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Class 52’s off route


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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

Oxford men signed York? For what

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Oxford men signed York? For what

 

No, they only signed as far as Birmingham as I stated, they were conducted the rest of the way. See post #34 of the original thread from 4 years ago.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89789-westerns-in-the-north-east/page-2

 

 

Douglas

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That would be a hell of a day class six from Oxford to York then either home pass or back light at 60mph

 

12 hours isn't even in it I reckon,  Birmingham would be pretty much on the limit for an 8 hour freight turn from Oxford although with something like carflats it wouldn't be so bad.   Does sound rather like some of the things Didcot men used to get up to when the depot was very much under threat, they turned up all over the place.  There were also some right grabbers in the top link at Radyr back in the day - they weren't know as the 'dirty dozen' for nothing ;)

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There were also some right grabbers in the top link at Radyr back in the day - they weren't know as the 'dirty dozen' for nothing ;)

Grabbers! I haven’t come across that term in a long while. I’ve worked with a few; people who regard having to go home as an inconvenience.

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Grabbers! I haven’t come across that term in a long while. I’ve worked with a few; people who regard having to go home as an inconvenience.

 

Coincidentally I attend a regular little gathering of basically former Controllers *plus several of us who had very close involvements with Control)  and there are several among their number who in the past were in exactly that category.  Any such accusations relating to myself and Sunday turns when I was a Grade D Asst AM are totally without foundation - I only worked Asst DI's turns when they were given to me ;)

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It seems strange that the WR would provide a Western for a train going far beyond the limits of traincrew traction knowledge, was no Class 47 available ? Or was it deliberate, to ensure their loco didn't go beyond Birmingham and was returned to them quickly, in which case it clearly didn't always work !

 

Regarding 'grabber', at one time in my Control career I was Rest Day Relief, which worked early and late shifts only, so as I was never out on Saturday or Sunday night shift I was always available for Sunday day shift. You can guess the rest.......

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It seems strange that the WR would provide a Western for a train going far beyond the limits of traincrew traction knowledge, was no Class 47 available ? Or was it deliberate, to ensure their loco didn't go beyond Birmingham and was returned to them quickly, in which case it clearly didn't always work !

 

Regarding 'grabber', at one time in my Control career I was Rest Day Relief, which worked early and late shifts only, so as I was never out on Saturday or Sunday night shift I was always available for Sunday day shift. You can guess the rest.......

 

There were definitely some jobs on which we put 'thousands', especially stone trains and some passenger trains, specifically in order to stop them being swiped. 

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The other thing which sees odd traction at unusual locations even to this day is drivers moving depots.

When we had the open day at thornaby in the early 90s 50050 worked there under its own power as we had an ex WR man.

A Saltley man worked it to tinsley and john picked it up from there

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