What's the rarest working you've ever had?

[DiscoStu]

For example, did you just happen to drop on a pair of 26's working the Sussex Scot south from Birmingham to Brighton one day? (Okay, that's a bit silly, but you get the point)

Still thinking about mine, but contenders would be ...

31271 and 31294 from New Street to Euston (Think it was a hugely delayed Glasgow - Euston (via BNS service)). We arrived in London at well past midnight. Not often you see a pair of diesels arrive at Euston on an express like that. Think that was in about 1990.

In about 1989/90 had a 73 (can't rememer which one) on some random excursion from Potters Bar to Folkestone Harbour throughout. Hardly anybody on it. I don't know how it made any money, or why it even ran in the end. I think it was aircon stock too if memory serves me right.

56048 from Crewe to Holyhead on a Euston - Holyhead service. 1990'ish again.

Outside of BR, it would have to be a DB 232 from Amsterdam on an Amsterdam - Berlin express.

Anybody else got any they wanna share?

 

[150222]

XC 170's to Manchester and Bristol respectively.

 

[Crossover]

I have a pic from a couple of years back of an XC 170 heading from Crewe onto the Manchester branch. Thought nothing of it at the time but realise now this is unusual.

Have also been on the summer Sunday only service from Okehampton. Not the most rare service, admittedly, but it's hardly regular!

 

[150222]

First North Western 156 at Euston.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I've posted this picture before and I still can't beat it... I got shoved by this 56 on a pair of EPBs from London Bridge and just had time to dash through the subway to grab this picture as the train pulled away from New Cross...

 

[tractor]

one that springs to mind was back in 1980s when was going on holiday to scotland for family holiday we dropped on 50007 on the bristol edinburgh/glasgow service.50007 was on its way to carlisle for the open day.
what a glourious night spent enjoying the 50 on the wcml!!

 

[DiscoStu]

I've posted this picture before and I still can't beat it... I got shoved by this 56 on a pair of EPBs from London Bridge and just had time to dash through the subway to grab this picture as the train pulled away from New Cross...

Fantastic
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

one that springs to mind was back in 1980s when was going on holiday to scotland for family holiday we dropped on 50007 on the bristol edinburgh/glasgow service.50007 was on its way to carlisle for the open day.
what a glourious night spent enjoying the 50 on the wcml!!

Wow - that's a good one. Puts mine to shame
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

First North Western 156 at Euston.

What was it working?

 

[tractor]

yea it was a excellent night,was in the days when there was a 23:49 and a 23:55 from birmingham to glasgow/edinburgh.hard to believe there was that many trains!!!!

 

[steamybrian]

1. In 1964... Bullied Pacific haulage Footex from Norwood Jn to Southampton via Selhurst, Herne Hill, Clapham Jn , East Putney, Wimbledon.
2. in about 1987 or 1988 in about one foot snow had a class 33 hauled 12 CEP on my commute from Tonbridge- Charing Cross. In BR days when the electrics failed then any available loco was used to drag the stock around.

 

[Oracle]

Leaf fall season, 1996, 33 pushing a 10-car 5-WES/442 train on the Portsmouth Direct to Havant from Haslemere.

 

[EM2]

A 47 and a rake of Mk1s from Strood to Chatham, all the juice was off because of flooding in Strood tunnel. This would be 1988/9.

 

[tractor]

sorry not exactly on the the thread,but again with a 50,on the "down midnight" it was booked a 50,on a saturday night it was a well loaded train,it was booked a pilot from newton abbot to plymouth,50013 was train loco on arr at newton abbot we bailed to find a 47 waiting to pilot us over the banks,the driver of 50013 said he didnt want the assistance,so of we went over the banks with 50013 was a very loud trip over the south devon banks.as i said not strictly on tpoic but just remembered it,was hellfire!!

 

[150222]

What was it working?

FNW manchester to euston subbing for a 322.

 

[12CSVT]

31417 + class 90 + DVT + mk3s + failed class 86 from Watford Junction to Euston via the D C lines on a heavily delayed Glasgow - Euston service in the early hours (around 02:30) one Sunday morning in 1991.

 

[33056]

31417 + class 90 + DVT + mk3s + failed class 86 from Watford Junction to Euston via the D C lines on a heavily delayed Glasgow - Euston service in the early hours (around 02:30) one Sunday morning in 1991.

Yep, I remember that one - wasn't actually on the train but was involved with the working.

Edit:
My biggest "fall on" was probably being on an XC behind 47818 when it expired at Pangbourne on 10th November 1997 and was rescued by 56056 - only as far as Didcot though

 

[caliwag]

Perhaps not so unusual but enjoyable nonetheless...

Pope's visit to York...Accompanied good lady from Hull to York: she to see El Papa, from afar I understand, me to observe special traffic movements at York station. Whistler hauled with 10 or 11 bogies.
York did an incredible job handling all the extra traffic (pre-remodelling of course)...180 extra trains +ECS movements, some stock stabling as far away as Darlington: to say nothing of queue handing, catering and train cleaning!

Excellent article in August '82 Modern Railways (possibly available from the excellent Vintage Carriage Trust Mag store at Ingrow on the KWVR).

The other Whistler trip was an Adex relief from Edinburgh to Newcastle, with same good Lady around the same time. We were the only ones in the carriage. From the off, we went like the proverbial bat, the mk 1 rocking and rolling. We barely slowed until around Cramlington where we had apparently caught up the preceding 125.
On reaching Newcastle, I casually commented to the hurrying guard..."spirited run mate!" "aye the driver wanted to get to the pub before closing..." it would be about twenty to three. "I was a bit worried about a hotbox, but the check outside sorted that" It was him that mentioned that we'd run faster than the 125 schedule.
Memorably brilliant...I think 'she' was a bit alarmed by the roller coaster ride though.

 

[Madge Wildfire]

I have not had any rare workings, as I was never really that bothered as long as I got there on time.

Unless you count 25007+25068+47015 triple heading our train between Inverness and Perth in 1978.

But I have been on a train that had to reverse. I was on a train to Preston from Euston in Aug 1977 with 87024 in front. It was supposed to stop at Crewe, Warrington and Wigan, but seemed to be travelling rather rapidly as we tried to see if anything interesting was in the yard by Bank Quay.

We sped through the station, then there was a full brake application and we stopped about a mile further north. After about 10 minutes there the train slowly reversed back into the station and everything carried on as normal after that.

I have never been on a train that has done that either before or since.

I have also had class 50 haulage for almost the shortest distance possible - under normal BR conditions - and that was about 20 feet. I boarded the train to Plymouth from Reading in 1976 and 50029 was on the front. We started away for that short distance then stopped for about 15 minutes. 47554 was summoned from the standby road, shunted Renown into a bay and we departed for Plymouth behind the 47.

 

[43106]

I used to live in Seascale (on the Cumbrian Coast Line), but was at secondary school at Egremont, about 8 miles north, from 1965 - 1967. It was presumably cheaper to use the train to move about 400-odd screaming brats rather than 8 or 9 double-decker buses. The route then was Seascale - Sellafield, then via a freight line past the village of Beckermet then past Thornhill and into Egremont. In the morning (in the days of steam), the train was usually an Ivatt 4MT (43006 and 43106 from Workington shed were regulars) going tender first, pulling 8 coaches. The last coach was reserved for workers for Sellafield. The return trip back was nearly always a Stanier 5MT (Black 5) from Workington shed, but probably because we finished early on a Friday, the 5MT was nearly always an odd-ball from a different (but unknown) shed. On only one occasion, they put on a MetVick (what you youngsters call a Class 28) for the return trip, but it broke down at Sellafield and had to be replaced with a steamer from Workington. However, on one memorable occasion, the train was missing. We turned up at Egremont station, and there was no train waiting for us. After a 30-odd minute wait, the train approached the station, BUT FROM THE SOUTH (it normally started from Workington, north of us). The school trainspotting fraternity went absolutely nuts when they saw the loco. It was a Britannia - 70022 if my memory serves me well.

Following on from what Madge Wildfire said about reversing trains, I had a job interview at British Aerospace at Warton, near Lytham, in Summer 1996. The train from Preston to Blackpool South started from (I think) Burnley and was a 153. I watched it arrive from the south, and got on it. However, I was forewarned that it would do daft things on departure, and sure enough, we went backwards! We finished up just short of the bridge over the Ribble, then we went forwards along a different line through Preston station, then picked up the Blackpool line as 'normal'. Another time was on the Cumbrian line circa 1967. Approaching Sellafield station, the driver had to surrender his single line token (from St. Bees) to the signal man at Sellafield box, which he did while the train was coasting into Sellafield station. He then sat down and pulled on his throttle, totally forgetting to stop at the station. Someone on the platform yelled an obscenity at the driver, who quickly realised his mistake, slammed the brakes on, then reversed back into the station.

 

[Yew]

Maybe not quite the right thread, But the London-Lincoln HST today was made up of
MML Liveried Power car
EMT Liveried Seating Cars
NXEC Buffet Car
EMT Liveried First Class
NXEC Liveried Power Car

Quite odd

 

[DiscoStu]

A couple of others that spring to mind ..

I remember having 37518 on a Carstairs - Edinburgh portion. It was allocated to Thornaby at the time.

Also a 37/7 dragging a dead DMU from Swansea to Shrewsbury.

 

[daz37406]

had 370xx draging a unit to whitehaven , dropped out the sky [scotland] straight on to it , early ninetys, also had 31108 push a failed unit pemberton to kirkby, then kirkby wigan, the 31 went through to man vic , that was late 80s

 

[Rugd1022]

D1013 Western Ranger and D1022 Western Sentinel on a four coach Penzance - Plymouth stopper in the Summer of '76. A pair of Thousands on anything was very rare by then, let alone a local.

 

[richw]

i keep finding fgw 153399 following me round.
For those who dont know this is an undamaged half 150, joined to a 153! plenty of photos online..google them as i have none of my own

 

[Moog_1984]

37 292 @2000bhp with alternator.....1984 , 1Zxx Blackpool stranrær addex.

 

[Madge Wildfire]

<snip> On only one occasion, they put on a MetVick (what you youngsters call a Class 28) for the return trip, but it broke down at Sellafield and had to be replaced with a steamer from Workington.

Now why does that come as no surprise at all?

 

[Lampshade]

I can trump you all...



...a 156 on the East Lancashire Line hock:

 

[Toad]

Pair of 73's Coventry to Birmingham in 1982.

Late running Portsmouth H - Manchester P, they returned on a Portsmouth H train about a hour after they had arrived at BNS.

73134/108 I think ??

That was a bit BIG at the time.

 

[156450]

Interesting one for me about 8 years ago out of Euston on the Glasgow/Edinburgh Sleeper. Owing to engineering work at Watford , the sleeper had a slight diversion via the ECML. Interesting routing from Euston - Willesden Brent Yard (rev) - Camden - ECML just north of Kings Cross - Peterborough - Edinburgh.

Had 66217 to haul the train out of Euston then 67005/023(i think) took the train on to Peterborough where 90028 continued the journey north.

 

[4SRKT]

In November 1991 I was on an RPSI test train with NCC 2-6-4T no 4 working from Belfast York Road to Central. Pre Cross-Harbour Link this was routed via Antrim, Crumlin and Lisburn. No 4 failed on the approach to Lisburn and stood for about an hour. Conditions on board were utterly freezing, but eventually EE/Hunslet Bo-Bo no 101 'Eagle' appeared to haul us into Lisburn. This loco had last hauled a passenger train on 9the March that same year (see below), and never did so again. It may only have been 3/4 mile but it was a noteworthy event.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/album.php?albumid=188&pictureid=982

 

[33056]

Owing to engineering work at Watford , the sleeper had a slight diversion via the ECML. Interesting routing from Euston - Willesden Brent Yard (rev) - Camden - ECML just north of Kings Cross - Peterborough - Edinburgh.

[Pedant mode on] Wembley Yard - Camden Jn - Camden Road - Copenhagen Jn [/Pedant mode off] . The sleepers never go (or have gone) into Brent Yard (which is closed and has been for some time), they have occasionally reversed on the Willesden Relief Lines or Kilburn Loop but the booked place is Wembley Yard Reception & Departure Line 1.