NSE coaches outside of NSE area

[sub39h]

Hi guys,

 

I purchased a Bachmann 47612 "Titan" last year, and was doing a Google image search to see up until when it wore this livery (can't find any more photos after 1989, but that's fine for my purposes). Anyway, I found this photo below of it at Sheffield in 1987 with a rake of NSE coaches. Many thanks to the photo taker:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatch55013/5544303705/in/photostream/lightbox/

 

 

Anyhow, was this a common occurrence? If so was there a dedicated set that served this purpose, or was it just a free-for-all?

 

Many thanks in advance. 

 

 

[Glorious NSE]

It wasn't that unusual for rakes to be used out of their normal sphere to cope with (for instance) summer Saturdays, or weekend charters, at least at this time.

 

If the recorded date is correct though it was a Monday in January.  Maybe a scratch rake of stock from Laira subbing for a failed cross-country HST set?

[wirey33]

Mk2 TSOs 5341 and 5382 were allocated to Inverness whilst carrying the NSE livery and this shot shows one of them....

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60539035@N02/6891430643

 

There were also some Mk2 TSOs allocated to Edge Hill, Liverpool for the Trans-Pennine services to Newcastle (at least 5264, 5354 & 5386)

 

The Mk 1 "Cobbler" sets which worked the Northampton-Euston commuters were used on the Euston-Aberystwyth summer Saturday services.

 

Allocation info from Platform 5 Coaching Stock Spring 1991.

[RJS1977]

I can remember seeing "Clacton" units at Stockport in NSE colours in the 1990s.

[Removed a/c]

Wasn't just the coaches it seems  http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatch55013/5537924915/in/photostream/lightbox/

 

 

Great, more to add to my list LOL 

Edited September 26, 2013 by thebritfarmer

[phil-b259]

In its early days NSE ran quite a few loco haued peak time extras to places like Northampton and Oxford. Obviously because they were only used in the peaks they were ideal candidates to be borrowed for summer Saturday extras to non NSE destinations.

 

When the WCML got the 321 EMUs and the GW it's turbos all the relevent loco hauled stock was removed from NSEs books though the livery did hang about on those examples not scrapped.

Edited September 28, 2013 by phil-b259

[60021 Pen-y-Ghent]

I have a photo of an unidentified 47 in NSE livery hauling a rake of MK1s in blue and grey crossing Arten Gill viaduct on the S&C. Can't remember when either!

[RANGERS]

In 1994- 5 there was a loco hauled set which worked one return trip a day on the MML, I think from Derby to St Pancras and back. Diagrammed for 2 x 31s, the down train was 17.15 out of St Pancras and became a bit famous in it's day. The stock was from Etches Park and did change during the lifetime of the diagram but it did include NSE stock. Fallback loco was usually a 47 although I believe a single 37 worked it once or twice.

 

In the opposite direction, NSE stock appeared in the excursion sets from Sheffield and Nottingham to Skegness, as did Scotrail, Sealink and Inter City, often in mixed sets. These would also have been Etches Park sets so it seems likely that they inherited a number of them as they were cascaded out.

[griffgriff]

I think the Derby NSE coaches got about a bit... I believe they worked peak time services to Matlock behind a pair of 20s during the early 1990s.  I was living in Derby at the time but alas I was taking time out from the hobby, oh how I regret missing out on treats like those now

[drjcontroller]

I have a photo of an unidentified 47 in NSE livery hauling a rake of MK1s in blue and grey crossing Arten Gill viaduct on the S&C. Can't remember when either!

I photographed 47583 in NSE livery at Ais Gill on the 1237 Carlisle - Leeds service on 23/4/88, perhaps that was it?

On the same day, 50024 & 50050 worked a southbound charter over the S & C, Pathfinder Tours "Fellsman 2".

3 NSE liveried locos on the S & C in one day.

 

Douglas

[60021 Pen-y-Ghent]

I photographed 47583 in NSE livery at Ais Gill on the 1237 Carlisle - Leeds service on 23/4/88, perhaps that was it?

On the same day, 50024 & 50050 worked a southbound charter over the S & C, Pathfinder Tours "Fellsman 2".

3 NSE liveried locos on the S & C in one day.

 

Douglas

Sounds the right timescale except mine was heading north.

[TheSignalEngineer]

I can remember seeing "Clacton" units at Stockport in NSE colours in the 1990s.

Clactons in various liveries used to appear on a working from Manchester to Birmingham in the late afternoon at that time IIRC.

[Andy W]

One of the Euston-Northampton "Cobbler" Mark 1 sets had the table tops in the TSOs re-covered with game board designs (chess board, snakes & ladders etc) specially so it would be useful for excursions at weekends.

In the early years of the 321s it was not unknown for them to venture north of Birmingham. I once saw a 12 car formation of them at Preston on a summer weekend relief to Euston, complete with destination labels. I wonder which depots had traincrew who signed 321s and the WCML as far north as Preston in NSE days?

Edited September 29, 2013 by Andy W

[eastwestdivide]

From 1987, a crop from the SO Euston-Aberystwyth (or return), which was (see post 3 above) formed from the weekday Northampton/Euston NSE sets.

The coach I'm in appears to be in full NSE livery and the rest appear to have NSE flashes on blue/grey

Edited September 29, 2013 by eastwestdivide

[br2975]

If you're looking to run the oddvehicle in NSE livery, here are a few examples.

 

All other stock would be Blue & Grey except where stated.

 

Cardiff Central - Weds. 18th November 1987 -

 

47530+5253+6529+17056+5248(NSE livery)+5467+5473 (05:15hrs Holyhead-Cardiff arr 1055hrs)

 

 

Cardiff Central - Thurs 19th November 1987 -

 

47480+5287+5245(NSE livery)+5350+17097+6528+5255. (1300hrs Cardiff-Holyhead)

 

 

Cardiff Central - 1st September 1987 (working Valley Lines services)

 

(51408(NSE liv)+59518(NSE liv)+55022(blue/grey)

 

 

Cardiff Central - 11th December 1987 -

 

47599+5302+ic5251w+ic17088+E6515+M5430+5256(NSE livery) - (0515hrs Holyhead-Cardiff)

 

At this time many of the Mk.1 vehicles used on the Swansea - (Cl.37/4) - Bristol - (Cl.33) -Portsmouth Harbour axis carried NSE 'flashes'. I can give some examples if required

 

Brian R

Edited September 29, 2013 by br2975

[Catkins]

One of the Euston-Northampton "Cobbler" Mark 1 sets had the table tops in the TSOs re-covered with game board designs (chess board, snakes & ladders etc)

I think the TSOs with the game board table-tops were originally painted in 'GW150 Chocolate & Cream'. I remember travelling on a BR organised / ran Santa Special from York to Scarborough in 1986, and the stock was in the (now un-branded) Chocolate & Cream, and I remember the table-tops.

 

I can't remember what the steam loco up front was, but it might have been "City of Truro"

[Tim H]

It wasn't that unusual for rakes to be used out of their normal sphere to cope with (for instance) summer Saturdays, or weekend charters, at least at this time.

 

If the recorded date is correct though it was a Monday in January.  Maybe a scratch rake of stock from Laira subbing for a failed cross-country HST set?

Did Laira have any Mk1 sets? I thought the Waterloo-Exeter route had gone over to Mk2s by the time of sector liveries.

 

Caption doesn't specify the working; there were some odd cross-country working out of Paddington around that time.

[acg5324]

Hi guys,

 

I purchased a Bachmann 47612 "Titan" last year, and was doing a Google image search to see up until when it wore this livery (can't find any more photos after 1989, but that's fine for my purposes). Anyway, I found this photo below of it at Sheffield in 1987 with a rake of NSE coaches. Many thanks to the photo taker:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwatch55013/5544303705/in/photostream/lightbox/

 

 

Anyhow, was this a common occurrence? If so was there a dedicated set that served this purpose, or was it just a free-for-all?

 

Many thanks in advance. 

 

 

See http://www.class47.co.uk for details of Titans livery dates etc....use the photo gallery for that loco.

 

 

I think the Derby NSE coaches got about a bit... I believe they worked peak time services to Matlock behind a pair of 20s during the early 1990s.  I was living in Derby at the time but alas I was taking time out from the hobby, oh how I regret missing out on treats like those now

 

http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/p488229174/h2f805717#h2f805717

 

 

I have a couple of other views on the website taken at Matlock as well.

[sub39h]

That's great everyone - thank you for your input. Love that photo of the Class 20 hauling an NSE Mk2. shame i don't have any NSE Mk2s in my fleet, only Mk1s! my "Summer excursion" fleet is a pair of Class 20s with 4 Regional Railways Mk2s that were Model Rail limited editions by Bachmann, with a blue/grey or two thrown in. Probably not strictly prototypical, but I'm unlikely to be able to field full rakes in my planned layout and getting hold of any more TSOs in the RR livery was proving tough/expensive. Hopefully they'll come back around in non limited edition form, but I guess it will be a while before Bachmann consider that as I'm sure they won't want to tread on Model Rail's toes. 

Edited October 13, 2013 by sub39h

[Gwiwer]

NSE coaching stock was hired in by BR IC sector on weekends when many of the commuter runs it was used for didn't operate.  This released most (all?) Euston - Northampton "Master Cobbler" sets and the "Oxford" sets from what most of us still called the Western Region.

 

Waterloo - Exeter sets were still required for the normal service on that route as were the "Eastern Region" rakes used to Kings Lynn and Harwich, both replaced with EMU sets upon electrification.

 

Rostered use of these hired sets was for the Euston - Aberystwyth working as noted above and for some associated Euston - Wolverhampton turns on occasions.  Paddington - Penzance saw a Mk1 Oxford set each Saturday and Waterloo sets were used for the weekly Brighton - Exeter which variously terminated there or ran to Paignton, Plymouth or Penzance varying by the year.

 

Extempore substitutions occurred all over the place.  NSE stock could be seen literally from Thurso to Penzance either flashed b/g or in full livery.  NSE cascaded its elderly coaches to anyone needing them as soon as they could meaning Inverness gained some to replace its even older Mk1s and they also turned up (singly more often than in full rakes) anywhere that loco-haulge still existed.  I believe they have been recorded in use on the Blythe Bridge - Llandudno "chopper" day out trips and also on the Jolly Fisherman runs to Skegness at times.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Gwiwer

[Glorious NSE]

Did Laira have any Mk1 sets? I thought the Waterloo-Exeter route had gone over to Mk2s by the time of sector liveries.

 

Caption doesn't specify the working; there were some odd cross-country working out of Paddington around that time.

 

NSE Mk1s seem to show up in pics of the Cornish locals, suggesting that Laira had some around for whatever reason, but you're right, it would match an Oxford set, and I always forget about Cross Country routes ending up in Paddington.

[sub39h]

I believe they have been recorded in use on the Blythe Bridge - Llandudno "chopper" day out trips and also on the Jolly Fisherman runs to Skegness at times.

 

hmm - this made my ears prick up. when i lived in Stoke I used to drive past Blythe Bridge every day for 4 months when I worked at a GP practice in Cheadle in the Staffordshire Moorlands. recreating a Class 20 with NSE rakes as part of a train that used to leave from there may allow me to pay homage to an early part of my career. Certainly something I'll think about when I've finally got a layout (which I don't plan on giving a fixed location).

[Gwiwer]

Did Laira have any Mk1 sets? I thought the Waterloo-Exeter route had gone over to Mk2s by the time of sector liveries.

 

Caption doesn't specify the working; there were some odd cross-country working out of Paddington around that time.

 

Laira would not have had any NSE coaches allocated at all during the early sector years as it lay well beyond the NSE boundary (oddly in view of the sector name that lay at Exeter - just beyond the points at St. Davids on the Waterloo route - which most people consider to be south west)

 

Some may well have migrated there however once cast aside from other routes as happened elsewhere.  There was a time when almost anything fit to run was pressed into service partly as a result of the late delivery of class 156 units to Provincial / Regional.  Loco haulage locally in Cornwall including the occasional NSE liveried or branded coach was prolonged thanks to this as indeed was the case on all routes out of Inverness.  NSE coaches from "John O'Groats to Lands End" were duly replaced by class 156 over the same spread and shortly after by class 158.

 

The Waterloo - Exeter route had a job lot of early Mk2 coaches.  These were WR stock and replaced their Mk1 rakes during the class 50 years.  Most or all were repainted into NSE livery along with some of the locos.  Those rakes seldom ventured beyond Exeter other than as through trains to Paignton and the Brighton - Plymouth / Penzance working noted above.  It was Old Oak Common's Mk1 Oxford sets which formed the summer Saturday Paddington - Penzance (and sometimes the overnight Paddington - Newquay) turns.

[Glorious NSE]

My memory may be hazy - but my reccolection is that Laira was the base for most, if not all the stock for the WofE (Waterloo-Exeter) services, loco's, coaches, the lot. Lots of ECS moves between Exeter and Plymouth were the result. 50s working out of Waterloo were LA based ones, 50s working out of Paddington were OO based.

[wirey33]

My memory may be hazy - but my reccolection is that Laira was the base for most, if not all the stock for the WofE (Waterloo-Exeter) services, loco's, coaches, the lot. Lots of ECS moves between Exeter and Plymouth were the result. 50s working out of Waterloo were LA based ones, 50s working out of Paddington were OO based.

 

I was leafing through my Platform 5 Coaching Stock Spring 1991 last night looking for any non-NSE Livery Mk2 TSO's alloacted at Laira and there were none; they were all NSE liveried. Now, I can't be 100% sure about the other stock types but I can be sure that there was no stock allocated to the London end of the Waterloo-Exeter operation; although it was usually stabled at Clapham.

 

EDIT : There were also some allocated to Eastleigh. Also noted there were about 20 TSO's in NSE livery allocated to Liverpool Edge Hill (1991)

 

So your memory isn't as hazy as you think.

Edited October 14, 2013 by wirey33