Milepost 34¾ -221 - January 2014 Milepost 34¾ - January 2014
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] Steam Specialist Michael Rowe Burley Cottage, Parson St., Porlock,Minehead, Somerset, TA24 8QJ . Tel 01643 862182 E-mail: [email protected] Committee member: Michael Bruce, 234A Otley Rd., West Park, Leeds LS16 5AB Tel 0113 305 0367 E-mail: [email protected] Richard Howlett, 93 Newbury Gardens, Stoneleigh, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 0NY Tel: 020 8394 0340 E-mail: [email protected]
Non-committee official:- Fastest times Martin Robertson 23 Brownside Rd, Cambuslang, Glasgow, G72 0NL e-mail: [email protected] Directors of RPS Rail Performance Consultants Ltd.:- Frank Collins (chairman), Peter Smith (secretary), Martin Barrett
CONTENTS Notices 222, 255 Huddersfield-Sheffield with TPE Ian Umpleby 231 Festival trains Martin Robertson 234 EMT Upgrade David Ashley 237 Fastest times Martin Robertson 248 Midland mainline Bill Hemstock/David Ashley 256 Bournemouth line in 1966 Martin Barrett 259 Recorders guide to SNCF Alan Varley 276 Letters 282 News 288
Enclosures (where subscribed): Membership renewals, Mass Timing Day 2013, distance charts
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.
Milepost 34¾ -222 - January 2014 Published by The Railway Performance Society Limited, 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW Printed by Prontaprint Harrow, 7 Central Parade, Station Rd., Harrow, Middx, HA1 2TW.
PUBLICATION OF MILEPOST
Milepost is published in April, July, October, and January. If you have not received your copy by the end of the month of publication it may have gone astray. Requests for replacements of missing or defective copies should be directed please to the Editor.
REPRESENTING THE SOCIETY
The RPS is always keen to be represented at special media-type occasions. However, we do ask that anyone wishing to do this should do so with the express agreement of the Committee. Should the opportunity arise for any member or in exceptional circumstances, friend of a member, to do this please can contact be made with the Secretary (either by telephone or e-mail) setting out the circumstances of the occasion. Please give us at least one week in advance of the occasion.
SUBMITTING ARTICLES
Submissions may be sent as attachments to an email or by post as documents on a CD or diskette or as a printed document. If sending a diskette or CD, please enclose a hard copy of the article; this helps if file(s) are unreadable for any reason.
Please send all submissions to the editor whose contact details are in the inside front cover of Milepost. The editor will normally acknowledge email submissions within a few days, and always within 3 weeks. If sending by post and you wish to have a receipt, please enclose an SAE for reply. If you wish any material/CD/diskette to be returned, please clearly state this.
Milepost 23¾ gave detailed guidelines for submissions. The editor is happy to supply these, on request by email or by post. Please note that page margins are critical: one inch or 2.54cm top, bottom, left and right.
Distance Chart Editor’s Report - Ian Umpleby
The item which most caught your editor’s eye over the past three months has been Network Rail’s intention to replace Mileposts with Kilometre posts when introducing the European standard signalling system to routes; it is to be hoped that the KPs will be more accurately placed than their predecessors! This Milepost contains the MTD booklet so space in the envelope for charts is limited and priority has been given to a re-issue of the Midland Main Line ones. As is noted elsewhere the implementation of increased speeds over part of the Midland Main Line has slipped but the new chart will show the intended speeds which should be in effect very shortly if not by now; at the time of writing it may be possible to issue another chart or two. Unfortunately time available for doing a web- only spring clean of other charts and creation of some Heritage Line charts has been very limited of late. Bevan Price has been producing a set of “steam age” line charts which should be helpful when used in conjunction with the older logs in our Archives. Thanks again for all the information sent to me over the past period and remember to keep looking at the web site for details of Infrastructure changes and weekly digest of temporary speed restrictions. With the further advance of mobile technology such as tablets the need for paper issues is diminishing and the Committee is seeking to phase these out after the April 2015 issue by which time I should have updated all main lines and many others since taking on this task. If you have any comments on this please let me know.
Ian Umpleby
Fastest Times
Please send all Fastest Times contributions to David Sage at the address on the inside cover.
This is with the following exceptions:- David Ashley for Voyagers, 180s, Pendolinos and 222s. Bill Long for DB material.
Milepost 34¾ -223 - January 2014
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 still confess to a time-lag with regard to the general area, but Member’s site is fine.
HISTORIC FASTEST TIMES
If you have any items to offer please contact me by email at either [email protected] or [email protected], or by post to Bevan Price, 24 Walmesley Road, Eccleston, St. Helens, Lancs., WA10 5JT.
SALES ITEMS Back Numbers: Certain back issues of Milepost, from Milepost 6 onwards, can be supplied at a price of £2.50 each including postage. Supplies are extremely limited and once sold they will not be reprinted. Details of issues available will be supplied on request. Milepost is available in the British Library; the Bodleian Library, Oxford; the University Library, Cambridge; The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh; The Library of Trinity College, Dublin, the National Library of Wales, the National Railway Museum and the Railway Studies Library at Newton Abbot Library. Where a requested edition is out of print the member will be provided with a letter of authority from the Society (as copyright holder) to enable a complete copy to be taken from any of the Library copies. Indices for volumes 7, 8, 10, 12 to 19 and 21 are available and will be supplied free of charge on receipt of an A5 size stamped addressed envelope.
Overseas Distance Supplement (Section 1 France): £8.50
The complete collection of Issue 2 distance charts compiled to date. Individual new and revised charts are distributed occasionally with Milepost to those members who have paid a small supplementary membership fee.
Overseas Distance Supplement (Section 2 Ireland): £7.50
The complete set of Irish distance charts as published in 2005/6. If any revised charts are published they will be distributed with Milepost to those members who have paid a small supllementary membership fee.
UK Fastest Times £5.00
2010 and 2011-3 supplements in loose-leaf format 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 and Reopened ECML, GE and GW 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 start receiving these lists please let me know by e-mail to [email protected]. If a current recipient wishes to withdraw his name, please let me know.
Milepost 34¾ -224 - January 2014
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 They 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 01895 675178 or letter to David Ashley, 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW
THE MEETINGS SECTION
THURSDAY 23RD TUESDAY 18TH THURSDAY 27TH SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY 2014 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY MAY 2014 2014 2014 The Royal Oak, The Grove Inn, The Beaufort The Calthorpe, Borough, Leeds Arms LONDON LONDON BRISTOL PARKWAY 1645 1700 1645 1200 for 1215 Area Meeting Area Meeting Area Meeting Annual General Meeting
DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUES
LONDON – The Royal Oak, 44 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU. From Borough tube station, turn left and at first road junction turn right into Great Dover Street and the almost immediately left into Long Lane. Tabard Street is a few yards on the right (5 minutes walk). OR from London Bridge walk down approach road and turn left into Borough High Street, Turn left by Southwark Local Studies Library, with St Georges Church on right, into Tabard Street. Cross Long Lane and continue down Tabard Street with Royal Oak on right (just over 10 minutes). Please let Richard Howlett know if you are coming on 020 8394 0340 or [email protected]
LONDON – The Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1. From King’s Cross station cross Euston Rd and turn left towards Grays Inn Road, where you turn right, and walk southwards down Grays Inn Rd. The Calthorpe Arms is on the left (About 10mins walk from King's Cross) OR From Russell Square Piccadilly Line station turn right, then turn first right into Grenville Street then first left into Guilford Street (Great Ormond Street Hospital on right) and walk to the end of Guildford Street where it meets Grays Inn Road. The Calthorpe Arms is diagonally left from the end of Guildford Street. We will use the Dining Room upstairs
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]
Milepost 34¾ -225 - January 2014 BRISTOL PARKWAY - THE BEAUFORT ARMS Members should leave Parkway station along the approach road, passing the bus stops and, at the mini-roundabout where the station approach joins Hatchet Road, turn right. Walk 100 yards and at the next mini-roundabout, turn right again. You are now walking along North Road. Meetings are held at The Beaufort Arms, BS34 8PB, which is on the left side of North Road after a further 50 yards. Meetings start at 16:45 and conclude around 19:15. The Beaufort Arms is open all day and food is served at all times. You can order and eat during the meeting should you wish. Further information is available from John Rishton on 07804 418896 or [email protected]
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.
MEETING REPORTS
BRISTOL MEETING OCTOBER 31st 2013 – John Rishton Despite (or because of?) a clash with Halloween there was a good turnout at the meeting with members attending from as far away as Cornwall and Yorkshire. A recent London meeting was however attended by a member from Australia so our catchment area is still quite insignificant in comparison! The usual wide range of topics were raised and discussed, including a very well received talk on the experiences of a Signaller on the Newquay branch. A station departure poster showing all the services leaving Birmingham New Street in the 1965 summer timetable was produced and handed round for reminiscence. Anyone familiar with the current posters, running to many separate sheets, will understand why the station is now operating at full capacity.
Other topics included the time penalty of “via Bristol” between Reading and Taunton and “via Camp Hill” between Cheltenham and Birmingham, AC versus DC trams, a comparison of Hope Valley units and American freight railroading.
Yet again, another evening where time ran out all too soon!
LONDON AREA MEETING 26th SEPTEMBER 2013 - Richard Howlett
The London Area Group held its ninth meeting on Thursday 26th September 2013 at our usual venue of the Royal Oak, Tabard Street, Borough:.
As nine members had arrived by 4.40pm (plus 6 apologies for absence), the chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everybody, especially Malcolm Simister from Melbourne, Australia, over in the UK on holiday, who joined us for part of the meeting.
In the usual manner of these gatherings, our discussion ranged far and wide, thus the following will only be my usual heavy abridgement.
Malcolm opened by speaking of the rapid increase, of recent times, in Australian passenger rail travel and of his personal disappointment at the declared preference towards road development by the newly elected Federal Government. Malcolm clearly travels fairly extensively from his home base, using the prevalent mix of both push-pull sets as well ass I/C railcars. He went on to talk of the hazards represented by some of the ‘road trains’ (multi-trailer lorries), where they are taught to tail-gate each other - pretty alarming for the poor, hapless motorist. Malcolm spoke of being tailgated by one such truck and having to accelerate to over 130kph (80mph) before he began to draw away from it. Again the hazard that these can cause at level crossings!!
We then went on to talk about some of the recent ECML experiences where, over the last couple of
Milepost 34¾ -226 - January 2014 days, two very good (HST) runs were timed between York and Kings Cross. Although these sets were by now over 30 years old, it was pointed out that the power units were a lot newer than that – with the 433XX units considered to be superior to the 432XX series – 43315 being the best of the lot!!
The Reading redevelopment was then discussed with its intimidating vastness! Three platforms are still not in use and clearly we will have to wait until 2016 to gain the full benefit of the whole project!
We then went on to talk about the duration of stations stops - slam doors as used on such as Mark 3s/ HSTs, etc as compared to power operated doors. It was observed that with some station stops, duration time has been as low as six seconds!
Regarding the feasibility of HS2, the meeting was divided! Could the WCML or the ECML be further upgraded to cope with the, hoped for, growth in rail traffic – especially the inter-continental freight/passenger traffic from the “Tunnel” and HS1? In terms of its building time and cost, it was reported that the Paris-Lyon route was taken from design to running in just 5 years!
In advance of the next RPS Members meeting on Nov 2nd, we discussed the content and use of Tom Cairn’s Real Time Trains website. Added to which, some of the data extracted from Massed Timing Day exercises were discussed – Again with the project work recently undertaken for FGW (Reading- Gatwick Airport) and the offering to Chiltern Trains of our recent MTD report, it would rather appear that a lot of the information was considered, by the relevant TOC, to be ‘already to hand’(!) – BUT was it being used objectively, we wondered? Data is fine but what is being learned from it and what decisions were thereby actioned? In planning future work of this kind, should we establish exactly what is the ‘market’ wanting from us?
The relatively new Garmin Oregon hand-held GPS unit was displayed to the meeting – receiving its enhanced signal from both the GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. We went on to talk about the signal availability (or not, as the case may be) on differing coaching stock, such as Pendolinos, Voyagers, etc, etc.
During the course of the summer, visits had been made to the Netherlands, Germany as well as travelling in the Scottish Highlands. Whilst travelling in Germany, it had been interesting to observe that the smartest running was often timed off the semi-suburban multiple units rather than the loco- hauled intercity sets. A number of logs were passed round to illustrate.
With a brief discussion on the historic trends of Nottingham’s traffic flows, the Chairman brought the meeting to a close at about 7.10pm as, by which time, most of those present needed to be away in order to catch trains. Nearly everyone, with the exception of our Australian guest, had been present for a large part of the meeting, thus there wasn’t the requirement to continue further .
For an amusing footnote, having Malcolm with us increased the average mileage travelled by those present to 1,208miles each!! The fact that, in coming here, our Australian friend flew 10,496 miles from the other side of the world, did rather ‘skew’ the numbers somewhat!! However, 5 of us came less than 20 miles, the Chairman travelled less than 40mls and one other just under 200. So it was a largely local meeting, after all!!
As usual, we enjoyed the excellent fare from our hosts at the Royal Oak and a good evening was had by all.
Richard J Howlett.
LEEDS MEETING - 19th NOVEMBER - Chris Taylor
A packed Leeds meeting was held on 19th November when 11 members were present. Mike Burrows presented a paper on the Isle of Mann Railways. The normal service operates with 2 trains. There are steep gradients (up to 1:25) and sharp curves with a 25 mph speed limit. Most of the level crossings have been modernised but single line working is on a ticket & staff system. The mileposts are on the right side going south from Douglas. The presentation was accompanied by logs and a gradient profile.
Milepost 34¾ -227 - January 2014 A discussion was started on the May 2014 Trans Pennine timetable with the introduction of an hourly fast Newcastle to Liverpool via Chat Moss and the significant alteration to some of Northern's services to accomodate these extra trains. Martin Barrett reported that he had travelled on the 2200 London to Newcastle recently when the train was diverted between Doncaster & York to run via Askern, Knottingley and Church Fenton with the train arriving York 11 minutes early having had a clear 39 minute run. A discussion on the Department of Transport's aim of cutting up to 18 minutes from the London to Edinburgh schedule times upon the introduction of the new ICET trains. . It was agreed that the meeting thought that this would be a reduction in the travelling time on the cuirrent train service but not as much as 18 minutes given the limited stopping pattern of the Edinburgh trains. It was reported that on 27th December, Hull Trains would be operating 2 return trips from Hull to London St Pancras International running non-stop via Beighton and Toton due to the closure of Peterborough for signalling work. www.flickr.com/fenaybridge
MARTIN TASKER MEMORIAL LIBRARY – Lee Allsopp
The Society holds a large number of books (~170) containing articles on performance, or containing information of use to Society Members. Full details of the books held are contained in past issues of Milepost.
The books are available for borrowing by contacting me by letter, phone or E-Mail. The borrower will be responsible for postage in both directions. It will be possible in many cases for arrangements to be made to pass books on at Society Meetings to avoid postage costs in one direction at least. The length of the loan can be flexible by agreement.
The Society will be happy to receive donations to the Library. Items should be related to Railway Performance (no Magazine Collections please). Again please contact me regarding this. New items received into the Library will be notified in updates published in Milepost. The entire contents of the library will are listed on the Society Website.
RPS ARCHIVES – LATEST UPDATES – Lee Allsopp
The RPS Archive consists of material collected over the years from submissions and donations of material and collections by members. We are also indebted to the Steam Railway Research Society (SRRS), and the Stephenson Locomotive Society (SLS) for giving us the opportunity to scan some of their material for inclusion in our archive.
The following is a short summary of the material that is has been added to the Archive on our Website since the last issue of Milepost. The Website is generally updated on a monthly basis, normally the first Sunday in the month. It you haven’t had a look yet, then please give it a try!
Latest material from Lee Allsopp Latest runs from Ian Umpleby. David Adams logs from the 3rd quarter of 2013 Milepost 34½ Latest runs from Bob Jennings Latest runs from Peter Smith Latest runs from Richard Howlett Latest from David Sage Latest from Richard Neville-Carle Logs from John Rishton to go with his Fastest Times entries Latest runs from Charles Foss Details of John Heaton’s runs from Feb 2011 onwards, together with scanned images for 9 of John’s books, for which details are already in the archive. 31 more notebooks from Nigel Smedley’s vast collection, covering the period Aug 1999 to July 2001. Including many railtours, and much more. (Seems no one spotted my typo last time of 1918-1983!) Fastest Times received from October to December
Milepost 34¾ -228 - January 2014 39 more books from a vast collection by Allan Heaton, covering Aug 1980 to Aug 1984. Many more to come! A folder of 1970s runs from Chris Taylor 10 more notebooks from Frank Collins, covering Apr 2011 to Sep 2012. 6 more books by the Reverend R S Haines, covering steam, diesel and electric from the 1960s onwards. More from Bevan Price, including commuting in Lancashire in 1961/1962. 10 more books from David Lloyd-Roberts covering a wide variety of running over the years throughout the country, and in France and Belgium. 2 books of logs from D S M Barrie with steam runs from the 1930s/1940s. Kindly loaned to the Society by Tim Morton. 4 folders of logs donated to the Society by Gordon Pettitt, including many logs by Gordon himself
RPS ARCHIVES – Coming soon! – Lee Allsopp
Thanks go to two of our members, Kevin Daniel and Frank Waterland who are continuing to scan some of the vast amount of material that goes into the archive.
The following is a taster of material that will appear in the archive, as it is scanned and processed, together with topical material received from a number of members.
More notebooks containing ~10,000 logs recorded by Allan Heaton. These have been lent to the Society. Data from about 100 books has been entered so far, with about another 150 books still to go David Lloyd-Roberts has made his vast amount of material available to the society. These will be scanned and added to the archive over the coming months. Data from 30 books has been entered so far. Notebooks from the Reverend R S Haines have kindly been donated to the Society by Neil Bowmer-Scothern. The notebooks have now been entered. The study of steam running on the Portsmouth Main Line shortly before electrification is now being entered. More from Bevan Price’s notebooks, covering a vast amount of travel over many years More of Gordon Pettitt’s notebooks, covering steam and diesel running from the 1950s to the 1970s
NEED MATERIAL FOR ARTICLES? – Lee Allsopp
Do you feel that you could write an article for Milepost if only you had access to material to do so? Just want some information to satisfy an idle curiosity? Even if you don’t have access to the Society Archives on the website, you can still get information and logs for that article or whatever by contacting me direct by either E-Mail, phone or letter. Just ask me the question and I’ll see what we can come up with!
PROVISION OF CURRENT MATERIAL FOR RPS ARCHIVE – Lee Allsopp
With many members now being connected by Broadband, we are now in a position where we can receive contributions via E-Mail of current material from as many members as wish to contribute. A member could record a log one day and send it to me immediately for inclusion in the database and archive. Would any members who 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)
YOUR COMMITTEE WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Milepost 34¾ -229 - January 2014 ANOTHER APPEAL – David Ashley
Many thanks to those who supplied articles following my previous appeal. Unfortunately, I still remain short of material, particularly in the “heritage” and modern era, so would be grateful for any future contributions that you are able to provide.
THE RAIL PERFORMANCE DATA FOUNDATION
The 2013 AGM unanimously approved the establishment of a Charitable Trust to own the Archive material collected by the Society
I am delighted to be able to advise members that special Charitable Company, The Rail Performance Data Foundation, has now been incorporated by the Society and registered at Companies House. The Society has appointed myself, Peter Smith and Martin Barrett to be the initial three Trustees nominated by the Society, and we will shortly be seeking up to three further nominees (who can be Society members) to complete the Trustee Board of the Foundation.
Members of the RPS will continue to have free access to the Archive, through the Foundation, as part of the benefits of membership on the same basis as before. Non-members access to the Archives will in future be arranged via the Foundation, for an appropriate fee to assist towards the running of the Foundation.
We will therefore shortly be transferring the Archive material to the Foundation. As approved by the AGM, the Society will be making £8,000 from its reserves available to the Foundation to help fund its activities. The Foundation's objective is to develop a capital base sufficiently large that the income from it will fund the Foundation's running costs, making the Foundation self funding for both the immediate and long-term, and securing the long-term future of the Archive. The principal operating cost of the Foundation initially will be the costs of maintaining the on-line storage and database. These are currently around £650-700 p.a. but are likely to grow as the volume of material in the database continues to grow.
The Foundation has been set up with Charitable objectives. We are currently applying to HM Revenue & Customs to have that Charitable status accepted for Tax purposes; once that has been confirmed, the Foundation will be able to receive its income tax-free, and will also be able to reclaim tax on donations made to is, under the 'Gift Aid' scheme.
Over the years, many members have generously made donations to the Society over and above their annual subscriptions. From 2014 therefore, RPS members wishing to make a donation have a choice whether to donate to the Society as before, or to the Foundation (or both); gifts to the Foundation will help secure the long term legacy of the Archive, and should also shortly be eligible for the tax relief, making those gifts all the more valuable to us.
The 2014 Renewal Form therefore includes this option
In terms of Gift Aid, some of you are probably very familiar with the process already. HMRC however ask Charities to make certain explanations to donees when making donations. There isn't room on the renewal form to include the full wording, so it is set out below instead; but ticking the appropriate box on the renewal form therefore you are confirming that;-
I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for the current tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for the current tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I have given.
I believe this is a very exciting and important development for the Society. Any queries do feel free to contact me
Frank Collins, Chairman
Milepost 34¾ -230 - January 2014 Huddersfield to Sheffield by Trans-Pennine Express
Ian Umpleby
Prior to the final closure of the Woodhead line from Deepcar to Hadfield it was relatively simple to provide a replacement train service between Sheffield and Manchester if the Hope Valley railway was closed for any reason. However, since then the only option used has been the infamous Rail Replacement Bus Service over the Woodhead Pass which is subject to closure in severe weather conditions. With the opening of the line to Manchester Airport, overnight running commenced over Trans-Pennine Express (TPE) routes but this was also subject to disruption from engineering possessions. In recent years TPE decided to maintain a rail service between Sheffield and Manchester by creating an alternative path for the 23.30 from Manchester Airport and the 03.25 return via Moorthorpe, Wakefield Kirkgate and Huddersfield. Journey time is just under an hour and a half which is virtually the same as that by the replacement buses, although well below the 50-55 minute time over the direct route. Early in 2013 the Hope Valley was closed for engineering work and this time, for two weekends, TPE offered an alternative rail service, although it involved a change at Huddersfield. An hourly Huddersfield-Scunthorpe service was proposed but, following the serious Hatfield landslip, it had to be revised to terminate at Doncaster; however the timings allowed a quick turnround there so saving resources.
I had the opportunity to travel on the second Sunday, 24 February, and took a lunchtime train from Leeds to Huddersfield, itself diverted via Normanton to Mirfield. Hoping for a Class 185 run over unusual territory – Wakefield Kirkgate to Swinton – it was a bit disappointing to find a Class 170 in charge of the 13.17 service. It transpired that two of the three diagrams were so covered at that time of day leaving only one by Class 185. The connecting train from Manchester Airport had been slightly delayed at Piccadilly and left only three minutes ahead of our booked time. We had to follow it to Wakefield so delays were inevitable and so it proved dropping over two minutes on the tight schedule. The 13.18 Leeds-Sheffield stopper was booked to follow us from Hare Park Junction and it was a relief to find it stopped at the preceding signal so an unchecked run to Sheffield became possible. The climb to Nostell summit at about 1 in 150 meant any 100 mph running over the stretch to South Kirkby Junction was out of the question, but we attained a maximum of 90 mph before the slowing for the curve up to Moorthorpe. The four minute allowance from Hare Park to South Kirkby was impossible so lateness was now five minutes. From here, the line again climbs at about 1 in 150 to Frickley summit, topped at 70 mph, before falling similarly towards Swinton and here speed was whipped up to 95 mph on the 100 mph section before the 85 mph Wath Road restriction was observed. It is quite common for fast trains to receive signal checks approaching Swinton and this run proved to be no exception, but the checks continued to beyond Rotherham putting my planned return working in jeopardy. We arrived 10 minutes late into Sheffield just in time to see it departing slightly late.
So after an hour’s wait at Sheffield I caught the same Class 170 which had managed to get back on schedule during its quick return trip to Doncaster. The schedule to South Kirkby Junction was three minutes slower than a Voyager is allowed but our unit managed to cut this down to one minute despite an initial 20 mph tsr at Nunnery Junction. Whilst on familiar territory TPE trains normally stop at Meadowhall and slow down at Swinton for Doncaster so a non-stop passage of Meadowhall at 85 mph and Swinton at 88 mph was unusual. 92 mph had been achieved before Swinton but speed tailed away to 81 mph on the climb to Frickley. It would have been interesting to see if a Class 185 could have achieved 100 mph over these stretches. Similarly after South Kirkby where there was a long acceleration up to 78 mph before power was eased off for Hare Park Junction and a 20 mph tsr just beyond the junction. We were still one minute up on schedule at Wakefield Kirkgate and ran at about the
Milepost 34¾ -231 - January 2014 mandatory 60 mph up the Calder Valley to Mirfield before the final climb up to Huddersfield was taken at a
Loco/Unit 170306 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 2/92/93 Train 1317 Huddersfield-Doncaster Date Sun 24th February 2013 Weather Cloudy Rec/Pos/GPS? IU;1/2;Y M. C Miles Timing Point WTT m s M.P.H. Av 25 62 0.00 Huddersfield 4 0 0 00.0 Time 26 70 1.10 Hillhouse ub 2 09.0 59 30.7 27 61 1.99 Deighton shl 2 56.5 70 67.6 29 27 3.56 L&M Underpass South 4 21.5 59 66.5 29 74 4.15 Heaton Lodge East Jn pts 4 4 58.5 51 57.2 30 57 4.96 Mirfield shl 6 15.5 28/23* 37.9 31 49 5.86 Mirfield East Jn sign 5½ 8 03.5 47 30.1 39 75 6.49 Thornhill LNW Jn ob 6 8 43.5 63/61 56.5 40 68 7.40 Thornhill ob 9 36.5 62 61.7 42 64 9.35 Healey Mills PSB 11 34.0 58/62 59.7 43 44 10.10 Healey Mills East ob 12 39.5 40* 41.3 43 71 10.44 Horbury & Ossett ob 13 06.0 48/62 45.5 45 38 12.03 Horbury Jc SB 12 14 55.0 38 52.4 Slow line 51 46 64 13.35 No 230 ub 16 50.5 30*/23/33 41.3 47 60 14.30 Wakefield Kirkgate sub 16½ 18 56.0 20/37 27.3 48 28 14.90 Calder Bridge Jn pts 17½ 20 12.5 33 28.2 48 76 15.50 Oakenshaw Jn pts 21 30.0 23/36 27.9 49 40 16.05 Crofton West Jn pts 20 22 35.5 24* 30.2 171 70 17.45 Hare Park Jn ob 22 25 26.0 20* 29.5 170 25 19.01 Nostell ob 27 26.5 63 46.6 169 15 20.14 Fitzwilliam shl 28 28.0 77 65.7 167 56 21.63 Hemsworth ob 29 32.0 88/90 83.8 166 00 23.33 South Kirkby Jc MP 26 30 59.0 42* 70.3 11 28 24.09 Moorthorpe shl 27 31 58.5 48 46.4 13 47 26.33 Frickley ob 34 08.5 69 61.9 14 64 27.54 Thurnscoe shl 35 07.5 82 73.8 15 50 28.36 Goldthorpe shl 35 42.0 90/95/91 85.9 16 54 29.41 Bolton-upon-Dearne shl 36 23.0 94 92.9 168 01 30.73 Wath Road ub 37 19.0 80/30sig 84.4 166 77 31.78 Swinton fb 33 38 45.0 46/56 43.8 165 72 32.84 Kilnhurst West ob 40 16.5 33*/30 41.9 164 44 34.19 Aldwarke Jn ob 35 42 15.5 58/75 40.8 162 00 36.74 Masborough MP 44 39.5 28sigs 63.7 163 42 37.19 Holmes LC 37½ 45 55.5 18 21.4 161 70 38.84 Meadowhall fb 48 52.5 59/71 33.5 159 37 41.25 Attercliffe N ramp [1] 51 05.5 47 65.2 158 75 41.78 Nunnery ML Jc sign 43 52 04.0 20 32.4 158 41 42.20 Sheffield 2 45 54 12.0 9L 12.0 relatively easy pace. Despite another impossible four minute schedule from Heaton Lodge, Huddersfield was reached two minutes early in an average speed of just under 54 mph from Sheffield.
Milepost 34¾ -232 - January 2014
. Loco/Unit 170306 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 2/92/95 Train 1442 Doncaster-Huddersfield Date Sunday 24th February 2013 Weather Cloudy Rec/Pos/GPS? IU;1/2:Y M. c Miles Timing Point WTT Min. Sec. M.P.H. Avge 158 41 0.00 Sheffield 0 0 0.0 T /tsr 158 75 0.43 Nunnery ML Jc sign 1½ 1 45.5 21* 14.5 159 37 0.95 Attercliffe N ramp 2 50.5 47 29.3 161 60 3.24 Wincobank Jn MP 4 4 52.0 80 67.6 161 70 3.36 Meadowhall fb (2½) 4 58.0 82/85 78.7 163 42 5.01 Holmes LC 8 6 16.0 46 76.0 163 78 5.46 Masborough MP 6 48.5 50 49.4 164 44 8.01 Aldwarke ob 11 9 2.5 83 68.6 165 72 9.36 Kilnhurst West ob 9 58.0 92 87.1 166 77 10.43 Swinton fb 12½ 10 41.5 88 88.3 168 01 11.48 Wath Road ub 11 25.5 82 86.1 16 54 12.79 Bolton-upon-Dearne shl 12 19.5 89 87.8 15 50 13.84 Goldthorpe shl 13 2.0 86 88.2 14 64 14.66 Thurnscoe shl 13 36.0 86 87.8 13 47 15.88 Frickley ob 14 28.0 81 83.8 11 28 18.11 Moorthorpe shl 18½ 16 31.5 48 65.3 166 00 18.88 South Kirkby Jc 19½ 17 28.5 48 48.2 167 56 20.58 Hemsworth ob -1 19 13.5 66 58.2 169 15 22.06 Fitzwilliam shl 20 27.0 74/78 73.0 170 25 23.19 Nostell ob 21 20.5 76 75.3 18sig/tsr 171 70 24.75 Hare Park Jc ob 25½ 24 0.0 20tsr/45 35.3 173 22 26.15 Crofton West Jn pts 28 26 33.5 22/31 32.8 48 76 26.70 Oakenshaw Jn pts 27 40.5 20 29.5 48 28 27.30 Calder Bridge Jn pts 30 29 8.5 37/20 24.6 47 60 27.90 Wakefield Kirkgate sub 31½ 30 28.5 26 27.0 Fast Line 45 38 30.18 Horbury Jc SB 34 33 28.0 59/56 45.5 43 71 31.76 Horbury & Ossett ob [3] 35 8.0 58 57.2 43 46 32.08 Healey Mills East ob 35 27.5 58/57 57.5 41 42 34.13 Dewsbury East Jn pts 37 32.5 60/59 59.0 40 68 34.80 Thornhill ob 38 14.5 60 58.3 39 75 35.71 Thornhill LNW Jn ob 39 11.0 58 58.2 39 25 36.34 Mirfield East Jn sign 44 39 48.0 59 60.9 38 33 37.24 Mirfield shl 40 45.0 57 56.4 37 16 38.45 Heaton Lodge Jc ub 45½ 42 14.5 37 48.8 27 61 40.19 Deighton shl 44 13.0 64 52.9 26 70 41.08 Hillhouse ub 45 6.0 55 60.4 25 60 42.20 Huddersfield 4 49½ 47 20.0 2E 30.2
A summary of all but the first train that day from Sheffield derived from realtraintimes is shown in abridged form below:
Milepost 34¾ -233 - January 2014
Formed by Class 170 170 Huddersfield depart 0853 1116 1218 1317 1422 1516 1619 1719 1817 1916 Wakefield K 17 16 16 19 20 17 19 17 18 18 South Kirkby Jn 31 26 28 31 32 35 32 29 31 30 Swinton 39 33 35 39 39 42 40 39 39 40 Holmes Jn 43 37 41 45 44 46 44 48 44 48 Sheffield 49 55 54 55 53 52 54 57 55 57
Formed by Class 170 185 170 170 Sheffield depart 1010 1110 1210 1311 1412 1511 1613 1712 1818 1912 Holmes Jn 5 7 5 5 6 6 9 5 5 6 Swinton 9 12 10 10 10 9 14 10 10 10 Wakefield K 29 32 31 30 29 30 36 30 30 34 Huddersfield 44 48 54 47 45 47 53 48 47 53
Although it can be assumed which trains were worked by the Class 185, there is no guarantee that this was the case. Whereas most trains leaving Huddersfield made very similar overall times, it is noticeable that the first, off-pattern, train was the quickest although only by virtue of a fast finish. The return trains’ running times to Wakefield Kirkgate were fairly consistent but there was more variation on to Huddersfield with three trains delayed perhaps by the diverted North TPEs. The northbound trains also made the better overall times with a lot of the southbound trains meeting delays after Swinton.
Passenger loads were light on the two trains I travelled upon so whether the exercise will be repeated remains to be seen.
Festival Trains
Martin Robertson
The Edinburgh International Festival runs from mid-August to early September and is described by some as the biggest Arts Festival in Britain. It draws a vast array of performers from all forms of the Arts some of which perform in the many venues in Edinburgh and others who simply perform on the street. I had to arrange four visits to hear several of the Scottish and International Orchestras who were to perform.
Usually this involves travelling from the office on the 18.05 Glasgow Central to Edinburgh service and dependent on the timing of the event I am either on the 22.55 all stations via Shotts service or the 22.00 Edinburgh-Glasgow Queen Street for a local service back out to Cambulsang.
My first visit was actually a Saturday and the single piece of music finished around 21.00. I wandered back to Haymarket for the 21.28 all stations service via Shotts, to find a 21.17 departure to Glasgow Central advertised. Watching the headlights of the service gradually approach through Haymarket tunnels, the unmistakable sound of an HST filtered from the tunnel. With a stop at Motherwell I had the possibility of being home almost an hour earlier than anticipated.
Milepost 34¾ -234 - January 2014 The service was Cross Country’s 12.23 Paignton-Glasgow, which was surprisingly busy. We left Haymarket one minute late on a 41 minute schedule to Motherwell. The driver made an excellent start and was soon up to the 95 mph line limit. The 70 mph psr at Linhouse Water
Haymarket-Motherwell Run 1 2 Date Sat xx.8.11 Mon 29-Aug-11 Train 1234 Paignton-Glasgow 1223 Plymouth-Glasgow Loco 433xx 43366/43303 Load 7,233/245/390 7,233/236/380 RecorderPos/GPS M Robertson 2/7 Y M Robertson 2/7 Y miles m c Location m s mph ave m s mph ave
0.00 100 51 Haymarket 0 0 0 0 0.91 99 58 Dalry Road 2 17 45 23.9 1.64 98 78 Slateford 2 32 69 38.8 3 9 54 50.5 2.62 98 01 Kingsknowe 3 20.5 73 72.7 4 10 60 57.8 3.44 97 16 Wester Hailes 3 58.5 80 77.7 4 57 64 62.8 4.37 96 21 Whitelaw 4 39 86 82.7 5 48 68.5 65.6 5.11 95 41 Curriehill 5 9.5 91 87.3 6 27 71 68.3 6.04 94 48 F'path C'ing 5 45 94 94.3 7 13.5 73 72.0 7.30 93 27 Ravelrig 6 33 97 94.5 8 14.5 74.5 74.4 8.84 91 64 Footbridge 7 30 98 97.3 9 27.5 78.5 75.9 9.72 90 73 Kirknewton 8 2 96 99.0 10 8 81 78.2 10.87 89 61 Midcalder Jn 8 46.5 91 93.0 11 0.5 81 78.9 12.16 88 38 Linn Viad (S) 9 45.5 69* 78.7 12 3 68.5* 74.3 13.64 87 00 Mp 87 10 57 80 74.5 13 19 69 70.1 14.96 85 54 Harburn 11 54.5 85 82.6 14 27.5 69 69.4 16.64 84 00 Mp 84 13 3 90 88.3 15 55.5 69 68.7 18.04 82 48 Cobbinshaw 13 57 95 93.3 17 6 74 71.5 18.86 81 62 Woolfords 14 28.5 95 93.7 17 44 87 77.7 19.76 80 70 Wester Mosshat 15 2 97 96.7 18 20 96 90.0 21.21 79 34 Auchengray 15 55.5 96 97.6 19 14 97 96.7 22.69 77 76 Overbridge 16 51 97 96.0 20 9 96 96.9 25.46 75 14 Carnwath 18 45 58br 87.5 22 12.5 46br 80.7 26.51 74 10 Carstairs E Jn 20 35.5 29*/14* 34.2 23 55 33*/9* 36.9 27.17 73 37 Carstairs 22 44.5 16* 18.4 26 5.5 14* 18.2 29.56 76 00 Lananrk Jn 25 37.5 83/96 69.2 29 24.5 68 60.3 32.01 78 36 Craigenhill 27 15 92* 90.5 31 23 80 74.4 34.25 80 55 Braidwood 28 38.5 101 96.6 32 52 99/100 90.6 35.50 81 75 Carluke 29 23.5 105 100.0 33 37 97 100.0 37.56 84 00 Law Jn 30 47 63* 88.8 35 5.5 66 83.8 38.31 84 60 Garriongill Jn 31 31.5 58* 60.7 35 45 56* 68.4 39.96 86 32 Wishaw South 32 52 92/101 73.8 37 13.5 80 67.1 41.26 87 56 Shieldmuir 33 40 83sc/20 97.5 38 13 71 78.7 43.54 89 78 M'well Psb 35 56 34 60.4 40 17.5 24sc 65.9 43.00 89 35 Motherwell 37 35 42 0
viaduct was fully observed with a gradual acceleration on the ensuing 1 in 100 gradient to 90 mph by MP 84 and 95 mph by the summit at Cobbinshaw. The driver maintained 96/97 mph until the easing for Carstairs with the 15 mph restriction across the southbound main line observed. We did not quite reach 100 mph before the restriction at Craigenhill but on the descent the GPS suggested we held 105 mph for a couple of miles before Carluke, although the average from Braidwood to Carluke was 100 mph.
Milepost 34¾ -235 - January 2014 We braked slightly early for the Law Junction restrictions but reached another 100 mph after Wishaw and had every prospect of a new fastest time. However, as all too often happens approaching Motherwell we suffered a succession of signal checks to miss the fastest time. The checks were from the 21.46 and 21.48 local departures, one of which crosses the main line on arrival and the other on its departure, with at least one of them being slightly late. Altogether a fine run, which was much more entertaining than a Class 156 stopping at every station.
I was back around two weeks later on a weekday and arrived at Haymarket for the 22.04 service to Queen Street. However, the 21.17 departure to Glasgow Central was shown as being 50 minutes late, and I waited for this thinking, at worse, I could go through to Glasgow for the last local train back to Cambuslang. A very sparsely populated service with HST power car No. 43366 at the head appeared at around 22.09. The departure was dreadfully slow and the cause of the lateness was soon evident with only one power car working.
However, the unit reached 81 mph past Kirknewton and Midcalder Junction before speed started to fall rapidly as soon as we reached the 1 in 100 gradient. I was not sure if the driver actually eased the unit to meet the 70 mph psr over Linn Viaduct, but speed stuck stubbornly at around 68.8 mph throughout the following five miles of 1 in 100 gradient, a very fine effort for a single power car, worth around 2,100 rhp.
We soon gained the line speed on the descent from Cobbinshaw but passed through Carstairs cautiously, then reached 100 mph after Braidwood but braked early for the Law Junction slack. There followed a disappointing 80 mph past Wishaw South, although the driver may have seen adverse signals in the distance. The checks would have been from the 22.46 and 22.52 departures, both of which cross the main line. We left Motherwell at 22.54 and with my last service from Glasgow Central at 23.17, had no apparent problem. Network Rail, however, managed to excel itself with the Cross Country service being brought to a virtual stop at Uddingston Junction to allow the 22.46 local departure from Motherwell, via Bellshill, to be given preference. As this stopped at Cambuslang and left the main line at Rutherglen we had around five miles of signal checks. As a final insult we crawled up the length of Platform 2 in Glasgow to arrive at 23.16.30.
In comparison with the first run we were only 3½ minutes down on passing Carnwath and the driver on the second run actually achieved a faster time from Carnwath to Carstairs, despite the apparent single figure speeds over the points. By Shieldmuir, the disparity between the runs had widened to 4½ minutes, which was a creditable effort considering the limited power available.
I was missing the punctual 23.17 departure from the low level but caught the 23.20 departure to Newton, alighting at Kirkhill, and was only around 15 minutes later than intended arriving at home. This was a fine effort from the HST, reasonable work by the driver, but another woeful performance from Network Rail.
A passing comment is that on the WCML in the evening I find it can be difficult to obtain GPS signals from four satellites to allow a read out of speed to be displayed. There never appears to be the same difficulty in the morning.
CORRECTION:
It has been pointed out that the date of the Class 37 run in table 3 in David Lloyd Roberts article on page 189 of Milepost 34½ should read 23/08/1991 and not 23/08/1981 – with apologies
Milepost 34¾ -236 - January 2014 EMT - THE UPGRADE – a glimpse of the future
David Ashley
At this point, dear reader, I was hoping to present an in-depth article with a series of logs showing the improvement of services at the southern end of the MML. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.
Whilst it was commendable that Network Rail reported (internally) that the new speed limits were commissioned early to allow drivers to familiarise themselves with them, it was disappointing that when the limits were going to become effective, they imposed numerous temporary speed restrictions to revert to the earlier limits. This good news/bad news scenario was continued publicly, when “Rail” 737 announced on its front page “125mph MML! £70m investment brings faster London-Sheffield trains- on time and on budget”. However inside the magazine, EMT Project Manager Gary Griffiths said that “there will still be some temporary speed restrictions on the route equating to 120 seconds of delay on the southbound line. Some of these tsrs – about 60 seconds of delay - will be lifted over Christmas, and all but two will be gone by April 2014” So, due to the delays in introducing all the new speed limits, I have structured the article in desktop fashion, rather than from field studies, and will consider the timetable, the initial results and a limited number of logs. Hopefully, we should be able to publish more extensive coverage later in the year.
The timetable
Although they have announced a major improvement in their service, it is strange that the timetable has only been tweaked, rather than completely revamped. In the down direction, off-peak the Corby train leaves at the same time (xx00) and arrives in Kettering just 1min earlier. The Nottingham HST also leaves at the same time (xx15), but arrives in Leicester 6min earlier and Nottingham 4mins earlier. Strangely, the train is “timed at 110mph” and the effect of this can be seen later, in the logs. One can understand that extra time should be allowed for the poorer acceleration of the HSTs compared with the Meridiens, but basing the schedule on lower maximum speeds seems odd. The xx25 to Sheffield now leaves a minute later and arrives in Leicester 4mins earlier and Derby 5mins earlier. The train still dwells 10mins at Derby and is timed to follow three minutes after the XC train, although if this arrives late, the xx25 will leave first and delay the XC train which should run non-stop to Sheffield. The xx25 St Pancras arrives in Sheffield 11mins earlier. The xx30 now leaves 1min earlier and arrives in Leicester and Nottingham 8mins earlier. The xx55 leaves 3mins later and arrives in Leicester, Derby and Sheffield between 2 and 4mins earlier.
In the up direction, the xx02 Nottingham leaves 3mins later and arrives 5mins earlier. The xx49 Sheffield leaves 2mins later and arrives 5mins earlier. The xx28 Nottingham HST leaves 4mins later and arrives 1min later. The xx17 Corby leaves 1min earlier and arrives 3mins earlier.
Whilst the “down” peak service has been mentioned elsewhere in this issue, we will consider the “up” direction here. Whilst in years past, the “flagship” train was generally a non-stop breakfast service, this doesn’t seem to be a requirement that EMT recognise. Whilst twelve EMT trains arrive at St. Pancras before 0915 none of them have run non-stop from Leicester. The first non-stop train is the 0755 Meridien “Robin Hood” from Nottingham which arrives at 0926, followed by the 0729 “Master Cutler” from Sheffield. It is apparent that EMT are effectively running an intensive commuter service, and of the 12 trains mentioned above, all stop at Kettering, 11 stop at Wellingborough and seven stop at Market Harborough.
Milepost 34¾ -237 - January 2014 Looking at the “pinch points”, listed below is the typical standard off-peak pattern on the fast line at the southern end of the system. At first glance, there does seem to be a bunching of services, with seven of the nine trains an hour in the 31mins between xx03 and xx34, and just two between xx35 and xx03. The fact that two FCC trains an hour remain on the down fast to Harpenden Junction, after stopping at St. Albans, seems surprising – even more so as the xx37 Brighton is only 3mins ahead of the xx15 to Nottingham at Harpenden J. (See log of 0915 St Pancras later). Similarly the xx00 Brighton leaves the fast line at Radlett Junction only 3½mins before the xx26 Sheffield passes.
Typical off-peak timetable on fast lines
Sheffield Nottingham Sheffield Corby Nottingham
- - - - -
Bedford Bedford Bedford Bedford
- - - -
Brighton
0900Brighton Pancras1026 St Pancras1029 St 0907Brighton 0934Brighton Pancras1058 St Pancras1100 St 0937 Pancras1115 St West Hampstead 10:24:30 10:31:00 10:34:00 10:41:30 10:55:00 11:03:00 11:06:00 11:11:00 11:20:30 Hendon 10:27:00 10:33:00 10:36:00 10:45:00 10:57:30 11:05:00 11:08:00 11:16:00 11:23:00 Radlett J 10:33:30 10:37:00 10:40:00 10:50:00 11:03:30 11:09:00 11:12:00 11:20:30 11:27:30 St Albans 10:39:30 10:42:30 10:54:30 11:11:30 11:14:30 11:24:30 11:30:30 St Albans 10:55:30 11:25:30 Harpenden J 10:42:30 10:45:00 11:00:00 11:14:00 11:17:00 11:30:00 11:33:00 Luton AP 10:48:30 Luton AP 10:50:00 Luton 10:45:30 10:51:30 11:17:30 11:21:30 11:36:30 Luton 11:23:00 Leagrave J 10:47:00 10:53:30 11:19:00 11:25:30 11:38:30 Flitwick 10:50:30 10:56:30 11:22:30 11:29:00 11:42:00
Bedford 10:57:30 11:03:30 11:28:00 11:36:00 11:47:30
St Pancras St
-
St Pancras St
-
St Pancras St Pancras St
- -
Brighton Brighton Brighton Brighton
- - - -
0829Sheffield 0940Bedford 0954Bedford 0905Nottingam 0849Sheffield 1010Bedford 0932Nottingham 1024Bedford 1016Corby Bedford 9:58:00 10:18:00 10:26:00 10:38:00 10:48:30 Flitwick 10:03:00 10:24:30 10:31:00 10:43:00 10:55:00 Leagrave J 10:06:30 10:28:30 10:35:00 10:47:00 10:59:00 Luton 10:08:00 10:30:00 10:36:30 10:49:00 11:01:30 Luton 11:03:00 Luton AP 10:31:30 Luton AP 10:33:00 Harpenden J 10:11:30 10:27:00 10:37:00 10:40:00 10:52:30 10:57:00 11:07:30 St Albans 10:14:00 10:31:30 10:39:30 10:42:30 10:55:00 11:01:30 11:10:00 St Albans 10:32:30 11:02:30 Radlett J 10:16:30 10:23:30 10:37:00 10:42:00 10:45:00 10:53:30 10:57:30 11:07:00 11:12:30 Hendon 10:20:30 10:29:00 10:41:30 10:46:00 10:49:00 10:59:00 11:02:00 11:11:30 11:16:30 West Hampstead 10:22:30 10:32:30 10:44:30 10:48:00 10:51:00 11:02:30 11:05:00 11:14:30 11:19:00
Milepost 34¾ -238 - January 2014 Whilst potential problems on the down line relate to FCC trains arriving randomly towards the end of their journeys, in the up direction it is the EMT trains that could cause the problem. However, there is no obvious “bunching”, and the EMT trains are timed to run after the FCC trains so there should not be a problem of regulation when trains are running slightly late.
Initial activity
An analysis of services during the first week (M-F) of the new timetable is shown below, with thanks to Realtimetrains for the data. Minor differences between tables may be due to rounding or due to the smoke and mirrors of the differences between PTT and WTT times.
Down
DOWN From St To Arrival at Leicester/Kettering for From St To Arrival at Leicester/Kettering Pancras Corby Pancras for Corby 0632 SHEFFIELD 3L 2L 2L 5L 1L 1329 NOTTINGHAM 3L 2L 1L 1L 3L 0652 NOTTINGHAM 12L 2L 7L 3L 1L 1358 SHEFFIELD 5L 1L 3L T T 0655 NOTTINGHAM 16L 4L 7L 3L 6L 1400 CORBY 3L 2L 4L 1E T 0724 SHEFFIELD 14L 2L 3L 5L 4L 1415 NOTTINGHAM T 3L 3L 3L T 0728 NOTTINGHAM 3L T 5L 3L 3L 1426 SHEFFIELD 3L 5L 6L 2L T 0757 SHEFFIELD 5L 4L 3L T 8L 1429 NOTTINGHAM 4L 4L 7L 1L 4L 0800 CORBY 1L 5L 1L 1E 1L 1458 SHEFFIELD 2L 1L 3L 11L 3L 0813 NOTTINGHAM 8L 5L 5L 6L T 1500 CORBY 1L T T 4L 1L 0826 SHEFFIELD 5L 2L 3L 4L T 1515 NOTTINGHAM 9L 3L 2L 1L 6L 0829 NOTTINGHAM 2L 5L 3L 8L 2L 1526 SHEFFIELD 7L 3L 3L 9L 4L 0856 SHEFFIELD 5L 4L 3L T T 1529 NOTTINGHAM 6L 3L 15L 2L 10L 0859 CORBY 3L 18L 1E 1L 2E 1558 SHEFFIELD 6L 5L 5L T 2L 0915 NOTTINGHAM 7L 15L 6L 8L 2L 1600 CORBY 4L 2L T 1L 1L 0926 SHEFFIELD 8L 13L 5L 6L 2L 1615 NOTTINGHAM 7L 2L 6L 5L 5L 0929 NOTTINGHAM 5L 15L 6L 5L 4L 1626 SHEFFIELD 6L 8L 5L 4L 4L 0958 SHEFFIELD 4L 7L 2L 2L 6L 1629 NOTTINGHAM 7L 12L 8L 2L 7L 1000 CORBY T 2L T 1L 1E 1657 SHEFFIELD 3L 7L 2L 2L 5L 1015 NOTTINGHAM 3L 4L 1L 2L T 1700 CORBY 1E 1L T 4L T 1026 SHEFFIELD 4L 3L 7L 2L 2L 1715 NOTTINGHAM 6L 4L 3L 2L 3L 1029 NOTTINGHAM 9L 1L 20L 2L 5L 1700 SHEFFIELD 6L 4L 4L 3L 4L 1058 SHEFFIELD 6L 2L 12L 1L 1L 1730 NOTTINGHAM 5L 8L 6L 1L 1L 1100 CORBY 1L 1E 1E T 2L 1745 DERBY 11L 12L 16L 7L 6L 1115 NOTTINGHAM 3L 3L 3L 1L 5L 1757 SHEFFIELD 8L 10L 14L 6L 7L 1126 SHEFFIELD 9L 3L 4L 3L 4L 1800 MELTON T 1L 5L 1L 6L 1129 NOTTINGHAM 5L 9L 5L 2L 1L 1815 LEEDS 4L 10L 4L 9L 7L 1158 SHEFFIELD 4L 1L 6L 1L 1L 1825 SHEFFIELD 3L 7L 3L 8L 8L 1200 CORBY 1L 2L 4L 2E 2E 1830 LINCOLN 1L 2L 2L 1L 7L 1215 NOTTINGHAM 3L 1E 1L 4L 4L 1857 SHEFFIELD 14L 5L 27L 2L 6L 1226 SHEFFIELD 7L 5L 7L 3L 2L 1900 CORBY 12L 5L 6L 1L 7L 1229 NOTTINGHAM 11L 3L 6L 4L 1L 1915 NOTTINGHAM 4L 3L 11L 3L 9L 1258 SHEFFIELD 6L 1L 2L 2L 2L 1928 DERBY 6L 8L 8L 1E T 1300 CORBY 1L 1L 3L 1L 3L 1932 LEEDS 8L 6L 10L 3L 1L 1315 NOTTINGHAM T 3L 1L 1L 3L 1955 LEEDS 7L 20L 9L 6L 6L 1326 SHEFFIELD 2L 2L 1L 2L 1L 2000 CORBY 5L 3L 2L 2L 2L In the down direction things improved during the week, with virtually all trains arriving at Leicester less than 10mins late, on Thursday and Friday. The fact that the best on-time performance of the week, on Friday, was still only 21% was disappointing. There were problems on the FCC services on the Monday which would have affected EMT punctuality. The analysis by train departure time revealed variations: 73% of the xx15 departures arrived
Milepost 34¾ -239 - January 2014
in Leicester up to 5mins late, possibly due to the problems at Harpenden Junction mentioned
above. Similarly, the xx26 only managed 67%
Overall 00Corby to 15Nottm to 26Sheff to 29Nott to 58Sheff to No possibly due to the FCC diversions at Radlett E 12 9 1 1 0 0 Junction, and the xx29 managed 66% as it was T 27 10 5 3 0 5 closely following the xx26. 1-2 94 20 11 11 17 19 3-5 112 11 27 22 16 14 6-10 72 3 14 17 12 12 Probably the most consistently-delayed trains 11-15 17 1 2 1 4 4 were the 1745 and 1757 from St Pancras. The 16-20 5 1 1 1745 was 11L, 12L, 16L, 7L and 6L and the 21+ 1 1 1757 was 8L, 10L, 14L, 6L and 7L. The 1745 is 340 55 60 55 50 55 booked for an HST. Its first stop is at Luton % % % % % % % Airport Parkway, and then it runs non-stop to E 4 16 2 2 0 0 Wellingborough, where it crosses to the UDS to T 11 35 10 7 0 9 Kettering to allow the 1757 to overtake it. 1-2 39 71 28 27 34 44 Unfortunately it looks like the 1745 is frequently 3-5 72 91 73 67 66 69 delayed out to Luton Airport Parkway. 6-10 93 96 97 98 90 91 11-15 98 98 100 100 98 98 16-20 100 100 100 100 100 98 21+ 100 100 100 100 100 100
WTT 09-Dec 10-Dec 11-Dec 12-Dec 13-Dec St Pancras 17:45:00 17:57:00 17:45 17:58 17:45 17:57 17:45 17:57 17:45 17:57 17:45 17:57 Elstree 17:56:00 17:57 18:08 17:57 18:08 17:56 18:07 17:56 18:06 17:56 18:07
Luton AP 18:07:00 18:10 18:18 18:13 18:20 18:07 18:25 18:10 18:17 18:08 18:23
18:08:30 18:13 18:16 18:10 18:13 18:11
Bedford 18:22:00 18:29:30 18:29 18:31 18:30 18:33 18:33 18:38 18:26 18:28 18:25 18:35 Wellingborough 18:32:00 18:38:00 18:38 18:44 18:40 18:44 18:43 18:49 18:35 18:40 18:34 18:43 18:33:00 18:40 18:42 18:46 18:37 18:36
Kettering 18:43:00 18:42:00 18:50 18:48 18:52 18:50 18:56 18:54 18:47 18:45 18:46 18:48 18:44:30 18:52 18:53 18:58 18:49 18:48
Leicester 19:09:30 18:59:30 19:21 19:08 19:21 19:10 19:26 19:14 19:17 19:06 19:16 19:08
The 1½min dwell time seems totally inadequate; presumably due to problems closing the doors, as 3mins was the norm. Consequently, arrival at Wellingborough on the first three days was 6L, 8L and 13L, which would have affected the 1757 behind it, although things improved later in the week. Further time was lost onwards to Leicester, with the time from Kettering between 28 and 29mins, rather than the booked time of 25½mins – possibly due to problems accessing the down line north of Kettering as a result of a conflicting move with southbound trains (1805 Nottingham).
Up
Surprise, surprise, things are better in the up direction, mainly due to the difference between PTT and WTT. Up to 46% of trains were on time or better. Unfortunately, this didn’t continue into the all-important 10min late category, where only 88% was achieved – due to deterioration on the Friday (83%) mainly caused by evening trains arriving 15-20mins late.
Milepost 34¾ -240 - January 2014
09/12/2013 10/12/2013 11/12/2013 12/12/2013 13/12/2013 09/12/2013 10/12/2013 11/12/2013 12/12/2013 13/12/2013 up Arrival at St Pancras Arrival at St Pancras 0649 DERBY 1E T T 1L 1L 1330 SHEFFIELD 7L T T T 6L 0708 DERBY 1L 2L 2L T 1E 1356 NOTTINGHAM 3L 3E 1E 7L 11L 0731 NOTTINGHAM 1E 5L 1E T 3E 1359 SHEFFIELD 3L 4L 3L 8L 9L 0748 MELTON 2L T T 5L 3L 1414 NOTTINGHAM 3E 1E 6L 3E 1E 0807 SHEFFIELD 9L 13L 4E 4L 3L 1426 CORBY 1L 2L 1E 1L 4L 0823 NOTTINGHAM 3L 7L 2E 1L T 1430 SHEFFIELD T T 2L T 9L 0839 SHEFFIELD 1L 14L 10L 1E T 1456 NOTTINGHAM 3L 1E 6L 2E 8L 0856 LEEDS 1E 2E 1E 2E T 1459 SHEFFIELD 5L 1E 5L T 8L 0906 NOTTINGHAM 4L 8L T T 1L 1514 NOTTINGHAM 3E 5E 3E 2E 6L 0910 SHEFFIELD 2L 20L 4L 2E T 1526 CORBY 5L T 1L 1L 1L 0926 NOTTINGHAM 2E 5L T 2E 3L 1530 SHEFFIELD 3L 3E 1E 8L 1E 0933 SHEFFIELD 1L 2L 1L T T 1556 NOTTINGHAM 2L 9L 6L 7L T 0945 DERBY 10L 1L 2E 2E T 1559 SHEFFIELD 3L 12L 6L 7L 1E 0956 LINCOLN 6L 6L 2L 6L 1E 1614 NOTTINGHAM 2E 1E 2E 2E 11L 1006 SHEFFIELD T T 3L T 1E 1626 CORBY 1L 1E 4L 4L 2L 1015 LEEDS 15L 2L 34L 4L 29L 1631 SHEFFIELD T 5L T T T 1026 CORBY T 2L 2L 9L 1L 1656 NOTTINGHAM 15L 13L 5L 8L 8L 1030 SHEFFIELD 4L 1E 1L 1E 2L 1659 SHEFFIELD 16L 13L 6L 12L 13L 1056 NOTTINGHAM 12L 6L 14L 11L 9L 1715 NOTTINGHAM 2L 5L 8L 2L 5L 1059 SHEFFIELD 12L 8L 14L 12L 12L 1726 CORBY 5L 2L 11L 12L 7L 1114 NOTTINGHAM 2E 2E 4L 2E 1E 1729 SHEFFIELD 4L 2L 5L 11L 6L 1126 CORBY 8L 13L T 4L 9L 1756 NOTTINGHAM 5L T 2L 10L 6L 1130 SHEFFIELD 6L 3L T 2L 6L 1809 SHEFFIELD 3L 1L 2L T 4L 1156 NOTTINGHAM 2E 3E 6L 1E 3L 1815 NOTTINGHAM 6L 12L 8L 14L 15L 1159 SHEFFIELD 4L 5L 6L 4L 4L 1826 CORBY 2L 6L 3L 9L 6L 1214 NOTTINGHAM 1E 1L 4E 2E 1L 1835 SHEFFIELD 4L T 22L 5L 6L 1226 CORBY 1L 2L 3L T 3L 1856 NOTTINGHAM 6L 3L 5L 3L 20L 1230 SHEFFIELD 3L 2L 9L 1E 1L 1903 SHEFFIELD 2L T 9L T 15L 1256 NOTTINGHAM T 5E 6L 2L 1E 1915 NOTTINGHAM 4L 1E 9L 1E 30L 1259 SHEFFIELD 6L 6L 9L 3L 5L 1926 DERBY 2L 8L 4L 12L 6L 1314 NOTTINGHAM 1L 3E 7L 3E T 1933 SHEFFIELD 1E 2L 4L 6L 16L 1326 CORBY 3L 3E 3L T 7L 1956 NOTTINGHAM 6L 6L 41L 13L 16L
% No Total 14Nottm ex 26Corby ex 30Sheff ex 56Nottm ex 59Sheff ex Total 14Nottm ex 26Corby ex 30Sheff ex 56Nottm ex 59Sheff ex E 62 23 3 7 10 3 E 19 46 6 13 18 5 T 46 1 5 14 3 7 T 33 48 16 38 24 18 1-2 52 6 16 11 4 4 1-2 49 60 48 58 31 25 3-5 60 5 12 10 8 15 3-5 68 70 72 76 45 53 6-10 66 7 10 10 20 15 6-10 88 84 92 95 82 80 11-15 29 5 4 1 7 10 11-15 97 94 100 96 95 98 16-20 5 1 2 1 16-20 98 94 100 98 98 100 20+ 5 3 1 1 21+ 100 100 100 100 100 100 325 50 50 55 55 55
Analysis by train indicates that the Corby train and xx30 arrival from Sheffield were the most punctual with 92% and 95% respectively arriving within 10mins. It was the Nottingham trains that caused the problem with 84% and 82% within 10mins, and the xx56 arrival from Nottingham affected the xx59 arrival from Sheffield which only achieved 80%. Possibly the
Milepost 34¾ -241 - January 2014 worst for punctuality was the 0905 Nottingham which achieved 14L, 8L, 16L, 12L and 11L. There is no obvious reason for the delays; they just seem to accumulate. However, on the Monday, they seemed to hold back the Nottingham train to allow the 0954 Bedford through. It actually left Bedford 18 late, and ran non-stop to Luton Airport, joining the fast line at Leagrave Junction. The delay on Wednesday at Leicester was due to dwell time there. There does seem to be an indication that if the train is more than 10mins late at Harpenden, it will get tangled up with the 0954 Bedford-Brighton beyond, although on the Monday it happened the other way around!
0905 Nottingham 09-Dec 10-Dec 11-Dec 12-Dec 13-Dec
Nottingham T T T 2L T Loughborough T 1E T 3L 4L Leicester 1L 1L 9L 3L 5L
Kettering 3L 3L 12L 9L 6L 09-Dec
0954Bedford 0905Nottingham Bedford 3L 4L 12L 10L 9L Bedford 10:12 10:21 Luton Airport Pkway 5L 6L 14L 11L 10L Leagrave J 10:29 10:33 Elstree 11L 7L 15L 11L 11L Luton Airpt Pkwy 10:33 10:38 St Pancras 14L 8L 16L 12L 11L 10:34 10:39 St Albans 10:43 10:47 10:44 Elstree 10:52 10:54 West Hampstead 10:58 11:01 10:59
The logs
The presentation of scheduled time has been split between travelling times and recovery, so that performance against the new timetable is more apparent. Speed restrictions are too numerous to mention in detail – the route seems similar to the Berks & Hants line, or the ECML north of Newcastle (but without the scenery) with speeds constantly changing. There are many increases from 100 to 105 or 110mph. Ultimately 125mph running will be possible in the following areas south of Leicester in the down direction: mp 13-18, 35-56, 59-63. However, at the time of travelling, temporary restrictions were imposed as follows: 13-14 110mph, 18-21 95mph from 110mph, 33-37 110mph from 120mph, 40-43 110mph, 47-51 110mph. The proposed 80mph northbound through Wellingborough remains at 65mph.
The departure of run 1 was particularly sprightly with a saving against WTT of nearly a minute by Hendon. Unfortunately, the 1004 Brighton-Bedford ahead was running 15mins late and delayed us whilst it accessed the slow line at Radlett Junction. The signal check to 50mph resulted in us being unable to exploit the first tranche of 125mph running. Limits beyond Radlett to Luton Airport Parkway are mainly 110mph, where arrival was 3mins late. Beyond there, speed limits are also generally around 110mph, although these are modestly lifted to allow 114mph beyond Harlington, but a further 110mph restriction around mp40 frustrated further attempts at higher speeds. However, the 125mph limit between mp42 and 47 allowed us to achieve 125mph beyond Millbrook, albeit only briefly. In spite of the higher speeds, the Luton Airport-Bedford time of 13m06 was not an RPS fastest time – which stands at 12m57s – mainly due to a slower journey into Bedford from Houghton Conquest.
In run 2, we have a journey on the 0958 from St .Pancras to Sheffield. In contrast to run 1, we were not hindered by a signal check approaching Radlett, and were able to reach 121mph before slowing for the St. Albans speed restrictions. Beyond Harlington, speed reached 117mph before the Flitwick slowing, and 123mph before Houghton Conquest. 125mph was recorded approaching Sharnbrook Summit and 124mph at Irchester. There is limited opportunity for high speed running beyond Kettering. Observant readers will note .
Milepost 34¾ -242 - January 2014 . Run 1 2 3 Date Th 12-12-13 Tu 17-Dec-13 W 18-Dec-13 Train 1129 St Pancras-Nottm 0958 St Pancras-Sheffield 0915 St Pancras-Nottm Loco 222016 222001 43045/43055 Load formation 5 7 2+8
Recorder D Ashley D Ashley D Ashley Position/ GPS Fog 4/5 N Bright 1/7 N Bright 9/10 Y M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave 0 19 ST PANCRAS 0.0 0 00 P2 1L 0.0 0 00 P4 T 0.0 0 00 P4 T 1 43 Kentish Town 3.0 2 17 65 34.2 3.0 2 56 26.6 3.0 3 71 W Hampstead 5.0 4 09 78 75.5 5.0 4 53 81 72.3 5.5 5 10 5 08 Cricklewood 5 46 89 82.4 6 04 48.1 7 00 Hendon 7.0 6 04 106/109 97.4 7.0 6 55 104 99.1 8.0 7 15 100/104 96.3 9 28 Mill Hill 7 25 108 104.4 8 16 108/110 104.4 8 38 98 101.9 12 36 Elstree 9 58 50sigs 72.9 9 59 109 108.3 11 02 66 77.5 15 17 Radlett 12 38 99/109 62.2 11 29 117/121 110.5 13 02 101/109 82.9 18 20 Napsbury 14 21 104 106.2 13 05 95/93 113.9 /11sigs 19 72 St Albans 13.5 15 24 92/110 94.3 13.5 14 08 95/93 94.3 15.5 19 18 44 44.9 23 00 23 17 16 109/110 100.8 16 00 111/112 103.5 22 02 88 51.9 24 51 Harpenden 18 10 105 109.2 16 54 106 109.2 23 04 99/105 95.1 27 22 Chiltern Green 19 42 97 103.2 18 24 103 105.5 24 36 101/94 103.2 29 17 Luton Airpt Pkwy 19.5 21 36 61.2 19 38 94 94.3 25 49 95 95.5
29 17 Luton Airpt Pkwy 21.0 22 41 60.8 30 20 Luton 1.5 1 25 49 43.9 19.5 20 20 89 88.9 21.5 26 30 89 91.1 32 62 Leagrave 3 04 106/112 91.8 21 52 110 98.8 28 04 101 96.7 35 55 Sundon 4 38 110 111.5 23 28 109 109.2 29 43 110 105.9 37 20 Harlington 5 34 108/114 100.4 24 19 110/117 110.3 30 34 114/121 110.3 40 16 Flitwick 6.5 7 10 110 110.6 24.5 25 53 109 113.0 27.0 32 04 108 118.0 43 60 Millbrook 9 03 120/125 113.1 27 49 121/123 110.2 33 59 123 111.1 46 12 H Conquest 10 15 111 120.0 29 05 110/111 113.7 35 15 113/107 113.7 49 71 Bedford 12.5+1 13 06 2L 78.7 29.5+1 31 06 109 111.2 31.5+1 37 15 109 112.1 49 71 Bedford 52 76 Oakley 32 42 119/125 114.8 38 55 113/120 110.3 59 60 Sharnbrook 36 16 110 114.4 42 37 103 110.3 62 50 Irchester 37 42 124 120.3 44 11 112/65 110.1 65 04 Wellingborough 38+1 39 35 63 77.3 40.5+1 45 58 68 81.6 68 14 Finedon 41 46 105/111 85.9 48 18 97/102 80.4 70 56 Kettering S J 43 12 92 105.7 49 47 97 102.1 72 00 Kettering 42+1 44 03 91 91.8 44.5+1 50 37 93 93.6 74 02 Kettering N J 45 22 93/101 92.3 51 56 91 92.3 75 44 Glendon 46 17 98/100 99.8 52 55 96 93.1 78 07 Desborough 47 50 99/98 98.2 54 30 98 96.2 80 34 Braybrook 49 16 101 97.8 55 54 102 100.2 82 79 Market Harboro 48.5+1 51 09 60 81.6 52.5+1 58 39 55.9
82 79 Market Harboro 54.0 60 09 86 40 E Langton 53 41 100/97 83.2 3 45 93 56.2 88 78 Kibworth 55 12 99 97.9 5 21 95/108 92.8 91 43 Great Glen 56 45 100/79 99.2 6 50 102/35s 103.7 96 02 Wigston N J 56.5+1 59 42 80/89 91.3 9.5 11 08 66/83 62.6 99 07 Leicester 59.5+2 63 15 2L 51.8 13+1 14 51 6L 49.4
Milepost 34¾ -243 - January 2014 that this run was unrestricted, but in spite of this was 3¾mins outside the schedule. They may also have seen earlier that some xx58 trains did in fact arrive in Leicester on time. Based on RTT rounding treatment, the 1358 on Friday 13th December had gained ½min by Elstree, ¾min by Luton, 1min by Bedford 1¼min by Wellingborough, 1½min by Kettering and 1¾min by Market Harborough. So, even with the extra speed restrictions, a punctual arrival at Leicester is possible, given an enthusiastic driver.
Run 4 5 Date Tu 17-Dec-13 Tu 17-Dec-13 Train 0958 St Pancras-Sheffield 1126 St Pancras-Sheffield Loco 222001 222104 Load formation 7 4
Recorder D Ashley D Ashley Position/ GPS Bright 1/7 N Bright 1/4 N miles M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave 0.00 99 07 LEICESTER 0 00 3L 4.70 103 63 Syston 3 37 111/79tsr 78.0 7.52 106 49 Sileby 5 30 97/101 90.0 9.54 108 50 Barrow on Soar 6 43 99/109 99.2 12.55 111 51 Loughborough 8.0 8 37 52/48tsr 95.1 15.31 114 32 Hathern 11 05 98 67.2 17.24 116 26 Kegworth 12 10 114/119 106.6 East Midlands 19.16 118 20 Pkway 13 09 96 117.5 20.14 119 18 Trent S J 12.0 13 57 71 73.1 21.25 120 27 Long Eaton 14 59 56/33sigs 64.6
23.30 122 31 Draycott 17 09 87/106 56.8 26.79 125 70 Spondon 16.0 19 18 84 97.3 29.38 128 37 Derby 20+1.5 24 02 32.8 0.00 127 66 Derby 22.0 25 25 0 00 1L 1.30 129 10 St Mary's J 2 30 73 31.2 3.20 131 02 Little Eaton J 3 45 51.2 3 50 100/112 85.5 5.29 133 09 Duffield 5 06 109 92.8 4 58 110/111 110.5 7.81 135 51 Belper 6 33 100 104.5 6 21 104 109.5 9.93 137 60 Ambergate J 8.0 8 03 75 84.5 8.0 7 47 78 88.4 11.76 139 47 Wingfield Tnnl S 9 22 92 83.7 9 04 99 85.9 13.96 141 63 Wingfield 10 38 108 104.2 10 16 110/112 110.0 17.55 145 30 Stretton 12 38 110 107.6 12 12 109 111.3 20.04 147 69 Clay Cross SJ 13 59 110 110.6 13 34 109/112 109.2 22.16 144 20 Hasland 15 10 107 107.7 14 43 111 110.9 24.15 146 19 Chesterfield 17.5 17 16 56.8 17.5 16 46 58.2 24.15 146 19 Chesterfield 19.0 18 17 19.0 18 33 25.91 148 00 Sheepbridge 1 50 88 57.7 1 49 84 58.2 28.06 150 12 Unstone 3 18 90/89 88.0 3 16 91 89.0 29.45 151 43 Dronfield 4 13 90 90.8 4 11 88 90.8 32.16 154 20 Dore 9+2.5 6 08 68 84.9 6.5+2.5 6 40 29sigs 65.5 33.66 155 60 Millhouses 7 22 80 73.0 7 59 88 68.4 35.10 157 15 Heeley 8 39 52 67.2 9 57 26sigs/42 43.9 36.43 158 41 SHEFFIELD 13+2.5 11 41 T 26.2 10.5+2.5 13 25 1E 22.9
In run 3, we travel on one of the Nottingham HST services. Once again, we were hindered by a signal check this time approaching St Albans; this time the 0727 Brighton-Bedford running 4½mins late delayed us until it accessed the slow line at Harpenden Junction. In this direction, the 125mph sections are situated on downhill gradients at the southern end of
Milepost 34¾ -244 - January 2014 the route, so the poorer acceleration is not so apparent and speeds of 121-123mph were recorded. However, the ascent to Sharnbrook took its toll, with a maximum of 120mph and 103mph at the summit. Arrival at Market Harborough was 5min late. The onward journey to Leicester continued in similar fashion, and was affected by signals approaching Wigston, probably due to the 1018 Leicester to Birmingham being allowed to access the Nuneaton line. Arrival at Leicester was 6min late.
We now continue north from Leicester in run 4, again on the 0958 from St. Pancras, and once again unable to fully exploit the new speed limits: 80mph tsr at Syston and 50mph tsr near Loughborough. A sprint up to 119mph beyond Kegworth was followed by a signal check to 33mph beyond Long Eaton resulting in a less-than-impressive 24min run from Leicester to Derby. North of Derby, speeds of 110mph are being reported, and times of 17min to Chesterfield can be expected. Northwards towards Sheffield, very little has changed - although an unchecked run of 11m41s is unusual. The 0958 is the “flagship” two- hour journey, and by Network Rail standards this was achieved: depart 09:58:07, arrive 11:58:20. Incidentally, the 91min Nottingham train arrived early twice in the first week, so 90mins is achievable.
In run 5, we follow the final section of the 1126 St. Pancras to Sheffield, and here we have an impressive run that strips out a full minute from the Derby-Chesterfield fastest time, and shows sustained 110mph running from Duffield to the approach to Chesterfield, apart from the uplifted 80mph through Ambergate. The onward journey to Sheffield has hampered by a signal check through Dore.
In the up direction, we start with a run from Sheffield to Derby in run 6. There was nothing exceptional to Chesterfield, and in this direction there was a 50mph tsr at Ambergate with 110+mph speeds towards Derby where a punctual arrival was recorded. The train was terminated at Derby, due to a safety problem, and passengers towards St. Pancras had a cross-platform connection to the waiting onward train in platform 6.
In run 7, a 50mph slowing through Loughborough restricted the ability of exploit the 120mph speed limits there.
Run 8 shows a creditable performance with a time of 10m59s to Chesterfield, and the journey onwards was affected by the 50mph tsr through Ambergate.
Run 9 begins the review of the southern end of the route with a journey from Bedford. Unfortunately the notebook computer I use to record milepost times and calculate speeds decided it was an appropriate time to load a series of Windows updates and re-boot itself. It took until Luton Airport Parkway for it to be available, but comparison with run 9, would suggest similar speeds. After the departure from Luton Airport Parkway, the train accelerated to 105mph, but slowed to 90mph at Harpenden, then accelerated again to 113ph before the restriction for St. Albans. 116ph was registered beyond Napsbury followed by 110mph running until the approach to the terminus.
Run 10 is a workmanlike run which shows that the train can keep to the schedule in spite of the reduced speed limits. Just–by one second! Speeds of 117mph were recorded approaching Finedon and 121mph down Sharnbrook bank, but the driver showed little interest in exploiting the maximum speeds. It’s possible he decided that the time gained by varying speed to cater for the sheer volume of speed limits (up to 30 between Leicester and St. Albans) would be counter-productive. Maybe the driver of the 1432 Nottingham-St. Pancras running 20mins late, behind us, thought differently! Note the new 80mph limit through Wellingborough. Unfortunately, failing daylight and failing eyesight precluded establishing speed from mileposts beyond Radlett.
Milepost 34¾ -245 - January 2014 Run 6 7 8 Date Tu 17-Dec-13 Tu 17-Dec-13 Dec-13 Train 1229 Sheffield-St Pancras 1429 Sheffield-St Panc Loco 222001 222004 222xxx Load formation 7 7 7 Recorder D Ashley D Ashley D Ashley Position/ GPS Bright 5/7 N Bright 7/7 N Cloudy 6/7 N M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave
158 41 SHEFFIELD 0 00 T P5 0 00 T P5 157 15 Heeley 2 22 61 33.6 155 60 Millhouses 4 12 72/79 39.5 3 40 75/80 66.3 154 20 Dore 4.5 5 25 69 74 4.5 4 50 70 77.1 151 43 Dronfield 7 27 89 77.8 6 53 90 78.6 150 12 Unstone 8 25 84 86.1 7 48 93 90.8 148 00 Sheepbridge 9 52 91 89 9 14 89 90 146 19 Chesterfield 11 11 57 50.8 11 10 59 60.4 146 19 Chesterfield 12.5 13 25 12.5 12 18 144 20 Hasland 2 01 84 59.1 2 11 85/94 54.6 142 10 Clay Cross SJ 3 22 95 94.4 3 36 79 90 145 30 Stretton 4 55 100 95.4 5 18 107 88.8 141 63 Wingfield 7 03 110 100.9 7 18 114 107.6 139 47 Wingfield Tnnl S 8 16 101/56tsr 108.5 8 30 108 110 137 60 Ambergate J 9 9 46 60 73.5 9 10 06 54tsr 68.9 135 51 Belper 11 18 102 82.7 11 36 106 84.5 133 09 Duffield 12 42 113/111 108.2 12 59 109.5 131 02 Little Eaton J 13 49 112 112.2 14 04 115.6 129 10 St Mary's J 15 03 91 92.4 15 05 101 112.1 127 66 Derby 16.5+1.5 17 15 T P4 35.5 16.5+1.5 17 06 P6 38.7 128 37 Derby 0 00
125 70 Spondon 4 4 08 81 37.6
122 31 Draycott 6 20 108 95.1
120 27 Long Eaton 7 38 75 94.6
119 18 Trent S J 8 8 34 72 71.5
118 20 East Midlands Pk 9 22 88 73.1
116 26 Kegworth 10 32 107 88.5
114 32 Hathern 11 36 109/49tsr? 108.3
111 51 Loughborough 12.5 13 57 58 70.5
108 50 Barrow on Soar 16 12 101 80.3
106 49 Sileby 17 20 109/110 106.5
103 63 Syston 18 52 109 110.5
99 07 LEICESTER 19.5+1 23 06 66.6
In run 11 we finish with a HST on the 1032 Nottingham to St. Pancras. Delayed upon departure, possibly by the slightly late-running 0949 Sheffield-St. Pancras, we lost two minutes by Market Harborough. What happened next was an example of running right up to . the speed limits and in so doing converting a 6½min late departure into a 2½min early arrival, and stripping 2mins from the RPS Fastest Time. In spite of the poorer acceleration, the HST was actually 2mins faster than the Meridien in run 10 from Glendon to St. Pancras.
What is surprising about all these arrivals is the absence of the seemingly obligatory stop outside St. Pancras to admire Lafarge Cement Works. It seems that this has been achieved by the xx56 arrival from Nottingham and the xx59 arrival from Nottingham sharing the same platform (departing xx29 and xx26 respectively), leaving available platforms for the xx26 and
Milepost 34¾ -246 - January 2014 xx30 arrivals. This should work well in normal working but could add to problems during disruption. Presumably it’s also inflexible in limiting the length of the trains. . Run 9 10 11 Date Th 12-Dec-13 Tu 17-Dec-13 Wed 18-Dec-13 Train 1105 Nottingham-St Pancras 1429 Sheffield-St Pancras 1032 Nottingham-St Pancras Loco 222021 222004 43060/43052 Load formation 5 7 2+8
Recorder D Ashley D Ashley D Ashley Position/ GPS Fog 2/5 N Bright 7/7 N Cloudy 2/10 Y M C Timing Point Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave Sch. m s mph ave 99 07 Leicester 0.0 0 00 2L 0.0 0 00 3L 96 02 Wigston N J 3.0 3 51 80 47.7 3.5 5 21 61sigs 34.3 91 43 Great Glen 6 50 97 90.3 8 40 95 81.2 88 78 Kibworth 8 25 99/100 97.1 10 15 103 97.1 86 40 E Langton 9 54 99 100.1 11 42 101/102 102.4 82 79 Market Harboro 11+.5 12 39 59 76.6 12.5 14 44 69.5
82 79 Market Harboro 14.0 16 19 80 34 Braybrook 14 28 92 84.6 3 06 70 49.6 78 07 Desborough 15 58 96 93.5 5 00 85 73.8 75 44 Glendon 17 28 102 101.5 6 30 104 101.5 74 02 Kettering N J 18 24 97 98.0 7 23 102/92 103.6 72 00 Kettering 18+.5 19 43 92 92.3 9.0 8 40 95 94.7 70 56 Kettering S J 20 33 98/117 93.6 9 29 101 95.5 68 14 Finedon 21 53 105 113.6 10 50 113/115 112.2 65 04 Wellingborough 22+.5 23 56 80 91.5 13.0 12 40 80 102.3 62 50 Irchester 25 38 98 85.6 14 18 94 89.1 59 60 Sharnbrook 27 17 108/121 104.5 16 09 93 93.2 52 76 Oakley 30 56 117/121 111.8 19 47 121/125 112.3 49 71 Bedford 31+2 32 31 107/111 116.1 22+2 21 19 113/114 119.8 49 71 Bedford 0.0 0 00 4L 46 12 H Conquest 4 07 54.5 34 33 109/ 110 110.3 23 18 113 113.1 43 60 Millbrook 35 52 109 109.4 24 35 111 112.2 40 16 Flitwick 7.0 7 28 106.6 36+2 37 49 109 109.2 27+2 26 30 114 111.1 37 20 Harlington 9 03 111.8 39 24 117 111.8 28 04 112 113.0 35 55 Sundon 9 52 114.8 40 12 117/108 117.2 28 55 110/109 110.3 32 62 Leagrave 11 24 114.0 41 47 110 110.4 30 31 112 109.2 30 20 Luton 12+.5 12 54 101.0 40.5+2 43 16 93 102.1 33+2.5 31 55 94 108.2 29 17 Luton Airpt Pk 13.5+.5 14 17 45.0 43 56 91 93.4 32 36 91 91.1
29 17 Luton Airpt Pk 15.0 15 57
27 22 Chiltern Green 2 10 97/105 53.7 45 09 104/97 95.5 33 50 103/91 94.3 24 51 Harpenden 3 50 90 sigs 95.0 46 42 101 102.1 35 24 93 101.0 23 00 23 4 50 107/113 98.3 47 40 103/108 101.6 36 23 104/111 99.9 19 72 St Albans 6.5 6 35 100 106.3 47.5+2 49 30 99 101.5 39+2.5 38 10 102 104.3 18 20 Napsbury 7 39 100/116 100.4 50 30 100/115 99.0 39 08 105/114 102.7 15 17 Radlett 9 15 110/108 113.9 52 16 103.2 40 46 112/113/111 111.6 12 36 Elstree 10 47 110/111 108.1 53 50 105.8 42 14 112/114 113.0 9 28 Mill Hill 12 28 110 110.5 55 31 110.5 43 53 113 112.7 7 00 Hendon 13.0 13 47 105 108.7 54+2 56 54 106.3 46+2.5 45 10 105/107 112.0 5 08 Cricklewood 14 55 99 100.6 58 08 92.4 46 17 91 102.1 3 71 W Hampstead 15+.5 15 42 85 92.9 56+3 58 58 87.3 48+3.5 47 05 87 90.9 1 43 Kentish Town 17+.5 17 36 60/sigs5 74.2 58+3 61 10 64.1 50.5+3.5 48 50 69 80.6 0 19 ST PANCRAS 20+1.5 21 27 2L 20.3 61+4 64 59 P4 1L 20.4 53.5+4.5 51 54 2E 25.4
Milepost 34¾ -247 - January 2014
And finally
It is certainly disappointing that the current speed profile of the line results in only short bursts of 125mph running and constantly changing speed limits, but hopefully this is only a temporary problem. Whilst the assumption is that a tsr reflecting an inability to achieve maximum speed is similar to a tsr that restricts speeds, it leaves little in reserve if other things go wrong. However, evidence suggests that it is still possible to achieve time plus 10minutes around 90%.
EMT have had 125mph-capable stock for a number of years, and £70m is probably “petty cash” for Network Rail, so it’s a pity that the upgrade wasn’t done incrementally years ago.
Fastest Times Update
Martin Robertson
Welcome to another Fastest Times Update featuring the recent additions to the RPS Fastest Times Listing. I commented in the last article that there had been a relative shortage of new FT’s but I was deluged by new offerings shortly after completing the article. This edition is being compiled in late October, earlier than usual for a November holiday. My thanks to all those who have contributed in the last few months and in particular to John Heaton for his several contributions.
We start on the East Coast Main Line, with a fine effort recorded by Alan Varley for a new full FT between Peterborough and Retford. This may not be the most regularly recorded section but the running was of a very high order. Alan’s comments are:- The ECML run was notable for the start; opening out after the turnout from the platform was unusually prompt and vigorous so the speed over the New England neutral was 2 or 3 mph faster than average. After that it was a good Cl 91 run, precise braking for Stoke, Grantham and Newark, nothing unusual in the way of speeds. Approach to the stop was not bad, a good 40 onto the platform but then down almost at once to 20; fortunately the final stop was firm. Difficult to gain much on this one legally as far as Gamston but a few more seconds could no doubt be saved at the end.
Run 2 has an offering by John Heaton with three sections on a journey on the 12 24 Cross Country service from Plymouth to Edinburgh. New full FT’s were achieved for the HST, between Leeds and York, Alnmouth to Berwick and Berwick to Edinburgh. John’s rather brief comments were:- Fast run all the way from Exeter with 108mph down to Wellington and 115mph on 110mph section to BTM etc. Heavy delay Derby to Wakefield T-18L (following late 14.55 St. Pancras-Sheffield, with 16.15 Nottingham-Leeds sandwiched between us from Chesterfield then 17.14 Sheffield-Leeds stopper from Aldwarke Jn to Moorthorpe. Also followed 16.30 from KX from York until after its Morpeth stop. Would have had more records if not stopped outside most stations. The standard of running was excellent with speeds up to the line limits and the lower PSRs duly observed. John was lucky to achieve a completely clear run into Edinburgh Waverley, something which I virtually never achieve, although John’s service was arriving in the late evening when the local services from Dunbar and North Berwick are not so frequent.
Table 3 was recorded by myself on a recent business trip to Newcastle. I had arrived back into Newcastle Central with only the 09.00 ex KX shown as going forward to Edinburgh in
Milepost 34¾ -248 - January 2014 Table 1 the next forty five minutes of Date Sat 24-Aug-13 departures. This was on time, Train 1330 KX-Edinburgh which appeared not to offer Loco 91106 any incentive for a good run. I Load 10,415/440 have no idea why the driver Recorder A Varley was in such a hurry with Loc/weather/GPS 7/11 bright/overcast/Y running consistently two to M C dist m s mph ave three mph above the higher 76 30 0.00 Peterborough 0 0 1,5 late line limits, while precisely 77 00 0.62 Westwood OB 1 38.5 38 observing the lower PSRs. 78 00 1.62 New England N 2 39.5 73/75/73 59.0 The start from Newcastle was 79 49 3.24 Werrington 3 48 96 85.1 average, but the stop into 81 72 5.52 Helpston 5 5.5 114 105.9 83 33 7.04 Lolham 5 53 120/124 115.2 Berwick upon Tweed was 84 64 8.42 Tallington 6 33 123 124.2 excellent, entering the 87 07 10.71 Greatford 7 39.5 126 124.0 platform at 35mph with a hard 88 63 12.41 Essendine 8 28 125 126.2 brake application to finish. 90 12 13.77 Sigs 9 07 126 125.5 Despite the hard running we 92 17 15.84 Little Bytham 10 06.5 125/123 125.2 only took around 15 seconds 95 00 18.62 MP 95 11 27.5 124 123.6 out of David Ashley’s 97 07 20.71 Corby 12 28.5 126 123.3 previous re-opened FT. 100 11 23.76 Stoke RR 13 58 110* 122.7 102 10 25.75 Great Ponton 15 00 116/99* 115.5 From Berwick the same style 105 35 29.06 Grantham 16 47 101 111.4 of running continued. In 107 65 31.44 Peascliffe T S 18 05.5 116 109.1 comparison with John’s HST 109 54 33.30 Barkston S 19 01.5 125 119.6 run in Table 2 the Class 91 111 53 35.29 Hougham 19 58 127/126 126.8 was twenty seven seconds 113 57 37.34 Westborough 20 56.5 127 126.2 down on the HST on passing 115 27 38.96 Claypole LC 21 42.5 126 126.8 Burnmouth and 31 seconds 116 69 40.49 Balderton 22 26.5 126 125.2 down on passing Wallyford. 118 26 41.95 Bullpit Lane 23 08.5 125 125.1 We then suffered a signal 120 12 43.77 Newark 24 02.5 105*/101* 121.3 122 78 46.60 Bathley Lane 25 37 118/120/119 107.8 check to 25mph at 126 25 49.94 Carlton 27 16.5 126 120.8 Monktonhall Jn, assumed to 128 30 52.00 Grassthorpe Lane 28 15.5 125 125.7 be off the 12 50 ex Dunbar 130 29 53.99 Egmanton 29 12.5 125/123 125.7 Scotrail service which calls at 131 75 55.56 Tuxford N 29 58 125 124.2 Musselburgh. The driver still 133 58 57.35 Markham 30 50 121 123.9 accelerated to 96mph after 136 00 59.63 Gamston 32 00.5 115* 116.4 137 37 61.09 Grove Rd 32 54.5 73* 97.3 138 49 62.24 Retford 34 43 RT 38.2
Portobello before easing for the approach to Edinburgh. We came down to around 10mph on the entry to the west side through platform, before running to the west end, to stop in 42m 26s. Who says that running on the ECML can be uniform - but what a waste of energy with wear and tear on the loco, stock and the track?
Table 4 features a full and a re-opened FT from John Heaton recorded during a journey from Dawlish to Paddington. I have deleted the loco numbers and date of the recording. John’s comments on the trains schedule and the running are:- I caught the 11.06 Paignton to Paddington which was 5½min late from Dawlish on a schedule that suffers heavily from extra pathing. It used to be timed into London at a generous 14.44 and is now booked to arrive at 14.54 which presents difficulty panning out time. The irony lies in that it used to arrive 5min late and it now arrives 5min early, both at 14.49 but there is no booked path at 14.49. Less philosophy and more running. The arrival at Dawlish was desperately slow and the set was eased at 95mph at Exminster despite a clear road and late running. 1 min recovery and 1 min saved at Exeter meant 3min late. I thought the drivers normally changed
Milepost 34¾ -249 - January 2014 . Table 2 Miles M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Avge Train 12.24 Plymouth-Edinburgh 14.28 34 69 Alnmouth d. 0 0 00 14L 33.1 Loco 43357/43xxx 15.25 35 67 Lesbury 1 37 63 36.2 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 2+7 16.94 37 42 Longhoughton 2 54 84 78.9 Date 18/6/2013 19.90 40 39 Stamford 4 49 107 92.7 Rec/Pos/GPS? J. Heaton 22.98 43 45 Falloden 6 27 116 113.0 Miles M. Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Avge 25.41 46 00 Chathill 7 39 126/127 121.9 0.00 20 47 LEEDS d. 0 0 00 15L 27.41 48 00 Embleton Bog 8 38 103 122.0 1.05 19 43 Marsh L. Jct 1 58 48/58/#46 32.0 28.63 49 17 Lucker 9 19 112 106.5 2.74 17 68 Osmond'thrpe 3 52 57 53.3 30.99 51 46 Belford 11 10 33 122/128 114.9 4.43 16 13 Cross Gates 5.5 5 15 80/93 73.2 34.40 54 79 Smeafield [2] 12 10 126 126.6 7.33 13 21 Garforth 7 11 90 90.0 38.06 58 52 Beal 13 57 117 123.2 9.73 10 69 Micklefield 9 8 49 71/94 88.2 40.25 60 67 Goswick 15 02 124/126 121.2 14.84 10 59 Ch Fenton 13 12 22 80 86.4 42.99 63 46 Scremerston 16 21 125 124.7 16.70 8 70 Ulleskelf 13 35 100/104 91.8 45.38 65 77 Tweedmouth 17 44 70 103.6 18.03 7 44 Bolton Percy 14 22 103 101.5 46.41 67 00 Berwick 22 19 21 38.5 20.08 5 40 Colton Jct 16 15 35 101 101.1 0.00 67 00 23.5 20 30 11L 21.40 4 14 Copmanthorpe 16 22 102 101.3 5.58 51 70 Burnmouth 4 57 99/79 67.6 23.61 1 77 Chaloners W <1> 17 42 95 99.6 11.16 46 23 Reston 8 36 99 91.8 25.58 0 00 YORK a. 22 20 29 42.3 16.24 41 17 Grantshouse 13 12 12 71/94 84.6
# - rbt assited by the new layout into Plat 11 20.95 36 40 Cockburnspath 15 39 90/82/118 82.0 from the DL line 26.28 31 14 Oxwellmains 19.5 18 43 104/82 104.2 28.39 29 05 Dunbar 20.5 20 03 86 95.1 32.51 24 75 Stenton 22 35 109/111 97.7 34.09 23 29 East Linton 23 28 100 107.0 36.70 20 60 East Fortune 25 00 110/121 102.2 39.69 17 61 Drem 27.5 26 32 115/105 116.9 44.20 13 20 Longniddry 29 00 112/110 109.8 47.98 9 38 Prestonpans 32 31 02 117 111.4 49.76 7 55 Wallyford [2] 31 54 125/127 123.8 51.38 6 06 Monktonhall J 36 32 47 94 109.5 52.28 5 14 Musselburgh 33 21 97 95.3 54.06 3 31 Portobello Jct 37 34 28 91 96.0 56.65 0 64 Abbeyhill X/o 40 36 20 56 83.2 57.40 0 04 EDINBURGH . 41.5 38 13 23.9
at Exeter but I did not see anyone alight and was prepared for a very tedious run to the various small stations en route. A running brake test at 101mph perked up my spirits as the drivers had clearly changed and the run to Tiverton Parkway was only 3sec over the reopened record, by a 2+7 with no RBT. Taunton was 12sec over but 1min recovery had resulted in just ½min late leaving Taunton. This was the first 100mph/90 before Cogload that I have timed in many years, the modern pattern being 92/87. The braking for the Castle Cary stop was especially good and then 94mph on the 90mph to Brewham equally surprising. The small station sections were conducted just as keenly – 3 sec over the reopened record Pewsey-Bedwyn etc and a gain on Bedwyn Hungerford. A 5min dead stand at Southcote Jn, faced with 5½min of allowances, meant 1 min late from Reading with 8½ min recovery time to come. DAS seemed to be either inoperative or ineffectual to result in a net 23min run to Paddington 25min 18sec actual and 4½min early.
Table 5 continues along the Berks and Hants, heading west with another offering from John Heaton. John’s comments are:- A surprise fastest ever HST time last night on the down Paignton 10L from Pewsey and 2L Exeter after 'trespass' at Ufton. 3min recovery time and a net ½min saved at stations. John noted the excellent stop into Castle Cary, braking from 90mph in less than a minute. If only all drivers could achieve that standard!!
Milepost 34¾ -250 - January 2014 . Table 3 Table 6 has another of Train 0900 KX-Edinburgh John’s runs this time on an Loco 911xx XC service from Burton on Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 10,415/430 Trent to Birmingham New Date Th xx.Oct-13 Street. The excellent full FT Rec M Robertson time appears to have been Pos/weather/GPS? 2/11 Dry Mild/o/cast, Y achieved through a probable miles m c Location m s mph ave rare unchecked entry into 0.00 0 02 Newcastle d 0 0 (-) the confines of New Street. 0.55 0 46 Manors 1 37 41 20.4
1.94 1 77 Heaton S Jn 3 07 71/99 55.6 4.30 4 26 Benton 4 41.5 97/90rbt 89.9 For Table 7 we return to the 5.92 5 76 Killingworth 5 41.5 105/114 97.2 Chiltern Line with an offering 7.74 7 61 Annitsford 6 40.5 112 111.1 from Brian Milner with a 9.90 9 74 CRAMLINGTON 7 50 113 111.9 Class 168 unit, between 11.47 11 40 Plessy 8 40 113 113.0 Marylebone and Banbury. 13.90 13 74 Stannington 9 57.5 110 112.9 Brian’s comments are:- This 14.67 14 56 Clifton 10 23.5 106/49* 106.6 log took place on the second 16.60 16 50 MORPETH 12 03 51* 69.8 day of the new timetable – a 18.52 18 44 PEGSWOOD 13 49.5 88 64.9 dramatic improvement on 20.62 20 52 Ugham Lane LC 15 03 112 102.9 previous journeys. 72 mph 23.22 23 20 WIDDRINGTON 16 29 103*/100* 108.8 at Neasden South Jn and 25.59 25 49 Chevington LC 17 53 106 101.6 98/99 mph at Northolt Jn – 28.47 28 40 ACKLINGTON 19 26.5 113 110.9 the latter showing what 29.97 30 00 Coquet Viad 20 19 85* 102.9 confidence the driver had in 31.81 31 67 Warkworth 21 31.5 103/112 91.4 the new formation so early in 33.86 33 71 Wooden Gate LC 22 39 111 109.3 the new timetable. No 34.80 34 66 ALNMOUTH 23 16 85* 91.5 problems at Aynho Jn and 35.84 35 69 Lesbury 23 58 89 89.1 the overall time to Banbury 37.47 37 40 Longhoughton 25 00 101 92.4 39.40 39 34 Little Mill LC 26 05 111 106.9 was an excellent 51m 07s. 40.46 40 39 Stamford LC 26 38.5 118/120 113.9 42.97 43 00 Christon Bank LC 27 56.5 112* 115.8 For Table 8 we have two 45.97 46 00 CHATHILL 29 28 123 118.0 sections of a trip on the 47.97 48 00 Empletons Bog 30 30.5 106* 115.2 WCML from John Rishton 49.19 49 17 Lucker LC 31 10 114 111.2 with a Class 350 unit 51.55 51 46 Belford LC 32 21 124/128 119.7 heading north. This was 54.96 54 79 Smeafield LC 33 58 128 126.6 before the introduction of 58.62 58 52 Beal LC 35 43.5 118* 124.9 110mph running for these 60.81 60 67 Goswick LC 36 47.5 127 123.2 units, therefore the Rugby to 63.55 63 46 Scremerston LC 38 05.5 126 126.5 Nuneaton section must be 64.99 65 01 Spittal 38 49.5 100 117.8 open to a further 65.94 65 77 Tweedmouth 39 40.5 76* 90.6 improvement in the time. 66.97 67 00 BERWICK U TWEED a 40 59 47.2 . The second section was from Atherstone to Tamworth, which is run on the slow line, therefore no easy opportunity to lower the time further. John’s comments are:- From Rugby a very good start up to the neutral section, then away again with a copy book run to Nuneaton with a good stop. Note the poor working times, especially Trent Valley Jn to Brinklow. From Atherstone, more of the same. A rapid acceleration, just exceeding the line speed and power off at 3000 yards from the next stop with braking in from 1500 yards, equalling the current record.
Table 9 has a run recorded by David Adams between Wolverhampton to Stafford where two successive full FT’s were achieved. The first assisted by the short spell of running at 110mph, although the second section was too short to reach much more than 100mph .
Milepost 34¾ -251 - January 2014 Table 4 Power Cars 431xx/43xxx Load* 2+8 Train 11.06 Paignton-Padd Date xx/09/2013
Recorder/Position J. Heaton 3/10 Yes
Miles M Ch Timing Point Sch. Min. Sec. M.P.H. Avge
0.00 163 13 TAUNTON d. 0 0 00 ½L -/101 4.76 158 32 Cogload Jct 4½ 4 17 93/90/103 66.7 7.92 134 79 Athelney 6½ 6 14 102/103 97.2 13.05 130 02 Langport E. 9 15 100/99/103 102.0 16.77 126 11 Somerton G. F. 12 11 29 102/97/104 99.9 22.71 120 16 Keinton Mand. 15 00 103 101.3 27.57 115 27 CASTLE CARY a. 19½ 18 43 78.5 0.00 66 34 Bedwyn d. 0 0 00 6L 1.15 65 22 Little Bedwyn 1 47 68/92 38.7 4.89 61 43 Hungerford a. 5½ 5 09 66.7 . Table 5 Power Cars 43160/43xxx before power was eased. Load 2+8/272/285/425 David’s comments are:- A Train 17.33 Padd.-Paignton couple of FT's attached Date June 13, 2013 after my first run with a Recorder/Position J. Heaton 8/10 110 mph 350 north of Miles M. Chns Timing P oint Sch. M s speed avge Birmingham. A keen 0.00 109 63 WESTBURY d. 0 0 00 8L -/42 driver running almost on 1.41 111 16 Fairwood J 2.5 2 33 40 33.2 the nail re maximum 4.71 114 40 Clink Rd. J. 5.5 5 21 87 70.7 permitted speeds 6.69 116 38 Blatchbridge Jet 7.0 6 37 100/102 93.6 wherever possible, 11.00 120 78 East Somerset J. 9.5 9 13 90 99.5 combined with competent 12.68 122 52 Brewham 10 21 88/85 88.7 starts and stops. What a 16.14 126 09 Bruton 12 43 94/103 87.8 welcome change that 19.58 129 44 CASTLE CARY 16.5 15 13 82.5 makes these days.
90mph to zero in 58sec . Table 6
Unit 220025
Load 4
Train 08.20 Aberdeen-Penzance
Date 08/06/2013
Rec/Pos J. Heaton 3/4 miles m c WTT Min Sec MPH Ave 0.00 10 66 Burton on Trent d. 0 0 0 4.5L 3.89 14 51 Barton North J 3 30 100 66.6 5.45 16 22 Wichnor J 4.5 4 24 110 104.2 12.89 23 51 Tamworth 8.5 8 07 125 120.1 14.76 25 47 Wilnecote [1] 9 01 125 125.0 17.51 28 27 Kingsbury G. F. 10 20 125 125.3 18.68 29 40 Kingsbury J 12 10 54 120 123.1 22.56 34 52 Water Orton (1) 13 11 80 102.2 24.91 37 00 Castle Bromwich 14 45 95 90.0 28.63 40 51 Landor Street J 20 17 58 40 69.2 29.51 41 43 Proof House J (2) 23.5 19 29 25 35/1 30.21 42 24 Birmingham N. S. a. 25.5 21 49 18.0 speeds estimated from averages
Milepost 34¾ -252 - January 2014 . Table 7 Miles M C Location PTT m s mph ave Train 1237 Marylebone-Moor St 26.48 15 00 Cock Lane 20 28.5 72 90.0 Loco 168001 27.83 16 28 HIGH WYCOMBE 21 51.0 49 58.9 Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes 4,170/185 29.98 18 40 West Wycombe 24 03.5 69 58.4 Date Tue 6-Sep-11 32.80 21 26 SAUNDERTON 26 14.0 83/ 84 77.9 Rec B Milner 34.48 23 00 Milepost 27 27.0 81/ 80 82.6 Pos/GPS? 1/4 Y 36.00 24 42 PRINCES RISBORO 28 34.5 85 81.3 Miles M C Location PTT m s mph ave 37.50 26 00 Boxers 29 36.0 94 87.8 0.00 205 73 MARYLEBONE 3 0 0 00.0 RT 39.50 28 00 Milepost 30 49.0 100/ 97 98.6 1.41 204 40 St Johns Wood Tunnel N 2 37.0 45/ 51 32.4 41.83 30 26 HADDENHAM 32 15.0 98/100 97.3 3.16 202 60 Mapesbury Road 4 46.0 49/ 48 48.8 43.50 32 00 Milepost 33 16.0 98 98.9 5.09 200 66 Neasden South Jn 6 49.0 72/ 81 56.3 45.35 33 68 Ashendon Jn 34 24.0 98/ 97 97.9 6.48 5 00 WEMBLEY STADIUM 7 53.5 80 77.4 47.71 2 29 Brill Tunnel 35 51.0 98/100 97.8 7.80 3 54 SUDBURY&HARROW RD 8 51.5 85 82.2 49.35 4 00 Milepost 36 50.5 99 99.1 9.75 1 58 NORTHOLT PARK 10 09.5 98 90.0 51.63 6 22 Blackthorn 38 13.5 98/100 98.7 11.55 0 06 SOUTH RUISLIP 11 15.0 99 98.9 53.35 8 00 Milepost 39 16.5 98 98.6 13.34 1 69 WEST RUISLIP 12 20.5 98/100 98.2 54.71 9 29 BICESTER N 40 06.5 98 98.1 14.88 3 32 South Harefield 13 16.5 98/100 98.8 57.35 12 00 Milepost 41 44.0 97 97.4 16.98 5 40 DENHAM GOLF CLUB 14 33.5 97/ 96 98.2 59.35 14 00 Milepost 42 57.5 100 98.0 18.70 7 18 GERRARDS CROSS 15 38.0 97 96.3 61.35 16 00 Milepost 44 10.5 98 98.6 21.43 9 76 SEER GREEN 17 18.0 99/ 98 98.1 63.75 18 32 Aynho Jn 45 48.0 82 88.6 23.00 11 42 BEACONSFIELD 18 15.5 100/ 98 98.6 65.26 82 55 KINGS SUTTON 46 51.0 90 86.4 24.63 13 12 Whitehouse Tunnel S 19 14.5 99 99.2 67.58 85 00 Milepost 48 43.0 46 74.3 68.78 86 16 BANBURY 52 51 07.0 1 E 30.0 . Table 8 Day/Date Monday 8th July 2013 Train 17.24 Euston - Crewe Motive Power 350.242 Load (tons) 179/185 = 14.5hp/ton Weather dry Rec. Pos. GPS J Rishton - 3/4 - GPS Miles mm cc location WTT mm:ss mph ave 0.00 82 40 Rugby 0 00:00 r/time 0.0 0.84 83 27 Trent Valley junction 1.5 01:24 fl 55 36.0 1.11 83 49 down side flyover 01:40 ns 66 60.7 1.36 83 69 new bridge 01:54 65 64.4 3.01 85 41 OB 03:07 92 81.3 5.55 88 06 Brinklow 7.5 04:41 100 97.3 7.14 89 51 M6 05:38 101 100.4 9.27 91 62 M69 06:55 100 99.5 11.32 93 66 OB 08:12 92 95.9 12.64 95 11 Attleborough south J 12.5 09:10 sl 75 81.9 14.58 97 06 Nuneaton 14 11:08 0 59.2 0.00 102 23 Atherstone 0 00:00 r/time 0.0 0.80 103 07 Baddesley 01:04 76 45.0 2.87 105 13 B5000 02:42 76 76.1 4.10 106 31 Station Road 03:41 76 75.1 4.60 106 71 M42 04:04 77 78.1 5.33 107 50 Robey's Lane 04:39 76 75.1 6.40 108 55 Moor Lane 05:29 77 77.1 6.71 109 00 Amington junction 6 05:44 71 74.4 7.72 110 01 Tamworth 7.5 07:04 0 45.4
Milepost 34¾ -253 - January 2014
Table 9 TRAIN 07.30 Walsall DATE TU 09.07.13 UNIT/LOCO 350104 LOAD: 4/179/184 1/4 GPS RECORDER David Adams DISTANCE ACTUAL SPEED MILES M. C. WTT. M. S. MPH 0.00 12 75 WOLVERHAMPTON 0 0. 00 1.62 14 45 Bushbury Jnc. 3 2. 30.5 61* 3.60 17 32 M54 south 3. 59.5 98/111 6.01 19 65 Four Ashes 5. 21.5 109 7.76 21 16 A449 6. 19 110 9.59 23 31 PENKRIDGE 9 8. 06 ® 0.00 0 0. 00 1.56 24 76 Drayton Manor Fm 1. 42 81 3.06 26. 36 M6 South 2. 40 104 5.24 28 50 Trent Valley Jnc 4.5 4. 08.5 60* 5.72 133 43 STAFFORD 5.5 5. 04 ® . Table 10 Run 1 2 Day/Date Fri 16-Aug-13 Th xx.Aug-13 Train 1811 Glas-Inverness 1811 Glas-Inverness Motive Power 170401 1704xx Load (tons) 3,133/135 3,133/135 Weather Dry mild Dry mild Rec. Pos. GPS M Robertson 1/3, Y M Robertson 2/3 Y miles M C Location m s mph ave m s mph ave 0 35 09 Blair Atholl d 0 0 0 0 0.89 36 00 Mp 1 31 55 35.2 1 32 55 34.8 2.39 37 40 Mp 3 00.5 62 60.3 3.39 38 40 Mp 3 55.5 69 65.5 4 00 67 60.8 4.55 39 53 Struan 4 57.5 68 67.4 5 03 66 66.3 5.89 41 00 Mp 6 10 65 66.5 6 17.5 63.5 64.8 6.89 42 00 Mp 7 06 63 64.3 7 14 62 63.7 7.89 43 00 Mp 8 03.5 62 62.6 8 12.5 61 61.5 8.89 44 00 Mp 9 01.5 62 62.1 9 12 59.5 60.5 9.67 44 63 Dalnacardoch 9 47 62 61.7 9 59.5 59 59.1 10.89 46 00 10 58.5 60.5 61.4 11.89 47 00 11 58.5 60 60.0 12 15.5 58 58.8 12.89 48 00 12 58.5 60 60.0 13.89 49 00 13 58.5 60 60.0 14 21 57.5 57.4 14.89 50 00 14 58 62 60.5 15 22.5 60 58.5 15.77 50 71 15 48.5 64.5 62.7 16 14.5 66 60.9 16.39 51 40 16 20.5 72/70 69.8 16 47.5 71 67.6 17.62 52 59 Drumochter S'mt 17 22 72/80 72.0 17 50.5 70/80 70.3 18.89 54 00 18 22 79 76.2 19.69 54 64 Balsporran 18 59 79 77.8 19 27.5 81 76.8 20.89 56 00 19 51.5 85 82.3 20 16 92 89.1 22.04 57 12 Wades Bridge 20 41.5 72br 82.8 21 03.5 85br 87.2 23.26 58 30 Ben Alder O/A 22 00.5 36 55.6 22 15 45br 61.4 23.45 58 45 Dalwhinnie a 22 38 18.2 22 44 23.6
Milepost 34¾ -254 - January 2014 Finally Table 10 provides this month’s alternative offering. The Highland Main Line north of Perth has seen some minor PSR easings which should in theory offer the possibility of an improvement of the current FT’s. One of these was the lifting of the previously annoying 60mph northbound restriction for the bridge over the River Garry south of Struan. The 60mph north of Struan also appears to have been raised.
The current FT northbound is with two Class 158 units in a time of 21m 45s, which could not be remotely approached by a single Class 170 with the former ruling PSRs. Table 10 includes two runs, both on the 18 11 ex Glasgow when on the first the Turbostar unit 170401 proved to be in remarkably good mechanical condition. The minimum speed at MP 49 was 60mph, only the second occasion in over ten years of these units that I have achieved such a speed. The speeds after Drumochter were up to the line limits, but there may have been a signal check approaching Dalwhinnie. The 68mph past Struan and the subsequent gradual drop off of speed as the gradient took its toll are probably worth a saving of around twenty seconds, on what could be legally achieved previously.
1 The second run with 170429 was a respectable effort with speed tailing off to 57 /2mph at MP 49. The driver however held 92 for several miles after Balsporran before a better approach to Dalwhinnie. I am not certain if the 92mph was legal or not, but this was not uncommon in 1998 when the current FT was set. Comparing the two runs the superior power of 170401 opened up a gap of 28 seconds by Drumochter Summit, reduced to 22 seconds at Wades Bridge and a mere 6 seconds on arrival at Dalwhinnie. At best a Class 170 might achieve a time of around 22m 15 seconds with the current PSRs, still 30 seconds adrift of the current FT.
There are few Scottish FT’s which are likely to be broken with the current traction unless there is a significant improvement in the infrastructure. To maintain the interest in the listings maybe David Sage could consider another arbitrary date to compile a ‘Re-opened FT list’. If required I can maintain the listings.
My thanks to all those who have contributed their recordings in the last few months. As always my preferred form of tables is Excel Spreadsheets or Word documents. For those without ready access to computers hand written records can be easily typed up by myself. I will try to acknowledge receipt of logs, but senders must excuse my variable response to this. My email and postal address are included on the inside cover of the magazine, below the contents. I look forward to receiving numerous Midland Main Line recordings for the next issue, with the introduction of 125mph running in the December timetable alterations.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2014 The Society AGM will be held on Saturday 17 May 2014 at The Calthorpe Arms, Grays Inn Road, London
The Committee will retire, although are eligible for re-election and members are reminded that nominations for election of the Committee must be received by the Secretary by Saturday 15 March 2014. Nomination forms are available in the members’ area of the website or from the Secretary. Should any member who is not presently a member of the existing Committee wish to stand would they please request a copy of the Companies House form from the Secretary to send with their nomination.
If there are more nominations than posts, then candidates will be requested to provide a personal statement, if they so wish, by 29 March 2014
Any resolutions to be debated at the AGM must be received by the Secretary by 29 March 2014.
Full details of the AGM will be included in the April 2014 Milepost and in the members area of the website after 24 April 2014
Milepost 34¾ -255 - January 2014 MIDLAND MAIN LINE
At a time when there have been significant improvement in speeds limits on the Midland Main Line (MML) – in some cases the first for 45 years - it is perhaps opportune to see how things have changed. Bill Hemstock shows us a log on a route that no longer exists between York and Sheffield at a time when, unusually, there were no mining-related TSRs.
We also look at another route which no longer exists – the line northwards from Melton Mowbray to Nottingham in 1966 - and finally an unusually lightweight load on a train from St. Pancras.
YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND – Bill Hemstock
Reading through my logs of the 1970s, I was somewhat surprised to find a couple of logs over the former North Midland/York between York and Sheffield and vice versa that were completely devoid of TSRs due to mining subsidence, although northbound I have a 57 mph through Church Fenton noted as signals and the run into York from Chaloners Whin looks slow. In both cases, high numbered platforms on the west side were used, so the 0m 00c in the table here is correct.
The speeds give a clear indication of what was possible given the line limits and PSRs of this era. In both directions, the PTT was 59mins. Was I singularly lucky to experience no TSRs on these two runs - or had coal mining moved on eastwards by 1975? I also find it rather sad to note that Wath Road Junction to Goose Hill Junction was closed completely in 1987 and lifted throughout.
Date 24 September 1975 Date 22 September 1975 Train 1026 ex Derby Train 1400 ex Newcastle Loco 47021 Loco 45061 Load formation 10, 340/355/473 Load formation 9, 314/325/463 Recorder P Hemstock Recorder P Hemstock Miles M C Timing Point m s mph ave miles M C Timing Point m s mph ave 0.00 158 40 SHEFFIELD 0 00 0.00 0 00 YORK 0 00 2.85 161 28 Brightside 4 07 69 41.5 1.95 1 76 Chaloners Whin J 3 56 60 29.7 5.46 163 77 Rotherham 7 38 22* 44.6 7.60 7 48 Bolton Percy 8 32 83 73.7 7.96 164 40 Aldwarke J sb 10 32 71/77 51.7 10.75 10 60 Church Fenton 10 53 71* 80.4 11.39 167 74 Wath Rd J sb 13 21 69* 73.0 14.75 14 60 Milford 14 23 62* 68.6 14.83 171 29 Darfield 16 10 76/78 73.2 16.71 16 57 Burton Salmon 16 23 62* 58.9 18.59 175 10 Cudworth 19 10 63* 75.2 20.94 20 75 Castleford 20 57 32*55 55.5 20.81 177 28 Royston 21 10 69/74 66.7 23.61 23 49 Altofts J sb 24 24 49* 46.5 25.43 181 77 Oakenshaw SJ 25 03 71* 71.3 24.46 185 12 Normanton 25 25 50* 50.2 28.61 185 12 Normanton 28 07 60*/62 62.4 27.65 181 77 Oakenshaw SJ 28 32 73/69 61.4 29.46 186 00 Altofts J sb 28 57 60* 61.2 32.26 177 28 Royston 32 23 71 71.9 32.14 20 75 Castleford 32 14 34*/60 48.9 34.49 175 10 Cudworth 34 23 65* 66.7 36.36 16 57 Burton Salmon 36 58 58* 53.6 38.25 171 29 Darfield 37 20 83 76.5 38.33 14 60 Milford 38 56 60* 59.9 41.69 167 74 Wath Rd J sb 39 57 69* 78.8 42.33 10 60 Church Fenton 43 00 57sig* 59.0 45.11 164 40 Aldwarke J sb 42 37 79 77.1 45.48 7 48 Bolton Percy 45 37 80 72.2 47.61 162 00 Rotherham 45 31 25* 51.7 51.13 1 76 Chaloners Whin J 49 56 61* 78.5 50.23 161 28 Brightside 48 59 64 45.2 53.08 0 00 YORK 54 08 53.08 158 40 SHEFFIELD 53 37 36.9
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Milepost 34¾ -256 - January 2014 MML IN THE 1960s – David Ashley
Looking initially at the run behind D67 in May 1966 (Run 1), this must have been shortly before the direct line from Melton Mowbray to Nottingham was closed. Today, it seems incomprehensible that a train would run non-stop from St. Pancras to Nottingham, but equally it would seem unlikely that a train would run from Leicester to Sheffield, at a time when Trent was still a major junction, without stopping at either Derby or Leicester. In the new timetable the 17.45 from St Pancras waits in Nottingham for 19 minutes before heading towards Derby, where it arrives 16 minutes after the 18.25 from St. Pancras. The 18.15 from St Pancras heads along the Erewash Valley line after waiting in Nottingham for 26 minutes and eventually arrives in Chesterfield 31 minutes after the 18.25 from St Pancras. Consequently, it seems that long-distance passengers are being directed to specific fast trains and intermediate travel is suffering. At peak times the fast Sheffield trains leave St. Pancras at 16.57, 17.57, 18.25 and 18.57, which is less than in the standard pattern.
Our train in 1966 comprised eight coaches – also an extravagance in the 21st Century. Reasonable progress was made upon leaving St. Pancras, although the slowing to 70 mph at Elstree is unexplained. Speed recovered to 82 mph at Radlett but in those days there was a speed restriction through St. Albans and we recovered to 86 mph through Luton. Speed continued at around 80 mph onwards along the Bedford avoiding line and towards Sharnbrook but the 73 mph there was disappointing – 78 mph being normal. Speed recovered to 79 mph through Irchester before the slowing to 67 mph through Wellingborough – a limit still unaltered 47 years later. The transfer to the Corby line at Kettering Junction was taken at 15 mph, and the train then accelerated to 47 mph through the station and 53 mph at Glendon South Junction. Once on the Corby line, progress in the 1960s was at an advantage compared with today: the limit nowadays is just 60 mph until Manton, whereas in 1966 the train was travelling through Corby at 76 mph, 73 mph through Manton and 80 mph at Ashwell. Speed was falling through Melton Mowbray, at 60 mph, in anticipation of a slowing to 41 mph at Melton Junction and the diversion to the Nottingham line. Speed then recovered to 66 mph through Grimston but fell to 47 mph beyond Old Dalby before recovering to 80 mph through Widmerpool. Progress beyond was hampered by restrictions culminating in a 17 mph TSR through Edwalton. In spite of these delays, which probably cost about four minutes, arrival in Nottingham was six minutes early.
Whilst everything at the south end in Run 1 was normal for the time, that could not be said of Run 2. I suspect the MML timetable had changed at the date of this run, and it then comprised a fast train to Sheffield consisting of eight coaches, followed by a stopping train to Leicester with a limited load of six coaches, which arrived in Leicester just before the following fast train. Why the fast train in Run 2 was limited to five coaches I don’t know, but they may have substituted a short train due to a stock shortage. Whilst the resulting log shows significant time savings, due to the improved acceleration, it must not be forgotten that, in spite of the lighter train, the effect of the heavy locomotive results in a power:weight ratio of about 7.6, compared with around 12 for an HST. In spite of this, the locomotive seemingly was able to ignore most gradients and speed was maintained in the mid to high 80s where possible. However, all this was to no avail, as signals from Kibworth and subsequently a 10 minute wait outside Leicester for a platform resulted in a six minute late arrival. A net time of 76 minutes is quite impressive.
For those interested in other closed MML lines, readers are referred to Bevan Price’s article in Milepost 18¼ (available from the Milepost Online section of the RPS website) which covers the line from Derby, via Matlock, to Manchester during the final years of steam and the early diesel era.
Milepost 34¾ -257 - January 2014
Table Run 1 2 Date 28 May 1966 01 June 1968 Train 1750 St Pancras 1555 St Pancras Loco D67 D144 Load formation 8,290/304 5,170/190 Recorder D Ashley D Ashley miles Timing Point m s mph ave m s mph ave 0.00 ST PANCRAS 0 00 1L 0 00 1.55 Kentish Town 3 30 53 26.6 3 25 61 27.2 5.10 Cricklewood 7 00 72 60.9 6 36 76 66.9 6.95 Hendon 8 27 78 76.6 8 00 79 79.3 9.35 Mill Hill 9 46 82 81.5 12.40 Elstree 13 02 70 71.3 11 58 85 83.2 15.20 Radlett 15 43 82 62.6 13 54 88/90/78 86.9 19.55 St Albans 19 04 64 77.9 17 10 80 79.9 24.60 Harpenden 22 59 82 77.4 20 36 85 88.3 30.25 Luton 27 12 86 80.4 24 33 84 85.8 32.75 Leagrave 29 02 82 81.8 26 18 87 85.7 37.25 Harlington 32 30 80 77.9 29 25 90 86.6 40.20 Flitwick 34 27 75 90.8 31 25 87 88.5 49.95 Bedford N J 42 13 79 75.3 38 03 87/84/90 88.2 53.00 Oakley 44 29 81 80.7 56.70 Sharnbrook 47 14 73 80.7 42 35 86 89.3 62.70 Irchester 52 06 79 74.0 46 51 90 84.4 65.05 Wellingborough 54 13 67 66.6 48 41 65 76.9 68.25 Finedon 51 08 85/90 78.4 70.70 Kettering J 59 28 15X 64.6 52 53 83 84.0 72.00 Kettering 62 41 47 24.2 53 46 84 88.3 74.60 Glendon S J 65 20 53 58.9 55 38 83 83.6 79.50 Corby 69 16 76 74.7 83.00 Gretton 72 08 69 73.3 90.15 Manton 78 07 73 71.7 93.80 Oakham 80 51 78 80.1 96.90 Ashwell 83 14 80 78.0 99.20 Whissendine 84 58 73 79.6 103.85 Melton Mowbray 89 40 60/41 59.4 109.20 Grimston 95 04 66 59.4 111.40 Old Dalby 97 06 62/47 64.9 115.25 Widmerpool 101 00 80 59.2 118.10 Plumtree 103 15 68/44 76.0 120.65 Edwalton 108 21 17tsr/28 30.0 123.50 NOTTINGHAM Mid 113 00 6E 36.8 78.00 Desborough 58 07 85 82.1 82.95 Market Harborough 61 41 58 83.3 86.50 East Langton 64 30 84 75.6 88.95 Kibworth 66 34 64 71.1 90.55 Wistow 68 03 78/85 64.7 95.40 Wigston Magna 71 48 48/70/ss 10m 77.6 99.10 LEICESTER Lon Rd 88 07 6L 13.6
Milepost 34¾ -258 - January 2014 The Bournemouth Line electrification June 1965 to July 1967
A personal view
Part 3 – Summer 1966
Martin Barrett
In the Summer of 1966 I spent more time on the Bournemouth line ‘proper’ rather than on railtours, although these did come along from time to time. The engineering work had moved westwards by this time with less local line running on the Waterloo to Worting Junction section but more disruptive single line working (SLW) west of Brockenhurst. I will deal with the journeys in direction order this time.
On 21 May (Run 1) Merchant Navy (MN) Class No. 35030 was in charge of the 08.30 from Waterloo which was routed all the way over to the Windsor lines before crossing back to the main – hence a two minute loss to Clapham Junction. A really quite modest run followed with nothing spectacular to Worting Junction with 64 mph at Hampton Court Junction and only a recovery to 63 mph at Byfleet after the tsr through Esher. You had the impression little change was made to the regulator as speed slowly dropped to 53 mph at MP31 and only rose to 68 mph by Fleet. The loco was free running and exceeded 80 mph down the gradient from Roundwood and we would have met the 93½ minute booking to Southampton had we not been stopped outside. The less said about the onwards journey to Bournemouth the better – over an hour for less than 30 miles! Six days later MN No. 35012 was on the same train (Run 2). The running was very similar, but various checks put us five minutes behind 35030 at MP31 but with slightly more vigour we were only ½ minute behind at Wallers Ash before a tsr and then signals intervened, but once again we were three minutes down at Southampton. The SLW had been withdrawn by now so with only a short stop outside Bournemouth all the lost time was recovered with a maximum speed of 75 mph before the tsr down Hinton Admiral bank. Unrebuilt West Country (WC) Class 34023 worked forward from Bournemouth on five vehicles. It did quite adequately just about keeping the schedule until we left Dorchester. There then followed one of the most noisy exploits I have ever heard from an unrebuilt pacific. On passing Dorchester Junction the regulator was opened full so we accelerated quickly down the 1 in 117 and cleared Bincombe summit at the top of the 1 in 91 at 54 mph. Needless to say, the engine was eased at that point.
It was July before I ventured down the Bournemouth line via Basingstoke again. Arriving at Waterloo I was faced with either the 09.24 with Standard Class 5 No. 73119 and nine vehicles or the 09.33 with WC No. 34095 on 10. Despite the 09.33 calling at Surbiton and Woking, I decided the Standard 5 was a better bet for getting a clear run (Run 3). As it happened I appear to have made the correct decision as Mr. R. A. Knight was on the 09.33 and it was checked many times behind 09.24. 73119 made quite a good effort, passing Clapham Junction in less than seven minutes and with speeds in the low 60 mphs was half a minute to the good by Hampton Court Junction. The tsr at Walton soon put an end to this, but the 53 mph at West Byfleet was maintained all the way to MP31 and with speed hovering around 60 mph again, Basingstoke was reached in less than 58 minutes, four better than scheduled. With 45 minutes allowed for the next 32 miles to Southampton you would have thought this would not have overstretched any engine, but with seven signal checks, the first before Worting Junction, and one tsr, it took no less than 51 minutes for the journey, with a brief 70 mph at Weston being the best speed on offer. Fortunately the road forward to Bournemouth was virtually clear so with quite unremarkable speeds, seven minutes were recovered to New Milton (not a very usual calling pattern) with only a brief maximum of 65 mph after Beaulieu Road and another five minutes to Bournemouth. A month later I tried the
Milepost 34¾ -259 - January 2014 Run No 1 2 3 Date 21 May 1966 27 May 1966 09 July 1966 Train 0830 Waterloo 0830 Waterloo 0924 Waterloo Loco 35030 35012 to B'mth 73119 34023 from B'mth Load 11/370/400 11/365/396 to B'mth 9/300/318 5/167/180 from B'mth m ch location sch m s mph m s mph sch m s mph 0 11 Waterloo 0 0 00 1L 0 00 0 0 00 sigs Windsor XTL 1 29 Vauxhall 4 27 -/48 3 45 30/45 3 23 34/48 4 00 Clapham Jn 7 9 02 39 7 43 40/39 7 6 52 43/42 5 47 Earlsfield 11 07 51 9 54 48 8 59 49 7 25 Wimbledon 13 05 52 11 58 53 11 05 52 8 60 Raynes Park 14 47 56 13 37 57 12 48 55 9 60 New Malden 15 49 61 14 39 60 13 53 57 11 00 Berrylands 17 04 59 15 54 61 15 11 59/57 12 00 Surbiton 18 06 61 16 54 60/22tsr 16 13 60/63 14 28 Esher 21 35 21tsr 21 47 25 18 33 64 16 00 Hersham 24 22 49 24 29 46 20 02 63 17 08 Walton 25 33 53 25 45 51 21 03 45/tsr21 19 09 Weybridge 27 55 57 28 04 59 25 40 38 20 34 Byfleet 29 15 63 29 17 65 27 20 50 21 60 West Byfleet 30 32 61 30 34 64 28 55 53 24 25 Woking 33 02 60 33 17 sigs 31 47 51 24 60 Woking Jn 33 33 32 60 33 56 46/48 34 32 20 53/52 28 00 Brookwood 36 52 57 39 00 sig 36 04 53/51 39 30 stop 31 00 MP31 40 07 53 45 32 46 39 34 53 33 20 Farnborough 42 26 62 47 57 60 41 57 59 36 40 Fleet 45 29 67/68 51 02 66/67 45 08 62/63 39 60 Winchfield 48 28 61/60 54 01 63 48 18 60/57 42 20 Hook 50 56 61/62/44s 56 15 71/73 50 49 63/58/63 47 60 Basingstoke 56 52 49 60 56 65 62 57 52 0 0 00 - /34/sig 50 20 Worting Jn 60 59 56 52 63 24 60 5½ 6 10 18 52 40 Wootton 63 33 16 65 43 58 10 52 39/50/41s 56 00 Roundwood 68 28 52 69 04 63 15 36 47 58 00 Micheldever 70 25 68 70 51 68 17 47 63 60 15 Weston 72 09 77 72 41 77 19 45 70/19s/44 62 00 Wallers Ash 73 37 81/82 74 10 75/26tsr /tsr26 64 23 Winchester Jn 76 75 24 76 78 06 46 23 27 37 41/47 sigs 66 40 Winchester 77 10 73 80 19 65 30 35 35s/52/32s 69 49 Shawford 79 37 82 82 48 78 35 14 46/59/31s 73 33 Eastleigh 84½ 82 45 69 86 55 28s 35 40 22 45 74 60 Southampton Apt 83 52 71 89 00 53 41 52 54 75 56 Swaythling 84 43 67 90 06 60/63 42 56 60 77 09 St Denys 86 40 27s 91 25 61 44 20 32 77 69 45 37 sig 78 00 sigs 2 45 50 stop 78 19 Northam Jn 90 90 45 93 03 22/25 42 47 58 92 48 sig 93 20 stop 79 18 Southampton 93½ 96 35 96 15 45 51 15
Milepost 34¾ -260 - January 2014 4 5 6 8 13 Aug 1966 27 August 1966 30 August 1966 07 Sept 1966 0830 Waterloo 0924 Waterloo 0830 Waterloo 1030 Waterloo 34019 D6532 34102 35023
11TC units 10/338/355 404/405/408 11/369/390 11/369/389 to Soton 355/373 9/303/319 Soton-Bmth sch m s mph sch m s mph sch m s mph sch m s mph 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 00
3 05 37/48 3 00 39/49 3 29 30/47 3 31 32/47 7 6 52 39 7 6 30 38 7 7 37 34 7 7 20 40 9 08 47 8 52 48 10 01 41 9 32 51 11 18 50 10 47 58 12 12 52 11 32 56 13 03 54 12 17 64/65 13 55 55 13 05 60 14 09 58 13 13 63 15 01 58 14 05 62 15 28 57 14 27 60 16 18 56 15 18 62 16 37 50/29tsr 15 38 42/31tsr 17 29 48/28tsr 16 17 64 20 33 42 19 40 46 21 40 43 18 35 62 22 23 54 21 29 57 23 43 49 20 03 65 23 28 57/54 22 30 61 24 55 54/52 20 59 64 25 48 57/60 24 35 65/70 27 18 54/60 23 38 24tsr 27 05 59 25 42 69 28 40 57 26 10 44 28 29 56 26 54 67 30 07 54 28 01 48 31 49 20/10s 29 09 65 33 02 49 30 59 52 33 33 58 34 29 37 65 33 33 38 48 34 31 31 56/58 39 32 41 32 37 65 37 55 42 34 59 57/59
43 39 48 35 26 63/67 42 33 37 38 07 57/59/42s 46 12 56 37 28 65/67 45 43 45 40 53 50 49 34 60 40 27 66 50 16 35/46 44 52 62/65 52 59 54 43 32 60/66 54 57 44 47 29 61 55 43 58/65 46 02 57/53s 58 10 48/53 49 52 65/69 61 10 57 62 52 37 64 50 45 56 20 28s/35 0 0 00 /37/sigs 30 sigs 29 60 63 58 51/52 5½ 5 10 32 60 68 31 38/36 60 61 31 32 66 55 25s/49/36s 8 26 49 72 05 37/44/32 65 05 40/54/21s 72 23 44 12 02 62 77 42 39 70 47 40 74 29 64 13 53 67 80 23 51 73 12 60 76 27 69/17s 15 49 72 82 48 58/60 75 13 69 80 09 26 18 07 36/47 84 40 56/35tsr 78 38 24/21tsr 76 83 43 52/58 23 21 42 35tsr 76 87 50 54 76 82 53 55
79½ 86 24 24 18 57/60/46s 90 07 63 84 57 67/50s 27 51 57 93 01 69 89 15 64/72 35 31 21 72 84 96 27 63 84½ 92 37 66 32 27 69 97 42 60 93 40 61 33 18 68 98 43 58 94 50 57 34 35 42 100 07 52 96 20 53
sigs 42 36 13 90 101 52 90 98 23
45 38 55 93½ 105 45 93 101 53
Milepost 34¾ -261 - January 2014 . Run No 1 2 3 Date 21 May 1966 27 May 1966 09 July 1966 Train 0830 Waterloo 0830 Waterloo 0924 Waterloo Loco 35030 35012 to B'mth 73119 34023 from B'mth Load 11/370/400 11/365/396 to B'mth 9/300/318 5/167/180 from B'mth m ch location sch m s mph m s mph sch m s mph 79 18 Southampton 101 50 0 00 0 0 00 81 74 Redbridge 4 48 47 5 32 47 5 4 50 49 82 40 Totton 5 36 51/54 6 20 51 5 37 51/52/49 85 32 Lyndhurst Road 9 02 52/59 9 36 59/64 9 14 51/56 88 00 Beaulieu Road 11 41 54/63 12 02 61/70 12 04 53/65 92 65 Brockenhurst 16 36 55 16 19 63 16 49 62 93 60 Lymington Jn 17 17 44 51/47 17 18 60/57 21 17 52 55/48 95 45 Sway 19 53 51 19 04 60/72 19 56 52/60 98 45 New Milton 24 43 sig 21 41 69/75 31 23 37 26 10 stop 0 0 00 29 05 sig 32 45 stop -/31 101 00 Hinton Admiral 38 52 sig 23 56 44 4 17 53 42 10 stop tsr 46 SLW Xup tsr 40 tsr 21/30 104 28 Christchurch 50 10 25 X Down 28 35 47 8 15 56 106 23 Pokesdown 55 33 20 30 51 53 10 27 47 106 60 Boscombe 57 04 23 31 25 53/ss21s 11 07 45/sigs 108 01 Bournemouth 37½ 60 40 34 33 19 13 52 0 00 /46 110 53 Branksome 5 42 34 112 00 Parkstone 7 36 54/60 113 62 Poole 10 10 32 0 0 00 /42 116 00 Hamworthy Jn 4 34 37 118 60 Holton Heath 7 35 66 120 70 Wareham 10 10 18 0 0 00 122 00 Worgret Jn 2 48 33 125 70 Wool 7 05 61/57
130 24 Moreton 11 40 64/66 135 71 Dorchester South 18 17 55 0 0 00 162 14 Dorchester Jn 164 34 Bincombe Summit 4 16 54 166 30 Upwey 6 19 65 167 60 Radipole Halt 8 05 42 168 59 Weymouth 12 10 10 08.30 down (Run 4) of which I had high hopes with a non-stop run to Winchester. I was a little dismayed to find unrebuilt WC No. 34019 in charge of 10 vehicles. Not sparkling! but a tsr after Surbiton and a very severe check to 10 mph after Woking did not help. I suppose the recovery to 48 mph at MP31 wasn’t too bad. However, we then just meandered along at around 60 mph, losing three minutes in the process on a slack 30 minute schedule to Worting Junction. We then ran into the usual plethora of signal checks to lose even more time to Winchester where thankfully I left the train. Two weeks later I sampled the 09.24 again and –shock horror - it had been turned over to Class 33 diesel traction with TC trailer.
Milepost 34¾ -262 - January 2014 5 7 8 27 August 1966 30 August 1966 07 Sept 1966 0924 Waterloo 1040 Southampton 1030 Waterloo D6532 73110 35023
11TC units 404/405/408 9+BG/332/347 11/369/389 to Soton 355/373 9/303/319 fm Soton sch m s mph sch m s mph sch m s mph 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 00 5 4 55 46 5 5 25 41 5 15 40 5 47 47 6 17 46/40 6 43 21tsr 9 15 55/63 10 24 45/50 11 49 48/60 11 42 60/68/s/9/60 13 34 46/52/16s 14 26 57/68 18 58 57 19 23 10 18 51 58 21 21 02 55 17 19 55 55/50 23 42 18/51 21 57 57 31 29 39 24 51 65/62
3 48 61/65 27 12 68/72
7 34 20sig 30 03 66 11 42 35 32 15 44 12 29 38/sig 32 48 41 19 16 08 37 35 43 0 00 /45 0 0 00 /52 5 47 34 4 30 37/47 7 51 51/55 6 37 32s/46/ss45s 11 11 15 10 11 38 0 0 00 0 0 00 /51 4 33 29 3 42 38 8 00 61 6 36 66/s 10 11 15 10 9 55 0 00 3 2 25 37/61 8 7 30
6 42 53/67 13 13 22 0 0 00 1.5 0 47 32/43 s22 8 23 ss to 8m55s sigs 11 15 25 units (Run 5). Not to be seen as a stick-in-the -mud I still joined it to compare the performance with that some weeks earlier.
For a relatively small diesel on 11 it did rather well, through Clapham in 6½ minutes and up to 65 mph by New Malden. From 70 mph around Byfleet speed only dropped to 63 mph by MP31, passed in just under 35½ minutes despite the tsr after Surbiton so that with speeds only in the mid 60s nearly 10 minutes was chopped off the schedule to Basingstoke. Fortunately, the path on to Southampton was better than in run 2 so with only two signal checks and one tsr the 32 miles only took 39 minutes with a couple of maxima of 72 mph.
Milepost 34¾ -263 - January 2014 Run No 9 12 13 Date 21 May 1966 03 July 1966 09 July 1966 Train 1232 Bournemouth 1625 Weymouth 1210 Bournemouth LCGB Green Arrow tour Loco 35029 34002+45493to B'mth 35014 34002 from B'mth Load 12/400/440 9/305/330 9/302/320 to Soton 11+ 1 386/410 onwds m ch location sch m s mph sch m s mph sch m s mph 168 58 Weymouth 0 0 00 T 167 60 Radipole Halt 2 58 32 166 30 Upwey 5 40 26 164 40 Summit 12 08 15/45 162 14 Dorchester Jn 13 16 07 *
Dorchester 135 71 South 17 03 28/59
130 24 Moreton 23 47 58/69 125 70 Wool 27 57 65
122 00 Worgret Jn 30 31 53 45 120 70 Wareham 33 20 52/51
118 60 Holton Heath 35 47 55 116 00 Hamworthy Jn 39 13 34/39 113 62 Poole 40 43 30 25/39
112 00 Parkstone 46 52 25 110 53 Branksome 49 50 30/42 108 01 Bournemouth 51 54 35 0 0 00 5L 55 63 05 0 0 00 106 60 Boscombe 4 04 44 3 37 43 3 40 37 106 23 Pokesdown 4 45 50/51/ss5m38s 4 17 51/59 4 27 43/52 104 28 Christchurch 14 25 sig 6 18 57 6 45 49 15 05 stop SLW tsr25/40 tsr tsr 39/37/end 101 00 Hinton Admiral 22 56 SLW 11 17 18 11 31 23/tsr19 98 45 New Milton 26 25 57/60 16 23 45/58 16 47 42/56 95 45 Sway 29 30 57 19 48 55 20 15 54 93 60 Lymington Jn 31 17 62 18 21 38 60 22 22 08 59 92 60 Brockenhurst 32 12 66/77 22 37 63/66 23 07 61/48/56 88 00 Beaulieu Road 36 16 70/71 27 13 55/59 28 28 49/50 85 32 Lyndhurst Road 38 27 64/65 27 30 38 31 30 48 37 40 45 sigs 21 82 40 Totton 41 28 53 5 28 48 36 37 24 81 74 Redbridge 42 10 52 5 6 10 50 45 38 02 29/31 80 14 Millbrook 8 17 44 /s21/25 79 18 Southampton 46 02 10 9 35 29 50 45 08 where conditions allowed. Many checks ruined the run forward to Bournemouth, but the schedule was still cut over both legs. The complete formation went forward to Weymouth and the diesel proved master of its task over this section of the route with 60 mph being attained between most stations.
This being August Bank Holiday weekend, I ventured out on the following Tuesday and caught the 08.30 again (Run 6), this time fast to Southampton it being a weekday. Once.
Milepost 34¾ -264 - January 2014 14 15 16 27 August 1966 30 August 1966 07 Sept 1966 1130 1330 Weymouth Brockenhurst 1406 Wareham
35027 45493 34100 +76061 to D'chester 10/336/355 11/372/388 5/168/176 to B'mth 11/372/390 fm B'mth sch m s mph sch m s mph sch m s mph 0 0 00 2 36 33/34 5 20 22s/26 10 02 23/50 13 13 50 23 15 23 reverse 15 40 16 17 00 0 0 00 7 27 61/58/68 12 12 18 0 0 00 -/55 5 5 57 42 8 8 08 0 0 00 0 0 00 4 13 51/56 3 52 58/64 7 27 38/45 6 44 46/52 11 11 32 11 10 06 0 0 00 0 0 00 /41 4 17 30/33 3 48 37/44 6 52 30/48 5 55 32/52 10 11 17 10 9 43 0 0 00 0 0 00 3 53 40 4 00 39 4 36 49/61 4 44 48/60 6 43 59/56 6 53 58/54
10 03 59/53 10 22 56/50 12 46 60/64 13 16 53/62 15 41 62 16 19 58 19 17 25 60 18 08 62 18 23 63/75 0 0 00 /52 19 08 61 22 31 69/72 7 41 46/52 24 12 50/59 24 44 59/62 10 42 50/56 26 55 55 sigs sigs 38 28 53 22 14 03 50 30 45 40 31½ 30 30 33/38 17½ 14 47 48 31 43 37/40 /s24 /s13 s/27/30 36½ 35 40 22½ 19 53 36 37 33 again I was ‘treated’ to an unrebuilt WC pacific, this time No. 34102, on 11 vehicles. I know this loco had a reputation for good performances, but not this time. It was in pretty poor shape, taking nearly 106 minutes to Southampton non-stop with only two tsrs! The ‘highlight’ of the journey was 69 mph through Shawford, being one of the few times the loco got near 60 mph. To summarise the ‘low lights’, 60 mph near Byfleet falling to 37 mph at MP31, 53 mph after Hook falling to 36 mph by Wootton and then after a brief 44 mph, a further fall to 32 mph
Milepost 34¾ -265 - January 2014 Run No 9 10 11 Date 21 May 1966 12 June 1966 12 June 1966 Train 1232 Bournemouth 1208 Southampton 1912 Southampton
Loco 35029 35026 34093 Load 12/400/440 11/368/385 12/404/435 79 18 Southampton 0 00 0 0 00 0 00 78 19 Northam Jn 4 05 3 3 55 4 10 77 09 St Denys 5 55 42 5 45 39 6 07 39 75 56 Swaythling 7 51 45 7 45 43/46 8 08 44 74 60 Southampton Apt 8 58 50 9½ 9 11 9 18 49 sigs 0 0 00 /ss 55s 73 33 Eastleigh 11 18 24 5 7 35 10 54 51/53 0 0 00 69 49 Shawford 16 38 54 7 47 41/42 15 30 48 66 40 Winchester 19 52 59 12½ 12 33 19 28 47/45 0 0 00 64 23 Winchester Jn 22 00 61 5½ 5 06 39 22 15 46 62 00 Wallers Ash 24 21 61 8 37 44 25 22 46 60 15 Weston 26 07 62 11 05 46/47 27 43 47 58 00 Micheldever 28 18 61 13 57 46 30 28 49
56 00 Roundwood 30 21 55/31tsr 16 33 47 32 55 47 52 40 Wootton 35 30 52 20 22 60/17tsr 36 44 58 50 20 Worting Jn 37 46 61 24½ 25 32 32/51 42 00 19tsr 47 60 Basingstoke 40 06 66/72 28½ 29 08 45 35 58/68 0 0 00 42 20 Hook 44 48 70/68 7 47 63 50 38 67/63 39 60 Winchfield 46 54 76/78 10 08 66 52 50 68/74 36 40 Fleet 49 30 75/77 12 53 74/75 55 35 66/60s 33 20 Farnborough 52 07 72 15 34 72 58 43 65 31 00 MP31 53 58 69/73 17 30 66/73 60 49 62/69 28 00 Brookwood 56 27 72/75/s59 20 39 22tsr 63 27 67 24 60 Woking Jn 59 25 64 25 17 57 67 09 37s 24 25 Woking 59 52 67 30 26 00 68 25 24 0 0 00 LL 21 60 West Byfleet 61 57 76 4 41 58 72 29 51 20 34 Byfleet 62 56 79 5 55 63 73 55 57 19 09 Weybridge 64 03 69 7 22 55 75 18 54/16s 17 08 Walton 65 55 67 9 32 66 79 35 19 16 00 Hersham 66 53 56/23tsr 10 26 69 83 00 16tsr 14 28 Esher 70 27 11 43 70/23s 86 08 13 27 Hampton Ct Jn 72 10 48 17 13 43 24 XTL 87 38 47 12 00 Surbiton 73 44 55 16 01 45 89 13 54 11 00 Berrylands 74 48 61 17 17 55 90 18 58 9 60 New Malden 76 02 59 18 37 59 91 35 59 8 60 Raynes Park 77 04 59 19 37 60 92 36 59 7 25 Wimbledon 78 40 56 21 04 62/67 94 03 61 5 47 Earlsfield 80 32 56 22 39 64 95 48 56 4 00 Clapham Jn 82 31 39/48 28 24 29 37/47 97 43 39/50 1 29 Vauxhall 86 10 28 11 101 24 32 0 11 Waterloo 89 08 35 31 09 104 37 before Roundwood. I can think of no other reason for this dismal performance than shortage of steam caused by poor coal or poor preparation. Having abandoned the 08.30, I caught the 08.35 forward to Brockenhurst (Run 7, the 10.40 from Southampton) with Standard Class 5 No. 73110 – another dismal journey. Why didn’t I stay at home? .
Milepost 34¾ -266 - January 2014 12 13 14 15 03 July 1966 09 July 1966 27 August 1966 30 August 1966 1625 Weymouth 1210 Bournemouth 1330 Weymouth 1130 Brockenhurst Green Arrow railtour 34002 from B'mouth 35014 35027 45493 9/305/330 11+ 1 386/410 10/336/355 11/372/388 10 9 35 29 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 00 13 12 02 * 4 3 42 4 3 38 4 5 10 15s 14 10 36 5 45 35 5 45 36 8 50 26/28 16 20 43 8 03 38 7 50 45 11 59 26 17 35 47 9 25 40 8 55 50 13 45 35 sigs 20 20 19 23 45/34 12 12 19 24 11 10 31 56 12 16 35 0 0 00 SL 31/20 25 22 42 19 30 42/44 14 38 59 10 12 26/36 29 28 50 24 35 24s 17 48 60/61 13 16 02 0 0 00 32 05 48 27 28 59 33 24½ 19 55 59 5½ 5 22 37/39 35 01 50 32 50 40 24 07 16tsr 10 25 16tsr 37 09 53 35 27 44/ss 45s 28 24 39 14 31 36 39 28 59 41 46 stop 31 23 49 17 55 39 42 20 41 33 55/61 48 25 32 33 46 51/65 21 03 38/52 45 05 59 53 14 51/23s 37 16 63 25 30 46/43 50 51 01 16tsr/45 46 57 12 33/42/27s 43½ 39 30 59 24½ 28 28 50/51 54 55 22 61 25 41 44 73/79 28½ 32 12 58 61 35 7 50 64 68 07 57 46 06 74 9 57 78 70 38 61/67 48 03 78 14 04 19tsr 73 37 66/68 50 25 84/85 18 42 51 76 35 65 52 48 81 21 09 56 78 42 61/65 54 28 78/86 23 54 72/st25s 82 03 32tsr 56 38 84/88 28 31 45 26s 73 86 34 51 69½ 59 01 80 33 23 18 XTL 87 06 57 59 23 77
36 38 62 89 32 65 61 28 63s 37 50 69/70 90 40 67 62 40 68 38 55 67 91 55 65 63 48 67/65 40 51 70 94 00 61 65 40 70 41 43 70 94 57 65 66 30 74 43 03 69 96 21 62 67 45 72 43 44 03 68 88 97 25 64 85½ 68 41 67 45 13 67/65 98 42 61/60 71 16 28s 19/13tsr 46 08 67 99 42 61 73 52 s 47 18 65 100 55 62 79 05 26 48 16 62 101 57 57 80 57 44 49 43 61 103 25 58 82 50 53 51 27 59 105 14 60 84 40 62 53 53 18 38/47 98 107 00 39/54 96½ 86 34 38/50 57 00 34 110 30 38 90 26 36 60 60 27 105 113 55 103½ 93 15
In early September, to end the summer, I tried the 10.30 down (Run 8) with MN No. 35023 on 11 coaches with the load reducing as we went along. The start was quite brisk, being ½ minute up at Hampton Court Junction, passed at 66 mph, but after that things went downhill rather rapidly. From the tsr at Walton speed recovered to the upper 50s and this was
Milepost 34¾ -267 - January 2014 maintained to MP31, but after that signal checks intervened all the way to Eastleigh with speed being cut back every time we reached the upper 60s – net result a nine minute loss on schedule. With nothing startling on to Bournemouth and then a stop outside Poole it was a dismal way to finish the summer.
In the up direction there were a few bright periods. The first of these was on 21 May with MN No. 35029 on the 12.32 from Bournemouth with a good load of 12 on. Already five minutes late from Bournemouth, we were further delayed by SLW taking no less than 23 minutes for the first eight miles to Hinton Admiral. However, a bit of sparkling running reeled off the 19½ miles from New Milton to Southampton in 19½ minutes with a maximum of 77 mph after Brockenhurst. After only a three minute call at Southampton we then were knocked back to 24 mph through Eastleigh. There then followed running of the highest order with speed up the climb to Roundwood maintained in the low 60s. After the tsr before Wootton, speed was back to 61 mph by Worting Junction and with a maximum of 78 mph after Winchfield we reeled off the 34¼ miles from Worting Junction to Hersham in 29m 07s despite the slight check through Woking. With a clear run in after the tsr near Esher, the time of 89 minutes was very respectable compared to some other runs.
Run No 16 Date 07 Sept 1966 Train 1406 Wareham The following month I managed two round Loco 34100 trips to Southampton, the outward journeys Load 5/168/176 to B'mth 11/372/390 fm via Alton being detailed later, but the B'mth eastbound trips ran the normal route. In m ch location sch m s mph Run 10, MN No. 35026 on 11 coaches 120 70 Wareham 0 0 00 didn’t have to do much to keep the 118 60 Holton Heath 3 52 58/64 schedule with speed in the upper 40s to 116 00 Hamworthy Jn 6 44 46/52 Roundwood losing a minute or two in the 113 62 Poole 11 10 06 process. Time was then regained by a 0 0 00 /41 spirited effort after Basingstoke with speed 112 00 Parkstone 3 48 37/44 in the mid 70s and despite running local 110 53 Branksome 5 55 32/52 line from Woking to Hampton Court 108 01 Bournemouth 10 9 43 Junction the 35 minute schedule to 0 0 00 Waterloo was easily beaten with a virtually 106 60 Boscombe 4 00 39 clear run. Later that day WC No. 34093 on 106 23 Pokesdown 4 44 48/60 12 performed very similarly with speed 104 28 Christchurch 6 53 58/54 again in the mid 40s up to Roundwood, but 101 00 Hinton Admiral 10 22 56/50 98 45 New Milton 13 16 53/62 although running main line throughout it 95 45 Sway 16 19 58 was obvious we were hard on the heels of 93 60 Lymington Jn 18 08 62 another train with three checks in from 92 60 Brockenhurst 19 08 61 Fleet so it took 104½ minutes to reach 88 00 Beaulieu Road 24 12 50/59 Waterloo. On 3 July the LCGB ran the 85 32 Lyndhurst Road 26 55 55/38s Green Arrow Railtour – without a green 82 40 Totton 30 45 40 arrow as V2 No. 60928 had failed - so WC 81 74 Redbridge 31 43 37/40 No. 34002 with Black Five No. 45493 (the 80 14 Millbrook s/27/30 regular Poole to Newcastle engine) 79 18 Southampton 36 37 33 assisting to Bournemouth.
On only 9 vehicles speed fell to an incredibly low 15 mph up to Bincombe summit, losing three minutes to Dorchester Junction. Running was hardly spectacular after that with another half a minute being lost on to Bournemouth. I hoped that matters would improve after Bournemouth where the Black Five was detached, but a severe tsr through Hinton Admiral spoiled any good running so even more time was lost to the photo stop at Lyndhurst Road. Departing there, we had managed to lose 10½ minutes from Weymouth, but far from
Milepost 34¾ -268 - January 2014 . Run No 16 17 Date 07 Sept 1966 18 Sept 1966 Train 1406 Wareham 1613 Southampton Loco 34100 34100 Load 11/372/390 8/270/298 79 18 Southampton 0 0 00 0 0 00 78 19 Northam Jn 4 3 35 4 3 52 77 09 St Denys 5 17 41 6 00 37 75 56 Swaythling 7 27 35s 8 04 43 74 60 Southampton Apt 8 48 44 9 12 50 73 33 Eastleigh 11 10 32 51/56 11 11 20 27s 69 49 Shawford 14 55 54 17 05 49 66 40 Winchester 18 23 55 20 51 52 64 23 Winchester Jn 20 43 56 23½ 23 22 54 62 00 Wallers Ash 25 03 24tsr 26 08 52 60 15 Weston 28 29 39 28 24 46 58 00 Micheldever 31 33 47/51 31 18 47 56 00 Roundwood 33 59 50 33 55 47 52 40 Wootton 37 35 62/63 37 49 60/61 50 20 Worting Jn 40½ 39 48 62 42½ 40 07 58 47 60 Basingstoke 42 00 72/77 42 35 67/75 42 20 Hook 46 35 68/71 48 53 reverse to 55 30 down/35 39 60 Winchfield 49 19 37tsr stop 61 33 to62m45s 36 40 Fleet 53 22 60 68 36 51/56 33 20 Farnborough 56 31 66 73 15 18 cross to Up 31 00 MP31 58 34 66 77 04 45 28 00 Brookwood 61 05 78 80 17 64 24 60 Woking Jn 64 63 40 75 68½ 82 58 75 24 25 Woking 64 03 75 83 23 77 21 60 West Byfleet 66 06 71 85 18 78 20 34 Byfleet 67 13 70 86 18 78/79 19 09 Weybridge 68 22 65/62 87 22 74 17 08 Walton 70 23 65 89 08 73/72 16 00 Hersham 71 18 67 89 59 74 14 28 Esher 72 40 65 91 16 70 13 27 Hampton Ct Jn 78 73 45 66 81½ 92 16 66 12 00 Surbiton 75 03 60 94 13 24s/19tsr 11 00 Berrylands 76 37 29/23tsr 96 55 26 9 60 New Malden 79 18 40 99 09 43 8 60 Raynes Park 80 44 48 100 23 51 7 25 Wimbledon 82 30 53 102 00 61/62 5 47 Earlsfield 84 26 58 103 44 60 4 00 Clapham Jn 89 86 25 37/42 94½ 105 38 36/49 1 29 Vauxhall 90 40 30s 109 28 37 0 11 Waterloo 96 93 42 101½ 112 23 a dramatic recovery, 34002 could barely reach 50 mph up the climb, but made a last gasp effort to achieve 59 mph at Micheldever – probably anticipating the tsr at Worting Junction followed by the stop at Basingstoke! With at least after six minutes to recover, we set off at a fast pace to reach 78 mph at Winchfield before the tsr at Fleet. Now we were running 15 minutes late we were stopped approaching Woking having lost our path, but once we had cleared there we ran very nicely in the high 60s so no more time was lost. I wonder what a V2 driven by men unused to the loco would have made of this trip?
Milepost 34¾ -269 - January 2014 The following Saturday I came back on the 12.10 from Bournemouth ‘relief’ which had a boat portion attached at Southampton (Run 13). I believe it was driven by Guildford men. Even with a tsr and a signal check it was impossible to string out the journey to any more than 45 minutes from Bournemouth, thus gaining 5 minutes on the schedule! To say this train was squeezed in was an understatement with forward movement being in fits and starts so no less than 57 minutes were taken to Worting Junction. Thankfully, once clear of Basingstoke we had a clear run to Waterloo apart from a tsr at Brookwood, but there seemed a distinct reluctance to make any effort to regain time so we tootled along at just over 60 mph so 11 minutes down at Worting Junction had only been reduced to nine down by Waterloo. After that I had a long layoff with trips in the North-West and Scotland, also a journey on the steam hauled Cambrian Coast Express.
By the end of August, once the fun had finished up north, I was back on the 13.30 from Weymouth with MN No. 35027 on 10 coaches piloted by Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76061 to Dorchester. This shows just how poor the run on 3 July was, as with one vehicle more and a signal check at Upwey, we still were over two minutes quicker to the summit, passed at a creditable 23 mph. The schedules west of Bournemouth are tight and with a full load of 10 on a few seconds were lost on each section. Once we left Bournemouth speed only fell from 59 mph to 53 mph up Hinton Admiral bank and with running up to 75 mph about a minute was clipped off the schedule to Southampton. Leaving Southampton some real effort was put in so we were rolling along at 61 mph by Winchester – four minutes up on schedule – before the crippling tsr at Wallers Ash. Speed had only recovered to 51 mph by Roundwood, but we were still four minutes up at Worting. There followed some of the best running I had recorded for months with 25½ miles from Worting Junction to Woking Junction reeled off in only 19½ minutes – an average of 78½ mph – with a maximum of 88 mph after Brookwood. However, it couldn’t last and signal checks intervened but even so we still reached Waterloo in 93¼ minutes – 10 minutes less than scheduled and this with a loco that was withdrawn in less than four weeks after this run – was this its swansong?
From this to something truly awful – Black Five No. 45493 on the Poole to Newcastle – at least this time on a heavy load of 11 vehicles. At least 22½ minutes to cover the 13½ miles from Brockenhurst to Southampton proved sufficient with a maximum of 56 mph. After that things went rapidly downhill where 40 mph looked far off until we had cleared Roundwood – an 11 minute loss resulted between Southampton and Basingstoke.
To end the summer in this direction we have two runs with WC No. 34100 which looked to be a well maintained machine – it lasted until the end of steam. In Run 16, on a light load from Wareham it reached 64 mph after Holton Heath and then 41 mph up Parkstone bank. The running between Bournemouth and Southampton seemed restrained with speed rarely exceeding 60 mph, but only the checks approaching Southampton stopped it keeping the schedule. Maybe the driver and fireman were keeping refreshed for the task ahead. A rather to brisk start caught the signalman unawares so there was a check before Swaythling, but from passing Eastleigh at 51 mph, 56 mph was reached before the tsr at Wallers Ash. Speed rose to only 51 mph before Roundwood, but speed was into the upper-70s before yet another tsr through Winchfield. Undaunted, we were back into the mid-70s through Woking and, after yet another tsr at Berrylands we still arrived a couple of minutes early into Waterloo in an acceptable 93¾ minutes.
Lastly in Run 17, on a Sunday evening, WC No. 34100 had a light load of only eight coaches. With an easy schedule there was no need to hurry so from the low-50s speed dropped to 47 mph by Roundwood. After Basingstoke speed rose to 75 mph before we were stopped at Hook where we waited for nearly seven minutes before reversing to the down main. I seem to remember a few of us alighted on the grassy mound that was the old platform on the main lines whilst we waited for this manoeuvre - I must be one of the few
Milepost 34¾ -270 - January 2014 Run No 18 Run No 19 20 Date 12 June 1966 Date 12 June 1966 18 Sept 1966 Train 0930 Waterloo Train 1630 Waterloo 1330 Waterloo Loco 34100 Loco 34101 D6517 Load to Woking 10+2vans382/400 +' D6535 from Alton +' D6577 from Alton Load from Woking 10+1van365/382 Load 11/368/390 12/407/432 m ch location m s mph m ch location m s mph m s mph 0 11 Waterloo 0 00 0 11 Waterloo 0 00 0 00 1 29 Vauxhall 3 50 32/46 1 29 Vauxhall 4 25 37/50 3 22 36/50 4 00 Clapham Jn 7 40 38 4 00 Clapham Jn 8 02 42 6 58 41 5 47 Earlsfield 9 51 49 5 47 Earlsfield 10 02 54 9 11 47 7 25 Wimbledon 11 55 53 7 25 Wimbledon 11 53 59 11 15 52 8 60 Raynes Park 13 33 59 8 60 Raynes Park 13 20 63 12 58 54 9 60 New Malden 14 35 58/60 9 60 New Malden 14 17 63 14 23 20 XLL 11 00 Berrylands 15 50 55 11 00 Berrylands 15 31 61 17 02 38/40 12 00 Surbiton 17 37 /LL 12 00 Surbiton 16 32 58 18 38 36 XTL 13 27 Hampton Ct Jn 3 15 40 13 27 Hampton Ct Jn 18 58 22 XLL 20 56 47 14 28 Esher 4 48 54/29s 14 28 Esher 21 37 31/s13 22 15 50 16 00 Hersham 7 25 31 16 00 Hersham 26 02 25 24 08 53 17 08 Walton 10 05 15 XTL 17 08 Walton 28 28 24 XTL 25 16 52 19 09 Weybridge 14 30 47 19 09 Weybridge 32 20 51 27 42 57 20 34 Byfleet 15 55 56/58 20 34 Byfleet 33 40 62 29 02 61 21 60 West Byfleet 17 23 57 21 60 West Byfleet 35 00 61 30 22 62 24 25 Woking 21 13 XLL 24 25 Woking 39 03 33 40 24 60 Woking Jn 1 38 0 00 LL 0 00 26 60 Worplesdon 5 09 47/48 24 60 Woking Jn 1 53 1 40 26/40 28 60 MP 8 13 26/38 28 00 Brookwood 7 26 45 7 58 24 XLL 30 27 Guildford 10 52 30* 29 60 Pirbright Jn 10 15 34 11 22 31/29/40 31 40 Shalford Jn 13 26 35 32 40 Ash Vale 14 45 48/16s 16 35 35/29s 33 40 Farncombe 16 25 50 35 00 Aldershot 20 22 35/48 21 19 33/49 34 40 Godalming 17 39 50 36 71 Farnham Jn 23 22 30* 24 16 32* 36 20 Milford 19 51 44/47/s24 40 31 Farnham 25 05 42 26 13 38 38 35 Witley 23 38 32/45 44 23 Bentley 29 52 57 31 30 52/49/55 42 40 Summit 33 45 13 49 10 Alton 36 15 38 40 43 00 Haslemere 34 57 40/63 0 00 /39 0 00 /40 46 65 Liphook 39 15 49/61 53 46 Medstead & FM 9 15 stop 9 04 20* 51 36 Liss 46 15 26s/43 9 30 /70 /60 54 68 Petersfield 54 47 15s 56 52 Ropley 13 08 60/66 13 06 54/61 58 20 Summit 52 45 28/64 59 22 Alresford 16 35 25 17 00 14*/55 63 20 Rowlands Castle 68 26 53/61 62 70 Itchen Abbas 21 00 59 21 45 47/55 37 40 Havant 72 37 29 65 70 Winchester Jn 25 05 29/48 26 10 26/45 38 12 Bedhampton Halt 83 47 41/53 66 40 Winchester 29 07 30 17 40 40 Farlington Jn 77 08 30 0 00 0 00 90 43 Cosham Jn 78 25 26 69 49 Shawford 4 15 68/71 4 03 70 90 00 Cosham 79 27 35 73 33 Eastleigh 7 53 61 7 34 61 87 37 Portchester 83 00 50/53/s19 74 60 Southampton Apt 9 00 62 9 34 84 20 Fareham 88 15 27/44 0 00 12 00 MP 92 28 35 75 56 Swaythling 9 57 58 1 53 46 10 49 Swanwick 94 40 44/49 77 09 St Denys 11 23 55 3 30 52 8 50 Burlesdon 97 32 33/37 78 19 Northam Jn 12 41 5 35 7 20 Hamble Halt 99 52 33 79 18 Southampton 15 30 9 17 6 48 Netley 101 03 38/34 4 58 Sholing 103 50 46 4 09 Woolston 104 50 25 2 38 Bitterne 107 38 50 78 19 Northam Jn 109 48 79 18 Southampton Cent 113 38
Milepost 34¾ -271 - January 2014 who has actually alighted there. Anyway, after the reversal we proceed on the down main – in the up direction – to Farnborough where we crossed back to the up main, reaching 56 mph after Fleet. Needless to say, this cost us time - 14½ minutes - but with running in the high-70s we regained three minutes despite a tsr after Surbiton.
Whereas the up trains were running their normal route on Sundays, on some days the down trains ran via the Portsmouth direct or Alton. On 12 June (Run 18) the 09.30 down ran via the Portsmouth direct and had the unusual experience of detaching a van at Woking. At the start the running was not particularly bad, but the need to run local line from Surbiton to Walton certainly slowed things down and 60 mph was barely reached before Woking. I have the impression that the driver knew he had something in front as no real effort was made – I don’t think there was anything wrong with the loco – but uphill we nearly didn’t make it; 26 mph at MP28¾, and only 13 mph at MP42½ - speed falling from 45 mph up the three miles of 1 in 80. The checks came in all the wrong places so Petersfield was only passed at 15 mph and we just managed 26 mph at the summit beyond Buriton Tunnel. The maximum speed for the whole journey, 64 mph, was reached on the 1 in 80 down before Rowlands Castle. So we continued on our merry way with speed sometimes exceeding 50 mph and mercifully we eventually reached Southampton in just 6½ minutes under two hours from Woking – nonstop at an average speed of just 35 mph!
Later that day I was back at Waterloo for the 16.30 from Waterloo (Run 19), this time only diverted via Alton, WC No. 34101 being in charge of 11 coaches. This loco only lasted a few more weeks before withdrawal. Another rather uninspiring run with delays on the local line from Hampton Court Junction to Walton made sure we took even longer running than seven hours earlier on the 09.30, although at least we did manage the low-60s where possible. The climb out of Woking was fairly dire but at least we reached 57 mph through Bentley before stopping at Alton for an assisting loco in the shape of Class 33 No. D6535 for the 1 in 60 climb to Medstead and Four Marks. We reached a creditable 39 mph up this grade although I’m not sure how much effort was made by each loco. Once away from Medstead we reached 70 mph before the slowing for Alresford loop – actually quite exciting! Once on the main line we gently descended to Southampton – and overall a much quicker journey than on the 09.30.
Three months later, trains were again being diverted via Alton, but I couldn’t get to Waterloo until after lunch only to find the 13.30 with Class 33 No. D6517 in charge on 12 vehicles, over 400 tons. I had a feeling this was going to be a challenge, but despite local line running from New Malden to Surbiton, we still reached Woking in just under 34 minutes with a maximum of 62 mph. However instead of sending us out local line from Woking, they decided to switch us at Brookwood which effectively destroyed any impetus we had so we only achieved 40 mph before the restriction and although we were virtually up to the limit at Pirbright Junction, the 1 in 100 pulled us down to 29 mph by the summit. With speed barely exceeding 50 mph all the way to Alton maybe the run with WC No. 34101 wasn’t so bad after all. With Class 33 No. D6577 added at Alton we carried on to Winchester, but even non-stop we still took a minute longer than 34101 + D6535. Nothing of consequence followed to Southampton.
Lastly we move onto a couple of railtours on the Exeter line. Firstly (Run 21), we have the LCGB Green Arrow Railtour that wasn’t with WC No. 34002 substituted instead. The train had been timed to run local line from Walton to Farnborough but was bedevilled by various signal checks. In between we did manage 75 mph through Esher and 77 mph after Hook, but lost another six minutes to Basingstoke in addition to the 8½ minute late start. We then had a very sprightly run to Salisbury with 88 mph through Andover and 80 mph after Porton, although speed fell away rather rapidly to only 64 mph at Grateley. After re-engining at Salisbury I was hoping that the superpower of WC No. 34100 and Black Five No. 45493 would see some excellent hill climbing, but we only managed 54 mph at Semley and even
Milepost 34¾ -272 - January 2014 Run No 21 22 Date 03 July 1966 14 Aug 1966 Train 0952 Waterloo 0952 Waterloo
LCGB Green Arrow Railtour LCGB A2 Commemorative Railtour Loco 34002 to Salisbury 60532 34100+45493 onwds Load 9/305/330 9/305/330 m ch location sch m s mph sch m s mph 0 11 Waterloo 0 00 8½L 0 0 00 2L 1 29 Vauxhall 3 27 -/48 4 13 32/50 4 00 Clapham Jn 7 7 15 28s 7 7 55 38 5 47 Earlsfield 10 20 43 10 04 53 7 25 Wimbledon 12 35 52 12 00 55/54 8 60 Raynes Park 14 18 58 13 37 59 9 60 New Malden 15 16 65 14 37 60/61 11 00 Berrylands 16 23 66 15 53 50 17 33 sig 18 05 stop XLL 12 00 Surbiton 17 18 69 19 37 17 13 27 Hampton Ct Jn 18 18 27 74 20 22 33 45 14 28 Esher 19 15 75 23 47 50 16 00 Hersham 20 36 71 25 33 61 17 08 Walton XLL 22 05 30 XLL 26 33 60/58 19 09 Weybridge 25 32 56 28 42 62 20 34 Byfleet 26 50 62 29 55 64 21 60 West Byfleet 28 06 66 31 13 60 31 08 sig 33 33 sig 31 50 stop 38 10 stop XTL 24 25 Woking 33 50 42 17 23 24 60 Woking Jn 33 35 09 24/52 35 43 22 28 28 00 Brookwood 40 02 49/s17 47 43 51 31 00 MP31 47 45 44/23s 51 20 48/53 33 20 Farnborough XTL 51 37 26 XTL 54 51 26 XLL/53 36 40 Fleet 55 47 64 59 08 50 62 48 ss to 65m45s 39 60 Winchfield 58 39 71 69 42 23tsr 42 20 Hook 60 46 73/77 73 33 51/62/s 47 60 Basingstoke 60 66 03 62 81 22 62 71 50 64 83 27 50 20 Worting Jn 6 4 37 50 6 4 45 41 52 28 Oakley 6 50 65 7 35 52 55 40 Overton 9 32 75 11 01 60 59 09 Whitchurch 12 22 80 14 25 65 61 00 Hurstbourne 13 50 79/74 16 08 67/61/69 66 20 Andover 17 45 88 22 31 25s/46 72 49 Grateley 22 46 64 32 58 28 77 40 Idmiston Halt 27 13 75 40 29 49 78 00 Porton 27 37 77/80 41 04 50/54 82 32 Tunnel Jn 31 18 /sig 46 07 46 83 43 Salisbury 38 35 18 38 48 39 .
Milepost 34¾ -273 - January 2014 Run No 21 22 83 43 Salisbury 50 44 20 48 61 43 85 20 MP 4 20 28 5 07 23 86 11 Wilton South 6 5 50 40 6 6 32 40/46 89 00 MP 9 44 48 10 43 40/51 91 72 Dinton 12 43 61 14 18 47/43 96 16 Tisbury 17 10 54/60 20 05 48 101 12 Semley 22 22 56 27 35 29/57 105 20 Gillingham 25 55 82 32 46 54 107 40 MP 27 51 62/82 35 36 39/57 112 00 Templecombe 34 31 26 70 31 40 56 39 113 40 MP 32 47 63 43 59 25 114 31 Milbourne Port 33 33 71 45 35 43 118 03 Sherborne 36 28 85 49 48 64 122 52 Yeovil Jn 44 40 53 41 55 11 44 124 71 Sutton Bingham 58 37 33 126 20 MP 61 10 31 130 20 MP 66 29 52 131 34 Crewkerne 68 05 33 133 20 MP 74 17 12 139 33 Chard Jn 83 38 47 144 40 Axminster 62 90 58 74 104 20 -/51 147 65 Seaton Jn 5 25 40 149 00 MP 7 27 29 16 27 stop for 39 50 steam 152 00 MP 41 03 16 153 40 MP 45 32 16 154 45 Honiton 18 47 16 49/65 159 26 Sidmouth Jn 51 57 53/51/55 161 20 MP 53 41 45 163 00 Whimple 56 22 57/61 166 55 Broad Clyst 60 05 58 168 40 Pinhoe 62 21 39 170 20 Exmouth Jn 30 65 45 23 171 30 Exeter Cent 32 70 05 the two 82 mphs before and after Gillingham were punctuated by a poor 62 mph at MP107½. However, we did finish with a flourish of 85 mph through Sherborne to recover three minutes by Yeovil.
I will almost let the next log (Run 22) of the LCGB A2 Commemorative Railtour speak for itself. Here we have an A2, probably never seen by a SW crew, on only nine vehicles managing to make a complete mess of the whole journey. At least we reached the low 60s before Woking from where delay after delay lost us 20 minutes before Basingstoke. Even after that with speed nicely in the 60s, a check at Andover nearly finished us with speed falling to a dismal 28 mph at Grateley – another 10½ minutes lost to Salisbury. Just look at the speeds after that – 29 mph at Semley, 25 mph at MP113½, 31 mph at MP131¼ and only 12 mph at MP133¼ with a maximum of 64 mph through Sherborne being the only redeeming feature. It needed no genius to work out that things were not going well up front and, now over one hour late, we soon came to grief on Honiton bank grinding to a halt on the 1 in 80 for 23 minutes whilst the clinker was removed and some means of raising the steam pressure was organised. Miraculously we managed to restart and plodded along at 16 mph to clear the summit. Fortunately there is little more uphill on to Exeter but even so the final climb past Pinhoe to Exmouth Junction pulled us down to 23 mph. The A2 then retired to
Milepost 34¾ -274 - January 2014 Run No 23 m ch location sch m s mph Date 14 Aug 1966 36 40 Fleet 11 02 82/85 Train 1825 Salisbury 33 20 Farnborough 13 24 83
LCGB A2 Commemorative 31 00 MP31 15 04 79/86 Railtour 28 00 Brookwood 17 13 83 Loco 70004 24 60 Woking Jn 28 22 52 25s Load 9/305/330 24 25 Woking 25 11 13 m ch location sch m s mph 21 60 West Byfleet 29 02 58 83 43 Salisbury 0 0 00 82L 20 34 Byfleet 30 15 66 82 32 Tunnel Jn 3 33 -/48 19 09 Weybridge 31 24 69 78 00 Porton 9 28 44 17 08 Walton 33 07 79 77 40 Idmiston Halt 10 08 44 16 00 Hersham 33 55 75 72 49 Grateley 15 42 65/82/72 14 28 Esher 35 07 72 66 20 Andover Jn 20 52 82/68 13 27 Hampton Ct Jn 43 36 06 70 61 00 Hurstbourne 25 05 76 12 00 Surbiton 37 18 65 59 09 Whitchurch 28 20 10s 11 00 Berrylands 38 13 62 55 40 Overton 33 10 61 9 60 New Malden 39 25 61 52 28 Oakley 36 05 74/77 8 60 Raynes Park 40 23 62 50 20 Worting Jn 33 37 50 73/21s/30 7 25 Wimbledon 41 50 59 47 60 Basingstoke 37 42 21 5 47 Earlsfield 43 36 61 47 60 Basingstoke 40 44 20 4 00 Clapham Jn 53 45 30 36/48 42 20 Hook 6 43 75/78/73 1 29 Vauxhall 50 25 39 60 Winchfield 8 41 82/84 0 11 Waterloo 60 53 35
Exmouth Junction shed (closed?) for urgent attention which extended the stop from 30 to 90 minutes. Fortunately this did the trick so 2 hrs 40 mins late from Exeter was still around the same at Westbury. Here the A2 was to be relieved by a Britannia and then rejoin the train again at Salisbury. There was no way this was going to happen so Britannia 70004, an old Southern engine, took the train all the way back to Waterloo and Run 23 shows what a good effort it made. 44 mph up past Porton was not too bad and with 82 mph through Andover we hoped for a really good run only succeeded in being brought almost to a stand at Whitchurch. Not daunted we reached 77 mph after Overton before another severe check after Worting Junction. Quickly away from Basingstoke, speed rose to 85 mph after Fleet and then 86 mph before Brookwood (17m 13s) after a brief 79 mph at MP31. Whilst this time doesn’t quite match the exploits of the Bulleid Pacifics, it is nevertheless up with the top performances, especially as it was a ‘foreign’ loco. Once again, Woking spoiled this merry progress, but despite being checked to 13 mph, a fast finish still recovered 6½ minutes from Basingstoke – so we were only one hour twenty minutes late at Waterloo!
So in this five month summer period another five MNs were withdrawn together with seven BB/WC, including four unrebuilt. Fifteen Standard tender engines also went in this period in addition to 10 8XXXX tanks – the cull was gaining pace.
Milepost 34¾ -275 - January 2014 A recorder’s guide to the SNCF – Does driving still matter?
Alan Varley
Does driving still matter? It seems legitimate to raise the question at a time when a whole series of factors is tending to limit the driver’s scope for initiative. Advisory systems suggest an appropriate speed, recommendations or regulations lay down how a speed restriction or stop should be approached, congestion on many lines means that speed is limited by signal aspects as much as by MPS, and, partly in reaction to all this, recovery time has expanded to a level that absorbs all but the most extreme variations in driving technique.
As an illustration of some of these factors I suggest a visit to France’s busiest railway line. No, not the Valenton-Pasilly section of the LGV-SE, despite its near-saturation at certain moments, and certainly not any other of the high-speed lines. In France as in most countries suburban services in the capital carry far more passengers than main lines, and the RER-A, crossing Paris from east to west, is not only the busiest line in France but also the most densely-frequented in Europe with well over 300 million passengers a year, almost 1.2 million every weekday. It has three branches on the western side and two on the east, but the central section through the heart of Paris, between Nanterre and Vincennes, is a common trunk used by all trains. This section is equipped with a moving-block signalling system that allows a frequency of 30 trains per hour (tph) – a capacity that is fully exploited by the timetable during the rush hours. With ten-coach double-deck trains designed to carry 2,600 passengers – and probably crush-loaded to more than this figure – somewhere around 80,000 passengers per hour are transported on the busiest track in the peaks.
The RER is in fact jointly operated by RATP (the Paris transport authority) and SNCF, and it has some of the characteristics both of an underground metro system and a “proper” railway. Its tube-train frequencies and long underground sections link it to the former, while its overhead electrification and full-size French loading gauge, allowing the use of double-deck stock derived from SNCF suburban designs, not to mention the 120 km/h MPS on some of the branches, place it more in the railway camp. And the RER, unlike the Métro, runs on the left-hand track!
30 tph for a self-contained tube line is nothing spectacular – several LU and RATP lines do better – but to run at this frequency with double-deck trains that, in the rush hour, require station dwell times of 40 or 45 rather than 20 seconds, and on a system where traffic is funnelled in from several branches, is a different kettle of fish – compare the 24 tph frequency planned for Crossrail. Variation in driving techniques can detract from the 30- second punctuality required at junctions and at the point where trains enter the central section with its moving block and driver-aid systems. (RATP would like to extend this system at each end to cover the approaches from the branches to the junctions west of Nanterre and at Vincennes, but cost is an obstacle.)
In the last few years I have timed several runs on the branch to Marne-la-Vallée, which illustrate most of the problems of the line. Several of these are presented in tables 1 and 2. The distance information I possess is not too reliable: available station distances presumably refer to station buildings but it is not always clear where these are with respect to the platforms; I have tried to indicate distances that correspond to my position in the train, generally towards the western end. In terms of gradients, the line is at an altitude of about 42m at Vincennes, rises to 55 at Val de Fontenay and then descends to the viaduct just before Neuilly-Plaisance. The Marne is crossed after Bry-sur-Marne at an altitude of about 48m and the line then rises sharply to 85m at Noisy. Gradients onwards are undulating with a rising tendency to Torcy (96m); here after a slight descent the line rises again to a plateau at between 105 and 120m between Bussy and Marne-la-Vallée. Line limit is 100 as far as
Milepost 34¾ -276 - January 2014 Torcy, with a section at 80 through Bry-s-Marne; from Torcy MPS is 110 to PK 50 and then 120, with a 60 limit on the entry to Marne-la-Vallée.
Standard motive power is now double-deck units of the MI2N and MI09 classes (Z 1500 and 1600). The MI09 is a modernised version but technically the two are identical: 5-coach sets with 4500 kW (6075 HP) for a tare weight of 288 tonnes. Since the gross weight can rise to 370 tonnes or more the power/weight ratio varies between 20 and 16 hp/tonne. Until the recent arrival of the MI09 series the MI2Ns shared the work with the 4-coach single-deck MI84 units – 3810 HP for 208t tare, a p/wt ratio just slightly lower than that of the DD units. To maintain short headways good acceleration is obviously essential and all these units are low-geared, with a maximum speed of 120 km/h.
Table 1 RER-A: Gare de Lyon to Marne-la-Vallée
Run 1: 1235 St-Germain – Marne-la-Vallée, Th 30.8.12, Z 8455/56/8411/12, 8/416/450, AV 3/8, fine Run 2: 2133 Poissy – Marne-la-Vallée, W 18.9.13, Z 1537/38/1512/11, 10/576/600, AV 7/10, overcast Run 3: 2103 Poissy – Marne-la-Vallée, Th 19.9.13, Z 1523/24/1520/19, 10/576/600, AV 10/10, fine PK Dist m s km/h m s km/h m s km/h 24.93 00.00 Gare de Lyon Run 1 1 late Run 2 2.5 late Run 3 6 late 26.97 02.04 Nation 02 29 02 08 01 57 00.00 03 00 02 42 02 27 28.99 02.02 Tunn E 01 28 01 39½ 01 35 30.00 03.03 Vincennes 02 31 02 50 02 27 00.00 03 05 03 19 02 54 Tunn E 00 41 00 44 90/91/86 00 47½ 32.10 02.10 Tunn W 01 37 /83/93 01 42 92 01 41½ 100/97 34.45 04.45 Val de Fontenay 03 33 03 50 03 40 00.00 04 15 Max 84 04 23 Max 86 04 04 Max 89 36.73 02.28 Neuilly-Plaisance 02 14 02 14 02 08 00.00 02 46 Max 75 02 49 02 31 37.87 01.14 Bry-s-Marne 01 30 01 30 01 24 00.00 01 52 01 57 01 49 Tunn W 01 05 /91/88 00 56 39.85 01.98 Noisy-le-Grand 01 56 02 13 02 01 00.00 02 30 02 30 02 30 41.13 01.28 OB 01 07 91/89 01 17½ 92 01 17½ 96/93 42.10 02.25 Noisy Champs 02 13 02 07 02 03 00.00 02 44 02 33 02 31 44.07 01.97 OB 92 01 31 94/89 98/92 44.75 02.65 Noisiel 02 33 02 26 02 16 00.00 03 10 Max 85 02 50 Max 88 02 37 Max 96 46.15 01.40 Lognes 01 32 ‘ 01 35 01 27 00.00 03 17 Max 96 01 59 Max 93 01 54 Max 97 47.80 01.65 Torcy 01 56 01 52 01 41 00.00 03 26 03 24 02 09 48.85 01.05 OB 00 53 91/85* 00 53 108/120 00 56 97/95 50.25 02.45 OB 01 49 99 01 37½ 115 01 43 106/117 51.60 03.80 Fb 02 36 112 02 23 100 52.15 04.35 Bussy-S-Georges 03 16 02 57 03 09 00.00 03 30 03 28 03 37 53.03 00.88 OB 00 46½ 92/121 118 00 49½ 104 54.97 02.82 OB 01 51½ 119/118 108 01 51½ 115/116 56.56 04.41 OB 02 39½ 122 117 02 41 115 57.20 05.05 Val d'Europe 03 26 03 21 3.5 late 03 27 4 late 00.00 03 46 58.28 01.08 OB 00 54 100/80* Tunn S 01 26 55* 59.10 01.90 Marne-la-Vallée 02 11 0.5 late
Run 1 was made with one of the older units. I noted that final stops were slow throughout, with the doors often opening before the train had come to a halt. This lunch-time service was
Milepost 34¾ -277 - January 2014 not busy, so stops were brief – between 22 and 42 second as far as Lognes, 75 seconds, where we were perhaps waiting time, having been a few seconds early away from the three previous stops. At Torcy the stop lasted 90 seconds: crews are regularly changed here, which no doubt explains the longer standing time and also the change in running style, with smart stops in Val d’Europe and particularly Marne-la-Vallée. This unit produced some good accelerations, 59 or 60 km/h in 20 seconds from Noisiel and Lognes, with just below 80 in 30 seconds on several occasions.
Runs 2 and 3 are recent, both on lightly-loaded evening trains so again with short stops. Both were slightly late in the centre of Paris, but whereas run 3 gained 66 seconds in running time between Gare de Lyon and Torcy, run 2 lost 45. (In calculating scheduled running times I have assumed 30-second stops scheduled throughout.) Run 3 made excellent stops in the early stages but was slow into Noisy-le-Grand and a little slower thereafter. But on run 2 almost all the stops involved multiple brake applications and this was the main cause of the difference in time between the two runs. But after a driver change at Torcy on run 2 the style changed and this run made excellent times to Bussy and Val d’Europe, with 98 attained in 40 seconds from Torcy, 95 in 40 seconds from Bussy. Between the slowest driver and the fastest (switching runs therefore at Torcy) the difference overall was 2m 9s – more than the standard rush-hour headway on the central section.
In the westbound direction trains from Marne-la-Vallée face increasing congestion as they approach Paris. In the peak, departures from the terminus are scheduled at 4 and 6-minute intervals but alternate trains are non-stop to Torcy, so the intervals on arrival here are 7 and 3 minutes. Another service originates at Torcy, making the intervals 3 – 4 – 3 minutes, and with slight differences in the stopping pattern this becomes 2 – 4 – 4 approaching Vincennes, where the 4-minute gaps are filled by trains from Boissy-St-Léger and La Varenne on the other eastern branch. Clearly, for a timetable like this to function there must be little divergence from the booked timings.
But runs 5 and 6, which I joined at the first stop, were both already slightly late, presumably on account of late running of eastbound services. They should therefore have been well behind the train starting from Torcy – unless that too had been late turning round. This seems to have been the case on run 5, and there were other signs of disruption too: these trains should omit the stops at Lognes and Bry-sur-Marne but call everywhere else; in fact we made those stops but skipped Noisy-Champs, only this latter change being announced by the driver. In the early stages this run was energetic, for example 95 in 35 seconds on the slightly downhill start from Bussy, 95 in 38 seconds from Torcy. Missing the Noisy Champs stop simply earned us a severe check before Noisy-le-Grand, where there are loop platforms and trains often seem to be held to organize their passage through the junction before Vincennes. From here onwards we were clearly following another train on minimum headways. Run 6 was similarly brisk in the early stages but after a long stop in Torcy (driver relief?) things changed and we never reached 90 km/h on any of the succeeding stages. Our driver was perhaps playing it canny; with the aid of a margin between Noisy-le-Grand and Neuilly, where timings take account of a preceding train stopping at Bry, we remained around 4 late to Vincennes, where a train coming from the Boissy branch checked us. At Nation and Gare de Lyon my train was delayed by another problem that frequently affects peak services: the vestibules were so crowded that it took several attempts to close the doors. A 75-second stop at Nation and one of 95 seconds in Gare de Lyon meant that when I alighted at Châtelet the train was 7 minutes late despite another minute of recovery time. Run 4, with one of the older sets, held its own with the schedule and the DD units as far as Noisy, where we drew in alongside another train that left ahead of us. So we lost 3 minutes in the station there, and almost another 5 through signals before I alighted at Gare de Lyon. None of these runs gave much scope for performance, and they suggest that the peak hour RER timetable is anything but robust.
Milepost 34¾ -278 - January 2014 From Paris to the valley of the Garonne, south of Toulouse, is a journey of some 700 km, and also a leap from one climate and culture to another. And in railway terms there could scarcely be a greater difference than between the RER with its 2-minute headways and the line through the foothills of the Pyrenees which sees scarcely one train an hour. One thing they have in common, though, is power/wt and acceleration. Virtually all the trains that leave Toulouse heading for Tarbes and beyond, whether all-stations or express, are now formed of 4-coach Corail sets with a BB 72XX loco: a power/wt ratio of over 22 HP/tonne!
Table 2 RER-A: Marne-la-Vallée to Gare de Lyon
Run 4: 1831 Marne-la-Vallée - Poissy, M 12.11.12, Z 8381/82/56/87/88, 8/416/480, AV 1/8, overcast Run 5: 0745 Marne-la-Vallée - Cergy, W 18.9.13, Z 1683/84/16XX, 10/576/750, AV 2/10, overcast Run 6: 0745 Marne-la-Vallée - Cergy, Th 19.9.13, Z 1535/36/15XX, 10/576/750, AV 1/10, fine PK Dist m s km/h m s km/h m s km/h 59.10 00.00 Marne-la-Vallée Run 4 Run 5 Run 6 58.28 00.82 OB 01 01 65/78 57.20 01.90 Val d'Europe 02 08 13.5 L 00.00 02 35 00 00 4 late 00 00 3.5 late 56.56 00.64 OB 00 40 95/106 00 40½ 88/114 54.97 02.23 OB 01 31½ 118 01 34½ 104 01 34 113/112 53.03 04.17 OB 02 33 100* 02 41½ 104 02 36½ 113 52.15 05.05 Bussy-S-Georges 03 29 13.5 L 03 35 3 L 03 28 2.5 L 00.00 03 54 04 10 04 05 50.25 01.90 OB 01 22 113 01 23 106 01 18 115/102*/104 48.85 03.30 OB 02 11 85* 02 44 s/sig st 02 06½ 95* 47.80 04.35 Torcy 03 19 13 L 05 47 5.5 L 03 10 2.5 L 00.00 03 47 Max 96 08 03 Max 97 05 18 46.15 01.65 Lognes 01 39 13 L 01 39 01 15½ 89 00.00 01 59 Max 81 02 08 Max 91 44.75 01.40 Noisiel 01 33 13 L 01 29 8 L 02 37 4 L 00.00 00 00 02 32 03 27 44.07 00.68 OB 00 46½ 93/90 00 47 86 42.10 02.65 Noisy Champs 02 23 13 L 02 03 93 02 27 4.5 L 00.00 02 55 41.13 00.97 OB 90/25*sigs 03 10 22*s/85 00 54 87 39.85 02.35 Noisy-le-Grand 02 54 13.5 L 04 51 8 L 02 08 4 L 00.00 06 19 Max 60sig 05 25 Max 83 03 00 37.87 01.98 Bry-s-Marne 02 30 02 00 01 37 88/67*/77 00.00 02 49 02 31 Max 84 36.73 01.14 Neuilly-Plaisance 01 39 01 25 8.5 L 02 52 3.5 L 00.00 02 03 75/68sigs 01 57 Max 92 03 39 Max 86 34.45 02.28 Val de Fontenay 02 23 19 L 02 04 8 L 02 08 3.5 L 00.00 02 50 03 04 03 05 32.10 02.35 Tunn W 02 09½ 84/81 01 58½ 93/83 02 00 Tunn E 03 26 84/30*sigs 02 57½ 85/sig? 03 11 86/32* sigs 30.00 04.45 Vincennes 05 11 19.5 L 03 56 9 L 04 46 5.5 L 05 57 04 39 05 32 28.99 01.01 Tunn E sigs 00 57 80/sigs 00 55½ 88/sigs 26.97 03.03 Nation 03 42 21 L 03 46 10.5 L 03 14 6.5 L 00.00 04 29 04 49 24.93 02.04 Gare de Lyon 02 05 21 L 02 09 6 L
In September I timed a run over this line with a driver who was prepared to use this power for some spectacular accelerations (Table 3). This short train was full at first and this may have contributed to the long stops at the first three calling points which kept us 3 – 3.5 minutes late as far as Muret despite a minute of recovery time. Unfortunately the speedometer was over-reading so our cruising speeds were consistently 4 below MPS but most of the starts were excellent, with between 52 and 59 km/h attained in 30 seconds and 102 to 112 in 60 seconds for the four starts between Muret and Carbonnes inclusive, all on slightly rising gradients. Stops, though, were variable: the driver tended to ease some way out and then brake quite hard on passing the sign announcing 1200 metres to the station. Brakes then had to be released before the final stop, and the time over the last kilometer
Milepost 34¾ -279 - January 2014 depended on the speed at which this easing occurred. Results where highly variable, as the last 2 kms to the stops at Muret, Fauga, Longages, Carbonne, Cazères, St-Gaudens and Montréjeau took approximately 74.5, 88, 97, 79, 92, 88 and 79 seconds respectively. The relatively good stops at Muret and Carbonne enabled us to post fine start-stop averages of 108.8 km/h for 9.07 km Portet-Muret, and 105.0 km/h for only 7.26 km Longages-Carbonne. On the other hand the slow stop in St-Gaudens cost us what seemed to be a certain Fastest Time. The steeply-graded section from Montréjeau to Lannemazan, limited to 110 km/h, is very tightly timed in 10 minutes for 16.57 km, and with 10-15 seconds lost to scratch on account of our speedometer I was not expecting a record time, but here for once the driver dispensed with his initial brake/ease phase and made an excellent stop – 92.5 seconds for the last 2 km despite the slow initial speed. So our average of 96.0 was just 10 km/h below our maximum – and this one was an FT!
Table 3: Toulouse – Lannemazan
Run 7 1441 Toulouse-Pau, W 25.9.13, 4/165/180, BB 7405, A Varley, 4/5, fine & hot
PK dist m s km/h PK dist m s km/h 00.00 00.00 Toulouse 00 00 RT 55.82 00.00 Cazères 08 54 RT 01.07 01.07 Tunnel W 03 01 sigs/80 58.38 02.56 LC 01 48½ 146/144 02.18 02.18 Bif Demoiselles 03 57½ 74/75 60.31 04.49 LC 02 39½ 128 03.86 03.86 St-Agne 05 42 61.55 05.73 Martres-Tolosane 03 50 00.00 07 31 1.5 late 00.00 05 01 RT 05.93 02.07 Bif Empalot 01 58½ 92/91 63.44 01.89 LC 01 33 129/127 10.00 06.04 PK 10 04 03½ 132/147 65.69 04.14 Boussens 03 19 11.71 07.75 Portet 05 12 143 00.00 04 13 RT 00.00 07 55 3.5 late 67.98 02.29 Bif Fourc 01 45½ 120/114/137 12.16 00.45 Bif Portet 01 01½ 91/149 71.71 06.02 St-Martory 03 24 136 16.42 04.71 LC 03 17 148/157 74.61 08.92 Lestelle 04 40½ 137/136 19.58 07.87 OB 04 04 155* 79.78 14.09 Labarthe 06 56½ 137/136 20.78 09.07 Muret 05 00 83.72 18.03 LC 08 40½ 137 00.00 06 36 3 late 88.79 23.10 LC 10 57½ 123* 22.51 01.73 LC 01 29 135/156 90.33 24.64 St-Gaudens 12 20 25.81 05.03 LC 02 47 147 00.00 15 59 28.29 07.51 Fauga 04 27 92.17 01.84 UB 01 37 105/103 00.00 05 15 2.5 late 93.46 03.13 LC 02 26 130/157 29.11 00.82 LC 00 52½ 101/156 97.57 07.24 Martres-de-Riv. 04 04 156/157 32.29 04.00 LC 02 14½ 148 101.85 11.52 LC 05 46 137 34.18 05.89 Longages 03 49 103.87 13.54 Montréjeau 07 05 00.00 04 34 1 late 00.00 08 02 RT 35.21 01.03 LC 01 06½ 115 105.30 01.43 LC 01 22½ 106 37.79 03.61 LC 02 11 156 106.97 03.10 LC 02 19 106/105 39.98 05.80 LC 03 02 151 110.56 06.69 St-Laurent-St-P 04 21 106/105 41.44 07.26 Carbonne 04 09 115.48 11.61 Cantaous 07 08½ 106/105 00.00 05 08 RT 117.69 13.82 OB motorway 08 23½ 106 42.72 01.28 LC 01 07½ 123 120.45 16.58 Lannemazan 10 22 0.5 late 44.79 03.35 LC 01 59½ 156 48.61 07.17 St-Julien 03 27 156 54.82 13.38 LC 05 52 131* 55.81 14.37 Cazères 06 59
An entertaining run, then – but what was the driver’s contribution? He was clearly using the cruise control, so sustained speeds depended on speedo accuracy and the DVI electronics. And the power electronics of a BB 74XX also adjust motor current automatically, so the controller can be fully opened almost straight away for maximum acceleration. All that was totally under the driver’s control on this run was the braking – and as we have seen, his performance here was inconsistent to say the least. But let’s not be over-critical – at least this driver was prepared to give the loco free rein on the start. On my return run, with the same load, the best acceleration (admittedly on a train with far fewer stops) was to no more than 67 km/h in 60 seconds.
Milepost 34¾ -280 - January 2014 Another recent run offers an interesting comparison with a performance of twenty years ago – a time when some drivers were still prepared to use the full capabilities of a good braking system. On a journey from Marseille to Bordeaux my train had been slackly driven as far as Toulouse, though the schedules are such that in the absence of severe checks no very exciting performance is required. But the train was delayed by signals approaching Toulouse and the new driver had something to go for; the result (run 8) was an excellent time over the first section to Montauban, mainly thanks to an unusually purposeful start. This run slightly betters the previous fastest time over this section, recorded by Philip Tromans back in 1993 (run 9). For purposes of comparison I have calculated times for this run by interpolation and any resulting errors are my responsibility; in this form the log does not do justice to the detail of the original which was timed to virtually every kilometer post. This run was much slower off the mark than mine, having started from the bay platform rather than the up main, but almost made up the deficit by slightly higher speds and above all better braking. On the curve after St-Jory the minimum n run 9 was about 117 but by late braking and prompt acceleration it gained almost 10 seconds on run 8 through this slack. On run 8 braking for the 80 MPS approaching Montauban (which starts at PK 207) began just after PK 209, a normal situation these days. My driver then re-applied power briefly and came smartly into the platform at Montauban, but the time over the last 4 km was slower than that of run 9, which gained another 10 seconds here. Putting the two together gives a time of under 22 minutes – now that would be a run!
Table 4: Toulouse-Montauban
Run 8 17XX Toulouse-Limoges, 15.9.93, 7/274/295, BB 7259, E P Tromans 3/8 Run 9 1418 Marseille-Bordeaux, 4.12.13, 7/296/300, BB 7393, A Varley, 3/8 PK Dist MPS m s ave m s km/h ave
256.41 00.00 Toulouse Run 8 9 late Run 9 6½ late 255.50 00.91 PK 60 01 36 60 ease 34.1 254.00 02.41 PK 150 02 58 48.7 252.02 04.39 Lalande-Eglise 150 03 50 137.1 03 17½ 145 123.4 249.68 06.73 Lacourtensourt 160 04 46½ 149.1 04 14 149 149.1 247.24 09.17 Fenouillet 160 05 43½ 154.1 05 11½ 159 152.8 240.76 15.65 St-Jory 160 08 09½ 159.8 07 39½ 156/160/126* 157.6 237.50 18.91 UB 130 09 30½ 144.9 09 04 129 138.9 234.95 21.46 Castelnaud 160 10 33½ 145.7 10 13 149 133.1 229.52 26.99 Grisolles 160 12 40½ 156.8 12 20 159/158 156.8 224.74 31.77 Dieupentale 160 14 28 160.1 14 08 159/158 159.3 217.96 38.55 Montbartier 160 17 01 159.5 16 42 159/158 158.5 214.20 42.31 OB Motorway 160 18 25½ 160.2 18 07 159/158 159.2 211.98 44.53 LC 174 160 19 15½ 159.8 18 57½ 159/158 158.3 209.64 46.87 LC 169 160 20 08 160.5 19 50½ 159 158.9 207.00 49.51 PK 80 21 22½ 127.6 21 10 75*/78 119.5 205.93 50.58 Montauban 22 29 22 22 53.5
FROM THE RPS WEBSITE
Harlech – Pwllheli closure 185’s operating north of Newcastle EMT January sale DfT electrification plans Tyne Streak GNER comeback? Chat Moss test trains Scottish energisation dates
Milepost 34¾ -281 - January 2014 . LETTERS
Dear Sir,
The article on lesser lights of the London Midland reminded me of a few runs I had in the 1980’s and made me check through my files. These DMU sets worked the Kettering to Bedford commuter trips, two in the morning and one in the evening. It was basically an extension of the Bedford Bletchley service. The 1986 all line timetable gives the 8.06 18 minutes to get to Bedford from Wellingborough and the 9.34 20 minutes. I never used it northbound but did make a few southbound runs. The two logs here represent a normal run with a two car set and a superb hill climb with a three car set. The Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co DMU’s the standard class 104’s and also the higher power class 110’s were one of the few DMU’s I actually liked. I was to say the least surprised when we powered out of Wellingborough to hit 60mph at the foot of the bank and then continued to accelerate to go over the top of Sharnbrook at 63.5mph. This was going some for DMU up 1/120. In fact I did doubt the accuracy of my figures however about three weeks later the same set gave me another mile a minute climb to Sharnbrook, this time taking 6m 14sec to the summit and going over the top at 61mph. With a clear run into Bedford the whole journey took 16m 13s. From these logs I think a sub 16min run would have been possible and as DMU’s go this is in my opinion about as good as it gets. The second log is of a respectable run by a 2 car class 108 set and is more like the kind of running you would expect on this service. Get up to about 50 before the bank and then fall of to low 40’s over the top. Overall an interesting period with a lot more variety than we see these days.
Run No. 1 2 Date/day 03/09/1986 05/11/1986 Train 09:34 08:06 Motive Power 53444+59206+53541 (Cl104) 51902+54485 (Cl108) Load (tons) 3/876/89 600hp 2/50/52 300hp Position 1/3 1/2 Recorder JH JH Weather GPS: Y/N? N N
Miles M C location m s mph average m s mph average 0.00 65 05 Wellingborough 0 00 0 00 0.06 65 00 MP 0 22 27 9.8 0 24 25 9.4 1.06 64 00 MP 1 55 51 38.7 2 07 46 35.0 2.06 63 00 MP 3 00 61 55.4 3 23 49 47.4 3.06 62 00 MP 3 59 62 61.0 4 37 48 48.6 4.06 61 00 MP 4 56 63 63.2 5 57 44 45.0 5.31 59 60 MP Sharnbrook Summit 6 07 63.5 63.4 7 42 42 42.9 8.40 56 53 Sharnbrook 8 47 70 69.5 10 40 72.5 62.4 12.11 52 76 Oakley 12 05 66/68 67.5 13 50 65/71 70.3 15.19 49 70 Bedford 16 29 sigs 44* 42.0 17 48 46.5
Yours truly,
Jeremy Hartill
Milepost 34¾ -282 - January 2014 Hello All,
Train 23062 PTG Charter 7.55 Malmö Central - Nässjö C During the last week of Date Sunday 22nd September 2013 September I was a participant Loco SJ 987 "RAPID 3" (Class Ra Bo-Bo Electric, built by ASEA in 1961) in the PTG Southern Sweden Load 4 Vehicles (Service Coach + 3 Passenger Coaches) Tour. Over fifty people DIST DATUM BOOKED ACTUAL SECTOR gathered in Malmö on the (Kms) KMS (M S) (KPH.) evening of Saturday 21st 0.0 617.7 Malmö Central 0 0.00 September, in readiness for 16.4 601.3 Lund Central 10 13.04 75.3 our first journey on our 13.19 chartered train the next
21.6 596.1 Staangby 18.01 66.3 morning. 33.8 583.9 Eslöv 24.33 112.0
53.5 564.2 Höör 34.03 124.4 In many ways this first journey KM 562-561 = 136 was the highlight of the trip. kph 62.8 554.9 Tjörnarp 38.48 117.4 Vintage SJ electric loco #987
83.2 534.5 Hässleholm 47 48.20 128.3 (aka RAPID 3) was at the helm KM 528-527 = 135 of our modestly-sized train for
kph the first leg of the tour along 112.9 504.8 Osby(S) 62.41 124.1 the Södra Stambanan (the KM 503-502 = 134
kph Southern Mainline from Malmö 123.0 494.7 Tunneby 67.28 126.6 to Stockholm) as far as Nässjö,
134.2 483.5 Älmhult 75 72.41 128.8 where the museum is now its 155.9 461.8 Eneryda 82.43 129.7 home. 167.3 450.4 Vislanda 88.14 123.9
169.7 448.0 KM 448 91.08 49.6 A few of us knew beforehand 91.54 that our charter train would be 174.1 443.6 Blädinge 95.48 67.6 arriving ECS on the Saturday 181.2 436.5 Alvesta 99.30 115.1 evening, so I had a first view of 193.2 424.5 Moheda 105.31 119.6 this elegant old lady in the late 212.6 405.1 Lammhult 114.45 126.0 evening. The next morning the 219.2 398.5 Rörvik 117.48 129.8 light was barely brighter, as we 389.6 Stockaryd 129 grabbed some photos before 239.7 378.0 Sävsjö 127.31 126.5 our booked 7.55 departure. 251.6 366.1 Bodafors 133.06 127.8
268.2 349.5 Nässjö C 155 142.21 107.6
Although the load and schedule were not too demanding, there were some good spells of speed during the 268 kilometres journey to Nässjö. Although capable in its heyday of 150 kph, the highest speed I recorded was 136 kph. Although booked non-stop there was a brief stop at Lund and a mid-section stop at KM 448, for both of which I am still searching an explanation. Nevertheless we were thirteen minutes early at Nässjö. There an ex-DSB Nohab diesel was attached, plus a generator coach, for the next stage of our tour, which headed south-east to Vetlanda and onward on some freight-only lines.
A super trip,
Alan Sprod
Milepost 34¾ -283 - January 2014 WEYMOUTH ENVOY 20th JULY 2013 Date 20th July 2013 Train 0902 Waterloo to Bournemouth Unit 1001 Load 6 coaches Weather/position/timer Fine sunny 1/6 D Benn-GPS&stop watch
miles sched mins secs speed Hi David 0.00 Waterloo 0.00 00 00
1.30 Vauxhall 03 01 34/57½ 3.90 Clapham Junction 7.00 06 08 *52/60½ My log of 1001 on the 7.20 Wimbledon 12.50 10 19 *18 to slow line Weymouth Envoy appeared in 9.75 New Malden 19.00 14 08 57 HR, but it was the toned down 12.05 Surbiton 21.00 16 21 66½ version with 'Notley 78 max' 13.35 Hampton Court Jct 23.00 17 31 *61 speeds for general public 15.95 Hersham 21 33 sigs * consumption. This is the full 19.10 Weybridge 29.00 28 01 sigs * version. The Hastings units 20.40 Byfleet 32.00 30 41 sigs * could of course run very fast in 24.30 Woking 44.00 44 44 sigs stop before normal service despite the 28.00 Brookwood 49 58 55 nominal 75 limit and I had a 29.65 Pirbright Jct 51 38 58½ number of 90s with them, the 31.00 MP 31 52 56 59 log of two such runs being also
33.25 Farnborough 55.00 55 07 69 attached. 36.50 Fleet 58.00 57 53 72/73½ 39.85 Winchfield 60 41 70/68½ On the return Weymouth Envoy 42.20 Hook 62 41 71/70 1001 gradually accelerated to 43.70 Newnham Siding 63 58 74 58 mph up the 1 in 252 of 47.75 Basingstoke 71.00 71 34 sigs 10* Roundwood bank which is 50.30 Worting Jct 80.00 80 54 pathing stop before 52.50 Wootton Box ** 83 50 48 about what would be expected 56.20 Roundwood Box ** 87 48 70 and what we would get with a 58.10 Micheldever 89 14 75 Bulleid light pacific on the 61.00 Weston Box ** 91 00 77 normal Bournemouth 2 hour 61.70 Wallers Ash Box ** 92 11 80½/76½ train load of 11 for 400 tons. 64.40 Winchester Jct Box ** 94 11 78/76 66.50 Winchester City 98.00 95 49 77½ The Cambrian logs might also 67.75 St Cross 96 51 80½/78½ be of interest. 69.60 Shawford 98 13 81 73.45 Eastleigh 105.00 101 23 *60 75.70 Swaythling 103 51 sigs 40* Thanks 79.25 Southampton Central 115.00 111 24 brief crew stop 81.90 Redbridge 119.00 116 51 48 Don Benn 82.55 Totton 117 26 51/sigs 35* 85.40 Ashurst 121 21 53/62 88.05 Beaulieu Road 124 04 59/69 92.80 Brockenhurst 130.00 128 56 sigs 32* 93.75 Lymington Junction 130 21 33* 95.55 Sway 133 11 50/67 98.55 New Milton 136 06 65 101.05 Hinton Admiral 138 13 76½ 104.35 Christchurch 141 15 *38/46 106.30 Pokesdown 143 54 43/47/sigs* 108.05 Bournemouth 148.00 147 42 ** Site of Box * speed restriction
Milepost 34¾ -284 - January 2014
Date 01.05.1984 Train 1011 Tunbridge Wells-Battle Loco UNITS 1011+1019 Recorder Don Benn miles sched mins secs speed 0.00 Tunbridge Wells Central 0.00 00 00 0.26 Grove Jct 01 01 30 2.26 Frant 04 01 56/60 4.89 Wadhurst 07 03 47* 7.60 MP 42 09 40 72 9.17 Stonegate 11 05 83 11.60 MP 46 12 36 90 13.03 Etchingham 13 36 84 14.10 MP 48 1/2 14 22 82 15.19 Robertsbridge 15 14 78 17.58 Mountfield 17 54 53* 19.60 MP 54 19 20 67 21.18 Battle 24.30 21 12 Comments start to stop average exactly 60 mph power on all the way from MP 42 to MP 51 timed from 3rd car back in 1011
Bishops Lydeard-Crowcombe Heathfield Machynlleth to Talerddig Date 5th October 2013 Date 11th September 1965 Train 0900 train Train 0950 Aberystwyth-Paddington Engine Manor 7822 Foxcote Manor Cambrian Coast Express Load 7 coaches 249/270 tons Train Engine Manor 4-6-0 7827 Lydham Manor Weather Cloudy and damp, wet rails Pilot Engine BR Class 4 4-6-0 75038 Miles Mins Secs Speed Gradient Load 9 coaches 306/330 tons 0.00 Bishops Lydeard 00 00 L Weather Rain, wet rails 0.24 MP 168.5 02 52 5½ 101 up Miles Mins Secs Speed Gradient 0.74 MP 169 05 55 14½ 101 up 0.00 Machynlleth 00 00 L 1.24 MP 169.5 07 46 18/22 354 up 2.75 MP 72 05 16 47/39 min 628/90 up 1.74 MP 170 09 12 20½ 80 up 5.00 Cemmes Road 08 15 33* 163 up 2.24 MP 170.5 10 37 18/20½ 99 up 6.40 Commins Coch 10 57 39½ 113/78/119 up 2.74 MP 171 12 07 18 81 up 7.75 MP 67 13 17 38/35 355/91 up 3.24 MP 171.5 13 55 14/17 81 up 10.45 Llanbrynmair 18 02 39½/13* L 3.78 Crowcombe 16 27 L 10.75 MP 64 19 34 25 52 up schedule 12 mins 11.75 MP 63 22 17 21 52 up 12.75 MP 62 25 03 22½ 56 up 13.65 Talerddig 27 02 L
Dear David,
I was very interested in the article on The Other Joint, especially as I was on the Ian Allan excursion in 1954 mentioned I was particularly pleased that my times on the first 2 sections from Melton only differed by a mere 1 second,and that I agreed with 59m.p.h. at Langor Bridge, considering the equipment that I then used, but I recorded 48 at Thursford. I recorded little in the way of speeds on to Sleaford, reached 4 late, presumably as they did not appear very exciting. We left with A3 60136 7 late and, because of many delays, were all but ½ hour late into King's Cross! For the first of these Ian Allan excursions, on the Southern from Waterloo to Exeter, the official railway notice stated that these trains were not to be delayed, and we had wonderful runs. I do not know if the Regions over which the
Milepost 34¾ -285 - January 2014 subsequent ones travelled took them so seriously, but delays dogged them all, at least all the ones that I patronised. Incidentally, I made the gross weight of the one in question 330 tons, but I won't quibble.
Regards,
Michael Hedges
Burley Cottage, Porlock David Ashley Esq., Editor, Milepost Dear David,
Re The Other Joint
Last weekend amongst the 7,000 plus logs uploaded, by the ever hard working Lee Allsopp to the data base, were two behind Midland and Great Northern Joint 4-4-0s between Melton Mowbray and Nottingham timed by D.S.M.Barrie.
Date 4/2/37 22/8/35 Load tons 3/70/75 3/78/85 Loco M&GNJt 4-4-0 No.11 * No.77 ** miles location sch actual mph actual mph 00.0 Melton Mowbray 0 00-00 sigs (5) 00-00 03.9 Grimston 08-20 (39) 06-45 (44) 06.1 Old Dalby 11-15 (59) 09-36 (59) 07.3 Upper Broughton 12-34 (56) 10-40 (59) 09.9 Widmerpool 15-13 (63) 13-10 (66) 12.8 Plumtree 18-18 eased (48) 15-55 (59) 15.4 Edwalton 21-20 (47) pws 18-32 (62) 18.2 Nottingham 24 27-05 22-26
* No.11 built 1894, received second-hand Midland B boiler in 1933; perhaps from a withdrawn Kirtley 0-6-0. **.77 built 1899. rebuilt 1930 with a Midland G6 boiler, a Belpaire version of the original Johnson B Class boiler.
These two runs, although with only three coaches, exhibited considerably more energy than the two timed by G.J.Aston referred to in ‘Milepost’ 34½, perhaps a friendly word of encouragement from DSMB to the crew? There were not only higher top speeds but far more vigorous climbs on the 1/220 up to Grimston tunnel.
Michael Rowe
Dear David
I refer to the article in Milepost 34½ page 203 by Derek Wilson re some runs he had had in the USA in 2000. An interesting article. Let me add some detail.
I have tried for a long time to find the weight of the Amtrak’s Superliner coaches (double deckers) but until recently have failed, as a result of this article I found a weight quoted as 147,500 pounds (which equates to 66.9 metric tons) but this weight is quoted for all types of coaches, whether they are sleepers, lounge, baggage or cafe cars and I suggest that this is suspect but as I have not been able to find any other info we have to take this. I have no idea about the weight of the express (freight) cars. As a matter of interest the Americans like large numbers unlike everyone else, the weight of the latest GE ES44AC locomotives weigh fully fuelled with 5000 US gallons (4160 imperial gallons) is 415,000 lbs or more properly 188 metric tons on 6 axles. The Amtrak P42DC locomotives in the logs weigh 268,240lbs (121 metric tons) on 4 axles and Amtrak’s latest Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives being delivered at the present time weigh 217,000 lbs (98 metric tons) on 4 axles and have a maximum speed of 125 mph. The European equivalent weight for a class
Milepost 34¾ -286 - January 2014 182 (DB), similar in design to the ACS-64 is 87 metric tons. The difference in weight is due to the Americans having a different way of designing for crashworthiness. It can be likened to a battering ram, lots of extra solid weight, whilst in Europe we have impact honeycomb zones to absorb any impact. The Americans are thinking about redefining their crashworthiness to be similar to the European standards.
From Grand Junction to the summit in Moffat Tunnel, in Table 2, the line climbs 3642 feet in 394 miles at a ruling gradient of 1:125 (0.8%). Moffat tunnel is 9239 feet in altitude and 32797 feet long (6.2 miles) then drops to Denver at a height of 5280 feet over 50 miles.
Distances in the USA are a little difficult to obtain but in the mid-west and west Altamont Press publish Timetables (a bit like the UK’s Sectional Appendixes) but the actual location is difficult to determine. Mileposts are usually visible so it is possible using GPS to determine distances. In the east there is no published info, indeed CSX Transportation is known to bring legal action if anyone publish current info from their Employee Timetables.
One interesting question is why is the maximum speed for passenger trains in the USA is 79 mph (except as detailed below), in my opinion it is because it is not 80 mph ! This limit was imposed by the federal government after a rear end collision in 1946 when a CB& Q train hit another train at 85 mph. This railroad and other railroads were regularly reaching 100 mph. Lines which are fitted with automatic cab signal, automatic train control or automatic train stop can have a speed limit above 79 mph, generally 90 mph.
There are increasing number of lines where passengers trains exceed 79 mph, including the section in Table 1 with the limit of 90 mph. Recently the lines from Chicago to Kalamazoo to the east & Galesburg to the south west have 110 mph approved on some stretches of these lines.. In the north east the line from Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York & Boston have 125 mph running with sections of 135 mph for Acela trains south of New York and a couple of short stretches for the same trains of 150 mph north of New York.
A collision at Chatsworth, California in 2008 when a Metrolink passenger train went passed a red signal and was hit head on by a freight train has resulted in further safety regulation being imposed with the mandatory imposition of Positive Train Control (PTC). PTC has to be fitted to all railway lines owned by class 1 railroads and commuter passenger lines on which passenger trains operate and lines which carry hazardous materials by 31st December, 2015, it is unlikely to be fitted by this date due to various technical problems. On Amtrak owned lines they have their own but similar system which is not compatible with PTC. One can liken PTC to the European Train Control System and is based on digital communications and GPS with speed monitoring as well train control for signalling purposes.
Another aspect of Amtrak’s timetabling is the added time approaching the terminal station of a train. Amtrak regard a long distance train as being on time providing it is no more than 30 minutes late. As an example looking at train #s 3 & 4, The South West Chief as seen table 1. This train takes 35 minutes eastbound between Los Angeles and Fullerton, its first stop for 26 miles, in the opposite direction it takes 106 minutes and if the westbound train reaches Fullerton early then as it is a set down stop it could arrive into Los Angeles Union station significantly more than 70 minutes early. I have found the performance figures for 4 Amtrak trains to give you an idea of their timekeeping. For the South West Chief running from Chicago to Los Angeles (& vice versa) for November 2013 the on time figure was 73.3% & for the 12 months until to end of November it was 81.07%. For the California Zephyr running Chicago to Emeryville, near San Francisco in table 2 the November 2013 figure was 68.8% (an improvement on the September 2013 which was 56.7%) and for the 12 months was 68.8%. The analysis of the delays to both trains is that most of the delays are attributed to the host railroad, in both cases either BNSF or Union Pacific.
Milepost 34¾ -287 - January 2014 I hope that this is useful.
Chris Taylor.
NEWS
Locomotive Services Ltd., THE CAPITAL STREAK Saturday 7th December
Sandy Smeaton
This was the re-scheduled, and third, of 4464 Bittern’s runs with sections timed for 90m/h running on the ECML. The second run unfortunately took place on Thursday 5th December when Scotland’s rail system was storm bound and it was next to impossible to get to York and back from anywhere north or west of Edinburgh that day to travel on the ‘Tyne Tees Streak’ from York to Newcastle and back.
The weather for the ‘Capital Streak’ was positively benign, cool and slightly cloudy at York with little wind. The sky was clearer south of Retford helping visibility as the sun set.
The DBS crew were Steve Hanszar, Mark Dale and Inspector Gareth Jones. As usual the DBS men shared driving and firing and I understand that Steve Hanszar drove from Doncaster. The load was 11 coaches, 389 tons tare and about 420 tons gross.
Departure was right time at 14.19 but the engine was not pushed unduly to Colton Jn, passed just under 3 late at 63½m/h. 80 was reached at MP176½ and 90 not until MP166 and then for only a half mile. However we then ran at 89 or above until braking for Doncaster at Arksey. Doncaster was passed in 28m 43s. The minimum at Pipers Wood Summit was 74 followed by a maximum of 79½ before Bawtry. We stopped in Retford’s Platform 1 for water, only 43 seconds outside the 44 minutes scheduled, at 15.03½. 1E14, the 12.00 ex Waverley, booked to pass Retford at 15.05, overtook us on the up fast almost immediately we came to a stand.
We left Retford a fraction early and 4464 climbed to Markham Summit in 8m 18s with speed at 53½ by the time the 2nd last coach passed MP133¾. At Crow Park, the bottom of 3 miles of 1 in 200 down from Tuxford, speed passed the 90 mark and stayed there until Norwell LC, a distance of about 4 miles. Speed was then eased to 75 for Newark’s flat crossing.
The climb to Stoke Summit started in earnest from a maximum of 77 before Hougham, falling to 72 entering Peascliffe Tunnel, rose to 77 again on the short level immediately after Grantham and fell gradually to a minimum of 72 just before the Summit (or 71.8 on the GPS).
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Milepost 34¾ -288 - January 2014 Date: Sat 7.12.13 Miles Ms Ch LOCATION Sch Mn Sc mph Av Train: 14.19 York - Kings Cross 2.43 136 15 Gamston 5 26.6 46 42.1 Loco: 4464 'Bittern' A4 8P 4-6-2 3.61 135 0 MP 6 54.0 51 48.9 Load: 11 coaches/ 389 / 420 tons 4.11 134 40 Askham Tnl N 7 29.0 53 51.4 Crew: S. Hanszar/ M. Dale 4.86 133 60 Markham Sum 8 17.9 58½ 55.2 Inspector: G. Jones 5.86 132 60 MP 9 15.1 67½ 62.9 Weather: Dry & cool throughout; little wind 6.68 131 75 Tuxford North 9 57.8 70½ 68.5 Recorder/Method: A.Smeaton/GPS 7.33 131 23 Dukeries Jn 10 29.3 76 74.3 Position: 13/14 8.25 130 29 Egmanton LC 11 11.9 82 78.2 Miles Ms Ch LOCATION Sch Mn Sc mph Av 9.61 129 0 MP 12 10.0 89 84.4 0.00 188 40 YORK (P10) 0 0 00.0 T ~ 10.61 128 0 " 12 49.3 91½ 91.6 0.38 188 10 Holgate Jn 2 07.0 21 10.6 11.28 127 27 Crow Park 13 15.1 91½ 92.4 1.91 186 47 Chaloners Whin 4 57.5 45 32.5 12.3 126 25 Carlton 13 55.1 91 92.3 3.71 184 63 Copmanthorpe 7 04.0 56½ 51.2 13.61 125 0 MP 14 47.8 90½ 89.7 5.53 182 78 Colton Jn 6 8 52.2 63½ 60.3 13.93 124 55 Cromwell LC 15 00.0 90½ 92.2 8.50 180 00 MP 11 33.2 74½ 66.5 14.61 124 0 MP 15 27.7 90 89.4 10.50 178 00 Stoker Wood 13 07.0 78½ 76.8 15.14 123 38 Norwell LC 15 48.7 90 90 12.50 176 00 MP 14 37.8 81 79.3 15.64 122 78 Bathley Lane 16 09.0 87½ 88.7 14.50 174 00 Hambleton S Jn 16 05.0 83 82.6 16.53 122 7 Church Lane 16 46.5 79 85.2 16.50 172 00 MP 17 31.3 87 83.4 17.83 120 63 Newark X 17 47.8 75 76.3 17.50 171 00 " 18 11.9 87 88.7 18.46 120 12 NEWARK 16 18 18.4 75½ 75 18.50 170 00 " 18 53.4 86 86.7 19.58 119 3 Barnby 19 11.3 73½ 75.7 19.50 169 00 Temple Hirst Jn 16 19 36.4 86 86.3 20.29 118 26 Bullpit Lane 19 46.7 74 72.5 21.50 167 00 MP 20 58.5 87 87.7 21.61 117 0 MP 20 50.1 77 75.2 22.50 166 00 " 21 39.4 90 88 22.36 116 20 " 21 25.2 77½ 76.9 24.33 164 14 Fenwick LC 22 52.2 89½ 89.4 23.28 115 27 Claypole 20½ 22 08.0 75 76.8 25.48 163 02 Moss LC 23 38.7 89½ 89.8 23.98 114 51 FB 269 22 41.7 74½ 74.8 26.33 162 14 Barcroft 24 12.9 89½ 89.5 24.61 114 0 MP 23 12.4 76 74.8 27.06 161 35 Noblethorpe 24 43.0 89 88.2 26.11 112 40 " 24 23.1 77 76.4 28.21 160 23 Shaftholme Jn 23 25 29.2 89 89.6 26.95 111 53 Hougham 25 02.0 76½ 77.5 29.38 159 10 Daw Lane LC 26 15.9 89 89.6 28.86 109 60 Barkston S Jn 25½ 26 33.9 73½ 75.7 30.48 158 02 Arksey LC 25 27 03.0 74½ 84.1 29.61 109 0 MP 27 11.2 72½ 72.4 31.68 156 66 Moat Hills LC 28 02.0 73½/73 73.2 30.8 107 65 Peascliffe T S 28 10.0 72 72.6 32.51 155 79 DONCASTER 27 28 43.2 74½ 76.7 31.61 107 0 MP 28 50.5 73½ 72.2 33.50 155 00 MP 29 30.0 76½ 74.1 33.18 105 35 GRANTHAM 28½ 30 05.0 77 75.5 34.50 154 00 Potteric Carr Jn 29½ 30 17.4 76½ 76 33.74 104 70 OB 239 30 31.2 76½ 77.3 37.14 151 29 Rossington LC 32 20.3 76½ 77.3 35.61 103 0 MP 32 01.0 74½ 75.2 38.25 150 20 MP 33 13.4 74 75.4 36.61 102 0 " 32 50.0 73½ 73.5 39.15 149 28 Pipers Wood 33 57.7 74 73.1 37.63 100 79 Stoke Tunnel N 33 39.1 72 74.2 40.00 148 40 MP 34 37.2 79½ 77.5 38.13 100 39 Stoke Tunnel S 34 04.0 72 72.3 40.85 147 52 Bawtry UB 35 17.3 77 76.3 38.48 100 11 Stoke Summit 33½ 34 21.8 72½ 73 42.50 146 00 MP 36 34.5 75 76.9 39.61 99 0 MP 35 15.5 82 76.3 44.53 143 78 Ranskill LC 38 10.4 73½ 76 41.96 96 52 OB 230 36 51.4 91½ 88.2 46.80 141 56 Sutton LC 40 04.0 69½ 72.1 42.49 96 10 OB 220 37 12.0 92/92½ 91.7 47.84 140 53 Botany Bay 41 01.0 58½ 65.5 43.61 95 0 MP 37 56.1 91 91.8 49.50 139 00 MP 43 31.7 24½ 39.7 44.61 94 0 " 38 37.0 81½ 88 49.89 138 49 RETFORD (P1) w 44 44 37.9 0.5E 21.1 45.5 93 9 OB 213 39 16.3 79½ 81.3 1.15 137 37 Grove Road LC 3 34.4 38 19.3 46.5 92 9 OB 209 40 01.0 82 80.5 1.61 137 00 MP 4 17.2 40 38.9 47.36 91 20 OB 40 39.0 83½ 81.7
Milepost 34¾ -289 - January 2014 . Miles Ms Ch LOCATION Sch Mn Sc Speeds Av Miles Ms Ch LOCATION Sch Mn Sc Speed Av 48.36 90 20 MP 41 20.8 88 86.1 21.44 45 15 Sigs stop ( 46 43.5 ~ 25.5 49.83 88 63 Essendine 42 19.9 91½ 89.1 ~ ~ ~ " " ( 51 32.9 ~ ~ 51.53 87 07 Greatford LC 43 26.9 92/91½ 91.3 22.50 44 10 SANDY 20½ 55 30.5 31 16.1 52.61 86 00 MP 44 10.4 92/92½ 90.0 25.44 41 15 BIGGL'WADE 23 59 19.9 56 46.1 53.81 84 64 Tallington LC 44 ½ 44 56.4 91½ 93.9 27.63 39 00 MP 61 34.3 60½ 58.6 56.14 82 38 Maxey LC 46 28.3 91½ 91.1 29.63 37 00 ARLESLEY 26½ 63 28.1 68 63.3 56.73 81 71 Helpston LC 47 46 51.6 92 90.8 30.88 35 60 OB 107A 64 37.5 61 64.8 57.34 81 22 Woodcroft LC 47 15.1 92 93.8 32.13 34 40 MP 66 02.0 45 53.3 58.64 79 78 Marholme FB 48 07.0 90½ 90.2 34.30 32 26 Sigs stop* ( 71 35.1 ~ 23.5 59.44 79 14 FB 188K 48 38.5 90 91.4 ~ ~ ~ Cambridge Jn ( 72 25.9 ~ ~ 59.91 78 56 FB 188E 48 58.0 88½ 87.7 34.63 32 00 HITCHIN 30½ 75 31.7 ~ 6.3 60.55 78 05 New England 49 24.2 86 87.6 36.15 30 38 OB 97 78 04.0 41½/44 36.0 61.61 77 00 Westwood 50 18.2 47½/46½ 70.8 37.00 29 50 OB 79 15.3 43½ 42.9 62.28 76 27 PETERBOROUGH 51 51 08.0 49½ 47.9 37.55 29 06 OB 93 79 58.9 46½/43½ 45.4 63.49 75 10 Fletton OB 181 52½ 52 33.9 55½ 50.8 38.33 28 24 OB 89A 81 02.0 45½ 44.2 65.09 73 42 OB 179 54 10.4 64½/74½ 59.7 39.03 27 48 STEVENAGE 37½ 81 52.3 54½/58½ 46.4 68.59 70 02 Holme Loade 57 07.0 74 71.3 41.63 25 00 KNEBWORTH 41 84 34.2 57 53.3 69.29 69 26 Holme LC 58 57 43.1 68 69.8 42.63 24 00 Sigs stop* 87 14.5 ~ 41.6
70.26 68 28 Connington N 58 35.3 63 67.2 ~ ~ ~ Woolmer Grn 42½ 88 06.0 ~ ~ 71.36 67 20 Connington S 60 59 57.1 35 48.4 44.68 21 76 WELWYN N 45 93 42.0 52½ 22.0 71.99 66 50 Connington lp w 62 61 41.5 7E 33.4 45.15 21 38 Welwyn Via S 94 16.0 48½ 50.3 0.63 66 00 MP 8 13.0 7½ // 4 4.6 46.25 20 30 Sigs stop 98 04.0 ~ 17.4 1.09 65 43 Woodwalton Jn 10 42.0 25 11.2 ~ ~ ~ WELWYN GC 50 100 26.0 ~ ~ 1.63 65 00 MP 11 47.5 34½ 29.5 48.93 17 56 HATFIELD 55 105 22.1 44½ 32.5 2.6 64 02 OB 157 13 15.6 47 39.8 51.05 15 46 WELHAM GN 59 108 19.3 46 43.2 3.24 63 31 Abbots Ripton 14 03.0 51 48.4 52.14 14 39 BRKMANS P 61 109 41.7 42 47.5 3.89 62 59 Abbots Ripton oa 14 48.0 55 52.0 53.88 12 60 POTTERS BR 65 113 17.5 39L 29.0 4.63 62 00 Leys Summit 15 35.3 59 56.1 1.44 11 25 Potter's BarTS 4 07.0 45½ 28.8 6.63 60 00 MP 18 13.0 Sigs 28 45.7 2.20 10 44 HADLEY WD 4 4 55.8 59/60½ 56.2 7.19 59 35 Sigs stop ( 20 04.0 ~ 18.2 3.58 9 14 N BARNET 6 6 17.8 59½ 60.4 ~ ~ ~ Huntingdon N ( 21 54.2 Up slow ~ 4.40 8 28 OAKL’GH PK 7 7 09.0 S 50½ 58.0 7.79 58 67 HUNTINGDON 10 24 31.5 26½ 13.7 6.29 6 37 NEW S'GATE 10 9 49.9 S 36/24 42.2 10.73 55 72 Offord LC 29 56.9 43½/29 32.5 7.75 5 00 ALEX PAL 12 12 46.8 39/S 12 29.8 14.93 51 56 ST NEOTS 37 28.1 36½ 33.5 8.75 4 00 HORNSEY 14½ 15 36.7 20 21.2 19.15 47 38 Tempsford 42 44.1 54½ 48.1 10.24 2 41 FINSB’Y PK 18 19 41.8 40½/S21½ 21.8 20.25 46 30 Everton 43 56.1 52 55.0 11.48 1 22 Holloway OB 22 29.2 32½ 26.6 w denotes water stop 12.18 0 46 Gasworks TN 24 07.0 20 25.8 * Distance estimated from assumed signal location 12.66 0 07 KINGS X P1 28 26 13.8 37L 13.8 On the falling gradient from Stoke Summit the 90 mark was crossed in about 3 miles at Corby Glen, rising to a maximum of 92½ before easing to 79½ at Little Bytham. Once past the slack 90 was exceeded again before Essendine and remained above 90 for about 10 miles until braking sharply after New England for Peterborough. A brief 74 was achieved before entering Connington Loop for water where we stopped 18 seconds inside the 62 minutes allowed. Until now the time keeping had been exemplary and we started slowly along the loop to Woodwalton Jn, about 7 early not to miss our path. However having worked up to 59 at Leys Summit the feather for the up slow at Huntingdon was visible in the distance. We stopped at the yellow aspect, no doubt to argue with Control, but to no effect and we made way for the late running 1A40 16.05 from Leeds which eventually passed us between Arlesey and Hitchin about 11 late. We remained on the up slow for the remainder of the run finally arriving at Kings Cross 37 late, a very poor reward for the crew who had timed the train so precisely as far as Connington. Would it not have been possible for us to wait at Connington and then follow 1A40? Perhaps the traffic frequency was just too dense for such improvisation. We were passed by two emu’s on the up fast, the first before Sandy and the other before Hitchin, which probably explains the checks before both stations. Nevertheless,
Milepost 34¾ -290 - January 2014 90 and better was achieved over four sections of the run and the aim of the run had been achieved.
I had a seat on the east side of the train facing backwards, which is not ideal for accuracy, but the light remained reasonable until Connington. About half way down Stoke Bank the high visibility mileposts became invisible. After Connington it was dark and I stood at a door in the vain hope that we would be let back onto the fast at some stage.
Network Developments – Ian Umpleby
Of course the major event for timers is the Midland Main Line speed upgrade which was implemented at the start of the 2013/14 timetable. However certain elements of the scheme between Sharnbrook and East Midlands Parkway have had to be deferred, perhaps towards April, and quite a few temporary speed restrictions were in place at the start of 2014. The NW Electrification has brought welcome speed upgrades between Manchester and Newton- le-Willows with 90 mph permitted west of Glazebury. Balshaw Lane Jn north of Wigan has seen the Slow Lines connection raised from 50 to 75 mph. Daisyfield Jn at Blackburn has been remodelled with a minor speed increase. The relaying of Stoats Nest Jn south of Purley over Christmas is said to bring with it speed increases although this may only involve removal of temporary restrictions. Several engineering works have been completed including Peterborough where a new island platform has been introduced on the west side for East Anglia services; the main bonus for timers is the new Up Fast platform which should see record times cut easily, even those involving liberal interpretations of the limits. The completion of the Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace enhancement project sees six lines now in use between these points and new platforms at both places; this should help ECML punctuality. The new platform at Gatwick Airport on the east side is in operational use now and will help reduce delays. Completed redoubling of connections in Scotland at Stirling (towards Alloa), Newton (Glasgow-Hamilton) and Springburn (towards Bellgrove) should also help reduce delays. Doubling of most of the Wrexham-Chester line has received funding from the Welsh Government. Energlyn and Churchill Park station near Caerphilly opened on time in December and regular services returned to Melksham, Hatton Curve and the Parkside to Golborne Junction lines and will to Oxley chord, Wolverhampton when Virgin’s (limited) new Euston-Shrewsbury service starts in May. The new curve at Todmorden towards Burnley is to open in February but there are apparently still no spare dmus to start a service; the Copy Pit route is currently closed as planned. Work on the new connecting spur from the Chiltern to Oxford lines at Bicester has started and the Oxford to Bicester line service is to be temporarily withdrawn for route modernisation in February. The Swindon to Kemble line doubling should come on stream at Easter and work on the new passing loop at Alvechurch (Redditch Line) is due to start. The new (downstream) river bridge at Llandecwyn on the Cambrian Line north of Harlech, replacing the old wooden structure, will improve line speed. Crossrail works are now becoming apparent between Paddington and Iver. On the signalling front the Crewe to Shrewsbury scheme was implemented on time as was a minor one at Hooton. Cowlairs box closed and its area of control transferred to Edinburgh. The Dorset and East Sussex scheme dates have both slipped again. The first stage of the Peterborough to Doncaster Joint Line modernisation to take effect came over Christmas with the closure of signal boxes between Lincoln and Trent Jn Gainsborough now controlled from York. A smaller scheme at Ely North/West will see bi- directional running restored at long last to the single track Ely Loop. Electrification work continues in NW England with foundation/ mast erection work from Edge Hill to Wigan/Earlestown; this should have extended to the Ordsall Jn to Manchester Victoria line by now. The Glasgow to Cumbernauld/Whifflet schemes are due for completion this year. In Ireland the only development is negative with a one year deferral of the Coleraine to Londonderry line upgrade. Finally, a very rare opportunity to time regular passenger trains over the Sutton Park line between Water Orton and Walsall should be available in the February School Holiday week.
Milepost 34¾ -291 - January 2014
THURSDAY 23rd JANUARY 2014
Area Meeting
BOROUGH, LONDON
TUESDAY 18th FEBRUARY 2014
Area Meeting
LEEDS
THURSDAY 27th FEBRUARY 2014
Area Meeting
BRISTOL PARKWAY
SATURDAY 17th MAY 2014
Annual General Meeting – see page 255
The Calthorpe, LONDON
Milepost 34¾ -292 - January 2014