24th July 48 years ago.

Still wallowing in nostalgia following the July 9th run this year with Clan Line.

A note I have circulated to an email group I am in.


24th July 1964 was a GOOD day. Super ACE runs each way.

07.20 Waterloo to Basingstoke with 34088 and return with Fred Hoare and Peter Allen and 34077 on the 07.49 ex Salisbury. Haven’t yet recovered those logs

11.00 Waterloo to Salisbury, the down ACE. 35028 11/408. Fred Hoare and Pete Allen from Salisbury MPD. Over 2 late ex Waterloo, on time Salisbury. Long 20 mph tsr after Grately and a short signal stop outside Salisbury. 77mins 32 secs actual, around 72.30 net. 90 though Andover. Good running everywhere.

14.09 Salisbury to Waterloo, the up ACE. 35009 12/440. Hill and Bacon from Salisbury. 79 mins 26 secs with a signal stop outside of Waterloo. Net around 75.30. Gentle start then averaged 80 mph for 50 miles, Overton to Earlsfield. 89 max through Basingstoke was quite exciting. Mile after mile in the 80s. Not my best up ACE run! But damned good.

15.54 Waterloo – Basingstoke, 73081 6/205. Jim Bowen Nine Elms. 27min 50 secs to Woking, start to stop. A couple of nearly 75mphs on the way.

15.00 ex Bournemouth from Basingstoke to Waterloo. 34061 , 10/350 with Arthur Camp from Nine Elms. Even time start to stop from Basingstoke to Woking, 75 mph max, and 28 mins net up from Woking.

19.00 Waterloo – Andover Junction. 35009 12/435. Hill and Bacon. Even time run, 66 mins 7 secs on a 69 minute schedule. 75 max.

17.54 ex Exeter from Andover to Waterloo. 34090, 9/315. Simms of Salisbury. Nice on time running between checks. Even time net Basingstoke to Woking start to stop. 75 max.

Bryan - Now THOSE were the good old days – B

 

Interesting that 34090 figures in your happy day. I thought I read somewhere that this engine was one of the worst light pacifics (although it lasted until July '67), but it obviously wasn't too off colour that day. This must have been almost a swansong for 35009, as it was withdrawn later that month, according to one of my books. A pretty good way to bow out - especially the up ACE run. I hope one day we'll be enjoying this engine again on the main line, even if not at those speeds. Still, no point getting excited about this until 4472 has emerged from Bury in working order!

 

I think all the light pacifics, as indeed all the Merchants could run very well indeed if they had had decent coal, were in OK mechanical condition on the day and had a driver who knew where the regulator should be! (In the roof).

As "Sootie" Saunders and fireman Rowe did in November 1965 on the 17.30 ex Waterloo with 34090, 23.32 to passing Woking from Waterloo was three and a half minutes inside the down ACE schedule. 82 at Hersham and 84 at Byfleet. Ten cars, so one short of the normal down ACE load. Just over 45 minutes net to the Basingstoke stop on something like a 60 minute schedule.

Now the bit that perhaps is why you recall that locos reputation. I can still clearly remember sitting with my timing mates as we roared over the small summit at Oatlands Box at 78 mph. "Not bad for the Milk Marketing Board Machine", one of us remarked!

That nickname coming after one of the Nine Elms drivers had indeed had a bad run with her for whatever reason, and called her an "old crate". We were very quick to pick up on such comments and give a loco a subequent nickname.

Cheers,

Bryan

 

Good one Alan. I had a ride on the footplate of the 10.30 just a few later. That was when I got my footplate pass from the S&T guy.

Re locos good and bad.

Virtually any loco looked good with a Nine Elms no 3 or no 4 link driver.

Virtually all looked dreadful if one of a certain group of Bournemouth drivers were at the controls. Some were total rubbish! I shall never forget coming up on the 14.40 arrival unchecked from Southampton in 94 minutes with ex works 34017. Asked at Waterloo why he had dropped ten minuntes the driver said, "wrong class of loco". That loco had easily timed the up Belle a few days earlier with decent crew in charge.

I guess the reasons for delays were accepted without question in the MPD. We knew what an ex works light pacific was capable off. Gain nearly ten mnutes on schedule, not lose ten!

The Bomo crews use to work the 21.20 ex Waterloo some days. Easy timings, and an ok connection at New Milton with the up Mail which was the train we used to sleep on. Mostly meant we had to change at Brockenhurst as the Bomo gnomes were often very late. On one occasion we had to change at Southampton to make sure of catching the up Mail! We did debate whether we would get more time for sleep staying on to Bomo, we certainly would have nodded off ok.

There were some very good Bomo drivers though. It was just a matter of finding out their turns of duty.

 

I'm guessing the "Peter Allen" mentioned was my dad, he was a fireman as Salisbury!