| Whilst I had seen the
occasional Class 58 on the "Drags" between Birmingham New Street and
Nuneaton, I was not aware that they were ever used on other passenger
workings. On 22nd June 1991, I had been "Hoovering" (ie travelling
behind class 50s) on the Waterloo to Exeter line. I had started my day at Banbury (ie Network Card territory, therefore one third fare discount). 47839 took me to Basingstoke, then 50003 from Basingstoke to Woking, 50030 from Woking to Feniton, 50031 from Feniton back to Basingstoke, with 50017 assisting as far as Salisbury. From Basingstoke, 47471 took me on to Reading, where my intention was to wait for the next class 50 hauled service to Oxford. Then onwards with a 47 back to Banbury. |
||||
|
And when 58001 came in on the Paddington to Liverpool, I couldn't
believe my luck. What followed was truly amazing. A fast start, then an
easing for Scours Lane Junction, then no less than 90mph at Pangbourne.
We were then checked through Goring and again at Cholsey. But once
passed the junctions at Didcot, off we went again, this time reaching
87mph beyond Radley. After the Oxford stop, the fun continued, with
another 87mph at Bletchington. A dead stand at Aynho for signals was the
prelude to an 82mph beyond Kings Sutton.
But as we approached the Banbury stop, I had a decision to make. Should I alight and pick up my car, and continue my drive home by road, as planned? Or should I continue to Leamington Spa, or even Birmingham New Street, and then back-track to Banbury in the evening, with the prospect of a very late arrival home, and a good "telling off". To my everlasting regret, I alighted at Banbury. So I shall never know how fast 58001 went down Fosse Road bank. |
||||
| Below is the Log of 58001 as far as Banbury. The speeds are based upon quarter milepost readings from a 1/100th sec stopwatch. | ||||
READING-BANBURY: 17.50 PADDINGTON-LIVERPOOL
Engine: Class 58 No 58001
Load: 7 coaches, 242 tons tare, 255 tons full
-----------------------------------------------------
miles m/sec mi/hr
-----------------------------------------------------
0.00 READING GENERAL 0:00
1.77 mp 37.75 (Scours Lane) 2:23 62/61
2.67 Tilehurst 3:11 71
5.56 Pangbourne 5:18 90
8.77 Goring sigs 43*
12.46 Cholsey sigs 15*
15.41 Moreton Cutting 17:55 70
16.83 Didcot E Jc RR 19:10 65*
17.91 Didcot N Jc 20:04
19.11 Appleford 20:56 85
20.12 Culham 21:39 86/85
22.35 Radley 23:12 87/86
24.97 Kennington Jc RR 24:59 87/84
27.42 OXFORD 28:15
----- -----
0.00 0:00
1.16 Oxford N Jc 1.53 60
2.87 Wolvercot Jc RR 3.22 80
5.54 Kidlington 5.17 87/82
7.63 Bletchington OB 6:43 87
9.11 Tackley 7:45 83
11.74 Heyford 9:36 87/84
72*
14.64 Fritwell 11:52 76
16.80 Aynho sigs 15*
17.64 Aynho Jc sigs 0*
19.18 Kings Sutton 19:24 64
20.99 mp 84.5 20:47 82
22.69 BANBURY 22:35
----- -----
Date: 22nd June 1991
dep: Reading 6.32pm
arr: Banbury 7.24pm
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
58001 at the Doncaster 150 event in 2003 |
||||
