Not a Railtour!

Over the years, for various reasons, there have been occasions when service trains have been seen with headboards. This Page is an attempt to record those instances with, where known, the reason the headboard was carried.

29th June 2007

Matthew Cole reports that DEMU 1001 ran driver training for First GBRf bearing a "Marsh Link" headboard.

Train ran from St Leonards depot (09.50d, formed as 60116+60118 only with 60118 leading away from St Leonards) on a four hour journey, over the Romney March line twice and made a circular tour from Ashford via Kolkestone, Dover, Deal (traversing two sides of the triangle to turn the stock formation, reversing at  Minster East Jn), Canterbury and back to Ashford.

9th December 2006

John Clifford reports seeing a photo of 313117 on the 23.37 North Woolwich to Stratford (being the last service train from North Woolwich) carrying the headboard;

North Woolwich
R.I.P.
1847 - 2006

26th November 2005

John Clifford comments the 09.19 Brighton to London Victoria was formed of 4-VEPs 3490+3505+3535 and carried the following headboard;

7th October 2005

John Clifford noted the 18.04 Cannon Street to Ramsgate was formed of 4-VEPs 3565+3545+3568 and carried the following headboard;

28th July 2005

John Clifford noted the the 13.00 London Victoria to Gatwick & 13.50 Gatwick to London Victoria carried headboards at each end to mark the last use of 73's on the Gatwick Express. The boards were the same as were used on when the service was introduced in 1984 & read:

From Victoria the locos & stock were: 73208+8206+8311+8202+9110+73202. The usual route was not followed either way. On the down journey the train ran via Redhill instead of the Quarry line while on the way back it ran via Stewarts Lane to arrive at platform 8 on the Chatham side of London Victoria.

28th September 2002

John Clifford noted the 15.16 Colchester to Basingstoke and 18.32 Basingstoke to Ipswich services (formed of unit 170206) carrying a "Farewell Anglia X Link" headboard to mark the end of the Anglia Cross Link train service.

25th June 1996

John Simmonds comments that the 09.00 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth and 16.30 return, hauled by 37116, carried a circular "Sand and Cycle headoard.

27th May 1994

John Melia comments that the 19:08 Blackpool North-Liverpool Lime Street and 21:52 return Liverpool-Blackpool on 27/05/94 carried a headboard  Stating "FYLDE-MERSEY 37 FAREWELL". That marked the end of 37 use on the Blackpool-Liverpool trains (they continued on turns out of Manchester for a while longer). 37402 was the train engine and the stock included a Blue Grey Mk2 BSO which must of been one of the last times a Blue Grey coach was used on a service train on BR.

10th May 1986

Chris Harley offers:  class 105 DMU (E53359 & E54122) seen at Emerson Park with a headboard reading: "LTSR ROMFORD - UPMINSTER DIESEL MULTIPLE UNIT FAREWELL 1956 1986".

10th May 1985

Chris Harley offers:  class 104 DMU (set 104325) seen at Oban a headboard reading: "SPRING into OBAN".

Late August 1984

The query : Can you help Patrick Moss identify this tour/train:
40104 : date unspecified, but pictured passing through Abergele with 'Vulcan Tribute' headboard and folks waving out the window. From other photos, it is certainly in around 1983-1984, and may possibly have been 29/8/84, but this is only a guess.

...and the reply from Colin Partington:
On 29/8/84, 40104 was on 1D90 Birmingham-Llandudno, and 1G90 return, as it was on 27th, 28th, 30th and 31st also. The Vulcan Tribute headboard was a home made affair by Chris Thornton, then of Prestatyn. If Patrick witnessed 40135 heading the opposite direction (1D92 Crewe-Holyhead) just 20 or so minutes earlier, then it was 29th, as I did 135 to Colwyn Bay for 104.

16th May 1983

Chris Harley offers:  1st train between Huddersfield & Sheffield via the resuscitated Penistone - Barnsley line carried the headboard :
"FIRST TRAIN Huddersfield - Penistone - Barnsley - Sheffield 16 MAY 1983"

31st December 1981

Chris Harley offers:  55019 working the 16.30 Aberdeen - York carried two headboards "THE DELTIC CITY TRIBUTE" & "20 YEARS SERVICE ECML" along with a wreath. This was the final Deltic hauled service train.

27th December 1981

55009 'Alycidon' hauled 1M69 (15.10 York to Liverpool Lime Street) & 1E22 (19.10 Liverpool Lime Street to York) complete with a "Trans-Pennine Deltic Lament" headboard & wreath.

20th December 1981

55022 'Royal Scots Grey' hauled 1M69 (15.10 York to Liverpool Lime Street, via Bradford) & 1E22 (19.10 Liverpool Lime Street to York) complete with a "Trans-Pennine Deltic Lament" headboard.

18th June 1977

47164 (in Union Jack livery) seen hauling the 08.30 London - Norwich carrying "The Jubilee" unofficial headboard.

7th June 1977

4-EPB units 5311 & 5319 carried a headboard during the day on service trains:

Photographed leaving Charing Cross on the 09.12 to Gravesend.

?3rd May 1969?

On DMU (no further details offered):

29th March 1967

John Clifford comments: On 29.3.67 80146 carried a board "The Last Steam Branch" while working the Brockenhurst - Lymington Pier trains on this day. It marked the withdrawal on steam working on the branch. I believe that 41312 also did the last 2 trips to Lymington carrying the same board.

11th June 1965

Mike Morant has provided a ticket from the last steam-hauled service train from London Paddington. Mike comments: This was actually a service train that was generally known as The Stockbrokers' Train. It normally terminated at Bicester but, on this one occasion, it waited in the loop north of Bicester station for an express to pass (a Brush 4 I think) whilst we all decamped for a wander around. Imagine that happening today! The return journey was up to the traveller and we came back on an EMU via Oxford after a visit to Banbury MPD.

...and Brian Burrows provided this shot of the train at Paddington.

2nd May 1964

John Clifford comments: On 2nd May 1964, 82028 carried a headboard saying "Last Day of Passenger Working" to mark the withdrawal of passenger trains over the Ringwood line. I have seen a photo of the engine on 16.07 Brockenhurst - Bournemouth West via Ringwood with the board & I believe it still carried it on 19.08 Bournemouth West - Brockenhurst & 20.56 Brockenhurst - Bournemouth West both via Ringwood. The stock was push-pull sets 608 & 614 with a PMV.

21st July 1962

Chris Harley confirms the 7.05pm Much Wenlock to Wellington, hauled by 4178, carried a headboard proclaiming it to be "The Beeching Special". This was the last day of passenger service on this line.

28th February 1959

Chris Harley comments that the 9am Yarmouth Beach to Birmingham New Street, hauled by 43161, carried a headboard "Thats Yer Lot" to mourn the passing of passenger services on the M&GN.

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