‘20’ naming pays tribute to two Sherlock Holmes

A diesel-hauled charter to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton Road was the stage for a naming ceremony for the Class 20 Locomotive Society’s 20227 on April 29.

The Class 20, which was already in London Transport livery, was named Sherlock Holmes to commemorate the 1920s Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive number 8 of the same name ( RAIL 852).

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, chairman of Network Rail and a longstanding enthusiast of both the Metropolitan Railway and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective, performed the naming ceremony at Quainton Road, alongside Guy Marriott, president of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London.

The charter was the first joint special train to be run on both London Underground and Chiltern Railways, running from Wembley Park to Quainton Road and then taking a detour to Claydon Junction (on what will be part of East West Rail), before returning to Quainton for the naming ceremony. It then departed for Marylebone via Harrow-on-the-Hill. Arriving at Marylebone, the train used the wall siding, rather than one of the platforms.

Passenger trains only run as far as Aylesbury Vale Parkway, with waste trains travelling to the Calvert Hill landfill site near Claydon Junction, so the diesel tour was a rare opportunity to travel on otherwise freight-only track.

Operated by GB Railfreight (when in Network Rail territory) and London Underground, the tour was arranged in partnership with Chiltern Railways and Network Rail.

The train was hauled north by 71A Locomotive Group’s D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis, which is based on the Swanage Railway.

This was also the first time a Class 33 had operated on the Underground. To run on LU metals, all locomotives involved had to be fitted with tripcocks to make them compliant with LU signalling.

The train was then hauled south by newly named 20227 and 20142 Sir John Betjeman, which is owned by Michael Owen and

is also in commemorative London Transport livery. Both locomotives have been used to operate the London Transport Museum’s heritage trains over the past few years, and operate in conjunction with the LU Steam Heritage programme.

Passengers rode in the 4TC set, an ex-British Rail Class 438 set once used on the Southern Region and, which was bought by LU in 1992. This has been used for many years on special trains on LU, as well as at the Severn Valley and Swanage Railways in recent years. It attended the latter this year.

The original Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive number 8 Sherlock Holmes was one of 20 locomotives built in around 1923. In 1927, they were each given names of famous London figures - except number 15, which was named

Wembley 1924 in recognition of its appearance at the British Empire Exhibition of 192425, and number 8 Sherlock

Holmes, which was the only fictional character to be used.

MATTHEW DODD. The diesel special was hauled by 33012. This was the first time that a Class 33 had operated on the London Underground. The ‘33’ stands at Quainton Road on April 29.