Unusual locos hauling failed HSTs?

[Ash Bridge]

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

Indeed, was probably just that!

 

[43096]

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

Quite a challenge for the crew, too, having to couple using the emergency bar coupler using a loco with no cab at the end you’re coupling to.

 

[EveningStar]

Leeds, 14 January 1987, with 58038 dragging a somewhat frozen and thoroughly failed 43076 and 43087 ECS to Neville Hill to thaw out. Had another photo of this scene published in Rail magazine.

 

[theblackwatch]

45112 was used to rescue the NMT 'Flying Banana' around 2005 and take it back to Derby from the North East - I've seen pics of it on the ECML north of York but sadly can't find any to post links. Equally remarkable was that it wasn't the peak being rescued, as it had a tendency to run into bother on its trips out!

 

[Tulyar]

I recall seeing 47555 The Commonwealth Spirit dragging a set into Reading in the early 80's as a kid, and I'd just used up my role of film. In those days you couldn't ask someone to send you a copy, although I did try by giving them my address although I never received anything. I remember it being quite an exciting spectacle with spotters scrambling for a pic.

Searched Google and the like to see if anyone ever uploaded a pic but have never seen one.

 

[Malcmal]

Might as well add this YouTube video to the mix

 

[Malcmal]

And here is a class 56:


HST Drag by Terry Callaghan, on Flickr

 

[Whistler40145]

Does anyone have photos of pairs of 26s or 27s dragging a failed HST

 

[john prytherch]

I believe HSTs were occasionally hauled by electric locomotives on the WCML. During the brief era when they worked between Euston and Holyhead, I saw one up working arrive at Crewe, having had its windscreen damaged by an object thrown at it by an idiot somewhere in the Chester or Crewe area. An 87 was attached and hauled the train to Euston.

John Prytherch.

 

[Spartacus]

I know one of the Fastline 66s was used to rescue a HST on the MML some time ago, causing a minor stir as it was the first one to work a passenger service. I used to have a photo of it at East Mids Parkway but can't seem to find it.

 

[alexl92]

45112 was used to rescue the NMT 'Flying Banana' around 2005 and take it back to Derby from the North East - I've seen pics of it on the ECML north of York but sadly can't find any to post links. Equally remarkable was that it wasn't the peak being rescued, as it had a tendency to run into bother on its trips out!

Does anyone else have photos of this?!

 

[Mag_seven]

I believe HSTs were occasionally hauled by electric locomotives on the WCML. During the brief era when they worked between Euston and Holyhead, I saw one up working arrive at Crewe, having had its windscreen damaged by an object thrown at it by an idiot somewhere in the Chester or Crewe area. An 87 was attached and hauled the train to Euston.

John Prytherch.

I don't know if I'm just imagining it but I'm sure I saw an HST being hauled by a Class 87 at Manchester Picc in the early 90s. In fact the more I think about it I might have even travelled on it but because by that time in my life I had got fed up of recording things I can't be 100% sure.

 

[Malcmal]

45112 was used to rescue the NMT 'Flying Banana' around 2005 and take it back to Derby from the North East - I've seen pics of it on the ECML north of York but sadly can't find any to post links. Equally remarkable was that it wasn't the peak being rescued, as it had a tendency to run into bother on its trips out!

It either happened twice or it was in fact 2003 judging by this page here which even has a picture:

Traction 2003 Part Two

Judging by the content of this latest instalment in the Traction series, the predicted doom and gloom has failed to materialise so far.Despite an infestation of Class 66s and a downturn in loco-hauled passenger services, there has been no shortage of activity from the older loco classes. And...

www.videoscene.co.uk

 

[Ashley Hill]

Inspired by a clip on YouTube showing a couple of RailAdventure HST power cars collecting a failed Deltic from Burton I wondered,did any Deltics drag a failed HST in service?
Likewise,other than the usual 37s,47s and 50s did any other classes like type 2 Sulzers,40s or even electrics go to the aid of an ailing HST?

 

[Peter C]

There was this case in 2002, where D1015 Western Champion dragged a HST (there's a photo on the actual site):

Not content with being a member of the finest class of locos ever built No 15 has had to help out lesser locos on a couple of occasions since returning to the mainline.

Having been with '15 since Bristol Parkway on the morning of the 26th October 2002 (on railtour number 5, The Western Pilgrim) we arrived back at Temple Meads where a loco swap was planned with the good power running back to Old Oak Common. The end of No 3 platform at Temple Meads was awash with the faithful and I had a job to get to the 'phone on the signal to ask for the road.

When I spoke with the "bobby" he asked if I signed via Badminton. I confirmed that I did and made my way back to the cab. The red flicked to green and the reverser was placed to 'forward' and a little power taken before releasing the straight air brake. A bellow of "My Lords!" went so not to disappoint the faithful I gave it quite a bit more but mindful of the 25mph speed restriction at this point. Whizzo haulage on the 26th October was over.

As we headed back towards Old Oak through the darkness we made good progress until Wooton Basset West where we were checked down. The reason for this was a Tram that was coming 'bang road' for some reason. As it passed us the red stepped up to just a single yellow with the next signal showing a single yellow with No 1 'feather' which took us in the loop. Keen to get home I went down on the 'phone and the signalman asked if we were a "Great Western" engine. "Well, yes. It's probably the ultimate Great Western engine mate" I replied. "Good" he said "You've been asked to run wrong road to Dauntsey and rescue a HST which has slipped to a stand". (The HST in question was the 17:15 ex Bristol and it was now 20:00 so the passengers had been stuck for ages)

I informed Mr Koch in the rear cab who was finished! After changing ends we made our way carefully along the Up road and eventually espied a HV in the cess. This was the driver. He was quite young and looked at '15 like it was from Outer Space!

Whilst we waiting to couple the phones were red hot. We were OK for Padd and I believe Paul made contact also with FGW control. My phone rang and it was the EWS Control who asked where I was. "On a Tram" I replied. "Oh! Thought you might be still on ten-fifteen as we want you to run light to Tiverton Junction where a kettle has blown up and drag it to Kidderminster. You're the only vacuum braked engine anywhere!"

"When I said I'm on a Tram I mean I'm just about to drag a Tram from Dauntsey to Paddington" I replied. Slight pause at the other end then "MY LORDS!"

So, in the space of a few minutes (in 2002 mind you!) D1015 had been considered to rescue two trains!! Quality traction shines through.

After a brake test we moved off slowly gradually picking up speed towards eighty or so before getting the flashing yellows into the platform at Swindon. This would be the moment of truth. Would we or wouldn't we?

Numerous platforms Berts were milling around and no-one seemed to know what was going on. It transpired that FGW weren't too keen to have one of their trains arrive in Padd with an "old fashioned" engine on it. "Well we'll go to Reading then and run round" I suggested. Nobody seemed to realise that the Tram was OK to go forward now. It wasn't a failure but had just slipped to a stand.

Eventually we were told to uncouple. I hastily rang Doncaster to offer our services at Tiverton but was told that they'd found a vacuum braked Duff at Eastleigh and it was going to run light engine to Taunton to meet the slightly revived kettle. Alas further rescue was not to be so we ran home to The Oak after one of the most outrageous workings of the preserved mainline diesel era.

(From http://www.westernchampion.co.uk/loco-d1015-memories.php)

-Peter

 

[D1511]

I can recall a pair of HA slow speed fitted 26's coming to the rescue of a HST in E Lothian (redeployed from their Cockenzie MGR duties) quite soon after they were introduced in the early 80s. I'm sure Deltics must have rescued them too given their allocations along the ECML, but I don't recall having seen it happen.

 

[91104]

Inspired by a clip on YouTube showing a couple of RailAdventure HST power cars collecting a failed Deltic from Burton I wondered,did any Deltics drag a failed HST in service? Likewise,other than the usual 37s,47s and 50s did any other classes like type 2 Sulzers,40s or even electrics go to the aid of an ailing HST?

In GNER days I remember getting an easy days overtime when a class 91 was dragging an HST in passenger service. Can’t remember what was wrong with the HST but they wanted to get it back to Craigentinny. The rear HST power car was left running to provide power to the coaches and because there was no communication with the 91 I had to sit in the rear cab of the HST with my feet up ready to shut down the engine if required.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Class 56 rescued quite a few B&H HST failures when they were the staple traction on Mendip stone trains. There was one occasion when the unique 47901 rescued an HST on a Summer Saturday in 1987. There is also a youtube clip of a class 59 on a Mendip stone train assisting a failed FGW HST in 2010, although technically this is a push and not a drag!

 

[Ash Bridge]

I can recall a pair of HA slow speed fitted 26's coming to the rescue of a HST in E Lothian (redeployed from their Cockenzie MGR duties) quite soon after they were introduced in the early 80s. I'm sure Deltics must have rescued them too given their allocations along the ECML, but I don't recall having seen it happen.

Definitely correct about the Deltics…..

( Not my shot, image is credited to D Porter)

 

[The exile]

Inspired by a clip on YouTube showing a couple of RailAdventure HST power cars collecting a failed Deltic from Burton I wondered,did any Deltics drag a failed HST in service?
Likewise,other than the usual 37s,47s and 50s did any other classes like type 2 Sulzers,40s or even electrics go to the aid of an ailing HST?

Not wishing to do the Deltics down, but I suspect the chances of a serviceable one being in just the right place at the right time would have been pretty slim by the time HSTs were around in any numbers to make it a frequent occurrence . From my childhood ECML memories it was the Deltics which offered the chances of lengthy views of remote bits of countryside….

 

[hexagon789]

Inspired by a clip on YouTube showing a couple of RailAdventure HST power cars collecting a failed Deltic from Burton I wondered,did any Deltics drag a failed HST in service?
Likewise,other than the usual 37s,47s and 50s did any other classes like type 2 Sulzers,40s or even electrics go to the aid of an ailing HST?

Some I've come across on my flickr stream before -

91:

GNER 91129, 43120 and 43039, Edinburgh Waverley

Great North Eastern Railway Class 91, 91129 "County of Tyne and Wear" sits on the rear of an High Speed Train set with Class 43s, 43120 and 43039, having hauled the train from London as 1S32 16:00 from London Kings Cross to Aberdeen as far as Edinburgh where a set swap took place. The Class 91...

flic.kr

(Ewan/MacCookie flickr)
91129 hauling GNER 43120 and 039. 1600 KGX-ABD 16 July 2003

91129 & 43120 & 43039 Marston

Strange combination of a class 91 towing a HST set working a northbound passenger train, 16.00 London Kings Cross to Aberdeen. Get the feeling it didn't get to its destination. 16th July 2003

flic.kr

(fullsunian flickr) same train as above

91121 20100405 Sandy with 43319

Explore steam60163's 34581 photos on Flickr!

flic.kr

(steam60163 flickr)
91121 20100405 Sandy with 43319. 3 April 2011

91122 + hst dringhouses 03.06.2006

GNER`s 91122 ` Tam the Gun ` drags 43006 ` Kingdom of Fife ` + 43099 north through Dringhouses 03/06/2006 . train details unknown due to lack of notes .

flic.kr

(MR P flickr)
91122 + hst GNER's 91122 'Tam the Gun' drags 43006 'Kingdom of Fife' + 43099 north through Dringhouses 03/06/2006. train details unknown due to lack of notes


58:

..don't see that everyday...

1st September 1984 and remarkably 58002 found its way into Devon on a passenger service. This was the 1V87 1210 Liverpool - Penzance. The 58 was added at New Street and worked down to Plymouth. The Saltley men manning it then returned to it to Birmingham l/e. An acquired slide, needless to say...

flic.kr

(Paul Webber flickr)
1st September 1984 and remarkably 58002 found its way into Devon on a passenger service. This was the 1V87 1210 Liverpool - Penzance. The 58 was added at New Street and worked down to Plymouth. The Saltley men manning it then returned to it to Birmingham l/e.

56:

Class 56 to the rescue

56058 rescues a failed HST (power cars 43131/43149) at BNS on 1 September 1984. The November 1984 issue of "Railway Observer" records this event as follows: "On 1 September 1984 the 07.43 Bristol-Liverpool HST arrived with only one of the two power cars working. The train was terminated and...

flic.kr

(Lewis Bevan flickr)
56058 rescues a failed HST (power cars 43131/43139) at BNS on 1 September 1984. The November 1984 issue of "Railway Observer" records the event

45:

45016 drags failed HST at Exeter St Davids. 26 July 1983

45016 assisting a failed HST at Exeter St Davids. 26th July 1983

flic.kr

(LusitaniaD225 flickr)
5016 assisting a failed HST at Exeter St Davids. 26th July 1983

The other classes:

37, 47, 50 - several photos of these assisting HSTs
26s and Deltics have be mentioned or photos given.

​

​

 

[Cowley]

Inspired by a clip on YouTube showing a couple of RailAdventure HST power cars collecting a failed Deltic from Burton I wondered,did any Deltics drag a failed HST in service?
Likewise,other than the usual 37s,47s and 50s did any other classes like type 2 Sulzers,40s or even electrics go to the aid of an ailing HST?

I’ve just merged this with a thread I started a few years ago because there were some interesting ones mentioned back then (all the post previous to your one @Ashley Hill).

Obviously there’s going to be a bit of duplication but I think it’s worth having it all in one thread. Great subject!

 

[hexagon789]

Finally, I knew I'd seen this but Flickr's search bar can be a pain at times.

31 + 25 combo hauling an HST set, can that be topped?

31218+25278+HST Set Approaching Milford Tunnel. 29/04/1986

31218 and 25278 power towards the northern portal of Milford Tunnel with a dead HST set in tow on April 29th 1986. ( This is a re-scan and process )

flic.kr

(Brian Dean flickr)

31218 and 25278 power towards the northern portal of Milford Tunnel with a dead HST set in tow on April 29th 1986.

Great subject

It really is - sometimes for the route, sometimes for the traction, sometimes as a reminder of some of the less-known workings the HSTs operated and sometimes a combination of those.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Thanks @Cowley for merging the threads,it’s certainly curing my curiosity.

 

[randyrippley]

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?

Class 43 meant something different when the Westerns were in service...........it would be at least ten years before the class allocation was reused

 

[Mainline421]

This is probably the most unusual

 

[The exile]

Class 43 meant something different when the Westerns were in service...........it would be at least ten years before the class allocation was reused

The reuse presumably only being possible because the warships never received TOPS numbers (were they ever even officially allocated?) and the HST power cars weren’t actually Class 43. Weren’t they reclassified from MUs to locomotives much later (or is that purely an unofficial “basher/spotter” thing?)

 

[randyrippley]

The reuse presumably only being possible because the warships never received TOPS numbers (were they ever even officially allocated?) and the HST power cars weren’t actually Class 43. Weren’t they reclassified from MUs to locomotives much later (or is that purely an unofficial “basher/spotter” thing?)

The production HST power cars were given numbers in the 43xxx coaching stock series, which at the time were allowed to duplicate locomotive numbers. The rule over locomotive class numbers was that the class number could only be reused ten years after the last one had been scrapped, so reclassifying the 43xxx numbers later as locos was easy.
Where the theory falls down was with the prototype power cars initially being numbered as class 41 locos, as the D600 Warships were all scrapped in 1968 - only four years before. BR ignored their own rules
42 couldn't be reused as some still exist, even if restricted to preserved lines.

 

[The exile]

Where the theory falls down was with the prototype power cars initially being numbered as class 41 locos, as the D600 Warships were all scrapped in 1968 - only four years before. BR ignored their own rules
42 couldn't be reused as some still exist, even if restricted to preserved lines.

The ten year rule was IIRC to avoid potential confusion within TOPS. Although allocated Class 41, the D600s were gone so long before TOPS that they possibly never actually made it on to the system- leaving the number series entirely free.

 

[Richard Scott]

Remember seeing 50037 (I know nothing unusual about a 50 rescuing an HST but bear with me on this one) at Reading having hauled an HST from Reading, it was on time! Back power car was working and definitely powered out of Reading; the train was reputedly 2 minutes early at Paddington. Wonder what speeds were reached?