Birmingham Pullman

Birmingham Pullman

The Birmingham Pullman passing High Wycombe in 1962
Overview
Service type	Passenger train
First service	12 September 1960
Last service	1966
Former operator(s)	British Rail
Route
Termini	London Paddington Wolverhampton Low Level
Stops	Birmingham Snow Hill
Service frequency	Daily Monday to Friday
Technical
Rolling stock	British Rail Classes 251 and 261
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Operating speed	90 mph (145 km/h)

The Birmingham Pullman was a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom. [1]

History

The Birmingham Pullman was operated by the Blue Pullman and introduced by British Rail on 12 September 1960. Departures from Wolverhampton Low Level station at 7:00 am, with pickups at Birmingham Snow Hill at 7:30 am, Solihull at 7:40 am and Leamington Spa at 8:00 gave an arrival time at London Paddington of 9:35 am.[2] A second departure left Birmingham Snow Hill at 2:30 pm, with an arrival at London Paddington of 4:25 pm.

The return services departed London Paddington at 12:10 pm, arriving in Birmingham Snow Hill at 2:05 pm. The evening train left Paddington at 4:50 pm and arrived back at Birmingham Snow Hill at 6:55 pm, and Wolverhampton Low Level at 7:20 pm.

On 15 August 1963, a replacement service for the Birmingham Pullman train, hauled by British Rail Class 52 D1040 Western Queen, ran into freight wagons near Solihull, killing all three men in the cab.[3] It was found to be a signaller's error.[4]

With the electrification of the West Coast Main Line in 1966, the service was withdrawn and the trains were transferred to Oxford, Bristol, and South Wales.

References

1. Allen, Cecil J. (1967). Titled Trains of Great Britain. Ian Allan Ltd. p. 20.
2. "New Pullman Diesel Express Services". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 21 September 1960. Retrieved 16 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "Officials will ask: "Why were three in cab?"". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 16 August 1963. Retrieved 16 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Railway Accident, Report on the Collision that occurred on 15th August 1963 at Knowle and Dorridge in the London Midland Region, British Railways" (pdf). Ministry of Transport. 19 February 1964. Retrieved 19 May 2009.