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Stock that rail staff (ahem) ‘borrowed’ to keep the job moving?

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bluesfromagun

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Off the top of my head I've seen, worked or known of:

4 car 156 Edinburgh to Glasgow QS shuttle during the bad snow of 2010 when 170s were dropping like flies due to the cold weather. Lost time due to being restricted to 75mph

158 and a 156 tied up during the same period on an Edinburgh to Dundee local that had to be crewed by Edinburgh men both ways as Dundee men didn't sign 156s.

Vague recollections of a 2 car 156 on an Edinburgh to Aberdeen run and back ECS Haymarket shed, again during the same bad weather period due to 170 shortages although my memory may be playing tricks on me with that one.

322 to Newcraighall on a fireworks special.

156 to Dunbar although that may have been diagramed (SO)

Definitely seen a 156 work a North Berwick due to electric shortages and the same goes for a 158 as well.

2 car 170 (402) working to Glasgow Central via Shotts only calling at Livingston South there and back.

All of these units were subbed in to save cancellations. This type of thing doesn't happen often nowadays though.
The 156 was a booked Dunbar for a while. First North Berwick on a Saturday morning was a booked 156 too for a long while.
One 322 ended up doing Newcraighall shuttles one morning after disruption on the E&G.
I can go one better on the 170 front! 17039x, still with buffet and full coach of first class, on the 0656 stopper to Central and 0905 semi fast return, even though they were (and I think, still are, not route cleared for most of the stations on the route). Clearly the controller got lucky that day!
 
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Jan Mayen

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A story I heard many years ago about a Boat Train from Dover.
Power failure meant normal stick couldn't operate from Western Docks, so passengers were put into two Motor Luggage Vans for a short trip to Dover Priory, where they transferred to am EMU.
 

Strathclyder

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The Taunton-Cardiff LHCS sets that were used by FGW saw a Class 66 used on them at times. From memory one of those used was 66402, which as 66734 ended its days on the shores of Loch Treig.
Honestly thought I'd replied to this. :oops:

Ah, those. Went right out my head. Would this be the normal formation for said services (ex-Anglia Mk2s with top n' tailed Virgin 57/3s)?


(Linked image copyright of Martin Loader)
 

43096

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Honestly thought I'd replied to this. :oops:

Ah, those. Went right out my head. Would this be the normal formation for said services (ex-Anglia Mk2s with top n' tailed Virgin 57/3s)?


(Linked image copyright of Martin Loader)
Yes - those! The 57s weren't all that reliable so GBRf (who had sourced the traction) used 66s at times in place of one of the 57s.
 

Strathclyder

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Yes - those! The 57s weren't all that reliable so GBRf (who had sourced the traction) used 66s at times in place of one of the 57s.
Makes sense, cheers. :)

Another example, this time back in BR days, that 'may' loosely fit the parameters of this thread (linked image by Arthur Stopow of Flickr) is 58017 being used to haul 40086 on 3rd. Nov 1984 (the 40 in charge of the Swindon Ambassador III railtour, the 58 a MGR) from Didcot to Reading for the latter to top up on fuel (anyone who can elaborate on, deny or confirm the details of this one is most welcome to do so). At any rate, seeing a 40 and 58 coupled up together on the mainline is hen's teeth levels of rare, I should think!


Quoting Six Bells Junction:

40086 was very low on fuel and had a water leak in the pipe from the radiator header tank to the No. 1 turbo charger on the B bank of the power unit and was removed at Didcot and taken to Reading by 58017. Both locos returned about 2 hours later, 58017 did not however haul the train at any stage. Departure for Swindon was 70mins down.
 
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HamworthyGoods

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Was that around the time that the 442s were being built and there was a shortage of REPs?

South Eastern Divison often had spare CEPs away from the height of the Summer due to less boat train demand.

After the loss of SWD stock at Clapham in 1988 there was a loan of CEPs also.
 

CW2

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During my time in Glasgow Control I noticed that one of the traction controllers would occasionally ask for a driver to speak on the phone to him. I sussed out that this happened when there was a "foreign" ETH 47 on the train. If the loco was a strong one, it would be pointed towards Edinburgh - Inverness or Edinburgh - Aberdeen workings. Conversely if it was below average, it would be punted south ASAP. Likewise some of the worst Haymarket or Eastfield 47/4s would find themselves mysteriously allocated south of the border. Weekends were particularly good for this, with through 47 workings on the WCML through to Preston or beyond. So if you've ever had a poor run off a Scottish 47 in England, now you know what it was doing there.
 

Strathclyder

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A few more from Martin Loader's brillant site (where I found the pic of the 66 on the Holyhead-Crewe turn vice a 37/4), which is a veritable treasure trove for things like this. Descriptions in brackets are for those unable to use the links. Any corrections/clarifications/personal recollections regarding any of these are all most welcome.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/25042_Oxford_1985.htm - all the way back in August 1985, a 25 on a Derby - Old Oak Common ECS was commandeered as it approached Oxford to form a Oxford - Reading relief working in place of 1A20 from Hereford to Paddington which had suffered a loco failure. If Martin's site is to be believed, what was meant to be 1A20 later appeared with 37120 up front, itself an oddity.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/56035_Potbridge_1990.htm - as no NSE 47s or 50s were available, Railfreight Grey Grid 035 was pinched to work the 13:18 working off Salisbury to Waterloo, caught above at Potbridge. As the image caption notes, there's plenty of power at the front of this 6-coach rake, but none of it to heat the train, but at least the train is still on the move.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/47002_Andover_1991.htm - a very unusual passenger outing for this Tinsley allocated non-heat reserve-pool 47 on a early morning Waterloo to Salisbury service. Was filling in for a failed 50036.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/56019_Culham_1998.htm - the availabilty of Virgin CrossCountry's 47/8s reached a particularly low ebb in 1998, and these last three images document 3 seperate types of rather inappropriate traction being used as cover. This may be one of the most outrageous of them however: the by then sole surviving 56 in Railfreight Red Stripe livery, 56019, filling in on 1O38 (Edinburgh - Bournemouth from Birmingham) and the northbound balancing working, the latter of which is depicted. Several dozen Flickr images of 019's north & southbound workings on this date (20th June 1998) exist, no doubt due to the tendency for anything to drop onto 1O38 at New St in 1998, particularly on Saturdays.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/31465_31466_Cholsey_1998.htm - a week later, different locos, two different liveries, same workings and just as unusual if not more so. Consecutively numbered 31/4s too.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/47051_Old_Milverton_1998.htm - not nearly as outrageous as the latter two, but still noteworthy. Non-heat freight 47/0s tended to be the most common substitute for the 47/8s and here a rather workworn 47051 demostrates that to good effect, Railfreight sector markings and all.
 
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Richard Scott

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During my time in Glasgow Control I noticed that one of the traction controllers would occasionally ask for a driver to speak on the phone to him. I sussed out that this happened when there was a "foreign" ETH 47 on the train. If the loco was a strong one, it would be pointed towards Edinburgh - Inverness or Edinburgh - Aberdeen workings. Conversely if it was below average, it would be punted south ASAP. Likewise some of the worst Haymarket or Eastfield 47/4s would find themselves mysteriously allocated south of the border. Weekends were particularly good for this, with through 47 workings on the WCML through to Preston or beyond. So if you've ever had a poor run off a Scottish 47 in England, now you know what it was doing there.
Often saw 47644 deep in Midlands or South West territory, likely it was a notoriously poor performer then?
 

306024

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Just towards the end of their life a 9 car class 306 EMU was used to cover a Norwich service as far as Colchester one day. A considerate boss at the time sent me out for a (lively) ride on it. Running non stop it must have needed oxygen on arrival at Colchester.
 

Cowley

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Often saw 47644 deep in Midlands or South West territory, likely it was a notoriously poor performer then?

I think that one was reallocated to Old Oak in the 1988 to 1990 period along with a few other ex Scottish ones like 47636, 47637 etc. I seem to remember that they were sent south due to the Scottish internal services going over to Sprinters bit by bit. Some went to Network Southeast, some went to parcels.
 

delt1c

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The most interesting i ever saw was the use of an HST on Edinburgh to North Berwick , complete with the buffet open in the 1980’s
 

Richard Scott

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I think that one was reallocated to Old Oak in the 1988 to 1990 period along with a few other ex Scottish ones like 47636, 47637 etc. I seem to remember that they were sent south due to the Scottish internal services going over to Sprinters bit by bit. Some went to Network Southeast, some went to parcels.
It was pre 1988, around 1987 I saw it many times on Midland or Western region but long enough after conversion that it wasn't an escapee from Crewe that hadn't made it to Scotland yet. Remember it vividly with the ploughs on.
 

Cowley

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It was pre 1988, around 1987 I saw it many times on Midland or Western region but long enough after conversion that it wasn't an escapee from Crewe that hadn't made it to Scotland yet. Remember it vividly with the ploughs on.

Ah ok. It definitely still Scottish then because I had on the internal sleepers in 1988. I do like the thought of them trying to get rid of it at any opportunity. :lol:
 

CW2

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Ah ok. It definitely still Scottish then because I had on the internal sleepers in 1988. I do like the thought of them trying to get rid of it at any opportunity. :lol:
Yes, some of the Scottish 47/4s would only ever appear in Scotland, being jealously guarded as "good horses", whereas others were allowed to escape quite willingly.

The 47/4s were such a valuable commodity that there was an inter-regional balance carried out at midnight each night, chaired by the BR HQ Control, to ensure they were distributed correctly across the country. Scotland seldom had a surplus - hence the appearance of other locos on 47/4 diagrams in Scotland. For example, by the late 80s (before sprinterisation) all the Glasgow - Carlisle via Dumfries services were booked 47/4s, but classes 25, 26, 27, and 37 frequently substituted.
 

Cowley

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Yes, some of the Scottish 47/4s would only ever appear in Scotland, being jealously guarded as "good horses", whereas others were allowed to escape quite willingly.

The 47/4s were such a valuable commodity that there was an inter-regional balance carried out at midnight each night, chaired by the BR HQ Control, to ensure they were distributed correctly across the country. Scotland seldom had a surplus - hence the appearance of other locos on 47/4 diagrams in Scotland. For example, by the late 80s (before sprinterisation) all the Glasgow - Carlisle via Dumfries services were booked 47/4s, but classes 25, 26, 27, and 37 frequently substituted.

There were certain 47/4s that never seemed to escape from Scotland (well I never saw them anywhere other than there anyway).
Ones that spring to mind were 47492, 47541, 47586, 47642 and 47643. I wonder if that was just my experience or if there was something in that?
 

43096

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I think that one was reallocated to Old Oak in the 1988 to 1990 period along with a few other ex Scottish ones like 47636, 47637 etc. I seem to remember that they were sent south due to the Scottish internal services going over to Sprinters bit by bit. Some went to Network Southeast, some went to parcels.
According to Class47.co.uk ~ Numbers 47644 didn't move to Old Oak until November 1990.
 

CW2

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There were certain 47/4s that never seemed to escape from Scotland (well I never saw them anywhere other than there anyway).
Ones that spring to mind were 47492, 47541, 47586, 47642 and 47643. I wonder if that was just my experience or if there was something in that?
I think I've seen 47541 south of the border, but otherwise your memories accord with my own. All those locos were common on the Glasgow /Edinburgh to Aberdeen / Inverness routes. I think some of them had the "Highland Rail" stag emblem on the sides too.
 

Cowley

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According to Class47.co.uk ~ Numbers 47644 didn't move to Old Oak until November 1990.

Ah ok. I thought I’d had a run behind it from Feniton to Exeter back then but having looked at my book it was actually 47636.

I think I've seen 47541 south of the border, but otherwise your memories accord with my own. All those locos were common on the Glasgow /Edinburgh to Aberdeen / Inverness routes. I think some of them had the "Highland Rail" stag emblem on the sides too.

Interesting stuff. I’m going to add 47604 to the list as well.
 

Richard Scott

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There were certain 47/4s that never seemed to escape from Scotland (well I never saw them anywhere other than there anyway).
Ones that spring to mind were 47492, 47541, 47586, 47642 and 47643. I wonder if that was just my experience or if there was something in that?
Sure a friend of mine had 47541 south of the border but agree those were rare. Any Scottish escapee was almost always red pen! However we found Stratford locos even harder to get away from their home depot.
 
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Not exactly "pinched", but in circa 1962, a Southern "Schools" 4-4-0 was used on a railtour starting in the Midlands, and to get it back down south, it was put on a Nottingham Victoria - London Marylebone semi-fast.
I read about this recently, and I don't think that's the full story

I can't remember it all. but it was "tested", I think before doing the railtour; it did something like a Nottingham - Marylebone semi-fast, then a working to Woodford Halse, light engine to Banbury, then a parcels back north to Nottingham.

I think the journey you've mentioned was its second trip up the GC Main Line

Many years ago I was travelling to London from Derby one morning and the train due to depart just after 08.00 was cancelled for some reason; so a pair of 20s and its rake of Mk 1s waiting to work the Jolly Fisherman for Skegness has highjacked and took us to Leicester, where we changed to a Nottingham - St Pancras service.

The biggest "borrow" of all time must have been when the Glasgow suburban electrics (303s) were withdrawn after the transformer explosions in 1961; over something like a weekend, the EMUs were withdrawn, a replacement steam operated timetable was planned, crews were re-rostered, and steam engines were literally pinched from scrap lines

One of the managers involved wrote about it after the event in Trains Illustrated, and it showed what just could be done with a single, vertically integrated, railway administration; of course in those days, the methods of communication we now take for granted didn't exist, and there was reliance upon people riding round on cycles and pushing notes through people's doors. An amazing achievement
 
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Jim Jehosofat

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I seriously doubt that this ever happened, but I was once told that a Cl33 hauling a "Pleasure Seeker" excursion from Ramsgate ended up at Blackpool, complete with a Hither Green driver and London Bridge guard, after their booked relief loco and crew failed to appear at Willesden.
 

70014IronDuke

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I seriously doubt that this ever happened, but I was once told that a Cl33 hauling a "Pleasure Seeker" excursion from Ramsgate ended up at Blackpool, complete with a Hither Green driver and London Bridge guard, after their booked relief loco and crew failed to appear at Willesden.
This seems highly unlikely, and would surely have made the railway press.

The only way I can imagine it might be possible is if there were a footplate inspector free at Willesden who offered to conduct the Southern crew to Blackpool and back. Not sure about the guard - obviously the london Bridge guard would not know the WCML.

The other thing I'd question is the length of the run. Ramsgate to Blackpool seems an awful long way for a day trip - I mean, we are talking 300 odd miles each way. Maybe they did do such long trips, but seems way too far to me.
 

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I seriously doubt that this ever happened, but I was once told that a Cl33 hauling a "Pleasure Seeker" excursion from Ramsgate ended up at Blackpool, complete with a Hither Green driver and London Bridge guard, after their booked relief loco and crew failed to appear at Willesden.
Unlikely, as the crew wouldn’t have route knowledge. However, it is just - just - possible, but they would have needed pilots the whole way. I think that 33s used to get to Spalding on Flower Festival specials.

A story I read in a magazine which I don’t think has been on this site, although apologies if it has. There was a train from Oxford to Harwich with export cars that ran via the North London Line and was supposed to be a Western Region engine throughout. In the early 1970s the WR had a habit of putting a Western on the train and then telling the Eastern Region, who would have to replace it at Stratford with one of its own, while the Western headed back to the WR. On one occasion they did this and rang up the ER, only to be told that that was no problem: the ER had a driver who had just transferrred from the WR and whose traction knowledge of the Westerns was still in date.
 

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The other thing I'd question is the length of the run. Ramsgate to Blackpool seems an awful long way for a day trip - I mean, we are talking 300 odd miles each way. Maybe they did do such long trips, but seems way too far to me.
Not totally unreasonable - there were lots of specials to the Blackpool illuminations from various start points round the country, and these would set off on the return journey a long way after dark for a well-past-midnight arrival home.
Also I was on an excursion from Kent to York the slow way (via the Midland route) in the late 1970s, and Blackpool the fast way wouldn't be that much further in time terms.
 
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Not totally unreasonable - there were lots of specials to the Blackpool illuminations from various start points round the country, and these would set off on the return journey a long way after dark for a well-past-midnight arrival home.
Also I was on an excursion from Kent to York the slow way (via the Midland route) in the late 1970s, and Blackpool the fast way wouldn't be that much further in time terms.
Photos of DMUs heading for the south coast from places way up north were regularly published in railway magazines around 1960

Off topic, but 33s ran up and down the ECML almost daily around about that time on the Cliffe - Uddingston cement train, and although they became regulars at Crewe in the 1980s, I can't recall any trips that far north directly via the WCML ever being reported in the railway press,
 

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I suppose they weren't exactly borrowing it as they were supposed to work the stock in question but I do recall being on Middlesbrough station maybe around six or so years ago fairly late on in the day and there was disruption of one sort or another I think around Thornaby (meaning that basically nothing can get to/from Middlesbrough from Darlington or the Durham Coast). So this unit rolls in possibly off the Nunthorpe branch, terminates and sits there for a little while before the train crew appear and get bombarded with the usual sorts of questions about when the next train will be, how long it will be, etc to which their answer was basically "No idea, we just go here and all we know is nothing is going anywhere!". This goes on for a few minutes before one of them spots that the signal has come off for the route back to Saltburn and they turn to each other before declaring "Right! This train is going to Saltburn any one for stations to Saltburn get on we're leaving!". And off we went a minute or two later :lol:
 

david1212

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I seriously doubt that this ever happened, but I was once told that a Cl33 hauling a "Pleasure Seeker" excursion from Ramsgate ended up at Blackpool, complete with a Hither Green driver and London Bridge guard, after their booked relief loco and crew failed to appear at Willesden.

This seems highly unlikely, and would surely have made the railway press.

The only way I can imagine it might be possible is if there were a footplate inspector free at Willesden who offered to conduct the Southern crew to Blackpool and back. Not sure about the guard - obviously the london Bridge guard would not know the WCML.

The other thing I'd question is the length of the run. Ramsgate to Blackpool seems an awful long way for a day trip - I mean, we are talking 300 odd miles each way. Maybe they did do such long trips, but seems way too far to me.

The first two posts on this thread refer to long trips from Kent. Generally back in the Merrymaker / Pleasure Seeker era most of the UK had the opportunity for a day trip to Blackpool for the illuminations with the return not before 10pm.

Aside from needing conductors this sounds a long shift though. Permitted because even after movement from the sidings and preparatuion for the return a long rest period? I suppose if not right to Blackpool a Southern relief crew could have been sent ' on the cushions ' to say Crewe to change over.

More logical would have been a loco change over further north but maybe a crew could not be rostered at short notice.
 
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Helvellyn

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The other thing I'd question is the length of the run. Ramsgate to Blackpool seems an awful long way for a day trip - I mean, we are talking 300 odd miles each way. Maybe they did do such long trips, but seems way too far to me.
There were a number of Mystery Excursions originating from Carlisle in the 1980s (pick-ups at Penrith, Oxenholme and Lancaster) that made it out and back to the likes of Paignton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Dover and Canterbury with a few hours to explore before returning home. Never the same loco throughout but certainly some long day trips!
 
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