45022, 45112, 45143, D60, lytham st anns
Class 45/46 miscellaneous

Page under construction - hopefully it will be a smorgasboard of events about these locomotives

1963
The bad weather of January 1963 perhaps prompted Gateshead to use two of its English Electric Type 3s and Peak D177 on freights to Consett, the first time either class had been to Consett, both proved capable of handling the route, being able to handle a double load of eighteen loaded 21ton hoppers from South Pelaw to Consett, and doing so un-assisted.

1964





Photographs collection of webmaster.
The above views carried no date or location, but the location has since been identified as New England shed, Peterborough during February 1964. Quite how the events occurred of D177 running through a substantial shop wall and entering another shop is not recorded. However the Peak will require extensive cab and nose repairs and the shunter hit by the wagon will most likely need some cosmetic repairs.

1966

Photograph courtesy J R Lamin (Andrew Lamin).
D62 at Nottingham during the 3rd quarter of 1966. The locomotive has either recently been outshopped or has undergone a repaint.

1967
On July 28th Clapham Junction witnessed the failure of D117 whilst working the Stirling - Newhaven car-sleeper. It stalled across the main lines, a station pilot dragged the train back into the station, the Peak being replaced by E6004, a delay of two hours having been created. The return working used an electric locomotive to Three Bridges where an LMR diesel was waiting to take over. From time to time the Peaks laying over at Newhaven would be used on local trip workings, with D60 so noted on August 18th working a trip to Norwood.

In 1965 a refurbishment programme commenced for the Class 46's, a similar programme for the Class 45's began during June 1967 and the first locomotive treated was D60. The programme included over two hundred internal & external modifications intended to improve their reliability. Due to the cost only the early examples received for refurbishment received all the modifications.

Some of the obvious alterations included:

Fitting the later style single panel headcode
Replacement of the lower bodyside panel for a louvred panel
Nose end grilles were changed from fixed aluminium to hinged steel with latches
Six inch handrails were added to the nose inboard of the marker lights
The vertical boiler room grille was plated over
Roof filling hatches and the steps/handholds to the filler were plated over

Other less obvious changes included

Installation of bodyside filters throughout the engine room
Division of the engine room roof between the main section and the exhaust silencer
Air reservoirs moved from the No.2 nose end to allow for later installation of the compressor for train airbrake equipment
Triplex gold laminated windscreens fitted in place of the double glazed type, & now demister equipped
Improved windscreen wiper motors fitted, windscreen washers installed

As is well reported elsewhere the Sulzer 12LDA28B power unit also received numerous improvements to strengthen the engine and to correct problems brought to light since first entering service in 1960. Traction motors also received new armature shafts, a different gade of carbon brushes were installed along with new brush springs. Lubrication for the axleboxes and bogies was changed from oil to grease, the segmental bearing filler points were plated over.

And presumably for D60 this is when it received its blue livery.

1969
Since the arrival of the Peaks at Holbeck they had been increasingly used on the named Thames-Clyde and Waverley passenger trains as well as other daytime and sleeper services over these Anglo-Scottish routes. When the much delayed closure of the Carlisle - Edinburgh 'Waverley' route finally occurred early in 1969 the Peaks were still front line power for the passenger services and it would be left for one of them to handle the last Up Waverley.

It was therefore no surprise to find 60 'Lytham St Annes' diagrammed for the last scheduled train, the 1M82 21.56 Edinburgh - St. Pancras, with eight coaches and two sleepers. Carlisle was reached over two hours late caused by the boisterous activities of many local people protesting the closure of the route. The Hawick pilot, 8606, was sent ahead light engine to ensure the integrity of the line south of Hawick. A light snow fall had taken place during the day, but the evening saw clearing allowing the sun to set one last time on this run and providing the protesters with a chilly night out.

The four views below, courtesy of Bruce McCartney show the late evening arrival of the last Up Waverley at Hawick with its attendant crowd of passengers and those protesting the closure of the route.

Photograph courtesy Bruce McCartney.
Fur coats and a variety of hats are on hand to greet the last Up Waverley as it rolls into Hawick on a chilly January evening. History in the making, an event which had been seen many times in the Beeching era.

Photograph courtesy Bruce McCartney.
With steam drifting everywhere the crew of 60 Lytham St Annes prepare for the next part of this eventful journey. What was drawing the curiosity of the driver from his window seat? Within minutes it won't matter, the commotion and busyness of Hawick will vanish as the train disappears into the wilds of the Cheviot Hills on its way to Carlisle. For the last time.

Photograph courtesy Bruce McCartney.
How many times 60 'Lytham St Annes' made this journey over the Waverley Route is now lost to time. This working was no doubt its fifteen minutes of fame, splashed across the national dailies the following morning. Who now can recall the events, if any, of the last Down Waverley?

Photograph courtesy Bruce McCartney.
In the movies the heroes ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. Here there is no happy ending, stillness will rapidly return as the train fades into the night and the rails will soon be silent, the swirling steam gone, just a cold empty platform - forever.

(Additional notes for the above views)
To answer the question posed in the second view above - it is the Hawick signalman, Gordon Hall, stepping down from the cab of the Peak, he has just given the driver verbal instructions to pass the Home signal at Hawick at danger under the "section clear, but station or junction blocked" regulation, because the pilot locomotive, sent ahead, was still in the section. Signalman Hall had changed shifts to be on duty in order to be able to pull the signal for the last train to leave, which he was not able to do, since the Up Waverley would depart under his verbal instruction.

After originally posting the views above further information has come to light surrounding the events of that chilly night. The second view features driver Fleming at the controls of the Up Waverley, out of view is fireman Patterson, both of Haymarket depot. The driver is in the process of receiving verbal instructions to proceed southward, neccessary due to the unruly activities of people further south, particularly in the vicinity of Newcastleton. The gentleman facing the locomotive and staring downwards is none other than David Steel, MP, who would eventually join the train. The Up Waverley had arrived at Hawick at 23.27 and left fractionally after midnight. It was preceded by the Hawick pilot, Clayton Type 1 D8606 in charge of Hawick driver Wylie accompanied by Relief Supervisor Jones and some Permanent Way staff.

The pilot had left Hawick just prior to the arrival of the Up Waverley, proceeding south to inspect the line. It reached Newcastleton safely shortly before midnight, having exploded a good quantity of detonators en-route. With this section of the route considered safe the Up Waverley was allowed to enter the section eventually catching up with the Hawick pilot at Newcastleton where an unruly crowd of about forty villagers had gathered and blocked the line.

At Newcastleton trouble had been brewing for a while. Persons unknown had chained the level crossing gates shut, however the gates were quickly released from this impediment by local Permanent Way staff. A large crowd had gathered intent on ensuring that the level crossing gates remained closed to rail traffic. In this process vandalism occurred and the gates were damaged, the local church minister, Mr Maben taking a significant part in leading the 'uprising'. A Landrover used by a BR Traffic Inspector was commandeered and placed in the middle of the level crossing. With the situation becoming more unruly a large police contingent was summonsed to deal with the crowd, now estimated at some two hundred villagers.

Scuffling broke out when the first police arrived, the Landrover was removed from the level crossing but the police were less successful in clearing the crowd from the level crossing. Whilst all this was taking place Clayton 8606 had been sitting a short distance away from the level crossing. The Up Waverley arrived at the Newcastleton home signal at about 00.45, here David Steel, MP alighted to try and assist with a diplomatic dispersal of the large crowd. His attempts were met by equal rhetoric from minister Maben, who was soon 'escorted' away by the police, leading to the crowd becoming evening more threatening.

Further police arrived to protect the train, a second address to the crowd by Mr Steel and the release of minister Maben without charges being pressed led to the crowd taking on a more peaceable atmosphere, such that the police were then able to clear the level crossing and assist the railway staff in opening the gates to rail traffic. Just after 01.30 the pilot headed south towards Kershopefoot. In attempting to draw clear of the crossing it was found that the hose pipe on the last vehicle of the Up Waverley (BG 80834) had been cut, destroying any vacuum the locomotive was trying to create. The brakes on the vehicle were isolated and the train drew forward only to have the communication chord pulled midway over the level crossing! This was soon corrected and with word received that the pilot had reached Kershopefoot safely the Up Waverley departed Newcastleton at 01.50. Five minutes later the Traffic Inspector was dropped off at Kershopefoot, the section through to Longtown was travelled under caution, clearing Longtown at 02.13 without incident.

The pilot returned north from Newcastleton reaching Hawick shortly after 02.30.

1987
During July Tinsley started to apply painted names to the remaining Class 45's. On August 18th 45106 was noted named 'Vulcan'.

Photograph courtesy Ian Hammond.
The rain streams down the side of 45106, its 'nameplate' and crest tastefully painted on the side, October 10th 1987.

45022 was withdrawn during July in working order but would live to fight another day, being one of several Peaks reinstated during September to assist with the engineering work involved with electrification of the northern end of the ECML. 45022 was renumbered 97409 for this purpose.

Photograph courtesy John Griffiths.
The new guise for 45022, now 97409 for its ECML engineering duties. Seen at Tinsley, presumably in 1987. One wonders how the Peaks might have looked if they'd survived a little longer into the era of many paint schemes?

1989

Photograph courtesy Michael Kaye.
Leeds Holbeck January 21st 1989.

On February 3rd 45106 failed whilst working the 07:12 Derby - St. Pancras at Wellingborough, it was rescued by 97472, but then caught fire near Hendon. Withdrawal, not unexpected with the damage sustained came on February 20th 1989.

Photograph courtesy Michael Kaye.
Tinsley, August 21st 1989.

The withdrawn 45106 eventually returned north to Tinsley, lingering at the depot until shipped off to Booth's Rotherham and broken up there during April 1992.

1994
45143 also ended its days at MC Metals, Glasgow, broken up during March.

Page added July 30th 2022.

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