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Diesels on Heritage Lines before Preservation

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by D6332found, Mar 18, 2019.

  1. D6332found

    D6332found Member

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    Hi chaps, this is what we have come up with on a diesel forum, plenty of gaps and am sure, there will be some knowledgeable guys on here who can contirbute further. The era of why the lines survived running oil/cement/sand/tip trains is both fascinating and very much a part of the lines' culture and history. Please help fill the gaps. Please help!
    SVR 25s and the odd 24 to Alveley/Highley - same for Stourport power station at the same time. Also an evening parcels train over the Stourport line through to Bewdley with premier Hymek power which as far as I know lasted into 1970, same as the passenger traffic.
    Bo'ness last passenger special was a 29. Class 20s at least, to Kinneil Colliery, upto 1975
    Brechin 08,17,26.
    Aviemore 20s,21s, 06/08 in the yard Aviemore at least
    Royal Deeside was 21s, a pair on the Royal train, and a spare one, just in case of a double failure. And now last train a 17! BEMU on services still there.
    55007 PINZA last train over the Waverley. Also 17s Peaks DELTIC 47s 50s 08,20,24,25,26,37,40
    Eden Valley Class 37 6845 on the MWFO Carlisle Yard-Merrygill Quarry freight at Kirkby Stephen East in 1973! (Which also served Warcop en route). 20 (mainly in the mid 60s)/25/27/37/40 were all used by Carlisle on the Merrygill trip (cut back to Warcop from 1974) and latterly booked 31 and occasionally 26. Any Scottish loco stabled at Carlisle would often be used on a local Carlisle trip or ballast working as Carlisle crews signed 26/27/37. Earlier on a Class 17 made it as far as the Kirkby Stephen Heritage Station
    25,26,27,31 40 and 46,47 on troop trains too.
    NYMR Rats and 40s??, last tracklifter in 1970 a Blue disc 40
    DVLR 03/04 there is video 08/20 at LAyerthorpe and 08 said to have been used down line in one source only.
    Dean Forest R Better known 14s, then 22s, then Rats, one 37.
    Helston 22s only.
    Bodmin 22s, also later rats 24s, 25s,37s 08091 on the branch regular turns
    South Devon, none, but an 03/04 to lift the Ashburton section
    Kingswear 22s, 42s,43s one big D600 allegedly, also Hymek, Westerns, Class 103/123
    S&D various tracklifting 22s,35s. if Shillingstone make Blandford, 33,73, 74 and 47 on a railtour!
    West Somerset 22,35. 25059 in 1975 rescued 46229 from Butlins, last BR loco down the line
    GWSR stayed open until 1975 as a through route, with freights, Sunday diversions and Race Traffic. 25, 31, 45, 46, 47 I can remember all of appearing on the route, with 20, 35, 37, 40, 52 all appearing in photos / publications
    East Somerset 22s.
    LLanglollen 03s,24s on demolition
    Pontypool & Blaenaevan 20,31,peak on railtour, industrial ex CLass 08/11, Coal trains 25s,37s
    Gwili 35s.37s coal trains
    BLuebell 10800 we wonder?
    GCR GT3 10800 HAWK. 37s regular on last diesel hauled express from Bounemouth. 47s at Nottingham at least. on the Northern part East Leake Gypsum traffic & MOD at Ruddington?, not sure of Blue era, surely must include Peaks? Certainly later 47s,56s,60,66
    EOR DMU until 1970. Milk trains we think maybe 15/16/20
    Spa Valley Railway 33212 and others 6X41 it was 11.41 ex Tonbridge West Yard on WThO to High Brooms Cory Oil Siding. It was booked through to Tunbridge Wells West to run round (12.02 - 12.15).
    Wirksworth 20s,25s,45s Prototype 150/151 Dressing Well
    MNR, must have a list, lots until about 1985ish must be an expert
    East Lincs Railway 37s,47s, even a 33 on driver training! possibly Deltics in early days(not proven) 40s, 31s 37s on local trip freights.
    ELR, 25s,40s, odd 47, one class 60, class 104 DMU railtour. Delivering Class 504 to the yard at Bury, also CLass 31/37
    Peak Rail was on the Derby Works Derby - Chinley test route then you can also consider Classes 15; 17; 20; 24; 25 (all variants); 27 (ex Leicester); 28; 31; 35 (tested from Gorton); 37; 40; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 53 (?) from post Modernisation as well as the original 7 locos (10000/1; 10201 -3; 10800; Fell 10100) Regular 45/Blue Pullmans
    NLR (as is) had 20s, 24s (until their end), 25s and various peaks on freights to/from the rest of the East Midlands, including coal from the Nottinghamshire area, and sand and ore traffic. A lot of tracklifting trains in the Northamptonshire area were operated by 25s, but I don't know what did that line. The last train, other than tracklifting, was a four-car DMU..
    Telford Steam Railway Class 08/24 on OGLO Bridge girder trains
    Cholsey & wallingford 22,31,35 a DMU, a 14 trip
    Churnet Valley 25s on sand trains, rarely 20s. Prototype HST & APTE
    Chinnor Oil trains 37s. 47s, One railtour with 33114. Cement trains 20s,45s. Earlier 22s, 25s, 35s, 31s
    Northampton Lamport 24s 25s, possibly 27s from LEicester, 40s (parcels) 44,45,46,47(coal). LAtterly Class 31 ECS
    Lakeside, CoBos pictured, Class 24 D5100 last working delivering Mark 1 stock in 1970
    Yorkshire Dales Railway CLass 37s on tankers, DMUs
    Wensleydale, lots 20s, 25, ?27, 31, pairs 37s, 47s last trains 1993 60s all sorts of tours. Possibly the most modern image of the lot.
    Weardale cement trains Class 24 based at Darlo for this, later pairs 31/ and single 37 on the cement trains..,others
    MidHants 09,33,42,47 Watercress Last Train 33 D6511 thumpers, 1973
    Swanage Class 205 DEMUs and Furzbrook section gaz trains 47s,58s,a 60, 66s, Clay trains 33s/maybe 73s the odd DMU railtour
    MRC D406 and a CLass 47 on slow speed trials in 1969
    KESR Hastings set 1002 in 1958, CLass 04s
    EKR Class 73s 1970s coal trains, Class 08/09 at Shepherdswell
    Avon Valley 35s, 45s,47s,52s
    Dinting CLass 76.

    Of Course, the ____ Railway Museum, York, Deltic City! Saw 03/04/Ruston 48DS/05/08/11/20/D5901,97201,25,31,37,40,45,46,47,55
    Sure there are more..
     
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  2. garth manor

    garth manor Well-Known Member

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    Does Alston qualify ?
     
  3. D6332found

    D6332found Member

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    Yes of course, and the Welsh Highland on the standard gauge section, although no one come up with any but a DMU. But Alston must have had tracklifting train at least maybe goods?
    thanks
     
  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I believe the three Maunsell diesel shunters 1 - 3 (BR 15201 - 15203) would sometimes work over the Bluebell to get from Norwood (where they were based) to Brighton (for repairs) while avoiding the mainline. There's a reference in Bradley to 15203 failing completely en route in April 1954 and spending several days at Sheffield Park awaiting rescue; when rescue came, it was a C2x also hauling 10800 for repair. So 10800 made it, but not under its own power, at least not beyond East Grinstead.

    (See also http://www.semgonline.com/diesel/10800_01.html)

    Edit to add: Class 33s were regulars on Imberhorne viaduct where there was a siding south of the station.

    Tom
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2019
  5. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    If we're putting DMUs on as well, GWSR had regular class 121 bubblecar services replacing autotrain services along the line.
     
  6. damianrhysmoore

    damianrhysmoore Well-Known Member

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    Bure Valley Railway would have had trains for the concrete works at Lenwade and before that the coal yard at Norwich City station. Probably mainly 31s for the former until 1982
     
  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Following closure to passenger services, freight used the Nene Valley line as far as Nassington quarries until 1972. Class 31s certainly appeared on these workings and I suspect other classes were used.
     
  8. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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  9. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Llangollen saw Class 24 and Class 40s on coal trains.
    The was apparently a visit on a charter by a Trans-Pennine Class 123 DMU, have never seen a photo of that though.

    I don't believe that a 24 ever made it to Bodmin.
     
  10. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I'd agree with that, 25080 made it to Wadebridge though August 29th 1978 with the MLST's Wadebridge Wanderer tour, last loco hauled train to Wadebridge according to the Article in Traction I have in front of me.
     
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  11. brennan

    brennan Member

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    But a class 42 or 43 did!
     
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  12. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    On the Cambrian Heritage line the last class 31 hauled stone trains ran in 1988. I think the last movement along the line was a weedkilling train in 1991.
     
  13. unslet

    unslet New Member

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    Would this be the one?
    https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/1997
     
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  14. Wenlock

    Wenlock Well-Known Member Friend

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    D2298 at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is one of the 04s from the DVR (they had dropped the 'Light' from the name at that time)
     
  15. Fred Kerr

    Fred Kerr Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    West of the NVR the line split to work to both Northampton via Wellingborough and Rugby via Seaton and Market Harborough. Whilst I have seen Class 30s (Class 31s with original Mirrlees engine) on Peterborough - Northampton passenger services I have also recorded Classes 24 / 27 / 30 / 40 on Peterborough - Rugby passenger services whilst 10800 was regularly operated on services from Rugby that may have included those to Peterborough.
     
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  16. weltrol

    weltrol Part of the furniture Friend

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    Welsh Highland (Carnarfon- Dinas) Class 40's and 47's on Royal train/ Investiture duties:
     
  17. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

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    From Chris Magner’s “Severn Valley Railway Memories”: freight trains hauled mainly by 25s continued to run from Kidderminster yard (now the site of the SVR’s Kidderminster Town station) to the British Sugar Factory at Foley Park until 1980. BR also ran diesel railcar specials between Kidderminster (BR) and Bewdley (SVR) in the late 70s and early 80s. The last BR diesel working between Foley Park and Kidderminster before it was bought by the SVR was an ECS working of the Severn Valley Enterprise tour on 8 October 1983, hauled by 20185 and 20193.
     
  18. burmister

    burmister Member

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    Spa Valley Railway DEMU 1317 was on the last day of BR trains in 86 and now runs over the same metals today.
     
  19. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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  20. RA & FC

    RA & FC Well-Known Member

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    I’ve seen a picture of the DMU somewhere in a book, along with a few of the demolition trains.
     

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