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Special Trains on the Waverley Route


'CHARD
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Slightly irritated by sloppy captioning here*:

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/longtown/index5.shtml

I thought it as good a time as any to dedicated a thread to the Specials that worked over the route.

 

Excursions, Ruggexes, Crankexes, Scottish Grand Tours and the Ghoulexes that ran on the Last Weekend.

 

 

* a dram on me for the correct answer

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Slightly irritated by sloppy captioning here*:

http://www.disused-s...wn/index5.shtml

I thought it as good a time as any to dedicated a thread to the Specials that worked over the route.

 

Excursions, Ruggexes, Crankexes, Scottish Grand Tours and the Ghoulexes that ran on the Last Weekend.

 

 

* a dram on me for the correct answer

 

Pinza? RTCS on 5th January 1969?

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The Cumberland Derby Lightweights (as per latest Bachmann model) ran over the line at times, not only on local services but I understand there were one or two excursions including at least one for the Rugby at Murrayfield which used these units.

There has been talk on here before re one of these ever having traversed the whole length of the line. Photograhic proof would be most welcome.

Bernard

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Well it's certainly a Deltic!

 

I've been busy on the Langholm photographic archive too. http://www.langholmpicturearchive.com

 

Plenty of footage of the Langholm Branch Ghoulex to be had there. Go into the search facility and click Railways as your search criteria.

 

EDIT: With a short numberplate, are you sure it ain't a Western, Dave!

Edited by 'CHARD
Insufficient irony in my original post
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Guest tony graham

Well if we are talking about excursions, could this include brake van tours? If so I will link a couple of picture to this if that's ok.

 

Scroll down to the type 1, we still have the yellow headboard http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/scotch_dyke/index.shtml

 

Heres the same train but at Penton http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/penton/index.shtml , you will see that 'The Border Railway Society' gets a mention in this write up.

 

And here, if you click down to the picture with D5131 in it you will see another of our headboards http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/hawick/index.shtml

 

The headboard can be seen here http://www.borderrailwaysociety.org/flashback.php , yes we still have it too.

 

The society as a whole had a few brake van tours over the Waverley. I must have a look through the archives to see if we have any pictures or info on them that I could post here.

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One to get the ball rolling, starting with a clip from the RCTS Railway Observer, Vol.37, No.455, January 1967

 

On Saturday 12th November 1966 A4 60019 Bittern worked an enthusiasts' special from Leeds to Edinburgh travelling via York, Newcastle, Carlisle and Hawick on the outward journey and returning via the East Coast Main Line. This was almost certainly the last appearance of this locomotive which has been acquired bythe A4 Preservation Society with the intention of providing spares for 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley which recently emerged from Crewe Works.

 

This particular Saturday was notable on the Waverley Route as not only did the A4 appear but also V2 60836 (62B), working a special down goods, was noted passing Longtown at about 16.00. 60836 had reached Carlisle from St. Rollox the previous evening [when it worked the evening St. Rollox - Milford Haven empty oil tanks].

 

The Six Bells link doesn't have much in the way of details or times: http://www.sixbellsj...s/661112_1.html

 

Ironically, the V2 mentioned, 60836 had just the previous week worked the last V2 tour: http://www.sixbellsj...s/661105br.html

 

A couple of photos that I don't think we've yet seen on here showing 60019 at Hawick after watering - any reasons why it was running round? Water column issues?

 

60019 Bittern Hawick.jpg?w=640

 

From Brian Irwin's site: http://www.deborahir...%20Page%203.htm

 

001-r-lambeth-60019-hawick.jpg?w=640

 

From David Heys Collection, Photo by Roy Lambeth: http://www.davidheys...a.com/page5.htm

 

 

Obviously the RCTS correspondent wasn't to know in 1966/67 what the eventual outcome would be for 60019 and that 45 years later it would be back out with a mainline ticket in LNER Garter Blue with valances, plying its trade as classmate 4492 Dominion of New Zealand!

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There seem to have been some interesting special trains to Otterburn Camp, I think during one of the World Wars which came up the WR to Riccarton, reversed, and were then taken down the Border Counties by a J36, reversed and then hauled by I think a J31 coupled to a D51 with the pair banked by another J31 to Woodburn and Knowesgate. Here the men de-trained and marched to the camp, no doubt wishing all the way that the Narrow Gauge Catcleuch Railway was still in existence. On at least one such occasion three such trains arrived at Riccarton and thus at Reedsmoth within minutes of eact other. All this special working dictated by the weakness of the Tyne Bridge at Hexham.

 

 

roygraham

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In quite a few Waverley Route books there are photos of the 'Granite City' rail tour hauled by V2

60836. The formation seems to be a MK1 brake, 2 x Mk2s, 2Mk1s [catering vehicles?] 2 x Mk2s and a Mk1

Brake. Does anybody know the actual formation, including type of Mk2s used [e.g. 2 or 2a]?

 

Jeremy

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Guest Max Stafford

Standard Mk2 TSOs I'd say Jeremy. I don't think the 2as appeared until 1968. Never had a look at the rear pair, it's possible there might be an FK among them, but no way to tell as far as I can see.

 

Dave.

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There don't appear to be many photos of the tour rake unfortunately. I've got a photo of 60836 heading over Riccarton Culvert on the approach to the junction, somewhere - it was on the WRHA web server but I seem to have misplaced it! (will keep looking).

 

In the meantime here's one which doesn't give much away re stock utilised, the following day (4/9/66) as 60024 Kingfisher took the first return leg south from Aberdeen to Edinburgh Waverley.

 

http://www.penmorfa....verkeithing.jpg

 

From: http://www.penmorfa....27s/sixteen.htm

 

Tour details at: http://www.sixbellsj...s/660903_1.html

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  • 3 weeks later...

Not 100% sure, but parking this great shot here as a placeholder:

http://www.flickr.co...57608177268125/

 

Ayup, what's this headboard then? 4th December '65 60528.

http://www.flickr.co...57608177268125/

and

http://www.flickr.co...57608177268125/

 

TUDOR MINSTREL again, only later - 23rd April '66

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16236990@N08/2961055091/in/set-72157608177268125/

Wonder who that infant enthusiast is in the puce romper suit, any takers?

Edited by 'CHARD
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  • 2 weeks later...
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Well, you learn something new every day! A hitherto hidden gem - for me at least! Great stuff Roy, cheers! (hope these links work as intended)

http://www.scotlands...CAHMS&id=283910

http://canmore.rcahm...woodlee+tunnel/

 

EDIT: well they sort of did. I had no idea the line burrowed through that promontory - and very modellable it is too!

That's a booked detour next time I'm up the A7.

 

EDIT2: Judging by the various resources on line, and backing up a hunch of mine, this is one of the few parts where the A7 was improved following the line's closure. It's evident from the aerial shots that there's an oxbow cut off by the raised and more gently curved A7, the original alignment passed very close to the tunnel, presumably skirting the same promontory that the line burrows beneath. This is a must-see for me now.

Edited by 'CHARD
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