fredag 3. desember 2010

The CSVT / RK270 mm

As an interesting anorak worthy excursion back into "what might have been" about the CSVT and EE D6700 variants.

The malaysians are jsut decommissioning the last Class22, which were a 1710hp set up made in Austrailia (AEI?) Previous references to this a few years ago noted it as a 12CSVT, but in fact it was a v8

So there are two fossils in the evolutionary pathway for the CSVT which mark power developments for rail traction beyond that of the DP2/ class 50.

The other "Missing Link" was the Hunslet built BoBo's which ran on the DUblin: Belfast Route in the 1970s. They were rated at allegedly 1500hp but more likely 1350. Unlike the reliable portuguese application of this PU, at 1350hp, now finding extending lives in Argentina, the V8s suffered major and catastophic failures on the "enterprise service"

The Malaysian locos are pretty hellfire, being like a fifty crossed with a 40 with some 37/31 thrown in for good measure as the thrash enthalls through the rev range. A relatively long life for the humid environment, and as with all type 3s really, performance punching above its weight.

At app 115 bhp per cylinder this means the v12 version of the CSVT from AEI at least, would have been around about 2600bhp!

Only a couple of years later in the late 70s, the T bone class 37 was of course realised as a potential export loco for BREL as lead supplier: viz a vis, class 58 with the RK and a big nasty silencer to plague fitters and enthusiasts.

As mentioned before, even with 2200hp, an alternator, CP7 bogie gearing, and a KV10 style load management system, the super-syphon-that-never-was would have been an impressive beast, probabkly managing 75 000 lbs

In the late 50s there was still rationing of most materials useful in a DE loco in the UK; EE 's ruston division probably knew that with better materials they could achieve outputs of 200hp per cylinder _: I dare say the old RK test beds, class 08 engines basically and straight 6s I have heard of, were run to failure with high power.

What they could have offered BTC/BRB was a lease engine scheme with lifetime upgrades as the higher horse power units came on line. However the locos were purpose built to the three power types EE supplied with SVT/CSVT engines eventually and with limitations on electrical materials, over-engineering was largely avoided.

In considering specific power output for a cylinder unit on a diesel engine, the developers take into account the major parameters. compression/decompression, fuel/turbo pressures, effective combination of the latter two and heat dissapation. (Lubrication relates to compression)

Eventually of course the smooth cycle of the V12 lead to the RK270 engine being developed to have almost 500 hp per cyclinder unit; but this entailed a larger size and much larger turbo chargers, thus resulting in the 270 being "out of gauge" to be fitted into a UK loco.

Also there is the issue of heat dissapation and thermal cycling; these are less prominent in shipping or other marine environments because water is a good conductor of heat, is usually relatively cool, and in plentiful supply. A loco has to pump air, which is a poor conductor, rather an insulator, and that air can be up to 50'C in some operating environments. For example the paxman "cousin" to the RK, the now VP developed from the Valenta, which itself as the Venture created 2250hp in the IC 125, where as it output almost 5000 hp ( 7000 kw ) in heat, most of which had to be radiated away.

However Rustons prior to absorption into MAN, found demand for a lighter and very compact unit for various more limited marine, generating and traction "footprints" for a PU:

It comes very full circle at this point becasue the PRIMA locos ( eg the horrid class 67 in the uk, but with electro-mechanical routes traceable to GEC Alsthom and hence EE) built for Sri Lanka ( and in fact another non US super-friendly country, Syria), where the difficult working environment has necessitated a major reduction in power output. To between 1700 and 1850 hp in fact.

Long live the EE type 3.

torsdag 18. november 2010

November, 26 years ago Class 37 moves....

This month just shows the gritty determination of a syphon basher trying to get up to 10,000 miles on ED boilereds!

Various links on the internet to class 37s are drying up as 80s bashers get a life less interesting....btw


A testimony to the reliability of the core WHL 37s, it was the usual suspects all the way. Not one line in the book for a whole month, just miles-and-chains.

Only thing of note was that I believe I either mileage-optimised the day with a duke to Crianlarich (even "the Bridge o'" , or prefered Charlie Browns on Buchannan St for lunch......I seem to remember tea and scones at Crianlarichs' repoened platform tea room as well.

03.11.1984 Transcard: restricted area






09:06:00 Home Arrochar 37191
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37081
12:20:00 Glasgow QS (Oban) Crianlarich 37112
14:01:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37191
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37051
18:51:00 Dumbarton Arrochar 37191
20:15:00 Arrochar Home 37011



ETHEL 1
10.11.1984 Trannie restricted area maybe

09:06:00 Home Arrochar 37043
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37081
12:20:00 Glasgow QS (Oban) Crianlarich 37112
14:15:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37043
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Crianlarich 37012
19:xx Crianlarich Arrochar 37112
19:45:00 Arrochar Ardlui 37051
20:01:00 Ardlui Home 37191



ETHEL 1












17.11.1984 Trannie restricted area maybe





09:06:00 Home Arrochar 37051
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37043
12:20:00 Glasgow QS (Oban) Crianlarich 37033
14:15:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37051
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Bridge-of-Orchy 37043
19:xx Bridge-of-Orchy Home 37027



ETHEL 1
24.11.1984 Trannie restricted area maybe





09:06:00 Homer Arrochar 37043
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 27053
12:20:00 Glasgow QS (Oban) Crianlarich 37175
14:15:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37027
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Crianlarich 37085
19:xx Crianlarich Arrochar 37175
19:45:00 Arrochar Ardlui 37191
20:01:00 Ardlui Home 37033



ETHEL 1

onsdag 17. november 2010

Misspent Youth??

I have had the conversation on the electic interweb that really we were mis-spending out youths being bashers. I mean I could have been an athelete or used the training to go into the Marines, being late in the fitness stakes peaking at 21! I could have taken up an instrument to match my vocal talent. Well, even a band member of suede was a 50 basher in the 80s/early 90s alledegly!
Link to http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=ylb9y7&outx=910&quality=70


What appealled about bashing to me was not just the "thrash" but as for most bashers, it was the game and the cameradery.

It is certainly an unhealty past time phsiologically: Long time sitting, junk food, too much coffee and cola. Ales midweek for the older lads if something produced. But what is there to gain?

Well of course there is entertainment value : I mean 1982-1985 was a great chess board, a "mouse trap" game of moves and shadowy "'gen' " about what was dropping. It was hilarious often: I mean like "all change at Glen Douglas" for example....dreadfiul


It wa all an absoltuely dreadful-flap.


But apart from being a real life equivalent to playstation, what benefits came from bashing?

Firstly independence: or rather the movement away from the womb into a much wider, much more fre, losse family to decide to follow: usually the "moves" would have a gathering of some neds you would know and a top man or two, so you could just turn up: in fact often you hoped to get a move other "men" missed and come in with a line in the book, especially in 1984 and 85 in the days of the huge NBs and the swansong of the 40s.

Travel is fun and refreshing when you are a teenager. I teaches you in fact that the vast majority of people in the UK are actually nice or at least not dangerous. I went places I would not want to go today without any trouble. In fact I think we never had any real trouble with "chavs" or anything, even the Oban Drunks were tame.

I learnt a lot about logistics and thinking that way about connections and "if shit happen
s" back up plkans: changing course quickly to correct mistakes, which is a good thing in life and business. Also to communicate, discuss, propose, debate etc.

A few bashers were into cycling and walkign, combining it with "viewing" and "photting", tunring up with bikes or boots on occasion. Gricing...all stemmed from a basher-spotter hillwalk near Glossop.

For me I came from a tory area and bashing helped me see beyond my own nose ( although most of my mates since 1980 were wo'kin' class come to think of it) and become both egalitarian and able to see the value of public services, and the hard labour and love employees had for "T' Railway". So socio politically it widened my horizons too.


I look back and regret I did not do more physical exercise when I was an early to mid teenage basher: my ideal jobs when I reached twenty were either Royal Marine or tour-de-france rider (grand tour pro), neither of which I was built enough for from the important early teen spring board in body development. Other things I could have done were playing rugger in the class team but they were all too dull for me in the team anyway.

Sod it, basher I was, and after all, life is all about a mis-spent youth and growing old disgracefully....

søndag 14. november 2010

What Might Have Been .::Locos Nearly... Syphon

The class 37 has proven to be the best locomotive from the original dieselisation in terms of both longevity, reliability-service interval and performance relative to original design breif for miixed traffic type 3s.

( Only time will tell if the freight only class 66 will better this from the new world of standardisation , with the sheltered lives of the Class 59s not being comparable.The class 31 and 47 failed in meeting their original design missive, both requiring expensive re-engineering. Class 33s came very close, but lack the outright pulling power in maximum and starting tractive effort that the 37 delivers)

Why did we not see more variants of a successful formula while sulzer managed to work with three different manufacturers, is lost in the past. EE had success with export and Australian manufactured 12CSVT and of course the 16 in portugal and several other countries, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) Malaysia, and also various V8s in SVT and CSVT ( Portugal and Malaysia). The only other "variant" of the V12 was of course the almost type 3 class 31, originally a Mirlees PU machine.

However we came very near to some closely related machines: firstly it is stated that the last batch of 37s could have been "T bone" and 2000hp rated machines in 1965 ( as went to "East Africa" in the late 60s) This uprating prove to be unreliable in 37 292 and of course the BR Class 50/ D400, being compounded by other faults inherent in that locomotive. However an even higher per cylinder specific power capacity was achieved by EE australia (AEI) who delviered the malaysian class 22, with a V8 CSVT rated at no less than 1710 hp.

The v12 is a smoother engine than the 8 and 16 deriviatives because the firing cycle of the pistons is more balanced. The class 50 unveils this in the suprising "dubbing" which is the pulse of several cylinders firing in very close succession/ simultaeneously, creating shock in the engine block which resulted in failures through the 1980s. This was also seen in some class 40s, while such failures are very rare in the 12 cyclinder variant.

Given an improved timing chain, or gear driven system, and better valve gear, then the v12 in the mid to late sixties could have had a reasonable life span at 2000hp in my opinion. Of course the specific capacity of the 270 mm bore ( 10 inch bore, 12 inch stroke over square engine) went on much further, especially in marine environments. The 215mm RK215now achieves almost twice the standard traction rating of the 12CSVT.

The T bone class were a near miss, but even by the late 60s, there was marked down turn in the demand for freight and continuing electrification entailed that more type 4 , generally peaks and 40s, could be released to work the type of traffic envisaged for type 3s. The class 50s are really an after thought in dieselisation.

Back up here though! We almost got a 175hp /cylinder v16 CSVT; EE offered apparently BOTH a CVST engine for the forties in 1960 AND Co Co design to RA 6 at some point. Given these could have been made pre 1962, the loco would have been nosed, centre coded, tumble home sided CoCo. Stretched? Well not really absolutely: the portugeuse 1800s are shorter and much lighter than a class 50, being really an RA5 loco. We could have seen two variants: a no boiler compact freight machine made in the 37 body, and a dual heat longer bodied variant, both rated at between 2200hp and 2450hp, being the proven rating/cylinder of the 12CSVT from 1958 onwards.

EE could have come close to another type 3 : The baby deltic could have been a truly half deltic instead of the heavily framed diversion into type 2. In other words the 18 or a turbo 12 or 15 variant could have been put in a light tubular framed shell onto BoBo, or into a class 37 / D6700 body directly: WHy? Well why on earth did they get away with building the baby deltics in the first place? A full 18 deltic would have been fully compatible with the big sister's PUs and the CoCo bogies the same as type 3s. Lunacy? Not nearly as daft as the T9 in the bobo.

Another flight of lunacy, was the twin engined t9 deltic for both diesel hydraulic and D-E applications: the idea behind the DE version being that one engine could be turned off for hauling empties or working slower trains. That would have been a 2200 hp noisy beast.

Finally, had we seen a more rapid reduction in non standards in the late 60s, like all deisel hydraulics, then in the early 70s there may have been a gap for something standard enough to other loco fleets but of type 4 power: the last quote i have found on the 12CVST engine's rating prior to it becoming the super powered class 58 RKT, was 2500hp in a marine application, meaning about 2250hp for traction. Fitted in a shortened 50 body, or in the 50 body with dual heat , utilising an auxillary power generator, this would have been a very flexible loco: essentially a 37 with more grunt for both freight and 100mph trains. Given the superior power delivery of EE then this would have probablky outperformed the peaks and 47s.


But what could have happened with what we had. 37s !?

1) double headed high speed sub class: double heading is very standard in north america and many other countries to haul longer trains, shorten journey times and ensure higher reliability of services. This set up was tried at least three times on BR:

i) On western region, a trial in comparison / substituion to unrelaibel westerns on the highest speed expresses at that time. Deemed a failure as it wore the locos too hard for their current set up, and to do with fuel used and availability of locos to displace steam.

ii) on the Glasgow-Edinburgh service they were trialled perhaps in comparison the class 27s, end to end though with Blue Star cables run through the train. 37s could keep within 5 minutes of the heavily maintained class 47-7 route, using about 48-52 minutes on the route with the stops at Falkirk and Haymarket included.

iii) two thirty sevens were uprated to work over 100mph to propell the unpowered APT set on the ECML prior to electirfication and type 4 stock coming into use. Possibly a 37 10x and 17x. Presumably allowed to run at 1000 rpm or some electircal modification??

Given a sub class with a separate ETH geneator ( as planned , see wikipedia link to an EE document as a pdf) and four field diversions, the last coming in at about 80 to 85mph, then the syphon could have worked faster services.

The highest speed I heard was a pair working on the Great Eastern, which was calculated at 114mph, according to John a "top man" from Alfreton. Given some of the timings on the ECML and the Glasgow Edinburgh route, 37s could get up to and sustain 100mph in their original gearing.

An alternative option would be regearing to the class 40 gearing ratio, and altering the field diversion and electrical system to deliver a somewhat smoother progress for 200-400 tonne passenger trains cruising at 90 and peaking at 100mph on good sections of track. As a supplement to this option, running in pairs with the front loco switching to control would have been a sensible option for many semi fast routes.

tirsdag 2. november 2010

The Duff :Class 47 12LDA locomotive

In my last blog on syphon days I pulled toghether my own learning and electric webernet 'gen' on the short falls of the class 47 aka "duff" or spoon. Really though in the early to mid 1980s ( and probably near the demise of diesel hydraulics and the Deltics before that), the Duffs were well and truly hated by the majority of bashers.

There were of course duff bashers, but they were thin on the ground and tended to hide themselves amongst "rat" bashers, at least they could feel twice the men they were on single headers! Another of Brushes efforts, rescued by EE-Rustons with a decent reliable PU, was the class 31s and in 5 years bashing I never met anyone who proclaimed to be a 31 basher let alone just a fan.

Why did we hate duffs though?



Pretty straight forward: they displaced more popular locomotives from their diagrams. The problem was in fact with the loss of general freight traffic in the 1970s and the introduction of IC 125s, duffs were displaced to other traffic.

Rumours abounded that less reliable members of the class in the early 80s, were encouraged to become somewhat itinerant by their home depots. Thus they would replace a failed 45 or the like on a newcastle, get sent to Edinburgh and work a sunday "drag" down to Carlilse, monday up to glasgow replacing a failed class 25 or 27.

More specifically, and a saving grace for we syphon bashers, duffs would turn up on various 1x and 2x passenger bookings which were type 4 : thus the two most popular EE classes in the early 80s, 40s and 50s, were often substitued to for a spare duff.

Even on syphon terratory they dared to show their ugly faces: the occaisional Tain to Inverness shoppex was duff as the line was in fact RA6 rated. Once in a blue moon a 47 would work the sleeper portion at Dumbarton or pick up a failed 37 south of Criagendorran ...( a rare event on the WHL despite the conditions and often poor state the locos arrived at ED from their previous depots)


For other enthusiasts they also bowled them out for a good line in the book: type 2 bashers had to put up with duffs being dropped onto some services. For example the Stranrærs and the Type 2 bookings to Dundee.

And ugly they were: flat nosed, slab sided, nearly all identical. Void of personality and any individuality in engine note, the revised liveries were something of a relief. So another reason to hate them, when the 20s, 37s and 40s had diverse appearances and personalities, and deltics and 50s had something of an exlusivity by their relatively low class numbers.

The other annoying thing about them, was that when you did HAVE to take one and wanted a fast diagram to get you there, Duffs often lived up to their name by either not turning up, running slowly or failing underway. The only good duffs for us were the shove-duffs, the 47/7s which in 1982, would whizz you Glas-Edin faster than the plastic does today. The 47-7s also lead to a spate of 37 workings on the route in 1984: IIRC, there was a spate of excessive brake wear and overheating engines in their small fleet, necessitating entire sets to be dropped in favour of the spare Mr I or II sets from Cowlairs depot.

47-7s were seen as the flagship duffs, but they were also the flagship general repair budget and I guess they probably had double the number of A, B and C insepctions in order to keep them going ( on what is a very demanding route, which would have destroyed many other classes like the 50s) 37s actually nearly got chosen for the route over end-to-end 27s and were trialled during the early 70s. The worries about the fuel bill and the use of ETH stock perhaps were the issues there.

Æsthetically it wasn't just the looks and lack of variety: It was also the sound and performance. For all that strumming and whining they make, progress was often embarresingly slow up to 60mph. Often up QS tunnel the load 5 , the shove duff would not reach as good a speed by cowlairs as a 37 on a bigger load. Compared to a 50 on western region, duffs were slower. On those good running metals I believe peaks were in fact overall faster, maybe by virtue of brute force/ momemtum in pushing through field diversions.

The other "glory duffs" the generator 401-420 were supposedly good enough to challenge deltics: according to deltic bashers, they were often ETHELS, with only the auxillary generator in fettle to work trains. The gennies were well maintained at Gateshead, but seemed worse for failure when ever they wandered off patch a little. More power at rail on ETH stock, but still not as impressive as a 50 which should be laying down less kw at rail when ETH is on.

mandag 1. november 2010

The class 47 : Why were they " duffs"?

By doing a kind of Google vox populi, I come across what seems to a majority of blogs and class descriptions which quote that the class 47 was the ipso facto best DE locomotive of all time on UK rails.

This was very much far from the perception of the class through its' entire fleet history and not in the experiences of most enthusiasts and many rail staff. This is especially true when the troublesome early years of the class at the original design rating of 2750hp are taken into account.

There are a good few emotions which can arise on discussing "duffs" given so many insects today have suffered such main line deprivation as to fall to the dark strumming side. Putting the memotions and love of any other class's noise, look and performance to one side, why were the "duffs" not the best?


1) Success of Original Design in Operation: FAIL

Background to the failure of the Class 47 to live up to its' original design is as follows:

Following the mixed fortunes of the "peak" classes, and the somewhat low performance of the D200s, more modern type 4s of higher horse power were desired by the BTC & /BRB.

For sound principles of purchasing (risk managing large capital renewal, whilst also some dubious political motivations, the modernisation plan in it's first phase intended to spread the risk and supply of public money to diverse UK manufacturers. Unfortunetly the mixture of principles and politics produced acquisition of motive power from no less than xx suppliers, entailing two major traction transmission- DE and DH- , with xx power units (PUs: diesel engines) and variations within those PUs and transmissions, creating yet more diveristy and lack of standard equipment.

However the folly of this race to dieselise and keep many constituencies happy, was evident to the BTC & BRB almost immediately by 1960. Such a wide "spread betting" on types and manufacturers demanded that every class had its own introductory run in and rectification, and every class required it's own list of consumables and spare parts. This obviously placed huge strains on not only training labour to work on these machines but also maintain them.

In a rapid change of strategy towards standardisation, by 1962, BTC & BRB had a new ethos in the future of DE being the flat ended, single power unit running at medium speed (rpm) , 110 to 124 tonnes max (19 t / axel) , CoCo . As if by some sudden flash on insight, the BRB had decided that a far greater degree of standardisation from far fewer suppliers was the economic way forward.

Prototypes

The concept of a such a lighter, more powerful type 4 was already mixing in the ether. Even a single super engined Deltic variant was drawn.

English Electric had delivered the most reliable range of locomtives to date, and themselves realised the gap in their power range between the D6700s/D200s and the Deltics. EE utilised one of the two spare deltic locomotive bodies to test the "16 CSVT" air charge cooled version of the RK derived v16, in producing a private and speculative second prototype, appropriately numbered DP2.



BRCW prepared the immaculate looking "lion"
prototype, with the higher horse power 12LDA intercooled engine uprated to the desirable 2750hp and with an axel wieght of less than 19 tonnes. This locomotive is in appearance the obvious forerunner of the class 47. Also its less than reliable history in service was a forerunner to the disatourous introduction of the class 47.

Despite the superior reliability of nearly all their types, and the supremacy of the Deltics on the premier ECML route, BRB did not want to commit to a single supplier and did not take up the DP2 as a potential class in the early 1960s. Perhaps the BTC &BRB decided EE - rustons were too dominant a supplier by that time. Brush had already had major issues with their type 2 AIA, which were dventually entirely re-egined to EE-Rustons 12 SVT, and the class 46 which required serious remediation after only a couple of years in service.

To defend Brush however, who had pehaps more experience of higher ampage / voltage generator-motor equipment than AEI who supplied BRCW for "Lion", on paper the class 47 looked like being a winner and in outset deserved at least a significant proportion of the new type 4 order, if not the "lion's " share which BRB/BTC came so soon to regret. Also of some noteworthyness in Brush's design, it was not only the highly durable electrical equipment which prove the test of time. Also the innovative stressed frame has shown itself ideal for performance and longevity. In this major structural strategy, the loads of haulage are carried by the entire body frame elements and not a traditional, heavier twin "I" beam "chassis".

The key issue was that the 12LDA as mass produced at 2750hp, was over rated and the stress on the twin bank engine resulted in serious faults. This has been attributed to Sulzer engaging sub contractors, but in essence the design had probably reached its ultimate reliable rating at 2500hp/750rpm. However it is no mute point that Sulzer later withdrew from traction power unit production.

Thus the 47 did not live up to its original design missive and furthermore, was a hugely expensive folly. Not only was the power unit more than twice the cost of the superior 16 CSVT, the cost of rectification carried out at Vickers in Barrow ran into the millions of pounds, and in todays money this would be tens of millions of pounds.

This cost of rectification and the loss of revenues in delivering lower performance and reliability than anticipated of this large class of locomotive, far outshadow the design and reliability issues with the 50 D400s from EE.

2) Superiority to the 16 CSVT : Little Comparability


DP2 reportedly delivered both a higher performance and more reliable operation than expected, as initially trialled and also after the refitting with the advanced KV10 engine and power control equipment. Projected service interval was in excess of 6000 hours and performance in acceleration was superior to the twin engined deltics.

However when coming to eventually order from EE as policy, for part of the higher powered type 4 CoCo supply, (having bought so many 12LDA type 4s alread yet not wishing to place all eggs in one basket), the BRB/BTC demanded the most advanced equipment, much of it still experimental, be implemented and the locomotives. Furthermore these untried technologies would be introduced on the most demanding high speed passenger route in the UK : The northern end of the WCML.

In effect BRB ordered 50 advanced prototypes.

Had EE been free to produce a simpler locomotive based on proven equipment, as they did for the portugeuse with the 1800 class, then the comparability to Brush type 4 CoCo would have been more apparent. Also given any discussion on reliability being extended by a 10% downrating in power unit output then the 16CSVT would have no doubt enjoyed more reliability. in practice being the same output per cylinder as the ubuiqtous and very reliable class 37 /D6700.

It has been suggested by some commentators that a senior manager at BRB/BTC proposed replacing all the 12LDAs in the 47s with 16CSVTs given the documented performance of DP2 and the yet to transpire issues with the overly complex D400s / class 50s. At less than half the price of the swiss-franco 12LDA, there may have been a comprimise in seeking reparative costs from the suppliers.

IIronically then, in their next significant order for locomotives, Brush actually opted for this very combination in designing the class 56 with essentially an uprated 16CSVT engine with a turbo configuration not unlike that found in the Portuguese 1800s.

Another point on comparability of class 50 type 4, post 1980s refit, and the 47. Class 50s were from outset charged with the most demanding passenger operations on the network and this followed them onto the western region. In the 1980s they continued to work 100mph load 10 + expresses before being relegated to the unsutiable MULE services out of waterloo amongst others. In comparing MIles Per Casualty ( MPC) then the comparison was made previously on the interweb, that class 47s fair no better on high speed expresses with punishing accelerations.

The fleet of original 47/7s were frequently lacking in availability and demanded much extra attention at ED and HA depots in order to keep them running on the Edin-Glasgow, Glasgow-Aberdeen and Edin-Perth via Markinch services.

On the other measure of "fleet availability %" 47s could enjoy availability by declining need for traction. In fact even derby sulzer.com includes a quote from the mid seventies, where Crewe works alone had 38 members of the class in for repair, almost 10% of the fleet requiring works attention at only one of 5 works who conducted major repairs upon them excluding the manufacturer.

In their favour, the twin crank, single turbo 12 cylinder LDA PU was easier to rectify and generally faster to resolve faults on that the more complex v16 from EE/ Rustons. In addition to simpler control and electrical delivery systems, this undoubtely contributed to a rosier picture of fleet availability as the class 47 locomotives despite failing quite frequently, could be turned around at shed's quicker than many Ruston engined locomotives. Also the Brush electrical equipment has been quoted on the itnerweb, as being easier to work upon by fitters.


FOOTNOTE: The One That Got Away: The class 48

Despite the LDA being both a well grounded 2500hp power unit and only uprated 10% to achieve the desirable 2750hp, the engine appeared to be at it's maximum practical rating at 2500hp, at least within the engineering design and build committed to for the price. However for somewhat bizzarre reasons, the 12LVA engine was also offered.

This engine is quite a departure from the twin bank engine, but by the mid sixties had already shown its performance and reliability being the prime motive DE power unit of SNCF in France.

Some "duff" enthusiasts cite this engine as being the major let down, but this is far from the truth. The issue with a simple locating pin on a tool used to assist fitters in mounting and this lead to incorrect positioning with dammage to the "dowel" resulting in metal parts in the crank case, and probably other more serious acute failures which were not attributed to this.

SNCF enjoyed lognevity and relaibility from their LVA engined locos which were encharged with a range of express passenger services, such as Paris-Basel, and diverse frieght and regional workings.

Further to this was the 16LVA engine as mounted in the speculatively produced "Kestrel". This suffered the same fate from poor alignment of the bearings, but the issue was rectified.

The power units of LVA woudl have been a welcome variety to railway enthusiasts. and no doubt reliability being built to more modern tolerancies demanded in a Vee form. A class of Kestrel derived locomotives could have challenged the later supremacy of the IC 125 and provided 120mph + extended running on services where a locomotive change was practical between electrified and diesel routes.

onsdag 27. oktober 2010

This day in history: Bashing 27th Oct1984








27.10.1984
Trannie restricted area maybe





09:06:00 Home Arrochar 37102
09:45:00 Arrochar Helensburgh Upper 37033
10:33:00 Helensburgh Upper Garelochhead 37175
11:15:00 Garelochhead Dumbarton Central 37111
13:06:00 Dumbarton Crianlarich 37026
14:01:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37102
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37111
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37191
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Ardlui 37192
20:01:00 Ardlui Home 37011

This was just another day in history, I have missed out a whole"Freedom" and some other days, which we can come back to. But since this is the day.....

Only thing of note was 37102 which I do no think stayed long at eastfield. Boilered from somewhere. This was a full day on the WHL with only a couple of hundred miles covered. Just think that 50 bashers, and even 40 men could do at least twice this!

But lets face it Garelochead to Crianlarich is the best stretch of railway in the united kingdom!!!!!!!!!

ETHEL 1










onsdag 15. september 2010

Mystex





06.10.1984
Mystex 1Z48








08:57:00 Glasgow C Warrington 86311


Chester 47606
18:15:00 Chester Warrington 47606


Glasgow C 86311




"1Z" becoming a note for anything noteworthy or extraordinary: how far the actual thing was from the truth. Bog awful haulage. Only the craic at Chester and good chips to make uip for it. We didn't even go to crewe to spot.








This day in history: Bashing 15th sept 1984

Into September and being a lad of no means by no means, I had no cash or interest to splice open the wallet for tours to the last Skeggies or what TF else.

Now I was into 5th year at school and had a new group of pals by in large IIRC: train spotting was a bit uncool, but I had a lot of bashing left in me to get out, which I did in 1985. It was a time when I started to stumble in life having been done well in the "o" levels. I have been up and down with hedukashun and jobs ever since. I should have taken up some sport : this is what a 15-17 year old really needs! Don't give up locos, but go play footie before a trip to the shed.

Also socially speaking, egalitarianism you learn as a basher gets you no where in life! Far better to be a snob or an inverted version there of.



On this day in history, a saturday in 1984, the only thing that dropped was 37104, probably boiler intact but at least a vagrant and not relocated syphon so a good line in the book!


15.09.1984 LowLand Master Transcard







Arrochar 37012
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37191
11:30:00 Glasgow C Ayr 37104
12:29:00 Ayr Kilmarnock 47618
13:35:00 Kilmarnock Ayr 27024



27025
14:15:00 Ayr Glasgow C DMU
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Bridge-of-Orchy 37014
19:10:00 Bridge-of-Orchy
37264



ETHEL 2





Solid 37 bashing though, but depsite a whole 13 hours out, the book has a note:

219.68 miles logged behind them.

Unlike deltics, fifties or sulzer type 4 trash, it was a hard life getting mileage up on syphons!


24.09.1984 Trannie restricted area maybe







Arrochar 37264
09:45:00 Arrochar Helensburgh Upper 37033
10:33:00 Helensburgh Upper Arrochar 37039
11:15:00 Arrochar Helensburgh Upper 37184
13:06:00 Helensburgh Upper Crianlarich 37191
14:01:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37264
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37033
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37022
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Ardlui 37264
20:01:00 Ardlui
37051


Still with the stupid fester at Helensburgh "no where" upper due to trains passing at cardross or the like: 30 less miles.. No view and the shop was maybe shut down by this time. Station laid flat this year too.

Into August, 16 years of age

Early august and I'm 16 years old suddenly, nearly a man, on a boyish pursuit with no chance of a shag.

Here were some monotomous early august moves.





03.08.1984ticket









16:50:00Glasgow QSDumbarton Central37027




Shopping move most likely







08.08.1984LowLand Master Transcard





11:50:00
Glasgow QS37191
13:45:00Glasgow CKilmarnock26026
14:33:00KilmarnockGlasgow C 26008
18:20:00Glasgow QSArdlui37011
20.01.2010ArduiHome37188









Really quite rate to get 26s both ways on the carlisle.
They were at that point mustered at Corkerhill IIRC.




After the freedom weekend, see other blog, it was back to more punishment with boilered 37s,. 37110 being the most exotic as a new refugee to ScR from Stratford no doubt,.

26.08.1984 LowLand Master Transcard









08:51:00 Dumbarton Arrochar 37108
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37037
11:30:00 Glasgow C Ayr 37110
12:30:00 Ayr Kilmarnock 47440
14:33:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow C 27029
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37039
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37027
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Ardlui 37051
20:01:00 Ardlui "up"

37188



ETHEL 3

1984 part II , part 2

I wonder if the following weekend was one of those "green" ticket set ups or if I borrowed someone's week long ticket: I do remember showing a freedom to the bus driver.

By the looks of things I covered various bits and pieces on the Portions and Carlisles but ended up behind boilered scottish syphons, at their best, with not a whisp of steam in sight. Also a pleasent little run on my own, aka pella, to Kyle behind a cosey little old 26: This may have been steaming actually, despite it beiong august and hot later in the day over Skye.

09.08.1984Weekend freedom???









11:20:00Glasgow CCarstairs86246
12:12:00CarstairsGlasgow C 86260
13:45:00Glasgow CKilmarnock26008
14:33:00KilmarnockGlasgow C 27014
16:00:00Glasgow QSEdinburgh Waverley477xx
17:08:00Edinburgh WaverleyHaymarket26003
17:33:00HaymarketGlasgow QS477xx
18:59:00Glasgow QS low levelHelensburgh Central303
20:20:00Helensburgh UpperGlasgow QS37175
21:17:00Glasgow QS low levelMotherwell via Beslhill314-303
22:xxMotherwellMossend86247


Perth27041
01:xxPerthInverness47541
06:xxInverness Dingwall37261
07:xxDingwallKyle-of-Loch Alsh26034

KyleKylakinferry
10:15:00Kylakin ArmadaleBuss
11:30:00ArmadaleMallaig«MV Pioneer»
12:20:00MallaigFt. William37026
14:15:00Ft. WilliamDumbarton Central37081




Dumbarton (dun britton) was far enough for me : I was knackered. Also this was the summer of endless heat wave and I destinctly remember being on a "wedged" mallaig train with 37106 giving a fine growling performance up to Arisaig.

1984 Part II

I guess I actually started to get a bit bored with flailing off to Carstairs and paying excess to Edinburgh. Also there could have been more diuffs on these and the Carlisle route: depots probably hoarded duffs by that time with the lack of coal traffic releasing more locos during the miners strike.

Instead I concentrated on the west highland line, clocking up mileage on the established ED boilered locos and the new comers. Maybe I was mad, but anyway, there are only a handful of bashers who have accumulated over 10,000 miles on ED boilered syphons because the WHL was so slow a route to actually accumulate mileage on.

37152 was one of the last large syphons I did some miles behind that summer.

That and I love the scenery and craic.


28.07.1984 LowLand Master Transcard





09:06:00
Arrochar 37191
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37051
11:30:00 Glasgow C Ayr 37152
12:29:00 Ayr Kilmarnock 47453
14:28:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow C 27041
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37264
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37111
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Ardlui 37191
20:01:00 Ardui Home 37184












































































































































































26.08.1984 LowLand Master Transcard





08:24:00 Helensbugh Central Dumbarton Central 303
08:51:00 Dumbarton Arrochar 37108
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37037
11:30:00 Glasgow C Ayr 37110
12:30:00 Ayr Kilmarnock 47440
14:33:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow C 27029
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37039
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37027
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Ardlui 37051
20:01:00 Ardui Helensburgh Upper 37188



ETHEL 3




175/09/1984 LowLand Master Transcard





09:06:00 Helensburgh Upper Arrochar 37012
09:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37191
11:30:00 Glasgow C Ayr 37104
12:29:00 Ayr Kilmarnock 47618
13:35:00 Kilmarnock Ayr 27024



27025
14:15:00 Ayr Glasgow C DMU
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Bridge-of-Orchy 37014
19:10:00 Bridge-of-Orchy Helensburgh Upper 37264



ETHEL 2








24.09.1984 Trannie restricted area maybe





09:06:00 Helensburgh Upper Arrochar 37264
09:45:00 Arrochar Helensburgh Upper 37033
10:33:00 Helensburgh Upper Arrochar 37039
11:15:00 Arrochar Helensburgh Upper 37184
13:06:00 Helensburgh Upper Crianlarich 37191
14:01:00 Crianlarich Glasgow QS 37264
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37033
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37022
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Ardlui 37264
20:01:00 Ardlui Helensburgh Upper 37051

Bashing. "ned cards" Mid July 1984

16/7/1984 sATRUDAY

One day after the "freedom" was over and it was right into a transcard, at all of £4.99, and just to show the southside of Glasgow was where it was all happening, just take a look at this day:


16.07.1984  LowLand Master Transcard
08:54:00 Home Glasgow C Low Level 303
10:02:00  Glasgow C Johnstone 37138
10:50:00  Johnstone Glasgow C DMU
11:30:00  Glasgow C Paisley 37013
11.xx   Paisley Glasgow Central DMU
12:40:00  Glasgow C Stevenston 37196
14:09:00  Kilwinning Glasgow C DMU
15:08:00  Glasgow QS low level Coatbridge Sunnyside 303
15:40:00  Coatbridge Central Cumbernauld 40150
16:20:00  Cumbernauld Springburn DMU
16:34:00  Springburn Glasgow QS Low Level 303
17:30:00  Glasgow C Nitshill 27066
17.xx   Nitshill Glasgow C DMU
18:15:00  Glasgow C Johnstone DMU
18:52:00  Johnstone Glasgow C 37155
20:56:00

The date is important: first saturday of the glasgow fair: the tradtional shutdown of the yards for a week or two's holiday, often taken doon-the-watter. In this case the addex's seem to be to the silvery sands of Stevenston. When we bailed there it was far from silvery in the town centre; strewn with litter and an itinerant Rottweiler shagging some poor unsuspecting mongrel.

A very big line for any diesel loco, but there were several monsters out. 37013 vo back out on the Stranrærs, and 138, seeming small beer now and not only big loco but a big line 37 196: think it was one of the few boiler isolated 37s: dunno where it was allocated at the time, but obvioulsy lurking with intent ex motherwell. We did a "shanks pony move over to Kilwinning assisted by an old double decker IIRC. Chips in between and a semi-fast Ayr DMU service to "whisk" us in for the next move: well rattle us up a little quicker than the stopping 311s down there at that time.

Then some daytime version of 1S81 or the likes drops a 40 and we go after it on a bloody transcard! That old grumpy sod with the tasch commented as such on the way from Coatbridge Central to Cumbernauld. But a line in the book was had from all be it a very lethargic 40150 when compared to her sister 155 we had bagged at Chester. A "desperate" move.

Then back into central for a strange move to Nitshill: IIRC 27066 was nb now and fairly large. To top it off, on one of the returning Stevenstons or Ardrossans 37155: very, very big ML IIRC and a nice rack of three huge syphons within three weeks: 154-156 thank you, my lords!

Saturday 21/7/84

21.07.1984 LowLand Master Transcard





09:06:00 Home Garelochhead 37014
10:08:00 Garelochhead Glasgow QS 37081
11:30:00 Glasgow C Ayr 37155
12:30:00 Ayr Kilmarnock 47537
13.xx Ayr Kilmarnock 37292
15:45:00 Glasgow C Kilmarnock 26015

Kilmarnock Barrhead DMU

Barrhead Kilmarnock 27001
18:47:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow C 37048


Central 303


A week later and we ae taking motherwell NB and foreign split box syphons for granted. But this day produced at that point the biggest of them all: in it's life as the super-syphon, 37292 probably worked three passenger trains and this was one. "huge if not enormous" as Rupert put it in a post to a blogg "this bashing day in History".

292 grumbled it's way over the slack line Kilmarnock-Ayr. At Ayr it was notably "hunting" , a fault I have heard caused by choking valve seats, badly adjusted timing chains or faulty governors. Although it probably did not prioduce anywhere near 2000bhp, the benefits of the alternator made it seem to accelerate quicker relative to less thrash!

37292 was actually the prototype for the 37/4s which could well have been uprated. This uprating was the same as the CSVT uprate on the 50s: so it is unlikely it would have been a success without gear-driven-cams, new valve gear etc. II guess that autumn 292 went down to Crewe works to become the 37/4.

The then "silly ba'heid" move persisted as syphons could well drop on from carlisle. Syphons like 048 were probably itinerant from lack of work on coal, and I reckon they displaced failed type 2s off Carlisle shed. Covering this move meant that you were "bowled out" for all the later west highland moves, bar doing a combined bus move to Garelocheid maybe.

Taking for granted was just as we did: this was actually the last "big" saturday out of Glasgow Central moves, and the likes of the 37 moves seen that summer would only be repeated on the Aberysthwiths the next summer, where NB 37s were actually BOOKED and not huge drops! A week later, at the end of August, I scored my last big ML 37, 152 which worked the 11:30 stranrær. Although as you will see the 11:30 more or less became booked a 37, the later examples seemed to be boilered stratford examples which IIRC became Scottish allocations anyway.

Certainly by October I was no longer a ned really, but a syphon basher bone fide and with enough under the belt to be a "man". I knew by that October freedom that the writing was on the wall. I was getting a bit bored of bashing from time to time, and that disastourous Mystex to Chester was just the first nail in the coffin.


37192 to dundee and back marked me as a syphon devotee: They became pretty common on that route later, but until 84 they were rare for some reason: There were still enough reasonably condition 27s and 26s to cover the dundee loco hauled prior to this. It is not a bad route for 37s, with top speeds of 90mph and very little running at the dreaded 40-50 mph slack spot. 37192 became my mileage machine, although I think I topped it with 188. It put in a good run, but one of the mrk Is had a dragging brake set so I reckon we didn't get over 75mph. IIRC I did this all alone, with maybe a paltry few "men" coming on later at Perth. West country bloke with beard reported the coach IIRC too.

Also that October, 264 moved north to Inverness ( again?) and was duly taken there. Dark evenings up the Far North East!

lørdag 4. september 2010

To the Memory of the Polmont Rail Crash

On returning to my log book of loco haulage in the mid eighties, I am just about as far as late july when I realise there is a very note worthy event which should not be left as a side note in my otherwise innane blogg.

On the 30 th july 1984 thirteen people missed their lives on the Polmont to Falkirk stretch of line when the leading DBSO ( driving, brake, second only: the push pull driving coach) struck a cow which had wandered onto the line due to breaches in the fencing east of Falkirk tunnel.

It is in their memory I write, 26 years on. I hope the families have healed their grief and been able to keep fond memories of their loved ones.

My bashing book does not cover this day actually, but rather the 28th of july and there is no run to Edinburgh noted. In fact I believe we were on the 1600 Edinburgh to glasgow or reverse: we were in the DBSO and we saw cows running along the line. I do not know why I did not write the "moves" in but I am pretty sure we were on our way back with Rupert and co when we saw the cows: bullocks by the look of them, gallavanting inside the line.

I remember my stomach dropping when hearing about the crash and confirmed fatalities: this could have been me and my friends, on a pleasure tour to Edinburgh and back.

Why I did not write the move ? well perhaps it was a shove 47/7 over to view something on a cheap day returne and we came back via falkirk grahamston after the crash. It was in my school holidays and I like going to Edinburgh.

I feel like I have had the nine lives proscribed in the feline sense, this being one.

torsdag 19. august 2010

Freedom of Scotland July 1984


02.07.1984-15/7/1984 ==== Freedom of Scotland =====


Dreadful!!!! The most, desperate moves ever on a "freedom" fortnight's ticket. Hardly anything sensible in terms of using my £36.99 or what ever an under 16' "freedom" cost then!

No up and down to Oban and out to Thurso. No catching a 37 maybe over the Inverness Perth route for the line and mileage. No doing the complete move round the NE on the mail train to Elgin. No taking an NB all the way to Ft Bill.

Nope. Crazy covering with NO getting hold of TOPS reports unless someone had one already. That was the game: no TOPS, you "viewed" trains.

Not only was 1984 the scene for the last English Civil War, but it was a scorcher of a summer with daily temperatures around 25 and places like Carstairs being open ovens!

Gateshead, motherwell, eastfield and thornaby class 37s were totally wildly itinerant and started producing on the drop of a hat courtesay of Iain McGregor and Arthur Scargill. I scrub my eyes to believe what produced and often where! Glasgow -Edinburgh 37s????? 47/7s must have been having a bad week, because 37s were out on mark 1s and IIs on the route. Duffs became rare on stranrærs!!!!


07:38:00 Glasgow C Paisley 311
07:57:00 Paisley Glasgow Central 47010


( this was to cover the aforeblogget 0700 ayr- glasgow which could produce. It went ECS the night before to avoid vandalism in glasgow and to pick up some cheese in SCR management who lived in Ayrshire)

09:00:00 Glasgow QS Haymarket 47703
09:XX Haymarket Carstairs 47702


Carlise 86235
12:05:00 Carlisle Carstairs South 81015


Glasgow Central 47378
15:30:00 Glasgow QS Edinburgh Waverley 47705
16:30:00 Edinburgh Waverley Glasgow QS 47705
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Arrochar 37043
19:45:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37175
21:28:00 Glasgow C Low Level Motherwell 303
22:11:00 Motherwell Mossend 86234


Perth 37026
00:49:00 Perth Inverness 47460


The very large duff three was nothing to us, and it probably was the one we turned down on the portions we went out to cover.

37026 : the first time IIRc I struck a v12 on the famoius 1S81 (which I think I did for the first time in 82 , in an older jotter that is lost!) 37026 was thrashed like blazed all the way giving a very satisfying 80-90mph run where poss and maybe the ton. With track running above 55mph syphons could put in some impressive runs.

03.07.1984


06:xx Inverness lairg 37035
08:xx Lairg Inverness 37183
10:35:00 Inverness Aberdeen 47210
1300 Aberdeen Dundee IC 125
14:28:00 Dundee Edinburgh Waverley 47011
16:10:00 Edinburgh Waverley Carstairs 37154
18:15:00 Carstairs Glasgow Central 86xxx


A fairly desperate group of moves on probably my third freedom-of-scotland. I think this was maybe the day 37183 was running with the flat container wagon to Wick and Thurso, another syphon oddity I have piccies of.

37154 was ML IIRC, and had dropped on something else we had missed, so had to be done. We either got the gen, or just went the quickest way back to cover the portions. An english duff basher showed me his blade he carried for protection on terra caledonia, whcih I was somewhat shocked about. THen again he was a duff basher....


04.07.1984


11:20:00 Glasgow C Carstairs 87022
13:06:00 Carstairs Glasgow Central 85022
13:56:00 Glasgow C Low Level Helensburgh Central 303-314
15:20:00 Helensburgh Upper Glasgow QS 37188


Decisions, decisions. Another day where you cover everything and nothing produces. A run to Oban on 188 would have been preferable. The only train not covered was the Stranraær from Kilmarnock, which produced 40s and 37s this summer.

I covered the "portions" with a view to the 12xx and the 1303 and any later locos hanging around. Then the 13:45 carlisle maybe, certainly the incoming 14:39, then sod it, a trip out for chips and a walk up that hill, Sinclair Street in Helensburgh to get to the WHL station there from the central "blue commuter" line.



05.07.1984


09:50:00 Glasgow C Carlise 86259

Carlisle Beattock 85020

(failure) Glasgow Central 86008

Glasgow C Milngavie 303

Milngavie Qs LL 303


I believe we got on, erm, the wrong train, meaning to cover something at carstairs but ending whizzing past both a motorail with a 40 on it plus the station itself.

The second of several "roarer" failures we experienced in 84-85, showing why they really had to come to an end in the next couple of years. The 86 was took orff a frieght , and IIRC the preceeding freight had been a pair of, no doubt enourmous, 37s. We would have gotten the 86 regardless probably!

06.07.1984


09:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37111
10:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37033
11:35:00 Glasgow C Paisley 47123
11:48:00 Paisley Glasgow Central 303/311
12:20:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37188
14:04:00 Dumbarton Glasgow C Low Level 303-314
14:56:00 Glasgow C Low Level Milngavie 303
15:20:00 Milngavie Glasgow QS Low Level 303
15:59:00 Glasgow QS low level Helensburgh Central 303-314
20:50:00 Helensburgh Upper Glasgow QS 37014




I think I fell asleep and ended up in Milngavie or did a slumber move on the local, comfy old 303s. Must have been tired and somewhat disappointed that nothing produced.
'
07.07.1984


10:20:00 Helensburgh Upper Glasgow QS 37191
10:44:00 Glasgow C Kilmarnock DMU
13:33:00 Kilmarnock Ayr 37209
15:05:00 Ayr (ex stran) Glasgow Central 47515
17:30:00 Glasgow C Kilmarnock 37209
18:37:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow Central 37156
20:00:00 Glasgow QS Falkirk High 47708
20:27:00 Falkirk (high?) Glasgow QS 37184


A fairly enourmous day out : 156 and 209 in the bag and both pretty huge. Also, what the heck was happening on the edinburgh line? 37184 today. On a very vague recollection, I seem to remember being in a mark I compo on an ordinary edinbra train which should have been a "shove duff"


08.07.1984


15:05:00 Glasgow C Stranraer 37209
18:35:00 Stranraer Glasgow Central 37209


209, thornaby or the like, out on the route, must have come north light loco or replacing a failed sulzer heap: Decided I was on a freedom and would do some miles and routes: Told the driver it was a good loco, and he put the handle up all the way up the banks and over to Girvan. Excellent thrash.

Probably missed some stuff, but byu now 47/3s were two a penny and being put on portions and failures: two roarers down in the heat of that summer already!

09.07.1984

10:33:00 Helensburgh Upper Arrochar 37022



37190
11:15:00 Arrochar Glasgow QS 37188
13:45:00 Glasgow C Kilmarnock 47123
14:30:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow Central 37073
15:30:00 Glasgow QS Haymarket 47701
16:45 app Haymarket Edinburgh Waverley 47528
16:55:00 Edinburgh Waverley Haymarket 47488
17:03:00 Haymarket Glasgow QS 47704
18:20:00 Glasgow QS Helensburgh Upper 37051
19:24:00 Helensbugh Central Glasgow C Low Level 303-314
20:15:00 Glasgow C Paisley 37056




A quick bail at Helensburgh upper to return by courtesay of 303s and 314s to Central to get 37056 on the late stranrær. Another syphon in the book thank you!

This train may have needed to have steaming locos, must check if 056 was bloiered at this point.

10.07.1984


11:35:00 Glasgow C Paisley 37125
12xx Paisley Glasgow Central DMU
13:45:00 Glasgow C Kilmarnock 47338
14:30:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow Central 27024
16:30:00 Glasgow QS Haymarket 47712
17XX Haymarket Edinburgh Waverley DMU
18:00:00 Edinburgh Waverley Glasgow QS 47708
19:35:00 Glasgow C Johnstone DMU
20:XX Johnstone Paisley DMU
20:39:00 Paisley Glasgow Central 37125


Another 37/1 NB large monster on the Strannie, top and tailing an otherwise pish day.

Should have taken it too, but what the heck it is ten miles or so to Paisley and there were plenty other syphons lurking. No others to play with today though on the portions or I presume the Carlisles.



11.07.1984



11:20:00 Glasgow C Carstairs 87002
13:03:00 Carstairs Edinburgh Waverley 37020
14:00:00 Edinburgh Waverley Glasgow QS 47705
14:59:00 Glasgow QS low level Helensburgh Central 303
15:54:00 Helensbugh Central Glasgow QS Low Level 303
17:00:00 Glasgow QS Edinburgh Waverley 47705
18:00:00 Edinburgh Waverley Glasgow QS 47705


Messing about, I just deleted a unit move to H'boro for chips or Ice cream and some doss.

Anyhows, 37 020, probably gateshead, underlined to make a nice tight cluster of lines in my book from a simple "viewing" of the usual 1303 portion, after a comfortable breakfast.


12.07.1984


10:20:00 Helensburgh Upper Glasgow QS 37184
11:00:00 Glasgow QS Edinburgh Waverley 37059
12:30:00 Edinburgh Waverley Glasgow QS 47707
13:45:00 Glasgow C Kilmarnock 47274
14:30:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow Central 47006
16:50:00 Glasgow QS Dumbarton Central 37027
17:33:00 Dumbarton Glasgow QS 37188
18:35:00 Glasgow C Ayr DMU
20:03:00 Ayr Glasgow Central 37139


What was this 11:00 edinburgh with 37059 all about???? The shove duffs must have been struggling in the heat because this was the second substitution. I have no recollection of any Glasgow to Edinburgh runs behind a 37 other than 296, but do recall sitting on mark I compos and a mark II on what should have been a "shove duff" ( 47/7)


13.07.1984 to 14.07.1984



10:20:00 Helensburgh Upper Glasgow QS 37037
11:20:00 Glasgow C Carstairs 87016
13:03:00 Carstairs Edinburgh Waverley 37079
14:30:00 Edinburgh Waverley Glasgow QS 47706
15:45:00 Glasgow C Barrhead 47009
16.xx Barrhead Glasgow Central DMU
17:00:00 Glasgow QS Falkirk High 37124
17:28:00 Falkirk High Glasgow QS 477xx
18:00:00 Glasgow C Irvine 37138
20:08:00 irvine Glasgow Central DMU
21:28:00 Glasgow C Low Level Motherwell 303
22:12:00 Motherwell Mossend 86248


Perth 37079
01:11:00 Perth Pitlochry 47552
02:xx Pitlochry Glasgow QS 47467
07:05:00 Glasgow QS Edinburgh Waverley 37045
08:30:00 Edinburgh Waverley Falkirk High 47703
09:23:00 Falrkirk High Glasgow QS 477xx
11:20:00 Glasgow C Carstairs 86243
13:03:00 Carstairs Glasgow Central 85029
15:45:00 Glasgow C Auchinleck 27029
17:23:00 Auchinleck Kilmarnock 37101
18:47:00 Kilmarnock Glasgow Central 47206


The over night move: you more or less had to stay awake but I got some doss on the way up north of perth and probably on the famous 1S81 which produced the same syphon we had had on a portion earlier. I guess it ran light loco Carstairs to mossend or maybe rescued something ending up at mossend.
'

The 0705 was probably a glasgow Scarborough or Skeggie summer addex, and I could not usually get in early enough to cover it : it did have a return at night, as per 37172 etc last year but this was a big bag and I just don't remember a bloody thing.

Also, once again a 37 /|1 out on the bloody edinburgh service, this time a nice 124 run! I think we bailed off at Falkirk High to cover 124s appearance only to see another 47/7 appear out of the tunnel. Remember the bail!

And scrub your eyes and look twice, 138 now producing on the strannie, not 139. Hells bells! Fantasy underlining

37101 adding to a good score card from
36 hours solid bashing.



15.07.1984 Blow Up day for Freedom


15:05:00 Glasgow C Irvine 37074
16:03:00 irvine Glasgow Central DMU
17:22:00 Glasgow QS Helensburgh Upper 37184

A fairly no nonsense day: slept in til all ours, unit into central to cover the various carlisles and hey presto, another required 37/0 this time on the stranae.

Fairy god mother would be out at midnight bowling me out for more moves: "Blow up day" for my freedom of Scotland.

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A strange, desperate move collection, but like I said before, this was how bashing was back in 1984: getting lines in the book and covering everything that could produce.

I regret not covering more possible 40 drops in 1983 and 84: the Euston stranrær was still non coffin and the portions at both Carstairs and Mossend. Also 40s dropped out of Newcastle occoaisonally to Edinbra. Interesting to compare notes but......

I will have to get onto that 1984 internet bashing simulator!