Worcestershire Rolling Stock 1980-2000

[Class172]

Having seen the thread related to rolling stock used at Paddington in the 1980-1990s, I would like to know what was used in and around Worcestershire from the 1980s to 2000. I already know that NSE operated a service using 166s to Birmingham via Worcester; and that 117s were used on some Snow Hill line services. So I would like to know what was used on the following services:

Snow Hill Lines
Cotswold Line
XC Line
B'ham-Hereford via Bromsgrove

Also, I would like to see what services Droitwich Spa had in the 80s-2000. Did it have any more destinations that it does now (ie post-2007: Hereford,Worcester,Birmingham stations; pre-2007: also Cardiff,Nottingham). I guess in the 1990s it had the NSE service to Paddington

Thanks
Dan

 

[4SRKT]

The only era I can comment on with any authority is early to mid-80s, so someone else will have to take over for the rest.

Snow Hill lines. This didn't really exist. All services from Stratford and Leamington direction terminated at Moor Street and were mostly in the hands of second class only non-corridor no toilet 3 car suburban class 116 DMUs. On the Stourbridge side everything went into New Street and was also mostly 116s.

Cotswold Line. The two daily Hereford > London > Hereford workings were class 50s with mk IIs. The London > Great Malvern > London working was an HST. Local services from Oxford to Worcester or Hereford were WR operated and either surburban class 117s or cross-country class 119s, both types had first class accomodation. There were a couple of short workings from Oxford to somewhere (Moreton in Marsh?) that were a single car, and a Birmingham > Evesham peak time train that was a MR DMU, presumably a 116.

XC line. More 116s I'm afraid, with nothing going beyond Lichfield City.

Birmingham > Hereford via Bromsgrove. The Hereford service ran via Stourbridge as part of the regular service on that line. It was also just MR DMUs, again largely 116s which were pretty unsuitable for such a long working. Bromsgrove only had a couple of trains a day and only one platform.

Tyseley had a very large fleet of 116s!

Droitwich at that time had an hourly service to Birmingham New Street in one direction, and to Great Malvern or Hereford in the other. Nothing more than that.

 

[Class172]

Tyseley had a very large fleet of 116s!

How boring!! I thought there might be a few 101s. A class 116 to Hereford sounds a bit tedious, 90min trip (with a class 170 via Bromsgrove) so I guess then it would have been about 2 hours; still with no toilet! Personally I think it would be better with a small loco (eg class 31) with a rake of mk2s.

 

[4SRKT]

Tyseley did have 101s and 108s as well IIRR, but not used much on the services you highlighted which required high capacity units on frequent services. There were single cars based there too, used on the Stourbridge Town and Stratford > Leamington workings.

 

[Class172]

Bromsgrove only had a couple of trains a day and only one platform.

And I always thought bromsgrove used to be a major station on the XC line, or was that because there was some yard next to the station. The station itself hasn't improved much: one extra platform southbound that can only accommodate 3 23m carriages so most peak/longer trains have to miss Bromsgrove completely. Although they are getting a new station with 4 platforms along with electrification from Barnt Green. Personally, I think Droitwich Spa needs more expansion. The two platforms are heavily overcrowded for many trains (about 100 people get on/off some trains) so I think that it should have 4 platforms, two for Snow Hill services and two for New St - also the line should be electrified from Bromsgrove to Worcester along with the reinstatement of double track between Droitwich Spa and Bromsgrove.

Droitwich at that time had an hourly service to Birmingham New Street in one direction, and to Great Malvern or Hereford in the other. Nothing more than that.

Hasn't changed much, still 1tph to B'ham New St at off-peak times - single line section between Droitwich and Bromsgrove limits the amount of trains. However, when you include today's Snow hill service, then Droitwich can get 4tph or even 5tph to B'ham, taking 50mins to Snow Hill and 30-35mins to New St.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Tyseley did have 101s and 108s as well IIRR, but not used much on the services you highlighted which required high capacity units on frequent services. There were single cars based there too, used on the Stourbridge Town and Stratford > Leamington workings.

I thought there might be 121s on the Stourbridge Town branch

 

[4SRKT]

And I always thought bromsgrove used to be a major station on the XC line, or was that because there was some yard next to the station. The station itself hasn't improved much: one extra platform southbound that can only accommodate 3 23m carriages so most peak/longer trains have to miss Bromsgrove completely. Although they are getting a new station with 4 platforms along with electrification from Barnt Green. Personally, I think Droitwich Spa needs more expansion. The two platforms are heavily overcrowded for many trains (about 100 people get on/off some trains) so I think that it should have 4 platforms, two for Snow Hill services and two for New St - also the line should be electrified from Bromsgrove to Worcester along with the reinstatement of double track between Droitwich Spa and Bromsgrove.

The core of the XC line between Four Oaks and Longbridge had a very creditable 15-minute interval service, but only 1 TPH went to Redditch. North of Four Oaks it was half hourly to Blake Street and hourly beyond that to Lichfield. Bromsgrove had occasional services to Worcester or Hereford and nothing else. It was famed as the location for the Lickey bankers, which were a pair of 37s in those days.

 

[Class172]

It was famed as the location for the Lickey bankers, which were a pair of 37s in those days.

I knew there was something special there. What do they use now, still 37s or is it 60s or something?

 

[jopsuk]

DBS have five modified 66s with special couplers to allow them to release on the move

 

[Class172]

Anyone know what operated in the 90s

 

[lm321412]

I knew there was something special there. What do they use now, still 37s or is it 60s or something?

There is currently only 1x Class 60 diagram that takes on the Lickey these days.

6E41 11:41 Westerleigh-Lindsey which passes Bromsgrove at around 13:55.

Everything else is Class 66 except the Berkeley-Crewe Nuclear Flasks, which if they are running are 2x 37.