With Full Regulator
LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW
Don Benn covers recent and steamera performances by Merchant Navy No. 35018 British India Line.
In his latest column, Don Benn covers recent performances by Carnforth-based rebuilt Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35018 British India Line southbound over the Settle and Carlisle line, a sprint north from Preston, and a run on the Atlantic Coast Express from Waterloo to Salisbury in 1962.
MERCHANT Navy class Pacific No. 35018 British India Line was one of 30 such engines designed by OVS Bulleid to an unusual and controversial design, all being built at Eastleigh between 1941 and 1949.
It was allocated to Nine Elms shed in May 1945 and spent most of its life there, apart from a brief spell at Bournemouth. It was the first of the class to be rebuilt in 1956, having done 504,900 miles, and was an early withdrawal in August 1964, having run a total of 956,544 miles.
I had 509¾ miles behind it in the days of steam, mostly normal everyday performances, and I have yet to have a high-class performance with it on its return to the main line. However, it has turned in some excellent running timed by others, including some of my correspondents. One such was on the return ‘Pendle
Dalesman' on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, timed by Sandy Smeaton. Table One shows the section from Carlisle to Appleby and Table Two the continuation to Ais Gill and Hellifield. Sandy tells the story of the day behind this big Pacific:
“The ‘Pendle Dalesman' this summer is steam worked from Lancaster to Carlisle via the S&C, offering 246 miles for £65. On this occasion No. 35018 British India Line had 11 coaches, 402 tons tare and only about 420 gross due to social distancing. The crew on the outward run were driver Mick Rawling and fireman Martyn Soames. The weather was dry, warm and mostly sunny, with little wind.
“A generous 36 minutes are allowed for the easy 21 miles from Lancaster to Preston once the start up the mile at 1-in-98 (or 1-in-94 according to the ‘Railway
Data Centre') from Lancaster station is overcome. The sanders were used to ensure a slip-free and steady climb, taking six minutes to MP20 passed at 16½mph.
“The maximum before signals intervened was 68½mph at Milepost 8. Despite the early checks, only 32m 7s were taken to stop in Preston's Platform 2 after crossing over to the up slow at Fylde Jn.
“The schedule allows 23 minutes for the Preston to Blackburn section, with three only to Farington Curve Jn, which took 5m 14s. A maximum of 40mph at Bamber Bridge and a minimum of 28mph at Hoghton summit were not enough to recover the initial loss, and it took 25½ to the Blackburn stop. The climb up to Ramsgreave was effortless, reaching 28½mph at the summit, and 4¼ was knocked off the schedule to Clitheroe.
“The re-start was slow to Horrocksford Jn due to slipping on the 1-in-104, but there was no need for haste as we had to wait outside Hellifield for seven minutes to let the 09.20 Leeds-Carlisle pass north before entering the loop to water. The maximum in the Settle Jn dip before the ‘Long Drag' was 56½mph, which fell away to a leisurely 28½mph at MP240.
“The easier grades before Horton allowed a rally to 37½mph before a gradual fall to a minimum of 29½mph prior to easing for the Batty Moss Viaduct restriction. Ribblehead was passed in 28m 13s, scheduled 24. There were three 20mph Temporary Speed Restrictions ahead at Garsdale, Kirkby Stephen and Cumwhinton, but also a scheduled stop for 12 minutes at Langwathby.
“Kirkby Stephen was passed 13 late, but we ran through Langwathby so were two minutes early at Lazonby. But for a check outside Carlisle awaiting access to Platform 3, arrival might have been on time. In the event, we were only three late.''
Second best time
“The crew for the return run were driver Mick Kelly and fireman Craig Todd. Once clear of Petteril Bridge Jn, it was refreshing to pass Scotby at 37mph and hold an almost steady 50mph up the 1-in-131 through Cotehill.
“The Armathwaite TSR was duly observed and progress continued running as near to the 60mph line limit as possible with a steam locomotive. We stopped at Appleby in 41m 47s, 6¼ minutes inside the 48 allowed. The time from MP307 to Long Marton was 31m 53s.
“After watering we departed Appleby on time, and 58mph was reached at Ormside Viaduct, falling only to 46mph at Griseburn and recovering to 59mph after Crosby Garrett. The minimum after Kirkby Stephen
was 44mph, rising to 52½mph at Mallerstang before fading a little to a minimum of 42½mph before Ais Gill summit. The time from MP275 to MP259¾ was 18m 25s, No. 35018's second best time on record.
“The previous section from MP307 to Long Marton is probably its best, taking the Armathwaite TSR into consideration. Its down S&C times on record are shown in Tables A & B.
“Such running meant Garsdale was passed 4½ early and we stopped in Hellifield loop for water 5¾ early. It is hard to kill all the time allowed for the HellifieldClitheroe section but it was a lovely evening to meander down the Ribble Valley.
“After the booked wait at Horrocksford Jn to let the 19.10 to Rochdale clear the section ahead, we left Clitheroe five early, which resulted in a signal stop before Whalley. However, on a dry rail the Bulleid accelerated with ease from 12½ to 30½mph in three miles up 1-in-82.
“After Blackburn a run down to Preston with only one slight check was made, stopping there 1½ early. Here I left the ‘Dalesman' to catch the 20.41 to Glasgow (1S95).
“On the home run to Lancaster, the ‘Pendle Dalesman' is booked to wait in Barton loop between 20.30 and 21.16 to let 1S95, 1C59 Barrow and 9S97 Glasgow overtake. However, the signaller chose to let No. 35018 run straight through until checked at MP19 by the empty 5H94 Pendolino (previously the 17.57 ex Euston), departing for Longsight from Lancaster's Platform 3. Dave Bradbury, still on the ‘Dalesman', timed, in fading light, No. 35018 at an average of 80mph for a mile before the check.'' (See Table Three).
“All three following trains were delayed by about 10 minutes before Lancaster. None of them had recovered more than a couple of minutes at their final destinations. Two people made wrong decisions that night – the signaller and myself!'' Sandy lives in Glasgow.
Digging in
The second part of Table Two shows the work of British India Line on the 13-coach 500-ton returning ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express' on Saturday, May 22, 2021, timed by Graham Southway.
With this load and in mixed weather conditions, the Bulleid did well enough – though not in the same league as No. 60163 Tornado on the same day. With a similar load and in better weather conditions, the A1 turned in a 'Blue Riband' time of 16m 28s, just 14 seconds off the record, though the train didn't stop at Appleby. The Bulleid certainly has the power to at least equal the A1 if necessary but hasn't done so yet anywhere, though its sister engine No. 35028 Clan Line has.
Steve Chipperfield had Robin Russell firing on British India Line, with Steve Clark ‘on assessment'. When sending me the train running log, Graham commented that “the biggest surprise was the speed loss from
Smardale to Kirkby Stephen. I couldn't tell from the train what the rail conditions were like.”
Back on the ‘Pendle Dalesman' on June 8, Table Three shows the last section from Preston to Lancaster referred to earlier. This little cameo which Sandy Smeaton missed was timed by Dave Bradbury in his usual manner, taking milepost and principal places only. I have added names to a few places where they align with milepost locations.
Mick Kelly and Craig Todd remained in charge of No. 35018 on 11 coaches but I have reduced the load to 410 tons to allow for those passengers alighting prior to the Preston departure. The start was, of necessity, slow and up the 1-in-503 climb to Milepost 3. From there the Bulleid was given its head and allowed to run, reaching 80mph in the downhill section at 1-in1115/644 to Milepost 8, beyond Brock.
Speed then settled in the 75-78mph range along the level or slightly rising track until after Scorton where, on the dead level just after Bay Horse, speed rose slightly to the maximum of the day, being maintained for a mile. A demonstration of what this lovely engine can do. It didn't last as the ‘Dalesman' crawled up to a dead stand for signals outside Lancaster.
I estimate the net time to have been under 23 minutes for the 20.98 miles. As a comparison, my run with No. 70010 Owen Glendower, with 10 coaches for 345 tons on the 10.55 Euston to Barrow on August 26, 1967, produced a net time of 22 minutes, with a maximum of 76mph at the same place as the maximum with No. 35018 (see Heritage Railway 281)
And finally...
My chosen run from the days of steam is one on the down 'Atlantic Coast Express' from Waterloo to Salisbury on July 17, 1962 (Table Four). With the 11.05 relief running on that date, the load was the usual 11 coaches for 400 tons, with No. 35018 in the charge of Percy Young, of Salisbury shed. The engine would not have needed to be worked very hard to achieve a net time of 80 minutes for the nonstop 83.66 miles.
This was typical running by that particular Salisbury top link driver, with the 30-minute schedule from Worting Jn to Salisbury kept almost to the second despite being 3¼m late due to the slowing for track work at Brookwood. The 62mph minimum over Grateley was good work after modest speeds downhill to Andover. Percy delivered an almost identical time the next day, both with the sort of finish into Salisbury which is impossible to contemplate today.
I would like to thank my correspondents Sandy Smeaton, Dave Bradbury, Graham Southway, and Bob Randall for sending me so much material, some of which is included this time.