Memorable run on ECML 1987

I hope this recollection is posted in the right place. I vividly remember a journey on the ECML on New Years Eve 1987 between Doncaster and Edinburgh. I was at Edinburgh University at the time and was traveling back to Scotland after Xmas to spend hogmanay with my partner. I had deliberately selected a train back that would be an additional service and loco hauled. I can't precisely remember what time we left Doncaster but it was morning and timed to arrive in Edinburgh whilst it was still daylight. My father took me to the station, he is an ex train driver. My train had a grossly inflated schedule and arrived in Doncaster around 20 mins early.When it came in we gasped as it was a 47 pulling just four MK 1 coaches!My dad said with envy "i would love to be driving this one"
We were scheduled to stop only at York and Newcastle. I did clock the journey but that has been lost with time. Only my memories remain. The ones that stand out the most were taking the Darlington avoiding lines at full speed. I love those avoiding lines. Main memories are reserved north of Newcastle. We got looped at Morpeth and I prayed for an open run all the home. I was in the front coach and the only person in there, so I opened most of the windows, even though it was cold. Oh boy we got a clear run all the way. The driver was clearly experienced and having fun. I just hear him gunning the engine so many times and he opened up time after time. I knew we were well ahead by Torness and on the flat after Dunbar it was full speed almost all the way. A few restrictions only served to have to driver hammer the engine back to top speed even more. We were even taken around the Meadowbank loop into Edinburgh! We still arrived at least 20/25 mins early. My partner couldnt believe that I was already at the station waiting for her rather than the reverse.
I had quite a few memorable runs on the ECML behind a 47 but this was by far the best

I have two memorable runs [even now!] on the ECML during my University days.

Firstly, returning home for the Christmas vacation in 1967 on the 1812 off Kings Cross, which conveyed a through portion to Halifax, arriving at about 2250. It was booked for a Cl.47, which for some reason was not available that night, and eventually about 1845, a "Deltic" backed on to the train at Kings Cross. We left shortly afterwards, and the driver took full advantage of the 3300hp under his belt, and turned a 40-minute late departure into an on-time arrival at Wakefield Westgate, where the Bradford & Halifax portion was detached.

The second was returning after that vacation in early January on the 1729 from Leeds to King's Cross, which was scheduled for "Deltic" haulage, and kept time throughout. What made the journey memorable was it was only lightly loaded, and I had an early Mk2 compartment all to myself, in a carriage where the lighting had failed [they didn't mind you sitting in them in those days], but, fortunately the heating was working, as it was bitterly cold and snowing most of the way back. The view from the darkened compartment of the Lincolnshire fens covered with snow was magical.

Those were also the days when you could buy a "Weekend Return" and it was actually cheaper to travel out on a Friday evening/Saturday morning, and return on a Sunday evening/Monday morning. Hey ho!

I remember those weekend returns. I also remember the sunday west coast diversions over the ecml way back in the late 80s. A 12 coach train came through sheffield on Sundays around 6pm calling only at Doncaster.York and newcastle. Even with 12 on the driver was usually rampant between Newcastle and Edinburgh always arriving very early due to a grossly inflated schedule. There was a midday Sunday train diversion from wcml down to Sheffield and Birmingham. It always had 12 mk2 stock and if i remember correctly the driver was usually given the most freedom to play between Newcastle and York where we usually got a free run on the fast lines all the way. The fastest we managed was around 63 mins and to this day I can still see us storming past Darlington.

I use the ECML frequuently, as I live on it. (not literally, lol)

Sorry for digging this old thread up, but I would personally love to be able to ride a 47 with Mk1 coaches from Newcastle to York, or something!

Question; I've only ever experienced 43s, Voyagers, 91s, etc, what was actually used to haul passenger trains (loco hauled - not 125s! ) - other than Class 47s? Did 37s ever make it onto passenger services? The era I'm looking for is 1985-1990.

I would have loved to be behind a Deltic on the ECML, possibly between 2 prominent stations. But they were history on the ECML by the time I'm looking at!....

Cheers!

ThePannier said:

I use the ECML frequuently, as I live on it. (not literally, lol)

Sorry for digging this old thread up, but I would personally love to be able to ride a 47 with Mk1 coaches from Newcastle to York, or something!

Question; I've only ever experienced 43s, Voyagers, 91s, etc, what was actually used to haul passenger trains (loco hauled - not 125s! ) - other than Class 47s? Did 37s ever make it onto passenger services? The era I'm looking for is 1985-1990.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

The summer saturday Yarmouth - Newcastle service was often a Class 37 up to 1985, and occasionally in later years, e.g. 37054 on 13 June 1987. A pair of 31s was also used at least once - and it was no "toy" train, often as much as 11-12 coaches..

After closure of March - Spalding, other summer saturday services used parts of the ECML north of Peterborough, and were often Class 31s.

I still remember my first ever trip on the ECML. I was nine, it was 1986, and we hadn't long taken up trainspotting.

We arrived at Kings Cross for the overnight to Edinburgh which was 47 hauled, and the train was packed. We settled down in our seat and the old man went down the front to see what the engine was. When he was down there he got chatting to the driver, who said that we could come down the front when we got to Peterborough and have a cab-ride to Doncaster!!

I still remember bombing along at breakneck speed, and nearly papping myself when we crossed over what I now know is the Nottingham to Lincoln line (its a flat crossing and I thought we were going to crash!!) haha

We returned to our seats at Doncaster for a then pretty ordinary journey to Edinburgh. Brilliant

I was at Edinburgh too, in the 1970s. There was a through morning service then from Liverpool to Edinburgh, half portions from Liverpool and Manchester which joined at Preston, normally four Mk 2 vehicles from Liverpool with a Class 47.

One Sunday it was "diverted", and started off as a Class 47 and full 10-coach Mk1 set from Liverpool, by an extraordinary route, down to Ditton Junction, then on the freight lines through Widnes and turning north up the old straight single line from there to St Helens, thence Wigan, crossing its normal path west of St Helens Junction. Looking forward from a droplight on this stretch it seemed the track was pretty unballasted and looked just laid on the ground (presumably an illusion), and bizarre for an express passenger service. Visions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost Special", which was geographically set right here, came to mind. At Preston the Manchester passengers had just been sent by a Blackpool dmu to change there, the Class 47 ran round, and was then off via Blackburn, Hellifield and the S&C. That's a more common West Coast diversion, but the detour through Widnes was something else.

Didn't they use Gateshead based Class 46s on some East Coast services or was this just because they had no 47s or 55s availiable

There were actually quite a lot of Peaks used on ECML services, the Gateshead Class 46 and the Leeds Holbeck Class 45. I recall they even used to turn up from time to time on the Cambridge-Kings Cross fasts. Likewise Class 40s well into the 1970s, especially on the slower Leeds services, these would lose time but got you there. I got the feeling there were rather too few ETH-fitted Class 47s, and as long as Mk 2c and before stock lasted services which used these non-AC vehicles might get one of the 1Co-Co1s.

I travelled in the cab of a few electrics back in the day, mainly Euston to Crewe. 115-120mph in places wasn't entirely unknown, and on one occasion when one particular 87 was being given all it had, I commented on the speed to the driver. Seeing my anxiousness, he placed his cap over the speedo and said there, problem solved. I would imagine travelling in the cab of a Pendolino at such speeds today is not nearly half as exciting! I also recall travelling in the rear coach of a Sheffield - Liverpool service in the late eighties (a 31 and four Mk1's). The driver was probably wanting to get home early and as we approached the curves at Chinley he was well over line speed, so much so that I actually started to brace myself for a derailment and very nearly pulled the cord. I got out at Stockport, went to the loco and asked him whether he was on drugs. He just grinned, I had to laugh back and walked away shaking my head. Happy days!

Aldaniti said:

I travelled in the cab of a few electrics back in the day, mainly Euston to Crewe. 115-120mph in places wasn't entirely unknown, and on one occasion when one particular 87 was being given all it had, I commented on the speed to the driver. Seeing my anxiousness, he placed his cap over the speedo and said there, problem solved. I would imagine travelling in the cab of a Pendolino at such speeds today is not nearly half as exciting! I also recall travelling in the rear coach of a Sheffield - Liverpool service in the late eighties (a 31 and four Mk1's). The driver was probably wanting to get home early and as we approached the curves at Chinley he was well over line speed, so much so that I actually started to brace myself for a derailment and very nearly pulled the cord. I got out at Stockport, went to the loco and asked him whether he was on drugs. He just grinned, I had to laugh back and walked away shaking my head. Happy days!

Click to expand...

I can relate to this. Many a time I have sat looking the cord on the ECML. I vividly remember one set of points at Northallerton where we would absolutely clatter over them almost bouncing out of my seat. It may be just my mind playing tricks but I will swear that set of points is still "bouncy" to this day. But these days drivers tend to observe the line speed. Another scary part for me was between berwick and Dunbar. I am convinced that the line speeds were exceeded by quite a lot. My wife and I never knew how the trains stayed on. And then after DUnbar it was a real racing ground. I remember the HST's starting to open up before we even hit the avoiding lines and I believe it was a 50mph through there. It was most exhilarating. Of course the 225's were more powerful and faster than the diesels and after Dunbar oh boy some drivers really went a bit crazy. I believe back then they were allowed around 28 mins when passing Dunbar and into Edinburgh. I am sure I've clocked them doing it around 16 mins which is averaging well over 100mph. It back then they could do it.
Thankfully I don't remember anyone going crazy on the infamous Morpeth curve. That's one place where the limit had to be closely observed as it's been a black spot for decades and still is.
Too many memories. Vivid memories of peaks going crazy down the the Lickey incline on Holiday extras that weren't in the public timetable. I can remember the drivers actually gunning the engine going down the hill with 12 mk1 corridors on.
My dad was a train driver himself on steam trains working down the old Great Central between Manchester and Rugby. He also worked fitted freights to York. He said the racing ground was around Burton Salmon were to this day he talks with great vigor on how he opened up engines on that stretch and went way beyond the limit.
He also tells awful stories of going up towards Woodhead around 5am in winter, tender first. Two sides of the coin.

Aldaniti said:

I travelled in the cab of a few electrics back in the day, mainly Euston to Crewe. 115-120mph in places wasn't entirely unknown, and on one occasion when one particular 87 was being given all it had, I commented on the speed to the driver. Seeing my anxiousness, he placed his cap over the speedo and said there, problem solved. I would imagine travelling in the cab of a Pendolino at such speeds today is not nearly half as exciting! I also recall travelling in the rear coach of a Sheffield - Liverpool service in the late eighties (a 31 and four Mk1's). The driver was probably wanting to get home early and as we approached the curves at Chinley he was well over line speed, so much so that I actually started to brace myself for a derailment and very nearly pulled the cord. I got out at Stockport, went to the loco and asked him whether he was on drugs. He just grinned, I had to laugh back and walked away shaking my head. Happy days!

Click to expand...

Many years back, during time spent on Stockport station whilst on Royal Mail duties, I used to have many a chat with an old BR inspector. Could listen to his tales all day long, one related to a cab ride in a HST enroute to Manchester from Euston,which had as he put it one of a pair of Longsight Depots most notorious speed merchant drivers at the controls, and stated the speedometer was registering between 134-137mph on stretches of the WCML through the Trent Valley! Also this was an evening trip, in the pitch black, said he was terrified but the driver was as cool as a cucumber!

I think experienced drivers knew when to open up and when to be sensible. They were also much better drivers than today and could rely on their own skills and judgement rather than be dependent on computers. It must have been terrifying to be flying down the Trent valley at those speeds. Maybe the divers back then also knew the road better than today.
I was travelling recently with a friend, can't remember where, but probably on the ECML and we went into a reverse curve way too quickly, I realised straight away and was terrified especially when the driver panicked and hit the brakes too hard. I simply can't remember where it was.

Didn't you go on about this in the thread 'Have MML speed limits been increased recently ?'

Your ramblings were shown to be nonsense there - have you learnt yet ?

notadriver said:

Didn't you go on about this in the thread 'Have MML speed limits been increased recently ?'

Your ramblings were shown to be nonsense there - have you learnt yet ?

Click to expand...

Unlikely as this was last week. I have remembered and it on a train as it rambled down the Tyne Valley and headed into the curve at Gateshead. I am pleased you take such good notice of my postings. All true ramble or not. I suspect I have been around a bit longer than you and have much more to say.
Did you ever ride behind a 47 on the ECML pulling just four coaches? Marvellous memories. Share some of yours with us here please.

Can you tell me Mark62 how the computers on trains make drivers the drivers of today less able ? Do they tell the driver when to speed up and slow down on the ECML for example ?

notadriver said:

Can you tell me Mark62 how the computers on trains make drivers the drivers of today less able ? Do they tell the driver when to speed up and slow down on the ECML for example ?

Click to expand...

I've read on here that computers drive the train and the drivers are just there to look pretty. Apparently if you're an ugly looking driver your days are numbered. I'm surprised that the RMT haven't made more of this to be honest. Its all very sad