The mighty Class 74 (some questions!)

[Acathater]

Apologies that this is likely 71, not 74, related... 3-4 years ago now, whilst perusing boat train photos of the 1960s and early 1970s, one image-result was an electric blue liveried class 71 (presume) pre-TOPS era.
My memory cannot recall if the train was Night Ferry, Golden Arrow, or another boat train.

I have yet to find that image again. Does it ring any bells? Do you know which loco was painted thus? It looked stunning.

was it CC2 / 20002?

from https://sremg.org.uk/electric/class70.shtml

From 1949/50 they adopted the initial black and aluminium colour scheme chosen by British Railways for diesel, electric and gas turbine locomotives, however prior to this in 1948/9 N°20002 carried an experimental light blue livery and was exhibited in this colour to the railway executive at Kensington Addison Road station.

 

[Sun Chariot]

was it CC2 / 20002?

The photo I found, was definitely a JA

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The photo I found, was definitely a JA

HA ?

 

[Sun Chariot]

HA ?

Oh yes - I always get my HAs and JAs mixed!

 

[D7666]

I had assumed it was 91 <>92, so thank you for the gentle correction

The post 1974 core Rep working cycle in the basic off peak pattern was from

Waterloo Down 91 Weymouth
Bournemouth Up 91 Weymouth
Waterloo Down 92 Bournemouth
Bournemouth Up 92 Bournemouth
Waterloo

So, Up from Bournemouth, after the TC were attached to the Rep, each combined 4Rep/8TC remained together to Waterloo on a 91, then a 92 to Bomo and back complete train, then the next 91 Down to Bomo, where the Rep detached. Repeat.

Before the pedants dive in and start listing exceptions, of course start of day, end of day, morning peak, evening peak, weekends, etc etc had numrous variations.

Pre 1974 was a little different in that the 91s were bi hourly and the 92s hourly, i.e. 3 trains every 2 hours, but they were still hourly to Weymouth - the bi hourly Weymouth 91s alternated with a bi hourly Weymouth 92.

 

[Harlequinuk]

Does anyone know of a Frank 'Mad Monk' Matthews? Been reading he had a reputation for pushing a loco , and holds the unofficial speed record in a 74?

 

[hexagon789]

Does anyone know of a Frank 'Mad Monk' Matthews? Been reading he had a reputation for pushing a loco , and holds the unofficial speed record in a 74?

I seem to recall mention of him, the nickname rather sticks, on rmweb or possibly another forum.

He was indeed reputed to have got (IIRC) 120mph out of a 74...

 

[D6130]

I seem to recall mention of him, the nickname rather sticks, on rmweb or possibly another forum.

He was indeed reputed to have got (IIRC) 120mph out of a 74...

Was he a Waterloo (ex-Nine Elms) driver?

 

[hexagon789]

Was he a Waterloo (ex-Nine Elms) driver?

That, I'm not sure about.

I'll see if I can find the thread/post on the other forum.

 

[Undaunted]

The book ‘The twilight of Southern steam’ by Don Benn contains a few references to Frank Matthews, which suggest that he wasn’t averse to working locomotives extremely hard. Sadly, the same book refers to his death in a collision between two engineering trains at West Brompton on 29 July 1989 (accident report available on the Railways Archive website). The report refers to the driver involved as ‘T Matthews’, but Don Benn seems to know the Nine Elms drivers involved in the end of steam on the SW main line well, so I have no reason to think he would get such an important detail wrong.

I believe he was based at Waterloo at the time of the accident.

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @Harlequinuk to add to