The diesel era 1960s, 70s & 80s

[Hermit 109]

Hi, regarding the Deltics, I worked on every one of the class over an eleven year period and kept a detailed log of every trip. The earliest was in July 1962, D9000 22.30 K.X - Grantham. In those day's the loco cab was open plan with no sound deadening cab dividers and curtain, The door to the engine room was of single thickness also, ( the double door was added at a later date). Ear defenders (plugs) were issued on an individual basis around 1970/71, ironically co-inciding with the introduction of electric train heating, thus less need for the secondman to attend the boiler.
Also in the early days, many of the water troughs were still in use, so picking up water on the run was the norm until eventually high pressure water supplies were installed at strategic points at major stations. This involved the driver ensuring an accurate stop opposite the watering point, and the secondman coupling the hose from the hydrant to the loco, opening the valve and retreating to a safe spot, because if the hose became detached, the water pressure made the snaking hose quite lethal.
Also the secondman in the early days had to set the head code, which required entering the nose compartment and battling against the suction from the motor blowers which would attach any loose clothing to the grill like a giant vacuum cleaner. Strangely the designers thought this was a good location to fit a urinal in one nose end and with the amount of suction going on, the reader can use their imagination the difficulty of keeping aim on a loco bouncing around at speed.
Also for many years the controller was step less, requiring a certain amount of finesse when starting away, especially on a wet rail. One of the Scottish locos carried a regimental plaque mounted in the cab above the nose end door, but when ETH was introduced it disappeared.
The Deltics were masters of any job and while we mourned the passing of steam, they were worthy replacements of the Gresley locos and helped maintain the fine tradition of the LNER for many years.

[52H]

Hi. I also worked the Deltics as a second man and a driver.They were noisy and draughty,but well up to the job. Some one at Newcastle had the bright idea to use them on the Tyne commission quay boat trains. They were not suited to this work,which was easier done with a Sulzer 2. I remember on a wet day ,slipping and overloading and stalling on the climb to Percy main. Before resorting to an assisting engine,I mentioned to the driver that I had heard that it helped to shut one engine down. In desperation the driver gave it a go, Eureka ,it worked a treat,not only lifting the stalled train but accelerating quite briskly. That was a trick I remembered when I eventually drove the Deltics.

52 H

[Mickey]

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[manna]

G'Day Gents

ASLEF, disputes did bring a variation of locomotives and DMU's to Kings Cross, I did see a DMU arrive at KX which had run non stop from Peterborough, with an amalgam of express's that had terminated at Peterborough, the NUR driver had agreed to take an Ad Hoc of units to KX (I think an 8 or 9 car) of a type we didn't normally see at KX.

Also after the dispute, with stock all over the place, strange formations being normal, I'm fairly sure a block ender, was working diagrams the other side of Peterborough.

manna

[strang steel]

On the subject of block-enders, I have just been looking at Railway Observers for 1970 and one note in the coaching stock column gave me a surprise.

The 2010 Grimsby to Peterborough has seen coaches E43140, E43150 and E46137 in the makeup. On 14th Nov 1969 E43123 appeared branded "Kings Cross Inner Suburban".

I learn something new every day.

[Mickey]

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[strang steel]

Maybe that is the answer Micky; the train ran to Peterborough in the evening peak and was then used on a fill in turn to Grimsby and back in the evening before being stabled overnight and returning with a commuter service the following morning?

[Mickey]

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[Andy W]

Micky, the condo stock at Connington went to just about every scrapyard in Britain that was scrapping coaches in that era. They used to be held there pending Derby putting them out to sales tender or hauled off to a main works for conversion to departmental stock.

After it closed the divisional dumping ground for LHCS moved to Whittlesea.

[Mickey]

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[2512silverfox]

Quite a lot of redundant stock went to MoD Shoebury for asbestos removal and may well have been scrapped there. Any one know that scenario?

[StevieG]

'Redundant BR Mk.1s' etc. - Were Connington Down Sidings still with us by 1970? I don't remember that (doesn't mean they weren't). The Up Sidings - yes, most definitely.

.... 'redundant Central Line stock'? Would they have come form Ruislip.

[Mickey]

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[sandwhich]

A Class 47 hauling block enders was not as rare as you would think, during the late 60s very early 70s there were a couple of morning workings from Hertford North one to the Cross and the other to Broad Street which were rostered for Class 47 diesels but none in the evening peak hours. By the early 70s all Broad Street workings became dmu until the GN ceased using this station in 1976. I also remember one morning in 1966 a Deltic yes most definitely a Deltic hauling a quad art set, yes also most definitely, from Welwyn Garden City to Kings Cross, how this came about I cannot now remember but I can assure you it most certainly did, must have shook the passengers up a bit on those rattletraps.

[Mickey]

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