1979 - 1980 

A Quiet Start.

Page last updated 20/11/2008

INTRODUCTION:

The Summer timetable change on the 14^th of May 1979 saw the introduction of a new twice daily service from Manchester to Brighton. The real target was passengers from the NW and Midlands travelling to Gatwick Airport but Brighton was a sensible termination point and a major destination in its own right. Northbound the timings were good but southbound they were either very early or very very late!

In April of that year there had been a preview train for the Travel Trade consisting of smart set of mark 1 coaches and including restaurant cars.....this was not replicated on the actual trains!

47019 passes through East Croydon with the travel trade preview train to Gatwick and Brighton . Photo taken 4th April 1979. Photographer John Atkinson.  Used with permission.

TIMETABLE and ROUTE:

Departures from Brighton were at 0907 and 1507 Monday to Saturday and 0906 and 1630 on Sundays.

Departures from Manchester Piccadilly were at 0744 and 2330 Monday to Saturday and 0718 and 2330 on Sundays.

Both trains were routed via East Croydon, Kensington Olympia (not calling ), North Pole Junction, Old Oak East Junction then Reading and the Thames Valley. The morning service from Brighton ran via  Solihull, Bordesley Junction and St Andrews Junction. The afternoon service ran via Coventry but strangely didn't call at Banbury, Leamington or Birmingham International. The loco change was at Birmingham New Street.

At this point in time neither Haywards Heath, Clapham Junction or Kensington Olympia were in the calling pattern, that was still a few years away. It should be noted that at a fraction under 2 hours Brighton to Reading is about 20 minutes quicker than it is today with a 125mph Voyager!

An interesting aside 1979-1980 there were just two trains a day in the morning from Clapham Junction to Kensington Olympia with two returning in the afternoon. There are currently 3 trains an hour each way.

LOCOMOTIVES:

Booked locomotive was a class 47/4 but it was not uncommon for a steam heat class 47/0 to appear. In the summer months a non boilered  class 47 might appear. Substitutes were few and far between, usually due to a loco failure. As a result SR class 33 or class 73 would normally be the replacement.

STOCK:

Two captive rakes of Mk1 vacuum braked dual heat stock were utilised, based at Longsight?

From my own recollections and photographic evidence the train often had a BG at either end of the rake.

The 0744 Manchester Piccadilly to Brighton then worked the 1507 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly.

Formed TSO - TSO - FK - RKB - TSO - TSO - NEV(BG).

From my own recollections and photographic evidence the RKB was usually a RMB. Occasionally a Mk2z TSO or FK would substitute in the daytime set as would Mk1 SK’s for the TSO’s and vice versa.

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PHOTOS:

	47459 drops down on to the fast lines at Old Oak Common and past the signalbox. This is the 0907 Brighton to Manchester service during its first month of operation. This bit of line no longer exists for passenger trains as it was used as access for the now closed Eurostar depot. Photo by the ACG.
	47489 approaches Mill Road and Patcham tunnel on the final leg of its journey whilst working the 0744 Manchester to Brighton service. Photo taken winter 1979 by ACG.
	On a lovely bright day 33022 departs Brighton with the 1507 Brighton to Manchester service. This photograph was taken from the window of Brighton stations' switchboard which was in the Combined Engineering workshops in New England Rd, on the site of the former engine shed. Photo taken December 1979 by ACG
	40027 seen here at Stafford with 1M00 the 0940 Gatwick to Manchester Piccadilly. This is a Sunday and the train must have been diverted north of New Street due to engineering works with the class 40 substituting for the electric loco. Photo taken 13th April 1980. Photographer  Mike Hodge.  Used with permission.
	A copy of the timetable page introducing the new service. From the BR passenger timetable 14th May 1979 to 11th May 1980 South London, East Surrey, Sussex.
	A copy of the 1979-1980 Cross Country Timetable was acquired on eBay. Here is the formal introduction to the Brighton services and other enhancements to the timetable.