Sunday 10/04/77
There was a York to Colwyn Bay ADEX, so I booked a ticket and hoped for a 40 …
40173 0745 York – Colwyn Bay via Leeds, Normanton, Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Hebden Bridge, Manchester Victoria, Warrington Bank Quay
I carried on with a DMU to make my first ever visit to Holyhead. (It was by no means the last time I'd go there).
DMU Colwyn Bay – Holyhead
40117 1603 Holyhead – Rhyl
40173 1745 Rhyl – York via Warrington Bank Quay, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Normanton, Leeds.
Thursday 10/04/80
86017 00xx Mossend – Crewe
After a lengthy fester in the all-night buffet at Crewe, salvation:
81018 0737 Crewe – Preston
87012 0846 Preston – Carstairs
47517 1124 Carstairs – Edinburgh
26033 1247 Edinburgh – Perth via Ladybank
40160 1441 Perth – Dundee
27017 1557 Dundee – Perth
47435 1642 Perth – Dundee
40160 1915 Dundee – Glasgow Queen Street
47706 2105 Glasgow Queen Street – Edinburgh via Falkirk Grahamston
55016 2250 Edinburgh – Newcastle
Friday 10/04/81
50029 1803 Paddington – Oxford
From Oxford I had intended returning with the 1623 ex Manchester Piccadilly, which was allocated 50017. However that was running 45' late. (I subsequently learned that the class 85 working the train had failed entirely north of Birmingham, and the train arrived at New Street behind a class 56 hauling the failed electric). They announced a relief train was running in its path from Birmingham. I wondered what would turn up. Well, it was a Cravens DMU with a Met Camm trailer. It had to be done!
50786 + 59535 + 51492 19xx Oxford – Reading.
At Didcot I expected we would be routed onto the Up Slow, but instead we were sent across the ladder onto the Up Fast, with the Cravens power cars thrashing their way along the GWML at 70+ mph, all windows vibrating and rattling madly. Terminated at Reading.
50017 2018 Reading - Paddington
Sunday 10/04/83
After a lengthy fester at Crewe, the Up Stranraer arrived with a Roarer on, a mere load 17. I leapt in near the rear, only to find the 85 drop its pantograph and an unknown 47 attached to the front:
47xxx 0529 Crewe – Stafford (dragging 85016)
85016 06xx Stafford – Euston via Bushbury, Bescot, Aston, Stechford
When we approached Euston, there was a final surprise in store. We were on the Up Slow, then at Primrose Hill we took the Up Empty Carriage Line (the Rat Hole) to take our gargantuan train into platform 18 on the far side of the station. I think this was the only time I ever travelled via the Rat Hole.
The previous day I had done 40057 from Newcastle to Kings Cross on a relief. Time for the balancing move:
40057 1110 Kings Cross – Newcastle via Selby, Eaglescliffe.
This was a through train to Edinburgh, but the 40 was removed at Newcastle.
45121 1815 Newcastle – York
Wednesday 10/04/85
The pair of 25s on the Ince & Elton – Mossend stone train were lined up for another trip from Carstairs to Edinburgh with a relief from Bristol.
86417 1520 Glasgow Central – Lockerbie
85026 1737 Lockerbie – Carstairs
25196 + 25175 1824 Carstairs – Edinburgh
47707 1930 Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High
Thursday 10/04/86
I was working late shift, and had the following day as Rest Day. Various 37s had been active on the Inverness – Aberdeen line for the past few days, so I decided to have a dabble. As a bonus, the overnight out of Queen Street was a 37 to Perth in place of the usual 47:
37421 2330 Glasgow Queen Street – Perth
37402 Banker to Cowlairs
Tuesday 10/04/90
Class 91s had taken over almost all Kings Cross – Leeds services, so I thought it was about time I gave them a whirl. Note that the electrified route into Leeds was via Copley Hill (which was previously quite rare) as it was found that the Viaduct route into Leeds (the pre-existing main line) would be too difficult / costly to electrify.
50031 0630 Reading – Paddington
91009 0750 Kings Cross – Leeds
91011 1010 Leeds – Doncaster
91002 1059 Doncaster – Leeds
91002 1210 Leeds – Doncaster
91010 1259 Doncaster – Leeds
91010 1410 Leeds – Kings Cross
47547 1707 Paddington – Reading
All four 91s were new for haulage.
Saturday 10/04/93
During our family Easter break, I was granted a few hours remission and a Domestic Exit Visa for good behaviour, so I set off to the West Somerset Railway for the afternoon:
4561 1519 Dunster – Minehead
D9526 + 4561 1545 Minehead – Bishops Lydeard, 28' late.
D9526 + 4561 1740 Bishops Lydeard – Dunster, 12' late.
There was a York to Colwyn Bay ADEX, so I booked a ticket and hoped for a 40 …
40173 0745 York – Colwyn Bay via Leeds, Normanton, Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Hebden Bridge, Manchester Victoria, Warrington Bank Quay
I carried on with a DMU to make my first ever visit to Holyhead. (It was by no means the last time I'd go there).
DMU Colwyn Bay – Holyhead
40117 1603 Holyhead – Rhyl
40173 1745 Rhyl – York via Warrington Bank Quay, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Normanton, Leeds.
Thursday 10/04/80
86017 00xx Mossend – Crewe
After a lengthy fester in the all-night buffet at Crewe, salvation:
81018 0737 Crewe – Preston
87012 0846 Preston – Carstairs
47517 1124 Carstairs – Edinburgh
26033 1247 Edinburgh – Perth via Ladybank
40160 1441 Perth – Dundee
27017 1557 Dundee – Perth
47435 1642 Perth – Dundee
40160 1915 Dundee – Glasgow Queen Street
47706 2105 Glasgow Queen Street – Edinburgh via Falkirk Grahamston
55016 2250 Edinburgh – Newcastle
Friday 10/04/81
50029 1803 Paddington – Oxford
From Oxford I had intended returning with the 1623 ex Manchester Piccadilly, which was allocated 50017. However that was running 45' late. (I subsequently learned that the class 85 working the train had failed entirely north of Birmingham, and the train arrived at New Street behind a class 56 hauling the failed electric). They announced a relief train was running in its path from Birmingham. I wondered what would turn up. Well, it was a Cravens DMU with a Met Camm trailer. It had to be done!
50786 + 59535 + 51492 19xx Oxford – Reading.
At Didcot I expected we would be routed onto the Up Slow, but instead we were sent across the ladder onto the Up Fast, with the Cravens power cars thrashing their way along the GWML at 70+ mph, all windows vibrating and rattling madly. Terminated at Reading.
50017 2018 Reading - Paddington
Sunday 10/04/83
After a lengthy fester at Crewe, the Up Stranraer arrived with a Roarer on, a mere load 17. I leapt in near the rear, only to find the 85 drop its pantograph and an unknown 47 attached to the front:
47xxx 0529 Crewe – Stafford (dragging 85016)
85016 06xx Stafford – Euston via Bushbury, Bescot, Aston, Stechford
When we approached Euston, there was a final surprise in store. We were on the Up Slow, then at Primrose Hill we took the Up Empty Carriage Line (the Rat Hole) to take our gargantuan train into platform 18 on the far side of the station. I think this was the only time I ever travelled via the Rat Hole.
The previous day I had done 40057 from Newcastle to Kings Cross on a relief. Time for the balancing move:
40057 1110 Kings Cross – Newcastle via Selby, Eaglescliffe.
This was a through train to Edinburgh, but the 40 was removed at Newcastle.
45121 1815 Newcastle – York
Wednesday 10/04/85
The pair of 25s on the Ince & Elton – Mossend stone train were lined up for another trip from Carstairs to Edinburgh with a relief from Bristol.
86417 1520 Glasgow Central – Lockerbie
85026 1737 Lockerbie – Carstairs
25196 + 25175 1824 Carstairs – Edinburgh
47707 1930 Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High
Thursday 10/04/86
I was working late shift, and had the following day as Rest Day. Various 37s had been active on the Inverness – Aberdeen line for the past few days, so I decided to have a dabble. As a bonus, the overnight out of Queen Street was a 37 to Perth in place of the usual 47:
37421 2330 Glasgow Queen Street – Perth
37402 Banker to Cowlairs
Tuesday 10/04/90
Class 91s had taken over almost all Kings Cross – Leeds services, so I thought it was about time I gave them a whirl. Note that the electrified route into Leeds was via Copley Hill (which was previously quite rare) as it was found that the Viaduct route into Leeds (the pre-existing main line) would be too difficult / costly to electrify.
50031 0630 Reading – Paddington
91009 0750 Kings Cross – Leeds
91011 1010 Leeds – Doncaster
91002 1059 Doncaster – Leeds
91002 1210 Leeds – Doncaster
91010 1259 Doncaster – Leeds
91010 1410 Leeds – Kings Cross
47547 1707 Paddington – Reading
All four 91s were new for haulage.
Saturday 10/04/93
During our family Easter break, I was granted a few hours remission and a Domestic Exit Visa for good behaviour, so I set off to the West Somerset Railway for the afternoon:
4561 1519 Dunster – Minehead
D9526 + 4561 1545 Minehead – Bishops Lydeard, 28' late.
D9526 + 4561 1740 Bishops Lydeard – Dunster, 12' late.
