MILEPOST 36 APRIL 2015 - Rail Perf 360.pdfTel 01202 249717 E-mail [email protected] Distance Chart Editor Ian Umpleby 314 Stainbeck Rd, Leeds, W Yorks LS7 2LR Tel 0113 266 8588

Milepost 36 -1 - April 2015

MILEPOST APRIL 2015

Class 68: First impressions – from page 62 Photo Sandy Smeaton

36

RPS

railway performance society

www.railperf.org.uk


Milepost 36 - April 2015 The Quarterly Magazine of the Railway Performance Society Honorary President: John Heaton FCILT Commitee: CHAIRMAN Frank Collins 10 Collett Way, Frome, Somerset BA11 2XR Tel: 01373 466408 e-mail [email protected] SECRETARY & VC Martin Barrett 112 Langley Drive, Norton, Malton, N Yorks, YO17 9AB (and meetings) Tel: 01653 694937 Email: [email protected] TREASURER Peter Smith 28 Downsview Ave, Storrington, W Sussex, RH20 (and membership) 4PS. Tel 01903 742684 e-mail: [email protected] EDITOR David Ashley 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10

8RW. Tel 01895 675178 E-mail: [email protected] Fastest Times Editor David Sage 93 Salisbury Rd, Burton, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23,

7JR. Tel 01202 249717 E-mail [email protected] Distance Chart Editor Ian Umpleby 314 Stainbeck Rd, Leeds, W Yorks LS7 2LR Tel 0113 266 8588 Email: [email protected] Database/Archivist Lee Allsopp 2 Gainsborough, North Lake, Bracknell, RG12 7WL Tel 01344 648644 e-mail [email protected] Technical Officer David Hobbs 11 Lynton Terrace, Acton, London W3 9DX Tel 020 8993 3788 e-mail [email protected]

David Stannard 26 Broomfield Close, Chelford, Macclesfield, Cheshire,SK11 9SL. Tel 01625 861172 e mail: [email protected]

Steam Specialist Michael Rowe Burley Cottage, Parson St., Porlock,Minehead, Somerset, TA24 8QJ . Tel 01643 862182 E-mail: [email protected]

Committee member: Michael Bruce, 234A Otley Rd., West Park, Leeds LS16 5AB Tel 0113 305 0367 E-mail: [email protected]

Richard Howlett, 93 Newbury Gardens, Stoneleigh, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 0NY Tel: 020 8394 0340 E-mail: [email protected]

Non-committee official:- Fastest times Martin Robertson 23 Brownside Rd, Cambuslang, Glasgow, G72 0NL

NEW e-mail: [email protected]

Directors of The Rail Performance Data Foundation: RPS nominees: Frank Collins, Peter Smith, Martin Barrett Trustees: Frank Price, John Rishton

CONTENTS Notices 2 Glasgow Roundabout Martin Robertson 10 Classes 150,170 and 172 on Lickey David Adams 14 Fastest Times Martin Robertson 18 More from the Attic – ECML in 1978 David Lloyd Roberts 26 Southern Region diversions Nigel Jordan 30 Moguls on West Somerset Railway Michael Rowe 34 British Railways in transition – part two Andrew James 37 Now and then to Barnstaple Malcolm Simister 43 Tauern Line Bill Long 47 Black elephants in Portland, Maine Ben Stone 55 Letters 58 News: 100mph scheduled services Jeremy Hartill 61 Class 68 first impressions David Adams 62 Sandy Smeaton 63 Norwich in 80? 67 Old trains on new routes John Rishton 67 David Adams 68 Ultimate eco-driving Sandy Smeaton 69 Network developments 70 Enclosures (where subscribed): Table 90 Distance chart, AGM papers

mailto:[email protected]









Copyright The Railway Performance Society Ltd, registered in England & Wales No. 04488089 Use of the material in the magazine is permitted only for the private purposes of the reader No material in the magazine can otherwise be used for publication or reproduction in any form without the express permission of the Society The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the RPS, the Editors or any of their advisers. Whilst efforts are made to ensure accuracy, the Editor his advisers and the RPS accept no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies howsoever caused. Readers are asked to note that the RPS encourages contributions from all members, and articles may appear that are interesting in content, but occasionally may not be to the standard of the rest of the publication. Material sent to the Editors, whether commissioned or freely submitted is provided entirely at the contributors own risk; neither the Editor nor the RPS can be held responsible for any loss or damage howsoever caused. Published by The Railway Performance Society Limited, 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW Printed by Prontaprint Harrow, 7 Central Parade, Station Rd., Harrow, Middx, HA1 2TW.

PUBLICATION OF MILEPOST

Milepost is published in April, July, October, and January. If you have not received your copy by the end of the month of publication it may have gone astray. Requests for replacements of missing or defective copies should be directed please to the Editor. REPRESENTING THE SOCIETY The RPS is always keen to be represented at special media-type occasions. However, we do ask that anyone wishing to do this should do so with the express agreement of the Committee. Should the opportunity arise for any member or in exceptional circumstances, friend of a member, to do this please can contact be made with the Secretary (either by telephone or e-mail) setting out the circumstances of the occasion. Please give us at least one week in advance of the occasion. SUBMITTING ARTICLES Submissions may be sent as attachments to an email or by post as documents on a CD or diskette or as a printed document. If sending a diskette or CD, please enclose a hard copy of the article; this helps if file(s) are unreadable for any reason. Please send all submissions to the editor whose contact details are in the inside front cover of Milepost. The editor will normally acknowledge email submissions within a few days, and always within 3 weeks. If sending by post and you wish to have a receipt, please enclose an SAE for reply. If you wish any material/CD/diskette to be returned, please clearly state this. Milepost 23¾ gave detailed guidelines for submissions. The editor is happy to supply these, on request by email or by post. Please note that page margins are critical: one inch or 2.54cm top, bottom, left and right.

FASTEST TIMES We are pleased to announce that Martin Robertson has agreed to take responsibility for the processing of UK fastest times. This will significantly simplify the arrangements for the collection of the data. In future, can you please send all new fastest time claims to [email protected] with all the necessary detail, together with a log, if appropriate?, or contact him at the address on the inside cover of the magazine

HISTORIC FASTEST TIMES If you have any items to offer please contact me by email at either [email protected] or [email protected], or by post to Bevan Price, 24 Walmesley Road, Eccleston, St. Helens, Lancs., WA10 5JT. SALES ITEMS

Back Numbers: Certain back issues of Milepost, from Milepost 6 onwards, can be supplied at a price of £2.50 each including postage. Supplies are extremely limited and once sold they will not be reprinted. Details of issues available will be supplied on request.





Milepost is available in the British Library; the Bodleian Library, Oxford; the University Library, Cambridge; The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh; The Library of Trinity College, Dublin, the National Library of Wales, the National Railway Museum and the Railway Studies Library at Newton Abbot Library, and on the RPS web-site. Where a requested edition is out of print the member will be provided with a letter of authority from the Society (as copyright holder) to enable a complete copy to be taken from any of the Library copies.

Indices for volumes 7, 8, 10, 12 to 19 and 21 are available and will be supplied free of charge on receipt of an A5 size stamped addressed envelope.

Orders for all above sales items please to Peter Smith. All prices include postage. Please enclose the correct remittance with your order and allow 28 days for delivery.

THE MEETINGS SECTION

SATURDAY 16TH

MAY 2015

THURSDAY 28TH

MAY 2015

THURSDAY 25TH

JUNE 2015

TUESDAY 21ST

JULY 2015

Railway Institute, YORK

The Royal Oak, Borough, LONDON

The Beaufort Arms BRISTOL PARKWAY

The Grove Inn, LEEDS

1200 for 1215 1645 1645 1700

Annual General Meeting Followed by Steam Seminar – see below

Area Meeting Area Meeting Area Meeting

AFTER THE 2015 AGM. "Is there a future for stem propulsion in the UK ? Does it matter to the RPS." There will be another Steam Seminar after the formal AGM Proceedings at York. Come along, have your say, enjoy the 'crack' The format will be; a short introductory overview of the current operating steam locomotives within the UK. John Heaton will then outline perceived threats and challenges to continuing steam operation on the Main Line. Michael Rowe will follow, covering similar ground for the Preserved Railways. Yes the issues are different for the two sectors. Then it's over to the audience, there will be plenty of time for questions and discussion. Friday 17

th July and Saturday 18

th July Mass Timing Days – St Pancras to Leicester – see separate notice

DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUES

LONDON – The Royal Oak, 44 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU. From Borough tube station, turn left and at first road junction turn right into Great Dover Street and the almost immediately left into Long Lane. Tabard Street is a few yards on the right (5 minutes walk). OR from London Bridge walk down approach road and turn left into Borough High Street, Turn left by Southwark Local Studies Library, with St Georges Church on right, into Tabard Street. Cross Long Lane and continue down Tabard Street with Royal Oak on right (just over 10 minutes). Please let Richard Howlett know if you are coming on 020 8394 0340 or [email protected]

LEEDS – THE GROVE INN, Back Row (off Neville Street), Leeds The Grove Inn is around 400 yards south of Leeds City station (under10 minutes walk). From the south concourse at Leeds City station go past M & S Simply Food, cross the road and into a circular building, go down the steps and turn sharp right at the bottom, continue under the railway on Neville Street, past the Hilton Hotel, over the river, cross Water Lane, next on the right is a large new office complex called Bridgewater Place with Starbucks and a Tesco Express, turn immediately right after Bridgewater Place into Back Lane and The Grove Inn is on the right (an old building surrounded by modern office blocks). It is highly visible from Neville Street at this point). If you are going to attend this meeting, it would help if you can let Chris Taylor know on 07941 315846 or



[email protected] BRISTOL PARKWAY - THE BEAUFORT ARMS Members should leave Parkway station along the approach road, passing the bus stops and, at the mini-roundabout where the station approach joins Hatchet Road, turn right. Walk 100 yards and at the next mini-roundabout, turn right again. You are now walking along North Road. Meetings are held at The Beaufort Arms, BS34 8PB, which is on the left side of North Road after a further 50 yards. Meetings start at 16:45 and conclude around 19:15. The Beaufort Arms is open all day and food is served at all times. You can order and eat during the meeting should you wish. Further information is available from John Rishton on 07804 418896 or [email protected] YORK – THE RAILWAY INSTITUTE (room on ground floor as you come in) Come out of the railway station and turn right. York RI is accessed from the road bridge after about 50 metres by descending the steps to the entrance under the footbridge.

FREE SOCIETY MEETINGS All society meetings are free of charge to Members attending; i.e. no contribution will be asked towards the hire of rooms. The committee wishes to encourage Members to come along to meetings, talk to other train timers and share information and experiences of traction performance. The Society has a digital projector and if any member would like to give a short presentation at a society meeting using this projector (or without if they prefer), or if anyone has any topics for discussion at meetings please contact the Meetings Organiser.

BRISTOL MEETING FEBRUARY 26

th 2015 – John Rishton

Our first visit to the Beaufort Arms following refurbishment was attended by eleven members. Although well executed, the new internal layout was found to be inferior for our needs than that previously existing. A vote did however confirm we would continue using the venue. Ever diverse, we started with a log of a run from The Cross to Grantham behind class C1 4-4-2 number 286 in 1910. Driver Peel of Grantham completed the run with a trailing load of 165 tons in 110 minutes and 41 seconds with much running in the high 60’s and low 70’s. Following, was a description of the route and services between Cheltenham and Swindon, comparing today’s offer with the previously singled section north of Kemble. Who needs DAS came next, using a perfectly executed run from Birmingham to Euston as an example – where the xx30 departure usually catches up the LM 110 mph timed fast line service whilst the latter calls at Milton Keynes. In this example the Virgin driver judged the class 350 perfectly and almost avoided any braking whilst it pulled away from Milton Keynes just 1.75 minutes ahead of us. We then compared a class 68 run with class 67’s on Chiltern; very promising it was too! Re-opening the Tavistock – Okehampton route was again on the agenda and the formal presentations then concluded with a selection of runs on the Hythe Pier Railway. A fascinating short line, nearly all runs in good weather take a fraction under 3.5 minutes but a strong wind can add or reduce transit time by up to 14%, surely a record? We then continued discussions in smaller groups until it was time to wind up the evening. Do try and come along to our next meeting, 25

th June 2015, at the Beaufort Arms.

LEEDS MEETING MARCH 17th 2015 - Ian Umpleby The regular meeting point, the Grove Inn, was under threat of closure a couple of weeks earlier when the landlord quit, but all was back to normal by the meeting day with a new landlord recruited by the owners, The nine attendees were given an update on the work to maximise the efficiency of the WCML Class 221 fleet, five of whom have received modifications to reduce engine output which will hopefully reduce running costs with minimal time penalty; recent work is thought to have reduced fuel costs by about 5%. There was a discussion about how performance was affected in the real world and if it was possible to analyse the results properly due to a lack of realtime train monitoring, which their more modern sister Meridian units have, A comparison of three Class 221 Edinburgh - Birmingham - Euston runs with 3 and a half, four and five engines active was most illuminating with all arriving 1 minute late. The first example was the only one needing the 13 and a half minute dwell time




at Wolverhampton to get back "on track". The other main discussion was on the recent Joint Line diversions between Peterborough and Doncaster, the first time since the line's speed upgrade. Freight train performance seemed good with 1¾ hours taken from Werrington J to Bessacar J, but passenger train performance was variable varying from a stunning 88½ minutes for the 91 miles from Peterborough to Doncaster to just over 1½ hours for unchecked services - an acceptable loss of around 45mins on the direct route. It was concluded that the timetabling of the services could have been better. A report on a recent RSA talk advised that despite all the technology available all delay minutes were not being recorded and that the situation is not improving. The merits of driver-only door operation were discussed and then the subject of traction knowledge was introduced in relation to the small-scale introduction of class 319 units between Liverpool and Manchester due to Liverpool drivers being the only ones so far trained. Distance Chart Editor’s Report Firstly, apologies for Table 90 being missing from the January Milepost printed charts after being “lost” electronically en route to the printer; it should be enclosed with this issue. With all Network Rail lines now covered attention has been paid to those charts in good shape but largely untouched since my tenure began. Tables 21 (Cheshunt via Turkey Street/Enfield Town), 22c (Hertford East/Stratford-Tottenham), 34c (Barnsley-Huddersfield) and 44b (Darlington-Saltburn/Bishop Auckland) have brought up so many alterations that they have been treated as new issues. Tables 20 (Chingford) and 189 (Victoria – Hastings) are the only other charts with more than a few amendments and all charts up to Table 78 (exc.) are now fully up to date. Spot heights are now being added from a variety of sources but can only be regarded as approximate to the nearest 10 feet in undulating territory. Gradient information continues to come in and, as an experiment, official profiles are being inserted as “tabs” in the web site charts when not available in commercial publications. A three week break in internet access prompted a start to the compilation of Heritage Railway and Swiss main line charts but not enough have yet been produced to start web site sections and the Historic Line Charts have been delayed due to time issues. I hope to update the Northern Ireland charts shortly. The ever changing face of our railways continues to be covered on the web site supplemented by information sent directly to your Editor for which you have my thanks. Ian Umpleby

THE RAIL PERFORMANCE DATA FOUNDATION Item 6 of the 2013 Society AGM proposed the following motion:- “The Committee are hereby authorised to establish at the expense of the Society a Trust to own the Society’s archives of The Train Performance Data to register that Trust with the Charity Commission and HM Revenue & Customs as a Charity if appropriate and to transfer to the Trust the said archives together with a sum of up to £8,000 from the Society’s reserves” The motion was carried and the The Rail Performance Data Foundation was formally incorporated at Companies House on 9

th December 2013 as a Company with Charitable objects specifically to own

and manage the RPS Archive going forwards. More background can be found on page 2 of the 2013 Annual Report, circulated in May 2014 along with the 2014 AGM papers; also available on the Society website. The initial appointees nominated by the Society to the Board of the Foundation are Frank Collins, Peter Smith and Martin Barrett, who in turn are required to elect up to three further Trustees. Currently there are two, Frank Price and John Rishton. Trustee appointments retire, in turn, over three years after which they may seek re-election. HMRC have now confirmed registration of the Foundation with Charitable status for Tax purposes, giving exemption from Tax and the ability to reclaim tax under the Gift Aid scheme. The inaugural meeting of the Foundation was held on 15

th November 2014 and agreed its Strategic Objectives:


Vision Mission

To make RPDF the most comprehensive archive of railway performance data in the world. To have ownership of archive material and preserve it for future generations and make it available to ALL persons

To encourage all RPS members to donate or lend their logs for inclusion in the archive. To seek out logs from non-members which have not been donated for inclusion in the archive. To preserve and publicise the data held by the Foundation and encourage its use for education and research purposes.

Access charges to the data base for non RPS members will be set at £15 for three months unlimited use and this will be available from April 2015 when the Foundation will be launched. Members will continue to access the database through the RPS website but access for non-members will be through the new domain name of the Foundation, www.railperformancedata.org.uk The initial roll out will be low key but will include a press release, an item on the Society website, liaison with other appropriate Societies and hopefully, a short article in an enthusiast Magazine. The next meeting of the Foundation Trustees will be held in London on 25

th July 2015 and there will

generally be around two meetings each year. The AGM’s of both the Society and the Foundation will be held together. If you would be interested in contributing to the running of this exciting project or have any suggestions to make please contact one of the Trustees. All donations of material and funds to the Foundation whether from Society members or otherwise will be hugely appreciated. John Rishton

MARTIN TASKER MEMORIAL LIBRARY – Lee Allsopp The Society holds a large number of books (~170) containing articles on performance, or containing information of use to Society Members. Full details of the books held are contained in past issues of Milepost. The books are available for borrowing by contacting me by letter, phone or E-Mail. The borrower will be responsible for postage in both directions. It will be possible in many cases for arrangements to be made to pass books on at Society Meetings to avoid postage costs in one direction at least. The length of the loan can be flexible by agreement. The Society will be happy to receive donations to the Library. Items should be related to Railway Performance (no Magazine Collections please). Again please contact me regarding this. New items received into the Library will be notified in updates published in Milepost. The entire contents of the library will are listed on the Society Website. RPS ARCHIVES – LATEST UPDATES – Lee Allsopp The RPS Archive consists of material collected over the years from submissions and donations of material and collections by members. We are also indebted to the Steam Railway Research Society (SRRS), and the Stephenson Locomotive Society (SLS) for giving us the opportunity to scan some of their material for inclusion in our archive. The following is a short summary of the material that is has been added to the Archive on our Website since the last issue of Milepost. The Website is generally updated on a monthly basis, normally the first Sunday in the month. It you haven’t had a look yet, then please give it a try!

Latest material from Lee Allsopp

Latest runs from Ian Umpleby.

David Adams logs from the 4th Quarter of 2014

Milepost 35½

Fastest times from January to March 2015

http://www.railperformancedata.org.uk/


Latest runs from Bob Jennings

Latest from David Sage

Latest from Richard Neville-Carlé

Logs from John Rishton to go with his Fastest Times entries

More from Bevan Price, including recent runs from the past few years.

24 more books from David Lloyd-Roberts covering commuting from Tunbridge Wells to London along with a wide variety of other material through the years

Scanned images from John Heaton’s notebooks to go with logs already in the database

More from Philip Tromans covering a wide variety of routes within the UK and some runs in France

14 more books from a collection by John Wrottesley covering 1959 to 1968

5 more notebooks from S A W Harvey covering mainly Southern Steam on the South Eastern from 1937 to 1938.

25 more folders of material from Paul Ritchie covering a wide variety of steam railtours and running in the West Country from 1982 to 2003

More Steam runs from Sandy Smeaton from the 1960s

5 more Books from Frank Collins covering Sept 2012 to Oct 2013

2 folders of logs from Ben Stone covering 2010 to 2013

Mass Timing Day 2014

A number of logs from Michael Burrow

Details of Alan Varley’s UK and French running from 2013/2014

Scanned images of 18 of Alan Varley’s notebooks to go with the details already in the database

RPS ARCHIVES – Coming soon! Thanks go to two of our members, Kevin Daniel and Frank Waterland who are continuing to scan some of the vast amount of material that goes into the archive. The following is a taster of material that will appear in the archive, as it is scanned and processed, together with topical material received from a number of members.

David Lloyd-Roberts has made his vast amount of material available to the society. These will be scanned and added to the archive over the coming months. Data from 95 books has been entered so far.

More from Bevan Price’s notebooks, covering a vast amount of travel over many years.

As mentioned above, a collection of books from John Wrottesley have been scanned and are being entered into the archive.

Again mentioned above, 78 books from S A W Harvey have been lent to the society. These are being scanned and will appear in the archive over the next few months. 28 books have been entered so far

More material from Paul Ritchie will be entered over the next few months

Non-member Dr Adrian Sumner contacted the RPS and donated his collection of logs from 1954 to 2010. These will shortly be scanned and entered into the archive.

David Ashley has lent a couple of folders of logs to be scanned and entered into the archive. NEED MATERIAL FOR ARTICLES? Lee Allsopp Do you feel that you could write an article for Milepost if only you had access to material to do so? Just want some information to satisfy an idle curiosity? Even if you don’t have access to the Society Archives on the website, you can still get information and logs for that article or whatever by contacting me direct by either E-Mail, phone or letter. Just ask me the question and I’ll see what we can come up with! PROVISION OF CURRENT MATERIAL FOR RPS ARCHIVE – Lee Allsopp With many members now being connected by Broadband, we are now in a position where we can receive contributions via E-Mail of current material from as many members as wish to contribute. A member could record a log one day and send it to me immediately for inclusion in the database and


archive. Would any member who wishes to participate in this, please contact me by E-Mail for further details. I can accept material in a number of formats, Word, Excel, Acrobat pdf files and scanned images of hand written material (eg notebooks). For scanned images we find that scanning at 150 dpi gives perfectly acceptable results, while producing files of a reasonable size (200KB-1MB depending on size of paper, density of printing etc)

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Members are reminded that subscriptions are now overdue. If you haven’t already done so, could you please renew as soon as possible

MASS TIMING DAYS 2015 You will have seen reference, the the January magazine, to the possibility of a repeat East Midlands Trains Mass Timing Day in 2015 We are pleased to announce that the proposals for a two-day Mass Timing event have been agreed. Arrangements have still to be finalised, but the dates will be Friday 17

th July and Saturday 18

th July.

EMT have agreed to supply first class travel for both days between St. Pancras and Leicester/Corby, with an extension for those who can use EMT services to access their trains at Leicester (routes to/from Liverpool, Leeds and Norwich). For those with internet access, we hope to use a section on the RPS website to post all the documentation necessary for the event. The rosters for the two days have already been posted and will be updated regularly (There are 16 on each day. We don’t expect major amendments following the May timetable change). The log templates will be added later. We plan to use the same timing points that we used in 2014. The deadline for submitting logs is Monday 10

th August. In 2014, we had problems collecting all the

logs by the requested date. If you will be unable to meet this deadline, please do not participate, as the Society’s credibility depends upon meeting the timescales. If you have doubts about meeting the deadline, please explain the reasons to us at the outset, and before choosing a roster. If you are able to participate on one or both days, please contact David Ashley (details on inside

cover of magazine or [email protected]) with your preferred roster and the start and finish times – we

don’t expect recorders to cover the itineraries in their entirety, so they don’t necessarily start and finish at the same station. Please also let us know if you will require an EMT pass. If you would like to contribute to the MTDs, but are unable to participate, we are looking for online observers who could examine open rail data on the days of the MTD and the days immediately following. If you have time to assist and will have access to the internet at this time please contact

[email protected]

We hope that further exposure to TOCs will improve the profile of the RPS, and trust that you will give it your support.

Milepost 35¾ Apologies to readers for the confusion caused when the printer folded the pages incorrectly, resulting in pages presented in the wrong order




GLASGOW ROUNDABOUT TRAVELS Martin Robertson Glasgow has one of the largest suburban rail networks within the country on which two day tickets allow travel over a large part of the network. The Roundabout ticket currently costs £6.30 and allows travel to 110 rail stations from Dumbarton, Milngavie to Cumbernauld, Caldercruix and Croy on the north side of the Clyde and from Paisley to Holytown, Motherwell, East Kilbride and Neilston and Barrhead on the south side of the Clyde. The Daytripper ticket costs £11.20 and allows travel to Barrhill, New Cummnock and all of the Clyde Coast resorts to the south and west of Glasgow, Ardlui to the north, and Cumbernauld, Shotts and Carstairs to the east. Both tickets represent excellent value for money if one wishes to record some of the secondary services within the Scotrail network. This article looks at services covered by the Roundabout ticket, concentrating on the services south and east of Glasgow Central. The principal services are the Glasgow to Edinburgh services via the Shotts line, to Belshill and the suburban electric services from Argyle Street to Blantyre and Bellshill.

Table 1

Run 1 2 3

Date Tu 24-Dec-13 Tu 31-Dec-13 Sat 01-Nov-08

Train 1418 Glas-Edin 1018 Glas-Edin 0814 Glas-Edin

Loco 156446 156501 156430/31

Load 2,71/76 2,71/72 4,142/143

Pos/GPS 1/2 Y 1/2 Y 1/4 Y

miles m ch Location m s mph ave m s mph ave m s mph ave

0.00 102 25 Glasgow C'l d (P 4) 0 00.0

0 00.0

0.55 101 61 Bridge St 2 15.5 23* 14.6 2 29.5 17* 13.2

0.94 101 30 Eglington St 3 01.0 24* 30.9 3 22.5 26* 26.5

1.39 100 74 Cathcart Rd Ob 3 55.5 39/29rbt 29.7 4 14.5 39/29rbt 31.2

2.01 100 24 Polmadie 4 57.5 44 36.0 5 13.4 47 37.9

3.12 99 15 Rutherglen 6 13.5 61 52.6 6 25.0 65 55.8

3.92 98 31 Rutherglen E J Ub 6 58.0 67.5 64.7 7 08.5 69 66.2

5.02 97 23 Cambuslang 7 56.5 68 67.7 8 05.0 70 70.1

5.56 96 60 Main St Ob 8 24.0 69 70.7 8 32.0 71 72.0

6.10 96 17 Newton W Jn Ob 8 51.5 70 70.7 8 59.0 72 72.0

6.61 95 56 Newton 9 17.5 75 70.6 9 25.0 75 70.6

6.99 95 26 Newton E Jn Ob 9 37.5 76 68.4 9 45.0 71 68.4

7.76 94 44 Und/Br 10 15.0 66br 73.9 10 25.0 57br 69.3

8.49 93 66 Uddingtson a 11 32.0

34.1 11 51.0 30.6

0.00 (-0 16) d 0 00.0

0 00.0

0.24 0 03 Uddingston Jn RR 0 50.0 32 17.3

0 42.0 36 20.6

0.86 0 53 Blue Circle Jn 1 45.5 40.5 40.2

1 35.5 43 41.7

1.12 0 74 Und Br

1 57.0 44 43.5

1.89 1 55 Over Br 3 15.0 42.5 41.4

2 58.0 48 45.4

2.47 2 22 Bellshill a 4 21.0

31.6

4 01.0

33.1

Table 1 has three runs on the stopping trains of the Glasgow-Edinburgh services. These now run fast to Uddingston before becoming an all stations service to Edinburgh. The services are generally worked by single Class 156 units, although pairs of units appear on some services. Run 1 was a competent effort from the driver of 156446. A reasonable exit


from Glasgow and a better approach to Uddingston, overcame the poorer mechanical condition of the unit. Run 2 had 156501 with a more cautious driver, being twenty seconds down on Run 1 by Eglington St. However better acceleration from the rbt, gradually clawed the deficit back to eight seconds at Newton E Jn, but earlier braking and a slower approach into Uddingston, lost virtually all of the gain. Run 3 was from several years ago and is my best time from Uddinston to Bellshill, and is my best time with Class 156 traction. Much of the section rises at a gradient of 1 in 60 which is quite taxing for a single unit with no momentum. The pair of units were in excellent fettle and stormed up the bank, still accelerating before braking for the Bellshill stop. Table 2 has two runs from Glasgow to Bellshill on the semi-fast services, which run non-stop to Bellshill. Run 4 had the same pair of Class 156 units as Run 3 and I noted that their acceleration was excellent, not something that one generally associates with Class 156 units. The rbt after Cathcart Road was rather severe, more akin to an emergency brake application, but the recovery in speed was excellent. The driver in Run 5 omitted the rbt and as a consequence was thirty seconds ahead of Run 4 by Rutherglen, despite the slower time to Eglington St. Both runs achieved 75 mph or better at Newton after topping the initial climb. All services for the Shotts line appear to receive a double yellow signal at Newton E Jn, which is generally only given token observance. Both drivers were below the permitted 65 mph through Uddingston Jn, following which speed gradually tailed off as the gravity took its toll. The schedule is probably fourteen and a half minutes, which was achieved by both runs.

Table 2

Run 4 5

Date Tu 24-Dec-13 Tu 31-Dec-13

Train 1505 Glasgow-Edin xx05 Glasgow-Edin

Loco 156430/431 156xxx

Load 4,142/144 2,71/73

Pos/GPS 2/4 Y 1/2 Y

miles m ch Location m s mph ave m s mph ave

0.00 102 25 Glasgow C'l d (P 4) 0 00.0

0 00.0

0.55 101 61 Bridge St 2 25.5 17* 13.6 2 29.0 18* 13.3

0.94 101 30 Eglington St 3 12.5 24* 29.9 3 18.0 26* 28.7

1.39 100 74 Cathcart Rd Ob 4 14.0 33/23rbt 26.3 4 15.0 36 28.4

2.01 100 24 Polmadie 5 24.0 42 31.9 5 05.5 51 44.2

3.12 99 15 Rutherglen 6 39.5 64/70 52.9 6 11.5 68/70 60.5

3.92 98 31 Rutherglen E J Ub 7 22.0 66e'd 67.8 6 52.5 67e'd 70.2

5.02 97 23 Cambuslang 8 22.0 69 66.0 7 51.0 70 67.7

5.56 96 60 Main St Ob 8 49.0 72 72.0 8 18.0 71 72.0

6.10 96 17 Newton W Jn Ob 9 15.5 74/77 73.4 8 44.5 72 73.4

6.61 95 56 Newton 9 40.0 74br 74.9 9 10.0 75 72.0

6.99 95 26 Newton E Jn Ob 10 01.0 sc 69 d/y 65.1 9 30.5 sc 69 d/y 66.7

7.76 94 44 Und/Br 10 40.5 69 70.2 10 10.5 68 69.3

8.49 93 66 Uddingtson 11 20.0 59.5 66.5 10 49.0 61 68.3

8.70 0 03 Uddingston Jn RR 11 37.5 60 43.2 11 06.5 62 43.2

9.31 0 52 Blue Circle Jn 12 12.0 60.5 63.7 11 41.0 59.5 63.7

9.58 0 74 Und Br 12 29.0 59.5 57.2 11 58.0 59 57.2

10.36 1 55 Over Br 13 14.5 58 61.7 12 44.5 58.5 60.4

10.96 2 22 Bellshill a 14 26.0

30.2 13 49.0

33.5

Table 3 has two runs on the all stations services. The semi-fast services have severe pathing difficulties after Bellshill, with a 20-23 minute schedule to allow for a stop at Uddingston Jn for the xx40 Glasgow-Euston service, and a stop at Newton to allow the xx37 Larkhall to Dalmuir EMU to run ahead. The stopping services which leave Bellshill at xx37


will often suffer checks from the xx53 Lanark-Milngavie service which stops at Cambuslang at xx44 and has to leave the main line at Rutherglen.

Table 3

Run 6 7

Date Tu 24-Dec-13 Tu 31-Dec-13

Train 1426 Edin-Glasgow 1326 Edin-Glasgow

Loco 156446 156509

Load 2,71/72 2,71/73

Pos/GPS 1/2 Y 2/2 Y


0.00 2 22 Bellshill d 0 00.0 0 00.0

0.59 1 55 Over Br 1 06.5 55/62 31.9 1 05.5 55 32.4

1.35 0 74 Und Br 1 52.5 63 59.5 1 49.5 64 62.2

1.61 0 53 Blue Circle Jn 2 07.5 64 62.4 2 04.5 63 62.4

2.24 0 03 Uddingston Jn RR 2 43.0 44br 63.9 2 47.5 41br 52.7

2.47 (-0 16) Uddingston a 3 23.0

20.7 3 34.0

17.8

0.00 93 66 d 0 00.0

0 00.0

0.72 94 44 Und Br 1 19.0 48 32.8 1 18.0 50 33.2

1.50 95 26 Newton E Jn Ob 2 12.0 55 53.0 2 10.0 56.5 54.0

1.87 95 56 Newton 2 37.0 61 53.3 2 34.5 63 54.4

2.39 96 17 Newton W Jn Ob 3 07.0 64 62.4 3 03.5 67 64.6

2.92 96 60 Main St Ob 3 41.0 51sc 56.1 3 30.0 73 72.0

3.46 97 23 Cambuslang 4 19.0 49/18sc 51.2 3 57.0 72 72.0

4.56 98 31 Rutherglen E Jn Ub 6 22.0 44 32.2 4 52.0 73 72.0

5.36 99 15 Rutherglen 7 16.5 60 52.8 5 30.5 72 74.8

6.47 100 24 Polmadie 8 18.5 69 64.5 6 26.5 68br 71.4

7.10 100 74 Cathart Rd Ob 9 04.0 35br 49.8 7 12.5 34 49.3

7.55 101 30 Eglington St Ob 10 02.0 25* 27.9 8 15.0 19* 25.9

7.94 101 61 Bridge St 10 50.0 20* 29.3 9 13.5 15* 24.0

8.49 102 25 Glasgow C'l a P4 13 42.0 11.5 12 12.0 11.1

Run 6 was a fairly typical effort with signal checks approaching Cambuslang from the ex-Lanark service. The driver accelerated the Class 156 to 69 mph by Polmadie before easing for the restrictions after Cathcart Road. Run 7 had the luxury of a clear road with the driver not unduly pressing the unit after reaching the low seventies. There was a much slower entry into Glasgow Central for Run 7, but was still comfortably on time. Table 4 has runs with the suburban electric services in both directions. The suburban services are worked by a combination of the Class 318, 320 and 334 units. The Class 318 and 320 units if pressed can easily achieve 80-plus mph on the Cambuslang to Uddingston section and both make light work of the 1 in 60 gradients to Bellshill. The line limit from Cambuslang to Newton W Jn is 80 mph with 90 mph thereafter on the main line and 65 mph after Uddingston Jn. Table 5 has runs in both directions between Argyle Street and Blantyre. From Argyle Street the line runs in tunnel until climbing out of the cutting after Dalmarnock. Speed limits are low, 40 mph or less. Rutherglen East Jn is treated with respect by most drivers as the track foundation appears to be a bit soft at the points. At Newton West Jn the speed over the turn out points has recently been raised to 70 mph, but this soon reduces to 40 mph through Newton station, with 60 mph permitted thereafter. Newton West Jn is now fully operational for traffic in both directions following the removal of the section of bi-directional track between the junction and Newton station. Drivers do appear reluctant to join the main line at the permitted 70 mph when heading into Glasgow. The runs shown are typical with the schedules not requiring anything special. My best Blantyre to Rutherglen time is 7m 23s with a Class 318 unit and 81 mph after Cambuslang.


A second article will look at services on the north side of the River Clyde.

Table 4

Run 8 9

Date Sat 19-Oct-13 Fr 27-Dec-13

Train 0723 Dalmuir-Lanark 0823 Dalmuir-Lanark

Loco 320319/320 320318

Load 6,220/222 3,110/111


5.02 97 23 Cambuslang 0 00.0 0 00.0

5.56 96 60 Main St Ob 0 55.5 61 35.0 0 58.5 60 33.2

6.05 96 21 Newton W Jn Ob 1 25.0 66e'd 59.8 1 27.5 65e'd 60.8

6.61 95 56 Newton 1 51.5 77 76.1 1 54.0 76 76.1

6.99 95 26 Newton E Jn Ob 2 10.0 78 73.9 2 12.5 81 73.9

7.76 94 44 Und/Br 2 44.5 66e'd 80.3 2 47.0 78 80.3

8.49 93 66 Uddingtson a 4 00.0 (v.s.e) 34.8 3 55.0

38.6

0.00 (-0 16) d 0 00.0

0 00.0

0.24 0 03 Uddingston Jn RR 0 38.5 50 22.4 0 41.0 49 21.1

0.86 0 53 Blue Circle Jn 1 14.5 65 62.0 1 20.5 55e'd 56.5

1.12 0 74 Und Br

62/67 1 39.0 54 50.6

1.89 1 55 Over Br 2 12.0 64 64.5 2 24.5 60 60.9

2.47 2 22 Bellshill a 3 18.0 31.6 3 27.0 33.4

Run 10 11

Date Sat 19-Oct-13 Sat 31-Dec-13

Train 1723 Lanark-Dalmuir 1118 Motherwell-Dalmuir

Loco 320309 318358

Load 3,114/119 3,114/116

0.00 2 22 Bellshill d 0 00.0 0 00.0

0.59 1 55 Over Br 1 05.5 61 32.4 0 55.5 61 38.3

1.35 0 74 Und Br

1 40.0 63 61.5

1.61 0 53 Blue Circle Jn 2 05.0 63 61.7 1 59.0 63/65 49.3

2.24 0 03 Uddingston Jn RR 2 40.0 39br 64.8 2 32.5 38br 67.7

2.47 (-0 16) Uddingston a 3 22.0

19.7 3 13.0

20.4

0.00 93 66 d 0 00.0

44.0 0 00.0

46.1

0.72 94 44 Und Br

0 58.5 67 44.3

1.50 95 26 Newton E Jn Ob 1 40.5 73 53.7 1 36.5 75 73.9

1.87 95 56 Newton 1 58.0 82 76.1 1 53.5 80 78.4

2.44 96 21 Newton W Jn Ob 2 24.0 70 78.9 2 19.0 79 80.5

2.92 96 60 Main St Ob 2 52.5 61br 60.6 2 44.0 65 69.1

3.46 97 23 Cambuslang 4 00.0 28.8 3 41.0 34.1

.

Table 5

Run 12 13

Date Sat 19-May-13 Tue 24-Dec-2013

Train 1401 Dalmuir-Larkhall 1501 Dalmuir Larkhall

Loco 334028 320302

Load 3,122/125 3,114/117

miles m c Location m s mph ave m s mph ave

0 2 60 Argyle St d 0 00

0 00

Signal

1 23

0.86 1 71 Glasgow Green ob 1 43

1 53

1.17 1 46 Bridgeton 2 15 36 34.3 2 27 35 32.3



1.74 1 1 Dalmarnock 3 05 38 41.5 3 20 35.5 39.1

2.01 0 59 Ob 3 29 38 40.5 3 45 36.5 38.1

2.56 0 15 Rutherglen a 4 32

31.2 4 58

27.1

0 d 0 00

0 00

0.12 0 5 Ob (98 75) 0 37 14 11.7 0 37 20/41 11.8

0.67 98 31 R'glen E Jn 1 48 36 28.1 1 39 34tsr 31.7

1.77 97 23 Cambuslang 3 05 66 51.4 2 52 66 54.6

2.31 96 60 Ob 3 32 70 70.7 3 23 60 62.7

2.85 96 17 Newton W Jn 4 02 54 65.9 3 59 46e'd 54

3.36 95 56 Newton W Jn 4 47 38* 40.8 4 48 36/33* 37.1

3.41 95 52 Mileage Ch (0 00)

4.04 0 50 Ob 5 41 55/60 45.3 5 50 52 39.5

4.79 1 30 Ob 6 28 58 57.4 6 38 58 56.3

5.27 1 69 Abut 6 57 56 58.6 7 09 50 55.7

5.61 2 16 Fb 7 20 38br 54.4 7 37 30e'd 44.5

5.8 2 31 Blantyre a 7 55

19.3 8 13

18.7

Run 14 15

Date Sat 19-May-13 Tue 31-Dec-13

Train 1537 Larkhall-Dalmuir 1337 Larkhall-Dalmuir

Loco 320310 318262

Load 3,114/116 3,109/112


0 2 31 Blantyre d 0 00

0 00

0.19 2 16 Fb 0 33 44 20.7 0 36 43 19

0.52 1 69 Abut 0 56

51.7 0 58 61 54

1.01 1 30 Ob 1 26 59 59.8 1 26 60 63

1.76 0 50 Ob 2 14 58 56.3 2 13 56br 58.1

2.39 0 0 Mileage Ch (95 52)

2.44 95 56 Newton 3 13 36* 41.5 3 11 37* 42.2

2.95 96 17 Newton W Jn 4 01 51 37.9 4 01 47 36.7

3.49 96 60 Ob 4 33 68 61.7 4 40 60 49.8

4.15 97 23 Cambulsang 4 59 77 91.4 5 08 75 84.9

5.25 98 31 R'glen E Jn 6 13 29sc 53.5 6 26 34sc 50.8

5.67 98 75 Ob (0 05) 7 53 17* 15 7 36 19* 21.6

5.8 0 15 Rutherglen a 8 35

11.1 8 09

14

0

d 0 00

0 00

0.55 0 59 Ob 1 08 37/43 29.1 1 04 39 30.9

0.82 1 1 Dalmarnock 1 32 39 41.4 1 26 42 44.2

1.39 1 46 Bridgeton 2 22 41 41 2 20

38.4

1.7 1 71 Glasgow Green ob 2 55

33.8 2 55

31.9

Sig 3 21

3 19

2.56 2 60 Argyle St a 4 37 4 33

Classes 150, 170 & 172 up the Lickey Incline and Future Plans & Prospects David Adams London Midland replaced their Class 150s with 172s on Birmingham Snow Hill lines services just over three years ago and they rarely appear on other routes. There was once a Saturday working on a Hereford to Birmingham New Street service that I knew about but it was timed to coincide with my family ‘taxi’ duties so it is only in recent times that I have finally realised a long standing intention to sample a Class 172 up the Lickey incline (2.14 miles at 1 in 37¾). Currently, Bromsgrove, outside the peaks, has an hourly service provided


by the London Midland’s Birmingham – Hereford service, normally operated by a Class 170. However, I had noted that one Mondays – Fridays diagram is worked by one of LM’s three remaining Class 150s, so I also decided to sample both these types for comparison purposes. The Class 150 arrives ECS from Tyseley carriage sidings and works the 1049 from Birmingham New Street to Hereford and back then repeats the trip with the 1449. It then forms the 1819 to Worcester Shrub Hill. The next day it heads west to work the 0734 from Hereford which arrives in Birmingham New Street formed of Classes 170/153/150 and goes ECS to Tyseley C.S. It was by pure chance that I discovered there are now two additional trains on Saturdays from Bromsgrove running first stop Birmingham New Street at 1013 and 1115 which are worked by a Class 172. Detective work on Realtime Trains revealed that the first of these trains starts from Worcester Shrub Hill. After arrival in Birmingham it then runs ECS back to Bromsgrove via Camp Hill to form the 1115 and then ECS back to Worcester Shrub Hill where it forms a Snow Hill line service to Dorridge. The latter part of the diagram was the clue to a Class 172 working as no 170s operate on Snow Hill lines on Saturdays. The reason for these additional trains, which have been promoted in the local press, is that the services from Hereford departing Bromsgrove at 0943 and 1043 are full and standing by the time they reach that point despite being operated with four cars instead of the normal two or three. I have had six runs in total, two Class 150s, two 170s and two 172s and have shown the running through to Birmingham New Street in the logs that follow to highlight the frequency and severity of signal checks after Northfield on which I will comment in due course.

CLASS 150: BROMSGROVE-BIRMINGHAM

Train 1240 Hereford 1240 Hereford

Date M 10-11-14 Th 04-12-14

Unit 150107 150109

Load 2,70/75 2,70/75

Position/GPS 1/2 Y 1/2 Y

DISTANCE WTT ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED

MILES M.C. M. M.S. MPH M.S. MPH

0.00 55.31 BROMSGROVE 0 0.00 (½L) 0.00 (3½L)

0.86 54.42 A448 UB 2.03 31 2.22½ 25

1.65 53.59 B4096 UB 3.33½ 32 4.09½ 28

2.14 53.20 Blackwell MP 4 4.28½ 33 5.14½ 27

3.59 51.34 Barnt Green 6 6.15 63/76 7.11 58

6.15 49.19 Longbridge SFB 8 8.23½ 74/76 9.23 78

Sigs.

7.21 48.14 Northfield exit 9.25½ 43*/9*/28 10.11 75

8.57 47.70 Kings Nort.FBW 10½ 12.44 17*/4*/32/18* 11.32½ 48*/43*/46

(1) Sigs.

9.75 46.56 Bournville exit 12 16.16½ 26/32/13*/35 13.1 38*/20*

10.81 45.51 Selly Oak SFB 14 18.38½ 30*/13*/30 14.58½ 39

(½)

11.51 44.75 UNIVERSITY 16 20.32 16.40

0.00 0 0.00 (5L) 0.00 (4½L)

Sigs. 27/21*/33/12* Sigs. 33/17*/24

1.73 43.17 Five Ways CyS 4½ 4.06 22*/* 4.21 18*/*

(1½)

2.64 42.24 BIRMINGHAM N ST 7 7.19 (5L-P12) 7.36 (5L-P12)

Runs 1 and 2 show two contrasting Class 150 performances. Having studied the RPS database the best Class 170 runs I could find after a Bromsgrove stop topped the bank at 35/36 mph. The gradient eases just before the timing point at MP 53¼ and a slight acceleration of about 1-2 mph is usually evident when timing from the front of the train at this point. My own timing experiences show that on Old Hill bank a Class 170 has a 4 mph


advantage over a Class 150. I was therefore surprised that 150107, Run 1, topped the actual summit at 33 mph. Signal checks as early as Northfield indicated that a Cross City service had been turned out in front of us and a very tedious run followed taking 11 minutes to cover the 4.3 miles to University. 150109, Run 2, made a laboured climb up to Blackwell in comparison, speed actually dropping slightly from 28 to 27 mph approaching the summit but it appeared to perform to normal standards at higher speeds. Despite a brief 78 mph at Longbridge it was a minute down on 150107 at this point. There was a touch of nostalgia here for me as these were the first runs I had experienced on a Class 150 in the West Midlands for three years after travelling on them almost daily, by necessity I must add, for around two and a half decades. Runs 3 and 4 cover two Class 170 runs. 170631, Run 3, topped the summit at 34 mph but took four seconds longer than 150107 due to a slightly slower start. The 20 mph signal check approaching Longbridge was almost certainly caused by a terminating Class 323 crossing from the down platform to the up siding, the number of such moves being reduced in the proposals for 2016 which are outlined below. As a result of this delay we had a relatively speedy run after Kings Norton by today’s standards and this was the only run to attain line speed between there and University. 170630, Run 4, managed a poor 29 mph at the summit, 41 seconds slower than its classmate and only one second faster than 150109. However it then attained a maximum of 92 mph after Longbridge and suffering only slight signal checks it was the fastest time to the University stop, albeit by just 14 seconds.

Class 170: Bromsgrove-Birmingham New St

Run 3 4

Train 1040 Hereford 1140 Hereford

Date F 05-Dec-14 Sat 13-Dec-14

Unit 170631 170630

Load 3,134/144 3,134/150

Pos/GPS 2/3 Y 1/3 Y

Dist wtt Actual speed Actual speed

miles m c min m s mph m s mph

0.00 55.31 BROMSGROVE 0 0.00 (1L) 0.00 (2L)

0.86 55.42 A448 UB 2.12 31 2.30 26

1.65 53.59 B4096 UB 3.39½ 33 4.12 28½

2.14 53.20 Blackwell MP 4 4.32½ 34 5.13½ 29

3.59 51.34 Barnt Green 6 6.13 65/71 7.03 63

Sigs. 20*

6.15 49.19 Longbridge SFB 8 9.47½ 48 9.06 85/92

7.21 48.14 Northfield exit 9 10.50½ 71/76 9.49½ 88

8.57 47.70 Kings Norton FBW 10½ 12.07½ 42* 10.54 55*/45*/47

(1) Sigs.

9.75 46.56 Bournville exit 12 13.30 61 12.26 46*

Sigs.

10.81 45.51 Selly Oak SFB 14 14.40½ 46* 13.56½ 31*/21*/29

(½)

11.51 44.75 UNIVERSITY 16 15.56 15.42 (1½L)

0.00

0 0.00 ( 1½L) 34 0.00 (4L)

Sigs. Sigs. 28/25*/38

1.73 43.17 Five Ways CyS 4 3.50 18*/* 3.35 28*

(1½)

2.64 42.24 BIRMINGHAM N ST 7 7.22 (2L-P12) 6.38 (4½L-P12)

Runs 5 and 6 detail two Class 172s. As expected, they outpaced the other types sampled on the climb by a considerable margin. 172343 was quick off the mark passing the summit at Blackwell a minute quicker than the best Class 150 and 170 runs at 48 mph. 172341, with 50% fewer passengers but a wet rail to contend with, was slightly slower applying full power at the start. Despite this, it gradually gained a fraction on its classmate by topping the summit at 49 mph and averaging 36.9 mph start to pass. These were the only two runs to


pass the summit within the four minute WTT allowance. With running up to 89 and 91 mph respectively, both attained even time before Kings Norton after which the usual signal checks were encountered on Run 5. Run 6 only suffered slight checks and made unusually good progress until being held for nearly three minutes outside New Street for a southbound Cross City service to depart Platform 11 before we could enter Platform 12.

Class 172: Bromsgrove-Birmingham New St

Run 5 6

Train 1115 Bromsgrove 1115 Bromsgrove

Date Sat 13-Dec-14 Sat 3-Jan-15

Unit 172343 172341

Load 3,123/125 3,123/124

Pos/GPS 1/3 Y 1/3 Y Rain

Distance WTT Actual Speed Actual Speed

Miles m c min m s mph m s mph

0.00 55.31 BROMSGROVE 0 0.00 (4L) 0.00 (2L)

0.86 54.42 A448 UB 1.44½ 40 1.47 39

1.65 53.59 B4096 UB 2.52 46 2.52 47

2.14 53.20 Blackwell MP 4 3.29½ 48 3.28½ 49/59

Sigs. 53*

3.59 51.64 Barnt Green SFB 6 4.53½ 75/89 4.56 72/91

6.15 49.19 Longbridge SFB 8 6.41½ 88/89 6.44 87

7.21 48.14 Northfield exit 9 7.24 86 7.27½ 90

8.57 47.70 Kings Norton FBW 10½ 8.31 55*/43*/51 8.32½ 49*/43*

Sigs.

9.75 46.56 Bournville exit 11½ 10.00½ 47*/50 9.58 59

10.81 45.51 Selly Oak SFB 13 11.22½ 36*/18* 11.03½ 55*

11.51 44.75 University CyN 15 13.11½ 33/37 11.53½ 50*

(4½) 15.23 sig.0*/33 Sigs. 44*/48

16.20 stop

13.24 43.17 Five Ways CyS 20 17.59 23* 14.34 21*/30

15.58 Sig. 0*

18.45 Stop

14.15 42.24 BIRMINGHAM N ST 23 21.15 (2L-P10) 20.42 (½E-P12)

As reported on the RPS website, electrification work between Barnt Green and Bromsgrove starts in February 2015 and continues until spring 2016. Work on a new four platform station at Bromsgrove has already started south of the existing one. Open the following link and, under ‘Latest News’, click on the latest Newsletter to download images. http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20040/rail_travel/588/plans_for_bromsgrove_rail_station

After completion of this work, together with re-signalling, Bromsgrove will have no less than four trains per hour which will form part of the Cross City service towards Lichfield. It also seems likely that, if the current frequency of three trains per hour serving Redditch is to be either maintained or increased, some services will have to be operated by a shuttle from Barnt Green where a new footbridge is to be installed. It will be interesting to see how a Class 323 performs up the Lickey bank. I am expecting at least a 10 mph improvement on a Class 172, though an exact comparison will not be possible due to the relocation of the start about ¼ mile to the south. How all these trains will impact on the three remaining hourly XC services, together with occasional freights, remains to be seen. A local enthusiast I was chatting to at Bromsgrove, who has an involvement with the local press, volunteered that the current plan is to run the Hereford services from and to Bromsgrove where a change of train will be necessary for Birmingham passengers. Exceptions at peak times may be a possibility. Whatever the final plan adopted it seems that

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20040/rail_travel/588/plans_for_bromsgrove_rail_station


there will be a significant reduction in the number of DMUs climbing the Lickey from a Bromsgrove start and that platform 12B at Birmingham New Street will not be occupied for around 40 minutes each hour by the Hereford turnarounds, thus easing the station’s operating constraints a little. The current 10 minute interval Cross City service, calling at all stations and taking 15 minutes between Kings Norton and Birmingham New Street, is causing pathing problems for the long distance services that also use this section and which could run from Longbridge to Birmingham New Street under clear signals in 11 minutes. However, timing allowances of up to 8½ minutes between those points often result in frequent signal checks and stops as they dissipate this time. Any late running approaching Longbridge, even as little as five minutes, can result in the path being lost to a stopping Cross City service joining the fast line on the approach to Kings Norton. 24 minutes over the eight miles from Longbridge to New Street is more the norm in those circumstances. Compare this with the 25 minutes it can take a Voyager starting from Cheltenham with a clear run to cover the 37½ miles to pass Longbridge. In between the six Cross City services each hour there are up to two XC Voyagers/HSTs from the West of England (a few of those heading for Manchester use the Camp Hill line, longer but potentially quicker at present), a XC Class 170 from Cardiff and an LM service from Hereford, the latter two calling at University, resulting in a minimum total of nine or 10 trains per hour. This mix of Class 1 trains with an intensive suburban service sharing the same track is neither a recipe for the precision operating required to maintain punctuality nor achieving optimum journey times for long distance passengers. There are plenty of other locations across the network where a similar problem exists but this is probably one of the worst. It was noticeable that announcements concerning late running Cross City services were a regular feature during my visits to Birmingham New Street in November and December 2014. A reduction in frequency appears to be the only viable option available to bring about a more robust timetable, so I am not holding my breath. It brings to mind the famous scenario of queuing holiday trains between Exeter and Newton Abbot on summer Saturdays which I witnessed several times in the post war steam era. No shimmering seascapes or tranquil estuary views to relieve the frustration in the south Birmingham suburbs though, just cyclists often making quicker progress into the city on the adjacent canal towpath which can have completely the opposite effect. Let’s just hope the joggers never gain that status.

FASTEST TIMES UPDATE Martin Robertson Welcome to another Fastest Times Update article. My thanks go to all those who have contributed new FT’s, which have given me a healthy selection of runs from around the country to chose from. For those who have submitted several runs, it is my general principle to feature as many contributors as possible so it is not always possible to include everything submitted. For those that do submit runs regularly please continue to do so, as I could not provide the same variety of routes and traction otherwise. We start with a contribution from John Heaton, on one of the most frequent daily scheduled long-distance services, from Stockport to Euston. John comments:- Here is the log of the Manchester-Euston run last Monday. It is unusual to be able to take over 3min out of a record section that happens every Mon-Fri but the old one was not hard to beat. The driver seemed content to lose odd half minutes to Colwich where there was pathing behind the 06.52 emu from Crewe to Euston which in turn seemed to be delayed by the 06.43 ManP-Euston via Crewe which was 2½min late. We lost the Class 350 immediately but followed the 06.43 all the way to Euston where it arrived 1min late and we arrived 2½min early - and


Table 1 Miles M. Ch Timing Point Sch. m s M.P.H. Ave.

Loco 390137 89.60 88 00 Brinklow [1] 60 31 125 120.2

Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 11 92.60 85 00 Newbold 61 58 123 124.1

Train 07.00 Manchester P.-Euston 94.35 83 20 Trent V. Jct. 63 62 49 124 123.5

Date 24/11/14 95.10 82 40 Rugby 63½ 63 11 123 122.7

Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 4/11 Part 97.30 80 24 Hillmorton 64½ 64 17 119 120.0

Miles M. Ch Timing Point Sch. m s M.P.H. Ave. 99.44 78 13 Kilsby TNP 65 23 107 116.6

0.00 183 01 Stockport d. 0 0 00 1L 100.80 76 64 Kilsby TSP 66 09 107/125 106.6

0.56 182 36 Edgeley No.1 1 1 19 * 25.6 107.81 69 63 Weedon Jct. 70 69 41 117 119.1

1.44 181 46 Adswood Rd. J 2½ 2 19 * 52.5 109.47 68 10 Stowe Hill TSP 70 31 121 119.7

2.38 180 51 Cheadle Hulme 3½ 3 28 * 50.6 113.06 64 43 Banbury Lane 72 16 122/125 123.0

2.38 0 08

* 114.75 62 68 Blisworth 73½ 73 05 122 124.0

3.91 1 50 Bramhall 5 08 * 54.9 117.79 59 65 Roade o/b 74 35 121 121.5

5.28 3 00 Poynton 6 05 * 86.8 120.87 56 58 Hanslope Jct. 76½ 76 06 123 122.1

7.47 5 15 Adlington 7 20 * 105.0 125.16 52 33 Wolverton 78 12 sigs105 109.2

9.38 7 08 Prestbury 8 27 * 102.8 127.75 49 66 Milton Keynes C 79½ 79 31 120 117.9

12.06 9 62 Macclesfield 10½ 11 04 * 61.3 130.92 46 52 Bletchley 81½ 81 05 122 121.6

12.06 0 25

* 137.41 40 13 L Buzzard (½) 84 14 125 123.6

19.91 8 13 Congleton 15½ 16 01 * 95.2 140.07 37 40 Ledburn Jct. 86½ 85 31 124 124.5

23.12 11 30 Mow Cop 17 43 * 113.4 141.46 36 09 Cheddington [1] 86 13 118 118.9

25.50 13 60 Kidsgrove 18½ 19 17 * 91.0 145.87 31 56 Tring 90 88 25 122/121 120.3

28.99 17 19 Longport [1] 21 39 * 88.4 149.66 27 73 Berkhamsted 90 17 124 121.7

30.50 18 60 Etruria 22 49 * 77.8 153.09 24 39 H Hempstead 93½ 91 57 123 123.3

31.90 20 12 Stoke 24 24 14 * 59.3 156.62 20 76 King's Langley 93 41 123 122.5

36.32 24 46 Barlaston 28 12 * -/50tsr 66.9 158.02 19 44 Watford TNP 94 26 107 112.0

38.75 27 00 Stone 29½ 30 09 * 45tsr 74.6 160.15 17 34 Watford Jct. 97 95 38 105 106.3

45.26 33 41 FB [1] 34 38 **122 87.2 161.57 16 00 Bushey 96 27 104 104.7

47.04 35 23 Hixon (1½) 35 32 **110 118.3 162.86 14 57 Carpenders Pk 97 07 117 115.9

50.49 38 59

*sigs 10mph 164.99 12 47 Headstone Lane 98 10 124 121.4

50.49 127 09 Colwich 39½ 39 45 **30 49.2 166.19 11 31 Harrow and W. 100½ 98 45 121 123.4

53.34 124 21 Rugeley 41 42 01 **101 75.3 167.26 10 25 Kenton 99 17 123 122.9

56.21 121 31 Armitage Jct. 43½ 43 35 **118 110.1 168.15 9 34 South Kenton 99 43 123 122.9

61.35 116 20 Lichfield TV 46 46 15 **100 115.6 172.32 5 20 West London J 106 101 52 109 116.1

67.60 110 00 Tamworth 49 19 **120 122.3 173.89 3 55 Queens Park 102 51 78 95.3

68.60 109 00 Amington Jct 49½ 49 49 **124 120.0 175.16 2 33 Sth Hampstead 104 02 47 64.6

71.11 106 39 Polesworth 51 03 **122 122.2 176.47 1 08 Camden S. Jct. 109½ 105 44 45/sigs 46.3

75.31 102 23 Atherstone 53 16 **100 113.7 177.52 0 04 Euston a. 112½ 108 58 19.5

80.55 97 04 Nuneaton 55½ 56 00 **122 115.0

* gps not picking up and darkness

** gps not picking up and milepost timing

no asterisk =gps

105min net

1U20 06.52 Crewe to Euston was 2L at Colwich 0747½ and checked by 1R17 06 43

ManP-Euston via Crewe which passed Colwich 2½L at 07.44 and arrived Euston 08.55½

2½min behind it. By no means a remarkable run, but at an average speed of around 98mph it should have felt more exciting! I did not start the gps until after boarding and it took ages to fire up. I took milepost readings after the light became more conducive and then by gps when the apparatus woke up - at which point I promptly dozed off (enjoying at least five micro-sleeps before Euston). The severe signal check after Hixon suggest that in the right circumstances, the time could be lowered to achieve a full 100mph average. For Table 2 we move to the North Wales Coast line with a run recorded by Michael Burrows between Chester and Llandudno Jn. Michael comments:- Since this train splits in half at Chester with the front two coaches of the four car set continuing as the 9 58 to Holyhead, non-stop to Llandudno Junction, the distances are measured from the mid-point of Platform 3B. The log may be compared with John Rishton’s run published in Mp 33 ¾ before the line speed was increased over certain sections to 90mph, yet within the same operating schedule.


Table 2

Date Tu 25-Nov-14

Train 0850 Manchester Picc-Holyhead

Loco 158822

Load 2,76/80

Recorder/pos M J Burrow 1/2

Dist. sch Actual Speed Av.Speed

0.00 CHESTER 0 0 - 00 ~ ~

0.41 Chester S. J. 1 - 02 46 25.7

1.84 Saltney J. 3 2 - 41 65 / rbt 50.5

3.29 Mold J. 4 - 01 66.5 64.4

7.75 Shotton 8 7 - 28 84 77.6

9.75 Rockcliffe Hall S.B. 9.5 8 - 52 85.5 / 90 85.7

12.42 Flint 11.5 10 - 49 75 82.2

14.49 Bagillt F/B 12 - 19 88 / 91 82.8

16.73 Holywell J. 14.5 13 - 56 75 84.0

20.12 Mostyn 17 16 - 34 76.5 76.8

22.82 Talacre Box* 19 18 - 39 80.5 / 86.5 77.1

26.41 Prestatyn 22 21 - 10 75.5 / 85.5 86.1

30.00 Rhyl 24.5 23 - 55 73 78.3

31.88 Foryd J. 25 - 23 83 77.8

34.27 Abergele & Pensarn 28 27 - 09 75 81.9

36.94 Llandulas U B 29 - 06 85 82.2

38.30 Penmaenrhos T. E P 30 - 07 77.5 81.6

40.39 Colwyn Bay 32.5 31 - 46 75 76.0

42.40 Mochdre 33 - 16 82.5 80.0

44.06 Blaaenau Br. Junction 34 - 39

71.1

44.42 Llandudno Junction. 36 35 - 26

After the RBT between Saltney Jn and Mold we were 30secs to the good by Shotton and steady progress increased this to 50 secs by Abergele. With time in hand after Colwyn Bay we drifted to a stop at Llandudno Jn in 35m 26s. The effectiveness of the increased line speed was greatly reduced by the 75mph limits still effective at stations and with distances between them often considerably less than 10 miles, consistent ‘high’ speed was impossible to achieve. For Table 3 we move to the Midland Main Line and ‘heritage’ traction with two successive HST run from St Pancras to Market Harborough, recorded by John Heaton. In respect of the first run, he says: It is rare to beat the raw sectional running times nowadays but we have been expecting a run like this on the MML for a long time and I expect it to fall to below 50min in due course. The start was a little hesitant despite making time up on schedule, as was the run into Market Harborough. The second run, this time in the company of Paul Walker, managed to beat a record of which only six weeks earlier I had been proud to claim. This run managed a clean start from St. Pancras instead of slipping and ran in similar, but marginally faster, fashion to the previous run, sharing a slow final stop. For Table 4 we return to the Chiltern line with a recording by Brian Milner between High Wycombe and London Marylebone. Brian comments:- We did well in both sections but if the driver had been prepared to run at closer to 100mph, even better times could have been achieved and we could perhaps have arrived into Marylebone on time. Table 5 returns to the MML, but north of Leicester with an offering from John Rishton featuring what appears to be a very poor pair of HST power cars. Sixteen miles on full power to reach 117mph is decidedly unimpressive. John comments:- Under power most of the way and with the previous departure from East Midlands Parkway away on time we had a clear road all the way and with reasonable deceleration we made Leicester in a record time for a HST.


Table 3

Power Cars 43049 Neville Hill + 43061 43050 + 43049 Neville Hill

Formation 2+8 2+8

Train 10.15 St. Pancras-Nottingham 12.15 St. Pancras-Nottingham

Date 26/1/15 05/03/2015

Weather Fine Fine

Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 2/10 Yes J. Heaton 2/10 Yes

Miles M. ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Avge Min. Sec. M.P.H. Avge

0.00 0 18 St. Pancras I. d. 0 0 00 T -/47/rbt 0 00 T -/48/rbt 42

1.54 1 43 Kentish Town 3 2 46 37/slipping 33.3 2 45 45 33.5

3.91 3 73 West Hampstead T. 5½ 5 15 76 57.4 4 53 81 66.8

5.10 5 08 Cricklewood 6 11 85 76.3 5 44 89 83.8

7.00 7 00 Hendon 8 7 21 101 97.7 6 52 105 100.6

9.35 9 28 Mill Hill B. 8 44 105 101.9 8 12 108/111 105.8

12.45 12 36 Elstree & B. 10 28 108 107.3 9 54 107 109.4

15.21 15 17 Radlett 12½* 11 55 123/122/124 114.3 11 19 126 117.0

18.25 18 20 Napsbury 13 27 108/99 118.9 12 48 110/98 122.9

19.90 19 72 St. Alban's C. 15½ 14 24 100 104.2 13 46 100 102.4

23.00 23 00 MP 23 16 13 109/113 102.4 15 34 108 103.3

24.64 24 51 Harpenden 18 17 07 110 109.2 16 28 110 109.2

27.28 27 22 Chiltern Green 18 35 103 107.9 17 58 100 105.5

29.23 29 18 Luton A. P. 19 48 93 96.2 19 11 93 96.2

30.25 30 20 LUTON 21½ 20 28 91 92.2 19 51 89 92.2

32.78 32 62 Leagrave 23* 22 04 100 94.7 21 26 101 95.7

35.23 35 18 Footbridge 23 28 115 105.0 22 49 116 106.3

37.25 37 20 Harlington 24 29 125/122 119.5 23 48 126 123.6

40.20 40 16 Flitwick 27 25 55 123 123.5 25 13 124 124.9

42.24 42 19 Ampthill TSP 26 53 127 126.5 26 12 126 124.3

46.15 46 12 Houghton C. [1] 28 46 124 124.6 28 05 124/110 124.6

47.25 47 20 Elstow 29 18 122 123.8 28 40 117 113.1

49.89 49 71 BEDFORD M. 32½ 30 40 109 115.8 30 06 110 110.4

52.95 52 76 Oakley 32 20 113/120 110.3 31 47 109/120 109.2

56.66 56 53 Sharnbrook 36½ 34 13 109 118.3 33 40 109 118.3

59.74 59 60 Sharnbrook S. 35 58 104/124 105.4 35 25 104/124 105.4

62.61 62 50 Irchester 37 28 115 115.0 36 56 115 113.7

63.74 63 60 Irchester Jct 38 07 90/76 103.8 37 37 88 98.8

65.04 65 04 WELLINGBORO'. 41½ 39 07 81 78.0 38 32 82 85.1

66.91 66 74 Harrowden Jct 40 24 96 87.7 39 50 98 86.5

68.16 68 14 Finedon 41 10 100 97.8 40 35 101 100.0

69.34 69 28 Burton Latimer 41 51 106/107/95 103.2 41 15 107 105.8

71.99 72 00 KETTERING 45½ 43 26 96 100.4 42 51 94 99.4

74.01 74 02 Kettering N. Jct 44 41 98 97.2 44 07 97 95.9

75.55 75 45 Glendon 45 37 102 98.8 45 04 98/103 97.1

78.46 78 38 Desborough N. 47 25 96/110 97.1 46 50 100 98.9

82.40 82 33 Little Bowden 50 07 48 87.5 49 20 58 94.5

82.93 82 75 MARKET HAR. a. 53½ 51 28 2E 23.3 50 38 3E 24.2

* Radlett WTT point is Radlett Jct, no adjustment made.

* Leagrave WTT timing point is Leagrave Jct 23min

Table 6 has two runs recorded by David Ashley between Liverpool, Manchester and Huddersfield on the Trans Pennine services. David comments:- The westbound service was affected by problems at the Selby swing bridge which caused significant delays to the preceding 08 39 Hull to Manchester. Consequently it eventually ran about an hour late and was terminated at Huddersfield. As a result, an additional stop at Dewsbury was inserted into our 08 06 Newcastle-Liverpool service. Consequently we were 9 mins late leaving Huddersfield, but had a clear run through to Manchester, as the Hull train which could have delayed us was not ahead.. The train was running up to line speeds where possible and with


Table 4

Date 27/06/2014

Train 1312 Birmingham-Marylebone

Loco 67018

Load 7,272/290,380

Recorder/position B Milner 2/8

Miles M C Location 168 m s mph ave

0.00 16 25 HIGH WYCOMBE 20.5 21 27.0 4.5 L

1.31 15 00 Cock Lane OB 2 08.0 65 36.9

2.96 13 28 Whitehouse Tunnel North 3 26.0 84 76.2

4.79 11 42 BEACONSFIELD SFB 4 40.5 92/ 93 88.2

6.36 9 76 SEER GREEN & JORDANS SFB [1.5] 5 42.0 92 92.2

9.09 7 18 GERRARDS CROSS SFB 9.0 7 27.0 94 93.4

10.81 5 40 DENHAM GOLF CLUB Shl 8 32.5 96 94.8

13.31 3 00 Milepost 10 07.0 94/ 92 95.2

14.45 1 69 WEST RUISLIP SFB 12.0 10 51.0 94/ 91 93.1

16.24 0 06 SOUTH RUISLIP Shl 13.0 12 00.0 95 93.3

17.29 1 00 Milepost 12 40.5 91 93.3

19.05 2 61 SUDBURY HILL HARROW SFB [1.0] 13 50.5 90 90.6

21.29 5 00 WEMBLEY STADIUM 17.0 15 22.5 77 87.6

[1.0]

22.68 6 31 Neasden South Jn 19.0 16 36.0 54 68.0

24.60 202 60 Mapesbury Road 18 50.5 44/ 49 51.5

26.35 204 40 St Johns Wood Tunnel North 21 05.5 44 46.7

27.76 205 73 LONDON MARYLEBONE 1 27.0 24 35.0 2.0 L 24.3

. Table 5

Day/Date Tuesday 18th November 2014

Train 09:32 Nottingham - St. Pancras Inter.

Motive Power 43.044 + 43.060

Load (tons) 412/420 = 10.7hp/ton

Weather damp

Rec. Pos. GPS JR - 9/10 - GPS

Miles mm cc location WTT Sch

0.00 118 17 East Midlands Parkway 0 00:00 1 late 0.0

1.31 116 72 cattle arch

02:02

66 38.7

2.68 115 43 Sutton Bonington

03:06

85 77.0

4.14 114 06 Woodroffes footbridge

04:04

95 90.6

6.58 111 51 Loughborough 6.5 05:32

105 99.9

9.28 108 75 Barrow-on-Soar (closed)

07:03

108 106.8

11.21 107 00 Sileby junction 9 08:06

112 110.3

11.60 106 49 Sileby

08:18 1/2 113 112.2

14.28 103 75 Syston south junction 11 09:43 1/2 115 114.2

16.09 102 10 Humberstone Lane

10:39

117 116.4

17.36 100 68 Gypsy Lane

11:23

87 104.0

18.45 99 61 Humberstone Road

11:23

71 80.0

19.14 99 06 Leicester 15 13:28 32.7

no tsr’s on the route six of the nine-minute deficit was recovered by the time the train arrived in Liverpool. The return to Leeds was also a FT as far as Manchester Victoria. Again, running up to line speeds and with no tsr’s arrival at Victoria was two minutes early. Beyond Stalybridge, the Manchester to Hull service was again influencing our progress. The inbound service was again running late and this time was terminated at Stalybridge, but departed eastbound


. Table 6a

Run miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave

Date

W 04-02-15 0.00 31 50 Manchester Vic 33.0 30 23 6L

Train

0806 Newcastle-Liverpool 0.69 30 75 Salford Central 1 50 25 22.5

Loco

185103 1.15 30 38 Ordsall Lane J 3.0 2 52 24 26.9

Load formation

3 2.46 29 13 Seedley 4 22 56 52.5

Recorder

D Ashley 4.08 27 44 Eccles 6.0 5 57 75/76 61.1

Position/ GPS Bright/cold 3/3 Y 5.05 26 46 Patricroft 6 43 75/76 76.3

miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave 6.73 24 72 M62 8 03 75 75.4

0.00 25 61 HUDDERSFIELD 0 00 9L 8.95 22 54 Astley 10.0 9 57 59 70.3

0.71 25 04 Gledholt TW 1 05 /75 39.5 10.83 20 64 Glazebury 11 28 90/92 74.2

3.01 22 60 Golcar [.5] 3 30 72/75 57.1 12.71 18 73 Kenyon J 12 43 91 90.6

4.53 21 19 Slaithwaite 4 46 74/75 71.6 14.88 16 60 Parkside J 14.0 14 09 90/75 90.5

7.10 18 53 Marsden 7.5 6 58 52/44 70.2 15.89 15 59 Newton/Willows 15.0 14 54 79 81.0

10.64 15 10 Standedge W 10 17 68/69 64.0 16.89 14 59 Earlestown 16.0 15 35 89/91 87.8

11.71 13 84 Saddleworth 11 14 60 67.9 19.75 11 70 St Helens J 18.0 17 30 89 89.6

13.08 12 55 Greenfield 13.0 12 30 64/69/58 64.5 20.90 10 58 Lea Green 18 16 91/84 90.0

15.26 10 40 Mossley 14 33 63 64.0 22.71 8 73 Rainhill 20.0 19 29 90 89.4

17.86 7 72 Stalybridge 18.0 17 28 30/x24/47 53.5 23.98 7 52 Whiston 20 19 93 90.9

19.35 6 33 Ashton 19 57 39/35 35.9 25.91 5 57 Huyton 21.5 21 36 90 90.6

20.11 5 52 Ashton Moss NJ 21.5 21 12 40/71 36.6 26.45 5 14 Roby 21 57 91 92.1

23.28 2 39 Baguley Fold J 24.5 24 24 66 59.3 28.04 3 47 Broad Green [2] 23 03 87 86.6

[2]

29.26 2 29 Wavertree TP 24 08 61 67.8

25.76 0 00 Manchester Vic 31.0 28 32 6L 36.1 30.24 1 31 Edge Hill 27.0 26 02 25 30.8

31.60 0 02 LIVERPOOL L St 32.0 30 00 3L 20.6

.

It must have been a difficult morning rush hour on 4th November, due a freight train breakdown on the main line. It appears that the 0913 Charing Cross-Dover and Canterbury

Table 6b

Date

W04-Feb-15

Train

1312 Liverpool-Newcastle

Loco

185125

Load formation

3

Recorder

D Ashley

Position/ GPS Bright cold 3/3 Y

miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave

0.00 0 02 LIVERPOOL Lime St 0.0 0 00 T

2.34 2 29 Wavertree TP

4 46 63 29.4

3.56 3 47 Broad Green

5 47 75 72.3

5.15 5 14 Roby

6 55 91 84.0

5.69 5 57 Huyton 7.5 7 16 92 92.1

7.63 7 52 Whiston

8 34 89 89.4

8.89 8 73 Rainhill 9.5 9 24 90/87 90.9

10.70 10 58 Lea Green

10 35 92 91.9

11.85 11 70 St Helens J 11.5 11 20 92/93 92.0

14.71 14 59 Earlestown 13.5 13 11 92/91 92.8

15.71 15 59 Newton le Willows 14.5 13 51 92 90.0

16.73 16 60 Parkside J 15.5 14 31 92 91.1

18.89 18 73 Kenyon J

15 58 90 89.5

20.78 20 64 Glazebury

17 15 81 88.2

22.65 22 54 Astley 19.5 18 52 61/78 69.6

24.88 24 72 M62

20 45 76 70.9

26.55 26 46 Patricroft

22 04 76/77 76.3

27.53 27 44 Eccles 23.5 22 50 76 76.3

29.14 29 13 Seedley [2] 24 06 76 76.4

30.45 30 38 Ordsall Lane J 28.0 25 58 23 42.2

30.91 30 75 Salford Central

27 26 14/20 18.9

31.60 31 50 MANCHESTER Vic 32.0 30 22 2E 14.1

slightly late, which caused severe checks to the Liverpool train around Diggle. Arrival at Huddersfield was 2 mins late and at Leeds 3 mins late. Table 7 moves south with one section of a London to Bristol service via Salisbury recorded by John Rishton. John comments:- An enjoyable way to get from London to Bristol, not only on my favourite build of dmu’s but with a FT, between Bath and Keynsham, as well. We move further south with another recording from David Ashley, between Tonbridge and Ashford. David comments on the chaos of the morning:-


Table 7

Day/Date Thursday 30th October 2014

Train 12:20 Waterloo - Bristol TM

Motive Power 159.002

Load (tons) 116/120=10hp/ton

Weather dry

Rec. Pos. GPS J Rishton - 3/3 - GPS

Miles mm cc location WTT m:s mph average

0.00 106 71 Bath Spa 0 00:00 r/time 0.0

1.02 107 73 Oldfield Park

01:38 60 37.5

2.30 109 15 Twerton long tunnel

02:44 78 69.8

4.59 111 38 ob

04:22 88 84.1

5.44 112 26 ob

04:56 92 90.1

6.88 113 61 Keynsham 6.5 06:30 55.1

. Table 8

Date Tu 4-Nov-14

Train 0913 Charing X-Dover

Loco 375629/815

Load formation 8

Recorder D Ashley

Position/ GPS Sun Cold 1/8 Y

miles M C Timing Point m s mph ave

0.00 29 42 TONBRIDGE 0 00.0 35L

3.51 33 03 Peebles Crag 3 22.0 94 62.6

5.29 34 65 Paddock Wood 4 28.0 100/101 96.8

7.23 36 60 R Teise Bridge 5 38.0 100/99 99.6

9.86 39 31 Marden 7 13.0 100 99.9

12.30 41 66 Staplehurst 8 41.0 101/99 99.7

14.23 43 60 R Beult Bridge 9 51.0 100 99.0

15.66 45 15 Headcorn 10 43.0 100 99.5

18.25 47 62 Swifts Green 12 17.0 99/98 99.1

20.93 50 36 Pluckley 13 53.0 100/56tsr 100.3

24.48 54 00 Chart 16 40.0 68 76.5

26.65 56 14 ASHFORD 20 12.0 16L 36.9

West was formed from a 0906 arrival at Charing Cross from Ashford, which arrived at Charing Cross 31mins late at 0937. Consequently, it was decided to send the returning 0913 from Charing Cross fast from London Bridge to Tonbridge. The theory was fine, and it was turned round fairly quickly, but the reality was that it was following the 0930 Charing Cross to Tunbridge Wells, which itself was delayed and left London Bridge 7mins late. The 0930 stops at Orpington, Sevenoaks and Hildenborough, so there was little chance of the 0913 recovering time - and in fact it lost a further two minutes to Tonbridge. They had another go, with the train again running fast, this time from Tonbridge to Ashford, and now the line ahead was clear (table 8). The train was able to run around 100mph most of the way, apart from a tsr beyond Pluckley, and did reduce the deficit from 35mins to 16mins late. More problems dividing the train at Ashford, so a further six minutes were lost, and were not regained before arrival 22mins late at Dover. Table 9 moves to the Channel Tunnel line with a pair of Javelin units on a southbound service to Margate and Sandwich, recorded by Paul Johnstone. Paul did not include any comments on the run, but an average speed of 116mph over a distance of fifty miles is very impressive. Finally run 10 moves to Scotland and one of the ‘positioning’ runs for Class 380 units which work the Glasgow to Ayrshire services and the Edinburgh to North Berwick services. The trains have ludicrously easy schedules, with the Haymarket to Carstairs section shown, taking ten minutes out of a 34 minute schedule. The driver used the power of the Class 380


. Table 10

Date Sat 27-Dec-14

Train 1351 Edinburgh-Ayr

Loco 380111

Load 4,164/166

Recorder, pos, GPS, Weather M Robertson, 3/3, Y, V Cold/Dry

miles m c Location m s mph Ave

0.00 100 51 Haymarket d 0 0 (-1)

0.91 99 58 Slateford Rd ob 1 23

39.5

1.66 98 78 Slateford Shl 2 07.5

60.7

2.62 98 01 Kingsknowe Shl 2 58

68.4

3.46 97 14 Wester Hailes 3 38 80 75.6

4.37 96 21 Whitelaw fp 4 18 88 81.9

5.10 95 43 Curriehill shl 4 49 81rbt? 84.8

6.04 94 48 Gowranhill pc 5 29.5 88 83.6

7.30 93 27 Ravelrig ob 6 23.5 95 84.0

8.84 91 64 Camps Jn Fb 7 23.5 95 92.4

9.72 90 73 Kirknewton 7 57.5 95 93.2

10.87 89 61 Midcalder Jn 8 41.5 95 94.1

12.16 88 38 Linhouse Water V(S) 9 36.5 69* 84.4

13.64 87 00 MP 10 45 85 77.8

14.95 85 55 Harburn House 11 39 91 87.3

16.64 84 00 Mp 12 43.5 95/96 94.3

18.04 82 48 Cobbinshaw House 13 35.5 96 96.9

19.64 81 00 Mp 14 36.5 96 94.4

21.21 79 34 Auchengray Lc 15 37 90

e'd/96 93.4

22.69 77 76 Amperlaw ob 16 33 91 95.1

25.46 75 14 Carnwath Gate 18 39 45 79.1

26.51 74 10 Carstairs E Jn sign 20 35.5 23* 32.4

27.17 73 37 Carstairs a 23 06 (9e) 15.8

Table 9

Date F 9-Mar-12

Train 1740 St Pancras-Sandwich/Margate

Loco 395021/018

Load 12,552/600

Recorder/pos P Johnstone 2/12

miles Location Sch m s mph Ave Sp

0.00 Stratford Int'al d 0 0 0

6.53 London Tunnel East

4 15 122/139/125 92.1

16.8 Ebbsfleet Int'al

8 47 129/136/126 135.9

22.03 Halfpence Lane T'l W't

11 14 119/140 128.1

27.88 North Downs T'l W't

13 51 125/138/129 134.2

36.07 Eyhome T'l W't

17 31 138/133/139 134.0

45.36 Leacon T'l E't

21 37 136 135.9

50.18 Ashord Int'al a 29 25 59

units to cruise effortlessly at the 95mph line speed for most of the run. I cannot reconcile the times and speeds between Curriehill and Ravelrig, despite the gps unit obtaining a reliable signal. By the time the service had left Motherwell, it had spent almost 29 minutes sitting in Carstairs, Carluke, Wishaw and Motherwell. The cumulative running time to leaving Motherwell was just under 41 minutes. Impressive running, but what a waste of energy! My thanks again to all members who have contributed runs in the last three months. My email and postal address is included below the Contents page. Excel or Word file are preferable although written records are perfectly acceptable from those without access to a computer.


More from the Attic: the ECML IN 1978 (Mostly) Part 1 David Lloyd-Roberts As I‘m sure many members of the RPS will recall 1978 was a defining year for the ECML, the outer suburban electrification scheme from Kings Cross finally reached Royston in the February nearly two decades after it was originally to be completed under the 1955 Modernisation Plan. There then followed a somewhat lengthy hiatus of a decade before the final section was energised on to Cambridge. In the interim a DMU shuttle service ran between the two latter locations, as I’m sure the more senior membership of the RPS will recall. The Class 312 units on the ECML were specifically introduced for this service and were aesthetically similar to the earlier Class 310 units on the neighbouring WCML but, critically, were authorised to run at 90 mph as opposed to the 75 mph of their WCML contemporaries. Until February 1978 Class 31s still plied their trade on the residual Cambridge buffet expresses and generally managed about 55-58mph with an eight car consist on the ascent to Potters Bar in the down direction. The 312s, by direct contrast, could manage around 87-90 mph on the same inclination and represented something of a quantum leap. Their slam door-configuration, however, sentenced them to an early withdrawal.

Table 1

Run no 1

Date 1978

Train 1132 Royston-

Kings Cross

Motive Power 312017

Load 4/155/162

Recorder DLR

M C [sch] m s mph

27 48 Stevenage

0 00

25 03 Knebworth

2 46 73

sig stop

21 76 Welwyn North

9 35 83

20 26 Welwyn Garden City

10 49 87

17 56 Hatfield

12 36 96/89

14 39 Brookmans Park

14 46 90

12 60 Potters Bar

15 56 85

10 44 Hadley Wood

17 22 97

9 13 New Barnet

18 16 96

8 28 Oakleigh Park

18 43 100

6 37 New Southgate

19 55 94

5 00 Wood Green

20 53 88

2 41 Finsbury Park

22 42 60/38

0 07 Kings Cross [28] 27 25

The climb to Potters Bar was above average for a ‘Goyle’ and a maximum of 92 mph was attained twice between Stevenage and Huntingdon. I would certainly put this, in my top five percent of experiences behind the class. I have always considered these locos to be overweight and underpowered and being a big Southern fan have always regarded the Class 33s as a lot better. Quite clearly the schedule reflected rostering for a Type 4, but the driver certainly made a valiant effort to reduce the arrears to a minimum. This was a business trip and so I only went as far as Huntingdon. Run 3 follows a vigorous effort by No. 47219 after a 11 minute late departure from the ‘Cross’ which was hardly helped by a signal check out to Finsbury Park. A speed of 82 mph at Potters Bar

Unfortunately I do not have a comparison between the two forms of traction on this climb in 1978, but a run in Table 1 in the opposite direction from Stevenage to the ‘Cross’ shows typical exuberance by a Class 312, where the driver exceeded the unit speed limit by 10 mph. Nowadays, the driver would no doubt be subjected to some form of disciplinary action at the very least, if not outright dismissal. Things in 1978 for the timer were somewhat different as the tables below will amply demonstrate. We continue in the opposite direction on the down Cleethorpes. I think this was rostered for a ‘Duff’ but in Run 2, a failure no doubt occurred and the best that was offered was 31405.


Table 2

Run no 2 3

Date 20/10/1978 1978

Train 0825 Kings Cross- 0825 Kings Cross-

Cleethorpes Cleethorpes

Motive Power 31405 47219

Load 9/302/320 8/265/285

Recorder DLR DLR

M C [sch] m s mph [sch] m s mph

0 07 Kings Cross 0 00

0 00

sigs

2 41 Finsbury Park 6 01 42 7 31 56

5 00 Wood green 8 47 60 9 38 81

6 37 New Southgate 10 18 57 10 47 79

8 28 Oakleigh Park 12 18 58 12 11 81

9 13 New Barnet 13 06 58/56 12 46 79

10 44 Hadley Wood 14 38 55 13 50 82

12 60 Potters Bar 17 00 55 15 26 82

14 39 Brookmans Park 18 38 70 16 36 91

17 56 Hatfield 21 13 83/84 18 38 102/94

20 26 Welwyn Garden City 23 08 78 20 18 90

21 76 Welwyn North 24 25 74/73 21 25 90

25 03 Knebworth 26 52 77/80 23 25 95

27 48 Stevenage [25] 29 42 [25] 25 54

27 48 0 00

0 00

31 76 Hitchin 5 38 77 4 38 90/98

35 50 Three Counties 8 17 90 6 57 96

37 00 Arlesey 9 13 91/88 7 51 97

41 15 Biggleswade 11 57 92 10 25 96

44 10 Sandy 13 54 91/90 12 15 95/97

47 38 Tempsford 16 08 88/92/90 14 24 95/97

51 56 St Neots 19 04 85 17 05 95/98

55 72 Offord 22 01 90 19 40 96/94

58 64 Huntingdon [24] 26 15 [24] 23 01

on this load was good by Class 47 standards. Maximum speed was 102 mph at Hatfield, a decided rarity one would imagine. The running after Hitchin was curiously a little less vigorous but a maximum of 98 mph was still not be sniffed at and still 3 mph over the nominal loco limit. We now continue north over the Vale of York and on to Newcastle where the general standard of running was very good from whatever form of traction turned up on my holiday. The other quantum leap in performance during 1978 was the introduction of HSTs on the ECML and like the 312s they brought an unprecedented standard of performance. I seem to recall by BR standards quite a vigorous marketing campaign of these units as ‘Journey Shrinkers’ and within six years of their introduction on this route the best Kings Cross-Edinburgh time had gone down from around 5½ hours Deltic-hauled to 4½ hours by HST as an example. Generally HSTs these days don’t exceed 128 mph where the governor trips the engine out but in 1978 things were a little different. Out of Paddington in the same era was the exclusive 140 mph club and although Nos. 254 018/011 didn’t reach this subliminal level, this remains the highest speed I have ever timed behind one of these units which are getting on for four decades old, astonishingly. I have shown a comparison with a Deltic. Ironically, the Deltics did some of their best work after replacement by HSTs, especially on the York semi-fasts which had tight schedules in places, even for a Deltic. Loads didn’t generally exceed nine vehicles if my memory is not at


fault, and the 12-car configuration featured in Run 5 was more representative of the pre-HST era. The power output calculated for this locomotive looks a little low, but no allowance for ETH has been taking into consideration. One could hardly complain about 106 mph on the flat with 12 on at Beningborough, however!

Table 3

Run no 4 5

Date 01/08/1978 08/1978

Train 1310 Edinburgh- 1700 Edinburgh-

Kings Cross Kings Cross

Motive Power 254018/254011* 55021

Load 8/417/437 12/407/430

Recorder DLR DLR


80 19 Newcastle 0 00

0 00

79 47 King Edward Bridge Jct 2 25

2 40

77 51 Low Fell

5 01 75

74 60 Birtley 6 18 95/90 7 10 82

71 72 Chester-le-Street 10 04 20/tsr 10 03 34/tsr

66 14 Durham 15 21 82/74 15 51 79/89

62 00 Croxdale 18 31 91/70*/72 19 01 81*/85/81

57 00 Ferryhill 21 10 93 22 37 91

54 00 Bradbury 23 47 105/110 24 24 96/105

49 40 Aycliffe 26 25 77*107//97 28 11 82*/94

sig stop

44 10 Darlington [32] 31 57 [34] 33 55

44 10

0 00

0 00

41 39 Croft Spa 3 07 88 3 47 74

38 72 Eryholme Jct 4 47 100 5 44 82

37 14 Cowton 5 47 105 6 57 90

33 61 Danby Wiske 7 37 117/120/116 9 10 100

30 00 Northallerton 9 31 120 11 25 100

26 40 Otterington 11 13 123/130 13 26 106

22 12 Thirsk 13 15 127 15 58 103

18 00 Sessay 15 10 131/129 18 22 105/104

16 05 Pilmoor 16 05 130 19 29 106

13 30 Raskelf 17 25 129 21 04 104

11 19 Alne 18 24 133 22 18 106

9 60 Tollerton 19 05 129/130 23 12 103

5 40 Beningborough

25 36 106/105

1 60 Skelton Junction 22 57 128 27 54 106

0 00 York [31] 26 07 [36] 31 27

We continue again from Newcastle through the Team Valley and along the Vale of York behind, coincidentally, Nos. 254 018/011 again, but this time a Class 40 is featured as a comparison. In their era, both were top link motive power, of course, but for the latter it was much more short-lived an episode in ECML traction history. Both runs were decent efforts and a reminder that even after the introduction of HSTs on the ECML, Class 40s could still turn-up on a first class express. I have also included two runs by DMU’s over the Esk Valley Route from Whitby to the ECML at Darlington, just to show the more prosaic side of performance in 1978. I do like to periodically deviate from the main trunk routes, especially when time permits. There was also the small matter of entertaining my elder son Ralph, whose spade unfortunately got ‘nicked’ on Whitby beach! There were two units but, unfortunately, I only took the numbers of the Metro Cammel unit,and not the other unit. Incidentally the unit identified was a power twin, not that you would know from the running featured in Table 5.


Table 4

Run no 6 7

Date 01/08/1978 08/1978

Train 1310 Edinburgh-KX 1802 Newcastle-Liverpool

Motive Power 254018/254011* 40123

Load 8/417/437 10/337/360

Recorder DLR DLR

M C [sch] m s Mph [sch] m s mph

80 19 Newcastle 0 00

0 00

79 47 King Edward Bridge Jct

2 55

77 51 Low Fell 4 50 76

74 60 Birtley 6 49 90 8 04 69/68

71 72 Chester-le-Street 12 25 21/tsr 12 14 22/tsr

66 14 Durham 17 10 89/72* [15] 20 04

0 00

62 00 Croxdale 20 28 90/75* 5 42 74*/72

57 00 Ferryhill 23 54 96 9 54 78/76

54 00 Bradbury 24 31 101/108 12 03 82/87

49 40 Aycliffe 28 38 *61/ 15 22 84*/90/88

Sigs

44 10 Darlington [31] 38 07 [25] 20 10

44 10 0 00 0 00

41 39 Croft Spa 3 12 87 3 48 65

38 72 Eryholme Jct 4 55 98 6 08 69

37 14 Cowton 5 56 103 7 36 78

33 61 Danby Wiske 7 48 116 10 11 82

30 00 Northallerton 9 43 120/116 12 57 80

26 40 Otterington 11 26 126 15 33 85/84

22 12 Thirsk 13 30 129 18 36 86

18 00 Sessay 15 30 124/129 21 31 84

16 05 Pilmoor 16 25 129 22 55 85

13 30 Raskelf 17 46 128 24 50 88

11 19 Alne 18 44 128 26 20 88

9 60 Tollerton 19 26 126 27 21 86

5 40 Benningborough 21 25 127/129 30 18 85/86

0 00 York [32] 27 36 {41] 37 10

. Table 5 M C [sch] m s mph

Run no 8 24 43 Lealholm

0 00 52 max

Date 28.07.03 20 74 Danby [7] 6 08

Train 1702 Whitby- 20 74

0 00 35 max

Middlesborough 19 38 Castleton Moor [3] 2 55

Motive Power 50170/50200/101/? 19 38

0 00 36 max

Load 4? 17 71 Commondale [3] 3 17

Recorder DLR 17 71

0 00 46/10*/45

M C [sch] m s mph 13 65 Kildale [7] 7 24

30 64 Whitby * 0 00 31 max 13 65

0 00 40/10*

29 32 Ruswarp [4] 3 37 12 04 Battersby [8] 3 42

29 32

0 00 37 max 12 04

0 00 52/47/50

27 62 Sleights [5] 3 25 10 60

27 62

0 00 33/25*/31 8 13 Great Ayton [5] 4 35

24 37 Grosmont [10] 7 15 8 13

0 00 57/25*/35

24 37

0 00 35 max 4 25 Nunthorpe [7] 6 40

29 59

4 25

0 00 46 max

28 18 Egton [4] 3 32 3 60 Gypsy Lane [NA] 1 24

28 18

0 00 36 max 3 60

0 00 40 max

26 50 Glaisdale [5] 3 50 2 56 Ormesby [NA] 2 06

26 50

0 00 37 max 2 56

0 00 53 max

24 43 Lealholm [5] 4 30 0 00 Middlesborough [6] 5

26


Table 6

Run no 9

Date Aug-78

Train 1800 Saltburn-

Darlington

Motive Power 51210/56072/56440/

50386/101/105

Load 4/111/118

Recorder DLR

M C [sch] m s mph

15 00 Middlesbrough * 0 00 54 max

11 63 Thornaby [5] 5 18

11 63 0 00 20/tsr/46

8 64 Eaglescliffe [7] 6 12

8 64 0 00

8 08 Allens West [2] 1 57

8 08 0 00 49 max

5 43 Teeside Airport [[5] 4 48

5 43 0 00 39 max

3 65 Dinsdale [5] 3 32

3 65 0 00 30/24/tsr

sig

stop

0 02 Darlington [7] 8 42

Southern Region diversions – planned or otherwise Nigel Jordan As a Man of Kent I spent a lot of my early train recording days on the rails south of the M4 motorway. Long before the days of realtimetrains.co.uk I had contacts within the railway who would pass me information about engineering work and therefore diverted trains.

Run 1

Date 11.3.84

Train 1310 Southampton-Newcastle

Loco 47549

Load formation 10/338/340

Recorder N Jordan

Position / GPS n/k / N

miles M C Timing Point m s mph

0.00 47 60 Basingstoke 0 00

0.91 46 67 Barton Mill 1 55 53

2.75 45 00 45 3 35 75

4.16 43 47 Newnham 4 40 80

5.56 42 15 Hook 5 41 83

7.94 39 65 Winchfield 7 19 88

9.75 38 00 38 8 24 94

11.28 36 38 Fleet 9 26 94

14.53 33 18 Farnborough 11 38 92/861/2

16.75 31 00 31 13 13 85/841/2

18.14 29 49 Pirbright Jn 14 08 91

19.76 27 79 Brookwood 15 13 92

21.50 26 20 261/4 16 23 90

23.41 24 27 Woking 18 32 88

.

The line is somewhat limited from the perspective of performance, but is well worth a visit leaving the industrial sprawl of Middlesbrough for the scenic grandeur of the North Yorkshire Moors. Serpentine curvature until the outskirts of Teesside in effect seriously hinders anything much better than the speeds recorded here. Table 6 is the continuation to Darlington after changing trains at Middlesbrough and is reminder that some of the Cravens units were transferred to the North East after the suburban electrification scheme was completed out of Kings Cross, as mentioned earlier. I have included this for a bit of rarity value, rather than sparkling performance.

Additionally I would learn about services that went under the banner of short term planning. I also had a period of commuting from Kent to London that threw up the odd diversion now and again. I thought that some of my logs could be put together into an article rather than just putting them into the database for members to discover. I happened across the service in Run 1 whilst on my way to Micheldever on a Sunday afternoon, that's a long story in itself. Apart from the knowledge within the log I can only assume that engineering work was taking place north of Basingstoke and so this train was re-routed. A Class 47 on load 10 along the LSWR racetrack was a first for me so the maximum of 94 mph on the flat and a good minimum at Milepost 31 were pleasing.


Run 2

Date 9.3.86

Train 1045 Charing Cross-Hastings

Unit 1014


Recorder N Jordan



0.00 22 40 Redhill 0 00

2.09 24 47 Nutfield 3 18 551/2

5.68 28 14 Godstone 6 45 67

10.54 33 03 Edenbridge 10 45 74/73/76

15.54 38 03 Penshurst 14 36 79/771/2

17.20 39 56 Leigh 16 00 72/70

19.70 42 16 Tonbridge 19 29 69/sigs15/25

.

Table miles M C Timing Point m s mph

Run 3 0.00 56 11 Ashford 0 00

Date 30.4.86 4.04 60 14 Ruckinge 5 45 43/35*/60

1003 Cannon Street-Hastings

5.50 61 51 Ham Street 7 07 68

Train 6.61 62 60 Warehorne 8 02 71

Unit 1011 7.69 63 66 Kenardington 9 02 68


Signal stop 10 32 -

Recorder N Jordan

Signal stop 10 41

Position / GPS n/k / N 8.47 64 49 Appledore 11 04 -

miles M C Timing Point m s mph 10.45 66 47 Beckett's 13 55 53

0.00 29 60 Tonbridge 0 00 13.36 69 40 Star 16 45 65

2.25 32 00 32 3 48 57 14.10 70 19 East Guldeford 17 32 45*

5.08 34 66 Paddock Wood 6 18 71 15.29 71 34 Rye 19 23 501/2

7.25 37 00 37 8 07 73/70

0 00

9.69 39 35 Marden 10 12 721/2/69 1.83 73 20 Winchelsea 3 10 52/441/2*

12.11 41 69 Staplehurst 12 16 72/71/721/2 4.46 75 71 Snailham 6 07 60

15.49 45 19 Headcorn 15 15 74/72 6.11 77 43 Doleham 7 47 64/58

18.00 47 60 473/4 17 11 72/67 7.39 78 65 Three Oaks 9 07 57/53

19.50 49 20 491/4 18 32 68/66 10.10 81 42 Ore 12 53 50/48/57

20.69 50 35 Pluckley 19 36 70

0 00

24.25 54 00 54 22 44 70/65/67 0.89 82 33 Hastings 1 15 43

26.39 56 11 Ashford 25 30 70/sigs30/36*-->

Run 3 was more of a short term planning service in that an empty stock working was put into public service for a couple of weeks. Of the three runs I had on this service, this was the best in terms of maximum speeds and overall timekeeping. The speeds across the Marshes seemed excessive at the time and still look high compared with today's limits. The stop before Appledore appeared to be timetabled as it happened on each occasion. The stop at Ore was unplanned, possibly for staffing purposes. Hastings was reached nine minutes late. I was tipped off about Run 4 by a fellow RPS member, although neither of us were members then. A Class 50 on an inter-regional service was extremely rare in Kent, in fact this was the only one that passed through Tonbridge. From a mileage point of view, the diversion via Otford was nice but due to the nature of the line time was lost against that scheduled. My last two runs also feature diversions via Otford but during the period when I was commuting. Finding a clear path in either direction on this route during the rush hour was

Run 2 shows how useful Hastings units could be when engineering work closed the line north of Tonbridge. This was in the days before the 40 mph restriction at Medhurst Row crossing was introduced so some fast running could be had. The approach control nearing Tonbridge didn't affect the better than a mile-a-minute average.


Run 4

Date 15.11.86

Train 1345 Dover Western Docks-Liverpool Lime Street

Loco 50049


Recorder N Jordan



0.00 29 43 Tonbridge 0 00

2.50 27 03 Hildenborough 3 28 55/57

4.54 25 00 25 5 27 61/62

7.41 22 10 Sevenoaks 9 15 63/66/60/sigs15

26 69 Mileage change

8.60 25 54 Bat & Ball 11 47 38

9.59 24 55 Otford Jn 13 18 46

10.20 24 06 Otford 13 49 54/57

11.61 22 53 Shoreham 15 12 58/63

13.89 20 31 Eynsford 17 18 71/73/64/58

16.89 17 31 Swanley 21 10 60/56/sigs23

19.58 14 56 St Mary Cray 24 06 71

22.35 11 74 Bickley 27 12 74/sigs39/57

23.39 10 71 Bromley South 29 04 -

.

Table miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph

Run 5 11.94 26 69 Mileage chnge

Date

7.12.89 11.94 25 54 Bat & Ball

26 23 24*-->/43*/PWS23

Train

0620 Ore-Charing Cross 12.93 24 55 Otford Jn

27 55 56

Units

3167 1575 1597 13.54 24 06 Otford

28 36 57

Load formation

12/455/500 14.95 22 53 Shoreham

29 59 58/70

Recorder

N Jordan 17.23 20 31 Eynsford

31 57 74/65/68

Position / GPS 6/12 / N 20.23 17 31 Swanley

36 05 68/30*<--

miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph 22.91 14 56 St Mary Cray

38 42 65/72

0.00 32 70 High Brooms 0 0 00 24.18 13 35 St Mary Cray Jn

39 59 69/40*<--

Signal stop

4 49 58 12 30 Mileage chnge

Signal stop

6 38 25.30 11 20 Chislehurst

41 52 36/32*

3.34 29 43 Tonbridge

8 22 24* 27.58 8 78 Grove Park

44 10 72*

5.84 27 03 Hildenborough

11 23 541/2/53 29.36 7 15 Hither Green

45 44 77

25 60 Signal stop

13 31 55 31.70 4 68 New Cross

50 03 sigs10/47

Signal stop

17 21 34.68 1 70 London Bridge

55 29 46/sigs43/51*<--/541/2/sigs

7.88 25 00 25

19 31 37 35.78 0 62 Waterloo East 40 59 04 sigs 1/47

10.75 22 10 Sevenoaks 23 53 59/sigs

always difficult and I had plenty of signal checked runs. I'm sure others from west Kent had some too. Run 5 was my normal Up service which on this day was diverted due to signal problems north of Sevenoaks. The signal stop before Tonbridge was standard if the preceding service from Ramsgate was late. The stop after Hildenborough was non-standard and I do not have a note as to why it was necessary. However, once past Sevenoaks I had a completely clear run, via the Up Chatham Fast after Swanley, until the New Cross area. Being out of path didn't help with regaining any time and I arrived into Waterloo East 19 minutes late against the published timetable.


Run 6

Date

13.3.90

Train

1615 Charing Cross-Hastings

Units

1608 1539

Load formation

8/290/320

Recorder

N Jordan

Position / GPS 6/8 / N

miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph

0.00 0 62 Waterloo East 0 0 00

1.10 1 70 London Bridge

3 20 -

4.08 4 68 New Cross

6 52 59*/54

6.41 7 15 Hither Green

9 28 541/2*/56

7.20 7 78 Grove Park

11 22 58/52

10.48 11 20 Chislehurst

13 57 58/sigs

11.35 12 10 St Mary Cray Jn

15 14 27*<--/23

13 17 Mileage change

12.84 14 56 St Mary Cray

17 57 37*-->/PWS24/62

15.53 17 31 Swanley (signal stop)

21 15 70/66/67

Signal stop

21 25

18.53 20 31 Eynsford

25 06 30*/70/611/2

20.80 22 53 Shoreham

27 16 55/58/67

22.21 24 06 Otford

29 33 65/67

22.83 24 55 Otford Jn

29 06 69

23.81 25 54 Bat & Ball

30 09 68/45*

25.00 26 69 Sevenoaks

31 56 47/27*-->

25.18 27 03 Hildenborough

36 09 85

31.01 32 70 Tonbridge 34 38 46 88

If she’s doing all these jobs, it’s a pity she wasn’t working for Network Rail during the Dawlish disruption. She could have sorted it in a weekend! And who are these masochistic volunteers who immediately turn up when things go wrong? From what I’ve read, they weren’t around on the 27th December, when signalling work over-ran by seven hours

Run 6 was my Down service of choice and was diverted due to signal problems between Orpington and Sevenoaks. Turning left at Chislehurst was never a good idea if you wanted to get home on time but apart from a brief stop at Swanley on the Down Chatham Fast the run to Tonbridge was clean with only five minutes lost, being routed through Platform 3 at Sevenoaks probably helped to negate any further time loss. I hope that these runs have been of interest.

Well Done, Tory In a series of self-congratulatory advertisements appearing in national newspapers in January, FGW gushes: “Tory is a Duty Station Manager at Reading, one of Network Rail’s busiest stations. Part of a complete overhaul of how we do things, she is dedicated to making our service more efficient for our customers. Day and night she issues tickets, ushers crowds, shifts luggage, carries prams, pushes wheelchairs and closes train doors. At times of disruption she calls on a team of local volunteers who will be there immediately to assist, and keep you running on schedule”


Moguls on the West Somerset Railway. Michael Rowe Steam on main line specials is increasingly the preserve of the larger locomotives, Class 5 and above. There are splendid exceptions, one thinks of the three pannier tanks passed for main line use but the increasing shortage of available paths, the need for high average speeds and the various steam special operators’ requirements for lengthy trains mitigates against the smaller locomotives, let alone the increasing costs involved in complying with main line monitoring systems. Whilst a much respected RPS member suggested, half-jokingly I hope, that the various preserved/heritage railways are simply a full scale train set, it is to those train sets we must look for much of our current steam locomotive performance and most of that with Class 4 locos and below. Two of the visiting locomotives to the recent West Somerset Railway 2014 Spring Steam Gala were ‘Moguls’; ex-Great Western 43xx Class 2-6-0 No. 5322 and ex-Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No.31806. The 43xx Class design dates back to 1911. The late H. Holcroft used to tell how the great G.J. Churchward came to him and said, following his (Holcroft’s) report of a visit to North America and specifically the observation that 2-6-0s, in Canada, found universal application. ‘Very well then; get me out a 2-6-0 with 5 feet 8 inch coupled wheels, outside cylinders and the number 4 boiler, and bring in all the standard parts you can.’ Some have said the 43xx design was merely the tender version of the 3150 Class 2-6-2 tank. Holcroft maintained that starting from scratch that was the way it panned out. Whatever the facts, I have always considered the 43xx Class to be one of the outstanding GWR successes. In total 342 were built, the last in 1932. R.E. Maunsell when he assumed the role of SE&CR Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent at Ashford quickly assembled a quality team i.e. Messrs Pearson and Holcroft from Swindon, who after the completion of the eight Churchward standard designs were probably looking for new challenges, and Clayton who had worked with the brilliant Paget, from Derby. It is perhaps therefore not surprising that the Maunsel Moguls shared many features with the GWR 43xx class. Differences made by Maunsell included Walschaerts rather than Stephenson valve gear and the cab and controls were more Derby than Swindon.

Table 1-Details of various Moguls that have worked on the WSR 1997 – 2014:

Loco class SR U 43xx 9351 LMS(a) LMS(b) BR 4 BR 2 78xx

Configuration 2-6-0 2-6-0 2-6-0 2-6-0 2-6-0 2-6-0 2-6-0 2-6-0

Driv’g wheel dia. 6’ 0” 5’ 8” 5’ 8” 5’ 6” 5’ 3” 5’ 3” 5’ 0” 5’ 8”

Cylinder dia in 19 18½ 18 18 17½ 17½ 16½ 18

stroke in 26 30 30 28 26 26 24 30

Boiler pressure psi. 200 200 200 225 225 225 200 225

Evap Tubes sq ft 1391 1350 1145 1216 1090 1061 924 1285 Firebox sq ft 135 129 122 155 131 131 101 140

S/H sq ft 203 181 82 224 231 254 134 123

Total sq ft 1729 1659 1349 1595 1452 1446 1139 1608

Grate area sq ft 25 20.6 20.4 27.8 23 23 17.5 22.1

Heating area/grate : 69.2 80.7 66.3 57.3 63,1 62.9 65.1 72.8

Locos worked 31806 5322 9351 42968 43106 76079 78019 7828

on WSR 7325 (c) (d)


Notes: LMS(a) Stanier 2-6-0 –LMS (b) Ivatt 2-6-0 (c) No.9351 is the only 51xx 2-6-2 tank rebuilt as a tender locomotive, five of the large ‘Prairie’ tanks have run on the WSR i.e. Nos.4141, 4144, 4160, 5164 & 5199 (d) in addition to No.7828 six other

Manor Class 4-6-0s have run on the WSR i.e. 7802,12,20,21,22 & 27. No. 31806 was originally built as a K Class 2-6-4 tank in 1926 and then following the various derailments with the K and K1 Classes converted in 1928 to a 2-6-0. New pattern cylinders, BR4 standard chimney, etc and outside steam pipes were fitted in 1957. The Up direction on the WSR produces the more interesting running, footplate crews tend to take it easy leaving Bishops Lydeard in the Down direction, on the climb up to Crowcombe. In the Up direction the short, just under a mile at 1 in 65 between Blue Anchor Washford often elicits the use of full regulator and extended cut offs: the 5.9 miles, mainly at 1 in 92 from Williton to Crowcombe Heathfield, provides, for a Heritage Railway, a reasonably lengthy trial stretch. A previous note in Milepost 31¼ covered performances by visiting BR Class 2 2MT No. 79019 and resident converted large Prairie tank No. 9351. Number 9351 was taken out of service early November 2013 after nearly ten years of service during which it ran 96,600 miles.

Table 2 – U No.31806 and 43xx No.5322 at March 2014 Spring Gala.

date 27-Mar 28-Mar 30-Mar 30-Mar

log I II III IV

loco 31806 5322 31806 5322

load 6/211 6/210 6/211 7/242

gross 235 t. 235 t. 245 t. 260 t.

recorder M.J.R M.J.R M.J.R M.J.R

m.c location mph mph mph mph

0.00 Blue Anchor 0-00 0-00 0-00 0-00

bottom 1/65 -30 -26 -30 32

top 1/65 -27 -25 -30 32

2.23 Washford 6-28 6-30 5-59 5-29

0.00 Williton 0-00 0-00 0-00 0-00

on 1/92 -32 -25 -32 32

3.22 Stogumber 8-30 9-37 8-30 7-51 31

0.00 on 1/92 -33 -25 -33 31

Leigh xng * 28

2.54 Crowcombe 8-55 8-55 7-05 7-18 32

* regulator closed for Leigh crossing The outstanding performance by No. 5322 on the 30th was in response to late departures from both Blue Anchor and Williton. The effort on the 1 in 65 was an all-out one, albeit for only three minutes. The transitory Equivalent Drawbar Horsepower [EDHP] was in the range 1,150 – 1,200. The driver noted that on the longer climb from Williton, ‘The superheat really began to kick in after Stogumber’, a comment that reflects on the difficulties of working short start to stop stages with limited speeds. With the regulator wide open and cut off at around 40% the EDHP was approximately 870. Boiler pressure was held at 200 psi on both climbs and water level maintained. In practice one suspects the boiler was being mortgaged on the 1 in 65 climb but probably not observable over such a short duration. The U, No. 31806, performed well during its short stay and was accorded grudging respect by drivers conditioned to love all things Great Western. It developed EDHPs in the range 800-850 and 1,040-1,090 on the two climbs to Washford and around 800 and 850 up to Crowcombe. The late Professor Tuplin writing in the 1950s accorded to a 43xx 2-6-0 number one spot in a comparison of various locos by DBHP/square foot of grate. The 43xx benefited because


Tuplin was using the Johansen formula and the resulting overestimate of train resistance favoured it compared with other locos where much of the work was done against gravity and the comparatively high ratio of evaporative to grate area, compare and contrast for instance a Swindon No.4 with a No.2. It has always surprised me that the power that can be extracted from these comparatively small locos. Tables 3 and 4 give details of other 2-6-0 performances on the WSR:

Table 3

date 05/10/2007 06/10/2007 21/03/1999 28/02/2004

log V VI VII VIII

loco 42968 42968 76079 76079

load 6/208 6/210 5/172 6/208

gros 230 230 190 230

rec M.J.R M.J.R M.J.R M.J.R

m.c mph mph mph mph

0.00 Blue Anchor 00-00 00-00 00-00 00-00

B 1/65 -29 -34 -36 -25

T 1/65 -23 -32 -32 -27

2.23 Washford 6-46 5-31 5-06 6-52

0.00 Williton 00-00 00-00 00-00 00-00 -31

o 1/92 -31 -33 -29

3.22 Stogumber 8-48 7-23 -27 7-46 8-55

o 1/92 -31 -30 -34

Leigh* -29 -23 -25

2.54 Crowcombe 7-18 -32 13-35 -30 6-41 8-18

· regulator closed for Leigh crossing

. Table 4

date 25/03/2000 06/10/2012 02/08/2012 02/08/2013

log IX X XI XII

loco 7325 43106 7828 9351

load 8/278 7/240 7/240 7/249

gros 310 265 260 265

rec M.J.R M.J.R M.J.R M.J.R

m.c mph mph mph mph

0.00 Blue Anchor 00-00 00-00 00-00 00-00

b1/65 {28} -24

t1/65 -14 -24

2.23 Washford 8-02 7-13 6-35 6-36

Williton 00-00 00-00 00-00 00-00

o 1/92 -27 -27 -29 -27

3.22 Stogumber 9-23 8-50 -27 8-21 8-56

o 1/92 -27 -26 -28 -26

2.54 Crowcombe 8-23 7-46 -25 7-58 7-38 -25

The hardest schedule on the WSR is the eight minutes from Stogumber to Crowcombe, with its initial start on 1 in 68 and the 10 mph speed restriction into the Up platform at Crowcombe plus the usual exchange of tokens at the Down platform end. This was maintained, other than by the other preserved ex GWR 2-6-0 No. 7325. On another occasion No. 7325 with a light five coach train was timed from Williton to Crowcombe pass at walking pace in 12m 54s. Numbers XI and XII are included as they were a day on which locos were changed i.e. Manor Class 4-6-0 No. 7828 performed one Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return, 2-6-0 No. 9351 the other. Both locos were deliberately driven identically, i.e. regulator, reverser and boiler pressure was to the mark and held. The Manor had little advantage over the converted large Prairie. Swindon in the 1920s contemplated a 43xx with the smaller No. 2 boiler i.e.


9351. This would have been within the Cambrian section weight restrictions. As it happens shortly after the Manors were introduced to the Cambrian the 43xx 2-6-0s were also permitted, and they certainly could do everything a Manor could and more. But the Manors are lovely looking engines and heritage railways would be the poorer if they had never been built.

British Railways in Transition – part two Andrew James Our former President O.S. Nock published his book of the same title as this article in 1963, not surprisingly about the change from steam to diesel and electric traction amongst other aspects in this era. It will be also be recalled that the change was sometimes from diesel to electric, this being in effect the stopgap between steam and electric. The most obvious example of this was the WCML during the 1960-1965 era between Euston and Crewe. My friend David Lloyd-Roberts wrote an article on this transition phase in Milepost 23 (April 2002) which covered the section from Euston to Colwyn Bay with all three forms of traction, hence the title of this article. The aim of this article is to illustrate this transition further and to also reflect what else was happening in the world at the time on the traction front. The implementation of the Reshaping of British Railways report which was published in 1963 saw the widespread rationalisation and closure of many minor secondary and branch lines on BR. In essence BR was catapulted from being a Victorian anachronism in some respects to one that was fit for purpose in a relatively short space of time. It is not the subject of this article to discuss the rights and wrongs of this, but to give a feel of what it was like to travel on BR at the time. This ephemeral episode in traction history, is one that the writer finds of immense interest. The sheer variety of motive power in this era is just one aspect of this. We start at Northampton Castle as it was known then, on a service of this nature. A superficially-sedate trundle behind Black Five No. 45302 on a 4/118/120 consist to Kettering is featured in Run 1. This service was unusual between these two points as it did not deem to call at either Northampton Bridge Street or Wellingborough London Road. In essence this was a legacy of pre-Grouping arrangements that gave the Midland Railway running powers over the LNWR line between Northampton and Wellingborough, the boundary between these two companies commencing at Midland Junction. This was situated between London Road station and Wellingborough Midland Road. The latter location is known as just plain ‘Wellingborough’ now, as I’m sure many members of the RPS are aware. This service finally finished on 2 May 1964 along with the Northampton-Peterborough service. It literally consisted of a daily working in one direction, which disappeared and reappeared on an erratic basis. The actual nature of the working altered from being a through coach working or a service in its own right reflecting the often ad hoc nature of such services in the pre-Beeching era. As can be seen from Table 1, the driver of 45302 did not have to exceed 56 mph on the gentle downgrades after Castle Ashby, but if it wasn’t for an operational blunder between the two Wellingborough stations, time would have been kept. The continuation on to Kettering was actually quite reasonable, with a maximum of 59 mph after Finedon, before having to cross to the slow lines at Kettering South Junction. Reference to a number of logs timed by Gerald Aston, in the RPS archive on MML semi-fasts heading in this direction behind Class Fives and Jubilees on 5-9 coach loads shows they didn’t generally exceed 55 mph on the gently adverse inclination between these two Northamptonshire towns and so the work of the Black Five was not to be despised.


Table 1

Run 1

Date 20/01/1962

Train 1.50 pm

Northampton Castle-

Leicester LR

Recorder B.I. Nathan

Load 4/118/120

Motive Power 45302/5MT

M C Sch m s mph

65 58 Northampton Castle 0 00

65 53 Northampton No.1

0 00

0 16 Duston North Junction

0 56 Bridge Street Junction

4 29

4 52 Northampton Bridge Street 3 20 41/52/49

8 54 Billing 8 36 54/55

11 47 Castle Ashby & Earls Barton 11 51 54/56

15 46 Wellingborough London 16 30

Road

sig stop

? ? ? Midland Junction

65 05 Wellingborough Midland 19 30 35

Road 0 00

68 16 Finedon 5 14 59/27*

72 01 Kettering 11 10 45

Having arrived at Kettering it is all-to-easy to forget this short-lived era of transition. It probably lasted 18 months to two years, at most. The Class 44s that superseded steam were soon banished to freight work and deemed to be non-standard and were replaced by the Metropolitan Vickers Co-Bos which became infamous for their chronic unreliability. They had a nominal maximum speed of 75 mph. The section from Kettering to Leicester is featured in Table 2.

Table 2

Run 2 3 4

Date 07/05/1960 22/03/1960 14/07/1959

Train 12.15 pm St Pancras - 4.25 pm St Pancras- 4.25 pm St Pancras-

Manchester Central Manchester Central Manchester Central

Recorder F. Lodge G. Aston G. Aston

Load 10/352/365 11/356/381 10/327/347

Motive Power 45614/6P D6 (Class 44) D5715/D5716-Class 28

M C m s mph m s mph m s mph

72 01 Kettering 0 00 0 00 run 3 0 00 run 4

74 47 Glendon South Jct 5 58 35 4 41 46 4 28 47

75 46 Glendon & Rushton 7 22 48 5 49 54 5 35 57

78 07 Desborough 8 31 57 8 15 56

78 39 Desborough North 11 08 45/72 8 56* 57 8 41* 56

80 35 Braybrook 10 37 77/83 10 23 72/73

82 75 Market Harborough 15 22 60* 12 42 38*29/sigs? 12 30 51*

84 35 Great Bowden 15 11 50 14 29 60/69

86 25 East Langton 18 32 71/69 17 05 62/63 16 08 68

89 55 Kibworth North 21 55 55 20 34 54 19 19 60

91 43 Great Glen 23 44 70/77 22 12 69 20 35 73

93 69 Kilby Bridge 24 04 75 22 30 70

95 34 Wigston Magna 26 34 48*

95 71 Wigston North Jct 26 02 33* 25 01 35*/62

99 07 Leicester LR 31 17 30 43 29 05

*Times and speeds in italics are passing times and speeds estimated.


Steam was still there in the early sixties of course and Jubilees still pulled the most prestigious expresses despite an influx of Royal Scots/Patriots and Britannias in the late fifties. Frank Lodge was on-hand to time the fine effort in Run 2 behind ‘Leeward Islands’. The schedule of this train was 31 minutes on the XL limit schedule (9/300) between Kettering and Leicester. With strict adherence to the slacks at Market Harborough and Wigston to 50 and 40 mph respectively, this was one of the hardest schedules in the UK during the steam era. Run 2 was actually recorded on a Saturday when it ran to Special Limit timings, but with 10 on the driver virtually kept the weekday schedule. The excesses at Market Harborough and Wigston, would have been considered to be only moderately excessive in this era. A minimum of 45 mph at Desborough with this load is certainly in the good category with 45614 developing around 1,140 edhp on the ascent between Glendon & Rushton and Desborough North with a maximum of 77 mph after Great Glen was also quite flighty. Run 3 is behind a Class 44 and fits the ‘gold nugget’ value in terms of rarity. The climb to Desborough and the descent to Market Harborough was certainly ushering in a new era. A Scot or Britannia being thrashed might have just equalled this. A rudimentary power output estimate for the ascent suggests around 1,600/1,780 edhp/rhp, virtually up to the quoted continuous tractive effort of 1,800 rhp at 29,100 ibs at 23.2 mph. The calculated rhp is simply tractive effort in pounds multiplied by the speed and divided by the constant 375. For the Class 44 this is 29,100 x 23.2 /375 = 1,800 rhp. The initial figure in foot pounds decreases continuously as speed rises. Signals or perhaps driver caution made a very circumspect passage through Market Harborough and the ascent to Kibworth North was below full power.

Table 3

Run 5

Date 10/07/1961

Train 5.40 pm Kings Cross-

Baldock

Recorder G. Aston

Load 8/229/252

Motive Power D5903 ( Class 23)

M C Sch m s mph

0 00 Kings Cross 0 00 29/39

2 41 Finsbury Park 6 5 53

2 41

0 00

5 00 Wood Green

4 29 50

6 37 New Southgate

6 16 49

8 28 Oakleigh Park

8 41 47

9 12 New Barnet

9 40 48

10 44 Hadley Wood

11 29 47

12 60 Potters Bar

14 15 46

14 39 Brookmans Park

16 06 62

17 56 Hatfield

19 08 65

20 26 Welwyn Garden City 22½ 22 05

20 26

0 00

22 00 Welwyn North 4½ 3 37

22 00

0 00

23 40 Woolmer Green

3 16 41/49

25 03 Knebworth 6½ 5 29

25 03

0 00 54 max

28 45 Stevenage 6½ 5 13

28 45

0 00 50 max

31 72 Hitchin 5½ 5 25

Table 3 takes us out of the ‘Cross’ behind a Baby Deltic. A recording of the class by the late Peter Handford makes them sound like a more muted version of their larger contemporaries.

Run 4 with the smoke-belching two-stroke Crossley ‘Metrovicks’ was again quite good. Perhaps the best steam-diesel analogy to use is that it is comparable to a pair of Ivatt Class 4 76000 Moguls at their best. A figure of around 1,590/1,900 edhp/rhp has been estimated for the Metrovick pair. The quoted continuous tractive effort for one of these units is 900 rhp or 25,000 ibs at 13.5 mph, which suggests that they were more than up to spec. One of the problems in estimating a double-headed loco formation is that the aero dynamic drag factor is reduced for the inside locomotive, but by how much is a matter for conjecture as no empirical data has been published on this matter so far as I am aware. The pair didn’t exceed a modest 73 mph anywhere and the driver observed the restrictions at Market Harborough and Wigston, making a quite circumspect passage of the latter in particular.


For a class that has always been regarded as a synonym for diesel disaster under the Modernisation plan, did the performance in Table 3 reveal them in a different light? The ascent of the Northern Heights to Potters Bar always did distinguish the good from the mediocre and the climb by D5903 was no different. Estimates suggest that, once again, this locomotive was virtually up to spec producing 660/751 edhp/rhp. The latter figure compares with continuous rating of 767 rhp for the class and D5903 seemed to be up to the task it was asked to perform from the evidence in Table 3. In Table 4, after arriving at Hitchin we then traverse the Bedford branch. As I’m sure many members of the RPS are aware, this was the original route for Midland services heading towards the capital from Bedford prior to the construction of the Midland’s own route to St Pancras in 1868. By 1961 its days as a passenger operation were certainly numbered and closure subsequently came on New Year’s day 1962. The line limit, from looking at a 1960 Eastern Region sectional appendix, was 50 mph. From Hitchin the line descended on a gradient of 1 in 139 for a mile before following a series of gentle undulations as far as Shefford. The line then climbed at 1 in 120 for about 1½ miles before descending towards Southill. More gentle undulations followed to around six miles from Bedford, with a ruling descent of 1 in 120 for two miles after this. Gerald Aston, on nearly all his logs behind DMUs did not specify the type he was travelling behind. All I have to go on is some archive film and old photographs from this era which show 2 car Class 108 Derby units in operation over this route at the time Gerald recorded this run. As can be seen in Table 3, both forms of traction were quite sprightly by the standards of branch line travel. The one major difference between the DMU and the Class 2 Standard tank was on the 1 in 120 ascent between Shefford and Southill, the unit showing a discernible edge here. A rudimentary calculation of Run 7 featuring No. 84005 and based on a sustained speed of 37 mph on this inclination with this load shows an estimate of around 270 edhp. At the maximum steaming rate of 14,000 ibs/per hour which has been derived from the BTC Bulletin for the tender version of this type (strictly speaking the Ivatt version of the class) the loco would develop around 660-680 edhp at this speed. Note the date of Peter Smith’s log, which was the last day of passenger operations over this route.

Table 4

Run 6 7

Date 10/07/1961 30/12/1961

Train 7.00 pm Hitchin- 1.20 pm Hitchin-

Bedford Midland Bedford-Midland

Recorder G. Aston P.M. Smith

Load 2/51/54 2/58/64

Motive Power Class 108? 84005/2MT

Miles [sch] m s mph [sch] m s mph

0 00 Hitchin 0 00 60 max 0 00 55 max

4.4 Henlow Camp [8] 5 15 [7] 6 40

4.4

0 00 52 max 0 00 57 max

7.0 Shefford [4.5] 4 35 [5] 4 29

7.0

0 00 47 0 00 37

9.3 Southill [4.5] 4 15 [4] 4 26

9.3

0 00 58 max 0 00 45 max

13.5 Cardington 6.5] 6 02 [7] 6 00

13.5

0 00 45 max 0 00 37 max

16.5 Bedford MR [5.5] 5 41 [6] 6 09


Incidentally the line’s claim to fame was that it featured the Jones Goods 4-6-0, masquerading as a Nord engine of the same wheel arrangement, in the 1965 comedy film Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. We now turn our attentions to the WCML in Table 5. Another fascinating short-lived episode was the electric-diesel changeover at Stafford. The Liverpool LS-Birmingham services would detach a Class 82/85 electric, amongst others, for a Class 24 diesel. One can imagine this was about as a radical as you could get, even in this era where previous benchmarks of performance behind steam were surpassed with a vengeance. The difference between the two on the gradients in particular was a veritable quantum leap where you can compare the climb from Betley Road to Whitmore to the ascent from Penkridge to Four Ashes with both forms of traction. The Class 82 was vastly better than its Class 85 contemporary on the ascent to Whitmore, reflecting driver technique as opposed to any limitations in the hardware, I suspect. Erratic running was quite common due to the liberal nature of the schedules although, paradoxically, some acceleration of the services had quite clearly taken place since the pre-electrification era when you look at the schedule in Table 5. The 85 managed around 2,320 rhp on the climb from Betley Road to Whitmore, where the 82 managed 2,660. The latter is more in line with the nominal one hour rating of 3,300. Both classes, as with many electric locos, can considerably exceed this level of power under acceleration.

Table 5

Run 8 9

Date 08/09/1964 06/10/1965

Train 8.20 am Liverpool-LS 12.23 pm Liverpool LS-

Birmingham NS Birmingham NS

Recorder G. Aston G. Aston

Load 12/416/440 10/330/345

Motive Power: To Stafford E3071 (Class 85) E3053 (Class 82)

From Stafford D5133 (Class 24)* D5083 (Class 24)*


158 03 Crewe 0 00 0 00

156 22 Basford Hall Jct 3 15 56 2 55 72

153 20 Betley Road 6 09 68 5 09 88

149 74 Madeley 8 59 69 7 23 88

147 40 Whitmore 10 59 77 8 57 92/87

145 66 Stableford 14 12 80 11 35 93

143 30 Standon Bridge 15 42 82/sl 13 04 95

138 67 Norton Bridge 18 14 25 14 41 84*

136 69 Great Bridgeford 20 52 70 16 06 86

133 43 Stafford [24.5] 24 56 [24.5] 21 39

133 43 0 00 * 0 00 *

133 00 Trent Valley Jct

28 46

26 40 Mp 6 01 44 5 59 46

23 32 Penkridge 9 56 51/52 9 56 53

21 13 Gailey 12 32 51 12 32 56

19 68 Four Ashes 14 05 52 13 58 54

18 29 Ford Houses 15 50 50/46* 15 44 50

15 34 Bushbury Jct

14 45

12 75 Wolverhampton HL [25] 22 16 [25] 22 14

N.B. the timing points used by G.Aston may differ to the current ones on the RPS line charts.

On the continuation from Stafford, D5133 in Run 8 was certainly the more powerful of the two Class 24s, managing around 855/965 edhp/rhp on the climb from Penkridge to Four


Ashes and producing at least 1,250 bhp in the process. There may have been some favourable climatic conditions on the day, but the calculations are, I estimate, 50 +/- hp at best and so the locomotive may have produced close to the maximum quoted figure. The quoted rhp for a Class 24 in this speed range is 840, incidentally D5083 in comparison in Run 9 was spot-on, producing 719/837 edhp/rhp. Logs behind Class 24s pulling the sort of load in runs 8 and 9 are, I suspect, very rare. I can only remark I wish had been there to record this lot! For those interested, Table 6 shows the edhp/rhp estimates.

Table 6

Glendon and Rushton-Desborough North 1 in 147 (average) edhp/rhp/mph

45614/1139/NA

D6 /1600/1780-56.1 mph

D5715/D5716/1591/1903-56.4 mph

Wood Green-Potters Bar 1 in 200

D5903/ 660/751-47.6 -47.6 mph

Betley Road-Whitmore 1 in 247 (average) edhp/rhp/mph

E3071/1974/2322-71.4 mph

E3053/2200/2656-90.8 mph

Penkridge-Four Ashes 1 in 388 (average) edhp/rhp/mph

Run 8 D5133/855/965-51.3 mph

Run 9 D5083/719/837-52.8 mph

Bibliography D.N.Clough Diesel Pioneers, Ian Allan Publishing, 2005 D.H.Landau Newsletter Number Six August 1995 D.H.Landau Newsletter Number Twenty Three March 2013 J.Knowles BR Diesel Resistance and the Davis Formula. Milepost 26, April 2005. A.Varley WCML 135.Milepost 6, April 1985

FROM THE RPS WEB-SITE SNCF line speeds Ebbw Vale Part-doubling NR and Freedom of Information Carry on FGW Northern Powerhouse Bicester: Town to Village Fastest Time to Ipswich Ely-Soham doubling NW Class 319 workings c2c Senior Rover Ticket Huyton-Wigan Sparks date GWML reversible working restrictions lifted Farnworth Tunnel update Medway resignalling update New Charlton turnback facility


Now and then to Barnstaple By Malcolm Simister In a DMU rattling along the Exeter to Barnstaple line recently, I wondered how today’s well-filled trains, operated on a financial shoestring, compared with the more romantic and prestigious steam-hauled expresses of yesteryear. The former Southern Railway’s line, now ironically operated by First Great Western, is certainly less interesting than when it had signals, signal boxes, goods trains, goods yards, engine sheds, station staff and multiple platforms, but that doesn’t necessarily mean its passenger services are worse than when steam-hauled expresses roared through. One of these expresses, the short-lived Devon Belle, comprised umber and cream coloured Pullman coaches and an observation car, a far cry from today’s Class 143 and 150 DMUs and Class 153 railcars. The line is now single track throughout with passing loops at Lapford and Eggesford, but in steam days it was single track for only the 21 miles between Copplestone and Umberleigh with passing loops at intermediate stations. The Plymouth line branched off at Coleford Junction, a mile after Yeoford, but the actual junction today with what is now the Okehampton or Meldon quarry line is at Credition giving the impression that from there to the site of the old junction, 4½ miles further on, it is still a double track railway. Topographically, the line largely follows the courses of the Rivers Creedy and Yeo climbing from Exeter to its summit at Copplestone, and the River Taw descending most of the way from there into Barnstaple. The railway twists and turns with the rivers, a major reason for the relatively low maximum speeds. Down trains face several rising gradients of between 1 in 111 and 1 in 166, as well as shallower inclines in climbing the 13½ miles from Exeter to Copplestone. Up trains face a longer, unremitting but less steep climb for 25½ miles from Barnstaple to the summit in the 1 in 300s, 400s and 500s range, although a mile of 1 in 145 south of Lapford is tougher. The really steep gradients of 1 in 40 and 1 in 36 on either side of Mortehoe on the closed line beyond Barnstaple are but a memory. In Barnstaple the line terminates in a single track station that in its glory days had three or four platforms and was named Barnstaple Junction. The station ceased to warrant its appellation when the Southern’s Bideford line and the former GWR line from Taunton were closed. Barnstaple Town station was a little further on across the River Taw, quite broad here and was crossed on a curving iron girder bridge of which nothing remains now. Today’s hourly service between Exeter and Barnstaple on Mondays to Saturdays and a little less frequently on Sundays has a journey time of between 65 and 76 minutes, depending mostly on the number of stops. This is certainly slower than the non-stop steam-hauled expresses, but maximum speeds don’t seem to be very different. 55 mph is the maximum permitted over most of the line but 70 mph is allowed over most of the section from Cowley Bridge Junction to the site of Coleford Junction. However, the big difference between now and then are the through expresses from Waterloo. Now there are none; then there were several of which the Atlantic Coast Express was probably the most famous. In summer 1954, sixty years ago, the Barnstaple portion of the 11 am from Waterloo arrived at 3.25 pm while an overnight train leaving Waterloo at 1.15 am arrived at 6.04 am. On Saturdays at the height of summer in 1954 Barnstaple had 10 through expresses – or portions thereof - from Waterloo.


Table 1 shows two Down runs from Exeter, a recent one I recorded on a three-coach Class 153/150 combination and the second recorded by Brian Basterfield in 1958 on which ‘unrebuilt’ Battle of Britain Class No. 34079 ‘141 Squadron’ had 355 tons on the drawbar. In addition to the usual table format I have included an additional column showing the DMU’s cumulative running times to allow easy comparison with 34079’s run. The working times for the DMUs’ run are from Realtime Trains which differ from the public timetable by a few minutes here and there. Unsurprisingly, the DMUs were quicker off the mark from St Davids and 34079 was further hampered by a PWS before Newton St Cyres. However, these days the DMUs have to stop again immediately after Crediton station to collect the single line tablet at the signal box and they are also delayed by a 25 mph speed limit over Salmon Pool level crossing. Therefore, by Yeoford 34079 had overtaken the DMUs and was ahead of them by more than a minute in actual running time or by almost two minutes including the DMUs’ station dwell time at Crediton. 34079’s speeds on the climb to Copplestone were well short of the 70 mph permitted today and, except for a few miles around Newton St Cyres, so were those of the DMUs, perhaps reflecting the relatively steep gradients. From Copplestone, while 34079 ran non-stop to Barnstaple it had to slow down significantly at all stations as far as Umberleigh to, I guess, 20-25 mph to enter loops and to exchange single line tokens. In addition to stopping at some intermediate stations, counting against the DMUs was a mandatory stop before Eggesford level crossing, the net result being that 34079 was only three minutes ahead of the DMUs at Eggesford. After Eggesford, the DMUs had the advantage of being able to run through Kings Nympton and Portsmouth Arms at line speed (although for some reason they slowed to 37 mph at Kings Nympton) whereas 34079 had to slow right down so that by Umberleigh the DMUs had reduced the difference between the two trains’ running times to only two minutes. The times of both trains from Umberleigh to Chapleton was exactly the same, 3m 10s, indicating the DMUs’ rapid acceleration and 34079’s slow speed through Umberleigh. Overall, from Exeter to Barnstaple the DMUs’ running time with six intermediate station stops was only 2¼ minutes slower than the non-stop 34079 and almost matched the latter’s scheduled time. Including station dwell times, the DMUs were 6½ minutes slower than 34079. So non-stop steam was slightly faster that the six-stop DMUs and I would certainly rather travel in a comfortable compartment or open locomotive-hauled coach than in a DMU with an underframe engine. However, even a Class 150 or 153 is preferable to a Class 143 DMU with its two, four-wheel coaches which I experienced on a run in the opposite direction from Barnstaple to Exeter shown in Table 2, coupled to a Class 153 railcar. The comparison run here is on Devon Belle in 1948 timed by the late Peter Semmens on which ‘unrebuilt’ West Country Class Pacific No. 34014 ‘Exmouth’ had quite a heavy 410 tons load. Unfortunately, details of this run are a little scant but sufficient to show the overall running and I have no scheduled times. I am sure the ride in Pullman coaches on the Devon Belle was much smoother than the hard ride I suffered in the Class 143 on the quite long sections of jointed track where I felt every rail joint. Aesthetically, I would also have much preferred to have heard the chafing, three-cylinder exhaust beat of 34014 tackling the Devonian gradients than the DMUs’ diesel chortle.


Table 1: Exeter - Barnstaple

Date Saturday 6 September 2014 31 August 1958

Train from St David's 10.30 2.07 pm

Formation/coaches 153 372 + 150 129 10 coaches

Weight 117.6 tons tare 332/355

Power/locomotive 639 kW (855 hp) 34079 BB Class 4-6-2

TOC First Great Western Southern Region BR

Recorder M. Simister B. Basterfield

Position 2nd car Unknown

Miles M C Location WTT Act Speeds Cum time Sch Act Speeds

min m.s mph m.s min m.s mph

0.00 193 72 Exeter St Davids 0.00 3L/41 0.00

0.00 1L

1.24 192 53 Cowley Bridge Junction 3 3.13 19 3.13 3 3.34 20

173 49

pws 28

4.28 176 52 Newton St Cyres 6.45 67 6.45

8.25 50/55

6.88 179 20 Crediton 10 9.57

9.57

11.24 49

11 10.30

6.95 179 26 Crediton Signal Box 0.27

10.24

0.31 /30 10.28

7.74 180 09 Salmon Pool LC 2.51 24/59 12.48

10.54 182 73 Yeoford 6 6.48

16.45

15.27 57/58

7 7.15

11.48 183 68 Coleford Junction 1.54 41/53 18.39 17 16.28 56

13.46 185 67 Copplestone 4.48

21.33 20 18.59 Slack

5 5.13 /55

/44

15.10 187 38 Morchard Road 2.54

24.27 23 21.48 Slack/52

3 3.16

17.48 189 68 Lapford 3.14 55/59 27.41 26 25.51 Slack/53

21.30 193 54 Eggesford Crossing Stop 0m 37s

21.35 193 58 Eggesford 10 9.49

34.16 32 31.20 Slack

16 11.45 /58

/59

25.26 197 51 Kings Nympton 5.25 37 39.41 38 36.29 Slack/52

28.11 200 39 Portsmouth Arms 8.43 55 42.59 43 40.43 Slack/54

32.30 204 54 Umberleigh 14 14.17

48.33 48 46.38 Slack

15 14.50

34.66 207 03 Chapleton 3.10 59 51.43

49.48 57

36.63

MP 209 5.07 59 53.40

51.41 65

38.99 211 29 Barnstaple 9 8.46 62 max 57.19 57 55.02 1E

Cumulative time including station dwell times 61.35

In performance, the DMUs certainly accelerated better than 34014 – no surprise there - and it is noticeable that their start-to-stop times were little different from 34014’s pass-to-pass times as far as Copplestone, but thereafter 34014 drew well ahead. After averaging 43.4 mph on the climb from Chapleton to Copplestone, it averaged 65.7 mph descending from Coleford Junction to Crediton and 64.8 mph from Coleford Junction to Newton St Cyres. Overall, the DMUs running time was only just over two minutes slower than 34014’s despite having six station stops and another stop to exchange tokens at Crediton signal box. However, including station dwell times, the DMUs were nearly 12 minutes slower than 34014. Based on these four runs, today’s stopping DMUs’ running times compare well with those of the non-stop steam-hauled expresses, although, naturally, the difference increases when station dwell times are taken into account. But compared with other steam-hauled trains, the DMUs win. In the RPS database is another log recorded by Peter Semmens in September 1948 in which a Class N 2-6-0 with 205 tons took 63m 35s from Barnstaple to Exeter including a 4m 7s signal stop just before St Davids. Even allowing for that signal stop the


Table 2: Barnstaple - Exeter

Date Saturday 6 September 2014 18 July 1948

Train from Barnstaple 12.43 12.37 Devon Belle

Formation/coaches 143 619 + 153 333 9 Pullman & 1 Obvn car

Weight tare/gross tons 89.7 tons tare 389/410 tons

Power/locomotive 543 kW (735 hp) 34014 Exmouth

TOC First Great Western Southern Region BR

Recorder M. Simister P.W. Semmens

Position 2nd car Unknown

Miles M C Location WTT Act Speeds Cum time Sch Act Speeds

min m.s mph m.s min m.s mph

0.00 211 29 Barnstaple RT 0.00 /62 0.00

0.00 /62

4.33 207 03 Chapleton 5.26 55/59 5.26

6.28 /71

6.69 204 54 Umberleigh 8½ 8.23 59 max 8.23

8.52 /56/60

9 9.11

10.88 200 39 Portsmouth Arms 5.31 58 13.54

13.55

13.73 197 51 Kings Nympton/Sth Molton Rd 10½/11 8.59 13/55 17.22

18.13

17.66 193 56 Eggesford 17 14.48

23.11

23.56 /48/52

19 17.39

21.51 189 68 Lapford 5.06 57 28.17

29.05 60

23.89 187 38 Morchard Road 8½ 8.17

31.28

32.45 /42

9 9.00 /48

25.53 185 67 Copplestone 3 3.05

34.33

35.44

3½ 3.46 /63

27.51 183 68 Coleford Junction 2.41 58 37.14

38.04 69

28.45 182 73 Yeoford 4 4.19

38.52

4½ 5.08 /66

31.25 180 09 Salmon Pool LC 3.56 24/38 42.48

32.04 179 26 Crediton Signal Box 5.36

44.28

/75

5.43

44.35

32.11 179 20 Crediton 6½ 6.19

45.11

42.16 54

10 9.58 /72

34.71 176 52 Newton St Cyres 3.09 69 48.20

44.44 71/73

Sigs Dead slow

37.75 192 53 Cowley Bridge Junction 8½ 6.26 17 51.37

49.02

173 49

38.99 193 72 Exeter St Davids 12 9.09 43 max 54.20 52.03

Cumulative time including station dwell times 63.51

DMUs’ running time is faster by about 4½ minutes. The ‘N’ averaged 39 mph from Chapleton to Copplestone and 55 mph from Copplestone to Crediton. So, while the railway enthusiast in me would prefer to ride in steam-hauled comfort, the accountant in me realises that today’s services cost considerably less to operate in real terms than the steam services did allowing us still to enjoy the pleasure of an hourly service to Barnstaple. May the DMUs keep rattling on.



.








BLACK ELEPHANTS IN PORTLAND MAINE Ben Stone During 2012, I spent over four months in New England and to keep railway interest my daughter took me by rail to Portland, Maine, a journey that was subsequently repeated three times. We travelled by ‘Downeaster’ - the Amtrak train introduced around the year 2000 and which brought alternative trains to those of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) trains to Boston North. Downeaster is a nickname for someone from Maine, rather like we call a person from Tyneside - a Geordie. I would hardly say this service is a paying proposition on its own and must be heavily subsidized by Maine. In addition to the train ride, on three occasions we had a visit to diMillo’s floating restaurant in Portland harbour. The meal is first class, with a sea-going menu. Across from diMillo’s are a number of large fuel storage tanks, and it was in front of these that I was convinced I saw three black elephants. The idea was dismissed because elephants are not black, and my daughter said she thought they were small storage tanks. On our two later visits to de Milos there was no sign, but more of that later. HISTORY Most of the mileage is now 'Pan-American’, as successors to Guilford and, in turn, Boston & Maine. Nearer to Boston, the tracks are governed by the MBTA as far as Haverhill. We joined at Woburn - Anderson Transit Centre, a modern complex on the Lowell line on three of our journeys, and on the other at Haverhill (first stop) when I had to go to Lawrence to have my biometrics for my application for an Alien Residence application. Between Wilmington (first station) and Wilmington Junction on the Haverhill line the Downeaster uses a link line shown on the maps as 'freight only'. With 10 Downeasters and many MBTA trains using it each weekday, this may have been superceded. I make no excuse for being unable to produce a gradient profile nor detailed timetable and coach weights and I assume Saco is what used to be called Biddaford. The mileages are taken from the 1954 'Standard' timetable on the Boston & Maine pages. I'm afraid I was content to sit back and enjoy the comfortable Amfleet seats and the green window view. The trackage was mainly single track – and we saw how this causes problems on our second trip. There are a few 'sidings' besides the stations, but between Wilmington and Portland East Yard it only became double in Lawrence and at stations. A feature of American railroads is the low passenger platforms and when one comes to an important junction there are none of the fixtures as in the UK such as signal boxes. All the low platforms on Amtrak have been succeeded by a 20 yard ‘Higher’ platform and the unfortunate engineer has to judge where he stops to allow passengers to use these higher platforms. On the day we used Haverhill 'depot' we all lined up on the wrong side and the engineer sounded the horn of AMTK 131 to get passengers onto the correct platform. There are full length high platforms at Woburn and Portland. SERVICE: The Downeaster runs five times a day from each end but at different times at weekends


STAFFING: The station or 'depot' at Haverhill is the only one with no staff. For the most part the Downeaster carries two conductors and someone in the bar AND one is supposed to buy tickets in advance, as we found out on the day we joined at Haverhill (no staff). ROLLING STOCK: Each train from the Boston end consisted of an F40 (without prime mover) and so is a control trailer, and 90000 has been added to the old F40 number. Amfleet I Buffet (with first behind a curtain) and a rather uncomfortable second in which we were discouraged to sit for too long, it being the domain of the conductors. 3 or 4 Amfleet Is P42 However on the second and third returns the following was added: Amfleet I buffet (not occupied) and a further P42. Two sets are needed, one for the first, third and last trains from Portland and the return. The other set for the second and fourth return journeys from Portland. I was puzzled by the addition to the standard formation above.

Date 10/05/2012 13/06/2012 24/07/2012 11/09/2012

Train 681 681 681 681

Loco AMTK71 AMTK131 AMTK 158 AMTK 50

Load formation 90220+5 90214+5 90213+5 90213+5

Recorder B Stone B Stone B Stone B Stone

Position/ GPS No Y Y Y

miles Timing Point ave m s mph ave m s mph ave m s mph ave

0.0 WOBURN MA 0 00 6L

0 00 4L 0 00 4L

1.5 Wilmington MA 3 38 24.8

4 00

22.5 3 39

24.7

6.6 Lowell J

12 25 /stop 3m56s 36.4

/stop 28s

7.3 Ballardvale 14 22 32.4

17 43 43 7.9 14 06 64 33.3

9.8 Andover 18 23 37.3

20 07 64/65 62.5 16 51 60/40 54.5

14.2 Lawrence 22 00 73.0

21 14 64 60.2

20.0 Haverhill MA 31 51 35.3

34 26 /79 42.7 31 43

33.2

0.0 Haverhill MA 0 00 11L 0 00 4L 0 00

0 00

17.5 Exeter MA 18 41 56.2 19 38

53.5 18 03 /77 58.2 18 35

56.5

0.0 Exeter MA 0 00 0 00 /75 0 00

0 00 /75

11.3 Durham NH 12 57 52.4 12 14

55.4 12 04

56.2 11 58

56.7

0.0 Durham NH 0 00

/80 0 00

0 00 /77

6.4 Dover NH 6 18 61.0

6 20

60.6 6 05

63.1

0.0 Dover NH 0 00

0 00

0 00

10.3 North Berwick 10 53 56.8

/79 8 31 85 72.6

/82

17.0 Wells ME 17 20 62.3 16 37

61.4 16 07

52.9 16 11

63.0

0.0 Wells ME 0 00 0 00 /80 0 00 /83 0 00 /83

14.2 Saco ME 24 39 34.6 15 25

55.3 14 56

57.1 15 03

56.6

0.0 Saco ME 0 00 0 00 /80 0 00 /70 0 00

4.6 Old Orchard Beach 6 42 41.2 7 25

37.2 6 24

43.1 6 00

46.0

0.0 Old Orchard Beach 0 00 14L 0 00 /75 0 00 /82 0 00

11.0 PORTLAND ME 16 32 39.1 17 05 4L 39.7 14 50 2L 45.5 15 14 1E 41.6

On the final trip the 1435 ex-Portland, had a P40 - 822 which had been hauled off the stored ranks (with 14 others) to fill the gaps caused by a glut of traffic. The P40 was in Amtrak colours of 1971. The schedules require some quite fast running, and punctuality was a problem. THE LOGS: The first trip, on my birthday 10/05/12, was rather a disappointment. AMTK 71 appeared to lose about 17 minutes but may have been held up by something, and there were also two TSRs. It did, however, achieve even-time from Durham to Dover and net from


Dover to Wells and Saco to Old Orchard Beach. No. 76 did little better on the return run and probably lost 19 minutes despite even time from Wells to Dover to Durham.

Train 686 686 686 686

Loco AMTK 76 AMTK 131 AMTK 122 plus 199 AMTK 822

Load formation 90214+4 90214+4 90220+4 90214+4

Recorder B Stone B Stone B Stone B Stone

Position/ GPS N Y y y

miles Timing Point ave m s mph ave m s mph ave m s mph ave

0 PORTLAND ME 0 00 1L 0 00 T /65/stop 0 00 2stop 2m55s T 0 00 /77 T

11.0 Old Orchard Beach 16 39

39.6 20 55

31.6 21 45 /88 15 53

41.6

0.0 Old Orchard Beach 0 00 /20-tsr 0 00 /72 0 00 /48 0 00

4.6 Saco ME 8 41

31.8 6 05

45.4 5 42

48.4 6 44

41.0

0.0 Saco ME 0 00

0 00 /76 0 00 /84 0 00 tsr

14.2 Wells ME 17 16

49.3 15 46

54.0 14 35

58.4 22 50

37.3

0.0 Wells ME 0 00

0 00 stop48m 0 00

0 00

6.7 North Berwick 6 39

60.5 54 01 /70 7.4 5 55 82/85 67.9 6 21 77/78 63.3

17.8 Dover NH 17 24

62.0 64 38

62.7 16 11

64.9 17 30

59.7

0.0 Dover NH 0 00

0 00 /68 0 00 /76 0 00 /71

6.4 Durham NH 6 14

61.6 6 22

60.3 5 50

65.8 6 21

60.5

0.0 Durham NH 0 00

0 00 /61 0 00 /76 0 00 /70

11.3 Exeter MA 12 50

52.8 13 11

51.4 14 57

45.4 13 48

49.1

0.0 Exeter MA 0 00

0 00 /70 0 00 /78 0 00

17.5 Haverhill MA 20 08

52.2 17 02 52L 61.6 19 04

55.1 16 22

64.2

0.0 Haverhill MA 0 00

0 00

0 00

5.8 Lawrence 11 11 /sigs 31.1

10 42 52 32.5 10 23 53 33.5

10.2 Andover

14 56 59 62.4 15 52

48.1

18.5 Wilmington MA 32 40

35.5

26 56

41.5 26 56

45.0

20.0 WOBURN MA 38 08 22L 16.5 32 00 21L 17.8 32 01 21L 17.7

The second trip was livelier: AMTK 131 seemed to achieve even time from Dover to Wells and I timed 80 mph before Dover and Saco and on to Wells and 75 mph on the mudflats before Portland. On the return there was a virtual stop before Tower PT (which is closed incidentally), but by Wells we were pulling back arrears, THEN disaster. An eastbound freight hauled by Pan-am 337+608+611 (all GP40s) on the large daily freight to Portland, on which I counted 104 freight cars, 'lost air' while it straddled the points west of Wells so there we had to wait until they could find it (the air that is). We were offered a soft drink and a single Boston - Portland ticket as compensation. Unfortunately we lost another three minutes to Haverhill. Now this was the day when I showed extreme foolishness. Because there was not enough time to go to DiMillo’s, I said, "I'll give you lunch in the buffet" and when we got there, no buffet and no sign of the elephants. The third trip was for my daughter's birthday - 24/07/12. AMTK158 gave us a good run. Despite a four minute stop at Wilmington Junction, the loss was nearly made up by Portland, with 79 mph before Exeter and 77 after. Even time from Durham to Dover to Wells with 85 on this last stage. Coming back, Nos. 122 and 199 gave a good run with even time from Saco to Kennebunk (closed), Wells to Dover to Durham and I recorded speeds of 84 mph before Kennebunk, 85 before Dover, 76 on each of the next two stages and 78 before Haverhill. The view of the elephants was obscured from DiMillo’s by a crowd of yachts. Our last trip was on 11/09/12 just before my return to the UK. No. 50, which I'd seen earlier, gave a sparkling effort and gained 12 minutes with 82 mph after Dover and even time from Durham to Dover to Wells, and finally on the return No. 822 lost time but was much hindered around Kennebunk, Wells and Wilmington, but did produce 77 mph on the mudflats before Old Orchard Beach and 78 before Dover. A slightly sad end to our trips, as we finished in


Woburn 21½ minutes down and with hardly enough time to get to Boston North before the 1740 departure. There was no sign of the elephants, so who knows. Having apologised for the lack of gradient profiles, I think Durham-Dover-Wells must be on higher ground, as Saco is supposed to be at sea level, like Old Orchard Beach, although you can’t see the sea.

LETTERS

David, I was quite intrigued regarding your article on WCML in 2014 as I was the person who compiled the VHF timetable on WCML for the December 2008 Timetable in its entirety from London to Glasgow and all branches for all trains (not just VT) and freights as well when I was in my previous employ of Network Rail in Crewe / Birmingham. It is fair to say that the timetable was written with all accompanying Sectional Running Times (SRTs) on infrastructure that was not yet built with certain enhanced speeds and therefore had to be a small amount of inspired guesswork which caused me to draw on my fairly considerable planning and also control work I have gleaned since joining BR back in 1982. Much of the work was drawn up with very close inspection and attention of the DfT (one person in particular, I will leave you all to guess who that might be!) and therefore they had a very proscriptive involvement indeed and I was only able to do certain things to assist matters and make things a little more ‘industry and passenger friendly. I recall all sorts of debates where I was told that the Euston – Liverpool core service was to be calling at Runcorn only all day so it was myself who inserted the Stafford stop into these trains to give some, in my opinion, common sense to offering connections and journey opportunities. Even this one matter was hotly opposed by the DfT and I managed to win that particular battle. Hence stopping patterns were frequently dictated and I could do only a minimal amount about the VT stopping patterns such as regular calls at various places. No doubt RPS members will have very strong views regarding these calling points but I assure you all there was very little that could be done with the DfT breathing down one’s neck!. Much has happened since the former VHF Timetable was introduced. Euston Liverpool services also call at Crewe, the xx.46 departure from Euston via Stoke for LM now is routed via Weedon and not Northampton, the xx.16 and xx.49 paths and of course their Southbound ‘Up’ balances also run to add additional trains to the overall frequency. I do contest the opinion that the route is full as I think when some actual running is brought to the SRTs and planning rules in general then a small amount of capacity can be generated. Such changes and accompanying data was available just a few months after the inception of the VHF timetable but NR has not as yet made any changes to them despite obvious information to the contrary. A workstream however is starting to put this right although no changes have been agreed to this date. Yes, the route in extremely busy with paths ‘on the graph’ as it were, but how many of those are actually contractual rights for services that do not run in reality. How many services therefore are there in reality against what the available capacity could be. One final question for RPS members: When the original VHF timetable was compiled, the entire timetable circulated around one central point in determining almost everything. Where was that point? (Answer on page 72)


Regards, on a most interesting article. Simon Pilkington

David Thanks for the magazine. Regarding the MTD supplement, I was a regular MML traveller back in the 1970s with Peaks and 47s. Somewhere I must still have my log-books, and will let RPS know if ever I come across them. Certainly they would make an interesting comparator. As I recall, St Pancras to Leicester in 80 minutes was always my dream, but I can’t now recall whether I ever achieved it. The fastest diesel locomotive time to Leicester in the RPS database was 76m15s, which was published in Milepost 22, and there was another run at 77m46s with speeds in the upper 90’s, but I agree these were the exceptions, rather than the rule. - Ed By the way, in the real-time pages of the MTD booklet, can I ask why certain times are shown bold and shaded? The shading of the services on the real-time pages indicates where trains were probably running under adverse signals. Preceding trains that were probably causing the delay are shown. If we didn’t have a recorder on that train, we have drawn the data from RTT and shown it in italics. - Ed On another point, I share the concern expressed at page 275 over the spurious “quarter-minute” accuracy claimed by realtimetrains. As an example, I spent Saturday travelling around the Cardiff Valleys logging start/stop times, and comparing records from my wristwatch (RC so should be precise) with realtimetrains there were discrepancies everywhere, even at major stations like Cardiff Queen Street. So, no, I do not believe “we will be able to time trains without actually being on them”! As you have discovered, there are known problems regarding arrival and departure times shown in open rail data. These are probably due to inaccurate NR berth offsets, which are used to calculate arrival and departure times. These times are calculated from the preceding time at the approaching and departing signals – an optimistic berth offset approaching a station is probably quite attractive to a TOC, as it may turn a 30min late arrival into a 29min late arrival to their great relief! The RPS could build up its own more-accurate berth offsets from our own observations, but they would still only be averages, as individual driving techniques would still result in significantly different arrivals from those calculated. A more accurate, but still incorrect, arrival/departure would not be seen as a benefit from a developer; they would prefer to take their data from a single source (e.g. NR), and blame whoever provided it for any inaccuracy. So, I agree that it’s unlikely we will ever be able to produce an accurate log from a train without being on it, although we could produce such logs from berth data (as described by John Heaton in his P&P article in June 2014’s RM) and with observers recording actual arrivals and departures at stations. Finally, RTT round data down to the nearest 15secs, although it’s not certain whether this relates to all data, or just at station stops. Another anomaly with offsets is how cautious driving is reported in open rail data. In such cases, this would report as excess dwell time, indicating despatchers/guards problems, whilst the actual cause may be cautious driving - Ed. Finally can I also say that I share Mr Umpleby’s frustration (page 284) - as a fairly regular XC user I’m all too well familiar with the painfully slow run-in from Kings Norton to New Street behind a stopper, and have often wondered why XC still prefers this route to Camp Hill.


Given that there’s often a crew change at New Street, even the excuse of Drivers being reluctant to walk the length of the platform to change ends cannot really be the reason! Paul Jeffries Cardiff

Race to the West To the Editor, Milepost Sir, I enjoyed Richard Howlett's steam/MUD comparison on the LSW - but surely on the return journey the difference was greater than he suggests, as the arrival time in Waterloo shown for 159 run must be erroneous In fact I almost gate-crashed Richard's honeymoon trip as I was travelling with a SR Railrover for a week towards the end of March 1964. 35025 was already the engine turned out regularly for the up ACE/1900 down diagram, but despite its choice for this star turn it was not always in such good form as on his trip. On the first day of my week the ACE arrived in Salisbury about 8 late, 200 lbs on the clock and the fireman working hard on the pricker. Despite the best efforts of Driver Hurrell and his fireman steaming must have remained problematic as we took 84 minutes net to reach Waterloo. On Tuesday, despite snow (!) and rain we did a little better, net 79, but apparently on Wednesday there was a five-minute extension to the Salisbury stop to raise steam (I was on the Bournemouth line that day). On Thursday, although the arrival from Exeter was 2 early, the pressure gauge showed only 170 lbs and Hurrell was complaining volubly to the Exmouth Junction crew about the state of the fire. We left Salisbury 2 late and made the best run of the week - the first that was faster in the early stages than Richard Howlett's run in April. But with easings after Basingstoke the performance was still not outstanding - net 78 or a bit less. On Friday, this time with Driver Wardale of the Salisbury spare link, the scenario was similar: 165 lbs on the clock on arrival, 220 before departure, reasonable running as far as Andover but finally a net time to Waterloo that would only just have bettered the 80-minute schedule. So Richard was perhaps lucky to enjoy such a good run with Brocklebank Line on his honeymoon - a good omen obviously on this auspicious occasion! Yours sincerely Alan Varley

Dear David, Thank you for the latest Milepost, which I found easier to fold than I thought it would be! But my main reason for writing is Richard Howlett's article on a so called race to the west, as Southern Western Section steam is my main interest. He speaks of dreaming, and this dream seems to have mixed up the Bournemouth Belle with the 7p.m. Waterloo - Plymouth, as the former diverted from the latter at Worting Jct. and, as it was a 2-hour train at that time, it was a minute faster to there then. The only Belle to run to Devon had ceased some years earlier. On his return journey, the A.C.E. did not stop at Axminster, but my guess is that he was on the 11.12 stopping train from Exeter to Salisbury, due 1.53, 10 minutes ahead of the A.C.E. The 11.39 from Lyme Regis connected with the "slow" which was due off Axminster at 12.3. Richard then seems to have dreamt up the A.C.E.'s schedule, the only time he got right was


at Woking - Jct., not the station, although most logs give the actual at the station. The time allowed to Worting Jct. was 34 minutes, and Richard's allowance on to Woking of only 18 minutes is an average of about 90, whilst the line speed was 85! The schedule to Clapham should be 73 minutes and the overall allowance 80 minutes, the same as the public time! I hope that Richard will forgive my nit picking, I married a year after him, and I was lucky that my wife's father was a railwayman, Regards, Michael Hedges

David I can possibly give you an explanation as to why the Tonbridge police were so helpful - the position is that Tonbrige is the main police station for the area, and it just happens to be within 100 yards of the railway station, hence, that sort of job is good practice for them David Lloyd Roberts Members beware: Don’t misbehave in the vicinity of Tonbridge station! Ed

Dear David, Lesser lights of the North Eastern In Andrew James ‘Lesser lights of the North Eastern Region’ (Milepost 35¾), he mentions that the B16’s were rebuilt with ‘modern long-lap travel valve gear which enhanced their steaming capabilities and consequently performance’. To clarify, the advantage of long lap, over short lap valves is that the former allows better use in the cylinders of the steam generated, lowering coal consumption and generally improving performance. Short lap valves incur higher losses as the admission and exhaust ports are only ever partly open. This was perhaps most famously illustrated during the 1925 LNE/GW trials where Collet’s long lap valve Castle was demonstrated to be superior to Gresley’s short lap valve A1, a design failing that Gresley immediately set about to correct. Regards, Sandy Smeaton

NEWS

100 mph Scheduled Services 2014/15 - Jeremy Hartill

With the winter timetable taking us into 2015 I have revisited the 100mph runs and produced a new list. The full list is available on the RPS website. I also have taken an overview of 100mph running since I compiled the first list in 2011. What has stayed the same is the routes with the east coast mail line (ECML), west coast main lines (WCML) and high speed one (HS1) still the only places that have scheduled 100mph running. In practical terms the WCML to Warrington, the ECML to Darlington and HS1 to Ashford are the main routes though there are some services to Coventry and Stoke. Finally the Flying Scotsman south from Newcastle and the 16.30 north from Euston to Preston also have 100mph averages. To start with the picture since 2011 is given in the table below 2011 summer timetable 332 runs 26,700 miles


2012 summer timetable 363 runs 29,135 miles 2013/14 winter timetable 391 runs 30,101 miles 2014/15 winter timetable 424 runs 31,283 miles This is not as straightforward as it would seem though with a more complex picture emerging when you dig a bit deeper. Starting with HS1, this is fairly straight forward, picture with a few additional services and also a number of the addition short runs from Stratford to Ashford accelerated to produce 135 runs and 3,895 miles of 100mph running on a weekday. This is a 22% increase in mileage compared with 2011. The WCML on the other hand has actually gone backwards. In the current timetable there are 135 runs covering 15,324 miles on a week day, 5% less mileage than in 2011. In its defence it should be said that the WCML has the highest daily mileage and a good spread of 100mph trains out of Euston through the day. The ECML is however the hidden gem. With 154 runs covering 12,065 miles on a weekday this is a 63% increase ! in mileage since 2011. The ECML has a number of short runs, York to Darlington and v.v. in particular that contribute to the high number of runs. The fastest trains from these survey’s are as listed below. 2011 07.55 Stevenage to Grantham 77.87 miles in 42 min 111.2 mph class 222 2012 18.55 York to Stevenage 160.94 miles in 88 min 109.7 mph class 91 2013/14 20.17 Grantham to Stevenage 77.87 miles in 42 min 111.2 mph class 91 2014/15 7 trains Stratford to Ashford 50.14 miles in 27 min 111.4 mph class 395 While there are no class 390’s in this list they do make some very fast runs with an evening Stafford to Watford at 110.6 mph being the fastest at present. 100 mph services are in the hands of HST’s and classes 91, 180, 220, 221, and 395. The 100 mph operators are Virgin West Coast, East Coast, (soon to be Virgin East Coast), Cross Country, Grand Central and First Hull trains. Moving down a rung First Great Western, East Midland and London Midland all have 90mph services. On the Midland main line the 07.24 London to Market Harborough has a 97.3mph schedule, this and the 62 minute Leicester services both have recovery time in the schedules and are within spitting distance of 100mph so expect some three figures speeds in the fastest times soon. That London Midland is included in the same league as the Great Western and Midland main lines is a great credit to their ambition and the 110 mph class 350’s. The 93 mph runs from London and Rugby to Milton Keynes show them punching well above their weight. Finally in the 80mph division First Trans Pennine (missing out on 90mph by 0.1mph), Chiltern and South West Trains join in. Overall then still getting better and probably more to come as developments bed in and new electric routes come on line.

Class 68 - First Impressions 1 - Hatton Bank - David Adams My plans to experience some class 68 running were put out of joint by the landslide north of Harbury tunnel at the end of January. This has resulted in Chiltern’s main line being severed for a prolonged period with bustitution between Banbury and Leamington set to last until at least Easter. An emergency timetable was put into operation and loco hauled sets now have only a limited amount of work north of the blockage between Kidderminster and Leamington, two southbound and three northbound with no off peak daytime workings. I became aware in the middle of February that a class 68 was being used for the first time north of Banbury on a passenger service, albeit just one service in each direction. The up line was not likely to show off the class 68 potential to any great degree so I set my sights on the 20.03 from Leamington which would involve running up Hatton bank from a dead stand at Warwick Parkway. The up run is an early morning service and the train goes back to Stourbridge ECS then back to Leamington ECS for the down evening train. In fact both up


runs return ECS and the three down runs are all formed by ECS movements from either Moor Street or Stourbridge, neither an ideal utilisation of resources nor an ideal arrangement for timing purposes. Currently a class 67 is used on the other three services. The start from Leamington did not instil confidence, a slow affair followed by a running brake test and a crawl into Warwick station. However on departure from Warwick Parkway things livened up. The immediate start was very slow, 5-7 seconds from power being applied to any hint of movement. However, after 5 mph had been attained it appeared full power was selected as a distinct surge of power occurred which was followed by a very brief easing. An overload seemed inevitable at that point, such was the sudden rate of acceleration and g-force but the loco appeared to be self regulating. We topped Hatton bank at 71 mph and 100 mph maximum speed was attained at Finwood Road, both records with 7 vehicles in tow. A need to ease over Hatton North Junction, something that was a regular occurrence in days gone by as the limit here has been raised in stages from 50 – 85 mph, was just avoided as speed had reached 82 mph at this point. With one coach less that may well not have been the case. A log follows and I have also included two class 67 runs for comparison. It will be seen that run 2 with only 5 vehicles was very close to the class 68. However, run 3 with a similar load to the class 68 was 6-8 mph down on performance. There is certainly potential for some new fastest times when the right hands are in charge. My initial impression after just one short run was very encouraging and I look forward to a resumption of normal service later in the year.

WARWICK PARKWAY - DORRIDGE

Train 2003 Leamington 1646 Marylebone 1337 Marylebone

Date Tu 17-Feb-15 W 22-Aug-12 F 26-Oct-12

Loco 68011 67013 82303/67013

Load 7,273/275 5,199/210 7,273/283

Position gps 2/8 Y 2/6 Y 3/8 Y

Ditance Actual speed Actual Speed Actual Speed

MILES M.C. m s mph m s mph m s mph

0.00 109.24 WARWICK PARKWAY 0.00

0.00 0.00

0.70 110.00 Budbrook 1.34 48 1.30½ 49 1.43½ 45

1.73 111.02 Hatton Goods Loop 2.38½ 65

2.20 111.40 Dark Lane OB 3.03½ 71 2.58 70 3.21 63

2.86 112.15 HATTON 3.36 78 3.31½ 77 3.58 71

3.74 113.05 Shrewley OB 4.16 85 4 12 84 4.41 77

5.36 114.55 Finwood Road OB 5.17 100 5.12 101/99 5.48 94

7.08 116.33 LAPWORTH FB 6.20 98 6.14 101 6.52 97

8.16 117.40 Chapel Lane OB 7.00 97 6.53½ 99 7.31½ 101

Sigs. *

9.61 118.75 DORRIDGE 9.54 8.48 PASS 8.24 101

2 – BEATTOCK - SANDY SMEATON

DRS’s new Class 68’s worked their first passenger charters between Glasgow and Gleneagles last autumn during the Ryder Cup. It was sheer luck that I discovered on the morning of Pathfinder’s Carmarthen to Edinburgh Rugex for the Six Nations Cup was to be Class 68 hauled. The ‘Scot-Rail’ enthusiasts website (not to be confused with First ScotRail) had carried the news and that a loco change would take place at Carlisle. The 12.40 from Central got me to Carlisle in plenty of time for 68005 ‘Defiant’s arrival with 1Z68 from the south, a few minutes late at 14.23. 68002 ‘Intrepid’ was waiting in the middle road to take over, a rare event nowadays. The stock was watered during the 21 minute lay-over in Platform 3.


A very reasonable fare was agreed with the ever-accommodating Pathfinder staff especially as I had a window seat on the milepost side amongst some friendly, well-refreshed, vocal Welsh. The load was 10 Mk 2F’s, all 33 tons and a generator van (6310), estimated at 37 tons, totalling 367 tons and about 405 gross. 68002 started for the north 7 late observing the 10 m/h tsr at the platform north end and just after crossing the Caldew the brake test was carried out. Acceleration was then rapid with Kingmoor passed at 57, Rockcliffe at 82, MP5¼ at 90 and achieving a maximum of 91½ at Floriston. We were booked to go into Quintinshill loop to let the 11.30 from Euston overtake, but it was obviously running late as the repeater for the main was off and MP10¼ was passed at 83½. There was a slight acceleration to 87½ up the 1 in 200 to Kirkpatrick. The maximum over the easier gradients at Kirtlebridge was 89½ followed by a fall to 85 on the 1 in 200 and then a rise to 88½ before the summit at MP22. We stopped in Lockerbie loop after a very cautious approach in 26m 31s from the Carlisle start.

Date: Fri 13.2.15 m c sch m s mph

Train: 1z68 07.10 Carmarthen - Edinburgh Rugex

42 00 mp 13 31 76

43 00 " 14 19 73½

Locomotive: 68002 Intrepid,3750bhp,Bo-Bo 44 20 " 15 21 71

Load: coaches,tare/gross 11,/367/405 45 11 Greskine (SS) 16 07 69

Weather: L SE wind, very dull and damp. 46 00 MP 16 53 66½

Recorder: A.Smeaton/GPS 47 00 Harthope 17 48 65½

Position: 6/12 48 00 MP 18 43 64

m c sch m s mph 48 42 OB (Jen's) 19 13 63½/63

0 00 CARLISLE (Plm 3) 0 0 00 7L ~/Tsr 10 49 13 OB (Sluice) 19 49 63½

0 20 MP 1 56 15 49 60 Beattock Summit 25 20 22 66

0 60 Caldew Jn 3 10 33½/28½*RBT 51 47 Bodsbury 21 44 93½

2 06 Kingmoor 5 09 57 52 49 Elvanfoot 22 25 87½/84½

4 00 Rockcliffe (MP) 6 47 82 55 08 Crawford 24 08 91

6 07 Floriston 8 12 91½ 56 38 OB (Rock Face) 25 02 88½

8 60 Gretna Jn 10 9 59 84½ 57 69 Abington 31 25 59 89

10 20 Quintinshill (MP) 13/19 11 04 83½ 59 00 MP 26 45 90/89½

13 00 Kirkpatrick 22 12 59 87½ 62 00 " 28 45 91

14 46 Minor Summit (OB) 14 04 86½ 63 20 Lamington 29 35 88

16 60 Kirtlebridge 15 33 89½ 65 00 MP 30 48 86½/85

19 00 " 17 05 85 66 49 Symington 31 56 87½/93

20 17 Ecclefechan 17 56 87 68 40 Thankerton 33 11 89½

21 00 MP 18 28 88½ 70 00 Leggatfoot 34 14 80½

22 00 Castlemilk (MP) 19 10 87 72 00 MP 35 40 88

23 00 MP 19 57 Sigs 66/13/27 73 16 Carstairs South Jn 42½ 36 32 72

25 50 Lockerbie DPL 34 26 31 11L 73 49 CARSTAIRS 43 36 53 72½

25 67 LOCKERBIE 2 1 10 24 75 00 Ravenstruther Sdg 37 58 81

27 00 MP 2 47 62 76 00 Lanark Jn 45 38 41 83½/84

28 55 Nethercleugh 4 10 83 77 00 MP 39 25 82½

30 00 MP 5 04 90 78 36 Craigenhill 40 29 80

31 60 Dinwoodie 6 15 88½ 80 49 Braidwood (OB) 42 00 89½/85½

32 40 MP 6 45 90 81 75 CARLUKE 42 54 88½

33 40 Minor Summit 7 25 87½ 84 00 Law Jn 52 44 39 Psr 63

34 45 Wamphray (UB) 8 07 91½ 84 60 Garriongill Jn 45 24 Psr 59

37 00 Murthat (MP) 9 48 84 86 32 Wishaw South (UB) 46 50 79/82

39 60 Beattock 14 11 47 81½ 87 60 SHIELDMUIR 47 52 65

41 00 MP 12 44 78½ 89 00 Motherwell PSB 49 42 23½

89 35 MOTHERWELL 58 51 20 4L


The 10.43 and 11.30 from Euston were 23 and 29 late respectively, making the re-start 11 minutes late. 90 m/h was achieved in just over 4 miles at MP30, more or less maintained to the minor summit before Wamphray, followed by 91½ before the Annan Water viaduct. Beattock was passed at 81½, Greskine at 69 and the minimum was 63 in the rock cutting just before the summit, the highest minimum I have recorded here with any diesel loco hauled train. Near Kirkpatrick and approaching Beattock summit, the light was so bad that hi-viz mileposts became invisible. The power output at MP’s 43 and 44 was about 3,000edbhp, but fell off to about 2,200 approaching the Summit. Down the Clyde Valley speed rose to 93½ at Bodsbury and 93 before braking at Thankerton. Seven minutes were regained on the 58 minute schedule from Lockerbie to Motherwell. 1z86 continued to Waverley via Carmuirs and arrived on time. Some examples of minimum of speeds on Beattock with diesel locos are shown below.

Loco hauled minimum speeds on Beattock (Down)

Date Loco Load Minimum speed

28.12.65 D371 10/369/400 31½

27.3.67 D1950 12/437/475 37½ (Started from Beattock)

30.11.73 D432 12/407/440 36

30.3.74 50034+50010 12/403/435 62

23.3.02 47828 7/233/245 59

13.2.15 68002 11/367/405 63

The Monday return trip was potentially too good to miss, so I joined at Motherwell. 68002 arrived from Edinburgh having come over Cobbinshaw and into Motherwell via Wishaw Central a few minutes early. The atmosphere on board was slightly subdued compared to Friday, despite more than the occasional refreshment being partaken and Wales slender victory the previous day. 68002 started away slightly early, but reached no more than 64 at MP87 before being checked for Law Jn. The cause was the 07.21 Carlisle – Mossend infrastructure train running 127 late. 68002 then accelerated for the entire climb to Craigenhill Summit passing there at 78, followed by a maximum of 84 before another check and stand at Carstairs. The reason for the 3½ minute wait in the platform is not at all clear, as I could see no conflicting movements at the junction nor on ‘Realtimetrains’. The delay made us 6 late passing Carstairs South Jn most of which was to be regained by Carlisle. The minor summit at Leggatfoot was passed at 73½, followed by 88 in the Thankerton dip, falling to 84 on the short climb to Symington. The maximum down to Lamington was 90½ and the gradual rise to Abington passed in the high 80’s before easing to 80 for the latter’s curves. The continuing climb past Crawford was surmounted in the mid 80’s and the maximum on the short level through Elvanfoot was 91m/h. On the final 2 mile, 1 in 99 climb to the Summit speed fell to 80, a new experience with a single diesel locomotive. At MP52 the power output was about 2,800edbhp but fell off to about 2,400 at the Summit. Despite passing the Summit at 80 the engine had been eased. On the generally falling grades on to Carlisle, speed was allowed to reach 94 just after Beattock before touching the brakes, but approaching Wamphray rose to 100 and after the minor summit at MP33½ we ran at 100 between MP32½ and 31¼ and again at Nethercleugh. After Lockerbie, passed at 91½, speed fell to 86½ on the 1 in 200 climb to the Castlemilk minor summit. Speed rose again to a smidgeon under 100 after Gretna Jn, followed by an easing at Floriston, where the up Tsr seems to have been lifted. We then had a final 100 passing Rockcliffe. At Carlisle we crossed into Platform 3 where the stock could be watered for the onward journey and 68005 took over from 68002 during the 35 minute layover.


Date: Mon 16.2.15 M C LOCATION Sch M S Speeds

Train: 1z69 09.48 Edinburgh - Carmarthen Rugex

53 00 mp 41 15 88½

52 49 Elvanfoot 41 31 89½

Locomotive: 68002 Intrepid,3750bhp, Bo-Bo 52 20 MP 41 45 91

Load: coaches,tare/gross 11, 367/ 405 51 48 Bodsbury LC 42 11 89

Weather: L showers & 10 m/h wwind 51 00 MP 42 36 87½

Recorder: A.Smeaton/Speeds:- GPS 50 40 " 42 57 82/80

Position: 5/10 49 60 Beattock Summit 36 43 31 80½

M C LOCATION Sch M S Speeds 49 00 MP 44 04 84½/80

89 33 MOTHERWELL 0 0 00 1.5E 47 00 Harthope Viaduct 45 30 83/80/82½

89 00 Motherwell PSB 1 36 37 45 11 Greskine 46 51 81

87 60 SHIELDMUIR 3 08 59/64 44 00 MP 47 41 85/87/79½

86 32 Wishaw South 4 27 58 41 00 " 49 49 90

85 20 MP 6 30 Sigs 13½ 39 60 Beattock 43 50 39 94

84 60 Garriongill Jn 8 03 35½ 37 00 MP 52 26 90½

84 00 Law Jn 7½ 9 06 51 35 00 " 53 42 99½/100

83 20 MP 9 53 60½ 34 45 Wamphray UB 53 57 99½

82 44 Mauldslie Road OB 10 32 67 33 40 Minor Summit 54 37 94½

81 75 CARLUKE 11 05 68 32 40 MP 55 14 100

80 60 Braidwood 12 07 71 31 57 Dinwoodie OB 55 42 100

80 00 MP 12 44 73½ 30 00 MP 56 45 98

79 00 " 13 33 76 28 55 Nethercleuch 57 32 100

78 36 Craigenhill 13 58 78/84 27 00 MP 58 35 94

76 00 Lanark Jn 15 15 45 83½ 25 67 Lockerbie 53 59 20 91½

73 46 Sigs stop 18 ( 19 58 ~ 25 00 MP 59 53 90

~ ~ CARSTAIRS ( 23 38 ~ 24 00 " 60 34 88½

73 16 Carstairs S Jn 18½ 26 02 29 23 00 " 61 15 86½

72 00 MP 27 30 63 22 00 Summit 61 56 89½/91½

71 00 " 28 24 68½ 20 17 Ecclefechan (SS) 63 08 89½/87½

70 00 Leggatfoot 29 15 73½ 18 00 MP 64 37 92/94

68 40 Thankerton 30 21 88 16 40 " 65 35 91/93

67 40 MP 31 03 84 14 40 Minor Summit 66 53 91½

66 49 Symington 31 41 86 13 42 Cove LC 67 31 95

65 00 MP 32 45 90½ 13 00 Kirkpatrick 64 67 50 95½

63 20 Lamington 33 56 87/86 10 20 Quintinshill (MP) 69 40 Psr 85½

61 00 MP 35 29 88½ 8 60 Gretna Jn 67 70 42 89½

59 00 " 36 56 80½/80 7 00 MP 71 49 99½

57 69 Abington RR 30 37 46 82½ 6 07 Floriston 72 22 97½

57 00 MP 38 24 84½/81 4 00 Rockcliffe (MP) 73 38 100

56 00 " 39 08 82 2 06 Kingmoor 74 56 71

55 08 Crawford 39 46 85/84½ 0 60 Caldew Jn 76 24 41½

54 00 MP 40 33 85½ 0 04 CARLISLE (Plm 3) 77 79 07 .5L

Apparently Pathfinder were not sure that Class 68’s would be turned out by DRS, hence the 95m/h maximum speed for timing purposes in the event that Class 47’s were used. As far as I am aware this is the first time Class 68’s have been used on a passenger charter over Beattock, although they are now working container trains over the WCML following their introduction last year on the Mossend – Inverness and Grangemouth – Aberdeen containers. 68002 has set a new speed standard for a single diesel locomotive on both north and southbound climbs of Beattock.

Loco hauled minimum speeds on Beattock (Up)

Date Loco Load Minimum

26.8.65 D1631 12/403/430 65

24.12.66 D331 11/395/420 55

27.12.66 D1950 11/375½/400 67

29.6.72 440 11/365/390 69

16.2.15 68002 11/367/405 80


Norwich in 80?

Being an election year, there have been many news stories about bringing a 90-minute schedule to the Liverpool St-Norwich line. It is probably forgotten that, 27 years ago, a special run was made – to celebrate the introduction of through electric services - which achieved a time of 83m22s, despite suffering three consecutive tsrs of 20/50mph between Brentwood and Chelmsford, so a sub 80min timing should have been be a possibility. The log was recorded by the then British Rail Area Timings Manager, Chris Hurricks, and first appeared in Milepost 21 in 2000, having been given by Andrew Burns to Nigel Smedley. The load was shortened for the occasion, and there was a suspicion that a 10mph dispensation was in place for psrs’ at Chelmsford, Manningtree and Stowmarket. Readers are referred to Nigel’s comments about the actual running of the train in Milepost 21.

Date Tu 5-May-87 miles M C Timing Point m s mph ave

Train 1128 Liverpool St-Norwich 44.13 44 14 Hill House 36 23.0 104 97.0

Loco 86217 46.56 46 49 Marks Tey 37 48.0 98/104 103.2

Load formation 7,234/244 49.46 49 41 Chitts Hill 39 31.0 98 101.4

Recorder Chris Hurricks 51.60 51 52 Colchester 40 52.0 88 95.0

miles M C Timing Point m s mph ave 53.95 54 00 Parsons Heath 42 27.0 107 89.1

0.00 0 04 LIVERPOOL ST 0 00.0 T P9? P3 56.00 56 04 Ardleigh 43 42.0 101 98.4

1.08 1 10 Bethnal Green 2 33.0 52 25.3 59.39 59 35 Manningtree 45 47.0 79 97.6

2.81 2 69 Bow J 4 38.0 53 50.0 63.04 63 07 Bentley 48 19.0 93 86.4

3.99 4 03 Stratford 6 03.0 54 49.8 64.95 65 00 Belstead Smt 49 27.0 102 101.3

4.44 4 39 Maryland 6 34.0 68 52.3 67.79 67 67 Halifax J 51 22.0 45 88.8

5.21 5 21 Forest Gate 7 13.0 71 71.5 68.69 68 59 Ipswich 52 33.0 30 45.6

6.19 6 19 Manor Park 8 05.0 66 67.5 69.46 69 41 East Suffolk J 53 24.0 83 54.7

7.31 7 29 Ilford 9 03.0 76/79 69.8 70.61 70 53 Sproughton 54 14.0 96 82.8

8.51 8 45 Seven Kings 9 59.0 77 77.1 73.55 73 48 Claydon 56 02.0 102 97.9

9.24 9 23 Goodmayes 10 31.0 79 81.6 77.04 77 07 Needham Mkt 58 08.0 101 99.6

9.94 9 79 Chadwell Heath 11 04.0 81/80 76.4 80.75 80 64 Stowmarket 60 16.0 98 104.4

12.33 12 30 Romford 12 51.0 78/82 80.3 82.94 82 79 Haughley J 61 41.0 99 92.6

13.46 13 41 Gidea Park 13 42.0 80 80.3 86.53 86 46 Finningham 63 50.0 99 100.1

14.90 14 76 Harold Wood 14 47.0 91/88 79.6 91.38 91 34 Mellis 66 43.0 101 100.9

18.15 18 16 Brentwood 17 10.0 83 81.8 94.94 94 79 Diss 68 50.0 103 101.0

18.95 19 00 19 17 49.0 56brakes/47tsr 73.8 97.48 97 42 Burston 70 20.0 105 101.5

20.15 20 16 Shenfield 18 48.0 82/20tsr 73.2 100.70 100 60 100.75 72 12.0 100/90 103.7

23.58 23 50 Ingatestone 21 36.0 20/93 73.4 104.01 104 05 Forncett 74 19.0 98 93.9

29.76 29 65 Chelmsford 27 02.0 68/51tsr 68.3 106.60 106 52 Flordon 75 52.0 101 100.2

32.19 32 19 New Hall 29 13.0 100 66.6 109.63 109 54 Swainsthorpe 77 38.0 101 102.7

35.88 35 74 Hatfield Peverell 31 26.0 100 99.8 112.79 112 67 Trowse Uppr 79 56.0 48 82.5

38.55 38 48 Witham 33 02.0 102 100.3 113.80 113 68 Trowse J 81 13.0

47.3

42.21 42 21 Kelvedon 35 12.0 101 101.4 114.28 123 38 Swingbridge J 82 00.0

36.4

114.86 124 05 NORWICH 83 22.0 25.8

OLD TRAINS ON NEW ROUTES 1 – Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury - John Rishton

After a cautious start out to Oxley,we ran at line speed (70mph) until approaching Telford Central – the signalling, recently replaced, is good for 90mph, but that’s another story! Departing from Telford we made my best ever time to Oakengates, no doubt due to the high power-weight ratio compared with the staple Class 158s which struggle on the initial climbg through Oakengates Tunnel. The approach to Wellington was however much more cautious than the usual fare. There is a chunk of recovery time around Wellington – 12mins in all – so even easy-running and a crawl into Shrewsbury managed to knock around 3½mins from the schedule.


Day/Date M 15-Dec-14

Train 1023 Euston-Shrewsbury

Motive Power 221.115

Load (tons) 5/281/290

Weather damp

Rec. Pos. GPS J Rishton - 2/5 - N

Miles mm cc location Sch mm:ss avge

0.00 12 75 Wolverhampton 0 00:00 T 0.0

0.46 13 32 Wolverhampton north J 1.5 01:38 /rbt 16.9

1.12 143 02 Oxley Stafford Road J 2.5 02:35

41.7

3.91 145 65 Bilbrook 05:12

64.0

4.60 146 40 Codsall 05:48

69.0

7.59 149 39 Albrighton 08:20

70.8

8.96 150 69 Worcester Rd, Cosford 9.5 09:30

70.4

12.41 154 25 Shifnal 12:26

70.6

14.33 156 18 Madeley junction 14 14:08

67.8

15.55 157 36 Telford Central 15.5 15:56

40.7

0.00 157 36 Telford Central 0 00:00 1L 0.0

0.50 157 76 Oakengates tunnel (7) 00:53

34.0

0.94 158 31 Oakengates 01:18

63.3

2.36 159 65 Waterloo Road 02:30

71.0

3.46 160 73 Donnington junction 04:04

42.1

3.98 161 30 Wellington 12.5 05:23

23.7

0.00 161 30 Wellington 0 00:00 T 0.0

0.53 161 72 Market Drayton J [2] 01:13

26.1

1.62 162 79 Admaston (3) 02:10

68.8

3.89 165 21 Walcot 04:10

68.1

5.35 166 57 River Tern 05:26

69.2

6.42 167 63 Upton Magna 06:22

68.7

8.65 170 01 Belvedere bridge 08:26

64.8

9.79 171 13 Abbey Foregate J 10:33

32.3

10.03 171 32 Severn Bridge J 11:31

14.9

10.23 171 48 Shrewsbury 16 12:36 11.1

2 – Llandudno-Chester – David Adams

Date Tu 20-Jan-15 Miles m c m s mph

Train 1301 Holyhead 0.00

RHYL 0.00

Loco 82308/67001 0.88 208.19 Tynewydd Road OB 1.35½ 61/81

Load 5,241/246 2.79 206.27 Ffordd P. OB 3.08 67

GPS Pos Y 3/5 3.58 205.43 PRESTATYN 4.38

Recorder D Adams 0.00

PRESTATYN 0.00

Dist Actual Speed 1.78 205.43 Gronant Siding OB 2.33½ 71/86

Miles m c m s mph 3.60 201.76 Talacre Box 3.54 82

0.00 223.40 LLANDUDNO JNC. 0.00 (RT) 6.30 199.21 Mostyn 6.03½ 70

0.73 222.63 Conway Road OB 1.34½ 44* 9.68 195.71 Holywell Jnc. Bdg 8.52 75

2.03 221.40 Mochdre & P 3.02 69 11.91 193.51 Bagillt FB 10.47 72

2.98 220.44 Footbridge 3.48 80 13.99 191.47 FLINT 13.28

4.03 219.40 COLWYN BAY 5.12 0.00

FLINT 0.00

0.00

COLWYN BAY 0.00 /73 1.95 189.51 Rockcliffe Hall Tnl W 2.29½ 77

1.82 217.54 Penmaenrhos Tnnl W 2.34 69/66/85 4.67 186.74 SHOTTON 4.43½ 70/76

3.46 216.03 Llandulas OB 3.46½ 83 6.74 184.69 Sandycroft OB 6.25 75

6.12 213.32 ABERGELE & P 6.42 9.13 182.38 Mold Jnc. OB 8.21½ 73

0.00

ABERGELE & P 0.00 10.58 181.02 Saltney Jnc. sign 9.30 69

1.11 213.32 Footbridge 1.51½ 65 11.66 179.77 Northgate St Tnnl W 10.55 40*

1.71 211.55 Footbridge 2.23 77/79 12.01 179.48 Chester S Jnc. 11.35½ 27*

2.39 211.00 Foryd 2.54½ 77 12.46 179.12 CHESTER 12.52 (RT)

4.28 209.10 RHYL 5.15


Ultimate eco-driving – Sandy Smeaton

It has seldom featured under the heading of performance, but two interesting examples of coasting, reported by Alan Davies, were described by C.J.Allen in the February ’71 edition of ‘Railway World’. The first was of an AL6 working a 12 coach sleeper which managed to run from Hemel Hempstead until stopped by the signalman just outside Euston after the loco lost power. Once the signal went off and the brakes were released using the battery, the train gained enough momentum to roll into the rising grade at the platform. The second was again with an electric, this time northbound, when after losing power the train managed to coast from Norton Bridge passed at 90 to Crewe. Whitmore was passed at 22, rising to 60 at Betley Road. Both examples illustrated the route knowledge and skill of the crews in getting to a platform without disrupting other traffic, but also the efficiency of rolling element bearings. Both trains had the aid of gravity as the falling gradients were not insignificant. I had not experienced any similar event, or at least was not aware of it, until this year during a trip to Edinburgh just after the New Year on the 10.15 from Queen Street. The E&G now seldom provides much excitement for the timer, but by choosing the xx.15 or xx.45 trains a clear run to Falkirk High might be achieved. However between Linlithgow and Haymarket the 10.15 is allowed 19 minutes on weekdays compared to 16 on Saturdays. The 09.58 from Dunblane precedes the 10.15 from Polmont Jn and stops at Edinburgh Park. On weekdays only the 10.23 from Cowdenbeath occupies Haymarket’s Platform 1, causing the 09.58 from Dunblane to use Platform 3, delaying the 10.15’s entry. On Saturdays the 09.58 uses Platform 1 allowing the 10.15 a faster entry. The run is shown below, and as far as Linlithgow was an operator’s dream with near perfect timekeeping and no excess above the line limit. Leaving Linlithgow the driver had a minute in hand by Winchburgh Jn and then eased for the Tunnel restriction exiting at 78 with power off. I expected to hear power resume but it didn’t. Being in the second carriage I could not

Date: Tue 6.1.15 M Ch LOCATION Sch m s Speeds Remarks

Train: 10.15 Glasgow Q St - Edinburgh 27 00 MP

2 36 72½/79½

Unit: 170.406 28 00 MP

3 22 78

Load: 3 cars/132.5/135 29 54 LINLITHGOW 5½ 5 17 ~ T

Weather: Cold westerly and dry 32 00 MP

2 54 74

Recorder/Position: A.Smeaton/GPS (mostly)/2/3 34 00 MP

4 21 89½

M Ch LOCATION Sch m s Speeds Remarks 34 60 Winchburgh Jn 6 4 52 86 ¶

0 02 QUEEN ST (Pl 7) 0 0 00 ~ T 35 32 Winchburgh Tun W

5 20 Psr 78 Mph/m

0 60 Queen St Tnl N

2 23 ~ 36 00 MP

5 49 75 6.3

1 00 MP

2 49 35 36 40 Broxburn Jn

6 13 73 4.9

1 20 MP

3 14 36 38 20 MP

7 43 66½ 4.3

1 67 Cowlairs West Jn 3½ 4 03 57/48* 38 60 Newbridge Jn 9 8 10 65 3.3

3 20 BISHOPBRIGGS 5 5 32 68½ 39 79 MP (Misplaced)

9 21 61 3.4

6 20 LENZIE 7½ 7 47 88½/99 41 00 MP

10 22 58½ 2.4

9 20 Bairds Siding (MP)

9 39 94 42 00 MP

11 27 52½ 5.6

10 34 Gartshore RR

10 22 98½ 42 33 Edinburgh Park

11 55 51 3.2

11 40 CROY 11 11 01 98 43 00 MP

12 37 49½ 2.1

12 70 Dullatur

11 52 98½ 43 40 MP

13 14 48 2.5

14 40 MP

12 51 100 43 59 Saughton Jn

13 35 Sig34½/27/31

17 28 Greenhill Upper Jn 14½ 14 35 98 44 77 Haymarket W JN 13½ 16 01 25/10/21½

19 00 MP

15 36 99½ ~ ~ Sigs stop (EH522) # ( 19 19 ~

21 62 FALKIRK HIGH 18 18 04 ~ T ~ ~ " " ( 19 44 ~

24 00 MP

2 45 74½ 46 04 HAYMARKET 18½ 21 21 ~ 2½L

24 78 POLMONT 4 4 09 ~ T 0 40 MP

1 42 21

0 01 WAVERLEY 5 3 57 ~ 1½L

* Brake test # 3½ minutes pathing time

¶ Deceleration rate, mph/minute


hear the signal audible alarm, but I presume the driver was seeing double yellows. The end result was that with a tail wind, which was about 16mph and WSW in direction, the 170 coasted to MP43½, where signals dictated a brake application, a distance of 7.6 miles down a gradient of no more than 1 in 960. As speed was still 48 when signals intervened, we could have sailed the remaining 2½ miles to Haymarket (and saved even more of First Scotrail’s fuel bill) had there been no check. A value of deceleration is shown in the log for the section coasted (in mph per minute, as this gives convenient units). It would seem that the brake was touched slightly at MP42, undetected by myself at the time, as the deceleration rate briefly doubled. In the early and mid ‘70’s the 17.35 from Queen Street made four stops before Waverley and took 50 minutes end to end. Now congestion at Edinburgh is such that the 08.15 and 10.15, which also make four stops, take 65 minutes, or 30% longer. Progress!

Network Developments – Ian Umpleby

There have been few speed changes in the New Year, with the highlight being increased 90 mph running between Lewes and Polegate following the February East Sussex resignalling. Otherwise, only a minor smoothing out of the speed profile at Dunston (west of Newcastle) and on the Slow Lines outside Paddington are of any note. In Scotland track laying on the Borders Line is complete with signalling work still to be done before crew training can commence. The Bathgate Junction to Glasgow Queen St electrification work continues with services being disrupted in June/July due to refurbishment work in Winchburgh Tunnel; a limited number of trains will be diverted via Dalmeny to avoid the work. The Haymarket to Dalmeny route is receiving both signalling improvements to reduce headways between trains and a new Edinburgh Gateway station adjoining Edinburgh Airport. The long 30 mph temporary restriction alongside Loch Awe on the Oban Line, imposed following a 2010 derailment caused by a rockfall, has been lifted following the introduction of a new warning system supplementing the “Stone Signals” tripwire detection system. In the North of England the North West Electrification scheme is still running behind schedule although a limited class 319 service started between Liverpool and Manchester Airport in early March. The Huyton to Wigan line was expected to go live at the end of March and east of the Pennines some preparatory bridgework has begun. Farnworth Tunnel between Salford and Bolton is to have one of its bores closed shortly with single line working imposed until early October. Manchester Airport’s fourth platform is now open allowing service expansion. The Todmorden curve is set to open for trains in May as sufficient rolling stock is now available. Normally the preserve of class 158s, the climb to Copy Pit will see other classes in use. The Cumbrian Coast line should see a limited number of loco-hauled trains from mid-May. Initial work has started on Doncaster’s new platform zero. On the Welsh Border an extra track has been laid between Rossett and Chester (Saltney Junction) and awaits commissioning. It is anticipated that the extended line from Ebbw Vale Parkway to Ebbw Vale Town would open in mid May but confirmation had not been received at the time of writing. In the Midlands the course of the Norton Bridge flyover line is very visible from passing trains. The delayed Wolverhampton area signalling is due to be implemented on the 5th May. On the Nuneaton to Coventry line two new stations are now under construction and work at Kenilworth on the continuation to Leamington is expected soon. The proposed reopening of Ilkeston station already delayed by the discovery of newts has had to be reduced in scale with a new planning submission made in January. Further south clearance work has started on the East-West link between Calvert and Bletchley and work on Chiltern Railway’s Bicester Chord (with a grade reputedly steeper than Lickey) is nearly complete with trains due to start running in September. In the South of England the Reading remodelling/resignalling is virtually at an end and the Slough area is due to be resignalled over Easter. At Heathrow Airport Junction the new Stockley flyover for Up Airport trains is now in use. Crossrail work is


becoming more apparent either side of the central tunnel section (itself in the last stages of boring) and a new turnround siding has been installed at Chadwell Heath. The GWML electrification mast erection work had reached Didcot at least by the end of March. The connection between Belle Isle (ECML) and St Pancras International Low Level has now been commissioned but it will be around 2 years before trains are introduced as part of the Thameslink scheme. This scheme is the cause of the massive engineering work east of London Bridge which is restricting the amount of trains running with Bedford to Brighton trains diverted via Elephant & Castle. Control of the West Hampstead PSB has passed to Three Bridges SCC. The East Kent resignalling scheme covering an extended Medway area should take place over Easter. The expansion of Waterloo station to take 10/12 car trains in more platforms will take 6 years to complete with the former International platforms taking the strain whilst two platforms at a time in the main station are worked on. In the South West quadrupling work on the Bristol to Filton line should be underway. Through trains on to the preserved Swanage Railway at Wareham can now pass under normal signalling conditions but the track on to Norden still needs fettling up before regular passenger trains can run. The opening of Newcourt station on the Exmouth branch continues to be delayed with opening in May the best prediction. In Ireland work has been taking place on the Dublin to Cork line with the intention of having much of it available for 100 mph running in 2016. The Coleraine to Derry upgrade plans are moving slowly forward with the latest proposal to close the only passing loop at Castlerock and replace it with one in a more central location at Bellarena. The Lisburn to Antrim line lost its two crossing loops in January.

MASS TIMING DAY 2015

WE NEED YOU

Following our very successful Mass Timing Day in 2014, East Midland Trains have asked us to undertake a two-day exercise for 2015 on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th

July between St Pancras and Leicester/Corby

Once again they will provide free first class travel for the two days and this year they have agreed to permit free travel to the start point if travelling by East Midlands Trains

Book your trains NOW by contacting David Ashley at [email protected]

Further details on page 9 - All the diagrams and proposed rosters are now available

on the RPS website.



SATURDAY 16th MAY 2015

Annual General Meeting

YORK

Plus Steam Seminar

THURSDAY 28TH MAY 2015

Area Meeting

BOROUGH, LONDON

THURSDAY 25TH JUNE 2015

Area Meeting

BRISTOL PARKWAY

TUESDAY 21ST JULY 2015

Area Meeting

LEEDS

Answer to question on page 58: The answer was Chester. The Timetable had to be written in such a way that a core issue was making a Class 221 work a 5 hour cycle of 2 hours journey each way and the remaining hour to be split in turnaround cumulatively at both ends to make a total of 5 hours. When combined in to other aspects such as serving Crewe when coupled in with Manchester and Liverpool then that drives the thinking.

Documents

MILEPOST 36 APRIL 2015 - Rail Perf 360.pdfTel 01202 249717 E-mail [email protected] Distance Chart Editor Ian Umpleby 314 Stainbeck Rd, Leeds, W Yorks LS7 2LR Tel 0113 266 8588