Euston over the years has seen much classic power depart on passenger trains but probably the most exotic powered train of them all in more recent times was 2A23/1A23/1A02 also known as the “The Milk Empties”…
Running early on Mon-Sun ahead of any early service trains this was a classic night train running non advertised, being primarily for mail, papers and staff. It called at stations that saw no other loco hauled activity; all under the cover of darkness with a consist of vans plus an ageing dual heat BSK for passenger accommodation. Legendary!
The trains-The 0350 Euston-Bletchley (2A23)
The 0350 Euston-Bletchley was locally known as the “Milk Empties” showing it must have run for many years. Running as a non advertised staff train with some parcels and paper traffic the 3 coach BSK/BG/NPV consist would normally arrive on the DS at Leighton between 0505-0510. Early running was commonplace! The train broke the early morning silence on arrival, hugely atmospheric!
With just 1 or 2 staff aboard Jock would normally join you in the compo fresh off his night shift at Leighton station. With the rapid acceleration of this short formation train always noticeable the journey from Leighton to Bletchley was brief and nearly always in dull light.
At Bletchley the stock would be shunted into the Field Sidings, On Mons-Fridays the loco would then run light to Northampton to work a morning Cobbler, or return South light. On Saturdays the loco would be parked up as spare for the weekend to assist with any failures forward from Bletchley. The stock was normally returned South on the rear of the Curzon Street-Euston vans.
On Mon-Fri 2A23 was a fairly solid roarer turn although it became more canny in it’s later years, For a spell in 84-85 the Saturday 2A23 loco saw regular workings by the rarish 86’0 sub class. In the cuts associated with the loss of the paper contract and other privatisation farces saw 2A23 lost to railway history in May 88.
The redundant BSK from 2A23 saw renewed life as “Clarie” in the 2 coach rake based at Bletchley for frequent DMU substitutions.
1A23/2A23 0350 Euston-Bletchley (NA) E350 VB (Monday-Saturday)
Euston 0350
SL
Queens Pk A 0358
D 0358
West Lon Jn 0401
Wembley C A 0406
D 0406
Harrow A 0410
D 0411
Watford Jn A 0419
D 0423
Hemel H A 0430
D 0440
Berko A 0445
D 0446
Tring A 0451
D 0501
L.Buzzard A 0511
D 0512
Bletchley A 0523
Andrew Armitage via Facebook commentated that in 1975 the train was coded 2A05 leaving Euston from platform 10. Calling pattern was WC, HW. WF, HH, BK, TR, LB and finally letchley. The 1 x BSK ( plus a few vans) saw use as the service was advertised to Watford Jn then as a staff train..
The 0235 Sun Euston-Bletchley (1A02/1A23/2A23)
The 0235 Euston-Bletchley was a “newspaper and staff train” running at a very early hour bringing Sunday papers to local stations. Like the Mon-Sat train an ageing BSK was the passenger accommodation, and it was often steam heated. This was the last of the procession of paper trains leaving Euston on Saturdays nights and Sunday mornings. For some years vans were detached at Watford for unloading and picked up as the empties (4A49 0530 Bletchley-Camden) returned South. The train got many, many “roarers” and “cans” over the years.
Booked Sunday morning ole isolations saw frequent diesel haulage and Control did attempt to find a boiler fitted loco to work the train but post 1984 this became near impossible as steam heat boilers were isolated big time. Many boiler equipped 25’s worked the train over the years, and a few 31’s (and 45’0’s?) have steamed the train. Non boilered 25/31/37/45/47 have also allegedly featured in later years, adding to this train’s legendary local status.
2A23 0235 Euston-Bletchley Passenger and News (NA) E350 Sun
Euston 0235
SL
Queens Pk A 0242
D 0243
West Lon Jn 02X47
FL
Wembley C A 0251
D 0253
Harrow A 0258
D 0259
Watford Jn A 0306
D 0314
Hemel H A 0322
D 0323
Berko A 0328
D 0333
Tring A 0338
D 0346
L.Buzzard A 0358
D 0405
Bletchley A 0417
A Steaming Sunday Papers, Sunday March 25th 1984
Leaving my Linslade flat just after 0100 I heard an unusual sound. Running to the mid steps I viewed the outrageous sight of a class 50 departing Leighton with a rake of Mk I’s. This was 50009 on the return Penzance-Bletchley 1Z37 LNER Charter. 85019 had done the outward leg but this morning’s isolation meant the return leg was through diesel from Penzance!
A short wait at Leighton with the “Axeman” also producing, we discussed what rat the “Milk Empties” we may get and if the guard would let us on his non advertised service. A few minutes down we joined a surprisingly busy Class 110 DMU on the 0015 Birmingham-Euston. 53439/53425 had taken over from a 310 at Bletchley.
After a rattle and roll down the WCML we bailed at a deserted Watford Jn where the platform subway was eerily empty. The overnight clock change had cut in at 0200, so our 110 had managed to leave Leighton at 0146 and arrive Watford at 0330! We sought shelter in the “Pagoda” at the South end of the DF platform.
The first movement saw 50009 thrashing South with the LNER ECS, closely followed by Slimline 33205 with SAGA ECS. 205 had worked a Folkestone-Rugby SAGAEX late on Saturday night and the Southern Empties were being returned home.
The first van train viewed was 1A22 the 0215 (GMT) Euston-Hemel Vans which stormed though a little late with 31105. “More chance of a rat” both me and Tony commentated. Not far behind a rat rounded the corner with 2A23. A few highly suspect looking punks detrained from the leading, steaming BSK and we joined the only empty but cold compo behind 25057. The guard came down to ask where we were bound and we then sat back and relaxed to the sounds of a steaming rat thrashing through Watford tunnel on a load 5 BSK/NCV consist.
Lengthy stops at Hemel, Berko and Tring followed where the papers were unloaded. We set back a coach length at Tring to align the van with the road exit ramp. On arrival at Leighton Albert in overhauls was signalling to draw forward as we slowed for us to “get out.” Our bash over I returned to the flat (which overlooked the line), jumping into bed there was just time to look at the rat heading off to Bletchley. Unforgettable memories!
2A23 was recoded 1A23 from 14/5 84 but retained Passenger And News consist. It was lost to us all with the cessation of the newspaper contract in May 88 ( a class 31’4 worked the last 1A23-(what a dire loco class to grace this legendary train’s last working!) .. When booked for diesel haulage classes 31 did regularly operate. 31222 of CW retained it’s xb status until 1986 and regularly featured on the train. I last bashed the train on 29/6/86, after hassle from the new station Bert I needed “leg up” assistance from a PW man to join the BSK behind the massive 25109 as it was way off the end of the platform at Leighton!. A loud daylight run was sheer hell but I didn’t have my camera on which may have been the last 25 hauled “service” train off Leighton, as rodents were rarer by then.
The train was allocated 25313 on the freezing morning of 18/1/87 and me and Mr Evans made the effort to wander down to Leighton for 0400 with temperatures of –10 and much snow. Graham, our sociable station night shift Bert was most amused, as he advised that the isolation was cancelled due to the severe low temperatures. 85023 did the honours…
Sample “confirmed 1A02/1A23/2A23” gen from my notes.
4/9/82 sa
85010 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
4/6/83 Sa
86031 0350 Euston-Bletchley
23/7/83 Sa
85021 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
20/8/83 Sa
85024 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
10/3/84 Sa
81011 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BL
24/3/84 Sa
86009 0350 Euston-Bletchley
25/3/84 Su
25057 0235 Euston-Bletchley 2A23 (steaming) WJ-LB
7/7/84 Sa
85012 0350 Euston-Bletchley
25/8/84 Sa
86001 0350 Euston-Bletchley
26/8/84 Su
25201} 0250 Euston-Bletchley
25239}
27/8/84 Mo
31149 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
1/9/84 Sa
86007 0350 Euston-Bletchley
8/9/84 Sa
86007 0350 Euston-Bletchley
29/9/84 Sa
86230 0350 Euston-Bletchley
27/10/84 Sa
86034 0350 Euston-Bletchley
1/12/84 Sa
86037 0350 Euston-Bletchley
8/12/84 Sa
81019 0350 Euston-Bletchley
22/12/84 Sa
86001 0350 Euston-Bletchley
28/12/84 Fr
81021 0350 Euston-Bletchley
29/12/84 Sa
85032 0350 Euston-Bletchley
12/1/85 Sat
85021 0350 Euston-Bletchley
9/2/85 Sa
85025 0350 Euston-Bletchley
23/2/85 Sat
86314 0350 Euston-Bletchley
9/3/85 Sa
85005 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
6/4/85 Sa
86036 0350 Euston-Bletchley
18/5/85 Sa
85026 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
28/5/85 Tu
85017 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
15/6/85 Sa
85003 0350 Euston-Bletchley
29/6/85 Sa
81011 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
13/7/85 Sa
85005 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BL
18/7/85 Thu
86324 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
24/7/85 We
86420 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
31/8/85 Sa
85037 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
3/9/85 Tu
86227 0350 Euston-Bletchley
21/9/95 Sa
86030 0350 Euston-Bletchley
5/10/95 Sa
81009 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
12/10/85 Sa
85024 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
2/11/85 Fr
81008 0350 Euston-Bletchley
17/11/85 Su
31263 0235 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
28/12/85 Sa
85012 0350 Euston-Bletchley
8/11/86 Sa
85011 0350 Euston-Bletchley
11/1/86 Sa
85009 0350 Euston-Bletchley
31/3/86 Mo
85006 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
26/4/86 Sa
85007 0350 Euston-Bletchley
5/5/86 Mo
86030 0350 Euston-Bletchley
29/6/86 Su
25109 0235 Euston-Bletchley 1A02 LB-BY
18/1/87 Su
85023 0235 Euston-Bletchley (alloc 25313-eng possession canx due frost)
11/11/87 We
85038 0350 Euston-Bletchley LB-BY
(85038 0715 Northampton-Euston NO-EU)
1A02/1A23/2A23 phot spot
25057 recreates the steaming scene when she worked 2A23 back in March 84 when she is sen here at the North Norfolk railway on November 24th 2012
Running under the cover of darkness and travelling on a train you really shouldn’t have been on, plus personal early morning apathy means phots of this legendary train are very rare. Contributions welcome!
Leighton Lists 