ASLEF diary June 11th- June 24th 2000
Its been a while since I last scanned a random two weeks work in link four the "Royal Mail roster" at my former depot of Tyne Yard. So here goes...
I will explain through each of the days work with a brief description of what it entailed:
Mon 12th Tues 13 and Wednesday 14th Involved working 1M91 which was the Up Travelling Post office service to Willesden PRDC from Low Fell Mail terminal to Doncaster Mail Terminal . (Known as the Up London TPO). The TPO services ended in 2004 as far as I'm aware.
This was a lengthy train with nine vehicles if I remember correctly, including four sorting office coaches. Timed at 100 mph maximum.
Traction was usually a class 90 occasionally a class 86.
Following a lengthy wait at Doncaster Mail terminal in the early hours I returned with a class 325 operated 1E93 back to Low Fell.
Thursday 15th involved working a Southbound loaded MGR to Milford yard , returning to Tyne Yard with an empty MGR set.
Friday 16th I travelled to Kingmoor yard in a taxi via the A69 to return with an empty MGR set to Tyne Yard.
Tuesday 20th saw me working 1M51. This was the Shieldmuir to Willesden premium parcels . This consisted of ten coaches timed at 110 mph max. This because of the 110mph max was always worked by a class 90 if at all possible.
Once at Doncaster we travelled the short journey to Carr Loco depot for a loco to take over to Doncaster mail terminal. This was either a class 47 or 67 to haul 1E43 the Plymouth to Low Fell mail to its destination.
Wednesday 21st saw me working an additional loaded ballast train from York yard south to Tyne Yard.
Thursday 22nd saw me being spare but tasked to swap the Newcastle central Thunderbird class 47's over.
47742 was an impressive locomotive. I recall driving her on a charter 1Z47 from Edinburgh to York on 14-3-98 with twelve mark one coaches in tow topping the summit at Grantshouse at a jaw dropping 65 mph! Line speed is 70... Sadly she was scrapped at EMR Kingsbury in May 2007.
Friday saw my freight turn cancelled and offered to go home for six hours off my annualised hours contract that EWS operated.
All in an enjoyable two weeks work, varied routes, train types,operating seven forms of traction... I could only dream of that today !
ASLEF diary June 11th- June 24th 2000
Its been a while since I last scanned a random two weeks work in link four the "Royal Mail roster" at my former depot of Tyne Yard. So here goes...
I will explain through each of the days work with a brief description of what it entailed:
Mon 12th Tues 13 and Wednesday 14th Involved working 1M91 which was the Up Travelling Post office service to Willesden PRDC from Low Fell Mail terminal to Doncaster Mail Terminal . (Known as the Up London TPO). The TPO services ended in 2004 as far as I'm aware.
This was a lengthy train with nine vehicles if I remember correctly, including four sorting office coaches. Timed at 100 mph maximum.
Traction was usually a class 90 occasionally a class 86.
Following a lengthy wait at Doncaster Mail terminal in the early hours I returned with a class 325 operated 1E93 back to Low Fell.
Thursday 15th involved working a Southbound loaded MGR to Milford yard , returning to Tyne Yard with an empty MGR set.
Friday 16th I travelled to Kingmoor yard in a taxi via the A69 to return with an empty MGR set to Tyne Yard.
Tuesday 20th saw me working 1M51. This was the Shieldmuir to Willesden premium parcels . This consisted of ten coaches timed at 110 mph max. This because of the 110mph max was always worked by a class 90 if at all possible.
Once at Doncaster we travelled the short journey to Carr Loco depot for a loco to take over to Doncaster mail terminal. This was either a class 47 or 67 to haul 1E43 the Plymouth to Low Fell mail to its destination.
Wednesday 21st saw me working an additional loaded ballast train from York yard south to Tyne Yard.
Thursday 22nd saw me being spare but tasked to swap the Newcastle central Thunderbird class 47's over.
47742 was an impressive locomotive. I recall driving her on a charter 1Z47 from Edinburgh to York on 14-3-98 with twelve mark one coaches in tow topping the summit at Grantshouse at a jaw dropping 65 mph! Line speed is 70... Sadly she was scrapped at EMR Kingsbury in May 2007.
Friday saw my freight turn cancelled and offered to go home for six hours off my annualised hours contract that EWS operated.
All in an enjoyable two weeks work, varied routes, train types,operating seven forms of traction... I could only dream of that today !