Class 37 Heart of Wessex 2000s

[ge0m112]

I am 23 and I'm trying to figure out train trips I did when I was younger.

Online research suggests Class 37s operated Summer Saturday Heart of Wessex services during the 2000s. We did a trip to Weymouth at some point and looking at images, a Mark 2 carriage would fit with my recollection.

Does anyone know which years exactly these ran? The Wikipedia entry for the Heart of Wessex Line suggests 2008-2010 and the Wikipedia entry for Wessex Trains suggests 'from 2002'. So would I be right in thinking 2002-2005 and 2008-2010?

Also, was it a specific working they would be used on? Or could it vary?

Any information would be very helpful!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Not my area of expertise but in the absence of better informed replies I'll offer the following. Traction wasn't necessarily 37s. The one time I managed a trip during this period, August 2008, standard operation was top and tail 67s departing Temple Meads 0900.

 

[Towers]

There were also 31s I believe?

 

[Bertie the bus]

Online research suggests Class 37s operated Summer Saturday Heart of Wessex services during the 2000s. We did a trip to Weymouth at some point and looking at images, a Mark 2 carriage would fit with my recollection.

Does anyone know which years exactly these ran? The Wikipedia entry for the Heart of Wessex Line suggests 2008-2010 and the Wikipedia entry for Wessex Trains suggests 'from 2002'. So would I be right in thinking 2002-2005 and 2008-2010?

I have had a look at both Wikipedia pages and neither say they were operated by 37s. One says 67s and the other says 31s. The Wessex Trains services were definitely 31s. There was even one painted in Wessex Trains livery.

There is a photo of a pair of 37s on the Heart of Wessex Line page but if I recall correctly that was a special run at the end of the season. On another year they used the GWR livery 57 on the last run of the year.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Still no local experts in this thread? I think the question is which traction worked in which years. Although the line was long dominated by DMUs it nevertheless had a long standing tradition for limited loco haulage during the summer months which lasted well into the privatisation era. And over the years I think almost every class of diesel loco signed by Bristol crews worked to Weymouth though some only as exceptions to the diagrammed type.

As for workings I think there was just one or two round trips from Bristol with Saturday workings from mid-May to late-September and weekday workings just during the school summer holidays although in some years I think both happened around Easter.

I'll gladly be corrected as all this is off the top of my head and it's not a line that I have visited very often.

 

[Snow1964]

The Saturday summer extras would see almost anything in form of locos. By early 2000s think it was mainly class 31s

Couple of workings originated in South Wales for the summer Saturday extras, and there was one around lunchtime that returned via Bournemouth and Southampton (calling at New Milton and Brockenhurst too) back in the 1970s.

Only ran about 8 Saturdays a year in July and August, but as a teenager living in New Milton often went to see it. Would have a variety of rare (in south west Hampshire) locos like class 31, we even bought tickets to ride it couple of times, one of them was a class 46. Only time I ever travelled behind a class 46 on the Southern region.

 

[Towers]

There are some videos on Youtube, might help date what was used during which years.

 

[Ashley Hill]

First there was class 31s on the Weymouth trains. These were Fragonset locos painted black except for the pink Wessex trains liveried one. A trip to Brighton also featured in their diagrams.
Later class 37s replaced the Peds. I don’t think the 37s went to Brighton though.
Later FGW used 67s on the summer Saturday bucket and spade specials.

 

[D2007wsm]

Didn’t FGW use HSTs for a summer Saturday service between 2014 & 2017?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Didn’t FGW use HSTs for a summer Saturday service between 2014 & 2017?

Yes,but cannot remember the dates.

 

[Bertie the bus]

First there was class 31s on the Weymouth trains. These were Fragonset locos painted black except for the pink Wessex trains liveried one. A trip to Brighton also featured in their diagrams.
Later class 37s replaced the Peds. I don’t think the 37s went to Brighton though.
Later FGW used 67s on the summer Saturday bucket and spade specials.

I'm pretty sure the 31s weren't later replaced by 37s. I lived in the area at that time and went on the 31s quite a few times. They were certainly still 31s in 2005 which seems to be the year loco haulage ended.

 

[randyrippley]

First there was class 31s on the Weymouth trains. These were Fragonset locos painted black except for the pink Wessex trains liveried one. A trip to Brighton also featured in their diagrams.
Later class 37s replaced the Peds. I don’t think the 37s went to Brighton though.
Later FGW used 67s on the summer Saturday bucket and spade specials.

class 31 use on that line goes back to the early 1970s as Hymek replacements, though in reality almost anything sitting spare at Bristol could get used: 25/31/37/45/46/47 all made appearances.
By the 1980s class 33 had been displaced from Waterloo-Exeter so became common. Presumably that coincided with a switch to ETH.
The 33 were in turn replaced by 31/4 and 37/4 - but again any ETH loco at Bristol could get used.
What it means is it will be very hard to date your trip, though the liveries may give a clue

 

[nw1]

I think one Bristol-Weymouth trip and v.v were operated by 37s and Mk-II coaches in the late 90s, at least in the summer season. Can't remember which now, but it was part of the standard pattern off-peak timetable.

 

[Towers]

Were these workings always top & tailed? Or did running round facilities once exist at Weymouth?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Here’s a link to the Pink Ped 31601 at Frome in 2004.

31601 24-07-04

Fragonset 31601,leased to & in Wessex Trains livery,departs Frome on a summer Saturdays only Westbury to Weymouth service.

www.flickr.com

Here’s a 37 running around at Weymouth. Comparing the dates perhaps the 31s came after the 37s.

Class37.co.uk

 

[nw1]

Were these workings always top & tailed? Or did running round facilities once exist at Weymouth?

The 90s examples were definitely "conventionally" hauled with a 37 just at the front.

 

[randyrippley]

Here’s a link to the Pink Ped 31601 at Frome in 2004.

31601 24-07-04

Fragonset 31601,leased to & in Wessex Trains livery,departs Frome on a summer Saturdays only Westbury to Weymouth service.

www.flickr.com

Here’s a 37 running around at Weymouth. Comparing the dates perhaps the 31s came after the 37s.

Class37.co.uk

the black Fragonset 31 pair would have been later, but remember some years in the 2000s they ran Saturday-only Bristol-Minehead Butlins specials, top-and-tailed with both locos powered and remote control. If they were doing Butlins they couldn't do Weymouth

 

[Grecian 1998]

I travelled to Weymouth College daily from 1999 - 2001 travelling via Dorchester and I recall that for the first few weeks in September 1999, the weekday Wales and West train arriving into Weymouth at around 0820 would be class 37 hauled - I'd usually see it running alongside the A354 south of Dorchester. I think it was a freight-liveried 37 with 4 early mk II coaches in RR livery. I don't recall seeing it for long and certainly loco hauled trains were far more common on summer Saturdays. This was definitely just a single 37, although my memory may be incorrect on other details.

The main loco hauled trains have always been the May - September service leaving Bristol around 0900 and Weymouth around 1730.

Class 31s ran the Wessex Trains summer Saturday service in 2003 - 2004 in Intercity livery with matching mk II coaches. I think they may also have run 1 return trip on weekdays, but they did also work a Brighton service on Fridays.

The 2009 GWR service was loco hauled, although I can't remember if it was by 57s or 67s. GWR had both in use at the time IIRC. The stock ran a Taunton - Bristol (and possibly either Cardiff or Gloucester) service on weekdays. Wikipedia claims class 67s were used from 2008 - 2010 - but that's Wikipedia. Class 37s were used on the final September service of 2009, although by all accounts that became more of a railtour than a service train.

This webpage also indicates there was a summer Saturday loco hauled service in 2007, GWR's first full year of running services over the line:

FGW announce summer loco hauled service on the Bristol-Weymouth

uk.railway.narkive.com

It isn't clear what locos were used and I can't recall this service.

Hope that's of some use.

 

[ge0m112]

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses.

I have had a look at both Wikipedia pages and neither say they were operated by 37s. One says 67s and the other says 31s. The Wessex Trains services were definitely 31s. There was even one painted in Wessex Trains livery.

There is a photo of a pair of 37s on the Heart of Wessex Line page but if I recall correctly that was a special run at the end of the season. On another year they used the GWR livery 57 on the last run of the year.

Apologies, I don't really know locomotives. I had read about it in the past and the post was made quickly without verifying. I think that Class 37 idea came from the fact they have hauled Mk2 coaches in recent years.

Doesn't matter too much as Class 37 did appear it seems!

I travelled to Weymouth College daily from 1999 - 2001 travelling via Dorchester and I recall that for the first few weeks in September 1999, the weekday Wales and West train arriving into Weymouth at around 0820 would be class 37 hauled - I'd usually see it running alongside the A354 south of Dorchester. I think it was a freight-liveried 37 with 4 early mk II coaches in RR livery. I don't recall seeing it for long and certainly loco hauled trains were far more common on summer Saturdays. This was definitely just a single 37, although my memory may be incorrect on other details.

The main loco hauled trains have always been the May - September service leaving Bristol around 0900 and Weymouth around 1730.

Class 31s ran the Wessex Trains summer Saturday service in 2003 - 2004 in Intercity livery with matching mk II coaches. I think they may also have run 1 return trip on weekdays, but they did also work a Brighton service on Fridays.

The 2009 GWR service was loco hauled, although I can't remember if it was by 57s or 67s. GWR had both in use at the time IIRC. The stock ran a Taunton - Bristol (and possibly either Cardiff or Gloucester) service on weekdays. Wikipedia claims class 67s were used from 2008 - 2010 - but that's Wikipedia. Class 37s were used on the final September service of 2009, although by all accounts that became more of a railtour than a service train.

This webpage also indicates there was a summer Saturday loco hauled service in 2007, GWR's first full year of running services over the line:

FGW announce summer loco hauled service on the Bristol-Weymouth

uk.railway.narkive.com

It isn't clear what locos were used and I can't recall this service.

Hope that's of some use.

Particularly helpful thank you.

 

[D6975]

class 31 use on that line goes back to the early 1970s as Hymek replacements, though in reality almost anything sitting spare at Bristol could get used: 25/31/37/45/46/47 all made appearances.

You have missed out class 50. They went to Weymouth as well.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

The early-mid 90s Regional Railways period was definitely booked for a Class 37/4 and 5-6 pressure ventilated Mk2 coaches. The trains were briefly named ‘The Weymouth Sand & Cycle Explorer’ presumably to encourage bicycles off the other Sprinter operated services at the time.

 

[Strathclyder]

The 2009 GWR service was loco hauled, although I can't remember if it was by 57s or 67s. GWR had both in use at the time IIRC. The stock ran a Taunton - Bristol (and possibly either Cardiff or Gloucester) service on weekdays. Wikipedia claims class 67s were used from 2008 - 2010 - but that's Wikipedia.

Both 57s & 67s were used on these services in top n' tail formation. The 57s first, which were then replaced by the 67s IIRC.

57309 Pilning 27 April 2010

(copyright of Martin Loader)

 

[Ashley Hill]

The 67s came first. When a second set was added this was 57s. A couple of 66s also appeared vice failures.
That photo caption should also add FirstGBRf driver too!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Didn’t FGW use HSTs for a summer Saturday service between 2014 & 2017?

Yes,but cannot remember the dates.

Found this:

which confirms that FGW did run a HST bucket+spade run in 2016.

 

[jamesr]

I lived next to the line from 1991 until 1998, throughout which I only recall the service being regularly hauled by 37/4 and a set of rather tatty coaching stock, in Regional Railways livery. (Locomotives named Cwmbran, Concrete Bob, and Loch Eil Outward Bound were regulars, I can’t recall numbers).

About 0900 Bristol - Weymouth (possibly from Cardiff at some points) and a return at something like 1630.

I paid fairly close attention to what went past and during this period I don’t recall ever seeing a 31 on the line but I certainly didn’t see everything!

 

[The exile]

I lived next to the line from 1991 until 1998, throughout which I only recall the service being regularly hauled by 37/4 and a set of rather tatty coaching stock, in Regional Railways livery. (Locomotives named Cwmbran, Concrete Bob, and Loch Eil Outward Bound were regulars, I can’t recall numbers).

About 0900 Bristol - Weymouth (possibly from Cardiff at some points) and a return at something like 1630.

I paid fairly close attention to what went past and during this period I don’t recall ever seeing a 31 on the line but I certainly didn’t see everything!

Certainly no (regular) 31s inthe 90s until the Fragonset pair. One year of Railfreight 47s (1991?) - rest was 37s at least until I moved abroad in 1998.

 

[jamesr]

The diagram for LHCS in the 1990s was LHCS on Saturdays throughout the summer timetable and additionally on Easter Monday, the May bank holidays and school holiday weekdays, which I think was expanded later in the decade.

I seem to remember they removed it from the timetable in around 2001 which made the summer mornings Class 150 arrivals in Weymouth at about 1050 and 1150 so overcrowded the LHCS diagram quickly returned.

A couple of years in the mid 90s saw regular excursion trains in peak summer from Yeovil to Weymouth Quay operated by a 33+4TC set. Tues and Thurs only if I recall correctly.

Everything else on the line was run with Class 155s and later 150s after the 155s were split up and sent elsewhere. A Class 158 was a very rare but welcome sight that became more frequent towards the end of the decade.

Just my memories - could be wrong!

This was an attempt to answer the OP’s question, but I now realise at the OP’s age of 23, this is largely irrelevant! An interesting trip down memory lane though…

 

[Strathclyder]

The 67s came first. When a second set was added this was 57s. A couple of 66s also appeared vice failures.
That photo caption should also add FirstGBRf driver too!

Not my area of expertise by any means (geographically, never mind age-wise lol), so am open to corrections. Cheers.

 

[The exile]

A couple of years in the mid 90s saw regular excursion trains in peak summer from Yeovil to Weymouth Quay operated by a 33+4TC set. Tues and Thurs only if I recall correctly.

If you’re thinking of the “Paradise Flyer” it was the loco and stock of the service train, so 37 and Mk2s. IIRC, the eth connectors of the loco proved vulnerable to damage on the stops at the Quay during the run round!

 

[jamesr]

If you’re thinking of the “Paradise Flyer” it was the loco and stock of the service train, so 37 and Mk2s. IIRC, the eth connectors of the loco proved vulnerable to damage on the stops at the Quay during the run round!

Ahhh, was it? That makes sense!

One of my railway regrets was not taking that train. Was 16 at the time and more interested in chasing girls than railway lines…