weymouth slip

[twiggy1969]

hi after a bit of info on the weymouth slip off the limited

 

i know at around 38 it was f23 and brake comp e138 sliped at westbury but what i would like to know is how did it get to weymouth

 

ie what train took it and bought it back and formation of said trains

 

were the slip and comp added to the frount or rear

 

were anymore than the 2 coaches ever sliped

 

also any photos of the f23 in shirt button livery

 

thanks mark

[Miss Prism]

The maximum permissible number of ordinary coaches attached to a slip coach was four I think, but this was very rare. Usually, the CRE Weymouth section was only one slip coach in the Winter, and then a brake compo would be added after Easter, and in high season it was usual for there not to be any Weymouth slip portion on the main CRE and a dedicated CRE relief train to Weymouth would be run from Paddington. Not sure about the train or the motive power for the Weymouth slip portion after Westbury - in early days, it would probably have been a Bulldog or a Mogul (the usual engines on the line) - the most likely 1938 motive power would probably have been a Hall?

[lapford34102]

but what i would like to know is how did it get to weymouth

 

Will need to do a bit of digging to find the details but a Westbury pannier picked up the coaches and took them into Westbury where they were added to a regular service train. Probably one from Bristol but for some reason a Swindon service rings a bell.

 

Can have a dig if needed.

 

Stu

[twiggy1969]

please dig stu if you can

 

i guessed bristol service but i did wonder if it went on a wolverhampton train ie express as westbury weymouth is a fair way

 

i know coach was marked paddinton westbury frome yeovil weymouth

 

mark

[chrisf]

In winter 1957-58 the slip coach was collected from Heywood Road at 12.10 pm and arrived at Westbury three minutes later. The next available train from Westbury to Weymouth was the 11.45 from Chippenham which left Westbury at 12.42 pm having stood there for 16 minutes. It called at the majority of intermediate stations and arrived at Weymouth at 2.43 pm.

 

Chris

[petethemole]

I have a 1934 Bradshaw but am not totally au fait with interpreting it. The slip portion is timed to arrive at Westbury @ 12.12 and departs 12.18, arriving Weymouth 1.56. The 1.56 arrival also applies to an 8.50 departure from Banbury. This appears to start from there. There's no indication as to which up working would convey the slip coaches back.

Pete

[The Stationmaster]

From the Coach Working Programme September11 1933 to July 15 1934 -

 

The 10.30 Paddington - Penzance slipped a double ended slip coach plus a brake compo (brake end trailing) at Westbury for Weymouth; the vehicles worked forward on the 12.15 from Westbury.

 

The return working was complicated - in the mornings MThSO the slip coach worked back on the 06.50 Weymouth and was slipped at Reading, on the afternoon balances MTThO it worked up on the 18.15 Weymouth to Frome and then in the mornings TWFO on the 08.23 from Frome and again slipped at Reading; all days it went oirward from Reading to Paddington on the 11.15 going back into the 10.30 Paddington the next day. No particular double ended slip coach was allocated to the working compared with the Ilfracombe coach slipped at Taunton which was a single ended gangway slip - either 6962, 6963, or 9664 - plus a Brake Compo for Minehead.

 

The Weymouth Brake Compo off the 10.30 Paddington worked back on the 06.50 Weymouth MThSO through to Paddington, Monday only the working of that day's coach was back on the 16.15 Weymouth to Paddington and WFO it went back up on the 11.45 Weymouth to Paddington.

[twiggy1969]

Thanks mike that's great part of the jigsaw put together

 

Do you know what was the common practice of attaching them at westbury front or rear

 

Main interest is how they traveled though Yeovil pen mill in aprox 38

 

Cheers mark

 

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks mike that's great part of the jigsaw put together

 

Do you know what was the common practice of attaching them at westbury front or rear

 

Main interest is how they traveled though Yeovil pen mill in aprox 38

 

Cheers mark

What I couldn't find was the train to which it was attached at Westbury - the only Service Timetable I have for that period is 1938 and I couldn't access it last night for 'domestic reasons' and the times might not be the same anyway. Something to delve when I have time

[Adrian Wintle]

I have the reprint of the 1938 coach workings at home. I'll try to remember to check tonight.

 

Adrian

[twiggy1969]

thanks adrian

[Coach bogie]

There was a spur at Heywood Road box for the retrieval loco to stand awaiting the CRE to pass on the cut off. There is a good P M Alexander shot of a 54XX pulling away from Heywood Road towards the station with an F24 slip coach.

 

I have the same info as Mike regarding the 12;25 to Weymouth.

 

In terms of formation I assume the pannier took the stock into Westbury station, ran round and attached to the rear, other wise there would be extra loco movements. Pure speculation based on what happened elsewhere.

 

At Bicester the slip portion went to the front only because the loco off the next working was required to retrieve the slip portion from the main line and attach to its'train, there being no loco based at Bicester.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Adrian Wintle]

From "Programme of Working of Coaches in Through Trains September 27th, 1937, to July 3rd, 1938" (Dragonwheel Books reprint ISBN 1 905014 53 8 ):
Note that this is the winter schedule, there may have been larger slip portions in the summer.

The Weymouth slips were covered by Slip Coach Workings (SCW) #2 and #5, both for double-ended slips.

SCW #2:
10:30am Paddington, slipped at Heywood Rd. Junction
taken forward on the 12.7pm Heywood Rd. Junction to Westbury
taken forward on the 12.16pm Westbury to Weymouth
taken forward on the 6:15pm Weymouth to Frome (Mon, Tue, Thurs only)

SCW #5
6:50am Weymouth, slipped at Reading (Mon, Thurs, Sat only)
8.21am Frome, slipped at Reading (Tue, Wed, Fri only)
taken forward on the 10:50am Reading to Paddington (except Sat)
taken forward on the 12:15pm Reading to Paddington (Sat only)

So the service was done with two double-ended slips, call them A and B
Monday:
A: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth, Frome
B: Weymouth, Reading (slip), Paddington
Tuesday:
B: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth, Frome
A: Frome, Reading (slip), Paddington
Wednesday:
A: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth
B: Frome, Reading (slip), Paddington
Thursday:
B: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth, Frome
A: Weymouth, Reading (slip), Paddington
Friday:
A: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth
B: Frome, Reading (slip), Paddington
Saturday:
A: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth
B: Weymouth, Reading (slip), Paddington
Monday:
B: Paddington, Heywood Rd Junction (slip), Westbury, Weymouth, Frome
A: Weymouth, Reading (slip), Paddington
etc...

Now, looking at the specific trains:
10:30 Paddington (the Limited)
- shows SCW #2 with a Brake Compo (brake end trailing) slipped with it for Weymouth (will follow SCW #2 to Weymouth, then see below)
6:50 Weymouth to Paddington
- shows SCW #5 with a Saturdays only Corridor Third also slipped at Reading
8:21 Frome to Paddington
- shows SCW #5

Brake Compo returns to Paddington:
4:15pm Weymouth to Paddington (Mon only)
6:50am Weymouth to Paddington (Thurs and Sat only)
11:45 am Weymouth to Paddington (Wed and Fri only)
6:15pm Weymouth to Westbury (Sat only) 7.6pm Westbury to Paddington (Sun only, up to May 29, 1938)
5:27pm Weymouth to Paddington (Sun only, starting June 5, 1938)

I'm afraid I can't help on what the Heywood Rd. Junction - Westbury - Weymouth trains would be, though, as they don't appear to be 'Through' trains so aren't listed.

Adrian

[chrisf]

Adrian's post above brought about a light bulb moment! I found the following in the Bristol CWP for winter 1951-52:

 

Set 344 - slip

 

10.30 am Paddington - Heywood Road Jcn. Attached rear Set 13, Cornish Riviera Express

12.15 pm Heywood Road Jcn - Westbury

12.47 pm Westbury Weymouth. Attached to rear Set 362, 11.45 am Chippenham - Weymouth,

 

Next day: Set 345 - slip

 

Saturdays excepted:

8.15 am Weymouth - Bristol TM. Attached rear set 355 [M set]

10.52 am ECS Bristol TM - Malago Vale. As above

3.55 pm ECS Malago Vale - Bristol TM. Attached rear set 72. 9 coaches, return of 9.5 am Paddington - Bristol

4.15 pm Bristol TM - Reading - slipped at Reading, main train continues to Paddington

 

Saturdays only

6.30 am Weymouth - Paddington. Attached rear set 42 - three coaches adding four more and a mail stowage van at Westbury

 

Another slip [set 353] travelled from Weymouth to Paddington attached to the 9.0 am Weymouth - Paddington, returning on the rear of the 3.30 pm Paddington - Plymouth as far as Heywood Road Jcn whence it was rescued at 5.14 pm. It went forward to Weymouth at 5.24 pm attached to the 4.15 pm Bristol - Weymouth but it is not stated whether on front or rear.

 

Chris.

[twiggy1969]

thank you for all of that been very helpfull

 

mark

[OnTheBranchline]

Would slip coaches have been specifically designed for slipping or would any coach be able to slip?

[Horsetan]

Would slip coaches have been specifically designed for slipping....

 

I think you've answered your own question there!

[MarkAustin]

Would slip coaches have been specifically designed for slipping or would any coach be able to slip?

Specially designed. They had a slip guard brake compartment ot one or both ends; a lever that dropped the coupling hook and released the brake and other fittings; and tanks below "filled" with vacuum to enable the brake to be operated by the slip guard. I think I've got a drwing of the slip gear at home: I'll check this evening.

 

Mark A

[Miss Prism]

http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r134.html