Excellent!! Boy did that bring back good memories , chasing steam heat peaks/46's on summer working's to the West Country from New Street. Many thanks for posting.
That distinctive Peak radiator fan hum brings back memories of them on hot summer nights, passing the edge of town about a mile away from where I lived, on the west country expresses. A number sadly fell victim to fires in their final years, near here, having survived the Devon banks earlier in the day for the final time. Great days and locos, much missed.
The 45 was Britain's fastest accelerating diesel loco with 2,500 hp and 5 field diverts. The 44 only had 2,300 hp. The 46 had 2,500 hp but only 3 field diverts like a 47. I have had a 45 at 115 mph. The ECML test driver for Deltics and HSTs said 115 mph was pretty good, as at 118 mph the armatures spin off the traction motors, before adding, and I shall not tell you how I found that out ! (Because obviously he had done it.)
@@polythenewrappedme6102 Thanks for this interesting information. Peaks were one of my favourite locos to travel behind. I enjoyed many day trips down to Plymouth and Cornwall on what was then the 1V62 service, leaning out of the leading door window if not stopped by a guard. Pulling out of Newton Abbot behind a Peak, working hard to haul 10 or more Mk1 coaches over the Devon banks was a fantastic experience I'll never forget.
The 47's seemed the happiest, the first 50 with only 7 carriages was having a bit of a battle and I was surprised that the HST only managed the same speed as the rest. Good video btw.
The 47s seemed happiest as they were the only ones being maintained to a high standard by 1988 (bar the HST of course). The peaks were withdrawn pretty soon after this, with the final heavy overhaul having been done years earlier. The rundown of the 50s was well underway by this point also.
The 50s were at their weakest between 40 to 60mph apparently - something to do with their electrical field diverts. They never stalled on the Lickey though, and picked up speed rapidly once over the summit. Anyway, what a lovely noise. These really were the last few years for classic diesel locos. Thanks for this video.
Great videos. My favourite Lickey experience was on the regular trip I took from Bristol to York on a Sunday evening. A 45 or 46 with 11 mk1's stalled not far up and the banker came up from Bromsgrove to assist. A 37 I think. I'm not sure how often a passenger train had to be banked but it was the only time I experienced it.
Great memories. I'm guessing a summer Saturday given the 45/1 on a wcml mark 3 rake plus a couple of the other formations seemed cobbled together. The 50 was shifting!
Class 50s were officially banished from InterCity duties in 1987, thereafter they were only supposed to be on the Paddington-Oxford and Waterloo-Exeter runs, with the most clapped out dozen or so class members tootling around the south west on engineers trains. So you were pretty lucky to see 2x50s filming on the Lickey in 1988. Ditto Peaks on passenger trains were also rare by 1988, quite close to their final withdrawal from service. There was a distinct engine whine coming from that Peak, perhaps it was the gradient or the engine being on its last legs, as I child I grew up close to the Erewash valley line and distinctly remember peaks on St Pancras expresses making that same whining noise sometimes.
The class 47, you opened the power handle, the general fault light flashed briefly (PCR proving), and you moved, no matter what tonnage was on the drawbar. What a loco.
The peak was the best one, load 10. They always were, only time I had the bankers was behind a hoover load 11 with wet rails. Had 45118 up there from a standing start this year load 12? No problem!
I don't recognise this location - are you sure it's the Lickey? Edit: it's where the line passes beneath the M5 just north of Blackwell, where the locos have climbed the Lickey.
Excellent!!
Boy did that bring back good memories , chasing steam heat peaks/46's on summer working's to the West Country from New Street.
Many thanks for posting.
Glad you enjoyed it
Super clip, nice old images with trains! Thumbs Up & Subscribe
Greetings from Romania
Andrew
Thanks and welcome
That distinctive Peak radiator fan hum brings back memories of them on hot summer nights, passing the edge of town about a mile away from where I lived, on the west country expresses.
A number sadly fell victim to fires in their final years, near here, having survived the Devon banks earlier in the day for the final time.
Great days and locos, much missed.
The 45 was Britain's fastest accelerating diesel loco with 2,500 hp and 5 field diverts. The 44 only had 2,300 hp. The 46 had 2,500 hp but only 3 field diverts like a 47.
I have had a 45 at 115 mph. The ECML test driver for Deltics and HSTs said 115 mph was pretty good, as at 118 mph the armatures spin off the traction motors, before adding, and I shall not tell you how I found that out ! (Because obviously he had done it.)
@@polythenewrappedme6102 Thanks for this interesting information.
Peaks were one of my favourite locos to travel behind. I enjoyed many day trips down to Plymouth and Cornwall on what was then the 1V62 service, leaning out of the leading door window if not stopped by a guard.
Pulling out of Newton Abbot behind a Peak, working hard to haul 10 or more Mk1 coaches over the Devon banks was a fantastic experience I'll never forget.
Best ride i ever had over Lickey was 1072 Western Glory , load 11 that noise will forever be burned in my soul
The 47's seemed the happiest, the first 50 with only 7 carriages was having a bit of a battle and I was surprised that the HST only managed the same speed as the rest. Good video btw.
Thanks. A lot depends on the driver too though of course ;-)
Rear PC of the HST appeared to be idling.
The 47s seemed happiest as they were the only ones being maintained to a high standard by 1988 (bar the HST of course). The peaks were withdrawn pretty soon after this, with the final heavy overhaul having been done years earlier. The rundown of the 50s was well underway by this point also.
I think that there seemed to be a fault with the HST. This may explain it’s lacklustre performance
The 50s were at their weakest between 40 to 60mph apparently - something to do with their electrical field diverts. They never stalled on the Lickey though, and picked up speed rapidly once over the summit. Anyway, what a lovely noise. These really were the last few years for classic diesel locos. Thanks for this video.
Another nice set John 👍👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
More excellent filming from you, thanks for sharing 😊 The clag from the first 50 was awesome !
Thanks.
Great videos. My favourite Lickey experience was on the regular trip I took from Bristol to York on a Sunday evening. A 45 or 46 with 11 mk1's stalled not far up and the banker came up from Bromsgrove to assist. A 37 I think. I'm not sure how often a passenger train had to be banked but it was the only time I experienced it.
Sounds great!
Great memories. I'm guessing a summer Saturday given the 45/1 on a wcml mark 3 rake plus a couple of the other formations seemed cobbled together. The 50 was shifting!
Most likely
Class 50s were officially banished from InterCity duties in 1987, thereafter they were only supposed to be on the Paddington-Oxford and Waterloo-Exeter runs, with the most clapped out dozen or so class members tootling around the south west on engineers trains. So you were pretty lucky to see 2x50s filming on the Lickey in 1988. Ditto Peaks on passenger trains were also rare by 1988, quite close to their final withdrawal from service. There was a distinct engine whine coming from that Peak, perhaps it was the gradient or the engine being on its last legs, as I child I grew up close to the Erewash valley line and distinctly remember peaks on St Pancras expresses making that same whining noise sometimes.
Indeed 50010 sputtered out on Dainton bank the same summer. Written off on the spot.
They quite often seemed to be used on Saturdays, going by other videos from New Street
The class 47, you opened the power handle, the general fault light flashed briefly (PCR proving), and you moved, no matter what tonnage was on the drawbar. What a loco.
The peak was the best one, load 10. They always were, only time I had the bankers was behind a hoover load 11 with wet rails. Had 45118 up there from a standing start this year load 12? No problem!
The peak was also the fastest accelerating British diesel loco, with 5 field diverts.
Peak on a West Coast Mk 3 set!
Are you sure this is the Lickey? The incline is dead straight and that concrete over bridge is between Barnt Green and Blackwell summit.
Yes, Though the tape is labelled 'Lickey', it looks like you say, near Blackwell
It's the bridge in front of Barnt Green station. This is the official summit of the Lickey Incline.😊
As it says July 88 that must've been one of the very last Peak turns before withdrawal altogether.
I have never seen a class 45 hauling MK3 stock before!
Brings back memories! My grandparents lived in Burcot, a 2 minute walk from Vigo bridge.
Were you filming from Linthurst, Barnt Green?
I don't recognise this location - are you sure it's the Lickey? Edit: it's where the line passes beneath the M5 just north of Blackwell, where the locos have climbed the Lickey.
It's the M42, not the M5.
Yes, Though the tape is labelled 'Lickey', it looks like you say, near Blackwell
You mean the M42 the line Droitwich passes under the M5. The main line passes under the M5 after Cheltenham Spa station
Looks like the trailing 43 was going over temp, and due to shut down?
HSTx frequently arrived at New Street requiring coolant, especially in the summer.
That isn't the Lickey. Just north of Blackwell .
45132 at 2 minutes 30 secs.