DAY 1 :- NEWARK NORTH GATE-PETERBOROUGH ; PETERBOROUGH-MARCH
MARCH-ELY : ELY-CAMBRIDGE ; CAMBRIDGE-WHITTLESFORD ;
WHITTLESFORD-CAMBRIDGE ; CAMBRIDGE-ELY ; ELY-LIVERPOOL
STREET; PADDINGTON-READING GENERAL and return ; KING’S
CROSS-NEWARK NORTHGATE
This All-Line “kicked-off ” from Newark following a fortnight’s travel courtesy of East Midlands and East Anglian Rangers!! The start on July 23rd was interesting enough – as usual for all the wrong reasons!!! 1A08 being terminated at Peterborough due to a line blockage between there and Huntingdon – cause dead cattle!!!! This was a pity because 55007 (FP) seemed in the mood for a good run. The somewhat tight 12 minute booking between North Gate and Grantham being exceeded by a matter of 36 seconds only thanks to a sustained 94-97 from Hougham to Peascliffe Tunnel. the run down Stoke, booked 25.5 minutes, including 4 minutes recovery. to Stoke Summit (!!) was all but sufficient to cope with PWS 30 between Essendine and Tallington – our time 25 minutes 37 seconds!!.
There followed a quick rethink – instead of continuing to KX, the alternative was another day based around East Anglia. To start with, as usual 1E62. 0805 New Street-Norwich to March behind required 31161 (MR). One more of those runs on which time was dropped through no fault of loco or crew – signals to 5 through Peterborough (East) plus signal stops before and after Three Horseshoes, for 19 seconds and 11 seconds respectively. According to my notes, this delay caused by the diversion, via Cambridge of the 0735 HST Newcastle -KX due to line blockage South of Peterborough. Thus our time to March was extended to 22 minutes 34 seconds.
Next the DMU for the day – from March to Ely on 2P77 1020 Peterborough-Cambridge, from on a 2-car set – Class 141/105 Then back to locomotive haulage – 37039 (MR) in charge of 1L27 1130 King’s Lynn-Liverpool Street a 9 vehicle rake 295 toms tare. The 18 minute schedule on to Cambridge was improved upon to 16 minutes 52 seconds recouping the 1 minute of a late start from Ely.
One of the more unlikely stations with which one became familiar when “bashing” East Anglia was Whittlesford. During the hours of the working day, it seemed as though this village was almost uninhabited – the full car park at the station being the give-away!! This morning’s motive power from Cambridge was 37036 (MR) on 2L65 1239 SX Cambridge-Liverpool Street loading 7/238. That made it 2 required Class 37s!! Returning to Cambridge with 37011 (MR) at the head of 7/236 forming 2L82 1205 SX ex-Liverpool Street There was again nothing noteworthy in performance especially with an intermediate stop at Shelford.
Back to Ely again!! This time with 37109 (MR) at the head of 1L18, 1236 Liverpool Street-King’s Lynn,load 8/262 – time off Cambridge but suffering a PWS 20 at West River hence an overall time of 18 minutes 12 seconds (booked 16.5). Time for a relatively lengthy run – to Liverpool Street behind 37022 (another required 37!!) on 1L31 1330 ex-King’s Lynn on a load of 9/294.5 stopping at Cambridge only. Time off Ely, booked 18 minutes to Cambridge with 1 minter recovery – actual 17 minutes 29 seconds. The 63 minute booking to Liverpool Street including 4 minutes recovery time was exceeded by some 7 minutes 31 seconds!! We were doing reasonably well as far as Northumberland Park, despite a PWS 20 at Great Chesterford and another one after Roydon….then…the usual catalogue of signal checks/stops in!!
Time to take to the Circle Line bound for Paddington. Thence for the customary trot to Reading.
So…to 1A12 1630 Paddington-Oxford load 7/239 behind 47500 GREAT WESTERN. (OC). Booked 29/5 minutes with 0.5 minutes margining time, despite a PWS 20 at Iver we were through Twyford in 27 minutes 43 seconds (schedule 25) but a signal stop of 3 minutes and 34 seconds precluded any thoughts of recovery and our overall time of 39 minutes 49 seconds was desperately disappointing!! I returned 0n 1V58 1638 New Street-Paddington – motive power again a diasppontment – 47441 (CD) – a lightweight load of 7/229 tons tare….10.25 minutes late off Reading…. but…….booked 33, actual 29 minutes dead with speed in the 90s from just through Twyford to Acton.
Feeling, by this time just a tad fed up, I decided to return to Newark to recuperate for the night. This proved to be wise move as 1S66 2020 KX-Waverley produced 40165 (HA) – not in my experience one of Haymarket’s best – working home on load 10/336 tare. Time off KX – 3.5 minutes adrift by North Gate. Details :-
Potters Bar booked 15 actual 16 07
Hatfield 20.5 22. 05
Stevenage 26 29. 00
Not exactly an inspiring first leg! – Potter’s Bar at between 56 and 58.5 ;
brisk max of 86 just past Hatfield but no more than 75 north of Welwyn
Garden City.
Hitchin 05 05. 20
Sandy 13.5 14 15
Huntingdon 25 27. 10
Sustained burst into the 80s from Hitchin to Offord (in 17 minutes 39 seconds)
spoiled by a signal check to 33.5 on approach.
Peterborough 16.5 18. 36
Pretty unhappy – max speed appeared to be 86 mph!!
Tallington 09 09. 05
Stoke Summit 21 22. 36
Grantham 26 27. 59
Not too bad – 75 by Tallington over Stoke at 62 – just underpowered!!
Newark 13 14. 37
See comments on Peterborough-Grantham – 1750 hp (at rail level
just not enough to keep time.
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
31161 (MR) ; 37039 (MR) ; 37036 (MR) ; 37022 (MR) ; 47500 GREAT WESTERN (OC)
DAY 2 : NEWARK NORTHGATE-KING’S CROSS ; PADDINGTON-READING
GENERAL and return ; PADDINGTON-READING GENERAL and return ;
LIVERPOOL STREET-BISHOP’s STORTFORD and return ; KING’S
CROSS-PETERBOROUGH ; PETERBOROUGH-NEWARK NORTHGATE
This time 1A08 went through to King’s Cross!! 55016 (YK) loading 8/272 tare managed to drop time to Grantham – 13 mins 07 seconds (12 mins booked) despite 100 maximum from Barkston North Junc up to Peascliffe Tunnel!! With 4 minutes recovery time before Stoke Summit and a 4 minutes late star from Grantham…..but despite 102.5 by Corby Glen a P.W.S. *30 before Tallington scuppered any hopes – indeed we dropped time (albeit not a lot!!) taking 26 mins 07 secs to Peterborough (booked 25.5). South of Peterborough we were on the down slow to Yaxley and, therefore, stood no chance of keeping the schedule of 14.5 to Huntingdon – taking 17 mins 47 secs.
More time of the Down Slow from Huntingdon to Sandy culminating in one of those infuriating signal stops – all 8 seconds of it!! -made one thankful for the amazing schedule of 28 minutes to Hitchin with a mere 2 minutes recovery! Signals at Welwyn North preceded another visit to the Down Slow through Welwyn Garden City. By Potter’s Bar we had dropped 4 minutes on the 40 minute booking ; despite 2 minutes more recovery we regained only 0.5 minutes to Wood Green and ended up in KX 6.5 minutes late in 55 minutes 27 seconds from Huntingdon (booked 52 minutes!)
Over to Paddington for some required haulage – this was the idea as always but it seldom worked so well. First up to Reading on 1B68 1130 Paddington-Penzance loading 11/368.5 behind 47479 (LA) – one up!! a 13 late departure caused me to wonder if the 47 had been first choice for motive power. The lateness had increased to 16.5 minutes by Reading!! Our time of 33 minutes 36 seconds explicable by a P.W.S. *20 at Iver and a maximum not exceeding 90 mph. Much more entertaining was the performance of 50033 (OC) – two up!! – in charge of 1A29 1045 Weston-super-Mare-Paddington. Yes, this should have been a HST working but one would hardly have known!! Loading 8/270.5, an outstanding thrash saw us keep the 28 minute booking (alright, including 5 minutes recovery time!!) within 21 seconds, despite a signal check to *10 at Royal Oak, the highlight being Maidenhead-Ealing Broadway 18.55 miles in 11 minutes 20 seconds with a maximum of 102.5 passing Southall!! admittedly arrival in Paddington was 15 late but….
Now, back to Reading courtesy of 1B84 1330 Paddington-Penzance with 50018 (LA) – three up!!- Load a mere 9/296 and a promising start. Then……..PWS *20 at Iver ; signals *15 at Slough ; 2 signal checks between Maidenhead and Twyford and two more from thence to Reading. It was no wonder that we took 41 minutes 26 seconds on a 30 minute booking!! Was it to much to hope for that the motive power back to Paddington would be required?? No – I was doing reet well today!! 50036 (OC) hove into view of 1A59 0915 Penzance-Paddington, load 10/342 – thank you, very much!! 10.5 late off Reading ; 6 late in. Time 29 minutes 01 second – nothing whatsoever to complain about!! Round the Circle line again to Liverpool Street, there to be greeted by yet another “required” – 37087 (MR) at the head of 2L88 1600 SX Liverpool Street-Cambridge loading 7/240.5. 3 late leaving ; 1.25 late arriving at Bishop’s Stortford where I alighted. Back up behind 37039 (MR) on 2L69 1611 SX Cambridge-Liverpool Street load 7/234. 1.25 late off ; 20 late into Liverpool Street just about says it all!! 5 signal checks + 4 signal stops in from Northumberland Park
Nothing in the way of surprises out of KX this night!! 1A60 2000 to Aberdeen produced 47401 at the head of 12 vehicles, 424.5 tare. A very useful performance followed- the 70.5 schedule to Peterborough being cut to 64 minutes dead!! On noteworthy aspect – only 1 check in 76.36 miles – signals to *45 through Welwyn North. !s66 2015 SX KX-Waverley could produce nothing better – 47409. load 10/341. 25 minutes 26 seconds to Grantham , booked 26 ; 14 minutes 02 seconds on the Northgate booked 13.
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
47479 (LA) ; 50033 Glorious (OC) ; 50018 Resolution (LA) ; 50036 Victorious (OC) ;
37087 (MR)
DAY 3 :- NEWARK NORTHGATE-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH
WAVERLEY-WEST CALDER
Well at least they could find a Class 55 for 1S12 0550 KX-Aberdeen this morning!! this was perhaps even more surprising, since the given reason for the 31 minutes late departure from Northgate was “locomotive shortage at King’s Cross”!! With the standard load 9/300.5 there was clearly some scope for retaining time!
Northgate-Retford was reeled off in 14 minutes 47 seconds with 100 mph being maintained most of the way from Egmanton to Gamston. Such energy was responsible for a gain on schedule of…..43 seconds!! To Doncaster on a schedule of 19.5 minutes (including 4 minutes recovery there seemed to be more scope. But….a PWS *30 at Bawtry and the nigh obligatory signal stop at Bridge Junction soon put paid to stupid ideas like that!! More time was dropped between Doncaster and Selby – 17 minutes 20 seconds ; booking 15 minutes, whilst the 4 minutes recovery between Selby and York was partly wasted by a brief signal stop (4 seconds!!) on the run-in. It was not a good sign that the 0925 York-Waverley left to time behind 40075, 5 minutes ahead of 1S12. Mind you the 40 must have been doing some pretty spectacular things, since 55007 was through Croft Spa in 30 minutes 19 seconds despite a P.w.W. *60 before Danby Wiske. 55007 and her crew took things gently to Durham – 19 minutes 57 seconds as against the booking of 19.5. With 5 minutes recovery on to Newcastle, we had gained precisely 5 minutes 18 seconds to King Edward VII Bridge Junction, but then came signals to *4 on the Bridge itself!! Our time to Newcastle -15 minutes 52 seconds meant a 33 minute late arrival. Newcastle completed station work on time and we set off still 33 adrift. First snag was a P.W.S *20/40 at Killingworth
Morpeth booked 15.5 minutes. actual 19 03
then came signals to *66 before Chevington
Alnmouth 29 32. 54
then P.W.S *70 at Little Mill ; followed by P.W.S. *60 just about where Lucker troughs used to be!!
Belford 40 44 28
Then three assorted signal checks from Goswick into Berwick. (presumably 40075 was beginning to struggle a tad!!
Berwick 51.5 57. 43
Any Class 55 would have had difficulty in spinning out 30.5 minutes from Berwick to Dunbar!! (including no less than 7 minutes recovery. 55007 took 25 minutes 10 seconds with 2 signal checks – to 61 before Ayton and to 60 approaching Grantshouse.
40075 ahead must have got her second wind because 1S12 achieved a time of 26 minutes 04 seconds from Dunbar to Waverley inclusive of a P.W.S. *20 at Prestonpans. So…arrival into Waverley was 31 minutes late….precisely the same lateness as was departure from Northgate.
It might just be an entertainment in itself to work out 1S12s net times!!!
Then back to West calder for the rest of Friday per 2Y24 1252 Waverley-Glasgow Central from of a 3-car Class 107/161 unit.
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
NIL
DAY 4 :- WEST CALDER-HAYMARKET ; HAYMARKET-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY
EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-PRESTON ; PRESTON-WARRINGTON BANK
QUAY ; WARRINGTON BANK QUAY-MANCHESTER VICTORIA and
return ; WARRINGTON BANK QUAY-MANCHESTER VICTORIA ;
MANCHESTER VICTORIA-PRESTON ; PRESTON-EDINBURGH
WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-NEWCASTLE
Just for a change, seeing that 2Y05 0650 Glasgow Central-Waverley was nearly to time with its Class 107/161 and seeing that I was not due off Waverley till 1M94 at 0915, I decided to bale at Haymarket and see if there was anything worthwhile to take me into Waverley!! This turned out not to be a bad move since 1G23 0705 Pert-Waverley produced in place of the booked Class 40, 26026 (IS) on load 7/229!!
I was NOT wildly pleased to find, at the head of 1M94 0915 SO Waverley-Blackpool North load 9/309, 47289 (TE), not required, either!!
1.5 minutes late we set off taking 4 minutes 02 seconds to Haymarket due to signal stop for 27 seconds in Princes Street gardens. With 44.5 minutes booked to Carstairs (4 minutes recovery in this!!), we could afford a signal check to *16 before Kingsknowe!! We accelerated up to ravel rig to pass the Junction at 57.5 mph. Then came a signal check to *22 at Midcalder Junction. Accelerating again to 55 at Cobbinshaw we hit a brief 73.5 at Auhengrey before cooling our heels for 6 minutes 34 seconds outside Carstairs. Final time 41 minutes 53 seconds. At Cartsairs 85024(CE) was awaiting us, for fairly gentle trot to Carlisle :-
Abington booked 12.5 actual 13. 03
Beattock Summit 18.5 18. 34
P.W.S *40 just north of Beattock station
Beattock 25.5 25. 48
Lockerbie 34.5 35. 54
4 minutes recovery time
Quintinshill 49 46. 10
Gretna Junction 50 47. 18
an amazing, for a summer Saturday, clear road into Carlile!!
Carlisle 57.5 55. 14
Now, I have no doubt that we have all looked with some disbelief at a timetable, be it Working or Public, and asked ourselves…what were the timetabling section thinking of??? Of course we know that it is rarely as simple at that….problems of thing abound, particularly at busy junctions on Summer Saturdays!! So, perhaps the non-stop schedule of 1M94 of 65 minutes from Carlisle to Lancaster was justified. We set off from Carlisle 1 minute late and 6 signal checks and 2 signal stops later arrived in Lancaster in the astonishing time of 70 minutes and 5 seconds!!! Virtally all the lost time was made up by smart station work and a time of 20 minutes 25 seconds to Preston including a signal stop of 66 seconds outside was sufficient for an arrival 30 seconds to the good!!
Next to be sampled was 1K34 1250 Preston-Crewe as far as Warrington, 5 coaches 183 tare behind 81014 (GW). A good enough performance from “a Fish”, as I believe they were known in the south!!
Preston-Wigan North Western booked 12 actual 15. 50
P.W.S. *20 beyond Leyland ; max 95 at Standish Junction
Wigan North Western-Warrington. booked 12 actual 10. 45
max 91.5 at Bamfurlong Junction
Unusual track for me to be seeking Class 40s!! Warrington-ManVic!! 1J30 1130 SO Bangor-Manchester Victoria produced 40081 (HM) and on load 7/238 a decent run
Warrington-Earlestown booked 8 actual 6. 47
Earlestown-Newton-le-Willows 2.5 2. 34
Newton-le-Willows-Patricroft 12 10. 38
max 78.5 at Astley
Patricroft-Eccles 3 2. 29
Eccles-ManVic 11 10. 28
signal stop 1. 50 approaching Salford
0.25 minutes early arrival – can’t ask for much more!!
Back to Warrington, non-stop this time, on 1D40 1440 Manchester Victoria-Llandudno behind 25097 (LO) on a substantial 9/305.5 tare. Another most worthwhile performance ;-
Patricroft. 8 minutes. 12 seconds
Astley 11 58 64
Chat Moss 13 42 67.5
Parkside Junc 18 11 44
Warrington 29 31
signals *17 after Winwick junction
booked 33 minutes – need more be said!!
Another HM 40 to take me back to Manchester – 40035 (LO) on 8/274 forming 1E82
1342 SO Llandudno-York/Sheffield. 14 late off Warrington we were all set to regain time, having hit 77 at Astley, before we were stopped outside Victoria for 2 minutes 49 seconds!! Our final time was 31 minutes 31 seconds – schedule 31 minutes.
It was 40 haulage again back to Preston – 40081 (again!!) working the Manchester portion of 1S73 1615 Glasgow Central – load 6/196.5. 4 minutes late off led to yet another eminently satisfactory run
Bolton booked 14 actual 12. 58
max 66 at Kearsley Junction
Preston 28 23. 39
signal stop 48 seconds before Euxton Junc
max 81.5 after Farrington!!
0.75 minutes early arrival into Preston.
Then things went slightly awry!! The combined 1S73 Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Victoria-Glasgow Central was taken forward from Preston by 86326 (WN,) loading 10 vehicles, 326 tare). Non-stop to Carlisle booked 71 minutes – actual 72. 17 – two signal checks before Lancaster and before Carnforth not helping!! Non-stop Carstairs booked 54.5 – actual 58. 40 – explicable by P.W.S. *20 at Floriston and Castlemilk and a signal stop of 25 seconds before Beattock station. Haymarket had clearly got its hands on some “foreign” 47s again, since 1G12 the Edinburgh portion was worked in by 47011 (FP) – load 4/129.5 – and turned a 6 minute deficit leaving Carstairs into a 4.5 minute early arrival into Waverley. Mind you, with 6 minutes recovery + 3 minutes margining time….!! Credit where its due, however – 28 minutes 28 seconds Carstairs-Haymarket was not to be sniffed at – 67.5 minimum up to Cobbishaw and max of 75 before Kingsknowe!! Haymarket let us away 5 minutes before booked time and 3 minutes 21 seconds into Waverley was about as good as one could hope for!!
After this……plans were fluid as to departure time ex-Edinburgh but I always wanted to sample as many diversion on one run on a Saturday night/Sunday morning!!! So, when 40006 backed down on to 1E35 with diversions planned to take in Gascoigne Wood, Knottingley, Lincoln Central, Spalding Town and not forgetting the Hertford Loop, the decision was easy. I only managed a detailed log as far as Newcastle – the load on this section was a featherweight , even for a Class 40 (!!) of 7/230 tare.
Portobello booked 5.5 minutes. actual 4. 15
Moktonhall Junc. 8 7. 25
then…. signal stop 56 seconds ; P.W.S. *20 ; signal stop 9. 09 ;
Signal Stop 1. 16
all in the area of St. Germains level crossing
Drem 18 43. 04
Dunbar 27 52. 35
26 minutes late off Dunbar!!
Grantshouse 15.5 13. 02
Reston Junction 20.5 17. 04
4 minutes recovery + 1.5 minutes margining time (WHY???)
Berwick 34.5 26. 35
17.5 late off Berwick
Belford 13.5 13. 23
Alnmouth 27.5 26. 49
Not bad for a 40 – 32.15 miles!!
Morpeth 17.5 17. 09
14.5 late off Morpeth
4 minutes recovery but P.W.S. *20/*40 Cramlington
Newcastle 21.5 21. 33
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
81014 (GW) ; 25097 (LO) ; 86326 (WN)
DAY 5 :- NEWCASTLE-KING’S CROSS ; KING’s CROSS-PETERBOROUGH ;
PETERBOROUGH-GRANTHAM – GRANTHAM- NEWARK NORTHGATE
With the load made up to 11/384.5, 40006 set off again – the 17 minute schedule to Durham was exceeded only by a matter of 56 seconds, but a 20 P.W.S caused us to take no less than 30 minutes 14 seconds on to Darlington.
17 late off Darlington
Thirsk 22 19. 54
Tollerton 33.5 28. 50
3 minutes recovery
Skelton Junction 44 36. 02
York 48 39. 40
Much, much better.
only 9 minutes adrift leaving York
Selby 16 16. 39
Selby South Junction 20. 22
A signal check then ensued
Burton Salmon 37. 12
P.W.S. *20
Knottingley 45. 52
then 2 signal stops
Askern 62. 20
Shaftholme Junction 69 57
Doncaster 78. 46
Deprting Doncaster at 0247.75, (yes, this hour rally can exist while conscious, well, more or less!!), our load having been made up once more to 15/511.5 – good job we were proceeding per the Joint with its line limit of 60 – 40006 plodded on through the night and the wilds of rural Lincolnshire……
Gainsborough Lea Rd 30. 16
Pyewipe Junction 48. 43
Lincoln Central 53. 37
Sleaford 86. 20
Away from Sleaford at 0415 (sorry have no idea of the booked time)
Helpringham 09. 25
followed by P.W.S. *20 = signals before Gosberton ; P.W.S. *20 before Pinchbeck ; P.W.S. *15 before Spalding
Spalding 36. 39
St. James Deeping 48. 41
Werrington Junction 52. 53
Peterborough 58. 21
Departing hence at 0524 – load now down to 14/480 – dawn had broken and it was time to get back to the stop-watches!!!!
Holme 09. 05
to Up Slow Road just prior to Huntingdon
Huntingdon 20. 43
Sandy 37. 12
back to Up Fast Road for a while
Arlesey 45. 33
then signal stop of 1 minute 06 seconds prior to being switched back to Up Slow before Hitchin
Hitchin 55. 07
Langley Junction 63. 22
Hertford North 71. 52
Enfield Chase 81. 22
Bowes Park 85. 18
Wood Green 87. 08
Finsbury Park 91. 03
KX 97. 11
At 0701.25 40006 wearily (but I felt a tad triumphantly!!) finally delivered 1E35 into London!! I made the mileage 417.65 (did my 40 mileage for the year no harm at all!!) – overall time 9 hours 26 minutes!!!
Now, all that had to be done was KX-Northgate. I started off with 55013 (YK) on 1N02 0840 SUN KX-Newcastle loading 8/270.5. Once again we traversed the Hertford Loop – signal stop before Finsbury Park, prior to an interesting piece of track – through the shed yard!! …..after which we achieved the Down Fast.. Having hit 77 through Hertford, we arrived at Stevenage New in 39 minutes 08 seconds from the Cross. 8 minutes recovery to Huntingdon was used well 21. 48 (booked 30) and we had an excellent round into Peterborough 0 14. 53 (booked 14.5) with a max of 102.5 at Yaxley. Mind you I was worried about my “connection” – the aim was to bale at Peterborough for the 0840 SUN Cambridge-Skegness due off at 0956. By the time 1N02 arrived it was already 1001!! However, I reasoned….’tis a Sunday….nothing’s ever on time on a Sunday!!! This time I was right – it was 1010 before 1D03 put in an appearance – a 7 coach rake/244 tare in the charge of 37044 (SF). A 16.25 late start for Peterborough gave some scope..but…a signal stop of 56 seconds just before Helpston put paid to this!!
Tallington booked 10 actual 14. 02.
the climb to stoke was not bad at all – sustained speed of 69-73 Essendine-Corby Glen, before failing away to 66 at Stoke itself. A brisk acceleration to 86 “down the other side”. saw us into Grantham in 31 minutes 38 seconds (pity that the schedule was 28.5 minutes!!). Another question – why was I not convinced, with one or two notable exception, of the epic nature of Class 37s????
Another bale – that’s what I liked.. three separate trains between KX and Nothgate.!! After about an hour’s fester, made more pleasant by Grantham Buffet, 1L41 1005 SUN KX-York put in an appearance (the Hertford Loop still being in operation) behind 55019 (YK) of standard load 8/270.5. Now the schedule to Newark (11.5 minutes) did not leave much room for manoeuvre. 55019 and crew did well :-
Barkston South Junc booked 4.5 actual 4. 22
Northgate 11.5 11. 42
It had been a good 14 hours – but I was in need of a rest!!!!
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
37044 (SF)
DAY 6 :- NEWARK NORTHGATE-KING’S CROSS ; PADDINGTON-READING
GENERAL and return ; PADDINGTON-READING GENERAL ; READING
GENERAL-BASINSTOKE ; BASINGSTOKE-SALISBURY ; SALISBURY-
WATERLOO ; KING’S CROSS-NEWARK NORTHGATE ; NEWARK
NORTHGATE-YORK
After a much needed night’s sleep (for those of you who have never timed trains, let me tell you that it’s amazingly hard work, especially if like me, you are a traditionalist who still uses stop-watches in preference to GPS!!!), it was back to KX. This time I chose to cover the Cleethorpes, despite it being rostered for a Class 47!! At least it was a “generator” 47402 (GD) – 8 vehicles 270 tons tare. Actually, despite my dislike of Class 47s in general, I have been impresses by several performances (or is it just a question, as Gordon Lacy once put it ,of (typical Burton’s luck!!). Anyway
Barkston South Junction booked 10 actual 9. 32 89/86
minimum of 83.5 to Peascliffe, maximum of 86 thereafter
Grantham 14 13. 10
Much worse has been recorded with a Class 55!!
Stoke Summit 10.5 6. 07 73.5
OK 4 minutes recovery in that!! Followed by a steady 90-92 mph to Essendine apart from a P.W.S *60 before tallington
Tallington 20 17. 17
then up to 97.5 by Werrington Junction in 20 minutes 55 seconds
Triumphantly 2 minutes early into Peterborough in 24. 55 from Grantham. I reckon this represents maximum effort of part of 47402!!
Back to Western/Southern regions for a few hours, remembering that an All-Line is partly aimed at securing required haulage. However, I was not expecting the next 6 trains to produce!!
Starting off was 50012 (LA) on 1B68 1130 Paddington-Penzance with 10 on 334.5 tare – another excellent run. On time departing
Southall booked 10. actual 9. 10
Slough 16.5 16. 02
We hit 90 by Iver and held it till the approach to Reading, with max of 95 at Taplow.
Maidenhead 20.5 19. 46
Twyford 25 24. 12
Reading 30 29. 15
The sort of run which brings joy to the Operating department!!
Into the realms of Reliefs for the return – 1Z?? 0850 RELIEF Plymouth-Paddington
behind 47486 (BS) – a mere nothing of a load 7/234.5.. Booking unknown, but I have a shrewd suspicion that we gained a wee bit!! Departing Reading at 1210.75 :-
Maidenhead 10. 47
Slough 13. 32
then the only check- signals *42 just after Slough
Hayes & Harlington 20. 05. 91
Southall 21. 19. 91
Acton 24. 43. 90/75
Paddington 30. 41
Not much wrong with that, either!!
Back to Reading once more with 1B84 1330 Paddington-Penzance with yet another required loco – 50009 (LA) – the Western obviously was in top form, this day.
On load 9/301 with a 2.5 minute late start….
Southall 9.5 09. 24
max of 95 through Iver
Slough 16.5 15. 02
Maidenhead 20.5 18. 51
Twyford 25 23. 14
Reading 30 27. 43
Oh-if only they were all like this – or would it become totally boring???!!
Now for a touch of the Cromptons……
Clearly the cross-country services were not doing as well at those out of Paddington. My first move took me onto Southern territory courtesy of 1O19 0752 Newcastle-Poole behind 33102 (EH) loading 9/295. 15.25 minutes late off Reading on a schedule of 21.5 minutes for the 15.53 miles to Basingstoke. Our actual was 23 minutes 08 seconds!! Why?? P.W.S. *20 after Bramley then signals *3 on approach!! On to Salisbury with 33001 (EH) powering 1L87 1410 ex-Waterloo
Overton booke 10.5 actual 9. 14
Whitchurch 6.5 4. 59
Andover J 10 7. 46
Grateley 8.5 8. 08
Salisbury 13 12. 12
I was expecting a Class 50 back to Waterloo. What turned up?? 33106 (presumably covering failure earlier in the diagram!) at the head of 1O18 1420 ex-St.David’s, loading 8/275!! Mind you should have been interesting and was:-
Andover Junc 18.5 18. 09
min of 57.5 beyond Porton ; max 86 beyond Grateley
Basingstoke 18.5 19. 33
min 64 before Whitchurch ; max 76.5 at Oakey
Woking 19.5 24. 10
max 82 at Fleet ; not helped by signals *22 at farnborough!!
Waterloo 26 26. 36
UNCHECKED THROUGHOUT from Woking!!
max 77 at Walton
A 24 late departure from salisbury had increased to 31.25 by Waterloo.
Time to head back to the ECML – the usual run to Northgate but this time for bailing purposes only!! 1D08 1935 SX King’s Cross-Hull – out of the Cross – motive power 55014 (YK) load 8.267.5
Potter’s Bar 13.5 12. 54. 83.5
Welwyn Garden City 18.5 17. 37 100
signals *82 welwyn North
Hitchin 26.5 26. 20 100
max 105 at Arlesey
reward?? signal stop 1 minute 42 seconds before Sandy!!
Sandy 34.5 37. 48
max 101 before Offord
Huntingdon 45.5 49. 17
Station overtime put us 6 minutes adrift on departure but with 4 minutes recovery time and 1 minute margining time, there was not too much to worry about. 55014 was living up to her reputation – fast but rough!! 103 max before Holme was enough to cope with a signal stop of 29 seconds after Fletton Junction and still turn the deficit at Huntingdon into a 3.75 easy arrival at Peterborough
Peterborough 25 16. 16
Then on to Grantham – the bare bones schedule 24 actual 26. 39 would give the impression that this was a poor run, but double yellows all the way from Essendine to Stoke Summit meant reducing speed to the high 70s and we had a concluding signal stop of 59 seconds before the Grantham stop.
More splendid work on to Newark – 55014 actually improved on the 12 minute schedule by 29 seconds with max of 102.5 at Claypole.. OK we were late into Northgate, but only by 1.5 minutes!!.
What would 1S66 2015 SX KX-Waverley produce tonight? Well it produced another change of power in the shape of 46043 (GD) – 4 minutes behind time leaving Newark. This was the precursor of 12 hours during which one really questioned the whole experience of railway enthusiasm!! A couple of utterly uninspiring performance on the ECML followed by a series of boring movie power on the WCML…there must be more sensible ways of passing the time!! An arrival 4 minutes late in York just about says everything that needs to be said. with one check only P.W.S. *40 over Bawtry Viaduct – it was a remarkably uninspired performance!!
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
50012 Benbow (LA) ; 47486 (BS) ; 50009 Conqueror (LA) ; 33102 (EH) ;
33001 (EH) ; 33106 (EH)
DAY 7 :- YORK-KING’S CROSS : EUSTON-RUGBY : RUGBY-COVERNTRY ;
COVENTRY-BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET : BIRMINGHAM NEW
STREET-CHESTER GENERAL ; CHESTER GENERAL-LLANDUDNO
JUNCTION-CREWE ; CREWE-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY :
EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-WEST CALDER
Some more 55 mileage through this night with 55006 (YK) at the head of 1E35 2025 SX Waverley-KX load ex-York 10/327.5. Overall times only – an undistinguished performance, not helped by being on the Down Slow from Coby glen to Peterborough!! Still would have expected better than 64. 35 from Peterborough – eventual outcome 5.5 late arrival. Not what I had expected from the ECML!!
The rest of the early morning is best forgotten at least from the haulage point of view!! 1H04 0655 Euston-Manchester Piccadilly with 86220 (WN) on load 9/307
Euston-Watford Junc booked 15. actual 13. 51
Watford Junc-Bletchley 21 22. 11
P.W.S. *20 before King’s Langley ; P.W.S. 850 after Tring
Bletchley-Rugby 27 25. 52
Rugby provided no better experience 1F10 0813 Rugby-Liverpool Lime Street with 86325 (WN) load 9/293.5. Still a bale at Coventry for 1M10 0620 Paddington-Manchester Piccadilly surely would produce something better. If anything, it produced something worse 47553 (LA) . Still, only another short journey!!
The point of all this suffering was to cover a bit of the North Wales coast on SX!!. My mood perked up no end at the sight of 81010 (GW) at the head of 9 vehicles 313 tare on 1D23 0927 TThO New Street-Llandudno. The first question was – how would we mange the scheduled 24 minutes to Wolverhampton?? Having passed Coseley deep fields in 12. 03, the answer proved to be a signal stop of 6. 67!! Thus we took 25. 41 to Wolverhampton! To Stafford in 15. 29 thence a spell on the slow road to Norton Bridge. Follow this up with P.W.S. *20 at Betley Road and signal *3 on approach to Crewe ’tis hardly surprising that we were 6.5 adrift on arrival!! Relieving power was as hoped for 40033 (LO), not that the treatment improved. a signal stop of 41 seconds at Crewe Steel Works ; a signal check to *21.5 at Calveley ; a signal check to *17 on the approach to Chester. Is there ant wonder that we took 28. 29 as against the 23 minute schedule. Arrival in Chester was 9.5 minutes late – there were times when you felt that BR just did not want to run trains to time!!!
Mind the motive power was continuing to be most acceptable – 1D31 1105 SX Manchester Victoria-Holyhead produced 40008 (KD) on 8/276.5 – stable mate of 40006 a long time ago, 1959 to be precise at Hornsey!!
Saltney Junction booked 4.5. actual 4. 24
Mold Junc No1 6 5. 27
sustained 75-80 all way from Sandycroft-Talacre
slow finish-platformed in Down Slow at Prestatyn
Prestatyn 26.5 25. 10
On to Rhyl scheduled 6 minutes ; actual 5. 35
Abergele 7 5. 40
3 minutes recovery time
max 76.5 at Old Colwyn
Colwyn Bay 16 12. 00
Bale at the Junction
Llandudno Junction 7.5 6. 55
Tis a pity that the station work was not as brisk as the loco performance – we were still 7.5 minutes late on arrival.
I was just contemplating what the chances were of acquiring a required Class 40 back to Crewe, when 1A56 arrived behind 40115 (LO) – the very thing!!! A substantial load 11/374 tare needed an excellent performance….and we got one!!
Lysfaen 8. 12. 59.5
Rhyl 16 14. 30 81.5 max
sustained 78-80 as far as Talacre…then P.W.S. *20 at Mostyn
Holywell junction 27 28. 32
Far from being disheartened a stay acceleration to 82 at Sandycroft followed.
Mold Junction No.1 38 39. 36
Saltney. Junction 39 40. 40
Then joy….3 minutes recovery + unchecked into Chester
Chester 47 44. 57
2 late away
Beeston Castle 13 12. 18. 69
Crewe Steel Works 21 20. 01
Then a signal stop of 3 minutes 13 seconds – but not to worry – no less than 6 minutes recovery time!
Crewe 30 29. 22
OK – still 1 down, but don’t think many of the passengers noticed!!
One more of my logs with Class 40s which was going to be difficult to forget.
I had left myself not much choice other than 1S71 1405 New Street-Glasgow Central/Aberdeen to return to Scotland. This was one of those runs, which , whilst not being appreciated at the time, took on a greater importance with the passing of the years. 87101 (WN) as far as Carstairs, load 13/428 – as it tuned out my only run with the Class 87/1!
Crewe-Preston 40 39. 29
PWS *20 before Acton bridge ; signal check Winwick Junction
Preston-Lancaster 19 16. 28
Lancaster-Carlisle 58 50. 37
splendid time 7 late off Crewe, time into Carlisle!!
Obviously station overtime at Carlsle – 2.5 late leaving
Gretna Junction 7.5 9. 47
PWS *20 Floriston
Lockerbie 19 21. 52
PWS *20 Castlemilk
Beattock 27.5 30. 15
signal stop 1 minute 36 seconds before Greskine
Beattock Summit 35 43. 10
Abington 40.5 49. 29
Strawfrank Junction 50.5 58. 54
Carstairs 52.5 59. 48
Pity! – 9.5 late in .
The loco working the Aberdeen portion another let down 47541 (HA) – not a bad performance actually
Carstairs-Haymarket 34.5 30. 45
PWS *20 Slateford Junction
Haymarket-Waverley 3 (!!) 4. 03
3.25 late in.
And so, home to West Calder per 2Y44 1952 Glasgow Central –
Class 107/161 DMU – and a last arrival. on July 29th ..ON TIME!!
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
86325 (WN) ; 40115 (LO) ; 87101 STEPHENSON (WN)
TOTAL MILEAGE :- 3471.4
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE 24
Thanks to Jim Burton for the epic memories…
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