STIFF RECORDS TOUR TRAIN 1978

[Bob Reid]

What a way to start the morning! Back then I thought Lene Lovich wasn't a bad looking bit of gear - then I realise now she's 64.  Where did it all go.........?

 

Thanks for the topic Jamie.

[jamie92208]

Melody Maker article from mickey jupp site lists the tour dates: http://www.mickeyjupp.co.uk/scrapbook_images/mm_9_9_78_org.jpg

shows they booked dingwall and wick!

 

huddersfield poly was 3rd november

 

a collage image shows the route taken: http://www.mickeyjupp.co.uk/scrapbook_images/kollage.jpg

That's a great set of archive material.   It confirms that it was November 3rd that I went to Hudderdfield after one early turn walking the streets of South Leeds..  It was interesting to me that they were due to play Huddersfield Poly that night.  I'd been a student there but didn't pass the correct set of exams so decided on a different career than that available to an potential HND chemist. 

 

Jamie

[Nobby (John)]

WOW, I had forgotten all about this.

I worked for EMI Records Licensed Repertoire Dept ( licensed labels in other words ) and Stiff was one of the labels I worked on between 1977 and 1981.

We used to have some T-Shirts which had the tag line " If it ain't Stiff it a ain't worth a f@@k". One of my colleagues got arrested for wearing indecent advertising!!!

[Bailey Gate]

Any idea why the exhibition train stock was numbered in the BR(SR) series?

The exhibition stock was converted by a company based in Bournemouth I believe.. The work was done at Wimborne station and I remember seeing it there in the mid seventies.  Wimborne finally shut for good in 1977, so Salisbury was probably nearest place that could accommodate it

 

Geoff

[stovepipe]

A really interesting thread, I remember seeing Lena Lovich on TOTP doing that strange out-of-key 'uh-oh-ee-oh' vocal thing.

 

The open coach interior shots are in the Mk1 Pullman Parlour First, presumably E321E.

 

http://urbanimage.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Stiff-Records/G00005jZtqSvoaSs/I0000ifh0HxwAYxU/C0000rdY.ZwU_gYw

 

http://urbanimage.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Stiff-Records/G00005jZtqSvoaSs/I0000Ui8QaFq0_fI/C0000rdY.ZwU_gYw

 

This looks like the train at York on the 9 November, with 40 049, heading for Warwick according to the gig guide.....

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@N07/9600130661/

Edited October 16, 2013 by stovepipe

[corneliuslundie]

The exhibition train vehicles had mostly formerly been owned by Trainex/Exhibitions on the Move. It became part of The Builder ltd, but by the time I worked for The Builder BR had taken over. I have published two articles in HMRS Journals which give some of the information. From memory the fitting out was done my another company in the group called Exhibitions on the Move.

 

There were a number of ex LMS vehicles as follows:

No                   Function      Previous no   Type    Built             Lot        Year     Conversion and notes

S38744M        Reception    M9516M         TTO    Wolverton    1909    1939     Originally (1975) M prefix     ) Ex TrainEx. Former LMS built

S38745M        Club car       -                     TTO    LMS              -           -           Originally (1975) M prefix     ) 1930-48. Renumbered into LMS

S38746M        Exhibition     -                     TTO    LMS              -           -                                                        ) number series for non-passenger

S38747M        Exhibition     -                     TTO    LMS              -           -                                                        ) carrying passenger rated stock.

S38748M        Exhibition     -                     TTO    LMS              -           -            Originally (1975) M prefix     ) Wooden frame. All withdrawn

S38749M        Exhibition     -                     TTO    LMS              -           -                                                        ) by 1983 except S38744M

S38741M        Cinema/       -                     TTO    LMS              -           -           Originally (1975) M prefix      )

                        conference                                                                                                                                                    )

S38736M        Exhibition     -                     BCK    LMS               -           -           Originally (1975) M prefix )

 

Unless more ex LMS vehicles were taken into the fleet, which is possible as i do not have any later records, the most likely vehicle is S38744M.

[corneliuslundie]

Sorry, senior moment. In 1978 any of these could have been used in the train.

The reference to a generator flat is interesting. The fleet did include one generator vehicle converted from Mk 1 BSK No M34693. I have not seen it referred to as a flat though with a Mk 1 chassis it could have been. I think a generator vehicle used on one of the overseas trains though I do not have all my records to hand at the moment (paper ones, not round black things).

[jonhall]

Just a link to tie two exhibition train threads together  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66038-one-for-the-carriage-experts/

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69613-gresley-would-not-have-been-amused/

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/115879-what-was-this-mk1-bg-used-for/

 

 

J

Edited October 15, 2016 by jonhall

[Glorious NSE]

My gut (and based on nothing more substantial i'll stress) reckons that flat isn't the BSK you mention, the fact that it carries Motorail branding suggests it was a normal motorail flat "borrowed" for the trip? 

[Mallard60022]

The exhibition stock was converted by a company based in Bournemouth I believe.. The work was done at Wimborne station and I remember seeing it there in the mid seventies.  Wimborne finally shut for good in 1977, so Salisbury was probably nearest place that could accommodate it

 

Geoff

Bloo*y heck. 40 year later I discover what the stuff was at Wimborne when I called in there in the early/mid 70s.

P

[keefer]

in post #2 i mentioned i'd discounted a mention in the january 1979 RO, as it was slightly later than the OP's target date.

 

i noticed the RO entry again (whilst looking for something else) and didn't even realise that it had vehicles listed! so this may be useful, esp. in light of corneliuslundie's post above.

 

"On 17th [November 1978] the Stiff Records Exhibition Train arrived at Margate from Oxford. This train was hauled by 47070(CF) to Kensington and by 33059(HG) from there.

The train was stabled overnight at Ramsgate and departed there at 12.36 the following day for Guildford via Canterbury West, Ashford, Orpington, Brixton, Clapham Junction(W) and East Putney, hauled by 33056(HG). The train was formed of [my bold] an unidentified Motorail flat, S38744, S38745, E321E, E13306, E14050, ADM44404."

 

Incidentally, the same article also mentions the Rovex Exhibition Train arriving at Bromley North from Salisbury Fisherton Yard at 13.42 on the 4th November, "hauled by 33112(EH) and carrying 'Hornby Early Bird Express' headboards. It departed at 21.04 the following day for Harlow Hill via Nunhead, Brixton and Kensington (Olympia), hauled by 33057(HG). The train was formed of S38748, S38736, S99610, S99608, S99601, M324, S99620."

 

EDIT: just looked up ADM44404 - this was a steam-heat boiler van, converted from coaching stock - http://www.departmentals.com/photo/44404

          M324 in the Rovex train was a dia.17 RF, many of which were converted to RB(K). There's a 1980 pic of this vehicle in a Manchester Pullman set on the Eastbank MRC's site - http://www.eastbank.org.uk/images/Coaches/UK2906.jpg

Edited March 26, 2014 by keefer

[Clive Mortimore]

A really interesting thread, I remember seeing Lena Lovich on TOTP doing that strange out-of-key 'uh-oh-ee-oh' vocal thing.

 

The open coach interior shots are in the Mk1 Pullman Parlour First, presumably E321E.

 

http://urbanimage.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Stiff-Records/G00005jZtqSvoaSs/I0000ifh0HxwAYxU/C0000rdY.ZwU_gYw

 

http://urbanimage.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Stiff-Records/G00005jZtqSvoaSs/I0000Ui8QaFq0_fI/C0000rdY.ZwU_gYw

 

This looks like the train at York on the 9 November, with 40 049, heading for Warwick according to the gig guide.....

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@N07/9600130661/

Photos of the lovely Rachel Sweet. I was invited to the after gig party when she played Essex Uni.

[jamie92208]

in post #2 i mentioned i'd discounted a mention in the january 1979 RO, as it was slightly later than the OP's target date.

 

i noticed the RO entry again (whilst looking for something else) and didn't even realise that it had vehicles listed! so this may be useful, esp. in light of corneliuslundie's post above.

 

"On 17th [November 1978] the Stiff Records Exhibition Train arrived at Margate from Oxford. This train was hauled by 47070(CF) to Kensington and by 33059(HG) from there.

The train was stabled overnight at Ramsgate and departed there at 12.36 the following day for Guildford via Canterbury West, Ashford, Orpington, Brixton, Clapham Junction(W) and East Putney, hauled by 33056(HG). The train was formed of [my bold] an unidentified Motorail flat, S38744, S38745, E321E, E13306, E14050, ADM44404."

 

Incidentally, the same article also mentions the Rovex Exhibition Train arriving at Bromley North from Salisbury Fisherton Yard at 13.42 on the 4th November, "hauled by 33112(EH) and carrying 'Hornby Early Bird Express' headboards. It departed at 21.04 the following day for Harlow Hill via Nunhead, Brixton and Kensington (Olympia), hauled by 33057(HG). The train was formed of S38748, S38736, S99610, S99608, S99601, M324, S99620."

 

EDIT: just looked up ADM44404 - this was a steam-heat boiler van, converted from coaching stock - http://www.departmentals.com/photo/44404

          M324 in the Rovex train was a dia.17 RF, many of which were converted to RB(K). There's a 1980 pic of this vehicle in a Manchester Pullman set on the Eastbank MRC's site - http://www.eastbank.org.uk/images/Coaches/UK2906.jpg

Thanks very much for that Keefer.  It all fits as it was published in January.  Lead times in publishing were longer in those pre digital days.   I went to Huddersfield in either late October or early November as I remember negotiating the house purchase in the October and then struggling to get a mortgage, hence the trip to Huddersfield to see a building society manager who had been leaned on to give me one.  I presume some string pulling by my then future father in law.   I had previously gone to my existing BS to try and take my existing mortgage with me but the Halifax said no so I withdrew all my asssets from them, all £4.16p of savings.

 

Jamie

[muddys-blues]

I am thinking of modelling this train........can Biffo do some Punk  Band sound chips for simulating rehearsals going on internally on the coaches ?????      

[jamie92208]

I am thinking of modelling this train........can Biffo do some Punk  Band sound chips for simulating rehearsals going on internally on the coaches ?????      

From what I saw that day there was very little sound comi ng from the mainly comatose figues sprawled out in the train.  Perhaps the sounds should be a bit more basic.

 

Jamie

[Peter A Hall]

Does anyone know for sure whether a similar train was used for the  1977 Stiff tour? 

 

I certainly recall seeing the 1978 train, probably at Bournemouth as I was at the gig.  I f I remember correctly Bournemouth Village was below a car park or was it a bowling alley?

[2E Sub Shed]

Bournemouth Venue was Chelsea Village.

 

See this link.

 

https://www.nickchurchill.org.uk/bournemouths-bowl-of-music-magic/ 

[Colin_McLeod]

On 15/10/2013 at 07:17, Bob Reid said:

What a way to start the morning! Back then I thought Lene Lovich wasn't a bad looking bit of gear - then I realise now she's 64.  Where did it all go.........?

 

Thanks for the topic Jamie.

 

She will be flattered.  According to Wiki she is 72! 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Lovich

[AndyH]

Jona Lewie too. I guess you’d find him in the RKB…

*gets coat 

[Oldddudders]

3 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

She will be flattered.  According to Wiki she is 72! 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Lovich

True. But he posted that in 2013......

[Colin_McLeod]

10 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

True. But he posted that in 2013......

that would make her 80 now, and look not a day over 64 lol

[alastairb]

I recall seeing it heading north through York as a teenage spotter. It was a weekday so probably the October half term ( I was too much of a swot to skive off). Yes I remember seeing lots of people 'testing their eyelids for leaks' in some tatty Mk1s.