Steam Days 2015-05

Make-up (MAY15) pkagain:Make-up (July 05) 01/04/2015 10:18 Page 1
English Industrial Steam in the 1950s in Colour
Southern Continental
Boat Trains in the
20th Century
Remembering 1965 –
Fifty Years On
Steam Days at Rhyl
May 2015 £4.30
No 309
May 2015
33 A 13 April 1957 visit to the Oxfordshire Ironstone Co yard at Wroxton finds contrasting steam engines on loaded ore trains. On the
left is No 4 The Dean, Hunslet Engine Co Ltd Works No 1496 of 1926, an inside cylinder 0-6-0ST, while Phyllis is a chain-driven four-
wheel vertical boiler product of Sentinel (Shrewsbury) Ltd, Works No 9615 of July 1956. The latter type excelled elsewhere as yard shunters,
but here it was required to haul heavy trains on the steeply-graded route to exchange sidings just north of Banbury. Deemed unsuitable for
this work, as early as December 1960 it would be laid aside, albeit not sold for scrap until September 1965. R.C. Riley
Managing Editor: Rex Kennedy 3 Trains of Thought

Editorial Team:
Andrew Kennedy and Andrew Wilson
Design: Ian Kennedy 5 Southern Continental Boat Trains
Editorial
PO Box 2471, Bournemouth BH7 7WF in the 20th Century
Telephone/Fax: 01202 304849 Neil Sprinks recalls integrated rail and sea
e-mail: [email protected]
Advertising Sales: Michelle Long services of the 1950s and 1960s as he
Tel: 01780 755131
E-mail: [email protected] considers the evolution of surface travel
Advertising Production: Cheryl Thornburn
email: [email protected]
between Britain and mainland Europe.
Tel: 01780 755131 Fax: 01780 757261
Publishing
Managing Director: Adrian Cox
43 ‘Manor’ class 4-6-0 No 7812 awaits departure with the Aberystwyth portion of the
Up ‘Cambrian Coast Express’ on 14 August 1965. T.B. Owen/Colour-Rail.com/390868
Executive Chairman: Richard Cox
Commercial Director: Ann Saundry
Group Marketing Manager: Martin Steele
Webmaster: Simon Russell
Subscriptions
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Steam Days, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 300,
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© KEy PUBLISHINg 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this
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copyright owners. Multiple copying of the contents of
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Published by: Key Publishing Ltd, 21 Steam Days at Rhyl
PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs. PE91XP
Repro: [email protected] Blessed with a main line from May 1848,
Print: Precision Colour Printing Ltd,
Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, Shropshire railways played a pivotal role in the
TF7 4QQ
Distribution: Seymour Distribution Ltd, development of this North Wales holiday
2 Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PP resort, as Stanley Jenkins relates.
2 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk
TRAINS of thought
O
ur all-colour photo-feature this month takes a look at the
industrial scene, covering a variety of locations in England
through 1950s photographs taken by the late Dick Riley.
Although most railway enthusiasts mainly followed British Railways
activities while steam was prominent, when steam on BR started to fast
disappear in the later 1960s, many, including myself, not being too keen
on the full transition to diesel and electric power on British Rail, started
to take a bigger interest in what was going on at industrial sites in the
British Isles, as steam was prolific at collieries and other industrial
locations well into the 1970s. At the same time, other enthusiasts
turned their thoughts to the continental steam scene – a more
expensive pastime, but more interesting than chasing diesels, no doubt!
Many of us purchased the regional books of the Industrial Railway
Society, these providing full details of what could still be found, and when
studying these books for the first time many of us were pleasantly
surprised to see the quantity of steam locomotives that were still
operating at interesting locations throughout the British Isles, resulting in
the introduction of new societies to take parties to some sites.
Some areas were more prolific than others when it came to
operational steam locomotives, such as South Wales, north-east England,
and Scotland. Living in Worcester, South Wales was the nearest for me,
and I spent many days around its coal mining area. As a bonus, not only
could one find industrial steam locomotives at work, but also former
British Railways locomotives that had been purchased after their
withdrawal from BR stock, and many former Great Western 0-6-0
pannier tanks, in particular, could be found, especially at South Wales
colliery locations. My article in the October 2002 issue of STEAM DAYS
magazine covered a visit with a couple of friends to South Wales
searching for former GWR 0-6-0PTs on the weekend of 9/10 March
1968, with the help, of course, of my Industrial Railway Society books.
33 Steam Days in Colour We also witnessed industrial steam that weekend and had a ‘hairy’
125: English Industrial Steam footplate ride early in the morning at Elliot Colliery on the footplate of
ex-GWR 0-6-0PT No 7764 – it had no brakes, the driver using its
in the 1950s reverse gear to stop the engine!
On coach trips with the Worcester Locomotive Society at this time,
Delving into the photographic vaults of R.C. Riley the organisers would sometimes throw in a visit to an industrial location,
allows us to visit dockyard, colliery, cement and where the majority of the visits would be solely BR diesel-orientated,
although even some of the industrial sites visited had diesel power
ironstone locations at a time when many operating.
industrial railways were on the brink of switching When at the Oxford Publishing Company I organised a very
successful rail tour to Mountain Ash Colliery in South Wales, the colliery
from steam to diesel power. staff having engines in steam for us, and a great time was had by all. No
doubt many would have had similar experiences to me, with some
venturing even further afield. Enjoy your read and the colour pictures of
40 Steam Days Subscriptions the industrial scene we have included for your enjoyment.
43 Remembering 1965 – Fifty Years On English Industrial Ste

am in the 1950s in Col
our
Frederick Rogers recalls the year when
Sir Winston Churchill died, the Western Region
discarded its last steam locomotives, and British Southern Continent
al
Railways was rebranded as British Rail. Cover: Few trains could Boat Trains in the
match the splendour of 20th Centur y
the all-Pullman ‘Golden
Arrow’. This view circa
63 Tail Lamp – Readers’ Letters spring 1957, shows
‘Britannia’ No 70004
William Shakespeare
approaching Shortlands
Next Month... Junction with the Down
service, the 2pm London
London’s St. Pancras station (Victoria) to Folkestone
Harbour. From there, the
Britain’s branch lines recalled passengers and luggage
will be transferred to a Remembering 1965 –
Kipps engine shed and the Calais-bound ship, which in
Fifty Years On
turn will connect with this
locomotives of Monklands train’s French working, Steam Days at Rhyl
‘La Fleche d’Or’ for Paris May 2015 £4.30
Steam Days in Colour: (Nord). Ken Wightman
Steam in and around Reading Steam Days

… and much more steam!
Magazine
On sale Thursday 21st May
MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 3
Hattons F_P.indd 1 28/11/2014 09:40
Southern Continental Boat Trains

in the 20th Century
Neil Sprinks recalls integrated rail North British Locomotive Co-built ‘King Arthur’ class 4-6-0 No E765 Sir Gareth leaves Dover
Marine with an Up continental boat train in 1926. Released to traffic in May 1925, this ‘N15’ was
and sea services of the 1950s and allocated to Stewarts Lane shed in Battersea specifically for boat train duties, where it would
remain until transferred to Hither Green at the end of February 1940, to avoid the air raids on the
1960s as he considers the evolution south London engine sheds during the Blitz, after four months it was sent back to the Battersea
shed. When withdrawn, at the end of September 1962, it was allocated to Basingstoke shed.
of surface travel between Britain
and mainland Europe from Victorian same for a good decade or more, albeit with The century begins
Bulleid Pacifics now on the scene, although The year 1899 was the momentous one in
days through to the end of Southern on the car-carrying side, the first drive-on which the rival London, Chatham & Dover
Region steam, and beyond. drive-off ferry, the SS Lord Warden, appeared Railway (LC&DR) and the South Eastern
in 1952. On the rail side of things, the Railway (SER) joined forces under a
dominance of train travel was enhanced by Managing Committee to form the South
n my 1930s’ childhood, ‘King Arthur’ and travel agents chartering their own special Eastern & Chatham Railway (SE&CR). The
I ‘Lord Nelson’ 4-6-0s continually passed

the bottom of our garden with long
corridor trains bearing ‘Continental Express’
trains from French ports, for example, to the
French or Italian Riviera or to the mountains
of Switzerland or Austria. There were also the
LC&DR continental services centred around
its contract to carry mail on its steamers
between Dover and Calais, shared with the
roofboards, en route between London pilgrimage specials from French ports to steamers of the Northern Railway of France,
(Victoria) and Folkestone or Dover. There Lourdes, often connecting with special cross- Chemins de fer du Nord. LC&DR boat trains
they connected with cross-channel ships, channel sailings into which connected, very ran from Victoria and, serving St. Paul’s (now
awaiting which, at ports in Belgium or France, frequently, special trains from Fishguard known as Blackfriars), Holborn Viaduct and
were trains not only to capital cities such as Harbour that were loaded with good devout Dover Pier, combining or dividing at Herne
Paris or Brussels, but thanks to the through Roman Catholic folk from Ireland. Hill. The company also ran boat trains
carriage system whereby individual coaches But where are we now? Cross-channel between Victoria/Holborn Viaduct and
where transferred between trains throughout ferries are now no more than floating multi- Queenborough Pier, leaving the main line at
a journey, there were also through vehicles to storey car parks, while car and lorry-carrying Sittingbourne Western Junction for the
a multitude of destinations. In an extreme trains shuttle through the Channel Tunnel, Sheerness branch, from which, just beyond
case, a through sleeping car ran from Ostende and rail travel to the Continent takes the form Queenborough station on the Isle of Sheppey,
to Istanbul, 2,050 miles from London. of the excellent ‘Eurostar’ trains via the short line to Queenborough Pier diverged.
Changes of gauge posed their problems – no High Speed 1 (HS1), the tunnel, and Lignes à Ships of the Dutch Zeeland Steamship
through coaches could reach into Spain, for Grande Vitesse, which get you from London to Company sailed between Queenborough and
example. Paris or Brussels in the amount of time that the port of Vlissingen (Flushing) in Holland.
In 1936, there came the ‘Night Ferry’ 60 years ago might just see your cross-channel The Dutch ancestry of the redoubtable
service, with through overnight sleeping cars ship about to cast off from the quayside at Chairman of the LC&DR, James Staats
between London and Paris, conveyed on the Dover or Folkestone! Forbes, was of no little force behind these
new train ferry ships on the Dover to And from where do the ‘Eurostars’ leave? ships choosing first Sheerness, later
Dunkerque route. There was, however, one Not from London (Victoria), the station that Queenborough, for their English terminal,
portent of things to come, in that the used to proudly declare itself the ‘Gateway to both places being served by the Chatham
Southern Railway had introduced its first the Continent’, but from St. Pancras, a station company.
purpose built car-carrying vessel, the that in steam days was associated with the Another reason for choosing a terminal
SS Autocarrier, in 1931, albeit being a crane- Midland Railway main line but, prophetically, on the Isle of Sheppey was the fact that it lay
on/crane-off ship. also with occasional boat trains to Tilbury outside an area of coast that included Dover
When services resumed in 1946, after (Riverside), and which for a few years even and Folkestone, which was covered by the
World War II, things remained much the connected with steamers to France. Continental Agreement of 1863 between the

LC&DR and SER. By this, in addition to the By 1899 the London, Brighton & South from Victoria/Holborn Viaduct and SER
LC&DR agreeing to keep to the Dover to Coast Railway (LB&SCR) was well established trains from Charing Cross, but by 1902 all
Calais route, and the SER to that between at Newhaven Harbour, whence its steamers, boat trains, with one exception, were
Folkestone and Boulogne, receipts from traffic jointly with those of the Western Railway of concentrated on Charing Cross. The one
through ports in the area were pooled and France – Chemins de fer de l’Ouest – sailed to exception retained a Victoria/Holborn
divided in agreed proportions between the Dieppe. The LB&SCR also had a service to Viaduct train, the Charing Cross one being
two companies. So Queenborough receipts Caen. As with the Kent companies, the withdrawn, and this remained the one daily
went entirely to the LC&DR, this formed one ‘Brighton’ boat trains served both West End Victoria boat train until the outbreak of
of the bones of contention and City termini in London, World War I in 1914.
between the SER and the ‘Queenborough namely Victoria and London Also in 1902 there opened the first spurs in
Chatham company. receipts went entirely Bridge. The latter by through the Bickley/Chislehurst area, where the ex-SER
main line out of Charing Cross bridged the
SER continental services
used the Folkestone to Boulogne
to the LC&DR, this portions attached or detached
at East Croydon. The trains ran ex-LC&DR main line out of Victoria. The 1902
steamers, with their boat trains formed one of the through Redhill (the Quarry spurs enabled trains from Victoria to access the
running between London bones of contention Line was still under route out of Charing Cross, and vice-versa, and
(Charing Cross) and Folkestone between the SER and construction), while the latest so make use of the more easily graded ex-SER
Harbour, reached by the steep express locomotives at this route to Dover, including the 26 mile straight
1 in 30/36 incline down from the Chatham time were the R.J. Billinton ‘B2’ from Tonbridge to Ashford. Furthermore, these
Folkestone Junction, where company’ and ‘B3’ 4-4-0s, although the loops proved providential in 1903, when
trains had to come to a stop, and first of the more powerful ‘B4s’, Elmstead Woods tunnel collapsed during
then reverse before descending. The SER also No 52 Siemens, did appear in 1899, leading a quadrupling work on the ex-SER line out to
had the mail contract between Charing Cross class which would eventually total 33. Orpington. Boat trains out of Charing Cross
and Dover Pier, where the mails were handed Southampton Docks were well developed were able to divert at St John’s, run down the
over to the LC&DR ships, the latter having, by 1899, although still in the process of Mid-Kent line to New Beckenham, then join
therefore, boat trains both of the parent enlargement, something that was to continue the ex-LC&DR main line at Beckenham
company from Victoria and Holborn Viaduct, for some decades, and from here London & Junction and so regain their normal route over
and of the rival company from Charing Cross. South Western Railway (L&SWR) ships sailed the new loop from Bickley.
The SER also ran boat trains to Dover Pier to to Le Havre in Normandy, and to the Breton The new SE&CR working arrangement
connect with the ships of the Belgian Marine port of St. Malo, with subsidiary services to proved useful also for the Dutch service, too.
organisation to Ostende. Honfleur and Cherbourg. There were services The Vlissingen ships used Queenborough Pier,
The SER boat trains ran via the main line to the popular Channel Islands also. Boat off the ex-LC&DR Isle of Sheppey line, but the
through Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, and in trains ran from London (Waterloo), while in pre-1899 rivalry had led to an opposing SER
London some ran into Cannon Street to this year Dugald Drummond’s ‘T9’ class pier across the estuary of the River Medway, at
reverse en route from or to Charing Cross, 4-4-0s first came on the scene. Port Victoria, reached by a branch off the
while others called at London Bridge, where ex-SER North Kent line at Hoo Junction, below
Cannon Street passengers had to change. The Pre-Grouping changes Gravesend. In July 1900 Queenborough Pier
most modern motive power for SER trains in With the establishment of the SE&CR in 1899, was destroyed, for the second time, by fire and
1899 were the James Stirling ‘B’ class 4-4-0s little time was lost in integrating the former the Zeeland company transferred its ships to
with their 7ft driving wheels, while the Chatham and South Eastern operations. The Port Victoria. The day service reverted to
comparable LC&DR machines were William LC&DR Dover to Calais ships and the SER Queenborough the following year, but the
Kirtley’s handsome ‘M3’ class 4-4-0s. In France, Folkestone to Boulogne ships were night sailings kept to Port Victoria until 1904.
both LC&DR and SER ships connected with interchanged, and used on the services of the To reach Port Victoria the connecting boat
trains of the Chemins de fer du Nord, famous other company. The LC&DR Calais ships were trains out of Victoria ran via Brixton and
also for some elegant steam motive power. served at Dover Pier both by LC&DR trains Loughborough Junction into Holborn Viaduct,
A continental boat train from Charing Cross runs through Elmstead, on the former SER main line just north of Chislehurst, in the charge of
Wainwright SE&CR ‘D’ class 4-4-0 No 145. Behind the tender is the usual six-wheel full brake, followed by three of the eight-vestibule clerestory bogie
coaches designed by Harry Wainwright and William Laycock and built in 1897 by the Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Co for the Folkestone
Car Train. These coaches were on a par with contemporary Pullman cars, and so were only used on the company’s most prestigious workings. No 145,
completed in April 1903, was one of the class to be rebuilt as a ‘D1’ by Maunsell, in November 1922, and as such it would serve until October 1961.
In addition to Folkestone Harbour

improvements, 1905 saw the SS Onward built
for the SE&CR; this steam ship had a top speed
of 22 knots, fast for the era, and was 311ft 2in
long - it is seen at Folkestone on a Boulogne
sailing. Built by William Denny & Brothers on
the River Clyde in 1908, the upper part of her
side was torn open in a collision with the
SS Queen. Repairs undertaken back in
Dumbarton brought a return to service, and
then the historic first transportation of motor
cars across the channel. During the 1914-18
war, the SS Onward plied her usual route as
troop transport for the British Expeditionary
Force, the end coming with scuttling at
Folkestone harbour on 24 September 1918.
The action was necessary as an on-board fire
threatened to engulf the pier. The hull was sold
to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co Ltd in
1920, and it re-entered service as Mona’s Isle.
Back in the Channel in May 1940, Mona’s Isle
would be the first civilian ship to depart Dover
as part of ‘Operation Dynamo’, the evacuation
of BEF forces from Dunkerque.
there picking up City passengers and reversing, and very valuable mail and luggage. The latter, improvements made by l’État was the opening
and after calling at St Paul’s, they ran down the known to staff as ‘boxes’, were conveyed on in 1913 of a more direct route from Dieppe to
spur to reach the ex-SER line out of Charing flat trucks on the SE&CR boat trains, and on Paris, shortening by 20 miles the former
Cross at Metropolitan Junction and so through those of the Nord company in France. Their route, which joined the line from Le Havre
Dartford and Gravesend to Port Victoria. In simple transfer to and from the ships at the just outside Rouen. In mileage terms, the
1911 the night Vlissingen service was diverted ports avoided much tedious and time- Newhaven to Dieppe route was always the
to run from and to Folkestone Harbour, while consuming man-handling of individual items. shortest between London and Paris, but the
the day ships kept to Pullman cars had been ‘short sea’ routes from Folkestone and Dover
Queenborough. ‘In mileage terms, introduced on the LB&SCR were the quickest.
The year 1905 saw extensions Newhaven boat trains by the The L&SWR services were noteworthy in
completed at the railway-owned the Newhaven to turn of the century, and the their being the only civilian continental
Folkestone Harbour, while later Dieppe route was most notable development on services that continued throughout the
there were more widespread always the shortest this route was the 1900 1914-18 war, albeit this was at the cost of a
loss of two ships. Newhaven Harbour became
improvements at Dover, where the
pier belonged to the Harbour
between London and opening of the Quarry Line
from Coulsdon to Earlswood, a Naval base, Folkestone Harbour was the
Board. A lot of land was reclaimed, Paris, but the which enabled LB&SCR principal port for forces mail and military
enabling the SE&CR to build the ‘short sea’ routes trains heading for the coast personnel, while the then new Dover
vast Dover (Marine) station, but from Folkestone and to avoid conflict with SER (Marine) station mainly handled hospital
this was not completed until the trains through Redhill. In ships. Holland remained neutral, but the loss
end of 1914, and so its first years of
Dover were the France, Chemins de fer de of two vessels by floating mines persuaded the
use were for military purposes quickest’ l’Ouest, which served the port Zeeland company to suspend its sailings from
through World War I. of Dieppe, reached from Queenborough and Folkestone to Flushing in
In the years before 1914 two Newhaven, had fallen on such bad times that 1916. Wartime traffic to and from Dover was
improvements were made to the SE&CR boat in 1909 it was taken over by the State, and further hindered by a serious landslide in
trains – the introduction of Pullman cars on renamed the State Railway – Chemins de fer de Folkestone Warren in December 1915, and it
Folkestone and Dover trains in 1910, and the l’État – its notepaper proudly bearing the title would be August 1919 before access to Dover
use of small containers for London to Paris République Française. One of the many via Folkestone was available again.
Before the introduction of drive-on/drive-off

ferries, the loading of luggage, cars and other
cargo was carried out by dockside cranes. A
gantry-mounted crane loads registered luggage
containers aboard an unidentified ferry in the
outer harbour at Folkestone. The shunting
engine is a domeless Stirling ‘R’ class 0-6-0T in
full SE&CR Wainwright livery. When Dover
dock began to install link-spans to ease loading,
Folkestone was put at a distinct disadvantage.
Cars were still being craned aboard ferries
after World War II.

A boat train run in conjunction with a sailing to the USA passes Esher behind a pair of Adams L&SWR ‘X2’ 4-4-0s, Nos 581 and 585. Both
locomotives are in Urie livery with the stock number applied to the cab side-sheets using transfers. This helps to date the scene to the last decade of
the L&SWR. Although newer Drummond and Urie classes relegated the ‘X2s’ to secondary duties, they were maintained in good order and at busy
times these Adams 4-4-0s were regularly used on ocean liner specials, much of the work from Southampton being of a global nature.
Post-war changes and the Grouping boat train from Gravesend to Victoria ran in trains from Charing Cross were finally
After the end of World War I in late 1918, the mornings, these boat trains continuing discontinued.
services gradually resumed their pre-war post-Grouping, the Southern Railway The formation of the Southern Railway,
patterns, the main change being that the operating them from 1923 until 1939. Notable on 1 January 1923, resulted in a remarkable
Zeeland company resumed only the day for their short formation of a few vehicles, but network of continental services under its
service, and this was based on the Folkestone- all with roofboards, their haulage was by ‘C’ unified control. It operated boat trains to
Vlissingen route, meaning that Queenborough class 0-6-0s or ‘H’ 0-4-4Ts. In SE&CR days Folkestone and Gravesend in connection with
Pier did not re-open, and it was thus closed. more 4-4-0s had come on to the scene on Dutch steamers to Vlissingen and Rotterdam
However, the loss of the Dutch overnight main line trains, namely the Wainwright ‘D’, respectively, and to Dover, connecting with
service led the SE&CR to approach the ‘E’ and ‘L’ classes, the ‘Ds’ being known as Belgian vessels to Ostende. The Southern
Batavier Line, resulting in an overnight ‘Coppertops’ and the ‘L’ class as ‘Germans’. Railway’s own ships, jointly with those of a
service to Holland via Gravesend and After 1918, some new vehicles came into French organisation SAG&A – Société
Rotterdam. The SE&CR laid on an evening SE&CR boat trains, namely the corridor Anonyme de Gérance et d’Armement – sailed
boat train from Victoria to Gravesend Pier, an coaches with end-doors and matchboard between Dover and Calais, alongside SR
extension of one of the platforms at sides. There were also the long-wheelbase steamers plying between Folkestone and
Gravesend (West Street), the end of the four-wheeled luggage vans that would be Boulogne. On the Newhaven to Dieppe route
ex-LC&DR branch line that left the Chatham widely perpetuated by the Southern Railway. were Southern ships and those of the French
main line at Fawkham Junction, beyond Also on the SE&CR, all boat trains were État’ railway, while also out of Newhaven were
Farningham Road. A corresponding early concentrated on Victoria by 1920, when boat Southern cargo ships sailing to Caen. From
Southampton, SR ships connected with
Le Havre, Cherbourg and St. Malo.
Initially, the services of the pre-Grouping
companies continued under the Southern
Railway on the same basis as before, but with
some adjustments to services between London
and Paris in the winter of 1923/24, where one
company now had the controlling interest,
compared with three separate ones hitherto.
Then, in 1925, the former LB&SCR Newhaven
to Caen cargo service was withdrawn, and the
former L&SWR Southampton-Cherbourg
The Maunsell ‘D1’ and ‘E1’ rebuilt 4-4-0s, with

their modern long-travel valve gear and
improved steam passages, were more than
capable of handling most of the heavy boat
trains that came their way. In the summer of
1921 we find Battersea-allocated ‘E1’ No 179 -
the first of the ‘E’ class to be rebuilt (in
February 1919) - in charge of the 11am Down
‘Continental’ near Sydenham Hill, on the
former LC&DR route from Victoria.
Withdrawal for No 179 would come in
December 1950, by which time it was running
as British Railways No 31179.
Folkestone boat trains were faced with

the severe 1 in 30 gradients from
Folkestone Harbour station to
Folkestone Junction, and for many years
the boat trains were worked over the
branch by up to three ‘R1’ 0-6-0Ts,
Wainwright’s rebuilds of the Stirling ‘R’
class of 1888. Here two unidentified ‘R1s’
approach Folkestone Junction at the
head of an Up continental boat train,
while a third member of the class shunts
the goods yard to the right.
service was diverted to Caen, in a further step on the ex-SE&CR system after a steady those from London to Dover and from Calais
towards consolidation of facilities. programme of bridge strengthening carried to Paris, were fully developed as the renowned
The abolition of second class out since 1923. An all- ‘Golden Arrow’ service.
accommodation on former ‘The abolition of Pullman train was instituted In 1927 the London & North Eastern
SE&CR local services from the second class on the London (Victoria) to Railway and London, Midland & Scottish
winter of 1923/24 resulted in Dover (Marine) section in Railway both appeared on the Southern scene.
second class being perpetuated accommodation on connection with the principal As from January of that year the Zeeland
only on the boat trains of the new former SE&CR local Dover to Calais service of the company transferred its Vlissingen service
Southern Railway. Indeed, this services from the day, which in turn connected terminal from Folkestone to Harwich, served
arrangement was to persist into with a new, luxury all- by LNER boat trains from London (Liverpool
British Railways’ days and until
winter of 1923/24 sleeping car service, Street). Then, from 15 May 1927, the LMS,
the mainland European railways resulted in second ‘Le Train Bleu/The Blue using three ships rendered surplus following
abolished the three classes of class being Train’, between Calais and the post-Grouping rationalisation of its Irish Sea
accommodation in favour of a perpetuated only on Mediterranean Riviera. Then, operations, instituted a Tilbury to Dunkerque
two class system, with effect from in the following year, an all- overnight service. The LMS provided a boat
3 June 1956, the by then British
the boat trains Pullman train started to run train from London (St. Pancras) and the
Railways (Southern Region) boat of the new between Calais and Paris in French organisation Société Anonyme de
trains changing from three classes Southern Railway’ connection with the same Navigation Angleterre-Lorraine-Alsace (ALA)
to two at the same time. sailing, and it was this train operated the ships provided by the LMS, while
In 1925, the Southern Railway’s new that first carried the famous title ‘La Fleche the Nord, hitherto partners only of the
standard express locomotives, the ‘King d’Or/The Golden Arrow’, although three years Southern and its predecessors, provided a
Arthur’ class 4-6-0s were permitted to work were to elapse before the two Pullman trains, boat train connection with Paris.
The Southern Railway’s boat trains were not all

hauled by 4-4-0s, 4-6-0s and Pacifics, as this
picture of Wainwright-designed ex-SE&CR ‘H’
class 0-4-4T No 1005 illustrates. It is powering
an Up boat train from Gravesend through
Bromley on 12 May 1937, this having met the
Rotterdam to Gravesend ferry. ‘H’ class engines
were frequent performers on this working, but
Wainwright ‘C’ class 0-6-0s were also used. The
four-coach train is well within the capacity of
the ‘H’, which appears to be turning in a
spritely performance. H.C. Casserley

During the summer of 1926, one of the NBL-

built ‘Scotch Arthurs’, No E769 Sir Balan of June
1925, passes Sydenham Hill in charge of the all-
Pullman Down ‘Continental Pullman’, the
forerunner of the full ‘Golden Arrow’ service. It
would not be until 15 May 1929 that the
‘Golden Arrow’ proper would begin. Sir Balan
had five spells at Stewarts Lane: from new until
mid-1929, when transferred to Exmouth
Junction, from the third week of February 1937
until the end of February 1940, from February
1944 until the end of April 1945, and from mid-
July 1953 until June 1959, when sent to
Eastleigh, from where it would be withdrawn at
the end of February 1959.
The ‘Golden Arrow’

The ‘Golden Arrow’ service proper began on The Southern Railway’s publicity
15 May 1929 when a Maunsell-designed ‘Lord department pulled out all the stops
when it came to advertising the ‘Golden
Nelson’ class 4-6-0 worked a morning all-
Arrow’, as this advert depicting ‘Lord
Pullman boat train from London (Victoria) to Nelson’ No 853 Sir Richard Grenville
Dover (Marine). A new ship, the SS Canterbury illustrates. As can be seen, the all-
– which was to last well into British Railways’ Pullman train at this time was officially
days – sailed from Dover to Calais solely for known as ‘The Golden Arrow Limited’.
Copies of the picture were available for
‘Golden Arrow’ passengers, although within purchase, as was a jig-saw version.
only a few minutes of the regular service vessel. Author’s Collection
Two new trains of British-built Pullman cars
provided the Calais to Paris section of The SS Canterbury was also used in SR
advertising, as this Kenneth Shoesmith
‘La Fleche d’Or/The Golden Arrow’ service. On
painting shows. The visual impact of the
board, customs’ examination of passengers was ship leaving Dover Harbour, against the
fully developed and, combined with the speedy backdrop of Dover Castle, was very
examination of passengers at Dover, the overall powerful, the inclusion of timings for
journey times between London and Paris were the ‘Golden Arrow’ and the car ferry
almost seem to be an afterthought.
reduced by 20 minutes, and 40 minutes coming Author’s Collection
home. Two trains were required on the French
side because some 30 to 40 minutes after
leaving Calais the Paris-bound Pullmans passed
those coming north, the train from Paris
connecting with the steamer’s return sailing. On
the British side, one Pullman train sufficed.
This necessity for two French trains of
Pullmans was to have repercussions for the
‘Golden Arrow’ in the 1950s.
In 1929 there was another development,
with a service of through carriages between
Glasgow (Queen Street) and Southampton
Docks, in connection with the Southampton to
Le Havre overnight sailings. The carriages ran
via the LNER and GWR, including a section of
ex-Great Central line before handing over to
the GWR at Banbury, and thence running via
Basingstoke to Southampton.
The grand flourish of the 1929 ‘Golden
Arrow’ was to last but two years, when in 1931
one of the many effects of the world-wide trade
slump was the transition of the ‘Golden Arrow’
on this side of the Channel from an all-
Pullman train to one of some Pullman cars in a
train of ordinary coaches. The running of a
separate ship purely for ‘Golden Arrow’
passengers was discontinued. Changing
During October 1936, the first month of the

‘Night Ferry’ train’s operation, a pair of
Southern Railway Maunsell ‘L1’ class 4-4-0s,
with No 1758 leading, run into Victoria station
with the titled sleeping car train from Paris,
which they will have taken over at Dover
Marine. Of note are the four luggage and mail
vans at the head of the train, and the
distinctive Wagons-Lit sleeping cars, this angle
illustrating how they were built to the limit of
the Southern Railway’s loading gauge.
C.R.L. Coles/Rail Archive Stephenson
planned for 1940 but World War II intervened.

Indeed the Brussels sleeping car did not
materialise until 1957.
Reverting to 1936, the weight of the ‘Night
Ferry’ train between Victoria and Dover
(Marine) was so great – each sleeping car
weighed 55 tons and six cars was a normal
load, in addition to the baggage vans and
ordinary and catering vehicles – that it was
conditions saw the Southern Railway introduce An enclosed ferry berth was built too heavy for the Southern Railway’s most
on its ‘short sea’ routes its first car-carrying alongside Dover (Marine) station, with a link- powerful locomotives of the time, the ‘Lord
ship, the SS Autocarrier. Carrying 35 cars, these span to connect the tracks on shore with the Nelsons’, so double-headed inside-cylinder
were loaded and unloaded by crane. four tracks on the train deck. Within this ‘L1’ class 4-4-0s were used.
The following year, 1932, saw the end, berth the level of the water was adjusted from To allow for evacuation of sleeping car
after five years, of the LMS-inspired Tilbury that of the tide to that required for shunting passengers in the event of an emergency, there
to Dunkerque service. From 1 May the ALA over the link-span. At Dunkerque, the entire were narrow platforms alongside the tracks on
organisation, still using the ex-LMS Irish port was enclosed by lock gates, so a berth the train ferry ships, and access was available
ships, despite their new French names – with link-span facilities much more easily from these to the passenger deck above – so
Alsacien (ex-Duke of Cumberland), Flamand provided there. The ALA organisation ran the there was nothing to stop inquisitive non-
(ex-Londonderry), Lorrain (ex-Rathmore), and Dunkerque berth and also one of the three sleeping car travellers, or walking passengers as
Picard (ex-Duke of Argyll) – diverted the new train ferry vessels, the other two being they were known (such as the present author),
service to run via Folkestone, so providing, operated by the Southern Railway. from going down on to the train deck. It was
along with a Southern Railway boat train The service of through sleeping cars and eerie - all was quiet. One was surrounded by
from and to Victoria, an overnight London to baggage vans, for luggage and mails, between sleeping cars, baggage vans and freight wagons,
Paris service via Folkestone and Dunkerque. London and Paris via the train ferry ships like some railway depot on land, yet one sensed
began on 14 October 1936. Ordinary coaches the motion of the vessel, and there was that
The ‘Night Ferry’ and catering vehicles accompanied the sleeping unmistakable air of being out at sea.
This Folkestone to Dunkerque operation was cars and baggage vans on the boat trains Little changed between October 1936 and
also destined to be short-lived, even more so between London (Victoria) and Dover the abrupt termination of all continental
than the Tilbury-based service, as now on the (Marine), and between Dunkerque and Paris services with the outbreak of World War II on
horizon was the biggest development of the (Nord). The sleeping cars were operated by the 3 September 1939, but one wartime event
Southern era, namely the Dover to International Sleeping Car Company or, based needs to be mentioned, namely the evacuation
Dunkerque train ferries and all that came with on the French title Compagnie Internationale of the British Expeditionary Force from
them. Train ferry ships had been used for des Wagons-Lits, CIWL, and these coaches Dunkerque in the spring of 1940. The story is
military purposes in World War I, notably were built to conform to the narrower British always told of the brave men who took their
from the Kentish military port of loading gauge than that used on the continent, little ships out across the English Channel to
Richborough, near Sandwich, and the LNER and were fitted with both air and vacuum help bring the men home. Of course, beyond
was already using three of these vessels to brakes. The Nord company, to become Region doubt they deserve their place in history, but
convey freight wagons between Harwich and Nord of the French National Railways – Société what about the unsung story when the
the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. However, the Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) soldiers reached their home shore? It is said
Dover to Dunkerque operation was to be – on nationalisation the following year, that the British railway companies put
multi-purpose, not just for freight wagons, but provided most of the baggage vans, with three together 186 train sets, which together made
also for through sleeping cars and baggage vans provided by the Southern Railway. A 620 loaded journeys from the south coast
vans, together with ordinary passengers sleeping car between London and Brussels was between 20 May and 4 June 1940.
brought to and from the ports in conventional
boat trains and accommodated on on-board
seating or in sleeping berths, and finally for
drive-on/drive-off motor cars housed in a
garage above the train deck.
In the summer of 1939, only a matter of weeks

before the outbreak of war, we find ‘Lord
Nelson’ class No 854 Howard of Effingham, as
rebuilt by Bulleid, in charge of an Up
continental boat train passing Hildenborough.
One of the design criteria of these Maunsell
class 4-6-0s was to be able to handle 500 ton
boat trains unassisted at average speeds of
60mph – this they did, but with little in reserve,
and it was not until Bulleid modified the
exhaust layout and fitted new cylinders that
the class fulfilled its full potential.

Post World War II Continental services to and from London (Victoria) as advertised in the Southern Railway
Southern ships and harbours saw intensive timetable for the summer of 1939. Author’s Collection
use, and losses of vessels during World War II,
and it took some time after mid-1945 for
services to get back into their stride. The
reconstruction of railways on the continent
after the ravages of war was a truly
monumental task too. The Newhaven to
Dieppe service was the first to be restored for
passenger traffic, on 9 October 1945, and by
1947 all Southern Railway continental services
were running again, with the sole exception of
the Batavier Line’s Gravesend to Rotterdam
service, which switched its English base across
the Thames to Tilbury. The Zeeland company,
however, did toy with a restored Folkestone to
Vlissingen service for a few summers, but it
did not last.
On the motive power front, the Southern
Railway now had its ‘Merchant Navy’ and
‘West Country/Battle of Britain’ Pacifics and
these took over the Folkestone and Dover
boat trains, along with, after the 1948
nationalisation, two British Railways Standard
‘Britannia’ class Pacifics, Nos 70004 William
Shakespeare and 70014 Iron Duke. William
Shakespeare saw use in Kent after its
exhibition at the 1951 Festival of Britain, and
it was then used mainly on ‘The Golden
Arrow’ until transferred away on loan to
Kentish Town shed from 21 June 1958.
So far as the Newhaven boat trains were
concerned, the line through Newhaven to
Seaford had been electrified back in 1935, but
the very short ‘branch’ to the boat train
Maunsell ‘King Arthur’, or ‘N15’ class 4-6-0

No 769 Sir Balan, now carrying its final Southern
Railway livery, is opened up as it comes off the
1902 loop at Chislehurst in the summer of 1948.
This connection enabled the heavy boat trains
from Victoria to join the line out of Charing
Cross and so benefit from the more easily
graded ex-SER route to Dover, including the 26
mile straight from Tonbridge to Ashford. The
train, which includes just one Pullman car, is a
relief to the Down ‘Continental’.
On 11 October 1952 the Up ‘Night Ferry’, with

its distinctive circular headboard, gets away
from Dover Marine in the charge of ‘Merchant
Navy’ Pacific No 35030 Elder Dempster Lines.
Behind the tender are baggage vans for luggage
and mails, and some of the heavy CIWL
sleeping cars. Such was the weight of this train
that on occasions even a ‘Merchant Navy’
Pacific required assistance, often in the form of
a ‘D1’, ‘E1’ or ‘L1’ class 4-4-0. At the time of this
photograph, No 35030 was allocated to Dover
shed specifically for this duty.
T.B. Owen/Colour-Rail.com/97216
platform at Newhaven Harbour didn’t go

electric until June 1947. Despite this, the main
London (Victoria) to Newhaven Harbour boat
train remained steam-hauled until 14 May
1949, when it was worked by ‘Schools’ class
4-4-0 No 30929 Malvern, with the Bulleid
Co-Co electric locomotives then taking over,
the newest one, No 20003, performing the
following day. Steam did continue, however,
on some relief Newhaven trains. Looking
ahead a few years, another motive power
change was the replacement of the Just two miles into its journey, the Down ‘Golden Arrow’ – the 2pm London (Victoria) to Folkestone
ex-SER/SE&CR rebuilt Stirling ‘R1’ class Harbour all-Pullman service – passes Wandsworth Road on 23 May 1953 behind BR Standard
0-6-0Ts that were used in multiple for ‘Britannia’ Pacific No 70004 William Shakespeare. This ‘7MT’ was specifically allocated to Stewarts
Lane shed to work this duty, and it is hauling a bogie van, nine Pullmans, a flat truck carrying
working the boat trains up and down the
containers of registered luggage and mail, and a van. The containers will be transferred to the
steep Folkestone Harbour branch – ex-Great Folkestone to Calais ship, and later to a similar flat wagon on SNCF ‘Train 32’ from Calais Maritime
Western Railway 0-6-0PTs took over this part to Paris (Nord). Author
An undated view of a Down Newhaven boat train running alongside Wandsworth Common behind Bulleid/Raworth Co-Co
electric No 20003, the last of three similar locomotives to enter traffic, in October 1948. Rated at 1,470hp, they were capable
of working 750 ton expresses at speeds of up to 75mph. To overcome the breaks in the conductor rails, Raworth designed a
booster unit, one for each bogie, with a motor-generator powering a heavy flywheel which, when running, had sufficient
kinetic energy to bridge any gaps in the supply of electricity to the main generator.

Former LB&SCR Marsh ‘H2’ class Atlantic

No 32426 St Alban’s Head approaches
Newhaven Town station with the 4.52pm
Newhaven Harbour to London (Victoria) relief
boat train, which had connected with a sailing
from Dieppe on Sunday, 24 August 1952. The
train is made up of 11 coaches and a van. The
Atlantics were kept in immaculate condition to
work these boat trains and they found
employment on these duties until the last of
the class, No 32424 Beachy Head, was
withdrawn in April 1958. Author
With passengers for Boulogne on board, the

9am London (Victoria) to Folkestone Harbour
boat train enters Folkestone Harbour station on
12 July 1953 behind ‘R1’ class 0-6-0T No 31047, a
Wainwright rebuild of a Stirling ‘R’ class. The
train has reversed at Folkestone Junction, where
the tank engine came on the rear for the
descent of the short branch, and much of the
rake is still on the steep 1 in 30 gradient.
Allocated to Dover shed, No 31047 was one of
seven members of the class kept there to work
the Folkestone Harbour branch. Author
Three ‘R1’ class 0-6-0Ts, with No 31340 at the head, work the 1.20pm boat train out of Folkestone Harbour on 11 April 1955, the passengers having
just disembarked from the Calais ship. As can be seen from the level of water in the inner harbour, it is high tide. At the rear of the train another ‘R1’,
the unseen No 31047, is banking. This train will soon reverse direction in the sidings at Folkestone Junction, where a Bulleid Pacific will come on to
take it forward to Victoria. Author
The 2.30pm from Dover Marine to Victoria, the Ostende boat train service, has just passed through Canterbury (East) station on 19 April 1953. The
train, made up of three vans, 11 corridor coaches and a single Pullman car, is in the charge of ‘Merchant Navy’ Pacific No 35026 Lamport & Holt Line of
Stewarts Lane shed. Beneath the leading coaches is the bridge spanning the ex-SER Ramsgate to Canterbury (West) and Ashford line. Judging from
the clear exhaust, the fireman is on top of his job, with No 35026 steaming well and free of leaks. Author
An 11 October 1953 view records the 1.10pm Ostende boat train from Dover Marine to Victoria
passing Tonbridge on the Up through line behind ‘Battle of Britain’ Light Pacific No 34074
46 Squadron. During the winter months this train normally ran combined with a Calais to
Folkestone boat train, but on this occasion heavy traffic off the Calais ship necessitated the trains
running separately. To the right of the photograph, ‘H’ class 0-4-4T No 31309 is signalled to depart
with the 2.44pm Tonbridge to Redhill service. Author
of the boat train operation during the last Then came the afternoon boat train from
couple of years of steam working. Victoria for the Folkestone to Calais service,
In the first decade of nationalisation there the normal ship for this eventually being the
were two daily services via Dover and French SS Cote d’Azur. Also into this sailing,
Ostende, operated by British Railways boat from the winter of 1952 until the summer of
trains and the Belgian Marine ships, with 1960, connected the all-Pullman ‘Golden
additional services, including a night crossing, Arrow’ from Victoria, the later running of this
at peak holiday times. There was the nightly enabling the French to provide just one set of
Dover to Dunkerque ‘Night Ferry’, with ships Pullmans on their side for the Paris Fleche
operating other sailings conveying freight d’Or, instead of two. During the summer there
wagons. A daily British Railways sailing from were services via Folkestone and Boulogne,
Dover to Calais connected with a morning their timings permitting the famous ‘No
boat train from Victoria and, until the winter Passport’ day trips to Boulogne, but there
of 1952, also ‘The Golden Arrow’, which since were also boat trains onwards to Paris, and
its restoration after World War II ran again as even Switzerland.
an all-Pullman train, although by the time it A daily service operated between London
was restored to the Dover to Calais timetable, and Paris via Newhaven and Dieppe, with the
in 1960, it was again a mixed train of Pullman ships jointly owned by British Railways and
cars and ordinary coaches. SNCF, and a night service ran during the

The sleeping cars off the ‘Night Ferry’ ship from

Dunkerque are shunted into Dover Marine on
18 April 1954, ready for their 7.20am departure
for Victoria. Introduced in October 1936, ‘The
Night Ferry’ featured these newly-constructed
CIWL sleeping coaches, which were turned out in
a dark blue livery and were classified type ‘F’ for
Ferry. The 12 carriages, Nos 3788-3799, were built
in France by ANF Industrie-Ateliers de Construction
du Nord de la France – at Blanc-Misseron, near
Valenciennes. Author
Ramsgate-allocated ‘Battle of Britain’ Light

Pacific No 34085 501 Squadron gets the Up
‘Golden Arrow’ away from Dover circa 1954,
complete with an ex-Southern Railway luggage
van behind the tender, and a container vehicle
between that and the first coach. No 34085 has
lost its malachite green paintwork and now
carries standard British Railways’ lined express
green, which seems to have taken on a distinctly
blue/black appearance. Both Ramsgate and
Stewarts Lane sheds tried their best to ensure
that the ‘Golden Arrow’ locomotives were always
turned out in exemplary external and mechanical
condition. T.B. Owen/Colour-Rail/BRS534-2
A Maunsell ‘Scotch Arthur’, ‘N15’ No 30772

Sir Percivale, passes Micheldever with an Up
Southampton Docks to Waterloo ‘Ocean Liner
Express’ in the summer of 1950. It was
allocated to Eastleigh shed between the
beginning of May 1949 and the end of the first
week of December 1950, when it would be
transferred to Stewarts Lane, boat trains being
typical work for the shed’s 4-6-0s. In
comparison to Dover and Folkestone,
Southampton’s boat train duties were
dominated by inter-continental sailings to
America and Africa (not covered by this
article), rather than regular timetabled
European sailings, with the last of the European
trains, the Channel Islands traffic, being
diverted away to Weymouth in 1961. The
continental terminal in Southampton was not
suitable for the drive-on/drive off era that was
by then being embraced.
F.R. Hebron/Rail Archive Stephenson
summer. From Southampton there was a recognition of the changing market towards ‘Rome Express’, all these being taken from
thrice-weekly overnight sailing to Le Havre, car travel, taken in for conversion to car Paris (Nord) where ‘Train 82’ arrived, to Paris
with a connection from London (Waterloo) ferries, for use on the more profitable, shorter, (Lyon) round the ‘Ceinture’ line. A sort of
into the BR ship, from which, at Le Havre, sea crossings. Parisian version of our West London line.
motor coaches took passengers to the SNCF Furthermore, ‘Train CB’ for Basel would also
station for trains to Rouen and Paris. The boat A quick look across the channel have through vehicles to Chur and Interlaken
train from and to Waterloo was an ordinary So the story of Southern boat train steam was in Switzerland, to Milan via the Swiss delights
service train making intermediate stops, except over – but can we just cross the Channel again of Lucerne and Lugano, and by no less than
outwards during the summer when it was a in those steam days for a brief look at what two routes to Vienna. One path saw coaches
shared duty that also carried passengers for the awaited one at, say, Calais or Boulogne? On detached at Strasbourg and attached to the
Channel Islands. Then, operating three times the quayside at Calais, a mere 25 miles from ‘Orient Express’, with others going forward
per week during the summer was the overnight Dover and closer to London than from Basel, through Innsbruck, on the
British Railways sailing from Southampton, Birmingham, there could be three trains, ‘Arlberg Orient Express’.
again with a boat train from Waterloo, to ‘La Fleche d’Or’ for Paris, the ordinary train All this did not happen easily: at the basis
St. Malo, from whence all Britanny could be for Paris, and another train for Lille, of it all was the annual International
reached by train, after a road connection to Strasbourg and Basel. There were some Timetable & Through Carriage Conference,
St. Malo-Saint Servan station. elegant locomotives, such as the Chapelon held each autumn, and with British Railways
The steam operation of boat trains to and ‘231E’ class Pacifics, and after electrification representatives amongst many others. It met
from Dover via the ex-London, Chatham & of the line from Paris towards the at varying venues, including in Great Britain,
Dover Railway line through Chatham ceased Mediterranean, some ex-PLM – Chemins de with the ever-efficient Swiss doing the
with electrification on 15 June 1959, the fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée – organising and secretarial work. Finally, on
advantage being taken immediately of Pacifics came on the scene. At the other end the question of timetables, we in Britain in
running the heavy ‘Night Ferry’ train via this of the scale, there were some delightful those days of steam were one hour behind the
route using the then new ‘E5000’ class Bo-Bo ex-Nord 4-6-0s about too, and there was even time that applied on the continent only when
electric locomotives, while a few ordinary a narrow gauge line at Calais Ville station. we were on Greenwich Mean Time, during
boat trains went over to electric-multiple-unit The trains were identified by numbers, the the six months or so of, say, October to early
operation via this route. Then the ex-South two for Paris being Nos 32 and 82, and Nos 69 April. So, as the clocks changed the times of
Eastern Railway route through Tonbridge and and 19 on their return. Cross-country services nearly all the boat trains changed as well - for
Ashford, to both Folkestone and Dover, went were often denoted by letters, for example the example, the morning boat train for the Dover
over to electric traction on 12 June 1961. In Calais to Basel train off the afternoon to Ostende sailing left London (Victoria) at
the last years of steam the modified Bulleid Folkestone to Calais ship was ‘Train CB’, with 9.00am in GMT, but at 10.00am at other times
Pacifics had started to show themselves. ‘BC’ on the return journey. However, when our clocks were the same as in most of
Finally, in the wake of the Dr Beeching’s ‘Train 82’ did not only serve Paris, as on it Europe. But a saving grace for timetable
re-examination of everything in the years were through vehicles, ordinary coaches, compilers, such as the author, was the fact that
from 1963, the elegant cabin-equipped sleeping cars or couchettes, for destinations on the continent and for Southern boat trains
SS Falaise and SS Normannia, used on the on the Mediterranean Riviera, also for Venice as well, Sunday services were invariably the
long overnight crossings from Southampton and Trieste, taken forward from Paris on the same as Weekdays. Those were Les Jours de la
to Le Havre and Saint Malo, were, in ‘Simplon Orient Express’, and for Rome on the Vapeur, otherwise known as ‘Steam Days’.
SNCF Chapelon Pacific No 231E40 speeds along near Noyelles with the Calais Maritime to Paris (Nord) ‘La Fleche d’Or’ on 28 August 1963. The make
up of the train is very different from the British one with its Pullman cars, and the French headboard has more of a homespun feel than the
headboard, insignia and flags used by the Southern Region. Nevertheless, the Chapelon Pacifics were one of the most advanced designs of steam
locomotive still at work on top link work at this time. D.M.C. Hepburne-Scott/Rail Archive Stephenson

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Rail Discoveries F_P.indd 1 31/03/2015 09:42
Steam Days at Rhyl

Blessed with a main line from May Rhyl’s four-track Victorian station is seen from Vale Road bridge looking south-west circa 1952/53
as Stanier ‘Black Five’ No 45199 runs through the Up centre road with a Holyhead to Chester and
1848, and with a junction station Manchester parcels train. The goods facilities are out of view behind the left (Down) island
platform. Allocated to Manchester’s Patricroft shed at the time, this 4-6-0 would be working its
from October 1858, railways played way home on one of the shed’s regular diagrams. In excellent external condition, No 45199
received a heavy general repair in April 1952, so this helps to date the picture. Its withdrawal
a pivotal role in the development of would come in August 1963 from Burton-on-Trent shed. Kenneth Field
this North Wales holiday resort, as
Stanley Jenkins relates. England and Ireland should be further Conway. Tunnels were then required at
strengthened by the provision of a railway Conway and at Penmaenmawr, and three
linking London and the Dublin ferry. It was more were needed in the vicinity of Bangor.
ntil the 1840s the seaside town of thought that a rail link could improve the Furthermore, to the west of Bangor the
U Rhyl, on the North Wales coast, was a

small fishing village, but the opening
of the railway in 1848 enabled this hitherto
economic position of Ireland, and at the same
time bind it ever closer to the rest of the
United Kingdom. In 1839 a Government
challenge of crossing the Menai Straits, to
reach Anglesey, required a bridge that was
high enough to clear the masts of the largest
remote location to be developed as a watering commission reported that the best route for vessels. Robert Stephenson, the engineer for
place, initially for middle class visitors, but an Anglo-Irish main line the C&HR, eventually decided that
later as a place of resort for the working was along the North the two water crossings could be
classes. By the end of the Victorian period, Wales coast, and so the
‘The rapid growth of achieved by means of innovative
Rhyl had become a sort of Midlands’ Margate, Chester & Holyhead the North Wales hollow tubular bridges. The River
with all the attractions of that popular holiday Railway was formed. coastal resorts owes Conway would be crossed by a single-
haunt, including a pier, a fine promenade and The first proposals much to the opening span bridge, while the Menai Straits
marine drive, good hotels, fine streets and an for a line from Chester to required a much larger one, the
abundance of boarding houses. By 1911, it Holyhead date from of the Chester & centre tower of the latter being
had a population of over 9,000, rising to March 1840, but the Holyhead Railway’ constructed on a rocky island known
18,000 by 1951, and to 25,149 in 2011. The project was hindered by as the Britannia Rock, which would
rapid growth of the North Wales coastal indecision regarding the western terminus of give the Menai Straights bridge its name, the
resorts owed much to the opening of the the line – some experts argued the case for Britannia Tubular Bridge.
Chester & Holyhead Railway, although Porth Dynllaen, on the Lleyn Peninsula, as it Construction of the railway began on
ironically the C&HR scheme was intended to would avoid the need for a major bridge 1 March 1845, the foundation stones of the
bring material prosperity to Ireland, rather across the Menai Straits to Anglesey. However, Conway and Britannia bridges being laid in
than Wales. the supporters of the Holyhead route decided early 1846. The railway builders made
to proceed with their original scheme, and on excellent progress, and in the spring of 1848
An Anglo-Irish main line through Wales 29 November 1843 they gave formal notice the railway was rapidly nearing completion. A
At the start of the 19th century Ireland was that an application would be made to party of Directors travelled from Chester to
poverty-stricken, rebellious and plagued by Parliament in the ensuing session for an Act Conway to inspect the line and reports in
sectarian strife. In an attempt to improve this to authorize the construction of a railway early April stated that preparations for lifting
situation, the British Government passed an from the Chester & Birkenhead and the the tubes of the Conway Bridge were
Act of Union, effective from 1 January 1801, Chester & Crewe railways in Chester, and complete. The line between Chester and
with the implication that Catholic terminating at or near the Old Custom House Bangor would open on 1 May 1848, while
emancipation would soon follow. In the event, Quay in the parish of Holyhead. goods traffic commenced on 1 June. Likewise,
the latter measure was not enacted until 1829. Royal Assent was given on 4 July 1844. In the 24 mile stretch of line between the Menai
In 1826 the Holyhead Road was physical terms, the authorized route for an Straits and Holyhead was also complete. The
completed throughout, with impressive 85 mile main line railway largely hugging the completion of the Britannia Bridge would be
suspension bridges across the River Conway North Wales coast presented no major the last piece of the jigsaw, but even before
and over the Menai Straights. However, it was problems for the first 45 miles, but at Conway this gap was closed the Chester & Holyhead
soon decided that the transport links between the railway had to cross the tidal River Railway began a steamship service to

Kingstown (today known as Dún Laoghaire) number of branch lines being built, to places Train services
using four iron-hulled paddle steamers - such as Amlwch, Caernarfon, Llandudno, and The principal passenger workings on the
Cambria, Hibernia, Anglia, and Scotia. With Blaenau Ffestiniog, while Rhyl became the Chester & Holyhead route were the Irish
roads temporarily used to provide a link junction for the picturesque Vale of Clwyd services, which formed a vital link between
across the Menai Straits, 1 August 1848 saw line to Denbigh and Corwen. The Denbigh London and Dublin. The most important
the C&HR offer a through link from Chester route was constructed and opened in three service was the ‘Irish Mail’, which was
to Ireland for the first time. stages by two local railway companies, the inaugurated on 1 August 1848 and is therefore
Predicted traffic receipts for the Chester first section being the Vale of Clwyd Railway, claimed to be the oldest named train in the
to Bangor section were estimated at £1,100 which obtained its Act of Incorporation on world. With the Menai Straits yet to be
per week, but that figure was exceeded within 23 June 1856 – it was opened between Rhyl bridged, the first Down working left London
eight weeks of the initial C&HR opening, and and Denbigh on 5 October 1858, just 14 (Euston) at 8.45pm, with a scheduled arrival
by July 1848 the income averaged £1,205 per months after the first sod was cut. at Holyhead at 6.45am. There were, in general,
week. Furthermore, the commencement of the The route was extended southwards by around five or six boat trains each way during
Irish steamer service saw receipts average the Denbigh, Ruthin & Corwen Railway, the pre-Grouping period, all of these running
£2,207 per week, even though goods and which was incorporated on 23 July 1860 and in connection with the Holyhead steamer
mineral traffic was yet to develop and there opened between Denbigh and Ruthin, a services. In 1898, for example, there were five
was still a break in the line. Continued work distance of 6½ miles, on 1 March 1862. daily sailings from Holyhead, two of these
on the Britannia Bridge eventually led to a Engineering difficulties delayed the opening being direct services to Dublin North Wall,
single line of railway being opened through of the southern-most section between Ruthin while two served Kingstown and one sailed to
the Up tube on 5 March 1850, while the and Corwen, but in September 1864 it was and from Greenore, from where the L&NWR-
second line was in use from 19 October 1850, reported that the line had been completed owned Dundalk, Newry & Greenore Railway
the entire railway was now open. throughout to a temporary station at Corwen. provided a link to Belfast.
In the following year, a connection was made These prestigious services were of course
Later developments with the Great Western Railway’s cross- limited-stop workings that did not necessarily
Unfortunately, the £674,000 cost of crossing country route from Ruabon to Dolgelly, this call at intermediate stations between
the Menai Straits was three times greater than new link being inspected on 11 October 1865. Holyhead and Chester, although the Down
Stephenson’s original estimate. The Britannia The temporary station was then closed, and Greenore service served both Rhyl and
Bridge was an engineering wonder of its age trains began running through to the Corwen Bangor. One or two main line trains ran to
but it was also a heavy burden, and the C&HR & Bala Railway station. and from Pwllheli via Bangor and Caernarfon,
Board also suffered disappointments in In the meantime, a further company including the 10.10am Pwllheli to London
relation to its steamer services - the Admiralty known as the Mold & Denbigh Junction (Euston), which called intermediately at
withdrew from carrying the Irish Mails in Railway had been sanctioned on 6 August Llanfairfechan, Penmaenmawr, Llandudno
1851, and the lucrative Post Office 1861, with powers for the Junction, and Rhyl, the 211½ miles between
contract was ultimately awarded to ‘Rhyl became the construction of a 15 mile Rhyl and Euston being accomplished in a time
the City of Dublin Steam Packet junction for the railway between the Vale of of 4 hours 38 minutes.
Rhyl, Llandudno and the other North
Company. Furthermore, the opening
picturesque Vale of Clwyd Railway near
of the Chester & Holyhead line had Denbigh and the Mold Wales resorts became especially popular
coincided with the worst period of Clwyd line to Railway at Mold. When among the wealthy Lancashire businessmen
Irish famine, which devastated many Denbigh and opened on 12 September who could afford to commute by rail to and
areas, and with it potential trade. Corwen’ 1869, this cross-country from Manchester or the other industrial
The Chester & Holyhead route provided a circuitous centres. Specifically, Llandudno found favour
Railway became increasingly dependent on link between Chester, Saltney Ferry, Mold, as a health resort for invalids and retired
the London & North Western Railway, and it and Denbigh, with many trains running professional people, while working class
came as no surprise when the C&HR through from Chester to Corwen, a distance people visited the ribbon of coastal towns
hierarchy decided that a lease or of 48 miles. served by the railway as day-trippers. Mid-
amalgamation with the L&NWR was
favoured. Thus in March 1859, after an
independent period of just 14 years, the
Chester & Holyhead Railway Company ceased
to exist, although its route continued to
develop - the presence of a direct rail link to
centres of population such as Birmingham,
Liverpool and Manchester would stimulate
the growth of seaside watering places such
Llandudno, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay.
Meanwhile, the main line route had
become the starting point for further
extensions of the local railway system, a
A pre-Grouping RCH map of public railways

between Llandudno and Flintshire, and the
three railways that converged on Denbigh to
collectively create a through route from both
Rhyl and Mold to the GWR at Corwen. Also of
note is the Vale of Clwyd line’s Foryd Pier
station, just west of Rhyl, although the route’s
Foryd station - where the spur from the North
Wales main line met the pier branch - has by
this stage gone in favour of a second Foryd
station, sited slightly further west on the main
line. Oakwood Press Collection
The premier passenger working through Rhyl,

‘The Irish Mail’ between London (Euston) and
Holyhead, had been running for over a century
when this view of that train was recorded in the
mid-1950s. It is seen nearing the Marine Lake,
just west of Rhyl station, with Stanier ‘Jubilee’
class 4-6-0 No 45625 Sarawak piloting BR
Standard ‘Britannia’ Pacific No 70046 Anzac. The
latter was one of five ‘Britannias’ allocated to
Holyhead shed from mid-1954 until the end of
1959, specifically to work the heavy Holyhead to
Euston expresses, all five were coupled to high-
capacity BR1D tenders. Kenneth Field
way along the coast, Llandudno found itself

not only as an important destination in its
own right, but it was also strategically
convenient as a terminus, a range of useful
services resulting: to Liverpool (Lime Street),
Manchester (Exchange), Birmingham (New
Street) and to other great industrial cities in
the North and Midlands.
Many of these residential trains called at weekends in the congenial surroundings of service of seven trains each way, together with
Rhyl, one of the best services in the Up direction North Wales but needed to return to their work additional short-distance workings, was
being the 8.10am Llandudno to Manchester places early on Monday mornings. No doubt offered between Denbigh and Ruthin, but
(Exchange) which called at Llandudno Junction, they took full advantage of the comfortable passenger services were withdrawn from the
Colwyn Bay, Abergele and Rhyl, and reached dining cars that the L&NWR provided. Ruthin to Corwen section with effect from
Manchester, a distance of 86¾ miles, in exactly Train services on the Vale of Clwyd 2 February 1953, while the Rhyl to Denbigh
two hours. This service also conveyed a branch were never intensive. In July 1947, for line was closed to passengers with effect from
Liverpool portion that was detached at Chester instance, there were nine Up and eight Down 19 September. However, trains still ran
and reached Lime Street by 10.05am. On trains between Rhyl and Denbigh. A separate between Ruthin, Denbigh and Chester.
Mondays, a through service left Llandudno at service was provided on the former Mold & Notwithstanding the withdrawal of
8.20am and reached Liverpool in 105 minutes, Denbigh Junction section, most of these regular passenger services, the Vale of Clwyd
with six intermediate stops. These services were workings being through trains between and Denbigh, Ruthin & Corwen lines
aimed at the businessmen who spent their Chester, Denbigh and Corwen. A weekday continued to be used by seasonal ‘North
Wales Land Cruise’ trains, these circular tours
were very well patronised by holidaymakers.
In 1956, the itinerary encompassed 150 route
miles, the fare being just 13s 6d. In that same
year, the ‘North Wales Land Cruise’ was
joined by a similar service known as the
‘Cambrian Radio Cruise’. Composed of rolling
stock with individual armchair seats, an
internal speaker system delivered a radio
commentary on the passing scenery.
In its first season, the ‘Cambrian Radio
Cruise’ ran from 25 July until 14 September,
starting at Llandudno and picking-up at
Deganwy, Colwyn Bay and Rhyl. The tour train
then turned southwards on to the Vale of Clwyd
route. Having reached the former GWR system
at Corwen, it then ran via Dolgelly, Barmouth
On 27 May 1947 a Denbigh to Rhyl train, hauled

by LMS Compound No 1093 of Llandudno
Junction shed, calls at Trefnant station.
Although an important link, this line was never
particularly profitable and so its passenger
closure from 4 May 1964 came as no surprise,
complete abandonment followed on 1 January
1968. Trefnant station, however, had closed to
passengers in 1955, and to freight in 1957.
M. Whitehouse Collection
On Sunday, 23 August 1959, BR Standard ‘4MT’

2-6-4T No 80047 passes the Marine Lake (just
out of view to the right) and approaches Rhyl
with an Up train carrying ‘Welsh Chieftain’
roofboards. ‘The Welsh Chieftain’ title
appeared in the summer 1959 timetable, and
was a rebranding of the ‘North Wales Radio
Land Cruise’ excursion that worked a 152 mile
Rhyl to Rhyl circuit through Denbigh, Corwen,
Dolgelly, Barmouth, Afon Wen and
Caernarvon. A headboard was available but is
not carried. M. Mensing/RCTS Collection

Another titled train that was tank engine-hauled was ‘The Welsh Dragon’ – on 27 August 1954 it passes Rhyl No 2 signal box upon departing for
Llandudno behind Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T No 41224. Introduced in 1950 as a shuttle service between Rhyl and Llandudno, ‘The Welsh Dragon’ would be
steam hauled until 1956, when diesel-multiple-units took over. It remained in summer timetables until 1970. No 41224 would become widely
travelled, having spells at Bangor, Rhyl, Walsall, Bedford, Wellingborough and Bournemouth, from where it would be withdrawn in September 1964,
having enjoyed a spell on the Swanage branch. R.M. Casserley
Junction, and Towyn to Aberdovey, arriving at Motive power the outset that they would also be used for
1.50pm. At 3.30pm the train returned The C&HR route was worked by the L&NWR excursions and other passenger duties.
northwards via Carnarfon and Bangor, reaching from its inception. A wide variety of Initially the 1923 Grouping had little
Llandudno at 7.05pm. Passengers for Colwyn locomotives types appeared on this busy main immediate impact upon the pattern of
Bay and Rhyl changed trains at Llandudno line, with many of the most famous ‘North operation on the Chester & Holyhead route,
Junction. The fare for this nine-hour scenic tour Western’ classes being seen on the line although, in the fullness of time, more
was £1 for adults and 13s 6d for children. through Rhyl at one time or another. The modern motive power such as the ‘Royal Scot’,
Another named holiday train provided Webb ‘Precedent’ 2-4-0s and Compounds ‘Jubilee’, and Stanier ‘5MT’ 4-6-0s, or older
during the early British Railways period was found employment when new, and the locomotives not of L&NWR origin, such as
‘The Welsh Dragon’, a popular summer-only ‘Precursor’ and ‘George the Fifth’ 4-4-0s were Fowler ‘4F’ class 0-6-0s, started to appear.
push-pull Rhyl to Llandudno service regular performers during the early years of Other classes used in later years included Ivatt
introduced on 1 July 1950. The train ran on the 20th century, together with the ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts, Stanier ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts, and
Mondays to Fridays only, and journey times ‘Experiment’ and ‘Prince of Wales’ class Stanier ‘3MT’ 2-6-2Ts, while ‘Britannia’
varied between 31 and 39 minutes, with stops 4-6-0s. Double-heading was a fairly frequent Pacifics and other British Railways Standard
at Old Colwyn and Colwyn Bay. There were occurrence. Typical combinations being classes appeared post-nationalisation.
seven services each way during the inaugural Ramsbottom ‘Problem’ class Singles in The end of the ‘Big Four’, as 1947 became
season, and the formation comprised a two or conjunction with Webb Compounds, or 1948, made very little difference to the local
three-coach push-pull set with a ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T ‘Precursors’ piloting ‘Prince of Wales’ 4-6-0s. railway system, which continued to operate
propelling from Llandudno towards Rhyl. The last L&NWR 4-6-0s to appear on the much as it had done under London, Midland
‘The Welsh Dragon’ must have been one of the North Wales coastal route were the Bowen & Scottish Railway management. Indeed, with
very few push-pull services to bear a title, while Cooke ‘Claughtons’. In 1928 twenty of these petrol rationing and other restrictions still in
the 17¼ mile end-to-end distance was probably locomotives were rebuilt with large diameter force, the railways were even busier than they
the shortest ever covered by a named train on a boilers, and ten of those were given Caprotti had been in pre-war days, particularly those
main line railway. valve gear, which improved their performance carrying summer holiday traffic, which was at
Rationalisation of the railway system further, although design faults still hindered its peak during the summer of 1960.
during the 1960s resulted in the closure of the class from fulfilling its full potential. Branch line services were for many years
many local branch lines and the withdrawal of Nevertheless, the rebuilt ‘Claughtons’ put in handled by L&NWR tank engines and small
the tour trains, but main line stations such as some excellent performances on the Chester tender engines, with the Vale of Clwyd line
Rhyl continued to deal with significant & Holyhead route until superseded on the top typically worked by Webb 2-4-2Ts or other
amounts of passenger traffic, especially during link duties by Fowler’s ‘Royal Scot’ class small L&NWR types even post-nationalisation.
the busy summer months. In June 1970 Rhyl 4-6-0s. Another class seen at Rhyl during the Class ‘2P’ 4-4-0s appeared during the LMS
was served by 17 Up and 27 Down workings, pre-Grouping era was the ‘Cauliflower’ or period, together with class ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts. Tour
including main line trains between London ‘18 Inch Goods’ 0-6-0. Introduced in 1880 for trains such as the ‘North Wales Land Cruise’
and Holyhead, shorter distance services to and express freight work, it was envisaged from were initially hauled by ‘2MT’ 2-6-0s, but other
from Chester or Crewe, and through trains
between Llandudno and Manchester (Victoria).
Numerous extra trains were provided on
summer Saturdays, including through services
to destinations such as Nottingham, Newcastle,
and Liverpool (Lime Street).
Whale’s rebuilt Webb four-cylinder Compound

4-4-0s, No 1949 King Arthur, when running as a
two cylinder Simple at Rhyl. Converted in
January 1918, it would not be renumbered as
LMS No 5152 until January 1928, with withdrawal
coming in May 1930. Known as the ‘Renown’
class, these 4-4-0s were used as pilots for heavy
expresses and for lighter all-station work. Note
the station running-in board includes references
to the Vale of Clwyd and Corwen.
Stanier ‘Black Five’ No 44732 nears Rhyl with a Down Llandudno excursion on Sunday,
23 August 1959. The 11 coach train appears to be made up wholly of ex-LMS Stanier
stock, one of which retains carmine and cream livery. This is probably a set that only
earned its keep during the summer months. M. Mensing/RCTS Collection
types, notably the BR Standard ‘4MT’ 4-6-0s, the usual booking office and waiting room would be prepared to enlarge their station at
also appeared. facilities. Rhyl, as the traffic had grown beyond the
Steam power remained much in evidence The rapid development of the town limits of the accommodation in both the
on the Chester & Holyhead route into the during the Victorian period resulted in a vast passenger and goods departments.
1960s and as late as the summer of 1966 both upsurge in traffic, and it soon became clear Eventually the L&NWR decided to build a
British Railways and ex-LMS classes were still that the original station was totally new station. In its rebuilt form, it boasted a
common on the North Wales main line. A few inadequate. In October 1863 the Rhyl quadruple-tracked layout with three lengthy
steam locomotives continued to work over the Improvement Commissioners complained through platforms, the Down platform being
Chester & Holyhead route in the early months that the station was unworthy of the town as an island with tracks on either side and two
of 1967 but, thereafter, diesels reigned there was insufficient indoor and outdoor dead-end bays for Vale of Clwyd traffic at the
supreme, many of the best trains being accommodation, and it was without a west end. A further bay was available at the
worked by English Electric ‘Type 4’ gentlemen’s waiting room or a suitable room west end of the Up platform, while both
1Co-Co1s, while other diesel classes seen at for the better class of ladies. In the event, little platforms were exceptionally wide, the
Rhyl during the later 1960s and early 1970s seems to have been done, and in 1876 there spacious new facilities were ideally suited for a
included Brush ‘Type 4’ Co-Cos and Sulzer were further complaints about the lack of first station that handled huge amounts of summer
‘Type 2’ Bo-Bos. class waiting rooms, and of inadequate holiday traffic.
platform coverings. Francis Thompson’s original two-storey
Railway infrastructure at Rhyl A number of improvements were carried station building on the Up side was utterly
When opened on 1 May 1848, Rhyl had been out in 1878, but local travellers were still far transformed as part of the reconstruction
a relatively small station, with a typical from satisfied with the station facilities. In scheme, the remodelled building being much
Chester & Holyhead Railway building on the September 1897 the matter was raised as a longer than its predecessor, with an enormous
Up side. The two-storey structure was matter of great concern at a meeting of Rhyl porte cochère. The original part of the building,
designed by Francis Thompson, the C&HR Urban District Council, and it was, in which is still extant, is of brown brick
architect, and it contained residential quarters consequence, agreed that a petition would be construction with yellow brick banded dressings
for the stationmaster and his family, as well as sent to the L&NWR, asking if the company and a prominent ashlar cornice. The hipped-
roof seems to have been added when the
building was enlarged, the original roof having
been virtually flat. The extensions on either side
of the main block were added during the
rebuilding, that on the right, when viewed from
the platform, is longer than its counterpart, and
it incorporates a two-storey booking office and
waiting room block. The platform frontage was
covered by extensive canopies, which remain in
place, although the ornate porte cochère at the
rear of the building has been removed.
Viewed from Gladstone Bridge on a wet 19 May

1966, with Rhyl carriage shed on the left, BR
Standard ‘Britannia’ Pacific No 70018, minus its
Flying Dutchman nameplates, has just past Rhyl
No 1 box upon getting away from Rhyl station
with the 11.40 Llandudno to Manchester express.
Allocated to Carlisle (Upperby) at the time, it
would be interesting to know whether this ‘7MT’
was borrowed by one of the Manchester sheds to
work to Llandudno or whether this was part of
an Upperby diagram. However it got on to the
North Wales main line, the class were frequent
performers through Rhyl, albeit for not much
longer - No 70018 would be withdrawn from
Carlisle (Kingmoor) shed on Christmas Eve 1966.
Anthony A. Vickers

Rhyl station circa 1912. The wide platform, designed to cope with large numbers of passengers dominates the view. A
train runs in behind a Whale ‘15-inch’ goods 4-6-0 and a ‘Cauliflower’ 0-6-0. The five-coach working has two low roof
coaches behind the locomotives, followed by two elliptical-roof bogie vehicles, with a six-wheel full brake bringing up the
rear. Rhyl engine shed can be seen in the distance.
The station was signalled from two stud locking is still active in 2015, controlling Abergele 4½ miles to the west. A cross-over
standard L&NWR brick-and-timber signal a mixture of semaphore signals and colour near the box allows a Down train to cross and
cabins which opened in 1900 and were lights. A significant amount of track terminate in the Up Platform, No 1, while a
designated Rhyl No 1 and Rhyl No 2. No 1 rationalisation since the end of steam has pair of engineers’ sidings exist across the
Box, at the east end of the station, contained a included the removal of the Up through road tracks from No 1 box, on the site of the
90 lever frame, while No 2 Box was slightly (but not the Down through road) erstwhile carriage shed.
larger, with 126 levers. The latter closed in abandonment of the station bays, and the Rhyl’s goods handling facilities were
March 1990 but has been designated a removal of the trackwork from the goods yard concentrated in a relatively spacious goods
Grade II-listed building so, although and former engine shed sites. Only five points yard that was situated immediately to the
redundant, it cannot be demolished. No 1 box exist at the station, while the neighbouring south of the passenger station on the Down
and its L&NWR tumbler frame with bar and boxes are Prestatyn, 2½ miles to the east, and side. The yard was able to handle coal,
furniture, livestock, horseboxes and general
merchandise traffic, while the yard crane was
of five tons capacity. There were, in addition,
several private sidings in the immediate
vicinity, including Roberts’ siding, R.W. Jones’
siding, R. Evans & Cos’ siding, and the Rhyl
RDC siding, all of which were sited to the east
of the station, between Rhyl and Prestatyn.
Further sidings served the Kinmel Park Estate,
Limestone Products Ltd, J. Bibby, R.E. Birch,
Messrs Jones & Son, and the Royal Army
Service Corps, the latter sidings being to the
west of the passenger station.
Rhyl also had a busy engine shed, which
was initially coded ‘7D’ by British Railways
but became ‘6K’ in 1952. Situated to the west
of the passenger station on the Up side, its
facilities included the usual coaling plant,
water columns, mess rooms and workshop. A
50ft diameter turntable sufficed for many
years, but in March 1938 it was announced
that the LMS was about to install a new
The Up platform at Rhyl, looking south-west in

the direction of Abergele and Holyhead. The
canopy provides a vast undercover area. The
change in the pattern of column placement in
the distance indicates the position of the west-
end bay to the Up platform. LNWR Society
Rhyl No 2 signal box, located at the Abergele end

of the Up platform, complete with its
cantilevered look-out position at the far end, and
distinctive warning bell for platform staff. It would
end its days as the largest signal box in North
Wales, its Saxby & Farmer frame boasting 126
levers, even in 1990, although many would by then
be painted white to denote ‘out of use’. The
three-storey gable-roof structure was given
Grade II-listed status on 8 July 1990.
Unfortunately, 25 years later the structure
remains in limbo, with no preservation work
undertaken. D. Wittamore Collection/
Kidderminster Railway Museum
The LMS goods warehouse at Rhyl still displays

its pre-Grouping origins in 1939. Located to the
south of the station on the Down side, the depot
handled the usual mix of merchandise and
livestock that the railways were expected to
carry. There were also numerous private owner
sidings in the yard, for example the needs of the
Royal Army Service Corps were met to the west
of the passenger station, while a siding to the
east served Rhyl Urban District Council.
Rhyl shed during September 1952, with Fowler

‘2P’ 4-4-0 No 40580, Stanier ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T
No 42663, and LMS Compound No 41120 stabled
outside. The main line is in view to the left, the
shed being located at the Abergele end of the
station on the Up side. The three-road shed had
been re-roofed by the LMS in the 1930s, and the
track in the foreground leads to a 60ft vacuum-
operated turntable installed in 1937, to enable
Stanier 4-6-0s to be turned. A sub-shed of
Chester from 1952, coded 6K, the facilities here
would close on 11 February 1963. T.J. Edgington
vacuum-operated 60ft turntable in order to In 1959 the shed housed 14 locomotives, site of a large carriage shed, a four-road
handle larger engines, such as the ‘Black Five’ including Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts Nos 41216 and structure being sited to the east of the
class 4-6-0s. The shed building was a three- 41276, ‘2P’ 4-4-0 No 40589, Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-0 platforms on the Down side.
road structure, while the usual allocation was No 46445, BR Standard ‘2MT’ 2-6-0 Rhyl station has seen its facilities severely
about 25 locomotives. This modest total was No 78038, ‘3F’ 0-6-0s Nos 43378 and 43618, rationalised in recent decades, the engine shed
often increased by the presence of visiting ‘4F’ 0-6-0s Nos 43981 and 44367, ‘3F’ 0-6-0T was closed in 1963 and most of the carriage
engines from other areas that had worked in No 47350 and ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire sidings were removed in 1973, while Platforms
with seaside excursions to Rhyl or the Railway 0-6-0s Nos 52119 and 52162. In 4 and 5 were taken out of use in 1978, and the
neighbouring North Wales coastal resorts. addition to its engine shed, Rhyl was also the goods yard was closed in June 1984. These
Rhyl’s carriage shed in the mid-1950s. Viewed looking towards Prestatyn from the Vale Road overbridge, it offered four lengthy roads of covered
stabling, often for coaches that were only used on summer weekends for holiday excursions to the coast. Chester-allocated LMS Compound No 41157
carries out shunting. To the right can be seen the Vickers & Sons Builders Merchants’ private siding. Kenneth Field

The 19-chain Foryd viaduct, as viewed from the east side of the River Clwyd, looking inland. The distant hills around Kinmel give an indication of the
destination of the military and later mineral railway that left the main Vale of Clwyd line just south of Foryd viaduct. The Clwyd traditionally acts as
the urban boundary for Rhyl, as well as the county boundary between Flint and Denbigh. As can be seen by the vast signal gantry ahead of Foryd
Junction, the river crossing is four-track, the expansion from two to four lines being provided by a second double-track bridge in parallel to the first.
Only the near one is used today. LNWR Society/J.M. Dunn Collection
reductions left very little spare siding capacity holiday destination, with the new station sited the harbour branch also incorporated
during the busy summer months, when in an area that even today is surrounded by passenger facilities, Foryd Pier station being
incoming excursions had to be accommodated. holiday parks, mostly mobile homes. Wartime built on the north side of the main line beside
At the time of writing, the station has two savings saw the second Foryd station closed a level crossing over the main coast road.
operational platform faces, Platform 1 being between 2 July 1917 and 1 July 1919, although On 27 August 1864 it was announced that
used by Up services to Chester and beyond, from 7 August 1916 a railway link south from the branch would shortly be opened for
while Platform 2 is the Down platform used by here reached out to the recently established passenger traffic – presumably in connection
westbound services travelling towards Kinmel Military Camp. with steamer services that ran to and from
Llandudno and Holyhead. Rhyl remains a Between the wars, Foryd station was little Liverpool. It is unclear if regular passenger
relatively busy traffic centre, over half a million used out of the holiday season and it was services were ever established but there are
passengers being handled each year. closed by the LMS from 5 January 1931. reportedly two different Foryd Pier station
However, it re-opened on 4 July 1938 as sites, which suggests an evolution of an
The Vale of Clwyd route Kinmel Bay Halt, with trains calling until established service. The passenger aspirations
and the Kinmel Camp Railway 2 September 1938. Kinmel Bay was a more of the Vale of Clwyd Railway may well have
Leaving Rhyl station, Down services passed appropriate name than Foryd for its location, not suited the L&NWR, which was already
Rhyl No 2 box, the engine shed and soon the but it didn’t appear in timetables. The operating the Clwyd line services, once the
Marine Lake, all on the north side. The latter experimental summer opening was repeated smaller company was absorbed in 1867.
being circled by the Rhyl Miniature Railway. between 19 June and 2 September 1939, but The other railway of note in the area
The Holyhead route then crosses the River never tried again, although officially Kinmel around the original Foryd station was part of
Clwyd by means of a low and lengthy girder Bay Halt didn’t close until 9 October 1948. the already mentioned network of lines serving
bridge. Immediately beyond, the line reaches Returning to the Vale of Clwyd route, the the Kinmel Park Camp. A huge military
Foryd Junction, where the Vale of Clwyd original Foryd station site was just a few yards training camp was opened in 1915 and its first
Railway diverged from the main line to head north of the starting point for a 1¼ mile rail link was to the North Wales main line near
south for Rhuddlan. goods branch that headed to Rhyl Harbour. the second (L&NWR) Foryd station, as a
About ¼ mile from the main line The line passed beneath the North Wales trailing connection in the Down direction. This
connection, the Vale of Clwyd Railway coast main line between Foryd Junction and short and steep line was known as the Kinmel
provided a station at Foryd from 5 October the L&NWR Foryd station. The branch seems Camp Railway. During 1916/17 developments
1858, near where a link to Rhyl Harbour to have been created in ‘temporary’ form as saw a link created to reach the Vale of Clwyd
would be established as a trailing connection early as August 1859, but it didn’t receive line, as this avoided the steepest gradients.
for trains coming from Rhyl station. The site Royal Assent until June 1862. Interestingly, Initially the link was to the harbour branch,
was fairly isolated, and on 20 April 1885 the
first Foryd station was replaced by a new
L&NWR Foryd station sited on the four-track
section to the west of Rhyl. Just two platforms
were provided for the slow (outside) tracks.
Already the area was being seen as a popular
A view from a passing Down main line train

records Foryd Junction signal box and the Vale
of Clwyd Railway route diverging south towards
the site of the first Foryd station and
ultimately Denbigh. The train will soon pass
the site of the replacement Foryd station
(revived as Kinmel Bay Halt for 1938 and 1939).
This L&NWR timber box has a gabled roof
with bargeboards set directly over the boarding
and finials. The staircase is on the nearside,
with the door to the locking room below.
D. Wittamore Collection/
Kidderminster Railway Museum
A view looking south finds distant coaches on the

curve from the main line at Foryd Junction
towards Denbigh. The overbridge in the
foreground takes the North Wales coast main
line across the branch to Foryd Pier, the so called
Rhyl Harbour line. The branch started just south
of the earliest Foryd station (just beyond where
the coaches are). An engineers’ train of four-
wheel flat wagons occupy the line in this view.
LNWR Society/J.M. Dunn Collection
About 1¼ miles from Foryd station are these

railway harbour facilities on the north-west
shore of the Clwyd estuary. The tracks are
overgrown, and beyond the mineral wagons and
gate is a goods crane, while to the left of the
ship’s bow is a Ferris wheel in Rhyl itself, this
view being taken looking south-west. The Rhyl
Harbour line seems to have enjoyed a thrice-
weekly goods trip from Rhyl until this was
upped to a daily trip in the 1930s. Seemingly
this continued through to the abandonment of
the line from 1 April 1959. Information about
the passenger history of the line is at best
sketchy. LNWR Society/J.M. Dunn Collection
which necessitated a double reversal to reach One of the Foryd Pier line’s railway buildings is seen in 1957. This was on the north side of a level
Rhyl, but a new link, offering a facing crossing, near where Wellington Road becomes Foryd Road on today’s A548 between Rhyl and
Abergele, although from 1861 until 1932 this level crossing facility neighboured a toll bridge. Perhaps
connection, saw trains transporting soldiers it was this first bridge that inspired the potential passenger service of 1864. Foryd Pier offered
into Rhyl from 2 July 1917. Initially there were steamers the accommodation they needed to serve Rhyl. It is possible that the building in view was
six daily trains into Rhyl, and seven back to the first station, and unfortunately it has now been lost. The replacement station was nearer to the
camp. Foryd’s second station was also served end of the line on a site now occupied by a boat yard. LNWR Society/J.M. Dunn Collection
from the camp once it was re-opened. The
Armistice on 11 November 1918 preceded the
use of the camp to return troops home, with
March 1919 seeing two days of rioting, charged
by a lack of food and fuel, and thus shipping
delays in repatriating 15,000 Canadian soldiers;
tragically, five men were killed. The camp was
largely decommissioned in 1920, although a
much reduced level of military activity did use
part of the site into the 21st century, while the
former military railway soon found a new use,
being taken over by a limestone firm. The line
was extended around 1923 and it continued to
operate until 1964.
Having reached the single-track Vale of
Clwyd route, trains proceeded south-
eastwards along the west bank of the River
Clwyd. Rhuddlan, the first intermediate
stopping place (3½ miles), was a single

St. George was an early terminus of the line

that started out as the Kinmel Camp Railway
in World War I. A later terminus was
established at Faenol Bach, on the other side of
the St. Asaph to Abergele direct road, today’s
A547. This June 1953 view at St. George
Quarries was taken with the line in use as a
mineral railway, something that began around
1919 and ultimately concluded in 1964.
Avonside Engine Co Ltd 0-6-0ST No 1432 of
1902 was rebuilt by Avonside in 1923, which is
why it carries a pair of worksplates.
L.W. Perkins/Kidderminster Railway Museum
platform station with a picturesque Gothic-

style station building and a small goods yard.
The platform was on the Up (southbound)
side of the running line, while a goods loop
was provided on the Down side.
St. Asaph, the next stop (6 miles), was a
more important station, with Up and Down
platforms on either side of a crossing loop. The into Denbigh station, where the 11¼ mile Marine Lake Funfair having been closed and
platforms were linked by a lattice girder journey from Rhyl came to an end. abandoned, while many of the seafront hotels
footbridge, while the station building and Opened by the Vale of Clwyd Railway on and guest houses appear to be boarded-up,
goods shed were on the Down side. The station 5 October 1858, Denbigh was a relatively derelict or burnt out. In an attempt to alleviate
building was again in the Gothic-style, important branch line station that served the this situation, the local authority has
although the building at St. Asaph was county town of Denbighshire. Although its demolished some of the gutted buildings,
somewhat larger than its counterpart at track layout provided just one long platform leaving ugly gaps on the seafront, which at
Rhuddlan. From St. Asaph, the route continued and a terminal bay, the station boasted times have resembled the bomb sites that
along rising gradients to Trefnant (8½ miles), a impressive Gothic-style buildings with a disfigured many British cities after World
crossing station with its main station building prominent clock tower, together with a two- War II. One of the more positive
and goods yard on the Down side. road engine shed and an array of goods sidings. developments in recent years, however, has
Beyond, trains headed south towards The engine shed was a sub-shed of Rhyl. been the revival of the Rhyl Miniature
Mold & Denbigh Junction, at which point the Denbigh station was served by trains Railway as a museum and heritage line.
former Mold & Denbigh Junction Railway running between Chester and Ruthin, until This 15-inch gauge line is, in fact, one of
converged with the Vale of Clwyd route. As the withdrawal of passenger services between the oldest of its kind in the world, having been
originally constructed, the Denbigh Junction Saltney Ferry and Ruthin with effect from laid-out by the engineer and writer Henry
line was laid on a parallel alignment beside 30 April 1962. As this was a Monday, the last Greenly, and opened on 1 May 1911. The track
the Vale of Clwyd route for a distance of trains ran on Saturday, 28 April 1962, but layout consisted of an irregular circuit, about
1 mile 9 chains, but in 1868 the L&NWR and Denbigh remained in operation for goods one mile in length, around Rhyl’s artificially
the Mold & Denbigh Junction Railway traffic until January 1968. created Marine Lake, with a station on the
entered into an agreement whereby a section north side. Trains ran around the lake in a
of double-track would be installed between The Rhyl Miniature Railway clockwise direction, a mode of operation that
Mold & Denbigh Junction and Denbigh, and In common with many other seaside resorts, persists to this day. The first station was an
the independent M&DJR line would be Rhyl has suffered a period of decline in recent impressive structure with an overall roof, but a
abandoned. Having reached this section of years, once popular attractions such as the new Central station, substantially built of
double-track, southbound workings continued pier, the original Palace Theatre and the concrete, replaced this in the 1930s.
A summer of 1955 view of Rhyl-allocated Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T No 41232 at Denbigh, facing Rhyl after running-round, having brought in a train from the
seaside resort. During the 1950s Rhyl shed had 16 different ‘2MTs’ on its books, with No 41232 just there for the summer of 1955, while No 41276 was
a Rhyl engine from 1950 until December 1962, just two months before the shed was closed. No 41232 was condemned in August 1965 from Stockport
(Edgeley). Milepost 92½-railphotolibrary.com
The two-road straight shed at Denbigh on 4 July 1935, with two Webb tank engines
and a Fowler ‘4F’ 0-6-0 in residence. It opened in 1863/64, and was supplied with a
42ft turntable and operated as a sub-shed to Llandudno Junction. At its peak it
boasted an allocation of 20 tank engines, but this declined post-Grouping. Re-roofed
in 1947/48, by 1952 only seven locomotives remained, four Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts, a pair
of ‘2P’ 4-4-0s, and ‘3F’ 0-6-0 No 43396. Closure came on 19 September 1955.
Rhyl Amusements Ltd had acquired the extremity of the circuit. It contains three loop ‘Albion’ class 4-4-2s, which were built at the
line in 1912 and, thereafter, the railway lines, together with a dead-end siding that Albion Works in Rhyl during the early 1920s
remained in operation until 1969, when it was leads to the workshop, while an external loop by Albert Barnes, the line’s manager, who was
closed following a dispute between the local bypasses the platforms, running on the north also the proprietor of a local engineering firm.
authority and the then owners, Trust House side of the trainshed. The new station They were named Joan, John, Michael and
Forte Leisure Ltd. After many vicissitudes, the incorporates a museum gallery, the RMR Billie, after the children of Mr Butler, the
RMR line was reconstructed by Alan Keef of being a fully-accredited museum. owner of Rhyl Amusements, and numbered
Cote, near Bampton, and in 2001 this The Rhyl Miniature Railway was 101, 103, 105, and 106 respectively. Nos 101
pioneering miniature railway was taken over originally worked by a standard Bassett- Joan and 105 Michael, which still work on the
by the Rhyl Steam Preservation Trust, a Lowke ‘Little Giant’ class 4-4-2 locomotive RMR, have 4¼in x 7in cylinders, and an
registered charity that continues to operate named Prince Edward of Wales, with George overall length of 17ft 5¼in. Four ‘Albion’ class
the railway today. the Fifth, another ‘Little Giant’, added to the 4-4-2s can be seen on the RMR at the time of
The Central station of today was opened fleet in 1913. These first two Atlantics were writing, together with other interesting
in 1997. Fully enclosed, it is at the eastern later replaced by four Greenly-designed locomotives.
Rhyl, like many seaside resorts across the length and breath of the country, had a miniature railway, and on a busy day we find two of the line’s Bassett-
Lowke ‘Little Giant’ class Atlantic locomotives at work. Miniature railways were an attraction for both children and adults, and with fares priced at just 6d
for adults and 3d for children, there was no shortage of passengers who wanted to take a ride around the Marine Lake. Author’s Collection

Harzer Schmalspur F_P.indd 1 12/03/2015 16:26
In Colour
125: English Industrial Steam in the 1950s
In the 1950s, steam locomotives still reigned supreme at countless industrial sites
across Britain. The pocket-size publications of the Birmingham Locomotive Club, and
later the Industrial Railway Society, opening up a world of fascinating workings for
enthusiasts. Dick Riley, famed for his colour photography of this era, embraced such
things, this delve into his photographic vaults giving access to colliery, brewery,
cement, ironstone and dockyard locations at a time when many industrial railways
were on the brink of switching to diesel power.
It was an early Channel Tunnel scheme of 1890 that discovered coal in Kent, with work to establish
Snowdown Colliery commencing in 1908. The workings here proved to be amongst the most
successful, with coal brought to the surface from 1912 through to 1986. This scene was recorded on
23 May 1959. The locomotive is St. Thomas, which emerged from the Avonside Engine Co Ltd
Works in Bristol in 1927 (Works No 1971). The neighbouring Faversham to Dover main line is out
of view to the left, with the exit to the main line behind the photographer. Both loaded and empty
trains are in view, along with the pithead gear. Snowdown would prove to be the deepest colliery in
Kent, descending 3,083ft. St. Thomas now acts as a gate guardian at the Dover Transport Museum
in Whitfield.

The Worthington & Co Ltd brewery had a

large fleet of locomotives for its five-mile
network, and these maintained their identity
beyond a merger with Bass in 1927. Like on the
Bass engines, the brewery name took pride of
place on cab-sides. Hudswell, Clarke Works
No 690, Worthington No 2, emerges from a
Worthington premises on to the Hay branch
on 28 September 1957. Delivered in January
1904, No 2 enjoyed two rebuilds at its
manufacturer’s premises in Leeds, in 1934 and
1954, but by June 1961 it was in a pool of
Bass/Worthington locomotives and was
considered to be ‘scrap’.
The Guild Street branch was one of the core

routes of the Bass network. The 0-4-0ST is
facing east on the approach to Guild Street
level crossing. A 1901 product of Neilson, Reid,
this is the last survivor of the steam fleet and
it is preserved at the National Brewery
Centre, which is only about 100 yards north of
the site of Guild Street crossing.
Amongst the Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton

fleet of locomotives in the 1950s
were five Neilson, Reid & Co Ltd
0-4-0STs purchased between 1898
and 1901. No 2 (Works No 5760 of
1900) is seen working the Burton-
upon-Trent brewery network on
12 April 1958. The Bass Brewery was
founded in 1777, the partnership
with John Ratcliff and John Gretton
coming after 1829, and this grew to
become the largest of all the Burton
breweries. The Bass private railway
began use in 1862, linking to the
Midland Railway, which operated it
until 1875, and rail services
continued through to May 1967.
On 26 May 1959 Worthington No 5 (W.G. Bagnall No 2108 of 1923) has passed beneath Hawkins Lane overbridge and it nears the mass of British
Railways exchange sidings to the north of Burton-upon-Trent station - the Midland Railway signal box is Hawkins Lane Junction. The only Bagnall in
the fleet, No 5 was purchased new, and ten years on it was back at the Stafford Works for a rebuild, and again in 1955. On 27 May 1960 it would
become one of 11 Worthington locomotives to pass to Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton Ltd, and soon the merged railway operation saw Bass and
Worthington locomotives indiscriminately used across the two systems, No 2’s August 1964 demise coming ahead of the 1965 closure of the original
Worthington brewery.

A trio of 0-4-0STs are seen on 23 March 1957 at the

West Thurrock Works of the Thurrock Chalk &
Whiting Co Ltd. The locomotives are, from left to
right, Comet (Bagnall No 2879 of 1948), George
(Andrew Barclay No 1281 of 1912), and Star (Andrew
Barclay No 1940 of 1927). Diesel power was tried here
in the form of one Fowler engine, which lasted from
1938 through to its sale 1951, while the steam would
go on to serve until 1966/67.
The Essex town of West Thurrock also boasted a massive British Portland Cement plant - Wouldham Works, which is seen on 23 March 1957 as
No 6 Arab (Peckett No 800 of 1899) works a train of tipper wagons. The locomotive numbers were carried inside their cabs, which apparently
allowed space for other important messages! This industrial site was established as the Lion Works circa 1874, the Wouldham name was adopted
when the site was purchased by Major Robertson of the Wouldham Cement Works in Kent. Arab was cut up on site circa July 1961, along with
Alwilda, Witham, Caesar, West Thurrock, and Goliath, leaving five steam engines intact. Of these, only Stanley and Thor would last into 1965.
The first locomotives used by the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company were No 1 Sir Thomas, seen at Wroxton on 13 April 1957, and No 2 Lord North.
These Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0Ts were ordered by the Inland Waterways & Docks Executive, but they were no longer required and thus entered traffic
as new engines in Oxfordshire, from April and October 1918 respectively. Sir Thomas was named after Sir Thomas Pope, the first owner of the nearby
Wroxton Abbey. Dieselisation of this system from December 1961, would see Sir Thomas put in store. However, Eric Tonks of the Birmingham
Locomotive Club led an initiative to preserve it. Presented to the Quainton Railway Society on 1 June 1969, No 1 had been greased and kept under
cover, so the August Bank holiday would see it back in steam. Two more years of intensive use followed, but Sir Thomas is now a static exhibit.
Another view at Wroxton yard captures 0-4-0ST Barabel at work on a loaded iron ore train. The wagons are ‘dumpcars’, the Oxfordshire
Ironstone Co having around 200 of these. Used for the journey from the quarry to the crusher, the wagon body is centrally pivoted to tip either
way, with chains holding its position at other times. A product of Leeds’ firm Hudswell, Clarke (Works No 1868 of 1953), Barabel was another
new purchase. It would ultimately be one of a clutch of locomotives sold off as scrap in September 1965, a move brought on by more diesel
purchases, although the system itself would only operate until September 1967.

Teignmouth Quay Co 2-2-0VBT Sentinel No 5644, generally known as The Elephant, shunts at Teignmouth Quay on 11 July 1956. This quay
was used for importing timber and exporting ball clay, the sidings being connected to the Western Region main line just east of Shaldon
Bridge. The BR line is running in the gap between the rear of the Old Quay Inn and the retaining wall beyond it. The traction engine
locomotive is fitted with road wheels, and although it was also convertible for rail use, there is some doubt that it was used in this way, as
rails inset within the road surface allowed the use of a ‘tractor’. Nominally 4ft 8½in gauge, The Elephant was purchased new in 1923 and it
was sold in 1963 for preservation. Although a small site, Teignmouth’s Old Quay is still busy as part of Associated British Ports, with 200,000
tonnes of ball clay still handled annually, although there is now no longer a railway operation.
The Port of London Authority was formed on 31 March 1909 to run London’s Docks. This 23 September 1957
scene records the internal railway of Millwall Docks, formerly the domain of the Millwall Dock Co. By this time
there were nine steam locomotives here, all 0-4-0STs. Two of the six Hudswell, Clarke engines, No 89 of 1953
and No 55 of 1915, are seen on shed near the Middle Dock. The dock railways closed in 1970, with this area
now engulfed by high-rise offices.
039_SD_May15_ad.indd 39 02/04/2015 09:05
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Remembering 1965 –
Fifty Years On
Frederick Rogers recalls 1965, the The funeral train of Sir Winston Churchill, hauled by Bulleid ‘Battle of Britain’ Light Pacific
No 34051 Winston Churchill, comes off the Staines curve while en route from Waterloo to
year when Sir Winston Churchill died, Handborough on Saturday, 30 January 1965. The train is made up of Pullman guard-parlour brake
No 208, van No S2464, parlour car Perseus, kitchen parlour cars Carina and Lydia, and guard-parlour
the Western Region discarded its last brake Isle of Thanet. No 34051 is crewed by driver Alf Hurley and fireman Jim Lester, and it would
work back to Nine Elms light engine. The train itself would be worked from Handborough to
steam locomotives, and British London (Paddington) by golden ochre-liveried ‘Western’ diesel-hydraulic No D1015 Western
Champion. J.B. Bucknall
Railways was rebranded as British Rail.
o the author, 1965 does not seem to be for his first full term as President. On with its revolving restaurant, opened on
T 50 years ago, as so many of the events

of that year are so indelibly etched on
his memory that they could have occurred
15 February the Canadian Government
adopted the red and white maple leaf design
as its national flag, while 16 February saw the
8 October, and 13 days later Myra Hindley
and Ian Bradley were charged with the
murder of Lesley Ann Downey, and eight days
recently. The death of Sir Winston Churchill, British Rail Board publish a second ‘Beeching later with the murders of Edward Evans and
his state funeral and special train is one report’, entitled The Development of the Major John Kilbride. On 24 October the BBC
example – the sight of Bulleid Pacific Trunk Routes, proposing which lines should broadcast the first edition of ‘The World at
No 34051 Winston Churchill hauling the receive investment. Russian cosmonaut Alexey One’ on the Home Service, presented by
wartime leader’s coffin through Putney Leonov became the first person to walk in William Hardcastle. The death penalty was
cutting en route to Barnes has never faded. In space, on 18 March. suspended for murder in England on
the same way, the first sight of the Festiniog The Greater London Council came into 8 November. In France, Charles de Gaulle was
Railway’s new observation car No 100, its being on 1 April, and five days later Harold re-elected as President on 5 December, and
varnished mahogany almost garish against the Wilson’s Government cancelled the 22 December saw a 70mph speed limit
green and cream of the older coaches at technically advanced ‘TSR-2’ bomber project. imposed on all British roads.
Harbour station remains equally vivid. Yet the St. George’s Day saw the opening of the In sport, Worcestershire won cricket’s
continued rundown of steam on British Rail, Pennine Way long-distance footpath. On County Championship for the second year
as it was now known, was a poignant 7 May Ian Smith’s Rhodesian Front party won running, with Northamptonshire in second
reminder that modernisation was an a landslide victory in the Rhodesian general place, while Yorkshire won the Gillette Cup at
unstoppable juggernaut gaining momentum, a election. Back at home on 18 June, the Lords. The summer’s test matches saw
fact reflected by Ian Allan publishing Colin Government announced plans to introduce a England beat New Zealand 3-0 but lose 1-0
Gifford’s book Decline of Steam. Further links blood alcohol limit for drivers. ‘Great Train (with two games drawn), against South Africa.
with the past were lost with the death of Sir Robber’ Ronnie Biggs escaped from In football, the First Division champions were
William Stanier on 27 September, who was in Wandsworth prison on 8 July, and two weeks Manchester United, on goal difference from
his 90th year. later Sir Alec Douglas-Home resigned as Leeds United, while Newcastle United was the
Sir Winston Churchill died on 24 January leader of the Conservative Party. Second Division’s top team. In the FA Cup
at Chartwell, aged 90, and six days later his From 1 August cigarette advertising was Final, Liverpool beat Leeds United, and
state funeral took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral. banned on British television, and on Chelsea won the League Cup. In Scotland,
Three days of laying-in-state had seen 321,000 25 September the ‘Tom & Jerry’ cartoon series Kilmarnock won the First Division
people queue to pay their respects. His body was first aired on CBS television in America. championship, Celtic the Scottish Cup, and
was later taken by train to Handborough The last trolleybus ran in Rotherham on Rangers the Scottish League Cup. In the
station, on the Oxford to Worcester route, for 2 October, and at least 150 people were killed Home Championship, England came out top,
burial at St. Martin’s Church in Bladon, very when a commuter train derailed on the with Wales second.
close to Blenheim. Four days earlier in the outskirts of Durban in South Africa on In rugby league, Halifax were champions
USA, Lyndon B. Johnson had been sworn in 4 October. The Post Office Tower in London, and Wigan beat Hunslet in the Challenge Cup

Final at Wembley, while St. Helens were Modernisation January, but in practice the region was
league leaders. In the other code, rugby union, On 1 January there were 4,989 steam completely dieselised. This saw the last
Wales were again the Five Nations champions. locomotives in British Rail stock – a decrease examples of 18 classes condemned: two ‘1400’
The Epsom Derby was won by Pat Glennon of 2,085 over the previous year – and by 0-4-2Ts, Nos 1442 and 1450, a dozen ‘1600’
riding Sea Bird, while Jay Trump, ridden by 31 December 1965 this number would be 0-6-0PTs, 15 ‘2251’ 0-6-0s, the last ‘2800’
Tommy Smith was victorious in the Grand further reduced by 1,987. The year saw 346 2-8-0, No 2876, 34 ‘2884’ 2-8-0s, 32 ‘9400’
National at Aintree. On the River Thames, new main line locomotives put into traffic: 0-6-0PTs, 139 ‘5700/8750’ 0-6-0PTs, a dozen
between Putney Bridge and Mortlake, Oxford 31 ‘Type 1’ diesel-hydraulic 0-6-0s ‘Castle’ 4-6-0s – the oldest of which was
beat Cambridge in the 111th University Boat (Nos D9525-55), five ‘Clayton’ Type 1’ Bo-Bos No 5014 Goodrich Castle and the youngest
Race. The two Wimbledon singles champions (Nos D8612-16), 64 Sulzer ‘Type 2’ Bo-Bos was No 7034 Ince Castle – 29 ‘5101’ 2-6-2Ts,
were Australians Roy Emerson and Margaret (Nos D5299, D7519/21-65 and D7624-40), 48 eighteen ‘4200/5205’ 2-8-0Ts, 50 ‘Hall’ 4-6-0s,
Court. The Open Golf Championship at Royal English Electric ‘Type 3’ Co-Cos 55 ‘4500’ 2-6-2Ts, 31 ‘6100’ 2-6-2Ts,
Birkdale was won by Peter Thomson, and the (Nos D6952-99), 191 Brush ‘Type 4’ Co-Cos 45 ‘Grange’ 4-6-0s, including recently
Formula 1 champion was Jim Clark driving a (Nos D1642-81, D1702/03/05/06, overhauled No 6853 Morehampton Grange,
Lotus-Climax. D1795-1839, D1792, D1840-1918, D1962-68 43 ‘Modified Hall’ 4-6-0s, the youngest of which
In popular music, The Beatles, and D1969-83), and seven electro-diesel was No 7929 Wyke Hall, ten ‘7200’ 2-8-2Ts, two
The Rolling Stones, The Seekers, and Elvis Bo-Bos for the Southern Region ‘7400’ 0-6-0PTs, and 19 ‘Manor’ 4-6-0s.
Presley dominated the charts. Of the 26 (Nos E6007-13). The region with the smallest number of
singles that reached the top of the charts, The All the remaining British Railways steam locomotives, the Southern, had the
Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out’ Standard classes saw their lowest number of
and Ken Dodd’s ‘Tears’ both enjoyed the numbers reduced – two locomotives condemned, 46
longest stays at the top – five weeks. The ‘Britannia’ Pacifics were ‘The Western Region of which were of Southern
Beatles had two other No 1s – ‘Ticket to Ride’ condemned, Nos 70007 effectively withdrew Railway heritage. These
and ‘Help!’ – while The Rolling Stones also Coeur-de-Lion and 70043 Lord were made up of two Isle of
had three – ‘The Last Time’, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Kitchener, along with three ‘Clans’, all of its remaining Wight ‘O2’ 0-4-4Ts,
Satisfaction’, and ‘Get Off My Cloud’. The best- Nos 72005 Clan Macgregor, 72007 steam locomotives by Nos W18 Ningwood and
selling albums of the year were ‘The Sound of Clan Mackintosh and 72009 Clan the end of the year’ W30 Shorwell, six ‘S15’
Music’, the original soundtrack, ‘Rubber Soul’, Stewart. Almost a quarter, 41, of 4-6-0s, two ‘USA’ 0-6-0Ts,
and ‘Help’, both by The Beatles, and the the ‘5MT’ 4-6-0s were withdrawn, six ‘N’ 2-6-0s, four ‘U’
eponymous ‘The Rolling Stones No 2’. along with 11 ‘4MT’ 4-6-0s, 16 ‘4MT’ 2-6-0s, 2-6-0s, three ‘Q1’ 0-6-0s, 16 Light Pacifics, of
The best selling cars of 1965 were the one ‘3MT’ 2-6-0, No 77010, and 23 ‘2MT’ which ten were modified, and seven
Austin/Morris 1100, the Ford Cortina, the 2-6-0s. Nearly a third, 44, of the ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T ‘Merchant Navy’ Pacifics. Having been in the
Austin/Morris Mini, and the Ford Anglia 105E. fleet was also withdrawn, along with 21 ‘3MT’ limelight in January, No 34051 Winston
Some of the films released during the year were 2-6-2Ts, 20 ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts, 201 WD 2-8-0s, Churchill was withdrawn in August and set
‘Carry On Cowboy’, ‘Dr Zhivago’, ‘Help!’ and and 65 ‘9F’ 2-10-0s. That latter included the aside for preservation. The oldest Light Pacific
‘The Heroes of Telemark’. In the theatre, must- first of the class, No 92000, and the last of the in original condition was No 34007
see shows included ‘Hello Dolly’ and ‘Charlie class to enter traffic, in 1960, No 92220 Wadebridge, and the youngest was now
Girl’, while ‘The Mousetrap’ continued its Evening Star. No 34103 Calstock, while the modified
unbroken run since 1952. Among the books The Western Region effectively withdrew No 34086 501 Squadron was nominally the
published were Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold all of its remaining steam locomotives by the youngest of this variant to be scrapped. At the
Blood’, Ian Fleming’s ‘The Man With The end of the year, although Oxford shed did not end of the year the region had 226 steam
Golden Gun’, Dick Francis’ ‘For Kicks’, and close until the beginning of 1966, so a handful locomotives, 70 of which were Bulleid Pacifics
C.J. Allen’s ‘Two Million Miles of Train Travel’. of ex-GWR engines remained in steam in and 110 were British Railways Standards.
By 1965 the large numbers of steam locomotives being taken out of traffic far
out-stripped the capacity of the British Rail workshops to cope with their
cutting up, and so ever increasing numbers were sold to private scrap
merchants. This 21 January 1965 view shows ex-GWR ‘Grange’ No 6808
Beenham Grange at Cohen’s yard at Cransley, near Kettering. It was withdrawn
on 31 August 1964. Easily removed iron and steel items would soon be sold
and recycled, while the most valuable single item, the copper inner firebox,
was one of the hardest parts of the boiler to retrieve.
K.C.H. Fairey/Colour-Rail.com/11705
No less than 191 Brush ‘Type 4’ Co-Cos

entered traffic in 1965, and one of these,
No D1657 – released to traffic at Landore shed
in Swansea during February – is seen on the
through road at Shrewsbury while engaged in
crew training on Thursday, 11 June 1965. To the
left, classmate No D1611, which entered traffic
from Landore in August 1964, has called with
‘The Pines Express’, while on the right is the
old order in the form of Warrington-allocated
Stanier ‘Black Five’ No 45109 on a London
(Paddington) to Birkenhead (Woodside)
passenger working. Derek Cross
One of the 50 Collett ‘Hall’ class 4-6-0s to be

withdrawn during 1965, Tyseley shed’s No 5983
Henley Hall, has come to the rescue on
2 February 1965, less than three months before
its own withdrawal. Brush ‘Type 4’ Co-Co
No D1700, which had only entered traffic in
January 1964, failed on the 12.10 service from
London (Paddington), the pair are seen at
Birmingham (Snow Hill) station.
Colour-Rail.com/1527
A Thursday, 22 April 1965 view finds another Tyseley-allocated engine, ‘Grange’ No 6853, the erstwhile Morehampton Grange, running down Hatton
Bank on a lengthy southbound freight. A London Midland Region asset once Tyseley was transferred from the Western Region to the LMR in 1963,
this 4-6-0 is in the typically neglected condition of most ex-GWR locomotives at the time, however, the ‘Granges’ were highly thought of by their
crews, many preferring them to ‘Halls’, as they were strong and very free running. Completed at Swindon Works in November 1937, the recently
overhauled No 6853 would be withdrawn in the October. Nigel Kendall/southern-images.co.uk

Rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ No 46115 Scots Guardsman,

minus its nameplates and now with a ‘not south
of Crewe’ yellow stripe, a reminder of modern
electrification on its native West Coast main
line, waits at Bradford (Forster Square) with an
all-stations working to Carlisle on 28 August
1965. The background is dominated by the
Valley Road power station, which has long since
disappeared. Relegated to secondary duties,
No 46115 was not in the best of mechanical
condition and it did well to survive in traffic
until the end of the year. Despite its poor
condition, as one of the last of the class in
traffic it was in demand for rail tours and was
popular with enthusiasts. Colour-Rail.com/2012
Another once elite locomotive to be

withdrawn in 1965 was Gresley ‘A4’ Pacific
No 60027 Merlin, which also sports the yellow
cab-side stripe. With its chime whistle crowing
as it passes its home shed of St. Margaret’s, this
5 June view is taken on the East Coast main
line as train 1X18 nears Edinburgh (Waverley).
With just three months left in traffic ahead of
it, No 60027 is in poor external condition as it
passes the new generation of motive power in
the form of ‘Peak’ class 1Co-Co1 No D142 and
an unidentified Clayton ‘Type 1’ Bo-Bo, the
latter being one of the poorest of the first
generation of diesel-electrics.
K.C.H. Fairey/Colour-Rail.com/3253
The number of ex-LMS locomotives

withdrawn totalled 668, which accounted for a
third of the year’s condemnations. Significant
inroads were made into many classes, some of
which became extinct, with 26 Ivatt ‘2MT’
2-6-2Ts being deemed surplus to requirements,
along with 54 Fairburn, 38 Stanier and 12
Although 24 Peppercorn ‘A1’ Pacifics were on the BR books at the start of 1965, none would see out Fowler ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts. The Hughes/Fowler
the year, their final use being on standby turns, or to work specials and extras. On 31 July 1965, Leeds 2-6-0s were reduced by 48, while 11 Stanier
(Neville Hill)-allocated No 60131, minus its Osprey nameplates, is seen passing Whitehall Junction as
it gets away from Leeds with a Newcastle working routed via Harrogate. Released to traffic from Moguls, 42 Ivatt ‘4MT’ 2-6-0s, 21 Midland
Darlington Works in October 1948, No 60131 would be condemned at the beginning of October, ‘4Fs’, 96 LMS ‘4Fs’, and 97 ‘Black Fives’ also
thereafter being sold to T.W. Ward of Killamarsh for scrap. John Whiteley went. Other withdrawals included three rebuilt
‘Patriots’ – Nos 45512 Bunsen, 45530 Sir Frank London Transport On 2 January 1965 the ceremonial cutting
Ree, and 45531 Sir Frederick Harrison – 33 Work continued on the construction of the of the first sod of the Festiniog Railway’s
‘Jubilees’, the oldest being No 45563 Australia Victoria Line and it was announced that the planned deviation from Dduallt to
and the youngest No 45742 Connaught, five new eight-car trains on order would be Tan-y-Grisiau took place at Dduallt. The year
‘Royal Scots’, including the now-preserved finished in ‘silver’, have wrap-round saw the railway celebrating the centenary of
No 46115 Scots Guardsman, 21 Ivatt ‘2MT’ windscreens to the driver’s cabs and double- its passenger services and carrying 150,502
2-6-0s, three Midland ‘3F’ 0-6-0Ts, 63 LMS ‘3F’ glazed windows in the passenger sections. All passengers, an 8 per cent increase over 1964.
0-6-0Ts, and 95 Stanier ‘8Fs’, the oldest of the trains would be fitted out for automatic To mark the centenary, observation car
which was No 48001. operation and would be capable of 50mph No 100 was completed and it officially entered
The BR stock of ex-London & North running. April 1965 saw Metropolitan Railway traffic on 24 May, when Merddin Emrys
Eastern Railway locomotives declined by 266, Bo-Bo electric locomotive No 3 Sir Ralph worked a ‘Centenary Special’ for invited
with the Thompson ‘B1s’ loosing 81 Verney, which had been withdrawn in 1962, guests to Tan-y-Bwlch and back. At the
locomotives. A further six ‘A4’ Pacifics – dismantled at West Ruislip depot. beginning of the year the railway was able to
Nos 60006 Sir Ralph Wedgwood, 60010 call upon the services of three steam
Dominion of Canada, 60016 Silver King, 60026 Minor Railways locomotives – Prince, Merddin Emrys, and
Miles Beevor, 60027 Merlin, and 60031 Golden The 1758 Middleton Railway Trust, the Linda – and these were joined, from 8 August,
Plover – were withdrawn, along with two ‘A3s’, world’s oldest continuously worked public by the newly-overhauled Blanche, complete
Nos 60041 Salmon Trout and 60100 railway, had its busiest day on 27 January with new tender-cab and running in grey
Spearmint, 24 ‘A1s’, three ‘A2/3s’, and two ‘A2s’. when 51 wagons were handled. The only undercoat. Blanche was able to take over
Another 16 ‘V2s’ were withdrawn, along with motive power available was Sentinel No 54, much of the work of double-Fairlie Merddin
17 ‘K1s’, 22 ‘Q6s’, 52 ‘O4s’, eight ‘J37s’, a single which could only haul four wagons up the Emrys, the latter’s 40-year-old boiler now
‘J35’, 11 ‘J27s’, four ‘J38s’, ten ‘J94s’, and seven line’s 1 in 30 gradients, and so the railway’s showing its age. Autumn 1965 saw 175
‘J50s’ in Departmental use. volunteers had to work a 12-hour day. soldiers of the Royal Corps of Transport, from
Longmoor, camping at Minffordd while
The Festiniog Railway celebrated its centenary of passenger services in 1965 and enjoyed another working on a training exercise. Among tasks
successful year that saw ticket sales rise significantly. On Friday, 11 June, double-Fairlie Merddin completed was relaying 600 yards of track up
Emrys rounds the curve by Boston Lodge Works with a train for Tan-y-Bwlch. The last three to Garnedd tunnel, above Tan-y-Bwlch.
coaches are new saloon No 24, the converted Lynton & Barnstaple Railway buffet car, No 14, and
observation car No 100, which was built and numbered to mark the FR centenary. The Cob Further south, the Talyllyn Railway was
stretches into the distance, and Harbour station is barely visible at the far end. B.J. Ashworth celebrating its centenary, which was marked
by the running of ‘The Centenarian’, using the
railway’s original two engines, No 1 Talyllyn
and No 2 Dolgoch and coaches. On 1 June Sir
John Betjeman unveiled a commemorative
plaque at Wharf station and travelled on the
inaugural ‘Centenarian’ to Abergynolwyn. The
railway carried 97,036 passengers during the
year, an increase of 18,500 over 1964, and
receipts topped £9,000 for the first time, with
Tuesday, 27 July seeing 2,035 passengers
carried. Four steam locomotives – Talyllyn,
Dolgoch, Edward Thomas and Douglas –
worked all the trains and collectively they ran
7,769 miles.
From Aberystwyth, British Rail’s Vale of
Rheidol services to Devil’s Bridge were
maintained by the line’s three Swindon
Works-built 2-6-2Ts – Nos 7 Owain Glyndwr,
8 Llywelyn and 9 Prince of Wales. On the
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, following
the flood damage to the Afon Banwy bridge
on 14 December 1964, services operated from
Llanfair Caereinion to Heniarth while the
Royal Engineers rebuilt the river bridge as a
training exercise. The line was able to reopen
on Friday, 13 August, when Upnor Castle ran
across the repaired bridge. Passenger services
were then able to resume to Castle
Caereinion.
For the second year running the Bluebell
Railway recorded record receipts, carrying in
excess of 200,000 passengers, a rise of 10 per
cent over 1964. Sunday trains were again run
in the winter, and during the summer peak
Adams 4-4-2T No 488, ‘E4’ 0-6-2T No 473,
‘A1Xs’ Stepney and Fenchurch, and ‘Dukedog’
No 9017 worked most of the heaviest trains,
with the smaller 0-6-0Ts, Nos 27, 323 and
2650, steamed when necessary.
The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch
Railway continued to operate after the death

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway took

delivery of its first items of rolling stock in
1965, and among these was the Gresley
Society’s ‘N2’ class 0-6-2T, No 4744 (BR
No 69523), which is seen in Haworth yard on
30 October 1965. Hopes were high that
services between Keighley and Oxenhope
would resume in 1966, but it would be 29 June
1968 before this goal would be achieved.
No 4744, in the mean time, would be steamed
occasionally for stock movements, open days
and works trains. R.C. Riley/Transport Treasury
of Captain Howey in 1964 and returned a General Railway Events At Easter, the 85-year-old bowstring
profit of £3,036, a 58 per cent increase on the The year was dominated by the withdrawal of bridge carrying the Bristol to Bath and
previous year. After carrying 82,000 steam locomotives, the closure of more lines Paddington main line over a canal to the east
passengers in 1964, the Ravenglass & Eskdale deemed uneconomical and the February 1965 of Bristol (Temple Meads) station was
Railway continued to go from strength to publication of the second ‘Beeching Report’. This replaced. In contrast, later in the year both the
strength, with the 100,000 barrier being envisaged a reduction of 50 per cent of the Crumlin viaduct in South Wales, and the
broken in its 50th year as a 15in-gauge line. existing 7,500 route miles and outlined those Lydbrook viaduct spanning the River Wye
On the Isle of Man, the 3ft gauge IMR carried lines deemed worthy of investment and, by were demolished. At the height of the
fewer passengers than in the previous year implication, those not, which would allow morning rush hour, at 08.40 on 10 May,
and returned a working loss of £29,722. The considerable savings to be made. It was also Clapham Junction ‘A’ signal box suffered a
total locomotive mileage for 1965 was 43,327, announced that Dr Beeching would be returning major structural failure at one corner, causing
of which 28,248 miles were worked in June, to ICI in June and that the new Chairman of a drop of 3 to 4ft. As the gantry spanned ten
July and August. British Rail would be Stanley Raymond. tracks, the services into and out of London
The revival of the Keighley & Worth A positive move, however, was the order (Waterloo) were badly disrupted. A limited
Valley Railway under a Light Railway Order for 29 Pullmans for the Euston to Manchester service was possible next day, as efforts were
gained momentum as stock arrived, with the and Liverpool electrified services. To the made to effect repairs, and luckily none of the
first locomotive, ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire dismay of many, camping coaches were signalling equipment was damaged. On
Railway 0-4-0ST No 51218 brought in by withdrawn from East Coast resorts between 18 June a car-carrier train was introduced
load-loader on 7 January 1965. This was Hornsea and Newbiggin-on-Sea, and in South between Kensington Olympia and Fishguard.
followed by ‘N2’ No 69523, ‘J52’ No 1247, Wales, Devon and Cornwall. Fares on British Earlier in the month, on 5 June, a special train
former L&YR 0-6-0 No 52044, and Manning, Rail went up from 1 February, to help meet left Ettingshall Road goods station,
Wardle 0-6-0ST Sir Berkeley. A number of increases in costs and a recent pay award. A Wolverhampton carrying a 240 ton boiler
coaches of L&YR, Midland, and South dam being built at Clywedog, near Llanidloes, drum that was bound for Eggborough power
Eastern & Chatham Railway origins were also generated 50,000 tons of cement traffic, which station, near Goole. The boiler was carried on
delivered to the line. would be worked to Llanidloes in Presflo two 12-wheel bogies and the train was limited
The 75th anniversary of the opening of wagons at a rate of 600 tons a week. By the to a maximum speed of 20mph for the
the Southend-on-Sea pier railway was spring, British Rail was running 60 trains for 108 mile journey via Lichfield, Derby and
celebrated on 2 August. During the year the the Ford Motor Co between Dagenham and Chesterfield.
¾ mile long 3ft 6in gauge line carried 2½ Halewood, and between Ripple Lane, Bathgate On 6 September, Southern Region electric-
million passengers. Two months earlier, on and Garston. A notable anniversary occurred multiple-units began to use Reading (General)
6 June, preserved Stanier Pacific No 46201 on 4 March when the Forth railway bridge station after the completion of a £250,000
Princess Elizabeth was steamed for the first reached 75 years of age. scheme to make the town’s old Southern
time by its new owners at Ashchurch. Another
embryonic preservation scheme, the Dart
Valley Railway, received its first locomotives
on 2 October, when 0-6-0 No 3205 and
2-6-2T No 4555 arrived in steam.
The demise of Reading (Southern) station,

Reading (South) since 1949, came as British
Rail concentrated the town’s Southern and
Western Region operations at Reading
(General). The exterior of South station is seen
on 6 February, seven months before its closure.
On 6 September the Southern Region’s
electric-multiple-units would start running into
the Western Region’s General station, after the
completion of a £250,000 remodelling of the
tracks and signalling. The old Southern Railway
goods yard, however, would not be closed until
1970. Philip J. Kelley
Although the Cambrian main line had been

part of the London Midland Region since 1963,
it still clung to vestiges of its Western Region
days in the form of a handful of Collett ‘Manor’
class 4-6-0s, which were retained for use on the
‘Cambrian Coast Express’ and the York Mail.
On 31 July No 7821, running without its
Ditcheat Manor nameplates, is piloted by an
unidentified BR Standard ‘4MT’ 4-6-0 as the Up
‘Cambrian Coast Express’ nears the top of the
climb out of the Dovey valley at Talerddig. By
the end of the year all the remaining ‘Manors’
would be withdrawn. J.C. Beckett
75004, with two sub-shedded at Pwllheli for a

fortnight at a time.
Whit Monday, 7 June, brought 39 return
excursions to Blackpool (North), and these
were powered by 24 ‘Black Fives’, five ‘Jubilees’,
two ‘8Fs’, two ‘B1s’, a Standard ‘4MT’ 4-6-0, and
five diesels. Regular timetabled services also
brought in another four ‘Black Fives’, a single
‘B1’ and ‘8F’, and three diesels. On 18 June the
13.10 (Fridays and Saturdays only) Liverpool to
Glasgow service was worked by ‘Jubilee’
No 45627 Sierra Leone. Summer extras were
also using steam, and on 31 July ‘Britannias’
Nos 70013 Oliver Cromwell and 70039 Sir
Christopher Wren were in charge of a
double-headed 15-coach Euston to Glasgow
relief up Shap.
On 4 and 6 August the 21.45 Glasgow to
Euston service was noted between Crewe and
Railway terminus, Reading (South), redundant. to Carlisle all-stations passenger working. On Rugby with ‘Black Fives’ being used to provide
Further investment saw power signal boxes 26 March the Banbury station pilots were steam heat, the combinations being
commissioned at Willesden and Bletchley, the ‘Grange’ No 6868 Penrhos Grange and ‘Hall’ Nos E3073 and 45297, along with Nos E3019
new marshalling yard at Tinsley was opened on No 6916 Misterton Hall, while the York to and 44839. The 22.20 Manchester (Exchange)
29 October by Lord Beeching, and on the same Bournemouth express arrived behind ‘Manor’ to Holyhead boat train was worked by rebuilt
day the diesel maintenance depot at Old Oak No 7808 Cookham Manor. The following day ‘Patriot’ No 45531 Sir Frederick Harrison on
Common was completed. Earlier, on 5 October, saw 10 specials at Aintree for the Grand 27 August. ‘Clan’ No 72008 Clan Macleod was
a 1,000 ton coal train was discharged at West National, with four of these steam-hauled by the motive power for a Glasgow to Blackpool
Burton power station whilst on the move – this ‘Britannias’ Nos 70050 Firth of Clyde, 70052 illuminations working on 18 September. The
was the first example of a merry-go-round Firth of Tay, ‘Jubilee’ No 45647 Sturdee and last passenger train over the Barnoldswick
(MGR) working. ‘Black Five’ No 44937. Unusual motive power branch was made up of ‘2MT’ No 84015 and
was provided for the 7.10 Manchester five non-motor fitted coaches, and
London Midland Region (Central) to Liverpool (Central) on 12 April Birkenhead shed was graced by another ‘K1’,
With the Cambrian Division now part of the in the shape of ‘3MT’ Mogul No 77014, which No 62065, on 8 October, when it powered a
LMR, the principal workings at the beginning later in the week was seen working the 16.57 freight train from Tibshelf. Unusually, ‘4MT’
of the year were the ‘Cambrian Coast Express’ Irlam to Liverpool duty. Steam reappeared at 2-6-4T No 42189 was turned out on
and the ‘York Mail’, with ‘Manors’ Nos 7802 London’s St. Pancras on 24 April when 16 October to work the 18.00 Preston to
Bradley Manor and 7803 Barcote Manor ‘Britannia’ No 70052 Firth of Tay arrived at Skipton parcels duty.
working the former and Nos 7822 Foxcote the head of the Locomotive Club of Great Another ‘Clan’ in the news was No 72006
Manor and 7828 Odney Manor on the latter. Britain’s ‘Notts & Lincs’ special. Clan Mackenzie, which hauled the 08.05
Steam was still commonplace in the The daily fish and parcels working from Blackpool (South) to London (Euston) service
north-west and rebuilt ‘Patriot’ No 45512 Leeds to Bedford reverted to steam haulage on as far as Crewe on 12 November, while
Bunsen worked the 21.30 Birkenhead to 6 May in the form of ‘Black Five’ No 44983. No 72007 Clan Mackintosh was noted hauling
Carlisle freight on 11 January. Four days later, Examples of the same class continued in use the 18.37 Crewe to Windermere service on
‘K1’ No 62046 was noted on Birkenhead shed. except for on 13 May when ‘Jubilee’ No 45608 27 November. By the end of the year ‘4F’
An interesting visitor on Skipton shed on Gibraltar was in charge. In May, the ‘3MT’ workings were few and far between, but on
30 January was Gresley ‘V2’ No 60952. 2-6-2Ts transferred from Machynlleth to the 11 December No 44311 was seen working
A Doncaster-allocated ‘WD’, No 90496, Southern Region worked south via Willesden, between Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Blea Moor
worked the 13.04 Carlisle to Skipton freight with Nos 82020, 82021 and 83032 seen on at the head of a train of lime hoppers. The 13-
on 4 February, and on 27th of the month shed. For the summer timetable period, coach Euston to Workington arrived at
‘Royal Scot’ No 46115 Scots Guardsman was in Machynlleth received ‘4MTs’ Nos 75013, Lancaster on 23 December behind ‘Britannia’
charge of the 15.40 Bradford (Forster Square) 75028 and 75055 to help out Nos 75002 and No 70031 Byron, which had come on at Crewe.

Stanier ‘Jubilees’ still saw passenger use between north-west England and Glasgow in the summer of 1965. This 17 July view finds No 45698 Mars, of
Liverpool’s Bank Hall shed, climbing the 1 in 125 gradient through Thrimby Grange while at the head of the heavy 14.00 Glasgow to Manchester
express. Despite its last Heavy General repair being in October 1961, Mars is free of steam leaks and in fine fettle. Carrying the now obligatory yellow
cab-side stripe, this 4-6-0 would be withdrawn at the end of October, as one of 33 ‘Jubilee’ casualties of 1965. John Whiteley
The sight of double-headed Pacifics was never common in Britain, but Saturday, 31 July 1965 saw the weight of train 1S80, a London to Glasgow relief,
warrant the use of a brace of ‘Britannias’ – Nos 70013 and 70039, both missing their nameplates (Oliver Cromwell and Sir Christopher Wren
respectively), are pictured near Shap quarry. Both Pacifics were allocated to Carlisle sheds, No 70013 to Upperby and No 70039 to Kingmoor, and
while No 70013 would famously work until the end of steam in August 1968, No 70038 would be condemned in September 1967. Derek Cross
On 14 February 1965, privately-owned ‘Castle’ class 4-6-0 No 4079 Pendennis Castle is back at home in Swindon ‘A’ shop to undergo an overhaul and
eventual repaint into GWR colours. Beside No 4079 are two of the ‘Type 1’ 0-6-0DH locomotives ordered by the Western Region for trip work and
shunting, with No D9533 nearing completion. By the end of the month No D9533 would be released to traffic at Cardiff (Canton), but a search for
rapidly disappearing work would see it transferred to Hull (Dairycoates) shed as early as April 1968. It was sold to British Steel at Corby in December
1968 and was scrapped in September 1982. T.B. Owen/Colour-Rail.com/391602
Western Region tender-first to Banbury. ‘9400’ pannier tanks employed two weeks later. On 12 May,
At the beginning of the year North British were still in use at Bromsgrove, and on Southall shed housed 52 locomotives, of
Locomotive Co Ltd ‘Type 2’ diesel-hydraulics 13 March No 8415 was the station pilot. Nine which 19 were withdrawn, and among the
were drafted into Old Oak Common to take days later, Southall shed took over Old Oak visitors were Nos 3812, 3840, 7029 Clun
over the empty carriage workings into and out Common’s remaining steam duties. Castle, 45042, 48122, 48385, 90340, 92004,
of Paddington, but despite this, ‘5700’ and A surprising visitor to Newport on 6 April and 92138. When ‘Peak’ diesel No D39 failed
‘9400’ pannier tanks continued to work some was Crosti ‘9F’ No 92028, while Pendennis at Cheltenham, ‘WD’ 2-8-0 No 90080 was
of the turns well into March. On 2 January, Castle was released from Swindon Works on used to take the train forward to Birmingham
Reading shed closed to steam, with its 11 April. On 29 April ‘Modified Hall’ No 6991 (New Street).
remaining allocations transferred to Southall, Acton Burnell Hall was in charge of the 16.20 The last scheduled steam-hauled train to
Didcot or Worcester, but on the next day Paddington to Banbury service, which it depart from Paddington, the 16.15 service to
Nos 6106 and 7900 Saint Peter’s Hall were in worked via Reading and Oxford. On 1 May Banbury, did so amid much media attention
steam, with No 6984 Owsden Hall cold. On pannier tank No 1669 was seen shunting at in the charge of ‘Castle’ No 7029 Clun Castle
14 February preserved ‘Castle’ No 4079 Pembrey & Burry Port, and a fortnight later, on 11 June. During June, the Stonehouse to
Pendennis Castle was in Swindon ‘A’ Shop on 15 May, ‘Hall’ No 5971 Merevale Hall Stroud and Nailsworth pick-up freight was
being overhauled and returned to GWR livery. worked the 17.25 Birmingham (New Street) to regularly worked by ‘2MT’ No 78001, and in
When a Brush ‘Type 4’ diesel-electric failed at Gloucester service from Worcester. The 12.45 July ‘Modified Hall’ No 7904 Fountains Hall
Brill on 16 March, while working the 09.10 (Fridays and Saturdays only) Gloucester to was monopolising the 17.37 Worcester to
London (Paddington) to Birkenhead Swindon and the 17.30 return service were Hereford duty. Birmingham (Snow Hill) saw
(Woodside) service, ‘Modified Hall’ No 7909 still regular steam turns, with ‘Manor’ six steam-hauled trains arrive on 7 August,
Heveningham Hall was commandeered from a No 7808 Cookham Manor in charge on hauled by ‘Hall’ No 5932 Haydon Hall,
coal train to haul the diesel and its 13 coaches 15 May and ‘Castle’ No 7029 Clun Castle ‘Modified Halls’ Nos 6999 Capel Dewi Hall
The last scheduled steam-hauled train to depart London (Paddington), the 16.15 to Banbury on Friday, 11 June 1965, passes Royal Oak station (seen
to the left) behind BR-built ‘Castle’ No 7029 Clun Castle. Crowds gathered to witness the occasion, the train also attracting considerable media
attention. By this time there were only four ‘Castles’ still in traffic, with Clun Castle, chosen as the best of them, turning in a good performance.
Officially withdrawn in December 1965, No 7029 would be purchased from British Rail for £2,400 by Patrick Whitehouse in 1966, with ownership then
passing to 7029 Clun Castle Ltd. R.C. Riley/Transport Treasury

On 23 October 1965 ‘A4’ Pacific No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley worked the A4 Preservation Society’s ‘Paddington Streamliner’ special from Manchester
(Exchange) to London (Paddington), via Birmingham (Snow Hill) – it is seen passing High Wycombe. With a load of just five coaches, No 60007 was hardly
stretched, but it did make a wonderful sight in the glorious autumn sunshine, which drew out countless onlookers. The lineside at Scrubbs Lane was
crowded for the train’s passing, and for the tender-first light engine movement as No 60007 headed to Southall for servicing. Still allocated to Aberdeen
(Ferryhill) shed at the time, this Pacific would not be purchased by the A4 Preservation Society until May 1966. G.S. Cocks/Colour-Rail.com/306888
and 7924 Thornycroft Hall, ‘Black Five’ Gresley ‘A4’ No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley reached Southern Region
No 45186, and ‘Britannias’ Nos 70045 Lord Paddington on 23 October at the head of an The end of steam on the Redhill line saw BR
Rowallan and 70053 Moray Firth. ‘Jubilee’ enthusiast’s special. The Bournemouth to York Standard ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts Nos 80068 and 80089
No 45626 Seychelles was noted working light service provided employment for the double-heading the 10.45 Tonbridge to
engine through Cheltenham on 25 August. remaining ‘Halls’ and ‘Modified Halls’ as far as Redhill service, which comprised seven
Stanier ‘Black Five’ No 45000 arrived at Banbury, but 27 November saw ‘Black Five’ coaches and a van. Despite ‘Warship’ diesel-
Worcester (Shrub Hill) station some 45 No 45114 used. Even towards the end of 1965, hydraulics being rostered on the London
minutes late at the head of the 09.15 London Brymbo steelworks was providing work for (Waterloo) to Exeter expresses from the
(Paddington) to Hereford service on ex-GWR tank engines, with Nos 3749, 5677 beginning of the winter 1964/65 timetable,
30 September. Three days later, ‘Grange’ and 6627 all in use on 23 December. A stranger during the early weeks of 1965 steam was still
No 6819 Highnam Grange was the Shrub Hill on Worcester shed on New Year’s Eve was ‘K1’ appearing due to diesel failures and poor
pilot, while ‘4MT’ No 75000 passed through on No 62058 of York shed, and the same day saw availability. ‘Battle of Britain’ Pacific No 34051
a permanent way duty. When ‘Hymek’ the last scheduled steam train departure from Winston Churchill was back on normal duties
No D7084 caught fire at Brislington station on Birmingham (Snow Hill), the 17.35 for on 1 February when it worked the 17.43
the Bristol to Radstock line, its train was Lapworth, hauled by ‘Hall’ class No 6951 Waterloo to Salisbury stopping train, and
rescued by BR Standard ‘5MT’ No 73048. Impney Hall. three weeks later it was seen hauling
‘Halls’ and ‘Modified Halls’ were still regularly employed on inter-regional passenger
trains to the South Coast at Bournemouth and Poole during 1965. On 1 September
Oxford shed’s No 6923 Croxteth Hall, running without nameplates, brass safety valve
bonnet and in poor external condition, makes a sure-footed start from Eastleigh
with a York to Poole working. Completed by the GWR in July 1941, No 6923 would
be withdrawn in December 1965, amid the final cull of Western Region steam.
John H Bird/southern-images.co.uk
An unexpected and extremely rare visitor to

Redhill shed on 14 March was Weymouth-
allocated ‘Merchant Navy’ Pacific No 35014
Nederland Line, which arrived for light repairs. It
is seen in the company of Maunsell ‘N’ class
2-6-0 No 31405, which, despite not carrying a
shedplate, was allocated to Guildford at the
time. No 35014 would remain in traffic until
March 1967, while No 31405 would be
withdrawn in June 1966. Redhill shed would
close to steam in June 1965. An interesting
feature of the rebuilt ‘Merchant Navy’ class was
the retention of electric lights, six of which can
be seen. Roy Hobbs
condemned locomotives from Eastleigh to 6998 Burton Agnes Hall, 7922 Salford Hall and for water. Three ‘S15s’ were reported as being
Llandilo Junction. On 5 March ‘West 7927 Willington Hall – passed through at work on 6 September – No 30837 at
Country’ Pacific No 34015 Exmouth worked Eastleigh at the head of excursions. Eastleigh, No 30838 on empty coaching stock
the 14.20 Exeter to Waterloo express in lieu of ‘Britannia’ No 70033 Charles Dickens duties at Waterloo and No 30839 at
a diesel-hydraulic. A surprise visitor to arrived at Bournemouth (West) on 5 June, Basingstoke, having worked in at the head of
Redhill on 14 March was ‘Merchant Navy’ having worked through from Liverpool (Lime the 20.35 service from Waterloo. The
Pacific No 35014 Nederland Line, which was Street) with the 09.45 departure. A shortage of Clapham Junction to Kensington (Olympia)
under repair. motive power on 17 June saw a Stanier ‘8F’ rush-hour service in September was in the
Weedkiller trains were out and about in working the 08.21 Basingstoke to London hands of ‘80000’, ‘82000’ and Ivatt ‘2MT’ tank
April and June, with Bulleid ‘Q1’ No 33026 (Waterloo) service, and it returned west at the engines. Further shortages of engines saw ‘N’
seen at Ascot on 5 April, and classmate head of the 17.30 Waterloo to Bournemouth class Mogul No 31408 working a parcels train
No 33027 noted at Chessington (North) on duty. Stanier ‘Black Five’ No 45046 worked the through Wimbledon on 9 October, a duty
1 June. Two ex-GWR 2-8-0s, Nos 3837 and 08.01 Waterloo to Bournemouth train on normally diagrammed to a Standard ‘5MT’.
3854, were diagrammed to haul oil trains 29 June. On 21 July, Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T On 24 October, BR Standard 2-6-2T No 84014
emanating from Fawley on 5 April. Two days No 41301 was the only locomotive available to ran hot at Basingstoke – it was en route to
later, Ivatt ‘4MT’ Mogul No 43063, fresh from work the 18.55 Weymouth to Feltham freight, Eastleigh with a view to being modified to
overhaul at Eastleigh Works, was given a test and as a consequence a lengthy stop had to be work on the Isle of Wight. Riddles ‘4MT’
run on the 20.00 Nine Elms yard to made at Basingstoke to take on water and 4-6-0 No 75072 headed the 11.45
Southampton freight. By this date the Works coal. Bournemouth (Central) to Bristol (Temple
was also overhauling London Midland Region During August, the Lymington branch Meads) service on 13 November, while
‘8Fs’ and ‘9Fs’. The remaining ‘S15’ 4-6-0s was worked by BR Standard ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts 29 December saw steam return to Brighton in
were active at this time and on 17 April Nos 80013, 80134 and 80138, while 14 August the shape of Bulleid ‘West Country’ Pacific
No 30839 powered the 10.00 Nine Elms to saw classmate No 80012 work the non-stop No 34036 Westward Ho, which worked a
Southampton freight. On 29 May four 19.40 four-coach Bournemouth (West) to Brighton to Plymouth service as far as
‘Modified Halls’ – Nos 6959 Peatling Hall, Waterloo service, it had to stop at Basingstoke Salisbury.
With Eastleigh Works undertaking some overhauls of London Midland Region locomotives in
1965, and the use of LMR motive power on inter-regional workings encouraged by Banbury shed
passing into LMR hands in 1963, ex-LMS engines were far from unknown on the Southern Region.
At times of motive power shortage they were increasingly commandeered to work scheduled
Southern Region trains. This 26 May 1965 view records Stockport-allocated Stanier ‘Black Five’
No 45046 pulling into New Milton station with a Waterloo to Bournemouth semi-fast service. By
all accounts, the Southern crews were happy with the performance of the ‘Black Five’ and were
reluctant to see it return north. Nigel Kendall/southern-images.co.uk

‘The Bournemouth Belle’ remained steam-hauled throughout 1965, the Up train being seen at Pokesdown, between Boscombe and Christchurch,
behind Bournemouth shed’s rebuilt ‘Merchant Navy’ Pacific No 35021 New Zealand Line on 21 August 1965. By this date the all-Pullman train was
supplemented by the inclusion of a BR Mark I full brake (seen behind the tender), it has been painted in Pullman colours to match the train.
No 35021 was in the twilight of its working life when photographed, as it would be withdrawn by the end of the month. John Whiteley
Eastern Region Surprise motive power for the 14.10 Tees On 7 October ‘9F’ No 92239 failed at
In January two passenger workings through to Doncaster freight on 9 July was ‘Britannia’ Grantham, while working an empty coaching
Scunthorpe remained steam-hauled, the No 70010 Owen Glendower, which returned stock train from Doncaster to Peterborough,
Cleethorpes to Leeds (Wednesdays and north the following day on the Belmont to and was replaced by ‘B1’ No 61012 Puku, and
Fridays excepted), which was usually hauled York working. Ten days later, ‘9F’ No 92208 three weeks later BR Standard ‘5MT’
by ‘B1’ No 61406, and the morning Doncaster was seen at the head of the Hunslet to No 73069 was diagrammed to work the 23.50
to Cleethorpes and return parcels, which also Immingham empty tank train. ‘Black Five’ Normanby Park to Washwood Heath freight.
employed a ‘B1’. Another ‘B1’, No 61018 Gnu, No 45331 failed on the 17.15 Nottingham The preserved ‘A3’ Pacific, LNER No 4472
was seen in charge of the 10.30 Lowestoft to (Victoria) to London (Marylebone) service on Flying Scotsman, was seen on a high-speed
York train. On 28 January rebuilt ‘Patriot’ 16 August and was replaced by ‘B1’ No 61232. test run from Doncaster to New England and
No 45531 Sir Frederick Harrison worked south The 02.15 Toton to Scunthorpe freight on back on 4 November, while the 13.45
through Sheffield with an early morning 21 August was in the charge of ‘Jubilee’ Scunthorpe to Healey Mills freight on
Carlisle to Leicester freight. On the following No 45675 Hardy. The ‘Barnsley Feast’ holidays 2 December was worked by Stanier ‘8F’
day, ‘Black Five’ No 45076 passed Stratford saw five excursions run to Blackpool on No 48199.
(Low Level) at 09.20 with a Government train 28 August, employing ‘Black Fives’ Nos 44675,
from Willesden to the London docks. Two ‘A1’ 44870, 45049, 45075 and 45107. Stanier ‘8F’ North Eastern Region
Pacifics, Nos 60155 Borderer and 60156 Great No 48332 was an unusual visitor to During January there were only three
Central, were seen on 25 January and Whitemoor on 6 September when it worked recorded appearances of steam locomotives
6 February respectively, heading south towards the 08.38 from Water Orton, before returning on passenger trains at Newcastle, all ‘A1’
Peterborough with trains of cement empties. to Leicester light engine. The 19.20 Pacifics on the 13.40 (Fridays only) ex-Bristol,
Holbeck-allocated ‘Jubilee’ No 45593 Whitemoor to Millerhill freight on with No 60146 Peregrine on 1 January,
Kolhapur arrived at Peterborough East with a 14 October was hauled by ‘A1’ No 60151 No 60132 Marmion three weeks later, and
freight on 4 March, while on 8 April Nos 45593 Midlothian north from Doncaster. No 60152 Holyrood during the following
Kolhapur and 45664 Nelson were seen at
Doncaster. The same day also saw ‘Black Five’
No 45238 noted at Newark on an empty
coaching stock move from Colwick. The
13 May brought Gresley ‘V2’ No 60876 to
Doncaster on the 11.00 service from York, and
‘A1’ No 60146 Peregrine arrived with a pigeon
special. A month later, Langwith Junction shed
still had ‘O4’ 2-8-0s Nos 63691, 63697, 63732,
63739, 63843 and 63850 at work, despite the
drafting in of Riddles ‘9Fs’ to replace them.
One of the most active of the Eastern Region’s

Thompson ‘B1’ class 4-6-0s was Immingham
shed’s No 61406, which is seen at Skegness on
28 April 1965. Despite receiving its last general
repair at Doncaster Works in August 1963,
No 61406 is in excellent external condition and
it would remain in traffic until the middle of
April 1966, having been transferred to
Doncaster shed in the February. One of the last
batch of ‘B1s’ built at Darlington Works,
No 61406 was released to traffic on 20 May
1950. G. Parry Collection/Colour-Rail.com/312349
The BR Standard ‘9F’ 2-10-0s were arguably the finest of the Standards, and when built – they entered traffic between January 1954 and March 1960 –
they had an expected working life of 20 to 25 years. By the end of 1965, however, only 170 of the original 251 members of the class would still be in traffic.
Langwith Junction-allocated No 92189 crosses the viaduct over the B6089 between Rotherham and Killamarsh with a train of mineral wagons on 3 April
1965. A number of ‘9Fs’ had recently been sent to Langwith Junction to replace life expired ‘O4’ class 2-8-0s on these workings. Paul Hatherley
week. The 05.55 Hunslet to Skipton freight from Leeds, York, Carlisle or Scotland could The last train on the Holmfirth branch ran on
was worked by ‘Clan’ No 72006 Clan not be serviced and so were immediately sent 28 April in the charge of ‘8F’ No 48305.
Mackenzie on New Year’s Day, and it was then back to where they had come from. During May 1965 the majority of trains
used on a Fleetwood to Billingham working With the closure of the Meltham and running through Shipley were still steam-
the next day. Four ‘A1’ sightings – Nos 60134 Kirkburton branches, the last trains were hauled, with ‘Jubilees’, ‘Britannias’, ‘8Fs’, ‘Black
Foxhunter, 60154 Bon Accord, 60134 worked respectively by ‘WD’ 2-8-0s Nos 90325 Fives’, and Ivatt ‘4MTs’ to the fore. On 4 May
Foxhunter (again) and 60151 Midlothian – and 90347 on 2 and 9 April. Easter Monday, ‘A1’ Pacific No 60154 Bon Accord passed
recorded steam use on Newcastle to Liverpool 19 April, saw six ‘Jubilees’ work through Bingley with an excursion from Edinburgh.
trains in February, but then Gateshead shed Mirfield on excursions – Nos 45562 Alberta, ‘K1’ No 62006 was in charge of the
was closed to steam on and from 3 March. 45565 Victoria, 45581 Bihar and Orissa, 45647 Alnwick branch trains on 11 June, and in July
This meant that any locomotives working in Sturdee, 45694 Bellerophon and 45739 Ulster. steam was still evident on the Saturday services
On 19 June 1965 Peppercorn ‘K1’ class 2-6-0 No 62006 leaves Alnwick in charge of the 16.32 to Alnmouth; on the left are the remains of the closed
line to Coldstream. Allocated to Alnmouth shed between November 1962 and June 1966, when it would be transferred to Sunderland, No 62006 was
a regular choice for the branch services at this time, despite the loads being more suited to a ‘2MT’. No 62006’s train of two coaches, a British
Railways Mark I corridor brake and a Thompson corridor composite, was typical of the period. Edwin Wilmshurst

Raven ‘J27’ class No 65892 – previously LNER Nos 2390 (1923) and 5892 (1946) – shunts a lengthy train of mineral wagons at North Blyth on 19 June
1965. Released to traffic on 5 September 1923 as a post-Grouping engine to a North Eastern Railway design, this 0-6-0 would go on to serve until the
beginning of August 1967. When this photograph was taken No 65892 was allocated to the nearby North Blyth shed. The scene is dominated by the
local steelworks, power station, and sidings, all of which have now disappeared as the heavy industry of the North-East has contracted over the last 50
years. Edwin Wilmshurst
between Bradford (Exchange) and Wakefield, While in charge of the 17.05 Liverpool to Scottish Region
with eight workings diagrammed between Newcastle service, English Electric No D251 The surviving ‘A4’ Pacifics were still active at
07.00 and 09.00. During the first week of ran out of fuel at Mirfield and had to be the beginning of the year and on 13 January
August no less than 40 steam locomotives rescued by ‘Black Five’ No 45377. The last No 60006 Sir Ralph Wedgwood worked the
arrived in Scarborough in five days, with a empty oil tank working between Cleckheaton 17.30 ex-Glasgow (Buchanan Street). On the
dozen appearing on Monday, 2 August, apart and Stanlow was hauled by Riddles ‘9F’ next day ‘Black Five’ No 45481 was seen
from ‘Black Five’ No 44663, all came from West No 92113 on 27 November. On 28 December, working the Gourock branch. The station
Riding sheds. When English Electric ‘Type 4’ ‘4MT’ No 42269 and ‘B1’ No 61386 were in pilots at Glasgow (Central) on 8 February
No D272 failed at Marsden, while working the charge of the 09.25 Bradford (Exchange) to were ‘4MTs’ Nos 42199, 80000 and 80001,
09.42 ex-Newcastle, the train was rescued by London (King’s Cross) service as far as while ‘Britannia’ No 70002 Geoffrey Chaucer
‘Black Five’ No 44829, with ‘Britannia’ Wakefield, before returning light engine. arrived at the head of the 23.10 ex-Euston. On
No 70006 Robert Burns working the return Advertised as the last ‘A1’-hauled train to 20 March, two of the surviving ‘Royal Scots’
duty, the 17.05 ex-Liverpool. Gresley ‘V2’ Newcastle, No 60145 Saint Mungo worked the were at Perth, No 46128 The Lovat Scouts in
No 60810 appeared on the 09.55 Scarborough eight-coach train to and from York with the repair shop, and No 46160 Queen
to York relief duty on 18 September. consummate ease on 31 December. Victoria’s Rifleman in steam.
Coal was still a major contributor to the Scottish Region’s freight incomes in 1965 and on 10 February a pair of Hughes/Fowler ‘Crab’ 2-6-0s,
Nos 42702 and 42803, are seen at Bargany, on the Stranraer line, in charge of a Girvan to Ayr coal train. Both ‘Crabs’ were on the books of Ayr shed
at this time, as part of a 16-strong allocation of ‘Crabs’ there in early 1965. No 42702 would be withdrawn in January 1966, while No 42803 served
until December 1966. Derek Cross
One line on which the BR Standard ‘Clan’ class

‘6MT’ Pacifics excelled was the Galloway main
line or ‘Port Road’, and on 30 May 1965
No 72007 Clan Macintosh passes Gatehouse of
Fleet with a westbound troop special. Running
without its nameplates, the neglected looking
‘Clan’ is in its last year of service, as withdrawal
from Carlisle (Kingmoor) would come at the
beginning of December. Five ‘Clans’ were in
service on New Year’s Day 1965, but on New
Year’s Eve only Nos 72006 and 72008 remained,
and by May 1966 they too would be gone.
Likewise, the line was in its last days, being
scheduled to close on 12 June 1965, so the
running of troop specials on 16 May and 30 May
attracted many railway photographers.
Derek Cross
Of 24 workings observed at Stirling on

16 April, 20 were steam powered, with five
‘A4s’ noted, along with a ‘Clan’ and a ‘V2’.
Three troop trains were run from Stranraer
over the Dumfries line using ‘Clans’
Nos 72006 Clan Mackenzie and 72008 Clan In September, a Dundee-allocated ‘J37’ Closures
Macleod and ‘Jubilee’ No 45573 Newfoundland was still working the daily goods on the During the year 58 engine sheds were closed to
on 16 May. The Killin branch was still being Inverbervie branch and on the Bridge of Dun steam, 15 more than in 1964. The London
worked by ‘80000’ class tank engines in May, to Brechin branch, and on 20 September Midland Region shut Willesden, Watford,
while on 26 June ‘A4s’ Nos 60006 Sir Ralph No 64577 worked a train of 25 wagons. Northampton, Market Harborough, Bushbury,
Wedgwood and 60027 Merlin both worked No 46115 Scots Guardsman appeared on the Aston, Bletchley, Crewe North, Stafford, Bangor,
trains over the Waverley route. The 13.12 16.45 (Saturdays excepted) Glasgow Longsight, Kettering, Nottingham, Coalville,
relief service from Liverpool to Glasgow (St. Enoch) to Carlisle parcels on 20 October, Rowsley, Toton, Staveley, Canklow, Bristol
(Central) was in the charge of ‘Royal Scot’ and on 13 November ‘Clan’ No 72007 Clan Barrow Road and Bury. On the Eastern Region,
No 46115 Scots Guardsman on 31 July. Mackintosh worked the 12.12 Perth to London steam activity ended at New England, Retford
Two ‘Jubilees, Nos 45721 Impregnable and (Euston) service as far as Carlisle, instead of and Ardsley, and steam servicing likewise ended
45684 Jutland, were noted on the 13.10 the booked diesel. Five days later, ‘9F’ at Gateshead, Percy Main and Consett on the
Liverpool to Glasgow (Central) service on No 92019 ran light engine through Longtown North Eastern Region. The Southern sheds
2 July and 6 August respectively. Dunfermline in the Up direction at 10.30, and on the same closed to steam were Reading, Exmouth
shed housed 14 engines in steam on day BR Standard ‘2MT’ No 78049 was in Junction, Yeovil Town, Tonbridge, Redhill,
28 August, a mixture of ‘B1s’, ‘J36s’, ‘J38s’ and charge of the 06.30 Hawick to Carlisle service, Tunbridge Wells West and Eastbourne. The
‘WDs’. On the same day, ‘A3’ Pacific No 60052 and the 18.13 return duty. A relief Edinburgh Western Region oversaw the demise of steam
Prince Palatine arrived at St. Boswell’s to Birmingham duty was worked to Carlisle servicing at Old Oak Common, Southall,
Junction at 06.20 with a Millerhill to Carlisle on 18 December by ‘A2’ Pacific No 60530 Reading, Didcot, Westbury, Leamington Spa,
freight. Sayajirao. Worcester, Gloucester Horton Road, Ebbw
Willesden shed would close to steam on 27 September 1965, but until then routine maintenance had to be carried out on steam locomotives still in
use. On 8 August 1965 three of Willesden shed’s BR Standard ‘2MT’ 2-6-0s are seen inside the straight shed, with Nos 78043 and 78023 having their
boilers washed out. At this time the ‘2MTs’ were used on Euston empty coaching stock duties, which they shared with the Sulzer ‘Type 2’ Bo-Bos.
R.C. Riley/Transport Treasury

Staveley’s former Great Central Railway shed is seen in April 1965. The four 2-8-0s outside are, from left to right, an unidentified ‘WD’ class, sister
engine No 90227, ex-GCR ‘O4/3’ No 63701 (one of the ex-ROD engines fitted only with a steam brake and with no water scoop on the tender), and
Thompson ‘O1’ No 63868, which started life as an ‘O4’ but was rebuilt with a ‘B1’ type 100A boiler, side-window cab, Walschaerts valve gear and
raised running plates. This shed would close to steam in October 1965. Les Nixon
Junction, Severn Tunnel Junction, Pontypool Railtours Castle. ‘Manors’ Nos 7802 and 7812 then took
Road, Aberdare, Neath, Llanelly, Cardiff East For the third year in a row over 100 rail tours over for the run to Towyn. On the return
Dock, Radyr, Rhymney, Treherbert and were run, with the Railway Correspondence & journey, Brush ‘Type 4’ Co-Co No D1684
Oswestry. The Scottish Region lost Dalry Road, Travel Society organising 15, the Stephenson worked the Shrewsbury to Tyseley leg, where
Parkhead, Grangemouth and Ardrossan. Locomotive Society 13, and the Locomotive No 4079 Pendennis Castle was waiting to work
During 1965 there were 260 line closures, Club of Great Britain 19. In a survey of this the last part of the trip back to Paddington.
ranging from short stretches of track or junctions nature, space precludes mention of all but a The highlights of the RCTS programme
through to complete routes. Some of these few and so here are some of the author’s include the ‘Rebuilt Scot Commemorative Rail
remained in part to satisfy a continued freight favourites, in no particular order of Tour’ on 13 February, which was hauled by
need, while others were lost completely once preference. No 46115 Scots Guardsman after the preferred
passenger or freight services were withdrawn. The Festiniog Railway Society’s AGM locomotive, No 46160 Queen’s Westminster
These closures included the Colne Valley line to special on 1 May ran behind a diesel from Rifleman, had failed on Holbeck shed. Routed
Haverhill South, Arthington to Otley, Bala to London (Paddington) to Banbury, after the from Crewe to Hellifield and onwards over
Bala Junction and Morfa Mawddach, Bentley to last minute failure of No 7027 Clun Castle, Ais Gill to Carlisle, with the return via Shap,
Hadleigh, Bewdley North to Cleobury Mortimer, with ‘Grange’ No 6849 Walton Grange in No 46115 turned in a fine performance. The
Brockholes to Holmfirth, Chippenham to Calne, charge between Banbury and Shrewsbury. ‘Tyne-Solway Rail Tour’ on 21 March used
Coldstream to Wooler, Ruthin to Denbigh, From there two immaculately turned out ‘A1’ Pacific No 60131 Osprey from Leeds to
Oswestry to Ellesmere, Goole to Epworth, ‘Manors’, Nos 7802 and 7812, minus their Newcastle, Carlisle, Appleby, Settle and back
Guildford to Christ’s Hospital, Lakeside to nameplates, worked over the Cambrian to Leeds, but the run-down No 60131
Haverthwaite, Ilkley to Embsay, Keighley to mountains to Machynlleth and north along struggled to maintain the schedules with a
Ingrow East, Scarborough Gallow’s Close to the coastal route to Minffordd and six-coach train. The ‘Blythe & Tyne Tour’ on
Whitby Prospect Hill and Bog Hall, Castle Portmadoc. For the Talyllyn Railway AGM, 19 September saw ‘A4’ No 60004 William
Douglas to Stranraer, Aberfeldy to Ballinluig, held at Towyn on 25 September, the TR Whitelaw working between Leeds and
Dunblane to Crianlarich, Killin Junction to special was hauled from Paddington to Darlington, and back, with an Ivatt ‘4MT’
Killin, and Fraserburgh to St. Combs. Shrewsbury by ‘Castle’ No 4079 Pendennis working over the Riverside branch. The
Cardiff East Dock shed on 31 July 1965, with four ‘5700/8750’ class pannier tanks and a lone ‘5600’
0-6-2T outside the 1931 shed building. Since the closure of Cardiff (Canton) in September 1962,
East Dock became the principal steam shed in Cardiff, and for 2½ years it was home to ‘Castles’,
‘Halls’, Granges’, and ‘Manors’, in addition to 0-6-0PTs, 2-6-0s, 2-8-0s, 2-8-0Ts and 2-10-0s. Officially
closed in August, the closure of Cardiff East Dock shed meant there were only three sheds open to
steam in South Wales, Newport (Ebbw Junction) and Llanelly, both of which closed in October, and
Severn Tunnel Junction, which would last until November. Roy Hobbs
Although diesel-multiple-units had taken over a great deal of suburban and local passenger work in Scotland, a number of these services over lines
with no long term future were still being worked by BR Standard 2-6-4Ts. He we find No 80061 of Dumfries shed working the 08.20 Dumfries to
Stranraer all-stations service at New Galloway on 19 May 1965. This line, the Portpatrick & Wigtownshire Joint (once joint G&SWR, CR, Midland and
L&NWR property) would close from 14 June 1965. At this time Dumfries had an allocation of four of these ‘4MT’ tank engines but by November they
had all been moved on, with No 80061 going to Polmadie, from where it was withdrawn in December 1966. Robin Nelson
‘Exmoor Ranger’ trip on 27 March used less Seaton and Sidmouth and back, which was in charge of the ‘Northamptonshire
illustrious motive power, Ivatt ‘2MTs’ featured ‘Merchant Navy’ No 35022 Holland Branch Tour’ from Wellingborough to
Nos 41206 and 41291 in addition to Collett America Line, 0-6-0PT No 4666, Ivatt 2-6-2Ts Kettering using brake vans. The ‘Vectis
0-6-0 No 3205, while the ‘West Wales’ special Nos 41206 and 41291 and BR Standard Farewell Rail Tour’ on 3 October started out
run on 25/26 September used pannier tanks 2-6-4T No 80041. The ‘Wessex Downsman from Waterloo, reached Portsmouth for a trip
Nos 3654, 9609, 1643 and 1669, as well as No 1’ on 4 April was routed from London over the remaining Isle of Wight lines and
‘Grange’ No 6859 Yiewsley Grange. (Waterloo) to Reading (General), Bristol variously employed ‘West Country’ No 34002
Highlights of the LCGB’s programme (Temple Meads), Bath (Green Park), Salisbury, BR Standard ‘5MT’ No 75155, ‘Q1s’
included the ‘Maunsell Commemorative Tour’ Bournemouth (West) and back to Waterloo; Nos 33020 and 33027 and ‘O2s’ Nos W14
on 3 January, which ran from Waterloo to through multiple locomotive changes it used Fishbourne and W24 Calbourne.
London Bridge via Wimbledon, Reading ‘Battle of Britain’ No 34051 Winston Churchill, The surviving Gresley Pacifics were used
(South), Redhill and Tonbridge using ‘Q’ ‘Modified Hall’ No 6963 Throwley Hall, ‘S15’ on a number of Scottish tours and on 5 June
No 30545 and Moguls Nos 31411, 31649 and No 30837, ‘4F’ No 44466, ‘8F’ No 48309 and ‘A3’ No 60052 Prince Palatine worked between
31831. Then there was the ‘East Devon No 2’ ‘Hymek’ No D7007. A more modest tour ran Edinburgh (Waverley), Newcastle and Carlisle
on 7 March, from Waterloo to Exeter, via on 3 July when BR Standard ‘2MT’ No 78028 for the Scottish Locomotive Preservation Fund,
Closures of routes don’t just affect the intermediate stations, the ‘Northern Irishman’ sleeping car train from Stranraer to London (Euston) lost its
traditional route with the 14 June 1965 closure of the ‘Port Road’. Until then the train was routed over the 73¾ mile direct line from Stranraer to Dumfries.
With the closure of this line through Newton Stewart the train had to run via Mauchline, Ayr, and Girvan, adding 60 miles to the journey. This 12 August
view at Stranraer is of the ‘Northern Irishman’ waiting to depart behind an unidentified BR ‘Britannia’ Pacific piloted by BR Caprotti ‘5MT’ 4-6-0 No 73134 of
Manchester’s Patricroft shed. The last titled run of the ‘Northern Irishman’ would come on 17 April 1966. John Whiteley

Barnstaple-bound, the ‘Exmoor Ranger’ rail tour passes Hole, between Halwill Junction and Torrington, in the charge of Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts Nos 41206
and 41291. Jointly organised by the Plymouth Railway Circle and the RCTS, this 27 March 1965 tour ran four weeks after this section of the North
Devon & Cornwall Junction Light Railway line from Halwill Junction as far as Petrockstow had been closed to all traffic, special permission being given
for the tour to run. The Ivatts worked from Exeter (St. David’s) to Barnstaple and on to Ilfracombe, with ‘2251’ class 0-6-0 No 3205 coming on at
Braunton to bank the train and then staying with it to Ilfracombe. On the return, the two 2-6-2Ts banked No 3205 out of the station, up to Mortehoe
summit and remained with the train to Taunton. On arrival, No 3205 was turned on Taunton shed just an hour before it was closed, the locomotive
then working single-handed to Exeter (St. David’s). Roy Hobbs
before handing over to ‘A4’ No 60027 Merlin from where the ‘Castle’ worked the train back Marquess, came on to take the train on to
for the Carlisle to Edinburgh leg, which was via to Snow Hill. No 7029 was also used by British Market Weighton. Here ‘K1’ Mogul No 62005
the Waverley route. On 4 September, No 60052 Rail on its ‘Last steam hauled train from coupled on and the two 2-6-0s took the train
was again chosen motive power, this time for a Paddington’ on 27 November, when it worked on to Filey, Scarborough, Whitby (Town),
run between Edinburgh (Waverley) and to Gloucester (Eastgate) and then from Malton and York, travelling over the soon to
Aberdeen, where it handed over to ‘A4’ Gloucester (Central) to Swindon. be closed Grosmont to Pickering line. At York,
No 60026 Miles Beevor to work back to With hindsight, the SLS/Manchester No 62005 came off, leaving No 3442 to take
Glasgow (Queen Street) and then Edinburgh. Locomotive Society special run on 6 March the train forward to Wakefield (Westgate),
On 17 October the SLS organised its ‘GWR remains the author’s favourite railtour of 1965, where No 45698 was waiting for the last leg
Cavalcade’ special, which used ‘5600’ No 6697 as two of the locomotives used have been back to Manchester (Victoria).
from Birmingham (New Street) to Worcester preserved and are still active on the main line.
(Shrub Hill), where ‘1400’ 0-4-2T No 1420 and The day started with ‘Jubilee’ No 45698 Mars Author’s note – This article would have been
‘6400’ 0-6-0PT No 6435 double-headed to working between Manchester (Victoria) and impossible to prepare without reference to the
Gloucester. Here No 7029 Clun Castle worked Wakefield (Westgate), where the already RCTS ‘Railway Observers’, ‘Railway World’,
with No 6435 as far as Bristol (Temple Meads), preserved Gresley ‘K4’, No 3442 The Great ‘Modern Railways’, and the ‘Railway Magazine’.
The LCGB’s ‘Wessex Downsman No 1’ of 4 April was clearly oversubscribed as

a ‘Wessex Downsman No 2’ rail tour ran on 2 May 1965. It was a round trip
from London (Waterloo), taking in Reading (General), Bristol (Temple Meads),
Bath (Green Park), and Bournemouth (West), as had its predecessor. Four of
the five locomotives used were identical too, the difference being that ‘4F’
No 44264 worked the Bristol to Bath leg in lieu of No 44466. The opening leg of
both tours saw ‘S15’ class 4-6-0 No 30837 run from Waterloo to Reading
(General), this view of the 2 May trip being taken on the approach to Virginia
Water. Despite its condition, No 30837 would be condemned in the following
September. J.C. Beckett
061_SD_May15_ad.indd 61 01/04/2015 11:38
062_SD_May15_aD.indd 62 01/04/2015 11:45
Tail Lamp To round off, the diesels present were:

Nos D1849, D3008, D3200, D3236, D4139,
D4142, D5205, D5207, D7622, D7625, D7654,
D8513, D8524 and D8530.
Old Brockhampton Lane level crossing box
and Steam Days locations on Google Earth
Sir: I would like to say at the beginning just how
much I really enjoy your magazine. I was very
I hope this list can be useful to somebody. interested in the article on Cheltenham by
Colin Norton, Stanley Jenkins in the August 2014 edition.
Gateshead, Tyne & Wear There is one question I would like to raise
concerning the photograph on Page 489
‘Any Suitable Engine’ - Carnforth’s last day showing Stanier ‘8F’ No 48099 at
Sir: I should add a little background to my Brockhampton Lane level crossing.
earlier request; clearly my first mail was not Part of the caption to the picture states –
specific enough, so here goes. ‘although the depicted crossing box has long
On the last day, Saturday, I was taken off my since been demolished’ – but I am sure that
rostered work of shed turning to go out with that statement is incorrect. To back my claim I
‘any suitable engine’ and attend to a lineside fire have seen three pictures on Google Earth, and
at Hest Bank. Now, I had always thought it was all of them are dated August 2012. I hope you
an ‘Ivatt 4’ we had used, but it appears it must can pass this info on to Stanley Jenkins.
have been a ‘Standard 4’ – hence my appeal for When I read articles such as the above I
a list. However, the list would need to have been nearly always trace the locations of your
taken at some time after about 1pm, when we published photos on Google Earth, mainly to
returned the locomotive to the shed. I guess lists see just what evidence is left or how much the
for that day will be few and far between, as a location has changed. It is truly fascinating and it
strict railway policeman was turning away would- also lets me see lines of railways that I missed
be visitors trying to access the shed from the when I had the chance in the 1950s – too young
Readers’ Letters footbridge. It’s just possible a visitor might have
‘made it’ via the authorised entrance off Warton
and not enough money!
Philip M. Hicks
Road/Shore Road (if I remember correctly), or Leura, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
Carnforth – perhaps made some observations from the fields
Stored Engines Request – Update behind our Cenotaph. Another possibility would Northallerton – My Home Town
Further to David Moore’s request for the above, we be a list for the Sunday, when I and several other S&DJR ‘4Fs’, and No 45739 Connaught
have received many offers of help and information, firemen were shovelling coal from tenders into Sir: I very much enjoyed the article ‘Steam Days
from Ewan Preston, Verdun Wake, John Tyler, mineral wagons in the north end sidings. at Northallerton’ published in the September
Mr M.N. Olley and Harry Archibald, amongst others, I wonder if the ‘bobby’ on duty in Hest edition, which was my home town in the 1940s-
with the latter, for example, offering the listings for Bank signal box might have taken a photo of 1960s. The writer of this letter is even included
Saturday, 11 November 1967, and Monday, 15 July one of the last steam locos he would see on in the photograph at the bottom of Page 597,
1968. We have passed contact details on to the main line? Just an idea! Memory fades with being the lad nearest the camera, complete with
Mr Moore and he is very grateful for this amazing time, but I wonder now if we might have run school cap and blazer! Whilst writing, on this
response. Below are two of the letters received, as wrong-line from Crag Bank signal box to Hest caption it should be mentioned that BR ‘3MT’
examples, while the third letter, entitled ‘Any Suitable Bank, but I only have a vague recollection that 2-6-0 No 77001 was on loan to Northallerton
Engine’, is a result of further correspondence with Mr that particular call-out did involve wrong-line for a short period and was actually departing
Moore, it seems that the initial request should really running at some point. So that’s all I can offer from the Down loop platform No 5 with the
have been more specific – The Editor by way of a lead, I do hope it helps! 3.45pm all-stations to West Hartlepool, which
David Moore, was a 51J ‘D20’ turn.
Sir: I have read Steam Days for September 2014 Brunswick, Germany Turning to other points of interest and
and the letter regarding stored locomotives at corrections etc; on Page 591, quadrupling of the
Carnforth. I called at Carnforth on 28 July 1968 Cambridge Colour East Coast main line between York and
at about 6am, and enclose a list of locos on Sir: With regards to the captions in the Longlands, Northallerton was not completed
shed (steam only): Nos 75027, 75019, 45134, Cambridge area in the November issue, I would until 19 June 1960, when the Up slow between
44894, 45390, 44735, 44809, 45017, 48124, like to point out a few errors. The photo of Pilmoor and Alne was opened. The caption to
45424, 44963, 44915, 45435, 45209, 92160, No 65580 (top Page 713) is not on the main the bottom photograph on Page 592 shows ‘A8’
45095, 92167, 92088, 75020, 92223, 92077, line but standing in the yard awaiting its path No 69884 arriving into the Up main platform
92118, 45445, 92091, 44758, 48400, 45310, for Ely, after shunting work was over – I No 2 with the 3.30pm all-stations ex-West
44709, 44781, 45025, 45394, 45200, 45330, worked this diagram many times. No 61613 is Hartlepool. The top photograph on Page 594
44877, 45206, 44871, 44897, 45342, 45231, facing north at Coldham Lane Junction on the shows ‘O1’ 2-8-0 No 63712 actually on the Up
75048, 73069, 75027, 45268, 42085, 61306, Down goods road, the destination is perhaps main with a Down class ‘H’ goods, and begs the
6441(LMS), 75009. Total 47. not Newmarket but somewhere north. question, was single-line-working in operation
David Ragsdale, The photograph (top Page 711) which show from the south trailing crossover or had the
Rotherham, South Yorkshire No 61575 heading north is presumably King’s train been diverted from the low level lines at
Lynn Harbour Junction, as the signals read top Northallerton East Junction to progress north
Sir: Further to David Moore’s letter in Tail Lamp left, bottom right, i.e. Ely and South Lynn; the via Darlington?
regarding stored locomotives at Carnforth private siding with gates is a clue,* I can’t The 42ft turntable situated behind
awaiting disposal, I have a record of one visit I remember or know of any other location it Northallerton station signal box, mentioned on
made on 10 August 1968, and these are the could apply to on the route. Page 593, was seen in use only once by the
locomotives I saw: ‘Black Fives’, Nos 44758, On the subject of No 61834, bottom writer, to turn a ‘J21’ 0-6-0. Any locomotives
44915, 45200 and 45310; BR Standard ‘4MTs’, Page 712, I was always under the impression it that required turning used the Hawes branch
Nos 75019 and 75027; BR Standard ‘9Fs’, was a replacement for an unavailable ‘Britannia’ triangle, as did locomotives and stock off
Nos 92009, 92091, 92160, 92167 and 92223. on a Liverpool Street-Norwich service, hence terminating local services from Leeds (via
Also on shed that day were the following the suspect on the footplate. Harrogate), plus pigeon specials which arrived
steam locomotives, most of which would have D.N. Barham, from the Birmingham and North London areas
ended up on scrap lines at the rear of the shed: Newmarket, Cambridgeshire and terminated here. The former brought very
Fairburn ‘4MT’, No 42085 (reserved for (Retired driver from Cambridge shed; interesting visitors, with ‘4F’ 0-6-0s, ‘Crab’
preservation); ‘Black Fives’, Nos 44709, 44735, 46½ years footplate experience in 1993) 2-6-0s, Bo-Bo diesels, plus on one occasion, ‘2P’
44758, 44809, 44877, 44897, 44963, 45025, 4-4-0 No 40409!
45134, 45200, 45206, 45231 (reserved for * The information on the slide mounts for the two The duties of the ‘Y3’ 0-4-0 Sentinel,
preservation), 45310, 45330, 45342, 45390 and photographs on Page 713 was very vague, so No 68159 (or No 68182 if No 68159 was in
45394; BR Standard ‘4MTs’, 75009, 75019, although these are believed to be in the same area, Works or unavailable), would include all the
75020, 75027 and 75048. Plus Nos 44781, 44871, they may be several miles apart. The location given shunting required at Leyburn, which included
and 70013 Oliver Cromwell being prepared of the for the first of these views, ‘past sidings to the north the goods yard, Express dairy and the
‘Fifteen Guinea Special’, ‘B1’ No 61306 reserved of Littleport’, was concluded after the consultation considerable number of horseboxes required for
for preservation and Ivatt Mogul No 6441 in of OS maps to locate the distant electricity pylons animals to/from the nearby Middleham Stables.
crimson livery. and ‘camp’ – The Editor Mineral turns served Wensley and Redmire

Quarries each weekday, worked by West to/from Liverpool St., which was pathed just Express ‘M7’ or ‘Black Motor’ work!
Hartlepool, Newport and Middlesbrough (later behind both the Up and Down ‘Fenman’ workings. Sir: I always have a great interest in ‘M7s’ and write
Thornaby) crews, with the Northallerton-Hawes Sadly within 20 years or so both the original regarding your ‘The Final Months of the Southern
pick-up goods conveying also limestone from country termini of ‘The Fenman’ had lost their ‘M7’ 0-4-4Ts’ article in the November issue.
Redmire and Harmby quarries. entire passenger services. Being born and bred in Bournemouth, these
The loaded milk tanks from Leyburn, after Derek J. Winter, engines fussed around the Bournemouth area
arriving at Northallerton, which were usually Repton, Derby on various duties during my early ‘spotting’ days
destined for Cricklewood, would be attached (late 1950s, early 1960s).
each day to the rear of the 7.05pm Newcastle- A Different Perspective on the Cambrian However, there was a duty they covered
Bristol Mail for detaching at Derby. The local Sir: Congratulations to Rex Kennedy on your which could be classified as a short ‘express’
Cow & Gate dairy received loaded milk tanks excellent article in the October issue of Steam duty, but which over the years articles in railway
from Appleby and Carlisle, as well as dispatching Days, I thoroughly enjoyed every word, and the magazines have not mentioned.
dairy products by both passenger and freight photographs took me back over 60 years. It was When my mum allowed me to stay on
services. Cattle livestock was also received at so interesting to see it all through different eyes ‘spotting’ at Bournemouth (Central) until the
Northallerton, from Ireland for sale at local and from a different angle, I shall treasure it. early evening (home on a trolleybus, great
markets, and was also dispatched to various For us it was up at 3.00am to work the days!), at about 7.30 to 7.45pm an ‘M7’ would
destinations, including Newcastle Forth, 5.35am to Dovey Junction and back – it had take a Bournemouth (West)/Bournemouth
Stockport, Hellifield. been timed so fast we hardly had a chance to (Central)-Waterloo portion from Bournemouth
Northallerton turns, as well as local straighten our backs. Home for mid-day, tired (West) to connect with the Weymouth part at
passenger services to West Hartlepool and grimy, and early to bed to face the same Bournemouth (Central).
(mentioned earlier) and on the Wensleydale thing next morning. Then the following week, Invariably they would build up quite a speed
line, also included pick-up goods workings to working the 3.45pm to Dovey Junction and back upon reaching the outskirts of Bournemouth
Thirsk (Town), Melmerby, Jervaulx, Cowton and – home by about 11pm, while all my friends had (Central), and indeed seemed very capable of
Newport/Tees, as well as freight trains to York, been enjoying life! But there were good times. dealing with this duty. Another favourite would
Darlington and Newport/Tees. Looking back I can well imagine how you be the ‘Black Motor’ or ‘700’ class, which would
Before finishing, there are two other must have enjoyed your holidays, with so much be seen on this duty. No doubt this was after a
corrections to point out, which may have been to do along the coast, and never very far from day’s activity at Bournemouth (West) or Poole,
already advised. The first is regarding the the line. I remember Tre Pol & Pen and Cornubia, and would be an efficient way of getting the
caption to the top photograph on Page 606, the and I’m almost sure there was one named engines back to their home shed.
five ‘4F’ 0-6-0s for the Somerset & Dorset Joint Thames, thundering past our front gate, and then Harold Barnes,
Railway (S&DJR Nos 57-61 and later LMS Nos a funny-looking engine came, and William and I Bournemouth, Dorset
4557-61) were not built at Derby Works but by conjured up a name for it. It must have been the
Armstrong-Whitworth, at Scotswood Works, ‘22XX’ with the funny looking boiler! More interesting ‘J19’ and ‘J20’ work
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (these premises were one Owen Roberts, Sir: I refer to recent correspondence regarding
mile from the writer’s address) in 1922, as Pwllheli, Gwynedd ‘J19’ use at Hunstanton. In addition to using the
quoted. The second is regarding the caption to GN/GE Joint lines, this class also worked to
the splendid photograph (below ‘Trains of Penmaenpool Manchester (Ducie Street Goods Depot) and
Thought’) of ‘5XP’ 4-6-0 No 45742 Connaught at Sir: Thank you for sharing your holiday Liverpool (Huskisson) with fitted freight trains,
Birmingham (New Street) in September 1956. memories of the Cambrian Coast lines (Steam including continental ferry boat wagons from
Of the batch quoted, No 45739 only had two Days October 2014). I was especially interested Parkestone Quay – these were known in railway
very short spells allocated to Bushbury when it in the photo of Penmaenpool engine shed on jargon as ‘Sweedy One Speeds’.
would be employed on Wolverhampton-Euston Page 626, and of Churchward Mogul No 7341 On 22 August 1953, Class ‘J20/1’ No 64683
services etc. The full allocation for this leaving the station past the George Hotel on was noted on an Ely to Cambridge passenger
particular locomotive is as follows: 8 June 1960 on Page 627. Please use the train, which was most unusual.
attached photo taken from the other side of the W.D. Gee
To Crewe North 09.12.1936 (as new) line from that of No 7341, looking towards the Felixstowe, Suffolk
To Bushbury W/E 11.03.1939 station site 50 years later. There are remarkably
To Camden W/E 01.07.1939 few changes. The walk from Dolgellau (Dolgelly Opinions expressed in letters are not those of
To Bushbury W/E 17.05.1947 or Dolgelley in the steam era) to Barmouth, Redgauntlet Publications Ltd or Key Publishing Ltd
To Willesden W/E 21.06.1947 along the estuary and then across the Barmouth (or any Group Company).
To Kentish Town W/E 21.08.1948 bridge by foot is one of those not to be
(on loan) forgotten days, especially in the sunshine! Please send any letters to Tail Lamp,
To Kentish Town on 05.09.1948 I could not help wondering what the shed Steam Days Magazine,
(permanent) at Penmaenpool looked like as we walked past Redgauntlet Publications,
To Holbeck on 15.09.1948 the site – now I know. P.O. Box 2471,
To Wakefield on 07.06.1964 Malcolm Grant, Bournemouth, BH7 7WF
Withdrawn on 04.01.1967 North Harrow, Middlesex Email: [email protected]
All this information is quite a lot to digest, but

I hope it helps to keep the record straight. Many
thanks for a superb nostalgic magazine, which will
hopefully be published for many years to come.
David Tyreman
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear
‘The Fenman’
Sir: The interesting centre photo caption on
Page 715 of the November issue (for the
Page 714 view showing No. 62582 on
Cambridge shed) recorded ‘The Fenman’
working of the main portion of the train
between Hunstanton and Liverpool Street
throughout the 1950s – latterly it started at
King’s Lynn with DMU connection from and to
Hunstanton. However, the second portion was
not from Bury St. Edmunds but was ‘TC from
Wisbech (East) and March to Liverpool St’ and
joined/left the first portion at Ely. Wisbech was
known as ‘the capital of the Fens’.
There was a separate untitled working
between Bury St. Edmunds and Newmarket
Classified
Please contact Michelle Long on 01780 755 131
Wanted
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Lovely 19th century beckside B&B across from engine featured.
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gardens, a fabulous spot for watching & filming the Looking for a good home for your treasured negatives and slides?
trains from our garden, plenty of free parking, pet and
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Tel: 01751 474998 Road Bromsgrove B61 0HT
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Carpenders Park station was a favourite location for many railway photographers, the island platform serving only the DC electric-multiple-units
lines of the ex-L&NWR system to Watford and Croxley Green. Less than two miles from Watford Junction and about eight miles out from
Willesden’s massive yards, the early evening sunshine illuminates Stanier ‘8F’ No 48325 and its empty mineral train as it gains momentum upon
reaching the top of the 1 in 339 climb from Brent Junction. The scene dates from 6 October 1958, this Crewe-built 2-8-0 dating from 1944 and
serving until May 1968. In 1958/59 it was Willesden-based, Willesden having an allocation of around 130 locomotives, of which almost 30 were
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Make-up (MAY15) pkagain:Make-up (July 05) 01/04/2015 10:18 Page 1

English Industrial Steam in the 1950s in Colour

Managing Editor: Rex Kennedy 3 Trains of Thought

© KEy PUBLISHINg 2015

43 Remembering 1965 – Fifty Years On English Industrial Ste

Steam Days in Colour: (Nord). Ken Wightman

Steam in and around Reading Steam Days

Southern Continental Boat Trains

I ‘Lord Nelson’ 4-6-0s continually passed

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 5

In addition to Folkestone Harbour

Before the introduction of drive-on/drive-off

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 7

The Maunsell ‘D1’ and ‘E1’ rebuilt 4-4-0s, with

Folkestone boat trains were faced with

The Southern Railway’s boat trains were not all

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 9

During the summer of 1926, one of the NBL-

The ‘Golden Arrow’

During October 1936, the first month of the

planned for 1940 but World War II intervened.

In the summer of 1939, only a matter of weeks

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 11

Maunsell ‘King Arthur’, or ‘N15’ class 4-6-0

On 11 October 1952 the Up ‘Night Ferry’, with

platform at Newhaven Harbour didn’t go

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 13

Former LB&SCR Marsh ‘H2’ class Atlantic

With passengers for Boulogne on board, the

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 15

The sleeping cars off the ‘Night Ferry’ ship from

Ramsgate-allocated ‘Battle of Britain’ Light

A Maunsell ‘Scotch Arthur’, ‘N15’ No 30772

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 17

Claim your FREE British Railways DVD

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Choose from:  YES, I would like to subscribe to Steam Days

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British USA 12 issues  $90.00 24 issues  $162.99

• A revitalised railway Please tick: UK Direct Debit

Running time 81 minutes

WORTH £12.95 EACH

Steam Days at Rhyl

U Rhyl, on the North Wales coast, was a

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 21

A pre-Grouping RCH map of public railways

The premier passenger working through Rhyl,

way along the coast, Llandudno found itself

On 27 May 1947 a Denbigh to Rhyl train, hauled

On Sunday, 23 August 1959, BR Standard ‘4MT’

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 23

Whale’s rebuilt Webb four-cylinder Compound

Viewed from Gladstone Bridge on a wet 19 May

MAY 2015 www.steamdaysmag.co.uk 25

The Up platform at Rhyl, looking south-west in

Rhyl No 2 signal box, located at the Abergele end

The LMS goods warehouse at Rhyl still displays