| The Last Days of the Deltics
A Personal Account by Tim Rogers
Anybody who remembers the winter of 1981/82 will remember that it
was a bitter and cold one. From late
November to Mid January the temperature never seemed to rise above
zero; trains were frequently late or
cancelled and bashing was for many a miserable experience.
It was during this period that I spent much of my time covering some
of the last service trains to be hauled by
the Deltics. The last week was to be from Sunday 27th December 1981
finishing on New Years Eve and then
the only train to be hauled by a Deltic after that being the Deltic
Scotsman Farewell on the 2nd January 1982.
Sunday 27th began with me trying to get back across the Pennines
from Chester for some Deltic thrash. BR
had advertised that two trains to Liverpool would be booked for
Deltic haulage. So I found myself in the early
afternoon trying to get to Bradford on 47537 for 55009 on the 1205
Newcastle to Liverpool (this train being
diverted via Bradford due to engineering work). 47537 staggered
through the snow and ice across the Calder
Valley and as we were dropping down the bank into Bradford and passed
No:9 on it’s way west! Bugger!! At
least I could get to Leeds for No 15 on the 1550 York to Liverpool,
which I made easily. The journey across the
Pennines to Liverpool was mainly uneventful although the train resembled
a somewhat ‘carnival’ atmosphere
much to the bewilderment of the ‘normals’ travelling that day!!
At Liverpool No:9 backed onto the train for the 1915 to York, this
was taken to St. Helens Junction where a
seasonal snow ball fight occurred between the Deltic and peaks bashers!!
After getting bollocked a few times
by the station staff we returned to Liverpool on 45006 so as to
get the last (or so we thought) Deltic out of
Liverpool. On arrival at Liverpool 55015 and after a number of photographs
of this ‘final’ event had taken place
we set off back to York. On the way across gen seemed to be getting
through that 55009 was to replace the
duff one of the southbound overnights although no-one seemed to
know which one. Arrival at York was at
around midnight. Normally on a Sunday night the last Liverpool to
York did not make any northbound overnights
but that night our luck was in 46056 (yuk!) was still there on 1S60
the 2000 Kings Cross to Aberdeen, we did
this to Newcastle for a plus not very much for 47223 south on 1E43
1915 Aberdeen to Kings Cross – a fill in
move to avoid the fester. One thing noticeable was the rather ‘cool’
nature of the train – perhaps 47223’s boiler
was knackered?
Back at York 55009 was back off the shed and ready to head south.
Off came the duff and on came the Deltic.
Now one thing that Deltics were not renowned for was the efficiency
off their steam heating boilers and tonight
was not exception. I sat shivering in an ice-cold Mk 1 compartment
all the way to Kings Cross. On arrival at ‘The
Cross’ I wandered over to the Wimpy opposite the station.
Monday 28th December found me festering at Kings Cross to see what
was working north. I was rewarded with
55007 on 1L41 0940 to York on what was to be it’s last run without
completely failing! In fact Pinza kept shutting
down including on one occasion at Peterborough where we stood for
15 minutes whilst the driver decided
whether he was going to call it a day for the engine. The Mk 1 steam
heat only stock was absolutely filthy (the
excuse being that the washers were frozen no doubt). At York Pinza
sauntered off to the shed and I wandered
off for some refreshment. Only half an hour later I was heading
back south again this time with 55021 on one
engine on the 0910 Dundee to Kings Cross (1E52) relief this time
with some dirty Mk 2’s in tow. So off I went to
Peterborough through the frozen wastelands of the East Midlands
for 55009 on the 1603 Kings Cross to York
(1L44). Another quick brew and a sandwich in the station buffet
and it was back to KX with 55009. Arrival at
Kings Cross was around 2300 and rumours had started that 55021 was
to do 1N00 0100 Kings Cross to
Newcastle sleepers only turn.
About 20 or so cranks started to hang around the stock for 1N00.
55021 sat in the bay next to platform 1
lifeless. At about 0030 the sleeping car attendant came out to ask
us whether we wanted to join the train the
answer being ‘not until THAT (pointing to 55021) has attached itself
to the train. At about 0055 Deltic 21
erupted into life (well just one of it’s engine the other one was
knackered such was the state of the fleet at this
time) and all the cranks bailed into the sleeping car at the front
offering supplements to the sleeping car
attendant. I managed to secure a first class berth. Departure from
Kings Cross was only a few minutes late but
was probably the first time that the train had left at that time
of the night with a full contingent of cranks bellowing
out of the window as it left!!!!
I awoke passing through Tyne Yard and decided to bellow out of the
sleeping car window coming into
Newcastle. We passed over the King Edward Bridge into a silent Newcastle
Central. It was only then that I
realised that everyone else was bellowing out of the sleeping car
windows too (those Mk 1 sleeper were great
with there full droplights!!). As we arrived a variety of cranks
were on the platform to greet us and appreciated
the bellowing even at 0535 in the morning!!!). After all that excitement
it was back to bed.
The sleeping cars off 1N00 were put onto the front of the seating
coaches of 1N12 0705 Newcastle to
Edinburgh and 55021 remained with the train. Somewhere near Dunbar
I became aware of a loud whooshing
noise; I looked out of the window and the steam pipe had blown between
the engine and the stock completely
engulfing the train in steam. The corridor filled with so much steam
you could hardly see your hand in front of
your face but that damp musty steam heat smell is just so distinctive!!
Arrival at a cold Edinburgh Waverley was more or less on time but
what was going to happen next. I retired to
the buffet for some much needed breakfast. It seemed that 55021
was going to head south again on 1E52 so
there was a possibility but then the gen came through that 55008
had gone to Carstairs on a portion and was
probably going to go to Aberdeen later. I took the gamble and rejected
55021 back to Kings Cross in favour of
the possibility a Deltic to Aberdeen. I left Waverley station on
47521 for Carstairs. On arrival, there 55008 was
waiting for it’s train (0737 Liverpool to Edinburgh) and after a
short time the train came in with a non descript 86
on the front. No:8 backed on and we were away past the ‘State Hospital’
a place which to this day when I go
past has me wondering what terrible things go on in there.
Again I found myself festering at Edinburgh and decided to go to
the bar on the station concourse (only used to
serve Greenmantle ale but it was better than nothing!). I was starting
to think that I should have done 55021
back to Kings Cross as no gen on The Green Howards to Aberdeen seemed
to be forthcoming. However, you
are often rewarded with patience and 55008 backed onto 1A38 1500
to Aberdeen. Departure was more or
less on time and off we set for the ‘Granite City’. On arrival at
Aberdeen we set off for a local pub in need of
more refreshment but it was not long before we were heading back
south on 1G20 1823 to Edinburgh Although
I had been to Aberdeen with a Deltic a number of times this was
no routine visit. There was an air of finality on
the train as fellow bashers realised that this would be the final
time that a Deltic would pass over both the Tay
and Forth Bridges. Many including myself went down to the first
class corridor coach at the front for a bellow at
these locations. The cold winter night felt like it was cutting
you with a knife but no one really cared.
Back at Edinburgh I found myself in a dilemma. 55008 was allocated
1E48 Aberdeen to Kings Cross sleepers
only back to Kings Cross but they had no sleeping berths left, the
last one I believe being taken by Chris Gibb
(he who is now MD for Virgin Cross Country!) who had predicated
that 55008 would do the train south (In fact
this was an almost certainty as 55008 was ETH only and 1E48 formed
of ETH Mk 1 sleepers) I had no
alternative but to head south ‘home’ to Newcastle on 47217 on 1E39
2225 to Kings Cross. At least I would get
a decent nights sleep, even after arriving at 0100 at Newcastle!
Now the problem with ‘lasts’ is that there is a temptation to get
as much in as possible. Also, there is a
tendency that things don’t go quite go as expected and this was
to be the case for the last two days; the
30th/31st December.
Having had a good sleep in a bed for once I wondered down to Newcastle
Central Station to find out what was
out. Arrived there just in time to find 55009 arriving on 1M04 0718
Edinburgh to Carlisle which was promptly
removed for a 31 forward – super power for pedal power perhaps!
What next well I had already decided to
head south to York when 55017 arrived on 1S12 0550 Kings Cross to
Edinburgh. Although tempted to take it I
rejected it on the basis that I would try for something better further
south. Strangely there was no-one with the
gen either.
I travelled south to York on a HST to view the proceedings. No sooner
had I got there than 55002 arrived into
the bay platform on the 1205 from Liverpool. Bugger! No:2 had gone
to Liverpool for a final time. I thought that I
would get it again on the final railtour but this was not to be
as some problems were found on it’s journey across
the Pennines and it was only on one engine. Next stop the NRM! Eventually
my wait was rewarded with Royal
Scots Grey on the 1550 York to Kings Cross (1A26) which I took to
Grantham for the 1603 Kings Cross to York
(1L44), which I hoped, might be of interest. BOWLED!! 47435 came
in but I had no choice but to take this back
to York – I should have stuck with 55022!! Back at York I headed
to Newcastle for 55021 which I understood
was to do 1E35 2025 Edinburgh to Newcastle.
As I arrived at Newcastle on the HST I could hear the distinctive
drone of a Deltic in the platform and there was
Alycidon on 1A40 2100 to Kings Cross. Again I decided to stick with
my original move and watched it roar out
of the platform. I retired to the Bridge pub for some liquid refreshment!!!
Back at Newcastle station a great number of enthusiasts had gather
for what was to be the final night of Deltics
on the ECML. As booked a completely filthy 55021 arrived on the
overnight. Now what were the options. Well
55022 was allocated 1S12 from Kings Cross to Newcastle so I could
have gone to Kings Cross for that but
55019 (which had been out of service since before Christmas) was
coming north on 1N12 0005 Kings Cross
to Newcastle. That was the move then 21 to Retford for 19 north.
Now there I always found something special about Retford at night
time. On arrival with 55021 a number of
travel weary enthusiasts disembarked the train walked down to the
front on watched Argyll and Sutherland
Highlander thrash south for the last time. As was always the case
you could hear the engine for miles after it
had left and then nothing. The huddle of enthusiasts collected in
the waiting room on the southbound platform
and the station master came in to stoke up the ‘real’ fire – this
was another feature that I liked about this place.
The station master even came in to tell us that 1N12 was on it’s
way. The assembled mass scurried through the
subway to the northbound platform. Everybody stood there in silence
listening out for the distant sound of a
Deltic. Soon it was there and 55019 slowly crawled into the platform.
I got into the front coach an open Mk 1
and decided that I wasn’t going to sleep for this final ‘overnight’
journey. At York the comment made by one of
the drivers that the following night they would be ‘racing the Deltics
to the scrap yard’ was met with the derision
it deserved. Despite this the driver gave no:19 ‘the lot’ out of
York and we were soon speeding north.
On arrival at Newcastle there was some debate as to what was going
to be the final days’ workings. Knowing
that 55022 was heading north I headed south to York to intercept
it by travelling south with 45122 on the 0700
to Bristol. Had Royal Scots Grey to Darlington and then headed south
to Newark for 55021 (again!) on 1L41
0940 Kings Cross to York which I intended to do to York for a HST
to London for 1603 ex Kings Cross which
was allocated 55017.
As usual things didn’t go to plan with 55021 losing lots of time
between Kings Cross and Newark due to being
on one engine and that engine shutting down intermittently! So it
was a low mileage move to Doncaster where I
bid a final farewell to the former Haymarket engine and again headed
south on another HST to Kings Cross for
the final service train working out of Kings Cross.
Kings Cross was absolutely heaving was enthusiasts for this final
run. The front three coaches were absolutely
heaving and you couldn’t move in the vestibules.
The journey was fairly uneventful until we came to a grinding halt
somewhere near Stoke summit. There was
nothing wrong with the engine but news began to filter down the
train that there was a problem with the line just
north of Grantham (why is it that ‘lasts’ always turn into a farce?).
The train staggered from signal to signal and
on arrival at Grantham it was announced that the train was to be
terminated there. The passengers went
‘ballistic’ at this being denied that final run north. For enthusiasts
for the south at 55015 was coming south on
1A26 and 17 was to be turned round for a relief to Kings Cross but
for those from the north there was two things
you could do; either head north to Newcastle for 55019 on 1E26 1630
Aberdeen to York arriving at 2306 on
New Years Eve (not a position of strength!) or just call it a day
and go home. I chose the latter had a HST to
Leeds then 47458 across the Pennines for a unit home.
I arrived home at about 5 minutes with my mother wishing me a ‘Happy
New Year’ as I came through the door.
Hmmm! I thought what am I going to bash now? The rest as they say
is history!!!!
It had been a good and eventful five days and something that would
never be repeated again.
Tim Rogers
www.nedchester.com
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