Early into the New Year of 1979, interloper 31220 joined the normal FP stable of 31s on ECS workings into Kings Cross, but unlike its more presentable compatriots, it was in a very battered condition. Unusual visitor 46039 was noticed in similar condition a few weeks later at the buffers, and two more of this very uncommon class were parked up at the same place on Rail Strike Day, alongside Deltics whose front ends were caked with snow, even though they must have been there hours, and there was no sign of snow in the station area. Equally unusual – but to a Cornish exile like myself also equally welcome – were the appearance of WR namers “NORTH STAR” and “ATLAS”.
In the late evening under artificial lighting, 55016 “GORDON HIGHLANDER” gropes the last few yards of its way towards the buffers at King’s Cross Station. It carries the York city coat of arms transfer above it’s number – personalisation similar to FP’s white cabs. 800927A01-KGX-55016-PAS_U
In mid-April Class 55s like Pinza and Meld were noted outshopped with white-painted buffer faces and cab hoods, and these adornments spread to others of the Finsbury Park allocation without the blue bodywork being necessarily updated. An unprecedented experience for me was the sight on St George’s Day of double-headed 55005 and 55009, which brought in a very long passenger train with all engines running. In the first days of June I realised I hadn’t seen anything move on King’s Cross stabling point for quite some time, and I guessed that it was closed because the 254s were slowly taking over, and Finsbury Park would be servicing locos in future.
Kings Cross Stabling Point a while before I moved to a nearby street. ‘Deltics’ with domino headcodes are prepared for services north again and a pair of ECS ’31’s are parked nearby, with a ’40’ against the back wall. New signalling and OLE have yet to be installed. 8####AV01-KGX-S_PNT-VI__N
The most dramatic visual change to a loco I’d seen up to that time, though, occurred when seeing 86235 ‘Novelty’ in its striking ‘Stockton & Darlington livery. Although I suspected the wrap around yellow ends and huge numerals would be a temporary change, I welcomed being able to read the number from far off. The loco was at Euston and just out of the paint shops it seemed; quite a contrast to the 25, 08 and 81 in normal, and probably slightly “tired” standard livery on the stabling point opposite. 25s and 08s were the order of the day beside 45/1s at St Pancras, but it was an unusual occurrence to have a class 25 (267) visit ‘the Cross’.
Finished like ‘Novelty’ – in large lettering livery, with special emblem to mark the ‘Rocket 150’ event held at Rainhill – 86214 “Sans Pareil” takes part in the procession. I passed the site about three weeks later where the scaffolding for seating was still in place. 8006#AA01-RNH-86235-PARKD
What was “normal” for the Eastern Region’s WCL terminus was a predominance of 47s and 254s on passenger work, sleepers and motorail – which had been Deltic duties not much earlier. Mk II carriages were slowly becoming more commonplace; a rake of pullman-type Mk I coaches with inset doors visited in June; and E4386 formed an unusual first class compartment. Indeed, trains were formed of various composite types – especially varied being up sleepers which could consist of Mk Is, parcels and motorail too!
A sleek HST set slips away from Kings Cross into the Copenhagen tunnels under the canal at the north end of the station on 23rd April 1981. In the left background is the Stabling Point with its fuel tanks and building, and behind all the various railway warehouses and offices of the former goods yard. 810423A01-KGX-254~X-PAS_D
The Eric Curnow Collection 