MILEPOST 25¾ - January 2005

The Journal of The Railway Performance Society

Honorary President: Peter Semmens MA CChem FRSC MBCS MCIT Commitee: CHAIRMAN Nigel Smedley 40 Ferrers Way, Darley Abbey, Derby DE22 2BA. e-mail: [email protected] VICE CHAIRMAN Chris Taylor 11 Fenay Drive, Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield HD8 OAB. And Meetings e-mail; [email protected] tel; 01484 307069 SECRETARY Frank Collins 10 Collett Way, Frome, Somerset, BA11 2XR e-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01373 466408 TREASURER Peter Smith 28 Downsview Ave, Storrington, West Sussex RH20 4PS (and Membership) e-mail: [email protected] EDITOR David Ashley 92 Lawrence Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middx, UB10 8RW e-mail: [email protected], Tel 01895 675178 Distance Chart Editor John Bull 37 Heathfield Road, Basingstoke, Hants RG22 4PA e-mail;[email protected] Fastest Times Editor David Sage 93 Salisbury Road, Burton, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 7JR e-mail: [email protected] tel; 01202 249717 Committee Members:- Archivist & Librarian Lee Allsopp 2 Gainsborough, North Lake, Bracknell RG12 7WL e-mail: [email protected] tel; 01344 648644 Sales & Distribution Bruce Nathan 7 Salamanca, Crowthorne, Berks, RG45 6AP e-mail [email protected], tel 01344 776656 Publicity Vacancy Non-committee officials:- Topical points Martin Robertson 23 Brownside Rd, Cambuslang, Glasgow, G72 0NL e-mail: [email protected] Directors of RPS Rail Performance Consultants Ltd.:- Frank Collins (chairman), Martin Barrett (secretary), Nigel Smedley.

CONTENTS Page Notices 220 News Alert 226 Return to North Berwick Martin Barrett 227 Fastest Times M D Robertson 231 Birmingham-Coventry Corridor David Adams 239 Hills – What Hills? Frank Collins 249 Class 67 Local Hauled with Virgin Trains Jon Littlewood 253 Milepost Mystery Chris Taylor 259 From 5 to 8 K R Phillips & Ray Townsin 260 My Steam Blue Ribands Ben Stone 264 The Long & Short of It Alan Varley 272 Yet more 37’s Chris Taylor 278 Letters 285 Enclosures (where subscribed): Distance charts, Cd-roms, Renewal form, Questionnaire

Copyright The Railway Performance Society Ltd, registered in England & Wales No. 04488089

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

Milepost 25 ¾ - 218 - January 2005

Foreword from the Chairman

A very happy New Year, and prosperous 2005 to all members.

Since the last magazine we have seen a few notable events on the UK railway scene: The devastating level crossing crash at Ufton, Berkshire, and the first change of National Rail Timetable in December - in accordance with European standards.

I don’t think it would be a good idea to get too embroiled in the political debate about safety but purely from a performance point of view it is good to see that the reaction to what was a tragic incident has been measured. For instance, there has been no demand for or any suggestion of compulsory speed restrictions being placed on all automatic half barrier crossings for instance: Surely a good thing for passengers, the industry and performance scholars. Common sense suggests that anyone determined to kill themselves, no matter what facet of life they chose as the conduit, will succeed.

On a more positive side, the recent authorisation of the Trent Valley quadrupling scheme from Tamworth-Armitage on the West Coast really is a notable event. It is certainly the first main line railway widening scheme in my lifetime. Talking to Bill Hemstock at the December Crewe Meeting, the last such example goes back to 1960/61 when the London Underground quadrupled the Metropolitan line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Watford South Junction. The last true ‘main line’ example was the section between Swanley-Bickley and the Newington loops in 1957 as part of the North Kent electrification. Staggering! Let us hope that the same treatment for the hopelessly congested West Midlands corridor Coventry- Wolverhampton follows.

The December timetable change, in particular the South West Trains and Anglia revamp, have provoked much adverse comment in the press with some journeys now slower than they were in steam days. The SWT changes are aimed at improving the company’s rather indifferent punctuality performance. We wish them well in their quest. On the downside one can’t help think that an opportunity has been missed. I think it is generally agreed that the practice of defensive driving is one of the main causes of loss of time against schedule on suburban stopping services. It seems a pity that a thorough re-evaluation of this technique has gone into the ‘too difficult tray’ rather than acceding to the demands of introducing sometimes unjustifiable extra time within time-honoured schedules.

Finally, to the changes in Anglia, or more correctly ‘one’ InterCity. The timetable sees effectively the end of the Norwich express except for a couple of peak hour workings. Under the new guise, the XX00 service calls at Stratford, Chelmsford, Colchester, Manningtree, Ipswich, Stowmarket and Diss whilst the XX30 calls at Shenfield, Colchester, Manningtree, Ipswich and Diss. Schedules are generally inflated by around 9 minutes to compensate. Why all the Norwich services have to call at Manningtree when there is an hourly Liverpool St- Harwich service plus a new XX38 to either Lowestoft or Peterborough which could also call is completely beyond me. Progress?: There are already too many journeys in the UK where rail is comfortably beaten by road and is therefore uncompetitive. Let’s not make any more.

Nigel Smedley Chairman

SOCIETY NOTICES

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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 BRUCE NATHAN and not 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 23 ¾ gave detailed guidelines for submissions. The editor is happy to supply these, on request by email or by post. Please note that page margins are critical: one inch or 2.54cm top, bottom, left and right.

FASTEST TIMES

Please send all contributions to David Sage. Please note new e-mail address: [email protected]

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

Please, where practicable, also copy claims and logs to Lee Allsopp, for the Society database, and to Martin Robertson for material for the Fastest Times articles. In general the closing date for submissions will be the third week of the month preceding publication.

David Sage January 2005

HISTORIC FASTEST TIMES

Any corrections, new records, or offers of routes for the 2005 issue should be sent to me at [email protected], or by post to 24 Walmesley Road, Eccleston, St. Helens, Lancs., WA10 5JT. Contributions for GWR main line steam records would be especially welcome for Milepost 25 ¾ - 220 - January 2005

inclusion in the steam sections of future issues.

All the available data, including many routes not included in the printed version, can be viewed on the internet. View the index at web address www.bevanprice.freeuk.com/rps45581hft.htm. You will need the free Adobe pdf file viewer on your computer.

Bevan Price

DISTANCE CHARTS

UK Distance Charts

Included with this edition of Milepost is release 37 of the UK Distance Charts, continuing with the philosophy of reviewing existing charts at the same time as adding new charts. Choosing which chart to work on and release next is based upon several factors - age of existing chart, known changes, availability of information to build the chart, likely use of the chart, requests from members for particular charts, etc. If you have a need for a particular chart that isn't currently available then just let me know and I will try to accommodate. For example, I received a request from a member for a Stechford to Wolverhampton chart. Within a few weeks I was able to build a draft chart, based on some survey work I had already done in the area, and made the chart available to the member. The PSRs and some of the timing points need a further check on the ground before release.

During the long winter nights there is time to build draft charts ready for review on the ground once spring has broken. Thus trips are planned to Scotland, Wales, the East Midlands and Kent during the coming year. There are No prizes for guessing which charts will be released as a result, but if there are member requests for a different route then these may take priority and I will adjust the plan.

One request that I haven't been able to satisfy is a chart for the new high-speed line through Kent. If you have any information regarding the current route please forward it to me (Note new email address) or another committee member.

John Bull Barking, December 2004

SALES ITEMS Back Numbers: Certain back issues of Milepost, mostly after Milepost 9, 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 to 21 are available and will be supplied free of charge on receipt of an

Milepost 25 ¾ - 221 - January 2005

A5 size stamped addressed envelope. UK Mileage Supplement: £20.00 in two binders. The complete collection of RPS mileage charts compiled to date. Individual new and revised charts are issued with Milepost when available. Sets of the Charts are made up individually to order, but every effort is made to supply within the normal 28 day delivery allowance. Overseas Distance Supplement (Section 1: France): £10.00 in binder. The complete collection of RPS charts on SNCF lines compiled to date. Individual new and revised charts are distributed occasionally with Milepost to those members who have paid a small supplementary membership fee. Historical Fastest Times 2004 Edition: £2.00. All orders please to Bruce Nathan. All prices include postage. Please enclose the correct remittance with your order and allow 28 days for delivery. BUSINESS CARDS

The Railway Performance Society www.railperf.org.uk Are you interested in train performance? If so, you should join the Railway Performance Society. We offer a quarterly journal 'Milepost' with articles on modern and historic traction, steam, diesel and electric, British and overseas. We issue Distance Charts (UK and EU) for many routes and supplements of fastest times. Regular meetings are held to discuss train timing matters. The Society maintains an extensive electronic archive of performance logs dating from the 1890s to the present day. For further details please contact Peter Smith, 28 Downsview Avenue, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4PS, visit our web site or email [email protected] We have a supply of Business Cards, worded as above, which are useful to give to people who show an interest in train-timing, particularly on rail tours, to encourage them to join the Society. If any member would like a supply of these cards, please apply to Bruce Nathan.

AGM – The AGM is in Derby on 14th May 2005. Members are reminded that nominations for the committee, are required by 19th March 2005, and resolutions are required by 2nd April 2004. Nominations must be in writing, and proposed and seconded for the post by two other members of the Society. In the event that there are two or more nominations for a post, the candidates concerned will be invited to submit a statement in support of their candidature not exceeding 300 words in length. It is not however necessary to submit this with the nomination. Formal notice of the meeting will be issued later.

MEETINGS Saturday Thursday Saturday 5th February, 2005 10th February 2005 16th April, 2005 London 12 noon BRISTOL 1700 FOR 1730 Crewe 12 noon. PICTORIAL QUIZ- DISCUSSION ON THEMED DISCUSSION: NIGEL SMEDLEY CURRENT DELTIC PERFORMANCE- PERFORMANCE FRANK COLLINS *** ***Could members please send suitable material to Frank Collins prior to the meeting

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Advance notice: This year’s mass timing day is planned to be Liverpool St. to Colchester on 18th June 2004, and will be coordinated by Lee Allsopp.

The Society now has a digital projector and if any member would like to give a short presentation at a society meeting using this projector (or not using it if they like), or if anyone has any topics for discussion at meetings please contact the vice-chairman. Perhaps you would like to tell a meeting about your best run of the year (or any year).

DIRECTIONS TO THE VENUES

LONDON – LAMBS PUBLIC HOUSE, Lambs Conduit Street, London WC1. From Russell Square Piccadilly Line station turn right, then turn first right into Grenville Street then first left into Guilford Street (Great Ormond Street Hospital on right), turn first right into Guilford Place (by the fountain and underground Gents toilet) and it is on the left - walking time about 5 minutes. OR. From King’s Cross station cross Euston Rd and turn left towards Grays Inn Road, where you turn right, and walk southwards down Grays Inn Rd to the junction with Guildford Street, where you turn right. Turn left at Guildford Place, and Lamb's is on the left. (About 10mins walk from King's Cross) We will use the Empire Theatre Bar / Dining Room upstairs DERBY – THE BRUNSWICK – From Derby Station, turn right and follow the road for about 200 yards. The Brunswick is on the left just before the road bends to the left. – walking time about 4 minutes We use one of the upstairs rooms. BRISTOL - at THE GWRSA CLUB, is on the right hand side of Bristol Temple Meads station approach road heading away from the station about 150 metres. It is reached by steps from the approach road. The GWRSA Club does not open until 1730, so we can meet at the main entrance at Temple Meads station at 1700 in order to be escorted through a side entrance. After 1730, please use the normal entrance. Due to licensing laws the manager of the GWRSA Club needs the names of members attending, if you could let John Heaton know at least 2 weeks before the date on 01626 865526 or [email protected] (those who attended previously do not need to let John Heaton know) . CREWE – THE CREWE ARMS HOTEL Come out of the railway station and turn right, cross the road, the hotel is 50 metres on the left hand side. FREE SOCIETY MEETINGS It was announced at the 2002 AGM that future society meetings will be 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.

VOYAGER / ADELANTE / CHALLENGER / PENDOLINO RECORDS. Many thanks to those who responded to my request for records achieved by the above classes. As stated in Milepost 23¾ it is the intention to track the development of records by these classes. The file will be passed to David sage for publication as circumstances allow.

At this stage I simply need a line of entry, preferably by e-mail or post, to showing Unit no/s. Vehicles/Recorder/Section*/From/To/Date and time.

* as per FT booklet. e.g. Paddington to Reading would be gw1, Euston-Coventry wc2. Any recognisable abbreviation is fine.

In order to save David a lot of work in processing records for these classes until standards are set, please send your contributions for these classes to - John Heaton,

Milepost 25 ¾ - 223 - January 2005

57 West Cliff Park Drive, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9ER or [email protected]

MEETING REPORT Saturday 4th December “Train Timing Experiences” – Martin Barrett. Twelve members ventured to Crewe to hear an interesting talk by Martin Barrett. Martin started by giving the meeting an insight into his career on the railway over 40 years starting at Brentford with 25 years in various train timing offices. He started planning the timetables on the “Joint Line” through Lincolnshire. In those days there were no computers and it was a case of travelling on trains to calculate the point to point times. In those days on ABS signalling sections it was practice to allow 2 minutes between trains to allow for time for the signalman to bell through train out of section etc. In 1968 Martin moved to York on the merger of the Eastern and North Eastern Regions but not before becoming involved with the southern end of the ECML and the demonstration run for the forthcoming Deltic + 8 coaches service. The demonstration run passed Doncaster 126 minutes from leaving King’s Cross but we have to remember that speed restrictions existed at Offord (70 mph), Peterborough (20 mph), Grantham (70 mph), Newark (60 mph), Bawtry Viaduct (45 mph) and 100 mph only allowed between Cadwell and Offord, Lolham and Stoke and Grantham to Newark. At York Martin covered the Hull to Scarborough line before transferring to the Parcels Division for 9 years. Martin then gave a few examples starting with Dewsbury. At Dewsbury, because the signal is a substantial distance from the turnout, then progressive braking (on which the computer calculates time) is not appropriate so times are manually adjusted. At Rhyl the turnout speeds were increased from 20 to 40 mph but the signalling was not altered (even when the semaphore signal was replaced by colour light) so trains are unnecessarily slowed. He pointed out that if the speed on the through line was reduced to 50 mph (which would affect very few trains) the a approach control on the signal could be reduced as the differential was only 10 mph. This would result in less fuel, brake wear and improved times for the majority of trains.

MARTIN TASKER MEMORIAL LIBRARY

No additions to the Library to report this issue.

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 standard borrowing period will be three weeks although this can be negotiable. Abuse of this may result in the loss of Library Privileges!!

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 complete contents of the library will be published on an annual basis.

Lee Allsopp

RPS ARCHIVES – CD DISTRIBUTION

RPS Members who have registered to receive the RPS Archive CDs will receive three CDs with this issue of Milepost as follows:

(i) The fourth and fifth in a series of five CDs containing Gerald Aston’s notebooks. These CDs contain details of Gerald’s travels from 1969 up to his last runs in 1999 aged 91.Gerald passed away in late 2000 aged 93. Even aged 91 Gerald was Milepost 25 ¾ - 224 - January 2005

making journeys from his home in Wilmslow to Penzance and back. Indeed in April 1999 he recorded his last Fastest Time.

(ii) The second of two CDs titled the ‘Frank Collins Collection’. This is a collection of logs recorded largely by Frank but with significant contributions from a number of other recorders, including Tim Griffiths, John Ball and Nigel Smedley, covering the period from the late 70s to the mid 80s. This second CD contains logs from the Midlands, Wales, the North West, Southern and Western Regions and the West Coast Main Line

To keep the cost to the Society down (and the overhead of CD copying), the CDs will only be issued to those who ‘register’ for the updates. It’s not too late to register. To do so, please contact Lee Allsopp by letter, phone or E-Mail to register for the CDs.

Finally an apology to the unknown member who E-Mailed me a few weeks ago asking to register for the CDs and has probably been cursing me. Unfortunately my son accidentally deleted the E-Mail from my inbox before I had made note of who it was from. If that member would like to contact me I will ensure that he receives his CDs.

Lee Allsopp

SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS

The Committee has decided that the basic subscription rates will remain the same for the year commencing 1 April 2005. This decision has been taken as, although costs have increased so did our subscription income and it is anticipated that the accounts will show a small surplus. The basic subscription rate for UK members will therefore be £16. The European and Overseas Rates will be £19 and £24 respectively. Members under 26 years of age will continue to pay half these rates.

The supplementary charges will also continue at the same levels. For SNCF chart updates and the Overseas Fastest Times Supplement the charge will be £5. The Historic Fastest Times supplementary charge will be £2.

A renewal form is enclosed with this issue of Milepost. Please complete and return this to Peter Smith either with your remittance or advice that payment has been made to our bank. It is to the Society’s benefit that members pay direct to the bank as it reduces the cost of the charges made by the bank.

Details of our bank for those paying direct are:- Payee Railway Performance Society Ltd Sort Code 30-91-11 Lloyds TSB, Bracknell Account number 3525463 Your reference Membership number as shown on your Milepost envelope

Please ensure that payment is made by 31 March at the latest to ensure that you receive the Annual Report and AGM Agenda and to avoid the trouble and cost of sending reminders. Peter Smith

NEWS ALERT

Northern Ireland

2005 will herald a new era in Northern Ireland Railways passenger service provision with the gradual introduction of the new CAF Ck3 three car dmus. These will replace the 1974 Milepost 25 ¾ - 225 - January 2005

vintage Class 80 and mid eighties Class 450 three car dmus, although the ex-Gatwick Express coaches will probably be retained to work the morning peak Newry-Belfast and teatime return SX services, powered by an NIR diesel. The 80/450 units have given sterling service over the years but have been increasingly difficult to maintain and find it difficult to keep time. The new units will have underfloor engines as opposed to the existing “Hastings” type floor mounted power unit at one end of the train. Air conditioning will feature in the new units and they will have a 90 mph capability and information displays. The current units have a 70 mph maximum speed and limits to the north of Belfast reflect this, although the Bleach Green Jc-Antrim line was reopened in 2001 with most of it passed for 90 mph operation. The Belfast-Dublin line has higher limits and continuously welded rail extends from the border through Belfast to Bangor and Ballymena; the Larne branch is to be relayed as far as Whitehead in early 2005. The fate of the Ballymena-Londonderry/Derry, Coleraine-Portrush and Whitehead-Larne lines remains under review and further investment is unlikely in the near future. The Belfast-Londonderry line has long stretches between stations where the units are driven hard in a bid to keep time through the undulating countryside. Beyond Coleraine it is mostly level and runs through a scenic but thinly populated area, terminating on the opposite side of the river to Londonderry’s centre. The 20 mph tsr through Downhill Tunnel, imposed after a rockfall, remains and the 45 mph Limavady Junction curve had a 30 mph tsr in October 2004; there was a further 20 mph tsr in between. Some peak hour trains on the Larne and Bangor branches and Portadown line run as semi fasts to relieve the normal all stations service.

Hopefully the new units will be GPS friendly as there are several places on the network where there are series of mileposts slightly out besides the more obvious errors. The posts are virtually all late BR type posts- tall V shaped with black lettering on a yellow background apart from the Portrush branch where the original posts remained in early 2004 with many missing. Mileposts are located on the down side, apart from the Belfast-Londonderry line between Antrim and MP 83.

The current timetable will probably continue well into 2005 but a new, improved timetable will appear in due course taking advantage of the new units’ superior acceleration. Bus/Train Rover tickets cost from £13 (one day) and a much cheaper rail only version is normally available in July/August. Northern Ireland has some wonderful scenery on and away from the railway and is well worth a visit. The ”troubles” may not have completely disappeared, but the casual visitor should be unaffected by them Ian Umpleby It was subsequently announced that the two lines under threat were reprieved, and a planned investment of £23.6m was approved. - Ed

Progress on new curve at Allington nr Grantham.

Most of us will have read about the intention to build a new chord at Allington Junction on the Grantham-Nottingham line to enable diversion of Skegness services away from the Grantham-Barkston section of the East Coast Main Line and closure of Barkston South curve.

A visit to the area on 20th November witnessed the new new quarter mile chord clearly defined with all the embankment earthworks completed. As expected the chord is on a permanent curve. No visible start had been made on track laying or on signalling. The chord is due to open in May 05.

Nigel Smedley

Silkmill

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Preparatory work has started in connection with the construction of a bridge to replace Silkmill CCTV level crossing, west of Taunton. The road is well used, especially by ambulances going to the regional hospital, and a constant source of complaint. Train timers also regret its existence as it is a regular cause of signal checks in both directions. However, a recent news item on highways budget cuts has suggested that work might be suspended, so the crossing might survive. Widening of the crossing has been quoted by some as a factor in preventing access from the West Somerset Railway into Taunton, although this is arguable. Nevertheless, its removal might not prove to be the key factor in this matter. Incidentally the road is signed as "Silkmills" whereas official railway sources always refer to "Silkmill". Presumably there used to be more than one mill in the past.

John Heaton

RETURN TO NORTH BERWICK

Unfortunately, the incorrect text was included in the article on the North Berwick line in Milepost 25½. We apologise to the author and readers for this error, and print the correct text below.

Martin Barrett, with logs also supplied by Charles Foss and Alistair Wood

North Berwick is one of those places you rarely heard about and any mention of it sent you to the nearest map – or rather it used to. Since the revelation that Class 90s on ex Virgin Mark II stock + DVT were to be introduced, its profile has suddenly been raised significantly. This branch first came to my notice early last year when Network Rail asked for some journeys on the branch to be recorded as part of the consultancy which RRPCL was undertaking. It so happened about that time we learnt the Class 322 EMUs were to return south and another form of traction was to replace them. I have now visited the branch five times in the last 18 months. Also, in the past few weeks Charles Foss and Alistair Wood have also been active in the area. This article draws on information provided from both gentlemen as well as my own runs.

The route from Edinburgh follows the ECML to Drem and the branches off north-eastwards for just over four miles to North Berwick (its tor can be seen from ECML for miles). It was electrified at the same time as ECML. The branch is of little performance interest as the line speed is only 50 mph. However, the approaches to North Berwick are interesting, but more of that later. The route’s ruling gradient is 1 in 300, apart from the sharp descent leaving Edinburgh southbound which falls at 1 in 78 immediately after Calton Tunnels (not Carlton as shown in the mileage charts) past St. Margarets – about 1½ miles – which gives eastbound services a lightening start especially if leaving the high-numbered platforms.

The electrification permitted the replacement of first generation DMUs with swifter electric units, thus reducing occupation time of the main line by the local service from Edinburgh. This service ran hourly between North Berwick and Edinburgh Haymarket, strengthened to half hourly in the peak hours, and on Saturdays. When the wires were extended to Carstairs, one train ran through to Kirknewton. Now most terminate at Waverley platform 7, the east facing bay platform. A build of new stock for these trains could never be justified and it was to be a case of take whatever 'cascaded' down from elsewhere. Railway evolution is not always 'onwards and upwards', but as in real life, also sideways and even backwards. The class 305s which first worked this service were already 30 years old in 1992, but a definite advance on 34 year old DMUs. Class 318s had been expected to replace the 305s three to four years ago, but a delay of a couple of years in introducing of class 334s, to relieve the 318s in Ayrshire, necessitated an alternative. The five units of class 322, for which two Milepost 25 ¾ - 227 - January 2005

previous operators had failed to find gainful employment, appeared likely to be a good fit and these came north and proved to be successful here, if only temporary. Their recall this summer left Scotrail to scratch around for replacements, which surprisingly were EWS class 90s with ex Virgin Mk 3 coaches and DVTs with Scotrail stickers. The loco is normally at the north end. Over the past six months the traction has changed from almost exclusively 322 EMUs to Class 90s with the occasional 318 EMU in the peaks Mondays to Fridays and an assortment of DMUs at weekends. On 07 August classes 150,156,158 and 170 were noted, although I didn’t manage to record all these.

Now to an analysis of the performance. The schedule is now 36 minutes each way, having been increased from 35 minutes on the demise of the EMUs. To give some indication of the overall performance I have included an overall time at the bottom of each column of the runs I recorded. At this stage I should mention the one ‘express’ of the day – the unlikely 1750 Monday to Friday from North Berwick scheduled as a mile-a-minute journey. See the notes appended to the logs for explanation of the delays. GPS is a definite advantage on this route with the rapid acceleration and difficult-to-see mileposts; hence the higher speeds on journeys recorded by Charles and Alistair.

Southbound

Table 1 starts with a typical class 305 run. The 75 mph permitted maximum easily attained where required and the initial acceleration quite brisk. Note that in 1992 Wallyford had yet to open. Given the chance the 322s were very sprightly, the falling gradient giving an even-time run to Musselburgh in Run 5 – was it a coincidence it was the peak-hour commuter service? Leaving platform 20 gives a much faster departure with a line speed of 70 mph by Abbeyhill Jn. The 2003 journeys were affected by the tsr for the old mine workings in the Wallyford area, but it did not affect the performance overall. Note once again Run 5 was the only journey to achieve a sub 30-minute journey time. In some cases services were checked approaching Drem as they were to be routed via the loop and approach control applies. If the reason was to clear the main line quicker, it actually had the reverse affect as the slowing before Drem exceeded the time taken to clear the main line on the eastern side. For example from MP15½ to MP18½ Run 2 (via main line) took 4m14s incl. 26½s at Drem, whilst Run 4 (via loop) took 5m30s incl. 30½s at Drem. However, Run 4 would clear the main line earlier so the adjusted time should be that at MP18 which gives a time of 4m31s. In practice very little difference, but I think it proves that the loop should only be used when there is need to wait for another train off the branch – a rare occurrence but it did happen in Run 8 following the failure of 322483. On the branch most services ran up to just over 50 mph, then coasted, then accelerated although Run 17 did allow the speed to creep up to 59 mph. Now the line has been relayed with cwr up to MP21½ it does seem that at least 60mph could be permitted. This could save two minutes on a round trip – a definite benefit in the case of late running which can be prevalent. The other severe constraint on the branch is the severe restrictions approaching North Berwick – 25 mph at MP22, reducing to 10 mph, then 5 mph at the platform end. How exactly each driver observes this makes a tremendous difference to the time for the last few chains. The fastest is Run 8 in 1m19½s whilst the slowest is Run 2 in 2m16s. The norm appears to be half way between these! Note that Run 17 did achieve a sub seven-minute run from Drem.

The introduction of the loco-hauled trains was an innovative move and an extra minute was added to the overall schedule to allow for additional station time (more than one minute station allowance actually as the pre-2004 times allowed additional running time for the Wallyford restriction at 20 mph). In practice most of the regular travellers have soon learnt the old ways of closing the doors behind them (and, if not, a loud shout from the conductor soon reminds them!), so the station dwell time has not increased much at all. The running is quite electrifying with some drivers (all EWS) being particularly bold. Run 11 demonstrates this with 105 mph at St.Germains on a journey of 3¾ miles and Run 17 106 mph thereafter Milepost 25 ¾ - 228 - January 2005

on a distance of 4½ miles. Whilst a high maximum speed is quite exciting, the braking is mostly excruciatingly slow. Only a few journeys stand out as better than average. The EMUs are quite good, but other traction is lamentable. Look at Runs 1 and 10 for example between Longniddry and Drem. The maximum speed is vastly different, but the overall journey virtually the same. Of course the neutral section soon after leaving Longniddry does inhibit acceleration, hence no even-time runs Longniddry to Drem. On Saturdays to reduce costs the service is exclusively DMU – allegedly sets being spare but by the number of cancellations I saw on 07 August, I think they must be very stretched. The DMUs struggled and it needed a very good driver and better braking than the norm to keep time. Note Run 20 with 156509 – only a 75 mph unit – managed to lose only just over one minute despite the delays accounting to nearly four minutes early in the journey. Isn’t it strange that on Saturdays Scotrail run a half-hour service, but then halve the size of the trains so the number of seats is the same. Some overcrowding did occur on one or two trains.

Northbound

A lot of the problems identified southbound also apply northbound: over-cautious braking, mining delays etc. However northbound from North Berwick has none of the psr problems in the station area – a straight 50 mph off the platform end. Given a clear run through the junction at Drem this can give times less than seven minutes. The approach to Drem seems most peculiar with more likelihood of a signal check Mondays to Fridays than Saturdays. This gives the impression the signaller is less busy on Saturday and can respond to the indication the train is approaching the junction much quicker. In most cases the delay is minimal, but some runs were actually stopped. As you can see the main line for some distance, it is easy to see what could be the delay, but in no case could I identify any reason for the checks. Once again, the EMUs performed well with speed into the 80s between the long-distance stops. However more signal delays were prevalent northbound particularly in the Monktonhall/Portobello area. It must be quite difficult to regulate the freight services between quite speedy passenger services without causing delay. One sub-30 minute run was achieved with a stopping service (Run 24) – this despite a signal check in addition to the tsr. Even-time runs were achieved between Drem and Longniddry, but, surprisingly, not Longniddry to Prestonpans. The DMUs had a struggle to keep time and with late starts caused by delays to the outward workings, only one achieved an on-time arrival in Edinburgh – once again a 75 mph unit (Run 38).

For me the highlight of the northbound journey is the 1750 non-stop, which prior to May 2004 ran forward to Glasgow Central. Today the previous service from North Berwick (Class 318 when I saw it) forms 1818 to Glasgow, so really the necessity of a non-stop journey is negated as the 1750 terminates in Platform 7. Run 40 in spring 2003 shows a 322 at full tilt, just reaching the magic 100 mph. However its approach to Edinburgh was early enough to be stopped outside and Run 41, with much lower speeds actually achieved an even time run. Runs 42-48 this summer were completely another proposition. The class 90 on five toyed with the train and some journeys reached 112 mph. Are these trains actually permitted to run above 100 mph with this small load? Run 46, apart from a very slight check approaching Drem, had an excellent run with an average start to stop speed of just under 68 mph. Given 4½ miles restriction to 50 mph and the last half mile at 25 mph or less, 19m 31s will be difficult to beat although Run 43 might have been close as it was faster to Portobello Jn. Pity virtually no one is on this train!

Station stops

The key to a punctual stopping service is the efficiency in dealing with the stops at stations. The average norm is about 45 seconds and the 322s were ideal for this with eight double doors in each set. In most cases the stops were around the 30-35 seconds mark. However, this does depend on the conductor releasing the doors! On quite a few occasions we were Milepost 25 ¾ - 229 - January 2005

stood waiting for the conductor to get back to unlock the doors, as it appears that collecting the fares is more important than running the trains on time. On some journeys an assistant conductor was provided and in the peak at Edinburgh tickets are checked before embarkation. However, surprisingly, it was the lightly used trains that were delayed the most. The loco-hauled trains suffered a little by only having half the number of doors, but the 158 was actually delayed the most by this problem. In my days in Train Planning, one- minute station allowance was always given for 158 units. Ideally if DMUs on these schedules are to be used then only the double-door types should be employed with the 156 and 158 classes deployed elsewhere.

Regulation and Availability.

On the face of it these trains appear to be fairly low in the pecking order, with freight having preference in many cases. This may seem unfair, but given the short-distance nature of the trains and a combined turnround time of 18 minutes in every round trip, this is probably the right decision. A bigger problem, especially on Saturdays, appears to be the number of cancellations and late running due to set failures and crew shortages. I was fortunate only to be delayed twice by these causes, but it appears not unusual for one round trip suddenly to be cancelled.

Where else are loco-hauled trains asked to reach such speeds and stop in less than four miles? Even time and 104 mph in 2.19 miles from a start at Prestonpans (Run 11) is very impressive.

I hope this gives a flavour of a previously neglected area of the country and gives you the urge to pay a visit before, once again, the traction undergoes another metamorphosis.

FASTEST TIMES

M D Robertson

Welcome to the first 2005 edition of Fastest Times. The introduction of 125mph running on the West Coast Main Line in September might have meant that this article could have been entirely devoted to the new services. However I have received relatively few runs on the line and those that I have, with thanks to Alan Varley, have featured a significant number of tsr's or signal checks. Tables 1 and 2 feature running from the Pendolinos at 125mph with contributions from Alan and Bruce Nathan. Tables 3 and 4 feature the ECML with another fine HST run at the southern end recorded by John Heaton and Table 4 has two runs by Virgin Voyagers between Alnmouth and Edinburgh.

Table 1 features two runs recorded by Bruce Nathan, over twenty years apart. The first run has held the Euston-Stoke on Trent electric record since its recording although, as Bruce remarked, there have not been many non stop service in recent years. Running was in the best traditions of British Rail with the driver not holding back in trying to recover a late start. The Pendolino run featured 125mph running where possible to Colwich after which the driver eased the unit. Bruce's comments on both runs are:-

''The first with a Class 86 timed in 1981 has been the RPS loco-hauled fastest time for many years; admittedly in more recent times nothing was booked non-stop from Euston to Stoke. Due to a Class 87 on a preceeding train failing on Camden bank, our departure from Euston was delayed 15 minutes but this had been reduced to 1½ minutes by Stoke and indeed we were 4 minutes early into Stockport where I left the train. This was before the days of defensive driving -our driver made every effort to regain the late start, aided by a clear road and although at the time the loco and stock were nominally limited to 100 mph, speeds of up to 110 mph were recorded. The second log was in the second week of the new

Milepost 25 ¾ - 230 - January 2005

Pendolino schedules and shows that there is something in hand on the present timings. We kept to the prescribed speed limits throughout but with several tsrs and a signal check approaching Colwich to allow an up train to cross our path before the junction. With time in hand, the remainder of the run was taken very easily and we were well below the 125 mph limit allowed on parts of this section. Stoke was reached 6 minutes early, having left Euston 1 early. This is the fastest time currently advised, although I am sure it will be beaten before long''.

Table 2 features four runs recorded by Alan Varley during his autumn Britrail Pass visit. On Run 1, he had travelled by Eurostar from Paris with the intention of catching the northbound Royal Scot, but caught the 9 45 service to Carlisle. Alan's view was that the run was not particularly good, never reaching 125mph and even the net time of 30m 50s (Euston-Milton Keynes) being over the working time for the section. He left the train at Crewe, some 5 minutes late, after an apparent tilt failure on the unit.

Run 2 was recorded on a bad day for Virgin services. Alan had gone north on the 0714 to Manchester which had to follow a Sandite train, topped and tailed by two Class 37's, along the fast line from Willesdon to Hanslope Jn. One wonders what Network rail signalling staff were thinking about delaying the whole of the northbound peak morning services. The Crewe arrival was 53 minutes late with subsequent services also severely delayed. His return on the 0650 from Glasgow had a punctual departure but various delays aggregated to a 25 minute arrival in Euston. The northbound return was on the 1318 service to Liverpool, which left Euston punctually. There was an excellent start and good running to Kings Langley, from where a series of delays caused the 48 minute late departure from Milton Keynes. This time the slow line was closed and a northbound Freightliner service using the fast line triggered a hot box detector. Table 1 Run No. 1 2 Date/day Saturday 30 May 1981 Wednesday 6 October 2004 Train 10.55 Euston-Manchester 10.32 Euston-Manchester Motive Power 86 245 Pendolino 390 044 Load (tons) 12 mk II A/c 409/430 tons 9 458/475 tonnes Weather Fair Rec/Pos/GPS? B.I. Nathan/nk/N B.I. Nathan/7 of 9/N PTT PTT Miles M C Location Sch m s mph ave Sch m s mph ave 0.00 0 04 EUSTON 0 0 00 15L 0 0 00 1E 1.01 1 05 Camden 3 18 18.4 2 26 25.0 5.48 5 42 Willesden Junction 8 12 100/108 54.6 6 25 99 67.2 11.34 11 31 HARROW & W'Stone 11 34 102 104.5 9 42 1/2 119/122 106.8 17.38 17 34 WATFORD Junction 15 08 107 101.6 12 48 1/2 106* 116.9 20.93 20 78 KINGS LANGLEY 17 05 110 109.2 14 44 120 111.0 24.45 24 40 HEMEL HEMPSTEAD 19 03 108 107.5 16 28 124 122.0 27.86 27 73 BERKHAMSTED 21 01 91* 104.1 18 08 122 122.5 31.65 31 56 TRING 23 21 107 97.4 19 58 1/2 126 123.6 36.06 36 09 CHEDDINGTON 25 51 101 105.9 22 40 tsr 68 98.4 40.11 40 13 LEIGHTON B'ZARD 28 21 89* 97.2 25 05 116 100.5 46.60 46 52 BLETCHLEY 32 25 104 95.7 28 14 125 123.6 49.78 49 66 MILTON KEYNES 29 45 1/2 125 124.9 52.36 52 33 WOLVERTON 35 40 108 106.4 31 00 125 124.7 54.70 54 58 Castlethorpe 32 08 1/2 121/125 122.7 59.79 59 65 Roade 40 02 99 102.0 34 36 123 124.4 62.83 62 68 Blisworth 41 45 107 106.2 36 03 1/2 125 124.7 69.76 69 63 Weedon 45 54 86* 100.3 39 30 tsr 109 121.1

Milepost 25 ¾ - 231 - January 2005

75.23 75 20 Welton 49 27 100 92.3 42 20 1/2 122/si 93 115.1 80.28 80 24 Hillmorton 45 11 1/2 114 106.5 82.48 82 40 RUGBY 53 56 62* 97.0 46 46 1/2 75* 83.0 84.98 85 00 Newbold 48 39 1/2 87 79.9 87.98 88 00 Brinklow 58 18 103 75.6 50 22 1/2 118 104.7 91.34 91 29 Shilton 60 14 104/108 104.4 52 01 1/2 124 122.6 93.48 93 40 Bulkington 53 04 117 122.5 97.03 97 04 NUNEATON 63 27 103 106.1 55 18 1/2 tsr 65/108 95.2 102.26 102 23 ATHERSTONE 66 36 67* 99.8 58 38 1/2 98* 94.2 106.48 106 40 POLESWORTH 69 18 109 93.6 60 53 1/2 123 112.3 109.98 110 00 TAMWORTH 71 14 105 108.6 62 55 1/2 tsr 89/120 103.5 116.23 116 20 LICHFIELD T V 74 47 107 105.6 66 31 1/2 100* 104.2 120.98 121 00 Armitage 77 27 104 106.9 69 07 110 109.8 124.23 124 20 RUGELEY T V 79 22 99 101.7 70 55 98/sigs 30 108.2 127.09 127 09 Colwich Box (38 59) 82 20 30* 57.9 74 09 43* 53.2 128.50 37 26 Great Heywood 75 52 59 49.4 130.58 35 20 Hixon 85 20 81 69.8 77 32 89 74.7 131.83 34 00 Weston 78 17 104 100.2 134.17 31 53 Sandon 87 59 80 81.2 79 31 118 113.7 137.03 28 64 Aston-by-Stone 81 14 87 100.0 138.73 27 08 STONE 91 22 78 80.9 82 28 1/2 78* 82.1 141.25 24 46 BARLASTON 93 16 89 79.7 84 12 1/2 102/111 87.2 142.95 22 70 Trentham 85 09 1/2 106 108.1 145.87 19 77 STOKE-ON-TRENT 112 97 41 ½L 93 88 06 6E 59.3

Table 2 Run 1 Thurs 04.11.04 9 45 Euston-Carlilse 390013 :9/458/470 A Varley 7/9 Drizzle Run 2 Tues 02.11.04 13 18 Euston-Liverpool 390007 9/458/470 A Varley 7/9 Drizzle Run 3 Fri 05.11.04 9 35 Euston-Manchester 390028 9/458/470 A Varley 7/9 Fine Run 4 Thur 04.11.04 13 45 Euston-Glasgow 390007 9/458/475 A Varley 6/9 |Fine mles m c Location m S mph m S mph m s mph 00 04 0.00 Euston (Run 1) 0 00.0 ½ E. plat. 2 0 00.0 (Run 3) 01 00 0.95 MP 1 2 35.0 2 57.0 03 00 2.95 Kilburn 4 53.0 70/82/75* 5 28.0 72 05 42 5.48 Willesden OB 6 49.5 88 7 19.5 90 08 00 7.95 Wembley 8 21.0 113 8 48.0 116 09 34 9.38 Sth Kenton 9 05.0 120 9 30.5 124 11 31 11.34 Harrow 10 07.5 82* tsr/80 10 35.5 75* tsr 13 22 13.23 Hatch End 11 29.5 90 11 35.0 95 14 57 14.66 Carpender's Pk 12 22.0 106 12 45.0 105/110 16 00 15.95 Bushey 13 05.0 110 13 27.0 105 (Run 4) 17 34 17.38 Watford Jc 13 52.5 106/105 14 14.5 109/110 0 00.0 18 late 19 40 19.45 Watford Tunn N 15 03.0 107 15 23.5 106 2 23.0 98 20 76 20.9 King's Langley 15 50.5 113/122 16 09.0 120 3 13.5 110 23 07 23.04 Apsley 16 55.5 120 17 18.0 113/108 sig 4 19.5 118 24 40 24.45 Hemel H 17 38.0 120/122 18 02.0 123/124 5 02.0 123 26 25 26.26 Bourne End 18 32.5 118/113 19 00.5 95* sigs/85 5 55.0 123 27 73 27.86 Berkhamstead 19 22.0 115/123 20 03.5 100 6 42.0 121/45* sc 29 76 29.90 Northchurch 20 22.5 121/123 21 09.5 120 8 21.0 80 31 56 31.65 Tring 21 14.5 121/123 22 01.0 123 9 30.0 103 33 79 33.94 Tring Cutting 22 22.0 121 23 08.0 124 10 42.0 124 36 09 36.06 Cheddington 23 27.0 108* tsr 24 13.0 112* tsr 11 58.5 81*/30* sig 38 26 38.28 Ledburn 24 41.0 110 25 20.0 125 15 00.5 66 40 13 40.11 Leighton B 25 39.5 116 26 13.5 119 16 18.0 99 Milepost 25 ¾ - 232 - January 2005

42 20 42.20 Chelmscote Br 26 42.0 121/123 27 14.5 125/122 17 26.0 123/124 44 40 44.45 Stoke Hammond 27 49.5 118 28 20.0 124/123 18 31.5 123 46 52 46.60 Bletchley 28 54.5 123 29 23.0 124/122 19 33.5 125/122 49 65 49.76 Milton Keynes 31 39.0 1½ late 30 56.0 124/122 21 05.0 125/123 0.00 (Run 2) 0 00.0 48½ late 52 33 2.60 Wolverton 2 41.5 97 32 12.0 124 22 19.5 125 54 58 4.94 Castlethorpe 4 00.5 112 33 32.0 88* 23 26.5 126 56 58 6.94 Hanslope RR 5 01.0 123 35 22.5 48*/70 24 25.0 124/120 59 65 10.03 Roade 6 3.02 120/125 38 29.0 67/59 25 55.0 123/126 Mp62 40 39.0 60/67 Northampton 45 19.0 62 68 13.07 Blisworth 8 18.5 58* tsr? 27 22.5 123 64 43 14.75 Banbury Lane 9 36.0 85/121 28 11.5 125/123 66 75 17.15 Footbridge 10 54.5 118 29 21.5 125 68 32 18.62 Stowe Hill T Sth 11 39.5 117/116 30 04.5 121 69 63 20.00 Weedon Sig 12 21.5 119 30 46.5 117/118 72 00 22.22 MP 72 13 33.0 108* tsr 31 57.0 110* tsr 75 20 25.47 Welton 15 15.5 122 33 35.5 120 76 64 27.02 Kilsby Tunn S 16 03.5 107*/105 34 23.5 108 78 13 28.38 Kilsby Tunn N 16 49.5 110 35 08.0 110/115 80 24 30.52 Hillmorton 17 53.5 125/75* 36 17.0 100* 81 40 31.72 MP 81½ 37 13.5 50* 82 39 32.70 Rugby 19 31.0 77 39 23.0 83 20 33.47 Trent Valley Jc 20 05.5 78/75 mles m c Location m S mph m s mph m S mph 85 02 35.24 Newbold 21 24.5 93/123 88 07 38.30 Brinklow 23 04.0 120 89 76 40.17 OB 23 58.5 124/122 91 29 41.58 Shilton 24 40.0 123 93 40 43.72 Bulkington 25 44.0 120 95 49 45.83 Attleborough 26 51.5 * 97 10 47.34 Nuneaton 28 37.0 44½ late

From Milton Keynes, a good start until the tsr at Blisworth interrupted progress. The problems were not confined to outside, with Alan commenting that a flood in the kitchen meant that there would be no further food service in First Class. The running after Blisworth was reasonable although again not quite reaching 125mph, but sufficient to regain three minutes. The average speed from Milton Kenyes was 99.3mph. Run 3 was on the 0935 Euston to Manchester service which runs via Northampton. Good running on the main line between the three minor checks and the signal check before Hanslope Jn before the reduced limits on the Northampton loop. Arrival was punctual.

The final Run 4 was on the 1345 Euston- Glasgow service. The stock for this was from the incoming 0750 ex Glasgow, which gave a twenty minute turnaround. A twelve minute late departure from Euston had expanded to 18 minutes late on departure from Watford. The running thereafter reached 125mph on most sections but had two severe signal checks and a minor tsr to contend with. The net time was estimated at 35m 45s with the actual time giving an average of 99.1mph. First impressions of the general standard of running appear to be relatively poor with few instances of sustained 125mph running. Comparisons with the ECML may be a bit early, with more intermediate restrictions on the WCML, and drivers still familiarising themselves with running at 125mph. Table 3 returns to the East Coast main Line with an excellent HST run from Leeds to Kings Cross recorded by John Heaton. The Wakefield to Peterborough and Peterborough- Stevenage sections have both produced new RPS fastest times. John's comments were:-

Milepost 25 ¾ - 233 - January 2005

'' A couple of proper records attached, although admittedly not on very regular stretches. Train is booked hst and timed for 2+9. Was unsure, joining at Wakefield if a 8 or 9 set. Fairly sure it was a 9 most of the way but definitely 8- counted them four times at KX. Some excellent averages 17.61 miles from Corby Glen to Werrington at 126.3mph and 124.1 from Huntingdon to Hitchin including a 119mph Offord and 122mph approaching Hitchin (126.2mph Tempsford-Three Counties). Run spoilt by Peterborough approach, so nothing unusual there. 58min timing is sharp though in any case. 27½ on 28½min timing to Stevenage was enjoyable. The comfort of the HST was welcome too. No recovery time in this schedule from Leeds to Alexandra Palace. KX arrival was 2½E on WTT 3½E on NRT. A just reward for deciding not to wait 5min for the following Exeter-direct Voyager. Incidentally, made the same booked connection at Exeter after arriving only 20min behind the Cross Country.'' Table 4 features the northern end of the ECML with two examples of Virgin services between Alnmouth and Newcastle recorded by myself. Both runs featured a slightly late start from Newcastle which gave the drivers an incentive to run hard. The second run arrived in Newcastle several minutes after an empty rake of Ews coal hoppers trundled through the station, being passed at Heaton. The first run had a Class 220 and the second a Class 221 unit, which I think, had one power car not contributing. There was little to choose between the units after the initial acceleration from Alnmouth which the Class 220 unit comfortably outstripped its heavier sister unit. Thereafter speeds and times were similar with the driver of the Class 221 unit achieving slightly higher speeds. It was not until the tsr at Drem, which affected Run2, that there was a significant difference in times between the runs. Run 1

Table 3 Loco / Unit 43110/117 Date 03/11/04 Load 2+8 (definitely) Weather Dull Train 15 05 Leeds-KX Rec/Pos/GPS Jhe 3/10 Yes

Miles Chns Timing Point WTT* M. S. M.P.H. Ave. Timing For 175 65 Wakefield W. d. 0 0 00 1L HST + 9 174 11 Sandal 2 42 61 37.2 171 70 Hare Park 4½ 4 24 84 79.9 169 15 Fitzwilliam 6 11 95 90.4 165 72 South Kirkby 8½ 8 12 99 97.8 164 48 South Elmsall 9 00 97 97.5 160 60 Adwick Jct 11½ 11 22 98 97.6 157 53 Bentley Crossing 13 17 96 96.7 155 79 Doncaster 14½ 14 37 68 75.4 155 11 Balby Jct 15 17 82 76.5 153 14 Black Carr 16 34 99 91.8 151 29 Rossington 17 17 38 106/110 102.0 147 57 Bawtry 19 39 108 108.6 143 79 Ranskill 21 38 118 112.7 141 55 Sutton 22 48 121/123 118.3 138 49 Retford 24 24 20 119/117 120.3 137 37 Grove Road 24 55 118 118.3 134 40 Askham TNP 26 28 114 114.7 133 4 Lincoln Road 27 13 116 116.0 131 76 Tuxford 27 47 118 116.5 130 29 Egmanton 28 33 125/127 124.2 126 25 Carlton 30 29 126/127 125.7 122 78 Bathley lane 32 04 126 126.5 120 63 Newark Crossing 33½ 33 13 99 114.1 120 10 Newark 33 37 102 99.4 119 3 Barnby 34 15 105 103.0

Milepost 25 ¾ - 234 - January 2005

116 69 Balderton 35 28 113 107.3 115 27 Claypole 36 16 115 114.4 111 41 Hougham 38 12 119 118.7 109 54 Barkston South Jct 39 39 09 114 116.1 107 65 Peascliffe TSP 40 08 113/115 113.6 105 36 Grantham 41½ 41 27 99 107.7 102 7 Great Ponton 43 27 104 100.9 100 11 Stoke 45 44 34 106 104.8 97 7 Corby Glen 46 07 124/128 118.1 92 17 Little Bytham 48 27 126 125.4 88 56 Essendine 50 07 127/128 126.5 84 64 Tallington 52½ 51 58 126 126.5 81 72 Helpston 53 20 127 127.3 79 38 Werrington Jct 54 29 126/sigs10 126.5 76 29 Peterborough a. 58 59 11 39.7 76 29 d. 60 61 00 2L 72 53 Yaxley 3 57 93 56.2 69 26 Holme 5 58 106 99.3 68 28 Connington North 6 31 110 106.4 Balanced at 67 29 Connington South 7½ 7 03 113 111.1 112 to 63 36 Abbots Ripton 9 08 112 112.7 A Ripton Miles Chns Timing Point WTT* M. S. M.P.H. Ave. 58 64 Huntingdon 12 11 26 126/128 121.3 55 72 Offord 12 51 120/119 122.8 51 56 St. Neots 14 57 121 120.0 47 38 Tempsford 17 01 127 122.7 44 10 Sandy 19½ 18 37 124 125.6 41 13 Biggleswade 20 02 127 125.5 37 3 Arlesey Station 21 58 128 128.0 35 50 Three Counties 22 38 126/122 127.1 31 76 Hitchin 25½ 24 25 123 123.6 27 48 Stevenage a. 28½ 27 29 fast stop 85.1 suffered an unfortunate signal check approaching Portobello, possibly to let a Newcraighall service to cross, and a lengthy signal stop in Calton Hill Tunnel. Run 2 had an unchecked run into Edinburgh Waverly , to better the previous record by 30 seconds.

On Run 1 we arrived in Edinburgh at 1717, eight minutes late. The unit then formed the 1707 service to Birmingham via the Wcml departing at around 17 25. I cannot imagine that this is a regular diagrammed working. There was nothing on the train information board in the station to suggest that there had been an earlier failure elsewhere.

The run in Table 5 is the fastest North Berwick to Edinburgh time recorded by Alastair Wood on one of the non-stop services. The usual Class 90 and five MkIII's held 110 once on the east coast main line but the time was made by an unchecked entry into Edinburgh Waverly. Alastair also forwarded a run from Carlisle to Motherwell with a Pendolino unit which better Alan Varley ‘s run by 4 seconds. The start from Carlisle to Kingmoor in a time of 2m 35s is the fastest I have ever seen. An unchecked run with legal speeds and a reasonable entry into Motherwell allowed Alan's record to be bettered. .Finally, Table 6 features a further run recorded by Bruce Nathan between Swansea and Carmarthen. Traction was a pair of class 157 Sprinters on a Swansea-Fishguard service. Running up to the 75mph line limit, they just nicked Fastest Times on each section. Bruce's comments are:

''Departure from Swansea was delayed due to late arrival of the connecting service from

Milepost 25 ¾ - 235 - January 2005

Paddington but smart running around the permitted 75 mph maximum gave a 2 minute early arrival into Carmathen. The up run from Llanelli to Swansea on a 150 achieved 78 mph on the level before the stiff 1 in 53/50 climb to Cockett tunnel. The speed of 56 mph at Cockett compares with 20 mph or less that I recorded in the days of steam.''

As always new Fastest Times, from wherever, are always welcomed. I can only compile the article from the runs forwarded.

Table 4 Run 1 Wed 25.08.04 8 25 Plym-Edin 220 004 4:186/190 MDR 2/4 GPS No Run 2 Fri 26.11.04 6 12 Bris- Edin 221 113 5:268/275 MDR 2/5 GPS No Miles m c Location m s mph m s Mph 0.00 34 69 Alnmouth d 0 00.0 (-11) 0 00 (-13) 2.64 37 40 Longhoughton 2 31.5 92 2 44.5 86 5.62 40 39 Stamford 4 17.5 112 4 36.0 106/113 8.14 43 00 Christon Bank 5 36.0 113 5 57.0 111 11.14 46 00 Chathill 7 07.5 123/127 7 27.5 125 13.14 48 00 Empleton's Bog 8 08.5 105* 8 29.5 109* 16.71 51 46 Belford L C 10 00.5 122 10 19.5 120 Miles m c Location m S mph m s Mph 20.12 54 79 Smeafield 11 39.5 125 11 57.0 127/129 23.79 58 52 Beal 13 26.0 115*/110 13 43.0 115* 25.97 60 67 Goswick 14 35.5 120 14 49.0 122/126 28.71 63 46 Scremerston 15 58.0 119 16 08.5 123 31.10 65 77 Tweedmouth 17 23.0 74* 17 40.0 75 32.14 67 00 Berwick U'n Tweed 18 15.0 72 18 32.5 70 35.44 54 12 Sig EG403 20 35.0 92/98 20 47.5 93 37.72 51 70 Burnmouth 22 01.5 95 22 14.0 95/96 39.36 50 20 Ayton 23 04.0 90br/85 23 15.5 85/81* 43.31 46 23 Reston 25 43.5 95/88 25 53.5 102 45.38 44 18 Mount Alban 27 04.0 93 27 13.5 91* 48.39 41 17 Grantshouse 29 19.5 75* 29 31.5 76* 49.61 40 00 Penmanshiel 30 18.5 66* 30 31.5 69* 53.14 36 40 Cockburnspath 32 47.5 91/85* 33 03.5 89/86* 55.82 33 64 Innerwick 34 27.0 112/117 34 47.0 108/115 58.38 31 20 Oxwellmains 35 47.5 120 36 09.0 110 60.57 29 05 Dunbar 37 08.0 80* 37 32.0 83* 62.64 27 00 Beltonford 38 29.5 102 38 54.5 99/109 66.28 23 29 East Linton 40 33.0 100 41 01.0 100 68.94 20 56 East Fortune 42 06.0 110/117 42 33.5 110/115 71.90 17 60 Drem 43 38.0 114/106* 44 34.5 58tsr/63 74.91 14 60 Aberlady Jn 45 16.0 111 46 43.0 101 76.41 13 20 Longniddry 46 04.5 110 47 33.5 112 78.00 11 53 St Germains 46 56.5 111 48 25.5 111 80.19 9 38 Prestonpans 48 06.5 117 49 35.0 115/121 81.96 7 55 Wallyford 49 00.0 120 50 29.5 114 83.57 6 06 Monktonhall 49 51.0 95* 51 24.0 91* 84.50 5 14 Musselburgh 50 26.5 87/sc10 51 59.0 96 86.29 3 31 Portobello 53 35.5 49/76 53 08.0 90* 88.24 1 35 St Marg T'l 55 33.0 sc 54 44.5 50* ss app 2m 30 in T'l 89.49 0 15 Edinburgh Wav a 60 15.0 (-8) 56 59.0 (-5)

Milepost 25 ¾ - 236 - January 2005

Table 5 Fri 26/11/04 17 51 N'th Berwick-Edin 90033 5:184/186 2/6 GPS GAM Wood

miles M c Location m S mph 0.00 22 22 North Berwick d 0 00 (8 late) Dirleton 57 4.02 18 20 Drem Jn 5 19 19* 4.52 17 60 Drem 6 04 56 9.02 13 20 Longniddry 8 52 108/106 10.61 11 53 St Germains LC 9 44 110/109 12.80 9 38 Prestonpans 10 57 110/109 14.59 7 55 Wallyford 11 56 107/110 Monktonhall Points 13 01 90*/100 17.10 5 14 Musselburgh 13 29 97 18.89 3 31 Portobello Jn 14 41 90/93 21.52 0 60 Mp 16 56 33 22.09 0 15 Edinburgh Waverly a 19 15 (6 late)

TABLE 6 Run No. 1 2 Date/day Tuesday 5 October 2004 Tuesday 5 October 2004 Train 12.05 Swansea - Fishguard 12 16 Pembroke Dock-Swansea Motive Power 158 818 150 280 University of Glamorgan Load (tons) 2 coaches 78/82 tons 2: 71/74 Weather Fair Fair Rec/Pos/GPS? B.I. Nathan/2 of 2/N B I Nathan

PTT PTT Miles M C location Sch m s mph Sch m s mph

0.00 216 05 SWANSEA 0 0 00 3L 22 13 49 1.24 215 09 Loop West 3 08 10 10 eased 1.78 216 28 Cockett Tunnel East 8 33 56/61 2.13 216 00 Milepost 4 35 1/2 39 3.00 216 70 Cockett 5 55 39 7 59 1/2 56 3.63 217 40 Milepost 7 20 59 4.63 218 40 Milepost 7 44 70/76 6 22 1/2 70 5.69 219 45 GOWERTON 8 36 72/75 5 30 1/2 75 7.75 221 50 Loughor 10 15 1/2 74 3 54 78 9.74 223 49 Llandeilo Junction 11 51 1/2 71 2 16 64 11.39 225 21 LLANELLI 16 13 55 1L 0 0 00 2L 0.00 225 21 0 00 2.74 228 00 Milepost 3 17 1/2 68 3.93 229 15 PEMBREY & BURRY PORT 4 15 1/2 75 6.74 232 00 Milepost 6 30 1/2 75/73 9.16 234 34 KIDWELLY 8 29 74 13.35 238 49 FERRYSIDE 12 05 63* 15.74 241 00 Milepost 14 01 78 18.74 244 00 Milepost 16 53 25*/39 19.86 245 10 Carmathen Junction Box 18 59 1/2 20.54 245 64 CARMARTHEN 24 20 44 2E

Milepost 25 ¾ - 237 - January 2005

ALL CHANGE ON THE CHILTERN LINE

One of the “improvements” of the new timetable is the accelerated schedules on the Chiltern Line. At first glance, the improvements look impressive, and certainly a half-hourly frequency between Birmingham and Marylebone with journey times in the region of 2hr10mins-2hrs20mins is a great improvement. On closer inspection, this improvement is due solely to a reduced number of stops with no obvious raising of speed limits. It is difficult to consider a railway as a “main line” when the maximum speed over the first 36miles from London is just 75mph. To achieve a reasonable pattern of stops following the acceleration of the Birmingham services has required additional stopping services which can result in earlier stopping trains being caught by faster later trains. This - coupled with an indication of congestion at Marylebone on the hour and half hour(arrivals/departures at 00,01,05,20,21,27,29,30,35,50,51,54,55,57 mins past the hour -14 movements in two blocks of 15 minutes!) on what is a two-track railway within a mile of the terminus – could result in knock-on delays. David Adams has produced an analysis of the faster trains of the earlier timetable which will be included in a future “Milepost”. It will be interesting to see if a flurry of new fastest-times appears, following the introduction of the new timetable

THE BIRMINGHAM – COVENTRY CORRIDOR

A PERSONAL SURVEY BY DAVID ADAMS

Over the past few months I have logged countless journeys along this route using all types of train services on offer. I was first drawn to this activity by the combination of receiving my free Centro pass and the imminent demise of electric loco hauled services as well as the threatened withdrawal of class 321’s and a reduction in the frequency of the local service. I used Hampton in Arden as my starting and finishing point and most of my journeys were on Mondays to Fridays, either between 10.00 and 13.00 or 18.00 and 20.00. I made more journeys between Birmingham International and Coventry than to Birmingham New Street as a trip to the latter on the down line almost invariably encountered adverse signals resulting in a crawl from Adderley Park inwards as well as an 80 mph TSR at Stechford. Not that signal checks failed to feature on many runs over the up line, and at the Coventry end of this section, but they were generally far less frequent and severe.

The infrastructure between Birmingham New Street and Coventry basically consists of one up and one down line with platform loops available at Birmingham International. In addition there is a down side loop about 440 yards in length just to the north of Tile Hill which I have yet to see used. There are level crossing barriers at Berkswell, Tile Hill and Canley. Work has recently started on an over bridge at Tile Hill, which will eventually eliminate that level crossing. Work is also being undertaken at Canley for several months resulting in closure of the road to traffic but the crossing barriers still have to be operated for pedestrians to cross. Juggling three sets of level crossing barriers, each just two miles apart, obviously has its problems on such a heavily utilised route and slight signal checks are frequent, even when no train has passed in the same direction for some time. I did get the impression that one shift at Coventry power box appears to be more motorist-friendly than the other two.

There have been proposals put forward to make this a four track railway, as well as schemes for two freight line connections - one from Berkswell to serve a nearby colliery and another between Birmingham International and Hampton in Arden to serve the Solihull Rover factory. All these proposed schemes have now been dropped and the bottleneck will remain.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 238 - January 2005

The basic line speed remains at 100 mph and there has been a modest increase in permitted speeds under the Aston line flyover since the re-modelling of Proof House Junction: 40 mph on the up and 45 mph on the down. There is a neutral section on the north side of Stechford and another just south of Berkswell. Gradients are insignificant with a I in 330 rise from Hampton in Arden to Berkswell followed by a similar descending gradient to Coventry, these being the steepest of any length. Up local trains approaching Coventry can make a fast approach to platform 4 courtesy of a 50 mph crossover from up to down line half a mile north of the station. Voyagers travelling towards Leamington Spa use platform 2 with an 80 mph approach speed (in effect unrestricted) and Virgin and Silverlink services towards Euston use platform 1 which is entered via a 50 mph turnout. Only locals from platform 4 are restricted in speed on the down departing from Coventry and then to only 50 mph over the first half-mile. However, when platform 2 is used to accommodate one of these services, sometimes because a Freightliner travelling between Leamington Spa and Nuneaton is held in platform 4, then departure involves a 15 mph crossover from up to down line just north of the station. At the Birmingham New Street end speed remains limited to 30 mph from Proof House Junction northwards and 10 mph through the whole of the station and immediate approaches. The platform loops at Birmingham International are provided with 40 mph turnouts except northbound from platform 2 which is limited to 30 mph. All trains normally use the through main line platforms here except when a service is held to allow another to pass.

In the accompanying table I have shown the daily timetabled Monday to Friday services for a one hour period in the off peak and it will be seen that there are 7 up and 8 down trains. All stop at Birmingham International and the two 323’s each way call at all stations. It is the all stations services that severely restrict line capacity, despite the lightning acceleration qualities of the class 323’s (90 mph permitted maximum). All other traction can run up to the 100mph limit, though the 321’s only manage to attain that speed relatively briefly between stops.

SUMMARY OF SERVICES MON – FRI 11.00 - 12.00

DOWN LINE COVENTRY BHAM NEW ST JOURNEY TRACTION DEP ARR TIME (MINS) 11.03 11.36 33 323 11.18 11.41 23 321 11.23 11.47 24 220/221 11.27 11.57 30 87/90/390 11.33 12.07 34 323 11.46 12.10 24 321 11.50 12.18 28 321 11.57 12.22 25 87/90/390 UP LINE BHAM NEW ST COVENTRY JOURNEY TRACTION DEP ARR TIME (MINS) 11.03 11.23 20 220/221 11.06 11.27 21 321 11.15 11.35 20 87/90/390 11.18 11.52 34 323 11.36 11.55 19 321 11.45 12.08 23 87/90/390 11.48 12.20 32 323 A study of the timings will show that most services have a chunk of recovery included on the down line. Compare the 28 minute allowance for the 11.50 from Coventry making just one stop with the 33/34 minute allowance for the locals making 9 stops. To enjoy a clear run into Birmingham New Street on any of the fast trains a late start from Birmingham International of 4-5 minutes is almost essential, such is the pathing difficulty on the approach to New Street Milepost 25 ¾ - 239 - January 2005

with a conflicting outgoing service often preventing an early arrival. Hence the nickname “The Crucible”, given by local train crews to the approach from Proof House Junction as you always appear to get a red before getting a colour.

As one can well imagine it can take just one delayed train to set off a chain reaction to many others. On the up line all southbound Voyagers arrive at Coventry just 3 minutes behind an all stations service which in turn is followed 4 minutes later by a Silverlink service. If the xx.03 Voyager is not ready to depart New Street before xx.06 then the Silverlink service departs to time making the Voyager at least 7 minutes late at Coventry. The xx.45 trains from Birmingham New Street to Euston used to be timetabled to arrive Coventry at xx.05 but have had 3 minutes added to their schedule from International which usually results in the train standing in Coventry for at least 5 minutes. Paths for the odd freight service also have to be squeezed into the equation between Coventry and Stechford as well as freight trains (mostly Freightliners to/from Southampton) crossing between the Leamington Spa and Nuneaton lines at Coventry. Local trains are sometimes held in a platform loop at International to allow a closely following late running fast service to overtake which results in a 6-7 minute delay to the local. However, the local turnround times at Coventry of 11 and 13 minutes leave little margin to allow any lengthier delays if disruption to services in the opposite direction is to be avoided. That is a brief overview of what must be a signallers’ and train planners’ nightmare.

Now one might imagine, given so many operating constraints, that timekeeping over this section is always a disaster. Remarkably that is not the case and I have experienced some mornings when every train has run with Swiss-like clockwork precision. However, there have also been days when things have not been quite so rosy but I have yet to see a total disaster. The worst one can expect is to follow a local service, which can mean 30 mph running on single yellows for a minimum of 10 miles or so. By and large the timekeeping of the Centro local service is extremely good as is the reliability. It is the long distance Voyager services that pose the biggest threat to overall punctuality on this section of railway as delays from incidents that may happen anywhere between Bournemouth and Glasgow/Edinburgh will inevitably have a ripple effect on services across a large chunk of the network. That is the background that has to be considered when assessing traction performance.

I have chosen a selection of the best of runs in each direction involving all the types of traction shown in the above summary table together with one that does not feature, namely 47828 which was a very pleasant surprise on a Euston – Wolverhampton service in April.

Of course my wanderings always started and finished on a class 323 and I confess to being most surprised by their performance. I have never warmed to the task of timing local stopping services but I was soon to be converted after my first couple of runs. Of course rapid starts and stops over short distances are not always easy to record accurately so I confined my local timing activity to the Birmingham International - Coventry section where the stations are better spaced and there is one run between stops of 3.34 miles.

Table 1 shows three of the better runs from Hampton in Arden and Coventry.

TABLE 1 HAMPTON-in-ARDEN - COVENTRY RUN 1 2 3 TRAIN EX BIRMINGHAM 1748 1818 1018 DATE Fr M 030504 W050504 300404

Milepost 25 ¾ - 240 - January 2005

UNIT 323210 323217 323216 LOAD: COACHES E/F 3/104/107 3/104/106 3/104/106 POS. 2/3 2/3 3/3 Dist ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED Miles M.S. MPH M.S. MPH M.S. MPH 0.00 HAMPTON IN ARDEN 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.80 MP 101 1.54 85 1.57 87 1.53 85/86 2.56 MP 100.25 2.25 89 2.23 88 2.25 83 3.34 BERKSWELL 3.27 3.32 3.37 0.00 0.00 NS/70 0.00 NS/73 0.00 NS/68 1.91 TILE HILL 2.39 2.32 2.51 0.00 0.00 81 0.00 78 0.00 79 2.07 CANLEY 2.36 2.35 2.43 0.00 0.00 62 0.00 58 0.00 57 1.51 COVENTRY PLAT.4 2.13 2.17 2.41 NS = NEUTRAL SECTION

The run with 323216 involved a more cautious approach to stops, and this was also a feature of many other runs I experienced especially at stations with short platforms where there is little margin for error. The driver of 323216 also exercised caution over the 50 mph permitted jointed section of track approaching platform 4 at Coventry, which has several dips at the joints and appears to be lacking in maintenance. Acceleration from a stand was very uniform on all the runs I timed. Out of 13 runs, 10 passed MP 101, which involves a steady rising gradient of 1 in 330, between 1m 53s and 1m 56s from the Hampton in Arden start with the other 3 taking 1m 52s, 1m 57s and 1m 59s. The neutral section just south of Berkswell requires power to be shut off briefly about 350 yards from the start.

TABLE 2 COVENTRY-HAMPTON-in-ARDEN 12 3 TRAIN EX COVENTRY 1133 1233 1203 DATE 02/04 Tu02.03.04 04/04 UNIT 323210 323203 323220 LOAD: COACHES/E/F 3/104/106 3/104/106 3/104/105

Dist ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED MILES M.S. MPH M.S. MPH M.S. MPH 0 COVENTRY PL 4 0.00 60 0.00 67.5 0.00 62 1.51 CANLEY 2.09 2.08 2.20 0 0.00 76 0.00 74 0.00 80 2.06 TILE HILL 2.41 2.43 2.40 0 0.00 72 0.00 70 0.00 67 1.91 BERKSWELL 2.33 2.32 2.47 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.54 MP 101 1.39 86/94 1.39 86/90 1.39 86/93 3.34 HAMPTON IN ARDEN 3.26 3.31 3.25

Table 2 shows a similar selection in the opposite direction. The uniform acceleration is shown by the starts from Berkswell, all 3 runs being neck and neck at MP 101. Some drivers revel in fast running down the 1 in 330 before the Hampton in Arden, this being the only point on the Centro local network where 90 mph can be legally attained by a Centro stopping service. I have withheld the actual date for those runs which slightly exceeded the maximum permitted for the unit.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 241 - January 2005

After timing several local runs I decided that more detail would be appropriate in order to establish just what rate of acceleration these units could achieve. I started to take readings at every ¼ milepost between Birmingham International and Hampton in Arden, an almost dead straight piece of railway with a shallow descent of 1 in 1560. A selection of results appears in table 3.

The normal driving practice is to ease the controller and hold speed at MP 103.75 then shut off and start stage 1 braking at MP 103.5. Run 3 with 323203 differed in this respect with full power kept on until MP 103.25 where stage 2 braking started. There was, however, a hint of a brief slip or power loss near MP 104 which resulted in the speed at that point being a fraction slower than the other two runs. I have noticed this trait with both a few other 323 runs and with 390’s. It happens as the train passes beneath the M42. I can only conclude that either the rail at this point is subject to dampness or the pantograph momentarily loses contact with the overhead wire. The start to pass average for the first 1.72 miles was a remarkable 56.6mph. 323203’s maximum was almost certainly 83 mph after 1.47 miles, and this will be a very difficult time to beat, though I have had one run in the opposite direction in 2m 15s with a maximum of 77 mph. I now fully appreciate why a class 310 unit could never keep to time when standing in for a 323. As for 150001, which covered for a failure on the 1st April, it stood no chance - being 6 minutes down at Birmingham International on the 12.03 from Coventry. That is the only occasion since February I have seen stand-in traction on local services, and have come across one cancellation due to door failure. The 323, therefore, now appears to be a reliable unit which is not the reputation it made for itself during its early days in traffic. Like many other EMU’s, they are susceptible to wheel flats, and it is quite common to find sets so affected.

TABLE 3 BIRMINGHAM INTNL-HAMPTON-in-ARDEN 123 TRAIN EX BIRMINGHAM 1248 1248 1218 DATE TU.04.05.04 WE 05.05.04 FR 07.05.04 UNIT 323213.0 323216 323203 LOAD: COACHES E/F 3/104/106 3/104/106 3/104/106 POS. 3/3 3/3 2/3 DIST ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED ACTUAL SPEED MILES M.S. MPH* M.S. MPH* M.S. MPH* 0 BIRMINGHAM INTL 0 (9 0 0 LATE) 0.22 MP 104.5 0.28.91 27.4 0.28.66 27.6 0.27.70 28.6 0.47 MP 104.25 0.46.41 51.4 0.46.28 51.1 0.45.20 51.4 0.72 MP 104 1.00.73 62.8 1.00.63 62.7 0.59.64 62.3 0.97 MP 103.75 1.13.41 71.0 1.13.50 69.9 1.12.33 70.9 1.22 MP 103.5 1.26.09 71.0 1.25.25 76.6 1.23.99 77.2 1.47 MP 103.25 1.39.84 65.5 1.37.19 75.4 1.35.00 81.7 1.72 MP 103 1.57.69 50.4 1.54.78 51.2 1.49.42 62.4 *AVERAGE SPEED FROM PREVIOUS TIMING POINT

TABLE 4 - BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL-HAMPTON-in-ARDEN 1 2 3 TRAIN EX BIRMINGHAM 1206 1103 1845 DATE W050504 Tu110504 Tu110504 LOCO 321425 220001 390036

Milepost 25 ¾ - 242 - January 2005

LOAD: COACHES E/F 4/138/145 4/186/195 9/462/495 POS. 4/4 4/4 5/9 Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed MILES m.s mph m.s mph m.s mph 0 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 0 0 0 0.22 MP 104.5 0.38.53 20.6* 0.28.81 27.5* 0.38.15 20.8* 0.47 MP 104.25 0.58.20 46.7* 0.47.41 48.4* 0.57.31 46.2* 0.72 MP 104 1.13.74 57.9* 1.02.34 60.3* 1.12.03 61.1* 0.97 MP 103.75 1.27.62 64.8* 1.15.35 69.2* 1.24.53 72.0* 1.22 MP 103.5 1.40.45 70.1* 1.27.19 76.0* 1.36.42 78.3* 1.47 MP 103.25 1.52.77 73.1* 1.38.25 81.4* 1.46.92 85.7* 1:73 MP 103: 2.04.84 77.5* 1.48.97 84.0* 1.56.99 89.4* 1.92 HAMPTON IN A. PASS 2.13 80.5 1.57 92 2.04 97 : MILEAGE ADJUSTED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF SUSPECTED MISPLACED MP + 0.0005/0.01 *AVERAGE SPEED FROM PREVIOUS TIMING POINT

In order to make some comparisons with the performance of other traction types I also timed a few Silverlink and Virgin services from Birmingham International passing every ¼ milepost from MP 104½ to MP 3. Table 4 shows my limited results so far involving classes 220, 321 and 390. Over the first mile it will be seen that the 323’s have a clear 12 second and 5 mph advantage over 321425 whose driver was not slow to open up on departure. The 220 Voyager came the closest to the 323 being just 3.25 seconds and 0.3 mph slower at MP 103.25. The Pendolino was much slower off the mark over the first quarter of a mile but by MP 103.5 it was travelling 1.1 mph faster than the 323 and by the next quarter milepost was 4 mph faster. It was also quicker than the Voyager after the first three-quarters of a mile.

Turning now to the other services, the Virgin Euston services produced a variety of rolling stock combinations. Pendolino’s were obviously operating certain regular diagrams but these could not be guaranteed. Some days they appeared in profusion while on others the opposite was the case. However, as more sets have been delivered they have become commonplace on at least 50% of the services. Mark II rolling stock has declined dramatically over the last few weeks and mark III sets are now common. The exterior condition of the few mark II sets still running has been awful throughout April and they have obviously received minimum maintenance. Many had not been through a washer for days, even weeks, on end making viewing through the windows extremely difficult, especially on sunny days. Not that Pendolino’s are any better with their absurd Standard class seating layout, small windows and Voyager type white high backed plastic seats which reflect badly in nearly all weather and lighting conditions. Some unusual loco hauled combinations have been noted. A few that spring to mind include a mark II, set top and tailed by a 90 and an 87, a mark II set correctly formed with First class at the Euston end but with the loco also at that end and the DVT on the north end, and a mark III set with only six vehicles plus a DVT. Many trains have run in reverse formation including Pendolino’s, usually after weekend engineering diversions which can cause station overtime if not announced in advance of the train arriving.

Silverlink services are usually a single class 321 but one evening service is normally formed of two units. Voyagers are mainly five car 221’s but 220’s do turn up on some of the workings. If a Voyager departs International right time on the up it will invariably run into signal checks from Berkswell due to the preceding local. A late departure with a clear road in front is therefore essential to make any sort of record time. Likewise the xx.36 class 321’s from New Street are also booked into Coventry 3 minutes behind the xx.18 local. It is therefore necessary to be careful to note the type and departure time of the previous service if a clear run is to be obtained. Tables 5 & 6 show a few of the better up journeys.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 243 - January 2005

The start from Birmingham New Street, which requires 10 mph until the last vehicle has entered the south tunnel, can be a painful affair especially with a long train. Runs 1 & 2 illustrate this when compared to the Voyager starts. The 390 however had power on before the last two vehicles had cleared the 10 mph restriction and the 40 mph limit under the Aston flyover was also liberally observed. I have therefore withheld the actual time and date of that run which went on to produce a record time of 7m 34s to International after a very fast approach. From International in table 6 the units in runs 1-3 all made fast starts and the 221 in run 2 made a record 221 run despite signals between Tile Hill and Canley thanks to a fast approach to Coventry. On such a short run the start to stop time from International to Coventry is of course heavily influenced by speed of acceleration from the former and the handling of the brake at the latter. An 87/90 in propelling mode seldom makes a good start, and run 4 with 87019 is about the best one can expect. 87025 in run 5 was in reverse formation and had gained 12 seconds on the former to Hampton in Arden. The start by 90005 in run 6 was a more typical performance but some take over 3 minutes to pass Hampton in Arden.

Table 7 shows a selection of better runs on the down line involving various traction types and combinations between Coventry and Birmingham International.

TABLE 5 – BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET- BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL 1 2 2 3 TRAIN EX BIRMINGHAM 1145 1145 1903 DATE M090204 F050304 M260404 LOCO 82144/87006 82129/90015 220017 LOAD: COACHES E/F 10,356/370 10,356/37 4,186/200 0 POS. 10/10 10/10 4/4 Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed Miles m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 BIRMINGHAM N. ST 0.00 0.00 0.00 (28 LATE) 0.71 Proof House Jnc. 3.05 36* 2.46 43* 2.00 38* 1.91 Adderley Park 4.39 74/90 4.02 76 3.25 73 3.82 Stechford 6.00 88> 5.20 95 4.44 100 4.94 Lea Hall 6.43 93/101 6.01 100 5.24 102 6.55 Marston Green 7.43 99 6.59 100 6.32 96 8.22 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 9.46 8.58 8.13 RUN 4 5 TRAIN EX BIRMINGHAM 1103 DATE 240304 0304 LOCO 221111 390008 LOAD: COACHES E/F POSN. 5,268/285,4/5 9,462/485,9/9 Dist Act Speed Act Speed 0.00 BIRMINGHAM N. ST 0.00 0.00 0.71 Proof House Jnc. 1.59 40/34* 2.03 47* 1.91 Adderley Park 3.29 68 3.09 85/102 3.82 Stechford 4.56 90 4.20 100 4.94 Lea Hall 5.37 100 5.00 102 6.55 Marston Green 6.37 97 5.59 98 8.22 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 8.26 7.34 TABLE 6 – BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL-COVENTRY 1 23 TRAIN EX BIRMINGHAM 1836 1903 1820 DATE F 300404 W 140404 Sa240404. LOCO/UNIT 321401 22112 390009

Milepost 25 ¾ - 244 - January 2005

LOAD: COACHES E/F 4,138/150 5,268/280 8,410/440 POS. 4/4 1/5 8/8 Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed Miles m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 BIRMINGHAMINTL. 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.92 Hampton in Arden 2.13 81.5 2.07 90/100 2.03 100 5.22 Berkswell 4.30 89/87> 4.10 98/97 4.03 96/93> 7.13 Tile Hill 5.47 93 5.20 100 5.14 101/102 Sigs . 65* 9.20 Canley 7.03 100 6.36 97 6.28 97 10.71 COVENTRY 8.50 8.11 8.24

4 5 6 LOCO/UNIT 82152/87019 87025 82110/90005 LOAD: COACHES E/F 9,332/340 9,330/350 10,356/370 POS. 9/9 2/9 10/10 Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed Miles m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 BIRMINGHAM NTL. 0 0 0 1.92 Hampton in Arden 2.24 90/99 2.12 88/96 2.42 100 5.22 Berkswell 4.24 97/96> 4.19 92/90> 4.48 96/93> 7.13 Tile Hill 5.36 98/99 5.34 96/98 5.58 101/102 9.20 Canley 6.51 95 6.51 92 7.13 97 10.71 COVENTRY 8.45 9.03 9.16

It will be seen that the units in runs 1,2,3 & 8 all made similar starts. The 321 then lost a little over the others but came back with a fast run into International. 390043 gained just 6 seconds on the 221 to Hampton in Arden but ran into International at a pace not matched by anything else to date. 390029 made the fastest start and was 14 seconds up on 390043 by Hampton in Arden but a much steadier approach was made to International. The 220 lost a few seconds due to sighting a double yellow approaching Tile Hill. Voyagers appear to suffer the most mechanical problems and often sets can be seen running with a dead power unit or an engine that will only idle, I recently witnessed both on a 221. However, this does not have too dramatic an effect on performance as far as overall timekeeping is concerned. I have noticed a similar ongoing problem with Chiltern 168’s on the Marylebone line.

The class 47 in run 4 was running 59 minutes late after a stop at Bletchley. I am not clear if this was where the 47 took over from a failed electric or whether the 47 worked through from Euston and suffered problems at that point. I would favour the latter explanation as it is unusual to detach a failed electric during the journey. The following service from Euston had passed it on the slow line. Compared with the other runs the acceleration was decidedly sluggish but the driver assured me that this was one of the better examples still running and that they had kept time from Bletchley to Birmingham New Street, albeit with the help of pathing and recovery allowances.

87019 made a very reasonable start but the slower start of 87007 was typical of a loco in propelling mode. The 90 took full advantage of a lighter load and after an excellent start it was only 6 seconds down on 390043 at Canley and 9 seconds down at Hampton in Arden.

As I mentioned above, the section from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street is normally bedevilled with signal checks, and I have therefore shown just three runs in table 8. One gives a rare example of an almost unchecked run and two others are far more typical of daily performance.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 245 - January 2005

TABLE 7 – COVENTRY - BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL 1 2 3 3 TRAIN EX COVENTRY 1118 1923 1923 DATE F050304 Th290404 Tu 110504. LOCO/UNIT 321437 220007 221108 LOAD: COACHES E/F 4,138/145 4,186/200 5/268/290 POS. 4/4 3/4 4/4

DISTANCE Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed MILES m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 COVENTRY 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.51 Canley 1.52 73.5 1.57 73/92 1.54 77 Sigs. 90 3.57 Tile Hill 3.26 84 3.24 91 3.16 99 5.48 Berkswell 4.45 91 4.35 100/99 4.26 100/103 8.78 Hampton in Arden 6.47 102 6.34 101 6.25 99 10.71 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 8.34 8.28 8.28

4 5 5 6 TRAIN EX EUSTON 1645 1015 1745 LOAD M260404 Th010404 F300404 LOCO 47828 87019 82134/87007 LOAD: COACHES E/F 10/356/385 10,356/380 11,389/415 POS. 1/10 1/10 2/11

Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed Miles m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 COVENTRY 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.51 Canley 2.55 55 2.08 76 2.37 70 3.57 Tile Hill 5.00 63 3.30 98/102 4.06 92/97 5.48 Berkswell 6.42 73 4.39 98> 5.19 94> 8.78 Hampton in Arden 9.05 89 6.40 100 7.21 101 10.71 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 11.17 8.51 9.40 7 8 9 TRAIN EX EUSTON 1015 0915 0915 DATE F070504 Th 010404. Tu 180504. LOCO/UNIT 90014 390043 390029 LOAD: COACHES E/F 8,295/310 9,462/490 8,410/440 POS. 2/8 2/9 2/8 Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed Miles m s mph m s mph m s mph

Milepost 25 ¾ - 246 - January 2005

0.00 COVENTRY 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.51 Canley 2.00 80 1.54 76 1.45 89/102 3.57 Tile Hill 3.20 100 3.11 98/102 2.59 100 5.48 Berkswell 4.30 98>/102 4.21 98> 4.08 102/100> 8.78 Hampton in Arden 6.28 100 6.19 100 6.05 101 10.71 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 8.48 7.56 8.21

TABLE 8 - BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL TO BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET 123 TRAIN 1045 EUSTON 1923 COVENTRY 0915 EUSTON DATE w 050504 Th290404 Th01010 4 LOCO/ UNIT 90010 220007 390043 LOAD: COACHES E/F 8,295/310 4,186/200 9,462/490 POS. 1/8 3/4 2/9

Dist Act Speed Act Speed Act Speed Miles m s mph m s mph m s mph 0.00 BIRMINGHAM INTL. 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.67 Marston Green 2.04 86 2.11 89 1.56 90 3.28 Lea Hall 3.06 99 3.12 100 2.56 101 TSR TSR TSR 4.40 Stechford 3.54 78*/80 3.57 78* 3.39 75*/92 Sigs. Sigs. Sigs. 6.31 Adderley Park 5.26 72* 5.39 40* 5.00 82* 7.35 sig 6.35 Sig. 9.01 stop 7.58 Stop Sigs. 7.51 Proof House J 6.50 42* 10.34 24*/20* 8.45 20/30 8.22 BIRMINGHAM New St 9.39 13.27 11.08

Although 90010 was only very slightly checked through Adderley Park the requirement to enter New Street and run the entire length of the platform at 10 mph resulted in the last 0.71 miles taking 2m 49s.

Since the re-modelling of Proof House Junction trains to and from the Aston line use the Derby lines and there is much less interference with the Stour Valley lines between Proof House and New Street. This has had little effect in improving the Stour Valley traffic flow into New Street. The intensity of the services operated results in limited platform availability and the tendency now is to hold trains approaching before their booked time south of Grand Junction rather than at the last signal before the station. That appears to be the main threat to improving timings over this section in the foreseeable future.

That was the situation during the first few months of 2004. The appearance of Chiltern drivers route learning between Birmingham and Coventry at one stage had me puzzled, but it appears that was nothing more sinister than Stourbridge based drivers being allocated work on a few specials to International for the Motor Show.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 247 - January 2005

A drastic change in the service pattern occurred on 27th September to accommodate the recast Virgin Euston – Birmingham timetable. Silverlink also ceased to operate north of Northampton from that date. The Northampton to Birmingham service has been taken over by Central Trains using hired Silverlink 321’s, which have also replaced 323’s on the Birmingham – Coventry all stations trains. This is a temporary arrangement until the class 350’s are delivered in 2005. The 321’s are no match for the sprightly 323’s and struggle to keep the slightly extended schedules with their much slower acceleration though I did note a 323 on an evening rush hour turn on two successive days, whether by design or vice a 321 failure is not clear. It does seem strange that a slower type of unit has been introduced on this section of line where train paths are at a premium. My impression over the first few weeks of the new timetable is that timekeeping has deteriorated overall and is not helped by the 6 minute turnround of local services at Birmingham New Street which leaves little capacity to recover from a late inwards arrival.

The line speed remains at 100 mph and will not be passed for 125 mph running for some time yet. Consequently there is little change in overall journey times on this section as services operated by Pendolino’s are running to loco and 110 mph mark III stock timings.

Postscript

In the three months since this article was written, the level crossings at both Canley and Berkswell have been removed and work is well underway to eliminating the third at Tile Hill. Some runs I have subsequently experienced involved TSR’s at Berkswell, where a new underpass has been built, and approaching Coventry where the 50 mph turn out that locals use to access platform 4 has been renewed together with the approach track from that point into the station. This resulted in a 20 mph TSR being in force for several weeks.

However, the line will not be passed for 125 mph running for some time yet, and when Virgin start their new timetable at the end of September, there will be little change in overall journey times on this section as Pendolinos will be running to loco and 110 mph mark III stock timings.

The exception will be the 07.45 Birmingham New Street – Euston one stop flag-ship service which will run from International to Euston in 70 mins, 89.7 mph using current mileage charts, not quite the 91 mph claimed by Chris Green in a recent publication. The above tables show that a time of 7.5 - 8 minutes to passing Coventry from International is quite feasible for a 390 which leaves 62 - 62.5 minutes from passing Coventry to arriving Euston. However, as Mr Green describes this timing as a taste of the future I cannot help but reflect that for me it will be more a taste of the past as in 1980 a class 87 gave me an up run starting from Coventry in 62m 48s. Speed did not exceed 107 mph, Rugby was still 60 mph, Weedon and Leighton Buzzard 80 mph, Euston had not been re-modelled and the train did not tilt. The average speed? 89.7 mph! Admittedly the new schedule has to include recovery allowances which my class 87 run did not need but will the inconvenience and massive cost of the WCML upgrade have been worth it? I will leave members to draw their own conclusions.

DIFFERENTIAL SPEED LIMITS Differential speed restriction signs have now been put up showing the difference between class 390 and 221 tilt speeds.

NORTH WALES Mold Junction (formerly number 1) and Sandycroft signal boxes are to close on the weekend of 22/23 January 2005, control being transferred to Chester PSB

Milepost 25 ¾ - 248 - January 2005

Chris Taylor

Hills – what Hills? Frank Collins

I have come to the conclusion reading the recent Railway Press that I must be one of the few people in the country who actually quite likes Voyager units. True – the class 220s could do with being 5 car rather than 4 quite often; the interior design wastes space with too many disabled-accessible toilets; there’s a ridiculously small amount of luggage space for a long- distance train (the shape of space created by the overhead rack is particularly odd!) and of course, from the recorder’s point of view, it would be good if Bombardier could find some

Date/day Mon 30/08/2004 Train 06.28 Bournemouth - Glasgow Central Motive Power 220 023 Load (tons) 4, Weather dry Rec/Pos/GPS? F G Collins/ 4/4 / no miles M C location MPS Sch m s mph av mph av from 0.00 0 00 CARLISLE P1 20 0 00 1/2 late start 1.01 1 00 MP 100 2 07 1/2 28.5 28.5 1.98 2 06 Kingmoor 100 2 55 1/2 86 72.8 40.6 2.99 3 00 MP 100 3 34 102 94.4 50.3 4.09 4 06 Rockliffe 100 4 13 101 101.5 58.2 6.10 6 07 Floriston 100 5 26 99 99.1 67.4 7.51 7 40 Mossband 105 6 15 1/2 104 102.5 72 8.73 8 58 Gretna Junction 105 6 58 104 103.3 75.2 10.16 10 30 Quintinshill 95 7 49 1/2 100.0 77.9 12.01 12 00 MP 110 8 58 104 97.2 80.4 13.01 13 00 Kirkpatrick 110 9 34 100 100.0 81.6 14.50 14 40 MP 100 10 28 100/99 99.3 83.1 16.00 16 00 MP 100 11 23 101 98.2 84.3 17.50 17 40 Kirtlebridge 100 12 16 1/2 98 100.9 85.5 19.00 19 00 MP 100 13 10 1/2 100 100.0 86.5 20.21 20 17 Ecclefechan 100 13 54 100/99 100.1 87.2 21.49 21 40 MP 100 14 41 101 98.0 87.8 22.69 22 56 Castlemilk 100 15 24 99 100.5 88.4 24.00 24 00 MP 100 16 11 1/2 100 99.3 88.9 25.84 25 67 LOCKERBIE 20 17 55 64.0 86.5 19 43 RT 0.66 26 40 MP 110 1 03 1/2 68 37.4 37.4 1.66 27 40 MP 110 1 49 89 79.1 54.8 2.85 28 55 Nethercleugh 110 2 33 1/2 103 96.3 66.8 3.16 29 00 MP 110 2 44 110 106.3 69.4 4.16 30 00 MP 110 3 17 109 109.1 76 5.94 31 62 Dinwoodie 110 4 15 1/2 108 109.5 83.7 7.16 33 00 MP 110 4 56 108 108.4 87.1 8.66 34 40 Wamphray 110 5 45 1/2 110 109.1 90.2 11.05 36 70 Murthat 110 7 06 99 106.9 93.4 12.17 38 00 MP 100 7 46 1/2 99/100 99.6 93.9 13.92 39 60 Beattock 100 8 50 99 99.2 94.6 15.17 41 00 MP 100 9 35 1/2 100 98.9 94.9 16.67 42 40 Auchencastle 100 10 30 100/99 99.1 95.3 18.17 44 00 MP 100 11 24 1/2 100 99.1 95.6

Milepost 25 ¾ - 249 - January 2005

19.31 45 11 Greskine 100 12 05 1/2 99 100.1 95.8 21.68 47 40 Harthope 90 13 37 88 93.2 95.5 23.92 49 62 Beattock Summit 90 15 08 1/2 89 88.1 94.8 25.79 51 48 Bodsbury Crossing 95 16 20 95 94.2 94.7 26.81 52 49 Elvanfoot 90 17 00 89 91.8 94.6 29.30 55 08 Crawford 90 18 40 1/2 90/87 89.2 94.1 32.06 57 69 Abington 90 20 32 90 89.1 93.7 33.20 59 00 MP 105 21 16 1/2 98 92.2 93.6

miles M C location MPS Sch m s mph av mph start 34.45 60 20 Wandelmill 105 22 00 1/2 106 102.3 93.9 36.21 62 00 MP 105 23 01 1/2 104/99 103.9 94.4 37.46 63 20 Lamington 100 23 46 1/2 100 100.0 94.5 39.21 65 00 MP 100 24 50 100/97 99.2 94.7 40.82 66 49 Symington 110 25 48 1/2 98 99.1 94.9 42.72 68 40 Thankerton 110 26 57 1/2 99 99.1 95.1 44.27 70 04 Leggatfoot 110 27 54 101 98.8 95.2 45.82 71 48 Pettinain 110/90 28 46 110/88 107.3 95.6 47.84 73 49 CARSTAIRS 95 30 01 91 97 95.6 49.22 75 00 MP 100 30 53 99 95.5 95.6 50.52 76 24 Cleghorn LC 100 31 40 1/2 99 98.5 95.7 52.69 78 37 Craigenhill 95 33 01 97/100 97 95.8 54.92 80 55 Braidwood 100 34 22 98 99.1 95.9 56.17 81 75 Carluke 100 35 07 1/2 99 98.9 95.9 58.18 83 77 Law Junction 70 36 27 1/2 67 90.4 95.7 58.98 84 60 Garriongill Junction 60 37 13 1/2 57/71 62.9 95.1 60.70 86 37 Wishaw South 105 38 42 66 sigs 69.8 94.1 61.96 87 58 Shieldmuir 105 39 44 br 73.2 93.6 sig stop 63.65 89 34 MOTHERWELL 80 48 49 04 77.8 way of shielding the windows from glare which still enabled the GPS to work. But, those niggles apart, I quite like them.

Performance-wise, on paper they are in a league of their own in terms of diesel trains in the UK, with a power:weight ratio well in excess of that of an HST and 0-60 acceleration in under 60 seconds, with the lighter class 220 having a slight theoretical margin over the much heavier tilting class 221. That, at least, is the theory; unfortunately there appear to be chronic engine reliability problems, and my observation this summer (and that of others) has been that around 80% of sets run with at least one engine out of commission, reducing them to not much better than standard HST performance.

On August Bank Holiday Monday I reached Carlisle from Edinburgh with just such a set; a pair of 220s with one engine definitely completely ‘out’ and another probably idling at best. The climb out of Edinburgh had therefore seemed relatively laboured, but we had run briskly enough south of Carstairs, and had arrived at Carlisle on time; a normal enough occurrence in such circumstances, leading to disappointment and frustration with any recorder who happens to be on board but no damage to the punctuality statistics.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 250 - January 2005

I crossed to platform 1 for the 13.26 return to Glasgow – another Voyager working, with hopes no higher than a further low-power run. The first sign that this was to be different was when 220023 arrived from the south nearly 8 minutes early having presumably run non-stop from Lancaster in around 50-51 minutes; and a quick listen on arrival confirmed that, for once, all four power units were indeed operational.On departure it became apparent also that we had a driver intent on putting the set through its paces, and once clear of the immediate station restrictions, full power was quickly applied giving that very satisfying lusty humming which only a Voyager on full power and in top order can produce. The result, despite the restricted start, was 100mph in under 3 miles from rest, and what followed was nearly as tight to the limits as it is possible to get without exceeding them. Unfortunately the posts are invisible for over a mile in the Quintinshill area so no speed was possible here, though the averages suggest that the 95 restriction here was duly observed. The driver could probably have had more of a go for the short 110 which applies afterwards but the time saving would have been minimal; and if there is any real criticism and room for improvement it has to be in the station stop at Lockerbie, where braking from 100 mph over 1¾ miles out of the station on plain line and a dry day seems excessively cautious. Nevertheless, the result was a new ‘Fastest Time’ which will take a pretty exceptional run to beat it on current line speeds.

If that was a good start, what followed showed Voyager performance at its best, on a totally unrestricted start on fairly level ground with a 110mph line speed. 68 mph came in 63 secs; even time in just over 2 miles/mins; and in a little over 3 miles and under 2¾ mins power had been eased to stay within the 110 limit. Beattock Bank effectively ceased to exist, with power constantly being slightly eased on the lower stages to stay within the 100mph limit. 90 mph start-pass average was attained in 8.66 miles; by the time power was eased above Greskine for the 90 mph limit over Harthope viaduct the start-to-pass rate had reached all but 96 mph. Again, there was very close observance of the limits through the upper Clyde Valley; though curiously, no attempt was made to rise to the 110 mph limit in the Symington area, so arguably 10 seconds could have been picked up here. Even so, Carstairs was passed in 1 second over the half-hour from Lockerbie, with the running average again approaching the 96 mph mark on a line with only short sections passed for more than 100, and a quarter of the distance restricted to less than 100. By the time Law Junction was reached there were 11½ minutes remaining to cover the last 6½ miles. Inevitably perhaps, Motherwell were not ready for us so far ahead of time, and a stop outside resulted eventually in a 1 minute late arrival.

In tabulating the run, I have used the decimal distance information from the RPS Chart, which attempts to take account of the various minor discrepancies that are understood to exist along the way. I have also added two ‘non-standard’ columns; one, for ease of reference, showing the Maximum Permitted Speeds (MPS); and the other showing the cumulative average speed from rest on each section. I have not tabulated the continuation to Central, as this was heavily checked, though the allowances in the schedule are such that we arrived 3 mins early nevertheless. The result however left one very satisfied recorder wishing that all Voyagers would do, to quote a phrase, ‘what it says on the tin’.

MYSTERY SPEED RESTRICTIONS

Further to my article on speed restrictions, I have found further restrictions which are difficult to determine. I had a long conversation with an EWS driver recently and it transpires that a number of bridges have speed restrictions imposed on them due to high axle weight or high loading gauge. In my area many bridges have an sign (oval in shape, white with blue border) which faces the driver of a train. On the sign is the bridge number with the engineers route reference e.g. "MVN2 231" refers to Manchester Victoria to Normanton series 2 and bridge number 231 - which is at Mirfield. Any speed restrictions such as these are detailed on the Milepost 25 ¾ - 251 - January 2005

drivers working docket. High axle weight may refer to wagon/s on the train not necessarily the locomotive. High loading gauge usually refers to trains conveying containers higher than 8 foot. There is a bridge at Linthwaite (between Huddersfield and Stalybridge) which has such a speed restriction due to sub standard clearances. So if your passenger train is delayed by a slow moving freight train it might just be that the driver is obeying all the speed restrictions which are not visible by specific signs. Chris Taylor CLASS 67 LOCO-HAULED WITH VIRGIN TRAINS IN 2004. BIRMINGHAM – EXETER.

Jon Littlewood

The performance characteristics of the Class 67 were looked at in Milepost 25½. In this issue we will look at the work of these locomotives on the Summer Saturday relief trains between Birmingham and Exeter.

There was nothing in the schedules to challenge these locomotives and the allocated paths were most unlikely to permit fast times from one station to another. However, some very impressive running was recorded over various sections.

Birmingham – Bristol: Travelling south at the line speed limit, there are only a few sections along which the Class 67 can be used at full power for more than a couple of minutes. These would include the 5 miles from Kings Norton to Barnt Green, 4 miles from about Milepost 80 to Swindon Rd LC, nearly 4 miles on the descent after Cheltenham to Barnwood Junction, the 5.5 miles uphill from Tuffley Junction to a little way beyond Standish Junction and the 5-6 miles uphill from Charfield to just north of Yate. The 95 mph speed limit imposed on these trains is of little consequence on this route.

Going north, Filton bank is always good value, followed by 3 miles from Bristol Parkway to Coalpit Heath. Short bursts are required between Yate and the approach to Wickwar tunnel (90mph limit) and to maintain speed over Standish junction, but a more prolonged effort is required against the 5 mile climb which now commences from the approach to Gloucester yard Junction and ends where the engine is eased near the crossing of the M5 near Milepost 89. After rolling through Cheltenham station at about 40 mph, full power can be expected for the 3.5 mile descent to Cleeve. Full power may again be used from Defford to the approach to Abbotswood Junction (90 limit), but thereafter, it is unnecessary until the foot of the Lickey bank at Bromsgrove. Full power may then extend to nearly 6 miles in the unlikely event of a clear road all the way to Longbridge.

Nigel Smedley took the first available opportunity to travel south on one of these trains and Run 1 is a record of his experience. The highlights for me were between Kings Norton and Barnt Green, although the engine was probably eased just before the station, and the brisk climb to Standish Junction, which was passed at 90mph. The remainder of the run was of little interest. On the last day of service, I had a slightly smokey 67014 over the same stretch with a clearer road, but the highlights were few. A steady 94.2 mph all the way up from Tredington LC to Swindon Road LC was pleasing, as was the attainment of 90 mph before Barnwood Junction. 67014’s driver was happy to nudge 100mph on the faster stretches, but he repeatedly lost time and momentum due to his over-cautious conduct through various permanent speed restrictions. The overall time of 82:49 to Bristol was reasonable, although almost exactly 20 years before to the day, I recorded a start to stop time of 78:35 by 45142 with the same load; a record perhaps?

Milepost 25 ¾ - 252 - January 2005

Going North is perhaps more interesting and a fine illustration of this was obtained by Frank Collins with the royal-liveried 67005 (Run 3), shortly after release from a major exam at Toton. It was a shame that a full-scale attack of Filton bank was prevented and that the easing in preparation for Westerleigh Junction came a little early. Thereafter, delays occurred either side of Cheltenham, but sub-90-minute progress was still being made to within two miles of New Street, where a signal stop intervened. 86½ mph on the climb through Churchdown is unheard of for a loco hauled train and was only been made possible by the recent upgrade through Barnwood Junction. 88 mph was possible before Milepost TABLE 1 Run No. 1 2 Date/day July 3rd 2004 Sept 4th 2004 Train VT Summer Saturday relief: 07:08 York-Paignton 09:51 Preston - Paignton Motive Power G.M, 2-str, 12 cyl, Diesel-Elec 67027(EWS 3300HP B-B,1999) 67014 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b.1999) Load / tonnes BR Mk2E air-con, built c1972: 11 / 368/375 11 / 368/375 Weather Squally showers, NW wind Dry, sunny, 24 degC, calm Rec/Pos/GPS N Smedley / coach 11/ Yes J Littlewood / coach 3 / Yes (ext) Estim output RHP capability at 90 mph: 2700 2700

Miles M C location m s Mph ave m S mph ave power

0.00 42 24 BIRMINGHAM NEW ST. 00: 00 2 late 00: 00.0 10 late KINGS NORTON 5.51 47 65 (MP46.75) 09: 25 1/2 45* 35.1 10: 14.2 37 sigs 32.3 6.94 48 14 NORTHFIELD 11: 03 1/2 62 52.3 12: 50.5 30 sigs 32.8 / full 7.96 49 16 LONGBRIDGE 11: 59 69 66.5 14: 16.6 55/64/42 42.9 10.56 51 64 BARNT GREEN FB 14: 00 1/2 82 77.0 17: 25.2 51 sigs 49.6 / full 12.01 53 20 Blackwell MP 15: 10 74* 75.1 18: 51.7 68.5 60.3 14.15 55 31 BROMSGROVE shelter 16: 46 81* 80.2 20: 34.4 72.5 74.9 sigs 34 sigs 16.26 57 40 Stoke Works Junction MP 19: 19 1/2 56 49.5 23: 07.5 20 49.7 / full 20.91 62 12 Dunhampstead LC 22: 49 93 79.9 28: 24.2 84.5 52.9 full 25.01 66 20 Spetchley 25: 27 95 93.4 31: 04.7 98.5 92.0 full /eas 27.51 68 60 Abbotswood Junction 27: 05 87*/93 91.8 32: 40.7 84.5* 93.8 / full 32.26 73 40 Defford MP 30: 10 1/2 93 92.2 35: 44.9 99 / 95 92.9 full /eas 38.23 79 37 ASHCHURCH 34: 09 1/2 94 89.8 39: 28.0 97 / 93 96.2 40.31 81 44 Treddington LC 40: 47.0 94 94.8 full 41.65 82 71 Cleeve 36: 26 1/2 86 35.3 41: 38.3 94 94.3 full 43.06 84 24 Swindon Road LC sigs 42: 32.3 94 94.2 full /eas 44.56 85 64 High Street 39: 45 1/2 20 27.1 sig stop 1-25 45.49 86 58 CHELTENHAM SPA FB 45: 32 1/2 23 9.6 44: 45.1 37* 65.7 / full 46.76 88 00 Milepost 88 47: 16 1/2 61 44.1 46: 26.8 62 45.1 full 48.59 89 66 Churchdown 48: 46 83 /86 73.4 47: 56.4 83 73.3 full 49.76 91 00 Milepost 91 sigs 26 48: 45.0 90 87.0 full /eas 51.01 92 20 Barnwood Junction MP 51: 43 1/2 47 25.4 49: 35.3 87.5 89.5 52.90 94 60 Tuffley Junction MP 53: 35 70* 60.9 51: 02.3 65.5* 78.1 54.15 96 00 Milepost 96 54: 35 1/2 79 74.4 52: 09.5 70.5 67.0 full 56.93 98 62 Haresfield PC 56: 35 1/2 86 83.3 54: 19.7 81 76.7 full 58.19 100 03 Standish Junction RR 57: 27 90 88.3 55: 14.5 85.5 82.9 full 59.88 101 58 Stonehouse Bdg 58: 33 93 92.0 56: 21.4 96 90.8 full 63.54 105 31 CAM & DURSLEY 60: 58 94 90.9 58: 35.7 99.5 98.2 66.15 108 00 Berkeley Road 62: 40 90 92.2 60: 13.4 95 / 97 96.3 71.33 113 14 Charfield 66: 10 88* 88.7 63: 33.5 85*/ 84 93.1 / full brks 75.24 117 07 Rangeworthy Xing 68: 56 1/2 57 84.6 66: 17.7 87.5 85.8 full 76.15 118 00 Milepost 118 tsr 19 66: 54.8 89.5 88.4 full /eas

Milepost 25 ¾ - 253 - January 2005

77.90 119 60 YATE 73: 41 59 22.1 68: 09.0 72 84.9 sigs 5 79.48 121 26 Westerleigh Junction 77: 30 32* 24.8 70: 29.5 27* 40.4 / full 80.83 108 40 Coalpit Heath MP 79: 19 1/2 62 /65 44.4 72: 11.4 65 / 77 47.7 full brks 84.14 111 65 BRISTOL PARKWAY 82: 37 43 60.4 75: 25.2 56 / 77 61.5 90.00 118 36 BRISTOL T.M P11/12 95: 08 28.1 82: 49.0 47.5 TABLE 2 Run No. 3 Date August 14th 2004 Train VT Summer Saturday relief: 08:43 Paignton-Preston Motive Power G.M, 2-str, 12 cyl, Diesel-Elec 67005 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b.1999) Load / tonnes BR Mk2E air-con, built c1972: 11 / 368/375 Weather Dry, calm, some cloud, 21 degC Rec/Pos/GPS F.Collins / coach 2 / yes (int) Estim output RHP capability at 90 mph: 2700

Miles M C location m s mph ave power

0 06 BRISTOL T.M P3 00: 00.0 2 late 1.55 1 50 Stapleton Road FB 03: 47.0 54 /58 24.6 full /easd sigs 19 3.68 3 60 Horfield MP 07: 17.0 35 36.4 full 4.31 4 31 Filton Abbey Rd Shelt 08: 12.0 46 41.7 full /easd 5.78 111 62 BRISTOL PARKWAY 09: 42.5 58* 58.2 full 7.73 109 66 Winterbourne bdg 11: 28.0 74 /76 66.5 full 10.40 107 12 Westerleigh Junc (121,26ch) 14: 35.5 28* 51.4 TSR 23 11.98 119 60 YATE 17: 43.0 49.5 30.2 full 13.23 118 40 Milepost 118.5 18: 52.9 73 64.4 full 14.64 117 07 Rangeworthy Xing 19: 57.7 84 78.5 full /easd 15.58 116 12 Wickwar Tunnel entrance 20: 36.7 88.5 86.5 reduced 18.55 113 14 Charfield bdg 22: 37.2 90 /88* 88.9 reduced 20.98 110 60 Milepost 110.75 24: 13.3 94 90.8 reduced 23.88 107 68 Berkeley Road junction 26: 04.1 94 94.2 reduced 26.34 105 31 CAM & DURSLEY FB 27: 38.3 94 94.1 reduced 30.39 101 27 Old Ends LC 30: 14.8 92 93.2 full 31.73 100 00 Standish Junction MP 31: 07.6 91 91.2 full 32.95 98 62 Haresfield PC 31: 54.8 95 93.4 full /easd 35.23 96 40 Milepost 96.5 33: 20.8 95 95.2 easd /brake 36.98 94 60 Tuffley Junction (94,11ch) 34: 51.0 60* 69.8 coast /full 38.04 93 06 Gloucester Yard Junction 35: 48.5 72 66.5 full 38.86 92 20 Barnwood Junction 36: 27.4 80 76.3 full 41.29 89 66 Churchdown 38: 11.9 86.5 83.5 full /easd sigs 24 44.39 86 58 CHELTENHAM SPA FB 42: 35.0 39* 42.4 / full 44.85 86 21 Alstone LC 43: 10.5 51 46.9 full 46.81 84 24 Swindon Road LC 44: 54.4 81 /86 68.0 full sigs 30 /54 /18 53.79 77 26 Bredon 55: 07.5 63 41.0 full 56.54 74 46 Eckington FB 57: 15.0 86.5 77.6 full 59.11 72 00 Milepost 72 58: 59.8 90 88.5 full 62.36 68 60 Abbotswood Junction 61: 11.7 88.5 88.7 full? 64.89 66 18 Spetchley RR 62: 49.8 93.5 92.7 full 66.61 64 40 Milepost 64.5 63: 55.8 95 94.1 full 68.96 62 12 Dunhampstead LC 65: 25.4 93 94.4 reduced

Milepost 25 ¾ - 254 - January 2005

73.61 57 40 Stoke Works Junction 68: 27.9 88 91.7 reduced 75.73 55 31 BROMSGROVE Shelt 69: 58.7 78* /42 83.8 full 77.86 53 20 Blackwell 72: 10.0 43 58.6 full 79.31 51 64 BARNT GREEN FB 73: 49.0 66 52.7 full 80.61 50 40 Milepost 50.5 74: 53.1 78 73.0 full 81.91 49 16 LONGBRIDGE 75: 49.9 86 82.4 full /easd

Milepost 25 ¾ - 255 - January 2005

Miles M C location m s mph ave power 82.94 48 14 NORTHFIELD 76: 33.1 85 85.4 coast /brake 84.36 46 60 KINGS NORTON MP (47,65ch) 77: 59.0 41* 59.7 85.43 46 60 Bourneville MP 79: 21.0 60* 46.6 86.55 45 50 Selly Oak FB 80: 32.0 54* 57.0 Sig stop 89.91 42 21 BIRMINGHAM NEW ST. 93: 57.0 15.0

88½ had the signals been green. But the highlight was of course the assault on the Lickey and 67005’s progress was as good as the best Class 47+7 performances, especially when the modest speed through Bromsgrove station is considered. All the other Class 67 climbs over this section shared the same cautious approach through Bromsgrove with very similar speeds at the summit and through Barnt Green. The Class 67 is a very consistent beast compared to locomotives of older design.

Bristol – Exeter: Going southbound it was possible to enjoy full power as far as Flax Bourton, but performance interest did not usually resume until Taunton where the climb to Whiteball starts. Run 4 had a severely interrupted journey as far as Taunton but then ran at full power over the top at Cl.47+7 pace. Run 5 went through Taunton at the much higher speed of 89 mph - not a common occurrence with a loco hauled train. Again, Cl.47+7 pace took the train over the top at 75.8 mph. A further comparison is offered by way of 50042, which achieved the same speed at the summit with 7 coaches after passing Taunton at 75 mph. Although I have indicated that 67002 was at full power throughout the climb, its speed fell away slightly through Wellington and I suspect that power may have been reduced briefly.

Going Northbound from Exeter, I assumed that full power could be enjoyed all the way to Whiteball summit, without interruption. My one and only run over this stretch did not disappoint me on first inspection, but John Heaton, who was also on the train, was not so sure. I plotted the speed data, which was data-logged at an interval of 4 seconds, with a known full-power effort with a Class 67. From this comparison it was evident that our driver eased very briefly before Cullompton to avoid hitting 95 mph. This was quite unnecessary as there was no prospect that 95 mph would be exceeded, even for the briefest moment.

Other runs, such as that behind 67012 (Run 6) suffered the same timid avoidance of the irrelevant contractual 95mph limit. But on the very last day, Frank Collins was more fortunate. Run 7 is quite simply the perfect full power demonstration by one of these locomotives from Exeter to Whiteball. I think you will agree that 88 mph at Whiteball summit with 11 coaches is mind-blowing by previous loco-hauled standards.

Fortunes were reversed on the section from Weston-Super-Mare to Bristol. After negotiating Worle Junction, 67001 got off to a slow start, but this enabled a very satisfying full power climb all the way to Milepost 123.25, although the speeds hardly reveal that a climb was involved! 67011, which had already proved itself to be slightly more powerful at the higher speeds, got off to a swifter start, but had to be reigned in slightly when 96 mph was attained, although again there was no prospect of a speed in excess of 97 before the steepest part of the climb.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 256 - January 2005

TABLE 3 Run No. 4 5 Date 31 July 2004 7 August 2004 Train VT Summer Saturday relief: 07:08 York - Paignton 09:51 Preston - Paignton Motive Power G.M, 2-str, 12 cyl, Diesel-Elec 67021 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b1999) 67002 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b.1999) Load / tonnes BR Mk2E air-con, built c1972: 11 / 368/375 11 / 368/375 Weather Sunny, calm, 25 degC Sunny, calm, 25 degC Rec/Pos/GPS J Littlewood / coach 3 / yes (ext) N Smedley / coach 1 / yes (int) Estim output RHP capability at 90 mph: 2700 2700

Miles M C location m s mph ave power m s mph ave power

0.00 118 38 BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS 0 00.0 on time 0 00.0 on time 0.89 119 29 BEDMINSTER 2 20.0 40.0 22.8 full 3 00.0 33 17.8 full 1.69 120 14 PARSON STREET 3 19.0 56.0 49.2 full 4 05.3 52.5 44.4 full 2.53 121 00 Milepost 121 4 07.9 65.4 61.2 full 4 55.3 63.8 59.8 full 4.53 123 00 Summit MP 5 48.8 74.8 71.4 full 6 38.0 73.7 70.1 full 85.5 / 5.80 124 22 Flax Bourton 6 46.2 84.4 / 68 80.0 7 35.8 90 79.4 full 7.94 126 33 NAILSEA & BACKWELL FB 8 31.8 78 / 90 72.9 9 04.5 81 86.8 sig 11.84 130 25 YATTON FB 11 15.5 80 / 32 85.8 18 31.0 stop 24.8 16.65 135 10 Worle Junction 17 46.0 71 44.4 25 00.5 sigs 44.5 WESTON SUPER-MARE 29 31.0 WESTON SUPER-MARE 0 00.0 on time 19.59 138 05 Uphill Junction 3 34.0 43 33.11 151 47 BRIDGWATER FB 28 59.0 93 88.1 13 47.0 94 79.4 39.60 158 06 Cogload Flyover UB 5 17 56.5 91 93.6 44.66 163 11 TAUNTON u/p (pass) 45 04.3 50.0 43.1 21 16.1 89.0 91.3 full? 45.97 164 36 Silk Mill LC 46 26.0 62.3 57.7 full 22 09.0 91.3 89.1 full 47.59 166 05 Victory LC 47 48.9 75.4 70.2 full 23 11.2 94.0 93.5 full 49.19 167 53 Bradford LC 49 03.2 79.5 77.5 full 24 13.2 92.5 92.9 full 50.53 169 00 Milepost 169 50 03.1 80.7 80.4 full 25 05.6 91.0 91.9 full 51.78 170 20 Wellington MP 50 58.2 83.0 /83.5 81.7 full 25 55.3 90.5 90.5 full? 53.53 172 00 Milepost 172 52 15.5 77.9 81.5 full 27 06.7 83.8 88.2 full 54.53 173 00 Milepost 173 53 03.4 72.8 /71.7 75.2 full 27 51.3 78.0 80.7 full 55.53 174 00 Whiteball summit MP 53 53.5 72.0 71.8 full 28 38.5 75.8 76.3 full 57.53 176 00 Milepost 176 55 19.0 93.0 84.2 full 30 01.1 96.0 87.2 full 58.85 177 26 TIVERTON PARKWAY FB 56 09.9 93.5 93.7 30 51.0 95.5 95.6 75.46 193 75 EXETER ST DAVIDS ? ? 45 16.0

Conclusion: These trains along this route have set new locomotive-hauled benchmarks, and the Class 67 has certainly impressed all those who recorded their work. No three-figure speeds were reported south of Birmingham and the reluctance to exceed 95 mph was most evident. There is a rumour that the Class 67 digital speedometer can predict a balancing speed based on real time progress. Perhaps this partly explains the power reductions at Cullompton?

Whilst the presence of one of these locomotives at the front of a train is unlikely to lead to a surge of excitement, it will mean that rapid progress is a possibility. In UK performance terms, a Class 67 with Mk2E or Mk3 coaches represents the very highest order of fuel carrying loco-hauled travel: a tradition that is as old as the railway itself. I hope that we all get the chance to experience ‘real’ trains again in this form, preferably with schedules that will do them justice.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 257 - January 2005

TABLE 4 Run No. 6 7 Date 17 July 2004 4 September 2004 Train VT Summer Saturday relief 08:43 Paignton - Preston 09:05 Paignton – Newcastle Motive Power G.M, 2-str, 12 cyl, Diesel-Elec 67012 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b.1999) 67011 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b.1999) Load / tonnes BR Mk2E air-con, built c1972: 11 / 368/375 11 / 368/375 Weather Dry, warm, hazy Dry, warm, hazy, v.calm Rec/Pos/GPS F Collins / coach 3 / yes (int) F Collins / coach 3 / yes (int) Estim output RHP capability at 90 mph: 2700 2760

Miles M C Location m s mph ave power m s mph ave power 0.00 193 69 EXETER ST DAVIDS 0 00.0 13L 0 00.0 T 0.36 193 40 Milepost 193.5 1 15.9 35 17.2 full 1 12.0 35 18.1 full 1.20 192 53 Cowley Bridge Junction 2 20.8 55 46.5 full 2 17.4 55 46.1 full 2.31 191 44 River bridge 3 25.9 67.8 61.5 full 3 22.3 67.8 61.7 full 3.66 190 16 Stoke Canon LC 4 33.2 77.2 72.2 full 4 29.3 77.4 72.5 full 5.86 188 00 Milepost 188 6 11.2 85.7 80.8 full 6 07.2 85.9 80.9 full 8.36 185 40 Hele MP 7 54.1 91.4 87.5 full 7 49.3 92.4 88.1 full 10.36 183 40 Milepost 183.5 9 12.1 93.3 92.2 full/easd 9 06.7 94.0 93.0 full 11.61 182 20 River bridge (East end) MP 10 00.4 92.9 93.3 easd 9 54.0 95.5 95.1 full 12.54 181 26 Cullompton 10 36.1 93.3 93.3 full 10 28.8 96.1 95.9 full 14.36 179 40 Milepost 179.5 11 47.5 90.0 91.9 full 11 38.3 92.2 94.5 full 15.36 178 40 Milepost 178.5 12 26.3 94.7 92.8 full 12 16.4 97.0 94.5 full 16.54 177 26 TIVERTON PARKWAY FB 13 11.2 93.5 94.2 full 13 00.3 96.0 96.5 full 17.86 176 00 Milepost 176 14 02.3 92.7 93.4 full 13 50.0 95.2 95.9 full 19.86 174 00 Whiteball summit MP 15 23.3 86.0 88.9 full 15 09.0 88.0 91.2 full 23.61 170 20 Wellington MP 17 48.1 95 93.2 17 32.8 95/88 93.9 30.73 163 11 TAUNTON u/p 22 22.5 93 93.3 22 14.5 92/22 90.9 55.80 138 05 Uphill Junction 38 21.5 94 94.1 42 22.5 45 74.7 56.43 137 35 WESTON SUPER-MARE 45 42.0 11.3 notes V.slight easing to prevent 95mph Unbeatable to Whiteball ? Parson St: 49:59, B T.M: 54:39 Run No. 8 2 (continued) Date 31 July 2004 Train VT Summer Saturday relief 09:05 Paignton - Newcastle Motive Power G.M, 2-str, 12 cyl, Diesel-Elec 67001 (EWS 3300HP B-B, b.1999) Load / tonnes BR Mk2E air-con, built c1972: 11 / 368/375 Weather Clear, sunny, 20 degC Rec/Pos/GPS JL / coach 3/ external antenna Estim output RHP capability at 90 mph: 2700 0.00 137 35 WESTON SUPER-MARE 0 00.0 T 0 00.0 T 2.31 135 10 Worle Junc 3 59.8 38.0 34.7 / sigs? 3 56.5 40.0 35.2 2.90 134 43 WORLE & PUXTON FB 4 54.3 40.5 38.8 / full 4 45.2 49.5 43.4 full 3.44 134 00 Milepost 134 5 35.8 52.0 46.6 full 5 20.9 59.0 54.2 full 5.29 132 12 Huish LC 7 20.0 74.2 64.1 full 6 57.0 77.0 69.5 full 7.13 130 25 YATTON FB 8 42.7 84.8 79.7 full 8 16.0 88.5 83.4 full 8.69 128 60 Milepost 128.75 9 47.0 90.6 87.4 full 9 18.4 93.0 90.1 full 11.03 126 33 NAILSEA FB 11 18.3 93.2 92.2 full 10 46.8 96.0 95.2 full 12.94 124 40 Flax Bourton MP 12 31.7 94.2 93.8 full 11 58.2 96.7 96.4 full/eas 14.19 123 20 Milepost 123.25 13 19.8 92.8 93.5 full 12 46.3 93.0 93.6 easd 94.6 brake 17.26 120 14 PARSON STREET 15 23.2 72 89.7 14 52.0 71 88.1 19.09 118 28 BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS 19 12.5 28.7 17 47.0 37.5 Notes Loco failed later near Sheffield Eased just before the +146

MILEPOST MYSTERY Milepost 25 ¾ - 258 - January 2005

Chris Taylor

On one of my many holidays in this century I photographed this sign but where is it?

The sign is repeated on the other track and both tracks have bi-directional running and trains were seen using both tracks in each direction. As you hopefully can see the track is well laid but is it for high speed passenger trains or heavy freight ? I don’’t think that anyone will get the location, but you may possibly guess the country. If you are still no wiser turn to page 271

CTRL

Many thanks for those who supplied logs for the new line to the Channel Tunnel – I will consolidate the runs and prepare an article for a future edition of “Milepost” Following the success of this appeal, can I push my luck again, by requesting more overseas articles. Whilst we have a good general stock of topics for future editions, there is a shortage of overseas material. -Ed

Autumn on the Cornish Riviera: adverse weather conditions at Penzance

Milepost 25 ¾ - 259 - January 2005

FROM ‘5’ TO ‘8’!

K.R. Phillips and R. Townsin.

At the height of the summer season in the 1930s “The Atlantic Coast Express” ran in two parts from Sunday to Friday on both Up and Down services, expanding to no less than eight trains in each direction with a restaurant car in each part on Saturdays. The late G.N. Martin on Friday 7th August recorded the performance of ‘King Arthur’ 4-6-0 774 Sir Gaheris between London and Salisbury and 453 King Arthur from Salisbury to Exeter on the 10.35 a.m. ex Waterloo, “The Atlantic Coast Express”. Table 1 Date: 7th August 1936. 25th September 1957 Train: Atlantic Coast Express. Atlantic Coast Express. Engine 4-6-0 ‘King Arthur’. 4-6-2 Merchant Navy. Engine 774 35005 Name: Sir Gaheris Canadian Pacific. Coaches/tons 10, 335/355 13, 422/455

Miles Sch Min Sec Mph Sch Mins sec Mi 0.0 Waterloo 0 0 00 0 0 00 - 3.9 Clapham Junction 7 6 52 7 7 32 46 7.2 Wimbledon 10 40 11 25 57 9.7 New Malden 15 03 stop 15 32 12.0 Surbiton 16 15 23 65 20 10 53 17.1 Walton 19 58 62 25 01 71 19.1 Weybridge 21 54 64 26 43 69/78 24.3 Woking 27½ 26 49 60 28 30 55 71 28.0 Brookwood 30 33 55 34 01 69 31.0 Milepost 31 33 52 53 36 39 67 33.2 Farnborough 38 32 73 36.5 Fleet 38 47 64 41 11 80 39.8 Winchfield 41 43 60 43 39 79 42.2 Hook 44 27 58 45 25 79/82 47.8 Basingstoke 49 59 60 49 33 79 50.3 Worting Junction 54 52 41 52 51 51 31 72 52.4 Oakley 53 11 76 55.6 Overton 58 11 64 55 38 81 59.2 Whitchurch 58 14 84 61.1 Hurstbourne 62 50 73 59 36 86/82 66.4 Andover Junction 68 67 08 75 63 27 85 72.8 Grateley 72 48 55 68 36 69 78.3 Porton 78 13 75 73 09 86 82.7 Tunnel Junction 83½ 82 35 - 80½ 76 24 - 83.7 Salisbury 86 84 40 83 78 53 Recorder: G.N. Martin. P.G. Martin. Net time - 74 Minutes.

In his “Titled Trains of Great Britain” second edition C.J. Allen states “that it is customary to use ‘Lord Nelson’ 4 cylinder 4-6-0s between Waterloo and Salisbury and ‘King Arthur’ 4-6-0s

Milepost 25 ¾ - 260 - January 2005

forward to Exeter”. This was of course before the introduction of the ‘Merchant Navy’ 4-6-2s on West Country trains from the summer of 1942 onwards.

G.N. Martin’s comments about the performance of 774 were “This was a typical unchecked run and had no special features. The ‘King Arthur’ class had a bit to spare on this train as higher speeds could have been attained on the descents through Andover and Porton if necessary”.

Mr. Martin’s comments are not very generous, the A.C.E. departed Waterloo one minute late that day, with maximum speeds in the mid 60s on level gradients and 75 at Hurstbourne and Porton, with minimum speeds in the low 50s at milepost 31 and Worting Junction. “Sir Gaheris” was early by the last named with even time being attained by Grateley, 72.8 miles from London, the A.C.E. arriving in Salisbury 20 seconds early in 84 minutes 40 seconds for the 83.7 miles.

In O.S. Nock’s “The Southern King Arthur Family” there are two examples published when this train was allowed 90 minutes from London to Salisbury, 776 Sir Galagars with a 325 ton train took 88 minutes 35 seconds, net time 86 minutes, and 774 Sir Gaheris hauling 340 tons had a net time of 85 minutes, actual 87 minutes 25 seconds.

G.N. Martin’s comment “… higher speeds could have been attained” is supported by the maximum of 80 mph noted at Andover on the second run in this book, but overall the performance of 774 on the 7th August 1936 was marginally superior with a heavier train than Nock’s examples. This is an excellent illustration of how to regain a minute late start and arrive early with the minimum of effort, indeed, an engineman’s performance, the minimum of the inevitable!

The second log in Table 1 was recorded by G.N. Martin’s son P.G. Martin on the A.C.E. 21 years after his father had noted the immaculate performance of 774.

It is rather surprising to note that, unlike Waterloo, trains departing from other principal London stations in 1936 had the same motive power in 1957. ‘Kings’ still hauled the “Cornish Riviera”, Gresley’s ‘A4s’ the summer non-stop between London and Edinburgh and ‘Princess Royals’ and ‘Princess Coronations’ were the main stay of the Anglo–Scottish services on the West Coast main line.

The ‘Merchant Navy’ on the A.C.E. on Wednesday 25th September 1957 was still in its original condition and was one minute late departing. The time to Wimbledon was about average for a Bullied 4-6-2, then signals and a stand were noted at New Malden. Recovery from this was rather slow but 78 mph was attained on the 1-330 down before Byfleet. The A.C.E. was four minutes late at Woking, the minimum speed at milepost 31 was 67 mph after 10½ miles of adverse gradients, and after 80 mph on the level at Fleet 35005 averaged 81 mph from there to Basingstoke. Worting Junction was passed 1½ minutes late at 72 mph.

The mainly favourable gradients between Worting Junction and Andover Junction were covered in 11 minutes 56 seconds, an average speed of just under 81 mph with a maximum of 86 mph through Hurstbourne, and after nearly seven miles of adverse gradients to Grateley the speed was 69 mph. The speed at Porton was 86 mph and a fast finish concluded the journey, arriving three minutes early in Salisbury. The overall net time was between 73½ and 74 minutes for the 83.7 miles, and the start to stop time from New Malden to the cathedral city took 63 minutes 21 seconds for the 74 miles at an average speed of 70 mph. It is doubtful if there are many finer

Milepost 25 ¾ - 261 - January 2005

King Arthur and un-rebuilt Merchant Navy locomotives, as they would have looked at the time of these runs. R.F. Roberts/SLS Library Collection performances with a 13 coach train Table 2 on the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’ th Date: 7 August 1936. between London and Salisbury. Train: Atlantic Coast Express. Engine: 453 ‘King Arthur’. Table 2 is the continuation on the Load Coaches/Tons: 10 331/355 7th August 1936 of G.N. Martin’s journey on the A.C.E. between Miles Sch Mins Secs Salisbury and Exeter. The usual Mph 0.0 Salisbury 0 0 00 - engine change at Salisbury was 2.5 Wilton 5 52 - observed, 774 ‘Sir Gaheris’ being 8.2 Dinton 12 30 - replaced with the doyen of the 12.5 Tisbury 17 10 55 Maunsell ‘King Arthur’ class No. 453 built in February 1925. 17.5 Semley 23 05 45

21.6 Gillingham 26 40 75/80 G.N. Martin was more enthusiastic 28.4 Templecombe 32 15 64 about the performance of ‘His 30.8 Milborne Port 35 00 47 Majesty’ west of Salisbury than 774 34.5 Sherborne 38 15 83 east of the city, he commented 39.1 Yeovil Junction 43 41 47 72 “This part of the run was much 47.9 Crewkerne 50 19 67/40 harder with 355 tons and required 55.9 Chard Junction 58 27 74 sustained effort throughout. The 61.0 Axminster 62 12 83 engine was in fine condition as 64.2 Seaton Junction 64 45 69 shewn [sic] by the uphill running to 69.0 Honiton Tunnel entrance 71 40 32 Semley, and more so the climb to 69.8 Honiton Tunnel exit 73 06 - Honiton bank. The acceleration 71.2 Honiton 74 50 60 from the summit points was brisk 75.8 Sidmouth Junction 78 26 83/69 and resulted in some high 79.5 Whimple 81 30 75 maximum speeds”. 83.2 Broad Clyst 84 08 85 86.9 Exmouth Junction 93 87 32 sigs 88.0 Exeter 96 91 55 - Recorder: G.N. Martin. Net Time: 90 Minutes

O.S. Nock has four ‘King Arthur’ logs between Salisbury and Exeter in his book with an average load behind these engines of 425 tons and an average time to Exeter of 91 minutes. When compared with Mr. Martin’s run with 70 tons less it reveals that to Yeovil Junction the speeds were similar on average with these heavier trains. It would be churlish though to complain about the performance of ‘453’ to that point. ‘King Arthur’ had departed Salisbury 1½ minutes late and had regained almost all of this back by Yeovil, speeds of 45 mph at

Milepost 25 ¾ - 262 - January 2005

Semley and 47 mph at Milborne Port after uphill sections of 1-145 and 1-100 were very sound. From Seaton Junction to Honiton ‘453’ was faster than the engines in Nock’s book with a minimum speed of 32 mph at milepost 152 ½ after a climb that included nearly three miles at 1-80. A maximum of 85 mph was noted at Broad Clyst before signal checks were encountered approaching Exmouth Junction and Exeter, and the A.C.E. arrived at the Central station 2½ minutes early with a net time of just under 90 minutes for the 88 miles from Salisbury.

The ‘Merchant Navy’ class was introduced in February 1941 and due to the war and its restrictions the engine was classed as a ‘Mixed Traffic’ design to meet with Ministry of War Transport requirements, but later became a Class 7P in 1948 and 8P in 1951. 35005, or more precisely, 21C5 was one of four of the original design with low average annual mileages in the 34 – 38,000 mile range, only 35025 at 34,706 being lower.

Mileage Period Av/Ann/Miles 35005 as built 632,322 17yrs 5mth 36,305 rebuilt 344,484 6yrs 5mth 53,685

This low mileage when compared with the average for the class may have been due to a long period at Exmouth Junction, and also because of a period at Rugby Testing Plant in 1950. It had been fitted with a mechanical stoker in 4/1948, which it retained until 4/1951 apart from a short period from 4 to 5/1950 when it was removed for comparison purposes, this presumably at Rugby.

Total Mileage Miles Miles Miles Av/Life/ Eng Av/Eng/Life Av/Eng/Yr M.N. as built 17,245,003 12yrs 9mth 574,833 45,084 M.N. rebuilt 12,861,127 8yrs 1mth 428,704 53.035 King 53,962,924 33yrs 8mth 1,798,764 53,349 Princess Royal 18,031,837 27yrs 3mth 1,502,653 55,143 A4 49,466,405 25yrs 6mth 1,454,894 57,054 Prin Coronation 53,417,392 21yrs 5mth 1,405,720 66,939

A comparison of average mileages for the principal classes indicate that the rebuilt Merchant Navy was close to the other Region’s principal types, but as an original the average mileage was below par, and especially for 35005 as an individual engine.

21C5 was the first to receive black livery from malachite green in 3/1942, the only one to have the ‘S’ prefix in traffic, and was the first renumbered into the B.R. series.

The engine was allocated to Exmouth Junction in late 1942, followed by Nine Elms 11/1948, Exmouth 4/1951, Bournemouth 11/59, Weymouth 9/1964 and was withdrawn 10/1965 and sent to Barry. It was saved by Steamtown, Carnforth and arrived there in April 1973.

MY STEAM BLUE RIBANDS

Ben Stone

These days, when humdrum Class 323s achieve 90+ on all-stations trains from Piccadilly to Crewe on the open stretches between Alderley Edge and Sandbach, or Turbostars reach 100mph or exceed 100 on favourable stretches, one is inclined to forget that in steam days, Milepost 25 ¾ - 263 - January 2005

such speeds were very unusual and only achieved on a few trunk main lines and with a limited range of locomotives.

As I timed a lot of trains between July 1945 and the end of steam in normal service I have to declare that, with one limited exception, I used rail-joints as my guide to speeds achieved. During that time, when continuous welded rail was the exception, I became experienced in recognising the different beats of 60’, 45’, and 39’, staggered and 180’ rails. So with that caveat, I have put together my highest speeds with locomotive types and the overall highest speed of any steam engine.

My blue riband is held, slightly oddly, by a King – 93mph. The circumstances were also unusual. Richard Woodley tells me that from 1960 the GWR main line from Wolverhampton to Paddington had a business express on which an eight-car “Blue Pullman” was used. But for three days at the end of September 1961, the set was not available, so a “King” and 7- Pullmans were substituted, and clearly the Stafford Rd (SRD) driver was determined to show what steam could do, in face of the incoming diesels. So near Blackthorn on the downgrade from Ardley we had a speed of 93mph. The run is covered in Table 1. The net time from Leamington to Paddington was 81½ mins for the 87.28 miles, and we stopped outside Old Oak Common West with 12½ mins to go for a punctual arrival. Not a bad effort by steam by a 31-year-old engine with only a year to go – 6020 “King Henry IV was not a long-term resident of SRD.

Starting timing in the aftermath of World War II, neither track nor locomotvies were ready to return to pre-war speeds, which to the young Stone, was frustrating, but made sense. The Blue Riband progression looked like this:

Date Loco Speed Comments 30-Jul-1945 GWR 5323 53 On 5.33am Paddington-Wolverhampton (school train home at term-end 30-Jul-1945 GWR 5976 60 - Later on the same train 1-Aug-1945 LMS 4866 68 On 4.05pm Manchester-Bham at Norton Bridge (load 13) 9-Aug-1945 GWR 6006 81 On 7.25am Shrewsbury-Paddington at Denham – the only occasion not using rail joints 3-May-1946 GWR 1016 82 On 11.25am Wolverhampton relief , also at Denham, and my fastest time for a GWR County 31-Dec-1948 45545 84 ON 7.55 am Wolverhampton-Euston at Watford Tunnel 24-Jun-1952 44794 87 On 08.40am Glasgow Cen-Edinburgh Princes St at Kingsknowe 8-Mar-1957 45733 89 On 6.45pm Euston-Birmingham at Leighton Buzzard 11-Oct-1957 45738 90 On 2.25pm Euston-W’hampton at Leighton Buzzard 29-Sep-1961 6020 93 My final Blue Riband as detailed above

TABLE 1: BIRMINGHAM-PADDINGTON TABLE 2: EUSTON - BIRMINGHAM Run No. 1 Run No. 2 Date/day F 29-Jun-1961 Date/day F 11-Oct 57 Train 7.05am Wolverhampton-Paddn Train 2.20pm Euston-Whampton Motive Power 6020 'King Edward IV' (84A) Motive Power 45738 'Sampson' (3B) Load (tons) 5 pullmans +2 Mk1 266/283 Load (tons) 12 coaches, 386/420 Weather Fine, early sun Weather Sunny Rec/Pos/GPS? K B Stone 3/8 N Rec/Pos/GPS? K B Stone 5/13 (probably) N

Milepost 25 ¾ - 264 - January 2005

PTT WTT Miles location Sch m s mph Miles location Sch m s mph 0.00 BIRMINGHAM SHill 2L EUSTON T 1.25 Bordesley 2 20 49 2.50 Sth Hampstead 5 55 Tsr 3.26 Tyseley 4 27 60 5.40 Willesden 9 12 00 5.20 Olton 6 15 70 7.90 Wembley 14 45 60/55 7.06 Solihull 9 8 45 11.40 Harrow 18 06 0.00 Solihull 0 00 13.30 Hatch End 19 52 62 1.38 Widney Manor 2 48 52 15.90 Bushey 22 25 3.30 Knowle 4 58 64 17.50 Watford J 21 24 05 64 5.74 Lapworth 7 18 74 21.00 Kings Langley 26 55 66 10.11 Hatton 11 11 62/70 24.50 Boxmoor 30 05 62 14.29 Warwick 14 58 28.00 Berkhamstead 33 18 62 16.25 Leamington 18 17 55 31.70 Tring 35 36 46 74 0.00 Leamington 0 00 36.10 Cheddington 40 15 82/90 3.64 Fosse Rd 6 40 50 40.20 L’ton Buzzard 43 10 86 6.11 Harbury & Southam 9 40 62 46.70 Bletchley 45 48 07 84 11.08 Fenny Compton 14 17 74 52.30 Wolverton 52 10 72 16.11 Cropredy 18 20 81 54.80 Castlethorpe 53 55 66 19.70 Banbury 21 13 68/74 59.90 Roade 58 59 15 24.75 Aynho J 25 37 68 Roade cutting sig stop 1m17s 30.12 Ardley 30 13 78 62.80 Blisworth 61 64 49 54 33.77 Bicester 33 06 88/93 69.70 Weedon 67 72 20 36.74 Blackthorn 35 04 92 75.30 Welton 78 05 Eased 39.73 Brill 37 05 80/tsr40 80.20 Hillmorton 82 45 43.24 Ashendon J 40 14 70/74 82.70 Rugby 79 85 00 47.21 Haddenham 43 50 68 89.00 Brandon 91 45 /tsr 30/sigs 52.54 Princes Risborough 48 25 64/58 94.00 Coventry 94 99 45 55.66 Saunderton 51 33 67 0.00 Coventry 0 0 00 58.45 West Wycombe 54 16 46 1.50 Canley Halt 3 08 46 60.64 High Wycombe 57 50 58 3.50 Tile Hill 5 28 65.53 Beaconsfield 62 45 70/tsr30/74 5.50 Berkswell 7 38 59 69.74 Gerrards Cross 66 48 8.75 Hampton/ Arden 10 28 76 72.44 Denham 69 45 sigs 12.25 Marston Green 13 18 72 75.21 West Ruislip 72 15 72 15.00 Stechford 15 33 58 77.06 Northolt J 73 53 77 17.00 Adderley Park 17 15 79.44 Greenford 75 47 84 18.75 BIRMINGHAM ns 21 20 33 2L Old Oak Cmmn W J sig 26s 86.08 Westbourne Park 87 25 Royal Oak sig st 16s&1m13s 87.28 PADDINGTON 95 94 55 2L Net time ex 81 30 Leamington

TABLE 3: PADDINGTON-BIRMINGHAM TABLE 4: NORWICH-LIVERPOOL ST Run No. 3 Run No. 4 Date/day Sa 13-Jun-59 Date/day Sat 16-Apr-49 Train 8.10pm Paddington- Train 1140 Norwich-Liverpool St Shrewsbury Motive Power 6011 King James I (84A) Motive Power 61041 East Anglian (32A) Load (tons) 11coaches, 363/395 Load (tons) 10 coaches, 365/375 Weather Fine Weather Strong sun Rec/Pos/GPS? K B Stone probably 4/12 N Rec/Pos/GPS? K B Stone probably 5/11 N

Milepost 25 ¾ - 265 - January 2005

PTT PTT Miles location Sch m s mph Miles location Sch m s mph 0.00 PADDINGTON T T 1.20 Westbourne Park 3 27 0.00 NORWICH 0 00 3.22 Old Oak Cmmn W J 6 57 49 5.25 Swainsthorpe 10 03 58 7.64 Greenford 12 47 62 8.25 Flordon 13 54 72/56 12.07 West Ruislip 17 02 66 11.00 Forncett 16 30 60/56 14.64 Denham 19 37 60 14.50 Tivetshall 20 15 62/75 17.34 Gerrards Cross 22 17 60/57 20.00 Diss 25 20 74/75 21.55 Beaconsfield 27 10 70/72 23.50 Mellis 28 35 64 26.44 High Wycombe 32 27 28.50 Finningham 33 15 64 28.63 West Wycombe 36 47 38 32.00 Haughley 36 45 71/82 31.42 Saunderton 43 02 32 34.50 Stowmarket 38 35 75 34.54 Princes Risborough 46 32 68/78 38.00 Needham 41 28 75 40.07 Haddenham 51 12 75/68 41.50 Claydon 44 12 78 44.04 Ashendon J 54 53 76 43.75 Bramford 46 20 77 50.34 Blackthorn 61 25 Ipswich N inner sig stop 30sec 53.31 Bicester 63 59 52 46.50 Ipswich 51 51 45 57.16 Ardley 67 59 72/sigs 0.00 Ipswich 0 00 62.33 Aynho J 74 27 5.50 Bentley 10 08 70/72 67.38 Banbury 82 81 31 9.50 Manningtree 13 37 62 0.00 Banbury 0 00 sigs 3.51 Cropredy 6 40 48 12.75 Ardleigh 17 06 51/64 8.62 Fenny Compton 12 40 58 17.00 Colchester 21 36 46 13.59 Harbury & Southam 16 45 82 22.00 Marks Tey 27 53 56/60 16.05 Fosse Rd 18 35 90 26.50 Kelvedon 32 40 58 19.70 Leamington 22 22 58 30.25 Witham 36 23 62 0.00 Leamington 0 00 32.75 Hatfield Peveril 39 28 52 1.76 Warwick 3 29 46 New Hall tsr 46/48 6.08 Hatton 8 41 tsr 39.00 Chelmsford 48 25 44 10.25 Lapworth 16 22 52 45.25 Ingatestone 56 18 52/57 12.69 Knowle 19 29 50 48.50 Shenfield 60 08 50 16.19 Solihull 23 14 58/62 50.50 Brentwood 62 31 68 19.79 Tyseley 26 41 60 55.75 Gidea Park 68 23 22.00 Bordesley 28 46 61.50 Ilford 75 08 23.25 BIRMINGHAM SH 32 31 01 T 64.75 Stratford 79 28 67.50 Bethnal Green 85 45 68.75 L’POOL ST 86 89 23 sigs/2L

TABLE 5: BIRMINGHAM-STAFFORD TABLE 6: KILMACOLM-GLASGOW St Enoch

Run No. 5 Run No. 6 Date/day Tu 01-Dec-64 Date/day Sat 1 Sep-51 Train 0750 Rugby-Liverpool Train 0758 Greenock-St Enoch Motive Power 45392 (1F) Motive Power 54508 (66D) Load (tons) 5 coaches, 168/175 Load (tons) 5 coaches 135/145 Weather Overcast & bleak Weather Weak sun Rec/Pos/GPS? K B Stone 3/6 N Rec/Pos/GPS? K B Stone probably 3/6 N

Milepost 25 ¾ - 266 - January 2005

PTT PTT Miles location Sch m s mph Miles location Sch m s mph 2L 0.00 BIRMINGHAM New St 0 00 11L 0.00 KILMACOLM 0 00 /68 1.26 Monument Lane 3 52 40 3.75 Bridge of Weir 5 1/2 5 02 3.75 Handsworth Wood 6 54 54 0.00 Bridge of Weir 0 00 /50 4.23 Perry Barr N J 8 52 2.00 Houston 3 1/2 3 40 5.63 Great Barr 10 50 0.00 Houston 0 00 /38 9.34 Bescot 15 55 /53 2.00 Elderslie 4 3 44 Darlaston sig stop 4m17s 0.00 Elderslie 0 00 /tsr 12.40 Willenhall 26 45 1.25 Paisley Canal 4 4 57 15.41 Wolverhampton 29 31 43 0.00 Paisley Canal 0 00 /46 0.00 Wolverhampton 0 00 1.25 Hawkhead 2 1/2 2 45 1.47 Bushbury J 2 56 72/82 0.00 Hawkhead 0 00 6.25 Four Ashes 6 40 80/90 1.50 Crookston 2 1/2 2 00 10.15 Penkridge (goods) 9 30 87 0.00 Crookston 0 00 15.24 STAFFORD 25 14 50 T 0.75 Mosspark West 1 58 1.25 Corkerhill 3 05 3.00 Bellahouston 4 50 3.75 Shields Rd 7 10 sigs 4.50 Cumberland Rd 8 40 5.50 GLASGOW St Enoch 11 11 00 1L

Having crossed the 90mph barrier I had hoped for many more, but it was not to be: Apart from the two runs listed above, it only happened on two other occasions

13-Jun-1959 6011 90 On 6.10pm Paddington to Birkenhead below Fosse Rd 1-Dec-1964 45392 90 On 7.50am Rugby to Liverpool at Penkridge: a real surprise being a 6’ Class 5, newly ex-works in the dying days of steam on the WCML lines and this train already a diesel turn

The other three 90mph runs are shown in Tables 2 3 and 5.

TABLE7: BIRKENHEAD-CHESTER TABLE8: YORK-HARROGATE-YORK Run No. 7 Run No. 8 Date/day Sat 27-Nov-65 Date/day Sun 27-Aug-78 Train 1140 Birkenhead-Paddington Train 0955 York-Harrogate-York spl Motive Power 76035 (6A) Motive Power 92220 Evening Star (55B) Load (tons) 7 coaches, 240/245 Load (tons) 12 coaches 402, 430/440

Milepost 25 ¾ - 267 - January 2005

Weather Sunny Weather Weak sun Rec/Pos/GPS? K Stone, probably 2/8 N Rec/Pos/GPS? K Stone, 4/13 N

PTT PTT Miles location Sch m s mph Miles location Sch m s mph

0.00 BIRKENHEAD Wdside 0 00 2L 0.00 YORK 0 00 1.50 Rock Ferry 5 6 04 2.00 Challoners WhinJ 4 45 48/54 0.00 Rock Ferry 0 00 10.75 Church Fenton 15 31 47 1.25 Bebington 3 05 15.75 Mickleford 23 38 28 1.75 Port Sunlight 4 20 40 21.00 Cross Gates 32 59 55/58 2.25 Spital 5 20 44 25.50 Leeds 41 05 3.75 Bromborough 6 7 34 0.00 Leeds 0 00 0.00 Bromborough 0 00 Leeds starter sig stop 38sec 1.75 Hooton 5 4 31 0.61 Holbeck LL 5 45 35/24 0.00 Hooton 0 00 5.59 Horsforth 17 19 40/66 1.75 Ledsham 3 15 48 9.22 Arthington 23 10 20 3.00 Capenhurst 6 22 15.01 Pannel 34 07 29/40 5.25 Mollington 8 59 56/72 18.21 Harrogate 43 10 6.75 Upton-by-Chester 10 27 75 0.00 Harrogate 0 00 Chester inner home sig stop 37secs 4.00 Knaresborough 7 43 50/53 8.00 CHESTER 12 16 04 5L 10.50 Cattal 17 28 40/58 17.50 Poppleton 30 32 20.50 YORK 39 14

What I found from my records was that “The Greats” did not give me particularly-high top speeds, which was disappointing considering other published work during the pre-war period. For what it’s worth, my highest recordings with “The Greats” are as follows:

Type Date Loco Speed Comments LMS Princess Coronation 22-Jan-1963 46245 88 Very cold day Princess Royal 4-Aug-1950 46211 80 Un-rebuilt Royal Scot 26-May-1950 46148 83 d/headed with 45697 – Table 9 Rebuilt Royal Scot 11-Sep-1959 46160 88 Patriot 21-Oct-1955 45502 81 d/headed with 45738 Rebuilt Patriot 27-Oct -1958 45536 87 GWR Castle 14-Nov-1957 7024 85 Star 9-Jun-1950 4018 78 Ex-works for last time Hall 29-Jun-1957 4955 78 Later failed Reading Grange 22-Oct-1948 6847 75 LNER A1 (post war) 28-Aug-1951 60123 82 Queen of Scots - A3 28-Aug-1951 60042 82 - In succession A4 24-Jun-1952 60027 77 ** B1 16-Apr-1949 61041 82 Table 4 V2 24-Jun-1952 60916 78 Sthn Merchant Navy 14-Sep-1946 21C10 76 Merchant Navy Rblt 19-May-1964 35013 88 Lightweight Pacific 25-Jun-1948 34005 77 Loco Trial on Midland Rblt Lightweight Pacific 13-Jun-1959 34001 81 Sat before LCD electrics Milepost 25 ¾ - 268 - January 2005

BR Britannia 23-Jan-1959 70015 86

** As can be deduced, I rarely visited the ECML.

Sadly, I never recorded an ex LNWR engine, LNER B16, Director, NER 4-4-0, Great Western Saint, Southern Atlantic, L1, Clan or 71000, but of the other “Greats”, the less said the better.

However, on one or two of the less likely classes, there were some high speeds worth mentioning and I trust readers will allow me to indulge my nostalgia:

LMS Fairbairn 2-6-4T 25-Oct-1952 42050 76 Ivatt Large Mogul 23-Apr-1954 43047 65 Pickersgill 4-4-0 1-Sep-1951 54508 68 Table 6 GWR 14xx 0-4-2-T 1958 14xx 68 Clarbeston Rd- Fishguard Sthrn U1 17-Jun-1949 31907 72 BR 73xxx 30-Apr-1958 73004 77 76xxx 27-Nov-1965 76035 75 Table 7 92xxx 27-Aug-1978 92220 65 In preservation (T8)

And still indulging in nostalgia, a few freight engines produced some surprises:

LMS Fowler 0-6-0 25-Apr-1954 44231 63 Jinty 0-6-0T 18-Jun-1953 47301 57 Table 10 Highland Small Ben 17-Jun-1952 54398 40 My only experience of an ex HR loco, on Thurso branch

Further comments on the logs:

Table 3: The train had a pretty slack schedule and the crew had difficulty in spinning it out. Ironically, on the section that the 90mph was achieved, the train lost time.

Table 4: In post war days 61040-61059 (Top Twenty) bore the brunt of the express work, instead of B12s or B17s, until the arrival of Britannia’s on accelerated schedules. When the latter were temporarily withdrawn, it was proved that the B1s could just about keep the schedules.

Table 6: At the time I compared this start with a Class 5 on 0754 Worcester-York (my commuter train) from Barnt Green to Northfield (3.6miles – best time 5m08s) compared with 5m02 on this log for 3.75 miles. - I have always held that Scottish drivers (particularly GSW) drove much harder than their English counterparts – still do now!

TABLE 9: RUGBY-EUSTON PTT Run No. 9 Miles Location Sch m s mph Date/day Fri 26-May-50 0.0 Watford J 0 00 Train 7.50am Crewe-Euston (W26) 1.6 Bushey 3 06 Motive Power 46148(5A)Manchester 4.2 Hatch End 6 07 59 Regiment/ 45697(28A) Achilles 6.1 Harrow 7 50 73/82 Load (tons) 11 coaches 339/355 9.6 Wembley 10 31 80

Milepost 25 ¾ - 269 - January 2005

Weather Drizzle 12.1 Willesden 12 46 70 Rec/Pos/GPS? K Stone, 12/13 N 13.8 Queen's Park 14 11 70 15.0 South Hampstead 15 21 PTT 17.5 EUSTON 19 07 9E Miles location Sch m s mph TABLE10: BLACKWELL-BIRMINGHAM Run No. 10 0.0 RUGBY 0 00 Date/day Wed 18-Jun-53 2.3 Hillmorton 5 12 50 Train 7.54am Worcester-York 7.3 Welton 10 45 70/78 Motive Power 47301(21C)&41117(21B)part fail 12.9 Weedon 15 27 76 Load (tons) 9 coaches 270/280 19.8 Blisworth 21 15 70/68 Weather Sunny 22.7 Roade 23 51 71 Rec/Pos/GPS? K Stone, 9/11 N 27.8 Castlethorpe 27 57 82/83 30.1 Wolverton 29 45 78/66 PTT 35.9 Bletchley 34 55 70/72 Miles location Sch m s mph Chelmscote Br Sig stop 2m22s 11L 42.4 LeightonBuzzard 45 30 60 0.00 BLACKWELL 0 00 /44 46.5 Cheddington 49 45 66/64 1.40 Barnt Green 3 2 48 50.9 Tring 54 00 66 0.00 Barnt Green 0 00 /47 54.6 Berkhamsted 57 15 73/80 3.60 Northfield 6 5 52 58.1 Boxmoor 59 58 78 0.00 Northfield 0 00 59.4 Apsley 61 02 83/79 1.30 King's Norton 3 3 01 61.6 King's Langley 62 43 81 2.30 Bournville 4 25 57 65.1 Watford J 70 66 24 3.30 Selly Oak 6 5 46 47 5.60 Church Rd box 8 58 6.90 BIRMINGHAM N St 12 12 03 8L

Table 7: Uninspired until Ledsham when meteoric acceleration took speed up dramatically. Even so the engine lost time on three of the four stages. At Chester the train reversed and 44690 of Kingmoor took over,

Table 8: Single-line sections Knaresborough-Cattal and Hammerton-Poppleton caused service slacks on entry and leaving. The load increased considerably in Leeds – the only highlight was the 66mph in Bramhope Tunnel.

Table 10: The addition of a Lickey banker on the front of the train was unusual, but Bromsgrove was obviously prepared for the event, as the train was only 11mins late. 41117 was not playing much part in hauling the train on arrival at Blackwell, so I concluded that it was shortness of steam rather than the unusual load of 9-vehicles that caused the assistance. The 57mph through Bournville compared with the 60mph that was regularly achieved on this service, but the conditions on the Jinty must have been like the GER buck- jumpers on the Chingford trains crossing the Lea Valley (60mph with 4’0½” drivers!)

Today, when Railtrack or their successors preclude some diesel and steam locomotives from certain structures, such as steam from the Forth Bridge or diesels from the Lockwood Viaduct in Huddersfield, it has caused me to ponder the skill, or foolhardiness, of drivers to hurl their 100+ton mounts at the rail structure, and particularly curves and structures that occur along the way. The forces exerted by a Princess Coronation at 88mph on heavily- frozen ground on the curves around the platforms at Boxmoor, for instance must have been considerable given their rigid wheelbase. Nowadays, the sheer weight of bogied diesels are no longer acceptable in many places in spite of heavier rails.

Perhaps we ought to be grateful for our steam performance heritage.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 270 - January 2005

MILEPOST MYSTERY SOLVED.

The sign is on the BNSF (Burlington Northern / Sanfe Fe Railway) main line near Athol between Sandpoint, Idaho and Spokane, Washington in north western U.S.A. The milepost equation is actually 28.2 to 31.5 .

This is the former Northern Pacific (NP) mainline originally built in the late 1800's. Since then several realignments have occurred to make a fairly straight and more easily graded rail line. A number of major realignments have been undertaken over the years. including one near Athol, here the line was straightened and moved eastward by a substantial distance. A substantial part of the route has been doubled and the route is quite fast with passenger speeds of 79 mph and freight 60 mph.

The line can be quite busy with freight with train lengths as long as 6,000 feet in length. The only passenger train is the Empire Builder (train # 7 & 8) run by AMTRAK from Chicago to Settle and Portland (the train splits at Spokane in the middle of the night). Although BNSF do not have any of the big SD90’s (6,000hp or 4,300hp) with an axle weight of 32.5 tons ( but can run on this line) but they do run 110 wagon coal trains with each wagon weighing (when loaded) up to 125 tons (axle weight 31.25 tons). As far as loading gauge is concerned, double stack train operate on this route (i.e. 2 containers on top of each other) with each container height being 9 foot 6 inches in height carried in well wagons – loading gauge is 21 feet in height or higher. (British loading gauge is 13 – 15 feet in height).

Thanks to Ted Curphey of Spokane and to Altamont Press for the information.

Chris Taylor.

This is the 50th article in the series “A Recorder’s Guide to the SNCF. We thank Alan Varley for his contributions to “Milepost” over the past 25 years, and long may they continue Ed

A Recorder’s Guide to the SNCF The long and the short of it Alan Varley France is a big country, and the potential for long non-stop runs is therefore high. But for a long time most main lines in France had very few day trains, which therefore had to serve intermediate points as well as their final destinations. (For overnight services the situation was different, and for many years it was with sleeping-car trains that SNCF made Milepost 25 ¾ - 271 - January 2005

its longest non-stop runs.) It was only towards the end of the ‘60s, with the rise in air competition, that it was felt necessary to introduce limited-stop high speed services to cut journey times to major provincial centres,. This gave rise to some lengthy non-stop sections: the most notable examples were probably the 579-km runs by the flagship 200 km/h trains on the Bordeaux line. The LGV network was of course designed from the outset to give competitive times over long distances, with a service pattern based on differentiation: TGVs from Paris to the south do not stop at Lyon, TGVs to Nice avoid Marseille, etc. At first the limiting factor on the length of non-stop runs was not geographical or commercial but operational: a Paris-Nice run was too long for one driver turn, so TGVs shown in the public timetable as non-stop to Les Arcs in fact had a crew stop at Avignon or Valence. But the opening of the LGV- Méditerranée changed all that, and one driver can now work right through to Nice with, on certain trains, a genuine non-stop booking over the 882 kms to Les Arcs – a distance that would be impossible in most other European countries. On the traditional infrastructure, and particularly on lines duplicated by LGVs, the opposite trend can be observed. The heavy long-distance expresses of yore have been replaced by lighter semi-fast workings. Short trains with main-line motive power have high power/weight ratios (as do recent generations of electric and diesel multiple-units), so spectacular averages can sometimes be made over very short distances – as this article will set out to show. First, though, since I have mentioned the lengthy Paris-Les Arcs non-stop runs of some Paris-Nice trains, I include by way of contrast a skeleton log of a run on one of these services in Table 1. This journey was made not long after the opening of the LGV- Méditerranée, and punctuality on that day was far from brilliant. My train was fortunate to get away only 2½ minutes late (in fact 2 minutes behind its working time), as the 1420 to Marseille had left at 1523, and the stock for the 1520 arrived only at 1530; I am not sure whether it left before us or not.

The 1554 made a normal start and ran briskly at first, with sustained 300 km/h speeds before the crossing of the Seine and similar maxima on the subsequent undulations. The climb to PK 89 was taken at the excellent minimum (for an SE set) of 265 km/h, and on the long rise from Vergigny full power was certainly used as speed was sustained above 290 km/h most of the way. The very sharp rise to PK 256 was topped at 240 km/h and then we coasted gently down to Le Creusot, by now a few seconds early. Then we were checked over the summit at PK 320, coming down to 160, and we ran at 180-220 for the next 50 kilometres. We speeded up again only on the approach to Montanay where the two trains preceding us would have turned off towards Lyon. This slow running cost about 4 minutes compared with a full-speed effort but some recovery time must be concentrated here as we only lost 86 seconds to schedule between Le Creusot and Grenay. The climbs to Diémoz, Primarette and St-Sorlin were taken at minima of 254, 233 and 250 respectively, with maxima of 302 after Diémoz, a more restrained 291 on the precipitous descent from Primarette, but a 5-km stretch at average 300.0 on the start of the descent to Valence. This was finished more easily, easing to 255 through the station, but we then averaged 293.5 from Valence to Avignon, including an excellent 298.5 over the 66 kms from PK 538 to 604, cruising at exactly 300 on the level. Thus at Avignon we were almost a minute inside time and things were taken more easily on to Aix. We were in fact heading for an early passage through Marseille but severe sigs off the end of the LGV and all the way to Marseille culminated in a stop on the north-to-east link through Chartreux tunnel. All this put us over 6 mins behind time at Blancarde. The schedule from here to Les Arcs certainly contains more than the 6 minutes of recovery time, and that would be normal for this distance: running well up to the TGV limits we had recovered to only 1½ late through Toulon and with easier running onwards we were fully 2 early at Les Arcs. An excellent sustained effort by driver and motive power – and no doubt the longest start-stop run that has yet featured in Milepost!

Milepost 25 ¾ - 272 - January 2005

Table 1 Paris-Les Arcs 1554 Paris-Nice, M 9.7.01, TGV-SE 97, 2+8/285/405, A Varley 3/10, Fine, light SE wind Location dist m s Ave L+/E- Location Dist m s ave L+/E- Paris 0 00 00 +2 13 Galaure T N 496.63 121 16½ 266.6 Bif Créteil 9.05 07 19½ Valence 526.81 127 34 287.8 +0 47 Chevry 30.12 14 42 171.4 Crest 556.16 133 39½ 289.1 Le Châtelet 57.29 20 45½ 269.1 Allan 587.37 140 08 289.2 Cuy 102.86 30 12½ 289.3 Piolenc 626.61 148 01 298.7 Vergigny 148.45 40 04½ 277.5 Avignon 656.52 154 04½ 296.2 -0 44 Pasilly 193.47 49 26½ 288.4 +0 09 Lambesc 706.72 164 54½ 278 Arcenay 233.73 57 53½ 285.9 Aix-en-P 730.50 170 51 240.1 Sully 278.77 67 48½ 272.5 Bif Chartreux 748.05 183 49 93.2 +2 32 Le Creusot 305.18 74 06 251.9 -0 11 Blancarde 750.55 190 35 22.2 +6 18 Cluny 344.94 83 20½ 258.1 La Ciotat 783.81 208 17 112.7 Macon 365.34 89 36½ 195.3 -0 10 Bandol 797.90 215 04 124.6 Cesseins 392.49 97 42½ 201.1 Toulon 814.27 222 13½ 137.2 +1 26 Montanay 411.86 102 43 232.1 Carnoules 848.77 237 33 135.1 Grenay 448.35 110 45½ 272.3 +1 16 Vidauban 877.18 250 37 130.5 Meyssiez T N 471.93 115 43 285.3 Les Arcs 882.83 254 11 95 -2 06

When considering short sprints (under 20 mins start-stop), we can fix theoretical yardsticks by assuming that a train with a power/wt ratio of around 12-15 hp/tonne could run the first 5 km from a standing start in 3 mins (i.e. even time in a little under 3 miles/min). With 1.5 mins for the last 2.5 kms and a steady 160 km/h cruising speed in between, this would mean that a 10-km stretch could be run in 5m 26s at an average of 110.4 km/h, 20 km at 130.7, 30 km at 139.2 and 40 km at 143.9. Now there is nothing exceptional about such acceleration and braking rates, but a glance through the Fastest Times supplements will show that we have very few runs which manage to combine the fast start, fast stop and good cruising speed required to achieve such averages.

Reinhard Douté recorded one run that consistently produced performances of this standard, when his Dijon-Lyon semi-fast was delayed awaiting a locomotive at the start (run 2, table 2). The exit from Dijon is of course slow and no spectacular average could be made over the first stage. But on subsequent starts 160 was being reached in little over 2 minutes despite wet weather conditions; over the shorter stretches this compensated for the fact that the loco was cruising at 157-8 rather than a full 160. So from Nuits-St-Georges to Beaune the average was 125.5 and the time a full 10 seconds faster than the “sprint” criteria laid down above, while from Beaune to Chagny and from Belleville to Villefranche the times were only 2 or 3 seconds slower than this level of performance. Stops in general could have been a little better, with the notable exception of that in Beaune. Power/weight ratio on this run was around 16.5 HP/tonne, just a fraction higher than that of a Z2 MUE, which is capable of 0-160 in about 130 seconds.

Table 2 Dijon-Villefranche sur Saône Run 2 1520 Dijon-Lyon, 30.8.03, BB 7266, 6/245/255/330, R Douté 3/6, Rain Run 3 1906 Paris-Lyon, 6.10.73, CC 6505, 13/593/535/650, A Varley, 2/14 Run 4 Tr 5303 Dijon-Lyon, Tu 23.6.94, 2 x Z2, 7372/7368, 4/208/215, A Varley, Fine, light-mod E wind PK Dist Location m s ave m s ave m s km/h 314.21 0.00 Dijon Run 2 32½ late Run 3 3 late 336.65 22.44 Nuits-St-G 12 01 12 41 161.2 0.00 12 31 339.00 2.35 PK 339 01 43 342.59 5.94 Corgoloin 03 05 157.6 14 54 160.5 346.36 9.71 Serrigny 04 32 156.0 16 18 161.6 350.00 13.35 PK 350 05 56 156.0

Milepost 25 ¾ - 273 - January 2005

351.18 14.53 Beaune 06 58 18 04 163.7 0.00 08 11 Run 4 22½ late 354.00 2.82 PK 354 01 53 02 12½ 133 358.40 7.22 Meursault 03 33 158.4 20 45 161.4 03 57½ 158/155 364.00 12.82 PK 364 05 41 157.5 06 06½ 159 366.21 15.03 Chagny 07 22 23 43 158.0 07 50 21½ late 0.00 08 20 08 54 20½ late 369.33 3.12 Rully 02 26 24 56 153.9 03 01½ 135 372.75 6.54 Fontaines 03 44 157.8 26 13 159.9 04 20½ 159 380.00 13.79 PK 380 06 29 158.2 07 10½ 145 382.15 15.94 Chalon-s-S 07 52 30 45 3 late 09 13 21 late 382.15 0.00 Chalon-s-S 09 52 33 04 4 late 386.00 3.85 PK 386 02 12 390.36 8.21 Varennes 03 52 157.0 05 22 398.54 16.39 Sennecey 06 58 158.3 08 23 162.7 406.00 23.85 PK 406 09 49 157.1 407.75 25.60 Tournus 11 28 11 48 161.7 0.00 12 58 411.00 3.25 PK 411 02 14 417.46 9.71 Uchizy 04 42 157.1 15 26 160.3 422.24 14.49 Fleurville 06 31 157.9 17 12 162.3 429.17 21.42 Sénozan 09 10 156.9 19 48 159.9 437.00 29.25 PK 437 12 09 157.5 439.73 31.98 Macon 14 09 23½ late 24 55 1 late 0.00 15 44 17½ late 25 53 1½ late 441.00 1.27 PK 441 01 35 446.83 7.10 Crèches 04 02 142.8 05 11 450.71 10.98 Pontanevaux 05 30 158.7 06 38 160.6 455.44 15.71 Romanèche 07 18 157.7 08 23 162.2 461.00 21.27 PK 461 09 25 157.6 462.66 22.93 Belleville 10 42 11 03 162.4 0.00 12 24 465.00 2.34 PK 465 01 56 468.24 5.58 St-Georges 03 11 155.5 13 07 162.0 475.00 12.34 PK 475 05 46 157.0 477.00 14.34 Villefranche 07 07 15 late 17 07 ½ early

Run 4 shows one of these units, also running late, on the Beaune-Chagny-Chalon sections. But the Z2 was not well handled and lagged behind the BB all the way – a further tribute to the quality of Mr Douté’s run. By way of contrast, and as a tribute to the CC 65XX class which preceded the BB 72XXs as staple motive power on this line and which are now being subjected to accelerated withdrawal, run 3 shows one of these locos in charge of a much heavier load making the major stops. With a power/weight ratio of 9.1 hp/tonne and the high gearing of the 65XX no great accelerations could be expected in the lower speed range, but with high maxima, regularly in the 161-164 km/h range, and some good stops, CC 6505 achieved unusually fast times. Net time over the first stage was in fact just below 30 minutes as the train was heavily checked leaving Dijon. I presented a more convincing example of Z2 performance on the PLM in Milepost 6½; it appeared that with proper line voltage they could achieve even time in 2.3 miles/min, suggesting a possible saving of 15 seconds on the 5km/3 min start. The Pierrelatte to Bollène section of the run mentioned, in 05 58 actual, 05 45 net, confirmed this, for the “scratch” time for the distance of 11.58 km would be 6m 2s. In Table 3 the Arles-Miramas section of this run is compared with two loco-hauled services, one the record-holder for this stretch (run 6), timed by David Sage, and another (run 7) with a Sybic. The record run Milepost 25 ¾ - 274 - January 2005

gained over the others through a faster stop; the curved downhill approach to Miramas, preceded by a 150 km/h section, results in considerable variability in stopping times here. The Z2 was a little slower off the mark than the Sybic but accelerated faster between 120 and 160 km/h; however both their starts were beaten by another run timed by David on train 5357, where BB 7410 on 5 vehicles passed PK 780 in 2m 13½s. Ultimate Z2 starting performance is illustrated by a run I timed between Castelnaudary and Toulouse, presented in Milepost 13½. A DC-only Z2 was aided by downhill starts from Ségala onwards and regularly reached even time in 2 miles/min or less. The best sprint was probably that from Ségala to Avignonet, with a 162 km/h maximum reached in 2m 06s, in exactly 3.5 km from the start; the next 0.9 km to a stand took 47 seconds, giving a time of 2m 53s for 4.60 km – 95.7 km/h average! Towards the upper limit of my “short sprint” range, mention should also be made of another run timed by Reinhard Douté with a BB 72XX, this time on the Toulouse-Bayonne line: with 6 vehicles in tow the 44.96 km from Muret to Boussens were run in 18m 32s for an average of 145.6 km/h. This time was just 1 second quicker than the “scratch” figure for the distance – a fine performance for which unfortunately intermediate details are lacking.

Table 3 Arles-Miramas Run 5 Tr 5089 Lyon-Marseille, 4.1.85, 2xZ2 EMU, 4/221/235, 14.7 hp/tonne, A Varley

Run 6 Tr 5357 Lyon-Marseille, W 13.5.98, BB 7325, 5/205/225/310, 17.6 hp/tonne, D Sage, 3/6

Run 7 1419 Lyon-Nice, M 23.6.03, BB 26070, 6/240/250/340, 22.2 hp/tonne, A Varley, 7/7 PK Dist m s km/h m s kmh m s kmh 776.36 0 Arles Run 5 Run 6 Run 7 778.00 1.64 PK 778 01 27½ 127 01 39 122 01 25½ 128 780.00 3.64 PK 780 02 15½ 159/161 02 27½ 159 02 18½ 149/160 785.00 8.64 Raphèle 04 08 160/161/157 04 20½ 159 04 12½ 158/160 792.47 16.11 St-Martin 06 57½ 159/160 07 10 159 07 03 159/157 799.00 22.64 PK 799 09 24½ 159/160 09 38 159 09 31½ 158/159 804.58 28.22 Entressen 11 31 159/160 11 44 159 11 38½ 158 807.00 30.64 PK 807 12 25½ 145* 12 41½ 148/149 12 36 148 809.28 32.92 Miramas 14 08 14 05 14 06

Table 4 Colmar-Sélestat With an increase in maximum speed to 200 km/h 0910 Lyon-Strasbourg, F 23.10.98 the parameters change. For light trains that can BB 26188, 6/247/260/350, 21.6 hp/tonne run at such speeds one needs to look at the A Varley, 7/7, overcast, light SW wind TER200 services on the Mulhouse-Strasbourg and PK Dist m s km/h Orléans-Nantes routes. On the former I have 65.82 0.00 Colmar Run 7 8 late noted some remarkable starts with Sybics – see 64.00 1.82 PK 64 01 25 145 Milepost 13¼. My best performance, though, was 59.32 6.50 Bennwihr 02 57 200 recorded more recently, and is shown in Table 56.08 9.74 Ostheim 03 55½ 197/200 4.This was in fact not a TER200 but one of the 52.78 13.04 Ribeauville 04 55½ 198/200 Lyon-Strasbourg services, so with 6 coaches. 48.46 17.36 St-Hippolyte 06 13½ 198 Despite this load line speed could be reached in 45.00 20.82 PK 45 07 17 194 less 43.22 22.60 Sélestat 08 32 than 3 minutes, and 6.5 km were covered in this time from the start. A fair stop then produced an average of 158.9 km/h – exceptional for such a short distance.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 275 - January 2005

In the Loire valley most of the sections fall outside my 20-minute limit, but I have stretched a point to include Run 8,Table 5, submitted by Mr G Penny. This was actually a Tours-Paris train and not a TER200, so the load was relatively heavy and the loco a BB 222XX rather than a Sybic, which explains the slow start; a Sybic on 5 or 6 would pass Menars in under 4½ minutes. The stop in Les Aubrais must have been reasonably fast, though, and the start-stop average is 164.2 km/h.

Another line on which some short 200 km/h sprints are possible is the Paris- Cherbourg route; the Sybic-hauled trains mostly run non-stop to Caen but high speed is possible over one of the shorter stretches beyond, as shown in Table 6. The start of Run 9, timed by David Sage, was excellent – in view of the extra load it was as good if not better than that of 26188 out of Colmar in Run 7. Things were then taken more easily for a RT arrival and an average of 150.1 km/h

Table 5 Blois-Les Aubrais Table 6 Carentan-Valognes 1135 Tours-Paris, 12.8.94, BB 22351, 1043 Paris-Cherbourg, Th 12.6.97, BB 26164, 8/330/350/440, 12.4 hp/tonne, G Penny 8/328/352/443, 19.4 hp/tonne, D Sage, 2/9 PK Dist m s Ave PK Dist m s km/h 179.81 0.00 Blois Run 8 313.28 0.00 Carentan Run 9 1 late 170.47 9.34 Menars 05 09 108.8 315.99 2.71 PK 315 01 32½ 129 165.07 14.74 Suevres 06 47 198.4 320.00 6.72 PK 320 03 18 195 160.27 19.54 Mer 08 15 196.4 325.28 12.00 Chef du Pont 04 56 193 148.23 31.58 Beaugency 11 52 199.7 332.00 18.72 PK 332 07 02½ 189 140.69 39.12 Meung-s-Loire 14 09 198.1 335.00 21.72 Montebourg 08 00½ 184 134.97 44.84 St-Ay 15 54 196.1 338.00 24.70 PK 338 09 00 175 118.93 58.89 Les Aubrais 21 31 171.3 341.00 27.70 PK 341 10 08 141 342.61 29.31 Valognes 11 43 RT

A very recent development, and one that should revolutionize running on many semi- fast workings, is illustrated in Table 7. This is the arrival of the electric Z-TER units, with a continuous rating of almost 3000 HP for a 164-tonne 3-coach set, and a maximum speed of 200 km/h.

Table 7 Ancenis-Sablé This run was submitted by Reinhard Douté 1724 Nantes-Le Mans, Su 17.10.04, 2 x Z-TER, and timed by Christian Favre, and I am 6/328 tare, approx 17 hp/tonne, C Favre grateful to both for permission to reproduce PK Dist m s ave it. The train concerned had left Nantes 7½ 397.00 0.00 Ancenis Run 10 minutes late and the driver did an excellent 376.90 20.10 Ingrandes 07 22 163.7 job of maintaining speed close to the line 358.40 28.60 La Possonnière 12 56 199.4 speed profile, recovering all the delay by 355.40 31.60 Savennières 13 53 189.5 Sablé. I have shown the running on the 342.90 54.10 Angers 19 07 143.3 Ancenis-Angers-Sablé section only; Nantes- 307.60 0.00 20 52 Ancenis contains little 200 km/h running, and 306.20 1.40 Bif 01 18 64.6 the approach to Le Mans is also slow. From 292.60 15.00 Le Vieux Br. 06 27 158.4 the start 200 km/h were reached by PK 287.60 20.00 Tiercé 08 01 191.5 388.5, so in a little under 4 minutes, a 283.10 24.50 Etriché 09 23 197.6 performance which a single set, with less 279.30 28.30 Le Porage 10 31 201.2 favourable aerodynamics, might not match. 273.10 34.50 Morannes 12 22 201.1 Although full speed cannot be maintained all 258.90 48.70 Sablé 17 15 174.5 the way to the approach to Angers (160 km/h at Savennières-Béhuard), Milepost 25 ¾ - 276 - January 2005

the different MPS levels Table 8 Avignon TGV – Aix-en-Provence TGV were approached using Tr 5111 Lille-Marseille, T 14.12.04, RGV-D 257, well-timed and energetic 390/395, A Varley, 2/10, weather fine, calm braking to give an and

PK Dist Location m s kph ave average of 169.8 km/h – better than that on the 625.18 00.00 Avignon TGV 00 00 29 L longer Run 8 above. The 627.22 02.04 Tunnel S 01 35.8 start from Angers is 630.00 04.82 PK 630 02 34.0 190 172.0 restricted, and there is a 633.84 08.66 CAI 633 03 37.9 242 216.3 160 stretch through Le- 637.22 12.04 Bonpas T S 04 25.4 267 256.2 Vieux-Briollay, following 644.21 19.03 Cavaillon 05 51.4 308/317 292.6 which high speed was 650.00 24.82 PK 650 (correct) 06 57.8 307/320 313.9 655.40 30.22 Senas 07 59.1 318 317.1 maintained to the point of 662.00 36.82 PK 662 09 14.0 316/319 317.2 braking for an excellent 665.64 40.46 CAI 665 09 55.3 315 317.3 stop in Sablé, 40 seconds 668.11 42.93 Vinsargues T N 10 24.3 302 306.6 early. The arrival of these 670.97 45.79 Lambesc T S 10 58.6 297/310 300.2 units and the forthcoming 675.36 50.18 Lambesc 11 50.4 295 305.1 high-powered electric, 681.69 56.51 CAI 681 13 08.4 290/260 292.2 diesel and mixed MUs, the 685.56 60.38 OB Summit 14 00.8 265 265.9 AGCs, should open up 689.10 63.92 Ventabren V S 14 47.7 279/275 271.7 interesting new 692.62 67.44 Arc Via S 15 32.7 285 281.6 possibilities. 696.00 70.82 PK 696 16 23.7 207* 238.6 699.16 73.98 Aix-en-P TGV 18 05 Finally I cannot resist returning to one of the few LGV sections which qualify as short sprints so as to present a new Avignon-Aix fastest time. Contrary to what I suggested in my last article it is clear that all trains worked by TGV-R and D can now take advantage of the 320 km/h limits on this section; on the same day I recorded a northbound run with a TGV-R that averaged 320.4 km/h over 28 km, my fastest/longest yet. On the run tabulated the speeds were not quite so high but there were no weak points in the performance: the start and stop, while not records in themselves, were very good; uphill speeds were high, and the ease for the neutral and speed limit after CAI 681 was minimal. Particularly notable was the downhill 310 max before Lambesc, right on the end of the high-speed stretch. A 74-km run is perhaps hardly a sprint, but a time of only just over 18 minutes is relatively short – yet another illustration of the way high speed on the LGVs is changing the parameters of performance. And the start-stop average of 245.5 km/h obviously puts all other sprints in this table in the shade

YET MORE 37’s Chris Taylor

For 44 year old locomotives, this once 309-strong class are still going strong. Introduced in 1960, they were built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry and by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorne at Darlington. They were fitted with the English Electric engines and traction motors. Similar engines were fitted to class 20’s, 31’s, 40’s and 50’s – a very successful engine with over 1200 locomotives fitted with it in the UK alone. Only about 25% of the original build of the class 37’s remain, with 3 main variations: those that carry extra ballast for higher haulage capacity, those that are fitted with electric train supply and those that are relatively unmodified. Normally only the class 37/4 are used on passenger trains.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 277 - January 2005

Today 4 locomotives (37/4) are based in South Wales for use on the Valley Lines services between Cardiff Central and Rhymney (and in the summer to Fishguard Harbour). 3 locomotives are available for use on the Arriva Trains Northern services from Leeds to Knaresborough and Carlisle with a further 9 based in Scotland for use on the Fort William Sleeper and charter trains. In 2004, Arriva Trains became the largest operator in the U.K. of diesel locomotive hauled trains, following the take-over of the Wales & Border franchise in December 2003, and with the West Yorkshire based trains. All the Wales & Border (now Arriva Trains Wales) services are operated by a single locomotive running around at the termini’s whilst the ATN trains are top/tailed by a pair of class 37/4’s which have been specially adapted for the operation of these trains (mainly the fire extinguisher equipment) with the wiring on the 6 coaches (4 in use at any one time) modified for the top / tail operation. The latter contract is for 12 months from September 2003 and is for the use of two class 37’s on the train.

Enough of the preamble lets look at the trains themselves starting in South Wales. On Mondays to Fridays the loco hauled trains work south from Rhymney to Cardiff in the morning peak and return north at tea time. In the morning peak the three trains run at 20 minute intervals and depart Caerphilly full and standing. This demonstrates the change of work pattern in Cardiff Valleys in the last 30 years. On Saturdays all three sets work all day. Beware when there is an event on at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (especially Rugby Union) as the pattern of working changes. The regular use of class 37’s in South Wales should finish in March or April 2005. The line climbs for 5 miles from Cardiff Queen Street as far as Caerphilly Tunnel. It then drops into the Rhymney Valley to just beyond Aber where it then climbs all the way to Rhymney. With frequent stops, and the maximum distance between stations being 3.86 miles, the driver skills come to the fore. There can also be problems for the conductors who have to operate the central door locking: it is easy to exceed the station dwell time e.g. at Ystrad Mynach in run A1 we stood for nearly 2 minutes whilst passengers alighted tardily and left doors open. Two of the runs are on the same day with the same locomotive, with very similar times. Run A1 was faster away from Queen Street but run A2 applied his brakes later so achieving the slightly faster time to Heath High Level. This was the difference between runs A1 and A2/3 throughout. There was slightly easier running after passing through Caerphilly Tunnel on run A2. Between Aber and Llanbranach a credible 50 mph was reached by both trains.) Run A1 A2 Date Saturday 13 September, 2003 Train 1559 Cardiff to Rhymney 1905 Cardiff to Rhymney Loco 37402 37402 Coaches / weight 4c 133/157/264 6.6hp 4c 133/150/257 6.8hp Recorder/position C.M.Taylor 4/5 C.M.Taylor 3/5 miles M c location wtt m s mph m s mph 0.00 1 08 CARDIFF QUEEN ST 0 0 00 0 00 1.40 2 40 MP 2 07 53 2 14 51 3.55 3 52 HEATH HIGH LEVEL 4 4 02 3 53 0.00 HEATH HIGH LEVEL 5 4 50 4 16 0.35 4 00 MP 1 02 32/38 0 57 32/38 1.10 4 60 LLANISHEN 3 2 32 2 25 0.00 LLANISHEN 4 3 05 /max 35 2 51 /max 36 0.83 5 46 LISVANE 2 2 02 2 02 0.00 LISVANE 3 2 41 2 41 0.42 6 00 Cefn On 1 08 34 1 07 29 1.92 7 40 MP 3 09 57 3 09 53 2.71 8 23 CAERPHILLY 4 4 27 4 27 0.00 CAERPHILLY 5 5 29 0 00 RUN A3

Milepost 25 ¾ - 278 - January 2005

0.21 8 40 MP 0 42 32/34 38 0.57 8 69 ABER 1 1 36 1 29 0.00 ABER 2 2 18 2 40 1.14 10 00 MP 1 57 50 2 06 50 2.05 10 73 LLANBRANACH 7 3 34 3 38 0.00 LLANBRANACH 8 4 02 4 10 0.58 11 40 MP 1 17 41 1 18 41 1.08 12 00 MP 1 59 39* 2 03 38* 3 21 49 3 24 51 3.86 13 62 YSTRAD MYNACH 4 4 50 4 55 YSTRAD MYNACH 5 6 44 0.48 14 20 MP 1 10 36/17tsr RUN A 3 0.89 14 53 HENCOED 2 2 24 Fri 12 Sep 2003 0.00 HENCOED 3 3 07 1747 Cardiff Rhymney 1.09 15 60 MP 2 02 45 37402 1.69 16 28 PENGAM 3 3 12 4c 133/158/265 6.6hp 0.00 PENGAM 4 4 44 C.M.Taylor 4/5 0.40 16 60 MP 0 57 33/13/21 1.09 17 35 GILFACH FARGOED 3 2 54 0.31 17 60 MP 1 16 19 0.60 18 03 BARGOED 3 2 19 0.46 18 40 MP 1 19 30*/36 1.35 19 31 BRITHDIR 3 3 12 0.00 BRITHDIR 4 3 40 0.61 20 00 MP 1 28 39/40 1.11 20 40 TIR PHIL 2 2 47 0.00 TIR PHIL 3 3 36 0.50 22 00 MP 2 32 48 1.33 22 66 PONTLOTTYN 4 3 52 0.00 PONTLOTTYN 5 4 29 0.43 23 20 MP 1 06 35 0.98 23 64 RHYMNEY 3 2 50 Gilfach Fargoed Halt cannot be an easy station to stop, as the platforms are only 16 metres long. Even a pacer has to stop with only the rear door on the platform so that passengers can alight or join. With loco hauled trains the guard’s door is used. I presume that there are signalling restrictions approaching Bargoed (it is single line beyond) which results in a slow run between Gilfach Bargoed and Bargoed. The 30 mph speed restriction on leaving Bargoed reflects the limit over the viaduct after entering the single track section. For some reason the WTT time was exceeded between Brithdir and Tir Phil, even with the locomotive managing 40 mph.

We look now at the ATN operation. A significant problem occurred with overcrowding on the 1759 Leeds to Harrogate, but not as bad on the 1729 & 1742 trains, and trains from Harrogate to Leeds in the morning peak. The solution, in view of no other DMU’s being available, was to hire a train from another operator, in this case EWS. Expensive operation but cost effective in view of the saving on penalty payments. The 1743 train leaves Leeds full and by Horsforth, over 70% of the train have alighted. This is reflected in the train weight, the second figure being the weight north of Horsforth. Faster departures from Leeds City station are now possible with less than 1½ minute times possible to Whitehall Junction - over ½ minute faster than before remodelling. Nothing much is possible as far as Burley Park with the 45 mph speed limit round the curve between Armley Junction and the viaduct. From Burley Park to Headingley the first run was just a bit faster with probably better braking to the

Milepost 25 ¾ - 279 - January 2005

station stop. These two runs are on the first two days of operation of these trains and with an instruction to ensure that all the passenger coaches are on the platform,

37411 after arrival at Carlisle on the ATN train from Leeds on Friday 7th November, 2003. (photo: Chris Taylor). the Healey Mills driver was understandably cautious. With the gradient easing slightly from 1:98 to 1:100, acceleration was quite rapid in run B1 with a creditable 57 mph being reached before power was cut off for Horsforth. Run B2 was on the first day of operation with the driver being cautious. North of Horsforth the times on the two runs are fairly similar with run B2 being slightly late but with 60 mph or thereabouts being run over and along the Wharfe valley. The stiff 1:91 up grade after the 20 mph speed restriction at Crimple Junction is a test for the train but with 3,500 bhp being available it should have been

Run B1 B2 Date Tue 30 Sept 2003 Mon 29 Sept 2003 Train 1743 Leeds to Knaresborough Locos 37411/408 37411/408 Coaches / weight 4c 133/158-145/372-359 4c 133/153-140/367-354 Recorder / position C.M.Taylor 3/6 T.H.Calow 4/6

miles m c location wtt m s Mph m s Mph 0.00 185 67 LEEDS 0 0 00 Time 0 00 Time 0.30 185 43 West Jc 1 1 8 23 1 10 30 0.46 185 30 Whitehall Jn 1 29 35 1 27 37/45 195 52 1.06 196 20 Armley Jn 2½ 2 17 48 2 18 43 0 14 1.72 0 67 Armley Viaduct N.end 3 07 46 3 09 48 2.22 1 27 BURLEY PARK 4½ 4 34 4 50 0.00 BURLEY PARK 6 5 41 6 25 0.29 1 50 St Michael's Lane ob 0 50 35 0 53 34 0.60 1 75 Headingley Tunnel N.end 1 17 32 1 31 26 0.82 2 13 HEADINGLEY 2 2 22 2 37 0.00 HEADINGLEY 3½ 4 09 4 19

Milepost 25 ¾ - 280 - January 2005

1.60 3 61 Leeds Ring Road ub 2 23 57 2 36 54 2.59 4 60 HORSFORTH 3½ 3 57 4 25 0.00 HORSFORTH 5 5 57 6 34 0.41 5 13 Footbridge 1 12 37 1.06 5 65 Bramhope Tunnel S.end 1 54 53 1 52 60/68 3.79 8 43 Arthington 4 21 65/62 5.58 9 26 Arthington Viaduct N.end 5 19 62 5 15 59/56/59 6.03 10 62 Weeton 6 46 59 6 44 58 7.44 12 15 Rigton 8 10 62 8 08 61 8.17 12 74 A658 ob 8 56 56 9.29 14 03 Pannal 10 01 63/17* 9 56 63 10.63 15 30 Crimple Jn 12 16 23 12 16 22 11.00 15 60 Crimple Viaduct N.end 12 55 39 12 54 43/46 11.58 16 26 Hornbeam Park 13 43 42 13 42 41 12.55 17 24 HARROGATE 16½ 15 57 15 52 no problem but the drivers seem to take things easy. Note that the WTT shows 1½ minutes for the station stops, which is unusually long,but necessary when passengers leave doors open.

We turn now to the Settle & Carlisle Arriva Trains North services. For some reason the train is timed to leave at 0947 but a better path is at 0949 and most of the other Carlisle trains utilise the xx49 path. If everything else is on time there is no problem with the 0947 time, but at Shipley with its complicated train working, the 0947 is due to pass at 1001½, but the 0937 Skipton to Leeds is due 0957-58, the 0949 Bradford to Ilkley due to depart at 0955, clearing Dockfield Junction about 0956, then the 0942 Bradford to Skipton is due to arrive at Skipton at 1017. If any of these trains are late then the class 37 hauled train gets checked. Southbound the main culprit is the 1518 Skipton to Leeds which departs only 8 minutes in front of the Carlisle train from Skipton, and by Shipley it would have caught it up had not extra pathing time been added. So even if both trains are on time, the Carlisle train will at least suffer checks around Saltaire and Shipley.

We look now at Table C. Run C2 was by far the fastest departure from Leeds with 1 minute 22 seconds to Whitehall Junction, but unusually this train was 4 coaches away from the buffer stops due to a class 333 being there – this is not reflected in the distances. Run C1 suffered a number of signal checks but still reached 72 mph. Even with the signal checks C2 just about managed to keep time to Keighley. The level crossings at Kildwick and Connonley are a source of delay, as if there is another train around and the barriers have been raised, road traffic does not permit them to be lowered quickly again. A signal stop was encountered at Kildwick on run C1 and 77 mph being reached before the stop. Run C3 suffered a 20 mph tsr and all but managed to keep the WTT times to Skipton. Run C4 was late due to no conductor being available to work the train at Leeds. Rapid acceleration from the Settle stop up the long drag with slight excesses on the level stretch above Helwith Bridge saw similar times for both runs. After Blea Moor the runs becomes a little boring with a 60 mph blanket speed limit.

Milepost 25 ¾ - 281 - January 2005

37408 passing Bingley on the 0947 Leeds to Carlisle. (photo: Chris Taylor)

Southbound the locomotives were the same but the drivers were different. There was rapid acceleration from Appleby on the descent to Ormside Viaduct and before the climb to Ais Gill commences. Similar times to the Kirkby Stephen stop were achieved. D2 was a much better start from Kirkby Stephen with similar time to Ais Gill before settling down to the 60 mph speed limit, but with 30 mph allowed now through Dent station due to sighting difficulties on the boarded crossing, better braking was achieved on run D2. After Skipton, problems with late running trains stifled most of the good running but once clear of Shipley both runs were able to get up to the mid 70’s (the trains are timed for a 75 mph maximum speed). Neither train crossed over to the former fast lines at Armley Junction but run D2 suffered a nearly 5 minute wait for a path at Whitehall Junction. I was able to witness the flexibility of the new Leeds layout with a train from Ilkley, and one to Harrogate using the wrong lines and utilising the bi-directional lines to good effect. The current franchise became part of the new Northern Rail franchise from December 2004, with a consortium of Serco and Netherlands Rail taking over. The contract was for 12 months and the last runs were made on Saturday 25th September 2004.

Will the class 37’s reach their half century? Only another 5 years to go.

Run C3 C4 C1 C2 Date Mon 13 Oct Tue 4 Nov 03 Fri 7 Nov 2003 Tue 11 Nov 2003 Train 0947 Leeds to Carlisle 0947 Leeds to Carlisle Locomotives 37408/405 37411/408 37411/408 37411/408 Coaches / Weight 4c 133.5/139/353 4c 4c Recorder / Position Tim Calow 4/6 C.M.Taylor 3/6 C.M.Taylor 3/6 miles m c location wtt M s mph m s mph 0.00 185 67 LEEDS 0 0 00 time 0 00 time 0.46 185 30 Whitehall Jn 1 42 30 1 22 33 195 52 1.06 196 20 Armley Jn 2½ 2 29 52/31 sig 2 09 46/40 3.06 198 20 Kirkstall p 1 5 18 42 4 16 77 4.81 202 00 Apperley Jn 8½ 9 16 72 7 14 76

Milepost 25 ¾ - 282 - January 2005

6.35 203 43 Thackley Tunnel E.End 10 55 43 8 28 72 16 sigs 7 sigs 8.38 205 45 Dockfield Jn 13½ 15 28 25 12 22 22 8.71 205 71 Shipley 14½ 16 29 18 sigs 13 36 11 sigs 9.46 206 51 Saltaire 17 38 49 14 45 55 10.01 207 20 Hurstwood 18 19 64 15 21 67 11.61 208 68 Bingley 19 43 64 16 40 76 12.31 209 45 Crossflatts 20 22 65 17 16 75 sigs 46/53 14.82 212 06 KEIGHLEY 20½ 24 03 20 10 RUN C3 0.00 KEIGHLEY 22 24 56 0 00 3 late 1.92 214 00 MP 2 31 77 2 26 75 2.92 215 00 Steeton r 2 3 19 72 3 17 62 sigs stop 15 sec 3.57 216 52 Kildwick c 1 6 42 22 4 50 72 17 tsr 6.17 218 20 Cononley 9 30 14 sigs 7 07 18/60 7.92 220 00 Snaygill 11 20 52 9 26 56 9.18 221 21 SKIPTON 12 14 39 12 09 RUN C4 0.00 SKIPTON 15 15 20 0 00 25 late 0.74 222 00 MP 1 29 44* 1 28 45* 1.74 223 00 MP 2 40 61 2 50 46 3.74 225 00 Gargrave 4 39 59 5 00 59 6.74 228 00 Bell Busk 7 38 61/59 7 53 62/63 10.01 231 22 Hellifield 11 10 54 59/62 11 03 61 11.24 232 40 Long Preston p ½ 12 07 59 12 16 64/61 13.24 234 40 Settle Jn 15 14 06 59 14 12 62 15.24 236 40 SETTLE 17½ 17 00 17 08 0.00 19½ 17 49 17 56 1.50 238 00 MP 2 31 58 2 38 58 4.00 240 40 Helwith Bridge 5 03 60 5 05 64 4.50 241 00 MP 5 31 62 5 29 64/59 6.00 242 40 Horton-in-Ribblesdale 7 03 57 7 02 63 8.30 244 64 Selside 9 22 59 9 13 63/59 10.75 247 20 Ribblehead 13½ 12 31 29/27 12 22 27/29 11.86 248 29 Blea Moor 15 15 04 31 14 52 32 12.81 249 25 Blea Moor Tunnel S.end 16 12 52 15 57 51 Run D1 D2 Date Fri 7 Nov 2003 Tue 11 Nov 2003 Train 1333 Carlisle to Leeds Locomotives 37408/411 37408/411 Coaches / Weight 4c 4c Recorder / Position C.M.Taylor 2/6 C.M.Taylor 3/6 miles m c location wtt m s mph m s mph 0.00 277 22 APPLEBY 0 0 00 0 00 1.27 276 00 MP 2 05 60/65 2 02 59 2.27 275 00 Ormside 3 06 58 3 03 58 3.78 273 39 Helm Tunnel N. end 4 40 56 4 34 59 7.52 269 60 Crosby Garrett 8 29 60 8 17 58/60 10.68 266 47 KIRKBY STEPHEN 12½ 12 35 12 21 0.00 14½ 13 04

Milepost 25 ¾ - 283 - January 2005

1.59 265 00 MP 2 26 55 2 30 61/60 3.34 263 20 Mallerstang 4 12 58 4 13 61 5.59 261 00 MP 6 31 58/59 6 28 59 6.78 259 65 Ais Gill 7 45 60 7 41 61/58 8.67 257 74 Lunds 9 41 60 9 37 61 9.92 256 54 Garsdale 12 10 54 54/59 10 47 62 11.77 254 66 Rise Hill Tunnel N.end 12 50 54 12 38 57 13.19 253 32 Dent 14 56 27* 14 34 29* 15.59 251 00 MP 17 39 56 17 17 60 18.23 248 29 Blea Moor 21 21 34 32 20 40 27

0.00 221 21 SKIPTON 0 0 00 0 00 /64 1.27 220 00 Snaygill 1 52 70 1 56 54 sigs 3.02 218 20 Cononley 3 26 60 tsr 3 48 59 tsr 4.62 216 52 Kildwick p 1 4 51 72/76 5 11 75 6.28 215 00 Steeton 6 09 71 6 30 67 sigs 53/62 9.19 212 06 KEIGHLEY 10 9 52 10 12 0.00 11½ 11 00 11 18 1.07 211 00 MP 1 50 57 60 2.51 209 45 Crossflatts 3 59 sigs 20/44 3 57 sigs 22/41 3.22 208 68 Bingley r 1 5 08 42/28 sigs 5 21 36 p 4 sigs 21/44 4.77 207 20 Hurstwood 7 28 47 8 02 37/15sigs 5.51 206 51 Saltaire 8 51 26 sigs 9 46 21/8 sigs 6.26 205 71 Shipley 11 ½ 10 40 14 sigs 12 06 21 7.75 204 32 Thackley Tunnel W.End 12 52 65 14 00 67 10.07 202 00 Apperley Jn 15½ 14 46 76 15 58 75 13.77 198 20 Kirkstall r 1 17 53 70 19 01 63 p½ sigs 59 secs 15.77 196 20 Armley Jn 21½ 20 44 14 23 29 30 sigs 5 sigs 4m 59s 16.37 195 52 Whitehall Jn 23 53 30 57 25 185 30 16.83 185 67 LEEDS CITY 24½ 26 38 33 32

p = pathing, r = recovery, c = contingency allowance

LETTERS

What’s in a name?

Further to the question of the name of the Society, raised in the penultimate paragraph of John Heaton's letter in MP 25 1/2:

We claim a lot when we title ourselves the Railway Performance Society. The performance of railways can be judged in many terms, economic, financial and environmental among others.

I think we would be better named The Railway Traction Performance Society

John Knowles

Milepost 25 ¾ - 284 - January 2005

Is Milepost sufficiently technical or detailed? Should we be called the Railway Performance Society or something else?

Let me avoid those questions for a minute, share something with you, and come back to them at the end.

Between 1971 and 1975, I travelled between Durham and Kings Cross each week. I ended up with lots of logs of the same train. Most of these were never properly tabulated and remain as I scrawled them on the day. The performance of Friday relief trains tended not to sparkle – mixture of 90mph stock and general congestion. I didn’t have the inclination to write these up in full when I had seen far better in magazines. And Peter’s law was formulated “Most trains on the ECML arrive 12 minutes late.” Why was this?

To highlight certain aspects of performance, I used to examine each log in three sections and summarise using a sort of double-entry book-keeping approach. For a while, the favoured train was the 16.10 (FO) from Kings Cross. The data that follows pertains to the run on Friday 5th July 1974 when 47.270 was hauling 9 Mk 1s limited to 90mph and weighing 316/340 tons. The train called at Peterborough, Doncaster, York and Darlington.

External factors concerned aspects of operation such as trackwork and signalling. Where a delay occurred, I compared the time actually taken, with the time taken on a clear run or a computer simulation to look at the losses.

Section Type Where Subsection Loss Total Rcvry KX-PB TRS Woolmer Gn Welwyn-Stevenage 00 19 Sigs St Neots Sandy-Offord 02 17 02.36 5 PB-DON ? Corby Glen Little Bytham-Stoke 01 31 TRS Grantham Stoke-Barkston S J 02 05 TRS Doncaster Black Carr J- 05.59 09.35 6 Doncaster DON-YK Sigs Brayton Templehirst-Selby 00 41 00.41 0 YK-DTON Sigs Darlington Croft-Darlington 03 42 03 42 3 DTON-DH 00 00 00 00 0 Total 16 34 14

The combination of slacks caused a loss of 2 mins 34 secs more than the recovery allowed. On reflection, now, I feel it would be worthwhile to separate the planned maintenance from the signalling problems. Internal factors concerned the performance of the loco and crew, comparing the actual times with the scheduled times

Section Actual Ext Loss Net Sched Balance KX-PB 62 43 02 36 60 07 59 - 01 07 PB-DON 70 33 09 35 60 58 62 +01 02 DON-YK 30 08 00 41 29 27 30 +00 33 YK-DTON 38 20 03 42 34 38 36 +01 22 DTON- 20 10 00 00 20 10 20 -00 10 DH Total +01 40 This would suggest that loco and crew picked up 1 minute 40 secs compared with schedule, and shows which sections were slack and which tight.

Stations looked at performance at stations compared with station stops: Station Arr Early Actual Due to Sched Balance Milepost 25 ¾ - 285 - January 2005

stop station Peterborough 00 00 03 07 03 07 03 00 -00 07 Doncaster 00 00 01 49 02 00 02 00 +00 11 York 00 00 02 20 02 20 02 00 -00 20 Darlington 00 00 01 05 01 05 02 00 +00 55 Total +00 39 So, station stops were 39 seconds slicker than expected. The train arrived late at each station. Had it arrived early, that time could hardly be costed against the station staff, and would have appeared in column two.

Summary

External causes -02 34 Depart Kings Cross -02 15 Internal causes +01 40 Arrive Durham -02 30 Stations +00 39 Balance -00 15 Balance -00 15

What I have just shown was pretty un-technical. It is not definitive. We can all see ways to improve it. It is about Railway Performance in the broader sense. It summarised something you would have found hard to extract from the log without additional maths. It shows at a glance which elements of the system produced delays and which did not. I used to find it quite interesting and insightful. It helped me to understand why trains on the East Coast Main line always seemed to arrive 12 minutes late. It was even more useful when you used the same train week after week, and could tabulate the weekly runs, side by side.

Do I think all logs should be summarised as shown above? No. It is not always appropriate. It needs the right mix of station stops and sections. But it might be interesting to see an occasional set of logs done this way – or some other way - perhaps one set per edition. Martin Barratt;s examination of station stops on the North Berwick line (MP 25 ½) falls into this category, and could well have been developed a little further. On the other hand, I also miss the technical things - horsepower charts and train resistance graphs. I was playing around with train performance predictions in the late 60s on an IBM 1130 computer at – well, I’m not going to say, as I did rather hog it. The printer was effectively the golf ball on the console, and a decent log could take half an hour to print. And I haven’t found much time or inclination to play with this since the mid seventies when work, marriage and so on assumed greater importance. Maybe when I retire properly….

My recollection is that calculating horsepower involves subtracting the square of one speed from the square of another and multiplying by speed. You can do the maths yourself, but quite small errors in recording high speeds can cause quite wild errors in estimated horsepower. For example if speeds at the bottom and top of the bank are recorded as 100 and 95mph when they were actually 100.5 and 94.5 mph (a 0.5 percent error) the difference of squares is out by about 17 percent. Conversely, if you simulate the performance of the train from horsepower charts and formulae, quite large variations in horsepower result in fairly small changes to the speeds and times. The simulation approach could have quite a lot going for it, if we can get some definitive formulae for the resistance of different type of stock and accurate horsepower data for different kinds of power unit.

Jon Littlewood’s article on Class 67s (also MP 25½) was also interesting, but again, I wouldn’t want every article in the magazine to be like it. RPS might consider becoming custodian of a library of performance graphs for each loco type and each stock type. And there is nothing to say that interested members can’t talk to each other about these things between Mileposts, whilst remaining RPS members!

Milepost 25 ¾ - 286 - January 2005

So where do I stand? I subscribe to Rail, Modern Railways and Milepost. I don’t read all three from cover to cover. In particular, I seldom read anything about railways outside the UK. There are two such articles in Milepost this time – while I have great respect for the authors, the material just doesn’t interest me. That said, I am more than happy that the articles are in Milepost. I would probably only reconsider my subscription if I started to find that less than half the material in any magazine interested me.

Yes, I would like to see some more technical stuff in Milepost, but probably only one article each edition. Yes, I would also be interested in occasional less technical articles. So perhaps each issue might contain one more technical article and one less technical one.

As group members we are all interested in train performance, but we don’t necessarily all have to like exactly the same aspects to the same degree, and we should be able to debate these things without knocking or patronising each other. In a team, does the centre forward say ‘You’re just a goalkeeper, let me teach you how to play proper football.’?!! Or vice versa!

And the Railway Performance Society seems an entirely appropriate name seems an entirely appropriate name for what we are.

When I find a bit of time I shall try and produce an article which makes even train performance in Pembrokeshire look interesting! But I promise not to build it up as the ultimate way to demonstrate train performance.

Yours sincerely Peter Absolon (member for many years, ref article in Milepost Vol 2 No 1)

Uplifting Speed Limits

Dear Editor,

I gratefully received the WCML charts with my copy of Milepost 25½. Having made a few runs since tilt became operational I was keen to note that the majority of speed limits under 125 mph corresponded to my own experiences. After my first up run it was obvious that several tunnels carried a 110 mph restriction. However, on my only down run to date I was a little apprehensive when we hurtled towards the single bore of Linslade tunnel near to 125 mph, confirmed by an averaged speed of 123 mph from Leighton Buzzard to Bletchley. Entering this small space at even 90 mph must cause a vicious displacement of air.

I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the abundance of lower limits between Rugby and Crewe especially between Colwich and Stafford where limits remain the same as for non-tilting trains, namely 90 mph with a reduction to 75 mph on Queensville curve. On my two APT up runs in the 80's Queensville curve was taken at 85 mph when the PSR for non- tilting trains was still 60 mph. Milford was passed at 116 mph on the first run before slowing for signals. On the other run Milford was passed at 112 mph and Colwich at 114 mph which is in stark contrast to the 90 mph limit in force today. Likewise a similar situation exists at Norton Bridge where again the 90 mph limit remains. One APT up run slowed from 135 mph to 125 mph through Norton Bridge before accelerating back to 135 mph before Stafford. Does anyone know if there plans to install balizes at these and other locations in the future to allow 390's to run to their full potential or are we to continue to have only a partly upgraded infrastructure? At least we now know why the new schedules only show a relatively moderate reduction in journey times. Of course these questions are asked assuming that the current 110 mph limit imposed on 390's since 10th November will eventually be lifted.

David Adams Milepost 25 ¾ - 287 - January 2005

One loco or two?

Dear Editor,

I was interested to see that Chris Taylor suggested my train should have been double- headed from Innsbruck to Brenner (Milepost 25½ p.207). I have spent three family holidays in Austria over the last four years and, although this was my only trip on the Brenner, I was unaware of the practice. I joined the "Michelangelo" at Jenbach. Certainly there was only one locomotive to Innsbruck but a 5½min station stop on a train that was 4min late would have given time for a surreptitious attachment. However I would have been surprised not to have noticed an additional engine on the sinuous climb to Brenner and the train felt sluggish, even allowing for the grade. However, we did climb to Patsch at a steady 68k/h, only slightly below the speed of the trains that were definitely double-headed.

I was heading to Italy for a series of tight connections back to the Mayrhofen hotel if a hot tub before dinner was not to be prejudiced but when I noted a late northbound train at Brenner I decided to turn round there. I definitely noted that Italian pilot loose shunted (!) our train engine back to Austria on its own. That is not to say another had not been disposed of elsewhere of course.

However, the year before, I noticed that the Austrian use of pilot locomotives and bankers on the Arlberg route seems almost random -obviously it was just my failure to understand the pattern- and there seemed to be as many balancing attachments as true requirements for assistance.

I still think it was a solo performance on EC85 but am open to correction, obviously so if someone can demonstrate that 68k/h is not possible singly and with such a load on the given gradient. John Heaton

Milepost 25 ¾ - 288 - January 2005