25 kV AC Electrics (in blue)Set A of 10 6 x 4 Colour Print Photos
Although the Manchester-Sheffield line was electrified at 1500v DC in 1954, advances in technology prompted BR to adopt the 25kV AC system as the new standard in 1956 commencing with the West Main line. One hundred electric locomotives, E3001-E3100 were ordered from five manufacturers and the first to be delivered was E3001 the BTH designed prototype of the 25 class AL1 locomotives. A light blue shade, known as Electric Blue was adopted and AL1’s E3004 and E3007 are at Crewe in Electric Blue with the original white cab roofs. E3007 has polished surrounds to the body grills unlike E3004 and there is a narrow blue band between the white window surround and the yellow warning panel on E3007 but not on E3004. Electric blue gave way to the universal rail blue in the sixties, and class AL5, E3069 heads a class 3 parcels service through Rugby on 1-7-71. It is now it rail blue with blue cab roofs. AL5 E3072 heads 8M17 the Ravenhead sand train beside the canal at Brinklow on the Trent Valley line on 5-10-71. The four Min-Fits at the front of the train provide a vacuum fitted head of 4 wagons so the train can run as a class 8. Class AL1 became class 81 under TOPS, and 81012, former E3014, heads a tank train through Rugby on 13-6-74. Black paint seems to have been carelessly applied over the rail blue cab roof. The class 86 were developed from the AL1-AL5 designs and 100 were built in 1965-1966, becoming class 86 under TOPS. E3149 was displayed in the Leicester Bay at Rugby with a brand new Mk II coach. It is in electric blue with small yellow panel and blue buffer beams. AL6 E3101 heads the 14.15hrs ex Euston past the neutral section at Parkfield Road bridge, Rugby on 5-10-71. The yellow boxes contain the permanent and electro-magnets associated with the APC (Automatic Power Control) equipment needed at neutral sections and the insulated and earthed sections of the OLE can be seen above the locomotive. Becoming class 86 under TOPS, 86217 heads 1A52 south through Nuneaton in July 1976. The class 87s were built from 1973 and class leader 87001 was named Stephenson from January 1976 to July 1977 and is at Coventry in July 1976. It was renamed Royal Scot. Given its brief spell as Stephenson, the nameplate was worthy of including in this set! 87034 is ready to depart from Glasgow Central station. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright; Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission.
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25 kV AC Electrics (in blue)Set B of 10 6 x 4 Colour Print Photos
We open with two 25kV locos in ‘Electric Blue livery with white roof domes and the aluminium wheel and lion emblem. Electric services commenced to Stafford on 7 January1963, and although the yellow warning panel was by then being applied, E3076 which entered trsffic on 19-04-1963 had not received such a panel. It was a class 85 built at Doncaster and is in the Up Sidings at Stafford. Class AL1 E3014, also in Electric Blue, and without warning panels, is held at Stafford No 5 box signal 14, which is the starter ex the down slow line and platform 5. AL5 No E3082 heads a class 8 Engineer’s working on 28-6-71 past the massive BTH, later AEI works which dominated Rugby station for a century. The train number display has been plated over, as 81016 passes Rugby Power Box c1976. Class AL6, E3188 is on the down goods at Rugby on 16-3-1971 on the Ravenhead sand train. From the bauxite livery I believe the leading hoppers are braked, obviating the need for empty 16T steel Min-fits. AL6 E3149, which appeared in Electric Blue in Set A is now in Rail Blue and is heading an express north along the Down London at Clifton Road Junction with the Northampton flyover in the background. 86015 enters Coventry station in November 1974. In Set A, we showed 87001 when named Stephenson. Here it is at Euston after renaming as Royal Scot. We see sister engine 87009 at Glasgow Central which shows the northern and southern extremities of the electrified WCML. Now for an engine which is black, not blue. After trials, the Western Region Gas Turbine, 18100 was put into store, but to provide an electric locomotive quickly, it was rebuilt between January and November 1958 as a 25kV locomotive to facilitate testing and crew training and was used as such until 1961. It retained the old black livery with aluminium waist band but was renumbered from 18100 to E1000, using the original aluminium letters suitably altered! It is seen in store in the Up sidings at Rugby on 12-5-72. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright; Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission.
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Altrincham MSJ&AR Absolute Reliability DC Electrics Set A 19 6x4 Colour Prints
The 8 ½ mile Manchester, South Junction & Altrincham was authorised in 1845 and became joint MS&LR and LNWR. With the short distances, tramway competition was a problem and the LMS and LNER looked at electrification after 1923, adopting the government recommended 1500v DC system which was inaugurated in 1931, traffic increasing by 89% in 5 years! MSJ&AR was said to stand for Many Short Journeys & Absolute Reliability! The BR adoption of 25kV for the West Coast electrification, including Manchester doomed the MSJ&AR, and the last 1500v trains ran on 30-04-1971, being replaced by 25kV electrics. We open in the depot yard on the south side of Moss Lane bridge in Altrincham with driving motor M28574M on the right on 27-04-71, and the platform canopy at Altrincham station visible through the arch. Unlike the previous set, M28587M retains the small yellow warning panel as work on the MSJ&AR stock had been cut to a minimum. Movement from the depot to the station were controlled from a 3-lever LNWR ground frame released by the signal box. The interior of the car shed revealed its history as it had been the original train shed terminus and had been replaced by the later station in 1881, bur the mark of the old platform can was visible 90 years later! We see motor driving end M28587M inside the depot. We take a look at the top end oft the depot and the depot yard which had a small traverser. We look under Moss Lane bridge from the northbound platform at Altrincham & Bowdon station with the depot headshunt on the right. The lead vehicle on the set in the centre is a driving trailer as it does not have the roof mounted equipment . Driving trailer M29246M eased round the curve into the station on 27-04-71. Sale was one of the principal intermediate stations and we see the buildings and a separate view of driving motor M28589M en route to Altrincham, Driving motor M28581 (no suffix) is the trailing coach on a train bound for Oxford Rd, Manchester comprised of two three car sets with the motor coaches at the outer ends of both sets, as was standard. Stretford station was north of Sale, and in our train shots we see M28581 aproaching the station and M28572M as the trailing coach at Sale. M28573 with a faded M suffix enters Stretford station and the same set has left Altrincham station en route for Oxford Rd. M28573 glides into Sale station, and our final view is of motor coach M28587M in green in the depot yard where the overhead was rasied above normal height to enable staff to work on the roofs of the cars. To the left we see M29670, one of the intermediate 1/3 compo trailers. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright; Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission.
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A4 Colour print of Class AL1 E3014, also in Electric Blue, without warning panels, but with original aluminium lion and wheel device is held at Stafford No 5 box signal 14,