Railway World
Volume 22 (1961)
Key file
January (Number 248)
Norman Harvey. Locomotive causerie. Some thoughts of a Southern
enthusiast. 3-6.
Appreciation of LBSCR 0-6-2T classes, especially E5 class; the SECR
C class noted for substituting for EMU services when line flooded at Clock
House linking New Beckenham with Elmers End. "It is possible to see in Maunsell's
noble "Lord Nelson" Class of four-cylinder 4-6-0s the apotheosis of Drummond's
experiments with his own luckless big engines... It is known that a set of
"Lord Nelson" drawings was loaned to Derby Works when the original "Scots"
were being hastly schemed out". He also called the Lord Nelson class "something
of an enigma" in terms of performance. Critical of routine failure to observe
speed limits (85 mile/h on Southern Region) and note on bricks falling from
St. Mary Cray Viaduct.
G. Lack. Destination boards. 7-11.
Illustrations of carriage roof boards and the extended messages they
contained: illustrated those carried by pre-grouping Anglo-Scottish services,
some Western Region services and those then used by the CIE in Ireland. See
also letters on page 108 from J.P. Bardsley and on
pages 149 to 150 from J.A. Burns (on Scottish destination
boards), S. Cave, P. Holmes
and J.F. Burrell
A Midlands industrial emigrant. F. Jux. 11.
Hunslet 18 inch gauge WN 1404/1920 0-4-0T named Gwen
(illustrated). Built for John Knowles & Co. (Wooden Box) Ltd at
Woodville
Victoria Station centenary. 12-13.
Black & white photo-feature: interior scenes: engraving 1861;
photograph c1900; frontage c1900: SECR and LBSCR entrances
B.G. Wilson. The railway development of Wimbledon 1. 14-41+.
London & Southampton Railway was given Royal Assent on 25 July
1864 and was opened as far as Woking on 21 May 1838. The station at Wibledon
was at the foot of Wimbledon Hill.
Alan A.S. Paterson. Dugald Drummond at St. Rollox, 1882-85.
Part 1. 21-5.
Includes a brief biographical introduction which emphasises his strong
ties with Stroudley and how these were broken on the NBR by the introduction
of the bogie on the Abbotsford 4-4-0. This part is an examination of the
problems he encountered on the Caledonian Railway, notably the need to improve
the works at St. Rollox, and to build a powerful locomotive for freight
haulage. The latter was fulfilled by the Jumbo class of 0-6-0 manufactured
by Neilson & Co. and at St. Rollox. See also letter
from J.A. Burns
J. Spencer Gilks. The Hertford, Luton & Dunstable
Railway. 26-30+
The branch lines from Hatfield (Welwyn Garden City once it came into
being) to Dunstable where an end-on junction was made with the railway to
Leighton Buzzard and to Herford where contact was made with Great Eastern
Railway were the subject of several proposed railways until the lines opened
in the 1860s. The Hertford line lost its strategic value to the GNR once
the Hertford Loop opened and the passenger service ceased in 1951. Substantial
portions of both lines are now cycleways where the gradients are quite
noticeable. Illustrations: Luton Bute Street; N7 No. 69678 at Luton Hoo;
Type 1 diesel electric on 14.21 Dunstable to Hatfield at Harpenden East
on 25 June 1960; Wheathampstead station, Type 1 diesel electric on passenger
train at Ayot passing loop, Hertingfordbury station, Hertford North and Cowbridge
station. See letter from S.Summerson on page 150 and
from H. Watson.
L.G. Marshall. The steam metre-gauge railways of Asturias. 31-4. 16
illustrations
The hub of this metre gauge network is/was in Oviedo reached from
the French frontier at San Sebastian by electric tramway whi is mainly in
tunnel, then by the electrified line to Bibao. From there there was a diesel
hauled train to Satander and from there steam all the way to Oviedo
J.B. Snell. A forest journey. 35-40.
2ft 6in gauge railways in State of Victoria, Australia
Book reviews. 42-3
Railway Enthusiast's Guide, 1960.
London. George Ronald. 160 pp. Illustrated. Reviewed by KNJ
Although registers of railway and model railway clubs have been compiled
and published in years past there have been no new lists produced in recent
years nor has there heen any co-ordinated attempt to keep the earlier lists
up to date, so far as I am aware. With this in mind George Ronald have produced
the Railway Enthusiast's Guide, listing clubs, societies and preservation
bodies throughout Great Britain and a selection from Europe, North America
and Commonwealth countries. The entry for each club details briefly its
activities, meetings, subscription and principal officer for enrolments.
To enhance its value as a reference book details are also given of preserved
locomotives and rolling stock, and periodicals devoted to railways and model
railways, and the book concludes with a "correspondents wanted" column.
Inevitably in a first edition such as this there must be omissions, mostly
of local clubs, but I did notice at least one national model organisation
conspicuous by its absence. Details of some clubs are rather meagre and in
one case, the Manchester M.R.S., practically non-existent. This is due to
no lack of effort on the part of the publisher since the venture was given
adequate publicity at its inception and one can only conclude that the missing
clubs do not require the publicity, which is given free, or that the secretaries
concerned could not be bothered to give the information required.
The success of a book of this nature depends on its being comprehensive and
one can only hope that the missing clubs will be included in the next edition.
for the publisher anticipates that the book will be a regular publication
and hence up to date. One wonders whether the present arrangement whereby
railway and model railway clubs are intermixed is ideal and whether they
would be better in separate sections. The choice of photographs is a little
unusual for, with the exception of British Railways 2-10-0 Evening Star,
almost all are of foreign preserved locomotives. Several suffer bv chirnneys
or wheels being clipped off in blockmaking. Subsequent events since the book
closed for press have caused some of the information to be out of date before
publication but there are one or two other errors, such as the address shown
for this journal, which came into the Ian AlIan organisation at the same
time as its sister journal Model Railway Constructor, correctlv shown.
At 10s. the book should find a place on the bookshelves of all clubs and
enthusiasts.
British trains of tomorrow. G. Freeman Allen.
London. Ian Allan Ltd., 40 pp. Illustrated. viewed by PW
Within the modest limits set by its very reasonable price. this
publication gives a clear and well informed account of current British Railways
development, and anticipates many of the big changes that will become effective
within the next decade.
Naturally enough, the main emphasis is on diesel and electric traction, with
plenty of performance data and operating statistics to ram home the discovery
that our old and trusted friend the steam engine is really a pretty poor
specimen; a dirty, wasteful, unreliable character who must be got rid of
at all costs! Having said this it will be clear that British trains of
tomorrow is not a book that will appeal to diehard steam enthusiasts
unless they feel in need of a spot of brain-washing. For the more open-minded,
however, who recognise that the inevitability of change is not something
that can be ignored indefinitely, it may well prove an ideal introduction
to the brave new world of "efficiencywise" railroads.
Although it is not possible in 40 pages to give detailed coverage to all
aspects of modernisation, the author has done well to outline the major trends
in diesel and electric traction development and to explain how they can
contribute to better services and improved operating efficiency. Diesel-
mechanical, -hydraulic and -electric transmissions are broadly compared,
together with the relative characteristics of high-speed and medium-speed
engines. Similarly, the section devoted to electric traction poses the advantages
of the high-voltage a.c. system at industrial frequency over the traditional
low-voltage d.c. system, and considers some of the current problems that
arise when high voltages are employed. Reasons for the retention and further
development of the Southern Region's 750 V d.c. system are also discussed
and the author is probably correct in thinking that the third rail will
eventually reach Bournemouth and Salisbury.
The text is handsomely supplemented by more than 60 well-captioned illustrations,
mostly of diesel and electric trains that have entered service over the past
five years. Although written for a wide public the text is sufficiently
authoritative to appeal to the railway student. The only statement that cannot
be accepted is that the Deltic was the most powerful single rail-traction
unit for its weight, in the world at the time of its introduction. In' fact
at that time both France and Germany possessed electric locomotives that
were considerably more powerful than the Deltic and much lighter. For example,
the S.N.C.F. locomotive BB9003 introduced in 1952 weighed only 80 tons and
had a continuous rating of 4,300 hp. Since then horse- powers of more than
5 000 have been achieved with locomotives of little more than 80 tons, and
our own 3,300-h.p. a.c. locomotives on the London Midland Region weigh less
than 80 tons.
The Pentewan Railway 1829-1918. M.J.T.
Lewis. Truro. Truro Bookshop. 58 pp.. Illustrated. Maps and diagrams.
Reviewed by B.G.W.
The tiny port of Pentewan owed its origin to the china clay traffic
and was built to rival Charlestown, also on St. Austell Bay. To link it with
St. Austell, clearing house of the clay traffic, a four-mile railway was
built in 1829, the third public railway in Cornwall. (The second was the
Redruth & Chasewater, a book on which, from the same publisher, has already
been reviewed in these columns.) The gauge of 2 ft. 6 in., rare in this country,
was chosen and the line was for many years horse-worked. The establishment
of the port of Par by the local magnate J.T. Treffry was the signal for a
group of clay pit owners to take a lease of the Pentewan line and harbour
and plan to extend the line northward to their properties. But little resulted
and the next quarter-century of the line's existence is obscure.
In 1872 a new group took over, the undertaking was incorporated for the first
time, and locomotives, or, rather, a . locomotive, introduced, though limited
for long to one section. The engine was the 0-6-0 tender Pentewan
supplied in 1873 by Manning: Wardle, who replaced it in 1886 by the similar
Trewithen: Canopus, a large 0-6-2ST by the same maker, took over in
1901, joined in 1912 by the Yorkshire Engine Company 2-6-2ST Pioneer,
obtained second- hand. Nothing ever came of extension plans, including a
line to Mevagissey, or of electrification à la Bessbrook & Newry,
mooted in the 1880s. China clay production slumped greatly during the 1914-18
war and this decline, coupled with the ever-present difficulty of keeping
the port clear of silt, precipitated the end in 1918. The track and locomotives
were destined for war service but seem to have got no nearer to France than
Sunbury-on-Thames and the furnace. There was never a regular passenger service
but every summer Sunday School treats were run, some of the clav wagons being
cleaned out and fitted with benches for the children. One of the delightful
illustrations shows such a train in 1900. The noted Cornish historian A.L.
Rowse, has described these outings in one of his books. The maps and diagrams
match the high standard of the text and author and publisher alike deserve
full praise for what is an excellent production. -
Letters. 43-4.
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway. D.M.E.
Ferreira.
Lest any of your readers might have been misled by Clark's observations
on the condition of the locomotives on the Ratty;" I should like to make
a few observations.
Everyone will agree that the locomotives appeared to be in immaculate condition.
This has been due to the enthusiasm of Tom Jones, the Manager/Engineer of
the line and the individual drivers. but unfortunately does not extend much
below the surface.
The boilers of both River Esk and River Irt have long been
in need of a major overhaul and are both to be re-tubed this winter. In addition
the springing on River Esk is a constant source of worry.
The Muir-Hill diesel used on passenger service is in a sorry state as regards
the gearbox. The other remaining Muir-Hill tractor is in no better shape,
and so far as can be ascertained no spares are available. It is very doubtful
whether a Muir- Hill will be in service next seasonanyway, the tractor
is too low-geared for passenger traffic. being intended for use on granite
trains.
I mention these points because there is no cause for complacency and prospective
supporters of the R. & E.R. might have gathered that their assistance
was no longer needed. Not only are new steam locomotives urgently needed
to cope with the traffic which already exists, but a great deal needs to
be done to the track, particularly in the way of re-sleepering and drainage.
The appalling mess at the demolished Murthwaite crushing plant must be cleared
up, new workshops and carriage sheds are essential, more rolling stocksome
covered must be provided and Eskdate Green Station must be rebuilt
etc.; the list is very considerable.
Paris termini. D.W. Winkworth. 43
Lest it might be thought from your November Editorial that the Paris
termini steal all the honours compared with their English counterparts it
should be recorded that at least the ord and Est stations are rather weak
on wash-and-brush-up facilities. A couchette traveller who has journeyed
overnight from, say, Strasbourg and has found that there is no hot water
available in the train toilet and hopes to remedy the matter on arrival in
Paris is likely to be disappointed at the terminus. This is in contrast to
such places as York in this country where I have been able to find such
facilities available as early as 05.30.
Paris termini. R.J. Marshall. 43-4
Re Editorial in the November issue concerning the miserable appearance
of our London main line termini as compared with those in France. The premises
are a disgrace, but a tremendous difference can be made by the presence of
smart, obliging and industrious staff. Here is the key to the situation.
namely. a human one, a failure in fact of the staff of these termini to show
any real enthusiasm in their work. This apathy prevails all too often and
results in their failure to be the good ambassadors of the service of their
employ.
The cause of this state of affairs seems to be twofold. First, the decrepit
state into which our London termini have been allowed to fall into offers
little encouragement to the staff to attempt to keep them clean and tidy.
and is certainly not a pleasant environment to work in. Secondly, the poor
wage rates and lack of interest as a whole from those "at the top" probably
do more to destroy the remnants of esprit de corps and pride in the service
than anything else.
This second cause is the greater of the two. and unless something positive
is done to remedy the situation in the near future, together with a major
overhaul of the stations themselves. then London's termini will remain the
miserable unwelcoming establishments they are, incapable of giving the visitor
to this country anything but a bad impression on arrival in London.
St. Fillans today. F.H. Lea 44
Re photograph heading the September article "Caledonian Reflections."
I "discovered" St. Fillans Station whilst on a touring holiday in 1958, and
revisited it in June last year. In the interim I have tried, without much
success, to find out a little more about the line. All the track is lifted
long since, and bridges demolished. The station was purchased by a Mr.
McGillivray who has turned it into a caravan site. The station buildings
have been converted to form the owner's living quarters and office, a
well-stocked shop, a small lending library and the "usual offices." The waiting
rooms and signalbox are becoming holiday flats. some of which are complete
and in use. The ballast has been drawn up level with the platforms at each
end, forming a level walk-way across, and the owner plans to ultimately make
this into a bathing pool. A mountain stream provides plenty of water. The
station buildings seem to be quite unchanged, and the station awning is glazed
all over, making it very light underneath. There were many caravans on the
platforms and in the very spacious station yard, a surprisingly big place
for such a small village, and I am sure any readers travelling that way will
receive the same warm welcome that I had from the proprietor. The surroundings
are really beautiful, and the station worth a visit if only to see what a
little imagination can achieve.
West Midlands coach relic. R. Ellis James-Robertson, 44
The picture of the Bodmin and Wadebridge coach in the October Railway
World reminded me of a similar coach I glimpsed recently over a hedge in
the West Midlands. Unfortunately. time prevented me from investigating it
there and then, but I could see that the centre, first class, compartment
was wider than the other two. It appeared to have been painted in a dark
blue livery. although there was little left of any colour. The word "first"
can, however, just be made out on the centre door. I hope to investigate
further when the occasion permits.
Railway preservation schemes. Noel Draycott. 44
Writer was the General Secretary, of the Railway Preservation Society
who disagreed with Sutton's belief that we have reached the limit of support.
Visiting the various districts of the Railway Preservation Society and talking
to members I find that practically all our active members and helpers under
the "Friendly Hands" scheme are new to preservation. We are tapping and using
latent talent and the first task is to find it before all large pre-Grouping
relics have been swept away into oblivion. The firm establishment of schemes
depends on the soundness of the choice of line. It is no good just grabbing
a line and running a train; the passengers will be mainly "non-railway" persons
who are out for a ride and their needs must rank high in preliminary
considerations. If these are duly recognised I am convinced that several
standard-gauge lines can be preserved, providing large areas of the British
Isles with a practical scheme within easy reach. If I may take up some more
of your time, I would like to explain how these considerations have influenced
the choice of our second line, which we are now negotiating for. The line
is a section of the Coalport-Hadley (ex-L. & N.W.) in North Shropshire.
Coalport has practically all that it is desirable for a preserved station:
a terminus complete with engine shed for two tank engines, carriage shed
for four bogie coaches, adequate station buildings. various smaller offices,
large area in engine shed for workshop and about four acres of unused land
suitable for expansion in future years. For the "non-railway" visitor, Coalport
is sited in the Severn Valley in a section renowned for natural beauty and
historic interest. The village already attracts thousands of visitors and
offers facilities for recreation and refreshment. But above all these
considerations is the fact that about 5,000,000 people live within 30 miles
of the line. We are confident that this will be our second line. and are
considering possibilities in the North-West and London Areas. ,
Railway lifebelt. E.R. Shepherd, 44. illustration
Re interested in photographs published of mileposts, etc., of
defunct railway companies. The photograph is an unusual subject, the
standard-gauge siding presumably installed on Calstock Quay, when served
by the wagon hoist from the viaduct, was in use.
The whole quay is now derelict, and few traces of the Plymouth, Devonport
&South Western Junction Railway or the East Cornwall Mineral Railway,
which preceded it, are to be found, although the incline of the latter can
be traced.
February (Number 249)
Norman Harvey. Locomotive causerie. Scottish locomotives at work.
47-50.
Performance by Class 60 4-6-0 No. 14647 recorded by David L. Smith
on 1 July 1933 on 10.00 from Glasgow Buchanan Street to Aberdeen as far as
Perth with load in excess of 500 tons.The same recorder and locomotive class
timed No. 14633 between Ayr and Paisley on up 11.41 ex-Stranraer with 340
ton train in May 1939. A third Class 60 (No. 14649) was timed by Ronald Nelson
on 13 August 1940 on a light train from Edinburgh Princes Street to Stirling
when speeds in the sixties were recorded.
D.A. Bourke. The decline of the slip coach. 51-4.
The Western Region ran the final slip coaches in Britain: the last
one was at Bicester off the down 17.10 from Paddington. Theree is a list
of the large number of slip coaches available in August 1914. These were
withdrawn in WW1 and again in WW2, but the Great Western later Western Region
continued the practice and some trains included more than one slip. One of
the obvioius problems was the return of the slip coaches; furthermore most
could only be used in one direction. Illustrations show the special tail
lamps, the act of slipping and the controls used by the slip guards.
See also letter from R. Franklin on large portion off
Cornish Riviera Limited on race days and failures to slip and forced pause
at the West Loop Box and retrieval by pilot.
G. Robin and W.L. Callan. The railways of North-West Ayrshire.
55-62,
Lines to Ardrossan and Largs. Ardrossan Harbour was founded in 1806
by the Earl of Eglinton and the Paisley & Ardrossan Canal was authorised
in the same year, but this did not extend beyond Johnstone. On 14 June 1827
the Ardrossan & Johnstone Railway was authorised, but only the section
to Kilwinning from Ardrossan was ready by 1831. The Glasgow, Paisley, Kilwinning
& Ayr Railway opened throughout on 12 August 1840 and the Ardrossan &
Johnstone Railway dropped "Johnstone" from its title, converted its gauge
from 4ft 6in to standard gauge and for a brief period of glory provided part
of a West Coast route (with ship from Ardrossan to Liverpool). The branches
to Ardrossan Winton Pier and Montgomerie Pier and the connection thence from
the Caledonian Railway's Lanarkshire & Ayrshire Railway opened throughout
in 1904 is mentioned and its rationalisation under the LMS. A further pier
and branch were opened at Fairlie off the Largs branch. The passenger stations
are described and some illustrated. West Kilbride receives praise for its
attractive architecture. All is described as observed in the days of the
courtship by KPJ of EMJ..
M.R. Bailey. The East Anglian Lion. 63.
Photograph and line drawiung of Sharp Brothers 0-4-2 supplied in 1848
and originally numbered 13, but reunbered 162 when leased to the Eastern
Counties Railway. Photograph shows it on scrap road at Stratford Works in
1872
H.M. Le Fleming. Famous locomotive types A railway of Pacifics.
64-7.
Malaya (Malaysia): the Federated Malay States operated a long long
metre gauge main line from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur to Prai, ferry terminal
for Penang, and thence to the frontier with Thailand. Pacifics.operated most
trains. A table shows the progress from the H class introduced in 1907 to
the three cylinder S and O classes which were three cylinder designs introduced
in 1928 and 1938 respectively. The S class were very heavy and some incorporated
Gresley derived motion whilst others had rotary cam valve gear: The Sultan
of Pahang and another on a sixteen coach train are illustrated. The O class
were lighter, had a more advanced boiler and rotary cam valve gear yet had
an axle load of only 12½ tons.
The Vulcan Foundry. 68-9.
Very brief "pocket encylopedia" article which notes that drawings
had been deposited with Liverpool Public Musuems.
George Behrend. The first British sleeping cars. 70-1.
First built by North British Railway at Cowlairs Works and ran between
Edinburgh and London on alternate nights, arriving at King's Cross for the
first time on 1 August 1873. The London & North Western responded with
a service from Euston to Glasgow from 1 October via the initiative of Richard
Bore, Superintendent of the Line. The Great Northern introduced a Boudoir
Car designed by the American W.D. Mann: a diagram shows its uncomfortable
layout.
W.H. Bett. Ticket spotlight. 72-3.
Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway ticket issued on
17 August 1912 at Blisworth (LNWR) for journey to Blakesley by a party of
30 probably for visit to Blakesley Hall and its miniature railway.
See rather sharp letter from C.R. Cllinker which notes
several errors.
Book reviews. 74-5.
The London, Brighton & South Coast Railway. C. Hamilton Ellis.
London. Ian Allan Ltd. 271 pp. Reviewed by P.F.W.
Many a well-worn theme has been revived by giving it a new arrangement,
and Hamilton Ellis has done something akin to this with his mechanical history
of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, a work that is devoted
mainly to the locomotives and the accidents that befell them on all too frequent
occasions.
The locomotive history of the Brighton is a subject that has been dealt with
by a number of leading authorities and it is doubtful if much can ever be
added to the already published sources. Nevertheless this book will be welcomed
by all those who are in need of an authentic and complete record of all the
engines owned by the company from 1839, and these will be many, as most of
the already published accounts are out of print and difficult of access.
As to the accidents, anyone who enjoyed Rolt's Red for Danger will
enjoy this book, since the author has dealt with this macabre and fascinating
subject in an exhaustive and imaginative fashion. For the rest, Ellis touches
upon the historical development of the line, its rolling stock, signalling,
architectural and marine activities in a rather cursory manner; but enough
to give a rudimentary portrait of the kind of line the Brighton was. All
this is knit together by a richly entertaining profusion of anecdote, a wealth
of information on train working, and some of the idiosyncrasies that helped
to make it a railway of great distinction. That it also possessed a very
powerful mystique (as the author suggests) is certainly true. E. L.
Ahrons in his delightful and humorous account of the line as it was in the
latter half of the nineteenth century, ascribes its popularity to two causes:
one, that it passed through charming scenery and served the pleasure resorts
of the South Coast, and secondly, that its engines were painted a striking
yellow colour, were kept beautifully groomed, and almost all rejoiced in
the possession of names. This is the crux of the matter, which when taken
in conjunction with innumerable other incidental elements, forged the tradition
which still lingers, even after a lapse of 40 years.
Nowhere was this tradition stronger than in the locomotive department, and
some idea of what it meant to work for the Brighton in its heyday may be
gleaned from a Cockney driver who was retired at New Cross Gate in 1946.
Speaking of the time when Robert Billinton was in charge at Brighton, he
said, "In them days when the driver was sick, the engine was sick," meaning
that it went against the grain to use another man's engine in his absence
... except when a shortage of motive power made it imperativeand even
then there were sure to be a few verbal fireworks when the aggrieved driver
returned for duty! Recalling that the keener men liked to spend their Sunday
mornings grooming their steeds before partaking of a midday pint, he affirmed
with some pride, "that when we'd finished yer could get in an aht o' the
motions wiv a white shirt onand never so much as a mark on it."
Similarly in Stroudley's day, such was the esteem in which the men held their
chief that if, when he paid his weekly inspection visit to New Cross Gate,
one of his engines was under repair and unsightly, minus a pair of wheels,
the offending machine would be moved down to the sidings at Ballarat and
placed under a tarpaulin, rather than hurt the Old Man's feelings! The tales
of Stroudley's weekly visits to New Cross Gate were legion, and some of them
were current 50 years after his death. One such tale recalls how, perceiving
a young fitter hammering away at the motion with a piece of cold steel, Stroudley
came up behind him and gently thrust a soft iron hammer into his hands,
murmuring, "I like my engines treated kindly."
It is incidents such as this that make a railway unforgettable, not because
they couldn't have happened elsewhere, but because they could never have
happened in exactly the same way. All railways use men and roughly the same
materials, just as do architects, but the results may be quite different.
Therein lies the secret, the mystique-or whatever one may care to
call it. The only way to discover this is to know one's subject, either at
first hand, or by history or through the minds of others. Few living authors
know more about the Brighton than Ellis, and whether the reader be the merest
tyro or an informed connoisseur, this book will certainly add something to
his understanding of a railway whose beautifully fashioned locomotives have
achieved the kind of immortality that is usually reserved for works of art.
Although the author does not appear to mention it, the engine headcodes diagrams
are complete only for the years 1910-17. Prior to 1910 several other boards
were in use, and after 1917 only the plain white disc.
These diagrams occupy about 20 pages, and although they have their interest
one feels that the space might have been put to better purpose. A chapter
devoted to the locomotive depots or the more interesting junctions, together
with a few plans, would certainly have helped to complete the picture in
a manner acceptable to everyone. It is a mystery why this fascinating aspect
of railways is almost invariably dealt with in the most superficial manner
even by the most competent of authors, since it obviously forms an integral
part of any mechanical history, . and also constitutes the one essential
means whereby the operational basis of a railway can be clearly
understood.
Printed Maps and Plans of Leeds,1711-1900. Compiled by Kenneth J.
Bonser and Harold Nichols. Leeds. The Thoresby Society, 16, Queen Square.
5t in. by 8t in. 148 pp. and 12 plates. Thin card covers. No price stated.
Maps and plans are second only to photographs in their value to urban
historians as a means of reconstructing the scene. Railway and tramway students
are always keenly interested in the detailed evidence provided by maps and
no serious research worker will attempt a subject without study- ing all
the available cartographical material. Those who specialise in Leeds will
therefore be grateful for this catalogue of 374 maps and plans of the city
and environs, painstakingly compiled by two members of the Thoresby Society,
one of them being the Leeds Reference Librarian. Most of the items listed
can be seen at the Leeds Reference Library and the Library also has photocopies
of many of the others.
A plan published in 1815 is the first to show a railway; this, of course,
is Brandling's Middleton Colliery Line. The next appearance is the Leeds
& Selby Railway, opened in 1834 with a terminus in Marsh Lane. The
19th-century maps show many projected railways, including an 1864 plan
(reproduced) for one central amalgamated station (a subject of topical
interest!). Several schemes for railways to Roundhay Park, including an elevated
monorail and a narrow- gauge line from Briggate, are men- tioned. A number
of detailed tramway plans are available, including a City of Leeds Tramways
Company plan of 1896 showing all the gradients, radii and feeders. The maps
are listed in chronological order and each is dated and carefully described.
Brief historical notes on personalities and items associated with the maps
follow. Finally, there are two excellent indexes and the 12 plates, which
are on art paper with almost perfect reproduction. A most useful reference
work for the student of Yorkshire transport, providing scores of possible
pointers to research, this book will also save him many hours of laborious
enquiry and investigation.-A.A.J.
London's Underground, Henry F. Howson. London. lan Allan Ltd. 119
pp. Reviewed by A.A.J [Jackson]
To attempt to cover both the history and technical aspects of all
the London Transport railways and the Waterloo & City Railway in a volume
of this size is a formidable task indeed, and the author is to be con- pratulated
on achieving a book which is both readable and useful as a work of reference.
First published in 1951, Mr. Howson's book was popular, and quickly ran out
of print. It has now been revised to incl ude recent developments such as
the Bank " travolator " and the latest tube stock. The illustrations, mostly
from official sources, are almost all new to this edition.
The most valuable chapters are those covering the technical side, rolling
stock, operating, signalling and so on. Here Mr. Howson acknowledges help
from the Technical Press Section of the L.T.E, a guarantee that the authenticity
is pretty watertight. The historical sketches cover well-trodden ground and
show no signs of original research; there is a certain lack of balancethe
early history of the three Yerkes tubes is dismissed in a few lines.
It is pleasing, in such a moderately priced book, to find a small index,
but there are no maps to help the stranger to London's geography. Occasional
lapses are noticeable in the revision of the original textson page
46 we are still in 1949. An apoendix of dates of "Principal Events" is a
useful feature but, although apparently compiled from the official chronologies,
it contains a dozen inaccuracies and some notable omissions (the openings
of the Bakerloo and Central extensions in particular are rather muddled).
In the main text. on page 59, the date given is that of the first suspension
of the Alexandra Palace service, not the final closure, as implied.
The production is of the high standard we now expect from this publisher,
and the printing is well done on quality paper of the" whiter than white"
variety. For those who have little or no acquaintance with the various
semi-official histories, this book provides a fairly comprehensive outline
of events, but it is to be mainly recommended as a conveniently arranged
survey of London Transport railway practice, some aspects of which are covered
in considerable detail. The description of tube construction with its
pencil-pushed-in-clay analogy is one of the most lucid we have read.-.
Branch Line Index.
Mr. G. C. Lewthwaite has done a useful service to railway students
and writers by compiling for the Branch Line Society as its Occasional
Publication No. 1 this 16-page duplicated booklet, listing articles on branch
lines which have appeared in Railuiav World, Trains Illustrated and The Railway
Magazine up to the end of 1957. It will be equally valuable to the railway
periodical editor who cannot recall on the spur of the moment when and where
the Little Muddling branch was last described and consequently whether he
is justified in accepting an article on it! Mr. Lewthwaite might well follow
up this work with a list of branches which have not yet been described. It
would be interesting to know how many there still are, and why authors have
fought shy of them. The publication is obtainable from Mr. V. J. Ling, 6,
Collis Street, Amblecote, Stourbridge, Worcs, price 3s. 6d.
Letters. 75-6
A Wartime Midlands Branch (Cold Meece) . C.R. Clinker
May I supplement Mr. Oliver 's interesting article in your December
issue by filling some of the gaps where the author says he has no information?
When opened on 27 September 1939, the up line connection at Badnall Wharf
was used only for handling contractors' material. A new signalbox was opened
immediately on the Whitmore side of the old one on 3rd March, 1940. On the
same date a goods reception line and island platform came into use. The first
workpeople's service. one daily trip from and to Stafford. started the following
day. A train from and to Silverdale, via Norton Bridge, commenced on 27 March;
a third train. from Cobridge, was added on 8 July 1940. Swynnerton Junction
signalbox was opened with a temporary connection to the single line, on 20th
April, 1941. The branch to Cold Meece was connected up and ready for use
on 3rd August. A single trip ran on 5 August with contractors' employees
but regular workpeopJe's trains did not commence until 10 August, when the
Potteries trains ceased to run to Badnall Wharf. I am not sure if Wedgwood
Halt was " built" in 1938. but it opened on l January, 1940.
R. & E. Locomotives . Richard J. Appleton
I wish to point out a mistake in the caption relating to the photograph
of River Esk at Irton Road Station on the Ravenglass & Eskdale
Railway, which appeared on page 348 of the November issue. It states that
River Esk has the 4-6-2 wheel arrangement it hasn't! River
Esk is a 2-8-2, the first 2·8-2 ever to run on a British railway.
I suspect its history is familiar to most people. It was built in 1923 by
Davey, Paxman & Co. Lrd., Colchester. and was designed by Henry Greenly.
By 1927 the Lentz poppet valves which she was fitted with had proved themselves
unsatisfactory and in that year she was rebuilt as an articulated locomotive
using the Poultney system of propulsion with a driving chassis under the
tender (this chassis is still in existence). The locomotive then became a
2-8-2+ 0-8-0, the rebuilding was carried out by the Yorkshire Engine Co.
River Esk was still unsatisfactory. however, and she was subsequently
rebuilt in her present form. There have been Pacifies on the R. & E.;
Colossus, built by Bassett-Lowke, was placed in service in 1915, and
Sir Aubrey Brocklebank, built by Hunt & Co. of Bournemouth, in
1919. Colossus originally belonged to Captain Howey, who later started
the Rornney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. Colossus, Sir Aubrey Brocklebank
and Sans Pareil (a 4-4-2) finished their careers as another
articulated locomotive, River Mite This locomotive was built at
Ravenglass' in 1927 under the direction of the Engineer at that time, E.
H. Wright. The boiler was supplied by the Yorkshire Engine Co. and the engine
had a wheel arrangement of 4-6-0+0-6-4. It was withdrawn before the war as
unsatisfactory in operation and I believe it was scrapped sometime after
1950.
Little-Known Railways in North-East France. E. K. Stretch. 76
May I draw your attention to one or two very minor errors in Mr. Davies'
interesting article in the October, 1960, issue. Bruay has been incorrectly
spelt Brouay throughout. On the map, the C.E.N.R.V. branch to St. Waast has
been omitted. and so has the former steam tramway of the same company running
northwards from St. Amand (to Hellemrnes-les-Lille, via Sainghin-en-Melantois
(31 km.). It is not true that grooved tramway rail is used on the roadside
portion of the Valenciennes system. Vignoles rail is used where the track
is not actually in the carriageway. On the roadside portions, Vignoles rail
(with check rail) is used even at level crossings.
George Carr Glyn. W.A. Parker
Re criticism of The London & North Western Railway, by
O.S. Nock by your reviewer, "R.R.," in the October issue. Perhaps the reason
why Mr. Nock vouchsafes George Carr Glyn no more than a single line is that
he feels the gentleman to have been rather precocious. After all, however
great one's devotion to the job in hand, it is going a little far, if one
is a Baronet, to style oneself Baron anything, let alone a place the importance
of Wolverton. He might just have got away with Baron Buzzard, though even
that is doubtful, seeing what sticklers for precision these authors are;
but Wolvertonno. never!
Stroudley tank engines. C. H. S. Owen
The article "Stroudley Tank Engines in the West Country" in the September,
1960, issue, deals admirably with those of the Southern Region. It is not,
perhaps, generally realised that the G. W. acquired two of these engines
in 1940 when it took over the Weston, Cleveland & Portishead Railway.
In September, 1946, on a visit to Bristol, these locomotives were in store
in St. Phillips Marsh Shed. In early 1950, No. 5 was sent to Newton Abbot
as works pilot engine. The enclosed photo taken in March. 1960, shows No.
5 outside Newton Abbot Works completely Western- ised, with number plate
and the G.W.R. monogram over the name plate. The " N" on the frame would
appear to be a relic of "TN" as she was previously at Taunton for use at
Bridgwater before being passed on to Newton as not suitable up there. ewton
held her a mere three months and then sent her to Swindon where she was stored
in the stock shed until withdrawal in 1954. The sister engine. No. 6, went
to Swindon from Bristol and was withdrawn in 1948. None of this is really
surprising knowing the Western conservatism and distrust of any- thing not
built at Swindon.
An early railway photograph C.R. Clinker
Some 25 years ago I looked into the location of this photograph. The
late E. T. MacDermot told me that A. C. W. Lowe had expressed the view that
it was almos.t certainty taken at Swindon. If the photograph can, in fact,
be dated as 1849, then it was not taken at Chippen- ham. Construction of
a shed there was authorised by the directors in 1850 and completed in February,
1851, by Simcott of Bath. A detailed plan of the station in 1850 shows a
turntable and " engine siding. JJ but no shed. I am tempted to think Fox
Talbot's association with that part of Wiltshire has led to the belief that
it was taken at Chippenham. Despite Chippenham being the starting point of
Wilts. Somerset & Weymouth trains to Salisbury and Weymouth, the locomotives
working this line were shedded at Trow- bridge in early years. Indeed. they
were still kept there for some years after Chippenham possessed a shed.
RUGBY
Ex-Easingwold coach. Noel Draycott,
76
Alan Williams in his interesting article on the Derwent Valley Light
Railway refers to the ex-Easingwold coach at Cliff Common. The future of
this vehicle is not uncertain as it is the property of the or th- West District
of the R.P.S. It is temporarily stored on the D.V.L. until a suitable depot
is found in its new "home area" of the north-west. We are anxious to get
it moved as soon as possible so that restoration can start. and appeal for
the assistance of railway enthusiasts in finding a site, preferably on a
private siding in Lancashire.
L & N,W. "Georges". Norman Groves
On page 143 of his book The London & North Western Railway,
O.S. Nock says apropos of the Chester & Holyhead section-c-" I shall
always remember this line as the place where I last saw a North Western express
engine in passenger service. It was at Corwen, in 1947, and the engine was
a George the Fifth, Fire Queen:." This was impossible. There were
only fou r survivors of the George the Fifth class in service in 1947, namely:
Lord Loch, Ptarmigan, Snipe and an unnamed member of the class, which
formerly carried the name India. Fire Queen, as LMS No. 25362,
was withdrawn from service in December, 1936.
No. 250 (March 1961)
Failures and failings: editoorial. B.G. Wilson. 77.
In January Her Majesty the Queen was subjected to a sixty minute delay
due to a diesel locomotive failure at Audley End whilst she was en route
from Liverpool Street to Sandringham. A steam locomotive hd to be requisitioned
from Cambridge. This formed the basis for an editorial on the then massive
number of diesel failures.
Norman Harvey. Locomotive causerie. A Metropolitan steam
locomotive resumé. 79-82; 104,
Mentiions Fowlers' Ghost, but also a very complete examination of
the company's motive power which was dominated by the Beyer Peacock 4-4-0T
A class. This originated in a design for the Spanish Tuleda and Bilbao Railway
in 1862 and was a possible developmemt of a John Chester Craven design of
1859 for the London Brighton & South Coast.
D. Trevor Rowe. Rural rails along the Rhine. 83-5.
Paul R. Booth. Narrow gauge in the Harz. 86-7.
Kreisbahn Osterode-Kreinsen 75cm railway in the process of being replaced
by a standard gauge line. Illustrations: Railcar No. 2 with afternoon train
skirting Badenhausen; Henschel 0-6-0T built in 1899 on a weed-killing train;
map; Westerhofer Wald viaduct; track plans of Osterode and Kreinsen
Alan J.S. Paterson. Dugald Drummond at St. Rollox, 1882-85.
Part 2. 88-93.
Lockerbie accident of 14 May 1883 when two trains collided and were
derailed and the wreckage was hit by a southbound double-headed express which
led to five deaths. The express was fitted with the Clark and Webb chain
brake and thus was unable to stop and this led to the Company adopting the
Westinghouse brake and/or the automtivc vacuum brakr. Drummond also adopted
steam heating for carriages using the exhaust steam from the brake pumps.
The Connor 417 class 2-4-0s were rebuilt with larger boilers. On the
NBR Drummond had built 4-4-0Ts, but on the Caledonian he adopted the 0-4-4T,
but the disc wheels of the bogie were retained. There were also 0-6-0T and
0-4-0ST designs for shunting.
Benington Marsh. The "Northern Belle" cruising train. 93.
illustration.
In 1933 the LNER introduced this train which made four round trips
in June and the first days of July. On 29 June 1935 Americans on the Cruise
found that No. 6100 Royal Scot was at Penrith to head the train across
the Border as shown in photograph.
K. Hoole. North Eastern saloons. 94-7.
Illustrations: four-wheel inspection saloon E900270E (former NER No.
1173); six-wheel inspection saloon No. DE900268 (former NER No. 40) at
Scarborough in December 1959; six-wheel inspection saloon No. DE900269E (former
NER No. 41) behind B1 No. 61382 at Scarborough in October 1959; six-wheel
inspection saloon No. DE900272 (former NER No. 3271) at Darlington in August
1958
Y. Holmgren. An old Swedish contractor's locomotive. 97. diagram (side
elevation)
0-6-0T worked on construction of a viaduct on the Malmo-Kontinenten
line in 1897-98 and possibly belonged to Fredrik Arvidsson Posse and Carl
Sprinchorn
B.G. Wilson. The railway development of Wimbledon 2.
98-103.
Quadrupling between Clapham Junction and Hampton Court Junction, new
station at Garrett Lane, eventually named Earlsfield. The Kingston and London
Railway provided a route into London avoiding Wimbledon and achieved this
by tunnels under Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath. Illustrations: Putney
Railway Bridge view southwards from Putney Church; Metropolitan District
train from Mansion House powered by 4-4-0T No. 44 entering Putney Bridge
Station in July 1902 (K.A.R.C. Nunn); map; District Railway 4-4-0T at East
Putney station; Battle of Britain class No. 34052 Lord Dowding entering
East Putney station on Salisbury to Waterloo train in August 1954; three-car
District Railway electric train at Wimbledon Park staion on a Wimbledon to
High Street Kensington working (Alan A. Jackson; District Railway 4-4-0T
No. 4 between Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon in 1900.
Scottish gasworks engines. 103. illustration
2 foot gauge Kerr Stuart well tank for working in the retorts
at Dalmarnock gasworks in Glasgow
Longmoor parade. 104-5.
Great Eastern veteran preserved. 106. illustration
T26 2-4-0 No. 490 (formerly E4 No. 62785) photographed en route from
Stratford Works to British Transport Museum, Clapham
Book reviews. 107
The Cork & Macroom Direct Railway. C.
Creedon, Cork: Author. 40pp. 15 illustrations
Reviewed by Alan A. Jackson who called it an "indispensable
volume"
The locomotives of the London, Chatham & Dover
Railway. D.L. Bradley. RCTS. 48pp. 44pp of illustrations.
Reviewed by PW
Letters. 108
Drummond at St. Rollox. J.A. Burns
Alan Paterson in the first parr of his article on Dugald
Drummond at St. Rollox states that his soft tone organ pipe whistle was
copied from the Clyde steamers. This is not so, although it may well have
been copied from the Clyde Puffers, a very small cargo carriers, as seen
in Para Handy on B.B.C. television a few months ago. It was McIntosh,
who fitted Clyde steamer-type hooters to his Dunalastair IV and Cardean classes
and this was carried on by PickersgiIl on all his passenger locomotives,
and copied by the Metropolitan Railway, Sir William Starrier on the L.M.
& S., and finally by Riddles on his 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 Austerity goods
locomotives.
Railway Preservation Schemes. John F.H. Sutton. 108
I heartily agree with Draycott's views on the considerations to be
taken in the choice of a line for preservation, in his letter in your January
issue. My object in writing originaly was, and still is to induce a climate
of opinion which \vill critically review every preserva- tion scheme, rather
in the way the Railway Preservation Society claims to do, and then to support
only those which are likely to commend permanent surmort. Obviously, every
scheme starts off with enthusiasm and optimism, and without appearing to
be a sceptic, I urge a practical and realistic attitude such as that advocated
in Darycott's letter. Reference to current railway journals shows an
ever-increasing number of preservation schemes, many organised by a multitude
of separate societies.
Balloon loop layouts. J.H. Price
J.B. Snell can most certainly be excused for thinking that the
extraordinary layout which he describes at Beech Forest, Victoria, Australia,
is unlike any other in the world. However, this same improbable layout, with
two narrow-gauge lines running together into a station and then describing
a tightlv-curved balloon loop in the yard can be seen at Voerde, on the
Haspe-Voerde-Breckerfeld section of Hagen tramways, in Germany. This metre-gauge
line was worked by steam until 1927 and then electrified: the hourly up and
down cars meet at Voerde, following the same single line into the station
and then running nose-to-tail round the loop, and so back to the parting
of the ways 200 metres further east.
Destination boards. J.P. Bardsley.
108
It was good to have old memories revived by Lack's article and the
excellent selection of illustrations. The L. & N.W. "LIverpool (Exchange)
and Edinburgh" board is, perhaps, of interest in that neither the starting
nor destination station was on the L. & N.W.their L. & Y. partner
being, of course, responsible for operation of the Scottish expressesor
anyhow, the more important as far as Preston. Another interesting board
was London (Euston) and Swansea " the devious route via Stafford,
Shrewsbury and the Central Wales line being followed. I cannot recall a board
"Torquay, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester," entailing the use of the Midland
route, but am under the impression that all such trains followed the L.
&N.W. route and the boards were worded "Via the Severn Tunnel."
In India, where the same sets arein many casesallocated to one
particular servicethe destination boards used frequently, to be a fixture
on the coaches and myoid line, at one time, actually painted the starting
and destination stations along the top panels of the coaches, e.g., ("Agra
Fort and Hyderabad," though the practice was eventually abandoned.
Ticket Spotlight. J.P.
Wilson. 108
"Ticket Spotlight" in the December issue was a reminder of one of
the G.N. 's long-forgotten services in the West Riding. It was a variant
of their Doncaster-York route, the others being (a) the main line via Selby,
and (b) the original route via Askern and Knottingley, I am not aware of
the date of commencement, possibly at or soon after the opening of the S.
& K. joint line on 1 July 1879. In 1896 there were four down trains at
08.58, and 13.45, 16.13 and 19.08 and two up, at 09.10 and 17.25. These were
stopping trains. some of the stops being conditional. By 1910 the service
had dwindled to two down at 14.38 and 17.37 and one up at 08.22. I suspect
they finally ceased at some time after the commencement of World War I.
The route taken from Doncaster was by way of the Leeds line (West Riding
& Grimsby Joint) to South Elmsall and thence by the long north-east spur
at Moorthorpe up to the S. & K. to Askworth. This spur has long since
been disused, but the earthworks can be clearly seen. The south-west spur
at Moorthorpe (from the S. & K to the W.R. & G.) was still in existence
up to about two years ago, when I last noted it, but little used.
Blaenau Festiniog in late Victorian days. 110
Photograph: station with Festiniog Railway on left and GWR on right
with 2-4-0T on passenger train.
Norman Harvey. Locomotive causerie. "Scots" and Pacifics
of the West Coast route. 111-15
R.A.H. Weight timed No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester on Royal
Highlander weighing 635 tons from Euston to Crewe. Another fine
run behind No. 46207 on up Red Rose from Crewe to Euston driven by
Driver W. Trowell of Camden. Performance logs of No. 46228 hauling
550 tone between Rugby and Stafford nearly within even time driven by J.
Munslow. Illustrations: No. 46200 Princess Royal ascending Shap (C.
Ord); up Royal Scot passing Shap hauled by No. 46243 City of Lancaster
(C. Ord); No. 46107 Argyll & Sutherland Highlander on Glasgow
to Liverpool & Manchester express passing Lockerbie (R.F. Roberts); No.
46107 Argyll & Sutherland Highlander leaving Beattock on
Carlísle to Perth train (T.G. Hepburn).
United Steel Comapny locomotives. F. Jux. 115
3ft gauge Peckett 0-4-0ST at Cottesmore ironstone quarries in
Rutland.
Bennington Marsh. The L.&N.E. in Wales and the Wirral. 116-22.
Wrexham Mold & Connah's Quay Railway. The Manchester Sheffield
& Lincolnshire Railway provided the finance to cross the Dee with the
Hawarden Bridge (illustrated). This was opened by Mrs Gladstone on 3 August
1889 This provided access to the steel works at Brymbo and the coalfield
around Wrexham. The article includes notes on the unpopularity of the Sentinel
railcars: No. 51913 Rival being especially disliked. Illustration
of unidentified Sentinel railcar alongside Shotton Steelworks. Notes on
locomotive stock at Wrexham which included ex-LDER 0-6-2T No, 6408 illustrated.
In later days the class C13 4-4-2Ts were used and seemed to cope well with
the steep climb to Wrexham.
The Stapleford Park Miniature Railway: a 10½ in.-gauge line on Lord
Gretton's Estate in the East Midlands. 123-7.
House & grounds opened to public in 1955. Miniature railway built
in 1958 using 4-4-2 locomotives built by David Curwen. Illustrations: map;
opening on 18 May 1958 by Earl of Northesk; Blanche of Lancaster at
Stable Hill station; Blanche of Lancaster and John of Gaunt;
Blanche of Lancaster raising steam.
J.P. Wilson. Milford Junction. 128-9.
Located where the York & North Midland crossed the Leeds &
Selby between Sherburn-in-Elmet and Monk Fryston, Illustrations: map; York
to Wakefield train passing Milford Junction; Milford Junction.
Bygone days on the Festiniog Railway. 110; 130-1
Photo-feature from Locomotive Publishing Company Collection: Blaenau
Festiniog with Festiniog Railway on left and Great Western on right
with 2-4-0T and four-wheel coaches; guard's luggage van with dog box; Fairlie
0-4-4-0 No. 3 Livingston Thompson; Blaenau Festiniog Junction
station with 0-4-0ST Prince; Portmadoc to Blaenau Festiniog train
at Minffordd; Tan-y-Bwlch station with three roads; Duffws station with Fairlie
locomotive
R.K. Evans. The Postlingbergbahn. 132. illustration
Near Linz in Upper Austria. Metre gauge with 1 in 15 and 1 in 9.4
purely adhesion working. Single cars or multiple unit working
W.H. Bett. Ticket spotlight. 133.
LMS restricted hours weekly season ticket on dark red card issued
on 13 July 1935 for travel between St. Annes-on-Sea and Blackpool Central
after 16.00 except Saturdays and Sundays (no restriction)
J.B. Snell. West from Alamosa. 134-9. 11 illustrations, map
Narrow gauge from Alamosa and Durango in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Based mainly on a personal trip with his wife. Map of the lines at their
maximum extent. Illustrations: the Silverton in Animas Canyon; northbound
Silverton high above River of Lost Souls; Denver & Rio Grande
Western 2-8-2 No. 473 at Durango; No. 476 on passenger train; No. 473 on
empty tock at Durango; No. 483 on freight; No. 483 in Alamosa yards; Nos.
483 and 486 double head a freight; Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 at Idaho
Springs.
Robert Keys. North Staffs rail motors. 140-2. 3
illustrations.
Two were supplied by Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd. WN 4643 and 4644
and given running numbers 1 and 2. They had 3-ft 8-in driving wheels, 8¼-in
by 14-in cylinders activated by Walschaerts valve gear and operated at 180
psi,. A third car (WN 4793) was delivered iin 1905. The cars had a large
compartment for seating forty and a small one seating six non-smokers. During
WW1 rail motor services werre suspended anddid noty resume until September
1921. Prior to WW1 they were intended for workmen's services and extra halts
were built, but following it were used on rural services. The LMS scrapped
the units at Crewe.
John R. Day. The Agudio locomotor. 143
T. Agudio invented system for haulage on steep gradients whereby large
pulley wheels engaged with a steel rope driven by a fixed steam engine. It
was used on the Turin & Alessandrio Railway in 1862. The French
Government trialed the system at Lanslebourg,Savoy. An Italian line between
Sassi and Superga may have used the system.
D.H. Whitcombe. Monmouthshire memories. 144-6. 3
illustrations.
Difficulties experienced in operating the class of Beames'
0-8-4Ts. Illustrations: No. 380 lettered LMS, but not yet renumbered on
Monmouthshire line; No. 7941 at Swansea LMS shed in August 1946 with Webb
Coal Tank 0-6-2T and Waunavon station in August 1950. Writer used to live
in Blaenavon with its Steelworks. The 0-8-4Ts had flangeless third pair of
driving wheels and these were liable to derail, but also tended to re-rail
wwithout stopping. They leaked from joints and tanks, their vacuum pumps
caused trouble, he coupled wheels ran hot and the combined lever and screw
reverse was difficult to operate. They ended their service at Crewe and
Liverpool. The last was withdrawn in 1951. The Blaenavon Company operated
about twenty locomotives, mainly four coupled tanks from Andrew Barclay and
Peckett, but there were at least two 0-6-0STs, one from Beyer, Peacock and
the other from Fox, Walker. There was a separate 3-ft 4-in gauge to limestone
quarries at Pwlldu worked by two outside-cylinder tanks supplied by Barclay
and John Fowler. Much of the route was in tunnel..
R.M.S. Hall. North Eastern electric at Darlington. 146-7. 2 illustrations.
No. 26504 on scrap road at Darlington in Spring 1951 was still in
North Eastern Railway green livery with North and Eastern on either side
of cab doors; No. 2382, former N.E.R. R class 4-4-0.
"Foreigners" on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway.
147. 2 illustrations.
Stirling mixed traffic rebuilt H5 2-4-0 No. 895 on passenger train
with SE&CR on tender but retaining green livery probably in East Kent
(fifteen borrowed between 1913 and 1915), Hull & Barnsley B class 0-6-0
No. 94 also in Kent (photographs from Rixon Bucknall Collection.
The former S.E. & C.R. enters into the City of London. 148.
Aerial photograph showing both Blackfriars and Cannon Street and Borough
Market Junction and Tate Modern generating pollution in its former role as
Power Station
The Locomotive Club of Great Britain. 149
Regular indoor meetings of branches have again commenced. Meetings
catering for a great variety of interests are held by the London Branch at
the Kings Stores, Widegate Street, close to Liverpool Street Station. The
Bedford Branch meets at the Grosvenor Club, opposite Midland Road Station,
Bedford. In East Anglia a branch holds meetings at the Fleece, Colchester.
It is also hoped to establish a branch in Leeds in the near future.
At all branches talks are given by well-known speakers on railway subjects
and shows of colour slides are arranged by members, in addition to the outdoor
visits which each of the branches organises. There is also a full outdoor
programme of visits to locomotive depots, marshalling yards, signalboxes
and other railway installations.
Full details of the club and of its many activities can be obtained by sending
a stamped addressed envelope to the Hon. General Secretary, Mr. .T. M. Cramp,
8, Lovatt Close, Edgware, Middlesex.
The Railway Correspondence
& Travel Society. 149
The Society's special train (consistmg of a diesel cross-country set),
will leave Paddington at 09.15 on Sunday, 9 April for Swindon Works via Windsor
and Slough West Curve. After allowing time for a visit of the works and shed
at Swindon, the train will traverse the Malmesbury, Highworth, Farringdon
and Wallingford branches, and the triangle at Didcot, and will arrive at
Paddington at about 20.30. Buffet facilities will be available throughout
the tour. Passengers may board at Paddington, Windsor & Eton, or Reading
General.
Fares (including printed itinerary) will be 27s. 6d. (15s.) from Paddington,
22s. 6d. (12s. 6d.) from Windsor, and 20s. (11s. 3d.) from Readingfares
for children under 14 shown in brackets.
Applications with remittance and a stamped addressed foolscap envelope should
be sent to Mr.T. Miller, 65, Hollington Crescent, New MaIden, Surrey. Non-members
of the Society will be very welcome.
The East Midlands Branch is arranging a tour by diesel train over lines in
and around the Vale of Belvoir which are either closed to passenger traffic,
or are used only for ironstone traffic. This tour, of over 120 miles, will
take place on Saturday, 29 April, and will depart from Nottingham Midland
Station at 13.40 to traverse the following route: Sneinton Junction, Nottingham
exchange sidings, Trent Lane Junction, Saxondale Junction, Stathern Junction,
Newark Northgate, Barkston north and south curves, High Dyke Junction, Stainby,
Canal Yard, Grantham (the original Ambergate Company station), Belvoir Junction,
Denton, Bottesford east curve, Sealford Junction, Waltham-on-the-Wold, Eaton
mines, Wycomb Junction, and Holwell sidings, terminating at Nottingham Midland
at about 20.30.
Further details may be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to
the East Midlands Branch Secretary, Mr. V. Forster, 90, Abbey Road, Beeston,
Notts.
Railway Preservation
Society. 149
The Society is forming a London District. It wishes to preserve a
G.E. vintage train headed by a J15. British Railways are asking about £900
for an engine of this class, and a fund of £1,500 would enable the Society
to buy three or four coaches as well. The preserved train would be kept in
the London District depot, to be established on a site within easy reach
of Central London. All interested are invited to send a donation to the General
Secretary at 3, Wansbury Way, Swanley, Kent.
New Zealand trains; Compiled by Peter Hodge and Douz Greenhill.
Wellington, N.Z., The New Zealand Railway & Locomotive Society, Inc.
24 pp. 37 illustrations.
Hodge and Greenhill have brought together a fascinating collection
of photographs of New Zealand trains past and present, ranging from a
Fairlie-hauled train on the Dunedin & Port Chalmers Railway in 1873 to
present-day diesel double-heading in the same region, with, in between, a
most tempting selection of trains hauled by widely varying motive power.
We share the compilers' hope that this will be the first of a series of such
pictorials.
Letters. 149-51.
Destination Boards. J.A. Burns
Mr. Lack hardly does justice to Scotland, Since, from about 1903 onwards
the Caledonian Railway used the most ornate and elaborate destination boards
of any I have seen with gold lettering, shaded red, on a white ground to
match the lettering on the coaches. The boards were carried along the top
panel of the brake ends and in some cases, such as the twelve-wheel bogie
coaches used in special sets for the Grampian Corridor and Granite City
expresses, the destinations were actually painted on the coach and covered
by another destination board when the stock was working on other services.
To the best of my recollection, the North British carried destination boards
along the roofs of the coaches as well as the Named Train or Destination
board carried at the top of the smoke box on express locomotives.
Destination boards. S. Cave
Re. Lack's article: I doubt whether he saw at Newton Abbot or
elsewhere a board reading Torquay, Bristol, Gloucester, Birmingham and
Wolverhampton. It is only in very recent years that trains on this route
(G.W. to Wolverhampton) have called at Gloucester. Originally they cut off
Gloucester, running direct from Bristol to Cheltenham. Now that the
Cornishman does call at Gloucester, the board merely says a Wolverhampton,
Birmingham, Bristol, Torquay and Paignton.
Incidentally, all boards on this route have read from north to south,
i.e.Wolverhampton ... Paigntcn and never the other way.
I was also interested in the picture of the board Paddington. Torquay, Paignton
& Dartmouth. The recent practice of the W.R. has amused me, as it is
a practical impossibility for the coach ever to reach Dartmouth. Waterloo,
Portsmouth, Isle of Wight is a similar case.
Destination boards. P. Holmes.
Re. Lack's excellent article. The ex-G.C. section still clung to lengthy
titles right up to 1954. For example. the cross-country service between the
South Coast and North-East England was labelled Bournemouth. Southampton.
Oxford. Leicester, Sheffield, York, and the Manchester services were titled.
Marylebone, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester (L.Rd.).
This was then abbreviated to a simple heading, Marylebone-Manchester.
I wonder how many readers noticeJ these trains from 3 November 1959, until
their withdrawal in January 1960, when the G.C. had passed into London Midland
hands for operating purposes. I remember my surprise on 21November, 1959,
when on arrrving at Marylebone I found the 12.15 to Manchester carrying
destination boards labelled, London-Nottingham-Manchester. Why does the L.M.R.
insist on using London instead of Euston or St. Pancras? However, there is
an exception to this rule: the Halifax-St. Pancras coaches introduced after
the withdrawal of the South Yorkshireman carry boards headed St.
Pancras-Halifax. As the coaches used for the through service are N.E. stock,
I rather think that Region is responsible for the departure from .normal
L.M. practice! The Marylebone-Nottmgham semi-fasts now carry B.R. standard
London-Nottingham label boards, as can be found on the Nottingham services
out of St. Pancras.
Finally, it would be most interesting and beneficial if any reader could
enlighten. us as to how the many cross-country services on the G.C. section
were labelled during LNER days.
Destination boards. J.F. Burrell.
150
Re interesting through coach working before WW2. It carried a board"
Bristol. Oxford, Banbury, Leicester, Sheffield and York." Unfortunately,
It was hardly expected to attract much custom as it commenced its journey
northbound by being attached to a stopping train .to Swindon via Badminton.
Even more discouraging was that it did not start from Temple Meads. but from
Lawrence Hill. G.W. and L. & N.E. stock was used on alternate days. I
do not know how it fared travelling south.
The Hertford, Luton and Dunstable Railway. S.
Summerson . 150.
Re. Spencer Gilks' article in the I anuary issue. The following
additional notes are of interest relating to the line. Following the opening
of the Luton-Dunstable section to goods traffic on 5 April, passenger services
commenced on 3 May 1858. The present Dunstable North station was not brought
into use until January 1866. Until that time, Luton to Dunstable trains reversed
into and out of the L. & N.W. terminus adjacent to Wading Street. Dunstable
Church Street (now Dunstable Town) was opened to regular traffic on l st
October, 1860, but the original station was burned down in 1871. In 1891
powers were obtained for doubling the Luton-Dunstable section and although
twice renewed were never taken up. When the London-Birmingham motorway was
under construction in 1958 to pass under the line between Luton and Dunstable,
a bridge wide enough for double track was constructed in case it was desired
to double the line later on! During the 1914-18 war a halt was in use at
Chaul End level crossing, but all traces have now vanished. Ayot station
was destroyed by fire in July 1948, and, as it was not considered worth
rebuilding for the traffic offering, was subsequently closed. A single wooden
platform for Dunstable trains was opened at Welwyn Garden City on 16 August,
1920, and this was reptaced hy the present station on 20 September 1926.
From its opening until the completion of the Luton-Welwyn section on 1 September,
1860. the Luton-Dunstab!e section was worked by the L. & N.W., the trains
and crews being on hire, whilst the Luton company provided other staff. From
l April 1881, L. & N.W. trains began to work through to Luton, there
being only one survivor of this practice remaining. This is the 07.28 from
Leighton Buzzard and 08.20 return. The other through working referred to
by Spencer Gilks originates at Luton and was introduced on 4 January 1954.
This is the present 12.40 and 13.24 return from Leighton Buzzard. Prior to
this there was no regular service originating from the G.N. line to Leighton
Buzzard, although just before the second world war certain trains ran through
on Easter, Whitsun and August Bank Holidays. Sunday services ceased working
to Dunstable North in June 1866. except for the period 5 July 1914, to 4
April 1915, and were withdrawn altogether on 21 January 1951. During the
1960 summer service, steam engines virtually disappeared from the
Welwyn-Dunstable line, but as the D8000 diesels are not fitted for steam-heating,
some N7s reappeared on passenger and some freight duties this winter. Nos.
69631/2/ 40/92/6/8 were noted, but with further deliveries of Brush diesels
the branch was entirely dieselised as from 2 Ianuary 1961, and the surviving
steam engines at Hatfield sent away for scrapping.
The Hertford, Luton and Dunstable Railway. H.
Watson
Re stations at Hertford: I was unaware there was a joint station at
Hertford. Hertford's first station, opened in 1843, was in use for 35 years,
when the present Hertford East was built, the line from Ware being diverted
from a point near the locomotive depot (now demolished) for this purpose.
At the same time the spur joining Hertford G.N. and the G.E. up line at a
point on the Ware side of the engine shed, was constructed and G.N. maintenance
ended at a point marked by a plate secured to a sleeper, which is still in
position. On 18 May 1958, the junction was broken and a new spur provided,
joining the old spur and the up line west of the locomotive depot. Hertford
G.N. Station, from March 1923 until the new station (in an unfinished state),
was opened in June 1924, was officially called Hertford North. One stationmaster
was in charae of both Hertford G.E. and Hertford G.N. and its successor,
the present Hertford North. Only last year was a stationmaster appointed
for each station.
At Hertford (Cowbridge) the ground floor, or a portion of it, is let to a
local firm, and the first floor contains two flats. The one nearest the front
of the illustration was the stationmaster's residence, but many years later,
until 1958, the stationrnaster occupied a house by Dicker Mill level crossing
(not seen in illustration) The bridge from which the photograph of Hertford
G.N. was taken was re- constructed in 1955, the original cast-iron heams
being renlaced bv pre-stressed members (System Hoyer). By the houses seen
in the background of the illustration the Mill Stream and an arm of the River
Lee are spanned by a reinforced concrete and steel structure which was built
in 1926, replacing a wooden structure.
Built at Crewe. C.F.H. Oldham
Re letter Built at Crewe from G.W. Short, it appears that about September,
1937, Nos. 25188 and 25245 had their solashers, complete with nameplates,
accidentally interchanged whilst under repair at Crewe. I believe that the
error was rectified soon afterwards, but not. before 25188 had been photographed
with the name Antaeus. I do not know whether a photo of 25245 as
Marquis is in existence. In the August. 1959, issue, F. Spencer Yeates
omitted to record that Nos. 561, 1301 and 1433 were rebuilt (about 1925,
I believe) with extended smoke boxes. No. 469 Marmion (later No. 5270),
which was superheated but not rebuilt, was unique in that for some time it
carried a Belpaire boiler. Another point of interest is that No. 127
Snake, had, about 1920, Weir feedwater apparatus similar to that later
fitted to No. 1472 Moor Hen.
The L. & Y. "Pugs". C. Magnet.
150
Re. Gahan article in June adds a few notes about distance that
Pugs" have travelled. No. 51221 went to Bangor, not Rhyl as stated, although
the engine was on Rhyl Shed for a time. In 1955 it came one evening from
Bank Hall to Port Sunlight, the first of its class on the Chester-Birkenhead
line, and traversed Lever Brothers' industrial lines to Bromborough Power
Station, where it shunted coal empties for a few days. It was housed at Levers
Motive Power Depot. The engine went to Bangor after the visit. Although the
diesel shunters will replace them, Nos. 51206/27/29131-2/37/46/53 will be
at Liverpool for a considerable time yet.
L.M. & S. "Oerlikons". E,W.
Hardy
Re article on Oerlikon: further features of this stock worthy of mention
were the intricate L.N.W. (and latterly L.M.S.) rnonograms cut into the glass
of the sliding doors, and the impressive array of stout straps suspended
above the longitudinal seating.
High speeds were also obtained between Bushey and Hatch End on the downgrade
when Carpenders Park was a little-used golf club halt, and as late as 1959
Oerlikon sets appeared on the 08.19 non-stop Willesden Junction to Euston
tram which generally provided an exhilarating run.
Billinton 4-4-0s. George L.
Clare-Morrow, 150
Re excellent photograph on page 66 of March 1960 issue recalls to
my mind the subsequent, and famous, B4 class of the elder Billinton. These
locomotives, as built, were one of the most graceful types of 4-4-0s ever
designed for our railways. As a boy on holiday in Hove in 1903 or thereabouts,
I remember being told by my father that one of this class I believe
Holyrood had brought. a train into Brighton Central from Victoria,
non-stop, in 48 minutes. Can anybody confirm this statement, which if correct,
must have been indicative of a truly epic run? On a visit to the Railway
Museum at York last year, I looked in vain for a. representative of one of
these famous engmes; It seems regrettable that, apparently, none of this
class has been preserved especially as I am informed that one was in service
as late as 1948.
A "Lanky" Symposium. J.E.
Shaw. 151
Re "Lanky" Symposium particularly A. Smith's section on the
2-4-2 radial tanks. He objected to the statement that they were used turn
and turn about with the Aspinall Atlantics and Hughes 4-6-0s. This was certainly
not true except in very few cases, as the following statements will prove,
I never saw a tank engine on a Manchester-York train. These were usually
worked by Atlantics from York Shed and 4-6-0s from Liverpool and Southport.
1093 class 4-4-0s acted as stand-by from the York end, whilst an Atlantic,
usually 1939, worked occasionally from Southport, All Leeds-Liverpool trains
were worked by Atlantics when the power was provided by Leeds. Low Moor and
Liverpool (Bank Hall) sheds. All used 4-4-0s when a larger engine was not
available and only Newton Heath turns, particuiarly the 07.00 and 14.25 from
Manchester Victoria and 11.00 from Leeds were powered by radial tanks. So
far as I am aware radials never worked through to Liverpool, They always
came off at Manchester after workmg from Leeds and if there were any exceptions
I do not know of them.
All Blackpool residential expresses were worked by tender engines and Southport
residential trains fell into the same category so far as my knowledge goes.
Certain Fleetwood boat trains were at one time worked by superheated radials
but here the bulk of tne work was left to Atlantics. The well-known Fleetwood
to Leeds turn was almost invariably an Atlantic working, although I do remember
a super-heated 4-4-0 on one or two occasions.
From the above it will be seen that the 2-4-2 tanks worked the intermediate
trains on the Blackpool and Southport lines, most trains on the Hellifield
and Colne lines, including the famous 16.25 ex-Salford, and intermediate
trains from Manchester to Normanton but no trains to York. I never saw a
2-4-2 tank on the Bradford-Sheffield (G.C.) turns but they worked one or
two trips to Sheffield Midland, although even this work was largely the province
of the 4-4-0 tender engines.
A Lanky symposium. J.P. Bardsley. 151
Re. Keeley's observation that the Hughes 2-6-0s were essentially
L. & Y. locomotivesas indeed they were. The L. & Y. were close
friends and 101 locomotives [mainly DX class 0-6-0s] were built at Crewe
for the LYR in the days when John Ramsbottom was chairman of the L. &
Y. Locomotive Committee. When this was put a stop by a legal injunction this
was evaded by building L. & N.W. locomotives and selling them soon after
to the L. & Y. as secondhand, possibly, therefore, more than 101 were
built at Crewe for the LYR and it gave the writer "great pleasure to think
that such old and close friends are now performingand I hope will continue
for a long time yet to performgood and useful service at the heart
of the L. & N. W. system". [KPJ this was 1961!]
How true it is that the 2-4-2 L. & Y. tanks hauled the heaviest and most
arduous expresses. In the early 1920s I remember travelling behind one in
a heavy dining car Scotch express from Preston to Liverpool Exchange. How
well the L. & Y. locomotive colour always matched that of the West Coast
Joint Stock!
After grouping the 2-4-2 tanks and 0-6-0s, gradually and naturally, found
their way on to the neighbouring L. & N.W. line-replacing the similar
L. & N.W. types. I once saw an L. & Y. 0-6-0 on a Bletchley train
at Cambridge (Bletchley became the home of quite a few I think) but the Northern
and Lancaster and Carlisle district of the L. & N.W. abound with them.
I remember one of the 2-4-2 tanks, too, being the regular locomotive on the
Foxfield-Coniston line REMAINDER OF LETTER SUFFERS FROM PRINTER'S PIE.
A Lanky symposium. R.L. Spencer.
151.
Re loan of a "Pug" to the London area: two of the class, Nos. 51207/53,
lent to the North Thames Gas Board Works at Bromley-by-Bow. I have no record
when they ceased work there; I observed both at work in April, 1951, and
as late as September of the same year No. 51253 was receiving attention at
Devons Road Shed. By then, I believe, No. 51207 had returned to its former
haunts,
The decline of the slip coach. R. Franklin.
151
Re Taunton slip portion: it the Limited consisted of two coaches for
Minehead and Ilfracombe respectively. On the day when Taunton Races were
held, two corridor coaches and a restaurant car were added to the existing
Taunton slip portion. There were two occasions in one week when the slip
portions failed to be detached at Taunton, and the Limited was stopped at
Taunton West Loop Box for the coaches to be detached and brought to the platform
by the East End station pilot.
Ticket spotlight. C.R. Clinker 151.
Unfortunately, Mr. Bett, in your February issue, has run off the rails.
The Northampton & Banbury Junction Railway was amalgamated with the S.M.J.
in 1910 ã not with the L.M.S. in 1923. At Blisworth, the S.M.J station
was quite separate from the L.&.N.W. station so far as ownership of property
was concerned, and it was not necessary for S.M.J. trains to touch L. &
N.W. rails when running from or to their own station. No doubt it was the
short connecting line, used for transfer of through vehicles, which Mr. Bett
had in mind. The journey covered by the ticket illustrated was therefore,
entirely over S.M.J. metals.
Norman Harvey. The "Baby Scot" 4-6-0s. Locomotive Causerie. 219-22.
Performance logs of rebuilt Patriot No. 45525 from Euston to Blisworth
and of original condiyion No. 45520 between Shrewsbury and Hereford with
seven coach train.
B.A. Haresnape. Light railway album No. 2. Petrol railbuses. 223
Photographs of Shefflex two car units (in reverse one towed the other)
on Kent & East Sussex Railway and on West Sussex Railway.
Alan A. Jackson. Railway postcards. 224-5.
Refers to the postcard craze of 1900s. LNWR official were probably
first to be issued by a railway company; coloured postcards printed by
McCorquodale for SECR. F. Moore and the Locomotive Publishing Company; L.
Pouteau.
Ralph Hall. Brusselton Incline. 226
Diagrams and plan
J.H. Lucking. The development of rail-sea facilities at Weymouth. Part 2. 227-32.
C.M.B. Atkinson. Darlington veterans renovated. 253.
Exhbits at Bank Top station: Locomotion No. 1 and
Derwent moved to North Road Works
W.J.K. Davies. The twilight of the "Secondaires". Part 1. 234-9+.
Rise and decline of secondary metre gauge railways in France worked
by steam icluding Mallet articulated locomotives and diesel railcars.
W.J.K. Davies. A typical French "Secondaire". 240.
Estrés-St. Denis to Froissy line with timetables for 1897,
1913, 1954 and 1960.
W.J.K. Davies. Light railway notes. 241-3.
3ft gauge 0-4-0ST Lord Granby: Hudswell Clarke WN 633/1902
supplied to Eastwell Iron Ore Company: moved back to Leeds for preservation
and restoration of Bagnall 2ft 6in gauge 0-4-4-0T (twin bogie locomotive)
on the Bowaters Lloyd papermill system at Sittingbourne. Other locomotives
of the type were 2ft gauge: WN 25445/1936 built for the Illovo Sugar Estates
in South Africa; WN 2545/1936 for the Crookes Bros sugar estate in Natal
(Renishaw No. 5), two further built in 1953 for Sir J.R. Hulett & Sons
for their Darnall and Felixton estates. They all had circular fireboxes with
very long grates and shallow ashpans. Side and front elevation diagrams of
Monarch and leading dimensions of all locomotives of this type.
Number 255 (August 1961)
Norman Harvey. Steam highlights on the East Coast Route. Locomotive
Causerie. 251-5.
Performance logs of threee King's Cross to Peterborough runs: one
where Driver Bill Hoole was experiencing injector failure and ran extremely
fast so that there was time to switch engines (A1 No. 60157) and ones behind
A2/2 No. 60502 and A4 No. 60015,
J. Spencer Gilks. Railway development at Yeovil. 256-62+
Article suffers from lack of clarity: the first railway to reach the
outskirts of the town at Hendford was a broad gauge branch line from Taunton
which opened on 1 October 1853. Another broad gauge line was open3ed by the
GWR in 1856 as part of the Wilts, Somerset & Weymouth Railway: this opened
in 1856. The most important link came on 1 June 1860 with the standard gauge
line from Salisbury which was extended to Exeter on 13 July 1860. Yeovil
Town station opened on 1 June 1860 with a connecting services to Yeovil Junction
Yeovil Pen Mill: it has since closed.
Blakesley Hall Miniature Railway. 263+
Laid down by wealthy civil engineer Charles William Bartholemew: 15
inch gauge connected the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway
to the Hall in Northamptonshire. Locomotives supplied by Basset Lowke included
a petrol-driven 4-4-4T Blacolvesley (photographs include one of a
Railway Claub visit in 1914 with most members wearing straw boaters).
P. Winding. The French Pacific. Part 2 reconstruction. 264-7.
Involvement by André Chapelon in the improvement in the
Paris-Orleans Pacifics starting in 1926.
The Upton-on-Severn branch. B.W.L. Brooksbank. 268.
Black & white photo-feature: Lemon 0-4-4T No. 41900 at Ashchurch
on 8 August 1959; 57XX No. 7756 crossing empty Ross Spur Motorway in March
1961 (candidate for motorway closure?); Tewkesbury station exterior and with
No. 7756 and Upton-on-Severn station with No. 7756.
N.M. Lera. The Hammersmith branch of the N.S.W.J.R. 269-71.
North & South Western Junction Railway 1¾ mile long
branch: photograogs of former LNWR 0-8-0 No. 499164 shunting in Hammersmith
& Chiswick yard below Stamford Brook London Transport line
James I.C. Boyd. The West Clare Railway. 272-6.
Diesel railcars and diesel locomotives
W.J.K. Davies. Light railway notes. 277-8.
Killybegs station and railcar No. 12 on turntable.
Book reviews. 279.
The railway policeman. J.R. Whitbread.
Harrap. 268pp.
Well received
No. 256 September 1961
Woodcock [title not known].308
stated that one of the Spittman engines from the Blakesley Hall Railway
"turned up on the Ettrick Bay Miniature Railway owned by the Rothesay Tramways.
Letter from A.K. Rogers refers too Heywood , Captain
Howey and R&EDR
No. 257 October 1961
The French Pacific
Graywood Central Railway.
7¾inch gauge railway
The Lee Moor Tramway