Double headed Warship class 43 D859 and D0280 Falcon at Reading - information please

[Czesziafan]

I am trying to date a photo of Warship class 43 D859 in blue double heading with Brush prototype D0280 at Reading in the mid-1960's. Vanquisher is in BR blue with full yellow ends and arrow emblems and numbers on all 4 cabsides. Falcon is in its two-tone green. The leading BG is in BR maroon and the rest of the rake of Mark 1 stock appears to be in BR blue / grey. The headcode is 1B17, which in the 1966/7 WTT was the 13.45 Paddington - Bristol TM. One book, Double Headed Diesels Nationwide by Adrian Vaughan (OPC 1980) includes a photo of the same pairing, by David Canning, which seems to have been taken of the same working and is dated 16/06/1966. However I don't think that date is correct because the image was clearly taken in the autumn or winter as the weather is foggy and the train's steam heating is working overtime. I know that David Canning's dates can be a little awry as he did not always record the date and details of the working, seemingly focusing on the photography rather than what it records.

Can anyone confirm the date of this unusual working or confirm the date when Swindon outshopped D859 in blue which might make it easier to narrow down the date please?

 

[hexagon789]

I am trying to date a photo of Warship class 43 D859 in blue double heading with Brush prototype D0280 at Reading in the mid-1960's. Vanquisher is in BR blue with full yellow ends and arrow emblems and numbers on all 4 cabsides. Falcon is in its two-tone green. The leading BG is in BR maroon and the rest of the rake of Mark 1 stock appears to be in BR blue / grey. The headcode is 1B17, which in the 1966/7 WTT was the 13.45 Paddington - Bristol TM. One book, Double Headed Diesels Nationwide by Adrian Vaughan (OPC 1980) includes a photo of the same pairing, by David Canning, which seems to have been taken of the same working and is dated 16/06/1966. However I don't think that date is correct because the image was clearly taken in the autumn or winter as the weather is foggy and the train's steam heating is working overtime. I know that David Canning's dates can be a little awry as he did not always record the date and details of the working, seemingly focusing on the photography rather than what it records.

Can anyone confirm the date of this unusual working or confirm the date when Swindon outshopped D859 in blue which might make it easier to narrow down the date please?

The first Warship was not painted into Rail Blue until November 1966 iirc if that's any help?

(Don't ask me where I remember that from(!), presumably a book I have.)

 

[Czesziafan]

The first Warship was not painted into Rail Blue until November 1966 iirc if that's any help?

(Don't ask me where I remember that from(!), presumably a book I have.)

Yes that is helpful. I have a feeling the picture was taken in late 66 or early 67. As I said Mr Canning was pretty hopeless at recording accurate dates and workings.

 

[hexagon789]

As I said Mr Canning was pretty hopeless at recording accurate dates and workings.

That is unfortunate; sorry I can't provide any more information.

 

[Czesziafan]

Yes that is helpful. I have a feeling the picture was taken in late 66 or early 67. As I said Mr Canning was pretty hopeless at recording accurate dates and workings.

To be fair to Mr Canning, he was primarily a photographer, and concentrated on capturing a scene and the atmosphere, which he did with great skill. Like many of his contemporise, recording the details of the working etc were of less importance to him than the quality of the photograph.

 

[33017]

Yes that is helpful. I have a feeling the picture was taken in late 66 or early 67. As I said Mr Canning was pretty hopeless at recording accurate dates and workings.

According to ‘The Book of the Warships,’ D859 was painted blue in June 67.

 

[Western Sunset]

Falcon was still in two-tone green livery in September 1968.

 

[randyrippley]

Falcon was still in two-tone green livery in September 1968.

According to this page

Class47.co.uk ~ FALCON

Class 47. Brush type 4. Sulzer. British Rail. British Railways. Pictures. Photos. Photographs. Photo Gallery. Images. Trains.

www.class47.co.uk

it was renumbered, painted blue, and had vacuum brakes replaced by air in 1970.

The same page mentions a number of breakdowns, presumably this was one of those

1966 was a better year with 57,500 miles recorded - almost twice as many as in the previous year. However this was still well short of the target and there were 92 days lost service due to three visits to Swindon Works, the most serious resulting from a failure of the No.1 engine due to a fractured con-rod caused by water entering the No.3 cylinder. The improvement in mileage and availability during 1966 did not continue into 1967 when 144 days were lost. The most serious problem, burnt out controls on the boiler, accounting for over 60 of them, and just 46,000 miles were recorded. When in service "FALCON" was kept on Paddington-Bristol diagrams - probably to keep it in reasonable proximity to Swindon Works!


Availability and mileage were much improved during 1968. Total mileage was 90,400; not only well above the agreed level, but also higher than the 85,000 average acheived by the Class 42 & 43 'Warships' - the only time that such a result was attained. The only serious problem that occurred during this year was a failed turbocharger during December.​