Trainspotting

The Lickey in the 1960's
 
In 1960, Steam reigned supreme on the Lickey route. Bristol Barrow Road shed (22A) had it's fleet of Jubilee class 4-6-0's, which were excellently maintained and always well turned out. It had also acquired three Patriot class 4-6-0's, 45504, 45506, and 45519 which worked alongside the Jubilee's to the surprise of many, me included. Locos from Derby (17A), Millhouses (19B), and Holbeck (20A) were regulars on the line. But it was all about to finish. By the end of 1964, steam was virtually gone from the route.

So from my Trainspotting records, I have chosen details of Summer Saturday workings in 1960, 1962, and 1964. By 1962 the diesels had arrived, but had not made a great impact. Indeed there was a greater variety of Motive Power on the line, including Royal Scots and an occasional Britannia. But the Somerset & Dorset traffic ran for the last time in 1962. And in 1964, it was a case of some steam, though not much. But B1's were appearing from the North East, and from the South West,  Hall class 4-6-0's were working in on freights from  South Wales. So the interest held until the end. 
 
   SATURDAY 23rd JULY 1960: BARNT GREEN 
 
On this warm summers day, I had a morning spell and an afternoon spell by the lineside. I had to return home at lunchtime, so there is a two hour gap. There was much of interest. A class 4F 0-6-0 (Duck 6), on an express passenger. An unlikely Patriot class 4-6-0, no 45541 Duke of Sutherland, and several Jubilees, mainly in good condition.
 
 DOWN (SOUTHBOUND) TRAINS   
 
10.05 pass 45610 on  7.43 Nottingham-Plymouth (12)..11 late
10.12 pass 45275 on Relief to above (10) 
10.37 pass 45662 on 8.06 Sheffield-Kingswear (12)..8 late
10.49 pass 45351 on Relief to above (8)
11.09/11.10 42824 on 9.20am Derby-Gloucester (5)..5 late
11.32 pass 44128 on Addl York-Paignton (9)
11.55 pass 44841 on 6.57am Cleethorpes-Sidmouth (9)..4 late
12.04 pass 45519 on 7.20am York-Bristol (10)..34 late 
12.08 pass 45682 on 7.32am Bradford-Bristol (10)..24 late 
12.15 pass 45602 on 7.20am Sheffield-Bournemouth W (9)..16 late
12.24 pass 73166 on 7.47am Bradford-Bournemouth W (8)..1 early 
 
 2.28 pass 73160 on 10.28am Manchester-Bournemouth (12)..36 late
 2.42 pass 75023+45618 on 8.00am Newcastle-Cardiff (12)..59 late  
 2.50 pass 73019 on Relief Manchester-Bournemouth (8)..37 late
 3.03/3.04 44839 on 1.55pm Birmingham-Great Malvern (4)..38 late
 3.12 pass 45639 on Unidentified service (v+7)
 4.01 pass 43951 on down Freight (40+b)
 5.01 pass 45655 on 12.30pm York-Bristol (9)..45 late
 5.16/5.17 44004 on 4.35pm Birmingham-Gloucester (5)..19 late 
  
 UP (NORTHBOUND) TRAINS   
 
10.20/10.21 44463 on 9.24am Great Malvern-Birmingham (5)..R time
10.38 pass 45541 on 8.35am Bristol-Newcastle (12)..R time
10.56 pass 44813 on 9.52am Gloucester-Filey Camp (10 SR)..4 early 
11.14 pass 75009+45656 on 8.30am Cardiff-Newcastle (12)..2 early
11.55 pass 45702 on ? Bristol-Newcastle (10)
12.11 pass 42846 on Up Freight (13+b)
12.16 pass 73170 on Paignton-Bradford (10)..3 late 
12.21 pass 73136+45651 on 10.20am Bristol-Newcastle (11)..3 early
 
 2.28 pass 45253 on The Pines Express..9.45am Bournemouth-Manchester (11)..3 late
 2.35 pass 45572 on The Devonian..8.45am Kingswear-Bradford (10)..2 early
 2.47 pass 44853 on 9.55am Bournemouth-Leeds (11)..2 early
 2.56 pass 44805 on 12.45pm Bristol-Sheffield (8)..7 early
 3.07 pass 73003 on 12.15am Weston S M-Sheffield (8)..5 early
 3.15 pass 73142 on 10.05am Bournemouth-Derby (8)..12 early
 3.58 pass 45088 on 10.35am Bournemouth-Manchester..17 late
 4.05 pass 45221 on 10.15am Teignmouth-Bradford (12)..42 late
 4.15 pass 73171 on 8.05am Newquay-Newcastle (12)..1 late
 4.33 pass 73002 on 11.12am Bournemouth-Sheffield (10)..28 late
 4.40 pass 45217 on ? Sidmouth-Cleethorpes (8)..8 late
 4.47 pass 45275 on 2.32pm Gloucester-Birmingham (5)..7 late 
 4.58 pass 45659 on 2.15pm Bristol-York (10)..38 late
 5.03 pass 44856 on 2.40pm Bristol-Nottingham (10)..12 late
 5.09 pass 73156 on 10.55am Paignton-Nottingham (10)..9 late
 5.15 pass 44947 on 12.20pm Bournemouth-Nottingham (9)
 5.24/5.25 44404 on 4.32pm Worcester-Birmingham (4+3v)..10 late
 
Named locomotives included in the above are 45519 Lady Godiva, 45541 Duke of Sutherland, 45572 Eire, 45607 Fiji, 45610 Ghana, 45639 Raleigh, 45651 Shovell, 45655 Keith, 45659 Drake, 45662 Kempenfelt, 45682 Trafalgar, and 45702 Colossus.
   
 
   SATURDAY 25th AUGUST 1962: BARNT GREEN: 
 
In 1962, my job necessitated working on a Saturday morning until 12.30pm. So my Summer Saturday spotting activities were confined to afternoons. I could drive to Barnt Green in about 25 minutes from St Pauls Square, Birmingham, where I worked. I did so on three occasions. 25th August was the third, and most interesting.
   
 DOWN (SOUTHBOUND) TRAINS  
 
12.57 pass 45690 on 7.30am Newcastle-Paignton (10)..5 late
 1.02 pass D163 on 9.05am Bradford-Kingswear..The Devonian..10 early
 1.10/1.11 45006 on ? Birmingham-Worcester (9) 
 1.17 pass D105 on 7.40am Sunderland-Bristol (10)..5 early
 1.36 dep 42416 on 1.35pm Barnt Green-Evesham (4)
 1.40 pass 44854 on 9.20am Bradford-Paignton (11)..5 late
 1.45 pass D151 on The Pines Express: Manchester-Bournemouth (12)
 1.52 pass D39 on 8.10am Newcastle-Cardiff (12)..7 late
 2.20 pass 44663 on ? Manchester-Bournemouth (12)..27 late
 2.37/2.38 DMU on ? Birmingham-Worcester (3)
 2.53 pass 92151 on Freight (44+b)
 3.36 pass 92138 on Freight (32+b)
 4.02 pass 46151 on ? Newcastle-Cardiff (9)
 4.16 pass 92129 on Freight (43+b)
 
 UP (NORTHBOUND) TRAINS   
 
12.58 pass 46164 on ? Bristol-York (8)
 1.18/1.20 43122 on ? Worcester-Birmingham (5)
 1.38 pass 45576 on 7.45am Paignton-Newcastle (11)..12 late
 1.48 pass 44856 on 8.20am Paignton-Nottingham (10)..1 early
 1.56 pass 44963 on 9.00am Paignton-Leeds (10)..R time
 2.06 pass D155 on 9.25am Bournemouth-Liverpool (12)..7 early
 2.29 pass 73021 on the Pines Express: 9.45am Bournemouth-Manchester (12)..6 late
 2.35 pass D34 on the Devonian: 9.30am Kinswear-Bradford (12)..5 late
 2.59 pass 45725 on 1.10pm Bristol-Sheffield (10)..8 early
 3.06 pass 92118 on 12.15pm Weston SM-Sheffield (8)..9 late
 3.16 pass 44828 on 10.05am Bournemouth-Bradford (10)..1 late
 3.28 pass 44852 on Relief (10)
 3.31 pass 44804 on Freight from Alcester branch (35+b)
 3.34 pass D85 on 10.18am Newton Abbot-Bradford (13)..12 late
 3.45 pass 73051 on 10.32am Bournemouth-Manchester (8)..12 late
 4.03 pass 73047 on 11.12am Bournemouth-Sheffield (10)..5 late
 4.16 pass 45656 on 8.40am Newquay-Newcastle (13)..8 late
 4.21 pass D50 on 2.15pm Bristol-York (9)
 4.25 pass 42416 Light Engine from Alcester branch (see 1.36pm down)
 
Named locomotives included in the above are 46151 The Royal Horse Guardsman, 46164 The Artists Rifleman, 45576 Bombay, 45656 Cochrane, 45690 Leander, and 45725 Repulse.

I made two earlier Summer Saturday visits to Barnt Green in 1962. On 30th June, named locomotives that I saw included 46151 Royal Horse Guardsman, 45570 New Zealand, 45573 Newfoundland, 45656 Cochrane, 45685 Barfleur, 45690 Leander, and 45725 Repulse.

On 14th July, the only named locomotive I saw was 45576 Bombay, but B1 no 61094 was pilot to a Black 5 on the 9.00am Paignton to Leeds. 
 
   SATURDAY 18th JULY 1964: LICKEY (BURCOT): 
 
Another drive from Birmingham, but this time to a spot beside the Lickey Incline at Burcot. By 1964 there were fewer trains. The traffic to Bournemouth via the Somerset & Dorset had succumbed at the end of the 1962 summer timetable, and what was left was slowly diminishing. The Bristol (22A) Jubilees had moved away, and the short reign of the Royal Scots had finished. But B1's were much more prominent, working in from the North East. So the diet was now a few Jubilee's, usually from Derby or Millhouses sheds, Black 5's and Standard 5's, and 9F 2-10-0's on freight. What I would give now for such a line up.
   
 DOWN (SOUTHBOUND) TRAINS  
 
12.21 pass 45006 on ? Birmingham-Worcester (4)
  1.33 pass D33 on ? Newcastle-Cardiff (12)..1 early
  2.22 pass D28 on The Devonian..Bradford-Paignton (12)..5 early 
  3.15 pass D38 on ? Newcastle-Bristol (10)..2 early
  3.23 pass 92000 on Freight
  3.41 pass 92151 on Freight
 4.43 pass D43 on ? Leeds-Cardiff (8)..5 early
 5.10 pass 73093 on ? Birmingham-Worcester (4)
 5.19 pass D24 on ? Newcastle-Bristol (11)..R time
 
 UP (NORTHBOUND) TRAINS   
 
 1.46 pass 61370 on 7.50am Paignton-Newcastle (13)..38 late (3 bankers)
 1.51 pass 61153 on 9.00am Paignton-Leeds (10)..4 late (diesel banker)
 1.59 pass D96 on 8.20am Paignton-Nottingham (12)..13 late
 2.17 pass D44 on The Devonian..9.37am Paignton-Bradford  (12)..5 early
 2.55 pass 44775 on 12.05pm Weston SM-Sheffield (8)..6 late (1 banker)
 3.06 pass 45557 on ? Pembroke-Derby (8)..3 late (1 banker)
 3.15 pass 45716 on 10.20am Newton Abbot-Bradford (11)..2 early (diesel banker)
 4.06 pass D73 on 8.45am Newquay-Newcastle (10)..3 late
 4.37 pass 45102 on ? Bournemouth-Nottingham (11) (2 bankers)
 4.47 pass 45602 on 2.15pm Bristol-York (10)..36 late (diesel banker)
 4.59 pass D33 on 2.20pm Cardiff-Leeds (7)..7 late
 5.09 pass 44776 on 11.35am Paignton-Nottingham (10)..21 late
 5.16 pass 44691 on ? Worcester-Birmingham (4)
 
Named locomotives included in the above are 45557 New Brunswick, 45602 British Honduras, and 45716 Swiftsure (a one time 68A loco).

My final visit of 1964 was on 29th August, when I spent four hours at Halesowen Junction, where Longbridge station now stands. B1's seen were 61327 and 61153. The only Jubilee was 45602, but a Western Region Modified Hall, no 7907 Hart Hall, was seen on an up freight. And apart from the "Clun Castle" railtour in 1965, that was the end. 
 

The picture to left was taken from the Barnt Green footbridge in 1954, looking north. The line from Evesham can be seen coming in on the right. Note the southbound relief line approaching on the right, which has direct access to the Evesham line platform. In recent years the track layout has been rationalised, and the down relief line removed. So the Centro services to Redditch cross over to the main line at Longbridge. The result is that a high proportion of Express train services get checked at Barnt Green. Progress?