Last Year of BR Regular Steam Passenger Working - Did Anything Run in 1968

[D854_Tiger]

We all know about the fifteen guinea special but what were the last BR steam hauled passenger workings that were not special charters.

 

The final timetabled workings or maybe relief trains or a last minute substitution. 

 

The VoR doesn't count and neither do any BR sponsored excursions that may have been operated post 1968.

 

I believe the last one of all was a portion working of a Glasgow - Liverpool train, from Preston to Exchange, and that was a regular booked working but were there any others.

[Rugd1022]

Like a bloody loon I've thrown it out, but a while ago I had a WH Smiths 'special' magazine which covered the death of steam and listed the last few months workings, I'm sure it mentioned that one of the very last was an Ivatt Flying Pig pre-heating some Mk1 Sleepers at Preston then working them southwards somewhere.

[The Johnster]

There were booked passenger workings right up until the end, 2nd August, for Black 5s between Liverpool Exchange and Preston, but on both occasions I tried to ride on one Class 25s were substituted.  Speeds were up around the 70mph mark.  The Flying Pig was probably 43106, which was at Lostock Hall for the last few months and kept in pretty good external nick.  Steam was used for general excursion and charter work in the area as well as the enthusiast specials, in particular for the Grand National trains to Aintree.

Edited October 1, 2017 by The Johnster

[Enterprisingwestern]

Like a bloody loon I've thrown it out, but a while ago I had a WH Smiths 'special' magazine which covered the death of steam and listed the last few months workings, I'm sure it mentioned that one of the very last was an Ivatt Flying Pig pre-heating some Mk1 Sleepers at Preston then working them southwards somewhere.

 

What, how could you???????

From memory of that magazine, the sleeping car was pre heated for a couple of days after the end and shunted by the steam engine onto a southbound working. I think that was about it passenger wise, but a few trip workings and shunts were done around Lostock Hall the following week.

 

Mike.

[D854_Tiger]

There were booked passenger workings right up until the end, 2nd August, for Black 5s between Liverpool Exchange and Preston, but on both occasions I tried to ride on one Class 25s were substituted.  Speeds were up around the 70mph mark.  The Flying Pig was probably 43106, which was at Lostock Hall for the last few months and kept in pretty good external nick.  Steam was used for general excursion and charter work in the area as well as the enthusiast specials, in particular for the Grand National trains to Aintree.

 

The 1967 Foinavon Grand National pile up.

 

The fence where that took place was right in front of where those Aintree specials were stabled.

 

In the old TV clips you can just about see what looks suspiciously like a flying pig, coupled to a maroon inspection salon and a rake of blue grey mk2 carriages.

 

 

About two minutes in.

[TheSignalEngineer]

About 1min 26sec, it's either an Ivatt 2MT or 78xxx. Crew standing on the tender probably got the best view of the whole incident. Aintree still had one Ivatt at the time so may be that.

[LMS2968]

There were booked passenger workings right up until the end, 2nd August, for Black 5s between Liverpool Exchange and Preston, but on both occasions I tried to ride on one Class 25s were substituted.  Speeds were up around the 70mph mark.  The Flying Pig was probably 43106, which was at Lostock Hall for the last few months and kept in pretty good external nick.  Steam was used for general excursion and charter work in the area as well as the enthusiast specials, in particular for the Grand National trains to Aintree.

The 9.0am Liverpool - Glasgows were Black Five worked on Mondays and Saturdays as far as Preston, right to the end, 3rd August. One glorious week in April 1968, there were no diesels available so they worked the other four days too. I was late for work every day that week! On the other hand, I got talking to the driver on the Friday, and as a result had a wonderful footplate run the following day on 4891. She was in appalling condition and knocked and banged her way to Preston. She was withdrawn in June.

[Chris Turnbull]

Much information on this topic appeared in this thread, in particular posts #162 and #299:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/91758-chris-ts-photo-archives-updated-6th-march/page-12

 

Chris Turnbull

[luckymucklebackit]

Good account here http://www.lep.co.uk/news/big-interview-lancashire-s-steam-train-era-1-76835

[Rugd1022]

What, how could you???????

From memory of that magazine, the sleeping car was pre heated for a couple of days after the end and shunted by the steam engine onto a southbound working. I think that was about it passenger wise, but a few trip workings and shunts were done around Lostock Hall the following week.

 

Mike.

 

I was having one of my periodical clear outs Mike!

[br2975]

Commencing January 1968, the surviving passenger trains diagrammed for steam haulage were;

1J05 06:15 Heysham Harbour - Manchester Victoria

1P02 20:55 Manchester Victoria - Heysham Harbour

.

1P08 09:00 MO LIverpool Exchange - Preston

1J42 12:17 MO Preston - Manchester Victoria

.

1P58 12:44 Preston - Blackpool South

.

1F51 21:23 SX Preston - Liverpool Exchange.

.

By May 1968, there were but two passenger workings diagrammed for steam haulage, both by Stanier Black 5s;

1P58 20:50 SO Preston - Blackpool South (worked by 45212 on Saturday August 3rd. 1968)

.

1F51 21:23 SO Preston - Liverpool Exchange (worked by 45318 on Saturday August 3rd. 1968)

Edited October 2, 2017 by br2975