Pre-NationalisationGreat Western(1937-1947)
Opposite:Onhisvisitto SwindonWorkson29May1946,Dickwasattracted torecordtheinsteam exworksCollett48xx0-4-2TNo4869.TheFebruary1936vintageenginehadjustbeenreleasedfroma Generaloverhaul,whichhadtakenjustoverfourweekstocomplete.Itsoriginalshortwhistleshieldhas beenreplacedwithastandardlongerversionanditlooksapictureinplaingreenadorned withthelast styleofGWRinsignia.Soontoberenumbered 1468inthecomingNovember,thislittleautotankwasto spendtheentiretyofits23yearlifeallocated toExeter, asdenotedbytheEXEontheside footstep.
To therearof thelocomotivewecan observetheprofile of‘A’ Shopasitwasdeveloped. Rightofthe bunkeristheoriginal1901building,withtheextensioncompletedin1920directlybehind.Constructed fromsmoothfaced‘Cattybrook’redbrickwithbluebrickfootings andpillars,thehugestructure became aniconicsymbolofGreatWestern engineeringprowessandwithacovered areainexcessof11acres, oneofthelargestsuchfacilitiesintheworld. RCRR1-1678(703)
Above:NewlyconstructedCollettCastleClass4-6-0No7001 DenbighCastle isheadinglightengineon theUpMainLineadjacenttotheWorkson29May1946,possiblyundergoingrunningtrials ortransferto SwindonlocomotiveshedpriortodespatchtoitsfirsthomeatCardiffCanton.Theimmaculateengine wearsthepost-warfully linedgreenlivery,withtheG(Crest)Wemblemadorningthe 4000-gallontender (No4013).Itwastoberenamed SirJamesMilne inFebruary1948,twomonthsafterNationalisation,in recognitionofthefinal GeneralManageroftheGreatWesternRailway.7001wasthethirdCastletocarry thenameofthemightyNorthWalesfortress,following5049and5074beforetransferfora finaltimeto 7032inJune1950.
InthebackgroundcanbeseenpartofthehugeNewburnCarriageSheds,builtin1938andstilldaubedin itsdistinctivewartimecamouflagepaint,andtherooftopsoftheworker’shouses inDeanStreet. RCRR1-1678(704)
Opposite:Itishardtobelievethatamere31/2 yearsseparatetheconstructionofthethree locomotives capturedinthisphotographtakenatthewesternendofSwindonStationon12 January1953.CastleClass 4-6-0No7024 PowisCastle approachingwithanUpPaddingtonexpresswasaJune1949buildandisonly tendaysbackintraffic followingaHeavyGeneraloverhaul.RiddlesBritanniaClass4-6-2No70020 Mercury wasbuiltatCreweinJuly1951andisawaitingtherightofway withaDownBristolexpress.In thebackground94xxClass0-6-0PTNo8430isconductingStation Pilotdutiesaspartofitsrunning-in trials,havingjustbeendelivered newfromW.G.BagnallLtdofStafford.TheCastleandBritanniawere bothresidentsofOldOakCommon(81A)shedwhilstthe94xxwasabouttobeallocatedtoReading(81D). RCR2199-3948(1072)
Above:Itisfairtosay thatwhenthefirstofthefifteenRiddlesStandard Class7BritanniaPacifics(7001570029)begantoarriveontheWesternRegionfrommid1951,theywerenotreceivedwithgreat enthusiasm.Despitehavingbeenadornedwiththenames offormerGWRBroadGaugelocomotivesand thefittingofWesternstylelamp ironsandATC equipment,thefactthatthey wereleft-handdrivewas centraltotheirunpopularitywithfootplatecrews.Thatandanunbreakablefavourfortheir beloved CastlesandKingsonthepremierexpressturns.Despite theirperceivedshortcomingsthe‘WesternBrits’ weretogivesomesterlingservice,especiallyonSouthWalesdiagrams,beforetheirregularassociation withtheregionceasedinSeptember1961.ThecrewofNo70020 Mercury giveDickRileytheirundivided attentionfromtheconfinesofthewarmcab onacoldfoggywinter’smorning,beforeliftingtheirexpress westwardson12January1953. RCR2199-3948(1073)
Oppositetop:On13May1955,withthe spireofStMark’sChurchpiercingtheskyline,Castle Class4-6-0 No5083 BathAbbey passestheWorksattheheadoftheDown1.18pm PaddingtontoBristolTemple Meadsservice.Ithasbeenfittedwithareporting frame,butnonumerals,forthisshort five-coach formationanddespitetheillusionthevansandwagonstothereararein factstabledonthesidings alongsidetheSawMillandNo.4CarriageShop!RebuiltinJune1937fromStarClassNo4063, BathAbbey hadrecentlyemergedfromaHeavyIntermediatewhereitacquiredthe4000gHawksworthtenderNo4097. OneoffiveCastlesconvertedtooilburningbetweenDecember1946andNovember1948(alegacy from whicharethecabroofshutters),itwasalsodestinedtobeoneofthefirstoftheclass tobewithdrawn,on 7January1959. R5001-6100(1078)
Oppositebottom:Onabrightspring morning,CollettHallClass4-6-0No5983 HenleyHall getstheright awayfromPlatform1,pastSwindonWestSignalBoxattheheadofthe7.35amdownslowtoBristolon 14 May1955.AswasnotuncommonamongsttheHallsduringtheearly1950s,thelocomotivecarriesmixed trafficlinedblackbutispairedwithaplaingreen tenderstillbearingtheG(Crest)Wbranding.Thisdoes howeverappeartobewellstockedwithgoodlumpsofthefinestWelshsteamcoal. R5001-6100(1079)
Above: AfteraquickdashtotheotherendofSwindonStation, DickwasabletocaptureCountyClass 4-6-0No1014 CountyofGlamorgan enteringPlatform4from theeast,withadown‘ClassC’express parcelstrain.Firstenteringtrafficon18February1946,itwasoneoftheinitialnineteenlocomotivesto rununnamed,eventuallyfittedwiththeuniquestraightplatesin March1948. AlongtimeBristolBath Road(82A)resident,ithere stillretainstheoriginalsingle chimney, whichwastobereplacedwiththe rathersquatlookingdoubleversionin May1958.ThedistinctiveHawksworthflat-sided4000gtender(in thiscaseNo129)wasfromabatchonlycompatiblewiththeCounties,assimilar vehiclesusedbehind CastlesandHallsweresome sixinchesnarrower. Alongside,No4971 StanwayHall ofTaunton(83B)shed ispassingontheupthroughroad. R5001-6100(1080)
Top: Dickfirstencountered2-6-2TNo3100duringits constructionin1938onpage16.Here itisagainin storagebetweenclassmatesNo3102and3101onsidingstothesideoftheStockShedon6September 1959.BythistimeithadbecomecommonforwithdrawnlocomotivestobestoredinandaroundtheStock ShedandGasworks,partlyduetotheburgeoningnumbersintheConyard,butalso asfromMarch1959 consignmentswerebeingsoldtoprivatescrapcontractorsandtowedawayfordisposal.Thistrio wereto lingeruntilfinallybeingcutupinFebruary1961. RCR14000-15099(243)
Bottom:2301Class‘DeanGoods’0-6-0No2516wasanotherlocomotiveearmarked forpreservation,and itsmovementaroundtheSwindonWorkssitefollowedasimilarpatterntothatofNo4003 LodeStar. ArrivinginMay1956followingwithdrawalfromOswestrysheditspentanumberofyearsin storage within,andasseenherealongsidetheStockShed. ThisMarch1897builtlocomotivewasoneofaclass of 260constructedatSwindonbetween1883-1899,andwastobethepenultimateoneinrevenueservice. BoththelocomotiveanditsDean2500gtenderaretheonlyexamplestosurvive,as partoftheNational Collectionandaretodaydisplayed atSwindonwithinSTEAM–MuseumoftheGreatWesternRailway. 6September1959. RCR14000-15099(245)
