Northampton to Clacton 1983

[IanBanks-Jones]

On the 12th June 1983, I was a 3 year old boy with a love of noisy things. The company that my dad worked for chartered a train from Northampton to Clacton-on-Sea.

Now, being 3 at the time, my memories are not spectacular from it. I remember the train being made up of Mk1's (probably one of the cobblers sets). I have researched a little, and found that 25243 & 25250 worked to Bletchley where they were ripped for something else.

Why would they change there?
Does anyone know what replaced them?
What route did/would it probably have taken?

I have a vague idea that 47158, Sir Henry Ford may have taken over somewhere, although that could easily be wrong.

As an aside, a few years later (87, 88 or 89), they tried the same thing with a charter to Ramsgate. They got uncorridorred DMU's, and a 1 1/2 hour wait for a driver with route knowledge past mitre bridge junction, and just to make matters worse ran out of beer by Cheddington on the way back.

Any info about either would be ace.

Cheers,

Ian

 

[Seaeagle]

According to www.thebashingyears.co.uk the train was worked forward by an electric loco, but doesn't say which one.

 

[IanBanks-Jones]

That's good. I'm assuming that it wouldn't have worked through to Clacton? Was that even possible in '83? Was the NLL wired onto the WCML and the GEML back then?

 

[749259]

According to the special traffic notice, there were two Northampton Clacton charters on that day. Since the power was off in the Northampton/Hanslope Jn area both were scheduled to be diesel hauled Northampton - Bletchley. The electric that worked the ECS from Willesden then took over from Bletchley with a further loco change at Willesden No. 6 for a diesel forward. 47158 would have been a plausible candidate for one of these trains. Hope this helps.

 

[306024]

I have a vague idea that 47158, Sir Henry Ford may have taken over somewhere, although that could easily be wrong.

Good of you to have given him a knighthood - hope he is grateful

As a further aside, Clacton did see regular class 86 locomotives from 1985 on the 03.20 Liverpool St - Clacton paper train.

 

[STANDISH]

Your Tour does not appear on Six Bells Junction web site, but you might want to add it to the tours for 1983.

 

[IanBanks-Jones]

I'm mixing my Fords with my Rawlinsons!
749259, I'm gobsmacked at that knowledge. Impressed isn't the word!
STANDISH, I would put it up there, but I think my information is just a bit too scratchy.

I now have a much better understanding of my first railway experience. ace!