Railtouring 1980s style

[47403]

Another pearler of a read 40065. You should invest in this, if it's not you who's done this ofcourse

I have to laugh when the 47s materialise but least you got your wish with 40068 hauling and 47469 banking. 47080 would've be been a bit of a biggy in Scotland in those days too.
Until reading this, I was totally unaware you could pay to ride in a brake van and never heard anyone ever mention thus before. Was this a BR emloyee thing or could anyone aware of it, do such a thing.
Nice to hear my neck of the woods get a mention. Newcastle, the Sunday sojourn over the Leamside line was always a bit fun, not least to offer something a little bit different.
I look forward to.the rest.

Oh I nearly forgot. Top Trumps. Maximum Speed- 95mph Your turn

 

[Cowley]

A hundred Mickey! 47/7...
Must say I am enjoying reading these 40065. Pretty green with envy actually.
That book looks good.

 

[47403]

A hundred Mickey! 47/7...
Must say I am enjoying reading these 40065. Pretty green with envy actually.
That book looks good.

Oh we'll stick with 95mph.
That book is a really good read Nick, fair few good photos in too and the incessant bashing stories in it remind me of 40065s sojourn on the railways.

This ones a good read too, more top heavy with photos but still a good read.
I believe there's enough bashing tales in these threads to fill a similar book, with or without photos accompanying it.

 

[QJ]

I have to laugh when the 47s materialise but least you got your wish with 40068 hauling and 47469 banking. 47080 would've be been a bit of a biggy in Scotland in those days too.
Until reading this, I was totally unaware you could pay to ride in a brake van and never heard anyone ever mention thus before. Was this a BR emloyee thing or could anyone aware of it, do such a thing.
Nice to hear my neck of the woods get a mention. Newcastle, the Sunday sojourn over the Leamside line was always a bit fun, not least to offer something a little bit different.
I look forward to.the rest.

Oh I nearly forgot. Top Trumps. Maximum Speed- 95mph Your turn

You may laugh at 47s bowling me out. I weep at the admission I managed 440 plus of the things for haulage trying to avoid them.

As for paying to ride in the brake van. This was not a BR employee thing but open to the general public as far as I am aware. By the time I found out about it trains with brake vans in the consist were few and far between. I agree those in the know kept it to themselves. The first occasion I availed myself of the facility was a ride behind 25209 from Blackburn on a transfer freight to Preston P&W Goods (Maudlands), North Union Yard, Dock Street and the then Preston Dock Exchange Sidings in August 1978. The same day I travelled from Burn Naze back to Blackburn behind 40125 and the following day 25047 from Rose Grove to Padiham. That was about it for the Preston Division apart from a trip to RAF Brunthill from Carlisle Kingmoor along a short section of the Waverley route across the WCML.

The Scottish Region continued the practice for a few more years. I visited Barony Colliery and power station, Bowhill Washery and Seafield Colliery, Ayr Harbour, ICI Snodgrass, Waterside and Methil CEGB, Polkemmet and Ravenscraig, Coltness, Mossend Yard and BSC Clydebridge, Auchmuty and Motherwell Depot. During this time I also managed a Longannet MGR train from Newton on Ayr to Townhill Yard with one pair of class AY 20s to Cadder for a HA pair onward over the Forth Bridge. My last ride on the ScR was to Hillhouse Quarry in 1986.

A final fling on the WR got me a ride to Wenford Bridge, Par Harbour, Fowey and the BPGV, Cwm Colliery and Coed Ely Washery to supplement my railtour bashing. There was also a trip to Southam from Rugby though that was a more local arrangement as was trips to Aldermaston tip, Reading CCE Vastern Road Didcot and Acton Yard and the former Reading Diesel Depot not necessarily with a brakevan.

I had the good fortune to ride a weedkilling train to Bilston, Ironbridge CEGB, Donnington, Rugeley B power station and Baddesley Colliery amongst other places. Things you can only dream about these days.

And I nearly forgot length 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m).

 

[QJ]

Railroving 1980 style – September

September heralded the end of my Summer 1980 bashing with a couple of railtours plus a trip to Ireland sandwiched between. Rare track in the form of the Bardney branch south and east of Lincoln was on offer on the first Saturday of September. Having to get to March for the railtour Friday 5th found me at Kings Cross aboard the 23:00 to Bradford about to add another 156 miles to that already enjoyed behind 55003 in previous years and this. All too soon I was heading back from Doncaster to the Cross aboard the 22:55 ex Newcastle. Lack of sleep was forgotten as Gateshead had turned out 40058 for this train rather than a class 46 or a dual heat generator 47 (how disappointing not).

No sooner had the train terminated I was heading north again behind 55002 on the 05:50 to Aberdeen with Peterborough the chosen destination. Having previously mentioned that WR Brush 4s followed me around to obscure places around the UK it was the turn of a stray Old Oak Common Brush 2 to blight my note book. Nonetheless I took 31273 on the 07:27 Peterborough – Kings Cross as far as Huntingdon to waste a bit of time catching a cart back to be greeted by a required prototype EE type 4 at the head of the 08:15 Peterborough – Skegness. 44003 was taken to Sleaford (never got to Skegness with class 40 haulage. Astonishingly in 2018 there is still hope I might manage it). Fortunately for me the 08:35 Derby – Yarmouth followed close behind the Skeggy into Sleaford allowing me to get to March in time to pick up the charter; 25131 and 25129 of Toton the motive power (the red pen was only wielded for 131 as per tradition).

In catching 40003 I missed the first part of the railtour that covered the Wisbech branch. Fortunately I had been to Wisbech on a few occasions previously and was not to perturbed at missing the stagger there and back through a plethora of train man operated level crossings. The well filled pair of units trundled back down the GN&GE Joint via Cowbit and the Sleaford avoiding line then in a change to the published route, headed off round the Lincoln avoiding line past Lincoln City’s football ground as far as Boultham Junction before swinging right to West Holmes Junction then back to Greetwell Junction and onto Bardney through Lincoln Central and over the flat crossing marking the line from Lincoln St Marks towards Grimsby. Back at Greetwell Junction the train ran direct back to Lincoln Central, rather than run round the avoiding line, for a crew change which proved very useful. It meant I could catch the 15:00 service train from Doncaster to Skegness back to Sleaford in time to board the 14:15 Yarmouth - Derby. Toton pair 25132 and 25125 were taken as far as Nottingham with only 25132 being required (no surprise only one was required). Then it was one final move back to London on the 18:03 Sheffield – Saint Pancras and a pair of class 45s no less; 45134 piloting 45135. However, the weekend was not over. There was time for 27½ miles of 40024 mileage out to Stevenage from the Cross on the 18:30 to Peterborough and 31407 back on the 18:20 from Peterborough. Weekend over.

The following weekend was the start of a week’s roving around Ireland. Only the second time I had been there and the first was only for a day earlier in 1980. No cheap flights in those days of course so the overnight Sealink sailing from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire was the chosen method (I didn't fancy swimming). On Friday 12th there was a 21:15 relief to the Irish Mail listed in the public timetable as nonstop from London to Holyhead. The train was routed by way of the West Coast mainline to Basford Hall thence the Down fast Independent line and the down Chester Independent and onward through North Wales. 86229 was not a good start but better was to appear in the shape of 40023 from Basford Hall; heard long before seen. A nice way to head for the boat.

First interest upon arrival at Dun Laoghaire was boarding a connecting boat train on the pier for the journey to Connolly station. A trip to Sligo and back was enjoyed behind an A class re-engined Metrovick no 013 before heading to Cork for the night. There was time for a late night trip to Cobh before a couple of hours kip. There had been time whilst in Dublin to ned leap the commuter trains between Pearse and Connolly for some easy haulage pickings (all trains loco hauled in those days)

Sundays in Ireland used to see large numbers of people on a pilgrimage conveyed by train to Claremorris. Some of these trains were routed along the western corridor from Limerick via Ennis, Athenry and Tuam and it was one of these specials that was boarded for an 06:50 departure headed by a pair of 181 class Gm diesels. Sneaking away from the throng at Claremorris being ushered to waiting buses use was made of the 12:10 Claremorris to Ballina and 15:40 return headed by no less than 001. Back at Claremorris another train heading back to Limerick was caught with a 141 class GM piloting another 181 class. During the week the furthest extremities of CIE were reached and a section of Bord na Mona narrow gauge was visited. Even Doncaster built NIR 101 was sampled during the week.

One of the more interesting trains caught during the week was the 20:40 Galway – Dublin Connolly mail train that ran via Moate and Mullingar. It and the reverse working were the only booked trains by that route and they passed each other at around one in the morning at Moate. I caught this train twice during the week to save accommodation costs. This was not without incident as on arrival at Connolly station I dived into some stabled stock to get a couple of hours kip and found myself heading off towards Wicklow arther than Dun Laoghaire Pier as I thought.

I was invited to travel on a freight train from Drogheda to the cement terminal at Platin. If that wasn’t enough of a bonus I was then given a ride back to Dublin’s North Wall Midland Yard on a loaded cement train.

All too soon it was time to head home by way of the Rosslare – Fishguard ferry vowing to go back. 47137 had to be taken on the 02:00 Fishguard – Paddington to Swansea for 47105 onwards by way of a reversal at Tondu thence via Cardiff and another reversal at Bristol Temple Meads. There had to be some Brush 4 mileage at some point.

One last weekend to go with a railtour starting from Leeds heading to Consett on the Saturday. The day defore,26th, 40061 was turned out for the 2315 Kings Cross – Aberdeen followed by 40028 on the 00:02 from the Cross to Newcastle. 61 was taken as far as Peterborough for 28 onward to its final destination for a quick dash up to Leeds and the railtour. When the railtour was over it was back to London by way of a returning excursion from Scarborough headed by 55005. Of course I hadn’t finished just yet. I promptly jumped on the 22:30 Kings Cross – Edinburgh for the diversion via Cambridge. My last haulage of September fell to 55013 on the 19:15 Aberdeen – Kings Cross again running via Cambridge.

In retrospect a fantastic summer with loco haulage a plenty from my favourite class of engine with some interesting passenger and freight only track covered in the process a lot of which is now closed. In fact 1980 as a whole was a cracking time. In the first 4 months of the year I visited Louth, Meeth and Dowlais Furnace Top and scored over 70 new locos for haulage. Interesting diversions included the 08:04 Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool on 24/02 running to Oxford Road only to double back on itself to Piccadilly then off to Stockport , Northenden Jn, Skelton Jn and Glazebrook East Jn to reach Warrington Central.

In the final three months of the year I was less prolific at scoring locos with only 30 new. Nevertheless choice track was covered in the lines from Wymondham to Great Ryborough and Norwich Victoria, Nantymoel and Morriston, Felixstowe Docks and Leiston, Stourbridge Junction to Walsall and Princes End Branch and the NIR network having as promised myself visited the island of Ireland again.

Mind you one occasion was not intended. After one of my many railtours I had jumped on a return excursion at Cardiff heading back to Swansea (from York) with the intention of bailing at Swansea for the Fishguard – Paddington. This was scuppered when the class 47 jacked in the middle of nowhere. With nowhere to stay once the train finally reached Swansea I jumped on a rail replacement bus to Fishguard (a number of trains had been stuck behind and connections missed) , hopped on the ferry and had a ride to Dublin and back before making my way back to London on the 02:00 from Fishguard which was class 50 hauled from Cardiff via Gloucester and Stroud. Oops.

The most interesting service I caught was over the weekend of 25 October courtesy of one of those BR /Sealink/SNCF promotions at the time allowing travel from London to Paris and back first class. For a small supplement travel by the Night Ferry was allowed so I duly racked up at Victoria, got through the Customs formalities and boarded the 22:25 departure for Paris from platform 1. Engineering work meant that 73120 had to run via Faversham and Canterbury East to reach Dover and the waiting class 99 mv Saint Germain. I have recorded that 09008 did the shunting at the Dover Ferry berth with SNCF 62008 doing likewise at Dunkerque West. The train then became the 04:44 Dunkerque Maritime to Paris Nord reversing at Dunkerque Ville with 66484 to Dunkerque and 16049 forward via Arras after detaching the Brussels coaches. Of course the return at 21:20 from Paris was caught back but for some reason the details I have recorded are somewhat sketchy (zzzzz) with 16023 hauling the train to Lille the only SNCF loco noted. 09008 (again) shunted the train at Dover with 33056 whisking me back to London Victoria platform 1 as the 06:08 from Dover Western Docks by way of Tunbridge and Bromley South. I think mv St Eloi was the class 99. I forgot all about the Customs until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was busy trying to photograph the train. The Night Ferry disappeared from the timetable on 31 October some four days after my journey.

Memories.

 

[greyman42]

There was a York- Shrewsbury and vice versa overnight service that went via Stalybridge and Stockport. It was a mixture of Royal Mail vans and mark 1 compartment stock that was always comfortable and warm. You could get some good sleep in these if you wanted as their were very few other passengers on the service.

 

[47403]

You may laugh at 47s bowling me out. I weep at the admission I managed 440 plus of the things for haulage trying

And I nearly forgot length 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m).

at the top trumps reference.
I haven't read the 2nd part below but I certainly will do soon. By God you certainly explored the place on the brake vans. Where did you go to pay for them ?, you may have said in the thread but I can't remember where, if you did say.
440 plus of the 47s for haulage. Very impressive, I love em but I think I only managed roughly half of that. Mind you, I wasn't as full on as you were and I had a decade out the game, I found my hormones taking over, then women, gigs and drink seemed more alluring, yes it was bloody good fun but unfortunately little did I realise the expense that came with it.

Oops nearly forgot.
Power at Rail;- 1550kw(2080hp)

 

[47403]

Another cracking read squire. On top of your thread I was reading Railways Illustrated and within the pages is a piece on Haymarket Depot, saying their 40s were the envy of other Depots, as theirs had a 92% reliability rate compared to the rest of the countries being 79%. Made me think of this thread, seen as you've mentioned a fair few of HA's machines.
Looking forward to reading some more.

 

[55013]

I'm just catching up with all the reports - your memoires are simply brilliant.
Sadly; at the time you were enjoying all those great haulages I was in my early spotting days.
By the time I got round to haulages much of what you did was already gone.

 

[QJ]

47403. Regarding paying for the brake van trips. IIRC a written authority was received through the post that had to be taken to the nearest open ticket office to where the freight train was to be boarded. I believe the cost was worked out, don’t quote me on this, based on a first class rate per mile.

And as for full on bashing I don’t regard it as such. In fact I marvel at the number of locos I had for haulage and places I got to given working shifts meant in theory only one weekend in four was free. And by the beginning of the 1990s I grew up somewhat and got married but four kids later I have regressed though overnights and out for days on end are best avoided (says he booked on the June SRPS routes and branches) these days.

I did get 111 different class 40s for haulage and 57 Westerns in between the class 47s. My place of birth meant I was somewhat geographically challenged in scooping the more exotic northern machines for most of my teenage years.

My fondness for class 40s was the result of my mother taking me on an excursion train from Plymouth to Rhyl and back behind 47047 back in the mists of time. As the Adex rolled into its destination 40019 was whistling away on the up platform. I remember trying to persuade my mum to spend the afternoon in Chester so I could ride behind the EE type 4 such was the impression it made upon me. A shame she declined and all I could do was delay leaving the station to feel the power of 19 storming out of the station. My first class 40 haulage ended up being 40061 one night in 1975 on the northbound internal Scots sleeper but that is another story.

As for top trumps. 440+ class 47s for haulage including five 47555s. I’ll swap them all for any of the 89 class 40s I missed out on.

 

[Cowley]

Five 47555s made me laugh.
40065 - Are you from the South West then (Plymouth)? Because that makes your 111 class 40s even more impressive.
The thing out of all of this though for me is the 57 Westerns. Absolutely green with envy on that one.
Great thread.

 

[Jack2015]

Great memories from 40065. I remember the summer of 1980 when a group of us would get a ranger weekend ticket which would cover Cardiff Central, Temple Meads, Gloucester and Hereford from Friday 5pm to Sunday 11.59pm. We would maximise the Cardiff - Crewe services with 40106 on one turn but the main stayers were 25042/061/063/220/221/224, Cardiff services to Paignton and Plymouth to Temple meads produced regular 45/0's and the North West-South West services to Gloucester. We would rack up the miles with a great variation of traction including 25's 31/4's although 31/3's regular appeared 33's 37's to Swansea 45/46's 47/0's 50's. Our finishing move was a Portsmouth to Cardiff service normally a Bath Road 31/4 then pick up the Newcastle to Swansea which normally produced a 45. in amongst all that Severn Tunnel Junction threw up all sorts freight heavyweights from the north stabled over the weekends including pairs of 20's. Bath Road and Canton were buzzing with traction movements. Great shame these great TMD's have long gone but those who experienced them in their youth will never forget thrill of turning up not knowing what turned up overnight and parked up.