Crompton summer – August and September 1985
Thanks to Guy Kendrick for the cracking memories
Right. Where to start this? (it’s already going well…the “A” key on this notepad is playing up). I’ve finally got around to recording these notes for posterity on the internet. What is obvious is my Crank moves extended not only to recording haulage but my general depth of interest in the railway scene led me to record a lot of detail…..a LOT of detail from the passing scene outside wherever I was travelling. Kudos to people who do this sort of thing and transpose the detail (I’m thinking of the Chesterfield Chronicles for example, amongst others) It’s not easy when you type like my mum after five gin and tonics.
I love the haulage aspect, which is key to getting out there, but by 1984 and 85′ I was restricting myself to longer days out rather than doing “Mids” as I used to do in 81′-83′. The end of 1985 saw me at Sheffield Poly for three years, still recording stuff from dragging up and down the NS/EW axis, but clearly tempering it with other clearly evolving interests……including some of the fine things in life – ladies, guitars, bands, and beer to be truthful. That’s life I guess!
Having just finished an very full 30 year career, including everything inbetween associated with life, i’ve now got time to reflect a little. This is a cathartic exercise, I hope someone out there finds something of interest in these ramblings that Nick wants to put up on the Logs site for posterity. Here’s to more typing, and a bit more cranking……though I was staggered to find when I looked again in 2007, 22 years hence from these reminisces, that the railways I used to love had changed beyond all recognition. Timewarp indeed….and Jed is STILL out there doing it!
Tuesday 6th August 1985
Taking advantage of my mother’s desire to visit Bath Spa, and having nowt else pencilled in post A levels and pre-Poly, I accompanied her as passenger in the orange 1975 Allegro to re-live some memories of Cromptons from 83′. The Cardiff-Bristol-Portsmouth being pretty solid 33’s it would have been rude not to!
11.31 – 33050 1V22 0830 Brighton-Cardiff – Bath-Bristol TM
Stock SK,SK,CK,BSK,CK – 18938/956,13335, 35480, 13342
I flagged 33029 on the 1O75 1205 Portsmouth from TM which in hindsight was dumb. One that got away. Stock on this was SKx3,CK,BSK 18706/898/818,13442,35291.
Recorded the following at TM;
11.55 – 45101 on 0930 Plymouth-Glasgow relief 34555, 4482,4805,4802,7166,4789,4366,4785,4484,35291
12.06 – 50011 on vans 93602/198/365,80755/780/731/613,94032/007/014/021,84097 and BSK 35131
Bath Road – 37220, 37275 (CF) 25297 (CD) and BR’s 56045/068 and 056 which was in undercoat.
Stock knocking around the station – 7208,18787/964,93669/300/263/232/853/592,80753,84148
12.56 – 33003 1O75 1205 Cardiff-Portsmouth, TM-Bath.
Stock BSK,SK,SK,CK,SK� 35120,18713/930,7650,18561
13.28 – 33019 1V25 1110 Portsmouth-Bristol, Bath-TM
Stock SK,SK,CK,SK,BG 18744/611,7075,18709,84347.
Heres 33019 at Salisbury with the 1010 Portsmouth H – Bristol on 191085
Noted was 31423 (MR) west on vans 93667/090/978,80111
14.03 – 33033 1O81 1410 Bristol-Portsmouth TM-Bath
Stock as per 1V25
15.39 – 33017 1V27 1310 Portsmouth-Bristol Bath-TM
Stock SK,CK,BSK,SK,SK 18929,7067,35051,18977/295
16.10 – 33108 1O85 1610 Bristol-Brighton TM-Bath
Stock as per 1V27
Not a bad start from a last minute decision , five out of six winners, only 33003 a dud.
Monday 2nd September 1985
Parents camping up in Hayfield in the peak district led to a crompton related move as I went up to meet them for a couple of days; Coventry to New Mills via some unusual Birmingham track.
08.20 Coventry – 47626 (CF) 1M10 0603 Padd-Liverpool Cov-BNS
Stock 92058,5788,5717,13504,6600,5704,5425,5949
09.06 BNS – 47597 (CF) 1D23 0900 BNS-Llandudno BNS-Stafford
Stock 5554,19556,19515,19523,5596,9522,19537,19543,13601
This went south out of BNS, via Duddeston, and the Perry Barr south/Soho North junction route, picking up the Wolverhampton line at Oxley (now Soho EMU depot I believe), not common track in this direction.
Curzon Street parcels saw SY’s 08647 as pilot and rammed with vans, amongst which were 93854/902/316/208/550/557/492/668/132/368/095,80976/702,84131. This site is now levelled and all that remains is the old listed station entrance.
At Duddeston carriage sidings were noted condemned SR PMV’s S2157, S1542 and S1917 (this is now at the GCR), all in filthy condition, also 80764,84412/234,93449/462/328 and KDB977168.
Wolverhampton steel terminal saw Tinsley 20066 and 20083.
A bail at Stafford at 10.03 saw a short wait for some Roarer thrash on a rake of MK1’s;
10.24 – 85011 1P40 0940 BNS-Blackpool, Stafford – Crewe
Stock 35486,18765/857/984/822/808/771,7193,35341
Heres 85011 again at Crewe prior to working the 0918 Crewe- Glasgow Relief on 240890
Rafts of parcels, departmental and coaching stock were recorded in Basford Hall yard as the roarer slowed for the station. Noted were 25119 and 212 both withdrawn, 20101/177, 08737, 85004/012/024 around the depot and 20071/045 whistling through on ballast. Station gronk 08740 busy rattling around the station with vans. 47477 (BS) noted on a ratty set of western region allocated MK1’s on 1D27 11.15 Crewe-Bangor 18618/721/786/7174/34552.
11.54 – 33004 1M70 0750 Swansea-Manchester Crewe-MPic
Stock 7211,35192,18561/671/820. Some great thrash on a light load!!
13.24 – 31438 (IM) 1E43 1341 MPic-Hull – MPic – New Mills
Stock 17031,5072,5171,5175. Rock n’roll ped on load four.
Thursday 12th September 1985
A long day out on the cromptons. Early start from Coventry! Having stayed at my mates in Earlsdon, a short walk to the station noted early risers 20080/056 at 05.33 on a welded rail train for Cov yard at Beechwood Ave road bridge.
06.14 – 310046 (BY) 0619 Cov-BNS from Cov-BNS. Heat and dust, always an enduring memory of these units, once a daily part of my life and now very much missed!
06.51 – 08647 (SY) still the Curzon Street parcels donkey, nine vans noted on the front line outside the depot, with loads of activity that time of the morning.
06.56 – 45103 1V62 2345 Glasgow-Bristol sleeper. BNS – Bristol TM (load 15!)
Stock 84465,9423,5539,5353,10612,10718,10539,92236,84419,9476,5854,5940,10614,10717,10617
07.18 – Bromsgrove, noted 37303 and 37232 as the bankers, key for later on that evening on the return. Noted at Gloucester yard were eastern region gronks 08667 (NL) 721 (IM) and 957 (SF) no doubt to and from Swindon for overhaul. A couple of peaks on stone trains noted at Bristol Parkway, 45068 on ARC hoppers and 45117 on MSV’s. More stock recorded at the parcels depot outside Bristol, and it was nice to see ADB968000 on Bath Road, ex-class 15 D8243, later that month moved to Marylebone.
08.56 – 33010 1O67 0805 Cardiff-Portsmouth TM-Bath
Stock SK,SK,SK,BSK,CK 18283/580/592,34575,7220
We have all bailed at Bath down the years, heres 33062 on the 1205 Cardiff -Portsmouth on 060484
09.33 – 33032 2V58 0656 Portsmouth-Bristol Bath – TM
Stock SK,BSK,SK,BSK,CK 18960,35195,18718,35201,7921
10.10 – 33031 1O69 1010 Bristol-Portsmouth TM-BradOnAvon
Stock as per 2V58
11.17 – 33118 1V22 0850 Brighton-Cardiff BradOnAvon – TM
Stock BSK,SK,CK,SK,SK 34521,18796,7230,18787/962
This was taken forward by 33009.
13.10 – 33038 1O79 1205 Cardiff-Portsmouth TM-Bath
Stock SK,CK,BSK,SK,SK 18929,7067,35051,18977,18295
13.28 – 33015 1V25 1110 Portsmouth-Bristol Bath – TM
Stock SK,BSK,CK,BSK,SK 18964,34525,7652,35185,18789
14.05 – 33016 1O81 1405 Bristol-Portsmouth TM – BradOnAvon
Stock as per 1V25
15.17 – 33034 1V27 1310 Portsmouth-Bristol BradOnAvon-TM
Stock as per 2V58 above.
16.05 – 33118 1O85 1610 Bristol-Brighton TM – Bath
Stock as 1V27
16.59 – 33039 2O60 1618 Bristol-Weymouth Bath – BradOnAvon
Stock TSO,BSK,CK,BSK,SK 5039,35322,7669,35180,18970
17.20 – 33044 1V30 1510 Portsmouth – Weston SM. BOA-Bath
Stock SK,FK,CK,mk2 BFK,SK 18938,13328,7216,17068,18624
17.41 – 33031 1O87 1611 Cardiff-Portsmouth Bath – BradOAvon
Stock as per 1O67 this morning.
Bradford On Avon move to the pub close to the station for some ale and a bag of crisps. Most welcome, and a move that would feature again.
19.19 33038 1V34 1710 Portsmouth-Bristol BOA – TM
Stock as per 1V25 above
Fester for a hour at TM waiting for the 2124 Bristol-Glasgow sleeper noted lots of activity around the station and yards. 08756 was earning it’s keep by juggling the stock of three van trains between P.11 P.12 and the centre roads 93415/681/678/143/226/122/498/266/430/758/402/406/913/218/978/968/653, 84185/250,80821
Bath Road hosted 31118/178/231/207, 56034/057, 47244/247, 33061/023, 45124.
Other gen noted that afternoon;
50043 on 1E12 0820 Newquay-Newcastle SAGA to TM, taken on by 45114 (4801/62/55/56/76,4992/90/78,34524,80850)
50023 1A50 0932 Penzance-Padd
33044 2C67 0840 Taunton-TM (18931/287/295,7067,35051)
33023 2C32 1250 TM-Taunton
50039 Southbound ECS through station at 20.26 (7214,5027,3957,4939,13335/324,35200,3824,4847)
21.24 45103 1S19 2124 Bristol-Glasgow sleeper TM – BNS
Stock as per earlier 1V62 apart from substitute BG 84445.
22.40 37232 and 37303 banked up the Lickey, cue hanging out the rearmost window to savour the thrash from all….load 15 up the bank, epic stuff and worth the price of entry all day long. Routed via the Camp Hill avoiding line from Kings Norton to put the train in “right way round” into New Street for the electric forward.
23.33 51360,59512,51402 (RG) plus BG 84027 23.33 BNS -Reading BNS-Cov.
A long day by all accounts, door to door 20 odd hours. Ten different Cromptons, three of them twice. Eight winners, only 33034 and 33039 being dud, but as i’d only previously done a Crewe-Nantwich bail on 039 I consider any addition to 4 miles a winner in my book! Great thrash behind 45103 and finished off nicely by the Lickey.
To be repeated shortly, more moves, but with far fewer winners!
Guy K
Thanks to Guy Kendrick for the cracking memories
Leighton Lists 