Pacific Working Areas

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Minoru
NER Y7 0-4-0T
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 3:12 pm
Location: 52D

Pacific Working Areas

Post by Minoru »

Coming from a 1960's train-spotter's aspect - nothing technical - I was wondering whether all A1-A4 pacifics would have at some time appeared on the whole section of ECML? For example, all Deltics would turn up anywhere on the route, would all tender pacifics have likely done so also?

As a young boy during steam's demise; late 50's - 60's, I lived in view of the line at Alnmouth where local steam lingered on longer than most locations, unfortunately just far enough away to make reading numbers difficult. On regular visits to the station, I recall seeing 60001/4-7/9/15/16/19/26/60036-38/52/54/62/85/88/91/103/116/129/140/141/145/147/152/158, but often wonder how many more of the classes would have passed unidentified during my residence across the fields from 1958-1967. I'm aware some loco's such as 60068/79/93/95 were employed on the Waverley route, so presumably they wouldn't have appeared in my location at the time? But would for example 60095, whose home shed appears to have been Carlisle for its entire life have strayed east at some time prior?

Obviously no-one can say other than me what I saw, it's just a general opinion, if anyone has a view.

Also, in the case of these elite engines, whilst at a particular depot, would each generally have it's own regular driver, or is this just a myth?

Apologies if this is a little light & vague, but I really am just a boy train-spotter at heart!
Hatfield Shed
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1664
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:34 pm

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by Hatfield Shed »

The LNER's wide firebox classes - so figure in the V2s as well - were operated as 'all-line' locos, so could be seen on any RA9 route on the system. In practise one saw the 'regulars' for the section location, with a seasoning of those not usually on a turn in the section. (I believe somebody worked out how many hours you would have to put in alongside the ECML KX-Doncaster to have a reasonable chance of spotting all the pacifics!) I was never a dedicated 'tick them off' spotter, but quite casually saw A3 60068 go through WGC on its way up to KX, and was regarded with some envy by those who would have loved to bag that one.

Single manning of the large expensive traction assets ended before the LNER I think, but I wasn't there to observe!
giner
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1548
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:17 am
Location: Alberta - ex. Stevenage

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by giner »

Indeed, you lucky beggar. :D Without pulling out my Summer 1957 Ian Allan, there were a few notables that never graced Stevenage - well, maybe they did in the wee hours, unseen by most 13-year-olds. Sparrow Hawk, Auld Reekie, Sugar Palm, Bayardo - did she ever venture south of the border, to mention a few. By 1959 I'd discovered girls, so that was the end of that.
harvester
GNSR D40 4-4-0
Posts: 210
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:18 pm
Location: Halifax

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by harvester »

Girls Giner………………...do you mean the GWR Ladies ??????????????
v3man
LNER J39 0-6-0
Posts: 172
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:54 pm
Location: by the West Somerset Railway

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by v3man »

Haymarket pacifics were each allocated to two drivers, one on early turn and the other on late turn.
giner
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1548
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:17 am
Location: Alberta - ex. Stevenage

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by giner »

harvester wrote: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:32 pm Girls Giner………………...do you mean the GWR Ladies ??????????????
Nah, all girls looked lovely.

GWR girls? Were they something special, then? :shock:
harvester
GNSR D40 4-4-0
Posts: 210
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:18 pm
Location: Halifax

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by harvester »

Giner , I think Churchward thought so
JASd17
LNER A3 4-6-2
Posts: 1316
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:21 pm

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by JASd17 »

2902 has been described as a 'moistened bint', but there are some even more dodgy characters amongst the Ladies, certainly not Saints.

John
Dave S
GNSR D40 4-4-0
Posts: 247
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 12:46 pm

Re: Pacific Working Areas

Post by Dave S »

giner wrote: Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:16 pm GWR girls? Were they something special, then? :shock:
Copper topped make up, but underneath they're all the same. :wink:
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