in February is not noted for being warm, so the train was getting painfully chilly.
Thankfully after about 90 minutes we reached St Andre le Gaz, power was restored, and our diesels detached. We joined the LGV Sud Est south of Lyon. That’s when the really impressive part began. By now we were hours late, so we had time to make up. Once we were on the LGV, the Eurostar was cranked up to 300 kph and left there for considerable periods. You may have heard the phrase “Going like hell in the night”. Well, that was how it was. We ran at maximum speed via Paris CDG, Lille, and Maidstone, and were only about half an hour late into Waterloo, which given the fiascos which preceded it was a very good recovery.
I wrote a full report of my experiences and sent it to Eurostar. I had a good working relationship with my colleagues there, so I was careful to word the report in such a way as to “seek learning experiences” and “provide a better customer environment” rather than trying to drop anybody in it. I believe Eurostar held an internal enquiry (or “Retour d’Experience” as our French colleagues would term it), and steps were taken to ensure that the sets heading for Bourg St Maurice were thoroughly tested beforehand in future, rather than taking pot luck that the sets would work as advertised.
An unexpectedly eventful weekend.
For a bit of background, back in the year 2000, I was living in Reading and working in London. I timetabled freight trains through the Channel Tunnel, so I would have cause to visit various parts of Europe quite regularly. However, one commitment was that I had to be home on a Saturday because my wife taught music on a Saturday morning at the local music centre, which my children also attended. I had to be around to look after the youngest, then take her to her lesson mid-morning. This is a long way of explaining that getting any time off to go cranking on a Saturday was always going to be tricky. The Domestic Exit Visas were strictly controlled, and in very short supply!
Fortunately, whenever school holidays – such as half term – were on, the music centre was closed, so I might be able to escape a little more easily.
One trip I had been wanting to do for some time was a solo trip on the Ski Eurostar to Bourg St Maurice. Knowing that at half term I could get the Saturday morning off childcare duties, I tried to book the Friday overnight Eurostar from Waterloo to Bourg St Maurice and the Saturday overnight return (to cover two different sets, and to give me a chance to do some track bashing in France). Unfortunately – it being peak ski season – demand was very high, and the only trip available for booking was straight out on the Saturday daytime service and immediate return overnight. OK, that’s better than nothing.
A few days before I was due to depart, I was passing through Waterloo and dropped in to the booking office just to double check seat availability. By some miracle there had been a cancellation, so I was able to get on the Friday evening departure after all.
Friday 25/02/2000
3229 + 3230 1957 Waterloo – Bourg St Maurice via Tonbridge, Channel Tunnel, LGV Nord, Paris CDG, LGV Sud Est, Dijon.
I was able to book a first class seat at a table for two, so I had the full wining and dining experience before dossing fitfully through the night.
Saturday 26/02/00
Having arrived in Bourg St Maurice relatively punctually, I left the thronging hordes of would-be skiers to their own devices and chose a device of my own, namely:
22298 0819 Bourg St Maurice – Chambery
It soon became very clear to me that travelling in France’s main skiing area at the peak weekend of the ski season was not going to be an easy experience. This particular train was uncomfortably full but had nothing on what came next:
67360 + 67353 1106 Chambery – Valence.
This was the 0923 Geneve – Nice, and it arrived 20’ late. It was load 16, mostly old banger stock which only came out for peak weekends like this. The train was entirely full and standing throughout. Some compartments even had people standing in the middle of them. I managed to clamber on board and stood somewhere near the front for most of the journey, admiring the snow-covered scenery, and listening to the pair of diesels working hard. This was all new track for me too. Arrival in Valence was 45’ late, mostly station overtime due to the sheer number of passengers.
From Valence I had a particular train I wanted to cover. The 0901 Nice to Bruxelles Midi was diagrammed to be worked by one of the Eurostar sets which SNCF had withdrawn from Channel Tunnel duties in favour of using them on non-UK long distance services.
3203+3204 1349 Valence – Lyon Part Dieu.
This was a massive claw-back for me, as I had never managed to have this set in Eurostar service before the French reclaimed it for themselves. Job done! Now it was a simple case of bashing some more track and locos prior to my overnight home:
25247 1451 Lyon Part Dieu – Aix les Bains via Amberieu
7404 1642 Aix les Bains - Chambery
22298 (for the second time today!) 1750 Chambery – Albertville, reversed and reengined there to:
22217 1846 Albertville – Bourg St Maurice
So now all I had to do was get on board my waiting Eurostar to take me back to Waterloo. If only it was that simple.
It became apparent that the Eurostar from Waterloo had not long since arrived, several hours late. Given the degree of operational mayhem that the peak ski weekend was causing, I wasn’t entirely surprised. What did surprise me was the presence of a pair of class 67xxx diesels at Bourg St Maurice. I wonder how they got there …
I joined the long queue of passengers waiting to join the Eurostar. I noted that some of them were entirely fit, and were not wearing plaster casts, slings, etc. On the other hand, there were several who looked distinctly “travel worn”. I can understand why travel insurance gets very expensive if you want winter sports cover.
The train was formed of Eurostar 3223 + 3224, which was mildly annoying since I’d had that very same set only four days previously from Waterloo to Lille Europe whilst at work.
3224 + 3223 2208 Bourg St Maurice – Waterloo
We departed somewhat late. All was going well until we approached Albertville, where the train was scheduled to reverse. The guard came on and announced (in an outrageous French accent that Monty Python would have loved) “Lades an Gennelmen, please return to your seats. Due to an electric problem, we will ‘ave to turn off the lights during about one hour.”
Hmm, interesting.
What this meant (when translated from the original Franglais) was that the Eurostar set was incapable of working on 1500v DC. From Bourg St Maurice to Albertville was 25kV AC, so that was fine, but the Albertville station area and beyond was all 1500v DC. The cunning plan was this. The Eurostar would get the road into Albertville, then take power as far as the neutral section, and coast downhill to a gentle halt in the platform, where the pair of diesels I had seen earlier at Bourg St Maurice would attach to the rear and haul us as far as necessary to reach 25kV again. A great plan, slightly flawed in the execution. We got the road, took power, reached the neutral section, coasted … slowed down … and ground to a complete halt straddling the station throat! Job entirely stopped. After some delay, the pair of diesels – which had been following us down from Bourg St Maurice – attached to the rear of the train and propelled us into the station. That’s when another problem emerged. The 18+2 Eurostar was just within the maximum length for the loops at Albertville station, but when you attached a pair of diesels to one end, we were too long for the loop, fouling the points at one end or the other. Despite the late hour, there were still several more trains that needed to come into Albertville and run round or re-engine, so for the next hour or so we shuffled backwards and forwards a couple of coach lengths at a time, to clear one end of the loop for a train to arrive, then the other end for the loco to run round, then back to the other end again for the loco to attach and depart. This carried on until well into the small hours, by which time we were the only train left. Finally we were allowed to depart:
67217 + 67215 (hauling 3223 + 3224 dead) 2315 Albertville – St Andre le Gaz
To my surprise, instead of following the same route as we had on the outward run, from Chambery we took the branch line route direct to Saint Andre le Gaz, as that was the closest part of the 25kV network (a good call by SNCF Control). More new track for me. By this stage, the train had been entirely without heat or light for a couple of hours. There weren’t even any emergency lights working. I witnessed one of the stewardesses walking through the carriage carrying two disposable lighters, one in each hand, which she was flicking on and off to give her some basic lighting, but they were burning her fingers as the lighters got too hot. Night-time in the French Alps in February is not noted for being warm, so the train was getting painfully chilly.
Thankfully after about 90 minutes we reached St Andre le Gaz, power was restored, and our diesels detached. We joined the LGV Sud Est south of Lyon. That’s when the really impressive part began. By now we were hours late, so we had time to make up. Once we were on the LGV, the Eurostar was cranked up to 300 kph and left there for considerable periods. You may have heard the phrase “Going like hell in the night”. Well, that was how it was. We ran at maximum speed via Paris CDG, Lille, and Maidstone, and were only about half an hour late into Waterloo, which given the fiascos which preceded it was a very good recovery.
I wrote a full report of my experiences and sent it to Eurostar. I had a good working relationship with my colleagues there, so I was careful to word the report in such a way as to “seek learning experiences” and “provide a better customer environment” rather than trying to drop anybody in it. I believe Eurostar held an internal enquiry (or “Retour d’Experience” as our French colleagues would term it), and steps were taken to ensure that the sets heading for Bourg St Maurice were thoroughly tested beforehand in future, rather than taking pot luck that the sets would work as advertised.
An unexpectedly eventful weekend.
Saturday 18th February 1989
'Midline Day Ranger' for a couple of Roarer's
85 021+(86 102) 1J25 Euston - Shrewsbury (Birmingham New St - Wolverhampton)
86 431 1A48 Wolverhampton - Euston (Wolverhampton - Birmingham New St)
85 016 1M14 Poole - Liverpool Lime St (Birmingham New St - Stafford)
90 011 1A57 Liverpool Lime St - Euston (Stafford - Tamworth Low Level)
150 (Tamworth High Level - Birmingham New St)
'Midline Day Ranger' for a couple of Roarer's
85 021+(86 102) 1J25 Euston - Shrewsbury (Birmingham New St - Wolverhampton)
86 431 1A48 Wolverhampton - Euston (Wolverhampton - Birmingham New St)
85 016 1M14 Poole - Liverpool Lime St (Birmingham New St - Stafford)
90 011 1A57 Liverpool Lime St - Euston (Stafford - Tamworth Low Level)
150 (Tamworth High Level - Birmingham New St)
1D54
Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2019
- Messages
- 1,056
19/2/85.
1Z32. 22:00- New Cross Gate - Leicester (Footex) 47189.
This service went through to Loughborough.
1Z32. 22:00- New Cross Gate - Leicester (Footex) 47189.
This service went through to Loughborough.
xotGD
Established Member
- Joined
- 4 Feb 2017
- Messages
- 6,786
That must have been an interesting routing to get out of London.
1D54
Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2019
- Messages
- 1,056
It was also interesting to get out of The Den in one piece. Seriously though i have no record of the route taken but have it in my book as 123.75 miles.
My money’s on Crystal Palace, Three Hills*, Clapham & Kew.
* Southern shorthand for Gypsy Hill, Tulse Hill & Herne Hill.
D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
Away for a few days so posting this a few hours early.
On this day I went with a friend (originally from Plymouth) to the Man City v Plymouth FA Cup 5th Round game (both were in Division 2 at the time). Plymouth played well but eventually lost 3-1. Ironically, the same tie is happening in a couple of weeks! Meanwhile, Liverpool keeping hold of 47497 to send her back to Gateshead was unexpected but very welcome, enabling me to clear her for 1,000. Not long after she was chosen for the replacement for fire-damaged 47713 and was converted to 47717.
Saturday 20 February 1988
47659 1E10 (P/N) Newcastle-King's Cross
47497 1M09 Paddington-Liverpool
47422 1E08 Liverpool-Manchester Vic
47497 1E93 Manchester Vic-Newcastle
On this day I went with a friend (originally from Plymouth) to the Man City v Plymouth FA Cup 5th Round game (both were in Division 2 at the time). Plymouth played well but eventually lost 3-1. Ironically, the same tie is happening in a couple of weeks! Meanwhile, Liverpool keeping hold of 47497 to send her back to Gateshead was unexpected but very welcome, enabling me to clear her for 1,000. Not long after she was chosen for the replacement for fire-damaged 47713 and was converted to 47717.
Saturday 20 February 1988
47659 1E10 (P/N) Newcastle-King's Cross
47497 1M09 Paddington-Liverpool
47422 1E08 Liverpool-Manchester Vic
47497 1E93 Manchester Vic-Newcastle
Sat 20th February 1982
A spotting trip to Manchester in search of 76's with the Rail Atlas, Depot Directory Pocket book and photocopies from the library of the A-Z street maps as our guide.
DMU 0050 Swindon - Gloucester
46 044 1E61 Bristol TM - Leeds (Gloucester - Birmingham New St)
86 253 1H03 Birmingham New St - Manchester Piccadilly
506 to Guide Bridge & return and DMU to Reddish North. Instamatic photos of Reddish depot survive but the spotting notes are lost.
87 024 Manchester Piccadilly - Birmingham New St
HST Birmingham New St - Gloucester for DMU to Swindon.
Sat 20th February 1988
STFC were at away at the other STFC Shrewsbury. A circular route to the match from Portsmouth.
33 028 2V56 Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff Central (Portsmouth & Southsea LL - Bristol TM)
47 607 2V56 Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff Central (Bristol Temple Meads - Cardiff Central)
37 431 1M84 Cardiff Central - Crewe (Cardiff Central - Shrewsbury)
150 Shrewsbury - Wolverhampton
86 254 1A74 Wolverhampton - Euston (Wolverhampton - Birmingham New St)
HST Birmingham New St - Gloucester, B933 Gloucester - Swindon, HST Swindon - Reading, L824 Reading - Basingstoke
No loco haulage tonight as 1W55 Waterloo - Weymouth was a Rail Replacement Bus service (Basingstoke to Eastleigh)
205 Eastleigh - Fratton
A spotting trip to Manchester in search of 76's with the Rail Atlas, Depot Directory Pocket book and photocopies from the library of the A-Z street maps as our guide.
DMU 0050 Swindon - Gloucester
46 044 1E61 Bristol TM - Leeds (Gloucester - Birmingham New St)
86 253 1H03 Birmingham New St - Manchester Piccadilly
506 to Guide Bridge & return and DMU to Reddish North. Instamatic photos of Reddish depot survive but the spotting notes are lost.
87 024 Manchester Piccadilly - Birmingham New St
HST Birmingham New St - Gloucester for DMU to Swindon.
Sat 20th February 1988
STFC were at away at the other STFC Shrewsbury. A circular route to the match from Portsmouth.
33 028 2V56 Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff Central (Portsmouth & Southsea LL - Bristol TM)
47 607 2V56 Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff Central (Bristol Temple Meads - Cardiff Central)
37 431 1M84 Cardiff Central - Crewe (Cardiff Central - Shrewsbury)
150 Shrewsbury - Wolverhampton
86 254 1A74 Wolverhampton - Euston (Wolverhampton - Birmingham New St)
HST Birmingham New St - Gloucester, B933 Gloucester - Swindon, HST Swindon - Reading, L824 Reading - Basingstoke
No loco haulage tonight as 1W55 Waterloo - Weymouth was a Rail Replacement Bus service (Basingstoke to Eastleigh)
205 Eastleigh - Fratton
Falcon1200
Established Member
Friday 25th February 1983
33007 1246 Portsmouth Harbour-Leeds (Reading-Oxford)
33007 1246 Portsmouth Harbour-Leeds (Reading-Oxford)
D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
I thought I'd posted this last night but apparently I didn't press "Post"!
Saturday 25 February 1989
86255 1A04 Rugby-Milton Keynes
317302 Milton Keynes-Northampton
47544 1Z46 "The Welsh Mountain Cobbler" railtour Northampton-Cardiff Central
(via Kensington Olympia, Richmond, Staines, Ascot, Reading; new 47 track Virginia Water-Wokingham)
47612 1Z46 Cardiff Central-Northampton
(via Port Talbot, Felin Fran, Hendy Jc, Central Wales Line, Abbey Foregate Curve, Wolverhampton, Soho, Aston, Stechford; new 47 track the whole of the CWL from Court Sart Jc to Craven Arms, and the Abbey Foregate curve)
317303/306 Northampton-Coventry
Saturday 25 February 1989
86255 1A04 Rugby-Milton Keynes
317302 Milton Keynes-Northampton
47544 1Z46 "The Welsh Mountain Cobbler" railtour Northampton-Cardiff Central
(via Kensington Olympia, Richmond, Staines, Ascot, Reading; new 47 track Virginia Water-Wokingham)
47612 1Z46 Cardiff Central-Northampton
(via Port Talbot, Felin Fran, Hendy Jc, Central Wales Line, Abbey Foregate Curve, Wolverhampton, Soho, Aston, Stechford; new 47 track the whole of the CWL from Court Sart Jc to Craven Arms, and the Abbey Foregate curve)
317303/306 Northampton-Coventry
Falcon1200
Established Member
Sunday 27th February 1983
47419 1M11 0850 Paddington-Manchester Picc (Oxford-Birmingham New St, 30 mins late)
47462 1F24 1305 Birmingham New St-Liverpool Lime St (Birmingham New St-Stafford via Cannock)
86208 1A21 1242 Manchester Picc-Euston (Stafford-Nuneaton)
47488 1J32 1340 Euston-Birmingham New St (Nuneaton-Birmingham New St)
81021 1G36 1540 Euston-Wolverhampton (Birmingham New St-Wolverhampton)
81021 1A36 1800 Wolverhampton-Euston (Wolverhampton-Birmingham New St)
47356 1A36 ditto (Birmingham New St-Nuneaton)
81021 1A36 ditto )Nuneaton-Euston)
Decent mileage behind the Roarer!
47419 1M11 0850 Paddington-Manchester Picc (Oxford-Birmingham New St, 30 mins late)
47462 1F24 1305 Birmingham New St-Liverpool Lime St (Birmingham New St-Stafford via Cannock)
86208 1A21 1242 Manchester Picc-Euston (Stafford-Nuneaton)
47488 1J32 1340 Euston-Birmingham New St (Nuneaton-Birmingham New St)
81021 1G36 1540 Euston-Wolverhampton (Birmingham New St-Wolverhampton)
81021 1A36 1800 Wolverhampton-Euston (Wolverhampton-Birmingham New St)
47356 1A36 ditto (Birmingham New St-Nuneaton)
81021 1A36 ditto )Nuneaton-Euston)
Decent mileage behind the Roarer!
Saturday 27th February 82
Going back 43 years today. Following details are taken from an A4 flyer.
Farewell to the Deltics
A last opportunity to see the Deltic locomotives will be given by British Rail Engineering Ltd at Doncaster Works on Saturday 27 February 1982
From 10:00 to 14:00 Admission Kirk Street Gate
Adult £1 Under 16 50p
Viewing of the DELTICS will be in a restricted area adjoining the Kirk Street Entrance.
THE WORKSHOPS WILL NOT BE OPEN. There will be NO trade stands allowed.
This could not be missed so another early start.
DMU Swindon - Gloucester
46 056 1E61 Bristol TM - Leeds (Gloucester - Sheffield)
DMU Sheffield - Doncaster
Photo of 55010 taken with a borrowed camera loaded with 24 exposure film so just enough for the day. Now you have no real limits with mobiles or digital cameras and the picture can be checked.
DMU Doncaster - Sheffield then Bus to Brinsworth for the walk to Tinsley. I seem to remember that bus fares were capped at 2p a journey at the time.
A BR Blue photo of TI which includes 56018 now 69003 and 40013.
HST Sheffield - Birmingham New St
47 444 1V68 Manchester Piccadilly - Didcot (Birmingham New St - Didcot)
HST Didcot - Swindon
Saturday 27th February 88
33 028 2V58 Portsmouth & Southsea LL - Cardiff Central (Portsmouth & Southsea LL - Bath Spa)
Going back 43 years today. Following details are taken from an A4 flyer.
Farewell to the Deltics
A last opportunity to see the Deltic locomotives will be given by British Rail Engineering Ltd at Doncaster Works on Saturday 27 February 1982
From 10:00 to 14:00 Admission Kirk Street Gate
Adult £1 Under 16 50p
Viewing of the DELTICS will be in a restricted area adjoining the Kirk Street Entrance.
THE WORKSHOPS WILL NOT BE OPEN. There will be NO trade stands allowed.
This could not be missed so another early start.
DMU Swindon - Gloucester
46 056 1E61 Bristol TM - Leeds (Gloucester - Sheffield)
DMU Sheffield - Doncaster
Photo of 55010 taken with a borrowed camera loaded with 24 exposure film so just enough for the day. Now you have no real limits with mobiles or digital cameras and the picture can be checked.
DMU Doncaster - Sheffield then Bus to Brinsworth for the walk to Tinsley. I seem to remember that bus fares were capped at 2p a journey at the time.
A BR Blue photo of TI which includes 56018 now 69003 and 40013.
HST Sheffield - Birmingham New St
47 444 1V68 Manchester Piccadilly - Didcot (Birmingham New St - Didcot)
HST Didcot - Swindon
Saturday 27th February 88
33 028 2V58 Portsmouth & Southsea LL - Cardiff Central (Portsmouth & Southsea LL - Bath Spa)
D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
Saturday 1st March 1980
86231 1Z18 Rugby-Stockport (Euston-York ADEX)
40031 1Z18 Stockport-York
40031 1Z19 York-Stockport
86230 1Z19 Stockport-Rugby
86231 1Z18 Rugby-Stockport (Euston-York ADEX)
40031 1Z18 Stockport-York
40031 1Z19 York-Stockport
86230 1Z19 Stockport-Rugby
Kirkoswald
Member
This has been reported elsewhere as 1Z24. Also back in 1980 the return headcode was usually the same as the outward. The practice of adding 1 digit to a return special was a more recent practice (except those originating Scotland which I think started quite early).
D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
I don't know where I got the headcodes from, to be honest. In my defence, I was only 12 at the time, so may have got them wrong!
Peter Sarf
Established Member
At that age (well 14+) I was often not even recording the traction - sadly.
Falcon1200
Established Member
Friday 2nd March 1984
33017 1E22 1246 Portsmouth Harbour -Leeds (Reading -Oxford)
33017 1E22 1246 Portsmouth Harbour -Leeds (Reading -Oxford)
EveningStar
Member
When working in Leeds and had a survey in Sheffield.
Tuesday 4 March 1986
Leeds [d1000]
45108 45130 43093 43121 47422p [0958 > Sheffield] 45108
Wakefield Westgate [1019]
31243
Ardwark Jn
20011 20116
Brightside
37084
Sheffield [a1056/d1538]
31449 43049 / 45127 43088 43105 08543 47422p [1536 > Leeds]
Brightside
08678
[Lost air reservoir pipe between engine and first coach (5618) soon after Brightside. Came to a halt at MP162½. Delay of about 10 minutes before restarting.]
Moorthorpe
56029
[Diversion direct to York from Moorthorpe due to derailment on the line to Wakefield. Last seven wagons of MGR train, train engine possibly 56111, derailed on exit line from South Kirkby Colliery.]
Milford Jn
56097
York [a1656(1706)/d1702]
[Early arrival due to missing Leeds] 08662 08224 08691 43145p & 43029p [1701 > Leeds]
Leeds [a1727]
Tuesday 4 March 1986
Leeds [d1000]
45108 45130 43093 43121 47422p [0958 > Sheffield] 45108
Wakefield Westgate [1019]
31243
Ardwark Jn
20011 20116
Brightside
37084
Sheffield [a1056/d1538]
31449 43049 / 45127 43088 43105 08543 47422p [1536 > Leeds]
Brightside
08678
[Lost air reservoir pipe between engine and first coach (5618) soon after Brightside. Came to a halt at MP162½. Delay of about 10 minutes before restarting.]
Moorthorpe
56029
[Diversion direct to York from Moorthorpe due to derailment on the line to Wakefield. Last seven wagons of MGR train, train engine possibly 56111, derailed on exit line from South Kirkby Colliery.]
Milford Jn
56097
York [a1656(1706)/d1702]
[Early arrival due to missing Leeds] 08662 08224 08691 43145p & 43029p [1701 > Leeds]
Leeds [a1727]
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D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
Thursday 5 March 1987
47661 1O03 Coventry-Banbury
47415 1M03 Banbury-Liverpool
47415 1O46 Liverpool-Banbury (last run - withdrawn 30/4/87)
47509 1M42 Banbury-Wolverhampton
47479 1V99 Wolverhampton-Coventry
Sunday 5 March 1989
47442 1S18 Preston-Carlisle (via Hellifield, S&C)
47483 1S18 Carlisle-Glasgow Central (via G&SW)
47406 1S19 Glasgow Central-Edinburgh (via Shotts)
47470 1O07 Edinburgh-Newcastle
47631 1O07 Newcastle-Birmingham NS (via Leamside, Leeds and Doncaster)
47664 1O07 Birmingham NS-Coventry
47661 1O03 Coventry-Banbury
47415 1M03 Banbury-Liverpool
47415 1O46 Liverpool-Banbury (last run - withdrawn 30/4/87)
47509 1M42 Banbury-Wolverhampton
47479 1V99 Wolverhampton-Coventry
Sunday 5 March 1989
47442 1S18 Preston-Carlisle (via Hellifield, S&C)
47483 1S18 Carlisle-Glasgow Central (via G&SW)
47406 1S19 Glasgow Central-Edinburgh (via Shotts)
47470 1O07 Edinburgh-Newcastle
47631 1O07 Newcastle-Birmingham NS (via Leamside, Leeds and Doncaster)
47664 1O07 Birmingham NS-Coventry
xotGD
Established Member
- Joined
- 4 Feb 2017
- Messages
- 6,786
Another example of the folk in Liverpool trying to get a Generator back to Gateshead!
D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
And that wasn't even the diagram anyway - 1M03 was off the previous day's 1O46, so if they'd carried on doing that it would have bounced between Liverpool and Portsmouth for a week! The next day 415 did 1M03 again, stayed there overnight, and finally did 1E94 to Newcastle on Saturday morning ... where apparently it was supposed to be withdrawn, but got an exam instead and stumbled on for another six weeks or so.
Falcon1200
Established Member
A day late with this one;
Saturday 5th March 1988
86101 1145 Glasgow C-Harwich PQ (Glasgow C-Birmingham New St)
47513 1609 Stafford-Paddington (Birmingham New St-Oxford
And today's;
Sunday 6th March 1988
47538 2022 Paddington-Wolverhampton (Oxford-Birmingham New Street)
85035 2124 Bristol TM-Glasgow C (Birmingham New Street-Glasgow C)
Saturday 5th March 1988
86101 1145 Glasgow C-Harwich PQ (Glasgow C-Birmingham New St)
47513 1609 Stafford-Paddington (Birmingham New St-Oxford
And today's;
Sunday 6th March 1988
47538 2022 Paddington-Wolverhampton (Oxford-Birmingham New Street)
85035 2124 Bristol TM-Glasgow C (Birmingham New Street-Glasgow C)
That's quite a rarity, as the Glasgow - Harwich was solid 86/2 as that's all the Anglia drivers signed at the time. I often hoped an 86/1 might slip through under the radar. I wonder how far it worked.
Saturday 7th March 1987
33015 1V46 0830 Brighton - Cardiff Cen (Havant - Southampton)
33039 1V10 0913 Brighton - Exeter St Davids (Southampton - Exeter St Davids)
33017 1O23 1618 Exeter St Davids - Waterloo (Exeter St Davids - Salisbury)
33021 1O47 1605 Swansea - Portsmouth Harbour (Salisbury - Southampton)
33015 1V96 2025 Portsmouth Harbour - Bristol TM (Southampton - Salisbury)
33107 2H67 2226 Salisbury - Portsmouth Harbour (Salisbury - Portsmouth & Southsea)
33015 1V46 0830 Brighton - Cardiff Cen (Havant - Southampton)
33039 1V10 0913 Brighton - Exeter St Davids (Southampton - Exeter St Davids)
33017 1O23 1618 Exeter St Davids - Waterloo (Exeter St Davids - Salisbury)
33021 1O47 1605 Swansea - Portsmouth Harbour (Salisbury - Southampton)
33015 1V96 2025 Portsmouth Harbour - Bristol TM (Southampton - Salisbury)
33107 2H67 2226 Salisbury - Portsmouth Harbour (Salisbury - Portsmouth & Southsea)
1D54
Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2019
- Messages
- 1,056
8th March 1985.
1V89 Sheffield - New Street. 47199.
1E22 New Street - Derby (FO) 37267.
1V89 Sheffield - New Street. 47199.
1E22 New Street - Derby (FO) 37267.
D1537
Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 949
Sunday 8 March 1987
A trip out on the Sunday hauled KX-Leeds turn
47612 1A05 Birmingham NS-Nuneaton
86221 1A05 Nuneaton-Euston
47517 1L06 King's Cross-Leeds (via Hertford North, and via Lincoln)
47587 1A23 Leeds-King's Cross
47599 1S70 King's Cross-Newcastle
A trip out on the Sunday hauled KX-Leeds turn
47612 1A05 Birmingham NS-Nuneaton
86221 1A05 Nuneaton-Euston
47517 1L06 King's Cross-Leeds (via Hertford North, and via Lincoln)
47587 1A23 Leeds-King's Cross
47599 1S70 King's Cross-Newcastle
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