How I miss............

[47403]

....... those highly anticipated, Summer saturdays, when no ETH loco's hauled passenger trains from such places as Yarmouth, Easbourne, Paignton, Skegness etc, resulting in Class 20's, 31's, 37's, 40's and 47's as well the usual ETH 45's and 47's, that knocked around Newcastle at the time,
Also the time before the net and mobile phones and a trip to Gateshead shed or Tyne Yard at 6 in the morning to try and get a TOPS report, so you could workout your moves with the timetable, armed with your rail riders vouchers and money burning a hole in your pocket for a weekend nortumbrian ranger or in the 6wks holidays a weeks ranger, with your pocket money/paper round wages, so you could get to sheffield, up to dumfries from Carlisle for the 26/27's up the Sou Western or down the S&C, on whatever, or over the shap down to Penrith leccy bashing.
Nowadays to get any loco or of any interest, you have to do a rail tour or a preserved line, one thing for sure, you avoided HST's(or trams as we used to call them) like the plague unless it was entirely neccessary to make a move.
I took them days for granted, how I hanker for them days back, most weekends I'd go missing from the house with me mates from 6am and not get in till 10pm, totally shattered, big smile on me face, stinking of diesel fuel, ah happy days

 

[4SRKT]

I miss them too. A filthy NB 37 off Thornaby on the Scarborough > Newcastle was my personal regular favourite.

 

[47403]

my favourite move was always the paignton to newcastle, I loved the 37's full stop and for haulage but this move was always booked for a pair of 31's and a good guage that it was a pair of 31's, if you didnt have the gen was only take a few glances at the arrivals board, to see it get later and later, you knew you were onto a winner, my only gripe going for it though was having to take the 16,20 ncle to liverpool lime st train to darlo or further to York depending on how late they were running, unfortunately the 16.20 was booked SOLID for a peak, like most duff crazy folk like me, i hated them and had more arguements with my good mate about it, he always turned to me and said, well fine, get on a f'in tram(HST)then, i usually relented but on the very odd occasion waiting for his beloved peak, a 47 rolled round the corner from Heaton, he'd scream I can't believe this, me grinning like a cheshire cat, I'd say well, you can always get a tram

 

[4SRKT]

My best local (York) based day ever was sometime in 1986 starting on the Scarborough > Newcastle 37 from York to Darlo. Then back behind 47/3 on the Glasgow > Scarborough. Next out to Scarborough on one of the York shorts, with a 31/1 it being summer. Back behind a 45/0 on the Liverpool. Next a pair of 20s whistled off the shed and backed onto a rake of mk Is substituting for a DMU on a Sheffield via Pontefract local. I only took this to Church Fenton before getting a unit back (a plus one: most cranks had bailed at Ulleskelf, so at least being a Man of Steel meant I got a seat ). Back at York 50047 had turned up to work a relief to Bristol, and I caught this to Sheffield in a declassified first class compo in the CK directly behind the Hoover. A deadly dull 45/1 back to York completed the day.

 

[flymo]

I was going to quote a post but what the heck I'll just quote

the whole thread until now....

That first post almost brought a tear to my eye. I started bashing around the late 70's early 80's and never really took a huge amount of numbers unfortunately but I loved the whole smell, sound and experience of the railways back then, a living breathing entity.
Being from Newcastle there was a plentiful supply of summer Saturday specials where everything and anything could turn up but I think the things I miss most are the Friday night overnight services down to the south west. Usually I'd take the east coast route but occasionally head over to Carlisle for an electric as far as Birmingham then head out onto the platform at deary me O'clock to see the loco replacement and what else was passing through at that time of the night morning with a cuppa from the buffet upstairs. Simple pleasures

Marvellous

I still like the whole railway world but find it difficult to summon up the enthusiasm these days like I used to.

 

[LE Greys]

You're lucky you can remember all of this. I used to hear about it, but was far too young to travel on my own back then, despite occasional glimpses of loco-hauled trains at Cambridge when going shopping or on the WCML when visiting relatives. The only one I remember was on the Settle-Carlisle, Skipton to Appleby and back behind a 31 with lots of old MkIs in blue and grey in 1987. I only just remember it, but it was fun. Two years later, I did the full line to Carlisle, but I'm not quite sure what was on that, might even have been a Sprinter.

 

[4SRKT]

You're lucky you can remember all of this. I used to hear about it, but was far too young to travel on my own back then, despite occasional glimpses of loco-hauled trains at Cambridge when going shopping or on the WCML when visiting relatives. The only one I remember was on the Settle-Carlisle, Skipton to Appleby and back behind a 31 with lots of old MkIs in blue and grey in 1987. I only just remember it, but it was fun. Two years later, I did the full line to Carlisle, but I'm not quite sure what was on that, might even have been a Sprinter.

Probably a 156 by then.

 

[47403]

I was going to quote a post but what the heck I'll just quote



That first post almost brought a tear to my eye..

Glad I evoked some memories to both you and 4SKRT

One move me and my mates did, went a bit pearshaped on us, we'd been told 37305 was on the yarmouth to newcastle, so being a bit greedy, we'd already decided the week before, we'd to get out early for the Glasgow Scarborough and on hearing it was 37040, we thought we'd been vindicated, berwick to durham, some decent mileage with a 37, we jumped a tram(it was a needed move) to Berwick, when we got there the platform was heaving and were promptly told it's, 40 mins down, ****e we're down to a plus 15, then rumours we're flying the syphon had failed, just over an hour down, when the tannoy said the next train is the late running service to Scarboro, I swear I nearly ****, when 26038 and 37040 came into view, it was jam packed with bashers, onto newcastle and an old fella told me, you's are in luck, as im told the yarmouth is 55+ down, so we had a chance to make durham after all, quick loco change, off came the 26 and 37 and on went 47056, great we thought, 3 loco's one train, we got 10mins out of newcastle before 47056 failed at Ouston junction, 31190 was sent from Tyne Yard to push us into Durham, the plus 25 or whatever connection to durham ever dwindling, we got looped outside durham station, talk about frustration, as 47239 was attached to the front and the 31 detached at the back, 37305 pulled into Durham and as we got moving it pulled out of Durham and those of us hanging out the window got unmerciless stick, wasnt till we got back into Newcastle on bloody 45139, that the story unfolded.

 

[87015]

Can still get the excitement levels abroad - it might be different numbers but its the same game.

In the last couple of years I've only scratched the surface and have had massive drop ons, cart vice loco bowl outs, NB freight locos kicked out (don't let it being a "/4" confuse you!) and km after km of loco-hauled action from load 1 to load lots!

BDZ 06018 was a highlight - they have no booked passenger work and it was an unknown diagram swap and a class we wanted to sample - that will always mean more to me than 37xxx I never had, 37xxx I did have as a kid and don't really remember and certainly a lot more than 478xx or 90xxx I have had lots of times!

 

[TukayAway]

Anyone with a fondness for haulage bashing needs to play Hellfire.

http://www.railrover.co.uk/

 

[LE Greys]

Probably a 156 by then.

I'm not sure whether my memory (I was four or five years old at the time) is conflating the two journeys. I think it was a MkI, but I'm not sure. Were there still 31s and MkIs on the S&C in 1989?

 

[47403]

I'm not sure whether my memory (I was four or five years old at the time) is conflating the two journeys. I think it was a MkI, but I'm not sure. Were there still 31s and MkIs on the S&C in 1989?

I cant be sure if the 156's had monopolised the S&C then, although not totally sure, Im more than sure I was going up and down the S&C with the odd weeks North Eastern Ranger round that time, chasing 47's for haulage and stumbled on the odd 31/4. maybe there was just a couple of loco hauled moves a day, while they were phasing the 156's in. Its a great line for bashing, well it used to be. had a multitude different classes over it, especially in the summer,I think Kingmoor just threw on, whatever loco was nearest the foreman's office.

 

[scarby]

47403: yes, that's the story of my youth as well.

Coming from Scarborough, summer Saturdays was an array of loco classes - mainly 31s, 40s, 45s, 46s and 47s.

On top of that, even DMUs were far from generic: Metro-Cammells were the most common, but you'd get Cravens, Birmingham RCW and on summer Saturdays the odd Cross-Country unit. Also in summer, DMUs used to come down from Newcastle with bars fitted to the door windows. I think it was the stock that operated on what is now the Metro.

Resident 08 station pilot and two in the summer, sometimes an 03.

Now there's just nothing worth seeing. Shame.

As you said, getting a rover, up and down the ECML behind the Deltics. Heading off to places like Wath armed with the Locoshed book, asking if you could look around the depot and sometimes they just said "OK".

Cabbing locos at Scarborough and York.

I remember when me and my mate first saw an HST at Derby and we hissed at it. We knew it would be the death of the Deltics.

Railways are still by far my favourite from of transport, but in the UK that's all it amounts to, a reasonable way to get from A to B. I only get the old excitement back when travelling in Germany, mostly on sleepers, but also the remaining loco-hauleds.

 

[47403]

47403: yes, that's the story of my youth as well.

Coming from Scarborough, summer Saturdays was an array of loco classes - mainly 31s, 40s, 45s, 46s and 47s.

On top of that, even DMUs were far from generic: Metro-Cammells were the most common, but you'd get Cravens, Birmingham RCW and on summer Saturdays the odd Cross-Country unit. Also in summer, DMUs used to come down from Newcastle with bars fitted to the door windows. I think it was the stock that operated on what is now the Metro.

Resident 08 station pilot and two in the summer, sometimes an 03.

Now there's just nothing worth seeing. Shame.

As you said, getting a rover, up and down the ECML behind the Deltics. Heading off to places like Wath armed with the Locoshed book, asking if you could look around the depot and sometimes they just said "OK".

Cabbing locos at Scarborough and York.

I remember when me and my mate first saw an HST at Derby and we hissed at it. We knew it would be the death of the Deltics.

Railways are still by far my favourite from of transport, but in the UK that's all it amounts to, a reasonable way to get from A to B. I only get the old excitement back when travelling in Germany, mostly on sleepers, but also the remaining loco-hauleds.

trams they are, now theyve re-engined them too, theyre even duller, in fairness though theyve served their purpose and have been, still are a real workhorse, still hate em though.

 

[50047]

Just read through this thread and I don't know where to begin. I have just completed putting my loco hauled moves into excel and now finally have a total loco hauled mileage, 1.15 million............ This doesn't include rancid trams and never has. I will now work out my mileage on real DMUs. Have got at least 250k on slam door DC EMUs and approx 50k on AC (mainly 310) to add also. The DEMUs must be 50k so must be looking at approx 1.75million when its all added. Doing this brought back so many memories. I was shocked at the number of overnights....... In 1986-1989 I did over 300 overnights just behind 50s. The newspaper trains must be the most missed of overnights, I almost lived on 1V01 out of Waterloo. Happy days indeed........

The earliest memories are always the best........

22/07/76 25250+25266 to Skegness on a Merrymaker coming from St.Pancras
29/07/80 The disappointment of finding 47509 on a Mystex that ended up in Lowestoft
25/04/81 83007 failing at Bletchley. 25302 to the rescue

Many a Saturday in 1982-4 when a half return from Ely to Audley End would rake in up to 12 locos........
06/08/82 37118-37041-47011-47162-37099-37038-47150-37016-37050-47156-37080-37114 (Not an ETH box site!)

23/08/82 25181 on a 10 coach commuter to Bedford
02/02/83 26032+26046 with steam all over, on a Kyle to Inverness
23/06/84 Romping across the Fens with 37008 on the Yarmouth-Manchester
17/08/84 'Boss eyed' 40143 on a relief from Reading
20/08/84 Oversleeping Leicester on 1M10 with 45013 and waking up at St.Pancras. The blind panic of it!
The following day having 40194 on a south Pennine service from Hull to Sheffield and then a few hours later walking into 50026 on a Reading-York relief.

I could go on and on but I'd likely be barred

 

[theblackwatch]

Just read through this thread and I don't know where to begin. I have just completed putting my loco hauled moves into excel and now finally have a total loco hauled mileage, 1.15 million............

Presumably that is 'loco miles' as opposed to 'track miles' (ie a pair of 26s from Inverness to Kyle would count as 82.33 miles for each engine, rather than a total of 82.33 loco hauled miles)? I've just done a quick add of my loco miles and they come to a meagre 275000 or so - and over 10000 of them are behind the same loco!

 

[50047]

Thats right. Pairs would be double. Highest mileage loco is currently 50031 at a tad under 25k.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some of the numbers so far

Total loco hauled track miles: 922342.96
Total loco hauled miles: 1050596.51 (not 1.15...typo)
Haven't yet added 37676 which I had Thursday just gone out of Scarborough..........just fell on it as in the area for a week with the family

Highest 50: 50031 24150.46
Highest 31: 31421 8183.16

Rated 25,26,27, Peaks and 47s as well but nothing could beat a vac into Cornwall on the overnight Paddington-Newquay or in later times, the newspapers out of Waterloo. A pair of 31s was as hard to resist on a train into Anglia on a summer Saturday. Too late to make any serious efforts on the Cambrian 25s and the 37s didn't appeal at all. Started as I finished really as all began with CEPs in Kent when I lived in Ramsgate in the mid to late 70s, and the last thing I did seriously was CEPs in the last few years of their life, albeit heavily refurbished by then.

I guess your thing was Deltics? Once again too late to make any efforts on those, managing only 4 on service trains, all bar one being Huntingdon to Peterborough

I hasten to add though, it helps when you're a PRIV kid !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

trams they are, now theyve re-engined them too, theyre even duller, in fairness though theyve served their purpose and have been, still are a real workhorse, still hate em though.

I remember a guy from Doncaster who in the mid 80s gave up loco haulage and bashed trams. No idea what happened to him.........or what he was thinking at the time. I rolled into Doncaster one day on 31117 and he walked over and asked if we knew what power cars were out. My reply was something like 'most of them probably'

 

[12CSVT]

37s on the Cambrian. 1988 was probably the best year.

 

[davido39]

We used to use the Holidaymaker Special that started at Rose Grove for Paignton, we boarded the train at Accrington, I used to plonk myself on the footbridge to see what would be hauling the usually 6 coach train. Most of the time it was a class 47 in various guises.
This train had three loco changes, The diesel would be replaced at Preston for an electric, we had a variety of electric traction and it would not be unusual for the train to be hauled by a class 85 as far as Birmingham then we would be back to diesel all the way to the English Riviera. Those were the day, poking my head out the window to watch the loco coupling to our train and staying in this position until the turbulence forced my head back.

Towards the latter days of this special Saturday service a revised Network South East 47 would be in charge of the rake ECS to Rose Grove then Passenger service to Preston.

 

[theblackwatch]

I guess your thing was Deltics? Once again too late to make any efforts on those, managing only 4 on service trains, all bar one being Huntingdon to Peterborough

Yes they were, but unfortunately I wasn't into haulage before they were withdrawn - spent most of my time on York station (in fact a couple of years back, someone claimed I spent more time there back then than the station porters!). I have notes of a few trips, including 55003 on a Penmanshiel diversion, and my last BR main line run on one was on 55021 on its final run between Doncaster and York on 31/12/81.

I got quite into the slam door EMUs in their final years, although did them mainly around London on a Travelcard (no priv here!) - I did 1697+1699's final run (on 22/07/05) from Victoria to Bromley South. Plenty of 'ned' leaps between Waterloo East and London Bridge too!

 

[saracen43]

Used to bash 47,s in the late 80,s-90,s, cant remember exact diagrams and times but one favourite move was 11.20 approx off L/SPA (sat) Man picc-Poole I think and always solid 47, out at Reading for the 13.00 to Padd once again solid duff, not sure where this service originated from, i think south Wales Swansea maybe. Once at Padd a 5 min walk up to the Queen victoria for a couple of pints then back to Padd to hopefully find a NSE 47 on the Oxford service, back on the return with the same 47 then hang around a bit for the Padd-Man Picc home, not very exciting by most standards but good memories all the same and as a previous poster said it was the sounds and smells, MK 2 air cons allways had a distinctive smell as i recall.
Anyway if anyone can recall where the 13.00 off Reading to Padd originated from its been bugging me for years, as i said it was always a 47 pulling MK 2 air cons.

 

[47403]

I can't really say rare moves as such, I've already posted one above where I got 5 loco's between Berwick to Durham, these days that would've been terminated way before it even got to Newcastle.
25191 from Carlisle to Newcastle when the Class 101 DMU failed in Carlisle Station. Also on an overnighter at Carlise bound for Warrington and Crewe the next morning, the early Middlesboro-Carlisle arrived with a grey coal sector 31130, so I postponed my trip for an hour and took it to Hexham.
A night after school, in the afternoon I was persuaded to wag school(it didn't take much persuading, let me tell you) and do me papers early, to catch the 1S15, 17.15 Newcastle-Edinburgh loco hauled turn because newly refurbished 47703 was on Gateshead Shed and a knocking bet to be used, we took it to Cramington and DMU'd back, as we past Heaton, 47423 was on the stock for the Newcastle-Liverpool, my mates asked if I fancied a move to Durham, come back on the 1st Liverpool-Newcastle back, my best mate said, he had some rail rider vouchers, if i was short of cash, which i was and after a bit of persuassion, I said, aye ok, go on then, I've had it before but if you want to do it, let's do it. It was one of the luckiest moves we ever made. After getting all of 3 or 4 mins out of Newcastle, all was not well, at first we thought it was signals stopping us, then we got put onto the slow line, we litterally crawled along until we came to a halt on the slow, at the South end of Tyne Yard, after putting my head out the window, to see what the hold up was, it became clear to us that 47423 was in trouble, the driver got the 47going again but at Ouston Junction, it gave up the ghost, 20 mins we sat, taking turns to peer out the window, to see what would rescue us, suddenly my mate shouted theres a 56 coming, we said, bollocks off man, he went on I'm telling you there's a 56 coming, my other mate and I said, give us a look, fully expecting, ha ha had you there though lads, he didnt and 56115 came past (we'd seen it on an MGR train in Tyne Yard as we crawled past earlier, mind how it took 20mins to get it from Tyne Yard to Ouston Junction, is beyond me, however it did, we weren't complaining) and stopped at the points and reversed on, I'll never forget the roar as the 56 opened up to haul us away, it was head out the window stuff from that point to Durham. However after an elongated fester in Durham in the freezing cold watching the odd frieght and HST go past, my mate got his last 45/1 for haulage 45139, I said, oh thats why you were so keen to come to Durham tonight, he said no, whilst laughing, before retorting, well if you hadn't of came you wouldn't have had 47703 and 56115 for haulage would you, true I said, I suppose I can suffer a bloody peak that I need for haulage with them 2 in the bank too.

 

[saracen43]

Reading some of the posts its at this time i wish i had kept my bashing notes, memories of a double headed 47 from inverness to waverley after travelling up on the over night from Euston springs to mind, just wish i could remember the numbers, would have been the summer of 88 i think.
Also remember the huge bible which was a must and hoping your train was not to late for that 5 min leap at New st for a rare NB duff, shame i threw out all my note books which contained all that information.

 

[50047]

Anyway if anyone can recall where the 13.00 off Reading to Padd originated from its been bugging me for years, as i said it was always a 47 pulling MK 2 air cons.

Depending on the year, it could have been 1V94, 08.59 Liverpool - Padd. The stock used to return as 1S87 I think

 

[saracen43]

Depending on the year, it could have been 1V94, 08.59 Liverpool - Padd. The stock used to return as 1S87 I think

No it was definately from Wales or the south west because i would get off the south bound Poole train at Reading at around 12.35 for the 13.00 to Padd, would have been 1990-93, sorry its a bit vague memory is not what it used to be, cheers anyway.

 

[50047]

No it was definately from Wales or the south west because i would get off the south bound Poole train at Reading at around 12.35 for the 13.00 to Padd, would have been 1990-93, sorry its a bit vague memory is not what it used to be, cheers anyway.

What makes you think it was from Wales or South West? I'm still convinced it was V94. I'm going to dig out an old timetable and have a look. Will let you know........
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Summer 1990 timetable:

Departures from Reading around 13.00 heading up road, M-F
12.53 HST x CF
12.54 1V94, 08.59 Liverpool-PD 47
12.58 1F49 12.32 Newbury-Padd. I suppose it could have been this but this was NSE MK2s or 1s, not aircons
13.24 HST x Weston Super Mare
13.28 13.00 OX-PD. Once again this was either NSE MK1s or 2s

For the next few years, there is always an XC off of RG around 13.00 for Padd, either coming from Liverpool or in later years, Manchester

 

[Tracked]

37/31 hauled stopping services from Doncaster-Sheffield, pre-Swinton, Rotherham Central & Meadowhall (can remember the first pacer journey through Rotherham Central, the squealing around Booths) in the early-mid 80's

37/31 hauled services from Stafford-Crewe/Birmingham in the late 90's, and 86/87/90's between Stafford and Manchester at the same time, followed by 101's over the Hope Valley line.

47's turning up on Sheffield-Doncaster IC services instead of HST's, and then HST's turning up instead of Voyagers in the early 00's

 

[47403]

Thats right. Pairs would be double. Highest mileage loco is currently 50031 at a tad under 25k.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some of the numbers so far

Total loco hauled track miles: 922342.96
Total loco hauled miles: 1050596.51 (not 1.15...typo)
Haven't yet added 37676 which I had Thursday just gone out of Scarborough..........just fell on it as in the area for a week with the family

Highest 50: 50031 24150.46
Highest 31: 31421 8183.16

Rated 25,26,27, Peaks and 47s as well but nothing could beat a vac into Cornwall on the overnight Paddington-Newquay or in later times, the newspapers out of Waterloo. A pair of 31s was as hard to resist on a train into Anglia on a summer Saturday. Too late to make any serious efforts on the Cambrian 25s and the 37s didn't appeal at all. Started as I finished really as all began with CEPs in Kent when I lived in Ramsgate in the mid to late 70s, and the last thing I did seriously was CEPs in the last few years of their life, albeit heavily refurbished by then.

I guess your thing was Deltics? Once again too late to make any efforts on those, managing only 4 on service trains, all bar one being Huntingdon to Peterborough

I hasten to add though, it helps when you're a PRIV kid !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I remember a guy from Doncaster who in the mid 80s gave up loco haulage and bashed trams. No idea what happened to him.........or what he was thinking at the time. I rolled into Doncaster one day on 31117 and he walked over and asked if we knew what power cars were out. My reply was something like 'most of them probably'

My God, giving up loco's for trams, I think I'd have swore at him and asked if he was winding me up, I can only assume he was trying to get them out the way for haulage, seems a very strange decision, strange how things have gone, when I went to visit my friend in London, I actually asked those in the know, which services were booked HST's, rather than doing x amount of miles behind a 91, had them all for haulage and they're as dull as dishwater, least the HST's are diesel powered.