Jump to content
 

Class 44 wanderings towards the end of their working lives


TravisM
 Share

Recommended Posts

Splash of colour for the farewell junkets Nick. 31/0, 40s and Deltics receiving similar embellishments prior to their retirement after railtour duties.

 

56078 too infact. C6T.

Edited by Classsix T
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I only had two sightings of 44s away from Toton and as scrappers at Derby works. Both sightings were 44005 at Washwood Heath in September 1974 ( first sighting of the class) and then three years later, August 1977, at Peterborough bound for Whitemoor yard.

Neil

Link to post
Share on other sites

Us New St trainspotting kids quickly worked out that one turned up most days at Bescot.

 

Got to see seven of them that way and, armed with a Midland Railtourer ticket followed by a rather long walk from Long Eaton to Toton, on a Sunday, enabled us to bag the rest, where most would be laid up for the weekend.

 

I remember seeing all 10 at Toton one weekend in the 1960s. The steam shed was still standing, empty and silent.....................

Link to post
Share on other sites

Did any ever make it into St Pancras in the BR blue 440xx days ?

On Flickr there are photos of 44002/5/9 at St Pancras in 1977,

as well as notes that 44007 worked a railtour return leg back to St Pancras (44002 having started out from St Pancras)

 

cheers

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

On Flickr there are photos of 44002/5/9 at St Pancras in 1977,

as well as notes that 44007 worked a railtour return leg back to St Pancras (44002 having started out from St Pancras)

 

cheers

Have you got a link to these Kenny as a mate of mine who grew up in Luton in the 70s reckons he never saw one so I could wind him up with that

Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you got a link to these Kenny as a mate of mine who grew up in Luton in the 70s reckons he never saw one so I could wind him up with that

Here are some of the Flickr photos I found by doing a search for eg '44002 pancras'

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianews/5733863843/in/photolist-UubE7P-gvmCmP-gvkoEn-mpkAc5-9JFxXr-gvtMPx-mrhist-mrhiA4-mrhiv4

44002  15/10/1977 photo by Brian Daniels

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52467480@N08/8447261555/in/photolist-9uVKNQ-98s6z2-gvmCmP-dSsqyB

44005 1/10/1977

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/35476094@N04/11927143193/in/photolist-9uVKNQ-jaXJ8T

44009 1/1/1977

 

cheers

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

On Flickr there are photos of 44002/5/9 at St Pancras in 1977,

as well as notes that 44007 worked a railtour return leg back to St Pancras (44002 having started out from St Pancras)

 

cheers

 

According to Six Bells Junction the 1/10/77 was "The Peaks Express with 44005 St Pancras to Toton, 44008 Toton, Manchester Piccadilly, Toton - out via Woodhead return via Hope Valley, and 44009 Toton to St Pancras.

 

This tour was a sell-out so a repeat was arranged for 15/10/77 but with 44002 doing the first leg, 44004 the second, and 44007 the third.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Further perusing on Six Bells (my car is in for servicing, so plenty of spare time) reveals that on the 23rd April 1977 the Peak Commemorative Tour had 44004 from Toton via Burton on Trent, and Camp Hill, Selly Oak to New Street - then return via Water Orton and Nuneaton avoider to Toton. The tour originated at Lime Street, Liverpool.

 

24th September 1977 saw another tour from Lime Street, this time as far as March; 44008 took the train from Toton to March via Peterborough, and returned via Spalding and Sleaford. 

 

The official BR "44 Farewell" special was on 21 January 1978, and featured 44009 from Nottingham to Crewe via Wath, Barnsley and the Woodhead route, and banked from Barnsley to Dodworth by 56005.  44008 then took the tour from Crewe to Nottingham via Chester, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Lichfield with assistance from 24133 between Crewe and Chester. (Now that is a combination I would have loved to have photographed).

Edited by jonny777
Link to post
Share on other sites

Certainly in their later years , 44s were hampered by a lack of traincrew traction knowledge , with I believe only Toton men signing them.

 

I've seen photos of them at Nuneaton whilst working coal trains to Three Spires Junction , and a now retired colleague from work told a brilliant tale of how a driver booked on at Bescot to work the evening freight across to Toton , only to come back to see the Supervisor stating that he couldn't take the train as he didn't sign the loco , which was a class 44. The supervisor replied "Well you bl**dy well brought it here last night"...presumably the cabs being very similar to 45s and 46s (which BS men did sign) , in the dark , one peak looks much like any other.

Here is 44009 at Nuneaton in 1975

https://www.flickr.com/photos/53299842@N08/5656819393/in/photolist-aCcVGU-dqDJp6-9BSFjR-9BayVx

 

cheers

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

They still made it to Bescot in the later years, via Lichfield and Walsall from Toton, rather than by way of Sutton Park;  I never saw one on the Wichnor - Water Orton - Ryecroft route.

Here is 44010 at Water Orton in 1975https://www.flickr.com/photos/97395593@N08/15379306693/in/photolist-aCcVGU-dqDJp6-pr1Y5e-rAABnC-GgarAo

 

cheers

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

 

The official BR "44 Farewell" special was on 21 January 1978, and featured 44009 from Nottingham to Crewe via Wath, Barnsley and the Woodhead route, and banked from Barnsley to Dodworth by 56005.  44008 then took the tour from Crewe to Nottingham via Chester, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Lichfield with assistance from 24133 between Crewe and Chester. (Now that is a combination I would have loved to have photographed).

 

post-5471-0-14983300-1497351667_thumb.jpg

 

Above train at Killamarsh LMR.

 

Mike.

  • Like 9
Link to post
Share on other sites

My spotting days began in early 1977 and regularly saw 44s at Corby on Toton - Lloyds trains. I can't recall a first spot of a 44 anywhere other than at Corby apart from 44007 (Passing Peterborough from the March line while we were waiting on an Edinburgh train, summer of 1977 I think it was) and according to my old ABCs, 44 002/ 4/ 5/ 8/ 9 must all have visited between 1977 and the end of their careers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I saw 44004/5/10 at York in 1974/5 working coal specials formed of 24.5t hoppers, which they came off at York Yard North before heading straight back south.

Here is 44004 at York in 1978

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126693116@N06/16548194039/in/photolist-bDB4wD-8YZBwd-QpEoin-BP928A-rdiPyk-aA2sHK-ei5uge-ztCzj2-A4KZUA

 

cheers

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Excellent picture, I know Toton men signed York in the late 80s but not sure about the 70s as they would have to pass tinsley . A very interesting selection of stock next to the train

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...