Stuart

Thanks for the replies, folks. Pretty sure it was a 37, I was quite used to 40s. But…. Changing - there can’t have been a through train at the appropriate time. I wondered about the 1721, but this was booked for a. Mk II set and would normally have been a 45. However, could have been a scratch set if the booked set was very late/unavailable, Also, there were sometimes Newcastle-Manchester Victoria extras with Mk1 stock, and a 40….

Bit of a long shot, but, with the wealth of knowledge in this forum, worth a punt. So, we got married on September 3rd 1983, and we left for our honeymoon in Paris by train (OK, there was a ferry involved, but rail on both sides of the Channel, inc a Gas-turbine set from Boulogne to Gare du Nord). We left Durham mid-late afternoon, changing at Darlington (I think) for KX. We set off in a Mk1 Compartment coach, and I am sure the loco was a Class 37 because even at this distance on time, I remember thinking – goods engine, which they were in the North-east. But, I didn’t get the number – new bride to look after etc. Any ideas as to train or loco? I've looked at class37.co.uk but their Working Archive doesn't go back that far.

Looking at Philip Benham's book on NYMR, he says that four-wheel coaches were replaced with 45ft bogie vehicles in 1898/9 - NER diagrams 47, 48 and 49. Restrictions on 52ft stock were lifted in 1901 due to a programme of track improvements, and vehicles up to 65ft 6ins alowed by 1922. All restrictions on LNER stock were lifted in 1924. I have a note that "17.10.1964 - 6.45 pm Whitby – Malton D348 plus 4 coaches, 2 of which, E43358E and E43031E, were marked to work Whitby- Malton only. " I can't immediately find the source of this information (probably a photo somewhere but I would think the marking is the one in Railway Memories 19. By the 60's the Malton-Whitby sets only worked between those points, with maybe an FSO extension to York; this might explain the markings? Incidentally, by the 1963-4 winter timetable, the Malton-Whitby set was booked for BR Standard Stock, and I have read somewhere that thse came from the LTS after electrification.

I have got rather more interested in TPOs since discovering that my granny, a village postwoman in Northumberland, delivered mail some of which had come off the ‘drop’ by the North Eastern TPO at Alnmouth. Peter Johnson’s books are all very informative but I have just acquired a book by Brian White who was a TPO man based at Peterborough. From what I have gleaned from the chapters on the “apparatus” and accidents, a number of people were hurt/killed by sticking their heads out of windows and coming into contact with the suspended pouches on the ground delivery standard. It may well be the case that where apparatus was in used on a train comprising TPO and passenger coaches, the TPO was situated at the front so that the pouches were collected into the TPO, the ground standard swung away from the line and therefore didn’t pose so much of a hazard to anybody with their heads out of the window. So if ‘apparatus’ is being used, maybe the TPO should be at the front, if not, then front or back. The book also cleared up a question in my mind about ‘Tenders’ in Post Office railway terms. POS - was the actual sorting vehicle - Post Office Sorting carriage. POT - was simply a stowage vehicle,, but Post Office Tender? White records that one was added to the Peterborough-Crewe TPO simply to carry Datapost. Bag Tender - White describes this as a ‘TPO carriage or carriages that handled only bags of mail and on which no sorting took place requiring only one or two men’. if you want to run a TPO carriage and your chosen line doesn’t really justify a TPO, call it a Bag Tender ( but Rule 1 applies anŷway). Stuart

Although normal trains between Malton and Whitby in LNER days were 51ft, (57ft in BR days), there were summer trains from KX formed of corridor stock. I can’t see any requirement for particular length stock so I guess Gresleys, which are 63ft (??) weren’t restricted. So the curves were probably eased before the 1920s. The only restriction on BR Mk1s was indeed in platforms 3 and 4 at Whitby Town. If Mk1s were in one of those platforms, the other had to be ‘blocked’.

Thanks for the info Regards Stuart

Slowly working through L-R 100 Compositions., I can’t see where the Chef du Train would ride on a loco-hauled set. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks Stuart

Back in late 70s/early 80s, I was an NYMR guard and one day, my coaching set had an open wagon coupled to the back to be dropped off at Levisham. At this distance in time, I can't remember exactly what sort of wagon (obviously vac fitted) but I think it had concrete cable run castings, and had arrived via the Whitby pick-up. On arrival at Levisham, the wagon was left in the up platform under the watchful eye of the signalman.

Close. This isn’t the Wellington Road crossing but what was then School Road crossing, about 250m further south. Stuart

Even a couple of rails left in the road in Priorslee Village.

Welcome to Telford! Three more books you might consider for the new shelf in your library. Stuart.

I’ll second that! I had a ‘Tracked 48’ parcel arrive which was shown as despatched at 2338 by the merchant on Sunday 19th, and delivered at 0719 on Tuesday 21st by Royal Mail., so realistically rather less than 24hours.

Well worth a visit if you are in the area. The shop is, as many such establishments are, well stocked with pre-loved books on a variety of subjects but in our case, the draw is a wide selection of railway books which are not the general titles usually seen. Jon stocks new Wild Swan books as well. The shop is at 12 South Street, Bridport, and was open 10-3 MWFSO. Parking – Bridport seems pretty good for parking (we discovered that Dorset Council seem to appreciate motor caravans and provide dedicated parking bays). (No connection with the place save as a well-satisfied customer who wishes he’d bought more…..)

Memo to self - must keep out of second hand bookshop on next visit. Any thoughts on the little tramway in the shop? I can’t find any information about it. Stuart

Memo to self - must keep out of second hand bookshop on next visit. Any thoughts on the little tramway in the shop? I can’t find any information about it. Stuart