Karhedron Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 A bit of a long-shot here, does anyone have any records (or even photos) of diesel hydraulics on the Maidenhead to High Wycombe line? Passenger services went into the hands of DMUs in 1962 but the pick-up goods service remained in the hands of large Prairies until the end of WR steam in 1965. The goods sheds on the line did not close until 1967 which leaves a gap of a year or so when hydraulics might have been handling the service. However it is also possible that the service ceased with steam in 1965 and the goods sheds were only closed belatedly. I would be interested to solve this little puzzle. As it stands, the only hydraulics I know of on the line were Hymeks in the early 70s on demolition trains when the section from Bourne End to High Wycombe was lifted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2015 Probably D63XX, which were used on freight trips in the London Division. However 'the Slough goods' from Acton was often covered by a Hymek by 1966/67 and I know that engine also shunted Lent Rise yard at Taplow so it could conceivably have also done the Wycombe branch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grw184 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Only remember the "Chiltern Night Trader" which I spotted many times over the crossing at Furze Platt - seem to recall early 'Black 5' haulage which morphed into a D16xx/D17xx which youngsters call a '47' - don't ever recall seeing Hydraulics, and I used the line regularly from late 50's to '68 when I left for the big world Graham Woodruff - grw184 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Thanks for the info Graham. I am surprised to hear that something as big as a 47 was a regular on the line. I didn't even realise there was a freight service from the midlands regular enough to have acquired a name. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grw184 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Thanks for the info Graham. I am surprised to hear that something as big as a 47 was a regular on the line. I didn't even realise there was a freight service from the midlands regular enough to have acquired a name. Sorry - should have been more specific - I always saw this running north towards Wycombe - IIRC after school/homework so maybe around 6pm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 30, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2015 There were still freight services over the branch, booked to call at various places. in the Winter 1966/67 WTT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks for that. So that strongly implies the local freight service survived the end of steam. I know that OOC's 22s sometimes handled light freight work, I wonder if they might have worked the line? Do you have access to the 67-68 WTTs? The records I have seen suggest the goods sheds on the line closed sometime in this period and I assume the freights did too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks for the info Graham. I am surprised to hear that something as big as a 47 was a regular on the line. I didn't even realise there was a freight service from the midlands regular enough to have acquired a name. There seems to have been a fashion for naming freight trains around the UK in the post- Modernisation Plan era. There were the 'Clayliner', the 'Fletliner' and the 'Condor', whose names became well known, as well as the 'Lea Valley Enterprise' and others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 30, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks for that. So that strongly implies the local freight service survived the end of steam. I know that OOC's 22s sometimes handled light freight work, I wonder if they might have worked the line? Do you have access to the 67-68 WTTs? The records I have seen suggest the goods sheds on the line closed sometime in this period and I assume the freights did too. The only WTT I've got is the Winter '66-'67 one. As I mentioned earlier at that time the D63XX were definitely working some freight trips on the London Division (I know that because I went from Reading down the Wallingford branch behind one) and of course I saw them on other trains around that time so I'm reasonably sure they would have covered at least one of the trips on the Wycombe branch although the other might possibly have been a Hymek job. There were of course some D95XX about at that time also and Old Oak had one for a while which did a night newspaper turn to Maidenhead but what it did next I'm afraid I don't know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 There are some excellent photos on this site - http://www.mdrs.org.uk/wycmaidmarlow.htm#1970s Only one hydraulic that I can find, but amazingly a class 40 appeared as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I forget which book it's in now but there is one published b&w shot of a D63xx on a pick up frieght at Bourne End somewhere - I'll have to do some digging when I can get to my stash of books. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reading General Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Thanks for the info Graham. I am surprised to hear that something as big as a 47 was a regular on the line. I didn't even realise there was a freight service from the midlands regular enough to have acquired a name. You shouldn't really be surprised as this was no branch line originally. Before the joint GW/GC line was built,(around the turn of the Century) this was the main line to High Wycombe and also freight trains ran this way to Oxford Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 I forget which book it's in now but there is one published b&w shot of a D63xx on a pick up frieght at Bourne End somewhere - I'll have to do some digging when I can get to my stash of books. If you manage to turn it up, I would definitely be interested. It sounds like the missing link I was looking for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Just a further update. Apparently freight services were withdrawn on 11th of September 1967 which ties in with Stationmaster's info from the Winter 66-67 WTT. Thanks all! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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