FRANCO CROSTI TRAILS OF 9F 92023 IN SCOTLAND

[nicktamarensis]

I wonder if anyone has any detail of the above which took place during the autumn/winter 1955?

The engine was apparently on loan to Kingmoor shed from Rugby Testing Station during this period. At this time Kingmoor was a ScR shed (68A).  I have a picture of the engine on Hurlford shed TT dated 18 October 1955.

Many thanks,

Nick.

[anroar53]

I wonder if anyone has any detail of the above which took place during the autumn/winter 1955?

The engine was apparently on loan to Kingmoor shed from Rugby Testing Station during this period. At this time Kingmoor was a ScR shed (68A).  I have a picture of the engine on Hurlford shed TT dated 18 October 1955.

Many thanks,

Nick.

 

There is a brief mention in the book 'Riddles and the 9Fs', when 92023 was spotted hauling 14 coaches northbound on the GSW route beyond Dumfries. A picture appearing in the magazine 'The Motor' issued on the 14th December 1955. It was about a demonstration run of an Alvis car between Coventry and Glasgow. On the A76 north of Dumfries the car began to overtake the train. The Driver and Fireman on the train spotted the car and were waving them on, the car's speedometer going into the 80s to pass the train. The passenger in the car took a picture of the locomotive revealing it to be 92023. Would be interesting to know if the picture published still survives?

 

Andy.

Edited July 5, 2018 by anroar53

[anroar53]

Having just looked it up it appears the magazine does still exist, but whether the article is there or not it doesn't say.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motor-magazine-featuring-Austin-Westminster/dp/B015FFL21K

['CHARD]

There is a brief mention in the book 'Riddles and the 9Fs', when 92023 was spotted hauling 14 coaches northbound on the GSW route beyond Dumfries. A picture appearing in the magazine 'The Motor' issued on the 14th December 1955. It was about a demonstration run of an Alvis car between Coventry and Glasgow. On the A76 north of Dumfries the car began to overtake the train. The Driver and Fireman on the train spotted the car and were waving them on, the car's speedometer going into the 80s to pass the train. The passenger in the car took a picture of the locomotive revealing it to be 92023. Would be interesting to know if the picture published still survives?

 

Andy.

 

 

Wow!  What a set of circumstances.  

[anroar53]

Only other picture I have found.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/busmadben/28589647492/in/photolist-H9YWNs-H9YYFL-vie49M-H9YVCS-H9YXnJ-WhbyJ4-S6hZdb-QQG4ty-23R9xZr-zGFwAM-XbSS8F-ci2hKy-HYSG5b-JJ7Zdc-wec2Zz-RW4rLk-9VEVBk-dZYPfR-26BjFNx-7yZR2E-a6bZvB-22tw8t3-9VEZq4-a5MWLx-ddscZU-6K6VCe-a5S1y3-a5SeTJ-a5QMVW-wTrFms-SefWCN-a5QH1Y-bKGoRk-bWrKV-6KmCMo-g2ND6v-byf7Fs-Kynq9L-R8M147-prjYid-QyJ2E9-yMSGxs-aqgAmy-FzpHkS-EGs7za-9VEVBz-8ob3gz-xahudG-W8YJJW-dk49Gi

[nicktamarensis]

Thanks guys,

I have the front end pic of 92023 at Hurlford.  It appears on a remarkable site all about train testing managed by Dave Coxon.  I'm hoping to get further info from him.

Cheers,

Nick.

[The Border Reiver]

I remember seeing it as a nine year old in the roundhouse at Upperby Shed in 1955. It stuck in my mind as I wondered why it had a smoke deflector half way down its boiler.

[nicktamarensis]

Thanks Border Reiver,

There is another record of the engine being based while on loan from the Rugby Testing Station at Durran Hill for the trials. However, this must be unlikely as this shed had been closed for some time and only used for engine storage.

Thanks again.

Nick.

[The Border Reiver]

Thanks Border Reiver,

There is another record of the engine being based while on loan from the Rugby Testing Station at Durran Hill for the trials. However, this must be unlikely as this shed had been closed for some time and only used for engine storage.

Thanks again.

Nick.

 

Locos were still being serviced at Durranhill in 1960 as well as the NER shed at London Road. The LMS corridor tender was stored on one of the turntable spurs at Durranhill and was later converted to a normal tender and finishe up paird to a LMS 8F.

[nicktamarensis]

Ah, thanks for that. 

I wonder if Durran Hill was the base for the 1955 trial?  Different records state DH as well as Kingmoor.

The 1953 trials of two Austerity types mention the test train being based at Durran Hill - possibly the engines as well?

Nick.

[The Johnster]

Slightly OT, but a shed's closure is not necessarily the end of activity there.  Cardiff East Dock closed in 1958, I think, but was used as a servicing point for visiting locos bringing freight trains to the nearby Tidal and Marshalling Sidings.  When Canton depot closed to steam locos in 1962, it became the steam outstation of this shed, crews booking on by phone, and lasted until the autumn of 1965.