Back in the day...

[D1537]

My Popexes...

40094 Preston to Blackpool N, 12.45 off Man V
25189 Blackpool N to Kirkham, 14.10 to Man V
40162 Kirkham to Blackpool N, 13.15 off Man V
40094 Blackpool N to Chorley, 15.10 to Man V
40001 Chorley to Preston, 15.45 off Man V
25130 Preston to Blackpool N, 16.15 off Man V
40001 Blackpool N to Preston, 18.10 to Man V
40022 Preston to Kirkham, 18.45 off Man V
25189 Kirkham to Preston, 19.40 off BPN

I haven't got my moves books from that day, but I only needed 092 and 094. I had 094 early in the day and then managed to miss 092 by trying a very short connection which failed. It then didn't come back out on its booked return so I assumed it had been ditched for the day, and went across the Pennines to have required 087 on the York Popex ... and of course 092 came out again later on. I then missed 092 later that year by doing exactly the same thing (see post #5989 Link here) and never had it at all!

 

[D6130]

I could have had some excellent rare haulage on the Scottish Popexes to Corkerhill....but, having been involved in the planning of them, I was offered a not inconsiderable amount of overtime to stand lineside in a high-vis vest at Bellahouston Junction with a clipboard and check them in as they passed me....recording not only their passing times, but also the loco and carriage numbers

 

[SuspectUsual]

I do love this thread. It just reeks of nostalgia (but without also reeking like some of the people I encountered at the time).

I just wish I still had all my notebooks, but sadly about 15 years ago my parents saw fit to tidy their loft for no good reason whatsoever and loads of my stuff got taken to the tip. They even got rid of my Adidas bag

 

[CD]

Just a day taking the kids to the beach.
Sunday 30/5/1982

47140 Yeovil PM-Weymouth (2O55 0912 Bristol TM-Weymouth)
47140 Weymouth-Yeovil PM (2V70 1744 Weymouth-Bristol TM)

Monday 30/5/1983

50032 Taunton-Birmingham NS (1M85 0740 Penzance-Liverpool)
31418 Birmingham NS-Leicester (1E79 1535 Birmingham-Cambridge)
HST Leicester-Wellingborough
45143 Wellingborough-Nottingham (1D55 1735 St.Pancras-Nottingham)
25097+25244 Nottingham-Beeston (1810 Skegness-Derby relief)
20173+20134 Beeston-Leicester (1855 Skegness-Leicester)
HST Leicester-Sheffield
31181 Sheffield-Manchester Pic (1M60 2332 Sheffield-Manchester)

Wednesday 30/5/1984

45144 St.Pancras-Leicester (2F06 0425 St.Pancras-Leicester)
45127 Leicester-Leeds (1E05 0739 Leicester-Leeds)
45050 Leeds-Scarborough (1G69 0945 Huddersfield-Scarborough)
45124 Scarborough-Huddersfield (1M26 1300 Scarborough-Bangor)
40015 Huddersfield-York (1E74 1405 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45038 York-Scarborough (1E74 1405 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45038 Scarborough-Huddersfield (1M79 1800 Scarborough-Liverpool)
45051 Huddersfield-York (1E93 1723 Bangor-York)
47468 York-Peterborough (1A40 2054 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

Thursday 30/5/1985

DMU Sheffield-Leeds (0739 Sheffield-Leeds)
45128 Leeds-York (1E00 0705 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45128 York-Scarborough (1E06 0905 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45128 Scarborough-York (1M26 1255 Scarborough-Bangor)
45144 York-Scarborough (1E98 1205 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45144 Scarborough-York (1M77 1553 Scarborough-Liverpool)
47110 York-Sheffield (1Z10 1710 Scarborough-Birmingham relief)

Friday 30/5/1986

47517 Inverness-Aberdeen (1A44 0555 Inverness-Aberdeen)
47711 Aberdeen-Dundee (1T14 0845 Dyce-Glasgow QS)
47571 Dundee-Edinburgh (2J10 1030 Dundee-Edinburgh)
27056 Edinburgh-Dundee (2J11 1215 Edinburgh-Dundee)
47715 Dundee-Perth (1T26 1300 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
37261 Perth-Stirling (1J30 1230 Inverness-Glasgow QS)
DMU Stirling-Larbert (1540 Dunblane-Glasgow QS)
47715 Larbert-Stirling (1L37 1603 Glasgow QS-Arbroath)
47440 Stirling-Inverness (1S59 0725 Taunton-Inverness)
47459 Inverness-Keith (1A60 2055 Inverness-Abnerdeen)
47643 Keith-Inverness (1A37 2050 Aberdeen-Inverness)
47440 Inverness-Glasgow QS (1T04 2330 Inverness-Glasgow QS)

Saturday 30/5/1987

33001 Yeovil Jn-Dean (0550 Exeter-Hove)
33206 Dean-Bristol TM (0658 Portsmouth Hbr-Cardiff)
33209 Bristol TM-Portsmouth Hbr (1205 Bristol-Portsmouth)
33207 Portsmouth Hbr-Westbury (1510 Portsmouth-Bristol)
33034 Westbury-Weymouth (1615 Bristol-Weymouth)
33034 Weymouth-Yeovil PM (1935 Weymouth-Bristol)

 

[D1537]

Tuesday 31 May 1988
47373 1E89 Nuneaton-Skegness
47373 1M22 Skegness-Nuneaton

We were very happy that the booked Immingham 47 had produced on the Skegness turn (it had been 47309 on its first run the previous day).
We weren't to realise it at the time, but 47373 was to do 1E89 a total of 41 times that summer...

 

[D1511]

Monday 31st May 1982

1Z71 xx.xx Edinburgh - Stirling Pope-Ex 20013 vo ED/20137 xo ML Edinburgh - Falkirk Grahamston
1Z40 xx.xx Edinburgh - Glasgow Pope-Ex 37045 xof TE. Falkirk High - Croy
1Z19 xx.xx Edinburgh - Glasgow Pope-Ex 47293 xos BR Croy - Glasgow QS

Autocorrect was trying to change Croy to Croydon...... 37045 from Falkirk High to Croydon would have been a rather memorable run......!

 

[D1511]

Thursday 31st May 1984

1C87 11.10 Edinburgh - Carstairs 47410 xd GD Edinburgh - Carstairs
1G58 13.03 Carstairs - Edinburgh 47203 xbs TO Carstairs - Haymarket

 

[Magdalia]

Went there once on the silly o’clock paper train from Picallidicalli, a regular 40 turn. Bowled by a goyle.

You weren't bowled, you were misinformed.

There were two Manchester-Cleethorpes paper trains, one via Doncaster and the other via Lincoln.

The service via Lincoln was advertised, and class 31 hauled.

The service via Doncaster was not advertised, and was class 40 hauled.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Just a day taking the kids to the beach.
Sunday 30/5/1982

47140 Yeovil PM-Weymouth (2O55 0912 Bristol TM-Weymouth)
47140 Weymouth-Yeovil PM (2V70 1744 Weymouth-Bristol TM)

Monday 30/5/1983

50032 Taunton-Birmingham NS (1M85 0740 Penzance-Liverpool)
31418 Birmingham NS-Leicester (1E79 1535 Birmingham-Cambridge)
HST Leicester-Wellingborough
45143 Wellingborough-Nottingham (1D55 1735 St.Pancras-Nottingham)
25097+25244 Nottingham-Beeston (1810 Skegness-Derby relief)
20173+20134 Beeston-Leicester (1855 Skegness-Leicester)
HST Leicester-Sheffield
31181 Sheffield-Manchester Pic (1M60 2332 Sheffield-Manchester)

Wednesday 30/5/1984

45144 St.Pancras-Leicester (2F06 0425 St.Pancras-Leicester)
45127 Leicester-Leeds (1E05 0739 Leicester-Leeds)
45050 Leeds-Scarborough (1G69 0945 Huddersfield-Scarborough)
45124 Scarborough-Huddersfield (1M26 1300 Scarborough-Bangor)
40015 Huddersfield-York (1E74 1405 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45038 York-Scarborough (1E74 1405 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45038 Scarborough-Huddersfield (1M79 1800 Scarborough-Liverpool)
45051 Huddersfield-York (1E93 1723 Bangor-York)
47468 York-Peterborough (1A40 2054 Newcastle-Kings Cross)

Thursday 30/5/1985

DMU Sheffield-Leeds (0739 Sheffield-Leeds)
45128 Leeds-York (1E00 0705 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45128 York-Scarborough (1E06 0905 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45128 Scarborough-York (1M26 1255 Scarborough-Bangor)
45144 York-Scarborough (1E98 1205 Liverpool-Scarborough)
45144 Scarborough-York (1M77 1553 Scarborough-Liverpool)
47110 York-Sheffield (1Z10 1710 Scarborough-Birmingham relief)

Friday 30/5/1986

47517 Inverness-Aberdeen (1A44 0555 Inverness-Aberdeen)
47711 Aberdeen-Dundee (1T14 0845 Dyce-Glasgow QS)
47571 Dundee-Edinburgh (2J10 1030 Dundee-Edinburgh)
27056 Edinburgh-Dundee (2J11 1215 Edinburgh-Dundee)
47715 Dundee-Perth (1T26 1300 Aberdeen-Glasgow QS)
37261 Perth-Stirling (1J30 1230 Inverness-Glasgow QS)
DMU Stirling-Larbert (1540 Dunblane-Glasgow QS)
47715 Larbert-Stirling (1L37 1603 Glasgow QS-Arbroath)
47440 Stirling-Inverness (1S59 0725 Taunton-Inverness)
47459 Inverness-Keith (1A60 2055 Inverness-Abnerdeen)
47643 Keith-Inverness (1A37 2050 Aberdeen-Inverness)
47440 Inverness-Glasgow QS (1T04 2330 Inverness-Glasgow QS)

Saturday 30/5/1987

33001 Yeovil Jn-Dean (0550 Exeter-Hove)
33206 Dean-Bristol TM (0658 Portsmouth Hbr-Cardiff)
33209 Bristol TM-Portsmouth Hbr (1205 Bristol-Portsmouth)
33207 Portsmouth Hbr-Westbury (1510 Portsmouth-Bristol)
33034 Westbury-Weymouth (1615 Bristol-Weymouth)
33034 Weymouth-Yeovil PM (1935 Weymouth-Bristol)

Thanks for that mammoth typing effort.

Talking of Weymouth, there must have been plenty of sidings at these seaside resorts for these services to spend the day in ?.

I am always reminded of how many loco hauled trains there were in those days.
We have really gone from Steam to Diesel to Units to Units with no opening windows.

 

[xotGD]

Thanks for that mammoth typing effort.

Talking of Weymouth, there must have been plenty of sidings at these seaside resorts for these services to spend the day in ?.

I am always reminded of how many loco hauled trains there were in those days.
We have really gone from Steam to Diesel to Units to Units with no opening windows.

Units with no opening windows and very uncomfortable seats!

 

[Peter Sarf]

Units with no opening windows and very uncomfortable seats!

Must be to put people of using them.

Oh where are the seats round a table at (not near) a window that opens. I used to like the fresh air blowing in. I even like Networkers these days.

 

[xotGD]

Oh where are the seats round a table at (not near) a window that opens

Class 156?

Or your nearest heritage railway.

 

[Robin Edwards]

May 31st 1976 and a couple of hours spent at Didcot before HSTs ruled the world! 47001 (D1521) seemed a class pioneer but it was hardly D1500

 

[Robin Edwards]

I do love this thread. It just reeks of nostalgia (but without also reeking like some of the people I encountered at the time).

I just wish I still had all my notebooks, but sadly about 15 years ago my parents saw fit to tidy their loft for no good reason whatsoever and loads of my stuff got taken to the tip. They even got rid of my Adidas bag

There ought to be laws against such treacherous acts!

 

[1D54]

31/05/84.
1C77 Leicester - Wellingborough HST
1D54 Wellingborough - Leicester 45150
1D55 Leicester - Nottm 45125
1Z29 Nottm-Loughborough 45105
1M22 Lough-Leicester 20047+20158

 

[xotGD]

There ought to be laws against such treacherous acts!

When I list interest, I got rid of all of my old Platform 5s, and I was also going to throw away my moves book.

Fortunately my wife persuaded me to hold on to it. So when my enthusiasm was rekindled, I was able to look back and see what I'd had and when.

 

[Robin Edwards]

When I list interest, I got rid of all of my old Platform 5s, and I was also going to throw away my moves book.

Fortunately my wife persuaded me to hold on to it. So when my enthusiasm was rekindled, I was able to look back and see what I'd had and when.

Notebooks are very special to me, combined with my rubbish photos helps keep memories alive.

 

[Falcon1200]

We have really gone from Steam to Diesel to Units to Units with no opening windows.

Although of course we had trains with no opening windows from 1971, with the introduction of Mark 2d stock! But at least they were still loco-hauled, albeit sometimes by non-ETS fitted locos, to our (but not the passengers') delight.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Class 156?

Or your nearest heritage railway.

A dwindling choice but yes 150s & 156s.

Although I was dragged up in Kent I left before the 465s and 466s arrived. Last year I had occasion to travel in Kent (nothing romantic just London end as far Longfield). It was a warm day and it was lovely getting fresh air through the hopper window, the sound of traction motors plus the rail noise.

May 31st 1976 and a couple of hours spent at Didcot before HSTs ruled the world! 47001 (D1521) seemed a class pioneer but it was hardly D1500

I suppose 47001 (D1521) was the first 100% class 47.The ones before were "generators" - a 46 in a class 47s body.

Although of course we had trains with no opening windows from 1971, with the introduction of Mark 2d stock! But at least they were still loco-hauled, albeit sometimes by non-ETS fitted locos, to our (but not the passengers') delight.

You could still hang around the doors !.

 

[CW2]

Back in post #820 I said:
Saturday 30/05/87
47463 0202 Carlisle – Ayr
37423 0700 Ayr – Westerton via Shields Jn, High St Jn., Rutherglen West Jn.
The 37 was on an SRPS charter from Ayr to Mallaig. It was scheduled to call at Glasgow Central Low Level to pick up passengers, and was allowed to run early from Rutherglen, ahead of the EMU services it was supposed to follow. So we sat in Glasgow Central Low Level for about 10 minutes, gradually filling the entire station with diesel fumes, and completely stuffing the EMU services. I believe we may have set off the fire alarms, triggering an evacuation of the entire station as we departed. Rules on diesel-hauled excursions through Glasgow Central Low Level are a lot more stringent now.

I am in the process of digitising a lot of my old negatives, so here is one of 37423 at Ayr that morning, waiting for departure with the train to Mallaig. Quite a dated scene.

 

[47403]

Hold on, hold right there. Popex trains? Excuse my ignorance here. Its the first time ive heard of these.
I remember the Pope doing his tour. My mates Mam n Dad, we're quite excited about it and so was my junior school. My friend said, Mam n Dad are hoping to see the Pope in England. His elder brother said, ah the Pope on tour, lets hope Black Sabbath are his support. It meant absolutely nothing to me at the time, I barely knew who the Pope was back then. I was only 9 going on 10. but a few yrs later I got the joke.
Now im hearing there was trains to go see him. 40s and 25s too. Wow. Sorry if I stopped the thread. You live n learn.
Oh by the way, I'm loving reading these again. Keep up the excellent work folks.

 

[xotGD]

"I turned out for the big engines on the Popexes, and all I git was a lousy Goyle!"

Scotland and the North West did better than the North East when it came to Catholic traction.

 

[47403]

"I turned out for the big engines on the Popexes, and all I git was a lousy Goyle!"

Scotland and the North West did better than the North East when it came to Catholic traction.

Now that's certainly a first for me. Catholic Traction, Its a term that certainly made me giggle

 

[43096]

I suppose 47001 (D1521) was the first 100% class 47.

By that measure, surely 47421 (D1520) was the first 100% Class 47? The generators were D1500-1519 which became 47401-420.

The ones before were "generators" - a 46 in a class 47s body.

Hardly. The 46s had the 'B' version of the engine and no ETH. 47401-420 had the 'C' engine in common with the rest of the 47s. So more in common with the rest of the 47s than the 46s.

 

[CW2]

There was a thread a few weeks back about the Best Ever Gala. The Pope coming to the UK provided some of the best main line loco variety and service frequency you could ever expect. I know that wasn't what the OP probably had in mind when posing the question, but for me the sheer number, variety, and rarity of locos meant the Pope's visit got my vote for best ever gala.

 

[Peter Sarf]

By that measure, surely 47421 (D1520) was the first 100% Class 47? The generators were D1500-1519 which became 47401-420.

Hardly. The 46s had the 'B' version of the engine and no ETH. 47401-420 had the 'C' engine in common with the rest of the 47s. So more in common with the rest of the 47s than the 46s.

Ooops, I was getting mixed up. Had to be the one after D1519 because the series started at D1500 !.

I think there were a few other bits of 46s in the first twenty 47s. Maybe it was the generator ?.
(I read once that the class 46 order had been curtailed by 20 once the design for the 47 was in the pipeline).

 

[xotGD]

And of course the 46s and Generators all ended up at Gateshead, proving that they were essentially interchangable.

 

[Magdalia]

I read once that the class 46 order had been curtailed by 20 once the design for the 47 was in the pipeline

The history of the orders for transmission equipment for BR Type 4s is complicated, but basically 20 sets of transmission equipment from Brush were lost as part of the deal for Brush to build D1500-19.

The biggest bit of continuity between the BR Type 4 and D1500-19 is the main generator, though they are not the same because on D1500-19 the generator has dual winding to deliver ETH.

 

[D1537]

The history of the orders for transmission equipment for BR Type 4s is complicated, but basically 20 sets of transmission equipment from Brush were lost as part of the deal for Brush to build D1500-19.

The biggest bit of continuity between the BR Type 4 and D1500-19 is the main generator, though they are not the same because on D1500-19 the generator has dual winding to deliver ETH.

And I believe they had electrically driven cooling fans, hence the "roar" when the shutters opened.

 

[D1511]

And I believe they had electrically driven cooling fans, hence the "roar" when the shutters opened.

That was what I liked about those original 20......my username is a bit of a giveaway....