Blue Pullman

WR Services Begin

The Pullmans were the first Western Region rolling stock with electric transmission, other than shunters.

In August '60 the WR announced the timings for the services due to start on the 12th September with the pattern of workings being similar to the LMR ones. Between the up morning service from Wolverhampton to London and the down evening trip, a return London - Birmingham service was given. Again there were tight turn arounds, 25 mins at London and Birmingham. The 'Bristol Pullman' was to make two full round trips a day, although it had no turn around time less than 30 mins. The early departures from Wolverhampton (07:00) and Birmingham (07:30) brought interest over the level of patronisism, although there were some intermediate stops which would improve the usefulness of the trains. Both early morning services were booked into Paddington at 09:35, which meant that for the final two miles there was the possibility of running alongside each other on adjacent parallel tracks.

The timings were quoted as experimental and subject to review. The 'Bristol Pullman' left Bristol Temple Meads and ran non-stop via Badminton to Paddington. On the fill-in turn, all the way back to Bristol, it called at Bath in both directions. The final leg was done non-stop via Badminton again.

The service to/from Wolverhampton Low Level picked up at Birmingham Snow Hill, Solihull and Leamington Spa General. The fill in turn to Birmingham stopped at Leamington.

Right: On the first day of traffic on the WR the two services did arrive at Paddington side-by-side. A carefully planned publicity stunt perhaps?

The maximum Pullman supplements would be 10s first and 5s second between London and Bristol and London and Birmingham or Wolverhampton.

Within weeks the peak hour runs of the "Bristol Pullman" were revised to include Bath with the following times from the 17th October: