Friday 23 December 2016

Freshly ex Works!

"1980's Timewarp - Freshly ex Works and renamed!"

Well, it's finally here!

The most important part of the old 1980's Timewarp was the diary pages.
This data is officially back online forming a new website under a new name.
A back end database now holds all the data and scripts generate the pages.
Now as soon as we add your data to the system, the next person to visit sees it!
Choose a data filter, see the data month by month, see only the class you're interested in or see the whole lot just as before,
You can also view data for an individual date, again with filter
or just see the workings of a single loco, you choose.

For the diary pages how they were always meant to be...
Please visit...
The RailGenArchive .
And let us know what you think


© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Festive Festering

"We've been away for far too long but now we're back..."

Don't think I'll be getting any haulage in over this Christmas & New Year period, but that hasn't always been the case...

The Derby - Crewe line became a Sprinter (Class 150/1) Stronghold from January 1986, but that didn't stop things from getting interesting from time to time, especially between October 1988 and right through the following year. These notes detail the Christmas / New Yesr period 1988.

THE (usual) DIAGRAM:
2K51 0642 Derby - Crewe
2P86 0809 Crewe - Derby
2K49 1008 Derby - Crewe
2P84 1138 Crewe - Derby
2K59 1258 Derby - Crewe
2P82 1439 Crewe - Derby
2K51 1604 Derby - Crewe (SX)
2K51 1613 Derby - Crewe (SO)
2P88 1739 Crewe - Derby

Early in the morning of Wednesday December 21st, and I heard to distinct sound of a 'Goyle' working with stock on the first leg of the usual diagram, so I made sure I saw the return, which revealed Skinhead namer 31444. With the light now slowly improving, I captured 31444 on film while working its second trip of the day, on the 2K49. Briefly I was tempted to take a trip to Derby with 31444 on the 2P84 1138 Crewe - Derby, but decided against it, as a lack of gen coupled with recent form suggested that a Sprinter would probably work back on the next leg. I did, however, keep a lookout for 2K59 and for the first time since the beginning of the month, a loco that was out during the morning on the route, was still out in the afternoon. Chris then called around just after the passage of 31444 going back to Derby (for the third time) on 2P82. Would 31444 now go on and complete the diagram we both wondered? Chris suggested a car move to Blythe Bridge as a way to find out, as from there, if 31444 was replaced by a Sprinter we could walk away but if 31444 came back to complete the diagram we could pay on the train without penalty. So a plan was formed. If 31444 was coming back it would surely be a few minutes down, but as we arrived at the station, at around the booked time, the crossing barriers were already down, while we expected a freight, but our train arrived as we screeched to a halt in the car park, but now with 47431 up front and formed by a different short rake of stock than earlier in the day. We could probably have made it onto the train, but we both decided against it on this occasion, and instead we left for home… A fresh set of stock for the afternoon (after two full round trips) was known to occur previously, but a fresh set just for the last 2 legs was yet another operating variation.

Thursday 22nd saw almost a repeat of the previous day, but with the more common 31416 working the first three round trips before 47431 once again came out to work the last round trip just as the day before.

Friday 23rd and 31444 was back out on 'the diagram' during the morning, but more remarkable was the unexpected sight of a second hauled rake turning out. The second rake was working the 0908 Derby - Crewe and was hauled by 31423, and with 31444 following just one hour behind it with the more usual 2K49 1008 Derby - Crewe turn. Was this the first time that consecutive Derby - Crewe trains had been hauled since steam days? I went out to record on film the rarely hauled 1038 Crewe - Derby service, which was getting later and later as I waited around in the freezing cold, for it. When it did finally appear, 31403 was hauling the now dead 31423. I later discovered that 31423 had failed at Kidsgrove. After only two round trips, 31444 had been replaced on 'the diagram'. During the afternoon, it was 47431 which again came out on both afternoon trips. And so had now worked on the lines passenger turns for the third day running.

Saturday 24th, Christmas Eve, but all was not quiet, not on table 80 anyway. 97480 was out first thing, on the usual diagram. Named 'Robin Hood' and previously numbered 47480, this departmental Brush, a large loco machine was more at home on test trains around this time, but it was not unusual to use a departmental loco on a passenger turn. Renumbered into this guise early September 1988, its only previous known passenger duties since then were a stint with Nuneaton drags in mid November. Chris called around just after the passage of 97480 going back to Derby for the third time that day on 2P82. Would 97480 now go on and complete the diagram we both wondered? Chris suggested another car move to Blythe Bridge as surely this time we would be lucky, but, no, once again we were bowled out as 47431 came out once again to finish off the diagram, four days on the trot!

For the few days after the Christmas break, Plastic Sprinter normality returned to table 80, but not for long. For on Friday 30th December, green liveried survivor 45106 was turned out, complete with matching Green tinsel embellishments to work the full four round trips. I was aware of the first leg, so was waiting the second clutching a day return. At an almost deserted cold and damp Derby I took photos in very poor light giving poor results. Enjoying the thrash, on the way back, the sun coming out to improve photographic prospects, spirits only dampened slightly when my compo was invaded by a couple of unaccompanied spoilt brats. I photographed the following legs while sunlight lasted and noted timekeeping wasn't bad all day, given the tight turnaround times and lack of a button to close the doors to be no more than ten late through Stoke was pretty good doing for the last surviving Peak I felt?

What were your moves and railway experiences around Christmas 1988?



© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Saturday 17 December 2016

Going live?

"Timewarp : now under heavy general overhaul - expect a new livery and shiny new nameplates soon!"

We are now looking to get the new upgraded & revised replacement for the old 1980's Timewarp diary pages online before the end of 2016!

Check back here soon.

© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Sunday 4 December 2016

Progress report

"We've been away for far too long, but now we're back."

The old site came to a standstill due to getting bogged down with data, so I've been putting in the hours coding the admin section, with still a little more work to do in that area. Hopefully this will all make the new site a lot easier to maintain and this time arround it'll be more of a group effort anyway with many more ways for you to help out in this epic task of 'preseving the gen'. Having put in so much time and effort into the old site, countless hours of effort over many years, we were never going to go away perminently.

Work on the new site continues apace. There are over 225,000 records in the database and counting and most of the coding as been completed but we need to be right upto date before we go live. The new site will have a familliar look about it; month by month listings will now have selectable filters allowing the working's of any single class that you might want displayed, or you can still opt to see all the workings like before, or list just the non ETH workings as originally intended, or you can list just workings by any single loco or for any single date.

All but the data for the year 1989 (from the years covered, 1975-1989) have now been processed although there are still a great deal of omissions which will need to be added as well.

Quite a few of you have emailed asking after the old site and have not had a response. We were simply waiting until we had something positive to report... well expect a mail sometime soon... once we know when we'll be ready to go live you'll find out here and quite possably get that long awaited mail.



© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

West Midlands ADEX's 1984 - part 3

"Timewarp : now under heavy general overhaul - expect a new livery and shiny new nameplates soon!"

Awaydays, Merrymakers or plain old Advertised Excursions, whatever they were marketed as in your area, the once commonplace ADEX is just another aspect of the railway scene that is long gone... to read more see part 1 while part 2 features June-July 84 .

This page was previously part of our old site 1980's Timewarp, with many thanks to Gary Stratford.

Can you add to the listing below? Do you know what worked any of these trains or can you confirm if they even ran? Did you travel on any of the services listed and do you have any railway related memories of the trip? Please post in the box below.

ADEX's originating in the West Midlands 1984 - third & final part of this article features August-November.

Wed
01/08/1984
1Z26
0746 Longbridge - Folkestone Central

Wed
01/08/1984
1Z16
0720 Kidderminster - Tenby

25279+25282 Via Central Wales To Llanelli 47191 fwd & 1810 rtn to Cardiff Central 25279+25282 fwd via Shrewsbury to Kidderminster

Thurs
02/08/1984
1T05
0820 Water Orton - Blackpool North (1805 return)


Sun
05/08/1984
1Z17
0805 Wolverhampton - Paignton

Sun
05/08/1984
1Z39
0854 Wolverhampton - Littlehampton

Outward 47059 to Littlehampton, 73136 to Chichester (actual dest, but Littlehampton shown in STN Rtn unknown.

Mon
06/08/1984
1Z26
0715 Shrewsbury - Newcastle

Tues
07/08/1984
1Z26
0700 Coventry - Largs
[See also Note 1]

Thurs
09/08/1984
1Z26
0642 Banbury - Scarborough

Sun
12/08/1984
1Z16
0730 Shrewsbury - Paignton

47379 is thought most probable noted ECS towards Shrewsbury?

Sun
12/08/1984
1Z27
0903 Wolverhampton - Bournemouth

[See also Note 2] Outward 47342 to 1/2 mile outside Bournemouth (low fuel?), then 33110 assist to dest.  47342 worked the rtn

Mon
13/08/1984
1Z25
0720 Kidderminster - Harrogate

Tues
14/08/1984
1T05
0735 Leamington Spa - Rhyl (1800 return)

Return 47552

Wed
15/08/1984
1Z25
0700 Banbury - Yarmouth

Wed
15/08/1984
1Z26
0826 Redditch - Margate [See also Note 3]

Thurs
16/08/1984
1Z16
0800 Shrewsbury - Taunton (1730 return)

Return 47148

Thurs
16/08/1984
1T06
0927 Coventry - Llandudno (1730 return)

Return 47225

Sun
19/08/1984
1T06
0836 Birmingham New Street - Llandudno
(1805 return)

Sun
19/08/1984
1T07
???? Nuneaton - Llandudno Mystex
(1842 return to Northampton)

47162 noted with ECS heading for Nuneaton


Sun
19/08/1984
1Z37
0730 Birmingham New Street - Broadstairs
[See also Note 2]

Outward 47331 at least


Sun
19/08/1984
1Z27
0815 Wolverhampton - Brighton
[See also Note 2]
Outward 47279 to London Victoria 73005 fwd.

Mon
20/08/1984
1Z16
0705 Lichfield City - Tenby

Tues
21/08/1984
1T06
???? Leamington Spa - Llandudno (1730 return)

Tues
21/08/1984
1Z26
0642 Longbridge - Edinburgh Waverley

40079 outwards via 5 Ways, Aston, Walsall, Sutton, Water Orton, BH, Rotherham, Pontefract /1Z26 1638 rtn

Wed
22/08/1984
1Z09
???? Banbury - Stirling
[See also Note 4]

Wed
22/08/1984
1Z27
???? Water Orton - Weymouth

Sun
26/08/1984
1Z39
0800 Shrewsbury - Portsmouth Harbour

47246 Outwards at least


Sun
26/08/1984
1T06
0915 Wolverhampton - Rhyl (1910 return)

Mon
27/08/1984
1T10
0730 Northampton - Blackpool North (1800 return)

[See also Note 5]
40155 in & out of Blackpool North

Tues
28/08/1984
1T05
0840 Banbury - Blackpool North (1755 return)

Tues
28/08/1984
1Z25
0715 Shrewsbury - Eastbourne

47234 Outwards at least


Wed
29/08/1984
1Z25
0805 Barnt Green - Skegness

Thurs
30/08/1984
1Z25
0650 Kidderminster - Scarborough

Sun
02/09/1984
1T05
0900 Leamington Spa - Llandudno (1720 return)

40122 Outwards at least


Wed
05/09/1984
1Z25
0532 Shrewsbury - Whitby
[See also Note 6] 

? to Sheffield 47352 to Whitby / ???? Rtn to Battersby & failed, 37058 to Shrewsbury

Thurs
06/09/1984
1Z26
???? Banbury - Scarborough

Sun
16/09/1984
1Z68
0800 Lichfield Trent Valley - ? Mystex
[See also Note 8]

Mon
17/09/1984
1Z16
0657 Walsall - Plymouth

Tues
18/09/1984
1Z25
0700 Lichfield Trent Valley - Plymouth
[See also Note 9]

? to ? Then 85014 to Stonebridge Park, 47146 fwd.  1Z25 / 1753 rtn 47146 to Willesden 85031 fwd to ? With ? fwd.

Tues
18/09/1984
1T05
0800 Banbury - Llandudno (1736 return)

Wed
19/09/1984
1Z25
0805 Barnt Green - Newcastle

Thurs
20/09/1984
1Z09
0755 Lichfield Trent Valley - Carlisle (1800 return)
[See also Note 7]

Thurs
20/09/1984
1Z16
0732 Birmingham New Street - Weston-super-Mare

47102 Outwards to Stratford-on-Avon & 47199 fwd to Weston-super-Mare & 1745 rtn to Stratford-on-Avon then 45059 fwd.

Wed
26/09/1984
1T05
0845 Kidderminster - Blackpool North (2015 return)

Sat
06/10/1984
1Z17
0800 Lichfield City - Paignton

Sat
13/10/1984
note 11.
0710 Shrewsbury - Weymouth

47450 Outwards & Return


Sun
21/10/1984
1T05
0830 Banbury - Blackpool North (1850 return)

Sun
28/10/1984
1T05
0900 Coventry - Blackpool North (1852 return)
[See also Note 10]

Sat
03/11/1984
1Z49
0735 Coventry - Edinburgh Waverley

Outward 85019 to Carstairs; 47156 forward.  Same locos returned with a 1733 dep reported.

Sat
17/11/1984
1Z25
0800 Kidderminster - Bournmouth ADEX (1752 rtn)

47002 Outwards & rtn with Steam heating


Note 1. Outward Carlisle 10L26/10L35; Return Carlisle 20L57/21L07
Note 2. Outward via WCML, Return via Reading
Note 3. Outward Birmingham New Street 09L17/09L27, Mitre Bridge Jn 11L14/11L26; Return Willesden WL Jn 19L20/19L32, Birmingham New Street 21L28/21L38
Note 4. Outward Coventry 07L33/07L44; Return Coventry 23L41/23L53
Note 5. Outward Preston 10L14/10L26; Return Preston 18L30/18L41
Note 6. STN W1 No. 36 page 59 quotes 2 workings with same headcode: 0614 (arrival time matches timing section on page 66)/0616 Wolves, 0636/0642 New St or 0756/0800 Wolves, 0818/0829 New St!
Note 7. Outward via S & C, Return via WCML; Outward Nuneaton 08L20/08L32
Note 8. Outward Mitre Bridge Jn 10L06/10L18; Return Willesden No. 7 20L21/20L31
Note 9. Outward Willesden No. 7 09L00/09L12; Return Willesden No. 7 21L36/21L46
Note 10. Return Crewe 20L17/20L27 - Adex (W1) Charter (W2)
Note 11. 1Z38 (M)/1Z26 (W1)
Note 12. Via Coventry & Nuneaton outward at least.

Thanks also to : Mike Tongue, Alan Baylis, Lee Nash, Paul Griffin, Nick Ross, Steve Jones, Fred (the Skinhead), Mike Hollick, Tim Holden, Andy Foster & Barrie Williams for their help with this listing. This post originally part of our old site - 1980's Timewarp



© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Sunday 27 November 2016

West Midlands ADEX's 1984 - part 2

"Timewarp : now under heavy general overhaul - expect a new livery and shiny new nameplates soon!"

Awaydays, Merrymakers or plain old Advertised Excursions, whatever they were marketed as in your area, the once commonplace ADEX is just another aspect of the railway scene that is long gone... to read more (see part 1).

This page was previously part of our old site 1980's Timewarp, with many thanks to Gary Stratford.

Can you add to the listing below? Do you know what worked any of these trains or can you confirm if they even ran? Did you travel on any of the services listed and do you have any railway related memories of the trip? Please post in the box below.

Info in the table below in BOLD was added or amended at the last page update.
ADEX's originating in the West Midlands 1984 - part 2 - June-July others to follow.

Wed
06/06/1984
1Z25
0735 Wolverhampton - Weston-super-Mare

47140 Return at least


Sun
10/06/1984
1Z40
0900 Wolverhampton - Weymouth

47016 Outward & rtn


Wed
13/06/1984
1Z10
0733 Leamington Spa - Scarborough

47563 Outwards at least


Thurs
21/06/1984
1Z36
0918 Wolverhampton - Ascot

Sun
24/06/1984
1T06
0830 Leamington Spa - Rhyl (1750 return)

Mon
25/06/1984
1Z25
0729 Coventry - Paignton

45141 Return at least

Wed
27/06/1984
1Z11
0800 Shrewsbury - Skegness

47103 Outward & rtn (which was reported passing Nottingham 2023)




*** (Sat 30/06/84 - Fri 06/07/84 No STNs on file) ***

Wed
04/07/1984
1T08
0719 Banbury - Llandudno

40079 Outward & Rtn.

Mon
09/07/1984
1Z16
0719 Shrewsbury - Paignton

Tues
10/07/1984
1T06
0833 Banbury - Morecambe (1715 return)

formed DMU (D2) viewed outward Birmingham New Street

Thurs
12/07/1984
1Z26
0735 Kidderminster - Portsmouth Harbour

Sun
15/07/1984
1Z37
0805 Wolverhampton - York

Sun
15/07/1984
1T06
0825 Rugby - Llandudno (1810 return)

47324 outward & rtn.


Mon
16/07/1984
1Z09
0704 Leamington Spa - Scarborough

Tues
17/07/1984
1T07
0806 Coventry - Blackpool North (1805 return)

Wed
18/07/1984
1Z09
0718 Banbury - Saltburn

47155 Outward & rtn


Thurs
19/07/1984
1Z25
0728 Coventry - Weymouth




*** (Sat 21/07/84 - Fri 27/07/84 No STNs on file) ***

Sun
22/07/1984
1T05
0900 Leamington Spa - Rhyl

Outward Via Coventry & Nuneaton 47522

Note 12. Via Coventry & Nuneaton outward at least.
Sun
22/07/1984
1Z27
0730 Shrewsbury - Margate

Outward 47340

Sun
29/07/1984
1Z37
0840 Shrewsbury - Scarborough

Sun
29/07/1984
1T06
0830 Leamington Spa - Llandudno (1800 return)

Mon
30/07/1984
1Z16
0743 Stratford-upon-Avon - Paignton

outward 47016

Tues
31/07/1984
1Z27
???? Redditch - Cleethorpes

Tues
31/07/1984
1T05
0800 Banbury - Llandudno (1735 return)

West Midlands ADEX's for August 1984 onwards to follow,,,

© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Friday 25 November 2016

West Midlands ADEX's 1984 - part 1.

"Timewarp : now under heavy general overhaul - expect a new livery and shiny new nameplates soon!"

Awaydays, Merrymakers or plain old Advertised Excursions, whatever they were marketed as in your area, the once commonplace ADEX is just another aspect of the railway scene that is long gone, once and for all, consigned for to the history books, or maybe to just to websites like this?

Gary Stratford as once again been perusing the 1984 Special Traffic Notices (STN) of the LMR this time in search of the Excursion traffic originating in the West Midlands and this page now lists his findings together with 'gen' with regard what locos actually worked from Gary's notes and from Timewarp records.

Gary says… "Concentrating on those workings starting in the West Midlands area and not (at the moment!) including those from other regions passing through so as a result most of the starting times are known. However, the notices can be a bit vague - for instance there are only outward timings for the Banbury - Scarborough on 06/09/84 in the W1 and nothing at all in the M so I don't know what time that started from Banbury if it indeed ran!

These loco hauled trains seemed to run on any day from Sunday to Thursday during the peak summer months and dropped off towards the end of the summer as you would expect. There were some Adex workings on summer Saturdays but these were all quoted as DMU from what I could see so are not listed. "


Can you add to the listing below? Do you know what worked any of these trains or can you confirm if they even ran? Did you travel on any of the services listed and do you have any railway related memories of the trip?

Info on this page originally part of a feature on our old Timewarp site with amendments and updates.

ADEX's orignating in the West Midlands - May 1984 (other months to follow).

Mon
07/05/1984
1T08
0800 Stratford-upon-Avon - Aberystwyth

Outward 45117 to Wolves; 25265/25283 forward /
Rtn was 1T08/1755  25265/25283 to Wolves 37173 fwd.


Mon
07/05/1984
1Z37
0815 Wolverhampton - Ramsgate

Outward 47434 & 1740 rtn

Sun
27/05/1984
1Z38
0730 Coventry - Paignton


Sun
27/05/1984
1Z39
0916 Wolverhampton - Portsmouth Harbour

Mon
28/05/1984
1Z36
0733 Kidderminster - Brighton


47549 Outward & rtn

Mon
28/05/1984
1Z11
0710 Shrewsbury - Scarborough

45110 Outward at least

Tues
29/05/1984
1Z26
0705 Lichfield City - Plymouth

Wed
30/05/1984
1Z25
0700 Banbury - Kings Lynn

Thurs
31/05/1984
1T07
0740 Leamington Spa - Blackpool North (1800 return)

West Midlands ADEX's for June 1984 onwards to follow,,,



© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Saturday 29 October 2016

Still here...

"We've been away for far too long, but now we're back."

The lack of posts is still down to my working on the new site.

The site, under a new name is now online, but still under construction and under wraps for now.

The old site came to a standstill due to getting bogged down with data, so I've been putting in the hours coding the admin section, with still more work to do. hopefully this will make the new site easier to maintain.

All but 3 or the years data covering 1975-1989 have now been processed.

Quite a few of you have emailed asking after the old site and have not had a response. We were simply waiting until we had something positive to report... expect a mail sometime soon...



© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Saturday 13 August 2016

Wot? No posts?

"We've been away for far too long, but now we're back."

So, I've not posted anything for awhile, so I suppose you think I've done what most people do?  Start a blog, and when it doesn't become the next internet sensation, pack it all in after a couple of weeks?

Well, if you know our old Timewarp project, which was updated regularly for some thirteen years or so, you really should be expecting better.  If you've read this blog, you'll know that the old project was mostly the work of one person and that it only ground to a halt due to the amount of work involved and that I've been looking for a way to revive things ever since, especially the diary pages, which formed the main bulk of the old site.

Well, now, as part of a small group of like minded individuals, and by working together, a new site is well under construction to build upon the old Timewarp diary pages.  There are a couple of lads working away on the data alongside their own on going web projects, while I'm working on the code behind the new site, and there are others involved too, and we hope that they and quite possibly others will be able to become more involved as the new project takes shape.

The new site is still under wraps for now, but once it goes live, visitors to this blog will be among the first to know about it!

© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Saturday 2 July 2016

Where Were You 27/08/85?

"If Timewarp was a loco it's status would be: Stored Serviceable."

Tuesday 27th August 1985.

The day started off in an unpromising fashion. We were late and with no gen a situation we hoped would soon change once we arrived at New Street, off the 1O15 0900 Manchester P - Poole ( behind 86324 ). It didn't. We had a quick look around but could find none of the usual faces, in fact there appeared to be no bashers around at all.

We did know of a number of relief's that should be running. These included the 1100 Cardiff - York and 1041 Exeter - Edinburgh. Maybe we should make our way to Cheltenham to cover these? Or would we do better by staying put and hopefully the 1033 Bristol - Leeds relief or one of the regular turns might produce?

But then disappointing 47451 rolled up on 1V74, the Leeds / Hull - Cardiff and rather than fester we took a snap decision and took V74 to Cheltenham to cover the two reliefs from Cardiff & Exeter as reliefs were still good producers of NB locos.

We baled at Cheltenham and as soon as V74 departed we found out that the York relief was cancelled and a long wait until 1257 for anything back.

Eventually, the 1041 Exeter - Edinburgh arrived with 45077 in charge and a fine run up the bank followed and then onward back to New St.

We arrived at New Street and baled into a crowd of bashers in a flap and something about 20011 working and it looks like we may have dropped on and our luck as changed! But no, our mate John says 20011 is on 1V46 1255 York-Cardiff and caped New Street and no move up to last stop Derby for it. Hopes dashed again!

If we couldn't get 20011 in, I for one didn't want to be around to see it arrive and that was when I saw 45124 on 1E63, the Poole - Newcastle, one of my last couple of required 45/1's, so I decided to try and salvage something out of the day and get at least new one line in the book. So only minutes after arriving in New Street we left again leaving the crowd that greeted us behind and went our own way, off on E63 to Derby! Once underway, I tried to forget about 20011. It was just yet another one that had got away.

However, passing Burton, we realised we still hadn't passed the relief. Only now did I think to look at the timetable! Had E63 been on time ( and I don't recall it being that far off ) I found it should only be a -3 at Derby! What had my mate been talking about? Why did we leave everyone standing around at New Street? Why had so few people chanced on 1E63 making it? Could we make it after all? Passing Peartree we grabbed our bags and rushed through the crowded AIR CON rake. We made for the door that we thought would be closest to the footbridge ( a skill we had mastered down to a fine art back then ).

Then it happened, that traditional signal check at the last peg to the West of Derby station, just before the over bridge and the platform ends just out of sight of the platform ends. We could even hear the sounds of whistling Class 20s carried on the breeze. Was it 011 or just some others parked up on the curve! Seconds seamed like hours as we willed the peg to change until at last it did.

Slowly we crawl into Derby. Under the bridge and just as the platform ends come into view 20011 is just drawing to a stop on Platform 4!!! As the 1st coach of E63 reached platform 1, a couple of young and foolish bashers leapt and were running for it, but they would have done better staying put as the train still moving faster than they were! We stopped right by the bridge and then we were off and running. On reaching the stairs, whistles were already blowing and we were running against the solid wall of humanity that was slowly moving towards us with heavy suitcases, briefcases and swarms of unattended little children, dogs on leads. Finally reaching the far side of the bridge, the brakes were off! Doors were shutting and we were still fighting our way down the stairs taking what seamed like ages, finally crossing the platform reaching for the nearest door handles like sprinters ducking for the winning tape and then scrambling on board.

Once we made it on board, the staff who had seamed so very keen to get the train out before we'd made it seamed to loose all interest. The relief then stood there for what seamed like an ages (although is was only a couple of minutes) so we could have strolled over and still had plenty of time! There was a mini flap once someone suggested the man with the gloves had appeared, but no, we were off and the loco stayed on! Once we did depart we made our way forwards and found a seat with our mate Rob who had fallen onto 20011 at Sheffield!

It was quickly clear that any late running was not down to the engine. 20011 handled the five coach load with ease. The only thing wrong was it was over too quickly and the rest of the day could only be an anticlimax after that!

Examples of many other Where Were You pages can be found in the
archived Where Were You section of our old site.
If you'd like to add your memories of this day, please contact us or post into the comment box below.




© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

Friday 24 June 2016

'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered ...part I (1980-1983)

"If Timewarp was a loco it's status would be: Stored Serviceable."

The 'Staffordshire Potter' 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.

I can't remember now just when they started, but it was autumn of 1980 when I had my first 'Potter' so it would be a date somewhere about that period and the adult fare was then the grand sum of 50p, rising slowly during that decade to the even grander sum of £2. The way that we used the ticket also changed over the years and a short series of four articles have been planned to outline those changes and illustrating how the local service changed too. Part one features the transition of many local enthusiasts from spotter to haulage basher and/or photographer initially using the ticket to get to Crewe or Stafford for a bit of spotting.

At first glance, a ticket that gave validity between Crewe - Uttoxeter and Stafford - Congleton does not seem to have a great deal of haulage bashing potential, but over the years that followed it was to prove surprisingly useful for picking up interesting haulage's from time to time. Although strictly speaking you were NV direct between Crewe - Stafford I don't recall anyone ever having problems, the ticket usually being excepted by most, and it was only in later years that 'via Kidsgrove' was added to the piece.

Being an evening rover, during the week, the ticket was only valid on trains booked to run after 1745 (time off Stoke) and I can remember, on many occasions, when earlier trains were running late, being kept waiting before I would be allowed to book my ticket. In the early years, the ticket was also available for all day use on Sundays and that was when they could have come in really useful for the haulage basher, or they would have done if I had been bashing seriously that far back. At that period most of us locals were still Spotting though the appeal was on the wane. A few of our number had already become Bashers and were chasing Class 40's to the almost total exclusion of all else. I did have the good sense to record my haulage all the same, but not necessarily the service details, and often, back then, we would arrive at the station on a Sunday morning only to find the hauled trains had been diverted away from us, running instead via Crewe and replaced through Stoke by a DMU and bus shuttle. That was the case with the first half a dozen or so Potter's I had. We would still go to Stafford for a hour or two spotting in the morning then to Crewe in the afternoon.

For anyone who was not familiar with the railway scene in North Staffs and South Cheshire at that time, the service between Crewe - Uttoxeter - Derby and beyond was an approximately hourly DMU service, which scine 1969 would usually the DMU's would be Derby based Class 120 Cross Country Swindon sets supplemented from time to time until October of 1981, by Class 104 BRCW sets which had worked the line since 1958. While between Stafford - Stoke - Congleton, the weekday evening turns were mostly Class 304 EMU's, although Class 310's also appeared on some diagrams but were not considered unusual, plus there was a couple of electrically hauled expresses that called at both Stoke and Stafford that you could cover and the one London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly service 1H20 that called at both Stoke and Congleton. On Sundays, trains before 16:00 were usually booked diesel haulage. There were four booked diagrams off Manchester via Stoke, and those to Euston were booked to call at Stoke and Stafford, all diesel hauled or dragged most weeks and all diagrams could be covered as there were also two Euston - Manchester's calling at Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent to get back.

A sequence of personal accounts of Potter's follow:

Sunday 04/01/81.
For the first Sunday in about a dozen attempts we arrived at the station and found that a bus or DMU had not replaced the first hauled service to Stafford! So it was 47512 working 1G60 Manchester P - Birmingham NS and so we took that to Stafford for a few hours spotting. The earlier 1A11 to Euston was not officially booked to call at Stafford at that period, but usually it did, so as to detach a diesel that would be dragging an electric more often than not. On one occasion, a mate of mine arrived at Stoke to see a Forty dragging 1A11, so he jumped on regardless. 1A11 did stop at Stafford for the Forty to detach, but on the centre rd. Though he considered baling there, the presence of ‘Bert’ prevented this, so, he found himself raking in some bonus sparky mileage until 1A11 was signal checked at Watford! But back to this occasion, and it was the combination of 47468+87035(Drag) on the 1H?? Euston - Manchester P back, the 47 being attached at Stafford after working in from Manchester earlier.

Sunday 25/01/81.
Same move again, this time it was 47443 on 1G60 and 47405+87027(Drag) on the same trains. We were disappointed to get only ETH engines again.

Sunday 13/09/81.
This was to be my last 'Potter' of 1981 and it was to be a little different. 40080 was most welcome on the 1V69 0908 Manchester Piccadilly - Plymouth, which it would work as far as New Street. However due to engineering works, 1V69 was diverted from Stone to Colwich to call additionally at Rugeley. My one and only run over the Stone - Colwich route with a Class 40 providing lots of thrash before I leapt at a, rare for me, location, Rugeley, before then taking an EMU shuttle to get to Stafford, while 40080 continued onwards with 1V69 via Cannock. After a quiet morning at Stafford it was back to Rugeley on the EMU and 1H?? with 86103, an unusual straight electric haulage home.

Early 1982.
For much of early 1982 Sunday services via Stoke were lost due either to industrial action or engineering when they were diverted via Crewe.

Sunday 30/05/82.
The overnight 'Pope-ex' trains had all produced EMU's, just as we had been informed they would, so we were glad we hadn't bothered with an overnight to cover them... unfortunately we had not been aware at the time of what what had worked elsewhere...
After asking around, no one was sure if the advertised train to North Wales would be hauled or not, so we went down to see for ourselves. Again there was disappointment. It was a very sick five-car DMU formation that finally departed Stoke and then only after fitters attention and even then, it was a departure accompanied by a dense cloud of smoke and it was a major stagger. With an hour to kill, we paid a flying visit to Cockshute HS to see what might be stabled. Not much, as I recall. We made it back to Stoke-on-Trent station with only minutes to wait for with 40079 to Stafford on the 1V79 0908 Manchester P - Bristol TM. 87008 was a disappointing find on 1H30 1000 Euston - Manchester for the return. Having witnessed the departure of that mornings North Wales service it came as no surprise to us when we were informed by JL that 40091 and a rake of AIR CONS had replaced the sick units en-route and would work the return. So we took an afternoon DMU service to Crewe in good time for another good but short 40-hauled run, this time on the 1748 Llandudno - Stoke behind 40091. The train was packed and very hot, the air inside foul, no wonder then most of us chose to flail all the way! Mileage men we were not!

Sunday 13/06/82.
Not very exciting again! 47438 to Stafford, for 47533 back. So it wasn't all NB and boilered locos even back then.

Sunday 27/06/82.
This was the weekend that I had planed to start a rover for my first all out bash, but uncertainties over threatened industrial action saw that plan canned, so instead, another 'Potter'. 47409 to Stafford on 1V79. 47536+87019(Drag) back. And my poor luck and always dropping onto the EH locos continues.

Thursday 01/07/82.
Due to this being 'Potters fortnight', (the Stoke-on-Trent area industrial holidays - if you're not local), the 1P14 0925 Crewe - Blackpool was starting back at Blythe Bridge with loco and stock provided by Derby. Having viewed and photographed this train behind 45002 that morning and not having seen the peak return during the day, I felt it must be worth taking a trip to Crewe to cover the return 1K04 1707 ex Blackpool, which was A Crewe service extended to Blythe Bridge. 45002 was noted on Crewe diesel upon my arrival so things were looking promising! 1K04 arrived behind a Roarer and 45002 backed on. It wasn't too often you got a chance cross the always Orange(!) waters of the Trent and Mersey canal and travel up the short but steep Kidsgrove bank behind a Peak! So sheer Hellfire novelty value then and why I didn't go at least to Blythe Bridge I can't recall!

Thursday 05/08/82.
To Crewe by DMU to bring back 40164 which was expected on the 1K38 1737 Llandudno - Stoke. On the journey out I was introduced to Glover, who was an interesting character! I was talking to my old mate Steve Cotton regarding the unit as a crowd of us headed for Crewe. I mentioned I liked the oval mirrors that featured on those Swindon built Cross County units. It was around that point that, unnoticed, Glover went missing. When he got back, he opened his coat, flasher style, revealing one of those oval mirrors! I was then informed by Glover's mate that he was 'building a Class 120 DMU One piece at a time'! Then, Glover points at a small square metal plate fixed to the side of the unit, beneath the window. "What's that for?" Glover asked. "Well" said his mate "When you've nicked the ashtray that's what they cover the hole up with!"

Monday 09/08/82.
Required 40168 had worked 1D32 so I went to Crewe for it on 1K38 1737 Llandudno - Stoke. But unknown to me, the engines had been swapped and it was 40172 that turned up, not that I was complaining - 172 was required as well. Despite having arrived at Crewe off the north Wales line, 40172 arrived on what was, at that time, platform 6, since renamed platform 1 - such a movement became impossible with the 1985 station rebuild.

Monday 13/09/82.
Required 40168 had worked 1D32 so I went to Crewe for for a second attempt at getting 40168 and this time it did come back on the 1K38 1737 Llandudno - Stoke.

Sunday 19/09/82.
After a Summer long absence, Sunday hauled trains had returned to Stoke-on-Trent and now, with 1A11 booked to call at Stafford officially there were now five south bound trains to cover. 'The lads' had asked if I was up for a 'Potter', but I def'd it in favour of taking a few photos line side. 1A11 was expected first but after half an hour there was no sign. Instead first to appear was 40184 with the lads all on board 1G60 hauling the usual WR Mk I rake. When the peg again changed moments after the 40 cleared, it went straight to Green and it was unclear if 'Bobby' was playing his usual Sunday game of 'peg it two hours early and keep 'em guessing' or if 1A11 was now imminent. I decided to wait and moments later 1A11 did indeed appear with the memorable combo of 25037+25044 dragging 86252! The 'Rats' would no doubt work 1A11 to Stafford as booked and should return North later. As I could not remember Rats on the Sunday drags before, the lure was too great and I just had to go out and get them! So now I had to take 1A16 1040 Manchester P - Euston to Stafford and in it rolled with 47432 dragging 86212. It was, I noted, a 'dead time' at Stafford, but with 40 minutes allowed on a Sunday I felt sure I would still make it, but I hadn't reckoned on stopping to pick up a pilotman at Barlaston, before setting back and stretch of single line working to Stone. With Stafford station finally in sight the 'Rats' were already in and on the train! A 'desperate leap' followed by a mad dash and I'd made it by the skin of my teeth onto 1H30 1000 Euston - Manchester P this time the 'Rats' were dragging 87035. I made my way forward expecting to find the lads, but no, they were nowhere to be seen, in fact I don't remember seeing any other bashers on board. Had pangs of hunger not got the better of me I would have hung around for 1A21 1242 Manchester P - Euston and taken that to Stafford, but I figured, with my luck it would be another 47/4 just like 1A16, so I went home for food. I made the mistake of viewing 1A21 and wished I hadn't once I realised I'd been bowled out for 40027 dragging 86235!

Late 82.
Now that I had made the transition from spotter to basher, during the last three months of the year, almost without exception, the Sunday trains before 1600hrs were diverted leaving the DMU and bus shuttles filling the gap, while, once the Stoke - Llandudno had finished in mid September there was, no longer reason to go out on "A Potter" for a few months...

Sunday 2nd January 1983.
A much larger Roadshow than usual and we all let 47543 on the first Euston go. It would only drag to Stafford and then work back on 1H30, while what ever worked the 1G60 0908 Manchester P - Birmingham New St wouldn't be seen again. So it was that we waited for 1G60 which was to be our first move and this appeared behind 47205, which was boiler fitted, and was duly taken to Stafford. Here we waited for the return working of 47543, which was 1H30 1000 Euston - Manchester P, this brought in by 86238. As usual, the pan of the electric was lowered as the Brush backed on. We baled back at Stoke, then came the move with 47502 dragging 86102 back to Stafford on 1A21 1242 Manchester P - Euston. As soon as 86208 arrived with 1H32 1200 Euston - Manchester P, Crewe based 47448 was added for the move back to Stoke again! As can be seen, it's all getting rather repetitive, with the motive power that produced being fairly standard fare for the period. The rest of the day continued with a DMU trip to Crewe and back, followed by a few Electric moves between Stoke and Stafford with 47205 becoming the undoubted highlight. In fact, the only reason for this day to be noteworthy for anyone I would think was that this was to be the last time ever that "The Staffordshire Potter" was to be available for all day travel. From now on a "Staffordshire Potter" was strictly an "Evening Rover" available Monday - Saturday and therefore only very limited use to us 'local' enthusiast types... in fact, it would be over eighteen months before I would next partake... Little did we then know that for some of us, many of the best ever "Potter" moves were yet to come!

'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered part II follows.

Does anyone else out there have any 'The Staffordshire Potter' memories?
Post in the Comments box below.



© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered ...part II (1983-1986).

"If Timewarp was a loco it's status would be: Stored Serviceable."

The 'Staffordshire Potter' 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.

As well as the ticket price slowly rising, the way that most local enthusiasts used the ticket also changed over the years and a short series of four articles has been planned to outline those changes and illustrating how the local services changed too. Part two features the period after 9th January 1983, the first Sunday that the 'Staffordshire Potter' ticket was no longer available and valid for all day travel on Sunday's.

With the loss of that all day validity on Sunday's 'the Potter' ticket appeared to have little use for someone who's main interest in the Railway scene was now haulage 'Bashing' and photography. The ticket was only valid on trains booked to run after 1745 (time off Stoke) and with the area covering the lines between Crewe - Uttoxeter and Stafford - Congleton, the haulage potential seamed rather limited.

A further selection of personal accounts of ‘Potter’s’ follow:

Thursday 29th November 1984.
There had been increasing instances of loco and stock vice Class 120 DMU's substitutes over the Crewe - Derby route during the year. Especially during the Autumn months. It was 2K53 15:25 Derby - Crewe and the 2P28 17:20 Crewe - Derby return that seemed to be most often effected, especially on Fridays for some reason (and that clashed rather badly with 'The Tube', a classic 1980's TV music show, shown on C4, usually featuring some of the bands that I liked at the time). On this day I'd already seen, only by chance, 45142 with a short load 3, work the 2K49 13:20 Derby - Crewe, then returning with the 2E51 15:23 Crewe - Lincoln, (presumably replaced at Derby by DMU?) so I decided to check out 2K53 just in case. There would be no gen available to me, so if I wanted to know what, if any thing was out I had no choice but to wait around in the cold and fast falling darkness just in case it should produce. Often when I made this lonely vigil, I had waited in vane as the booked unit had then appeared, or, if it was a loco it would then be ETH fitted or dud or both. On this occasion when I'd waited I was rewarded by the sight of 25244, also on load 3, and working 2K53. Well, the word was spread, and there was a small gathering waiting for 2P28. As we were about to join, our old mate Steve was about to bale, but upon seeing his reception committee, he elected to stay after all. Once in a nice, warm compo, Steve explained how he had carried out his 'standard move' of a weekly rover, used at the weekend, then each afternoon after working early shift. He'd gone out this occasion and had had little luck, made even worse once he found out he'd missed 45142 on 2K49. Deciding to call it a day, went for the unit home and found... load 3 + 'Rat'! Typical of his luck - always dropping on things!

Onwards into 1985.
The DMU situation settled down somewhat early in 1985, far less hauled substitutes were recorded, and thus, little need for a 'Potter'. But a change to motive power requirements in far off East Anglia, would have a knock on effect that would revive the usefulness of our favourite local 'piece'.

In order to free up some electric locos for the newly electrified London Liverpool Street - Ipswich section of the main line to Norwich a number of cross county turns that had previously been electrically hauled between the West Midlands and Northwest were now through diesel. Two such trains passed Stoke and these were : 1M88 06:25 SX/06:33 SO Poole - Manchester Piccadilly ( from Reading) and 1V16 17:25 Manchester Piccadilly - London Paddington. In those days, pre A50 / Britannia Stadium / Palisade Fencing days, you could get some surprisingly scenic shots, on the mostly spare ground just to south of Stoke in the Sideway area, and so, when ever possible, I would combine photing the 6M72 China Clay's with viewing the northbound 1M88 (due Stoke 1144). Whatever worked 1M88 should then come back on 1V16 (1811 off Stoke) and could be covered on a 'Potter', although it should be said, that the diagram didn't always stick. During the period of the 'Crewe blockade' (02/06/85-21/07/85), once the Stoke - Llandudno started, loco and stock would be provided by Derby. This would not be the usual solid 47/4 and the return working could also be covered on a Potter.

Monday 24th June 1985.
That morning 47257 worked 1M88, 45070 turned up on the clay and departmental Class 40 97408 was a bonus phot on a southbound spoil train. A 'Potter' move was on, because 47362 had worked 1D32 (Llandudno) and 47318 1P90 Blythe Bridge - Blackpool additional, both on top of the expected 47257 on 1V16. Whenever you did 1V16, there was always an anxious wait until you knew for sure that the engine had not been switched... thankfully 47257 did produce as expected. 1V16 was taken to an unusually busy Stafford. Thanks to the Crewe blockade, a number of trains were changing engines here rather than at Crewe and as a result, there were a number of engines stabled, mostly in the yards to the south. Our next move was to take the 'Dino', 304001 on this occasion, to Kidsgrove to await 1K90 Blackpool - Blythe Bridge Additional (running for 'Potter's fortnight') on which we expected 47318. As 47362 was a few minutes behind on the return ex Llandudno and also required, the already sad mileage would need to be split, with 47318 taken for the 3 'bus stop' miles to Longport, for 47362 onwards to Stoke. Three NB's scored in an evening, albeit for sad mileage, but at least they're now 'in the book'.

Tuesday 25th June 1985.
On this day, 47362 was once again 1D32 (Llandudno) with 45068, a big surprise working 1P90 (Blackpool), also very unusual was 47318 out again, this time with an additional Llandudno. 45076 worked the China Clay, then came 'massive' 47299 with 1M88 - so another 'Potter' just had to be done!
As I rushed to the station that evening, I bump into Rob. I pass on 'the gen' : 47299 - 1V16 ; 47362 1K38 ; 45068 1K90 ; 47318 on the additional, and he needs all four! Can he get them all in, he asks? Yes, I explain, but it means he must bale at Kidsgrove, Longport & Etruria - even worse than my move the night before! The anxious wait for 1V16 was even more anxious that usual. For me, the main objective of the evening was 47299 - a massive machine at the time, even more so due to the mystery of just why it was renumbered from 47216. Thankfully, 47299 stuck and came back with 1V16 as booked. The move to Kidsgrove was with 304007. 86314+86319 passed through Kidsgrove with a Southbound liner - very rare in daylight then. Rob (and no doubt other's) left Kidsgove with 47318 on the relief ex Llandudno, while I waited for the Peak on 1K90, which I did to Stoke (Looking at it now, I can't recall why I didn't go to Blythe Bridge)?

Wednesday 26th June 1985.
And this is getting to be a habit! 47403 is 1D32, 47334 1P90, later its 45046 on the China Clay and a disappointing 47449 on 1M88. Still, two required engines out, and you never know, the loco for 1V16 is yet to be switched this week, could this be the first swap of the week? Well... no, because, to everyone's further disappointment 47449 comes back on 1V16. Then, its 304027 to Kidsgrove and I then take 47334 to Longport (1K90) for 47403 to Stoke (1K38).

Tuesday 9th July 1985.
With the Crewe blockade still on, loco and stock for 1D32 is still ex Derby and it produces 47128. 'Potter's Fortnight' is behind us now, so no Blackpool service today. 45013 is the China clay and 47002 works 1M88. That evening I go out and 47002 does works 1V16 as expected and 47128 returns with 1K38 ex Llandudno and so I take it to Stoke. I find out later, that 1K38 was extended to Derby after I'd left. Anyway, two more lines are now in the book.

Thursday 11th July 1985.
47437 was a bit of a dull choice of power for 1D32, but later that morning I was quite pleased to phot 45022 on the China Clay, while large logo / Stag 47467 off Inverness was on 1M88. We were not aware of the engine off 1M88 being swapped and thus not working 1V16 in some time. I wanted 47467, and felt that this would be my best chance of getting it. On this occasion the anxious wait would result in a disappointment of the highest order when it was 47432 that returned on 1V16 and not 47467. One stroke of minor luck though, 1V16 'made the minus' at Stafford into 1H38 1750 Birmingham New Street - Manchester Piccadilly for once, but it was only 86208 and not the always hoped for Roarer that 1H38 often produced. 47437 came back on 1K38 as expected. This evening declared A no-score bore!

Tuesday 16th July 1985.
47326 works 1D32, 47029 does 1M88, and 45004 was the China Clay phot of the day. Two 'Biggies' expected out, so it's another Potter! More disappointment... 47274 comes back on 1V16, everyone else is pleased by this, as it's a Heymarket machine and seen to be even better than 47029 and it is scored by everyone (except by me, had on 1G06) including a couple of lads who didn't even need 47029 anyway. We all do 274 to Stafford, then it's off to Kidsgrove again by Dino. During the fester there, one of the Kidsgrove lads, notices his mate 'Charlie' is on duty at the box. 'Charlie' makes a call as to the whereabouts of 47326 and we are now informed that 47326 has been removed at Llandudno and it is 47069 that is now working 1K38. More disappointment for me then, but at least there were a couple of NB's out and recorded in the moves book.

Wednesday 17th July 1985.
47069 worked 1D32, required 47188 does 1M88 with the China clay a 'no show'. Another day, another swap that's not to my advantage... 47623 comes back with 1V16, while 47069 sticks and works back with 1K38.

There appears no further 'Potter' moves in my records for 1985, it's all rover's and other trips much further afield. With the end of the Crewe remodelling, the Llandudno turn became a regular 47/4 turn once again, and by the end of that summer, 1M88 & the 1V16 return working had become a near 'solid' 47/4 turn too. If they couldn't find a 47/4, they tended to dig up a 31/4 from somewhere instead. All the same, in the new year, a few of us would gather to view 1M88 and record it's passage for history, occasionally going out of an evening to catch 1V16 if it looked promising...

Friday 10th January 1986.
In the 'moves book' appears the entry "85038 Stafford - Stoke 16.25 1H38 1750 Birmingham New Street - Manchester Piccadilly". I must have seen it work south during the afternoon on 1G08, which was the previous leg of the diagram. But I have no memory of this at all...

Thursday 16th January 1986.
...unlike this occasion. By chance I saw 1M88 on this day and was extremely surprised to see it was hauled by 33115! With no gen to be had, with regard 1V16, quite a few of us had gathered to await the 1V16 service, not ever really believing that the massive Crompton would come back, but not wanting to miss out if it did! In the event it was 47450 that did the honours on 1V16 rather than the Crompton, but better safe than sorry and at least we made the minus onto 1H38 that night, which was 85021.

Monday 17th March 1986.
Immingham's 31451 had worked 1M88 that morning. So I covered 1V16 only to find 47610 in charge, by chance, a score. We didn't make 1H38 as usual, but it was only 86219 anyway.

Tuesday 22nd July 1986.
20029+20147 worked the 1525 Nottingham - Crewe (possibly after a Derby start?), the same train had been 45115 the day before, while 31224 had worked the 0840 Crewe - Nottingham on this morning. The word was soon out and a number of us made sure we were on the next Crewe bound service and waiting at Kidsgrove (back again) for the Choppers on the 1737 Crewe - Derby. Once onboard, it was only as we passed our local park and spied Ade walking his dog that we realised no one had called him. All we could do was wave... and he, gestured back at us! Then came anti-climax in the shape of Plastic back home from Uttoxeter.

Thursday 11th September 1986.
We knew this was going to be the last year of the hauled Stoke - Llandudno, and this was to be the last week of all We had found out, well in advance, that last remaining English Electric Class 40, D200, was to be rostered for the final two weeks. The penultimate week went well with D200 performing the full diagram each and every day. The last week did not go quite so well. On Monday the 8th D200 set off as planned, but the return working was cancelled due to a derailment at Llandudno. Tuesday saw 47453 working instead, but D200 was back on diagram and in action on the turn by Wednesday. We also now knew that D200 WOULD NOT now be made available for the last day of the Stoke - Llandudno, it's last appearance, and therefore the last ever appearance of a Class 40 on 1D32 & 1K38 would now take place on September the 11th! That night there was a very large Stoke contingent on the Sprinter to Crewe. Others were already on the train when we joined it... There were quite a few of the local lads whom we had not seen on the railway for several years, while still others were making their first appearance of the year.... Needless to say, 'the Reunion tour' was to prove quite rowdy, but good natured (even the apparent punch-up going on in one of the compos was only 'in fun' and there were no lasting injuries!).

Upon arrival at Stoke, everyone baled and made there way to the engine, with much raucous banter and lots of photos being taken. Some 'normals' wandered up too, wondering what all the fuss was about but not quite getting it. It was, after all, just another train with just another engine... The 'normals' didn't' get it when a big cheer went up as the shunter arrived to hook off. The unfortunate 'Bert' was none other than local legend, Mr Alan Pullen. Now, as part of Al's duties, he often got to hook engines on and off the Llandudno, and, the local lads all knew he'd been getting lots of stick for making heavy weather of it. so, as soon as he appeared, a spontaneous round of applause broke out together with rowdy chorus... "Alan Pullen, Alan Pullen, can you hook this engine off!" Once the engine was hooked off and away from the consist, a bemused Al climbs back on to the platform and instantly he's lifted shoulder high and carried back along the stock towards the rear of the train. All the way, the chanting and singing continues but now it's changed to... "Alan Pullen, Alan Pullen, can you hook this engine on!" Once the rear of the stock is reached, Al is dumped unceremoniously off the platform onto the ballast! The chanting and singing continue as D200 backs onto the stock and is coupled up! More applause for Al! The chanting finally stops and Al makes himself scarce! Not everyone present was local, but they were all singing along just the same. One out of towner, who had been singing and chanting louder than anyone else present then says to me... "Who is Alan Pullen anyway!" Then, with the RA finally given, D200 erupts beneath Stoke's overall roof, that mighty sound almost, but not quite drowned out by the clatter of camera shutters as the English Electric beast departed Stoke's number one platform with the stock of the Llandudno for the final time! The crowd stays just long enough for the sights and sounds of D200 to disappear into the distance before dispersing into the night. The next day, 47459 worked the last ever Stoke - Llandudno and return, not that anyone much, cared at the time...

For further notes on the Stoke - Llandudno follow this link .

Wednesday 3rd December 1986.
With the end of the summer timetable of 1986, a season that, in many ways had been a disappointment to me, because, despite spending more time and money than ever on my railway hobby, the amount of 'quality power' I had caught up with was much less than in previous years. A situation that I realised was almost certainly to continue... I even 'Seriously considered packing it all in', but then, it finally occurred to me that the social side of the hobby was just as important as the engines, and, as long as there was a 'roadshow' and some haulage to be had, it was still worth continuing, and thus I was coaxed out again. Well, 1V16 had been lost to us back in May, so there were no diesels that could be covered on a 'Potter'. So what could be done? Well, I was introduced to 'the Congleton leap' for a start. The 1H20 1700 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly was the only northbound hauled service to call there and on this occasion 1H20 produced a Roarer in 85019, and so we took it Stoke - Congleton (another big mileage move then!), this must have been my first loco hauled leap there! Then it was back to Stoke on a unit to await 1G76 1921 Manchester Piccadilly - Birmingham New Street. Now, where 1H20 very rarely produced a Roarer, 1G76 was a much better bet, but not on this occasion, because 86252 turned up. It was usually the engine of the 1M50 Brighton - Manchester Piccadilly, and that service was also via Stoke during the afternoon, and so, if anyone was around, it could be viewed? At Stafford off 1G76, we dropped into another Roarer, 85003, working a 1900 London Euston - Carlisle Relief which we took to Crewe. As it wasn't possible to get back to Stafford in time for a hauled train home we took the last Derby service (A Sprinter) home. Although not quite the same as the run out with D200 in September, this had been enjoyable too

'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered part I (1980-1983).
'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered part III (1987-1988).


Does anyone else out there have any 'The Staffordshire Potter' memories?
Please post in the Comments box below.


© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...

'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered ...part III (1987-1988).

"If Timewarp was a loco it's status would be: Stored Serviceable."

As 1987 starts we were now in the middle of the second 'EH winter' and we are well away from the remaining pockets of steam heat (still going in Scotland… nowhere else really), and so there was very little prospect of anything but EH fitted power working passenger turns and in our area that meant a couple of 47/4's workings (more turns on Sunday's if not diverted away) and a selection of AC electric diagrams. Rather than wait for the summer timetable to arrive before going out again, the local 'Roadshow' made the collective decision to pick off those few, still required, AC electrics that we all seamed to need a few odd, examples of. The class 86/0 sub class had been rare performers on passenger duties, in daylight hours at least, since the spring of 1980 when a 80mph blanket speed restriction was imposed on the type. As a result, we had all still needed a few of them for haulage. Now that most of those 86/0's had been fitted with modified bogies and reclassified as 86/4's, these once elusive, on daytime passenger' engines had now been returned to 100mph status and they were once more available to be picked off. We also all needed a few odd Roarers too.

There were two problems to be overcome. The 1st was the almost total lack of gen. What little gen that did filter through to us, never included any info on the AC electrics. We did, however, know details of the diagrams thanks the 'Loco-Hauled Travel' books backed up by our own local observations. If you did see a required loco pass by, and could identify which service it was working, you could then work out what service it might come back on. This system was not fool proof as there was always the danger that a loco might not come back even if it was diagrammed to do so. The 2nd problem centred on the simple fact that we all needed different engines. The solution to this problem was a 'design classic'. Dave B provided every member of the local 'Roadshow' with a green card, which, on one side carried a list of each Roadshow member's required locos, while the other side featured a list of everyone's phone number, the green cards were then to be carried around everywhere or so the theory goes.

The cheapest way to travel with some kind of validity, albeit locally, was still obviously on a 'Potter'. Armed with this ticket there were a number of trains that could drop a Roarer while a 86/4 could turn up on just about any electric diagram at any time of day. Of the trains that could be officially covered on a 'Potter', the 1G76 1921 Manchester Piccadilly - Birmingham New Street was the best bet to be something useful, and the loco for this was booked to work north on 1M50 1015 Brighton - Manchester Piccadilly, due Stoke-on-Trent at 1420. At that time, at least one member of the local Roadshow could usually make themselves available to go out and view 1M50 pass through on most days, and on some days, quite a few Roadshow members would turn out to see M50. This would be as close as we would get to solving our 'lack of gen' problem, for the time being at least. Sometimes, during the first few weeks of 1987, we would, by arriving lineside a little early, (or if the train was running late) or by waiting around longer than the normal, by chance we would view a couple of other services. These services were the 1A49 1330 Manchester Piccadilly - London Euston, due Stoke-on-Trent at 1411 and 1H10 1230 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly, due Stoke-on-Trent at 1430. The loco's off both 1A49 and 1H10 could also work back later in the day to effect an evening's 'Potter' moves, but more of that later. If 1M50 produced a loco that appeared 'on the green card', then we'd all probably do a 'Potter' that night. If no one got a new engine after a few days and a Roarer did work 1M50, then we'd go out for that anyway, and if we hadn't been out for a few days for a Roarer, then we'd go out anyway just for fun. So, most nights then, at that time, at least some of the Roadshow members would be out on a 'Potter' more or less every night until the May 1987 timetable change.

There follows a further selection of 'Potter' moves, some of which are memorable for some reason, while others are included just because they are typical of the period.

Thursday 1st January 1987 - Happy new Bashing year!
86229 worked 1A49 while 87016 worked 1M50 that afternoon. Dave B stopped by shortly afterwards and was then told the disappointing prospect for 1G76 (87016), but he was keen to do a 'Potter' anyway, wanting to get his first moves of the year 'in the book'. Word went out that a Potter move was on and I asked the lads if any of the services we might want to catch would not be running due to the fact it was a bank holiday and I was assured by the lads that everything WAS shown as running, so I took their word for it, and so, a 'Potter' it was then.

We decided on doing the 'Congleton leap' which, you may recall from previous accounts on these pages, that this involved taking the 1H20 1700 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly due Stoke-on-Trent at 1845, to Congleton, where it was due at 1903. 1H20 was the only northbound hauled turn to call at Stoke both and Congleton. As the 'Potter' was an evening rover it didn't cost us any more to cover this turn as well as 1G76, so why not make an evening out of it? We did this move all the time they said, so no need to look again at the timetable, they said, and so I went along with it without checking for myself (big mistake). 1H20 was a, nothing to get excited about, 86219, which we did anyway. The move then, was to return on the 1815 Manchester Piccadilly - Stoke-on-Trent all stations EMU, due Congleton 1912 and back at Stoke-on-Trent for 1931, in good time for 1G76, which left Stoke-on-Trent at 2001… except, this local service was clearly marked 'BHX' in the timetable, as we only discovered upon arrival at Congleton, and this WAS a bank holiday, so it didn't run on this occasion! We had a good laugh about that one… Anyway, having 'bowled' ourselves well and truly out, we even saw 1G76 go through flying through Congleton, and thankfully 87016 had stuck to diagram, and then we all caught the following 1900 Manchester Piccadilly - Stoke-on-Trent all stations service back, which was running, and unusually formed of a pair of 304 'Dinosaurs' 002+020. When we got back to Stoke, and with no other move on, Dave B (who else) was desperate enough to then hitchhike to Stafford, but by the time he got there, his only possible move was to do 1M31 1745 Dover - Manchester Piccadilly straight back home with a not very exciting at the time 87002 as power. An evening that was memorable for all the wrong reasons really.

Thursday/Friday 15/16th January 1987 by Dave B
.
As I remember, the weather was unusually wintery 4 winter.
"Truly amazing evening! Arrived at Stoke station about 18.30 and waited 2 hours 4 the first decent train, everything hideously delayed.got 2 Stafford 2 find eleventeen foot of snow !
SNOWBALL FIGHT!
Fast 86 2 Crewe which was so bloody slow you wouldn't believe it. Played cards in carriage which was minus lights & heating.. Arrived at Crewe approx 21.40, no sign of SOT unit, big moan 2 Mr station supervisor...
Extremely helpful man, he organised loco & stock 2 take us home, snag - had 2 wait almost 3 hours 4 it 2 arrive. Good fortune was on hand: 47 119 & 1 pullman & 1 bg 2 take just 7 of us home.
Arrived in at 01.30... truly amazing."
Looking through the main book, details are as follows:-

19.21 Man Picc - BNS (1G76)
85 023 Stoke - Stafford

19.00 Euston - Holyhead (1D70)
86 249 "County of Merseyside" Stafford - Crewe

0034 Crewe - Stoke special relief
47 119 Crewe - Stoke

What makes this night even more memorable is the fact it was done on the old Staffs Potter and the whole evening cost £1.
"Happy Days"

Tuesday 20th January 1987.
Due to a spell of bad weather and the resulting unpredictability of train services locally, this was the first time anyone had actually seen 1M50 since 85017 had worked it on the previous Tuesday (13th), and even then 1M50 had been so heavily delayed that it had terminated at Stoke-on-Trent rather than go through to Manchester. Today, 85012 had worked 1M50 more or less on time. This was enough to trigger a 'Potter' after several blank days in the moves book. These notes that follow, then, are shown as an example of what was a typical 'Potter' move from the period, not very exciting, but a cheap evening out at the time. The main event, 1G76 and the expected return of 85012 was not until 20:01 but we would arrive at the station much earlier. In between quizzing the station staff during their quieter moments as to what, if anything, of interest had happened, or might be about to happen, we might do little filler moves on 304 EMUs or even if really desperate for something to do, Sprinter DMU's, and we would visit otherwise rarely visited local stations such as Stone or Longport as well as the regular possibility of 'the Congleton leap' on 1H20 (Which was 86219 once again on this occasion) for an EMU back. 85012 didn't come back on 1G76, this was always a distinct possibility, but this time, our luck was in, for it was 81021 that came back, and so, although dud, this 'big fish' was seen as even better. A good fast, albeit short, run was then had and we even made the minus 2 onto 1H27 1810 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly at Stafford. While I elected to come straight back with 1H27, the lads all planned to crossover platforms and wait for the 1D71 Holyhead, and their planned move would then be D71 Stafford - Crewe. As they made their way to the steps, they encountered the local character that we all knew as "Socket" and 'annoying' wasn't the word for him! He walks straight past the lads, who deliberately give him the slip, by going behind a crowd of 'Normal's' making for the stairs, and "Socket", he misses them completely, but he clocks me, and he heads straight on over. Of all the local Cranks, "Socket" was the one that you hoped not to bump into and it looked like I would be stuck with him, for once he latched onto you, then, there was no escaping him. Once you got stuck with "Socket", everyone else would stay well clear, and this was not good for getting the gen. The lads, meanwhile, feeling rather pleased with themselves having skilfully avoided "Socket" and landing me with him, were now on the opposite platform and all having a right good laugh at my expense! "Socket" then asks me, what my move was, so I tell him that I'm off straight back home on 1H27… Then adding… "But the lads are going to Crewe on 1D71!" I say this, pointing him in their direction. He likes that move much better, thankfully, and so he scurries off to annoy them, as I get to join 1H27 in peace, with 86235. As 1H27 pulls away, on the opposite platform, the lads encounter "Socket" and warn him off, but, as usual, despite their hostile reception towards him, he fails to take the hint, and still latches onto them, and tags along as he usually did anyway! Eventually they all left with 87022 on 1D71 for 1M47 back Crewe - Stafford with 86417, and then home from Stafford with 1H45 1940 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly, which was 86101, by all accounts.

Wednesday 28th January 1987.
This was the 'Potter' that wasn't (at least for me). I'd been flu'd up and getting a little stir-crazy. Finally feeling a little better, and well wrapped up against the weather, I'd ventured out and viewed 1M50 during the afternoon. The sight of 86415 working 1M50 was my limited reward. Gen hardly likely to trigger a mass 'Potter' move that evening or so it would seam.
Later the phone rang. Lenny had dropped onto 45143 which had worked the 1514 Derby - Crewe Sprinter turn. Normally a loco out on table 80 vice Sprinter would trigger a mass 'Potter' move, but after my little more than ten minutes in the fresh air just viewing 1M50 go past, I was withered for the rest of the day. The return working for the Peak was the 1648 Crewe - Boston (presume hauled only to Derby?) so the lads went after it without me (Nor Lenny, who was not really a big Peak fan anyway, and for whom his 'bus stop' mileage earlier was already enough). Never mind, it would work again (As Steve Cotton would have said, and frequently did, at the time!) The 1648 was strictly too early for a 'Potter' which left the lads looking at a single to Uttoxeter and to then buy a 'Potter' to get back and also to then make an evening out of it by covering 1G76. The Peak finally arrived some 20 odd down and the lads all took it. As the erstwhile Boston service reached Stoke junction, 1M07 1302 Portsmouth Harbour - Manchester Piccadilly hove into view with something of a surprise up front!
The Phone rang just after six when the lads reached Uttoxeter (No mobiles just yet)! 50027 had worked 1M07 vice AC electric. What, they asked me, would it come back on? "The stock forms 1G76 and the Hoover 'might' run round and work back on that?" I told them. There wasn't anything else it could come back on as far as I could see. The lads joined Sprinter 150116 on the 1644 Grantham - Crewe to get back to Stoke for around seven.
The Phone rang again just after seven. The lads had managed to find a member of station staff willing to make discrete enquiries regard 50027's possible return and it is now confirmed that it is to return on 1G76, so, now they want to know, am I going to turn out for it after all? Regrettably, I have to say I'm just not up to it. Back in the days when Class 50's had been LMR locos and based at CD, they would turn up from time to time on passenger duties around Stoke-on-Trent, most likely Sunday drags if the power went off, or on specials, but since those days, which already seamed a long way behind us even back then, Class 50's had been uncommon in our area.
As it turned out, 50027 did work back on 1G76. I at least got to hear it go past even though I felt much too rough at the time to go out after it! The lads arrived at Stafford just too late for the move on 1D71 to Crewe for 1M47 back, so instead, they festered at Stafford until 86242 had turned up on 1M31 1745 Dover - Manchester Piccadilly.
But just how does a Class 50 end up working through to Manchester on a service from Portsmouth? Well, the following tale, as told to me, is from memory, so it may not be 100% correct; so if you can confirm or deny any of what follows, then please let me know?
Apparently, shortly before this incident, the powers that be had noticed a lot of appearances by classes 81 and 85 (Roarers) on cross county duties, most notably those between the West midlands and Scotland and vice versa. As these locos were being run down, they were also becoming more unreliable and this was said to be having an effect on timekeeping, so a memo was then issued to 'control' to the effect that Roarers were only to be used on these duties as a last resort. While until recently, it was Roarers that had seamed to dominate these diagrams.
On this day a Class 87 had been rostered to work the 1O11 0950 Glasgow Central - Brighton as far as Birmingham New Street. Upon arrival at New St, the 87 was detached as usual, and then ran light engine to Coventry to await the arrival of 1M07 as per diagram. Meanwhile, 1M07 had set out from Brighton, presumably with the usual 47/4 up front, but only a short distance into the journey 1M07 was involved in a fatality on the line and was terminated. In those days BR didn't like to cancel trains and would run them if at all possible. The WR managed to find a spare loco, 50027, and a spare rake of MkI stock at Old Oak and this ran ECS to Reading to restart the service from there. At Coventry, the booked forwarding engine was AB only while the stock was Vacs, and with nothing else available in the area, the Hoover had to work it through. Of cause I can't say that that memo, if, indeed it ever existed, was to play any part in the working of 50027, but it was implied that it did, by he who told me this tale. Can anyone shed further light upon this incident?

Monday 23rd February 1987.
Just just a single member of the local roadshow required most of the locos that featured upon 'the Green Card' Gen sheets, occasionally two people might need the same loco, but there was a single loco required by almost everyone, and that loco was 81005. Should 81005 ever turn out on 1M50 then it was generally understood that everyone would want to know all about it and if that ever did happen there was sure to be a large 'local' turnout. Only minutes after the appearance that afternoon of 87028 on 1A49 1330 Manchester Piccadilly - London Euston, (a turn in serious danger of becoming 'solid' Laser at the time) 81005 had bounced around the curve and into view on 1M50. Word was spread and the long expected near full turnout did indeed 'produced on a Potter'. To make an evening of it, most elected to do the full 'Potter Experience' which, as I've said before, often included a few filler moves on units, and 'the Congleton leap', 86261 working 1H20 on this occasion and then a move back with a 'Dino' all helping to build up the tension before that crucial moment when 1G76 would finally hove into view, ever hopeful that it would still be roaring. As the twin lights first appeared, it was 'Roaring' at least, and indeed as it got closer, it was a flying fish… 81005 had finally produced! Only Lenny was disappointed… somehow he had been informed that we were all expecting 81006 to appear, which only he needed at the time, rather than the, for him, dud 81005. Everyone piled on, and we made our way to the front coach, which was otherwise empty, which meant we could open a few windows without upsetting anyone despite it being a freezing, frosty evening and we could soak up those once familiar sounds that only a 'Roarer' made as we travelled through the darkness. Many heads were out for the first couple of minutes until beaten back inside by the cold as we accelerated out of Stoke and into the freezing night. Then we all settled back to enjoy the thrash, looking out for the illuminated Wedgwood sign, to see which of the Blue neon letters would be working and which would be out… it had read "We woo" for what seamed like months amusing Dave B every time we passed it. After the short thrash, on came the brakes for the familiar junction just short of Stone station and the sharp right hand bend. After that restriction was safely negotiated, and as we accelerated again, away into the night, there came a Bright flash, a Bang, and what appeared to be a small fireball that flew passed the coach windows. With sufficient momentum we made it to the peg protecting Norton Bridge just short of the mainline and only then did we come to a stand at a Green colour light but it was obvious to all that something was up. We had failed. The guard confirmed to us that 'the carbon had been lost from the pan' as we had all suspected, and we were told we were awaiting rescue from Crewe or maybe even Stoke where we had left 47359 & 20032+20209 parked up. With all the windows now firmly shut to keep in the last of the heat, time passed quickly as we played cards and speculated upon possible rescue locos. After about 90 minutes, a Light Roarer passed by ahead of us on the main, southbound, then minutes later, it reappeared and dropped onto the front of out train. Soon, we were under way again, but it wasn't until we got to Stafford and all baled that we were able to discover that it was 85023 that had rescued us. Due to our late arrival there was now little in the way of moves to be done, but wait, what's this? Within a couple of minutes arriving at Stafford, here was the 1M31 1745 Dover - Manchester Piccadilly, the last hauled train to take us home, and it too, appeared to be Roaring… indeed it was another 'big fish' 81002! No one present could recall 1M31 ever dropping a Roarer before… A short, but blistering run home followed.

Monday 30th March 1987.
1M50 had produced 86416. Not one of the former rarish 86/0 conversions, but the former 86316, which after all had been rather commonplace leaving a Potter move looking unlikely. But the chance viewing of the appearance of 31458 on the 1511 Derby - Crewe Sprinter turn turned things around. 31458 would be back as the 1648 Crewe - Boston (tonight terminating at Derby). Not everyone in our roadshow was that keen on the 'Goyles', so just three of us went out after it. With plenty of up hill thrash and two intermediate station stops, 31458 seamed like good value on a Potter and taken out to Uttoxeter, the easterly limit of validity. Lengthening Spring days meant there was enough light for photos at Uttoxeter, not only of the departing 'Goyle' but of the half hoped for / half expected 47223 that passed through on a rake of oil tanks before our return move on another plastic Sprinter. With a valid piece we may as well cover 1G76, and just as well we did, for it was an unexpected bonus Roarer in the shape of personal mileage machine 85003, this having replaced the expected 86416. A good fast run with 85003 even sees us making the minus into 1H27 1810 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly, so it's straight back towards home, and true to the usual expected form, that 1H27 only gets a Roarer if the minus isn't made, it produced 86220. From Stoke it was back to Stafford on a Dino. We were beginning to appreciate these old units more and more, and by now they had been reduced from four to three cars, we were noticing that all the different sets each seamed to feature little detail differences, and some sets had seemingly taken on different characteristics all of there own. Some sets gained nicknames as a result of these characteristics, while other sets gained nicknames with a slight 'comedy value' (but only if you knew the story behind it). A list of these 'Dino' nicknames was floating around back then, but I don't have a copy of it, and can only remember a few odd ones. Off the 'Dino' we hoped to make 1M31, which had produced another Roarer (since 81002 at the end of the last month), but we just missed it and ended up having to wait around for 1H45 the 1940 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly, with a disappointing 86258 instead.

Wednesday 6th May 1987.
I decided against the full 'Potter Experience' and turned down the Stoke-on-Trent-Stone-Longport-Stoke-on-Trent unit bash prior to 1H20. 'The Congleton Leap' was raked in however, with commonplace 86250 working 1H20 1700 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly for Dino 001 back on the 1815 Manchester Piccadilly - Stoke-on-Trent stopper. That afternoon, 1M50 had been 87033 so was expected back with 1G76, but no, it was 85008 which made a nice change to Stafford. 86255 taken on 1H27 1810 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly back homeward for an unrecorded Dino on 1935 the Altringham - Wolverhampton back to Stafford and a choice of 1M31 ex Dover or 1H45 1940 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly to finish the day. 86404 working north with 1H10 had followed 87033 that afternoon and should have gone back south with a Newhaven service and thus was 1M31 as booked and turned down as 1H45 was unknown but turned out to be a rather uninspiring 86428. And so, the end of an era, though I don't think I realised it at the time as the 6 month or so period, that saw the most intensive use of the Potter ticket by the local bashing road show drew to a close…

Timetable change May 87.
There were no booked evening diesel turns, not ever summer dated ones, 1G76 runs no longer, but is now replaced by 1V19 1920 Manchester Piccadilly - London Paddington in similar times. The loco for this came off 1H88 1517 Birmingham International - Manchester Piccadilly (1641 through Stoke-on-Trent), but because the circumstances of the Roadshow members had also change, there was rarely anyone around to view 1H88 anyway, so there was usually no Gen on 1V19 to be had. The road show itself had splintered, with the various members now becoming more specialised. Now, there were factions chasing Class 50's, Class 47 or Class 37's exclusively, and the Potter ticket was of little use for any of those. Previously, the local road show's only specialists had been the followers of the Class 40's, and their appearances had already become as sparse as those of their favoured locos. Wayne and John had both already come out on a Potter with us one night and then announced that they were both quitting railways altogether, for fishing, and true to their word, I don't think I've seen neither of them out on the rails ever since.

Potter tickets would now be of little use to the Roadshow. It was to be over twelve months before I was to have another Potter.

Thursday 14th June 1988.
The phone rang. It was Lenny. He was at Derby and had just seen 31259 heading for Stoke hauling a failed DMU and was I interested? As it was a score, yes I was interested. 31259 was working what I believed was a late running 1604 Derby - Crewe dragging a rare, for the route, Gloucester RCW co set formed 51101+51071 vice Sprinter. Strictly a service too early for a Potter, but I just asked for a piece for Crewe and that's what they sold me, so who am I to argue? I was treated to quite a lively run behind a smoky Goyle and I don't recall any other bashers being there for it. A signal check West of Alsager, just before the single track section, saw a Sprinter pass on what should have been the return leg of the service that I was already on, and that now meant a Plastic ride back was now guaranteed, putting a dampener on the rest of my run to Crewe. Upon arrival 31259 then worked into North Wales still with the dead unit in tow, while my ride back was on Neville Hill based Sprinter 150248 on the 1839 Crewe - Derby. NL sets were booked on this service at the time!

'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered part I (1980-1983).
'The Staffordshire Potter' remembered part II (1984-1986).
And now onward into the final 18 months of 'The Staffordshire Potter' part IV (1988-1989).


Does anyone else out there have any 'The Staffordshire Potter' memories? Post in the Comments box below.

© 'UD' & 'Clayhead' - Preserving the gen online since 1999...