Loco hauled to Leagrave, the "Bedford commuters" 1973-1983

Introduction….

Whilst the Liverpool Street, Kings X and Paddington loco hauled commuter trains attracted a great deal of interest, other London hauled commuter services hardly got a mention in the mags or on gen listings at the time.

The "Bedford commuters" were rarely reported, despite featuring tightly timed non stop runs and giving the Leagrave and Radletts of the commuting world a "real train" to and from work. Consisting of 9-10 Mk I’s and predominantly class 45 hauled these trains remain in the memory for a good few of us. Electrification and the protracted introduction of the 317 units made the last booked hauled " Bedford commuter" difficult to confirm but August 83 saw the last known workings.

So next time you are festering for your 319 at Leagrave or Radlett, think back 25 years or so and imagine a big throbbing Sulzer like 45136 arriving on a rake of Mk I’s to whisk you to work..

Sample Trains….

May 74-May 75 (all D315)

5C07 0610 Cricklewood-Bedford ECS

1C07 0749 Bedford-St Pancras (non stop 50 mins)

1C01 1713 St Pancras-Bedford (1F01 to Leicester FO) (non stop 45 mins)

5C90 1845 Bedford-Cricklewood ECS

May 80-May 81 (all D315 except as shown)

5C19 0428 Cricklewood-Bedford ECS (MO) D385

2C19 0734 Bedford-St Pancras (D385) call Hp

5C12 0443 Cricklewood-Bedford ECS (MX)

2C12 0638 Bedford-St Pancras call Fl,Ha,Lg,Lu,Hp,Sa,Ra,El

5C22 0516 Cricklewood-Bedford (via Wellinboro) ECS MX

2C22 0740 Bedford-St Pancras call Fl,Hp,Lg,Lu,Ha,Sa.

5C13 0606 Cricklewood-Luton

2C13 0727 Luton-St Pancras call Hp,Sa,

2G07 0825 St Pancras-Bedford call Sa,Ha,Lu,Ha,Fl,

2C34 1000 Bedford-St Pancras call Fl,Ha,Lg,Lu,Ha,Sa,Ra,El

2G17 1700 St Pancras-Bedford call Sa

5C50 1755 Bedford-St Pancras ECS (via Wellinboro)

2G18 1711 St Pancras-Bedford call Sa,Hp,Lu,Le,Ha,Fl

5E29 1830 Bedford-Sheffield ECS (FO – Sum) to work 2253 Sheff-Port

2G21 1754 St Pancras-Bedford call Hp,Le

5J88 1908 Bedford-Cricklewood ECS (via Wellinboro)

2G22 1758 St Pancras-Bedford call Sa,Lu,Lg,Ha,Fl

5D00 1916 Bedford-Nottingham (FO-Sum)

Sample power year by year 1973-83

220972 5216 1C01 1713 St Pancras-Bedford

110573 114 1C01 1713 St Pancras-Bedford

070874 - 45043 0749 Bedford to St Pancras

030475 - 25117 1655 St Pancras to Bedford

120776 - 47203 2C13 0727 Luton-St Pancras

220776 - 45032 1814 St Pancras to Bedford

280177 - 45068 0749 Bedford to St Pancras

190478 - 45148 0734 Bedford to St Pancras

150879 - 45109 2C34 1000 Bedford-SP

210380 - 45108 2C13 0727 Luton-St.Pancras

060281 - 45111 1700 St Pancras to Bedford

230882 - 25181 2G17 1700 SP-Bedford

020883 -47561 0738 Bedford to St Pancras

"Bedford commuters" -Power variation

Although 45’1 were the dominant power variety could be found on these trains at times.

170773 138 1C01 1713 St Pancras -Bedford ( 46001)

040475 - 31419 1655 St Pancras to Bedford

200879 25243 2C34 1000 Bedford-St Pancras

221179 47197 2C22 0740 Bedford-St Pancras

24/06/80 - 47359 0638 Bedford to St Pancras

050581 - 25066 + 25085 0740 Bedford to St Pancras

100882 25181/25213 2C12 0638 Bedford-St Pancras

221182 - 47486 1754 St Pancras to Bedford

also 20151/20181 as described below..

As the years went by it got harder to get non-eth locos as in theory the mainline services were mainly "air cons" and the locos off those could be interchanged with the commuters. However pairs of rats, 46's and even 47/3's were rare on the commuters throughout the 70’s and 80’s.

Commuter tales

"It was normal practice for me to just do one or two commuter trains in a day on the bash rather than covering all 4 in any period however I made an exception to that rule on a snowbound 10 December 1981. I joined 45104 on the 0740 Bedford to St Pancras on 9 Mk1's. We lost 30 minutes on the run owing to the conditions but the thing I most remember was departing on the slow line out of St Albans at the same time another 45 was pulling out on the fast line and we had a race with the two Peaks neck and neck until we slowed for the Radlett stop. "

"After a day Christmas shopping in London I did 45117 on the 1700 out of St Pancras (2G17) and alighted at St Albans. 45135 was on the 1711 from Pancakes (2G18) leaving St Albans at 1736 so I took it to the next shack at Harpenden. I waited for the 1822 departure which was the 1754 (2G21) and this rolled in with 47509 "Albion" so this was taken to Leagrave. There I waited for the 1844 departure but it was 15 minutes late. This was the 1758 (2G22) and it eventually produced 45132 so this got me home to Bedford."

 

"When the riverside carriage sidings were opened (1982?), it was decided to stable a couple of trains overnight at Bedford rathe rthan run them ECS back to Cricklewood. A few times when the right man was on lates at Bedford, we managed to get a cab ride into the yard in the 45. For our part, we had to walk through stock at Bedford and shut the windows, while the shunter ran the 45 round with the driver. Occasionally a sociable driver would give us the job of "screwing down" the train once in the yard, by applying the handbrake. This was a large wheel set on the bulkhead at the back of the cab. It required a fair few turns!"

"I had viewed a rat on the 1000 Bedford – St Pancras whilst "suited up" for an interview which unfortunately meant I had to go North and so had to let the rat go. I returned 2 days later (200879) and good fortune saw the train a few minutes down and hopes rose. Round the corner came a class 25 and a front compo was bagged, windows open, for the small Sulzer sounds. My first rat off Luton was a noisy, hugely enjoyable run, very different noises from the more usual 45 or 47. Once over Chiltern Green summit 25243 literally flew between 4 station stops losing no more time…I returned a few days later to cover this train but 45 power was up front as usual"

 

"The usual practice for the loco hauled commuter workings from London to Bedford, was to send them to Wellingborough to run round. This meant they were not blocking platform space at Bedford. Before the Riverside sidings at Bedford were opened, there was not space to stable these workings either, which is why they ran to/from Cricklewood. One night probably 1980 or 1981, one such working failed at Wellingborough, and 20151+20181 worked the empty stock back to Cricklewood. 20's at trhis time were rare south of Wellingborough, this being my first sighting of them at Bedford"

thanks to MIB and "Tamworth Castle" for these cracking memories and much of the gen…………..

Tony Ewer's classic nightime Riverside sidings view of 45126, 020483

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