Tyneside Tip Tops?

[Vin]

Hi all,

I'm looking for photographic evidence of class 27's in the tyneside area during the years 1985 and 1986. Upto now I have found only 5 locos, 27001, 27032, 27046, 27063 & 27204. They were on special or unknown trains, a railtour, pipes from Leith and an unknown working. To get a class 27 to the Newcastle area would probably have to be an out and back working for a Scottish crew as I doubt Gateshead men would sign these engines.

 

Any help would be appreciated, photos, sightings or known workings.

 

Regards

Vin

[drjcontroller]

Vin, I have the following from my photographic index;

 

19/05/86 - 27066 worked 6E96 Stranraer - Tyne, photographed at Low Fell

24/05/86 - 27046 + 27001 worked an SRPS Edinburgh - York Adex, though I believe they both failed on the return and replaced by 47521 at Newcastle.

14/03/87 - 27049 + 27046 worked the SRPS "Tyne Valley Express between Falkirk & Newcastle.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Douglas

[Vin]

Hi Douglas,

I've never seen a photo of 27066 at low fell and totally forgot about the tynevalley railtour.

I remember seeing the other pair at York with 27001 covered in oil and looking like someone had painted her black.

 

Many thanks

Vin

[Rail-Online]

Hi all,

I'm looking for photographic evidence of class 27's in the tyneside area during the years 1985 and 1986. Upto now I have found only 5 locos, 27001, 27032, 27046, 27063 & 27204. They were on special or unknown trains, a railtour, pipes from Leith and an unknown working. To get a class 27 to the Newcastle area would probably have to be an out and back working for a Scottish crew as I doubt Gateshead men would sign these engines.

 

Any help would be appreciated, photos, sightings or known workings.

 

Regards

Vin

Interesting. As 27's worked off Thornaby 15 years before would TE & GD crews still be signed for these locos?

I recall seeing one on the Carlisle to Newcastle line in the early 1980s (in the middle of the night, I was visiting a signal box!), presumably Kingmoor drivers were signed for them.

 

 

Tony

[keefer]

I remember seeing the other pair at York with 27001 covered in oil and looking like someone had painted her black.

Many thanks

Vin

From derbysulzers.com:

"On May 24th (1986) an SRPS excursion which included much preserved coaching stock ran from Falkirk to York behind 27001 & 27046. On the return leg 27046 suffered a major oil leak and 27001 suffered a traction motor fault (precipitated by the oil leak from 27046?). At Newcastle both were replaced by 47521."

[Vin]

Hi all,

Thanks for the info on the class 27 workings. I did know about Thornaby crews being able to handle the class 27's but the eastern region got rid of them in the late 1960's. There is a very rare photo of one at Scarborough shed in 1965. It must have been on a driver training run or a trip freight.

The 1986 run to York was late by about an hour and then they were taken off on the return trip at Newcastle. They must have been hauled north the next day as I have seen a photo of 27001 covered in oil on Eastfield. I don't think I would have enjoyed clean her down!

The Leith pipes in 1985 & 86 are more likely to produce class 27's but some ran in the middle of the night or at odd times.

I've also thought about them straying across from Carlisle but at that time it was mainly class 26's on freights and the class 27's doing the out and back passenger turns from Glasgow to Carlisle on what is now the only mainline on the westcoast to Scotland.

 

Regards

Vin

[russ p]

Thornaby men signed them in the 60s but I don't think Gateshead or Tyne men did. The workings in the 80s would be Carlisle or Millerhill men. The only other NE shed that signed them was Northallerton. The one at Scarborough could have been Leicester men.

Strange workings of traction did occur with odd drivers that had moved in from other depots and working 'foreign' traction into their new area

[peak experience]

If a driver was passed out on a class 27 could they also drive a class 26 or were the two types vastly different to drive? Did the class 26s ever turn up on Tyneside?

[russ p]

No and yes. They were separate as far as traction knowledge was concerned but both types may have been taught together.

26s were occasionally seen on Tyneside for the same reason as the 27s

[Vin]

Hi all,

Millerhill crews would make sense as they would sign the eastcoast route to Newcastle and Tyne yard in 1985/86. Would the workings be a out and back one?

 

Thanks all,

Vin

[Fat Controller]

If a driver was passed out on a class 27 could they also drive a class 26 or were the two types vastly different to drive? Did the class 26s ever turn up on Tyneside?

We used to live near Wylam in the 1980s; on several occasions, I saw Class 26s on Speedlink workings (I think they were to and from Stranraer). I wouldn't swear to it, but I think I remember one working the Edinburgh- Carlisle via Newcastle working once, as well.

[russ p]

Hi all,

Millerhill crews would make sense as they would sign the eastcoast route to Newcastle and Tyne yard in 1985/86. Would the workings be a out and back one?

Thanks all,

Vin

Ideally otherwise the loco would be stranded

[russ p]

We used to live near Wylam in the 1980s; on several occasions, I saw Class 26s on Speedlink workings (I think they were to and from Stranraer). I wouldn't swear to it, but I think I remember one working the Edinburgh- Carlisle via Newcastle working once, as well.

If it were Carlisle men releasing the Scots crew at Newcastle that would work

[46011]

Hi Vin,

I knew I’d seen at least one at Tyne Yard but looking through my photos I’ve actually seen a few, but googling them shows that others had seen them too.

The only working examples I saw were the infamous 27046 + 27001 pairing on the SRPS Edinburgh to York trip on Saturday 24/05/86 seen at Durham.

If you’re a fan of French motors you might want to look at the bottom of the photo.

Does anyone know when the oil leak started?

I’ve not seen a photo of them earlier than at Durham and it looks like they are already covered in oil.

Did the failing really only start on the way back? Surely the oil leak would have shut one engine down long before they got to York?

 

Just outside your timescale is 27040 at Gateshead over the ashpits on Saturday 09/06/84.

Also seen here;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52g_sunderland/6292072511

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16819691@N08/7393920200

 

A one to add to your list is 27026 at Tyne Yard on Sunday 24/02/85.

As mentioned here;

http://www.derbysulzers.com/25298.html

Under “Highlights” and “1985” as 25298 returned it back home.

My records show that I’d noticed it the day before and gone through on the Sunday to see if I could take some shots, and we were allowed! I seem to remember that at the time there were a few others there too.

 

peak experience asked about 26’s, and here is 26014 at Gateshead on Sunday 09/06/85.

As seen here;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcusgilmour/8077859493

 

So nothing that hadn’t been seen by anyone else but I hope this helps.

It does look like they only came through on freight workings at this time.

[Vin]

Hi,

That is fantastic, especially 27026 with red headstocks and missing water tank. It does fill in some gaps and shows that they were rare south of the border.

 

Regards

Vin