Portsmouth Harbour - Leeds 1982 - 1986

Haulage Highlights - top page

The Fridays only Portsmouth Harbour - Leeds and return Sundays Leeds - Portsmouth Harbour train ran from May 1982 until May 1986. A locomotive change took place at Birmingham New Street in each direction.

Locomotives from Classes 25, 31, 33, 37, 40, 45, 46, 47, 50 and 73 all put in appearances on the trains. Of particular note was the regular use of Class 33's between Portsmouth Harbour and Birmingham New Street until May 1984.

Details of the locomotives known to have been used can be found here.

Details of locomotives used on other dates as well as any corrections would be welcomed by Peter Hall.

Sunday 13th May 1984

Mystery surrounds what actually happenned to 1O92 15:18 Leeds - Portsmouth Harbour between Sheffield and Birmingham New Street on Sunday 13th May 1984.  It was also the last Sunday of regular Class 33 use beyond Birmingham New Street.

Also, this was the day of the Clay Cross HST derailment. 1M28 15:00 Sheffield - St. Pancras formed 43071+44056+42173+42172+42171+42104+40304+41088+41087+43158 derailed on the up Erewash main just beyond Clay Cross South Junction.  43071 was completely derailed into the four foot/cess along with the leading bogie of 44056, the rest of the set being across the junction.

The only route available for up trains as a consequence was the up goods.  To reach this trains had to set back out of Chesterfield station via the cross over, unless crossed over at Tapton Junction and then omitting their Chesterfield stop.  The train immediatly following the derailed train was the 1V89 12:20 Newcastle-upon-Tyne - Plymouth hauled by 45142.  It is understood that this was held in Chesterfield before, after a considerable delay, setting back and proceeding via the up goods and Erewash Valley.  Its subsequent routing isn't clear, but was  observed passing Duddeston at 20:23 making it just over three hours late by then.  Why it was routed via Duddeston rather than Saltley is another mystery.   1V89 was followed by 1M70 16:00 Sheffield - St. Pancras HST (43077+43157) and 1O92 15:18 Leeds - Portsmouth Harbour (47009) which are believed to have also set back at Chesterfield and proceeded via the up goods and Erewash Valley.  1O92 arrived at Birmingham New street after 1V89 still headed by 47009.  How late it then was and the route it arrived by isn't known, 33048 working forward from Birmingham New Street.

However, a report has appeared that 1O92 15:18 Leeds - Portsmouth Harbour, headed by 47009, was diverted via the Erewash Valley but rather than going via Trent East Junction - Sheet Stores Junction 1O92 continued to Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and is reported to have been drawn back to Derby by 45142. It then is understood to have continued to New Street behind 47009. This though doesn't appear to make sense especially as 45142 and 47009 arrived at Birmingham New Street on the same trains that they had left Sheffield on.  Possibly this report is muddled in some way.

If anyone can shed any more light on what happenned to 1O92 15:18 Leeds - Portsmouth Harbour on 13th May 1984 or has any other notes about the consequences of the Clay Cross derailment with regard to other trains could they please contact Peter Hall.

Page maintained by Peter Hall.