LMS through portions
LMS passenger train formations are not easy to deal with because the surviving records are uneven. Clive Carter focussed very well on named expresses in "Passenger Train Formations 1923-1983, LMS-LM Region", Clive Carter, Ian Allan, 1983, and this is an attempt to cast a wider net, here looking at working of through portions, which used to be a common device to save passengers having to change trains. And in territory away from the WCML, although a classic has already been covered under "The Lakes Express" topic and its write-up in Model Rail (see links below). There are now three parts here:
1 - Gloucester-Bournemouth 2 - St.Pancras to the West Riding 3 - Euston-Coventry and Wolverhampton
1 - Gloucester-Bournemouth
In summer there used to be an LMS express between Gloucester and Bournemouth which travelled via Bath and the Somerset & Dorset line. In winter, when the traffic was lighter, the train started as a mere pair of coaches that were taken to Bath Green Park via the important route between Cheltenham and Gloucester to Bristol.
The first picture was taken in 1936 on the approach to Standish Junction and gives the impression of quadruple track, but was actually the ex-MR line near the camera running alongside the GWR line. Two coaches did not require heavy haulage and 2P 4-4-0s were used, as seen here with No. 528 (22A) in charge. Note that Express lights are being carried. The two coaches were:
BTK |
3rd brake |
Period III |
CK |
1st/3rd composite |
Period I |
Note that the brake-ended carriage was 57ft long while the composite was 60ft long. The P.III coach is recognisably late 1930s with steel panelling, while the PI composite is wood-panelled and beaded, and from the late 1920s when side-doors were being dropped and twin windows were provided for each compartment, one with a droplight. Commonly called the "two window" design, the concept developed into single "picture" windows with sliding ventilators. Here, the corridor side is visible with an array of large windows. I've stressed this to underline how the LMS underwent significant stylistic changes and that they were routinely mixed rather than as many modellers believe, operated separately.
At Bath the portion was transferred to a conventional express for Bournemouth. Photo: LGRP.
Click on the image for an enlargement
The second picture was taken in 1937 and several miles further south near Wickwar. 2P No 396 (22A) is in charge and the formation is the same except that the composite has been modernised with the P.III version. In the background by the crossing are cast iron notices erected by the Midland Railway. Photo: Real Photos.
Click on the image for an enlargement
2 - St.Pancras to the West Riding
Bradford and Halifax were important industrial centres but geographically hemmed in by the Pennines and never on a through main line. That's why so many through coaches and portions were despatched, many of them to London, to King's Cross, St.Pancras and even Marylebone.
Midland Compound No 1061 is heading north near Mill Hill with an express from St.Pancras, the photo captioned on the rear as "Down Leeds-Bradford". The latter was Forster Square station and reached via Leeds Wellington St., later part of the renamed Leeds City, with complete trains sent through because storage at Leeds was limited. I have yet to identify the precise train in this picture but note the brake composite behind the tender and wonder if this was a through carriage to Halifax - which would have been detached at Sheffield Midland and sent on from there via a West Riding service?
I am not completely sure yet but believe that the BCK was the first P.1 design, 57ft long, to D1754.
Click on the image for an enlargement
3 - Euston-Coventry and Wolverhampton
Click on either image for an enlargement
This negative came with only these words on the sleeve "2479 Rugby 1-8-37" and was initially examined under Mystery Photos. These are the results with help from Phillip Millard and Darwin Smith with thanks to both:
Location
Philip Millard recognised the precise location, and thus allowed examination of the local track plan and the likely routes onwards. 1st August 1937 was a high summer Sunday (so popular for a day out that many years later it would become a Bank Holiday). The sun angle indicates just before noon and the train is leaving Rugby and heading west.
This is the layout after Rugby No.7 signal box was moved from the north to the south side of the running lines in 1936. The train is on the third track up from the bottom of the plan and the signals indicate that the route being taken is towards Leamington Spa.
Click on the image for an enlargement
Formation and working
The NPCS at the head of the train comprises a pair of CCTs (covered carriage trucks), often used as general vans. Leading is an LMS 6w covered combination truck, and behind it, an ex-NER bogie CCT.
Darwin Smith took things a good deal further, thank you very much. He makes the point that my original interpretation of an excursion was plausible - because irregular workings and events were part and parcel of the the steam railway - but offers an alternative, that is arguably even more irregular, but more plausible. We've discussed this in some detail and here are the results, 90% Darwin's work:
To begin with, the reporting number of W21 was indicated in the WTT as the Sundays-only 10.22am Euston-Wolverhampton advertised only as far as Coventry, and to carry Ordinary Passenger lights beyond Rugby, which can be seen on the loco. It was, in fact, a semi-fast working. The carriages were rostered in two portions: for Wolverhampton and Coventry with the latter normally on the rear for ease of detachment. Destination boards on the leading carriages were reversed because this stock was taken from a different working during the week (the 11.30 Euston-Wolverhampton express with restaurant car, hence the pair of TOs which during the week served as dining cars).
At this point another factor comes into play as the route towards Leamington Spa is being taken, which indicates a possible diversion because of engineering work, entailing reversal at Coventry - hence the tank engine rather than the tender loco which would have worked the train from Euston to Rugby.
According to the Marshaling Circular, the formation for the Wolverhampton portion was:
BTK |
P.III |
CK |
P.III |
CK |
P.III |
CK |
P.III |
TO |
|
TO |
|
BTK |
P.III |
The use of three CKs was not very common and while (FK,TK,TK) was arguably simpler and placed all the 1st class passengers in a dedicated carriage, the LMS was not a big user of the FK and this was not an elite express but, also, the three modern CKs provided more 1st class seats: an important consideration for this service. The two TOs were older carriages:
P.I |
single window to D1706 |
P.II |
low-waisted version to D1721 |
The Coventry portion did not have a return working and was rostered for any available stock to (BCK, TO, TO, TO, TO, BCK). Not all of these are visible but the following can be discerned, with a tendency towards older stock including a pre-Grouping carriage:
BCK ? |
ex-MR Bain |
TK ? |
|
TO |
P.I |
TO |
P.III |
Remainder not visible... |
|
The next stage in these workings began at Coventry where the trailing portion was detached and the 7 (rather posh) carriages for Wolverhampton were held for 10 minutes to depart as a fresh train in the public timetable, calling at almost every station, including 35 minutes at Birmingham New St. For a secondary service like this, in the hands of a 2-6-4 passenger tank, the stock was on the elegant side - and serves as an example of how efficient the steam railway used to be in trimming a main line formation and maximising its utilisation.
And finally
The set terminated at Wolverhampton where the restaurant car (an RF) was put back in the formation, ready for the week's normal duties, which began as the 6.50am Wolverhampton-Euston express, calling at Birmingham New St. at 7.30am, and returning with the already-mentioned 11.30am Euston-Wolverhampton. It would have been busy serving breakfast in the Up direction, and lunch in the Down working and was a good example of a roster which fielded a high catering demand in both directions and was thus provided with three catering carriages (RF, TO, TO).
That's as far as we can get and my apologies for such length, but as you can see, even irregular workings had a solid operating basis and, for the modeller, options that don't normally come to mind. It's also fair to say that Sunday workings, for which a weekdays formation was modified, don't get the same level of attention!
Other LMS passenger train formations and related topics are here:
