Was the 25 dragging a DMU, or had they turned out some loco+stock vice DMU?
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NorthWestRover
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It's one of the two Rats I had almost two years later on 18th May 1985 as a pair on the ECS from Shrewsbury to Wolves after a day Siphon bashing.
xotGD
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A 101 had failed and was being dragged by the Rat. It was only us cranks waiting at Blaydon, but fortunately it stopped!
You didn't need to remind me of that super day on the Cambrian!
NorthWestRover
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The next four "Saturdays" are similar - 25th May, 1st, 8th, 15th June.
xotGD
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We'll have to see how they compare with my north east summer Saturdays...
NorthWestRover
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We should have some really good summer nostalgia over the next three or four months. Mainly 82/83/85/86 for me. Where ARE my 1984 books?!
Well done! I often kept my eyes open for any DMU dragging around Carlisle, especially after tales of class 26s working to Barrow, but I never saw one myself.
I'll have some more high-grade drivel coming up shortly - the Rainhill Weekend (1980).
NorthWestRover
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I'll post my long-promised photos of Rainhill when you do. My forthcoming highlights include the Popexes and my last 40 haulage.
Re Rainhill - Please dig out your photos of "Rocket", "Lion", and "Sans Pareil", as I might feature in them. Which day did you go?
Aah the Popexes. I couldn't be everywhere, but my 40 mileage and track coverage increased substantantially over the course of a few days. There were one or two interesting incidents to report too ...
Tuesday 22/05/79
After the unplanned overnight in Settle, I headed home to York, hoping that a class 40 might feature somewhere in the move to make up for last night’s fiasco …
47522 1106 Settle – Leeds
47414 1221 Leeds – Dewsbury
47552 1239 Dewsbury – York
Sadder, wiser – and considerably poorer – I slunk off home.
Sunday 22/05/83
86229 0032 Mossend – Euston
47490 dragging Preston – Stafford via Golborne, Castlefield, Manchester Piccadilly, Crewe.
50039 0945 Paddington – Plymouth
50039 1440 Plymouth – Paddington
43090 + 43050 1900 Kings Cross – York via Cambridge.
The Fort William sleeper produced good sleep but boring motive power. A round trip to Plymouth with 50039 was a nice way to spend the day, finished off by an HST via Cambridge to get me home to York.
Wednesday 22/05/85
Another required 37 is on the Carstairs portions:
47705 1500 Glasgow QS – Edinburgh
37119 1610 Edinburgh – Carstairs
81011 1823 Carstairs – Glasgow Central
Friday 22/05/87
86215 1520 Crewe – Carlisle
87022 1800 Carlisle – Glasgow Central
From my temporary accommodation in Crewe I went home to the family for the weekend.
Saturday 22/05/93 “Steam on the Met”
99 1428 Amersham – Watford
99 1514 Watford – Rickmansworth
46441 1652 Rickmansworth – Amersham
London Transport gala day, with some interesting steam workings traversing the direct line from Watford to Rickmansworth.
After the unplanned overnight in Settle, I headed home to York, hoping that a class 40 might feature somewhere in the move to make up for last night’s fiasco …
47522 1106 Settle – Leeds
47414 1221 Leeds – Dewsbury
47552 1239 Dewsbury – York
Sadder, wiser – and considerably poorer – I slunk off home.
Sunday 22/05/83
86229 0032 Mossend – Euston
47490 dragging Preston – Stafford via Golborne, Castlefield, Manchester Piccadilly, Crewe.
50039 0945 Paddington – Plymouth
50039 1440 Plymouth – Paddington
43090 + 43050 1900 Kings Cross – York via Cambridge.
The Fort William sleeper produced good sleep but boring motive power. A round trip to Plymouth with 50039 was a nice way to spend the day, finished off by an HST via Cambridge to get me home to York.
Wednesday 22/05/85
Another required 37 is on the Carstairs portions:
47705 1500 Glasgow QS – Edinburgh
37119 1610 Edinburgh – Carstairs
81011 1823 Carstairs – Glasgow Central
Friday 22/05/87
86215 1520 Crewe – Carlisle
87022 1800 Carlisle – Glasgow Central
From my temporary accommodation in Crewe I went home to the family for the weekend.
Saturday 22/05/93 “Steam on the Met”
99 1428 Amersham – Watford
99 1514 Watford – Rickmansworth
46441 1652 Rickmansworth – Amersham
London Transport gala day, with some interesting steam workings traversing the direct line from Watford to Rickmansworth.
NorthWestRover
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Saturday 22nd May 1982
North Wales Coast, but an unusually Rat dominated day. It must have been frustrating to say the least as these were mostly 40 days for me as you'll see in due course.
25130 Warrington BQ to Llandudno Jct - on 1D34 'The Bangor'
47489 Llandudno Jct to Chester (Holyhead to Crewe service)
40027 Chester to Llandudno on 1M71 09.00 York to Llandudno. This was a solid 40 diagram.
DMU back to Llandudno Jct
25034 Llandudno Jct to Warrington BQ on 1J22 (the second Man Vic to Bangor diagram)
25130 Warrington BQ to Chester (afternoon Bangor)
47 492 Chester to Colwyn Bay on 1D65 (2nd ETH Duff on the same day!!); that was 2 hours at Chester for some reason
25130 Colwyn Bay to Warrington BQ on 1J31 (evening Bangor).
Thursday 22nd May 1986
HST Wolverhampton to Birmingham NS
86213 Birmingham NS to Wolverhampton
No idea why. This was my last 1986 move for a couple of weeks (2nd year exams at Poly).
22nd May 2019
Pacer Wigan Wallgate to Man Vic and back lol.
North Wales Coast, but an unusually Rat dominated day. It must have been frustrating to say the least as these were mostly 40 days for me as you'll see in due course.
25130 Warrington BQ to Llandudno Jct - on 1D34 'The Bangor'
47489 Llandudno Jct to Chester (Holyhead to Crewe service)
40027 Chester to Llandudno on 1M71 09.00 York to Llandudno. This was a solid 40 diagram.
DMU back to Llandudno Jct
25034 Llandudno Jct to Warrington BQ on 1J22 (the second Man Vic to Bangor diagram)
25130 Warrington BQ to Chester (afternoon Bangor)
47 492 Chester to Colwyn Bay on 1D65 (2nd ETH Duff on the same day!!); that was 2 hours at Chester for some reason
25130 Colwyn Bay to Warrington BQ on 1J31 (evening Bangor).
Thursday 22nd May 1986
HST Wolverhampton to Birmingham NS
86213 Birmingham NS to Wolverhampton
No idea why. This was my last 1986 move for a couple of weeks (2nd year exams at Poly).
22nd May 2019
Pacer Wigan Wallgate to Man Vic and back lol.
NorthWestRover
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Just checked Motherlist and the only other 40 passenger working on 22nd May 1982 was 106 on the 08.40 Cleethorpes to Doncaster. Odd.
xotGD
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22nd May 1982 - while others were enjoying the North Wales coast, I was on a Merrymaker to Brumby and Stratford upon Avon:
46029 Newcastle - York
45070 York - New St
45070 New St - Newcastle
While I spent the day spotting at New St with some other north east neds (full list of sightings in an earlier post in the thread) my Mam and Auntie did the train throughout.
22nd May 1989:
47488 Newcastle - Man Pic
86424 Man Pic - New St
47527 New St - Reading
46029 Newcastle - York
45070 York - New St
45070 New St - Newcastle
While I spent the day spotting at New St with some other north east neds (full list of sightings in an earlier post in the thread) my Mam and Auntie did the train throughout.
22nd May 1989:
47488 Newcastle - Man Pic
86424 Man Pic - New St
47527 New St - Reading
Last edited:
NorthWestRover
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46029 was my first ever recorded haulage on 9th July 1976 from Man Vic to York on a school trip. I started spotting that day.
Some North Wales Coast days were like that. It could drive you mad after a while, despite being a happy hunting ground for 40s.
I'd have been phoning Rentokil by the end of that day!
xotGD
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That's what makes it a sport. Being bowled out, stuck outside a station when the loco you were after goes storming past the other way, loco failing and being removed just as you've settled in to the front compo - all part of the fun!
NorthWestRover
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I agree. Having the gen could be useful but the excitement of hearing the whistle before you saw the loco when you didn't know if it was a 40, a rat or a Duff was far better.
NorthWestRover
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Monday 23rd May 1983
...and the 1983 moves book starts with a bit of a Ned move. Not many 40s out and about this last week of May 1983, but comparing with Motherlist, I seem to have done well in tracking them down. I guess I must have had my bike with me to get from Earlestown to St Helens.
47410 Warrington Bank Quay to Earlestown
40152 St Helens Junc to Liverpool Lime St
Unit back from Lime St to Central.
The 40 was on 1M22, the 16.20 Glasgow to Liverpool, which changed to diesel for the last leg from Preston. It had a 40 sometimes. Preston wasn't a bad place for 40s in 1983 as they were far less frequent on the North Wales coast. Portions (or through trains) to Liverpool, Blackpool, Barrow, Manchester all threw up 40s at times.
...and the 1983 moves book starts with a bit of a Ned move. Not many 40s out and about this last week of May 1983, but comparing with Motherlist, I seem to have done well in tracking them down. I guess I must have had my bike with me to get from Earlestown to St Helens.
47410 Warrington Bank Quay to Earlestown
40152 St Helens Junc to Liverpool Lime St
Unit back from Lime St to Central.
The 40 was on 1M22, the 16.20 Glasgow to Liverpool, which changed to diesel for the last leg from Preston. It had a 40 sometimes. Preston wasn't a bad place for 40s in 1983 as they were far less frequent on the North Wales coast. Portions (or through trains) to Liverpool, Blackpool, Barrow, Manchester all threw up 40s at times.
Tuesday 23/05/78
46029 1125 York – Leeds
DMU to / from Harrogate
40100 1805 Leeds – Keighley
DMU Keighley – Leeds, Leeds – York
Wednesday 23/05/79
43100 + 43116 1710 Harrogate – Leeds
40049 1807 Leeds – Settle
47034 1956 Settle – Leeds
DMU Leeds – Micklefield
31259 2137 Micklefield – Leeds
31112 2200 Leeds – Doncaster
40060 2325 Doncaster – York
Another evening trip to Settle. I certainly didn’t linger in the pub this time!
I was surprised to see 31259 on the 2039 Hull – Leeds – for many months in 1975 it had been semi-permanently coupled with 31258 based at Old Oak Common and used on Oxford commuter trains. Now it pops up again in Yorkshire.
Another nice run with a 40 to finish the day.
Friday 23/05/80
85009 1558 Euston – Crewe
87004 1812 Crewe – Warrington Bank Quay
40122 1909 Warrington Bank Quay – Manchester Victoria
DMU Manchester Victoria – Earlestown
40141 + 40024 (in multiple) 2033 Earlestown – Manchester Victoria – Red Bank Carriage Sidings
The beginning of the Rainhill weekend. I needed to be at Euston for trolley duties the following morning, but first there was the small matter of a pair of class 40s diagrammed and allocated to the 1817 Llandudno – Manchester. The arrival of 40122 (aka D200) on the 1718 Llandudno – Manchester made me alter my plans slightly, so I travelled into Manchester Victoria with that famous (but not very fast) machine, then doubled back to Earlestown with a DMU to pick up the pair: 40141 + 40024. I counted 53 bashers on board. On arrival at Manchester Victoria I stayed on board with my mate, who lived quite close to Red Bank Carriage Sidings. We had the small matter of the Rainhill Trials and some “special arrangements” to discuss (over a beer or two)…
(Saturday 22/05/82)
86324 2345 Euston – Stafford via Northampton
Sunday 23/05/82
There were diversions via Cannock scheduled today. I hoped there might be some decent locos working the drags. The reality far exceeded my expectations …
47447 0235 Stafford – Crewe
33005 0357 Crewe – Birmingham New Street via Cannock
- 33005 is believed to be the first ever class 33 on a passenger train via Cannock.
40035 0851 Birmingham New Street – Stafford via Duddeston, Hampstead, Cannock
- 40035 was my first ever class 40 via Cannock.
40060 1019 Stafford – Crewe
50043 1203 Crewe – Birmingham New Street via Cannock
- 50043 was my first ever class 50 via Cannock , and was the first class 50 via Cannock on passenger for over 7 years. The driver on this occasion had been the 2nd man on the train 7 years previously.
87016 1818 Birmingham New Street – Euston
Thursday 23/05/85
Another required loco on the Carstairs portions, this time a rare no-heat 27:
86224 1515 Glasgow Central – Carstairs
47427 1653 Carstairs – Edinburgh
27025 1810 Edinburgh – Carstairs
87021 1850 Carstairs – Lockerbie
87009 2004 Lockerbie – Glasgow Central
Friday 23/05/86
43053 + 43060 0800 Glasgow QS- Edinburgh
47049 1015 Edinburgh – Inverkeithing
47408 1038 Inverkeithing – Edinburgh
37013 1123 Edinburgh – Perth
37013 1350 Perth – Glasgow QS
A big NB 37 out on the “Arbroath” diagram, so a trip with the HST across to Edinburgh for a 47 fill-in to Inverkeithing, then 37013 Edinburgh – Perth – Glasgow QS … and home to bed! (I used to avoid the HST out of Queen Street, but wouldn’t it be fun to have twin Paxmans up through the tunnel just one more time).
Saturday 23/05/92 “Steam on the Met”
69621 1940 Harrow on the Hill – Amersham
44932 2040 Amersham – Wembley Park
46029 1125 York – Leeds
DMU to / from Harrogate
40100 1805 Leeds – Keighley
DMU Keighley – Leeds, Leeds – York
Wednesday 23/05/79
43100 + 43116 1710 Harrogate – Leeds
40049 1807 Leeds – Settle
47034 1956 Settle – Leeds
DMU Leeds – Micklefield
31259 2137 Micklefield – Leeds
31112 2200 Leeds – Doncaster
40060 2325 Doncaster – York
Another evening trip to Settle. I certainly didn’t linger in the pub this time!
I was surprised to see 31259 on the 2039 Hull – Leeds – for many months in 1975 it had been semi-permanently coupled with 31258 based at Old Oak Common and used on Oxford commuter trains. Now it pops up again in Yorkshire.
Another nice run with a 40 to finish the day.
Friday 23/05/80
85009 1558 Euston – Crewe
87004 1812 Crewe – Warrington Bank Quay
40122 1909 Warrington Bank Quay – Manchester Victoria
DMU Manchester Victoria – Earlestown
40141 + 40024 (in multiple) 2033 Earlestown – Manchester Victoria – Red Bank Carriage Sidings
The beginning of the Rainhill weekend. I needed to be at Euston for trolley duties the following morning, but first there was the small matter of a pair of class 40s diagrammed and allocated to the 1817 Llandudno – Manchester. The arrival of 40122 (aka D200) on the 1718 Llandudno – Manchester made me alter my plans slightly, so I travelled into Manchester Victoria with that famous (but not very fast) machine, then doubled back to Earlestown with a DMU to pick up the pair: 40141 + 40024. I counted 53 bashers on board. On arrival at Manchester Victoria I stayed on board with my mate, who lived quite close to Red Bank Carriage Sidings. We had the small matter of the Rainhill Trials and some “special arrangements” to discuss (over a beer or two)…
(Saturday 22/05/82)
86324 2345 Euston – Stafford via Northampton
Sunday 23/05/82
There were diversions via Cannock scheduled today. I hoped there might be some decent locos working the drags. The reality far exceeded my expectations …
47447 0235 Stafford – Crewe
33005 0357 Crewe – Birmingham New Street via Cannock
- 33005 is believed to be the first ever class 33 on a passenger train via Cannock.
40035 0851 Birmingham New Street – Stafford via Duddeston, Hampstead, Cannock
- 40035 was my first ever class 40 via Cannock.
40060 1019 Stafford – Crewe
50043 1203 Crewe – Birmingham New Street via Cannock
- 50043 was my first ever class 50 via Cannock , and was the first class 50 via Cannock on passenger for over 7 years. The driver on this occasion had been the 2nd man on the train 7 years previously.
87016 1818 Birmingham New Street – Euston
Thursday 23/05/85
Another required loco on the Carstairs portions, this time a rare no-heat 27:
86224 1515 Glasgow Central – Carstairs
47427 1653 Carstairs – Edinburgh
27025 1810 Edinburgh – Carstairs
87021 1850 Carstairs – Lockerbie
87009 2004 Lockerbie – Glasgow Central
Friday 23/05/86
43053 + 43060 0800 Glasgow QS- Edinburgh
47049 1015 Edinburgh – Inverkeithing
47408 1038 Inverkeithing – Edinburgh
37013 1123 Edinburgh – Perth
37013 1350 Perth – Glasgow QS
A big NB 37 out on the “Arbroath” diagram, so a trip with the HST across to Edinburgh for a 47 fill-in to Inverkeithing, then 37013 Edinburgh – Perth – Glasgow QS … and home to bed! (I used to avoid the HST out of Queen Street, but wouldn’t it be fun to have twin Paxmans up through the tunnel just one more time).
Saturday 23/05/92 “Steam on the Met”
69621 1940 Harrow on the Hill – Amersham
44932 2040 Amersham – Wembley Park
eastwestdivide
Established Member
Sunday 23/5/82.
45132+47415 Leicester-St Pancras via Corby (Sunday diversions, and a booked double-header turn I think). Pretty unusual to get one of 47401-420 on the Midland. Topped Sharnbrook summit at ~82 mph* from a stop at Wellingborough, so both locos definitely working.
Then a step down into 4-EPB 5035 still in all-blue Charing Cross-Strood.
*11.0 seconds for MP60-59 3/4 to Sharnbrook summit
Then later on, some fast running e.g. 19.0 seconds for MP 56 1/4 to 55 3/4 ~95 mph (the nominally 90mph Peak was leading!), and 18.9 seconds ~95mph MP17 1/4 to 16 3/4
45132+47415 Leicester-St Pancras via Corby (Sunday diversions, and a booked double-header turn I think). Pretty unusual to get one of 47401-420 on the Midland. Topped Sharnbrook summit at ~82 mph* from a stop at Wellingborough, so both locos definitely working.
Then a step down into 4-EPB 5035 still in all-blue Charing Cross-Strood.
*11.0 seconds for MP60-59 3/4 to Sharnbrook summit
Then later on, some fast running e.g. 19.0 seconds for MP 56 1/4 to 55 3/4 ~95 mph (the nominally 90mph Peak was leading!), and 18.9 seconds ~95mph MP17 1/4 to 16 3/4
xotGD
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It reads like a diesel gala. Totally dreadful!
23rd May 1987 - I ventured onto the Cambrian Coast services...
86210 New St - Sandwell & Dudley 1P02
86413 S&D - New St 1A21
86101 New St - Wolverhampton 1J20
47339 Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury 1J20
37429 + 37240 Shrewsbury - Welshpool 1J20
37427 Welshpool - Shrewsbury 1A46
31413 + 31439 Shrewsbury - Wolverhampton 1A46
86439 Wolverhampton - New St 1A46
87017 New St - Wolverhampton 1S64
47569 Wolverhampton - New St 1V71
86432 New St - Wolverhampton 1F14
86404 New St - Wolverhampton 1S87
47402 Wolverhampton - Coventry 1O09
86102 Coventry - New St 1J37
Those Gateshead Generators seemed to crop up everywhere!
23rd May 1989 - I did a bit of yellow-penning south of London, but started the day with a couple of moves...
47478 Slough - Kensington Olympia
The train was declared a failure here, IIRC, so I festered for the next loco-hauled.
47565 Kensington Olympia - East Croydon
Then lots of emu trips.
That doesn't surprise me. 47478 was a shed of the worst order.
NorthWestRover
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Nothing for me on 24th May.
Tuesday 24/05/77 – Wednesday 25/05/77
A trip from York to Chester to see a theatre production for my English “A” level:
47425 0805 York – Doncaster
DMU Doncaster – Sheffield
46047 1213 Sheffield – Manchester Piccadilly
DMU Manchester Piccadilly – Chester
47444 2300 Chester – Crewe
86239 0011 Crewe – Stockport
47521 0049 Stockport – York
Wednesday 24/05/78
45039 1514 Wakefield Westgate – Leeds
47414 1540 Leeds – Wakefield Westgate
DMU Wakefield Westgate – Leeds
47051 1707 Leeds – York
47552 1834 York – Selby
55017 1852 Selby – York
Thursday 24/05/79
31264 2120 Bradford Exchange – Leeds
40016 2200 Leeds – Doncaster
55011 2327 Doncaster – Grantham (to be continued …)
Saturday 24/05/80 “Rainhill Weekend – Day 1”
I had a mate who worked in the TOPS office at Manchester Victoria. A few days previous to this, the Area Manager was doing his rounds. He stopped for a chat and said, ”By the way, you don’t know anybody who would dress up in period costume for me do you? The thing is, we’ve got the Rainhill Trials event coming up, and we need some people to travel in the vintage carriages behind Rocket, dressed in period costume.” “Leave it to me” was the response. I got a phone call from him, and went to some theatrical costumiers in London, and hired imitation 19th Century “Top Hat and Tails” for the weekend. The only problem was that I was also supposed to be working on a couple of the days, pushing a train trolley on the additional services from Euston to Liverpool in connection with the event. This is how the first part panned out:
86255 0027 Manchester Piccadilly – Stockport
86204 0041 Stockport – Crewe
47448 0223 Crewe – Chester
40023 + 40079 0251 Chester – Crewe
I’d had a pair of 40s the previous evening into Manchester Victoria. The whole class 40 roadshow caught the 2238 Manchester Victoria – Holyhead, intending to catch another pair of 40s which were allocated to the 0053 Holyhead – Euston as far as Crewe. Normally that train would have departed long before the train from Manchester arrives. However the ferry from Ireland was running very late – as it had been for several days – so they were sure they could get to Holyhead for the pair. When I arrived at Crewe on my way to Euston, I met another basher who told me that on previous nights when the boat was late, the 0053 relief (to which the 40s were allocated) had run in the Irish Mail path departing Holyhead at 0106, picking up all its stops. The Irish mail (complete with sleeping car) then waited at Holyhead for the boat to arrive, and ran several hours later. All this meant that I could double back to Chester to await the pair of 40s on the Irish Mail relief. (Meanwhile, at Holyhead, a large group of 40 bashers were mightily displeased, having seen the pair of 40s whistle past them on Anglesey).
86238 0344 Crewe – Euston
I had time in London to go home and pick up my costume, then off to work:
81008 0800 Euston – Liverpool Lime Street
47527 1139 Liverpool Lime Street – St Helens Shaw Street
“Rocket” Bold Colliery – derailed!
81008 1923 Liverpool Lime Street – London Euston
I changed from Trolleyman to Edwardian Gentleman on board the special approaching Liverpool. Having locked up my trolley in Lime Street, I then sauntered boldly to the front of the queue for trains towards Rainhill and commanded the TTIs to open the gates for me! Having met up with my mate – also in period costume – we made our way to Bold Colliery, where the various steam locos were arranged. Boarding the replica Liverpool and Manchester Railway 1st class coach, we set off behind Rocket – and only got a couple of hundred yards before it derailed! That rather put a scupper on proceedings for the day. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow. There were several return additionals to Euston, so I chose the one with the 81 on the front (of course). I didn’t have time to change, so the trolley was manned by Edwardian Gentleman for the return journey. Our arrival at Euston was 35 minutes late, due to the guard’s van partially disintegrating on Camden Bank.
Monday 24/05/82
87011 1500 Euston – Rugby
85031 1655 Rugby – Euston
Tuesday 24/05/83
45124 0710 York – Leeds
46018 0820 Leeds – Birmingham New St
47489 1113 Birmingham New St – Reading
47475 1325 Reading – Winchester
3004 + 419 + 424 2336 Winchester – Basingstoke
The purpose of this trip to Winchester is lost in the mists of time. It might have been something to do with a band I was in, but I can’t be sure.
Friday 24/05/85
87035 1715 Glasgow Central – Carstairs
47094 1813 Carstairs – Edinburgh
37173 2015 Edinburgh – Markinch
27040 2108 Markinch – Haymarket
47708 2203 Haymarket – Glasgow QS
Another little after-work bash.
Saturday 24/05/86
37209 1803 Glasgow QS – Perth
47491 2005 Perth – Stirling
DMU Stirling – Glasgow QS
I had fixed 37247 to work the 1803 Glasgow QS – Perth, but it got swapped – for another required 37! (37247 had spent the last years in Cornwall towing china clay wagons around, and still sported a Cornish Railways dragon logo).
Sunday 24/05/92
207 001 Reading – Basingstoke
47702 1212 Basingstoke – Salisbury
50050 + 50007 1259 Salisbury – Exeter St Davids
43058 + 43097 1416 Exeter St Davids – Plymouth
A trip from York to Chester to see a theatre production for my English “A” level:
47425 0805 York – Doncaster
DMU Doncaster – Sheffield
46047 1213 Sheffield – Manchester Piccadilly
DMU Manchester Piccadilly – Chester
47444 2300 Chester – Crewe
86239 0011 Crewe – Stockport
47521 0049 Stockport – York
Wednesday 24/05/78
45039 1514 Wakefield Westgate – Leeds
47414 1540 Leeds – Wakefield Westgate
DMU Wakefield Westgate – Leeds
47051 1707 Leeds – York
47552 1834 York – Selby
55017 1852 Selby – York
Thursday 24/05/79
31264 2120 Bradford Exchange – Leeds
40016 2200 Leeds – Doncaster
55011 2327 Doncaster – Grantham (to be continued …)
Saturday 24/05/80 “Rainhill Weekend – Day 1”
I had a mate who worked in the TOPS office at Manchester Victoria. A few days previous to this, the Area Manager was doing his rounds. He stopped for a chat and said, ”By the way, you don’t know anybody who would dress up in period costume for me do you? The thing is, we’ve got the Rainhill Trials event coming up, and we need some people to travel in the vintage carriages behind Rocket, dressed in period costume.” “Leave it to me” was the response. I got a phone call from him, and went to some theatrical costumiers in London, and hired imitation 19th Century “Top Hat and Tails” for the weekend. The only problem was that I was also supposed to be working on a couple of the days, pushing a train trolley on the additional services from Euston to Liverpool in connection with the event. This is how the first part panned out:
86255 0027 Manchester Piccadilly – Stockport
86204 0041 Stockport – Crewe
47448 0223 Crewe – Chester
40023 + 40079 0251 Chester – Crewe
I’d had a pair of 40s the previous evening into Manchester Victoria. The whole class 40 roadshow caught the 2238 Manchester Victoria – Holyhead, intending to catch another pair of 40s which were allocated to the 0053 Holyhead – Euston as far as Crewe. Normally that train would have departed long before the train from Manchester arrives. However the ferry from Ireland was running very late – as it had been for several days – so they were sure they could get to Holyhead for the pair. When I arrived at Crewe on my way to Euston, I met another basher who told me that on previous nights when the boat was late, the 0053 relief (to which the 40s were allocated) had run in the Irish Mail path departing Holyhead at 0106, picking up all its stops. The Irish mail (complete with sleeping car) then waited at Holyhead for the boat to arrive, and ran several hours later. All this meant that I could double back to Chester to await the pair of 40s on the Irish Mail relief. (Meanwhile, at Holyhead, a large group of 40 bashers were mightily displeased, having seen the pair of 40s whistle past them on Anglesey).
86238 0344 Crewe – Euston
I had time in London to go home and pick up my costume, then off to work:
81008 0800 Euston – Liverpool Lime Street
47527 1139 Liverpool Lime Street – St Helens Shaw Street
“Rocket” Bold Colliery – derailed!
81008 1923 Liverpool Lime Street – London Euston
I changed from Trolleyman to Edwardian Gentleman on board the special approaching Liverpool. Having locked up my trolley in Lime Street, I then sauntered boldly to the front of the queue for trains towards Rainhill and commanded the TTIs to open the gates for me! Having met up with my mate – also in period costume – we made our way to Bold Colliery, where the various steam locos were arranged. Boarding the replica Liverpool and Manchester Railway 1st class coach, we set off behind Rocket – and only got a couple of hundred yards before it derailed! That rather put a scupper on proceedings for the day. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow. There were several return additionals to Euston, so I chose the one with the 81 on the front (of course). I didn’t have time to change, so the trolley was manned by Edwardian Gentleman for the return journey. Our arrival at Euston was 35 minutes late, due to the guard’s van partially disintegrating on Camden Bank.
Monday 24/05/82
87011 1500 Euston – Rugby
85031 1655 Rugby – Euston
Tuesday 24/05/83
45124 0710 York – Leeds
46018 0820 Leeds – Birmingham New St
47489 1113 Birmingham New St – Reading
47475 1325 Reading – Winchester
3004 + 419 + 424 2336 Winchester – Basingstoke
The purpose of this trip to Winchester is lost in the mists of time. It might have been something to do with a band I was in, but I can’t be sure.
Friday 24/05/85
87035 1715 Glasgow Central – Carstairs
47094 1813 Carstairs – Edinburgh
37173 2015 Edinburgh – Markinch
27040 2108 Markinch – Haymarket
47708 2203 Haymarket – Glasgow QS
Another little after-work bash.
Saturday 24/05/86
37209 1803 Glasgow QS – Perth
47491 2005 Perth – Stirling
DMU Stirling – Glasgow QS
I had fixed 37247 to work the 1803 Glasgow QS – Perth, but it got swapped – for another required 37! (37247 had spent the last years in Cornwall towing china clay wagons around, and still sported a Cornish Railways dragon logo).
Sunday 24/05/92
207 001 Reading – Basingstoke
47702 1212 Basingstoke – Salisbury
50050 + 50007 1259 Salisbury – Exeter St Davids
43058 + 43097 1416 Exeter St Davids – Plymouth
NorthWestRover
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NorthWestRover
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All three Kettles leaving Bold Colliery to trundle down the line to Rainhill.
4498 Sir Nigel Gresley
4472 Flying Scotsman
35028 Clan Line
4498 Sir Nigel Gresley
4472 Flying Scotsman
35028 Clan Line
xotGD
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24th May 1986 - another evening on the beer:
50005 New St - Cheltenham 1V90
45114 Cheltenham - New St 1S19
37257 Lickey Banker 1S19
24th May 1990 - a couple of travelcard moves:
87023 New St - Wolverhampton
90015 Wolverhampton - New St
90037 New St - Wolverhampton
90023 Wolverhampton - New St
No Cans!
50005 New St - Cheltenham 1V90
45114 Cheltenham - New St 1S19
37257 Lickey Banker 1S19
24th May 1990 - a couple of travelcard moves:
87023 New St - Wolverhampton
90015 Wolverhampton - New St
90037 New St - Wolverhampton
90023 Wolverhampton - New St
No Cans!
NorthWestRover
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Wednesday 25th May 1983
Two days after my Ned move for 40152, I spent the afternoon doing 87s (and unavoidable Cans) and presumably hoping for a 40 again on 1M22. No luck today though.
86210 Warrington BQ to Crewe
87018 Crewe to Preston
87028 Preston to Crewe
87020 Crewe to Preston
47354 Preston to Wigan NW (1M22)
86244 Wigan NW to Preston
87007 Preston to Crewe
86231 Crewe to Warrington BQ
Saturday 25th May 1985
And two years later it was back to Syphons with pretty much a rerun of the previous week.
47532 Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury
37023/37066 Shrewsbury to Caersws
37126 Caersws to Welshpool
37142 Welshpool to Caersws
37066/37023 Caersws to Shrewsbury
25313/25195 Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton (the ECS ran as a relief).
Two days after my Ned move for 40152, I spent the afternoon doing 87s (and unavoidable Cans) and presumably hoping for a 40 again on 1M22. No luck today though.
86210 Warrington BQ to Crewe
87018 Crewe to Preston
87028 Preston to Crewe
87020 Crewe to Preston
47354 Preston to Wigan NW (1M22)
86244 Wigan NW to Preston
87007 Preston to Crewe
86231 Crewe to Warrington BQ
Saturday 25th May 1985
And two years later it was back to Syphons with pretty much a rerun of the previous week.
47532 Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury
37023/37066 Shrewsbury to Caersws
37126 Caersws to Welshpool
37142 Welshpool to Caersws
37066/37023 Caersws to Shrewsbury
25313/25195 Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton (the ECS ran as a relief).