A visit to Haymarket Shed, Edinburgh, 27th February 1980

Wednesday afternoon was assigned for recreation while at university, so an organised trip, with a permit, to Haymarket shed, one of two that I attended during these years. I did not always take a camera, photography was relatively expensive in those days, especially on a student budget.

We appear to have taken the train from Waverley to Haymarket. A Deltic could be heard under the station roof, 55011 The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was found waiting to depart with 1E15 14:25 Edinburgh - Newcastle. This Deltic last worked a train to Kings Cross on 5th November 1981, and was withdrawn on the 8th, to move a power unit to 55022. It moved to Doncaster Works on 24th, with disposal completed in December 1982. 

26025 awaited us, with engine running, upon arrival at the shed. The locomotive was at time allocated to Inverness (IS). It had been delivered new from BRCW as D5325 on 14th May 1959, received its HGR and air brakes in July 1986, and was withdrawn in October 1993. It is preserved, one of two at the Strathspey Railway, which have spent a long time in deep storage.

The locomotive behind was 40077 of Gateshead (GD). This locomotive was new as D277 on 30th May 1960, and was withdrawn on 17th June 1983, leading to scrapping at BREL Doncaster in April 1984.

47703 Saint Mungo was also present with engine running. Originally delivered as D1960 from Brush, Loughborough, in July 1967, later becoming 47514. It became 47703 in March 1979 following overhaul and push-pull conversion at BREL Crewe. After running through the ownership of Waterman, Fragonset and Cotswold, and now Harry Needle Railroad Co. It currently is at Doncaster Wabtec, performing duties as an ETH supply.

55002 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was on shed following arrival of 1S12 05:50 King's Cross - Aberdeen where it had come off at Edinburgh. It returned south later on 1E42 23:15 Edinburgh - King’s Cross. Now part of the National Collection.

46050 lay beyond the Deltic. My notes on this one have been confused for over 40 years, as I had noted it along with 55012 from a trip into Edinburgh on the preceding Sunday evening. I did not note it again separately on the 27th. The identity is verified by the distinctive gash pattern in the bodyside grilles. 

46050 (GD) was delivered new as D187 from BR Crewe to Gateshead on 23rd November 1962. It was withdrawn on 26th October 1982, with less than 20 years of service. Following storage at Healey Mills and Leicester, it was broken up at BREL Swindon in March 1985.

20223 can just be seen at right, inside the shed. It was delivered to Haymarket on 20th October 1967, and was always allocated in Scotland. Withdrawn on 19th November 1987, after which it was stored at Thornton and Kingmoor before disposal at MC Metals at Glasgow in December 1983. A flamecut is still around.

47460 was on the naughty step, in the sidings along with a handful of other locomotives which typically spent weeks awaiting parts and repairs. This locomotive was new as D1580 from BR Crewe on 8th May 1964, allocated to Gateshead. In April 1978 it was controversially named GREAT EASTERN in an initiative by Stratford Shed, and contrary to a no-naming policy. It arrived at HA in July 1979, and served on the Scottish Region until November 1990. At the time of the picture, the locomotive was both dual-brake and dual-heat. Withdrawn in January 1992 from CD, and broken up in May 1994 at Booth, Rotherham.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 15th May 1982

My second, and still most recent, visit to the Moors Line. A limited number of photos were taken given the student finances (indeed post-student, as we had wrapped up the previous day), but some liberty was taken given the number of loco types, both steam and diesel, which I had not seen before. The line was already noted for a liberal attitude towards the usage of diesel traction.

D5032 Helen Turner awaits the off at Grosmont, soon after our arival. New in July 1959 from BR Crewe, stored in May 1976, and withdrawn that July, after which it was hired from TJ Thomson's Stockton scrapyard to the railway from 21st August in the long hot summer of that year. Repainted in this scheme in April 1977. Currently under overhaul at Grosmont.
Images while working in preservation.

NER 'T2' 2238 (later LNER 'Q6' 3395 and BR 63395) is an 0-8-0 locomotive completed at Darlington in December 1918, and allocated to Blaydon. Withdrawn from BR service on 9th September 1967 from Sunderland. Under the care of NELPG since 1st April 1968, following storage at Tyne Dock. Here seen running around at Grosmont, in a view now blocked by the more recent construction of a signal box. The dining train it would haul is on the left, a Metro-Cammell Pullman being visible, this all being too grand for a group of students, who would have to wait for another train.

4 coach Gloucester RCW Class 100 unit descends into Grosmont. After service on the NYMR, these went to the Swanage Railway briefly in 1985, and then to the West Somerset. 

50341 in poor condition, cut up at Mayer Parry, Snailwell in 1991

51118 worked on WSR, now in ownership of Llangollen Railcar Group, and under overhaul at Butterley

56097 has similar history to 51118

56099 has similar history to 50341, under overhaul at Butterley

The locomotives in the distance are 3180 Antwerp (WD 75130), now at Hope Farm, Sellindge;  and Lambton No. 29.

63395 climbs past the loco shed at Grosmont with "Le Moors Line Rapide" dining train. The locomotive was withdrawn from NYMR use later in 1982, and stored until overhauled and returned to traffic in 2007, recently being withdrawn again for a further overhaul.

 D821 Greyhound, built by BR Swindon in May 1960 and withdrawn in December 1972, being preserved by the Diesel Traction Group. After an overhaul at Swindon between 1977 and 1981, the locomotive was based at the NYMR from 1981 - 1991. Now located at the Severn Valley Railway.

Class 04 D2207 was new as 11108 in February 1953 from Vulcan Foundry to the Drewry Car Co. design, first allocated to 30F Parkeston Quay. Sent to Crewe Works from Newton Heath in September 1966, and withdrawn in December 1967. Worked in industry from 1968 to 1973, then to the NYMR. Currently under overhaul with a new Gardner engine being sourced.

D9529 was new from BR Swindon in January 1965, allocated to Cardiff Canton. The WR, not knowing what to do with the locomotives in the wake of the Beeching Axe, sent this one to Hull on the ER in May 1967, but it was quickly stored that month, and was withdrawn in April 1968. It went into industrial use with Stewart & Lloyds Minerals, firstly in Lincolnshire. Ownership changed to the nationalised British Steel, and the loco was moved to the Corby area. With a reduction in activity at Corby, this locomotive and D9520 were moved to the NYMR by rail in March 1981. After several further moves it went back to work on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link  Now owned by the Iron and Steel Traction Group, located at the Nene Valley Railway.

BR 4MT 4-6-0 75014 was completed at BR Swindon in November 1951, and was withdrawn in December 1966 from Shrewsbury, going to Barry scrapyard. Removed from the scrapyard in 1981 and restored to mainline use in 1994, following sale in 2002, it now works at the Dartmouth Steam Railway as BRAVEHEART, being overhauled between 2005 and 2017. A NER B16 tender is stored between the locomotive and a more suitable BR tender.

BR 9F 92134 was completed at BR Crewe in June 1957 and withdrawn in December 1966 from Birkenhead, also sent to Barry scrapyard, from where it was removed in December 1980. After several moves, it is on the final stages of restoration at the East Lancashire Railway - follow this on Twitter and Facebook.

Moors Line 59, as purchased during this visit. I had purchased my first copy of this magazine at WH Smith in York station in 1977, and was always impressed by the editorial standard of Murray Brown, who went on to edit Rail Enthusiast / Rail and then co-founded Rail Express.

Further pictures

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Archive Shots - Class 40s at Haymarket, 7th March 1979

Four Class 40 locomotives at Haymarket, on an organised visit on the afternoon of 7th March 1979.

40162 (HA), a Class 47/4 and another Class 40, which from my notes and elimination of nose end types, is 40148 (HA).

40162 was new to 64B Haymarket as D362 on 11th October 1961, and while reallocated latterly to KD (Carlisle Kingmoor) it was withdrawn from HA on 14th December 1982, since overdue classfied repair, and had bogie fractures. Dual brakes had been fitted in 1972. After withdrawal it sat in a siding at Haymarket for a long while, as it was missing a pony wheel for one of its bogies. Eventually it was dragged to Millerhill for disposal by McWilliam in April 1986.

40148 was new to 55H Neville Hill as D348 on 7th June 1961. Transferred from the ER to HA in early 1978. After HA it was allocated to LO (Longsight). It remained only vacuum fitted. Withdrawn on 4th August 1982, to provide bogies for 40012 and power unit for 40074, after which it was stored at Stratford, Doncaster, and Healey Mills before disposal at Doncaster Works in July 1985.

40184 (HA), nearer the camera and 40173(HA) are parked in one of the 'out of use' sidings. They sat as a pair from 2nd to at least the 15th of March.

40184 was new as D384 on 19th March 1962 to 1B Camden, and migrated from the LMR to Haymarket in May 1974. It remained only vacuum fitted. Later allocated to LO, and withdrawn on 21st December 1982 for a main generator flashover and poor bogies. Stored at Carlisle Kingmoor then Gateshead, before disposal at Doncaster Works in December 1983.

40173 was new as D373 to 1B Camden on 5th January 1962. Like 40184 it migrated to HA in May 1974 (at the completion of the WCML electrification), and remained there until withdrawn on 24th August 1981. It was then stored at Eastfield, Dunfermline and Perth, where it was stripped to a shell, before unusually being disposed of at Inverkeithing in May 1985, the circumstances surrounding this being an RCTS Diesel Dilemma.

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, 16th May 1981

An Edinburgh University Railway Society day trip to Cumbria. We travelled to Carlisle, then in a Class 108 dmu to Ravenglass, but we arrived late. Some of managed to get tickets, but we watched our planned train leave the station without us. Douglas Ferreira, as General Manager, saved our day by letting us ride on a special train behind Synolda, arranged for another party, with directions made to change to a return train at Fisherground loop. This allowed us to get on our next planned BR train, onward to Carnforth.

Synolda is prepared for its journey at Ravenglass. The locomotive was built by Bassett Lowke at Northampton in 1912 to run on the estate of Sir Robert Walker at Sand Hutton, whose first wife was named Synolda.

River Mite at Ravenglass. The LMS coach on the right was subsequently broken up.

Lady Wakefield arrives at Ravenglass. Then only 9 months in use, and returned from its demo activity on the RHDR. More recently, it has been rebuilt with a larger hood.

Synolda pauses at Irton Road.

River Irt arriving at Fisherground Loop.

River Irt being turned at Ravenglass.

I have a handful of photographs from Carnforth, far from comprehensive, and only outdoors. May scan them at some point.

From Edinburgh to the Keighley & Worth Valley, 27th October 1979

From a current viewpoint in 2015, looking back at these photos from 36 years ago, this clearly seems like another era, but with links to two recent 2015 visits and events covered in these pages. In those days there was an Edinburgh University Railway Society, which made visits to locations of railway interests on Wednesday afternoons. Nowadays an internet search and review of the list suggests that there is no similar society. Another society then were the Deviationists, which you may be relieved to know spent their energies on the Ffestiniog Railway - not that I was going to have the time to travel there and join in. Looking further afield, the railway societies at Durham and Oxford are similarly no more, but Cambridge continues.

More adventurous for "Railsoc" were the Saturday tours, starting at an early hour, and heading on an extended day trip. Half-fare railcards at the ready! The first of these which I could attend was this trip to Keighley, which included my first travel by rail on the West Coast Main Line and Settle and Carlisle routes, As I recall it was a cold and dark start from Waverley, with frost on the sleepers around the Calders in early light. The first train locos were 47704 to Carstairs, then 87019.

It must have been getting on for 10am by the time we got to Appleby, now hauled by 47533. The service we were using was a Carlisle (or Glasgow) to Nottingham train, one of three trains a day of this pattern, which were withdrawn in 1982 in an attempt to run the line down for closure, but that was in the future and the S&C had more recently celebrated its centenary in 1976. These trains only called at Appleby and Settle, the other stations only saw recreational and occasional Saturday Dales Rail services. I believe that my motivation for taking the picture were the first example of S&C architecture seen, the then recent events for Bishop Treacy, and a previous visit made in 1973. Compare with my 2013 visit.

Waggon und Maschinenbau railbus 79964 ("DRB 64") is seen at much the same place as here on 3rd October 2015. Various Railway Society members are seen on the platform. I believe that we chose to dismiss the charms of the railbus, and wait for the first steam train of the day - I cannot see the detail of this timetable. Beyond the station, the mill chimney appears to be that adjacent to the Midland Railway yard, now demolished and replaced by an Asda.

When the steam train came, it was USA Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 5820 Big Jim, then recently restored to traffic, following an import from then communist Poland. I must admit to being rather disappointed, as I was hoping for a UK main line locomotive, since coming from Scotland, I had only experienced 60009 and 46464 for steam haulage to that date. Big Jim is seen on the run around at Keighley - built by Lima, works number 8758 of 1945, and later Tr203.474 in Poland. It was moved to the UK in November 1977, and used in the filming of 'Yanks' in 1978. The buildings beyond the railway station have all subsequently been cleared, and are now occupied by the Keighley campus of Leeds City College.

Our train progressed to Damems Loop where we crossed D0226 on a permanent way train. The concept of a preserved diesel locomotive was pretty novel to me at that time. One of my fellow Railsoc members, Ken, is touting an SLR for his version of this scene.

Upon arrival at Oakworth, children run to join the train - they will be in their early to mid-40s now. LMS 3F 0-6-0T 47279 (Vulcan Foundry, 1924) was an only an arrival of two months from Barry Scrapyard. We later returned to Oakworth and examined the locomotive which was missing many parts - it looked to my eyes like an impossible task, but it was restored to traffic in 1988, and has run through two periods in traffic, most recently coming out of service in 2011 and currently awaiting overhaul in the museum at Oxenhope. The telephone poles seem here have subsequently been removed, although pole routes exist elsewhere on the line.

BR 4MT 4-6-0 75078 in the shed yard at Haworth. marked 'No Handbrake', This was a Southern Region locomotive, built at Swindon in 1956, so was only 23 years old at this time! Ultimately allocated to Eastleigh from May 1965 until withdrawal in July 1966 and removal to Barry scrapyard. Rescued from the scrapyard in 1972 and returned to traffic in 1977. At this time, the locomotive was still running with its BR boiler tubes. Now through its third KWVR overhaul, and returned to traffic in 2015. The board on the right promotes Duckham's Lubricants. In those days, visitors could responsibly wander around the locomotive shed area.

All the locomotives seen were first sightings for the class, many also on the main line, and also my first familiarity with engines restored from Barry scrapyard. LMS 8F 8431 was built by the GWR at Swindon in 1944, and was allocated to the Western Region from 1955 until withdrawal in 1964. Removed from Barry to the Worth Valley in 1972, it was returned to traffic in 1975. At this time in 1979 8431 had recently received repairs for a frame fracture. It last worked in 2000 and is currently in the museum at Oxenhope. 

LMS 2MT 2-6-2T 41241 in red livery is a Worth Valley stalwart, It was built at BR Crewe in 1949 and allocated to the Western Region. In 1965 it was allocated to Skipton, and it is said it was worked to Keighley each day to work the Worth Valley turns, but the branch was by then closed, so the locomotive was kept idle there. Purchased from Skipton and delivered to the Worth Valley in March 1967, where it hauled the re-opening train in 1968. In January 1977 the boiler was lifted, a new bottom plate fitted to the smokebox, repairs made to the firebox, and when seen it was awaiting new large flue tubes. Reassembly took place place through 1978 and 1979, with new water tanks, cab side sheets and bunker. The locomotive was repainted black when returned to traffic.

Currently 41241 is under overhaul at Haworth ahead of the 50th anniversary events in 2018. In a poor example of preparing my shot, my briefcase is seen in the foreground (it was all I had then, a backpack would have been a better idea, but not on a student budget).

Midland Railway 4F 0-6-0 43924 constructed at Derby in October 1920, so at the time of this visit was 59 years old, It was the first locomotive to be recovered from Barry scrapyard, in September 1968, and was restored to steam in 1974. At this time the locomotive was running with superheater elements taken from 'Crab' 42765. The 55F shedplate is for Manningham, as also spelt out on the bufferbeam, a former Midland Railway Bradford shed, hence local to the location. Currently again in traffic. The crane receiving attention on the right has caused me some puzzling, as those on the railway today were delivered later. I have 1976 and 1981 dated stock books from this first and a later second visit, and the latter says that Cowan Sheldon 30 ton crane RS1087/30 of 1960 was acquired from BR at Longsight. It moved on in 1983 to the Severn Valley Railway.

Big Jim is seen heading up the valley at the Ebor Lane bridge. It appears that we must have walked from Haworth to Oakworth, although I have no recollection of this - just that we had some time to spare at Oakworth later.

We appear to have arrived at Oakworth for another view of 5820 on an uphill train. We would be waiting here for the return train to Keighley.

Edinburgh University Railsoc on tour. Unfortunately I remember very few names. On upper left was John (Hayes?), and next to him I think was James (?) Frisby. 2nd from right in the front row was Ken. If any of you are out there and reading this, my email is below. A motley collection of bags, including two marked 'Adidas'.

I do recall something about this picture. The far side of Oakworth station was then 'Oakworth Zoo' (listed here as the Brontë Zoo), and I was cautious of the attentions or otherwise of a billy goat there. Indeed others were too:

Push & Pull, Autumn 1979

I can just recall 5820 steaming into Oakworth for the return to Keighley. Ingrow was not an operating station in those days, there being no building there at that time. It did house the 'Ingrow Boiler Works', as seen here from the passing train, The boiler and frames are those of Hughes Fowler 'Crab' 42765, the recent star visitor to the Watercress Line Autumn Steam Gala, restoration being completed on the East Lancashire Railway some years later. Delivery to Ingrow was in 1978 and restoration activity was "being undertaken privately"through 1979 with an emphasis on the boiler, while the tender was located at Southport.

As can be seen this picture was taken against lowering sunlight,and was the last of my roll of 12 shot on 126 film - an extravagance and many trips went unrecorded on film. The boiler behind that of the Crab is believed to be that of 80002, which had serious firebox issues at that time, as acquired from BR days,

We would soon be in Keighley for the return trains - firstly to Skipton, then to change onto a train for the S&C. While at Skipton, 55016 Gordon Highlander passed on a tour. This was the L.C.G.B. Deltic Discoverer Rail Tour, which I believe that we passed somewhere around Ais Gill when it was northbound (more info: one two three four five six). The return over the S&C was in the dark, although I recall leaving the lights of Settle behind while climbing uphill, and the noise from the loco through Blea Moor tunnel, although until consulting my notes had no recollection that it was 45003.

My spotting list for the day follows - many less numbers from after dark on the return. The number of scrappings in the late 1980s and early 1990s representing a step change from this era of a nationalised multi-service railway, with much local variation, on a scale which could not be perceived on that day in 1979 - when it looked like Sulzer Type 2's and 4's would be forever.

The front cover of the Autumn 1979 edition of 'Push & Pull', magazine as obtained on this visit. Printed by Crown Press (Keighley) Limited, Chapel Lane, Keighley.

Archive Shot - 55006, 7th March 1979

55006 The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry seen at Haymarket shed, Edinburgh on the 7th March 1979, on an organised visit on a Wednesday afternoon. We were treated to a start of the Deltic.

31417 is beyond. 31s were relatively rare at Edinburgh, but the locomotive was likely to have worked a slow from Newcastle, often a class 46 turn. The locomotive was allocated to York at the time and the 55 was reallocated to there on the 13th of May that year.

Having said that 31s were relatively rare, they were not unkown in this period. My records show a pattern where I believe the locomotive returned south on 1E29 17:xx Edinburgh - Newcastle, which appears to have stopped with 17th March 1979 Penmanshiel Tunnel collapse.
31192   FP        14/12/78
31217   FP        08/01/79
31403   FP        05/02/79
31173   FP        06/02/79
31404   FP        07/02/79
31201   FP        08/02/79
31417   YK       07/03/79            - in photo
31190   FP        12/03/79

55006 made its last passenger working on 4th February 1981 on 1S77 23:55 Kings Cross - Edinburgh, returning to York on the 6th with ECS from Newcastle, and was withdrawn on the 8th, due for a classified repair. It was cut-up at Doncaster in July that year (30 years ago as I type this)

31417 was withdrawn in July 1996 and was cut up at Ron Hull, Rotherham in January 2006

From my notes the 47 is likely to be 47470.