great northern

Just a little nearer the stop, 41157 comes past North box.

The 9.43 arrival from Leicester brings that nicely cleaned Derby Compound. This will be the last Midland train we shall see on the Up for many hours, as our sole passenger platform will be overstretched in dealing with our own trains, so these Leicesters will pass by to the West, heard, but not seen, as those lines of wagons in the sidings obscure the view. Black 5s, plenty of those, many 4Fs, even the occasional unrebuilt Patriot, together with the usual 8Fs etc, but we shan't see any of them.

The man did turn up at the wrong time, but I delayed lunch, and made the most of the sun, so the image store is somewhat better populated. No time to shop new stuff yet though, so still one image this evening. A last look at Kittiwake, as it runs past the tranship shed.

From under and beyond the bridge, we see A1 and J6 both at rest. Wall to wall sunshine forecast today, so I should at last be able to run trains and get some more photos. Unless, that is, the man who is coming to do the annual burgar alarm check turns up at precisely the wrong time.

Back to Kittiwake now, running in past the resting C12. Not easy to photoshop, this one, so it is a bit ragged around the edges. In fairness though, would a photographer in 1958 have been able to get the whole image pin sharp? And why do I always type iamge instead of image?

The other thing to be taken into consideration, of course, is the condition of the locomotive. It may be high mileage, and being used on non express work until it gets called in for overhaul. Rough riding, not steaming well, or even running in after repairs on shed, any of those might apply.

Having seen what is behind it, back up front for another look at our A4.

When one looks at the article in the HMRS Journal, it becomes clear that this happened regularly, and not just on Saturdays. The 5.50 KX-Grantham had A3s on three days out of five, and the 6.40 two A3s, 60015 on the 9th July, and V2s on the other days. The 7.20 Down Peterborough had two A4s, 60010/15, and three A3s out of six days recorded. That was a steel five set, with a couple of added BGs. 60033 itself was on the 7pm Peterborough-KX on two consecutive days, 9th and 10th July. On 10th July the formation was PMV (southern) BCK TSOx2,BCK BG. These workings were commonplace, but I suspect rarely photographed. I suspect also that in almost every case either the previous or next working for the loco would have been on an express. I do have some Thompson BGs, and again have learned from the survey that what the CWN says often differed from what actually appeared, so they do get used in passenger trains as well as in parcels.

So here is what was behind the tender on a Saturday in July 1958.

Seagull runs alongside Platform 6, but still has a little way to go before finally stopping. This evening we shall have a look at what is behind the tender.

Seagull now arrives with the 6.40 KX-Grantham slow. As always, the next part of the diagram will be something more challenging.

Back to the other side, and to one of the most familiar views of an arriving Up train. One of the reliably good places to take a photo though, I find.

Opened the curtains to another cloudless sky, and the forecast said the cloud would take over by noon, so I changed my routine, and went to run trains at 1030. The clouds arrived at 1040. So one image at a time again, and this one is a rear three quarter view of Kittiwake slowing for the stop. Not taken today, of course.

Attention switches back to the Up, as another A1 approaches. It is another Copley Hill engine too, Kittiwake this time, bringing in an Up Leeds, which will stop here for five minutes.

Here is the 9.30 to Yarmouth, which has additional cars for anticipated Saturday traffic. That makes it too long for the bay, and so it occupies Platform 6 today. As always there is an Ivatt 4 in charge. Even an Ivatt looks quite good with that backdrop.

Aboyeur again, just a little futher along. and one from the other side. A much better impression of the length of the layout, a bit more light where it is needed, so why don't I stick with photos from this side? Probably because there are so many lattices to deal with, and the south end can be a pain when photoshopping if the light is less than perfect.

The A1 has now nearly passed through the station. and we are back to rationing, as most days recently have featured lovely early sun, but cloud filling in before it shines into my windows. It comes out again mid afternoon, too late to be of use to me.

The formation of the 8.00 Leeds/Bradford. Mk1s to start with.BSO CK. MK1 SK, two compartments reserved for passengers joining at Hitchin, who back then would almost certainly those compartments empty, whereas now they would be full of sullen looking interlopers, who would refuse to move. Then an all door Gresley SK. Another all door SK and a BSK, these two and the previous SK to be secured by KX. FO and RK, the latter one of the few to be seen in 1958. These came off the previous days 1145 Up Leeds. Now the Bradford portion. CK, again one compartment reserved for those joining at Hithchin, and a BG. Finally, MK1 TSO. For some reason on Bradford portions these were often placed outside the brake vehicle. Bonus J6 as well.

One more of Aboyeur this evening. I have photographed the whole formation, as it is slightly unusual, and I will post all of those in the morning.

And to mine Tony, it upset me when it wasn't in service.

Now the Down expresses start to appear much more frequently. Copley Hill A1 Aboyeur has the 8.00 Leeds. The J6 is now out of the way while parcels transfers take place, while Aboyeur negotiates the dogs leg curve.

Another of those trais we see every day of the week now appears, this one being that short parcels train from New England to East, which will spend quite a while in Number 1 bay. Local J6 64177 has the job today, and we have two views of it on the approach to the station. I do like a J6, especially one that has come half way round the world to get here.

On we go towards Skegness. Weather forecast is 57f, wind NE 20mph, light drizzle, and don't even think about the sea temperature. and hope Mrs McStingy, the landlady, doesn't live up to her name. Are we nearly there yet?

Thane of Fife is on its way, next stop Abbot's Ripton. Then we have the 7.50 KX-Skegness, which was the only train to Skeggy which ran non stop on the main line part of the journey. I think it is a good bet therefore that this is the Butlin's express. There is no headboard, but the Top Shed B1 has been given special treatment.

The 9.25 is not ready to go yet, so the WD is allowed through and back to the Up. We have a manon the bridge to record that. and there is another one at ground level near the signal box. I've just checked the WTT to see what the margin was for the 9.25, as even that would surely take precedence over a Class H. Much to my surprise, I found that it stopped at Abbots Ripton, which was being run down for closure, before it got to Huntingdon, so there was time to get the WD into a loop without inconvenience to passengers