Bashing the “Bags” October 16th 1983
After complaints from the girlfriend that your “never here on Saturdays to help with the shopping or to socialise” it was a Saturday confined to base! After a heavy Saturday night, it was a late start leaving Leighton around 10am on the Sunday morning.
The main plan was to bash the 33’1 (bagpipes/bags) on the Reading – Pompeys which were formed of 4TC units with a 33 propelling ex Reading on Sundays only. I needed most of the 33’1’s as i never bothered venturing down Bournemouth way for 33’1 haulage on the Weymouth portions.
The up unit off Leighton was the booked 310 EMU with no DMU or loco haulage of the 310 today as sometimes happened on Sunday mornings. The first non HST service to Reading from Paddington got 50037 which made plenty of noise as usual.
At Reading i bought a Student Reading – Winchester ticket and was soon aboard required 33113 on the 1300 Pompey. At Winchester a short fester saw required 33117 take me to little, quiet and deserted Michledever for required 33108 back to Winchester. My luck then changed after 3 winners in a row and dud 33112 returned me to Reading. 4 33’1’s were booked for the Reading – Pompeys although a “thumper” sometimes deputised on one turn.
At Reading the 1548 Padd – Manchester was keenly awaited as this could produce anything from 2 x 31 to an “nb” 47. Disappointment today in boilered (possibly xi) ex Cricklewood 47202 arrived on it. This was flagged for 50030 on a following service to Didcot. “Should be a pair” was the gen from some sociable bashers at Didcot and they were spot on with 50045 and 50009 soon arriving on the 1730 Oxford – Padd. Much noise and fast running but i bailed at Reading hoping for something decent behind.
There was some rare power behind the pair but on the wrong train, 47332 arrived with the 1640 Poole – Liverpool but her return working would have meant a very late arrival back home, so the “fridge” was flagged for 50048 on a Hereford – Padd.
At Euston it was a 310 home, an 86’0 in 86037 was noted on 1S07 overnight, rarish birds them 86’0’s…
An enjoyable Sunday move was over on getting home by nine that October evening.
The moves:
072 0920 Rugby-Euston L.Buzzard – Euston
50037 1B36 1145 Padd-Plymouth Padd – Reading
33113 2O08 1300 Reading-Portsmouth Reading – Winchester
33117 2V37 1308 Portsmouth-Reading Winchester – Michledever
33108 2O09 1400 Reading-Portsmouth Michledever – Winchester
33112 2V38 1408 Portsmouth-Reading Winchester – Reading
50030 1B58 1620 Padd-Cheltenham Reading – Didcot
50045} 1A11 1730 Oxford-Padd Didcot – Reading
50009}
50048 1A25 1615 Hereford-Padd Reading – Paddington
068 2003 Euston-Rugby Euston – L.Buzzard
Other gen
47438 1E20 1322 Poole-Newcastle
47202 1M15 1548 Padd-Manchester
50025 1B56 1605 Padd-W.S.Mare
50042 1C48 1610 Padd-Hereford
47592 1A79 1625 Oxford-Padd-phot
47468 1O52 1233 Manchester-Brighton
47415 1A19 1633 Cardiff-Padd
47500 1C58 1810 Padd-Hereford
47332 1M02 1642 Poole-Liverpool (in)
47438 1M02 1642 Poole-Liverpool (out)
86037 1S07 2100 Euston – Inverness
The phots
A few weeks later 33115 thrashes out of Micheldever with the 1208 Portsmouth – Reading on 181283
Bubble 55022 brings up the rear of a Padd local on 161083
Former Cricklewood slow speed MGR machine 47202 at Reading with 1M15 1548 Padd – Manchester on 161083
In revised Hymek style yellow cab end livery, 31135 stands at Didcot on 161083
About to give the HST on the up fast a good race to Padd 50045 and 50009 at Reading with the 1730 Oxford – Padd on 161083
end
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