InterCity 125 'Flying Scotsman' sticker headboard

[hexagon789]

Going through Flickr recently, I came across a photo from 1981 taken at Edinburgh with an InterCity 125 where the power car had a stick-on headboard shaped label with 'FLYING SCOTSMAN' printed on it.

 

I've never come across this before and I wondered when these were "headboard" labels first and last applied, how many power cars had them applied and indeed why they had them applied?

 

It seems to me they would wear off in the weather plus you have the issue of power cars not necessarily operating said named service as happened/happens with the 'Flying Scotsman' Mk4 DVT and Azuma branded vehicles.

 

Nevertheless I thought it would be interesting to model, so dates and and power cars which had the label applied would be very useful as would any other information regarding these labels.

 

Thanks.

[Ken.W]

As far as I recall, they weren't in general use, and was probably in connection with some special run.

At a guess, the date 1981 suggests introduction of the full HST timetable or accelerated service

[hexagon789]

1 hour ago, Ken.W said:

As far as I recall, they weren't in general use, and was probably in connection with some special run.

At a guess, the date 1981 suggests introduction of the full HST timetable or accelerated service

It might be an accelerated service I suppose, I admit I don't know when the Flying Scotsman was reduced from the original 4h37 HST timing to the even 4h30 that applied in 1984. I'm not sure about full HST timetable though, I could be mistaken but my impression was that that was launched as soon as the Penmanshiel diversion opened restoring normal ECML operation.

 

 

I've also noticed I forgot to link the photo, so here is the photo that prompted the question:

(Proto credit to Bruce Galloway)

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

In later years sticker headboards were used to relaunch the Devonian and Cornishman services in May 1987 (see below, not my photo) and again for the Cornishman in the Virgin era (again not my shot)

 

 

[Padishar Creel]

On 14/03/2021 at 17:44, hexagon789 said:

It might be an accelerated service I suppose, I admit I don't know when the Flying Scotsman was reduced from the original 4h37 HST timing to the even 4h30 that applied in 1984. I'm not sure about full HST timetable though, I could be mistaken but my impression was that that was launched as soon as the Penmanshiel diversion opened restoring normal ECML operation.

 

 

I've also noticed I forgot to link the photo, so here is the photo that prompted the question:

(Proto credit to Bruce Galloway)

Hallo,

did you see this one as well? There are details though

es grüßt

pc 

 

[hexagon789]

41 minutes ago, Padishar Creel said:

Hallo,

did you see this one as well? There are details though

es grüßt

pc 

 

No I haven't, so many thanks for linking it. In the comments it states the adhesive label was to launch the service, the photo I linked is dated 1st June 1981 which is after the 1981 timetable came into force and the label looks very fresh so I doubt it's been stuck on for 4 weeks.

 

Presumably though it was for some form of launch or press trip and wasn't a long term thing at least, that would seem more likely.

 

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

3 hours ago, hexagon789 said:

No I haven't, so many thanks for linking it. In the comments it states the adhesive label was to launch the service, the photo I linked is dated 1st June 1981 which is after the 1981 timetable came into force and the label looks very fresh so I doubt it's been stuck on for 4 weeks.

 

Presumably though it was for some form of launch or press trip and wasn't a long term thing at least, that would seem more likely.

 

the 1978 one was before they entered service- the lack of exhaust deflector on an ECML car gives that one away immediately.

 

I'd go along with the earlier suggestion on the 1981 shot, either a headline timing improvement or some other kind of special occasion- didn't the Selby diversion open at some stage in '81 which would have knocked a good many minutes off the York-Doncaster section timing?

 

 

[hexagon789]

10 hours ago, fiftyfour fiftyfour said:

the 1978 one was before they entered service- the lack of exhaust deflector on an ECML car gives that one away immediately.

 

I'd go along with the earlier suggestion on the 1981 shot, either a headline timing improvement or some other kind of special occasion- didn't the Selby diversion open at some stage in '81 which would have knocked a good many minutes off the York-Doncaster section timing?

 

 

I may be wrong but I thought the Selby diversion was 1983?