European Railroad Discussion > 1989

We're back to the sectorisation days of British Rail. There were a range of different liveries, some new trains were coming on stream but there were still plenty of locomotive hauled services about. Here's a sample of the pictures I took during the first six months of the year.

!: The Network Southeast corporate identity was everywhere, love it or loathe it. On the Gospel Oak to Barking Line a pair of class 117 DMUs leaving Woodgrange Park heading to Barking on Feb 1st.
2: On Feb 8th my favourite locomotive, 86235 Novelty passing Stratford in East London on a Norwich to London Liverpool Street express. Since being chosen as the site of the 2012 London Olympics Stratford has changed out of all recognition.
3: Taken a few days later at Stratford a pair of the Rolls Royce of Mk 1 EMUs, the 309 'Clacton' units, so called because they operated the semi-fast services between London Liverpool Street and the east coast seaside towns of Clacton, Frinton and Walton-on-the-Naze. By 1989 they weren't quite so Rolls Royce like, having been refurbished by Network Southeast which meant hopper type windows and harder seats. They were still capable of 100 mph though and they still rode like a magic carpet so all was not lost.

---

---

---

4: Back in March 1989 the West Coast Mainline still relied on loco hauled services without DVTs (Driving Van Trailers). Here at Harrow and Wealdstone a new class 90 heads south on a train to Euston
5: The East Coast Mainline electrification was completed in 1989, the new class 91s were run in on the 17:36 King's Cross to Peterborough commuter train. Here it is passing Alexandra Palace in North London. This was achieved by simply replacing a power car of an HST set with a class 91. With the 91's 6000 hp and the 2250 hp of the HST power car at the other end, this combination had the acceleration of a Ferrari!
6: But it wasn't all modernity. Network Southeast attempted to update some of the Mk 1 non-corridor EMUs of the 1950s and 60s, the original design of which harked back to Victorian days. Here's a class 207 on a Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria service. The cars had been gangwayed throughout each set, modern B5 trailer bogies had been fitted to improve the ride and certain doors and droplights were sealed up.

---

---

---

Final 3, these are from Scotland where I visited in June

7: 47709 The Lord Provost on a Glasgow to Edinburgh express, passing Lenzie
8: 47635 Jimmy Milne on the Inverness to London Euston Clansman, passing Larbert
9: Back at Glasgow Queens Street and 47707 The Duke of Edinburgh's Award about to leave on an express to Edinburgh

More from 1989 here: https://nick86235.smugmug.com/Trains/2017/The-1980s/i-sMr6ngG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/08/17 22:06 by 86235.

---

---

---

Also a big throwback in picture 6 is that Splitting Colour Light Signal. I never found in service one in 2013 or 2014. Nice set of pictures all around.

Jim

Many thanks for posting your excellent photos from 1989. The look back is great!
ALLEN

tq-07fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Also a big throwback in picture 6 is that
> Splitting Colour Light Signal. I never found in
> service one in 2013 or 2014.

No, by then those early colour light installations had all gone. On the Great Eastern much of what you see in that picture; the electrification, signalling & Ilford flyover were planned pre-WW2, but not actually completed until 1949. The 307s came along in the mid 1950s, although the design was a throwback to the Victorians!

Glad you like them.