Modelling BR Blue

[ISW]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

If your time span includes 56s, then you can also justify BR blue Class 50s as they also appeared occasionally on cross-country trains from the West Country when there was no replacement available at New Street.

I don't recall ever seeing a Class 50 pass through Burton-on-Trent back then, not that it didn't happen.

 

I also have a Lima (circa 1980) Class 50 still in box but, just like the Class 52 Westerns, it's wasn't a 'common' sight operating through Burton-on-Trent.

 

Ian 

[woodenhead]

1 hour ago, ISW said:

I don't recall ever seeing a Class 50 pass through Burton-on-Trent back then, not that it didn't happen.

 

I also have a Lima (circa 1980) Class 50 still in box but, just like the Class 52 Westerns, it's wasn't a 'common' sight operating through Burton-on-Trent.

 

Ian 

Would class 50s have passed through on service trains back from Doncaster Works?

[ISW]

13 hours ago, woodenhead said:

Would class 50s have passed through on service trains back from Doncaster Works?

Yes, I believe they did. However, the refurbishment at Doncaster didn't start until ~1976 and I stopped trainspotting around Burton-on-Trent in 1977 when I went to university. Hence, I don't recall ever 'seeing' one myself.

 

I'm not short of photos of Class 50s though. We had 2-week family holidays to both Falmouth & Teignmouth in the mid/late 1970s, and I was old enough to 'take off' on my own with a weekly Range Rover ticket (they were quite cheap back then), camera in hand.

 

I can 'justify' (even without the use of Rule 1) the use of both Class 50 and Class 52 on my Burton-on-Trent layout (link in footer if you are interested) but only on a once-in-a-blue-moon frequency. I'll probably get around to 'updating' my Lima Class 50 & 52s at some point (hardwired DCC, Kadee couplings, flush glazing, additional pickups, directional lighting, etc) but I currently have enough locomotives and other layout 'projects' to keep me busy. I'm currently making the station buildings out of cereal packets [1].

 

[1] - I posted some photos of the 'mostly' complete Overbridge Building on RMweb at: 

 

Ian

 

 

[young37215]

When Doncaster commenced the class 50 refurbishment programme in the late 70's/early 80's, they started returning the ex works locos to the Western Region on the 09.50 Edinburgh Plymouth. Many of the ex works fleet returned this way although other trains were occassionally used. For example I had 50034 returning home on the 12.37 Leeds Cardiff service on 27/10/82.  

 

On a positive note, as the locos were ex works you do not need to worry about weathering your models!

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

There was a regular working for a 50 in the mid-80s that worked north through Derby mid-afternpoon. Saw the same 50 on it two days running.

Those going to Donny for refurb were sometimes hauled north through Derby; occasionally recessing at Etches Park depot. Ex-works ones, as mentioned above, returned to LA mostly via Derby on a passenger service. 

But other than that, 50s weren't common in Derby by any means. Sometimes, again mid-80s, one might run to Beeston Freightliner terminal on the afternoon train from Lawley Street - these travelled via Stenson and Sheet Stores, so avoiding Derby itself.

 

Very rare in Derby in 70s - though could justify one going to the RTC for trials, etc. Saw (and cabbed) D411 at Toton in June 1970 - no idea why it was there though.

Edited March 28, 2023 by Peter Kazmierczak

[Peter Eaton]

Hi Peter.

D411 I also cabbed at Toton. (May have stood in there with You !) It was their open day. They came to Toton for load bank testing as new. I use to go on Toton bank & saw several new delivered ones there around that time.

Peter, happy days.

Edited March 28, 2023 by Peter Eaton

[ISW]

3 hours ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Saw (and cabbed) D411 at Toton in June 1970 - no idea why it was there though.

Peter,

 

Oh boy, does that bring back memories ...

 

My parents took me to Toton depot Open Day, and my Ian Allan LocoShed was duly underlined for D411. I had no idea at the time what this meant, but all my trainspotting friends accused me of 'cheating' as there was no way I could have seen a Class 50 just spotting at Burton-on-Trent.

 

Ian

Edited March 28, 2023 by ISW
last sentence deleted. Hadn't read Peter Eatons reply.

[brushman47544]

17 hours ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

There was a regular working for a 50 in the mid-80s that worked north through Derby mid-afternpoon. Saw the same 50 on it two days running.

Those going to Donny for refurb were sometimes hauled north through Derby; occasionally recessing at Etches Park depot. Ex-works ones, as mentioned above, returned to LA mostly via Derby on a passenger service. 

But other than that, 50s weren't common in Derby by any means. Sometimes, again mid-80s, one might run to Beeston Freightliner terminal on the afternoon train from Lawley Street - these travelled via Stenson and Sheet Stores, so avoiding Derby itself.

 

Very rare in Derby in 70s - though could justify one going to the RTC for trials, etc. Saw (and cabbed) D411 at Toton in June 1970 - no idea why it was there though.

 

When I was at Uni in Leicester, there was a period around 1981-82 when a Class 50 worked to Leicester during the evening, IIRC on a parcels from the Birmingham direction and then left light engine northwards. I remember seeing a refurbished 50016 on the turn. I don't know where it went or what it's next turn was, but Derby would make sense as it could then return south to Birmingham. The only question is driver traction and route knowledge between Leicester and Derby - Saltley?  Perhaps @eastwestdivideremembers more than me.

[eastwestdivide]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

 

When I was at Uni in Leicester, there was a period around 1981-82 when a Class 50 worked to Leicester during the evening, IIRC on a parcels from the Birmingham direction and then left light engine northwards. I remember seeing a refurbished 50016 on the turn. I don't know where it went or what it's next turn was, but Derby would make sense as it could then return south to Birmingham. The only question is driver traction and route knowledge between Leicester and Derby - Saltley?  Perhaps @eastwestdivideremembers more than me.

I have photos! I thought it worked in light engine from the Birmingham direction, stabled on the depot and then worked some parcels or mail out very late (possibly back towards B’ham). Can’t check right now, but there might be an old thread mentioning this working. 

Edited March 29, 2023 by eastwestdivide

[woodenhead]

Image posted yesterday of a class 50 on a vans train at Derby

 

[eastwestdivide]

Found one of my photos surviving on a previous thread, Class 50 Photos (scroll down a bit)

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/84437-class-50-photos/page/15/

where I said

”For a while (1983), there was a working for a 50 to come light engine from Saltley to Leicester in the evening, and take a parcels back in the Birmingham direction:”

Edited March 29, 2023 by eastwestdivide
Typo

[eastwestdivide]

Following up on the 50 working for parcels at Leicester, here are three more pics from 1983ish. As it was evening and poor light, the quality wasn't perfect, but not too bad for the conditions.

 

50022 at the head of the parcels train pointing south, very late evening (I think after we'd got back from a long trip somewhere):

 

50012 coming round the goods lines from the Birmingham direction and reversing by Leicester North signalbox to access the depot (maybe after 7pm?):

 

And the same loco stabled on the depot with the Peterborough-Leic-Derby(?) TPO in the background. That would have been 8-9pm from memory:

[TT100 Diesels]

Hi fellow BR Blue modellers, if you want to see something quite rare, BR blue diesels in 3mm scale, please see my High Peak Junction layout thread, its core timescale is 1975 to 1981, so firmly BR blue, but also other liveries around at the time such as the tech centre Baby Deltic in two tone green and 97201 and the tribometer test train in RTC red on blue.

 

But all the other main liners and shunters are blue. So far built, classes 20x2, 25/1, 25/2, 31/1, 37, 47 and a what if 14 in 07 style livery. Plus the 23 and 24 as above. 

Also in the works que for build are, 03, 08, 26, 27, 45 and 47, but some will be a few years away, a typical loco build takes 60 to 80 hours of modelling time, it is very much delayed gratification, there is no instant purchase and open the box ( but nothing wrong at all with that, just might be a while before my kit stash gets finished)

 

Note that the 31 is Triang TT rtr, but it had been upgraded and repainted. I also have a couple more of them to upgrade and repaint and convert from skinhead to headcode box versions. When Triang TT was around (late 50s to late 60s), the 31 was their only diesel main liner, but a very nice model, way ahead of it time back then).

 

Also have a couple of DMUs as well.

 

Sorry, I am a newbie so have not got a clue how to provide a direct link to my layout thread.

[25kV]

24 minutes ago, TT100 Diesels said:

Sorry, I am a newbie so have not got a clue how to provide a direct link to my layout thread.

Just copy the URL of your thread and paste into your post - it will auto-populate as follows:
 

 

[TT100 Diesels]

Many thanks to you, 25kV, adding the link and providing the info.

 

Just had a quick look at your apt stuff, most interesting. I wil have have to have a proper read of it.

[mac1960]

I was at Uni in Sheffield late 70,s and witnessed occasional 50,s on trains heading up to NE and Scotland, presumably when something had  gone wrong at loco change in Birmingham. I probably witnessed 2 or 3 per year, so not common, and they were always north bound in my experience but still in Blue all over livery.

 

Cheers

[Rugd1022]

On 31/03/2023 at 10:30, eastwestdivide said:

Following up on the 50 working for parcels at Leicester, here are three more pics from 1983ish. As it was evening and poor light, the quality wasn't perfect, but not too bad for the conditions.

 

50022 at the head of the parcels train pointing south, very late evening (I think after we'd got back from a long trip somewhere):

 

50012 coming round the goods lines from the Birmingham direction and reversing by Leicester North signalbox to access the depot (maybe after 7pm?):

 

And the same loco stabled on the depot with the Peterborough-Leic-Derby(?) TPO in the background. That would have been 8-9pm from memory:

 

The Brum to Leicester parcels was a Saltley job, a fill in turn before the 50 worked back onto the WR 😉

[acg5324]

http://www.1s76.com/1S76 1984.htm

 

https://zenfolio.page.link/AEX9e

 

50029 at Leeds on 1O86 the 1400 to Brighton, loco came off at New St.

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by acg5324

[Steven B]

There was a Paddington to Manchester Piccadilly train that started out with a 50 on the front, which was usually replaced at Stafford with a 47. There are a good number of photos on Flickr of a 50 in Piccadilly after the loco exchange failed to happen or because the loco was off to Longsight for wheel turning:

(Simon Flower on Flickr)

 

Steven B

[acg5324]

http://www.1s76.com/1S76 1984.htm

You’ll need to scroll down the page a bit…….Class 50029 at Leeds working the 1400 to Brighton….yes such a train existed…..portion from Hull attached at Sheffield.

[mac1960]

I was at Uni in Sheffield late 78-  82, Four year course, and I remember bumping into 50s a number of times on a Friday when I was going to see friend's and girlfriends in Newcastle . 50 came off at York every time usually 47 or occasionally 46 on .

 

My best memory was coming home in winter I think 1981 before Christmas. Newcastle finished after us, so went up to enjoy pre Christmas student life  with friends and travelled home to Huddersfield. Unfortunately massive snow and ice. Control pulled everything availability together as points frozen in carriage sidings. 
 

We ended up with a varied rake of Mk1 , buffet, and post vans. Big mistake putting a Deltic on the front ! Trainspotters leaped on, by the time we got to Thirsk no room at the Inn ,but someone opened the door ! 5 students on platform one being me.
 

Deltic off at York and Train spotters left . I don’t remember the Deltic that caused this unfortunately.

 

Cheers

Mac

 

Edited February 12 by mac1960