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The one that got away - what's yours?

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Sun Chariot

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OK, so we indulge in a pastime that comes with a healthy dollop of teeth gnashing frustration at times. Be it track bashing, train chasing, photography or modelling, we know the "ARGH!!" factor is part of the package. So this thread is: what incident sticks out most in your mind?

For me, autumn 1984 and a journey up from the sunny south to the S&C, to witness the last whistles of the class 40s still in service. Up the WCML and, on approaching Carlisle, I was telling my fellow travellers to come over to my side of the carriage to check out the AC Roarers. I wondered why they weren't responding - and I turned round to see them, cameras hanging out of door droplights and clicking furiously, just as we rolled past a pair of filthy blue Whistlers... Never did get the photo, coz all the windows were bagged; and I never did see another 40 in revenue service, other than D200.

And, to cap it off, our 31 to Leeds failed halfway up the 'drag', resulting in two hours stuck in a Pennine rain storm, until Holbeck sent a 25 to rescue us from our misery...

So, c'mon, what's your story?
 
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4SRKT

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Mine was in 1984. My dad had taken me to Kyle of Lochalsh for the first time. We'd had a HST to Edinburgh, then on the seats on the Edinburgh > Inverness sleeper. On arrival at Inverness I copped the massive pairing of 26035+26038 but thought no more about it. We took the 06:55 Kyle working behind 37025 (my lords) and back again to Inverness. Next move was a steam heat duff on the 14:32 to Aberdeen. At Elgin we passed another duff on the 13:40 ex-Aberdeen. Duffs were standard on that line so nothing unusual. At Insch we pulled into the station and waited for the 15:40 ex-Aberdeen to come out of the single track section. 26035+26038 come burbling in with that train, so must have gone off Inverness earlier with the 12:32. Knowing full well that by 1984 26 haulage was very rare, and missing two on one train, my 13 year old soul nearly burst into tears.
 

33056

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SNCB / NMBS 2504; had the other 13 and this was my last one for haulage. Standing on Brussels Midi station one morning keeping a sharp lookout for stuff coming from the west, I heard an old electric pull in behind me - it was 2504 and it had just terminated :(.

Even worse I was not able to cover the evening rush hour or any other rush hours on that trip, doubly annoying as the locos usually went back from whence they came and stuck for several days so I knew what it would be working later :-x

Never saw it in service again, though have seen it dumped by Antwerp Noord depot where I think it might still be; there was a rumour some time ago of some of these locos being sold to someone in Italy but would imagine that is unlikely to happen now.
 

DiscoStu

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SNCB / NMBS 2504; had the other 13 and this was my last one for haulage. Standing on Brussels Midi station one morning keeping a sharp lookout for stuff coming from the west, I heard an old electric pull in behind me - it was 2504 and it had just terminated :(.

Even worse I was not able to cover the evening rush hour or any other rush hours on that trip, doubly annoying as the locos usually went back from whence they came and stuck for several days so I knew what it would be working later :-x

Never saw it in service again, though have seen it dumped by Antwerp Noord depot where I think it might still be; there was a rumour some time ago of some of these locos being sold to someone in Italy but would imagine that is unlikely to happen now.


I had a cab ride in 2504 from St.Niklaas to Berchem once.

Sorry ;)
 

12CSVT

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Still regret not going to the EWS classic traction event at the East Lancs in 1999
 

d9009alycidon

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My one that got away was the APT-P. I travelled down to Corby for a course at the Steel Works in December 1981, I travelled down on Sunday 6th on an HST from Queen Street direct to Peterborough, and got the bus connection to Corby, I was due to come home on Friday 11th December, and woke that morning to a thick blanket of snow on the ground. The works van took me to Kettering station where I was due to catch a southbond service to St Pancras, followed by a sprint to Euston and a dream dash up the WCML on the APT.
Sadly for me the ticket clerk at Kettering shook his head and told me that the snow had effectively shut Euston for the morning and that it was unlikely that I would get home that way, he re-routed me on a northbound service to Sheffield (class 45 hauled), where I changed into the Nottingham - Glasgow service (class 47 on 6 freezing mark IIs). As we approached Carlisle we were checked for ... the APT which had run on schedule from Crewe, journeys end at Coatbridge was reached by means of changing at Carlisle into the good old 1S81 Carlisle to Perth (class 85, load 4 and a driver keen to get home on a cold night)!

Never ever got another chance to ride the APT.

Jim
 

317666

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Whilst waiting at Victoria a few months ago for a 1967TS, a 2009TS was sitting in the platform with the fans being quite noisy. Next thing I hear is the unmistakeable sound of PCM Camshafts from the other platform, so ran over, only to see 3158+3076 leaving the station :|

There were only 2-3 sets out that day, so I was quite frustrated at having to wait for quite a while longer...
 

4SRKT

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I saw a 1967 set heading south at Kings Cross today as I was getting off a northbound working. Sadly I couldn't use it as I was quite tight for a train to Leeds at 16:33 :(
 

LE Greys

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My grandparents lived in Thorrington, just down from the level crossing. Many times, my parents took me down there to see the trains going through, always 309s, but I never got to travel on one. Regretted it ever since. I also remember going to Didcot several times when very young, but by car. The 50s were still in service at the time, as were the Pressed Steel DMUs. Missed out on both.
 

Techniquest

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Mine has to be 43019. Back in my HST bashing days, I used to see 43019 all the time, however I never got behind it. It may have been on the back of an HST I was on once, but back then I only counted the front one. Even came close to having '019 once, but I was on an off-peak ticket to Didcot Parkway and it was on the train before I would have been valid on. Didn't take chances back then either, although looking back I wish I had!

Anyway, I never got it before it unfortunately ended up on the front of that fateful Paddington to Plymouth service at Ufton Nervet. Still regret that loss and it's 7 years on.
 

43106

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It was about 1965 or 1966. I was standing on the platform of Corkickle station in Whitehaven. The line at this point is single before it goes into a tunnel (for Whitehaven Bransty), so the 'passing loop' is about 150-200 yards up the line. A steam hauled freight train was heading towards the tunnel/station, but got held in the loop. I couldn't make out the number on the front - it was too far away - and I was straining my eyes trying to make out what it was. Due to the curvature of the track, it was slightly side on, and I could make out the wheel arrangement, and it looked like 0-8-0. I was convinced it was a Bowen - Cooke 7F, but there had never been any reports of any of these beasts on the Cumbrian Coast line. The nearest thing it must have been would have been a Fowler 4F, but it didn't look like one. Observation was cut short when my Dad turned up. "Hang on, Dad, this won't take long", I pleaded. Not a chance - he grabbed me by the collar and dragged me to the car. I never found out what it was, and it STILL bothers me to this day!
 

Buttsy

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Stood on Oxford station in the mid 70s. Freight train held on the up through. Western on the front. Train pulls away - another kid comes up and asks if I got the number, I tell him that I don't collect 'D' numbers... I have convinced myself it was D1062, but truly I have no idea. I wish I knew as this was the last Western I remember seeing in service.
 

Rugd1022

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Stood on Oxford station in the mid 70s. Freight train held on the up through. Western on the front. Train pulls away - another kid comes up and asks if I got the number, I tell him that I don't collect 'D' numbers... I have convinced myself it was D1062, but truly I have no idea. I wish I knew as this was the last Western I remember seeing in service.

If there's a chance you can pin the date down to a month and year I might be able to help... D1062 was a fairly early casualty in Western terms, it was withdrawn in August '74 and quite a few others had gone by then too. Westerns weren't that common on freight north of Oxford by '74 / '75 so you were lucky in one way..!

The 'one that got away' for me was 44 006, although I came frustratingly close to bagging it. I was on a Minibus tour of Midland area depots in late '76 and Toton was our last stop before heading home... it was a Sunday and we knew that all nine remaining 44s were on shed that day, seven of which were stabled outside while two, including no.6, were inside. We asked nicely if we could have a peek inside to get the numbers but alas a stern 'no' was the answer.... so my last 44 eluded me and by the following February it was gone. I suppose I could have scratched it in the book as I knew it was there, but that would have been cheating wouldn't it.... ;)
 

northernrail

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In my uncles car and just a few yards before we passed under a railway bridge a yellow class 43 and coaches oassed over, i knew it was the New Measurement Train but i never saw the power car number, and as have yet to see it a second time it was the only Yellow H.S.T i seen:cry:
 

Buttsy

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If there's a chance you can pin the date down to a month and year I might be able to help... D1062 was a fairly early casualty in Western terms, it was withdrawn in August '74 and quite a few others had gone by then too. Westerns weren't that common on freight north of Oxford by '74 / '75 so you were lucky in one way..!

It was on car flats (I think) heading towards Morris Cowley in, I'd guess, the summer of '76 (hot & sunny). I'd like to believe it was one of the preserved ones.

My two other memories of Westerns are stood on the bridge at Hinksey Lakes and one heading northbound on car flats and the other is stood at the 'kissing gate' that allowed access to the northern CS near Walton Well Road bridge and one going by light engine on the running line next to the gate to go into the down sidings. Both of these bring back memories of hot days so could have well been the summer of '76 when I was 7...:D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
In my uncles car and just a few yards before we passed under a railway bridge a yellow class 43 and coaches oassed over, i knew it was the New Measurement Train but i never saw the power car number, and as have yet to see it a second time it was the only Yellow H.S.T i seen:cry:

I saw this about 4-5 years back and one of the power cars is 43089 as that was my penultimate power car needed (43109 [43309] is the only one left for the whole set...)
 
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Rugd1022

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It was on car flats (I think) heading towards Morris Cowley in, I'd guess, the summer of '76 (hot & sunny). I'd like to believe it was one of the preserved ones.

My two other memories of Westerns are stood on the bridge at Hinksey Lakes and one heading northbound on car flats and the other is stood at the 'kissing gate' that allowed access to the northern CS near Walton Well Road bridge and one going by light engine on the running line next to the gate to go into the down sidings. Both of these bring back memories of hot days so could have well been the summer of '76 when I was 7...:D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I saw this about 4-5 years back and one of the power cars is 43089 as that was my penultimate power car needed (43109 [43309] is the only one left for the whole set...)

Well that does help us a bit.... by August of '76 there were only twenty four Wizzos left in service : D1001 / 1005 / 1009 / 1010 / 1013 / 1015 / 1021 / 1022 / 1023 / 1028 / 1033 / 1036 / 1041 / 1048 / 1051 / 1053 / 1054 / 1056 / 1058 / 1065 / 1068 / 1070 / 1071 / 1072..... by then, most of their booked turns were on freight workings and Summer Saturday reliefs etc. I don't think the Cowley jobs were booked for a Western but Oxford would have turned out anything that was available for it at the time, including a Western if there was one hanging about off another job. They tended not to venture north of Oxford on freights too much as Midland men weren't trained on them, I dare say the car flats would have gone as far as Tyseley or possibly Washwood Heath, with the Western coming back light engine with the same (Oxford) crew.

Of those twenty four listed, 1010, 1013, 1015, 1023, 1041 and 1048 are preserved, the other of course being 1062. I guess you can use your imagination and take your pick from the whole bunch really, all or most of them had had their steam heating boilers isolated or steam pipes removed by that time so were all possible candidates for local freight jobs.

Mind you, the Summer of '75 was just as hot as '76 was, a lot of people forget that...! ;)
 

Buttsy

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Well that does help us a bit.... by August of '76 there were only twenty four Wizzos left in service : D1001 / 1005 / 1009 / 1010 / 1013 / 1015 / 1021 / 1022 / 1023 / 1028 / 1033 / 1036 / 1041 / 1048 / 1051 / 1053 / 1054 / 1056 / 1058 / 1065 / 1068 / 1070 / 1071 / 1072.....

Of those twenty four listed, 1010, 1013, 1015, 1023, 1041 and 1048 are preserved, the other of course being 1062. I guess you can use your imagination and take your pick from the whole bunch really, all or most of them had had their steam heating boilers isolated or steam pipes removed by that time so were all possible candidates for local freight jobs.

Mind you, the Summer of '75 was just as hot as '76 was, a lot of people forget that...! ;)

That's true, it could have been '75. It was certainly before the station bridge was changed to allow taller road vehicles under it.
I have a sneaky feeling that it was D1048, but I might just be kidding myself.
Thanks for your help.
 

Rugd1022

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That's true, it could have been '75. It was certainly before the station bridge was changed to allow taller road vehicles under it.
I have a sneaky feeling that it was D1048, but I might just be kidding myself.
Thanks for your help.

Do you mean the Botley Road bridge...? I've seen some photos somewhere of it being raised with a couple of BR Breakdown Cranes in attendance. Incidentally (off topic I know but...) D1023 derailed on that bridge in January '75 after one of it's axles broke, it caused a right palarva... you know how congested Oxford Station can get! ;)
 

Buttsy

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Do you mean the Botley Road bridge...? I've seen some photos somewhere of it being raised with a couple of BR Breakdown Cranes in attendance. Incidentally (off topic I know but...) D1023 derailed on that bridge in January '75 after one of it's axles broke, it caused a right palarva... you know how congested Oxford Station can get! ;)

Yes, it was the Botley Road Bridge - it used to be an arch, but a flat concrete deck was put in and the road lowered so most of the buses could get under it.
 

ACE1888

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Not so much a train but a branch line for me, always been fascinated by the Maiden Newton-Bridport line in Dorset, but being only 7 when it closed, never got the chance to take a 'Bubble' to Bridport. So I did the next best thing...walked the line over two days in the summer of 2010, great fun it was too
 

4SRKT

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Not so much a train but a branch line for me, always been fascinated by the Maiden Newton-Bridport line in Dorset, but being only 7 when it closed, never got the chance to take a 'Bubble' to Bridport. So I did the next best thing...walked the line over two days in the summer of 2010, great fun it was too


My version of this was the Clayton West branch. I kept idly meaning to do it, and then one evening, there it was on Look North on its final day of operation! I've been over it since on the slightly eccentric Kirklees Light Railway. It's an odd experience going through a full size tunnel of not inconsiderable length in a 15" gauge train!

Even worse was growing up in York and not bothering to go on the Derwent Valley Light Railway during the 2 or 3 summers it ran a passenger service. This really was a stupid piece of lazy shortsightedness :(
 
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