Fifteen Guinea Special
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The Fifteen Guinea Special was the last main-line passenger train to be hauled by a steam locomotive on British Rail on 11 August 1968 before the introduction of a steam ban that started the following day.
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[edit] Route and locomotives
The railtour started at 09:10 from Liverpool Lime Street. It was hauled by LMS Class 5 45110 to Manchester Victoria, arriving 8 minutes late at 10:42. No. 45110 was replaced with Britannia Class 70013 Oliver Cromwell – the last steam locomotive to be overhauled by BR – and the train departed for Carlisle at 11:06. The train arrived at Carlisle, 33 minutes late, at 15:29.[1]
For the first part of the return leg, two LMS Stanier Class 5 locomotives, 44781 and 44871, double-headed the train back to Manchester Victoria. The train departed Carlisle at 15:44 – 14 minutes late – and arrived in Manchester at 19:00, 12 minutes late. Re-joining the train, 45110 then worked the remainder of the journey back to Liverpool Lime Street, arriving only 9 minutes late at 19:59.[1]
[edit] Significance
The end of steam-hauled trains on British Rail was a turning point in the history of rail travel in the UK. The BR steam ban was introduced the day after the railtour, on 12 August 1968, making the Fifteen Guinea Special the last steam-hauled passenger train to be run by BR. After this point all trains in the UK would be hauled by diesel or electric power, with the exception of privately owned heritage railways and privately run charters that are now able to run on the mainline provided that the steam locomotive has received necessary certification.
Several other railtours had already marked the end of steam haulage on other parts of the UK network. During most of these railtours, the Fifteen Guinea Special included, the line was flanked with large crowds[2] due to the high popularity of steam engines and the belief that it was highly unlikely that they would be allowed back onto the network.
All but one of the locomotives that hauled the train passed into preservation. 45110 now resides on the Severn Valley Railway and has been named RAF Biggin Hill. 44871, which has now been named Sovereign, is (as of Spring 2008) undergoing an overhaul on the East Lancashire Railway and 70013 Oliver Cromwell is now part of the National Collection and was restored to mainline running in 2008. It is based on the Great Central Railway.
Although this was the last main-line steam train by British Rail, the organisation continued to operate steam trains on the narrow gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway. This line was sold to a private operator in 1986.
[edit] Re-Run 2008
2008 is the 40th Anniversary since 'IT57' and end of steam on British Railways and to celebrate a re-run of the tour will run on Sunday August 10th (as August 11th is a Monday in 2008). It will again run from Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Victoria-Carlisle-Manchester Victoria-Liverpool Lime Street.
Locomotives to run and routes
Original Locomotives and Routes
- LMS Class 5 45110 Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Victoria
- Britannia Class 70013 Oliver Cromwell Manchester Victoria-Carlisle
- LMS Stanier Class 5 44871 and LMS Stanier Class 5 44781 Carlisle-Manchester Victoria
- LMS Class 5 45110 Manchester Victoria-Liverpool Lime Street
Re-Run Locomotives and Routes
- LMS Stanier Class 8F 48151 (No other main line Black Fives are avalible) Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Victoria.
- Britannia class 70013 Oliver Cromwell. Manchester Victoria-Carlisle.
- LMS Class 5 45407 (as LMS Class 5MT "Black Five" 4-6-0 44871 which is under overhaul and was original choice) and LMS Class 5 45231 (as LMS Class 5MT "Black Five" 4-6-0 44781) Carlisle-Blackburn.
- LMS Stanier Class 8F 48151 Blackburn-Liverpool Lime Street
LMS Class 5 45110 was not used as it is not mainline registered. However, 45110 will run over the Severn Valley Railway on August 11th 2008 with a special 1T57 service. The day will see 45110's last day in service with its current boiler certificate.
[edit] Name
The Fifteen Guinea Special was so named because of the high price for tickets on the railtour (15 guineas = £15 15s 0d). Ticket prices had been inflated due to the high demand to travel on the last steam-hauled train.[2]
