ECML mystery train?
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:38 am
A long forgotten but interesting working on the ECML from circa 1970-71.
Long ago back in the mists of time circa 1970-71 an interesting Sunday ONLY 'parcels working' that was seen by myself on at least two or maybe three separate occasions arriving at Welwyn Garden City station was a Deltic (class 55) hauled parcels train consisting of a mixture of about 30+ assorted vehicles on behind the locos drawbar standing in Welwyn Garden City Up slow line platform between about 5:40-6:00 pm on a Sunday tea-time that was being unloaded and taking on parcels in the Up slow line platform. This particular train stood for around 20 minutes at Welwyn Garden City before departing southwards again towards the London area.
This train is thought to have originated either from Newcastle or more probably York on the Sunday morning and then slowly made it's way south during Sunday possibly stopping at Doncaster, Retford, Newark, Grantham, Peterborough and maybe Huntingdon & Hitchin(?) before arriving at Welwyn Garden City at around 5:40 pm on the Sunday tea-time. This train consisted of a mixture of assorted vehicles of mainly B.R.Mk.1 BGs & GUV vans and was around 30+ vehicles in length and was 'so long' that it was routed along the up the slow line south of the Digswell viaduct by the Welwyn North signalman because if it had been routed along the Up fast line south of the Digswell viaduct the rear end of this train would have stood on the Up fast line on the approach to Welwyn Garden City and therefore it would have 'blocked the Up fast line' which would never do.
When this train arrived at Welwyn Garden City station in the Up slow line platform and the loco was standing at the south end of the Up slow line platform the rear of this train was standing back at (or beyond?) the Knightsfield road concrete over bridge so that will give you some idea if you know the area how long this particular train was.
Strang steel (John) if you see this post what was the head code of this train again plus did you also say that you saw this train south of Stoke summit?.
Long ago back in the mists of time circa 1970-71 an interesting Sunday ONLY 'parcels working' that was seen by myself on at least two or maybe three separate occasions arriving at Welwyn Garden City station was a Deltic (class 55) hauled parcels train consisting of a mixture of about 30+ assorted vehicles on behind the locos drawbar standing in Welwyn Garden City Up slow line platform between about 5:40-6:00 pm on a Sunday tea-time that was being unloaded and taking on parcels in the Up slow line platform. This particular train stood for around 20 minutes at Welwyn Garden City before departing southwards again towards the London area.
This train is thought to have originated either from Newcastle or more probably York on the Sunday morning and then slowly made it's way south during Sunday possibly stopping at Doncaster, Retford, Newark, Grantham, Peterborough and maybe Huntingdon & Hitchin(?) before arriving at Welwyn Garden City at around 5:40 pm on the Sunday tea-time. This train consisted of a mixture of assorted vehicles of mainly B.R.Mk.1 BGs & GUV vans and was around 30+ vehicles in length and was 'so long' that it was routed along the up the slow line south of the Digswell viaduct by the Welwyn North signalman because if it had been routed along the Up fast line south of the Digswell viaduct the rear end of this train would have stood on the Up fast line on the approach to Welwyn Garden City and therefore it would have 'blocked the Up fast line' which would never do.
When this train arrived at Welwyn Garden City station in the Up slow line platform and the loco was standing at the south end of the Up slow line platform the rear of this train was standing back at (or beyond?) the Knightsfield road concrete over bridge so that will give you some idea if you know the area how long this particular train was.
Strang steel (John) if you see this post what was the head code of this train again plus did you also say that you saw this train south of Stoke summit?.