The Wellingborough Effect, 1M60 remembered
thanks to Dave Spencer
The traffic on the NE/SW and NW/SW routes generally was booked for type four traction of some form or other. Rather than improve matters, the layout at Gloucester where up trains that called had to reverse called for some run around and some changes of locomotive.
Where a change was called for, it was often for a locomotive off an inward passenger working and so compatibility between locomotive diagrams were needed concerning train braking and train heat.
This worked well generally the Peaks were dual braked and in 1977 to 1979/80 most trains were steam heat or dual stock, thus compatibility was not a problem. If a problem did arise on a train to Manchester or Liverpool: Gloucester could “throw out” a no heat locomotive with the knowledge that the train would have heat from Birmingham.
At times the depot at Horton Road resembled “Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard”. Not handy if swapping a locomotive for a North East bound service. This was the reason why D1013 worked from Swansea to Leeds. This was a service where Cardiff, Gloucester and Birmingham all passed for providing replacement traction. A deal was done with the Gloucester driver to take 1E54 to Leeds and come back with 1V94 instead of 1V97 two hours later.
Most train watchers of a certain vintage will have heard of 1M60.
This was a train that ran seven days per week but boasted three different departure stations Sundays, it was a Swansea to Manchester service and quite good for a Peak. Summer Saturdays it ran as a Paignton to Manchester working, it missed Gloucester but ran via Worcester to put it back into the weekday times into Birmingham.
Weekdays and other Saturdays it ran as the 15:05, 15:07 or 15:15 Plymouth to Manchester. The stock was the back working off the 08:15 Birmingham to Plymouth 1V62. 1M60 posed a problem in operating terms Mondays to Fridays in that it didn’t have a passenger inbound working to provide a locomotive for it.
A solution was found by using a locomotive off a Bescot to Severn Tunnel freight, this 7V82 leaving Bescot at 13:08, this must change locomotives at Gloucester. There was also an 11:10 Bescot to Gloucester 7V61 freight.
Where does Wellingborough fit in you may ask?
The answer is that Wednesdays only there was a light locomotive departing there at 06:50 to Bescot specifically to work the 13:08 to Severn Tunnel Junction.
What about the rest of the weekdays?
I can’t find anything specific but have taken my information from the Mandatory Working Time table. There was a weekday early Tinsley-Bescot service but the locomotive could return on a Bescot to Toton freight. There may have been a WSX service in the conditional time-table. This would account for the odd “kick out” when the conditional service didn’t run.
With the locomotive being provided from Bescot,. I have every confidence that if they had a type four it would be used. However other calls on the locomotive could be made. If that was the case Bescot produced what they had, this would explain the class 25’s that worked.
Class 20’s could of course be provided by Wellingborough and off Tinsley/Toton to Bescot freights. My table is not the sum total it reflects what I had for haulage. The train would usually be right time off Gloucester and Cheltenham. What then happened with the “novelty traction” would be time losing in various proportions.
Class 20’s with 75 mph maximum would lose ten minutes to Birmingham but would not need the Lickey bankers. The first few times 20’s worked they were banked on load ten, 350 tons tare. 25’s and 31’s were mandatory for the bankers I never had a single 37 to Birmingham on this service so can’t comment on a banking requirement.
1M60 was booked at Kings Norton at 1928 and due in Birmingham at 1940.
The “Wacky Racers” from Redditch and Longbridge had fortunately been reduced by that time in the Evening. Any more than ten late could see it follow the 1931 from Longbridge. Saltley panel would try to path an express in front where possible.
20050 (The original D8000) On 1M60 4th June 1980 Rear loco was 20048. (Both were not required for haulage) and I got the hell out of Gloucester on 1E73 see below,
45105 1E73 at Gloucester 4th June 1980 (Goodly Totter behind 1M60)
1E73 1745 Cardiff-Sheffield. This train suffered when novelty power was on 1M60 This was timed 19:35 at Kings Norton If passing the 19:31 ex Longbridge before Kings Norton it would usually get in on time and I’d make the 19:58 bus if not doing the “Tamworth move”.
If 1M60 was late and in front of the local 1E73 would usually be checked usually from about Selly Oak and the bus move was a bit “dubious”. Checking the 1981 working timetable 1E73 was shown as 19:55 departure for public 20:00 in the working.
Normal running times from Cheltenham to Kings Norton was 31 to 33 minutes,
0m 0ch | Cheltenham | 0 |
Alstone | 1m 25s | |
2m 35ch | Swindon Village | 3m 39s |
Cleeve | 4m 53s | |
7m 11ch | Ashchurch | 7m 12s |
Bredon | 8m 40s | |
12m 07ch | Eckington | 10m 32s |
Defford | 11m 15s | |
16m 07ch | Purton | 13m 14s |
17m 78ch | Abbotswood | 14m 37s |
20m 16ch | Spetchley | 16m 20s |
23m 78ch | Oddingley | 18m 46s |
24m 35ch | Dunhampstead | 19m 10s |
29m 35ch | Stoke Works | 22m 24s |
31m 28ch | Bromsgrove | 23m 58s |
Blackwell | 26m 20s | |
34m 71ch | Barnt Green | 28m 07s |
Longbridge | 30m 30s | |
Northfield | 31m 17s | |
Kings Norton | 32m 40s | |
Checked | ||
45m 44ch | BNS | 46m 09s |
45075 350 tons 23rd July 1978 |
With load 10 the above run is very typical with a Sulzer type four, Good flying speeds 60 mph start to pass Cheltenham to Ashchurch though 12 seconds over par. I used to reckon 7 minutes was par 1M74 with load 6 used to do 6m 45 with great regularity. Abbotswood Juncton to Stoke Works shows a flying average of 88mph
Both sets of junctions having to be passed at 80 mph. effectively speeds around 90 mph plus for many miles being attained.
The Lickey Incline (I referred this as the “Crompton Cakewalk”) was usually barnstormed with a 45 and load ten. I treated the incline as 2 miles 7 chains Measured from the bridge at Bromsgrove to Blackwell being Milepost 53.25 This was a straight inclined plane at 1 in 37.
BARNSTORMING THE LICKEY | ||||
Time | Speed | |||
55m 07ch | BROMSGROVE | 0 | 85 | |
55m 00ch | Post 55 | 0m 10s | 80 | |
54m 60ch | Post 54.75 | 0m 25s | 60 | |
54m 40ch | Post 54.5 | 0m 40s | 60 | |
54m 20ch | Post 54.25 | 0m 58s | 50 | |
54m 00ch | Post 54 | 1m 16s | 50 | |
53m 60ch | Post 53.75 | 1m 39s | 39 | |
53m 40ch | Post 53.50 | 2m 05s | 37 | |
53m 20ch | BLACKWELL | 2m 33s | 32 | |
53m 00ch | Post 53 | 2m 55s | 40 | |
45049 1M60 10 for 350 ton | ||||
Even after arriving at Birmingham 1M60 still had the capacity for delay. Whilst the electric locomotive was attaching at the “B” end, another shunter was uncoupling the front BSK and RMB (Brake second compartment and Buffet car) the diesels taking the two coaches to Oxley via the Grand Junction route. They then coupled to another eight coaches to form next day’s 08:15 Birmingham to Plymouth. In summer it was possible to photograph the empty stock at Wolverhampton after coming up on 1M60. The ECS was off Birmingham at 19:47.
After depositing the stock at Oxley it was a case of Light engine to Saltley,
DAS Runs with 1M60 (Includes off line runs) | ||||
06-May-78 | 46020 | Gloucester | BNS | |
30-May-78 | 45063 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
31-May-78 | 47320 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
08-Jun-78 | 45077 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
12-Jun-78 | 45046 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
04-Jul-78 | 45072 | Gloucester | BNS | |
18-Jul-78 | 45005 | Gloucester | BNS | |
26-Jul-78 | 45037 | Gloucester | BNS | |
01-Aug-78 | 45068 | Gloucester | BNS | |
03-Aug-78 | 45056 | Gloucester | BNS | |
06-Aug-78 | 45032 | Gloucester | BNS | |
08-Aug-78 | 45052 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
06-Sep-78 | 46015 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
09-Dec-78 | 50047 | Exeter Central | Bristol TM | |
09-Dec-78 | 50035 | Bristol TM | Gloucester | |
09-Dec-78 | 46006 | Gloucester | BNS | |
30-Jan-79 | 31418 | Gloucester | BNS | |
30-Jan-79 | 37076 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the Ped |
30-Jan-79 | 37188 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the Ped |
29-Mar-79 | 25177 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
29-Mar-79 | 37286 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the 25 |
29-Mar-79 | 37293 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the 25 |
21-Apr-79 | 45032 | Gloucester | BNS | |
30-Apr-79 | 45072 | Gloucester | BNS | |
01-May-79 | 46042 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
02-May-79 | 45007 | Gloucester | BNS | |
08-May-79 | 45049 | Gloucester | BNS | |
17-May-79 | 25294 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
18-May-79 | 45003 | Gloucester | BNS | |
05-Jun-79 | 45027 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
07-Jun-79 | 45005 | Gloucester | BNS | |
11-Jun-79 | 45016 | Gloucester | BNS | |
12-Jun-79 | 31301 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
12-Jun-79 | 37214 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the Ped |
12-Jun-79 | 37240 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the Ped |
20-Jun-79 | 46052 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
26-Jun-79 | 20141 | Gloucester | BNS | |
26-Jun-79 | 20173 | Gloucester | BNS | |
27-Jun-79 | 46043 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
30-Jun-79 | 45047 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
02-Jul-79 | 45050 | Gloucester | BNS | |
02-Jul-79 | 37292 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the 45 |
02-Jul-79 | 37290 | Bromsgrove | Blackwell | Banking the 45 |
03-Jul-79 | 20197 | Gloucester | MP85.75 | Choppers failed |
03-Jul-79 | 20044 | Gloucester | MP85.75 | Choppers failed |
03-Jul-79 | 45070 | MP85.75 | BNS | |
04-Jul-79 | 47315 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
05-Jul-79 | 45070 | Gloucester | BNS | |
06-Jul-79 | 20112 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
06-Jul-79 | 20046 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
09-Jul-79 | 45072 | Gloucester | BNS | |
11-Jul-79 | 45050 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
17-Jul-79 | 20095 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
17-Jul-79 | 20031 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
18-Jul-79 | 37271 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
19-Jul-79 | 45074 | Gloucester | BNS | |
21-Jul-79 | 45026 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
23-Jul-79 | 45075 | Gloucester | BNS | |
31-Jul-79 | 45049 | Gloucester | BNS | |
03-Aug-79 | 31278 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
10-Aug-79 | 46013 | Gloucester | BNS | |
17-Aug-79 | 45020 | Gloucester | BNS | |
21-Sep-79 | 45074 | Gloucester | BNS | |
29-Sep-79 | 45003 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
09-Oct-79 | 45044 | Gloucester | BNS | |
12-Oct-79 | 45074 | Gloucester | BNS | |
19-Oct-79 | 25100 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
12-Nov-79 | 46034 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
03-Jan-80 | 46045 | Gloucester | BNS | |
07-Jan-80 | 46015 | Gloucester | BNS | |
14-Feb-80 | 20040 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
14-Feb-80 | 20041 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
15-Feb-80 | 45066 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
27-Feb-80 | 45001 | Gloucester | BNS | |
11-Mar-80 | 45029 | Gloucester | BNS | |
22-Mar-80 | 45034 | Bristol TM | BNS | |
05-May-80 | 46013 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
13-May-80 | 45029 | Gloucester | BNS | |
19-May-80 | 45051 | Gloucester | BNS | |
20-May-80 | 45020 | Gloucester | BNS | |
23-May-80 | 46008 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
10-Jun-80 | 45073 | Gloucester | BNS | |
19-Jun-80 | 45049 | Gloucester | BNS | |
20-Jun-80 | 47324 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
01-Jul-80 | 46048 | Gloucester | BNS | |
02-Jul-80 | 45040 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
08-Jul-80 | 45075 | Gloucester | BNS | |
17-Jul-80 | 47104 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
21-Jul-80 | 46048 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
24-Jul-80 | 46027 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
28-Jul-80 | 45060 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
07-Aug-80 | 45037 | Gloucester | BNS | |
13-Aug-80 | 45024 | Gloucester | BNS | |
18-Aug-80 | 47242 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
20-Aug-80 | 45060 | Gloucester | BNS | |
30-Aug-80 | 45007 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
04-Sep-80 | 45009 | Gloucester | BNS | |
16-Sep-80 | 45072 | Gloucester | BNS | |
22-Sep-80 | 45068 | Gloucester | BNS | |
30-Sep-80 | 45016 | Gloucester | BNS | |
02-Oct-80 | 46029 | Gloucester | BNS | |
24-Nov-80 | 45011 | Gloucester | BNS | |
08-May-81 | 47466 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
15-May-81 | 45052 | Gloucester | BNS | |
24-Jul-81 | 45033 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
27-Jul-81 | 45043 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
01-Aug-81 | 45055 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
10-Aug-81 | 45074 | Gloucester | Cheltenham | |
15-Aug-81 | 45101 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
20-Aug-81 | 45012 | Gloucester | BNS | |
15-Sep-81 | 45065 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
28-Sep-81 | 45060 | Cheltenham | BNS | |
03-Oct-81 | 45114 | Cheltenham | BNS |
A couple of points need to be made. 45050 did the freight but Bescot sent it out with two traction motors isolated. It was a bit of a stagger from Cheltenham and no surprise that banking assistance was requested. I thought that the Crompton would be out for a few days.
Less than 24 hours later it was back out storming on 1V92. Saltley had wielded the battering hammer. The failure of the 20’s was down to a traction motor problem just after leaving Cheltenham and there was quite a lot of smoke and 45070 was whistled up as replacement.
Valentines Day 1980 saw a chilly run with two ex Bescot locomotives (1960’s era)
I often asked why no common sense prevailed and when small low power locomotives were diagrammed for 1M60, could they not have been swapped for 1M74?
That was load six. The booked loco for 1M74 arrived in Gloucester on 1V94 twenty five minutes before 1M60 arrived. It made sense to me but not the operating department. I believe both locomotives ended up at Saltley. If working 1M60, 1M74’s loco still had time to get back.
Also if Saltley didn’t want the novelty traction Bescot could send a type four to Duddeston and then work them back.
thanks again to Dave Spencer for the memories and phots….
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