Class 44 wanderings towards the end of their working lives

[TravisM]

I've always wondered how far Toton's allocation of Class 44's wandered towards the end of their working lives?  I remember being surprised to see a Class 44 at Severn Tunnel Junction stabling point (I can't remember which one) in the mid 70's and I was told that this was not  unusual for the class.

 

I've seen pictures of them at Peterborough on Toton - Whitemore workings but where else did they work on their usual hum drum of workings?

 

Julian Sprott

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

Picture a day of freezing fog between Xmas and New year 1968

 

Lack of funds was key but boredom set in - what could I do? Working out the sums said I had just enough for a steak and kidney pie and a return from Droitwich to Stourbridge Junction - at the time there was a stabling point there although all passenger traffic was DMUs - 116s by then

 

So setting off on another big adventure - with a flask of hot chocolate too - duly arrived at Stourbridge Junction. Still UQ semaphores so when they cleared DMUs and a few 25s appeared out of the freezing murk - until on one occasion something very different loomed...much bigger power on a coal train. It was D4 Great Gable. I think this rates as one of my most memorable cops - and just to rub it in she returned east half an hour later light engine, reckon her train of coal was for Stourport power station and went as far as Kidderminster.

 

And on traffic to Severn Tunnel Junction? My lifetime spotting chum Brian Thomas captured this working with 44006 from the road bridge just south of Abbotswood Junction

 

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

 

 

[br2975]

And on traffic to Severn Tunnel Junction?

 

44006.jpg

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

 

Currently there is a thread running on the FB group "Railways in South Wales" seeking info, and photos of unusual workings into the South Wales (Cardiff Division) area.

.

Several members have referred to Cl.44s working to STJ - whilst it is common knowledge that they worked to Gloucester and occasionally onward to STJ,  as yet no one has come up with examples e.g. numbers, dates and workings.

 

Brian R

Edited June 12, 2017 by br2975

[Peter Kazmierczak]

A regular working towards their demise was the evening Spondon - Toton - Tinsley freight.

This took empty acetic acid tanks from Courtaulds plant at Spondon, picking up other wagons at Toton, then heading down the Erewash Valley line and via Barrow Hill to Tinsley.

[Downendian]

There is this 1960s shot at Horton road

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/21342-class-40444546-on-secondarytertiary-services/?p=209916

I'd love to hear any details of STJ workings, I've got a fleet of 44s to use on such workings on my layout. On my dozens of trips there by bike or train, I never saw one.

Neil

[jonny777]

There is this 1960s shot at Horton road

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/21342-class-40444546-on-secondarytertiary-services/?p=209916

I'd love to hear any details of STJ workings, I've got a fleet of 44s to use on such workings on my layout. On my dozens of trips there by bike or train, I never saw one.

Neil

 

There are several claims that D10 was present at a Bath Road Open Day around 1968/9, and even appeared on the official BR list of locos; but was actually in a locked building with no access to the public.

 

(Yes I know this all sounds very strange, but BR did do some strange things in those days).

 

I don't know which loco that is on Horton Road, but if the loco was treated in this clandestine manner by Bristol District, it did occur to me that it might have been photographed on its way to/from this event, rather than arriving on a booked working from Toton.

 

However, the OP asks about workings towards the end of their working lives; which I take to be 1976-1980. In those days they all seemed to be at Toton whenever I visited, and I gained the impression that they did not stray too far away from there on a daily basis. 

 

Edited to add that the DerbySulzers page has a number of final workings,   www.derbysulzers.com/class44.html

with Whitemoor being a favourite destination.

Edited June 12, 2017 by jonny777

[Supaned]

Certainly in their later years , 44s were hampered by a lack of traincrew traction knowledge , with I believe only Toton men signing them.

 

I've seen photos of them at Nuneaton whilst working coal trains to Three Spires Junction , and a now retired colleague from work told a brilliant tale of how a driver booked on at Bescot to work the evening freight across to Toton , only to come back to see the Supervisor stating that he couldn't take the train as he didn't sign the loco , which was a class 44. The supervisor replied "Well you bl**dy well brought it here last night"...presumably the cabs being very similar to 45s and 46s (which BS men did sign) , in the dark , one peak looks much like any other.

[Zomboid]

....in the dark , one peak looks much like any other.

The same could be said in daylight, particularly once the noses were sealed.

[Poor Old Bruce]

I've got a picture of one at Stoke-on-Trent.

[russ p]

If you were relieving a train in the dark you probably wouldn't know the locomotive number so mistaking one for a 45 would be easy whereas taking one from a depot you would be given the number

[kevinlms]

Certainly in their later years , 44s were hampered by a lack of traincrew traction knowledge , with I believe only Toton men signing them.

 

I've seen photos of them at Nuneaton whilst working coal trains to Three Spires Junction , and a now retired colleague from work told a brilliant tale of how a driver booked on at Bescot to work the evening freight across to Toton , only to come back to see the Supervisor stating that he couldn't take the train as he didn't sign the loco , which was a class 44. The supervisor replied "Well you bl**dy well brought it here last night"...presumably the cabs being very similar to 45s and 46s (which BS men did sign) , in the dark , one peak looks much like any other.

So did he take it back?

[eastwestdivide]

When I was in Leicester in 1980, that Toton-Three Spires coal (in HTVs I think) mentioned above was a fairly regular working for the remaining few locos.

[jonny777]

I like the idea of 44004 rescuing a failed Lincoln-Sleaford DMU. That would have been some historic haulage for any passengers (if there were any, of course).

 

I can't get that previous link to work although I have had half a dozen goes at just pasting it into the text, which is usually fine.

 

One last try for luck,

 

www.derbysulzers.com/class44.html

 

 

(nope, no joy for me again - I may go for a lie down).

Edited June 12, 2017 by jonny777

[coachmann]

On arriving at Manchester Central one teatime in 1959 to unload our BR parcels van, my driver told me to go and see what the red carpet was all about. Harold Macmillan walked past me, the first time I had seen a prime minister and the first time I had seen a diesel loco, namely D1.

 

The second time I saw a '44 was on a final run at Chester circa 1979(?)

Edited June 12, 2017 by coachmann

[caradoc]

Certainly in their later years , 44s were hampered by a lack of traincrew traction knowledge , with I believe only Toton men signing them.

 

I've seen photos of them at Nuneaton whilst working coal trains to Three Spires Junction , and a now retired colleague from work told a brilliant tale of how a driver booked on at Bescot to work the evening freight across to Toton , only to come back to see the Supervisor stating that he couldn't take the train as he didn't sign the loco , which was a class 44. The supervisor replied "Well you bl**dy well brought it here last night"...presumably the cabs being very similar to 45s and 46s (which BS men did sign) , in the dark , one peak looks much like any other.

 

Were the cab layouts and controls so different that a Driver would know (and sign) 45s and 46s but not 44s, or would it have been more a paperwork issue ?

[TheSignalEngineer]

I like the idea of 44004 rescuing a failed Lincoln-Sleaford DMU. That would have been some historic haulage for any passengers (if there were any, of course).

 

I can't get that previous link to work although I have had half a dozen goes at just pasting it into the text, which is usually fine.

 

One last try for luck,

 

www.derbysulzers.com/class44.html

 

 

(nope, no joy for me again - I may go for a lie down).

See if this works

 

http://www.derbysulzers.com/class44.html

 

 

On arriving at Manchester Central one teatime in 1959 to unload our BR parcels van, my driver told me to go and see what the red carpet was all about. Harold Macmillan walked past me, the first time I had seen a prime minister and the first time I had seen a diesel loco, namely D1.

 

The second time I saw a '44 was on a final run at Chester circa 1979(?)

20th January 1978 Larry. You even got a photo credit on the site linked above.

 

That day the route also included Woodhead.

[luckymucklebackit]

I remember being on a bus heading to my work at British Steel Clydesdale Works, and just as we passed over the railway line at Holytown I got a great surprise as just about to go under the bridge was 44008 being hauled DIT by an electric loco towards Mossend.  Found out the following day why, it was heading to the Strathspey Railway but stopping off to be on display at Glasgow Works Open Day on Saturday 27th June 1981.

 

Jim

[Rivercider]

I've got a picture of one at Stoke-on-Trent.

I recall that it was  Etruria that  was one of the regular turns for class 44s towards the end, presumably as it was an out and back turn for Toton men

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98636950@N04/9284858179/in/photolist-fzt19t-9aCe2y-f9tjRH-f9HxeW

44002 at Etruria 1975

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98636950@N04/9284859325/in/photolist-fytnjr-f9tkct

44007 at Etruria 24/3/1978

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98636950@N04/9559280140/in/photolist-fyHNWQ

44009 Etruria 6/6/78

 

 

cheers

Edited June 13, 2017 by Rivercider

[Mick Boyd]

The only noticeable cab difference was that the 1 to 10's had the older style vac. brake valve and the controller had a slightly different shape to the 11 to 137's, it was the similar to the one found on class 26's.

 

I was the secondman on 44004 when it was used to rescue the failed DMU at Sleaford, we were returning LE to Toton over the 'joint' from Whitemore when the bobby stopped us at Sleaford and asked if we would assist the failed DMU to Lincoln.  Of course we agreed, it made us a bit more overtime and also increased our mileage payment, the driver was non other than Bing Crosby, yes, you read that correctly but not the more well known one.

 

The DMU driver conducted us to Lincoln and once we'd backed the DMU into the depot and uncoupled a Lincoln man appeared and conducted us back to Sleaford-happy days!

 

Mick.

['CHARD]

Posted on Facebook over the weekend were then and now photos of a Derby Loco employee taken 37 years apart on 44008.

 

The first shows him at the trailing cab of the loco as it backs onto the Class 45 train engine of a St Pancras bound express at Derby, following the last scheduled works attention of any 44, for a test run.  The second, shows the same chap, photographed by his adult son, in the cab of D8 at Butterley (I think).

 

If I can locate them I'll ask permission to share them up here.

Edited June 12, 2017 by 'CHARD

[owentherail]

Pic of one at Oxford in an OPC book somewhere.

['CHARD]

They still made it to Bescot in the later years, via Lichfield and Walsall from Toton, rather than by way of Sutton Park;  I never saw one on the Wichnor - Water Orton - Ryecroft route.

[Phil Bullock]

The only noticeable cab difference was that the 1 to 10's had the older style vac. brake valve and the controller had a slightly different shape to the 11 to 137's, it was the similar to the one found on class 26's.

 

I was the secondman on 44004 when it was used to rescue the failed DMU at Sleaford, we were returning LE to Toton over the 'joint' from Whitemore when the bobby stopped us at Sleaford and asked if we would assist the failed DMU to Lincoln.  Of course we agreed, it made us a bit more overtime and also increased our mileage payment, the driver was non other than Bing Crosby, yes, you read that correctly but not the more well known one.

 

The DMU driver conducted us to Lincoln and once we'd backed the DMU into the depot and uncoupled a Lincoln man appeared and conducted us back to Sleaford-happy days!

 

Mick.

 

A post like this adds such a great dimension to our modelling - always great to hear it from t'other side of the fence

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

[D854_Tiger]

Were the cab layouts and controls so different that a Driver would know (and sign) 45s and 46s but not 44s, or would it have been more a paperwork issue ?

 

Drivers also have to know their way around the locomotive and engine compartments, locations of electrical trip outs, breaking systems, heating systems, switches and generally how to switch off or on all the various functions of the locomotive should anything go wrong or trip out.

 

Also to be able to diagnose faults and the procedures to quickly deal with them which, if not carried out correctly, could result in many thousands of pounds worth of damage.

 

It may be cab layouts are very familiar but the other stuff quite different.

 

I believe drivers even have to sign off on some sub-classes, although it could involve as little as half a day of familiarisation, at best, or several days at worst.

[D854_Tiger]

Us New St trainspotting kids quickly worked out that one turned up most days at Bescot.

 

Got to see seven of them that way and, armed with a Midland Railtourer ticket followed by a rather long walk from Long Eaton to Toton, on a Sunday, enabled us to bag the rest, where most would be laid up for the weekend.