Riley BR Standard Classes - Full

• T H E R . C . R I L E Y C O LO U R C O L L E C T I O N •

British Railways

S ta n d a r d C l a s s e s

Im ag es f rom The Tra ns port Trea s u ry a rch i v e

• T H E R . C . R I L E Y C O LO U R C O L L E C T I O N •

British Railways

S ta n d a r d C l a s s e s

Images from The Transport Treasury archive • Compiled by Alan C Butcher 1

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Front Cover • rcrc5466 Standard Class 3MT No. 82013 runs into Sidmouth on 24th July 1958 with a service from Sidmouth Junction on the Southern’s main line from London to the West Country. The Signalling & Telegraph teams together with Permanent Way have been keeping the approach to the seaside station looking very smart. See page 73 for the story behind the line and the locomotive.

Frontispiece • rcrc5495 No. 92067 exits the northern portal of Catesby tunnel during October 1963 at the head of a freight service along the former Great Central Railway bound for Banbury; the tunnel is located in Northamptonshire with its northern portal about 1,100yds (1,000m) south of Catesby Viaduct and 250yds (230m) west of Upper Catesby, with the tunnel ending at Charwelton to the south. The 2,997yds (2.7km) tunnel was completed in 1897, and was closed in 1966 when the GC route was closed. The tunnel is unusually large, at 27ft (8.2m) wide, 25ft 6in (7.8m) high as it was planned as part of a link to the continent that had a larger loading gauge. BR closed the Great Central main line through the tunnel on 5th September 1966, and the track was lifted shortly thereafter. After lying abandoned and flooded for over 50 years, proposals emerged in 2014 to convert the tunnel into a vehicle testing facility. Permission was granted in 2017 for the conversion of the wide, straight tunnel into an aerodynamic test facility for road and race cars. The facility opened in summer 2021. No. 92067 was new from Crewe Works on 31st December 1955 being allocated to Doncaster. It was transferred to Annesley in early spring 1957 before moving to Banbury in June 1965. October 1965 saw it arrive at Carlisle Kingmoor from where it was withdrawn on 5th November 1965.

Opposite • rcrc5309 Flying the flag as the first of the 999 BR Standards was No. 70000 Britannia, it is seen on Willesden MPD on 12th October 1964. New to traffic on 5th January 1951 its first depot was Stratford where it stayed until January 1959 when it relocated to Norwich. In February 1962 it was reported that: ‘Britannias’ 70000/1/2/3/5/6-13 were all placed in store at March in February due to further dieselisation by Type 3 diesels from Darnall and these now cover several March freight turns; three of the Britannias are understood to be unserviceable due to frost damage’. In March 1963 No. 70000 was reallocated to the London Midland Region (LMR) at Willesden. Moves to Crewe (North) and Crewe (South) were followed by its arrival at Newton Heath during early March 1966. It was withdrawn on 28th May 1966, and although not selected for preservation as part of the National Collection – as the first of the BR Standards – it was to survive in store to be privately preserved.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

I N T RO D U C T I O N

R

ailways, particularly steam, and photography were very much part of Riley family life.

Richard had this enormous enthusiasm and

expertise which resulted in a huge archive of colour slides, which have continued to be published since his death in 2006. His passion for this subject was never in doubt, but he was always modest about his place in being one of the Country’s most talented and prolific railway photographers.

Often described as a gentleman, Richard was also a gentle man which often shone through when he was approached by other aspiring photographers and authors.

He willingly gave his time to help others in many different fields. Equally, his family was very important to him.

If ever advice and support were needed by the immediate family, his wisdom and integrity could always be relied upon, and he is much missed by us all.

Christine Riley

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5310 On 31st March 1962 the RCTS ran the ‘Great Eastern Commemorative Steam Rail Tour’ from London Liverpool Street, where it is seen before departure, headed by No. 70003 John Bunyan. With Norwich as the initial destination the train visited the former Victoria station (by now a goods depot) and during the 20-minute layover participants were allowed to alight from the carriages using portable steps. The train then returned to Trowse Upper Junction before taking the line to Thorpe station. A trip over the remaining lines via Dereham to Foulsham and Swaffham behind Class J15 No. 65567 ended at Thetford where the ‘Britannia’ took over for the journey back to London. Following servicing at Norwich depot No. 70003 ran light engine to Thetford to take over from the ‘J15’ for the trip back to London. By the date of the trip No. 70003 was allocated to March depot, moving to Carlisle Kingmoor on 1st December 1963; it would be withdrawn from there on 25th March 1967, being cut up by the end of the year at Campbell’s Airdrie yard.

Opposite • rcrc5331 No. 70012 John of Gaunt is seen at Bishop Stortford on 12th September 1959. It was new to Norwich (Thorpe) depot on 21st May 1951 where it was to remain for seven years before moving south to Stratford MPD during the autumn of 1958. Moved to Yarmouth South Town a few weeks later it was back at Norwich by the end of January 1959. Its final Eastern Region depot was March where it arrived in September 1961 before a move to the LMR’s Willesden depot at the end of March 1963. A move north saw stays at both Crewe depots and Llandudno Junction before a final move to Carlisle Kingmoor in August 1967. It was withdrawn on 31st December 1967, and sold to T. W. Ward to be scrapped at its Beighton yard the following March. The leading carriage is a former LNER vehicle in BR’s carmine and cream colour scheme.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5326 No. 70014 Iron Duke is seen sporting the full ‘Golden Arrow’ regalia at Stewarts Lane MPD on 10th October 1957. The ‘Arrer’ and its French equivalent the ‘Fleche d’Or’, was a luxury boat train introduced in the UK on 15th May 1929 (the French train was introduced in 1926), operated between London Victoria and Dover using the newly introduced TSS Canterbury, built by William & Denny Bros, Dumbarton (2,910GRT, 1928), for the ferry crossing. Postwar Canterbury served on the Folkestone-Calais route, transferring to the Calais/Boulogne run in 1948, when it became the first English Channel ferry to be fitted with radar. Withdrawn from service the ship was dismantled in August 1965. No. 70014 was one of two locomotives allocated to the ‘Golden Arrow’ service and they had their outer lamp irons heightened to stop the oil lamps blowing out; they were cut down when the locomotives were reallocated to the London Midland Region in July 1958.

Following transfer from the Southern Region it was initially allocated to Kentish Town. In December 1960 it was transferred to Newton Heath, Manchester. No. 70014 would remain in traffic until 30th December 1967, when as with those remaining in general service it was withdrawn and in this case cut up at Inverkeithing in April 1968.

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rcrc5333 Locomotives working in-bound services to London Paddington did not have to visit Old Oak Common to be serviced as the GWR had a site at Ranelagh Bridge, which was located south of the running lines opposite Royal Oak station, enabling locomotives to be turned and serviced. This is where No. 70015 Apollo is seen on 23rd April 1958. New from Crewe Works on 12th June 1951 it was sent to the LMR’s depot at Camden, London. It was moved to the Eastern Region’s Stratford depot in early 1952 where it stayed until the summer of 1953. Its arrival then on the Western Region, at Old Oak Common, was followed by a move to Cardiff Canton in December 1956. It moved to the LMR at Trafford Park in the early summer of 1958, moved via a number of depots saw its arrival at its final home of Carlisle Kingmoor in early summer 1967.

It was withdrawn on 5th August 1967 and sent to the Shettleston yard of J. McWilliams for disposal.

rcrc5338 Cardiff Canton-allocated No. 70019 Lightning is seen here at Ranelagh Bridge on 12th March 1958 with the ‘Capitals United Express’ headboard in place on the top lamp iron – this must have been of bit of an effort for those of a short stature. The named train was introduced in 1956, linking London and Cardiff, running until 1963.

Surviving into the diesel era the depot saw less use following introduction of the HST units, ultimately closing in 1980.

The locomotive had a fairly nomadic career; allocated new to Newton Abbot on 30th June 1951 it was transferred to Plymouth’ Laira depot three months later, remaining there until December 1956 when it was moved to Cardiff Canton. A change of region occurred on 10th September 1961 when it moved to the LMR’s Carlisle Kingmoor depot.

Transfers to Longsight, both Crewe depots, and Aston took place until a final move to Carlisle Upperby in July 1965. It was withdrawn on 12th March 1966 and broken up by the West of Scotland Shipbreaking Co. at Troon.

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Above • rcrc5344 No. 70034 Thomas Hardy entered traffic on 20th December 1952 initially at Longsight before a spell on loan to the Southern Region at Stewarts Lane where it acquired the additional lamp irons on the smoke deflector stays.

It arrived at Stratford in May 1954 where it would remain until a move to Norwich took place in January 1959, followed by a move to March depot in June 1961. Transfer to the LMR saw it arrive at Willesden in April 1963, followed by stays at both Crewe depots and Newton Heath before arriving at Carlisle Kingmoor in May 1966. It was withdrawn from traffic on 6th May 1967 and scrapped at Shettleston four months later. No. 70034 is seen here at Bethnal Green at the head of the 9.45am Norwich-Liverpool Street service on 28th February 1959.

Opposite Page Top • rcrc5342 Following its introduction to traffic on 15th September 1952, and a period of running in, No. 70025 Western Star was sent to the Rugby Testing Station for a period of six months before reaching its allocated depot of Cardiff Canton in May 1953. No. 70025 would depart South Wales for Aston, working light engine via Shrewsbury in September 1961. It was reallocated to Crewe (North) in May 1965 before moving to the South shed in May 1965 following the closure of its former home. A move to Llandudno Junction came at the end of February 1966, where it stayed for two months before a return to Crewe. A final transfer to Carlisle Kingmoor took place in September 1966 from where it was withdrawn on 31st December 1967. Within a matter of days it would be reduced to a pile of scrap by Campbell’s cutters at Airdrie yard. It is seen here, at the head of a troop train, at Crewe on 9th August 1963.

Canton in the 1950s – it had the almost mandatory loan to the Southern Region during May 1953. The locomotive had two overhauls at Swindon works between November 1957 and September 1959 before having its only General Overhaul at Swindon in July 1961. It left the Western Region, probably light engine via Shrewsbury, for Aston depot early in the morning on 10th September 1961 – where it would remain until allocated to Holyhead during May 1963.

The locomotive was allocated at Crewe (South) from the summer of 1965, with a move to Llandudno in early 1966 followed by a return to Crewe (South) a couple of months later. By late summer 1966 it was allocated to Carlisle Kingmoor. The end for No. 70027 occurred on 1st July 1967 and, following a period in store at Carnforth, it was scrapped at Wishaw by the Motherwell, Machinery & Scrap Co the following November. The locomotive is seen here at Royal Oak on 10th September 1960 at the head of a South Wales express service. Note the additional shields behind the sand box filler covers.

Bottom • rcrc5343 No. 70027 Rising Star was introduced to service on 7th October 1952, and was allocated to Cardiff

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5350 No. 70040 Clive of India is seen leaving Stoke Hill Tunnel to the south of Ipswich station on 22nd March 1957 at the head of the 3.45pm Norwich-Liverpool Street service. Allocated new to Norwich Thorpe on 21st May 1953, it was transferred to Stratford the following June before a return to Norwich in January 1959. It left East Anglia for Immingham in December 1960, with a move to the LMR at Carlisle Upperby in December 1963. A final move across town saw its withdrawal from Kingmoor on 15th April 1967, and a sale to J. McWilliams saw it scrapped at the company’s Shettleston yard the following November.

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Below • rcrc5347 Awaiting departure from London Liverpool Street on 26th October 1959 is No. 70041 Sir John Moore that will be working back to its home depot of Norwich Thorpe with the 9.30 departure. New from Crewe Works on 20th March 1953 it was allocated to Stratford, moving to Norwich nearly six years later in January 1959. A move north to Immingham took place at the end of 1960, before transfer to the LMR at Carlisle Upperby in December 1963.

A move across town to Kingmoor followed a matter of weeks later in January 1964, from where it was withdrawn on 15th April 1967.

As with No. 70040 it was scrapped at Shettleston by McWilliams’ cutters during September.

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rcrc5351 During the morning rush hour of 8th October 1952 a three-train collision took place at Harrow & Wealdstone station that resulted in newly rebuilt LMS Pacific No. 46202 Princess Anne being destroyed. As a result permission was given for a replacement to be built in the form of No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester that entered service from Crewe Works on 22nd May 1954. The locomotive went on exhibition at Willesden between 25th May and 4th June before entering service at Crewe (North). In October 1954 the locomotive was loaned to the Western Region at Swindon for six months for a series of tests. The locomotive is illustrated at Crewe Works on 16th April 1961, where it had arrived for a Light Classified overhaul that was completed on 4th May. The locomotive was then displayed, from 11th-14th May, at Marylebone as part of an anniversary celebration of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers. No. 71000 was withdrawn from Crewe (North) on 24th November 1962 after a life of just over eight years and six months. It was fortunate enough to be sold to Dai Woodham, Barry, where it was to survive in his yard until secured for preservation in April 1974. Purchased minus cylinders, valve gear and a multitude of other parts – including its original tender – the locomotive made its first run in preservation on 25th May 1986.

rcrc5356 An initial batch of 10 that were to form the Class 6 locomotives with a Pacific wheel arrangement was sanctioned in November 1949. The first example to enter traffic was No. 72000 that departed Crewe Works for Polmadie on 29th December 1951. The Lord Provost of Glasgow named the locomotive Clan Buchanan on 16th January 1952 – the remainder of the class had nameplates fitted before leaving Crewe Works. No. 72000 was reallocated to Haymarket in October 1957 followed by a return to Polmadie and St. Margarets before a final return to its initial depot from where it was withdrawn on 29th December 1962 after a service life of 11 years. It was taken south to Darlington Works during September 1963 and cut early the following year. No. 72000 is seen at Carlisle Kingmoor on 23rd May 1959.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5357 No. 72005 Clan MacGregor is seen on its home shed of Carlisle Kingmoor on 16th June 1963.

The locomotive left Crewe Works on 19th February 1952 bound for Kingmoor where it was to stay until a move to Haymarket in October 1957. A return to Kingmoor took place in April 1958 from where it was withdrawn on 1st May 1965.

On 9th July 1960 the locomotive worked the 8.45pm Bradford-Bristol Temple Meads service throughout – the first and only ‘Clan’ to be seen there. The locomotive carries a replacement smoke box door number plate that has a surround to the backing plate. No. 72005 was sold to Arnot Young, West of Scotland Shipbreakers, Troon for disposal where it was cut up a couple of months later.

Opposite Page top • rcrc5359 New to traffic on 26th March 1952 No. 72009 Clan Stewart, it is seen inside the shed at Carlisle Kingmoor on 29th May 1959 undergoing maintenance. It escaped Scotland for a few weeks in September/October 1958 when it was sent south to Stratford to see how it compared with the Class 7-rated ‘Britannia’ Pacifics on the lines out of London Liverpool Street. Plans to construct a further 15 locomotives were put ‘on hold’ whilst the class was evaluated – ultimately these were never sanctioned – amazingly five were destined for the Southern Region that already had 110 of Bulleid’s Light Pacifics in traffic.

Exchanges. However this was deemed unnecessarily large and costly for a class 5 power requirement, so the successful LMS Class 5 4-6-0 design was used as the basis instead. The design work was done at the ex-LNER Doncaster Works but the bulk of the construction was done at Derby Works from where No. 73001 emerged on 9th May 1951. Initially allocated to the nearby depot the locomotive was transferred to the Western Region from March 1956 when it arrived at Shrewsbury depot. Subsequent transfers saw it allocated to Swindon, Bristol Barrow Road, Gloucester Horton Road and finally Bath Green Park from where it was withdrawn on 31st December 1965. It met its fate at the Newport, South Wales, scrap yard of Messrs.

Cashmore. The red circle beneath the locomotive’s number is the Western Region’s route restriction code. In this case the colour indicated that all locomotives were allowed with the exception of the ‘King’ class.

Bottom • rcrc5360 Standard Class 5MT No. 73001 is seen on shed at Swindon on 1st March 1959. The original design proposal for this class had a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement, similar in concept to the Bulleid Light Pacifics that performed impressively during the 1948 Locomotive 14

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Left • rcrc5361 The first station at Mangotsfield was opened on 1st May 1845 by the Bristol & Gloucester Railway, it was effectively now part of the Midland Railway, but had very little in the way of passenger amenities. The station was re-sited in 1869 to serve the new Mangotsfield and Bath line, becoming an important junction station with extensive facilities and six platforms. Passenger footfall however failed to match the station’s size, though at its peak eight staff were employed. The station closed on 7th March 1966 when passenger services to Bath ended following the Beeching Report – goods traffic had ceased on 10th June 1963. The line was to be closed on 3rd January 1970, but on 26th December 1969 an embankment collapse near Fishponds blocked the line and with closure imminent no attempt was made to repair it. No 73003 was accepted into traffic in May 1951 and is seen passing through the second station with the 3.55pm Gloucester-Bristol service on 5th October 1962. It was initially allocated to Leicester Midland depot, it spent a few weeks on loan to the Southern Region’s Nine Elms depot in May/June 1953 when the Bulleid Pacifics were temporarily withdrawn. January 1958 saw its transfer to Bristol Barrow Road before a move to the Western Region’s Shrewsbury depot. Transfers to Yeovil Town, Bristol Barrow Road (now operated by the WR), saw its arrival at Oxford in the summer of 1965 and from where it was withdrawn on the last day of steam on the WR – 31st December 1965. It met is fate in South Wales at the hands of Cashmore’s cutters the following June.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Opposite left • rcrc5362 Approaching Cowley Bridge Junction on 16th July 1958 is No. 73012. The junction, to the north of Exeter is where the former Great Western and Southern Railway routes diverged – the latter heading towards the holiday resorts of Bude and Padstow.

The locomotive emerged from Derby Works on 24th August 1951 being allocated to the LMR’s Holbeck depot where it was to remain until late summer 1953 when it was transferred to Sheffield Millhouses before a move to the WR at Shrewsbury. November 1956 saw a transfer to Swindon where it remained for seven years until a move to Llanelli in January 1964. A final move to Bristol Barrow Road five months later resulted in its withdrawal on 6th November 1964. It met is fate in Newport when it was scrapped by Buttigiegs during February 1965. Cowley Bridge Junction is named after a hamlet in the parish of Upton Pyne. Incidentally in 1848, the Exeter & Crediton Railway had built a station at Cowley Bridge, but it never opened.

Above • rcrc5367 No. 73028 is sporting BR’s mixed traffic black livery at Derby MPD on 25th September 1955.

The class was out-shopped in this livery, however some of those overhauled from late 1958 were painted in the standard lined Brunswick green colour scheme. Allocated to Bristol St. Philips Marsh depot at the time No. 73028 had just undergone a Light Intermediate overhaul at the nearby works and was waiting to be worked home. New to Blackpool Central depot in December 1951 the locomotive was transferred to the WR in late summer 1953 when it was sent to Bristol. Moves around the WR saw it at Bristol Barrow Road, Bath Green Park and both Gloucester depots before a return to the LMR at Oxley where it arrived in November 1964. A final move was to Bolton in April 1964, from where it was withdrawn on 10th December 1966 resulting in its disposal by Cashmores at Newport during April the following year.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Below • rcrc5370 St. Mary Cray junction, to the west of the station, is where we see No. 73043 with an eastbound service.

Originally having two side platforms with the tracks in between, the station was reconstructed in 1959 with two island platforms with tracks on either side of each. Today the station caters for services to central London via Bromley South, to Sevenoaks and Ashford and to Gillingham. The Up and Down Chatham Loop lines give access to the Chislehurst line. No. 73043 was released to traffic on 30th October 1953 and made its way to Patricroft where it remained until a move to Sheffield Grimesthorpe in the spring of 1958. A move to Canklow followed two years later. It arrived on the Southern Region at Eastleigh in early December 1962. It was transferred to Feltham around Christmas 1963, only to return to Eastleigh in late summer the following year. Spring 1965 saw a move to Guildford, before making the move to Nine Elms in spring 1966. It survived until the end of steam on the Southern, before making the usual trip to South Wales for scrap.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Opposite Page In 1895 the GWR directors announced that new lines were to be constructed to enable trains to reach Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance via a shorter and quicker route. The first stages involved improvements to the Berks & Hants Extension Railway and the Wilts, Somerset & Weymouth line which reduced the distance from London to Castle Cary by 14¼ miles (23km) and was double track throughout. This in turn was followed by the construction of the Langport & Castle Cary Railway, which was opened from Castle Cary to the existing Bristol to Exeter line at Cogload Junction in 1906.

This transformed Castle Cary from a station on a secondary north to south line, to one on a main east to west route.

The route resulting from these improvements and extensions forms the current London to Penzance line. No. 73029 entered traffic from Derby Works on 17th January 1952 at Blackpool Central before a move to the Western Region at Bristol St. Philips Marsh depot in late summer 1953. It is seen at the head of a freight service at Castle Cary on 7th July 1959. It had stints at Carmarthen and Swindon before a move to the Southern Region at Weymouth Radipole (the former GWR depot now in SR territory) in late summer 1958. It moved from Weymouth to Eastleigh and Guildford before arriving at Nine Elms in June 1966. It survived in traffic until the end of steam on the Southern on 9th July 1967, a trip to the scrapyards of South Wales followed where it was recycled by Cashmore’s cutters at Newport the following March.

top • rcrc5371 No. 73041, in charge of a London-bound service, is seen at the recently rebuilt St. Mary Cray station on 16th May 1959. The station, opened on 3rd December 1860 by the London, Chatham & Dover Railway originally had two side platforms with the tracks in between. It was reconstructed, and the line quadrupled, in 1959 and now has two island platforms with tracks on either side of each. No 73041 was initially allocated to Chester (Midland) when new from Derby Works in October 1953. During the summer of 1957 it was transferred to Holyhead before a change of region saw it arrive on the Southern in late spring 1959. After around a year at Stewarts Lane it moved the short distance to Nine Elms following which it was sent west to Weymouth in autumn 1959. Following two stints at both Weymouth and Eastleigh it arrived at Guildford in late spring 1965 only to be withdrawn a few weeks later on 20th June. It made the short trip to Eastleigh where George Cohen, Sons & Co cut it.

Below • rcrc5368 The station at Castle Cary was originally on the Wilts, Somerset & Weymouth Railway, which linked the GWR at Chippenham to Weymouth. The line was authorised in 1845, and acquired by the GWR in 1850 with the station opening on 1st September 1856 – the line was completed throughout in 1857. It became the GWR’s principal route from London Paddington to Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance for the remainder of the 19th century, albeit, an indirect one via Bristol Temple Meads (the so-called Great Way Round).

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Opposite • rcrc5373 It is 6th September 1959 and No. 73054 is seen, probably in store as the motion is greased for protection, outside Swindon Works following a General Overhaul that is recorded as taking place between 20th March and 10th September. The locomotive was new to Holbeck in June 1954; just over a year later it was reallocated to Derby that was followed by a move to Bristol Barrow Road in the spring of 1957. A change of regions took place in spring 1961 when it arrived at the WR’s Bath Green Park depot. Withdrawn on 25th August 1965 it was recycled by Cashmore’s cutters at Newport.

Below • rcrc5386 With the unmistakable background of Hamptons of Kensington’s warehouse No. 73082 stands on shed at Stewarts Lane on 10th May 1959; the locomotive was new to the Southern Region’s depot on 24th June 1955. Spring 1959 saw it make the short move to Nine Elms where it would remain until spring 1965 when it moved west to Guildford from where it would be withdrawn on 19th June 1966. In early 1959 it was announced that the original SR allocation of 20 locomotives, Nos. 73080-9 and 73110-9, were to be given names from recently withdrawn Urie ‘King Arthur’ class engines. No. 73082 gained its name Camelot on 28th August 1959, taking it from No. 30742 that had been withdrawn on 9th February 1957. Consigned to Dai Woodham’s Barry yard for disposal No. 73082 was saved for preservation in 1979 and re-entered service on the Bluebell Railway on 28th October 1995.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5383 No. 73084 is seen on shed at Reading South, almost certainly having worked in from London on a crosscountry service. The locomotive entered service on 29th July 1955 being allocated to Stewarts Lane. The usual reallocation to Nine Elms took place in the spring of 1959; whilst allocated there it gained the name Tintagel, originally carried by ‘King Arthur’ No. 30745, on 7th November 1959. Reallocated to Feltham in late summer 1965, a matter of weeks later saw it at Eastleigh from where it was withdrawn on 19th December 1965. No 73084’s scrapping location is uncertain, but almost certainly took place in South Wales. The original depot was opened by the Reading, Reigate & Guildford Railway on 4th July 1849 – the company was absorbed into the South Eastern Railway in 1852. Relocated in 1875 the shed was, by the date of the photograph, little more than a stabling point – closure came in January 1965.

Opposite • rcrc5379 The London Chatham & Dover Railway (LCDR) reached Margate from Herne Bay on 5th October 1863.

The station, originally known as Margate West, was rebuilt in 1926 to a design by the SR’s chief assistant architect, Edwin Maxwell Fry. The building, now Grade II listed, is constructed in a monumental classical style from brown brick with a stone dressing and a hipped tiled roof. The booking hall was built in a similar manner, in a distinctive ellipse shape with pendant lighting. No. 73083 was photographed as it ran into Margate station with an Up Ramsgate to Victoria service on 28th May 1959.

It was new to Stewarts Lane in July 1955, remaining there until spring 1959 when it was transferred to Nine Elms. The next move, to Feltham, took place in the summer of 1964 to be followed by a final transfer to Weymouth in November 1964. It was withdrawn on 4th September 1966 and took the familiar route to Cashmore’s yard at Newport for demolition. No. 73083 was to gain the name Pendragon on 24th October 1959 that was once carried by Maunsell’s N15 ‘King Arthur’ No. 30746.

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Above • rcrc5388 Looking in clean workaday condition No. 73089 stands on shed at Nine Elms on 26th June 1960 – a few weeks after release from a Heavy General overhaul at Eastleigh. The locomotive was new to Stewarts Lane on 9th September 1955 following completion at Derby Works. Spring 1958 saw it move to Nine Elms, followed by moves to Eastleigh and Guildford where it arrived in October 1965. It was withdrawn a year later on 25th September 1966 – a service life of 11 years and 16 days – scrapping was taken care of by Cashmores in Newport, South Wales. Whilst allocated to Nine Elms the locomotive was named Maid of Astolat on 12th May 1959, originally carried by No. 30744. The depot closed at the end of steam on the Southern on 9th July 1967, with the last two locomotives destined for scrap being towed away in September.

Below • rcrc5387 The fireman of No. 73089 signals his intent that the locomotive is ready to depart Nine Elms depot on 15th December 1962 as it blows off excess steam – probably much to the annoyance of the neighbours! The locomotive underwent a further visit to Eastleigh for a Light Intermediate service in September 1962. One obvious difference is that the nameplate-backing colour has changed – on this side at least it is now in red! The Beattie well tank, dating from the 1870s appears to be No. 30587 that is now part of the National Collection. Dominating the background is the concrete coaling tower, a feature of many a large depot – in a lot of cases demolition would have incurred the use of explosives to bring the structure down.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Right • rcrc5392 Whilst the majority of the class were constructed at Derby Works, the former LNER facility at Doncaster contributed 42 members of the class in five batches. No. 73112 left Doncaster Works for the Southern Region on 22nd October 1955.

Initially allocated to Nine Elms, where it is seen on shed, it was named Morgan Le Fay on 16th April 1960, originally carried by No. 30750, dating the image to after this event.

It was reallocated to Eastleigh in late summer 1964, returning to Nine Elms a few weeks later. It was withdrawn on 20th June 1965 and destined to be disposed of by T. W. Ward at its Beighton, Sheffield, site the following November.

Below • rcrc5390 Another product from Doncaster, No. 73115 was ex-works on 15th November 1955 and entered traffic at Nine Elms. It is seen here on shed at Salisbury on 6th September 1959; it would be named King Pellimore on 14th February 1960, originally carried by No. 30738. Late summer 1964 would see it move west to Eastleigh before a return to Nine Elms in June 1966. A final move to Guildford took place in late summer 1966 before its withdrawal on 19th March 1967. As with so many of the class its end would come at the hands of Cashmore’s cutters in Newport.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5391 Something must have gone wrong on 15th June 1957 as No. 73155, which is seen taking water from the troughs at Ruislip, is hauling ‘The Master Cutler’, a service that was usually hauled by one of Gresley’s Class A3 Pacifics. At a meeting of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire in 1947 Sir Ronald Matthews (1886-1959), a former holder of the office of Master Cutler and at the time Chairman of the London & North Eastern Railway suggested that the 7.40am train from Sheffield Victoria to London Marylebone, and the return at 6.15pm, should be named ‘The Master Cutler’. The service was introduced on 6th October 1947, running on the Great Central main line from Sheffield Victoria to London Marylebone calling at

26

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Nottingham Victoria and Leicester Central. The locomotive was ex-Doncaster Works on 19th December 1956, being the first of a batch of 10 (Nos. 73155-64) being allocated to the Eastern Region’s Neasden depot. Transfer to the LMR followed when it was moved to Sheffield Millhouses in the spring of 1958, moving to Canklow in January 1962. It was transferred to the Southern Region in December 1962 when it arrived at Eastleigh. Stints at Feltham and Guildford saw it withdrawn from the latter on 9th July 1967. With no more steam on the Southern it ended its days at Cashmore’s Newport yard.

27

rcrc5395 The Class 4MT was introduced in 1951. They were designed for mixed traffic use on secondary routes where the BR Standard Class 5 and their predecessors, the Stanier Black Fives, would be too heavy. They were essentially a tender version of the Standard 4 2-6-4T, with similar characteristics to the GWR Manor class, though unlike the ‘Manors’ they were built to the universal loading gauge. Design work was done at Brighton with help from Swindon, Derby and Doncaster.

Construction of all 80 of the class was at Swindon Works. At 9.30am on 14th October 1962 No. 75004 was photographed at Pontypool Road shed. The locomotive was ex-works on 27th August 1951 and was sent to Bristol Bath Road. Subsequent transfers around the WR saw stays at Shrewsbury, Swindon, Oxford, Cardiff Canton, Bristol Barrow Road and Templecombe. The locomotive was fitted with a double blastpipe and chimney at Swindon in February 1962 during the course of an overhaul; the blue circle on the cab is the GWR/WR route restriction code. Following fitting of the double chimney the locomotive saw service at Templecombe, Bath Green Park and Machynlleth, before ending its service life at Shrewsbury on 11th March 1967.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Right • rcrc5397 On 5th March 1960 No. 75005 was recorded

by Dick at Winchester Chesil station on the former Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway (DN&SR), Chesil Street tunnel (441yd [403m]) was at the northern end of the platforms. The locomotive, one of the first batch of 10, was new from Swindon Works to Shrewsbury on 9th September 1951 – it was fitted with a double chimney in February 1962.

Subsequent moves saw it allocated to Cardiff Canton, Oswestry, Chester West, Tyseley, Worcester, Gloucester Horton Road, Exmouth Junction and Yeovil Town before a second stint at Worcester from where it was withdrawn on 18th November 1965. The DN&SR was a cross-country railway running north-south between Didcot, Newbury and Winchester. Its promoters intended an independent route to Southampton and envisaged heavy traffic from the Midlands and North of England to the port. As with numerous grandiose schemes the company ran out of funds to complete its independent line to Southampton and, following a few years as a terminus it was connected to the London & South Western Railway at Shawford in 1885.

The intended heavy through traffic never materialised, and the line was dependent on larger railways – the Great Western Railway and the London & South Western Railway – for support, which was not freely given. The company was absorbed by the GWR in 1923 following the Railways Act of 1921.

The route became strategically important during World War 2 when huge volumes of munitions and troops were transported to the south coast ports, particularly in the build up for the Normandy landings. To cope with the additional traffic the Didcot to Newbury section was doubled, whilst the southern section was upgraded with extended passing loops. The line never carried heavy passenger volumes and declining traffic led to its closure in stages from 1960 to 1964. Winchester Chesil (Cheesehill until 26th September 1949) closed to passenger traffic on 7th March 1960 and totally on 4th April 1966. Today the station site is a multi-storey car park.

Left • rcrc5399 Still looking very smart in lined-green livery, complete with later totem on the tender, No. 75016 is seen on Willesden shed on 12th September 1964 whilst allocated to Nuneaton – it had been out shopped by Eastleigh following a Light Intermediate overhaul a few weeks earlier.

New from Swindon Works on 3rd January 1952 its initial allocation was to Southport, before moving to Nuneaton in May 1963. Two years later in June 1965 saw a reallocation to Shrewsbury, followed by a transfer to Croes Newydd, Wrexham, in June 1967. Three months later it was in use at Colwick as a stationary boiler; withdrawal came on 8th July 1967 with disposal by T. W. Ward at Killamarsh.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5402 No. 75022 underwent two Heavy General overhauls at Swindon Works, the first between 17th December 1958 and 20th February 1959 (when it was fitted with a double chimney), the second from 18th April and 25th June 1962. It was photographed outside the works, with rods greased for protection, on 17th June 1962 waiting for its tender before re-entering traffic. It was new to Cardiff Canton on 2nd December 1953, it moved to Swansea’s Paxton Street depot (serving Victoria station) in spring 1957, only to return to Cardiff two months later. A move to England saw it allocated to Bristol Barrow Road (twice), Oxford, Exmouth Junction (twice) and Worcester from where it was withdrawn on 31st December 1965 at the end of steam on the Western Region.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

31

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

32

rcrc5401 The Great Western Railway station opened in Oxford on 12th June 1844 with a terminus station in what is now Western Road, Grandpont. In 1845 the Oxford & Rugby Railway (ORR) began to build its line, starting from a junction at New Hinksey ¾ mile (1.2km) south of the GWR terminus.

The junction, known as Millstream, was situated between the future sites of Hinksey and Abingdon Road halts, both of which opened in 1908. The GWR absorbed the ORR while it was still being built, and opened the line as far as Banbury on 2nd September 1850.

For just over two years, trains from Oxford to Banbury started at Grandpont, however they had to reverse at Millstream Junction in order to continue their journey. The ORR line included a new through station in Park End Street, this opened with the extension of the line from Banbury to Birmingham on 1st October 1852; the original Grandpont terminus was closed to passenger services becoming a goods depot, however this was closed completely on 26th November 1872, the day that the broad gauge tracks were removed north of Didcot.

The station was substantially rebuilt by the Western Region of British Railways in 1971, further improvements being carried out during 1974 including the provision of a new travel centre, and a new main building and footbridge were added in 1990. No. 75024 is seen at Oxford on 15th August 1959 at the head of a Birmingham-Portsmouth service.

It was new to traffic from Swindon Works on 18th December 1953, being allocated to Oswestry. Moves around the WR followed with stints at Shrewsbury, Oxford, Swindon, Tyseley, Machynlleth and Croes Newydd, Wrexham. Transfer to the LMR saw the locomotive allocated to Holyhead, from June 1965, Machynlleth (by now part of LMR territory), Stoke and Tebay from where it was withdrawn on 11th November 1967. Consigned to Birds Commercial Motors Ltd. at Long Marston it was recycled the following spring.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Opposite • rcrc5403 The Middlehill Tunnel at Box is often described as the forgotten one. People visiting Box often stop to admire the iconic portal of Box Tunnel at the viewing platform off the London Road. However, if they looked west from London Road bridge, they would see another of Brunel’s wonders, the tunnel portal at Middlehill (both portals are Grade II* listed) that is where we see No. 75027 on 4th July 1959. New to Plymouth’s Laira depot on 17th March 1954 the locomotive remained on the WR’s books, with periods allocated to Reading (WR), Oxford, Swindon, Templecombe, Machynlleth and Croes Newydd (Wrexham) until transfer to the LMR at Bank Hall. This was followed with allocations to Aintree, Skipton, Carnforth and Tebay. It was withdrawn from Carnforth depot on 3rd July 1968 being selected for preservation on the Bluebell Railway.

Above • rcrc5408 Members of the class that were destined for service on the Southern Region, Nos. 75065-79 were fitted with high-sided tenders, holding 4,750 gallons (2,621 litres), as there were no water troughs on the region enabling tenders to be refilled whilst on the move. No. 75065 is seen with the 9.35 Victoria-Reigate service near Bickley on 13th June 1959, passing two newly delivered 4CEP units – vehicle S61340 is identifiable – test running of which commenced in October that year. No. 75065 was delivered new to Dover Marine on 26th August 1955. Subsequent moves around the region saw it allocated to Bournemouth (during which period it was fitted with a double chimney in April 1961 whilst undergoing a Heavy General overhaul at Eastleigh), Eastleigh and Basingstoke, before a second stint at Eastleigh from where it was withdrawn on 4th September 1966. It made the move to Buttigiegs yard in Newport for disposal.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5405 London’s Cannon Street station was built on a site of a medieval yard, that was the English trading base of the Hanseatic League. The South Eastern Railway constructed it in order to have a terminal in the City and to compete with the rival London, Chatham & Dover Railway. This required a new bridge across the River Thames, which was constructed between 1863 and 1866. The station was initially a stop for continental services from Charing Cross, and that route was convenient for travel between the City and the West End, until the construction of the District Railway. It remained popular with commuters, though its off-peak services were discontinued in the early 20th century, leading to it being closed on Sundays for almost 100 years. The station was characterised by its two Christopher Wren-style towers, 23ft (7m) square and 135ft (41m) high, which faced on to the River Thames, one of which is seen above 2HAP unit No. 6019. No. 75068 is seen here departing Cannon Street with the 5.18pm service to Dover on 12th June 1959. It was new to traffic from Swindon Works on 15th September 1959 and was to spend almost four years allocated to Dover Marine before being reallocated to Bournemouth in the spring of 1959. Subsequent moves saw it shedded at Eastleigh, Brighton, Stewarts Lane and Norwood Junction before a return to Eastleigh from where it was withdrawn on 2nd July 1966. As with the rest of the Southern’s allocation’s of Class 4MT 4-6-0s it was fitted with a double chimney in this case during a Heavy General overhaul at Eastleigh that took place between 15th December 1960 and 21st January 1961. Following withdrawal at the end of Southern Steam it was recycled by Birds Commercial Motors at its Risca, South Wales, yard the following spring.

Opposite • rcrc5407 The main station in Bournemouth was designed by William Jacob, chief engineer of the London & South Western Railway. Opening on 20th July 1885 as Bournemouth East it replaced the original station of the same name on the opposite side of Holdenhurst Road that was operational from 1870 to 1885. Due to the insistence of town authorities it was over 0.62 miles (1km) from the town centre at the time. It was renamed Bournemouth Central on 1st May 1899 and became Bournemouth on 10th July 1967 following the closure of Bournemouth West. Sporting its double chimney, fitted during a Heavy General overhaul at Eastleigh between 24th May and 24th June 1961, No. 75076 is seen departing Bournemouth Central on 15th June 1967; by this date the infrastructure for the third rail electrification had reached Bournemouth and continued beyond to Branksome and the Bournemouth Train & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot. New from Swindon Works on 9th December 1955 No. 75076 was sent west to Exmouth Junction, remaining there for six months before heading east to Basingstoke where it remained for seven years. March 1963 saw it move to Nine Elms, and then a little over two years later to Eastleigh where it was taken out of service at the end of Southern steam on 9th July 1967, following classmate No. 75068 to Birds at Risca. In addition to the 80 examples of the class that saw service, an additional 10 – intended for the Eastern Region – were cancelled in September 1956 as by time the end of steam traction was in sight.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5414 The Class 4MT 2-6-0 was designed at the ex-LNER works at Doncaster which was also responsible for building 70 of the 115-strong class – the remaining 45 were built at Horwich. None were built at Derby Works although it was intended that 20 would be built there, Doncaster in fact took them on. The last in the series, No. 76114, was also the final steam engine to be constructed at the ‘Plant’ (as Doncaster works was known). No. 76099 was last steam locomotive to be built at Horwich and in fact, was the last of the class to be completed, just after 76114 at Doncaster. The Standard Four Mogul was essentially a standardised version of the LMS Ivatt Class 4, and was primarily intended for freight use. No. 76008 is seen arriving Bournemouth Central on 8th April 1967, the nearby depot – visible between the locomotive and 4REP No. 3003 – would be its home for its last few weeks of service – on 14th May it would join the depot’s line up of condemned locomotives. A product of the former Lancashire & Yorkshire works at Horwich it had entered traffic at Eastleigh in February 1953, later moving to Salisbury in the spring of 1955.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5423 A few minutes later No. 76008 is seen at the London end of the station. The steam-era track layout through the station had two centre roads, the London end of these were taken out of use on 3rd December 1966, being removed within a matter of days leaving the layout as seen here with the Up and Down lines serving platforms 2 and 3 respectively. Demolition of the locomotive sheds to the west of the station followed rapidly at the end of steam and the station car park took over their site. The last carriage of the short three-coach train, a BR Mark 1 brake, is in the new corporate blue/grey livery.

39

rcrc5416 Nearing the end of the 19th Century the London & South Western Railway wanted to concentrate its existing maintenance and repair works on a single site and land at Eastleigh was purchased; a new carriage and wagon works opened in 1891 replacing the existing facilities at Northam, Southampton. Expansion followed and in 1903, the Chief Mechanical Engineer, Dugald Drummond, oversaw the construction of a large motive power depot in the town. In January 1910, locomotive building was likewise transferred to the new workshops at Eastleigh from Nine Elms in London. In 1950, following nationalisation, new steam locomotive building ceased at Eastleigh. However the works were kept fully occupied between 1956 and 1961 in rebuilding 90 of Bulleid’s Pacifics. Thereafter the works gradually transferred from steam and diesel repairs. In 1962, the works was again reorganised with the carriage works site being sold, with carriage and EMUs repairs transferred to the main locomotive works. No. 76011 is seen cold outside Eastleigh Works on 9th September 1962, the following day it would enter the works for a Light Casual overhaul, being released back into traffic on the 22nd. It was new from Horwich Works on 23rd March 1953, and would stay at the nearby depot until late summer 1958 when it was transferred to Yeovil Town. Reallocated to Eastleigh in early 1959 it would remain there until a final transfer to Bournemouth on 10th October 1965. It was in service until the end of Southern steam on 9th July 1967, following which it was consigned to the Morriston yard of Birds for scrapping.

rcrc5424 Two batches of the class were destined for the Eastern Region, totalling 15 locomotives – Nos. 76030-44 – all were constructed at Doncaster between November 1953 and August 1954. No. 76031 was released to traffic on 27th November 1953 and was allocated to Stratford depot where it is pictured on 6th March 1958. It was reallocated to March shed in November 1960 remaining there until December 1962 when transferred to the Southern Region. Initially at Brighton it was moved to Guildford in the late summer of 1963 before a move to Eastleigh early in 1965. A return to Guildford in June 1966 saw it survive until the end of steam on the Southern on 9th July 1967 – making its final journey to Birds yard at Morriston.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5417 No. 76053 hustles its three coach Tonbridge-Reading service along near Redhill on 17th August 1958. New to Redhill shed on 23rd April 1955 it would stay five years before swapping divisions from Central to Western when it arrived at Salisbury in spring 1960.

Subsequent moves to Guildford, Feltham and Eastleigh saw a return to Guildford in June 1966. It would not survive until the end of Southern steam being withdrawn on 29th January 1967, being sold to Cashmores and scrapped at its Newport yard the following summer. Later members of the class originally allocated to the Southern Region, Nos. 76053-69, were fitted with high-sided tenders with increased water capacity, as there were no water troughs enabling additional water to be collected whilst on the move.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

43

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5422 The original shed at Bournemouth East was opened by the Ringwood, Christchurch & Bournemouth Railway on 14th March 1870; the company being absorbed by the London & South Western Railway on 1st January 1874. This was replaced in 1883, a change of name came on 1st May 1899 when the station, and shed, were renamed Bournemouth Central. The depot was subsequently enlarged in 1888 with the last major alterations in 1936 when a 65ft turntable was installed. No. 76057 is seen sitting on the 1936 table on 27th June 1962 when it was allocated to the depot. Constructed at Doncaster it entered traffic on 21st May 1955 being allocated to Redhill, and arriving at Bournemouth in late autumn 1959. It was withdrawn week ending 2nd October 1966 and consigned to Cashmores of Newport for disposal.

Opposite • rcrc5427 The station that would be the original southern terminus of the London & Southampton Railway was opened as ‘Southampton’ on 10th June 1839, although it was not officially operational until 11th May 1840, due to the track not being fully linked between Winchester and Basingstoke. During construction the company changed its name to the London & South Western Railway. Initially the station had two platforms however it did not originally handle passenger services due to a dispute over running rights; to overcome this, a small platform at Northam Road was opened. During September 1896 the station was renamed to ‘Southampton Town & Docks’, later changing to ‘Southampton Town for Docks’ in November 1912 and finally renamed as ‘Southampton Terminus’ on 9th July 1923. The station did not feature in BR’s modernisation plans and was closed to passengers and parcels traffic on 5th September 1966 prior to electrification between London Waterloo and Bournemouth. A smart looking No. 76064 is seen at Southampton Terminus on 26th June 1957 with a rake of ‘blood and custard’ liveried carriages in tow. It was new from Doncaster Works to Eastleigh in July 1956, which was to be its only shed until withdrawn at the end of Southern steam on 9th July 1967 when it was consigned to Birds at Morriston for recycling.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5425 The London & Southampton Railway’s line between the names in its title was built in sections with Winchester becoming a temporary northern terminus for line from Southampton on 10th June 1839. On the same day, a station was opened at Basingstoke, which was the temporary southern terminus of line from London.

The following year, the line was completed between the two temporary termini with Winchester becoming a through station on 30th March 1840.

The station was known as Winchester City from 1949-67 to distinguish it from Winchester (Chesil) station that was on the DN&S line illustrated earlier.

The Southern Railway built a small engine shed in 1927; this housed a shunting locomotive that worked in the local goods yard that on the occasion of Dick’s visit was being shunted by Class P No. 31325 as No. 76067 runs through Winchester City with a London-bound service on 24th June 1957. The shed was closed, together with the goods yard, in 1963 – although freight traffic continued to be handled until 6th January 1969. No. 76067 was new from Doncaster in August 1956 being allocated to Eastleigh, moving to Salisbury in early 1960 with a final move to Bournemouth in spring 1967.

As with many Bournemouth Class 4s it survived until the end of steam, before ending it days at George Cohen’s yard at Morriston.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

47

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5430 This design was derived from the Ivatt-designed LMS Class 2 2-6-0, with a reduced cab to enable it to fit into the universal loading gauge, and other standard fittings, most notably a taller chimney. Like its LMS predecessor the BR design had a tender cab to enhance crew protection and visibility when running tender-first. Darlington works was responsible for building the entire fleet of 65 engines and for a time construction of the LMS and BR designs overlapped.

The last No. 78064 was completed in 1956, however the class remained intact for just seven years. The first to be withdrawn, No. 78015, was a Darlington-based engine. The second of the class to be constructed, No 78001, left the works on 23rd December 1952 being allocated to Oswestry. A transfer to Machynlleth followed in spring 1953 before a move across the border to Worcester in May 1954. In January 1964 it was transferred to Gloucester Barnwood, then across town to Horton Road from where it was withdrawn on 31st December 1965, at the end of Western Region steam. It is seen here taking water at Dursley on 30th June 1965. The shed had been built by the Dursley & Midland Junction Railway, opening on 26th August 1856 – it was converted from a pre-existing building – the shed itself had already been closed by BR on 10th September 1962.

Opposite • rcrc5421 No. 76076 was new from Horwich on 12th December 1956 and entered traffic at Sutton Oak (Peasley Cross) depot that was destined to be its only home until withdrawal on 26th November 1966, a service life of a little under 10 years. As well as constructing locomotives, the first emerged in 1889, the last, No. 76099, in November 1957, Horwich was also responsible for overhauling them. The last steam locomotive (Class 8F 2-8-0 No. 48756) was despatched after overhaul on 4th May 1964. Locomotives requiring attention had to be sent elsewhere, as a result No. 76076 was sent south to Swindon for a Heavy Casual overhaul that took place between 17th January and 28th August 1964. It is seen here on 16th August waiting to be returned to Sutton Oak. In October 1969 Horwich became part of British Rail Engineering Ltd, and continued in use as a works for other rolling stock up until it closed in December 1983.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

50

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5433 No. 78004 was photographed on 12th May 1965 at Stonehouse Wharf alongside the Stroudwater Canal.

The Stonehouse & Nailsworth Railway was promoted independently to connect the industrial town of Nailsworth to the main line railway network at Stonehouse. It opened in 1867, but, as with a number of companies, was immediately in financial difficulty; being purchased by the Midland Railway in 1868. As a response to the postwar national fuel emergency, the passenger service was suspended in early 1947 but the suspension was shortly made permanent with closure in June.

The local goods service continued until 1st June 1966 when the line was completely closed. As with No. 78001, No. 78004 was new to Oswestry entering traffic on 21st January 1953, before moving to Machynlleth in late spring 1953. It moved to England in January 1954 with stints at Swindon and Hereford before returning to Wales at Llanelli depot in January 1964. Six months later it returned to England being allocated to Gloucester Horton Road from where it was withdrawn on 18th November 1965.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

52

rcrc5438 One of England’s first railways, outside the northeast was the Leicester & Swannington Railway (L&SR). It was built to bring coal from West Leicestershire collieries into Leicester, where there was great demand for fuel. The line opened in 1832, and included a tunnel over a mile in length. When it was built, the L&SR was the only railway in the area, and with a view to expansion the Midland Railway (MR) decided to acquire the company – taking possession in 1847. Initially the MR and the L&SR were not connected, but the MR constructed a route from its main line to Burton, using part of the L&SR. The Groby Granite Railway branch opened on the same day as the L&SR, joining the line about halfway between Glenfield and Ratby. An early casualty the branch closed around 1843.

Following an MR upgrade to the L&SR, the Groby branch was re-opened around 1866-1870 with proper running junction complete sidings put in place. The branch ran northward for over three miles, to the Old Groby Quarry, that was close to the centre of Groby village. Later extensions linked it to other quarries in and near Groby, which is where No. 78028 was photographed running tender first on 8th May 1964 as it crosses a country lane at the head of a freight service that includes six wagon loads of ballast. The locomotive was ex-works during July 1954 and sent to Leicester (Midland) where it remained until January 1959 when it was reallocated to Kettering, this was followed by stays at Nottingham and Coalville before a return to Leicester in September 1964. Subsequent moves to Toton in July 1966 and Bolton in November 1966 saw it withdrawn from the latter on 11th February 1967 – Cashmores dismantled the locomotive at its Great Bridge yard.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5441 Unlike some of its classmates that were trundling around bucolic branch lines No. 78030 was sent to Preston when new from Darlington in September 1954 before heading south to Crewe (North) in April 1956. It is seen here on 6th August 1960 in the company of ‘Patriot’ Class 6P No. 45543 Home Guard, that had been built in the nearby works 26 years earlier.

October 1964 saw No. 78030 move across town to Crewe (South) from where it was withdrawn on 9th October 1965 after a career of just over 11 years, by contrast No. 45543 served for well over 28. No. 78030 would succumb to Cashmore’s cutters at Guide Bridge during December 1965. Crewe station was opened on 4th July 1837 by the Grand Junction Railway (GJR).

The location had been chosen after Winsford, seven miles to the north, had rejected an earlier proposal, as had local landowners in neighbouring Nantwich, four miles away. The GJR’s purpose was to link the four largest cities of England by joining the existing Liverpool & Manchester Railway with the projected London & Birmingham Railway. It was the first station to have its own adjacent railway hotel, the Crewe Arms Hotel, built in 1838; the first to be completely rebuilt owing to the need for expansion and also the first to have completely independent rail lines built around it to ease traffic congestion.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5458 At nationalisation the LMR had a number of ex-LMS 2-6-4T and the WR a number of ex-GWR Large Prairie 2-6-2T types. These locomotives were particularly suited to commuter and secondary services. However, particularly in Scotland and the Southern Region, the situation was not so good, with large numbers of pre-grouping types struggling on. On the decision to build the BR Standard series of locomotives, a series of Class 4 tank engines was ordered, based on the ex-LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T with some modifications. The lineage of the class could therefore be tracked through the LMS/BR Class 4 2-6-4T locomotives back to the Fowler design of 1927. Design work was done at Brighton; the variation to the Fairburn design involved the reduction of their envelope to enable them to fit into the standard loading gauge. To do this, the tanks and cab were made more curved than the Fairburn design, these having a straight-sided tank. 130 of the class of 155 were built at Brighton, with 15 (Nos. 80000-80009, 80054-80058) from Derby Works and 10 (Nos. 80106-80115) contributed by Doncaster Works between 1951 and 1956. The first to emerge was No. 80010 from Brighton in 1951. Fifteen that were due to be constructed in 1957 were cancelled, due to impending dieselisation, and the last five would have been too, had they not been at an advanced stage of construction when the order came to cancel them. The second of the class to emerge was No. 80011 that is seen at Oxted, one of the pre-grouping locomotives the class was designed to replace is seen alongside in the shape of ex-South Eastern & Chatham Railway Class H No. 31522 dating from 1909. No. 80011 emerged from Brighton Works on 21st July 1951 being allocated to Tunbridge Wells West. Following a move to Brighton in November 1956 it had spells at Three Bridges, Redhill, Eastleigh, and Guildford before ending its career at Bournemouth on 9th July 1967, a service life of just less than 16 years.

55

rcrc5446 No. 80015 heads an Up empty coaching stock (ECS) working through Vauxhall on 8th July 1967 – one day before its withdrawal – looking in need of a good clean. The locomotive was new to Tunbridge Wells West on 14th September 1951, followed by allocations to Brighton, Eastleigh and Nine Elms where it arrived in October 1965. Most of the Standard 4s that survived until the end of steam on the Southern were recycled by Birds Commercial Motors Ltd; No. 80015 ended up in its yard at Risca. In-bound coaching stock to Waterloo that required servicing was worked ECS to Clapham Junction where they would be cleaned internally and had the water tanks topped up. They could also be cleaned externally by a washing plant situated on one of the approach lines.

rcrc5450 No. 80039 takes the former Buckinghamshire Railway route to Bicester and Bletchley at Oxford North Junction on 15th August 1959 whilst allocated to Bletchley – a few weeks later it would head south to the Southern Region at Ashford. Opened from Bletchley to Oxford Road Junction in 1850 and the final section to Oxford Rewley Road opened on 20th May 1851. The company was taken over by the London & North Western Railway in 1879. No. 80039 was new to Bletchley on 18th June 1952, returning there in 1955 after a period at Longsight. Following its move south it also saw service at Tonbridge and Exmouth Junction.

After a change of regional boundaries it served the WR at Bath Green Park, Exmouth Junction and Yeovil Town before arriving at Templecombe in the summer of 1965 from where it was withdrawn on 21st January 1966 shortly before the Somerset & Dorset line was closed to all traffic.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5448 No. 80077 is seen running light engine through Purfleet on 23rd March 1957. The station, situated between Rainham to the west and Grays to the east was opened on 13th April 1854 by the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway. Initially trains ran from Tilbury to Stratford where the train split for either Spitalfields or Fenchurch Street. No. 80077 was new to Plaistow on 12th January 1954, with later moves to Tilbury, Stratford and March before departing for the LMR at Ardsley in early December 1962. Subsequently it was sent to Scotland being allocated to Ardrossan from October 1963, with a final move to Corkerhill in July 1964 from where it was withdrawn on 12th October of the same year. It was recycled by the Motherwell Machinery & Scrap at its Wishaw Works early the following year.

58

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

59

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5452 No. 80081 was new to Bletchley on 31st March 1954 remaining there until transferred to Willesden in early November 1959. By the end of the year it had moved south to Stewarts Lane with a move to Weymouth in summer 1963.

A final reallocation took it to Bournemouth a matter of weeks later, where it survived for almost two years being withdrawn on 8th June 1965. It is seen here at Clapham Junction with a service from London Victoria to Tunbridge Wells on 10th September 1962. The carriage set can be identified as Set 955, that at the time of the illustration consisted of Maunsell 1936-constructed vehicles Brake Third Corridor (BTK) No. S4237S)/Composite Corridor No. S5695S and BTK No. S4238S – the set was withdrawn in December 1963.

60

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5451 No. 80094 is seen at Eastleigh shed on 14th May 1960, a few weeks after receiving a General overhaul in the nearby works that lasted from 23rd March to 23rd April – the locomotive was probably running-in before returning to Three Bridges where it was allocated at the time. The locomotive was new to Kentish Town on 25th October 1954 where it stayed for two years before a move to Bangor, a year later saw it allocated to Birkenhead Mollington Street. December 1959 saw it sent to the Southern Region where it was allocated to Three Bridges. Subsequent moves saw it allocated to Stewarts Lane, Brighton, Redhill and Feltham. It was withdrawn on 31st July 1966 and scrapped in Morriston by G. Cohen’s cutters in early 1967.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5449 No. 80101 is seen minus its motion at Stratford on 7th May 1961. The locomotive had returned to the shed following a General overhaul at Darlington between 18th February and 15th April – it may have ‘failed’ on the trip south, or be waiting to have the motion refitted having been hauled south. It was new to the LTSR depot at Plaistow on 7th February 1955, moving to Tilbury in early November 1959 before moving to Stratford in June 1964. It ended its stint in the south when it was reallocated to the WR’s shed at Shrewsbury on 15th July 1962. It moved to Wales in late summer 1962 when it was allocated to Machynlleth, which was followed by a move to Croes Newydd, Wrexham, in February 1963. A return to Machynlleth came a few weeks later, it was withdrawn on 17th July 1965 and scrapped at Morriston by Birds that October.

62

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63

rcrc5447 A long way from its home depot of Nine Elms, No. 80133 is seen at Bournemouth MPD on 8th April 1967. It was new to Plaistow on 23rd March 1956 moving to Shoeburyness in early November 1959.

Transferred to the WR at Swansea East Dock on 15th July 1962, it was moved to Neath (Court Sark) depot the following spring before a reallocation to Landore in early summer 1964. Transfer to the Southern Region came on 9th August 1964 with it allocated to Feltham; a final move to Nine Elms took place in mid-November the same year. Withdrawn on 9th July 1967, the locomotive was stored at Salisbury prior to its disposal; it was sold in October to Birds who scrapped the locomotive at its Risca yard a few weeks later.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

65

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66

rcrc5459 No. 80146 hauls its three-coach local service from Wareham into Swanage on 4th June 1966. It was new to Brighton shed, from the works next door, on 30th October 1956.

It was transferred west to Eastleigh in late summer 1963 with a final move to Bournemouth at the end of 1963.

As with many of the Southern allocation it was withdrawn at the end of steam on 9th July 1967. The Swanage Railway Co. was incorporated on 18th July 1881 and was amalgamated with the larger London & South Western Railway in 1886. Due to increasing tourist traffic the station was extensively rebuilt in 1937 – the rebuilding work blending well with the original structure. In the 1960s, usage of rural branch lines declined rapidly as road transport for both goods and passengers improved. Surprisingly, the route was not mentioned in ‘The Reshaping of British Railways’ report published in 1963, which recommended the closure of many such lines.

Despite this plans were in place for closure in 1967 as it was not included in the electrification upgrade. However, despite local opposition the line’s closure occurred on 3rd January 1970 – diesel-electric multiple-units operated the passenger service following steam’s demise – leaving a residual freight service over part of the line handling mineral traffic; the now closed line was rapidly lifted. In May 1972, the Swanage Railway Society was formed with the objective of restoring an all-the-year-round community railway service linking to the main line at Wareham – the connection to the main line at Worgret junction was achieved in 2009.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5457 On 11th March 1961 No. 80147 was caught as it hauled a RedhillTonbridge service near Nutfield. It was new to Brighton depot on 15th November 1956.

In the summer of 1963 it was transferred to Weymouth with a move back east to Bournemouth a few weeks later. It would not survive to the end of steam on the Southern being withdrawn on 13th June 1965. The line was originally part of the South Eastern Railway, having been sanctioned

by Act of Parliament in 1836 as part of the first railway line from London to Dover. This may explain why the route runs in a remarkably straight line: serving the settlements en route was a secondary consideration. Following the completion in 1868 of the new South Eastern main line, which provided a much more direct route between London and Tonbridge, the Redhill-Tonbridge line was used mainly for local services. As a matter of interest aircraft landing at London’s Croydon Airport in the early 20th century used this line to help with navigation. All the stations along this route had their names in bold white paint on the roof of the station buildings.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5460 The last of the class to be constructed at Brighton Works, No. 80154, entered traffic on 26th March 1957 being allocated to the adjacent depot where it is seen on 13th April 1958 still looking very smart – it has been reported that whilst the depot was short of drivers and firemen it was never short of cleaners! In the summer of 1963 the locomotive was reallocated to Feltham before a move to Nine Elms, in November 1964, from where it was withdrawn on 2nd April 1967.

The order for an additional 15 locomotives, Nos. 80155-69, for the region was cancelled.

Opposite • rcrc5462 No. 80153 is seen at Brighton depot on 7th October 1962 – it was new from the nearby works on 25th February 1957. Its one and only transfer came at the end of 1963 when it was moved to Redhill from where it was withdrawn on 7th March 1965 after a service life of 8 years and 10 days. The first shed at Brighton was opened by the London & Brighton Railway on 12th May 1840. Closed in 1861 it was replaced by a larger structure in the fork of the London and Shoreham lines. When the Carriage & Wagon Departments moved from Brighton to Lancing the building was incorporated into the adjacent running shed – this was closed around 1933. The running shed was closed on 15th June 1961 with both buildings demolished during 1966.

71

rcrc5473 The BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2T was essentially a hybrid design, the chassis being closely based on and sharing a number of parts with the LMS Ivatt Class 4, and having a boiler derived from a GWR No.2 boiler design as fitted to the GWR Large Prairie 2-6-2T and ‘5600’ class 0-6-2Ts. The design and construction took place at the ex-GWR Swindon Works, along with the 2-6-0 tender version of the class. The class had a short life as most of the work that they had been built for soon disappeared with the branch lines and the introduction of DMU services on shorter routes. No 82004 was new to traffic on 14th May 1952 being sent to Tyseley where it remained until transferred to Barry in South Wales in September 1953. Subsequent reallocations saw it allocated to Newton Abbot, Wellington, Shrewsbury and Bath Green Park where it is seen in unlined green livery on 24th June 1962.

It was withdrawn from the latter on 1st October 1965, and consigned to Birds who dismantled it at its Bridgend yard early the following year.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5465 No. 82013 runs around its train at Sidmouth on 24th July 1958. It was new from Swindon Works on 9th July 1952 being allocated to Exmouth Junction. In September 1962 it was reallocated to Eastleigh followed by a move to Nine Elms a couple of months later. It was withdrawn on 14th June 1964, and consigned to George Cohen’s yard at Kettering in the company of Nos. 82011/12/14, all ex-Nine Elms. The London & South Western Railway (L&SWR) opened its main line from Yeovil to Exeter on 18th July 1860, giving a through route from London. On 18th December 1861, London promoters held a meeting for the purpose of forming a company to build a railway branch line to Sidmouth and construct a harbour there.

The Sidmouth Railway & Harbour Co. obtained its Act of Parliament on 7th August 1862. The project was abandoned in 1870 with a new Sidmouth Railway company incorporated the following year. On the opening day, Monday 6th July 1874, there was no formal ceremony to mark the event, although celebrations took place through the first week. From the start the line was operated by the LSWR, although it remained independent until the Grouping when it passed to the Southern Railway.

In the summer of 1938 there were 11 trains each way daily between Sidmouth and Sidmouth Junction and five each way between Sidmouth and Tipton St. Johns; and five trains between Tipton St. Johns and Exmouth, three of which originated from or ran to Sidmouth, and the other two to or from Sidmouth Junction. There were three trains with through coaches from or to Waterloo (four more on Saturdays, with a Derby train as well). Through coaches were discontinued in 1964 except on summer Saturdays, as the local trains were operated by diesel multiple-units. The lines closed to passenger traffic on 6th March 1967 and to freight on 8th May that year.

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Above • rcrc5467 Looking very smart in BR’s lined black mixed-traffic livery No. 82018 is seen at Exmouth Junction depot on 5th July 1957, a few weeks after receiving a general overhaul at Eastleigh between 5th and 30th March. The locomotive remained at Exmouth Junction for 10 years when it was sent to Eastleigh in September 1962. A final move to Nine Elms followed that November, from where it was withdrawn on 10th July 1966 being sold to Buttigiegs for demolition at its Newport yard. Note the use of 3P 3F as the power rating above the number – more usually just a 3 was used above the zero – see 82004 illustrated earlier.

Opposite • rcrc5469 New to traffic at Exmouth Junction on 26th September 1952, No. 82019 followed classmates 82010-14 and 82017/18/22-25 to Eastleigh and onto Nine Elms. It is seen here on 8th July 1967 at Vauxhall with an ECS working, the day before the end of steam on the Southern. Withdrawn on 9th July 1967 No. 82019 was the longest lived of the class being two months short of its fifteenth birthday, it was sold to Birds who demolished it at its Risca yard before the end of the year.

Interestingly by April 1965, whilst some withdrawals had taken place, Nine Elms was home to 14 out of the remaining 32 members of the class.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5470 No. 82020 is seen in unlined green livery at Machynlleth during its time allocated to the depot for working on the former Cambrian Railways line. New to Hull (Botanic Gardens) on 29th September 1954 it was loaned to Nuneaton the following month with the move made permanent a few weeks later. October 1956 saw a transfer to Wrexham Rhosddu where it stayed until transfer to Shrewsbury in January 1960. A couple of moths later it was transferred to Machynlleth before a final move to Nine Elms in April 1965. It would only survive for a further five months before withdrawal on 19th September 1965.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5468 On 16th June 1962 No. 82023 is seen at the seaside resort of Bude waiting departure time. The branch diverged from the LSWR main line from Exeter to Plymouth at Meldon Junction and ran to Bude by way of Halwill and Holsworthy.

It crossed hilly terrain that was largely agricultural and sparsely populated. When the line was constructed it ran from Meldon Junction to Holsworthy. The line was extended to Bude on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall south of Hartland Point.

The railway brought Bude prosperity as a watering place, and in the closing decades of the 19th century it became a holiday destination. The area served by the line was sparsely populated and passenger numbers declined steadily, especially when private car ownership became commonplace. The line closed on 1st October 1966 although it was already omitted from the Western Region timetable commencing 18th April 1966 as it has been expected to close before then, along with the route from Halwill to Wadebridge. No. 82023 was new to Exmouth Junction on 22nd October 1954. As with others of the class allocated to Exmouth Junction it ended its days at Nine Elms, this time on 2nd October 1966.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5471 No. 82025 is seen light engine approaching Budleigh Salterton on 9th July 1959.

The Budleigh Salterton Railway was incorporated on 20th July 1894, with powers to build a line from Tipton (later Tipton St. Johns) on the Sidmouth Railway to Budleigh – the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh (1553-1618). The connection at Tipton gave access to the LSWR’s London to Exeter main line at Sidmouth Junction. No direct connection towards Exmouth was included in the original proposals, probably in response to the Exmouth Dock Company’s opposition to the plans.

The line was eventually extended to Exmouth, with the line curving around the north of the town, opening on 1st June 1903. The LSWR acquired the company by an Act of Parliament on 18th August 1911.

Major reduction in the services along the line in the 1960s led to a corresponding decrease in usage.

The line closed to freight traffic on 27th January 1964 and to passengers on 6th March 1967. No. 82025 was new to Exmouth Junction on 5th November, and followed its classmates to Nine Elms where it was withdrawn on 9th August 1964 after nine years and nine months in traffic. It was reduced to scrap by George Cohen & Co at Kettering.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

80

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5475 No. 82029 was new to traffic from Swindon Works on 13th December 1954 being allocated to the North Eastern Region’s Darlington depot. It served time at West Hartlepool, Malton, Scarborough and York (North) before being sent south to Guildford in September 1963. At the end of 1963 it was reallocated to Bournemouth, and later that summer arrived at Nine Elms. The class was used to replace older locomotives on the extensive empty stock workings out of Waterloo, No. 82029 is seen here during October 1964 with an ECS working out of the terminal. The smokebox carries evidence in the shape of two square rusted areas that are the result of having additional lamp brackets welded on. These were required when the locomotive was transferred to the Southern Region as it used six-position head codes – note that the locomotive carries larger than usual cab side numbers. No. 82029 survived in traffic until 9th July 1967 – Birds at Risca would handle the recycling by the end of the year.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5474 No. 82038 was to spend its entire career working on the WR, being new to Newton Abbot on 4th May 1955. By October it had found its way to Shrewsbury before a quick move to Worcester where it is seen on shed on 23rd September 1956. September 1959 saw a move to Wellington which was followed by a move to Bristol Bath Road the following January. By September it had moved across town to St. Philips Marsh where it remained until October 1962 when it was reallocated to Bristol Barrow Road. It was withdrawn on 6th August 1965 and was cut up by Birds’ cutters in Bridgend later that year.

There were plans to build an 18 additional locomotives, Nos. 82045-54 for the Western and 82055-62 for the North Eastern Regions, these however were cancelled.

Opposite • rcrc5477 The BR Standard Class 2MT was designed at Derby Works and introduced in 1953. The design derived from the LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T that BR had continued to build after nationalisation; modifications were made to fit the standard loading gauge and included some standard fittings. As most services which required 2MT 2-6-2Ts were already served by the 130 Ivatt engines, BR only ordered 30 engines, which eliminated pre-grouping steam locomotives as much as possible on local services.

The first 20 engines were outshopped at Crewe Works, and intended for use on the LMR. The second batch, this time built at Darlington Works, and the final steam locomotives built there, were numbered 84020-84029, and intended for Southern Region lines. No. 84005 was new to traffic at Bedford on 24th August 1953. It moved around with periods at Neasden, Kentish Town, Wellingborough and Leicester (Midland) from where it was withdrawn on 30th October 1965. It was photographed at Crewe Works awaiting release to go back into service at 3pm on 24th September 1961 – the locomotive had been shopped for a Light Casual overhaul that took from 1st September to 4th October.

Those locomotives intended for use on the LMR were fitted with push-pull equipment, either side of the smoke box, as seen here.

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rcrc5480 The location of No. 84008 is not in doubt as it stands in the station in front of Ind Coope & Allsopp Ltd’s brewery on 28th September 1957 with a Tutbury-bound service. The Ind Coope brewery was founded in Romford, Essex, opening its Burton-on-Trent brewery in 1856. It merged with Allsopp & Sons Ltd. in 1934 to become Ind Coope & Allsopp Ltd. Another merger, this time with Tetley Walker Ltd. and Ansells Brewery Ltd. in 1961 saw it renamed Ind Coope Tetley Ansell Ltd. The company became Allied Breweries in 1963; it sold a 50% stake in its breweries to Carlsberg in 1993 to form Carlsberg-Tetley Brewing Ltd., the remaining share being sold in 1997.

The Burton Brewery was sold to Bass in 1998 and is still brewing under the Molson-Coors banner. No. 84008 was new to traffic on 31st August 1953 being allocated to Burton where it remained until February 1959 when it was transferred to Wellingborough. With the end of steam in sight it served time at Neasden, Kentish Town and Wellingborough before ending up at Leicester Midland for a third and final time in September 1964.

It was declared surplus to requirements on 30th October 1965 after a service life of just over 12 years.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

85

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

86

rcrc5483 The second of the batch intended for the Southern Region, No. 84021, is seen here departing Ramsgate with a service bound for Ashford on 28th March 1959.

The locomotive was delivered new to Ashford from Darlington Works on 30th March 1957. It moved to Bricklayers Arms, London, depot in early 1961, but by May it had been moved west to Exmouth Junction.

It was reallocated to the LMR at Llandudno Junction in September 1961. On 15th July 1962, Nos. 84021-4 became works shunters at Crewe replacing several locomotives dating from the pre-grouping era. No. 84021 was withdrawn on 5th September 1964 and cut up at its place of work within a few weeks.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Above • rcrc5482 No. 84022 was new from Darlington on 30th March 1957and may well have accompanied its classmates down to Ashford. The yellow circle beneath the 0 on the cab side indicates the GWR/WR’s route availability – this colour indicating a maximum axle load of 16 tons – it would have been added during the locomotives stay at Exmouth Junction between June and September 1961 when it was reallocated to Llandudno Junction. It is seen here in happier times at Crewe station on 22nd September 1961. Its history followed that of No. 84021, ending its days as a Crewe Works shunter on 5th September 1964.

Opposite • rcrc5478 Having moved west with its classmates No. 84023 is seen at Exeter Central on 5th July 1961 whilst allocated to the nearby Exmouth Junction shed where it had arrived that June. Whilst in the West Country they were intended for use on the Exeter-Exmouth branch, Exeter-Honiton locals and shunting at Exeter Central – replacing lifeexpired members of the ‘M7’ class. They also shared banking duties on the steeply graded line between St. Davids and Central. Its stay in the West Country was not that long as it was transferred to the LMR’s Lancaster Green Ayre in September 1961 with a move to Widnes in early January 1962. It was transferred to Crewe for use as a works shunter on 15th July 1962, meeting the same fate as its three compatriots a little over two years later. A proposal to extend the life of 10 members of the class by transferring them to the Isle of Wight was not proceeded with.

88

rcrc5481 The last member of the class to enter traffic was No. 84029, which was delivered from Darlington Works to Ramsgate on 11th June 1957.

In the late spring of 1959 it was reallocated to Ashford. It is seen here near its initial home of Ramsgate on 14th May 1960 as it waits for departure time before returning to Ashford. It left the following May for Eastleigh before transfer to the LMR at Bedford in September 1961.

It saw service at Neasden, Kentish town and Wellingborough before arriving at Leicester Midland in February 1963. It was withdrawn on 13th June 1964 and sold for demolition at the Great Bridge yard operated by Cashmore’s cutters a few months later. Trains first reached Ramsgate in April 1846 when the South Eastern Railway (SER) opened a line from Canterbury.

It terminated at Ramsgate Town, which, unlike the present-day station, was in the town centre.

Later the same year the line opened across Thanet to Margate Sands.

Trains from Canterbury to Margate had to reverse at Ramsgate Town; a chord was built by-passing the station but this closed in 1916.

The London Chatham & Dover Railway (LCDR) reached Margate from Herne Bay in 1863. This called at Margate West, Margate East, Broadstairs, and via a 1,630yd (1,490m) tunnel terminated at Ramsgate Harbour, near the harbour and beach. This arrangement was inherited by Southern Railway at the grouping. In 1926 a new line was opened connecting the SER line from east of Ramsgate Town to the LCDR line just south of Broadstairs.

The current Ramsgate station and a new station at Dumpton Park were built on this new line. Ramsgate Harbour station, the line through the tunnel, and Ramsgate Town station and old SER line across to Margate Sands were all closed in July 1926. This change made for operational convenience, but has the disadvantage that the town centre is no longer served.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Opposite • rcrc5485 The 251-strong ‘9F’ class was the last of the BR standard locomotive series being intended for use on fast, heavy freight trains over long distances. It was one of the most powerful steam locomotive types ever built for Britain’s railways, and successfully performed its intended duties. The class was given the nickname of ‘Spaceship’, due to its size and shape. No. 92008 is seen running light engine at Spondon, to the east of Derby, on 13th May 1964 during the period it was allocated to Kirkby-in-Ashfield shed. The station is on the DerbyNottingham line, the first station on the site being opened by the Midland Counties Railway on 5th June 1839. The station was enlarged in the early 20th century to cope with the volume of traffic for the nearby British Celanese plant (from 1957 a subsidiary of Courtaulds); in the 1920s, more than 14,000 were employed there – the plant with the exception of the Clarifoil facility closed after the last shift on Wednesday 14th November 2012. New from Crewe on 31st March 1954 the locomotive was sent to Wellingborough depot. Following its reallocation to Saltley, in early summer 1957, it spent periods allocated to Rowsley, Toton, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Speke Junction before ending its days at Warrington Dallam being withdrawn on 7th October 1967 and scrapped in South Wales by Buttigieg’s cutters August 1968.

Above • rcrc5487 In an effort to increase efficiency BR constructed 10 of the class with a pre-heater located between the frames, beneath the boiler – the front cover can be seen beneath the traditional smoke box – one side effect was the need to position the chimney alongside the boiler on the right hand side. The revised layout did not have the desired effect and a decision was taken to remove the pre-heaters. No. 92022 was new to Wellingborough from Crewe Works on 21st March 1955. Following the decision to rebuild the Crosti variant it was stored for almost three years, being illustrated here on Derby depot on 1st April 1962, before being entering Crewe Works later in the month. It returned to traffic at Rowsley in June, and saw service at Kettering, Newton Heath and Speke Junction. Moving to Birkenhead Mollington Street in February 1967 it would be withdrawn on 11th November 1967; it travelled to Airdrie for disposal by G. H. Campbell’s cutters the following April.

93

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5488 No. 92026, new from Crewe on 18th June 1955, was the last to remain in service in Crosti-condition and was never placed into store, it entered Crewe for conversion to standard layout in September 1959, being returned to Wellingborough. Following its conversion it is seen on shed at Oxford on 18th May 1963 whilst allocated to Wellingborough depot. It left Wellingborough for Kettering a couple of months later, moving to Kirkby-in-Ashfield in November the same year. Late summer 1965 saw it reallocated to Newton Heath before a final move to Birkenhead Mollington Street in May 1965. Withdrawn on 11th November 1967 it was sold to G. H. Campbell in March 1968 and scrapped the following month in Airdrie.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5526 No. 92069 releases excess steam as it prepares to leave Woodford Halse depot on 27th April 1963 – the locomotive had been new from Crewe Works on 31st December 1955, being allocated to Doncaster.

In spring 1957 it would be moved to Annesley where it would remain until transferred to Birkenhead Mollington Street in May 1965. A final move in November 1967 would see it transferred to Speke Junction from where it would be withdrawn on 4th May 1968. It was sold to Arnott Young, Parkgate, for disposal five months later. Woodford Halse depot was opened by the Great Central Railway in 1897, it would close on 14th June 1965.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

Opposite • rcrc5496 Opened on 15th March 1899, Leicester Central station was part of the Great Central Railway’s London Extension linking Nottingham with Marylebone in London. The railway crossed built-up Leicester on a Staffordshire blue brick viaduct, incorporating a number of girder bridges. The viaduct was in excess of a mile and a half in length and it was upon this that the station would be constructed. At the time of construction, it was the largest single building to be erected in Leicester. In a detail typical of the high standards to which the London Extension was built, the abutments of the girder bridges that crossed public roads were lined in white-glazed tiles to increase the level of light under the bridges.

The publication of the Beeching Report in 1963 saw the Great Central identified as an unremunerative line earning less than £5,000 per week in revenue and it was proposed to withdraw passenger services from the line as far as Banbury. As a result of the report ‘several years of deliberate neglect and decline and retrenchment’ designed to reduce the former busy trunk route into a state whereby closure could be easily achieved – to aid this freight services were withdrawn from the line in June 1965. The line ceased to be a trunk route with the withdrawal of services to Sheffield and Marylebone on 3rd September 1966 leaving Leicester Central operating a sparse DMU local service to Nottingham and Rugby. The line north of Nottingham was closed and dismantled, as would for most of the route between Rugby and Calvert. In the last few months before its own closure on 5th May 1969 the station was little but an unstaffed halt. No. 92072 heads a class C freight service south through Leicester Central in 18th June 1963 whilst allocated to Annesley. New from Crewe Works on 29th February 1956 it was allocated to Doncaster, remaining there until the following spring when it was reallocated to Annesley before a final move to Kirkby in Ashfield. It was withdrawn from there on 30th January 1966, and placed in store until dragged to Birkenhead.

It was sold in June 1966 and broken up later the same month by T. W. Ward at Beighton, Sheffield.

Below • rcrc5491 Travelling in the north-bound direction on the same date is No. 92090, seen here as it approaches Leicester Central’s North Passenger Box. The engine shed and freight facilities were to the south of the station having its own signal boxes to handle the traffic. The locomotive was new from Swindon Works on 30th November 1956, and like some of its Crewe-built classmates, was sent to Doncaster. It moved to Annesley during the spring of 1957 with a move to Birkenhead Mollington Street in May 1965. It was withdrawn on 20th May 1967, meeting its fate at Cohen’s Kettering yard five months later.

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THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5498 No. 92159 was delivered new to Wellingborough from Crewe Works on 27th November 1957 and apart from a very brief spell at Cricklewood in December 1958, spent over six years there until moved to Rowsley in February 1964. At the end of April 1964 the locomotive departed for Kirkby-in-Ashfield with a move to Newton Heath that September. A final move to Birkenhead occurred in May 1965 with withdrawal in July 1967, it ended its days when T. J. Thompson & Son Ltd. of Stocktonon-Tees scrapped it early the following year. It is seen here outside Crewe Works awaiting a repair on 16th April 1961.

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rcrc5500 On 9th August 1963 No. 92189 was caught at the head of an empty stock working at Crewe Station.

The locomotive had recently been release from the nearby Works following a visit between 6th June and 30th July; at the time the locomotive was allocated to Doncaster. New from Swindon Works on 14th March 1958 the locomotive was allocated to Mexborough, which was followed by moves in rapid succession to Sheffield Grimesthorpe, Sheffield Darnall, and Doncaster. January 1959 saw a move to Frodingham, returning to Doncaster the following April where it remained until September 1963 when it was transferred to Colwick. A move to Langwith Junction followed in January 1965 before a return to Colwick in October 1965 where it was placed into storage. Withdrawn on 19th December 1965, after less that eight years in service it was sold to T. W. Ward who recycled the locomotive at its Beighton, Sheffield site.

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rcrc5508 No. 92203 heads an Up freight at Banbury on 27th April 1963. It emerged from Swindon Works as the first of the class to be built under Lot 429, entering traffic at Bristol St. Philips Marsh on 6th April 1959. June 1960 would find it allocated to Bath Green Park, followed by a period at Old Oak Common where it would remain until a move to Banbury in March 1963. It would remain there until September 1966 when it was reallocated to Birkenhead Mollington Street depot.

Following its withdrawal from Birkenhead depot on 11th November 1967 it was sold to the well-known artist David Shepherd for preservation.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5509 No. 92208’s first depot was Laira, Plymouth, where it arrived from Swindon Works on 11th June 1959. It underwent a Heavy Intermediate overhaul at its birthplace between 12th April and 25th June 1962 and is seen here on the 17th waiting to return to traffic at Cardiff Canton. It would move across town to East Dock during August 1962. It would stay on the Western Region until October 1963 when it was transferred to the LMR at Newton Heath. A reallocation to Carlisle Kingmoor in June 1964 would be its last as it was withdrawn at the end of November 1967 – it was scrapped in February 1968 by J. McWilliam in Shettleston.

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rcrc5520 On 3rd September 1960 No. 92218 brings the 9.05am Swansea-Kingswear service into Torquay station – GWR 2-6-2T No. 4146 stands on the centre road. New from Swindon Works on 18th January it was allocated to Bristol St. Philips Marsh where it would remain until September 1960 when it was transferred to Old Oak Common. A move to Banbury in March 1963 was followed by a transfer to the LMR at Warrington in October 1966. March 1967 would see it at Speke Junction, followed by a stay at Carlisle Kingmoor from August 1967 until a final move to Speke Junction depot in January 1968. It was withdrawn in May 1968, being scrapped two months later by Arnott Young at Parkgate.

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rcrc5510 No. 92219 heads through Severn Tunnel Junction with an Up ‘fitted’ freight service in October 1963 – the lead vehicles are ‘shocvans’, indicated by the vertical white stripes, these enabled delicate items to be transported, as the body is able to slide on the chassis lessening impact loads. New from Swindon Works on 27th January 1960 the locomotive was sent to Cardiff Canton to start its short service life of 5½ years. During the summer of 1962 it was reallocated to Cardiff East Dock from where it was condemned on 6th August 1965 – it was one of a number to be sold to Dai Woodham’s Barry yard for disposal. The South Wales main line was opened through the village of Rogiet in 1850. At this time it was little more than a church and a farm, and the expansion of the village did not begin until after the opening of the station in 1886. Early maps give the station name as Rogiet although it was named Severn Tunnel Junction when it opened to the public on 1st December 1886. Situated to the west of the Severn Tunnel it is the junction for the South Wales main line between the industrial South Wales, Bristol and London and the line on the north side of the River Severn through Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa to the Midlands. In its heyday it had an extensive marshalling yard sorting coal from South Wales for London and the Midlands and goods in transit from elsewhere in the country to South Wales.

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Above • rcrc5519 Perhaps the most important of the ‘9Fs’ was No. 92220 that was to become the last steam locomotive to be built by British Railways. It was named Evening Star in a ceremony at Swindon Works on 18th March 1960, a few days before the locomotive was released into traffic on the 25th at Cardiff Canton. The summer of 1962 saw its transfer to Bath Green Park, followed by Old Oak Common in September – where it was photographed on 2nd April 1960 – and onto Oxford before the end of the year. August 1963 saw its return to Bath Green Park where it would haul passenger services over the Somerset & Dorset Railway’s Mendip Hills. A final move would see it withdrawn from Cardiff East Dock following collision damage, with a buffer stop, on 26th March 1965 after five years in traffic. There were several abortive attempts at private preservation, fortunately No 92220 survived long enough to be included under the Transport Act of 1968 as part of ‘a collection maintained or proposed to be maintained by the Secretary of State’. It is now part of the National Collection, and is currently at the National Railway Museum, York.

Opposite • rcrc5497 No. 92235 was delivered new from Crewe Works to the Western Region in May 1958, its original allocation was Pontypool Road, remaining there until the end of the year when it was transferred to Severn Tunnel Junction.

A return to South Wales followed with allocations to Cardiff Canton and Newport Ebbw Junction followed. Having worked up to London it is seen here at Royal Oak working an ECS service out of Paddington station to the carriage sidings for servicing – the public house, that once would have served railway employees stands on the corner of Lord Hill’s Bridge and Harrow Road. The bridge can be seen in the films ‘Herostratus’, 'A Day to Remember' and 'Two Gentlemen Sharing'; its location is now under the A40 Westway. Withdrawn from Bristol Barrow Road on 18th November 1965, No. 92235 was stored at Oxford before making its final journey back to South Wales for breaking up.

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rcrc5517 Another ECS working, this time behind No. 92238, passes beneath Westbourne Bridge on 10th September 1960; the work weary locomotive is seen just before being reallocated from Old Oak Common to Southall in September 1960. Delivered new from Crewe Works on 22nd September 1958 it was sent to Newport Ebbw Junction before moving to London in December 1958. It was to return to Newport in December 1961 an event that was followed by transfers to Bristol Barrow Road and Gloucester Horton Road before arriving at Severn Tunnel Junction from where it was withdrawn on 10th September 1965, after just under seven years of service.

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rcrc5525 Numerically the last of the class No. 92250 actually entered service from Crewe Works on 16th December 1958 being allocated to Banbury – 15 months before Swindon released the more famous No. 92220 Evening Star. It entered traffic sporting a Giesl Oblong Ejector in place of the by now standard double chimney.

This was the last significant development in chimney/blast pipe configuration and was devised by Dr. Adolph Giesl-Gieslingen of the Vienna Technical University in collaboration with Austrian State Railways.

Compared with results in Austria trials at the Rugby Testing Station showed little improvement over the standard design.

Perhaps by the time the later 9Fs entered service BR steam had reached the pinnacle of design. Having run in it spent five months out-stationed at the Rugby Testing Station, returning to Banbury in September before moving onto Newport Ebbw Junction a couple of months later.

Moves to Southall, with a return to Newport Ebbw Junction and Severn Tunnel Junction followed. A final reallocation to Gloucester Horton Road occurred in October 1965 from where it was withdrawn on the 31st December that year. It retained the Giesl ejector until the end that occurred at the hands of John Cashmore’s cutters at Newport in July 1966.

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rcrc5532 The wartime 2-8-0 Austerity design was based on the LMS Stanier Class 8F, which had been the government’s standard design for additional freight locomotives required to operate the increasing traffic demands of World War 2.

Various modifications were made to the ‘8F’ design to prioritise low cost over design life and reduce construction time.

These included a boiler of simpler construction which was parallel rather than tapered and a round-topped firebox rather than the more expensive Belpaire design, the latter was made of steel rather than copper that was required for armaments production. The North British Locomotive Company (NBL) of Glasgow built 545 (split between their Glasgow works at Hyde Park and Queen’s Park); the Vulcan Foundry (VF) of Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, built an additional 390. After the end of the conflict, the War Department disposed of 930 locomotives (two engines being retained by the War Department and three being scrapped); 200 were sold to the LNER, which classified them as Class O7 and numbered them 3000-3199.

In 1948 the British Transport Commission purchased an additional 533. With the formation of British Railways, the 733 locomotives were renumbered into the 90000-90732 series. Austerity 2-8-0 No. 90080 is seen near Bishops Cleeve at 6pm on 8th June 1962, the station, opened on 1st June 1906 by the GWR, was on the Stratford-on-Avon to Cheltenham line that closed to passenger services on 7th March 1960. Today the Broadway-Cheltenham section operates as a heritage attraction, but there are currently no further extension plans. No. 90080 was a product of NBL entering traffic as WD No. 7284 in August 1944.

Acquired by the LNER and numbered as 3080 (BR No. 63080), it gained its 90xxx number in October 1949 whilst allocated to Woodford Halse. It was withdrawn from Frodingham depot on 27th February 1966 becoming one of 201 of the class to be scrapped by Albert Draper & Son Ltd’s cutters in Hull.

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rcrc5533 An earlier product of NBL, No. 90167 dates from July 1943, entering service as No 7184. Acquired by the BTC it was on loan to the WR at the time, being allocated to Old Oak Common. It was given its BR number during an overhaul at Wolverhampton’s Stafford Road Works on 10th August 1951. The Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway opened the works in 1849 to maintain bought-in locomotives. The locomotive was to remain allocated to the WR throughout is service life being withdrawn from Hereford depot on 29th March 1962. It was one of a number of the class to be cut up at Crewe Works soon after condemnation.

Having worked from Llanelli, South Wales, No. 90167 stands on shed at Southall on 21st August 1960 – it shares space with one of the GWR-design railcars, possibly No. W30W, and a member of the new order, W56298 a Gloucester RC&W single railcar dating from 1958. Shedded at Southall the railcars served the Henley-on-Thames, Windsor and Staines West branches.

THE R.C. RILEY COLOUR COLLECTION • BR STANDARD CLASSES

rcrc5535 No. 90355 is seen at Old Oak Common depot whilst allocated to Southall depot. It was new from NBL in August 1944 as WD No. 7288. It gained its BR number, 90355, on 7th March 1952 following a Heavy Intermediate overhaul at Swindon Works whilst allocated to Severn Tunnel Junction. It had arrived there from Cardiff Canton in October 1947, and returned to Canton in October 1955 before a move to London in June 1956. It was withdrawn from Southall depot on 12th November 1962; another quick disposal by Crewe Works saw it reduced to scrap in early December.

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rcrc5528 On 7th July 1956 No. 90485 is seen at the head of an Up freight service at Tilehurst.

The station is on the original line of the GWR, which opened in 1841, although it dates from 1882. The locomotive was a product of Vulcan Foundry, dating from August 1944, entering service as No. 8696. It was one of those sold to the LNER, becoming its No. 3164 during February 1947. Nationalised as No. 63164 it was renumbered to 90485 on 10th November 1950 whilst allocated to Tyne Dock. It was reallocated to the WR in August 1951 and headed south to Banbury the following January. At the time of the photograph it was allocated to Southall depot – one of 21 of the class to be allocated there at various times.

After numerous WR reallocations it was to move back to the LMR in December 1962 when it was allocated to Mexborough. A final move to Canklow took place in March 1964, with its withdrawal taking place on 9th August 1964.

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Above • rcrc5530 A close up of No. 90504 whilst on shed at Southall on 21st August 1960 – allocated to the former Great Central Railway depot at Woodford Halse it had worked a freight service up to the capital. New from VF during September 1944 it was originally numbered 79187, becoming LNER No 3183 when sold in 1947. It gained its first BR number 63183 during May 1948, before renumbering into the 90xxx series during May 1950. Of interest, above the number 4 on the cab side is a cast plate with its LNER number on; also the support plate beneath the cab has the locomotive number stencilled on – a reminder of its Light Intermediate overhaul at Crewe Works a few weeks earlier. Withdrawn off of Woodford on 11th May 1963, it met a quick end at Crewe the following month.

Opposite • rcrc5534 In a move across London, No. 90559 is seen at Stratford depot on 7th May 1961 – its home shed from December 1960 until June 1961. New from VF during September 1943, as WD No. 7095 (77095 from January 1945), it was on loan to the LNER at the time of nationalisation being at Newport (Teesside). It spent much of its BR career on the Eastern Region arriving at Peterborough New England depot in December 1949, acquiring its BR number during September 1950. It spent three periods allocated to March depot – these were interspersed with stints at Norwich Thorpe and Stratford. A final move to Doncaster occurred in October 1961 and from where it was withdrawn on 29th December 1962, a final move to the Central Wagon Co. saw it scrapped at Wigan a year later.

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rcrc5538 In unusually clean condition No. 90683 is seen on Macclesfield depot on 23rd June 1958 – it had undergone a Heavy Intermediate overhaul at Darlington a few weeks earlier – and was probably waiting to return to its home shed at March.

New from VF as WD No. 79220 in November 1944 it was loaned to the LNER, ultimately gaining its BR number in September 1951 whilst allocated to Peterborough New England where it had arrived from Neville Hill in August 1949. A move to March followed in October 1957 with a final move north to Doncaster in December 1960. Withdrawn on 27th February 1966 it was broken up by W. George, Station Steel, at Wath that summer.

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rcrc5540 Along with the 733 WD 2-8-0s taken into BR service there were also 25 of the 2-10-0 variant – Nos. 90750-90774.

No. 90773 is seen here at Grangemouth on 12th June 1962. It was constructed by the North British Locomotive Co., Glasgow, (Works No 25664) as WD No. 73798, entering traffic in August 1945 – one of 150 of the type to be constructed.

Initially loaned to the LMS at Carlisle Kingmoor, it was transferred to the Scottish Region during the summer of 1952, being allocated to Grangemouth, remaining there for the rest of its BR career. No. 90773 was withdrawn on 29th December 1962 and scrapped by Campbell’s cutters at Shieldhall the following year. Along with the 25 purchased for BR use, two remained with the WD at its Longmoor Military Railway – the remainder seeing service overseas as far away as Hong Kong. Two examples were repatriated from Greece for preservation in 1984.

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rcrc5418 On Thursday 23rd September 1954 a freight train, bound for Eastleigh, hauled by BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76017 overran signals and was derailed by trap points – fortunately no one was injured. This is the scene at Whitchurch, on the DN&S route, three days later after the wreckage and undamaged stock had been cleared away. The main line was clear so there was no hurry to remove the locomotive and remaining stock so services could resume comparatively quickly.

The following week platelayers prepared the ground for recovery and the locomotive was pulled upright on 3rd October, and removed from the site on the 10th. Following a Light Intermediate overhaul at Eastleigh between 22nd October and 13th November the locomotive was returned to traffic. On 12th February 1960, history repeated itself when No. 76026 followed its classmate into the dirt. No. 76017 was new to Eastleigh from Horwich on 13th June 1963, making its only depot change in early 1960 when it was sent to Salisbury. It was condemned on 4th July 1965 and consigned to Dai Woodham’s yard for disposal, one of four locomotives to be saved for preservation, it left the yard in January 1974 and was returned to service in May 1984. rcrc5521 No. 92225 is in a similar unfortunate position at Knighton crossing on 17th October 1964 – on the 6th it had run through the trap points protecting the main line and crossing, no doubt giving the signalman a shock. The crossing, situated between Uffington and Shrivenham on the former GWR main line to the east of Swindon had a loop on the Up line giving the opportunity of faster services to overtake slower ones.

As the locomotive remained upright and was not blocking the main running lines there was no great rush to retrieve it.

By the date Dick paid his visit the train and locomotive tender had been removed, leaving the locomotive to be re-railed the following weekend. The locomotive was new from Crewe Works on 20th June 1958 being allocated to Banbury before moving to Plymouth Laira the following summer. March 1960 saw it reallocated to Newport’s Ebbw Junction shed that was before a move to Neath (Court Sart) in October 1963. A return to Ebbw Junction took place in late spring 1964 and from where it was withdrawn on 2nd July 1965. It was scrapped locally by Cashmores a couple of months later.

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rcrc5529 WD 2-8-0 No. 90589 ponders its future at Woodford on 12th October 1963. Built new by Vulcan Foundry carrying number 7142, it was loaned to the LNER on delivery, moving over to the GWR in September 1944 and returned to the War Department in January 1945 becoming 77142 around the same time. It was on loan again to the GWR from March 1947 and subsequently BR upon Nationalisation. BR purchased it in December 1948, acquiring No. 90589 on 10th February 1949 whilst at Scotswood. It saw service on the Western Region at Bristol St. Phillips Marsh and Shrewsbury before transferring to the London Midland Region’s Newton Heath depot in December 1950. It spent much of its LMR career meandering around various depots with stays at Agecroft, Patricroft and Kirkby-in-Ashfield. It was condemned whilst allocated to Woodford Halse depot in late April 1964 and disposed of at Crewe Locomotive Works during the following June.

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• T H E R . C . R I L E Y C O LO U R C O L L E C T I O N •

Transport Treasury Publishing are proud to present a unique series of 15 colour albums featuring the best of the R. C. Riley colour archive.

To be released at intervals and printed in strictly limited numbers, the series will grow into a unique record both of the contemporary railway scene and also that of the work of one of Britain’s leading transport photographers.

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