William [Willie] Brayshaw Yeadon

Yeadon's Register of L.N.E.R. locomotives

Data gathered via Hampshire County Library OPAC and Ottley Supplement: none appear to be in Norfolk Country Library (Vauxhall Conference rather than Premier League>First Division>). Usually some were available at Weybourne or at Sheringham stations.
It is possible that the British Library treated these publications as periodicals and that they were dumped out at Colindale or Swindon or wherever ephemera are buried.

This brief biography is adapted from material found on the Internet (Hull University Archive section) written by Brian Dyson and reproduced complete, minus pictures, at the bottom of this page. William Brayshaw Yeadon was born in Yeadon, Yorkshire, on 28 June 1907. [KPJ it seems strange that someone with an unusual surname should be born in that place]. He trained to become a mechanical engineer, and started work with Bradford Dyers, but was made redundant in 1930 and in 1931 joined J H Fenner Ltd in Hull, a leading manufacturer of conveyor and transmission belting. Eventually he became Sales Manager and then Marketing Manager, until his official retirement in 1972. Assuming that his railway literary output was not pseudonymous it is possible that he may appear within the literature on rubber (Rapra Abstracts?) or the textile literature. He died at the age of 89 on 16 January 1997 in Hull Royal Infirmary. By then he had become an authority on the London & North Eastern Railway and its locomotives. Indeed, Eric Fry, honorary editor of Locomotives of the LNER, writing in the Railway Observer in March 1997, described him as possibly 'the foremost locomotive historian of all time'.
The British Railway modernization programme prompted him to investigate and record the history of every LNER engine. This involved visits to engine sheds and railway engineering works throughout the old LNER territory from North-East Scotland to London. He was regularly successful at salvaging ledgers and other records discarded by railway staff, particularly at Doncaster and Darlington — a task aided by travels on behalf of Fenner's. His archive includes the largest collection of photographs ever left to the Brynmor Jones Library at Hull University.
He was a major contributor to the RCTS Locomotives of the LNER published in 19 volumes between 1963 and 1994. Yeadon had joined the RCTS in 1936 and when in 1954 the Society decided to commence its history he was an obvious choice to join the panel of authors. He was made an honorary life member of the Society in 1984. His other publications include the equally valuable Yeadon's register of LNER locomotives (Irwell Press/Challenger Publications, 1990-1997), which he started when over 80 years old. All published after Volume 12 are posthumous. The difficulties of compiling a definitive list can only be described as absurd and reflect the current abysmal state of libraries in Britain, and a possible decline in cataloguing standards at the British Library.

A compendium of L&NWR locomotives, 1912-1949. Part 1. Passenger tender engines. Oldham: Challenger, 1995. vi, 154pp.
Ottley 18267
A compendium of LNWR locomotives 1912-1964. Part Two: Goods tender engines. Paperback – 1 Jan. 2007


Vol.1: Gresley's A1, A3 Classes. Irwell Press, 1990
Vol.2: Gresley A4 and W1 Classes. Irwell Press, 1990
Vol.3: Raven, Thompson and Peppercorn Pacifics. Irwell Press, 1991
Vol.4. Gresley V2 and V4 classes. Irwell Press, 1992.
Vol.5: Gresley B17 and Thompson B2 Classes. Irwell Press, 1993.
Vol.6.: Thompson B1 Class. Irwell Press, 1994.
Vol. 7.: B12 class. Irwell Press. 1994.
Vol.8: Gresley K3 and K4 Classes. Challenger Publications, 1995.
Vol.9: Gresley 8-Coupled Engines,classes O1, O2, P1, P2 and U1. Challenger Publications, 1995.
Vol.10: Gresley D49 and J38 classes. Challenger, 1996.
The basis for this note is a review found on the LNER Groups' website: Yeadon begins with an introduction giving an overview of the two classes, decribing why they were built, major modifications, and the work performed. The bulk of the book is black & white photographs to demonstrate the modifications and livery changes made throughout their existence. The record cards for each engine are reproduced. Not surprisingly, more space is given to the D49 class than to the J38s.
Vol.11: Gresley J39 class. Challenger, 1996
Vol.12: Railcars and Sentinel shunters. Challenger, 1996.
Vol.13: Class C1, C2, C4 and C5 Atlantics. Challenger, 1998.
Vol.14: Class D13, D14, D15 and D16, the Great Eastern 4-4-0s. Challenger, 1999
Vol.15: Class J94, O6, and O7 the engines from the years of expediency. Challenger, 1999
Vol.16: Class L1, V1/V3: Gresley and Thompson six-coupled tanks. Booklaw/Railbus, 2000
Vol.17: Class B13, B14, B15 and B16: the North Eastern 4-6-0s. Booklaw/Railbus, 2000
Vol.18: Gresley K1 and K2, Thompson K1/1 and Peppercorn K1. Booklaw/Railbus, 2000
Vol.19: Class D1, D2, D3 and D4, and the M&GN 4-4-0's. Booklaw / Railbus, 2001
Would seem to be a gap in the Norfolk Library's "local history collection"
Vol. 20: Class Q1, Q2, Q3 & Q4 & the Q1 tank
Vol.21: Class A5 to A8, H1, H2, L1(L3), L2, M1 and M2 tank engines. Booklaw/Railbus, 2001
Vol.22: Class B1 (B18), B2 (B19), and B3 to B9: the Great Central 4-6-0's. Booklaw/Railbus, 2001
Vol.23: Classes Q5, Q6, Q7 and Q10: the North Eastern 0-8-0's. Booklaw/Railbus, 2002
Vol.24A: Class O4, Parts 1 to 5. Booklaw/Railbus, 2002
Vol.24B: Class O4/6, O4/7, O4/8, O5 and Thompson O1. Booklaw/Railbus, 2002
Vol. 26: Class J31 to J37 The NBR 0-6-0s. Booklaw, 2003.
Vol. 27. Classes J25,J26,J27,J28,1001 & 398 The North Eastern 0-6-0s. Booklaw,
Vol. 28: Classes R1,S1,T1 &WMCQ 0-8-0Ts. HMRS  
Vol 29: Class D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11/1 & D12.
Vol 30: Class E1, E2, GC12A, E4, E5, "901", "1440", E7 & E8. the 2-4-0s.
Vol. 31: Class C6, C7, C8, C9. North Eastern Atlantics
Vol. 32: Class X1-X4, Y2, Y4-Y10, Z4 & Z5
Vol. 33: Class C12, C13, C14 & C17
Vol. 34. Class D17, D18, D19, D20, D21, D22, D23 & D24.
Vol. 35: Class J14 & J15 
Vol. 36: Class F1, F2, G1, G2, G3, G4, G7-G10
Vol. 37A: Class J1, J2, J3 & J4
Vol. 37B: Class J5, J6, J7, J40 & J41
Vol. 38: Classes F8, G5, G6.
Vol. 39: Class F3, F4, F5, F6, F7 & F9
Vol. 40: Class C10, C11, C15, C16 & D11/2
Vol. 41: Class J16, J17, J18, J19, J20
Vol. 42A: Class D25, D26, D27, D28, D29 & D30
Vol. 42B: Class D31, D32, D 33, D34, D35 & D36
Vol. 43A: Class J71 & J72
Vol. 43B: Class J73-J80 & NER `44`
Vol. 44: Classes D38, D39, D40, D41, D42, D43, D44, D45, D46, D47 & D48, The Great North of Scotland Railway 4-4-0s
Vol. 45: Classes J8, J9, J10, J11, J12, J13
Vol. 46a: Classes J52, J53, J54, J55, J56, J57 & GNR 19
Vol. 46b: Classes J50, J51, J84, J85, J93, N19 & M&GN 16A
Vol. 47a: Classes J21, J22, J23 & J24 The North Eastern 0-6-0s
Vol. 47b: Classes J25, J26, J27, J28, 1001 & 398 The North Eastern 0-6-0s.
Vol. 48: Class J64, J65, J66, J67, J68, J69, J70 & J92
Vol. 49a: Classes N4, N5 & N6;
Vol. 49b: Classes N8, N9, B10, N11, N12, N13 & N14
Vol. 50: Classes D50, D51, GC7, J58, J59, J60, J61, J62, J63, J81, J82, J83, J84, J85, J86, J88, J90, J91, N18, diesel, petrol & electric motive power & trams

LNER locomotive allocations: the First Day, 1923. Challenger Publications, 1996
London & North Eastern Railway. locomotive allocations. The last day 1947.
These last have a n almost Biblical aura to their titles.

Appendix 1 - Named engines on the London & North Eastern Railway - their application, derivation & changes

Appendix 2 Part 1 - A general survey & the Great Central Group tender allocation

Hull University Archives: Yeadon Collection

Willie Yeadon, who died earlier this year, was and is a legend amongst railway historians, with a depth of knowledge of the London & North Eastern Railway which was probably second to none. His archive includes the largest collection of photographs ever left to the BJL. It is described here by Brian Dyson, the University Archivist.
Born in Yeadon in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Willie Brayshaw Yeadon first steamed into view on 28 June 1907. After his schooldays, he trained to become a mechanical engineer, and started work with Bradford Dyers, but was unfortunately made redundant in 1930 following the onset of terrible trading conditions. In 1931 he joined J H Fenner Ltd in Hull ('makers of improved beltings'), eventually becoming Sales Manager and then Marketing Manager, until his official retirement in 1972. He died at the age of 89 on 16 January 1997 in Hull Royal Infirmary after a short illness. By then he had become probably the country's leading authority on the London & North Eastern Railway and its locomotives. Indeed, Eric Fry, honorary editor of Locomotives of the LNER, writing in the Railway Observer in March 1997, described him as possibly 'the foremost locomotive historian of all time'.
Willie Yeadon's earliest railway interest had been the London & North Western Railway, with visits and family holidays to Shap summit and Tebay. On his removal to Hull, however, the London & North Eastern Railway became his main preoccupation, and he was particularly inspired by the development and progress of Sir Nigel Gresley's Pacific class locomotives during the 1930s. He began to collect railway photographs in 1933, and continued his interest after railway nationalisation in 1948. The British Railway modernisation programme undertaken from the mid-1950s prompted him to investigate and record the history of every LNER engine. This involved him in visits to engine sheds and railway engineering works throughout the old LNER territory from North-East Scotland to London. He was regularly successful at salvaging ledgers and other records discarded by railway staff, particularly at Doncaster and Darlington - a task facilitated by his travels on behalf of his employer.
He was an active member of the Stepehenson Locomotive Society and the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society for decades, but it is perhaps for his publications that he will be best remembered. He was a major contributor to the RCTS's definitive Locomotives of the LNER published in 19 volumes between 1963 and 1994. Yeadon had joined the RCTS in 1936 and when in 1954 the Society decided to commence its history he was an obvious choice to join the panel of authors. He was made an honorary life member of the Society in 1984. His other publications included the equally valuable Yeadon's register of LNER locomotives (Irwell Press/Challenger Publications, 1990-1997), which he started when over 80 years old. Volume 12 of this monumental work was published shortly after his death and more (based on his projections) are planned.
He produced two books identifying the exact location of every LNER locomotive at the beginning and end of the Company's existence: LNER locomotive allocations: the First Day, 1923 (Challenger Publications, 1996), and LNER locomotive allocations: 1947: the last day (Irwell Press, 1989). Two further books dealt with his adopted city's railway history: Illustrated history of Hull's railways, with M Nicholson (Irwell Press, 1993), and More illustrated history of the railways of Hull (Challenger Publications, 1995). In his final years he again returned to his first railway interest, publishing A compendium of LNWR locomotives, 2 volumes, (Challenger Publications, 1995-1996). Over the years he also wrote numerous journal articles for Railway World, Steam Railway, The Gresley Society Observer, The Stephenson Locomotive Society Journal and others, sometimes under the nom de plume 'No 9499'.
Mr Yeadon generously left the bulk of his collection to the Brynmor Jones Library in his will. It includes over 25,000 photographs, many with detailed descriptive notes. Apart from albums covering all classes of locomotive, there are special albums of 'LNER named trains', 'Royal parades', 'Grand parade' and 'On the drier side'. As all who knew him are aware, he was a thorough and meticulous researcher and he has left notes and records covering every conceivable aspect of LNER railway locomotive history, including tenders, repairs, boilers, re-numbering, and shedding allocations.
His detailed files of notes include statistical and other information about shed boiler registers from Darlington, Doncaster, Gorton, Inverurie and elsewhere, plus tender numbers and allocations. There are, too, some original LNER records. These include individual locomotive repair records from Darlington and Doncaster from the 1920s and 1930s, notices regarding re-numbering of engines, some locomotive plans, several drivers' logbooks, and one particularly interesting notebook by driver P.N. Townend which logs all his rail journeys between 1941 and 1945.
Willie Yeadon was an extremely kindly man, generous with his time (and patience), even when dealing with an archivist who then did not even know the difference between a class A1 and A3 locomotive! He was married to Annie for 64 years and regularly visited their daughter Jean in Canada, where his rail enthusiasm continues to be spread by, amongst others, her husband, Simon Taylor. Mr Yeadon opened the Great British Train Show in Toronto on behalf of the Platelayers' Society in 1994.
The Yeadon Collection has already attracted much interest. It is hoped that it will be available to scholars and enthusiasts fairly early in 1998, once cataloguing has been completed.

2021-08-08