The LNER Encyclopedia

Hi,

Would trains consisting of quads and quints have been seen at Welwyn North around 1930?

I know the Kings Cross inner suburban services terminated at Hatfield, but would those services have used quads and quints, and would that stock have been used on outer suburban services?

Thanks.

Never say 'never' with the steam railway, but the native stock of this type on the GN main line were the GN section Quad-Art sets, run as pairs of an all third and three/two class sets on the inner suburban traffic. While the inner sub service teminated at WGC by the 1930s, the Quad-Arts would go further North in excursion use on the weekends (and a very jolly time those travelling in them over longer distances must have had).

I wasn't there at the time to see if the GN section Quad-Arts routinely went in traffic North of WGC on weekdays, but the strong impression I have formed is that they did not; because they were required during the working week to operate the inner sub service which was a very carefully planned 'ballet'.

I have no information for 1930.

But the September 1935 GN carriage working notice has quad sets running from King's Cross to Hitchin, Baldock and Letchworth. A January 1933 GN Suburban area working notice also shows bogie suburban sets working to these destinations. A Saturdays Only service had set 21 heading as far as Grantham.

The outer suburban trains were quite varied in character, but many were made up with Twins of various kinds.

The LNER Society used to market copies of the GN 1935 book, but I am not sure it is still available.

John

Leaving aside for the moment the Leeds Quint set, the only quin-arts the LNER had were built for suburban services out of London Liverpool Street, and would seldom, if ever, have strayed very far from GE metals.

D

Slight OT - were the Quints used for weekend excursions in the same way as the Quads? I can't bring any pictures to mind.

Many thanks--I think my question has been answered. Much appreciated.

Darryl Tooley wrote: ↑Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:13 pm Leaving aside for the moment the Leeds Quint set, the only quin-arts the LNER had were built for suburban services out of London Liverpool Street, and would seldom, if ever, have strayed very far from GE metals.

D

6 sets of Quins were used, albeit briefly, for Glasgow suburban services (British Railway Journal No. 38, A. A. McLean) pending re-equipment and sets were also borrowed occasionally by at least one locomotive builder in the UK for 'road testing' locomotives built for foreign railway companies that used air-brakes (e.g. BRCW for Commonwealth Railways, Australia). And yes, they were also used for weekend excursions and also during the evacuation of children from London at commencement of WW2.