30 MILEPOST JANUARY 2010 III

THIS BEATS A CLASS 143 ... See Page 273 67016 at Temple Meads Photo: David Adams

RPS

railway performance society www.railperf.org.uk

30th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Milepost 30¾ – January 2010

The Quarterly Magazine of the Railway Performance Society Honorary President: Gordon Pettitt, OBE, 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] Publicity/Webmaster Baard Covington, 2 Rose Cottage, Bradfield,Wix, Manningtree, Essex CO11 2SH Tel 07010 717717, E-mail: [email protected] Steam Specialist Michael Rowe Burley Cottage, Parson St., Porlock,Minehead, Somerset, TA24 8QJ . Tel 01643 862182 E-mail: [email protected] Non-committee official:- Topical points 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 255 Fastest Times Update Martin Robertson 264 This beats a 143 John Heaton 273 Pendolino Performance Analysis Dave Stannard & Virgin Driver 280 Swindon plan 283 Blue Pullmans Bruce Nathan 284 Dunkley Collection Martin Barrett 291 Recorders Guide to SNCF Alan Varley 304 Letters 310 News Alert 319

Enclosures (where subscribed): UK and Foreign Distance Charts, 2009 MTD, Membership Renewal

Copyright The Railway Performance Society Ltd, registered in England & Wales No. 04488089 Use of the material in the magazine is permitted only for the private purposes of the reader No material in the magazine can otherwise be used for publication or reproduction in any form without the express permission of the Society

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the RPS, the Editors or any of their advisers. Whilst efforts are made to ensure accuracy, the Editor his advisers and the RPS accept no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies howsoever caused. Readers are asked to note that the RPS encourages contributions from all members, and articles may appear that are interesting in content, but occasionally may not be to the standard of the rest of the publication. Material sent to the Editors, whether commissioned or freely submitted is provided entirely at the contributors own risk; neither the Editor nor the RPS can be held responsible for any loss or damage howsoever caused. Published by The Railway Performance Society Limited, 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW Printed by Prontaprint Harrow, 7 Central Parade, Station Rd., Harrow, Middx, HA1 2TW.

Milepost 30¾ 254 January 2010 Chairman’s Foreword

As I write this, on New Year’s Eve, it doesn’t seem a year since the start of 2009, let alone a full decade into the 21st Century

2009 was probably a year that many people, for a whole variety of reasons, will be keen to forget fairly quickly. Moving into the second decade of the 21st Century however brings lots for us to look forward to. There is probably more of excitement in terms of railway investment in the UK, and traction performance, to look forward to over the next few years than we have had for a long time. High Speed domestic rail services between London and Kent have just started; CrossRail and the Thameslink enhancement projects seem finally to be underway; major capacity enhancements are starting at Reading; the Cotswold line is being redoubled, and a host of lesser projects for speed or capacity enhancement are either underway or at various stages in the planning process. Despite the economic climate, rail passenger usage has remained strong and capacity has remained an issue; one which will take a lot of additional rolling stock to fully address. We have the electrification of the Great Western routes to look forward to in the middle of the decade, along with a new generation of InterCity trains to replace primarily the HST fleet – the latter already rapidly approaching 35 years old. Hot topic of the moment of course is the concept of a High Speed rail network between London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Scotland – hopefully this is a strategic project with serious political backing and not just electioneering in advance of the forthcoming General Election

2010 is also a significant year for the Railway Performance Society, marking completion of 30 years since we were founded by Bill Becket. Clearly such a significant milepost should not go unmarked, and the Committee have accordingly arranged a number of events to mark the occasion.

These start with a very special talk by our President, Gordon Pettitt, on the subject of ‘Special Trains’, in London on 30th January. We follow this with two specially arranged visits to the First Trans-Pennine Driver Training Simulators in Manchester and York, on 20th March and 17th April. The events schedule will conclude later in the year with some steam running. Details of all of these events are elsewhere in this magazine; we look forward to seeing as many members as possible at these events to help the Society celebrate its first 30 years

Finally, in the autumn, we will be publishing a special souvenir edition of Milepost covering performance over the last 30 years. There are still a few years for which David Ashley is looking for authors, but I am sure we are in for a treat.

I wish all members and their families all the very best for 2010 and look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the year

Frank Collins Chairman

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.

Milepost 30¾ 255 January 2010 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 send all Fastest Times contributions to David Sage at the address on the inside cover.

This is with the following exceptions:- John Heaton for Voyagers, 180s, Pendolinos and 222s. Bill Long for DB material.

If in doubt then e-mail or post to my contact details on the inside cover.

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 confess to a time-lag with regard to the general area, but Member’s site is fine.

Space will be created in ‘Kent’ to accommodate the South-Eastern High-Speed services – at present only to Ashford but, if anyone else has the means to travel further, then please submit what the 395’s are up to. Beyond Ashford they will, obviously, be in competition with other e.m.u’s – if I can free the space, then there could well be a comparison with an additional line of entry.

OVERSEAS CHARTS

With this issue we have Grenoble-Marseile, Livron-Veynes, Veynes-Briançon and Paris-St Quentin- Belgian frontier, where subscribed.

David Sage January 2010

HISTORIC FASTEST TIMES

Would readers with the printed version of the 2009 issue please note a few corrections. On Pages 30/31 - in the "Reading / Bristol - Plymouth / Paignton" table, please insert "North / Eastbound" above the left hand side of the table, and "South / Westbound" above the right hand side of the table. Also, the date of Bill Long's record (Taunton to Bristol) with 60163 should be 08/08/2009. Sorry for any

Milepost 30¾ 256 January 2010 confusion that might have arisen, but proof reading of small text on a computer screen can get a bit tiring on the eyes.

Comments & offers of new records for the 2010 issue should be sent to the compiler at [email protected] (e-mail messages in plain text format, please, identifying the contents of any file attachments.) Postal messages nay be sent to 24 Walmesley Road, Eccleston, St. Helens, Lancs., WA10 5JT.

Please note that the HFT files formerly available on part of my personal website are no longer available, following my change to a broadband internet connection.

Bevan Price SALES ITEMS Back Numbers: Certain back issues of Milepost, from Milepost 6 onwards, can be supplied at a price of £2.50 each including postage. Supplies are extremely limited and once sold they will not be reprinted. Details of issues available will be supplied on request. Milepost is available in the British Library; the Bodleian Library, Oxford; the University Library, Cambridge; The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh; The Library of Trinity College, Dublin, the National Library of Wales, the National Railway Museum and the Railway Studies Library at Newton Abbot Library. 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.

Distance Chart Supplements.

All supplements are issued in A5 loose leaf format. Following a review, the price of these supplements has been reduced, but they will no longer be supplied with binders.

UK Distance Supplement: £17.00

The complete collection of RPS distance charts compiled to date. Individual new and revised charts are issued with Milepost when they become available.

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 supllementary 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. Historical Fastest Times 2004, 2006 Editions: £2.00 each; 2004/6/7 pack: £7.50 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.

VOYAGER / ADELANTE / CHALLENGER / PENDOLINO RECORDS.

"The notice of members is drawn to the monthly e-mail update of Fastest times for Classes 180/220/221/220+221/222/390 and the re-opened lists for FGW/ecml and GE. If anyone would like to

Milepost 30¾ 257 January 2010 start receiving these lists please let me know by e-mail to [email protected]. Equally, if a current recipient wishes to withdraw his name, please let me know.

For the benefit of new members the re-opened lists refer to the fastest performances recorded on and from the arbitrary start date of 18/5/08 These are usually but necessarily slower than the printed book Fastest Times, many of which were achieved pre-data recorders and involved speeds that are unlikely to be repeated. The re-opened records are for HSTs from FGW services plus Wakefield Westgate to Penzance, Class 91s and HSTs on Fastest Time book 'ecml' sections and for Class 90s on GE sections.

Submissions must be made in excel or works spreadsheet and the format used on the lists issued, unless the member does not have access to the technology. This is to minimise copying errors and compilation time. It would be a good idea therefore for new members to wait until they have received an issue of the lists before participating to save them from indulging in unnecessary detail. No logs are needed for this exercise, although David Sage and Martin Robertson would appreciate a copy if the record is also a new Fastest Times book entry, as opposed to just a re-opened one.

If in doubt please do not hesitate to contact me on the above e-mail address, by phone on 01626 865526 or letter to 57 West Cliff Park Drive, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9ER"

John Heaton

THE MEETINGS SECTION

30TH JANUARY 18TH FEBRUARY 20TH MARCH 30TH MARCH 17TH APRIL London Bristol Ardwick Leeds York 1200 for 1215 1700 1030 1700 1030 Gordon Pettitt Area Meeting Visit to First Area Visit to First Special Trains in TransPennine Meeting TransPennine a Long Career Simulator and Simulator and Ardwick depot York depot

VISITS TO ARDWICK AND YORK

Ardwick Sat 20th March York Sat 17th April

Both visits start at 1030 allowing travel from London (engineering work permitting!). There are only 10 places available for each visit so early booking is advised. The cost is only £10 per person – all of which is donated to FTP nominated charities.

If you wish to attend you can either e-mail me ([email protected]) – (note that is j not i), phone on 01653 694937 or write to 112 Langley Drive, Norton, Malton YO17 9AB. E-mail and phone bookings will be held for 10 days waiting for receipt of cheque for £10 payable to The Railway Performance Society Ltd. First come, first served!

Future Meeting dates

08 May 2010 – AGM – York

19 June 2010 – MTD Manchester – Stoke/Crewe

DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUES

LONDON – LAMBS PUBLIC HOUSE, Lambs Conduit Street, London WC1. 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), turn first right into Guilford Place (by the fountain and underground Gents toilet) and it is on the left - walking time about 5 minutes. OR. From King’s Cross station cross Euston Rd and turn left towards Grays Inn Road, where you turn right, and walk

Milepost 30¾ 258 January 2010 southwards down Grays Inn Rd to the junction with Guildford Street, where you turn right. Turn left at Guildford Place, and Lamb's is on the left. (About 10mins walk from King's Cross) We will use the Empire Theatre Bar / Dining Room upstairs

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 - at THE GWRSA CLUB, is on the right hand side of Bristol Temple Meads station approach road heading away from the station about 150 metres. It is reached by steps from the approach road. The GWRSA Club is now open all day. Entrance is by key for members or by intercom on the door. It saves trouble if we all meet at 1700 on the concourse at Temple Meads and arrive together, but late comers can still get in by using the intercom. List of attending members no longer have to be furnished beforehand but it would help if those wishing to attend could let John Heaton know on 01626 865526 or [email protected]

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.

LEEDS MEETING.

Martin Barrett sadly reported that Frank Hartley had died and he had managed to rescue a couple of Frank’s books. Martin reported that Frank had timed a number of runs on the Scarborough Spa Express this summer between Leeds and York including 70013 Olivier Cromwell passing Cross Gates from departing Leeds in 7 minutes 16 seconds hauling 12 coaches. This was deemed to be a good performance. Another member reported that the balancing speeds between Leeds and Horsforth with 12 coaches was 30/31 mph with a Black 5, 33 mph with a Jubilee and 41 mph with a Britannia in the summer of 2009. On September 1st 70013 ran from York to Leeds hauling 12 coaches in 32 minutes 34 seconds non stop which we agreed was a good performance). (the Scarborough Spa Express may be altered substantially for the summer 2010 which may result in NOT running round the York/Harrogate/Leeds circle). David Stannard reported that on the Scarborough Flyer (Crewe to Scarborough and return) he was recording speeds in the high 60’s at Chelford with both the Princess and Duchess on the return evening run. David Stannard reported that Virgin West Coast were trying to reduce the operation of dragging Pendolino’s (390) as far as possible which included in October substituting a 390 vice a 221 on the Birmingham to Scotland services running the 221 between Euston and Liverpool on un-electrified diversionary routes. He also reported that a 390 failed at Madeley (between Stafford and Crewe) and an unsuccessful attempt was made to rescue it with a 221. The 221 returned under special authority wrong line to Norton Bridge and proceeded north running via Stoke & Crewe. It was reported that this failure resulted in 137 trains being delayed by a total of 1500 minutes. Passengers were rescued eventually by transferring them to another 390 which was brought alongside. It was reported that the WCML Preston to Carlisle will be again closed on weekends in February/March but the diversions via Settle will be using Voyagers running Glasgow to Preston.

The next meeting at the Grove, Leeds will be on Tuesday 30th March 2010.

Milepost 30¾ 259 January 2010

BRISTOL MEETING OCTOBER 29TH 2009

Twelve members attended. A warm welcome was extended to Nigel Wilson and Brian Williams who were attending their first meetings since joining, although Brian had previously come as a visitor.

The meeting was a little unusual in focusing mainly on steam operation both past and present. Normally there is a balance but it reflects the material members bring to present. Nigel introduced a discussion of 13 main line preserved steam runs from Bristol to Paignton with the Torbay Express, comparing 6024/34067 and 60163.

Amongst other subjects discussed, Keith Farr asked for thoughts on an article he was writing for RM on journey times and frequencies comparing 1937 with the current day. Michael Rowe delved further into his archives to produce a discussion on the pre-railway improvement of the turnpike that eventually became the A4. It was interesting to note that the standard of road vehicle driving was a cause for concern.

The next meeting will be held at the GWRSA club Bristol Temple Meads on Thurs. 18th February. Members normally gather on the station concourse at 17.00 and make their way to the club which is located down steps leading from the right hand side of the station approach as one leaves the station. However, members normally come and go as their circumstances dictate.

New and experienced timers are welcome and are encouraged to bring a brief topic for discussion, but only if they wish to do so.

John Heaton Dawlish November 2009 01626 865526

MARTIN TASKER MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The Society holds a large number of books (~150) containing articles on performance, or containing information of use to Society Members. Full details of the books held are contained in past issues of Milepost.

The books are available for borrowing by contacting me by letter, phone or E-Mail. The borrower will be responsible for postage in both directions. It will be possible in many cases for arrangements to be made to pass books on at Society Meetings to avoid postage costs in one direction at least. The length of the loan can be flexible by agreement.

The Society will be happy to receive donations to the Library. Items should be related to Railway Performance (no Magazine Collections please). Again please contact me regarding this. New items received into the Library will be notified in updates published in Milepost. The entire contents of the library will shortly be listed on the Society Website.

New Books

The following Working Timetables have been donated to the library:.

• South West Trains Suburban and Main Lines (2 Volumes) – 10/12/06 to 19/5/07 • South West Trains Suburban and Main Lines (2 Volumes) – 20/5/07 to 8/12/07 • South West Trains Suburban and Main Lines (2 Volumes) – 14/12/08 to 16/5/09

The following publications have been donated by the late Ronald Nelson’s family

• Modernisation and Re-Equipment of British Railways (A report by the British Transport Commision) • Performance Bulletin No 8 – Class V2 2-6-2

Milepost 30¾ 260 January 2010 • Performance Bulletin No 15 – Britannia Class Pacific • Performance Bulletin No 16 – Diesel Loco 10203 • Performance Bulletin No 19 – ‘Deltic’

Lee Allsopp

250,000 Entries!!

At the end of October the RPS Database reached a milestone. At 249,999 entries the author faced a quandary: go out and have a run from Bracknell to Martins Heron (1.26 miles), or enter the next log from the material currently being worked on. Fortunately perhaps, it was raining and dark, so I carried on and duly made the 250,000th entry in the RPS Database. By complete chance the 250,000th entry was a log by the recorder with the most entries in the database - John Heaton, a run from Euston to Milton Keynes with 90026 on 14th August 2009.

Since then many more entries have been made, we are up to 253,255 at the time of writing in mid- December.

RONALD NELSON COLLECTION

A collection of logs from the late Ronald Nelson have been kindly donated to the Society by his family. A start has been made on scanning these and they will be available in the archive shortly. The material covers steam, diesel and electric from 1949 onwards, with a large number being recorded from the footplate and including detailed information on the way the locos were worked.

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!

• Work on scanning Peter Semmens notes continues with years 1990 to 1994 added. • We are very fortunate to have access to the notebooks of the late Martin Tasker. There are around two hundred of these, each of around 150/300 pages, and contain all Martin’s recordings including the ‘raw’ recording of milepost times. Work is continuing to scan these in and make them available on the web site. All of Martins ~140 notebooks have now been scanned, along with a number of A4 folders containing his earlier UK recordings. Latest additions cover Martin’s travels in Portugal, Holland, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and Italy. • Latest material from Lee Allsopp (including GPS track info) and Ian Umpleby. • Notebooks from the late Kenneth Rider have been loaned to the RPS. Years 1992 and 1995 to 1997 have now been added. • Latest Fastest Times added • Three books from the B D J Walsh Collection • For the log entries in the database from Railway Magazine years 1900 – 1910, scanned images have now been added. • Milepost 30½ • John Heaton database entries for 2009 to date • 2009 Historical Fastest Times

Lee Allsopp

Milepost 30¾ 261 January 2010 NEED MATERIAL FOR ARTICLES?

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!

Lee Allsopp

PROVISION OF CURRENT MATERIAL FOR RPS ARCHIVE

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 may wish to participate in this please contact me by E-Mail for further details.

I can accept material in a number of formats, Word, Excel, Acrobat pdf files and scanned images of hand written material (eg notebooks). For scanned images we find that scanning at 150 dpi gives perfectly acceptable results, while producing files of a reasonable size (200KB-1MB depending on size of paper, density of printing etc)

Lee Allsopp

FRANK HARTLEY – Obituary

We are sorry to announce the sudden death of Frank Hartley on 27th September at the early age of 65. Frank was a member of RPS for over 15 years and had recorded trains for over 45 years. He was born in Leeds, but subsequently moved to London, then Harrogate and finally York. He was apparently employed by the Electricity Board during his early life, but was working at York Hospital by the time he retired. His wife predeceased him and, as far as his known, he had no living close relatives.

IN COMMITTEE

The November committee meeting devoted some time to the 30th anniversary celebrations. The arrangements for visiting the TransPennine Express driver simulators were finalised and the committee hoped this venture would be well supported. Ideas for hiring a coach on a Cross Country train were abandoned as it seems the reduction in HST use and 2+6 formations would strip out the spare capacity we had intended to occupy. A block booking on a steam excursion was still a possibility with the intention of investigating a suitable RPS day on a Scarborough Spa Express and possibly a London based train.

David Ashley reported on the take-up of slots for the 30th anniversary edition which will comprise a short article on a run that took place in each of the Society’s existence. More contributors required please.

Adjustments were made to the 2010/11 budget and subscriptions fixed for the coming year. A small rise of £1 seemed sufficient to fund the current high level of activity and avoid running a deficit.

Arrangements were made to progress the 2010 Mass Timing Day based on Manchester-Stoke/Crewe Martin Barrett said that 17 recorders were necessary so a high level of participation was needed compared to the average.

Frank Collins agreed to pursue a number of initiatives concerning publicity opportunities, website development and gps meetings.

David Hobbs announced that his detailed paper on timing discrepancies was now available and it was decided to discuss it ‘high up’ the agenda at the next meeting. David Stannard outlined developments

Milepost 30¾ 262 January 2010 he was pursuing on Voyager resistance. He felt he was getting near to a solution.

Ian Umpleby reported that progress was continuing with mileage charts and a full set might be available by the end of next year. Gradient information and gps waypoint data would be added as he went along.

John Heaton Dawlish Nov 2009

"RPS THIRTIETH STEAM TRIP

As one of the planned events in 2010 to coincide with our Thirtieth, the Committee considers a group booking on a "Steam Special" is appropriate.. The favoured train is the "Scarborough Spa Express" which runsYork - Leeds - York - Scarborough - York - Leeds - York..

West Coast Railway Company have not finalised 2010 prices and timings as of to-day, but we have selected the last operating day of the Season, Thursday September 2nd. Could Members, who are interested please enclose a note when renewing their Membership in the enclosed sae.

Number 60163 "Tornado" is running Kings Cross to York and return on the day of the AGM. [May 8th] There are no timings yet and based on 2009 available steam paths it is unlikely to reach York before 13.00 hrs which would be too late for the AGM, but in time for lunch and the afternoon session. . Members in the South East may be interested in a trip originating from London. Steam Dreams would offer a 10% discount for a party of ten or more. Members can ascertain the 2010 programme either by reference to "Steam Dreams" web site or the splendidly comprehensive "UK Steam" site, which covers all steam activity and is "managed" by RPS Member David Randles. If interested Members could email me any preferences I will endeavour to see if there is a specific trip we can target with details in the next issue of Milepost.

Personal preference, as offering a good performance variety, Victoria - Ashford - Canterbury -Dover - Ashford -Tonbridge - Victoria."

Michael Rowe

DYING INTESTATE

The sad death of Frank Hartley brings home clearly the perils of not leaving a will. Frank made it known that he wanted all his railway notebooks to be left to the RPS, but, because he left no will and possibly had no living relatives, his collection, going back over many years, may be lost to the Society. As many of you probably know if no will is left and there are no close relatives that are contactable, then a solicitor has to make a search for any next of kin and in the event of none being found the estate is put in the hands of the Treasury Solicitor. He administers the estate with all proceeds going to the Crown.

Although, in Frank’s case, we have made a representation to the local solicitor there is no guarantee that his records, of no real monetary value, will eventually come to the RPS – indeed they could end up in a skip!

Is this what you want to happen to your logs? If not we would recommend you make a will and if you wish the RPS to have your logs then please make provision for that.

CHAIRMAN’S CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE

No correct solutions have been received for the competition. Final date for entries: 28th February. It is suggested that any previous submissions are carefully rechecked by the submitters

Milepost 30¾ 263 January 2010 FASTEST TIMES UPDATE

Martin Robertson

Welcome to the first of the 2010 Fastest Times Update, or the last of the 2009 updates, being written in late November. I have had an unusually large amount of material to choose from for this edition, with all the regular contributors featuring, somewhere in the country. The runs featured range from Scotrail services to Leuchars in Fife, down to FGW’s loco hauled services from South Wales, as far as Taunton. The Wcml continues to see many of the current Fastest Times being set, where we concentrate on the northern half of the line, from Preston to Glasgow.

Table I has the current Fastest Times between Glasgow and Carlisle, a non-stop run with a Pendolino and Voyager service which called at Lockerbie, both of which were recorded by Sandy Smeaton. The Pendolino run is the first section of the Preston-Euston run which featured in the last edition of Milepost’s Fastest Times Update.

Table 1 Date: Fri 14.7.09 Jun-09 Train: 13.40 Glasgow-Euston Glasgow C'l - Birmingham N St Loco: 390.015; 10,255hp 221 102 'Super Voyager'; 3,750HP Load: 9 cars / 452.5tare/ 475gross 5 cars / 276 tonnes tare/ 290 tons gross Weather: Light rain to Carlisle Mostly sunny; dry throughout Rec'der/Method: A.Smeaton/stopwatch A.Smeaton/stopwatch Position: 3/9 5/5 Mileage Ms Ch LOCATION Sch* Mn Sc Av Spd Sch* Mn Sc Speeds Av Spd 3 0.00 102 21 GLASGOW C'L (11) 0 0 00 (-6 /4) 0 0 00 1½L ~ 0.76 101 40 Eglinton Street Jn 2 23.2 19.2 2½ 2 36.1 30½ 17.6 1.96 100 24 Polmadie Bridge 4 16.5 38.1 4 34.4 62/58½ 36.5 3.08 99 15 Rutherglen (OB) 5 13.3 70.5 3.88 98 31 Rutherglen East Jn (UB) 5 52.1 74.2 6 6 18.5 73½ 66.1 4.99 97 22 CAMBUSLANG 6 43.6 77.8 7 10 77½ 77.8 6.51 95 60 NEWTON 7 53.8 78.2 8 8 19.1 88/92½ 79.5 8.41 93 68 UDDINGSTON 9 10.4 89.3 9½ 9 34.1 86½ 91.2 9.51 92 60 Fallside (MP) 9 55.15 88.5 10 18.5 94½ 89.2 10.51 91 60 Douglas Park (MP) 10 36.1 87.9 10 58.5 93 90.0 12.30 89 77 Logan's Road LC 11 51 85.9 12 11.4 ~ 88.3 12.83 89 35 MOTHERWELL 12 14.65 79.9 13 12 35.2 ~ 79.4 13.26 89 00 MP 12 33.9 81.8 12 54.2 82 82.9 14.51 87 60 SHIELDMUIR 13 24.4 89.1 13 46.25 90/96 86.5 15.86 86 32 Wishaw South (UB) 14 17.6 91.4 14 35.8 89 98.1 Psr 17.51 84 60 Garriongill Jn 15 40.6 71.6 16 01 57½ 69.7 18.26 84 00 Law Jn 16 25.8 59.7 16½ 16 47.2 59 58.4 20.33 81 75 CARLUKE 17 51.7 86.4 18 19.8 90 80.2 21.51 80 60 Braidwood 18 37.51 93.3 19 07 93 90.6 23.26 79 00 MP 19 44.8 93.6 20 13 95½ 95.5 23.81 78 36 Craigenhill 20 06 93.4 20 33.6 95½ 96.1 26.26 76 00 Lanark Jn 21 35.8 98.2 21½ 22 03 99 98.7 27.26 75 00 Ravenstruther 22 12.3 98.6 [1] 22 38.8 97½ 100.6 28.65 73 49 CARSTAIRS 23 06 93.0 24 23 31.7 91 94.4 30.66 71 48 Pettinain 24 22.6 94.6 24 48.2 100½ 94.7 32.26 70 00 Leggatfoot (MP) 25 16.2 107.5 25 43.9 105/118 103.4

Milepost 30¾ 264 January 2010 Mileage Ms Ch LOCATION Sch* Mn Sc Av Spd Sch* Mn Sc Speeds Av Spd 33.76 68 40 Thankerton 26 01 120.5 26 31.5 116 113.4 35.65 66 49 Symington 26 56.47 122.5 27 29.86 118½ 116.4 37.26 65 00 MP 27 43.65 123.0 28 17.5 124 121.9 39.01 63 20 Lamington 28 36.3 119.7 29 12.1 110 115.4 40.26 62 00 MP 29 14.15 118.9 29 53.46 106 108.8 42.01 60 20 Wandelmill 30 08 117.0 30 55.5 97½ 101.5 43.26 59 00 MP 30 54.3 97.2 31 44.7 92 91.5 44.40 57 69 Abington 31 40.6 88.4 32½ 32 29.9 90½ 90.6 45.26 57 00 MP 32 14.6 91.3 33 04 98 91.1 47.16 55 08 Crawford 33 19.5 105.4 34 11.3 107 101.6 48.26 54 00 MP 33 56.36 107.4 34 48.2 114 107.3 49.65 52 49 Elvanfoot 34 42.1 109.2 35 33.3 110 110.8 50.66 51 48 Bodsbury LC 35 16.1 107.2 36 07 100 108.2 52.49 49 62 Beattock Summit (RR) 36 25.2 99.1 37½ 37 18.96 87 91.3 55.26 47 00 Harthope Viaduct 38 15.25 90.8 39 06 94 93.3 57.13 45 11 Greskine (MP) 39 23.9 97.7 40 15.8 98 96.1 59.26 43 00 MP 40 37.63 104.4 41 31.1 114/118 102.2 61.26 41 00 " 41 38 119.3 42 33.53 101 115.3 62.51 39 60 Beattock 42 23.5 98.9 42½ 43 17.75 109 101.8 65.39 36 70 Murthat 43 54.72 113.5 44 43.67 122 120.5 66.26 36 00 MP 44 19.95 124.9 45 12.54 126 109.1 67.76 34 40 Wamphray 45 03 125.4 45 55.51 122 125.7 70.51 31 60 Dinwoodie 46 23.15 123.5 47 15.09 128 124.4 73.58 28 55 Nethercleuch 47 52.26 123.7 48 42.4 123 126.3 74.76 27 40 MP 48 26.81 123.7 49 36.3 103 79.3 76.43 25 67 LOCKERBIE 49 14.97 124.3 50½ 50 52.4 1½L 78.6 0 0 0 80.26 22 00 Summit 51 14.65 115.4 3 21.4 99 68.6 82.05 20 17 Ecclefechan 52 10.53 115.2 4 19.7 119/123 110.4 84.26 18 00 MP 53 15.46 122.7 85.51 16 60 Kirtlebridge 53 51.58 124.6 6 02 121 121.8 87.76 14 40 Summit 54 57.15 123.5 89.26 13 00 Kirkpatrick 55 40.2 125.4 7 53.4 121/94 121.2 90.76 11 40 MP 56 23.89 123.6 92.01 10 20 Quintinshill (MP) 57 08 102.0 9 24.8 96 108.3 93.68 8 47 Gretna 58 08 99.8 12 10 20.2 99 108.0 96.18 6 07 Floriston 59 22.95 120.1 11 48.17 115 102.3 98.14 4 10 Rockcliffe (OB) 60 20 123.8 12 46.75 128 120.6 100.19 2 06 Kingmoor 61 25 113.5 13 53.56 97 110.5 101.26 1 00 MP 62 18.3 72.6 101.51 0 60 Caldew Jn 15 03 50½ 68.7 102.26 0 00 CARLISLE (Plat 4) 66 64 51.3 7¼L 18 17 00 ½L 23.1

The Pendolino service had the incentive of a 7 minute late departure, for no reason that Sandy could determine, from Glasgow and was probably lucky to achieve a clear run through the Glasgow suburbs and to avoid a Lanark service south of Law Junction. There was a relatively fast exit from the tortuous restrictions from Glasgow Central, with Cambuslang passed in well under 7 minutes, a rarity in my experience with Virgin services. This was reflected to the excellent time to passing Motherwell. The driver appeared to run right up to the line limits and with an absence of checks Kingmoor was passed in 61m 25s only for slow time to the stop at Carlisle. However the overall start to stop time of 64m 51s took 1m 46s off the previous record, a substantial betterment, and has provided a time which may be hard to improve upon until further improvements to the EPS limits are undertaken.

Milepost 30¾ 265 January 2010 The Voyager service on the Glasgow to Birmingham service, possibly a Preston driver returning south, also had a late start of a minute and a half. The driver was much slower to accelerate away from the Eglington St tunnels and in consequence was almost half a minute slower than the Pendolino in passing Cambuslang. Thereafter the driver of the Voyager really did quite well to only lose a further 24 seconds in the 69 miles to Nethercleugh, despite the slightly lower line limits for a Voyager at several locations and the slower rates of acceleration. A first class stop into Lockerbie with last mile and a quarter probably being achieved in even time, still could not mean that the schedule was actually maintained. There was another fine effort from the driver on the second leg to Carlisle with a faster entry into Carlisle than the Pendolino, despite the lower speed at Kingmoor. The actual overall running time of 67m 52s would not disgrace a run without the hinderance of the Lockerbie stop, a testament to the driver’s braking skills and the accelerative power of a Voyager unit when everything works correctly.

Table 2 Date: Fri 24.7.09 Mileage Ms Ch LOCATION Sch* Mn Sc Av Spd Train: 08.00 Glasgow-B'ham 31.10 38 00 MP 21 49.6 90.1 Loco: 221.106 31.48 37 50 Shap Summit 22 07.0 77.6 Load: 5 cars / 276/ 280 tonnes 32.60 36 40 Shap Wells 22 55.4 83.7 Weather: Rain Penrith to Thrimby 33.95 35 12 Scout Green 23 42.0 104.3 Recorder/Method: A.Smeaton/Stopwatch 35.10 34 00 MP 24 19.5 110.4 Position 2/5 36.10 33 00 " 24 52.4 109.4 Mileage Ms Ch LOCATION Sch* Mn Sc Av Sp 36.89 32 17 Tebay 25 18.0 110.7 0.00 69 08 CARLISLE (Plat 4) 0 0 00.0 (3½L) 38.60 30 40 " 26 12.0 114.2 1.10 68 00 Upperby 2 43.5 24.2 40.10 29 00 " 27 03.0 105.9 2.10 67 00 MP 3 36.6 67.8 41.60 27 40 " 28 08.0 83.1 3.26 65 67 Brisco 4 27.7 81.9 42.94 26 13 Grayrigg 29 09.0 78.9 4.91 64 15 Wreay 5 32.9 91.1 44.85 24 20 Lambrigg 30 28.1 87.0 7.35 61 60 Southwaite 7 03.0 97.4 46.60 22 40 Hay Fell 31 35.0 94.2 9.10 60 00 MP 8 02.0 106.8 48.10 21 00 MP 32 32.4 94.2 10.71 58 31 Calthwaite 8 53.6 112.5 50.00 19 08 OXENHOLME 33 46.0 92.9 12.10 57 00 MP 9 37.5 113.8 52.10 17 00 MP 35 04.0 96.9 13.10 56 00 Plumpton 10 08.0 118.0 53.60 15 40 Hincaster Jn 35 53.8 108.4 16.10 53 00 MP 11 42.1 114.8 55.56 13 43 Milnthorpe 36 56.5 112.8 17.85 51 20 PENRITH 12 52.0 90.1 57.10 12 00 MP 37 41.9 121.8 19.10 50 00 MP 13 46.2 83.0 58.35 10 60 Burton 38 18.4 123.5 21.10 48 00 Eden Valley Jn (MP) 15 04.0 92.5 59.60 9 40 MP 38 54.6 124.1 22.10 47 00 Clifton 15 42.7 93.0 61.10 8 00 " 39 38.1 124.1 24.10 45 00 MP 16 57.7 96.0 62.10 7 00 " 40 07.0 124.6 25.10 44 00 " 17 43.4 78.8 62.85 6 20 Carnforth 40 29.5 120.0 26.10 43 00 Thrimby Grange 18 29.5 78.1 64.71 4 31 Bolton-le-Sands 41 24.2 122.6 27.44 41 53 Harrison's Siding 19 26.3 84.8 65.96 3 11 Hest Bank 42 01.0 122.3 29.38 39 58 Shap 20 40.7 93.7 67.19 1 73 Morecambe S Jn 42 40.2 112.5 68.10 1 00 MP 43 19.7 83.2 69.11 20 78 LANCASTER 47 44 53.3 38.9 Table 2 continues Sandy’s near dominance of the current Fastest Times on the northern section of the line with Voyager runs between Carlisle and Lancaster. Southbound from Carlisle the rising gradients make a difference to the speeds in comparison with a Pendolino, although once past Calthwaite, the Voyagers are only permitted to run at 120mph. Running was generally well up to the line limits and with no checks and a good entry into Lancaster, 2 minutes of the three and a half minute late start were recouped.

The northbound run was timed from the wrong side of the train and as a consequence a number of the more usual timing points are missing. Northbound line limits are significantly

Milepost 30¾ 266 January 2010 lower than permitted southbound, most notably through the Lune Gorge, although the driver appeared not to be running up to the 100mph permitted, unless a tsr was in force at Tebay. The ascent of the 1:75 to Shap saw speed rise to around 97mph before the easing fro the summit restriction. The downhill running on both sections was excellent to allow almost three minutes to be regained against the schedule to Penrith and to be well under the thirteen minute mark from Penrith to Carlisle to arrive two minutes early.

Date: Jul-09 Mileage Ms Ch LOCATION Sch* Mn Sc Av Spd Train: Bham- Edin Wav 24.25 24 20 Lambrigg 14 47 94.0 Loco: 221 114 26.16 26 13 Grayrigg 16 2 91.8 Load: 5 cars / 276/ 280 30.50 30 40 " 18 50 92.9 Weather: Heavy Showers 32.21 32 17 Tebay 19 54 96.3 Recorder/Method: A.Smeaton/Stopwatch 34.00 34 00 MP 21 3 93.3 Position 3/5 35.15 35 12 Scout Green 21 47 94.1 Mileage Ms Ch LOCATION Sch* Mn Sc Av Spd 36.50 36 40 Shap Wells 22 38 95.3 0.00 20 78 LANCASTER 0 0 00.0 37.63 37 50 Shap Summit 23 28 81.0 1.91 1 73 Morecambe S Jn 2 18.0 39.73 39 58 Shap 24 54 87.9 3.14 3 11 Hest Bank 3 04.0 95.9 41.66 41 53 Harrison's Sdg 26 4 99.6 4.39 4 31 Bolton-le-Sands 3 46.0 107.1 45.00 45 00 MP 28 29 82.9 6.25 6 20 Carnforth 4 45.0 113.6 47.00 47 00 Clifton 29 43 97.3 8.00 8 00 " 5 35.0 126.0 48.00 48 00 Eden Valley Jn 30 16 109.1 9.50 9 40 MP 6 20.0 120.0 51.25 51 20 PENRITH 36 33 17 64.6 10.75 10 60 Burton 6 56.0 125.0 4.75 56 00 Plumpton 3 43 48.4 12.00 12 00 MP 7 32.0 125.0 7.14 58 31 Calthwaite 4 53 122.8 13.54 13 43 Milnthorpe 8 17.0 123.0 10.50 61 60 Southwaite 6 27 128.8 15.50 15 40 Hincaster Jn 9 21.0 110.4 12.94 64 15 Wreay 7 55 99.7 17.00 17 00 MP 10 12.0 105.9 14.59 65 67 Brisco 8 54 100.7 19.10 19 08 OXENHOLME 11 30.0 96.9 16.75 68 00 Upperby 10 25 85.5 21.00 21 00 MP 12 43.0 93.7 17.85 69 08 CARLISLE (P4) 15 12 40 29.3 22.50 22 40 Hay Fell 13 40.0 94.7

Table 3 has two runs timed by Alan Varley between Haymarket and Leuchars, a recent and welcome variation to the Edinburgh-Aberdeen services. Alan has also forwarded details of several runs which called at the recently opened Laurencekirk station, which may feature in the next issue. The northbound run had 170451, which Alan described as a ‘sluggish beast’ which is probably a fair comment as my experience with the unit has not been good. However the schedule to Leuchars was kept despite the very slow entry into the platform. The return with 170413 was slightly more lively although the time was very similar to the northbound run. Alan’s comments that the schedules were realistic, but hardly call for inspired running, sums up the current Scotrail schedules.

Table 4 has a recording by Ian Umpleby on a Trans Pennine service between Darlington and York. Ian was highly complimentary of the running with his comments being:- As I've commented before there seemed nothing unusual at the time but this run was the best by a class 185 over all sections from Newcastle to York with Chester-le-Street and Durham stops also. However Voyagers with their higher maximum speeds take the honours for the first two sections so only the final two are shown. The time from Darlington to Croft Spa was the fastest I have recorded by any traction and there was a good finish. From Northallerton to York there was little difference from previous runs but the final approach was faster despite the inevitable signal check from the final signal.

Table 5 has a short snippet in the opposite direction on a Grand Central HST service running on the fast line from York to Thirsk, recorded by Jeremy Harthill. Jeremy’s only comment on

Milepost 30¾ 267 January 2010 Table 3 Train 0829 Edinburgh-Inverurie Train 1407 Aberdeen-Edinburgh Date W 26.08.09 Date W 26.08.09 Loco 170 451 Loco 170 413 Load 3/135/145 Load 3/135/140 Recorder AV 3/3 Recorder AV 3/3 Weather, GPS Rain, mod E GPS/N Weather, GPS Rain, fresh NE GPS/N Ave Ave miles m c Location m s Speeds Sp miles m c Location m s Speeds Sp 0.00 01 19 Haymarket 0 00.0 RT 0.00 50 68 Leuchars 0 00.0 1.10 02 27 Hmkt W Jc 1 52.0 62 45.2 0.85 50 00 Mp 1 39.0 51 30.9 2.31 03 44 Saughton Jc 2 57.5 70 66.5 2.16 48 55 OB 3 00.5 64 57.9 3.32 04 45 S Gyle 3 43.5 82 79.0 3.28 47 46 Dairsie UB 3 58.0 74 69.5 5.59 06 66 OB 5 14.0 98 90.3 6.23 44 50 Cupar 6 15.0 58* 77.5 7.22 08 37 PSR 6 19.0 77* 90.3 8.56 42 23 Springfield 8 22.0 71\80 66.3 8.22 09 35 Dalmeny 7 10.0 * 70.6 10.28 40 46 LC 9 43.0 76\58* 76.0 10.04 11 22 N Queensferry 9 26.5 48 48.0 11.78 39 06 Ladybank 11 06.0 60* 65.1 11.90 13 11 Inverkeithing 11 54.0 38 45.4 12.64 38 17 Kingskettle 11 54.5 66\67 64.6 13.34 14 47 Dalgety Bay 13 45.5 57 45.5 14.74 36 09 Falkland Rd 13 47.0 66\67 67.2 14.76 16 00 MP 15 12.5 61/70 58.8 15.85 35 00 Lochmuir 14 45.5 66 68.3 16.14 17 30 Aberdour 16 32.5 48* 62.1 17.60 33 20 Markinch 16 10.5 79\81\75* 74.1 17.71 18 76 OB 18 01.5 72 63.5 20.18 30 54 Thornton Jc 18 07.0 78 79.4 18.89 20 10 Burntisland 19 20.5 40* 53.8 21.35 29 40 Randolph Sd 19 02.5 46 76.5 20.26 21 40 MP 21½ 20 57.0 59/62/30* 51.1 22.73 28 10 Dysart fb 20 06.0 79 77.7 21.50 22 59 Kinghorn 22 42.0 35 42.5 23.61 27 19 Sinclairtown 20 50.0 72.8 23.66 24 72 Viaduct S 24 55.5 74/76 58.2 24.98 25 70 Kirkcaldy 22 05.0 61 68.7 24.62 25 70 Kirkcaldy 25 45.5 65 69.1 50.55 24 00 23 44.5 70 67.3 26.00 27 19 Sinclairtown 27 01.0 66 65.8 28.11 22 59 Kinghorn 25 11.5 28*\66 52.1 26.89 28 10 Dysart fb 27 50.0 65 65.4 30.73 20 10 Burntisland 28 32.0 38* 46.9 28.26 29 40 Randolph Sdg 29 05.5 65 65.3 31.90 18 76 OB 29 57.5 64\68 49.7 29.44 30 54 Thornton Jc 30 00.5 80 77.2 33.48 17 30 Aberdour 31 40.0 48* 55.1 30.56 31 64 OB 30 51.5 */60* 79.1 34.85 16 00 MP 33 09.0 61 55.8 32.01 33 20 Markinch 32 11.0 68/67 65.7 36.26 14 47 Dalgety Bay 34 22.5 71 69.6 33.76 35 00 Lochmuir 33 44.5 68 67.4 37.71 13 11 Inverkeithing 36 09.5 39*\49 48.4 34.87 36 09 Falkland Rd 34 35.5 80/82 78.4 39.58 11 22 N Queensferry 38 35.5 46* 45.9 36.97 38 17 Kingskettle 36 11.0 * 79.2 41.41 09 35 Dalmeny 40 48.5 59 49.3 37.84 39 06 Ladybank 37 01.5 50* 62.0 44.03 06 66 OB 42 56.0 89\84 74.3 39.34 40 46 LC 38 38.5 68 55.7 46.29 04 45 S Gyle 44 30.0 88 86.9 41.05 42 23 Springfield 39 59.5 83 76.0 47.30 03 44 Saughton Jc 45 17.5 70\79 76.5 42.26 43 40 MP 43½ 40 50.0 89 86.3 48.51 02 27 Hmkt W Jc 46 15.0 75.8 43.39 44 50 Cupar 41 46.0 60* 72.6 49.61 01 19 Haymarket 48 00.0 46.34 47 46 Dairsie UB 44 17.0 82 70.3 47.87 49 09 OB 45 23.0 84 83.5 49.61 50 68 Leuchars 47 48.0 1 early 43.2

the runs was that HST’s + 5 are quite quick, which is true, although this set might have done better. 62mph at Skelton Jn is poor and even 110 at Benningborough, is not that impressive after almost five miles of full power. There does appear to be discrepancy in the time or the distance to Benningborough as the averages either side do not match the speeds. The driver did not quite reach 125mph before being turned onto the slow line.

Table 6 moves further south with a recording from John Heaton between Cheltenham and Bristol Parkway. John does not say if the Voyager unit was working fully or not, but the 100mph limit means that it is not over extended if only running on three engines. John’s comments are:- A decent run taking advantage of the new 40psr at Westerleigh Jct and

Milepost 30¾ 268 January 2010 making 100mph before Winterborne.

Table 4 Table 7 has John Loco/Unit 185110 recording Class 67 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 3/164/175 haulage south of Bristol Train 1512 Newcastle-Manchester Apt on a Cardiff to Taunton Date Fri 13th November 2009 service. I have included Weather Cloudy the full log from Bristol to Rec/Pos/GPS? IU;2/3;Y Taunton, although only Mls M. Chns Timing Point Min. Sec. M.P.H. Average the final section from 0.00 44 06 Darlington 0 00 1L Bridgewater is an overall 1.03 43 04 No 94A ob 1 36 1/2 66 38.3 Fastest Time with 2.58 41 40 Croft Spa 2 42 1/2 92 84.4 several of the other 4.91 39 13 Eryholme ob 4 06 1/2 100 99.9 sections Fastest Times 10.31 33 61 Danby Wiske ob 7 21 1/2 100 99.8 for a loco hauled service. 14.13 29 76 Northallerton 10 21 76.4 John was very 0.00 29 76 Northallerton 0 00 T impressed with some of 1.25 28 56 Longlands Jn sign 1 37 75 46.4 the running and braking 3.40 26 44 Otterington ob 3 01 1/2 101 87.8 as evidenced from his 7.80 22 12 Thirsk fb 5 41 1/2 97/101 99.0 comments:- I attach two 11.98 17 78 Sessay ob 8 12 1/2 99 99.5 record claims for all- 14.20 15 60 Pilmoor ob 9 33 100 99.5 comers. I also attach two 16.58 13 30 Raskelf ob 10 59 100 99.4 excel files with logs of 20.25 9 56 Tollerton ob 13 12 1/2 99 99.1 claims for other sections 24.45 5 40 Beningbrough ob 15 44 100 99.6 as the fastest loco hauled sections. Please 26.83 3 10 Skelton Bridge Jn 17 10 1/2 99 99.2 ignore the Weston- 28.33 1 50 Skelton Jn sign 18 07 1/2 79* 94.5 Highbridge-Bridgwater 28.90 1 04 York Yard N ob 18 39 1/2 55* 65.0 sections as these are sigs 22*/31 just outside the records 29.95 0 00 York 9 20 51 4E 28.7 . TABLE 5 but were included for the sake of Date/day Wednesday 1st July 2009 keeping the run complete. (The Train 14:26 second all-comers was a Patchway Motive Power 43.123+43.084 to Filton Abbey West, which did not Load (tons) 2+5 HST reach 50mph.) Recorder/weather/gps/loc JH/Fine/Y3/5 The 6/11/09 run was 10L on public Miles M C location m s mph average times from Bristol and 5min early into 0.00 0 00 York 0 00 Tn (8 and 3 on working times). The 1.63 1 50 Skelton Jn 2 38 1/2 62 36.9 guard was an RPS member. 3.29 3 23 Skelton Bridge Jn 3 54 92 79.4 5.63 5 50 Benningborough OB 5 12 1/2110 107.2 Some excellent braking for the 9.70 9 56 Tollerton OB 7 20 1/2 123 114.4 modern era 97-0 in 83sec to 13.38 13 30 Raskelf OB 9 08 1/2 121 122.4 Nailsea 96-0 in 83sec to 16.00 16 00 Pilmoor 10 27 121 121.0 Bridgwater for instance. 17.98 17 78 Sessay OB 11 24 1/2 124 123.7 22.19 22 15 Thirsk 14 47 74.8 Fastest loco hauled sections are the 0.00 22 15 Thirsk 0 00 two shown below plus BTM-Nailsea- 2.14 24 26 OB 52 2 30 1/2 81 51.2 Yatton-Worle-Weston I think. 4.36 26 44 Otterington OB 4 10 1/2 79 80.1 6.51 28 56 Longlands Jn 5 54 69* 74.6 7.81 30 00 Northallerton 7 31 48.3

Milepost 30¾ 269 January 2010

Table 6 Power Cars 220026 Load 4 Table 8 has three short Train 14.07 Manchester-Paignton snippets from Brian Milner. Date 30/9/09 The first from 1995 Rec/Pos/GPS? Jhe 4/4 N features a line rarely noted Miles Miles Chns Timing Point WTT M. S. M.P.H. Ave. in the railway performance 0.00 86 58 Cheltenham d.. 0 0 0 circles. The Class 158 unit 3.10 89 66 Churchdown [1] 2 55 63.8 just managed to achieve a 5.54 92 21 Barnwood Jct 6 4 27 95.4 mile a minute run, possibly 6.25 92 78 Gloucester Yard 7 4 54 95.0 with a bit of overspeeding, 7.49 94 17 as described by Brian:- A 7.49 94 66 Gloucester E. Jct 5 53 75.5 short run as the sections 12.63 99 77 Standish Jct 11 9 8 94.8 before and after were not 14.42 101 60 Stonehouse 10 12 100.5 particularly special, 18.05 105 31 Cam 12 23 100.0 although the start from 20.65 107 79 Berkeley Road 13 57 99.6 Warrington was on time. 25.84 113 14 Charfield 19 17 11 96.3 Possibly key to the record 27.98 115 25 Wickwar 18 34 92.7 is the 62 mph at Sankey Jn 32.42 119 60 Yate 23½ 21 33 89.2 against the limit of 50 mph. 33.99 121 26 [1] The maximum was 82 mph 33.99 107 12 Westerleigh Jct 26½ 23 23 51.5 against the limit of 85 mph. 35.34 108 40 Coalpit Heath 24 30 -/100 72.5 36.84 110 00 Winterbourne 25 27 94.7 38.62 111 62 Bristol Parkway a. 31 27 13 60.3 . Table 7 Loco 67022 Mls M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave. Load formation 4Mk2 air con + dead 67024 3.64 133 79 Puxton 3 45 59 81.2 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 5/225/235-230 4.18 134 42 Worle a. 5 4 56 27.3 Train 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton 0.00 134 42 d. 6½ 6 02 -/39 Date 6/11/2009 0.61 135 11 Worle Jct 2½ 1 22 38/59 26.9 Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 2/6 Y 1.60 136 10 Weston Milton 2 33 57 50.1 Mls M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave. 2.91 137 35 Weston-s-M. a. 5½ 4 50 34.5 pfm 8 0.00 118 33 Bristol T.M. d. 0 0 00 8L 0.00 136 33 d 9 7 25 -/60 0.89 119 24 Bedminster 2 10 41 24.6 1.66 138 06 Uphill Jct 3 2 53 47/98 34.6 1.75 120 13 Parson Street 3 12 64 50.1 8.90 145 25 Highbridge a. 10 8 46 73.8 3.64 122 04 Long Ashton 4 40 85 77.2 0.00 145 25 d. 11½ 10 07 5.85 124 21 Flax Bourton 6 08 98/98½ 90.5 3.72 149 03 Dunball 3 43 93/98 60.1 8.00 126 33 Nailsea a. 9½ 8 12 62.4 6.28 151 47 Bridgwater a. 7 6 00 67.0 0.00 126 33 d. 11 9 33 -/90 0.00 151 47 d. 8½ 7 32 3.94 130 28 Yatton a. 5 4 28 52.9 1.16 152 60 M5 O/b 1 50 65/98 38.0 0.00 130 28 d. 6½ 5 36 5.79 157 30 Durston [1] 5 00 95 87.6 1.79 132 11 Huish 2 23 76/89 45.0 6.81 158 32 Cogload Jct 8 5 38 98/96 97.1 Class 142 timings and extra dwell time 8.66 160 20 Creech [1] 6 46 99 97.9 11.56 163 12 Taunton a. 14 9 35 pfm 3 61.8

The second run has an HST calling at the recently opened East Midlands Parkway, a station yet to feature in the RPS Fastest Times list, at the time of writing. The HST reached 106 in five miles with eight trailers, somewhat better than Jeremy’s effort in Table 5. Speed thereafter fluctuated although there may have been a tsr at Hathern where the driver was 10mph below the line limit. The onward section to Nottingham was much more sedate.

Milepost 30¾ 270 January 2010 Table 8 Loco 158859 Load 2: 76, 82 Train 08-27 Gr't Yarmouth- Liverpool L St Date 17/07/1995 Rec/Pos B Milner, 1/2 Miles M C Location PTT m s mph ave. 0.00 18 30 WARRINGTON CENTRAL 0 0 00.0 RT 1.13 17 20 Sankey Jn 1 42.0 62 39.7 2.55 15 66 SANKEY 2 52.5 78 72.8 4.38 14 00 Widnes East Jn 4 14.5 81/ 82 80.1 6.14 12 19 WIDNES 8 6 03.0 2 E 58.5

Loco 43048/076 Load 8: 273, 295, 435 Train 14-15 L'n St P-Nottingham Date 11/08/2009 Rec/Pos B Milner 9/10 Miles M C Location PTT m s mph ave 0.00 99 07 LEICESTER 0 0 00.0 2 L 1.14 100 18 Humberstone Road Jn 2 00.5 68 34.0 2.66 101 60 Thurmaston 3 09.0 90 80.1 4.91 104 00 Syston South Jn 4 31.5 106/109 98.2 7.91 107 00 Sileby Jn 6 13.0 102 106.4 9.54 108 50 BARROW-ON-SOAR 7 11.5 98 100.0 10.91 110 00 Milepost 8 01.5 100 99.0 12.50 111 47 LOUGHBOROUGH 8 59.0 99/105 99.4 13.91 113 00 Milepost 9 48.5 102 102.7 15.31 114 32 Hathern 10 41.5 89/ 82 95.1 17.24 116 26 Kegworth 12 01.0 95 87.2 19.13 118 17 EAST MIDLANDS PARKWAY 15 14 14.0 1 L 51.1 0.00 118 17 EAST MIDLANDS PARKWAY 16 17 17.0 3 L 0.99 119 16 Trent South Jn 1 49.5 63/ 69 32.5 1.80 120 01 Trent PSB 2 33.0 68 67.2 3.79 122 00 ATTENBOROUGH 4 07.5 79/ 78 75.7 5.04 123 20 BEESTON 5 05.0 79/ 30 78.3 7.59 125 64 Mansfield Jn 8 27.0 32 45.4 124 22 8.35 123 41 NOTTINGHAM 13 11 25.0 1 L 15.4

Brian’s comments on the HST run are:- This is included to give an example of a typical St Pancras to Nottingham fast train through the new East Midlands Parkway. Generally keeping close to the speed limits but with some tentativeness on the approach to stations both sections were quite good.

Finally Table 9 has John Heaton transgressing on what is normally John Rishton’s territory in the Euston to Crewe stopping services, although John has a short section away from his own normal route. Both schedules featured Class 350 units with running up to100mph. John’s run was from Milton Keynes to Northampton which departed from Milton Keynes on the fast Lines but was transferred to the slow lines before Wolverton, which was no handicap as the line limit is still 100mph.

John Rishton’s run was from Stafford to Wolverhampton with his comments being:- A change from travelling home via Lichfield. Usually I would choose a train not calling at

Milepost 30¾ 271 January 2010 Stafford, but due to engineering work that option was not available. A good job too!

Table 9 Day/Date Saturday 14th November 2009 Train 14:34 Liverpool L S - Birmingham N S Motive Power 350.12 Load (tons) 179/185 = 14.5hp/ton Weather dry Rec. Pos. GPS J Rishton - 3/4 - No Miles mm cc location WTT m s mph average 0 133 43 Stafford 0 0 00 1 late 0.0 0.54 133 00 Trent Valley Junction 0 51 psr 38.1 2.06 27 04 Gravel Lane 2 12 67.6 5.72 23 31 Penkridge 4 30 95.5 7.91 21 16 Gailey 5 50 98.6 11.70 17 33 M54 8 07 99.6 13.70 15 33 Bushbury 9 33 psr 83.7 14.86 13 31 Wolverhampton Nth 11 27 psr 36.6 15.30 12 76 Wolverhampton 13 13 06 16.0 Day/Date Friday 14th August 2009 Train 10 46 Euston-Crewe Motive Power 350 256 / 237 Load (tons) 358/xxx Weather Rec. Pos. GPS J Heaton - 7/8 - Yes Miles mm cc location WTT mm:s s mph average 0 49 66 Milton Keynes 0 0 00 81/sigs/SL 2.59 52 33 Wolverton 2 32 71/99 61.3 4.96 54 58 Castlethorpe 4 10 92/101 85.9 6.96 56 58 Hanslope 5 26 100 94.7 10.04 59 65 Roade 7 26 90/100/71 92.6 14.23 64 00 Hunsbury H.TSP 10 23 74 85.2 16.03 65 64 Northampton a 15 13 15 37.7

After a good run from Crewe as far as the M6 bridge we then suffered a signal check before crossing to the Birmingham route platforms at Stafford. Nothing came north so I assumed we were following something. Perhaps it was a freight heading up the Trent as we caught nothing up on the way to Wolverhampton. A one minute late start, due to the platforming delay on approach, was followed by good acceleration on departure and again once over Trent Valley Junction.

The unit maximum of 100mph was reached just north of the M54 bridge and then followed good braking for Bushbury Junction and then the usual crawl to North Junction and almost walking pace approach to the platform.

To make such an improvement on the previous record suggests that too many journeys are being made on trains not calling at Stafford. I for one must change my ways! Looking at the northbound fastest timings suggest there is still some improvement that can be made to this new Fastest Time.

My thanks to all those who have contributed logs over 2009. Please keep the material coming as without it this article would be much harder to fill.

Milepost 30¾ 272 January 2010 THIS BEATS A CLASS 143

By John Heaton FCILT

Plans for the winter 2008/9 timetable found First Great Western short of multiple units, probably the fault of the Department for Transport’s mindset that disregards West Country public opinion. The basis of the original franchise was always unrealistically tight and it has been an uphill battle against reduced frequencies and pacer operation. Cynics have suggested there are not many labour marginals west of Bristol.

Keeping vociferous commuters happy is a different problem from balancing figures on spreadsheets so it is little wonder that First Great Western and the Whitehall mandarins had opposing views. It is more surprising though that the two parties agreed to alleviate the rolling stock crisis by paying for a top and tail Class 67 combination to work a rake of 3TSOs and 1BSO, plus a couple of spares.

While it might have seemed operationally sensible to use this formation on long distance trips, it was financially justified by replacing 2x143 formation in the Bristol peaks. This allowed two other diagrams to be strengthened.

The Class 67s work the empty stock from Bristol Barton Hill to Taunton for the 07.28 to Bristol Parkway before returning at 09.13 to Weston-super-Mare. Frustratingly for the last remaining haulage enthusiasts, the stock is then worked empty to Taunton for the 11.02 to Cardiff returning at 14.00. There is then a final round trip to Cardiff at 16.13 and back at 19.00, arriving in Taunton at 21.10. The Class 67s then work the empties to Barton Hill.

Using the long diagrams negotiated by former owners EWS, the first DB Schenker driver works through until 14.51 when relieved at Bristol Temple Meads. Whether these ‘long days’ were designed or risk-assessed against such intensive commuter work is a moot point. Fast acceleration and braking for frequent stops is a different discipline from bundling heavy loads into and out of loops at relatively low as passenger trains sail by, although both are demanding in their different ways.

On the journeys I have made, the driving style has sometimes altered at Temple Meads on the way back with the 14.00 from Cardiff but on other trips the style has changed en route as if trainees might have been on board or, possibly, the driver’s confidence changed over different portions of the route.

By January 2 2009 I had managed only two Class 67 round trips from Taunton to Cardiff, plus a Temple Meads-Cardiff leg but that had been enough to brake a dozen of the RPS ‘historic’ fastest times which had been safely archived after the demise of loco-hauled operations.

In fact the trip is entertaining even if you have no interest in train timing. The startled expressions of Highbridge teenagers, mobile phone welded to their ears and weaned on a diet of Class 143s provide some amusement, almost as much as the Taunton Golden Hind regulars taking their wives to the ‘sales’. “No dear, don’t get on. Yes, I know it says it’s the Bristol train but this is clearly some form of special.”

But a word of warning to the more sensitive souls within the ranks of potential passengers: This is a noisy train. The volume issuing from MP3 players can rival the timpani section of the Royal Philharmonic, only to be replaced at Bristol by grandparents taking their grandchildren on a day out. Prepare for screams of raw terror as ‘sneaky diesel’ is spotted at

Milepost 30¾ 273 January 2010 Table 1: Taunton to Bristol Temple Meads Loco 67017 67028 67016 Load formation 4Mk2 air con + dead 67028 4Mk2 air con + dead 67017 4Mk2 air con + dead 67017 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 5/225/228-240 5/225/228-240 5/225/228-240 Train 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff Date 23/12/2008 30/12/2008 28/1/09 Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 2/6 Y J. Heaton 2/6 Y J. Heaton 2/6 Mls M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave 0.00 163 12 Taunton d. 0 0 00 T pfm 3 0 00 T pfm 2 0 00 T pfm 2 2.90 160 20 Creech 3 50 78 45.4 3 55 81 44.4 4 01 84/91/rbt 43.3 4.75 158 32 Cogload Jct 5 10 89/91/rbt 83.2 5 09 95 90.0 5 17 85 87.6 5.78 157 30 Durston 5 52 84/82/92 87.9 5 47 99 97.1 6 00 88/92 85.8 10.40 152 60 M5 O/b 9 08 63 84.9 8 43 93 94.6 9 07 88 89.0 11.56 151 47 Bridgwater a. 11½ 11 15 33.0 10 19 43.6 10 43 43.6 0.00 151 47 d. 13 12 58 11 51 12 06 2.55 149 03 Dunball 3 03 84 50.2 3 10 84/90 48.3 3.59 148 00 MP 148 3 53 86/88 46.6 3 44 93/96 91.1 - - 4.59 147 00 Huntspill 4 37 85 25.0 4 23 90 92.3 - - 6.28 145 25 Highbridge a. 7 7 01 89.3 6 21 51.5 6 57 59.1 0.00 145 25 d. 8½ 8 09 7 59 8 35 2.56 142 60 Brent Knoll 3 16 78 47.1 2 58 86 51.8 - - 4.61 140 56 Brean Road - - -/sigs 17 4 17 99/99½/sigs 6 93.4 4 46 91/sigs 27 58.1 7.24 138 06 Uphill Jct 8 38 39/44 52.3 7 24 33/34 50.5 7 38 47/55 54.9 8.90 136 33 Weston-s-M. a. 10½ 12 14 27.7 11 22 25.1 10 31 34.6 0.00 137 35 d. 21½ 22 26 24 19 12 11 1.31 136 10 Weston Milton 2 43 51 29.0 3 09 42/35 25.0 - - 60 2.30 135 11 Worle Jct 3½ 4 05 36 43.4 4 44 39 37.4 3 55 36 35.2 2.91 134 42 Worle a. 5 5 41 32.4 5 58 29.8 5 27 24.0 0.00 134 42 d. 6½ 7 22 8 09 6 20 0.54 133 79 Puxton 1 15 50 25.8 1 17 48 25.1 1 16 50 25.5 2.39 132 11 Huish 2 54 82/83 67.3 2 55 82 68.0 2 52 83 69.4 4.18 130 28 Yatton a. 5 5 49 36.8 4 59 51.9 5 06 48.0 0.00 130 28 d. 6½ 7 22 6 54 6 46 - - 2.35 128 00 MP128 3 02 82/84 46.5 2 52 82 49.2 - - 82 3.94 126 33 Nailsea a. 5 4 50 52.9 4 36 55.0 5 01 47.1 0.00 126 33 d. 6½ 6 37 6 29 8 01 2.15 124 21 Flax Bourton [2] 2 47 76 46.3 2 56 74 44.0 2 49 76 45.8 4.36 122 04 Long Ashton 4 25 90 81.3 4 33 89 82.1 4 25 91 83.0 6.25 120 13 Parson Street 9 5 45 71 84.9 5 57 54 80.9 5 43 67 87.1 7.11 119 24 Bedminster 6 57 32 43.1 7 19 29 37.9 6 48 28 47.8 8.09 118 26 Bristol T.M. a. 12 9 31 pfm 7 22.8 9 47 pfm 7 23.7 9 15 pfm 7 23.9

Ebbw Jct and do not be tempted into the debate about whether that Arriva Class 175 resembles Daisy Deemew.

And there are also a few latterday Class 50 aficionados treating the train as a 1980s refuge from the modern age. Now settled comfortably into their mid-life crisis, and accompanied by their reluctant children, they fail to inculcate their offspring with the elusive delights of loco- haulage. At least they have succeeded in giving their long-suffering wives a day’s peace, and they have taken the children too! Beware the front coach though where the hard-core bashers reside, as loud as they are foul mouthed. “Just three more round trips to complete 1,000 obscenities behind No. 67028.” Tucked as far from all these factions as they can manage, occasional train timers discreetly scribble their indecipherable notes.

Milepost 30¾ 274 January 2010

My first trip left Taunton down main Platform 3 and eased onto the up main, No. 67017 heading four Mark 2s weighing 134½tonnes net, the gross load rising from 137 and 150tonnes approaching Bristol before falling to around 140tonnes at Cardiff, reversing the pattern southbound. But the difference between the usual flyweight local loco-hauled services and these FGW trains is the dead weight of the rear Class 67.

Discussion with the former Exeter train manager who had emerged from retirement to train FGW guards on Mark 2s revealed that there was no short formation (six vehicles and fewer) speed restriction applicable to these formations because the Class 67s have far higher brake force than other diesels causing the weight/brake force ration to be even better than a seven coach loco-hauled train. The old instruction limiting all loco-hauled train on the former Western region to 95mph, or other such lower restriction that may apply, except between Acton and Reading (and vice versa) was not discussed. Incidentally, the willingness of FGW to train its own guards implies that the Class 67s are no short-term solution and a second venture is rumoured.

No. 67017 took the crossover at 42mph and had accelerated to 78mph by Creech, 89mph at Cogload Jct and 91mph at Durston before conducting a running brake test. Braking for Bridgwater was conservative even by modern standards and we were down to 63mph at the M5 overbridge 1.16miles from the station.

The working times are shown as Class 142 timings but most station stops are shown as 1½min where trains diagrammed for Class 142s generally have 1min. This suggests that someone knew that loco and coaches were coming, although not in time to obtain accurate timings.

We touched 88mph 4miles from Bridgwater but another slow stop, this time for Highbridge, cost us a punctual arrival. The approach control for Uphill Jct was taken as if a pit of vipers lay beyond the signal and we were then held at Weston-super-Mare for the 08.04 Manchester Piccadilly to Taunton Cross Country train to negotiate the single line from Worle Jct.

The start was slow and the running tentative to the Worle stop but 83mph was then attained at Huish but braking for Yatton commenced immediately, taking 2min 44sec for the 1.82 miles to the Yatton stop. This caused us to be 2min late at Nailsea but this was recouped to Bristol Temple Meads with 75mph by Flax Bourton and 90mph at Long Ashton. See table 1.

Leaving Bristol, 3min pathing is allowed for the 11.54 Severn Beach to Bristol T.M. to cross out path at Narroways Hill Jct, bringing our speed down to 9mph accelerating to 61mph after Ashley Hill on the 1-in-75. There are stops at Filton Abbey Wood and Patchway before nudging 90mph to Pilning and an unchecked run through the Severn Tunnel. The time of 10min 16sec to Severn Tunnel Jct constitutes a new RSP loco-hauled record. See Table 2.

The speed limit through to Cardiff for the Class 67s is 75mph on the main lines, which makes for little timing interest, but we are booked relief line from Maindee West Jct at a gentle 60mph maximum to Cardiff with 5min of allowances to dissipate.

At Cardiff, the train has to go to Canton for reversal into platform 2 so there is no time for the driver to have a break. On this occasion there was delay in getting the road out of the platform to Canton so the return trip started 6½min late. The routine delays reaching Newport have not been eliminated by the creation of the additional up platform although it is likely that the abrupt stop approaching the platforms was caused by a failure to hear the vigilance warning in New Tunnel. As a result the lateness had increased to 8½min by Severn Tunnel Jct.

Milepost 30¾ 275 January 2010

Table 2: Bristol Temple Meads to Cardiff Loco 67017 67028 67016 Load formation 4Mk2 air con + dead 67028 4Mk2 air con + dead 67017 4Mk2 air con + dead 67017 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 5/225/230-228 5/225/230-228 5/225/230-228 Train 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff Date 23/12/2008 30/12/2008 28/1/09 Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 2/6 Y J. Heaton 2/6 Y J. Heaton 2/6 Y Mls M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave 7½L pfm 0.00 0 3 Bristol T. M. d. 0 0 00 1½L p 7 0 00 7 0 00 1L pfm 7 0.35 0 31 Bristol E. Jct 1 1 11 24 17.7 1 07 26 18.8 1 16 24 16.6 0.63 0 53 Dr. Day's Jct 1½ 1 50 35 25.4 1 43 29 27.5 1 52 30 27.5 48/51/s 0.96 1 0 Lawrence Hill -3 2 20 9 40.5 2 22 47 31.2 2 21 45 41.9 1.64 1 54 Stapleton Road 3 55 26 25.6 3 07 61/62/53 54.0 3 04 60 56.5 2.55 2 47 Ashley Hill 5 07 54/61 45.6 4 04 55/63 57.6 4 00 58 58.7 3.71 3 60 Horfield 6 21 56 56.6 5 15 60 58.9 5 19 50 53.0 4.34 4 30 Filton A. W. a. 9½ 7 31 32.1 6 29 30.4 6 55 23.4 0.00 4 30 d. 11 8 59 8 46 8 09 0.38 4 60 Filton Jct 1 03 40/43 21.4 1 01 42/43 22.1 1 01 42/43 22.1 1.43 5 64 Patchway Jct 2 41 35 38.6 2 30 40 42.5 2 45 21 36.3 1.59 5 77 Patchway a. 3½ 3 30 11.9 3 04 17.2 3 49 9.1 0.00 5 77 d. 5 4 37 4 24 4 34 0.89 6 68 Patchway Dn TEP 1 42 60 31.3 1 51 59 28.8 1 46 59 30.1 1.60 7 45 Patchway Dn TWP 2 19 77/90 69.3 2 28 75/85 69.3 2 24 78/86 67.5 3.58 9 43 Pilning 4 3 42 86½/72 85.7 3 56 82 80.8 3 49 83/72 83.6 5.05 11 1 Severn Tunnel E. 4 48 73 80.5 5 04 75/sigs 78.1 4 56 73 79.3 33/s 9.40 15 29 Severn Tunnel W. 10½ 8 25 67 72.2 8 53 13/33 68.4 8 32 69 72.5 10.53 16 39 Severn T. Jct a. 12 10 16 36.5 11 56 22.1 10 27 35.2 0.00 148 61 d. 13½ 11 26 13 54 11 14 1.43 150 15 Undy 2 14 63 38.3 2 16 68 37.7 2 14 64/76 38.3 2.43 151 15 Major 3½ 3 05 75 70.6 3 05 76 73.5 3 04 75 72.0 4.26 153 2 Bishton 4 35 73 73.5 4 33 74/75 75.2 4 34 72/73 73.5 8.28 157 3 East Usk SB 8 04 53/sigs 69.1 7 50 73 73.3 8 12 sigs 54 66.3 9.14 157 72 Maindee E. Jct [1] 9 18 28/s RL 42.0 8 54 30/RL 48.5 9 38 21/RL/sigs 36.1 9.43 158 15 Maindee W. Jct 10 27 8/14 15.0 9 36 19 24.6 10 32 10/15 19.2 9.85 158 49 Newport a. 12 12 24 pfm 1 13.1 11 10 pfm 1 16.3 12 37 pfm 1 12.2 0.00 158 49 d. 14 15 48 -/31 12 54 -/sigs stop 14 52 -/32 3½ 1.56 160 14 Ebbw Jct [2] 3 30 28/61 26.8 4 30 28 sigs 20.8 3 20 28/61 28.1 5.26 163 70 Marshfield 9½(3) 7 23 60/s st 57.2 9 23 58 45.5 7 44 59/sigs 50.5 11.75 170 29 Cardiff C. a. 21 25 30 pfm 4 21.5 23 27 pfm 4 27.7 19 11 pfm 4 34.0

The FGW instructor suggested we would make it up and said the last run had come out of the Severn Tunnel like an exocet missile so you can imagine my disappointment at recording 73.4mph. But the rocket fuel kicked in as we accelerated to79mph on the 1-in-100 and 85mph on the short level stretch that follows. See Table 3.

There was a full 75mph between Filton Abbey Wood and Tempe Meads and a fast run in to Platform 4. The penalty for such a direct approach is paid by a tortuous exit. On this trip, I did not discern the presence of a new driver as 83mph at Flax Bourton followed by an unadventurous 2min 50sec stop. Train drivers are of course not paid to be adventurous but they are paid to regain time where legally possible. The driver was perhaps well aware of this as he reached 90mph near Brent Knoll, indulged in a final flourish with 92mph at

Milepost 30¾ 276 January 2010 Table 3: Cardiff to Bristol Temple Meads Loco 67028 67017 67017 Load formation 4Mk2 air con + dead 67017 4Mk2 air con + dead 67028 4Mk2 air con + dead 67016 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 5/225/228-230 5/225/228-230 5/225/228-230 Train 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton Date 23/12/2008 30/12/2008 30/1/2009 Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 5/6 Y J. Heaton 5/6 Y J. Heaton 5/6 Y Mls M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave T pfm 0.00 170 29 Cardiff C. d. 0 0 00 6L pfm 2 0 00 2 6.49 163 70 Marshfield 6 59 75/76 55.7 7 22 74 52.8 10.19 160 14 Ebbw Jct 10 02 72/em stop 72.8 10 24 72 73.2 11.75 158 49 Newport a. 11 13 25 27.7 13 25 31.1 0.00 158 49 d. 13 14 34 pfm 4 0 00 1L p 4 14 52 -/sigs pfm 4 0.43 158 15 Maindee W. Jct 0 1 26 30 17.8 1 21 28 18.9 2 21 16 10.9 0.71 157 72 Maindee E. Jct 2 00 32 30.4 1 55 34 30.4 2 59 38 27.2 1.58 157 03 East Usk SB 2 58 68/76 53.5 3 02 61/73 46.3 4 00 62/76 50.9 5.59 153 02 Bishton 6 13 74 74.1 6 22 74 72.2 7 20 73 72.2 7.43 151 15 Major 7 42 75 74.3 7 53 71 72.7 8 50 75 73.5 8.43 150 15 Undy 8 30 73 75.0 8 47 64 66.7 9 38 72 75.0 9.85 148 61 Severn T. Jct a. 10 10 42 38.9 11 06 36.9 11 28 46.6 0.00 16 39 d. 11½ 11 32 11 43 12 04 1.13 15 29 Severn Tunnel W. 2 1 39 73/- 40.9 1 56 67 34.9 2 00 69 33.8 5.48 11 01 Severn Tunnel E. [1] 5 24 74/73 69.6 5 29 74 73.5 5 35 74 72.8 6.95 9 43 Pilning 6 34 79/85 75.9 6 38 80/85 77.0 6 45 77/82 75.9 8.79 7 56 Patchway Dn TW 7 55 74 81.7 8 03 68 77.8 8 08 78 79.7 9.79 6 56 Patchway Dn TE 9 00 41 55.4 9 15 34 50.0 8 59 62 70.6 10.53 5 77 Patchway a. 13 10 35 27.9 11 50 17.1 10 32 28.5 0.00 5 77 d. 14½ 11 08 12 49 11 59 0.16 5 64 Patchway Jct 0 45 35/52 13.0 0 40 -/39 14.6 0 55 28/45 10.6 1.21 4 60 Filton Jct 2 15 37 42.0 2 24 36 36.3 2 41 38 35.7 1.59 4 30 Filton A. W. a. 2½ 3 17 21.8 3 28 21.1 3 34 25.5 0.00 4 30 d. 4 4 11 4 18 4 21 0.63 3 60 Horfield 1 25 56/75 26.5 1 24 57/77 26.8 1 35 47/s 44 23.7 1.79 2 47 Ashley Hill 2 25 74 69.8 2 25 76 68.6 2 53 66/68/s 53.7 2.70 1 54 Stapleton Road 3 10 67 73.0 3 12 56 69.9 3 46 44/s 17 62.0 3.38 1 00 Lawrence Hill 3 58 41 50.6 4 02 40 48.6 5 23 32/33 25.1 3.71 0 53 Dr. Day's Jct 6 4 35 31 32.8 4 35 35 36.8 6 00 31 32.8 - 4.41 0 03 Bristol T. M. a. 8 6 50 pfm 4 18.7 6 32 pfm 4 21.5 8 06 pfm 4 20.0

Creech, negotiated a signal check and arrived in Taunton ½min early, 2½min early on public times. See Table 4.

On reflection, the novelty of this run was probably its main attraction as there was precious little interest thrown up by the analysis. The attraction of this run was novelty of it rather than the content but it was sufficient to bring me back for a second run as part of a routing trip to Yorkshire. This time, No. 67028 was on the front of the 11.02 with No. 67017 on the rear and I settled into my seat as the ensemble took the down to up main crossover at 40mph and accelerated. 81mph Creech, 95mph Cogload and a final disappointment as speed peaked at 99mph through Durston. This was tempered by a realisation we were still doing 93mph at the M5 bridge approaching Bridgwater before completing a 96sec stop from this speed. This was real loco-hauled railroading. 96mph was achieved between Bridgwater and Highbridge, the 6min 21sec time taking a full half minute out of the existing record achieved by …what?… D1012 Western Firebrand on six….when?…1966!!

Milepost 30¾ 277 January 2010 Table 4: Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton Loco 67028 67017 67017 Load formation 4Mk2 air con + dead 67017 4Mk2 air con + dead 67028 4Mk2 air con + dead 67016 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 5/225/245-230 5/225/240-230 5/225/240-230 Train 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton 14.00 Cardiff-Taunton Date 23/12/2008 2/1/2009 30/01/2009 Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 5/6 Y J. Heaton 5/6 Y J. Heaton 5/6 Y Mls M. ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave Min. Sec. M.P.H. Ave pfm 4 pfm 4 0.00 118 33 Bristol T.M. d. 0 0 00 pfm 4 4L 0 00 2E 0 00 1E 0.89 119 24 Bedminster 2 15 41/55 23.7 3 00 36 17.8 2 52 29/rbt 19 18.6 1.75 120 13 Parson Street 3 17 52 50.1 4 03 64 49.3 4 46 49 27.2 3.64 122 04 Long Ashton 5 04 73/84 63.5 5 32 85 76.3 6 28 80 66.6 5.85 124 21 Flax Bourton 6 46 83 78.1 6 59 99/101 91.6 7 58 96/97 88.5 8.00 126 33 Nailsea a. 9½ 9 36 45.5 9 04 61.9 10 21 54.1 0.00 126 33 d. 11 10 50 10 52 11 31 1.59 128 00 MP 128 2 23 70/80 40.0 2 22 76/87 40.2 2 17 76/85 41.7 3.09 129 40 MP 129½ 3 38 75 72.0 - - - 3 23 84 81.8 3.94 130 28 Yatton a. 5 4 59 37.8 4 44 59.6 5 02 71 30.9 0.00 130 28 d. 6½ 6 21 6 16 5 57 1.79 132 11 Huish 2 51 67/70 37.6 2 33 77/85 42.1 2 26 77/86 44.1 3.64 133 79 Puxton 4 36 43 63.4 3 57 60 79.3 3 51 55 78.4 4.18 134 42 Worle a. 5 5 56 24.2 5 04 28.9 5 09 24.8 0.00 134 42 d. 6½ 6 57 -/39 6 35 5 55 0.61 135 11 Worle Jct 2½ 1 29 36 24.8 1 37 37 22.7 1 35 37/56 23.2 1.60 136 10 Weston Milton 2 44 60/63 47.4 2 55 55 45.6 2 51 55 46.8 2.91 137 35 Weston-s-M. a. 5½ 5 18 30.7 5 19 32.8 5 42 27.6 0.00 136 33 d. 9 6 47 -/50/47 8 05 -/44 8 44 -/46 1.66 138 06 Uphill Jct 3 2 57 48 33.8 3 35 41/39 27.8 3 23 42/41 29.5 4.29 140 56 Brean Road 5 20 88/90 66.1 6 05 87 63.0 5 54 86 62.6 5.59 142 00 MP 142 6 13 88 88.3 6 56 95 91.8 6 43 95/99½ 95.5 6.59 143 00 MP 143 - - - 7 33 100 97.3 7 20 99 8.90 145 25 Highbridge a. 10 9 31 60.2 9 55 66.6 9 56 61.8 0.00 145 25 d. 11½ 11 05 11 55 10 49 1.94 147 20 MP 147.20c 2 32 77/90 45.9 2 45 79 42.3 2 39 77 43.9 3.72 149 03 Dunball 3 47 88 85.8 3 56 94/98 90.6 3 52 93/94 88.2 6.28 151 47 Bridgwater a. 7 6 39 53.4 6 28 60.4 6 35 56.3 0.00 151 47 d. 8½ 7 55 7 51 0 00 1.16 152 60 M5 O/b 2 01 59 34.6 1 56 65 36.1 2 03 65 34.0 2.41 154 00 MP 154 3 08 76 67.2 2 56 84 75.0 3 04 85 73.8 4.41 156 00 MP 156 4 34 90 83.7 4 14 98/99 92.3 4 23 97 91.1 5.79 157 30 Durston [1] 5 30 86 88.4 5 04 98/96 99.0 5 15 85 95.2 6.81 158 32 Cogload Jct 8 6 12 88 87.9 5 42 98 97.1 6 02 77/76 78.5 90/92/sig 8.66 160 20 Creech [1] 7 27 st 88.8 6 52 94/sigs 95.1 7 27 84/85 78.4 11.56 163 12 Taunton a. 14 12 49 pfm 3 32.4 12 39 pfm 3 30.1 11 42 pfm 3 40.9

The sections to Yatton were similar to the previous run, 3min late, so the euphoria was beginning to subside. Although the times were slightly better, the speeds were lower, compensated by better braking. I could have believed another driver had taken over the controls.

So my expectations north of Bristol were not high. However, we avoided a check by the Severn Beach local, braking from 62mph to 53mph that seemed like a running brake test following a change of driver at Temple meads. We regained 73mpjh on the 1-in-75. Catching

Milepost 30¾ 278 January 2010 signals between Severn Tunnel West and the junction there was then a perfunctory run to Cardiff.

On my return journey from the north I picked up the loco-hauled set at Bristol out to Cardiff, the run being a mixture of the previous two, the second one of the three proving the overall best but the third attempt managed 86mph before Pilning and a10min 27sec time to Severn Tunnel Jct. I would not normally publish the Temple Meads-Filton Abbey wood time as I missed the start having not allowed for the reduced station time due to the late arrival following a late Penzance-Paddington from Yatton loop, followed by uncharacteristic tantrums from the GPS but I have included my best estimate for comparison purposes.

I caught the Class 67s at Newport on the way back to Taunton, recording a desperately slow stop at Severn Tunnel Jct and an even slower stop at Patchway, 34mph to zero in 155sec. It was a surprise to register another change of style at Filton Abbey Wood, racing down to Bristol in 6min 32sec with a maximum of 76½mph. Platform 4 is an bit longer than most others on the route and perhaps there is no stop board for this formation.

The new style continued all the way to Taunton with some top class entertainment. No 67017 touched 101mph at Flax Bourton and braked from 99½mph to the short-platform Nailsea stop on 1-in-146/387/334down in 95sec. This might not be in the highest class of the ‘good’ old days but it did make a pleasant start to 2009 and a departure from the modern text book. They probably don’t do text books now of course…training dvd. We touched 87mph after the Yatton stop, 85mph at Puxton and 84mph to zero in 94sec for the Worle stop where even the most experienced ex-B. R. drivers have little experience of calling.

Leaving Weston-super-Mare, the maximum speed to Uphill Jct was a disappointing 44mph but we touched 100mph at Brent Knoll and we braked from 96mph to the Highbridge stop in 101sec. Perhaps the Nailsea experience had been a little too ‘white-knuckle’ for the driver. There were further maxima of 98mph before Bridgwater (95-0 in 104sec) and 99mph at Durston. A third trip to and from Bristol in early February has also been tabulated but on the outward journey I was sat talking to a former colleague so the details are less complete.

At any point in my train timing activity, if anyone had told me that my third train in 2009 would have been diesel loco hauled with 2x100mph maxima between stations under ten minutes apart on an all stations local, I would have been incredulous. What is more, the provision of the Class 67s seems to have been reliable, perhaps even sufficiently so to tempt me out of bed for the 06.23 to Taunton for the 07.28 one day and I have just received two separate logs where up Class 67s have achieved 103mph, shading 104mph. That might just be the incentive I need. GPS, COURTESY OF FGW

RPS member David Lloyd Roberts recently went to Cornwall by FGW for a short break and discovered that a new entertainment system had been installed in his carriage. As well as featuring “on-demand high quality programmes”, it also provides a moving map that supplies real-time journey information. This also gives a GPS speed readout and altitude.

FGW have teamed up with Volo TV to install screens on the back of all seats in one coach (“The Entertainment Coach”) of all 54 HSTs. Fitting out is taking place at Laira and, not surprisingly, is going to take about a year. Customers will be entitled to unlimited access, upon registration, until the end of February 2010. However, with limited conversions completed at this time, finding a train with the equipment installed will be something of a lottery. After this time, access to the system will cost £3.95 per train.

Details on the FGW website: travelling with us - on board services – entertainment class

Milepost 30¾ 279 January 2010 Pendolino Performance Analysis

By Dave Stannard and Virgin Driver

Virgin’s Class 390 Pendolino sets are setting new standards for traction performance on the West Coast mainline. Designed for 140 mph running, but currently restricted by the signalling infrastructure to 125 mph in tilt mode and 110 mph non-tilt, the sets have impressive acceleration over the full range of operational speeds and present an interesting challenge to the performance analyst interpreting on-board timing measurements.

The first 34 sets were introduced into traffic from 2003 onwards as eight-vehicle formations, but were later strengthened to nine vehicles as with the remainder of the 53-strong fleet by the addition of an extra unpowered middle coach. Additional eleven-vehicle sets are now on order, and there are plans to strengthen many of the current sets to the same length.

A major factor which affects performance, particularly at high speeds, is train resistance. The resistance of an eight-vehicle Pendolino set was measured by Alstom in a series of speed run-down measurements during testing on the WCML prior to fleet service introduction. The variation of train resistance with speed is generally expressed as a quadratic equation with the first term (independent of speed) reflecting the mechanical rolling resistance, the second (directly proportional to speed) a combination of the viscous component of air momentum drag and any speed-dependent mechanical resistances, and the third term (proportional to the square of the speed) various aerodynamic effects including slab frontal area, shape form and surface skin friction drag. The free-fit of a quadratic equation to the Pendolino test measurements gives an equation with a non-physical negative second coefficient (private communication of Alstom internal report) and we adopt here an alternative solution with more normal coefficient ratios and only a marginal 3% greater r.m.s. variance obtained by re-analysis of the test data assigning greater weight to ‘anchor’ resistance measurements at low speeds. The equation (with the speed, v, in km/hour) is:

Resistance (kN/tonne) = 0.0075 + 0.000035*v + 0.00000135*v*v

There is a complex dependence on variables, including with Pendolinos the effects of tilt on the aerodynamics. To adjust for different set lengths we make the traditional simple approximation of scaling the first term by gross train weight (to allow for the effects of different passenger loadings) and the second and third terms by tare weight (essentially as a proxy for length, even though some of the aerodynamic effects are length-independent).

To check the validity of application of this resistance formula to nine-vehicle sets we have measured the deceleration rates of service workings coasting without power over distances of typically 2-5 miles at a variety of locations on the West Coast route (including Berkhamsted, Tring, Long Buckby, Atherstone, Penkridge and Madeley). The resistance values derived, calculated assuming standard gradient information, ‘plated’ tare operational service weights of 469.7 tonnes, an estimated average passenger loading of 16 tonnes per set and a rotational inertia factor of 5%, are in general in good agreement with the formula predictions (Figure 1).

An Excel spreadsheet was then set up to model performance data, allowing for variations in set formation and passenger loading and permitting iterative adjustment of the nominal Pendolino power output (a tractive effort of 204kN to 56 mph and a power at rail of 6,840hp thereafter) to fit measured time and speed data. Acceptable fits can generally be obtained with speed-independent parameters as illustrated by the replication of timing data of eight- vehicle sets accelerating southbound after set-down stops at Watford Junction (Table 1) and the matching of GPS speed measurements of nine-vehicle set 390 020 recovering from

Milepost 30¾ 280 January 2010 signal checks in the vicinity of Rugeley ahead of taking the Stoke line at Colwich on a Euston – Manchester working in December 2008 (Figure 2).

Figure 1: Resistance of nine-vehicle Pendolino sets derived from coasting data

Timing measurements Fitted model parameters Mean and 67 percentile range of six runs with Tare/Gross weight 424/439 tonnes Milepost aligned starts in conditions of good adhesion. Initial TE: 200kN (98.2% nominal) distance (October 2003-April 2004. Line speed 110mph) Power at rail: 6,724hp (98.3% nominal) (miles) Time (sec) Variance (sec) Time (sec) Speed (mph)

17.25 27.8 0.2 27.8 31 17.00 49.3 0.1 49.3 52 16.75 64.3 0.1 64.4 66 16.50 77.2 0.1 77.2 75 16.25 88.6 0.1 88.6 82 16.00 99.1 0.1 99.2 88 15.25 127.7 0.1 127.7 101 14.75 144.8 0.1 144.8 108 14.25 161.6 0.1 161.5 109 (eased)

Table 1 : Southbound acceleration from Watford Junction of eight-vehicle Pendolino sets

The West Coast Pendolino sets lengthened to eleven vehicles will have an additional transformer trailer car and motorised coach. The model average acceleration rates for the different length formations are compared on level track and on an adverse 1:333 gradient in Table 2 (assuming for each 67% passenger loading, 98% traction efficiency and a 5% contribution to energy stored as rotational inertia).

Milepost 30¾ 281 January 2010

Figure 2 : Modelling of nine-vehicle Pendolino set 390 020 approaching Colwich

Level track Adverse 1:333 gradient 8-vehicle set 9-vehicle set 11-vehicle set 8-vehicle set 9-vehicle set 11-vehicle set 424/444t 470/494t 566/598t 424/444t 470/494t 566/598t 15.4 hp/tonne 13.8 hp/tonne 13.3 hp/tonne 15.4 hp/tonne 13.8 hp/tonne 13.3 hp/tonne

0 - 60 mph 0.930 mph/sec 0.833 mph/sec 0.802 mph/sec 0.867 mph/sec 0.770 mph/sec 0.739 mph/sec 60 -110 mph 110-125 mph 0.553 mph/sec 0.487 mph/sec 0.466 mph/sec 0.485 mph/sec 0.419 mph/sec 0.397 mph/sec 0.331 mph/sec 0.285 mph/sec 0.270 mph/sec 0.268 mph/sec 0.221 mph/sec 0.206 mph/sec

0-125 mph 200 sec 227 sec 238 sec 228 sec 265 sec 280 sec

(4.2 miles) (4.9 miles) (5.1 miles) (5.0 miles) (5.8 miles) (6.2 miles)

Table 2 : Model Pendolino acceleration rates for different length set formations The effect of differing formation set lengths on point-to-point running times is generally small, with for instance modelling confirming the practical observation that nine-vehicle sets accelerating Euston-bound services after a stop at Watford Junction take little more than 5 seconds longer to pass Carpenders Park (MP 14.75) than the eight-vehicle sets detailed in Table 1.

Of particular interest is whether eleven-vehicle formations will be able to maintain the current schedules worked by nine-vehicle sets. Modelling with assumed 2/3 load capacity and January 2009 High Frequency Timetable line speed limits suggests that the additional running time on an unchecked Crewe-Euston leg of a southbound Manchester service will be little more than a quarter of a minute. This is well within the uncertainty margins of the recovery and contingency allowances built into the current working timetable schedules, and should enable lengthened sets to be slotted in to existing unit operating diagrams after re- commissioning without adverse effects on timekeeping.

Milepost 30¾ 282 January 2010 Milepost 30¾ 283 January 2010 The Blue Pullmans Bruce Nathan

Part 4. The Oxford and South Wales Pullmans

The Oxford Pullman was a short-lived service which commenced in March 1967, in the hope of attracting wealthy American tourists. After the demise of the Midland Pullman, the two 6- car sets were transferred to the Western Region and used in multiple on the up morning and down evening services between Bristol and Paddington. In between these duties, the two sets were divided, one unit making the mid-day run to Bristol and back and the other running non-stop from Paddington to Oxford at 12.15 returning at 16.15 and allowed exactly one hour for the 63-odd miles in both directions. Patronage was poor and the service ceased with the other mid-day Pullmans in May 1969.

The South Wales Pullman began in 1955 steam-hauled by a Castle 4-6-0 with the Pullman cars formerly used on the Southern Region’s ‘Devon Belle’. It did not have a particularly fast schedule leaving Paddington at 09.55 and the first stop was Newport (133.4 miles) for which the schedule was 146 minutes compared to 131 minutes on the following 10.55 ‘Pembroke Coast Express’. It continued to Cardiff, Port Talbot and finally Swansea where it was due to arrive at 14.00. The return was at 16.35 from Swansea and was due back in Paddington at 20.45. In this direction it was also allowed 146 minutes from Newport to Paddington, as was the ‘Pembroke Coast Express’. By 1960 it had changed to an 08.50 departure from Paddington, ahead of the regular 08.55 service, but was even slower being allowed 151 minutes to Newport. Bridgend and Neath stops had been added in line with most Paddington-Swansea services.

Three Blue Pullman sets had been delivered to the Western Region in 1960 and for the first year two of these were required for the Birmingham and Bristol services with the third set spare. However, with the September 1961 timetable revolution, the third set was to be utilised for the South Wales service on a different and faster timing, now starting from Swansea at 06.40 arriving Paddington at 10.15 with a timing of 127 minutes from Newport. The return was part of the regular hourly sequence at 16.55 from Paddington with a similar 127 minute booking to Newport and a 20.40 arrival in Swansea. The previous stock for the South Wales Pullman was retained as a spare and occasionally used, hauled by a steam or diesel locomotive, on the Birmingham or Bristol services when one of the Blue Pullman sets was not available.

In March 1967 the Birmingham Pullman was withdrawn following completion of the West Coast Main line electrification and the Midland Pullman sets were transferred to the Western Region. The Western now had sufficient Blue Pullman units to augment the South Wales service as well as introduce the Oxford Pullman mentioned above. The 09.00 from Paddington to Swansea and 16.20 return went over to Pullman workings and there was an additional mid-day journey from Paddington to Cardiff at 11.00 returning at 14.30. All services had by now been accelerated and the 1968 timings were between 111 and 114 minutes from Paddington to Newport and 115 minutes in the reverse direction; these varied slightly from year to year. The mid-day workings were withdrawn in May 1969 but the remaining services continued until May 1973, as mentioned in the Bristol Pullman article.

Before comment on the logs I should add that the speeds noted do not always exactly agree with the averages calculated between stations. Recording methods were less accurate 40 or so years ago than they are today and furthermore the exact passing point the various stations at which the times were taken was not always given in the logs.

Milepost 30¾ 284 January 2010 TABLE 1 Run No. 1 Alan Varley’s run in table Date/day Fri 23 February 1968 1 is the only log has that Train 12.15 Paddington-Oxford been noted for the Oxford Motive Power 6-car Pullman set Pullman. A good start Load (tons) 6, 298/305 tons was made as far as Recorder A. Varley Reading with speeds of PTT 90 mph and slightly over Miles M C Location Sch m s mph av between Iver and 0.00 0 04 PADDINGTON 0 0 00 ½L Twyford. Between 1.20 1 20 Westbourne Park 2 43 49 26.5 Reading and Didcot there 3.20 3 20 Old Oak West 4 42 71 60.5 were several signal 4.19 4 19 Acton Main Line 5 30 78 74.1 checks and despite a 30 5.64 5 55 Ealing Broadway 6 36 84 79.1 second signal stop 7.30 7 28 Hanwell 7 45 87 86.7 outside Oxford station, ½ 9.03 9 06 Southall 8 57 85/75* 86.2 minute was gained on the 10.93 10 78 Hayes & Harlington 10 23 77 79.5 60 minute booking. 13.19 13 19 West Drayton 12 02 88 82.3 14.69 14 59 Iver 13 03 90/91 88.5 Two down runs to 16.20 16 20 Langley 14 03 90 90.8 Newport on the mid-day 18.39 18 35 Slough 15 28 90/89 92.6 South Wales Pullman are 20.93 20 78 Burnham 17 10 90 89.6 shown in table 2. Ken 22.40 22 36 Taplow 18 10 89 88.5 Barlow’s run 2 suffered 24.21 24 21 Maidenhead 19 23 90/89 89.4 signal checks at Taplow, 27.80 27 68 Shottesbrooke 21 46 91 90.3 before Swindon, probably 30.99 31 03 Twyford 23 51 93 91.8 at Wootton Bassett and at 33.91 33 77 Sonning 25 57 81 83.6 Stoke Gifford (now Bristol 35.93 35 78 READING 28 04 26 sigs 57.0 Parkway) as well as a tsr 38.60 38 52 Tilehurst 32 40 44 34.9 at Westerleigh but 41.49 41 43 Pangbourne 35 40 67 57.8 otherwise speeds were 44.70 44 60 Goring 39 47 37 sigs 46.8 mainly close to 90 mph for the first hundred miles 48.39 48 35 Cholsey 43 25 77/83 60.9 and hardly fell on the 1 in 51.34 51 31 Moreton Cutting 45 41 sigs 36 78.1 300 climb from 52.90 52 76 Didcot East Junc 47 26 37 53.6 Hullavington to 53.75 53 64 Didcot North Junc 48 46 51 38.2 Badminton. The 50mph 55.04 55 16 Appleford 50 03 69 60.2 restriction through 56.13 56 14 Culham 50 57 74 72.5 Reading did not then 58.41 58 37 Radley 52 38 83/84 81.5 apply and the 82 mph 59.73 59 62 Sandford 53 35 83/84 82.9 speed in the Severn 61.03 61 06 Kennington Junc Box 54 31 82 83.6 Tunnel was higher than sigs 30s the 75 mph maximum 63.46 63 41 OXFORD 60 59 27 RT permitted today. Due to the checks, 2½ minutes were lost on the 113 minute schedule at the time. David Ashley on run 3 had a reasonable start although speeds slightly below 90 mph. Although little detail is given for the latter stages, there appears to have been some delays here including a severe tsr before Badminton and further checks around Stoke Gifford and Severn Tunnel Junction which caused a 10½ minute loss of time.

Run 4 in table 3 was on the 16.55 was made on the Friday evening prior to the August Bank Holiday (then at the beginning of the month) and illustrates the delays that frequently occurred on such occasions. Even when we had a clear road, speeds were generally restrained to little over 80 mph. Some of the better running was on the climb to Badminton;

Milepost 30¾ 285 January 2010 TABLE 2 Run No. 2 3 Date/day Wed 6 October 1965 Fri 30 June 1967 Train 11.00 to Cardiff 11.00 to Cardiff Motive Power 8-car Pullman set 8-car Pullman set Load (tons) 8, 364/375 tons 8, 364/375 tons Rec/Pos/GPS? K.J. Barlow D Ashley WTT Miles M C Location Sch m s mph av m s mph av 0.00 0 04 PADDINGTON 0 0 00 ¾L 0 00 1.20 1 20 Westbourne Park 3 43 39 2.74 2 63 Old Oak Common 5 27 66 53.2 3.20 3 20 Old Oak West 4 52 60 5.64 5 55 Ealing Broadway 7 15 68 61.4 7 59 70 68.7 9.03 9 06 Southall 9 38 90 85.3 10 52 65 tsr 70.5 13.18 13 18 West Drayton 12 26 87/89 88.9 14 01 86 79.0 18.39 18 35 Slough 15 58 87/89 88.5 17 32 90 88.9 22.40 22 36 Taplow 21 25 sigs 2 44.2 20 21 85 85.5 24.21 24 21 Maidenhead 23 23 81 55.3 21 38 85 84.7 30.99 31 03 Twyford 28 47 76/82/75 75.3 26 19 88 86.8 35.93 35 78 READING 29½ 32 38 82/75 76.9 29 53 80/70* 83.1 38.60 38 52 Tilehurst 34 41 82 78.3 32 01 83 75.2 41.49 41 43 Pangbourne 37 00 72/77 74.8 33 59 88 88.1 44.70 44 60 Goring 39 17 89 84.4 36 12 86 87.0 48.39 48 35 Cholsey 41 45 90 89.7 38 46 88 86.2 53.09 53 11 DIDCOT 42 44 55 89 89.1 41 57 89 88.6 56.45 56 40 Steventon 47 10 90 89.7 47 02 56 tsr 39.7 60.35 60 32 Wantage Rd 49 46 90 90.0 50 21 73 70.6 63.79 63 67 Challow 52 03 90 90.3 53 01 83 77.3 66.45 66 40 Uffington 55 53 50 90 89.6 54 55 89 84.1 89/sigs 71.45 71 40 Shrivenham 57 18 28 86.5 58 17 89/tsr 89.1 sigs 77.24 77 23 SWINDON 62 62 54 62 62.0 64 07 47/60 59.5 82.85 82 72 Wootton Bassett 67 42 82/42 70.2 70 09 50 55.8 86.95 87 00 Brinkworth 71 37 90 62.8 73 56 85 65.0 88/10 89.70 89 60 Little Somerford 73 27 90 90.0 75 50 tsr 86.8 94.20 94 20 Hullavington 76 31 88 88.0 99.95 100 00 Badminton 79 80 26 91 88.1 90 04 63 43.2 104.51 104 45 Chipping Sodbury 83 35 82 86.9 93 25 90 81.7 107.10 107 12 Westerleigh W Jc 88 52 tsr 23 29.4 108.45 108 40 Coalpit Heath 96 03 88 89.7 109.78 109 66 Winterbourne 91 29 68 61.3 111.35 111 32 Stoke Gifford E 93 05 sigs 42 59.1 98 46 40 64.0 113.01 5 77 Patchway 88½ 95 02 51.2 101 03 45 43.7 116.59 9 43 Pilning 98 30 76 61.9 104 19 70 65.7 117.74 10 55 Severn Tunnel E Box 99 26 72/82 73.9 122.65 15 48 Severn Tunnel W Box 100 103 53 42 66.2 123.55 16 40 Severn Tunnel Jc 101 105 13 39 40.5 112 47 30/70 49.3 125.96 151 15 Magor 108 10 66 49.1 129.64 154 69 Llanwern 111 5 82/78 75.6 133.39 158 49 NEWPORT 113 115 28 3¼L 51.3 123 35 10½L

Milepost 30¾ 286 January 2010 TABLE 3 Miles M C Location m s mph av Run No. 4 66.45 66 40 Uffington 64 46 79 78.6 Date/day Friday 3 August 1962 71.45 71 40 Shrivenham 68 37 69tsr 53 77.9 Train 16.55 to Swansea 74.95 75 00 Stratton Park Halt 72 30 61 54.1 Motive Power 8-car Pullman set 77.24 77 23 SWINDON 74 31 73 68.1 Load 364/380 tons 77 12 sig Recorder B.I. Nathan 81 00 stop 83 37 sig Miles M C Location m s mph av 87 01 stop 0.00 0 04 PADDINGTON 0 00 RT 82.85 82 72 Wootton Bassett 92 50 61/49 1.20 1 20 Westbourne Park 3 25 47 86.95 87 00 Brinkworth 96 39 82 64.5 4.20 4 20 Acton Main Line 7 01 65 89.70 89 60 Little Somerford 98 38 84 83.2 5.64 5 55 Ealing Broadway 8 16 73 69.0 94.20 94 20 Hullavington 101 53 82 83.1 7.30 7 28 Hanwell 9 39 70 72.1 99.95 100 00 Badminton 106 08 80/85 81.2 9.03 9 06 Southall 11 11 sigs 57 67.5 104.51 104 45 Chipping Sodbury 109 27 tsr 41 82.5 10.88 10 74 Hayes & H 13 05 60 58.4 108.45 108 40 Coalpit Heath 113 50 70 53.9 13.18 13 18 West Drayton 15 14 68/73 64.2 109.78 109 66 Winterbourne 114 55 80 73.4 16.20 16 20 Langley 17 46 69 71.6 111.35 111 32 Stoke Gifford E 116 18 48/45 68.3 18.39 18 35 Slough 19 45 63 66.2 112 72 22.40 22 36 Taplow 23 20 70 67.2 5 64 24.21 24 21 Maidenhead 24 54 69 69.4 113.01 5 77 Patchway 118 19 57 56.5 28 21 sig 116.59 9 43 Pilning 124 17 sig 31 12 stop 127 49 stop 30.99 31 03 Twyford 37 21 71/73 117.74 10 55 Severn Tunnel E 130 29 58/75 35.93 35 78 READING 41 26 70 72.6 122.65 15 48 Severn Tunnel W 134 58 47 65.7 38.60 38 52 Tilehurst 43 40 73 71.9 123.55 16 40 Severn Tunnel Jc 136 13 40 43.2 41.49 41 43 Pangbourne 46 02 73 73.2 148 62 44.70 44 60 Goring 48 34 78/84 76.1 125.96 151 15 Magor 138 55 69/72 53.6 48.39 48 35 Cholsey 51 14 81 83.0 129.64 154 69 Llanwern 142 03 71 70.4 53.09 53 11 DIDCOT 54 40 82/78 82.1 131.93 157 12 Maindee East Jc 145 06 45.0 56.45 56 40 Steventon 57 14 80 78.6 146 04 sig 60.35 60 32 Wantage Road 60 02 85/73 83.6 147 30 stop 63.79 63 67 Challow 62 44 78 76.4 133.39 158 49 NEWPORT 149 35 22½L

perhaps the preceding train delaying us had taken the Chippenham line at Wootton Bassett. By Newport we were 22½ minutes late on the easier schedule then applying.

The three logs in tables 2 and 3 all show a loss of time on the public schedule but they are the only ones I have been able to trace on the down service. In contrast I travelled behind 47 473 with 10 mark II air-conditioned coaches on the 09.00 from Paddington in March 1974, a train which had been a Pullman service 12 months earlier, and departing Paddington 1 minute late we reached Newport 5½ minutes early in 107m 37s.

Two runs recorded by David Ashley on the up evening Pullman service appear in table 4. Both had ample time in hand. Little detail is shown in the earlier stages but speeds up the 1 in 100 from the Severn Tunel to Patchway would have been in the mid to high 50s and in the 70-75 mph range up the 1 in 300 to Badminton. Subsequently on run 5 the speeds were a little under 90 mph for most of the way from Hullavington to West Drayton apart from a slowing through Reading. Over 4 minutes were gained on the booking. Run 6 was slightly faster with some steady 90 mph running and despite a signal stop outside Paddington gained nearly 5 minutes on the schedule.

Finally table 5 shows two runs recorded by Chris Taylor on the up morning service. Chris stated that when he used to go to Cardiff this was one of his favourite trains in the up

Milepost 30¾ 287 January 2010 TABLE 4 Run No. 5 6 Date Mon 16 June 1969 Wed 18 June 1969 Train 16.20 Swansea 16.20 Swansea Power 8-car Pullman set 8-car Pullman set Load 364/380 tons 364/380 tons Recorder D. Ashley D. Ashley miles m c WTT m s mph av m s mph av 0.00 158 49 NEWPORT 0 0 00 1L 0 00 3L 7.43 151 15 Mangor 9 02 75 49.3 9.84 148 62 Severn Tunnel Jn 11½ 10 59 70 74.2 10 06 58.4 10.98 15 29 Severn Tunnel W. 12½ 11 56 71.8 11 02 73.1 15.33 11 01 Severn Tunnel E. 15 33 72.2 14 38 72.5 16.80 9 43 Pilning (1) 17 06 57.1 16 06 60.3 20.38 5 77 Patchway 22 20 53 50 56.7 19 57 54 55.7 22.04 111 32 Stoke Gifford East 23½ 21 40 59 58.1 23.44 110 00 Winterbourne 24 27 51.5 24.94 108 40 Coalpit Heath 25 44 70.1 24 32 69 60.7 26.29 107 12 Westerleigh W. Jn 26½ 26 56 67.5 25 42 69.4 28.88 104 45 Chipping Sodbury 29 04 72.8 27 47 74.5 33.44 100 00 Badminton 33 32 45 74.3 31 28 74.3 39.19 94 20 Hullavington 36 49 90 84.8 35 28 90 86.3 43.69 89 60 Little Somerford (1) 39 48 90 90.5 38 28 90 90.0 46.50 86 75 Brinkworth 41 41 88 50.44 83 00 Wootton Bassett 46 44 42 71* 82.7 43 23 70* 82.4 56.15 77 23 SWINDON 50½ 49 03 79/89 78.8 47 38 80 80.6 61.94 71 40 Shrivenham 52 59 85 88.3 51 30 90 89.8 66.95 66 39 Uffington (2) 56 30 84 85.5 54 46 90 92.1 69.60 63 67 Challow 61½ 58 23 85 84.4 56 32 90 90.0 73.09 60 28 Wantage Road 60 45 87 88.4 58 49 90 91.6 76.94 56 40 Steventon 63 27 86 85.6 61 23 90 90.0 80.30 53 11 DIDCOT 68½ 65 45 90 87.7 63 36 90 91.0 85.00 48 35 Cholsey 69 03 89 85.5 66 42 91/89 91.0 88.69 44 60 Goring (1½) 71 33 89 88.5 69 12 90 88.5 91.90 41 43 Pangbourne 73 44 87 88.3 71 21 90 89.7 94.79 38 52 Tilehurst 75 43 86 87.4 73 25 45/sigs 30 83.8 97.46 35 78 READING 82 77 50 52* 75.8 77 48 51 102.40 31 03 Twyford 85½ 82 50 78/90 59.3 82 31 80 50.2 109.18 24 21 Maidenhead 90½ 87 34 86/90 85.9 87 09 90 87.7 110.99 22 36 Taplow (1) 88 48 83 88.2 88 22 90 89.4 115.00 18 35 Slough 95½ 91 42 82 83.0 91 03 88 89.7 120.20 13 19 West Drayton 95 30 81/86 82.1 94 33 89 89.1 124.36 9 06 Southall 103 98 37 72/sigs 40 80.1 97 20 90 89.7 127.75 5 55 Ealing Broadway 103 02 56 46.0 99 36 89 89.7 130.65 2 63 Old Oak Common 105 42 73 65.3 101 41 82 83.5 132.19 1 20 Westbourne Park 112 107 47 41 44.3 103 36 sigs 30 48.1 sigs 1m30s 133.39 0 04 PADDINGTON 115 110 50 4E 110 24 2E direction and that there was a story that if you sat in the first coach and in the Severn Tunnel a spout would appear in your cup of coffee as high as a couple of inches. Chris did not really believe this until his last Pullman trip when the 2 inch spout appeared in his cup of coffee. Run 7 was checked to 5mph at Pilning but recovered to 55 mph up the 1 in 100 to Patchway and subsequently accelerated to 78mph by Chipping Sodbury up the 1 in 300.

Milepost 30¾ 288 January 2010 TABLE 5 Run No. 7 8 Date Thur 1 October 1970 Fri 2 October 1970 Train 07.00 Swansea 07.00 Swansea Motive Power 8-car Pullman set 8-car Pullman set Power cars 60096/94 Power cars 60096/94 Load 364/379 tons 364/379 tons Recorder C.M.Taylor 1/8 C.M.Taylor 1/8 miles m c WTT m s mph av m s mph av 0.00 158 49 NEWPORT 0 0 00 1L 0 00 RT 3.75 154 69 Llanwern 4 46 47.2 5 12 43.3 7.43 151 15 Mangor 8 35 78 57.8 8 15 75 72.3 9.84 148 62 Severn Tunnel Jn 11½ 10 27 70* 77.5 10 15 72.4 10.98 15 29 Severn Tunnel W. 12½ 11 25 70.6 11 15 60 68.3 15.33 11 01 Severn Tunnel E. 15 26 64 65.0 14 52 60 72.2 16.80 9 43 Pilning (1) 17 37 sigs 5 40.5 16 17 62 62.5 20.38 5 77 Patchway 22 22 45 55 41.8 19 49 60 60.7 21.44 112 00 Stoke Gifford West 23½ 24 07 58 46.6 21 02 sigs 45 61.2 23.44 110 00 Winterbourne 26 10 66 58.5 23 30 56 48.6 24.94 108 40 Coalpit Heath 27 26 72 71.1 24 57 65 62.1 26.29 107 12 Westerleigh W. Jn 26½ 28 33 76 72.5 26 10 71 66.6 28.88 104 45 Chipping Sodbury 30 31 78 78.9 28 19 75 72.2 33.44 100 00 Badminton 33 33 58 87 79.3 31 51 77 77.5 39.19 94 20 Hullavington 37 49 90 89.6 35 47 90 87.7 43.69 89 60 Little Somerford (1) 40 44 92 92.6 38 46 88 90.5 46.44 87 00 Brinkworth 40 38 85 88.4 50.44 83 00 Wootton Bassett 46 45 40 70* 82.1 43 56 50* 72.7 56.15 77 23 SWINDON 50½ 49 53 85 81.3 49 35 76 60.7 61.94 71 40 Shrivenham 53 40 90/92 91.8 53 31 90 88.3 66.90 66 43 Uffington (2) 56 56 90 91.1 56 57 90 86.7 69.61 63 66 Challow 61½ 58 41 90 93.0 58 41 92 93.9 73.06 60 30 Wantage Road 60 57 92 91.3 60 57 90 91.3 76.94 56 40 Steventon 63 30 92 91.2 63 34 87 88.9 80.30 53 11 DIDCOT 68½ 65 41 90 92.4 65 48 92 90.3 85.00 48 35 Cholsey 68 50 92 89.5 68 57 90 89.5 88.69 44 60 Goring (1½) 71 14 92 92.2 71 27 85 88.5 91.90 41 43 Pangbourne 73 20 90 91.8 73 39 90 87.6 94.79 38 52 Tilehurst 75 18 90 88.1 75 32 90/sig30 92.0 97.46 35 78 READING 82 77 24 78* 76.4 79 35 56 102.40 31 03 Twyford 85½ 80 58 87 83.1 84 03 85 66.3 109.18 24 21 Maidenhead 90½ 85 38 90 87.1 88 37 83 89.0 110.99 22 36 Taplow 86 48 90 93.2 89 55 83 83.7 112.51 20 74 Burnham (1) 87 47 90 93.1 90 57 88/90 88.5 115.00 18 35 Slough 95½ 89 25 90 91.4 92 37 88 89.5 117.19 16 20 Langley 90 57 87 85.6 94 07 85 87.5 118.69 14 60 Iver (1) 91 59 86 87.1 95 10 90 85.7 120.20 13 19 West Drayton 92 59 90 90.8 96 09 90 92.3 122.51 10 74 Hayes 94 32 87 89.5 97 42 88 89.5 124.36 9 06 Southall 103 95 49 90 86.5 98 57 85 88.8 126.09 7 28 Hanwell 96 57 91.3 100 09 85 86.3 126.90 6 43 West Ealing (3½) 97 28 92 94.4 100 44 85 83.6 127.75 5 55 Ealing Broadway 98 01 92 92.7 101 18 81 90.0 129.19 4 20 Acton Main Line 99 02 66 84.8 102 25 80 77.2 130.69 2 60 Old Oak Common 100 00 93.1 103 37 60 75.0

Milepost 30¾ 289 January 2010 132.19 1 20 Westbourne Park 112 101 22 65.9 105 42 43.2 sigs 3m0s sigs 1m18s 133.39 0 04 PADDINGTON 115 110 00 4E 111 42 3E

Thereafter much of the running was around 90 mph and even with a signal stop outside Paddington finished ahead of schedule. Run 8 had a clear run through the tunnel and on the climb to Patchway but was checked at Stoke Gifford. An easing to 50 mph at Wootton Bassett may have been a signal check and there was another check approaching Reading. On the unchecked sections the running was slightly slower. Again there was a signal stop outside Paddington but the train still arrived 3 minutes early. It was always difficult to get a clear run into the terminus at around 10.00.

The running of the Pullmans may seem slow by today’s HST standards but there are no longer any non-stop runs between Paddington and Newport in either direction. All trains stop at Bristol Parkway, Swindon and Reading and in many cases Didcot Parkway as well so that the overall time shows very little improvement – typically 104 minutes down and 110 minutes up.

There was an attempt to re-create the ‘Blue Pullmans’ in 2006 when FM Rail repainted a set of Mark 2f stock in the Nanking Blue and White livery for luxury dining specials, top-and- tailed by Class 47s similarly liveried. Unfortunately, FM Rail went into administration early in 2007, and in spite of the Pullman specials being well-supported, the stock, which is now owned by DRS and based at the c2c depot at East Ham, has subsequently seen little use.

Blue Pullman update

In late November I received a phone call at the unearthly hour of 0800 from ‘our man in Cyprus’. Admittedly Bill Hemstock did point out that there it was 1000, the sun was shining and the climate was mild! He directed me to Modern Railways, December 1965 edition in which there is a picture on page 694 showing the Blue Pullman crossing Welwyn viaduct on Saturday 16 October. Further investigation reveals from page 698 that this was a trial run from Reddish depot via Huddersfield, Mirfield, Low Moor and Laisterdyke to Leeds Central for a return trip to Kings Cross. The schedule was 2hr 46min up and 2hr 49m down including a 3 minute stop at Doncaster in each direction – time was kept throughout. Therefore, somewhere they may be a record of this run hidden away. If anyone has any knowledge of this please let us know.

Interestingly the route from Mirfield No.3 to Heckmondwike Central Jn closed on 14 June 1965 so did this train go this route or reverse at Heckmondwike Jn (now known as Thornhill Jn)?

Martin Barrett URGENT APPEAL FROM JOHN HEATON

As you may be aware, my close colleague Neville Hill writes performance articles for Modern Locomotives Illustrated. At present, the fee goes to RPS funds. However, Neville was heard to emit shrieks of alarm recently when he came to realise that a future edition of MLI is based on Classes 14-17. The archive has very few entries so could I appeal members to search their records for any other examples they might have. For those who like the old money best, these classes are D95xx/82xx/84xx and 85xx (Claytons). There is only one Clayton run in the archive and that is assisted by a Class 25. If you send any logs and comments to me at 57 West Cliff Park Drive, Dawlish EX7 9ER, or by e-mail to [email protected], I will ensure Nev receives them. I can be contacted by phone on 01626 865526.

Milepost 30¾ 290 January 2010 MEMORIES FROM THE C.K.DUNKLEY COLLECTION: THE FINAL CHAPTER

Martin Barrett

We now come to the 5th and final article in this series – it doesn’t seem like 5 years does it? This mostly covers the years 1959 and 1964, Mr Dunkley recording little in the intervening years.

Run No 1 2 As is the norm, we start on the Date 07 May 1959 16 June 1959 Bournemouth line and run 1 is Train 1030 Waterloo 1030 Waterloo one of the best runs ever Loco 35017 35030 recorded until signal checks Load 12/401/425 10/367/382 intervened. Driver Letchford, Driver Letchford Kelly who has featured before in dist location sch m s mph m s mph these articles, was in charge of 0.0 Waterloo 0 0 00 0 00 35017 (rebuilt in March 1957) 1.3 Vauxhall 3 18 39 3 23 40/53 on a heavy load of 12 vehicles. 3.9 Clapham Jn 7 6 43 45 6 39 43 After a sub 7 minute run to tsr Clapham Jn, a 15 mph tsr 5.6 Earlsfield 8 59 15 8 43 51 slowed progress until after 7.3 Wimbledon 12 07 44 10 33 54 Hampton Court Jn, from where 9.8 New Malden 15 06 58 13 09 61 some remarkable running 13.3 Hampton Ct Jn 18 18 26 69 16 23 69 ensued. After reaching 77mph 17.1 Walton 21 32 75 19 33 72 in the dip at Byfleet, Driver 19.1 Weybridge 23 14 71/77 21 20 67/75 Letchford opened 35017 out so 21.7 West Byfleet 25 15 76 23 26 73 speed only fell to 69mph at 24.4 Woking 28 27 25 75 25 43 66/62 MP31. This was followed by 28.0 Brookwood 30 25 72 29 04 65 speed just under 80 mph all the 31.0 MP31 32 57 69 31 57 60 way to Basingstoke, passed at 33.2 Farnborough 34 47 75/80 34 03 66/72 a very lively 76mph. This 36.5 Fleet 37 20 77 36 51 69/75 impetus resulted in a 39.8 Winchfield 39 52 79 40 58 30 magnificent minimum of 66mph 42.2 Hook 41 41 77/80 44 22 52/64 at Wootton from where speed 47.8 Basingstoke 45 54 76 49 52 60/59 steadily increased to reach 50.3 Worting Jn 52 47 55 69 52 18 60 90mph after Shawford. Now 52.6 Wootton 49 54 66 54 46 54 running over 7 minutes early 56.3 Roundwood 53 05 72 58 16 69 severe checks followed, but a time of 79m 10s to 58.1 Micheldever 54 32 78 59 51 75 Southampton was still very 61.8 Wallers Ash 83 good. I have looked through 64.5 Winchester Jn 66 59 07 85 64 30 80 some previously published logs 66.6 Winchester 60 38 83 66 14 72 and I can only find one, Driver 69.7 Shawford 62 47 85/90 68 38 80/84 Rabbetts with 35029 in 1964, sigs sev which beat 59m07s to 73.6 Eastleigh 73 67 19 71 32 78 Winchester Jn. Amazingly I 75.7 Swaythling sigs sigs found two other published runs 77.3 St Denys 73 46 74 38 56 in a seven day period on this sigs 2* train, both with West Country’s, 78.1 Northam Jn 78 75 50 77 27 on 09 May when Driver 79.2 Southampton 81 79 10 81 08 Letchford, with 34010, passed 0.0 0 0 00 0 00 Winchester Jn in 64 mins dead 2.7 Redbridge 5 5 28 45 5 27 45 and on 14 May when Driver 6.2 Lyndhurst Road 9 38 53/64 9 51 52/61

Milepost 30¾ 291 January 2010 dist location sch m s mph m s mph Frampton with 34048 passed 8.9 Beaulieu Road 12 13 60 12 35 58/69 Micheldever in 56m56s. 10.5 Woodfidley 13 40 72 14 08 66/69 Obviously this was a good 13.6 Brockenhurst 67/72 period to be recording. sigs sev However back to run 1 – after 14.5 Lymington Jn 17 19 23 17 56 62/56 such a good run to Eastleigh, 16.3 Sway 22 50 44 19 47 60 countless delays followed, 19.3 New Milton 26 07 60 22 23 72 culminating in a long stop at 21.8 Hinton Admiral 28 25 75 24 23 82/86 Bournemouth Goods which 25.3 Christchurch 31 04 78 28 08 gave a 7 minute late arrival. sigs Run 2, just over a month later, 27.0 Pokesdown 69 30 demonstrates that sometimes 27.5 Boscombe 34 17 32 59 34 less is more, with Driver Kelly Bournemouth Gds sig stop 3m45s sig stop 4 mins with 35030 and 10 coaches, took a much more restrained 28.7 Bournemouth 34 40 48 40 09 approach, which appeared to look like setting your controls at New Malden and letting the engine do all the work – from 61mph at New Malden, 72mph at Walton, falling to 67mph over the hump before Weybridge, 75mph maximum at Byfleet falling away to 60mph at MP31 and around 70 mph onwards to Basingstoke, only interrupted by the 15mph tsr after Fleet. Once again, after clearing Wootton at 54mph, speed was allowed to rise to 84mph, before an unexplained reduction to 72mph through Winchester. By running more steadily the only really severe check was approaching Northam Jn, but the schedule was almost exactly kept to Southampton. Once again the delightful vista of Bournemouth Goods resulted in a late arrival.

Run No 3 dist location sch m s mph In the up direction (run Date 24 July 1959 26.6 Wooton 29 52 72 3) Driver Pragnell with Train 2016 Southampton 28.9 Worting Jn 37 32 13 50 35019, only out of Loco 35019 31.4 Basingstoke 34 30 75 works for a few weeks Load 10/338/355 37.0 Hook 38 39 82/85 after rebuilding put in a remarkable run, which I Driver Pragnell 42.7 Fleet 42 42 83/85 can only trace being dist location sch m s mph 46.0 Farnborough 45 02 82/80 beaten twice. Leaving 0.0 Southampton 0 0 00 10 late 51.2 Brookwood 48 50 85 Southampton 10 1.1 Northam Jn 3 05 54.9 Woking 58 51 30 85 minutes late Driver 1.9 St.Denys sig stop 55 secs 57.5 West Byfleet 53 23 85 Pragnell was faced with 3.3 Swaythling 8 35 50 60.1 Weybridge 55 14 78 a signal stop at St 5.6 Eastleigh 10 10 57 60/67 62.1 Walton 56 46 82/85 Denys of almost a 9.5 Shawford 14 29 65 65.9 Hampton Ct Jn 59 30 82 minute, but undaunted 12.6 Winchester 17 17 68 69.3 New Malden 62 15 72 he accelerated to 14.7 Winchester Jn 19 11 69 71.9 Wimbledon 64 40 64 67mph before the grade 17.4 Wallers Ash 21 31 66 73.6 Earlsfield 66 16 64 really kicked in at 21.1 Micheldever 24 50 64 75.2 Clapham Jn 77 68 04 42 Allbrook. He opened 22.9 Roundwood 26 40 60 77.8 Vauxhall 71 27 out to such an extent 79.2 Waterloo 84 75 06 that speed actually rose to 69mph at Winchester Jn and then fell back to a minimum of 60mph at Roundwood, so despite the minute stop 5 minutes had been clawed back by Worting Jn, passed rather cautiously at only 50mph. After passing Basingstoke at 75mph speed was maintained in the low to mid 80s all the way to West Byfleet, after which the romp was moderated. In the event arrival was only one minute late in 75m06s. The average speed from Eastleigh to Clapham Jn was 74.4 mph, with a maximum of 85mph – a totally ‘legal’ run. For information the two better runs I have found were Driver Pope with 35016

Milepost 30¾ 292 January 2010 Run No 4 5 6 7 Date 18 June 1959 10 June 1964 30 July 1964 31 August 1964 Train 1100 Waterloo 1100 Waterloo 1100 Waterloo 1100 Waterloo Loco 35019 35029 35029 35029 Load 12/407/430 12/405/430 10/342/365 12/404/430 Driver Saunders (Salisbury) dist loc sch m s mph m s mph sch m s mph sch m s mph 0.0 Waterloo 0 0 00 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 00 4 late 1.3 Vauxhall 3 18 40/52 3 23 -/52 3 34 -/53 3 35 -/53 3.9 Clapham Jn 7 6 40 40 6 44 41 7 01 38 7 6 50 40 sigs DY 5.6 Earlsfield 9 13 42 8 52 53 9 20 52 7.2 Wimbledon 11 29 49 10 38 56 11 13 53 10 48 58 9.75 New Malden 14 15 60 13 03 66 13 47 63 13 15 66 sigs DY Hampton Ct 13.35 Jn 18 17 48 64 16 05 75 16 50 72 17 16 17 75 17.1 Walton 21 06 69 19 11 69/66 19 50 77 19 18 75/72 19.1 Weybridge 22 54 66/75 21 01 68 21 25 72 20 57 75 21.65 Byfleet 25 01 72 23 07 73 23 20 77 23 01 73 24.3 Woking 28 27 18 66 25 22 69 28 25 27 73 26.5 25 14 72 28.0 Brookwood 30 41 61/60 28 37 66 28 34 70 28 25 69 31.0 MP 31 33 32 61 31 22 66 31 20 65 31 09 66 33.25 Farnborough 35 36 69/72 33 16 72 33 16 69 33 04 68 36.5 Fleet 38 21 70/72 35 51 75/77 35 59 75 35 47 75 39.85 Winchfield 41 08 70 38 32 72 38 43 72 38 23 74 42.2 Hook 43 10 69/75 40 26 72 40 42 72 40 15 76/78 47.8 Basingstoke 47 54 64 45 08 66 45 25 68 44 48 64 50.3 Worting Jn 51 50 08 62 47 45 58 47 45 63 50 47 12 63 52.4 Oakley 52 08 65 49 52 64 49 43 65 49 04 66 55.6 Overton 54 57 69 52 43 72 52 27 72 51 39 72 59.2 Whitchurch 57 54 76 55 32 78 55 17 77 54 31 76 61.1 Hurstbourne 59 22 78 57 02 76/68 56 44 78 55 59 78 66.35 Andover 63 24 82 61 23 75 60 58 76 60 04 73 67.75 Red Post Jn 61 15 72 72.75 Grateley 68 48 62 67 12 60 66 17 75 65 25 66 73.25 MP73 1/4 69 24 60 59 tsr 25 66 21 65 75.6 Allington 71 30 69 69 59 70 70 19 41 68 03 67 78.25 Porton 73 46 72 72 07 78/82 73 17 58/75 70 13 65 sigs sev 82.6 Tunnel Jn 80.5 77 32 50 77 23 76.5 77 07 77 74 04 83.7 Salisbury 83 79 49 80 33 80 79 29 80 76 48 0.00 0 0 00 0 0 00 1.6 MP 85 1/4 4 43 34 3 59 38 2.5 Wilton 5 57 45 5 13 41 8.3 Dinton 11 45 67/71 11 03 66 12.6 Tisbury 15 31 66 14 50 70/75 17.6 Semley 20 05 60 19 13 65 21.7 Gillingham 23 20 82 22 30 75 23.95 MP 107 1/2 25 14 66/75 24 22 67/79 28.4 Templecombe 28 55 67 27 50 73 29.95 MP 113 1/2 30 38 54 29 18 61 34.45 Sherborne 34 36 80 33 07 80/81 39.1 Yeovil Jn 38 14 72 36 42 75 42.95 MP126 1/2 41 39 67/79 39 59 61/77

Milepost 30¾ 293 January 2010 47.85 Crewkerne 45 30 72 44 16 75 49.95 MP133 1/2 47 35 60 46 24 56/75 55.9 Chard Jn 52 23 76 51 31 68 60.9 Axminster 56 10 82 56 05 73 64.2 Seaton Jn 58 43 71 58 56 64 65.95 MP149 1/2 60 45 56 66.95 MP150 1/2 61 23 56 62 00 47 67.95 MP151 1/2 63 23 43 68.95 MP152 1/2 64 06 43/41 64 53 40 69.95 MP153 1/2 65 28 45 66 23 39 71.1 Honiton 66 46 64 67 42 62/72 74.4 MP 158 69 30 78 70 45 67 75.9 Sidmouth Jn 73 71 06 74 73 07 0.0 0 0 00 0 0 00 1.6 MP161 3 30 47 3.75 Whimple 5 23 72/83 5 21 69 7.45 Broad Clyst 8 12 76 8 10 81/84 9.3 Pinhoe 9 46 64 9 39 69 11.1 Exmouth Jn 11 48 11 20 45 12.15 Exeter Cen 14 13 58 14 13 40 who managed 73m33s in August 1963 (legal again) and Driver Hooper in 1965 with 35012 in 74m17s with speeds in excess of 90mph.

On the Exeter line 1100 from Waterloo features exclusively. In run 4 35019, even more recently out of works than run 3, put in a steady if unremarkable performance, with speed maintained uphill, so that despite only one maximum above 80 mph, Salisbury was reached in under 80 minutes. However runs 5 to 7 were recorded 5 years later. Dieselisation of the Exeter services started on 17 August 1964 and obviously Mr Dunkley was keen to record the dying throws of the Bullied pacifics. By chance all the runs were worked by 35029 and were all very similar – indeed only 33 seconds separated the runs at Worting Jn and only the lighter load in run 6 allowed time to be gained over the undulating route as far as Grateley. In the event a severe check approaching Tunnel Jn cost run 5, the same as the 25mph tsr in run 6, so eventually Driver Saunders arrived one minute to the good in 79m29s. That leaves run 7, on the accelerated 80 minute schedule, after partial dieselisation. Whether this was a diesel replacement - they were notoriously unreliable in the early days - I don’t know, but having already gained ½ minute over the previous two runs, an unchecked run with no excessive speeds ( the 65mph at Porton looks distinctly on the low side) resulted in an overall time of 76m48s. This may be quick, but nowhere near the 74m03s achieved by 35024 on 23 April 1962!

Two very good journeys on to Exeter followed with run 5 being worked slightly easier on the early stretches, but was really opened out after Crewkerne, whilst run 7 raced out of Salisbury to be 1½ minutes to the good by Sherborne, but the eased after Crewkerne so that it ended up being 2 minutes behind at Sidmouth Jn, although one minute of that can be attributed to a slow run in. As usual two exuberant runs concluded the journey to Exeter.

In the Up direction run 8 shows a spirited run with 35030, rebuilt one year previously and you gain the impression that Mr Dunkley had spoken to Driver Vansterne before commencement of the journey, as the start was quite electrifying with 72mph in the dip before Broad Clyst and speed only falling to 54mph MP161¼. However this may have overextended the loco as after 69mph after Sidmouth Jn speed fell away to 40mph by Honiton tunnel. This was easily compensated by 85mph through Seaton Jn and speeds in the low 70s on the rising grades to MP133¼ passed at 69mph. After a flourish of 85mph down the other side, Yeovil

Milepost 30¾ 294 January 2010

Run No 8 9 10 11 Date 08 September 1959 10 June 1964 03 October 1964 14 Sept 1961 Train 1630 Exeter C 1630 Exeter C 1630 Exeter C 1506 Okehampton Loco 35030 35014 35001 34087 Load 12/403/425 10+van/358/380 11+van/394/415 3+9vans/327/350 Driver Vansterne to Salisbury? dist location sch m s mph m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.0 Exeter Central 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.1 Exmouth Jn 3.5 3 14 -/72 3 55 -/64 3 08 4.8 Broad Clyst 7 12 69 8 30 56 9 08 69/55 8.5 Whimple 10 37 59 12 55 45 12 45 58 9.8 MP161 3/4 11 58 54 14 43 43/61 14 12 51/47 12.2 Sidmouth Jn 14 37 64/69 17 43 58 17 03 53 16.8 Honiton 19 29 45 22 15 56 22 17 44 18.1 MP153 1/2 21 12 40 23 42 46 23 56 41 19.1 MP152 1/2 22 26 54 58 25 13 61/84 76/60 23.8 Seaton Jn 26 28 85 29 11 64 29 18 69 25.6 MP146 27 43 84 30 49 70 30 45 77 27.0 Axminster 28 51 77 32 10 64 31 04 69 29.6 MP142 30 55 72 34 40 60 34 33 60 32.1 Chard Jn 33 05 75/69 37 14 60 37 01 67 35.6 MP136 35 58 72 40 34 65 40 10 69 38.3 MP133 1/4 38 18 69 43 13 59 42 44 61 40.1 Crewkerne 39 44 82/85 44 49 75/80 44 21 78/85 45.3 MP126 1/4 43 30 75 60 48 41 58 46.7 Sutton Bingham 44 37 75 51 28 64 50 05 64/72 48.9 Yeovil Jn 54 46 57 53 33 52 50 0.0 0 0 00 0 00 1.9 Wyke Crossing 4 14 42/67 4 01 52/64 4.6 Sherborne 6 55 65/67 6 45 60 7.2 MP115 1/2 9 25 53 9 21 50/64 8.3 Milborne Port 10 33 60 sigs 10.7 Templecombe 15 13 43 13 22 0.0 0 0 00 0 00 2.0 MP110 3 38 60 3 30 64 4.0 MP108 5 59 43 5 37 56 6.8 Gillingham 8 18 72 7 40 75 10.9 Semley 12 00 59 11 26 56/82 15.9 Tisbury 16 08 77 15 37 78 20.2 Dinton 19 30 77 18 58 75/77 25.9 Wilton 24 22 41 23 55 49 28.4 Salisbury 33 28 38 28 10 0.0 0.0 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.1 1.1 Tunnel Jn 3.5 4 00 -/45 3 20 3 23 5.5 5.5 Porton 10 23 43 9 21 46 8 48 54 8.1 8.1 Amesbury Jn 13 54 46 12 45 48 11 56 53 11.0 11.0 Grateley 17 12 60/78 16 05 61/75 15 04 58/78 16.0 16.0 Red Post Jn 21 19 73 20 32 69 17.4 17.4 Andover 23 23 08 22 38 0.0 0 0 00 20 24 68 3.8 MP62.5 8 37 33

Milepost 30¾ 295 January 2010 dist location sch m s mph m s mph m s mph m s mph 5.3 22.7 Hurstbourne 10 43 52/50 25 08 62 7.2 24.6 Whitchurch 12 55 52 26 57 68 10.8 28.2 Overton 16 46 60 30 27 64 14.0 31.4 Oakley 19 50 64 33 30 68 16.1 33.5 Worting Jn 20 21 46 65 35 27 68 18.6 Basingstoke 24 24 50 0.0 36.0 0 0 00 37 35 73/77 5.6 41.6 Hook 7 48 62 42 15 67 7.9 43.9 Winchfield 9 55 69/77 44 20 68 11.3 47.3 Fleet 12 37 75 47 03 76 14.6 50.6 Farnborough 15 13 73 49 45 69 16.8 MP31 17 01 72 19.8 55.8 Brookwood 19 28 75 54 20 73 23.5 59.5 Woking 25 24 11 57 21 75 tsr 15 26.2 62.2 Byfleet 27 46 56/62 59 23 77 28.7 64.7 Weybridge 30 20 58/56 61 25 72 30.7 66.7 Walton 32 27 62 63 10 72 34.5 70.5 Hampton Ct Jn 35 36 00 64 67 00 XLL 71.7 Surbiton 71 03 37.9 New Malden 39 35 62 40.5 Wimbledon 42 05 62 42.2 Earlsfield 43 40 64 43.8 Clapham Jn 44 45 30 31/43 46.4 Vauxhall 49 58 47.7 Waterloo 51 53 20

Jn was reached in well under even time and 7 minutes early! After that running was more ‘normal’, but good enough to gain time on both sections to Salisbury. After changing crew, the run on to Waterloo was quite mundane, with it being a struggle to meet the timings – a very good example of ‘it’s the crew not the engine’ syndrome. Runs 9 and 10 are from 1964 just as dieselisation was coming in. In run 9 35014 was driven most oddly with a restrained approach to MP161¼ followed by a tremendous assault on the bank with a minimum of 46mph at the tunnel, after which the engine was reigned back so much that barely 60mph was maintained over the rising grades. Run 10, worked by 35001, which was in the final weeks of its life, being withdrawn in November 1964, put up a more usual performance with a creditable 41mph at the tunnel, having only passed Sidmouth Jn at 53mph. The running beyond Yeovil Jn was faster than in run 9 with even time being achieved between Templecombe and Salisbury. There is something wrong between Templecombe and Gillingham as I cannot reconcile the averages with the speeds.

Finally on the South Western we have a run on a train which, I suspect, was rarely recorded – 1506 Okehampton to Surbiton car carrier. Run 11 shows 34087 with 3 coaches plus 9 vans (carrying 29 cars) between Salisbury and Surbiton. The load was not unduly heavy and I suspect that the vans were bogied as it would be nigh impossible to get 29 cars in only 9 short-wheelbased vans! The running was actually very good with speed up Porton bank reaching around the 50mph mark (I think the speeds claimed a little high), followed by 78mph in the dip before Andover. The rising grades to Oakley were run in the low 60s (not high 60s) and the after a brief sprint to 77mph at Newnham , the engine was eased a little, only to be opened out again to ensure speed barely dropped below 70mph by Farnborough – and indeed continued well above 70mph until the brakes were applied to turn in to the local line at Hampton Court Jn. The end result ended in an even time run – a good effort.

Milepost 30¾ 296 January 2010 Run No 12 13 In 1959 times were Date 12 June 1959 21 July 1959 changing on the Great Train 0845 Paddington 0845 Paddington Western as well with Loco 7024 D806 dieselisation of the Load 7/ 7/247/260 Bristolian. Runs 12 and Driver Miles 13, just a month apart dist location sch m s mph sch m s mph demonstrates the 0.0 Paddington 0 0 00 1 late 0 0 00 transition. Obviously 1.3 Westbourne Park 4 3 02 4 3 47 -/64 Driver Miles with 7024 5.7 Ealing Broadway 8 32 59/65 8 10 70 must have known this 9.1 Southall 11 11 43 10.5 10 51 may have been one of 10.8 Hayes tsr 15 tsr 5 his last runs with steam 13.2 West Drayton 17 11 60 16 53 64 as he put in a 14.7 Iver tsr 15 superlative effort. The 16.2 Langley 19 48 75 21 38 loco had only been fitted 18.5 Slough 17.5 21 30 79 17 24 38 56 with a double chimney a 24.2 Maidenhead 21.5 25 53 82 21 29 23 80/82 month before, which 31.0 Twyford 27 31 00 78 27 34 23 72/78 indicates it was probably 36.0 Reading 31 34 53 69 31 38 13 74 in good condition sigs 64 following a works visit. 38.7 Tilehurst 37 08 73 40 44 69 After the annoying 41.6 Pangbourne 39 25 78 43 03 75 15mph tsr at Hayes 44.8 Goring 41 51 77 45 27 82 speed was worked up to 48.5 Cholsey 44 35 82 48 03 85 82mph by Maidenhead 53.1 Didcot 48 47 56 82 44.5 51 13 88 and after an easing to 56.5 Steventon 50.5 50 24 82 47 53 34 88 69mph through Reading 60.4 Wantage Road 53 15 82 56 13 88 the 4 minute deficit was 63.8 Challow 55 45 82 58 32 88 regained by virtue of the 66.5 Uffington 57 45 82 60 23 88 hidden [4] approaching 71.6 Shrivenham 61 27 83 63 47 88 Didcot. Speed 77.3 Swindon 67 65 43 79 62.5 67 41 88 continued around the 82.9 Wootton Bassett 69 48 85 66.5 71 22 93 80mph mark until the 87.7 Dauntsey 73 00 95 74 18 105 descent of Dauntsey 91.0 MP91 75 07 93 76 18 97 bank where the 94.0 Chippenham 79 77 04 89 74.5 78 13 89 averages are quite 96.1 Thingley Jn 78 34 85 79 43 88 consistent with a 98.3 Corsham 80 11 82 81 12 86 maximum of 95mph. 101.9 Box 82 41 86 83 44 75 Speed continued high 104.6 Bathampton 84 35 83 85 54 78 and only fell to 82mph sigs before Box Tunnel 106.9 Bath 87 87 10 39 85.5 88 22 38 followed by 86mph down 111.4 Saltford 91 42 69 92 57 75 the bank. A slight check approaching Bath did 113.8 Keynsham 93 39 78 94 49 77 little to arrest progress 116.7 St Annes Park 96 01 58 97 17 64 and Bristol was reached 118.3 Bristol T.M 105 99 20 100 101 11 in less than 100 minutes. In run 14 D806 showed how its superior acceleration benefitted the recovery from the 2 tsrs near London. Although not shown, the maximum before the Southall tsr was not far off 80mph. The two tsrs cost 7½ minutes and the large blocks of recovery allowance had now been either eliminated or redistributes so the time loss was not easily recovered. A consistent 88mph from Didcot to Swindon only regained just over one minute and even a speed of over 100mph (I think 105mph may be a couple of mph too fast), still only regained another minute by Chippenham. Despite a determined effort Bristol was still reached one minute late on the accelerated 100 minute schedule. The return journey on

Milepost 30¾ 297 January 2010 21 July is included to show what happens when one ‘Warship’ engine fails. The start out of Bristol was 2 minutes quicker than steam to Chipping Sodbury and around 10mph faster up the bank, but then disaster struck and a 7 minute stop followed at Badminton after one engine failed. However not daunted the driver tried his best and thanks to the gently falling grades for most of the way made a very good effort. The recovery from the junction at Wootton Bassett was a little slow, but once speed reached the 80mph mark it stuck there or thereabouts for many miles. The only oddity is the slowing to 45mph at Southall – no reason is shown and this easily cost 2 to 3 minutes. From Little Somerford to West Drayton D806 took 59m20s as compared with 57m40s, 58m53s and 55m01s with the runs shown in the previous article in this series – a good effort on half power.

Run No 14 dist location sch m s mph Date 21 July 1959 46.0 Shrivenham 55 30 75 Train 1630 Bristol 51.0 Uffington 59 22 75 Loco D808 53.7 Challow 61 24 78 Load 7/247/260 57.2 Wantage Road 63 57 81 dist location sch m s mph 61.1 Steventon 66 46 83 0.0 Bristol TM 0 0 00 64.5 Didcot 69 20 84 1.6 Stapleton Road 3 54 45/50 69.1 Cholsey 72 43 80 3.7 Horfield 6 23 46 72.9 Goring 75 28 80 4.8 Filton Jn 7 43 45/38 76.1 Pangbourne 77 53 80 6.2 Stoke Gifford East 9 27 44 79.0 Tilehurst 80 02 80 9.1 Coalpit Heath 12 32 69/72 81.6 Reading 82 02 78/75 13.0 Chipping Sodbury 15 58 64 86.6 Twyford 85 54 78 17.6 Badminton 21 02 stop 93.4 Maidenhead 91 08 78 29 12 99.1 Slough 95 18 79 23.4 Hullavington 36 36 69 104.4 West Drayton 99 20 75 27.9 Little Somerford 40 00 85 108.5 Southall 105 18 45 30.6 Brinkworth 42 02 78 111.9 Ealing Broadway 108 51 64 34.7 Wooton Bassett 45 31 62 114.3 Old Oak Cmn W.Jn 110 57 69 40.3 Swindon 50 42 64 116.3 Westbourne Park 113 25 117.6 Paddington 100 115 48

Runs 15 and 16 show an out and home working with rebuilt West Country 34003 on the South Eastern. As usual 0910 from Charing Cross was heavily delayed out to Knockholt with 7 minutes being dropped between Orpington and Sevenoaks, but fast running between Tonbridge and Ashford recovered over 5 of these with an even time run being achieved. The return journey with the same loco was a bit livelier, with 82 mph being reached in the dip after Headcorn. The climb from Tonbridge to Sevenoaks was adequately handled with speed dropping to around 35mph – not the 41mph claimed and amazingly there was a clear run until after Grove Park. These delays spoiled a rather good run and Waterloo was reached 2 minutes late. This run was far better than the Feb 58 run in the last article.

During May Mr Dunkley appears to have made at least four trips to Birmingham in 8 days travelling back by the GW route on 3 days and LNW on the other. Going out on the 12 and 14 May (runs 17 and 18) 6010 was provided on both days and I think the driver was probably the same as well. On 12 May soon after the start a severe check occurred at Old Oak Common West causing the loss of a minute, but speed was worked up to 78mph by Denham and only dropped to 69mph by the summit before Beaconsfield. After another 78mph maximum before High Wycombe the climb to Saunderton was taken steadily, but 6010 raced away to reach around 80mph at Haddenham (85mph too high) before the restriction through Ashendon Jn. After 75mph through Blackthorn, the minimum on the climb to Ardley was a respectable 60 mph. Unfortunately a 15mph tsr before Aynho Jn put an end to hopes of an on time arrival into Banbury. Although not shown a maximum of around

Milepost 30¾ 298 January 2010

Run No 15 16 Date 16 July 1959 16 July 1959 Train 0910 Charing Cross 1650 Folkestone Cent Loco 34003 34003 Load 12/401/425 12/403/420 dist location sch m s mph dist location sch m s mph 0.0 Waterloo 0 0 00 0.0 Folkestone 0 0 00 sig stop 25s 0.7 Shorncliffe 2 35 1.1 London Bridge 3.5 5 59 4.5 Sandling Jn 8 57 44 5.8 Westenhanger 10 38 50 4.1 New Cross 10.5 10 07 55/56 9.5 Smeeth 14 14 69/75 6.4 Hither Green 13 12 33 53 sigs 13.8 Ashford 19 19 43 9.6 Elmstead Woods 16 22 44 0.0 0 0 00 10.5 Chislehurst 18 17 42 45 2.1 Chart Box 4 44 46 sigs 5 5.7 Pluckley 8 37 65 13.0 Orpington 21 21 43 10.9 Headcorn 12 50 77/82 sigs 14.2 Staplehurst 15 26 78 14.5 Chelsfield 26 10 18 16.7 Marden 17 26 75/78 sigs sev 21.3 Paddock Wood 22 20 58 75 15.8 Knockholt 29 38 18.4 Polhill 33 43 60 26.6 Tonbridge 27 25 42 47/52 19.8 Dunton Green 35 04 67 29.1 Hildenborough 29 04 43 21.3 Sevenoaks 30.5 37 04 31.0 Weald 32 05 41 0.0 0 0 00 3.0 Weald 5 58 59 34.0 Sevenoaks 39 36 54 48 4.9 Hildenborough 7 45 75 35.5 Dunton Green 38 36 60 7.4 Tonbridge 10 10 40 36.9 Polhill 40 04 52/33 0.0 0 0 00 39.5 Knockholt 44 12 38 5.3 Paddock Wood 8 8 13 69/70 42.3 Orpington 49 47 14 64 9.9 Marden 12 12 66 12.3 Staplehurst 14 19 72 44.9 Chislehurst 51.5 49 35 69 15.6 Headcorn 16 56 76/69 45.8 Elmstead Woods 50 26 68 20.9 Pluckley 21 17 75 47.1 Grove Park 51 35 69 24.5 Chart 24 12 69 sigs sev 26.6 Ashford 32 26 46 48.9 Hither Green 55 53 55

51.2 New Cross 58 57 41 46

54.3 London Bridge 62 52 22 Boro Mkt Jn sig stop 30s. 55.4 Waterloo 65 66 54

60mph would have been reached between Aynho Jn and Banbury. In run 14, with no check at Old Oak, things were taken a little easier at the start, but with one coach less note the rise from 69mph through Gerrards Cross to 73mph at the summit. Once again the gremlins crept in and a broken rail before High Wycombe cost over 5 minutes. Not daunted 6010 accelerated away to clear Saunderton summit at no less than 60mph and then to 76mph through Princes Risborough. After easing back a little, Ashendon Jn was still taken at 58mph and after a slight fall up to the tunnel before Brill, 80mph was reached down the falling gradient thereafter. Once again a fine climb was made to Ardley with a minimum of 63mph at the summit. The tsr intervened again so overall Banbury was reached 6 minutes late. Both runs on to Snow Hill were heavily checked.

Milepost 30¾ 299 January 2010

Run 17 18 19 Date 12 May 1959 14 May 1959 19 Sep 1959 Train 1010 Paddington 1010 Paddington 1010 Paddington Loco 6010 6010 7036 Load 8/270/285 7/235/250 8/272/290 dist Location sch m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.0 Paddington 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 1.3 Westbourne Park 3 38 3 38 3 46 sigs sev 3.2 Old Oak Cmn W 7 7 57 7 06 45 6 58 45 4.8 Park Royal 10 28 45 8 56 51 8 53 52 7.6 Greenford W.Jn 13 13 21 66 11 40 69 11 58 62 tsr 15 10.0 Northolt Jn 15.5 15 35 65 13 49 69 16 35 33 Ruislip tsr 30 14.6 Denham 19 18 78 17 35 75 22 45 52 17.2 Gerrards Cross 21 30 72 19 47 69 25 43 56 21.5 Beaconsfield 25 10 69/78 23 26 73/78 29 59 62/73 2 sig stops 20 & 30s - bkn rail 26.6 High Wycombe 30 29 37 42 33 35 34 32 52/43 28.8 West Wycombe 32 39 50 37 37 47 37 24 48 31.6 Saunderton 35 39 54 40 36 60 40 33 53 34.8 Princes Risboro 42 38 51 69 43 32 76/72 43 46 72 40.1 Haddenham 43 11 85 47 53 75 48 08 78 44.1 Ashendon Jn 50 46 38 52 51 23 58/56 51 22 72/68 47.4 Brill 50 06 69 54 47 72/80 54 10 72/82 50.4 Blackthorn 52 32 75 57 08 77 56 24 79 53.4 Bicester 57 55 00 64/60 59 28 72 58 47 72 57.2 Ardley 58 43 64 62 50 66/63 62 17 62/70 tsr 15 tsr 15 62.4 Aynho Jn 65 65 24 43 70 15 41/62 66 53 64 64.0 Kings Sutton 68 27 60/66 67.5 Banbury 70 71 39 76 11 72 04 0.0 0 0 00 3.6 Cropredy 6 08 52 8.8 Fenny Compton 11 11 69/72 13.7 Southam Road 15 37 66 16.2 Fosse Road 17 41 72/78 19.9 Leamington Spa 21 20 54 47 21.8 Warwick 22 52 63/51 26.0 Hatton 28 27 18 52/66 30.2 Lapworth 31 30 62/64 32.8 Knowle 35 33 57 62/66 36.1 Solihull 37 09 62/66 38.9 Acocks Green 39 48 62 39.9 Tyseley 46 40 48 56/sigs 43.1 Bham S.Hill 51 46 32 In a later run in September (run 19) 1010 from Paddington had newly double-chimneyed 7036 in charge. Two tsrs either side of Northolt severely hampered progress, but speed was worked up from 52mph at Denham to 62mph just over the summit at Beaconsfield, followed

Milepost 30¾ 300 January 2010 Run 20 21 22 Date 14 May 1959 18 May 1959 19 May 1959 Train 1700 Bham SH 1700 Bham SH 1700 Bham SH Loco 6018 6009 6010 Load 12/410/430 10/369/370 10/369/390 dist location sch m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.0 Bham Snow Hill 0 0 00 3 late 3.2 Tyseley 5 5 17 56 7.0 Solihull 8 58 64/72 10.3 Knowle 12 31 tsr 15 12.9 Lapworth 15 44 60/72 17.1 Hatton 19 19 30 69/78 21.3 Warwick 23 00 68 23.2 Leamington Spa 24 25 25 0.0 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 3.7 Fosse Road 6 20 50 6 23 50 6 43 48 6.2 Southam Road 9 20 49/64 9 22 52/66 9 40 53/67 11.1 Fenny Compton 14 23 61/60 14 17 63/58 14 19 64 16.3 Cropredy 19 12 72/76 19 10 72 18 58 75 19.9 Banbury 23 22 07 72 22 17 66 22 13 60/64 25.0 Aynho Jn 29 26 53 66/54 28 05 54/50 27 26 62/52 30.2 Ardley 32 13 64 34 12 56 33 14 58 34.0 Bicester 35 14 83/88 37 39 73/78 36 39 74 37.0 Blackthorn 37 18 72 40 02 73 39 04 78 40.0 Brill 40 56 50/64 42 41 60/50/62 41 47 58 43.3 Ashendon Jn 46 44 35 55/65 46 15 54 45 02 52 47.3 Haddenham 48 32 62/66 50 15 66/69 49 22 66 52.6 Princes Risboro 54 03 54/50 55 23 57/54 54 42 53/50 55.8 Saunderton 57 41 56 58 45 62/64 58 23 56/64 58.6 West Wycombe 60 26 50 61 42 42 61 26 39 60.8 High Wycombe 68 63 56 66 10 65 29 0.0 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 56/54 55 55 5.1 Beaconsfield 6 52 56 7 22 52 7 25 52 9.4 Gerrards Cross 10 53 73 11 27 75/83 11 23 76/82 12.0 Denham 13 01 78/81 13 28 78 14 29 58sigs 16.6 Northolt 17 16 43 72/69 17 25 65sigs 19 02 69 19.4 Greenford W.Jn 18 54 72 19 41 69/72 21 11 72/75 21.8 Park Royal 21 37 64 22 33 52 23 50 60 sigs sev 23.4 Old Oak Cmn W 27 24 53 24 46 36 25 39 42 sig st 1m23s 25.3 Westbourne Park 31 32 10 28 02 28 40 sigs sev sigs 26.6 Paddington 34 36 35 31 42 31 42 by a maximum of 72mph before High Wycombe. Despite minima of 53mph at Saunderton and 62mph at Ardley, punctuated by 72mph through Ashendon Jn and 82mph after Brill, the 4½ minute late deficit at High Wycombe could only be reduced to 2 minutes by Banbury – mind you the 41.1 miles were only allowed 40 minutes anyway! Fortunately the easier schedule on to Snow Hill allowed all the time to be recovered without excessive speed, 52mph at Hatton being a good effort.

Milepost 30¾ 301 January 2010 When returning from Birmingham in May Mr Dunkley used 1700 from Snow Hill instead of his usual 1600. In run 20, with 6018, the 3 minute late start from Snow Hill was increased by another 1½ minutes due to a 15mph tsr at Knowle. Even a lively 69mph through Hatton didn’t help here. With a heavy load of 12 the climb up Southam Road bank was modest but once over the summit speed in the 70s followed and a brisk 65mph through Aynho Jn soon recovered 2 of the lost minutes. A minimum of 54mph up to Ardley was followed by an impressive 88mph after Bicester. However all this jollity was soon brought to a halt by a 25mph tsr before Brill. Enough had been done though as almost all the lost time was regained by High Wycombe. What should have been an on time arrival in Paddington was cut short by a succession of signal delays beyond Park Royal. The following week in runs 21 and 22 Mr Dunkley joined the train at Leamington and with only 10 coaches you would have expected faster running, but the different crew didn’t show the same effort and although both were unchecked to High Wycombe, they took 1½ to 2 minutes more. However the running can’t be faulted as they both beat the schedule. Beyond High Wycombe both ran quite vigorously, but both were checked and they both took 31m42s to arrive a couple of minutes early.

However on 12 May Mr Dunkley travelled back on 1630 from New Street with Royal Scot 46166 which made a good start to Coventry with 75mph either side of Beechwood Tunnel passed at 68mph.

Run 23 dist location m s mph Date 12 May 1959 31.2 Blisworth 36 40 75/69 Train 1630 Bham New St 34.1 Roade 39 08 72 Loco 46166 39.2 Castlethorpe 43 08 82 Load 10/371/385 41.6 Wolverton 44 53 82 dist location m s mph tsr 15 0.0 Bham New St 0 00 47.3 Bletchley 51 45 3.8 Stechford 5 32 58 53.8 Leighton Buzzard 60 06 67 6.5 Marston Green 8 03 69 57.9 Cheddington 63 43 66 10.1 Hampton-in-Arden 11 03 75 62.3 Tring 67 48 64 13.3 Berkswell 13 48 68 66.0 Berkhamstead 70 03 75 15.3 Tile Hill 15 35 72/75 69.5 Hemel Hempstead 73 43 80/84 18.9 Coventry 19 44 tsr 0.0 0 00 73.1 Kings Langley 76 52 41 52 76.6 Watford Jn 81 18 60 4.9 Brandon 8 01 - 80.7 Hatch End 85 18 68 tsr 15/59 82.6 Harrow & W 86 57 75 11.4 Rugby 16 18 31 85.9 Wembley 89 37 79 15.4 Kilsby Tnl Nth 23 05 52 88.6 Willesden Jn 91 39 78 18.7 Welton 26 47 62 91.0 Kilburn Park 93 37 75 24.3 Weedon 31 14 80 sigs sev 26.7 Heyford 33 05 78 92.9 Camden No.1 97 47 94.0 Euston 100 20

From the information provided, I cannot reconcile the times and speeds between Rugby and Welton, but 52mph at Kilsby Tunnel looks about right. The way the speeds fluctuate, it looks like the controls were unaltered from Kilsby Tunnel until the tsr before Bletchley with the Roade hump bringing speed from 80mph to 69mph, followed by 82mph. The engine was worked hard from Leighton Buzzard with speed only dropping from 67mph to 64mph at Tring summit. Speed raced away to 84mph before yet another tsr at Kings Langley. Fortunately the easy grades allowed speed to rise close to 80mph before the final check at Camden just prevented the 100minute barrier being breached.

Milepost 30¾ 302 January 2010 Finally we have that rare event, a non-stop, unchecked steam run from Brighton to Victoria. This was the final leg of the Midhurst Belle Rail Tour, on which I also had the privilege to travel. Before looking at the log, it is worth reminiscing about the tours on the Southern during the early 1960’s. These were organised by a few societies and this one was unusual in that it was jointly organised by RCTS and LCGB. It was routed from Waterloo to Woking (with S15 30839) via Putney, Kew Bridge, Ascot and then Sturt Lane east curve, this being the last passenger train to traverse it. From Woking it ran to Guildford and then over the long gone branch to Christ’s Hospital behind USA tank 30064. It is worth noting that the schedule here was far too tight with the 9 minutes from Woking to Guildford being expanded to 14m20s (for only 6 miles). After water there the next 11¼ miles to Baynards took 33½ minutes (compared with the schedule of 24 minutes), and the last 4 miles 12½ minutes. It appears 25mph was around its maximum. From Christ’s Hospital to Littlehampton ‘Q’ class 0-6-0 30530 was employed. This included the branch to Midhurst.

Run 24 Date 18 October 64 Fortunately the schedule had some ‘slack’ built Train 1747 Brighton in at Midhurst so departure was virtually back Midhurst Belle' on time from there. At Littlehampton MN 35007 Loco 35007 took over for the run to Brighton via Preston Load 8/266/280 Park. It was routed this way to get the train into dist location sch m s mph the main part of the station for the trip down the 0.0 Brighton 0 0 00 Kemp Town branch (with30530 again). We 1.3 Preston Park 3 13 40 then had a superb run from Brighton to Victoria 4.7 Clayton Tnl South 7 28 53 in only 56m12s with the summit at Clayton 7.0 Hassocks 9 34 70 Tunnel being breasted at 53mph followed by a 9.7 Keymer Jn 13 11 41 77/79 maximum of 79mph after Keymer Jn. The rise 12.8 Haywards Heath 16.5 14 10 72 up to Balcombe Tunnel pegged the speed back 16.7 Balcombe 17 37 64 to 64mph, but 72mph was reached in the dip at 21.3 Three Bridges 25 21 45 69 Horley. Despite the 50mph restriction at 24.8 Horley 24 45 72 Earlswood, 67mph was reached before the 28.9 Earlswood 31 29 04 50/67 next 50mph restriction at Coulsdon North. 35.8 Coulsdon Nth 39 35 58 50 Although 39mph is shown at East Croydon, I 37.2 Purley 37 34 59 think 35mph is a more realistic speed here. 45 39.3 South Croydon 39 50 55 mph through Streatham Common punctuated 40.3 East Croydon 43.5 41 30 39 the 67mph after Norbury and 58mph after 41.4 Selhurst 43 15 47 Balham. A reasonably quick entry to Victoria 43.3 Norbury 45 20 60/67 saw the ‘Belle’ in well under the hour. My Streatham outline recording of this run showed 56mins dead, 12 seconds faster most of which came 44.2 Common 47.5 46 17 45 before Clayton Tunnel – maybe I was a little 46.1 Balham 50 48 50 52/58 slow at the start. This run was the last 48.1 Clapham Jn 51 05 45 recording we have of Mr Dunkley’s in the 49.5 Battersea Park 53 10 45 archive. 50.7 Victoria 58 56 12 Once again I must thank Steam Railway Research Society for letting us have Mr Dunkley’s logs and giving us permission to use them.

I hope you have enjoyed this series which, although I found a pleasure to write, turned out to very much a Sherlock Holmes detective story. In many cases the average speeds did not match the speeds claimed. Sometimes this was as a result of inaccurate distances being included, in others the times were a minute out or even the wrong location being shown. The glaring errors I have corrected. This only emphasises the late Eric Rudkin’s often made point – you need a precise time at a precise point.

Milepost 30¾ 303 January 2010

A recorder’s Guide to the SNCF Thirty years ago in France Alan Varley The birth of Milepost preceded by a little over a year another event that was, it has to be confessed, even more significant in terms of railway history. I am referring of course to the opening of the first Ligne à Grande Vitesse in France, which heralded a radical change in the way the country’s railway system was to develop. Since then the fate of the various routes in France has depended almost entirely on their relationship to the TGV network: there are the LGVs themselves, the lines that have been replaced by LGVs and consequently lost their status, those that are extensions of LGVs and have sometimes been upgraded for higher speeds, and then the others – which in some cases have scarcely evolved over the last thirty years. A review of the situation in France thirty years ago thus highlights some surprising contrasts.

First a synoptic view – a comparison between fastest booked times over major radial routes and some cross-country services thirty years ago and today. In fact I have used figures from 1978 rather than 1979 or 1980 so as to benefit from a very thorough review undertaken by RPS member Reinhard Douté and published in the magazine Voies Ferrées a few years ago; I am very grateful to him for kind permission to use these figures. And deadline constraints mean that “today” is represented by bookings from the 2009 timetable rather than that which will have been applicable since December 13. As Mr Douté said in his original article, 1978 is not a bad year to take as a yardstick; in many respects SNCF performance reached a peak in the mid-70s, and the 1978 timings still reflect this, not yet too badly affected by the inflation of recovery times induced by concerns over punctuality and by the search for economy that followed the first oil crises. The 2009 timetable is affected by a few extra minutes for track renewal on the LGV-SE.

Table 1 Comparative timings 1978-2009

Fastest scheduled time (minutes) Route 1978 Today Notes Paris-Calais 167 102 93 today to Calais Fréthun Paris-Lille 112 58 Paris-Brussels 141 82 Paris-Metz 161 83 Paris-Strasbourg 232 137 Best Pre-TGV 225 Paris-Nancy 157 90 Paris-Belfort 228 232*/221 221 today by TGV to Paris Lyon, best 215 in 1988 Paris-Lyon 224 117 Best TGV 115 Paris-Grenoble 311 175 Paris-Marseille 393 182 Best TGV 180 Paris-Nice 541 329 Paris-Clermont Ferrand 231 179* Paris-Limoges 170 169* Paris-Toulouse 362 372*/312 372 via Limoges, 312 TGV via Bordeaux, best 355 in 1976 Paris-Bordeaux 230 178 Best TGV 175 Paris-Nantes 186 119 Best pre-TGV 175, 1993 Paris-Rennes 178 123 Best pre-TGV 174 Paris-Cherbourg 186 166* Paris-Rouen 67 68* Best 63, 1976

Milepost 30¾ 304 January 2010 Lyon-Strasbourg 305 278* Best pre-electrification 285 Lyon-Nantes 375 260 Now TGV via Massy Marseille-Nice 126 145* Marseille-Toulouse 230 208* Best 194 in 1993 * These services do not make use of high-speed lines

The figures in the tables mostly speak for themselves. For services that run almost entirely over LGVs such as Paris-Lille and LGV-SE/Méditerranée trains to Lyon and Marseille journey times have been practically halved (other southern destinations such as Avignon or Montpellier of course benefit from similar gains). Also noteworthy is the evolution of the Lyon-Nantes service – the best time is now achieved by a TGV that transforms this cross- country journey into a run up the LGV-SE and down the LGV-Atlantique.

Non-LGV services present a contrasted picture: Paris-Cherbourg and Paris-Clermont times have been improved by electrification. Paris-Belfort is the only line in this table that is still not electrified, and it has suffered from the fact that Basel, formerly linked to Paris by the Belfort route, is now served by TGVs from Paris Lyon. The fastest trains making limited stops have thus disappeared; in 1988 there was a non-stop timing in 3h 35m to Belfort, but today’s trains make at least three stops and take longer than 30 years ago. In fact now the fastest way of getting from Paris to Belfort is to take a TGV to Besançon and change there for Belfort.

Lines that were already electrified in 1978 have mostly not improved. Limoges benefited early on from its position as an essential calling-point for the Paris-Toulouse trains that pioneered 200 km/h running in France, and today’s lighter Sybic-hauled services are scarcely faster. Two lines that were already electrified at 25 kV in the 1960s have actually regressed: Paris to Rouen and Le Havre by a few minutes, largely due to pathing difficulties through the dense Paris-St-Lazare suburban services; Marseille-Nice more substantially and with less reason. The 2h 6m timing in the mid-70s was admittedly made by an Italian TEE with very short booked stops and almost nil recovery time, but there were then three other Nice-Marseille trains timed in 2h 20m or less. The 500-tonne “Mistral” with a 5,000 HP BB of 1960s vintage was a dozen minutes quicker than today’s TGVs which have more than twice the power/weight ratio and some higher speed limits.

Lyon-Strasbourg is a rather special case. Trains in 1978 were gas-turbine RTG units, which held sway until the gaps in the route were electrified in 1995, but even with electric haulage throughout the standard service today is hardly faster than 30 years ago. Savings are achieved because today’s fastest trains avoid Belfort and the reversal there, and can run at higher speed than the RTGs between Mulhouse and Strasbourg.

Another interesting case is that of the Paris-Nantes line. The Paris Montparnasse-Le Mans section had already been electrified before the war, at 1500 V DC, and the first part of the line to northern Brittany, Le Mans-Rennes, was electrified at 25 kV in 1964, so dual-voltage BB 252XX became the standard motive power for Rennes-Le Mans-Paris. Nantes trains, though, were still handicapped by a loco change in Le Mans and diesel haulage onwards, and it was decided that time could be saved by running the diesels throughout to Paris. This culminated in 160 km/h diesel running at the end of the 1970s. Then in 1983 came electrification to Nantes, and 200 km/h running. With the opening of the LGV-Atlantique the 1500 V DC section was by-passed, and Le Mans-Nantes has continued to progress, with TGVs running up to 220 km/h over some sections.

A few logs from three decades ago will illustrate some of these situations, beginning with the line that was first and most severely affected by the TGV revolution – the classic PLM main line from Paris to Lyon via Dijon. This had benefited from a rise in overall MPS to 160 km/h

Milepost 30¾ 305 January 2010 at the end of the 60s, though at that time there were few trains of 160 km/h stock to take advantage of this, and even with the advent of Corail coaches in the mid 70s only a few crack trains were at first timed to make full use of these possibilities. One of these was the early morning 0600 Lyon-Paris service, whose timings varied from just under to just over 4hrs during the 1970s – a little slower than the Mistral, but with two more stops: Macon and Chalon-sur-Saône as well as Dijon. When I first used this train in the late 60s the standard motive power was a BB 93XX; later the powerful CC65XX class frequently appeared and by the end of the 70s a new generation of traction in the form of the BB 72XX had emerged. In September 1979, though, it was BB 9325 that headed the train out of Lyon and gave me an excellent run, a summary log of which appears below. Table 2 Lyon-Paris

Run 1 Tr 5012, 0600 Lyon-Paris, 12.9.79, BB 9325, 11/457/470-490, AV, 3/12, Overcast, misty PK Dist Location m s ave PK Dist Location m s ave 510.91 00.00 Lyon Run 1 0.5 E 314.21 00.00 Dijon 00 00 3.5 L 503.13 07.78 Ile Barbe 06 04 76.9 309.80 04.41 Plombières 05 25 48.8 490.85 20.06 St-Germain 11 22 139.0 299.46 14.75 Lantenay 14 15 70.2 485.77 25.14 Quincieux 13 21 153.7 287.93 26.28 Blaisy-Bas 21 47 91.8 481.48 29.43 Anse 14 57 160.9 285.00 29.21 PK 285 23 00 144.5 477.00 33.91 V’franche-s-S 17 54 91.1 264.58 49.63 Darcey 30 41 159.5 468.24 42.67 St-Georges 22 35 112.2 242.93 71.28 Montbard 39 03 155.3 446.83 64.08 Crèches 30 46 157.0 224.76 89.45 Nuits-s-R 46 06 154.6 439.73 71.18 Macon 34 32 113.1 196.22 117.99 Tonnerre 57 03 156.4 00.00 35 59 0.5 L 172.34 141.87 St-Florentin 65 55 161.6 429.17 10.56 Sénozan 06 08 103.3 154.87 159.34 Laroche-M 72 22 162.5 422.24 17.49 Fleurville 08 46 157.9 145.46 168.75 Joigny 75 52 161.3 417.46 22.27 Uchizy 10 38 153.6 126.06 188.15 Villeneuve-s-Y 83 04 161.7 390.38 49.35 Varennes 20 55 158.0 112.63 201.58 Sens 88 03 161.7 382.15 57.58 Chalon-s-S 25 44 102.5 101.32 212.89 Pont-s-Yonne 92 15 161.6 00.00 28 23 1.5 L 83.00 231.21 PK 83 99 06 160.5 372.75 09.40 Fontaines 05 54 95.6 78.63 235.58 Montereau 100 50 151.3 366.21 15.94 Chagny 08 28 152.9 66.78 247.43 Moret 105 25 155.1 358.40 23.75 Meurseault 11 29 155.3 58.94 255.27 Fontainebleau 108 26 155.9 342.59 39.56 Corgoloin 17 27 159.0 44.08 270.13 Melun 117 28 98.7 336.65 45.50 Nuit-St-G 20 05 135.3 30.46 283.75 Lieusaint 122 34 160.2 325.36 56.79 Gevrey-Ch 25 33 123.9 14.39 300.48 Villeneuve-St- 131 28 112.8 316.17 65.98 Perrigny P1 29 24 143.2 02.16 312.71 Bercy 137 53 114.4 314.21 67.94 Dijon 32 18 40.6 00.20 314.67 Paris Lyon 142 26 25.8

Schedules were 34, 26, 32 and 144, and arrival was finally 2 late – but this was certainly not the driver’s fault. There were checks on each of the first three sections: a slow-line weave at Villeneuve-sur-Saône, a slight signal check approaching Chalon, and a 70 km/h TSR through Nuits-St-Georges, so net times were 31 45, 25 30 and 30 45 – excellent performances. Then after the normal very slow exit from Dijon there was a 30 TSR after Plombières, and severe sigs before Blaisy tunnel. Then came a stretch of sustained high speed, very close to – and even a little above – the 160 and 155 limits, the latter applicable then as now between Darcey and Tonnerre. The result was an average of 158.6 km/h from PK 285 to 55, after which more checks spoiled the finish. Net time was 130 45. It is significant to note that a train timed according to current criteria would have at least 23 minutes recovery time between Lyon and Paris, as against 15 or 16 in the 1979 schedule

Incidentally, the overnight train that brought me to Lyon had been hauled by a 2-D-2 91XX, a locomotive that, though built in 1950, was in fact a pre-war design: an interesting historical survival just a few months before the start of trial running on parts of the new LGV. And when that LGV opened, the Lyon-Dijon-Paris line instantly became redundant as a trunk route. Today only the Ailly-Dijon section is used by long-distance daytime traffic (TGVs to Dijon and beyond), and consequently there has been a slight rise in the MPS between Blaisy

Milepost 30¾ 306 January 2010 summit and Dijon. Otherwise this is now a line in the doldrums, the only novelty being the introduction of bi-mode MU services from Paris to Avallon via Laroche-Migennes.

As mentioned above, Paris-Nantes is a route that has undergone several changes over the last thirty years, with 160 km/h diesel services, 160/200 km/h electrics, and then TGVs authorized to run at 220 over some of the non-LGV parts of the route. One of my visits to this line in 1977 was interesting as I travelled cross-country to Nantes from Lyon. There are no longer any trains running over the whole of the old Lyon-Nantes route as the remaining cross-country services only go as far as Tours. The faster of today’s trains has overall running times similar to the train I timed in 1977 – but that was an 8-coach formation headed by CC 72088, whereas today’s loads are normally limited to 6, and benefit from higher speed limits over some sections. My CC ran punctually over the slow, hilly section to St-Germain- des-Fossés and then made two excellent sprints along the Bourbonnais line, 20 02 for 41.35 km with, in those days, a 30 km/h exit from St-Germain, and 22 57 for 49.42 km to Saincaize. We continued punctually to St-Pierre-des-Corps but lost some time in the station there and at Saumur. This prompted a quick dash to Angers, 43. km in 19 50, and then the good run that appears in the first column of Table 2. The start is gently downhill to Behuard and the diesel made good use of this to reach 160 in about 5 mins, then averaged 161.4 on to Varades. The electric, with a heavy load, produced a fine full-power acceleration and some steady speeds for the fastest overall time. The TGV run was made on a cross-country service, so in a sense a modern counterpart to the train in run 2, gaining an hour and a half on the 1977 schedule from Lyon to Nantes despite today’s roundabout route. The leading unit perhaps had an over-reading speedometer for between Tours and Angers speed had remained unvaryingly at 155; this run did nevertheless give a fair indication of the effect of the line-speed improvements made over the years; net time was about 32 15. The diesel does not come out of the comparison too badly, but it must be said that the general standard of running on the 160 km/h Nantes services was not so good. My run from Nantes to Paris the next morning, with only one more vehicle, took net 41 15 back to Angers, actual 44 29 – on a 41-min schedule. On to Paris we lost more time, with a net time that was only 2 minutes inside the actual schedule. Subsequent visits revealed a similar standard of running – but by this time the original, ambitious, schedules had been substantially eased.

Table 3 Angers-Nantes

Run 2: 1510 Lyon-Nantes, 3.6.77, CC 72088, 8/318/350, A Varley, 3/9, overcast Run 3: 1142 Paris-Nantes, 25.5.87, BB 22351, 13/547/565, A Varley, 3/14, fine Run 4: 1141 Marseille-Nantes, T 12.8.03, TGV 539/536, 20/766/790, A Varley, 14/20, fine 342.95 00.00 Angers Run 2 2 late Run 3 Run 4 345.18 02.23 OB 02 24½ 120 02 11 120/118* 350.30 07.35 La Pointe 04 42 155 04 30 164/187 04 10½ 167/170/167 355.46 12.48 Béhuard 06 39 162/159/161 06 13½ 182 05 44 216 358.44 15.46 La Possonière 07 46 158/162/160 07 14 175 06 38½ 186*/216 363.50 20.52 St-Georges 09 39 162160/161 08 53 184/199 08 08½ 214 371.36 28.38 Champtocé 12 35 160/161 11 16 198/199 10 19½ 215 376.87 33.89 Ingrandes 14 37 160/162 12 56 197/195 11 54½ 204*/197 380.81 37.82 Montrelais 16 04 160/161 14 08 198/199 13 03½ 210/221/216 385.16 42.17 Varades 17 42 159 15 27½ 198/199 14 15½ 216/218 391.09 48.10 Anetz 20 25 98* tsr 17 15½ 198/156 15 54 217 397.24 54.25 Ancenis 23 17 155/148 19 29 160 18 05 154*/156 406.45 63.46 Oudon 26 57 153 23 08 149 21 38 154/156 410.04 67.05 Clermont 28 25 138* 24 37 140 23 05½ 136* 412.14 69.15 Le Cellier 29 18 146/151 25 30 148 23 58 155/157 415.86 72.87 Mauves 30 48 140*/142/138 26 59½ 151 25 24½ 155 420.88 77.89 Thouaré 32 56 142/140 28 54 160 27 09 199/205 423.64 80.65 Ste-Luce 34 07 142 29 57 157 27 58 * 425.89 82.90 Nantes P2 35 07 130* 30 57 * 28 45½ */15*sigs 430.42 87.45 Nantes 39 03 34 16 34 33 16 late

The cross-country route that runs eastwards from Lyon has similarly undergone several

Milepost 30¾ 307 January 2010 changes over the last thirty years, not always resulting in service improvement or acceleration. In the 1970 Lyon-Strasbourg services were operated by RTG turbo units, quite well suited to this awkward route which contains some 160 km/h stretches but that also presents severe curvature and two reversals. Run 5 in table 4 summarizes a run I made in 1980 between Lyon and Strasbourg. At that time Lyon Part-Dieu station did not exist; the cross country trains called at Lyon Brotteaux, now closed. On the 160 km/h section between Montluel and Ambérieu the RTG was driven in on/off style, max 159, min 151. There was a slowing to 30 (tsr) instead of the normal 60 through Ambérieu, and we then touched 153 before and 159 after a slowing to 121 at Pont d’Ain. The next section was unchecked, and

Table 5 Lyon-Mulhouse

Run 5: 0636 Lyon-Strasbourg, Su 29.6.80, RTG 2036/2035, 5/225/240, A Varley, 2/5, rain Run 6: 1452 Lyon-Strasbourg, T 23.7.02, 10/410/425, BB 26019, A Varley, 6/11, fine Run 7: 1246 Marseille-Strasbourg, S 20.12.08, TGV-SE 55, 2+8/430, A Varley, 7/10, fine Run 8: 1239 Lyon-Strasbourg, F 26.12.01, 10/412/450, BB 26148, A Varley; 7/11, snow showers 05.04 00.00 Lyon Part-Dieu Run 5 Run 6 5.5 late Run 7 21 late Brotteaux 00 00 RT 08.41 03.39 Lyon St-Clair 03 05 03 54½ 04 27 38.39 33.35 Meximieux 16 32 16 29 17 11½ 51.46 46.47 Ambérieu 22 43 TSR 22 56 23 53½ 56.54 58.24 Pont d’Ain 30 31 29 07 30 13 36.96 77.77 Bourg-en-B 39 53 1 early 38 50 2.5 late 39 20 14.5 late 505.44 00.00 42 14 0.5 late 40 50 2.5 late 43 40 17 late 475.89 29.60 St-Amour 16 21 15 40 S stop 16 23 463.26 42.23 Cousances 22 37 30 33 22 07½ 452.15 53.44 Ste-Agnès 28 26 36 12½ 27 48 441.68 63.81 Lons-le-Saunier 35 06 0.5 early 43 20 5 late 35 28 19 late 00.00 36 17 0.5 early 44 43 4 late 38 01 20 late 428.50 13.18 Domblans 08 41 09 06½ 08 45½ 413.10 28.58 Poligny 17 38 18 00 17 21½ 392.29 49.39 Mouchard 30 23 RT 30 29 1.5 late 29 36 00.00 31 27 RT 31 46 1 late 385.87 06.42 Arc-et-Senans 04 43 04 56 Slight 33 40 05.73 28.17 Montferrand 20 00 TSR 18 35½ TSR 46 29 405.76 40.77 Besançon 29 19 1.5 late 27 32 2.5 late 54 42 15.5 late 31 25 1.5 late 3 late Run 8 3 late 421.71 15.95 Deluz 09 30 10 41½ TSR? 10 19½ TSR 437.92 32.16 Baume-les-D 20 04 21 58 21 18½ 460.63 54.87 Rang 34 26 37 47 37 15 468.95 63.19 St-Maurice 39 18 42 43 42 04 483.95 78.19 Montbéliard 48 15 1 early 52 14 4.5 late 51 15 4 late 00.00 50 38 RT 53 52 4 late 53 11 4 late 501.55 17.60 Belfort 11 35 2 early 12 38 3.5 late Via sth 442.59 00.00 16 10 0.5 early 21 13 3 late Curve 454.31 11.72 Petit-Croix 07 09 07 24 15 21 474.23 31.64 Altkirch 14 39 15 43 23 30½ 484.09 41.50 Zillisheim 18 33 19 38 Sigs 27 25½ 490.90 48.31 Mulhouse 22 50 3 early 26 14 4.5 late 32 23 2.5 late the accelerative capacity of the turbo was well used on this twisty alignment; speeds varied between 93 and 151. The stretch to Mouchard was very tightly timed and we lost a few seconds here, easing at the end as we had started a little early, and a few more on the next section, this time due to a severe TSR. Between Besançon and Montbéliard the line follows the Doubs river and the turbo was able to make full use at first of the differential MU limits; over the last few kilometres towards Montbéliad it ran more easily, at 110 rather than the MU 115 limit. The advantage of an MU was also apparent in Belfort, where only 3 minutes were allowed for reversal. Finally a brisk sprint took us to Mulhouse with maxima up to 162 and in a time that is still the RPS fastest and likely to remain so as there is today a 120 slack over Dannemarie viaduct that did not exist in the 1980s. Electrification was unfortunately not

Milepost 30¾ 308 January 2010 accompanied by many significant MPS changes on the western and central part of the route. It was only between Mulhouse and Strasbourg that the cross-country trains were able to benefit from new 200 km/h possibilities – and in fact it is only over this section that the electrics show any real advantage over the turbotrains. Run 6 should have been in a hurry as it was running late throughout; westbound trains were late too and we were stopped after St-Amour before entering the single-line section. On the slowest part of the journey, in the Doubs valley, the contrast with the turbo was flagrant: a 10 km/h difference in MPS led to a three minute (net) time difference over the 78 km between Besançon and Montbéliard. Run 8 did a little better here – this run illustrates the savings made by avoiding the Belfort stop, as most trains now do. Finally run 7, from Lyon to Besançon, features a TGV; it also shows how driving techniques have evolved over the years, with a slow exit from Lyon, very early easing for Ambérieu – much longer from Meximieux than the turbo, which was down to 30 in Ambérieu for a TSR – and a very slow approach to Lons-le-Saunier. Long stops were also a handicap to time recovery on this run – a permanent problem for TGVs with one door per coach and a shortage of luggage space, exacerbated on this run by crush loading conditions.

For full logs of run 5 and other turbo runs readers can refer back to Milepost 14¼. It is interesting to note that when writing there about this line, in 1993, I mentioned the Rhine- Rhône LGV as being a priority project – well, it is now finally under construction and is booked to open in December 2011, 18 years later! Its advent will of course put an end to through running over the present Lyon-Strasbourg route which is then likely to decline into a series of sections of purely local interest.

For a final example of change – or lack of it – on a major route, I return to another line that has not featured in Milepost for some time. This is the cross-country line from Marseille to Toulouse, which I covered in some detail in Milepost 13, a little after the introduction of the limited-stop Grand Sud service that offered an 8-hour Nice-Bordeaux journey time, and covered the Marseille-Toulouse stretch, with one intermediate stop, in around 3¼ hours. This was a notable improvement over earlier services on this route, which made 5-8 intermediate stops between Marseille and Toulouse and took nearer 4 hours. Today’s best time, though, is 14 minutes slower than that of the 1990s, and only 22 minutes quicker than a train making 5 more stops 30 years ago. So what has happened here?

Table 6 presents skeleton logs of a 1975 run, another from 1991 on the Grand Sud (slightly faster than those in Milepost 13), and a more recent run on the same train. Run 9 is a good example of the situation that prevailed on this line in the 1970s: first-generation BB motive power with the 92XX series, 140 km/h running, numerous stops – and a tight schedule, with, in practice, little recovery. The BB had to contend with a moderate TSR on the first stage and minor checks on the second and third, resulting in slight losses of time. The rest of the run was unchecked, and speeds on the 140 sections varied between 134 and 142. Several permanent slacks were more severe than in later years: 90 at Castelnaudary, 130 Agde, 120 Lunel. Runs 10 represents about the best that could be done on the Grand Sud in its first format, with a 7-coach load and timings pared down to achieve the headline 8-hour Bordeaux-Nice time. BB 7264 lost about 20 minutes on account of a stop and wrong-line running between Castelnaudary and Bram, so ran flat out from then on, cruising very close to full line speed. The only other checks were 40 TSR after Nîmes and 80 into the Nerthe tunnel approaching Marseille, so almost 10 minutes were regained, in net times of 103.5 and just under 75.5 – net recovery of 14 minutes in this 424-km journey, or just over 3 mins/100 km, corresponding to SNCF’s exceptional allowance for crack trains. Compare this with run 11, now timed for a double Téoz rake, 14 coaches, and with standard recovery allowances, so in fact 116, net 104.5, to Montpellier, 88 net 77 to Marseille. It is clear that, a) the net schedules are extremely tight (net times on run 11 were 111 and 82¾), and b) recovery time is more than generous, over 5 mins/100 km, probably due to the insertion of pathing time approaching Nîmes – reflecting the fact that the Nîmes-Montpellier section is now France’s

Milepost 30¾ 309 January 2010 busiest non-LGV main line. One might add, c) that even allowing for the heavier load the recent run had none of the zip of the earlier one, and that early braking and delayed acceleration, very much in evidence on this run, are also part of the modern scene.

Table 6 Toulouse-Marseille

Run 9 : 0635 Bordeaux-Marseille, 22.12.75, BB 9252, 11/444/470, A Varley, position n/a, cold & calm Run 10: 1100 Bordeaux-Nice, S 26.10.91, BB 7264, 7/286/305, A Varley, 8/8, overcast, light NW Run 11: 1105 Bordeaux-Nice, Su 29.1.06, BB 7286, 14/588/625, A Varley, 15/15, sleet showers 256.41 00.00 Toulouse Run 9 10.5 late Run 10 0.5 late Run 11 275.11 18.60 Montlaur 12 56 TSR 09 52½ 11 34½ 311.19 54.68 Castelnaudary 28 49 26 14 Sig stop 25 47 347.23 90.72 Carcassonne 45 49 11.5 late 58 14 40 13 47 18 12 late 372.50 115.99 Moux 12 56 TSR 68 40 50 56 406.15 149.64 Narbonne 30 40 12.5 late 82 20 66 01 33 15 14 late 431.58 175.07 Béziers 15 23 14.5 late 93 05½ 77 54½ 18 16 16 .5 late 452.54 195.73 Agde 10 43 101 44 87 11 104.45 219.46 Sète 22 33 15 late 111 30 97 49 23 50 15.5 late 77.00 246.91 Montpellier 14 53 13 late 123 31 11 late 111 06 4.5 late 18 29 15.5 late 126 46 12.5 late 116 14 5.5 late 53.48 23.52 Lunel 12 29 10 16 12 31½ 27.16 49.84 Nîmes 25 38 14 late 21 09½ 24 31 33 10 16 late TSR 00.00 77.00 Tarascon 14 45 35 24 38 09 776.36 90.48 Arles 22 14 15 late 41 19½ 47 14 TSR 23 57 15.5 late 809.28 123.40 Miramas 16 00 53 44½ 60 37 851.70 165.82 L’Estaque 34 32 71 51 TSR 79 40½ Sigs 862.05 176.17 Marseille 41 48 13.5 late 78 18 10.5 late 90 37 8 late

LETTERS

Honeycrook West Rattenraw HAYDON BRIDGE Northumberland NE47 6ED

15th October 2009

The Editor Milepost

Sir,

A familiar tale

I was intrigued by Virgin Driver’s excellent article about power consumption by Class 390s on the WCML (Milepost 30½). Sounds familiar, thought I, so I went to my bookshelves. In his book The Tramways of Jarrow and South Shields (1971) George S. Hearse, describing the trams belonging to the Jarrow and District Electric Traction Company Limited, wrote:

“In 1912 consumption meters were installed in all cars, resulting at first in a considerable saving in current consumption. Motormen using less current per week than a specified figure received 5/- bonus. The bonus scheme and the meters were dispensed with soon

Milepost 30¾ 310 January 2010 after the first world war as it was discovered that some motormen had found ways of fiddling the meters, usually by placing a wet wash-leather across the live terminals.”

John Irving Member 15007

Dear David,

I have been told that South Eastern drivers have been told to discontinue the use of the cruise controller. Over the past 3 – 4 months I have detected that it has not been in the use that it had been previously. The reason for this is that its use, which is constantly on and off for current consumption, is more expensive than manual control. I am also told that many of the drivers are up in arms about this as they feel that a useful tool of trade has been removed from them. Certainly maximum speeds of 101, 102 and even 103 mph are beginning to occur. I have not noticed yet a similar thing happening on Southern or South Western. I of course do less recording on them than I do on South Eastern.

Best Wishes

David Lloyd-Roberts

Dear David & Michael

I had the great fortune to travel behind Tangmere on its epic, unassisted climb out of Weymouth on 9th July. I am attaching my log in response to the request for information on Page 250 of Milepost 30 ½.

Date/day 090709 Train 1735 Weymouth-Waterloo Motive Power 34067 Tangmere Load (tons) 11v, 366 tt, 395tg, 400t from Wareham Weather Pete Roberts, John Shaw Rec/Pos/GPS? P Thrussell 2/11 Y Sch Time Time Speed Avg Miles Chains Miles Location Mins Mins Secs Mph Mph Gradient 168 59 0.00 Weymouth Log 0 0 00 - - Level (Dep 19.15.52 No Banker) Slip Thrash 168 21 0.48 Footbridge FB 2 12 20 - Level / 187U 167 48 1.14 Radipole OB 3 38 33.5 / 34 27.7 187U / 74U 166 30 2.36 Upwey SFB 5 52 31.5 32.9 74U / 50U 166 11 2.60 Littlemore Road UB 6 20 29.5 30.5 50U 165 77 2.78 Ioan Lane UB 6 42 27 28.6 50U 165 21 3.48 Upwey Wishing Well UB 8 35 18.5 22.3 50U / 52U Big Slip 16.5 Superbly Controlled 165 02 3.71 Bincombe Tunnel In 9 24 17 17.4 52U 164 45 4.18 Bincombe Tunnel Out 11 07 14.5 16.2 52U 164 34 4.31 Bincombe Summit Recess 11 37 18 16.5 Level 163 12 5.59 Monkton UB 13 40 49 37.3 91D 162 14 6.56 Dorchester Junction 136 15 136 00 6.75 Maumbury Road OB 12 16 02 11 29.5 70U

Milepost 30¾ 311 January 2010 135 71 6.86 Dorchester South Stop 13 17 33 - - Level / 110D Miles Chains Miles Sch Time Time Speed Avg 135 71 0.00 Dorchester South Stop 0 0 00 - - Level / 110D 135 40 0.39 MP 135 1/2 1 37 30 - 110D / 113D 135 00 0.89 MP 135 2 25 42.5 37.5 186D 134 00 1.89 MP 134 3 37 55.5 50.0 200U Brakes 133 43 2.35 Knighton OB 112 4 13 sr 34.5 / 34 46.3 200U 133 00 2.89 MP 133 5 08 37 35.2 660D 132 00 3.89 MP 132 6 27 52.5 45.6 240D 130 24 5.59 Moreton Shl 8 8 09 64 60.0 305U / Level 129 60 6.14 MP 129 3/4 8 40 63.5 63.9 500D / 100D 128 40 7.39 MP 128 1/2 9 46 72.5 68.2 180D Brakes 125 70 10.01 Wool SFB 13 12 10 sr 59 65.6 400D 124 00 11.89 MP 124 14 00 63.5 61.4 1102D 122 78 12.91 Holme LC 14 59 61 62.5 200U 121 77 13.93 Worgret Jct GF 16 20 35.5 45.0 200D 120 70 15.01 Wareham 19 1/2 18 39 - - Level 120 70 0.00 Wareham 0 0 00 - - Level 120 00 0.88 MP 120 2 34 37 - 286U / 206D 118 61 2.11 Holton Heath SFB 4 08 54.5 / 61.5 47.4 Level Brakes 117 00 3.88 MP 117 5 57 59 58.2 144U 116 40 4.38 MP 116 1/2 6 42 31.5 40.0 150U sr 28.5 116 00 4.88 Hamworthy MP 116 7 42 31.5 30.0 Level 115 40 5.38 MP 115 1/2 8 33 38.5 35.3 100D Brakes Sigs 10.5 113 64 7.08 Poole SFB 11 13 37 sr 15.5 20.1 240U 113 40 7.38 MP 113 1/2 14 31 25.5 20.0 Level Thrash 113 00 7.88 MP 113 15 24 41 / 43 34.0 Level 112 60 8.13 MP 112 3/4 15 45 42.5 42.9 60U 112 40 8.38 MP 112 1/2 16 07 40 40.9 60U 112 20 8.63 MP 112 1/4 16 30 37.5 39.1 60U 112 00 8.88 MP 112 16 55 34.5 36.0 50U / 300U 111 60 9.13 MP 111 3/4 17 22 32.5 / 31 33.3 300U / 60U 111 40 9.38 MP 111 1/2 17 50 31.5 32.1 60U / 990U 111 20 9.63 MP 111 1/4 18 16 35 34.6 990U Eased 110 53 10.21 Branksome SFB 19 19 24 sr 27.5 31.1 130U Brakes Sigs 3 X Down Line Whistle 108 01 12.86 Bournemouth SFB 33 29 14 sr 12 16.2 Level / 150U X Up Line

When it became clear that Tangmere would leave Weymouth without a banker there was much competition for positions in the front passenger coach. I gratefully occupied a position on the down side of the train where I would be able to see the mileposts beyond Dorchester Junction. With mileposts in the GW style, on the up side from Weymouth to Dorchester Junction, I had to use structural timing points, on the initial climb, as I couldn’t see the

Milepost 30¾ 312 January 2010 mileposts. I have also included the ascent of Parkstone Bank which was another pleasant interlude later on the journey back to London!

Many thanks

Peter Thrussell

Dear David

TANGMERE ON UPWEY

Michael Rowe's account of "Tangmere's" climb from Weymouth on 9th July in Milepost 30/11 raises some matters of interest.

The absorbtion of kinetic energy in the loss of speed from 31 to 14.5 mph over the range of 1 in 50 and 1 in 52 over 1.55 miles resulted in an equivalent gradient of 1 in 60, on which the load was not especially difficult for the distance, so long as speed remained above stalling level. Gradient, acceleration and deceleration are all gravity related forces, and can be substituted one for another. Indeed, "momentum" gradients were commonly used in setting out railways and setting locomotive loads.

Had the engine stalled or slipped to a stand on the 1 in 50, the restart would have been difficult with the load of 390 tons. The reason is that the engine had three cylinders.

On any steam locomotive, there are certain cut-offs and associated locations of the cranks where at a start steam will not reach one or two pistons. For example, on a two cylinder engine on which the maximum cut off is 75%, if at the start piston one is at 35% cut off, piston two will be at 85% and will not receive steam (the cranks are at 90 degrees and the cut offs 50% apart). If the gradient and load are favourable, the engine might start very slowly with steam on piston one for 15% of a stroke, until piston two reaches the end of its stroke and can take steam, after which both pistons will have steam pushing them during the whole stroke, some admission, some expansion. There are four 45 degree sectors in the revolution of the driving wheels where a two cylinder engine with 75% cut off can take steam on both pistons at the start, and four other 45 degree sectors between them where it cannot. If the engine will not start on one cylinder, the train is reversed up to 30 inches into one of the sectors where it can take steam on both pistons, braking and starting again. It is sometimes done by compressing some buffers, with the brake van handbrake on if needed, or on a gradient letting the train move back up to 30 inches. The start in these circumstances is also done sometimes by putting the engine into reverse under steam, and when the driver judges it has moved back sufficiently, immediately throwing it into full forward cut off, still under steam. This is difficult to do precisely, especially with screw or power reverse, and can be rough on drawgear, train and passengers (standing passengers might be thrown over). On two cylinder engines drivers know the location of the 45 degrees sectors where both pistons can take steam, simply by knowing which crank leads.

Four cylinder engines with all cranks at 90 degree spacing have the same starting conditions as two cylinder engines, but the alternating 45 degree sectors have two cylinders taking steam or four taking steam.

On three cylinder engines with cut off above 66.7%, there are six segments of each revolution where each piston can take steam at starting, but these are each a very small part of the revolution. With 75% cut off, the six total 25% of the revolution, with 70% only 20%. At 65%, it was not possible at any position of the cranks for all three cylinders to take steam at a start. The Gresley Pacifics had 65% for many years, but all had 75% eventually. The

Milepost 30¾ 313 January 2010 Merchant Navy engines originally had 70%. I do not know the cut off of an unrebuilt Battle of Britain like Tangmere. The driver can try to reverse a three cylinder engine to assist starting just as a two cylinder, but that is made much more difficult by the need to locate the location of the six intervals each 15 degrees of a revolution on average with 75% cut off, and only 12 degrees with 70%. With a 65% maximum cut off, there are no such intervals, and the engine can start a load on the tractive effort from only two cylinders. The driver might still reverse, to take advantage of the release of buffer compression to get the train on the move.

Even the circumstances above err slighly on the side of optimism, because they are all based on the piston being able to contribute to turning the driving wheel right from the commencement of the stroke. That is not quite correct. There are two influences which slightly reduce the sectors mentioned if they are at beginning of the stroke for a particular piston. For a short distance at the beginning of a stroke, when the piston and connecting rod are in a straight line, no turning effect can be imparted, and the engine is on "dead centre". If a piston is approaching the end of a return stroke, ie just before dead centre, it opens to lead steam, which works against the other piston if it is receiving steam. In both cases, the piston needs to move a short distance from the beginning of a stroke before it does something useful. For a three cylinder engine with 70% cut off, the six intervals could therefore well be only 9 or 10 degrees each. There are also considerations of inequality of the cut offs and port openings from one end of a cylinder to the other and from one cylinder to another.

If the load were set on the basis of what a BB could reliably or smoothly start on 1 in 50, it would have to be based on what it could start with two cylinders taking steam as a saturated engine (superheat is not available at a cold start). If the maximum cut off is 75%, that would result in 19,000 lbs indicated tractive effort. After some 1100 lbs resistance between cylinder and coupled wheel rims, the engine could have started 375 tons on 1 in 50. Of that, 128 tons is locomotive and tender with full supplies, leaving 250 tons of train (in contrast to about 410 tons if a three cylinder start could be relied upon).

Michael gave the BR passenger load of 288 tons for a BB with 250 lbs pressure, so reliance was placed on the engine not stalling. He also reported that assistance was provided to these engines with even lighter trains. So no risks were taken with these engines stalling.

In setting loads, if adhesive weight (that on the coupled wheels) was less than four times the tractive effort, it was usual to base the load on an effective, adhesion limited, tractive effort of one quarter of the adhesive weight. With 250 lbs pressure, the adhesive weight of a BB was 4.8 times the tractive effort at 80% of that pressure in all three cylinders, or 4.5 times at 85%, both very satisfactory figures for starting. The ratios were higher if at the actual point of starting only two pistons could contribute to the task.

Tangmere's driver on 9th July was therefore relying very much on being able to accelerate to a suitable speed before the 1 in 52 and the engine not being forced into a slip, not something to be relied upon all year round, or even with every engine. If the 1 in 50/52 were much longer, it would have been at best called risky.

John Knowles New Malden Michael Rowe writes: Burley Cottage, 22nd Dec 2009 Dear David,

Thank you for the sight of John Knowles interesting letter. “Rushing Banks” has always been a feature of steam operation. The loss in kinetic energy [from 31.5 mph to 14.5 mph equates to lifting the train 32 feet] will be exponential. Thanks to Peter Thrussell’s log we know that

Milepost 30¾ 314 January 2010 there was a slip before Bincombe Tunnel to 16.5 mph, although speed had already fallen to 18.5 mph by Upwey Wishing Well. There was scant kinetic energy to assist No.34067 through the tunnel.

The concern re Bulleid Pacific’s operating out of Weymouth was always their propensity to slip. Whilst as John says their Adhesion Factor was satisfactory, particularly in their rebuilt form [Minimum acceptable figure allowing for tyre wear is usually quoted as 4.3], the calculated value involves tractive effort which is a somewhat arbitrary figure. The weights on the coupled wheels for a 3 cylinder West Country in original condition and a 4 cyl. Castle Class 4-6-0 were, 56 tons 5 cwt and 58 tons 17 cwt; the tractive efforts, similar, maximum permitted unassisted loadings from Weymouth, 288 and 310 tons.

The problem from Weymouth is of course Bincombe tunnel. Molesworth [still I think accepted] gave adhesion in lb per ton on dry rails as 600, very wet rails 550, ordinary English weather 450 and misty weather, greasy rails ie Bincombe tunnel 200.

The King 4-6-0, Duchess 4-6-2 and Merchant Navy 4-6-2 [in original condition] have adhesion factors of 3.75, 3.76 and 3.76 respectively. Whilst I am not a fully signed up genuflecting member of “Gods Wonderful Railway” I would bet the King against the other two in terms of being far less prone to slipping and able to make faster starts [even the MN in its rebuilt form]. Partly I suggest a facet of the 4-6-0 configuration vs 4-6-2, partly the misleading nature of tractive effort and partly four cylinders versus three in the case of the Merchant Navy.

Michael

Liphook, Hants 15th October 2009

Dear David

I noticed that Michael Rowe’s letter regarding “Milepost: Steam Souvenir Edition” in Milepost 30¼ where he asked about a run between Exeter and Plymouth behind a Maunsell Mogul (p 139). I attach a copy of this. It took place on the Sunday 1100 from Waterloo on 5th September 1948, so it is really too long ago to confirm details from my mental memory. However, I have perused the 1948 Bradshaw concerned and as far as I can see there is no reason to believe that I failed to note that any part of the train was detached at Okehampton. I do recollect that the train was surprisingly full, which suggests that additional traffic to Plymouth had been anticipated.

William Alcock

Loco Class N 2-6-0 1869 Load 312 tons tare/335 gross (Very full) Train 1100 Waterloo-Exeter/Plymouth Date 05 September 1948 Recorder William Alcock Miles Timing Point WTT M. S. M.P.H 0.0 Exeter St Davids 0 0 00 1.3 Cowley Bridge J 4 18 /36 4.3 Newton St Cyres 9 12 40/41 6.9 Crediton 12 52 /42 10.6 Yeoford 17 50 44/41 15.4 Bow 23 55 24/48

Milepost 30¾ 315 January 2010 18.5 N Tawton 30 34 34/51 21.3 Sampford Courtenay 34 56 27 25.0 Okehampton 41 42 20 34/25min 0.0 Okehampton 0 00 2.0 (approx) 5 25 28 2.7 Meldon J 6 36 31 6.7 Bridestowe 11 48 60/64 9.9 Lydford 14 48 67/70 11.2 Brentor 16 05 65 16.3 Tavistock 28 21 49 0.0 Tavistock 0 00 6.5 Bere Alston 12 9 49 0.0 Bere Alston 0 00 2.3 Bere Ferrers 4 19 55/50 4.7 Tamerton 6 29 54 7.0 St Budeaux 8 52 9.5 DEVONPORT (SR) 17 12 20 Time

Due to sharp curvature past Lydford and Brentor, there were some uncomfortable sensations on the train

Peterborough 19th October 2009

Dear David

The letters and comments in Milepost 30½ re the excellent performance by the Bushbury Jubilee 45737 Atlas between Euston and Coventry were most interesting, as was the log which repeats the minor error printed by CJ Allen in the December 1959 Trains Illustrated, which was the passing time at Watford Junction which is shown as 23mins from Euston; the correct time for XL scheduled trains was 21mins.

CJ Allen’s comment that the 89mph claimed at Leighton “is I think a shade high” is probably correct, but I doubt if it is less than 86mph, an excellent maximum speed for a Jubilee on 11 coaches.

The highest speed noted on a Euston to Birmingham was probably with 45733 Novelty; this log also appeared in the TI article by CJ Allen – he got the speed at Leighton as 88mph, but the recorder, T J Pearson, noted 89mph at Sears Crossing – the average speed from Cheddington to Leighton was 87.8mph

Ken Phillips

Dear Editor,

I thought readers might be interested in the attached KX-Grantham log. The speeds look inconsistent but the timetable and running suggests a Class 91 in the driver's sights. A ten satellite gps reading was maintained during the run and the maximum speed was held for two readings, reached after a steady build-up and six readings at 132mph, with the gps set to 1/10th of a mile readouts. One engine sounded to be out during idling at KX but some of the accelerations suggested not. The net schedule and net running time were both 57min.

Yours sincerely

Milepost 30¾ 316 January 2010

John Heaton

Loco 1801xx Load 5/-/- Train xx.xx KX-Hull Date Deleted Recorder/Position J. Heaton 4/5 Miles Miles Chns Timing Point WTT M. S. M.P.H Ave. 0.00 0 07 King's Cross 0 0 00 ½L 0.66 0 60 Belle Isle 2 (½) 2 16 35 17.5 2.43 2 41 Finsbury Park 4½ 4 14 81 53.8 3.31 3 32 Harringay (½) 4 51 92/97 86.4 4.89 4 78 Alexandra Palace 6½ 5 50 92/89 96.1 6.38 6 37 New Southgate 6 48 95 92.3 8.29 8 30 Oakleigh Park 7 57 106 99.8 9.06 9 12 New Barnet 8 23 109 107.3 10.46 10 44 Hadley Wood 9 08 115/114 112.0 12.66 12 60 Potters Bar 11 10 17 116/117 114.8 14.40 14 39 Brookmans Park 11 11 115 115.8 15.49 15 46 Welham Green 11 46 112/120/sigs? 113.5 17.61 17 56 Hatfield 12 51 117/113 116.8 20.23 20 25 Welwyn Garden City 15 14 13 116/114 114.7 21.91 22 00 Welwyn North 15 06 116/sigs? 114.6 23.70 23 63 Woolmer Green 16½ 16 02 114 114.9 24.95 25 03 Knebworth (½) 16 41 122/126 115.4 27.51 27 48 Stevenage 19 17 55 sigs117 124.7 28.41 28 40 Stevenage (Old) 18 27 96/sigs38 101.3 31.86 31 76 Hitchin 21 21 57 65 59.1 35.54 35 50 Three Counties (1) 24 38 111 82.2 36.95 37 03 Arlesey Station 25 22 122/128 115.6 41.08 41 13 Biggleswade 27 20 124/126 125.8 44.04 44 10 Sandy 28 28 45 123/126 125.5 47.39 47 38 Tempsford 30 22 125/120/128 124.3 51.61 51 56 St. Neots 32 25 124/123/127 123.7 55.81 55 72 Offord 34 28 120/129 122.9 58.71 58 64 Huntingdon 35 35 52 125/126 124.3 61.91 62 00 MP 62 37 24 121 125.2 63.36 63 36 Abbots Ripton 38 07 126/122/127 121.4 67.28 67 29 Connington South 39 59 123/124 125.8 69.24 69 26 Holme 40 40 57 112/93 121.8 72.58 72 53 Yaxley <1> 43 00 97/98/sigs84 97.7 74.94 75 02 Fletton Jct 44 32 101 92.4 76.28 76 29 Peterborough 45½ 45 17 112/110 107.0 79.39 79 38 Werrington Jct <½> 46 53 126/127 116.7 81.81 81 72 Helpston 48 03 121 124.7 83.33 83 33 Lolham 48 48 124 121.0 84.71 84 64 Tallington 50 49 27 130/133 128.1 87.01 87 08 Greatford 50 31 123 129.4 88.61 88 56 Essendine 51 18 125/124/126 123.9 92.13 92 17 Little Bytham 52 59 125/122/126 124.6 97.00 97 07 Corby Glen 55 22 125 122.7 100.05 100 11 Stoke 57½ 56 50 123 124.8

Milepost 30¾ 317 January 2010 102.00 102 07 Great Ponton 57 51 111/114 115.1 105.36 105 36 Grantham a. 61 60 22 80.2 Possibly on four engines judging by sound at KX but not by acceleratons. 2 people in cab

Speeds inconsistent but solid 10 satellite readings on gps. Track upload shows 133mph reached instages and held for 2 consecutive tenths after 4 tenths at 132. Net schedule and time 57min.

William Alcock has written to say that the last line of para 3 (page 245) of his letter in Milepost 30½ should read “I am sure we never fell below 22mph, let alone 14!”

Dear Editor,

My GPS60CSx worked normally on a routine trip from Dawlish to Plymouth last Sunday. I turned it off during my time in Wethersp...oops....during our Sunday lunch and returned to the station to find a XC HST on Class 221 timings for the train home. But the gps would not pick up any satellites. I alternated between fearing that the windows had been newly Voyager-coated and hoping that we were at war with Iran and the system had therefore been turned off. The problem continued, impervious to any random button pressing, battery changing and turning off and on. Dispirited, I nearly did not bother to time the HST which would have been a pity with +6mph speeds and my 22nd fastest run to Totnes out of 186 examples. Not bad for nowadays.

Back to the point though. A re-set to factory settings by pressing page, enter and power simultaneously from the off position looked as if it might work but lost my waypoints instead. However, a call to a real person on 0808 2380000 resulted in advice to download Garmin's WebUpdater service -then run it and install all updates. Finally the computer asked me if I wanted to download GPS chip set type G. Recklessly but with little to lose I ticked the box and the gps started working again. A cautionary tale with a happy ending for all the GPS CSx 60 users out there.

John Heaton

Swiss Motive Power

In Milepost 30 ½ Frank Collins’s article on the Genèva to Brig line was interesting. He comments on the powerful locomotives but omits to say how powerful, so as to add some detail I have set out below the details taken from Platform 5’s Swiss Locomotives MUs and Trams (published on November 30th 2009).

Class Power kw Power hp Wheel arrangements Introduced 460 6,100 8.810 Bo-Bo 1991 465 7,000 9,387 Bo-Bo 1994 484 5,600 7,510 Bo-Bo 2003 ICN 500 5,200 6,973 EMU 1998 E470 5,000 6,705 EMU

I have used the Platform 5 book to be consistent but the 460 & 465 power are quoted as one hour rating whilst the 484 is continuous rating !. Although the BLS 465 are very similar to the SBB 460’s they are more powerful, the power output is quoted at different rates between 6,100 to 7,000 kw in different books but as the books don’t specify whether they are

Milepost 30¾ 318 January 2010 continuous, one hour rating or ? so I have used the Platform 5 ratings.

Anyone wanting further information on Swiss railways, I can highly recommend a small book titled “ Bahnprofile Schweiz” (or Le Rail Suisse en profile). This was last published in 2005 and on a recent internet search I could not find any for sale (it is out of print) but I understand that a new edition is planned for 2010. This publication details distances, track arrangements, tunnels, viaducts, gradients etc for most Swiss railways (including private railways). It is in German and French and be warned it is quite expensive. For a rail atlas try the “Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz” published by Schweers and Wall, another excellent book (obtainable from Platform 5).

Frank comments about the wrong line running. My experiences on the BLS on the Lőtschberg are limited but it could depend on where track maintenance was being done as to which line was used (all tracks are bi-directional Brig to Speiz), indeed during the work to increase the loading gauge one track would be taken out of use for the period of the work over a section. Crossovers were provided at line speed at frequent intervals including two sets inside the Lőtschberg Tunnel. Things have changed now with the base tunnel now open. A number of years ago the regular hourly service from Brig to Zứrich or Basel departed at xx 58 minutes but three times a day there was also a xx03 minutes train which overtook the BLS/SBB train. This was an E470 tilting train from Milano to Zứrich and was allowed higher speeds on the BLS. The international train departed Brig right line with the preceding xx58 running wrong line being overtaken and then crossing to the right line before it’s first calling station at Goppenstein 19 kilometres in distance. We caught the 1903 from Brig one evening (and it was running on time) overtaking the preceding 1858 train, neither train was delayed.

Chris Taylor

NEWS ALERT

EAST MIDLAND TRAINS INTRODUCES £5 FARES FROM ST PANCRAS to SHEFFIELD

To coincide with the introduction of 2 trains per hour between St Pancras and Sheffield, East Midland Trains are introducing promotional advance-purchase £5 single fares between the two cities until mid-February 2010. Discounts for railcard holders.

There is a further “Red Dot Day” on Saturday 30th January from East Midland Parkway only. Unlimited travel on EMT for £10 upon presentation of voucher from their website at the ticket office .

FLOODEX - Chris Taylor

Workington suffered badly after the heavy rainfall of Monday 23rd November 2009 (over 12 inches fell on the Lakeland hills in 24 hours). There were 5 bridges across the River Derwent in Workington and after the flooding 2 were washed away, 2 were badly damaged and only the rail bridge remained connecting Workington to the north. In order to maintain access for the communities north of the River Derwent, the Department of Transport agreed to fund a temporary station at Workington North and additional trains between Maryport and Workington. All involved are to be congratulated in that the temporary station and the service started on Monday 30th November 2009. The extra trains were operated by DRS using 4 coaches and top and tailed with a class 37/4 and 47/7. There were 12 extra trains in each direction starting at 0705 from Workington and finishing with the 1930 arrival at Workington. Journey time was 15 minutes. The empty stock movements were to/from Kingmoor depot. The most important fact is that all travel on all trains between Maryport and Workington was

Milepost 30¾ 319 January 2010 free. The extra trains consisted of 3 mark 3 FO’s, 1 BSO and a trailing locomotive. There was a 20 mph tsr across the River Derwent bridge (normally 30mph).

train 1250 1400 Mile m c location ptt m s mph m s mph 0.00 0 26 MARYPORT 0 0 0 1 late 0 0 6 late Tuesday 0.33 0 00 1st December 2009 12 05 47790 0.34 12 04 Maryport XG 1 12 26 1 03 29 4c + 37423 1.14 11 20 Mp 11 ¼ 2 26 50 2 16 50 249½/255 10.1hp 1.87 11 42 FLIMBY 4 08 3 48 C.M.Taylor 0.00 5 4 55 4 28 3/6 0.78 9 60 MP 9 ¾ 1 40 46 1 36 46 GPS used 1.53 9 00 MP 9 2 31 54 2 27 59 2.72 7 65 WORKINGTON NORTH 4 51 4 55 0.00 6 6 14 6 10 0.31 7 40 MP 7 ½ 0 59 32 0 58 30 0.56 7 20 MP 7¼ 1 34 19 tsr 1 31 21 tsr 0.91 6 72 WORKINGTON MAIN 4 2 58 2 45

train 1335 1445 Mile m c location ptt m s mph m s mph 0.00 6 72 WORKINGTON MAIN 0 0 00 9 late 0 00 6 late Tuesday 0.10 7 00 MP 7 0 35 23 0 33 21 1st December 2009 0.35 7 20 MP 7 ¼ 1 26 17 tsr 1 26 16 tsr 37423 0.60 7 40 MP 7 ½ 2 01 30 2 01 27 4c + 47790 0.91 7 65 WORKINGTON NORTH 3 11 3 10 261/269 6.5 hp 0.00 4 4 16 4 59 0.44 8 20 MP 8 ¼ 1 10 37 1 10 37 C.M.Taylor 1.44 9 20 MP 9 ¼ 2 27 53/55 2 27 53/55 4/6 2.72 10 42 FLIMBY 4 52 4 48 GPS used 6 6 29 6 00 0.73 11 20 MP 11 ¼ 1 42 36 1 37 39 1.23 11 60 MP 11 ¾ 3 00 16 2 46 21 10 sigs sigs 12m 5s 1.53 12 04 Maryport XG 4 01 25 17 14 24 1.87 MARYPORT 5 5 50 18 47 Southbound, 47790 had a faster start on the 1400 train from Maryport with an incentive due to the late start awaiting the clearance of the signal, from Flimby again a faster start and a higher maximum speed but then the driver misjudged the braking, which is understandable given that the temporary station platform was only 56 yards long. After crossing the river neither train accelerated. Northbound the 1335 was delayed as the 1305 Whitehaven to Carlisle (due 1322) was 8 minutes late, whereas the 1445 had to wait for the clearance of a late running train to Maryport (25 minutes late). Remarkable are the similarities in the times: 37423 not only produced the best performance but the most noise. Unfortunately the 1445 suffered a 12 minute signal check outside Maryport station waiting for 156438 on the 1420 Carlisle to Lancaster service which was probably delayed by the late running northbound service. Maryport has only one platform. The temporary station at Workington North was built using scaffolding poles as was the footbridge but it also had a car park (being extended after one day of usage), signage, lighting and litter bins. Although the extra trains were nominally hourly they were timed round the existing service and the block section from Workington Main No 3 and Maryport signal boxes. Unfortunately I do not have a gradient

Milepost 30¾ 320 January 2010 profile for this section (I have most of the rest of the Cumbrian Coast). The only gradient post I could read was 1:178 uphill southbound from milepost 11½, but I suspect that this is of short duration and other gradients are only slight. The services were well used but the effect of a temporary footbridge across the river might mean a drop in patronage (opened 7th December 2009). Funding has been agreed until the end of December 2009. Since writing this article the car park has been increased in size threefold and the platforms have been lengthened by 50% so that they can accommodate 3 coaches,

NETWORK DEVELOPMENTS This is the quietest period since I started writing these articles but includes the start of the full High Speed service to Kent from St Pancras International including the opening of the spur from Ebbsfleet towards Gravesend. The new extended loop at Axminster was opened slightly late but in time for the new hourly service on the Waterloo to Exeter line. Upgrading of sidings at Oxford has created an overtaking facility for northbound trains. There has been little alteration to WCML infrastructure, the highlight being 125 mph allowed southbound down Shap Bank; a faster approach to Euston has also been introduced with 100+mph allowed up to 3m 43chains and bi-directional signalling was introduced between Nuneaton and Lichfield. A surprise development in Scotland has been the introduction of a stretch of 90 mph running through the wild moors south of Altnabreac on the previously 75 mph maximum North Highland line. Tracklaying has commenced on the Bathgate to Drumgelloch railway and electrification work continues on the Bathgate to Edinburgh section. The redoubling of part of the Kilmarnock to Barrhead line was completed on time and the maximum speed on most of the East Kilbride branch has been lifted from 40 to 50mph. The Glasgow Airport line construction has been cancelled but the extra platforms at Glasgow Central are still being constructed as is the third line towards Paisley. The line from Boston to Skegness is seeing some lengthy closures, the next in February/March, to relay the line with second-hand welded rail so that the line speed can be upgraded for all trains. This next period should also see the link installed at Sheringham between the Network Rail and North Norfolk Railways. The long-standing restrictions over Whalley Viaduct on the Blackburn to Hellifield line, and to 20 mph around Mansfield Woodhouse, have been eliminated. The decades old 30 PSR at Kirby Thore on the Settle and Carlisle line was removed in mid- December. Following flood damage to road infrastructure a temporary station was opened at Workington North and Imperial Wharf station on the West London Line opened on the 27th September. Improvement works at Severn Tunnel Junction and, possibly, Newport will bring higher speeds at the start of this month. Work has continued on raising PSRs for Class 67 hauled trains over the Princes Risborough to Aynho Junctions section of the Chiltern Line. Over in Ireland the Ennis to Athenry line is expected to open this month as is a new station- Clongriffin-on the DART network north of Howth Junction. Relaying from Ballymena to Londonderry has been confirmed but the situation on Irish Rail has deteriorated with a reported 24 TSRs between Dublin and Cork in December. The Kilkenny avoiding line (Lavistown Loop) is now seeing a regular SX northbound train and the Shannon Bridge west of Dromod has been renewed thereby eliminating a severe PSR. Ian Umpleby January 2010, MEETINGS ORGANISER 2010

As you will all know, I am standing down from the post of Meetings Organiser at the next Annual General Meeting. In the absence of any ‘volunteers’ for the post so far, the Committee have discussed ways of covering these duties. I have agreed, if re-elected to the post of Secretary, to continue arranging the Committee Meetings and AGM. That leaves around 2 or 3 ‘speaker’ meetings to arrange each year, an important, but not too time consuming task and also the job of co-ordinating them with the area meetings to ensure a good spread throughout the year. If any member feels able to undertake this task or would like to talk it over, please feel free to contact Frank Collins or myself, in confidence.

Milepost 30¾ 321 January 2010 Many thanks Martin Barrett SWEATING THE ASSETS – David Ashley

A few days spent in Wales during March gave an insight into the way operators deal with limited resources and try to utilise them in the most efficient way.

The first day was spent travelling from Cardiff to Fishguard. It has been said that Cardiff Central has more daily train movements than London Paddington, and based on my experience, the service is approaching saturation point. The 0845 Paddington, due at 1047 took 22 minutes from Newport and a 1053 arrival for a 1054 departure was challenging. Based on Ian Umpleby’s log on the 1054 train in Milepost 29¾ (page 247), a leisurely journey in a 175 to Fishguard looked attractive. Unable to locate a 175 in the station, I resorted to the summary departure board on the platform. A screen that scrolls in English, Welsh and shows future engineering work is not necessarily helpful for someone in a hurry; and neither are platform bi-lingual announcements for a train which has several stops.

Eventually the train was located, and was in fact 143605. Five hours spent shaking around on a Pacer was not attractive, but would be a novelty. The lack of a catering trolley was also a hindrance. The train eventually departed at 1059 – first stop Llanelli – and immediately behind the 0845 Paddington with stops at Bridgend, Port Talbot and Neath. Not surprisingly, the 1054 was affected by signals most of the way. Contrary to Ian Umpleby’s log, my train traversed the north and west junctions at Landore rather than going via the Swansea avoiding line. An unscheduled stop at Ferryside was followed by a worried-looking driver walking through the train. One of the engines had failed, and it was decided to divert into Carmarthen rather than run through to Fishguard. At Carmarthen, passengers were transferred to a single car 155303. This was presumably the unit that had arrived on the 1105 Pembroke Dock to Swansea, and the passengers from this train were transferred to 143605. A swap to avoid a failure on the 1 in 50 climb on the return from remote-Fishguard would be commendable, but it is doubtful if a replacement unit would be available if the failed engine could not be resuscitated at Swansea – and the 1 in 50 gradients around Cockett would be equally challenging.

Arrival at Fishguard was 15mins late, and the train was turned round in five minutes. The return journey was via Swansea avoiding line, and arrival in Cardiff was 13mins early. The slack timing for this train was discussed in Milepost 29¾. The “Train Preparation Area” on platform 2 at Cardiff seems a strange concept in these days of ultra-caution and the reluctance to use calling-on signals: whilst arriving trains are empty, they are running into platforms that are invariably occupied by service trains. The one-carriage Fishguard train squeezed itself into the extreme rear of the platform, but this seemed to confuse the platform displays, as for the next twenty minutes the Fishguard train was shown as the next train to arrive at, alternatively, platform 1 and 2.

The next day was spent on the Cambrian line. 158841 was the Pwllheli portion of the 1009 from International, and upon departure from Shrewsbury it appeared that there were problems with electrical supply, as the lights kept dimming. Following separation at Machynlleth, the driver appeared concerned, but started off towards Dovey Junction. Having planned to return on the next train, and not familiar with the signalling arrangements at the crossing point at Towyn, I left the train at Aberdovey and awaited the southbound train. The train eventually arrived ten minutes late, and to my surprise, I was reacquainted with 158841. Once again the units had been swapped. This time, the train was terminated at Machynlleth and passengers were transferred to the Aberystwyth portion which followed once 158841 had been transferred to the depot for repair. Whilst it was operationally necessary, the wheelchair passenger who thought she would only have to board the train in

Milepost 30¾ 322 January 2010 Pwllheli and leave at Shrewsbury, would not have been impressed at having to also leave and board trains twice more – and at Machynlleth there was insufficient power to open all the doors. I suppose it could be argued that the probable return of a single 158 on the 1709 International-Chester would be only marginally more inadequate than with a four-car unit.

Another interesting concept is how ATW deal with recovey times. They seem to extend them in the PTT to extreme levels after the penultimate stop, and then shorten the turnround times. Readers may reach their own conclusions about this policy. This contrasts with the policy the last time I visited Wales when turnrounds were frequently 40mins (which presumably equated to meal breaks). Nowadays crews seem to be changed so that they can have their meal breaks, but the trains just keep running. This is fine if everything is running normally, but frequent crew changes could escalate delays when things go wrong

Perhaps the main performance interest is whether the crews can turn their trains around in one minute at Penarth!

From previous Av Arrival stop speed Train From Turnround At Miles Minsmph Mins Aberystwyth 8.00 19 25 Bham Int 4 Maesteg 0.50 6 5 Cheltenham 2 Coryton 0.50 5 6 Cardiff 2 Penarth 0.25 5 3 Rhymney line 1 Bridgend 9.25 17 33 Merthyr 3

And,finally, some thoughts about rolling stock naming policies. In the past, names were generally reserved for the more-prestigious locomotives in the operators’ fleets. The fact that ATW’s fleet is 100% DMU must cause problems when deciding how to allocate names, but dedicating Pacer unit 143609 to Tom Jones seems to veer towards an insult rather than a compliment. Perhaps dedicating a similar unit to Welsh rock and roll artist Shakin’ Stevens would be more appropriate, in view of the Pacers’ riding qualities

As you may know we are producing a special booklet to celebrate our 30th anniversary and are including one log from each of the last 30 years. All we need is one log plus text not exceeding one A4 sheet. It does not have to be a record run, but should demonstrate interesting performance in the year in question. It would be even more interesting if the run had not appeared in print before.

Years still to be filled at the time of writing are 1980, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006 & 2007.

Please contact David Ashley to reserve your year. Last date for receipt is 30 June 2010

WHAT’S NEW?

It must be an amazing job to try and distill 2,631 pages of the new timtetable to provide a single page summary of major changes. They seem to have excelled with the Winter 2009/2010 edition:

Reading any further can only be an anti climax!

Milepost 30¾ 323 January 2010

30th JANUARY 2010

LONDON

Gordon Pettitt

Special Trains in a Long Career

18th FEBRUARY 2010

Bristol Area Meeting

20th MARCH 2010

Visit to First TransPennine Driving Simulator and depot at Ardwick

30th MARCH 2010

Leeds Area Meeting

17th APRIL 2010

Visit to First TransPennine Driving Simulator and depot in York

08 MAY 2010

Annual General Meeting

York

19 JUNE 2010

Mass Timing Day

Manchester to Stoke-on-Trent/Crewe

Milepost 30¾ 324 January 2010