ECML stand-by arrangements

[Pyewipe Junction]

Were all sheds on the ECML (Hitchin, New England, Grantham, Retford, etc) required to have a loco on stand by to take over from failed express locos? If so, did these locos take the train onto the next normal changeover point?

What were the arrangements for less accessible stretches, such as between Edinburgh and Berwick?

[40A]

Hitchin would always have had at least one B1 on shed I would think. Peterborough had a V2 on standby in the sidings on the up side just to the North of the main up platform. Retford also had a B1 as station pilot, so if that was around they would use that. Mind you, I've seen a picture of a J39 hooked up to replace a failed A4, so obviously desperate measures were sometimes called for. Doncaster had a V2 or A1 facing South. North of there, I don't know.

On what I observed, I think they phoned forward for a replacement at the next available place where there might be a suitable engine available. The more inappropriate the emergency power, the more urgent it was. Don't think the passengers in the Flying Scotsman would have liked travelling behind a tender first WD very much!

Still, at least in those days everything was done to get the train moving again, even if slowly, and there was a good chance that wherever the failure occurred there would be something within a few miles which could take over,whereas now you can wait hours. That's progress for you.

Gilbert

[Colombo]

There was usually a pacific or V2 standing by at Darlington and at York. At York, the Thompson A2s rebuilt from P2s were a regular choice.

At Darlington, they were parked next to a turntable and so could deputise in either direction. At York, they kept one standing on a siding next to the old boiler shop by Queen's Road Sidings to deputise for diesel failures in the up direction. I suppose there must have been another available in the North yard to cover for down trains.

The Class 40s had a bad reputation for failures and so many of the A3s were upgraded with double chimneys to help keep to the improved schedules. This continued until the Deltics arrived.

Colombo

[52D]

If you check Tweedmouths allocation from NER days till the end of BR steam you will see that on the allocation were several large engines that did not fit into Tweedmouths normal pattern of work. These engines were inevitably found doing pilot work around the Berwick/Tweedmouth area and were used to cover main line failures.Engines varied from NER Atlantics to Gresley Pacifics These engines were gradually cascaded down to Tweedmouth as they were being replaced with newer stock. Alnmouth shed just replaced failures with what was available

[Pyewipe Junction]

Yes, I often wondered about Tweedmouth's' allocation of express passenger locos - usually a couple of A2s and some V2s, from memory.

Also, Grantham had a small stable of Pacifics, usually A3s but sometimes a couple of A4s as well, but I think Grantham was regular changeover point for locos from York, wasn't it?

[40A]

Grantham was at least most of the time a very important engine changing point, apart from an ill advised attempt in the early 50's to increase through running between KX and Newcastle, which soon ended in tears. Grantham lost most of its allocation of pacifics for that brief period, but they soon came back. in 1959 there were 12 A3's and 3 A2's on the books.Never many A4's except during and just after the war, though 60003/8/10/30 had a brief spell there between April and September 1957. Up to 1957/58 there were a number of A1's there as well.

[Pyewipe Junction]

Grantham's allocation was certainly very variable!

1948 - 10 x A4 (!), 4 x A3

1950 - 2 x A4, 2 x A3

1952 - 9 x A3, 12 x A1

1955 - 8 x A3, 11 x A1, 1 x A2

1959 - 12 x A3, 3 x A2

1960 - 16 x A3

1962 - 12 x A3.

No V2s at any time.

[52D]

No A2s at Tweedmouth but latterly A1s, A3s, V2s from the higher power classes and plenty of medium power classes B1, K3, K1 etc see my Yahoo group Friendsof52D for locomotive allocations from 1923 on.

[Pyewipe Junction]

52D: the Locoshed Index website (which I think is based on the Ian Allan Locoshed Indexes) shows 4 A2s at Tweedmouth in 1962 (60511, 60517, 60521 and 60538) plus quite a few V2s.

I remember the A2 allocation from my time as a 'spotter, because they were very elusive!

To me this suggests a more substantive workload than simply being stand-by locos.

[52D]

Cant say ive ever heard of A2s at Tweedmouth but will definitely checking further. There were the local Berwick Edinburgh & Berwick Newcastle trains but it seems like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Tweedmouth had a couple of weird goods turns relieving Colwick men on an oil train from the inshore oil fields around Newark/Retford to a refinery
in scotland but they didnt change engines(usually a Colwick K3). i wonder what other duties could be found for super power in a backwater like Tweedmouth certainley not on a one coach train to St Boswells, although V2s were not uncommon on the branch.

[52D]

I have just checked up on withdrawl dates for the 4 A2s you mention as being at Tweedmouth and they all are withdrawn on 10/62. Previous to that 2 were at Gateshead and 2 were at Heaton from new.
I wonder what date Tweedmouth got them as the last allocation records i have for the A2s is 1959.
From my records In 1960 Tweedmouth had 2 A3s and in 1963 had 9 A1s. I dont have any info on 1962.
More detective work required.

[badwolf]

Doncaster also used to have a North facing loco at the shed by the Lincoln line , mostly Thompson A2/3, Grantham used A2/2 for the same purpose as well as shed pilot.

[VIC HALOM]

At Darlington, I suppose about'62 '63, Lemberg seemed permanent stand by.

Previously it was a V2 job.

Then, it seemed like overnight, Kenilworth appeared! She seemed to be there for ages.

Thing was, you could nearly touch them!

[52D]

Confirming that there was several A2s at Tweedmouth in 1962, 60511 Airborne, 60517 Ocean Swell, 60521 Watling Street, 60538 Velocity & 60539 Bronzino. Pity they didnt last till 1966 we may have seen one on the last steam hauled passenger train to Alnwick instead of Consett 9F 92099.

[52D]

From K Hooles book North Eastern locomotive sheds he states that from 1st of May 1928 North Eastern area would have emergency replacement engines at York, Darlington, Newcastle and Tweedmouth to cover failures on the Flying Scotsman.
York would have a Pacific on the Down and an atlantic on the up, Darlington would have an atlantic in both directions, Newcastle would have a pacific in both directions and Tweedmouth would have an atlantic in both directions.
At the time Tweedmouth would use NER Z, LNER C7 Nos 718,720,729,736 or 2207 Transferred in from Gateshead and Leeds during February, March and April 1928.
Darlington used NER V, LNER C6 Nos 693 and 703 Transferred from Tweedmouth April 1928.