The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated

Transport Treasury Publishing Price:- £XXXX

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Peter Moody

‘The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated’ is one man’s record of a single locomotive class that head an endearing fascination; the LSWR ‘M7’ class. First introduced in 1897, 105 examples were built over the next 12 years with all but one surviving into British Railways ownership in 1948. With many of the type already over 50 years old at that time, they nevertheless continued to perform, passenger, branch freight and shunting duties often miles away from their original home, the last examples finally taken out of service in 1964.Two survive in preservation. Peter Moody first became acquainted with the class as a child in Devon and over the years developed a fascination for the class culminating in a large collection of images and a desire to see his work brought to a wider audience. Sadly that was not be during his lifetime, but Transport Treasury are delighted to bring Peter’s efforts to a rightful conclusion; ‘The Illustrated M7’.

The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Peter Moody

18/05/2023 08:48:27

The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated

The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Peter Moody

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P

eter Moody had two lifelong interests, railways and music. In the latter category he had played in a group ‘The Grebbels’ managed by the same individual who looked after The Rolling Stones, and The Yardbirds; the last named probably recalled by those of a certain age. Later he formed his own ‘blues’ record label and subsequently worked on what can only be described as beautifully crafted compilation albums. Peter’s railway interest evolved from annual holidays to Devon where he was quoted as saying ‘I know an M7 was the first locomotive of any real recognition to me’. Firstly this was in the West Country but later confirmed on visits to Clapham Junction during his schoolboy years; not surprisingly the M7 was always his favourite. The lure of the life of the type never left him. He began collecting M7 negatives - simply for their captive nature of Mr Drummond’s beautiful 0-4-4 tank. Peter was married with three sons and is survived by his second wife Shirley who has kindly allowed Peter’s previously unpublished manuscript to reach a wider audience.

© Text: the estate of the late Peter Moody. Images: as attributed.

Design: The Transport Treasury 2023. ISBN 978-1-913251-03-6 First Published in 2023 by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd., 16 Highworth Close, High Wycombe, HP13 7PJ www.ttpublishing.co.uk Printed in the Malta by the Gutenberg Press.

The copyright holders hereby give notice that all rights to this work are reserved.

Aside from brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this work may be reproduced, copied by electronic or other means, or otherwise stored in any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the Publisher.

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Contents

Preface 4 Introduction 6 Bibliography 6 Acknowledgements 7 M7 locomotives - Type 1 9 Henry and Richard Casserley - an appreciation 66 M7 locomotives - Type 2 70 M7 locomotives - Type 3 80 M7 Locomotives - a summary by F Burtt 95 M7 locomotives - Type 4, first variant 99 Mr Drummond and the numbers game 122 M7 locomotives - Type 4, second variant 125 The end of a classic design 149 M7s In preservation 150

Front cover: Genuine colour from 1939, not a modern-day colourising, pull-push fitted M7 No 51 at Bournemouth in 1939. S C Townroe.

Frontispiece: Taking on water at Waterloo. Nos 30130 with 30320 paused between carriage and pilot duties on 2 April 1955. Note the locomotives display different head codes. Author’s collection Rear cover: Conversation piece with No 30125 at Fawley waiting to return to Southampton. The working is slightly unusual being Western Region stock but is explained as these coaches would otherwise lie idle at Southampton Terminus having arrived with a passenger service from Didcot. The Southern Region consequently ‘borrowed’ them during this time for a Fawley train after which they would return to the Western Region, again from Southampton Terminus. Ron Roberts

Publisher’s note: Peter Moody had planned for his book The Illustrated M7 to be published around 2020 although the Covid pandemic put such ideas on hold. In the ensuing time Peter sadly passed away but it was a privilege to be able to pick up his work and with the Family’s permission bring it to a conclusion, something Peter had been so passionate about. The publisher would therefore like to place on record his thanks to the family, especially Shirley, James and Mark for their permission to publish. We would also like to thank the Bluebell Museum Archive, particularly, Tony Hillman, Roger Merry-Price and Chris Wilson for assistance with images. Peter’s work also draws heavily on the illustrations of the Casserley family, father and son, Henry and Richard. All the images from the plates of Henry Casserley were agreed for use before the family began the disposal of material to collectors and societies. The images published are in agreement with the Casserley family - as originally applied with Richard Casserley and finally with Mrs Margaret Casserley.

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Preface

I

never kept diaries as a schoolboy. Though, like so many others, I do have vivid early memories of steam railways as I grew up. From the ages of one to fifteen, every summer holiday was spent with my maternal grandmother in Lympstone village on the River Exe, near Exmouth, Devon.

Every year the lure of therailway became stronger, to a point where it was more important to me than excursions with the family to the seaside at Exmouth. Granny’s bungalow, Bridgethorpe Cottage, hidden up a steep private lane, nestled behind the grand Bridgethorpe House, built on The Strand. To the left of the private lane, behind a high red brick wall, another grand house stands. My

grandmother and other Lympstonians referred to this house as ‘‘the old station master’s house’’.

From history books, of this house, Queen Anne House, it is written that it might indeed date back to the reign of Queen Anne, for it is thought to have been built in 1702. Today the house is easily spotted beside the towering, but short, viaduct railway bridge. From the top of my grandmother’s garden I could look through between these two grand buildings to see across the banked railway track along by allotments south of Lympstone village Station towards Exmouth. I could watch the trains there before I was an age at which I was allowed to go over to the railway station.

No 30055 at the head of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain ‘Sussex Coast Limited’ railtour of 24 June 1962. This special working had started from Waterloo running via Effingham Junction to Guildford and then through Christ’s Hospital to Horsham. Here Nos 32417 and 32503, respectively members of the E6 and E4 classes took over for a trip on the Midhurst branch and return to Pulborough. Another engine change now saw K class No 32353 in charge from Pulborough to Bognor Regis and then on to Haywards Heath where T9 No 120 took over to Eastbourne. At the later point M7 No 30255 was coupled ahead of No 120 as far as Rotherfield, after which the T9 continued on its own through East Grinstead to terminate at London Bridge. Ken Wightman / The Transport Treasury

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1954 Exmouth Holiday Special Exmouth Station. Unidentified M7 with the 9.19 am Holiday Special train for returning holiday- makers to Manchester (London Road) Station, Saturday 17 July 1954.

In my growing interest in the world of railways in Lympstone, I do recall wondering how this grand house could be the local station master’s residence. If so, what princely sort of property would a station master who held management over larger stations like Exeter Central and Exmouth live in? In constructing the Exmouth line through Lympstone, there was a realisation that the building of the Lympstone mini-viaduct would have been an impossible situation for the residents of Queen Anne House to continue living there through the duration of the work.

Cutting the history lesson short, Queen Anne House was purchased by the LSWR. With the railway ready to run, it seemed a suitable idea that the company-owned house be used for the newly appointed Lympstone station master. My first Ian Allan ABC book soon had M7 entries: 30023, 30025, 30323 and many more of the class that operated on the branch line. Soon I was spotting other classes with unusual numbers appearing such as 41315 and 82019. Unaware that these newer locomotives were being introduced on the line to replace my faithful, ageing M7s, I do distinctly remember knowing that these

tank engines were over 50 years old even then.

That first Ian Allan ABC, dated ‘Winter 1955’, listed 103 M7s. When the Summer 1959 edition was published there were only 88. I don’t think I grasped the situation at the time. One of the summer timetables from the time showed thirty weekday scheduled trains travelling each way on the branch line. Summer specials and various goods trains servicing the Exmouth docks operation increased the daily traffic. At last, on one holiday, I escaped the family clutches and took a train ride to Exmouth station. And then, daring to go further, I journeyed to Exeter Central. There I experienced the bigger world of the railway world with Bulleid pacific classes and many other assorted Southern Region railway locomotives. As I grew up and matured, so did my railway hobby. Living in Surrey, it was easy to head into the vast world of the London terminus stations. Of course, Clapham Junction was on the route up, and there, to my delight, I found many more M7s operating in different duty roles.

In today’s world of locomotive preservation, it is wonderful to know that today, two of these M7s are continually maintained and cared for.

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Introduction

F

rom the outset, this book on Mr Drummond’s motor tank locomotive was never meant to be a journey into his world of technical knowledge of construction and mechanical workings. I had acquired a number of M7 photograph negatives which led me to search for more, simply for this book to be - a pictorial appreciation. When Peter Swift’s work The Book of the M7 0-4-4Ts appeared on the scene, for me one of the finest books on railways, it gave me such relief that I could still continue with my idea of an illustrated M7 book, without fear of it being seen to be lacking technical information or even as competition for Mr Swift’s publication. I see this effort as a companion of sorts, for I know anyone with an interest in the M7 will no doubt have a copy of Mr Swift’s master work. The coast was clear to pursue my own idea of celebrating this locomotive as a pictorial volume using images from my growing, unpublished negatives collection. As this book began to unfold, I was soon to realise that of the 105 M7s that were built, I was missing a number of the class in my collection. Whilst not an idea to achieve this, in one of my telephone conversations with Richard Casserley he suggested - why not use my father’s collection, that I have, to complete the set! Beyond just filling the gaps, I have included in this book, photos from Mr Casserley of M7s already covered from my own negative collection

that gives many of the class special visual knowledge, especially from the LSWR and early Southern era pictures. I am saddened that Richard is no longer with us to be able to see this work. With his help, he has made this book, for me, a special one. Of the images included from the Casserley archives, I have attempted to reproduce ones that have not seen the light, certainly not in recent years. Most of these, and the images used from my original negative collection, were dated. However, some held no information of their location. Thus followed many hours of interesting research and detective work.

Also included are a number of images taken from my photograph collection. As with most of my negative collection, I have no reference of who the original photographers were who took these original images. They are credited as ‘author’s collection’. All Mr Henry Casserley’s images are reproduced with courtesy from Richard, Margaret and Mary Casserley. The three written articles are included for their own appeal and fascination of their reading when first published. From George Frank Burtt, 1949, Cuthbert Hamilton Ellis, 1952, and Henry Cyril Casserley, 1966. With Mr Casserley the two other writers were at the forefront of railway journalism in their eras.

Peter Moody.

Bibliography LSWR Locomotives. The Drummond Classes. D L Bradley. Wild Swan Publications 1986.

Locomotives of the LSWR Part 2. D L Bradley. RCTS 1967.

The Book of the M7s. Peter Swift. Irwell Press 2010.

Branch Lines of the Southern Railway Vol 1. George Reeve & Chris Hawkins. Wild Swan 1980.

London & South Western Railway Engine Sheds, Western District. By Chris Hawkins & George Reeve. Irwell Press. 1990.

An Historic Survey of the selected Southern Stations Vol 1. G A Pryer & G J Bowring. OPC 1980.

Track Layout Diagrams of the Southern Railway. (Various). G A Pryer with A V Paul.

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Ackowledgements The late Richard Casserley, Margaret Casserley, Mary Casserley, Colin Duff, Colin Maggs, Des Summerson.

Nick Lerwill, Ian Allan Publishing Ltd. For kind permission to reproduce chapter on Dugald Drummond’s M7 Passenger Tank locomotive. Extracted from LSWR Locomotives by F Burtt published by Ian Allan.

Jayne Skayman, Mortons Media Group Ltd. For kind permission to reproduce the essay Drummond 0-4-4 Tank Locomotives of the London & South Western Railway by C Hamilton Ellis, published in the August 1952 edition of The Railway Magazine. David Withers and his colleagues from The Breakdown Crane Association. www.bdca.org.uk Nick Catford, Disused Stations. Closed Railway Stations in the UK. www.disused-stations.org.uk Roger Murphy, S & P Photographs, Leatherhead. www.sandpphotos. co.uk Mark Stevens, digital photographic repair and restoration. Last but no means least, James Moody as Copy Editor.

M7 30111 faces the turntable and shed at Swanage and taken from above the west side of Northbrook Road bridge.

Fortunately a setting that is virtually similar today; thanks to the Swanage Railway Company and a multitude of volunteers. Following closure in 1972, British Rail immediately lifted the track, it was subsequently replaced by enthusiasts post 1976. Today the Swanage branch is one of the country’s finest heritage lines and maintains a connection with the network near Wareham. The railway travels through nine and a half miles of beautiful Dorset countryside. A journey ridden in full 1950s style.

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M7’s Locomotives - Type 1 FIRST TYPE 45 BUILT 1897 - 1899 ORDER NUMBERS M7 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 V7 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

E9 22 23 24 25 26 41 42 43 44 241

Opposite: Exeter Central, 31 August 1945. No 46 is at platform four with the 12.40 pm to Exmouth, whilst No 105 has charge of wagons pulling away from the goods shed. Interesting that both are pull-push locomotives operating away from their regular tasks on the Seaton branch. H C Casserley Above: No 242 (BR 30242). Mr Drummond’s first M7 tank engine for the LSWR. is photographed at Guildford. The first fifteen of these locomotives were lettered on the sides, S W R. Only No 242 had stops in between the letters, S. W .

R, which can just be seen. The initial three of the class were fitted with conical smokeboxes, which were held closed by three wheel dogs. Within is Mr Drummond’s spark arrester system, designed to stop hot char and sparks reaching the blast pipe and so exhausting from the chimney. The arrester equipment on all three was removed during works visits although the the coned doors remained until 1904. The first fifteen of the class were fitted with a pair of cylinder lubricators below thesmokebox door. These were removed later during Drummond’s tenure. Originally fitted with a long-looking Caledonian two-organ pipe whistle. As Mr Bradley quotes in his Drummond book - The sound of the deep-toned Caledonian pattern organ pipe whistles carried by 242 - 256 was not appreciated by lineside residents, particularly those living at Surbiton and Twickenham. Drummond, a Surbiton resident too, was ordered to replace them with standard pattern whistles. When built there was no footstep provision by the side tanks. One can be seen now as fitted. Another external modification is observed in that the hand rails, as built, have been extended across to the sides of the smokebox. But yet to be connected to the handrail over the smokebox door. These modifications date this photograph to during the later part of the year after being built. Author’s collection

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Above: No 243 (BR 30243). Merton Park station, 2 March 1929. The second of the class to be built but seen here in Southern livery as No E243. Recorded at Tooting with the 2.33 pm Wimbledon to Tulse Hill train. H C Casserley Bottom and opposite: No 244 (BR No 30244). No 30244 was a Nine Elms locomotive throughout her tenure under British Railways. Carriage duties were widely undertaken by M7s based at Nine Elms right into the 1960s, servicing Waterloo. The carriage sidings were on the Wimbledon side of Clapham Junction station. Both these photographs taken there and are undated. But certainly pre 1957 as No 30244 was one of the first M7s to be withdrawn that year. When first renumbered 30244 by British Railways, it together with two sister engines, were repainted in lined malachite green for public view at Waterloo. The two other engines invoked were Nos 38 (30038) and 241 (30241).

Author’s collection

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No 245 (BR No 30245). No 245 started life operating out from Nine Elms, continuing there for forty years before being allocated to Bournemouth during 1937.

Above: Photographer Des Summerson captures No 30245 leaving Waterloo during August 1962, heading empty stock for the Clapham carriage sidings. After being withdrawn from service, No 30245 was retained for preservation later in the year. Author’s collection Opposite top: No 30245, similar to No 30244, spent its final working years with British Railways operating out from Nine Elms. The main task being the supply and the take-away service of main line carriage stock for Waterloo.

Photographed at Clapham Junction 25 July 1956. The engine carries the first British Railways emblem and also dual power classification codes. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: No 246 (BR No 30246). A Self Portrait at Strawberry Hill on 25 June 1921. Henry Cyril Casserley stands alongside No 246, the fifth of Dugald Drummond’s M7 class, the engine was then aged 24 years, Mr Casserley aged 18. Guildford based from the mid-1930s, No 246 held on to its Southern Bulleid livery into the 1950s. The engine continued to serve Guildford shed as British Railways No 30246 up to retirement in 1961. H C Casserley

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Opposite: No 247 (BR 30247). Southern No E247 pulling out of Bournemouth Central Platform 4 piloting T9 No 288 sometime in the 1930s. The train may well be a through service to the GWR at Oxford although it is unlikely the M7 would work through and may simply be avoiding a light engine move. Post 1923 the M7s began to receive an E prefix to their running numbers; the letter indicating former LSWR engines from Eastleigh. Similarly SECR locomotives carried the letter A and Brighton engines B. This was to prevent any duplicated serial numbers for the now grouped locomotives from their three previous owners. Author’s collection Above: In Urie livery, No 247 is photographed at Strawberry Hill, 28 April 1923. No 247 had originally been lettered S W R with an oval plate on the bunker that carried the engine number.

Mr Drummond eventually changed the lettering and discarded the brass number plate for transfers at the same time bringing the earlier liveried engines in line with the later built engines. H C Casserley Right: A clutch of M7 tank engines headed up by No 30247. An undated group at Barnstaple Shed where No 30247 spent time under British Railways. After this it went to Nine Elms before returning back to Barnstaple in 1952. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 248 (BR 30248). On 16 May 1925, Southern No 248 is at Guildford station and seemingly with its E prefix has faded away; it was probably renewed during its 1928 works visit. The Southern Railway did eventually drop the number prefixes when 1000 was added to former SECR loco numbers, and 2000 to Brighton engines. This took place from 1931 onwards. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: Lined black, with BRITISH RAILWAYS lettering with the early oblong linings, 30248 is working carriage duties. Clapham Junction April 1949. Author’s collection Top: No 249 (BR 30249). Exeter Queen Street (later Exeter Central) featured four through tracks between a pair of doublesided platforms. The inner platforms, Nos. 2 and 3, served the main line, whilst the outer platforms, Nos. 1 and 4, were bay platforms that served the Exmouth branch and other sopping services. On this occasion at Exeter it seems all is not quite ready for s departure yet! This is at bay platform No 1 on the south side of the station, 3 August 1928. H C Casserley Bottom: Away from Devon and back to perhaps more strenuous duties in the London suburbs. Here as BR No 30249 it is having a brief respite on shunting and pilot duties at Waterloo on 30 December 1956. Author’s collection

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Opposite: No 30249 betwixt sister engines Nos 30053 and 30323 at Eastleigh Shed. No 30249 had just visited the adjacent works for its final service and repaint and now sports the second British Railways emblem.

On the front wheel splasher is an overhead live warning stickers; an unusual placement for such a warning.

The engine would also be unlikely to be anywhere near such equipment.

From photographic study, not many of the class appear to have received these 1960s safety signs, 20 August 1960. Author’s collection

This page, top: No 250 (BR 30250).

Taking on water at Barnstaple Junction. The engine is in excellent external condition, the single disc at the base of the chimney indicating the route between Exeter and llfracombe.

(A single disc was also used for narrow gauge train on the Lynton & Barnstaple line from Barnstaple Town.) Notice in the background the workman passing between the buffers of two closely placed wagons…, 24 May 1935. H C Casserley

This page, middle: Barnstaple Junction. The M7 class locomotives began to replace the Adams T1s based at Barnstaple very early in their lifetime. Duties from Barnstaple included piloting, normal branch work and banking heavy trains up the 1 in 36 grade of parts of the line to to Ilfracombe. The engine wears Southern lettering, with 15” numerals.

Note too the bunker coal rails are yet to be plated. This view, taken on the same day as that above, has the crew posed for the photographer.

H C Casserley

This page, bottom: No 30250 continued service at Barnstaple, right up to withdrawal time in 1957. As with similar Southern centres of operation in the West Country, Barnstaple Shed were now replacing their allocation of ageing M7 tank locomotives with modern machines in the shape of the LMS Ivatt 2-6-2 Class 2 tank class. No 30250 is photographed at Barnstaple on 28 September 1956 wearing its last livery, and still with the first British Railways emblem. H C Casserley

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Below: No 251 (BR 30251). ‘Three in a row’. Between No 30247 and an another unidentified class mate at rear, No 30251 lines up at Barnstaple shed in May 1957.

No 30247 had spent wartime service in Barnstaple whilst No 30251 was a post-war arrival.

Author’s collection Opposite: Clive Field photographed solo No 30251 at Barnstaple Junction shed on 29 August 1962 and almost in the same position as the previous view. There was a five year gap between the two photographs with the engine soon to be transferred east to Feltham.

Authors collection Right: Having received what would be its final works repairs, No 30251 was hotographed outside the front of the works at Eastleigh on 10 July 1960. The engine had travelled up from 72E Barnstaple although it also saw service at Bournemouth and Feltham. Author’s collection

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Above: No 252 (BR 30252). Barnstaple, August 1958 and No 30252 is well stacked well with coal. This engine spent its last years during the 1950s operating from Barnstaple Junction shed; all the M7 locomotives in the series 30350 to 30356 were to spend tenure here during the 1950s. An unidentified ‘Light Pacific’ reposes behind. Author’s collection Opposite: No 30252 at Eastleigh between No 34086 219 Squadron and the tender of a BR Standard type, 1 February 1959. Notice the diesel electric behind No 34086, a member of the D50xx series - later class 24. No 30252 met its end in the same month. Author’s collection

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Above: No 253 (BR 30253). On 27 January 1953 No 30253 is passing under the footbridge on the west side of an inlet from the River Taw soon after leaving Fremington Quay station en-route to Bideford. The Quay was a significant West Country port bringing in coal and exporting china clay. The port closed in the 1970s. Author’s collection Opposite top: In September 1958, No 30253 returned to Barnstaple shed after tenure at Feltham. Here the engine is taking goods to Mortehoe from Ilfracombe. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Back at base, No 30253 is in operation at Barnstaple station in June 1959. Author’s collection

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Above: No 254 (BR 30254). Southern E254 sits at Eastleigh, 18 May 1927. According to records it is due for a long stay taking five months to repair and repaint. H C Casserley Below: A different Eastleigh operation is illustrated here. After four weeks of workshop time, No 254 left Eastleigh as a rebuilt engine. Mr Urie, Mr Drummonds successor, had ‘redesigned‘ sister engine engine No 126, with superheating and associated internal and external modifications. No 126 was then withdrawn and dismantled in August 1937 but with several major parts reused. No 254 received the frames. The photograph shows the original 254 tanks awaiting to be built on to the long frame from the withdrawn No 126 on 15 August 1937. H C Casserley

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Barnstaple Junction in June 1959. No 30254 was allocated to Barnstaple shed, straight from receiving a general overhaul with new livery during September 1952. Author’s collection

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Above: Bournemouth in 1963. Long-framed example No 30254 is on pilot / shunting duty at the Central station just as rebuilt Pacific No 34010 Sidmouth enters the station on a Waterloo train. The steam shed is in the background. The houses in the area prompted a large notice be affixed to the boundary fence stating ‘Quiet please, residential area’.

Although a number of the M7 type allocated to Bournemouth were used on and so fitted for pull-push working, No 32054 was never so equipped. Author’s collection Opposite top: No 255 (BR 30255). In Southern Railway colours at Bournemouth on 18 June 1933. The smokebox lamp irons, prominently in view, are a modification by Maunsell to Drummond’s original socket bracket fitting type.

Maunsell later re-positioned this pair of paralleled ‘eared’ ones across on to the smokebox doors on all the M7s. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: No 30255 at Eastleigh ex-works, 22 August 1954 and ready to return to Barnstaple. A power classification has not been applied to the bunker. Newly repaired and overhauled ex-works engines were usually returned to the adjoining running shed in batches and this M7 is seen attached to a Beattie well-tank and possibly another M7 behind that. The first two engines will also probably return west together, the well-tank destined for Wadebridge. Note in the background the brick building is part of the ill-fated oil burning scheme of the late 1940s, this particular structure intended as a pump house and erected at the south east corner of the running shed. It was destined never to be used for its designed purpose. H C Casserley

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Above: No 256 (BR 30256) On 21 May 1935 No 256 is stood by the New North Road bridge at the east end of Exeter station. It carries the livery of the period with 15 inch Southern numerals from an Eastleigh repaint earlier in the year.

A number of the class were based at nearby Exmouth Junction depot where they had taken over duties from the smaller Adams O2 tank engines. H C Casserley Opposite top: No 30256 at Torrington station down platform with a solo passenger train carriage in the early 1950s, almost certainly a service on the light railway to Halwill Junction. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: A begrimed No 30256 is at Bideford station facing south towards Torrington. The engine is in charge of main line coaches with Torrington destination boards displayed. Unfortunately Bideford closed to passenger service during 1965 although the line continued to handle freight including milk at Torrington into the late 1970s.

No 30256 served the Barnstaple area for over two allocations including time at Exmouth Junction. The undated image may be stated to be between 1951 and 1959. The engine had first arrived at Barnstaple just after receiving the first British Railways emblem, previous to which it had carried the full BRITISH RAILWAYS identification and the temporary number s256. In this view the BR identification on the bunker side has received a cursory wipe over with a cleaning rag, not so the BR emblem on theside tank which remains invisible. Author’s collection

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Above: No 667 (BR 30667). No 30667 having just been fired whilst standing at what was then platform 3 at Eastleigh with a down service. The engine is probably recently out of shops as per the sharp-looking lining and the early British Railways emblem. One of the short frame class locomotives that later became a hybrid when it was rebuilt with the long frames and pull-push gear from scrapped 30106 during 1961. Author’s collection Below: This time on pilot duties at Exeter Central in June 1958. This engine was also a regular performer passenger duties on the Exmouth branch line throughout the time it was based at Exmouth Junction. Although not too clear under the grime, look carefully and the lining has been modified from that seen in the previous image.

Author’s collection

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Above top: No 30667 a full year later, entering Exeter St David’s from Cowley Bridge Junction in June 1959 with milk tanks in tow; possibly from Torrington. Author’s collection Below: Yeovil Shed on 27 October 1962 and now with pull-push equipment. In this form No 30667 was a regular on the pull-push Bournemouth - Wareham - Swanage line before being withdrawn during 1964. Author’s collection

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Above: No 668 (BR 30668). Depicted here as E669 in Southern olive green paint livery at Barnstaple Junction, 21 July 1925. In the background is the skillfully built depot coal stack, laid down to maintain supply in time of shortage but replaced and rebuilt at intervals to prevent the coal going ‘green’. H C Casserley Opposite top: No 669 (BR 30669). As Southern E669, the engine heads a long Down Ascot and Woking train near Walton, quite a task for the engine over such a distance. Notice too the permanent way worked with his hammer over his shoulder watching the train pass. Still a Strawberry Hill based M7 in 1931, it was transferred later in the same year to Exmouth Junction, serving there until retirement in the early 1960s. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Exeter Central 29 September 1956. No 30669 is ready to pull out from platform four with the 8.50 am Exmouth branch service. To the rear on the right is a good view to the goods shed and the Fyffes store. Elders & Fyffes Ltd will always be well-known for their distribution and marketing of bananas. Oliver Bulleid’s wartime built Merchant Navypacific 21C16 was also named after the shipping line during July 1945. H C Casserley

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No 670 (BR 30670). Seen here still in Mr Bulleid’s Southern livery at Barnstaple, 2 October 1950. The engine became British Railways’ No 30670 when reallocated to Exeter in the following February.

Eventually 30670 returned to Barnstaple in the early 1960s to serve there until withdrawn during 1963. Author’s

As noted, No 30670 spent its British Railways time in the West Country. Years earlier as No 670 it had also been at Ilfracombe shed before being re-allocated to Barnstaple. It was then transferred to Exmouth Junction where it became a regular on the Exmouth and Sidmouth branch line services, It is seen here, again at Barnstaple in 1961 on one its final duties. Notice in the background the modern Ivatt Class 2 replacements; the shunter with his pole also appears to have turned around suddenly and is watching the photographer with interest. Author’s collection

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No 671 (BR 30671). Taken at Nine Elms on 19 June 1925, No 671 still displays pre-grouping identification; it would become E671 with Southern livery the fallowing year. H C Casserley A Barnstaple Junction setting in June 1959. 30671 is pulling goods out from the goods shed. A further M7 can be just seen on the extreme right, outside the engine shed. Author’s collection

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Above: No 672 (BR 30672). A grubby-looking black Southern M7, No 672 can be seen sitting with other companions at Guildford Shed on 25 May 1946. The Southern Railway ceased to exist at midnight on 31 December 1947 as a result of the nationalisation of Britain’s railways. During Tuesday 13 April 1948, still dressed in its Southern livery, No 672 fell down the Waterloo & City tube lift shaft, bunker first, whilst shunting wagons and finished upside down. Unable to be recovered, it was cut up on-site. H C Casserley

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Top: No 673 (BR 30673). Mr Casserley writes, ‘E673 and 7709 - Kensington, Addison Road, 28 August 1933. E673 is with the 6.58 am – Clapham Junction’’.

The 1929 GWR 0-6-0 5700 class pannier tank is a youngster compared to the M7 of 1897. H C Casserley

Middle: No 30673 in its final BR livery approaching Salisbury West alongside the GWR signal box. September 1957. Author’s collection

Bottom: No 30673 is reported as ‘on test’ at Eastleigh on 4 April 1957 following a recent works overhaul and repaint which included the new British Railways emblem with the lion facing left.

Emblems were not always ‘faced’ correctly, certainly in earlier years, and the lion might well be seen towards the rear of the engine. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 674 (BR 30674). Undated - early 1950s at Eastleigh shed. No 30674 received the first emblem in 1950.

Author’s collection Opposite bottom: No 675 (BR 30675). The 11.49 am Guildford - Waterloo photographed at Horsley, 20 September 1924.

No 675 became E675 when re-liveried in Southern olive green, just weeks earlier. H C Casserley Above: Guildford, one of few semi-roundhouse type sheds on the Southern; Horsham was another. Identifiable are G6 0-6-0T No 30349, M7 No 30675 and B4 0-4-0T No 30086, the latter formerly named Havre. On the right, another M7, No 30124 sits on the turntable line, 16 July 1957. Author’s collection

Right: No 676 (BR 30676).

NineElms, March 1948. No 676 is seen in smart Bulleid Malachite green livery with black and yellow lining received just a few months previously at the end of 1947 when overhauled at Eastleigh. Author’s collection

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This page: No 31 (BR 30031). Two pictures of two engines! In the first image (top) at Brighton, April 1959, looking as a standard built first variant, other perhaps than its wavy-looking handrail. The second photograph (left), taken in Bournemouth in December 1962, captures a different locomotive.

After a spell operating from Feltham, No 30031 was taken into works and fitted with long frames, pullpush gear and possibly further items from withdrawn Bournemouth based locomotive No 30128. Leaving works after its ‘hybrid makeover‘ it retained the 30031 number and finishing its days within the Bournemouth pull-push territory.

Both Author’s collection Opposite: No 32 (BR 30032). Top, the early 1950s at Eastleigh. Later after working from Feltham, No 30032 returned to Eastleigh before once more transferring back to Feltham during 1959. Official records show it was withdrawn during 1963 but was noted as still involved on shunting duties at Feltham in April 1964. Both Author’s collection

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Above: This time the view is from the side of Platform 4 at Eastleigh - locally known as the ‘Portsmouth loop’ in the Spring of 1963 yet still with the original BR emblem. On the side tanks. No 30033 is at the exit to the carriage sidings, the latter running parallel with the Portsmouth line as far as Eastleigh South junction. In the background the buildings are the carriage and wagon works whilst in between is a rake of hopper wagons invariably used for ballast. Author’s collection

No 33 (BR 30033). Opposite: At Strawberry Hill temporarily out of service in April 1923. The engine displays Urie livery and it will be noted the original three rail coal bunker has now been upgraded to five rails. The engine did not receive the inside plating around the coal rails for a further ten years.

It is seen here parked between an LSWR engineer’s brake van and an open wagon. Ahead of the coal wagon is one of the remaining single framed Beyer Goods 0-6-0 tender locomotives, No 229. The engine was parked in the same position for at least three weeks as the two views show it on Saturday 7 April and then again on Saturday 28 April. The photographer recorded that the lower image was taken standing in the cab of K10 No 341. H C Casserley

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No 34 (BR 30034). Two views of the same engine at Barnstaple Shed. Top, with 15” numerals, taken on 24 May 1935.

An E1R tank is parked behind with a second M7 behind that. Below, undated but still in SR days. The second image may be taken at a weekend as several engines are present seemingly also out of steam. There is also a rake of coaching stock alongside awaiting its next duty. H C Casserley and Author’s collection

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No 35 (BR 30035). Top: At Southampton Central with a service from Eastleigh, possibly continuing on via Totton to Fawley. No 30035 is wearing the first British Railways emblem with a 2P power classification and sporting the final lining design, 2 February 1955.

Author’s collection

Right: At Nine Elms with the later emblem. Author’s collection.

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No 36 BR 30036). Above: posed alongside the previously referred to sign at Bournemouth. No 30336 was a short framed - non pull-push fitted loco. It joined the Bournemouth allocation in early 1963 and found employment on pilot and carriage shunting duties until ceasing to work at the end of 1963. 30036 on sidings at Bournemouth Central’s sidings. Author’s collection Opposite: Confirmed pilot duty for No 3036 at Bournemouth in early 1963. At Bournemouth Central trains from Bournemouth West would often be made up with additional stock arrived from Weymouth, hence the need for pilot locos. Author’s collection

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Opposite, top: No 37 (BR 30037) as Southern E 37. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: On WR territory at Plymouth, 10 October 1952. Externally looking well cared for overhaul and repaint six months earlier. No 30037 would spent the rest of its working life at Plymouth Friary from 1950 and would not last to the end being one of the first dozen M7s to be withdrawn by the end of 1958. Author’s collection Above: No 38 (BR 30038). Nine Elms 5 April 1957. Like sister No 30037, No 30038 was an early casualty and was withdrawn in the spring of 1958. Note the engine has smokebox door dogs, as did many from the different variant types. No 30038 was one of the trio of M7 locomotives to be liveried in lined malachite green with Nos 30241 and 30244 in the early years of British Railways ownership, for appearances in the public eye whilst on carriage duties at Waterloo station. Author’s collection

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No 39 (BR 30039). Top: As No E39, recorded at Clapham Junction on 23 April 1925. Livery is Southern dark green.

H C Casserley Bottom: Pilot duty at Waterloo, 17 July 1961; the young fireman seemingly resting with the engine probably waiting its next required move. Author’s collection Opposite: No 30039 cautiously backing on to a recent main line arrival, 28 August 1962. The curved platforms at the terminus warranted several ‘Mind the gap’ warnings painted on the platform. On the right hand side GPO work is taking place. Author’s collection

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No 40 (BR 30040). Top: Plain wartime black at Eastleigh shed but enhanced still by ‘Sunshine’ lettering. Author’s collection Bottom: A further works visit in March 1950 saw No 30040 emerge resplendent in March 1950 although perhaps some coal trimming will be required first! At the time, 30040 was Bournemouth based. Author’s collection

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Above: Allocated to Exmouth Junction MPD during 1951, No 30040 is seen travelling through the cutting at Tipton St. Johns with a two coach train for Sidmouth, 2 July 1952. Author’s collection

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No 22 (BR 30022). Above: as Southern Railway No 22 at Wimbledon, 21 June 1926. LSWR No 22 had been the first locomotive of the class to be built in 1899 - works order E9. A change in production was made to relocate the clack valve. The check valve, called a ‘clack’ due to its operating sound, a two-port one-way flow feed water operating valve, fitted to control the exiting tanked water to leave and enter the boiler. Mr Drummond took them from his originally designated location on the boiler sides to move them to the base of the smokebox. From works E9 to the last built M7 this remained in practice. Mr Urie moved them all up to Mr Drummond’s original location.H C Casserley Bottom: British Railways No 30022 with unlettered tank, twenty-six years later photographed at Guildford,1st June 1952. H C Casserley

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No 23 (BR 30023). Top: Exeter Central June 1959. The backdrop reveals E1 32697 is attached to a Bulleid pacific on the ready for running down into St David’s station. Looks like No 30023 is the station pilot for the day. Author’s collection Bottom: No 30023 at Exeter in August 1959. The right hand tank adorns the emblem with a right facing lion as correctly applied. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 24 (BR 30024), not quite ready for departure at Petersfield on 18 May 1927. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: From Guildford, No 24 was still in Southern ownership when transferred to Exmouth Junction during 1937. It became BR No 30024 whilst operating from there. In its latter Southern years Henry Casserley photographed No 30024 operating in Plymouth during 1945 before it became a regular operator of the branch passenger trains on the Exmouth and Sidmouth lines in addition to spells on shunting and banking duties at Exeter Central. In an undated 1950s setting, No 30024 is running light, east of Howell Bridge in Exeter. Author’s collection This page, top: No 25 (BR 30025) at Exmouth in June 1959. No 30025 is on the single line parallel with the siding for entering the engine shed. The former was where loco coal wagons were stabled, the empties used for ash disposal.

No 30025 is on this wagon duty. Loco working on the branch was usually smokebox first. Author’s collection This page, bottom: No 26 (BR 30026) recorded on the Guildford turntable, 30 April 1927. H C Casserley

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Opposite top: Guildford shed, 27 July 1952. No 30026 continued to be based here throughout its British Railways career. During February 1957, the BBC filmed their second production of Edith Nesbitt’s book The Railway Children.

It was broadcast over eight episodes throughout March and April. Filming was based around Baynards station on the Guildford to Christ’s Hospital line. Edith’s book and the BBC production is a story set during 1906. A year, in real terms, when 30026 actually was just seven years old! No 30026 was filmed within the episodes carrying its original running number of 26. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Still at Guildford, No 30026 sits with 700 class No 30308 alongside the station on 15 March 1958.

The engine was withdrawn the following year. Author’s collection Above: No 41 (BR 30041). Seen here in Southern 41 in grime livery at Feltham c1956 - and a marked comparison to the clean Q1 behind. 30041 transferred to Feltham during 1954. Also an early candidate for withdrawal, along with Nos 30042, 30244 and 30250 in 1957. In consequence No 30041 never received the second emblem. Author’s collection

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Top: No 42 (BR 30042). Conversation piece at Woking on 30 May 1925. H C Casserley Bottom: Running between the works and the running shed at Eastleigh, No 30042 is up from Exmouth Junction in April 1952. Author’s collection

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No 43 (BR 30043). This engine resided at Feltham from 1950 up to the time of withdrawal in 1961. In is seen here alongside the concrete edifice that was its home shed and in the final livery it carried. Author’s collection No 44 (BR 30044). Clapham Junction 25tMay 1931. As Southern Railway NoE44. H C Casserley

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Opposite top: No 241 (BR 30241). Opposite top: As SR No 241, photographed at Waterloo station, 4 August 1933.

This was the final engine of Mr Drummond’s short frame Type 1 locomotives, built to works order No E9. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: No 30241 approaching Vauxhall Station with carriage stock for Clapham Junction sidings. The empty stock duties passed from the M7s during 1962 to the Standard Class 3 2-6-2Ts. Although No 30241 was still in action at Waterloo in August of that year before being transferred, to Salisbury Author’s collection.

Above: No 30241 alongside No 30249, both on carriage duty roles at Waterloo, 17 March 1956. An interesting comparison is provided whilst together. No 30249, without closing dogs - the latter also sometimes referred to as clamps - compared to No 30241. Under Drummond’s successor, Robert Urie, similar fixings appeared on many former of Drummond’s locomotives classes. Where smokebox doors were found to be warping, the set of closing dogs ensured the door was more airtight. A vacuum within the smokebox is essential for efficient drafting of the fire from the grate. Author’s collection

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Henry & Richard Casserley - an appreciation HENRY CYRIL CASSERLEY 1903 – 1991

not surprising; all the pictures were taken by the man himself! Henry Cyril Casserley was born on 12 June 1903. He grew up during the pre-grouping years, the perfect time for a schoolboy to have an interest in railways. Taking his enthusiasm further, Henry began taking photographs of locomotives during 1919 when aged just 16.

His archive would eventually reach over ninety thousand images whilst the subjects photographed went beyond locomotives to include railway buildings, station settings and, of course, running sheds. Of locomotives, he never over-looked the grubby little saddle tank even if a grand looking locomotive could be standing nearby. Indeed in one of his essays, Henry recalled, ‘I went after very little but the oldest engines, which were not likely to last long, modern ones I more or less left alone, not looking far enough ahead and feeling that they would always be there.’

The name and initials H C Casserley are terms guaranteed to evoke memories to the railway enthusiast. Throughout the golden days of the Ian Allan ABC series of pocket ‘loco-spotter’s books’ of British Railways, in every yearly edition, you would find Mr Casserley’s photographs within the illustrative sections. For the steam enthusiasts, Messrs Warne published The Observers Book Of Railways Of Britain, a hugely popular edition in their ‘Observer’s’ series. Ernest Carter was given the task of producing the first edition in 1955.

A subsequent overall assessment of the railway series quoted , ‘The Carter book was dry as a bone.’

Even so it was reprinted in 1957 but this time in the hands of Henry Casserley which now resulted in a reviewer’s comment, ‘The Casserley compilation has more bounce and better pictures.’ The latter

Deep in M7 country, Petersfield Station, 30 August 1930.

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Henry & Richard Casserley The M7 0-4-4Ts - an appreciation Illustrated As with other classes, H C C photographed many M7s throughout their three tenures of ownership.

His images capture the locomotive changes in visual terms and from private ownership through to nationalisation and with it public control.

Originally living at Bromley, H C C used to travel by train to work at Holborn with the Prudential organisation. As if to prove his love of steam and the fact ‘his part’ of the Southern Railway was being electrified, he moved to Berkhamsted which was served by the LMS. As he aptly described, ‘I had no intention of commuting to work by the ‘juice wagon’. His archive of locomotives and railway scenes from the pre-grouping companies, the Big Four at the grouping and, latterly, the post-war nationalised railways network, makes a major contribution to the country’s history of our steam railways.

Right: Henry Cyril Casserley 21 May 1940. Below: Richard Michael Casserley. Taken whilst travelling in Third No 4645 on the Swanage branch between Corfe Castle and Wareham on 20 January 1956.

RICHARD MICHAEL CASSERLEY 1936 – 2017

Richard Casserley followed his father’s footsteps of all things railway with full enthusiasm. Right from the start he was encouraged in his father’s hobby, with his own log book detailing all train trips travelled on, with destination, engine number, mileage - and who accompanied him. As a result it was not long before Richard was accompanying his father on every possible journey, similarly taking photographs alongside his father. Richard Michael Casserley was the only child of Henry and his wife Kathleen. He was born on 31 December 1936 whilst the family were living in Bromley, Kent but when the family moved to Berkhamsted Richard won a scholarship to Berkhamsted School, eventually leading to New College, Oxford where he read mathematics. Even so his studies took second place to his exploring the local railway network and he was equally proud of the fact he 67

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Above: Richard and Kathleen Casserley on a family visit to the Hopton Incline on the Cromford and High Peak Railway in Derbyshire, 16 July 1940.

Bottom: Richard at Longford station, Co. Longford, Ireland, 19 April 1955.

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Henry & Richard Casserley - an appreciation The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated had drunk a pint in every pub in Oxford! He met his future wife, Margaret, at the St Peters Youth Fellowship in Berkhamstead. Married in 1964, four children followed. Richard worked for British Railways throughout his working life, his final task for British Rail was being involved in the Channel Tunnel project. Following the death of Kathleen, Henry Casserley lived with his son and daughterin-law, taking with him his whole railway archive

collection. After Henry’s death in 1991 aged 88, Richard took over custodianship of his father’s archive of negatives providing access and help to publishers, railway authors and societies. One of his own special interests was railway coaches. He was a regular at his local The Crown, arriving daily there at 4 pm to do The Times crossword over a pint or two. Richard Casserley died in October 2017, aged 80.

The Stephenson Locomotive Society. Tour party at Thurso, 24 April 1952. HCC and RMC are together on the right.

C

onsequent upon Henry Casserley’s passion for everything railway, he took a pen and contributed articles to railway journals as well as compiling numerous railway books. Most were written after retirement from his professional life but there were also some early examples including ‘My Best Railway Photographs’ (Ian Allan) in 1948 and of course the ‘Observer’ series previously mentioned. Other photo albums followed with several by Bradford Barton and others by by David & Charles, also from the same publisher, ‘Railway History in Pictures - Wessex’. In total in excess of 50 books either singly or with joint authors. Richard Casserley followed his father’s footsteps into the world of publishing. With Colin Garratt he compiled ‘Great Railway Photographers: H. C. Casserley’ whilst in a joint authorship with P A Millard he wrote ‘A Register Of West Coast Joint Stock’, being a history of pre-grouping carriages of the LNWR and the Caledonian Railway.

Photographs from the family collection - Courtesy Margaret & Mary Casserley 69

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M7’s Locomotives - Type 2 SECOND TYPE 10 BUILT 1900 ORDER NUMBERS B10 112 318 319 320 321 C10 322 323 324 356 357

Above: No 112 (BR 30112). Mr Drummond’s first M7 with redesigned splashers without incorporating the leading sand boxes. Aesthetically it led to a well-thought out design the small wing plates now in-line with the smokebox front and similar to the design of some classes of tender engines. Latterly the remaining wing plates were removed, usually when the smokebox was attended to but which gave the locomotive a perhaps less-pleasing appearance - almost a little ungainly. The leading sandbox, now fitted inside the smokebox was not a success, especially with its topping-up needs. Consequently this led to a new box design installed below the running plate and where sand could be topped up far more easily. Lever operated reverse was provided with ten engines built to this specification. No 112, the first to order No B10, is at Waterloo on 24 August 1938. Southern livery with 15 inch running number that replaced the earlier larger 18-inch set. Possibly also low on coal as one of the rear spectacle glass windows is visible with the vertical bars fitted, these for protecting the glass from stacked coal, note also the two extra bunker rails are now fitted. The spectacle plates were hinged to open inwards. H C Casserley Opposite top: No 112 is now photographed at Bournemouth Central early in 1949, displaying its final Southern livery.

With Mr Bulleid’s colour scheme, the position of the running number had reverted to the bunker sides. Smokebox wing plates have been removed. Later in the year No 112 became No 30112. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Mr Drummond’s first M7 with the redesigned splasher looks in superb condition (apart from the unknown photographer missing the front buffer beam from his shot!). No 30112 was Bournemouth based during most of its final years of operation, although it spent its last year or so at Guildford Shed. It was withdrawn in early 1963.

Author’s collection

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Top: No 318 (BR 30318). No 318 is in Urie livery with extra bunker coal rails fitted and the redesigned front sand box in place under the footplate, wing plates not yet removed. Nine Elms, 5th January 1924. H C Casserley Bottom: No 319 (BR 30319) at Waterloo in 1939. M7 No 319 with another Drummond engine in the shape of L11 No 155 in the foreground. Excellent side-end view of the large numbering on the rear of the bunker. During the application of the later livery from Maunsell’s tenure the bunker numbers applied might be small or large. Author’s collection

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No 319 (BR 30319). Clapham Junction 14 July 1939 and with the interesting concept of the stock from an LSWR block set seemingly still in early livery…?

Frontside view with the the engine number painted on the buffer beam seen. Sister No 132 is lurking across the other side of the platforms. H C Casserley

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Opposite top: No 320 (BR 30320, photographed on Waterloo carriage duties at Clapham Junction on 29 April 1922.

H C Casserley Opposite bottom: Now as No 30320, following a spell in the West Country mainly at Exmouth Junction, it has returned to the London area. 4 March 1956. Author’s collection Top: No 321 (BR 30321) also at Clapham Junction on similar workings, April 1957. Notice the destination board ‘Basingstoke’ on the coach. Author’s collection Bottom: 322 (BR 30322). Away from the London area and indeed away from its original haunts. No 30322 at Brighton on 27 April 1957. The position of the replacement front sandbox and filler cap show up well. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 323 (BR30323) outside the front of Eastleigh shed, 25 August 1957. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: June 1959. No 30323 passing through Exeter St David’s piloting a Maunsell Mogul with mixed goods and bound for Exeter Central. The single middle head code on No 30323 determines a light engine for banking.

This was one of the few second type engine variants based at Exmouth Junction. It was also frequently used on passenger service on the Exmouth and Sidmouth branch lines. Author’s collection Above: Bournemouth based No 30324 at Brighton shed on 6 April 1957. And visiting for repairs at the nearby works.

Normally engines of the class were sent for repairs to the nearest works, in this case Eastleigh, although capacity issues could also involve a trip further afield - but always on the Southern Region. Author’s collection

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Opposite top: No 356 (BR 30356) at Clapham Junction, 1 June 1925.

In the background is what appears to be an Adams O2 0-4-4T. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: Undated at Eastleigh station, the young fireman again apparently resting.

No 30356 was one of the class to end its days before the mass withdrawals of the 1960s. In consequence it never received the final British Railways emblem.

Author’s collection This page, top: No 357 (BR 30357).

19 September 1925 alongside the coaling stage at Nine Elms having been renumbered as E357 earlier in the year. Fitted with the new designed splasher and with the wing plate still in place. No 357 was the final engine of the ten short frame type fitted with lever reverse. H C Casserley This page, bottom: No 30357 carrying the first emblem and carrying the new lining applied during 1950. Recorded at Fratton on 5 August 1953. Author’s collection

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M7’s Locomotives - Type 3 THIRD TYPE 10 BUILT 1903 ORDER NUMBERS G11 123 124 130 132 133 H11 374 375 376 377 378

Above: No 123 BR 30123). No 123, the first Type 3, built with a specific change of design that in future years became one of the two main modifications; the frame being extended by 15 inches giving a longer front overhang (the other main change was the fitting of pull-push gear to several M7s.) The longer overhang had the added advantage of a greater space when smokebox cleaning was taking place. In addition the internal leading sandboxes were given external sand replenishment filling access caps. As with the Type 2, this internal arrangement was later dispensed with and under-frame sandboxes were fitted. The photograph illustrates this change. Steam reversing was also fitted.

The clack boxes were originally fitted at the base of the smokebox whilst this photo shows the new position on the boiler sides. The bunker coal rails are yet to be heightened with the associated vertical bars not yet fitted to the rear spectacle. No 123, built under works order G11, had been one of the last M7s to be fitted with a oval brass running number but is depicted here with the latter replaced with transfer numerals. It is standing at Strawberry Hill on 10 December 1921, a depot soon to be redundant to steam replaced by nearly Feltham. H C Casserley Opposite top: No 30123 photographed at Clapham Junction - undated. During 1949 this engine received the first British Railways lined livery; an oblong rectangle design to both the tank and bunker but without lettering. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: No 124 (BR 30124) also at Strawberry Hill, 1 October 1921. H C Casserley

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Opposite top: No 130 (BR 30130). Clapham Junction 18 March 1950. Unlettered British Railways livery. Smart pointedends feature on the splasher lining design that look more a sharper design than the rounded version used. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: No 132 (BR 30132). No 132 at Strawberry Hill, 3 February 1923. Looking in fine condition for its new owner. The 1921 grouping act took effect on the 1 January 1923. With lots of new liveries to be applied, No 132 waited until 1925. H C Casserley Above: Undated at Waterloo. No 30132 is now sporting the first British Railways emblem. The engine will shortly depart with the stock from another main line arrival. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 133 (BR 30133). Guildford Station 16 May 1925. An additional two coal rails now added and with some choice coal within. Recorded on a date that signifies No 133 is well into its ownership at the Southern; its Urie livery will stay awhile, there being so many LSWR locomotives to be repainted. To-be Southern locomotive No E133 is facing eastwards at platform 3 with the regular feature of the water column alongside. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: After receiving the Southern E prefix, noted in the previous caption, fast-forward to 1932. With the prefixes dropped, the engine reverted to its original number of 133. Again with some choice fuel apparent, it is seen this time in a line of engines at Salisbury, 18 April 1932. H C Casserley Above: Ploughing a lone furrow. Carriage duty at Waterloo in 1956. Having given the main line train a suitable ‘shove’, No 30133, will probably pull into one of the short bays to await its next scheduled arrival. Ahead though is a change as No 30132 was destined to be modified with pull-push equipment taken from the scrapped No 30047. This and sister No 30378 would be the only Type 3 variant, most of the pull-push engines being Type 4. Note the trio of Mr Casserley’s ‘juice wagons’ are on the right, lined up ready for business whilst the observer on the left seems somewhat disinterested in the whole scene. Author’s collection

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Now a member of the pull-push club. No 30133 recorded under the sheer legs at Three Bridges Shed, 19 October 1963. This machine could lift one end of an engine at a time enabling a wheelset - or carrying wheels - to be removed for attention and repairs. Author’s collection

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Eastleigh 16 March 1964. No 30133 has finished its last duties. 1964 was the last year for the remaining M7s to be withdrawn, their work taken over by more modern tank engines or simply faded away with line closures and changing traffic patterns. No 30133 was one of the M7s to be equipped with the British Railways Automatic Warning System equipment to provide the driver with an audible and visual indication of whether the distant signal was clear or at caution. At the tail end, the battery box is visible mounted below the bunker whilst at the front the air-reservoir for pull-push operation is under the front framing. Author’s collection.

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Above: No 374 (BR 30374) during its final years whilst based at Exmouth junction. This 1959 view depicts the engine in charge of a short goods train en-route to the goods yard at Central station, 26 August 1959. Author’s collection Opposite: No 375 (BR 30375). At Eastleigh shed, two different days, two different circumstances. Top - temporarily out of use on 28 June 1961. The engine had been based here since the late 1950s and may simply be stored - long or short term - pending further use. Bottom - this time the date is September 1962 and No 30375 would officially cease to be operational that month, perhaps already. Certainly the BR Standard Class 5 behind would have a further life.

Both Author’s collection

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Opposite: No 377 (BR 30377) at Eastleigh Station platform 2 in 1961 and destined for the town yard. With the originally fitted wing plates removed and a set of smokebox closing dogs added, it certainly detracts from the newly built character feel. Especially more so, being one of the longer-framed engines. The sharplooking water stain streak doesn’t enhance this locomotive’s appearance. Author’s collection

This page: No 376 (BR 30376) outside the front of Eastleigh Works, 15 August 1937. Another ex-works engine, K10 No 389 has been similarly out shopped.

The M7 will soon return to Exmouth Junction but will be noted has still be be fitted with coal rail plates. H C Casserley

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Above: One month away from withdrawal, No 30377 sits on the east side of the office block / water tower at Eastleigh.

28 July 1962. The headcode is for a light engine between Eastleigh and Southampton Docks, the most likely scenario being No 30377 has just arrived from Southampton. Author’s collection.

Opposite: No 378 (BR 30378) passing Guildford South signal box just west of the Farnham Road bridge about to arrive at Guildford Station. To the right is the edge of the sheds that were fed from the turntable. No 378 is dressed in Southern livery with 15in lettering, 3 September 1932. H C Casserley

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No 30378 taking on water at the south end of Alton station. An undated image. The tank side has the K power classification and further forward the first British Railways emblem just in view by the railwayman talking to the driver (the fireman invariably was responsible for taking water.) The class worked several services to and from Alton including those from Guildford, south to Winchester and Southampton and also south on the Meon Valleyline to Fareham.

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M7’s Locomotives - a summary by F Burtt Classes M7 & X14. Passenger Tank 0-4-4T. Total in Classes, 105. Built LSWR 1897-1911. Power Class ‘K’. During 1896, various orders placed for engines of Adams’ designs were completed by Mr. Drummond who introduced a few detail differences in external finish, etc., but in the following year the first engines of Drummond’s own design appeared, a series of passenger tank engines not unlike Adams’ latest in some respects but quite different in others. For instance, whereas Adams had worked his 0-4-4 tanks at 160 lb. pressure, Drummond adopted 175 1b. per sq. in. He adhered to the 5ft. 7in. Diameter coupled wheels, but increased the bogie wheel diameter from 3ft. 0 in. to 3ft. 7 in. The boiler was slightly larger in diameter but 6in. shorter; the firebox was, however, 4in. longer and sloped so that the forward end was 6 in. lower than the footplate end, and the grate was correspondingly inclined.

Adams, on the other hand, had used a deeper box with a horizontal grate. Other differences were that the Drummond cylinders were larger, 18½ in.

X 26 in., and the reversing lever was on the lefthand side instead of on the right, which had been the standard position from Joseph Beattie’s time.

Also, the new Drummond engines had their firebox back lagged in Stroudley fashion to keep the cab cool. The principal dimensions of the M7 engines were: Boiler barrel 4ft. 5⅛in. minimum outside diameter x 10ft. 6in., pitched 7ft. 6 in. centre above rail, pressed at 175 lb., and containing 216 tubes, 1¾in. Outside diameter. Length of firebox 6ft. 4in.

Wheel diameter, see above. Wheelbase coupled, 7ft. 6in., bogie 6ft. 6in., total 23ft. 7in. Length over buffers 35ft. of in., height over chimney 13ft.

2⅝in. Water capacity, 1,300 gallons, coal capacity originally 3 tons, but somewhat increased from 1920 onwards by the addition of two extra coal rails to the existing grid of three. Weight (w.o.), 17 tons 8 cwt. + 18 tons 0 cwt. + 24 tons. 16 cwt., total 60 tons 4 cwt. The first 55 M7 engines were built at Nine Elms between March, 1897, and October, 1900, and there were several external details which marked them as of Drummond origin, viz., the flared-top chimney in place of the Adams severe – but handsome - stove-pipe,” the direct-

loaded safety valves mounted on the dome, a new type of cab and a new type of number plate of the pattern used by Drummond on the Scottish lines with which he had previously been connected.

From 1903 onwards this design of number plate was superseded by transfer numerals.

Dates of construction were not shown on any of Drummond’s engines built in the Company’s own works. No 243, and probably all the 1897 lot, had a conical smokebox door, which was associated with an early experiment in spark arresters. It may have been an attempt at increasing the volume of the smokebox for this purpose, and at this date, it must be remembered, the modern extended smokebox was only just coming into vogue. When the M7 class was introduced, the lettering on the tanks was varied. The first batch had ‘S.W.R.,’ the next appeared with ‘L.S.W.,’ and in 1898, it was decided to adopt ‘L.S.W.R.’ This, by the way, had been Adams’s final choice, after some experiment with ‘L. & S.W.R.’ No 667 was the first of the M7’s on which the standard legend ‘L.S.W.R.’ appeared.

From 1903 onwards, further engines were put into traffic generally similar to the earlier engines and different in only few particulars of any importance, e.g., the overall length was increased by 1ft. 2¾ in. to 36ft. 3 in., and they had tubular feed water heaters in the side tanks comprising a total of 40 tubes (11ft. 3½ in. x 2 in. diameter, total heating surface, 234 sq.ft.) through which the exhaust steam from the cylinders was led.

The feed water did not come into direct contact with the exhaust steam and so was kept free from grease and oil which so largely account for over-heating of the firebox plates. There was no alteration to the boiler and firebox dimensions, and the respective capacities of tanks and bunker were as before; all the extra length was absorbed in the increased front overhang. An important difference was that this lot had steam reversing gear. The 40 engines built between 1904 and 1911 had the exhaust pipes (connecting the cylinder exhaust branch with the feed-water heater in the side tank) arranged externally as on Stroudley’s L.B.S.C.R. tank engines. The condensing gear has long since been removed from the M7 engines.

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated The 50 modified engines were classed, as was usual, by the reference number of the original order for their construction, in this case ‘X14,’ and were built between February, 1903 and November, 1911, the last ten coming from the

then newlyestablished Eastleigh Works. A large majority of this lot have been filled with pull-andpush gear for auto-train working and engines so equipped weigh 62 tons 0 cwt.

No 126 after rebuilding. In 1921, Mr. Urie rebuilt No 126 with an “Eastleigh” superheater, increased the cylinder diameter to 19 in., raised, the boiler centre by 9ins. to 8ft. 3in.(modifying the cab to suit) and fitted an extended smokebox with his own design of ‘stovepipe’ chimney. The new boiler was of the type then being used for rebuilding Drummond’s ‘700’ class goods engines. To compensate the extra weight at the leading end due to the superheater, a heavy cast-iron balance weight was placed at the opposite end to minimise unsteady running. Although the superheating of other Drummond classes proved, in the main, markedly advantageous, the altered No 126 was too heavy for many of the suburban lines and, after some years as Waterloo Station pilot, No 126 was withdrawn in May, 1937, and dismantled so that its standard parts could be used for maintaining the other M7 engines. The spares thus released included the boiler, which thereupon became suitable for superheater engines of the ‘700’ class by the simple expedient of raising the working pressure to the ‘700’ class figure of 180 lb. Incidentally, though No 126 was officially scrapped in August, 1937, the frames were used for No 254, so that in effect No 254 was scrapped and the frames of No 126 were renumbered No 254. Locomotive Publishing Company

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated carried three head-boards, respectively one white at base of chimney, one ditto 1.h. of smokebox, and one white with a black spot 1.h. of buffer- beam. Nos. 112/23/4/30/2/3, 318-24, 356/7/74-8 originally had the leading sandboxes situated in the smokebox. They were later placed below the running plate. The leading splashers of these were of the plain quadrant profile. Nos. 242256 when new were fitted with the Caledonian type of hooter, but ordinary whistleswere soon substituted. No 244 (3/97) was the 500th engine built at Nine Elms works, No 322 (8/00) the 600th, and No 29 (2/04) the 700th. No 126 was the 14th engine built at Eastleigh Works.

The two lots of 0-4-4T engines were uniformly classified ‘M7’. The earliest engines were used on fast trains between Exeter and Plymouth, but were relegated to the London suburban traffic after No 252 came off the road at high speed between Brentor and Tavistock on 6/3/98, and rolled over.

ENGINE SUMMARY No 58 on Thursday, 26/4/23 worked a special train of 3 standard L.S.W.R. coaches from Waterloo to Bookham conveying King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth (then the Duke and Duchess of York) on the first stage of their honeymoon journey.

The engine (in L.S.W.R. livery) was meticulously polished but not in any way adorned, and

No 21 (BR 30021), This was the first of Mr Drummond’s second type design built with long frames and fitted with his original styled front driving wheel splasher combination with front sandbox design. As with the Type 3s, the frame length was 15 inches longer at the front overhang. The steam reversing system replacing the lever reversing from the first 55 locomotives continued with the Type 4 engines. Brass feed water heating pipes were fitted on both side tanks allowing exhaust steam to be taken from the cylinders through the sides of the smokebox into the front of the side tanks. Once inside the tanks, passing through in tubes, it preheated the water before it passed to the boiler. Not coming into direct contact with the exhaust steam, the water was kept free from grease and oil. The water tanks had vents at their base for depositing the condensed steam. Mr Urie eventually removed these when re-positioning the boiler feed clacks to the boiler sides. The tanks were fitted with an extra sheet to help retain heat. Bolted on, the bolt heads were easily visible. Six inch transfer running numbers were the norm now, the oval cast plates discontinued.

Under Mr Maunsell’s tenure, the compressed air motor-train system was introduced on certain routes with over thirty of the M7 class so fitted. They were all long- framed engines, which incorporated the ideal space needed below to hang the air reservoir tanks. No 21 is photographed as built at Waterloo station. Image taken by Wentworth Gray c1907 on a quarter-plate glass negative. Author’s collection

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M7’s Locomotives - Type 4 - first variants FOURTH TYPE - FIRST VARIANT 20 BUILT 1904 - 1905 ORDER NUMBERS B12 21 27 28 29 30 C12 108 109 110 111 379 X12 104 105 106 107 45 V12 46 47 48 49 59

No 30021 passing under the gantry at Bournemouth Central, 1955. According to the record books, No 30021 was operating from Exmouth Junction MPD throughout the 1950s. Author’s collection

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No 27 (BR 30027). Last day of public service on the Bisley branch. No 30027 with two coach set, the 4.34 Bisley to Brookwood train, 19 July 1952. Author’s collection Bottom: Later in the year, 30027 returns to the Bisley line in charge of a pull-push set forming an RCTS railtour, 23 November 1952. Author’s collection

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No 28 (BR 30028) attended Brighton Works for General Repair from May through to July 1954. It was though photographed during June on what appears to be a stock shunt, proof if it were needed that official records were not always 100% accurate or even adhered to. At this time span the splasher lining design now has a cream line on its peripheral truncating at the base, with just the inner red lining curving around the coupling rod splasher. The K power classification has gone, though it has not yet been replaced by the later 2P code. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 29 (BR 30029). Mr Casserley photographed this engine at Guildford Shed on 24 May 1926. As No E29 it sits alongside another Drummond build, G6 No 240. No E29 had been one of the M7 class originally fitted with cable motortrain equipment. This system allowed the locomotive driver duplicate control of the regulator from a specially equipped carriage at the front; braking available by the usual vacuum system. In operation it was thus identical to the later ‘air’ operated control system fitted to long-framed engines. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: In smart ex-works condition, No 30029 is seen at Eastleigh during September 1950. Motor (pullpush) fitted and finished in British Railways livery with emblem. This engine never received smokebox door clamps.

Author’s collection Above: No 30 (BR 30030) at Budleigh Salterton in the Summer of 1950. In unlettered British Railways livery, bearing the K power classification on the bunker sides. No 30030 later received the first emblem and new livery in January 1952 at Eastleigh Works, being reallocated to Eastleigh shed at the same time and remaining there until withdrawn.

This was one of the few type 4 M7s that were never equipped with pull-push gear. Instead, it was subsequently fitted with a snow plough in winter - the overhang and lack of an air-reservoir under the front framing making this possible. Budleigh Salterton station, on the Exmouth to Sidmouth Junction branch line, featured a passing loop on the otherwise single line. Viewed north east from the station, the departing train will pass under Leas Road bridge returning to the single track heading towards East Budleigh and Tipton St. John’s. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 108 (BR 30108) sits at Platform 6, Bournemouth West station - with the goods shed in view across the wagons. This station closed in 1965. The service is likely one via the ‘old road’ to Brockenhurst via Ringwood. No 30108 had been Bournemouth based since 1956, finishing its working life there in 1964. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: ‘Out With The Railway Enthusiasts Club’ on 23 March 1963. No 30108 is heading ‘The Rambling Rose’ special that commenced from Farnborough and took in various Southern and Western lines to Reading and eventually back to Farnborough. It gave the locomotive a good day out too! Author’s collection Above, No 109 (BR 30109) at Eastleigh Platform 3. Grimy unlined black livery with sunshine lettering and numbering.

The photographed angle highlights the length of the long front framing. H C Casserley Bottom: Also at Eastleigh, but this time on the shed exit road. Eastleigh, late spring 1951. Fresh from overhaul notice the ‘30’ has not been painted on the smokebox plate. The engine was soon to be transferred to work from Guildford.

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Opposite top: No 110 (BR 30110). British Railways emblem, with perfect-looking lining in real cared for order. No 30110 was photographed during May 1954 at Gosport. Passenger services here had ceased the previous year and there is no record of any enthusiast special workings during the year. The fact the engine is clearly attached / being attached to an item of passenger stock is therefore a puzzle. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Nos 30110 and 30049 c1959. Author’s collection Above: No 111 BR 30111). Clearly having received a side-swipe we may take it the engine is parked pending repair.

Incidents such as this, unless they involved a passenger train when the Board of Trade would investigate, were dealt with by internal enquiries, the paperwork for which having long been disposed of. Eastleigh 7 September 1930. H C Casserley

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Left: No 379 (BR 30379) at Three Bridges on 29 June 1963. This engine was withdrawn from the same depot in October. Author’s collection.

No 226 Image 2. Author’s collection

Bottom: On the turntable at Brighton Works, 28 April 1963. The turntable sat at the north end of the works aside the sheds facing residential properties on the opposite side of New England Road. Good view of the position of the ATC battery box. Author’s collection

Opposite top: No 104 (BR 30104). At Eastleigh, 20 May 1923. Since built, the feed water heating pipes have been removed. 3-link rather than screw coupling. From the position of the long clinker shovel the fire is being cleaned. H C Casserley

Opposite bottom: Now in BR livery - different coupling fitted - and based at Bournemouth, seen alongside Bulleid pacific No 34094 Mortehoe, 16 July 1960. H C Casserley

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No 105 (BR 30105). The place from where there was rarely if ever any return. The scrap roads outside the rear of Eastleigh Works, No 30105 has drawn its last breath. Author’s collection

No 106 (BR 30106). A Ludgate Hill - Wimbledon train at Tulse Hill, 14 February 1925. According to the photographer the escaping steam was hiding the fact the engine still wore LSWR livery a full two years after grouping. H C Casserley

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No 107 (BR 30107). Photographed inside Nine Elms, 21 April 1923. Almost as-built but note the higher position of the feed pipes to the side tanks, this allowed the clacks to be repositioned below. The extra two coal rails are now added, with the vertical metal bars also fitted to protect the rear glass spectacle windows from the now heightened store of coal. H C Casserley

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Above: Eastleigh 15 May 1962. No 107 (BR 30107) outside the front of Eastleigh shed (corrugated iron sheeting having replaced the timber and glass) in its final two years of service. An S15 -4-6-0 No 30515 is also outside. Author’s collection Opposite: No 45 (BR 30045). A pair of photographs of Southern No E45 taken three weeks apart. Top: taken at Clapham Junction on 14 March 1925. No E45 is heading up an Adams 4-4-0 fitted with a Drummond chimney. H C Casserley Bottom: No E45 is entering the Up platform at Leatherhead, 4 April 1925. The line through Leatherhead was being prepared for electrification in July of the same year. New ‘pots’ have been laid and the third rail is in place. H C Casserley

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Above: BR days at Eastleigh, No 30045 outside the rear of the shed, and whisper it quietly, with a WR Pannier Tank behind, 22 March 1962. Notice the wording on the buffer beam describing the air pipe connections. Author’s collection Opposite top: No 46 (BR 30046). As No E46 in Southern green with 18 inch lettering. On duty at Clapham Junction, 14 March 1935. H C Casserley Opposite bottom: ‘Posing for Mr C perhaps’? A well groomed No 46 in Southern green with 15 inch lettering, Guildford, 20 August 1932. Good-looking fuel - though no plating fitted yet on the bunker coal rails. H C Casserley

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Opposite top: Guildford in February 1960. No 30047 likely on a Horsham working. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: No 48 (BR 30048). At Brighton in July 1963 with evidence of priming from treated water. Author’s collection Above: No 30048 is now based at Exmouth Junction and is working the Seaton branch service. Seen here at the curving branch platform with its pull-push set, 26 July 1960. Author’s collection.

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Opposite top: No 49 (BR 30049). As Southern No E49 in Bournemouth Shed, 28 April 1928. Coupling rod on the floor and the drive axle removed - note too the supporting jack - with the rear bogie also missing and the rear end supported by the hoist. In effect a temporary 0-2-0T. No E49 had been fitted for cable operated motor train operation in the previous year with the cable pulleys on the cab roof - close examination will reveal these. The cables ran from the engine through cable guides along the carriage roofs to the driving end of the train where with similar cable pulleys, the driver sat whilst the fireman remained on the footplate. The cable system was later superseded on No E49 by air control in 1930. H C Casserley

Opposite bottom: As BR No 30049, pulling into Brighton Station in May 1952 with a train from Horsham. This was a conventional and not motor-train working. Author’s collection

This page: No 50 (BR 30050) No E50 in good external condition inside Nine Elms, 19 September 1925. During overhaul the previous year the Drummond feedwater heating pipe system was removed and No 50 had also been re-liveried in Southern olive green. The engine is in steam with the smoke chutes above intended to take steam and smoke away from the building. Note between the rails the water hydrant; an essential item but ideally placed to trip over in the dark! H C Casserley

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Opposite top: Fast forward to 23 June 1956. E50 now is British Railways No 30050 depicted undergoing overhaul in Brighton Works in-line ahead of A1X No 32661 and E2 No 32101. With all wheels, both cylinders and air reservoir tank removed. The engine spent three weeks under repair. HC Casserley Opposite bottom: East of Portslade station two months later in August 1956. No 30050 is travelling on the line running behind Hallyburton Road and approaching the bridge over Olive Road heading towards Brighton, again a service off the Horsham line. No 30050 was the last of the twenty of the Type 4, variant 1, built to order Y12 during 1905. Author’s collection Above: No 30050 sits behind another M7, both well coaled in this undated image. No 30050 had its second emblem applied as late as the summer of 1960 and was withdrawn in early 1962. Upon withdrawal, the pull-push gear was transferred to sister No 30378. Author’s collection

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Dugald Drummond and the numbers game

I

n 1895 when William Adams, the LSWR’s chief mechanical engineer, retired for health reasons, Dugald Drummond took up the LSWR reins.

Previously he held senior mechanical engineering posts both in Scotland, his homeland, and also in Australia where he had assisted in establishing a locomotive works in Sydney. In accepting the post with the LSWR, D L Bradley writes, ‘William Adams had left the South Western’s locomotive affairs in such excellent order that Drummond was able to carefully assess the future motive power requirement before designing his ‘T9‘ express passenger, ‘700‘ goods and ’M7‘ suburban classes.’ Under Drummond, Nine Elms works continued building to Adams’ existing orders, which included a batch of ’G6‘ 0-6-0Ts and a batch of ‘T1’ 0-4-4 tank engines. The term ‘M7’ originates from the order number given to the first batch of 25 of these 0-4-4Ts. This same class type was retained when the LSWR became part of the Southern Railway under Richard Maunsel as Chief Mechanical Engineer, he deciding that the different 0-4-4T classes but all built to the basically similar M7 type although presently with different order prefixes in future be identified by the alphanumeric order numbers given to the first batch of each locomotive type ordered. Thus the well-loved 0-4-4T, ‘Mr Drummond’s Motor Tank’ or ‘The Drummond Tank Engine’ as known, became the M7. Built primarily for the London suburban traffic, they were later taken from these duties with the advent of electrification. The class even worked express passenger services between Exeter and Plymouth before Drummond displaced them with his T9 4-4-0 tender express class locomotives. Branch work throughout the western and southern territories proved perfect

operational duties, with many of the long framed variants fitted with pull-push equipment for branch lines in Hampshire and Dorset and later Sussex. Although 105 were built, there was no consecutive M7 numbering sequence. The earliest number given to one of the class was 21, although this was of 1904 construction and the 46th to be built. The following table shows the 105 engines in build date order starting with No 242. As an example, No 242 had previously been allotted to a Beyer, Peacock double framed 0-6-0 that was withdrawn in 1891. The second engine, No 243, followed a similar pattern with that number previously allocated to a Beyer, Peacock Well Tank withdrawn in 1889. As construction continued, the allocation of numbers continued. Many of the those used taken were from earlier locomotives that were still operating in which case the earlier machine was allocated the ‘0’ a prefix. Those carrying the additional ‘0’ at the start of their number were now referred to as being in the ‘duplicate’ list. This did not necessarily mean any change to their duties, purely a renumbering. It was only to the first batch built in 1897, Nos 667 to 676 that Mr Drummond allocated new running numbers that had never been previously used, Each build order number represented a batch of locomotives to be built of either 5 or 10 machines, although for the first works order of M7s, a larger number of 25 had been specified. The table lists the locomotives in order of building followed by the build year, the class of engine which had originally carried that number, the wheel description of the engine originally carrying the number, the subsequent duplicate number, and finally the date the duplicate number engine was withdrawn.

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Opposite top: No 51 (BR 30051). This was the first built M7 to order B13 in and the first of the final twenty of the class. The build was identical to the previous twenty other than a double boiler feed pump was fitted in place of the single model. This was a specific type of pump to feed fresh water from the side tanks into the boiler and with the already-heated material taken from the feed water pipe system as now fitted on Type 4s. In this context ‘double’ simply meaning being able to handle double the quantity of water. Late, during his tenure, Mr Urie moved the clack boxes to the boiler sides, as with the first twenty built of the fourth type and heightened the feed water heating pipes, eventually replacing the system with injectors. No 30051 was one of the class to be fitted with the British Railways advanced warning system. It was also fitted the water softening treatment during the early 1960s and received the second British Railways emblem during December 1958. The engine was photographed at Farnborough in the late 1950s and pull push fitted. It was withdrawn from service during the Autumn of 1962 having spent its final time as part of the Nine Elms allocation. Author’s collection No 303 Opposite bottom: During the period the engine was based at Horsham, the engine stands at Platform 4, c1957. Author’s collection

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M7’s Locomotives - Type 4 - second variant

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Opposite page, top: No 52 (BR 30052), pull-push fitted and recorded at Brockenhurst with a Bourneouth West - via Ringwood service in 1959. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Still pull-push fitted but temporarily without the coupling hoses - they would not be needed on carriage duties anyway. No 30052 is seen at Waterloo in 1961 and when based at Nine Elms. The following year it refitted and moved to Yeovil. Author’s collection This page, top: No 53 (BR 30053) recorded at Brighton shed in 1950. Author’s collection This page, bottom: Passing South Whyteleaf with the LCGB ‘Surrey Wanderer’ railtour of 5 July 1964. This had departed Waterloo at 9:00 am with No 30053 after which BR Class 2 78038 took over the reins at Shepperton. Later, at Caterham, 30053 took back charge for the return journey with the train recorded on the Caterham to Purley leg. The trip eventually terminated at Victoria. Official records show that No 30053 had been withdrawn from Bournemouth on 17 May 1964 but was clearly reinstated for the railtour. In August 1964 it was noted out of use in the sidings at Nine Elms but likely soon after moved to Eastleigh for store where it remained until 1967 before being shipped to the USA for preservation. Author’s collection

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Above: No 548 (BR 30054) at Privett station, midway on the Meon Valley line between Alton and Fareham. According to the photographer’s notes (Alan Jackson), the image was taken on 7 February 1955, but this must be in doubt as the line had closed to all through traffic on Saturday 5 February, although a last special train, ‘The Hampshireman’, ran on Sunday 6. Privett was never busy and had lost its passing loop 30 years earlier, the opposite platform thereafter used simply as a shunting spur. Author’s collection Opposite: Des Summerson photograph. No 30054 in Tunbridge Wells West shed, 24 August 1956. No smokebox door clamps and no shed plate either. It was transferred to Brighton the next month, its final allocation before being withdrawn during 1959. Author’s collection

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Above: No 55 (BR 30055) at Guildford Shed, 18 July 1962. Earlier in the year, the locomotive had received a general repair, the second emblem and was fitted with the British Railways Automatic Warning System, with its battery box clearly in view, as is the yellow triangular sign below the running number indicating the engine is fitted with water treatment system - this was fitted to a small number of the M7 engines. No 3005 had a further life of just 14 or so months. Author’s collection

Opposite top: No 56 (BR 30056). LSWR 56 sits at Nine Elms not quite in as built condition as Mr Urie has raised the position of the steam pipes leading to the water tanks to make space for the clacks, the latter now re-fitted on the boiler sides. Extra coal bunker rails are also in place, 6 May 1922. The oak barrels likely contained lubricating oil. The engine is positioned close to the turntable and near to what were later the flats overlooking the depot. H. C. Casserley

Opposite bottom: From Brockenhurst main line station ran the branch to Lymington and also the original line through Ringwood to Dorchester. A somewhat grimy No 30056 is in the down bay with Ringwood service operating in pullpush mode, 24 August 1963. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 57 (BR 30057). Full Southern livery with 15 inch lettering, the later applied in 1936. The engine was recorded at Bournemouth on 19 July 1937. H C Casserley

Opposite bottom: Poole station with No 30057 operating from the bay platform, 24 June 1959. The negative envelope suggests this is a Swanage train likely recently arrived and with the tail-lamp in place ready for its next move. This original Poole Station was replaced in the 1970s although at the time of the photo there were views of nearby Holes Bay, a tidal inland lake north of Poole Harbour. The railway crosses this by a bridge to Hamworthy. An unusual feature of the platform was the overhanging units for lighting and the station loudspeakers but the only way to achieve light and sound on such a slim section of the platform. To the right awaits a main line train for departure. Author’s collection

Above: Eastleigh Works reception siding in the early 1960. No 30057 has arrived for assessment having failed with a blown cylinder whilst working the Swanage branch. No date for the image but such a defect could very likely have been terminal with major repairs no longer authorised. Officially No 30057 survived until June 1963. Author’s collection

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Opposite top: No 58 (BR 30058). ‘Wounded soldier’; No 58 after a head-on altercation with another member of the class, No 252, at Clapham Junction on 7 October 1908. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Wounds tended to, some years later No 58 was one of the type to receive a small ‘s’ in front of the ‘58’ as a temporary prelude to full renumbering. Just nine members of the class were so treated. Seen in unlined black with the full wording of its new owners on the side tank. The view was taken at Yeovil on 22 July 1949. Author’s collection Above: During its final year of service, No 30058 was photographed at Bournemouth shed in 1960. No 30058 was withdrawn in the September. Author’s collection Bottom: No 59 (BR 30059) seen in LSWR days at Clapham Junction on 27 September 1920. The feed water pipe is heightened for the re-positioned clack valve. The joining line where the double-sided tank side ended, just right of the letter ‘R’, is noticeable. The engine retains it original three coal rails. H C Casserley

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No 60 (BR 30060). In Southern livery with 15 inch numbering. Mr Casserley notes that ‘No 60 is at Lymington Town in charge of the 3.02pm Brockenhurst Lymington Pier train on 9 July 1938.’ Leaving the station, the line immediately bridges across the Lymington river before entering the terminus at Lymington Pier. H C Casserley

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Top: Eastleigh Works. During February / March in 1960 No 30060 underwent overhaul at Eastleigh. It is photographed in the steaming test bay outside the front of the works and will subsequently return to Bournemouth.

Author’s collection Bottom: It is now summertime and No 30060 is passing through Brockenhurst, 14 July 1960, repainted with the second British Railways emblem applied. As No 60, this engine was the last M7 to be built at Nine Elms before the works transferred to Eastleigh. H C Casserley

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Above: No 125 (BR 30125). Seen as No E125, in smart Southern olive green and working at Clapham Junction, 14 May 1925.This was the first of the final batch of ten engines of the class. All these last ten were erected at Eastleigh. H C Casserley Opposite top: No 30125 at Eastleigh in 1951. An Eastleigh based locomotive since the late 1940’s, it saw its last years operating from Exmouth Junction on pull-push passenger services on the Seaton Branch. Author’s collection Opposite bottom: Ten years later 30125 has moved west. Looking north-east from Yeovil Town Station under Newton Road bridge, this is the the view of the curving connection coming in from Yeovil Junction. No 30125 is photographed arriving with the shuttle pull-push set between the two stations on 6 June 1961. Author’s collection

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No 26 at Clapham Junction, the single member of the class that never entered BR service. Photographed on 6 August 1920, No 126, like all the last 40 built, received double-sides to its tanks. The top sheet was bolted on to help preserve the heat from the tubed system fitted, which pre-heated the water in the tanks before being pumped to the boiler. The following year No 126 would be selected for experiment with a ‘700’ class boiler fitted. This was removed in 1937 and the remainder of the engine dismantled for spares. H C Casserley No 127 (BR 30127). Wearing Bulleid Southern lettering with a British Railways running number, No 30127 sits at Eastleigh, in April 1952. It would enter works for overhaul a few weeks and emerged wearing a new livery. Author’s collection

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Spending June to August 1958 at Eastleigh for servicing, 30127 received a new livery with the second emblem with a right facing lion on the right hand tank. The first image is undated. The second is dated August 1958. 30127 was one of the type 4 M7s not to be equipped with pull-push gear. Image 1. Author’s collection.

No 128 (BR 30128). Southern E128 shares the turntable at Guildford with the shed shunter, 0-4-0ST No. 734, Clausentum.’This latter engine was a former Southampton dock shunter that spent its last days at Guildford along with another saddle tank named Ironside. Both performed the useful service of hauling dead locomotives on and off the turn table and shunting them into the semi-roundhouse, which is probably the duty going on here with E128, 30 September 1927. H C Casserley

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No 129 (BR 30129) at Holland Road Halt, looking west towards Hove from the down platform. Both platforms here made of timber. Brighton based No 300129 is heading for Brighton during April 1954. The halt closed for business in May 1956. Author’s collection No 30129 moved to Yeovil from Brighton in June 1956. Photographed on the curve out from Yeovil Town Station on the regular pull-push shuttle service between Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Town stations, 9 August 1962. Author’s collection

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No 131 (BR 30131). Commencing when built, No 131 was resident at Nine Elms for 20 years. Photographed on 28 June 1924, No 131 here looks cared for standing alongside the old coaling stage. By this time the Drummond exhaust pipes have been removed. Subsequently the Drummond style lamp sockets seen here were changed to standard lamp irons. H C Casserley No 30131 spent its last years based at Yeovil. It is seen at Yeovil Junction, on 21 August 1953, on the shuttle-service operation for passengers travelling between the Junction and Town stations. H C Casserley

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No 328 (BR 30328) at Strawberry Hill, 8 October 1921 and yet to be fitted with the extra bunker coal rails. H C Casserley

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Activity at Eastleigh.

Top: No 30328 is passing under the gantry at Eastleigh in company with sister engine No 30107 and an unidentified Bulleid pacific during September 1957. From the missing parts at the front of the Pacific this is almost certainly a ‘works shunt’. Note that the down main line signal is ‘off’ and No 30328 will have to wait for this to be returned to ‘on’ before it may complete its move. Author’s collection Bottom: Same locomotive, same cameraman on the same day. No 30328 is now under the gantry on a further operation. This second manoeuvre is with goods wagons and a Maunsell 4-6-0, again likely a works shunt (notice the laddercrossing ahead of the 4-6-0 and the caution notice advitising crews o the correct walking route from the station to the running shed). Author’s collection

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No 479 (BR 30479) at Eastleigh in black grime and sunshine lettering. The glass-front to the shed intended to illuminate the interior is also well overdue for maintenance. Mr Casserley’s photograph is dated 27 September 1945.

H C Casserley Throughout its life. No 30479 operated out of the two big centres of operation for the class, Nine Elms and then Eastleigh. Carriage duties at Waterloo during Southern years when working from Nine Elms, and seemingly waiting for the snow when at Eastleigh! Photographic evidence sees that the plough was fitted during 1958 and plated to the original front buffer beam. The setting here is north of Fareham Station with a passenger service between Portsmouth and Salisbury running via Eastleigh, in April 1955. These duties were later taken over DEMU sets. Author’s collection

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No 480 (BR 30480) photographed at Nine Elms, 20 September 1931. Author’s collection No 30480 arriving at Brockenhurst Station in an undated photograph. The top of the signal is cut-off on the negative.

Author’s collection

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No 48 (BR 30481) at Andover Junction sometime in the 1950s. The view eastwards across the yard from the platform informs a more accurate timeline. On the left may be seen the two road SR engine shed. To the right of the coaling line is a second shed built by the Midland & South Western junction railway to service their engines arriving from Cheltenham and Marlborough. This second shed was out of use and been demolished by 1956. No 30481 was the final engine of the class completed from Eastleigh in December 1911. Author’s collection

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The end of a classic design

The end of a classic design, pull-push fitted No 30125 stored at Exeter (WR) shed in company (right) with various other Southern types similarly awaiting their fate. Although having been in service for half a century, No 30125 entered service in 1911, it could likely have continued for some time - subject to necessary maintenance of course - but instead was a victim of a political and social change. The politics was the 1955 British Railways modernisation plan which foretold the end of steam, whilst the changing social change was the rise of the motor car, the closure of branch lines and the perception that steam engines were outdated and outmoded. Add to this the introduction of diesel trains on what remained of the branch line network - and even that was not enough to save many lines - the end for No 30125 was but a foregone conclusion, officially withdrawn at the end of 1962 but possibly out of service for some time before that. So far as No 30125 was concerned, it had been at Exmouth Junction shed since October 1960, one of several of the class working the various former Southern branch lines to Exmouth, from Exmouth to Sidmouth Junction via Tipton St Johns. Sidmouth Junction to Sidmouth, and also to Seaton. Exmouth Junction shed was subsequently transferred to Western Region control and with no love lost between the WR and SR it was almost a question of ‘take it back’ or we will dispose of it. Some Southern engines did then return to a reduced Southern Region but the M7s were not wanted - the same rationalisation was happening on the Southern as well, and instead Exeter WR became a congregation point for the unwanted and the unloved - a stepping stone on their way to scrap.

Emotion, and with it past glories, had no place in the changing railway scene of the 1960s (of the branch lines mentioned only that from Exmouth Junction to Exmouth would survive). Author’s collection

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M7’s in Preservation

Withdrawn from service in 1962, No 30245 is photographed whilst stored in the roundhouse at Fratton. It remained there along with several other potential preservation until 1964, when it was towed to Stratford for further storage before returning south again to store at the former Pullman works at Preston Park outside Brighton. Requisition from service as part of the National collection is was eventually moved to York and cosmetically restored.

Author’s collection

P

reston Park, 245 was very rarely seen in public. Whilst kept behind the scenes it had received some attention and had also been repainted in green. Taken to York in the mid1970s, in the following decade it was moved to the Carriage and Wagon works in Derby where further attention was given. Unfortunately the shade of green applied at Preston Park and a newer finish given at Derby, were neither correct, nor was the lining applied. Service modifications were

however removed including the smokebox door clamps, the hand rail from the front of the tanks and the additional three coal rails and bunker side plating although the vertical metal bars added for protection to the rear spectacle remain. Currently 245 is on show at York, now repainted in correct livery with accurate lining that include the original purple brown edgings. It is often posed together with a restored LSWR coach of the period in contemporary salon-pink and brown livery.

Left: 245 at Waterloo Station during the Network South East Day, 1 October 1988. Colin Duff

Right: Running on the Swanage railway. Colin Duff

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The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated No 30053. Withdrawn in 1964, No 30053 is photographed stored at Eastleigh Works in January 1966 with pullpush gear still intact. Purchased by Steamtown in Vermont, USA, No 30053 continued to be stored at Eastleigh, sometimes at the shed but latterly at the works and often in company with Schools No 30926 Repton similarly destined for the USA. By February 1967 the pull-push equipment had been removed which was followed by transfer and a short stay at Preston Park in Brighton before shipment across the Atlantic to the USA in the following April.

Eventually the Steamtown collection of locomotives were relocated to Scranton in Pennsylvania and from where after twenty years abroad, No 30053 was returned to Britain in 1987 to the care of Drummond Locomotive Society who had been able to effect a purchase.

Restoration followed and from 1992 the engine began to run on the Swanage Railway. To enhance its appeal it has appeared in various liveries that were carried during its life whilst in addition it has at times temporarily taken on the identity of other long vanished members of the class.

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Classic locomotive - classic view. No 30040 at the terminus at Fawley and in the process of running around its train.

Likely this was an Eastleigh or Southampton to Fawley service. Author’s collection

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Transport Treasury Publishing Price:- £25.95

M7 COVER.indd 1

The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Peter Moody

‘The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated’ is one man’s record of a single locomotive class that head an endearing fascination; the LSWR ‘M7’ class. First introduced in 1897, 105 examples were built over the next 12 years with all but one surviving into British Railways ownership in 1948. With many of the type already over 50 years old at that time, they nevertheless continued to perform, passenger, branch freight and shunting duties often miles away from their original home, the last examples finally taken out of service in 1964.Two survive in preservation. Peter Moody first became acquainted with the class as a child in Devon and over the years developed a fascination for the class culminating in a large collection of images and a desire to see his work brought to a wider audience. Sadly that was not be during his lifetime, but Transport Treasury are delighted to bring Peter’s efforts to a rightful conclusion; ‘The Illustrated M7’.

The M7 0-4-4Ts Illustrated Peter Moody

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