When  Whitsun Was A Bank Holiday

 Whit Monday used to be a Bank Holiday, with the Whitsun period being a busy time for extra trains. In 1962 Whit Monday fell on 11th June and the Gloucester District, Midlands Division , BR Western Region issued a 96 page 'Weekly Notice of Passenger Train Arrangements' to cover extra workings and amendments to regular services. It happened to be  the week before the start of the Summer timetable which had many additional  passenger trains for holiday traffic and acted as a sort of curtain raiser for the summer months.  

Above: For many years Weston-Super-Mare was, and still is, a popular day excursion by train from Cheltenham as witnessed by this 1932 picture from The Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic. Webbs Coal Merchants had coal delivered to their Cheltenham depot at Alstone Coal Wharf by rail and had their own railway trucks before nationalisation. 

Friday 8th June saw revised services on the Honeybourne line. 1C76 10.5am Wolverhampton - Kingswear was a relief to 'The Cornishman' 1C35 which preceded it but without the usual Kingswear portion. 1C35 had 12 coaches,10 for Penzance  including scheduled Dining Car  and two for Plymouth. 1C76 was eight coaches, no dining car, stopping at Cheltenham Malvern Road at 11.52am for three minutes. (By Whitsun 1963 'The Cornishman' had been diverted away from the Honeybourne line and started at Sheffield.) 

Changes were also made on the South Wales services. 10am Birmingham Snow Hill - Cardiff had two 3-car Cross-Country diesel sets instead of one. The 5.5pm Snow Hill - Swansea, two 3-car DMU sets, was retimed to depart at 4.50pm as relief 1F56 with the usual buffet facilities. The 5.5pm was loco and 10 coaches including Cafeteria Car and retimed, headcode 1F57, hauled by 6930 Aldersey Hall'. 

The 11.45am Cheltenham St James - Paddington 1A56 added a 2nd class coach to its usual load of nine, as did the 4.0pm to Paddington. The 2.59pm Gloucester Central - Swindon service was extended to Paddington, calling at Reading. 

Over on the ex-Midland Birmingham - Gloucester route on Friday, added interest came in the form of Pigeon Special 3X24, 11.30pm (Thursday) Glasgow to Cheltenham High Street, due 11.59am. This train worked annually for a few years and could produce rare locos - it didn't disappoint this time being hauled by 'Jubilee' 45742 'Connaught' from 12B Carlisle Upperby with 16 vans. As well as 3X24, nearby Worcester saw two more Pigeon Specials that day, 3X25 from Stirling to Worcester Shrub Hill, 20 vans,  and 3X04 Carlisle to Poole via Oxford, 19 vans. Would be interesting to know what locos were used. No pigeon specials headed north but 3M25 11.45pm(Thursday) Bristol - Derby parcels attached a Van of pigeons at Gloucester Eastgate bound for Berwick! 

Some regular trains on Friday conveyed extra coaches - the lightweight 6.18 Derby - Bristol 1V28 had one, making just seven in total. 1V31 7.35am Nottingham - Bristol added two to its usual complement of seven, while the 7.42am Bradford - Bristol added one to make 10 in all. 

The 'Pines Express' was split with a 10.15am relief Liverpool - Bournemouth 1O96, six coaches,  hauled by Stanier 4-6-0 44981 and the main part 10.30am Manchester- Bournemouth 1O95 had nine including Dining Car with Peak D115. These services  traversed the Somerset & Dorset line from Bath, sadly the last Whitsun through expresses from the north took that route. 

The regular 8.15am Newcastle - Cardiff 1V70 had a relief, 1V40 8.5am  Newcastle to Paignton, load 11. 

The 'Devonian' 1V39 10.15 Bradford - Paignton added two coaches at Derby making 12. 

D21 on the 12.52pm York - Bristol 1V43 was preceded at Cheltenham by relief 1V41 2.3pm Sheffield - Paignton with Black Five 44859. 

1V42 with 44839 was a relief, 1.8pm Darlington - Bristol, at Cheltenham Lansdown 6.32pm for a seven minute stop, duplicated later by 1V49 6.50pm relief Sheffield - Penzance which arrived at 10.6pm with 12 coaches. All called at Gloucester Eastgate. A few other regular trains added a coach. 

Stand-by arrangements at Gloucester Eastgate included a Class 5 engine and a spare guard between 10.0am and 6.0pm. 

Going north, the up 'Pines Express' 1M04 had relief 1M00 also from Bournemouth to Manchester.

Closely following those two at lunchtime was 1N01 11.50am Weston-Super-Mare - Leeds, load 10, away from Gloucester Eastgate at 1.20pm and Lansdown at 1.38pm. 

1N25 was 2.0pm Bristol - York relief, while 1E62 hauled by 44888 was the 4.40pm Bristol - Sheffield relief. The latter was followed by the regular 1N87 5.0pm Bristol - York worked by Jubilee 45636 Uganda  instead of a Peak. 

Due to retiming of the 'Cheltenham Spa Express' 5.0pm Paddington - Cheltenham, the Gloucester - Hereford service 2T90 was retimed. 

An extra working with a modest eight coaches calling at Gloucester Central that Friday was empty stock train 3Z67 5.48pm Swansea - West London Carriage Sidings. 

 Saturday 9th June saw 7908 Henshall Hall with 1F08 7.55am relief Birmingham Snow Hill - Swansea, eight coaches followed by the regular 8.10am Snow Hill - Carmarthen strengthened to three 3-car DMUs, usually two sets. Later on the Honeybourne line were 1C74 relief Snow Hill - Paignton, 10 coaches, hauled by 4978 Westwood Hall and 1C76 10.5am relief Wolverhampton - Kingswear, 10 coaches including a Dining Car but only for the 'service of light refreshments' - 1012 County of Denbigh was the motive power.

An extra train on the Midland route ran overnight, 1V14 was the 8.45pm Bradford - Paignton, 10 coaches, calling Cheltenham at 1.51am and Gloucester Eastgate at 2.9am. 

At Gloucester regular overnight passenger and parcel trains were strengthened with an extra coach or van. 1N24 6.43am Eastgate - York, normally load six had three more coaches added. The 7.32am 2H90 Hereford - Gloucester conveyed a Van of pigeons which went forward on the 9.30am to Cheltenham St James. 1V28 6.12am Derby-Bristol had five added coaches for party traffic, total load 12. Regular 1V31 7.35am Nottingham-Bristol was extended to Penzance with a portion for Paignton. 

Relief trains from Birmingham New Street included 1V26 to Paignton; 1O91 to Bournemouth with 44919; 1V32 Sheffield - Paignton with 45685 Barfleur in the morning. The regular 1V36 7.42am Bradford - Bristol, usually a Peak was doubleheaded steam, 45658 Keyes and Standard 5 73140. They were followed in the afternoon by 1V35 Sheffield - Bristol with 44888; 1O96 Liverpoool - Bournemouth with 45186; 1V40 Newcastle - Bristol with B1 4-6-0 61227, load 11 coaches. 

Heading north on the Honeybourne line at Saturday teatime were 1H31 12.35pm  Kingswear - Wolverhampton, loco being 7909 Heveningham Hall  with 1H30 10.45am Newquay - Wolverhampton, 12 coaches, close behind, with 5931 Hatherley Hall. 

On the Midland route 3X24 the pigeon special with 45742 went home at 12.5pm from Cheltenham High Street; 1M00 was the 9.45am Bournemouth- Manchester relief headed by Gloucester Barnwood's 73091; 1E60 with 45656 Cochrane was 9.45am Newton Abbot-Sheffield; 1E62 was 9.20am Paignton-Sheffield with 45576 'Bombay'. Peaks were busy on regular trains: D133 on 1M04 up 'Pines Express'; D124 on 1O95 the down 'Pines'; D36 on 1N37 the up 'Devonian'; D65 on 1V38 Sheffield - Bristol;  D34 on 1V70 Newcastle - Cardiff; D21 on 1V39 down 'Devonian'. But 1V43 12.52pm York-Bristol was 45557 'New Brunswick' and 1V45 12.43pm Newcastle-Bristol was 44841  in place of the usual Peak. Meanwhile 3V20 1.32pm Derby-Bristol parcels was D120 and 5M25 4.30pm Bristol St Philip's to Water Orton freight was D105. 

Hymek D7028 was on a local Cheltenham service. 

There were other extras not shown in the Weekly notice, such as 3X28 with 6851 Hurst Grange in mid-afternoon, empty coaching stock. 

Stand-by arrangements at Gloucester Eastgate included a Class 5 engine and a spare guard between 10.0am and 6.0pm. 

Cheltenham Malvern Road loco shed hosted two Hall 4-6-0s on Saturday evening ready for excursion trains on Whit Sunday. 

Sunday 10th June had a number of regular services suspended as it was a holiday weekend. The 2.10pm(Saturday) Penzance - Crewe parcels was one, 5.20pm Cheltenham - Paddington, 6.28pm Newcastle - Bristol, 7.45pm Bristol - Catterick Camp, 8.50pm Swindon - Gloucester and 10.50pm Gloucester - Cheltenham were some others. 

Being a non-working day for many people excursions were in vogue. 2T53 8.30am Cheltenham St James -Cardiff was 'required to call additionally at Portskewett and Caldicot Halt to pick up excursionists.' 1X13, nine vestibule coaches plus Cafeteria Car, ran from Cheltenham St James at 8.38am  to Weymouth Town arrive 12.35pm hauled by 85B's 5951 Clyffe Hall while 1Z34, 12 corridor coaches, left St James at 9.45am for Weston-Super-Mare Locking Road, due 11.55am,  behind 6941 Fillongley Hall. Both locos had spent the night on Malvern Road shed. These two excursions stopped at Coaley Junction for connecting specials  off the branch from Dursley, which did not normally have passenger services on Sundays.

1X57 with Black Five  44888 was an excursion from Birmingham New Street at 9.20am  to Weston-Super-Mare Locking Road due 12.8pm, 12 coaches . 1X74 was 9.20am from Coventry to Locking Road arrive 1.15pm, 11 coaches - the loco for this was Rebuilt Patriot 45529 Stephenson of 1A Willesden. 1Z26 with 5026 Criccieth Castle was 9.20am from Dudley to Locking Road, 10 coaches, arrive 12.47pm. This called at Ashchurch to pick up passengers. All these returned late in the day, the Weymouth was due in St James at three minutes before midnight. 

Various alterations of timings and loads were made to regular trains. 1A38 6.35pm Cheltenham - Paddington called additionally at Chalford with Stroud ' to instruct driver and remind guard of Chalford stop.' 1H61 6.35pm Paddington - Cheltenham was to call additionally at Chalford, Brimscombe, Stonehouse (Burdett Road) and Churchdown. 

Monday 11th June was the Bank Holiday, consequently a good number of early morning train services were suspended including from Cheltenham St James the 6.15am to Gloucester; 6.30am to Kingham; 6.55am to Paddington. However the 8.50am and later trains to Kingham were formed of four coaches, more than the usual two, to cater for day trippers to the popular destination of Bourton-on-the-Water. From Gloucester the 4.30am to Cheltenham; 5.45am to Cardiff 6.28am to Bristol; 6.55am to Chalford did not run.  Numerous later passenger and parcels trains were also suspended.  The 6.35am Dursley-Coaley and 7.0am return did not run while all trains betwen Berkeley Road and Sharpness were cancelled. On ordinary weekdays the mid afternoon Cheltenham - Kingham passenger worked from the latter to Chipping Norton and return but not today. 

The regular Birmingham New Street - Redditch diesel service was suspended and replaced by an amended steam and diesel service between New Street, Redditch, Evesham and Ashchurch. The 7.5am Ashchurch - New Street ran as booked, with six coaches, instead of the usual three of four. A special for New Street with five coaches left Ashchurch at 9.16am, with a special from New Street arriving at Ashchurch at 11.35am with four coaches, the ecs returning to Evesham for a special to New Street.  Interestingly an empty 4-car DMU ran from Evesham at 2.5pm to Ashchurch to work the regular 4.30pm departure from there to New Street., normally steam loco and coaches.  The only other service to Ashchurch that day was the usual 5.10pm from New Street. Evesham and Redditch saw several specials from and to New Street, some steam, some DMU. 

Bank holiday excursions were well represented - 1Z29 was 9.30am Birmingham Snow Hill to Weston-Super-Mare, closely followed by 1Z30 hauled by 5026 9.3am from Wolverhampton also destined for Weston. Both came down the Honeybourne line through Cheltenham and returned in the evening. Another excursion to Weston was 1X55, 8.10am from Birmingham New Street which had Peak D105. 1Z32 started at Ledbury at 8.50am stopping at Worcester Shrub Hill and through Cheltenham Lansdown at 10.8am once again going to Weston. 

Not to be left out, 1Z42 with 5951 went to Weston from Cheltenham Spa St James, leaving at 10.10am, calling at Malvern Road, Churchdown, Gloucester Eastgate, Stonehouse Bristol Road, Coaley, with a connecting train from Dursley, Berkeley Road and Charfield. 1Z44 headed by 6941 broke the mould being destined for Barry Island, leaving St James at 11.0am calling at Malvern Road, Churchdown and Gloucester Central. There was an 11.0am excursion from Stroud to Barry Island, 1Z43, four coaches to start, plus six added at Gloucester Central with this train calling at Lydney Junction. The Chalford auto was strengthened from one to two trailers on some services. 

The only relief train on the down was 1V48 4.32pm Bradford - Bristol. On the up 1M19 with B R Standard 73140 was 4.40pm Bristol Temple Meads - Derby relief; 1M20  7.10pm Bristol - Birmingham. 

For late night revellers the 11.10pm Gloucester Central - Cheltenham St James stopping at Churchdown and Malvern Road was an extra service, usually it only ran on Saturdays. There was a relief, 1A67, 10.40pm Cardiff - Paddington which came via Gloucester Central. 

Numerous regular trains added a coach or two with some extended, as with 1N84 Bristol - York going through to Newcastle and 1A35 5.50pm Cheltenham - Swindon going to Paddington, when it would normally be attached to the 4.47pm ex Taunton at Swindon. 

Tuesday 12th June was a normal working day - there were nonetheless some suspended services, mostly daily  parcels trains not running. There were relief passenger  trains but no excursions, whilst regular services often had an extra coach or two. 

Due into Cheltenham St James at 1.2am was 3Z56 9.20pm(Monday) empty stock from Paddington which had formed the 5.50pm from St James on Monday which was extended to Paddington. 1E61 1.10am Bristol - Sheffield mail train called additionally at Ashchurch. 1V21 was the 6.53pm (Monday) Newcastle - Bristol relief calling at Cheltenham and Gloucester  in the early hours, eight coaches. Ashchurch had a couple of down regular overnight trains stopping to set down passengers: 1V18 8.56pm Bradford - Bristol at 2.25am and 1V22 7.5pm Newcastle - Bristol at  3.40am. Possibly this was for military personnel based at Ashchurch Ordnance Depot. Also stopping at Ashchurch and Cheltenham was 3V18 5.20am fish train from Birmingham New Street which was extended from Worcester to Gloucester Eastgate. 

The 8.0am Cheltenham - Paddington, the Cheltenham Spa Express, had two extra coaches, making 10 in all with a note that 'Train to be assisted from Stroud to Kemble. '

1V38 10.26am Sheffield - Bristol pulled by Peak D59 made an additional unadvertised stop at Berkeley Road  for 'Return Furlough Traffic'. In 1962 there were plenty of military personnel travelling on trains and furlough specials were run when needed. 

1T38 3.45pm Birmingham Snow Hill - Cardiff via Stratford-on-Avon was a steam loco and coaches instead of a DMU. 1V42 was the headcode for the 12.37pm relief Newcastle - Bristol. In the up direction steam loco and coaches were used on 1H14 12.10pm Cardiff - Snow Hill with 6862 Derwent Grange and 1H40 3.10pm Carmarthen - Snow Hill with 6918 Sandon Hall in place of the usual DMU. Another relief up the Honeybourne line was 1H31 12.35pm Kingswear - Wolverhampton. 1H32 'The Cornishman' was hauled by 1012 County of Denbigh. 

Relief workings up the Midland to Birmingham were: 1MOO 9.45am Bournemouth - Manchester; 1N01 9.15am Paignton - Leeds; 1N15 2.0pm Bristol - Bradford; 1E62 4.40pm Bristol - Sheffield with B1 4-6-0 61227; 1M20 7.10pm Bristol - Birmingham. 

Stand-by arrangements at Gloucester Eastgate included a Class 5 engine and a spare guard between 10.0am and 6.0pm. 

Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th June were virtually back to normal, with an extra coach or two on some services. The famous school train 2H96 3.30pm Lydney to Sharpness via Gloucester Central  and empty stock return 3H86 did not run, replaced by a light engine working. 

There were still pigeons to be transported on Thursday with Gloucester Eastgate sending a Van to Bristol for return on 2M74 6.30pm Temple Meads - New Street headed by 44804 which stopped additionally at Defford to load pigeons. A note stated 'Eckington to instruct driver and remind guard.' Eastgate also attached a Van of pigeons for Perth to 3N10 8.15pm Bristol - Leeds parcels which took it to Worcester where it was detached and added to 3MOO 2.10pm Penzance - Crewe  parcels for the onward journey. 

A welcome sight at Cheltenham on 14th June was ex-works Somerset & Dorset 2-8-0 53808 heading home to Bath after overhaul at Derby.