Class 26 - did they operate on the Eastern regions in the late 80s/early 90s?

[Alex TM]

Hi everyone,

 

On the Class 26 & 27 photo thread there are some great photos of class 26s operating down as far as Workington during the period in question.  My question, though, as given in the title of this thread is: did the class operate onto Eastern region metals at this period and, if so, where did they get to?  Information on services would be of interest too.

 

Thanks in advance for any information, or pointers to other sources.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Fat Controller]

I'm pretty sure I saw at least a couple on Carlisle- Tyne Yard Speedlinks in the early 1980s, when we lived near the line.

[Mark Saunders]

They would come across from Kingmoor on the trip with the intention of making sure that the loco couldn’t be used for anything other than the return trip as no Tyne men signed them, rather like 56’s to Millerhill before the Scottish drivers learnt them!

[smiths park]

Apologies for this very bad photo (taken on my first camera, a 110 film camera) but this would have been the very first Class 26 I ever saw let alone the first one I saw in Newcastle. 26.015 in August 83 about to head over the King Edward Bridge having hauled in a failed DMU off the Tyne Valley line. 

 

[65179]

The DerbySulzers site is your friend here to some extent:

 

https://derbysulzers.com/class26d.html

 

There's a number of references to Class 26s and 27s making it to Tyne Yard etc in the 1980-87 period. The info after that is a little thinner on the ground, but also reflects the withdrawal of the 27s and the rundown of the 26s, together with the impact of sectorisation.

 

Simon

Edited September 10, 2021 by 65179

[deltic17]

A fair few made it down from Edinburgh (& via the Tyne Valley as others have mentioned) as the 1980's progressed. They were still very rare at Newcastle but they did appear every now and then....

Edited September 10, 2021 by deltic17

[65179]

You can also work your way through this lot:

 

https://6lda.wordpress.com/test-history/26041d5341/

 

The link takes you to 26041's history (still reaching Newcastle in 1991), but go to the main menu for other 26s.

 

Simon

[Alex TM]

Hi everyone,

 

Many thanks for the comments and all the help.  It is much appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Smallwonder]

Between 1987 and 1990 I didn't see a 26 head beyond Cockenzie except occasionally to Oxwellmains (cement works at Dunbar).  When a 26 made it to Carlisle in those days it was still noteworthy enough for a mention in "Rail", but again I can't remeber seeing any sightings on the East coast. 

 

In early 1990s 26s piloted 56s on coal trains south on ECML from Millerhill but only as far as Granthouses. 

 

In the 600 or so pages of Dave F's photos in the Prototype Discussions section that I have been through I can't recall seeing a 26 or 27 and he has a lot of coverage of ECML north of Newcastle in that period.

 

But there again I can probably account for less than 0.1% of services in that period so would be quite easy for many to have slipped down the line (and it seems from he responses above that they did especially via Carlisle). 

 

 

[drjcontroller]

26046 at Newcastle after arriving with the evening stopper from Edinburgh, 16/11/84.

 

[steve1023]

I can remember in the late eighties being taken to Scotland on the train. We were somewhere north of Berwick and all of a sudden there was a class 26 on its side covered up with a tarpaulin in the middle of nowhere. It was on the upside so I have no idea how far south it was intending to go. It was at the the time the ECML was being electrified so it could have been engineers train. It was my first ever class 26 for sight.

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by steve1023

[64F]

11 minutes ago, steve1023 said:

I can remember in the late eighties being taken to Scotland on the train. We were somewhere north of Berwick and all of a sudden there was a class 26 on its side covered up with a tarpaulin in the middle of nowhere. It was on the upside so I have no idea how far south it was intending to go. It was at the the time the ECML was being electrified so it could have been engineers train. It was my first ever class 26 for sight.

 

I remember seeing that going to visit my Gran, and getting my parents to stop so I could photograph it (luckily I had my camera, unluckily I was a rotten photographer and the camera was awful...)

 

It was 26029 which came a cropper on the catch points running down on the Grantshouse up loop with an electrification train, and was withdrawn as a result:

http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/photo/scaled/3899/

 

Class 31s in Edinburgh were as rare as 26s in Newcastle, if not more so.  I only ever saw one, delivering a HST power car at Craigentinny and immediately heading south light engine.

[64F]

In my teenage spotting days at Drem circa 1988-91 it was relatively rare to see a 26.  They occasionally showed up in lieu of a 47 (usually 47017 or later 47210) on the Millerhill-Oxwellmains cement trips, but other than that they tended not to venture south of Blindwells Opencast on the ECML during that period.  Obviously engineering trains would be an exception.

[Ken.W]

On 10/09/2021 at 15:20, Mark Saunders said:

They would come across from Kingmoor on the trip with the intention of making sure that the loco couldn’t be used for anything other than the return trip as no Tyne men signed them, rather like 56’s to Millerhill before the Scottish drivers learnt them!

 

And class 31s before that on Edinburgh turns, popular on turns booked back passenger, as you were told take that        thing back!! Which made it mileage bonus

Edited October 6, 2021 by Ken.W

[Ken.W]

On 10/09/2021 at 15:34, smiths park said:

Apologies for this very bad photo (taken on my first camera, a 110 film camera) but this would have been the very first Class 26 I ever saw let alone the first one I saw in Newcastle. 26.015 in August 83 about to head over the King Edward Bridge having hauled in a failed DMU off the Tyne Valley line. 

 

 

On one occasion l got the job of route conducting a Carlisle man on a 26/27 (not sure which now) which he'd hauled in a failed DMU with, from Central to Heaton C.S and back LE for him to return to Carlisle with it...

No use it being left here as no-one knew them