Crewlisle Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 When sorting out a cupboard last week I came across one of my spotting books in which I recorded the named locos I ‘copped’ during visits to Rugby & Peterborough & other spotting trips. I lived at Market Harborough on the Midland Main Line & started spotting in 1954. Before I started visiting these two rail centres I obviously already had quite a few Jubilees, mainly from Kentish Town, Nottingham, Sheffield & Leeds Holbeck. Also a few Scots, Patriots, Coronations & Eastern Region locos from very brief visits to the London termini when visiting London just for sightseeing with my parents. At Rugby, we always went spotting up by the Great Central Main Line ‘Birdcage’ girder bridge just south of the station for the Marylebone expresses headed by A3s, ‘Wind Cutter’ Nottinghamshire coal trains headed by 9Fs + the return empties & the daily Western loco (usually a Hall) in the afternoon which went down to Leicester & returned about 2 hours later. However, on 11th April 1957 it was a Laira King, 6004. In those days there were quite a few local trains between Rugby, Market Harborough & Peterborough so it was easy to spend a long time at either location. At Rugby we were there from about 0730 to 2030 & at Peterborough from about 0830 to 1800. Not forgetting the ‘ex gas mask’ bag, tomato sandwiches, crisps, bottle of Tizer & traditional anorak! Here are a few examples of the named locos I ‘copped’ at these locations on a specific day. There were more but I did not record them because I had seen them before. I wish I had! Hindsight is a wonderful thing. In succeeding years I made visits to Crewe + works, Derby + works, a week’s spotting holiday staying at a friend’s relative’s house in Manchester & tours of the London termini. Rail centres we dreamed of visiting but out of price range were Carlisle, York, Doncaster + works, Newcastle, South Wales, Edinburgh & Glasgow. Rugby 30/8/55: 6 Patriots, 10 Jubilees, 12 Scots, 3 Princess Royals, 3 Duchesses & 5 A3s. High light of the day was 26248 City of Leeds & 70013 Oliver Cromwell being towed to Crewe Works for repair by an ex-LNWR G2 (all three were cops!). Shortly afterwards, repairs of Eastern Region Britannias were transferred to Doncaster. Rugby 16/6/56: 5 Patriots, 8 Jubilees, 11 Scots, 1 Princess Royal, 8 Duchesses & 1 A3. Rugby 25/8/56: 5 Patriots, 9 Jubilees, 9 Scots, 1 Princess Royal & 8 Duchesses. Peterborough 14/7/56: 18 A4s, 14 A3s, 15 A1s, 8 A2s, 2 V2s, 2 B1s & 3 B17s. This was my first visit to an ECML station for train spotting. Before this date I only had two A4s or ‘Streaks’ as we called them, one A1 & two A2s. Two of my Rugby visits stand out in my mind. The first was our half term holiday in early 1956 (date unknown). One of my fellow spotters went to Rugby & came back over awed by this new diesel called the ‘Deltic’. A couple of days later myself & a friend went to Rugby. We obviously chose the wrong day as it was thick fog all day. We were in our usual spot at the ‘Birdcage’ about mid day when we heard this thunderous roar to the North of the station. Neither of us had heard anything like it before & could only see as far as the South end of the station when this big blue monster with a ‘Merseyside Express’ headboard roared into view. Neither of us had seen or heard anything like it. All diesels at that time were black & passenger steam locos green. But this blue monster was something else. We had both seen the ex-LMS twins & ex-SR mainline diesels on the WCML but they sounded like clockwork toys compared to the ‘Deltic’! The second was in late 1956 (date unknown), the Up Perth Sleeper headed by a Duchess was running late. I am sure it was going too fast in order to make up time. It was on the Up Fast on the outside of the station & to gain the Up Fast on the South side of the station had to cross three tracks. I was down by the ‘Birdcage’ & when it got there all the sleeping cars were violently rocking. I bet many of the passengers literally had a cup of tea in their bed! Happy days; can I have a Tardis for my birthday? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crewlisle Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Just had another thought about those days – the length of the trains. On the WCML a Black Five hauled 10 or 11 coaches, a Jubilee 12 coaches, a Royal Scot 14 coaches & a Princess Royal or Duchess 16 coaches. The Government could use some common sense (have any party got any when it comes to transport?) & scrap HS2, substantially increase the length of trains to increase the number of seats , lengthen the platforms, change the signalling distances to account for longer trains & minor changes to track layout. This would be a fraction of the cost of HS2 & upset a lot less people! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidw Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I regularly travel between Cheltenham and Bristol Parkway. The trains are always cramped at peak times with standing room only. Yes increase the length of the trains Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Been saying this for years. What idiot actually thought that 12 and 14 coach cross country trains could be replaced by, albeit more frequent, four coach trains? People standing? We don't care, we have your ticket money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidw Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Been saying this for years. What idiot actually thought that 12 and 14 coach cross country trains could be replaced by, albeit more frequent, four coach trains? People standing? We don't care, we have your ticket money. A politician Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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