LNER V2 No. 60982 heads north through Brookman's Park on a freight on 28 February 1959 (Trevor Owen) front cover

January (Number 369)

Home thoughts from this platform end. Michael Blakemore. 3

Thames crossings. 4-5
Colour photo feature: viiew from London Eye of Charing Cross station encased in Embankment Place with new footbridge being built upstream alongside Hungerford Bridge on 1 November 2001 (Rodney Lissenden) (KPJ on same day we were escaping Thames Basin for mountains of North Norfolk); Cannon Street station under reconstruction on 31 May 1958 with Hastings diesel electric multiple unit and rebuilt West Country Pacific No. 34025 Whimple on train for Ramsgate; BR Class 4  2-6-4T No. 80145 crossing Thames at Kingston wiith a special on 5 February 1959 passing Kingston power station; class 319 about to leave Blackfriars for Sevenoaks on 17 February 2003 with dome of St. Pauls partially obscured by green roofed office block (Rodney Lissenden) ; rebuilt  West Country Pacific No. 34037 Clovelly on 14.30 Washwood Heath to Eastleigh freight on 22 August 1964 (David Idle)

Stephen Roberts. Devon's railways. 6-13
This is essentially a photo-feature with extended captions, but some topics are not illustrated, notably the Royal Albert Bridge which links Cornwall to railways in Great Britain and it would seem strategically weak to link a major destination to a single track over an ancient structure based on wrought iron. The even more strategic City of Plymouth is dependent upon a line along the sea shore and is vulnerable to storms and Global Warming (HS2 is a folly when perceived in this light). The broad gauge is briefly mentioned, but íts remnants fail to be included. At the other extreme many narrow gauge lines fail to be included and none, not even the Lynton & Barnstaple, are illustrated. The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appedore Railway is mentione and is the subject of some criticism from John Bradbeer on page 189. No mention is made of David St. John Thomas and his initial contribution to the Regional History of Railways Series.  Illustrations: No. 5031 Totnes Castle on down Torbay Express at Exeter St. David's and No. 7813 Freshford Manor on a local passenger train; map from Martin Smith The railways of Devon; Battle of Britain class No. 34079 141 Squadron crossing Taw estuary leaving Barnstaple for Ilfracombe on 2 June 1963 (see letter from Philip Shelton) (Alan Chandler: colour) page 7 upper; No. 1010 Coutnty of Caernarvon double-heading with Castle class heading west from Newton Abbot in 1958 (colour); Castle class Nos. 5066 Wardour Castle and 4089 Donnnington Castle double-head 05.30 Paddington to Penzance stopped at Brent with 4575 No. 5505 on 12.24 to Kingsbridge with WD 2-8-0 approachimg on up freight on 18 August 1953 (John Spencer Gilks); BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2T No. 82010 and Class N 2-6-0 No. 31848 passing Exeter St. David's with an up ballast train from Meldon Quarry on 4 July 1955 (T.J. Edgington); No. 4948 Northwick Hall arrriving Kingswear on an ordinary passemger train during 1958 (colour); Crediton station with mixed gauge track; Ashburton station in August 1953 with 14XX No. 1427 in train shed (T.J. Edgington); No. 5924 Dinton Hall on down parcels, Nos. 4955 Plaspower Hall and 6815 Frilford Grange on up local train and 14XX in bay platform at Tiverton Junction on 1 July 1960 (John Spencer Gilks); 44XX No. 4410 with single coach on 10.30 to Yelverton on 6 July 1955 (John Spencer Gilks); Seaton Junction station with British Railways multiple unit with whiskers and Southern Railway concrete footbridge in August 1964 (Geoffrey Skelsey: colour); Plymouth to Exeter Central five or six car diesel multiple unit departing Lydford on 2 July 1966 (John Spencer Gilks); 45XX with number on tank at Lustleigh with a very mixed stock passenger train for Moretonhampstead; M7 0-4-4T  No. 30253 arriving Torrington with 08.00 from Barnstaple Junction (John Spencer Gilks); Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41314 at Hatherleigh on 08.32 Torrington to Halwill on 21 May 1957 (John Spencer Gilks).

John Roake. Over the sea to Skye – via the Highland Railway. 14-19
The Highland Railway was formed from three separate companies: the Inverness & Nairn opened 5 November 1855; the Inverness & Aberdeen Junction which made end on junctions with the first-named and with the Great North of Scotland Railway at Keith on 21 July 1856. The Inverness and Ross-shire Railway reached Dingwall on 11 June 1862 and was authorized to extend to Invergordon. The Dingwall & Skye Railway received approval to extend 63 miles to Loch Carron and  eventually settled for a terminus at Strome Ferry, but was forced to operate its own ferry service to Skye. Illustrations: Kyle of Lochalsh station c1900 with coaches in green & white livery which was replaced by cheaper and simpler green from 1902; Strome Ferry pier; Clan Goods No. 17954 (HR No. 79 entering Kyle of Lochalsh station on a freight train; Strome Ferry station  with overall roof viewed from train for Kyle on 18 June 1937 (H.C. Casserley): overall roof demolished in April 1941;  Clan Goods No. 57596 and a Class 5 4-6-0 at the coaling stage at Kyle of Lochalsh (shelter was an LMS addition) on 22 April 1952 (H.C. Casserley); Clan Goods shunting pier at Kyle of Lochalsh in July 1931; Plockton station in 1953 with hurley being used to load brake van on train for Inverness; one of three hydraulic cranes at Kyle of Lochalsh in 1913 (replaced by 5-ton crane during WW1); Clan Goods shunting at Kyle of Lochalsh in LMS period; flock of sheep trot along platform at Kyle of Lochalsh passing Highland Railway birdcage brake van lettered LMS and with lamps on side

Miles MacNair. More frustrations of fuel efficiency. Part Three. The last-chance saloon. 20-4.
Livio Dante Porta believed that the ultimate steam locomotive should be a simple yet ultra-efficient design for developing countries capable of burning a wide range of locally sourced fuels [KPJ global warming ultimately condemns all combustion]. In a paper presented in Buenos Aires in 1963 there was a drawing of a two-cylinder compound  0-8-0  which could be built at modest cost for any gauge.  The inside cylinders in spite of the crank axle would have given better lateral balance. Exposed outside valve gear placed ahead ot the smokeboxIllustrations: Ing, Porta design proposal for super-efficient steam locomotive in developing countries with valve gear for inside cylinders; exposed outside valve  gear placed ahead of the smokebox would ease maintenance; a screw mechanism would feed fuel to his cyclonic Gas Producer Combustion System firebox. Boiler pressure  285psi with high degree superheat, twin Crosti preheaters under boiler with exhaust either side but not near cab. Hunslet underfeed version of GPCS with screw feeder, steam jets and extra air inlets, gas producer combustion firebox and Kylpor exhaust arrangement diagram (Industrial Railway Record 2009, March). Illustrations: Porta locomotive (Robin Barnes painting: colour); Hunslet underfeed version of GPCS with screw feeder etc with Kylpor exhaust arrangement; Hunslet 0-6-0ST HE 2879/1943 Diana with underfeed stoker at Waterloo Main Colliery, Leeds in 1971 (Barrie Williamson: colour); SAR class 26 Red Devil at Cape Town station in 2001 (Author); proposed design of ACE 3000 locomotive 1981; Chinese Class QJ 2-10-2 (Ron Ziel: colour); Porta's first proposed alternative for ACE 3000 based on his Tubio experience which included triple expanion compounding and David Wardale's 5AT project 4-6-0 (colour)

Mike Fenton. Sojourns on the Southern: being coach camping on the Southern Railway 1935-40. 25-30'
Twelve converted six-wheel coaches distributed on eight sites in Devon and Cornwall plus one in Hampshire at Hurn. Use of camping coaches at Tattenham Corner during Corontiion Week 1938. Illustrations: Exhibition Camping Coach No. 1; bedroom within previous; Camping Coach No. 18 (former LSWR lavatory non-corridor coach No. 5032) fresh from Eastleigh Works; former LSWR bogie coach No. 5027 as camping coach No. 16 with two LCDR six-wheelers (camping coach No. 2 being one) at Salisbury in transit between Eastleigh Works and Gunnislake and Otterham in May 1936 (J.G. Griffiths); camping coaches Nos. 7 amd 11 at Gunnislake on 7 August 1935 with pony & trap alongsside; camping coaches Nos.12 and 10 at Poppleford; Roger Kidner with his International Friendship League party alongside camping coaches Nos. 1 and 12 at East Farleigh; former LSWR bogie coach camping coach on exhibition at New Eltham in 1938; Brian Hines withnhhis parents at Umberleigh with the station master Chugg outside camping coach No. 5 in August 1937;  camping coach No. 1 with girl on roof and T9 4-4-0 passing with corridor train probably at Hinton Admiral in 1938 (Neil Parkhouse); camping coach No. 5 at Umberleigh in August 1937 with Hines family from Birmingham standing on running board; porters conveying water to Umberleigh in cans on a barrow. Partt 2.

Peter Mortimer. A timely visit to Mortimer Street signal box. 31
Refers to this box in an earlier Backtrack article (2017, 31, 378) on Engine Shed Junction box . The signalman at Mortimer Street specialised in clock repairs and was known as Tick-Tock. A fox  had raised a family underneath the box. Illustrations: steps up to Mortimer Street box (caption notes nearer to Mortimer Terrace); rodding for points and signal wires at base of box; See also letter from Grham Floyd.

Winners all the way [Gresley V2 class]. 32-5
Colour photo-feature: No. 4808 with green cylinders built at Darlington at York engine shed in 1938 ((H.M. Lane); No. 60891 assisting Class 5 No. 45037 on a parcels/Newspaper express at York on 9 June 1957; lined green No. 60867 at Grantham on 1 March 1959; No. 60813 with small smoke deflectors nect to stovepipe chimney in lined green at Perth shed (David Cllark); No. 60866 with separate cast cylinders & possibly painted green with final BR crest for steam locomotives passing Rugby Central with express freight for London on 25 April 1964 (Neville Simms); No. 60955 at Perth station on Aberdeen to Glasgow Buchanan Street express on 28 March  1964; No.  60813 passinng Stobs on climb to Whitrope Summit on 22 April 1965 with non-corridor third at front of train and express headlamps (Trevor Owen); No. 60808 with separate cast cylinders leaving Penmaenshiel Tunnel with express freight with reddish brown open wagons at front in May 1959; No. 60810 at Coventry with excursin to new Cathedral on 22 April 1963 (Neville Simms); No. 60963 near Eydon, south of Woodford Halse on southbound parcrels train on 18 April 1964 (Neville Simms).

Croes Newydd and Brymbo. Keith Gays. 36-7.
Colour photo feature: BR Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76040 in front of the water tank and amidst piles of ash and clinker on 21 January 1967; Stanier Class 4 2-6-4Ts Nos. 42616 and 42647 on shed for servicing whilst working a railtour on 29 April 1967; BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 No. 75046 assembling a freight train in the yard on 21 January 1967; 9F 2-10-0 No. 92074 on steep climb to Brymbo with coke wagons on 19 November 1966; BR Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76040 with front part of motion cleaned.

On the Central Wales Line. John Spencer Gilks.38-9.
Black & white photo feature: Class 5 No. 45298 on 10.25 from Swansea Victoria to Shrewsbury passing Knucklas Halt on 19 August 1959; Fowler 2-6-4T No, 42307 at Llanbister Road on 14.41 Shrewsbury to Swansea on 19 August 1959;  BR Standard Class 5 No. 73036 on climb to Sugar Loaf Summit with 07.45 from Swansea approaching Sugar Loaf  Tunnel on 24 March 1961; 8F 2-8-0 No. 48761 working tender-first on a freight exchanging single line token at Llangunllo on 19 August 1959; English Electric Type 37 arrriving at Llandrinod Wells on service from Shrewsbury on 17 July 1965.

Jeffrey Wells. Horwich in the news 1884-1904. 40-7.
Cites M.D. Smith's Horwich Locomotive Works. Wyre Publishing, 1896. Illustrations: Aspinall 2-4-2T with radial axles No. 1008 (Works photograph); well-appointed houses in Victoria Street rented to middle management in 1900, such as foremen, draughtsmen, supervisors, etc; Erecting Shop with two electric gantry cranes; Mechanics Institute designed by Henry Shelmandine (name misspelt), company architect and built by Thomas Riley & Co. officially opened on 25 October 1895; Horwich station c1910 with 2-4-2T at platform with passenger train; fitting shop with belt driven machinery; Lancashire and Yorkshire Arms built as public house but refused licence and served as café; spectators' pavillion which looked onto cricket pitch; No. 10612 railmotor (steam railcar) formerly LYR No. 15; cottage hospital financed by Heny Yates Thompson; Works Yard in 1905

David P. Williams. The LNER heavy shunting engines. 48-9
Nonochrome coloured images of  GCR  8H (LNER S1) 0-8-4T No. 69901 at Doncaster c1955 and NER Class X and LNER T1 4-8-0T No. 69916 at Newport engine shed. The text gives detainls of where and when built, allocations, withdrawals and in the case of the S1 fitting witth boosters (on  two built in 1932 and one existing one) for use in the new Whitemoor  mechanised marshalling yard near March. 

Return to Cumbria. Gavin Morrison. 50-2
Colour photo-feature: Class 47 No. 47 551 awaits departure from south end of Barrow station on 2 July 1982; Class 40 No. 40 094 passing Seascale with a  long train of cement wagons on 8 May 1976 see also letter from marin Higginson on page 189 station is at Drigg with Victoria Hotel to left; Class 156 dmu at Sellafield on 16.40 service to Barrow on 12 May 2006; two Ivatt  Class 2 2-6-0s Nos. 46426 and 46458 passing Troutbeck with a railtour on 13 June 1964; Foxfield signal box with a Pacer four square wheel unit on 5 December 1994; Class 156 unit coming off Leven Viaduct on 25 April 1998; Ulverston station on 23 June 1990; 10.20 Barrow to Manchester Victoria Pacer in Greater  Manchester orange livery leaving Grange-over-Sands on 23 June 1990.

Bruce  Laws. The Waveney Valley Railway. 53-60
Received Parliammentary approval on  3 July 1851 for a line from Tivetsall to Beccles. A supplementary Act of August 1859 granted permission to extend to Bungay. It opened from Tivetshall to Harleston on 1 December 1855 and was worked by the Eastern Counties  Railway and  the whole  railway closed between 1960 and 1966: from Harleston to Bungay in 1960 after  the  goods  traffic at Homersfield  was withdrawn although  two  railtours ran over the whole line later in that year; between Bungay and Ditchingham in August 1964, and between Ditchingham and Beccles in August 1965. Illustratins: Tivetshall Junction; E4 2-4-0 No. 62787 at Tivetshall station; map; Pulham Market station; Harleston station (William Rayson Smith); Homersfield station after 1912 flood; F4 2-4-2T No. 67167 with two corridor coaches leaving Homersfield forTivetshall  in 1950; E4 2-4-0 No. 62793 at Earsham station and level crossing; J15 0-6-0 No. 65471 with tender cab on three coach train heading for Beccles;  Geldeston station, level crossing and signal box in GER period; Beccles station with B17 Sandringham 4-6-0 on train for Great Yarmouth (South Town); swing bridge section of platform at Beccles to assist loading of milk churns (T.J. Edgington); J15 0-6-0 No. 6569 with tender cab shunting at Bungay; J15 0-6-0 No. 65471 approaching bridge over River Waveney between Earsham and Bungay with freight train; Class 05 0-6-0 Hunslet diesel mechanical shunter at Bungay with short goods train from Beccles  on 25 July 1960; Eastern Counties replacenent bus service with stops at pubs. Srr also letter from Tim Edmonds on page 189.

Readers' forum. 61-2

Gremlin ccrner. Editor. 61
Blamed computer for repeat of November letters

The Irish goods. David Houston. 61
0-6-0 No. 719 was on railtour duty at Mullingar on SLS/RCTS/IRRS All Ireland Railtour having left Sligo behind diesel Class 121 locomotive due to failure of No. 603. No. 719 eventually reached Dublin. No. 719 was at the west end of the Galway  platform at Mullingar.

Focus on Inverness. Gerald Goodall. 61
The Highland Railway possessed two travelling post offices which latterly in the British Railways period individually operated between Glasgow and Dingwall and had rotas which took them to Helmsdale and Kyle of Lochalsh. Both vehicles could be seen briefly at Dingwall. See also letters from John Macnab and from Donald Massey on page 189 who states that the train illustrated was at the northbound platform which it had reversed into to be alongside the northbound train.

British locomotive builders to the world. John Bushby. 61
Takes a long time to state that we are the greatest and yet failed to keep up with modern traction, not helped by Riddles who thought he had acquired a full-size model railway and let the grass grow under its tracks.

Harrow and Wealdstone. Laurence Akehurst. 61
In the 1970s Akehurst used to talk to a commuter from Tring who just missed the 07.31 departure and that the next t rain terminated at Watford Junction and had to walk across Cassiobury Park to the Metropolitan Line station to reach London. In an age when railways were considered an essential service the up and down slow lines were available on the following morning. Sir John Elliot was Chairman of the Railway Executive at the time of the disaster, was knighted in 1954 and became Chairman of the London Transport Executive in the same year when he failed to resolve a bus strike lasting for six weeks

Harrow and Wealdstone. Allan C. Baker. 61-2
Critices Roberts for the use of the driver of the up express applying "his emergency brake": such brakes were not fitted to most steam locomotives. He also states that the application of AWS would have prevented the accident. This is not necessarily so as it could be ignored or switched off

Harrow and Wealdstone. Robin Leleux. 62
Queries the extent of damage to No. 46202 and wonders if its boiler was reused and ponders whether the name Princess Anne led to pressure from Buckingham Palace for the locomotive to be eliminated [KPJ at that time the Royal Family was a major railway user]. Also notes how rapidly the railway reopened and notes his own experience of the Clapham Junction accident was observed on a journey to Brighton when on the return journey an empty train had been positioned to block the view of the accident and how on the following day he was able to view the clearance work from Battersea Rise Bridge which included the poignant sight of stacked briefcases.  

Harrow and Wealdstone. Nick Booker. 62
Extremely critical of Roberts for failing to cite either of Peter Tatlow's serious and thorough books on the disaster and the failure to note Coomb's study published  by David & Charles in 1977. He also wonders if shift working had led to Driver Jones becoming drowsy and his fireman being similarly afflicted

Harrow and Wealdstone. A.J. Mullay. 62
Prime Minister Churchill visited the accident and wanted to know who was responsible: John Eliott offered himself: see On and off the rails. Allen & Unwin, 1982. Not mentioned in Churchill Diaries.

Book reviews. 62

A detailed history of the LMS ''Royal Scots' 4-6-0s. John Jennison. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society, 258pp. Reviewed by MB [Michael Blakemoor] *****
Well received by Michael Blakemore

Swanscombe Cement Works and its railways. Chris Down. Industrial Locomotive Society. 424pp. Reviewed by JRS. ****
"Commendable for the diligent research, Quality photographs, maps and diagrams, the book is a must for any library". Warns of short print-run.

The railways of London Docklands: their history and development. Jonathan Willis. Pen & Sword Transport. 160pp. Reviewed by PR ****
Central theme is rejuvenation of London Docklands with Docklands Light Railway, Jubilee Line and Elizabeth Line

In the Peak of the winter. Stewart Jolly. rear cover
Class 123 on 10.45 Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes passing Edale in snow on 18 December 1982

Fowler 3F 0-6-0T No. 47345 working as pilot engine at Carlisle station, c1963. front cover.

February (Number 370)

John Scholes. Does history have a future?  67
Guest Editorial. "Our railway past hardly stood up to scrutiny with whole townships flattened, graveyards destroyed, and churces denolished, all to build a new line. All that is before you get to the long hours, poor pay, unfair treatment and unnecessary deaths through neglect and  unsuitable equipment.. It was a hard existence and life was cheap, so we should be thankful that things have moved on". ..."Most of our railway heroes came from poor and uneducated backgrounds, but by sheer hard work and dogged determinationsucceeded in establishing a notable place in 'history'". "There are few plans for our br illiantly engineered canal system James Brindley calculated it all in his head. Stephenson gets far more personable credit than he deserves. His assistant Locke hardly gets a mention for saving the day when Parliament threw out the first London to Birmingham Railway application..."

Working class. 68-9
Colour photo feature: 3F 0-6-0T No. 47444 (built by Hunslet Engine Co. in 1926) on Springs Branch engine shed in Wigan on 23 March 1963; No. 47472 (built by Vulcan Foudry in 1927) running light engine through Preston station whilst on station pilot duty during 1963 (M. Chapman); No. 47502 (built by Vulcan Foudry in 1928) descending the Lickey Incline following a freight down the bank with permissive working implemented in July 1956; No. 47202 (Vulcan Foudry for Midland Railway in 1899) with condensing apparatus for use on the Widened Lines shunting empty coal waggons at Agecroft on 13 December 1965; No. 47276 (Vulcan Foudry for Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway in 1924) shunting goods yard at Midsomer Norton in August 1964.

Michael Yardley. Birkenhead Woodside. 70-7
Chester & Birkenhead Railway authorised vin 1837, opened September 1840. Inititially the Birkenhead terminus was at Grange Lane, but this was extended mainly in tunnel to Monks Ferry, but  was moved  to Woodside on 31 March 1878. The railway became jointly owned by the  LNWR and Great Western from 1860, the LMS taking over from the LNWR in 1923. Yardley calls Woodside an attractive terminus, but it was limited to seven coach trains.
llustrations: Stanier 2-6-4T Class 4 No. 42616 on express from Birkenhead Woodside to Paddington worked as far Chester on 7 May 1966 (Geoff Plumb: colour); tram and ferry terminals alongside Birkenhead Woodside station before 1918 (John Alsop Collection); Stanier 2-6-4T Class 4 No. 42616 working bunker-first brings 14.10 express from Paddington into Birkenhead Woodside which it had worked from Chester on 5 August 1966 (M. Yardley: colour); interior of Birkenhead Woodside in April 1954 (John Alsop Collection); Webb 18-inch 0-6-2T with GWR locomotive behind in April 1930 (Jeremy Suter Collection); map Railways to Birkenhead as at 1922; BR Caprotti Class 5 No. 73139 with leading coach in pleasant blue/grey British Rail corporate livery (David Bryant: colour); GWR 51XX No. 4120 on local service leaving Woodside in early to mid 1950s; Sranier Class 5 2-6-0 No. 42969 on arrival with a local train; DMU for Chester in almost deserted Woodside on 27 April 1954 (John Spencer Gilks);  Stanier 2-6-4T Class 4 No. 42616 on express from Birkenhead Woodside to Paddington arriving Chester on 7 May 1966 viewed from carriage window (Geoff Plumb); notice announcing termination of trains to Paddington and wonderful new electric trains from across the Mersey; temporary booking office still operating at closure (Brian Taylor); two months after closure minus signals and tracks Woodside train shed remains (Les Fifoot: colour)

David P. Williams. The North British Atlantics. 78-83.
The Reid Atlantics were impressive looking locomotives, They were very different from other NBR designs in having outside cylinders, large Belpaire fireboxes and short chimneys. They had a similarity to the Robinson Great Central Atlantics which were also built by the North Britiish Locomotive Company, but the NBR engines were much larger. Both Ivatt and Vincent Raven were requested to investigate the problems reported by the footplate crews and alleged track distortion by the Civil Engineer Bell, but Raven found the Atalantics excellent and Bell was silenced as he was near  retuirement. Fur thermore, the Caledonian over which the Atlantics ran between Kinnaber Junction and Aberdeen had never complained about track damage. The first illustration is of No. 838 Aberdonian in its bronze green NBR livery with red and cream lining with a train in crimson lake  on an Edinburgh to Aberdeen train (reproduction of F. Moore postcard). No. 9876 Waverley in LNER state ; No. 9875 Midlothian in LNER state ; No. 9901 St. Johnstoun in LNER state; No. 9878 Hazeldean in LNER state; No. 9903 Cock o' the North in Craigentinny carriage sidings (name on front splasher due to Worthington feed water heater) and  No. 9906 Teribus at Dundee Tay Bridge? (all remainder Williams' colourised monochrome images), The "bibliography" is highly selective and has major omissions. There is no colour photograph of one in its LNER livery, but a few attempts to capture the bronze North British livery, notably by F. Moore see Nigel Digby and by Peter Westwater. Omissions include  the highly relevant RCTS volume; , Nock's Scottish Railways for Welch plate of  No. 879Abbotsford in light bronze livery and C. Hamilton Ellis's The North British Railway and Dugald Cameron's An Atlantic centenary. North British Study Group J., (143), 24 which included a painting of No. 9540 The Lord Provost

Peter Butler. Bargain of the month. 84-5
Very low cost day returns from Wellingborough to Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds. Illustrations: Prototype power unit for High Speed Train at Derby on 11 January 1973; Sheffield No. 3 signal box (Midland Railway Type 3b); north end of Sheffield Midland station with colour light signals in place; exterior of closed Manchester Central station on 23 March 1973; GNR Deansgate, Manchester warehouse in use as a car park on 23 March 1973; As previous but showing telephone wires and places for wagon labels on GCR, CLC, GN R  and MR

Alistair F. Nisbet. The RAF Leuchars Railway. 86-90
Illustrations: observationnn kite balloon flown in area by Royal  Engineers; Leuchars Old station looking towards Tayport; Ruston & Hornsby No. 425 holding traffic up as it hauls oil tankers across  Leuchars to Guardbridge road; map; having collected aviation fuel tankers No. 425  positions them for unloading; RAF No. 400 River Eden alongside its engine shed; trackbed with most of rails removed in 2018.

Nicholas Daunt. The first application of locomotive engines in Lancashire: Robert Daglish and 'The Yorkshire Horse'. 91-5.
Illustrations: Blenkinsop locomotive Salamanca; Hall Lane Orwell on track of Clarke's Waggon  Road where stone sleeper blocks had been found in 1970s; Pingot Arches probably demolished in 1890s; iron span cast by Robert Daglish at St. Helens Foundry in 1848; Daglish family vault at Church of St. Thomas the Martyr in Upholland; interior (altar and stained glass window inside Church of St. Thomas the Martyr (colour)).

When the 'Deltics' were green. Gavin Morrison. 96-8
Colour photo-feature: No. D9021 (un-named) on 29 April 1962 outside Doncaster Works Paintshop; No. D9004 (un-named) passing Drem on up Flying Scotsman on 19 July 1961; No. D9004 Queen's Own Highlander with Pullman cars built for East Coast Main Line on 31 May 1966; No. D9003 Meld inside Leeds Central train shed on 3 March 1967; No. D9016 (un-named) departing Leeds Central with down Queen of Scots Pullman with A3 No. 60042 Singapore on up White Rose on 2 October 1962; No. D9005 The Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire next to coaling plant at Holbeck depot, Leeds on 15 August 1967.

Bath times. 98-100.
Colour photo-feature: Castle class No. 5063 Earl of Shaftesbury with an up express passing through Sydney Gardens in 1958 caption notes "Dad" holding small child (see letter from Geoffrey Freeman); Castle class No.7033 Hartlebury Castle with double chimney on down Merchant Venturer entering Bath station (B.J. Swain); 57XX 0-6-0PT No. 5623 exiting Twerton 'Long' Tunnel with an eevening Bath to Bristol pick-up goods; 42XX 2-8-0T No. 5243 pass ing through Sydney Gardens on 12 August 1961; Grange class 4-6-0 No. 6811 Cranbouurne Grange in filthy condition entering the City on 12 August 1961

Suburban Surbiton. John Spencer Gilks. 99.
Black & photo-feature: Art deco station in Odeon style dating from 1938, designed by architect John Robb Scott and worthy of inclusion in Pevsner when trolleybus wires in situ on 12 January 1958;: BR Class 5 No. 73113 on 06.37 Basingstoke to Waterloo passing Surbiton on 18 March 1958; Surbiton to Okehampton Motorail service loading on 1 May 1960 with Crocker's coal lorries being loaded with sacks in yard

Mike Fenton. Sojourns on the Southern. Part two. 102-11.
Camping vehicles No. 8, 12 and 17 suffered fromm damage during WW2. Ex-LSWR No. 7828 was an unusual conversion: it was a former clerestory restaurant car, rebuilt as an elliptical-roof saloon in 1931. It later served as a Naval Ambulance Coach (WD 1240). SECR vehicles Nos. 1958S and 1932S became Camping coaches Nos. 26 and 27. The sites at Port Isaac Road and at Whitstone & Bridgerule were closed in th 1950s, but Sway opened in 1956 and Birchington-on-Sea, Walmer and Yalding opened in the 1960s. Illustrations: Camping coach No. 23 at Lyndhurst Road occupied by the Beer  family from West Ham; M7 Class 0-4-4T No. 30024 with camping coaches Nos. S34 and S35 being moved to East Budleigh at Littleham on 11.08 Exmouth to Tipton St. John's freight train on 11 March 1961 (Stephen Derek); Woodbury Road station on Exmouth branch with  camping coach No. 14 on 3 April 1949; dining room interior in camping coach at Woodbury Road; O2  0-4-4T No. 30192 taking water at Callington on 7 April 1949 (Barry Fletcher); camping coach No. 23 at Port Isaac Road in early 1951 with Stiggers faily in residence; camping coach at Combpyne in early 1950 (Southern Railway exhibition coach No. 1; Pullman Holiday Coaches Nos. P43 (formerly Coral) and P52 (formerly Milan) at Corfe Castle on 4 July 1953 (Peter Tngye: colour); Littleham in July 1957 with camping coach No. S23S with Kenneth Taylor on steps with his family from Birmingham; Pullman Holiday Coaches Nos. P40 and P41 at Sandling in July 1964 (Frank Ludlam: colour; Sellindge Stores grocery van outside Sandling station with Ludlam family at door (Heather Nicol: colour); Ludlam family at door of Pullman car No. P41 at Sandling (Frank Ludlam: colour); Heather and Ivor play with old permanent way trolleys at Sandling (Frank Ludlam: colour); view from Pullman Holiday Coach at Sway of rebuilt Bulleid Pacific with three coaches steaming towards Bournemouth during Easter 1967 (Alan Charles: colour); Ivatt class 2 2-6-2T with two Pullman Holiday Coaches (P47 and P53) from Exton on way to Exmouth  Junction on 2 December 1961(Stephen Derek).

Michael H.C. Baker. Chessington memories. 112-14.
Inspired by Jeremy Clarke's article in Volume  36 Author's father was an accountant at NAAFI Headquarters at Ruxley Towers and Michael took the  train each December to attend the Christmas party traveling to Chessington South. He  was also taken to Chessington Zoo which was mainly a fun fair. He also travelled on a 12-inch gauge railway which employed outside-framed 4-4-0s similar to the GWR 90XX class.. Illustrations: cover of ABC of Southern electrics; 4 SUB unit of 1924 No. 4352 passing Clapham Junction in July 1960 (colour); Victoria to Sevenoaks train formed of two LSWR 3-SUBs and an ex-LBSCR  trailer unit; two-car train formed from ex-LBSCR high voltage set at Morden Road in early 1950s; Hovis advertisement carriage panel giving key to some of routes; elephant hauling London Transport tramcar..

Robin Barnes. James Toleman revisited. 115-17
Refers to the second of two earler articles about the James Toleman double-single locomotive. Further information has come from Amanda Runba of Purdue University, but nothing tto change the conclusion that the bright shiney exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 was anything other than a failure and one still has to ponder why Hawthorn Leslie built it. Illustrations: James Toleman on Westwood & Winby  exhibition stand at Chicago Exposition; painting by Robin Barnes of James Toleman locomotive as prepared for proposed trials on CM&StP; sepia print of of James Toleman locomotive in British running condition.

Mike G. Fell. The Nidd Valley Light Railway. 118-24
The article was written as a by-product of a Golden  Wedding celebration held at Grassfield Hall in Pateley Bridge. The Authorr's wife Darral made the preparations and included the purchase of some of the key references to the Nidd Valley Light Railway which had formerly run past. This was constructed for Bradford Corporation and owned by it to assist in constructing reservoirs in the Upper Nidd Valley at Angram and Scar  House. A passenger service was also operated, but this ceased on 29 December 1929. The line closed completely on 7 September 1936
Illustrations: Bradford Corporation map (colour); Lofthouse station on the official opening day. 11 September 1907 (train was hauled by former Metropolitan Railway 4-4-0T No. 1 Holdsworth driven by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Alderman John Arthur Godwin (1852-1921); Station master Ted Fawcett at Pateley Bridge station with train of ex-Matropolian Railway carriages and tank engine; Wath station probably after withdrawal of passenger services; Ramsgill station with with train of ex-Matropolian Railway carriages and tank engine; Lofthouse-in-Niddersdale station looking south with train from Pateley Bridge abou to arrive with station master Leonard Farrar on platform;  ex-Metropolitan Railway 4-4-0T No. 1 Holdsworth in new Bradford livery; Hudswell Clarke (WN 882/1909) outside cylinder 0-6-0T Milner ; Avonside Engine Co. 0-6-0ST Blythe (WN 1894/1922); Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST Gadie (WN 1866/1925) (details of subsequent ownership of last three); Kerr Stuart rail motor (steam railcar) leaving Wath-in-Niddersdale and climbing towards Gowthwaite Dam End and Ramsgill station; Kerr Stuart rail motor at Lofthouse-in-Niddersdale station (John Alsop Collection)

Readers' Forum. 125-6

Britain: locomotive workshop to the world. Stephen Spark
Critical of Summers for failing to mention the Crown Agents who had a key  role in the link between the Colonies and the British manufacturers and could be very penny pinching in their dealings. Spark quotes the Mauritius Government Railway where it was a protracted and fractuous process conducted in the Millbank (Lonon) office of the Crown Agents and the Governor of the Colony to order larger locomotives for handling the sugar harvest as the UK was suspicious of the French planters who played a  major  part in the Colony's agriculture.

The 'Minor Counties' League. John Pearse,
No. 3821 County of Bedford was outwith GWR territory whereas alll the other Counties were within its domain or on associated Irish railways, or on the Great Central [KPJ: the GCR just clipped Bedfordshire near Finmere]

Aberfeldy: signalling arrangememts, Arnold Tortorella,
Was a long siingle track branch line and in 1925 the LMS  decided to make it more efficient to permit shunting to continue until the branch train reached a point within safe stopping distance of thr operations. The method adopted is fully described on the Scotrail website {KPJ not easy to access]

The Euston Arch. John Pearse
This letter iis really about the Harrow and Wealdstone Disaster and does not mention Euston at all. The LMS and LNER had started work prior to WW2 on the London, Tilbury & Southend line using the Hudd system and the LNER had started work as a result of the Castlecary accident. There  remained problems with adepting it for electric third rail systems.

The Euston Arch. Tony Smith
Like the above is not about Euston, but about "rusty rail services" from Kilburn High Road out to Watford by Bakerloo trains, and to Stonebridge Park Depot and intriguingly once per day into  the closed Jubilee Line Station at Charing Cross.

Five railway bridges over the Big Ditch. Michael Brackett
The one at Flixton  starts west, not east of Flixton station

The introduction of multiple unit railcars. Neil Woodland
So far as writer was aware GWR raiilcars never worked between Banbury and Kingham. The sparse service was worked by a steam auto (push & pull) train. According to Karau and Copsey (GWR diesel railcars supplement 1986) railcar No. 10 was based at Oxford from Jone 1940 until September 1941 and was almost certainly on a run from Kingham to Chipping Norton working. Also notes that Banbury, Chipping Norton and Kingham  line was one on which Road Motor Services originally provided by GWR and from 1933 by the Bristol Omnibus Co. and Midland Red were listed in the public timetable.

The Doxford crane tanks. Allan C. Baker. 125-6
These were unique amongst British steam crane locomotives in that they could not hoist as such, but could slew and derrick. There were a series of hooks on the derrick allowing different weights to be safely lifted according to the radius of the jib. They had circular fireboxes extending vertically above the barrel to form the base of the crane. A small two-cylinder steam engine provided the slewing power and a single cylinder located within the extension of the firebox provided the derricking power. The jib could be he ld in position by equalising the steam pressure on either side of the piston. Charles Brown, founder in 1871 of the Suisse Locomotive Works at Winterthur was the inventor of this type of crane.  R. & W. Hawthorn Ltd negotiated to build the locomotives which had Joy valve gear. A small group purchased Roker and Baker had the difficult task of convincing  the boiler inspector  that it would be safe  to operate it on the Foxfield Light Railway.

Completing the triangle. Richard Allen. 126
Picture of St. Johns station was looking south not north as stated in caption; the connections to the Bromley North branch are still in place, but not used. Photograph on page 722 is of Knockholt station looking south. This was damaged by fire in about 1984 and replaced by the chalet-type building; the buildings on the Up platform at Dunton Green werer demilshed in the e arly 1990s and the only reminder of the SER is the station footbridge;  Sevenoaks station was rebuilt in 1975-7, thus predating Network Southeast. Photograph of Hildenborough station was taken after 1955 as insulator pots can be seen on sleeper ends; former Continental  Freight Depot at Hither Green is now occupied by carriage sidings.

Investment difficulties of the LNER. Bryan Longbone.
In the 1930s Government helped to finance water softening plants and to build coaling plants. The Great Central Railway had in 1917 considered investment at Frodingham including the North Lindsay Light Railway and a new passenger station at Frodingham, but the LNER put this off, but in 1930 Government funding enabled  a new engine shed to built  there  [ironicallty the sad  remnant of the British steel industry is seeking Government finance, but the Treasury is only interested in the City and its gamblers and tax evaders [latter KPJ].

Bidston shed. Chris Magner
The Mersey Railway ballast workings were performed by a J67 (usually No. 68583) or J72 (usually No. 68714) 0-6-0T from Bidston shed after the electricity was turned off. They were stabled on a spur liine undrneath Birkenhead Mollington Street depot and were crewed by men from that depot.

Archaeological discoveries. Robin Leleux.
Refers to the Roman Pavement and painted wall (very rare in England) at Leicester which were in  the path of Leicester Central Station, but were preserved in a special room under the station which coúld be visited. When the station was closed in 1969 the remains were moved to the New Jewry Wall Museum.   

Judging by the looks of them. David Carter
Joined Wakefield shed as an apprentice fitter, A local scrap merchant bid on the spot to scrap No. 43072, but was t old had  to wait until after the official investigation when he bid again, but was disappointed that it was fitted  with a steel rather than a copper firebox.

Book reviews, 126

Railways and industry on the Brecon & Merthyr .— Bassaleg to Bargoed and NewTredegar/Rhymney B&M. John Hodge and Ray Caston. Pen & Sword Transport, 2022. 243pp.
Well received: first of three volumes to cover the history of the Brecon & Merthyr Railway. Notes that Patterson Rutherford is not acknowledged for his 1922 photographs.

Another Prospect of Whitby. Gavin Morrison. rear cover
Restored Deltic No. 55 002 The Kiing's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in green livery departs Whitby for Newcastle with return excursion on 2 August 1981 with St. Mary's Church dominating skyline

14XX No. 1444 at Wargrave on the Henley-on-Thames branch on 3 May 1958.  (Trevor Owen) See also colour feature on page 16 front cover

March (Number 371)

Those lazy, hazy railway days of summer... Michael Blakemore. 131
Editorial

Going nuclear in Kent. Rodney Lissenden. 132-3
Colour photo feature: nuclear flask traffic from Dungeness B power station which is being decommissioned (electricity production ceased in 2018: Direct Rail Services Type 68 diesel electric locomotives Nos. 68 002 Intrepid and 68 018 Vanguard at Shoreham between Sevenoaks and Bromley on 16.35 Dungeness to Crewe working on 13 September 2018; Class 37 Nos. 37 603 and 37 601 wait in snow at Otford stationj on 2 December 2010 due too failure of third rail to be cleared; Class 33 No. 33 208 waits at Lydd level crossing while crew walk forward to open them whilst guard looks forward past nuclear flasks on 06.29 Willesden to Dungeness; Class 37 Nos. 37 602 and 37 606 wait under gantry loading crane at Dungeness whilst flask wagons are attached on 12 July 2006 and Class 20 DRS locomotives Nos. 20 304 and 307 wait at Lydd level crossing with view of old station on 14 April 2004 ((unusually 20 304 due tto electricity connection problem 20 203 was workiing bonnet-first.

Douglas McNaught. Glasgow & South Western Railway passenger services in July 1922. 134-41.
Author had oobtained a copy of the reprint of the 1985 reprint of the July 1922 Bradshaw. The author examines the pattern of services and nots that Saturdays were busier than wee kdays and that Sundays conformed to Presbyterian gloom. Workmens trains ran to and from Renfrew and to a lesser extent Kilmarnock. The author is puzzled by the Mondays only trains from Largs, Farlie (for Millport) and Ardrossan (for Arran), but these were a feature until the end of steam when the family holidayed for a month and the father went down for weekends. Some consideration is given to Anglo-Scottish traffic and that to Ireland via Stranraer. Illustrations: 153 Class 4-4-0 No. 86 and 4-6-0 double head a Glasgow St. Enoch to London St. Pancras express prior to Grouping (Victor Welch colour postcard), map of Glasgow & South Western Railway; Manson 4-4-0 No. 42 working hard at Etterby Junction with an Anglo-Scottish express with  many vans at front; Whitelegg Baltic 4-6-4T on arrival of express at Glasgow St. Enoch;  Manson Class  8 4-4-0 No. 4 (prior to renumbering as No. 397 in 1919) at Carlisle Citadel station; rebuilt 153 class 4-4-0 No. 14147  approaching Dumfries from Stranraer with West Coast Jooint Stock mail van at front of train; Manson 336 4-4-0 No. 355, built by Dubs in 1899 at  St. Enoch; rebuilt  Manson Class  8 4-4-0 No. 14173 departing Dumfries for Stranraer; Drummond 137 Class 4-4-0 No. 14515 in bay platform at Ayr with a stopping service; 4-6-4T Baltic tank No. 15404 passing Cardonald on a Glasgow to Ardrossan train in 1927. See also letter from John Macnab which concerns latre workings of non-corridor stock under British Railways,

Stephen G. Abbott. On  holliday to Norfolk — with and without the Midland & Great Northern. 142-9.
This is the homebase of Steamindex with West Runton station being the last remnant of the Midland & Great Northern — jorneys from which to Norwich involve passage on the sole remainder of the Norfolk & Suffolk Joint. There is a brief history of the M&GN which it is stated grew out of schemes to link King's Lynn with towns to its east and  to its west. The Norwich & Spalding Railway opened from Spalding to Holbeach opened for freight on  9 August 1858 and for passengers on 15 November 1858, going on to Sutton Bridge on 1 July 1862. The Lynn & Sutton Bridge Railway opened for freight in November 1864 and for passengers from 1 March 1866. The Peterborough, Wisbech & Sutton Bridge and Spalding & Bourne companies opened on 1 August 1866. On 23 July 1866 an Act was passed permitting the amalgamation of the L&SB with the S&B to form the Midland & North Eastern Railway and it in turn leased the N&S. Both the Great Northern and Midland had interests in these lines. The former worked the lines between Bourne and King's Lynn and the latter the PW&SB. In 1867 joint operation of the M&E was sanctioned as the Bourne & Joint. The N&S.was formally absorbed by the M&E in 1877.  The Great Yarmouth Stalham Light Railway, later Yarmouth & North Norfolk opened in stages from 1877 to 1880 and ceased to be a light railway on extension to North Walsham on 13 Junel 1881. The Lynn  & Fakenham Railway opened to Massingham in 18 79 and on to Fakenham on 6 August 1880.  The two companies promoted a line to join their two systems opened from Fakenham to Melton Constable in 1882 and on to North Walsham on 5 April 1883. At Melton Constable  locomotive works was established and a line opened in stages to Norwich City on 2 December 1882. Also in 1882 the Yarmouth Union Railway opened a tramway from the Y&NN  Beach station to quay linking with the Great Eastern tramway. From 1 January 1883 the three companies me rged as the Eastern & Midlands Railway which in turn took over the M&E and PW&SB from 1 July alhough their lines continued to be worked by the GNR and Midland separately. In January 1866 a 4½ mile loop eastwards from a new station at South Lynn to join the original line at Bewsey Siding obviatedd reversal at King's Lynn for through trains. A line north from Melton Constable reached Holt in 1884 and Cromer Beach on 16 June 1887, but a proposed branch from Kelling to Blakeney was abandoned.
Illustrations: Gresley J6 0-6-0 on 09.55 Saxby to King's Lynn away from Spalding on 28 February 1959 (T.J. Edgington: colour); M&GN Class 8 4-4-0 No. 80 (Beyer Peacock/1899) departing Norwich City on 26 June 1929; M&GN Johnson 4-4-0 No. 56 (Sharp Stewart/1896, rebuilt Melton Constable in 1912 wih larger boiler) on a Yarmouth and Lowestoft to Manchester train in 1932 possibly at South Lynn in 1932;  M&GN Class 2 4-4-0 No. 53 piloting a Fowler 2-6-4T with a Nottingham Midland train to Yarmouth in 1933 (T.J. Edgington Collection);

Midlands mundanities. Tommy Tomalin. 150-1.
Colour photo feature of freight trains, etc.: Class 4F 0-6-0 No. 43861 at Coalville East on a pick up freight from Shepsted and about to cross redundant t racks to access granite quarry siding in June 1962; 9F 2-10-0 No. 92234 with invisible headlamp and two 94XX 0-6-0PTs Nos. 9429 and 8402 at Bromsgrove engine shed whe n wo rking as Lickey Incline bankers on 1 October 1961: ex-LNWR G2a 7F 0-8-0 No. 49361 with brown box van on local goods working at Pleck Junction, south of Walsall on 4 May 1963; Overseal engine shed, a sub-shed of Burton-upon-Trent, with 4F 0-6-0s Nos. 44527 and 44538 outside on 14 September 1963; 8F 2-8-0 No. 48690, built at Brighton Works in 1944 lifts a heavy coal train towards Stockingford Tunnel on Nuneaton to Birmingham line passing construction of new colliery buildings in the mid-1960s (all images suffer from lack of clarity). See also letters from Nick Daunt and David Rollins on page 317

More of Tyson's tours. Alan Tyson. 152-3.
Black & white photo feature: K4 No. 3442 The Great Marquess on Railway Correspondence &aamp; Travel Society Dalesmman railtour at Grassington on 4 May 1963; LYR 0-4-0ST No. 51232 climbing gradient out of Irwell Street goods yard on Locomotive Club of Great Britain brake van tour in Salford area which included Manchester Ship Canal Railway (caption points to unusual telegraph poles); No. 60022 Mallard at Edinburgh Waverley on 2 June 1963 on "non-stop" run from King's Cross (thwarted by delayed freight in Northumberland) on Aberdeen Flyer handing over to No. 60004 William Whitelaw for journey to Aberdeen; LYR 2-4-2T No. 50850 at Gannow Junction where Copy Pit line to Todmorden diverges with Central Lancashire your diverges, organised by Roch Valley Railway Society on 17 September 1960; preserved North Staffordshire Railway 0-6-2T No. 2 at Walkden Colliery giving rides in brake van and wagon on 19 May 1962; A3 Pacific No. 4472 Flying Scotsman taking on water at Marylebone station having arrived from Sheffield on Railway Preservation Society train on 15 June 1963.

Jeffrey Wells. Aspects of the 'Gingerbread Line'; the Nantwich & Market Drayton Railway. 154-9.
Gingerbread was made in Market Drayton since the seventeenth century. Bob Yate's "excellent" By Great Western to Crewe. After several abortive schemes to link Nantwich with other towns a Bill for the Nantwich & Market Drayton Railway was accepted with John Gardner as its engineer. There are quotes from the Cheshire Observer (29 September 1860); Eddowe's Journal (21 Nove mber 1860) and the Salopian Journal to describe progress. The first sod was cut on 16 January 1863 and was reported in the Shrewsbury Chronicle on 17 January 1862. The Board of Trade inspection was performed by Captain Rich and approved other than minor works: this was reported in the Northwich Guardian on 17 October 1863.. The line opened on 19 October 1864 and was described in the Chester Chronicle on the 19th. The opening of the extension line from Market Drayton tto Wellington was featured in the Staffordshire Advertiser on 27 August . Colonel Yolland had inspected the line on the 19th. Due to a failure in communications too light chairs were used in the extension and these had to be replaced before the railway opened which did not take place until 1 November 1867. Prope rty values increased especially in Audlem and press references are given to invidual hose sales. Two halts were opened in the mid-1930s and Kevin Robertson's Great Western Railway halts  Volume 1 is cited,. Illustrations: 8F 2-8-0 No. 48478 on up express freight passing Nantwich on 24 August 1962 (colour); LNWR Webb 18in goods 0-6-0 No. 2464 (Cauliflower good) passing Nantwich c1913 passsing under lattice footbridge; Grange 4-6-0 No. 6853 Morehampton Grange taking water at south end of Nantwich station during 1963 (G. Parry Collection); map (Nantwich to Wellington); Audlem station c1912 (John Alsop Collection); Market Drayton station looking north c1922 (John Alsop Collection); Adderley station c1909 (John Alsop Collection); platelayers at work in Nantwich station c1910 (John Alsop Collection); unidentified GWR locomotive stands in down platform face at Market Drayton station c1909 (John Alsop Collection); Nantwich & Market Drayton Railway celebrations for opening programme; Coxbank Halt; Coole Pilate Halt; 57XX 0-6-0PT No. 9636 taking water at Wellington on 17.45 to Crewe on 28 April 1962 (Alan Tyson); Corbet Arms Hotel in Market Drayton in September 2019. See also letters from Nick Daunt who is critical of map on opening page and David Patrick on page 317.

The GWR '14XX' tanks: small but perfectly formed. 160-3
Colour photo feature: No. 1419 at Fowey (dirty black livery) in September 1959 (F. Hornby); No. 1472 in lined green livery at Cirencester Town with modern auto trailers and A.C. Cars railbus alongside in April 1961 (R. Denison); No. 1451 on Chalfont Flyer leaving Brimscombe Bridge Halt on service for Gloucester on 26 March 1964 (Trevor Owen); No. 1466 in dirty lined black livery with ferret and dartboard emblem taking water at Exeter St. David's on 25 June 1963 No. 1466 with single trailer at Brixham in December 1959 (J.R. Besley); No. 1451 in lined green livery with carmine & cream livery ex-GWR corridor coach and two other carriages at Dulverton on 4 August 1962 (Ray Oakley); 58XX No. 5811 leaves Blaenau Ffestiniog with two non-corridor coaches fo r Bala in August 1955 (J.B. Snell); No. 1454 in plain green livery at Yatton taking water with Clevedon auto train(J. Mitchell) [why is platform crowded and why do two adult male passengers have a bare legs? in 1956]; No. 1426 propelling its compartment stock train at Seven Bridge station prior to crossing Severn Bridge in July 1959 (Trevor Owen). in July 1959

M.G. Sadler. Engine and brake van to Shirebrook: an unsentimental reflection on what life was like for a freight guard in the 1970s. Part One. 164-9.
Most of working population was employed by National Coal Board in it local pits, the largest being Shirebrook where about 1100 worked underground and about 350 on the surface. It was the most productive in Britain. The output was conveyed over the Lancashire, Derbyshire & East Coast Railway, known to most railwaymen as the LD. In steam days motive power was based at Langwith Junction, but on 14 June 1965 a new maintenance and fuelling point opened at Shirebrook West. The route to becoming a guard was not straightforward as although his father was an engine driver at Langwith depot. he failed his eyesight test when he applied to be a cleaner, so he applied to the NCB to be taken on as an apprentice fitter as a trainee fitter, where he found himself acting as a sand boy replenishing the sand sandboxes of the pit top shunting locomotives. In October 1966 he became a trainee policeman, but after two years he returned to the NCB as an electrician's labourer at Welbeck Colliery, but just as we was about to finish coalface training he opted to become a freight guard in June 1970. Training included the use of a shunting pole which had a ruinous effect on the skin of knuckles. In 1948 Shirebrook ran 47 trains in a week to Toton and 18 to Whitemoorcarrying general merchandise, but by 1980 only eight were running. Illustrations: Class 47 No. D1540 passing over the Warsop Main Colliery branch whilst Type 37 signalled towards down main at Warsopc and he ading towards Shirebrook West Junction and London Midland Region on a mixed freight (colour); on 26 July 1977 Class 56 No. 56 015 takes set of empties on to Warsop Colliery branch. No. 47 176 leaving High Marnham power staion with a set of MGR wagons on 15 May 1979 and No. 56 007 arr iving with loaded set [56 007 was a defective Romanian-built loco with defectice cab air-conditioning at 15° air-conditioning] (John Tomlinson: colour), map of Shirebrook depot routes; Class 20 Nos. 20 164 and 20 158 from Clipstone Colliery at Rufford Colliery Sidings signal box where signalman handing over electric token for section to Mansfield Junction on 17 September 1979 (Malcolm Rush: colour); Class 56 099 heading south on up main line towards Rufford Junction with set of MGR wagons at Mansfield Concentration Sidings, a source of wagon concentrations in summer. on 10 March 1983 (Chris Davis: colour); Hudswell Clarke DM 0-4-0 shunter (HCD 344) at work in loaded sidings at Shirebrook Colliery on 15 April 1980 (William Stevens: colour); Nos, 20 37 and 20 183 have worked a bulk load of domestic coal into up reception sidings at Toton marshalling yard (Chris Davis: colour)

Bruce Laws. Burry Port to Cymmawr. Part One.  170-5.
The author stumbled across an article by John Bourne about the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valleys Railway on a model railway stand at an exhibition in Trains Illustrated of 1952. He became interested and this was assisted by his wife's family having relatives in the area. Illustrations: 16XX 0-6-0PT No. 1643 at Burry Port on a long train of mineral empties on 19 May 1959 (Trevor Owen: colour); BPGVR 0-6-0T No. 9 as built by Hudswell Clarke & Co. (WN 893/1909); 1901 class 0-6-0PT No. 1967 on a passenger train formed from 4-wheel and bogie coaches at Burry Port on 7 July 1947; map of Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valleys Railway 1869-1998; 0-6-0ST No. 2196 Gwendraeth (Avonside Engine Co. WN /1906) in Llanelly shed; 1901 class 0-6-0PT Nos. 1957 amd 1967 at Cymmawr on 7 July 1947; four-wheel coach No. 2796

To Templecombe by the Somerset & Dorset. Gavin Morrison. 176-8.
Photo-feature: S&DR 7F 2-8-0 No. 53807 crossing Prestleigh Viaduct in heavy rain on climb to Masbury Summit on 26 August 1961 with Cleethorpes to Exmouth express (see also December Issue) (colour); two Class 2P 4-4-0s Nos. 40569 and 40634 on 12 August 1961 at Evercreech Junction on 12 August 1961 (black & white); BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2T No. 82002 arriving with four coaches from Glastonbury at Evercreech Junction on 2 August 1961 (black & white); 8F 2-8-0 No. 49760 without steam heating at Wincanton on 08.25 Bath to Evercreech Junction on 5 March 1966 (colour); two Bulleid light Pacificss in superb external condition, Nos. 34006 Bude and 34057 Biggin Hill at Evercreech Junction awaiting a special from the south on 5 March 1966 (colour); BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 No. 75072 in scrap yard condition leaving Evercreech Junction for Bath on 1 January 1966 (black & white); Ivatt Class 2-6-2Ts Nos. 41214, 41223, 41296 and 41283 outside Templecombe engine shed on 28 December 1965 (colour); BR Standard Class 5 No. 73001 on 09.00 Bristol to Bournemouth leaving Templecombe on 30 December 1965 (black & white).

Steve Leyland. What we did on our holidays. 179-81.
Illustrations: Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 No. 43133 on 15.20 Blackpool Central to Manchester Victoria express formed of corridor stock calling at Bolton Trinity Street (G.W. Sharpe); Jubilee class No. 45623 Palestine on 16.25 Manchester to Blackpool Central at Dobbs Brow Junction on 22 June 1963 (D. Hampson); Stani er Class 4 2-6-4T No. 42652 on a local train from Rochdale passing under long footbridge;

Peter Butler. Runaway train at Wellingborough. 182-3.
Geoffrey Webb had kept a small press cutting from the Railway Gazette  which related to a train running away at Wellinborough and being stopped at Finendon. The inident does not apppear to have been  recorded. Illustrations: ex-Midland Railway Johnson 0-4-4T No. 1246 at Wellingborough on Higham Ferrers train on 3 July 1927 (H.C. Casserley); ex-Midland Railway Johnson 0-4-4T No. 58091 with single pull & push coach at Wellingborough on Higham Ferrers train in 1951; Wellingborough station looking north towards Mill Road bridge in July 1987.

Alistair F. Nisbet. The end of Aberdeen's 'Subbies'. 184-8.
The Aberdeen Railway came in from the south to ter minatte at Guild Street near the innermost end of the Harbour. The Deeside Railway opened westwards to Banchory from Aberdeen Ferryhill from 13 May 1862. The Great North of Scotland Railway had its Waterloo terminus towaards the east of the harbour. Three diffferent solutions were proposed to link the northbound and southbound lines. The Limpet Mill scheme, technically the Scottish Northern Junction Railway: this was to run from a junction three miles north of Stonehaven to 22 miles to a junction with he GNoS main line to Huntly near Kintore station. Two junctions were planned with the Deeside Railway in the Culter area. The Bill achieved Parliamentary approval in July 1862. The Circumbendibus was the main response which branched off the Waterloo line near Kittybrewster and gone through Denburn. In 18867 stopping train services were instigated to Dyce. Illustrations: Joint station south end with Caledonian Railway express headed by a 4-4-0 and a Great North of Scotland 4-4-0 on a Deeside train pre-1913; map of Circumbendibus and Denburn Valley lines; ex-NBR D40 class 4-4-0 No. 62261 on a short freight at Dyce station (W.A. Camwell); Culter station terminus for majority of Subbie trains; Bucksburn station c1912; GNSR 0-4-4T No. 91 at Murtle station c1912; passengers from aa suburban train making their way towards exit of Aberdeen Joint station; south end of Aberdeen Joint station in 1930s.

Readers' forum. 189-90

Focus on Inverness. Donald Massey. 189
Re Gerald Goodall letter on page 61 the train is on the northbound platform at Inverness wheere it has been reversed into after arriving from Perth to be alongside a northbound train onto which the TPO would be attached. There was an article in the Highland Railway Journal on these postal vehicle gyrations.

Over the sea to Skye – via the Highland Railway. John Macnab.
Highland Railway TPO vehicles (photograph of wee bit on southbound train at Inverness). There were three such vehicles: 30321-3 built at Lochgorm Works in 1916-17 numbered 5, 6 and 10 by the HR and termed "letter carriages" to convey parcels as well as Royal Mail, especially on the Far North route. The great increase in Royal Mail lletter traffic to and from  the Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow was given as the reason for the build. Two were used on a daily basis and one was kept in reserve. On cessation of WW1 they ceased to operate beyond Dingwall, but from 1923 a Perth to Helmsdale service came about. Two worked cyclically with one spare as follows: one off night train from Perth conveyed on morning train to Helmsdale. Later returned back down to Inverness, but detached at Dingwall. Thereafter picked up from there and returned to Inverness for next working to Perth. There is some variance from Goodall. These arrangements persisted into BR days, but in 1954 the tpo was held back at Inverness on Saturdays going to Perth on the 15.00 Sunday train thus giving a postal service from north of Perth for delivery in England on Monday. The Euston to Lairg newspaper train on Sundays did not involve the tpo vehicles. They were withhdrawn at the end of 1961 and broken up at Inverurie Works although one coach body may have ended up in an Aberdeenshire farmyard. Standard tpo vehicles took their place and all Highland tpo services ceased at the end of November 1967.

En route to Woodford and Hinton. Robin Leleux.
Travellers to Northampton on the London & Birmingham Railway would tend to change to road transport at Blisworth being slightly nearer to the town than Roade. |Roade  was adjacent the Old Stratford turnpike (A 508). Blisworth was atop the embankment adjacent the Oxford turnpike (A 43), the handsome bridge still carries the WCML over the road on the edge of the village. When the branch to Northampton and Peterborough opened in 1845 Blisworth station was moved north to near the junction.
Geoffrey Webb was an under-recognised railway historian largely because he never wrote a book. an under-recognised railway historiam as he never wrote a book, but he had a prodigeous knowledge and corrected many sections of Leleux's Regional Railway History: East Midlands (Backtrack, 2023, 37, 189). He was a life long batchelor who was not adept at housekeeping. H.V. Borley also had a prodigeous detailed knowledge of railway history who began his chiding letters "In the interests of accuracy" .

Devon's railways. Philip Shelton.
Train is crossing a bridge demolished in 1977 across the River Taw, not  the Taw Estuary, and was coming from Ilfracombe 

John Bradbeer. Devon's railways.
Reason given for Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway being isolated was lack of funds: not so! The port and shipping interests were implacably opposed to any form of river crossing at low level even a movable bridge. A high level bridge as on the A39 North Devon Link Road would have required a great deal of land, The same factor left Dartmouth isolated.

Return to Cumbria. Martin Higginson.
See page 50 station is at Drigg with Victoria Hotel to left.

The Waveney Valley Railway. Tim Edmonds. 189
See article page 53: early closure of stations at Starston, Redenhall and Wortwell was due to a report by the Great Eastern Railway 's Traffic, Locomotive and Permanent Way Committee considering that the time to traverse the line  was excessive, but closure was not approved in April 1863 as level crossings were  required to be manned

Mortimer Street Junction. Graham Floyd. 189
See article page 31: letter writer was a former manager of railway signalmen and must have met Peter Butler. States that Ernie Tuvell was signalman at Upper Holloway

Britain: locomotive workshop to the world. Daryl Grant. 189-90
See previous volume page 654: this shows link between British locomotive manufacturers and railways in Australia.

Line Societies Liaison Group. 190
Bighton Circle
Caledonian Railway Association
Cumbrian Railway Association
Glasgow & South Western Railway Association
Great Central Railway Society
Great Eastern Railway Society
Great Northen Railway Society
Great North of Scotland Railway Association
Highland Railway Society
Historical Model Railway Society
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society
London & North Western Railway Society
LMS Society
Midland Railway Society
Midland & Great Northen Circle
North Eastern Railway Association
North London Railway Historical Society
North Stafforshire Railway Study Group
Signalling Record Society
South Eastern & Chatham Railway Society
South Western Railway Circle
Welsh Railways Research Circle

Weed control. Chris Dyke
See December 2022 Issue for exemplary weed-free track bed on Central Wales Line in 1950s. In 1950s British Railways used triazine weedkillers,  notably simazine, but this was detected in drinking water and glycophosphate was substituted, but this works upon leaves and needs dry, sunny weather when being applied, conditions not found frequently in Britain.

Book reviews. 190

The acquired weagons of British Railways, Volume 4, General merchandise vans & containers, special purpose wagons & cattle wagons. David Larkin. Crécy. 144pp.
Reviewed by PT who notes most photographs taken during declining days. ****

The Brunels, father and son. Anthony Burton. Pen & Sword
Reviewed by LAS and only given one star as fails to mention Robert Pearson Brereton

Heading for the holiday camp – and beach club. E. Alger. rear cover
D16/3 No. 62511 on 10.15 Liverpool Street to Gorleston train passing over road to Hopton-on-Sea beach and holiday camp in June 1957 ((Norfolk & Suffolk Joint line of which sole remnant is between Cromer and Roughton Road: KPJ's youngest grandson used to cycle to school on Gorleston bit)

A1X Terrier 0-6-0T No, DS377 Brighton Works in Stroudley yellow livery See also colour feature on page 224 [front cover]

April (Number 372)

Michael Blakemoor. The powers behind the thrones. 195
Editorial explanation for plug for Hillier-Graves's book about Bert Spencer

'RCR' on the Midland. Richard Riley, 196-8
Dick Riley colour photo-feature of London Midland Region locomotives: Coronation class Pacific No. 46251 Duchess of Norfolk in red livery with British Railways style lining att Carlisle waiting to take over an up  express on 27  May 1959; same locoomotive with LMS lining around cab and tender edges leaving Leicester  Central on RCTS special from Nottingham Victoria to Didcot on 9 May 1964;  rebuilt Scot 4-6-0 No. 46137 The Prince of Wales's Volunteers South Lancashire easing throuugh Carlisle Upprby shed yard on 31 October 1959; unrebuilt Patriot No. 45511 Isle of Man at Willesden coaling plant on 29 August 1959; filthy Stanier class 5 4-6-0 with four unsuitable coaches at filthy remains of Leicester Central station which might have served as part of a high speed railway to the north; Class 5 No. 45038 on an "express" picking up a crowd of passengers amidst chaos of reconstruction at Coventry on a Wolverhampton to Euston train on 24 October 1959; Jubilee class 4-6-0 No. 45734 Meteor on a Wolverhampton to Euston express departing Coventry on 24 October 1959;  rebuilt Scot 4-6-0 No. 46117 Welsh Guardsman with a parcels train at Mangotsfield on 5 October 1962.

Jeffrey Wells. When a station roof collapses: 1884-1903. 199-201
In all cases which follow cast iron columns were involved.
Leicester Midland 5 December 1884
Huddersfield 10 August 1885
Nottingham 24 August 1896
Crewe 7 August 1902
Lieutenant Colonel Von Donop Report to Board of Trade
Illustrations:

John C. Hughes. The Liverpool Spring Meeting, 202-7.
Illustrations: invisible L&YR Highflyer arrived at Racecourse late Cinder Lane station showing passengers mainly with bowlers or cloth caps disembarking; bridge over Warbreck Moor with huge lettering "Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Racecourse Station" (non-electric tramlines below); Sefton Arms station with LNWR train from the north in Platform 4, very smart Overhead special in Platform 3 with second series motors and electric sandwich train from Liverpool Exchange on 4 April 1913; map of racecourse and its stations (LMS leaflet with creative cartography placing CLC station remote from LMS stations served by its electric trains); Aintree station following electrification at 600V dc loooking north; A1 Pacific No, 2547 Doncaster at Sheffield Victoria with King's Cross to Aintree Pullman special on 29 March 1935; B1 4-6-0 No. 61080 bringing empty stock for 17.10 to Hull into Ra ce course station on 24 March 1956; Jubilee classs 4-6-0 No. 45583 Assam on 17.10 return special to Carlisle with modernised Overhead train passing above; BR Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76087 and Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44868 arrival from Cleethorpes at Aintree Central on 31 March 1962; South Wales Pullman near Rainnhill en route from Swansea to Sefton Arms on 21 March 1964.

Anthony Dawson, 'Rocket' and its kin. Part One. 'Rocket' and Rainhill. 208-14
Illustrations: 2009-built replica of Rocket outside warehouse at Liverpool Road station in Manchester during 2010 (Lauren Jaye Gradwell: colour); Lancashire Witch built Robert Stephenson & Co. but rebuilt with twin parallel boiler flues to burn coal and coke to prevent smoke (diagram: side, rear elevations & plan); Marc Séguin patent drawing (redrawn) to show tube arrangement (Andrew S. Mason: colour); firebox view of 2009-built replica pressure gauge and cylinder lubricators modern refinements (Matthew Jackson: black & white); eccentric cluster on Rocket replica at NRM (black & white); second view of previous; 2009-built replica of Rocket outside warehouse at Liverpool Road station in Manchester with replica carriages built by LMS in 1930 (Matthew Jackson: colour); original Rocket on display in Manchester Museum (Ian Hardman: colour)

M.G. Sadler. Engine and brake van to Shirebrook: an unsentimental reflection on what life was like for a freight guard in the 1970s. Part Two. 215-20.
Part 1 see page 164. Illustrations (all colour): Class 20 Bo-Bo Nos. 20 025 and No. 20 133 propelling three empty traction oil tank wagons and a brake van from Shirebrook depot towards Warsop Junction and Mansfield Concentration Sidings past Shirebrook West signal box in snow on 15 December 1981 (Malcolm Rush); Class 37 Nos. 37 128 and 37 105 hauling empty MGR set probably from Northfleet to Welbeck Colliery fouling junction at Shirebrook West for traincrew relief and blocking not visible No. 56 009 and another empty MGR set stopped for traincrew relief on 18 June 1981 (Michael Hart); No. 56 113 propelling a loaded MGR set off Welbeck Colliery branch onto down main with driver leaning out of cab to check proogress in July 1984 (Robin Stewart-Smith); No. 56 019 with loaded MGR set  leaving Sherwood Colliery almost certainly for Ratcliffe Power Station on 18 June 1981 (Geoff Dowling); No. 56 004 on Shirebrook Colliery to Cottam Power Station MGR, Nos. 56 074 and 56 113 wait on depot engine line for next jobs whilst emitting toxic fumes and Shirebrook Station signal box chimney belches smoke (Keith Partlow); No. 56 104 (with name) and loaded MGR for Ratcliffe Power Station stopped tat signal and No. 56 124 backing its MGR set out of Welbeck Colliery branch in March 1986 (Chris Davis).

Exercising their powers. Gavin Morrison. 221-3
Partly colour photo-feature: 9F 2-10-0: No. 92093  waiting to leave Bradford Valley Road goods depot with 19.40 freight to Carlisle on 19 July 1967; No. 92125 approaching Helwith Bridge with 13.30 Leeds Hunslet to Carlisle on 15 July 1967; No. 92022 with Franco-Crosti boiler on Wellingborough shed on 5 August 1955 (black & white); ex-Crost boilered No. 92022 on up parcels train and No. 92130 looped near Dent station on 5 August 1967 (black & white); No. 92066 with Westinghouse air pump to operate hopper doors on 56 ton capacity bogie iron ore wagons on Tyne Dock to Consett trains arriving at latter on 18 March 1964 (black & white); No. 92220 Evening Star next to red 4P Compound 4-4-0 No. 1000 at Darlington station on 21 August 1975 to celebrate Stockton & Darlington 150; No. 92220 Evening Star on a return special from Carnforth to Keighley passing Kettlebeck on 31 May 1975.

Steam at Brighton. 224-7.
Colour photo-feature (all photographed at Brighton): A1X 0-6-0T Terrier No. 377S Brighton Works in Stroudley yellow livery next to a new malachite green tender for a light Pacific (J. Jarvis); LBSCR K Class 2-6-0 No. 32340 in Brightonn engine shed on 31 March 1962 (Trevor Owen); King Arthur N15 4-6-0 No. 30796 Sir Dodinas in highly polished state on 13 April 1958 awaiting departure on a Railway Travel & Correspondence Society special returning to London Victoria (E.V. Fry); Caledonian Railway 4-2-2 No. 123 in blue livery with whitewashed coal in its tender coupled to preserved LSWR T9 4-4-0 No. 120 in light green livery with Terrier 0-6-0T No. 32640 and Ivatt 2-6-2T and Fairburn 2-6-4T (the preserved locomotives were on a railtour organised by the Bluebell Railway Prerservation Society) on 5 September 1963 (G. Parry Collection); T9 4-4-0 in fully lined BR black livery in ex-Works condition on 15 March 1953 (Trevor Owen); Schools class 4-4-0 No. 30934 Tonbridge with Lemairtre blastpipe & chimney departing for Tonbridge on 6 August 1961; rebuilt West Country light Pacific No. 34108 Wincanton departing on return excursion to London on 19 March 1967; A1X 0-6-0T Terrier No. 32636 in fully lined BR black livery taking water before working a raitour to Seaford on 7 Ovtober 1962 (Trevor Owen); rebuilt Merchant Navy class Pacific No. 35007 Aberdeen Commonwealth on return excursion from Victoria on 18 October 1964.

North Wales byways. John Spencer Gilks. 228-9.
Black & white photo-feature: Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46433 running tender first at Nantclwed on short freight with wagons loaded with wheel sets on Rhyl to Corwen line; BR "Standard" Class 2 2-6-0 No. 78059 running tender first at Bethesda on branch from Bangor with wagon containing sheeted container on 21 May 1962; Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41233 running bunker first at Amlwch on 14.25 to Bangor on 24 May 1962 (guard sitting in sunshine); Stanier Class 3 2-6-2T No. 40130 running bunker first atblaenau Ffestiniog with 17.30 for Llandudno on 9 September 1953; Class 4F 0-6-0 No. 44504 at Pontrhythallt on freight on branch from Caernarvon to Llanberis on 21 May 1962; narrow gauge 2-6-2T No. 9 Prince of Wales at Aberffrwd with train for Devil's Bridge on 21 August 1959.

Tim Hillier-Graves. Bert Spencer, Gresley's master engineer. 230-48
Illustrations: Bert Spencer attending launch of P2 at King's Cross on 12 June 1934; John Bazin, Assistant Works Manager at Doncaster (portrait); [Herbert] Nigel Gresley (portrait); Doncaster Works in early 1920s with Stirling 0-6-0ST No. 4278? in splendid condition and steam crane at work in yard; Pacific No. 44774 Victor Wild at King's Cross? at night; Pacific No. 2549 Persimmon with modified valve gear; A1 Pacific No. 2576 White Knight with ACFI feed water heater and W1 4-6-4 No. 10000 at King's Cross; scene at Welwyn Garden City (caption incorrectly states Welwyn) on 15 June 1935 when 22.58 King's Cross to Leeds ran into 22.53 to Newcastle (photograph taken by Bert Spencer at Gresley's behest probably from Shredded Wheat silo) at least one of trains (22.58) was headed by a Pacific)

Ray Fisher. Sixes and sevens: and the 'Big Four' and the alternatives. 249-52.
It has becm something of a sport to exhume the Railway Grouping viewed from a century later. Illustrations: 2-4-0 No. 19 of the Maryport & Carlisle Railway with a train of six and four wheel carriages at Maryport; GWR Star Class four-clinder 4-6-0 No. 4058 Princess Augusta on a down express passing Kensal Green (T.J. Edgington Collection); Doric Arch at Euston with horse drawn and at least one motor vehicle; LNER D30 NBR Scott J Class 4-4-0 No. 9421 Jingling Geordie on Forth Bridge on 15 July 1930 (George R. Grigs); London Passenger Transport Board Beyer Peacock 4-4-0T No. 41 (ex-Metropolitan  Railway) on Brill branch in with single coach and two Ricketts wagons of coal August 1935 (T.J. Edgington Collection); double Fairlie 0-4-4-0T Taleisin at Portmaadoc Hrbour in 1930s; Great North of Scotland 4-4-0 No. 449 Gordon Highlander and Jones Goods No. 103 at Slochd Summit passing loop exchanging tablets with train that included preserved Caledonian Railway carriages on RCTS/SLS special on 14 June 1962 (Trevor Owen: colour). See also correspondence from James Hargrave.

Readers' Forum. 253

North British Atlantics. Bill Dickinson
Design was quite unlilke any other NBR design in having a Belpaire firebox, outside cylinders, cab with two side windows and 6-foot 6-inch driving wheels with wheel spacing identical to that of the Great Central Atlantics built by the North British Locomotive Co. at its Hyde Park Works. Even the footplate seems similar.

North British Atlantics. John Macnab.
On page 82 the author refers to an accident at Laurencekirk. but this must be incorrect and was the one at Elliot Junction on 28 December 1906.

Birkenhead Woodside. Chris Magner
The back working for the 07.08 Llandudno to Woodside was the 16.30 Liverpool Lime Street to Llandudno Club train.

Suburban Surbiton. Laurence Akehurst

Britain: locomotive workshop to the world. John Harvey.
Crown Agents involvement. In relationn to India cites Shashi Tharoor's Inglorious Empire: what the British did to India. Hurst; 2016. Tharoor suggests that between 1885 and 1947 India imported 10% 14,400 of British production.

Chessington memories. Stephen G. Abbott
The two coach electric units recalled by Michael Baker on the West Croydon to Wimbledon service were not converted from Brighton line express stock. They had been built foor the LBSCR South London electrification on the ac overhead system in 1909 and were converted to dc third rail afte r t yhe Southern Railway abandoned overhead electrification iin 1928-29. The vehicles had internal side corridors as built, but no inter-car gangways,

Book reviews. 253-4

The Saint Ives branch line - history. Richard C. Lomg. Pen & Sword. 182pp. 123 illustrations. 253-4
I have always enjoyed travelling on the St. Ives branch. It has a long history including broad gauge days, it is scenically splendid, and has a lomg tradition as one of the GWR's most popular holiday destinations. An authoritative on it is long overdue. However, I foound that this volume illustrates some of the d ifficulties in presenting a branch history when a line is still in a working existence, as an author strives to achieve an appropriate balance between, for instance, steam days and the modern dieselised era. It can be especially problematic if the research involved is a relatively recent activity.
Enthusiasts familiar with the comprerhensive nature of Wild Swan and Lightmoor branch histories will quickly notice a rather different approach here. More than half the volume relates to the line from Beeching onwards. Its iimbalance is reflected in the 30 pages (one-sixth of the book) accorded toi the chapter on 'the privatisation era' with only eleven on building the railway and sixteen on the early years.

Robinson eight-coupled locomotives. Jeremy Clements. Crecy Publishing. 224pp. Reviewed by DWM who gave it five stars.
This publisher is carving out for itself a niche delivering both books which add considerably to our store of railway knowledge whilst a the same time b eing most stylishly produced and this is the latest offering which could be considered under the sub-title 'all that you wished you knew about Mr. Robinson's big goods engines %#150; but were reluctant to ask'!
Production values aside yhe author has set about his subject in a most comprehensive and authoritative style. Context is the key to the first part of the book, links between personaliities in the railway industry, noticeably in this case between the 'mainland' and Ireland are considered along with the productive relationship subsequently enjoyed between J.G. Robinson and Sir Sam Fay during their tenures on the Great Central. The basic reason for building 'big goods engines' is pertinently tackled in a chapter on freight train working and, in the interests of clarity the vexed matter of locomotive numbering – and serial numbering! –is considered.
The meat of the book starts with the 0-8-0s, the 'Tinies', progresses through the three-cylinder 0-8-4 shunting tanks, the delightfully nicknamed 'Wath Daisies'. and finishes up with the immortal 2-8-0s, the GC Class 8k. This section on the 8k considers the various modiifications which were made to the locomotives, their service during both World Wars and their dispersal and disposal after the Great War. As the majority of the locomotives spent their latter years on the LNER and its successor, the modifications made by Greslley and Thompson are detailed. The consideration of the problem of banking trains up the Worsborough incline throws fascinating insights into possible American imports or a Great Central Garratt, he massive LNER U1 being adopted as the final solution.
The book is pertinently illustrated, indeed the last chapter, 'Final Years' is largely pictorial. The pictures are well-supported by engineering drawings and statistical tables which all add to the quantity of relevant information on offer.
The book is blessed with a udeful bibliography and index and an absolute plethora of appendices and 'digests'. The appendices cover such diverse subjects as Railway Operating Division motive power, annual totals of eight-coupled tender locomotives on the LNER, the Robinson superheater, overseas ecxperience of Gresley conjugated valve gear and the locomotives which finished up on the Richmond Vale Railway in New South Wales.
The twelve 'digests' start with J.G. Robinson's designs for the Waterford, Limerick & Western Railway before tackling the individual eight-coupled locomotives through GC, LNER and BR days as well as their time with the Railway Operating Division. To say that these 'digests' are comprehensive is probably not to do them justice!
'Back to the days', when such things were possible, your reviewer recalls a conversation with a retired BR footplateman. Talk turned to the Robinson 2-8-0s. "Splendid engines" said the man in the know. "to anywhere, pull anything – just as long as yoou don;t want to go much more than 25 miles an hour!'.
This is a superb book which does complete justice to a facscinating subject. It comes most highly recommended.

Scottish steam 1948-1967. Peter Tuffrey. Great Northern 160pp.
This is a nicely produced and competitively priced album of the British Railways steam era in Scotland. A catholic selection of motive power is featured and the photographs themselves are an attractive mixture of colour and monochrome. As with previous albums from this publisher the captions to the photographs are fairlr basic. The album gives an alphabetical tour around Scotland, some obscure locations, Back o'Loch Hakt, Greenloaning, Hamiltonhill and Throsk contrast nicely with the more well-known Polmadie, Haymarket or Inverkeithing. A map indicating the position of many of the photographic locations would have been useful.
For those enthused by the last decades of steam north of the Border this may be a 'must have' book – but does it add a great deal other than a numbrer of interesting photographs, to our general knowledge or appreciation of the subject.

The coal man cometh. Harry Luff. rear cover
Very long captiom which explains that battery electic locomotive B.E.L.1 built by the  Midland Railway in 1913 to work in its West India Dock in Poplar in an elevated coal yard  which could only be  reached by hydraulic lift from the railway below. P. Benstead's coal lorry is well loaded, but did it share the hydraulic lift to join its  round? In the background is a tower block of new flats and the distinctive white tower of All Saints' Church

LMS Princess Coronation Pacific No. 6220 Coronation at end of climb to Shap Summit with southbound ,Coronation Scot in 1937 (Colourised David P. Williams from Eric Treacy photograph)

May (Number 385)

Something about almost Everything but rarely Everything about Anything. Dave Harris. 261
.Guest Editorial: largely an obituary for Roy Burrows — who was greatly responsible for establishing the Midland Railway Study Centre near Derby.

Taking in the night-life
Colour photo-feature of attempts to capture railway activity at night in colour: Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45234 at Manchester Victoria with express headlamps possibly on the Belfast Boat Express for Heysham in December 1966; Bulleid light Pacific Battle of Britain class No. 34055 Fighter Pilot at Salisbury with driver and fireman possibly awaiting relief; Western Region Class 5101 2-6-2T No. 4179 under signal gantry at Newton Abbot station with driver leaning out of cab to view signals in December 1959 (P.W. Gray); 14XX 0-4-2T No. 1471 at Exeter St. David's with 20.05 for Tiverton and Dulverton in November 1961 (A.B. Jeffery: all Colour-Rail).

Philip Atkins. Richard Deeley rather more fnan just compounds and 'Flatirons'. 262-7.
Richard Deeley was appointed Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Railay on 1 Jaanuary 1904. Illustrations: Richard Deeley (portrait); Compound 4-4-0 as LMS No. 1007, originally 1002; 990 class No. 995 at Leicester on 9 April 1910 with short smokebox; part of side elevation diagram of 990 class with superheater, short steam passages and Deeley valve gear; Flatiron 0-6-4T No. 2034 with round-top boiler jn early LMS crimson lake livery; 0-4-0T No. 1528 with Walschaerts valve gear and stovepipe chimney; title pages of Deeley's three books.small>

Malcolm Cowtan. Hastings to Tunbridge Wells. 268-75.
The prime subject is the railway from a junction with the South Eastern Railway's main line to the Channel Ports at Tonbridge through Tunbridge Wells than across the Weald to the English Channel at Hastigs. Steep gradients and sharp curvature characterises the line which has many tunnels.The tunnels were a limiting feature as they were poorly built. Illustrations: an unidentified locomotive shrouded in clouds of steam leaves Hastings with possible Kirtley 4-4-0 in the yard pre-1929; Tunbridge Wells forecourt; Warrior Square station forecourt jn S.E.&C.R. ownership with horse-drawn carriage de livering first class passenger; Frant station with staggered plattforms (all John Allsop Collection);

Brian Topping. A week on the Bacup-Moston goods. 276-9.
Fireman at Bury Motive Power Depot just prior to its closure. During his one week of firing he had the same driver and locomotive: Driver Arthur Tennant and Hughes Horwich Crab 2-6-0 No. 42700 which had a unique tender based on the frames of a 2-2-2 single and fitted only with a steam brake. Illustrations: Stanier 8F 2-8-0 passes through Bury Knowsley Steet with a freight for Yorkshire; Hughes Horwich Crab 2-6-0 No. 42700 on shed at Bury with three Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0s ; 8F 2-8-0 climbing Broadfield bank passing signal box at Heap Bridge; Stanier Class 4 2-6-4T No. 42626 departing Bury Knowsley Steet with a local train for Rochdale (all Ray Farrell); Crab 2-6-0 No. 42710 waiting to leaves Radcliffe goods yard with a train of coal empties with a Bury to Manchester Victoria electric train passing on 10 January 1963 (Eric Bentley)

Bruce Laws. Burry Port to Cwmmawr. Part Two. 276-85.
For Part 1 see page xxx. The line was single throughout its 12&190; miles. The line was originally laid with flat-bottom rail secured to the sleepers by bolts. The line was amongst the last on the GWR to use four-wheel passenger stock. There were four passenger trains per day on weekdays with an extra one on Saturdays. Speed was limited to 25 mile/h as it was a light railway. There were ungated road crossings without crossing keepers. Illustrations: 16XX 0-6-0PT No. 1651 passing site of Pembrey Halt with loaded coal train on 13 August 1965; No. 1643 wwith empties about to pass under low bridge under main line on 19 May 1959; (both Trevor Owen: colour); Burry Port engine shed with four 0-6-0PTs on shed; No 1623 hauling long loaded coal train in 16-ton mineral wagons approaching road overbridge at Trimsaran Road; Pontyates station with cast iron gents toilet; Cwmmawr station with 16XX on passenger train which included Coach No. 27 (bow-ended non-corridor stock built to Metropolitan Railway height restriction); BP&GVR 0-6-0ST No. 2196 Gwendreath and 0-6-0T No. 2198 at Burry Port in June 1935; lady passenger crossing in front of passenger train at Cwmmawr which included bow-ended non-corridor stock built to Met. Railway height restriction).

By electric to Altringham. 286-7.
Colour photo-feature: Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co. MSJ&A three car set at Manchester Oxford Road station on 7 May 1966; motor coach M28579M at f ront of MSJ&A three car set at Oxford Road station during its reconstruction; six-car MSJ&A set in rail blue livery arriving Altringham on 11 April 1971; Class 304 unit at Sale en route to Alderley Edge on 27 July 1971; first generation tram on Manchester Metro service to Altringham at Deansgate-Castlefield on 14 April 1991./SMALL>

The Coronation — 1938 style. David P. Williams.
Colourised photo-feature: No. 4469 Dominion of Canada at Newcastle Central with northbound Coronation after 11 March 1938 (original image Clifford McFall);No. 6220 Coronation (in blue livery) picking up water at Brock troughs between Preston and Lancaster possibly on first day of service on 5 July 1937; No. 6221 Queen Elizabeth (in blue livery); No. 6227 Duchess of Devonshire in crimson lake & gold livery on four track main line hauling Stanier and assorted corridor coaches with reporting number A96

Rob Langham.The locomotives of the Consett Ironworks. 290-7.
Illustrations: (all Beamish Museum): 1860 image of Consett at night; 1892 map or plan of Consett Ironworks; Derwent Ironworks in 1857; 1890s image of Consett Ironworks with two Class B 0-4-0STs at work; four A class 0-6-0Ts at work at Victory Pit in c1900; A class No. 3 at Knitsley Road crossing in 1935; B class No. 7, Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn WN 3474/1920 with dumb buffers with sprung buffers set inset in 1935; view of yard with West Shop being dismantled showing E class crane locomotive and assortment of ancient wagons; B class No. 3 of 1920 with cut-down cab working at Ashes limestone quarry, Crawleyside, Stanhope; new bridge being built at Fell House, Consett in 1921; side view of one of first batch of A class 0-6-0ST locomotive; D class 0-4-0CT at Knitsley Road crossing in 1935; E class crane locomotive 0-4-0CT No. 1; Hunslet diesel locomotive No. 22 of 1958 pushing ladles of blast furnace iron into Oxygen Steel plant at Consett in October 1967; fireless steam locomotive rebuilt from B class No. 14 in 1954/55; A class 0-6-0T No. 5 in restored condition in red/brown livery (colour).

Pacific tanks on the LNER.
Black & white photo-feature: Class A5 4-6-2T No. 5045 with N5 0-6-2T No. 768 at Gorton shed on 30 May 1925; Class A5/2 No. 69836 at Hornsea Town (J. Oxley); A6 4-6-2T (rebuilt from North Eastern Railway W class 4-6-0T) No. 692 at Whitby; A7 4-6-2T, former North Eastern Railway Y class, No. 69770 at Hull Dairycoates depot on 23 April 1950 (T.J. Edgington); A8 No. 69858 at Hull Botanic Gardens depot on 10 July 1956 (T.J. Edgington Collection); A88 No. 69883 at Battersby on Esk Valley branch from Whitby.

The light fades on the Cromford & High Peak line. Keith Gays and David Mosley (captions)
Colour photo-feature: locomotive was J94 No. 68012 on 12 April 1967, three weeks prior to closure of line: Hopton Incline (1 in 14) viewed from top with steam from locomotive at foot; locomotive at top of incline with clouds of steam; at Longcliffe with load of one ex-LNWR tender conveying water; with brake van crossing bridge over Brassington road; back at Middleton Top taking water. Caption notes that Middle ton Incline had closed and way out was via PParsley Hay on the Ashbourne to Buxton line. It was John Heydon, District Traffic Inspector at Rowsley who proposed thaat the former North London Railway 0-6-0Ts should be replaced by J94 0-6-0STs.

Geoffrey Skelsey. "New in London": the life and death of the Alexandra Palace branch. 302-7.
On 1 May 1851 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert inaugurated the great exhibition in Hyde Park. When it closed much of the structure was moved to Sydenham Hill  in South London. Alexandra Palace was developed in North London on a hill above the Great Northern main line's Wood Green station (since renamed as Alexandra Palace). In part the structure was based on the ironwork of the 1861 exhibition. The palace included a concert hall with a huge organ and in the 1930s was the source of the BBC's initial experiments and service of television (not mentioned by Skelsey). The Edgeware, Highgate and London Railway was authorised in 1862 and opened as single  track on 22 August 1867. A short branch was opened from Muswell Hill to the Palace on 22 May 1873, but due to a fire closed until 1 May 1875.  Electric tramway competition arrived f rom both Muswell Hill and Wood Green, the latter on reserved track in 1905 and 1906. In the late 1930s the line was included in the  London Transport New Works programme which featured on post Post-War maps in Underground cars which included Bushey Heath as  well as the line to Alexandra Palace. The line closed on 18 May 1957.  Illustrations:  Alexandra Palace station dwarfed by west wall of Palace; Highgate station prior to electrification works; C12 4-4-2T hauling push & pull unit at Cranley Gardens with third rail in place; N7 pusing  push & pull unit at Crouch End with no hint of electrification on 8 May 1954; Metropolitan Electric Traamways tram on reserved track in Park; North London Electrification Scheme (map showing LNER lines, and extension to Bushey Heath, and links to tube network); Great Northern & City train at underground station; LPTB underground diagram showing extensions; Alexandra Palace station with conductor rail in place in 1948; LPTB 1939 track diagram of proposed alterations including retention of underground platforms at Finsbury Park; 1938 tube stock at Drayton Park in red livery; East Finchley station with electrification in progress including traction current cables; surface works at Higgate station with vegetation growing on tracks (later removed to prevent ingress into underground booking office.

Alistair F. Nisbet. The sleeping car train collision at Burntisland. 308-13
On 14 April 1914 in the early hours ran through sigmals at danger and into a Carlisle to Dundee freight which had been shunted off to permit the express to pass. Unfortunately, the signalman changed the signals to allow the freight train to move on and it was hit obliquely by the express and fell off the rails and onto a golf course. Most of the express was derailed, but remained upright. The leading vehicle, an East Coast Joint Stock corridor third class coach also ended up on the golf course where it caught fire as it was gas lit. Driver John Dickson and Fireman William McDonald, both from Aberdeen of the express were crushed to death under the tender. The ccident was investigated for the Board of Trade by Major Pringle who recorded it was a case of the driver failing to obey signals at danger,but also consideded there were faults in the signalling system and staff working excessive hours. The NBR Boar d disagreed with most of the findings. The local MP, Sir Henry Dalziel raised questions in the House of Commons about safety on the NBR. The removal of the locomotive was beyond the capacity of the breakdown cranes and it had to be hauled off by locomotives after a temporary track was laid and jacks hed righted it. There were serious injuries, but no fatalities in the leading coach and lesser injuries to other passengers and crew. Illustrations: NBR Reid Atlantic 4-4-2 No. 872 Auld Reekie at Edinburgh Waverley with a northbound express; Burntisland station looking towards Kirkcaldy on 18 September 1974 (Ben Brooksbank); East Coast Joint Stock corridor third class coach No. 55 built at Doncaster in 1903 (David J. Williamson Collection); Burnisland in 1914 (diagrammatic map); Burntisland station in 1967; East Coast Joint Stock corridor brake built at York in 1905 (David J. Williamson Collection); overturned leading vehicle and tender on golf course (R.W. Lynn Collection); North Eastern Railway six-wheel luggage brake (David J. Williamson Collection); Burnisland Links with summer fair (Paul McIlroy); one of coaches in collision being attended by crane (R.W. Lynn Collection); Sir Henry Dalziel (portrait)

Recallíng the Great Central main line. 314-16.
Colour photo-feature with extended captions: Stanier class 5 No. 44847 in filthy condition on a semi-fast to Nottingham Victoria on 16 August 1966 (David Wigley); Jubilee class 4-6-0 in resplendid condition No. 45598 Basutoland hauling Leicester City supporters to the Cup Final against Manchester United on 25 May 1963 picking up water at Charwelton water troughs (Tommy Tomalin); Class 5 No. 45088 on 16.38 to Nottingham passing Neasden Lomdon Transport station on 30 July 1963 (Martin Smith); rebuilt Scot No. 46125 formerly 3rd Carabinier in completely neglected condition bla sting away with four coaches from Nottingham leaving Harrow-on-the Hill on 30 December 1963(Martin Smith); Jubilee class 4-6-0 in resplendid condition No. 45622 Nyasaland passing site of Charwelton station with train of Manchester United supporters on 25 May 1963 (Tommy Tomalin); 9F 2-10-0 No. 92095 (boiler covered in lime scale) on southbound coal train near Charwelton (Tommy Tomalin); Stanier class 5 No. 44835 on up "service" passing desolation at Woodford Halse with coaling tower and engine shed awaiting demolition on 17 August 1966 (Tommy Tomalin); BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2T No. 82029 at Marylebone Station during filming of Star - the Gertrude Lawrence Story, coaches were hired from Longmoor Military Railway (David Wigley). [Younger readers shoud note the straightness of the track as compared with the sinuous Midland route: much of it was suitable for HS2]

Readers' Forum. 317

Midland mendacities. Nick Daunt
Caption to Lickey banking engine No. 58100 refers to it as Big Bertha. Big Emma was an alernative nickname used by older enthusiasts and both refer to long range artillery used by the Axis Powers during WW1: Bertha was built by Krupps and Emma by Skoda. Daunt considers that the 0-10-0 should have been preserved.

Midland mendacities. David Rollins
Captiion on page 69 of No. 47502 refers to permissive block working on East Coast main line as experienced by a lette writer who was a driver who now lived in Australia experienced it at Connington where the signalman indicated the number of trains ahead by raising five fingers

G&SWR passenger services. John Macnab
Concerns non-corrridor stock workings  after the practice "ended". These were to Renfrew Wharf at 07.19 from Glasgow Central, thereafter worked back as empty stock and worked as a Gourock set, the last of which ran as a steam service: the 17.05 from Gourock on 28  April 1967. There were also Kilmarnock to Barassie Workings at 07.06 SX returning 16.56 FX and 15.06 FO. Later workiings for the three coach set included those from Kilmarnock to  Ayr. The penultimate service was that from Heads of Ayr in September 1968. [KPJ such looless stock can still be endured on the North Norfolk Railway].

Aspects of the 'Gingerbread Line'. David Patrick.
Concerns photograph taken in 1910 where nameboard for Nantwich station: is clearly just that, but with a long list of "change for" destinations. Patrick owns photograph with similar view, but taken in May 1939 when nameboard states Nantwich Junction  with list of "change for" destinations, presumbly aimed at Natwich residents going to Wolverhampton or Birmingham. The name was simplified under British Railways, but no date has  been recorded.

Aspects of the 'Gingerbread Line'. Nick Daunt. 317
Errors on map on page 155: line from Stafford to Wellington was not part of North Staffordsire Railway, but belonged to Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Company which in 1847 was leased in perpetuity to the LNWR. Though the line from Wellington to Shrewsbury is shown as GWR it was jointly owned with the  Shropshire Union/LNWR.

Bath times. George Freeman
Writer (presumably MP for Mid-Norfolk) amused to ba called "Dad"" in caption of Earl of Shaftesbury on down express as he was only 13½ att timee and was holding his brother James aged nearly two. He liked to sit on the parapit and when an up train passed we would withdraw further back. The season — cherry blossom but no leaves on the trees — makes it early spring, presumably the Easter school holidays in 1958 and is coonfirmed by train reporting number which began with one. The number 153 ís curious: the 15.30 Paddington to Plymouth via Westbury and writer photographed it at Patney & Chirton on 15 April 1958. Two possible explanations:
1. It was a Sunday and the train was for Bristol
2. For some reas on Westbury route was blocked and diverted train ran via Bath.
This was a down express, not up.
The photograph of Hartlebury Castle arriving shows down goods yard almost completely removedfor lengthening dowwn platform and up starting signal on down side to assist visibility from right hand drive motive power prior to its relocation on up platform.

Sixes and sevens. James Hargrave
1. The finances of the Caledonian Railway were not sound due to its suburban ventures around Glasgow and Edinburgh. Further its Ballachulish branch sank the Callander & Oban Railway. 2. Merger of natural allies could have produced an LNER or a GNCER and an NE-NB_GNS (and possibly Highland amalgam) with or without the Hull & Barnsley (with its ties to the Midland as well as to the NER). It could have produced a possible LNWR, LY, Caledonian merger (Highland optional), leaving the Midland finally to absorb its allies the Furness and the G&WS, and with equal justification the Neath & Brecon. the Midland & South Western Junction and possibly the SMJ. 3. Revenue pooling and a degree of collusion would have smoothed the angles. 4. The financial burden on the LNER was less the cost of the London Extension — the GCR stocks issued to finance it came from the bottom of the LNER's top-heavy capital structure (which actually resembled the GCR's more than any other constituent)   — than finding a formula that compensated GCR  lower stocks while rewarding the very prosperous NER whose prosperity within a couple of years have been grievouly impaired. Note that coal traffic was at the core of the LNER
and while the pits of the North East had a miserable inter-war years, those of South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire triangle — core territory for the GCR — thrived.

Book reviews. 317-18

The Cairnryan Military Railway. Bill Gill. Oakwood Press. 48pp. Reviewed by DWM ***
First published in 1999 by the Stranraer District Local History Trust. Reviewer critical of lack of revision to include concentration of Northern Irirish traffic at a locattion which lacks rail access in spite of expensive, but too little used railway to Stranraer

The County Donegal remembered. Jim McBride. Donegal Railway Heritage Centre, 140pp. Reviewed by DWM ****
Reviewer lists the four section of the book and in general he gives it great praise, but fails to note the history written by E.M. Patterson

British Transport Police - a definitive history of the early years and subsequent development. Malcolm Clegg. Pen & Sword Transport. 234pp.
Reviewed by CH. ****. This volume is without doubt a labour of love by author Malcolm Clegg, former Comstable and Detective Inspector in the British Transport Police (BTP), serving 30 years in London and South Wales before retirement. It is evident that he has left no stone unturned in his research and as a consequence some of the uncovered material (confirmed by the cover notes) is receiving it first ever publishing. Occassionally looked upon by the public as the "Cinderella of British Police Forces, the BTP and its predecessors have always been independent of the Home Office, their budgets and objectives set originally by the Railway, Canals, Harbour Docks and Port companies. Today operating as the only national force in Britain, it is overseen by an independent body, the British Transport Police Authority, its members.
appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport and funded by among others Network Rail, the Train Operators and Transport for London. Even so a close contact is maintained with the civil police forces to ensure the same footing for training and operational purposes, including the use of firearms. To explain the need for effective policing the first chapters of the book detail the rapid growth and development of the early railways, which in turn crerated an urgent for security and safety of company property, premises and rolling stock.
The first ever railway policeman, Joseph Sedgwick, a local man, was employed by the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&D) in the summer of 1826. Soon afterwards three more railway constables were appointed, with Parliament quickly passing legislation allowing formation of private police forces. Enactments following for offences including trespass, railway obstruction, stone throwing, wilful damage and fair evasion were also included. The S&D officers, requiring instant company and public recognition, were issued with uniforms consisting of a dark blue dress coat with high collar and matching trousers, a stovepipe hat and a greatcoat. The following chapters of the book continue to focus in great detail on the formation, development and happenings of the nineteenth century of the police forces, covering railway crime, accidents and liability, crimes against passengers and the dangers facing the nineteenth century policeman, all accompanied by black and white illustrations. This is completed by a chapter devoted to an analysis of nineteenth century crime. It is at this point that the reader must assume thhat a further volume is in he planning as Mr. Clegg devotes just two chapters to progress and occurences from the beginning of the twentieth century through to the present day. In reality apart from a photograph showing an officer wearing a mask for Covid protection the narrative ends in 2012!
The two world wars are touched upon as are the transitions to the groupings, the recruitment of the first Woman Poliice Officers, the General Strike, the Great Depression and founding of the British Transport Commission in 1949 and its abolition in 1962. Curiously more recent 'I remember where I was when it happened', major incidents. The Great Traín Robery, The King's Cross Fire, and the Manchester Bombing either hardly or do not warrant a mention! Despiite this the book is a worthy addition to the bookshelf. For the history and detail contained in the first nine chapter of this book and its appendices, I would recommend this book to all.
The review copy of this book had a spine problem and light printimg on some of its pages. If I had paid £25.00 for a copy only to discover these faults I imaagine that I would be r at her miffed or wordss to that effect!

The 'Coronation Scot' goes north. rear cover
No. 6229 Duchess of Hamilton: in reality No. 6220 Coronation near  Cadley, north of Preston with the down Coronation Scot: monochrome by W.S. Garth colourised David P. Williams