NEW AUGUST 2018.  Saturday 18 July 1959 was of course a busy holiday Saturday when our railways were stretched to the limits of their resources. Yarmouth Vauxhall was under particular pressure with extra traffic, since this was the first summer since the M&GN was closed. 

On that day, members of the Norfolk Railway Society observed the workings of main-line trains throughout the Great Eastern area. They published their fascinating results in a card-covered typescript booklet, long out of print. We offer this file of it so the information it contains may be made widely available once more.

For the first time, the motive power for every train was given. In 1959 diesels were becoming more common, but almost three-quarters of the 73 trains recorded were still steam-hauled.  Classes noted included the Britannias, B1, B17, K3, 4MT, and even a solitary J15 (65471) as far as Norwich on a relief train from Yarmouth to York. Most of the rest were entrusted to Brush diesels up to D5537. Also appearing on the GE main line were the English Electric 2000hp locomotives numbered in the D20x series.

The observations were made at Yarmouth Vauxhall, Norwich Wensum Junction, Norwich Thorpe, Beccles, Ipswich, Liverpool Street, Wymondham and March. Tables were compiled to show detailed timekeeping of each train in both directions between Norwich and Liverpool Street via Ipswich; between Beccles and Liverpool Street via the East Suffolk line; and between Yarmouth Vauxhall and March for the Midlands and the North. The overall performance at the London terminus was also tabulated.

The file is word-searchable and is provided with bookmarks to take you to each of the main parts of the report. It will be available to download as soon as payment has been made. You go to your account and click on ‘Downloads’. New customers create an account as they place their order.