1M17 Stranraer - Blackpool North

[Birdbrain]

Hi,

Been playing Mark Wrights 'Hellfire' game and have discovered this service which is SO 0120 from Stranraer to Blackpool North. On the game Summer 1981 TT it is booked 2 x 27's as far as Carlisle then electric to Preston and then a 40 to Blackpool North.

I was just wondering in real life why did this train run to Blackpool instead of somewhere like Euston? I presume it connected with a boat? Just seems a bit of a strange service. And how many coaches would this train have been?

Seems such a shame to see how many interesting workings we have lost

 

[Track Basher]

Hi,

Been playing Mark Wrights 'Hellfire' game and have discovered this service which is SO 0120 from Stranraer to Blackpool North. On the game Summer 1981 TT it is booked 2 x 27's as far as Carlisle then electric to Preston and then a 40 to Blackpool North.

I was just wondering in real life why did this train run to Blackpool instead of somewhere like Euston? I presume it connected with a boat? Just seems a bit of a strange service. And how many coaches would this train have been?

Seems such a shame to see how many interesting workings we have lost

Used to run with about 8 90 mph Mk1s. From around 82 onwards these were the ones in Sealink livery.

 

[flymo]

Hmmm. I seem to recall travelling on this one at least part of the way in the other direction in around 84 or 85, from Preston - Carlisle I think. Pretty sure it was an 85 doing the hauling on the one I was on but could be wrong.

The '84 TT shows at 0130 departure from Stranraer calling at Ayr, Carlisle, Lancaster & Preston arr Blackpool 0747.

The return dep Blackpool 0945 calling at Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle, Dumfries, Kilmarnock, Ayr, Girvan, Barhill and arr Stranraer at 1535.

Seems such a shame to see how many interesting workings we have lost ad:

I agree. I used to really enjoy the summer Saturday services, anything could turn up..Happy days!!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Hmmm. I seem to recall travelling on this one at least part of the way in the other direction in around 84 or 85, from Preston - Carlisle I think. Pretty sure it was an 85 doing the hauling on the one I was on but could be wrong.

The '84 TT shows at 0130 departure from Stranraer calling at Ayr, Carlisle, Lancaster & Preston arr Blackpool 0747.

The return dep Blackpool 0945 calling at Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle, Dumfries, Kilmarnock, Ayr, Girvan, Barhill and arr Stranraer at 1535.



I agree. I used to really enjoy the summer Saturday services, anything could turn up..Happy days!!

Yes there were some interesting summer specials in the 1980s I recall seeing at Exeter St. D. One comes to mind terminating in Rose Grove. Many others too.

 

[4SRKT]

I was just wondering in real life why did this train run to Blackpool instead of somewhere like Euston? I presume it connected with a boat? Just seems a bit of a strange service. And how many coaches would this train have been?

(

So people in Northern Ireland could have holidays in Blackpool. Almost nobody could afford to fly in those days, and the main way of getting to NI was what we would now call Rail & Sail. Every weekday a long train left Euston at 10:00, arriving at Stranraer at 18:00 to connect with the 19:00 boat to Larne. In the other direction it was 11:00 off Stranraer having met the 08:00 boat from Larne (07:00 express DEMU connection from Belfast York Road <sigh>). This was the only way for most people to travel. There was also a sleeper (with seats as well) between Stranraer and Euston.

Another similar train was the legendary summer Saturdays only Glasgow > Scarborough, a sort of quality haulage lottery in the early '80s

 

[flymo]

Another similar train was the legendary summer Saturdays only Glasgow > Scarborough, a sort of quality haulage lottery in the early '80s

I'm sure this was even an HST at one point, from Glasgow QS of course...

You'll be reminding me about the Newcastle - Bangor services soon.. or even Newcastle - Tenby.

I wonder, if there is room on the forum for a 70's or 80's "Summer Saturdays" thread, or is there one already??

 

[4SRKT]

I believe you're correct that the Glasgow > Scarborough was a tram in its very last season. There's an article about it in Today's Railways (I think) this month, written by the ubiquitous Pip Dunn. I was familiar enough with this train at its York end (used to catch it at Darlington after riding north to meet it on the 37-hauled 10:18 Scarborough > Newcastle), but what I didn't know was that because of the short platforms at Queen Street it was formed of two portions. The Glasgow portion was hauled by a McRat to Edinburgh, where it was backed on to the waiting Edinburgh portion by the station pilot and the combined train was worked forward to York by a ScR duff (by my day). This enabled the Edinburgh punters to take their time getting themselves and their families aboard. A bit like the very sensible arrangement of having a separate Plymouth portion of the Night Riviera that stopped a few years ago.

There have been numerous references to Summer Saturday workings in recent threads. Largely by me TBF, due to my collection of BR timetables from that era. A dedicated thread might be nice though.

The Newcastle > Bangors were great trains. Having the North Wales coast operated as part of the North Trans-Pennine was sooooo much better than the current arrangements. Three trains to get from York to Holyhead for the boat anyone? Or maybe you'd prefer the 20:00 Scarborough > Holyhead, right through with a Peak arriving at 01:50 for the horrendous 03:15 boat to Dun Laoghaire.