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Back in the day...

xotGD

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Nothing in my moves book for this day in history.

Now I can understand how some folk managed to get so many 40s for haulage.

Tomorrow we have more fun on the Cambrian Coast to look forward to...
 
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NorthWestRover

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Tuesday 14th June 1983

Another after College bash and I presumably had the gen that 1M22 wasn't a 40 as I wasn't around Preston at the right time to see.

86244 Warrington BQ to Crewe
87014 Crewe to Oxenholme
87010 Oxenholme to Crewe
86231 Crewe to Warrington BQ
 

CW2

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Strap yourselves in - it's another long one from me:

Wednesday 14/06/78
47552 1620 Harrogate – Leeds
47200 1707 Leeds – York
47346 1733 York – Leeds
The latter two 47s were both haulage requirements.

Thursday 14/06/79
Having been stranded in Carstairs I had resorted to sheltering in the pub until:
85010 0041 Carstairs – Preston
It was my intention to alight at Carlisle, but in my beer-fuddled exhaustion I woke up at Lancaster, so decided to alight at Preston for no apparent reason. Tiredness and poor decision making go hand-in-hand. Eventually I managed a fill-in move to Crewe.
86244 0408 Preston – Crewe
86029 0737 Crewe – Preston
86024 0838 Preston – Carstairs
Not one of my better WCML overnights. 86024 was delayed on its journey to Carstairs by the failure of 86036 on a stone train on Shap. It was assisted clear to Hardendale by 20083 + 20124 on the front and 20027 on the rear! At Carstairs there was another cracker of an engine waiting to work forward to Edinburgh:
47702 1105 Carstairs – Edinburgh.
The previous 12 hours had been a total waste of time, all stemming from the forgotten tail lamp on the 2140 Edinburgh – Carstairs the previous evening, and my subsequent stranding (in the pub) at Carstairs. Let’s hope for an improvement:
26025 1247 Edinburgh – Perth via Ladybank
40069 1534 Perth – Glasgow Queen Street (My machine – that’s more like it!)
27202 + 27204 1710 Glasgow Queen Street – Edinburgh
40071 1900 Edinburgh – Arbroath
40018 2051 Arbroath – Perth
47466 2220 Perth – Mossend (and here’s hoping I don’t overdoss past Carlisle again …)

Saturday 14/06/80
40178 1354 York – Manchester Victoria
40033 1615 Manchester Victoria – Preston
DMU Preston – Blackpool
There were a couple of 40-hauled charters due out of Blackpool this evening, one to Bradford and one to Morley, both via Copy Pit. 40046 (required) had worked out on the Morley, and 40037 on the Bradford. Alas, Control played the joker card – 40047 was needed at Healey Mills for tyre turning, so they swapped (rare, required) 40046 for (common, boilered) 40047. I learned the tale from the driver, who invited the two of us to join him in the cab of 40047 through to Leeds. My mate needed 40037, so he stuck with that to Bradford, leaving me to enjoy a cab ride in 40047 over Copy Pit to Morley, then ECS to Neville Hill, and light engine back to Holbeck, dropping me off at Leeds station. From there I took a DMU to Bradford to catch up with my mate who’d had 40037 OK.
40047 1829 Blackpool North – Morley via Copy Pit
40047 ECS Morley – Neville Hill
40047 Light Engine Neville Hill – Leeds
DMU Leeds – Bradford
31406 2150 Bradford – Leeds
47520 2234 Leeds – York

Sunday 14/06/81
My Anglia Rover was still burning a hole in my pocket, and the Liv St – Cambridge line was closed again. I headed to Liverpool Street to get a 37 via the diversion (or not):
47158 1438 Liverpool Street – Finsbury Park via Carpenters Road, Channelsea, Canonbury
I alighted at Finsbury Park for a unit to Moorgate to cover the next service out in the hope of some improvement in the motive power…
47160 1638 Liverpool Street – Cambridge via Carpenters Road, Channelsea, Canonbury, Hitchin. Two hours later, two digits higher.
37034 1820 Cambridge – Finsbury Park via Hitchin
At last!

Tuesday 14/06/83
It’s the end of term, the exams are all over, and the schoolkids are coming to York by special trainload.
40022 1733 York – Preston via Wakefield Kirkgate, Healey Mills, Copy Pit. This was a return schools charter to Blackpool North.
DMU Preston – Manchester Victoria
47466 2125 Manchester Victoria – York

(Wednesday 13/06/84)
I was working late shift in Leeds Control when I heard of a class 31 having failed in the Sheffield area. The upshot of it was that 37090 was going to be turned out for the 2337 Sheffield – Manchester, the next working of which was the 0210 Manchester – Cleethorpes. Because of the change of traction, the resources controller checked that everybody involved in the diagram signed class 37s, and the answer was “Yes”. That settled it: I’m having a night out and getting some unusual track for a 37.
DMU 2148 Leeds – Sheffield
37090 2337 Sheffield – Manchester Piccadilly via New Mills, Romiley
Thursday 14/06/84
37090 0210 Manchester Piccadilly – Cleethorpes via Guide Bridge, Romiley, New Mills, Sheffield, Retford, Lincoln Central, Barnetby
This was the only time I ever did Lincoln to Barnetby loco hauled, and I’ve never been on the line since.
31405 0737 Cleethorpes – Doncaster
43041 + 43xxx 0922 Doncaster – York
Home for a quick wash and change then back to Leeds for a late shift!

Friday 14/06/85
A long weekend off work, and I had a pre-arranged Domestic Exit Visa so that I could head for Wales for a little dabble on the Cambrian. How to get there? Like this:
87021 0905 Glasgow Central – Carlisle
40122 1040 Carlisle – Leeds
40122 1605 Leeds – Carlisle
86230 1956 Carlisle – Preston
47192 2131 Preston – Manchester Victoria
At this time the Crewe remodelling / resignalling was in full flow, and the 0147 Crewe – Cardiff was amended to start from Stafford and run via the newly built Oxley Chord from Bushbury Jn direct towards Shrewsbury, the first time this line had a regular booked passenger service over it. Obviously I needed the track, so I planned to do it. The only question was which train I would take to Stafford to pick it up. As luck would have it, when I arrived at Manchester Piccadilly the stock for the 2217 to Paignton had not yet arrived. When it did, I was delighted to note a declassified BFK at the front, and 85015 dropping on.
85015 2217 Manchester Piccadilly – Kidsgrove – Stoke on Trent.
I got my head down and dossed, as we departed 50 minutes late. I awoke suddenly at Kidsgrove, aware of total silence. The 85 had burst, and coasted to a halt at Kidsgrove station, the driver carefully leaving space for an assisting loco to be attached on the front. Speaking to the driver after he returned from the signalbox, it was problems with the 85 which had delayed the train in the first place. We had passed an 81 on a parcels train just before Kidsgrove, so that was called upon to assist us from the rear. However before it could attach, a familiar whistling sound arrived on the branch platform from Crewe. It was 97408, alias 40118, one of the class 40s which had been reinstated for the Crewe remodelling scheme, to work ballast trains only, with a speed limit of 35 mph. Our driver rapidly concluded that being assisted from the front by the diesel was infinitely preferable to having the 81 assisting in rear, so plan B was hatched. That involved sending the guard back to tell the 81 driver we didn’t need him after all, and bolting 97408 onto the front of our train!
I expected the 97 to do all the work, but most surprisingly the 85 burst into life – although with a fair bit of popping, banging, flashing, and overloading, and the speed was soon up to over 70 mph on the descent into Stoke. (So much for the 35 mph speed limit on the 97!). There – alas – both engines came off, to be replaced by 86250, running 115’ late.
97408 23xx Kidsgrove – Stoke, in tandem with 85015
86250 2306 Stoke – Stafford
That was the only occasion I had one of the 97s for haulage, and was the last time that 40118 / 97408 worked a main line passenger train. 40118 is now preserved at Tyseley. http://aureol.weebly.com/d318.html

Saturday 14/06/86
Another trip to the in-laws:
87018 0910 Glasgow Central – Euston
50025 1605 Paddington – Bristol Temple Meads
33062 1852 Bristol Temple Meads – Newport
DMU Newport – Abergavenny
Faster routes are available, so I am told, but this way is “more attractive” (to me at least).

Friday 14/06/91
Required Freightliner 90044 was on loan to the GE, so I had to have an after-work dabble:
90044 1935 Liverpool Street – Manningtree
86250 2123 Manningtree – Liverpool Street
 

xotGD

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14th June 1986 - Summer Saturday on the Cambrian Coast:

47234 New St - Shrewsbury 1J18

Waiting to take over was an ex-works refurbished 37, but I'm not sure if it had been on a test train run first...

37509 Shrewsbury - Caersws 1J18

The 37 was not in good health, and did not want to go any further. We were sat in the non-platform road at Caersws, but were allowed to alight and go to the pub while until a rescue loco arrived. The signalman just asked us to let him know when we got back! Fortunately, a spare loco was on hand at Machynlleth and duly arrived to take us forward.

25211 (plus dead Syphon) Caersws - Machynlleth 1J18

Was this the last time a Rat worked on the Cambrian? Not sure. Anyway, there were still 37s to be had...

37177 + 37427 Machynlleth - Aberystwyth 1J24
37177 + 37427 Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury 1A81
37428 + 37430 Welshpool - Shrewsbury 1A85
47234 Shrewsbury - Wolves 1A85
86254 Wolves - New St 1A85
 

D6130

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Wednesday 14th June 1978:

Dublin Connolly-Galway (via Mullingar): Unidentified class 001.
Galway-Athlone: Unidentified class 071
Athlone-Dublin Heuston: Another unidentified 071.

Sunday 14th June 1981:

Train 670, 06 20 Basel SBB-Bern: Unidentified loco.
Bern-Interlaken West: 11636 "Vernier-Meyrin"
 

CW2

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@CW2 Did you ever have 40046?
Yes, I first picked it up later in 1980, then a couple of years later it got stuck on one of the Bangor - Manchester diagrams, so I followed it for the day. Just shy of 600 miles in total.
However there are other locos- such as 40040 - which have been swapped off a diagram and never seen again!
 
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CW2

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Waiting to take over was an ex-works refurbished 37, but I'm not sure if it had been on a test train run first...

37509 Shrewsbury - Caersws 1J18

The 37 was not in good health, and did not want to go any further. We were sat in the non-platform road at Caersws, but were allowed to alight and go to the pub while until a rescue loco arrived. The signalman just asked us to let him know when we got back! Fortunately, a spare loco was on hand at Machynlleth and duly arrived to take us forward.

25211 (plus dead Syphon) Caersws - Machynlleth 1J18

Was this the last time a Rat worked on the Cambrian? Not sure. Anyway, there were still 37s to be had...
I remember being told about this riot with 37509. Wasn't there a performance of "The Last Post" by a trumpeter, to sound the death knell of the 37?
I seem to recall that the radiator fans hadn't been wired in, and so weren't working at all. Fine if you are running around light engine in the dead of night, but not so good with a loaded train on gradients in the heat of a summer day. Some of the early batches of refurbishment work undertaken on the 37s by Crewe Works was downright shoddy. Several 37/4s had to be sent straight back from Scotland for rectification after failing their delivery inspections at Eastfield.
 
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NorthWestRover

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Yes, I first picked it up later in1980, then a couple of years later it got stuck on one of the Bangor - Manchester diagrams, so I followed it for the day. Just shy of 600 miles in total.
However there are other locos- such as 40040 - which have been swapped off a diagram and never seen again!

In a few days time we might be about to be on the same train again.
 

CW2

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In a few days time we might be about to be on the same train again.
40046 has already featured in my posts on this thread - see 09/06/82 entry.
The next time I have it is 23 / 24 June 82, then (first run) 10 August 1980.
 

NorthWestRover

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24th June we will probably meet then.

23rd we might well do as well if you were on North Wales Coast although I did not have 046 on that date.
 

xotGD

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I remember being told about this riot with 37509. Wasn't there a performance of "The Last Post" by a trumpeter, to sound the death knell of the 37?
I seem to recall that the radiator fans hadn't been wired in, and so weren't working at all. Fine if you are running around light engine in the dead of night, but not so good with a loaded train on gradients in the heat of a summer day. Some of the early batches of refurbishment work undertaken on the 37s by Crewe Works was downright shoddy. Several 37/4s had to be sent straight back from Scotland for rectification after failing their delivery inspections at Eastfield.
I don't remember the trumpeter.

Maybe I was in the pub when he was playing?

509 was the former 093 - famed for its stint in the police force.

Class37.co.uk

I remember seeing it in this guise from our living room window and thinking WTF?!?

And here's a view of 427 and 177 on the Cambrian that day...

Class37.co.uk
 

CW2

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I don't remember the trumpeter.

Maybe I was in the pub when he was playing?

509 was the former 093 - famed for its stint in the police force.

Class37.co.uk
I think the trumpet sounded after the last of several attempts to restart the 37.
I did manage to have 37509 - actually from Carlisle to Newcastle, where the Police advert was filmed - but that is a (long) tale for another day. (November, if this thread is still going then).
24th June we will probably meet then.

23rd we might well do as well if you were on North Wales Coast although I did not have 046 on that date.
I was on the North Wales Coast pretty solidly from 20th to 26th June 1982, with occasional trips back to London to restock / clean. I guess I had the week off work, and made the most of it.
The full depths of my desperation will be revealed in due course ...
 

NorthWestRover

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Yes, we'll have lots of overlap then, I guess followed by a fallow month due to the strikes.
 

CW2

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Yes, we'll have lots of overlap then, I guess followed by a fallow month due to the strikes.
Yes, I've got no recorded moves from 28 June 1982 to 20 July 1982 inclusive. I think the strike (which was over flexible rostering for drivers) lasted for 2 weeks. It was a huge news item at the time, Thatcher versus Unions and all that. At the end of it ASLE&F conceded they would allow drivers turns to be between 7 and 9 hours in length, which would give the rostering staff more flexibility in matching supply and demand. It was a strike which divided some traincrew depots for many years to come, into those who had obeyed the strike call and those who had carried on working, e.g. NUR members. With hindsight, how insignificant it all seems.
 

Peter C

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Sorry for jumping in, but I've been slowly reading the first few pages of this thread recently (in an attempt to eventually catch up ;)) and it's been really cool to read about all sorts of journeys out and about. I'm much too young to have experienced any of the stuff described, but it's still really nice to see - especially the photos!

-Peter
 

CW2

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Sorry for jumping in, but I've been slowly reading the first few pages of this thread recently (in an attempt to eventually catch up ;)) and it's been really cool to read about all sorts of journeys out and about. I'm much too young to have experienced any of the stuff described, but it's still really nice to see - especially the photos!

-Peter
Good for you Peter. It's heartening to know that someone is actually reading this stuff.
 

Peter C

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Good for you Peter. It's heartening to know that someone is actually reading this stuff.
Thank you for sharing all of these posts for people to read! Looking through some of the posts I've read has given me some ideas of future journeys I'd like to make at some point too :)

-Peter
 

NorthWestRover

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I can't decide if the thread (and associated nostalgia) makes me want to go and travel behind the locos on preserved railways or just keep the memories. A trip on the North Wales Coast behind one of the 40s might be too hard to resist. Or too hard to get tickets for!
 

D6130

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27th June to 18th July inclusive for me.
Instead of catching a 303 from Hyndland to Queen Street to and from work in Buchanan House, during the strike I had to walk to Partick and take the Subway to Cowcaddens. The extra exercise probably did me good and I cleared nearly all the Glasgow Subway cars for haulage!
 

xotGD

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Sorry for jumping in, but I've been slowly reading the first few pages of this thread recently (in an attempt to eventually catch up ;)) and it's been really cool to read about all sorts of journeys out and about. I'm much too young to have experienced any of the stuff described, but it's still really nice to see - especially the photos!

-Peter
I'll have to digitise some more of my photos to share here.
 

xotGD

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I can't decide if the thread (and associated nostalgia) makes me want to go and travel behind the locos on preserved railways or just keep the memories. A trip on the North Wales Coast behind one of the 40s might be too hard to resist. Or too hard to get tickets for!
Oh, it has to be done! While the speeds might be low on preserved lines, the thrash does not disappoint. And usually the drivers give it full beans going through tunnels for extra acoustic impact. The Gloucestershire and Warwickshire is great for that.

Front droplight. Big diesel. Dreadful! As close to a time machine back to the 1980s as you can get.
 

CW2

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Thursday 15/06/78
46041 1906 Leeds – York
40146 1927 York – Leeds
47432 2103 Leeds – Bradford Exchange
40036 2135 Bradford Exchange – Leeds
I was on my way home from college, and intended just going straight home from York, when the late-running Edinburgh – Liverpool service rolled in with required 40146. I couldn’t turn that down. At Leeds I bumped into a guard who was also a class 40 fan, and he told me he was off to Bradford to work a return Southport – Leeds charter that had gone out with a 40 on that morning. Required 40036 duly produced. Thank you, and good(K)night!

Friday 15/06/79
I really am getting my money’s worth out of the Darlington 3D ticket …
85003 00xx Mossend – Carlisle (and I manged to wake up this time!)
55012 02xx Carlisle – Edinburgh
27104 + 27203 0615 Edinburgh – Glasgow QS via Falkirk Grahamston
40018 0740 Glasgow QS – Dundee
27009 0938 Dundee – Perth
25021 1105 Perth – Edinburgh via Ladybank
40157 1255 Edinburgh – Carstairs
40066 1318 Carstairs – Edinburgh
(40066’s train was running 20 minutes late, which just enabled me to scramble on board as it departed.)
27203 + 27104 1430 Edinburgh – Glasgow QS via Falkirk High
40101 1535 Glasgow QS – Dundee
25078 1715 Dundee – Perth
47274 1843 Perth – Dundee
40071 1915 Dundee – Perth
25019 2012 Perth – Dundee
40018 2115 Dundee – Perth
After a frantic day of leaping to and fro, my final move of the day was to be 40157 on the 2220 Perth – Euston. Unfortunately it failed with flat batteries. By chance, there were two class 25s on hand at Perth, both crewed up, which were planned to go coupled light engines to Mossend to work two separate freight trains from there. Problem solved.
25050 + 25068 2220 Perth – Mossend
The 2220 Perth – Euston was load 12 including sleeping cars, and the driving of the class 25s was less than perfectly co-ordinated. Pulling away from Gleneagles they took it in turns to take power then overload, so it took several bouncy overloading attempts to get us going.

Sunday 15/06/80 “The Heckmondwike”
55009 0106 York – Doncaster via Hare Park, Normanton
31317 0311 Doncaster – Leeds via Wakefield Kirkgate
There used to be a freight-only line that connected Healey Mills via Low Moor to Bradford Exchange. This line passed through the site of Heckmondwike Central station. Once a year the Heckmondwike Working Men’s Club would arrange a charter to the seaside, in a manner that couldn’t be contemplated nowadays. The charter train would pull up on plain track outside the Club, carriage doors would be flung open, stepladders leaned up against the doorways, and a couple of hundred people of all ages would scramble aboard with all their provisions for a day out by the seaside. There was no regular traffic on the line, which was effectively mothballed – and had been for several years. This year they had planned a trip to Bridlington, and moves were made to ensure the train was diagrammed for a class 40, and tickets purchased by the class 40 hardcore. The previous day celebrity 40106 had worked across the Pennines on the Llandudno – York, and was removed at Leeds specifically so it could work the excursion.
The ECS from Neville Hill ran into Leeds station, and I boarded it there – along with several other class 40 bashers. We then ran via Wakefield Kirkgate and Healey Mills to pass through Heckmondwike non-stop as far as Bradford Exchange. There 40106 ran round and we returned via Low Moor to Heckmondwike, where the grand festival of stepladders commenced! Once everybody was safely on board, we set off for Bridlington via Healey Mills, Kirkgate, Milford Jn, Selby, Anlaby Rd Jn, and West Parade North Jn.
40106 0643 Leeds – Bridlington
40106 19xx Bridlington – Leeds
The return was the same route as outward, apart from the last leg when we went from Bradford to Leeds direct. The stepladders produced again, and miraculously nobody got hurt descending them after their boozy day at the seaside. This was an excellent day out, in bizarre circumstances. I’d never done the track via Heckmondwike before – very few people had – and it’s long since been closed and lifted. It now forms part of the Spen Valley Greenway. The former layout can be traced here:
https://c.tiles.openrailwaymap.org/standard/13/4057/2641.png
47402 2315 Leeds – York
(16 June 1980)
I went to my sister’s house in York intending to get a couple of hours doss before turning out for 40050 which I knew was working the 1935 Aberdeen – Kings Cross. Typically I overdossed, and only just made:
47519 0337 York – Kings Cross
(As a side note, I was in my first year studying music at City University at the time. My overdossing at York meant I missed a critical music practical lesson the following morning, which eventually led to me failing my end of term exam. This weekend became pivotal in me deciding that my future lay in working for the railways, and not as a jobbing musician).

EDIT - If you google Heckmondwike to Bridlington 1980 it brings up - amongst other things - a seminar phot of the 20 or so class 40 bashers (and the driver) posed in front of 40106 at Heckmondwike.


Tuesday 15/06/82
86103 1500 Euston – Warrington BQ
47492 1747 Warrington BQ – Newton le Willows
40135 1810 Newton le Willows – Llandudno Jn
DMU Llandudno Jn – Rhyl
47452 2202 Rhyl – Crewe
82008 2334 Crewe – Carlisle
(Wednesday 16/06/82)
82004 0118 Carlisle – Euston
This was an after-work move to North Wales for a relatively meagre bit of 40 mileage, but the day was capped in some style by a round trip to Carlisle with class 82s.

Wednesday 15/06/83
40022 1800 York – Rochdale via Leeds, Diggle, Brewery Curve, Oldham Loop.
DMU Rochdale – Manchester Victoria
45133 2125 Manchester Victoria – York
The appearance of 40022 on a return schools charter to Rochdale meant it was time for some more new track, with the Brewery Curve and Oldham Loop all being required.

Saturday 15/06/85
After the shenanigans with 97408 the previous evening, the plan for today was to start from Stafford on the (diverted) 0147 Crewe – Cardiff, then double back to Shrewsbury for a dabble on the Cambrian. This is how it panned out:
47603 0138 Stafford – Abergavenny via Oxley Chord, Shrewsbury (reverse)
33046 0611 Abergavenny – Shrewsbury
37164 0753 Shrewsbury -Aberystwyth
37164 1110 Aberystwyth – Welshpool
37256 1313 Welshpool – Caersws
37167 + 37182 1446 Caersws – Shrewsbury
37164 1602 Shrewsbury – Wolverhampton
86261 1708 Wolverhampton – Birmingham New Street
A highly successful day, with three of the 37s and the 33 being required. Some alternative English Electric entertainment had been laid on in the evening…
50024 1741 Birmingham New Street – Cardiff via Camp Hill, Gloucester, Chepstow
…and that’s not all …
43006 + 43142 2038 Cardiff – Bristol Parkway
50036 2139 Bristol Parkway – Birmingham New Street via Worcester Shrub Hill, Hartlebury
37172 piloting 50036 22xx Worcester Shrub Hill – Birmingham New Street
The Bristol – Glasgow sleepers was load 13, and diverted via Hartlebury, so a class 37 pilot was provided from Worcester Shrub Hill for the class 50. The sheer racket of 37 + 50 at low speed on a steep gradient up Old Hill Bank with a heavy train was very memorable.
At New Street I decided to drop back onto the 1935 Paignton – Glasgow in the hope of some better traction (and more comfortable Mk 1 seats) to take me home to Scotland …
47443 2349 Birmingham New Street – Basford Hall via Soho, Cannock
(Sunday 16/06/85)
86429 01xx Basford Hall - Carlisle
47593 0325 Carlisle – Glasgow Central via Holytown, Motherwell, Hamilton Circle
My hopes for something interesting north from Carlisle were firmly dashed by the appearance of 47593 (which still lurks around Crewe to this day – it is an LSL loco now). The diversion via Hamilton added some interest.

Thursday 15/06/89
87021 0832 Crewe – Stafford
81007 0900 Stafford – Crewe
Off a night shift, having a quick dabble with an 81 (which were getting quite rare by then).
 
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NorthWestRover

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Sunday 15th June 1980

45132 Sheffield to Chesterfield
45136 Chesterfield to Sheffield

Found these in my class listings. This was in my spotting days and it appears that it was Tinsley Open Day on that date (good old Google). I imagine the trip to Chesterfield was to go to Barrow Hill and/or Shirebrook. I'm guessing the rest of the day was units.

Wednesday 15th June 1983

87034 Warrington BQ to Lancaster
81018 Lancaster to Preston
87027 Preston to Crewe
86239 Crewe to Warrington BQ

More electric delights. I was at Preston when 1M22 left and Motherlist has no 40 for that date.

Saturday 15th June 1985

Unit Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury

Then move for move the same as @CW2 until I finished and he carried on...

37164 Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth, 07.53 off Shrewsbury
37164 Aberystwyth to Welshpool, 11.10 to Euston
37256 Welshpool to Caersws, 09.35 Euston to Aber
37167/37182 Caersws to Shrewsbury, 13.40 off Aber
37164 Shrewsbury to Wolves, relief service.

This was my last day out on these services in 1985 as the following Saturday I returned home to Warrington for the summer. I did little over the summer other than an Inter Rail from mid August to mid September. I didn't record the haulage, but do have my route. I did very little bashing when I went back to Wolves in the autumn. Other things were obviously getting in the way. 1986 picked up a bit until I went to Germany/France for a year in September 1986.
 

xotGD

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15th June 1985 - not as exciting as the Cambrian, but a couple of Syphons produced in the North East:

47371 Newcastle - York 1P98
37226 York - Durham 1N35
37102 Darlo - Newcastle 1N13
45131 Newcastle - Durham 1M32
47206 Durham - Newcastle 1S51

Here is 102 on its way to The Toon:

Class37.co.uk

And a couple of the Cambrian workings that day. Anyone recognise themselves at the droplight:

Class37.co.uk

Class37.co.uk

15th June 1986 - Nuneaton drags again, and not a 58 this week:

56027 (+87029) New St - Nuneaton 1O29
56027 (+86261) Nuneaton - New St 1G05

First time I'd had a 56. Only had one other.

15th June 1991 - West Midlands Travelcard adventures with:

90009, 47808, 90019, 86261, 86233, 87006, 47846, 86207, 86240, 90014, 90018, 86222
 

CW2

Established Member
Joined
7 May 2020
Messages
1,922
Location
Crewe
Sunday 15th June 1980

45132 Sheffield to Chesterfield
45136 Chesterfield to Sheffield

Found these in my class listings. This was in my spotting days and it appears that it was Tinsley Open Day on that date (good old Google). I imagine the trip to Chesterfield was to go to Barrow Hill and/or Shirebrook. I'm guessing the rest of the day was units.

Wednesday 15th June 1983

87034 Warrington BQ to Lancaster
81018 Lancaster to Preston
87027 Preston to Crewe
86239 Crewe to Warrington BQ

More electric delights. I was at Preston when 1M22 left and Motherlist has no 40 for that date.

Saturday 15th June 1985

Unit Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury

Then move for move the same as @CW2 until I finished and he carried on...

37164 Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth, 07.53 off Shrewsbury
37164 Aberystwyth to Welshpool, 11.10 to Euston
37256 Welshpool to Caersws, 09.35 Euston to Aber
37167/37182 Caersws to Shrewsbury, 13.40 off Aber
37164 Shrewsbury to Wolves, relief service.

This was my last day out on these services in 1985 as the following Saturday I returned home to Warrington for the summer. I did little over the summer other than an Inter Rail from mid August to mid September. I didn't record the haulage, but do have my route. I did very little bashing when I went back to Wolves in the autumn. Other things were obviously getting in the way. 1986 picked up a bit until I went to Germany/France for a year in September 1986.
Ah yes, the problem with bashing is that occasionally normality intervenes!
 

Cletus

Established Member
Joined
11 Dec 2010
Messages
2,227
Location
Dover
Fantastic story at Heckmondwike :smile:

Have been recently watching a local vlogger in the area concerned.

 

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