Long distance heritage dmu journeys

[peteb]

Does anyone else recall that, back in the BR days of regular loco-haulage there were some regular summer-only long distance dmu diagrams? One example was the Scarborough to Leicester train via Beverley and Sheffield: 3x3car Suburban Units, corridor connected with wc in centre carriage. I was disappointed that this reversed at Hull (having placed myself strategically behind the driver at Scarborough) even though not booked to call there. Another that comes to mind is Norwich to Birmingham which was a 3 car Swindon Cross Country unit and used the Ely avoiding line. Both these c1980.

 

[xotGD]

Newcastle to Scarborough. Or even Filey.

 

[SteveM70]

Birmingham to Tenby

 

[Merthyr Imp]

I don't know how it compares as a long distance service but when the Nottingham - Cardiff trains that ran via Bromsgrove, Worcester Shrub Hill, Chepstow, etc, were introduced (early 1990s?) they were operated by 3-car suburban dmus on a regular basis before the advent of the Class 156s.

 

[Bevan Price]

Aberdeen to Glasgow Buchanan St., summer saturday 1961. (8 coaches, including a pair of 107s)
Nottingham/Derby - Llandudno (after the 25s had finished). (Tyseley suburban units)
Birmingham - Aberystwyth / Pwllheli. (Class 101s)
Manchester - North Wales stations.

 

[Sprinter107]

I don't know how it compares as a long distance service but when the Nottingham - Cardiff trains that ran via Bromsgrove, Worcester Shrub Hill, Chepstow, etc, were introduced (early 1990s?) they were operated by 3-car suburban dmus on a regular basis before the advent of the Class 156s.

The Birmingham to Cardiff provincial trains started in May 1987 on a 2 hourly frequency via Kidderminster, before being transferred to run via Bromsgrove. They were never actually diagrammed for suburban dmus, but for 150s, then 155s, then 156s, 158s, and then 170s as now. Suburban sets would only deputise in the event of a Sprinter not being availale.

 

[O L Leigh]

Suburban sets would only deputise in the event of a Sprinter not being availale.

DMU substitution happened rather a lot in the early days of Sprinterisation. Door problems with the Cl155s saw the entire class temporarily withdrawn from traffic pending a fix which meant that there was quite a lot of reshuffling and some very strange trains turning up in odd locations. It was not unheard of for a Tyseley suburban unit to work through to Anglia to cover for one of Clown Point's Cl156s while it had a jolly to Cardiff in place of Leyland's finest.

 

[PG]

IIRC Bristol - Weymouth services in the late eighties were often just as likely to be formed of DMUs as they were of loco and coaches.

 

[pdeaves]

I suppose we could think of Pacers and the 15x family as 'heritage' now! In which case the possibilities are greater.

 

[Harpers Tate]

On a Sunday evening just after Christmas in 1971/2, I travelled from Hull to Newcastle on a through DMU service routed via Selby/York/Northallerton/Eaglescliffe/Hartlepool. Memorable more for the very attractive female companion (a Hartlepool resident) than for the train ride itself.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I suppose we could think of Pacers and the 15x family as 'heritage' now! In which case the possibilities are greater.

If that's allowed, then I'll throw in an early 1990s Manchester Piccadilly-Llandudno Summer Sunday only single Class 142 via Stockport & Knutsford.

 

[Sprinter107]

DMU substitution happened rather a lot in the early days of Sprinterisation. Door problems with the Cl155s saw the entire class temporarily withdrawn from traffic pending a fix which meant that there was quite a lot of reshuffling and some very strange trains turning up in odd locations. It was not unheard of for a Tyseley suburban unit to work through to Anglia to cover for one of Clown Point's Cl156s while it had a jolly to Cardiff in place of Leyland's finest.

Norwich Crown Point 156s were rostered for the Birmingham to Cardiff trains, they took over from the 155s, when they were withdrawn, and stayed on there until the 158s took over. The 155s didnt go back on that service, even after they were returned to traffic. But yes, DMU substitutions were very common.

 

[Taunton]

IIRC Bristol - Weymouth services in the late eighties were often just as likely to be formed of DMUs as they were of loco and coaches.

That had actually always been the case. Even in the early 1960s whether the service was a Cross-Country dmu, a Suburban dmu, or a Hymek plus Hawksworth-era coaches, seemed a complete toss-up.

 

[scarby]

Does anyone else recall that, back in the BR days of regular loco-haulage there were some regular summer-only long distance dmu diagrams? One example was the Scarborough to Leicester train via Beverley and Sheffield: 3x3car Suburban Units, corridor connected with wc in centre carriage. I was disappointed that this reversed at Hull (having placed myself strategically behind the driver at Scarborough) even though not booked to call there.

Yes, I remember looking forward to seeing these arriving at Scarborough.

Newcastle to Scarborough. Or even Filey.

Yes - these often yielded a DMU with three window bars on the door windows for safety due to limited clearance on some routes around where they were based.

 

[peteb]

Some great responses, thanks, and reminded me off a trip I did to Minfford from Shrewsbury sitting behind the driver in what I think was a BRCW dmu, 2x2 car units, as part of a round trip via Festiniog Railway.

 

[peteb]

Was Birmingham to Tenby via the Swansea avoiding line from Cardiff next stop Whitland? I did that once on a heritage dmu, wish I'd kept my notebooks now......

 

[32475]

In the 1970s there were the Saturdays only Brighton - Exeter trains using Hastings DMUs. They ran from '72 - '77 using 12 cars in the Summer and 6 in the winter and these included a buffet car.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

IIRC Bristol - Weymouth services in the late eighties were often just as likely to be formed of DMUs as they were of loco and coaches.

In the summer timetable of 1990 a daily Southampton - Bristol Temple Meads and return working was booked for a Hampshire DEMU. Remember it well as I was sitting my GCSEs at the time and, if the morning exam was less than 2 hours, it would be my ride home.

 

[Ianigsy]

In the summer timetable of 1990 a daily Southampton - Bristol Temple Meads and return working was booked for a Hampshire DEMU. Remember it well as I was sitting my GCSEs at the time and, if the morning exam was less than 2 hours, it would be my ride home.

Into the winter too - I started university at Bristol in 1990 and remember it well, although the diagram could also produce a 33+4TC.

My contributions are Birmingham to Bristol (at least) on a crowded suburban unit in the early 1980s (we were going to Weston but I can't remember whether we changed or not) and Newport to Crewe on a Class 108, which was a double substitution as the diagram was booked a Class 37 in lieu of a Class 155 or 158.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As recent as the late 90s First North Western sometimes had a Class 101 set on Llandudno-Crewe (or possibly Chester) which is a fair way, I think it was the Conwy Valley unit "going home for the night".

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Remember a longish through journey from Doncaster to Peterborough (via Gainsborough Lea Road, Lincoln Central and Sleaford) and maybe then onwards on the same unit to Cambridge, in the late 70's on a wheezing DMU. Journey made slightly more tolerable by travelling on a first class ticket in the small first class compartment immediately behind the driver.

 

[marsker]

Back in the 60s, there was a regular DMU turn from Newcastle to Leeds, 2 return trips a day. I used it to York a few times as cheap excursion tickets were available, but York was too far for a cheap day return and an ordinary return was stretching pocket money more than a bit! It was usually a Met Cam (later class 101) 4 coach set, for at least 1 timetable with a buffet included, but I remember all types including Derby lightweight sets being used.
Once, I saw the evening train leave Newcastle on a particularly foul snowy night, with an A4 on 4 pre nationalisation coaches.
An interesting point is that, even with their 70 mph max, they were routed fast line all the way from Darlington to York (Thirsk retained fast line platforms in those days). Back then, there was a steady procession of freight on the slow lines.
Another long DMU turn ws a Saturday service that arrived in Newcastle from Doncaster, which was diagrammed for a Calder Valley set.
Back in the summer of 67, I had a few journeys from Peterborough to Newcastle on the 18:05 ex Kings Cross (Having watched the Deltic on the 18:00 bowl through without stopping). I would bail out at York onto a DMU that followed it to get home quicker, as the 18:05 was routed via the Durham Coast. I remember that I used to find a seat in a trailer vehicle as I was too tired to put up with the engin noise under me.

 

[Taunton]

The modernisation plan units did some quite lengthy runs in their time. Longest daily trip for suburban units was probably Marylebone to Birmingham after about 1970 - in the 1960s they had done a single daily Marylebone to Nottingham. Fortunately they were some of the best suburban units around. WR Cross-Country units did Shrewsbury (later Crewe) and Birmingham to Cardiff, and the same set might then continue to Milford Haven or Weymouth. Surprisingly fuel capacity seems not to have been an issue like it was for some locomotives, the units could do a full all-day diagram (at least) without needing to go to the depot. Some trips in Scotland, like Glasgow to Stranraer or Aberdeen to Inverness, were a fair journey. The Low Density units, most simplistic of the bunch, also did runs like Birmingham to Norwich, or Shrewsbury to Pwllheli. Fortunately these runs carried few end-to-end passengers.

High speed running seemed to take its toll. The early 1957 Edinburgh-Glasgow units, which spent much of the day "flat out" at 70mph, and did little else, were some of the first withdrawn in May 1971, worn out and never worked again. A number of the other long runs mentioned above did go back to loco haulage with surplus Class 25/33 and Mk1 stock from the late 1970s.

 

[73001]

The Ormskirk Preston Travellers Assoc (as it was) used to organise excursions picking up from Ormskirk to Preston and then off into the wilderness. We certainly had trips to York and also Carlisle via the S&C in both directions. From memory these were usually 104s and 108s and they served tea from an urn in the guards section.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

The Birmingham to Cardiff provincial trains started in May 1987 on a 2 hourly frequency via Kidderminster, before being transferred to run via Bromsgrove. They were never actually diagrammed for suburban dmus, but for 150s, then 155s, then 156s, 158s, and then 170s as now. Suburban sets would only deputise in the event of a Sprinter not being available.

Yes, I remember travelling on a 155 to Kidderminster on a Birmingham to Cardiff service. If I remember right they had refreshment trolleys.

Just to be clear, I was referring, as I said, to the Nottingham to Cardiff service which ran via Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Worcester Shrub Hill in those days. Whether they or 156s were diagrammed at the start I don't know, but in the few journeys I made in the early days of the service it was usually a suburban dmu before the 156s took over and when I began to travel fairly regularly on the route. After that it was 158s until the 170s came along.

 

[Bald Rick]

New st to Grimsby on a 150

 

[CW2]

In the 70s the Paddington area ran a series of excursion trains, and it was pretty random as to whether they would be loco hauled (using commuter Mk1 stock) or class 117 DMUs. If DMU they would have 3 sets, one of which would be made up to a 4-car by inclusion of one of the Mett-Cam spare trailers which were allocated to the London division, so 10-car DMU total. Destinations I went with DMU included Swanage, Minehead, Portsmouth, and Hereford. Always seemed a very long journey on the way home ...

 

[D400.50050]

If 150's are to be included. I have seen a 150 on the old Alpha Line service from London Waterloo to Manchester Piccadilly instead of the usual 158s. Whether it made it all the way I cant say as I saw it at the beginning of the run. Would have been an interesting run had it gone all the way.

 

[O L Leigh]

Well if we're including Cl150s, there was a daily Cardiff Central - Gunnislake service.

But then I'm far from convinced about including Sprinters as "heritage" units.

Remember a longish through journey from Doncaster to Peterborough (via Gainsborough Lea Road, Lincoln Central and Sleaford) and maybe then onwards on the same unit to Cambridge, in the late 70's on a wheezing DMU.

Yes, Cambs to Donny via the Joint Line was definitely a DMU service back in the day.

 

[PG]

But then I'm far from convinced about including Sprinters as "heritage" units.

Tend to agree with you there - if it can couple without involving anyone in the four foot it's not "heritage".
I'm sure someone will now dig up some pre-1980's design with autocouplers!