BR (Sc) Special Workings in the middle 1950s

[Carl LaFong]

Hi everyone. I was intrigued recently with a general discussion I had with some fellow 80-year-olds about how great the 1950s and early 1960s were for  enthusiasts like me. One of the most interesting items I didn't know about were the BR(Sc) Friday overnight trains from St Enoch to London which ran from 1953 to 1962.  They were called the Starlight Express or Starlight Special and the fares were very affordable albeit using ordinary vestibuled stock - no sleeping cars.
The discussion seemed to raise more questions than answers - were there any stops on the way, were the locos changed at Carlisle say or did they work right through - the locos usually were a Corkerhill Jubilee or Polmadie Royal Scot I believe.
I have never seen any books or magazine articles on the subject - so I thought I could the tap the knowledge of the RMweb to flesh out the details.
I model the Caley main line to Carlisle in the middle 1950s, if you haven't guessed!!
Also mentioned was a St Enoch to Eastbourne train which used to run three days a week, a thirteen hour journey for the price of 22 shillings (£1.10p) return but I think I can forget about that one.

[JeremyC]

There has been a book published about these trains.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Starlight-Specials-Overnight-Anglo-Scottish-Express/dp/1445641429

Edited September 2, 2024 by JeremyC

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, Carl LaFong said:

...Also mentioned was a St Enoch to Eastbourne train which used to run three days a week, a thirteen hour journey for the price of 22 shillings (£1.10p) return but I think I can forget about that one.

Yes, probably best to forget about the Car Sleeper that came to grief at Eastbourne. 

[pH]

4 hours ago, Carl LaFong said:

One of the most interesting items I didn't know about were the BR(Sc) Friday overnight trains from St Enoch to London which ran from 1953 to 1962.  They were called the Starlight Express or Starlight Special

…
I model the Caley main line to Carlisle in the middle 1950s, if you haven't guessed!!

First thing - buy the book JeremyC referred to. It contains just about anything you would want to know about the Starlights. 
 

Then - given that you model the Caley mainline, prepare to be disappointed. Most (if not all) of the Starlights to and from Glasgow, running out of St Enoch’s, went by the ex-G&SW line through Kilmarnock. There were a few trains some years ran out of Central and via the WCML through Crewe to Euston, but I think they too ran via Kilmarnock north of the border. With the numbers of Starlights (eleven separate trains left St Enoch’s on occasion), running them on the ex-Caley route to Carlisle could have serious effects on regular traffic. Whereas the ex-G&SW line was more lightly used.

Glasgow was not the only starting point/destination for Starlights in Scotland. A whole series ran out of Edinburgh Waverley. And there were individual trains starting and ending at various Scottish stations. However, even those starting on ex-Caledonian lines appear to have stayed off the ex-Caley Glasgow-Carlisle route. For example, a train starting from Clydebank Riverside ran Carmyle -Kirkhill- Cathcart-Lugton-Kilmarnock. And a down train appears to have run Kilmarnock-Lugton-Cathcart-Newton-Hamilton-Motherwell-Coatbridge.

 

Again - I recommend buying the book!

Edited September 2, 2024 by pH

[Ian Kirk]

I must get the book. I have fond memories of the Starlight Special. For several years in the 1950s we went on holiday to Canterbury we had found good "digs" and kept going back.  Starlight Special Edinburgh to London then across London by tube and service train from Victoria to Canterbury. The scars of war were still visible in London and Canterbury made an impression on a little boy from Kirkcaldy. There was a small cafe round the corner from Marlebone I remember Spam fritters, not surely for breakfast but we probably called in again on the way home 

My parents kept me pretty well fenced in with them and luggage in an open coach with tables and I did sleep for a bit. I think the cost was kept down by using locos and crews that were not doing anything else. I remember lots of loco changes (and presumably their crews) I did not always get the chance to ;look out but have always had an interest in railways so looked when I could. I seem to remember a reversal at least once and once realised that we were being hauled by an 0-6-0 goods loco.

These Canterbury holidays were interesting. We had an agreement that one week was for Canterbury (Mum) shopping walking sitting around in parks visiting historic buildings etc. although I did learn to row on a pond in westgate gardens and I enjoyed Barratts Toy and Model Shop. The other week was Runabout tickets (me and Dad) all around Kent  Ramsgate Margate Dover Folkstone and of course Hythe. This was pre electrification so I had lots of different locos to see and several miniature railways in places we visited plus the RH&D.  Fond memories indeed.

 

best wishes,

 

Ian

[JOHNMCDRAGON]

If I remember right from reading before some of these trains  from St. Enoch started from Platform 1 and went round the very tightly curved left hand curve to go over the Saltmarket Bridge and then an easterly direction , possibly onto the Queen St. line.  Very unusual departure, possibly the only passenger train departures that way since the St.Enoch to Bridgeton trains many years ago.