Mixed traffic workings

I am going to assume that they probably wouldn't be allowed in todays climate, but does anyone know the last time a proper mixed traffic working was used on national (i.e. not preserved) metals?

 

I've seen photos from the early 1980's of Fort William - Mallaig fully fitted mixed workings. Typically a fuel tanker or 2 tacked on to the back of a service train (usually 2 or 3 mk 1's) and hauled by a class 20.

 

Fuel tankers? Milk tankers probably.

 

Nope, fuel tanks. (Could have been empty of course.) There is a photo in one of the Jane's colour albums published in the mid 80's.

 

Here's one from 1984 at Glenfinnan: http://jjm.fotopic.net/p25138449.html

In the 23 years since then:
The box has gone
The freight has finished
37085 (later 37711) has been cut up
Steam heating has finished
The Mark 1's have gone

 

Just out of interest and I run mixed traffic trains on my model railway what headcode would they run with? :-k

 

They are treated as passenger trains.

 

I went from Fort William to Mallaig in the 80's, a 37 was hauling the train, & at the rear of the coaches was a flat wagon - can't remember now if it was unladen or if there were some sleepers on it.

 

In theory surely providing that all vehicles had a working brake system which could be controlled by the locomotive I don't see why it couldn't still be allowed. Other countries still cope.
Whether it would be attractive to the general public travelling on such a train potentially with lengthy shunting is another matter.

 

Class B, single lamp/light atop (steam/early diesel era), 2xnn on the headcode (1970's onwards), 3-1 on the block bell.

Dom Greenop
DMR

 

Paddington-Fishguard boat trains sometimes included a set of Freightliner flats conveying containers in the 1970s. They still ran as Class 1 express services (1Axx, 1Fxx etc).

David

 

I can just hear the station announcement at Plymouth "The next train to arrive at platform 3 is the 17:35 FGW+EWS stopping service to Bristol - passengers are advised that the three nuclear flasks at the rear of the train are not for public use" \/

 

But that'll be the main reason why they are highly unlikley int todays climate, with multiple TOCs they are heardly likely to operate a train together... although own a freight company, so who knows.

 

:-k But could be a novel use for the EWS owned 67s WSMR are using. Especially with the DB tie betwixt the two. :smt002

 

So could these be done on a preserved railway or not? I'm sure I've seen pictures of a charter but not in actual service(well passenger carrying).


Would be nice to see at a gala or otherwise...

 

Its been done on the SVR a couple of times during galas in the past few years. Usually with one of the local sets, and using fully fitted wagons of course.. The gala when Taff Vale No.85 visited springs to mind as one occasion (spring 2003?).

 

We quite often run mixed trains on the K&ESR

 

A non passenger carrying example was at the GCRs gala where we ran a fitted head train, we've also done things such as a DMU with a tail load, mixed trains and various things like that in the past.

http://www.32g.co.uk/gcr/artwork/2008/gcr_08_034.jpg

 

I saw it being done on the Talyllyn once. A tool van was brought down on the back of the passenger train and uncoupled at Pendre and shunted away after the train had departed. The van, of course, is fully fitted.

 

We've done it at Embsay at times during the galas (and hope to do it again) and also for operational necessity to move two vac-fitted vans to the other end of the line a few years ago! Made a nice sight!