Did Class 87s ever operate outside the WCML?

[ungreat]

For a while in 2015 87002 was on hire to Caledonian Sleepers. Originally it was only supposed to work the ECS moves Wembley - Euston and return, but it soon got pressed into mainline service, running Euston - Edinburgh overnight, and back the next night, with associated ECS moves to / from Polmadie. On at least one occasion the appearance of 87002 coincided with a weekend engineering block north of Preston, so 87002 worked Wembley - Kings Cross Incline - ECML to Edinburgh, so a class 87 for the entire length of the ECML London - Edinburgh, barring the short section out of Kings Cross station.

I saw it at KX...sat in the Thunderbird siding

 

[O L Leigh]

There was a GSM-R survey train that covered the WA routes. Due to the restrictions on diesel traction at Stansted Airport the train was topped and tailed by 86101 and 87002.

 

[Bertie the bus]

There was a GSM-R survey train that covered the WA routes. Due to the restrictions on diesel traction at Stansted Airport the train was topped and tailed by 86101 and 87002.

02/11/10 - https://flic.kr/p/sLgohC

87007 and 87019 also made it to Norwich for the ACoRP Railfest on 25/09/05 - https://flic.kr/p/2dM3p6k

 

[SeanG]

Didn't GBRF have an 87, that must have got about a bit.

 

[hexagon789]

Didn't GBRF have an 87, that must have got about a bit.

Still pretty much WCML captive I believe, even the ones used 2004-07 were mostly used as Thunderbirds to rescue failed 325s on the WCML.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I don't recall electric locos (of any class) ever being dragged over the S&C. They were usually subject to a loco change at Preston and Carlisle. Happy to be proved wrong on this though, as my memory is a bit dim!

The reversal of the train at Preston would have put the e-loco at the wrong end of the train, so a loco change/run-round would have been needed anyway.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Was on a diverted Glasgow to Paddington service that had an 87 dragged by a 40 that went via Golbourne Junction, Parkside Junction, Chat Moss, Ordsall Lane Junction, Castlefield Junction, Deansgate, Manchester Exchange and the Styal Loop to Crewe. Also saw them on the Rutherglen to Whifflet line being dragged during the Newton remodelling works

 

[nw1]

Not quite correct. The 87's couldn't work vacuum-braked stock....but they could work air-braked Mark 1 stock. I well remember travelling back overnight from Blackpool in the mid-1970s on an illuminations ADEX returning to Portsmouth Harbour, with a ten coach rake of Southern Region air-braked Mark 1 stock. A 47/4 took us to Preston, where it was exchanged for an 87, which took us at great speed back to Mitre Bridge Junction (Willesden) via Northampton. The last stage of the journey was entrusted to a 33 and was undertaken at a much more sedate pace.

Ah-ok. I think I assumed all Mk-I was vacuum-braked.

A special to visit the Blackpool Illuminations from Portsmouth! Interesting service.

 

[Mag_seven]

Didn't GBRF have an 87, that must have got about a bit.

They had more than one - at least 87006 / 87022 / 87028.

They were regulars on the ECML on the GBRf operated "Blue Pullman" charters round about 2006.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63738776@N05/50509974518 (87006 at Colton Jn by "Phil Chilton" on Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60539035@N02/8917038120 (87022 at Sandy by "6089Gardener" on Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/neil_harvey_railway_photos/6299759454 (87028 at York by "Neil Harvey 156" on Flickr)

 

[USRailFan]

Ah-ok. I think I assumed all Mk-I was vacuum-braked.

A special to visit the Blackpool Illuminations from Portsmouth! Interesting service.

Mk1 diners and guard's vans ran with Mk2/Mk3 rakes, so at least some of these would've had to be AB I'd think

 

[D6968]

Ah-ok. I think I assumed all Mk-I was vacuum-braked.

A special to visit the Blackpool Illuminations from Portsmouth! Interesting service.

Someone once told me a story of an 87 backing down onto a rake of Vacuum MK1 stock at New Street in the 1980’s shortly followed by a very confused Shunter climbing back onto the platform.

 

[jfollows]

Mk1 diners and guard's vans ran with Mk2/Mk3 rakes, so at least some of these would've had to be AB I'd think

Yes, a lot of the brake vans were NEX (https://www.ltsv.com/rd/tops_detail.php?id=T-NEX), so 100mph dual-braked, probably similar for the buffet cars. Later NFX so 110mph I think also.

I used Manchester Piccadilly 1973-1980, at the start of the period the cross-country services were almost all VB Mark 1 (and the 87s weren't built anyway) but towards the end of the period there were some air braked workings which sometimes had 87s.
My regular favourite was the 16:23 Manchester-Coventry which went over to Mark 2 air-braked during the period and was extended to Paddington; it started out as corridor Mark 1 VB with a Class 86 on 5 coaches so had quite sprightly acceleration anyway.

But once the 87s came along the locomotive workings needed careful planning given that a locomotive on an inbound working went to the engine siding and came back on top of a completely different set, and so the 87s needed particular attention to avoid trying to couple them to a VB set.

 

[APT618S]

Don't forget 87101, which as an RfD machine worked to Ipswich via the North London Line on Freightliner services and there's also photos in existence of it at York having worked in on a charter. It also spent time as a test/training loco working out of Kings Cross in the 1980s.

18/11/95 87101 worked "The Boulby Prize" from KGX to YRK & return. I was on this tour from Peterborough.

Six Bells Junction

 

[StephenHunter]

Some are in Bulgaria now.

 

[47421]

No, the through trains to Harwich were always 86/2, as that was the only electric traction the Stratford drivers signed at the time. (I did attempt to get an 86/1 on the train out of Glasgow once, but it got swapped for an 86/2).

I don't recall electric locos (of any class) ever being dragged over the S&C. They were usually subject to a loco change at Preston and Carlisle. Happy to be proved wrong on this though, as my memory is a bit dim!

in latter years of Virgin loco hauled cross country / west coast there was a short period when S&C weekend diversions were on and on Saturday there was a Padd or Poole to Edinburgh via Manchester / Darwin to Carlisle through class 47/8 that then formed a Edinburgh Carlisle and Carlisle to Glasgow Central service. You could spend all day on that, hotel in Glasgow and then back south on a Sunday morning Glasgow Euston via G&SW and S&C. One Sunday the electric was in the consist of that Glasgow Euston in error and was indeed dragged by a RES 47 over S&C (memory is hazy - certain it was dragged from Glasgow and pretty sure it was not removed at Carlisle. Also pretty sure it was an 87)

Found that diagram/services on class47archive.blogspot, was Jan/Feb/March 2002

Saturday
1S54 0550 Bournemouth-Edinburgh.
1M04 1710 Edinburgh-Carlisle. Additional.
1S87 2010 Carlisle-Glasgow C.

Sunday
1M64 1123 Glasgow C - Euston via G&SW and S&C

 

[Rescars]

Yes, a lot of the brake vans were NEX (https://www.ltsv.com/rd/tops_detail.php?id=T-NEX), so 100mph dual-braked, probably similar for the buffet cars. Later NFX so 110mph I think also.

I used Manchester Piccadilly 1973-1980, at the start of the period the cross-country services were almost all VB Mark 1 (and the 87s weren't built anyway) but towards the end of the period there were some air braked workings which sometimes had 87s.
My regular favourite was the 16:23 Manchester-Coventry which went over to Mark 2 air-braked during the period and was extended to Paddington; it started out as corridor Mark 1 VB with a Class 86 on 5 coaches so had quite sprightly acceleration anyway.

But once the 87s came along the locomotive workings needed careful planning given that a locomotive on an inbound working went to the engine siding and came back on top of a completely different set, and so the 87s needed particular attention to avoid trying to couple them to a VB set.

Catering vehicles running under the wires were dual braked; even the RK kitchen vans (which happened by chance to be numbered 8xxxx as well!). Many had been dual heated in the past as well.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

The reversal of the train at Preston would have put the e-loco at the wrong end of the train, so a loco change/run-round would have been needed anyway.

The layout at Preston would permit the e-loco to be put on which ever end of the train it should be on.
I say that in the context of a DVT set which of course could be turned if in reverse formation once normal operation resumed.