DMU & Loco Hauled Substitutes

[Whistler40145]

Does anyone have any memorable stories of DMUs substituting for Loco Hauled trains, DMUs being dragged by a Diesel or Loco Hauled stock turning up on a DMU turn?

 

[theblackwatch]

I recall turning up at Teignmouth in around 1988 (was on a Devon Ranger IIRC), my first train of the day was a Paignton-Exmouth train. In rolled 33108 on load 2 or 3 coaches. I realised this clearly wouldn't be able to go to Exmouth, so was wondering what would happen at Exeter St Davids. As it turned out, an Exmouth-Barnstaple was turned back at Exeter, covering the 33's working, and the 33 then did the Barnstaple leg of that train. Consequently, I ended up going to Barnstaple and scoring the branch to there) that day!

 

[Matt Taylor]

Happened to me a few times but it was most prevalent in 1988/1989 when the Class 155s were withdrawn en masse at short notice.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40172673@N03/7132640415/


There were lots of strange combinations around at the time but the dwindling number of Class 50s saw a lot of extra work.

 

[Whistler40145]

Wasn't there a dispute at Healey Mills & their crews wouldn't sign DMUs, so any available diesel was used to drag DMUs dead?

 

[Whistler40145]

I also remember Sprinters being replaced by 37s+LCHS on Cardiff/Bristol to Weymouth services when Sprinters didn't like Track Circuits.

 

[PHILIPE]

Occasionally see reports in the West of England such as XX Penzance to Paddington formed 1 coach instead of 8 between Penzance and Plymouth, o.e. 153 vice JST. There have been occasions where the WAG express may have had to be formed by a DMU at short notice due to some problem that may have arisen.

 

[Rick1984]

A damaged class 156 national express east anglia was recently substituted with two DRS class 47's top and tailing 2 mk3 carriages and a dvt.
Was on the great yarmouth - norwich service. Nice bit of luxury!

Unfortunately didn't hear the 47's in action!

 

[12CSVT]

A damaged class 156 national express east anglia was recently substituted with two DRS class 47's top and tailing 2 mk3 carriages and a dvt.
Was on the great yarmouth - norwich service. Nice bit of luxury!

Unfortunately didn't hear the 47's in action!

Seem to remember that being about two years ago - and there was one day when a class 20 replaced one of the spoons.

Class 90s on the North Berwick services in 2004 was another classic, as were 31s top & tailing two mk2s on the Bedford - Bletchley in 1999.

 

[Whistler40145]

Does anyone remember 58s working Birmingham NS-Stansted Airport services to Cambridge?

 

[47403]

Mid 80's when a fault on the recently arrived 143 units saw Heaton pull the lot and replace them with a multitude of freight locos, predominately 31's, 37's and 47's on the Middlesborough - Carlisle turns. A friend, his Dad and I had been to Carlisle overnight and headed over to the bay platforms for our train home to Newcastle, we jumped aboard our 101, its departure time came and went and we hadn't moved, the guard told us the train had failed but we'd be away in no longer than quarter of an hour, expecting to be told to get off and board another unit, my friend and I got off to watch out for more loco's, that's when we saw a light engine 25 come over the hill, my mate got his camera out, thinking oh great, quick shot of a 25 before we go, both thinking it was going up to Kingmooor, however, it backed onto the 101, guard said ok, everyone for Newcastle and were treated to 25191 home, it was chocker all the way home, with various familiar faces from Central Station joining the train from all stations East of Hexham.
I'd heard that the odd 26 had done similar turns on the Tyne Valley dragging DMU's but I never ever saw them.
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Does anyone remember 58s working Birmingham NS-Stansted Airport services to Cambridge?

I didn't do any but I certainly remember reading about the drags in the midlands using 56's and 58's, amongst others.
I also got told a story from a guy a lot older than me, who said he would take his girlfriend to Edinburgh on Sunday for a day out, she was delighted but not as much as he was, they were diverting the Deltics over the Tyne Valley into Carlisle, due to Engineering work. I never ever knew if that was true, I was around 14/15yr old when i was told that story, can anyone verify that, I have no reason to doubt it, did anyone take advantage of it too.

 

[DiscoStu]

Mid 80's when a fault on the recently arrived 143 units saw Heaton pull the lot and replace them with a multitude of freight locos, predominately 31's, 37's and 47's on the Middlesborough - Carlisle turns. A friend, his Dad and I had been to Carlisle overnight and headed over to the bay platforms for our train home to Newcastle, we jumped aboard our 101, its departure time came and went and we hadn't moved, the guard told us the train had failed but we'd be away in no longer than quarter of an hour, expecting to be told to get off and board another unit, my friend and I got off to watch out for more loco's, that's when we saw a light engine 25 come over the hill, my mate got his camera out, thinking oh great, quick shot of a 25 before we go, both thinking it was going up to Kingmooor, however, it backed onto the 101, guard said ok, everyone for Newcastle and were treated to 25191 home, it was chocker all the way home, with various familiar faces from Central Station joining the train from all stations East of Hexham.
I'd heard that the odd 26 had done similar turns on the Tyne Valley dragging DMU's but I never ever saw them.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I didn't do any but I certainly remember reading about the drags in the midlands using 56's and 58's, amongst others.
I also got told a story from a guy a lot older than me, who said he would take his girlfriend to Edinburgh on Sunday for a day out, she was delighted but not as much as he was, they were diverting the Deltics over the Tyne Valley into Carlisle, due to Engineering work. I never ever knew if that was true, I was around 14/15yr old when i was told that story, can anyone verify that, I have no reason to doubt it, did anyone take advantage of it too.

26's were sort of common on the Carlisle - Whitehaven/Barrow route dragging dead DMU's. We missed 26041 by about two minutes once (about 1989/90). We arrived on an IC from the south just in time to see it pulling out of Carlisle station. Gutted

I once had a 37 towing a dead DMU from Shrewsbury to Swansea once though. It was known about the night before, so we (and about 100 other bashers) turned out for it.

 

[47403]

26's were sort of common on the Carlisle - Whitehaven/Barrow route dragging dead DMU's. We missed 26041 by about two minutes once (about 1989/90). We arrived on an IC from the south just in time to see it pulling out of Carlisle station. Gutted

I once had a 37 towing a dead DMU from Shrewsbury to Swansea once though. It was known about the night before, so we (and about 100 other bashers) turned out for it.

Was that to Barrow Stu or to Newcastle? Like I said I'd heard they'd done it but never ever saw them myself, obviously they went up to Glasgow via Dumfries from Carlisle, in fact a bulk of my 26 and 27 sightings and haulages were from Carlisle.

 

[Whistler40145]

Not only did 26s drag dead DMUs from Carlisle to Whitehaven/Barrow, but I remember 31s dropping on these trains.

Also, in the past, I have heard of DMUs working south of Bletchley to Euston during OHLE Isolations. Did these trains ever start back at Rugby/Northampton?

Was it ever known for DMUs to get dragged on these turns if they failed or for a diesel loco & stock to turn up?

 

[sprinterguy]

I also got told a story from a guy a lot older than me, who said he would take his girlfriend to Edinburgh on Sunday for a day out, she was delighted but not as much as he was, they were diverting the Deltics over the Tyne Valley into Carlisle, due to Engineering work. I never ever knew if that was true, I was around 14/15yr old when i was told that story, can anyone verify that, I have no reason to doubt it, did anyone take advantage of it too.

Certainly after the unfortunate Penmanshiel tunnel collapse in 1979, ECML services were diverted over the Tyne Valley line to Carlisle, including both the Deltic hauled services and the then brand new HSTs.

 

[D6975]

Back in the late 80s when Bristol had a chronic DMU shortage we received a T3XX on loan from Tyseley. Needless to say Tyseley sent down a real duffer and it was constantly failing and being rescued. I had several winning 37s dragging it.
Eventually they gave up on it and 31405 was allocated to drag it around on a semi-permanent basis.

 

[DiscoStu]

Was that to Barrow Stu or to Newcastle? Like I said I'd heard they'd done it but never ever saw them myself, obviously they went up to Glasgow via Dumfries from Carlisle, in fact a bulk of my 26 and 27 sightings and haulages were from Carlisle.

Sorry, I should've said - it was heading towards Barrow.

I've still never been down that line to this day.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Class 20's that operated on the Matlock branch due to a chronic shortage of DMU's in the early 90's. Initially the Choppers ran as a pair until changing to 'top n tail' in order to save time. Sadly I missed out on all the fun as I'd long since moved to London.

 

[Whistler40145]

How about when a 31+LHCS worked the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch?

Also, was the Blythe Bridge to Llandudno a DMU substitute or an additional?

What about 20s & 31s on the Crewe to Derby?