Back in the day...

[Sultan1056]

Friday 7th October 1977

I was heading for Inverness via the overnight service from Glasgow, however I nearly missed it when my Push-Pull service was diverted via Dalmeny. It is the only time that I have done the cord to Winchburgh Junction.

55014 York-Edinburgh (1600 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
27101+27102 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS via Dalmeny (2200 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
40123 Glasgow QS-Perth (2330 Glasgow QS-Perth/Inverness)

Saturday 7th October 1978

During 1978 there were several Class 76 hauled railtours over the closure threatened Woodhead route, however most of these originated from far away. Today there was one that would be starting from a more convenient station, Mexborough. It had the added bonus of being hauled by a class 37, a pair of class 76s, a pair of class 40s and just for the novelty a Class 13 shunter. I also remember the train having a short layover at Dinting for a visit to the now closed railway centre. Brakevan rides were being hauled by Class A2 60532 Blue Peter.

55002 York-Doncaster (0612 Newcastle-Kings Cross)
E50258 Doncaster-Mexborough (0723 Hull-Manchester Pic)
37037 Mexborough-Rotherwood via Sheffield, Chesterfield, reverse & Beighton (0920 Mexborough-Dinting)
13003 Rotherwood-Tinsley Yard (0920 Mexborough-Dinting)
76010+76023 Tinsley Yard-Dinting (0920 Mexborough-Dinting)
76010+76023 Dinting-Guide Bridge (1410 Dinting-York)
40015+40020 Guide Bridge-York via Ashton, Healey Mills & Castleford (1410 Dinting-York)
46052 York-Sheffield via Barnsley (1620 Newcastle-Cardiff C)
47027 Sheffield-Leeds (1436 Paignton-Leeds)
E50152 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Sunday 7th October 1979

47010 York-Darlington (1040 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
55021 Darlington-York (1120 Edinburgh-Plymouth)
55008 York-Doncaster (1550 York-Kings Cross)
55015 Doncaster-York (1405 Kings Cross-York)
55021 York-Darlington (0640 Plymouth-Edinburgh)
43108+43109 Darlington-York (1615 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
47446 York-Leeds (1945 York-Liverpool LS)
47484 Leeds-York (1910 Liverpool LS-York)

 

[D1537]

Monday 7 October 1985

47232 2B18 Newcastle-Heworth (1708 NCL-MBR vice dmu)
Metro Heworth-Newcastle
47228 1M19 Newcastle-York
47602 1E91 York-Newcastle

Would have been an embarrassingly small mileage on 232, but it was a dilemma as I'd only previously had single figures off 228 as well. 232 was converted into 47665 later on, so no worries.

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 8th October 1977

At Perth 40123 unfortunately gave way to 47053 for my first journey to Inverness over the Highland Mainline. I continued my spotting trip to Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth where I scored with my first 26 haulage, a pair, to Edinburgh. By the evening I was heading down to take in a visit of Ayr TMD before returning to Glasgow for an overnight journey south.

47053 Perth-Inverness via Rose Street Curve (2255 Edinburgh-Inverness)
DMU Inverness-Aberdeen (08xx Inverness-Aberdeen)
47205 Aberdeen-Perth (1120 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
26021+26037 Perth-Edinburgh (1210 Inverness-Edinburgh)
27109+27212 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS (1700 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
DMU Glasgow C-Newton on Ayr (1800 Glasgow C-Ayr)
DMU Newton on Ayr-Glasgow C (1828 Stranraer H-Glasgow C)
47443 Glasgow C-Carlisle via Kilmarnock (2150 Glasgow C-Euston)

Monday 8th October 1979

47529 York-Leeds (2025 York-Liverpool LS)
E51217/51846/52073 Leeds-Micklefield (2114 Leeds-Hull)
31316 Micklefield-Cross Gates (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50582/50643 Cross Gates-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Monday 8th October 1984

45126 York-Derby via Doncaster
(0922 Newcastle-Penzance)
45127 Derby-York via Leeds (0940 Poole-Newcastle)

 

[D1537]

Wednesday 8 October 1986
Afternoon move enabled by 1M32 having, unusually, the requisite number of wheels.

47479 1M32 Newcastle-Leeds
47654 1E91 Leeds-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Sunday 9th October 1977

This was the first time I experienced the Preston drags and not unexpectedly a class 47 does the duties. I returned from KX to York via Cambridge, the only time I did the diversion with a Class 40.

85030 Carlisle-Preston (2150 Glasgow C-Euston)
47487+(85030) Preston-Crewe via Manchester Pic & Styal (2150 Glasgow C-Euston)
85030 Crewe-Euston via Stafford, Bescot & Coventry (2150 Glasgow C-Euston)
40161 Kings Cross-York via Cambridge (0945 Kings Cross-Edinburgh) Relief

Tuesday 9th October 1979

This was a favourite evening move for me. Taking the Hull Executive to its destination and then the option of returning on the 2100 Doncaster with the same locomotive or travelling on the 2039 to Leeds. Tonight 37263 was in charge of the Leeds train so I decided for this option. A good non-stop run was had on the very straight route to Selby before the train called at all stations to Leeds, necessitating a good thrash after every stop.

55021 York-Doncaster (1811 York-Kings Cross)
55022 Doncaster-Hull (1705 Kings Cross-Hull)
37263 Hull-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50164/50554 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Thursday 9th October 1980

47406 York-Northallerton (1705 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
46045 Northallerton-York (1935 Newcastlel-Bristol TM)

Saturday 9th October 1982

I went to watch Man Utd play Stoke City with Bryan Robson scoring the only goal of the match, the result 1-0 to Utd.

46016 York-Manchester Vic (0922 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
47527 Manchester Vic-York (1705 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)

 

[D1537]

Thursday 9 October 1986
Exploding Pacers = afternoon out to the pleasures of Teesside

47412 2B13 Newcastle-Middlesbrough (1330 NCL-MBR)
47412 2B18 Middlesbrough-Newcastle (1450 MBR-NCL)

Sunday 9 October 1988
The joy of the Birmingham-Nuneaton route

86206 1G24 Rugby-Nuneaton
47364 (86206) 1G24 Nuneaton-Birmingham NS
47364 (86245) 1A09 Birmingham NS-Nuneaton
156410 2G83 Nuneaton-Birmingham NS
47364 (85035) 1A20 Birmingham NS-Nuneaton
47060 (85014) 1G36 Nuneaton-Birmingham NS
47060 (81004) 1A68 Birmingham NS-Nuneaton
47364 (86206) 1G38 Nuneaton-Birmingham NS
dmu Birmingham NS-Birmingham Int
bus (WM2919) Birmingham Int-Coventry

 

[Sultan1056]

Wednesday 10th October 1979

40067 York-Newcastle (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
47263 Newcastle-York (2030 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

Friday 10th October 1980

47503+(47417) York-Darlington (1705 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
55022 Darlington-York (1630 Aberdeen-Leeds)

Saturday 10th October 1981

The 2300 KX-Bradford was booked to be a Deltic as far as Leeds, where it would then typically go light engine to York. However Deltic 11 was restricted to one engine and wasn’t required immediately at York, so it was sent onto Bradford. By 1981 a Deltic was quite rare to this destination so along with two other bashers we followed No 11 to Bradford. This move was problematic because the arrival time into Bradford was around 0300 with the first departure not scheduled until sometime after six. Fortunately after asking the driver he gave us a cab ride back to Holbeck, where we were able to walk to Leeds station. We were still out on a limb here and I was considering taking the first HST south. But, another slice of good fortune came our way in the shape of 40182; it was hauling a railtour that was booked to call at Leeds for a crew change so we jumped aboard to York. I then took Deltic 18 to Edinburgh not knowing that it had only two more days left in service. I thought that at Edinburgh I would spend my afternoon travelling on the Dundee services that had gone loco hauled from the recent timetable change. After a short trip to Inverkeithing, Deltic 13 made a welcome appearance on the 1500 to Aberdeen. This turned out to be my last visit to Aberdeen with a Deltic and in fact I didn’t return to Aberdeen for a further 30 years.

55014 York-Doncaster (2025 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
55011 Doncaster-Bradford Exchange (2300 Kings Cross-Bradford Exchange)
55011 Bradford Exchange-Holbeck Cab ride
40182 Leeds-York (2020 Plymouth-Whitby) Charter “The Yorkshire Greyhound”
55018 York-Edinburgh (0550 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
27036 Edinburgh-Inverkeithing (1258 Edinburgh-Perth)
26012 Inverkeithing-Kirkcaldy (1325 Edinburgh-Dundee)
26011 Kirkcaldy-Edinburgh (1325 Dundee-Edinburgh)
55013 Edinburgh-Aberdeen (1500 Edinburgh-Aberdeen)
55013 Aberdeen-Edinburgh (1830 Aberdeen-Edinburgh)
55016 Edinburgh-Kings Cross (2210 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
via Leamside, Lincoln & Hertford North

 

[D1537]

Friday 10 October 1986

More Pacer related shenanigans.

47206 2B13 Newcastle-Middlesbrough
47206 2M43 Middlesbrough-Carlisle
47206 2E46 Carlisle-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 11th October 1980

The start of a Scottish Region Railrover with the intention of travelling along the West Highland and Far North Lines. My intention was also to avoid Duffs where possible but this started badly with Deltics proving to be elusive on the journey north. Once in Scotland with little else on offer I decided to join a railtour taking in a lot of track that was required. Even this was blighted by 47220 on the then freight only line between Airdrie and Bathgate.

47518 York-Newcastle (2230 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
46039 Newcastle-Edinburgh (2315 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
47268 Edinburgh-Haymarket (2315 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
Sc51999/52024 Haymarket-Edinburgh (0611 Hamilton West-Edinburgh)
47220 Edinburgh-Haymarket (0825 Edinburgh-Liverpool LS)
47270 Haymarket-Edinburgh (0705 Perth-Edinburgh)
47705 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS (0845 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
25230 Glasgow QS-Gleneagles (1044 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
25231 Gleneagles-Stirling (1139 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
25064+25247 Stirling-Ardrossan Harbour
via Grangemouth Fouldubs Jnc, reverse, Cowlairs, Bellgrove, Shields Jnc & Paisley Canal
08433 Ardrossan Harbour-South Beach
25064+25247 South Beach-Cowlairs
via Largs, reverse, Byrehill Jnc, Ayr, reverse, Paisley GS, Shields Jnc, Rutherglen, Carmyle Jcn & Gartcosh Jcn
47220 Cowlairs-Edinburgh via Parkhead North Jcn & Airdrie
(1905 Plymouth-Central Scotland) Charter “The Grouser“
55011 Edinburgh-Newcastle (2005 Aberdeen-Kings Cross)

Sunday 11th October 1981

55014 Kings Cross-York (1005 Kings Cross-York)
via Sleaford & Lincoln
55018 York-Newcastle (1125 Reading-Edinburgh)
55007 Newcastle-York (2128 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

 

[Sultan1056]

Sunday 12th October 1980

Having managed to get a Deltic to Newcastle I was able to quickly return with another to Edinburgh. I continued onto Dundee to pick up the first service to Glasgow. It was disappointingly hauled by 25230 which I had just had new the previous day. I decided that I needed some electric action, and at Glasgow I dashed between Queen St and Central in four minutes to board the service to Carlisle. Only it wasn’t an electric but 47464, the juice was off so I would have to wait for my electric. A somewhat uninspiring day continued with class 86/2s and more Duffs, tomorrow must get better, shouldn’t it?

55004 Newcastle-Edinburgh via Bedlington Jnc (2000 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
47403 Edinburgh-Dundee (2000 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
25230 Dundee-Glasgow QS (0820 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
47464 Glasgow C-Carlisle via Carstairs (1025 Glasgow C-Manchester Vic)
86226 Carlisle-Carstairs (1010 Manchester Vic-Glasgow C)
86250 Carstairs-Glasgow C (1125 Preston-Glasgow C)
47268 Glasgow QS-Dundee (1710 Glasgow QS-Aberdeen)
25084 Dundee-Stirling (1830 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
27023 Stirling-Gleneagles (2110 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
47274 Gleneagles-Stirling (1925 Inverness-Euston)

Monday 12th October 1981

Through the grapevine I heard that Deltic 18 would haul its final service tonight so I headed to Newark. No 18, now restricted to one engine, was booked to work the 1940 KX-Hull and then the ECS to York. Ballymoss arrived not unexpectedly about 20 minutes or so late into Newark and continued onto Retford without much further delay. However it was clear that things were not going too well, with the driver having great difficulty in releasing the train brakes. No 18 roared in its attempt to leave the platform but with no joy. It took the driver twenty minutes to coax the loco to release the brakes. Eventually the train began to move although Ballymoss was still struggling to fully release the train brakes. It really seemed that the locomotive was in its death throes with its single operational engine continuously screaming as it tried to drag the train towards Doncaster. Fortunately it made its way very slowly without requiring assistance, finally arriving over an hour late. It was released from its train here before it made its way light engine to York. 37126 took the train forward to Hull.

55017 York-Newark (2019 York-Kings Cross)
55018 Newark-Doncaster (1940 Kings Cross-Hull)
47517 Doncaster-York (2015 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)

Saturday 12th October 1985

47427 York-Leeds (0710 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
45141 Leeds-York (0905 Liverpool LS-Scarborough)

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 13th October 1979

55011 York-Selby (0805 York-Kings Cross)
55003 Selby-Darlington (0550 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
40168 Darlington-Leeds (0935 Newcastle-Manchester Vic)
40183 Leeds-York (1040 Manchester Vic-Newcastle)
47202 York-Darlington (1005 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
47460 Darlington-York (1338 Newcastle-Swansea)
55022 York-Grantham (1550 York-Kings Cross)
55009 Grantham-York (1605 Kings Cross-York)
47409 York-Newcastle (1705 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
40075 Newcastle-York (2100 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

Monday 13th October 1980

I eventually managed to avoid more Duffs but only by escaping to the Far North Line. Another 47 was however waiting to greet me for my overnight service to Glasgow.

47120 Stirling-Perth (2330 Glasgow QS-Perth/Inverness)
47210 Perth-Inverness via Rose St Curve (2255 Edinburgh-Inverness)
26015 Inverness-Dingwall (0615 Inverness-Wick)
26023 Dingwall-Achnasheen (0634 Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh)
26028 Achnasheen-Dingwall (0700 Kyle of Lochalsh-Inverness)
26045 Dingwall-Inverness (0530 Wick-Inverness)
26039 Inverness-Georgemas Jnc (1110 Inverness-Wick)
26022+26039 Georgemas Jnc-Wick (1110 Inverness-Wick)
Bus Wick-Thurso
26038 Thurso-Georgemas Jnc (1749 Thurso-Georgemas Jnc)
26022 Georgemas Jnc-Inverness (1746 Wick-Inverness)
47069 Inverness-Glasgow QS (2350 Inverness-Glasgow QS)

 

[xotGD]

26022+26039 Georgemas Jnc-Wick (1110 Inverness-Wick)

Well there's a nice bonus, getting the required 26 attached especially for you!

 

[D1537]

A late one from yesterday featuring my avatar...

Saturday 12 October 1985
47603 1V85 Newcastle-Darlington
47702 1E94 Darlington-Newcastle
47010 2M37 Newcastle-Carlisle
47010 2E40 Carlisle-Newcastle
47010 2M43 Newcastle-Carlisle
47010 2E48 Carlisle-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Well there's a nice bonus, getting the required 26 attached especially for you!

Yes it was somewhat unexpected. I’m not sure why it was necessary to provide an additional loco, perhaps it had worked a freight service to Georgemas.

 

[D1537]

Saturday 13 October 1984

WCML diversions into Paddington, Wembley accident

47135 1Z?? Coventry-Paddington
47135 1Z?? Paddington-B'ham NS
56088 1Z?? B'ham NS-Paddington
47559 1Z?? Paddington-Coventry

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 14th October 1978

E50622 York-Leeds (0715 York-Leeds)
45050 Leeds-Sheffield (0817 Leeds-Sheffield)
08877 Shunt at Sheffield (0817 Leeds-Sheffield) 1J67-1O13
46017 Sheffield-Chesterfield (0700 Newcastle-Poole)
45010 Chesterfield-Sheffield (0700 Worcester SH-Leeds)
45146 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1100 Sheffield-St Pancras)
37034 Chesterfield-Sheffield (0728 Harwich PQ-Manchester Pic)
47262 Sheffield-Rotherham (0727 Swansea-Leeds)
E50222/50235 Rotherham-Sheffield (1114 Hull-Manchester Pic)
47437 Sheffield-York (0725 Plymouth-Edinburgh)
46008 York-Sheffield (1335 Newcastle-Swansea)
37034 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1515 Manchester Pic-Harwich PQ)
46055 Chesterfield-Sheffield (1139 Poole-Newcastle)
46046 Sheffield-Leeds (1030 Penzance-Bradford Exchange)
E51960/51962/51978 Leeds-Selby (1810 Liverpool LS-Hull)
47421 Selby-York (1809 Kings Cross-York)

Sunday 14th October 1979

Finding a required class 40 on an ADEX from Shrewsbury was a bonus today. It was the only time that I managed to travel between York & Harrogate with a diesel locomotive.

40120 York-Harrogate (0730 Shrewsbury-Harrogate) ADEX
E50224 Harrogate-Leeds (1452 Harrogate-Leeds)
43112+43113 Leeds-Wakefield W (1545 Leeds-Kings Cross)
31268 Wakefield W-Sheffield (1601 Leeds-Poole)
46007 Sheffield-Rotherham (1610 Birmingham NS-Leeds)
E51964/51968/52100 Rotherham-Sheffield (1622 Grimsby-Manchester Pic)
47031 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1650 Bradford Exchange-Birmingham NS)
47525 Chesterfield-York (1555 Cardiff C-Newcastle)

Tuesday 14th October 1980

After successfully travelling the Far North Line the previous day, today’s target was Mallaig and then by ship to the Kyle of Lochalsh before travelling onto Inverness. The seemingly obligatory Duff was again waiting for my overnight journey south.

37043 Glasgow QS-Fort William (0600 Glasgow QS-Mallaig)
20090 Glasgow QS-Cowlairs Banking locomotive
27037 Fort William-Mallaig (0600 Glasgow QS-Mallaig)
MV LOCHMOR (1230 Mallaig-Kyle of Lochalsh)
26026 Kyle of Lochalsh-Inverness (1714 Kyle of Lochalsh-Inverness)
26015 Inverness-Keith (2029 Inverness-Aberdeen)
27109 Keith-Inverness (2102 Aberdeen-Inverness)
47274 Inverness-Stirling (2350 Inverness-Glasgow QS)

Saturday 14th October 1989

I was returning from a week in West Germany. Class 91s were quite a novelty and this was my first experience of East Coast Drags.

EMU Dover WD-Victoria (1400 Dover WD-Victoria)
91002 Kings Cross-Hitchin (1610 Kings Cross-Leeds)
47603+(91002) Hitchin-Peterborough via Cambridge (1610 Kings Cross-Leeds)
91002 Peterborough-Leeds (1610 Kings Cross-Leeds)
DMU Leeds-York

 

[D1537]

Sunday 14 October 1984

dmu B'ham Int-B'ham NS
47545 1F?? B'ham NS-Stafford (via Cannock)
dmu Stafford-Stoke
40079 (86238) 1A16 Stoke-Stafford



40152 1G06 Stafford-B'ham NS (via Cannock and Soho)
37064 1E08 B'ham NS-Burton
47520 1O92 Burton-B'ham NS
81010 1A36 B'ham NS-Coventry

I have 37064 written down as "relief to 1E08" but all the gen sites appear to say it was on 1E08 itself, so ... it's 40 years ago, I can't remember!
81010 was the 2nd last AC electric (81-87) that I needed - the last one was 85001. I missed a few early withdrawals, of course (81016, 82006, 83003/4/13, and all the 84s except one).

Tuesday 14 October 1986
Another afternoon move prompted by a 47 on 1M76, a usually fairly solid 45/1 turn.

47444 1M76 Newcastle-Leeds
47619 1E53 Leeds-York
47616 1E63 York-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Monday 15th October 1979

Deltic 16 had been languishing in Doncaster Works for the majority of 1979 so I couldn’t miss this opportunity to take a trip to Grantham. Returning to York with 40069 was an added bonus too.

55019 York-Selby (1811 York-Kings Cross)
55016 Selby-York (1605 Kings Cross-York)
55016 York-Grantham (1956 York-Kings Cross)
40069 Grantham-York (2015 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)

Wednesday 15th October 1980

Day 5 of my Scottish Rover and a much improved day with a Class 40 to Aberdeen. I also travelled on two unusual services today; the 1014 Perth-Motherwell a train consisting of 18 vehicles, with IIRC only the front two being passenger coaches and the rest for parcels/mail. I don’t recall what the balanced working was. I also had 27001 on the 1712 Aberdeen-Stonehaven. This train consisted of 12 vehicles with only the front two being passenger coaches.
It acted as a “rush hour” train to Stonehaven before travelling ECS to possibly Perth. I did the risky overnight move to Carlisle and passed the challenge by not oversleeping and missing the stop.

25062 Stirling-Edinburgh (0555 Stirling-Edinburgh)
47703 Edinburgh-Lenzie (0748 Edinburgh-Glasgow QS)
37027 Lenzie-Perth (0844 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
47472 Perth-Stirling (1014 Perth-Motherwell)
37027 Stirling-Larbert (1139 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
27111 Larbert-Stirling (1244 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
40101 Stirling-Aberdeen (1335 Glasgow QS-Aberdeen)
27001 Aberdeen-Stonehaven (1712 Aberdeen-Stonehaven)
40101 Stonehaven-Dundee (1750 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
40006 Dundee-Larbert (1939 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
27019 Larbert-Perth (2044 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
40161 Perth-Mossend Yard (2220 Perth-Euston)
85017 Mossend Yard-Carlisle (2220 Perth-Euston)

Thursday 15th October 1981

After having Deltic 18 on its final train four days earlier the same fate now awaited Deltic 8. It was also restricted to one engine and was scheduled to be withdrawn after completing its final diagram today. Similar to my journey earlier in the week I travelled to Newark, although with a Duff, to return with Deltic 8 as far as Doncaster. Today there was no dramatic ending to its journey with the locomotive performing okay, despite being on one engine. At Doncaster I watched it depart for Hull believing it was the last time that I would have it for haulage. However, the following day it earned a reprieve and was returned to service. Three weeks later it was back with two operational power units having received one from the now withdrawn Deltic 4.

47418 York-Newark (2019 York-Kings Cross)
55008 Newark-Doncaster (1940 Kings Cross-Hull)
47430 Doncaster-York (2015 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)

 

[Falcon1200]

I also travelled on two unusual services today; the 1014 Perth-Motherwell a train consisting of 18 vehicles, with IIRC only the front two being passenger coaches and the rest for parcels/mail.

IIRC this train, passenger for part of its journey only, was to return the previous night's newspaper vans to Manchester. A wonderful long-lost working!

 

[D1537]

Saturday 16 October 1982

310051 Coventry-B'ham NS
40057+40084 1Z41 B'ham NS-Plymouth ("The Westward Whistler")


40057+084 at Laira, with 50001 on the left.

40084+40057 1Z41 Plymouth-B'ham NS
50036 1V28 B'ham NS-Coventry

Wednesday 16 October 1985

Unexpected bonus tractor.

47416 1N17 Newcastle-Berwick-upon-Tweed
47416 1N15 Berwick-upon-Tweed-Heaton (braking issue)
37105+47416 Heaton-Newcastle

Friday 16 October 1987

Having been out for a few beers the night before and completely missed Michael Fish's "hurricane" which did very little around our way except blow some garden furniture over, I was surprised to rock up at the station the next morning and find that nearly everything was cancelled. Good old BR found a 47/4 and a rake of MkIs though, they always did.

47468 1T99 Rugby-Coventry (Watford(?)-B'ham NS control relief)
47434 1A66 Coventry-Reading (diverted from Euston)
47500 1Z31 Reading-Wolverhampton (relief)
47623 1Z07 Wolverhampton-B'ham NS (relief)
47582 1V87 B'ham NS-Oxford
47411 1M23 Oxford-Coventry
310073 Coventry-Rugby

Sunday 16 October 1988

90009 1A06 Nuneaton-Rugby
86236 1J32 Rugby-Nuneaton
47049 (86236) 1J32 Nuneaton-B'ham NS
47658 1H41 B'ham NS-Shrewsbury
47654 1V54 Shrewsbury-B'ham NS (via Soho N&E, Duddeston)
47356 (87033) 1A52 B'ham NS-Nuneaton
47142 (86417) 1J34 Nuneaton-B'ham NS
310048 B'ham NS-B'ham Int

 

[Sun Chariot]

@D1537 Whistlers 057 and 084 were quite a regular raultour pairing at the time. Did they make appearances elsewhere for you?

 

[Sultan1056]

Tuesday 16th October 1979

55008 York-Doncaster (1956 York-Kings Cross)
43112+43113 Doncaster-York (1900 Kings Cross-Newcastle)

Thursday 16th October 1980

Day 6 of my Scottish Rover turned out to be a Class 27 day. I travelled on the Oban branch today, spending the night there in a B&B.

86036 Carlisle-Mossend Yard (2150 Euston-Inverness)
40161 Mossend Yard-Cowlairs (0422 Mossend Yard-Glasgow QS)
27032 Cowlairs-Glasgow QS (0422 Mossend Yard-Glasgow QS)
40101 Glasgow QS-Stirling (0640 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
27027 Glasgow QS-Cowlairs Banking locomotive
27040 Stirling-Larbert (0705 Perth-Edinburgh)
27019 Larbert-Bishopbriggs (0649 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
27111 Bishopbriggs-Croy (0844 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
27010 Croy-Glasgow QS (0739 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
27105 Glasgow QS-Stirling (1044 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
47270 Stirling-Glasgow QS (0950 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
27101 Glasgow QS-Oban (1253 Glasgow QS-Oban)

Friday 16th October 1981

40081 York-Grantham (2100 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

Sunday 16th October 1983

45122 Manchester Vic-York (0800 Manchester Vic-Scarborough)
via Miles Platting, Rochdale & Huddersfield

 

[D1537]

Whistlers 057 and 084 were quite a regular raultour pairing at the time. Did they make appearances elsewhere for you?

This was actually the only time I had the pair on a railtour, and indeed I believe they only did one other railtour (the "Cotswold Venturer" in May 82) as a pair. They did a few tours singly, however.

A further tour that I was on (the "Silver Jubilee" in March 1983) was also supposed to be hauled by them, but in the end was 084+086. 084 then suffered a bad failure in May 83 and was withdrawn.

 

[Sultan1056]

Wednesday 17th October 1979

47423 York-Leeds (2025 York-Liverpool LS)
E52070/52081 Leeds-Garforth (2114 Leeds-Hull)
40037 Garforth-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50270/50632 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Friday 17th October 1980

The final day of my Scottish Rover and after returning from Oban I am able to take 40158 to Dundee before I have to start planning my return journey home.

27019 Oban-Glasgow QS (0758 Oban-Glasgow QS)
40158 Glasgow QS-Dundee (1135 Glasgow QS-Aberdeen)
27101 Dundee-Perth (1339 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
26029 Perth-Dundee (1244 Glasgow QS-Dundee)
47197 Dundee-Perth (1340 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
26029 Perth-Larbert (1558 Dundee-Glasgow QS)
Sc51451/51525 Larbert-Falkirk G (xxxx Dunblane-Falkirk G)
26040 Falkirk G-Edinburgh (1710 Glasgow QS-Edinburgh)
55004 Edinburgh-York (2025 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)

Saturday 17th October 1981

By October 81 the Deltic availability was beginning to falter, Deltic 11 operating on one engine was removed from my train at York. I was able to continue to Newcastle on the next service north with 55014 but was halted there when the 0705 to Edinburgh failed to produce the hoped for Deltic. However another Deltic was on hand at Gateshead, No 7 also restricted to one engine was turned out on the 0810 to Edinburgh. I was able to take this to Dunbar before I could enjoy the sound of twin Napiers from Deltic 4 working it’s train to York. Later in the day or I should say into the early hours of Sunday I had Deltics Top and Tailing over the High Level Bridge at Newcastle. IIRC engineering works were taking place on King Edward Bridge necessitating trains being dragged out to Gateshead.

55011 Grantham-York (2230 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
55014 York-Newcastle via Leamside (0005 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
55007 Newcastle-Dunbar (0810 Newcastle-Edinburgh)
55004 Dunbar-York (0950 Edinburgh-Plymouth)
55004 York-Edinburgh via Leamside (0726 Plymouth-Edinburgh)
26028 Edinburgh-Kirkcaldy (1825 Edinburgh-Dundee)
26013 Kirkcaldy-Edinburgh (1810 Dundee-Edinburgh)
55010 Edinburgh-Kings Cross via Leamside, Lincoln, Sleaford & Hertford North
55007 Newcastle-Gateshead MPD via High Level Bridge
(1915 Aberdeen-Kings Cross)

 

[D1537]

Friday 18 October 1985
Gateshead are at it again with NB 47s on Pennines. On this occasion - as regularly happened - it led to a comedic game of pass-the-parcel between Gateshead, Allerton and York as no-one wanted to lose one of their nice spare ETH Type 4s to replace the fridge. On the following day Allerton booted out 189 on the 0905 Pennine and it did the entire diagram (Liverpool-York-Scarborough-Bangor-Manchester).

47189 1M32 Newcastle-York
47197 1M87 York-Derby (1801 York-Derby control relief)
43015+43144 Derby-B'ham NS
47611 1V19 B'ham NS-Coventry

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 18th October 1975

47255 York-Folkestone C (xxxx York-Dover) ADEX
via Leeds, Wakefield W, Moorthorpe, Beighton J, Toton, Brent J, Acton Central, Kew East J, Clapham J, Stewarts Lane, Brixton, Bickley J & Orpington
EMU Folkestone C-Ashford
EMU Ashford-Dover Priory
EMU Dover Priory-Folkestone C
47255 Folkestone C-Leicester (xxxx Dover-York) Return ADEX
45044 Leicester-York (xxxx Dover-York) Return ADEX

Thursday 18th October 1979

45046 York-Leeds (2025 York-Liverpool LS)
47422 Leeds-York (1905 Liverpool LS-York)

Saturday 18th October 1980

55010 York-Grantham (1550 York-Kings Cross)
55011 Grantham-York (1605 Kings Cross-York)

Sunday 18th October 1981

On arrival into York with Deltic 13 my next move would normally be to return with it to Grantham on the 1550 to KX. However with low Deltic availability my next train from Grantham, the 1605 ex KX had been allocated a Duff. Another option for me would’ve been to catch the 1120 Edinburgh-Plymouth after I had taken 40050 to Darlington, but this was also a Duff! To finish the day on a high note I went to Newcastle for Deltic 7 which was allocated to the 2128 Newcastle-KX.

55013 Kings Cross-York via Hertford North (1005 Kings Cross-York)
40050 York-Darlington (1040 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
47513 Darlington-York (1440 Newcastle-Poole)
47446 York-Newcastle via Leamside (1500 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
55007 Newcastle-York (2128 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

 

[Sultan1056]

Sunday 19th October 1980

55008 York-Grantham (1550 York-Kings Cross)
55009 Grantham-York (1605 Kings Cross-York)

 

[Sultan1056]

Friday 20th October 1978

47425 York-Selby (1816 York-Kings Cross)
55017 Selby-York (1608 Kings Cross-York)
40018 York-Leeds (1802 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
E51814/51832 Leeds-York (2020 Leeds-York)

Saturday 20th October 1979

Today I was chasing Deltic 16. With it spending most of the year in Doncaster Works awaiting power units, now was the time to get some mileage off it. On the Saturday morning I knew that it was at available for service at York so I went to cover the 0805 to KX which was unfortunately Deltic 21. I filled in the time until the next service by taking Deltic 7 to Darlington returning to York and seeing Deltic 16 getting ready to work the 1215 to KX. I was able to take it to London and back to Hull bagging over 400 miles from it.

55021 York-Selby (0805 York-Kings Cross)
55007 Selby-Darlington (0550 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)
45059 Darlington-York (1008 Newcastle-Cardiff C)
55016 York-Kings Cross (1215 York-Kings Cross)
55016 Kings Cross-Hull (1705 Kings Cross-Hull)
55016 Hull-Doncaster (2100 Hull-Doncaster)
47037 Doncaster-York (2000 Kings Cross-Aberdeen)

Tuesday 20th October 1981

47453 York-Manchester Vic (1518 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)

 

[D1537]

Monday 20 October 1980
I presume it was half-term. I had gone with my mother to visit relatives in Chester. She was quite happy to give me some money to stay out of her hair while she nattered to my aunt and long-suffering uncle (this happened a number of times), so it was off spotting in Warrington.

40120 1J30 Chester-Warrington BQ
40120 1D21 Warrington BQ-Chester

Monday 20 October 1986
47632 1M19 Newcastle-York
47622 1E59 York-Newcastle

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 21st October 1972

One of my earliest recorded haulages. I was attending a family wedding in Nottingham and have no recollections of the other trains travelled on that day. Peak 90 would eventually become 45008.

90 Sheffield-Nottingham

Saturday 21st October 1978

46032 York-Leeds (0740 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
40067 Leeds-York (0810 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
40075 York-Leeds (0935 Newcastle-Manchester Vic)
45147 Leeds-Sheffield (0935 Carlisle-Nottingham)
45061 Sheffield-York (0725 Plymouth-Edinburgh)
46035 York-Sheffield (1335 Newcastle-Swansea)
37049 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1515 Manchester Pic-Harwich PQ)
45125 Chesterfield-Sheffield (1401 St Pancras-Sheffield)
40113 Sheffield-York (1535 Birmingham NS-York) Relief

Sunday 21st October 1979

40165 York-Darlington (1040 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
43084+43090 Darlington-York (1215 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
55011 York-Doncaster (1550 York-Kings Cross)
55021 Doncaster-York (1405 Kings Cross-York)

Wednesday 21st October 1981

I went to see a concert at the Manchester Apollo, I think it was to see Madness. The only way to return from Manchester then was to go out to Stockport and return to York on the Shrewsbury Mail Train.

86258 Manchester Pic-Stockport (0027 Manchester Pic-Euston)
47068 Stockport-York via Guide Bridge (2250 Shrewsbury-York)