Trainspotting in Nottm in the 50's and 60's and the ECML


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Groan, you all say, another bloody train thread, fair enough.

For us keen types, and there are several on here, it was a way of life during this period, quite innocent and promoted by kids programmes such as 'Raiway Roundabout', cut outs in the Eagle Comic and a very enthusiastic dad.

Nottingham was great for watching the trains go by, we were lucky, probably one of the best places in the country, but the real glamour high speed expresses were on the ECML at Grantham or Newark. The latter was a pain as you had to walk across the town from Newark Castle Station, Grantham was the business, once you were through that tunnel, your Nottingham train could be trotting alongside some of the most famous trains in the country, 'Flying Scotsman', 'The Elizabethan', et al, it was quite exciting when you were a kid and we were full of awe at being able to witness these beasts hurtling past at high speed. Heres a few pics from Grantham, I have more along the ECML if you are interested.

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The ultimate, Mallard, the fastest steam loco in the world to this day, clearly admired by the young fan.

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Forget Tornado, this is the real first member of the class, 60114, W.P.Allen hammering through Grantham in 63.

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A3 60047 Donovan, preparing to change engines, which is what Grantham was all about.

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60066, Merry Hampton, another loco named after a racehorse, having changed engines at Grantham, the driver is walking up to the front to put the express headcode lamps on the engine.

If anyone is interested, I have more.

Incidentally, I took all these pictures myself with a variety of crappy cameras, they ain't that bad.

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And the front view

Groan, you all say, another bloody train thread, fair enough. For us keen types, and there are several on here, it was a way of life during this period, quite innocent and promoted by kids programmes

I remember seeing Mallard at York Station in the early '60s - magic indeed! My favorite spotting location was Trent Station - also a place with lots of activity!

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Great memories Pete...thanks for posting.

Never confident enough to take my Box Brownie (complete with sticking plaster) to the ECML!

Do you recall the Grantham Station-Master, who was built like a double wardrobe, Gilbert?

Seemed very strict with the urchins at his platform ends but who, on reflection, was quite tolerant.

Also enjoyed many trips to Newark Northgate, where the added bonus was the Donny ex-works trial trips to Barkston Jct, and back. Any pristine Pacific, running light, could turn up - usually on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons. Bachelor's Button or Carlisle Canal's rather mysterious Flamingo, anyone?

Do post more of your ECML snaps...as and when.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Never strayed from New Basford, spent hours on the field at end of Malton Road or on station of same name, did see Mallard and Dominion of Canada at Doncaster en route to Hull one year (went every year visiting relations and train spotted at Hessle Rd Level Crossing, if you knew it) also another year saw one of the ex Coronation Scots at Leeds owhen we went via former LMS route

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New Basford was as good a place as any for the GC, I'd have thought.

My own favourites were Arnold Road (on the way home from school) and Bulwell Common.

Didn't know the level crossing, but went to Hull Paragon and Botanic Gardens shed a few times.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Pete,

Further to my earlier comment on the ex-works test trip through Newark:

Grantham shed employed a mechanical engineer named Roy Ingamells, who lived in Aslockton, and who was known as the best loco 'tuner' in the business. Apparently he could reset the valves on any poor running engine, using tools of his own design and construction, and have it running like a Swiss watch within 30 minutes.

He was often summoned by phone to Barkston in order to cure a running problem found on an ex-works trial loco - before it was turned on the triangle for the return - that was beyond the Donny Plant 'experts'.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Lets not forget those other wonderful monsters of ECML rock:-

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A2 Pacific, 60518, Tehran, at Peterborough in 1958, snapped with the Brownie, and:

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The doer of all things and seen often at Nottingham Vic, the V2, York shed 1966, a sister engine behind, taken with my elastic band powered Prinzflex, this spot, incidentally is now the roundhouse forming the centre point of the NRM, I preffered it when it was mucky and used like this.

Come back Plantfitt, the storm could be over, I await your comments.

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...I preffered it when it was mucky and used like this...

Yes indeed, know exactly what you mean...

Whenever I visit NRM, always consider it rather too 'spotless' for my liking.

This feature also extends to preserved working loco's, all of which seem to be pristine and lacking in realism

The GCR at Loughborough once allowed Butler-Henderson to become weathered, until a group of elderly female travellers wrote to the Leicester Mercury complaining that 'their' hauling engine was dirty and neglected!

Some of the people all of the time and all of... etc.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Just to reinforce our feelings, the true spirit of York shed;

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The thing was, go to York and you would meet the expected:

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Then swing the camera round and find something that was a bit of a surprise:

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In the last year of Yorks steam allocation, it still went on, the expected:

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Then something like this:

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Can you believe that locos such as this were still operating in the final years of steam in the UK.

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That's more like it...muck and grime everywhere!

Patriot Royal Signals (complete with original Fowler tender!) was, by then, a Bristol Barrow Road loco and was undoubtedly working in to York with the daily Bristol-Newcastle, where a Pacific took over for the final leg. 45504 returning home with a later parcels service.

60145 (ex Saint Mungo) became the last working A1 (before Tornado!) and spent its last fornight waiting, to no avail, for some action at Darlington Bank Top.

Great shots with a Box Brownie...often wished I'd have been braver with mine!

Cheers

Robt P.

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Rob

The picture of Royal Signals was taken of it entering the station from the north, it was clearly hauling stock, whether it had worked all the way down from Newcastle is another story. I don't ever recall seeing an unrebuilt Patriot in the Nottingham area, the only one's I saw were at Crewe or Tamworth.

St Mungo is an enigma, I have other pictures of it that I offered to the Tornado society to help with fund raising. These were taken on Whit Tuesday 1966, the society scoffed saying that they couldn't be as it's chimney and motion had already been removed by that time, I know what I saw and when I saw it, you have added to the mystery by saying that it ended up at Darlington, I wonder what the true story of the last real A1 was.

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Whit Tuesday 1966, York sheds, taken with my elastic band driven Prinzflex.

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I know, not ECML but a nice looking loco all the same, Last Sunday at the NRM, Duchess of Hamilton, not sure whether she will ever be in steam in this state I have heard the streamlining might be removed, would be nice to see her running like that though, Pete, save me a copy of your first book!!!!

Rog

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Welcome back friend.

Wow, I've been dying to see this for a long time, how was it taken up to York from Tyseley, by bloody road I expect, I'm most impressed, did you come across it by chance or what.

Surely they haven't wasted the opportunity to make this magnificent beast actually run.

Interesting by the way, to compare this picture to my pics of the old and mucky days.

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Yes indeed, know exactly what you mean...

Whenever I visit NRM, always consider it rather too 'spotless' for my liking.

Yeah, but this way Mary actually LIKES going to the NRM - if it was "original" I doubt I'd be able to get her near the place!

Considering the cost of entry - it is pretty impressive!

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It's only there until December 31st, Rob the oracle told me about it so I just had to see it, they've parked it just in front of the wooden bridge inside the main hall so plenty of photo vantage points, surprisingly enough no one seemed that interested in it as you can see from my picture, the paintwork is fantastic, and a short walk across the hall to see that other famous streamliner Mallard which by contrast looks so sleek.

Flying Scotsman has made no further progress from the last pictures that were posted on here, the Deltic "Kings own Yorkshire light infantry" looked nice and clean but nothing compared to when I saw her on one of her last trips up the ECML going full chat through Grantham painted green with a white cab roof,

Great pics by the way Pete, (still waiting for that book)

Rog

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Don't know what was pulling it but some "special" came through Radcliffe on Trent heading for nottm a bit ago,heard the "rumble" but by time I looked up had missed the loco but lots of well lit pullman type coaches with diesel tagged on the end

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Ayup Ashley, It's probably the Lincoln Christmas market special I think 60019, (is that Union of south Africa?) it's definitely an A4, there is 3 steam hauled to Lincoln over the next few days while the market is on

Rog

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Rob

The picture of Royal Signals was taken of it entering the station from the north, it was clearly hauling stock, whether it had worked all the way down from Newcastle is another story. I don't ever recall seeing an unrebuilt Patriot in the Nottingham area, the only one's I saw were at Crewe or Tamworth.

Very doubtful she'd have worked through to Newcastle. More likely bringing in empty stock of another south-west bound working, commencing at York.

In the summer of '57', was hauled throughout by the infamous The Derbyshire Yeomanry on the 07.43 Nottingham-Bristol and also saw her in Nottingham Midland on at least two other occasions. Unrebuilt's Home Guard and Bradshaw worked in on FA Cup soccer specials, when Forest beat Bolton 2-0 in '59.

Recall witnessing aforementioned Royal Signals stood in a centre road, perhaps during in her brief Derby days.

Pity I'm not an anorak :tease: else I'd be diving in to my Trains Illustrated set!

St Mungo is an enigma, I have other pictures of it that I offered to the Tornado society to help with fund raising. These were taken on Whit Tuesday 1966, the society scoffed saying that they couldn't be as it's chimney and motion had already been removed by that time, I know what I saw and when I saw it, you have added to the mystery by saying that it ended up at Darlington, I wonder what the true story of the last real A1 was.

Have seen several pictures of her waiting by the Darlington turntable in her last fortnight.

The narratives confirming she was still in service and acting as a 'standby', but wasn't needed.

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Does anybody know how effective the streamlining on locos such as that pictured, and Mallard, was?

Speed increase, fuel consumption decrease, etc.?

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...Last Sunday at the NRM, Duchess of Hamilton...

Superb picture Rog...thanks for posting.

In that original condition she is even before the time of Nottstalgia's Geriatric Division.

Nevertheless, would be great to see her running at 70mph, with the streamlining.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Yeah, but this way Mary actually LIKES going to the NRM - if it was "original" I doubt I'd be able to get her near the place!...

Fair comment Eric...

Certainly visitor numbers would descend to single figures if it were less than clean...

Perhaps Pete and I, plus seven others... :rolleyes:

Cheers

Robt P.

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Does anybody know how effective the streamlining on locos such as that pictured, and Mallard, was? Speed increase, fuel consumption decrease, etc.?

In general terms there were measurable improvements.

Both Sir Nigel Gresley of the LNER and Sir William Stanier of the LMS based their 1930's designs, and concept, around a series of streamlined German locomotives which had been operational during the 20's.

Certainly Gresley's A4's were subject to many tests, including Mallard's record run, which were measured by a specially built dynamometer car - containing numerous logging devices - which was attached directly behind the engine.

The car is preserved in pristine condition at the NRM...perhaps less of a dunce than I might post a picture.

Prime reason for total streamlining removal on the LMS, and removal of the wheel valances on the LNER, was to improve access to the driving motions in the dark days of WWII.

Cheers

Robt P.

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