Back in the day...

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 30th June 1979

My plan was to stay around the north west in the hope of picking up some LM 40s and I started out on what was meant to be an overnight fill in move between Crewe and Carlisle. Having reached Carlisle my plan went astray with the unexpected arrival of Deltic 10 which I took to York. I was now back in familiar territory but well away from where I needed to be. I was able to take 40154 over the Pennines, fortunately not missing much in the morning. I then went on to pick up three split box 40s and 40122 in the afternoon.

86001 Crewe-Carlisle (2055 Euston-Stranraer H)
55010 Carlisle-York via Newcastle (2035 Aberdeen-Kings Cross)
47524 York-Leeds (0710 York-Liverpool LS)
40154 Leeds-Chester (0752 Leeds-Llandudno)
40137 Chester-Llandudno Jnc (1105 Manchester Vic-Holyhead)
40135 Llandudno Jnc-Chester (1257 Holyhead-Euston)
40154 Chester-Warrington BQ (1342 Llandudno York)
40122 Warrington BQ-Rhyl (1540 Manchester Vic-Bangor)
40144 Rhyl-Chester (1817 Llandudno-Manchester Vic)
M50401+50985+51197 Chester-Crewe (2005 Chester-Crewe)
87005 Crewe-Stafford (1745 Glasgow C-Birmingham NS)
87002 Stafford-Crewe (2030 Euston-Liverpool LS)
86208 Crewe-Warrington BQ (2237 Crewe-Preston)
85038 Warrington BQ-Crewe (2045 Barrow-Euston)

Monday 30th June 1980

47222 York-Leeds (1515 Edinburgh-Liverpool LS)
E51548+51556 Leeds-Selby (2011 Leeds-Hull)
31232 Selby-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
47121 Leeds-York (2040 Liverpool LS-York)

 

[Sultan1056]

Friday 1st July 1977

46016 York-Plymouth via St Andrews Jnc (2040 Newcastle-Newquay)
47125 Plymouth-Newquay (2040 Newcastle-Newquay)

Saturday 1st July 1978

40147 York-Leeds (0935 Newcastle-Manchester Vic)
40195 Leeds-York (1040 Manchester Vic-Newcastle)
40003 York-Leeds (1231 Scarborough-Leeds)
DMU Leeds-Selby (1413 Leeds-Hull)
37102 Selby- York (0940 Yarmouth-Newcastle)
45064 York-Sheffield (1620 Newcastle-Cardiff C)
45040 Sheffield-York (1608 Bristol TM-Newcastle)

Sunday 1st July 1979

This was a cock-up of the highest magnitude. I was travelling with 83010 supposedly to Preston to cover the southbound drags. After leaving Stafford I quickly fell to sleep having missed a lot from the night before. I then woke up at a station not knowing where I was and thinking that I had overslept I quickly grabbed my bag and staggered off the train. On the platform I came round from my slumber realising that I was only at Crewe! I didn’t even have time to get back onto the train which was the last northbound service of the night. I then had an uncomfortable fester until my next train to Birmingham, the one I was planning to catch from Preston. It arrived with the required 40145 dragging 86244. I never managed to get 40145 for haulage!

85003 Crewe-Stafford (2330 Manchester Pic-Brighton)
83010 Stafford-Crewe (2130 Bristol TM-Glasgow C)
86244 Crewe-Birmingham NS via Bescot (2355 Glasgow C-Bristol TM)
25263+25274 Birmingham NS-Wolverhampton via Bescot (0845 Birmingham NS-Barmouth)
87009 Wolverhampton-Crewe (0935 Birmingham NS-Glasgow C)
86246 Crewe-Stafford (1012 Liverpool LS-Plymouth)
47551 Stafford-Stoke (1000 Euston-Manchester Pic)
47030+(87032) Stoke-Stockport (1200 Euston-Manchester Pic)
M50358 Stockport-Stalybridge (1552 Stockport-Stalybridge)
47408 Stalybridge-York (1500 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)

Tuesday 1st July 1980

55005 York-Selby (1955 York-Kings Cross)
47145 Selby-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50161+50169 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Wednesday 1st July 1981

55002 York-Selby (2019 York-Kings Cross)
55008 Selby-York (1740 Kings Cross-York)

 

[Sultan1056]

Monday 2nd July 1979

47552 York-Leeds (1726 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
47042 Leeds-York (1805 Liverpool LS-York)

Wednesday 2nd July 1980

55006 York-Doncaster (1955 York-Kings Cross)
43066+43122 Doncaster-York (1900 Kings Cross-Newcastle)

 

[Sultan1056]

Tuesday 3rd July 1979

47552 York-Leeds (1726 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
47102 Leeds-York (1805 Liverpool LS-York)

Thursday 3rd July 1980

55019 York-Selby (1955 York-Kings Cross)
31405 Selby-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50632+50643 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Friday 3rd July 1981

55008 York-Grantham (2019 York-Kings Cross)
40064 Grantham-York (2015 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)

 

[Sultan1056]

Sunday 4th July 1976

I had booked onto a mystery excursion with the hope of passing through some railway hotspots and “copping” some rare locomotives. At the time it was all a little underwhelming starting with the disappointing traction at the front of the train. The journey didn’t improve much after we headed up the ECML towards London; not many “cops” here. Around Finsbury Park the train steward walked through the train to announce our destination as Southend which was dismal news for any spotters aboard the train. Looking back however the train did cover some rare track for a loco hauled service. At Southend I travelled to Shoeburyness for the first and only time. The juice was off so the service was operated by DMU.

47448 York-Southend Central (0650 Harrogate-Southend Central) MYSTEX
via Selby, Milford Jnc, Normanton, Turners Lane Jnc, Hare Park Jnc, Doncaster, Finsbury Park, Canonbury, Stratford, Barking & Upminster
DMU Southend Central-Shoeburyness
DMU Shoeburyness-Southend Central
47448 Southend Central-York (1750 Southend Central-Harrogate) Return MYSTEX
via Upminster, Barking, Stratford, Canonbury & Finsbury Park

Wednesday 4th July 1979

Through the summer of ‘79 re-signalling work was taking place at Doncaster and during this week services to Sheffield were being replaced by buses. There was however one train you could take to avoid the rail replacement bus service. The 0839 Cleethorpes-Doncaster which then formed the 1013 Doncaster-Sheffield needed to operate because it was the returning stock off the 0120 Manchester-Cleethorpes Newspaper Service. So I headed out to Stainforth and then had 40015 to Sheffield via the Doncaster avoiding line.

47406 York-Doncaster (0805 York-Kings Cross)
E50001+50032 Doncaster-Stainforth & Hatfield (0904 Doncaster-Cleethorpes)
40015 Stainforth & Hatfield-Sheffield avoiding Doncaster (1021 Stainforth & Hatfield-Sheffield)
47080 Sheffield-York (0740 Cardiff C-Newcastle)
45001 York-Sheffield (1140 Newcastle-Cardiff C)
37266 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1515 Manchester Pic-Harwich PQ)
45128 Chesterfield-Sheffield (1605 Nottingham-Carlisle)
46035 Sheffield-York (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
47408 York-Leeds (2027 York-Liverpool LS)
E51979+52088+52091 Leeds-Micklefield (2114 Leeds-Hull)
31211 Micklefield-Cross Gates (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50639+50646 Cross Gates-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Friday 4th July 1980

47450 York-Leeds (1515 Edinburgh-Liverpool LS)
E50155 Leeds-Keighley (1935 Leeds-Morecambe)
47108 Keighley-Leeds (1610 Glasgow C-Nottingham)
47541 Leeds-Manchester Vic (2027 York-Liverpool LS)
86234 Manchester Pic-Crewe (2330 Manchester Pic-Brighton)

Saturday 4th July 1981

55004 York-Doncaster (2025 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
55018 Doncaster-Newcastle (0005 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
55021 Newcastle-Edinburgh (0705 Newcastle-Edinburgh)
55016 Edinburgh-York (0950 Edinburgh-Plymouth)
55016 York-Edinburgh (0736 Plymouth-Edinburgh)
55008 Edinburgh-Kings Cross (2005 Aberdeen-Kings Cross)
via Carlisle, Stockton & Hertford N

 

[Sultan1056]

Thursday 5th July 1979

Two weeks previously I had missed, by less than half an hour, the chance to have the first visit to Liverpool by a production Deltic. Today after picking up a few new engines I returned to York and for some unknown reason went home only to come out to cover the Nottingham-Carlisle services later in the afternoon. In between my absence at York station 55013 had departed with the 1547 to Liverpool becoming the second production Deltic to reach the destination. On the plus side I scored with two required 40s out and back to Settle.

47210 York-Sheffield (0700 Newcastle-Bristol TM)
45107 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1010 Sheffield-St Pancras)
37022 Chesterfield-Sheffield (0717 Harwich PQ-Manchester Pic)
45058 Sheffield-York (0950 Bristol-Newcastle)
E50550+50638 York-Leeds (1635 Scarborough-Leeds)
40130 Leeds-Settle (1605 Nottingham-Carlisle)
40121 Settle-Leeds (1610 Glasgow C-Nottingham)
55013 Leeds-York (1905 Liverpool LS-York)

Saturday 5th July 1980

A very productive day in North Wales for me, even dropping onto a Deltic into Liverpool. I would have been tempted to return with 55022 to York but I had other commitments planned for the following day, preventing me from doing so. I did pick up 3 new class 25s and my only ever journey with a class 82.

47529 Crewe-Holyhead (0223 Crewe-Holyhead)
47529 Holyhead-Llandudno Jnc (0627 Holyhead-Euston)
M50203+51125 Llandudno Jnc-Llandudno (0725 Llandudno Jnc-Llandudno)
40022 Llandudno-Colwyn Bay (0900 Llandudno-York)
40132 Colwyn Bay-Llandudno Jnc (0900 Blythe Bridge-Llandudno)
25150 Llandudno Jnc-Colwyn Bay (0942 Llandudno-Manchester Vic)
40195 Colwyn Bay-Chester (0925 Holyhead-Crewe)
40176 Chester-Prestatyn (0855 York-Llandudno)
40029 Prestatyn-Manchester Vic (1130 Bangor-Manchester Vic)
47419 Manchester Vic-Stalybridge (1405 Liverpool LS-York)
40008 Stalybridge-Manchester Vic (1300 Scarborough-Manchester Vic)
M50768+50801 Manchester Vic-Bolton (1555 Manchester Vic-Blackburn)
47331 Bolton-Manchester Vic (1320 Glasgow C-Manchester Vic)
55022 Manchester Vic-Liverpool LS (1549 York-Liverpool LS)
M52043 Liverpool LS-Crewe (1825 Liverpool LS-Crewe)
25042 Crewe-Shrewsbury (1928 Crewe-Cardiff C)
25184+25242 Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton (1600 Pwllheli-Birmingham NS)
86225 Wolverhampton-Crewe (2115 Birmingham NS-Crewe)
82004 Crewe-Wilmslow (1900 Paddington-Manchester Pic)
86236 Wilmslow-Crewe (2330 Manchester Pic-Brighton)

Sunday 5th July 1981

55021 Kings Cross-Newcastle (0830 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
via Hertford N & Stockton
55010 Newcastle-York via Stockton (1125 Edinburgh-Plymouth)

 

[Sultan1056]

Friday 6th July 1979

Having missed 55013 to Liverpool the previous day I arrived at York station to find that I had missed the chance again, with No.13 repeating the feat working the 0847 York-Liverpool. However I followed it to Liverpool on the next service and then returned back with it to York.

47408 York-Liverpool LS (0814 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
55013 Liverpool LS-York (1305 Liverpool LS-York)
47425 York-Leeds (1547 York-Liverpool LS)
31317 Leeds-Sheffield (1150 Glasgow C-Nottingham)
46049 Sheffield-York (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
47523 York-Selby (1956 York-Kings Cross)
31221 Selby-Cross Gates (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50025+50230+51287+51823+52083 Cross Gates-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Sunday 6th July 1980

A lot of Duff mileage for a good cause. There was an Open Day at Carlisle Upperby and I had agreed to help with the CFPS sales stand. Getting to Carlisle by the start of the event meant an overnight journey to Glasgow and then back on the first train south. Even after the event I had to endure more Class 47 mileage, however it was by the Glasgow-Nottingham service that was diverted over Shap. At Carnforth the train was dragged back by a class 25 to F&M Junction where 47543 resumed its journey via Wennington to Leeds.

47462+(86326) Crewe-Preston (2215 Euston-Glasgow C)
via Styal & Manchester Pic
86326 Preston-Carlisle (2215 Euston-Glasgow C)
47467 Carlisle-Glasgow C via Carstairs (2215 Euston-Glasgow C)
47088 Glasgow C-Carlisle via Carstairs (0850 Glasgow C-Euston)
47543 Carlisle-Leeds (1515 Glasgow C-Nottingham)
via Carnforth, drag back to F&M Jnc, forward via Settle Jnc
25146 Carnforth-F&M Junction (1515 Glasgow C-Nottingham)
E51827+52077 Leeds-York (2120 Leeds-York)

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 7th July 1979

The hunt for non-boilered locos paid dividends today, with 40092 unusually being used on an overnight service.

40092 York-Newcastle (2015 Kings Cross-Edinburgh)
55007 Newcastle-Doncaster (2230 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
Rail Replacement Bus Doncaster-Sheffield
45122 Sheffield-Chesterfield (0715 Sheffield-St Pancras)
37135 Chesterfield-Sheffield (0834 Chesterfield-Skegness)
37010 Sheffield-York (0730 Birmingham NS-Newcastle)
37168 York-Darlington (0855 Filey-Newcastle)
43116+43117 Darlington-York (0757 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
37126 York-Scarborough (0935 Birmingham NS-Scarborough)
37055 Scarborough-Seamer (1402 Scarborough-Hull)
E50025+50273+51549 Seamer-York (1435 Scarborough-Leeds)
47425 York-Huddersfield (1547 York-Liverpool LS)
40037 Huddersfield-York (1342 Llandudno-York)
47529 York-Leeds (1726 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
E50544+50587 Leeds-Keighley (1935 Leeds-Skipton)
40172 Keighley-Leeds (1610 Glasgow C-Nottingham)
47524 Leeds-York (1905 Liverpool LS-York)

Tuesday 7th July 1981

55004 York-Newark (1814 York-Kings Cross)
55018 Newark-York (1740 Kings Cross-York)

 

[xotGD]

Saturday 7th July 1979

A cracking day!

 

[Sultan1056]

A cracking day!

Definitely, a day that just kept giving.

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 8th July 1978

47272 York-Sheffield via Leeds (0821 York-Tenby)
47195 Sheffield-York (0705 Wellingborough-Scarborough)
45049 York-Sheffield via Pontefract (1014 Scarborough-Birmingham NS)
46018 Sheffield-York (0822 Taunton-Newcastle)
55013 York-Selby (1413 York-Kings Cross)
47329 Selby- York (0940 Yarmouth-Newcastle)
47317 York-Chesterfield (1335 Newcastle-Swansea)
37023 Chesterfield-Sheffield (1045 Weymouth-Sheffield)
47152 Sheffield-Chesterfield (1639 Leeds-Bristol TM)
47068 Chesterfield-Sheffield (1026 Penzance-Bradford Exchange)
45008 Sheffield-York (1608 Bristol TM-Newcastle)

Sunday 8th July 1979

With Doncaster re-signalling taking place there was an opportunity to travel along some rare track. Normally on a Sunday there was a 1450 Newcastle-Doncaster service which would then work an ECS to Hull, however due to engineering work this was not possible. The train was instead diverted to Stainforth & Hatfield via Joan Croft & Applehurst Junctions. I was expecting that I would then have to endure a DMU to Hull, however to my pleasure the ECS formed an additional service to Hull.

55013 York-Darlington (0840 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
40119 Darlington-York (1220 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
47538 York-Darlington (1040 Liverpool LS-Newcastle)
45029 Darlington-York (1435 Newcastle-Poole)
55013 York-Stainforth & Hatfield via Joan Croft (1450 Newcastle-Stainforth & Hatfield)
55013 Stainforth & Hatfield-Hull (1735 Stainforth & Hatfield-Hull) Additional
E50039 Hull-York via Selby (1856 Hull -York)

Tuesday 8th July 1980

The Scarborough-Wakefield ran daily through the summer peak and was usually good for a class 40. IIRC the train guard said that it was okay to travel on the ECS to Leeds believing that it would be platformed there. He was wrong, because the train was signalled on the “Through Road” (now replaced by platforms 15-17, I think). I bailed out with 3 other friends, not wanting to find my way back from Neville Hill!

40022 York-Wakefield Westgate via Castleford (1925 Scarborough-Wakefield Westgate)
40022 Wakefield Westgate-Leeds (2130 Wakefield Westgate-Neville Hill) ECS
E50137+50140+50642+51276 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

 

[Peter Sarf]

.......................

Tuesday 8th July 1980

The Scarborough-Wakefield ran daily through the summer peak and was usually good for a class 40. IIRC the train guard said that it was okay to travel on the ECS to Leeds believing that it would be platformed there. He was wrong, because the train was signalled on the “Through Road” (now replaced by platforms 15-17, I think). I bailed out with 3 other friends, not wanting to find my way back from Neville Hill!

.........................

Ah the good old days before central door locking !.

 

[12LDA28C]

Ah the good old days before central door locking !.

CDL certainly didn't prevent anyone bailing out on a middle road - if the guard was accommodating you simply got out through the guard's door in the brake van!

 

[Sultan1056]

Ah the good old days before central door locking !.

If central door locking had been in place back in the day, there would have been many occasions where I was unable to leave a train. There would’ve been even more instances of me missing trains by trying to board them at the last second!

 

[Sultan1056]

Saturday 9th July 1977

47512 Newquay-Plymouth (1000 Newquay-Newcastle)
47326 Plymouth-York via St Andrews Jnc (1000 Newquay-Newcastle)

Monday 9th July 1979

31303 York-Scarborough (0830 Wakefield Westgate-Scarborough)
E51825+51829 Scarborough-York (1035 Scarborough-York)
47505 York-Leeds (1147 York-Liverpool LS)
E50644+50645 Leeds-York (1218 Leeds-York)
40052 York-Leeds (1217 Newcastle-Liverpool LS)
45003 Leeds-Sheffield (1439 Leeds-Plymouth)
45073 Sheffield-Leeds (0958 Weymouth-Leeds)
47538 Leeds-York (1505 Liverpool LS-York)
47503 York-Sheffield (1613 Newcastle-Cardiff C)
47429 Sheffield-York (1608 Bristol TM-Newcastle)

Wednesday 9th July 1980

40078 York-Wakefield Westgate via Castleford (1925 Scarborough-Wakefield Westgate)
E50550+50580 Wakefield Westgate-Leeds (2115 Doncaster-Leeds)
E50137+50276 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Saturday 9th July 1983

43120+43xxx York-Kings Cross (0530 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

 

[Peter Sarf]

If central door locking had been in place back in the day, there would have been many occasions where I was unable to leave a train. There would’ve been even more instances of me missing trains by trying to board them at the last second!

My bold. Oh golly that is true. Note of that two minutes before departure the doors wil be closed !.
(All fair enough but I wish the timetable was changed to show the deadline not some time afterwards.)

 

[12LDA28C]

My bold. Oh golly that is true. Note of that two minutes before departure the doors wil be closed !.
(All fair enough but I wish the timetable was changed to show the deadline not some time afterwards.)

Which TOC closes the doors two minutes before booked departure time? Most operators I use warn passengers that doors will be closed 30 seconds before departure.

 

[xotGD]

If central door locking had been in place back in the day, there would have been many occasions where I was unable to leave a train. There would’ve been even more instances of me missing trains by trying to board them at the last second!

As I think I've mentioned somewhere upthread, I once witnesses some cranks making a connection at Newcastle where the second train was already moving before the first train had stopped.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Which TOC closes the doors two minutes before booked departure time? Most operators I use warn passengers that doors will be closed 30 seconds before departure.

Avanti at Euston. I think LNWR do as well, only today I saw staff were closing the platform entrance 2 minutes before departure - I was a bit surprisedh.

It is one of the things that makes it difficult knowing which operators close doors at what time before departure. Consistency would be as per the timetable. Granted I alow over thirty minutes if I can.

 

[12LDA28C]

Avanti at Euston. I think LNWR do as well, only today I saw staff were closing the platform entrance 2 minutes before departure - I was a bit surprisedh.

It is one of the things that makes it difficult knowing which operators close doors at what time before departure. Consistency would be as per the timetable. Granted I alow over thirty minutes if I can.

If people are regularly rocking up at their train for a long-distance journey with two minutes to spare then they should probably plan a bit better in future...

 

[Bald Rick]

Avanti at Euston. I think LNWR do as well, only today I saw staff were closing the platform entrance 2 minutes before departure - I was a bit surprisedh.

Avantidont close the doors 2 mins before departure. They close the gates to the platform ’up to’ 2 minutes before departure - whcih is a rather different thing. LNER do something similar. It is ensure a punctual departure.

 

[NorthWestRover]

9th July 1976

I may well have posted earlier in this thread that this day 48 years ago was a significant one. Primary School trip to York (from Warrington) and I started spotting. The details of that day are long gone and the only haulage I know about is

46029 Man Vic to York

However, my love of trains and railways began on that day.

 

[Sultan1056]

Tuesday 10th July 1979

A 37 turned out on 1005 KX-York was quite unusual. At this time 37s out of “The Cross” were uncommon, perhaps it replaced another loco at Peterborough. Later in the day the Poole-Newcastle produced a very welcoming 37001!

55012 York-Doncaster (1215 York-Kings Cross)
37054 Doncaster-York (1005 Kings Cross-York)
55006 York-Doncaster (1411 York-Kings Cross)
47409 Doncaster-York (1220 Kings Cross-York)
37001 York-Darlington (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
45040 Darlington-York (1935 Newcastle-Bristol TM)

Thursday 10th July 1980

47332 York-Darlington (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
43060+43081 Darlington-York (1700 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
40078 York-Castleford (1925 Scarborough-Wakefield Westgate)
Bus Castleford-Garforth
40081 Garforth-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50557+50583+51506+51508 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Friday 10th July 1981

47423 York-Leeds (1630 Aberdeen-Leeds)

Sunday 10th July 1983

31405 Kings Cross-Peterborough (0215 Kings Cross-Peterborough)
E51442+51443 Peterborough-Hitchin (0542 Peterborough-Hitchin)
312709 Hitchin-Kings Cross (0625 Royston-Kings Cross)
43056+43102 Kings Cross-York (0845 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
via Lincoln

 

[Kirkoswald]

Tuesday 10th July 1979

A 37 turned out on 1005 KX-York was quite unusual. At this time 37s out of “The Cross” were uncommon, perhaps it replaced another loco at Peterborough. Later in the day the Poole-Newcastle produced a very welcoming 37001!

55012 York-Doncaster (1215 York-Kings Cross)
37054 Doncaster-York (1005 Kings Cross-York)
55006 York-Doncaster (1411 York-Kings Cross)
47409 Doncaster-York (1220 Kings Cross-York)
37001 York-Darlington (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
45040 Darlington-York (1935 Newcastle-Bristol TM)

Thursday 10th July 1980

47332 York-Darlington (1135 Poole-Newcastle)
43060+43081 Darlington-York (1700 Edinburgh-Kings Cross)
40078 York-Castleford (1925 Scarborough-Wakefield Westgate)
Bus Castleford-Garforth
40081 Garforth-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
E50557+50583+51506+51508 Leeds-York (2200 Leeds-York)

Friday 10th July 1981

47423 York-Leeds (1630 Aberdeen-Leeds)

Sunday 10th July 1983

31405 Kings Cross-Peterborough (0215 Kings Cross-Peterborough)
E51442+51443 Peterborough-Hitchin (0542 Peterborough-Hitchin)
312709 Hitchin-Kings Cross (0625 Royston-Kings Cross)
43056+43102 Kings Cross-York (0845 Kings Cross-Newcastle)
via Lincoln

37054 had worked through from KX on the 10.05 having earlier arrived on a commuter service from PB. By the time it reached Doncaster it was about 45 minutes late.

I really enjoy your contributions, especially the period 1978 - 81 so please keep them coming. KO.

 

[Kingspanner]

IIRC those semi-fast services out of the Cross were tightly timed , about three hours for 188 miles with 7 stops and required hard running by Deltics or 47/4s. (Although someone who published train timings in the DPS magazine Deltic Deadline did comment at the time that it was as much about time spent below 30mph as it was about top end speed, so start hard/brake hard/avoid slow platform routings). I was thinking that @Sultan1056 might have had a tight connection at York to get the 1411 back south.

 

[Peter Sarf]

If people are regularly rocking up at their train for a long-distance journey with two minutes to spare then they should probably plan a bit better in future...

Oh. I agree more time should be allowed by people but sneakily taking two minutes of that time will make things tight. Especially as as someone might be on the concourse 30 minutes before timetabled departure but rely on two minutes to get from a food outlet to the platform.

Avantidont close the doors 2 mins before departure. They close the gates to the platform ’up to’ 2 minutes before departure - whcih is a rather different thing. LNER do something similar. It is ensure a punctual departure.

That makes sense, barriers not doors. I think that is what I saw happening with an LNWR service - bit surprised as my memory though it was 30 seconds for LNWR. I would still prefer a precise deadline for getting to the train rather than fuzzy arithmetic.

Anyway this is far enough off topic. Only applies for those making tight or negative connections which of course is bread and butter for this thread !.

 

[Magdalia]

IIRC those semi-fast services out of the Cross were tightly timed , about three hours for 188 miles with 7 stops and required hard running by Deltics or 47/4s. (Although someone who published train timings in the DPS magazine Deltic Deadline did comment at the time that it was as much about time spent below 30mph as it was about top end speed, so start hard/brake hard/avoid slow platform routings). I was thinking that @Sultan1056 might have had a tight connection at York to get the 1411 back south.

I think that the 1005 down and 1411 up were the same stock. Napier Chronicles shows that 55006 came off York having arrived on the 1605 down the previous evening.

37054 had worked through from KX on the 10.05 having earlier arrived on a commuter service from PB. By the time it reached Doncaster it was about 45 minutes late.

In that era most class 37s working in and out of Kings Cross were with Peterborough drivers. Kings Cross did not sign class 37s. Where the class 37 would have lost time would have been on the hill climbing especially up to Potters Bar, Abbots Ripton, Stoke and Markham. It probably also got looped for following trains to overtake.

 

[Sultan1056]

37054 had worked through from KX on the 10.05 having earlier arrived on a commuter service from PB. By the time it reached Doncaster it was about 45 minutes late.

I really enjoy your contributions, especially the period 1978 - 81 so please keep them coming. KO.

Thanks for providing the update on 37054s working. Did you travel behind it on the day?

I will hopefully offer some more tales of my travels. I have certainly enjoyed reminiscing.

 

[Sultan1056]

IIRC those semi-fast services out of the Cross were tightly timed , about three hours for 188 miles with 7 stops and required hard running by Deltics or 47/4s. (Although someone who published train timings in the DPS magazine Deltic Deadline did comment at the time that it was as much about time spent below 30mph as it was about top end speed, so start hard/brake hard/avoid slow platform routings). I was thinking that @Sultan1056 might have had a tight connection at York to get the 1411 back south.

I cannot recall about it being a tight connection at York between my journeys with 37054 and 55006, presumably as @Magdalia has said 55006 would have dropped straight onto the stock of the 1005 ex KX. What I do remember is that both connections at Doncaster were tight as these were actually minus connections.

 

[Sultan1056]

Wednesday 11th July 1979

This move required a push bike to get me from Ulleskelf to Church Fenton, quite a nice cycle ride.

31319 York-Ulleskelf (1915 Scarborough-Sheffield)
E50227 Church Fenton-York (2018 Leeds-York)

Friday 11th July 1980

31102 York-Church Fenton (1902 Scarborough-Sheffield)
E50140+50642 Church Fenton-Micklefield (1935 Scarborough-Huddersfield)
31142 Micklefield-Leeds (2039 Hull-Leeds)
47525 Leeds-York (2040 Liverpool LS-York)

Saturday 11th July 1981

Another day helping the cause of the CFPS. I had agreed to work on the sales stand at Stratford Works Open Day. I was under strict instructions to travel up to London on the 0050 service from Leeds which was then attached to the Newcastle sleeper at Doncaster. I was sorely tempted to join the 2035 Edinburgh-KX at Doncaster hauled by 55016 but instead endured 47525, it would end up being my highest mileage Duff!

31246 Leeds-Doncaster (0050 Leeds-Doncaster)
47525 Doncaster-Kings Cross (2255 Newcastle-Kings Cross)
55022 Kings Cross-York (1740 Kings Cross-York)