Backtrack Volume 36 (2022)
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School class 4-4-0 Maunsell V |
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Ship to shore. Michael Blakemoor. 3
Editorial
Skyfall. Gavin Morrison. 4-6
Colour photo-feature of trains in snow: Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44727 on
a freight leaving Hellified for Skipton on 26 January 1963; A3 Pacific No,
60073 St. Gatien on up Waverley near Dent on 26 January 1963;
Class 47 No. 47 002 near Diggle with 10.05 Liverpool to Newcastle express
on 9 February 1983; heritage Class 5 No. 4505 on Glenfinnan Viadut on outward
excursioon on 29 March 1963; Fort William depot on 29 March 1987 with Class
37 No. 37 412 Loch Lomond and another two of class and three class
20 including Nos. 20 201 nd 20 206; Pacer forming 12.35 Wakefield We stgate
to Huddersfield service on 8 January 2010 in light snow; HST on late running
St. Pancras to Sheffield service at Clay Cross Juncton on 9 February 1991
with train picking up snow; Class 158 in red livery near Slaithwaite on 29
December 2000 looking toward Bolster Moor.
Tony Robinson. Forgotten branches of North East Wales. Part 5. The
Mold to Brymbo line. 8-11.
Illustratins: Mold Tryddyn Junction signal box; map; coal tank 0-6-2T
on short freight train which included two Cann el Oil tank wagons at Llanfynydd
station during WW1?; Coed Talon station with crown waiting to join train
c1910; coal tank 0-6-2T on short freight train which included wagon loaded
with scrap metal for furnaces at Brybo; 4F 0-6-0 with single LNWR coach at
Brymbo with train for Mold in May 1949 (E.S. Russell); Ffrith viaduct after
track had been lifted with SLS party inspecting it on foot (J. Peden); 8F
No. 48665 on train of empty mineral wagons [passing site of Brymbo station
on 22 March 1966 (G. Kent).
David Joy. The Earl and the Honourable Lady: the nobility and the
railways of Huddersfield, 12-20.
David Joy is the author of Piercing
the Pennines (Great Northern, 2021) which covers both the railway
and canal tunnels under Standedge in greater detail. Illustrations: grand
facade of HuddersfieLd station with statue of Sir Robert Peel in front removed
in 1949 and replaced fifty years later by one of Harold Wilson; facade viewed
from west end with horse drawn cabs in attendance; former Crosti boilered
9F 2-10-0 approaching one of original standedge Tunnels with freight with
Huddersfield Canal in foreground in June 1966 (Gavin Morrison: colour); Clss
50 No. 50020 Revenge on a special from Bristol to Skipton crossing
Paddoick Viaduct (Gavin Morrison: colour); Class 5 No. 45421 on a Holmfirth
to Blackpool special in August 1953 (T.J. Edgington Collection); Jubilee
4-6-0 No. 45558 Manitoba on local train to Manchester in May 1959
(Gavin Morrison); Class 37/0 Nos. 37 252 and 37 221 crossing Lockwood Viaduct
with a Bristol to Skipton excursion on 13 October 1979 (Gavin Morrison);
begrimed class 5 4-6-0 No. 45437 on return excursion from Manchester and
Class 110 Calder Valley diesel multiple unit leaving Huddersfield in 1965
with LNWR,LYR warehouse behind (colour); B1 No. 61230 on a Bradford to
Bournemouth at Lockwood in July 1959 (Gavin Morrison); 2-6-4T No. 42650 on
passenger train at Holmfirth Tudor-style terminus in September 1959 (Gavin
Morrison); Kirkburton terminus; Prince of Wales 4-6-0 No. 5716 arriving at
Huddersfield from Manchester; Huddersfield station after extensions with
LYR 2-4-2T and LNWR coaches; Pacer spoiling style of Huddersfield station
looking towards George Loch new town in 2003 (Gavin Morrison)
Jeffrey Wells. Aspects of the Manchester & Leeds
Railway, Part two. 21-5.
Opening of line between Normanton and Hebden Bridge, leaving the difficult
stretch which included the Summit and Charlestown Tunnels unopened.
Illustrations: Todmorden Viaduct (drawing by A.F. Tait); 2-4-2T shunting
coal wagon in Todmorden station c1905; Gauxholme skew bridge over Rochdale
Canal; Eastwood station; east portal of Weasel Tunnel c1951; Hebden Bridge
station frontage iin 1964 (Eric Blakey); Luddendenfoot station in LYR period;
Sowerby Bridge station with slotted post signal and horse drawn passenger
cabs awaiting trade; Aspinall 0-8-0 No. 12574 with Belpaire firebox leaving
Luddendenfoot for Hebden Bridge on a stopping train. See
also letter from Keith Crowther on page 254
Barry Taylor. A day at the races: LMS traffic arrangements for the
Meeting at Towcester on Whit Monday 1939. 26-30.
Text based on Special Traffic Notice ERO 19102 for the period 27 May
to 2 June 1939. Illustrations: Prince of Wales 4-6-0 No. 5630 W.M.
Thackeray on a freight passes Towcester station on 9 August 1933; Webb
2-4-2T No. 46666 known a s "four sixex" crosses Grand Union Canal arriving
Blisworth from Northampton with push & pull train from Northampton (R.K.
Blencowe); Blisworth station (to show complexity of movements onto SMJ thereat);
sandwich motor train with Webb 2-4-2T in middle and LNWR low-roofed brake
thirds at either end on Leamington to Towcester race meeting dat (L. Hanson);
Towcesteer station on 9 October 1958 M. Mitchell);
'Kingfisher in flight'. Alan Reeve. 31.
Colour photo-feature: A4 No. 60024 Kingfisher at three locations:
leaving Forfar for Aberdeen on a three-hour express in August 1966; passing
Glamis closed station, and at Forfar in July 1966. Caption notes that on
13 September hauled 17.15 from Aberdeen to Glasgow and returned following
morning on 08.25 ex-Buchanan Street.
School ties. 32-5.
Colour photo-feature of Maunsell V class 4-4-0 with private school
names (all in lined green livery and with single chimney and from Dave Cobbe
Collection unless stated otherwise): No. 30902 Wellington on Brighton
shed with driver oiling motion whilst surrounded by ash on 7 May 1960; No.
30926 Repton in lined black livery with train mainly in carmine &
cream near Shortlands Junction with Kent Coast express in October 1958; No.
30926 Repton in lined green livery at Tattenham Corner station with
Royal Train on Derby Day 8 June 1962; No. 30924 Haileybury with
Lemaître chimney and in lined green livery on Ashford shed on 4 June
1961; No. 30930 Radley in workshop at Bricklayers Arms depot on 6
September 1961; No. 30910 Merchant Taylors in dirty black livery at
Faversham in 1959 (Marcus Eavis); No. 30915 Brighton at Brighton station
waiting for next duty in 1959 (Marcus Eavis); No. 30927 Clifton in
lined black livery with train from Hastings formed of Hastings gauge stock
in green, crimson and crimson & cream liveries in June 1957; and No.
30929 Malvern with Lemaître chimney on up express waiting right-away
from guard at Paddock Wood station in June 1959
David Hirst. The 1848 engine drivers' dispute in the newspapers.
36-41.
Article reprinted from LNWR Society Journal, 2021, 10
(1) June, Illustrations: London & Birmingham passenger train of 1845
(painting by C. Hamilton Ellis: colour); Liverpool & Manchester Rilway
goods train of 1830s (LNWR post card); Richard Creed, LNWR Company Secretary
(portrait); Railway Tavern in Chalk Farm where drivers held their meetings
(1939 photograph); Bury 2-2-0 No. 96 in 1847; Curzon Street station, Birmingham
(LNWR colour post card); Southern Division Long Boiler 4-2-0 No. 189 at Curzon
Street station; McConnell Large Bloomer No. 887 Knowsley; The Train
Now Departing coloured cover of LMS publication illustrating typical
London & Birmingham train.
In the East Midlands with JSG. John Spencer Gilks. 42-3.
Black & white photo-feature: BR Class 4 4-6-0 No. 75059 running
into Ketton and Collyweston station with a Leicester and Nottingham holiday
train to Gorleston-on-Sea holiday express on 31 May 1962; London, Tilbury
& Southend Railway 79 class 4-4-2T No. 41975 at Uppingham LNWR Cbranch
from Seaton with single coach in July 1959; Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41227
at Stamford Town with push & pull from Seaton on 16 September 1964; B1
4-6-0 No. 61141 on Leicester Belgrave Road to Skegness holiday service calling
at normally closed to passengers on 18 July 1959; Stanier 2-6-4T No. 42446
calling at Kelmarsh (still with LMS bullseye running-in board with 13.44
Northampton to Market Harborough on 5 July 1958; Fairburn 2-6-4T No. 42137
drawing into Saxby with 08.40 Nottingham to King's Lynn on 8 November
1958.
Bruce Laws. Ipswich: a hub for Suffolk railways. Part Two. 44-50.
Part one see previous Volume page XXX. This part begins with an
examination of some of the branch lines in Suffolk. The line to Aldeburgh
did not long survive Beeching's brutal scrutiny in spite of its International
significance as a music centre. The residual stump associated with Sizewell
nuclear tr affick is mentioned. The battle to save the East Suffolk line
to Beccles and Lowestoft receives attention and Gerard Fiennes I tried
to run a railway involvement in saving some of it Illustrations: B1 4-6-0
No. 61253 filling tank at Ipswich before entering tunnel in July 1958 (Mike
Boakes); Beccles station on 9 June 1963; Holden E22 class 0-6-0T No. 253
at Eye station (Sufffolk) with three antique passenger four-wheelers; London
Liverpool Street in BR steam days; Felixstowe Town station in Great Eastern
period; Felixstowe Town station c1960; L1 2-6-4T No. 67711 at Felixstowe
Town with 16.40 to Liverpool Street on 1 April 1956 (T.J. Edgington); F5
2-4-2T No. 67218 at Lowestoft Central on push & pull set on service for
Yarmouth South Town via Gorleston in June 1954 (T.J. Edgington); Laxfield
station on Mid-Suffolk Light Railway in April 1949; Brockford station on
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway; three class 90 electric locomotives (90 014 Over
the Rainbow; 90 047 and 90 046 - first two in tangerine livery) on long
container triain for Trafford Park, Manchester about to enter Ipswich
Tunnel.(Roger Carvell)
Third rail on Merseyside. Tom Heavyside. 51
Colour photo-feature of Class 507 and 508 mulytiple units to be replaced
in 2022 by 777 class units.
Philip Benham. Take the train for the boat: the rise
and fall of the boat train. Part one. 52-61.
Part 2 see page 108. Illustrations:
Bulleid light Pacific Battle of Britain class No. 34085 501 Squadron
departing Dover Marine with up Golden Arrow (colour);
No. 46150 The Life Guardsman on day Irish Mail
leaving Chester for Holyhead in August 1950 (P.M. Alexander) see
also letter from Chris Mogner on footplate conditions;
E5012 Bo-Bo electric locomotive stands at Dover Marine with Golden Arrow
having arrived from Victoria on 1 April 1963 (colour); passengers arriving
to board Southern Railway Golden Arrow through special arch at Victoria
station; Britanmia class Pacific No. 70004 William Shakespeare leaving
Shakespeare Cliff Tunnel with down Golden Arrow in 1951; Night
Ferry headed by 21C156 Croydon and L1 4-4-0 about to leave Victoria
on 15 December 1947; M7 class No. 30068 arriving Lymington Pier with push
& pull set with PS Freshwater alongside (colour); 1366 class 0-6-0PT
No. 1368 departing Weymouth Quay with boat train for Paddington on 4 July
1959 (Trevor Owen: colour); SS St. Julien arriving Weymouth in 1929
with split boat train for Paddington waiting for arrivals, also three late
1920s luxury motor cars waiting to whisk some first class ship passengers
off; unrebuilt (caption states rebuilt) West Country Pacific No. 34018
Axminster on all Pullman Statesman Ocean Liner Special connecting
with SS United States passing Vauxhall in ear ly 1950s; No. 6029 King
Edward VIII approaches Newton Abbott w ith a Plymouth Millbay to Paddington
Ocean Liner special including four Super Saloons on 21 May 1958 (Dick
Blenkinsop), Atbara class 4-4-0 No. 3381 Maine leaving Fishguard Harbour
on 2 May 1908 with Irish boat express for Paddington; No. 7808 Cookham
Manor and No. 6998 Burton Agnes Hall on 14 June 19975 at Norton
Junction, Worcester with Great Western Society Vintage Train which
included Super Saloons No. 9112 Queen Mary and No. 9118 Princess
Elizabeh (colour); 3F 0-6-0T No. 47387 at Liverpool Riverside with a
Liverpool University Public Transsport Society special on 13 June 1964; BR
Standard Class 5 4-8-0 No.. 73121 at Greenock Prince's Pier station with
boat train from Glasgow St. Enoch in September 1965 (S.W. Rankin: colour).
See also letters from Stephen G. Abbott and from
Graham Smith on page 253 ; Bill Beavis
(on large locomotives on Tyne Commission Quay workings) and from
Peter Steer on how Isle of Man Steam Packet provided
free bus from Manxman arrival at Lime Street to boat berth on Mersey
Readers' forum. 61
Station location: 'Aberdare' 2-6-0. Editor. 61.
See page 630 of Volume 35: was it Porthmadog or was it Barmouth an
was class permitted to cross Barmouth Bridge?
J.F. McIntosh. John
Macnab. 61.
Error on page 595 of previous Volume concerning 92 class (condensing
version} 0-4-4Ts which stated all withdrawn in LMS period: quotes Ian Allan
ABC for 1949 and previous page of one extant in Stranraer in 1956!
J.F. McIntosh. James Hargrave
James Clark Bunten of Dunalistair
BR and beyond in Gwynnedd. Bob Saxby
If toredo worm had been evident fifteen years earlier then Bangor
to Afonwen line might have survived to give Pwllheli and Portmadog faster
access
BR and beyond in Gwynnedd. Chris
Magner
Nigel Dawson, a Principal grade civil servant at the Department of
Transport and Talyllyn Railway volunteer managed to get a grant for the Cambrian
lines to open on Sundays.
Battling Beeching in the High Peak.
Nigel Whitwell
Norbury is not only level crossing
A Great Western tenancy. Stewart Clark.
The Severn Valley Railway acquired bow-ended ex-camping coach No.
4786 of 1927 to provide accommodation for its volunteers and located it at
Kidderminster station, but subsequently acquired a Hawksworth sleeper for
the same function. After considerable soul searching No. 4786 is being restored
to its original state as an "ordinary" corridor coach, but is more akin to
a Hall to Saint re-creation.
Motorail trains. Gerald Goodhall.
Motorail trains. Arnold Tortorella. 62
The Times of 17 May 1939 contained a block advert announcing
"Scotland - calling all sportsman" which promoted the carriage of motor cars
at re duced rates for one first class or two third class ticket holders on
the West Coast or East Coast routes. The advert slightly modified was repeated
on 7 June. The LMS had purchased new carriage carrying vans from Metro Cammell
to D2026 in 1938; the LNER used its pre-grouping stock. See
also letter from John Macnab on page 189.
Book reviews. 62
Kendal Tommy: a history of the Arnside to Hincasster branch. Dave
Richardson. Cumbrian Railways Associaton. 98pp. Reviewed by DWM *****
"This is an excellent book, it adds delightfully to our store of railway
knowledge."
BR steam locomotives complete allocations history
1948-1968. Hugh Longworth. Oxford Publishing. 400pp. Reviewed by
Michael Blakemore. *****
"Momumental compilation... highly recommended"
Horwich Locomotive Works re-visited. M.D. Smith.
Author. 192pp. Reviewed by Michael Blakemore. ****
Update of a book first published in 1956 since when they have been
demolished and replaced by modern housing: book notes retention of some of
old str eet names featuring names like Arkwright and Fairburn.
Frost report.. A.J. Clarke rear cover
L1 2-6-4T No. 67800 leaving Bingham for Grantham with train from
Nottingham Victoria on 29 December 1962: frost on ground and on trees in
Great Freeze of 1962/3. ;
Issue Number 2 (February 2022) Number 370
Network Rail New Measrement Train |
|
Looking forward...by looking back. Andy Collett.
Guest Editorial on heritage railway preserved Bulleid rebuilt
Merchant Navy locomotive No. 35011 General Steam
Naviigation
Through Sussex via Steyning. Gerald Daniels (photograher) and captions
by Michael S. Welch. 68-9
Colour photo-feature:: 15.59 Brighton to Horsham train leaving Southwater
behind Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41314 in spring 1964; ex-LBSCR K class 2-6-0
shunting at Beeding cement works in April 1962; Southwater station &
signal box; West Grinstead station with a Brighton to Horsham train
hauled by Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41326 in 1963; and Partridge Green station in
summer 1963,
Andrew Johnston. 'What a lovely job this is'.
70-4.
Author worked at BBC Bristol as a film editor and was given task of
making a programme about Ivo Peters, who captured the extraordinary character
of the Somerset & Dorset Railway in photographs and on 8mm cinefilm which
led to the film Return to Evercreech Junction made in 1986 Illustrations
nearly all courtesy of Julian Peters (Ivo's son): 7F 2-8-0 No. 53807 probably
on mineral train in snow near Midford on 15 January 1963; The Ballad of
John Axon from artwork for Radio Times by Eric Fraser; West Country
Pacific No. 34040 Crewkerne near Midsomer Norton in snow with train
for Bournemouth on 30 January 1954; Driver Donald Beale and fireman Peter
Smith on No. 34042 Dorchester give Ivo a wave from cab; 53810 leaves
Devonshire Tunnel on 10 March 1956; filming on trackbed of Burnham branch
with Clive North, cameraman standing on stool, Andrew Johnson, sound
recordist Steve Shearn and assistant cameraman Mark Jarrold (Rodney Scovill);
Donald Beale and Peter Smith pose with Mike Arlett on front of preserved
West Country No. 34105 Swanage on the Mid-Hants Railway during filming
of Return to Evercreech Junction (Mac Hawkins: colour).
See also letter from James Rogers on page 253 on television
programme about York shed.
Miles MacNair. Frustrations of fuel efficiency: feed-water
heaters. Part four. The Franco-Crosti boiler and pre-heater. 75-8.;
Four extraordinary Mallet 2-6-0+0-6-2 compounds were built by Baldwin
in 1911 for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé Railroad with flexible
boilers. The accordion flexible joint separated the firebox and boiler tubes
from a large storage area for the feed-water to be preheated by the exhaust
steam and from the boiler gases. The accordion joint must have bee n difficult
to maintain, yet the locomotive enjoyed ten years in service, Macnair considers
that this may have been what led to Attilio Franco, a former automotive engineer
to design his 0-6-2+2-4-2-4-2+2-6-0 eight-cylinder simple expansion locomotive
at the Turbize works of the Belgian State Railways (for illustration
see Locomotive Mag., Vol.
39, p. 230) (diagram herein). Piero Crosti was convinced of the
merits of the Franco pre-heater and in 1937 rebuilt on of the Italian State
Railways 670 class to this system and achieve a fuel saving of about 15%.
A table lists the classes of Italian State Railways classes fitted with Crosti
boilers; 81 of which had a single preheater located between their frames,
the remainder having double preheaters. The DB in Germany and BR in Britain
adopted the single preheater model. Bulleid on the CIE modified a Great Sothern
Railway 2-6-0 built in 1903 with a two Franco preheater boiler which exhausted
to the tender. Riddles on British Railways built ten 9F 2-10-0s with single
preheater between the frames and the exhaust gases emerging in front of the
cab which was very unpleasant for the footplate crew. The system was abandoned
quickly, but the locomotives were less powerful and were downgraded to 8F.
In Spain RENFE rebuilt one 2-8-0 with a Crosti boiler, but poor draughting
made steaming unre liable. The exhaust steam injector was a more re liable
and simpler method of extracting heat from the exhaust. Illustrations: Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fé Railroad flexible boiler locomotive; Franco-Turbize
diagram (Locomotives International, 1999, (47)); Italian State Railways
Class743 2-8-0 (Locomotive
Mag., 1953, 59, 80); Bulleid CIE modified GSR 2-6-0 with two
Franco preheater boiler intended to burn peat if it could ignite; Crosti
9F in Rugby Test Plant; RENFE 2-8-0 with Crosti boiler.
See also letter from Bill Taylor on page 254.
"...and it was all yellow...". 79
Colour photo-feature:: preserved Jones goods No. 103 (in yellow livery)
and preserved GNSR No. 49 Gordon Highllander climbing from Glenwhilly
on 15 April 1963 (Derek Cross); No. HS 4000 Kestrel Hawker Siddeley
in yellow ochre and chocolate livery at Criclewood depot open day on 12 July
1969 (D. Rollins); Network Rail New Measurement Train running through former
Rotherham Marsborough en route friom Derby to Heaton on 6 December 2008 (Gavin
Morrison) see also front cover
Ian Travers. The Great Western Railway Ruabon-Barmouth
route. Part one. 80-5.
The line was constructed in the 1860s. From Ruabon to Corwen was built
by the Vale of Llangollen and by the Llangollen & Corwen companies which
were promoted by local landowners including
Charles.Tottenham and
Sir Watkin Wynn, Considerable
revisions were made at Bala with new stations at the eastern end of the High
Street and at the Junction. Optimism about the Bala & Festiniog was not
realised as the Festiniog Railway and LNWR were well established. The Wnion
valley and the Mawddach estuary took the line down to the coast. Illustrations:
No. 7800 Torquay Manor at Llangollen on up express in carmine &
cream livery on 28 August 1953 (colour); Llangollen station from footbridge
looking west with River Dee high (P.J. Garland); 8750 class 0-6-0PT No. 9793
on Wrexham to Bala all-stations in July 1960 (J.M. Wiltshire); map Ruabon
to Barmouth; Dean 645 class 0-6-0ST No. 772 with two Dean clerestory carriages
and a siphon bogie van for milk adjacent Corwen East signal box in 1932;
Bala Town station in about 1910 with Arnstrong 517 class 0-4-2T No. 539 with
gleaming brass dome and safety valve cover and horse bus and farmer's timber
cart for milk cans; Berwyn station with 43XX 2-6-0 No. 4377 departing (E.S.
Russell: colour); Aberdare 2-6-0 No. 2679 at Barmouth with slow train for
Chester formed of Cambrian 46ft compartment coach and two Colllett 58ft side-
corridors in summer 1934 (Roger Carpenter); Drws y Nant goods yard on 4 October
1962 (R.G. Nelson); Dolgelley station c1957. Part 2 see page
156.
Geoffrey Skelsey. The story of 'The Clickety-Clack' the Grinsby &
Immingham Electric Railway 1912-1961. 86-90.
The Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway was not a separate legal
entity, but formed part of the vast Immingham dock development instigated
by the Great Central Railway with its location dictated by a deep channel
in the River Humber. Grimsby Corporation was eager for the transport link
so that their residents would be in a favourable position for work. Author
notes lack of covered accommodation for cars annd lack of modernisation of
GC cars and failure to exploit multiple unit
operation. Illustrations: map & plan; ex-GC car No. 11 at
Corporation Bridge (colour); ex-Gateshead car in Gilbey Road within one of
passing loops; ex-GCR car No. 12 waiting ouside railawy office at Cleveland
Bridge (colour); ex-Gateshead car at Pyewipe workshops; ex-Gateshead car
rebuilt as well-equipped engineering car; ex-GCR car leaving Immingham Town
for Grimsby passing concrete traction poles; ex-Gateshead car No. 18 being
prepared for final procession and ex-GCR car No. 15 heads on to the light
railway at Cleveland Bridge on 1 July 1961 (final day).
Robin Sellers and Thomas Sellers. Milk train derailment at
Chipping Sodbury. 91-3.
The 20.15 Kensington to Whitland milk empties hauled by Brush type
4 No, D1726 (later 47 134) derailed on the evening of 20 September 1966
inflicting severe damage to the permanent way and the vehicles involved.
The cause was excessive speed. The author heard about the incident on the
radio, borrowed his father's car and camera loaded with colour film and his
own camera loaded with black & white film and drove to Chipping Norton
and took the reproduced photographs, until challenged by the police for his
press card which he did not possess. Illustrations show a Cowans Sheldon
75 ton steam breakdown crane of 1961 No. 141 which had been delivered
to site by Hymek No. 7030; 35 ton Ransomes & Rapier steam breakdown crane
of 1908 lifting a six-wheel tank wagon (all colour).
On the Lambouurn Valley branch. John Spencer Gilks. 94-5
Black & white photo-feature:: 57XX 0-6-0PT No.9749 at Lambourn
terminus with single coach train from Newbury on 18 August 1959; panorama
of East Garston on same day as previous showing church, thatched cottages
and train en route from Newbury; 2251 class 0-6-0 No. 2252 passing East Garston
halt and manned level crossing light engine on 14 September 1957; All Saints
Church East Garston with 57XX 0-6-0PT No. 4665 psssing with single coach
train for Lambourn on same day as previous, and Welford Park loop after closure
in October 1960
The ins and outs of Paddington. Dick Riley. 96-7.
Colour photo-feature:: King Edward II in Ranelagh Bridge servicing
yard having arrived on Capitals United Express with headboard still
in place on 10 September 1960; Castle class No. 5060 Earl of Berkeley
in Ranelagh Bridge yard on 16 April 1957; No. 6023 King Edward II
without headboard departing Paddington on 13.55 South Wales express
on 10 September 1960; No. 6006 King George I on turntable and
No. 1009 County of Carmarthen waiting its turn on 30 March 1957
Cross-country throgh the Tyne Valley. Gavin Morrison
Photo-feature: A1 class No. 60131 Osprey held at Haydon Bridge
on RCTS Solway Ranger on 21 March 1965 due to sheep on the line; Class
47 No. 47 428 with steam heating) on Edinburgh to Newcastle train via Carlisle
at Haltwhistle on 24 October 1981 (b&w); preserved Class 5 No. 5305
Alderman A.E. Draper with name and plaque in place near Haltwhistle
crossing Tyne on Tyne Valley Express en route for Carlisle and thence
G&WE route on 14 March 1987; Class 56 diesel multiple unit Hexham
station with No. 156 444 on 14.45 to Sunderland on 10 June 1966
(b&w); Hexham signal box mounted on gantry above tracks and painted red
with Class 56 diesel multiple unit No. 156 491 on 10.00 Sunderland to Carlisle
passing undrneath; No, 156 469 "adorned " with pictogram of Bishop Auckland
branch on 11,52 Nrecastle to Carlisle about 2 miles from Hexham on 22 March
2006; preserved A4 No. 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley with autumn mist showing
up redness of wheels, but darkening blue of locomotive and rolling stock
as Carlisle to Newcastle train nears Brampton Junctin on 6 October 1973;
Class 66 No. 66 548 passing Corbridge on 05.39 Hunterston to Drax merry-go-round
coal train on 22 March 2006.
Rob Langham. Snowbound at Rowley. 102-5,
William Bainbridge was a local photographer who lived in Castleside
and this has led to an extensive photographic record and Rowley station was
preserved at the Beamish Open Air Museum due to Frank Atkinson. Illustrations:
Rowley station with signal box on platform between 1905 and 1914; snowbound
train at Rowley station with trapped passengers being helped to get off;
same train viewed from road bridge; two 398 class 0-6-0 locomotives which
hauled train out, No. 913 nearer; 1940 accident when two Q6 0-8-0s became
derailed in heavy snow on 19 February 1940, one of which was No. 2237 (as
it subsequently repaired at Darlington Works; German prisoners-of-war clearing
snow with shovels at Waskerley during World War 1, and 901 class No. 929
on passenger train at Rowley during summer prior to WW1. ,
David Ferguson. The St. Fillans sheep accident. 106-7.
On 5 October 1921 a Caledonian Railway sheep special travelling off
the Oban line failed to stop in St. Fillans station on its way to Perth.
There was considerable carnage to the sheep as many of the cattle trucks
fell into pieces. Butchers were called from Crief and Comrie to kill the
wounded sheep and breakdown cranes came from Perth and Motherwell to clear
the line. The footplate crew were uninjured. An annoying feature of
this article is that the descent of Glen Ogle to Balquhidder must have been
accomplished without accident as the train reversed there before moving onto
the line to Lochearnhead, St. Fillans and Perth, but wheel to rail adhesion
in icy conditions is questionable. The illustrations lack one of the actual
incident and portray an Oban 4-6-0, (but might have been an 0-6-0 on the
actuual train; a cattle wagon and St. Fillans station in the 1930s
with signalman Adam Farrar and stationmaster George Maxwell.
Philip Benham. Take the train for the boat: the rise
and fall of the boat train. Part two. 108-17.
Part one began on page 52. Irish services
via the LNWR and Holyhead including the Irish Mail and the Great Western
Railway and South Wales through New Milford (Neyland) and Fishguard. Scottish
services via Stranraer or via Ardrossan including to the Isle of Man. Scottish
ferrries to the Hebrides and within the Firth of Clyde and to Kintyre. East
Coast sailings via Newcastle Tyne Commission Quay to Norway and Sweden and
via Harwich, Immingham and Hull to Holland and Belgium. Extensive
bibliography.. Illustrations: last steam worked (Class 5 No. 45025) Belfast
Boat Express on arrival at Manchester Victoria (colour); Class 5 No.
45126 on up Morthern Irishman at Stranraer Harbour alongside
Caledonian Princess (Michael Covey-Ctump: colour); Britannia Pacific
No, 70048 on up day Irish Mail pre-1958 at Holyhead; Coronation Pacific
No. 46256 Sir Wiiliam Stanier, FRS on up Ulster Express from
Heyasham and Royal Scot No. 46142 The York and Lancaster Regiment
on The Shamrock from Liverpool Lime Street at Euston; B1 4-6-- No.
61342 at Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier on 10 April 1966 on a railtour; V3 class
2-6-2T No. 67691 on the Norseman at Tyne Commission Quay (C.R.
Gordon-Stuart: colour); St. Pancras with Orient Line boat train in carmine
& cream livery for Tilbury Riverside; down Flushing
Continental headed by B17 4-6-0 Alnwck Castle joining Harwich
line at Manningtree in 1930s (caption notes two Pullman cars in formation:
there were three) (George R. Grigs).; English Electric Type 3 diesel No.
6735 (blue livery) at Sheffield Midland on North Country Continental
which included Gresley buffet car in formation; Patriot class No. 45543 Home
Guard (black livery) with train of LMS corridor stock in carmine &
cream livery at Windermere Lakeside in July 1956 (John Edgington); A3 No.
60036 Colombo on up Norseman passing Pilmoor station in 1950s
(Chris Nettleton Collection); Britannia Pacific No. 70001 Lord Hurcomb
arriving Liverpool Street with up Hook Continental (R.E. Vincent).;
Britannia Pacific No. 70005 John Milton with down Day Continental
climbing Brentwood Bank in mid-1950s; H15 No. 30485 in lined black livery
but without indication of ownership arriving at Southampton flying boat terminal
with all Pullman train for Isle de France on 13 August 1949; EWS red
liveried Class 67 banks last Venice Simplon Orient Pullman train out of
Folkestone Harbour on 10 April 2008 (Brian Stephenson).See
also letter from Stephen G. Abbott on page 253 about Hook
Continental and gradual transmogrification of Harwich to Manchester service.
See also letter from Graham Smith on large locomotives
seen on Tyne Commission Quay workings and on length of Orient Line boat trains
from St. Pancras to Tilbury and Leonard Rogers on the
grandiose titles given to residual North County link to Harwich and Europe
and lengthy contribution from a nameless writer and
another from Peter Neville on page 317
Jeremy Clarke. Falling short of ambition — a new line to Leatherhead.
118-23.
Chessington Zoo and Circus used to feature on the carriage panels
of many Southern Railway multiple units and was a source of wishfulness for
young Kevin. The Chessington branch opened to Tolworth on 29 May 1938 and
to Chessington South a year later. It was opened as an electric railway and
had been intended to duplicate the route to Leatherhead, but WW2 cancelled
that. The architecture of the stations is Odeonesque and features Chisarc
canopies. Illustrations: Motspur Park with new W roof installed after opening
of new branch in 1938; Maldon Manor station platforms shortly after opening;
Maldon Manor station in 1937 prior to opening showing facade; map; Maldon
Manor station platforms with train departing and group of respectable
schoolboys;going to Zoo?; London bound train leaves Tolworth station; Chessington
North platforms looking towards London probably shortly after opening; crowd
leaving Chessington South brick built entrance and Chessington South unfinished
up platform.
Donegal delight, Captions by David Mosley. 124
Colour photo-feature:: 2-6-4T No. 6 Columbkille and railcar
No. 16 at Letterkenny; railcar No. 10 built by Walker for the Clogher Valley
Railway and purchased by the CDR in 1942,
Readers' forum. 125-6
Bob Essery. Editor
Death on 24 November 2021
For God's sake be done with railways
and shares. John Bushby, 125
The Gloucester, Aberystwyth & Central Wales Railway proposal to
link Gloucester with Ross with Hay, Builth, Ryader and Aberystwyth from which
the Irish Sea would be crossed to Wexford and thence to Tralee and Valentia
Island. This would produce the most direct route to America. The notion can
be traced back to Charles Vignoles proposed trunk route to the Llyn Peninsular
and ended with the Great Western's Fishguard costly adventure.
Aspects of the Manchester &
Leeds Railway. Robin Leleux. 125
Notes it was not unusual to divert rivers to costruct railways as
at Northampton Castle station and at Stowmarket, but it was more unusual
for watercourses above the railway and cites those near Mossley, Force
Gill near the entrance to Blea Moor Tunnel and the Bishopton Aqueduct near
Greenock.
Aspects of the Manchester &
Leeds Railway. Colin Tighe, 125.
Adds another aqueduct near Corby on Corby to Manton line for a tributary
stream for the River Welland just before Corby Tunnel
Battling Beeching in the High Peak.
Frank Ball. 125
Photograph on page 580 of Volume 35 depicts route of Peak Forest Tramway
to Bugsworth and writer also observes how Ministry of Roads massaged
statistics to show how wasteful rail services were and as a young trainee
civil engineer many potential problems were reduced to imposing speed limits
or repacing a few sleepers
A Cambrian 'Manor', Chris Magner.
125
Danny Rowlands (Danny Bull) was shed foreman at Aberystwyth and he
took special care of the Manor class locomotive allotted to work the
Cambrian Coast Express
BR and beyond in Gwynedd. Bob
Saxby. 125-6.
Letter writer worked for Gwynedd County Council Council at time of
Toredo worm infestation and the Council showed in an Ecomnomic Impact Study
that the loss of the bridge to the district economy would be greater than
the cost of repair. Fifteen years earlier it is probable that it would have
recommended closure of the bridge and restoration of the line from Afonwen
to Bangor. Trawslink Cymru is campaigning to reopen both the Afonwen to Bangor
and Aberystwyth to Carmarthen railway links (Lampeter college suffers from
lack of a train service). The Conwy Valley line suffers from the loss of
its nuclear flask traffic and the cost of bridge maintenance and is currently
bustituted
'Aberdares' and RODs. Martin
Sutcliffe.
Barmouth Bridge had been upgraded sufficiently to opermit the Abberdare
class to use it and it is probable that locomotive at Barmouth statin was
about to cross it en route to Chester passing its home depot at Croes Newydd.
C.C. Green's Cambrian Railways album
Volume 2 has a photograph of Aberdare No. 2617 within it at same location,
taken by Ifor Higgon.
Book reviews. 126.
Gresley's B17s. Peter Tuffrey. Great Northern.
144 pp. Reviewed by DWM **
"stylishly produced photographic album featring an interesting and
disparate class of locomotives but as with a previously-considered volume
by the same compiler on the V2s , your reviewer remains abmbivalent."
Built in Britain — the independent locomotive
manufacturing industry in the nineteenth century. Michael R.
Bailey. RCHS, 221pp. Reviewed by Phil Atkins. *****
Very extensive review "A comprehensive overview of Britain's once
extennsive commercial or independemt locomotive building industry... this
scholarly publicartion...Thoroughly recommended"
Locomotives of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
Anthony Dawson. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. 291pp. Reviewed
by RL *****
" well researched... masterly work"
Leaving [Paddington] through the streets of London. R.C. Riley. rear cover
No. 7008 Swansea Castle leaving on 2 August 1957 passing junction
into Ranelagh Bridge servicing yard: see also page
96
| SJ94 No. 68007 0-6-0ST shunting yard outside Darlington Works in July 1958. front cover |
|
I've got a little list - I've got them on the list! Michael Blakemoor.
131
Editorial:
The J94 saddle tanks — which also serve. 132-3
Colour photo-feature: introductory caption notes that ordered in January
1943 by the War Department with many serving in France after D-Day. In total
377 were built and when they became redundant the LNER purchased 75 and the
National Coal Board and the construction industry ordered others. The colour
illustrations are all from Colour-Rail: No. 68037 on Darlington area
local freight on 6 January 1964; No. 68013 on Cromford & High Peak line
at Cromford Wharf in September 1963 next high LNWR signal; No. 68047 with
extended bunker on transfer freight passing Darlington on 10 February 1962;
No. 68072 with a B17 class following it in Doncaster station in May 1960;
No. 68079 with bunker extension removed to ease coaling at
Middleton Top crossing level crossing at Longcliffe with a single wagon on
Cromford & High Peak line in 1964: on page 317
Paul Blurton states that the crossing must have been across the A5012
between Fridon and Minninglow.
A.J. Mullay. Spying in Darlington: competition between
Britain's railways and canal in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries,
134-41.
In January 1826 the Directors of the Birmingham Canal Navigation sent
one of their members to inspect the state of the Railroad in County Durham
and how far the steam locomotives were a success. Mullay makes extensive
use of the data in the Royal Commission on Canals which was chaired by
Lord Shuttleworth and reported
in 1911 for mileages, traffic, general state, etc. and employs this in
conjunction with the data on earnings and costs of the canals under
their control both prior to the Grouping in 1923 and following it. Illustrations:
Forth & Clyde Canal at Camelon; Ellesmere Port in 1905 with LNWR 8-ton
mineral wagon; WD 2-8-0 crossing Market Weighton Canal near Wallingfen; Sankey
or St. Helen's Canal at Sankey Bridges where the LNWR Widnes to Warrington
line crossed the canal on a swing bridge with 100-ton barge serving the Earlstown
sugar refinery; Priestman grab dredger at work on the Great Western owned
Monmouthshire Canals in 1910s; Cravens DMU en route to Doncaster passing
under Axholme Joint Railway at Crowle swing bridge over Sheffield & South
Yorkshire Navigation in 1970: Agar Town goods depot adjacent Regent's
Canal,
Nicholas Daunt. Birmingham's Grand Central station:
memories of the old New Street, 1954-1962. 142-9.
"The old New Street was a slum", but one with character as observed
by the young locomotive spotter. The largest LMS locomotives could not be
accommodated and when its centenary was celebrated in June 1954 parts of
No. 46235 City of Birmingham had to be removed and reassembled
to exhibit it. Several classes not illustrated include tank engines, the
4F 0-6-0 and the British Railways Class 5 and Britannia. The article ends
with noting that the new station was like a branch of John Lewis (now closed)
with a railway in the basement. Illustrations: Jubilee class 4-6-0 No. 45742
Connaught with double chimney at New Street on up Midlander
in June 1956 (C. Banks Collection: colour); station from adjacent tall building
with many Birmingham Corporation buses and trains, if any, in murk; 4P compound
No, 40915 and Jubilee class 4-6-0 No. 45663 Jervis at platform 9 with
express for South West (colour); map of main railways in Central Birmingham;
J.W. Livock's Italianate frontage
to Queen's Hotel (Illustrated London News 1854); Jubilee class 4-6-0
No. 45618 New Hebrides at platform 6 with a northbound express (G.D.
King: colour); 4P compound No, 41193 on 13.45 to Yarmouth Beach on 8 October
1958 (T.J. Edgington); 2P 4-4-0 No. 40659 and Rebuilt Scot No. 46148 The
Manchester Regiment on 11.05 to Glasgow on 21 October 1954 (T.J. Edgington);
4P compound No, 41157 about to leave platform 11 with12.57 to Ashchurch via
Redditch, Alcester & Evesham loop on 9 April 1959 with Jubilee class
No. 45662 Kempenfelt on express for south west at Platform 10 (T.J.
Edgington); Jubilee No. 45669 Fisher leaving New Street with 11.30
Euston to Wolverhampton (High Level) on 10 August 1957 (T.J. Edgington);
diesel-electric experimental locomotive No. 10800 on 15.55 to Cambridge via
Rugby to Peterborough line on 18 April 1955 (T.J. Edgington); new platform
canopies under construction on LNWR side (T.J. Edgington); Jubilee No. 45560
Prince Edward Island with arrival probably from Liverpool possibly
in late 1950s (Ray Reed: colour); Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45186 on 13.45 to Yarmouth
on 27 February 1959 (T.J. Edgington); B1 4-6-0 No. 61195 moving off platform
9 after arrival on 06.53 from Cleethorpes on 20 October 1956 (T.J. Edgington);
ex-Midland Railway 2P 4-4-0 No. 40421 departs from Platform 6 on 06.10 special
to Preston to connect with Creative Travel Agents Conference charter train
to Gourock on 29 June 1957 (T.J. Edgington); Engineering works notice for
Sunday 15 October 1958 (T.J. Edgington). See also letters from
Bob Yate on pages 317-18, and Robert
Darlaston and Gordon Biddle on page 318.
L.A. Summers. The 'Chinaman' and the British engineer who built
it. 150-4.
Kenneth Cantlie was born
in 1899
Jeffrey Wells. The inauguration of the Victory Arch at Waterloo
Station. 155.
On 21 March 1922 Her Majesty Queen Mary opened the massive arch built
of Portand stone to commemorate the employees of the London & South Western
Railway who lost their lives during the Great War. King George V was prevented
by illness from performing the ceremony. The Queen arrived from Buckingham
Palace at 3 in the afternoon and was met by Brigadier-General H.W. Drummond,
Chairman and Sir William Portal, Deputy Chairman of the Railway. From
Railway Gazette 24 March 1922.
Ian Travers. The Great Western Railway Ruabon-Barmouth
route. Part Two. 156-9.
Part 1 see page 80. Text
concentrates on improvements brought by Grouping and comparison with what
was done in Cornwall. The influence of the major holiday camp at Penychain
and thhe competion with the LMS for its traffic. An unusually extensive
bibliography enhances this work. In an ídeal world Wales would
enjoy a proper railway network rather than a series of disconnected bits
and pieces. Illustrations: 8750 class No. 9669 with single coach at Bala
Town with 08.20 to Bala Junction in July 1963 ((P.A. Fry: colour);
Llangollen station with Butlin's train from Penychain to Birmingham
Snow Hill double headed by 8750 class No. 9669 and a Manor class 4-6-0 with
train partly formed of LNER stock, some still in teak livery, on 4 September
1954 (P.B. Whitehouse); Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46446 with two coaches with
brief residual service between Bala and Barmouth following floods of 12 December
1964 approaching Garneddwen summit before descending into Wnion Valley (D,.J.
Mitchell: colour); Penmaenpool station, crossing loop & wooden tressle
toll bridge (K.G. Carr); Flag Station Halt; Collett 0-4-2T No. 4867 on auto
train for Dolgelley in excursion platform at Barmouth; LLys Halt on 25 August
1962.
Succeeding like success. Simon Lathlane. 160-3
Colour photo-feature of Stanier Black Fives 4-6-0s: No. 45214
(built by Armstrong Whitworth) with red lining visible, perhaps relecting
the red steelwork of the Glasgow Corporation Sighthill Estate flats being
erected behind St. Rollox engine shed in April 1965; No. 45131 emerging from
single bore Standedge Tunnel near Marsden with a mixed freight on 25 July
1966 viewed from above canal tunnel; No. 44930 running into Preston with
a northbound express; No. 45087 passing Dalry station with a freight taking
the line for Kilmarnock and Dumfries circa 1961; No. 44824 in Holbeck roundhouse
with caption states utterly invisible Britannia Pacific No. 70001 Lord
Hurcomb; No. 45401 in Liverpool Lime Street about to add to the murk
on the soon to be electrified overhead structures in October 1965; No. 45228
descending from Shap with an express freight passing Scout Green crossing
on 8 January 1967; No. 44709 climbs away from Windermere with two empty coal
wagons on final steam worked freight on 2 August 1968; No. 45182 on climb
to Shap Summit which caption states "without assistance" but maybe a diesel
at rear (poor resolution); No. 44803 at Manchester Victoria on trans-Pennine
service on 13 August 1965.
What about the workers? 164-5
Black & white photo-feature: new Control Room at Rail House,
Birmingham with Leonard Sibley (Chief Traffic Controller), Bob Taylor (Divisional
Operating Superintendent), Hugh Jones (Deputy Chief Controller), and Jack
Cox (General Assistant to the Divisional Operating Superintendent); LNWR
staff in range of uniforms stand on, or next to, Precursor No. 1104
Cedric; newspapers being loaded into vans at Euston probably for Liverpool
in 1937 Sunday Post for Belfast; Tea Bar at Waterloo Station during
WW2 (soldiers and sausage rolls); winter 1947 at Barras near Stainmore Summit
with cutting blocked with snow being excavated.
Recalled to Cumbria. Gavin Morrison. 166-8
Colour photo-feature: two Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0s Nos. 42426 and 42528
at Bassenthwaite Lake station on RCTS excursion which included the liine
from Pentrith to Cockermouth & Workington on 13 June 1964 (note two camping
coaches); same train leaving Keswick for the west; Direct Rail Services Class
37 Nos. 37 218 and 37 604 with solitary nuclear flask passing Maryport on
diverted Crewe to Sellafield working on 12 April 2011; Class 31 No. 31 119
in grey Railfreight livery leaving Grange-over-Sands with 11.17 Barrow to
Manchester with coaches in Network South East and rail blue liveries on 23
June 1990; Class 66 No. 66 164 in EWS livery on Workington to Carlisle container
train near Maryport on 12 April 2011; Class 142 Pacer in Greater Manchester
PTE livery crossing Leven Viaduct heading for Ulverston on 23 June 1990;
Class 47 No. 47 501 arriving at Workington North (temporary station) with
16.25 from Maryport on 21 April 2010 (temporary service due to flood damage
in Workington)
Roger Griffiths and John Hooper. Yorkshire Coastal engine sheds
and their locomotives. Part Three. Bridlington engine shed. 169-75
The first engine shed dated from 1846 and was built by the Hull &
Selby Railway: it was a two-road shed and included a turntable. In 1875 these
fascilities were replaced and in 1892 a much larger shed intended to house
nine locomotives and a fifty foot Cowans Sheldon turntable and a large water
tank and coaling stage were installed. The LNER shed code was BRID and this
was replaced by 53D under British Railways. Prior to World War 1 the bulk
of the passenger services were worked by 901 or 1265 2-4-0s. Sentinel
locomotives, both Y1 and Y3, and steam railcars, which included
Criterion, were introduced by the LNER. The main duties are
tabulated and the classes stationed there from the formation of the LNER
until closure in 1963 are listed. Illustrations: Class J 4-2-2 No. 1525 at
Platform 5 in Bridlington station; map (British Railways bounded Beverley,
Malton and Scarborough); LNER plan of 1929 of Bridlington engine shed; K3
class 2-6-0 No. 2438 being turned manually on 20 June 1939 (probably on excursion
from Manchester); D49 No. 62750 The Pytchley and K3 No. 61899 arrive
with empty stock from the north on aa Saturday in July 1953 (Richard Postill);
V2 No. 60938 on new 60 foot turntable in August 1956 (Richard Postill); D49
No, 62703 Hertforshire in turntable pit on 27 May 1958 being retrieved
by Hull Dairycoates steam crane on or after 27 May 1956; Director class No.
62662 Prince of Wales on 60 foot turntable on 18 June 1959 (had arrived
with excursion from Sheffield); smoke pollution from engine shed in 1956
with B16 No. 61434 amidst filth; K3 No. 61889 which had arrived with the
Doncaster Pentecostal Sunday Schools excursion on 25 May 1962 alongside
Class 5 No. 44777 from Derby (N. Skinner); B1 No. 61087 taking on water whilst
driver move coal forward on 16 August 1963 (Richard Postill); Sentinel Y3
No. 68155 shunting during August 1952 (Richard Postill); and Jubilee class
No. 45694 Bellerophon with return Richard Whitakers excursion from
Halifax (locomotive in sparkling condition, exhaust glowing pink in evening
sunlight (Richard Postill: colour).
Anne-Mary Paterson. Private stations and waiting rooms
on the Highland Railway. 176-9.
Airlines still offer three classes of travel and provide waiting areas
for the more expensive classes. In earlier times most of the railway companies
provided similar luxury for priviledged iindividuals. The Highland Railway
was partly funded by the local landowners, most of whom had gathered their
wealth by clearing their tenants off the land, and this was used
to build castle-like mansions, some of which enjoyed private stations. Stations
described include Queen Victoria's waiting room at Ballater (also illustrated
in colour by Author prior to its loss in a fire). Her waiting toom at Windsor
is also mentioned. The Brookwood Necropolis in Surrey was served from
a separate area in Waterloo station, but in 1902 it was moved to its own
station off Westminster Bridge Road. Illustrations: Queen Victoria's
waiting room at Ballater; Dunrobin station in 1871 when covered in snow;
Dunrobin Castle statiion at pesent time (Author: colour); Blair Atholl station
with Duke classs 4-4-0 No. 72 Bruce; Alness station before closure
and subseqrent vandalism; Castle Grant platform (Simon Grosvenor: colour);
Duncraig Platform with octaginal waiting room; Blair Atholl station with
what looks like preserved Caledonian Railway carriages. See
also letter from Robin Leleux.
Alistair F. Nisbet. A new observation train.
180-5.
The text contains a serious error which is not repeated in the captions:
it is implied that the LNER beaver tail observation cars were built fot the
Silver Jubilee streamlined train, but they were built for the
Coromation. The article is in two parts: an overview of observation
coaches in mainland Britain and British Rail, especially the Scottish Region,
attempts to introduce observation cars on the major scenic routes. Illustrations:
Wilkes and Ashmore mock up of dome car which would have failed to meet the
limited loading gauge, North Eastern Railway petrol electric railcar with
clerestory in crimson and cream livery? and three paraffin headlamps; Maid
of Morven Pullman observation car in LMS period and without any evidence
other than visual of former Pullman ownership; Coronation beaver tail
observation car leaving Edinburgh with two paraffin rear lamps; interior
of Coronation beaver tail observation car; cleaning rear window
of Coronation beaver tail observation car at King's Cross; modified
(more angular) ex-Coronation observation car; Devon Belle
observation car at rear of Devon Belle at Exeter St David's;
former Devon Belle observation car on North Wales Land Cruise
at Criccieth in August 1959; interior of former Devon Belle
observation car; turning former Devon Belle observation car
at Blair Atholl whilst No. 103 Jones Goods stands by on 21 November 1959
(W.A.C. Smith). See also letters from John Macnab and
from Gerald Goodall.
Signal boxes in the new Willesden carriage sheds. Peter
Butler. 186-7
John McCrickard provided information for text of this black &
white photo-feature: the LMS acquired land between Harlesden and Wembley
stations to erect carriage sheds, but World War II interupted work and it
did not resume until 1946 when work on signal boxes started. The new complex
was opened by Lord Hurcomb on 9 March 1953. Willesden Carriage Shed North
box; cut-down Willesden Middle box; all timber Willesden Carriage Shed
South box; Willesden Brent Sidings signal box; view from previous looking
north above low level lines; interior Brent Sidings box. See
also letter from Graham Floyd
Welshpool once more. 188
Colour photo-feature: see also Volume 34 No. 10: "new" additions to
Colour-rail collection of final days of Welshpool & Llanfair Caereinion
narrow gauge line i.e. 1956: on 9 June the Civil Service Clerical Association
arrived by GWR railcar from Birmingham Snow Hill to travel on line in mineral
wagons; train shown on return journey through roundabout in Raven Square
disregarding road traffic signs and very final journey by Stephenson Locomotive
Society on 3 November 1956 when No. 822 and its passengers were greeted at
Raven Square by the Newtown Silver Band. See also rear
cover.
Robin Barnes. Cartoon corner. 189
Rather corny cartoon of Webb locomotives Problem and
Experiment being viewed at Crewe station by mother saying to daughter:
"we should ask papa if the London & North Western is safe!"
Readers' forum. 189.
Memories of a West Country signalman. Jim Parley.
189
On page 655 of Volume 35 there is a photograph of a 14XX at Tavistock
with a single ex-LMS brake composite with an SC (Scottish Region) number
[KPJ presumably on that dreadful through coach to and from Glasgow to
Plymouth]
Take the train for the boat. Stephen G. Abbott. 189
Typo: "London & Blackwell" should be "London &
Blackwall".
Take the train for the boat. Chris Magner. 189
Comment on the picture on page 52 of a rebuilt
Scot at Chester en route to Holyhead from whence it would work the up Irish
Mail to Euston without stopping under mainly dim oil-lit signals. It
was especially tiring for the fireman who had to shovel tons of coal into
the firebox
Motorail trains, John Macnab. 189
See letter from Arnold Totorella. Nomenclature:
MCV: LMS term for motor car vans (D2026 from 1938) replaced by CCT: covered
carriage truck. In early open carriage trucks use to convey motor cars. Cites
David Larkin. BR parcels and passenger rated
stock. Volume 1. Kestrel Books. 2014 and
Hugh Longworth. British Railways
pre-nationalisation coching stock. Volumes 1 and 2. Crecy.
2018/2019.
The shadow franchise. Bruce Laws. 189
See Volume 35 for article by Richard Clarke
Ipswich. Stephen G. Abbott. 189.
Bacon Factory curve opened from Boss Hall Junction to the aptly named
Europa Junction on the main line to Stowmarket in May 2014 which enables
trains for Ely to avoid reversing in Ipswich station
Book reviews. 190
The Leader locomotive: Bulleid's great experiment.
Kevin Robertson. Manchester: Crecy Publishing. 304pp. Reviewed
by Phil Atkins.
Very extensive and highly generous review
North Eastern electric stock 1904-2020: its design
and development. Graeme Gleaves. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. Reviewed
by RL **
Highly critical of lack of referencing especially as the topic has
a rich literature, but reviewer notes author owns a Tyneside electric (but
does note which type)
Edwardian steam: a locomotive kaleidoscope. Philip
Atkins. Manchester: Crecy Publishing. 256pp. Reviewed by SDW *****
Glowing review
Close encounter of the Welshpool kind. rear cover
See also page 186
Former Caledonian Railway 439 class |
|
The way of the world. Michael Blakemoor. 195.
Editorial: mission statement that failed to germinate, rather like
the absurd lack of catenary over the majority of railway tracks in spite
of the visible growth of electricity generation in the North Sea and the
pathetic attempts to harness nuclear power on a vast scale (small is
beautiful).
Northamptonshire ironstone. David Idle. 196-7.
Colour photo-feature with captions by John Scholes:
Ring Haw in No. 3 Quarry; Ring Haw and Jacks Green top
and tail 16-ton tippler wagons underneath Ruston Bucyrus 43RB mechanical
shovel; Ring Haw working hard banking train on incline out of quarry;
Jacks Green backing off train; Jacks Green looking smart prior
to leaving for Nene Valley (Ring Haw joined North Norfolk Railway
later where Kevin thought it must be "King Haw"). All taken about 31 December
1970.
Stephen Roberts. Norfolk's railways. 198-206
The bulk of the railway in Norfolk has always been that built by the
Great Eastern Railway with its main focus on linking Norwich with London.
The British Railways Britannia class brought the best time down to two hours
and the present best time is 90 minutes. The LNER introduced the East
Anglian train, but this was slow, lacked the glamour of the streamliners
on the ECML, but did have two B17 class named East Anglian and City
of London dressed in pseudo Pacific style. Great Yarmouth is served
by an early railway from Norwich which managed to stage a terrible head-on
crash in ZZZ at the time the stretch was being doubled. King's Lynn is the
other key destination with trains going to King's Cross (and some going via
Thameslink to destinations south of the Thames) and to Liverpool Street.
Prior to closure in ZZZ Hunstanton was served by through coaches to
Liverpool Street and Wolferton served Sandringham from which Her Majesty
the Queen used to enjoy travel to visit her loyal subjects. Illustrations:
D16/3 4-4-0 No, 62597 about to leave for King's Lynn with train for Liverpool
Street; D16/3 4-4-0 No, 62597 leaving Melton Constable with train for Sheringham
in August 1958 (Trevor Owen: colour); B17 No. 61638 at Yarmouth Vauxhall
with arrival and passengers looking at indicator board; another B17? alongside
an another arrival (E. Alger: colour); B1 4-6-0 No. 61059 at Norwich Thorpe
with white discs indicating express on 25 January 1958 (Ben Brooksbank);
Britannia No. 70030 William Wordsworth at Norwich Thorpe presumably
backing out in 1960 (colour); F4 2-4-2T No. 67176 leaving Yarmouth Beach
for Lowestoft via Gorleston-on-Sea with holiday express ex Derby (Ben
Brooksbank); Tivetshall station (postcard posted November 1916); C12 4-4-2T
No. 67386 on local train at King's Lynn on 7 September 1957 (T.J. Edgington);
Wolferton station in 1921; Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 No. 42108 at Melton Constable
on last day of services 28 February 1959 (David Lawrence: colour); Potter
Heigham station and post office on 22 January 1940 (postcard); Norwich Victoria
frontage with horse drawn cab in 1900s; V1 2-6-2T No. 7664 on long train
of corridor stock on 12.50 Cromer to Norwich and Liverpool Street at North
Walsham on 17 May 1948 (note single white disc); St. Ollave's station (postcard
posted October 1906); Sentinel steam railcar Tantivity at Caister
Camp with passengers at windows and holidaymakers on track (postcard posted
28 July 1935); Trimingham station in 1900s
Paul Bowen. The early operating years of the Mid Wales Railway 1864-1888.
207-12.
Illustrations: Map; Poster for Grand Eisteddfod at Llanwrtyd Wells
on 26 August 1878; Newbridge on Wye (postcard 1902); Mid Wales Railway Share
Certificate; Powell family of Brochen, Llysdinam loading their farm at Newbridge
on Wye for removal to Brecon in 1930s; Unloading coal at Newbridge on Wye
in 1950s; Agricultural machinery on a flat railway wagon at Newbridge on
Wye; Mid Wales Railway instructions to limit speed on specific curves and
over facing points; St. Harmon station with station mistress Sarah Jones
and porter Tom Lewis; passenger train crossing River Wye leaving Boughrood
going south; Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46523 on Moat Lane Junction to Brecon
train near Rhayader on 28 May 1958 (Trevor Owen: colour).
By the waters of Luddendenfoot. Gavin Morrison. 214-15.
Photo-feature: Patriot class No. 45517 on Liverpool Exchange to Newcastle
on Luddendenfoot troughs on 20 April 1961 (colour); Horwich 2-6-0 No. 42701
and class 5 No. 45284 on Newcastle to Red Bank newspaper empties on 23 July
1956 (black & white); BR Standard type 4 4-6-0 No. 75018 on 16.37 Manchester
Victoria to Leeds Central picking up water on 23 June 1961 (colour); ex-Midland
Railway 4F 0-6-0 No. 43852 picking up water en route to Sowerby Bridge with
a local freight on 23 July 1956 (black & white); ex-LMS Type 4 2-6-0
No. 43056 hauling single officers' inspection saloon over troughs on 20 April
1961 (colour).
Rob Langham. Strikes, overcrowding. fishwives and zeppelin:
the first twenty years of the North Eastern Railway's electrics. Part One.
216-21.
Electric tramways opened in 1901 and this led to an over 60% reduction
in passenger traffic: in 1904 the Board decided to electrify the North Tyneside
suburban lines. This policy was greatly assisted by the advanced state of
electr ical technology in Newcastle and the presence of Merz & McLellan
electrical consultants and Joseph Swan in Sunderland who had developed the
e lectr ical incandescent lamp and Sir William Armstrong who used
hydro-electricity to power his mansion at Cragside. Services started with
power from the Neptune Bank generating station, but a broken shaft disrupted
progress until the larger Carrville station started to generate.
Stray electric current disrupted General Post Office telegraph lines and
this led to their duplication and protection and the laying of extra conductor
rails to draw away leaking currents. The North Eastern made much on passenger
safety: there were no passenger deaths on the electric system. But the staff,
children and horses which had strayed onto the line were less fortunate.
Rubber gloves and rubber mats were supplied to protect staff. Severe arcing
sometimes occurred and one train ran into a rail which had come to be in
contact with the conductor rail and this caused fire to spread to the passenger
compartment, but this was extinguished by sand. Bird strikes were a problem.
Covering with mesh made signal sighting difficult and in the end small porthole
windows were adopted. Sources were predominantly from Tyneside, but some
are from Aberdeen which has still to see an electric train. Illustrations:
Early coloured postcard despicting NER electric train (pink livery!); Colourised
image of NER electric train in correct livery at New Bridge Street (NERA);
Train formed of very mixed rolling stock and timber boards to protect live
rails whitewashed (John F. Mallon/NERA); Interior of electric train (coloured
image/NERA); Electric train at Tynemouth; Preserved electric parcels van
(colour); Electric locomotive for Quayside branch with bow-mounted collector;
Electric locomotive No. 1 with pantograph at South Trafalgar goods yard.
Part 2 see page 306.
Alan Tyson on the East Coast Route. 222-3
Black & white photo-feature: A3 No. 60108 Gay Crusader
leaving Peterborough with 12.05 semi-fast for King's Cross on 28 May
1962; V2 No. 60881 with double chimney leaving York wtth a northbound express
on 5 August 1961; A4 No. 60031 Golden Plover crossing Waterworks
crossing York with Saturday equivalent of The Elizabethan on 5 August
1961; A4 No. 60006 Sir Ralph Wedgwood passing Retford station on 9
September 1961; A1 No. 60136 Alcazar leaving Peterborough passing
under Crescent Bridge with an up express on 28 May 1962; A3 No. 60043 Brown
Jack leaving Edinburgh Waverley with 11.05 for King's Cross on 13 May
1962.
Scottish expeditions. Gerald Daniels.
Colour photo-feature with captions by Michael S. Welch: No. 1649 at
The Mound with the train to Dornoch on 10 September 1958; Ex-Caledonian 294
class 0-6-0 at Port of Mentieth level crossing with freight from Stirling;
Ex-Caledonian 294 (Jumbo) class 0-6-0 No. 57340 leaving Wigtown with freight
for Whithorn in early 1960s; B1 4-6-0 No. 61352 handing over single line
token at Banavie on 12.30 from Mallaig to Glasgow Queen Street on 2 September
1961 (Eileen & Kevin's Wedding Day) Ex-Caledonian design 439 class 0-4-4T
No. 55263 at Duror on Ballachulish branch on 5 May 1959; No. 1649 crossing
bridge at head of Loch Fleet having left The Mound with the freight train
to Dornoch on 10 September 1958; Crianlarich Upper station with 10.21 with
Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig at platform on 8 September 1958
Jeffrey Wells. The Trent Valley line in the years 1845-1900. 227-33.
The initial attempts to gain Parliamentary approval for the line known
as the Manchester to Birmingham Extensión and its successor
, the Stafford & Rugby Railway both failed in spite of Sir Robert Peel's
desire for it, but a third attemt was successful on 16 July 1846.
John William Livock was the
architect. Illustrations: Platform 1 at Stafford station c1900; Western portico
of Shugborough Tunnel; Eastern portico of Shugborough Tunnel; Colwich station
designed by Livock; Rugeley station platforms in LNWR period; Webb Teutonic
2-2-2-2 No. 1904 Jeannie Deans passing through Lichfield Low Level
station at high speed on 10.00 Scotch Express; Webb Class E compound 2-8-0
No. 1017 passing Tamworth Low Level with a train of loaded open wagons (lift
to High Level & platform buildings thereon clearly visible; Cauliflower
0-6-0 No. 1235 leaving Tamworth passing water pumping station and signal
box; Polesworth station entrance; Irish Mail passing Atherstone station
and level crossing; Atherstone station with quadrupling in progress viewed
from Watling Street Bridge; Lady of the Lake 2-2-2 hauled train being loaded
or unloaded with milk chrnns at low platform at Nuneaton, Rugby station probably
during WW1
Philip Atkins. 'ABC' absentees. 234-8.
Locomotives which were added to the stock of the Main Line companies
after the Grouping which failed to survive to enter the stock of the nationalised
British Railways. The majority had been ordered and designed by the pre-grouping
companies. Two "handsome" 0-6-0s built by the Yorkshire Engine Co. in 1923
for the Maryport & Carlisle Railway and numbered 12513 and 12514 by the
LMS were withdrawn in December 1933 and March 1934. Other than having different
chimneys and cabs they were identical to the Matthew Stirling 0-6-0s built
in Sheffield and Leeds for the Hull & Barnsley Railway between 1911 and
1914. These became LNER Class J28 and were fitted with new domed boilers
at Darlington Works, but all had been withdrawn by 1938. The Hughes Lancashire
& Yorkshire Railway four-cylinder 4-6-0s and related 4-6-4Ts had been
considered by Stanier for being fitted with taper boilers, but this was changed
to a "new-build" policy. All the tank engines went without beinng converted
to 4-6-0s, but in 1938 the worsening political situation led to the remaining
locomotives being kept in service.
Gordon Biddle. Williams revisited. 239-42.
Our iron roads: their history, construction and administration
(1852) and The Midland Railway: its rise and progress (1876) are both
assessed and appreciated for their significance to railway history: the former
is examined on a chapter by chapter basis — there are sixteen chapters.
The first covers 42 topics which range from coaching days to the early tramroads
and onto the Stockton & Darlington and Liverpool & Manchester Railways.
Chapter 2 records the early hostility to railways (Wordsworth and Colonel
Sibthorpe). Chaapter 3 covers railway promotion including the involvement
of Parliament. Chapter four assesses the nature of the routes to be followed
by railways to avoid steep inclines and concludes with the geometry of cuttings
especially deep ones. Chapter 5 continues this theme with especially difficult
earthworks over marshes and through cliffs. Chapter six covers notable tunnels.
Chapter seven covers notable viaducts and bridges and includes the train
ferries across the Forth which he termed "steam bridge" or "floating railway".
Chapter eight describes the permament way and includes the question of gauge
and what Biddle considers to be an out of place a description of a footplate
journey from Bedford through to the Metropolitan Railway with a change to
a condensing locomotive for the Kentish Town to Moorgate section. Chapter
nine covers stations and signalling. With the exception of Chapter 15 which
covers foreign railways rather thinly Chaper ten onwards is rather a melange,
but includes the Newark brake trials which were indicative that British r
aillways were beginning to take safety seriously. Illustrations: Shugborough
Tunnel; Shakespeare's Cliff (both engravings from Our iron roads);
Tring Cutting under construction (from
J.C. Bourne); Conway Tubular Bridge with Castle to left; Britannia Tubular
Bridge with Robert Stephenson insert (LNWR image); Junction signals (engraving
from Our iron roads); Midland Railway 4-4-0 No. 1330 with 7ft driving
wheels built by Dübs & Co. in 1877.
Tim Graves, A dangerous liaison: Stamp, Stanier, Gresley and the Nazis.
243.
This is an excelllent thought provoking article with well-chosen
illustrations, but does not give access to key accounts in the Journal
of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers: see
also 1938 Volume 28 page 565 and others
Key members of the German party were
Richard Wagner (whom Stanier
regarded as a friend and was forced into retirement during WW2); and the
German Minister of Transport
Julius Dorpmüller.
By a "fortunate coincidence" E. Leslie Burgin, Minister of Transport, was
in Scotland at the time and was able to attend (Burgin was definitely an
appeaser. Guests at the Institution's Annual Dinner included the Earl of
Elgin (David Bruce), Sir James Lithgow, Col. A.H.L. Mount. the Lord Provost,
Sir Cecil Weir, John Craig and Sir James Lithgow. Past-Presidents who were
also there included W.A. Agnew, A.C. Carr, H. Kelway-Bamber, and Sir Nigel
Gresley. The chair was occupied by Mr. W.A. Stanier, the President. Illustratins:
Hitler looking out of a carriage window; Dawes Committee with Josiah Stamp
amongst members (Committee sought to soften effects of Treaty of Versailles
on German economy; Stamp shaking hand with Driver Bishop on Coronation
Scot at Euston on 9 January 1939 before setting out for the World's Fair
in the USA (David Neal); Stanier (portrait); Gresley on footplate of No.
4489 Dominion of Canada (Ronald Hillier); Richard Wagner (portrait);
Julius Dorpmüller saluting Hitler in 1937; photograph taken by member
of Institution of Locomotive Engineers on visit to Germany in 1936 of railway
workers in canteen with brown shirts and Rudolf Hess present (David Neal);
German Railways poster seeking British visitors (colour); Stanier with German
guests on arrival at Glasgow with one guest shaking hands with driver of
Coronation class Pacific Duchess of Gloucester and German party on
Forth Bridge.
Taking the 'Orient Express'. Rodney Lissenden.248-9.
Class 73 No. 73 129 in Network South East livery descending from Polhill
Tunnel towards Sevenoaks on 28 Narch 1999; English, Welsh
& Scottish Class 59 No. 59 202 Vale of White Horse passing Kemsing
station on 7 November 2002 printed in reverse see
apology; EWS liveried Class 37 No. 37 694 climbing away from Tonbridge
towards Tumbridge Wells en route to Hastings on 14 January 1998; EWS Class
66 No. 66 094 heading train from Battle to Victoria towards Polhill Tunnel
on 12 August 2002; Royal Train engine No. 47 799 Prince Henry working
VSOE from Victoria to Folkestone Harbour on 3 April 2003 (support van painted
in scarlet and yellow)
In the west of Wales. John White.250-2.
Black & white photo-feature: Manor class 4-6-0 No. 7826 Longworth
Manor at Llanpumpsaint on 10.35 Carmarthen to Aberystwyth on 30 July
1963; 4575 2-6-2T No. 5550 at Glogue with 17.45 from Cardigan to Whitland
on 1 September 1962; 74XX 0-6-0PT No. 7442 enteriong Abergwili station with
12,30 Carmarthen to Llandilo train on 29 July 1963; No. 7814 Fringford
Manor at Neyland shed having arrived on Capital United Express
on 31 July 1963; Hymek diesel hydraulic No. D7030 running round its train
(the 10.35 from Carmarthen) at Strata Florida on 20 February 1965; Cardigan
station with 45XX 2-6-2T No. 4569 on 15.40 from Whitland on 1 September 1962
whilst No. 5550 is backing on to take 17.45 back to Whitland; Cross Country
DMU at Pembroke station on 14.45 Pembroke Dock to Whitland service on 8 April
1967 (station building since demolished, but train service survives).
Readers' forum. 253-4.
What a lovely job this job is. James
Rogers.
A4 class No. 60023 Golden Eagle featured in a BBC television
documentary on York engine shed yard in which a member of the shed staff
spoke to the presenter — in the case of the A4 "this engine has just
brought in an express from King's Cross". The programme does not appear to
have ever been issued as a DVD.
Take the train for the boat. Stephen G.
Abbott.
An advantage of the Harwich to Hook of Holland route for overnight
journeys was the full night sleep on the boat. Dinner and breakfast were
served in style on the Hook Continental between Liverpool Street and
Parkeston Quay. The former North Country Continental lapsed into ever
more meager diesel multiple unit accommodation, every possible port of call
in Manchester and ultimate Lancashire destination and an exotic name:
Loreley. The Port Road to Stranraer closed in June 1965, not 1966
and trains from Euston were diverted via Mauchline and Ayr and then further
via Kilmarnock and Barassie from May 1975.
Take the train for the boat. Graham
Smith
The through service from King's Cross to Tyne Commission Quay ran
on Saturdays until at least November 1968 as writer used it on 9 November
for a day trip to visit a friend in Newcastle. The caption for the Orient
Line boat train at St. Pancras over states its length as platforms thereat
were short and some very short.
Take the train for the boat. Leonard
Rogers
The former North Country Continental changed to diesel traction
from the start of the 1961 summer timetable with electric traction between
Sheffield and Guide Bridge and steam thence from there. From September 1963
the train terminated at Manchester Piccadilly. From January 1970 the train
moved to the Hope Valley route with its expensive to maintain tunnels. The
GN/GE Joint Line via Lincoln was abandoned in May 1973 in favour of the route
via Peterborough, Grantham, Nottingham and Sheffield. From May 1982 it was
diverted to Manchester Victoria and extended to Glasgow and Edinburgh and
named The European.
Take the train for the boat. Bill
Beavis. 253-4.
The Norseman through service from King's Cross to Tyne Commission
Quay. Writer as a child observed A4 class and Deltic locomotives working
to/from Tyne Commission Quay. A1 Pacific No. 60130 Kestrel was
photographed at Monkseaton.
Take the train for the boat. Peter
Steer. 254.
Take the bus provided by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. from Lime
Street where the Manxman to the boat on the Mersey was berthed beneath
the Liver Building. It is possible to rail and sail to the Isle of Man by
using DMU from Preston to Heysham and thence on
Ben-my-Chree.
Aspects of the Manchester & Leeds Railway.
Keith Crowther. 254.
On page 23 of January Issue caption states "last of three tunnels":
there were four.
Frustrations of fuel efficiency. Bill
Taylor. 254.
Argues that the Franco-Crosti boiler was a waste of money and that
Ron Jarvis was involved in the design work.
Across Folkestone Harbour. Rodney Lissenden. rear
cover
Class 58 No. 58 020 Doncaster Works with Venice-Simplon-Orient
working on 23 July 2001.
GWR County 4-6-0 No. 1028 County of |
|
Nationalisation didn't stand a chance. A.J. Mullay. 259.
Guest Editorial. Following the collapse of Southeastern Trains the
Serious Fraud Office stepped in to keep services running by nationalisation
of the ccompany. Mullay is highly critical of the 1948 Nationalisation which
produced a diminutive Commission and a vast Raiilway Executive. Lord Hurcombe,
a senior civil servant brought in as Chairman of the Commission.
Working the Wensleydale stone. Keith Dungate. 260-1
Colour photo-feature: all locomotives featured type 37 in Railfreight
grey livery working in pairs on British Steel Teesside's two-axle limestone
wagons built by the Standard Wagon Co. at Heywood on Redmire
to Redcar workings: Nos. 37 514 and 37 517 at Redmire on the 14.24
to Tees Yard on 4 April 1989; Nos. 37 515 and 37 516 on the 14.24 to
Tees Yard on 14 June 1989 passing Preston-under-Scar on 14 June 1989
(Bolton Castle in background); Nos. 37 517 and 37 514 assemble their
train in former Redmire station platform on 4 April 1989; Nos. 37 517
and 37 514 near Wensley on 09.25 Redcar Mineral Terminal to Redmire empty
wagons on 4 April 1989; Nos. 37 515 and No. 37 516 near Harmby on the 14.24
to Tees Yard on 14 June 1989 (stone dust haze from above wagons).
Stephen G. Abbott. From Rugby to Peterborough: the heyday and demise
of a cross-country route. Part one. 262-70.
Illustrations: LMS development of LTSR 79 class 4-4-2T No.
41975 with single coach for Uppingham at Seaton Junction in 1958 (train arriving
in adjacent platform from Market Harborough (colour); map of route; Fairburn
2-6-4T No. 42062 departing Peterborough East with a corridor train for Rugby
in April 1964 (Peterborough East signal box dominating scene; ex-Midland
Railway 3F 0-6-0 on up freight at Thorpe-by-Water west of Seaton on 26 July
1955 (C.W. Harris); 4P Compound No. 41162 running into Seaton on a Peterborough
to Rugby train (C.W. Harris); King's Cliffe station (John Alsop Collection);
Stanier Class 4 2-6-4T No. 42487 on a Peterborough to Rugby train in May
1951 (ex-Midland Railway 0-4-4T in Uppingham bay) (John Alsop Collection);
Thorpe-by-Water level crossing (C.W. Harris); Wansford station exterior on
8 June 1954 (T.J. Edgington); Fairburn 2-6-4T No. 42601 entering Rockingham
station with a Peterborough to Rugby train on 23 April 1956 (C.W. Harris);
Austerity WD 2-8-0 No. 90156 assisting 4F 0-6-0 No. 44160 on a Whittlesea
to Spring Vale (Bilston) coke train on 9 October 1954 (C.W. Harris); two
Stanier 2-6-4T double-head special for Uppingham School on 4 October 1955;
(C.W. Harris); Wansford station looking towards Peterborough and level crossing
across A1 Great North Road (John Alsop Collection).
Mike Fenton. London Midland & Scottish — the camping coach
remembered. Part one. 270-5.
Stamp and
Byrom were highly skeptical of
camping coaches, despite the intervention of Sir Pendrill Charles Varrier-Jones
(born in Wales on 24 February 1883, died 30 January 1941) educated at
St. John's College, Cambridge, who created the Papworth Village Settlement,
for the treatment of tuberculosis and which became a model for other settlements
was greatly in favour of the camping coach concept. Ashton Daviies was charged
with implementing the caravan coach scheme once it became clear that the
other members of the Big Four were entering this market. The coaches had
accommodation for six people and unlike those on the other railways were
subject to a considerable rearrangement with the day room being separate
from the sleeping area where beds were arranged lengthways unlike those on
the LNER where a crossway was retained. The LMS sought the relatvely poor
working class market where only low cost return tickets and low cost
accommodation could be afforded, hence the behomoth of over thirty coaches
at Heysham, not very far from Morecambe. Rather further away was the
vehicle at Ingleton which could only be reached by walking through
the village. This reflected railway politics. The passenger station was that
of the Midland Railway which had acquired the Little North Western in a bid
to reach Scotland whilst the one used to stable the coach was on the LNWR
and on a section of line used solely as a divertionary route when the Settle
& Carlisle was closed for maintence or due to snow. The Burnley family
from Liverpool were not worried about the walk but were surprised when
their holiday hamper from Cooper's Grocery in Liverpool arrived in the cab
of a locomotive. From 1935 sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland were
added (the latter via the Northern Counties Committee and the coaches only
accommodated four). Illustrations: LMS enamel sign advertising camping coaches;
interior of coach hired by Clarke family at Dyserth in 1934 showing table
set for final evening dinner with napkins folded for meal and flowers on
table; fresh linen being delivered to caravaners at Bolton Abbey in 1935;
Torver on the Coniston branch with caravan coach and ladies in short trousers
(photograph taken by Kate Mallard in 1935); LMS list of caravan sites in
1936; caravan coaches at Pony-Pant in the Ledr Valley with coach No. 46040
in 1936 with Burnley family from Liverpool (David Norman); 34 caravan coaches
were berthed at Heysham where some of the occupants were photographed sunbathing
on rock strewn bank near sea; Drew family on roof of caravan coach photographing
others in family waltzing to music from wind-up gramophone; inside Derby
Works from carefully staged activity on caravan coaches (LMS
Magazine).
David Andrews. A superseded idea: the four ages of the Stratford &
Moreton Tramway. 276-81.
Malleable iron rails were used for the first time south of Darlington
and were manufactured by John Bradley & Co. of Stourbridge and John Walker
of Wolverhampton. Glazebrooks with works near Dudley made all the cast iron
chairs.James Foster of Stourbridge produced all the points, switches and
crossings. Alexander Clunes Sherriff
of the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway and his assistant
Robert Hudson who in 1861 was
manager of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal published a booklet on the Tramway.
Illustrations: original terminal buildings at Moreton-in-Marsh in 1966 before
destruction for supermarket in 1966 (R.K. Cope); tramway siding at Stratford
Wharf in 1910 (Jack Stretton-Ward of Leamington Spa); map; preserved tramway
wagon at Stratford in 1930s (R.S. Carpenter Collection); looking west from
Newbould Wharf with rails in situ (R.K. Cope); Newbould Wharf on 3
March 1918 with rails in situ (R.K. Cope); bridge over Stratford-upon-Avon
& Midland Junction Railway with Tramway rails still in place in 1910
(H.J. Stretton-Ward); map; approach to Stratford-upon-Avon south of bridge
across the Avon in March 1918 (R.K. Cope); bridge over River Avon looking
north c1910 (H.J. Stretton-Ward); map; preserved rail at Stratford
in 1930s (R.S. Carpenter Collection).
Jeffrey Wells, The LNWR's Branch: a promise unfulfilled. 282-6.
After a very long gestation which included starting from Galgate and
proposals by the Midland Railway the LNWR branch opened from the north end
of Lancaster Castle station to Glasson Dock on 4 July 1883. The contractors
for the line were Holme & Green of Wigan.
Tite was the architect for Lancaster
station which according to Wells was under the "direction" of "Mr Hembrow".
There were halts at Conder Green and Ashton Hall; the latter for the exclusive
use of its residents. The passenger service ended on 6 July 1930 and all
traffic ended beyond Freemans Wood on 7 September 1964. Illustrations: LNWR
locomotive at Glasson Dock station with smartly dressed passengers on platform;
map of Lancaster and Glasson Dock with River Lune; Lancaster station northbound
platform; Lancaster station facade (all John Alsop Collection); bridge
over River Conder (now cycle path); Glasson Dock station probably in LMS
period; Fairburn Class 4 2-6-4T No. 42136 at Glasson Dock with SLS/MLS
Northern Fells Rail Tour on 29 May 1960 (T.J. Edgington). Inevitably
Conder takes flight as Condor.
Hi-De-Hi Holidays: holiday camps served by train. 287.
Colour photo-feature: D16/3 4-4-0 No. 62613 leaves Gorleston-on-Sea
with an express going towards Lowestoft with Gorleston Super Holiday Camp
in background (Kevin used to take his grandson Kyle to school on site of
camp); BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76096 at Butlin's Heads of Ayr Holiday
Camp on remnant of Maidens & Dunure Light Railway in August 1965; Butlin's
Filey Holiday Camp in terminal decline on 9 July 1977 with three two-car
DMUs on arriving train met by buggies from Camp to move guests and their
luggage to the Camp (J.S. Gilks).
Out with the County set. 288-91.
Colour photo-feature: [all Hawksworth 1000 class]: No. 1021 County
of Montgomery newly ex-Works outside Swindon shed on 1 November 1959
(R. Patterson); No. 1013 County of Dorset passing Tingley Junction
en route for Trowbridge and Westbury with three coaches and three vans in
1961 (P.M. Alexander); No. 1016 County of Hants leaving Newton Abbott
with Plymouth to Glasgow service on 21 September 1961; No. 1014 County
of Glamorgan on Cheltenham to Paddington express formed of carmine &
cream stock on 31 May 1958; No. 1026 County of Salop with
single chimney on 07..50 St. Austell to Wolverhampton Low Level leaving
Teignmouth in August 1957 (C. Hogg); No. 1002 County of Berks with
single chimney in lined black livery passing Twyford with a Penzance
express formed of carmine & cream stock (Trevor Owen); No. 1022 County
of Stafford passing Johnson station en route for Carmarthen passing local
train with insulated van at rear going in opposite direction (J.M. Cramp);
No. 1011 County of Chester climbing Sapperton bank en route from
Gloucester to Swindon with Stephenson Locomtive Society special on 20 September
1964.
Murray Tremeller. The career of James Robb Scott:
reassessing architectural practice of the Southern Railway. 292-8.
James Robb Scott
was the final architect on the LSWR and the first on the
Southern Railway. On the Southern he acquired seeveral assistants
of whom Rodney Harris,
Guy Morgan and
Edwin Maxwell Fry have been
identified. Three styles were adopted: historical (Baroque; neo-Georgian
and neoclassical); Modern and Streamline Moderne or Ar t Deco. Stephen Parissien
on English railway stations is cited. Illustrations: Victory Arch at Waterloo
Station in 1922 (LSWR War Memorial) (John Alsop Collection); Margate
station facade possibly work of Edwin Maxwell Fry opened in 1925 but photgraphed
on 25 October 1969 (John Alsop Collection); Margate station booking hall
(Author: colour); Ramsgate station facade on 21 March 1970 (John Alsop
Collection); Ramsgate station booking hall with coat of arms for Ramsgate
(Author: colour); Hastings station facade on 30 June 1964 demolished in 2004
(John Alsop Collection); Wimbledon Chase station facade with bold "SOUTHERN
RAILWAY" (1929) lift tower since demolished (John Alsop Collection); Wimbledon
station facade with British Rail and London Transport logos in April 2018
(Author: colour); Malden Manor station facade in Southern Railway ownership;
Chessington South station platforms.
Barry Taylor. From Barry to Finedon. 299. 2
illustrations
Alfred Grant Mason was born in the St. Andrew's District of Cardiff
on 12 December 1871. By 1890 he was employed by the Barry Docks &
Railway Co. as a parcel porter and then became a foreman porte. IIn
1891 he uncovered a ticket fraud at Penarth and from 1913 he was station
master for Barry, Barry Island and Barry Docks. He was also responsible
for the pleasure steamers based there, He
retiired in 1932. He died on 1 September 1940 in a motor vehicle accident
at Finedon when staying with his daughter. Illustrations: Alfred Grant
Mason in Barry Raillway station master's attire and in group photograph at
Barry station probably taken to mark his retirement in 1932.
BR standard gauge to Blaenau Ffestiniog. John Spencer Gilks (deceased).
300-1.
Black & white photo-feature: DMU approaching two mile long Festiniog
tunnel on 28 May 1970; DMU in blue livery near Roman Bridge in the valley
of Afon Lledr; 74XX No. 7417 at Trawsfynydd on local goods from Bala on 12
May 1958; view from guard's van of local freight from Bala near Trawsfynydd;
No. 7414 encounters No. 7442 at Festiniog.
The bridge high above the Forth. Gavin Morrison. 302-5.
Colour photo-feature: Forth Bridge: preserved A4 No. 60009 Union
of South Africa leaving the Forth Bridge at north end with the Festival
Flyer fom Edinburgh to Aberdeen on 1 September 1979; Arriving at Dalmeny
Class 101 DMU with Edinburgh bound service on 24 May 1975 (semaphore signals
and facing points visible); view taken from top of north cantilever on 5
June 2014 (in red refurbished state); view taken from top of north cantilever
with Class 66 far below on a freight on 11 July 2003; Class 158 coming off
south end with Perth to Edinburgh service on 23 August 1991; looking
down to the south from top of north cantilever (in red refurbished
state) on 5 June 2014; 14.00 King's Cross to Aberdeen high speed train (HST)
in GNR livery on 7 September 2017 leaving Bridge at north end whilst bridge
partially shrouded during refurbishment; Deltic No. 55 017The Durham Light
Infantry on 08.55 Edinburgh to Aberdeen six coach train on 20 April 1981;
frigate HMS Rapid heading for Rosyth between cantilevers on 31 May
1973; Centenary being celebrated by lighting at night on 24 August
1991.
Rob Langham. Strikes, overcrowding. fishwives and a
zeppelin: the first twenty years of the North Eastern Railway's Tyneside
electrics. Part Two. 306-11.
Part 1 see page 216. Accidents affecting electric
trains: Lt. Col.P.G. Von Donop was
appreciative of the extra workload imposed by electric trains when two collided
due mainly to signalman error at Manors East on 1 March 1913. mainly collisions
and excessive speed on approach to termini. Passengers' bad behaviour, including
some fuelled by alcohol. Riding on the steps seemed to as common place as
in India. Trains were bombed during WW1 mainly during Zeppelin raids. In
1916 six horses got over the fences and were electrocuted. Fire at Walkergate
depot on 11 August 1918 which led to bthe destruction of 34 cars and their
eventual replacemt by 1920 stock which had elliptical instead of clerestory
roofs. Design of snowploughs including one designed by Metz and McLellan
based on one used on the New York Interboroug Subway. A double ended
snowplough was designed at York and based on a shunter's wagon. Steel wire
brushes were used to scrape ice and snow off the conductor rail. Strikes
were either particular to the electric trains (there was a lack of provision
for meal breaks) or over company or national issues, The Newcastle Daily
Chronicle is a frequent source for information. Illustrations: two Tyneside
electric trains in Newcastle Central station (North Eastern Railway Association:
coloured image); interior of NER electric train (most passengers bowler hatted)
(Beamish Museum); electric train passing through Backworth station; cartoon
of electric train in Shields Daily Gazette on 3 October 1903; early
coloured postcard of Tyneside electric train (colour); landslide on electric
line in December 1915; train for New Bridge Street passing Benton station
(North Eastern Railway Association); strangely coloured postcard of electric
train at West Jesmond (almost Pullman livery)
Philadelphia story. David Sutcliffe. 312-13.
Black & white photo-feature: photographs taken on 8 June 1961:
0-6-0ST No. 63 built Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn in 1949 which went
to Philadelphia from Sherburn Hill Colliery in 1959 and 0-6-2T No. 29 built
by Kitson & Co. in 1904 and extant on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
outside engine works next to coal staithes; 0-6-2T No. 57 built by Hawthorn,
Leslie in 1934
Peter Butler. The Wymington deviation. 314-16.
George
Hudson through his effort to create the Midland Railway
out of three separate companies, and the development of coal and ironstone
industries within their territory led to its bid to extend to London initially
via Bedford and Hitchin. In 1877 the piers on the viaduct at Sharnbrook began
to sink and the viaduct had to be replaced,
Charles Magniac was
involved in the direction of the railway by easing its way through his
estates. Charles Stanfield Wilson,
civil engineer, was employed in the construction of the deviation. Acknowledges
assistance of Geoffrey Webb of Bedford for assistance with working timetables.
The lines were threatened by rationalisation and the route through
Sharnbrook tunnel was reduced to single track, but double has been restored
and is being electrified. Illustrations: Wymington signal box on 30 April
1966; map of Wymington deviation, north portal of Sharnbrook tunnel on 16
November 1972; 8F No. 48225 passing Wymington on up coal train on 2 November
1965; viaducts at Sharnbrook; aqueduct at Wymington in 1872 before being
rebuilt.
Readers' forum. 317-18.
Gremlin attack. Editor. 317.
Page 248 (bottom photograph): printed in reverse
The J94 saddle tanks.Paul Blurton.
317
Re J94 crossing road at Longcliffe stated in caption, but not
so: A5012 between Fridon and Minninglow. Reasons stated and also destruction
of C&HPR station at Longcliffe by a dynosaur HGV.
Take the train for the boat. Peter
Neville.. 317
By 1963 the evening service which connected with the train from Stranraer
Harbour to Glasgow St. Enoch had become an ordinary DMU and lost the glamour
associated with boat trains (KPJ this is unfair on the InterCity units on
which Kevin & Eileen travelled as far as Paisley (Kevin) and Kilwinning
(Eileen)) when the engagement ring was given and worn just before Christmas
in 1960). On that holiday weekend the writer was only sixteen and the majority
of the passengers were drinking and the guard hustled him into the driver's
cab. (KPJ: were the passengers Rangers supporters and did the buffets
last that long?)
Take the train for the boat.
Anon. 317
Further to the article on British boat trains two other, albeit unlikely
places, which saw 'boat trains' of ssorts were Cardiff and Poole.
In April 1929 the Great Western Railway's (GWR) docks at Cardiff saw the
start of an occasional service for emigrant traffic to Canada despite the
port having no history of scheduled passenger services or proper passenger
facilities. The GWR provided terminal facilities such as they were, whilst
Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) owned the ships. Use was made of the Queen
Alexandra Dock in the port complex with the CPR ships tying up alongside
the 'A' sorting and transshipment shed on the port's northern side.
Pre-embarkation formalities took place in the 'A' Shed presumably in a part
kept clear of cargo. The other side of the Queen Alexandra Dock was
given over to the coal shipping traffic whilst there was also a large steelworks
close by on its northem side, allo of which could hardly acted as incentives
to attract passenger traffic. Perhaps CPR and the GWR calculated tacitly
that emigrants excited about setting out on the first stage of a new life
would not care about their surroundings at their place of departure? However,
the facilities would never have matched up to the expectations of the high
end, trans-North Atlantic traffic which was firmly tied to Liverpool
and Southampton also becoming increasingly important.
Although details are ssparse and at times confusing, reports in the Cardiff-based
Western Mail suggest that on at least two occasions, the GWR ran 'special
boat trains' from Cardiff General station on to the quayside alongside the
'A' Shed where some sort of temporary platform was in place. The 'A' Shed
had a loading platform that ran the length of its south side used for
loading and discharging railway wagons. Was this perhaps utilised? Having
arrived at Cardiff General from elsewhere the emigrants changed there to
their 'boat train' for the short journey through the docks and brought them
alongside their ship and close to 'A' Shed!. On one occasion at least. through
carriages from elsewhere may have been worked over the docks lines but this
is not entirely clear from the press report. The Western Mail's
coverage went into hyper-enthusiastic overdrive predicting on
what basis other than a reporter with an uninhibited imagination, that this
was a new beginning for Cardiff which looked set to overtake Liverpool in
the trans-Atlantic passenger trade! This was at best, totally unfounded
speculation, if not sheer fantasy. As is the case today, the opinions of
unnamed 'experts' (a 'prominent Cardiff docks man' etc.) were enlisted to
give weight to the story. The Wall Street Crash of October 1929 and the
subsequent Great Depression seem to have soon ended the programme, which
was only of occasional nature anyway, by the third quarter of 1930 at the
latest. The Queen Alexandra Dock was to see plenty of 'boat trains'
of a different sort a decade or so later as its railway tracks close to and
parallel with the quayside made it very suitable for troops departing to
or arriving from overseas during World War II.
The CPR/GWR initiative at Cardiff can be seen in retrospect as the final
chapter in the story of attempts, or more accuratelly, suggestions and lobbying,
periodically made by South Wales interests to bring CPR's UK terminal to
somewhere on the South Wales coast. These began in the second half of the
1890s even before CPR entered the North Atlantic shipping trade in 1903.
At various times Barry, Fishguard, Cardiff, Milford Haven and Swansea were
all cited in this context. In September 1909, the GWR's General Agent in
Canada, R.H. Lea, had predicted great
things of a future CPR/GWR relationship at Fishguard when he had disembarked
there from the Cunard liner Lusitania. Given that he was speaking
to the local press pack at the time, was he giving them the story they
and doubtless his employer, wanted to hear? In the event Lea, and many others,
would have been disappointed regarding Fishguard's future, or lack
of, as a recognised trans-Atlantic passenger terminal be it for the CPR,
the GWR or anyone else. His unfulfilled predictions do not seem to have harmed
his career as he went on tobe the GWR's principal North America agent with
an office address on Fifth Avenue, New York City no less, In part, the pre-l9l4
excitement, or hubris surrounding CPR in some South Wales cities was stimulated
by visions of that company, though its combined shipping and rail services,
becoming an 'all British' route to the Far East as part of the greater 'imperial
project'. CP, however, was to remain faithful to Liverpool other than its
brief, belated and unsuccessful appearance at Cardiff for the enmigrant
traffic, irrespective of the South Wales-based press might think and print.
During World War II, unadvertised civilian-manned flying boat
services operated based at Poole Harbour in Dorset. These flew to and from
both North America and the Far East. They were routinely made available to
the public, being used solely for government business. In connection with
these services unadvertised trains were run to and from London. Occasional
references to these 'boat trains' in memoirs and other accounts. They
suggesst that they were very lightweight and consisted of only a locomotive
and a couple of coaching stock vehicles. Given the limited numbers that a
flying boat could carry and the restricted remit of the service this is
unsurprising. Passengers were given seats on the flights on a priority basis
very much confined to VIPs and those having urgent matters to transact overseas
that precluded a journey by sea. It seems that Government mail was
also carried again probably on a priority basis. References were made in
some accounts to 'Pullman' carriages used in the connecting train service
in some accounts (see J.N. Faulkner,
Rly Wld, 1984, 45, 242-7). Perhaps someone can comment further
on the accuracy of such statements [Editor's note: unfortunately the name
on the correspondence has been lost, but hopes that the writer will contact
him so that the name may be revealed]
Observation cars. John Macnab. 317
Re rolling stock matters in Scottish Region writer worked in office
adjacent to Queen Street station and observed workings of LNER and Devon
Belle observation cars and in particular the 10.05 to Fort William with
several passengers already in the observation car viewinng with a mixture
of puzzlement and apprehension the grimy features of the N15 0-6-2T banking
engine with its muffled engine crew and the somewhat Heath Robinson
contraption that was attached to the coupling link that would, one hoped,
be unhooked and disconnected as soon as Cowlairs incline was surmounted.
The scenic pleaures did not begin until past Craigendoran.
Observation cars. Gerald Goodall.
317
Alistair Nisbet vdid nor mention use of former GWR 'special
saloon' No 9004 as an observation car between Inverness and Kyle of
Lochalsh for some years from 1982. This very interesting vehicle had windows
at both ends, though the gangway connections at both ends, rather than
full-width picture windows did get in a bit of the way of the view. Nevertheless,
the lack by then of a turntable at Kyle was not a disaadvantage. There
was just— only just— room at the buffer stops end of the run-round
loop for the vehicle to be positioned from the Inverness end of the train
to the Kyle end for the return journey.
In contrast the converted DMU trailer No. 54536 which Nisbet mentioned (and
which appeared in a bewildering variety of liveries) was of course one ended
and always placed at the Inverness end of the train. Passengers returning
from Kyle thus had an excellent view of the nose of the class 37 which by
then normally hauled them. these having been the first replacements
for the classes 26s and 24s. These were replaced by the 156s until the
current 158s took over with many of the seats failing to provide a view and
KPJ: the danger of boarding and alighting from curved platforms, Ends by
noting good fortune of retaining train services to the Far North and
to Mallaig and Oban.
Signal boxes around the Willesden Carriage Sheds.
Graham Floyd. 317
Writer was former Local Operations Manager Wembley Mainline SSC. Re
Willesden Sidings Signal Box the Low Level Goods Lines were not renamed until
the closure of Willesden Power Signal Box in 2000; the area being taken over
by Wembley Main Line Signalling Centre. The lines were renamed Up and Down
Relief 1 & 2 because they had been upgraded to passenger train standards
so that Connex South Central services could use them when travelling between
Milton Keynes and Clapham without crossing the West Coast Main Line on the
level.
He confirms that the Carriage Shed Signal Boxes are still open and points
out that Middle box was not cut down but was built to the height seen in
the photographs, the box though has been extensively altered at some stage
in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
An aadecdote from Carriage Shed South Box is that over the years he often
covered the on-call commitment for the area and the first call out was to
a derailment outside Carriage Shed South on the North Circular Road Bridge,
a number of years later his final call out was to a derailment at exactly
the same place.
Birmingham's Grand Central Station. Bob
Yate. 317-18
Memorres of the old New Street Firstly Daunt refers to the surviving
Curzon Street building as being part of the L&BR station. In fact., whilst
this building was intended to act as a façade for the station. It
was actually the 'Queen Victoria Hotel', but most usually referred to as
'Victoria Hotel'. It faced on to New Canal Streewhich nearby made a 90 degree
turn to the right into Curzon Street. The entrance for departures was
via an arched gateway to the right. The hotel was run as a separate enterprise
and the dining rooms enjoyed considerable local patronage, Eventuallly, an
extension was built to the left of the hotel to provide enhanced dining
facilities so that the gateway was moved round the cormer into Curzon Street.
The continuing reference to this as being part of the L&BR station is
incorrect as thus detailed in his book: The Grand Junction Railway from Stafford
to Birmingham (Book Law Publications, 2015) and is fully supported by detailed
research including press reports at the time.
Secondly, Daunt mentions that Platform 11 was not normally used for passenger
trains. He recalled the all-pervading fishy atmosphere at this platform as
several trains, mostly for the Redditch line, waited here for departure.
Reference to the departure notice at New Street for the period 12 September
1960 to 10 June 1961 reveals the following departures from the platform:
Redditch & Evesham 1 SO 1 SX, Worcester Shrub Hill 1 SX. By this time
most of the services to Redditch were composed of DMUs, with only the peak
time services being steam hauled.
Birmingham's Grand Central Station. Robert
Darlaston. 318
Early references to Navigation Street were only used at the planning
stage pricipally to indicate its proposed location. Later it briefly referred
to the temporary wooden platform at the western extremity of the construction
site, opened 1 July 1852. That was solely for trains from Wolverhampton via
the Stour Valley line and contemporary use of the name merely reflected the
fact that entrance was then from the street of the same name.
The 'Grand Central' title has a more complex history (according to
Richard Foster's three volume
history of the station whose identity is also daunting) having been used
in Acts of Parliament in 1846 when the station was first envisaged. The wording
'The Grand Central Station' (occasionally 'Great Central'!) was repeated
in other contemporary references (including the Illustrated London News)
simply reflecting the fact that a new, large, centrally located station would
replace other smaller stations lying well away from the town centre. It had
intitially been envisaged would be the only one in the town (even accommodating
Great Western trains) in which case it would be named 'Birmingham' without
further qualification being necessary. But access by the GWR was opposed
by the LNWR so Snow Hill opened on 1 October 1852. The completed station
at New Street opened for LNWR trains on 1 June 1854 and the suffix New Street
was added in the following November. The designation 'Grand Central' then
vanished for 160 years (apart from being appropriated in 1913 by New York's
famous terminal!) but in 2015 was appropriated by the new shopping centre
over New Street station, but not to the station itself (though the adjacent
Midland Metro tram stop is named thus. The John Lewis Department Store mentioned
by Daunt, closed permanently during the Covid pandemic, leavinng a shopping
void yet to be filled.
Before New Street station was built, t he site was occupied not by marshes
but by notorious slum properties. The town authorities were especially pleased
to see them removed and replaced by a building of which the traveller George
Borrow (1803-81) wrote: "the station alone is enough to make one proud of
being a modern Englishman". Would that one could say that of the confusing
21st century replacement!
On a separate, I might add that it's not entirely true to say that freight
trains were not seen at New Street. I recall in the late 1950s occasionally
seeing trains of vans pass through coming from Cadbury's at Bournville (three
miles away on the West Suburban Line), but it was certtainly unusual.
Birmingham's Grand Central Station. Gordon
Biddle . 318
Refers to his Great railway
stations published in 1986. New Street as Daunt states had "character"
and his recollections of it before World War II, like Daunt's afterwards,
were "memorable". It was the first large station that Biddle could remember.
In parrticular he remembered the large open signal platform on the footbrige
and the horns blown by shunters to tell drivers in the tunnels that the points
were set for them to emerge,
Private stations and waiting rooms on the HR.
Robin Leleux. 318
From early days railway building promoters faced opposition from the
landed interest, summed up by Sir Astley Cooper's remark to Robert Stephenson
when he was surveying the route for the Londom & Birmingham Railway.
"Gentlemen, if this sort of thing be permitted to go on you will in a very
few years destroy the nobility." Sure enough the L&BR was kept away to
the south west of his town of Hemel Hempstead. Other examples are legion,
including the Earl of Essex at Casiobury Park, Watford, and most notoriously
Lord Harborough at Saxby in east Leicestershire, 'his' sharp curve not being
eased until 1892. Strathpeffer is a useful Scottish example where the Kyle
line was forced away from the town by intransigent landowner opposition.
Support might be bought ot acknowledged by the design or placing of stations
and their facilities. The main stations on the Bedford Railway from Bletchley
(1846) imitated the estate buildings oln the nearby Duke of Bedford's estate,
while the Brocklesby station (1848-1993) on the Manchester Sheffield &
Lincolnshire's main line to Grimsby was built adjacent to the gates of the
Earl of Yarborough's Hall with a waiting room for him. Perhaps the most ornate
private waiting room was at Redmile station on the GN & LNW Joint line
in NE Leicestershire, built to serve the Duke of Rutland at nearby Belvoir
Castle. After it was demolished by BR the ornamental overmantel was saved
for the National Collection. So Scotland followed where England led.
Anne-Mary Paterson mentions the fire at Ballater which destroyed much of
the handsome wooden station. This was a devastating arson attack which came
not long after terrible local flooding. So Aberdeenshire Council determined
on thorough rebuilding as a symbol of community resurgence. Although much
damaged enough remained of the Royal Porch and Waiting Room to allow either
repair or expert replication and a superb job has been done. So the restored
station was entered for the 2019 National Railway Heritage Awards and carried
away the South Eastern Commercial Restoration Award. By happy chance the
awards were presented that year by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the
Princess Royal. Dunrobin Castle station was also an award winner albeit somewhat
earlier, in 1998. Daniel Brittain-Catlin, with the enthusiastic support of
the Sutherland Estate led by the Duchess restored the distinctive station
building to its former glory and won that year's Premier Award.
Book reviews. 318
The Lough Swilly remembered. Jim McBride.
Donegal Railway Heritage Centre. 64pp. Reviewed by DWM. ****, 318.
In the North West of Ireland, the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway
always seemed to exist in the shadow of its chrysanthenum-coloured neighbour,
the County Donegal. But the Lough Swilly was a redoubtable railway in its
own right. It's Burtonport Extension — a separate company with its own
rolling stock served some of the wildest and remotest parts of County Donegal.
In a couple of 4-8-4 tanks and two 4-8-0 tender locomotives it boasted
locomotives which were unique in the British Isles, which were the biggest
(by far) on the Irish narrow gauge and would have stood compaison by size,
with many of the locomotives operating on the standard gauge in ireland.
The railway which had opened in 1863, on the Irish standard gauge oof 5ft
3 in was converted to the 3ft gauge in 1885 and finally closed in 1953. But
not quite, as its bus service, the Swilly buses, ran until 2014 —
repressenting a railwaay company without trains!
This delightful publication is basically an old-fashioned pictorial album
— and none the worse for that. It covers the last years of the railway's
life, from the mid-thirties up until 1953. It begins with an invaluable map,
there is a brieg general introduction accompanied by a reprint of an article,
by the eminent railway author and historian E.M. Patterson, which was first
published in Trains Illustrated in 1953 before setting into the
photographs.
The are from the lenses of experts such as Casserley, Edgington, Powell Hendry
and the indominitable 'Ernie', take the reader on a journey westwards from
Londonderry to Tooban Junction, Buncrana, Letterkenny and Burtonport, calling
at many of the intermediate stations. Each picture, most of which are new
to the reviewer, is given a full page and is accompanied by a full and
informative and enthusiastic caption. The whole combines to give a full evocation
of the latter days of the Lough Swilly.
Several years ago your reviewer was delighted to be able the embryo Donegal
Railway Heritage Centre on whode behalf this book is published. He was, at
first, disapppointed to find the Centre closed but, having found a couple
of enthusiastic volunteers hard at work, a warm welcome and guided tour soon
followed an initial conversation. Bias may be showing but this is a book
— and a cause — well worth supporting.
How a steam locomotive works. Dominic Wells.
Crecy. 176pp. Reviewed by DWM. **** 318.
This bright and breezy volume is a new revised edition of a book first
published in 2015. Lavishly illustrated in full colour, both by photographs
and diagrams, it can be seen that this attractive volume works on two levels.
It is an excellent 'primer' to those — presumably not readers of
Backtrack?— who are coming new to the ever-fascinating subject
of the steam locomotives and for those 'who think they know' well. they're
bount to find that extra snippet of information.
The book progresses logically. There is an introduction the principles of
raising steam with boilers fired by both coal and oil. Succeeding chapters
examine using steam through components such as injector, ejectors, cylinders
and valve gears. And, of course there's the small matter of stopping
— vacuum and air brakes both!
The last sectionn of the book is concerned with contemporary operation
of steam locomotives and so provides a useful insight into today's
world of preserved steam.
Your reviewer has already complimented the splendidly illustrated nature
of this book — but a couple of the pictures are worthy of
comment. Figure 12:13 is captioned as Ursula of the Ravenglass &
Eskdale — in fact it's the Bassett-Lowke Atlantic which
is pictured. Figure 13:6 tacked on the side of 'Lord Nelson' hardly the way
to disfigure an important component of the National Collection item, surely?
Or ha s your reviewer missed something?
These are minor quibbles; this is an engaging and highly informative
book whick can be well recommended.
Seeking work at Sidmouth Junction. rear cover
Unrebuilt West Country Pacific No. 34015 Exmouth running light
engine through Sidmouth Junction station to work holiday return service in
August 1963. Station closed in 1967, but reopened as Feniton in 1971.
