Some clay questions

[RobertM]

I'm thinking about putting together some of my own 70's scenerios for the newly released china clay route and was after some general points about what trains/locos were about then, what were the max speed limits for the clay trains (I'm using the DT wagon pack that does come with a clay wagon) being hauled by a class 52.

So if anyone has any information about that region at that time, and maybe even links to websites with some information and even better, some photo's, I would be very greatfull

Rob

[ashgray]

Hi Rob

The 70's Western Region locos that you'd find hauling china clay services would have been the D63xx class, the Warships and the Westerns. The Hymeks were rarely seen as far south-west as Cornwall.

ironically, the first thing I did after I'd downloaded and tested this lovely route was to clone one of the scenarios and change all the stock for hydraulics, using all the above, and Mk 1 coaches!

Can't help with speed limits I'm afraid.

Ash

[RobertM]

Thanks Ash, didnt know about hymeks not being found round there...

What about the passenger services, what were they in the hands of?

[ashgray]

In the 70's, the main line services were handled almost exclusively by Westerns and Warships, with some Class 47s on inter-regional traffic. Branch line services were mainly hauled by D63xx's.

Ash

[malkymackay]

Being short wheelbase wagons, I would have thought that the Clay wagons would be limited to 45mph max. That's the limit that my BR working manual suggests using if the exact data isn't known & it is not a proscribed wagon.

[Kariban]

Passenger in the 70s would be Westerns mostly, ( 42s and 22s were all gone by '72 ) moving to 47s and 50s ( with aircon Mk2s, luxury! ) from the middle 70s, and the occasional HST at the end. Secondary passenger trains would be 117/121 DMUs and the occasional Mk1 stock with some random selection of power; 25s, 31s, 47s, 50s, whatever remaining hydraulics. Don't remember if Peak classes were too heavy for Cornwall.

Fitted short wheelbase 4w wagons were capped at 45mph I think.

[Varney]

Peaks certainly did appear in the late 70's & early eighties...

http://www.derbysulzers.com/neswroute2.html

[alanch]

Peaks certainly did appear in the late 70's & early eighties...

http://www.derbysulzers.com/neswroute2.html

I'm sure Peaks appeared even earlier than that on inter-regional trains - I remember travelling behind one from Truro to Birmingham in the Summer of 1965.

[Kariban]

Came off at Bristol usually for a WR hydraulic I think, but obviously if there was nothing to replace it with it makes sense to just leave it on the train.

[Kernow2]

Being short wheelbase wagons, I would have thought that the Clay wagons would be limited to 45mph max. That's the limit that my BR working manual suggests using if the exact data isn't known & it is not a proscribed wagon.

The UCV's were limited to 45mph. One particular regular train using these wagons was booked at over 14 hours from Cornwall to Stoke-on-Trent! These little wagons could be seen all over the system remaining in use until 1981 after which more modern, larger, air-braked wagons took over.

Good Luck with your Scenario creation.
Kernow2

[Kernow2]

Peaks certainly did appear in the late 70's & early eighties...

http://www.derbysulzers.com/neswroute2.html

I'm sure Peaks appeared even earlier than that on inter-regional trains - I remember travelling behind one from Truro to Birmingham in the Summer of 1965.

Peaks did make it into Cornwall on Inter-regional Trains although the majority seemed to be taken off at Bristol or Plymouth.
Happy days spent spotting at Plymouth.. Hymeks were regular visitors to Devon but rarely crossed the Tamar. Shame.

Kernow2

[RobertM]

Sorry to bump this, but either bump or new thread.

Would any 26,27 or 33's of ever worked between the rock dryers to the dock at Carne point?

Rob

[Kromaatikse]

It's entirely possible that more people who might know lurk in the Real Railway Discussion section.

[FoggyMorning]

Classes 26 & 7, highly unlikely as these were both concentrated in Scotland fairly early in their working lives. Class 33s would be unusual, but not beyond the realms of believability as they had a tendency to crop up where you least expected them. I've seen no evidence personally that they ever worked into Cornwall though.

Steve

[ashgray]

Hi Robert

I can find no record and have no memory of the Class 26, 27 or 33's on these duties.

The diesels that did run these trains were the Westerns, Class 42/43 Warships, Class 41 A1A-A1A Warships, Class 22 Baby Warships, and latterly the 37s and 25s. Hymeks rarely ventured into Cornwall.

Ash