Meaning of "ES in rr" service type abbreviation in early 1950 London Midland engine diagram

[eldomtom2]

I have recently purchased facsimiles of Crewe North and Crewe South Engine Working booklets from the early 1950s. Most of the abbreviations for train types are fairly obvious, but "ES in rr." has completely stumped me. "ES" on its own is definitely empty stock.
I have asked RMweb and haven't found a definite answer, though apparently the Western Region used "rr" for "runs as required" - it is possible that there was a typo or I misread it and the intended abbreviation was "ES if rr.". However as the diagrams otherwise use "As reqd." for "runs as required" I am uncertain this is the case.
Here is a use of the mysterious "ES in rr." in context (from a diagram for a Crewe North 6P):

SX	Pass.	9.15	New St.	Lime St.	11.37	(5C/84)
SX	ES in rr.	12.0nn	Lime St.	Wavertree Jn.	12.8pm	(8A/266)
SX	L.E.	-	Wavertree Jn.	Edge Hill Shed	12.23

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

My best guess is reception road, i.e. leave empty stock in the reception road (for the carriage sidings).

If it just said ESrr then "run round" would be a possibility, but the presence of the word "in" (along with the next instruction being LE light engine) tell us that the coaches were being left somewhere, and a reception road is a more likely place to leave coaches than a run round.

 

[oldman]

'In the rear' perhaps? A shunting engine would likely have taken the empty stock out of Lime Street, with the incoming train engine remaining attached up the hill as a banking engine.

 

[zwk500]

@eldomtom2 is the final column a reference to the carriage working diagram or another engine on the same diagram?

My best guess is reception road, i.e. leave empty stock in the reception road (for the carriage sidings).

If it just said ESrr then "run round" would be a possibility, but the presence of the word "in" (along with the next instruction being LE light engine) tell us that the coaches were being left somewhere, and a reception road is a more likely place to leave coaches than a run round.

If it was this I'd have expected it to be shown in the same way a platform number would be, or for a note to include the information about which sidings to use. Especially as it's a timed move from Lime Street to Wavertree rather than a local shunt.

'In the rear' perhaps? A shunting engine would likely have taken the empty stock out of Lime Street, with the incoming train engine remaining attached up the hill as a banking engine.

This makes most sense to me, along with the convention of abbreviations taking the first and last letter or a word. Especially so when you consider that if the stock was worked out by the main loco it'd need to be released or runround at Lime Street and then again at Watertree jn.

 

[Merle Haggard]

@eldomtom2 is the final column a reference to the carriage working diagram or another engine on the same diagram?

/snip

I'm pretty sure that the number after the '/' is the train number - they appeared at the top of the column in WTTs. Unfortunately I only have freight WTTs for the period so can't check the numbers tally.

Numbering trains went back to LNWR days, sometimes carried physically on boards hung on the engine's top lamp bracket.

 

[Rescars]

This makes most sense to me, along with the convention of abbreviations taking the first and last letter or a word. Especially so when you consider that if the stock was worked out by the main loco it'd need to be released or runround at Lime Street and then again at Watertree jn.

First and last letters seems plausible. In the next column 12.0nn presumably means 12 noon.

 

[Merle Haggard]

ES rr = Empty Stock in rear - i.e. loco remained at the Lime Street end of the empty stock to Wavertree. Presumably another loco. on front as well.

 

[eldomtom2]

@eldomtom2 is the final column a reference to the carriage working diagram or another engine on the same diagram?

The final column is the crew turn, i.e. (8A/266) means it was worked by an Edge Hill crew on turn 266.

 

[Merle Haggard]

The final column is the crew turn, i.e. (8A/266) means it was worked by an Edge Hill crew on turn 266.

Thanks, makes sense.

Sorry for the mis-information.

 

[6Gman]

ES rr = Empty Stock in rear - i.e. loco remained at the Lime Street end of the empty stock to Wavertree. Presumably another loco. on front as well.

Pretty sure that's correct.

Stafford men work the train to Lime Street, relieved by Edge Hill men who man it to Wavertree Junction on the rear of the empty stock move - having given the loco on the front a helping shove up the incline - and then take the light engine to Edge Hill shed.