GC London Extension Passenger Loco Usage

[Pyewipe Junction]

Can anyone enlighten me on the usage of locos on the London extension in BR days? Why did the allocation of express locos fluctuate so much between Neasden, Leicester and Annesley? What locos were used north of Nottingham and from what shed? (Annesley appears to have been a freight shed until the late 50s.)

Is my memory playing tricks, or didn't Annesley briefly have an allocation of Brits in the early 60s?

Why did Woodford have an allocation of V2s and (in the early 50s) B17s?

[jwealleans]

I posted this on the BR discussion group and had the following response:

Generally engines on the Manchester - London's were changed at
Leicester; A3's working to and from Marylebone and B1's north to Sheffield.
The stopping trains from Marylebone to Nottingham were divided between
Neasden and Annesley whilst one of the Woodford - London trains was booked to a York V2 between Dringhouses - Woodford express goods services. When the line was taken over by the LM in 1960, the express service was pretty well wiped out and replaced with a handful of Nottingham - London slow trains worked variously by Jubilee's Scots, Britannia's and Black 5's.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BritishRailways/join if you want to continue the discussion directly.

[jwealleans]

Further feedback from the BR Yahoo group:

I think you will find that the only Passenger turns worked by 38B engines was the "Annesley Dido" workman's trains. In the early 1950s, the only passenger locos allocated were C12s 67363 and 67387 which were used on these trains. These were ultimately replaced by L1s, then by a couple of Fowler 2-6-4Ts when the LM took over.

There was at least one Leicester 38C A3 turn to/from Sheffield and several B17s allocated to both 38C and Colwick 38A were used both Northwards and Southwards. These were later replaced by B1s at 38A and 38C which took over the Nottingham-Marylebone stoppers. 38C V2s were also regulars between Leicester and Sheffield.

Annesley only received Main Line Passenger locos when it came under the LM Region, receiving loads of very run-down ones - Britannias, Royal Scots and Black Fives. The LMR also 'pinched' some of Annesley's best 9Fs to be replaced by their run-down ones. Most of the 'imports' were in a deplorable state.

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Annesley also had 61063, 61066 and 61209 whose workings, if memory serves,
included the 06.20 Notts - London.
My comments the other day were an overview rather than a detailed breakdown
of engine workings but I seem to remember we dealt fairly comprehensively
with the matter in a book on the 1950's GC.
Leicester took a share in the workings, of course, and the 07.30 Sheffield -
London was worked by one of its A3's.
Colwick was a GN depot and I can't instantly recall it having much work if
any on the GC prior to the changes circa 1960. It did provide a B1 for the
06.00 Notts - Sheffield and 10.55 return.

[Pyewipe Junction]

Many thanks for your replies on this. I always wondered why the Pacifics were changed at Leicester, not Nottingham. After all, Nottingham would have been well within their range.

As far as motive power above Nottingham is concerned, I suppose there wouldn't be much call for Pacifics, given the speed restrictions that were in force.

Does anyone know when the A3s left the GC? They were there in 1955 but gone by 1959. Was it when the LMR took over in 1958?

I do remember that the Master Cutler ran to Sheffield from Kings Cross by the time I was allowed to go to Grantham for a day's spotting (1960) and I think it was hauled by a B1 from Retford.

[Pyewipe Junction]

Correction: my 1959 timetable show the Master Cutler being allowed a 1 minute stop at Retford.

Not enough time to change engines, I think, even by ECML standards!