Locomotive Swaps At Mitre Bridge (Willesden)

[ChiefPlanner]

Thanks for that ChiefPlanner. Do you remember if they were actually allocated to WN? Or were they outbased and perhaps allocated to Cricklewood or somewhere else?

I will ask someone who knows - I suspect WN - T31 was always a regular Willesden to Watford 25 turn in / around 1984 , often nicked for any urgent Control requirement. Bescot had the Lions share of them around that era - they were culled at a time of falling traffics and fleet standardisation , some were to be retained for Warringon area chemical workings , but there were enough 47's kicking around to stop that idea. (slightly off topic I know)

 

[acned]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15038/34573359436/

Mitre Bridge loco swap in 1986

 

[The_Engineer]

A similar change - electric locomotive to 2 x Class 33 at Mitre Bridge Junction - early 1970s. More sidings there in those days!

 

[Bevan Price]

Carnforth loop, south of the station, used for electric (or diesel) to steam changes on steam specials to Carlisle via WCML

I think Farington Jn is used for steam to electric change on southbound specials via the Settle & Carlisle line. .

My own most unusual loco change location was at De Trafford Jn on a diverted Liverpool - Newcastle service.
(Liverpool - Newton Le Willows - Bamfurlong Jn - Whelley line to De Traffod Jn - loco change + reverse to Hindley - Atherton - Manchester Victoria, then normal route towards Newcastle)

 

[Cowley]

Carnforth loop, south of the station, used for electric (or diesel) to steam changes on steam specials to Carlisle via WCML

I think Farington Jn is used for steam to electric change on southbound specials via the Settle & Carlisle line. .

My own most unusual loco change location was at De Trafford Jn on a diverted Liverpool - Newcastle service.
(Liverpool - Newton Le Willows - Bamfurlong Jn - Whelley line to De Traffod Jn - loco change + reverse to Hindley - Atherton - Manchester Victoria, then normal route towards Newcastle)

Out of curiosity Bevan, what where the locos and year?

 

[billh]

Manchester, Midland Junction on the Philips Park line. Electric/steam change with a service to/from Blackpool(?)
I remember seeing a light engine EM2 en route for that purpose crossing Ashton Old Road, a hundred years ago.
I'm not sure when that line was de-wired but the wires only ever reached Midland Junction from Ashburys.

 

[john prytherch]

There is an excellent article by Allan Patterson on the working of Mitre Bridge Junction in BackTrack May 2008 at pages 284-287.

John Prytherch.

 

[QJ]

On the couple of occasions I enjoyed rat haulage to/from Mitre Bridge Jn. they were definitely Cricklewood allocated locos.

Re swapping locos on service trains in the yard south of Crewe. In 1980 I caught the Friday only Euston - Holyhead relief to the Irish Mail listed in the timetable as non stop between origin and destination. This train swapped locos on the Down Fast Independent (not in the yard) at Sorting Sidings North. I was much relieved to hear the sound of a familiar whistle approaching after the electric loco had been detached A bit awkward to get off if something less palatable had dropped on the front.

Engineering work often meant locos swapping from electric to diesel on a non platform road at Crewe on London to Liverpool workings that were first stop Runcorn. Not good when a 40 gets dropped on one (aircon set to boot) whilst on the adjacent platform road an ETS fitted 47 gets to haul a mark 1 set.

I do not recall any loco swaps in the Crewe area at the time of the resignalling project despite spending many happy hours trundling around travelling over the various Independent lines during the time most of the station was shut (IIRC one of the former Chester bays was open for DMU shuttles).

Other places where locos were swapped on passenger trains without being in a station included Rotherwood. And in the last days of the Night Ferry when it was diverted via Canterbury East the ED was detached in favour of the gronk shove onto the class 99 outside Dover Western Docks without running into the aforementioned station.

 

[Graham H]

Didn't some services from the south coast to the north/Scotland change from diesel to electric just before Coventry on the Kenilworth line? The OLE even today stretches round towards Kenilworth quite a bit.

Going north I do remember the traction change was outside Coventry on the Kenilworth line before the station call. Going south I think changes happened during the station call. Must have been easier to simply run a loco onto the holding siding when heading south and attach a new one rather than northbound which presumably would have needed a run round of both locos within the station and a much more complicated shunt sequence.

 

[6Gman]

I also wonder if Willesden class 25s were responsible for hauling trains carrying bricks northwards from Stewartby. That said I can't recall whether either Cricklewood or Bletchley had an allocation of Rats so they may have supplied the locomotives.

I'm pretty sure the Stewartby trains were WN 2x25. I also recall during a 1970s coal strike (and electricity shortages) WN 2x25 being used on Footexes which would otherwise have been electrically hauled (possibly Euston - Liverpool or Manchester).

 

[6Gman]

On the couple of occasions I enjoyed rat haulage to/from Mitre Bridge Jn. they were definitely Cricklewood allocated locos.

Re swapping locos on service trains in the yard south of Crewe. In 1980 I caught the Friday only Euston - Holyhead relief to the Irish Mail listed in the timetable as non stop between origin and destination. This train swapped locos on the Down Fast Independent (not in the yard) at Sorting Sidings North. I was much relieved to hear the sound of a familiar whistle approaching after the electric loco had been detached A bit awkward to get off if something less palatable had dropped on the front.

I'm pretty sure there were booked engine changes at Basford Hall on Summer Saturdays in the 1970s.

 

[theblackwatch]

Engineering work often meant locos swapping from electric to diesel on a non platform road at Crewe on London to Liverpool workings that were first stop Runcorn. Not good when a 40 gets dropped on one (aircon set to boot) whilst on the adjacent platform road an ETS fitted 47 gets to haul a mark 1 set.

I recall a similar incident around 1989/90 that I was told about - some 'big' Railfreight 47 was on a drag to Crewe, which a load of cranks were on, intending to alight there for something back north. Unfortunately, the train stopped in the centre road at Crewe for the 47 to be ripped off - which caused a group of enthusiasts to do a 'ballast leap'.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

During the later stages of the WCML electrification, trains would switch locos from electric to diesel south of Nuneaton (where it becomes 4-track at Attleborough).
That must have lasted at least a year c1964, maybe two.

 

[xotGD]

The Scarborough Spa Express has a loco swap in Holgate Sidings from diesel to steam (and back again on the return).

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The Euston - Fort William overnight had a swap from electric to diesel at Mossend then another swap at Cowlairs for the reversal into Queen Street.

I travelled on a couple of sleepers in the 1970s from Inverness to London which changed engines at Mossend Yard - although I wasn't awake when that happened, mind ... !