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London St Pancras

A Railwayman's View - BR Midland Region by Peter Collins > London St Pancras
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PC LMR Book Page5 After being considered very much the poor relation to the West Coast main line by the LMR authorities and struggling with what was almost the pre-war LMS small-engine motive power policy, the arrival of the Peak Class 44/45/46 locomotives enabled a transformation of services to and from London St Pancras. There were fast and semi-fast services to the traditional destinations such as Sheffield and Nottingham and, after a complete recast of the timetable in the early 1970s, the trains were very tightly timed and some high speeds achieved and demanded. Here, D114 (later 45066) prepares to head north with the 15.30 1D52 London St Pancras to Nottingham service with its standard semi-fast set of Mark 1 carriages. Keywords: Peak, D114, 45066, 1973, London St Pancras, Nottingham, 1D52, Passenger, BR, Londond Midland Region, LMR
LPPC DSL BW 0599 In the traditions of pre-1950 photo reportage so evocatively published in magazines of the day – see C R L Coles, Liverpool Street station – I have always loved dramatic light and contrast situations, so this shot simply begged to be recorded. We believe the loco is Sulzer Type 4 Peak Class 45 D133 (later 45003) and the train is the 1M39 12.30 St Pancras to Nottingham semi-fast. These, very tightly timed between stops, trains were of limited load as can be seen and the 45s (and 46s) really came into their own during the 1970s recording some terrific performances almost as if the locos were maturing well with age like good wines. Note the amount of parcels traffic and Brutes on the platform whilst the Guard, having checked all is well with the loco and train, is heading back to his van to complete his journal details. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0495 At St Pancras station, early on the morning of Saturday June 17th 1972, we were waiting in the train that was due to leave at 07.40 when, unexpectedly, Sulzer Type 2 Class 25 number 5220, bearing the scars of a close encounter, clanked its way past the gasometers, now converted into bijou apartments as part of the Coal Drop Yard gentrification project, onto the rake of stock adjacent to us. Acting like an old school station pilot it coupled up and is here heading the coaches off to Cricklewood Carriage Sidings. Our train was one of two, a Blue train and a Red train and we were the latter. Both were named Steam Safari and the tour was part of the return to steam of A4 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley. At the head of this leg, which ran via York to Newcastle, was Sulzer Type 4 Peak Class 45 number 72, then it would be steam to Carlisle followed by return over Ais Gill and the Settle and Carlisle, headed by another Peak, number 118. Note the disused siding to the wagon lift allowing the lowering of wagons to the station undercroft which was a bonded warehouse and now the Eurostar border check and waiting area. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0241 Peak Class 45 number D90 begins to move a Midland main-line express out of London’s St Pancras station in the early 1970s under the watchful eye of a member of the maintenance staff. At this time the Midland routes of the LMR tended to be overlooked in favour of the UK’s fastest developing lines out of neighbouring Euston undergoing transformation with 25Kv electrification. Nevertheless, the Peaks were putting up some very impressive performances with over-90mph running commonplace on the 99 mile stretch between London and Leicester. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0959 Perhaps a helpful detailed view for the modeller of the end of a Mark 2A corridor Inter City coach together with a cab close-up of a Western Lines allocated – hence the cabside ‘W’ - Brush Type 4 Class 47. The ensemble is waiting for the right-away at London St Pancras as part of one of the fast Midland line expresses to Nottingham requiring a high-performance from the loco. Needless to say it is the 1970s – my sister’s hairstyle being the giveaway. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0502 Now that we have Eurostar, one of the only remaining and vital aspects of pre-Brexit Britain still extant, it is difficult to believe that this staggeringly impressive structure was another part of the British Railway network that was earmarked for closure at one time. The train being used by my sister on Page 7 has departed for Nottingham allowing the Peak Class 45 that worked the up service that provided the rolling-stock to be released. It would seem that its next job would be to take empty coaching stock to Cricklewood sidings, probably the Mark One set on Platform One, as denoted by the 5C90 headcode already set up for that purpose.
LPPC DSL BW 0504 The signalbox at St Pancras station was an anachronism that remained for some time when most London terminals’ signalling arrangements were generally being updated to eliminate the need for such structures. Here in the early 1970s, the 06.50 from Derby is arriving headed by the inevitable Sulzer Type 4 Peak Class 45 number 45140 after its sprint up from Kettering. The wagon lift to the undercroft, seen on Page 6, can more clearly be seen on the right. Behind and below the signalbox is the area that was once the vast Somers Town Goods Yard, now the British Library and from which, creating much excitement, in May 1969 a Vertical Take Off RAF Harrier jet aircraft landed and took off to break the New York to London journey time record. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0957 If the BR accountants had had their way this would be an ‘in memoriam’ shot of the buffer stops at St Pancras, but due to the vision of the Eurostar International team the trackbed where this Peak Class 45, D32 (later 45126) is resting after the exertions of a fast run up from Nottingham is now regularly occupied by Class e320 electric units to and from Europe via the Channel Tunnel and running to International loading gauge. Sir Eustace Watkin must be turning in his grave… The locomotive was one of the 50 fitted with Electric Train Heating (ETH) to work trains on the Midland Mainline. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0958 Class 45 D61(later 45112) ‘The Royal Army Ordnance Corps’ waits to depart London St Pancras with a train to the north. We are unsure whether the loco is still operational, but it is owned by Nemesis Rail where it was used as a “super shunter”. The locomotive was named at Derby Works on September 14th 1965.
LPPC DSL BW 0813 Which of the two machines in this picture was more successful? The Austin Allegro, considered by British Leyland to be the saviour of the company at the time of its launch became the butt of ridicule and faced considerable criticism for its dynamic inabilities. Could the same accusations be pointed at the Clayton Type 1? This example, D8568 and now rightly active in preservation had long outlived its siblings by the time this picture was shot. In the days when half-day railtours were still popular if they allowed enthusiasts to travel over short, but very unusual lines, a tour of the Hemelite industrial branch from Harpenden, which was the ex Midland Railway line to Hemel Hempstead was arranged for a Saturday morning. In open BR 16tonne wagons headed by an exBR 204hp Drewry shunter, the participants were trundled over the complete remaining line and its maintenance depot revealed this Clayton, stabled. In their ‘hey-day’ these engines were so unreliable that members were being put into store before the complete class had been constructed. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock

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