Northern staff and unit but officialy Scotrail, interesting!
I believe that there was a Northern Spirit service between Glasgow and Leeds. I’m not sure whether this went via Lockerbie or Dumfries though.
From Carlisle. The Northern unit would leave very early from Carlisle, go to Dumfries, then run through all the way to Newcastle.
It went via Lockerbie - although not stopping there - with a Carlisle-based Northern crew.
No, ScotRail never had a traincrew depot at Carlisle. These services were also worked by Carlisle-based Northern crews until ScotRail opened their new traincrew depot at Dumfries in 2003. At that time, a small number of Northern drivers and conductors transferred from Carlisle to Dumfries - and IIRC one or two Glasgow and Ayr drivers - but the remaining vacancies were filled by local recruitment 'off the street'.
I believe that Carlisle very occasionally used a Pacer on the first morning departure to Dumfries, and the corresponding return from Dumfries.
Newcastle to Stranraer. Used to get decent loads back in the day, especially in the summer.
Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest, I think I’ve actually seen photos of it now I come to think of it.
Yes. Via Kilmarnock & Ayr. Ceased to run several years ago.
Back in the day, It was a steam locomotive -hauled train with seven or eight coaches - often worked by a BR standard 'Clan' light Pacific West of Carlisle. Indeed prior to its closure in 1965, it used to run via the 'Port Road' through Castle Douglas and Newton Stewart. There was/is a large Irish diaspora on Tyneside, many of whom regularly visited family and friends in Ireland via the Stranraer-Larne ferries.
Correct. I drove one of them - 156 496 - from Skipton to Leeds in 1994.
That was a refubished one in early 2019 I seem to recall. Remember seeing pics of it at the time and being a little amused at seeing EK line stops on a Northern PIS system.
Yes, it would have come from Leeds....but only with a Leeds or Skipton crew. Carlisle drivers and conductors never signed 150s.
Meaning it would have needed to be a Yorkshire crew route conducted by Carlisle to/from Dumfries? Unless the Yorkshire guys signed to Dumfries (can't think they would)? What time of day I wonder, because that would be a challenge especially first thing in the morning.
Interesting question. There was one Carlisle driver who had previously been at Skipton....but I'm fairly certain that he transferred back to Carlisle before the 150s arrived for their second stint in Yorkshire. When I was at Skipton, I took a 150 to Carlisle on at least two occasions....one of which was a Lancashire DalesRail service from Blackpool - coupled to a 156 - which I relieved at Hellifield and worked back Southwards in the afternoon.
I’m half wondering whether someone mistook it for a 156 given outward similarity (no idea how similar the cabs are)? Or possibly it was a “mistake” to keep things moving rather than a mistake without inverted commas if you get my drift.
There were no Northern staff transferred to Dumfries. The new depot was mainly staffed with new starters with a small number of qualified staff who transferred from other Scotrail depots.
I think this itself is another anomaly. This unit may have come off a Newcastle - Whitehaven the previous day. The 1995 timetable has a 1600 Newcastle - Whitehaven. So this would be a "Northern" (Regional Railways North East/Northern Spirit) unit with a First North Western crew.
The Newcastle to Whitehaven unit (2M34) came back the same night.
Wasn't that an oddity though as Pacers were barred North of Carlisle as I recall due to not being route cleared - though it did indeed happen on occasion... Was actually jolly good fun for them to stretch their legs
