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Southern Times Issue No 11 Spring 2025

SOUTHERN TIMES is the periodical for followers of the Southern Railway, British Railways Southern Region, as well as the pre-group companies: SECR, LBSCR, and LSWR

SOUTHERN • TIMES •

The history periodical for students of the SR BR(S) and pre-group constituents Issue No 11: Spring / 2025

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An alternative to preservation – BR’s plans to electrify all or part of the Bluebell Railway – plus some notes on Arthur Earle Edwards ISSUE 11 Lawrence’, Fr

Contents Introduction 3 On Shed at Bricklayers Arms Alan Postlethwaite 5 Some South Eastern Signal Boxes in Colour 21 Watching trains near Shawford Junction, Part 2 Les Price 26 The original ‘Merchant Navy’ class 1948-1960 33 Wadhurst - a country station 45 Second Class 52 Stephen Townroe’s colour archive: On the line 55 Book review 62 Lynton & Barnstaple pictorial Colin Peters 65 Remember the Holiday Roundabout Ticket..:

Bill Allen does from 1954 70 Treasures from the Bluebell Railway Museum Tony Hillman 76 From the Footplate 79 The next issue of Southern Times, No 12, will contain: Plans of the Mid Sussex Line Some Westinghouse brake trials Ken Wightman’s non-steam colour Q1 pictorial Bordon LSWR Fawley 100 St Cross From the Footplate etc etc.

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Front Cover: Terrier time at Robertsbridge and the occasion of a special working over the K&ESR. We believe this to have been the Branch Line Society ‘Kent & East Sussex Light Railway Tour’ of 12 April 1958. A 5-car DEMU was used from Charing Cross to Robertsbridge (and return) with travel on the branch to Rolvenden and Tenterten town in charge of Nos 32678 and 32636. e Above: One of two Light Pacifics with modified front cowling (the other was No 34049) in an attempt to improve the lifting of smoke and steam. The modification was only partly successful. Ken Wightman / Transport Treasury Rear Cover: ‘L’ class 4-4-0 No 31773 (or is it 31778?) at Bough Beech, on a local working from Redhill to Tonbridge. Ken Wightman / Transport Treasury Above: No 34035 Shaftsbury, one of two Light Pacifics with modified front cowling (the other was No 34049) in an attempt to improve the lifting of smoke and steam. The modification was only partly successful. Ken Wightman / Transport Treasury

Copies of many of the images within SOUTHERN TIMES are available for purchase/download.

In addition the Transport Treasury Archive contains tens of thousands of other UK, Irish and some European railway photographs. © Kevin Robertson. Images (unless credited otherwise) and design The Transport Treasury 2025 ISBN 978-1-913251-9-18 First Published in 2025 by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd., 16 Highworth Close, High Wycombe HP13 7PJ www.ttpublishing.co.uk or for editorial issues and contributions email to southerntimes@email.com Printed in the Malta by the Gutenberg Press.

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INTRODUCTION

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t seems to me that the big railway and by this I mean the current public system goes in and out of favour with successive governments. Please do not take what follows as suggesting I lean to the left or right but we are told by whatever party we should use public transport whenever possible and then in the next breath the opportunity for greater availability is taken away.

ISSUE 11

it all’ who believed he knew everything and wanted to advise others of this, hardly the fault of the railway. The odd, but not excessive, whiff of coal smoke made the journey most pleasant. Unfortunately the return was diesel hauled with a driver who seemed to take great delight in subjecting all to noxious quantities of fumes by utilising maximum power and noise. Yes I know there are diesel fans, fine whatever is your bag, but I can confirm I was not the only one far from impressed.

By this I am referring to what was once a local line to me, that from Totton to Hythe - and originally to Fawley. This was one of the last lines to be opened, as recently as 1925 and will celebrate its centenary this year. (An article on the line will appear in Issue 12.) Closed back in 1966 its subsequent survival came about through the oil refinery and the need to move bulk traffic by rail. Whilst the rail output from Fawley has become less and less, this traffic now going by pipeline, at the same time the parallel main road, the A326 has become increasingly busy and congested.

In consequence there were serious hopes this route might be reopened, trial runs undertaken and plans made for a new station or two plus an upgrade to the signalling at what is the last mechanical signal box in Hampshire (excluding heritage lines) at Marchwood.

Basically the infrastructure was already present and like with the reopening to Okehampton it was mainly a question of upgrading certain aspects to 21st century requirements.

Where is this going, well we at Transport Treasury recently had our annual Authors’ Day held on this occasion on the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway - plus for a delightful little line even if it is not Southern. One of their staff passed the comment they were on their last quantity of Welsh coal. Such information sent a shudder through many of us present as what do our heritage lines do in the future? Already one of the Welsh lines has made headlines by upsetting the locals with coal from elsewhere and I understand another heritage line is considering converting a full size steam engine to burn oil - I hope they have learnt the lessons from 1948.

Away from politics and the current scene I do hope you enjoy this issue. As usual we have tried to be varied and I am delighted to say we are able to include a book review of a remarkable work by Graham Bowring.

Sadly however the whole thing has now been shelved, ‘no more rail re-openings - no money’ state the present government, but at what cost environmentally allowing hundreds possibly thousands of cars to sit idling in traffic on the adjacent road?

We were fortunate in the 1970s to see a raft of books on what were previously considered far too specialist a subject appear from various publishers. In more recent times ever more specialist volumes have appeared on individual lines, rolling stock and locomotive types.

This new breaks new ground for the Southern with a remarkable history of LSWR signalling. No problems fidning bedside reading for some time and no need in an attermpt to find something worth watching; without adverts or that has been seen umpteen times before.

It is to be hoped that somehow a large pair of scissors (attached to which) is a medium size cheque, can find a way through this mess. If not then the hopes of other equally valid schemes most notably Okehampton to Tavistock and Bere Alston may also be seen as a pointless exercise.

I promise I am not getting crotchety, well no more than usual. Just the regular hankering for the past which I trust is sated for a while with the contents of this issue.

Moving on to other current matters and whilst we rarely refer to heritage railways in ‘ST’ readers will be aware we made an exception last time for the remarkable ‘Beachy Head’. This time though I am on to more general matters for the heritage scene and that is the supply of coal.

As ever, thank you all for your support and encouragement. My apologies for running out of space in this issue (again) I promise we have much in the pipeline to keep you entertained for some time to come.

I will admit I do not travel around to many heritage lines but one I did visit earlier this year involved outward travel by steam and return by diesel. The steam leg was most satisfactory apart perhaps from one ‘know

Finally I have to mention that ever rising costs mean the cover price of all new ‘Times’ series publications will rise by 50p after June 2025.

Kevin Robertson 3

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Yard views from 1964 with the site now dominated by continental ferry wagons. Freight traffic continued to be dealt with until 1981 when the complete site was sold for redevelopment, the siding areas now housing and the depot sheds an industrial park. Some remnants of the old survive particularly the perimeter walls along Willow Walk and the stables block at Caitlin Street and stables buildings at Pages Walk.

Terry Tracey 9364, 9366 and 9367/ Transport Treasury

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On Shed at Bricklayers Arms Alan Postlethwaite

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D E

Once part of the Bermondsey marshes, a hint of colour in a world of grime,. Known to crewmen as ‘The Brick’, the SECR locomotive depot, seen here two years after closure, was sandwiched between the SECR goods depot and the LBSCR goods depot. Terry Tracey 9365/ Transport Treasury, 1964 A. Return Empties Shed C. Goods Inwards Shed E. St Patrick’s Shed (engines) G. Engine Repair Shop J. The Old Shed (engines) L. Continental Goods Shed

B. Goods Inwards Yard D. Former Passenger Shed, now Parcels F. Goods Offices H. The New Shed (engines) K. Goods Outwards Yard M. Goods Outwards Shed

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Opposite top: Wainwright class C No.1093 with a Stirling outside-frame tender. Photographed in 1937 the Old Shed still has its original SER wooden roof, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century. Transport Treasury Opposite bottom; The Old Shed in 1954 with a new roof and Battle of Britain class No 34077 603 Squadron.

Squadron. The locomotive commemorates the ‘City of Edinburgh Squadron’ that moved to Hornchurch in 1940 for the Battle of Britain and later fought in Egypt and Malta. Neville Neville Stead NS200751A / Transport Treasury Top: An early express locomotive of the Southern Railway, class E1 No 31166 in early BR livery photographed in 1953. It would survive until May 1955. Neville Stead NS200873A / Transport Treasury Bottom; Ashes to ashes, dust to dust! The late steam age was not clean, it was as mucky as ever. No 31890 was rebuilt in 1928 from the solitary 2-6-2T class K1 tank, River Frome. Rebuilt as a tender engine it was the prototype for the Southern’s threecylinder U1 class. Neville Stead NS200923A / Transport Treasury

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Marsh/ Billinton express class H2 No 32425 Trevose Head.

Head. This engine had been based at Bricklayers Arms for a matter of weeks in the autumn of 1950. It then moved to Brighton from where it was withdrawn the year after this image was taken in 1955. Alec Ford / Transport Treasury Class V No 30936 Cranleigh, stands out, looking spotlessly clean amidst the grime of the ashing zone on 11 March 1957. Beyond and looking dull, is Standard class 4 No 75065. Peter Gray

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The right-hand half of the Old Shed was longer than the left-hand half although each had four roads. This busy scene from 1957 features class V No. 30937 Epsom Epsom.. Beyond are class V No. 30932 Blundells and class C2X No 32538. Scheduling duties for engine and crews taking into account possible late running plus the shifts of cleaners, knockers-up, fitters, boiler smiths, fire-lighters and then organising replacement / extra locomotives when necessary was a work of art. Peter Gray Billinton class E6 tank No. 32410 in the New Shed in 1954 - this portion had lost its roof during the war. Exposed to the elements it became a handy place to dump engines and assorted debris. An influx of LBSCR engines had occurred during the 1930s following the closure of New Cross Gate shed. The other big Brighton shed at Battersea also closed at that time with the remaining engines transferred to Stewarts Lane. Neville Stead NS200535 / Transport Treasury

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Billinton E3 class tank No.32461 by the water softener and the great brick water tower in 1955. There were two coaling cranes on the east side of the Old Shed, one to the south, the other to the north of the turntable. Neville Stead NS200747 / Transport Treasury E class 4-4-0 No 31036 and C class No 31725 display Wainwright boiler and smokebox details of similar outline. Neville Stead NS200726B / Transport Treasury, 1950

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ISSUE 11 Wainwright L class No 31763 on the west turntable - simple, elegant and clean. After almost a lifetime of service on the South eastern lines, this engine was transferred to Nine Elms following the Kent Coast electrification. At its new home there was little real work for it to undertake and it was withdrawn in April 1960 after a service life of 46 years. Alec Ford AF0902 / Transport Treasury

H Class No 31533, photographed in 1937 some thirty years since it last hauled commuter trains but still serving a useful role on local duties and pilot working.

Neville Stead NS200728A / Transport Treasury

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SOUTHERN TIMES Top: Photographed in 1950 and still with ‘sunshine’ lettering on the tender, L1 No 31758 is photographed almost ready for its next duty and with a tender full of slack. Neville Stead NS200725A / Transport Treasury Bottom: E3 tank No 32460 and three others of similar type. The big building beyond the New Shed is Bermondsey Baths which later became Bermondsey Town Hall.

This was the part of the shed that had became virtually redundant following electrification.

During the 1920s and 30s whilst at its peak, Bricklayers Arms had stabled some 150 steam locomotives as well as on the goods side up to a hundred horses for shunting and carting. Neville Stead NS200535A / Transport Treasury, 1954

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Former SECR E No 31166 together with D No 31737 are at Ashford spruced up for the 1954 ‘Invicta Special’ RCTS rail tour. This tour started at Liverpool Street and ventured over a number of east and south London goods and suburban lines eventually venturing as far as Ashford. The two engines were responsible for the final leg from Ashford back to London. (We are stretching the criteria slightly with this image although No 31166 had been based at Bricklayers Arms in 1948.) Neville Stead NS200873 / Transport Treasury Looking grey and dull in 1957, King Arthur (N15) No 30800, Sir Meleaus de Lile has lost the sparkle it once displayed when it would have headed the crack expresses to the Kent coast. Neville Stead NS200905 / Transport Treasury

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SOUTHERN TIMES Simmering gently, D1 No 31789 appears ready for what the head code disc is referring to an ‘SPL’ (special) duty.

Alec Swain AS 8-27 / Transport Treasury, 1952.

Valve and piston attention for U No 31629 in the ‘modern’ Repair Shop that was built in 1934. This had replaced some antiquated facilities at New Cross Gate, 11 September 1954.

Transport Treasury

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Both sets of driving wheels have been removed from D No 31075 in the Repair Shop in 1955, notice also the ‘chock’ either side of the rear bogie wheel. Leslie Freeman LRF F1479/ Transport Treasury On an unreported date in 1938, E No 1166 with its tender up-ended by the wheel drop crane and at 180° degrees to the engine; hotbox perhaps?. The New Shed is to the left of the camera, the Old Shed glimpsed far left. This wheel drop and one of the turntables are now installed on the Watercress line at Ropley. Milepost 92 MC10112B / Transport Treasury

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On Sunday 30 December 1956. C No 31723 is departing from Bricklayers Arms hauling withdrawn class H2 No 32425, Trevose Head, (which we saw earlier) en-route to Slade Green. The H2 had ceased to work in October and was being towed with the rods Head, removed and so subject to a 25mph speed limit, notice at least one nameplate is still affixed. The goods reception sidings are on the left. John J Smith / Bluebell Railway Archives About to join the Brighton main line on 21 December 1957 under a full head of steam, LBSCR C2X No 32444 heads the 9.50am a ballast train from Bricklayers Arms to Beddington. John J Smith / Bluebell Railway Archives

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ISSUE 11 L No. 31778 captured on 20 December 1958 with the 10.50 am van train from Bricklayers Arms to Brighton. John J Smith / Bluebell Railway Archives

Maunsell W tank No 31919 passes North West Kent Junction on 29 March 1958 with the 3.30 pm van train from Bricklayers Arms to East Croydon. Built in the early days of the SECR, the signal box was supplied by contractor Evans O’Donnell & Co. The actual signals are mainly Southern upper quadrant type supplemented by colour light distant signals colour lights for the Down track to the Brighton main line. John J. Smith / Bluebell Railway Archives

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Signalled to take the incline to the SER main line, Wainwright H class tank No 31518 passes North Kent West Junction with the RCTS ‘London River Rail Tour, 29 March 1958. On the right are some of the Rotherhithe Road carriage sidings during the time ‘crimson & cream’ was in vogue. R C Riley / Transport Treasury An opportunist shot in 1956 taken from a moving train, captures V No 30927 Clifton, as it brings empty stock up the incline from Rotherhithe Road sidings. Note several of the Brighton arches have attracted business use. A E Bennett / Transport Treasury

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ISSUE 11 Right: With some impressive plumage, E1 No 31497 hauls empty stock to Maze Hill up the incline from Rotherhithe Road sidings on Easter Monday, 30 March 1959. Jointly owned by the South Eastern Railway and London & Croydon Railway, the Bricklayers Arms branch opened In 1844. Its benefits were: to provide more extensive goods handling facilities than was possible at London Bridge; to create a proper depot for the SER locomotives; and to avoid the exorbitant charges made by the London & Greenwich Railway for sharing their line into London Bridge. The Bricklayers passenger terminus, however, was a commercial failure, located too far out from central London. So the branch became a haven for freight, parcels and locomotives. It closed to passengers in 1852, to general goods in 1977 and to coal and parcels in 1981.

The locomotive depot closed in 1962. John J Smith / Bluebell Railway Archives

Is was with much regret that we learnt of the passsing of Alan Postlethwaite during the preparation of this issue.

We have been honoured to have shown a number of Alan’s pieces over the years compiled by a man who had been a valued friend as well as an honest critic.

Fortunately his legacy will continue as we have permission to include several pieces by Alan in the future.

Below: Foreign engines were also serviced at Bricklayers Arms. On 25 September 1956, former LMS 3F tank No 47433 passes North Kent West Junction, in the process of assisting at the rear of a mixed goods.

The train is about to take the incline up to the SER main line at North Kent East Junction. Reversing, the 3F will then head the train solo to the Midland system at St Pancras via London Bridge, Metropolitan Junction, Ludgate Hill and the Widened Lines.

The two running lines from Bricklayers Arms were reversible as far as this junction, hence the doubleslip crossover. After passing under the South London Line, the right-hand tracks will rise to join the Brighton main line north of New Cross Gate. John J. Smith / Bluebell Railway Archives

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Above: We start with Sand Street Crossing on the line from North Kent East Junction to Maidstone West via Erith the box worked to Charlton Lane Crossing to the east and Woolwich Dockyard Station to the west. Inside was a 14 lever frame the levers at 4½” centres. A date of opening is not confirmed although by 1910 the box had been upgraded to the status of a block post implying it had been in existence for some years before this. Of South Eastern Railway design the fire buckets and cautionary conductor rail notice will be noted. Possibly it is the signalman’s bicycle leaning against the lamp standard. The box closed on 15 March 1970.

Opposite top: The cabin at Erith on the same route. Again no date of opening and limited information on the working. To the west was Belvedere although between the two were two non-block posts, Crabtree Crossing and Pembroke crossing. (Crabtree Crossing was raised to block post standard at some time during WW2 no doubt to allow for greater line occupancy. It is not clear if it later resorted to ground-frame status again.) On the opposite side was North End signal box. Erith contained a frame of 29 levers at 5” centres. It was fitted with a block switch so it might be switched out of circuit at quiet times. The box closed from 3 August 1969.

Opposite bottom: Higham signal box was in the three and half mile section between Hoo Junction and Strood Tunnel. Again of South Eastern origin in what is more reminiscent of a garden shed, inside was a frame of 20 levers. No block switch was provided meaning it had to be manned whenever there were trains on the line. Sixteen chains south east of the signal box trains entered the 1,531 Higham Tunnel which after a gap of 66 yards was followed by the even longer 2,329 Strood tunnel. The box closed with effect from 17 October 1971 although Higham station remains open for passengers.

We had hoped to be able to include copies of the official track layouts, gradients and curvature for the Mid Sussex line in this issue. Unfortunately this material arrived just to late for inclusion but has already been allocated to pages 17 to 22 in Issue 12.

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ISSUE 11

Some South Eastern Signal Boxes in Colour

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Opposite top: We move now to Kidbrooke on the line from St Johns to Crayford Creek Junction via Welling. On either side were Blackheath Junction and Well Hall, all three opened by 1895, Kidbrooke itself operational from 1 May 1895. Originally it contained a frame of 15 levers at 4” centres but this was extended to 20 levers on an unknown date possibly in connection with some government sidings laid and in use in 1917. A block switch was fitted so it could be switched out of circuit when required. The box closed from 14 March 1970.

Opposite bottom: Albany Park was between Sidcup and Bexley on the line from Hither Green Junction to Dartford Junction. This was a BR built structure although to an SR design and came into use from 30 May 1948. There was only two miles between the boxes on either side so it must have been provided purely for the purpose of increasing line capacity. Inside was a knee-frame of four levers at 4½ centres. Slightly surprising perhaps is that the same job could have been achieved with intermediate block signals. Again it was provided with a block switch and was operational until 31 October 1970. The chimney for the all important stove will be noted.

Above: Moving east we come to Battle Road Crossing on the line between Tonbridge and Hastings. Located between Robertsbridge and Battle there was also a ground frame between the first named and this location at Mountfield Sidings. Battle Road Crossing is officially referred to as a ‘hut’, a literal fair description and attached to what is clearly the crossing keepers cottage. Inside was a frame of seven levers, extended at an unknown time to eight. Mechanical operation remained in use until the gates were replaced by automatic half barriers from 10 December 1972.

Coming in Southern Times No 12 Plans of the Mid Sussex line Mr Bulleid’s Q1 class Some Westinghouse brake trials Non-steam colour from Ken Wightman 23 23

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Above: Wadhurst also between Tonbridge and Hastings - see article in this issue on page 45. This box opened in 1893 at the same time as the boxes on either side; Frant and Ticehurst Road. (Ticehurst Road was renamed Stonegate from 16 June 1947.)

Internally the building was 16’ x 10’ and to the design of the signalling contractor Messrs Dutton’s. Inside was a Dutton’s frame of 22 levers at 4½ centres. Operational for 93 years, upon closure on 20 April 1986, the lever frame was rescued by the Kent & East Sussex Railway and moved to Northiam.

Opposite top: A much larger box at Folkestone Harbour. Dating from 17 December 1933 inside was a 36 lever frame at 4” centres but reduced to 22 levers in 1961. Not surprisingly here no block switch was provided. The frame at least was also second hand when the box opened and possibly also some parts of the structure, their previous origins unknown. The box was officially closed from May 2008 although before this it had been out of use since November 2006. The bricked up windows in the locking room are likely to have been a WW2 measure.

Opposite bottom: Chartham signal box between Chilham and Hambledon Junction on the Ashford to Ramsgate Town line. Opened by 1880 it remained a signal box until 15 December 2003 after which it was downgraded to the status of Ground Frame. In 2024 there were plans for its demolition but following a campaign by local residents Network Rail agreed to ensure the building is maintained. Originally with 22 levers at 5” centres this number was reduced to 12 at an unknown date. As the box also controlled a level crossing it is not surprising no block switch was provided.

Page 26, top: The small cabin at Stone Crossing on the main line from St Mary Cray to Dover and more precisely between Teynham and Faversham. (Between Teynham and Stone were also Teynham Ground Frame and Buckland Crossing whilst in the opposite direction were Hangman’s Lane [St Ann’s Crossing] and Preston Street Crossing.) Stone had originally opened as Stonegate Crossing and is recorded as being in use by 1898; it was renamed in the early part of the 20th century. Built to the designs of the London, Chatham & Dover Railway it contained a Tyers seven lever knee frame at 4⅝” centres. It was reduced to non-block status from 24 May 1959 but survived as a gate hut for another 17 years closing on 19 September 1976.

Page 26, bottom: Finally to Charing between Swanley and Ashford. Opened on 1 July 1884, it just missed its centenary closing on 14 April 1984. A Saxby & Farmer frame was installed with 21 levers at 5” centres.

We acknowledge with thanks the excellent Southern Railway Signal Box Register published by the Signalling Record Society.

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Watching trains near Shawford Junction Part 2 Les Price Continued from page 79 Issue 10.

T

his was very quickly followed by a Battle of Britain No. 34085 501.Squadron heading the 10.42am Poole to Sheffield (Midland) with another rake of exLMS coaches.

The procession continued with the 11.10 am (SO) Bournemouth West to Newcastle Central, headed by another West Country Pacific No. 34044 Woolacombe Woolacombe..

Minus her nameplate by now, she also, had been

stripped of her dignity. This locomotive had been a longstanding Bournemouth (71B) based engine since 1951 and remained so until she was withdrawn in May 1967.

The next to appear was the first diesel of the day; Class 33, D6563 hauling the 11.50am (SO) Lymington Pier to Waterloo (Isle of Wight Ferry train). As might be expected it was in charge of a rake of Bullied designed coaches.

Top: No 34044 on the Up inter-regional working.

Left: D6503 ex Lymington. The signal is the ‘down home’ signal for Shawford Junction, the box of that name located beyond the overbridge. Behind where we were standing was the 62 yard St Cross Tunnel. This whole area and the location names referred to now changed beyond all recognition by the M3 motorway which crosses the railway here on a mild curve.

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Top: The first indication of the move away from steam came when the 11.30am Waterloo to Bournemouth West swept through, accelerating away from its Winchester call, headed by another Crompton, D6540 carrying headcode C2.

This train’s change from being a Restaurant Car express during the week to providing only a Buffet car service on a Saturday also reflected the change in habits of the travelling public.

Left: This was followed by an unidentified BR Standard Class 4-6-0 speeding south with the 9.40am (SO) Birmingham (Snow Hill) to Portsmouth Harbour (Isle of Wight Boat Train). The background is dominated by the main 18th century building of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital at Winchester.

The odd feature about this photograph is that the locomotive is displaying a Southern Region route code No 22 Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour via Eastleigh. The Standard would have relieved a Western Region engine at Reading or more likely Oxford so would have been expected to have the Class ‘A’ two discs. The fact that it has been shorn of its smoke box number plate doesn’t help us to determine where it was shedded, which may have helped provide an answer.

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ISSUE 11 Even though it was 1965 it still felt very little had changed. British holidays were still being taken in the south and many people were still travelling by train to the south coast resorts. Little did I realise that one day I would find myself working at one of them when I was posted to Bournemouth in 1979, working there for six very happy years until April 1985 before I was then relocated to London.

By now it was gone one o’clock and the holiday traffic was at the point of changing direction; instead of being from south to north it now became north to south. The first indication of this was when the 11.30am Waterloo to Bournemouth West swept through, accelerating away from its Winchester call, headed by another Crompton, D6540 carrying headcode C2.

Of course, by this time, the ‘Cromptons’ were beginning to play an increasing part in Southern activities, supplanting the Bulleid Pacifics. This is specifically what they had been designed to do; summer trains did not require heating facilities.

Following this came the first ‘Merchant Navy’ of the

day, No. 35003 Royal Mail, Mail, as might be expected a Bournemouth (70F) engine. She was heading the 12 noon Bournemouth West–Waterloo. Also displaying a small feather of steam at her valves she was in good shape for the climb to come as well.

The down signals now indicated a south bound train was due. This happened to be a Hampshire two-car unit No 1121 on an everyday (Suns.X) Alton-Southampton Terminus service. It was the 12.57 ex Alton. I couldn’t resist attempting to take a picture of ‘a train in the landscape’. The sky line to the left shows the RHCH on the left and Winchester Cathedral, glowing in the summer sunshine on the right.

Next in the southbound procession came the first original Bullied Pacific of the day No. 34002 Salisbury galloping off the Downs with the 12.14pm Waterloo– Bournemouth West. She had been released from Brighton Works in June 1945 and spent the first nineteen years of her career at Exmouth Junction (72A), presumably a great deal of the time on West of England expresses. Since her move up to Nine Elms in January 1965 via three months at Eastleigh,

In the opposite direction then came the up 11.38am (SO) Poole to Wolverhampton (Low Level) headed by another Standard, Class 5 No 73037. This engine was a recent acquisition by Eastleigh (70D) in May 1965. Outshopped from Derby Works in September 1953 she first went to Shrewsbury (84G) before spending a decade travelling around the then Western Region ending up at Oxford (81F) from October 1964 until her transfer to Eastleigh. With a tiny feather of steam from her safety valves for the climb ‘Up’ on to the North Hampshire Downs. St Cross tunnel is in the distance and on the down line the signals are clear towards Otterbourne.

(The low height of the signal post was to allow for maximum visibility through the tunnel.

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SOUTHERN TIMES Top: A few years earlier this would have been a pullpush operation with an M7, now one of the regular Alton line 2-car DEMU’s No 1121 heads south on the way to Southampton Terminus.

Centre: No 34002 Salisbury passing a standard SR permanent way hut alongside the up line.

Bottom: No 34026, a regular Bournemouth line performer, is seen with a relief from Weymouth.

Remember the days when relief trains were run... ?

she was busily at work on the Bournemouth line, and so it remained almost to the end of steam when she was officially withdrawn in April 1967.

Back on the up side a rebuilt ‘West Country’ No. 34042 Dorchester breezed through with the usual feather of steam in hand for the climb to come, at the front of the 10.50am Weymouth - Waterloo. Her future was less bright. After being a Bournemouth allocated engine since June 1956 she had been sent to Eastleigh (70D) during September 1964 and from there was condemned just three months after this photograph was taken.

This rustic setting is shown to good effect here as another ‘West Country’ Pacific No. 34026 Yes Tor followed the Weymouth with a relief, the 11.17am (SO) Weymouth-Waterloo racing to make up lost time. From November 1960 Yes Tor had been a Salisbury (72B) engine so was, perhaps another engine drafted in to help with the summer service on the Bournemouth / Weymouth line services.

Finally and the ‘piece de resistance ‘of the day was the glorious sight of the down ‘Bournemouth Belle’ hurtling through under clear signals at approaching eighty miles an hour behind another rebuilt ‘West Country’, No 34093 Saunton Saunton.. New from Brighton Woks in October 1949 she went direct to 71B and spent her entire life right through to the end of steam working on the Bournemouth line.

By now it was getting on for two o’clock and spending two hours at just one location watching the trains go by had given us a good cross-section of the services still running on Summer Saturdays on the Southern. It took me right back to my childhood. Where had the time gone; there wasn’t one moment of boredom, the trains just kept coming.

30

ISSUE 11 The Saturday down ‘Belle’ behind No 34093 Saunton.

More usually associated with Merchant Navy haulage, Nine Elms could and did use other engines if a MN was not available or perhaps not in the best of condition.

Perhaps the peak of summer Saturday traffic had passed but there was still a lot to see. It couldn’t last much longer as the decline continued right into the nineteen seventies although Bournemouth still

remained a popular destination in 1979. But back in 1965 the giant line-side billboards used to say ‘You are now in the Strong Country’. We were hungry and thirsty so it was indeed time for some Romsey brewed ale.

The weekend would not have been complete without another glimpse of the ‘Bournemouth Belle’. So before I returned to London I arrived early at Winchester City station to see the Sunday down ‘Belle’. She came hurtling off the Downs and thundered through the station; people, staff and passengers, stood agog on both platforms, their senses suddenly reawakened. As on the previous day it was headed by the same engine ,No 34093 Saunton in prime condition. She was one of the later ’West Country’s’ to be rebuilt; in May 1960. Eastleigh based since September 1964; the ’Belle’ must have been one of her regular duties at the time.

Fittingly, she too remained in action until the final day of steam on the Southern.

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SOUTHERN TIMES

Top left and right: Evolution of the external front end design for the class; drifting smoke and steam was a major problem.

Left ;No 21C7 has had small smoke deflectors added and which look very much as if they are ‘added extra’. Right; this unidentified member has the deflectors curved in at the top. In both cases the gap between the sides of the casing and also at the top of the smokebox might have looked as if it might work to cure the problem. It was certainly an improvement on the original with no deflectors at all but as the schoolmaster might have said, ‘Could do better’.

Bottom left: The final variant seen on 21C8. This was also similar to that fitted to the smaller Light Pacifics. One of the issues was the low exhaust pressure which failed to lift the exhaust high and clear. The prevailing wind, usually a westerly would have thought to have helped the problem especially on routes running west - east but not so and Bradley recounts, without further detail, on how some drivers expressed their views - forcibly.

On the Eastern section where the prevailign winds were niot usually so strong matters were sometimes worse. Similar weather conditions could see the exhaust blown clear, to an extent, on the almost ‘north-south line from Worting Junction to Southampton but now other factors came into play including eddy currents that would occur around the casing. This had been recognised from an early stage and it is reported engines were seen running around with strips of coloured wool attached to the casing in an attempt to identify areas of concern. (Oh for an image!)

32

The original ‘Merchant Navy’ class 1948-1960

O

n the first day of public ownership of the railways, 1 January 1948, there were 20 members of the Merchant Navy class in service. Numbered 21C1 through to 21C20. The change to the allocated BR numbers, 35001 to 35020 would be gradual, the first three Nos 21C4, 21C5, and 21C19 taking on their new identity in April 1948, the last No 21C2 not renumbered as 35002 until January 1950.

By this time a further ten of the class had been built and numbered in a continuation of the allocated series; 35021 to 35030. The final series were to same basic design to the earlier engines although externally with modifications to the front casing. Another modification related to the sanding gear. As built the first ten engines were only fitted with sanding to the centre driving wheels. This was soon found to be inadequate and sanding was fitted to all three driving wheels but now at the expense of sand making its way to the outside slide bars, the supposed solution of dust covers may

ISSUE119 ISSUE

have cured this problem but now created another in the form of lubrication issues and the covers were removed first from No 35019 and then all others. At the same time the fittings allowing sanding to the leading coupled wheels were either removed or simply blanked off.

The final batch of 10 engines had been ordered just prior to nationalisation and over which there will ever be discussion. To be fair at this stage the interchange trials had yet to take place whilst the new Railway Executive were very likely still grappling and coming to terms with motive power anyway to consider postponement or cancellation. Accordingly and with it seems a degree of urgency, all three works were involved in construction; cylinders and frames from Ashford, boilers and tenders from Brighton, with other parts and actual assembly taking place at Eastleigh. The estimated cost per engine was now £25,000. This compared with £23,840 for the first of the class back in 1941 plus an additional £11.368 for design and other costs. This latter figure

No 21C5 in basic 1948 condition. Further external changes to occur over the years would affect the cab and tender.

Notwithstanding the original number, the addition of the ‘s’ prefix indicates this is a post 1948 view. At this time the engine still retains its original cab windows, the change to a wedge-shaped cab for No 35005 came in February 1950. The remaining original 19 engines had been / were altered in similar style between 1948 and 1953. The BR built engines, Nos 35021-35030 were equipped as such from the outset. Inset drawing courtesy Hugh Longworth

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SOUTHERN TIMES

No 35019 French Line CGT on the 1.30pm Paddington to Plymouth during the 1948 interchange trials - the dynamometer car is seen as the first coach. There was a definite clash between the outlines of locomotive and tender not helped by the differing liveries green and black. Aesthetics apart, the tender swap was necessary to allow for the picking up of water from troughs enroute; something else for the Southern fireman to become accustomed to. The SR crew were of course accompanied by a WR pilotman throughout. The train was captured on the down fast line at Ealing ten minutes after departure. 27 April 1948. Note a wedge shaped cab has been fitted. L R Freeman / Transport Treasury

could well be said to be divided between what would eventually be the 30 members of the class. (Allowing for inflation at 4.8% per year between 1941 and 1948 this equates to a cheaper engine in 1948 than might otherwise have been expected.)

both original and in later rebuilt form.

TIA (water treatment) was fitted to the final ten engines from the outset, Nos 35001-20 all retro fitted by 1951.

Five of the new engines ran for a short time with tenders intended for new light pacifics. It will be recalled Brighton was responsible for building the smaller machines and it was simply a matter of expediency.

The 6,000 gallon tenders intended for the MN class were designed to give some spare capacity in the event of out of course delays when running non-stop from Waterloo to Bournemouth, in the event non-stop running was not reinstated. The names for the final ten engines were chosen early on with plates cast and affixed to the sides of the casing but with a wooden cover also attached. These covers, of two halves, were of course only intended to be temporary but even so several disappeared before the official naming day whilst others saw just the lower half missing.

Nos 35021-35030 entered service between September 1948 and April 1949 to order HO3393. Considering Eastleigh, and of course Ashford and Brighton, were heavily involved with backlog of maintenance to be able to produce the parts for 10 large engines and for Eastleigh to assemble them in just eight months was a commendable achievement. It might be tempting to suggest Eastleigh was simply assembling a ‘kit of parts’ but it was in fact much more than this as changes to the design compared with the original engines meant a greater use of welding, reducing weight where possible on other components and new lighter weight fabricated carrying trucks. As mentioned, a wedge shaped cab with three sliding windows was fitted at the outset.

In the opinion of the writer it was the design of this, modified cab, together with the non-circular smokebox door that contributed to their distinctive appearance in

It will be recalled that Bulleid’s set criteria for the class was to be able to work a 600 ton train at 60mph, this referring specifically to the heavy loadings on some 34

ISSUE 11 No 35012 United States Line at Nine Elms, 9 October 1954. Cut down sides on the 6,000 gallon tender and in final condition prior to rebuilding (casing ahead of the cylinders also removed).

Renumbered as seen from “1C12 in March 1949 this engine was rebuilt in February 1957. The second style of ‘Royal Wessex’ headboard) white on a green background is carried. Both the Up and Down workings of this service were heavy workings, a Light Pacific in reasonable condition just able to cope with the Waterloo bound service in the summer months when there was no demand for steam heating. In winter or with adverse weather to contend with a ‘Merchant Navy’ was the preferred option. L R Freeman F1334 / Transport Treasury

No 35003 Royal Mail in blue livery at Nine Elms. Original tender with TIA tanks visible; later briquettes were used with the same positive results.

The ribbed casing may be noted.

Electric lights under the control of the driver was fitted to the front and rear, so enabling any permutation of route codes to be shown when the usual white discs might not be so obvious.

Written histories of the engine refer to a portable lamp which the driver might carry with him and plug in to various sockets when checking around. Whether this was fitted to all the engines and how much it was used is not reported. Realistically a small portable ‘torch’ would be easily lost.

Transport Treasury

Out on the line. Doyen of the class No 35001 Channel Packet at Sole Street on 10 May 1958. This and sister engine 35002 (originally 21C2) were heaviest of the class, weight reduction taking place as the various batches were built. Although all 30 were to the same basic design, there was for a time some doubt as to whether the first two engines could in fact be rebuilt at all.

Why this should have been the case is not reported. Single disc indicating a service for Dover from Victoria, also a cut down tender of lesser capacity. Wedge shaped cab and both sandbox covers open. Realistically the sandboxes could only be filled from a trestle. The elliptical smokebox door, so distinctive to the design of the pacifics, shows up well. A E Bennett 3042 / Transport Treasury

35

SOUTHERN TIMES This page, top: No 35005 Canadian Pacific at Rugby during its trials phase - the engine is attached to the LMR mobile testing unit; notice the cable connections running from the direction of the smokebox (these would measure temperature and smokebox vacuum).

This page, bottom: The cab of No 35005 with the mechanical stoker fitted. It should be pointed out that modifications had also to be made to the tender hence the loco / tender combination remained unaltered throughout the trials.The main changes to the cab were the large protrusion housing the screw feed from the tender and the panel containing controls for the steam jets that operated the screw. There is no indication as to which was which but certainly one would have been a ‘master’ and there would almost certainly be at least one for reversing the screw feed.

A reverse facility for the screw would be necessary in the event of a blockage; so as to have the ability to hopefully clear any such obstruction. ‘Forward’ and ‘Reverse’ operation in this context has no correlation with the direction of running. Of course the other governing factor was the size of coal available; in the case of No 35005, weighed bags of specially prpeared fuel were used which had to be hoisted manually on to the tender at the start of each run. At the conclusion of the specific trial run the tender was emptied with the remaining coal weighed. This together with the contents of the ashpan, smokebox, and an estimate of the fuel remaining in the firebox would then be added together to give a (slightyl non-scientific) asumption of the coal use.

Note the butterfly firedoors are open. In emergency firing could be undertaken manually through this much smaller gap but added to which was the inconvenience of having the screw gear in the way.

of the Eastern Section. This would not be put into practice until at least the autumn of 1949 as it was only in September of that year that the Eastern Section received its first allocation of the class, Nos 35025, 35026 and 35027 transferring from Bournemouth to Dover. Meanwhile the remaining engines were shared between the sheds at Exmouth Junction, Salisbury, Bournemouth, and Nine Elms. Three members of the class, whilst running in their original condition, were involved in trial workings to gauge efficiency as well as to assess temporary fittings. The first of these was No 35005 which between March 1948 and April 1951 ran just over 77,000 miles equipped with a mechanical stoker, much of this working ordinary service trains.

chimney than was general with the class; and all threw fire quite a bit. Standing behind the driver there was a continuous rain of small particles, filling eyes and overall pockets. Goggles should have been mandatory – as in France. The coal used was ‘slack’, so small that to fire it by hand would have been completely impossible even with the ‘Merchant Navy’s’ tolerant boiler. Someone did try, just the once….and came to grief – badly. We opened out the blast pipe nozzles a sixteenth of an inch at a time until the loco got a bit ‘dicky for steam’ and then went one size back. In this condition (the actual size is not quoted), quoted), compared with the original 2⅝ inch ones, steaming was wholly adequate and the fire throwing much reduced. The restaurant car people were pleased too; soiling of their table linen went back to near normal! Even so the amount of fusible ash was huge and it set as a more or less solid cake of clinker after the regulator was closed racing down towards Tunnel Junction at Salisbury. In

The late John Click recounted several experiences with No 35005 in this form including, ‘At first No 35005 had standard blast pipe nozzles which tore fiercely at the thin fire and resulted in a great deal more going up the 36

ISSUE 11 Top: No 35005 never ran on the Rugby test plant whereas No 35022 Holland America Line did, again various items of temporary equipment will be seen. It cannot be said that the trials were not thorough with the equivalent of 10,304 miles run under test conditions. Neither were they confined to the testing shed as operational testing included hauling a 594 ton train of 20 coaches on the former Midland main line. The Bulleid steam reverser fitted to the class as well as bouts of slipping, one so severe the trials had to halted due to bent coupling rods, contributed to the inability to fully assess the maximum output of the boiler. The weight of this test train some 42% heavier than that normally operated by Class 7 locomotives over the same route. In the stationary environment the propensity of the class to drop oil on to the rollers resulting in bouts of slipping meant the maximum output could not be safely ascertained.

Indeed it was necessary to thoroughly wipe the rollers clean at the start of and at intervals during the trials. In service this oil would have been left on the track - ready for the next engine to slip as it passed! Other modifications applied to the class included re-siting the safety valves further back on the boiler, this reduced the chance of them lifting during heavy braking when boiler water might otherwise have flowed forward and also a reduction in boiler pressure from the original Bottom: When not on the test plant No 35022 was stabled and serviced at the nearby running shed; it certainly made a sight running to and fro without a tender. Water and coal (the latter from a bunker within the test plant) were available. One amusing comment about the tests came when No 35022 was working hard on the rollers and in the process producing copious amounts of smoke -no issues over pollution in those days. A telephone call was received from the Rugby station master to D R Carling the engineer in charge, the SM commenting, very politely that the black smoke we were making was so bad that he would have to institute fog working in the station area if we went on. The tests were stopped for the rest of that day.

those days locos were changed at Salisbury: but in any case and in that condition she would not have gone far beyond there. A rocking grate and a special ash pan were fitted later on; and, if used, somewhat improved the loco’s effective range, but now there was a real fear that an under-casing fire might result.

‘On shed it was then ‘touch and go’ to get the fire cleaned and remade, often involving pinching some live fire from another engine, in time to work the corresponding train home. The locomotive burnt a lot of this rubbish coal and it would only have been economic if the Coal Board had let BR have it on a ‘take-it-awayfree’ basis rather than stacking it as ‘unwanted’ at the pithead. Even power stations with their low combustion rates and chain grate stokers couldn’t handle the stuff.

However despite one nationalised industry paying

another nationalised industry the NCB had no Intention of giving it away!’

No 35005 disgraced itself twice during the trials. Once on 15 September 1950 when it was working the 8.30am Bournemouth-Waterloo and the chain drive parted at speed near Raynes Park resulting in total failure with the oil-bath and motion wrecked.

The second occasion involving No 35005 was during trials on the Southern with just the engine and the LMR mobile testing unit which took place in March 1950.

This set up was able to simulate various trailing loads causing the engine to work much harder; unfortunately this occurred on the main line almost at the peak of the evening rush-hour. No amount of cajoling could get the engineer in charge to abandon his trials - a 37

SOUTHERN TIMES

On 16 November 1955 No 35016 was found to have fractured all four coupling rods near Gillingham; later examination of the axle boxes showed these had also cracked. S C Townroe attended and took these images on the day (unfortunately not one of the engine in situ). SCT’s notes also refer to No 35015 on the day but this is likely to have been a simple recording error. The axlebox view indicating the position of cracks was recorded at Eastleigh in December 1955. The result was a redesign of the coupling rods and steel axle boxes fitted to the rebuilt engines. No 35016 was out of service until 31 December 1955.

subsequent instruction at very senior level prohibited similar behaviour in the future. (An image of No 35005 on these trials appears on p48 of ST7.)

out on the line; mainly the LMR. Whereas in 1948 the trials had shown the class to be heavy on both coal and water, boiler evaporation had been very good and it was this that had led to the Rugby tests. At Rugby No 35022 was tried in unaltered form and with several variations to the blast pipe, chimney, brick arch and with and without the siphons presumably the latter blanked off rather than removed.

The results were best described as ‘inconclusive’ in summary the view being that there were often too many simultaneous changes made to accurately assess the specific features of the engine. What was as established was that the steaming limit of the boiler was not quite reached, the limit on test being 42,000 lb/hr. Mr Bulleid’s boiler design had proven itself once again, folklore having it that thoughts were given to incorporating a Bulleid boiler on a ‘Britannia’ pacifics but the weight came out as too great. We might add that as the sole BR Class 8 Pacific was not built until 1954 perhaps, if the story is true, ‘Duke of Gloucester’ might have been a better fit.

Slightly earlier in 1948, four of the class, Nos 35017, 35018, 35019 and 35020 were prepared for use in the 1948 interchange trials, (No 35018 worked on test on its home region between Waterloo and Exeter and so was the only one of the quartet not to be temporarily attached to an LMS type tender). Nos 35017 and 35019 worked off-region, No 35020 as spare. Whilst in works at the time this last engine was fitted with extended smoke deflectors plates - similar to those on No 34006 and others. Whilst there was an improvement in smoke lifting this came at the expense of further restricting the view ahead and although no 35020 carried this extension until rebuilt in April 1956, no others of the class were similarly modified. The other two engines similarly prepared The third set of official trials occurred at intervals between December 1951 and January 1954 .and involving No 35022 both on the Rugby test plant and 38

ISSUE 11 Top: No 35020 after the Crewkerne incident. The centre axle has been jacked for a genteel tow back to Eastleigh, one would suspect with several pauses en-route.

Middle left: Nos 35008 and unknown sister at Eastleigh minus crank axles Middle right: Eastleigh Works May 1953; flawed axle on No 35007 Aberdeen Commonwealth. S C Townroe Bottom No 35018 British India Line awaiting entry to Eastleigh Works for rebuilding, early November 1955. At this stage it had run 504,900 since new in May 1945 or just over 53,000 per annum. Whereas fitters welcomed the rebuilding as making components more accessible, footplate crew were initially not so enthusiastic feeling the rebuilds had to be pushed harder to achieve the same result. Part of this may have been a simple lack of change, but more likely was that previously a cut-off setting would be set and then the gear would slowly creep forward of its own accord. In the rebuilds the steam reverser was removed and more accurate positioning cut be achieved.

39

SOUTHERN TIMES A rare colour view of the cab of a Merchant Navy taken at Southampton in August 1951. Of note is the wedge front window meaning this cannot have been No 35002, 35009, or 35013 all of which had their cabs modified after this date.

S C Townroe

Other home region tests were also carried out on No 35019 commencing in June. This involved a single blast pipe and modified chimney but the results were poor.

Various experiments were made until a reasonable results were achieved but still not to the standard of the engine before modification. Crews complained the maximum for the engine was now 11 coaches and maintaining time was not possible. In addition there was a greater tendency towards slipping. The final comment being that No 35019 now sounded like ‘a Paddlebox in full cry’. Even so it may have been as a result of this that similar single blast pipe trials were carried out on No 35022 at Rugby.

Mention has been made earlier of the original intended 600 ton load specification for the Eastern section.

Accordingly in the spring of 1952 trials were held on the SE main line between Dover and Chislehurst with trains slightly in excess of 700 tons. No 35030 was involved as well as two ‘Light pacifics’ and a ‘Britannia’.

The make up of the test trains was interesting as they consisted of ferry cans and 25T bogie brake vans. Apart from some slipping at the scheduled stopping places all the Bulleid engines were competently made, but not so the ‘Britannia’ which was found to have experienced movement on the wheels on the centre axle.

Oiling round on No 35004 Cunard White Star, we think at Salisbury. The sliding cover at the top of the casing would normally be cosed as this only gave access to the main steam pipe feeding the steam fountain. Both sandbox covers are open and it will be noted the engine has a ribbed casing.

With the driver having his hand on the big end might we be supsicious the bearing was running ‘warm’?

A potentially more serious axle problem befell No 35020 on 24 April 1953 when the crank axle fractured at speed at Crewkerne whilst working an express from Exeter. Fortunately the train was brought to a stand although the canopy at the station was partly 40

ISSUE 11 demolished, probably by parts from the brake gear. Just over two weeks later on 12 May the entire class was withdrawn from traffic for examination, engines seen parked end to end at both Eastleigh and Ashford minus the centre driving axle. (The eight engines that had the centre axle removed at Eastleigh had this conponent taken to Eastleigh where ultrasonic test equipment was available.) Four were found to be definitely faulty with two others replaced as a precaution. The failures / replacements were also spread across all four builds of the class so it could not be said it was a single batch

that was to blame.

The checking was quickly and efficiently undertaken, the first with three of the class, Nos 35005, 35018 and 35026 back at work on 16 May. Ten more engines were returned to service the next day so that at the end of the month only three, including No 35020 remained inactive.

Three other known misdemener would affect the class in 1954, the first when No 35023 broke a tender axle

Top: No 35026 Lamport & Holt Line at the turntable at Folkestone Junction, 3 July 1953. The engine appears in good external condition with the two disc headcode indicating a London bound service. The original tenders were not always popular with crews owing to the restricted view when running in reverse.

Bottom: No 35021 New Zealand Line in full flight on the Up through approaching Shawford, 31 August 1958 in charge of 9.20am Weymouth to Waterloo made up of 12 coaches. Ten months later this engine would be one of the final group of engines called to Eastleigh for rebuilding.

Tony Molyneaux

41

SOUTHERN TIMES near Broad Clyst and then when a coupling rod broke on 35025 near Honiton. Both engines had been hauling trains at the time that involving No 35025 resulting in damage to the engine casing, several windows of the train and about 200 yards of permanent way. To compound the situation, with No 35025 fortunately now brought to a safe halt, oil leaking from the engine ignited setting the lagging on fire. Despite the efforts of the engine crew the fire brigade had to be summonsed.

Lagging fires were an almost regular occurrence with the engines in their original condition. (Coupling rod failures would not be restricted solely to the engines in original condition, witness a similar failure to No 35021 in rebuilt form near Winchester. No date is given although we do know the engine was safely brought to a stand.)

all the advantages (and disadvantages) of their larger brethren.

Bradley gives cost estimates. To replace the class with 30 new Britannia class engines would cost £586,000; the scrap value of each member of the MN class put at £1,566. The alternative, rebuilding was £222,500, or £7416 per engine. Whether the rebuilding costs were acceded to is not reported. Even so to be able to quote rebuilding costs infers a design had at least been considered and costing prepared. The final decision appears to have rested upon boiler / firebox condition and undoubtedly this is where the benefit of TIA water treatment showed up for these components were found to be in excellent condition. Accordingly order No HO7998 was give to rebuilt 15 engines No 35018 was the initial rebuild taken into works on 16 November 1955 and released in its new form just under three months later.

The third incident was on the Eastern section and involved No 35030 which broke a tender tyre on Christmas Eve 1954 with a relief express. Bradley comments that to clear the line No 35030 was towed back to Tonbridge and placed in the shed over the holiday period ‘...looking somewhat out of place surrounded by sundry Wainwright 4-4-0s, 0-6-0’s and 0-4-4Ts’.

Five more of the class were rebuilt before the end of 1956. Nine were dealt with in 1957, five in 1958, and ten in 1959, the last No 35028 emerged from Eastleigh in October 1959. As to the order they were dealt with, this depended entirely upon mileage run and available works capacity. As such, and it should be mentioned this is not confirmed, it could well have been that a member of the class in original condition might be seen in works alongside another engine in the process of rebuilding.

With The BR standard classes now working successfully on all regions, towards the end of 1954 BR were at a quandary as to what to do with the MN class. Maintenance costs and fuel consumption meant this was the time two options were being considered; rebuilding or scrap.

For a detailed analysis of the class, the reader is recommended to ‘The Book of the Merchant Navy Pacifics’, Richard Derry and Ian Sixsmith, Pub. Irwell Press.

At this stage we might pause to consider the implications of this pronouncement for a moment. In 1954 the oldest member of the class was just 13 years old, the newest five. Had the decision been towards scrapping what might then have been the fate of the 110 Light Pacifics?

Both of course to very similar design and portraying

‘Locomotives of the Southern Railway Part 2’. D L Bradley, Pub. RCTS.

Opposite top: No 35028 Clan Line, Line, a long term Eastern Section engine passing Tonbridge with a Kent Coast service including at least one Pullman car. No 35028 was the last of the class to be rebuilt, the original plan being for the rebuilt engines to work until 1975 at which point the rebuilding costs would have recouped; as we know it was to be a long way short of that. Even so No 35028 was saved at the time of the end of Southern steam and has since been one of the most regular performers on steam specials - albeit in rebuilt form. Ken Wightman / Transport Treasury Opposite bottom: If ever there was an engine that deserved saving in the form seen here it was the first of the class No 35001 Channel Packet photographed at Stewarts Lane on 10 May 1959, just three months before rebuilding. In rebuilt guise it would have a life of just over five years having the unenviable distinction of being amongst the first five withdrawals of the class in 1964. Ironically the smokebox numberplate from the engine was still to be found in the Eastleigh shed stores two years later. R C Riley / Transport Treasury

Next time:

Mr Bulleids’ Q1 class 42

ISSUE 11

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SOUTHERN TIMES

44

Wadhurst - a country station

W

adhurst station is on the main line to and from Hastings, south of Tunbridge Wells and between Frant and Ticehurst Road. Opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1851 the main buildings are to the design of William Trees (1800-1859). His record

ISSUE 11

for 1850/51 shows a prolific output including the designs for stations and works include the stations at Winchelsea, Rye, Appledore and Goods Shed, Ham Street,Frant, Stonegate (originally Witherenden), Etchingham, Robertsbridge, Battle, Crowhurst, and the original Hastings, the later replaced by a new building to the design of J R Scott in 1931. Trees was also involved in a church at Kings Cross, a school at Shoreditch and the Custom House at Folkestone.

The station at Wadhurst was around a mile from the village of the same name and yet continues to survive today despite being orignally listed for closure under Dr Beeching.

As was the preferred design for wayside stations on the South Eastern, the platforms were staggered with the main buildings and goods shed / yard on the down side of the line, opposite was a waiting shelter.

Opposite page: On an unreported date in 1955, No 30928 Stowe on the 1.2pm service from Cannon Street to Hastings just entering the station. Maunsell stock dominates in the pleasant BR carmine and cream livery. On the Up line an unidentified ‘Q’ class 0-6-0 has the road to head north possibly destined for Tonbridge. The presence of a check rail on both main lines will be noted. Access between the platforms was originally a simple board crossing, this later retained for staff whilst passengers used a footbridge. Lens of Sutton Association, Denis Cullum collection LSDC2569.

Left: Original plans of the station from both road and platform sides. The symmetry of this Italianate design was later altered when a two floor extension was built on the south (right hand) end of the platform side.

45

SOUTHERN TIMES From the track plan the position of the various facilities is apparent. Note the letters ‘G.W.R.’ referencing part of the main building refer to ‘General Waiting Room’ and not a takeover! The signal box, illustrated on page 24, stood at the end of station buildings, its position also identified by the image opposite. Although not confirmed it is almost certain the top floor of the building was originally accommodation for the station master (agent).

Opposite top: Looking south in 1955, the signal box also a convenient place to site the running-in board with its additional ‘Alight here for Ticehurst’. The open-air footbridge is visible together with various items of station furniture. On the right is the up siding leading back towards a bridge carrying an aqueduct across the line and further on Wadhurst Tunnel, 1,205 yards. The signalling arrangements have been referred to earlier but note may be made of where the rodding emerges from the box and rudimentary covers in the ‘six foot’ and at the end of the Up platform intended to prevent tripping. No canopy was provided on either the platform or approach sides of the building; which is now Grade 2 listed.

Lens of Sutton Association, Denis Cullum collection LSDC2570 Opposite bottom: Again in 1955, the classic view of the station from the north end and with the exposed Up platform. In more enlightened times and with the railway now a simple Up and Down line, the platform here has been extended south so as to be nearly opposite the down side. As with numerous other places, the former goods yard is also now used as a car park. Lens of Sutton Association, Denis Cullum collection LSDC2577

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Opposite top: Seen from the Ticehurst (south) end of the site with the goods shed dominant. The gated siding was for coal merchants Cheeseman and Newington with the siding continuing in front of the station approach. The yard also contained a 4-ton hand crane. The ground disc signal allowed movement over the crossover between the Down and Up lines. Slightly unusual is the use of the end of the goods shed for advertising, but then we cannot say the Southern as anything but enterprising when it came to raising money. The goods yard closed in 1962. On the main running lines colour light signals had begun to appear in 1957.

Lens of Sutton Association, Denis Cullum collection LSDC2572 Opposite bottom: Looking south in 1988 and showing the extension to the main building and also the goods yard now given over to car parking. The building extension is not dated but believed to have been from the 19th century. This was the scene in 1978, contemporary signage having replaced the green and white and modern lighting has been added. The trailing crossover in the main line remains as does the up siding although both do not appear to have had much use of late. A cruel blow-up reveals most of the cars in the car park to be of British manufacture - how that would change over the years. Lens of Sutton Association, Denis Cullum collection LSDC4836 Above: A relic from the past almost thirty years earlier. In 1949 Denis Cullum visited Wadhurst and recorded this vintage SEC hand-operated ganger’s trolley. Operation was a simple fore-and-aft movement of the handles and potentially with the provision for up to four persons. On this occasion a piece of brick has been used as a rudimentary wheel chock with the trolley in use as a ‘table’ for several mugs of tea! Note the painting on the post nearby; a throwback to wartime lighting conditions. Lens of Sutton Association, Denis Cullum collection LSDC0387

Next time:

The LSWR station at Bordon 49

SOUTHERN TIMES

Top: Geoffrey Kichenside also recorded the station at Wadhurst but on an unreported date. An immediate point to note is there is no longer any check-rail on the main lines although the Up line at least is subject to a 40mph limit. The ancient ganger’s trolley has also disappeared with the more conventional 4-wheel carrying trolley at the end of the Up siding. Otherwise all is quiet, the porter perhaps waiting on conversation with the signalman; a few passengers also await the next Up train. The footbridge extension led to nearby ‘Faircrouch’, a Grade II listed private house and estate. The siding on the right led to the dock siding.

Whether the residents of ‘Faircrough’ had the right to a specific train service and the ability to request trains to call is not reported.

Bottom: The Up platform and shelter with standard station furniture including a clock. Clocks at stations were a requirement from the Board of Trade very early on and a subject which generated much correspondence, the railway companies sometimes reluctant to provide this basic provision. The time shown being 2.00pm. Geoffrey Kichenside / Transport Treasury

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Top: Station approach and also the access through the gate to the dock siding. Fading paint indicates the corner of the main building had been ‘whitened’ in the war years. The purpose of the wooden extension is not known with no nameplate on the access door on the platform side. It was located immediately next to the Parcels and Left Luggage office and so may well have been an extension to this or even a Porter’s Room. At the opposite end was a small single storey brick built ‘Gents’. A pleasing touch on the platform side was the provision of several small flower troughs placed on the window sills. Note too the name of the station picked out on the opposite embankment. The car is MkI Ford ‘Zephyr/Zodiac’.

Bottom: More contemporary advertising; the Hastings and Thanet Building Society became the Anglia, Hastings and Thanet Building Society in July 1978 and then the Anglia Building Society in July 1980. The dock siding may well once have been used for horse traffic and similarly cattle. In this view however, it appears to have been some time since it witnessed any such use.

Geoffrey Kichenside / Transport Treasury

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‘Second Class’

B

oth the Southern Railway and the GWR operated a number of ‘nondescript’* vehicles; perhaps the term ‘classless; might be better understood. In the case of the SR, their constituent the LSWR had several dining cars which were ‘classless’ and meaning they might be used by either First or Third class passengers.

(Possibly not concurrently and more likely to mean the actual dining vehicle could be included in the formation of either a First or Third class train.)

first year of BR ownership but only on those services involving boat trains. The reason for this was that on the continent the French (and presumably other European railways) only had a First and Second class designation whereas we had by now settled on ‘First’ and ‘Third’.

The Nondescript saloons were therefore labelled as ‘Second’ on these services to avoid passenger confusion when they reached the European ports.

Third class was eventually abolished on 3 June 1956 with simple ‘First’ and ‘Second’ class designations used thereafter, that is until recent times when it has become’ First’, ‘Standard’ or simply ‘a vehicle for customer use’.

A second constituent, the South Eastern also operated ‘nondescript’ saloons which could be labelled First, Second, or Third dependent upon the need at the time.

Examples might be ‘first class’ for use on race specials, ‘second class’ for boat trains and third class for school traffic - by this it should be taken to mean public school traffic at the start and end of a each term. Which of course immediately leads to the question we cannot answer - what designation was applied in ordinary traffic, or were such vehicles otherwise held ‘spare’?

No S4441S was built at Eastleigh in 1933 with the interior divided into three separate saloon areas. As such and when running in whatever role, they presented a very respectable vehicle with total accommodation for just 36 persons. Presumably knowledgeable passengers might seek out such a vehicle when it was seen as part of their train formation.

One important comment relates to the term ‘second class’. This designation had been abolished on UK railways from the mid-19th century onwards, the two last users being the LSWR up to 1918 and the SR until 1923. After this time travel was either ‘First’ or ‘Third’ (discounting Pullman). However, the successor to both, the Southern Railway continued to use the designation ‘Second Class’ throughout their lifespan and into the

After capital service No S4441S saw further use as a mobile office at Streatham Common and was renumbered 082444. It was sold to the Bluebell Railway in October1973 where it currently awaits its turn in the restoration queue. * On the GWR these were invariably ‘family’ saloons that might be hired by a party and added to a particular service.

S4441S was one of the few of the type permananently designated as ‘Second Class’.

The images are by Geoffery Kichenside but regretfully without date or location.

Note the droplight is not provided with a leather strap but passenegrs were required to lower this to gain access to the outside door handle when alighting.

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Top: No S4441S in crimson and cream and attached to a BR Mk1.

Brackets for destination boards will be noted as well as the sliding ventilators. The vehicle is ‘offregion’ witness the WR signals in the background and also the Collett coach on the extreme right.

Notice also the roof brackets on which might have been displayed ‘Continental Express / Short Sea Route.’

Centre: Evidence of repairs to the lower part of the door. No 4441 was one of a batch of 20 such vehicles built in 1933 to SR Diagram 2654, the vehicles numbered 4431 to 4450. No 4441 was one of the type permanently labelled as ‘Second Class’ Bottom: Second class designation confirmed and with smoking also shown. The small round opening on the door, once a feature on all passenger stock, allowed the guard or other authorised person to lock the door using a carriage key - a square.

With grateful thanks to Mike King .

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A definite pot-pourri for this issue with a mixture of views that do not really fit in with other themes but are worth seeing regardless. We start at the top of this page with P class 0-6-0T No 31556 shunting at Kingston Wharf in June 1957. This wharf was alongside the River Adur with rail access off the coastway line controlled from Kingston Wharf signal box. The Melissa M was an inshore cargo vessel of 984 tons which on this occasion appears have been carrying coal.

Bottom; Stephen Townroe visited the Isle of Wight on several occasions in the 1950s including the Ventnor West branch which we have featured previously. In May 1957 he retraced his route recording both ends of the tunnel and also the terminus station now sadly devoid of track.

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Stephen Townroe’s Colour Archive ‘On the line’

To Eastleigh now and the end of what was the turning triangle for the locomotive shed - we occasionally see views of engines being turned but never before one of the south end. Former LBSCR E4 0-6-2T No 32557 was based at Eastleigh between 1949 and 1958 probably spending some time in Southampton Docks as well. The activities of the two stood alongside are not reported. Note the mast on the right carried a red warning light for the nearby airport.

Bottom: Two Southern Region stalwarts on the footplate of the restored AI/A1X Waddon Waddon.. Left is Cyril Stephens who became the Chief Locomotive Inspector at Eastleigh, and right, Arthur Earle Edwards - see Southern Times issues 6 and 9. Waddon dates from 1876 and ended it days in departmental use as DS680. The engine was withdrawn in May 1962 and after cosmetic restoration at Eastleigh was donated to the Canada Railway Historical Association being shipped to them in August 1963.

SOUTHERN TIMES

Having seen a pristine ‘Terrier’ here we have No 32635 the former Brighton Works shunter but instead being broken up at Eastleigh in October 1963. In the lower view a Bulleid tender body also awaits scrap.

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ISSUE 11 Top : Another Terrier but one which had stood moribund for some years. This is the former No 10 Ex LBSCR / IWCR / SR and at one time carrying the name Cowes. Withdrawn in 1936 she was recorded at Eastleigh in 1949 just prior to scrapping.

Middle: September 1953 finds No 30589 one of the three remaining C14 0-4-0T tank engines shunting at Redbridge Wharf - for a feature on these engines see ST8.

Bottom: An almost brand new 76xx type approaching Redbridge from Salisbury bound for Portsmouth. The disc headcode would be confirmation of the service to the signalman at the various junctions en-route, notably, Tunnel Junction (Salisbury), St Denys, Fareham, and Cosham Junction. The bridges carry the road (A35) across the River Test, the older bridge in the background and by then only a pedestrian footway. Where it had dissected the railway there had once been Test Gates signal box controlling a level crossing.

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Winter time at Lyndhurst Road (top) and approaching Beaulieu Road (bottom). The departing train from Lyndhurst Road is not identified but we can say is of five coaches hauled by a Bulleid pacific. The view was taken in the last week of January 1954 when snow swept across the south. In the lower view SCT is on the footplate of a named 4-6-0 (probably a ‘Lord Nelson’). As to what the man in the ‘four foot’ is carrying is not reported but possibly timber for a fire in a nearby platelayers hut.

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Top: Unidentified ‘Battle of Britain’ pacific on the ‘old-road’ near Holmsley. The single disc headcode would have been placed at Southampton to indicate a train taking this route; through services over this line (and on to Swanage via Hamworthy Junction and Worgret Junction) were usually limited to weekends to avoid congestion at Bournemouth.

Bottom: No 70004 William Shakespeare at Branksome shed in July 1951, probably having worked the ‘Bournemouth Belle’ service.

As to why there are two men in the coal space is not reported.

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Top: By the mid 1950s, the influx of Standard types had replaced the older Drummond engines on several of the through Swanage services. Here an example of the 76xxx type is having its water tank replenished and the coal brought forward at the small depot at Swanage in May 1957.

Bottom: Drummond ‘700’ class 0-6-0 being turned at Andover Junction sometime in 1952. The working is not confirmed, but the (single ?) disc at the top of the smokebox may indicate an Eastleigh to Bulford working. If there were other discs present it could be a Southampton to Andover or West of England line working.

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Top: ‘U’ class No 31794 between Bitterne and Woolston with a Portsmouth to Salisbury via Southampton service in September 1954.

Bottom: No 30901 Winchester is at Bopeep Junction taking the line north in September 1954 bound for Tunbridge Wells and eventually London.

Next time: Some more derailments Don’t forget, copies of the SCT colour images are available as downloads.

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ISSUE 11 Book review ‘Signalling along the South Western

The LSWR through to Southern and BR periods’

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t is some time since we had a detailed book available for review - too long in fact.

That said the delay has been more than made up with this new volume ‘Signalling ‘ along the South Western’ The LSWR through to Southern and BR periods’.by by Graham Bowring.

Those with a few years under their belt may recall Graham’s name from his 1980 joint work with the late George Pryer ‘A Pictorial Survey of Selected Southern Stations Vol 1‘ (there never was a ‘Vol 2’). More relevant to the present subject is that Graham also contributed to George Pryer’s own ‘Southern Signals’ book from the same period.

This new work made an immediate positive impression on the reviewer for several reasons; The first detailed work on the subject The quality and depth of research The attention to detail and publishing quality.

That said Graham is totally honest and comments that despite the 384 pages there are still several aspects he has been unable to comment upon, both for lack of space and where the information is simply not available. But do not for one moment think this is in any way a superficial look at the subject, far from it, the attention to detail is simply staggering, as an example the section on railway telegraph working is changed from what could well have been perceived as a dry topic to one which becomes a page turner - no exaggeration either.

‘Signalling along the South Western, the LSWR through to Southern and BR periods’ had originally been intended to be published by Irwell Press, the design and layout completed by George Reeve before Irwell Press ceased publishing. Accordingly the design is excellent and easy to follow.

knows someone might be able to persuade Graham to use his expertise to produce a colour album....! (Note; we showed Graham our comments before committing to print. Graham replied, ‘...this would a great idea but I simply don’t have enough colour photos available. I have numerous b/w though, many of which I wanted to use but had to take out due to the space.’ So come on readers, have you got any colour views of LSWR signalling...?

Speaking of publishers, the book is produced by Messrs Strathwood who advise the work is limited to 500 copies. Accordingly by the time this review appears there may not be many copies left, so do not delay.

For students and followers of the LSWR, the Southern Railway and of signalling generally this book is a must.

Criticisms? Well none really but a few comments. An odd My own bookshelves may well have been bursting at comma missing perhaps meaning a sentence may have the seams beforehand but it is without doubt a ‘must to be read twice but in a book of this size there are bound have’ addition, not cheap at £49.95 but worth every to be the odd omissions. Indeed it would be fair to say the penny. perfect book has never been written or indeed produced.

An index would have been a help but Graham advises he ISBN 978 - 1 913390 -77-8 is working on that and hopefully such may be available on either the publisher’s or one of the specialist societies Note - we were not supplied with a gratis copy and the above is websites in the future Some colour too would be nice, who instead commented upon by a very satisfied purchaser.

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Lynton & Barnstaple pictorial

ISSUE 11

Compiled by Colin Peters

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here are many experts on narrow gauge railways and the present writer will certainly not profess to be one. Instead he is like many fascinated by the L&B notwithstanding the fact that like most of us now it closed before he was born.

Even so, new and not seen for some time material, continues to surface and in consequence it is a pleasure to be given the opportunity to present a selection within these pages.

No 188 Lew awaiting departure from Barnstaple Town; one does have to wonder how many passengers on the narrow gauge line did actually change for Ilfracombe? Named after a Devon River, Lew was the last engine built for the line and was similar to three of her four older sisters Yeo, Exe and Taw, all 2-6-2T engines built by Manning Wardle & Co of Leeds. Lew was also the only of the five engines on the Lynton & Barnstaple line to survive closure in September 1935 and had the melancholy task in assisting in dismantling the railway. After this was complete she was sold to a company in Brazil where her fate remains the subject of much debate even 90 years on.

No 760 Exe also at Barnstaple Town.

This engine was one of the original three locomotives but unlike its two sisters was not required during the final stages of construction in 1897/98 and instead was stored in a stable until the 19 mile railway opened in May 1898. Unfortunately whilst pending use she received the attending of metal thieves and various replacement fittings were required before she could eventually enter service.

The view opposite and taken at Woody Bay has to be one of the editor’s favourite images of all time. Yes we have used it once before ‘in a past life’ but with a potential new audience it certainly warrants seeing for a second time.

The photograph was originally sent by Nick Britton, who enquired quite nonchalantly as to whether we might find a use for it...?

No difficult decisions there although we should add that despite the passage of 13 years since it first appeared in print no further information has come to light. Nick had acquired the original from a dealer - the very top of the finial is cut off on the print - the easy bit was the location and the engine, No 759 ‘Yeo’ awaiting departure to Lynton. Adding to the detail is the wagon which is No 24.

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Manning Wardles’ at Pilton yard, Barnstaple. Taw is standing outside the two road engine shed; the other pair of buildings the carriage sheds. In the lower view we see Exe and again with proud railwaymen alongside. Of the locomotive stock, only Lyn was ever sent to Eastleigh for repair, all other overhaul work being undertaken locally at Pilton.

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Examples of roiling stock - the vacuum brake will be noted. Most if not all the 4-wheel vehicles both open and vans had a capacity of four tons. Under their ownership the Southern Railway also introduced some bogie vans. Parcels and goods traffic on the line remained at a reasonable rate throughout its existence, indeed with the expansion of home-catalogue shopping so the railway was busier than ever. Closure would create difficulties to a number of the rural communities on the line. The SR also bought two military surplus rail mounted mobile cranes, one being based at Pilton and the other within Lynton goods shed. There was also a ‘fixed’ crane at Pilton; more accurately rail mounted crane marooned on an isolated section of track. This was used for unloading loco coal.

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Blackmoor on 26 May 1935. News of the impending closure of the line spread fast and throughout the summer there were numerous visits by both enthusiasts and the curious. On this occasion it warranted the running of special services on Sunday, a day when the line was usually moribund. F E Box Yeo rounding the curve near Pilton Yard sometime in 1935. The presence of the ominous ‘Lot 7’ designation means this must have been after closure. The entire railway, track, signalling, locomotives and rolling stock was auctioned at Pilton on 13 November in what were 200 lots. Not all were sold. As an example of the prices reached, Lot 13 Lyn was sold to a scrap merchant for just £50 equivalent to around £4,500 today. She was cut up on site a few days later.

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Trains at Lynton. In the top view a service from Barnstaple is seen arriving and will enter the main platform. The station here was 250’ above the town of Lynton and 700’ above nearby Lynmouth. Signalling on the line was exactly as per would be found on any other Southern branch line of the period with Tyers electric tablet working between sections. On the extreme left may be seen the roof of the goods shed Below Lew ready to depart back to Barnstaple. All the L&B engines were fitted with cow-catchers whilst the trains both passenger and goods, were vacuum braked throughout.

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Remember the Holiday Runabout ticket..?

Dr Bill Allen OBE does; from 1954

The Southern Region Runabout Ticket – Area 8 In those far off days when the British public took their summer holidays at a variety of seaside resorts – North, South, East and West. arrival and booking into guest house or hotel - mother and father had decisions to make on ‘what to do’ for the family.

British Railways (BR) was used to transporting families to these self-same resorts for their holiday. Imaginatively the BR regions sold a very specific type of ticket called a ‘Holiday Runabout’.

Regionally organised on a geographic basis they covered all the routes/timetables and were sold on the basis that possession of a ticket enabled the possessor to travel anywhere and at any time in these areas.

Children aged 3 and under 14 travelled at half price. ’HolidayTickets’ were first introduced by the Southern Railway in 1929 and eventually covered a seven day’s travel in 24 Areas!

This article describes the author’s experience of purchasing such a ticket (7s 6d) in the summer during the ‘50s from the age of 11, not to see the sights in the towns, cities and countryside but to ‘spot trains’!

‘Railway Runabout Area 8’ covered West Sussex and Hampshire and took in the ‘steam only’ areas of Portsmouth to Southampton, and Eastleigh and Winchester. To a boy from Bognor Regis where all passenger trains consisted of EMUs – 4 COR and 4 BUF for the express services to London Victoria and London Bridge and 2 BIL, 2 HAL and 2 NOLs for more local and stopping services, travel to the west meant Steam!

In the 1950s the South coast route had three steam trains a day -The ‘Bournemouth’, ‘Plymouth’ and ‘Cardiff’. These were through trains and Brighton had an allocation of Bulleid Pacifics to cover these services.

At the time in question Brighton also had the surviving Marsh H2 Atlantics on its allocation and they were often rostered for the ‘Bournemouth’. The train departed from Brighton at 9.40am. (Our journeys commenced on Sunday when the train from Barnham was at 70

ISSUE 11

No 34039 Boscastle photographed at Barnham. (Images by the author)

10.39am) It was a convenient train with no need to change en route so a departure at 9.55am from Bognor comfortably arrived at Barnham in time to catch the ’Bournemouth’ at 10.13am arriving at Southampton Central at 11.13am. The third rail electrification ended at Farlington Junction and from there onward it was all steam.

At Havant the Hayling Island branch line departed from a bay platform. The home of the A1X Stroudley 0-6-0Ts which survived on this route because of the state of the Langstone Bridge. A trip down this line was taken on an evening return run and we squeezed into the train with the holiday makers returning from the seaside.

At Southampton Central the day’s real interest began in earnest - albeit trains into Portsmouth from the west were also steam before the later dieselisation of the local services. The timetable showed services from Waterloo to Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth plus the inter-regional trains to Bristol and Cardiff that were routed from Portsmouth via Salisbury.

Local trains saw M7s and T9s while the mainline trains saw Bulleid Pacifics original MN, and original WC / BB with the earlier Lord Nelsons, King Arthurs and mixed traffic H15s and S15s. The BR type 76xxx were now in evidence with 76005 - 19 allocated to the SR in

early 1953, supplemented by 76025-29 in late 1953.

Hence we quickly became used to seeing these very new locos on services that had once been the preserve of the older Drummond 4-4-0s. Standard 73xxx and 75xxx were also appearing to replace the ageing Urie Arthurs and N15X Remembrances. Nos 75073/4 were at Eastleigh and 75075-9 at Basingstoke. In addition Nos 73110-9 were at Nine Elms by late 1955. Other non ‘Southern’ imports were Ivatt and the BR standard 2-6-2Ts. Nos 82012/4/5/6 were allocated to Eastleigh and used on the Fawley line. Not long later in autumn of 1957 the Hampshire DMUs appeared and which would transform the local passenger services in the area.

But summer 1954 at the start of our trips was before this modernisation and the photographs taken then

No 32646 in the process of running around the Hayling Island branch service at Havant.

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ISSUE 11 illustrate some of the variety of older locomotives and coaching stock that still survived at that time. Even so at that time there was one modern intruder – 10001, one of the LMS diesels then allocated with the SR 10201-3 equivalents to Nine Elms MPD all of which might be seen on the Bournemouth line.

Southampton had the added attraction of the Docks.

We took the opportunity to view at some distance the great ocean liners which were still in full occupation at that time. Old Docks saw the Atlantic routes with the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Mauretania, United States and La France.

France. A walk towards the west reached the King George V Graving Dock, a dry dock situated in Southampton’s Western Docks. ‘Graving’ being the term used for cleaning, painting etc the hull of a ship.

New Docks always had Union Castle Lines vessels plying their routes to the African continent.

Arrival or departure of these ships meant a plethora of Boat Trains or portions thereof from Southampton to Waterloo, this was one of the main reasons for retention of the Lord Nelson class engines at Eastleigh.

From a railway point of view the dock shunters included American USA Tanks which had replaced the Adams B4s. All tended to be hidden inside the gates where visitors were not welcome. However on the shore side lines and sidings that connected the West and East Docks, LBSCR E2 and E1 tanks were present together with two survivors from the Edwardian age in the shape of Drummond C14s 0-4-0Ts on Town Quay. Two were used on the Town Quay, 30588/9 and one, usually No DS 77 at the Redbridge Sleeper Depot.

My school friend Mike Hudson and I, after this sojourn at Southampton boarded a train to Eastleigh and explored the delights of 71A MPD – an easy shed to ‘bunk’ with a wide variety of locos either active, stored, with some awaiting a visit to the nearby Works for maintenance and repair. Sadly there was also a line of withdrawn locos waiting to make a final journey to be scrapped.

Eastleigh had developed as a major railway centre when the LSWR locomotive works re-located from Nine Elms in London and in parallel a substantial motive power depot was constructed in 1903. The shed allocation, often between 100-120 locos, had responsibility for a variety of rosters particularly providing motive power for the boat trains from lines arriving in Southampton.

November 1st 1954 allocations were Diesel shunters 13010-4, 15201-3 and steam – M7’s 30029-33, Both pages: Bill’s images of Southampton and Salisbury.

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30125/7/30,30375-9, 30479-81, O2’s 30177/9, 30229/33, T9’s 30117/20 30283/4/5/7/8/9, 30300/10, 700’s 30306/16, H15’s 30473-8, Q’s 30530/1/2/5/6/42/3, 0395 30566, C14’s 30588/9, N15’s 30746/7/8/84-90, LN’s 30850-7, U’s 31613/8-21/6, 31801, E1’s 32113/51, E4’s 32491/2, 32510/56-9,62/3/79, Q1’s 33020/1/3, WC’s 34040-2, Ivatt 2MTs 41293, 41304/5, BR Class 4 2-6-0’s 76007-19/25/29 BR Class 3MTs 82012/4/5/6 A substantial allocation of 128 locos at the end of 1954.

It might be noted that the WCs had arrived at Eastleigh from the S&D section in the autumn replaced by 73xxx’s The presence of BR and ex SR diesel shunters might be noted. In a quote from the Railway Observer “... they are used at Eastleigh and Southampton yards thus ousting a last haunt of E4 tanks...which are now mostly in store – and have been absolutely rendered redundant” An early sign of the future we did not appreciate at this time of happy collecting of steam engine numbers.

Further images from Bill’s travel, Salisbury and Eastleigh.

Alternatively we would leave the pleasures of Eastleigh and another train would transport us to Winchester 74

ISSUE 11 (our ticket limit North) where an Adams B4 tank engine would be busy in the nearby goods yard.

A stroll through the city took us from the City station to Winchester Chesil where the ex GWR route – Didcot, Newbury & Southampton paused en route to the other station in Southampton – the Terminus. Chesil was a sleepy quiet station on a warm sunny day and would see a mid-afternoon train at 3.06pm to take us back to Southampton. The distinctive rolling stock with usually a Collett 0-6-0 2251 loco made a change from our familiar SR coaches. Later of course on another year we saw the restored City of Truro on the DN&SR trains.

The other GWR interest came with the trains on the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway that ran from Cheltenham to Southampton. The preserve of 43xx 2-6-0s and later Manor 4-6-0s; the late afternoon departure from Southampton Terminus could be seen or travelled on to the Central Station On future days at Winchester an excellent exciting alternative was to board the 5.50 at Winchester City – ‘The Royal Wessex’ for a non-stop run to Southampton Central. Intriguing was to walk through the windowless Tavern Car. The other named train we observed was the ‘Bournemouth Belle’, all Pullman so we had no access to this train unless we purchased a supplementary ticket. However, we did on one occasion travel from Southampton Central to Bournemouth on the train.

A trip to Salisbury also saw the ‘Devon Belle’, the short lived all Pullman Waterloo to the West Country summer service. An important junction, Salisbury was the point where loco changes occurred for through services on to the Western Region from Portsmouth and one train from Brighton. A wide variety of GWR locomotives could be seen from Counties, Halls & Granges to freight locomotives such as 72xx 2-8-2Ts. For the intrepid ‘shed bunker’ Salisbury MPD (72B) was nearly impossible to gain access to. Sole entrance was up a flight of stairs that led into the back of the shed with the Foreman’s office as you entered observing everyone.

Having arrived at the substantial Southampton Terminus station that concluded our trip we joined an ‘all stations and halts’ local service to Portsmouth.

The return to third rail ‘civilisation’ meant a change of platform at Fratton and an EMU ride to Barnham and final change for the Bognor branch.

Travel beyond the specified Area 8 was possible with or without an extra ticket. So Basingstoke, Salisbury and Bournemouth were attractive destinations. One memory from these alternatives was waiting at Southampton Central to ‘spot’ an arrival of an express from Waterloo.

To our surprise the loco at the head of the train was not the usual Bulleid or Lord Nelson but a Drummond T9!

This elderly 4-4-0 was presumably a hurried substitute for the usual rostered loco which must have failed en route. How could we resist the opportunity for a run to Bournemouth behind a ‘Greyhound’. The engine didn’t disappoint on the hour run – sadly I did not note the number of the engine or any timings.

A comprehensive record of locomotive activity from Waterloo on Saturday 14 August was recorded in the September 1954 ‘Railway Observer’, which of course also included travel on the West of England line from Basingstoke. Observed were 91 tender locos over 12 hours. They comprised 15 MNs, 15 WCs, 6 BBs, 9 LNs, 26 N15s, 4 S15s, 4 H15s, 4 Moguls, 3 D15s, 3 T9s 1 N15X, 1 700, All four mainline diesels were active but not recorded 10000/1 & 10201/2.

My photos at that time were taken first in 1954 on a primitive Box camera – but the sophistication of computers and scanning of the original negatives restores some of the magic of those days on a ‘Runabout’ Also I have included photos taken latterly on other visits using an Ensign Selfix and a later 35mm camera – a Braun Paxette. Some were from my late father, Ron Allen’s collection.

Sources: I acknowledge Mike Hudson’s assistance in writing this article – his memories and source material.

RCTS - the ‘Railway Observer’ Various Ian Allen ‘ABC’s BR Timetables ‘An Historical Survey of Southern Sheds’ by C Hawkins and G Reeve, published OPC. ‘Southern Titled Trains’ by D W Winkworth, published David & Charles.

The Book of.....’ (Specific SR loco classes) by Richard Derry, published Irwell Press.

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Treasures from the Bluebell Railway Museum Tony Hillman

SOUTHERN TIMES

T

he Bluebell R a i l w a y Archive has several unopened boxes of material waiting to be sorted. It was when one of these was opened that this document was found. This started some research into the timetabled Great Western trains that ran into Victoria.

LCDR via Stewart’s Junction and the GWR via West London Extension Railway (WLER) and Longhedge Junction. The delay in the GWR using Victoria was due the WLER not opening until March 1863.

In 1858 the Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway (VSPR) was responsible for extending the existing railway from Stewarts Lane, on the south side of the River Thames, over the river to a new terminus at Victoria.

Broad gauge trains over the West London line ceased

by October 1864 by which time only one GWR broad gauge train was operating to Victoria.The GWR ran trains to Victoria for over 50 years ending during World War 1.

The London Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR) opened its station on 1 October 1860, with the London Chatham & Dover Railway (LCDR) opening an adjacent station on 25 August 1862. The LCDR trains used the LBSCR station from the end of 1860, until their station was completed. The LCDR station was jointly owned by the Great Western Railway (GWR) until 1932, and five tracks were of mixed gauge to allow GWR trains to use Victoria which they did from 1 April 1863.

The LBSCR ran into Victoria via Battersea Park, the

Six timetable snapshots are shown. A timetable card for August 1863, four months after the service started, shows the following service. (Thanks to The Great Western Society for providing these details).

The GWR was keen to get a foothold in Victoria as it felt that Paddington was remote from the West End and Central London. There was also the opportunity to advertise the connection with the other Companies and their continental connections.

The service starting on 1 April 1863 was to/from Southall, via Hanwell, Ealing, Kensington, Chelsea, and Battersea.

GWR services to Victoria commenced as standard gauge trains and broad-gauge trains were providing three of the services later in the opening month.

The Bluebell Railway Museum Archive holds a copy of the Victoria station timetable for 1 March 1864. The Sunday services are not shown in this document.

The January 1870 LCDR Working Timetable shows brief details of the Great Western Trains. This includes the non-passenger/light engine working marked ‘Eng’. The December 1872 LCDR Passenger Timetable shows the Great Western Trains in a separate section.

Bradshaws for January 1876 does not include any Sunday services. Other Bradshaws also do not show Sundays so it would seem Sunday trains ceased sometime between 1872 and 1876.

Bradshaws for July 1892 shows one through working from/to Uxbridge each day.

The 1913 Railway Clearing House Map shows details of Longhedge Junction.

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Weekdays mrn mrn aft aft aft Southall 8:25 9:56 12:10 3:00 5:05 Victoria (G.W.) 9:17 10:50 1:02 3:54 5:55

mrn mrn aft aft aft Victoria (G.W.) 10:03 11:42 1:30 4:56 6:20 Southall 10:56 12:32 2:20 5:42 7:16

am am am pm pm pm pm pm pm pm pm Southall 8:35 9:56 11:52 1:53 3:40 4:27 7:35 9:40 9:30 3:00 7:10 Victoria Arr 9:20 10:44 12:40 2:33 4:25 5:12 8:18 10:18 10:13 3:43 7:53

am am am am pm pm pm pm am pm pm Victoria 6:14 8:33 10:03 11:56 2:00 3:30 5:08 6:32 8:30 1:30 6:10 Southall 7:02 9:17 10:56 12:45 2:47 4:08 5:55 7:20 9:15 2:15 6:57

January 1876 Bradshaws Weekdays

Eng Eng Eng am am am am pm pm pm pm pm pm am pm pm pm Longhedge 5:50 7:47 9:15 10:17 12:53 2:28 4:17 5:51 8:01 10:12 7:50 10:17 3:37 7:37 Victoria Arr 5:55 7:52 9:20 10:22 12:58 2:33 4:23 5:57 8:07 10:17 7:55 10:23 3:43 7:43

Eng Eng Eng am am am pm pm pm pm pm pm pm am pm pm pm Victoria 6:18 8:30 9:53 12:12 2:00 3:27 4:53 6:15 8:15 10:25 8:30 1:30 6:10 8:00 Longhedge 6:23 8:36 9:58 12:17 2:06 3:33 4:59 6:20 8:20 10:30 8:36 1:36 6:16 8:06

December 1872 PTT Weekdays Sundays

am am pm pm pm pm pm Long Hedge Junction Pass 9:18 10:30 12:50 2:45 4:10 7:50 8:35 Victoria Arr 9:23 10:35 12:55 2:50 4:15 7:55 8:40

am am am pm pm pm pm pm Victoria Dep 07:45 08:55 10:15 12:20 2:25 3:35 4:45 6:32 Long Hedge Junction Pass 07:50 09:00 10:20 12:25 2:30 3:40 4:50 6:37

January 1870 LCDR WTT Weekdays Sundays

August 1863 Card Weekdays Sundays am am am am am pm pm pm pm pm pm am pm pm pm Slough 7:27 8:03 8:30 9:20 11:38 12:37 1:42 2:45 4:40 6:43 7:10 8:40 2:27 4:18 6:05 Victoria Arr 8:36 9:23 9:46 10:35 12:35 1:25 2:40 4:15 5:06 7:58 8:40 10:30 3:40 5:35 7:35

am am am am am pm pm pm pm pm pm am pm pm pm Victoria 7:05 7:50 8:55 9:50 10:40 12:20 2:25 3:35 4:45 6:30 8:35 8:55 1:55 4:00 6:10 Slough Arr 8:15 9:05 10:30 10:52 11:40 1:33 3:30 4:45 6:00 7:55 9:30 10:05 3:00 5:25 7:55

1st March 1864 WTT Weekdays

ISSUE 11

SOUTHERN TIMES July 1892 Bradshaws

Weekdays

mrn

aft

mrn

aft

aft

Uxbridge 8:03

Southall 8:28 9:53 12:28 3:38 5:00

Victoria (L.C. & D.) 9:15 10:38 1:12 4:27 5:45

mrn mrn aft aft aft

Victoria (L.C.&D.) 10:25 11:27 1:42 4:52 6:18

Southall 11:12 12:15 2:27 5:37 7:06 Recent Acquisition for the Museum. An LBSCR and LSWR

Joint nickel cap badge, PORTER 809 SW&SCR. Uxbridge 7:35 These were used by staff on the Tooting, Merton and

Wimbledon Railway and on the Epsom and Leatherhead Railway.

On 5 July 1964, the Locomotive Club of Great Britian ran the ‘Surrey Wanderer Rail Tour’ which ended its journey around Surrey at Victoria. M7 class No 30053 is seen here passing Longhedge Junction. It left Kensington Olympia (17:45), travelling via Latchmere Junction (17:54), Longhedge Junction (17:56), Stewart’s Lane Junction (17:58). The train arrived at Victoria (Eastern) at 18:02.

From Kensington Olympia the train would have travelled on the route used by the GWR. The lines to the right of the signal box are the LBSCR lines which leave the Brighton Main Line at Pouparts Junction. The train is about to leave the WLER on to the SECR lines into Victoria. The lines behind the engine are the SER lines from the LSWR side of Clapham Junction which go towards Wandsworth Road station. The viaduct on the left carries the Brighton Main Line into Victoria. Bluebell Railway Museum Archive

Next time: The Museum display in the Bluebell’s ‘Rail 200’ celebrations 78

From the Footplate

ISSUE 11

From Martin James, James, re images on pages 27 and 29 of ST9 (the Torrington portion of the ‘ACE’. Martin initially asks if the two images were taken on the same date.

Our response was ‘possible’ although we only had a confirmed date for one image although the second was stated at least being in the same month of July 1955.

en-route - arriving at Barnstaple Junction at 8.35am and then becoming the 9.12am to Halwill.

After shunting, this train returned from Halwill to Torrington at 3.30pm.

Martin, comments, ‘...this is an interesting one. I’m fairly sure the photographer was on the train - see what you think … . From Fremington to Bideford, the train is timed at 12-minutes in 1955. There is then a 2-minute to 5-minute layover at Bideford. The distance from Fremington via Yelland to Bideford by road is 6½ miles.

At today’s speeds, this appears to be 16-minutes - if the road is clear but back in 1955, I doubt a car could do that ???

‘The final train of the day was again designated as ‘mixed’ and left Torrington at 4.40pm arriving at Halwill at 6.06pm, but as before, usually only consisted of a Corridor Brake Composite. The latter had come down from Waterloo as part of the ACE to Torrington and then travelled on to Halwill. This train returned from Halwill at 6:30pm’.

‘The ACE stock is interesting … . Bearing in mind the date is a summer Thursday, the ACE would be split into two trains from London. The Carriage Appendices show the weekday Torrington portion as a BCK + SK....but … the photo shows a BCK + SO - which is very unusual.

The two photos are definitely of the same carriages a magnifying glass shows distinct marks on the front coach. The chances of this combination occurring on different days is - in my opinion - NIL. Incidentally, the BCK from London arrives at Torrington and then forms the late afternoon train to Halwill Junction - so the SO would come off at Torrington. Hope this is of interest.

(PS. The Maunsell Open Third / Second is - to me - the best carriage ever produced by the Southern Railway.)

Martin then continues, ‘On page 34 in Issue 9, John Bradbeer mentions that he had no recollections that a freight arrived at Halwill Junction from Torrington.

‘In 1961, there were three through trains a day from Torrington to Halwill Junction and return on the ND&CJLR. Each was powered by an LMR 2-6-2T. ‘The 8:52 from Torrington arrived at Halwill at 10.18am.

It was designated as a ‘mixed’ train but usually arrived at Halwill with just a Corridor Brake Composite. The train sometimes had a box van or cattle van but this was unusual. This train returned from Halwill at 10.52am.‘The 9.12 freight from Barnstaple Junction arrived at Halwill - via Torrington - at 2.41pm.

‘It is difficult to be certain, but this appears to be the remnants of the 11.50pm goods from Salisbury to Exmouth Junction Yard arriving at 3.35am. Part of this then became the 6.00am departure from Exmouth Junction Yard - dropping off and picking up wagons

From Roger MacDonald re ST9. ‘A minor correction if I may, please, to the illustration on p46 of ST9. The locomotive 30498 is one of Mr Urie’s S15 class and not one of Mr Maunsell’s N15 King Arthurs, Sir Hectimere (30798). (We are also grateful to Philip Manktelow for th same information) Meanwhile Roger continues on the theme of the ‘ACE’, with the formation from the Winter 1953-54 timetable.

‘2-set (63/75) 9.45 a.m. Plymouth Friary 12 7 2 compo bkes. (new) 8.30 a.m. Padstow 12 7 1 compo bke. (new) 9.30 a.m. Bude 12 7 1 refreshment saloon Exeter 1 kitchen/buffet car (5/6) 2-set (63/75) 10.30 a.m. Ilfracombe 12 24 1 third 10.30 a.m. Torrington 12 24 1 compo bke. (new) (‘The arrivals at 12 7, shown in the Working Time Table, are all misprinted as 12 17!)

‘Summer 1954 ‘By the Summer of 1954 the formation had altered with the below applying on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until 2 July and also from 31 August only. On other dates the ACE was divided, Saturdays excepted into 12 18 (advertised 12 16) and 12 30 departures.

‘2 bke. compo (new) 9.35 a.m. Padstow 12 12 1 bke. compo (new) 10.20 a.m. Bude 12 12 2 set (63/75) 9.50 a.m. Plymouth 12 12 1 refreshment sal. Exeter 1 kit. buffet car (10/11) 2 set (63/75) 10.30 a.m. Ilfracombe 12 24 1 third 10.30 a.m. Torrington 12 24 1 bke. compo (new) 79

SOUTHERN TIMES ‘The numbers (63/75) specify, by set number, a Bulleid set. However, (5/6) and (10/11) are the working numbers, not vehicle numbers, of the dining cars.

collect the single line tablet via a hook lowered from the end window of the signal box. This was certainly done for Torrington line passenger trains.’

‘All the nominally mixed trains I observed in mid-August 1964 were formed of a 2MT 2-6-2T and a single Bulleid corridor brake composite. However, on Friday 14, I recorded details of the daily Torrington-Halwill freight: headed by No 41249, it arrived in the up bay at 2. 1 p.m.

(38 minutes early). The formation was a goods van (1), 5 sheeted open wagons (2-6) and a BR standard goods brake van (7). After shunting the yard, (1) and (3-6)* were left in the siding alongside the slaughterhouse, and the train went back to the up bay, formed of (2) and (7), before departing at 2.25 p.m. (35 minutes early).

Roger completes his comments with some notes on the Tavern Cars, Cars, ‘In the 1960s the Southern Region received BR standard Mk I RKBs S1552 and S1553, which in 1963 were allocated respectively to the up ACE and 7. 0 p.m. Waterloo, and down ACE and 4.30 p.m. Exeter. Bulleids S7834/5S were diverted to work with them, and BR Mk I SOs S3946 and S4006 replaced them to run with Tavern Cars.

In mid-August 1963 I recorded 1553 and 7835 in the down ACE, but 7892 and 7833 in the up ACE. The same for the down ACE 12 months later, but 1552 and 7834 in the up direction. Incidentally, the original 2+2 seating in the third class dining area of the Tavern pairs produced complaints. The Bournemouth 6-dining sets also had 2+2 in the third class - and kept it throughout their lives!’

* I noted that these were labelled “to be weighed at Yeoford”.

I didn’t note it at the time, but the visits to and from the up bay may have been for the fireman to deliver and

We regret yet again shortage of space has meant certain items intended for this issue have had to be held over. These include ‘More on the Withered Arm’ and ‘Plenty of colour from a new archive’; although one image from this source at what is obviously Lyme Regis, is included on this page.

What we can advise is that we are working on a major article referencing the closure of the Ilfracombe line and how to do this the figures were ‘massaged’. The information comes from official records found in a national archive - more details very soon.

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Southern Times Issue No 11 Spring 2025

SOUTHERN TIMES is the periodical for followers of the Southern Railway, British Railways Southern Region, as well as the pre-group companies: SECR, LBSCR, and LSWR

SOUTHERN • TIMES •

The history periodical for students of the SR BR(S) and pre-group constituents Issue No 11: Spring / 2025