Thanks to Scott Currie, Ian Saunders, Mike Lewis and the late Driver Phil and Tony Ewer for their help with the gen.
Peaks were common on the Forders – Bedford section of the branch working “binliners” of household waste from Cricklewood on a twice daily basis to Forders from the inaugural turn by 45045 on November 23rd 1978 right through till 1987, albeit in much dereased numbers by then.
West of Forders “Peaks” were always rare confined to working the occasional Midland diversion to and from Euston and a few railtours.
Class 46 were hugely rare on the branch and its thanks to the late Driver Phil’s records is his second manning 46042 on the evening “Binliner” on May 23rd 1979
Saturday July 3rd 1982 must also get a mention. Due to the booked closure of St Pancras due “station throat” reconstruction a good few Derby/Nottingham/Sheffield services were diverted to Euston bringing at least 10 45’1’s to Euston, a good few of which would have gone down the Bedford – Bletchley branch. The diversions were booked to last 3 days but unfortunately an ASLEF strike saw just one day of “Peaks” into Euston.
Below is a list of sample “branch” workings by each “Peak” known to have worked down the years.
45002 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 080383
45003 “Easidispose” Cricklewood – Forders 140483
45004 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 291083
With Stewartby’s then many chimneys in the background, the late Tony Ewer catches 45004 approaching Kempston Hardwick returning to Bedford and Cricklwood with the morning “binliners” on October 29th 1983
45006 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 090283
45013 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 150483
45015 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 291282
45020 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 180685
45022 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 110383
45033 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 040881
45035 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 080181
45037 6A61 Cricklewood -Forders 071081
45038 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 070181
45040 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 070881
45042 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 130581
45043 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 100383
45044 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 060181
45045 inagural “Landfill Express” CW-Forders 231178
45046 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 130882
45050 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 050181
45051 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 070181
45052 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 240180
45053 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 030281
45054 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 081081
45056 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 230180
45057 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 110483
45058 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 171180
45061 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 051283
45062 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 280982
45064 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 141283
45065 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 091283
45066 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 020282
45068 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 210180
45070 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 090583
45071 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 060281
45074 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 300682
45075 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 050281
45076 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 270380
45077 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 070685
45101 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 210685
45103 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 010782
45104 Anglia Peak Rtn Railtour 250487
Absolutely flying past Ledburn Jn on July 3rd 1982 with a diverted Euston – Nottingham service, it is very likely that 45104 also did the branch to get to Bedford. 45104 was one of at least 10 Peaks into Euston that July day.
45105 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 040886
45107 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 050685
45117 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 190685
45121 St Pancras – Cranmore “Mendip Artificer” (via BD,BY,Winslow,OX) 210184
45121 crosses Bletchley flyover with the Oxford bound leg of the “Mendip Artificer” tour from St Pancras on July 21st 1984. The tour had started from St Pancras having ran round at Bedford and worked down the branch to Bletchley
45125 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 021183
45126 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 061279
45128 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 270583
45131 0945 Euston – Nottingham (via branch) 030280
Probably one of several diversions down the branch on February 3rd 1980, 45131 passes Stewartby box and chimneys with the diverted 0945 Euston – Nottingham. An N.Ross collection phot.
45134 1655 Sheffield – Euston 030280
45136 0045 Euston – Derby (repl 87020 at BY) 021279
45136 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 060685
45138 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 300680
45140 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 240380
45141 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 070987
45142 6A62 Cricklewood – Forders 010886
45143 Wellinborough – Bletchley engineers 041086
45145 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 030685
45148 4A62 Cricklewood – Forders 071279
45150 6A61 Cricklewood – Forders 040685
46042 4A62 1748 Cricklewood – Forders 230579
Very likely most of the 10 Peaks listed below did the branch on booked diverted services on Saturday July 3rd 1982
45111 0600 Nottingham-Euston
45134 0700 Nottingham-Euston
45149 0740 Nottingham-Euston
45118 0900 Euston-Derby
45145 0800 Sheffield-Euston
45149 1210 Euston-Sheffield
45145 1310 Euston-Nottingham
45110 1355 Euston-Sheffield
45130 1510 Euston-Leicester
45118 1321 Sheffield-Euston
45138 1600 Euston-Sheffield
45131 Up Pass to Euston
45104 1700 Euston-Sheffield
much more and plenty phots of the Euston peak turns that Summer day here
This is the first on what will be a series of articles on different class types that have worked the Bedford – Bletchley branch down the years. Watch this space!
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Leighton Lists 