'Rollout the Vaccines!' Issue Date – 1St February 2021

ISSUE Number 74

‘Rollout the Vaccines!’

st WATFORD BRANCH NEWSLETTER Issue Date – 1 February 2021

From the Chairman

elcome to this month’s issue of the Watford Branch Newsletter, the first month of 2021 having already passed W and Spring on the horizon, though it looks likely there is still some bad weather to come. Sadly, as predicted in January’s Newsletter, we only had a few days of relative ‘freedom’ before being plunged into the third lockdown, and still no end of this in sight. At least the Covid vaccination rollout seems to be going quite well, arguments with the EU notwithstanding, so some of you may have already had your first ‘jab’, and some even your second, as many of our members are amongst the first groups in line for inoculation. Your committee hopes that everyone remains safe and well and that you are all able to make the most of your enforced ‘spare’ time! As there is still little indication of anything resembling a return to something akin to ‘normal’, we will be continuing to hold our monthly branch meetings virtually, via Zoom, as per usual on the first Tuesday of each month, February’s presentation being by David Boot with ‘Ramblings of a Head Station Master’ on the 2nd. January’s meeting was the obligatory Branch AGM and instead of the traditional ‘Members’ Presentations’ following that we had a wonderful show by Rob Freeman – ‘Gems from The Casserley Photo Collection’. AGMs are not generally well-attended, especially when the weather has been poor in past years, but there were fifty-nine participants on this occasion. However, branch members were outnumbered by visitors and guests, who waited patiently for the formalities to be gone through, this taking up the first thirty minutes or so. Apart from the usual reports from Branch Officers and so on, your current committee was re-elected unanimously en bloc as all were willing to continue in their roles. The formal part of the meeting was recorded as an ‘aide memoire’ for the minutes. We then launched into Rob’s showing of photos from the Casserley collection and we were soon spellbound with scenes of Streamlined ‘Coronations’ around Berkhamsted before moving on to more distant parts of the country. There is a full report of the evening on the Watford Branch pages of the RCTS website at: https://rcts.org.uk/watford/meeting-reports/ Many thanks to Rob Freeman for a very entertaining evening and also to Mary Casserley for allowing Rob to show the photos to us.

Right: Streamlined Stanier LMS 'Princess Coronation' Class 4-6-2 No. 6243 'City of Lancaster' (with unstreamlined tender) works a northbound express from Euston during March 1947, approaching Northchurch Tunnel. Photo Copyright © H C Casserley, by kind permission of Mary Casserley.

A query from member Ken Gordon, prior to the AGM starting, concerned the accessibility of Devons Road MPD and Bow Works of the North London Railway – how far apart were they and was it possible to visit in years gone by? This elicited several replies on the night and has also inspired two of our members to respond more fully. Malcolm Grant sent some information with regard to a book on the subject and Michael Reade has produced a wonderful article (and photos) about his visits there in the 1940s and 50s. These appear later in the Newsletter and many thanks for those items. If anyone wants to know more about the North London Railway, the RCTS Thames Valley Branch has a Zoom presentation on the subject coming up on Tuesday 16th March 2021 at 19:30, by Murray Lewis.

A Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with The Charities Commission. Registered number 1169995.

If you are planning to join any of the Zoom meetings, there is now a new way of pre-registering for them, directly on the RCTS website at: https://rcts.org.uk/branches/ and scroll down to ‘Virtual Meetings’ to see all branches’ meetings. These also appear on the home page. You will need to be logged-in as a member to access the links, these are also on the relevant branch events page, such as this one on the Watford Branch page: https://rcts.org.uk/watford/events/ If you are already a member but haven’t registered on the site it’s advisable to do so – if you run into any problems, please contact David Jackman at: [email protected] If you are a non-member or visitor you are very welcome to join the meetings – please contact Rob Davidson at [email protected] for details, or the relevant officer of the branch concerned. You may notice that there is now a ‘donations are welcome’ link on the events pages of the branches too – this takes you to a PayPal page where you can donate in units of £2.00 – you do not need to have a PayPal account and other payment options are also available. Any donations go to the branch concerned, via ‘Head Office’, and will help to defray costs, some of which continue even though we cannot have physical meetings, meaning the usual source of donations has dried-up. Thanks to those of you who have already made donations to the branch. A considerable number of branches are now holding their meetings via ‘Zoom’ – this means that on some nights there is a clash and choices have to be made – this is due to most branches continuing to hold their meetings on their traditional night – this was not a concern when meetings were physical in different parts of the country but is becoming something of a problem when anyone from anywhere can join any meeting. These potential problems have already prompted the RCTS Surrey Branch to move their virtual meetings from Tuesdays to Thursdays. If you haven’t joined one of these meetings as yet, perhaps through worries about the technology, there is a simple guide available on the RCTS website (thanks to Jeremy Harrison of the Croydon & South London Branch) which can be accessed at: https://rcts.org.uk/croydon/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/07/Zoom-Simple-Meeting- Instructions_V3.pdf there is no need to be logged-in as a member in order to read this guide. You will be made most welcome at a meeting and helped out if you still have queries or misgivings. We look forward to seeing you all, members, non-members, visitors, and guests! Many thanks to David Jackman for setting-up and running these meetings on everyone’s behalf. Next month’s meeting by Zoom, on Tuesday 2nd March 2021 at 19:30, will be another of Bernie Holland’s presentations, this one entitled ‘This is Luxury I Can’t Afford’, covering Pullman Trains and other ‘Posh-Ex’ workings and promises to be another treat. We have the usual mix of articles in this Newsletter, mostly from the same authors, though with some welcome additions. Rob Freeman brings us more from Australia and you will also find the answers to the photo quiz submitted by James Milne in the January edition – I hope you will have done well in working these out! Included is the last part of Humphrey Gillott’s articles on Open Days around the country – and also the first of another series from Humphrey. Once again, many thanks to all the contributors this time. Also as usual is the reminder that if you have any material you would like to submit, please do get in contact with me at [email protected] – thanks in anticipation.

Geoff Plumb, Chairman, RCTS Watford Branch

Left: Another reminder by Rob Davidson of the days when it was still possible to travel overseas… NSB No. 75554 at Oslo Central station, looking outwards from Platform 16 at 15:30 on Saturday 8th September 2018.

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Railway Exhibitions Part 9, Open Days at Chart Leacon, Ashford, Kent, between 1971 and 1973, by Humphrey Gillott

Right: Former South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) Wainwright Class O1 0-6-0 No. 65 (Former BR No. 31065) with two Pullman carriages, shunts up and down the yard.

Left: ‘Shades of Green’.

Above Right: Former South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) Wainwright Class H 0-4-4T No. 263 (Former BR No. 31263) shunts up and down the yard with a Former SECR Birdcage carriage.

Above: No. 65 shunts light up and down the yard.

Right: No. 65 and No. 263 make a ‘Double-headed’ run-past along the yard.

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Left: A former NORD 4-6-0 locomotive, SNCF No. 230 D 116, which is attached to a former Southern Region electric Double- Decker carriage.

Right: Another photograph of the NORD 4-6-0 locomotive, with the Double-Decker carriage. The engine is a 4-cylinder de Glehn - du Bousquet compound, NORD No. 3.628, and is now back in France, at Longueville, see: http://ajectathefrenchsteam.unblog.fr/nord-3628-3628-sncf- 230-d-116-french-ten-wheels/

Above: Rebuilt Bulleid ‘Merchant Navy’ 4-6-2 No. 35028 Clan Line outside the rather decrepit depot building.

Right: Former Norwegian Railways 2-6-0 No. 377 King Haakon VII.

Once again, thanks to Humphrey – that winds up Humphrey’s ‘Railway Exhibitions’ series, but there is more from him later in the newsletter, including the start of a new series.

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New South Wales 46 Class, by Rob Freeman

Part One

Following on from my last article about the XPT, here is one about an earlier British export to Australia. This class of 40 1500 dc electric locos was built by Metropolitan Vickers/Beyer, Peacock at their Bowesfield Works in Stockton-on- Tees in 1956-58 with experience gained from building the EM1s and EM2s, so they were cousins of our Woodhead locos. On arrival in NSW, they were used initially on the newly electrified route west from Sydney over the Blue Mountains to Lithgow and later, as electrification progressed, on the northern route to Gosford and later Broadmeadow (Newcastle) and on the southern route to Port Kembla. At first they were used on both passenger and freight workings, but as more and more EMUs were introduced, they gradually became freight only. They were solidly built 3,400hp locomotives, numbered 4601-4640 and lasted, apart from a couple of accident victims, into the 1990s, the last going in January 1996. The main reason for withdrawal then was a change in policy by National Rail, who deemed it uneconomic to switch from diesel to electric power for the relatively short distances (in Australian terms!) around Sydney. More recently 1980s built classes 85 (10 locos) and 86 (50 locos-nothing to do with the UK ones of the same class numbers!) lasted only a few years longer.

Here is 4602 with a classmate at Delec depot, Sydney, in August 1990. The locos are in Tuscan Red livery, the NSWG Railways colours of the 1960-80s. The name of this depot comes simply from amalgamating the words Diesel and Electric and was situated near the extensive Enfield goods yard. As the name implies, it serviced both diesel and electric locos, but it is now closed. All Photos Copyright © Rob Freeman.

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Left: As can be seen here on 4606, there were livery variations. Delec, August 1990 again.

Right: This is 4628 in the new livery introduced in the mid-1980s, called Candy. As these were freight locos, many of the ones I saw were in filthy external condition, as seen here at Delec. Two more 46s behind are still in Tuscan.

Left: Slightly cleaner is the middle one of these three seen at Port Kembla. Note that 4608 is fitted with a more modern pantograph. The line to here had only recently been electrified, so these locos only worked here for six years or so before being withdrawn.

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Right: Here is a view inside Cardiff Workshops in August 1990. Cardiff is a suburb of Newcastle. (It is fun to look at a map of Oz and see familiar British place names scattered about!) The loco is 4639 and it is being put into plain red livery- ‘Red Terror’. The loco behind is an experimental machine of two Caterpillar-engined 47 Class (nothing to do with Brush!) diesels being merged into one.

Left: In 1991 the first examples were withdrawn as surplus to requirements and here 4635 is looking very sorry for itself at Everleigh in August 1991.

Right: 4606, which we saw above a year previously, has been put into the new Freight Corps livery, but is already filthy at the head of a line of even filthier examples! The number is enormous, even bigger than those on BR Large Logo livery. Also in the photo is a pair of Japanese-designed 86 Class, referred to in my introduction.

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Left: Here at Hornsby in the morning sunshine we see a triple-headed container train heading for Sydney. The gradients around Sydney in every direction are quite formidable, so with the increased loads of modern freight trains, multiple lash-ups like this are essential. Hornsby is an important junction where the North Shore suburban line via the Harbour Bridge meets the main line from Sydney via Strathfield. August 1991.

Right: 4629 heads a classmate on a ‘wheatie’ at the exit from Enfield Yard, Sydney. A long walk was needed to get here (and to Delec!) from the nearest station, as this is a freight-only line. The graffiti in the dirt says it all! August 1991.

Left: Moving on a couple of years and here is a respectably clean trio in Broadmeadow (Newcastle) yard, the northernmost part of the electrification where at the time there was a changeover to diesel traction. With through working of diesels, the importance of the yard has diminished, and the loco shed has been closed. Again, an 86 class has got into shot.

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As with my XPT article, we finish at the Hawkesbury River Bridge and see 4639 again, in ‘Red Terror’ livery after its visit to Cardiff Workshops, on a Sydney-bound freight, presumably of empties as there is only the one loco; the very steep Cowan bank is just ahead, so it may well be about to take on banking assistance! August 1993.

No less than six of the class have been preserved - 4601/02/15/17/27/38, though none are currently in working order. I have more photos of these locos, so Part Two should appear next time.

Once again, many thanks to Rob!

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Peter Shere sent in a few photos recently and here is one of them – entitled ‘Royalty mixes with Second Class’.

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Devons Road Engine Shed and Bow Works, by Michael Reade

During our last Watford Branch Zoom meeting, on 5th January 2021, Ken Gordon raised a couple of queries regarding the above. I would like to offer some extra information and personal observations from 1946 until 1957. I apologise in advance if my fading memory is inaccurate, but to the best of my belief my points are valid.

Devons Road was the North London Railway shed a short distance from Bow Works, which was the NLR works employing 750 staff in its heyday, reducing to 150 just before closure in 1960, when its workload transferred to Derby. The works were rebuilt in 1882 and the last locomotive was constructed in 1906. The LNWR took over the working of the NLR on 1st February 1909 and full amalgamation took place from 1922 and, of course, became the LMS on Grouping in 1923. Bow became responsible for the maintenance of the 13 Division (L T & S) locomotives in 1927 when the older and inferior cramped works at Plaistow were closed.

Devons Road shed was coded 13B by the LMS, but on the transfer of the former L T & S 13 Division to the Eastern Region by 1950, it was moved into the Willesden Division as 1D. This was logical as it was a freight MPD, with trip duties and shunting in Docklands together with inter-regional freights to the north and south. I remember it as a very tidy place with no piles of ash as at Willesden! The majority of the working fleet in later LMS and BR days comprised LMS 3F 0-6-0Ts and some of the remaining NLR 0-6-0Ts, used on the lightly laid lines serving the docks. Jinty Heaven for Jinty lovers! 1D was the first steam shed to switch to all diesel traction, being closed to steam in August 1958. Several published sources quote 1956 as the date, but this is ‘fake history’ as the new incumbents were not even built by then!

From my personal observations, Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Bank Holidays were preferable for ‘unofficial’ visits as the area was deserted and I was never challenged. The only drawback was finding Bow Works locked up after the short walk down the goods lines from the shed. Sometimes a personnel door leading into the erecting shop (which could hold up to fifteen engines, if I remember correctly) would be unlocked, otherwise you had to squint through a clear window pane to see if you could spot a cop - one with a chimney rather than a truncheon! The main interest was the wide area from which engines would be drawn for repairs and as with other sheds adjacent to works, the yard would host ex-works and awaiting works locos, particularly over the weekend.

My first visit was as a fourteen year old schoolboy on Friday 9th August 1946. This was during the works’ annual holiday shutdown and a door was open. My surviving notes only record cops and do not show which were in works or shed. Noted were Nos. 160 (16A) Stanier 3P 2-6-2T, 505 (22C) Fowler 2P 4-4-0, a long time S & D resident, Tilbury 4-4-2Ts 2106/28/35/7/47, which shortly after became 41923/46//53/5/65 to make way for the new Fairburn 2-6-4Ts, 41983/90 Tilbury 0-6-2Ts and 2530 Stanier 3-cyl. 2-6-4T (all 13A), 2133 (41951 -13C), 2577 (2A) Stanier 2-cyl. 2-6-4T, 3243 (19B), 3502 (3C), Deeley 3F 0-6-0s, 3874 (16D), 3930/4048 (17B), Fowler 4F 0-6-0s, 7397 (3B) 7315/489/92/515/63 ‘Jinties’, 27217 (58865 ex-NLR 0-4-2ST Crane Engine), 27510/514 (58852/5) ex-NLR 0-6-0Ts - all 13B.

Saturday 27th January 1947 produced only 2141 (13A) (41959) in works and 461 (5C) Fowler 2P 4-4-0, 3655 (2C) Deeley 3F 0-6-0, 7378 (2A), 7491/8/59 ‘Jinties’, 27512/20 (58853/8) (all 13B) and 27525 (6C) in the shed and yards. This ex- NLR 0-6-0T from Birkenhead was withdrawn in March 1948 without being allocated a BR number.

Monday 26th May saw 412 (2C) Fowler 2P 4-4-0, 2114/32 (41932/50), 2529 (13A), 2521 (13D) Stanier 3-cyl. 2-6-4Ts, 4139 (21A), 4544 (26A) 4F 0-6-0s, 8378 (16C) and 8541 (19A) 8F 2-8-0s in works, and 2112/27(41930/45) (13A) 3859(16B) 4301(5E) 4F 0-6-0s, 7411/88/94/5/99 (13B) ‘Jinties’ and 27513 (58854) (6C) on shed - another dock tank from Birkenhead, lasting until being withdrawn from 1D in November 1956.

Monday 4th August produced Nos. 500 (17B) Fowler 2P, 3250 (20C), 3406 (18D) Deeley 3F 0-6-0s, 3905 (17C), 4191(18B) 4F 0-6-0s, 7404 (8A) ‘Jinty’ and 22976 (58155) (20E) on works. This Johnson 2F 0-6-0 from Manningham was certainly a surprise. Visitors noted on shed included 517 (21B) 2P 4-4-0, 1360 (58062) (13A) Johnson 0-4-4T and 2093 (41911) (16A).

The works on Friday 26th December 1947 contained two Deeley 3Fs, 3658 (17A) and 3682 (17C). Farewell LMS…

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Only one record for 1948 - 27th December – 41958 (16D) on shed - a Tilbury Atlantic tank returned from exile at Mansfield.

18th April 1949 saw Nos. 2107 (41924), 41926 (15A), 58149 (15D) and 58859 (13B) in works.

Forward to 1951 - Sunday 11th March. Noted on shed were; 40420 (4B), 43001/20/2/4 (1D) and 47649 (5C) with 41940 (16D), 43021 (1D), 43786 (3C), (4)7286 (2B), 47428 (14B) and 58295 (3D) in works. Then a visit to Bromley Gas Works to see L & Y Pugs Nos. 51207 and 51253 on hire to North Thames Gas Board! 51253 was allocated to 1D from February to May 1951 but 51207 did not appear to have been reallocated on paper, having come down from Goole and moved on later to Aintree.

Sunday 8th August 1954 found 43795 (18A) and a North British diesel hydraulic 27415/54* (not carrying a B.R. number) on shed.

Sunday June 28th 1956 saw recently allocated Stanier 0-4-0ST No. 47007 on shed.

Sunday August 11th 1957 was my final visit to the shed (the works was locked) and I made a complete list of residents as the new era had commenced and 1D was earmarked for closure to steam. Seen were 40501 (3C), 41988 (33A), 43020/1/4 (1D), 43995 (15A), 44110 (35C), 44441 (1D), 44472 (16A), 47007 (1D, in store but went to Derby in September), 47164, 47286/302/4/7/10/4/5/49/482/3/6/8/95/7/9/501/11/4/5/7/8/59/60/1/4, 58857/9, D8000/1/2/4 (all 1D). D8000/1 are still with us. What other shed could produce a Sunday congregation of 25 ‘Jinties’?

So it will be seen that these two places could be relied upon to produce an interesting variety of motive power in steam days.

* NBL No. 27415 of 1954 was an 0-4-0DH (4wdh) of its ‘Mark 1’ diesel shunter design and was not taken into BR stock – it was used at Esso’s Fawley Refinery, where it was named ‘Tiger’, presumably as in the ‘put a tiger in your tank’ advertising campaign in the 1960s. It is now preserved by the SRPS and details can be seen here: http://www.srpsmuseum.org.uk/10016.htm

Michael was also able to provide some photos from one of his visits noted above:

Below: LNWR Ex-NLR 0-6-0T No. 58857 stabled at Devons Road MPD, Bow, on Sunday 11th August 1957. Note the loco is carrying yard pilot headcode lamps (one red lamp and one white lamp), not a Class 1 headcode! All Photos Copyright © Michael Reade.

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Left: A general view of Devons Road MPD, Bow, looking south, on Sunday 11th August 1957. Engines visible are, from left to right; 58857, 41988, 47486 and 44441. The block of flats beyond the shed is Brushwood House, the other side of the ‘Limehouse Cut’ canal – the top floors must have provided a grandstand view of the shed area!

Right: Former LT&SR 0-6-2T No. 41988 is stabled on shed at Devons Road MPD, Bow, on Sunday 11th August 1957, alongside the tenders of a couple of Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0s.

Left: Former Midland Railway Fowler 4F 0-6-0 No. 43995 sits on shed at Devons Road MPD, Bow, on Sunday 11th August 1957. This was one of the class fitted with right-hand drive.

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Right: Fowler LMS 4F 0-6-0 No. 44441 sits in the shed yard at Devons Road MPD, Bow, on Sunday 11th August 1957. It is carrying duty or roster board No. 7 – is anyone able to cast any light on what this diagram may have been?

Left: English Electric Type 1 Bo-Bo Diesel Electric No. D8004 heads a down (westbound) Class 9 mixed goods train as it passes through Caledonian Road & Barnsbury station on the former North London Railway. The engine was almost brand new, having entered service on 9th August 1957, allocated to Devons Road MPD at Bow. It is working nose-first and carries a duty or roster board 'A' which may denote its route and destination. As it is running on the electrified tracks, it may have originated at Broad Street Goods station and could be en route to Willesden, on Saturday 17th August 1957. Again, can anyone help on what the meaning of the ‘A’ board was?

Thanks to Michael for submitting this article and photos in response to Ken Gordon’s query.

Malcolm Grant also responded with information from an HMSO book based upon material from the National Railway Museum and published in 1979 by HMSO – ‘The North London Railway, a Pictorial Record’ This includes route maps and also a detailed map of the Devons Road and Bow Works area. It is still available from the usual sources, including this one: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780112902737/North-London-Railway-Pictorial-Record-0112902731/plp

You may recall that Jeremy Harrison flagged up the NLS (National Library of Scotland) online maps at the meeting, and this is a resource your editor has used extensively for some time as it is extremely useful.

The appropriate maps for this area can be seen at: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=51.52358&lon=-0.01770&layers=163&right=BingHyb

This shows the area in about 1895 on the left half of the screen and exactly the same area as it is now on the right half of the screen - wherever you move the cursor on one screen, it is matched on the other. You can scroll in any direction and zoom in and out and also choose various different scale maps on the left and various different types of map on the right, including satellite images. Enjoy, as the saying goes!

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‘Steam locomotives now preserved, photographed while working for British Railways’, Part 7. By Humphrey Gillott.

Left: Un-rebuilt Bulleid ‘West Country’ Pacific 4-6-2 No. 34007 Wadebridge at Woking with a semi-fast to Basingstoke on Saturday 17th April 1965.

Right: BR Standard Class 8P 4-6-2 No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester awaiting preservation at Crewe South MPD (5B) in the company of Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44821 on Saturday 27th May 1967.

Left: Stanier Class 5 4-6-0s; Nos. left to right: 45407 (now preserved); 44877 and 44950 at Speke Junction MPD Liverpool, on Monday 29th May 1967.

Right: BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No. 73156 reverses towards Bolton Trinity Street station on Thursday 20th July 1967.

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Left: Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45428 inside Leeds Holbeck MPD (55A) on Sunday August 13th 1967.

Above Right: Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44781 at Rose Grove MPD (10F) on Monday 15th July 1968. With sister loco 44871 she hauled the ‘Fifteen Guinea’ Special 1T57, for the leg of the journey from Carlisle to Manchester Victoria, on Sunday 11th August 1968. Very sadly, 44781 was ‘trashed’ during the making of the film, ‘Virgin Soldiers’, which was released on 15th October 1969.

Once more, a big thank you to Humphrey!

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James Milne’s Photo Quiz – Answers

James Milne set a photo quiz in last month’s newsletter with a series of photos of various locomotives’ motion and asking for the identity of each class and, if possible, the loco number and location. Apart from the photos, the only other clue was the date the photo was taken.

The answers are below, together with my own reasoning to try to work out loco numbers and locations – not entirely successful!

Photo No. 1 - October 2009

Class of loco – BR Standard 9F 2-10-0. The only two around in working order during October 2009 were Nos. 92203 based on the GWSR and 92212 on the Bluebell, but that doesn't preclude visits to other lines, of course, which also applies to the other photos below.

And the answer is:

BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92212, 2nd October 2009, at Ropley, Mid-Hants Railway.

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Photo No. 2 - September 2016

Class of loco - BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T. Rather more choices here for September 2016: 80072 at the Llangollen Railway, 80080 on the East Lancs, 80104 at the Swanage Railway, 80136 NYMR based and 80151 on the Bluebell.

And the answer is:

BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80136. 30th September 2016. Pickering, NYMR.

Photo No. 3 - December 2019

Class of loco - GWR 'Small Prairie' 2-6-2T. Two candidates here: 5526 and 5542, both on the South Devon Railway.

And the answer is:

GWR ‘Small Prairie’ 2-6-2T No. 5526. 23rd December 2019. Chinnor, C&PR Railway.

Photo No. 4 - October 2016

Class of loco - BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0. Only one around in October 2016 that I could find, No. 75078 on the K&WVR.

And the answer is:

BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75078. 2nd October 2016. Keighley, K&WVR.

Photo No. 5 - August 2019 Class of loco - Hunslet 'Austerity' (or other builder) 0-6-0ST (or perhaps Hunslet 18" 0-6-0ST). I trawled all sorts of websites etc. trying to find this one - but couldn't find a suitable candidate with three sets of footsteps, most only have two, so failed dismally here!

And the answer is:

WD Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 3193. 19th August 2019. Wansford, Nene Valley Railway. The full photo from which this was cropped appears later in the newsletter. Photo No. 6 - February 2009 Class of loco - Unrebuilt Bulleid 'Light Pacific', BoB or WC. Again, several candidates here: 34007 on the Mid-Hants, 34067 (Mainline?), 34072 at the Swanage Railway, 34081 on the Nene Valley Railway and 34092 on the East Lancs.

And the answer is:

BoB 4-6-2 No. 34067 Tangmere, 14th February 2009. Yeovil Junction shed. Hertfordshire Railtours, ‘The Somerset Explorer’, London to Yeovil and return.

I hope that you all enjoyed that challenge from James, though he has not received many replies - perhaps you’re all still scratching your heads deep in thought. Humphrey Gillott and I appear to be front runners at the moment…

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As mentioned earlier, Humphrey Gillott has now finished his articles on open days in times past. However, he is now starting on a new series of photo articles entitled ‘Let’s Visit - xyz123’, with Part 1 of the first visit commencing below.

In the meantime, if anyone has any material along similar lines to Humphrey’s Open Day visits, or memories of shed bashes or railway days out, preferably with photos but not obligatory, please do get in touch with me at: [email protected] Thanks in anticipation!

‘Let’s Visit – Old Oak Common’ Part 1, by Humphrey Gillott

These visits to Old Oak Common were official visits to help prepare No. 34067 Tangmere and No. 850 Lord Nelson for their respective specials on the days following my visits.

Left: Class 56 No. 56074 and Class 37 No. 37419 stand stored at the entrance to the Depot where once one of the Roundhouses stood, on a beautiful sunny Thursday 15th March 2007. All photos in this article are Copyright © Humphrey Gillott.

Right: Stored locos: EWS Class 37 No. 37694; an unidentified ‘loadhaul’ Class 56 together with another Class 56 No. 56133, on 15th March 2007.

Left: From left to right, a former ‘Fertis’ Class 56 No. 56081; a Class 66 inside the building and beyond is one of the ‘Royal’ Class 67s, which together with sister locomotive in front of it, have just been prepared for Royal Train duties, on 15th March 2007.

Right: A view from inside the Inspection Saloon, Racal Belle, on 15th March 2007. This LMS designed but 1959 built coach is No. 999503, now preserved on the Great Central Railway.

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Left: A Class 50 and a ‘Western’ Class 52 awaiting attention inside one of the workshops, on 15th March 2007.

Right: A Class 47 together with a ‘Shark’ Brake Van, on 15th March 2007.

Left: At the entrance to the Depot stands ‘Fertis’ Class 56 No. 56074; behind and to the left is ‘Fertis’ Class 56 No. 56032 and to the right; ‘Fertis’ Class 56 No. 56113; Class 56 No. 56037 in EWS livery and ‘Fertis’ Class 56 No. 56081, on Tuesday 24th April 2007.

Right: Inside the shed in rather difficult lighting, Un-rebuilt Bulleid ‘Battle of Britain’ Pacific 4-6-2 No. 34067 Tangmere is being prepared for the Steam Dreams' ‘Cathedrals Express’ Rail Tour the following day from London Victoria to Battle, Sussex, and return, on Tuesday 24th April 2007.

Thanks Humphrey!

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‘World Steam’ Tour of Java, 1973, by Geoff Plumb – Part 5

On Wednesday 25th July 1973, Madiun shed was host scrapping, or simply rusting away. We were given an to quite a lot of engines, including the first of the escorted tour of the works and the first sighting was of 2-4-0s, B50 01, some of the shed staff posed for the 2-12-2T No. F10 11 waiting in front of 0-4-2T B27 01, cameras alongside the wood-burner as they prepared though whether for repair or scrap was not known. her for another day’s work. Now in better lighting conditions than the day before, more pictures of 4-6-2 No. C53 05 were obtained; the D52 in front of her seemed to have gained the tender from another C53.

In somewhat awkward lighting conditions, ex-works 4-6-4T No. C27 32 is being shunted by 0-4-2T No. B27 05 alongside the traverser pit at Madiun Works. Although repainted, the 4-6-4T still has to have its motion refitted before going back Above: Despite being apparently dead when seen at into service. Wednesday 25th July 1973. The engine was built Ponorogo the previous evening, 2-4-0 No. B50 12 has now by Werkspoor, Works No. 476 of 1920. turned up at Madiun, having worked the early train up the branch. After coming on shed the engine is now alongside the 0-4-2T No. B27 05 was in steam as the works shunter woodpile to be refuelled, on Wednesday 25th July 1973. No. and looked as though it had been through the works B50 12 was built by Sharp Stewart, Works No. 3195 of 1884. recently for attention. 4-6-4T No. C27 32 was also ex- works and newly repainted, though still awaiting its 4-4-0 No. B53 07 was doing some shunting around the motion to be fully refitted. station area, making up a train of oil tank wagons, so for Java this was a pretty busy scene!

Apart from the DD52 Class of 2-8-8-0 Mallets, of which we had already been lucky enough to see No. DD52 03 working, Madiun Works shunter, 0-4-2T No. B27 05 (Hartmann, Works there were two earlier series of big Mallets of Classes DD50 No. 3536 of 1912), is shunting 0-8-0T No. D11 09 (ex-Works) and DD51. The eight locos of Class DD50 were built by Alco at the front of a line of rolling stock and locos on the internal in 1916 and the twelve of Class DD51 by Alco in 1919. By this works lines. Note the end of the traverser pit on the left, for time, it seems all the DD50s had been scrapped but a few of access to other works lines. Wednesday 25th July 1973. the DD51s remained in various places in varying states of

dereliction. This one, DD51 03, is in not too bad a state We then moved to the adjacent works area, where dumped within the confines of the works at Madiun. It is Alco locos were still being overhauled on an occasional Works No. 58725 of 1919. Wednesday 25th July 1973. basis, though many others were dumped awaiting Page | 19

A couple of the older batch of big Mallets (built by Alco seemed to be working back light engines to their home in 1919) of Class DD51 2-8-8-0s were dumped along depot, whereabouts unknown (Lestari?)! with much smaller tank and tender engines, most were for scrap and some had been there for years, quietly rusting away. In some cases, the engines could hardly be seen as the local flora grew over and around them. Nevertheless, engines were being worked on and sent back into traffic, not a common occurrence by 1973!

En route from Madiun to Kertosono, we came across another sugar line, perhaps Lestari? If so, this was another 700mm gauge system and their No. 7 is an Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-4-0T Mallet, Works No. 11542 of 1920. It is fitted with an auxiliary tender full of logs, while the loco behind, an unidentified 0-8-0T No. 15, has an auxiliary tender both in front and behind! Wednesday 25th July 1973.

On our arrival at Kertosono, one of the massive 2-12-2Ts, No. F10 08, was there to greet us in the station. For such a large engine, the water carrying capacity looked ridiculously small, so presumably they didn’t have much range!

0-6-0T No. C19 12 looks in reasonable condition, the brass cap of its chimney still has a little shine to it, but the engine’s motion is missing, so there is presumably not much hope as it sits in the works yard area at Madiun, Wednesday 25th July 1973. This was the last built of twelve engines by Hartmann One of the massive Class F10 2-12-2Ts, No. F10 08, is sitting from 1898 to 1902, Works No. 2790. at the head of a train at Kertosono station, but apparently in no great rush to go anywhere. Though having quite large Having photographed as much as we could within the bunkers, the side tanks of these engines were pretty small, so rather cramped confines of the works yard, we the range might not have been too great. This engine was th expressed our thanks to the authorities and returned built by Hanomag, Works No. 6819 of 1913. Wednesday 25 July 1973. to our bus, to continue our itinerary eastwards towards

Kertosono. 2-8-2 No. D52 073 was photographed starting away We came across another sugar railway, where from Kertosono with a mixed train to Kediri, passing 0-8-0T No. 12 Willis trundled along on roadside tracks the wonderful signal box on stilts as it did so. This with empty wagons. It had a wondrous auxiliary tender looked as though it could have come straight from converted from a sugar wagon, complete with logs and somewhere on the North Eastern Railway! water tank. We also encountered a pleasing little

0-4-4-0T Mallet, No. 7, another engine with an auxiliary tender. No. 7 was accompanied by No. 15, an 0-8-0T with an auxiliary tender at both ends! They both

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It didn’t seem that anything else was likely to happen in the immediate future, so we continued in the bus towards Tulungagung and Blitar, noting another sugar line en route, possibly Ngadirejo. Here, another 0-4-4-0T Mallet No. 177 (Orenstein & Koppel No. 5114 of 1911), was trundling alongside the road with a train bursting at the seams with sugar cane, the engine looking very spick and span in its yellow and red livery.

2-8-2 No. D52 073 starts away from Kertosono with a mixed train to Kediri, passing the wonderful signal box 'A' on stilts as it does so. This looks as though it could have come straight from somewhere on the North Eastern Railway! The loco is fitted with a tender from a C53 Class Pacific, No. C53 18. Wednesday 25th July 1973.

After noting that some of the staff at the shed were busy bulling-up the copper-capped chimney and repainting the front numberplate of 4-4-0 No. B53 01, another 2-12-2T No. F10 05 was photographed on We called in At Tulungagung station, where another shed. Classmate F10 08 was still sitting at the head of 0-4-0Tr No. B19 09 was simmering below the water its train in the station and still showing no signs of going tower in the afternoon sunshine, but once again, there anywhere, so we moved on southwards towards Kediri, was little sign of any activity. We continued to the following D52 073. depot at Blitar, where 4-6-4T No. C28 29 was sitting by We managed to arrive at Kediri before D52 073 the log pile in the lengthening shadows of evening, and were able to record its arrival into the station, presumably between bouts of frenzied action…. Also, noting that it was fitted with the tender form 4-6-2 No. seemingly locked up for the night in Blitar shed, B19 01 C53 18. Already in the station was a tram engine, and C28 34 were behind barred gates until the 0-4-0Tr No. B17 07, waiting departure time with its following morning. train for Pare – this was a mixed train of passenger stock and a motley collection of old tenders and tanks, presumably of water, to be dropped off en route! It duly departed at 14:01, whilst the 2-8-2 was still taking water.

No. C28 29 was one of a batch of thirty engines built by Henschel in 1921, Works No. 18183.

I’m not sure where we stayed that night, probably somewhere in Malang, as the following morning of Having made its main line connection with D52 073 (now Thursday 26th July 1973 found us bright and early at taking water in the background) and its train from Malang loco depot, to find out what, if anything, was Kertosono, 0-4-0Tr No. B17 07 gets its mixed train on the going on! Sitting in the early morning sun were a couple move from Kediri station, heading the 14:01 train down the more of the 2-12-2Ts, Nos. F10 07 and F10 13, also an branch to Pare. The main line southwards towards Blitar is in 0-8-0T No. D11 03 and classmate D11 05 inside the th the foreground. Wednesday 25 July 1973. No. B17 07 was shed. D11 03 had a sort of ‘mud poultice’ around its built by Hohenzollern, Works No. 1051 of 1897. smokebox door, presumably to keep it airtight!

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In the background, 2-12-2T No. F10 13 has its smokebox door open, while in the foreground 0-8-0T No. D11 03 has its One of the remarkable 2-12-2Ts of Class F10, No. F10 05, has smokebox door sealed with a mud poultice! Early morning at just arrived at Malang with the 04:00 mixed train from Blitar Malang shed, alongside the station, on Thursday 26thJuly and is now on the turntable (or is it the water table?) at the 1973. The engine was built by Hohenzollern, No. 4072 of depot on the morning of Thursday 26th July 1973. 1920. It was time to move on once more, this time eastwards We discovered that the early morning (04:00) train again towards Lumadjang, a junction on a minor line from Blitar, due to arrive in Malang at 06:30, had not running south from Klakah. En route we managed yet arrived so we decamped from the shed area to find some shots of another 0-8-0T, No. D11 08, which a suitable lineside location, eventually photographing despite its mud-sealed smokebox door, had been F10 05 and its mixed train arriving into Malang at coaxed into life and was working a small freight around 08:00. alongside the road on the branch from Dampit.

D11 08 is an 0-8-0T, built by Hohenzollern, No. 4088 of 1921. The 2-12-2Ts of Class F10 were pretty amazing machines, The whole class of eleven engines was based at Malang with a seemingly endless array of wheels! F10 05 is working depot in East Java and this loco is seen near Gadang, around the 04:00 mixed train from Blitar to Malang, approaching 7Kms from Malang, working along the branch from Dampit, Malang at around 08:00 (it was due to arrive at 06:30!), in though the line seemed to be disused beyond Krebet. Note lovely morning light. Twenty-eight of these engines were the smokebox door has a sort of mud poultice around it to built in several batches by Hanomag and Werkspoor from keep it airtight! Thursday 26th July 1973. 1912 to 1920, this one by Hanomag in 1913, Works No. 6816. th Thursday 26 July 1973. On the way towards Lumadjang we skirted the southern slopes of Gunung Semeru, at 3,676 metres It was then a quick dash back to the station and depot (12,060 feet) the highest mountain in Java and an to see the loco go on-shed for turning and servicing; the active volcano. There were indeed small plumes of turntable pit being flooded made for some nice smoke and steam emanating from the summit and we reflection shots as it was turned. The rather cramped stopped to photograph this and also take some location and huge engine meant it was quite difficult to landscape shots eastwards across the southern coastal get everything in the shots. The engine crew and shed plains far below the road, out into the Indian Ocean. staff seemed to hugely enjoy the attention they were getting! (Photo top left of next page)

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place of any size being Djember, our next destination for another overnight stay.

By a stroke of wonderful planning (or more likely sheer good luck!) we arrived alongside the line from Klakah A log flies through the air as 2-12-2T No. F10 10 sits alongside to Lumadjang and Pasirian in time to witness the the woodpile at Klakah shed, being refuelled as some of the passing of the 13:25 train from Klakah as it trundled locals look on. Thursday 26th July 1973. through the paddy fields near Sukodono. The train comprised one bogie coach, hauled by a bunkerfirst We moved on to Djember (where the sign on the CC10 Class 2-6-6-0T Mallet, No. CC10 03. Nevertheless, station building had already been changed to the more it made for some good shots with reflections in the modern spelling of Jember), where there was at least paddy fields, the odd water buffalo around and the some activity in the early evening, just before sunset. A bulk of Mount Lamongan (Gunung Tarub) strato- D50 Class 2-8-0, No. D50 38, was doing a spot of volcano in the background. This was a mere tiddler in shunting around the station area, on Thursday 26th July comparison with Semeru, only some 1,651 metres in 1973. height (5,417 feet), but still very impressive as it rises This was as far east in Java that we managed to more or less from sea-level. go, the following morning, after the usual photos around the station and shed area (where D50 38 was still shunting!), we commenced the long return journey westwards to Djakarta via the lines on the northern side of the island.

We now turned northwards to head for Klakah, where the engine shed had an air of general dereliction about it as an unidentified CC10 stood in the yard, F10 02 plus a classmate sat by the shed and CC10 26 was inside. None of them looked as though they had turned a PNKA Class D50 2-8-0 No. D50 38 (with the tender from wheel for some time! With the dreaded red ‘X’ on the classmate D50 34) shunts in the station area at Djember in cabside, 2-6-0T C12 11 was also unlikely ever to work East Java. Some 68 members of this class were built by again, sitting forlornly awaiting its fate. F10 10 was Hanomag, Hartmann, SLM and Werkspoor, this one by Hanomag in 1921, Works No. 9583. Friday 27th July 1973. being refuelled, however, logs flying through the air between log pile and loco bunker as the staff got down Most tourists in this part of Java were on their way to to work. Klakah was on the main line that ran Bali - we had to tell people we had no desire to go there southwards from Probolinggo and then turned as it had no railways, though a new rail scheme is under eastwards out to the far eastern area of Java, the next consideration at the moment…

To be continued… Page | 23

Here is the full frame of ‘Photo No. 5’ in James Milne’s quiz.

'Austerity' 0-6-0ST (IC) No. WD 3193 sits outside the shed at Wansford Station on the Nene Valley Railway on 19th August 2019. It was built by Hunslet, Works No. 3193 of 1944, originally numbered WD 75142 and later WD 140, it is now named Norfolk Regiment. Photo Copyright © James Milne.

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Your Monthly ‘Eye-Popper’!

After arriving at Birmingham Moor Street as 1R37, the 13:15 from Marylebone with 67010 leading the train, DVT No. 82304 is at the London end in Platform 3 during the layover until departing as 1H69, the 15:55 to Marylebone, catching the lowering sun at 15:18 on Wednesday 22nd January 2014.

The photos are a ‘Cross Stereo Pair’, and thus when looked at correctly, form a 3D image. In order to view these images, sit well back from your screen, look at the join between the two photos and then attempt to go ‘cross-eyed’, focusing your eyes just beyond the end of your nose as it were. It takes some practice, but eventually the two images will merge in the middle and produce the 3D image in the centre (you will still see images to the left and right of the 3D image). Once you have got it, yours eyes will ‘lock-on’ and you can look around inside the image. Enjoy, but don't strain your eyes! Once your eyes have ‘locked-on’, you can hide the side images by holding your hands up a few inches in front of your face with a gap of a couple of inches between them. Unfortunately, the technique used for producing the image cannot be used for moving trains! Photo Copyright © Geoff Plumb.

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That’s all folks, for this month’s Newsletter, I hope you have enjoyed it!

Please do get in touch with me at [email protected] if you have any material that you would like to submit for publication.

Geoff Plumb, Chairman, RCTS Watford Branch

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