To start this section off, here are 2 logs of overloaded Class 31s on the ECML in situations where somewhat bigger power was expected and, perhaps, would have been more appropriate.
Date :- April 07, 1965
Train :- 1B04 0733 Newark Northgate-King’s Cross
Locomotive :- D5672 (34G)
Load :- 10 coaches, 337 tons tare
0.00. Northgate. 0 0 00. –
4.73 Claypole (3) 8. 03. 52
8.64. Hougham 12. 18. 55/64
10.40. Barkston South 15 14. 23. 58/52
Junction
14.65. Grantham 21 20. 29 –
0.00 0 0 00 –
3.35 Great Ponton 6 34 38/48
4.13 High Dyke 7 44 46/43
5.34 Stoke Summit 6 9 34 38/41
8.36. Corby Glen 12. 42 57/66/70
13.23. Little Bytham 16. 30 77/84
16.82 Essendine 18 19. 04. 86
20.62. Tallington 21. 39 86/88
23.57. Helpston 23 45 84
25.95 Werrington Junction 21 25. 43 76/*63
27.39 New England North 27. 20 57
29.10 Peterborough 26 30. 02 –
0.00 0 0 00 –
1.38 Fletton Junction 2 52 44/46
3.75. Yaxley and Farcet 5 51 48/53
6.99. Holme (3) 9. 04 66
12.88 Abbot’s Ripton 14 43 59/63
17.65 Huntingdon 21 19. 16 65
20.47. Offord and Buckden 22 05 *63
24.59. St. Neot’s 26. 00 65
PWS *20
28.81 Tempsford 32 46 41/52
32.19. Sandy 33 36 20 64
35.16 Biggleswade 39. 16 62/58
39.28 Arlesey (3) 43. 21 62
40.63. Three Counties 44. 50 57
44.40 Hitchin 45 48. 18 66
48.77. Stevenage 52. 07 55/53
51.33. Knebworth 51.5 55 51 58
54.37. Welwyn North 58. 44 62/64
56.05. Welwyn Garden City 60. 10 66
58.68. Hatfield 57.5 62. 16 72/73
63.65. Potter’s Bar 62 67. 01 65/62
65.78. Hadley Wood 68. 57 64
67.21. New Barnet 70. 05 70
72.31. Hornsey 74 16 73/70
73.85. Finsbury Park 71.5 75 50 62/57
sigs *10
76.36 King’s Cross 77 81. 38 –
It was some years before I was fortunate (??) enough to encounter another 31 on the ECML main line. It was the same train, now starting back at Lincoln St. Marks at 0725 with an additional stop at Huntingdon and now loading 11 coaches!!
Date :- September 07, 1968
Train :- 1B04 0725 Lincoln St. Mark’s-King’s Cross
Locomotive :- D5613 (34G)
Load :- 11 coaches, 371 tons tare
0.00. Northgate 0 0. 00 –
4.73 Claypole (3) 7. 11 48/52/57
8.64. Hougham 10. 56 65/57
10 40. Barkston South 12 12. 42. 56
Junction
12.69 Peascliffe Tunnel N 14. 04 58/55
13.98. Barrowby Road 16. 33 66/52/41
14.65. Grantham 16.5 18. 11 –
0.00 0 0. 00 –
3.35 Great Ponton 6. 18 42/49
4.13. High Dyke 7. 18 48/43
5.34 Stoke Summit 5.5 8. 49 44/51
8.36. Corby Glen 11 38 68/78
13.23. Little Bytham 15. 09 85
16.82. Essendine 13.5 17. 37 82/86
20.62. Tallington 20. 20 83
23.57 Helpston 22. 24 86
25.95 Werrington Junction 20.5 24. 29 76*55
27.39 New England North 26. 08 52/49
29.10 Peterborough 25.5 28. 49 –
0.00 0 0. 00 –
1.38 Fletton Junction 3 02 46/51
3.75 Yaxley and Farcet 5 48 56/58
6.99. Holme 8. 43 71/65
12.88. Abbot’s Ripton 14. 14 63/53
17.65. Huntingdon 18 19. 25 –
0.00 0 0. 00. –
2.92. Offord and Buckden 4. 47 51/60
7.14. St. Neot’s 8. 56 61/65
11.34. Tempsford 12. 37 71/75
14.74. Sandy 13 15. 19 75
17.71 Biggleswade 17. 43 75
21.83. Arlesey (4) 21. 08. 74/70
23.18 Three Counties 22 19 72
26.95. Hitchin 25.5 25. 33 72/68
30.30 Stevenage Old 28. 49 66/57
33.85. Knebworth 32. 07 65/68
36.88. Welwyn North 34. 49 66/71
38.52. Welwyn Garden City 36. 11 73
41.17. Hatfield 38.5 38. 15 75/78
44.36. Brookman’s Park 41. 09 68/65
46.05. Potter’s Bar 42.5 42. 40. 72
48.22. Hadley Wood 44. 30 66
49.67. New Barnet 45. 39 73/78
52.34. New Southgate 47. 49 75
54.70. Hornsey 49. 52 72/67/60
sigs *35
56.33. Finsbury Park 52 51. 48 54
58.84. King’s Cross 57 57. 28 –
Now I think that both of these performances come under the heading of “gallant efforts”, even though, if one were being more cynical, the statement “if it had not been for recovery time…….” would be of relevance.
31257 1733 Carlisle – Euston rtn “Pennine Summits” Tour
At Rugby the tour’s booked AC loco to Euston had vanished, this seemed to happen a lot on 40 tours! Sadly the 40’s didn’t go through, and to a huge round of laughter 31257 appeared to work the tour forward.
The laughter was perhaps on the other foot once past Kilsby summit, with a top driver, and a healthy steed in 31257, load 14 was moved at very respectable speeds South (see log below). A Watford leap and a 310 home to end a wonderful day out.
Via Weedon at very unpedestrian speeds!
The flying “ped”, 31257’s finest hour!
Sched Actual Var Av Speed
Rugby 2137 2155 +18 ……….
Weedon 2146 2212 +26 45
Hanslope 2154 2222 +28 80
Bletchley 2205 2232 +37 58.5
Leighton 2237 75
Tring 2215 2246 +31 56.6
Berko 2249 80
Hemel 2252 54.3
Apsley 2253 60.1
Kings L 2255 56.6
Watford Jn 2225 2259 +34 54
From Weedon to Watford only 8 minutes were lost on electric timings, not bad for a ped
end
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