Chasing the last pre-diesel ‘BBE’
With all the recent publicity regarding ‘Black Five’
No. 5025 returning after a long overhaul, it brings back happy memories of its exploits on the ‘Belfast Boat Express’.
I started working for British Rail in August 1967 as a junior clerk at Carnforth booking office, and the late turn finished at 9.30pm. I had a choice of travelling home to Morecambe, either by bus or the 9.47pm sleeper train ex-Barrow to London Euston, usually hauled by a Class 47 diesel. From what I remember, I very rarely caught the bus, although it was well over an hour quicker.
A railman from Carnforth would travel to Crewe to sort out mail and parcels en route, so I often travelled with him in the brake compartment. At Lancaster, I had to wait over 30 minutes for the ‘Belfast Boat Express’, which had the distinction of being Britain’s last named train with steam haulage, although it didn’t carry a headboard. Motive power was a ‘Black Five’ or occasionally a Standard ‘Class 5’. On one memorable occasion, a ‘Black Five’ was on the sleeper.
All too soon, it was announced the ‘BBE’ was going to diesel power, with the last working being on Sunday May 5 1968 from Heysham to Manchester Victoria returning in the evening just as far as Morecambe. With an early start, I headed to Morecambe station to find No. 45025 adorned by a headboard. What a superb sight, and those of us travelling made the most of it. A memorable sight was at Preston, where a few of us dashed down the platform for a quick photo; similarly at Bolton and on arrival at ‘Man Vic’.
I filled the day by visiting some sheds and taking a ride to Chinley before returning behind No. 45025, minus headboard, in a rather lacklustre run.
Next day, and until the service finished in 1975, when the boats stopped running from Heysham, it was never steam-hauled again. Ironically, it was worked occasionally by D5025, a Class 24 diesel.