DAA Specials

The railway had a number of official descriptions given to special passenger trains - such as "Halfex" (Half Day Excursion) and "Garex" (Guaranteed Excursion).

"Crankex" was another term widely used to describe railway enthusiasts' trains. Room 84 was responsible for organising some of these trains, having an excellent relationship with the various organisers.

Les Kent decided that Room 84 should also take part in this activity and created another grouping (complete with bank account) which was given the name DAA (Diesel Abatement Association).

In fact it stood for "Daft as Anything" (or something similar) but a number of special trains ran with the "DAA" headboard dutifully carried.

The exact origin of the term "DAA" has not yet been confirmed but is presently believed to have originated in pre-Room 84 days when the offices were located at Redhill, a location selected to move personnel out of London during World War II. It is said that Ernie Walton (of the Passenger Trains Section) first called one Trevor Bawden a DAA, after Trevor had described the Epsom Downs branch as a very pretty line.

(Ernie was adept at giving nicknames calling Percy Copp - LBGA, "Lavatory Brush with Guts Ache", referring to the large moustache Percy carried on his top lip and his continuous preaching in the office.")

Many thanks to Les Kent and Brian Read for the full programme listing.





Photos by Peter Murnaghan

The DAA's
"Farewell to the 4GRI Units"

06/02/71
The first DAA special to run: -
Brighton - Seaford - Blackfriars - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Guildford - Sutton - Victoria - Brighton

These EMUs were withdrawn from regular service on the Waterloo to Portsmouth direct route.

Photos are of the special at: -
Top two - Portsmouth Harbour
Centre two - Littlehampton
(showing Derek Van Ryne and Geoff Hawkins)
Bottom two - Blackfriars
(showing Insp. George Rudman on the right hand photo)
The side destination boards on the FK in the lower right image.

The original DAA headboard
Click on the nameboard to connect with the original leaflet issued to travellers.

It is believed that an attempt was made on the London - Brighton journey record. Does anyone know the outcome? Was there a gricer on the train with a stopwatch? Latest news suggests that there was one and negotiations will hopefully conclude with the timings being published here.

"Dart Valley Flyer"

25/09/71
Victoria - Clapham Jn - Woking - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Exeter - Totnes - Buckfastleigh - Totnes - Exeter St. Davids - Taunton - Castle Cary - Newbury - Reading - Ascot - Staines - Clapham Jn - Victoria

D6561+D6563 to Basingstoke where D6561 failed and replaced by D6544 for the rest of the tour.

4588+1420 Totnes to Buckfastleigh
4588 Buckfastleigh to Totnes

Passing under Clapham Junction A Box.
Photo by Ian King

"Severn Valley Limited"

25/03/72
Victoria - Redhill - Guildford - Reading - Oxford - Worcester - Kidderminster - (Fleet of Midland Red Coaches - Bridgenorth) then Hampton Loade - Bridgenorth (Fleet of coaches to Kidderminster) then - Birmingham New Street - Nuneaton - Hinckley - Wigston South Jn - Kettering - Wellingborough - Luton - Cricklewood - Dudding Hill - Kew - Clapham Jn - Victoria.

D1679 Victoria - Kidderminster - Victoria.

D1 "Scarfell Pike" was the pilot locomotive from Birmingham New Street to Wellingborough Neilson's Sidings by special request.

"The Nelson Farewell Tour"

09/12/72
Brighton (1015) - Littlehampton - Bognor Regis - Horsham - Epsom - Victoria - Stewarts Lane Jn - Clapham Jn - Waterloo - Woking - Guildford - Havant - Portsmouth Harbour - Barnham - Brighton (1702)

2 x 4COR units

Photographer unknown

"The Midlothian"

01/11/74 - 03/11/74
Brighton (Friday night) - East Croydon - Clapham Jn - Mitre Bridge - Watford Jn - Rugby - Crewe - Preston - Carlisle - Carstairs - Edinburgh Waverley - Carstairs - Carlisle - Preston - Crewe - Birmingham New Street - Oxford - Reading - Guildford - Redhill - Brighton (Sunday)

33038 Brighton to Mire Bridge
82004 Mitre Bridge to Carstairs
40069 Carstairs to Edinburgh Waverley
47421 Edinburgh Waverley to Carstairs
82004 Carstairs to Birmingham New Street
47468 Birmingham New Street to Redhill
73131 Redhill to Brighton.

(No Known Name)

19/11/76 - 21/11/76
Hove (2124 on Friday Night) - East Croydon - Clapham Jn - Latchmere Jn - Willesden West London Jn - Watford Jn - Rugby - Crewe - Preston - Carlisle - Carstairs - Edinburgh Waverley - Inverkeithing - Dundee - Aberdeen - (Fleet of buses to Balmoral Castle) then Aberdeen - Dundee - Inverkeithing - Edinburgh Waverley - Carstairs - Carlisle - Petrill Bridge Jn - Appleby - Ais Gill - Hellifield - Blackburn - Farington Jn - Warrington - Crewe - Rugby - Watford Jn - Willesden - Acton Canal Wharf - Acton Wells Jn - Clapham Jn - Longhedge Jn - Brixton - Herne Hill - Streatham Common - East Croydon - Horsham - Arundel - Barnham - Hove (1418 Sunday)

33036/33065 Hove to Mitre Bridge
85008 Mitre Bridge to Carstairs
40056 Carstairs to Edinburgh
47491 Edinburgh to Aberdeen
47491 Aberdeen to Carnostie where it failed in 20 degrees of Frost!!
40166 Carnostie to Edinburgh No train heat !!!
47485 Edinburgh to Farington Jn
81010 Farington Jn to Wembley Ctl
33049/33065 Wembley Ctl to Hove

"The Peak Express"

01/10/77
St Pancras - Bedford - Kettering - Corby - Melton Mowbray - Syston North Jn - Trent Jn - Toton - Trowell Jn - Chesterfield - Tapton Jn - Shepcote Lane - Sheffield Victoria - Penistone - Woodhead - Guide Bridge - Manchester Piccadilly - Ashburys - Chinley - Hope - Dore South Curve - Chesterfield - Clay Cross - Toton - Trent Jn - Lougborough - Leicester - Kettering - Luton - St Pancras.

44005 St. Pancras to Toton
44008 Toton – Manchester Piccadilly - Toton
44009 Toton to St. Pancras

"The Peak Express"

15/10/77
St Pancras - Bedford - Kettering - Corby - Melton Mowbray - Syston North Jn - Trent Jn - Toton - Trowell Jn - Chesterfield - Tapton Jn - Shepcote Lane - Sheffield Victoria - Penistone - Woodhead - Guide Bridge - Manchester Piccadilly - Ashburys - Chinley - Hope - Dore South Curve - Chesterfield - Clay Cross - Toton - Trent Jn - Lougborough - Leicester - Kettering - Luton - St Pancras.

44002 St. Pancras to Toton
44004 Toton – Manchester Piccadilly - Toton
44007 Toton to St. Pancras

"The Merseyside Express"

14/01/78

St Pancras – Nuneaton – Walsall – Shrewsbury – Chester – Liverpool Lime Street - Crewe – Stoke – Uttoxeter – Trent Jn - Kettering - St Pancras

24082/24133 throughout

"The Whistler Railtour"

11/02/78
Victoria – Selhurst – Leatherhead – Horsham – Chichester – Portsmouth Harbour – Petersfield – Woking – East Putney – Brixton – Herne Hill – Bromley South – Tonbridge – Ashford – Hastings – Eastbourne – Brighton – Horley – Victoria

40173 Victoria to Eastbourne
73119 Eastbourne to Brighton
40173 Brighton to Victoria

"The Man of Kent"

26/03/78

London Bridge – Three Bridges – Bognor Regis – Littlehampton – Hove – Horley – Victoria – Swanley – Chatham – Canterbury East – Dover Marine – Ashford – Godstone – London Bridge

55007 London Bridge to Bognor Regis
73127 Bognor to Littlehampton
55007 Littlehampton to London Bridge

"The Yorkshire Rover"

22/04/78

St Pancras – Kettering – Leicester – Chesterfield – Tinsley Yard – Bolton on Dearne – Nare Park Jn – Normanton – Church Fenton – York – Hambleton Jn – Knottingley – Arksey – Doncaster – Bawtry – Retford – Newark – Cotham – Aslocton W Jn – Nottingham – Trent Jn – Leicester – St Pancras

25036/25037 throughout

"The North West Rambler"

29/04/78

Euston – Northampton - Rugby – Coventry – Penkridge – Crewe – Chester – Hooton – Ince & Elton – Warrington BQ – Winwick Jn – Huyton – Lime Street – Allerton – Warrington Central – Trafford Park – Chorlton cum Hardy – Hyde Rd Jn – Gorton – Ashburys – Oldham Mumps– Rochdale - Moston – Park – Ashton Moss Jn – Guide Bridge – Hyde Central – Tiviot Dale – Skelton Jn – Altrincham - Northwich – Sandbach – Crewe – Penkridge – Coventry – Rugby – Northampton – Euston

84001 Euston to Crewe
40185 Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street
40170 Liverpool Lime Street to Crewe
84001 Crewe to Euston

"The East Coast Pullman Salute"

20/05/78
Kings Cross – Doncaster – Leeds – Harrogate – York – Scarborough – Filey – Bridlington – Beverley – Hessle – Goole – Thorne North – Doncaster – Peterborough – Kings Cross

55012 Kings Cross to Leeds
37037/37102 Leeds to Kings Cross

Photo by Peter Underwood

"The Chopper Railtour"

17/06/78
St Pancras – Kettering – Corby – Oakham – Melton Mowbray – Leicester – Trowell Jn – Clay Cross Jn – Tapton Jn – Barrow Hill – Darnall – Tinsley Yard – Treeton E & N Jns – Masboro’ S Jn – Sheffield – Chesterfield – Derby – Burton – Water Orton – Walsall – Stourbridge Jn – Worcester Shrub Hill – Bromsgrove – New Street – Water Orton – Burton – Stenson Jn – Trent Jn – Loughborough – Melton Mowbray – Oakham – Corby – Kettering –St Pancras

20006/20030 St Pancras to Toton
20131/20170 Toton to Worcester and return
(37229/37283 were Lickey Incline Bankers)
20005/20084 Toton to St.Pancras

"The Vulcan Voyager"

27/08/78
Victoria – Putney – Wimbledon –Basingstoke – Southampton – Weymouth – Castle Cary – Westbury – Bath Spa – Temple Meads – Gloucester – Dunhampstead Goods – Bromsgrove – Sow Hill – Tyseley – Banbury – Oxford – Reading – Southall – West London Line – Victoria

"The Lancastrian"

14/10/78

Euston – Northampton – Rugby – New Street – Shrewsbury – Wrexham – Frodsham – Earlestown – Manchester Victoria – Park – Ashton Moss N Jn – Crowhorn Jn – Denton – Macclesfield – Stoke – Nuneaton – Weedon – Euston

"Lindisfarne"

21/10/78
St Pancras – Loughborough – Spondon – Derby – Belper – Chesterfield - New Mills – Ashburys – Miles Platting – Manchester Victoria – Bolton – Blackburn – Hellifield – Dent – Carlisle – Carnforth – Preston- Crewe – Stoke – Uttoxeter - Trent Jn – Loughborough – St Pancras

"The Wigan Wanderer"

16/12/78

St Pancras – Leicester – Chesterfield – Tapton Jn – Beighton Jn – Tinsley Yard – Penistone – Guide Bridge - OA&GB Jn – Ashton – Huddersfield – Bradley Jn – Sowerby Bridge – Hall Royd Jn – Gannow Jn – Blackburn – Bamber Bridge – Leyland – Wigan NW – Golborne Jn – Patricroft – Machester Victoria – Ashton Branch Sidings – Philips Park No.2 – Ashburys – New Mills - Sheffield – Tinsley Yard – Chesterfield- Leicester – St Pancras

"The North West Rambler No.2"

13/01/79

Marylebone – Banbury – St Andrews Jn – New Street – Soho Jn – Perry Barr N Jn – Bescot – Tipton Curve Jn – Wolverhampton – Stafford – Crewe Avoiding Line – Sandbach – Acton Bridge – Warrington BQ – Winwick Jn – Golborne Jn – St Helens Shaw Street – Ditton (Reverse) – Acton Bridge – Northwich (Reverse) – Mouldsworth – Mickle Trafford Jn – Dee Marsh Jn (reverse) – Wrexham General (reverse) –Rossett – Upton by Chester - Rock Ferry (reverse) - Hooton –- Ince & Elton – Crewe – Tamworth – Rugby – Tring - Euston

"Electro-Diesel Grice"

20/01/79

London Bridge – Charlton – Dartford – Strood – Maidstone West (Reverse) – Strood – Rochester (Reverse) – Swanley – Blackfriars – Woodside – Hayes – London Bridge – Bromley North – Lee Spur – Hayes – Addiscombe – Caterham – Purley (Reverse) - Tattenham Corner – Epsom Downs – Mitcham – Wimbledon – Haydons Road – Clapham Jn - Junction – Sehurst – Norwood Jn – Leatherhead – Guildford – Oxshott – Hampton Court – East Putney – Waterloo

EDL + 4TC

"The Nottingham Collier"

10/02/79

St Pancras – Kettering – Knighton S Jn – Bardon Hill Colliery Line – Burton – Stenson Jn – Trent Jn – Nottingham – Annesley – Nottingham – Radford – Trowell – Pye Bridge jn – Chesterfield – Tapton Jn – Treeton Jns – Tinsley Yard – Catcliffe – Woodhouse – Kiveton Bridge – Shirebrook – Pinxton – Trowell – Nottingham – Trent Jn – Barrow on Soar – Leicester – Bedford – Bletchley – Claydon – Grendon Underwood Jn – Aylesbury – Amersham – Marylebone

"The West Riding Limited"

10/03/79

London Bridge – Tulse Hill – Victoria – West London Line – North London Line – Stratford – Chelmsford – Ipswich – Bury St Edmunds – Ely – March – Ruskington – Lincoln Gainsborough – Doncaster – Hare Park Jn – Healey Mills Yard – Normanton – Castleford – Ulleskelf – York – Selby – Doncaster – Retford – Peterborough – Kings Cross Incline – North London Line – West London Line – Victoria

"Suburban Venturer"

14/04/79

Victoria – Streatham Common – Epsom Downs – Norwood Jn – Streatham Hill – Clapham Jn – Wandsworth Road – Loughborough Jn – Blackfriars – Herne Hill – Tooting – Wimbledon – Chessington South -Raynes Park – Epsom – Guildford – Alton – Ash Vale – Ascot –Feltham – Brentford – Waterloo

"The Grid Iron Grice"

07/08/82
This was a DAA Railtour hauled by a Class 56 from London Bridge to the Birmingham area (timed by Chris Meredith).

If anyone has any further details of this train (which may have failed during the outward journey) please let us know.

Photo by Adrian Nicholls on Flickr

"The Butterley Bulldog"

14/08/83
London Euston - Bletchley - Weedon - Rugby - Nuneaton - Saltley - Dorridge - Hatton N - Stratford - Henley - Shirley - Birmingham New Street - Castle Donnington - Toton - Pye Hill - Ironville - Butterley - Ironville -Pye Hill - Toton - Loughborough - Leicester -Bedford - London St Pancras

Photo by Mr C on Flickriver

"The South Wales Venturer"

20/08/83
London Bridge - East Croydon - Redhill - Guildford - Wokingham - Reading - Newbury - Westbury - Trowbridge - Bath Spa - Lawrence Hill - Patchway - Severn Tunnel Jn - Newport - Cardiff Central - Penarth Curve N - Radyr Jn - Pontypridd - Abercynon - Merthyr - Abercynon - Pontypridd - Radyr Jn - Cardiff Queen St - Cardiff General - Barry - Bridgend - Tondu - Cefn Jn - Margam (Abbey Works East) - Port Talbot - Neath - Llanelli - Llandelo Jn - Morlais Jn - Felan Fran - Court Sart Jn - Port Talbot - Cardiff Central - Newport - Severn Tunnel Jn - Bristol Parkway - Swindon - Didcot - Reading - Ascot - Barnes - Clapham Jn - Waterloo

"North West Rambler No.3"

10/03/84
London Euston - Watford Junction - Weedon - Rugby - Coventry - Birmingham New Street - Bescot - Stafford - Stoke - Leek Brook Jn - Stoke - Macclesfield - Stockport - Hazel Grove - Buxton - Hazel Grove - Stockport - Heaton Norris Jn - Ashton Moss Jn - Park - Ashburys - New Mills - Edale - Chesterfield - Derby - Water Orton - Birmingham New Street - Coventry - Weedon - London Euston

85039 Euston-Watford-Weedon-Rugby-Coventry
31273} Coventry-New St-Bescot-Stafford-Stoke
31187}
25059} Stoke-Leek Brook Jn-Stoke
25218}
31273} Stoke-Macclesfield-Stockport
31187}
45104 Stockport-Hazel Grove-Buxton-Hazel Grove-Stockport
40082 Stockport-Heaton Norris Jn-Ashton Moss jn-Park (fail)
40155} Park-Ashbuys
40082(d)}
40155 Ashburys-New Mills-Edale-Chesterfield-Derby-Water Orton-New St
86254 New St-Coventry-Weedon-Euston

"The Anglo-Scottish Freighter"

04/05/84 - 06/05/84
Marylebone - Bletchley - Bedford - Kettering - Coalville - Burton-on-Trent - Toton - Shirebrook - Worksop - Rotherham - York - Ferryhill - Newcastle - Edinburgh - Suburban Lines - Thornton - Inverkeithing - Polmont - Stirling - Grangemouth W - Mossend - Whifflet - Gunnie - Mossend - Shields - Kilwinning - Hunterston - Ayr - Kilmarnock - Shields - Glasgow Central - Kilmarnock - Carlisle - Crewe - Bescot - Aston - Birmingham New St - Euston

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