Unusual locos hauling failed HSTs?

[Cowley]

Hello folks.

I was chatting to a friend this week about this event:

D1015 rescuing an HST in the Swindon area in 2002...
It was nearby (having run a railtour) and available, and in fact they almost got the nod to drag the HST to Paddington that night but it seems that the powers that be weren’t (probably understandably) too keen...
This made me wonder though.
Have any of these locomotives ever rescued HSTs?

Class 24/25/26/27s?
Class 40s?
Class 52s?
Class 55s?
(Especially these last two classes)
Or anything else unusual - preferably with photographic evidence if possible?

I’ve travelled behind 31s,37s,47s and 50s performing drags. I’ve also seen photos of 33s and Peaks doing the same.
Have any AC electrics ever been used?
Thanks for any replies. Over to you...

 

[dubscottie]

Hello folks.

I was chatting to a friend this week about this event:
View attachment 52845
D1015 rescuing an HST in the Swindon area in 2002...
It was nearby (having run a railtour) and available, and in fact they almost got the nod to drag the HST to Paddington that night but it seems that the powers that be weren’t (probably understandably) too keen...
This made me wonder though.
Have any of these locomotives ever rescued HSTs?

Class 24/25/26/27s?
Class 40s?
Class 52s?
Class 55s?
(Especially these last two classes)
Or anything else unusual - preferably with photographic evidence if possible?

I’ve travelled behind 31s,37s,47s and 50s performing drags. I’ve also seen photos of 33s and Peaks doing the same.
Have any AC electrics ever been used?
Thanks for any replies. Over to you...

26/27/40/55 all rescued HST at some point.

GNER used class 91 to haul HST sets in service more than once and there is pictures on Flickr of both 86 & 87 rescuing HSTs in the Edinburgh area in the early 1990s.

 

[pdeaves]

In BR days almost anything could help out. I am sure a 58 has been pressed into HST service at least once, but someone who follows these things will be able to confirm (or otherwise)/provide evidence.

 

[Trackman]

In BR days almost anything could help out. I am sure a 58 has been pressed into HST service at least once, but someone who follows these things will be able to confirm (or otherwise)/provide evidence.

I saw pictures of this the other day on a FB group. I don’t think the 58’s had been in service long either

 

[Cowley]

I saw pictures of this the other day on a FB group. I don’t think the 58’s had been in service long either

The most famous occasion being when 58002 made it to Plymouth on a drag when nearly brand new.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Here's a couple of shots Mr Cowley.

(Neither of which are my own may I add, and credited to D Porter and D Ford respectively)

 

[RichJF]

Class 59 & wagons with an HST added on

A bit more modern than BR I admit but still unusual!

 

[Cowley]

Here's a couple of shots Mr Cowley.

(Neither of which are my own may I add, and credited to D Porter and D Ford respectively)

Exactly what I was looking for. Excellent.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

D1015 rescuing an HST in the Swindon area in 2002...


Have any of these locomotives ever rescued HSTs?

Class 52s?

Errr... I have to point out that the aforementioned D1015 in your photo is a 52; did you mean to ask about class 50 instead?

 

[Cowley]

Errr... I have to point out that the aforementioned D1015 in your photo is a 52; did you mean to ask about class 50 instead?

Yes I see what you mean there Peter. I possibly worded it wrong...
What I meant to say was: Did any Westerns haul failed HSTs when they were still in BR service in the 1970s?
I’ve got a feeling that the answer would be no. But you never know.

 

[Cowley]

Class 59 & wagons with an HST added on

A bit more modern than BR I admit but still unusual!

Great video thanks for that. I’ve only just had time to look at it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yes I see what you mean there Peter. I possibly worded it wrong...
What I meant to say was: Did any Westerns haul failed HSTs when they were still in BR service in the 1970s?
I’ve got a feeling that the answer would be no. But you never know.

Ah... I see what you mean, I guess it's possible but there wasn't really much of a time overlap between the 52s in BR service and the 43s was there?

 

[Cowley]

Ah... I see what you mean, I guess it's possible but there wasn't really much of a time overlap between the 52s in BR service and the 43s was there?

No. Probably little more than a year actually.
I wonder if the prototype HST was ever rescued due to failure? That was on the rails a few years before obviously.
Any ideas?
I’m going down to Bodmin tomorrow for the diesel gala and a ride behind 37142. It was the first 37 I ever had a run behind - Exeter to Plymouth and back in 1987. Pulling (you guessed it) a failed HST.

 

[Muzer]

Class 59 & wagons with an HST added on

A bit more modern than BR I admit but still unusual!

Hellfire! Did the signaller think HST stood for "heavy stone train" and so found a suitable train for the rescue?

 

[High Dyke]

I'm sure I've heard accounts of an HST failing close to stations like Plymouth etc, and the station pilot / depot shunting loco (08) being deployed to recover the set.

 

[Cowley]

I'm sure I've heard accounts of an HST failing close to stations like Plymouth etc, and the station pilot / depot shunting loco (08) being deployed to recover the set.

I think that may have happened fairly recently when an HST hit a fallen tree on Hemerdon Bank.
I may have got the details wrong so I apologise if this is a wild claim.

 

[SC43090]

I remember been at Doncaster when a cross country service arrived with a class 90 dragging the failed HST arrived on platform 4 class 90 taken of & replaced by an class 47 put on.... When i find my notes i will post what class 90 was.....

SC43090

 

[TukayAway]

Here's a picture of a Class 25 rescuing an HST at Bedford. From the Leighton Logs website.

 

[FOCTOC]

Every days a school day - without seeing the above I'd have cast doubt a Deltic had ever hauled a failed HST!

 

[dubscottie]

A Deltic has also pushed a failed HST! (Pic not mine)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62123014@N04/6673251465/in/photostream/

 

[sprinterguy]

A Deltic has also pushed a failed HST! (Pic not mine)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62123014@N04/6673251465/in/photostream/

Now that is quite a find! Any sort of push from north of Retford to Doncaster would be notable, but by a Deltic+train is something else! Thanks for sharing the photo.

 

[Strathclyder]

Here's a picture of a Class 25 rescuing an HST at Bedford. From the Leighton Logs website.

This occurred on 15th July 1986, the HST had expired at Glendon Junction. Not the first MML HST set 25057 had rescued that week either; it had towed a set that had struck cows near Kibworth back to Leicester just three days prior (12th July).

Info drawn from this link: https://www.derbysulzers.com/25057.html

 

[Malcmal]

Stumbled upon this picture on Flickr and I thought it would be worth adding to this thread:

31218+25278+HST Set Approaching Milford Tunnel. 29/04/1986 by Brian Dean, on Flickr

 

[Cowley]

Stumbled upon this picture on Flickr and I thought it would be worth adding to this thread:

31218+25278+HST Set Approaching Milford Tunnel. 29/04/1986 by Brian Dean, on Flickr

You thought it might be worth adding to this thread?
I nearly fell off the sofa when I saw that...
I assume that the 31 and 25 are being driven by one set of crew on Blue Star multiple working? A very unusual pair of locos to see working together let alone dragging an HST.
Good work Malcmal.

 

[Malcmal]

And nobody mentioned class 20's yet either.

20 156 & ? Come to the aid of an Failed Up HST. 27/06/1980 by Iain Smith1, on Flickr

 

[Ash Bridge]

Simply an amazing couple of finds there Malcmal, and not just for the rarity of the traction combinations as the composition and quality of the first photograph is absolutely excellent.

 

[xotGD]

I've just realised what is unusual about that pair of 20s...

 

[Ash Bridge]

I've just realised what is unusual about that pair of 20s...

Well I'd have to hold up my hands as not having previously noticed that both 20s are facing the same direction, I'm pretty certain that I've never seen that before, well spotted!

 

[_toommm_]

Well I'd have to hold up my hands as not having previously noticed that both 20s are facing the same direction, I'm pretty certain that I've never seen that before, well spotted!

Probably a last minute couple when they realised it wasn't just a regular D/EMU they'd be hauling

 

[Cowley]

I've just realised what is unusual about that pair of 20s...

Good lord. Well done, I hadn’t noticed that either.