Traction days in BR era

[cambsy]

Having read the thread on Network days, and replying, I can remember doing various traction days over the years, with various operators, ill give list below of what can remember:

Settle and Carlisle Traction day
various traction was used on special services, Which included 56’s etc, as can remember a fast run behind a 56. And vaguely remember having class 20’s too.

Pathfinder Traction day
think was Birmingham to Bristol, with booked special services, using 37’s-56’s etc, had very fast run behind 2x37 between Worcester and Cheltenham, over 100mph.

Hertfordshire Railtours Midland Mainline Traction day
think was London to Leicester, with various Traction, including 33’s. 56’s etc, can remember a fast 2x33 run over Midland Mainline.

these are the main ones i can remember doing, in the good old days of BR, when interesting traction could be done, it was so much more interesting back then, whereas today, its mainly units etc, not slating them but its just not the same today. I’d be interested to know what other Traction days people remember, and what timetables and traction were? What traction they remember having and what the runs were like?.

 

[Helvellyn]

I think the S&C ones were normal service trains, but doubled in length and freight traction then hauling the train with the booked 47/4 included to provide train heat. Done over consecutive weekends two years running before the 156s were introduced. Certainly 20s and 56s featured, possibly even a 58 one weekend. Think there was a thread about this at one point.

 

[APT618S]

There was a North Wales Coast Motive Power day back on 20 May 1995 organised by the Crewe Rail Events Committee which I was at.
Locos used were 20075, 20128, 31105, 31427, 31432, 31512, 37066, 37142, 56071 & 60055.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Settle and Carlisle Traction day
various traction was used on special services, Which included 56’s etc, as can remember a fast run behind a 56. And vaguely remember having class 20’s too.

Hertfordshire Railtours Midland Mainline Traction day
think was London to Leicester, with various Traction, including 33’s. 56’s etc, can remember a fast 2x33 run over Midland Mainline.

The Settle - Carlisle one, I think you are thinking of the "pilot locomotives event" which took place over several Saturdays and the regular service trains had interesting motive power put on them in place of the regular class 31 or 47 haulage.

The Midland Main Line one, I think you are thinking of the "InterCity Diesel Day" which featured a number of additional workings each with desirable traction on, on one day only, which did not require specific train booking - just a single special ticket which gave unlimited travel on the extras. You are correct it was marketed through Hertfordshire Rail Tours, who I believe originated the idea.

 

[cambsy]

Peter Mugridge, thanks for jogging my memory, your right, that’s what it was called, and it was a rover ticket style event, from what remember was a great day, lots of desirable traction.

 

[High Dyke]

There was an event that centred around the Marches route between Shrewsbury and Hereford. I recall seeing a Cl.33 heading south through Craven Arms, and there was some haulage using class 37's and 56's. I can't remember the date though.

 

[seagull]

I recall a RAIL magazine photo spread covering the Marches route Traction Day(s) which as High Dyke said, featured Class 33s, 37s and 56s, possibly a 60 too IIRC. Must have been early 1990s I would guess.

 

[D1537]

There was an event that centred around the Marches route between Shrewsbury and Hereford. I recall seeing a Cl.33 heading south through Craven Arms, and there was some haulage using class 37's and 56's. I can't remember the date though.

I recall a RAIL magazine photo spread covering the Marches route Traction Day(s) which as High Dyke said, featured Class 33s, 37s and 56s, possibly a 60 too IIRC. Must have been early 1990s I would guess.

I'm guessing that was probably this event

Trainload Metals Hereford- Six Bells Junction

 

[GRALISTAIR]

On September 17 and 18 1994 there were the Lancastrians with interesting traction.

likewise they ran May 22 and 23 of the same year. And also on 25/4 of that year.

 

[Strathclyder]

There was this event in the North West on 20th October 1990 dubbed 'The Network North-West Day'. A Railfreight Grey 26, a Railfreight Construction 56 and at least 2 pairs of BR Blue 20s all leading the usual 31/4s, plus a solo 37/4 (linked vid from the New Gold Dreamer YT channel).

Hope this jogs a few memories. Certainly a event I would have attended had I been alive for it lol

 

[The exile]

On September 17 and 18 1994 there were the Lancastrians with interesting traction.

likewise they ran May 22 and 23 of the same year. And also on 25/4 of that year.

They'd also run 25/26 April 1992 (a series of specials but also unusual locos hauling service trains - pair of 26s scheduled from Manchester to Barrow, for example, though they didn't get beyond Bolton) and 22/23 May 1993 (looks like these are the "likewise" ones you're thinking about) - but these were all "specials" only - other than the run to Windermere (2x37 out, 2x20 return) which doubled as the service train, presumably because of capacity on the branch.

 

[Bigman]

The S&C drags usually had to be double headed with a 47 because some locos such as the 56 did not have ETH. Also helped in the event of a loco failure. I went on a 56/47 run and it was impressive on the run up to Ais Gill with 11 coaches rammed with bashers.

 

[Sm5]

With all the wobblies thrown by the 155’s, then 142’s, then 153 conversions, nearly every day was a traction day in the north west until the 31/4’s & 37/4’s arrived.

Manchester club trains initially produced a complete lucky dip of freight haulage until the 31/4’s showed.

 

[Bigman]

This has also reminded my that back in the mid 90s when I worked in Leeds I used to get the 17:15 from Leeds to Horsforth which was 2 x DRS 37's T&T with MK2s. Great thrash even though it was only about 4 miles.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

They'd also run 25/26 April 1992 (a series of specials but also unusual locos hauling service trains - pair of 26s scheduled from Manchester to Barrow, for example, though they didn't get beyond Bolton) and 22/23 May 1993 (looks like these are the "likewise" ones you're thinking about) - but these were all "specials" only - other than the run to Windermere (2x37 out, 2x20 return) which doubled as the service train, presumably because of capacity on the branch.

Yes I got all that traction - I was on the Windermere one and I had the 2x 26s too.