1980s MGR trains in East Scotland

[Waverley47708]

I  have been meaning to start a new discussion topic for a while on 1980s MGR traffic in Fife, Scotland.  The issue has come up a few times in other topics but I thought I’d start a topic dedicated to it.  Wasn't sure if it should be under Railways of Scotland or UK Protype Discussions not Questions

 

I was brought up in Dunfermline and pairs of Class 20s heading to and from Longannet Power Station with rakes of HAA were a significant part of my early interest in railways.  The bonus of living in Dunfermline was that you got to see them twice as they arrived from the South ran past Charlestown Junction just South of Dunfermline Lower (now Dunfermline Town) to Halbeath.  The locos would run round the train, it would then return down the track to Charlestown Junction and then head of the branch line towards Longannet.  They repeated to run up to Halbeath on their return journey.

 

 Another benefit of living in Dunfermline was that the climb up Touch Bank meant that pairs of 20s had to work hard and were therefore very noisy as they climbed towards Halbeath especially when loaded.  Both my Primary and Secondary Schools had views of them going up the bank.  I can also remember on certain nights hearing them over a mile from my house climbing up the bank. 

 

Other memories are of them passing within inches of you at Culross as you walked along the path next to the railway and the  ground shook.

As a youngster I had always assumed that they all went from the mine the South of  Kirkcaldy and headed to Dunfermline via Thornton, it was not until I got back into the hobby I found out that some/all/most (?) went via Inverkeithing and ran round at Halbeath as described above.

 

There were other workings, I've seen photos of them at Cardenden and Cowdenbeath therefore some did use that part of the Fife Circle as it became known.  There were some from Westfield.  I am pretty sure some came from South of the Forth.  Rightly or wrongly I tended to associate these with the HAAs with the extra covers on top.

I’ve seen a magazine article (possibly Traction) on them  which included a photo of a 26 at Liggers bridge on an MGR just beyond Charlestown Junction.  This is the thing with such articles, they always include the different, the unusual which I understand, but up until the late 80s, my memory of 12 years of schooling overlooking the line was of pairs of Class 20s.  I’ve seen photos  but never remember seeing them myself of  a pair of 20s on one end with or without a brake van and a single 20 at the other, I think this practice had gone by the mid 80s.  I do remember the 37s taking over the services in the then new Coal Subsector and I remember getting a bit of a shock to see Class 56s on them, up to that point I’d never expected to see them north of the border. By that time my interest in railways was waning and my favourite time was definitely the period when these trains were exclusively in the hands of pairs of Class 20s with a rake of HAAs.

 

Lots of memories but no photos of my own unfortunately.

 

If you have information, memories or photos of these or other East Scotland MGR workings especially from the 70s and 80s would be great to read and see them. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Waverley47708

[caradoc]

By coincidence the other night, reading old Modern Railways magazines, I came across an article by Derek Cross in the January 1974 edition, entitled 'Train No 6Z70'. This describes a cab ride on that train on August 28th 1973 from Barony Jc in Ayrshire to Longannet via the Kilmarnock-Dalry line, City Union, Cadder Yard where locos and crews were exchanged, and Alloa. The train consisted of 26 HAAs, locos 8036 and 8184 (coupled nose-to-tail) to Cadder, 8326 and 8327 forward. 

 

[Bill Jamieson]

Although it's a bit earlier than the period you mention, I have a copy of the summer 1970 freight WTT which shows three return trips SX from Westfield opencast colliery and four from Seafield colliery to Longannet power station. All are noted as 'Suspended' so the MGR operation obviously didn't commence on 4 May 1970 but at some point later in the spring or summer.

 

From Seafield Colliery to Longannet P.S.  04:52  09:12  14:12  19:12

From Longannet P.S. to Seafield Colliery  07:03  11:53  16:41  21:43

From Westfield O.C. to Longannet P.S.  05:19  11:51  17:29

From Longannet P.S. to Westfield O.C.  08:17  14:14  20:40

 

The workings from Westfield were booked for a pair of class 20s, those from Seafield for 3 x class 20, presumably two at one end and one at the other to facilitate a quick reversal at Charlestown Jn. - five of the eight trains involved did this (three minutes allowed), but the 09:12 from Seafield and the 16:41 from Longannet ran up to Townhill Jn for reversal and a crew or loco change, while the last train of the day, the 21:43 from Longannet, also ran to Townhill for a 40 minute stop ‘to detach’ although it’s not cleat whether this was a loco or wagon(s) for planned/unplanned maintenance.

 

Bill

 

PS The MGR layout at Seafield must have been configured for access to/from the Kinghorn end (it also supplied Cockenzie power station at Prestonpans) hence the need for Longannet trains to run via Inverkeithing East Jn. The Seafield to Cockenzie MGR operation is not anticipated in the 4 May  1970 WTT but was certainly up and running by early October of the same year (with double headed class 26s although I'm fairly sure that by early 1972 triple headed class 20s were also in evidence).

Edited October 30, 2020 by Bill Jamieson

[Rivercider]

I did not make many trips that far north, and only took a small number of photos, but here is one MGR working.

 

20219 and 20225 pass through Dunfermline with a loaded MGR working. 20/6/83,

 

cheers 

[caradoc]

September 1972 Modern Railways has a photo of a 41 HAA, 1900 tons, Westfield-Longannet train with two Class 20s on the front and a third on the rear (the caption actually says Westhill rather than Westfield, which I believe is a mistake ?).

[Waverley47708]

On 30/10/2020 at 10:51, Rivercider said:

I did not make many trips that far north, and only took a small number of photos, but here is one MGR working.

 

20219 and 20225 pass through Dunfermline with a loaded MGR working. 20/6/83,

 

cheers 

 

A great photo, just how I remember them, thanks.  

 

It was only when I got back into the hobby I realised that  lots of 20s had discs rather than head code boxes and yet I could not remember seeing any disc fitted 20s on these MGRs.  Read elsewhere that this was due to a batch of head code fitted 20s getting a slow speed conversion or dual brakes and think this is why they have the rectangular box to the side of the head code box.

Edited November 1, 2020 by Waverley47708

[Waverley47708]

On 30/10/2020 at 09:35, Bill Jamieson said:

Although it's a bit earlier than the period you mention, I have a copy of the summer 1970 freight WTT which shows three return trips SX from Westfield opencast colliery and four from Seafield colliery to Longannet power station. All are noted as 'Suspended' so the MGR operation obviously didn't commence on 4 May 1970 but at some point later in the spring or summer.

 

From Seafield Colliery to Longannet P.S.  04:52  09:12  14:12  19:12

From Longannet P.S. to Seafield Colliery  07:03  11:53  16:41  21:43

From Westfield O.C. to Longannet P.S.  05:19  11:51  17:29

From Longannet P.S. to Westfield O.C.  08:17  14:14  20:40

 

The workings from Westfield were booked for a pair of class 20s, those from Seafield for 3 x class 20, presumably two at one end and one at the other to facilitate a quick reversal at Charlestown Jn. - five of the eight trains involved did this (three minutes allowed), but the 09:12 from Seafield and the 16:41 from Longannet ran up to Townhill Jn for reversal and a crew or loco change, while the last train of the day, the 21:43 from Longannet, also ran to Townhill for a 40 minute stop ‘to detach’ although it’s not cleat whether this was a loco or wagon(s) for planned/unplanned maintenance.

 

Bill

 

PS The MGR layout at Seafield must have been configured for access to/from the Kinghorn end (it also supplied Cockenzie power station at Prestonpans) hence the need for Longannet trains to run via Inverkeithing East Jn. The Seafield to Cockenzie MGR operation is not anticipated in the 4 May  1970 WTT but was certainly up and running by early October of the same year (with double headed class 26s although I'm fairly sure that by early 1972 triple headed class 20s were also in evidence).

 

Thanks Bill.

 

Some interesting points there,  wasn't aware of some running round at Charleston Junction rather than Townhill Jn.  That would make sense for the 2 locos on one end and 1 on the other and would save a bit of time compared to the extra 2 to 3 miles and run round at Townhill Jn.

 

According to Wikipedia Longannet started generating in 1970 and was fully operational by 1973.

 

I never actually saw the 3 loco formations myself.  Being born in 1973 I wonder if it ceased by the time I would have been aware of them.

 

On the basis that deep mining was still common in the 70s 'd always assumed Westfield Open Cast was a relatively new location, mid 80s rather than 70s.

 

What route did the Westfield to Longannet services go via Inverkeithing or Cowdenbeath in the 1970 WTT?

 

For those not familiar with the locations, Townhill Jn is at Halbeath area of Dunfermline rather than at Townhill itself.  Confusingly there was also a junction there to Dunfermline Upper, Oaklay and Comrie.  This was also the location of the wagon works.  Growing up there I was aware of the junction to Dunfermline Upper but not to Townhill.  There were loops on both sides of the running lines.  The depot was on the South side of the loops.  Assuming the track layout didn't change between the 70s and 90s, the loops to the North side would have been used for MGR run round. I say this on the basis of my memory of the crossover arrangement at the West end of the loops.

 

Trains heading South from Kirkaldy on the ECML could take a single line connection just North of where the ECML and branch from Dunfermline met to the North of the station.  The single line connection was the third side of a triangle which connected the ECML to the branch.

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2020 by Waverley47708

[Waverley47708]

On 30/10/2020 at 13:05, caradoc said:

September 1972 Modern Railways has a photo of a 41 HAA, 1900 tons, Westfield-Longannet train with two Class 20s on the front and a third on the rear (the caption actually says Westhill rather than Westfield, which I believe is a mistake ?).

41 HAAs, that would have been great to hear and see the 20s hauling that up Touch Bank towards Townhill Jn!  

[Bill Jamieson]

23 hours ago, Waverley47708 said:

On the basis that deep mining was still common in the 70s 'd always assumed Westfield Open Cast was a relatively new location, mid 80s rather than 70s.

 

What route did the Westfield to Longannet services go via Inverkeithing or Cowdenbeath in the 1970 WT

 

 

Westfield opencast site was operational in late steam days but I don't know exactly when mining commenced there..

 

The WTT shows the Westfield - Longannet services running via Cowdenbeath which entailed a reversal at Redford Junction at the west end of Thornton Yard (presumably the locos ran round there - ten minutes were allowed) but I expect this could be done without blocking any running lines.

 

Bill

Edited November 1, 2020 by Bill Jamieson

[Waverley47708]

I had a look in my May 1985 to May 1986 WTT, Longannet PS is listed, however there are no services against them. Westfield doesn't feature at all.  The 1984/85 miners strike ended in March 1985. I have no idea how far in advance they are prepared and whether or not the miners strike had a bearing on no timings for Longannet PS.  My memory is that they didn't run during the strike.  I'd assume post strike they would have been busy rebuilding the stock piles.

 

The WTT doesn't list Kincardine PS which was still operational at that time.  It being located a couple of miles further up the line from Longannet.

 

I've had a bit of a look on Flickr and found photos of MGR in Fife at the time.  Some say they were heading to Kincardine, I am not sure if that was based on local knowledge or whether given the proximity of Longannet PS to Kincardine it was used to mean Longannet.  I assume it is ok to copy links from Flickr into RMWEB.

 

Looking at rail maps on line whilst Longannet had that classic MGR loop, it looks like Kincardine PS which was built in the 1950s didn't have a loop.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Waverley47708

[Bill Jamieson]

Re Westfield opencast, I think it was probably developed to supply the coal gasification plant there which opened in June 1961. See https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Westfield_Gas_Works

 

Bill

 

PS I suspect that Kincardine PS would have been supplied by trip/target services working to control orders - these didn't appear in the freight WTT (I presume these were covered by other documents but I never came across one although I did acquire various WTTs in 1970/71).

[keefer]

The MGRs in the mid-70s were in the Conditional freight WTT, don't know about the normal coal trains. (I had one from then, can't remember the year and I can't find it now.)

Diagrammed for 3xcl.20s and 41 HAA

[Waverley47708]

According to British Rail At Work ScotRail, the MGR to Longannet had over 40 HAA at one time (as others have said already) and it was that extra load that resulted in the need for the third loco.  Clearly it would also have had the advantage for trains from the Inverkeithing direction not having to go to Townhill Jn to run round as they could just change direction  at Charleston Jn instead as mentioned above.  The book says the cost of the extra crew required for the third loco meant it increased the direct cost per ton payload and was discounted in 1983.  I've seen comments on Flickr that horn signals were used to communicate between the locos on either end when three were used.

 

When referring to the use of 2 x Class 20s generally in Scotland it also refers to a new proposal to use radio control and have a loco at either end.  The book is dated 1986 and I don't ever recall seeing that arrangement being used on Longannet trains anyway.

 

The book also says it was the modification to add an emergency brake valve in the cab that allowed the guard to travel in the rear loco's cab and dispense with the need for a brake van.  No date is given for this change.

[Bill Jamieson]

On 02/11/2020 at 12:54, keefer said:

The MGRs in the mid-70s were in the Conditional freight WTT, don't know about the normal coal trains. (I had one from then, can't remember the year and I can't find it now.)

Diagrammed for 3xcl.20s and 41 HAA

It looks as if the coverage of the WTTs changed in 1971. Most of the WTTs I have are prior to that year and there was a straightforward passenger/freight split, but from May 1971 it appears that the split was between mandatory and conditional services. The one May 1971 WTT I have is ScR Section E Mandatory Services and includes relatively few freight trains - mostly Freightliners with a few class 4 or 6 company trains.

 

Bill

[Waverley47708]

Retooled Class 20 announced today.  20227 looks good.

 

I remember when 20s first appeared in this livery, always think it suited them.  I recall seeing a few on Longannet MGR.  I do not think I ever saw a pair in Railfreight but certainly one blue and one Railfreight was seen.

 

Although I liked Railfreight on 37s or 47s didn't think they suited the red stripe version the way 20s and 58s did.

 

 

[JeremyC]

MGR working with 3 class 20s at Culross.

Edited February 23, 2021 by JeremyC

[Waverley47708]

 

On 03/03/2021 at 21:32, 65288_62C said:

I attended Dunfermline High School from 1971 to 1975 and, depending on which classroom we were in, a clear view could sometimes be had of railway operations in the vicinity of Charlestown Junction.  Throughout the time we were there this consisted largely of the hourly DMU service between Edinburgh and Cowdenbeath, the odd freight train and the fairly frequent MGRs to and from Longannet.

 

Unfortunately, I was never a trainspotter so didn’t concern myself too much about loco numbers and didn’t bother to keep notes.  However, all of the locomotives involved had to be equipped with slow speed control as the hoppers were emptied in the discharge sheds at Longannet whilst the train was still moving, albeit at a mere ½ mph.  Those which are firmly etched on my brain are D8317, D8324 and D8327.  Articles from the Dunfermline Press informed us that the trains came from Seafield Colliery or Westfield Open Cast Site and weighed almost 2,000 tonnes.  They generally comprised 41x HAA hoppers with two class 20s on one end and a single class 20 and brake van at the other.  The hoppers used on these trains were usually those without the canopy.

 

There were other workings, I think from Bilston Glen, and my memory suggests that these usually comprised 26 hoppers with the additional canopies powered by pairs of Class 26s.  However, the information detailed below suggests otherwise!  From time to time pairs of Class 20s could be seen on other workings but we never gave any thought to where these came from.

 

I have vivid childhood memories of running alongside the Seafield trains as they climbed the bank from Rosyth Halt towards Charlestown Junction.  It was quite a steep climb and, at the time the adjoining land was undeveloped, so we had approximately half a mile in which we could often keep pace with the train.  Nowadays the whole area is built upon and forms part of Pitreavie Business Park.

 

The layout at Longannet was basically an oval of track on the north side of the line with triangular junctions at each end.  There were two lines through the discharge shed and I believe that two trains could be emptied simultaneously.  The triangular junctions ensured maximum flexibility with regard to the routing of the empty trains.  A loaded train from the west could enter the discharge shed, unload then either head back west or continue east to Townhill Junction.  Similarly, trains arriving from the east could return east or head west after unloading.

 

The July 1965 issue of the Railway Observer contains details of a trial which took place on 12th April that year.  This involved a 35 wagon train with D8075 on one end and D8107 on the other.  Both locomotives were fitted with transmitters and aerials on their roofs to facilitate communication between the two locomotives.  The train worked from Alloa to Thornton via Kincardine, Dunfermline Lower and Cowdenbeath and the trial was deemed to be a success.

 

The November 1968 Railway Observer states that, due to cracks developing in the boilers at Cockenzie, some of Bilston Glen’s output was being worked to Longannet, that Class 26s and 32T MGR hoppers had become a daily occurrence and stocks of coal were being built up prior to the power station becoming operational in 1970.  Given that the discharge sheds were not commissioned until 1969, one wonders how the hoppers were emptied at Longannet.

 

I purchased a copy of Merry Go Round on the Rails by David Monk Steel, HMRS, 2011.  I have to say I was disappointed by the scant coverage of the Longannet operations (which the book claims is in Stirlingshire!) but it does contain some useful information:

 

Locos fitted with slow speed control were seven Class 26s and 22 Class 20s.

 

The Class 26s were D5307 and D5301 to D5306, later 26 001 to 26 007.

 

The Class 20s were D8179, D8184, D8192, D8301 to D8306 and D8316 to D8327, later 20 179, 20 184, 20 192, 20 201 to 20 206 and 20 216 to 20 227.

 

The Scottish Region had a pool of 150 canopied HAA hoppers which was dedicated to the Longannet and Cockenzie services until 1990.  This pool included the six aluminium bodied vehicles B352741 to B352746.  No indication is given of the number of non canopied HAAs used by the Scottish Region.

 

The July 1969 Railway Observer states that pre commissioning tests of the lineside equipment at Longannet took place from 21st to 25th April 1969.  The test train comprised Class 20s 8326 and 8327 leading thirty six empty hoppers, a brake van and 8317 on the rear.  This train passed back and forth through the discharge sheds from 10:00 until roughly 17:30 each day.  It was anticipated that trains would be delivering coal by July 1969.

 

The HMRS book states that a trial run took place on 28th May 1971 involving three Class 20s hauling 41 loaded HAAs.  Usually there were two locomotives on one end with a single locomotive and brake van at the other.  Two crews were necessary and communication between them was by radio telephone.  The use of locomotives at each end of the train provided assistance on the many inclines found en route as well as facilitating quick turn rounds at reversing points, often in as little as three minutes.

 

I too have read suggestions that communication between locomotives at the front and rear of the train was by use of the locomotives’ horns.  Whilst I am in no position to dispute these claims, bear in mind that the driver of the leading locomotive would be in the leading cab and the driver of the rear locomotive was in the rear cab of the trailing locomotive (how else could they change direction in only three minutes?).  The two drivers were separated by no less than 41 hoppers and, more importantly, three prime movers operating at maximum volume for much of they journey.  With the cab windows closed, I think it would be a real struggle to hear a horn from the opposite end of the train.  It certainly does not sound like a safe method of operation to me.

 

The April 1972 Railway Observer notes that, following the 1972 miners’ strike, there was a mass movement of a million tons of coal from the Longannet stock pile to power stations in Yorkshire.  The coal was moved in a service which consisted of fourteen (daily?) MGR services (7 each way?) and was worked by pairs of Gateshead Class 37s between Millerhill and Tyne Yard.  The entry is unclear about whether these trains originated at Longannet or Millerhill.

 

The January 1973 Railway Observer notes that the Westfield Open Cast – Longannet service had become operational but that some of the roof mounted aerials on the Class 20s had become damaged by overhanging branches.  It was anticipated that action would have to be taken to address this prior to the commencement of the Seafield – Longannet service.

 

The HMRS book makes reference to a 1973 accident at Longannet in which a driver sadly lost his life.  A single locomotive was leading the train and the driver involved was in charge of the two locomotives at the rear.  After the train had unloaded and come to a stand he went forward to the unmanned locomotive to operate a switch.  Unfortunately, whilst this was going on, the driver of the leading locomotive released the brakes and the whole train slowly rolled forward.  The rear driver became trapped between the locomotive and a piece of lineside equipment which tragically resulted in him sustaining fatal injuries.

 

The July 1973 Railway Observer notes that Longannet Power Station became fully operational in 1973.  Having been brought into use in stages since 1970, the official opening date was 22nd May 1973. 

 

Train services are described as follows:

3x MGRs per day from Westfield Open Cast site operating five days a week since October 1972.

5x MGRs per day from Seafield Colliery operating seven days a week since early April 1973.

2x MGRs per day from Bilston Glen operating six days a week, also since early April 1973. 

 

It is claimed that all of the above services comprised 41x 36T hoppers powered by three Class 20s operating on the push-pull principle using radio telephone equipment for communication.  Whilst I am in no position to dispute these claims, my memory of the Bilston Glen trains is of them being worked by pairs of Class 26s.  In addition, Charlestown Junction signal box was normally switched out on a Sunday so that leads me to question the claim that the Seafield train ran seven days a week.  The booked Seafield workings for the summers of 1972 and 1973 Seafield show that the set completes only four round trips in any 24 period and all of these are annotated SX which suggests they only ran five days per week.

 

The commentary states that British Rail provided approximately 60% of the power station’s daily coal consumption, the rest being supplied directly from Longannet Mine.  However, following the mass movement of coal south referred to above, two additional daily trains began running from Barony Colliery in Ayrshire on 28th May 1973 to replenish Longannet’s coal stocks.  These comprised 26x 36T hoppers and were powered by two Eastfield Class 20s as far as Cadder Yard, where they were swapped for a pair of Haymarket’s Slow Speed Control Class 20s for the rest of the run to Longannet.

 

It is stated that British Rail was bringing almost 175,000 tons of coal into Longannet every week at that point in time.

 

The November 1973 Railway Observer describes an incident at Cadder Yard on 27th September 1973.  Two Eastfield Class 20s (8319 & 8321) had brought the morning Barony Colliery-Longannet MGR service from Ayrshire to Cadder Yard.  A pair of Haymarket Class 20s (8325 and 8317) were backing on to the train to take it forward to Longannet when 8325 became derailed  Fortunately the locomotive was undamaged and, as the Eastfield crane was already at Cadder (to re-rail some gravel wagons!) the delay was kept to a minimum.

 

An article by Derek Cross in the January 1974 Modern Railways describes the operation of an Ayrshire to Longannet working, explaining Fife coal was “soft and ashy” and therefore needed to be mixed with “harder and stronger” Ayrshire coal to ensure the correct calorific content and also to ensure that the resulting ash was of the correct quality as it was destined for use in a land reclamation project.  As stated above, a pair of Eastfield Class 20s worked the train from Falkland Yard to Cadder where they were replaced by a pair of slow speed equipped Class 20s, D8326 and my old friend D8327 for the rest of the trip.  Unfortunately it took the direct route from Kincardine Junction to Longannet so did not work via Dunfermline. 

 

Derek Cross describes the train service to Longannet as follows:

2 trains daily from Barony Colliery comprising 26 hoppers

2 trains daily from Westfield comprising 18 hoppers

1 train daily from Seafield comprising 18 hoppers

1 train daily from Bilston Glen comprising 33 hoppers and worked by three locomotives.

I suspect there has been some confusion as I do not recognise the 18 hopper trains from either Seafield or Westfield and, whilst the Bilston Glen trains were correctly described as comprising 33 hoppers, my own memories and the working timetables all suggest that they were worked by pairs of Class 15s.

 

A letter in the March 1974 Modern Railways corrects the description of the Seafield train, describing it as comprising 41 hoppers worked bv three Class 20s with two on one end and one on the other.  The locomotives involved are listed as 8191, 8316-8320, 8322 and 8324-8327.  A comment below the letter refers to a photograph which was published in the September 1972 issue of Modern Railways.  This depicted a MGR worked by three Class 20s.  Given publishing deadlines, this would have to have been taken around July 1972 at the latest.

 

The March 1974 Railway Observer describes track rationalisation on the Alloa –  Dunfermline Upper – Townhill Junction direct line.  Dunfermline Upper signal box became a shunting frame on 16th December 1973 and the line from there to Townhill Junction was singled.  Oakley to Kincardine Junction was also singled on 23rd December.  As the Oakley - Dunfermline Upper section had already been singled, this meant the entire route from Kincardine Junction to Townhill had been reduced to single track.  The passing loop at Kincardine Junction (on the line to Longannet) was also taken out of use.

 

The July 1974 Railway Observer notes that Cowdenbeath South box was reinstated as a block post from 7th April 1974 in connection with the opening of the line to Dora Open Cast site which would supply coal to Longannet.

 

The November 1974 Modern Railways contains a paragraph on the opening of the Dora Open Cast site and describes the trains from there to Longannet as comprising 28 hoppers worked by two Class 20s.  It was anticipated that Dora would supply 400 tons of coal per week to Longannet.

 

According to Page 47 of British Rail at Work: Scotrail (Colin Boocock, Ian Allan, 1986) the use of the third Class 20 on the Longannet MGRs was discontinued in 1983 as the provision of a second crew had an adverse effect on costs.

 

I moved south in 1979 so lost touch with what was happening on the Longannet trains.  However, I do recall being surprised to see Class 56s working MGRs through Dunfermline during visits home.  Paul Shannon’s book Railfreight Since 1968 – Coal (Silver Link 2006) describes subsequent developments up until that point.

 

I eventually moved back to Scotland in 2000 and waited for a Class 66 to pull away from a signal check with an MGR at Inverkeithing.  It was something of an anti climax when it quietly and effortlessly slid away towards the station and the climb towards the Forth Bridge.  A complete contrast to the daily performances I had witnessed in my teenage years.  Those Class 20s knew how to put on a good show!  How times change.  The coal industry, the trains that served it and most of the power station itself have all been consigned to history.  The iconic chimney, visible from the Forth Bridge and the Edinburgh – Glasgow main line still stands, but not for much longer.

 

Talgo have expressed an interest in using the Longannet site for rolling stock construction.  A Talgo coach was brought to the UK and put on display in Kincardine in February 2020.  Should the plans come to fruition it is anticipated that electrification will be extended from Alloa to Longannet and some exploratory work has already been undertaken.

 

Little did I know during my teenage years that I would end up working for London Underground.  Even less did I consider that D8327 (now 20 227) would follow in my footsteps.  It’s a small world!

 

I have copies of working timetables for the summers of 1971, 1972 and 1973, winter 1974/75, June 1981 to May 1982 and also a Trip Notice commencing June 1981.  For some reason my interest in UK railways began to wane on 2nd January 1982 so I don’t have any later documentation.

 

I will attempt to list the Longannet workings in separate posts below.

 

Thanks very much for taking the time and effort to include all of the information.  A monumental effort.  I've skimmed through it and hope to have a proper look through it later.

 

Thanks again, much appreciated.

[tiger]

Thanks for your several extremely detailed and interesting posts! I have a question about the slow speed fitted locomotives.

 

The slow speed control class 26s are listed in most books as D5300-5306 which became 26001-26007 (I think D5300 was 26007 not D5307 as in the quote below, as D5307 became 26020). Yet in the 1980s, 26008 was also included in what became the "Railfreight Coal, Lothians" subsector pool and was painted in Railfreight Coal livery like 26001-26007. Picture here (Flickr link - not my original photo).

 

Was 26008 also eventually fitted with slow speed control and the spotting books (platform 5 / Ian Allan ABC) weren't updated, or was 26008 always paired with and controlled by another locomotive with slow speed control on MGR workings? Does anybody know?

 

I agree with you that 20227 always seemed to have a special place amongst the MGR class 20s and seemed to be the one I saw most often. I grew up not far from the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway which was where I most frequently saw these trains, but had no idea as a kid why some of the workings had pairs of 20s and others pairs of class 26 - now I know! By the time I was old enough to ride my bike out to Millerhill to see more of these trains in the early 90s, the 20s and 26s had been demoted to departmental work or withdrawn and the MGRs were in the hands of Toton based class 56s which seemed very exotic at the time.

 

Thanks again for the details and for re-igniting the memories.

Tom.

 

Quote

I purchased a copy of Merry Go Round on the Rails by David Monk Steel, HMRS, 2011.  I have to say I was disappointed by the scant coverage of the Longannet operations (which the book claims is in Stirlingshire!) but it does contain some useful information:

 

Locos fitted with slow speed control were seven Class 26s and 22 Class 20s.

 

The Class 26s were D5307 and D5301 to D5306, later 26 001 to 26 007.

 

The Class 20s were D8179, D8184, D8192, D8301 to D8306 and D8316 to D8327, later 20 179, 20 184, 20 192, 20 201 to 20 206 and 20 216 to 20 227.

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by tiger
Correcting autocorrect...

[tiger]

Hey Brian

 

I suspect that 26008 was never fitted with slow speed control. Thanks for looking up the extra details.

 

Cheers

 

Tom.

[Matt]

Reawakening an old thread…. With new HAAs and derivatives on the horizon I was thinking about ordering some. BUT for the 80s/early 90s period that forms my main interest - should I be getting canopied HAAs or not? My gut was not which seems to be supported by photos on here but other research suggests that original canopied HAAs were quite prevalent into this period in Scotland…. I would be modelling the Longannet trains (albeit reimagined to operate via Alloa - I.e reopening occurred much earlier in my world to justify routing via my modelled part of the world) so what are people’s thoughts? Thanks for any help! 
M

[Waverley47708]

Thanks for reawakening the topic. 

 

My memory was that most of the Westfield or Seafield trains as in from the East of Longannet were not of the canopied version.  Most rakes had no canopied hoppers, however I think there could be some canopied mixed in a rake. 

 

I had always understood the canopied were more common on trains originating from the Edinburgh direction often associated with 26s rather than 20s.

 

I am sure others will be able to bring a bit more clarity and certainty on this issue.

 

4.48 is the formation I recall being most common.  The next train passing Torryburn has a right mix of types.

 

 

 

[turbos]

It was the loading screens ability to handle the canopied MGR wagons wa the deciding factor. It depends on if your reimagined Longannet trains are coming from an actually existed loading screen or an imagined. If to you it looks right, then it is right and rule 1 of course.

 

Brian.

[60B]

Whilst searching for something else related to this thread, I came across this of a couple of class 20s coming back from Longannet with a long rake. https://railphotoprints.uk/p448560584/h248465B6#h171ca2ad

[64F]

On 16/05/2022 at 22:43, 60B said:

Whilst searching for something else related to this thread, I came across this of a couple of class 20s coming back from Longannet with a long rake. https://railphotoprints.uk/p448560584/h248465B6#h171ca2ad

The description does say Longannet but the repurposed iron ore tipplers suggest coal slurry empties from Methil.