We've just added a new page to the website describing a marathon 24 hour period spent on the platforms at Grantham. It's based around the 1961 Summer Working Time Table (WTT) and includes a selection of suitable photographs to illustrate some of the 300+ workings and movements taking place between midnight and midnight. You can step back in time and watch the action here.
Author: TracksthroughGrantham2
Season’s Greetings!
The Summer 1961 Working Time Table
We are currently working on a new article for the TTG Website that will specifically focus on the 1961 Summer Working Time Table (12th June to 10th September 1961). Lots of information has come to light during our research, but we are now actively seeking details relating to Grantham 34F Locomotive Diagrams for the A3 Pacifics at this time. Another avenue of our research covers the engine changes on express passenger trains at Grantham during the same period, so if you can assist with any of the above please do let us know.
Thanks - The TTG Team
Phil Wilson’s Trainspotting Days at Grantham
Tracks through Grantham have recently been in touch with Phil Wilson who lived in Grantham until the late 1960s. Phil has kindly allowed TTG the opportunity to share some of his photographs and detailed notes made during many spotting trips around the area in the early 1960s. This is the latest page to be added to our Spotters Corner section. If you have a story of your own, then please do get in touch. You can visit Phil's page here
The Race to Newark
A new addition to our Tracks through Grantham 'Diesel Era' section is another entertaining account by Steve Philpott, this time recalling several Deltic hauled trips. Using his unique blend of personal observation, with a sprinkling of technical background, Steve looks back at a selection of runs diligently recorded on the stretch of line between Grantham & Newark. These recordings were made on the King’s Cross to York / Hull semi-fast services towards the end of the Deltic fleet's BR careers. You can read more of this here
The Deltics
We have added some new content to our 'Diesel Era' pages, this time looking back to the late 1950s, when as part of their modernisation plan, British Railways carried out a series of main line tests with a prototype diesel electric locomotive - ‘Deltic’ which had been built by English Electric. The production fleet that followed as a result of these tests came into operation from 1961 onwards, taking over a variety of steam hauled services. They were initially numbered D9000 to D9021 and transformed express services to and from London King’s Cross along the ECML. Later they were renumbered with the class prefix - 55, but we still referred to them as 'Deltics'. Our aim here is to only provide a brief potted history of the class, thus providing a starting point for specific 'Grantham related' 'Deltic' stories that will follow in the future. You can read more here.
Grantham Spotting Notes & Tales
The photograph we show here might be a bit hazy, but we are sure you will agree that our fond memories of those bygone days seem to get even sharper as we advance in years and it's often the case that we soon forget more recent times. Keeping that thought (hopefully) in mind and maybe having stirred up some of your own memories, we would like to invite you to tell us about your days spent 'spotting' at Grantham Station.
We are currently gathering information and anecdotes for a series of future articles about trainspotting at Grantham, especially during the late 1950s and early 1960s. We are also putting together a separate article that will look at typical passenger, freight and parcels workings through Grantham, specifically focussing on the 1961 Summer Timetable. If you have spotting notes, amusing tales, personal recollections or even photographs from the above era, please do get in touch. Your memories, notes and surviving jottings will help us to record and once again bring alive those halcyon days.
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HST SERVICES THROUGH GRANTHAM – THE END OF AN ERA
Our latest article has just been published on the TTG website. Steve Philpott takes us back to 15th December 2019 with his personal account of the final day of booked L.N.E.R. HST operation on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) through Grantham.
You can read more of this article here.
ECML O Gauge Layout
Something to hopefully brighten up our days in lockdown! We've just discovered a most interesting and wonderful O Gauge model railway owned by John Ryan who is President of the LNER Society. This fascinating layout is located near 'Over Peover' in Cheshire. Although it's not Grantham based we feel you will still enjoy watching it. There's something for everyone. Turn up the sound to get the full experience!
Early Railcars (Diesel Multiple Units) in Grantham & Lincolnshire
In our introductory article, that covered the early main line diesel scene at Grantham, we briefly looked at some of the reasons behind the transition from steam to diesel power on Britain's railway system, in particular the main line through Grantham. But what about the cross country secondary lines that linked Grantham with other urban areas, such as Lincoln and Nottingham? Our next article is all about the introduction of 'Railcars' during the diesel era and has just been published.
Can you remember the first generation Railcars? Perhaps you referred to them as Diesel Multiple Units, or maybe DMUs for short? Our new article begins here.