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.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
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.
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 Class variety down the years thanks to the usual gen men and the Timewarp website
20125, 20209
24130
25043, 25079, 25224
26014, 26032, 26034, 26037
27001, 27014, 27020, 27023, 27032, 27033, 27051, 27053, 27056, 27206
37043, 37043, 37090, 37125
40047, 40122
47012, 47124, 47270, 47461, 47578, 47707
81003, 81007
82008
83005
85008, 85012, 85019, 85025, 85036, 85037, 85039, 85040
86101, 86209, 86212, 86220, 86224, 86234, 86239, 86244, 86252
86315, 86324, 86328, 86329
Sample S81 gen thanks to the usual gen men and the Timewarp website
241268 5130(24130) ex Carl
290172 5337(26037) ex Carl
250872 5193(25043) ex Carl
210775 85036
300775 85036
060975 83005
310877 85037
110881 85040
300382 26034
310382 86324
310382 26014
270582 85025
010482 25079
010682 27206
190782 27023
190782 85039
200782 82008
200782 27032
310183 27023
030282 85008
030282 27051
300383 85012
300383 27056
130583 81003
130583 37043
060683 86239
060683 27023
270983 40047
071083 86224
071083 47707
091283 86212
070284 40122
270284 37090
240484 86209
240484 26032
230784 25224
250784 86244
250784 27053
270784 86329
270784 27001
100984 37125
100984 86220
131084 85025
131084 26037
151084 81007
151084 47012
161084 86234
161084 27033
250185 86252
250185 27056
260185 27051
280185 86101
280185 27020
290185 47461
010285 37027
040285 47578
060285 47124
120285 86328
120285 47270
060485 85019
060485 26032
100485 81003
100485 27020}
27014}
110585 86315
110585 20125}
20209}
.
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