After creating the WCML page, I thought it only fair to have similar ECML and GWML pages too. I have far too much to do here at present, and so updates to these pages may be slow and intermittent; but bear with me, as the additions will appear over time.
On September 20th 1953, Alan Pegler organised a special train to commemorate the centenary of the establishment of Doncaster locomotive works. This train was headed by Atlantics 4-4-2 no 251 and 990. The pair are seen at Kings Cross prior to their northward journey. What appears to be a B2 4-6-0 is about to arrive at the photographer’s platform, possibly from Cambridge.
In 1959 A1 pacific 60136 ‘Alcazar’ waits for the departure time at Kings Cross. Presumably, the photographer’s son has been told to pose for the photograph, and is dressed in the default attire for trainspotters at the time – school uniform.
A1 pacific 60141 ‘Abbotsford’ has reached the destination of Kings Cross in 1961. A Brush type 2 is on the adjacent track.
On July 6th 1963 the LCGB organised a special train to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Mallard’s record breaking run from Barkston Junction, which resulted in the world speed ecord for steam traction. A4 pacific 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ waits to depart on a trip which ran via Cambridge, March, Sleaford, Lincoln and Doncaster to York. Sir Nigel returned via the ECML on the return leg and reached 102mph down Stoke Bank.
A2/2 pacific 60502 ‘Earl Marischal’ is at Kings Cross shed in 1954. This locomotive was rebuilt from one of Gresley’s P2 2-8-2 class, by Edward Thompson during 1941. Based at York for much of the BR years, the A2/2 class were all withdrawn between 1959 and 1961.
A number of early diesel classes were allocated to Finsbury Park from 1960 onwards. D5056 came from March, where it had been sent temporarily until the new London depot had been completed. By 1963, 22 of this class had been allocated to 34G.
Although the BRCW type 2s found favour with the staff running the ex-Midland lines from St Pancras, the ER plumped for the Brush alternative. Here D5597 has come up the steeply graded hotel curve with a train from Moorgate on May 5th 1960.
The A4s were not specifically replaced by the Deltic, but it certainly seemed that way. In August 1969 D9017 ‘The Durham Light Infantry’ moves around the complex track work at Kings Cross.
In 1977 a Deltic starts its northbound train, while another member of the class is seen on the adjacent track. A class 47 awaits departure time, on the opposite platform face.
Locomotives with the 1Co-Co1 wheel arrangement were not encouraged to spend time at Kings Cross, due to the increased risk of derailment on the complex trackwork, but that did not stop them appearing on a regular basis, mainly due to allocations at Leeds, York, and Newcastle; where many of the services originated. D285 is seen on the station stabling point together with D5619 and D5580 on March 29th 1967. I did not take this photo, but was there for a short time later in the day. The locos I saw can be found by scrolling down the 1967 page.
March 30th 1967 with D5644 and a couple of Cravens class 105 DMUs on suburban services. The leading Cravens car is in the ‘then’ standard livery of blue with small yellow warning panel, which was soon replaced by a full yellow end (initially on a few vehicles, the yellow was carried around the side to include the cab doors, but that was quickly removed). The second coach in the 2-car set remains in green. The destination blind shows ‘Cambridge’; a far cry from the buffet expresses of previous eras.
Class 46s were common at Kings Cross, but the 45s less so; although they did appear occasionally. Here 46048 is seen in the late 1970s after the electrification of the suburban services. 31219 is one of the locos in the background.
Almost brand new; E43066 of HST 254006 leaves Kings Cross for the north late in 1977.
A1 pacific 60146 ‘Peregrine’ passes Finsbury Park station with a passenger train on March 26th 1960.
Here are three Deltic taking a rest at Finsbury Park depot, during Boxing Day 1979. The two nearest the camera are 55008 ‘The Green Howards’ and 55007 ‘Pinza’.
In the electric era, the fast expresses were in the capable hands of the class 91s. Here 91022 ‘Robert Adley’ is seen moving around Kings Cross station on March 21st 1996. Originally, these locomotives were planned to haul overnight freight trains between their daytime duties, hence the flat ‘B’ end, but in reality this activity never materialised.
In the event of booked locomotive failure, a standby class 90 electric was usually substituted. Here 90024 is seen at Kings Cross on March 30th 1996.
As an enthusiast, I was always disappointed that BR did not order more class 89s. Here is the only member of the ‘class’, 89001 arriving at Kings Cross on a dull day in 1990.
The Baby Deltics were an unsuccessful type2 diesel built for the 1950s ‘modernisation plan’. D5902 is seen at Wood Green with a semi-fast service in 1959.
55008 ‘The Green Howards’ pauses on the up fast at a snowy Stevenage with a passenger train in January 1979.
May 14th 1960, and A1 60141 ‘Abbotsford’ passes Potters Bar with a Pullman train. I used to love watching these trains pass by (although Deltics were in charge by then), as the smell of coffee and cooking would waft up the embankment where I was sitting, when the train swept by at speed.
On the same sunny May day at Potters Bar, 60154 ‘Bon Accord’ appears to be working some form of semi-fast passenger service, although with express headlamps – and on the fast line. The first two vehicles are a Gresley articulated twin set; and the 4th/5th coaches may be too, but it is not too clear.
A more modern scene, although this is almost 40 years ago. 313019 is about to depart from Hatfield with a service to Moorgate in November 1984. The mid-80s cars look more dated than the train.
The September 27th Atlantics pause at Hitchin in 1953. There were two versions of this train, on separate days. This can cause some confusion. The original ran on September 20th with 990 and 251 running from Kings Cross to Doncaster, and 60014 ‘Silver Link’ performing a lively return journey, reaching an estimated 96mph descending from Stoke. A week later, the same train had the Atlantics in the up direction with 60014 returning the train to Doncaster.
I have no info on the provenance of this photograph. It has a wonderful nostalgic atmosphere, but apologies if you were the photographer and have not given permission. WD 90169 is heading south through Hitchin with a coal train in the late 1950s.
A small number of EE Type 4s were allocated to Finsbury Park in the early 1960s and were used initially on prestige services. Here we see (possibly) D208 passing Sandy with the Master Cutler Pullman train from Sheffield.
This is one of Colin Major’s early photos. A1 pacific 60122 ‘Curlew’ is seen making the stop at Huntingdon on August 5th 1950.
Sadly, affordable cameras in the immediate post-war period did not come with high speed shutters, and even b/w film had a rather slow ASA. Therefore this attempt to freeze A4 pacific 60024 ‘Kingfisher’, as it passes on the through lines at Huntingdon on July 23rd 1949, has been somewhat unsuccessful, but there is enough detail to be of interest. The locomotive has the early BRITISH RAILWAYS on the tender, and the train is named and very long by today’s standards with maybe 14 carriages behind the locomotive.
The notes will this image state that it is B1 61073 at Huntingdon while working the 1325 Peterborough North to Kings Cross on June 19th 1957. 61073 was a New England locomotive throughout the BR years, and was withdrawn from there in September 1963.
No descriptive notes with this July 27th 1950 image, except that it is B1 4-6-0 61406 passing Huntingdon. 61406 was a long term Immingham resident and although there are no obvious fish vans behind the locomotive, I suspect it is a regular train of perishable goods from North Lincolnshire.
J15 0-6-0 65405 is engaged in some light shunting at Huntingdon North in 1949. This is a Cambridge locomotive and would have arrived via the line through St Ives. 65405 spent most of its BR days in the Anglia region, with Bury St Edmunds being the other allocation, but for some reason was transferred to Neasden in 1957; from where it was withdrawn twelve months later.
I believe this location is somewhere between Peterborough and Grantham, but there are no obvious identification clues. A new Deltic, as yet un-named heads south with an express circa 1961/2.
L1 2-6-4T 67760 was delivered new to Grantham at the end of 1948, and is seen here four months later on April 23rd 1949, probably about to head a stopping train to Peterborough. Two months later, she was spirited away to Neasden and Metroland commuter services.
D3 4-4-0 62000 arrives at Grantham on April 23rd 1949. This was the only D3 left and taken into BR stock at nationalisation, and remained a Grantham engine until withdrawal in October 1951.
A2 pacific 60520 ‘Owen Tudor’ approaches Grantham with a down passenger service in June 1960. She had been a Grantham engine for a couple of years from 1957 to 1959, but at the time of this photograph was allocated to Doncaster.
A2 4-6-2 60515 ‘Sun Stream’ has arrived at Grantham with an up express on April 23rd 1949. The position of the lamp on the buffer beam would indicate an engine change is taking place and, as 60515 was allocated to Heaton, my guess would be she is likely to be leaving the train and heading for Grantham shed soon.
Dave Hill has kindly sent me photos of locos at Grantham shed and station from his spotting trips in the early 1960s.
60111 ‘Enterprise’ in the shed yard on September 8th 196260001 ‘Sir Ronald Matthews’ at Grantham shed on September 8th 196260021 ‘Wild Swan’ April 16th 196060021 ‘Wild Swan’ with an up express April 23rd 196260055 ‘Woolwinder’ approaches the station on April 15th 196160055 ‘Woolwinder’ appears to have taken full advantage of the coaler, April 15th 1961.An A3 heads towards North Box on April 14th 1960, before the original GN platform lamps were replaced by the new BR versions.67741 waits in the shed yard, while a Peak diesel arrives with an up express. Behind the peak, a 114 DMU is likely about to work a Lincoln service, and the non-vestibule stock in the down bay is most likely for a stopping train to Nottingham (maybe even with 67741 in charge).August 4th 196263943 may be about to work another High Dyke to Frodingham iron ore train on a sunny 4th August 1962. A V2 is behind the O2. 61163 is a visitor from Colwick (40E) on April 23rd 1962.60903 is a Kings Cross (34A) loco, presumably heading for the loco spur south of the station in order to take over an up service. 23rd April 1962.4th August 1962, and Kings Cross based V2 60854 is seen in the shed yard. 60138 ‘Boswell’ is a visitor from York, and awaits her next turn of duty on September 8th 1962. New England’s 60504 ‘Mons Meg’ is seen under the sheerlegs by the side of the loco shed on June 4th 1960. She has only 8 month’s active life left; withdrawal coming in January 1961. A long time March V2, now transferred briefly to Grantham. This is 60830 on September 8th 1962, but not quite obscuring the L1 2-6-4T behind. 60830 would be withdrawn 9 months later (and all the remaining L1 class before that date).
As with many areas, I have decided to create individual pages for Peterborough, Doncaster and York. Click on the station names in the boxes below to move to those pages. As with all other image pages, more photos will be added over the coming months.
Trainspotting data from 1947 until 1980 