1984 - 1985

Its Hull out there!

Page last updated 12/09/2012

INTRODUCTION:

1984 was the first year of any major change to the pattern of services to and from Brighton and an increase to three trains a day. The highlight of the service was a direct service from Hull and Leeds the two portions combined at Sheffield which included class 08 haulage during the shunting move! There was no balancing service from Brighton for this, only an evening departure for Derby.  The outward service for Leeds and Hull originated from Paddington at 0650.

This year also saw the return of an overnight service to Gatwick from Manchester but just on a Friday and Saturday night. The Friday night service was actually a Holidaymaker service to Poole that ran via the Thames Valley then via Acton and Willesden where a Brighton driver ( and conductor?) joined the train to take it southwards. I'm sure there was also an unadvertised stop at Hove for another crew change. The Sunday night service I think ran via the West Coast mainline.

You may notice that the Sunday arrivals at Gatwick don't balance with the departures.......The WTT Section CB for West London Line shows that the 2305 Manchester to Gatwick service on a Saturday night returned ECS at 0640 from Gatwick to Euston  Down Carriage sidings. Running number was 5M52 Stock was vacuum braked timing load D385. 

Sundays also saw Liverpool added to list of destinations available from Brighton.

TIMETABLE and ROUTE:

All trains were routed via East Croydon, Kensington Olympia (not calling ), North Pole Junction, Old Oak East Junction then Reading and the Thames Valley. All services now ran via Coventry and Birmingham International. The loco change was at Birmingham New Street. Crewe was only served by the Liverpool train on a Sunday as all the Manchester services now ran via Stoke.

LOCOMOTIVES:

As usual traction was booked for a class 47/4 south of Birmingham with electric haulage usually a class 86 north of Birmingham. The exception was traction for the Hull train which was usually a class 31 to Birmingham New Street and for the hard core haulage fan the attachment of the Hull and Leeds portions at Sheffield included a shunt move with a class 08.  I do have a picture further down the page of a class 50 on the portion from Leeds which probably came off at New Street to work something towards Plymouth.

For about a month in the summer class 45's were a regular visitor to the coast working between Birmingham and Brighton on the 0958 from Piccadilly and the 1848 back to Derby. "Saltley seagulls" crewed the locomotives throughout.  At that time I seem to have been on a 10 to 6 shift in Brighton Travel Centre on checking out the locomotive it was a quick drive home grab some dinner then back to Brighton and trip to Gatwick thence via the Airport bar a swift drink and catch the service from Hull back to Brighton. I'm not sure which month it was but I think it was July.

On the last day of September 1O74 the 1140 Manchester to Gatwick behind 47331 became completely derailed approaching Dorridge station, car transporter wagons on an adjacent track prevented the derailing vehicles from tipping completely over. The Bescot crane arrived behind 25298, the re-railing train behind 25034 and a little later the Toton crane appeared behind 45017.

Information courtesy of http://www.derbysulzers.com/84.html

STOCK:

I seem to remember that this was the year that most sets of coaches went over to those allocated to the WR and as the year went on more and more Mk2de air-conditioned were included. Most rakes were 9 car rakes. a Typical formation was

BFK TSO TSO TSO FK TSO(T) TSO TSO  BG.

From the pictures supplied by Tony Buckton and John Turner the Hull portion of the Leeds to Brighton working appears to get the Buffet and was formed TSO(T) TSO TSO BG, no first class?

The Leeds portion would appear have been BFK TSO TSO TSO FK.

OTHER WEST LONDON LINE PASSENGER SERVICES:

The long running peak only shuttle services continued between Clapham junction and Kensington Olympia. The Working Time table shows that the four morning services from Clapham Junction to Olympia and three returns were formed of a DMU that ran ECS to Reading Depot after finishing the last shuttle to Olympia

In the afternoon there four trains in each direction formed of a class 33/1 and 4TC set.

There was also a Saturdays only SAGA train over the WLL.

Southbound was 1O43 the 0810 Newcastle to Eastbourne, passing Olympia at 1516.

Northbound was 1E12 the 1010 Eastbourne to Newcastle, passing Olympia at 1210.

There was a loco change in each direction at Mitre Bridge Jct. Timing load north of Mitre Bridge was E455 and south of Mitre Bridge was D385. Presumably the service ran via Birmingham New Street. The WTT shows a vacuum braked and steam heat set southbound but no notation northbound.

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PHOTOS:

	Carriage label for the dated 2230 FO Manchester Piccadilly to Poole service. This label was never issued due to a typo, the Selhurst stop is for crew change only. Supplied by Steve Carter.
	45137 'The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (T.A.)' heads 1J01 the 1322 Hull to Brighton portion at Hessle Haven.  The ground work for the A63 (Clive Sullivan way) can be seen to the right, which was built over former railway land.  In fact most of the land that can be seen to the left of the line was also once part of the vast yards that served Hull. Photo taken 19th May 1984. Photographer Tony Buckton. Used with permission.
	Carriage label for the 0958 Manchester Piccadilly to Brighton service. Authors collection.
	45110 waits to depart Hull with 1J01 the 1322 to Brighton. Photo taken 24th May 1984. © 2008 - John Turner / 53A Models of Hull Collection. Used with permission. http://www.bluediesels.co.uk/
	47606 'Odin' waits for the off with 1M07 the 1254 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly. 1984 but actual date taken unknown. Photographer D. Whitehead / Authors collection.
	A photo that looks very much like the same date as the above photo but taken from the other side of the train 47606 'Odin' waits for the off with 1M07 the 1254 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly. 1984 but actual date taken unknown. Photographer unknown / Authors collection.
	45136 with just three coaches in tow is seen here at Hessle with 1J01 the 1322 Hull to Brighton. This train attached to another portion from Leeds at Sheffield to give you rare daytime 08 haulage from one platform to another. The road being built on the right hand side of the photo is what was to become the main access road into Hull the A63. Photo taken 28th May 1984. Photographer Tony Buckton. Used with permission.
	Looking north from Gatwick towards Horley a class 119 DMU on a Reading to Gatwick service is being overhauled by the 0958 Manchester to Brighton service hauled by an unidentified class 47/4. Undated slide but the 9 car Mk2 rake on the Intercity dates the train to 1984 probably the summer months. Photographer unknown / Authors collection.
	No heat 47203 runs through Kenilworth  with 1M50, the 0850 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly service on 27th June 1984 Photographer Mike Hollick. Used with permission.
	The crew have a chat whilst 45131 waits to depart Brighton with the 1848 service to Derby.  Actual date unknown but I'm sure it was July? Photo by the Author.
	A regular loco on all the Cross Country services over the years was 'Generator' 47406 and here we catch 'Railriders' waiting to depart Hull with 1J01 the 1322 to Brighton. Photo taken 13th July 1984. © 2008 - John Turner / 53A Models of Hull Collection. Used with permission. http://www.bluediesels.co.uk/
	We catch 45136 again, this time at Gatwick with the 1848 Brighton to Derby service. Actual date unknown but I'm sure it was July? Photo by the Author.
	Diverted because of engineers work on the Quarry line, 47135 has the road for the down through line at Redhill working 1O62 0905 Wolverhampton to Gatwick Airport. This Sunday only service was booked to be formed of Mk1 vacuum braked stock. Photo taken Sunday 23rd September 1984. Photographer Graham Walker. Used with permission.
	47423 is at the head of the short rake of Mk2d & e coaches that forms 1J01 the 1322 Hull to Brighton service seen here passing Hessle Station. Photo taken 29th Sept 1984. Photographer Tony Buckton. Used with permission.
	47617 'University of Stirling' waits at Brighton with the 1254 departure for Manchester. As the loco wasn't named until Sept 1984 this photo must have been taken late 1984 by the Author.
	In bright winter sunshine 47535 ' University of Leicester' departs Reading with 1O62 the 0601 Derby to Brighton service. Photo taken 22nd January 1985 Photographer G.Edwards / Authors collection.
	Not an uncommon sight in Yorkshire as the class 50's went to Doncaster works for refurbishing, however 50029 'Renown' is unusual traction for 1O86 the1400 Leeds to Brighton service. Photo taken 26th January 1985. Photo by Pogo. Used with permission
	Carriage label for the 1400 Leeds to Brighton service. Authors collection.
	47522 is seen here passing under the newly constructed concrete replacement Livingston Road Bridge, Hessle, with 1J01 the 1322 Hull to Brighton.  Early Mk2's form the train on this day. Photo taken 2nd February 1985. Photographer Tony Buckton. Used with permission.
	A regular locomotive on the Brighton trains 47537 ' Sir Gwynedd / County of Gwynedd' emerges from the gloom of the tunnels at New street with  1M07 the 1254 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly. Photo taken 19th April 1985. Photographer Chris Perkins. Used with permission.
	47611 on 1M50 the 0850 Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly seen here at Oxford. Photo taken 29th April 1985.  Photographer Colin Brooks. Used with permission.