Prompted by the thread on no-heat locos hauling Air-Con stock, I thought I’d delve into the archive and relive the Easter of 1983. At the time I was living and working in York. With some free passes burning a hole in my pocket, I had a few days leave to explore, with an emphasis on English Electric traction wherever possible.
Maundy Thursday 31/03/83
There were a few reliefs running on the ECML, to cater for the pre-Easter getaway. Word reached me that ever-reliable York boilered loco 40057 was on the 10:08 Kings Cross – Edinburgh relief, so I took an extra half day’s leave and started the trip earlier than planned.
40057 12:54 York – Edinburgh (10:08 Kings Cross – Edinburgh Relief)
I had hoped the 40 might get turned straight back on an overnight south, but the gen was that it would be held back to work a southbound relief the following morning. I opted for a WCML overnight south:
47712 19:30 Edinburgh – Glasgow QS
EMU Glasgow QS LL – Dumbarton
37014 21:45 Dumbarton Central – Cowlairs (16:10 Mallaig – Glasgow QS)
This was the up Fort William sleeper, which detached the London portion at Cowlairs.
37022 22:36 Cowlairs – Mossend
85035 23:xx Mossend – Carlisle (via Holytown and Wishaw)
Good Friday 01/04/83
At Carlisle the Fort William portion was attached to the Up Stranraer.
86260 02:38 Carlisle – Crewe (22:00 Stranraer – Euston).
I alighted at Crewe for a much-needed cup of tea, to get some gen, and some superior motive power:
87009 07:52 Crewe – Euston (06:15 Blackpool – Euston)
For a swift stroll along the road to Kings Cross:
40084 10:08 Kings Cross – Edinburgh (Relief)
The other member of York’s railtour twins. With the WCML due to be closed Preston to Carlisle from midnight, and trains scheduled for dragging via the S&C, it was now important to be in the right place at the right time in the hope that a class 40 would be turned out on one or other service.
47412 18:06 Edinburgh – Carstairs, portion onto:
86328 18:58 Carstairs – Preston (18:23 Glasgow – Manchester Vic)
The news at Preston was that 40152 was allocated to work the 22:00 Stranraer – Euston over the S&C – the very train I’d come south on the previous night. About turn, enter headless chicken mode, and head north again …
86216 22:11 Preston – Carlisle (19:15 Euston – Carlisle)
Saturday 02/04/83
Well I suppose it was too good to be true. Allocating a no-heat class 40 to the heaviest passenger train of the night (load 16) was always a bit dodgy. From somewhere or other Control unearthed the unlovely 47199 instead. Meanwhile 40152 sat unallocated.
47199 02:38 Carlisle – Preston (via S&C) (22:00 Stranraer – Euston)
86237 05:39 Preston – Crewe (22:00 Stranraer – Euston)
… and here we are again.
Today’s 40152 rumour is that it is going to work the Up Royal Scot from Carlisle to Preston over the S&C. Ha bloody ha. You must think I’m mad. I’m not going all the way back to Carlisle on the strength of a rumour, only to get bowled again. Or am I …
86248 07:40 Crewe – Preston (06:30 Birmingham NS – Lancaster)
47464 08:55 Preston – Carlisle via S&C (07:50 Manchester Vic – Glasgow)
At Carlisle 40152 was sitting with its engine running. We didn’t have long to wait for:
40152 11:40 Carlisle – Preston (via S&C) “Royal Scot” (10:10 Glasgow – Euston).
We arrived at Preston tired, and elated at having had a 40 on the premier train of the day, Mk 3 rolling stock and all. Clearly they were short of motive power, with insufficient ETH 47s to work everything, since the 40 was allocated to work back to Carlisle!
40152 15:40 Preston – Carlisle (via S&C) (12:40 Euston – Glasgow)
Mission well and truly accomplished. Now, I’ve spent most of the day on unheated trains in the wilder parts of the northern hills, and I’m thoroughly chilled. What I need is a nice warm way out of Carlisle. Or not. The shortage of suitable motive power had hit Carlisle hard, since upon our arrival I found the 17:20 Carlisle – Glasgow waiting to depart over an hour late, with required no-heat 26031 at the helm. Oh well …
26031 17:20 Carlisle – Glasgow (via G&SW)
I then repeated my southbound move on the Fort William portion:
EMU Glasgow – Dumbarton
37192 Dumbarton Central – Cowlairs
47562 22:36 Cowlairs – Mossend
86250 23:xx Mossend – Carlisle (via Holytown, Wishaw)
Easter Sunday 03/04/83
47456 02:34 Carlisle – Preston (via S&C)
86246 05:28 Preston – Crewe
Enough is enough. Time to head home for a much-needed rest and a change of clothes.
DMU 08:05 Crewe – Manchester Piccadilly (OLE switched off on a Sunday morning)
45119 11:41 Manchester Victoria – York (10:40 Liverpool – Newcastle).
After a few hours at home, and some much-needed sleep, the phone rang:
“40028 is allocated on the Down Stranraer tonight.”
47447 18:55 York – Stalybridge (17:50 Scarborough – Liverpool)
DMU Stalybridge – Stockport, EMU Stockport – Crewe
The welcome sight of an 81 roared in on the Down Stranraer. I joined the Fort William portion, near the rear of the train.
81008 23:34 Crewe – Farington Jn. (21:00 Euston – Stranraer / Fort William)
Bank Holiday Monday 04/04/83
The train stood on the curve at Farington Junction. I couldn’t see the front, but I could hear the familiar whistling of a class 40. It had produced!
40028 00:xx Farington Jn – Carlisle via S&C (21:00 Euston – Stranraer / Fort William)
This was load 14, including several sleeping cars. Progress was at best sedate. The steam heat boiler was working well, even at the rear of the train, and I dozed off. I awoke on the climb to Ais Gill. Our speed was no more than 30 mph, maybe even slower, and the familiar old 40 was being thrashed to bits. It was quite a spectacle – but not exactly the height of performance or punctuality.
Our arrival at Carlisle was much later than scheduled. I remained in the Fort William portion:
86242 03:xx Carlisle – Mossend (21:00 Euston – Fort William) via Wishaw, Holytown
26039 05:xx Mossend – Cowlairs.
The normal arrangement for the portion was that another loco would attach at Cowlairs and haul these coaches down into Queen Street station, where a festival of shunting would ensue, resulting in them being attached to the 06:00 Queen Street – Fort William / Mallaig. Because we were running well over an hour late, they arranged to make the attachment at Cowlairs, to save a bit of time. Moreover, it being a Monday morning, Glasgow Control had allocated a pair of 37s to the train. (At this time the West Highland Line was closed on Sundays, so the first train on Monday mornings used to be notorious for losing time because of wheelspin on greasy rails.)
37184 + 37033 06:xx Cowlairs – Tulloch (21:00 Euston / 06:00 Glasgow QS – Fort William)
Because of our late running the crossover with the southbound train took place at Tulloch instead of Spean Bridge:
37039 09:55 Tulloch – Glasgow QS (09:19 Fort William – Glasgow QS)
That pretty much concluded the entertainment for the weekend. Now it was simply a matter of getting home:
47710 14:00 Glasgow QS – Edinburgh
43067 + 43xxx 15:00 Edinburgh – Newcastle
45102 17:18 Newcastle – York (17:18 Newcastle - Liverpool).
I hope you have enjoyed these reminiscences. It was a very memorable weekend.
Maundy Thursday 31/03/83
There were a few reliefs running on the ECML, to cater for the pre-Easter getaway. Word reached me that ever-reliable York boilered loco 40057 was on the 10:08 Kings Cross – Edinburgh relief, so I took an extra half day’s leave and started the trip earlier than planned.
40057 12:54 York – Edinburgh (10:08 Kings Cross – Edinburgh Relief)
I had hoped the 40 might get turned straight back on an overnight south, but the gen was that it would be held back to work a southbound relief the following morning. I opted for a WCML overnight south:
47712 19:30 Edinburgh – Glasgow QS
EMU Glasgow QS LL – Dumbarton
37014 21:45 Dumbarton Central – Cowlairs (16:10 Mallaig – Glasgow QS)
This was the up Fort William sleeper, which detached the London portion at Cowlairs.
37022 22:36 Cowlairs – Mossend
85035 23:xx Mossend – Carlisle (via Holytown and Wishaw)
Good Friday 01/04/83
At Carlisle the Fort William portion was attached to the Up Stranraer.
86260 02:38 Carlisle – Crewe (22:00 Stranraer – Euston).
I alighted at Crewe for a much-needed cup of tea, to get some gen, and some superior motive power:
87009 07:52 Crewe – Euston (06:15 Blackpool – Euston)
For a swift stroll along the road to Kings Cross:
40084 10:08 Kings Cross – Edinburgh (Relief)
The other member of York’s railtour twins. With the WCML due to be closed Preston to Carlisle from midnight, and trains scheduled for dragging via the S&C, it was now important to be in the right place at the right time in the hope that a class 40 would be turned out on one or other service.
47412 18:06 Edinburgh – Carstairs, portion onto:
86328 18:58 Carstairs – Preston (18:23 Glasgow – Manchester Vic)
The news at Preston was that 40152 was allocated to work the 22:00 Stranraer – Euston over the S&C – the very train I’d come south on the previous night. About turn, enter headless chicken mode, and head north again …
86216 22:11 Preston – Carlisle (19:15 Euston – Carlisle)
Saturday 02/04/83
Well I suppose it was too good to be true. Allocating a no-heat class 40 to the heaviest passenger train of the night (load 16) was always a bit dodgy. From somewhere or other Control unearthed the unlovely 47199 instead. Meanwhile 40152 sat unallocated.
47199 02:38 Carlisle – Preston (via S&C) (22:00 Stranraer – Euston)
86237 05:39 Preston – Crewe (22:00 Stranraer – Euston)
… and here we are again.
Today’s 40152 rumour is that it is going to work the Up Royal Scot from Carlisle to Preston over the S&C. Ha bloody ha. You must think I’m mad. I’m not going all the way back to Carlisle on the strength of a rumour, only to get bowled again. Or am I …
86248 07:40 Crewe – Preston (06:30 Birmingham NS – Lancaster)
47464 08:55 Preston – Carlisle via S&C (07:50 Manchester Vic – Glasgow)
At Carlisle 40152 was sitting with its engine running. We didn’t have long to wait for:
40152 11:40 Carlisle – Preston (via S&C) “Royal Scot” (10:10 Glasgow – Euston).
We arrived at Preston tired, and elated at having had a 40 on the premier train of the day, Mk 3 rolling stock and all. Clearly they were short of motive power, with insufficient ETH 47s to work everything, since the 40 was allocated to work back to Carlisle!
40152 15:40 Preston – Carlisle (via S&C) (12:40 Euston – Glasgow)
Mission well and truly accomplished. Now, I’ve spent most of the day on unheated trains in the wilder parts of the northern hills, and I’m thoroughly chilled. What I need is a nice warm way out of Carlisle. Or not. The shortage of suitable motive power had hit Carlisle hard, since upon our arrival I found the 17:20 Carlisle – Glasgow waiting to depart over an hour late, with required no-heat 26031 at the helm. Oh well …
26031 17:20 Carlisle – Glasgow (via G&SW)
I then repeated my southbound move on the Fort William portion:
EMU Glasgow – Dumbarton
37192 Dumbarton Central – Cowlairs
47562 22:36 Cowlairs – Mossend
86250 23:xx Mossend – Carlisle (via Holytown, Wishaw)
Easter Sunday 03/04/83
47456 02:34 Carlisle – Preston (via S&C)
86246 05:28 Preston – Crewe
Enough is enough. Time to head home for a much-needed rest and a change of clothes.
DMU 08:05 Crewe – Manchester Piccadilly (OLE switched off on a Sunday morning)
45119 11:41 Manchester Victoria – York (10:40 Liverpool – Newcastle).
After a few hours at home, and some much-needed sleep, the phone rang:
“40028 is allocated on the Down Stranraer tonight.”
47447 18:55 York – Stalybridge (17:50 Scarborough – Liverpool)
DMU Stalybridge – Stockport, EMU Stockport – Crewe
The welcome sight of an 81 roared in on the Down Stranraer. I joined the Fort William portion, near the rear of the train.
81008 23:34 Crewe – Farington Jn. (21:00 Euston – Stranraer / Fort William)
Bank Holiday Monday 04/04/83
The train stood on the curve at Farington Junction. I couldn’t see the front, but I could hear the familiar whistling of a class 40. It had produced!
40028 00:xx Farington Jn – Carlisle via S&C (21:00 Euston – Stranraer / Fort William)
This was load 14, including several sleeping cars. Progress was at best sedate. The steam heat boiler was working well, even at the rear of the train, and I dozed off. I awoke on the climb to Ais Gill. Our speed was no more than 30 mph, maybe even slower, and the familiar old 40 was being thrashed to bits. It was quite a spectacle – but not exactly the height of performance or punctuality.
Our arrival at Carlisle was much later than scheduled. I remained in the Fort William portion:
86242 03:xx Carlisle – Mossend (21:00 Euston – Fort William) via Wishaw, Holytown
26039 05:xx Mossend – Cowlairs.
The normal arrangement for the portion was that another loco would attach at Cowlairs and haul these coaches down into Queen Street station, where a festival of shunting would ensue, resulting in them being attached to the 06:00 Queen Street – Fort William / Mallaig. Because we were running well over an hour late, they arranged to make the attachment at Cowlairs, to save a bit of time. Moreover, it being a Monday morning, Glasgow Control had allocated a pair of 37s to the train. (At this time the West Highland Line was closed on Sundays, so the first train on Monday mornings used to be notorious for losing time because of wheelspin on greasy rails.)
37184 + 37033 06:xx Cowlairs – Tulloch (21:00 Euston / 06:00 Glasgow QS – Fort William)
Because of our late running the crossover with the southbound train took place at Tulloch instead of Spean Bridge:
37039 09:55 Tulloch – Glasgow QS (09:19 Fort William – Glasgow QS)
That pretty much concluded the entertainment for the weekend. Now it was simply a matter of getting home:
47710 14:00 Glasgow QS – Edinburgh
43067 + 43xxx 15:00 Edinburgh – Newcastle
45102 17:18 Newcastle – York (17:18 Newcastle - Liverpool).
I hope you have enjoyed these reminiscences. It was a very memorable weekend.
