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Hard Working Steam: Classes 5 and 6 |
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| Having previously covered Classes 1, 2, 3, and 4, it is now the turn of classes 5 and 6. | ||||
| JUBILEE CLASS 4-6-0 no 45647 Sturdee. By 1964 45647 was a Farnley Junction Engine. And on 12th July it was booked on the Leeds to Crewe section of the Stephenson Locomotive Society Pacific Pennine Railtour. The performance of the locomotive up to Standedge Tunnel, and indeed throughout to Crewe, was as immaculate as it's appearance. I have described elsewhere how I regard the sounds of a hard working Jubilee to be "the finest sound on earth". This was one of those days that proved it. | ||||
| JUBILEE CLASS 4-6-0 no 45647 Sturdee. In the mid 1950's, 45647 was allocated to 3B, Bushbury shed, and worked the Wolverhampton to London Euston services, which included the Birmingham "2 hour" trains. On 22nd June 1955, 45647 worked the 7.55am from Wolverhampton, which I joined at Birmingham New Street. From Coventry, we ran excellently, 82mph at Castlethorpe, 60 mph over Tring summit, and 82 mph again at both Apsley and Brent. Despite a stand for signals at Camden, we were into Euston 3 minutes early. Excellent work with an 11 coach load which was slightly over the Jubilee limit. | ||||
| JUBILEE CLASS 4-6-0 no 45709 Implacable. Another member of the 3B Bushbury squad. On a sultry July day in 1955, I returned from Euston to Birmingham on the 2.20pm two hour service. And again the 11 coach load was a few tons over the Jubilee limit. With Permanent Way slowings at Sears Crossinf and Kilsby South, it needed good work to achieve the Right Time arrival at Birmingham New Street. | ||||
| 5MT CLASS 4-6-0's 45074 & 45310. On a February morning in 1957, the 7.55am Wolverhampton to Euston loaded to 14 coaches. A pair of Fives, 45074 and 45310 were up front. A 4 minute late departure from Coventry provided the opportunity for some fast running. 82 mph at Heyford, 74 mph over Roade summit, 81 mph at Castlethorpe. But a 10 mph track slowing at Cheddington, and a dead stand for signals at Berkhamstead, put paid to timekeeping. But the crews made a dash for it, with 89 mph through Wembley. But we were 5 late into Euston. | ||||
| B1 CLASS 4-6-0 no 61088. On 6th September 1957, I travelled from Marylebone to Rugby Central on the 3.20pm service to Manchester. Right from the off, it was clear that we were in for a good run. With excellent work up to Amersham summit, passed at 43mph, we were early into Aylesbury. But what followed on to Brackley was extraordinary. We reached 70mph, then went up the 1 in 176 past Finmere station to the summit without falling below 64 mph, then down the dip beyond, reached 80 mph before making a very fast entry into Brackley station. The experts tell me that the Horsepower involved might well be a record for the class. | ||||
| HALL CLASS 4-6-0 no 4987 Brockley Hall: On 9th June 1957, King class 4-6-0 no 6011 suffered injector problems whilst working the 8am Paddington service from Birmingham Snow Hill. A note was thrown to the Leamington Spa South signalman, requesting a fresh engine at Banbury. So we pulled up at Banbury South, where we found a grubby looking 4987 waitinf for us. 6011 came off, and Brockley Hall came on. And proved how deceptive appearances can be by keeping to schedule with an 11 coach load. After an 81 mph through Denham, we were just 7 minutes late into Paddington. | ||||
| HALL CLASS 4-6-0 no 6937 Conyngham Hall. On Saturday 8th August 1964, I travelled from Oxford to Birmingham Snow Hill on the very late running 11.05am Weymouth to Wolverhampton service. 6937 pulled back 8 minutes of the 54 minute late departure, the highlight being 46 mph over Hatton summit. | ||||
| 5MT CLASS 4-6-0 no 44816: On 2nd November 1958< I travelled behind 44816 on the Up "Palatine" from Manchester Central to Leicester. And I found out just how hard the XL Schedules were, even with a load of only 8 coaches. Hard work and lots of noise up to Chinley, and then up to Peak Forest. But the timings on to Derby were just as tight, and required more hard running. | ||||
| BR 5MT 4-6-0 no 73022: The Itinerary of the Southern Counties Touring Society "Southern Wanderer" railtour of 28th March 1965, included 73022 from Victoria to Evercreech Junction, via Dorking, Horsham, Chichester, Havant, Southampton, Bournemouth Central, Broadstone, and the Somerset & Dorset line to Templecombe. Top speed was 83 mph near Warnham, and the locomotive work was superb throughout. | ||||
| KING ARTHUR CLASS 4-6-0 no 30770 Sir Prianius: On Saturday 15th July 1961, 30770 worked the 1.11pm Portsmouth Harbour to Birmingham Moor Street as far as Basingstoke. The running was vigorous between as far as Eastleigh, them more so up to Roundwood summit. The best work was accelerating to 52 mph on the 1 in 252. | ||||
| CLAN CLASS 4-6-2: A special mention is needed concerning my journeys behind the BR Clan class 4-6-2, which fall into the Class 6 category. I only had two experiences of the class. 72002 from Preston to Carlisle and 72001 from Carlisle to Preston, both on the same day, 7th September 1961. They had one thing in common. Both were pathetic. In my opinion the Clans were no match for the BR Standard 5. Why they were ever built, I do not know. | ||||