As well as Parcels traffic there was also newspaper traffic, although in the early days it was hard to distinguish between the

The trains we did, 1S81 remembered.

1S81 was a classic late evening passenger and mail service from Carlisle to Perth. The formation was normally 2 MK Is including a BSK with a TPO and various sundry vans behind. (just 2 Mk I's on Sats in the 80's as no mail) Electric hauled to Mossend it was famous for its g-force acceleration where an AC electric, light load and Scotrail driver keen to get home, sometimes had u thrown back hard against your compo seat as the 86 was whacked out of Carlisle and Lockerbie.

From Mossend normally a type 2 would work S81 forward with steam heat now ouzing into your compo. More shacks like Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Larbert and Stirling before a midnight arrival at Perth. A train we all took for granted perhaps, a train we all wish we did more , but when we did it always a pleasure to do. Sadly with sectorisation/privitisation/rancidification of our railway ,S81 was soon on the accountants hit list. Low passenger volumes (mainly cranks!) and needing the resources of various sectors it ceased running in May 85.

The last run on 110585 featured 86315 with an arranged 20125 and 20209 taking it forward, just to Larbert (due an engineers block) that late Spring night.

S81 in May 82 ran as follows..

Carlisle 2050, Lockerbie 2113, Carstairs 2154, Motherwell 2216, Coatbridge C 2243, Cumbernauld 2255, Larbert 2309, Stirling 2321, Perth 0001

S81 phot spot

Phots of S81 because of its late hour working are, as yet a struggle to find. Creating the S81 scene is perhaps is this view of "tippie" 27054 on vans in Perths bays around midnight on a freezing 290185.

More S81 memories More S81 memories

It seems we all did S81, some fascinating contributions from more local bashers.

My first view of S81 was a bit of a wither, we were at Gleneagles on 010682. We had quite a fester here for the 2240 Perth-Euston overnight. It was one of those classic Scottish Summer evenings where it never seemed to get dark, even gone 10. We watched a procession of "popexs" heading North, then a little late 27206 on S81. S81 didnt stop at Gleneagles, so I was not in a position of strength as my last 272 for haulage thrashing through non stop!.My colleague commentated, "itll be out all week" 27206 was, on freight diagrams for the next few days!

"S81 to the rescue, 110881". We were heading home on 87010 on the 1645 Euston-Glasgow before 87010 failed near milepost 69 South of Carstairs. Rescue came from 85040 on the following S81 which propelled us and our train, plus S81 to Carstairs. A 474 took us forward from Carstairs.

A "rat" on S81. Whilst S81 saw a fair few 25s over the years, once the surviving Eastfield/Haymarket based 25s had been transferred South of the border (by late 82) they became rarer, especially North of Stirling. 230784 saw S81 feature in 25224s most famous overnight ever. Motherwell kicked out 25224 on 230784 which the loco worked through to Perth, then an unlikely 3 prong steam heat diagram followed on the famous "round the coast overnight". 25224 went forward from Perth on 2407s 1A03 0105 Perth-Aberdeen, something S81s power quite often did. Then the "non advertised" but basher friendly 1N06 0447 Aberdeen Elgin service, before a triumphant arrival in Inverness on lN08 0719 Elgin-Inverness!

Nearly always bailed off S81 at Larbert, a shortish fester for the Glasgow-Inverness "Internal overnight" portion engine forward. At Perth the Edinburgh portion was attached and the loco off this portion normally took us forward.

Jeff Hawken comments that whilst waiting at Cumbernaud for 26023 and 26032 on a return Liverpool - Perth Adex on 300385, he viewed what must have been a chilly , no heat 1S81 with nb 26025 at the helm!

Ady Bullock comments "Did some very short leaps to Coatbridge. This was so we could get back to Glasgow by EMU from Coatbridge Sunnyside for a southbound sleeper to Carlisle to pick up the Stranraer sleeper (1S06) and take it to cover the pilot loco that came on the front at Newton on Ayr or Ayr. If it was rateable take it to Stranraer. If it was dud, bail at Ayr and wait for the first DMU or one of the early morning loco hauled commuter trains into Glasgow to start the next days moves."

Steve Kemp comments 25011 on S81 on July 5th 1979 was memorable!".

Nearly always bailed off S81 at Stirling for M16 South, usually same electric on M16.

Bailed off S81 at "Central" late one night, and did the walk move to Coatbridge "Sunnyside" for the last 303 back to Glasgow, bit desperate that one.

"best move was to remain dosed in the stock of S81 at Perth till 0100 then bail off and leg it over for the 0105 Aberdeen!"
Plus some cracking gen and S81 memories from "TC" below

A few more S81 memories:

25.07.84 86244/27053
27.07.84 86329/27001

These were had during my first freedom of Scotland rover. My first time in Scotland on anything other than a railtour.

I clearly remember seeing 25224 north of Perth on 24.07.84, the loco having done 1S81 on 23.07.84. (detailed above)

On 27.07.84 I had gone to Motherwell, with the intention of doing the depot before getting on 1S81. The friendly foreman was interested on what I was doing at that time of night, and volunteered the information that 27003 was the engine for 1S81. 27003 was dud, but required 27001 was parked on the depot. I suggested that 27001 would be better for me, and he said he would see what he could do. I was most impressed when I bailed at Stirling to see 27001 on the front!

I used to bail at Stirling for 1M16 19.30 Inverness - Euston back to Carlisle.

13.10.84 85025/26037
15.10.84 81007/47012
16.10.84 86234/27033

Another freedom of Scotland.

13.10.84 was a Saturday, and with no mails, 1S81 rolled into Motherwell on just load 2! The booked leap at Stirling for 1M16 back gave a longer run off the roarer (off S81) back to Carlisle.

On 15.10.84 required 27004 did the 17.30 Glasgow - Carlisle, so 1S81 was done from Motherwell. Rapid progress with an 81 on load 4, although the 47 was not appreciated! The loco change took longer that night and I leapt off a late running 1S81 at Larbert for 1M16 back.

S81 postscript-Up to the May 71-April 72 timetable the train had additional stops ..Carlisle 2033, Lockerbie 2100/5, Beattock 2120, Carstairs 2207, Motherwell 2246, Coatbridge C 2308, Larbert 2329, Stirling 2341, Perth 0024. Sadly Beattock station closed 030172.

Sample stock list for 1S81.
1S81 on 120281 made up of 35121(BSK), 15631(CK), 80321 (POS),80966(BG) 1S81 on 130281 made up of 35189(BSK), 15992(CK), 80332(POS). 81577 (BG)

S81 Class variety down the years thanks to the usual gen men and the Timewarp website

20125, 20209

24130

25011, 25043, 25049, 25065, 25072, 25079, 25224

26003, 26006, 26014, 26025, 26026, 26029, 26032, 26034, 26037, 26040

27001, 27005, 27007, 27008, 27014, 27020, 27021, 27022, 27023, 27032, 27033, 27049, 27051, 27053, 27056, 27105, 27108, 27206

37026, 37043, 37043, 37052, 37090, 37109, 37125, 37146, 37183

40047, 40084, 40122

47010, 47012, 47124, 47189, 47214, 47224, 47270, 47461, 47467, 47578, 47707

81003, 81006, 81007, 81013, 81014, 81015, 81019, 81020

82008

83005

85006, 85008, 85012, 85019, 85025, 85026, 85033, 85036, 85037, 85039, 85040

86006, 86101, 86103, 86209, 86210, 86212, 86220, 86224, 86225, 86233, 86234, 86239, 86244, 86248, 86250, 86252, 86259

86311, 86315, 86324, 86320, 86324, 86328, 86329

Sample S81 gen thanks to the usual gen men and the Timewarp website

241268 5130(24130) ex Carl

241270 5368(27022) ex Carl

290172 5337(26037) ex Carl

250872 5193(25043) ex Carl

210775 85036

300775 85036

060975 83005

200577 25065

310877 85037

050779 25011
...
100281 81013

120281 86320

120281 27032

300681 26026

270781 27033

300781 27033

040881 81015

040881 26014

110881 85040

220881 25049

141181 25072

041281 26029

260382 86006

300382 26034

310382 86324

310382 26014

010481 25079

270582 85025

010482 25079

010682 27206

190782 85039

190782 27023

200782 82008

200782 27032

260782 27007

280782 26040

230882 27033

091182 81020

271282 40084

310183 27023

010283 27023

030282 85008

030282 27051

140283 40084

230283 27105

030383 85033

230483 37183

300383 85012

300383 27056

130583 81003

130583 37043

060683 86239

060683 27023

230683 86225

230683 27056

150883 37146

270983 40047

071083 86224

071083 47707

091283 86212
....
070284 40122

270284 37090

190484 27021

240484 86209

240484 26032

230684 86225

230684 27056

260684 85026

260684 27049

270684 86210

270684 47010

280684 86248

280684 26025

020784 37026

030784 86259

030784 37052

230784 25224

250784 86244

250784 27053

260784 86101

260784 27005

270784 86329

270784 27001

160884 47227

100984 37125

200884 86311

200884 47467

210884 86101

210884 26003

220884 86248

220884 27108

230884 85006

230884 27108

300884 81006

300884 26006

100984 86220

100984 37125

270984 86103

270984 47189

290984 86250

290984 27008

131084 85025

131084 26037

151084 81007

151084 47012

161084 86234

161084 27033

271084 81019

271084 26040

061284 47214

081284 81014

081284 37109
...
250185 86252

250185 27056

260185 27051

280185 86101

280185 27020

290185 47461

010285 37027

040285 47578

060285 47124

120285 86328

120285 47270

130385 86233

130385 40122

300385 26025

060485 85019

060485 26032

100485 81003

100485 27020}

............. 27014}

110585 86315

110585 20125}

........... 20209}

.

Sample 1S81 phots on Flikr, linked below

86212 at Carlisle with 1S81, 091283

37090 at Perth after working 1S81 on 270284

26032 at Perth after working 1S81 on 060485

27020 and 27014 at Perth after working 1S81 on 100485

S81, real train, real railway

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