Kurolus Rex
Member
- Joined
- 1 Mar 2019
- Messages
- 169
Hi there!
I'm curious as to what stock was used on this line in the past. Could anyone help?
I'm curious as to what stock was used on this line in the past. Could anyone help?
Hi there!
I'm curious as to what stock was used on this line in the past. Could anyone help?
Wow, i had no idea this line used to be so busy!
As for era, anything pre-Class 158 really (mid-late noughties).
Many thanks. I think that, firstly, in the early eighties, you had, of course, the 142’s and 144’s on a regular basis with only a handful of either 150/2’s and 156’s.
But, prior to May, 1987, when those second generation units were introduced, you had loco hauled passenger trains on Summer Saturdays, and many of the first generation units.
I have a notebook with numerous spottings in it, if you would be interested. But, I think I would message you with them rather than fill this thread up here, unless anyone else would be interested in the trains from the mid Seventies.
To summarise what’s in that book, 120’s were seen on Summer Saturday extras, from the Midlands, to Bridlington, class 20’s were the usual locomotives on the pick up freight to Bridlington, class 110 Calder Valley unit’s frequented the line along with class 123’s and 124’s, as seen in the photo’s above.
I also have quite a collection of photo’s too, as well as recordings made on trains - a notable one being a nine car DMU on the last day of June, 1978. Class 101, 108, and 110 made up that formation.
It’s always good to find someone else interested in the line as well as myself.
Finally, for now, no 117 high density, suburban units were used, but occasionally, class 116’s put in an appearance on, again, Summer Saturday extras to and from Bridlington.
My memory is of a former LNER Hunt class D49 on a trip from Scarborough to Driffield in early 1960s. Certainly compartment rolling stock.
Class 31s were regular visitors and 37s with the odd 47 too as mentioned. Class 40s often worked the London trains, even sometimes a deltic. In the summer there were daily excursions with locos. Saturday mornings were very busy with trains every few minutes around mid-morning.
The station saw trains dividing and units shunting daily.
By the early 80s there was just one regular loco hauled train - to Luton hauled by a Peak. A 31 worked a short set on Sundays. A HST worked a Glasgow train in the late 80s.
In recent times the only additional movement on a summer Saturday was an extra 153 attached to a 158.
Today's timetable is the best regular timetable ever with a late (ish) train from Scarborough at 2111. (It would be more useful an hour later).
I think the first time I did the line (in 1990), there was a Neville Hill based Class 101/108 hybrid DMU in a ction on the route.
That's quite a rare unit on the line I think. It's a 108 with a headcode panel (519xx), so a North West based set, hence probably why the destination blind hasn't been set.This photo’ may be that hybrid unit. It was taken at Beverley Station crossing in mid June, 1989. 108, DMBS, 101, TSL, and 108, DMBS respectively, and leaving on a service to Hull at about 18.00
View attachment 69550
Great stuff. Please do post more!I forgot about the Deltics! Photo’s of them are available...
So, to give an example of part of one day back in 1977, here details from that spotting book.
Let’s, therefore, go back to a lineside observation at Beverley, back in 1977, on the 16th, July. I, back then, didn’t have details of the trains like we do today, but I hope this will at least give a flavour of what could be seen.
At 09.55 31305 and 10 Mk1’s passed by to Bridlington.
At 10.39, 47466, and 12 Mk1’s passed by to Hull and beyond.
The 10.38, passed by, 18 minutes late, to Scarborough, all stations, behind 31107. 6 Mk1’s.
At 10.42, a train for Bradford passed by, with 31105 and 10 Mk1’s.
At 13.33, three 2 car 104 DMU’s passed by to Bridlington.
At 13.48, 40070, and 11 Mk1’s passed up to Hull and beyond.
Then at 15.15, 31107, returned back from Scarborough to Hull, 14 minutes late.
I have much more I can post if anyone is interested.
Great stuff. Please do post more!
Until the mid 60s express traffic from Leeds/Manchester/Birmingham etc came to the coast via Market Weighton and Driffield. In 1912 the station at Bridlington was enlarged to 8 platforms with pairs of through platforms (1,2,4,& 5) to allow unloading of trains travelling from both directions. The box at Bridlington South was enlarged to 125 levers and double manned.I had no idea the line was so rich with history, I assumed it's always just been a relatively quiet branch line.
Thanks for providing such a wealth of information!
Until the mid 60s express traffic from Leeds/Manchester/Birmingham etc came to the coast via Market Weighton and Driffield. In 1912 the station at Bridlington was enlarged to 8 platforms with pairs of through platforms (1,2,4,& 5) to allow unloading of trains travelling from both directions. The box at Bridlington South was enlarged to 125 levers and double manned.
It was never a branch line in the country sense at all but a line that woke from sleep each Easter to become a very busy destination.
The station was quite grand, some of the best survives. In 1961 the impressive overall roof of the original platforms was removed and concrete canopies were built. These lasted until 1983 when platforms 1 and 2 were taken out of use and the station reverted to double tracks.
A terrible concrete fence hides some rather cramped houses built on the site.
Nice. Tail lamp too!This evening, I have a photo’ of a four car class 110 Calder Valley unit at Beverley in late June, 1976. The extra car is one of the, at the time, spare class 104 TSL’s. I recall the afternoon being boiling hot, which most of that summer was.
View attachment 69595
Those photos bring back memories. I grew up in Brid - our house backed onto the line to Scarborough - and remember many DMUs but only a handful of trains hauled by a loco.
Having said that it is 40+ years ago!
Classes 101, 104, 105, 108 and 110 were very familiar with the 104 and 110 being my favourites for some unknown reason.
Brid station was quite big in the 70s/80s but as I remember only a few of the platforms were in use - very different now I understand as I haven't been back for years. There was a wooden floored bridge across to the Scarborough bound platform with gaps in the timbers (less than an inch and perfectly solid but I was scared of it in case it collapsed!)
Best memories:-
1. Going into the Butlins camp branch on a trip to Scarborough one day and seeing a locomotive close up. Never travelled behind one till i was 18 in the 80s. That was a 31 from Leeds to Scarborough.
2. Best ever - the driver letting me ride in the cab with him one evening back from Scarborough after a visit to the hospital to see my Dad and letting me sound the horn (I was 10).
Still love "proper" DMUs where you could see out of the front.
Thanks for a great thread!