Class 52’s off route

[RateTheFreight]

Afternoon all,

 

Does anyone have any record of a Western working away from the Western Region, in particular i’m Hoping someone has a record of one in East Anglia.

 

In general I’m interested in their working lives as opposed to their preserved adventures.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Greg

[Rugd1022]

I don't recall the exact date but D1008 worked a football special from the WR to Peterborough and back in the early days while it was still in maroon livery, possibly c.1964. They did stray off region quite a bit in thier short lives and not just on the later official rail tours.

[chris p bacon]

Stone trains to Luton in the 70's and I have a sighting of one on either a troop train or footex at Sandy heading to Cambridge (Oxford to Cambridge line) somewhere about 65.

[stewartingram]

Though I missed it, there was one at Cambridge. I believe it was D1008, and before I left school in 1964. Could it in fact be the same working mentioned above? I was led to believe it came via the Bletchley route, but could be wrong.

 

Stewart

[KeithHC]

Frequently on the Southern. Loads of stone trains for M25/M23 via the Reading Redhill line.

 

Keith

[EddieB]

Hardly East Anglia, but at least the former Great Eastern - I saw a couple at Temple Mills in 1973.  The only number I have recorded is D1010.  

[rodent279]

At least one visited Northampton on stone, also Wolverton and across to Bedford, presumably along the branch from BY. Didn't one also find it's way along the Rugby-Kettering line too?

[08221]

Used to be seen regularly at Bletchley on stone trains from Tytherington to Bletchley, Bedford and Northampton. Then got replaced by 50’s for a while - those were the days!

[Supaned]

Not Anglia , but there was a legendary trip in the latter days with a Western to Leeds on a service train - willing crews , no doubt an "enthusiastic" power controller and job done.

[TravisM]

As others posted, Class 52’s were regularly used on stone trains in the Northampton, Bedford and Bletchley area in the early to mid 70’s but I think these as well as those used on the Southern were the only regular trips off region for these loco’s.

[45125]

Not Anglia , but there was a legendary trip in the latter days with a Western to Leeds on a service train - willing crews , no doubt an "enthusiastic" power controller and job done.

 

No doubt Saltley men

[drjcontroller]

On at least three occasions in the early 70's, a Western reached York with car trains from Cowley for export through Middlesbrough Docks. Worked by Oxford men to York, who returned light to Oxford after the train had been re-engined. They were conducted Landor St - York & return by crew who did sign the route.

This was mentioned a couple of years ago on here, a chap who was a freight guard at Oxford worked two of them and mentioned it on the thread.

 

Douglas

[Ray M]

Not Anglia , but there was a legendary trip in the latter days with a Western to Leeds on a service train - willing crews , no doubt an "enthusiastic" power controller and job done.

My mate was on Leeds station that very day.

Of course when he told us all, we all just said ,go bo***cks

[jonny777]

This topic seems to come round every few years. 

 

The last one seems to be this   http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89789-westerns-in-the-north-east/

[Rugd1022]

No doubt Saltley men

 

He he, not quite... twas a Gloucester crew, getting their own back!

My mate was on Leeds station that very day.

Of course when he told us all, we all just said ,go bo***cks

 

D1013, the subject of much happiness in Hydraulic circles.

[Rugd1022]

At least one visited Northampton on stone, also Wolverton and across to Bedford, presumably along the branch from BY. Didn't one also find it's way along the Rugby-Kettering line too?

 

D1007, photographed for posterity by one of the locals as it passed Northampton No.3 'box, I think his photos are still on flickr somewhere.

 

D1054 came through Rugby in 1970 on a diverted empty clay working from Bescot with conductor drivers onboard (as did Warship D854 the year before). It regained the WR via Bletchley and Oxford.

 

When the class were rostered back onto the Padd - Brums in late '73 they were all booked via Solihull, but there were a few occasions where they went via Coventry with LMR conductor drivers aboard.

 

Rugby - Kettering... do you mean Rugby - Market Harborough...? Not heard of any Thousands working that way from Rugby!

 

When they worked the Luton stone trains they came up the branch from Bletchley to Bedford and ran round before heading south, once unloaded at Luton they would return to the WR via Cricklewood, Dudding Hill and Acton Wells.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Rugd1022

[johnlambert]

Westerns made it as far east as Hoo Junction.  See the second photo on the linked page.

 

https://www.kentrail.org.uk/Hoo%20Junction%201.htm

 

No indication of whether this was a regular turn or something out of the ordinary.

[rodent279]

D1007, photographed for posterity by one of the locals as it passed Northampton No.3 'box, I think his photos are still on flickr somewhere.

 

D1054 came through Rugby in 1970 on a diverted empty clay working from Bescot with conductor drivers onboard (as did Warship D854 the year before). It regained the WR via Bletchley and Oxford.

 

When the class were rostered back onto the Padd - Brums in late '73 they were all booked via Solihull, but there were a few occasions where they went via Coventry with LMR conductor drivers aboard.

 

Rugby - Kettering... do you mean Rugby - Market Harborough...? Not heard of any Thousands working that way from Rugby!

 

When they worked the Luton stone trains they came up the branch from Bletchley to Bedford and ran round before heading south, once unloaded at Luton they would return to the WR via Cricklewood, Dudding Hill and Acton Wells.

Yes, probably Rugby-Harborough not Kettering.

 

Interesting that a couple of WCML Rugby-BY workings are recorded. I also wonder if any of their Wolverton stone trains ever made it back to the WR via the WCML & Mitre Bridge Jn?

[Rugd1022]

It'spossible that some may have gone back via the Mitre, there's plenty of overlap of route knowledge between LMR and WR crews there.

[DY444]

There was a summer Saturday turn in 1971 from Bristol to Derby and back which, as it was worked by a Bristol crew, produced a number of Westerns during its (brief) period of operation

[Enterprisingwestern]

There was a summer Saturday turn in 1971 from Bristol to Derby and back which, as it was worked by a Bristol crew, produced a number of Westerns during its (brief) period of operation

 

I think that was a fill in turn, as it turned up a few times with 1B51 or similar as the headcode!

 

Mike.

[DY444]

I think that was a fill in turn, as it turned up a few times with 1B51 or similar as the headcode!

 

Mike.

 

Officially 1M52 / 1V88

[Johnfromoz]

I know it’s not exactly East Anglia, but used to see a western hauled class 8 freight pass through Cricklewood heading for Temple Mills and Channelsea between 1130 and midnight at least three days a week in the early/mid 70s. Was indeed a regular turn through to the Eastern. John

[dibber25]

There was a siding put in at Longcross/Virginia Water for M3 motorway stone traffic. Although I never saw them, I understand it was a pretty regular Class 52 working.

[russ p]

I've heard but not sure when it was of one getting to Ipswich on a car train