CHAPTER 5 – THURSDAY 31/07/1975 to WEDNESDAY 06/08/1975
By this stage, I had progessed to the timing stage of my railway enthusiast “career”.
Having exhausted the then possibilities of the ECML I had “graduated” into the search for Class 40s – underpowered and overweight as they were. They had not been met with enthusiasm, either in the railway enthusiast fraternity or among the crews at Finsbury Park, on their introduction in 1959 but by the 1970s they had built up a fair following. So the highlight of this All-Line was expected to be a Saturday on the North Wales Coast.
DAY 1 – WEST CALDER-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-
KING’S CROSS ; PADDINGTON -READING and return
The almost normal start to an All-Line – 2Y05 0650 DMU ex-Glasgow Central from West Calder into Waverley thence 1E05 0945 “Flying Scotsman” to KX. This day it was 55001 ST.PADDY (FP) in charge of a 12 coach rake 408 tons tare (23 tons over timing load!!) There seems to have been some discrepancy between timetables over the Waverley-Newcastle section!! According to the Scottish Region the allowance was 125.5 minutes, with 19 minutes recovery time between Grantshouse and Ayton to allow for major engineering works. The Eastern Region however, maintained that the schedule was 117 minutes!! The left hand knoweth not……!!! It would not have been the first time that the Regions had failed to communicate!! Anyway we ran into the major works between Dunbar and Oxwellmains with the result that to pass Berwick our time was 61 minutes 31 seconds including another PWS to 20 just before Grantshouse. We did well to pass Heaton in 119 minutes 18 seconds but the final 1.62 miles occupied 6 minutes 59 seconds!!
Leaving Newcastle on time we suffered a PWS to *20 after Chester-le-Street – then 55001 was allowed her head 101 mph between Bradbury and Aycliffe and a maximum of 102 mph on the “race-track” say us past Beningborough in 55 minutes 44 seconds from Newcastle. Then came a signal check to *26 before Skelton Junction. Despite this we were through York on time 62 minutes 38 seconds (schedule 63 minutes). We hit three figures again at Balne, but then suffered a PWS to *30 before Black Carr Junction. Back up to 100 mph by Barnby Moor and Sutton before the next pws to *30 over Newark Flat Crossing. We then had a 2.5 minute halt in Grantham station (no reason forthcoming!!) and then ran to Peterborough in 22 minutes 05 seconds. Such a change from the “bad old days” to pass Peterborough at 100 mph instead of 20!! On we thundered only to be rewarded with a signal check to *23 before Huntingdon. Undismayed speed was maintained at between 80 and 95 all the way to Potter’s Bar where we were only 1.5 minutes down with 4.5 minutes recovery in hand. Perhaps it was inevitable that we had signal checks into KX (6 minutes 36 seconds from Finsbury Park!!) with a final time from Newcastle of 215 minutes 52 seconds (schedule 214.5).
Over to Paddington for a quick thrash to Reading!! Down with Class 52 1067 WESTERN DRUID (LA) (required!) on 1B05 1653 FO Paddington-Plymouth – pretty useful performance as far as Twyford, passed in 25 minutes 14 seconds from Paddington, then spoiled by signals – 34 minutes 08 into Reading!! Back up to London with the new order on the Western Region – 50032 (BR), as yet unnamed, on 1A40 1548 ex-Weston-super-Mare. A good start then a signal stop of 1 minute 18 seconds between Slough and Langley and relatively reduced speed all the way in!!
A social evening ended with my being delivered back to KX for 1N42 2355 to Newcastle, which produced the happy spectacle of 55018 BALLYMOSS (FP)
LOCOMOTIVE REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
1067 WESTERN DRUID (LA)!
DAY 2 ;- KX-NEWCASTLE ; NEWCASTLE-YORK and return ; NEWCASTLE-
EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH WAVERLEY -YORK ; YORK-
DONCASTER ; DONCASTER LEEDS ; LEEDS-STOCKPORT
1N42 eventually left at 0042 – Why? You may well ask! Non-availability of a locomotive, my notes tell me! D9018 BALLYMOSS (34G) on load 10/327 was not for hanging about!! Despite having been slow-loaded for 1S79 at New Southgate the lateness of 1N42 had been reduced to 22.5 minutes by Peterborough!! That’s when I ceased logging!! By Newcastle all had been regained – we were actually 3 minutes early!!
Just for a change of ECML motive power, the next move was York courtesy of 46043 (GD) on 1013 0702 Newcastle-Poole on a featherweight load 6/215.5 tons. Actually for a Class 46 it did not do too badly :-
Newcastle-Durham 16 minutes 28 seconds
(PWS *30 between Chester-le-Street and Plawsworth)
Durham-Darlington 19 minutes 33 seconds
Darlington-York 34 minutes 46 seconds
(maximum of 93 mph at Alne
signal check *22 before Skelton Junction)
Tell me – is it merely a figment of my imagination or were the Class 45s really that much superior to the Class 46s???
Then it was back to Newcastle courtesy of one of those mystical relief trains which emerged from time to time – 1L64 0815 Doncaster-Berwick-upon-Tweed!! – behind 40078 (YK) on 6/204 tare and with an 11 minute late start from York. The 37 minute schedule to Darlington was improved on -35 minutes 33 seconds with maximum of 90 mph approaching Danby Wiske. Non-stop thence to Newcastle in 34 minutes 54 seconds with another 90 mph through Chester-le-Street resulted in our lateness having been cut to 6 minutes. Headed north from Newcastle with 1S48 0555 SX KX-Waverley behind another YK Class 40 40080 loading 9/312 tare (timing load 280!!).
An 18 minute late start, and a diversion through Jesmond and Longbenton, due to a points failure at Heaton, did little to help the cause of timekeeping!!- indeed we had dropped another 6.25 minutes by Morpeth!! A PWS to 21 through Warkworth was not exactly helpful either and despite 90 mph at Chathill, we were 26.25 late through Berwick!! 4 minutes recovery was insufficient to cope with another PWS 20 between Grantshouse and Penmanshiel Tunnel and yet another one before Innerwick!! Thankfully the schedule contained another 15 minutes recovery north of Drem – we were unchecked over this section – result only 10 late into Waverley in 122 minutes 22 seconds ex-Newcastle. Back home with her 40080 on 1E20 1457 SX Waverley-York same 9 coaches. A bad start – nothing to do with 40080, but a 15 minute late departure of 1E21 1450 KX behind 55012 CREPELLO. So we had signal checks virtually all the way to Craigentinny, followed by two more before Monktonall Junction and between Prestonpans and Longniddry!! Result 33 minutes 05 seconds to Dunbar (14 late!!). Not to worry – allowed 19 minutes recovery on to Berwick, depute a signal stop of 1 minute before Grantshouse and a PWS 20 through same, we achieved 32 minutes 41 seconds to Berwick (0.5 minutes late!!). Unfortunately, the points at Heaton were still causing a problem!! This time we were diverted through Heaton loop and ended up taking 66 minutes 57 seconds to Newcastle (3 minutes late in). 1E21 was struggling also – after a PWS 21 before Plawsworth we pulled into Durham loop for a signal stop of 2.25 minutes to allow CREPELLO’,s passage!! A brief signal stop outside Darlington and our lateness had increased to 8.5 minutes. Then it was all systems go to York – 35 minutes 30 seconds with 90 MPH at Thisk and Alne – 6 minutes late in!! Change of motive power produced 31187 (FP) on 1A36 1916 York-KX as for as Doncaster. and a pretty undistingished run it was (!!). So far the day had produced eminently acceptable motive power – it could not last!! nor did it – I met GL at Doncaster, where neither of us was amused by the appearance of 47462 (HO) at the head of 1L32 1850 KX-Leeds!! However, it was not long before things improved again, with yet another of York’s Allocation of 40s, 40083 powering the 2150 York/Shrewsbury/Manchester (Victoria). 6 minutes late off Leeds – performance as follows;-
Leeds-Dewsbury booked 15 actual 14 31
Dewsbury-Huddersfield 11 12 18
Huddersfield – Stalybridge 27 25 54
Stalybridge-Stockport 18 18 06
3 late into Stockkport
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
46043 (GD) ; 31187 (FP)
DAY 3 :- STOCKPORT-CREWE ; CREWE-HOLYHEAD ; HOLYHEAD-LLANDUNDO
JUNCTION- LLANDUNO JUNCTION-LLANDUDNO ; LLANDUDNO-RHYL
RHYL-PRESATYN and Return : RHLY-PRESTATYN ; PRESTATYN-
CHESTER and return ; PRESTATYN-MANCHESTER VICTORIA ;
MANCHESTER VICTORIA-YORK
Having arrived at Stockport, we awaited our electric to Crewe – and waited, and waited…..eventually all the wait became worthwhile in the shape of 84003 (CE)!!
26 late leaving Stockport – booked to Crewe in 26 minutes ; actual 26 minutes 39 seconds (takes to a PWS 30 after Sandbach/ As it happened it was to be my only run with a Class 84 ever!!! And so, to 1D92 0223 to Holyhead, which produced 40019 (SP) load 9/297 tons tare. Incidentally, the relevant WTT shows the 0223 as being booked for a Class 47 with a timing load of 280 tons!! Now, I ask you to picture another scene….it is 0517 at Holyhead – the 0223 ex-Crewe empties its passengers – the buffet is shut ; the waiting room is shut….it is raining so hard that it is bouncing upwards off the platform. Huddled round the pillars, reminiscent of sheep, are groups of enthusiasts, becoming increasingly wet. One attempts to light a fag….within seconds he is left with a soggy mass of paper and tobacco in his fingers. A colleague turns to hims to him and poses, what seems in the circumstance, a difficult question, “what the …………….. are we doing here??
Finally the stock of 1A22 is unlocked – we all pile in, thankful to become slightly drier! Then,at 0630 ’tis off to Llandudno Junction with 47447 (CD) – at least it was required for haulage!!- in charge.
Holyhead-Bangor booked 29.5 actual 29. 40
Bangor-Llandudno J 17 16 03
Baling at the Junction the next move is 2D87 0725 Llandudno Junction-Llandudno formed 2X2 car Metropolitan-Cammell DMUs. The first summer dated off Llandudno is the 0900 SO York, so there’s plenty of time for the amazing breakfast served at a cafe close by the station – full English and mugs of tea – restorative of the soul!!
1E86 produces 40035 (LO) , which was taken to Rhyl. :-
Llandudno-Deganwy 5 4 38
Deganwy-Llandudno J 4 4 46
Llandudno J-Colwyn Bay 7.5 6 23
Colwyn Bay-Abergele 8 5 8 31
Abergele-Rhyl 7.5 7 05
For the remainder of the day it was required Class 40s throughout – all seven of them!!! Starting off with 1G90 0948 SO Rhyl-New St. to Prestatyn with 40025 (SP), thence back to Rhyl in 5 minutes 48 seconds on board 2D54 0835 Stoke-on-Trent-Holyhead in the charge of 40087 (SP). Another 3.55 miles ensued behind 40108 (LO) on 1A25 0945 SO Llandudno-Euston (booked 6.5 ; actual 6 59) before a relatively long journey to Chester with 40088 (SP) on 1A62 0945 SO Holyhead-Euston booked non-stop in 28.5 minutes but taking 34 minutes 39 seconds thanks to a signal stop for 13 seconds at Holywell Junction ; signals to 30 before Queensferry and signals to 8 on the approach to Chester!!
The return to Presatyn was with 40073 (HM) powering the 0936 SO Leeds-Llandudno and also not suffering the best of good fortune :-
Chester-Flint booked 15 actual 30 47
(including 2 signal stops of 8 minutes 37 seconds total + signals in
between!)
Flint-Prestatyn 14.5 15. 04
Regrettably it was time to head Eastwards – I was staying the night with friends in York. The first section of the journey was by 2J62 1230 Llandudn0-Manchester Victoria with 40027 (LO) on load 10/339 tare and 4 late off Prestatyn :-
Prestatyn-Flint 15 15 38
Flint-Shotton 6 6. 30
Shotton-Chester 13 14. 08
(signals to 10 through Queensferry)
Chester -Helsby 11.5 15. 03
(signal stop of 2 minutes 53 seconds outside)
Helsby-Frodsham 3.5 4. 39
Frodsham-Warrington 15 12 18
(PWS 39 after Frodsham Junction)
(6 minutes delay Warrington due to late running of connecting
1200 Euston-Carlisle)
Warrington-Earlstown 8 7. 49
Earlstown-Manchester. Vic 24 22. 14
(PWS 45 at Astley)
8,25 late in
“Twas then on to York on 1E82 1330 Llandudno-York/Sheffield loading 8/272 tons tarebehind 40195 (HM) – this proved to be easier said than done!! Departure from Manchester Victoria was 16 late thanks to the failure of a preceding DMU at Chester and the passing time at Stalybridge was 59 minutes 11 seconds!! No fault could be attributed to either 40195 or its crew – the culprit was 46056 in charge of 1E10 1510 Liverpool Lime Street-Newcastle which failed at Ashton Moss and was eventually passed at Huddersfield, by which time assistance had come to the 46 in the shape of 47349. So 1E82 stood at signals for 26 seconds at Philips Park ; 13 minutes 47 seconds between Park and Newton and 15 minutes 30 seconds between Newton and Stalybridge,all of this in the full heat of the afternoon sun, and without air-conditioning!!. A further signal check to 18 mph at Marsden, a PWS 20 at Slaithwaite and signals to 21 after Golcar and our final stop time at Huddersfield was 90 minutes 26 seconds from Manchester Victoria!! Leaving Huddersfield no less than 74 late things improved slightly :-
Huddersfield-Mirfield booked 7.5. actual 9. 10
(signal check 24 mph after Bradley)
Mirfield-Dewsbury 6.5 5. 54
Dewsbury-Baltley 4.5 3. 20
Batley-Morley 7.5 5 57
Morley-Leeds 13 9. 12
Leeds-York 33 32. 49
(signal check 31 mph at church Fenton
signal stop for 18 seconds before Ulleskelf)
Eventually we drew thankfully into York 72.75 minutes behind schedule.
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
84003 (CE) ; 47447 (CD) ; 40015 (SP) ; 40087 (SP) ; 40108 (LO) ; 40088 (SP) ;
40073 (HM) ; 40027 (LO) ; 40195 (HM)
DAY 4 :- YORK-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-
CARSTAIRS
After a splendid meal and some much appreciated doss it was down to York station for 1S37 0925 SUN Edinburgh Waverley – It was, perhaps inevitably another Class 40 – 40163 working back to base at Haymarket on load 8/272.25 tare, just nicely within the timing load of 280 tons. It being a Sunday one expected a journey which would be annoying to “normals” but of interest to a railway enthusiast – and so it proved!! Departing from York 1.5 minutes late, the first thing to strike us was diversion to the down slow between Pilmoor and nearly Otterington. Thus we dropped just over 1 minute to Thirsk (booked 22 minutes from York – actual 23 minutes 10 seconds.. We kept the somewhat generous booking of 11 minute on to Northallerton taking 10 minutes 29 seconds and then use the 6 minutes recovery on to Darlington to good effect – booked 20 minutes – actual 14 minutes 57 seconds.
Smart station work at Darlington gained us a further 3 minutes and we were only 1 down on departure.
Now for my only run via Leamside to Newcastle!! Signals before Ferryhill brought us down to 31 mph + slowing to 20mph after Tursdale ; between Shincliffe and Whitwell; after Leamside itself ; through Penshaw North , and to 10 mph after Felling not to mention an interminable finish via King Edward Bridge saw us take 61 minutes 40 overall as opposed to the 58 minute booking.
Another first experience – I had never been on a service BOOKED to stop at Heaton before!! We duly called in 4 minutes 58 seconds from Newcastle. An almost normal run ensued to Morpeth (16 booked ; actual 16. 23). Then the entertainment started – 3 signal stops after Acklington – the third one for 20.25 minutes to await the late running 1E07 1040 Waverley-KX behind nothing more powerful than 40158 (HA) – before we were clear to reverse to the up fast for a short spell of wrong-line working.
Another stop for 1 minute 32 seconds, followed by a funereal pace to regain down fast and the time from Morpeth-Alnmouth was 52 minutes 26 seconds. 38 minutes late leaving Alnmouth was an excuse for 85-88 mph from Christon Bank-Goswick and a splendid 27 minutes 34 seconds From Alnmouth-Berwick (booked 30 minutes!!). Yet another farce followed – 20 minutes recovery being insufficient to cope with signals to 4 mph through Ayton ; a signal stop of 39 seconds as a preliminary to another reversal to the up fast a 1 minute 34 seconds stop, signals to 5 ; a PWS 20 before Penmanshiel Tunnel, another signal stop for 12 seconds (what for??) approaching Cockburnspath and yet another of 35 seconds before Oxwellmains. So, the schedule of 47.5 minutes from Berwick-Dunbar was exceeded by 2 minutes 43 seconds. 40.5 late off Dunbar, a mere 12 late into Waverley, courtesy of another 20 minutes recovery time plus a respectable 28 minutes 55 seconds running time.
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
25026 (HA)
DAY 5 :- CARSTAIRS-BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET ;BIRMINGHAM NEW
STREET-DERBY ; DERBY-YORK ; YORK-NEWCASTLE ; NEWCASTLE-
EDINBURGH WAVERLEY
After the customary few hours break, it was back south again! An interesting combination on 1C97 2345 SUN Waverley-Temple Meads as far as Carstairs – 25026 (HA) piloting 40085 (YK) on load 7/243 tons tare. Departing Waverley with some enthusiasm the schedule to Haymarket of 4 minutes was cut to 3 with a maximum of 39 mph!! We then positively attacked the bank up to Ravelrig Junction with speed increasing from 45 at Slateford to 67 at Camps Junction!! Scheduled 15.5 minutes from Haymarket to passing Midcalder we took 10 minutes 52 seconds.
It was quite a novelty in those days to have to reduce speed to 55 at Midcalder Junction. Cobbinshaw was passed at 52 and with a further 67 after Auchengray we pulled into Carstairs 9 minutes early!! 86220, though required for haulage, was a tad disappointing motive power south.
The return north began with 1E05 0635 New Street-Leeds behind 45030 (HO) which was taken as far as Derby. :-
New Street-Tamworth Upper booked 18 actual 16 25
Tamworth (Upper)-Burton-on- 12 11 39
Trent
Burton-on-Trent-Derby 16 11 54
5 early into Derby – you can’t complain!!
More 45 mileage ensued behind 45074 (CW) in charge of 1E04 0730 New Street-Newcastle on load 9/309 tare. :-
Derby-Chesterfield booked 24 actual 24 55
Chesterfield-Sheffield 18 14 50
Sheffield-York 58 54 19
3.75 early arrival – what more do you want? As I suggested earlier why did 45s seem much of an improvement on 46s??
So….back on the ECML and even more mileage behind a required Class 40!!! This time 40155 (GD), heading 1E91 0810 Lime Street-Newcastle on load 11/373 – not one of my most memorable “Whistler” runs!! Mind you a timing of 36.5 to Darlington was tight with 11 on – we could only manage 39 minutes 08 seconds with no higher maximum than 85.5 after Eryholme. 18.5 minutes were dropped onto Durham., mostly caused by a signal stop of 10 minutes 20 seconds before Ferryhill, the reason for which escapes my memory!!. Leaving Durham 33.5 minutes late, we dropped a further 1 minute on the last leg caused by a 20 PWS at Bensham.
North from Newcastle courtesy of 55018 BALLYMOSS (FP) on 1S16 0800 KX-Waverley loading 11/374.. The ECML was having one of its awful days – 1S16 was 37.5 late leaving Newcastle. A signal stop of 1 minute 15 seconds before Killingworth helped not in the slightest, though a 4.75 minute loss to Morpeth seemed somewhat excessive, as did a time to Berwick of no less than 69 minutes 55 seconds with no higher speed than 89 mph at Goswick. All of this and still engineering operations in preparation for HSTs to come!!! Actually we did not do too badly – 20 PWS at Gratshouse ; signals to 2 mph before Monktonhall Junction and a signal stop of 14 seconds before Portobello. So, the 71.5 booking in from Berwick was cut to 59 minutes 27 seconds.
Thence home to West Calder on 2Y28 1504 Glasgow Central DMU to prepare for the visit of GL who was coming down from Newark in search of some Scottish Region 24-27 haulage!
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
45030 (HO) ; 45074 (CW) – 40155 (GD)
DAY 6 :- WEST CALDER – EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH (WAVERLEY)
-PERTH ; PERTH-STIRLING ; STIRLING- LARBERT ; LARBERT-
STIRLING ; STIRLING-PERTH ; PERTH-DUNDEE ; DUNDEE-
STONEHAVEN and return ; DUNDEE-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ;
EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-WEST CALDER
One of the problems of living in West Calder was that whatever journey you embarked upon it had to be with a DMU. The other problems were living on the Glasgow via Shotts route which in those days was “nobody’s child” and that there was no Sunday service to anywhere!!
Thus GL and self began this day on board 2Y05 0650 ex-Glasgow Central for the 16.68 miles to Waverley. The next move was to Perth vis Falkirk Grahamston with 1P20 0910 Waverley-Perth/Inverness behind 40072 (HA) loading 7/232.5 tare. No bother at all to Stirling ;-
Waverley-Haymarket booked 4. actual 3 24
Haymarket-Grahamston 25 24. 17
max 80 after Bathgate J
Grahamston-Stirling 13.5 13. 29
max 76 before Polmaise
A relatively OK climb to Kinbuck (min 50) was spoiled by signals to 25 at Greenloaning and a signal stop of 21 seconds at Blackford. As a result we took
25 17 Stirling-Gleneagles as opposed to 22 booked.. Despite signals to 43 at forteviot (this following 80 max after Dunning actual from Gleneagles-Perth was only 17. 00 on an 18.5 booking. 40072 was 2 down on arrival at Perth.
One of the joyful thing about living in the Scottish Region was that you were never quite sure what was going to turn up on its internal services. So it proved to be with 1T22 0925 Aberdeen-Queen Street which rolled into Perth behind required 27028 (ED) on load 8/266 tare. On the 18.5 minute booking to Gleneagles the 27 performed splendidly :
Perth 0 00. 00 – TIME
Hilton Junction 4.5 04. 05 29/34/45/
51
Forgandenny 05. 56 59/62/63
Forteviot 08. 27 66/67/68
Dunning 10. 52 70/69/67
Auchterarder 15. 10. 69/62/59
55/52/50
Gleneagles 18.5 18. 02 47/45/44/-
The next stage saw 1T22 lose 3 08 to Dunblane entirely due to PWS 20 between Blackford and Greenloaning. A fast finish (max 74 after Cornton!!) saw the 8 minute schedule on to Stirling cut to 6 11! Only 1 late into Stirling.
The next offering was 26028 (HA) at the head of 1T26 1152 Dundee-Queen Street load 5.165 – 1 late off Stirling ; TIME into Larbert in 9. 30 (min up to Plean 51 mph ; max 74 at Alloa Junction. Everything speaks for itself!
An equally brief thrash back to Stirling with 40157 (HA) – possibly the best Class 40 HA ever possessed.- on 1A37 1310 Queen Street-Aberdeen. Off Lambert 1 minute early (!) ; 9. 13 to Stirling (min 66 Plean ; max 79 at Bannockburn) ; 1.25 early Stirling!!
1N32 1315 Queen Street-Inverness then produce a brace of Inverness based 26s – 26029/26031 on load 8/271 faced with a PWS 20 between Greenloaning and Blackford. Notwithstanding this the pair cut the 36.5 minute booking to 35 25 (min on Kinbuck 44 mph ; max before PWS 69 mph ; max after Auchterarder 79 mph).
Then it was back to a 27 in the shape of 27020, again required, on 1L38 1410 Queen Street-Dundee . A 7.5 minute late start ex-Perth provided some incentive – 22. 41 to Dundee against a 26 minute booking (max 75 mph at Inchture and again after Longforgan.
Time for some more 40 mileage and again behind a required loco 40153 (GD) in charge of 1A43 1440 Waverley-Aberdeen loading 9/305 (marginally over timing load of 300 tons) 10 late of Dundee:-
Dundee-Arbroath booked 19.5 actual 18. 27
(max 81 mph after Carnoustie)
Arbroath-Montrose 16.5 20. 00
(PWS 20 before Lunan Bay)
Montrose-Stonehaven 26 24. 46
(43 mph by Kinnaber Junction ;
max 80 mph in Fordoun Dip)
There followed only the second run behind a 47 to feature in this All-Line. The only excuse I can offer is that both of them were required!! The second locomotive in question was 47271 (HA) powering 1T46 1730 Aberdeen-Queen Street loading 8 vehicles 269 tons tare, which was sampled between Stonehaven and Montrose. The best that could be said of the performance was that it was adequate!! Schedule 24.5 minutes ; actual 24 minutes 50 seconds with max of 80 mph at Marykirk.
A challenge provided often in Scottish Region was to work out balances for locomotives. This night we were hoping that 1A37 would balance 1G54 1805 Aberdeen-Waverley and hence 40157 would be on offer again and the operating department duly obliged! Loading 7 vehicles 225 tons tare departure from Montrose was 6 late thus giving Haymarket’s finest a chance to show its paces – it did not disappoint!! :-
Montrose-Arbroath. booked 17 actual 15 36
PWS 20 after Letham Grange
max 79 mph at Letham Grange
Arbroath-Dundee 23 18. 01
4 minutes recovery
max 83 mph at Barry Links
Dundee-Leuchars J 13.5 12. 03.
max 73 mph after St.Fort
Leuchars j-Cupar 9 7. 49
Cupar-Kirkcaldy 24.5 21. 27
min 53 mph at Lochmuir
Kirkcaldy-Inverkeithing 20 19. 25
including non-advertised stop at Burntisland
Inverkeithing-Waverley 22.5 17. 55
4 recovery time
PWS 40 before Haymarket
4.5 early into Waverley – says it all, despite the schedule!!
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
27028 (ED) ; 27020 (ED) ; 40153 (GD) ; 47271 (HA)
DAY 7 :- WEST CALDER-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH WAVERLEY-
STIRLING ; STIRLING-GLENEAGLES ; GLENEAGLES-LARBERT ;
LARBERT-STIRLING ; STIRLING-DUNBLANE – DUNBLANE-
HAYMARKET ; HAYMARKET-EDINBURGH WAVERLEY ; EDINBURGH
WAVERLEY-BERWICK-upon-TWEED and return ; EDINBURGH
WAVERLEY-WEST CALDER
Identical start to previous day – 2Y05 for 1P20 with the same 40072 (HA) on the same load, but this time to a bale at Stirling:-
Waverley-Haymarket booked 4 actual 3. 14
Haymarket Grahamston 25 25. 49
max 79 mph after Bathgate J
signal stop for 24 seconds at Grangemouth
Junction
Grahanston-Stirling 13.5 12. 53
max 75 mph at Polmaise
After 5 minutes we were away from Stirling on 1N20 0935 QueenStreet-Inverness
with a brace of 26s – 26029 (IS)/26034IS) load 7/233.5 – 2 late off.
Stirling-Dunblane 7 7. 17
Dunblane-Gleneagles 14.5 16. 22
min 39 mph on Kinbuck
PWS 20 after Greenloaning
Next move to Larbert – 1T20 0952 Dundee-Queen Street with 27032 (ED) on 5/165.
Gleneagles-Dunblane 12.5 13. 40
PWS 20 after Blackford
max 81 mph at Kinbuck!
Dunblane-Stirling 8 5. 50
max 78 mph at Cornton
Stirling-Larbert 10.5 10. 21
signal check 28 mph on approach
Back to Stirling! 1L28 1110 Queen Street-Dundee – 27020 (ED) load 5/165 – 5 down off Larbert – 8. 59 to Stirling (booked 10) 61 min at Plean ; max 77 Bannockburn.
A long fester at Stirling (1 hour) thence to Dunblane with another Class 27 – 27027 on the usual load 5 – booked 7.5. actual 6. 45.
The idea was to cover 1T22 back to Larbert with 40089 recently acquired by Haymarket and required for haulage. Unfortunately 40089 had caught fire – even more unfortunately the damage was severe enough for condemnation! There are some thing which just aren’t meant to be!!
As GL was going back home that afternoon on 1E20 there was nothing for it but to take 2G59 1308 Stirling-Waverley DMU which started back at Dunblane to cover emergency with 1T22 – so we took it to Haymarket where at least we had a Class 40 in to Waverley – 40085 (YK) on 1G62 Edinburgh portion of 0820 ex-Temple Meads.
The usual farce followed with 1E20 behind 40083 load 8/276 tare – 27.5 booking to Dunbar ; actual 41. 49 with signal stop of 2 minutes 57 seconds at Portobello followed by wrong-line working to Monktonhall Junction , a brisk thrash to 87 mph by Drem (!!) followed by signals to 2 mph before East Fortune!!
17 late leaving Dunbar but with 46.5 allowed to Berwick (19 recovery time in that lot)!! Only check was PWS 20 before Oxwellmains so with a minimum of 48 up to Penmanshiel and a maximum of 86 mph before Marshall Meadows we achieved 29 minutes 24 seconds and were 0.5 early into Berwick!!
I was not pleased to see 47458 (YK) roll in 15 late on 1S27 0735 Plymouth-Waverley loading 12/396 slightly over timing load of 385. The run to Waverley was adequate
Berwick-Dunbar booked 30.5 actual 30. 40
PWS 20 at Grantshouse
Dunbar-Waverley 35 28. 59
8 minutes recovery
max 81 mph at East Fortune – not exactly scintillating!!
However an arrival 9 late gave plenty of time to board 2Y40 1836 Glasgow Central back to West Calder.
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE
27027 (ED)
TOTAL MILEAGE 3243.03
LOCOMOTIVES REQUIRED FOR HAULAGE – 22
CLASS 40’S ENJOYED FOR HAULAGE,,,18! namely
40019, 40025, 40027, 40035, 40072, 40073, 40078, 40080, 40083, 40085, 40087, 40088, 40108, 40153, 40155, 40157, 40163, 40195
Thanks again to Jim Burton for the classic memories, moves and gen from a few years back now!
end
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