Milepost 353 - Railway Performance Society

Transcription

MILEPOST
JANUARY
2015
35
III
28
WCML: CHANGES OVER THE LAST
35 YEARS – from page 225
Milepost 35¾
RPS
railway performance society
-217 www.railperf.org.uk
January 2015
Milepost 35¾ - January 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
e-mail: [email protected]
Directors of RPS Rail Performance Consultants Ltd.:Frank Collins (chairman), Peter Smith (secretary), Martin Barrett
CONTENTS
Notices
Now & Then
Glasgow-Irvine 380’s
Old Worse and Worse
Fastest Times
The Great DLR Train Robbery
14th July 1969
Lesser Lights on the North Eastern Region
The Race to the West
A Recorder’s Guide to the SNCF – 50 years on
Four Capitals Weekend
Letters
News – Network developments
RTT Does Heritage
Kings Cross in N Gauge
MTD – 2014 and 2015
Theory & Practice: Hereford-B’ham
Exeter-Leeds
Huddersfield-Manchester
David Ashley
Martin Robertson
Malcolm Simister
Martin Robertson
David Lloyd Roberts
John Rishton
Andrew James
Richard Howlett
Alan Varley
Derek Wilson
Ian Umpleby
John Heaton
David Ashley
Ian Umpleby
Chris Taylor
219
225
232
234
238
245
248
254
259
264
271
274
278
279
280
281
281
283
286
Enclosures (where subscribed): Distance charts, 2014 MTD supplement, Fastest Times update supplement, 2015 subscription
form and envelope
Copyright The Railway Performance Society Ltd, registered in England & Wales No. 04488089
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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
Please see the Fastest Times supplement included with this distribution.
Please, where practicable, also copy claims and logs to Lee Allsopp for the Society archive, and to
Martin Robertson for material for his Fastest Times articles.
Note that the Members area of the RPS website – see www.railperf.org.uk - has the latest GB and
Overseas Fastest Times. These times are also there in the general area, but without the recorder’s
initials. At present all entries are as up to date as possible from submissions received. I must still
confess to a time-lag with regard to the general area, but Member’s site is fine.
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
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January 2015
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. 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.
Overseas Distance Supplement (Section 1 France): £8.50
The complete collection of Issue 2 distance charts compiled to date.
Individual new and revised charts are distributed occasionally with
Milepost to those members who have paid a small supplementary membership
fee.
Overseas Distance Supplement (Section 2 Ireland): £7.50
The complete set of Irish distance charts as published in 2005/6. If any
revised charts are published they will be distributed with Milepost to
those members who have paid a small supllementary membership fee.
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
THURSDAY 22ND
JANUARY 2015
The Royal Oak,
Borough, LONDON
1645
Area Meeting
THURSDAY 26TH
FEBRUARY 2015
The Beaufort Arms
BRISTOL PARKWAY
1645
Area Meeting
SATURDAY 14TH
MARCH 2015
The Calthorpe Arms
LONDON
1200 for 1215
David Maidment
‘ A Privileged Journey’
See separate notice
TUESDAY 17TH
MARCH 2015
The Grove Inn,
LEEDS
1700
Area Meeting
Don’t forget: 16 May - AGM in York followed by a Steam Seminar
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
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January 2015
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]
LONDON – The Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. From King’s Cross station
cross Euston Rd and turn left towards Grays Inn Road, where you turn right, and walk southwards
down Grays Inn Rd. The Calthorpe Arms is on the left (About 10mins walk from King's Cross) OR
From Russell Square Piccadilly Line station turn right, then turn first right into Grenville Street then first
left into Guilford Street (Great Ormond Street Hospital on right) and walk to the end of Guildford Street
where it meets Grays Inn Road. The Calthorpe Arms is diagonally left from the end of Guildford
Street. We will use the Dining Room upstairs
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015
The Society AGM will be held on Saturday 16 May 2015 at The Railway Institute, Queen Street, York
The Committee will retire, although are eligible for re-election and members are reminded that
nominations for election of the Committee must be received by the Secretary by Saturday 21 March
2015. Nomination forms are available in the members’ area of the website or from the Secretary.
Should any member who is not presently a member of the existing Committee wish to stand would
they please request a copy of the Companies House form AP01 from the Secretary to send with their
nomination.
If there are more nominations than posts, then candidates will be requested to provide a personal
statement, if they so wish, by 04 April 2015
Any resolutions to be debated at the AGM must be received by the Secretary by 04 April 2015.
Full details of the AGM will be included in the April 2015 Milepost and in the members area of the
website after 23 April 2015
TALK BY DAVID MAIDMENT – SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015
We are pleased to welcome David Maidment to speak to us on Saturday 14 March 2015. David is
founder of the charity ‘Railway Children’ and will also say a few words about this apart from his talk
entitled ‘A Privileged Journey’ on his journeys during the steam era.
He is giving this talk in return for a donation to the Railway Children and a collection will be made on
the door. Please give generously to this worthy cause.
David will also be bringing along various railway and street children books should you wish to
purchase them. In Spring 2015 he is also having a book published by Pen & Sword called A
Privileged Journey on which his talk is based.
We look forward to seeing many of you there
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.
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January 2015
BRISTOL MEETING OCTOBER 30th 2014 – John Rishton
Due to refurbishment of our usual venue there was a last minute relocation to Bonapartes on Temple
Meads station. All members who had attended a Bristol meeting in the last two years were contacted
in advance but a look through the windows whilst leaving posters advising any other potential
attendees of the revised venue revealed that a very thorough uplift was almost complete.
We kicked off with a circular journey from Gare de Lyon to Paris Est via Mulhouse and the difficulties
of timing when travelling at over 300kph. The speeds now demanded from SNCF service trains was
compared with their achievements with speed trials a half century ago. We also debated the maximum
speeds that could be economically attained before the costs escalate above use of air travel for trunk
hauls.
A log of a run from Marylebone to Banbury in a shade over 49 minutes was then circulated and
discussed. The Chiltern line goes from strength to strength. Moving on, we then discussed recent
reliability problems, especially of FGW power cars and an alarming incidence of “overrunning
engineering works”.
A comparison of Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria runs lead on to recent announcements regarding
HS3 before returning to steam traction and the recent outings of the Rail Motor.
Do try and come along to our next meeting, 26th February 2015, back at the Beaufort Arms.
Distance Chart Editor’s Report
It’s been over six years since I started this task with this issue of printed charts being the twenty fifth
under my stewardship. It’s been a long haul but I think I’ve got every line that has at least a semiregular passage of passenger trains covered, although where I draw the line on this (the Crewe
Independent Lines, for example) is open to debate. There are two lines set to re-open this year also,
the Waverley Line whose provisional chart appears on the website kindly compiled by Sean Emmett
from engineering plans, and Chiltern Railway’s Marylebone to Oxford Parkway service utilising a new
spur at Bicester onto the Bedford to Oxford line. Charts have been issued for Peterbrough-LincolnDoncaster; Sheffield-Retford-Barnetby; the Durham Coast Line; Newcastle to Morpeth via Bedlington;
Liverpool to Manchester Victoria/Wigan North Western/Preston via Ormskirk and Kirkby; Cardiff to
Barry Island/Penarth/Radyr/Leckwith and Penarth Curve Junctions; Exeter to Barnstaple (longer than
posted); Point Pleasant to Wimbledon; Kentish Town-London Bridge-Redhill (erratic mileposting and
now severed at London Bridge); Charing Cross-Hastings; Mauchline-Newton-on-Ayr; cross Glasgow
connections; Ladybank-Perth; and the Stirling-Alloa chart now extended to Dunfermline. Most have
gradient summaries but there are still gaps in our records which we hope Network Rail will fill up
sometime in the future.
The Committee have, as previously advised, decided to cease producing printed distance charts,
including Overseas. It’s realised that this will cause inconvenience to those of you with no direct
internet access so feel free to contact me if you fall in this category and wish to receive any new Line
Charts/ 3 monthly amendment sheets by post. Apart from the new lines mentioned in the first
paragraph the only lines left that would possibly justify a full re-issue in normal circumstances are
Victoria to Thanet (currently being re-signalled in part with some milepost issues to be addressed) and
Swanley to Ashford. Most of the remaining work consists of spring cleaning the remaining tables that
have not received my close attention as they are already in good shape, not to mention inputting up to
26,000 bridge numbers! One of our members continues to work on Historic charts but, with utmost
priority being given to completing the printed charts, Heritage charts have been put on hold. Thanks
again to those members who have kept me up to date and, as usual, don’t forget to look at the web
site from time to time to view the latest developments. You can even contribute yourselves!
Ian Umpleby
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
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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
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!
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Latest material from Lee Allsopp
Latest runs from Ian Umpleby.
David Adams logs from the 3rd Quarter of 2014
Milepost 35½
Fastest times from July- October 2014
Latest runs from Bob Jennings
Latest from David Sage
Latest from Dave Shelley
Latest from Richard Howlett
Latest from Peter Smith
Latest from Richard Neville-Carle
Logs from John Rishton to go with his Fastest Times entries
Latest runs from Charles Foss
The final 24 books from a vast collection by Allan Heaton, covering April 2003 to Jan 2007.
More from Bevan Price, including recent runs from the past few years.
12 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 Sheffield to Bristol and the ECML
12 more books from a collection by John Wrottesley covering 1944 to 1958
23 more notebooks from S A W Harvey covering mainly Southern Steam on the South
Eastern from 1932 to 1937.
The first 10 folders of material from Paul Ritchie covering a wide variety of steam railtours and
running in the West Country from 1964 to 1981
Paul Johnstone’s logs from 2009 to 2014
Steam runs from Sandy Smeaton from the 1960s and the ‘Great Britain VII’ Railtour
5 more Books from Frank Collins covering Sept 2012 to Oct 2013
A book of logs from G Yeomans covering steam from 1955 – 1966 kindly loaned by Newton
Abbot Library
Historical Fastest Times from the 2014 Booklet
Noel Proudlock’s logs from 2006 to 2014
RPS ARCHIVES – Coming soon! – Lee Allsopp
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.
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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.
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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 72 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.
More material from Paul Ritchie will be scanned and entered over the next few months
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 members who wishes to participate 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)
2015 Subscriptions
At a recent meeting, your Committee reluctantly agreed to increase the basic annual RPS
membership subscription from £19 to £21. It’s five years since the subscription was last increased,
and in that time efforts have been made to restrict costs, by keeping expenditure under control, and
restricting some of the supplements to “website only”. Future changes are explained in the Distance
Charts Editor’s Report (Page 278). The increase in subscriptions is necessary mainly due to
increased postal costs and recent expanded Mass Timing Day publications.
However, following the Editor’s request for more material for the magazine, he is currently holding
sufficient material to produce an additional magazine, and hopefully this will be sent to all members in
October. We thank those who have submitted articles for the magazine, and if this level of material
continues in the future – and the finances allow – it may be possible to provide additional magazines
in future years as well.
Following the feedback regarding the reintroduction of printed Fastest Times booklets, it has been
decided to make them available - for those who require them – at an additional subscription. They will
probably be issued in July, together with Bevan Price’s historical booklet. The background to the
changes to the Fastest Times arrangements are explained in a supplement included with this
magazine. The subscription renewal form for 2015 is also included with this distribution
We wish you all a happy New Year, and thank you for your continued support.
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NOW AND THEN
David Ashley
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the RPS and, as has become customary, we will look
at the differences that have been made in the intervening years over a specific route. This
time we will look at the southern end of the West Coast Main Line now and as it was in 1979
– 35 years ago.
In 1979, if you wanted to travel extensively on the West Coast Main Line, you bought a
London Midland Region Rail Rover ticket. This gave unlimited travel as far north as Carlisle.
With a privatised railway, and their vested interests, regional rail rover tickets are long gone,
as also has the prospect of unlimited travel. The only ticket of choice is the ‘All Line Rover’. I
would be happy if Virgin or East Coast could explain the rationale for the barring of boarding
at London termini before 10am with this ticket. This means that passengers could board the
0540 Glasgow-Euston service and alight at Euston at 1013, in the peak-flow direction, but
anybody wanting to travel from Euston to Glasgow has to wait until the 1030 train.
Consequently, to avoid slow or late starts, I tended to buy cheap advance tickets to Coventry
or Peterborough or use the 0722 Kings Cross to Hull (First Group don’t subscribe to the 10
am restrictions). In view of this, 2014 journeys covered both the EC and WC lines.
However, comparison will mainly concentrate on the West Coast route.
Service
Off-peak service pattern
Whilst the current service of three
off-peak trains per hour to both
xx00 Manchester
xx00 Holyhead/Blackpool N
Birmingham and Manchester may
xx03 Birmingham
seem excessive, just one to
xx07 Liverpool
Manchester
and
two
to
xx10 Chester
xx10 Birmingham
Birmingham in 1979 doesn’t seem
xx13 Birmingham LM
adequate. The 30-minute gap
xx20 Manchester
between xx10 and xx40 in 1979, if
xx23 Birmingham
I remember correctly, was for
xx30 Glasgow
freight trains, which these days
xx40 Manchester
xx40 Birmingham
are barred from the fast lines.
xx43 Scotland, via W Midlands
Examination of
the current
xx46 Crewe LM
xx45 Carlisle/Glasgow
timetable suggests that, based on
xx49 Birmingham LM
xx50 Liverpool
the current stopping pattern, the
xx55 Manchester
doesn’t
need for 110 mph trains to remain on the fast line, and a spare path at xx35, the
southernmost section of the WCML is indeed full. Unfortunately, with departures every three
minutes at certain times, a first train departing slightly late, and the second slightly early, will
probably result in the second catching up with the first, with the resultant signal checks
frustrating the driver and reducing fuel economy.
2014
1979
Infrastructure
It is probably reasonable to suggest that if this comparison had been made 10, 15, 20 or 25
years from 1979, very little would have changed. Whilst it could be argued that Euston and
Watford Junction haven’t changed at all - even now - the rest of the line has been
transformed. What did surprise me was that Milton Keynes Central didn’t exist in 1979 – it
opened in 1982. Rugby has been reconfigured with speed rising from 60 to 125 mph, and the
route beyond to Colwich has been quadrupled. The plans for the section from Colwich to
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January 2015
Stafford seem to have fallen from the draughtsman’s drawing board, as very little has been
achieved, although improvements are afoot to the north. The speed limits at Crewe were
lifted from 20 mph to 80 mph well before the introduction of the Pendolinos, but it’s ironic that
only one train per hour is now booked to run through non-stop - and possibly not at 80 mph.
Elsewhere, Leighton Buzzard has been raised from 90 to 125 mph, Weedon 80 to 120 mph,
Atherstone 70-100 mph, and the rest of the line generally from 110 to 125 mph - all the
above assuming tilt is available. It’s possible that the speed limit in 1979 was 100 mph,
although 110 mph may have been sanctioned if appropriate!
Traction
The pride of the fleet in 1979 was the Class 87 – the Class 90s weren’t introduced until the
late 1980s, and neither were the DVTs. Today, we have the Class 390 Pendolinos
supplemented with Class 221 Super Voyagers, both equipped with power which could not
have been envisaged back in 1979. For a company that values its image, it’s surprising that
Virgin specified a seating plan that packs seats into carriages in such a way that they feel
claustrophobic. However, passengers seem to accept such standards, and many trains in the
fleet have been strengthened from nine to eleven carriages to cope with demand.
Whilst that was the reality, what were the expectations? Well, in 1979 APT was just around
the corner and whilst it was subsequently unceremoniously ditched, it did make efforts,
sporadically, that would have been impressive, even by today’s standards. Then there was
the promise of 140 mph speeds with the Pendolino. Whilst we have track and traction
capable of 140 mph, the signalling remains firmly in the twentieth century with little prospect
of improvement. So with reality never really matching expectations, will HS2 deliver what was
promised? We will have to wait and see.
Performance
Two logs from 2014 have been chosen which show performance at the top end of the
spectrum. It was fortunate that the southern end of the WCML down line was clear of speed
restrictions at the beginning of the week. However Run 1 shows how tight the timetable is.
With four minutes recovery, and a clear run at line speed, only two of the four minutes
recovery was saved. It seems that the initial six minutes to Willesden Junction is virtually
impossible to achieve, and a driver would be pleased if he could get there in seven. Similarly,
the time it takes for a Manchester train to arrive in Platform 5 at Crewe takes a minute longer
than allowed in the WTT. Run 2, on the 1530 to Glasgow, also looks good in respect of
saving time where possible, but was subject to a combination of an 80 mph TSR at Tring and
the knock-on effect on us that was caused to the 1520 to Manchester which stopped at
Milton Keynes and the 1523 to Birmingham which stopped at Watford Junction. The effect
was also felt when the 1520 left the main line at Colwich. However, the four fairly-severe
signal checks/TSRs cost only five minutes and the train passed Crewe just one minute late.
The 1979 log represents a good run at the time, which was affected by two serious TSRs
and a diversion onto the slow line between Polesworth and Tamworth. This cost about 12
minutes, but arrival at Crewe was only two minutes late. The severity of the 20 mph TSR was
typical at the time and it could remain at that speed for weeks before being lifted to 40/50
mph over succeeding weeks, in contrast to the current regime where the minimum limit
would be 50 mph and that would be lifted fairly quickly. The effect of this and the inferior
acceleration of the Class 86 electrics can be seen, where the time lost was 12 minutes,
compared with the five minutes lost by the Pendolino in 2014.
Run
1
Milepost 35¾
2
-226 -
3
January 2015
Date
Train
Loco
Load formation
Recorder/pos/gps
miles
M
C
0.00
0
00
5.39
5
31
8.04
8
03
11.39
11
31
13.28
13
22
16.00
16
00
17.45
17
36
20.94
20
75
23.10
23
08
24.49
24
39
27.91
27
73
31.70
31
56
36.11
36
09
40.18
40
14
46.65
46
52
49.83
49
66
52.40
52
32
54.70
54
56
56.50
56
40
59.81
59
65
62.86
62
69
67.00
67
00
69.65
69
52
75.25
75
20
78.16
78
13
80.13
80
10
82.50
82
40
88.00
88
00
91.36
91
29
93.50
93
40
97.05
97
04
102.30 102 24
106.50 106 40
110.03 110 02
113.61 113 49
116.25 116 20
118.83 118 66
121.00 121 00
122.88 122 70
124.29 124 23
127.15 127 12
129.45 129 36
133.53 133 42
136.88 136 70
138.85 138 68
141.08 141 06
143.00 143 00
145.79 145 63
147.50 147 40
150.15 149 92
153.25 153 20
156.29 156 23
158.04 158 03
Timing Point
EUSTON
Willesden J
Wembley C
Harrow
Hatch End
Bushey
WATFORD J
King's Langley
Apsley
Hemel Hempstead
Berkhamsted
Tring
Cheddington
L Buzzard
Bletchley
MILTON KEYNES
Wolverton
Castlethorpe
Hanslope J
Roade
Blisworth
67
Weedon
Welton
Kilsby Tnnl N
Hilmorton
RUGBY
Brinklow
Shilton
Bulkington
NUNEATON
Atherstone
Polesworth
TAMWORTH
Hademore
LICHFIELD
Elmhurst
Armitage
Carwardine
Rugeley
Colwich
Milford
STAFFORD
Gt Bridgeford
Norton Bridge
Badnall
Standon Bridge
Stableford
Whitmore
Madeley
Betley Rd
Basford Hall
CREWE
Net
Sch.
6.0
7.5
9.5
12.5
19.5
27.0
28.5
[1]
32.0
39.0
[1]
46.0
46.5
49.5
53.5
63.5
[1]
68.0
70.0
74.5
77.5
83.0
[1]
90.0
M 06-10-14
1340 Euston-Manchester
390104
00:00
D Ashley 8/11 Y
m
s
mph
ave
0
00 P15 3L
6
46 103
47.8
8
11 119/125
112.2
9
49 123
123.1
10 44 122/124
123.5
12 11 109
112.8
12 59 107
108.8
14 48 122
115.2
15 51 124
123.6
16 31 122
124.9
18 12 123
122.1
20 01 124
125.1
22 10 125
123.1
24 07 124
125.0
27 15 123
124.0
28 49 122
121.6
30 05 125/122
122.0
31 13 125
121.8
32 05 124/121
124.6
33 42 123/125
122.9
35 11 124
123.4
37 12 123
123.1
38 32 119/122
119.3
41 18 119
121.4
42 51 112
112.7
43 50 123/124
119.7
45 00 123
122.1
47 41 122/124
123.0
49 19 123
123.5
50 21 124/125
124.1
52 06 123
121.7
54 48 99
116.7
57 00 125
114.5
58 41 122/124
125.6
60 25 123/124
124.2
61 42 123
123.3
62 57 125
123.6
64 01 124/122
122.3
64 56 123/121
122.7
65 38 123
121.1
67 30 63
92.0
69 23 98
73.3
72 00 86/109
93.4
74 02 108
98.9
75 17 88
94.8
76 42 111
94.2
77 40 124/125
119.5
79 00 123/121
125.4
79 50 122
123.3
81 07 125
123.9
82 37 124
124.0
84 26 65
100.3
88 19 1L
27.0
87
26
Sch.
6.0
7.5
9.5
12.5
19.5
27.0
28.5
[1.5]
33.0
39.5
[1]
46.5
47.0
50.0
54.0
64.0
[1]
68.5
70.5
75.0
78.0
83.5
[1]
87.5
89.0
W 08-10-14
1530 Euston-Glasgow
390137
11
D Ashley 8/11 Y
m
s
mph
0
00 P3 T
6
32 96
7
57 119
9
35 125
10 31 120
11 57 103
12 47 105
14 37 125/124
15 40 125
16 21 123/126
18 00 121/77tsr
20 26 102/125
22 42 124/122
24 41 123/126
27 48 122/66sig
30 02 76
31 49 104
33 03 119
33 57 123/121
35 34 125
37 02 123/47sig
39 50 60
41 52 80
45 08 119
46 42 110
47 42 118
48 53 124
51 33 122
53 09 122/126
54 11 124
55 54 125
58 35 100
60 45 125
62 26 122/126
64 09 125
65 27 123
66 43 125/123
67 47 124
68 44 119
69 27 99/38sig
72 21 62
74 05 98
76 48 87/109
78 48 107
80 05 91
81 29 112
82 26 122
83 46 125
84 36 123
85 54 124
87 24 125
89 00 85
90 18 81 1L
84
54
ave
49.5
112.2
123.1
121.3
114.1
104.4
114.1
123.6
121.8
124.5
93.4
116.8
122.9
124.7
85.3
86.7
111.7
120.0
122.9
124.8
88.7
78.2
102.9
111.5
117.8
120.4
123.8
126.1
124.1
124.1
117.4
116.3
125.6
125.4
121.7
122.0
122.3
118.4
118.3
59.2
79.6
90.0
100.5
92.3
95.4
121.6
125.4
123.3
122.3
124.0
113.9
80.8
Th 18-10-79
1545 Euston-Glasgow
86235
8
D Ashley ?? N
m
s
mph
0
00 T
6
49 90
8
28 100
10
22 106
11
27 104
ave
13
15
51
46
100
106
104.4
109.2
17
19
22
24
26
31
46
49
00
27
52
18
106
96
107
108
90/103
50s/22tsr
106.5
100.2
104.1
108.1
100.9
87.6
39
40
15
39
90
100/107
43.4
98.6
43
45
47
49
52
30
14
36
26
46
104
107
100
84
107
107.6
105.6
104.9
86.7
100.8
55
57
61
63
30
30
26
21
60
105
106
107.0
71.3
83.9
105.3
66
69
74
77
35
45
24
57
102/104
70/90
30x/slow/70
30/fast
105.5
99.5
54.2
59.6
82
52
101
76.0
85
41
103
101.2
87
89
91
94
36
32
12
30
107
82
90/62
78/94
102.9
88.8
82.8
74.1
98
22
40/22tsr
82.6
103
10
99/101
51.9
105
107
109
110
113
51
20
01
55
55
99
108
105/107
82
2L
100.6
107.2
105.1
104.1
71.9
102
18
.
Milepost 35¾
-227 -
January 2015
47.4
96.4
105.8
104.5
Run
Date
Train
Loco/load
Recorder
miles
M
0.00
158
1.75
156
4.79
153
7.89
149
10.54
147
12.25
145
15.04
143
16.96
141
19.19
138
21.16
136
24.51
133
24.51
133
28.59
129
30.89
127
33.75
124
37.04
121
39.21
118
41.79
116
44.43
113
48.01
110
51.54
106
55.74
102
60.99
97
64.54
93
66.68
91
70.04
88
75.54
82
75.54
82
77.91
80
79.88
78
82.79
75
88.39
69
93.59
64
95.18
62
98.23
59
101.54 56
103.34 54
105.64 52
108.21 49
111.39 46
117.86 40
121.93 36
126.34 31
130.13 27
133.55 24
134.94 23
137.10 20
140.59 17
C
03
23
20
92
40
63
00
06
68
70
42
42
36
12
23
00
66
20
49
02
40
24
04
40
29
00
40
40
10
13
20
52
36
69
65
40
56
32
66
52
14
09
56
73
39
08
75
36
Timing Point
CREWE
Basford Hall
Betley Rd
Madeley
Whitmore
Stableford
Standon Bridge
Badnall
Norton Bridge
Gt Bridgeford
STAFFORD
STAFFORD
Milford
Colwich
Rugeley
Armitage
Elmhurst
LICHFIELD
Hademore
TAMWORTH
Polesworth
Atherstone
NUNEATON
Bulkington
Shilton
Brinklow
RUGBY
RUGBY
Hilmorton
Kilsby Tnnl N
Welton
Weedon
Banbury Lane
Blisworth
Roade
Hanslope J
Castlethorpe
Wolverton
MILTON KEYNES
Bletchley
L Buzzard
Cheddington
Tring
Berkhamsted
Hemel Hempstead
Apsley
King's Langley
WATFORD J
142.04
16
00
Bushey
65
05
88
65.3
65
36
82
144.76
146.65
150.00
152.65
158.04
13
11
8
5
0
22
31
03
31
00
Hatch End
Harrow
Wembley C
Willesden J
EUSTON
66
67
69
70
77
36
32
10
37
16
120
125
121
104
T
107.8
121.3
123.1
109.7
48.6
67
68
69
71
77
17
13
50
19
57
118
125
120
103
T
94
25
96
41
Gross
Milepost 35¾
Sch.
6.5
12.0
[1]
17.5
5.5
7.5
11.5
[.5]
21.5
[1]
29.5
30.0
36.0
42.5
[.5]
46.0
48.0
[1]
56.0
63.0
66.5
68.5
[1.5]
78.0
4
S 04-10-14
1647 Liverpool-Euston
390154/11
D Ashley 4/11 Y
m
s
mph
0
00 T
2
50 80
4
30 111
6
08 122
7
23
8
13 122
9
33 124
10 29 124/70tsr
12 01 77
13 18 107
17 09
0
00
4
15 98
5
47 90
7
23 118/125
9
01 123
10 05 124/123
11 20 124/125
12 37 123
14 20 124
16 02 125
18 15 99/124
20 59 123
22 42 123
23 44 124/123
25 22 125
28 01 123
28 01
29 15 123
30 13 107
31 46 124/126
34 28 120
37 01 124
37 50 124/123
39 18 124
40 54 124
41 45 124
43 27 49/35sigs
46 47 83
48 40 121
51 47 124/123
53 45 124
55 55 123
57 44 125
59 24 123
60 04 125
61 06 124
63 45 49tsr
ave
Sch.
37.1
109.4
113.9
127.2
123.3
125.4
123.8
87.1
92.3
52.2
3.0
57.5
90.0
107.3
120.8
122.3
123.6
123.3
125.4
124.4
113.7
115.2
124.1
124.1
123.5
124.5
115.5
121.8
112.7
124.4
122.4
116.6
124.8
124.2
127.1
81.2
46.3
101.2
124.7
123.9
122.2
125.1
123.3
124.9
125.6
79.0
-228 -
6.5
[2.5]
14.5
[1]
20.0
5.5
7.5
11.5
21.0
[1]
29.0
29.5
35.5
42.0
45.0
47.0
[1]
55.0
62.0
65.5
67.5
[2]
77.5
5
W 08-10-14
1247 Liverpool-Euston
390141/11
D Ashley 4/11 Y
m
s
mph
0
00 T
2
36 80
4
24 111
6
01 122
7
17 125
8
06 123/125
9
27 124
10 26 75/29sig
14 08 72
15 27 104
18 44
0
00 /65/41
5
03 55/45
7
30 87
9
09 118/125
10 46 124
11 49 124
13 03 125/124
14 19 125
16 02 124
17 47 119
20 08 98
22 55 123
24 38 123
25 40 123
27 18 123/125
29 57 122
29 57
31 08 120
32 10 112
33 42 119
36 31 115/126
39 02 124
39 48 125
41 17 122
42 53 125/122
43 46 124
45 19 53tsr
47 28 94
49 11 121
52 22 124/123
54 20 125
56 29 123/126
58 18 124/120
59 58 122
60 39 126
61 44 114
64 10 52tsr
ave
40.4
101.3
115.1
125.5
125.8
123.9
117.5
36.1
90.0
61.2
48.4
56.3
104.1
122.0
124.3
125.3
124.9
125.4
120.9
107.2
113.2
124.1
124.1
123.5
124.5
120.4
114.0
114.0
119.3
124.0
124.2
123.4
124.2
122.3
89.0
71.9
111.0
122.0
123.9
123.1
125.1
123.3
121.8
119.8
86.0
6
F 19-10-79
1005 Holyhead-Euston
86018/8
D Ashley ?? N
m
s
mph
0
00 T
ave
5
7
41
47
90
93
20tsr
50.5
88.6
18
12
91
65.1
23
0
4
6
8
10
28
00
38
21
13
18
78
88/100
94
94
52.8
80.4
92.0
94.7
13
19
97/102
94.5
18
22
27
30
31
58
12
47
30x/slow/70
30x/76
68
93
71.8
47.5
59.5
87.9
36
42
0
3
5
7
10
41
07
00
59
28
15
42
15
17
60.7
101/100
102
74
9.0
60.7
103
80
35.8
79.4
98.0
97.4
18
05
100/102/99
104
88.5
102.6
20
21
06
30
101
99/98
101.7
98.6
25
29
31
38
40
42
02
12
59
06
47
52
102
84
92/20tsr
65
91
100/102
97.6
93.2
87.6
43.3
84.7
98.6
44
47
58
03
99
102
101.4
100.4
60.7
47
54
101
102.4
97.1
121.3
124.3
107.2
48.7
49
50
52
54
61
31
37
34
13
05
103/100/105
103
103
90
2L
101.1
103.0
103.1
96.4
47.1
126
40
January 2015
Net
90
20
90
19
115
40
The improvement in net times can be roughly assessed as an average of one minute each
for lifting the speed limits at Leighton Buzzard, Weedon, Rugby, Atherstone and Crewe, and
the balance with the lifting of the limits from 100/110 mph to 125 mph along the rest of the
line, where practical.
The up line was affected by three TSRs: at Norton Bridge, Wolverton and Watford Junction.
Run 4 shows that, in spite of these restrictions and a further possible signal check
approaching the Wolverton TSR, a punctual arrival at Euston was achieved. Once again,
insufficient running time appears to be included in the WTT, but with 5½ minutes recovery
this is not so apparent. Run 5 follows a similar pattern, but was subjected to a signal check
approaching Norton Bridge, possibly due to the 0945 Bournemouth-Manchester crossing
over to the Stoke line ahead of us. There was also a sluggish restart from Stafford. The 1979
run was also affected by TSRs: at Madeley, Tring, and again the transfer to the slow line
between Tamworth and Polesworth. The difference in net times is due to the additional stop
and the comparison with the down train is due to higher speeds of that train.
Performance over the 2014 week was analysed in the method used in our Mass Timing Day
publications. Definitions of the terms are listed there.
Loco
Analysed to:
Date
390013
Crewe
041014
390010
Rugby
091014
390046
Rugby
101014
00:00:01
00:01:09
00:00:21
00:00:26
00:05:00
00:06:10
00:02:00
00:02:21
00:03:51
00:01:35
00:00:27
390112
Rugby
101014
390008
Colwich
061014
00:02:00
00:02:26
00:02:00
00:02:00
00:00:06
00:00:10
00:00:21
00:04:30
00:05:07
00:00:22
00:00:19
00:00:09
390050
Rugby
091014
390117
Crewe
091014
390137
Crewe
081014
390009
Crewe
081014
1103 EustonBirmingham
1340 EustonManchester - Run 1
1140 EustonManchester
1530 EustonGlasgow- Run 2
1330 EustonGlasgow
1720 EustonManchester
0643 EustonEdinburgh
1743 EustonGlasgow
0605 EustonGlasgow
The table indicates that the initial trains were fairly punctual, with recovery compensating for
lost time. The 1903 Euston-Birmingham suffered from a series of problems associated with
delayed inbound services, initially due to problems around Carlisle. The inbound 1340
Glasgow, due Euston 1810, should have departed as the 1843 to Birmingham, but arrived at
1847 (37 minutes late) and formed the 1903 to Birmingham instead. It eventually left five
minutes late and was behind the 1843, which left at 1859 with a Milton Keynes stop. The
1857 left at 1903 and the 1900 at 1902. Not surprisingly, progress was slow, and arrival was
9½ minutes late.
390104
Crewe
061014
390120
Rugby
061014
00:00:20
00:04:00
00:04:20
00:00:18
00:02:00
00:02:18
00:02:36
00:00:15
Saved time
Early start
Dwell time
Efficiency
WTT recovery
00:00:34
00:00:51
00:04:30
00:05:21
00:01:08
00:04:30
00:05:38
00:04:56
00:02:49
00:01:00
00:00:04
00:02:00
00:02:00
00:00:55
00:04:00
00:05:29
Lost time
Late start
Efficiency/Eco
Dwell time
TSR
Crewe approach
Sigs
Insuffic Recov
Late arrival
00:00:53
00:00:39
00:01:52
00:00:45
00:01:05
00:00:49
00:03:39
00:07:30
00:01:00
00:03:41
00:02:07
00:01:04
00:05:03
00:01:26
00:01:31
00:11:27
00:10:00
00:02:05
00:14:11
00:04:36
00:01:32
00:07:00
00:01:20
00:01:20
00:09:27
00:08:50
00:01:22
Early arrival
Milepost 35¾
00:00:54
00:01:35
00:00:54
00:02:25
00:00:25
00:00:51
00:00:04
-229 -
00:00:45
00:00:27
00:00:26
00:02:18
00:03:57
00:00:53
00:01:46
00:05:15
00:02:13
00:01:01
00:03:29
00:00:56
00:01:11
00:01:32
January 2015
Lost time
Late start
Efficiency/Eco
Dwell time
TSR
Crewe spl stop
sigs
Insuffic Recov
Late arrival
Early arrival
390010
Rugby
061014
390130
Rugby
091014
390127
Crewe
101014
390050
Crewe
091014
390039
Stafford
091014
0540 GlasgowEuston
1647 LiverpoolEuston - Run 4
1436 GlasgowEuston
1447 LiverpoolEuston
1247 LiverpoolEuston - Run 5
1540 GlasgowEuston
0747 LiverpoolEuston
1340 GlasgowEuston
1240 GlasgowEuston
1930 BirminghamEuston
1150 BirminghamEuston
Loco
Analysed from
Date
Saved time
Dwell time
Efficiency
WTT recovery
390049
Crewe
081014
390141
Crewe
081014
390138
Crewe
061014
390128
Crewe
051014
390154
Crewe
041014
390125
Crewe
041014
00:00:25
00:07:30
00:07:57
00:00:19
00:00:14
00:05:00
00:05:41
00:07:00
00:07:09
00:01:13
00:05:30
00:06:43
00:08:00
00:08:02
00:00:28
00:01:22
00:00:55
00:01:36
00:03:30
00:03:30
00:03:00
00:03:00
00:05:30
00:05:30
00:05:00
00:05:15
00:04:00
00:04:02
00:09:00
00:10:06
00:14:44
00:00:09
00:00:01
00:00:49
00:05:18
00:01:15
00:26:09
00:00:57
00:03:51
00:00:22
00:03:13
00:01:08
00:05:11
00:01:52
00:02:32
00:02:37
00:05:33
00:00:15
00:02:34
00:03:12
00:02:00
00:00:17
00:01:39
00:03:00
00:02:10
00:00:39
00:00:14
00:11:10
00:01:18
00:01:53
00:01:41
00:12:07
00:00:48
00:01:08
00:04:25
00:00:48
00:03:39
00:00:04
00:03:00
00:02:04
00:07:28
00:01:18
00:02:26
00:01:34
00:01:48
00:01:18
00:22:53
00:02:56
00:21:33
00:43:50
00:08:00
00:16:13
00:07:52
00:09:45
00:13:26
00:06:23
00:12:08
00:16:03
00:38:35
00:03:58
00:06:07
00:04:05
00:06:17
00:19:23
00:00:04
00:00:17
00:00:27
00:04:06
00:00:20
The 1330 Euston-Glasgow was also entangled with an earlier late-running train: this time the
1310 to Chester left Euston after the 1323 to Birmingham which had stopped at Watford
Junction. Consequently, the 1330 suffered signal checks between Watford Junction and
Rugby and again approaching Crewe, which it passed nine minutes late. The 1103 EustonBirmingham was delayed due to a train running 10 minutes late from the Northampton line.
It can be seen from the data above, that the main cause of problem in the down direction is
late-running earlier trains. In the Up direction, there is far more scope for trains to arrive on
the WCML out-of-course.
The 1150 Birmingham-Euston left Rugby 14 minutes late due to crew problems at New St.
and lost further time when it caught up with the punctual 1115 Manchester at Watford Junc.
The 1240 Glasgow-Euston lost time earlier in the journey and was five minutes late passing
Crewe. It lost time due to signals leaving Crewe and around Colwich gave way to the 1515
Manchester. It then caught up with the 1550 Birmingham from Hanslope, so was 16 minutes
late into Euston. There were major power supply problems around the Scottish border in the
afternoon of 9th October. The 1240 Glasgow was cancelled, as was the 1251 Edinburgh, so
three trainloads were onboard a 9-car 1340 Glasgow-Euston train. A special stop at Crewe
allowed West Midlands passengers to leave, so departure was immediately behind a laterunning Chester service which had a Milton Keynes stop and resulted in 12 minutes of signal
checks for the Glasgow train. Consequently, arrival at Euston was 38 minutes late. The 1540
Glasgow was also affected by a late-running train (the 1755 Manchester, which stops at
Milton Keynes) resulting in signal checks between Wolverton and Tring and a six minute late
arrival. The 1436 Glasgow (Sunday) was also delayed by a slightly late-running 1655
Manchester train intermittently from Rugby losing 7½ minutes and arriving in Euston six
minutes late.
PUNCTUALITY
Milepost 35¾
-230 -
00:05:56
00:00:04
January 2015
All this would suggest that the punctuality was fairly poor, and with only 33% on-time, this is
true. On the other hand 88.9% of trains were less than 10 minutes late which is only
marginally worse than the 90% general tolerance. Whilst I could have been unfortunate, this
doesn’t seem to have been the case as examination of punctuality statistics later in the
autumn suggests that 10 minute punctuality seems to be hovering about 50-60% three or
more days a week.
PUNCTUALITY
2014
WC
Early
Time
Late: 1-2
Late: 3-5
Late: 6-10
Late: 11-15
Late: 16-20
Late: 21-30
Late: 30+
8
1
7
4
4
1
1
1
%
1979
WC
%
29.6
33.3
59.3
74.1
88.9
92.6
96.3
96.3
100.0
4
8
5
9
5
2
1
3
1
10.5
31.6
44.7
68.4
81.6
86.8
89.5
97.4
100.0
27
38
2014
EC
1
1
4
2
1
2
%
7.1
14.3
42.9
57.1
64.3
78.6
78.6
92.9
100.0
2
1
14
Comparison with the 1979 week is also interesting in that the <10 minutes lateness then was
only 81.6%. Trains over 10 minutes late are shown:
1979 Lateness
Date
Train
Departed
18/10/1979
21/10/1979
22/10/1979
22/10/1979
23/10/1979
23/10/1979
24/10/1979
1010 Glasgow-Euston
1722 Liverpool-Plymouth
1045 Euston-Glasgow
1410 Glasgow-Euston
0900 Wolverhampton-Euston
1110 Euston-Birmingham
0700 Wolverhampton-Euston
Preston
Stafford
Euston
Carlisle
Birmingham
Euston
Birmingham
Arrived
17L
37L
3L
11L
6L
T
1L
Euston
Worcester
Preston
Euston
Euston
Coventry
Euston
21L
70L
26L
24L
14L
16L
19L
It should also be pointed out that performance on the East Coast route was even worse with
only 64% of trains running less than 10 minutes late. Problems included track circuit
problems over two days at different locations between Newark and Peascliffe Tunnel, power
supply problems between Edinburgh and Glasgow, landslips on the Carlisle-Newcastle
diversionary route, fitter’s attention on the first train of the morning and DVT problems
necessitating reversal at Newcastle.
CONCLUSIONS
It does seem that in 2014 the WCML is not resilient and is running at capacity throughout the
day. There is little scope for recovery from problems but plenty of opportunities to escalate.
The limited turn-round time doesn’t help and the subsequent despatch onto other routes
spreads the misery but may be due to some routes limited to one train per hour. Platform
availability at Euston may be a limiting factor. As should be expected, there are significant
improvements compared with 1979 where punctuality was also a cause for concern.
Coincidentally, I made a single detour to the MML trip to Leicester on both weeks and the
results compare with the WCML experience: 2014 – Out in 65 minutes, back (s/f) in 88
minutes (six minutes late). 1979: Out No. 47532 (Sch. 89 minutes non-stop) 108 minutes,
back No. 45143 (Sch. 93 minutes non-stop) 53 minutes late.
With thanks to Paul Jeffries for 1979 timetable information
GLASGOW-IRVINE 380’s
Milepost 35¾
-231 -
January 2015
Martin Robertson
Following a complete re-organisation of the Glasgow to Ayr services, all are now worked by
the Class 380 Desiro EMUs.
Ayr still retains its two fast and one slow service each hour but with the fast services running
non-stop between Glasgow and Kilwinning, omitting the former Paisley and Johnstone stops.
An additional hourly all stations service from Glasgow to Irvine is an addition to the timetable.
Date
Loco
Train
Load
Recorder
Weather/Pos/GPS
Sat-29-12-12
380112
1000 Glasgow-Ayr
4,165/167
M Robertson
Dry&mild 1/4 Y
miles
m
c
Location
m
s
mph
ave
0.00
0.51
102
101
16
55
Glasgow C'l d Plat 14
Cook St Ub
0
1
00.0
58.0
18
15.6
1.10
0
0
01
48
Shields Rd Ob
3
21.0
rbt
38
25.6
1.97
2.53
1
2
38
03
M77 Ob (e)
A761 Ob (w)
4
5
32.5
02.0
58
72
43.8
68.3
3.66
4.25
4.89
5.97
6.36
7.10
7.71
8.82
9.16
10.37
11.80
13.24
14.26
15.49
15.94
17.30
18.17
20.02
21.36
21.90
3
3
4
5
5
6
7
8
8
10
11
12
14
15
15
17
17
19
21
21
13
59
31
38
69
48
37
46
73
10
44
79
01
19
55
04
74
62
09
52
Cardonald
Hillington East B'ing
Hillington West Sh'l
Arkelston Jn Ob
Footbridge
Paisley Gilmour St Sub
Underbridge (D'l C'way)
Underbridge 9
Elderslie RR*
Johnstone Sh'l
Milliken Park Sh'l
Howood Sh'l
White Sign
Lochwinnoch C'over sign
Lochwinnoch Sh'l
Footpath C'ing (Sign)
Bieth Ob
Glengarnock Sh'l
Brownhills N'th RR
Brownhills S'th RR
5
6
6
7
8
9
9
10
11
12
13
14
14
15
16
17
17
18
19
20
58.5
26.5
59.0
53.5
13.5
08.5
55.5
52.0
10.0
09.0
15.0
14.0
58.5
48.5
05.5
06.0
41.0
57.5
51.5
14.0
74
74
73
70
63
43
61
71
71
73
87
87
90
90
89
81
85
89
88
88
72.0
75.9
70.9
71.3
70.2
48.4
46.7
70.7
68.0
73.8
78.0
87.9
82.5
88.6
95.3
80.9
89.5
87.1
89.3
86.4
22.74
24.07
25.32
25.71
26.25
22
23
25
25
26
39
66
06
37
00
Dalry Sh'l
Overbridge Ob 3
Garnock Viad
Overbridge Ob 9
Kilwinning a
20
21
22
23
24
48.0
42.5
36.5
00.0
15.0
87
88
73
48
88.9
87.9
83.3
59.7
25.9
0.00
0.99
1.89
2.57
3.40
26
27
28
29
79
71
46
32
d
Byrehill Jn (A76 Ub)
Bogside RR
R Irvine Viad (s)
Irvine a
0
1
2
2
3
00.0
20.5
00.0
28.5
53.0
74
88
83br
64.9
44.3
82.0
85.9
35.4
I had five return trips to Irvine, all for the cost of a Daytripper ticket, and attach a run in each
direction. Schedules are comparable to the former Glasgow to Kilwinning schedule, with two
stops, but the running was good on all my runs, with the drivers running close to the 75/90
Milepost 35¾
-232 -
January 2015
mph line limits. The final northbound run featured 102 mph past Bieth and 99 around
Howood, with speed eased to the low eighties in between.
The southbound schedule is a standard 25 minutes, and the northbound around 27 minutes.
My best southbound time was the first run of the day, timed in semi-darkness, with the GPS
refusing to pick up the satellite signals. The northbound run shown was the quickest to
Paisley by around 15 seconds, but an easing to gain the centre road after Arkelston Junction,
cost the 15 seconds and a slightly slower entry into Glasgow Central, lost the record.
Date
Loco
Train
Load
Recorder
Weather/Pos/GPS
Sat-29-12-12
380002/012
1325 Ayr-Glasgow
6,260/270
M Robertson
Dry&mild 1/6 Y
miles
m
c
Location
m
s
mph
ave
0.00
0.82
1.51
2.41
3.40
29
28
27
26
26
32
46
71
79
00
Irvine d
R Irvine Viad (s)
Bogside RR
Byrehill Jn (A76 Ub)
Kilwinning a
0
1
1
2
3
00.0
00.0
30.5
07.0
29.0
72
87/91
85e'd
49.2
81.4
88.8
43.5
0.00
0.54
25
37
d
Overbridge Ob 9
0
0
00.0
49.0
61
39.7
0.92
2.17
3.51
4.35
4.89
6.22
8.07
8.95
10.31
10.76
11.99
13.01
14.45
15.87
17.09
17.42
18.54
19.15
19.89
20.27
25
23
22
21
21
19
17
17
15
15
14
12
11
10
8
8
7
6
5
5
06
66
39
52
09
62
74
04
55
19
01
79
44
10
73
46
37
48
69
38
Garnock Viad C'tre
Overbridge Ob 3
Dalry Sh'l
Brownhills (s) RR
Brownhills (n) RR
Glengarnock Sh'l
Bieth Ob
Footpath C'ing Sign
Lochwinnoch Sh'l
Lochwinnoch C'over Sign
White Sign
Howwood Sh'l
Milliken Park Sh'l
Johnstone Sh'l
Elderslie RR*
Underbridge 9 Ub
Underbridge (D'l C'way)
Paisley
Footbridge
Arkleston Jn Ob
1
2
2
3
3
4
5
6
7
7
8
9
10
11
12
12
13
14
15
15
08.0
00.5
54.5
28.0
49.5
42.5
57.0
29.0
25.0
43.0
35.0
18.5
17.0
22.0
20.0
37.0
34.5
22.0
27.5
49.0
75/90
88
90
90
90
90
91
90/89
88
84/80
89
90
86
74*
74
72
61br
42*/32*
57
71/75
72.0
85.7
89.3
90.3
90.4
90.3
89.4
99.0
87.4
90.0
85.2
84.4
88.6
78.6
75.7
69.9
70.1
46.2
40.7
63.6
21.36
22.01
22.59
23.71
24.27
25.15
25.74
4
3
3
2
1
0
0
31
59
13
03
38
48
01
Hillington W Sh'l
Hillington E B'ing
Cardonald
Sh'l
A761 Ob (e)
M77 Ob (w)
Shields Road Ob
Cook St
Ub
16
17
17
18
19
20
21
41.5
13.5
41.5
39.5
12.0
21.5
45.5
75
74
73
68
60
35*
18*
74.7
73.1
74.6
69.5
62.0
45.6
25.3
26.25
102
16
Glasgow C'l a Pl 14/15
24
15.0
Milepost 35¾
-233 -
The northbound run includes
the best time in either direction
between Irvine and Kilwinning.
Regarding Jeremy Hartill's
letter in a recent Milepost, a
time of 3m 29s for 3.40 miles,
with an entry into the station
which could have been better,
is very impressive. This section
and the Irvine to Barrassie
section at 3.60 miles are likely
to be good contenders for the
shortest possible mile a minute
timing, if a driver uses the
power of the Desiros and
makes a well judged braking
into the station platform. A
Desiro will reach 90 mph in
under 1m 40s and possibly
under 90 seconds with good
rail
conditions
and
a
determined driver.
12.3
January 2015
It’s not bad on the Old Worse and Worse
By Malcolm Simister
The Cotswold Line between Oxford and Worcester seems to be rarely mentioned in railway
performance literature but it has tight timings, some variety of rolling stock and, of course, is
set in beautiful countryside.
Not only hasn’t the southern half of the former Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton
Railway, the Old Worse and Worse to its critics, been featured in Milepost much in recent
years, I have scoured my collection of books by O.S. Nock, C. J. Allen and others almost in
vain for a mention of it.
The only mention I have found is well worthwhile and, I think, quite surprising. In my second
edition of Cecil J. Allen’s Locomotive Practice and Performance in the Twentieth Century
published in 1950, he reveals that, ‘The only record of a 100 mph maximum with (a Castle
Class 4-6-0) was on a falling gradient during a run down the Worcester line timed by Mr. R.E.
Charlewood in 1939. No. 4086 Builth Castle … was the engine with a load of 255 tons. The
stretch of line concerned is one ideally laid out for record breaking with 4½ miles of 1 in 100
down, well aligned, from Campden tunnel, flattening out with easier grades in the ensuing
three miles… The 100 was exactly at the foot of the 1 in 100 inclination’ (at Honeybourne).
Other Castles exceeded 100 mph after the Second World War but I am surprised that it was
on this secondary main line where one first achieved the distinction. However, it is telling that
in the section where a Castle could top the ‘ton’ in 1939, today’s trains are limited to 75 mph.
Perhaps this lack of really high speeds explains the apparent low level interest in
performance on the line but 100 mph is permitted in one section and 95 and 90 in others,
which isn’t exactly slow.
After singling in the 1970s which led to unacceptable service unreliability, between 2008 and
2011 Network Rail redoubled two sections of track totalling approximately 20 miles. The
redoubled sections from Moreton-in-Marsh to Evesham and Charlbury to Ascott-underWychwood leave as single track 10 miles at each end of the line from Wolvercote Junction,
north of Oxford, to Charlbury and from Evesham West Junction to Norton Junction, near
Worcester.
Most of the line’s gradients are not steep, the steady climb from Oxford, on the River
Thames, through the ever-beautiful Cotswolds to the summit at Moreton-in-Marsh being at 1
in 250 or easier, but a sharp dip at 1 in 151 takes the line down into Blockley and up again to
Campden tunnel. Then comes the steepest gradient on the line as noted by C.J. Allen above,
the 1 in 100 descent from Campden tunnel to Honeybourne on which Up trains face a stiff
climb right off the platform there. Then come easier grades down to Pershore, up to Norton
Junction and a final descent to Worcester on the River Severn.
The line has close affinity with another river, the Evenlode, from just before Hanborough to
near Moreton-in-Marsh as it follows the river valley, including 90º turns to the left between
Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood and then to the right through Shipton.
I hadn’t travelled on the line at all until 2007 but through happenstance I have ridden on it
since then on three different types of rolling stock, namely on the second Great Western
company’s HSTs and Classes 166 and 180 DMUs, making for interesting comparison.
Table 1 shows three Down trains from Oxford which, like almost all trains on the line,
originated at Paddington. Run 1 was on the 18.22 HST from there before the line was
Milepost 35¾
-234 -
January 2015
redoubled and despite arriving at Oxford on time the train was then delayed for 20 minutes
waiting for a late-running Up service to come off the single track, amply illustrating the folly of
singling the line. I suspect our platform at Oxford was needed for another train as we were
stopped for a few seconds soon after leaving, still waiting for the Up service to clear the
single line which turned out to be an HST in Midland Mainline livery.
However, once past Wolvercote Junction the HST got into its stride with 86 mph through
Hanborough and certainly higher speeds beyond where 100 mph is allowed. Unfortunately, I
had difficulty spotting the mileposts between Hanborough and Charlbury (thankfully, they are
easier to see now) but as the average speed from Hanborough to Charlbury pass to stop
was 84 mph the maximum speed was undoubtedly well into the 90s.
Beyond Charlbury, the 100/90 mph section is divided by a 75 mph restriction on the right
angle curves through Ascott and Shipton but then the HST probably just touched 90 mph
before the Kingham stop. A TSR hindered progress to Moreton-in-Marsh, left almost 22
minutes late. On to Honeybourne, despite speed being close to or at the 75 mph permitted,
time was still dropped but was then more than recovered to leaving Evesham. I assume the
generous dwell time allowed at Evesham includes some recovery time to try to ensure trains
start on the single line from Evesham West Junction on time. I clocked a 90 mph maximum in
a 95 mph zone to Pershore where again the HST recovered a little time only to suffer a
signal stop outside Worcester Shrub Hill, finally reached 20½ minutes late.
Run 2 was more recent after the 2011 redoubling, on another HST on which I travelled only
as far as the delightful market town of Moreton-in-Marsh. The railway itself here is also
delightful because of its brick station building, finial-topped signal box and lower quadrant
former-GWR semaphore signals, all adding to the town’s atmosphere. Running initially was
not as sprightly as in Run 1 although the HST did top 91 mph before Charlbury. Extended
station dwell times gradually increased the lateness so that arrival at Moreton was
approximately 3½ minutes late.
On Run 3, a couple of months after Run 2 and with a Class 180 DMU, I recorded speeds
using DigiHUD, a free app on my smartphone that uses global positioning system
technology, and verified them with my stopwatch. I have used DigiHUD quite a lot recently
and while it suffers from not receiving a satellite signal in some trains such as Voyager,
Meridian and, in Australia, Vlocity DMUs, as far as I can discern it shows speeds accurately.
The Class 180 DMU had run in lacklustre fashion with extended station dwell times from
Reading to arrive at Oxford approximately six minutes late and then dropped another halfminute there. Notwithstanding their past problems, the Class 180s should be able to show a
clean pair of heals to HSTs but the HST in Run 1 beat the Class 180 between Charlbury and
Kingham. Elsewhere, however, the 180 had the advantage. Indeed, after Moreton where
Builth Castle raced down from Campden tunnel, a TSR hindered the Class 180 but by taking
a liberal view of the 75 mph speed limit after that still just beat the HST in Run 1 to
Honeybourne. Nevertheless, arrival in Worcester was still 6½ minutes late.
Table 2 shows three Up runs with different rolling stock in each. In Run 4, earlier on the
same day as Run 1, a three car Class 166 DMU substituted for the rostered five car Class
180 DMU. The two-plus-three seating was very full leaving Worcester and later the cars
became standing-room only but the driver seemed determined not to let a comparatively
under-powered, over-crowded DMU prevent on-time running. The Class 166 performed
creditably and through superior acceleration and hard braking for stops beat the HST in Run
5 on all sections except the first, between Worcester and Pershore, where it was slower off
the mark from Shrub Hill. The Class 180 in Run 6 was slower still in this section, despite
being up to the 95 mph speed limit after Norton Junction.
Milepost 35¾
-235 -
January 2015
Table 1 Oxford - Worcester
Run
Date:
Train ex-Oxford
Run 1
Tue 19 Jun 2007
19.25
Run 2
Sat 26 Apr 2014
11.23
Run 3
Tue 24 Jun 2014
8.04
Formation:
Timed with:
Position:
HST 2 + 8
Stopwatch
3/10
HST 2 + 8
Stopwatch
2/10
180 104 5-car DMU
DigiHUD & stopwatch
2/5
Dist
Location
Actual
vs PTT
Speeds
Actual
vs PTT
M
0.0
2.9
5.5
7.0
Oxford
Wolvercote Junc.
Mp69
Hanborough
m:s
0.00
6.50
9.17
10.16
m:s
20L
mph
/ss 20s
*
79/86
m:s
0.00
4.23
7.02
9.03
m:s
½L
Combe
Mp73
Charlbury
10.45
2.01
3.19
6.53
-1.45
1.1
2.5
6.3
8.35
4.20
5.27
8.36
-0.35
Ascott-u-Wychwood
Shipton
Kingham
16.25
4.06
5.04
7.46
-1.25
3.7
4.9
8.0
10.49
3.19
-0.49
Mp87¼ (Adlestrop)
9.06
3.03
+0.54
2.5
5.3
7.0
Mp90
Moreton-in-Marsh
6.10
8.48
10.56
14.43
85
75/89
82/47tsr
54/58
-1.48
-1.17
Campden Tunnel IN
Mp100
Honeybourne
10.17
1.46
3.42
4.58
6.01
7.58
10.00
Mp104
Evesham
10.42
2.41
6.06
-0.42
2.3
5.0
1.0
3.1
6.0
Evesham West Junc.
Mp109¾ (Fladbury)
2.6
4.7
7.9
Mp115 (Stoulton)
Norton Junc. Box
Worcester Shrub Hill
0.8
3.0
4.5
5.8
8.3
10.0
Mp92½ (summit)
Mp94¾ (foot of grade)
Mp96¼ (top of grade)
Pershore
71
71
74
+0.54
7.53
2.04
3.46
6.15
+3.07
6.53
+1.07
5.31
14.20
5.16
7.37
62
90
-2.20
/ss1m59s
20½L
+0.23
Speeds
Actual
vs PTT
m:s
0.00
4.08
6.54
8.51
m:s
6½L
10.10
1.44
2.53
6.25
-0.10
57
75/91
7.34
3.53
4.56
7.53
+0.26
78/74
71/82
9.45
2.56
-0.45
63/88
84
3½L
4.46
7.00
mph
/65
37
75/77
Speeds
mph
/66
37
79
71
81/90
75
77/88
82/94
90
0.00
8.49
1.23
3.29
4.34
5.38
7.53
9.58
-0.49
11.07
2.34
5.24
-1.07
54/74
70/73
74
75/52tsr
68/81
78
+0.36
7.04
1.33
3.16
5.46
-0.04
6.50
2.44
5.07
9.54
+1.10
59
90/99
+1.06
78/83
24/22/72
6½L
'+' in the 'vs PTT' column indicates early and '-' late per the public timetable
* Speed restriction
However, after this the Class 180 was superior, especially in climbing the 1 in 100 from
Honeybourne to Campden tunnel. The apparent speed differential between the three runs at
milepost 100 was partly due to Runs 4 and 5 being timed with a stopwatch and Run 6 with
DigiHUD.
Run 6 was held at Charlbury waiting for a late-running Down train to come off the single line
section from Wolvercote Junction but afterwards, like the HST in Run 5, topped 100 mph on
falling gradients. In this section too, the Class 166 gamely reached 93 mph, which it had also
touched before Kingham. Run 5 was held by signals before Wolvercote Junction waiting to
join the Birmingham-Oxford main line.
Milepost 35¾
-236 -
January 2015
Table 2 Worcester - Oxford
Run
Date:
Train ex-Worcester
Run 4
Tue 19 Jun 2007
08.28
Run 5
Fri 22 Jun 2007
06.34
Run 6
Tue 24 Jun 2014
18.52
Formation:
Timed with
166 209, 3 car DMU
Stopwatch
HST 2 + 8
Stopwatch
180 108 5-car DMU (4/5)
DigiHUD & stopwatch
Dist
M
Actual
m:s
vs PTT
m:s
Worcester Shrub Hill
Norton Junc. Box
Mp115 (Stoulton)
Pershore
0.00
4.06
5.45
7.58
RT
+0.11
2.9
5.0
6.0
Mp109¾ (Fladbury)
8.49
3.18
Evesham West Junc.
Evesham
6.45
-1.45
Littleton & Badsey LC
Clayfield LC
Honeybourne
8.48
2.58
3.30
5.34
-0.48
2.3
3.0
5.0
6.41
-0.41
1.7
4.1
Mp100
Campden Tunnel OUT
0.0
3.2
5.5
7.9
Location
Speeds
mph
73
92
Actual
m:s
vs PTT Speeds
m:s mph
½L
0.00
3.48
70
7.41
69/85
53
62/79
6.8
10.0
M95
Moreton-in-Marsh
7.22
10.54
Mp87¼ (Adlestrop)
Kingham
12.39
4.26
6.43
-0.39
4.4
7.0
Shipton
7.44
3.27
+0.16
3.0
4.3
8.0
Ascott-u-Wychwood
Charlbury
4.39
8.26
Mp73
Combe
Hanborough
9.23
3.58
4.56
6.14
-0.23
3.8
5.2
6.3
Mp69
Wolvercote Junc.
Oxford
7.00
2.08
4.29
8.16
0.00
1.5
4.1
7.0
76
+0.06
91/93
78
*/78
87
93
+0.44
-0.29
84/90
7.28
70
76
2.41
5.10
8.29
3.23
60/81
47/67
1½L
9.07
3.13
3.43
6.11
-0.07
6.49
-0.49
75
3.03
5.10
7.16
11.24
-0.21
8.11
3.35
Sigs
6.35
10.17
+0.49
11.53
4.03
4.56
5.26
-0.53
1L
9.46
2.53
4.27
6.03
-0.46
7.33
-0.33
Speeds
mph
73
95
94
70
3.15
5.38
74
-0.49
2.20
4.15
70
73
75
6.46
10.01
73
/76
20
37/84
88/102
100
97
-4.57
0.00
4.50
6.28
8.53
6.49
90
13.10
17.57
vs PTT
m:s
58
74
-0.24
12.21
4.14
7.08
Actual
m:s
/ss2m46s
36/71/17sig
7½L
10.47
4.01
6.31
+1.13
8.00
3.07
0.00
90
/79
4.13
7.59
73/87
15.46
3.25
4.19
5.53
-6.46
6.33
2.01
5.38
9.36
+0.27
100
87
+0.24
76/sig12
40/74
8L
'+' in the 'vs PTT' column indicates early and '-' late per the public timetable
* Speed restriction
So, as with the three Down runs, all three Up runs arrived late, mostly due to the tight timings
and the remaining single track sections. However, overall, while it may not be the fastest line
in the country the Old Worse and Worse is still has plenty to interest train timers.
Milepost 35¾
-237 -
January 2015
FASTEST TIMES UPDATE
Martin Robertson
Welcome to another Fastest Times Update, which looks at the new FT’s that are being
achieved around the Network. My thanks go to all of those members who have submitted
FT’s in the last few months, with particular thanks to John Heaton and John Rishton.
We start with an offering from Martin Barrett on the 1201 York to Kings Cross service, which
is worked by an HST. The full log from Doncaster to Kings Cross is included. Only one
section - Grantham to Peterborough - was an all time FT, but each of the other sections
bettered the current re-opened FT listing.
Table 1
Date
Train
Motive Power
Position
Recorder
Weather
GPS
m
c
location
155
73 Doncaster (plat 3a)
154
00 Decoy S Jn
152
00 Loversall Carr Jn
151
29 Rossington
147
60 Bawtry
144
00 Ranskill
139
07 Loop pts
138
49 Retford
137
134
130
126
124
120
120
37
40
29
25
00
63
09
Grove Road
Askham Tnl NE
Egmanton
Carlton
Bathley Lane
Newark Crossing
Newark NG
119
115
110
108
105
03
27
40
29
35
Barnby
Claypole
Hougham
Peascliffe Tnl NE
Grantham
100
99
97
92
87
84
81
79
79
60
12
17
07
64
71
40
Stoke Tnl NE
Stoke Jn
Corby Glen
Little Bytham
Greatford
Tallington
Helpston
Werrington Jn
78
00
New England N
76
26
Peterborough (plat 3)
Thurs 25 Sept 2014
1201 York - KX
11HST/43299/43295
3/11
Martin Barrett
Sunny periods
Yes
sch
m
s
mph
0
0
0
2
48 77
4
4
12 95
4
35 97/111
6
41 109
8
40 118/122
11 25 49
13
12 27
14½ 14 14
1
59 62
4
20 89
<1>
6
48 116
8
46 125
10 23 126
12½ 11 32 78
13½ 12 40
15
14 47
1
54 60
4½
4
37 97
6
50 109/111
8
33 110
10½ 10 57
12
12 54
4
39 88
5½
5
28 95
6
56 117/125
9
20 124
11 46 127/125
12½ 12 52 126
14 16 125
<1>
15 25 125
20
16
08
17
53
m
76
75
72
70
67
63
58
55
51
47
46
44
41
37
32
27
c
26
00
63
02
20
00
67
72
56
38
30
10
15
00
00
46
location
Peterborough (plat 3)
Fletton
Yaxley
Holme
Conington S Jn
MP
Huntingdon
Offord
St Neots
Tempsford
Everton
Sandy
Biggleswade
Arlesey
Hitchin
Stevenage
25
23
23
22
20
17
15
14
12
10
9
8
6
5
4
3
2
0
0
0
0
00
65
12
00
20
56
46
40
60
44
14
28
37
00
00
33
40
60
46
22
07
Knebworth
Woolmer Green
N tunnel NE
Welwyn North
Welwyn GC
Hatfield
Welham Green
BrookmansPark
Potters Bar
Hadley Wood
New Barnet
Oakleigh Park
New Southgate
Alexandra Pal
Hornsey
Harringay
Finsbury Park
Belle Isle
GaswksTnl NE
Gaswks Tnl SE
Kings Cross (plat 5)
sch
22
7½
12
19½
25½
28½
30
4
[1]
7
11
<1>
17
<1>
19½[1]
22½
24½
m
21
2
3
5
6
9
11
12
14
16
17
18
19
21
24
27
30
3
3
4
5
5
7
8
8
9
11
11
12
13
14
15
15
16
18
18
19
20
s
05
09
47
50
56
13
18
43
47
50
21
25
53
51
15
31
15
04
54
20
00
58
18
24
58
53
09
59
29
38
33
10
34
11
00
18
10
27
119
Martin comments ‘The key to this is that the driver has discovered that brakes actually stop
the train very quickly so you don't need to fiddle about with a little here and a little there! The
Milepost 35¾
-238 -
January 2015
mph
69
93
108
114
112
127
121/120
121
126
126/124
125/124
125/123
126
123
80
90
97
106
114/116
114
116
116
110
100
101
99
98
95
93
89
85
37
36
13
run itself was not really outstanding, just the odd excess. The braking is best seen by
passing Bathley Lane at a full 126mph - power still on, still doing 78mph over Newark
Crossing (80mph tsr anyway) and only just failing to meet the one minute schedule from
there to NNG. The use of platform 3 at Peterborough also allows full speed approach, hence
only just shut of power at New England North (MP78) at 119mph as opposed to being well
below 100mph when going into platforms 1 or 2. The train actually arrived KX 4.5 mins early
having left Stevenage less than 0.5 mins early.’
Table 2
Loco
Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes
Train
Date
Recorder Position GPS
Miles
0.00
1.87
2.92
5.09
6.48
7.80
8.73
9.75
11.48
13.34
16.10
16.98
18.70
21.43
22.98
Timing Point
MARYLEBONE d.
Hampstead TNP
Kilburn LUL
Neasden South Jct
Wembley Stadium
Sudbury & Harrow Rd.
Sudbury Hill Harrow
Northolt Park
Northolt Jct
West Ruislip
Denham
Denham Golf Club
GERRARD'S CROSS
Seer Green & Jordans
BEACONSFIELD
24.63
27.89
32.80
35.99
38.68
41.83
45.25
47.72
49.03
50.38
Whitehouse TSP
HIGH WYCOMBE
Saunderton
PRINCE'S RISBOROUGH
Ilmer
Haddenham &T. P.
Valley Farm PC
Brill TSP
Footpath
Piddington OB
54.72
56.84
60.52
61.78
63.75
65.27
68.78
BICESTER N.
Crowmarsh Farm OB36
Ardley TSP
Souldern No. 1 VSE
Aynho Jct
King's Sutton
BANBURY a.
67xxx
6+DVT/269/275
xx xx M'bone-Moor St.
xx xx, 2014
J. Heaton
Sch.
0
7
8
11½
12½
16
22
26
28½
32
40
45½
[½]
50
Min.
0
3
4
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Sec.
00
22
36
47
47
44
22
01
02
07
43
14
15
50
43
M.P.H.
Pfm 4 1L
48
56
75
83
87
92
95
105
102/101/104
103
102/100/103
102
104
106
108/late
braking
55
85/89
87
105/109
105/104/108
105/106
103
110
109
49
59
78
99
105
85
93/96
18
39
20
45
24
58
27
12
28
53
30
39
32
36
34
02
34
47
35
31
50tsr
38
45
40
35
43
07
43
51
45
08
46
10
49
05
net about 47m22s, say 47.5mins
Av
mph
T
33.3
51.1
59.6
83.4
83.4
88.1
94.2
102.1
103.0
103.5
102.2
101.5
103.5
105.3
106.1
93.1
69.9
85.7
96.0
106.9
105.3
103.3
106.0
109.2
80.5
69.5
87.1
103.3
92.0
88.3
72.2
Table 2 is a run from
Marylebone
to
Banbury recorded by
John
Heaton.
All
details of the train,
loco and date, have
been omitted because
of
the
speeds
achieved.
John
comments :- ‘What an
old-fashioned feel it
has. Just the sort of
run one seeks but so
rarely gets. Felt like a
driver who knew there
was a long 50tsr in
force
for
the
earthworks involved in
the new Oxford link
near Bicester North
and
was
out
to
compensate for it with
just ½min recovery
time to Banbury and
the incentive of a 1min
late start as well. The
net is about 47min 22
sec - certainly no more
than 47½min although
the net time is, in a
way, false as I suspect
the speeds would not
have been as high if
there had been no
TSR in force.’
Table 2A is a recording in the opposite direction over the same section with a Class 67 and
MkIII’s. Speeds were generally legal, with slight excess over the ruling limits. Johns
comments:- ‘Here is a new loco-hauled Banbury-Marylebone record. A clear run into
Marylebone was a real bonus but we still dropped 6sec on net timings! There was little in the
running from Moor Street to Banbury that might have suggested such a good run on the final
leg but the driver clearly had the working time in mind, arrival being 15sec late and almost
5min early on advertised 12.37. The Leaf fall timetable was in operation. I intended to return
Milepost 35¾
-239 -
January 2015
Table 2A
Loco
Train
Date
Recorder/Position/GPS
Miles
0.00
3.51
5.03
6.36
8.26
14.06
17.15
20.95
26.95
32.79
35.98
41.00
43.95
45.80
47.35
50.08
51.80
52.68
55.44
57.30
59.03
60.05
62.30
63.69
65.86
68.75
Table 3
Day/Date
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
Miles
mm
0
127
1.56
129
2.87
130
5.27
133
6.47
134
7.79
135
9.91
137
11.89
139
15.48
143
18.41
146
19.44
147
cc
68
32
57
09
25
51
60
59
26
21
23
Timing Point
BANBURY d.
King's Sutton
Aynho Jct
Souldern No. 2 VSE
Ardley TSP
BICESTER N.
Blackthorn UB
Brill TNP
Haddenham &T. P.
PR. RISBOROUGH
Saunderton
HIGH WYCOMBE
Whitehouse TNP
BEACONSFIELD
Seer Green
GERRARD'S CROSS
Denham Golf Club
Denham
West Ruislip
Northolt Jct
Northolt Park
Sudbury Hill Harrow
Wembley Stadium
Neasden South Jct
Kilburn LUL
MARYLEBONE a.
location
Derby
Up goods
Breadsall J
Duffield
Milford tunnel
Belper
Ambergate J
Wingfield Tnl
Bumpmill Lane
Clay Cross TS
Clay Cross TN
on the same train but it was
held at Marylebone for a
tree on the line at Gerrards
Cross. I abandoned ship
and noted it departed 47L
and reached Moor Street
62min late.’
670xx
DVT+6 Mk 3/261/275/365(inc loco)
xx.xx B'ham Moor Street to Marylebone
October xx, 2014
J. Heaton
Ave
Sch.
Min. Sec. M.P.H.
M.P.H.
0
0
0 2½L
[½]
3
51 89/91
54.7
5
4
52 90
89.7
5
45 90
90.3
7
0 92/103
91.2
11
10
29 102
99.9
12
20 98/99
100.2
14
39 98/103
98.4
19 [½]
18
18 96/101
98.6
23
21
58 83
95.6
25½
24
9 95/98
87.7
29
27
50 58
81.8
<½>
30
20 87
70.8
32½
31
32 93
92.5
32
31 101/97
94.6
36
34
11 98
98.3
35
12 102
101.5
35
43 102/97
102.2
39
37
24 101
98.4
40
38
30 102
101.5
39
33 96
98.9
40
11 100/101 96.6
43
41
33 94
98.8
44
42
40 68
74.7
[1]
44
48 49/52
61.0
52
49
36
36.1
Saturday 18th October 2014
06:25 Bournemouth - York
221.133
5/281/295
damp
J Rishton - 5/5 - Stopwatch
WTT mm:s s
av. spd.
0
00:00 T
0.0
02:40 r.b.t.
35.1
04:14
50.2
05:46
93.9
06:29
100.6
07:15
103.3
8
08:44
85.8
10:11
81.9
12:22
98.6
13:59
108.8
14:33
109.0
Miles
20.89
21.19
22.87
23.29
24.13
24.71
25.92
29.43
30.51
32.14
32.57
33.63
34.41
35.13
35.71
36.19
36.46
mm
143
143
144
145
146
146
148
151
152
154
154
155
156
157
157
158
158
Table 3 turns to the Midland
Main line, with a recording
on a XC service by John
Rishton between Derby and
Sheffield. John comments:‘A recent run to Sheffield
produced a good time from
Derby thanks to the raising
of the speeds in Clay Cross
Tunnel and the bend
thereafter,
plus
an
unusually fast approach to
an almost empty Sheffield
station.’
Despite
the
apparent good entry into
Sheffield Midland station,
the schedule was only just
bettered, although with 1
minute recovery time in the
schedule, it could be said
that the schedule was not
met.
cc
00
24
78
32
19
65
03
43
49
20
54
58
41
19
65
24
44
location
Clay Cross NJ
Avenue Colly BR
Metcalfe's UB79
Chesterfield SJ
Chesterfield
Brimington Road
Sheepbridge
Dronfield
Bradway Tnl
Dore
Dore Station J
Millhouses
Little London Rd S
Gleadless Road
Charlotte Road
Shrewsbury Rd
Sheffield
WTT
15
16
17
17.5
[1]
24
28
mm:s
15:20
15:30
16:27
16:43
17:17
17:41
18:31
20:58
21:44
23:01
23:23
23:16
24:49
25:18
25:54
26:40
27:44
s
1/2
1/2
1/2
Table 4 continues on the Midland Main Line, but on the southbound line, with a run from
Chesterfield to Derby recorded by Ian Umpleby. Ian comments:-‘ The Chesterfield to Derby
run seemed nothing special at the time, especially as it was on time. However, by running up
Milepost 35¾
-240 -
January 2015
av. spd.
109.9
108.0
107.0
94.4
89.0
87.0
87.1
86.0
84.6
76.2
68.9
72.7
85.1
89.4
58.0
37.5
15.2
Table 4
Loco/Unit
Train
Date
Weather
Rec/Pos/GPS?
Dec. Mls
M.
Ch Timing Point
0.00 146
19 Chesterfield
0.99 145
20 Chesterfield S'th J
1.73 144
41 Hasland fb
3.45 142
63 Clay Cross North J
4.04 142
16 Clay Cross ob
147
74
6.59 145
30 Stretton ob
10.25 141
57 Wingfield ub
14.21 137
60 Ambergate Jc MP
16.33 135
51 Belper shl
18.86 133
08 Duffield fb
22.84 129
10 St Marys ob
23.45 128
41 Nottingham Road
24.11 127
68 Derby 6
222003
7/335/350
0829 Sheffield-St Pancras
Tues 29th July 2014
Sunny Ints
IU;4/7;N
WTT Min. Sec.
M.P.H.
0
0 00
1L
1.5
1 25
69
1 59
80
3
3 06 1/2
94
3 28 1/2
97
9
[1]
17½
4
6
9
10
12
14
14
16
56 1/2
55
19
38 1/2
01 1/2
11
42
28
111
111
82
99
110
111
64
T
Avge
41.9
78.0
91.6
96.0
104.9
110.9
99.1
95.9
109.9
110.4
71.3
22.5
to the limit and with a quick approach to Derby it beat the previous all-comers fastest
recorded time by 18 seconds.’
Table 5
Day/Date
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
Miles
mm cc
location
0
0.65
1.20
2.16
3.30
4.39
5.96
6.43
7.16
7.31
8.66
9.39
11.24
11.87
Nottingham
Mansfield J
Lenton NJ (br 2)
Radford J
Woodyard Lane
A6019
Trowell Moor
M1
Trowell SJ
Gallows Inn
Ilkeston J
Bennerley Via
Lacey Field
Langley Mill
123
124
124
125
126
127
129
129
125
125
126
127
129
129
43
15
59
56
67
74
40
78
09
21
49
27
15
66
Tuesday 7th October 2014
16:17 Nottingham - Leeds
158.861
77/80 = 8.75hp/ton
dry
J Rishton - 1/2 - GPS
WTT mm:s mph average
6
0
00:00
late
0.0
2
01:31
46
25.7
02:11
51
49.5
4
03:36
34
40.6
(1)
05:10
51
43.7
06:21
61
55.3
07:43
81
68.9
08:04
80
80.6
10.5 09:05
31
43.1
{3}
09:22
32
31.7
11:02
65
48.6
11:41
69
67.4
13:16
72
70.1
19
14:17
0
37.2
Table 5 is an offering from John
Rishton on a Nottingham to
Leeds service with a Class 158
Sprinter unit. John comments:‘At 16 14 whilst sitting on board
the 16 17 Nottingham to Leeds
awaiting departure time a DB
freight loco appeared on the
adjacent platform 3, with just
half of the loco being visible –
the rest hidden from observers
on Platform 1, behind the
western footbridge. The freight
driver alighted and walked away
and up the steps of the
footbridge.
Our departure time came and went and nothing happened. Then at 16 21 a different driver
boarded the DB loco and it set off a couple of minutes later heading east. Unseen until now
was a long line of oil tanks being hauled by the loco. Nottingham has long platforms so why
did the train stop with several hundred yards of it blocking the station throat? Presumably to
save the drivers a long walk along the platform. As a result we departed six minutes late and
it immediately become apparent that our driver was intent on recovering the deficit as soon
as possible.
With easy timings to Mansfield junction we were soon half a minute better off and this was
held to Radford Jn after which comes a minute performance allowance. The allowance on to
Milepost 35¾
-241 -
January 2015
Trowell is quite adequate for a driver in a hurry and the latter was passed with a minute and
a half in the bag. After Trowell there are three minutes of engineering allowances - unusual
so early in a journey – and with but a brief stop at Langley Mill departure was within half a
minute of right time.
The rest of the journey to Sheffield was tame by comparison, the driver content to spin out a
fairly generous collection of allowances, though congestion at Sheffield station turned right
time at Dore Jn into a 13 minute late arrival. Perhaps I should have stayed with the driver but
I wanted to catch the only southbound train of the day on to Belper (which was a waste of
time due to late running trains ahead of us)’.
Table 6
Day/Date
Tue 7th Oct 2014
location
Leicester
Leicester SJ
Wigston NJ
Wigston Magna
Langhams
Great Glen
Kibworth
Warners, A6
Main Street
Market Harboro
1405 Nottingham-St.
Pancras
222.018
249/260 = 14.4hp/ton
damp
JR - 5/5 - Stopwatch
WTT mm:s average
0
00:00 T
01:34
24.1
3
03:31
74.5
{0.5} 03:56
83.7
05:14
95.1
06:19
100.2
07:50
103.3
09:09
102.5
10:56
97.3
12
12:16
40.0
location
Lancaster
Lancaster Old J
Burrow Road
Outbeck loop
Bay Horse
Scorton
Garstang
Brock
Barton loop
Oxheys loop
Preston PSB
Preston
Tuesday 26th August 2014
16:52 Edinburgh-Euston
390127
571/580 = 13.8hp/ton
dry
J Rishton/R Price - 8/11 SW
WTT mm:s s
average
0
00:00
6L
0.0
01:44
39.8
02:42
73.8
03:14
97.9
04:32
116.8
05:45
124.2
8.5
07:22 1/2
124.8
[2]
08:17 1/2
124.4
10:00
124.7
11:21
106.7
12:24
56.6
16.5 13:37
25.1
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
Miles
mm cc
0
99 06
0.63
98 36
3.05
96 02
3.63
95 36
5.69
93 31
7.50
91 46
10.11
88 77
12.36
86 57
15.25
83 66
16.14
82 75
.
Table 7
Day/Date
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
Miles mm cc
0.00
20 79
1.15
19 67
2.34
95 11
3.21
17 62
5.74
15 20
8.26
12 58
11.64
9 28
13.54
7 36
17.09
3 72
19.49
1 40
20.48
0 41
20.99
0 00
Table 6 continues on the Midland
Main line with a short snippet from
Leicester to Market Harborough,
again recorded by John Rishton.
John comments:- ‘Despite the
MTD last July covering the MML
route there was, to my surprise, at
least one Fastest Time not
bettered on the day.’
Table 7 has John R again on his
travels with a betterment of the
former Lancaster to Preston FT,
with a Pendolino unit. John
comments:-‘ My first Class 390
run south from Lancaster since
the pointwork was altered to allow
a faster departure. We certainly
left in a hurry, though being a few
minutes late and having a Preston
driver on his last lap for the day
probably helped. Running was
right up to the speed limits though
I have had faster arrivals into
Preston. A good minute was
gained before Garstang so
perhaps working times do not yet
reflect the upgrade at Lancaster.
There
was
no
further
improvements on the timings
south of Garstang, but the late
start was halved.’
Table 8 turns to the Welsh Marches line with a recording by Ian Umpleby between
Shrewsbury and Whitchurch, with a Class 175 unit. Ian’s comments are:- ‘The Shrewsbury to
Whitchurch run was 18 mins late when joined at Shrewsbury. Despite running up to the limits
19 secs was dropped on the net schedule but, due to recovery time, over two minutes were
regained. Eventual arrival in Manchester Piccadilly was 10 minutes late, which would
Milepost 35¾
-242 -
January 2015
Table 8
Loco/Unit
Train
Date
Weather
Rec/Pos/GPS?
Dec. Mls
M. Ch Timing Point
0.00 32
34 Shrewsbury
0.44 31
79 Crewe Bank SB
2.06 30
29 Harlescott LC
4.60 27
66 Hadnall ob
7.24 25
15 Yorton shl
10.79 21
51 Wem LC
13.95
16.23
18.88
18
16
13
38
16
44
Prees LC
ob
Whitchurch
175002
2/102/110
1310 Milford Haven -Man Piccadilly
Weds 7th May 2014
Sunny Ints
IU;2/2;Y
WTT
Min. Sec.
M.P.H.
0
0 00
18L
1 30
41
3.5
3 18
63
5 35 1/2
77
7 26 1/2
90/92
10
9 48
89/92
[1](1½)
14.5
11 56
88/91
13 28
90
18
15 49
16L
Avge
17.5
54.1
66.6
85.3
90.4
89.1
88.8
67.7
have been 2-3 late with a clear road due to a lot of Arriva Wales-type padding over the
Wilmslow to Manchester sector. Signals after Chelford ended that scenario.’
Table 9
Unit
Load
Train
Date
Recorder/Position
Miles
M.
Ch
0.00 222
66
2.68 225
40
4.95 227
62
6.86 229
55
7.64 230
37
8.90 231
58
10.18 233
0
11.48 234
24
0.00 234
24
0.95 235
20
3.29 237
47
5.05 239
28
7.64 241
75
8.56 242
69
9.66 243
77
11.64 245
75
Timing Point
Totnes d.
Tigley
Marley TEP
Brent
Aish
Wrangaton TEP
Bittaford
Ivybridge a.
d.
Ivybridge G.F.
Cornwood
Hemerdon
Plympton
Tavistock Jct
Laira Jct
PLYMOUTH a.
43037 + 43056
2+8
06.44 Bristol T.M.-Penzance
06/09/2014
J. Heaton 8/10
Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H.
0
0
00 1E
4
07 50/64
6
36 62/60
8
28 62
9
14 60
10
33 54/61
11
49 58
14
13
49
15½
16
34 -/62
1
36 61
[1]
3
55 60/62/58
6½
5
37 65/82
7
34 79
8
22 57/71
10½
9
23 69
14
12
31
Ave.
39.0
55.0
61.5
60.7
57.5
60.4
39.0
35.6
60.5
62.2
79.6
69.4
64.9
37.8
Table 9 has two short
snippets from John Heaton
between
Totnes
and
Plymouth,
calling
at
Ivybridge. John comments:‘Just a routine trip- the
second time I have called at
Ivybridge with an HST and
my third and fourth records.
Strange climb to Marley as
if the driver selected the
power notch that would get
him to 60mph at Ratteryoverdid it a bit perhaps as
he had to ease at 64mph
but 50 at Tigley is below
normal.’
Finally Table 10 returns to the East Coast Main Line with two runs recorded by Alan Varley
between Newcastle and Alnmouth. Alan comments:- ‘The first run in the table provided a
marginal betterment of AV’s previous FT record. The Newcastle-Alnmouth run was
interesting in that it underlined even more strongly the contribution of the driver. Anyone
timing the train earlier - and I was on board from Sheffield - would have concluded that this
was a unit with one engine out and an over-reading speedometer, about +2. But we then
(narrowly) beat the 221 FT to Alnmouth, with quite reasonable speeds. I've set it alongside
my own previous fastest, and it is apparent that the accelerations on the recent run were a
little slower, while the 2003 run lost time through Morpeth and then on the stop. This year's
run dabbed on the brake on the way out of the platform at Newcastle - a token RBT? - and
braked quite late for Morpeth, with a prompt acceleration. Similarly for the Coquet viaduct we
braked late and too hard, but power came back as soon as the brakes were off. Braking for
Alnmouth was also late but too hard, so the final stop was a little slow. As to engine
Milepost 35¾
-243 -
January 2015
Table 10
Train
Date
Load
Loco
Recorder/GPS
Weather
miles
mc
0.00
0 00
0.58
0 47
1.71
1 57
4.26
4 22
5.95
5 76
7.92
7 74
9.90
9 72
11.55
11 44
13.92
13 74
15.82
15 66
16.62
16 50
18.55
18 44
20.18
20 15
23.25
23 20
25.61
25 49
28.50
28 40
30.00
30 00
31.83
31 67
33.46
33 37
34.82
34 66
Location
Newcastle
Manors
Heaton Rd OB
Benton Jc
Killingworth LC
Dudley
Cramlingon
Plessey
Stannington
UB
Morpeth
Pegswood
Longhirst
Widdrington
Chevington
Acklington
Coquet V
Warkworth
Shilbottle
Alnmouth
0828 Penzance-Glasgow
F 1.8.14
5/282/280
221 136
AV 5/5 GPS/N
Overcast, damp
m
s
mph
ave
0
00.0 0,5 late
1
26.0
24.3
2
34.0 72
59.8
4
20.5 95
86.2
5
20.0 108
102.3
6
24.5 111
110.0
7
28.5 112
111.4
8
22.0 110/113 111.0
9
38.0 111
112.3
10 52.5 *
91.8
11 44.5 50
55.4
13 19.5 93
73.1
14 18.5 108/111
99.5
16 00.0 100
108.9
17 22.0 110/112 103.6
18 55.5 110
111.3
19 46.5 80*
105.9
20 59.0 102/110
90.9
21 54.0 107
106.7
23 31.0 RT
50.5
0656 Cardiff-Edinburgh
M 8.12.03
5/282/295
221 134
AV 5/5
Fine, cold, light E GPS/N
m
s
mph
ave
0
00.0 2 late
1
22.0
25.5
2
29.0 75
60.7
4
13.5 102
87.8
5
08.5 110/113 110.6
6
13.0 111/110 110.0
7
16.5 111/110 112.3
8
09.0 111/112 113.1
9
28.0 110
108.0
11
13
14
15
17
18
19
21
22
23
38.5
17.5
15.5
56.0
21.0
56.0
50.5
02.0
00.0
40.0
47*
92
111/112
98*
104/112
110
83*
101/108
*
½ early
70.2
101.2
110.0
100.0
109.5
99.1
92.1
101.2
49.0
performance, this run was then slower to Little Mill than for example the 2003 run, 04 06
Little Mill at 100 as against 03 49 at 105. But cf another run last summer that was definitely
on 4 engines, 4 28 at 89 – so was this year’s run simply 5 derated engines?.’
My thanks to all of those who have contributed FT runs. I can accept article in Word or Excel
formats, or for those without access to a computer, old fashioned paper. My email address is
included below the list of contents for each magazine.
FROM THE RPS WEBSITE
London Bridge changes
Platform Zero at Doncaster
Bromsgrove station relocation and electrification
Heathrow Airport Junction and Reading re-modelling
Norton Bridge changes
New ECML neutral section
Liverpool-Manchester electrification
Chiltern’s Oxford Parkway station
First Peterborough-Doncaster diversions following upgrade
This article is a response to the request for events where our hobby had unintended consequences
Milepost 35¾
-244 -
January 2015
The Great DLR Train Robbery
David Lloyd-Roberts
At the time of this tale, September 1976, I had only just turned to crime – as a criminal
solicitor, I might add, that is a solicitor who defends criminals.
My secretary had married into a family whose members had criminal records and I was
asked to help one night on a serious matter when their usual brief was away on holiday. For
some reason the Detective Constable (DC) involved in the case thought I was more involved
with the clients than I should be. An objection to the clients’ bail application was that the
officer did not believe that the accused were in a proper solicitor/client relationship with me. I
had only been doing crime a few months and this was completely untrue.
In the September I spent the first week of a fortnight’s holiday with my then wife and two
young children in the Peak District. The second week I spent on my own on a Rail Rover –
the area being roughly Wellingborough – Sheffield, Peterborough – Doncaster and points
east, such as Cleethorpes. I was based at a hotel in Grantham.
On the Thursday I had just timed the Grimsby – Lincoln – Peterborough mail. I suspect this
was a relic of the old mail train that went via Boston and Spalding. This is set out as Run 1.
From the performance angle it was not great, but it is relevant to my story. Not many runs of
this ilk have appeared in Milepost, so it has some significance as a period piece.
Table 1
Run no
Date
Train
Motive Power
Load
Recorder
MC
[sch]
83 42
83 20
Lincoln Central
Lincoln SC
32 70
29 47
24 64
22 17
17 73
Hykeham
Swinderby
Collingham
Newark ECJ
0 12
0 00
Newark Crossing SJ
On leaving the train at Grantham I rang
my wife in Tunbridge Wells and I said
the following, ‘I have just done the mail.
I will be home on Saturday.’
1
Sep-76
2003 GrimsbyPeterborough
31169
5/154/165
D.L.R.
ms
mph
0 00
5 45
12 54
16 21
52/53
30/tsr
57/49/10*
120 57
120 09
120 09
119 03
116 69
115 27
105 38
Newark
Barnby
Balderton
Claypole
Peascliffe Tunnel Jct
Grantham
[25]
25 54
[16]
0 00
2 18
4 33
5 51
11 32
15 32
48
65
70
76/76
Within 20 minutes, a posse of
policemen arrived at my home in
Tunbridge Wells, demanding that Helen
tell them where I was, and what I was
doing. She found the whole experience
as a woman at home on her own with
two young children quite frightening.
Apart from telling them about my
eccentric hobby, and that the remark to
her was entirely innocent, there was
little she could do to help.
This matter was, in fact, I believe,
extremely serious, as it was obvious
that my home phone was tapped. In
1976, confidentiality between solicitor
and client was absolute. This is no
longer the case. If, by way of example,
a solicitor suspects money laundering, it is a criminal offence not to tell the authorities.
Solicitor’s practices are obliged to have a Money Laundering Officer (MLO).
Milepost 35¾
-245 -
January 2015
Table 2
Run no
Date
Train
2
Sep-76
1916 York-
Motive Power
Load
Recorder
Kings Cross
31324
5/163/170
D.L.R.
MC
155 79
153 20
151 29
147 57
143 78
[sch]
ms
mph
58
66
77/78
74
80/83
[19]
0 00
4 36
6 20
9 25
12 25
14 11
18 18
138 50
Doncaster
Black Carr
Rossington
Bawtry
Ranskill
Barnby Moor
Retford
138 50
134 00
133 00
131 73
127 36
Mp
Lincoln Road
Tuxford North
Crow Park
0 00
6 10
7 01
7 54
11 02
126 25
122 78
120 09
Carlton-on-Trent
Bathley Lane
Newark Northgate
[19]
11 51
14 10
17 22
[16]
0 00
2 09
4 22
5 40
8 39
10 04
14 37
120 09
119 03
116 70
115 27
109 54
105 38
Barnby
Balderton
Claypole
Peascliffe Tunnel Jct
Barkston South Jct
Grantham
60
76
78
88
87
88
49
68
75/73
79/78
80/76
On my return to work the following
Monday, on the advice from and with the
help of Counsel I reported the matter to the
Law Society and had an interview with the
then President. The Home Office has to
authorise any tap but will never confirm or
deny one. I believe that the tap was set up
by an over-zealous police officer. I,
nevertheless, formed the impression that
the Home Office would be a little more
cautious in future.
Run 2 is reminder that Class 31s did have
a limited amount of express, semi-fast
work, north of Peterborough. No. 31324
was quite ‘purposeful’ between Doncaster
and Grantham, despite having only five
coaches at the drawbar. The nominally
level section between Crow Park and
Bathley Lane were good speeds for a 31
between these locations – with an attained
88/87/88mph.
Run 3 is another Class 31 run on one of the services which was a legacy of the former Buffet
expresses. After the line limits were raised by the early ‘seventies, between Welwyn Garden
City and Kings Cross was one of the few stretches in Britain were you were almost
guaranteed a 90 mph behind a member of this class. Usually this was in the vicinity of New
Southgate in the Up direction. 31168 didn’t disappoint with a maximum of 92 mph at this
location.
Run 4 is a very ‘illegal effort’ behind a pair of Class 317 EMUs on a Kings Lynn-Kings Cross
service. The descent down the Northern Heights to Finsbury Park can only be described as
‘riotous’ or ‘rampaging’ with a maximum of 113 mph, corroborated by an average speed of
111.7 mph between Oakleigh Park and by Alexandra Palace. I think I would have a ’job’
making a mitigating case for this defendant.
Finally, Run 5 is a salutatory reminder just how hard it was for a Class 31 on ‘eight’ in the
opposite direction. Less than two decades after replacement by EMUs on these services
(electrification only went to Royston before 1988) Networkers were managing 100 mph at
Potters Bar on a good day - a quantum leap of 45 mph over the venerable re-engined
English Electric product. The run itself was bordering on the promising until signal checks
after Hatfield. In fairness it would have been considered a top-class effort by a B1 or B17, the
predecessors to these locos on this sort-of working. The latter generally managed around 40
mph at Potters Bar with the same load as shown in Table 4, although the schedules of the
period did not demand any more. Power-output wise, No. 31408 wasn’t a bad specimen in
my experience, managing around 960/1,130 edhp/rhp on the 1 in 200 gradient between
Wood Green and Potters Bar according to A. James compared with the quoted 1,170 rhp for
a member of this re-engined class. Not too far-off spec in other words.
Milepost 35¾
-246 -
January 2015
I hope readers of milepost will enjoy this offering and the unusual circumstances which
surrounded some of the runs.
Table 3
Run no
Date
Train
3
?
13.30 CambridgeKings Cross
31168
8/270/290
D.L.R.
Motive Power
Load
Recorder
MC
55 53
53 04
Cambridge
Shepreth Branch Jct
55 26
50 77
49 67
47 74
44 72
Foxton
Shepreth
Meldreth
Royston
44 72
40 79
36 48
Ashwell & Morden
Baldock
34 51
Letchworth
4
?
15.51 Kings LynnKings Cross
317346/347
8/274/294
D.L.R.
[sch]
ms
mph
ms
mph
*
0 00
4 36
44/25*
0 00
3 42
32/64
[19]
9 56
11 14
13 18
17 12
0 00
6 02
10 18
[14]
34 51
53/64
67/60/58
12 38
0 00
31 72
Hitchin
[5]
4 44
31 72
27 46
Stevenage
[7]
0 00
6 58
27 46
25 03
21 76
20 26
17 56
14 39
12 60
10 44
9 14
8 28
6 39
5 00
2 41
Knebworth
Welwyn North
Welwyn Garden City
Hatfield
Brookmans Park
Potters Bar
Hadley Wood
New Barnet
Oakleigh Park
New Southgate
Wood Green
Finsbury Park
0 04
Kings Cross
0 00
3 56
7 00
8 20
10 14
12 51
14 15
15 56
16 56
17 30
18 46
19 49
24 04
[35]
60/61/55
52
60/52
8 17
9 37
11 37
15 20
0 00
3 50
7 08
57
51
59/55
78/81
77/81/77
9 04
/58
0 00
/77
3 31
/51
51
69
73
83/73
74
73
81
88
89
92
84/23/tsr
50/sigs
31 13
0 00
4 46
0 00
2 40
5 06
6 16
7 52
9 51
10 54
12 12
12 57
13 25
14 26
15 13
17 44
0 00
4 45
73/77
70
86
90
98/99
98
98/97
100
106
110
113
113
61 max
Schedule* Eastern Region Passenger Timetable 1973-1974
.
Table 4
MC
Run no
Date
Train
Motive Power
Load
Recorder
MC
0 07
2 41
Kings Cross
Finsbury Park
5 00
6 37
ms
mph
8 28
9 13
10 44
12 60
14 39
17 56
20 26
Oakleigh Park
New Barnet
Hadley Wood
Potters Bar
Brookmans Park
Hatfield
Welwyn Garden City
12 56
13 48
15 18
17 36
19 18
21 52
23 55
58
57
56
55
68
81/84/sigs
47/48
[sch]
**
21 76
25 03
27 48
Welwyn North
Knebworth
Stevenage
26 00
30 24
33 23
47/37 sigs
58
ms
0 00
6 35
mph
/tsr
41
Wood Green
9 26
55
New Southgate
10 57
58
Milepost 35¾
[sch]
5
?
18.35 Kings CrossHuntingdon
31408
8/265/280
D.L.R.
-247 -
[32]
January 2015
This article reminded me of an incident in DLR land, in the days of slam-door stock. Waiting
at Tonbridge for a train to Ashford, there were indications that the train was delayed. A squad
of police officers arrived at the platform, evacuated the western end and set up a police line.
The station manager, in full regalia, and some of his staff – one with a red flag - went to the
closed area of the station, and stopped the train with the red flag as it entered the platform.
The police officers boarded the train and removed a single passenger.
The cause of the problem? He was thought to have nicked something from the refreshment
trolley.
Maybe the police officers in DLR Land are always looking for excuses to leave the office. Ed
14 JULY 1969, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TRAIN TIMER
John Rishton
Following on from my two previous articles (in Mileposts 35¼ and 35½) depicting a selection
of journey logs from around 1970 there follows a further short selection from that era. The
only theme in this issue is that the logs selected were all recorded on 14 July 1969, on routes
south west of Birmingham. It was one of those days where what you record is not what you
set out to achieve, but was all the better for it.
We start with Run 1, a continuation of Run 4 from the previous article, but now with a Class
52 following an engine change at Bristol. The station stop at Temple Meads, including engine
change, took 7m 18s. After the usual cautious start from Temple Meads a good climb was
made through Flax Bourton cutting with the summit passed in the mid-60 mph range. We
then managed to just top 90 mph at the foot of the following downgrade but then nothing
better, possibly due to the then prevailing line speed, before braking for the turn off to
Weston. Our maximum speed on the Weston branch was 50 mph, quite sufficient to recover
the one minute late start and produce an early arrival.
RUN 1
Miles
mm
cc
location
Day/Date
Train
Monday 14th July 1969
07:35 Sheffield to Paignton
17.70
19.00
136
137
10
34
Weston Milton
Weston-s-Mare
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
class 52, number unknown
8/274/284/390
hot
0.00
1.66
4.30
6.10
139
140
142
07
56
40
Miles
mm
cc
location
0.00
0.90
1.75
118
119
120
34
26
14
Bristol Temple M
Bedminster
Parson Street
3.63
5.85
7.99
11.89
13.73
15.56
16.70
122
124
126
130
132
133
135
04
22
33
25
12
79
10
Long Ashton
Flax Bourton
Nailsea&B'well
Yatton
Huish
Puxton & Worle
Worle junction
*
PTT
mm:s
speed*
23
18:27
21:06
49
0
35.3
29.4
Uphill junction
Brean Road
Brent Knoll
24:53
03:35
06:40
08:08
1 late
25
70
77
0.0
27.8
51.4
73.7
25
PTT
mm:s
speed*
average
8.87
145
22
Highbridge
10:47
sr
62.7
0
00:00
03:08
04:13
1 late
43
50
0.0
17.2
47.0
11.01
12.66
15.19
147
149
151
33
05
48
Puriton Road
K. S'moor drn
Bridgwater
12:55
14:15
16:49
67
77
0
60.2
74.3
59.1
06:11
08:06
09:38
12:12
13:25
14:55
16:45
63
76
89
92
90
brakes
25
57.4
69.5
83.8
91.2
90.7
73.2
37.3
0.00
1.26
4.63
6.48
7.29
9.34
11.56
152
156
158
158
160
163
68
18
06
71
75
12
Meads crossing
Bankland Lane
Cogload flyover
Charlton Road
Hyde Farm X
Taunton
18:10
02:05
05:12
09:10
10:18
12:09
15:31
1 late
50
75
20tsr
58
72
0
0.0
36.3
64.9
28.0
42.9
66.5
39.6
17
18
15
Speeds generally calculated from milepost sightings as near to timing point as possible.
Back on the main line, speed crept up to a fraction under 80 mph before braking for a speed
restriction at Highbridge. I noted much of the point-work of the remains of the line to
Milepost 35¾
average
-248 -
January 2015
Evercreech was still in situ and it may be that our reduction in speed to 50 mph was a result
of the condition of the flat crossing. There was thus no further chance of high speed before
Bridgwater, our next stop, and power was shut off in preparation for the stop at a fraction
under 80 mph.
Speed rose rapidly on departure from Bridgwater but as we neared 75 mph the driver applied
the brakes for a temporary speed restriction on the flyover. Yet again, our speed only
reached the mid 70’s before brakes were then applied for Taunton, the only section since
Bristol where we took in excess of the advertised time for the run. I alighted here to await the
1325 to Paddington for my first ever journey from Taunton to Reading on a non-stop service.
It didn’t quite happen. The train in Run 2 was whistled away just over three minutes late but
had barely left the platform when the brakes came on and we were brought to a sudden
stand opposite the East box. After a very brief stop during which a door ‘on the latch was
firmly shut we were away again only 1m 38s after the first start. Speed was initially held to 80
mph almost to Somerton and then to 70 mph onwards to Castle Cary. As the engine was not
working hard I presume these speeds reflected the line limit at the time.
RUN 2
mm
cc
location
WTT
mm:s
speed*
avge
45.70
111
18
Fairwood J
39.5
39:33
75
77.1
Train
Motive Power
09:15 Penzance to London
Paddington
Miles
48.15
51.38
94
91
45
27
Heywood Rd J
Edington
41.5
[2]
41:28
43:49
78
84
76.7
82.5
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
9/305/320/430
hot
J Rishton - ?/10 - Stopwatch
52.71
54.71
55.88
90
88
86
00
00
67
MP
MP
Lavington
49
44:45
46:07
46:55
87
88
87
85.5
87.8
87.7
57.71
85
00
MP
48:14
80
83.4
59.71
61.63
63.90
67.38
70.21
72.60
74.66
76.29
78.71
81.18
84.21
87.71
89.64
90.33
93.14
96.01
83
81
78
75
72
70
68
66
64
61
58
55
53
52
49
46
00
07
65
27
40
09
04
34
00
43
40
00
06
31
46
56
MP
Patney
Woodborough
Pewsey
Wootton Rivers
Savernake
Crofton
Bedwyn
MP
Hungerford
Kintbury
MP
Newbury
Newbury R/C
Thatcham
Midgham
49:48
51:26
53:15
55:49
57:53
59:42
61:23
62:43
64:36
66:54
69:35
72:08
73:27
73:55
75:55
78:11
74
71
78
82
82
75
62
76
75
60
74
89
87
89
80
69
76.6
70.5
75.0
81.3
82.2
78.9
73.4
73.3
77.1
64.4
67.8
82.4
87.9
88.7
84.3
76.0
97.90
101.41
104.88
105.81
106.74
44
41
37
36
35
65
24
67
72
78
Aldermaston
Theale
Southcote J
Reading West
Reading
79:46
82:22
85:21
86:48
89:05
75
85
42
38sigs
0
71.6
81.0
69.8
38.5
24.4
Day/Date
Miles
mm
cc
location
0.00
163
12
2.40
5.08
7.91
11.90
13.04
15.04
17.25
20.45
22.70
25.45
27.56
31.00
32.11
33.11
160
158
134
131
129
127
125
122
120
117
115
126
125
124
60
06
79
00
69
69
52
36
16
36
27
09
00
00
Taunton
Taunton E
Creech junction
Cogload flyover
Athenley
Curry Rivel
Langport East
Long Sutton
Somerton
Charlton Mackrell
Keinton Mandeville
Alford
Castle Cary
Bruton
MP
MP
34.46
36.33
38.36
40.46
42.40
122
120
118
116
114
52
63
60
52
42
Brewham summit
Witham
Woodlands
Blatchbridge J
Clink Road J
*
WTT
0
24
35.5
37
mm:s
speed*
avge
00:00
3 late
0.0
01:16 to 01:38 sig stp
04:50
64
29.8
06:56
80
76.6
09:03
80
80.2
12:01
81
80.7
12:52
80
80.5
14:24
78
78.3
16:10
72
75.0
18:53
70
70.7
20:47
72
71.1
23:07
71
70.7
24:52
70/74
72.3
27:46
69
71.2
28:44
67
68.9
29:38
65
66.7
30:54
32:25
33:57
35:31
36:59
62
79
80
81
78
63.9
74.0
79.5
80.4
79.4
66.5
76.5
[2.5]
90.5
95
In the previous articles where my original log failed to record my position within the train I
have always assumed I was as near the engine as possible (my standard practice on locohauled trains). However close inspection of Run 6 in my previous article suggests this was
not always the case. Assuming in this run that many passengers would select a seat towards
the front and that the first class coaches were probably also at the front I have made no
assumption though my notes indicate I was near enough to hear when the engine was under
power.
Milepost 35¾
-249 -
January 2015
Full power was applied as we passed through Castle Cary station and speed rose briefly to
74 mph before the gradients of Bruton bank began to take their toll. Bruton was passed at 69
mph with speed continuing to fall until the summit, passed at 62 mph. Now with the aid of
down-grades speed soon rose to around 80 mph which was then held, apart from a brief dip
in speed around Fairwood Junction, until rising to just shy of 90 mph on the flat section
between Heywood Road and Lavington. I again assumed a change in line speed was
responsible for the dip at Fairwood.
By Heywood Road we were back to the working timetable allowance from Taunton, despite
the false start. Two minutes recovery then brought us almost back to punctual running but
our driver was still determined to press ahead and the climb of Lavington bank was
completed at 71 mph with speed once again then rising to be held near the 80 mph mark on
the easier grades beyond. By Crofton our speed had fallen back to the low 60’s but my notes
don’t say why. Recovering by Bedwyn we were running slightly early but still managed to just
touch 90 mph before easing through Newbury, passed around 45 seconds outside the
allowance from Bedwyn, and the tightest timed section of this run. Perhaps the crossing
gates at Crofton were late closing and the speed reduction plus loss of time were a result?
Speeds were now more restrained apart from a brief burst through Theale though braking for
Southcote appeared to have been left rather late. With the aid of a further 2½ minutes of
recovery we passed Southcote around two minutes early and signal checks were probably
inevitable. However, we were not stopped and thus managed to reach Reading in a shade
over a creditable 89 minutes. But not non-stop!
The next log, Run 3, is from Bristol to Swindon on the same date. I can find no record of the
journey from Reading to Bristol so I assume it must have been either lost or dire! The train
used must have been the 1445 Paddington to Temple Meads which may well have formed
the stock for Run 3.
RUN 3
Miles
mm
cc
location
Day/Date
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
17:15 Bristol TM-Paddington
Class 47, number unknown
10/340/355/475
hot
5.91
7.74
9.38
11.88
12.93
100
99
97
95
93
78
12
40
00
77
Box tunnel
Rec. Pos. GPS
J Rishton - ?/11 - Stopwatch
0
Miles
mm
cc
location
0.00
0.73
1.64
118
117
116
30
52
59
Bristol Temple M
North Somerset J
St. Annes Park
4.60
7.00
10.46
11.49
113
111
107
106
62
30
73
71
Keynsham
Saltford
Oldfield Park
Bath Spa
0
2.31
5.29
104
101
46
48
Bathampton J
Box
*
PTT
mm:s
speed*
0
00:00
03:08
04:43
15
16
MP
MP
Chippenham
PTT
mm:s
speed*
16
06:54
08:31
10:03
11:58
13:31
74
61
71
81
0
17
16:40
1 late
03:57
71
44.8
04:49
05:38
06:28
72
71
70
72.0
71.3
71.3
74.4
67.9
64.2
78.2
40.6
average
2.95
90
79
r/time
26
52
0.0
15.1
32.2
3.99
4.96
5.96
89
89
88
76
00
00
Avon viaduct
Christian
Malford
MP
MP
07:36
09:31
12:20
15:08
70
78
61sigs
0
61.6
75.1
73.7
22.1
6.20
6.96
7.96
8.96
87
87
86
85
59
00
00
00
Dauntsey
MP
MP
MP
06:41
07:20
08:14
09:07
70
69
65
72
69.2
70.2
66.7
67.9
17:45
03:48
06:24
2 late
62
75
36.5
68.8
9.96
11.07
13.96
16.65
84
82
80
77
00
69
00
23
MP
Wootton B’sett
Hay Lane
Swindon
09:55
10:46
12:56
16:31
77
80
81
0
75.0
78.4
80.1
45.0
18
The first mile out of Bristol was taken with the usual caution and then followed the application
of full power until just beyond Saltford. A presumed sighting of adverse signals marred the
approach to Bath and we took slightly over the allotted time as a result. A strange run then
followed to our Chippenham stop. Full power was the order of the day away from Bath but as
Milepost 35¾
average
-250 -
January 2015
we approached Box tunnel the engine was audibly eased; yet once over the summit we went
back onto full power. There may have been some recovery time in this section as we still
managed to take two and a half minutes out of the public timings.
Once on the move from Chippenham it was back onto full power but this time there was no
easing for the 1 in 100 incline of Dauntsey bank. Once onto the easier grades our speed rose
again and almost reached 82 mph, our maximum on this run, shortly after Hay Lane. Braking
for the Swindon stop interrupted further acceleration but we managed an early arrival based
on the public timetable.
My plan now was to head back west to Cardiff on a train normally hauled by a ‘Western’
Class diesel and running non-stop to Newport as Bristol Parkway was only a planners dream
during the 1969 summer. However Run 4, this journey into Wales, did not quite happen as
intended – for the second time that day!
RUN 4
Miles
mm
cc
location
mm:s
speed*
Day/Date
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
17:00 Paddington to Swansea
14/467/479/585
30.62
34.09
36.49
39.45
107
111
113
116
73
30
62
59
Oldfield Park
Saltford
Keynsham
St. Annes Park
39:07
42:19
44:31
47:21
45
50
67
52
37.8
65.1
65.5
62.7
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
hot
40.36
40.65
117
117
52
75
North Somerset J
Days Bridge J
49:05
50:48
10
10
31.5
10.1
Miles
mm
cc
location
0.00
2.71
4.19
4.71
77
80
81
82
23
00
38
00
8.71
10.45
11.71
13.70
16.66
18.82
21.06
21.86
23.69
24.67
27.29
29.60
86
87
89
90
93
96
98
99
100
101
104
106
00
59
00
79
76
09
28
12
78
77
46
71
Swindon
Hay Lane
Studley
MP
Wootton B'sett
MP
Dauntsey
MP
Avon viaduct
Chippenham
Thingley J
Corsham
Box tunnel
*
Box
Bathampton J
Bath Spa
PTT
0
mm:s
PTT
speed*
average
41.02
1
03
Lawrence Hill
52:15
20
15.3
00:00 9 late
05:32
52
07:06
61
07:45 39sigs
09:39 to 15:39
20:19
60
21:49
77
22:48
77
24:20
79
26:36
78
28:15
78
29:58
78
30:34
80
31:53
87
32:33
89
34:27
77
37:30
35
0.0
29.4
56.7
48.0
41.61
41.99
42.59
43.75
44.79
45.95
46.69
47.69
49.52
51.00
55.35
56.49
58.90
60.74
63.75
64.75
65.61
66.32
1
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
11
15
16
151
153
156
157
157
158
50
00
48
61
64
77
56
56
43
01
29
40
15
02
03
03
72
49
Stapleton Road
Narroways Hill J
Ashley Hill
Horfield
Filton Junction
Patchway
Patchway new tnl
Patchway new tnl
Pilning
Severn tunnel
Severn tunnel
Severn Tunnel J
Magor
Bishton Crossing
Llanwern Wks W
East Usk junction
Maindee East J
Newport
53:35
54:18
55:28
57:50
59:56
62:26
63:27
64:21
65:49
67:00
70:45
71:59
74:25
76:05
78:41
79:32
80:42
84:02
32
31
30
29
18
40
50
73
75
75
61
53
64
68
71
70
35
0
26.6
31.8
30.8
29.4
29.7
27.8
43.7
66.7
74.8
75.1
69.6
55.5
59.4
66.3
69.5
70.6
44.2
12.8
19.1
69.6
76.9
77.9
78.3
78.5
78.3
78.9
83.9
88.2
82.7
45.4
55
The train arrived nine minutes late into Swindon. Behind the engine were 14 coaches, the
longest train I had ever timed on a Paddington service and I was regretting that I was not
travelling in the other direction with its long climb from under the river Severn to Badminton. I
presume the late running was due to the unusually heavy load. It had been a very hot day,
and now in early evening was just past its hottest but apparently there was trouble ahead
due to the heat.
We left Swindon as well as could be expected with our trailing load but we were brought to a
stand by adverse signals at Wootton Bassett. After several minutes the driver left the cab
and communicated with the signal box. Before re-joining the engine he shouted to the guard
who was by now at the forward most window that we were being diverted via Bath due to a
buckled rail on the Badminton route. After exactly six minutes we were once again on the
move and with favourable gradients our speed increased to 60 mph by the top of Dauntsey
Milepost 35¾
average
-251 -
January 2015
bank and 77 mph at its foot. The continuing slight fall to the Avon viaduct at MP 91 brought a
further increase to 79 mph and 78.5 mph was then held up the I in 660 climb beyond. After
Corsham, momentum having been maintained, the following drop through Box tunnel
brought us to the maximum of the journey, 89 mph being briefly attained at the site of Box
station.
Power was then shut off for the approach to Bath, the station being passed (a first for me) at
35 mph. Power was soon re-applied but despite the almost level track we managed no more
than 67 mph before it was time to brake for the right turn at North Somerset junction. The
curve round to Days Bridge was taken at an exact 10 mph throughout and once approaching
Lawrence Hill on the right hand side pair of tracks, since lifted, full power was again applied.
With no chance of a run at the 1 in 75 bank between Stapleton Road and Horfield we passed
Lawrence Hill at 20 mph, rising to 32 mph at the foot of the bank. We managed to drop only 3
mph on the climb but as soon as speed started to rise once over the summit the driver shut
off the power for the crossing to the South Wales tracks on the left of the formation. I
presume the crossover was restricted to 20 mph, though we were slightly more cautious at
18 mph.
Away again, speed rose to 40 mph by Patchway and then, with the considerable aid of
gravity, up to 75 mph which we held down to the Severn tunnel. I still remember the roar of
the engines powering up, mid tunnel, and the gradual feeling of slight, but steady,
deceleration as we climbed through the darkness back up towards daylight. I estimate, from
following observations, that we left the tunnel at 61 mph and reached the station at 53 mph,
which I think suggests a speed of slightly over 75 mph at the foot of the climb. Full power
was maintained over the junction as speed slowly rose, reaching 71 mph as we left Llanwern
behind. We coasted past East Usk and then braked for Maindee East and again for a very
cautious approach into Newport, 84 minutes after leaving Swindon and now over 38 minutes
late.
I had intended travelling to Cardiff but with the possibility of congestion ahead as we were
out of path, not to mention any further heat related problems, I instead left the train at
Newport to await the Hymek-hauled last train back to Birmingham, due to depart Newport at
2030.
So onto Run 5, my final leg of the day, Newport to Birmingham behind a Hymek Class 35.
Departure from Newport was 13 minutes down; would a late start have been enough to
ensure catching the train at Cardiff or was the lateness incurred between Cardiff and
Newport? Nothing was announced to the passengers waiting at Newport, nor on board.
With five coaches and almost no passengers the Class 35 was providing almost 7 hp/ton and
I was thus expecting some time to be gained on the quite easy schedule. We managed to
reach 82 mph before braking for Severn Tunnel Junction but either a temporary speed
restriction or a signal check brought speed down to a minimum of 35 mph at Caldicot.
Beyond there lies a long series of speed restrictions as the line hugs the west bank of the
River Severn, though between Gatcombe and Westbury there was no attempt to keep to a
slightly higher limit which must have cost a little time. Once beyond Westbury power was
applied and we reached 78 mph before braking for the stop at Gloucester Central, still 13
minutes late.
The driver took it very easy from leaving Gloucester to Barnwood. Perhaps he knew
something was ahead at either the junction from Eastgate or that with the avoiding line. The
maximum of 67 mph before braking for Cheltenham adds support to that theory.
Milepost 35¾
-252 -
January 2015
RUN 5
Miles
cc
location
113
56
Gloucester Cen
Horton Road
1.06
92
20
3.42
5.81
6.58
89
87
86
71
40
58
Day/Date
Train
20:15 Cardiff Cen-Birmingham
0
0.43
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Weather
Rec. Pos. GPS
5/165/168/245
dry
Miles
mm
cc
location
0.00
2.58
5.59
7.43
9.86
10.60
12.60
15.18
17.16
17.94
22.46
25.11
28.11
158
156
153
151
148
148
146
143
141
140
136
133
130
49
03
02
15
60
01
01
35
36
54
12
40
40
Newport
Llanwern west
Bishton
Magor
Severn Tunnel J
Caldicot
Portskewett
Three Gates
Chepstow
Wye Valley J
Woolaston
Lydney
Gatcombe
30.34
33.51
128
125
22
08
36.48
38.35
42.04
44.48
122
120
116
114
11
21
46
11
*
mm
PTT
mm:s
speed*
48
47:46
01:43
13L
22
average
0.0
15.0
Barnwood J
03:12
33
25.5
Churchdown
Hatherley J
Cheltenham Spa
10
06:06
08:21
09:36
62
67
0
48.8
63.7
37.0
12
PTT
mm:s
speed*
average
0
10:50
12L
0.0
0
00:00
04:24
06:51
08:13
10:50
12:00
14:28
16:49
19:02
20:15
24:18
26:37
29:42
13L
68
79
82
40
36/sigs?
56
75
40
37
76
55
61
0.0
35.2
73.7
80.8
55.7
38.0
48.6
65.9
53.6
38.5
67.0
68.6
58.4
3.80
7.23
9.45
12.15
16.08
17.98
20.74
23.98
26.46
29.19
31.34
32.15
33.48
82
79
77
74
70
68
65
62
60
57
55
54
53
74
40
22
46
52
60
79
60
21
43
31
46
20
Cleve
Ashchurch
Bredon
Eckington
Pirton
Abbotswood J
Pershore Lane
Oddingley
Salt Way
Stoke Works
Bromsgrove
Alcester Road
Blackwell
05:24
08:12
10:00
12:54
16:51
18:27
20:36
23:00
24:48
26:55
29:01
30:01
32:17
68
75
73
50tsr
68
73
80
82
83
61
62
39
33
42.2
73.5
74.0
55.9
59.7
71.3
77.0
81.0
82.7
77.4
61.4
48.6
35.2
Awre
Newham tunnel
31:54
35:03
61
61
60.8
60.4
34.93
37.48
51
49
64
20
Barnt Green
Longbridge Lane
34:15
36:33
57
74
44.2
66.5
Westbury
Ley
Poole's
Gloucester Cen
38:00
39:45
42:47
45:52
61
67
78
0
60.4
64.1
73.0
47.5
40.05
41.09
42.15
44.03
47
46
45
43
59
56
51
61
Kings Norton
Bournville
Selly Oak
Church Road Tnl
39:36
41:20
42:33
44:45
32
43
58
44
50.6
36.0
52.3
51.3
44.70
45.49
43
42
07
24
Bath Row Tnl
Birmingham N St
46:36
50:15
18
7L
21.7
13.0
46
55
With quicker station working we managed to cut the lateness to 12 minutes on departure
from Cheltenham and by Cleeve were already travelling faster than at any point between
Gloucester and Cheltenham. We reached 75 mph before braking for a temporary restriction
at Eckington following from where, under full power, we gradually accelerated to 83 mph
before braking for Stoke Works, passed at 61 mph.
Back on full power but now on a rising gradient we reached 62 mph by the foot of the Lickey
Bank, almost the same as when hauled by a Class 52 in my previous article; the Western,
however, had double the trailing load! Both runs were quite similar up the bank to the
Alcester Road underbridge, passed at around 40 mph but the Hymek then appeared to
summon some extra strength and topped the main bank at 33 mph as opposed to 26 mph at
Blackwell by the Western. Unfortunately, fading light precluded a detailed set of milepost
times for a full comparison up the bank from this run.
Our speed had recovered to 55 mph by the summit and to just over 75 mph before coasting
downhill to the curve at Kings Norton. Once round Lifford, power was again applied to reach
60 mph before braking for the curve through what is now University station and on to the
approach to New Street.
The fall through the tunnels beyond Church Road was taken quite cautiously, possibly due to
adverse signals but we still improved on the schedule by almost five minutes, giving a seven
minute late arrival.
Thus ended a fairly long day from which I have managed to locate five logs. No doubt it was
very enjoyable though there is little I can remember without reference to the notes I made at
Milepost 35¾
-253 -
January 2015
the time. I wanted to travel non-stop from Taunton to Reading, but failed. I had heard of
plans for a new station in north Bristol but did not anticipate all trains would stop there – even
if it actually got the go-ahead! I had to travel again to make a non-stop journey between
Newport and Swindon but on the plus side it was my first trip round the curve between North
Somerset and Days Bridge Junctions.
I only noted two temporary speed restrictions (plus five within the log of the journey to Bristol
featured in the previous Milepost) and considering the temperatures, punctuality was no
worse than during more recent extreme weather conditions.
Finally, a word of warning to the readers of this, the previous two similar nostalgic articles
and any future ones from this period. These logs were recorded with no intention or
expectation of ever being shared with others and the degree of accuracy is almost certainly
lower than I would aspire to once having read the Society’s ‘Train Recording Guide’. In
particular, when preparing these logs for publication I have had to make assumptions for the
timing points I used at the stations we passed through as they were not noted at the time.
Lesser Lights of the North Eastern Region
Andrew James
As I’m sure many senior members of the RPS will be aware, the former North Eastern
Region existed for nearly two decades following nationalisation of the railways in this country.
The locomotive legacy bequeathed by the LNER was a rather eclectic selection of
locomotives, to be polite, and if anything nationalisation brought a wider variety of motive
power to the region, the opposite of really what was supposed to happen of course. The
Standards in reality never quite supplanted the pre-grouping types they were intended to
replace.
The object of this article is to give a glimpse of what one would experience away from the
glamour of the ECML and to look at the differing speed profile offered by a selection of
services in the steam era, although a couple of runs are included on the Darlington-York
racetrack as this has always been an exciting and exacting arena in which to assess
performance.
The railcar revolution on the North Eastern Region, as I’m sure many senior members of the
RPS will recall, began in earnest in 1954 in the former West Riding. Prior to this the former
A8 Pacific tanks held sway on a number of branch and secondary duties. Rebuilt to improve
adhesion from a former 4-4-4 configuration, these engines lasted well into the railcar era with
the final survivors being withdrawn in 1960. Classified as 3P after 1953, these engines were
employed on the Darlington-Saltburn and Newcastle-Sunderland services amongst others,
although they never seemed to be the predominant type. Published data of runs behind the
class is very rare, although O. S. Nock did give details from the footplate of one on the
Whitby-Scarborough line where a good climb up the 1 in 39 to Ravenscar ensued, if my
memory serves me correctly.
The other type of engine which was very much the archetypal branch line loco on the former
North Eastern Region was the G5. Introduced initially in 1894, the final members of the class
lasted until December 1958. Rated at 1P they were of the very common 0-4-4 wheel
arrangement which reflected late Victorian design. There is currently a new replica
locomotive under construction after more than five decades since their extinction.
Milepost 35¾
-254 -
January 2015
The former Malton-Whitby line features the slog from Grosmont to Goathland which, as I’m
sure many members of the RPS will be aware, now forms part of the North Yorkshire Moors
Railway.
Table 1.
Run
Date
Train
Recorder
Load
Motive Power
MC
1
10.9.55
6.57 PM WhitbyMalton
P.Semmens
4/115/125
A8/69888/3P
ms
mph
2
30.12.53
9.20 WhitbyMalton
P.Semmens
3/80/87
G5/67262/1P
ms
mph
24 41
24 00
23 00
22 00
21 10
0 00
1 34
3 45
6 04
8 26
0 00
1 43
4 10
6 53
9 38
Grosmont
Mp
Mp
Mp
Goathland
25/29
27
26
26/25
23/22
23/22
Table 1, Gives an example of their work
on this line. Given their respective power
ratings, both the ascents from Grosmont
to Goathland on the 1 in 49 were good
efforts. No. 69888 produced around 700
EDHP between MPs 24 and 22 and the
lower-powered G5 managed around 410
EDHP. Given the sinuous alignment, I
suspect that this may be a conservative
estimate. Another factor that makes both
efforts more creditable is that I would
imagine that the speed range is slightly
below optimum power development and
both efforts maybe on the cusp of them being flat out. I guess in a slighter higher speed
range the A8 could develop around 1000 IHP or around 800 EDHP at 35-40 mph. The lower
powered G5 would perhaps develop around half the power of the A8.
Table 2.
MC
Run
Date
Train
37 76
36 69
Recorder
3
13.10.56
2.55 PM PenrithDarlington
N.Proudlock
32 50
31 28
Kirby Stephen E
Merrygill
Aitygill Viaduct
Belah
Barras
Load
Motive Power
2/58/61
82026/3MT
31 28
28 48
Stainmore
MC
{sch]
51 20
50 69
47 76
Penrith
Penrith No 1.
Eden Valley Jct
21 60
21 26
Clifton Moor
[7]
ms
mph
21 20
Bowes
0 00
1 30
6 40
25
41/T*/30
21 20
19 72
18 16
Hulands
Lartington
7 30
17 33
West
Lartington
21 26
18 39
16 65
Cliburn
Temple Sowerby
4 20
6 20
53
49/53
17 33
16 10
15 04
15 03
11 39
Kirby Thore
Appleby Junction
8 30
13 05
54/41
T*/25
15 04
13 05
10 78
Appleby East
[21]
Warcop
[7]
10 78
5 97
7 10
9 33
52/38/40
0 00
Great Musgrave
Kirby Stephen
38 02
Junction
37 76
Kirby Stephen E
37 76
2 40
9 00
[10]
ms
mph
30/25/38
Stop 10 secs*
35/15/30
[14]
0 00
2 40
7 30
10 50
14 15
0 00
5 10
[18]
[7]
6 45
Tees Valley
Barnard Castle
[5]
0 00
2 25
4 15
Broomielaw
[5]
0 00
5 30
Winston
Gainford
Forcett Junction
4 75
Piercebridge
4 75
0 00
0 49
36/38
34/35/sig stop
[5]
6 10
41
0 00
7 26
6 09
9 40
43/35
38
0 00
9 33
7 26
50/15*/40
T*/25
33/34/49
15 20
0 00
2 15
5 00
13 05
0 00
5 97
4 05
0 08
15 20
{sch]
[4]
[6]
3 40
43
0 00
2 30
36T*15/
5 05
41
0 00
North Road
[8]
Darlington
[4]
7 30
50/25
0 00
44 64
44 12
Milepost 35¾
-255 -
sig stop
13 55
January 2015
Table 2 takes us beyond purely North Eastern territory as the regional boundary change was
at Kirby Stephen, but does feature perhaps one of the best known routes on the former North
Eastern Region. The former Darlington-Penrith line was immortalised in the 1955 British
Transport film Snowdrift at Bleath Gill which portrayed BR as an ultra pro-active organisation
when faced with a crisis.
The line was also renowned for the two viaducts at Belah and Barras, designed by the late
Thomas Bouch, the designer of the former Tay Bridge. Visually they had an extremely dainty
look about them, an almost spindly, matchstick appearance which looked intensely
vulnerable to a strong breeze, never mind the worst excesses the Cumbrian climate could
throw at them, but unlike the Tay Bridge they miraculously survived intact until closure of
passenger traffic in January 1962.
Motive power for many years on passenger duties were the archaic J21 0-6-0s which
seemed on the basis of published data to be very competent performers. Post-nationalisation
saw an easing of civil engineering restrictions and some more powerful LMS/BR Class 4s
were drafted in with a few Standard Class 3 tanks, amongst others, before the line was
dieselised in 1958 with DMUs.
Best known from the performance point of view was the slog to Stainmore Summit, a
proverbial ‘killer’ in the steam era, the climb from Kirby Stephen featuring a section of 1 in 60
for three miles steepening to 1 in 59 for over two miles as the summit was approached. The
line favoured up trains from this point to the eventual destination of Darlington.
Operationally, this is quite an interesting run showing the hindering effects of single line
operation on performance. The token exchanges could only be taken at low speed due to
manual operation, (shown by T* in the log) which while perhaps not unduly retarding for a
heavy freight was quite different for a light passenger working of this sort.
The Standard tank performed in a perfectly adequate manner and seemed to be in charge at
all points, albeit with a very light load.
The steam era on the ECML during the post-war period is, of course, synonymous with
Pacifics and with a smattering of V2s providing support, particularly during the summer
months. Occasionally other types did appear from time-to-time. The B1s were no strangers
to express passenger workings on the former Eastern Region, particularly out of Liverpool
Street and Marylebone, but were much less common on the ECML proper north of York to
my knowledge.
Noel Proudlock was fortunate to catch No. 61039 on a relief service out of Bank Top (BT).
Surprising to my uneducated eyes is the fast schedule accorded to a service of this nature,
as many such services in this era seemed to be timed at a leisurely pace to allow for pathing
allowances, etc. A slight signal check between Raskelf and Alne and more severe one
between Skelton Junction and York prevented an on time arrival. The work was adequate
without being exceptional anywhere. The stretch between Thirsk and Pilmoor illustrates this
perfectly with the loco producing around 560 EDHP, corresponding to an IHP of
approximately 1,150.
Milepost 35¾
-256 -
January 2015
Table 3.
Run
Date
4
8.4.58
5
23.2.55
Train
4.17 PM.
DarlingtonBirmingham NS
N.Proudlock
10/305/330
B1/61039/5MT
5.10 PM
NewcastleLiverpool Exch
G.Aston
9/286/308
B1/61115/5MT
Recorder
Load
Motive Power
MC
44 13
41 42
38 75
37 16
33 58
29 76
29 76
26 40
22 16
[sch]
Darlington BT
Croft Spa
Eryholme Jct
Cowton
Danby Wiske
Northallerton
Otterington
Thirsk
ms
mph
[15]
0 00
5 00
7 47
9 35
12 40
16 02
53
56
63
68
67/68
[21.5]
19 00
22 31
72
74/72
25 59
27 33
73
74
6 09
8 04
56
64
29 47
31 45
33 05
37 05
40 30
44 05
73
65
63/60
65
71/30
10 32
12 26
13 45
17 45
21 40
26 02
68
66
65
62
53
WTT
[7]
22 16
ms
mph
0 00
4 36
8 37
54/62
0 00
18 00
16 06
Sessay
Pilmoor
13 28
11 14
9 60
5 43
1 49
0 08
Raskelf
Alne
Tollerton
Beningborough
Skelton Juction
York
[31]
[39]
[43]
Gerald Aston experienced a similar level of power behind sister loco No. 61115. Rudimentary
calculations on the Sessay to Raskelf section suggest that 61115 was producing around 820
EDHP. This is beginning to border on the respectable for a Class 5 and I would guess this
would be the standard expected of a B1 on a duty of this nature on a daily basis. The
schedule between Thirsk and the York was 25 minutes, and the driver of 61115 was perhaps
somewhat premature in easing off, following a respectable start. Somewhere in a back issue
of ‘Trains Illustrated’ I have read, from the 50s, that the latter duty featured here was actually
rostered for a B1 in the early-mid 50s.
Table 4 features the York-Leeds route in part. In the steam era the route never seemed to
enjoy the status of a premier trunk route from the perspective of performance, but looking
through Noel’s logs from this period tells a quite different story at times.
Two efforts featured the former Raven B16s, in essence the North Eastern Railway’s
equivalent of the LMS Black Five. The two examples here are the unrebuilt version with
Stephenson link motion, the last survivors being withdrawn in 1961. Some members of the
Class were rebuilt by Gresley and Thompson and were classified as B16/2 and B16/3 with
Walschaerts valve gear although they differed in the actual arrangement. The Gresley
rebuilds had his own 2:1 conjugated arrangement, whereas the later Thompson rebuilds had
the more normal three independent sets of motion. The rebuilds also utilised the more
modern long-lap travel valve gear which enhanced their steaming capabilities and
consequently performance.
Noel in truth experienced many indifferent-mediocre efforts behind the unrebuilt version and
attributed this in part to a very temperamental steam reverser. Just occasionally things did
seem to go right and Noel was fortunate to experience two very respectable efforts behind
Milepost 35¾
-257 -
January 2015
members of the class. The acceleration behind No. 61442 was very good, managing around
760 EDHP between Copmanthorpe and Ulleskelf. The attainment of 73 mph at the latter
location was in fact a slight excess over the line limit at the time. The power developed in the
cylinders was around the 1,300 IHP. A good climb was made on the restart from Church
Fenton on the ascent to Micklefield and as the design predated the latest thinking on
thermodynamic design and belonged to the pre-Chapelon era, can be regarded as being
even more meritorious.
Sister loco No. 61447 also did well on the same ascent; Noel calculates that the engines
managed around 762 and 900 EDHP respectively on the 1 in 150 gradient up to Micklefield.
Table 4
Run
Date
Train
Recorder
Load
Motive Power
MC
6
3.5.57
7.10 PM YorkLeeds
N.Proudlock
7/185/195
B16/1/61442/5MT
7
28.3.58
7.10 PM YorkLeeds
N.Proudlock
7/242/252
B16/1/61447/5MT
[sch]
0 04
0 41
3 59
York
Holgate
Copmanthorpe
0 00
1 25
5 54
7 50
8 70
10 58
Bolton Percy
Ulleskelf
Church Fenton
9 30
10 32
13 05
[14]
10 58
34
55
72
73
0 00
15 62
10 63
13 22
Micklefield
Garforth
16 11
Cross Gates
7 30
10 40
[17]
0 00
46
50/55
8 10
12 08
45/46
15 00
The last log features a G5 on an archetypal branch line duty of the pre-Beeching era, the
former Durham to Bishop Auckland line, closed to passengers in May 1964. Freight traffic
and periodic engineering diversions continued to use this route for a few years after this date.
The speed profile of this log reflects other Class G5 logs in the RPS database with speed
barely reaching the 45 mph mark, although this was often within the demands of the
schedule.
The line itself was subject to an overall limit of 45 mph and climbed from Durham to a summit
at around MP 7¾, the gradient steepening to 1 in 101 for around two miles. From this point,
the route generally favoured trains heading towards Bishop Auckland. Noel did note slipping
as the engine climbed from Durham, a reminder that that was not an easy place to start from
during the steam era and many of the heavier expresses required the assistance of a banker
from the restart at the station.
The climb by No. 67329 was a steady plod to Brandon, where the loco managed around 340
EDHP on the 1 in 101 ascent. Little comment is needed, apart from to say that the engine got
within touching distance of the line limit at Hunwick Colliery. The station names are a
reminder that the former Durham coalfield was a vast employer in the area at the time this
run was recorded, many of the stations generating a large amount of freight
Milepost 35¾
-258 -
January 2015
Table 5
Run
Date
Train
8
31.7.57
3.12 PM Durham-
Recorder
Load
Motive Power
Barnard Castle
N.Proudlock
4/108/114
G5/67329/1P
ms
mph
66 12
65 14
MC
Durham
Relly Mill
0 00
2 45
22/29
10 09
9 62
8 70
8 22
Dearness Valley
Brandon
Brandon Colliery
[8]
3 25
5 18
6 45
Brancepath
[4]
0 00
4 20
8 22
6 58
6 58
4 71
3 73
sch
31
30
25/33
0 00
Willington
[6]
3 73
5 20
0 00
2 48
2 29
Hunwick Colliery
Hunwick
2 50
3 25
44
[3]
2 29
0 21
0 00
Bishop Auckland N
Bishop Auckland
4 10
5 00
41/30
[6]
By the time of the last run, DMUs had already begun to replace these elderly locomotives on
many local services and within 18 months of this run been recorded all members had gone to
the scrapheap.
I would like to thank N. Proudlock and David Lloyd-Roberts for their advice and assistance in
the preparation of this article.
The Race to the West ... [That never happened!]
Richard Howlett
Fifty years ago last year, in anticipation of Spring, the month of April dawned grey, cold and
wet. Saturday the 4th, saw my best man pick me up in his elderly Wolseley and we,
somewhat nervously, set off from Harrow towards Kingston-upon-Thames where my bride,
hopefully, would be expecting me! Venturing south, through Hayes, the snow was dusting
onto the windscreen, yet we still arrived largely to schedule and found most of our guests
bravely huddled against the cold.
As with such occasions, much of the day passed in a blissful haze of rings, vows and
wedding cake until our car duly arrived to whisk us up to Waterloo and off onto our
honeymoon on the Dorset coast – and this is where my story really begins!
Having settled my new bride into two facing seats on our 7 pm departure for Axminster, I duly
shot off up the platform in order to record the carriage details and the loco – an unrebuilt
West Country Class No. 34023 ‘Blackmore Vale’. Once away, Mary claims that I didn’t speak
to her again until Yeovil Junction. (This I vehemently deny!). However, two elderly ladies
sitting opposite us, obviously observing our gleaming rings, sympathised with Mary at one
Milepost 35¾
-259 -
January 2015
point, ‘Does he always do this sort of thing?’. Reluctantly, Mary was forced to admit to the
affirmative!!
We were within three minutes of time by Yeovil Junction and duly arrived into Axminster by
9.47 pm. Incidentally, the very next day dawned beautifully sunny and we spent a glorious
week in and around Lyme Regis. I was obviously forgiven at some point as we celebrated
our Golden Wedding anniversary three weeks ago, as I pen this tale.
My mind now races back to the early days of our married life when, both working for City
branches of UK High Street banks and having completed our usual Saturday morning tasks,
we would meet on the 12.30 pm ex-Waterloo for our maisonette in Ewell. Across on Platform
11 the down Bournemouth Belle would be preparing to depart with its elegant rake of cream
and brown Pullman cars. Our pair of 4SUB units would show the Bulleid Pacific a clean pair
of heels. Some six minutes into our journey, we would be drawing away from our first stop at
Vauxhall when the ‘Belle, gathering speed, would slowly overhaul us – what a sight - and
there was I, camera in hand, hanging out of our compartment window eager for a good shot.
Such happy days!! Even Mary was showing was showing some enthusiasm!!! It’s as vivid to
me now as if it were yesterday! That’s age for you!!!
So now, being a two sentimental old fools - fifty years and eleven days later - we happily
boarded our Class 159 DMU standing on Platform 7 at Waterloo in order to retrace our steps.
We left Waterloo in good time to leave the ghost of Blackmore Vale safely starting to move
her 342 ton load away from the porters, barrows and bustle of a main line departure. Three
minutes later, as we sped through Vauxhall, I dreamed that we could hear the soft urgency of
a Bulleid Pacific under power with its blur of cream and brown coaches overhauling us. Away
she would go round the right hand curve towards the Sandeman advert (then on the nearby
west facing warehouse wall) and on to Clapham Junction. Her advantage was to be shortlived as the superior acceleration of the Class 159 took us slowly past the express between
Earlsfield and the up slow line flyover. We were, however, by this time doing 73 mph to rise
to 78 by Berrylands – as against the ‘Belle’s 65 mph through Surbiton and Esher.
We reached Woking in good time and although leaving a minute down we were still ahead of
Blackmore Vale which went through the station at a steady 65, some two minutes behind us.
By now we were making good progress running at steady 90 mph between Farnborough and
Winchfield to arrive in Basingstoke a minute ahead of schedule. The ‘Belle’ was now six
minutes behind us – and seven down by the time we drew out of Andover Junction, nineteen
miles further on.
At Salisbury, Blackmore Vale paused for nearly 7½ minutes for her rear three coaches to be
detached, destined to be hauled on to Sherborne a few minutes later. The Class 159 was, on
the other hand, held here for just a few seconds over its scheduled five minutes.
By Tisbury, however, we now found ourselves ahead of the return Class 159 working back to
Waterloo and had to wait 1½ minutes for it to clear the station loop. Such is progress, for
since those days the LSWR main line had been singled for a number of lengthy stretches
from just after Salisbury. However, we still left Tisbury five minutes ahead of the ‘Belle’. With
our further station stop at Gillingham, we were now just two minutes ahead only to have the
Belle cruise past us at a steady mile-a-minute as we stood in Templecombe.
Ten miles on to Yeovil and Blackmore Vale was still some three minutes ahead of us.
However, again the superior acceleration of the DMU showed in that, over the next nine
miles to our penultimate stop at Crewkerne, we arrived just 15 seconds ahead of the Pacific
Milepost 35¾
-260 -
January 2015
Date
Train
Loco
Load
Miles
Location
0.00
1.30
3.93
3.93
5.55
7.27
9.79
10.91
12.03
14.33
15.98
17.09
19.11
20.43
24.38
24.38
27.98
33.24
36.53
39.82
42.24
47.81
47.81
50.28
55.56
59.18
61.10
66.36
66.36
72.73
78.14
83.65
83.65
86.21
87.87
91.96
Waterloo
Vauxhall
Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction
Earlsfield
Wimbledon
New Malden
Berrylands
Surbiton
Esher
Hersham
Walton on Thames
Weybridge
West Weybridge
Woking
Woking
Brookwood
Farnborough
Fleet
Winchfield
Hook
Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Worting Junction
Overton
Whitchurch
Hurstbourne
Andover Junc
Andover Junc
Grateley
Porton (MP 78)
Salisbury
Salisbury
Wilton South [Blg]
Burcombe OB
Dinton (OB)
96.31
96.31
101.28
Tisbury
Tisbury
Semley
105.39
105.39
112.14
112.14
114.55
118.21
118.21
122.86
122.86
131.64
131.64
139.63
144.81
Gillingham
Gillingham
Templecombe
Templecombe
Milborne Halt (Bldg
Sherborne
Sherborne
Yeovil
Yeovil
Crewkerne
Crewkerne
Chard Junction
Axminster
Milepost 35¾
Saturday 4th April 1964
19.00 - Waterloo
WC 34023 - Blackmore Vale
10/7 chs- 241.5 / 341.5. ton
Sch Zero times
Speeds
Mins secs
0
0
00
30
3
45
43/50
7
28
7
9
11
13
15
16
18
19
21
23
24
10
25
23
25
14
20
30
57
00
00
14
42
51
56
61
60
63
65
64
61
27
31
37
40
43
47
58
45
03
20
25
10
62
58/54/62
60
67
62/20tsr
47
53
10
60/55
61
64
65
15
20
55
69
74
77/73
70
75
81
87
95
101
10
53
01
53
27
50
77
59/55
75/80
115
45
60
110
115
55
45
66/62
64/78
119
10
72/62/75
124
127
55
23
60/54
67
130
135
137
149
149
160
165
25
12
07
23
52
57
45
84
-261 -
Class 159 DMU - 159 002 & 103.
2 x 3 car - 367 tons
Sched
Zero times
Speeds
Mins secs
0
0
00
2
51
48/60
6
6
18
7
7
22
9
37
68
11
11
02
74/ 72
13
13
00
73/72
14
16
17
18
19
20
24
26
29
33
35
37
39
43
47
50
54
56
52
28
35
20
43
36
40
00
54
28
40
57
33
58
02
33
15
37
62
64
62
64
69
15
00
42
/90
89/92
82
87
91
81
87
91
93
96
43
02
13
30
43
/45
26
59/84
58/sig st 1m34s
105
106
104
105
110
43
52
56
78/85
116
117
124
125
115
117
124
125
129
132
133
139
140
149
152
158
163
29
05
41
33
32
29
37
01
18
07
26
59
36
66
53
85
Tuesday 15th April 2014
/55/44/72
77/80
24
25
34
45
47
50
131
132
137
138
146
149
157
161
79
89/88
89
88
89
88
81/90
89/90
88/89
88
89
74
84/88/83
85/82
/84
/72
68
/81
/87
/87
83/88
January 2015
now cruising in alongside us on the adjacent platform. The ‘Belle’ had only a 30 second
station stop here as against our nearly 3½ minutes but by Chard Junction, nine miles further
on, we were back in front to reach Axminster just two minutes ahead of our ‘rival’. So ended
a 144 mile run of memories of what might have been – but, in fact, sadly never was???
We strolled out of Axminster station and up the hill into the town centre in glorious sunshine.
Reaching Church Street conveniently by the large Minster church with the churchyard
luxuriating in glorious Spring blossoms, we made our way the few yards down to the
Axminster Arms. Here, we enjoyed a very good lunch along with the author enjoying a pint of
our host’s excellent local bitter!
Duly fortified, we made our way back to the station where our train home was due to leave
Axminster at 1606 – and to our surprise, found it to be just one three-car Class 159 DMU
which was, by this time, already comfortably full.
We had an uneventful run back to Salisbury, with many more stops than the main line
schedule of fifty years before, quickly reaching 83mph by Chard Junction!!.
Salisbury was now our seventh stop after leaving Axminster but we had still covered the 61
miles in 70 minutes. It was here that we found ourselves drawing into platform 2 to couple up
to the rear of the recently arrived Class 159 unit awaiting us. In fact, it proved to be service
IO60 ex-Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury which had come in just 10 minutes ahead of us thus our train doubled in length for the rest of the journey. Curious that on our outward
journey fifty years before we had dropped three coaches here and for us to do the reverse
fifty years later!!
How Mary and I reached Salisbury back in 1964 was not recorded, but as we drew in now I
imagined Merchant Navy Class ‘Brocklebank Line’ at the head of the up ‘Atlantic Coast
Express’ with its 11 coaches awaiting our arrival on the adjacent platform – and so my
dreams continued!!
Passing Porton, some seven miles out, we were now running at a steady 80 mph whereas
the ‘ACE’ was already two minutes behind us doing but 50. Our first stop was Andover
Junction where we drew out towards London on time, nearly four minutes ahead. By
Whitchurch the ‘ACE’ was running at 64 mph and reached a steady 80 by Basingstoke. From
here Brocklebank Line covered the next 20 miles to Farnborough in 15m15s, an average
speed of 79 mph.
We arrived into Woking some three minutes late, still in the Spring sunshine. The ACE,
however, had come roaring through the station at 75 mph just seven seconds ahead of our
arrival! Despite the superior initial acceleration of the Class 159, Brocklebank Line was in
good heart and we remained some two minutes behind her. Our 159 was checked to 47 mph
at Hampton Court Junction with the ACE still travelling at 76 mph. We now had one further
stop at Clapham Junction whereas, fifty years before, we had run through, checked to about
30 mph - although now seven minutes ahead of the 159 by the time it was ready to resume
its journey.
To end our run, despite our 159 being held for 2m 59s just after International Junction while
Platform 7 was being vacated, we finally came to rest just 4½ minutes behind Brocklebank
line with its 367 tons against the 231 tonnes of our DMU with its six Cummins 400 hp diesel
engines!!
Milepost 35¾
-262 -
January 2015
Date
Train
Loco
Load
Miles
Location
0.00
5.51
10.94
17.29
17.29
22.55
24.45
28.09
31.24
33.40
35.89
35.89
41.41
43.83
47.13
50.41
55.67
59.27
59.27
61.96
63.23
64.54
66.56
67.68
69.33
70.33
71.63
72.74
73.86
76.38
78.06
79.73
79.73
82.35
Salisbury
Porton
Grateley
Andover Junction
Andover Junction
Hurstbourne
Whitchurch
Overton
Oakley
Worting Junction
Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Hook
Winchfield
Fleet
Farnborough
Brookwood
Woking
Woking
Byfleet
West Weybridge
Weybridge
Walton
Hersham
Esher
Hampton Court J
Surbiton
Berrylands
New Malden
Wimbledon
Earlsfield
Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction
Vauxhall
83.65
Waterloo
Saturday 11th April 1964
14.10 Up "Atlantic Coast Express"
MN - (rebuilt) - 35025 - Brocklebank Line
11 coaches - 367 tons
Sch
Zero times
Speeds
Mins
secs
0
0
00
36
9
00
50
15
13
59
20
25
28
32
35
50
35
45
23
15
80
30
64
64
77/72
Tuesday 15th April 2014
15.25 - Exeter St Davids - Waterloo
Class 159 015 & 106
2 x 3 car DMU - 231.0 tonnes
Sch
Zero times
Speeds
Mins secs
0
0
00
60
6
48
79
10
37
92
16
15
33
17
16
58
21
59
84
23
37
84
26
00
36
/49/16
39
43
45
47
50
54
02
08
00
33
00
17
82/84
79/77
80
80
80/75
78/73
57
59
60
61
62
63
64
02
10
15
13
45
37
49
75
78
77
74
78
79
78
66
67
68
70
72
43
35
30
40
12
74
74
72
68
69
78
74
77
00
20
32
52
89
80
30
54
34
36
47
54
56
65
66
68
70
74
76
83
36
38
42
44
46
48
52
57
58
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
72
73
79
81
83
43
32
46
13
26
48
08
09
29
30
12
03
40
14
29
14
47
39
35
32
50
27
12
45
85
03
/89
88/87
91
88
91
87
84
91
86/92
90
87/89
84
47
67
79
75
75/76
46/3
51
59/sig st 2m59s
So ended a curious day of reminiscence and wonder of what was, could have been and now
is - even so, a very happy contribution to a lovely Golden Wedding season of events. Even
Mary enjoyed the day!!!
Milepost 35¾
-263 -
January 2015
A recorder’s guide to the SNCF: 50 years on
Alan Varley
In the last issue of Milepost I compared my first tour of France in 1964 with a recent circuit
over the same metals. Now it is time to look at other routes by which some of the journeys
concerned could be made today, in particular through the runs timed by my fellow-recorder,
John Heaton.
High road versus (s)low road
While I went to Clermont-Ferrand from Paris Austerlitz via Vierzon and Montluçon, as in
1964, John took the direct Bourbonnais route. In 1964 this was used throughout solely by the
1st-class-only Rapides worked by RGP railcars which took around four hours with five stops.
When these were replaced by loco-hauled trains the fastest timings at first remained
unchanged, but came down to 3¾ hours when 160 km/h maximum speeds were introduced.
Electrification at first took only 10 minutes off this overall time, but under pressure from
regional and local authorities at the southern end of the line some further improvements were
made by squeezing recovery time, omitting stops and creating some 200 km/h sections,
culminating in a non-stop 3-hour schedule (see my article in Milepost 33¾). This timing has
since been eased, and the other trains with four stops are back to times of 3h 35m to 3h 40m
– not a great improvement, one is tempted to say, over the four hours of 50 years ago.
The log of John’s journey appears in Table 1, and can be compared with the logs in Milepost
33¾. When Paris-Clermont trains with four stops were booked in 3h 25m, they had recovery
allowances that were less than the standard 4½ mins per 100 km. Theoretically, this is still
the case from Moret onwards, but in practice additional recovery (chiefly pathing time, I
suspect) increases the rate to about six minutes per 100 km – to the point, in fact, where it is
difficult to fit it into the log! In the Schedule column of Table 1, recovery is between brackets,
after the timing point if shown after the scheduled time, before it if in front. Lavish recovery
time is, of course, a feature of modern SNCF schedules and the driver of the 1600 made
intelligent use of it. He lost time at the start but was exactly right over the junction at Moret;
then an easy schedule that no doubt allows for slow acceleration with the full 14-coach timing
load enabled him to gain a minute, and with marked easings at several points he remained a
little ahead all the way to Nevers. There were a couple of flashes of Sybic performance when
accelerating into the 200 km/h sections but very slow running on the approaches to Vichy
and Riom where the schedules are greatly extended – difficult to understand, since intervals
to preceding trains are never less than 11 minutes. At least the recovery on the final stage
made a punctual arrival possible – the scratch timings of 9 minutes or less from Riom are
strictly impossible for a terminating train.
On the return leg of our trip our ways divided at Lyon. John took the 1100 TGV to Paris,
which left a little late and about a dozen minutes before my semi-fast loco-and-coaches
working over the old route. John’s option this time was very much the high road for he was in
Paris at 1300, 3½ hours before I arrived. His time of a little under two hours compares with
my journey time of 5h 10m, or the 4½ hours of my 1964 run. Even with continuing
development it is difficult to imagine that Lyon-Paris times over the old route could ever have
been brought below 3½ hours unless tilting trains were used: the reasons for SNCF’s choice
of a new line are clear.
John enjoyed some quite good running, for after a late start and a brisk exit from Lyon his
train was perhaps eased for signals up to Sathonay, and certainly suffered a severe check
before joining the high-speed line. It was only after Cesseins that a clear road was obtained
and even then the running between Macon and Le Creusot was restrained – the driver was
maybe letting the preceding train get well ahead. But subsequent running, particularly after
Milepost 35¾
-264 -
January 2015
Pasilly, was well up to scratch and the train drew into the Gare de Lyon comfortably on time
– a nicely judged performance. The delays between Sathonay and Cesseins were worth
about 4½ minutes, leaving a net time of 111 minutes, or perhaps 109 allowing for the slow
running to Le Creusot.
Table 1 Paris – Clermont-Ferrand
Train 5971, 1600 Paris – Clermont, 8/7/14, 7/293/315/405 inc loco, 26232, J. Heaton 8/8 GPS Yes
PK
0.85
6.23
14.39
19.06
25.90
30.46
37.69
44.08
50.90
58.94
66.78
75.00
86.25
96.85
107.26
117.68
123.55
135.09
154.28
164.03
176.86
182.25
195.10
204.69
214.00
226.97
234.98
240.12
246.64
253.04
253.04
263.60
273.48
280.73
299.55
305.27
311.52
313.10
313.10
314.22
326.46
332.48
341.44
354.44
364.98
364.98
369.44
378.63
380.38
385.96
393.79
397.14
400.59
405.11
405.11
407.75
412.13
415.31
419.26
Dist
0.00
05.38
13.54
18.21
25.05
29.61
36.84
43.23
50.05
58.09
65.93
74.15
85.40
96.00
106.41
116.83
122.70
134.24
153.43
163.18
176.01
181.40
194.25
203.84
213.15
226.12
234.13
239.27
245.79
252.19
0.00
10.56
20.44
27.69
46.51
52.23
58.48
60.06
0.00
1.13
13.37
19.39
28.35
41.35
51.89
0.00
4.46
13.65
15.40
20.98
28.81
32.16
35.61
40.13
0.00
2.64
7.02
10.20
14.15
Timing Point
PARIS-BERCY
Maisons-Alfort
Villeneuve-St. G
Yerres
Combs-la-Ville
Lieusaint-Moissy
Cesson
Melun
Bois-le-Roi
Fontainebleau
Moret
Montigny
Nemours
Souppes
Ferrieres
Montargis
Sub station
Nogent
Gien
Briare
Bonny
Neuvy
Cosne
Tracy
Pouilly
La Charite
Tronsanges
Pougues
Fourchambault
NEVERS a.
NEVERS d.
Saincaize
Mars LC
St. Pierre
Villeneuve
OB
LC
Moulins-s/Allier a.
d.
OB
Bessay
La Ferte
Varennes
St-Germain-des-Fosses
Vichy a.
d.
Hauterive
Randan TNP
Randan
St Clement
Surat
Ennezat
LC
Riom a.
d.
LC
Gerzat
OB
CLERMONT-FERRAND
MPS
Sch
Min
30/50
110
135
140
150
160
160
150
160
160
70
150/160
150/140
160/150
160
160
160
160
140
160
160
160
100
160/155
160
160
160
160
160
0
6
10½
(½)
15½ (½)
18
(1)
24½
(1½)
31½ (1½)
36½
0
7
11
13
16
18
21
24
27
31
36
40
44
49
53
57
60
64
72
76
82
84
90
94
98
103
107
109
112
116
119
6
10
13
20
22
24
26
28
1
6
8
12
18
26
29
4
9
10
12
17
19
21
25
28
2
3
5
12
60/160
110
200
200
160
200
160
160
200
200
160
100/110
120
130
120
130
160
160
160
160
160
160/30
46
(½)
59
66 (½)
73½
(½)
(1)
85 (1)
91½
95½
99½ (½)
104½
½
112½ (1)
117
119
(½) 6½
13
19½
(1)
27
29
(1)
9½
(2½)
21 (½)
28
30
(1)
10
(2½)
19½
(2½)
26
28
(1½)
5½
(3)
13
Sec
0
4
39
46
41
34
30
3
2
52
20
29
55
26
35
47
6
43
24
41
8
25
26
56
43
50
9
20
5
39
23
41
25
4
10
10
38
39
54
37
4
33
9
42
47
47
10
7
0
51
13
12
7
37
9
14
57
23
3
Km/h
T
80
135/131
138/140/138
145/149
145/153
148/151
146/134
140/146/sgs/tsr 40
95/127/68 XL
69
148/155
148/134
141
156/146
153
145/144/151
150/157
133/127
147/152/133
147
134/148
100
150/142
155
142/147
142
136/143
137
½L -/152/100
104/199
185/153
158
159/193
189
79
½L
91/185
171
139/160
139/coast
96
T
110/104/123
117
118/119
111
104/107
99
111
T
135/160
150
128/slow app
1E
Ave
80.9
114.9
134.8
144.3
145.8
151.1
150.5
137.2
76.3
94.5
146.5
151.5
140.6
153.1
149.7
152.1
150.1
141.8
138.9
142.5
141.6
112.7
127.9
145.3
149.9
144.4
141.3
141.9
84.1
94.8
158.8
164.2
159.0
171.6
152.0
46.9
41.8
165.0
145.4
149.3
98.6
39.0
64.2
114.5
117.8
116.8
107.6
101.3
108.0
36.6
70.9
153.1
133.1
35.5
Table 2 Lyon/Dijon - Paris
Milepost 35¾
-265 -
January 2015
PK
397.81
394.43
389.31
380.50
376.64
361.13
353.00
333.98
324.20
320.20
313.58
308.19
303.25
292.97
282.52
278.42
273.82
260.16
253.27
250.00
247.41
230.52
225.81
217.89
213.18
185.35
182.09
172.28
Dist
Timing Point
Min
0.00
3.38
8.50
17.31
21.17
36.68
44.81
63.84
73.61
77.61
84.23
89.62
94.56
104.84
115.29
119.39
124.00
137.65
144.54
147.81
150.40
167.29
172.00
179.92
184.63
212.46
215.72
225.53
LYON PART-DIEU
St. Clair
Sathonay
Bif. Montanay
OB
Cesseins PRS 27
PK 353
Macon
CAI Milly-Lamartine
Col du Bois Clair
PRS Cluny
OB
CAI Cortevaix
PRS Vaux-en-Pr.
CAI
OB D977
Le Creusot
OB 131
V de la Digoine N.
PK 250
PRS 21 Sully
FB
PRS 20 Vianges
OB D17
Tholsey
UB A6
PRS 18 Toutry
CAI Marmaux
Run 2
3
36
7
40
12
42
14
59
20
22
22
14
26
39
28
58
30
0
31
41
32
54
34
3
36
31
38
56
39
60
41
6
44
24
45
56
46
38
47
11
50
48
51
53
53
48
54
54
61
14
61
54
63
56
Sec
Km/h
4L
79/72
85/132
112/115
93
242/275
272/290
251/262
259
210/264
258
265
258/265/236
245/261
254
214/263
262
235
286/293
280/295
291
264
264/267/232
234/264
261/237
295/299
291
287
Tr 1105 Lyon-Paris
Date Th10/7/14
TGV-D 279/XXX
2 x (2+8)/778/820
J Heaton 9/20 GPS Yes
Run 5
Tr 6708 1740 Mulhouse-Paris
M 14.4.14
TGV-D 805
2+8/399/425
A Varley 4/10 GPS Yes
Fine
Min
314.21
309.80
299.46
287.93
278.40
271.17
256.78
242.93
235.96
162.11 1.62
156.00
241.81
139.82
257.99
129.41
268.40
120.33
277.48
117.09
280.72
107.03
290.78
92.78
305.03
83.08
314.73
71.50
326.31
61.30
336.51
49.23
348.58
42.74
355.07
25.93
371.88
17.10
380.71
28.68
391.44
21.05
399.07
12.26
407.86
10.43
409.69
4.22
415.90
0.00
420.12
6.23
423.24
0.24
429.23
Dijon
Plombières
Lantenay
Blaisy Bas
Verrey
Thenissey
Les Laumes
Montbard
Bif LGV (= 16.42)
Pasilly (= 162.11)
PK 156
PRS 16 Tonnerre
SS Carlsey
OB N77
PRS 15 Vergigny
OB D179
Vaumort
CAI
Cuy
Serbonnes
PRS 12 Marolles
Viaduc de la Seine
Chatelet
Bif. Crisenoy (= 39.41)
PRCI Solers
PRCI Chevry
CAI 12
Villecresnes TSP
Limeil TNP
Bif. Creteil (= 9.35)
Maisons Alfort
PARIS G. de LYON
67
70
72
74
75
77
17
41
51
44
24
29
299/301/268
295/285
286/293
291/294
286/293
289/256
82
43
291/302
89
90
39
59
295
293
96
98
100
103
103
106
108
109
115
26
54
39
16
58
22
13
35
33
260/255
262
262/148
155
158
150
130/140
133
½E
Sec
Run 5
4
12.5
8
44
13
20
16
55
19
40.5
25
8
30
26.5
33
11
38
10.3
39
45.4
43
10.1
45
19.2
47
9.9
47
49.6
49
58.2
52
59.2
55
3.4
57
26.9
59
37.2
62
6.5
63
26.8
66
54.6
68
47.8
71
15.3
73
0.8
75
39.9
76
22
78
46.6
80
36
81
58.5
87
58
Km/h
RT
120
148/146
158/157
158
158
158/157/58
151
156/120/240/210
221/215
294/270299/264
300/283/300
284/297/292
295/299/289
294/272
288/266
279/265*/302
283/290/285
300/276/293
273/292/281
296/286
291/274/300/286
292/298
262/257/270
260/267
260
156
157/155/158/150
152
132
130
8E
The opening of the LGV to Lyon did away with the intermediate stops previously made by
through expresses. While Dijon has gained in frequency thanks to TGV services from the
east, Chalon is certainly less well served and Macon, with seven TGVs to Paris, has
benefited in terms of speed but not frequency. Services between these stations are now
provided by semi-fasts or by somewhat irregular inter-regional TGVs that run non-stop from
Lyon to Dijon or with a call at one of the intermediate towns. This spring I took advantage of
a visit to Lyon to sample these current offerings between Lyon, Macon, Dijon and Paris.
Milepost 35¾
-266 -
January 2015
The 1414 from Marseille divides at Lyon, the front portion going forward to Lille and the
second to Strasbourg via Dijon. With only four minutes separating them at the start, the
second cannot make a fast getaway and this seems to be allowed for in the schedule: 32
minutes to Macon via the LGV – scarcely faster than was possible over the old line. On this
occasion (Run 3) the Lille portion must have been checked at Montanay and the Strasbourg
was almost stopped behind it. We were then able to maintain line speed for less than a
dozen kilometres as the junction to the old line at Macon is badly placed relative to the LGV
signalling and speed drops to below 100 km/h about five kilometres before the junction, so
the last eight kilometres to the Macon stop took almost six minutes. Then, after a lengthy
TSR, we stopped in Tournus where it was announced that a freight wagon tarpaulin was
fouling the overhead line. After the restart, speed never exceed 156 km/h on the 160 MPS –
a contrast with my 1964 run with its 140 km/h averages over long distances on 140 MPS. We
were 38 minutes late in Dijon and I missed my intended connection for Paris. Another run a
couple of days later (Run 4) was little better: The SE unit had an almost clear road and
gained 8½ minutes on a very undemanding schedule, but its lower power was evident in the
sluggish acceleration to high speed on the LGV and its cruise control was calibrated even
more unfavourably as maximum speed on the old line was 155 km/h.
Table 3 Lyon - Dijon
Run 3: Tr 6872, 1414 Marseille-Strasbourg, M 14.4.14, 2+8/390/405, TGV-D 249, A Varley 7/10 GPS Y
Run 4 : Tr 6862, 0550 Toulouse-Dijon, W 16.4.14, 2+8/385/395, TGV-SE 19, A Varley 3/10 GPS Y
PK
Dist
Timing Point
Min
LYON PART-DIEU
St. Clair
Sathonay
Bif. Montanay
OB
Cesseins PRS 27
CAI
Cormoranches
Bif Macon (= 444.66)
PK
Macon
Run 3
6 19.5
9 55.5
16 30.6
18 23.1
20 43.1
22 41.9
25 8.5
30 05
32 53
34 09
36 11
05 14
08 12
13 14½
397.81
394.43
389.31
380.50
372.40
361.13
351.39
342.37
336.03
441.00
439.74
0.00
3.38
8.50
17.31
25.41
36.68
46.42
55.44
61.78
65.44
67.10
429.17
422.24
417.46
10.57 Sénozan
17.50 Fleurville
22.28 Uchizy
407.75
398.54
390.38
382.12
372.75
366.23
358.40
351.10
346.36
342.59
336.65
331.50
325.36
316.21
314.07
31.99
41.20
49.36
57.62
66.99
73.51
81.24
88.64
93.38
97.15
103.09
109.24
114.38
123.53
125.67
Tournus
Sennecey
Varennes
Chalon-sur-Saône
Fontaines
Chagny
Meursault
Beaune
Serrigny
Corgoloin
Nuits-St-Georges
Vougeot
Gevrey
Perrigny
Dijon
36
44
49
52
56
59
62
65
67
68
70
72
76
82
87
Sec
28
23½
08
53
46½
19
22
10
00½
30
48½
48
50
34
07
Km/h
8.5 late
Sigs/70
96/12*sigs
215/244/230
268
298/291/298
288/297
144*/69*/77
58*/100
96
10.5 late
10.5 late
149/142/147
68*/55 tsr
57/55/157
3 sig stops
Dep sig stop
98/65 tsr
130/151/119*
124/120
155/156
148*
155
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/156
155
24* sigs/139
43*/20* sigs
38 late
Min
Sec
Run 4
04
47
08 29.5
12 32 .5
14 41.9
17 10.1
19 10.0
21 47.3
26
26
Km/h
31.5 late
Sigs/80
103/113/81
212/233/218
246
294/288
295
123*
70*/78/63*
30
16
117/145
34
37
43
45½
43
05
143/148
72*/50* tsr
54/52 tsr
48
51
55
58
62
65
68
71
73
74
76
78
81
85
88
23
58½
09
46½
53
25½
27½
16½
09
37
56½
56½
19½
19
24
155/154
155/154
150
114*/110
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/154
155/154
104*
23 late
The missed connection at Dijon after Run 3 was perhaps a blessing in disguise: I was able to
rebook onto the following service and time Run 5 (Table 2). Although it left Dijon on time this
train ran hard all the way to arrive in Paris a surprising eight minutes early. A Lyon-Paris
service was slightly late, behind us instead of in front and we must have been allowed (or
encouraged) to run in and even ahead of its path to minimize delay. Here the progress made
since 1964 is flagrant, not only through use of the high-speed line but also in the difference at
the start: between a new-generation TGV and an 80-tonne BB with 750 tonnes there was no
contest: 13m 20s to Blaisy against 20m 03s.
Paris-Chartres
Milepost 35¾
-267 -
January 2015
Chartres is a residential and administrative centre with a population of about 40,000,
(150,000 in its broader urban area) and a world-famous cathedral. Its location, 87 km from
Paris, places it ideally in outer-suburban commuting country, so between peak-hour demand
and tourist business there is surely day-long traffic potential to justify a service similar to that
of, say, Cambridge. Always provided, of course, that reasonable times are achieved – and
for a distance such as this the even hour must be a significant threshold.
In the 1960s there were limited-stop peak-hour services in less than an hour, and off-peak
trains took around 65 minutes with eight stops. Today there are two down trains in 59
minutes but nothing better than 61 minutes up. Off-peak, the service is hourly, alternating
Paris-Le Mans trains, four stops to Chartres in 61-65 minutes, and Paris-Chartres trains with
eight stops, as in 1964 – but booked to take 76 minutes. In 1964 I had been impressed by
the accelerations – regularly 110 km/h or more in 90 seconds – but not otherwise struck by
the running, with speed limited to 120 km/h. In fact, as the logs show (Run 6, Table 4, Run
9, Table 5) there was very little in hand on these schedules, and booked stops were all 30
seconds only. Interestingly my down run in 1964 was made with a train of 37XX EMUs: these
were the French versions of the Budd articulated stainless-steel railcars with a quite
noteworthy power/weight ratio, for the time, of over 12 HP/tonne (one hour rating). But
modern EMUs have even better accelerative capacity and a 160 km/h maximum speed – so
why are current timings so much slower than those of fifty years ago? This is what John and I
attempted to discover - see Runs 7 and 8.
Table 4 Paris-Chartres
Run 6: 1335 Paris-Chartres, 20.9.64, 37XX, 6/234/250, A Varley, posn ?, GPS No
Run 7: Paris-Chartres, Th 10.7.14, Z26525/26526, J. Heaton 1/4 GPS Yes
Run 8: 0809 Paris-Chartres, Tu 8.7.14, Z26521/522, A Varley, 2/4 GPS Yes
0.50
3.64
5.15
7.55
9.63
13.87
16.56
16.56
21.50
27.09
32.21
37.68
41.85
47.79
47.79
52.73
52.73
60.26
60.26
68.07
68.07
72.85
72.85
77.26
77.26
81.56
81.56
87.04
0.00
3.14
4.65
7.05
9.13
13.37
16.06
0.00
4.94
10.53
15.65
21.12
25.29
31.23
0.00
4.94
0.00
7.53
0.00
7.81
0.00
4.78
0.00
4.41
0.00
4.30
0.00
5.47
P Montparnasse
Vanves-Malakoff
Clamart
Meudon
Sevres
Viroflay
Versailles Ch
St. Cyr
Trappes
La Verriere
Les Esssarts-le-Roi
Le Perray
Rambouillet
Gazeran
Epernon
Maintenon
St. Piat
Jouy
La Villette-St-Prest
Chartres
4
5
8
10
12
13
3
6
8
11
13
17
18
3
3
4
5
5
6
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
Run 6 ½ late
33
100/94
28
99
01
122/123
21
96
50
55
½ late
15 117/110/120
11
117/122
50
116/119
43
113
48
116/118
28
22
1L /121
32
57
½L /121
51
30
RT /120
04
04
½L /119
28
57
½L /116
17
40
RT /114
07
36
½L /111
17
RT
5
6
7
8
10
12
15
3
5
7
10
11
14
19
3
5
5
7
9
9
3
4
2
3
2
4
4
Run 7 T
34
60/59
38
101
53
129
51
129/130
50
127
42
52
T-/133
31
130/150
54
148
57
155/160
2
159
37
158
37
58
½L -/156
33
17
½L -/113
4
10 ½L -/62/tsr
19
53 3½L -/145
38
1 2½L -/130
58
29
1L -/150
59
21
T -/131
37
1E
Run 8 ½ late
5
08
59/56
6 19½
98
7
33
125
8
06 121/120/125
9
58
121
13
08
20
07
5L 70/68*
03
56
125/120
06
21
151/144
08
27
149/158
10 32½
155/159
12
06
156/160
15
25
16
34
1½L /125
03
45
04
32
1L /122
05
13
06
11
T /127
05
40
06
52
T /120
03
47
04
59
T /120
03
20
04
58
T /102
03
43
05
01
T /115
06
22
½ late
Both runs made fast times between Versailles and Rambouillet. In the case of Run 8 this was
because of a technical problem in Versailles that cost us five minutes; the restart was
cautious at first, with what seemed to be a brake test a minute out. However, there is so
much slack in the schedule that we were back on time by Maintenon. Run 7, similarly, lost
three minutes due to a TSR between Epernon and Maintenon but was a minute early into
Chartres. Compared with the 1964 run, these recent runs were both slower out of Paris and
away from Versailles, and in fact Run 8, making slow stops, was slower than the old run on
every stage bar one. Schedules for these two runs for the successive stages (recovery time
Milepost 35¾
-268 -
January 2015
in brackets) were 14 (2½), 18 (4), 4 (½), 6 (1½), 6 (1), 4 (1), 4 (½), 4 (1) and 6 (1). So
recovery time totals 13 minutes (and booked dwell time 10 minutes), largely explaining the
slower overall timing compared with 1964. But the question remains: why?
Table 4 provides the answer. While all our down runs were made with 265XX double-deck
EMUs, I timed two up journeys with loco and coaches, in fact push-pull formations with a
4,000 HP 85XX BB at the country end. With a timing load of 436 tonnes, 4½ minutes
recovery and 10 minutes station time, these workings require the full 76 minutes, and the
EMU schedules are padded so as to maintain a (more-or-less) regular interval. Table 5
contrasts my 1964 run with John’s return on an EMU and one of my push-pull runs making
the same stops.
Table 5 Chartres - Paris
Run 9
1755 Chartres-Paris, 20.9.64, 6/229/250, Z 51XX, A Varley, posn ?, GPS No
Run 10 1534 Chartres-Paris, Th 10.7.14, 4/258/ ?, Z26526/26525, J. Heaton, 1/4, GPS Yes
Run 11 0934 Chartres-Paris, Tu 8.7.14, 8/335/340 > 350, BB 8646 prop, A Varley, 4/9 GPS Yes
PK
Dist
Timing Point
87.04
81.56
81.56
77.26
77.26
72.85
72.85
68.07
68.07
60.26
60.26
52.73
52.73
47.79
47.79
41.85
37.68
34.38
32.21
27.09
24.00
21.50
16.56
16.56
13.87
09.63
07.55
05.15
03.64
00.50
00.00
05.47
00.00
04.30
00.00
04.41
00.00
04.78
00.00
07.81
00.00
07.53
00.00
04.94
00.00
05.94
10.11
13.41
15.58
20.70
23.79
26.29
31.23
00.00
02.69
06.93
09.01
11.41
12.92
16.06
Chartres
La Villette-St. Prest
Jouy
St. Piat
Maintenon
Epernon
Gazeran
Rambouillet
Le Perray
Les Esssarts-le-Roi
Coignieres
La Verriere
Trappes
St. Quentin
St. Cyr
Versailles Chantiers
Viroflay
Sevres
Meudon
Clamart
Vanves-Malakoff
P Montparnasse
Min Sec
Km/h
Run 9
1L /119
05
30
05
54 2L /119
03
13
03
53 1½L /121
03
14
03
54 1½L /119
03
36
04
23 1L /121
05
07
05
47 ½L /118
05
06
05
43 1½L
03
48
04
27 1L /121
03
51
117/113
06
00
117/119
07
44
117
08
49
120/116
11
26
120
14
17
18
02
04
05
06
07
13
18
119
20
39 ½L
13 105/121/117
20
120/119
23
121
49
98*
45
97/sigs
01 ½L
Min Sec
Km/h
Run 10
½L /115
5
26
6
5 1½L /86
4
5
5
4 1½L /75
4
32
5
12 ½L /85
4
38
5
24 1L /98
6
25
7
30 1½L /102
5
52
6
38 1½L /90
5
9
6
23 ½L /139
3
52
133
5
48
115
7
33
106
8
51
98/85
12
22
93
14
4
117
15
15 129/131
18
49
21
25 T /126
2
6 121/118
4
7 143/145
5
1
138
6
6
129
6
49
126
10
46 1E
Min Sec
Run
05
06
04
05
04
04
05
06
13
14
06
06
04
05
04
06
07
08
10
12
13
16
17
02
04
05
07
07
12
11
18
25
05
01
08
59
57
59
15
07
09
46
15
18
11
02½
35½
31
49½
15
30
52
25
29
40
44
06½
51
16
Km/h
½L /115
1L /85
2L /100
1L /97/sigs
2½L /SL sigs
10L /111
9½L /117
9L
130/136
127/136
133/136
134/131
134
124*/118
119/120
4½L
108/119
117
117/118
97*
98
4L
The 1964 run accelerated promptly to the stock limit on every section – performance that just
sufficed to offset the slight loss of time in stations, with stops that averaged 40 seconds until
Versailles where overtime cost half-a-minute that was not regained because of a checked
approach to the terminus. The modern EMU in Run 10 ran very easily to spin out time as far
as Versailles and then produced a surprising sprint and fast approach to Paris for a record
time that will be hard to beat. The push-pull train more or less held its own to St-Piat, but at
Maintenon we were checked on the approach and turned slow-line, thereby losing 10
minutes to Epernon. The Rambouillet-Versailles stage was run in on-off style and the stop,
typically, was far slower than fifty years ago. On the final stage my other push-pull run had
touched 140 km/h but this one was limited to 120 – maybe different routings on this multitrack section explain the differences.
So the situation today is paradoxical: modern EMUs could improve on the (already-high)
standards of fifty years ago by some five minutes – or about two minutes if allowance is
made for modern driving techniques and longer station stops. But these units are not
available in sufficient numbers to provide all the required capacity, so timings are dictated by
Milepost 35¾
-269 -
January 2015
the performance of a locomotive class introduced - in 1964!
Boulogne-Calais
To conclude on a more optimistic note, and to underline the importance of the involvement of
regional authorities in the current state of rail services in France, I shall turn very briefly to the
Boulogne-Calais section of the former boat-train route. This has been electrified and benefits
from a frequent service provided by electric, diesel or bi-mode AGC units sponsored by the
Nord-Pas de Calais region. There are also TGVs from Boulogne that reverse in CalaisFréthun to join the LGV-Nord and continue to Lille and Paris. Table 6 shows the final leg of
my 1964 steam journey alongside a late-running modern DMU and a Boulogne-Paris service
worked by a Eurostar set.
Table 6 Boulogne - Calais
Run 12 1251 Etaples-Calais, M 07.07.14, 3/136/140, X 76516/515, A Varley, 3/3, GPS Yes
Run 13 1530 Rang-Paris, M 07.7.14, 2+18/752/770, 3228/3227, A Varley, 12/20, GPS Yes
Run 14 0810 Paris-Calais Maritime, 22.9.64, 13/540/595, 2-3-1 E 3, A Varley, posn ?, GPS No
PK
Dist
Timing Point
253.47
254.92
00.00
01.45
00.00
02.51
04.62
00.00
02.14
04.51
07.25
10.34
00.00
03.36
08.24
12.37
15.12
17.01
00.00
04.11
05.53
00.00
00.93
02.30
Boulogne
Tintelleries
257.43
259.54
261.68
264.05
266.79
269.88
273.24
278.12
282.25
285.00
286.89
291.00
292.42
293.35
294.72
OB Motorway
Wimille
Aubengue
Wacquinghem
OB
Marquise
Le Haut Banc
Caffiers
Pihen
PK 285
Fréthun
OB
Les Fontinettes
OB
Calais Ville
Min Sec
Run
01
02
01
03
03
01
02
03
05
06
02
04
06
07
09
10
02
04
04
01
03
12
47
10
59½
27
55
38½
43
53
47
14
19
40
34½
53½
27
18
53
27
57
12
55
Km/h
6½L /80
5½L
114/132
3½L
118
140/142/138*
140
2L
125/137/112
116/140
139
88*/96
Min Sec
Km/h
Min Sec
Run 14
½L
03
38
30
11
16
82
05
06
07
09
20
24½
36½
02½
12
14
51
43
77/79
72/70
18
38
104
10
12
15
16
19
32
58½
02½
57
35
21
26
29
12
32
26
72/51
56
104
31
59
122
35
15
110*/117
65*
38
54 ½L
134/132
135/139
135*/124
133/132
135/132
133/111
113
130/133
52*s/59/XL
RT
1L /99
79*
RT /59
59
1L
Km/h
Run 13
½L
01
57
85
108/107
03 24½
111
04 22½
136/137
The MUD in Run 12 had been delayed from Etaples by the late running Paris train on which I
had reached Boulogne (see last article); after that sluggish BB 674XX it was a pleasure to
record this lively effort. The diesel AGCs are almost as powerful as the electric version
(1,800 HP) and starts were consistently good: note the acceleration up 1 in 125 from
Marquise. With the help of 2½ minutes saved in stations we regained 6½ minutes and were
on time leaving Les Fontinettes but then, as is often the case, the final timing was too tight.
Overall time to Calais was 31m 59s, or 28m 50s running time – 10 minutes less than the
non-stop steam run of 1964. The TGV (Run 13) passed Pihen in only just over half the time
of the Pacific but then made a very slow approach to Fréthun. Another run on a similar
working timed by Jeremy Hartill started a little more slowly and remained 10-15 seconds
behind to Pihen but finished much more quickly to stop in 18m 29s, so Run 13 was perhaps
checked here in addition to approach control. The Pacific, finally, ran in the same style as on
the Amiens-Boulogne stage: a very subdued start then steady working with no marked effort
uphill but full line speed on the final descent. This was just right for a timekeeping run to
Calais.
Milepost 35¾
-270 -
January 2015
Conclusion
Most of the changes on French railways since 1964 are due to the creation of the LGV
network, and progress here is often contrasted with stagnation of the heritage system. But
the repeat of my 1964 circuit, with four days of travel exclusively on old routes, showed that
fragmentation of the system goes much further than this simple binary division. The heritage
network itself now seems to be composed of oases of modernisation in a desert of neglect.
Seen from privatised Britain, the SNCF must appear monolithic. But the contrasts – for
example between the busy regional networks around Clermont-Ferrand or NarbonneMontpellier-Nîmes and the near-abandoned state of the Cévennes and Causse routes that
connect them, or between Calais with its brand-new fleets of AGCs and Chartres with its
service to Paris tied to the performance levels of an obsolete loco class – are at least as
great as any that can be seen north of the Channel.
A FOUR CAPITALS WEEKEND
Derek Wilson.
My youngest daughter lives in Luxembourg and invited my wife and I to visit her in early
December 2013. The following is an account of our journeys. I have not included any logs as
no noteworthy performances were recorded I but hope that RPS members will find my
account of some interest.
4 December 2013 THE FIRST CAPITAL
Class 333 EMU No. 333011 arrived at Bingley the regulation Northern franchise three
minutes late from Skipton, but despite the four minutes allowed for the 0.74 miles from
Saltaire to Shipley and with a clear run from there into Leeds only a one minute early arrival
was managed.
Class 91 No. 91109 Sir Bobby Robson (not as I once heard a dyslexic Geordie girl call it Sir
Robby Bobson) worked the 1145 service to Kings Cross. A TSR of 5 mph on the approach to
and through Wakefield Westgate lost just over a minute, easily recovered by an unchecked
run to Doncaster. Leaving there on the slow line we were soon overtaken by a non-stop
service from York, but regained the fast line before Rossington for an unchecked run to
Peterboough, arrival being seven seconds ahead of schedule.
The run to London was hampered by a TSR to 76 mph between Huntingdon and
St. Neots and a signal check to 27 mph just after Alexandra Palace, meaning arrival into
Kings Cross was one minute later than the 51 minute schedule.
5 December 2013
A day travelling around the capital on a Zones 1 to 6 Travel Card. By the way, for those of
slightly more mature years, production of a Senior Railcard at a station booking office entitles
you to the regulation 33% discount.
I ended my overland rail journeys at Liverpool Street, where I can recommend a visit to Unit
32 on the concourse which is Wetherspoon’s Hamilton Hall pub. The first floor was
previously the ballroom of the Great Eastern Hotel which has been restored to its former
glory, providing good cheap ale in a marvellous setting. A journey on one of the new S7 tube
trains ended that day’s travel.
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
6 December 2013 THE SECOND AND THIRD CAPITALS
A not-too-early start saw us at St. Pancras to catch the 0857 Eurostar to Brussels Midi. Sets
373011/012 made punctual stops at Ebbsfleet and Lille Europe; arrival at Brussels was 2½
minutes early.
Having lost an hour as we were now on European time, we headed across the square from
the station where there are a selection of bars, cafes and restaurants.
Having eaten well and washed our meal down with a decent Belgian beer, it was back to the
station to purchase our Arlon to Luxembourg tickets. Before travelling on Eurostar we had
purchased advance tickets to any Belgian station and although extension tickets may be
purchased on the train a premium is charged.
Two empty Belgian Railway (SNCB) three-car electric units Nos. 520 and 505 arrived to work
the 1333 service to Luxembourg. Although the line is due to be upgraded, progress is very
slow and the end date keeps getting put back; I believe it is now 2016/17 before completion.
The 143 mile journey is scheduled to take 187 minutes at an average speed of just under 46
mph. Hardly qualifying for its Inter City Express status, one of the main drawbacks is that
trains call at four other Brussels stations taking 40 minutes before reaching Ottignies in the
suburbs. Further stops at Gembloux, Namur, Ciney, Marloie, Jemelle, Libramont Marbehan
and Arlon (the Belgian border town) are made before the final 17 1/3 miles are timed at 20
minutes for a start to stop speed of 52 mph. Needless to say, an on time arrival is almost
always guaranteed at Luxembourg.
7 December 2013
A Luxembourg Day Rover ticket costs €4 (£3.20) and is available for travel on trains and
buses from the moment it is validated before your first journey, until 8 o’clock the following
morning.
The only disappointment of the day was the cancellation of the 0820 service to Norddeich
Mole for unexplained ‘technical’ reasons, passengers being bussed forward to Trier from
where the train was due to start. This is one of the last services allocated for haulage by a
DB Class 181, which takes it as far as Koblenz where the train reverses. The loco then works
a similar train back to Luxembourg.
A day of total electric haulage was only broken by having to take a DB Class 628 two-car
diesel unit on one journey from Wasserbilig to the Capital.
8 December 2013 FOURTH CAPITAL
On our arrival two days earlier, our daughter had told us to pack a small overnight bag and
be prepared for another high speed train journey. She had found out there was an amazingly
cheap return available to Paris as a result of a promotion between French and Luxembourg
railways.
Thus we found ourselves at a reserved table on TGV set 509, an eight-car twin voltage set
departing Luxembourg at 1011, calling only at Thionville and Metz for an arrival at Paris Est
just over two hours later. The reason there is no log is because: (a) it was the first time I had
travelled on the high speed line from Metz, and (b) it was one of those bright, hard December
days with the sun shining directly through the window making identification of anything very
difficult. On the way back it was dark as we left the Paris suburbs.
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
Our arrival into Est station was two minutes early with a maximum speed of 202 mph and I
was surprised to see one of the most powerful at 3,550 hp diesel locos, No. CC 72186 acting
as station pilot (almost like having a Deltic on ECS duties at Kings Cross).
Paris, two Sundays before Christmas was, to say the least, very busy. To escape the crowds
we took a ride on one of the boats that cruise up and down the Seine. It passed a pleasant
hour or so, but our return to dry land saw the crowds thicker than ever as the Christmas
markets were now in full swing. A retreat to our hotel, a very pleasant meal and so, as they
say, to bed.
9 December 2013
Today it was decided that we should lunch in the restaurant at the top of the Pompidou
Centre. From Gare de l’Est this involved a change of Metro trains after a couple of stops. The
second train was rather full and even though it was well after the morning rush should have
finished, it was still standing room only. It was just after leaving another stop that I felt a hand
in my pocket.
Events then moved very rapidly; as I recoiled, three people appeared. One handcuffed the
owner of the hand, another did the same to his accomplice who was lurking by the door and
the third produced an identity card showing she was a member of the Civil Police. All five of
us alighted at the next station, where my wife and daughter both discovered that their
handbags had been opened, but nothing had been taken. The two in handcuffs were made
to sit on the platform, backs to a wall, arms held out in front of them and legs straight out.
Fortunately my daughter speaks French fluently and translated the officers’ questions and
my replies. Apparently the police had been following the two for some while and wanted to
catch them in the act, which they did. On searching the man who receives the pickpockets’
haul, a cornucopia of cash, credit cards, identity cards, driving licences and even passports
was revealed.
As a result I now carry my wallet in a shirt pocket, under a sweater or a fleece. Coincidentally
when we arrived home, we heard from a friend who had had his wallet stolen at the Gare du
Nord - it contained his money, his credit cards, his passport & his onward & return tickets.
After thanking the police we waited for an emptier Metro train where we could sit together
and discuss the events so far, a conversation which carried on through and after lunch.
Returning to the Gare de l’Est, TGV set 535 had our reserved table waiting and was two
minutes late into Metz, perhaps because it only reached 198 mph. A further two minutes was
lost to Thionville and despite it being Sunday evening signal checks on our approach due to
congestion at Luxembourg station meant a further loss of 2¾ minutes. So ended a rather
eventful day.
10 December 2013
Returning to the station to catch the 1020 Luxembourg - Brussels service we found SNCB
Antwerp-based 6,970 hp Bo-Bo No. 1338 at the head of five of the relatively new Belgian
double deck coaches. Fourteen stops and three hours later we were back at Brussels Midi.
As we had lunch on the train, a stroll over to the restaurant area for another Belgian beer,
and then it was time to head back for the 1456 Eurostar to London with sets 373207/208
calling at Lille Europe, three minutes early, and Ebbsfleet, 1¼ minutes late due to a TSR to
75 mph in the section after the English crossover. The run in to St. Pancras was taken at full
line speed resulting in a 7½ minute early arrival and because we had regained our lost hour it
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
was now just after four o’ clock. The rush hour had barely started so we both had seats on
another S7.
11 December 2013
Finally to Kings Cross, where HST power car No. 43290 at the head with No. 43299 at the
rear were waiting to work the 1105 service to Leeds. First stop Peterborough was half-aminute late due to adverse signals outside the station. Before the next stop, Doncaster, we
were held for five minutes waiting for a platform. A TSR to 18 mph on leaving meant another
¾ minute loss to Wakefield, and finally a signal stop of just over a minute outside Leeds
meant a 6½ minute late arrival. Fortunately, we were put into Platform 6 so, with the
assistance of a helpful conductor holding Class 333 EMU No. 333016 on the 1326 Skipton
service for at least a dozen passengers, our travelling was over.
So after about 1,600 miles and some unexpected excitement, in the words of the song, ‘It’s
very nice to go travelling, but it’s so much nicer to come home.’
LETTERS
Sir,
I read Martin Barrett’s article in Milepost 35½ regarding East Coast sectional running times
with a strong sense of déjà vu. In 1997 I had similar concerns about IC125s between
Newcastle and King’s Cross not achieving their net times and my letter on the subject was
published in Milepost 18¼. John Heaton responded at length in Milepost 18½ in a letter
which is well worth re-reading. The correspondence was continued in the letters pages of
Milepost 18¾.
Martin compares his May 2013 “almost perfect” runs up from York with the RPS fastest time
achieved by 1E13, the 1400 from Glasgow Central on 17th June 1992. By coincidence that
fastest time was submitted by me. I joined the train in Newcastle. After a station stop at
York King’s Cross was reached in 151 minutes 33 seconds, 5 minutes 25 better than the
current Newcastle – King’s Cross fastest time. The run included a 56 second signal stop
near Aycliffe, a trs 90 at Barkston and a 36 second signal stop after Finsbury Park.
In order to test Martin’s philosophy “that raising line speeds ‘at the top end’ would not save
substantial amounts of time” I decided to calculate the 1992 run’s net non-stop time from
Newcastle. The Aycliffe stop cost 3 minutes 12 and the other about 4 minutes 21.
Estimating the time lost at York proved revealing. 1E13 took 12 minutes 10.3 seconds from
passing MP 4, north of York, at 125¾ mph to passing MP 181 at 124¼ mph. The station
stop took 2 minutes 45.9 seconds, leaving a running time of 9 minutes 24.4 seconds. This
appears to be unremarkable, being within 17 seconds of the first 3 York stoppers I compared
it with. I then compared the running time with 16 uninhibited non-stop runs through York in
the summer of 1992. Their average was 8 minutes 43. Hence a typical Class 91-powered
York stop adds only about 42 seconds plus the dwell time to the overall time. That did
surprise me.
The net non-stop time was calculated thus:
Actual time Newcastle – King’s Cross:
Time lost at Aycliffe:
Time lost at York:
Time lost on the final approach:
Net non-stop time Newcastle – King’s Cross:
Milepost 35¾
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151:33.1
-3:12.3
-3:27.5
-4:20.9
140:30.4
January 2015
The loss on the final approach was made in comparison with the only unimpeded run into
Platform 6 that I have logged, on 1E01, the 0630 from Edinburgh, on 14th November 1994.
That made Newcastle to King’s Cross in 157 minutes 37, including 1 minute 30 standing at
York. Speed never exceeded 126mph and was about 4mph below the limit for most of the
journey.
I’m not suggesting that the above proves anything or contradicts Martin’s philosophy but it
does demonstrate that the 156 minutes allowed for the only Newcastle – King’s Cross nonstop run in the current timetable [1E01 0540 from Edinburgh] is well within the capabilities of
a Class 91. Similarly, the 114 minutes allowed up from York in 2013 shows a desire to avoid
penalties for late running rather than an enthusiasm to run a decent service. On 27 th March
1995 90020 + 9 + DVT did the journey in 110 minutes 24 without exceeding 110mph – see
Milepost 16½.
John Irving
Martin Barrett comments:
Dear David
I read John Irving’s letter with interest and his article in Milepost 17¾, also the subsequent
follow up in various Mileposts in the following year. My first thoughts were ‘nothing has
changed’, but then on reflection I came to the conclusion that quite a lot has changed.
Over the past 17 years there have been many changes: we now have the running brake test
to contend with at the start of each journey and every crew change, also the advent of
defensive (professional) driving which, on occasions together with TPWS, leads to funereal
approach to stations. The advent of on-train monitoring now restrains all but the most
reckless driver from exceeding the limit by more than 2 or 3 mph. Re-reading the
correspondence of 1997, it was never pointed out that each sectional running time could be
up to 24 seconds out as times are rounded down to the half minute (except at destination),
so losing a few seconds here or there cannot be accurately assessed when comparing with
the WTT schedule.
As regards the stop at York, I believe 0.7 minutes is quite feasible – 0.2 to stop from 30mph
and 0.5 to accelerate to 30mph, the speed a non-stop would be going at Holgate Bridge (rear
of train only just clearing the 30mph station restriction). In fact trains stopping at York often
just exceed 30 mph at this point.
I do not dispute that Newcastle to Kings Cross can be run in 156 minutes – checking
www.realtimetrains.co.uk on Monday 17 November showed that the journey took only 155
minutes. The real question is ‘could it do it in the net time of 147½ minutes’? If you take the
time of 103m32s in my run of 18 May, delete 30 seconds for the slow start due to wet rails,
then another 30 seconds for passing York this leaves 45 minutes for Newcastle start to York
pass. Bearing in mind the fastest time (recorded in 1992) stopping at York is 45m56s with
speeds up to 130mph, I think it would be unlikely.
With the increased accuracy of the monitoring by www.realtimetrains, with accuracy now shown
to ¼ minute soon we will be able to ‘time’ trains without actually being on them, the main
problem with this is the accuracy of the signal berth offsets. As mentioned in my article,
arrivals at King Cross are still incorrect and a quick crosscheck between rtt and actual on 14
November showed the actual arrivals were about ½ minute later than the recorded time.
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
The one thing you really need for a good run is luck – and everything else to be slightly out of
course. As regards my published run on 27 May 2013, which was virtually clear, I
congratulated the driver on arrival and he said it was the best run he had ever had and just
kept going as the signals were green all the way to Finsbury Park. On examining rtt for the
supposed conflictions I discovered every other train that morning was late except for the one
I was on. Good luck indeed.
Spies like us – (Also, please see article on page 245)
Due to file configuration problems, the log that should have accompanied the “Spies like Us”
article in Milepost 35½ was omitted. We apologies for this, and print the missing log below:
Date:
Train:
TOC:
Locos:
Load:
Recorder:
Distance
km
0.0
Monday 2 June 2014
15.39 Nürnberg - Crailsheim (- Karlsruhe)
Deutsche Bahn
Class 101 Bo-Bo leading and Class 120 Bo-Bo at rear
6 coaches, 284 tonnes tare
Rode in 5th coach
vs
Location
Actual
PTT
m:s
0.00
Nürnberg
m:s
RT
Sigs
3.20
4.24
5.29
6.12
7.29
8.45
9.15
11.15
Sigs/TSR
14.42
Sigs/TSR
18.58
21.39
3.0
5.2
7.7
9.3
12.1
14.7
15.8
20.1
Nürnberg-Schweinau
Nürnberg-Stein
Unterasbach
Oberasbach
Anwanden
Rosstal
Rosstal Wegbrücke
Raitersaich
25.4
Heilsbronn
32.5
37.0
Wicklesgreuth
Sachsen bei Ansbach
43.7
Ansbach
10.1
23.4
34.7
Leutershausen-Wiedersbach
Dombühl
Schnelldorf
5.59
12.04
17.09
46.7
Crailsheim
25.21
Arr
Dep
26.00
27.46
Speeds
km/h
132
125/122
126
132
69
98/117
90
92
108
117
max
+0.14
+0.39
127
140
121
125
max
David
Like the rest of us I keep a relatively low profile whilst timing and nowadays a lot of my fellow
travellers are wrapped up in their own digital world. However , the odd comment is still
passed, the most recent this summer on a Manchester to Wolverhampton Voyager where an
attractive business lady sat next to me at Stockport. From her lengthy telephone
conversation with her mother (works both ways!) I gleaned she was getting off at
Birmingham. I was in full milepost gathering mode as she proceeded to work on her laptop
which I had to get past after Bushbury Jn. Giving her plenty of warning resulted in a pleasant
chat about train timing but I never got round to explaining the GPS unfriendliness of these
trains.
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
The opposite side has rarely been encountered with the worst examples firstly on a Perth
(Australia) emu (sorry, Malcolm) where a young man seemed to enjoy saying "you're a train
spotter ha ha" in a loud voice on a busy train. The second time was extremely worrying on a
1998 Havant to Reading trip with a class 158. It was a lightly loaded service with an overattentive trolley person wandering up and down the train in search of a sale/entertainment. I
switched sides at Guildford shortly before the driver left his cab and came charging down the
aisle straight at me. Hardly anyone was on board as he shouted at me saying I should have
got permission from him before timing the train etc etc. Fortunately the brief station stop cut
him short but I wondered if we passengers were safe in his hands as he had obviously not
had his mind completely on the job. No possee of BTP officers awaited me at Reading; thank
you Mr Trolleyman, the prime suspect. Needless to say I still fail to obtain any driver's
"permission" to this day.
Ian Umpleby
The following is an extract of correspondence between Chris Burton and John Heaton
regarding the award of the East Coast franchise to Stagecoach
John
The new Stagecoach franchise promotes the accelerated schedules feasible with the new
IEP, which is good. Only thing is; I'm puzzled that acceleration to Leeds appears to be
quicker by a minute than to Edinburgh. Could it be really true that north of Doncaster there is
no scope for faster times over the 237 miles to Edinburgh. Have I misread/interpreted the
claim; does the proposed stopping pattern prevent this (just where acceleration would be
most beneficial)? Your more perceptive views would be welcome.
Chris
Chris
My first impression is that Stagecoach will follow in the footsteps of GNER and National as
over-reaching themselves. East Coast standby team at the ready! They do not say where the
capacity for extra trains is coming from without four-tracking Welwyn etc. If anyone beats the
first group team they have usually paid over the odds. Starting a few early trains at
Huddersfield or Stirling is pretty inconsequential as it is from Skipton at present with as few
as 10pax leaving Leeds in the evening (I speak as an ex-Huddersfield lad myself) As for
2hrly trains to Bradford and Harrogate, I think they will find an extra trip to London or
Newcastle will earn more money, as previous operators have found. The £25m on stations
(over the franchise or even yearly?) must be a reduction on the present expenditure. I can’t
see a commitment to inclusive first class food anywhere.
As for the time benefits- there is insufficient to see how and where the time will be saved.
Looking at the two routes separately, Leeds is easy in 119min at present with one stop. If
you make hourly trains Wakefield only, or via Hambleton nonstop, alternate trains can be
119min now. Perhaps the other half hour will be Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham,
Doncaster, Wakefield - if so the arrivals will be so near to each other at Leeds that it will
seem like an hourly fast service – so it might spread loadings better. Equally BR used to do
4hrs to Edinburgh with York and Newcastle stops so it should be easy with just Newcastle.
BR's 4hrs involved substandard recovery time but high-priority regulating. They didn’t
achieve 4hrs often enough, but some of that was due to Railtrack. I used to think Hitachi new
trains looked unsatisfactory but at least it will prevent a build of ecml Pendolinos, in terms of
comfort.
Another factor that has disappointed me is the amount to be spent on refurbishment.
£13.4million? This does not amount to much per vehicle. The good thing was the retention of
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
some Mk4 sets, although I still do not understand how they will find paths at Welwyn Viaduct
for most of the day. How about running Stevenage -Leeds all stations, so one of the hourly
KX-Leeds can be Wakefield only?
4hrs to Edinburgh with one Newcastle stop amounts to no acceleration at all, as the up 05.40
does that already and 2hrs to Leeds is possible with a Wakefield only stop is the same with
1hr 59 on the up at present. The essence of acceleration therefore appears likely to be
gained from station stop removal (Peterborough, Doncaster and Wakefield for Leeds and
York, Darlington and Berwick for Scottish services) and probably tidying up the current
hotchpotch of timetable allowances (including those extended SRTs that have crept in and
are not even shown as allowances). Somehow, a few extra Edinburgh trains and 6/7 trains
running in 4hrs by 2019 does not seem to be much answer to air competition.
John
NEWS
Network Developments
Improvements continue apace on the Network with one major scheme completed, the
upgrade of the Joint Line from Peterborough via Lincoln to Doncaster, where speeds of up to
75 mph can now be attained for substantial stretches as opposed to the former 55-60 mph.
The first use by diverted ECML trains is scheduled for the end of February. Other PSR
improvements have been through Conisbrough Tunnel, between Swinton and Doncaster,
where a long standing 50 mph PSR has been returned to the 75 mph line speed, and east of
Gospel Oak on the Barking Line. On the Cambrian Lines the new Pont Briwet near
Penryndeudraeth has seen a modest increase but the speed profile between Shrewsbury
and Newtown has been smoothed out leading to lower speeds in a number of locations and
the loss of the 145kph/90mph top speed. A further attempt to increase the line speed over
Ladybank Junction towards Perth was postponed again at the end of 2014. Extra capacity
has been provided between Southampton Parkway with the extension southwards of the Up
slow line from Eastleigh. The vast remodelling exercise at Reading is nearing completion
with the diversion of the Bristol Main Lines over Reading Viaduct west of the station to avoid
conflict with freight trains using Reading West curve; speeds remain slow in the area
however. Further east Stockley Bridge flyover has been commissioned at Heathrow Airport
Junction; the bi-directional line here connects the Relief Lines with the Airport Line increasing
capacity on the Mains. Perhaps the most exciting scheme, the Borders Railway, has had the
basic tracklaying completed and we wait to see if the proposed regular steam service comes
to fruition at the September opening date. The London Bridge remodelling scheme has
started in earnest and will last for about 3 years. The most significant part of this exercise is
the splitting of the tracks east of the station with services from the bay platforms serving
destinations via Peckham Rye and East Croydon and the through platforms the rest. The
Filton Bank (Bristol) quadrupling work has started as has electrification work between
Glasgow (Cowlairs) and Edinburgh (Newbridge Junction). The relocation of Bromsgove
station is at an early stage with the remodelling of tracks in the area causing attachment of
Lickey Banking engines to be restricted to the Up Goods. Initial work is progressing at Norton
Bridge in connection with the new flyover taking Stone bound trains over the WCML Fast
Lines. At Heighington on the Bishop Auckland branch small scale line improvements have
been made to facilitate a connection to the new Hitachi train building facility which will
incorporate an electrified test track. Tracklaying is well advanced on the reintroduction of
double track between Chester (Saltney Junction) and Rossett Jn towards Wrexham. The
new Marylebone to Oxford Parkway service starts in a few months and the latter station is
structurally complete. Chiltern have made a surprise announcement that after the service is
extended to Oxford itself the service will continue over the Cowley freight line to Oxford
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
Business Park. In South Wales the new platforms at Cardiff Queen Street are now in use
allowing segregation of services to avoid conflict. A new south facing bay has been opened
at Pontypridd and at Cardiff Central a new platform on the south side is almost structurally
complete. Crossrail work is now starting to affect overground lines with enabling work
progressing from the west portal along the Great Western Main Lines. A reversing siding has
been installed at Chadwell Heath. On the signalling front the much delayed East Sussex
scheme should come on stream on the 16th February; that at Wolverhampton has been
postponed UFN. Resignalling at Watford Junction has provided direct access to the St
Albans Abbey Line. The Medway area scheme is progressing with a relocated Rochester
station and west bay at Rainham being two of the more tangible benefits. The delayed North
West Electrification works have meant that the target for the first emus in service has
dropped back from December to February. Electric trains from Glasgow to Whifflet started in
December which gave planners the opportunity to change several well established service
patterns in the Glasgow area. The Barnt Green to Bromsgove electrification is going ahead
and that to Windermere has been approved. Work on the GWML electrification continues
apace. Just one station has seen reopening in the last three months that at Pye Corner on
the Ebbw Vale line; it is confidently announced in the local press that the Ebbw Vale Town
extension will open this year. Newts/slow worms have set back the opening dates for Ilkeston
and Newcourt (Exeter) respectively and Reading Green Park is unlikely to be built in the next
two years. Stations at Bermuda Park and Coventry Arena between Nuneaton and Coventry
are under construction with Work at Kenilworth further south starting this summer. Work on a
new platform (zero) at the north-east side of Doncaster station has just begun. Hamilton
Square (Birkenhead) is in the middle of a long closure for renovation work. In Ireland the
railways seem to be recovering from the effects of the long recession with the most recent
subsidy held at the previous year’s level. An attempt to run a luxury passenger train over the
mothballed Rosslare to Waterford line last September partly succeeded as it ran but without
its passengers who were taken by coach despite having paid up to 4000 euros for the week
on board!
Ian Umpleby
RTT DOES HERITAGE
To commemorate the introduction of the prototype HST on the Great Central Railway, it has
been equipped with GPS equipment to monitor its progress, and which communicates with
RTT, to be reported in the normal format.
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
KING’S CROSS in ‘N’ GAUGE – John Heaton
Many members will be familiar with our colleague Paul Walker’s superb model railway based
on King’s Cross in the late 1950s. It ventures out from his Frampton Mansell home in the
Cotswolds only rarely but it has won acclaim at model railway shows.
On Sat/Sun 16/17th May 2015 it will be on display at the Village Hall, Frampton Mansell in a
charity event Paul and his wife have arranged in aid of ‘The Railway Children’. The show
lasts from 10.00 to 16.00 (17.00 Sat) and costs £3 for adults (free for children in full time
education).The railway will be working to a timed programme of operation with which I have
been delighted to have been involved devising.
The King’s Cross building itself is a masterpiece. There are long freight and coal trains and
many of your favourite loco classes. Instead of a ‘fiddle yard’ for marshalling the trains, Paul
has imaginatively constructed a countryside scene at the north end of his Gasworks Tunnel
and a North Eastern marshalling yard beyond that.
Paul would be delighted to see any RPS members, friends and family who could come along.
Frampton Mansell is to be found 6 miles from both Cirencester and Stroud, signposted off
the A419. The Village Hall is then also signposted.
Paul has kindly held an ‘open house’ visit for Bristol Group members in the past and would
be happy to host any members who would like to see the layout (and even ‘have a go’) if
they cannot make the exhibition. He would probably be able to organise a lift to and from
Kemble station in such cases. He can be contacted on 01285 760211 or by e-mail at
[email protected]
Mass Timing Days – 2014 and 2015
Milepost 35¾
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January 2015
You should have received the 2014 EMT Mass Timing Day Booklet with this RPS
distribution. Copies of the booklet were sent to East Midland Trains at the end of October.
According to David Horne, their MD, the Performance Manager was extremely impressed by
the work which had been done on the day and found the results very useful. They were very
grateful for all our efforts.
They think it would be great if we would consider a follow-up exercise during 2015 (after the
final TSRs had been removed), and that their team would really gain benefit from it.
Their reaction reflects great credit to the RPS and all participants. We have agreed to the
follow-up exercise, and will contact you again when arrangements have been agreed. It’s
possible that the event may be extended to cover two consecutive days (Fri/Sat).
THEORY and PRACTICE; CAUSE and EFFECT
1 Hereford-Birmingham - David Ashley
The compiler who created the timetable for the hourly Hereford to Birmingham LM service
must have thought he had pulled it off when he arranged the threading of the train through
the numerous single line sections on the route. The sections are shown on the log as a thick
line beside the station bank (The single line section through Worcester ends at Tunnel
Junction between Foregate St and Fernhill Heath). The passing of a westbound train
towards the end of its journey, at Ledbury, with one only recently started at Hereford, is liable
to cause punctuality problems in passing the lateness of the westbound train onto the
eastbound one. The other problem is that a similar situation occurs 30 minutes later,
between Henwick and Tunnel Junction, when the train encounters the next Birmingham to
Hereford service. So, if a train is running late when arriving in the Worcester area, it could
affect the westbound service, or be further delayed itself. Experience on the day of my visit
certainly indicated that there were problems – with trains from the 0849 train from Hereford,
arriving in Birmingham 6L, 7L, 8L, 10L 1L, 31L, 9L, 1L, 3L and 11L respectively. My
experience was the worst of all, at 31L, and covered the problems mentioned above, and a
lot more besides. The log and comments are shown below.
In the other direction,
punctuality was slightly better, with trains 5L, 4L, 10L, 6L, 2L, 7L, 2L, 3L and 8L at Ledbury.
Hereford
Shelwick J
Ledbury
Ledbury
Malvern Wells
Henwick
Worcester F St
Worcester F St
Tunnel J
Droitwich Spa
Droitwich Spa
Stoke Works
Birmingham New St
Milepost 35¾
13:43
13:47
14:00
14:01
14:09
14:21
14:23
14:24
14:26
14:32
14:33
14:38
15:06
1349 BirminghamHereford
1249 BirminghamHereford
1343 HerefordBirmingham
WTT
14:13
14:00
Other problems noted in the area during the day
included:
0723 Warminster-Gt Malvern – Started Westbury 7L,
42L at Bath and terminated at Worcester Foregate
St 46L. Returning train to Brighton started at
Worcester Foregate St. rather than Gt Malvern - 4L
0921 Paddington-Worcester F St, terminated at
Twyford 83L
14:33
14:32
14:30
14:28
Replacement train for returning 0921 Paddington –
1206 from Worcester Foregate St.- was provided by
sending ECS from Oxford to Worcester non-stop in
52mins, presumably much to the annoyance of
intending passengers at the intermediate stations
waiting for the cancelled train.
-281 -
January 2015
1120 Paddington-Gt. Malvern terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill 20L.
Whilst it may be thought that the area is a backwater of the railway empire - the equivalent of
a rail Sleepy Hollow - the operations in this, at present, manually-signalled area can be quite
complex and require a fair degree of flexibility. The volume of traffic flowing through the
single track sections must be well in excess of the numbers anticipated when the track was
rationalised, and a lack of resilience is certainly evident.
Date
Train
Loco
Load formation
Recorder
Position/ GPS
miles
M C
0.00
51 05
1.73
49 27
4.38 145 40
7.60 142 22
10.88 139 00
13.76 136 09
0.00 136 09
4.20 131 73
0.00 131 73
1.76 130 12
2.81 129 08
0.00 129 08
1.14 127 77
0.00 127 77
1.69 126 22
Sch.
[1]
4.0
16.5
17.5
5.5
6.0
4.0
5.0
2.0
3.0
2.0
[1]
7.0
8.0
9.5
6.15
6.79
0.00
2.95
5.89
0.00
1.86
4.20
6.35
0.00
2.23
3.59
6.15
7.21
8.71
121
121
120
123
126
126
127
130
55
55
53
51
49
48
47
65
14
18
14
09
09
78
25
31
31
13
64
19
14
59
Henwick
Worcester F St
Worcester F St
Fernhill Heath
Droitwich Spa
Droitwich Spa
M5
Stoke Works J
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Blackwell
Barnt Green
Longbridge
Northfield
Kings Norton
10.81
45
51
Selly Oak
11.48
0.00
1.81
2.68
Note
1
44
44
43
42
78
78
13
24
University
University
Five Ways
BIRMINGHAM New St
2
Milepost 35¾
Timing Point
HEREFORD
Shelwick J
Withington
Stoke Edith
139
Ledbury
Ledbury
Colwall
Colwall
Malvern Wells
Gt Malvern
Gt Malvern
Malvern Link
Malvern Link
Newland East
8.0
9.0
5.5
9.0
10.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
[1]
13.5
[1.5]
16.0
16.5
[1]
6.5
W17-12-14
1343 Hereford-Birmingham
170507
2
D Ashley
1/2 Y
m s
mph
0 00 /41/ss 3m T
7 24 28
10 33 69/66
12 29 69
15 16 68/70
19 30
20 04 3L /67
6 02
6 47 4L /42
4 17 12/ss 4m/47
11 12
11 57 11L /49
2 22
3 06 11L /42
3 35 sig stop
5 22 /75 ss4m
16 19 38
17 40
19 16 20L
4 51 69/74
8 05
8 55 20L
2 55 58/63/ss3m
10 20 27/50
14 03
14 46 25L /31max
4 42 34
6 24 59/50
9 05 71
10 16 38/41
13 15 10sigs/34
18
08
30sigs
19
20
3
8
57
49
33
24
31L /40
28sigs/ss1m
31L (WTT)
ave
Note
14.0
50.5
69.3
70.6
40.9
1
41.8
24.7
9.1
2
28.8
28.3
3
4
21.0
28.3
36.5
54.5
38.3
18.9
34.7
28.4
48.1
57.3
53.9
30.2
5
6
25.8
21.9
30.6
10.7
1314 Hereford-Paddington departed 4min late, which caused 8min delay to the 1022
Paddington-Hereford leaving Ledbury. This caused the signal stop to the 1343
Hereford-Birmingham at Shelwick J
The 1359 Gt Malvern-Dorridge was late turning at Malvern Wells, and was 9min late
departing Gt Malvern. The 1343 Hereford-Birmingham could not leave Malvern Wells
-282 -
January 2015
until the 1359 was clear of Newland East
3
No obvious reason for delay at Newland E, unless the signalman at Henwick had locked
himself in the toilet again!
4
They slipped the 1349 Birmingham-Hereford on the single line through Worcester F St,
between the 1359 Gt Malvern-Dorridge and 1343 Hereford
5
The 0940 Penzance-Manchester was allowed ahead of 1343 Hereford-Birmingham at
Stoke Works. Via Camp Hill
6
Following 1455 Redditch-Lichfield City through to New St.
2 Exeter-Leeds
- Ian Umpleby
The 30th October 2014 Bristol meeting brought with it the promise of good weather so I made
the decision to base a mini break around it. The choice of destination on the second day did
not need much thought as the question of unsound mileposting of the Barnstaple branch
needed to be addressed with detailed GPS readings. Coming back to Leeds was not a
problem with an hourly direct service from Exeter until after teatime, but the prospect of a
near 5 hour trip on a Voyager in darkness could not be countenanced unless totally
unavoidable. A quick check confirmed that 1624 was still booked for an HST so I planned the
day around it. The 0810 from Temple Meads ran punctually, as did the Barnstaple
connection, and I enjoyed a gorgeously warm sunny day in North Devon using the bus to
visit Bideford and (for the first time), Appledore. The 1443 from Barnstaple delivered me back
on time in St Davids and it was pleasing to hear the tannoy announce the approach of a
seven coach train with the added bonus of the First Class being at the rear where the
majority of passengers were waiting. A window facing airline “seat available” was found
without problem in the first coach so all I had to do was sit back and just ride home in what is
probably the best TOC HST for comfort and ambience. What could possibly go wrong?
Well actually nothing much initially as the summary log shows – the full log can be found on
the web site. The first two sections to Tiverton Parkway and Taunton firstly threatened and
secondly beat the President’s post 2008 fastest times much to my surprise - I don’t visit
Devon that often – but were many seconds from an all time record of course. It was getting
dark by Yatton so the reduced interior reflections and soundproofing compared with a
Voyager came in handy for the timer. The checked approach to Temple Meads was no big
surprise as we were slightly ahead of time. The front coach was at its busiest from here to
Parkway as we set off on time, a scenario that was not to be revisited. Darkness tends to
mask slow running but it was obvious, even without looking at the GPS, that something was
amiss. The Severn Branch trains had been running a few minutes late during the afternoon
and the 1713 left 7 minutes late increasing to 9 mins at Stapleton Road following a 3 minute
stop there – source Realtime Trains. The following 1721 to Cardiff left a minute late and its
lateness inevitably increased impacting on our 1730 departure. Still, a 3 minute late
departure from Parkway was not a worry as we sped towards Westerleigh, but the brakes
went on before Wickwar where no planned temporary speed restriction was in place. Rewind
to Bristol Parkway where the 1407 Manchester Piccadilly – Paignton left at 1718, 24 minutes
late, after steadily losing time from Stafford. The 1712 to Weston-super-Mare was held back
to follow it from the north side platform which brought into play the 1654 freight from
Avonmouth to Ratcliffe due away from Parkway at 1719 but now 9 minutes late. This was
booked into Charfield loop but had no chance of outrunning us so we dropped 3 minutes,
eventually getting away from Cheltenham at 1816, 5 minutes late. With 40 mins to reach
New Street and an HST record at 38 mins 24 secs the chance of an on-time arrival was not
out of the question. However, 30 miles away the Cross City service was in a bit of disarray
with one southbound train the subject of a train crew dispute. There was a service departing
from Longbridge at 1832, which was scheduled to follow us from Kings Norton, but this was
the first train on a 10 minute interval service for 24 minutes that day. The brakes went on at
Barnt Green and an awfully long crawl into New Street followed and for what? A clear run
would have got us past Kings Norton less than a minute after the emu left there but the
Milepost 35¾
-283 -
January 2015
controllers had decided that the locals had been delayed enough. We could have gone via
Camp Hill for a punctual arrival with seven minutes to reverse at New Street but it was not to
be.
Date/day
Train
Motive Power
Load (tons)
Recorder/Position/GPS?
Weather
Miles
M
C
location
0.00 193 72 Exeter St Davids
3.70 190 16 Stoke Canon LC
8.39 185 41 Hele LC
12.46 181 35 Cullompton ob
16.56 177 27 Tiverton Parkway
0.00 177 27
2.59 174 60 Burlescombe ob
3.55 173 63 Whiteball Tunnel W
4.18 173 13 Whiteball Tunnel E
7.21 170 10 Wellington ob
9.69 167 52 Bradford LC
12.33 165
1
Norton Fitzwarren
12.88 164 37 Silk Mill ob
14.19 163 12 Taunton
0.00 163 12
4.75 158 32 Cogload Jn
11.56 151 47 Bridgwater
17.88 145 22 Highbridge
25.09 138
5
Uphill Junction
28.03 135 10 Worle Junction
32.84 130 25 Yatton
42.98 120 14 Parson Street
44.78 118 30 Bristol T Meads
0.00
0
3
0.95
0
79 Lawrence Hill
1.60
1
51 Stapleton Road
3.74
3
62 Horley
4.38
4
33 Filton A Wood
5.79 111 65 Bristol Parkway
0.00 111 65
4.66 107 12 Westerleigh J
6.24 119 59 Yate
10.63 115 28 Wickwar Tunnel N
12.86 113
9 Charfield ob
20.59 105 31 Cam & Dursley
25.96 100
1 Standish Jn
31.18
94
64 Tuffley J
33.11
92
20 Barnwood J
38.64
86
58 Cheltenham Spa
0.00
86
58
7.26
79
37 Ashchurch
17.98
68
60 Abbotswood J
29.23
57
40 Stoke Works J
31.35
55
30 Bromsgrove
33.55
53
14 Blackwell
37.50
49
18 Longbridge
40.06
47
58 Kings Norton
Milepost 35¾
-284 -
Friday 31st October 2014
1525 Plymouth - Leeds
43207/43285
7/238/255
I Umpleby;2/9
Clear/calm
m
s
mph
avge
0 00
RT
3 41
94/104
60.4
6 31
97/102
99.0
8 58
99/101
99.9
12 07
78.1
14 01
RT
3 00
80
51.7
3 43
87
81.6
4 07
96/102
93.1
5 56
101/99
100.5
7 25
102
100.1
8 59
98
100.7
9 19
97
99.0
11 02
45.8
12 58
RT
4 01
102/98
71.0
8 06
101/100
100.3
11 48
111/94
102.1
15 46
99
109.1
17 34
99
97.9
20 30
101
98.6
26 46
88/6/28
97.0
30 43
27.3
38 17
RT
3 06
31
18.4
5 04
14/65
19.8
7 51
62
46.1
8 31
44
56.9
11 23
29.6
13 21
3L
4 25
94/42
63.3
6 08
76/92
55.2
10 12
21
64.9
12 54
99/105
49.7
17 35
98/102
98.9
20 52
94/98/102
98.4
24 08
69
95.6
25 32
95/97
83.4
30 17
69.6
32 30
5L
5 31
102
79.0
12 00
90/65tsr
99.1
19 14
89
93.4
20 45
80
83.8
? ?
63/79
25 43
74
74.2
31 12
10/24
28.1
January 2015
Miles
42.16
44.59
45.49
0.00
1.59
3.81
7.66
17.34
24.78
30.23
0.00
2.15
4.69
5.64
6.13
9.58
10.98
0.00
5.27
M
45
43
42
42
40
38
34
23
16
10
10
8
6
5
4
1
127
127
133
C
50
16
24
24
57
39
51
57
22
66
66
54
11
15
56
20
66
66
8
location
Selly Oak
Five Ways
Birmingham New St
7.81
9.93
20.10
24.14
0.00
5.30
8.54
10.95
12.28
0.00
0.40
135
137
147
146
146
151
154
157
158
158
158
51
60
74
19
19
43
62
15
41
41
73
Belper
Ambergate J
Clay Cross
Chesterfield
3.36
5.01
10.43
18.11
18.88
22.06
24.75
27.01
28.70
0.00
2.49
4.31
7.34
9.19
9.49
10.11
161
163
166
11
166
169
171
174
175
175
178
180
183
185
185
185
70
42
77
28
0
15
70
11
66
66
25
11
13
1
25
75
Landor Street J
Bromford Bridge
Water Orton
Tamworth
Wichnor J
Burton on Trent
Clay Mills LC
Willington
North Staffs J
Stenson J
Pear Tree
Derby
Duffield
Dronfield
Dore Stn J
Heeley
Sheffield
Nunnery M Line J
Signal
stop
Meadowhall
Holmes LC
Swinton
Moorthorpe
South Kirkby J
Fitzwilliam
Hare Park J
Sandal
Wakefield W'gate
Outwood
Ardsley
Beeston Station
Copley Hill East J
Whitehall J
Leeds
m
37
45
49
54
4
9
13
18
22
28
0
2
4
4
4
6
9
11
5
s
28
32
50
11
12
19
04
46
42
53
00
34
06
38
53
51
46
52
26
6
11
17
20
22
4
7
9
12
15
1
6
7
8
10
14
19
20
23
24
27
30
0
3
4
7
9
10
12
59
20
21
47
07
37
05
09
52
11
43
35
09
09
23
25
43
37
12
52
02
37
00
25
45
10
46
20
40
mph
15/24
9
7L
34/39/8
15/90/40
52
122/124
41/19/95
15L
86
107
114
116/120
62
9L
107
56/5
76/112
110
9L
90
70/75
56/10
8L
24/63
30/61
54/101
97
50
50
93
100
53 sigs
14L
76/84
82
75/30
36
23
9L
avge
20.1
18.1
12.5
22.7
26.2
61.5
102.0
113.2
52.9
50.3
99.2
108.4
117.1
104.9
28.8
58.4
98.1
29.1
101.3
70.5
69.0
78.6
69.9
21.4
14.0
44.5
80.4
87.1
50.5
74.2
96.9
62.6
28.2
43.8
81.3
75.2
42.8
31.6
16.0
Seven minutes late from New Street was manageable with a less than onerous schedule
ahead and no timetabled trains in the way - if they were on time. So there was a sense of
disbelief when the brakes went on at Saltley and a taste of the surreal when a southbound
passenger train passed at speed on the left side. A few milliseconds later I remembered that
the Up Goods had recently been converted to an Up/Down Passenger loop and the train in
question proved to be an almost punctual 1810 Nottingham-Cardiff. Somewhere in the
distance was the punctual 1900 New Street to Central Rivers ECS which had been put on
the Slow Line for us to pass. The reason for these manoeuvres was the 1300 GlasgowPlymouth which had been steadily losing time and was 20 minutes late; the Cardiff arrived at
Milepost 35¾
-285 -
January 2015
its destination 2 mins late but, despite pulling back the deficit to 12 mins and running
normally over Whiteball, the Plymouth was terminated at Newton Abbot with adhesion
problems. There was a 40 tsr before normal running resumed until the brakes went on at
Barton to 19 mph for an unknown cause. We were thus 15 minutes late away from Burton
and the driver showed what could be done with a post 2008 RPS IC125 record run to Derby.
Now 9 mins late with about 4 minutes padding in the schedule to Chesterfield things were
looking promising as we blasted away. You know already what’s coming!
Up on Merseyside the 1652 to Nottingham was already 30 minutes down before it left
Liverpool and its 1928 Sheffield departure impacted on that to St Pancras at 1929. The latter
passed Ambergate Junction 6 minutes late which should have been of little relevance to our
train were it not for the fact that a train from Matlock was booked to follow it and duly did so
blocking our way. Nevertheless we lost no time to Chesterfield, thanks to a NorwichManchester train not being given preference, an apparent first for the journey, and had a half
decent run into Sheffield but still checked after Dore. Now 8 minutes late a reasonably clear
run would get us fairly close to time at Leeds but what is yonder light as we pull in. It is verily
a green light at the end of one of the bay platforms from which a class 142 bearing the
destination Leeds departs shortly after our arrival; this turns out to be a Dearne Valley
service. Cue signal checks to Rotherham with all hope of a proper punctual arrival gone. We
caught up a Doncaster to Leeds stopper at Sandal but I was past caring by then. The stopper
was due in Leeds at 2114 but made use of its recovery time to allow us to arrive just before
2115 almost 9 minutes late, a triumph for Cross Country’s statistics as we were “On Time”
i.e. less than 10 minutes late. 2 record runs, 4/12 sections unchecked, barrowloads of time
lost but still on time and, best of all, the 2130 bus home ran punctually.
HUDDERSFIELD TO MANCHESTER
Chris Taylor
The two runs in Milepost 35½ table 9 page 163 were quite slow on the climb from
Huddersfield to Marsden & could even have been operating on 2 out of the 3 engines and
this has prompted me to detail a couple of runs of my own from Huddersfield to Manchester
both Victoria & Piccadilly. Run 1 shows a run on one of the new Newcastle to Liverpool trains
with a respectable time from Huddersfield to Marsden. The start from Huddersfield to
Gledholt Junction was a little slow compared with a class 158 run. In comparison run 2 was
much faster & reaching the line speed of 75 mph. Both trains were running late. I have used
the electronic working timetable times on the Network Rail website rather than those on Real
Train Times website as I found inconsistencies in them. Run 2 was one of the fastest times I
have had from Huddersfield to Marsden. Both units had all 3 engines working.
The runs through Standedge Tunnel were fairly quick, with run 1 in 2m 36s and run 2 in
2m43s, although the latter had a slightly lower speed entering the eastern end of the tunnel.
A fairly conventional run from Diggle Junction to Stalybridge where the driver kept to the 65
mph speed limit. The difference at Stalybridge was that run 2 went through platform 1 line at
48 mph with run 1 running through platform 3 and slowing for the 25 mph junction speed limit
towards Ashton. A long standing 40 mph tsr on Ashton Moss cost a few seconds and a
quick sprint down Miles Platting bank brought the train to a halt in platform 3 at Victoria
station just around the net scheduled time of 28½ minutes. During the week it is most
unusual to beat the 30 minute barrier from Huddersfield to Manchester Piccadilly partly due
to congestion but run 2 not only beat this but made it in 29 minutes dead which included a
signal check to 46 mph approaching Gorton and one of 6 mph approaching Piccadilly station
Milepost 35¾
-286 -
January 2015
awaiting for another train to depart. This was probably the 1145 to Rose Hill Marple departing
from platform 2 whereas the Middlesbrough train went into platform 1.
One of the changes that Trans Pennine are introducing from the December 2014 is
separating the Scarborough & Newcastle diagrams at Liverpool to improve reliability.
Currently the Scarborough to Liverpool arrives Lime Street at xx59 returning as the xx12 to
Newcastle with the xx08 from Newcastle returning as the xx22 to Scarborough, from the
December 2014 timetable the xx59 from Scarborough will return as the xx22 to Scarborough
with the xx08 from Newcastle having a 64 minute layover at Lime Street before returning to
Newcastle.
Run #
Date
Train
Unit #
Coaches/weight
Recorder/position
Miles
m
c
0
25
61
0.88
24
70
1.76
24
0
3.01
22
60
4.5
21
21
7.1
18
53
11.02
14
59
13.07
12
55
15.26
10
40
17.86
7
72
(7
68)
19.3
6
33
20.06
22.44
23.22
23.96
24.32
25.71
17.86
18.74
20.21
20.36
21.69
22.61
23.76
24.51
25.36
5
3
2
1
1
0
7
(2
1
0
5
4
3
2
1
0
(188
188
Milepost 35¾
52
22
39
60
31
0
72
30)
40
2
8
77
50
55
43
63
02)
69
location
HUDDERSFIELD
Gledholt Jn
MP - Longwood
Golcar
Slaithwaite
MARSDEN
DIGGLE JN
Greenfield
Mossley
STALYBRIDGE
1
Tue 20 May 2014
0806 Newcastle to Liverpool
185131
3c. 163/168 13.4 hp
C.M.Taylor 3/3 GPS
wtt
m
s
mph
0
0
0
7 late
1
49
47
(½)
2
44
66
3
45
74
4
58
75
7½
7
20
47/46
11
11
0
62
12 55
65
14 58
64
18
18
2
36/24
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton Moss North Jn
Clayton Bridge
Baguley Fold Jn
Phillips Park West Jn
Miles Platting Jn
MANCHESTER VICTORIA
STALYBRIDGE
21½
24½
-2
28
31
20
29
21
23
24
25
26
28
27
59
41
28
8
41
45/47
45/39
tsr
70
67
43
29/46
av.
57.2
73.7
74.5
65.3
64.2
64.2
64.0
50.8
2
Tue 16 Sept 2014
0928 Middlesb'gh to Manchester Air
185106
3c 163/175 12.9 hp
C.M.Taylor 2/3 GPS
wtt
m
s
mph
av.
0
0
0
6 late
1
32
50
2
27
66/75
57.2
3
28
75
73.7
4
38
76
75.6
7
6
48
55/42
72.0
10½ 10 37
57/66
61.7
12 30
66
65.3
14 34
63/64
63.5
17
17 12
48
59.2
35.2
47.3
56.2
67.5
56.5
32.6
32.6
17
17
12
48
18
20
43
55
39
22
34.6
40.2
25½
28
21
22
23
25
26
16
44
47
3
13
33/60
60/46 sigs
57/63
40
30
sigs 6
23.6
54.7
53.6
54.5
38.6
31
29
0
Ashton Park Parade
Guide Bridge West Jn
GUIDE BRIDGE
Fairfield
Gorton
Ashburys
Ardwick
21
(2)
MANCHESTER PICCADILLY
-287 -
January 2015
THURSDAY 22ND JANUARY 2015
Area Meeting
BOROUGH, LONDON
THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2015
Area Meeting
BRISTOL PARKWAY
SATURDAY 14th MARCH 2015
Speaker: David Maidment
LONDON
TUESDAY 17TH MARCH 2015
Area Meeting
LEEDS
SATURDAY 16th MAY 2015
Annual General Meeting
YORK
Plus Steam Seminar
Milepost 35¾
-288 -
January 2015
Milepost 35¾
-289 -
January 2015

Milepost 353 - Railway Performance Society

Transcription

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