Thames–Clyde Express
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The ''Thames–Clyde Express'' was a named express passenger train operating on the Midland Main Line, Settle-Carlisle Railway and the
Glasgow South Western Line The Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, and then either via Dumfries, or Stranraer via Ayr, with a branch to East Kilbride. History The line was built by several railway compan ...
between and Glasgow St Enoch. Following the closure of St Enoch station in 1966, the service ran to instead. In September 1927, the
London Midland & Scottish Railway The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...
gave the name to its morning services departing from London St Pancras and Glasgow St Enoch.Allen (1953). Pp 197-200. After the service was speeded up in 1932, trains departed Glasgow at 09:30 and London at 10:00. There was a similar service running between London St Pancras and which was known as the Thames–Forth Express,Allen (1953). Pp 200-203. renamed '' The Waverley'' by
British Rail British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
ways in 1957.


The route (from London)

Starting from , the Thames–Clyde Express travelled by the former
Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
's main line through Leicester, sometimes with reversals when serving Derby and Nottingham, as far as Leeds. After another reversal there, the train crossed the
Pennines The Pennines (), also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, are a range of uplands running between three regions of Northern England: North West England on the west, North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber on the east. Commo ...
to the scenic Settle-Carlisle route, still on former Midland Railway territory. Crossing into Scotland, the train used the former
Glasgow and South Western Railway The Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) was a railway company in Scotland. It served a triangular area of south-west Scotland between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle. It was formed on 28 October 1850 by the merger of two earlier railway ...
's
Glasgow South Western Line The Glasgow South Western Line is a mainline railway in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, and then either via Dumfries, or Stranraer via Ayr, with a branch to East Kilbride. History The line was built by several railway compan ...
into Glasgow St Enoch, the city's G&SWR terminus. The train could not compete for London-to-Scotland traffic with the faster trains travelling on the West Coast Main Line. Its route was longer and steeper, and Midland expresses could not ignore major population centres en route, especially
Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...
,
Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
and
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
. In Scotland, it took a longer route in order to provide a service to
Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...
and
Kilmarnock Kilmarnock (, sco, Kilmaurnock; gd, Cill Mheàrnaig (IPA: ʰʲɪʎˈveaːɾnəkʲ, "Marnock's church") is a large town and former burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland and is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire, East Ayrshire Council. ...
. As a result, few travellers after the 1920s travelled the full length of the route. The Thames–Clyde lost its title at the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, in common with almost all named trains in the UK. However, the title was restored in September 1949 as part of the post-war return to normality. The effect of regional division, mining subsidence along part of the route between and , and underpowered locomotives meant that its performance was actually inferior in time to that achieved in 1939. In 1962, the Thames–Clyde took eight hours and 50 minutes for the complete journey, leaving London at 10.15, and then calling first at Leicester London Road at 11.52. Further stops were made at Trent and Chesterfield, before reaching
Sheffield Midland station Sheffield station, formerly ''Pond Street'' and later ''Sheffield Midland'', is a combined railway station and tram stop in Sheffield, England; it is the busiest station in South Yorkshire. Adjacent is Sheffield station/Sheffield Hallam Unive ...
at 13.19 and Leeds City at 14.25 - so this latter stage of 39 miles took over an hour as a result of subsidence-induced speed restrictions. From there, the train ran non-stop to Carlisle (arrival 16.38). Three more stops were made at , , and before reaching Glasgow, St Enoch at 19.05. The rival
Royal Scot Royal Scot may refer to: * Garde Écossaise, a regiment of the French army * Royal Scots, a regiment of the British Army * Royal Scots (Jacobite), a regiment of Scottish exiles in French service, in existence from 1744 to 1762 * ''Royal Scot'' (tra ...
on the West Coast route stopped only twice and took seven hours, twenty minutes. However, the Thames–Clyde provided a useful service from the
East Midlands The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It comprises the eastern half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It consists of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Li ...
and
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to
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
.


Run down and cessation

In 1964, '' The Waverley'' ceased to run during the winter, and so additional coaches for Edinburgh were carried on the ''Thames–Clyde''. But the train then made additional stops on the Settle & Carlisle line which were otherwise served by '' The Waverley'': Skipton, Hellifield, and Appleby West railway station. The 1966 closure of St Enoch resulted in the transfer of the service to . In December 1967, Trent station was closed and so from New Years Day 1968, a further delay was added by a stop at
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
, which meant a reversal. In 1970, a short-lived Sunday diversion to Derby brought another reversal, although this had ceased by 1973. The train had acquired a bad reputation for slowness and unpunctuality.


Cessation of services

The train lost its title in May 1974 when the West Coast Main Line was electrified to Glasgow, but the service continued to run until 1976.


References


Sources


Timetables used as sources

*Passenger Timetable 1970 / 71
London Midland Region The London Midland Region (LMR) was one of the six regions created on the formation of the nationalised British Railways (BR), and initially consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) lines in England, Wales and Northern Irelan ...
Publisher
British Railways British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
*Passenger Timetable 1973 / 74
London Midland Region The London Midland Region (LMR) was one of the six regions created on the formation of the nationalised British Railways (BR), and initially consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) lines in England, Wales and Northern Irelan ...
Publisher
British Railways British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...


External links


Two pictures of the Thames–Clyde Express
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thames-Clyde Express Named passenger trains of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Named passenger trains of British Rail Railway services introduced in 1927