Back in the day...

[MDB1images]

Mon 07th Sep 87
47342 15:15 Bolton-Manchester Victoria(2J54 Blackpool-Manchester Victoria)
47402 15:52 Manchester Victoria-Stalybridge(1E19 Liverpool-Newcastle)
31410 17:46 Stockport-Bolton(1M26 Nottingham-Blackpool)
47342 19:10 Bolton-Manchester Victoria(2J58 Blackpool-Manchester Vic)
47342 19:30 Manchester Victoria-Bolton(2P62 Manchester Vic-Blackpool)

Others noted….
47406 Newcastle-Liverpool
47438 1M12 Harwich PQ-Blackpool
47477 Newcastle-Liverpool
47477 Liverpool-Newcastle
85035 Manchester Picc-Birmingham International

Haulage wise 47402 was a winner for the year, site wise it was a blank.

Sat 08th Sep 84
47404 Bolton-Preston

Sight wise DMU M51602 was good.
I’d imagine this was a mid morning/early afternoon spotting trip so to give an idea of the loco’s around I noted these……

08744

40122, 40135, 40192

47204, 47327, 47404, 47415, 47432, 47433, 47437, 47447, 47453, 47518, 47543, 47588

85006, 85012, 85017, 85018, 85021, 85023, 85025, 85029, 85030, 85032, 85035

86005, 86211, 86216, 86226, 86234, 86237, 86241, 86246, 86247, 86313, 86323, 86324

87004, 87006, 87010, 87012, 87015, 87016, 87028, 87029

Tue 08th Sep 87
47328 15:15 Bolton-Manchester Victoria(2J54 Blackpool-Manchester Victoria)
31442 16:38 Manchester Piccadilly-Stockport
47642 18:38 Stockport-Manchester Piccadilly
47543 19:44 Manchester Victoria-Bolton(1M12 Harwich PQ-Blackpool)

Others noted….
47328 2P62 Manchester Victoria-Blackpool
47411 Liverpool-Newcastle
47421 Liverpool-Newcastle
85025 Manchester Piccadilly-Birmingham International


An unexpected winner for haulage today in Eastfields 47642 ‘Strathisla’, it had been in the area since at least Friday so presume Crewe had kept it for a while before dispatching it North.
Nothing new for sight.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Regular readers will know I have big gaps in my records. Nothing at all from 1984, only the summers in 1982 and 1983. Only class listings prior to 1981 (and they don't include 40s, 47/4s, 86/2s, 87s) so I have these single moves sometimes that were probably part of a spotting day. 1985 to 1992 I have full records, although I wasn't really bashing after 1986. September and October 1982 moves will look very odd as it will look I was Rat bashing when in truth these will have been doing 40s and the Rats were fill-in. Of course, if some more books materialise...

Anyway, that was a long-winded introduction to...

Saturday 8th September 1979

46046 Leeds to Man Vic

Monday 8th September 1986

87019 Penrith to WBQ, 1A40 09.25 Carlisle to Euston.

This was return trip from camping in Keswick.

 

[CW2]

Saturday 08/09/79
Having arrived in Plymouth behind 47482 after 47520 had incinerated itself at Quedgeley Junction, I decided to carry on into Cornwall:
47027 0440 Plymouth – Par 100’ late
After breakfasting at Par, a plan emerged. That year there was a through Falmouth to Paddington service on summer Saturdays, and I’d never done Falmouth loco hauled:
50011 0702 Par – Truro
50018 0814 Truro – Falmouth
50018 0910 Falmouth – Plymouth
(This was of course through to the old station in Falmouth, slightly beyond the current terminus). I believe this was the last year of loco-hauled Falmouth - Paddington services.

Thursday 08/09/83
Another after-work trip to Stalybridge with a 40:
40012 1710 York – Stalybridge
45116 1904 Stalybridge – York

Monday 08/09/86
I learned that (required) 37001 was active on the Highland Main Line – but I was at work and couldn’t get out any earlier. It was working the 1430 Inverness to Edinburgh – and just for good measure it was piloted from Inverness to Perth by 27001!
47586 1625 Glasgow Queen Street – Dunblane
This was the short-lived 0735 Taunton to Inverness via Glasgow Queen Street service.
37001 1737 Dunblane – Edinburgh
That wasn’t the end of the day’s entertainment …
26010 1845 Edinburgh – Dalmeny
26001 1918 Dalmeny – Haymarket
47710 1933 Haymarket – Glasgow Queen Street
So 26001, 27001, and 37001 were all working passenger trains in Scotland on the same day.

Friday 08/09/89
87003 1630 Euston – Crewe

 

[D6130]

SUNDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 1974:

A day out on a 'Pleasure Seeker' ADEX from Portsmouth Harbour to Diss - with connecting coaches to Bressingham Gardens, which we didn't use, of course. Why did the Southern Region call their ADEXs 'Pleasure Seeker', when the other regions called theirs 'Merrymaker'?

33 009 Petersfield-Diss via Wimbledon, East Putney, Clapham Jn, Willesden Jn, South Tottenham and Temple Mills
47 179 Diss-Norwich (was hoping for a 37)
47 162 Norwich-Diss (was still hoping for a 37)
33 009 Diss-Petersfield via same route as outwards

My first ever visit to Norwich....lots of locos and units copped.

 

[xotGD]

SUNDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 1974:

A day out on a 'Pleasure Seeker' ADEX from Portsmouth Harbour to Diss - with connecting coaches to Bressingham Gardens, which we didn't use, of course. Why did the Southern Region call their ADEXs 'Pleasure Seeker', when the other regions called theirs 'Merrymaker'?

33 009 Petersfield-Diss via Wimbledon, East Putney, Clapham Jn, Willesden Jn, South Tottenham and Temple Mills
47 179 Diss-Norwich (was hoping for a 37)
47 162 Norwich-Diss (was still hoping for a 37)
33 009 Diss-Petersfield via same route as outwards

My first ever visit to Norwich....lots of locos and units copped.

So it was more of a 'Syphon Seeker' trip!

 

[CW2]

SUNDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 1974:

A day out on a 'Pleasure Seeker' ADEX from Portsmouth Harbour to Diss - with connecting coaches to Bressingham Gardens, which we didn't use, of course. Why did the Southern Region call their ADEXs 'Pleasure Seeker', when the other regions called theirs 'Merrymaker'?

33 009 Petersfield-Diss via Wimbledon, East Putney, Clapham Jn, Willesden Jn, South Tottenham and Temple Mills
47 179 Diss-Norwich (was hoping for a 37)
47 162 Norwich-Diss (was still hoping for a 37)
33 009 Diss-Petersfield via same route as outwards

My first ever visit to Norwich....lots of locos and units copped.

Pretty rateable having a 33 on the GE main line.

 

[AJM580]

Saturday 8 Sept 1984.

37139 Norwich - Peterborough
47367 Peterborough - Norwich

Quick out and back involving the Yarmouth - Newcastle.

 

[xotGD]

8th September 1984

A simple out-and-back to cover the Yarmouth:

47409 Newcastle - Darlington 1E36
37139 Darlington - Newcastle 1N13 (As sampled by @AJM580 earlier in its journey)

Here is the Syphon rolling in to Durham. One of those heads could well be mine...

Class37.co.uk

8th September 1986

Our last day in Scotland. The plan was to start the day playing on the Type 2s on the Fife locals and then take it from there.

86240 Mossend Yard - Carstairs 1M16
86420 Carstairs - Carlisle 1M16 (Not sure why there was a swap at Carstairs)
87008 Carlisle - Carstairs 1S19
47469 Carstairs - Waverley 1B03

Right, so what's happening. Well for a start, this isn't a Small Engine:

37001 Waverley - Cowdenbeath 2G01

This train then runs ECS to Cardenden, so normally you'd then have to take a couple of units in order to pick in up again. But not today:

26010 Cowdenbeath - Dalmeny
26031 Dalmeny - Inverkeithing
37001 Inverkeithing - Haymarket 2G24
47449 Haymarket - Waverley 2B52 (Shouldn't have baled at Haymarket!)

We got to Waverley in time to see the ex-Berwick arrive. Nice...

37198 Waverley - Haymarket (Just a pity it didn't go any further)

With apologies to W.H. Auden:

"This is the Syphon crossing the Border
Thrashing away, to some fine order"

26046 Haymarket - Waverley

At this point my mates decided to take 37001 for a run up the Highland Main Line. IIRC they misread the timetable and ended up baling at a station where the next southbound train didn't stop. Meanwhile I had gen that I could get another required 26 if I headed up to Kirkcaldy - so that's what I did:

26010 Waverley - Kirkcaldy
26028 Kirkcaldy - Haymarket

Then I wanted to get to Glasgow to cover 1M89, which had produced 37087 two days earlier:

47357 Haymarket - Perth 1L35
47517 Perth - Stirling 1C84
47357 Stirling - Queen St 1T24
27056 Glasgow Central - Barrhead 1M89 (Oh well, no Syphon today, but still nice enough)
47538 Barrhead - Glasgow Central 1S37

Just time for a few more moves before heading back home:

37402 Queen St - Larbert 1L39
26001 Haymarket - Waverley ( @CW2 was getting off as we were getting on)
47049 Haymarket - Waverley 2J24
27049 Waverley - Haymarket 2J33

Then a Tram back to the Toon and home for a good bath and a very long sleep!

8th September 1990

86401 New St - Wolves
90035 New St - Wolves
90047 Wolves - New St (48, 49 & 50 have so far escaped me)

 

[AJM580]

8th September 1984

A simple out-and-back to cover the Yarmouth:

47409 Newcastle - Darlington 1E36
37139 Darlington - Newcastle 1N13 (As sampled by @AJM580 earlier in its journey)

Here is the Syphon rolling in to Durham. One of those heads could well be mine...

Class37.co.uk

8th September 1984

A simple out-and-back to cover the Yarmouth:

47409 Newcastle - Darlington 1E36
37139 Darlington - Newcastle 1N13 (As sampled by @AJM580 earlier in its journey)

Here is the Syphon rolling in to Durham. One of those heads could well be mine...

Class37.co.uk

Somehow l thought xotGD would be on it, here's 37139 at Peterborough

 

[CW2]

Sunday 09/09/79
An early start on Sunday morning from Plymouth, to cover a train booked for a pair of 50s. It worked!
50044 + 50023 0830 Plymouth – Taunton
50018 1123 Taunton – Plymouth

Wednesday 09/09/81
Returning to London after visiting York with my girlfriend:
55017 1415 York – Kings Cross

Tuesday 09/09/86
Having recently changed job in Glasgow Control, I was given a day to undertake some site and signal box visits in Ayrshire:
DMU Glasgow Central – Paisley Gilmour Street
DMU Paisley Gilmour Street – Largs
DMU Largs – Kilwinning
DMU Kilwinning – Ayr
My journey back from Ayr was timed so that I could pick up a loco I’d seen earlier in the day on its outward journey from Glasgow to Stranraer:
37070 1433 Ayr – Paisley Gilmour Street

Monday 09/09/96
I can only assume this was a work-related move (as it’s not one I would have made willingly!):
47843 0846 Reading – Birmingham New Street via Coventry
47827 1506 Birmingham New Street – Reading via Coventry

 

[D6130]

MONDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 2013:

The first leg of our return from a flying long weekend visit to our place in Italy:

RRB Pratovecchio Stia-Subbiano
ETT 22 (EMU) Subbiano-Arezzo
E464 519 Arezzo-Firenze SMN via classic line to Incisa, then direttissima
E575 15 (NTV/Italo) Firenze SMN-Milano PG
Metro M2 Garibaldi FS-Lambrate FS
Metro M2 Lambrate FS-Garibaldi FS

The evening Milano Metro trip was to visit the excellent 'Birrificio Lambrate' micro-brewery and pub, where an excellent evening was had by all!

 

[MDB1images]

Wed 09th Sep 87
47328 15:15 Bolton-Manchester Victoria(2J54 Blackpool-Manchester Victoria)
47418 15:52 Manchester Victoria-Stalybridge(1E19 Liverpool-Newcastle)
85036 17:20 Stockport-Manchester Piccadilly
31257 17:46 Stockport-Bolton(1M26 Nottingham-Blackpool)
47328 19:00 Bolton-Manchester Victoria(2J58 Blackpool-Manchester Victoria)
47438 19:44 Manchester Victoria-Bolton(1M12 Harwich PQ-Blackpool)

Haulage wise 31257 was gratefully accepted whilst 47418 was a winner for the year.
Nothing noted new sight wise

 

[xotGD]

I've been out all day so don't have access to my moves book. However I can report that on this day in 1988 I was returning from my new starter training week in Surrey. My journey home was conveniently timed for:

89001 King's Cross - Peterborough

This was the evening commuter turn it worked at the time. I cleared an entire class for sight and haulage in the space of 10 minutes. Not bad, especially as it was on expenses.

That gives me the idea for a new thread: What was your best move when your employer was paying? Railway employees are excluded!

 

[NorthWestRover]

St Pancras to Lille on Eurostar in January 2016.

 

[CW2]

Wednesday 10/09/80
The 1507 Plymouth – Manchester was booked to run via Gloucester, and re-engined there to a loco which had worked into Gloucester on a parcels train from Birmingham. Consequently, it was a train which had produced all manner of locos in recent weeks, such as single class 25s or 31s, or even pairs of 20s, which required banking up Lickey with the resident pair of 37s. When I had to go from Plymouth to London, I chose to go via Birmingham, in the hope of getting something massive forward from Gloucester, and scoring the bankers as well. It’s like a spin-and-win railtour. Let’s see how that plan went:
46001 1507 Plymouth – Gloucester
45033 1836 Gloucester – Birmingham New Street
86213 2000 Birmingham New Street – Euston
Draw your own conclusions. Every one (not) a winner.

Saturday 10/09/83
CFPS Ayrshire Ranger
40033 0740 York – Stranraer via Selby, Leeds, Carlisle, Kilmarnock, Ayr
40033 1620 Stranraer – York via Ayr, Kilmarnock, Carlisle, Leeds, Selby, Hambleton Jn, Colton Jn.

Monday 10/09/84
27029 1730 Glasgow Central – Kirkconnel
This loco shut down approaching Kirkconnel, and ground to a silent halt opposite Kirkconnel signal box. After much delay, 27020 arrived on 3M57 Ayr – Carlisle parcels service, attached to the rear, and propelled the train forward to Dumfries.
27020 1850 Kirkconnel – Dumfries
This was hours late, and was a vacuum braked train assisting in rear a vacuum braked train with the front loco shut down and unable to create a brake. The rule book stated we shouldn’t exceed 20 mph. Instead, we were treated to 27020 thrashing its guts out on a flat-out run. On arrival at Dumfries, we recognised a fellow crank on the platform, who told us that there was a taxi laid on to transport him to Lockerbie to pick up the 2050 Carlisle – Perth (the famous 1S81), so we alighted there and joined him.
Taxi Dumfries – Lockerbie
86220 2110 Lockerbie – Mossend
37125 2232 Mossend – Stirling (which was why I was so keen to catch 1S81 that night)
Looks like it’s another Carlisle overnight then …
47408 2333 Stirling – Mossend

Saturday 10/09/94
A day out on the Mid Hants Railway:
30506 1042 Alton – Ropley
3278 1115 Ropley – Medstead & Four Marks
73080 1130 Medstead & Four Marks – Alresford
73080 1158 Alresford – Medstead & Four Marks
3278 1230 Medstead & Four Marks – Ropley
76017 1245 Ropley – Alton

 

[D6130]

THURSDAY 10th SEPTEMBER 1981:

An after-work evening jaunt on the West Highland Line with a couple of colleagues....and a quick refreshment in Crianlarich:

314 208 Hyndland-Glasgow QS LL
37 026 Glasgow QS HL-Crianlarich (18 23 to Oban)
37 043 Crianlarich-Dumbarton Central (18 22 from Fort William)
303 013 Dumbarton Central-Hyndland via Yoker

Consist of 18 23 GLQ-OBN: SC4207/4053/4760/4752 (Mark 1 TSO), SC14009 (Mark 1 BFK). Load 5 VB/SH
Consist of 18 22 FTW-GLQ: SC14095 (Mark 2 BFK), SC4438 (Mark 1 TSO), SC1819 (Mark 1 RMB), M14025 (Mark 1 BFK), M4945 (Mark 1 TSO),
M2629 (Mark 1 SLS), M2112 (Mark 1 SLF). Load 7 VB/DH

TUESDAY 10th SEPTEMBER 2013:

The final leg of our quick long-weekend dash to and from Italy:

EC9244, 08 50 Milano PG-Modane: TGV 4503

There then followed an unscheduled set swap at Modane due to TGV 4506's temporary inability - or unwillingness - to switch over to the Italian 3,000v DC system (not an uncommon occurrence these days, I'm sorry to have to say!).

EC9244, 11 ?? Modane-Paris Lyon via Aix-les-Bains and Bourg-en-Bresse: TGV 4506
RER 'A': Gare de Lyon-Chatelet les Halles
RER 'B': Chatelet les Halles-Gare du Nord (the direct RER Line 'D' was not operating that day for some reason)
ES9051, 18 13 Paris Nord-London St Pancras International: 373 020/019
20 03 Kings Cross-Leeds: 91 111
22 35 Leeds-Hebden Bridge via Halifax: 158 795

 

[xotGD]

10th September 1983

37086 Durham - Newcastle 1N13

Quality, not quantity!

9th September 1989

Buzzing about the West Midlands behind:

90025, 87025, 90003, 50026, 85005, 86402, 90016, 87005, 85007, 90017, 85019, 85034, 86405

A Hoover and four Roarer. Not too shabby.

10th September 1989

47580 New St - Wolverhampton
31464 + 31434 Wolverhampton - New St

I can't recollect what the pair of Goyles were working.

10th September 2021

A great day out at the Keighley and Worth Valley. 26007, 27001, 20031 and 37075 provided the entertainment. And the 26 was required.

 

[MDB1images]

Thu 10th Sep 87
31311 15:15 Bolton-Manchester Victoria(2J54 Blackpool-Manchester Victoria)
31407 16:34 Oxford Rd-Stockport
47597 18:38 Stockport-Manchester Piccadilly
86437 18:55 Manchester Piccadilly-Stockport
47543 19:10 Stockport-Bolton(1M12 Harwich PQ-Blackpool)

Others noted….
47406 Newcastle-Liverpool
47411 1E19 Liverpool-Newcastle
47534 1M87 Glasgow-Manchester Vic

Haulage wise 86437 was good for the year, another blank sight wise.

 

[D6130]

FRIDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 1981:

A weekend trip from Glasgow to see friends in Petersfield:

303 018 Hyndland-Glasgow QS LL
87 019 16 03 Glasgow Central-Euston

Overnight with a friend in London, before heading for Hampshire the following morning.

Consist of 16 03 Glasgow Central-Euston: M81256 (Mark 1 BG), M11039/11048 (Mark 3a FO), M1973 (Mark 1 RBR), M12103/12036/12083/12111 (Mark 3a TSO), M9506 (Mark 2f BSO). Load 9 AB/EH.

 

[CW2]

Tuesday 11/09/79
Another day out from Plymouth:
46007 1048 Plymouth – Camborne
50029 1246 Camborne – Liskeard
50036 1349 Liskeard – Penzance, 30’ late
50037 1609 Penzance – Plymouth
45055 1835 Plymouth – Newton Abbot, XP64 stock.
50046 1930 Newton Abbot – Plymouth, 5’ early.

Thursday 11/09/80
I had dropped out from university, and was wondering what to do next. My trolley-catering boss at Euston offered me some extra hours on the trolley, as there was an international printing technology exhibition (IPEX80) taking place at Birmingham National Exhibition Centre. Remarkably, attendance for this exhibition was so strong that several additional trains were organised to run from Euston. So, the deal was that I would (trolley) work an additional service to Birmingham International, then make my own way to New Street, dump all my trolley equipment there, and book off. Then later in the afternoon I would book on again, refill my urns, make my way back to International, and work one of the return relief services to Euston.
86235 0930 Euston – Birmingham International
This was 30’ late start attaching additional coaches at Euston, and 45’ late into Birmingham International due to route congestion.
86248 1134 Birmingham International – Birmingham New Street
So, I could either wander the streets of Birmingham for a few hours, or alternatively find a train that needed a trolley, and try to earn some pennies in commission (as I wouldn’t be paid for any additional hours worked). Of course I chose to continue with the trolley:
86249 1312 Birmingham New Street – Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe
81008 1529 Manchester Piccadilly – Birmingham New Street via Crewe
This was 25’ late due to a signal failure at Soho.
312 004 Birmingham New Street - Birmingham International
There I had my pick of relief trains to Euston, so (naturally) I chose the one with a required Roarer:
81004 1815 Birmingham International – Euston

Tuesday 11/09/84
86220 0026 Mossend – Carlisle
85010 0228 Carlisle – Mossend
37027 0410 Mossend – Cowlairs
37014 0458 Cowlairs – Glasgow Queen Street
… and a brisk walk up the hill for another early shift!

Wednesday 11/09/85
50033 1018 Paddington – Plymouth via Westbury

Monday 11/09/89
Returning from my home and family in Crewe to my job in Paddington, I found a nice way of doing it:
90026 1636 Crewe – Stafford
90018 1704 Stafford – Euston
I required 90026.

Friday 11/09/92
A work trip to Harwich Parkeston Quay:
86230 0925 Liverpool Street – Harwich PQ
Car to Colchester
86231 1739 Colchester – Liverpool Street
34027 2000 Waterloo – Bournemouth
33102 2258 Bournemouth – Basingstoke
Car Basingstoke – Reading
I have an idea this was one of the first runs of steam on the Southern, and was run after dark to minimise the potential risk of trespass in third rail areas.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Saturday 11th September 1982

This is the first report from 1982 I have "reconstructed" from my class listings rather than my moves book. I know the gaps will be made up of 40s as the Llandudno-York and the York-Llandudno were 40-hauled on this day. The diagram that 25139 was on according to the Rat Haulage website was 40141 on the Motherlist, so who knows...

Anyway, here's the bits I've got. Not sure of the order...

25069 WBQ to Rhyl, this was on The Bangor
And I guess I picked up 40197 on the 09.00 Llandudno to York (although Prestatyn was the usual leap) or 40168 on the 09.30 Llandudno to Euston.

Whatever happened, I at some point had...

25139 Rhyl to Llandudno Junc
47346 Llandudno Junc to Rhyl
25069 Bangor to WBQ.

 

[xotGD]

11th September 1982

The last hurrah of summer:

46017 Sunderland - Newcastle 1N04
37245 Durham - Newcastle 1N13
40004 Newcastle - Durham 1M76
46016 Durham - Newcastle 1E71

The Yarmouth didn't let us down and a 40 dropping on a Trans-Pennine turn was a nice bonus. Here's the Syphon on its way north:

Class37.co.uk

11th September 1988

After my first week at work taking the form of training in Surrey, my second week involved attending a training course in Salford:

47536 Newcastle - Manchester Victoria via York avoider 1M67
31203 Holgate Junction - York 1M67

Another idea for a new thread: Rarest piece of track on a journey your employer was paying for. This is the only time I've been over the York avoiding line.

 

[D6130]

TUESDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 1978:

After a long weekend assisting an antiquarian bookseller friend at Harrogate Book Fair, I headed for a night at my grandparents' on Teesside before going to Scotland for a day or two. I had hoped for a Deltic from York to Darlington, but was very surprised at what turned up on the very late-running 11 39 Poole-Newcastle and I couldn't resist giving it a spin, as it was required for both sight and haulage:

E50296/56064 Harrogate-York
31 245 York-Darlington
E56410/51478 Darlington-Stockton

Consist of 11 39 Poole-Newcastle: E5332/5292/5298 (Mark 2a TSO), E13469 (Mark 2a FK), E1067 (Mark 1 RSO), E1665 (Mark 1 RB), E5338/5327/5389 (Mark 2a TSO), E81497/81497 (Mark 1 BG), Load 11 AB/EH.

The booked 47 had obviously failed somewhere along the line and - with load 11 - it took the Goyle ages to get up speed, even on the relatively straight and level line across the Vale of York. My stopwatch gave a creditable maximum of 82mph just before shutting off power for the Darlington stop.

SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 1981:

After an overnight stop in London, I was heading to visit friends in Petersfield:

33 005 Waterloo-Woking (10 10 to Salisbury)
7834/7838 Woking-Petersfield
7818 Petersfield-Haslemere
7415/7057/7419 Haslemere-Waterloo

Consist of 10 10 Waterloo-Salisbury: S16220/16198 (Mark 1 CK), S4907/5024 (Mark 1 TSO), S34925 (Mark 1 BSK), S4913 (Mark 1 TSO), S80594 (Mark 1 BG) Load 7 VB/DH

 

[47403]

10th September 2021

A great day out at the Keighley and Worth Valley. 26007, 27001, 20031 and 37075 provided the entertainment. And the 26 was required.

Twas rather a good day wasnt it Mr xot. You werent the only one who needed the 26, heard more than a few folk say the 26 was needed, fair few said both McRats were. I think it's fair to say they drew a crowd. Most trains were chocker all day.
Also was good to meet you too fine Sir.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Apologies, firstly this may only appeal to a minority and secondly for any typos, spelling errors and lack of accents on certain German language place names. I have decided to list this twelve day trip in one entry rather than day by day, read it – or ignore it – once and move on. I should also add I have never been one to note unit numbers and even the loco number was not an absolute must hence entries such as 900xx. Apologies too if there is too much detail.

Wednesday September 12th 1990
16.30 Manchester Picc to Milton Keynes Central 900xx on rear of 10 car DVT set
18.29 MK Central to Bletchley – 4 car EMU
18.50 Bletchley to Bedford– 2 car DMU
19.48 Bedford to Luton– 4 car EMU
20.38 bus Luton to Luton Airport – Leyland National
23.35 Luton Airport to Palermo Airport – Monarch 737. Only about 5 or 6 passengers on flight. Visit to flight deck whilst over Corsica and Sardinia. This of course was in the pre Budget Airline era, and Charter Operators were not permitted to offer single fares. I paid the princely sum of £29 to get from Luton to Palermo, effectively it was advertised as one way, and on collecting my ‘single’ ticket from the travel Agent in Manchester the previous day also received a coupon for the return journey which could be traded in for a bus ticket from Rome to London!

Thursday 13th Sept
06.30 bus Palermo Airport to Palermo
08.55 Palermo to Trapani via Castelvetrano - 3 railcars, split en route single railcar forward
11.30 Trapani to Palermo (direct) – single railcar coupled to second en route
Fatigue catching up I sought a hotel to rest for a few hours before exploring Palermo

Friday 14th Sept
08.15 Palermo to Catania (via Enna) – 2car DMU
15.05 Catania to Allessandria – 656 254, load 6 (2 sleepers 4 couchettes) Catania to Messina.
No record of shunt loco on and off Train Ferry ‘Scilla’ at Messina and Via San Giovanni. An identical six car portion plus a van from Palermo also on ‘Scilla’. Forward from Villa San G 20 mins late, 656 445, load 14 including a single couchette from Reggio di Calabria. Enjoyed the spectacular coastal scenery from my sleeper compartment until darkness fell.

Saturday 15th Sept
Arrived Allesandria in reverse formation behind 444 xxx, five minutes late
10.04 Allesandria to Savona – 636 439, load 5
12.28 Savona to Ventimiglia – 656 413, load 13
15.25 Ventimiglia to Menton – 25620, load 4
16.05 Menton to Cannes – 25668, load 4
Cannes v Bordeaux 1-1 Ligue 1

Sunday 16th Sept
07.32 Cannes to Ventimglia – 22264, load 16 including sleeper & couchettes Nantes to Ventimiglia and couchette Bordeaux to Milano
09.50 Ventimiglia to Genova PP –656 xxx, load 17 including couchettes Hendaye to Roma, buffet car next to loco, a long walk from the rear of the train
12.43 Genova PP to Genova Brignole – 656 xxx, load 7
Genoa v AS Roma 3-0 Serie A
18.04 Genova Brignole to Genova PP – 4 car EMU
23.00 Genova to Bastia ‘Corsica Victoria’

Monday 17th September
09.46 Bastia to Calvi – railcar + trailer
Alarmed to read on the front page of Corsican newspapers that the ferry ‘Corse’ has been requisitioned for the Gulf War. Corse was my intended transport to Nice next day, hoping perhaps schedules might be amended to cover this sailing.
14.48 Calvi to Ponte Leccia - railcar + trailer
17.08 Ponte Leccia to Ajaccio - railcar + trailer. In this era Ajaccio Port station was still in use but as my train did not connect with any ferries I was unable to traverse the final two or three hundred metres to the port.

Tuesday 18th September
09.00 Ajaccio to Nice No ferry in the port, alternative transport required in order to maintain my forward schedule, as I have couchette booked tonight. Bus to Ajaccio Airport
13.15 Ajaccio Airport to Nice Airport – AT300, 50 minutes start to stop, 38 minutes in the air. Bus to city
16.45 Nice to Breil-sur-Roya – 2 car DMU
18.17 Breil-sur-Roya to Ventimiglia – 2 car DMU
20.14 Ventimiglia to Zurich Hbf – 656 402, load 7

Wednesday 19th September
Arrived Zurich 11662, load 10
07.07 Zurich Hbf to Lindau – 11196, load 7
Lindau at that time enjoyed both SBB and OBB electric traction on 15kv, whilst domestic traffic remained firmly with DB diesel power
09.31 Lindau to Kempten – 218 439 8, hauling failed 2 car DMU
12.17 Kempten to Reutte in Tirol – 2 car DMU
14.14 Reutte in Tirol to Garmisch Partenkirchen – 140 031 6, hauling just one coach
15.23 Garmisch P to Innsbruck – 111 195 4, load 4, replaced by 1044 xxx x I think at Mittenwald
Swarowski Tirol v Kuysusi Lahti 5-0 European Cup 1st Round 1st leg

Thursday 20th September
07.20 Innsbruck to Buchs -1044 202 8, load 9
10.00 Buchs to Landquart – unidentified RE4/4 load 9
10.38 Landquart to Davos Platz – 624, load 5
12.20 Davos Platz to Filisur – 601, load 4
14.10 Filisur to Chur – 622, load 9
16.20 Chur to Landquart - unidentified RE4/4 load 8
16.37 Landquart to Zieglebrucke – 11463, load 13
17.11 Zirglebrucke to Uznach – 11393, load 5
17.26 Uznach to Wattwil – 11210, load 5
17.40 Wattwil to Neslau – 5 car formation with driving trailer leading and power car second from rear
18.01 Neslau to Wil - 5 car formation with power car leading, driving trailer second from rear with PTT sorting van on rear

Friday 21st September
08.07 Wil to Winterthur – 11120 11390, load 15
08.38 Winterthur to Schaffhausen – 11387, load 5
09.28 Schaffhausen to Singen – 150 151 9, load 3
10.05 Singen to Offenburg – 139 559 9, load 12
12.27 Offenburg to Mannheim – 103 171 5, load 13
13.31 Mannheim to Dusseldorf – 103 xxx x, load 13
16.37 Dusseldorf to Essen – 103 173 1, load 12
18.13 Esssen to Bochum- 110 156, 7 load 3
Wattenscheid v Hamburg 0-1 Bundesliga 1
22.29 Bochum to Essen – 110 331 6, load 3

Saturday 22Sppt 1990
09.23 Essen to Wuppertal Elberfeld – 216 029 9, load 3
Overhead Railway Wuppertal Elberfeld to Wuppertal Oberbarmen
10.57 Wuppertal Oberbarment to Solingen Ohligs – 3 car push pull set with 21x xxx x in rear
11.45 Solingen Ohligs to Dusseldorf Flughafen - 3 car push pull set with 111 xxx x in rear
12.37 Dusseldorf Flughafen to Duisburg – 111 177 2, load 3
13.01 Duisburg to Koln Hbf – 140 432 6, load 5
14.13 Koln Hbf to Leverkusen Mitte – 1104108, load 3
Bayer Leverkusen v Karlsruhe 1-0 Bundesliga 1
18.26 Leverkusen Mitte to Koln Hbf, 110 415 7, load 4
20.08 Koln Hbf to Oostende – 103 221 8, replaced at Aachen by 2738, load 11

Sunday 23rd Sept 1990
02.00 Oostende to Dover Western Docks – ‘Princess Maria Esmerald’
05.52 Dover WD to London Victoria – 8 cars (2 x 4 CEP)
Victoria Line to Euston
08.10 Euston to Stafford – 87025, load 9
11.13 Stafford to Stockport – 47603, load 8

 

[NorthWestRover]

Worth it just for getting Garmisch Partenkirchen onto the thread. Niche football games too.

Friday 12th September 1986

31461 Warrington C to Oxford Road, 1E53 19.45 Lime St to Cleethorpes
31460 Oxford Road to Warrington C, 1M56 19.38 Hull to Lime St

Little evening thrash on two unrequired Goyles. I would be leaving the country before very long for my "year abroad" as part of my degree.

****

In 1991 I started doing a regular Oxford to Reading commute on 12th September. This was mostly 47/8s with 47709 and a few 47/4s plus a few trams thrown in for variety. I'm not listing them.

 

[CW2]

Tuesday 12/09/78
47036 1126 York – Leeds
47124 1205 Leeds – York
I needed both 47s, and those were my only ever runs with them – at least as 47/0s. (47036 survives to this day in the guise of 47760, working for West Coast).

Wednesday 12/09/79
50030 1436 Plymouth – Exeter St Davids
This was 20’ -> 15’ late, after an unscheduled loco change at Plymouth, with 50018 being replaced.
50005 1604 Exeter St Davids – Plymouth

Friday 12/09/80
Another IPEX80 day …
86216 0920 Euston - Birmingham International
87018 1053 Birmingham International – Birmingham New Street
After a suitable pause, I decided to head south to Oxford:
50013 1325 Birmingham New Street – Oxford via Solihull
Alas this train already had a fully functioning buffet, and the guard was none too keen to have me on board, but I persuaded him that I needed to go to Oxford to recharge my urns and transfer some stock.
47060 1451 Oxford – Birmingham International via Coventry
At Oxford I seem to remember crossing the tracks from Up to Down platforms by means of a barrow crossing. Did that still exist then?
Back at International I played spot the Roarer once more:
81015 1623 Birmingham International – Euston
This was retimed to depart at 1635, due to another train being cancelled, and was another required loco for me.

Saturday 12/09/81
82003 2045 Euston – Crewe
This was the 2045 Euston – Holyhead, and on this day (only) was diagrammed to be worked forward from Crewe by a pair of class 40s in multiple. As soon as I saw the stock, I suspected that wasn’t going to happen, as the normal rake of Mk 1s had been replaced by a mixed rake of Mk 2 PV and Air Con stock, complete with operating buffet car. When I saw an ETH 47 attaching at Crewe, I bailed out. This was easier said than done, since we had stopped on the back road on the western side of the station, with no platform. Still, it was worth doing the train for the class 82 mileage.

 

[xotGD]

Twas rather a good day wasnt it Mr xot. You werent the only one who needed the 26, heard more than a few folk say the 26 was needed, fair few said both McRats were. I think it's fair to say they drew a crowd. Most trains were chocker all day.
Also was good to meet you too fine Sir.

It was great to meet you and your other half too. She's definitely turning into a 37 fan!

Yes, the set with the Type 2s on it was very busy right from the first train. There must have been a hundred folk all trying to phot the 26 after we arrived into Oxenhope. All much needed income for the railway.

I was wondering whether the 26 would have hauled those Mark 1 non-gangwayed commuter coaches out of King's Cross way, way back in time.

 

[D6130]

Apologies, firstly this may only appeal to a minority and secondly for any typos, spelling errors and lack of accents on certain German language place names. I have decided to list this twelve day trip in one entry rather than day by day, read it – or ignore it – once and move on. I should also add I have never been one to note unit numbers and even the loco number was not an absolute must hence entries such as 900xx. Apologies too if there is too much detail.

Wednesday September 12th 1990
16.30 Manchester Picc to Milton Keynes Central 900xx on rear of 10 car DVT set
18.29 MK Central to Bletchley – 4 car EMU
18.50 Bletchley to Bedford– 2 car DMU
19.48 Bedford to Luton– 4 car EMU
20.38 bus Luton to Luton Airport – Leyland National
23.35 Luton Airport to Palermo Airport – Monarch 737. Only about 5 or 6 passengers on flight. Visit to flight deck whilst over Corsica and Sardinia. This of course was in the pre Budget Airline era, and Charter Operators were not permitted to offer single fares. I paid the princely sum of £29 to get from Luton to Palermo, effectively it was advertised as one way, and on collecting my ‘single’ ticket from the travel Agent in Manchester the previous day also received a coupon for the return journey which could be traded in for a bus ticket from Rome to London!

Thursday 13th Sept
06.30 bus Palermo Airport to Palermo
08.55 Palermo to Trapani via Castelvetrano - 3 railcars, split en route single railcar forward
11.30 Trapani to Palermo (direct) – single railcar coupled to second en route
Fatigue catching up I sought a hotel to rest for a few hours before exploring Palermo

Friday 14th Sept
08.15 Palermo to Catania (via Enna) – 2car DMU
15.05 Catania to Allessandria – 656 254, load 6 (2 sleepers 4 couchettes) Catania to Messina.
No record of shunt loco on and off Train Ferry ‘Scilla’ at Messina and Via San Giovanni. An identical six car portion plus a van from Palermo also on ‘Scilla’. Forward from Villa San G 20 mins late, 656 445, load 14 including a single couchette from Reggio di Calabria. Enjoyed the spectacular coastal scenery from my sleeper compartment until darkness fell.

Saturday 15th Sept
Arrived Allesandria in reverse formation behind 444 xxx, five minutes late
10.04 Allesandria to Savona – 636 439, load 5
12.28 Savona to Ventimiglia – 656 413, load 13
15.25 Ventimiglia to Menton – 25620, load 4
16.05 Menton to Cannes – 25668, load 4
Cannes v Bordeaux 1-1 Ligue 1

Sunday 16th Sept
07.32 Cannes to Ventimglia – 22264, load 16 including sleeper & couchettes Nantes to Ventimiglia and couchette Bordeaux to Milano
09.50 Ventimiglia to Genova PP –656 xxx, load 17 including couchettes Hendaye to Roma, buffet car next to loco, a long walk from the rear of the train
12.43 Genova PP to Genova Brignole – 656 xxx, load 7
Genoa v AS Roma 3-0 Serie A
18.04 Genova Brignole to Genova PP – 4 car EMU
23.00 Genova to Bastia ‘Corsica Victoria’

Monday 17th September
09.46 Bastia to Calvi – railcar + trailer
Alarmed to read on the front page of Corsican newspapers that the ferry ‘Corse’ has been requisitioned for the Gulf War. Corse was my intended transport to Nice next day, hoping perhaps schedules might be amended to cover this sailing.
14.48 Calvi to Ponte Leccia - railcar + trailer
17.08 Ponte Leccia to Ajaccio - railcar + trailer. In this era Ajaccio Port station was still in use but as my train did not connect with any ferries I was unable to traverse the final two or three hundred metres to the port.

Tuesday 18th September
09.00 Ajaccio to Nice No ferry in the port, alternative transport required in order to maintain my forward schedule, as I have couchette booked tonight. Bus to Ajaccio Airport
13.15 Ajaccio Airport to Nice Airport – AT300, 50 minutes start to stop, 38 minutes in the air. Bus to city
16.45 Nice to Breil-sur-Roya – 2 car DMU
18.17 Breil-sur-Roya to Ventimiglia – 2 car DMU
20.14 Ventimiglia to Zurich Hbf – 656 402, load 7

Wednesday 19th September
Arrived Zurich 11662, load 10
07.07 Zurich Hbf to Lindau – 11196, load 7
Lindau at that time enjoyed both SBB and OBB electric traction on 15kv, whilst domestic traffic remained firmly with DB diesel power
09.31 Lindau to Kempten – 218 439 8, hauling failed 2 car DMU
12.17 Kempten to Reutte in Tirol – 2 car DMU
14.14 Reutte in Tirol to Garmisch Partenkirchen – 140 031 6, hauling just one coach
15.23 Garmisch P to Innsbruck – 111 195 4, load 4, replaced by 1044 xxx x I think at Mittenwald
Swarowski Tirol v Kuysusi Lahti 5-0 European Cup 1st Round 1st leg

Thursday 20th September
07.20 Innsbruck to Buchs -1044 202 8, load 9
10.00 Buchs to Landquart – unidentified RE4/4 load 9
10.38 Landquart to Davos Platz – 624, load 5
12.20 Davos Platz to Filisur – 601, load 4
14.10 Filisur to Chur – 622, load 9
16.20 Chur to Landquart - unidentified RE4/4 load 8
16.37 Landquart to Zieglebrucke – 11463, load 13
17.11 Zirglebrucke to Uznach – 11393, load 5
17.26 Uznach to Wattwil – 11210, load 5
17.40 Wattwil to Neslau – 5 car formation with driving trailer leading and power car second from rear
18.01 Neslau to Wil - 5 car formation with power car leading, driving trailer second from rear with PTT sorting van on rear

Friday 21st September
08.07 Wil to Winterthur – 11120 11390, load 15
08.38 Winterthur to Schaffhausen – 11387, load 5
09.28 Schaffhausen to Singen – 150 151 9, load 3
10.05 Singen to Offenburg – 139 559 9, load 12
12.27 Offenburg to Mannheim – 103 171 5, load 13
13.31 Mannheim to Dusseldorf – 103 xxx x, load 13
16.37 Dusseldorf to Essen – 103 173 1, load 12
18.13 Esssen to Bochum- 110 156, 7 load 3
Wattenscheid v Hamburg 0-1 Bundesliga 1
22.29 Bochum to Essen – 110 331 6, load 3

Saturday 22Sppt 1990
09.23 Essen to Wuppertal Elberfeld – 216 029 9, load 3
Overhead Railway Wuppertal Elberfeld to Wuppertal Oberbarmen
10.57 Wuppertal Oberbarment to Solingen Ohligs – 3 car push pull set with 21x xxx x in rear
11.45 Solingen Ohligs to Dusseldorf Flughafen - 3 car push pull set with 111 xxx x in rear
12.37 Dusseldorf Flughafen to Duisburg – 111 177 2, load 3
13.01 Duisburg to Koln Hbf – 140 432 6, load 5
14.13 Koln Hbf to Leverkusen Mitte – 1104108, load 3
Bayer Leverkusen v Karlsruhe 1-0 Bundesliga 1
18.26 Leverkusen Mitte to Koln Hbf, 110 415 7, load 4
20.08 Koln Hbf to Oostende – 103 221 8, replaced at Aachen by 2738, load 11

Sunday 23rd Sept 1990
02.00 Oostende to Dover Western Docks – ‘Princess Maria Esmerald’
05.52 Dover WD to London Victoria – 8 cars (2 x 4 CEP)
Victoria Line to Euston
08.10 Euston to Stafford – 87025, load 9
11.13 Stafford to Stockport – 47603, load 8

No apologies required! A fantastic journey by train, plane, ferry and bus.....It must have been pretty tiring, even when you were thirty years younger, but you packed a heck of a lot of travel and football into less than two weeks. A fascinating read to be sure....some of those Italian and German loco classes are now distant memories, except the few preserved examples on occasional enthusiasts' specials.

 

[xotGD]

12th September 1987

47542 Newcastle - Sunderland 2B07
47551 Sunderland - Newcastle 2M41

Same moves as the previous Saturday, which was also a 47/4 for a 47/4.

That's all from me today.