GN Hitchin - Cambridge

[cbeagleowner]

Hi all. I hope that you’re having a good Christmas holiday. 
 

I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me with a couple of questions I have regarding the GN Cambridge ‘branch’ in the pre electrification days  please? I’ve got the MP booom which is useful for the line and info but am trying to find out about locos and stock?

 

Loco wise I know there were B1’s and B17’s then class 31’s on the faster trains but hat would have pulled the stoppers and local goods trains. And am I right that 34A would have employed Pacifics on some of these workings?

 

Coach wise I have found the stock of the ‘beer trains’ but does anyone know stoppers would have consisted of? Would quad arts have been used? 
 

Finally did any services go beyond Cambridge at all? Were there any interesting good services (particularly thinking Barrington Quarry) and Would it have been used as a diversionary route for the Ecml?

 

Sorry for all the questions but any info would be much appreciated. my thanks in advance - Richard

 

 

[stewartingram]

I can offer a few examples from personal observations.

Firstly, what is an MP booom?

B1, B12, B17,  B2,  Clauds, also a 31A E4, (later 03 shunter) was sub-shedded at Hitchin so probably did go back to 31A for servicing. and some GN locos such as Atlantics and other lesser classes. J6 from the GN and the normal GE freight locos, J17, J15 etc.

The principal train was the Cambridge Buffet Express, mainly diesel in my day with 6 Mk1s and a Gresley Buffet. Latter day steam also included Pacifics (running in turns?) from 34A. These changed to Baby Deltics as regulars, with early class 21, 26, and of course 31 (or were they 30?). Like the Pacifics, other diesels dropped on quite often; 55, 40, 46, 47, and alsothe prototypes. D0280 Falcon was a regular, but DP2, Lion, HS4000 all appeared. . Cravens dmus were the mainstay of the stoppers, up to 3x 2-cars.

Freight were of course 31s (they were everywhere in Anglia), but 20s from the GN (I suspect pw trains for Chesterton Junction, to/from the Hitchin pw yard).

Coaches; Mk1, Gresley, Thompson corridor stock. I never saw quad-arts, I believe Hitchin was the limit (except for 1 train to Huntingdon?). Other may know more. Plenty of Mk1 non-corridors though.

Passenger trains normally only went as far as Cambridge (except diversions of course). However for one summer the CBE was extended to Ely (I have photographic proof!).

I've probably missed a few, but most of the above are personal observations.

Don't forget in that period we had many diversions as well when the ECML was blocked north of Hitchin.

[009 micro modeller]

16 hours ago, cbeagleowner said:

Were there any interesting good services (particularly thinking Barrington Quarry)

Not just a quarry but also a cement works, complete with inbound coal trains.

[Michael Hodgson]

Electrification coincided with replacement of semaphores on the GN suburban, the wires running only as far as Royston initially, the line then coming under control of the Kings Cross and Cambridge PSBs.  So you're talking conventional signalling pre-electriffication.  You can find signal box diagrams for quite a few places on the line on PWay Owen's Flickr site, for example here's the branch diverging from the ECML

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/11465869286/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/51907316281/

 

For several years there were annual open days at the Barrington Light Railway, only advertised locally - steam was brought in from elsewhere specially for the occasion.  This one was in 2007,  The cement works boasted a wagon tippler.

[Michael Hodgson]

18 hours ago, cbeagleowner said:

GN Hitchin - Cambridge

 

 

Strictly speaking of course, it was only GN as far as Shepreth, where it became GER

[chris p bacon]

2 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

Strictly speaking of course, it was only GN as far as Shepreth, where it became GER

Originally The Eastern Counties railway, which as far as the GN were concerned was to be avoided at all costs.  When the Bedford &Cambridge (later LNWR) we’re looking at a way into Cambridge the GN also looked at co-operating so they could avoid Shepreth branch junction. 

[Michael Hodgson]

3 hours ago, chris p bacon said:

Originally The Eastern Counties railway, which as far as the GN were concerned was to be avoided at all costs.  When the Bedford &Cambridge (later LNWR) we’re looking at a way into Cambridge the GN also looked at co-operating so they could avoid Shepreth branch junction. 

Shepreth Branch Junction is still a problem today.  With intensive services on both GNR and GER routes into Cambridge, line capacity has become a problem.  Double track is no longer enough as the new East & West Railway is also planning to come into town that way with a planned new station called Cambridge South to be built between the main station and junction, serving Addenbrookes, Royal Papworth and the Rosie Hospitals.

[cbeagleowner]

On 23/12/2023 at 20:11, stewartingram said:

 

I can offer a few examples from personal observations.

Firstly, what is an MP booom?

 

Hi Stewart. Thanks so much for the comprehensive reply. Very helpful. 
 

That should have read MP book - ie Middleton Press! More due to hamfistedness and short sightedness!

[cbeagleowner]

Thanks for the info gentlemen. I didn’t realise that there was so much stuff going on at Barrington. I didn’t even realise there was a branch there until I went cross country to avoid a jam on the M11!

 

it will be interesting to see what the detailed plans for EWR are. I understand that it will come in at Harston. I hear they are closing the level crossing between Little Shelford and Hauxton too which might br a pest!

[Tom Burnham]

In the 1968-71 period, Cambridge Buffet Expresses were 6 Mk 1s plus a Gresley buffet car, as stated.  Hauled by either Class 31 or a Class 47 (using TOPS nomenclature) - the 47s kept time very easily, 31s not so much.  The 9-coach LV to Kings Lynn trains always had a Class 37.

[Michael Hodgson]

13 hours ago, cbeagleowner said:

I understand that it will come in at Harston. I hear they are closing the level crossing between Little Shelford and Hauxton too which might br a pest!

Harston and Hauxton were plastered with NIMBY placards last time I drove through there.