Every loco tells a story, 87015 Howard of Effingham
87015 emerged new from Crewe Works in Jan 74 as a blue liveried, diamond panned mixed traffic machine and was soon working daytime passenger turns and night freight turns the length of the WCML. Originally unnamed, in May 78 87015 took on the legendary “Howard of Effingham” name, which she carried to her withdrawal some 30 odd years later. Various liveries followed as Inter City, then Virgin branding, but perhaps it was the silver cab windscreen surrounds that made “Howard” instantly recognisable on approach for much of the later part of the locos career.
Sample Turns (based on log readers observations)
Crewe Works (under construction) 240673
Crewe Works Open day 220973 (along with 87003, 87007, 87008, 87009, 87010, 87011, 87012, 87013, 87014, 87015, 87016, 87017, 87018, 87019, 87020) all under construction
Rugby 060474
0905 Euston-Birmingham 271075
0806 Birmingham-Glasgow 251076 ..MIB advises 87015 burst at Lockerbie and the Beattock bankers 20118/20115 worked forward to Carstairs, for 83010 into Glasgow 1hour late.
2325 Euston-Wolves 260786
2020 Inverness-Euston 251097
0733 Northampton-Euston 270904
The 270904 working has a very special local connection. This was the first day of the “new” hauled “Cobbler” services from Northampton to Euston serving Wolverton, M.Keynes and Leighton. The inaugural first working was duly flagged with 90017 as power but to a small groups jubilation (and surprise) at Leighton, the second up working was 87015 with 90020 dead on the rear! A good and last run, for a few of us, was then enjoyed.
“Howards” last passenger turn shortly followed on 061004 and this fine machine was dumped at WN for 6 months, before being eventually being trucked from Wembley to MoD Caerwent in May 2005..
It was a shock to see “Howard” chosen as one of the 4 “sevens”, ( along with 87005/016/024) to be cut and just a year after her last working, 87015 was cut at MoD Caerwent in October 2005.
Additional gen
87015 1210 Glasgow – Euston 090574
87015 0810 Birmingham-Glasgow 280574
87015 1250 Man Vic-Edinburgh 060874
87015 1010 Glasgow – Euston 010476
87015 1035 Inverness-Euston 260977
87015 1104 Liverpool – Euston 290977
87015 1625 Euston – Manchester 220578
87015 1045 Glasgow – Euston 230479
87015 0912 Manchester P – Euston 040280
87015 1012 Manchester P – Euston 100981
87015 0930 Wolves-Euston 081082
87015 0935 Euston – Inverness 050283 “Howard” lost her pan at Hest Bank, brought wires down, 47245 assisted
87015 1030 Inverness-Euston 140983
87015 1650 Euston – Glasgow 090784
87015 0928 Carlisle – Euston 120885
87015 0726 Coventry – Glasgow 221286
87015 1705 Liverpool – Euston 151087
87015 1451 Manchester Picc-Euston 310788
87015 0707 Plymouth-Aberdeen 030289
87015 0657 Coventry-Edinburgh 240390
87015 1040 Euston-Glasgow 090391
87015 1400 Euston – Birmingham 210392
87015 1230 Manchester – Euston 180693
87015 2130 Euston – Inverness 230894
87015 1040 Euston – Glasgow 090395
87015 1534 Birmingham – Manchester 060698
87015 0819 Wolves-Euston 120200
87015 1330 Glasgow – Euston 190201
87015 1745 Liverpool – Euston 150402
87015 1332 Liverpool – Euston 070503
87015 1030 Euston-Glasgow 180504
87015 1800 Birmingham-Euston – last wkg 061004
For the record “Howard of Effingham” was the Lord High Admiral who commanded the battering of the Spanish Armada in 1588, his legend remains “valid” in his native Surrey with a large school and various buildings and even “Effingham Junction” station named after him
“Howard” Phot Spot – many thanks to contributors
Howard in the snow, 87015 passes milepost 41 at Tunnel Hill just North of Linslade tunnel, 120283
87015 screams through the old Watford jn with an up Inter City back on 060484, a “Trev Rolfe” phot
Now carrying Inter City livery, 87015 waits time at Milton Keynes with the 1305 Euston-Liverpool, 210387 a Mark Beal phot
87015 at Hademore Crossing with a down express, 210900 a “60A” phot
87015 howls towards bridge 138 at Old Linslade with the 1730 Euston – Liverpool on May 18th 1993. A Tony Ewer phot
“Howard’s” silver cab windscreen surrounds are gleaming in this Euston view, 010601, a Neil Evans phot
A gloomy Sunday at Old Linslade, sees them silver screens of 87015 heading North, 130102
“Howard” at the Keynes with the 1715 Liverpool service on a blockaded 170404, a “Red Cow” phot
87015 passes the former Ledburn Jn with an up express, 090604. In the background is the shanty town that was used to facilitate the protracted installation of the new Ledburn Jn.
Although some won’t agree, I’d put this in the top 10 of rare service train power calling at Leighton Buzzard. 87015 arrives at “Top shack” with the 0733 Northampton-Euston on 270904, the booked 90 was dead on the rear, 87015 last working was just 8 days later. A Redcow phot.
You expect to see cans lined up withdrawn, but not 7’s. Its all over for 87015 on WN’s doom line with graffiti on her bodyside, a farewell Jan 2005 view.
The legend of 87015 perhaps lives on in Surrey, 240311!!!.
Any more 87015 memories/phots to share?
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Leighton Lists 