Wednesday 17/05/78
45025 1514 Skipton – Leeds
47004 1635 Huddersfield – York
I guess there must have been some DMU moves in here as well, but I haven’t noted them.
Thursday 17/05/79
40071 0050 Stockport – York
55014 0606 York – Doncaster
DMU Doncaster – Leeds
46029 0735 Leeds – Sheffield
47476 1522 Sheffield – York
The eastbound “Bangor Mails” was heavily delayed over the Pennines, converting a 10 minute late start from Stockport into a 45 minute late arrival into York. That meant I missed the last of the southbound overnights, so I hung around for the first Deltic-hauled departure south. I doubled back with a unit to Leeds then took 46029 to Sheffield. I arrived there just moments after DMU 50049 + 56032 had gone through the trap points in the middle road, and derailed. I decided to hang around and watch the rerailing operations, which took several hours, then caught 47476 home later in the afternoon.
Saturday 17/05/80
82005 0008 Crewe – Stafford
85007 0033 Stafford – Crewe
86328 0234 Crewe – Wigan North Western
86209 0258 Wigan North Western – London Euston
81001 0915 Euston – Kingmoor
81001 1430 Kingmoor – Euston
40075 2100 Kings Cross – York
After passing my interview for a Train Trolley Caterer job I was told to report to Euston at 0845 Saturday morning to work the 0915 National Express Coaches charter to Carlisle. What better way of preparing for this than by doing a WCML overnight? The train I was working was a rake of seven Mk1 FOs which conveyed coach loads of (mainly) pensioners by rail to Carlisle to start their various week-long coach tours of Scotland and Northern England, returning from Carlisle with the previous week’s load. Unlike normal train trolley catering where you push a trolley up and down the train, this was mostly distribution of lunch boxes, with hot drinks, and no cash changing hands. On my first trip I was accompanied by somebody who knew the ropes. A day with over 600 miles of class 81 haulage and being paid for it as well. After a full day’s work, straight off a WCML overnight, it was the turn of an ECML overnight with 40075!
Thursday 17/05/84
The first week of the influx of 31/4s onto the south Trans Pennine diagrams, and at last there was some action. I was on night shift in Leeds Control, and I kept my ears open for the conversations from the Power Controllers at the far end of the office. The Sheffield controller was bemoaning the fact that the 31/4s he had received were a poorly bunch, and he was having to get 37263 from Tinsley to cover a 31/4 diagram. That caught my attention!
31439 0705 Leeds – Cross Gates
DMU Cross Gates – Leeds
45134 0742 Leeds – Manchester Victoria
37263 0941 Manchester Piccadilly – Hull, via Romiley, Sheffield, Masborough, Doncaster, Goole.
31428 1245 Hull – York (and home to bed)
47429 1930 York – Leeds (and back onto night shift …)
I’d not had a 37 to Hull previously, so this little jaunt was much appreciated.
Friday 17/05/85
… and having moved from Leeds Control to Glasgow Control, my ears were just as well attuned to the possibilities in Scotland. So, after a late shift I headed north overnight …
(16/05/85 47469 2330 Glasgow QS – Perth)
47595 0110 Perth – Inverness
47209 0502 Inverness – Keith
47040 0611 Keith – Elgin
47118 0646 Elgin – Inverness
… which was all just filling in before the main show, namely:
37037 0920 Inverness – Glasgow QS
A 37 over the Highland Main Line in daylight. Quite unusual, and much appreciated by me.
Sunday 17/05/87
Another change in job from Glasgow Control to Crewe Speedlink Control. This was my move prior to starting the new job:
47665 1410 Glasgow Central – Carlisle via Dumfries
86250 1632 Carlisle – Preston
47350 1754 Preston – Crewe via Bolton, Manchester Victoria, Denton Jn., Stockport.
(This was all the 1410 Glasgow – Euston, a typical Sunday trip with multiple diversions and dragging).
45025 1514 Skipton – Leeds
47004 1635 Huddersfield – York
I guess there must have been some DMU moves in here as well, but I haven’t noted them.
Thursday 17/05/79
40071 0050 Stockport – York
55014 0606 York – Doncaster
DMU Doncaster – Leeds
46029 0735 Leeds – Sheffield
47476 1522 Sheffield – York
The eastbound “Bangor Mails” was heavily delayed over the Pennines, converting a 10 minute late start from Stockport into a 45 minute late arrival into York. That meant I missed the last of the southbound overnights, so I hung around for the first Deltic-hauled departure south. I doubled back with a unit to Leeds then took 46029 to Sheffield. I arrived there just moments after DMU 50049 + 56032 had gone through the trap points in the middle road, and derailed. I decided to hang around and watch the rerailing operations, which took several hours, then caught 47476 home later in the afternoon.
Saturday 17/05/80
82005 0008 Crewe – Stafford
85007 0033 Stafford – Crewe
86328 0234 Crewe – Wigan North Western
86209 0258 Wigan North Western – London Euston
81001 0915 Euston – Kingmoor
81001 1430 Kingmoor – Euston
40075 2100 Kings Cross – York
After passing my interview for a Train Trolley Caterer job I was told to report to Euston at 0845 Saturday morning to work the 0915 National Express Coaches charter to Carlisle. What better way of preparing for this than by doing a WCML overnight? The train I was working was a rake of seven Mk1 FOs which conveyed coach loads of (mainly) pensioners by rail to Carlisle to start their various week-long coach tours of Scotland and Northern England, returning from Carlisle with the previous week’s load. Unlike normal train trolley catering where you push a trolley up and down the train, this was mostly distribution of lunch boxes, with hot drinks, and no cash changing hands. On my first trip I was accompanied by somebody who knew the ropes. A day with over 600 miles of class 81 haulage and being paid for it as well. After a full day’s work, straight off a WCML overnight, it was the turn of an ECML overnight with 40075!
Thursday 17/05/84
The first week of the influx of 31/4s onto the south Trans Pennine diagrams, and at last there was some action. I was on night shift in Leeds Control, and I kept my ears open for the conversations from the Power Controllers at the far end of the office. The Sheffield controller was bemoaning the fact that the 31/4s he had received were a poorly bunch, and he was having to get 37263 from Tinsley to cover a 31/4 diagram. That caught my attention!
31439 0705 Leeds – Cross Gates
DMU Cross Gates – Leeds
45134 0742 Leeds – Manchester Victoria
37263 0941 Manchester Piccadilly – Hull, via Romiley, Sheffield, Masborough, Doncaster, Goole.
31428 1245 Hull – York (and home to bed)
47429 1930 York – Leeds (and back onto night shift …)
I’d not had a 37 to Hull previously, so this little jaunt was much appreciated.
Friday 17/05/85
… and having moved from Leeds Control to Glasgow Control, my ears were just as well attuned to the possibilities in Scotland. So, after a late shift I headed north overnight …
(16/05/85 47469 2330 Glasgow QS – Perth)
47595 0110 Perth – Inverness
47209 0502 Inverness – Keith
47040 0611 Keith – Elgin
47118 0646 Elgin – Inverness
… which was all just filling in before the main show, namely:
37037 0920 Inverness – Glasgow QS
A 37 over the Highland Main Line in daylight. Quite unusual, and much appreciated by me.
Sunday 17/05/87
Another change in job from Glasgow Control to Crewe Speedlink Control. This was my move prior to starting the new job:
47665 1410 Glasgow Central – Carlisle via Dumfries
86250 1632 Carlisle – Preston
47350 1754 Preston – Crewe via Bolton, Manchester Victoria, Denton Jn., Stockport.
(This was all the 1410 Glasgow – Euston, a typical Sunday trip with multiple diversions and dragging).
