The RCTS: then and now

摘要

AFTER Nationalisation, British Railways published two timetables a year for each region, covering the winter and summer months. With their distinctive coloured covers - maroon was for the London Midland, brown for the Western, green for the Southern, dark blue for the Eastern, orange for the North Eastern and light blue for the Scottish - each was provided with a comprehensive index, individual pages for the respective region's titled trains and full timetable details; in effect, each region had its own Bradshaw. The Railway Observer made occasional reference to the timetable changes when there was any significant change to the workings. Volume XXVI for 1956, for instance, noted the principal changes in the winter timetable for the Eastern Region's Great Northern section, which included some non-passenger trains. The 3.15pm class C goods ex-King's Cross, a lodging turn to Newcastle, was noted as being speeded up with the balancing Up turn being in charge of the 'Northumbrian'(MX), the 'Flying Scotsman' (SO) and the 5.15pm arrival at King's Cross on a Sunday. Changes to the engine workings for the 'Talisman' and 'fees-Tyne Pullman' were also recorded, along with the Aberdeen fish trains.