Passenger Train That Did Last Train From Whitby-York

[Harvester]

This is the sort of research that I like! I've tried to do similar exercises on other routes that are of particular interest to me.

Ideally I would be looking at the relevant WTT, but that isn't to hand. Looking at my collection of ER PTTs, and Timetable World's collection of NER PTTs, I think the following were loco hauled up to the end:

5.20am Malton-Whitby
8.55am Whitby-York
3.35pm York-Whitby
6.54pm Whitby-Malton

It seems fairly clear that D259 worked at least one of these on the last day, but did it work all of them? The most likely place for a loco swap would be at York. Are there any pictures of the 3.35pm York-Whitby before dark?

One source I expected to provide some answers was the Railway Observer, but it failed to do so. It’s reports (May 1965 issue) of Saturday 6/3/65 were focused on the DMU workings on the Scarborough-Whitby line which also closed that day. The only mention of the Whitby-Malton route concerned the 62005+3442 hauled railtour.

What was mentioned though, was that after 6/3/65 Rillington Junction-Pickering was worked as a single line, under ‘one engine in steam’ operation. The Malton diesel shunter was usually deemed to be sufficient power for the SX Malton to Pickering daily freight. This ceased running on 1/7/66 as mentioned up thread, and Rillington Junction to Pickering subsequently closed.

 

[Class08Shunter]

One source I expected to provide some answers was the Railway Observer, but it failed to do so. It’s reports (May 1965 issue) of Saturday 6/3/65 were focused on the DMU workings on the Scarborough-Whitby line which also closed that day. The only mention of the Whitby-Malton route concerned the 62005+3442 hauled railtour.

What was mentioned though, was that after 6/3/65 Rillington Junction-Pickering was worked as a single line, under ‘one engine in steam’ operation. The Malton diesel shutter was usually deemed to be sufficient power for the SX Malton to Pickering daily freight. This ceased running on 1/7/66 as mentioned up thread, and Rillington Junction to Pickering subsequently closed.

I have some pictures of the Class 40 that hauled the last passenger trains. It's in page 1 of this thread.

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @Magdalia to add some information.

 

[Magdalia]

Found a photo of the Class 40 at Pickering on the last day with a Whitby-York service. This wasn't the last train. This was the 8.55am Whitby-York service.View attachment 121520This was the last train. The 6.54pm Whitby-Malton service.
View attachment 121521

Thread reopened for @Magdalia to add some information.

Thanks.

I have now found a picture of 3.35 pm York to Whitby at Malton on 06/03/65. I can confirm that D259 is the loco in the picture and that it therefore did the last loco hauled passenger train.

The picture is by John Boyes and is in First Generation Eastern & North Eastern Region Diesels in Colour by David Dunn.