Hydraulics (was Warships) in the north west

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

Worked up to Bescot by Gloucester men on an out and back turn 

Yes -  a 'standard' (albeit unofficial) WR traction control policy.  1000s in their later years were quite suitable to work up into the Midlands as nobody there knew them.  So they were on out&back WR traincrew turns which apart from anything guaranteed they wouldn't be pinched.   Similarly they were ideal for unblanced freight specials going into that part of the world as they inevitably had to return to the WR light engine; if a Brush was put on such a job you could virtually guarantee that you wouldn't get it back.

[Rugd1022]

18 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Yes -  a 'standard' (albeit unofficial) WR traction control policy.  1000s in their later years were quite suitable to work up into the Midlands as nobody there knew them.  So they were on out&back WR traincrew turns which apart from anything guaranteed they wouldn't be pinched.   Similarly they were ideal for unblanced freight specials going into that part of the world as they inevitably had to return to the WR light engine; if a Brush was put on such a job you could virtually guarantee that you wouldn't get it back.

 

Which would explain the appearance of Hymeks and Thousands on Severn Tunnel Jcn / Gloucester to Washwood Heath freight workings occasionally.

 

Here's D1049 'Western Monarch' leaving the south end of Bescot down side yard on 13th February 1974 with the returning empty clayliner, note the wrong headcode, it will go via Perry Barr North and West Junctions, Soho East and North Junctions and Smethwick back to the WR....

 

 

On the odd occasion this working would take a very different route back to the WR, being conducted by LMR men from Bescot via Aston, Stetchford, Rugby, Northampton and Bletchley then over the flyover to Oxford and beyond. Two confirmed sightings of this deviation at Rugby with D854 and D1054 occurred in 1969 / 70.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Rugd1022

[D860 VICTORIOUS]

18 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

That’s just shocking! 

The current selection of jokes are not generating many laughs...

Fabulous info given by each of you! Nidge,of course the stock on 1J24 would be blue/grey behind a maroon Warship,silly me.I had no idea whatsoever that 43's regularly worked between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.Am guessing this was shortly before they were drafted to the Worcester/Hereford route.As you say,the holes cut in the h/c panels were not very subtle!

Phil,in your notes you mention 1V87,loking in various books etc.,is that the southbound Newcastle-Plymouth (northbound 1E30),loco change at Gloucester Eastgate? 

Hats off to the gentleman who started this topic,splendid pictures and lots of new info,thanks to you all.

Neil.

p.s. have you checked out the footage bought to light by Downendian,on youtube:"Bristol-Gloucester and back 1969"-fabulous.

[Phil Bullock]

3 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

Which would explain the appearance of Hymeks and Thousands on Severn Tunnel Jcn / Gloucester to Washwood Heath freight workings occasionally.

 

Here's D1049 'Western Monarch' leaving the south end of Bescot down side yard on 13th February 1974 with the returning empty clayliner, note the wrong headcode, it will go via Perry Barr North and West Junctions, Soho East and North Junctions and Smethwick back to the WR....

 

 

On the odd occasion this working would take a very different route back to the WR, being conducted by LMR men from Bescot via Aston, Stetchford, Rugby, Northampton and Bletchley then over the flyover to Oxford and beyond. Two confirmed sightings of this deviation at Rugby with D854 and D1054 occurred in 1969 / 70.

Nidge according to my 70-71 wtt the booked route for 6M55/6V53 clay liner was via Didcot and Bletchley… 6M55 to arrive Bletchley 06.52, 6V53 to depart 07.40 after loco change so presumably the WR loco worked out and back? 

That route was my understanding prior to 73 and we didn’t see them at Worcester before then …. 
 

Cheers

[Phil Bullock]

1 hour ago, D860 VICTORIOUS said:

The current selection of jokes are not generating many laughs...

Fabulous info given by each of you! Nidge,of course the stock on 1J24 would be blue/grey behind a maroon Warship,silly me.I had no idea whatsoever that 43's regularly worked between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.Am guessing this was shortly before they were drafted to the Worcester/Hereford route.As you say,the holes cut in the h/c panels were not very subtle!

Phil,in your notes you mention 1V87,loking in various books etc.,is that the southbound Newcastle-Plymouth (northbound 1E30),loco change at Gloucester Eastgate? 

Hats off to the gentleman who started this topic,splendid pictures and lots of new info,thanks to you all.

Neil.

p.s. have you checked out the footage bought to light by Downendian,on youtube:"Bristol-Gloucester and back 1969"-fabulous.

Yes that video footage is superb …. And it includes a GFYE split box Peak! Rocking horse manure….

 

So 1M22 was 10.55 off Plymouth to Manchester in my 70-71 wtt…. 15.03 off Worcester so BNS arrival around 16.00. 
 

1V87 was Newcastle to Paignton as you suggest and was booked Barnt Green 16.35 so that would have been a really tight turn round at BNS and would loco work through? … next was 1V89 BNS to Cardiff booked Barnt Green 16.50 and which would require a loco, would still be a tight turn round but more feasible perhaps unless The Newcastle was running late..

 

Fascinating to look back …. We just saw them hammer through Abbotswood without knowing what train they were! 
 

cheers

[Covkid]

10 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

Which would explain the appearance of Hymeks and Thousands on Severn Tunnel Jcn / Gloucester to Washwood Heath freight workings occasionally.

 

Here's D1049 'Western Monarch' leaving the south end of Bescot down side yard on 13th February 1974 with the returning empty clayliner, note the wrong headcode, it will go via Perry Barr North and West Junctions, Soho East and North Junctions and Smethwick back to the WR....

 

DoT_WorcesterTunnel1976.pdf (railwaysarchive.co.uk)

 

On the odd occasion this working would take a very different route back to the WR, being conducted by LMR men from Bescot via Aston, Stetchford, Rugby, Northampton and Bletchley then over the flyover to Oxford and beyond. Two confirmed sightings of this deviation at Rugby with D854 and D1054 occurred in 1969 / 70.

 

Whilst talking of the china clay empties running via Soho, Galton Jn and Stourbridge on occasion I believe GL crew didn't sign that route as much as via Dudley. On one occasion a D1000 class suffered a fatal collision. AIUI the empties to form the train at Stoke were late.  The GL crew waited for a while but it got too late for them.  The Dudley line was closed and they didn't sign via Soho and Galton Jn so Bescot provided a route conductor to them to Stourbridge. 

 

There was time interval working at Worcester which didn't work properly and the loco struck the rear of a train in the tunnel causing loss of life of the GL driver and guard

 

.Report on the Collision that occurred on 3rd January 1976 at Worcester Tunnel Junction in the Western Region British Railways :: The Railways Archive 

 

31241 hauling a single GUV on a Curzon St - Worcester parcels was "rear ended" by D1055. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Covkid

[Phil Bullock]

1 hour ago, Covkid said:

 

Whilst talking of the china clay empties running via Soho, Galton Jn and Stourbridge on occasion I believe GL crew didn't sign that route as much as via Dudley. On one occasion a D1000 class suffered a fatal collision. AIUI the empties to form the train at Stoke were late.  The GL crew waited for a while but it got too late for them.  The Dudley line was closed and they didn't sign via Soho and Galton Jn so Bescot provided a route conductor to them to Stourbridge. 

 

There was time interval working at Worcester which didn't work properly and the loco struck the rear of a train in the tunnel causing loss of life of the GL driver and guard

 

.Report on the Collision that occurred on 3rd January 1976 at Worcester Tunnel Junction in the Western Region British Railways :: The Railways Archive 

 

31241 hauling a single GUV on a Curzon St - Worcester parcels was "rear ended" by D1055. 

The report is available Here

 

Time interval working was between Droitwich and Worcester as telephone lines were down following an overnight storm. Well worth reading to gain an understanding of railway operations but with appropriate sympathy for those involved.

[D860 VICTORIOUS]

On the Bristol-Gloucester footage,it looks to me like D25,gfye-wow!,is seen just after leaving BTM as well as at Mangotsfield.Good info Phil,I think the headcodes I have quoted may have applied in the year previous to your WTT. That's going OT a bit...

"The Book of the Warships" does give some info re  Class 43 activity in the West Midlands,including the aforementioned Wellington-Crewe parcels.It also notes that the NBL's continued on freight work on ex-GW routes during 1968,and the through train(in the singular) from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury,and presumably the return..?

This aspect of 43 working has really piqued my interest,and it would be good to have an overview of their freight,parcels and any other passenger work in the area at this time. Maybe one of the contributors has some more details..?

Neil.