Railways around...
This page last updated: 02/03/08
Stoke-on-Trent
Over time I
intend to add a few pages detailing the changes to train services in our
local area over the years using my own photos and notes together
with
any contributions from others (should you care to submit them), adding
links to other sites with local content where known etc.
Over
recent weeks, in an effort to make the Timewarp site easier to
maintain, some of the less popular and least visited pages have been /
will be
removed with info moved elsewhere, such as onto the Where Were You or Diary page sections. The local pages are therefore to be consisdered
under review... Should they be expanded and improved, or taken down... you decide...
Send me mail to let us know if you want them to stay ... no mails, and like most of the content of these pages, they're history...
WELL... after some weeks with no further comments / corrections /
additions received, or even a single request to keep these pages,
I've taken away links from the main parts of the site, but left them
online, rather than take them down completely. These pages were
never more than a 'work in progress', and I may yet revive them as time
allows, so, if you have somethiing to contribute or just want to plead
for these pages to be revived, please feel free to
Send me a mail .
Old
Turns through Stoke-on-Trent
An infrequent look at a long gone service - Do you remember this turn?
4M22 SX Peterborough - Crewe Vans.
The service turned up in Stoke about 16:30 of an afternoon, Classes 25 & 31's mostly featured, but other stuff too.
Recorded are well over 200 instances of this service from 21/08/73-30/05/81 when the service finished running.
Notes, sample timings and a listing of known workings
can be found here .
Frieght around Stoke c1980.
As both
passenger and freight movements have changed beyond all all recognition
over recent years and it may come a shock to some just
how
much freight activity there was... just going back to the late 1970's
there was still Stoke yard, Cockshute sdgs, Etruria and Grange junction
yards
all in
full operation, Longport yard too, then Kidsgrove coal yard, the rail served pits in the North Staffs coalfield, Trentham and
Wolstanton collieries, the Shelton Steel works and the
rolling mill that out lived it and Meaford power station still operating and receiving coal,
not forgetting the parcels &
paper trains still in evidence... all gone now... except for the China Clay traffic to the Cliffe Vale terminal.
Details of local trip workings and daytime freight operation (and passenger highlights) from the Stoke area c1980, can now be found here.
Stoke's own diesel depot - some very brief notes about the short lived depot can be found here. Can you add more detail ?
Crewe - Derby Loco-hauled 1984 - A listing last updated (24/09/06), can you add any further workings?
A two part photo feature showing a selection of loco hauled passenger
workings over the Crewe - Derby route during
the 1980's can be found here and here .
Diesel & Electric motivepower through Stoke - Over the Years most of the many Diesel & Electric types have been seen in the Stoke area.
This is the link to a list giving a brief overview of the currently types known to have appeared... a work in progress...
Old
Turns through Stoke-on-Trent
4F02 Nottingham PCD - Liverpool Lime Street Vans.
The service turned up in Stoke-on-Trent somewhere between 21:00 and 21:45.
I have recorded over 200 appearances of this turn between
06/06/73-16/06/79.
Notes, sample timings and a listing of known workings
can be found here .
Saturday 8th April 2006 - 1Z72 06:41 Leicester - Blackpool North Steam special.- a mini photo feature.
News of any other specials - Passenger or freight? Pass them on and I'll post them here!
'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered
The 'Staffordshire Potter pt I' …was one of many evening rover tickets made available within the Stoke division of the
LMR during the early 1980's and there was an interesting leaflet to publicise it that advocated a pub crawl by train...
A sequence of personal accounts of ‘Potter’s’ c1981-1983 with a few links to photos and, in addition, a listing of
Sunday Drags between Manchester Piccadilly - Stafford from 1983 after the ticket was no longer available on a Sunday..
The 'Staffordshire Potter pt II' … further personal 'Potter' accounts this time c1984-1986. Covering 1V16, 'Potter's
holiday' traffic and vice Sprinter turns with a few more links to photos and listings.
Diesel Hauled passenger turns through Stoke From electrification to the very end of booked loco and stock passenger duties, we saw
electric locos used as the premier motive power for most of the hauled turns
in this area. This page gives a few details of some of
those turns that bucked that trend and featured diesels up front...
Old
Turns through Stoke-on-Trent
3E25 09:12 Stoke-on-Trent – Peterborough Vans
The Service ran MX and commenced 24/1/84 and ran
until 11/5/85. The loco arrived LD from
Crewe after working 3M11 0238 Peterborough – Crewe South Yard Vans and would be stabled
in the Viaduct siding until the arrival of 3K03 0758 Manchester Mayfield –
Stafford (sometimes running as 3A03 when extended to London Euston, which later
became the regular destination), the rear portion of which was detached, to then
form 3E25. It should also be noted
that, upon arrival at Peterborough, the loco was then booked to return 0Z00 light
diesel to Leicester.
Consist was load 3 or 4 vans, usually BR standard GUV
or BG types.
Motive Power was usually a mix of Class 25 or 31’s,
but Class 47 and 45 also appeared occasionally.
Does anyone out there have a WTT or some other offical paperwork that gives more detailed timings of the above service?
If you can add any extra details of the above service, we would like to hear from you.
A brief history - of the SX dated Stoke - Llandudno & return 1979-1986 ]
Local Web Links from around the WWW
Current Train Departures from Stoke-on-Trent auto updates every 2 minutes (well it did do?).
In 1967 there were no less that 69 standard gauge Industrial locos working in and around Stoke-on-Trent - details here .
The North Satffordshire Railway Blog contains information regarding the North Staffordshire Railway company. "There will be posts about
news and events plus other interesting articles and pictures appertaining to the North Staffordshire Railway company."
North Staffordshire Railway Study Group (NSRSG
Railway Memories from this area.
Tims Train Photos feature some local views from 1993 to present day.
The Railway Preservation Movement in North Staffs.
Foxfield Steam Railway Where it is and how to get there, when the trains run and what it costs.
Foxfield Railway Virtual Stock list To find out what's there - mostly Industrial Steam but some
Diesels too! Many locos with N Staffs connections.
Churnet Valley Railway Web site the official site of former Leekbrook - Oakamoor mineral line revived.
Unofficial pages can be found here and here .
The Staffordshire Type 4 Limited website. Custodians of 47192 (now in full working order) and
now joined by 47524 - under restoration, both now based at the Churnet Valley Railway.
Local News Archive.
At the time of writing (24/02/2008) we have become aware of a early morning 6D07 Warrington to Sinfin tanks which has run (via Stoke)
for at least the last couple of Thurdays. Both times 'real' 37401 as worked approx times of 0815 /0750 have been noted.
There as also run a return 6F08 working currently running under cover
of darkness after 1800hrs. Is this turn set to continue and
does anyone have actual timings please? This could prove useful to know as the days lengthen....
Note: Ran again on the 28th, around 0800 this time, but with a 'shed'.
The 2008 Churnet Valley Railway
Diesel Gala - to be held over three days again this year, Friday 30th May - Sunday 1st June.
No further details are known at this time.
The 2008 Foxfield Diesel Gala - weekend of 21st & 22nd June 2008, is to feature a mainline loco for only a second time / year.
Central Trains & Virgin Cross County are no more. As of November 11th 2007, these two railway companies no longer exist.
The Cross county franchise as now been taken over by Arriva and will
soon gain the Birmingham - Cardiff & Stanstead Airport routes
formally
with Central trains. Central Trains as effectively been split in
two. All the routes out east have been combined with the old
Midland Mainline
route into St Pancras to form East Midland Trains. All routes to
the west of the old Central Trains patch is now combined with all the
none
Virgin services out of Euston and the Birmingham - Liverpool route to
form London Midland Railways. How does all this effect Stoke?
The Crewe - Derby service is currently operated by East Midland , but
maps show their patch only covers the route as far as Stoke (also covers
Stoke - Congleton too), with Crewe - Stoke part of London Midland's
area. Does this mean the service between Derby and Crewe will be
split in half? Only time will tell...
Churnet Valley Railway also hosted the annual National Railcar Association event for 2007 over the weekend 29-30th September.
M77900 (the former test car IRIS) was visiting, working in multiple with home railway's operational BRCW Class 104 set 50455+50517.
all other BRCW cars present were on display. The box van also
came out as a tail load once again. Both units were working well,
and
carrying a fair turnout. On the Sunday 47192 & 37075 were also working over the line, but 33102 failed to appear (due to an earth fault).
{Some old, familiar faces were duly noted in attendance!}.
The 2007 Churnet Valley Railway
Diesel Gala - was held across three days again this year. Friday
1st - Sunday 3rd June. In addition to home fleet D1842 (aka 47192) & 33102, visitor 5CLG Class 37 37075 performed during the event which also featured the
operational BRCW Class 104 set 50455+50517, sometimes on its own,
sometimes dragged, and also conveying a box van as a tail load on some
trips. See the Churnet Valley Railway site
for the latest details.
The 2006 Churnet Valley Railway Diesel Gala was held over three days Friday 2nd June - Sunday 4th June. 56003 had arrived a few weeks before
and worked several trains as expected, together with, at least 47192, 73110
and 33102.
24/09/06 : Further track laying to be carried out on the Stoke - Derby line. Buses will replace trains between
Sunday 24th September - Sunday 1st October 2006. This is the
second such temporary closure this year. In January, 4 miles of
track
were replaced by Network Rail.
On the afternoon of Friday September 15th, an unidentified Maroon
liveried Class 47 was seen, by chance, heading towards Longton formed
of a short rake of MkI stock, presumable empty, while around mid-day on
Saturday September 16th, another chance encounter saw a trio of DRS
Class 37's, 37607+37608+37605, forming a light engine movement in the
other direction. This just goes to show, that 'real' trains can
still be found in this area.
NOTE: This seams to run most weeks (times vary) with a
balancing turn on Sundays (usually heard but not always seen...).
11/12/05 : Through services beyond Derby lost!
The latest round of timetable changes see the end of through services to Nottingham & Skegness, a
further erosion of local rail links, this time in the name of improving punctuality...
The remaining self-contained Crewe - Derby service becomes table 50 in the new National Rail timetable
- valid until June 10 next year.
Site © and maintained by Clayhead
and UD .