Redditch Model Railway Club
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Bromsgrove 1977
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Western diesels on specials at Bromsgrove The first two months of the year saw the last workings through Bromsgrove of the Class 52 Western class locomotives the remaining members of the class being withdrawn towards the end of February. The last service train hauled by a western was the 0720 Swansea to Leeds on Thursday 20th January. The booked locomotive failed at Swansea so 1013 'Western Ranger' (now preserved on the Severn Valley Railway) was substituted and worked right through to Leeds as no engines were available en route to take over the train. 1013 was re-fuelled quickly at Leeds and returned home on the 1443 Leeds to Plymouth throughout. Then on Saturday 12th February 1023 'Western Fusiler' (now preserved as part of the National Collection) headed an Exeter to York rail tour, the Western Finale, via Bristol, Gloucester, Worcester, Bromsgrove and Birmingham, this being the last Western to travel over the Lickey other than preserved engines. Class 40's return to Bromsgrove Class 40 engines were noted occasionally, 40143 working the York to Severn Tunnel Junction class 8 freight on Thursday 28th April, while 40056 hauled the 1525 York to Swansea as far as Gloucester on Thursday 12th May returning back to Birmingham New Street Station on a passenger working later. In between, the prototype HST 252001 was noted passing Cheltenham en-route to Derby Works on Friday 6th May. Problems on the Lickey One of the occasional failures on the Lickey Incline occurred on Saturday 28th May. Peak class 46007 stalled with the 1428 Swansea to Manchester train, and had to be pushed over the summit by the following train, the 1608 Bristol to Newcastle train hauled by 47145. Locomotives on the Redditch Stone Trains During the 1970's the ARC stone terminal at Redditch received regular deliveries of stone from their Tytherington Quarry in Gloucestershire. These trains ran up the Lickey Incline and to avoid running the train around to gain access to the Redditch branch they ran via the Camp Hill line through New Street Station and back via the West Suburban line so that they could run straight onto the Redditch branch. Here are a few of the locomotives used on the morning train with the reporting number 6M31
The summer months produced as usual a few unusual locomotive workings :
The most unusual working for some time took place on Friday 13th September when a Class 33 from Eastleigh, 33111, worked a freight northbound through Bromsgrove shortly after midday. Observations at Vigo Bridge The following locomotives were observed working trains at Vigo Bridge on the Lickey incline on Saturday 12th March 1977. 37270 and 37292 were the banking engines. 31134, 45009, 45009, 45038, 45053, 45061, 45063, 45066, 46009, 46018, 46031, 46036, 46043, 47024, 47024, 47121, 47124, 47363 & 47534 More Observations at Vigo Bridge The following locomotives were observed working trains at Vigo Bridge on the Lickey incline on Saturday 9th July 1977. 37210 and 37274 were the banking engines. DMU set 50309, 59120 & 50328 was observed being banked up the incline by 37210 and 37274. 45005, 45006, 45012, 45018, 45024, 45025, 45053, 45068, 45077, 46009, 46012, 46023, 46024, 46026, 46031, 46054, 47012, 47020, 47061, 47081, 47112, 47115, 47140, 47145, 47229, 47243, 47248, 47316, 47317, 47332, 47485, 47500 & 47502 Locomotive failures On 29th November another failure took place on the Incline; this time 47499 stalled 20 yards from the summit with the 2110 Bristol to Edinburgh service. It was assisted over the summit by the following 2137 Bristol to Newcastle parcels train and the two Class 37 bankers. December turned out to be an interesting month with a number of further failures:
Banking Locomotives observed at Bromsgrove
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