Early 90's loco pool typical usage

[Barry W]

 

Hello,

 

In trying to determine which  loco to choose as a future project I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on the typical duties for locos allocated to the following sector pools:-

 

DMEA M&EE loco

CEJN BRB central services engineering

IHRB Intercity fleet maintenance

 

The number of locos in each pool was quite limited, did they carry out very specific tasks or operate in a small area?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Barry

[guzzler17]

Looking back at my Platform 5 books show the following:

 

Spring 1991

 

DMEA - 22 Bescot based Class 31 (101, 264, 305, 402, 403, 405, 406, 409, 415, 417, 420, 423, 434, 435, 457, 459, 460, 461, 462, 464, 466 and 467)

CEJN and IHRB not listed

 

Spring 1993

 

DMEA - Not listed

CEJB, (CEJN not listed) - 13 Bescot based Class 31 (102, 105, 106, 107, 110, 112, 113, 125, 405, 415, 460, 462 and 467)

IHRB - 6 Bescot based Class 31 (417, 420, 422, 423, 434 and 457)

 

There are a few pictures on this site from the early 90s and there's also a mention that 31s took over the Class 25 Bescot trips when the latter were withdrawn. 

 

http://petertandy.co.uk/class31.htm

 

I'm not sure you'd be looking at a small area for any Bescot based locos.

 

Perhaps a look through flickr or similar sites, for the locos listed above, might throw up some more info?

 

HTH

 

[Barry W]

Hello guzzle and thank you for your response. I will take a look at the website linked to try and learn a bit more.

 

I have done a fair bit a searching based on the first two mainline liveried class 31's allocated to the DMEA pool, but most photos show them on passenger revenue service despite being in the D&MEE pool. Would it be normal practice for loco's to be seconded for non pool allocated duties?

 

You are right about the CEJB code, it is a typo in my 1992 loco book.

 

Barry

[guzzler17]

15 hours ago, Barry W said:

I have done a fair bit a searching based on the first two mainline liveried class 31's allocated to the DMEA pool, but most photos show them on passenger revenue service despite being in the D&MEE pool. Would it be normal practice for loco's to be seconded for non pool allocated duties?

 

IIRC Mainline liveried class 31s were in the /4 sub-class and so if they had operational ETH then I guess anything would be possible.

 

Here are a couple more links for you to look at.  I especially like the photo of 31420 at Stafford.

 

https://www.tosh-railways.com/Railways/70-uk-railway-photography/Class-31-diesel-locomotive/

 

https://www.tosh-railways.com/Railways/70-uk-railway-photography/Class-31-diesel-locomotive-eth/

 

[rob D2]

17 hours ago, Barry W said:

Hello guzzle and thank you for your response. I will take a look at the website linked to try and learn a bit more.

 

I have done a fair bit a searching based on the first two mainline liveried class 31's allocated to the DMEA pool, but most photos show them on passenger revenue service despite being in the D&MEE pool. Would it be normal practice for loco's to be seconded for non pool allocated duties?

 

You are right about the CEJB code, it is a typo in my 1992 loco book.

 

Barry

I reckon this happened a lot.some services were booked for traction hired from other pools / sectors. Dunno much about bescot but petrol sector class 47s were booked for Weymouth - Cardiff passenger, about the same time parcels 47s were booked a Cardiff - Paddington passenger turn, empty stock workings into Paddington seemed to use whatever was about inc engineers locos.

 

the only fleet I haven’t seen spreading g their wings much was the intercity 47/8s as they appear to be too heavily utilised on their core work.

 

 

if you search 31423 on Flickr, it can be seen on passenger, vans and engineers all in the early 90s

Edited August 30, 2019 by rob D2

[Barry W]

Guzzler, funnily enough I found that photo of 31420 last night and it certainly helps to illustrate the duties of the Intercity maintenance pool.

 

Rob D2, It does seem that the loco's within the various pools strayed less from there dedicated use as sectorisation progressed.

[James Makin]

9 hours ago, rob D2 said:

the only fleet I haven’t seen spreading g their wings much was the intercity 47/8s as they appear to be too heavily utilised on their core work.

 

 

I remember reading the Model Rail article on the Class 47/8s (Feb 2000 issue) and it referenced that amusingly one of the reasons why the Intercity 47s were renumbered was to stop them keep being pinched by other sectors! 

[rob D2]

16 hours ago, James Makin said:

 

I remember reading the Model Rail article on the Class 47/8s (Feb 2000 issue) and it referenced that amusingly one of the reasons why the Intercity 47s were renumbered was to stop them keep being pinched by other sectors! 

It didn’t matter, they were always being dragged by one of your EWS relics anyway !

[seraphim]

Weren't the IHRB Class 31s used on the inter-depot and works transfer trains, moving coaches between depots and to/from works? At the depot I was involved with (Oxley), there was 5M52, which (if memory serves) was Neville Hill to Wolverton and northbound 5E60 which was Wembley to Neville Hill via most of the UK. I assume there were similar trains on the Western and Scottish regions.

[Barry W]

Thank you for your insight seraphim it has been most helpful. I think maybe a loco from the earlier DMEA pool may be more versatile for my needs.