News Archive for June 1984

The tales from enthusiasts who dedicated their lives travelling behind their favourite locomotive Class or locomotive are always interesting and worthy of a read.

One such article extracted from the Scunthorpe Railway Enthusiasts Society (SRES) newsletter tells the story for the final working of Class 46 'Peak' No.46037.

Written at the time by Neil Burden we have been able to reproduce the original written memories from 1984.

On 15th June 1984, No.46037 worked a class 4 freight into Penzance, its next duty being allocated as 1E64 the 10:35 Penzance-Leeds. This diagram involves no engine change at Plymouth or Bristol, so the possibility of a good long run was in prospect. Departure from Penzance was prompt and arrival in Bristol was early. Upon departure from Bristol the Class 46 started misfiring and smiting clouds of black exhaust. This produced a few worried looks from the peak bashers, who were hoping that she would make it up the Lickey incline, but she gathered speed and soon we were clocking speeds of 70 and 80 mph. Just north of Cheltenham a permanent way chock reduced us to 30 mph, and then a signal check meant a wait of two minutes. When the signal cleared, we witnessed more misfiring and black exhaust. The engine was again coaxed to speeds in the 80s until Lickey was reached, here speed gradually fell and the top was reached at about 20 mph, we had made it up. The drag and the 10 coaches had taken their toll; smoke started appearing from the trailing bogie; the smoke got thicker; the front coach was engulfed and the engine disappeared from view. The unsuspecting guard was warned and he applied the brake as fire was noted through the smoke; a traction motor had caught fire and this had spread to the oil on the bogies (as 46s don't have their bogies steam cleaned), The train came to a halt opposite, miIepost 47, some 6 miles from Birmingham, the signalman was warned and the fire brigade were called. While this was going on the 46 was uncoupled from the train and positioned some 30 metres up the track still burning. The fire was put out after 50 minutes; during this time three passenger had got off the train; it turned out that we had failed opposite their house. After waiting for what seemed like ages for the rescue engine, having resigned ourselves to the inevitable Duff, a peak appeared. It was 45066 and after coupling up to the 46 it then backed the 46 onto the coaches, these were coupled up and we were dragged into Birmingham at 25 mph. At Birmingham both engines were uncoupled as one of the crew refused to take them forward, but he was talked into it by the station chargeman, and certain peak bashers. Thus, the pair was recoupled and about 5o Peak bashers re-joined the train expecting the pair to be removed at Derby. This was not to be the case, the pair went all the way to Leeds, where arrival was 56 minutes late (Birmingham was left 95 minutes late). Both engines retired to Holbeck 45066 for fuel and 46037 for a decision on its future. 46037 was taken to Gateshead for it future to be decided upon, damage seemed slight originally and parts were taken from 46052 for it, but a better look revealed damage worse than at first noticed and the parts were fitted back onto 46052, 46057's fate had been sealed, damage was too severe to warrant repair. Its withdrawal date being 22nd June 1984, so the class became only nine, its distinctive member with its headcode box still in place has gone, for the second and final time. FAREWELL.

BR Blue Class 46 No.46037 is pictured at Taunton on the 31st May 1984 taking its booked stop while operating an northbound cross country service. Peter Gradidge