Last stopping services on Midland main line south of Leicester 1967

[peteb]

I wondered if anyone has any information about the last stopping trains that served places such as Desborough until 31/12/1967? I travelled on one such service as a child but cannot recall if it was a dmu or diesel loco hauled service. Any info about train formations on these stopping trains would be gratefully received.

 

[Andy R. A.]

The attached pictures are scans from the last Working Timetable issued on 6th March 1967 with the services scheduled to call at Wigson Magna, Desborough, East Langton, and Kibworth. To keep the file size down I have only done the pages where the stations are served by trains. I have inserted the reference page with symbols, as this gives additional information. Generally the Header columns will indicate those services operated by DMUs, the other services being Loco hauled and indicated in the Header columns by D280 or D350, these are the trailing loads, and not the Diesel Loco hauling them. Most of the Loco hauled Leicester semi-fasts at this time were formed of just six Mark 1s and a 'Peak' Diesel Loco. The DMUs tended to be Craven units of the 105/6/12 series, some operating as three cars, especially in the last year of service, although the odd 2 car 108 was used occasionally. In some of the previous years some of the Leicester semi-fasts had been operated by 4 car 127 DMUs, sometimes strengthened by a 2 car 112. It is interesting to note that a Saturdays only Glasgow service called at Kibworth. The first train going down in the day was a Wellingborough to Manchester Central via Matlock service, which served all the minor stations. The 0800 St. Pancras to Manchester Central via Matlock called at Desborough. On Saturdays the normal weekday DMU on the 0710 Wellingborough was formed of Loco hauled stock, which formed the 0818 Leicester to Scarborough on arrival at Leicester.

 

[peteb]

That is an incredibly detailed response thank you so much for this information which I shall peruse over the weekend.