Evertrainz Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 In the Brush traction video on the construction of the Class 30s it was mentioned that one of the important duties the new class had was to work the "Lea Valley Enterprise" freight, with a headboard. Of course, this might have been a promotional move as a shot I'd seen on Flickr of the same train was double-headed although without its headboard. Another shot shows an "East Essex Enterprise". And of course, it goes without saying that the notorious Condor had its own headboard which seemed to have been used for many runs. It begs the question that apart from these supposedly remarkable trains, what other freights might have been given "headboard status"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I don't know whether they carried boards, but the GWR had a number of named freight workings prior to WW2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) Well certainly there was the "Condor", overnight containers between London and Glasgow. Made famous in a Cuneo painting featured on the cover of the 1972 Triang Hornby catalogue. Edited April 12, 2020 by EddieB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted April 12, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2020 Condor apart, actually not that much apart, the trains you mention sound like publicity department work, either Brush, BR, or both, for promotional purposes. The GW had named freights; the best known being the ‘Zulu’ Paddington-Birkenhead express goods, but these were, AFAIK, mostly accepted nicknames or telegraphic code acronyms. Otherwise it was ‘The Fish’, or whatever; no headboards were carried but everyone knew which train you meant. The Condor (Container Door to door) was so plagued by failures of the Metrovicks that it was unusual for both locos to complete the journey, and sometimes neither of them managed it. Failed Metrovicks were replaced by 9Fs or Jubilees, and I doubt anyone worried about nameboards that would not be seen in the dark anyway. Many of the principal express freight services ran overnight, for next day delivery or TBCF, so nameboards would have been a bit superfluous. The public liked the idea of named trains and thought that a degree of preference was given to them, and while a service being actively promoted to business customers might trigger notices to staff to ensure punctual running, priority for pathing purposes was determined on class basis. A Class C fully fitted freight is given priority over a Class D part fitted one, named or not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertrainz Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) This is what I'd thought was the case, pure publicity even for the Condor as you mention, although the unoffical naming of GWR fast freights is something of interest. Since very few shots exist of named freights with headboards I think it would be safe to assume that none of the others truly ran with headboards more than a handful of times. A part-fitted goods getting prestige in the form of a headboard or even a name might be self-defeating, with how much time it would have spent sitting in a loop. Edited April 12, 2020 by Evertrainz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 13, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2020 There were occasional one off headboards as here. Mik. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 The Condor was normally a Class 24 duty for much of it's existence. If it was a heavy load then the 24 would be replaced by a Peak or sometimes a Class 40. It definitely carried the headboards. There's plenty of photographic evidence and not all of them are publicity shots. The Derby Sulzer website is a good starting point. A few photos on there. https://www.derbysulzers.com/Pic.html https://www.derbysulzers.com/24083.html Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 13, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2020 I was aware of three named freight trains in the mid-'60s, and am fairly certain I saw a pic of one carrying a headboard. All three had publicity leaflets for the freight sales reps to pass on to customers. The one I am sure I saw in the photo was the 13.01 Brighton to Temple Mills 'North East Freighter'. This interchanged traffic at Streatham Common with the 15.35 Norwood to Willesden 'Midlands Merseyman', despite the yard there being on the up side, i.e. the 'wrong' side of the 4-track main line. The third service, for which I only saw leaflets, was the 'Solent Freighter', presumably originating in Southampton. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welchester Posted April 13, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2020 I was disappointed to discover that a DVD in a local charity shop 'The Meat Express' wasn't about the 3.55 p.m. Birkenhead - Smithfield. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 10 hours ago, Oldddudders said: I was aware of three named freight trains in the mid-'60s, and am fairly certain I saw a pic of one carrying a headboard. All three had publicity leaflets for the freight sales reps to pass on to customers. The one I am sure I saw in the photo was the 13.01 Brighton to Temple Mills 'North East Freighter'. This interchanged traffic at Streatham Common with the 15.35 Norwood to Willesden 'Midlands Merseyman', despite the yard there being on the up side, i.e. the 'wrong' side of the 4-track main line. The third service, for which I only saw leaflets, was the 'Solent Freighter', presumably originating in Southampton. The Southern Travellers Handbook for 1965/66, published by BR SR in June 1965, contains a small section on freight traffic which mentions the following named services :- Medway-Lancastrian - Departing fromRochester & Chatham Goods at 1805. Midland-Merseyman - Departing from Brighton. An accompanying photo shows D6557 (Headcode 7C, no headboard) departing Brighton Top Yard with a rake of vanfits. North East Trader - Departing from Brighton. Solent Freighter - Departing Southampton. An accompanying photo shows D65xx (Headcode 4B) in Southampton Western Docks with a headboard, but appears to be a staged publicity shot. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SP Steve Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 According to "Locomotive Headboards - The Complete Story" by David Peel, the following carried (or had) headboards: THE LEA VALLEY ENTERPRISE - introduced November 1959 for NE London / Whitemoor - North of England / Scotland service EAST ESSEX ENTERPRISE - introduced June 1960 for Chelmsford / Colchester / Ipswich / March - Midlands / Scotland service THE KING'S CROSS FREIGHTER - introduced June 1960 for King's Cross Goods - Newcastle Forth Goods service The TEES-TYNE FREIGHTER - introduced June 1960 for Newcastle Forth Goods - King's Cross Goods service For the "Condor" workings it lists two different types of headboard - one with vertically split lettering and one with solid lettering. The split version was used for the London Hendon - Gushetfaulds working (March 1959 - October 1967) whilst the second non-split version was utilised on the Aston - Gushetfaulds service (January 1963 - November 1967). Both boards were also unique in being given two regional background colours - LMR Maroon (left) and ScR Light Blue (right) with the colours reversed on the stem used to attach the board to a lamp bracket. Here are a few more colloquial titled GWR freight services from by gone days: THE BBC (Basingstoke - Wolverhampton) THE BIRMINGHAM MARKET (Birkenhead - Bordersley Junction) THE CAMBRIAN PIONEER (Birkenhead - Oswestry) THE CARGO (Wolverhampton - Basingstoke) THE CHERBOURG (Basingstoke - Wolverhampton) THE CROSSER (Wolverhampton - Westbury) THE DRAYTON (West Drayton - Wolverhampton) THE EARLY RISER (Manchester - Wolverhampton) THE FARMERS BOY (Bristol - Birkenhead) THE FLYING SKIPPER (Wolverhampton - Birkenhead) THE GENERAL (Birkenhead - Paddington) THE GROCER (Southall - Crewe) THE HAMPTON (Westbury - Wolverhampton) THE LANCASHIRE LAD (Westbury - Manchester) THE MEAT (Birkenhead - Smithfield) THE MON (Manchester - Bristol) THE MOONRAKER (Westbury - Wolverhampton) THE NORTHERN DOCKER (Wolverhampton - Birkenhead) THE NORTHERN EXCHANGE (Wolverhampton - Crewe) THE NORTHERN FLASH (Paddington - Birkenhead) THE RACER (Wolverhampton - Paddington) THE SHIPPER (Bordersley Junction - Birkenhead) THE SOUTHERNER (Wolverhampton - Basingstoke) THE SOUTHERN DOCKER (Wolverhampton - Basingstoke) THE WESTERN DOCKER (Bristol - Wolverhampton) 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold scottystitch Posted April 14, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 14, 2020 On 13/04/2020 at 02:14, Steamport Southport said: The Condor was normally a Class 24 duty for much of it's existence. If it was a heavy load then the 24 would be replaced by a Peak or sometimes a Class 40. It definitely carried the headboards. There's plenty of photographic evidence and not all of them are publicity shots. The Derby Sulzer website is a good starting point. A few photos on there. https://www.derbysulzers.com/Pic.html https://www.derbysulzers.com/24083.html Jason Interesting that. 083 is listed as working a Condor along with a EE Type 1 (D8117) and on another occasion with a Peak (D72). Best Scott. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 On 14/04/2020 at 11:09, SP Steve said: According to "Locomotive Headboards - The Complete Story" by David Peel, the following carried (or had) headboards. Thank you. I had made a mental note to check that book "when time permits", so you've very kindly saved me the trouble! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 On 14/04/2020 at 11:09, SP Steve said: According to "Locomotive Headboards - The Complete Story" by David Peel, the following carried (or had) headboards: THE KING'S CROSS FREIGHTER - introduced June 1960 for King's Cross Goods - Newcastle Forth Goods service The TEES-TYNE FREIGHTER - introduced June 1960 for Newcastle Forth Goods - King's Cross Goods service A short item in the October 1960 edition of The Railway Magazine (page 739) states that the southbound service was The King's Cross Freighter whilst The Tees-Tyne Freighter ran northbound, there is also a photo of D283 with headboard on the former. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertrainz Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) on the topic... Kings Cross Freighter Edited June 11, 2020 by Evertrainz 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 12 hours ago, Evertrainz said: on the topic... Kings Cross Freighter That is the photo which appears (uncredited) in The Railway Magazine October 1960 edition so perhaps use of the headboard was a one off publicity shot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertrainz Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 9 hours ago, SED Freightman said: That is the photo which appears (uncredited) in The Railway Magazine October 1960 edition so perhaps use of the headboard was a one off publicity shot. Very likely that it was a one-off. Another shot here https://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8621 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 An item in the March 1958 edtion of The Railway Magazine refers to the inaugural run of the "Blue Spot Fish Special", departing Aberdeen for Kings Cross at 1230pm on January 20th 1958, comprising fitted vans with roller bearing axleboxes. Unfortunately there is no accompanying photo to show whether or not a headboard was provided. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Welch Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 I have recently watched the BTF 'Second report on modernisation (1961) on YouTube which has some interesting material in it. Link here, The Lea Valley Enterprise, D5579 with headboard, can be seen at 7:59. Its seen again at 8:16 without the headboard so, as has been mentioned previous, put on just form the cameras? The Condor, D5176 with headboard, can be seen at 8:26. Its an interesting film showing some interesting wagons including 'Birdseye' containers and a demonstration of the 'Road-Railer'. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertrainz Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 That’s a nice bit of film. Interesting that the vans were pasted with “lea valley” posters but considering the makeup of the train I don’t think they would have stuck and stayed in the consist for long! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evertrainz Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 That’s a nice bit of film. Interesting that the vans were pasted with “lea valley” posters but considering the makeup of the train I don’t think they would have stuck and stayed in the consist for long! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidlandRed Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 On 15 June 2020 at 17:01, Harry Welch said: The Lea Valley Enterprise, D5579 with headboard, can be seen at 7:59. Its seen again at 8:16 without the headboard so, as has been mentioned previous, put on just form the cameras? The Condor, D5176 with headboard, can be seen at 8:26. Its an interesting film showing some interesting wagons including 'Birdseye' containers and a demonstration of the 'Road-Railer'. Very interesting film - D5716 solo on the Condor and D5579 in it's experimental high visibility livery. Is it just me or do those roadrailer trailers look rather unstable in rail hauled mode? I recall having a kit (presumably Airfix) of one of these articulated trucks with an AEC tractor unit - in the 60s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 The Roadrailer was made by Scalecraft. They mostly made things like snap together cars, planes and boats. But made a roadrailer and AEC Mandator which was available through PECO I believe. Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul 27 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 13/04/2020 at 17:19, SED Freightman said: The Southern Travellers Handbook for 1965/66, published by BR SR in June 1965, contains a small section on freight traffic which mentions the following named services :- Medway-Lancastrian - Departing fromRochester & Chatham Goods at 1805. Midland-Merseyman - Departing from Brighton. An accompanying photo shows D6557 (Headcode 7C, no headboard) departing Brighton Top Yard with a rake of vanfits. North East Trader - Departing from Brighton. Solent Freighter - Departing Southampton. An accompanying photo shows D65xx (Headcode 4B) in Southampton Western Docks with a headboard, but appears to be a staged publicity shot. Just found this post regarding the Midlands - Merseyman i have the same picture, i doubt the class 33 made the journey all the way, but is there any sightings of these in the North West in this period mid 60s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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