26042 on the North Berwick branch
On Tuesday the 13th January 1987, as a result of the severe weather conditions, the North Berwick branch was in danger of having to be closed owing to heavy drifting of snow...
In an attempt to keep the line open, Millerhill sent out snowplough-equipped 37025 at 10 o'clock on the Tuesday night. The drifts were up to 9 feet deep in places, and with the ploughs having been designed for a maximum depth of about 1 foot 6 inches, you can begin to imagine the problems...
37025 ran up and down the branch until 2am, by which time the traction motors and other electrial equipment, were sodden. The Millerhill crew took 025 back and requested a fresh engine. 26042 was found, and ran light to the branch at 3.30am.
26042 then ran up and down the branch until 6.40am, at which point a decision had to be reached on whether or not to attempt running a service. By this time, all road access to North Berwick had been blocked, so it was important to try and offer trains out.
Obviously there was no question of the DMUs trying to run unaided, so 26042 was attached to the first train, piloting the empties to form the 0704 North Berwick to Waverley from Drem.
But, on the way down, the snow had drifted into the deep cutting about half a mile from the junction. The crew decided to puch through, although the vibrations of the passing train caused even more snow to drift in.
There was no run-round at North Berwick, so 26042 had to push the unit back up to Drem Jcn through the powdery snow. At Drem, it came off, and went back to North Berwick piloting the empties for the 0734 to Waverley; which it then pushed up to Drem again.
At Drem, it came off,
and returned to North Berwick with the 0719 ex Waverley. After propelling
the the return 0804 unit to Drem, it ran light to Millerhill...
John Strang