Clan Line Farewell 30th June

Sadly no Tom, it was before my time. That must have been a stupendous spectacle.

 

Lots of Bulleid chatter on this thread, but not really off topic as it is about the end of 35028's current tour of duty! Another "end of an era."

I'll look out the best run I had behind Clan Line and post it here. On the down ACE to Salisbury with the late great Fred Hoare from Salisbury M.P.D. at the controls. July 1964.

 

That photo of 35012 is taken maybe a couple of hundred yards down from where I used to stand nearly 60 years ago watching the Wimbledon yard (33015/7/38), the St Helier milk train (Norwood C2X sometimes with double dome) and of course the main line. That's where I saw King Pellinore and The Red Knight, the last of the Urie Arthurs, probably on Basingstoke trains. The 1254 from Waterloo was a good one, anything could turn up on that--- this is mid 50s to early 60s.

 

Which end of the yard was that.

This end? With a King Arthur on a xx.54 Waterloo-Basingstoke train.



In the middle with famous footpath over the other side of the tracks:-



Or up at the Raynes Park end by Wimbledon C signal box?



All 1962 - 1964.

Cheers,

Bryan

PS. I'll get that 35028 log soon. Promise!

 

Thanks torgormaig for that info , so for now will say it was 34052 ... If anyone out there can confirm would appreciate that......thanks as well KentYeti for your input ........

 

According to Real time trains it's fast line on the way back tho' from Hanslope Jn. all the way to Campden so that should be lively.

 

Checked the note book and it seems John may have had the numbers given to him transposed because under "34095 Belle", is 34052 and something I can't read! I suspect he had been given the info as you were in those days, (still are), but his informant got the locos the wrong way round. I would say 34052 it was.

Now, as promised, back to 35028!

A typical Fred Hoare run. Gentle start from Waterloo to let Clan Line warm up then slowly opened up. But never pushed that hard. Nice climb to MP 31, the usual 90 though Andover, but no 90 down Porton because of the tsr after Grateley. Loco and crew absolute masters of their work. The run back on the up ACE was good too. 35009 12/440 tons gross. Driver Hill and fireman Bacon. Just over 75 minutes net. Averaged 80.05 mph for the 50.1 miles from Overton to Earlsfield with 89 mph max at Newnham siding. Wonderful, wonderful days. Merchant Navys, very much including Clan Line, just purring along the SW main line.

The full capabilities of the MNs were unknown to the operating guys on the SR! When a request was made for a 78 minute schedule to Salisbury in October 1966 they limited the load to 8 cars! 35023 did the run in a net time of just over 71 minutes with 102 mph max. And the fastest ever recorded was 35020 on 12 cars/430 gross, net just over 68 minutes, Salisbury to Waterloo. 55 up Porton, 94 though Andover and 100 below Basingstoke. Timed by the Revd J.E.T Phillips. Up ACE relief and try as we might none of us have ever found out who the driver was. We think Nine Elms No 2 link.

 

Brings back some different memories. I spent the summer of 1971 working at Rediffusion TV Research and living in Wimbledon. I often popped over to the dairy at St Helier where they had a milk carton dispenser! The dairy has now been demolished.

 

On the footpath on the far side of the footbridge from which the third photo was taken. I walked to and from school down that footpath from Raynes Park every day till I got a bike. 30852 on the 0830 stopper to Bournemouth day after day. But we digress and I hope Clan Line does well next week.

 

The return leg is hauled by a class 90 from Crewe back to Euston, hence why it is on the fast rather than the slow.

 

FTR passed, all set for tomorrow.

James

 

I see that the LE movement was from Eastleigh this morning.

 

That would have been the ECS. Clan Line is based at Stewarts Lane in south London

 

Thanks. Yes I knew that it was at Stewarts Lane, hence the query as I thought that it had popped down there for some reason.

 

Diesel uncoupled. Tail lamp on last coach, 35028 on the front. All looking good!

Andrew

 

What's the load ?

 

AFAIK, load 12

James