The Total tanks remembered 1972-2018
Part One -The class 47 years
Long strings of 100 tonne Total tank wagons en route from Immingham (later Lindsey) to Langley (later Colnbrook) were a familiar Midland main line scene from 1972-2018. Running with reporting numbers 6V66 (to Langley) and 6E56 (to Lindsey) the “Total tanks” were hauled almost exclusively by Immingham based 47’s which until the traffic commenced were very rare on the Midland at the likes of Luton particularly the “nb” ones.
An early recording of the “Total tanks” was back on August 31st 1972 when 1866 (later 47216/47299 passed Northbound mid morning with 6E56 whilst the afternoon saw 1886 (later 47367) passed Southbound on 6V66 loaded tanks. By the late 70’s the train now loading to 15 tankers tended to work South overnight on TThSO returning North mid morning TThSO.
1973 Total Tanks paths
6E57 MX 0040 Langley-Immingham COY
6E56 0855 MSX, 0850SO Langley-Immingham COY
6V68 MX 2115 SX Immingham-Langley COY
6V66 SX 1212 Immingham-Langley COY
During April 72 a foray to Hitchin on the Eastern saw me perched on top of the “shed” close to Hitchin station along with the usual gang of 10 merry local spotters. The weird one of the bunch (there was always one!) on finding out i was from Luton accused me of “nicking their tanks!”. On finding out what he was on about my repost of “you an nick some of our peaks, then” raised a laugh from the merry band! From its start, probably in 1969 the Immingham – Langley Total tanks ran via the ECML, Cannonbury Curve and NLL to Acton and Langley. This big train had to run round at Dalston Jn too. In 1970 for example it was commonplace to view both the loaded and empty tanks on Acton sidings such as on May 11th 1970 with 1867 on the northbound and 1865 on the southbound total tanks.
“Immingham oiler” selected times Oct 80-May 81
6V68 2115(MWFO) Lindsey – Langley
Newark Castle 2258
Nottingham Station 2325/2327 (crew change)
Trent Jn 2342
Loughborough 2358
Syston N 0010
Melton Mowbray 0027
Manton Jn 0049
Finedon Rd 0126/0128 (crew change)
Bedford N 0154
Luton 0231
St Albans 0248
Cricklewood Brent Jn 0318/0325 (crew change)
Acton ML 0342
Langley arr 0420
6E50 0905 (TThSO) Langley – Lindsey
Langley 0905
Acton ML 0932
Cricklewood Brent Jn 0959/1009 (crew change)
Harpenden 1047
Luton 1055
Leagrave 1058
Bedford 1123
Wellinborough Down Sdgs 1142
Finedon Rd 1142/1146 (crew change)
Kettering 1155
Market Harborough 1206
Leicester 1225
Loughborough 1244
Trent Jn 1255
Nottingham 1306/1317 (crew change)
Newark Castle 1356/1410
Lindsey a 1640
By April 1972 the tanks were switched to the more direct Midland Route through Nottingham, Cricklewood West, Dudding Hill Jn, Acton Wells and Acton. The earliest 2 reported are on April 11th 1972 47366 (as 1885) 6E56 and 47370 (as 1889) on 6V66. One of the last reported was 47212 on 6V53, 20 years later on May 7th 1992. Quite a long innings which produced at least the following 48 Immingham 47’s locally..
47007 (as 1529) 120472
47012 (as 1539) 060472
47047 241177
47054 070890
47103 (as 1691) 310773
47115 ????90
47119 141088
47135 (as 1727) 240473
47170 280677
47172 (as 1767) 160372
47174 (as 1769) 270372
47190 270484
47212 100191
47213 (as 1863) 170672
47214 (as 1864) 170373
47215 260474
47216/47299 (as 1866) 310872
47217 (as 1867) 310572
47218 (as 1868) 290773
47219 (as 1869) 290372
47221 241087
47222 210787
47223 090879
47224 100878
47263 100476
47265 120779
47276 090888
47294 140886
47295 070189
47305 (as 1786) 070672
47306 (as 1787) 030373
47310 (as 1791) 060672
47314 230786
47319 050689
47336 210786
47358 (as 1877) 151272
47361 (as 1880) 101172
47363 (as 1882) 271272
47364 150987
47366 (as 1885) 110472
47367 (as 1886) 230872
47368 (as 1887) 090673
47369 (as 1888) 090672
47370 (as 1889) 110472
47373 250487 Tinsley loco
47374 170287
47376 (as 1895) 100273
47377 (as 1896) 120573
47379 190689
47380 121188
Substitutions by Midland 47s was very unusual but even more unusual were 2 x 31 on the Tanks with just the following viewed to date
31322 (down emptys) 050176
31235 and 312xx 6V66 May 85..
The Cricklewood – Langley and return legs of the “Total tanks” was initially worked by Cricklewood men. To quote “Driver Phil” it was a nice job apart from booking on at 4am working the loaded tanks from Cricklewood West to Langley where they’d run round , reverse the tanks into the oil depot and draw forward to the headshunt well clear of the terminal for 3 hours kip! Once the tanks were unloaded, it was back to the terminal, hook up and return the empties to Cricklewood for 1130, a Wellinborough man working them North from CW. With the closure of Cricklewood depot to loco work around 1983 Bedford men took over the tanks making it a longer job.
One memorable incident Driver Phil remembers vividly was on reversing the loaded tanks into the terminal and due track spread, one bogie of a loaded tank derailed! After initially hitting the floor of the 47 Phil awaiting a possible repeat of the disastrous Langley fire in October 73, then plenty “Trumpton” turned up and our train crew escaped unscathed and on the cushions home!
Into the sectorised era of BR the trains came under the trainload petroleum sector still using Immingham 47’s. By late 1990 class 60s began appearing on the “Total tanks” and Trainload Petroleum had 60016 outbased at Bedford in September 90 for crew training. An unusual pairing saw 60027 assist 47319 ex Bedford in May 92, the 47 era on the “Total tanks” was coming to an end.
Think back and remember those usually clean Eastern 47’s approaching the likes of Luton and Bedford with a long rake of usually grubby “Total tanks” in tow, its 24 years ago since the 47s worked these trains.
Continued with the class 60 era on the tanks 1990-2018. link here
Total Tanks phot spot
47370 awaits a new crew on the centre road at Nottingham with 6E50 Langley – Immingham on August 24th 1985
Showing a modified body skirt after a crash rebuild heres Robin Morel’s nice phot of 47299 on 6V68 at Bedford in 1990
A classic Midland 6V68 oil train scene from “TC”. 47115 awaits a crew change at Bedford in May 90
A very rare phot again from “TC”. Heres 31235 and classmate substituting for a 47 on 6V68 in May 85
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