LNER Route: Leicester to Marylebone

Rugby Central Station: gcrcs208

An unidentified British Railways English Electric Type 3 Diesel Electric locomotive is seen crossing the Birdcage bridge on an up Bournemouth working during the early 1960s. The York - Bournemouth express was a long-established train over the GC and by the date of this photograph was the only one to retain refreshment facilities and some prestige in contrast to the Marylebone semi-fast services. It was the last of a number of daytime cross-country expresses which had once used the GC, but which had all gone by the early 1960s. One eight-coach set was provided by each of the North Eastern and Southern Regions in lined maroon and stock green livery respectively. For the high summer timetable this was strengthened to 11 coaches and the service extended to and from Newcastle in the north and - following Bournemouth West's closure in 1965 - Poole in the south. Operating through all bar one of British Railways' six Regions, with a mixture of steam and diesel traction, coordination and control of this service must have been a challenge to the operating departments of each. Locomotive changes took place at Sheffield Victoria, (where the train also reversed) and either Banbury, Oxford or Basingstoke depending on punctuality. Closure of the GC in September 1966 saw the train accelerated and diverted via New Street.

Andrew Chilcott

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