It ran through what became the Eurostar depot (whatever it is now) - the link off the WLL was Eurostar's main access route into the depot.
Interesting, the Carriage Working has them as a WR AC set:
Unless my memory is failing me I was under the impression that they didn't become AC sets until the May 1986 timetable. I'll dig out some of my old guard's train journals and have a look.
1985 has them as AC too, but with a Mk1 FO now in the formations.
A bit of de-ja-vue has just walked across my memory.....!The guard had to remember to announce that only the front six coaches would be platformed at Clapham Junction and it was a bit of a nightmare checking the doors and signal and then giving the right-away from the sharply-curving and unstaffed platform 16....especially when the brake vehicle was marshalled at the rear, which it usually was. Green flag from half-way across the platform opposite an open intermediate carriage door....then leap across into said open door and slam it behind you as the 47 pulls away. Health & Safety....what Health & Safety? Happy Days!
(Note: date etc is as I have recorded, but train HC and 'time' have had to rely on 'jfollows' post above, as this detail I did not have/note at the time).September 1986 1O74 was 12:15 Manchester-Brighton non-air-con in the WTT I have from the time, and went via Birmingham then WCML, 16:14 at Clapham Junction (see http://1s76.com/).Here's a view I took of the Southbound train in 1986, and as you will see a mix of Mk2a and Mk2d stock, the only firm certainty being the erstwhile BG...
Some random formations from my Journals:
The only other detail I have recorded relating to these services was a run I had up front with 47408 (D1507) on Sunday 6th March 83, when the train was the 09.55 off Gatwick, but only took it as far as Reading. Formation details now lost afraid.
Ah yes....the Gateshead 'generators' got everyone once the HSTs Had taken over the ECML!
1E54 had a Leeds portion 1L17 1135 from Sheffield, 1O86 had a Hull portion 1J01 1322 ex Hull.
Possibly dating from the recasting some time in the 80s which saw extra through services to Canterbury and somewhere else I’ve now forgotten. Didn’t last long
The Brighton footplate crew would be relieved @ Kensington Olympia both ways.When I was a guard at Brighton - from November 1983 - the Brighton-Manchester/Wolverhampton trains used to run via Kensington Olympia and then onto the Great Western main Line at North Pole Junction. At that time we only worked them to and from East Croydon, relieving - or being relieved there by - Norwood Junction men, who worked to/from Reading. However the May 1986 timetable brought about a whole new scenario, with the early morning Northbound service from Brighton was diverted to run from Newhaven Marine - connecting with the overnight ferry from Dieppe - and formed of a nine car Mark 2d/e/f set in the then new Inter-City livery. This involved an early morning ECS working from Brighton to Newhaven Marine, where the guard had to uncouple and couple the running-round class 47/4 loco and then rapidly change out of his/her greasy overalls and gloves to perform commercial duties as presentably as possibly. This was also the time when the train gained a Clapham Junction stop and was diverted to run via the West Coast Main Line with a change to/from class 86/2 haulage at Willesden West Junction (Northbound) or Mitre Bridge Junction (Southbound)....and - of course - the poor old guard had to get dirty again uncoupling and coupling the two locos. Oh well....it kept us fit, I suppose! East Sussex commuters soon cottoned-on to this 'luxury' service and started driving to Newhaven - or joining at the new Haywards Heath stop - in large numbers for the 06 25 departure - enjoying coffee and a bacon roll in the buffet - before changing at Clapham Junction for either Victoria or Waterloo. The guard had to remember to announce that only the front six coaches would be platformed at Clapham Junction and it was a bit of a nightmare checking the doors and signal and then giving the right-away from the sharply-curving and unstaffed platform 16....especially when the brake vehicle was marshalled at the rear, which it usually was. Green flag from half-way across the platform opposite an open intermediate carriage door....then leap across into said open door and slam it behind you as the 47 pulls away. Health & Safety....what Health & Safety? Happy Days!
By the time I got to Brighton, the weekday cross-country InterCity services were being worked by Norwood drivers South Of Kensington Olympia.
This seemed to have various destinations. Some years ago I saw a 158 in Brighton station with a destination of Great Malvern showing, which I thought must be an error but turned out to be correct. Basically the Brighton to Bristol services were being combined with Bristol to Worcester, but then extended beyond there to Great Malvern, where after about a 5 hour run and having intersected half of all the main lines out of London they had just a few minutes turnround before doing it all back the same way.
My memories of 47's as a Brighton secondman was wiping my feet on the way out, they were disgusting particularly compared to our usual ES'ds
It might not be the one you're thinking of, but Adrian Nicholls shot I've linked below of the Kenny O footbridge with InterCity advert is the one that sprung to my mind.
15 years in its final incarnation - December 2008
The most tricky part of the 2000's version of the Brighton -> Manchester Piccadilly route will be the section from Kensington Olympia to Reading. The rest is all very much still do-able, including the via Redhill/Guildford variant.
From autumn 85 until summer 86 I lived in a university hall of residence in Swaythling with a fantastic view of the line into Southampton. My memory is that practically all the inter cities to Poole were air con by then.
are there any variant that doesnt go through reading? or most of them does?
Yes....the route via the West Coast Main Line. (See upthread).
