Edinburgh 1980s

[deltic]

Came across a platform working booklet for Edinburgh Waverley for 1987. Intrigued to see that trains used only platforms 1, 7 and 10-19 with one train a week using platform 20, a late Sunday night working to Newcastle. Were the other platforms not in use then or were they used for parcel traffic?

Also surprised to see IC125 on a few early morning and late night Waverley to Glasgow Queen St workings including the 04.40. Didn't know these trains worked into Queen St.

 

[sprinterguy]

Also surprised to see IC125 on a few early morning and late night Waverley to Glasgow Queen St workings including the 04.40. Didn't know these trains worked into Queen St.

I can't provide any information regarding your other observation, but yes, indeed they did:

 

[4SRKT]

BR used HSTs sensibly to provide additional capacity into Glasgow and Edinburgh in the mornings, rather than have them hanging around Craigentinny waiting for their turns. The first northbound HST from London didn't terminate at Edinburgh until about 11:00, meaning that all soutbound workings up until about midday had to be fulfilled from Craigentinny. Rather than have the sets for later departures kicking about doing nothing some Glasgow > Edinburgh peak workings were HST operated to provide a longer train than the shove-duff operation. The worked forward to London from Glasgow, providing (at the time) the only through services from Glasgow to Eastern England. Also gave Falkirk a service to London. Likewise there were more Aberdeen > London workings in order to utilise sets and provide high-capacity peak workings from Fife into Edinburgh, preventing the need for additional loco-hauled sets in to peak (the equivalent of today's skip operation).

 

[deltic]

sprinterguy - thanks - fascinating picture I see it manages to foul the access to two other platforms!

 

[gg1]

BR used HSTs sensibly to provide additional capacity into Glasgow and Edinburgh in the mornings, rather than have them hanging around Craigentinny waiting for their turns.

For much the same reason, class 86/87 hauled WCML mk3 sets were used on a few morning Ayr-Glasgow Central workings in the late 80s.

 

[4SRKT]

For much the same reason, class 86/87 hauled WCML mk3 sets were used on a few morning Ayr-Glasgow Central workings in the late 80s.

08:45 Ayr > London Euston 'The Royal Scot Limited'

 

[Moog_1984]

For much the same reason, class 86/87 hauled WCML mk3 sets were used on a few morning Ayr-Glasgow Central workings in the late 80s.

There was also a story that ScR top brass lived near Barassie and sanctioned the move, and that there had been vandalism at polmadie over night.

sprinterguy - thanks - fascinating picture I see it manages to foul the access to two other platforms!

That's right they did: there was a regular GQSt-Kings X Sunday morning service which did as in the image by virtue of there being so few services.

This is probably the reason there were no other sensible later in the day workings of IC125s out of GSQst.

As an aside, would a "zing" get damaged on the West Highland line or other RA5 routes with hills?

 

[AJP62]

I commuted Edinburgh to Glasgow for a few years in around 1990.

From memory the 7.30 off Edinbugh was the HST returning at 8.30 from Queen St to Kings Cross after just over 10 mins blocking things.

In the evening it was either the 17.30 or 18.00 off Queen St that was the return of the train from Kings Cross, again on a 10 minute or so turnaround.

At the time the regular Edinburgh - Glasgow trains were 47s plus mk3 push pulls though there was a 47 hauled mk2 set off Ediinburgh just after 7am that then went from Glasgow to the north. Always a useful fall back if I missed the 7am though it went through Grahamston I think so wasn't much quicker than the HST but got you on your way.

The HSTs stopped when the 91s started running to Glasgow Central.

 

[matchmaker]

As an aside, would a "zing" get damaged on the West Highland line or other RA5 routes with hills?

Don't think so - Mk III coaches as on the sleeper, Class 43 with low RA. A full set might be too long for some of the crossing loops, though.