55009 Query

[slilley]

The Class 47 Preservation Project Archive recently acquired an undated negative of 55009 at Carlisle. It is in BR blue, numbers both ends, and a yellow plated headcode panel. The tyres show traces of white paint, which makes me think it was taken after the loco was transfered from FP to YK. There is no shed sticker below the number and no York crest above the number. It is clearly before the loco was painted for the final railtours.

 

Chronicles of Napier doesnt mention, so far as I can see 55009 on an ordinary service train at Carlisle between May and October 1981.

 

Can anyone on here shed any light on this. The loco is attached to a Mk1 carriage no E26138 which makes me think Alycidon had been used on a Newcastle- Carlisle service at some point and was snapped about to head east again.

 

Best wishes

 

Simon

[Mike at C&M]

Infuriatingly, I cannot find a date for this shot of 'Alycidon' in platform 6 at the head of 1S15, the 1553 Carlisle to Edinburgh. I will need to look more deeply into my notes.

 

'Alycidon' was also a regular performer on railtours through Carlisle during the last days of the Deltics.

 

Might you be able to post the picture on the forum to help us with any further reply?

 

 

 

[slilley]

Now got the negative scanned.

 

Please see attached.

[Mike at C&M]

I would suggest that these photographs are NOT taken on the same day.

 

Firstly, the weather is different, although being a resident of Carlisle, I can vouch for how quickly it can change.

 

Also, the locomotive looks to be parked in a slightly different position in our pictures.

 

My spotting notes show No.9 at Carlisle on June 16th 1981 (noted as working 1M04/1S15 - Edinburgh - Carlisle and return), Monday July 20th 1981 (train not noted, but as it is a weekday, probably 1M04/1S15), and again on September 21st 1981(noted as on 1S15). I still haven't found out what date my photograph is taken.

  My list is not exhaustive, so there may be other dates it worked 1M04 and 1S15. I am also aware that it worked a number of Deltic farewell tours through Carlisle in the months before withdrawal, as invariably I was on them!

[chris p bacon]

Would sitings such as this be as a result of the penmansiel (?) tunnel diversion ?

[jonny777]

Would sitings such as this be as a result of the penmansiel (?) tunnel diversion ?

 

 

Initially, I thought that; but hesitated because - would a Deltic be on Mk1s in that instance?

[Mike at C&M]

Penmanshiel tunnel came down in Spring 1979, and so was sorted out before the 1981 sightings.

 

With the timetable change at the beginning of June 1981, one pair of the Edinburgh Waverley to Newcastle Central local workings was extended along the Tyne Valley line to terminate in Carlisle. If my memory serves me correctly, it was about 0720 ex-Waverley(reporting number 1M04), and was certainly 1553 off Carlisle (reporting number 1S15), which then continued as the 1730 ex-Newcastle Central back to Edinburgh.

 

I remember at the time, there was a degree of expectancy amongst the Carlisle enthusiasts that we might see some 'Deltics' on this turn. During my college days in Newcastle in 1980/1981, it was not unknown for the Edinburgh - Newcastle locals to produce a Class 55, and this continued to be the case as the 'Deltics' were wound down to the end of their service at the end of 1981. Non-Deltic turns were usually in the hands of Gateshead-allocated 47s, with the occasional Class 46.

 

[chris p bacon]

You're right, I got my dates wrong.

 

Being at the Southern end I didn't realise there was an extended Edinburgh -Newcastle which might be 55 hauled, I was on York stoppers for haulage.

[slilley]

I would suggest that these photographs are NOT taken on the same day.

 

Firstly, the weather is different, although being a resident of Carlisle, I can vouch for how quickly it can change.

 

Also, the locomotive looks to be parked in a slightly different position in our pictures.

 

My spotting notes show No.9 at Carlisle on June 16th 1981 (noted as working 1M04/1S15 - Edinburgh - Carlisle and return), Monday July 20th 1981 (train not noted, but as it is a weekday, probably 1M04/1S15), and again on September 21st 1981(noted as on 1S15). I still haven't found out what date my photograph is taken.

  My list is not exhaustive, so there may be other dates it worked 1M04 and 1S15. I am also aware that it worked a number of Deltic farewell tours through Carlisle in the months before withdrawal, as invariably I was on them!

 

I reckon it has to be between May 81 when the loco lost its white windows when leaving FP for YK and October when it was repainted and had silver grilles and fuel tanks etc.  If you look at the picture it has remnants of white tyres etc applied for the last FP working in May 81.

[Mike at C&M]

What I do know is that my photograph is taken on one of the three dates I mention. My next photograph of 'Alycidon' is from the day after it was adorned with the silver grills and fuel tanks when it worked to Perth, and from Aberdeen on a 'Farewell to the Deltics' railtour.

 

Even with the graininess of my picture, I would suggest your picture is taken far earlier than mine, simply by the griminess of the locomotive in the respective pictures.

[stovepipe]

I would suggest 87029's photo was taken on 20 July 1981. There is a pic on Napier Chronicles taken the day before with very similar nose weathering patterns.

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/9_19-7-81.htm

 

Although the nose had been cleaned by September, the body sides were still pretty dirty.

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/9_12-9-81.htm

 

009 was photographed on the 16 June heading to Carlisle

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/9_16-6-81.htm

 

I think the condition of the loco in this photograph most closely matches photo in the original post.

 

Presumably the Post Office vehicle was removed for the return working. Did the train arrive in one of the through platforms before running around and shunting the stock into the bay?

[Mike at C&M]

I don't ever recall a Post Office vehicle arriving at Carlisle on 1M04. I would suggest that it was removed from the train at Newcastle Central.

 

Also, 1M04 tended to arrive in platform 6 at Carlisle, one of the terminal platforms. The loco was then shunt released from the stock, and would often park in what was the Motorail sidings behind the wall that runs alongside platform 6, such as seen in this picture of 55.010.

 

Prior to departure, the locomotive would then move out and back on to the stock.

 

[deltic17]

On ‎27‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 18:53, chris p bacon said:

Would sitings such as this be as a result of the penmansiel (?) tunnel diversion ?

No - firstly the Deltic is in the bay platform at Carlisle (sound end) - Penmanshiel was 1979 whereas this photo is definitely 1981 - definitely the Carlisle - Edinburgh service

[chris p bacon]

28 minutes ago, deltic17 said:

No - firstly the Deltic is in the bay platform at Carlisle (sound end) - Penmanshiel was 1979 whereas this photo is definitely 1981 - definitely the Carlisle - Edinburgh service

 

Already noted.