Back in the day...

[cambsy]

It was a time, when there was an attitude on the railways, of hard nosed driving, to try and keep to time, and a certain amount, of turning a blind eye,
was done by management etc, as far as driving was concerned, and this had been the culture amongst drivers upto and including this era, with many stories of drivers, like Bill Hoole, Ted Hailstone, taking the latest and fastest steam engines up to very high speeds, or when the next fastest diesels etc came along, pushing them very hard and very fast, like when the HST’s came along, there was the un official 140mph club, which then transferred, over to the 91’s when they came onto the, ECML, with 135-140mph runs happening from time to time.

Cowley, I think the 75mph for Steam engines, came in fairly gradually, but don’t remember it being about wheel size, think was more to do with AWS etc, And eventually pretty much all steam engines on main line became 75mph, and there are now one or 2 steam engines which are passed for 90mph, but i have not heard much about it lately, and wether it will become wide spread, like 75mph with Steam engines.

 

[CW2]

I think the 75 mph for steam was indeed related to wheel size, but also required AWS fitment. Some locos, such as the 8F, were restricted to 50 mph by their wheel diameter.
Aynway, back in the day ...

Saturday 04/12/82
86005 0152 Carlisle – Crewe
Then a very long fester in Crewe station buffet (which was open overnight on those days) for …
40106 0942 Crewe – Aberystwyth
7 1359 Aberystwyth – Devil’s Bridge
The normal 1 hour journey to Devil’s Bridge took 2 hours, due to constant wheelspin. We did well to get there at all.
7 1623 Devils Bridge – Aberystwyth
40106 17xx Aberystwyth – Crewe
Also running somewhat late, waiting for the narrow gauge connection.
81022 2352 Crewe – Euston
… and a nice Roarer on the Barrow Kippers to finish off the day in style.

Tuesday 04/12/84
An after-work leap …
27045 1730 Glasgow Central – Carlisle via Dumfries
87015 2035 Carlisle – Glasgow Central

Thursday 04/12/86
The 0740 Ayr – Euston was formed of a full Mk 3 set, which was basically forming a peak hour Ayr – Glasgow before doing its normal Glasgow – London work, the 0910 Glasgow Central – Euston. I always had a soft spot for the three 86/1 locos, or “Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing” as a friend once memorably described them. So one morning when everything aligned, I had to give it a try:
EMU Glasgow Central - Ayr
86103 0740 Ayr – Glasgow Central, re-engineing to …
87023 0910 Glasgow Central – Carlisle
81002 1111 Carlisle – Glasgow Central

 

[Harvester]

Sunday 4th December 1988

150138 10:55 Beeston-Derby
43028+43179 12:14 Derby-Birmingham NS
47662 13:36 Birmingham NS-Derby
150142 14:20 Derby-Beeston

The Duff would soon become 47817, and ultimately 57311.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Saturday 4th December 1982

Along with @CW2 I was on the Cambrian Coast Express railtour...

40106 Crewe to Aberystwyth (via Chester)
40106 Aberystwyth to Crewe (via Chester).

I'm 99% certain I did the kettle too, but I ain't got my moves book, just my class listings for this day.

 

[Falcon1200]

Sunday 4th December 1983 - A nice steamer on my commute home

47148 1548 Paddington-Didcot (from Reading)
(Bus Didcot-Oxford due to bridge reconstruction at Radley)

 

[xotGD]

I'm off out for my booster jab this morning, followed by a bit of nedding.

I've checked RTT and two 68s I need are out - but on the wrong diagrams. Oh well, I'll just have to enjoy those I am able to get - assuming things don't go pear shaped.

 

[xotGD]

So there I was at Leeds, feeling pleased with myself after getting a couple of photos of a 66 on freight, when a pair of Hoovers rolled through on a set of Mark 1s. I was in totally the wrong place for a photo.

To say that they took me by surprise is a bit of an understatement.

 

[NorthWestRover]

No chance of leaping on?

 

[xotGD]

No chance of leaping on?

Didn't even stop.

I can't see anything on RTT so I don't even know if it was a Nedex or ecs.

 

[D6130]

To say that they took me by surprise is a bit of an understatement.

Should have gone to Specsavers Realtime trains!

SATURDAY 4th DECEMBER 1976:

A friend and I booked on a Southern Region Awayday Pleasure-Seeker ADEX to Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton:

07 47 Portsmouth Harbour - Wolverhampton: 33 025 Petersfield - Birmingham New Street via Guildford, Reading, Oxford, Leamington and Coventry.

On arrival at New Street, while most passengers headed for the Christmas shopping, we went track-bashing the West Midlands instead:

12 14 Lichfield City - Worcester Foregate Street: W50660/59266/50729 Birmingham New Street - Stourbridge Junction
13 34 Stourbridge Junction - Stourbridge Town: M55012
14 10 Stourbridge Town - Stourbridge Junction: M55012
14 03 Kidderminster - Lichfield City: M50110/59xxx/50xxx Stourbridge Junction - Birmingham New Street
14 56 Birmingham New Street - Walsall via Aston: 304 023
15 38 Walsall - Birmingham New Street via Aston: 304 023
14 40 Euston - Wolverhampton: 86 038
17 55 Wolverhampton - Portsmouth Harbour: 33 025 Wolverhampton - Guildford via Birmingham New St, Coventry, Leamington, Oxford and Reading.

.....and then at Guildford, a pleasant surprise - another Crompton was coupled on the front for a storming run over the hilly Portsmouth Direct Line, with Guildford - Haslemere being covered in 12 minutes 56 seconds start-to-stop!

33 008 + 33 025 Guildford - Petersfield

A fine way to end a great day out!

 

[CW2]

You have to admire the 1970s BR publicity department for their brass neck in combining "Pleasure Seeker" with an ADEX to the industrial West Midlands.
Nevertheless a fine day out @D6130.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Didn't even stop.

I can't see anything on RTT so I don't even know if it was a Nedex or ECS.

Neither of those things would have stopped @CW2 from getting on, lol.

 

[D6130]

Didn't even stop.

I can't see anything on RTT so I don't even know if it was a Nedex or ecs.

A friend in Leeds has just told me that it was a NEDEX heading for Newcastle, but he's not sure where from or by whom organised. Strange that it didn't show on RTT though....given that it must have been organised several weeks - or probably months in advance.

 

[CW2]

Neither of those things would have stopped @CW2 from getting on, lol.

Ahem!
I'm in York today. I forgot about it too, and missed it completely whilst wandering round the NRM (for the first time in 20+ years).
Thus, being in the right place to fall onto a 50 working doesn't always result in success!

 

[D6130]

I've just discovered, by further searching on RTT, that it was 1Z49, 05 50 Cardiff Central - Newcastle railtour. Should have gone via Doncaster and Hambleton, but was diverted via Leeds due to overhead line damage North of Doncaster. Departed Doncaster 54' late (near enough Railtour Standard Time!) and arrived in York 90' late. The locos are 50 007 and 50 049. Given that it obviously didnt require a crew change at Leeds, I'm surprised that it wasn't diverted via Hare Park, and Castleford. Maybe there was a train crew route knowledge or loco clearance issue?

EDIT (Largely for @CW2 's benefit): On its return journey, 1Z50 picks up at York 18 07-11.....next stop Birmingham New Street 20 35 (via Pontefract Baghill and Beighton Junction). Depending on family circumstances, a Ned leap may be possible with a return to Crewe on a scheduled service from Brum. (Sorry....getting a bit off-topic now!)

 

[xotGD]

Well it's all been happening in Leeds today. The Blue Pullman HST has paid a visit. This time I was able to get some photos. Shortly followed by another 66 hauled freight.

And after multiple time filling leaps on TPE plastic I am now heading to Huddersfield for the first of the proper trains.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I require 4 of the preserved Hoovers. Neither of those two though.

 

[Bald Rick]

You have to admire the 1970s BR publicity department for their brass neck in combining "Pleasure Seeker" with an ADEX to the industrial West Midlands.
Nevertheless a fine day out @D6130.

My thoughts exactly! The concept of the good folk of Guildford seeking ‘pleasure’ with a 3 hour+ trip each way to Birmingham for Christmas shopping is beyond me.

 

[D6130]

My thoughts exactly! The concept of the good folk of Guildford seeking ‘pleasure’ with a 3 hour+ trip each way to Birmingham for Christmas shopping is beyond me.

Yes....but they were very popular with rail enthusiasts, especially for interesting haulage and track at bargain fares!

 

[xotGD]

The 4th of December was a blank for me before today. So...

4th December 2021

68020 Huddersfield - Garforth 1E41
68023 Garforth - Huddersfield 1F72

Plenty of grunt in Morley Tunnel.


Incidentally, there are plenty of YouTube videos featuring today's pair of 50s.

 

[CW2]

Monday 05/12/77
40151 1925 York – Leeds

Sunday 05/12/82
After arriving at Euston in the wee small hours behind 81022, I took the night bus across to Waterloo for:
50016 0340 Waterloo – Petersfield
50016 0600 Petersfield – Guildford
50016 0710 Guildford – Woking
I dossed all the way from Waterloo to Petersfield, and emerged dazed and bewildered onto the cold early morning platform at Petersfield before returning to the coach and getting my head down again. On arrival at Woking nobody came round to check the stock, so I ended up in Woking Carriage Sidings!
7716 0730 Woking – Wimbledon
Underground Wimbledon – Epping
Epping – Ongar & return
This was my first ever visit to Ongar. If memory serves correctly, this was the last day of scheduled Sunday services between Epping and Ongar.
Ongar – Kings X / St Pancras via Hainault
45114 1650 St Pancras – Sheffield via Derby
45130 2008 Sheffield – York via Masborough, Moorthorpe
I wonder what provoked me to go home on the Midland route instead of the ECML? Engineering blockade perhaps?

Wednesday 05/12/84
A required steam heat 25 on the G&SW:
25224 1730 Glasgow Central – Carlisle via Dumfries
87028 2036 Carlisle – Glasgow Central

Saturday 05/12/92
43135 + 43012 1429 Reading – Paddington
165 023 + 165 006 Marylebone – Harrow on the Hill
46521 1700 Harrow on the Hill – Ealing Broadway via Amersham, Aylesbury, Princes Risborough, Greenford
DMU Ealing Broadway – Slough
43194 + 43016 2130 Slough – Reading
One of the steam railtours organised by NSE, and jolly good it was too.

Sunday 05/12/93
Another steam railtour:
165 118 Reading – Paddington
90022 0800 Kings Cross – Doncaster
47706 1040 Doncaster – Carlisle via Hambleton, Leeds, S&C
46203 1440 Carlisle – Leeds via S&C
90016 1826 Leeds – Kings Cross, 75’ late.
43040 + 43138 2245 Paddington – Reading
A run over the S&C with Princess Margaret Rose, with a different 90 there and back.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I have nothing until next Saturday

 

[D6130]

SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER 1981:

Another weekend of engineering works on the Glasgow North electric lines. Hyndland East Junction had been renewed the previous weekend, but the power was switched off on the Milngavie branch again, with half-hourly DMU shuttles to/from Glasgow Queen Street High Level via Maryhill. I used this route to reach Queen Street in order to pick up the lunch time Oban train for a visit to my parents' place near Garelochhead:

11 47 ex-Hyndland - Dalmuir: 303 062 Hyndland-Westerton
12 01 ex-Westerton: SC51455/59563/51527/52012/59027/50820 Westerton-Glasgow QS HL
12 53 Glasgow QS HL - Oban: 37 011 Glasgow QS-Garelochhead (Consist: SC4743/4053/4763/14001 Load 4 VB/SH)

 

[xotGD]

Just crumbs today...

5th December 1992

91027 Newcastle - Waverley

Hearts 1 Airdrie 3

91008 Haymarket - Newcastle

 

[NorthWestRover]

Interesting football result too.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Interesting football result too.

Airdrie - that is the original Airdrieonians FC - were in the Premier League that season so the result is perhaps not quite as surprising as at first glance although records show they did only win 6 (and drew 17) out of 44 and finished bottom (on goal difference). They also competed in the UEFA cup that season (first round exit) as defeated finalists in the 91/92 Scottish Cup.

In my teenage years (70's) and earlier, Airdrie were normally in the top division, at least until league re-construction in the middle of that decade.

The current Airdrieonians were renamed (2013) from Airdrie United (formed in 2002 when they bought out Clydebank (shades of MK Dons, buy a team and move it to another town) after the first Airdrieonians were liquidated).

Hope you don't mind the history lesson.

 

[CW2]

<>

Hope you don't mind the history lesson.

Fascinating stuff - thanks for sharing.

 

[D6130]

50016 0340 Waterloo – Petersfield
50016 0600 Petersfield – Guildford
50016 0710 Guildford – Woking

Ah yes.....the famous 03 40 Sundays only Waterloo-Petersfield paper train. When I lived in Petersfield in the mid-1970s I often rode back from London on it. Prior to their withdrawal in 1977, it was booked for a 74, which resulted in some pretty lively running South of Woking, by which time it consisted only of a mark 1 TSO and three vans. Unfortunately it was not the most comfortable train on which to doss, as you couldn't lie down in a TSO and its BR1 bogies used to hunt like mad the faster the train went. If you were lucky you would occasionally get s BSK, which was much better. The 06 00 return trip from Petersfield was officially empty stock as far as Guildford, then a passenger train again from there to Woking, but I often used to catch it when working early turn in Guildford booking office on a Sunday morning. Following the withdrawal of the 74s, it became a booked class 73 turn and then, when 50s took over the Waterloo-Exeter service, they too took their turn on the Petersfield papers as it was crewed by a Waterloo driver and guard.

 

[CW2]

I think that at this time this was the only regular 50 working south of Woking on the Portsmouth road, hence it's attraction.

I saw several 74s but never had one for haulage. Another of life's 'What ifs'.

 

[Harvester]

Sunday 6th December 1981

Drove to Newark to (hopefully) catch a Deltic hauled Kings Cross-York stopper. Time was rapidly running out for the Deltics, the end was now less than a month away, and there was always the chance a Duff would turn up. Fortunately one didn’t.

11:52 55016 Newark-York

Left York station to visit the Railway museum, and to see what was on the depot. Noted two Deltics 55017 and 55007 stabled, and I needed the latter for haulage. But as things turned out it was 55016 that took our return working, and I never did travel behind Pinza.

15:50 55016 York-Newark