Three trips to Oxford in 1964

In 1964, my employment, at a manufacturing company based in St Pauls Square, Birmingham, required me to work on Saturday mornings. So, apart from holidays, my Train timing and spotting expeditions were limited to Saturday afternoons and Sundays.

In June 1964, I decided that a Saturday afternoon trip from Birmingham Snow Hill to Oxford, with a spell on Oxford station might be worthwhile. Whilst many of the trains that passed through Oxford could be seen at Birmingham, Oxford had the advantage of being a locomotive change point for trains to and from the Southern region. And there were also the Hymeks on the Paddington to Worcester line services.

So on Saturday 8th August 1964, I headed south from Snow Hill on the 10.25am Manchester to Bournemouth, booked non stop to Oxford. 4093 Dunster Castle was the loco, and we pulled into Oxford at 2.52pm, 2 minutes late. 4093 came off, and was replaced by 34044 Woolacombe. Meanwhile, in came Unrebuilt West Country no 34103 Calstock on the northbound through line. The expected loco change did not take place, and 34103 headed north at 3.06pm. 73013 then appeared on a southbound van train at 3.13pm, to be followed at 3.27pm by 7922 on a Bradford to Poole, which went south with 34018 Axminster. In the yards north of Oxford station were 7008, 6979, 6910, 7906, 6145, 6154, 48349, 4649, 92214, and D7023.

The journey back to Snow Hill was on the 11.05am Weymouth to Wolverhampton, a service notorious for its late running. 6937 Conyngham Hall, in excellent external condition,turned up 54 minutes late on a 10 coach train. But the running back to Birmingham was excellent, particularly from Banbury onwards, and the crew pulled back 8 minutes. The climb up Hatton bank was superb. The 46 mph at the top of the bank was the highest I ever recorded in BR steam days.

An excellent afternoon. Must do it again. So I did, a week later.

So on 15th August 1964, I headed south from Snow Hill again, this time with 6857 Tudor Grange on the 9.05am Birkenhead to Poole, a 10 coach train. This service called at Solihull and Leamington Spa, but not Banbury.

Jubilee no 45674 Duncan, and 4F 0-6-0 no 44580 had been seen in Bordesley yards, and at Oxford, 34041 Wilton took over the 9.05am Birkenhead to Poole. Then 34040 Crewkerne arrived on the Bournemouth to Birkenhead service, being replaced by 7904 Fountains Hall. Next was 34098 Templecombe on the 10.25am Bournemouth to Bradford, taken over by B1 class 61094.

The southbound Pines Express arrived behind a Brush type 4, and was headed south with 34042 Dorchester. Hymek D7078 called on the 1.10pm Worcester to Paddington, and 6926 Holkham Hall passed on an unidentified northbound service.

D7037 called on the 1.15pm Paddington to Hereford, and 2-8-0 no 48460 passed on a southbound ballast working. 34008 Padstow came in on the Bournemouth to Newcastle, which went north behind 7813 Freshford Manor with 13 coaches. The 10.25am Manchester to Bournemouth arrived with 5056 Earl of Powis, and headed south behind 34040 Crewkerne. 73019 called on a Bournemouth to Huddersfield service. 6974 Bryngwyn Hall came in a Bradford to Bournemouth, which departed behind 34098 Templecombe. 73012 arrived on an up Van train.

My return journey to Birmingham was again on the 11.05am Weymouth to Wolverhampton, this time only 29 mins late. Modest running with 6967 Willesley Hall meant we were still 29 late at Snow Hill.

Another splendid afternoon, particularly for Bulleid pacifics.

And I did it yet again, though this time there was a 3 week gap (2 Saturday afternoons by the Lickey). On Saturday 5th September 1964, 7023 took me south from Snow Hill, on the 9.05am Birkenhead to Poole, which was taken over by 34046 Braunton. Callington arrived on the 10.25am Poole to Bradford, which was taken forward by 7912 Little Linford Hall. The southbound Pines came in with a Brush type 4 D1711, and went forward with 34044 Woolacombe. 34042 Dorchester brought in the 10.35am Poole to Sheffield, and continued north. Hymeks D7061 and D7094 were on the 1.15pm Paddington to Hereford, and 1.10pm Worcester to Paddington services respectively. 34034 Honiton arrived on the 11.16am Bournemouth to Newcastle, which 6923 Croxteth Hall took over. 5026 Criccieth Castle arrived on the 10.25am Manchester to Bournemouth, to be replaced by 34024 Tamar Valley. 48412 arrived 3.28 on an up Van train, and the 10.00am Bradford to Bournemouth arrived behind 6924 Grantley Hall, and departed with 34047 Callington.

The return journey to Birmingham was, as usual, on the 11.05am Weymouth to Wolverhampton, this time with a Grange, 6855 Saighton Grange, which failed to pick up any of the 47 minute late departure from Oxford.

At Snow Hill, I saw 1011 County of Chester on the 5.15pm service to Stratford and Evesham. This was my last ever sighting of a County class 4-6-0 working a train.

Does anyone know whether the Bulleid pacifics which worked north from Oxford , 34103 on 8/8/1964, and 34042 on 5/9/1964 went any further north than Banbury?

And so ended my Summer of 1964. By 1965, I no longer had to work on Saturday mornings, but by then it was almost too late.