BR’s Eastern Region covered a large swathe of England, operating an eclectic mix of main line, secondary and branch line services. MARK CHIVERS recalls some typical train formations from the 1950s and 1960s.
Above: The BR Eastern Region played host to a terrific variety of passenger and freight traffic. It’s flagship streamlined ‘A4s’ are mainly associated with passenger work, but they were also used for fitted freights. In 1960, 60028 Walter K. Whigham heads north from Hadley Wood North Tunnel with a down express freight. Railphotoprints.uk.
AT NATIONALISATION, BR’s newly formed Eastern Region encompassed former Great Central, Great Eastern and Great Northern railway routes and over time there were reductions and extensions to the Region’s remit.
Amongst the Eastern Region’s raft of daily operations were inner and outer suburban services, secondary routes, branch lines, longdistance and Anglo-Scottish express services, with its main London termini including London King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street and Marylebone.
It is the East Coast Main Line (ECML)for which the Region is particularly famous with some of the most eye-catching express steam locomotives plying the route including Gresley’s streamlined ‘A4’ 4-6-2…
