The picture sent in by John Simmonds asking for the location 0f a class 50 on a down service produced this extensive article on train movements on that day from Rob Lomas - for which many thanks.
50027 Lion worked the down 1213 Bristol, returning on its normal return working, the Up 1438 to Birmingham. As I mentioned, the down Bristol had RMB W1803 behind the loco with 5 other coaches and a BG bringing up the rear. This was my first named sighting of Lion. 46026 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry worked the down parcels (Plym ? to Pz) at 1230 with 11 on including an ex GWR Siphon G and an archaic Southern Van. As previously, and I cannot in truth recall the day at all, the parcels work on a Saturday seldom troubled the station staff - at best, an odd Brute to load or unload and then quickly on its way. 50016 Barham worked the down 1439 ex Padd - 10 late with 9 on. 50026 Anson worked up on the up 1534 to Padd with just 5 coaches and a BG. This was my first named sighting of this loco. Laira machine 46010 worked the down Cornishman from Bradford at 1543 and its proper return working of the Up 1907 to Bristol later in the evening. As per the previous week, the latter had magnificent accommodation comprising just 4 vehicles - E80640, W35134, W21173, M3757. I don't remember exactly, but I don't think that any mails or parcels were carried on a Saturday evening outside of the Christmas peak on this service so no need of a long train. One occasional customer on this Cinderella was a Honeymoon Couples- gawd knows where they were off to. Not two weeks in the Maldives in those days - Yatton perhaps. Maybe the heady heights of Bridgwater or exotic Weston Super Mare ?? 50041 (un-named) worked the Up 1651 to Padd 50035 Ark Royal worked the Down 1726 from Liverpool with 8 on. 50045 Achilles worked the down 1831 Padd and was my first named sighting of this loco - the third that day. In those days, it seemed fitting to note that this train was all of 5 minutes late. On that, my train home in the evenings, was only a mere five minutes late! Bringing up the rear of trains logged that day (Other than the fact that the morning and afternoon Falmouth Branch set was Set P553 and what we used to call the evening replacement set was C558) was 47030 on the 11 coach down 1914 Plym-Pz. 11 Mark One coaches - probably exceeding by far the number of passengers on board. Incidentally, I only took carriage numbers from about October 1977 to about June 1978. A great shame as there must be a lot of interesting facts in carriage workings. And how I wish that I had taken details of the trains I saw in my early days in the late 60's onwards to Jan 1 1977. I have filled in very few gaps from 1971 to 31.12.76 of trains seen but without train working details from other sources and friends and I am currently 90% finished on an Excel spreadsheet of my loco workings spotted having promised this to Roger Geach and many others quite a long time ago. Hope this helps in setting the scene. Of course, this day was the weekend before a Bank Holiday Monday so it is perfectly possible that there might have been some extras and reliefs around that day that I didn't manage to see. It all seems such a long time ago now.
50027 Lion worked the down 1213 Bristol, returning on its normal return working, the Up 1438 to Birmingham. As I mentioned, the down Bristol had RMB W1803 behind the loco with 5 other coaches and a BG bringing up the rear. This was my first named sighting of Lion. 46026 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry worked the down parcels (Plym ? to Pz) at 1230 with 11 on including an ex GWR Siphon G and an archaic Southern Van. As previously, and I cannot in truth recall the day at all, the parcels work on a Saturday seldom troubled the station staff - at best, an odd Brute to load or unload and then quickly on its way. 50016 Barham worked the down 1439 ex Padd - 10 late with 9 on. 50026 Anson worked up on the up 1534 to Padd with just 5 coaches and a BG. This was my first named sighting of this loco. Laira machine 46010 worked the down Cornishman from Bradford at 1543 and its proper return working of the Up 1907 to Bristol later in the evening. As per the previous week, the latter had magnificent accommodation comprising just 4 vehicles - E80640, W35134, W21173, M3757. I don't remember exactly, but I don't think that any mails or parcels were carried on a Saturday evening outside of the Christmas peak on this service so no need of a long train. One occasional customer on this Cinderella was a Honeymoon Couples- gawd knows where they were off to. Not two weeks in the Maldives in those days - Yatton perhaps. Maybe the heady heights of Bridgwater or exotic Weston Super Mare ?? 50041 (un-named) worked the Up 1651 to Padd 50035 Ark Royal worked the Down 1726 from Liverpool with 8 on. 50045 Achilles worked the down 1831 Padd and was my first named sighting of this loco - the third that day. In those days, it seemed fitting to note that this train was all of 5 minutes late. On that, my train home in the evenings, was only a mere five minutes late! Bringing up the rear of trains logged that day (Other than the fact that the morning and afternoon Falmouth Branch set was Set P553 and what we used to call the evening replacement set was C558) was 47030 on the 11 coach down 1914 Plym-Pz. 11 Mark One coaches - probably exceeding by far the number of passengers on board. Incidentally, I only took carriage numbers from about October 1977 to about June 1978. A great shame as there must be a lot of interesting facts in carriage workings. And how I wish that I had taken details of the trains I saw in my early days in the late 60's onwards to Jan 1 1977. I have filled in very few gaps from 1971 to 31.12.76 of trains seen but without train working details from other sources and friends and I am currently 90% finished on an Excel spreadsheet of my loco workings spotted having promised this to Roger Geach and many others quite a long time ago. Hope this helps in setting the scene. Of course, this day was the weekend before a Bank Holiday Monday so it is perfectly possible that there might have been some extras and reliefs around that day that I didn't manage to see. It all seems such a long time ago now.