On this day in history.

[47403]

Wow. Sept 22nd. 37164 and a pair of 20s, no wonder you got distracted.

 

[Cowley]

Difficulty in finding anything for 21st September so it'll just have to be the daily commute
21st September 1989
319012+319036 St Helier to Wimbledon
3115 Wimbledon to Waterloo
5866 Waterloo to Wimbledon
319013+319059 Wimbledon to St Helier

But on 22nd September 1979, life was a little more interesting
50043 Bristol TM to Newton Abbot
47545 Newton Abbot to Exeter SD
50014 Exeter SD to Birmingham NS
plan was to come back with 14 an hour or so later but got rather way laid by
37164 Birmingham NS to Cheltenham
A short fester at Cheltenham for
50014 Cheltenham to Gloucester. I was planning on going much further west but
20058+20208 were waiting to take over a northbound service
so
20058+20208 Gloucester to Worcester SH
50008 Worcester SH to Bristol TM

OK, I racked up some 50 mileage but three unexpected winners made the day all so much better!

Excellent. Nice bit of variety there.

 

[MDB1images]

Wed 23rd Sep 87..
Was still scratching locos (relatively)locally for haulage due to just leaving school.
Was going to catch 1M26 the PM Nottingham-Blackpool North but it produced a Sprinter in 150145 so was flagged.
Ended up doing nothing as 2J58 Blackpool--Man Vic was 47452 and 1M12 (Harwich?)- Blackpool was 47455.
Earlier in week...
Tue 22nd had also seen no moves as 1M26 was 31469, 2J58 was 47520 and 1M12 was 47456.
Mon 21st had also been a blank for the red pen with 1M26 47213, 2J58 47491 and 1M12 47588!

 

[MDB1images]

Just found another book....
Sun 23rd Sep 1984.
Neville Hill open Day trip.
45120 Manchester Victoria to Leeds
45128 Leeds to Manchester Victoria.

On the depot,,,,
08226 / 08497
43046 / 43049 / 43053 / 43058 / 43113 / 43121 / 43156 / 43162 / 43194
45013
47316
55002
56134
58008
144019
313060
Plus DMu's.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

23 September 1989 and a bit of a North West track bash

90005 Euston to Oxenholme
Class 108 (53934) Oxenholme to Windemere & back - required track
85026 Oxenholme to Lancaster
Class 108 (53929) Lancaster to Morecambe - required track
150220 Morecambe to Heysham Harbour - required track
150220 Heysham Harbour to Lancaster
90023 Lnacaster to Preston
156411 Preston to Blackpool North
142004 Blackpool South to Preston - required track
90003 Preston to Euston

Three more lines ticked off with plenty of winners along the way to add to the enjoyment.

 

[Cowley]

More excellent stuff Keith. Nice to see an 85 in the mix...

 

[Keith Jarrett]

24 September 1978 and just three locos feature - all were winners too!

20167+20170 Nottingham to Didcot Parkway & return on a BR Nottingham Division excursions via lots of required track
Outward route was
Nottingham - Derby - Burton-on-Trent - Wichnor Jn - Lichfield Sutton Coldfield - Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot - Walsall - Ryecroft Jn - Park Lane Jn - Castle Bromwich Jn - Landor Street Jn - St Andrews Jn - Bordesley Jn - Tyseley - Leamington Spa - Banbury - Oxford - Didcot Parkway
Return route
Didcot Parkway - Swindon - Stroud - Standish Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Bromsgrove - Barnt Green - Kings Norton - Bordesley Jn - Castle Bromwich Jn - Water Orton - Nuneaton - Hinckley - Leicester - Loughborough - Trent - Derby -Nottingham
With a bonus on the return of 37176 as Lickey Banker

 

[Cowley]

Evening Keith. Just out of curiosity would you log miles off a loco banking?
The Lickey’s quite a few miles long and if you were pushed up there by a 47/7 or a 33/1 then the miles would be counted.

 

[47403]

Evening Keith. Just out of curiosity would you log miles off a loco banking?
The Lickey’s quite a few miles long and if you were pushed up there by a 47/7 or a 33/1 then the miles would be counted.

I would. Its providing power after all.
Some nice moves on both posts.
47452, I only ever had once, sure it was on a Dumfries move out of Carlisle.
20s and a rather big one in 37176 there Keith.

 

[MDB1images]

Thu 24th September 87
Went to Manchester Victoria with a view to catching 1M26 Notts-Bpool (must have had gen it was a winner)however it wasn't as it was 47146 so flagged in the hope of something new, nothing required turned up as 47587 was 2J58(Blackpool-Man Vic,) and 47449 1M12 (Harwich-Blackpool).
Rumour of a new Class 150 for sight on a Scarborough kept me in situ for 3 hours chewing the fat with mates (dud 150262 appeared with 150251),some Pennine locos noted (times ex Man Vic).
47418 19:30-Liverpool
47411 19:52-Newcastle
47497 21:30-Liverpool.

Fri 25th September 87
1M26 was a Class 150 however I bobbed up to Preston regardless for the usual Fri night move.
31282 was unusually on 1M12 but was dud, 47478 2J58, 47538 was on 1J27(Scots-Man Vic service, poss a Glasgow,).
47543 was on the Workington-Huddersfield TPO.
Came home on dud 31285 on 1M40 (Glasgow-Man Vic).

Saturday 26th September 87.
Another scratch and hope move hanging around Chesterfield hoping for a NB winner loco!
47442 08:20 Bolton-Manchester Vic.
31449 09:38 Man Picc-Sheffield
Then Spinning around....
47627 10:53 Sheffield-Chesterfield
47449 11:22 Chesterfield-Sheffield
47449 12:50 Sheffield-Chesterfield
45106 14:04 Chesterfield-Sheffield
47617 16:31 Chesterfield-Sheffield
47625 17:27 Chesterfield-Sheffield
No winners but Inverness based 47617 was certainly a welcome surprise.
Others out....
47428 Scarborough-Paignton
47455 Portsmouth(?)-York
47480 Paignton-Newcastle
47628 Tenby-York

Rumours was out of a couple of required NB Class 47"s with one a huge on for me so.....
47353 18:23 Sheffield,-Preston
And then wait and hope....
47291 21:57 Preston to Bolton.

What an end to the day, 47353 was on 1M12 and I'd have been happy with that but the rare Stratford loco 47291 Port of Felixstowe is still one I remember nailing to this day-virtually everyone I knew needed it and it seemed as if the train was a railtour such was the turnout for it!

Others noted whilst waiting(nervously) at Preston..
31425 1M54 Bpool-Nottingham
47309 1J27 Glasgow-Man Vic Fm Preston.
86217 worked 1M40 from Glasgow.

 

[Cowley]

Thu 24th September 87
Went to Manchester Victoria with a view to catching 1M26 Notts-Bpool (must have had gen it was a winner)however it wasn't as it was 47146 so flagged in the hope of something new, nothing required turned up as 47587 was 2J58(Blackpool-Man Vic,) and 47449 1M12 (Harwich-Blackpool).
Rumour of a new Class 150 for sight on a Scarborough kept me in situ for 3 hours chewing the fat with mates (dud 150262 appeared with 150251),some Pennine locos noted (times ex Man Vic).
47418 19:30-Liverpool
47411 19:52-Newcastle
47497 21:30-Liverpool.

Fri 25th September 87
1M26 was a Class 150 however I bobbed up to Preston regardless for the usual Fri night move.
31282 was unusually on 1M12 but was dud, 47478 2J58, 47538 was on 1J27(Scots-Man Vic service, poss a Glasgow,).
47543 was on the Workington-Huddersfield TPO.
Came home on dud 31285 on 1M40 (Glasgow-Man Vic).

Saturday 26th September 87.
Another scratch and hope move hanging around Chesterfield hoping for a NB winner loco!
47442 08:20 Bolton-Manchester Vic.
31449 09:38 Man Picc-Sheffield
Then Spinning around....
47627 10:53 Sheffield-Chesterfield
47449 11:22 Chesterfield-Sheffield
47449 12:50 Sheffield-Chesterfield
45106 14:04 Chesterfield-Sheffield
47617 16:31 Chesterfield-Sheffield
47625 17:27 Chesterfield-Sheffield
No winners but Inverness based 47617 was certainly a welcome surprise.
Others out....
47428 Scarborough-Paignton
47455 Portsmouth(?)-York
47480 Paignton-Newcastle
47628 Tenby-York

Rumours was out of a couple of required NB Class 47"s with one a huge on for me so.....
47353 18:23 Sheffield,-Preston
And then wait and hope....
47291 21:57 Preston to Bolton.

What an end to the day, 47353 was on 1M12 and I'd have been happy with that but the rare Stratford loco 47291 Port of Felixstowe is still one I remember nailing to this day-virtually everyone I knew needed it and it seemed as if the train was a railtour such was the turnout for it!

Others noted whilst waiting(nervously) at Preston..
31425 1M54 Bpool-Nottingham
47309 1J27 Glasgow-Man Vic Fm Preston.
86217 worked 1M40 from Glasgow.

Excellent stuff.
Some big 47s on there, 47291 was a real celebrity...

27/9/87 (I think)
- The Basingstoke Rail Day.

Quite the line up in the sidings west of the station, featuring (at least) classes: 24,25,27,31,33*,35,37,40,44,45,46,47,50,55,56,58,59,73,86 and probably others.
* Some of these were passing on the mainline.
My stepbrother joined my dad and I later in the day having flown over Basingstoke station in a light aircraft in the morning.
He took these photos...

I know I’ve posted them before but they’re pretty cool.
In the evening we did a mini tour behind 40122 from Basingstoke to Southampton and back via Laverstock (Salisbury). The only time I’ve had a 40 on the mainline.
I think AJM580 might have been at this also?

 

[MDB1images]

Sun 27th September 87.
Think I must have done a Bus Bash as I was out early as noted 47473 was working the 08:45 Manchester Victoria to Glasgow but first move was 47482 (a winner!)after lunch!
Must have had some money for a piece today as 45106 was taken to Sheffield.

47482 13:04 Man Piccadilly-Stockport.
47309 14:18 Man Piccadilly--Stockport.
45106 15:25 Man Piccadilly-Sheffield.
31449 17:43 Sheffield-Man Piccadilly.

 

[MDB1images]

27/9/87 (I think)
- The Basingstoke Rail Day.

Quite the line up in the sidings west of the station, featuring (at least) classes: 24,25,27,31,33*,35,37,40,44,45,46,47,50,55,56,58,59,73,86 and probably others.
* Some of these were passing on the mainline.
My stepbrother joined my dad and I later in the day having flown over Basingstoke station in a light aircraft in the morning.
He took these photos...
View attachment 53048 View attachment 53049
I know I’ve posted them before but they’re pretty cool.
In the evening we did a mini tour behind 40122 from Basingstoke to Southampton and back via Laverstock (Salisbury). The only time I’ve had a 40 on the mainline.
I think AJM580 might have been at this also?

Never seen photos like that before!
Aside from the rarity of them it gives a cracking overview of the event.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

I have been a bit lax in contributing so let's play catch up

25th September 1981
I was supposed to be going home to see the parents for the weekend
50012 Paddington to Reading
The idea was go forward on the Cheltenham to Swindon and on to the Fridays Only to Bath. But the Fishguard boat train produced
37192 Reading to Paddington
What on earth Paddington was going to do with a 37, Lord knows! I did not hang around
50011 Paddington to Didcot
47070 Didcot to Bristol TM on the generator set

26th September 1998
This day saw me rocking up to Paddington with my two young lads in two for the Shapeshifter railtour
37212+37238 Paddington to Swindon
56072 Swindon to Salisbury
47276 Salisbury to Basingstoke
58045 Basingstoke to Waterloo
All I can remember was that the tour was poorly patronised and that it was raining cats and dogs all day. But three winners, excellent!

27th September 1987
Today also saw me headed to the Basingstoke Railfair
73110 Waterloo to Basingstoke
Then a mini excursion (which was the real point of me going)
37116 Basingstoke to Andover
Teapot 53809 Andover to Ludgershall
and back to Andover
37116 Andover to Basingstoke
73121 Basingstoke to Southampton - my last 73 B I N G O
2014 Southampton to Waterloo
Getting a decent bit of track and my last ED. What a day!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Evening Keith. Just out of curiosity would you log miles off a loco banking?
The Lickey’s quite a few miles long and if you were pushed up there by a 47/7 or a 33/1 then the miles would be counted.

Mr 403, I've definitely logged bankers on the basis of the fact that they are powering the train. Always made a point of heading to the rear coach wherever possible to enjoy the thrash of a 37 on full bore up the Lickey.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

28th September 1980 saw me return from Bristol to London and score rwo winning Duffs on the way. It was the only time that I was aware that the rock solid 16:45 Plymouth to Paddington drop a Duff
47539 Bristol TM to Reading
47500 Reading to Paddington

29th September 1978
Friday night after work and in fact all of Saturday was devoted to bashing
50025 (of the DMU variety) Nottingham to Grantham
55008 Grantham to York
55022 York to Doncaster
55022 Doncaster to Peterborough via Kilnhurst, Darnall, Lincoln (nice and direct along the ECML!) Plenty of required track there ....

 

[AJM580]

Excellent stuff.
Some big 47s on there, 47291 was a real celebrity...

27/9/87 (I think)
- The Basingstoke Rail Day.

Quite the line up in the sidings west of the station, featuring (at least) classes: 24,25,27,31,33*,35,37,40,44,45,46,47,50,55,56,58,59,73,86 and probably others.
* Some of these were passing on the mainline.
My stepbrother joined my dad and I later in the day having flown over Basingstoke station in a light aircraft in the morning.
He took these photos...
View attachment 53048 View attachment 53049
I know I’ve posted them before but they’re pretty cool.
In the evening we did a mini tour behind 40122 from Basingstoke to Southampton and back via Laverstock (Salisbury). The only time I’ve had a 40 on the mainline.
I think AJM580 might have been at this also?

I have been a bit lax in contributing so let's play catch up

25th September 1981
I was supposed to be going home to see the parents for the weekend
50012 Paddington to Reading
The idea was go forward on the Cheltenham to Swindon and on to the Fridays Only to Bath. But the Fishguard boat train produced
37192 Reading to Paddington
What on earth Paddington was going to do with a 37, Lord knows! I did not hang around
50011 Paddington to Didcot
47070 Didcot to Bristol TM on the generator set

26th September 1998
This day saw me rocking up to Paddington with my two young lads in two for the Shapeshifter railtour
37212+37238 Paddington to Swindon
56072 Swindon to Salisbury
47276 Salisbury to Basingstoke
58045 Basingstoke to Waterloo
All I can remember was that the tour was poorly patronised and that it was raining cats and dogs all day. But three winners, excellent!

Cowley - You are correct: I was there on the Saturday and remember the line up of locos well:

Moves for 26/9/87 were

86204 Norwich - Liverpool Street
Tube Liverpool Street - Waterloo
33115 Waterloo - Basingstoke
50017 Basingstoke - Waterloo
Tube Waterloo - Liverpool Street
86246 Liverpool Street - Norwich

Like Keith the 26 Sep 1998 saw me on the Shapeshifter charter
Scored 86210 Norwich - Liverpool Street in the morning then across to Paddington for the tour
After a storming 80 mph + run with 58045 to conclude the tour, me and Dad headed for London Bridge for a bit (scored 3454/3575) then
it was 319178 to Farringdon for some C69 stock to Liverpool Street and 86215 home.

Two more September moves:

28 Sept 1985 - NENTA "The Cambrian Explorer"

47570 Norwich - Abbey Foregate Jn (Shrewsbury)
25303 & 25323 Abbey Foregate Jn - Aberystwyth & return
V of R no 8 Aberystwyth - Devils Bridge & return
47598 Abbey Foregate Jn - Norwich

29 Sept 1990 - Cambridge Gala day

156407 Norwich - Ely
101 dmu 53231 + 54050 Ely - Cambridge
37354 Cambridge - Kings Lynn (Gala special)
37196 + 37354 top and tail Kings Lynn - Middleton Towers & return
56065 Kings Lynn - Ely (Gala special)
37218 Ely - Kings Lynn (Gala special)
73103 & 73129 Kings Lynn - Cambridge (Gala special)
20004 & 20047 Cambridge - Fen Drayton & return
There was time to look at the exhibits and also sample 08631 top and tail with the NVRs no 1 "Thomas"
56065 Cambridge - Ely (Gala special)
156421 Ely - Peterborough
31418 & 31450 Peterborough - Norwich via Ely Curve

 

[Keith Jarrett]

To round off September, i will continue where I left off in my last post

30th September 1978
31192 Peterbrough to Lincoln via Sleaford
47408 Sleaford to Peterborough via Sleaford avoiding line
37051 Peterborough to Grantham
31404+31407 Brantham to Doncaster
55011 Doncaster to York
55011 York to Newark
55017 Newark to Doncaster
55012 Doncaster to Peterborough
31108 Peterborough to Leicester
45146 Leicester to Nottingham

 

[barrowjack]

Not sure how I can possibly follow the previous post, with my humble little offering from 1/10/1988, before I saw the light and started recording HST numbers!

150xxx Barrow In Furness to Preston
87019 Preston to London Euston
50050 Paddington to Reading
50026 Reading to Paddington
50035 Paddington to Reading
43xxx / 43xxx Reading to Paddington
43xxx / 43xxx Paddington to Reading
47584 Reading to Basingstoke
50041 Basingstoke to Waterloo
86427 Euston to Preston
108xxx Preston to Barrow In Furness

 

[55013]

Well, I'm pleased to see his thread has been going along nicely whilst I've been on holiday.
Some great moves amongst all that lot.

Just to play catch-up a bit ,here's a few choice moves from late September through the years.

20/09/1985:
45015 Huddersfield - Leeds
45076 Leeds - Huddersfield

26/09/1987:
47625 Wakefield - Leeds. This was notable as my last ever run over the erstwhile "Viaduct line" at Leeds.

20/09/1990:
47822 Wakefield - Leeds
DMU Leeds - Keighley
31412 Keighley - Leeds
DMU or HST Leeds - Wakefield
47810 Wakefield - Leeds
47329 Leeds - Keighley
31400 Keighley - Leeds
A phone call to my mate to let him know 47329 had worked up to Carlisle, we then met up at some point in the afternoon to go and get it.
DMU Leeds - Keighley
31416 Keighley - Leeds. This was the working that the 47/3 should have come back on, my mate was gutted.
DMU or HST Leeds - Wakefield

23/09/1990:
DMU/HST Wakefield - Leeds
47443 Leeds - Durham
47831 Durham - York
47597 York - Durham
47424 Durham - Leeds
91021 Leeds - Wakefield

24/09/1990:
47822 Wakefield - Leeds
31429 Leeds - Carlisle
47417 Carlisle - Appleby
31412 Appleby - Langwathby
31400 Langwathby - Leeds
47843 Leeds - Wakefield

25/09/1990:
47806 Wakefield - Leeds
47555 Leeds - Carlisle
31428 Carlisle - Appleby
47475 Appleby - Langwathby

47413 Langwathby - Leeds
47807 Leeds - Wakefield​

26/09/1990:
47836 Wakefield - Leeds
47453 Leeds - Newcastle
47453 Newcastle - Leeds
47597 Leeds - Newcastle
47488 Newcastle - Leeds
91009 Leeds - Wakefield

28/09/1990:
47823 Wakefield - Leeds
At Leeds I had a choice - 47558 on the Carlisle or some more Pennine action.
I chose wrong.
47597 Leeds - York
47574 York - Leeds
47488 Leeds - Newcastle
47488 Newcastle - Leeds
DMU/HST Leeds - Wakefield.
Why was rejecting another trip on the S & C the wrong choice?
Well, 47558 failed en route and was rescued by 60006, making it the first passenger working by a 60.

29/09/1990:
DMU(s) over the Pennines
47125 Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport
87005 Stockport - Piccadilly
Number 4 bus to Victoria.
47279 Victoria - Frodsham
DMU Frodsham - Runcorn East
31533 Runcorn East - Warrington Bank Quay
87020 Warrington - Crewe. My thirty-sixth and final 87, a long time after number thirty-five.
47567 Crewe - Liverpool
47631 Liverpool - Leeds
47809 Leeds - Wakefield

28/09/1991
The usual assortment of units to Manchester, thence Stockport.
47816 Stockport - Macclesfield
47847 Macclesfield - Stockport
87034 Stockport - Piccadilly
Bus to Victoria
31405 Victoria - Chester
47361 Chester - Victoria
31415 Victoria - Bolton
Various DMUs home.

26/09/1992:
47219 Sheffield - Nottingham
47238 Nottingham - Sheffield

25/09/1993
87013 Piccadilly - Stockport
EMU Stockport - Crewe
37421 Crewe - Chester
37418 Chester - Crewe
87034 Crewe - Warrington
31421 Warrington - Chester
37429 (BEAST!) Chester - Manchester Victoria
31408 Victoria - Preston
31438 Preston - Blackpool North
DMUs home.

27/09/1996:
87004 Manchester - Stockport
47812 Stockport - Manchester
90006 Manchester - Macclesfield
90009 Macclesfield - Stockport
EMU Stockport - Crewe
37414 Crewe - Chester
37422 Chester - Rhyl
37402 Rhyl - Crewe
37417 Crewe - Chester
37422 Chester - Crewe
37411 Crewe - Manchester Piccadilly

19/09/1997:
91008 Wakefield - Leeds
89001 Leeds - Wakefield

20/09/1997:
A railtour.
86608 Crewe - Rugby
58018 Rugby - Wembley
56062 Wembley - Ipswich
56006 Ipswich - Felixstowe
47212 Felixstowe - Peterborough
60085 Peterborough - Nuneaton
37678 Nuneaton - Crewe

That's plenty to be going on with, so I'll leave it there; for now

 

[MDB1images]

Fri 02nd Oct 87
31230 18:35 Bolton-Preston.
45041 20:16 Preston-Blackpool North.
45041 21:10 Blackpool North-Man Vic.

A good night with both winners the 31 on the Notts-Blackpool and the Peak on the Man Vic-Blackpool which was totally unexpected so a quick scarper to buy a piece at Preston!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

We have to go back to 1983 for my 1st October action which actually started on the 30th as I did the Moors Marauder tour
30th September 1983
50024 Bristol TM to Birmingham New Street
1st October 1983
86009 New Street to Stockport
40122 Stockport to Middlesbrough (route Stockport – Denton Jn – Guide Bridge – Stalybridge – Marsden – Huddersfield – Wakefield Kirkgate – Altofts Jn – Church Fenton – York – Northallerton – Thornaby – Middlesbrough)
37066 then took us for an early morning spin to Saltburn & back while 40122 retired to Thornaby for a pit stop
40122 Middlesbrough to Whitby
Class 101 DMU 53149+53162 Whitby to Grosmont
At the North York Moors we sampled D8568, D9520, 55019 and D7029 before returning to Whitby on the same class 101 DMU
40122 Whitby to Birmingham New Street (Whitby – (reverse of outward route) - York – Pontefract Baghill – Rotherham – Beighton Jn – Chesterfield – Ambergate – Derby – Tamworth – Birmingham New Street)
50021 New Street to Gloucester
45143 Gloucester to Bristol TM

Plenty of new track there along with a few winners. so I was rather happy. Of note was 37066, my 201st 37 for haulage - and since then I have had only 18 more!

 

[55013]

Continuing my round up of notable late September moves.

After finishing at Crewe with 37678, myself and 45135 checked into a local hotel for the night.
The reason for this extravagance was that we were starting an all-liner the next day and Crewe seemed as good a place to start as anywhere.

21/09/1997:
86212 Crewe - Nuneaton
47854 Nuneaton - Birmingham New Street
47807 New Street - Wolverhampton
86224 Wolverhampton - New Street
47749 New Street - Nuneaton (86224 DIT)
86224 Nuneaton - Watford Junction
319007 Watford Junction - Clapham Junction
319012 Clapham Junction - Victoria
73205 Victoria - Gatwick Airport
73208 Gatwick Airport - Victoria
73211 Victoria - Gatwick
73202 Gatwick - Victoria
1848/1750 Victoria - Clapham Junction
5861/5869 Clapham Junction - Waterloo
47816 Waterloo - Penzance (This was obviously during the time when the Night Riviera used Waterloo rather than Paddington, ostensibly to connect with Eurostar services).

22/09/1997:
43037/43022 Penzance - Liskeard
153373 Liskeard - Looe
153373 Looe - Liskeard
158864 Liskeard - Exeter St Davids
43063/43062 Exeter - Birmingham New Street
43062/43063 New Street - Stafford
90005 Stafford - Crewe
47721 Crewe - Chester
We had gone to Crewe for the down Fort William sleeper, but I spotted one of two RES 47/7s that I required waiting to go to Holyhead and worked out that a Chester leap could be fitted in.
101683 Chester - Crewe
87004 Crewe - Edinburgh

23/09/1997:
37424 Edinburgh - Fort William
156431/156453 Fort William - Glasgow Queen Street
158728 Queen Street - Dundee
43156/43088 Dundee - Aberdeen
47732 Aberdeen - Edinburgh

24/09/1997:
87032 Edinburgh - Beattock area
Apparently, the wires were down, so we were dragged by a diesel loco.
Unfortunately, both myself and my mate slept through it and we've never found out what did the drag.
87032 Carlisle - Euston
313005 Euston - Willesden Junction
313021 Willesden Junction - Clapham Junction
3537/3437 Clapham Junction - Victoria
73204 Victoria - Gatwick
47841 Gatwick - Haywards Heath
1859/1834 Haywards Heath - Gatwick
73235 Gatwick - Victoria
Underground to Liverpool Street
86217 Liverpool Street - Whitham. We discovered that the line North of there was blocked due to a derailed Freightliner, which was visible from the platform at Whitham.
This meant nothing was going beyond there.
86217 Whitham - Liverpool Street
Walk to Moorgate
319050/319035 Moorgate - Kings Cross Thameslink
90002 Euston - Nuneaton
90011 Nuneaton - Stafford
87016 Stafford - Crewe
47596 Crewe - Holyhead

25/09/1997:
37422 Holyhead - Wolverhampton
86102 Wolverhampton - New Street
86256 New Street - Birmingham International
309624/309616 International - New Street
87035 New Street - International
47817 International - Reading
47807 Reading - Banbury. Both 47817 & 47807 were in Porterbrook purple, which was, erm, interesting.
47841 Banbury - Paddington
47814 Paddington - Reading
43010/43130 Reading - Paddington
Underground to Kings Cross
91024 Kings Cross - Wakefield for a night in our own beds.

26/09/1997:
144014 Wakefield Westgate - Leeds
91030 Leeds - Kings Cross
317367 Kings Cross - Finsbury Park
313051 Finsbury Park - Moorgate
Without the benefit of the internet, we decided to see if the line beyond Whitham had re-opened.
It hadn't.
86237 Liverpool Street - Whitham
86237 Whitham - Liverpool Street
So once again, it was the underground to Euston.
90008 Euston - Coventry
47822 Coventry - New Street
47851 New Street - Crewe
158868 Crewe - Wilmslow
323228 Wilmslow - Manchester Piccadilly
47822/47843 Piccadilly - New Street. Yes; a pair of 47s, both working. This was a Friday night holiday service to the West Country.

27/09/1997:
Evidently, the pairing was a positioning move as only 47843 ran round at Birmingham.
47843 New Street- Plymouth
43157/43198 Plymouth - Bristol
47839 Bristol - Newton Abbot
47814 Newton Abbot - Exeter
47839 Exeter - New Street
87024 New Street - International
86256 International - Coventry
47853 Coventry - Stoke
90002 Stoke - Manchester Piccadilly
158908 Piccadilly - Leeds
144022 Leeds - Wakefield Westgate

A year later and the end of September saw another all-line rover being roped in.
20/09/1998:
43164/43080 Wakefield Westgate - Birmingham New Street
47805 New Street - Stafford
86222 Stafford - Crewe
87021 Crewe - Stafford
86212 Stafford - Birmingham New Street
87101 New Street - Wolverhampton
87022 Wolverhampton - Coventry
47281 Coventry - New Street
86229 New Street - International
43122/43006 International - Wakefield Westgate

21/09/1998:
47853 Wakefield - New Street
87010 New Street - Coventry
47840 Coventry - Reading
47703 Reading - Paddington
47854 Paddington - Reading
47812 Reading - Coventry
87024 Coventry - New Street
86229 New Street - Coventry
47829 Coventry - Paddington
43145/43142 Paddington - Reading.
I was booked on the down Night Riviera and did the HST in the hope of making 1V99, the last loco-hauled service into Padd before the sleeper departed. Sadly, I missed it so had to fester at Reading until past midnight.

22/09/1998:
47813 Reading - Penzance
47843 Penzance - Exeter
47844 Exeter - New Street
86222 New Street - Crewe
87031 Crewe - Milton Keynes
86245 Milton Keynes - Euston
87016 Euston - Milton Keynes
87009 Milton Keynes - Watford Junction
87018 Watford Junction - Euston
90016 Euston - Carstairs

23/09/1998:
90023 Carstairs - Edinburgh
305517 Edinburgh - North Berwick
305517 North Berwick - Edinburgh
91028 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central
314202 Central Low Level - Dalmuir
DMU(s) that I didn't record Dalmuir - Fort William (What an idiot!)
37430 Fort William - Edinburgh

24/09/1998:
90016 Edinburgh - Euston
90007 Euston - Coventry
47831 Coventry - Reading
47817 Reading - Coventry
87016 Coventry - Wolverhampton
86212 Wolverhampton - Stafford
87018 Stafford - Crewe
87019 Crewe - Stafford
47810 Stafford - Wolverhampton
37414 Wolverhampton - Crewe
37418 Crewe - New Street
43079/43159 New Street - Wakefield

25/09/1998:
47807 Wakefield - New Street
86245 New Street - Euston
Underground to Liverpool Street
86235 Liverpool Street - Ipswich
86232 Ipswich - Colchester
86238 Colchester - Ipswich
86217 Ipswich - Colchester
86218 Colchester - Ipswich
86235 Ipswich - Liverpool Street
Underground to Euston
87024 Euston - Milton Keynes
86229 Milton Keynes - New Street
90001 New Street - International
37421 International - Holyhead

26/09/1998:
37421 Holyhead - Chester
37414 Chester - New Street
47848 New Street - Stoke
47812 Stoke - Wolverhampton
37415 Wolverhampton - New Street
86247 New Street - International
47851 International - New Street
47849 New Street - Wolverhampton
87025 Wolverhampton - New Street
86233 New Street - International
86245 International - Coventry
55022 (BEEEEEEEEEAST!) Coventry - New Street
47703 New Street - International
87018 International - New Street
87011 New Street - Wolverhampton
47849 Wolverhampton - New Street
87011 New Street - International
47806 International - New Street
86256 New Street - Stockport
More DMUs that I didn't record then took me home, why I chose to bail at Stockport I've no idea.
I guess I recorded the EMUs as they were a novelty for me.

I did another all-liner during the same week in 1999, but I'm all typed-out for now.

 

[Cowley]

Very impressive stuff 55013.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Bit of catching up to do so without any further ado

2nd October 1981
50036 Bristol TM to Plymouth on the down midnight
31301 attached at Newton Abbot to pilot us over the South Devon banks
50014 Plymouth Birmingham New Street
50014 Birmingham New Street to Bristol TM
50041 Bristol TM to Gloucester
50041 Gloucester to Bristol TM
DMU 50304+50329 Bristol TM to Keynsham
31301 was a rather welcome winner being a non-boilered Thornaby example. TE 31s were not exactly common at the best of times, let alone piloting the down midnight over the Devon banks!

3rd October 1981
33013 Keynsham to Bristol TM
50036 Bristol TM To Birmingham NS
81018 Birmingham NS to Wolverhampton
83010 Wolverhampton to Birmingham NS
50036 Birmingham NS to Bristol TM
37187 Bristol TM to Newport
31278 Newport to Cardiff Central
31121 Cardiff Central to Bristol TM
37265 Bristol TM to Stapleton Road
DMU 51581+51585 Stapleton Road to Keynsham
This was supposed to be a 50 bashing day, not a loco fest! The Wolverhampton leap was fairly standard if food was not required. If food was required, we'd retreat to BHS as one of the 50 bashers was on rather good terms with one of the catering staff there and could wangle large portions for all and sundry. 31278 was another TE no heat machine and was deputising for a Western Region 31/4 whose availability had struck rock bottom. Rumours were that 31278+31301 had appeared in the are a few days previously on a freight from Thornaby to Severn Tunnel and were immediately appropriated by the Western Region controllers to plug gaps in their own type 2 fleet. The intention was to use them on parcels trains but that must have gone out of the window with both examples appearing on passenger workings although to be fair, the pilot loco for the down midnight came off a parcels working and then did a parcels train back out of Plymouth. I certainly remember 37187's boiler steaming very very and 265's boiler must have been working as well. And quite where thee authorities got a Stratford 37 from, Lord only knows (Stratford tried keep a tight rein on their locos, particularly their 37s).

4th October 1980
50008 Bristol TM to Paddington
50003 Paddington to Weston Super Mare
50003 Weston Super Mare to Bath Spa
33061 Bath Spa to Bristol TM
50041 Bristol TM to Gloucester
50041 Gloucester to Bristol TM

 

[Cowley]

Bit of catching up to do so without any further ado

2nd October 1981
50036 Bristol TM to Plymouth on the down midnight
31301 attached at Newton Abbot to pilot us over the South Devon banks
50014 Plymouth Birmingham New Street
50014 Birmingham New Street to Bristol TM
50041 Bristol TM to Gloucester
50041 Gloucester to Bristol TM
DMU 50304+50329 Bristol TM to Keynsham
31301 was a rather welcome winner being a non-boilered Thornaby example. TE 31s were not exactly common at the best of times, let alone piloting the down midnight over the Devon banks!

3rd October 1981
33013 Keynsham to Bristol TM
50036 Bristol TM To Birmingham NS
81018 Birmingham NS to Wolverhampton
83010 Wolverhampton to Birmingham NS
50036 Birmingham NS to Bristol TM
37187 Bristol TM to Newport
31278 Newport to Cardiff Central
31121 Cardiff Central to Bristol TM
37265 Bristol TM to Stapleton Road
DMU 51581+51585 Stapleton Road to Keynsham
This was supposed to be a 50 bashing day, not a loco fest! The Wolverhampton leap was fairly standard if food was not required. If food was required, we'd retreat to BHS as one of the 50 bashers was on rather good terms with one of the catering staff there and could wangle large portions for all and sundry. 31278 was another TE no heat machine and was deputising for a Western Region 31/4 whose availability had struck rock bottom. Rumours were that 31278+31301 had appeared in the are a few days previously on a freight from Thornaby to Severn Tunnel and were immediately appropriated by the Western Region controllers to plug gaps in their own type 2 fleet. The intention was to use them on parcels trains but that must have gone out of the window with both examples appearing on passenger workings although to be fair, the pilot loco for the down midnight came off a parcels working and then did a parcels train back out of Plymouth. I certainly remember 37187's boiler steaming very very and 265's boiler must have been working as well. And quite where thee authorities got a Stratford 37 from, Lord only knows (Stratford tried keep a tight rein on their locos, particularly their 37s).

4th October 1980
50008 Bristol TM to Paddington
50003 Paddington to Weston Super Mare
50003 Weston Super Mare to Bath Spa
33061 Bath Spa to Bristol TM
50041 Bristol TM to Gloucester
50041 Gloucester to Bristol TM

Really interesting to read about the WR 31 availability back then.
Was the Portsmouth - Cardiff route still 31s in 1981? They really struggled on those services after replacing the Hymeks.
Must have been a fascinating time.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Really interesting to read about the WR 31 availability back then.
Was the Portsmouth - Cardiff route still 31s in 1981? They really struggled on those services after replacing the Hymeks.
Must have been a fascinating time.

WR 31 availability always seemed to struggle, particularly the ETH ones. I even managed to grab a very rare Gateshead 31, 31418, on the Bristol - Pompey run. While by 1981 the 33s had started to infiltrate, they were concentrated on the Portsmouth end of the show with anything that Bath Road had to offer working the Bristol - Cardiff leg. This was all subject to traction knowledge and hence the use of 37s as well as boilered 31s for the dash through the big tunnel.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

5th October seemed to be a mundane day for me. About the only vaguely interesting thing I can come up with was 1985's excursion on the rails

5th October 1985
43075+43076 Kings Cross to Newcastle
Class 101 51226+53164 Newcastle to Sunderland
Class 101 51214+53161 Sunderland to Newcastle
Class 101 53171+53196 Newcastle to Carlisle
87021 Carlisle to Euston
Everything apart from the 87 was a winner and from what I remember, I was with Brucie boy and looking for Gateshead 56s for sight/photo hence the trip to Sunderland to see whether there were any winners on South Dock. Ticketing must have been a Southern Merrymaker

 

[55013]

Great stuff Keith, as ever.

I'll now try to bring things up to date with the these offerings:

19/09/1999:
47828 Wakefield - York
47828 York - New Street
37429/37408 New Street - Chester

This was a move to get us in position to began our rover at the stroke of midnight.

20/09/1999:
37408 Chester - Holyhead; evidently the beast that was 37429 was removed at Chester.
37426 Holyhead - New Street
47703 New Street - Euston via Northampton. Done for the novelty value.
87006 Euston - Milton Keynes
87028 Milton Keynes - Stafford
47829 Stafford - Penzance
47830 Penzance - Bristol

21/09/1999:
47811 Bristol - Paddington
Underground to Euston
90015 Euston - Milton Keynes
87002 Milton Keynes - Crewe
87003 Crewe - Warrington
86231 Warrington - Wigan
87005 Wigan - Preston
86222 Preston - Carlisle
87012 Carlisle - Glasgow Central
Walk to Queen Street.
156445/156442 Glasgow Queen Street - Crianlarich
156445 Crianlarich - Bridge Of Orchy
37423 Bridge Of Orchy - Edinburgh

22/09/1999:
90038 Edinburgh - Euston
86260 Euston - Milton Keynes
90002 Milton Keynes - Euston
86233 Euston - Milton Keynes
87002 Milton Keynes - Euston
90146 Euston - Milton Keynes
90142 Milton Keynes - Euston. The Freightliner hire-ins on consecutive trains, which was nice.
Walk to Kings Cross
90028 Kings Cross - Leeds
91009 Leeds - Wakefield

23/09/1999:
47854 Wakefield - New Street
37408 New Street - Stafford. Whilst on 37408 we got the gen about a particularly large working, so we abandoned our plans of a day on the North Wales Coast and leapt at Stafford.
47810 Stafford - International
86229 International - New Street
47854 New Street - Doncaster
56010 Doncaster - New Street. Working vice a HST, the Grid had worked up to Newcastle in the morning. By the time we joined the train it was wedged with cranks; it was like a railtour.
47702 New Street - Plymouth

24/09/1999:
47832 Plymouth - Paddington
Underground to Victoria.
73208 Victoria- Gatwick
73213 Gatwick - Victoria
Underground to Liverpool Street.
86232 Liverpool Street - Ipswich
86215 Ipswich - Colchester
86246 Colchester - Ipswich
86232 Ipswich - Colchester
86237 Colchester - Ipswich
86246 Ipswich - Liverpool Street
Underground to Euston.
90006 Euston - Crewe
86233 Crewe - Glasgow Central
Walk to Queen Street.
158741 Queen Street - Edinburgh
90037 Edinburgh - Carstairs

25/09/1999:
90038 Carstairs - Euston
87001 Euston - Rugby
47476 Rugby - Coventry. Problems with the overhead wires meant a bit of bonus diesel action.
87024 Coventry - International. OHLE problems evidently solved.
87003 International - Euston
90004 Euston - Milton Keynes
90031 Milton Keynes - Euston
Walk to Kings Cross
91020 Kings Cross - Peterborough
91017 Peterborough - Doncaster
91025 Doncaster - Wakefield

26/09/1999:
43112/43110 Wakefield - Doncaster
91028 Doncaster - Kings Cross
Walk to Euston
87020 Euston - Milton Keynes
87032 Milton Keynes - New Street
87034 New Street - Coventry
47744 Coventry - Wolverhampton
47805 Wolverhampton - International
47709 International - Coventry
86233 Coventry - New Street
47851 New Street - Coventry
86245 Coventry - International
Unrecorded HST International - Wakefield. I was still very poor with unit/HST recording!

Some snippets from early October through the years, now.

01/10/1989:
My first ever ELR diesel gala - D9531, 24054, 24081, 25901, D7076, D832, 47192 & D1041 were in action, with the line only open between Bury and Ramsbottom at this stage.

04/10/2003:
An interesting gala at the SVR, with 56067 and 56078 attending, alongside XP64 liveried 47853.
40145, 46035 and 50031 also made it into my haulage book that day.

04/10/2014:
A gala with a difference at Scunthorpe steelworks.
02003, 03128, 07012, 20066 and three industrial shunters were in action, each taking our single DMU coach for a lengthy spin round the perimeter line - over six miles off each loco.

05/10/1991:
91027 Wakefield - Kings Cross
Underground to Waterloo.
50050/50033 Waterloo - Salisbury
47712 Salisbury - Basingstoke
DEMU Basingstoke - Reading
47526 Reading - Paddington
47465 Paddington - Reading
Something unrecorded Reading - Didcot
47465 Didcot - Paddington
Underground to Kings Cross
91002 Kings Cross - Wakefield

 

[D841 Roebuck]

6th October seemed to be a date I headed down south, or returned therefrom.

6/10/87 saw me visiting Plough Lane, Wimbledon, to watch Rochdale lose in the second leg of their League Cup tie to then-first-division Wimbledon. Subsequently exiled to South wales, 142074 took me from Rochdale to Manchester Victoria, then winner 86421 took me from Manchester Piccadilly to Euston, then 455711 from Waterloo to Wimbledon, whence I made the long walk up to the ground. After the match, I made my way to Haydon's Road, which was a lot closer to Plough Lane, then Class 415 5444 took me to London Bridge. The Northern Line got me to Euston in time for the "Splitter" - as the former sleeper to Manchester and Liverpool was known. And this produced what in hindsight was a superb result - not only was it roaring, but it was an 81, and it was required 81002 to boot. Result - unlike the football...

Fast forward 7 years to 1994, and I was finishing working on secondment in London for a few days. We had plenty of time to get from South Kensington (where we were based) to Euston, so I took the following route - tube to Victoria, 411515 to Herne Hill, 319029 to Tulse Hill, 455804 to London Bridge then 319182 through to Kings Cross Thameslink, for a beer and a walk to Euston. And a nice winner home with 87017.

Other than this, the only moves on that date are Rochdale to Manchester/Salford commutes, although these do include heritage bogcart 101683 from Manchester to Salford Central on 06/10/98...