Clacton Interval Service

[Belvoir]

I have a memory of these services circa 1954-8 - saw many of them during summer weekends in the Witham area.

Faint memories of old stock and wide variation in locomotives.

I never did know exactly what the "Interval" meant, or how the services were scheduled.

Sixty years on - can anyone help ??

[52D]

Off course a bit but the Sheffield Manchester interval service was supposed to give an hourly service in either direction between the two cities using the newly introduced EM1s.

[65447]

Simply because the services were timetabled at equal intervals, such as hourly, half-hourly and so on, but not necessarily on the hour or any other regular time. Most transport systems have adopted the principle, but sometimes with an annoying anomaly just to catch you out!

[WTTReprinter]

I have a 1954 GE WTT (you can get it as a PDF from the GERS website if you're interested)
It does show a regular pattern, normally leaving Liverpool St at XX.36 but not at hourly intervals. It divided at Thorpe-le-Soken to serve Clacton and Walton. There was a 08.36, 10.36, 15.36, 16.36 London departure, plus more after that. I haven't checked up roads.
There was also an hourly Colchester to Clacton / Walton, leaving Colchester at XX.06.

I do recommend downloading the WTT from GERS; it's a reasonable price.

[65447]

It's also worth noting that the recast timetable was introduced following allocation of sufficient 'Britannia' locomotives to the GE Section, not only to offer improved timings (between London and Norwich primarily) but also to make more effective utilisation of the new locomotives.

Even when the EE Type 4s began to replace 'Britannnias' on Norwich services and they were relegated to Clacton workings there were no real changes or improvements to the timetables until electrification through from Clacton and Walton to Liverpool Street in the early 1960s, when the loco-hauled services were replaced by EMUs and the brilliant 'Clacton Electrics' - 6.42 up from Colchester in the morning and 5.20 back in the evening were the ones I caught.

[Ocean Swell]

I asked a question about the coach consists for this train a couple of years ago that was answered in this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5084

I have also found out that tourist stock buffet coaches were used regularly on this service.
Prior to the Britannias B17s, B2s and B1s were the most common locos.

[Belvoir]

Grateful thanks to all replies.

It was a long time ago, indeed, I was around ten years old.

I am fairly sure that I am confusing the Clacton Interval with other weekend specials and excursions, some of which were, I am also fairly sure, a "right mixture" of locomotives and stock.

I still remember the introduction of the Clacton electrics. One day 0 to 104mph and back to 0 between Witham and Kelvedon. . . and a jolly good hamburger as well.