Class 35 Hymek Performance

[Maybach]

I’m currently doing some research into the performance of the Class 35 Hymeks. I found details of a run behind D7054 from Reading to Taunton in an old local railway society magazine (see attached). The author claimed to have reproduced it from the April 1964 issue of ‘Modern Railways.’ Well, I tracked down a copy of that mag on eBay (fortunately very cheap!) and it wasn’t in there! Obviously, the author got the wrong month. Or year. Or both. It’s a bit of a long shot but does anyone know which issue of MR this might have been in? Failing that, I’m interested in tracking down any other Hymek runs that appeared in old railway books and magazines. The attached table shows the sort of thing I’m looking for, ideally with the accompanying notes. Any help gratefully received!

 

[eastwestdivide]

Modern Railways Nov 62 has a Hymek run from Paddington-Bristol. No others in the Jan-Nov 62 editions.

 

[Maybach]

Modern Railways Nov 62 has a Hymek run from Paddington-Bristol. No others in the Jan-Nov 62 editions.

Thanks, I will check that one out!

 

[DelW]

If you haven't already, it might be worth contacting people at the various groups that own preserved Hymeks. I would guess that those involved in rescuing them in the 1970s would have been more likely than average to have kept copies of such magazines, and maybe to have donated them to the groups if/when they no longer needed them (bearing in mind that older ones may, er, no longer be with us).

 

[Bevan Price]

The Railway Performance Society has a database containing access to thousands of train performance logs, including Hymeks.
Access is free for members, but a modest charge gains access for non-members. Details here:
http://www.railperf.org.uk/index/rpsdf1

 

[Ash Bridge]

I could well be wrong but that style of log appears to be rather more Railway Magazine "Locomotive Practice & Performance" column to me,

Here's a couple more for you....

 

[Taunton]

PWS Curry Rivel to Athelney, as ever I see. This bit across the soft/waterlogged ground of the Somerset Levels long kept the gangers from Taunton supplied with overtime, and an enormous amount of ballast went in. In most years the River Parrett flooded here in winter, I wonder what time of year the run was. It was the original Taunton-Durston-Yeovil branch line that was adapted when the Castle Cary cutoff was built; the Badminton line, built at the same time, also had longstanding formation instability and subsidence problems, right through to its big closure for months when HSTs were going to be introduced. I'm sure that Churchward would remind Grierson, his GWR contemporary chief civil engineer in the 1900s, of all these issues with his new lines whenever the two met - there was a long running feud between them.

You have to admit that for a 1,700hp loco, getting up beyond 80mph at several points with 12 on was not bad for the Hymek.

 

[eastwestdivide]

... I could well be wrong but that style of log appears to be rather more Railway Magazine "Locomotive Practice & Performance" column to me...

That's what I thought at first sight, but on finding the Modern Railways one from 1962, they're actually very similar.

 

[Ash Bridge]

That's what I thought at first sight, but on finding the Modern Railways one from 1962, they're actually very similar.
View attachment 59827

Oh yes; near as identical really, I should admit that I was more familiar with Modern Railways magazines from the early 70s onwards (likewise Railway World) so perhaps the style differences between the RM and the Ian Allan publications was slightly more distinct during that period?

 

[Maybach]

Thanks for all the replies. There's plenty for me to chew on! I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even know there was a "Railway Performance Society" so I'll check them out as well!

 

[Taunton]

The style was set by Cecil J Allen, who did the articles in the Railway Magazine from 1909 to 1958, when he suddenly defected to Ian Allan's Trains Illustrated, later Modern Railways, which was edited by his son, and which he had been involved in the management of from the late 1940s. He carried on the series there until 1971, aged 85, shortly before his death.

Meanwhile the Railway Magazine series was picked up by O S Nock, so the two carried on in parallel. Ian Allan himself wrote that Cecil was always frosty about Nock, both for treading on his toes and for his different writing style. It was Cecil who devised the log approach, which Nock just followed on with.

Both of them were amateurs at it, Allen was in the purchasing department of the LNER, and indeed originally the Great Eastern, he appears to have retired at nationalisation (he probably joined up then with Ian Allan for something to do), while Nock rose to a senior management position at Westinghouse. Their jobs both meant lots of long distance train travel. BR gave Cecil a Gold Pass in retirement so he could carry on travelling and recording as he wished.

 

[Maybach]

Just in case anyone's interested, the latest issue of TRACTION magazine (July/August 2019) includes a nice feature on Hymek performance in the Thames Valley.