Mike H's Railway Pics
Class 20 Pics
1st March 2005
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The English Electric Type 1s were the undoubtedly the major success story of the 1950s Modernisation Plan. First introduced in 1957 they are still in revenue earning service with DRS, albeit only a handful remain. Allocated to the London Midland, Eastern and Scottish Regions they were at home on any kind of freight working but were probably best known for use in pairs on MGR trains. They also managed to appear on passenger workings, notably on Summer Saturdays to Skegness. While not having quite the same appeal to me as a Class 25, they were still a ubiquitous part of the local railway scene and the pictures here will attempt to give a flavour of the many and varied workings they were gainfully employed upon.
Saturday 28th September 1985 saw a trip to Shrewsbury to catch up with pairs of 37s on the Cambrian. While waiting at Sutton Bridge what should turn up but a pair of
Saturday 28th September 1985 saw a trip to Shrewsbury to catch up with pairs of 37s on the Cambrian. While waiting at Sutton Bridge what should turn up but a pair of
During the summer of 1989 a shortage of DMUs lead to a number of Derby-Crewe services being worked by pairs of 20s on loco hauled stock. On 7th August that year we were on the way back from a day at Peak Forest and passed through Uttoxeter in time to catch 20069 & 20043 with the 2K49 1913 Derby-Crewe.
During the summer of 1989 a shortage of DMUs lead to a number of Derby-Crewe services being worked by pairs of 20s on loco hauled stock. On 7th August that year we were on the way back from a day at Peak Forest and passed through Uttoxeter in time to catch 20069 & 20043 with the 2K49 1913 Derby-Crewe.
 In 1985 Nuneaton retained a traincrew depot and the prinicipal duties were departmental workings, mainly with ballast from several local quarries. Target 95 was a Birmingham DCE trip based on Nuneaton and on 17th June 1985 20113 & 20081 had charge of an 8T95 empty ballast working from Leamington Spa.
In 1985 Nuneaton retained a traincrew depot and the prinicipal duties were departmental workings, mainly with ballast from several local quarries. Target 95 was a Birmingham DCE trip based on Nuneaton and on 17th June 1985 20113 & 20081 had charge of an 8T95 empty ballast working from Leamington Spa.
As well as power station and household coal mined at Coventry Colliery, the yard at Three Spires Junction also handled inwards traffic from Toton bound for the Homefire smokeless fuel plant at Keresley. On 20th June 1985 20160 & 20060 had brought in a load as 6G79, the 0617 from Toton and are seen here backing out with the 6D85 0830 empties back to Toton New Bank.
As well as power station and household coal mined at Coventry Colliery, the yard at Three Spires Junction also handled inwards traffic from Toton bound for the Homefire smokeless fuel plant at Keresley. On 20th June 1985 20160 & 20060 had brought in a load as 6G79, the 0617 from Toton and are seen here backing out with the 6D85 0830 empties back to Toton New Bank.
 Probably the most famous Class 20 duties were the summer Saturday Skegness workings from the East Midlands. Nowadays passengers have to suffer two car sprinters but in the 80s they had the luxury of English Electric's finest and a rake of Mk.1s. Here 20113 & 20161 call at Sleaford on 30th June, 1984 with 1M02, the 1158 SO Skegness-Leicester.
Probably the most famous Class 20 duties were the summer Saturday Skegness workings from the East Midlands. Nowadays passengers have to suffer two car sprinters but in the 80s they had the luxury of English Electric's finest and a rake of Mk.1s. Here 20113 & 20161 call at Sleaford on 30th June, 1984 with 1M02, the 1158 SO Skegness-Leicester.
 The South Staffs line was a useful freight corridor bypassing Birmingham and allowing easy access to Bescot Yard. It fell victim to dwindling traffic levels and closed in 1993. Recent re-opening proposals seem to have got lost in the un-Strategic Rail Authorities seeming lack of interest in anything that doesn't benefit Virgin West Coast or London commuters... In this shot 20163 & 20155 are about to pass over Eagle Crossing, Great Bridge, on 17th October, 1983 with the 9V66 1252 Bescot Down Yd-Gloucester New Yard.
The South Staffs line was a useful freight corridor bypassing Birmingham and allowing easy access to Bescot Yard. It fell victim to dwindling traffic levels and closed in 1993. Recent re-opening proposals seem to have got lost in the un-Strategic Rail Authorities seeming lack of interest in anything that doesn't benefit Virgin West Coast or London commuters... In this shot 20163 & 20155 are about to pass over Eagle Crossing, Great Bridge, on 17th October, 1983 with the 9V66 1252 Bescot Down Yd-Gloucester New Yard.
Two endangered species in this picture! Pairs of twenties were just about extinct on East Midlands MGR duties and Thurcroft Colliery was shortly to close. The opportunity for a last photograph came when on a visit to the area on 25th September 1991 I got word that a pair were allocated on empties from from Worksop. Here 20169 & 20210 have just about finished loading the 7F49 1540 MGR departure to Cottam Power Station.
Two endangered species in this picture! Pairs of twenties were just about extinct on East Midlands MGR duties and Thurcroft Colliery was shortly to close. The opportunity for a last photograph came when on a visit to the area on 25th September 1991 I got word that a pair were allocated on empties from from Worksop. Here 20169 & 20210 have just about finished loading the 7F49 1540 MGR departure to Cottam Power Station.
 The Prismo sidings at Bardon Hill, near Coalville received trainloads of bitumen from Shell at Stanlow and was served by the 6F34 service from Ellesmere Port, arriving in the early hours, usually two days a week. Although booked direct to Bardon Hill the loads seem to have been tripped into the sidings from Mantle Lane and the empties were then tripped to Mantle Lane for an evening departure back to Ellesmere Port. 20177 & 20192 shunt bitumen tanks at Bardon Hill on 25th July 1983, having arrived as 9T26 1550 from Mantle Lane Sidings.
The Prismo sidings at Bardon Hill, near Coalville received trainloads of bitumen from Shell at Stanlow and was served by the 6F34 service from Ellesmere Port, arriving in the early hours, usually two days a week. Although booked direct to Bardon Hill the loads seem to have been tripped into the sidings from Mantle Lane and the empties were then tripped to Mantle Lane for an evening departure back to Ellesmere Port. 20177 & 20192 shunt bitumen tanks at Bardon Hill on 25th July 1983, having arrived as 9T26 1550 from Mantle Lane Sidings.
 On 21st January 1986 20180 was allocated to Bescot's Target 89 and employed on DCE duties tidying up after weekend engineering work along the Coventry-Nuneaton line. Here it is passing Coundon Road with a 9T89 1410 Three Spires Junc Yd-Coventry Yd trip.
On 21st January 1986 20180 was allocated to Bescot's Target 89 and employed on DCE duties tidying up after weekend engineering work along the Coventry-Nuneaton line. Here it is passing Coundon Road with a 9T89 1410 Three Spires Junc Yd-Coventry Yd trip.
Hard to think this is an Inter-City mainline! 20185 approaches Kenilworth on 6th March 2005 with an 8T95 1100 Nuneaton NE Sidings-Leamington Yard ballast trip on 6th March, 1986.
Hard to think this is an Inter-City mainline! 20185 approaches Kenilworth on 6th March 2005 with an 8T95 1100 Nuneaton NE Sidings-Leamington Yard ballast trip on 6th March, 1986.
 Once so common you would barely give them a second thought were pairs of 20s on MGRs in the East Midlands. Now they are history, as is this location, Willington Power Station. Even the ubiquitous HAA MGR wagons are becoming an endangered species now! On a misty 28th March 1991 Railfreight liveried 20215 patners 20142 on the 6D46 1447 Willington-Toton North Yard empties.
Once so common you would barely give them a second thought were pairs of 20s on MGRs in the East Midlands. Now they are history, as is this location, Willington Power Station. Even the ubiquitous HAA MGR wagons are becoming an endangered species now! On a misty 28th March 1991 Railfreight liveried 20215 patners 20142 on the 6D46 1447 Willington-Toton North Yard empties.
 After the demise of the 25s, Helsby was never quite the same again. The use of pairs of 20s on Warrington trips did have some attraction though, and a visit on 13th February 1989 saw 20218 & 20189 have charge of the 6T74 1330 Arpley-Ince UKF trip approaching Helsby Junction.
After the demise of the 25s, Helsby was never quite the same again. The use of pairs of 20s on Warrington trips did have some attraction though, and a visit on 13th February 1989 saw 20218 & 20189 have charge of the 6T74 1330 Arpley-Ince UKF trip approaching Helsby Junction.
© 1998-2009 Mike Hollick - All copyrights rest with the Author
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