Standard Class-4 Mogul 2-6-0 76053 sits in the freight yard at Weymouth.Seen in the process of being dismantled for scrap where it stood.The engine probably suffered a serious failure rendering it unsuitable for being towed to a distant scrapyard.A rather sad end for a locomotive that was about 15 years old with plenty of life left in it if it was allowed to have a proper lifespan!
..June 1967..
A pair of SR Merchant-Navy Pacifics stand parked around the back of Weymouth MPD in deepest Dorset,almost certainly never to work again.Both looking thoroughly uncared for with their name and numberplates removed.On a brighter note WC Class 34102 and 34021 were both in steam at the front of the shed so steam was not quite dead yet on this outpost on the south coast.However just a few weekslater this depot was finally closed.
..June 1967..
Former Southern-Region Britannia Pacific 70004 once named 'William Shakespeare is seen at Salisbury Sheds '72B' in sunny conditions.I had travelled to Salisbury on my 250cc BSA specially to see 60532 on the LCGB Commerative R-Tour for the A2 Class.After it had departed I decided to have a quick look round the Depot there.Much to my surprise saw this.Of coarse with no such things as mobile -phones and gen-groups I did not have a clue what it was doing here.I later discovered this engine was to be 60532's relief at Exeter for the return to Waterloo via Westbury and the Wylye Valley.
..14 august 1966..
34093 'Saunton' catches the light from the open shed doors on Salisbury Depot '72B'.At this time it was still active and clinging on to life and actually survived to be withdrawn on the final day in July 1967.
..14 august 1966..
Britannia-Pacific 70004 'William Shakespeare' is seen turning on the turntable at the rear of Salisbury 72B Depot.It was in the area in conjunction with 60532 'Blue Peter' on a LCGB rail tour.This loco would later run down to Exeter to replace that loco for the last leg of the Tour from there to Salisbury via the Wylye Valley.60532 was supposed to work it from Salisbury to Weterloo but was failed so 70004 continued on to Waterloo.
..14 august 1966..
34013 'Okehampton' stands in the largely deserted Salisbury MPD on a hot summers weekend in steam.Presumably as a Standby for the Mainline in case of a failure.
..14 august 1966..
This is how it was in 1966! The Health and Safety Executive would have an almighty fit if this sort of thing went on today in the OTT 21sr century. The station was fully open to train traffic,yet upwards of over 100 trespassers were just wandering around doing their photographs and nobody was too bothered.I was actually up a signal gantry for this shot.Try that now and it would be a prison sentence!.The locomotive crew were clambering around on the tender doing the water and coal.For sure that is now a total no-no as well.The Railtour was a RCTS Commemorative trip for the LNER A2 Class using 60532 from Waterloo to Exeter and return.70004 was also used after this engine failed at Exeter.
..14 august 1966..
A shock appearance at Warminster of this Standard 2-6-4T 80152 was to mark my last sighting of a steam engine in normal service in my old home town.Do not know what it was doing but picture shows it moving off towards Salisbury. Quite a sad picture for me after 10 years of ardent spotting,much of it from this very platform.
..04 july 1966..
USA Tank 30073 spent most of its life on Southampton-Docks and then until withdrawal at Eastleigh.Here it is seen in the running shed there being refilled with water.It lasted until the end of the year (31/12/1966) and was finally broken up at Cashmore's in Newport-Gwent.
..Spring 1966..
BR-Standard Mogul 2-6-0 76059 viewed moving off shed at Eastleigh pictured from the Campbell Roadbridge.The southern-disc code (Number19) indicates this engine is going to the Carriage sidings(west) to collect some stock.
..Spring 1966..
Pictured in the Spring of 1966 with just a few months to go before withdrawal Rebuilt Bullied Pacific 34101 'Hartland' takes on coal in Easleigh Depot.Note the 4 bolts on the smoke deflector.This shows that at some stage this engine was used on the 'Golden Arrow' Pullman train out of London Victoria.For sure on this duty it would have been kept in immaculate condition,unlike the state it is when seen here!
..Spring 1966..
'Clun Castle' 7029 stands in Platform 9 at Bristol -Temple Meads with one of the official 'Farewell to Steam on the GWR' Specials. This ran from Paddington to Bristol and then after a reversal there on to Gloucester.Apparantly this was just a week after Bristol Barrow Road steam shed closed its doors for the final time leaving Bristol officially a steam free zone!
..27 november 1965..
Long-Lost Grange-Class 6870 'Bodicote Grange' stands Name and Numberplate-less at Westbury about to work a stopping train to Weymouth.Within a few weeks this Engine will have steamed for the last time and not long after that the entire 'Grange' 68xx series slipped into GWR History.No members of this Class were preserved simply because none made it to the Barry Scrapyard Sanctuary to survive into the 70's.Note the superb array of signalling in use around Westbury all those years ago.
..17 August 1965..
Here is a shot from nearly 55 years ago when Corona was simply just a bottle of fizzy pop!-------------------------Long-lost Grange-Class 6870 'Bodicote Grange' stands name and numberplate-less at Westbury about to work a stopping train to Weymouth.Note the shed code 2B-Wolverhampton-Oxley.Several 'Granges' were allocated there at this time Within a few weeks this Engine will have steamed for the last time and not long after that the entire 'Grange' 68xx series slipped into GWR History.No members of this Class were preserved simply because none made it to the Barry Scrapyard Sanctuary to survive into the 70's.
..17 august 1965..
Gresley V2 2-6-2 60828 sits amongst a group of mainly Ex-LNER Pacifics and V2's on the scrap line at York Shed 50A.Although it wouldn't be officially withdrawn until early October it would never steam again beyond this date of mid August/65. As can be seen it was obviously in full working order just now deemed as surplus to needs.It had been modified just 7 years ago at great expense having its worn out monoblock 3-cylinder casting replaced with 3 seperate one's that also included external steam pipes which were the giveaway that this mod had been done.The original casting lasted 27 years so obviously plenty of life left in this engine. It finally went to Cashmores at Guide Bridge in October-65 and within a few weeks was no more.
..17 august 1965..
V2 60963 sits in the scrap lines at york MPD.Its working life now ended.Within a couple of weeks it was dragged away for cutting and before the end of september was but a memory.Of note was this particular loco was one fitted in the early 60's with a BR-type double chimney to inprove its efficiency.A bit of a pointless exercise given its life was cut short shortly afterwards.
..17 august 1965..
This is the first time this shot has been published since I recorded it over 54 years ago on 'then' very expensive Ilford reversal film! It shows a LNER J27 No-65846 parked up in York-North MPD along with an extreemly old clerestory wooden coach that was almost certainly in departmant service.It was still officially on the stock books at this time and lasted a further 4 months before its inevitable withdrawal after 57 years of service.
..17 august 1965..
A4 Pacific 60010 'Dominion of Canada' after withdrawal was dumped at Darlington Sheds.I assumed it was for scrap but no.Subsequently in March 1966 it was transferred to Crewe and cosmetically restored for donation to the Canadian Nation.45 years later it is back in the UK for a gathering of all the surviving A4's later in 2013.After being in BR green since it went to Canada it will return in LNER Blue c/w valances.
..17 august 1965..
This lightly dirtied BR-Green 2-6-2 V2 60955 was only about 10 days out of Darlington-Works after getting its final overhaul.It all seems a big waste of time as it lasted just another year going for scrap in September-1966.What a waste with many good years left in it after such major work. Anyway here it is taking on fresh supplies of coal at 64A St Margerets Shed in Edinburgh. I saw it a couple of days earlier speeding past but was unable to picture it then.Seeing such a clean machine was quite a shock!
..16 august 1965..
Gresley V2 2-6-2 60816 was allocated to this Shed 64A Edinburgh St-Margerets.Here it is seen about to go off shed down to Waverley Station.Behind it is a EE Type-4 D362 at a time when it was still quite new.
..16 august 1965..
LNER Class-V2 60824 viewed standing in a rare burst of sunlight on 64A,the main depot in Edinburgh, St-Margerets. This was one of the engines modified with seperate cylinder castings for all 3 cylinders devised and fitted during the BR period.The older arrangement with a monoblock casting was probably life-expired and that was the updated fix/repair.Easily recognised by the presence of 'A3' type steampipes to the outside cylinders.All 2-6-2 V2's were gone by December 1966 so it did not have long to live. A fine Machine!
..16 August 1965..
60151 'Midlothian' stands in St Margarets Depot in Edinburgh.This was the last but one original Peppercorn A1-Pacific to remain in traffic,it was withdrawn in november 1965 just over 2 months after this picture was taken.The final example in traffic 60145 lingered on at York up until june 1966.None were preserved but famously 60163 was built over 40 years later to remind us all of our folly not preserving even one example! Going rate for an A1 then was £6000,60163 cost £3,000,000 !!!!!!!!!!
..16 august 1965..
Class B1 61245 'Murray of Elibank' stands in the yard of Dalry Road MPD in Edinburgh.Looking at the shine on the centre crankpin journal it has obviously just had its connecting rod removed in a effort to effect a repair after suffering a failure.Regretfully this never happened as it was listed as withdrawn just a few weeks later.The smokebox fitted nameplate has gone as well,probably worth about £10,000 in 2011,46 years later.
..16 august 1965..
45162 seen standing in Edinburgh's Dalry Road (64C) sheds.At this time this shed was still active supplying engines for trains that departed from Princes Street Station.Both now closed of coarse .This loco was finally withdrawn 15 months later in November 1966 and scrapped at 'Arnott Young' in Carmyle-Glasgow.
..16 august 1965..
Standard 2-6-4T 80121 busies itself on empty stock duties at Glasgow-Central Station. Note the OHLE was already in situ here from the then recent electrification of some of the suburban services.This engine spent its entire active life of 11 years working out of 66A Polmadie Shed just a short distance from this station.In all probability most of its duties was on these ECS workings.It was withdrawn in June 1966 10 months later.
..16 august 1965..
Thompson B1 61008 was named 'Kodu' after a species of Antelope.Here it is laid aside at Eastfield in Glasgow.It must have been very recently as the nameplate was still in position on the smokebox.
..16 august 1965..
Fairburn 2-6-4T 42690 sits in line at Eastfield Depot in Glasgow stored for possible further use (note the fully greased pistons and siderods).This never happened and it went for scrap like pretty much everything else in this yard.
..16 august 1965..
A somewhat sad looking 45387 sits in the scrap road at Eastfield depot in Glasgow.Never to steam again.Behind it is a Standard 2-6-4T.
..16 august 1965..
The driver walks away from 60009 'Union of South Africa' after its 3-hour journey down from Aberdeen (08:25 off).It was this route that gave the famous Gresley A4 Pacifics their final fling of top link duty.I actually travelled the entire journey from Aberdeen to Glasgow window-hanging most of the way in the front coach.......The train is seen in the now closed Glasgow Terminus Buchanan Street.The date of its final demise was 7th November 1966, just 15 months after this picture was taken.Its final day coinciding with the end of steam on this route.Note the A4 was allocated to 61B Aberdeen Ferryhill Depot,this shed remained open for diesels until 1987!. A poor 50 year old colour negative but well worth the 45 minutes rescueing it!
..16 august 1965..
'Union of South Africa' 60009 takes on water at Perth during the halt here,This was the 08:25 off Aberdeen going to Glasgow-Buchanan Street taking about 3 hours for the journey.I rode this train all the way standing next to the window just behind the corridor tender.
..16 august 1965..
60009 stands at the head of the 08:25 3-Hour express from Aberdeen going to Glasgow.I was a passenger all the way savouring the Gresley 3-cylinder beat from the front coach window for the entire journey.Can this really be 51 years ago?????
.16 august 1965..
60024 'Kingfisher' gets away from Stonehouse south of Aberdeen with the early morning Express to Glasgow.This particular A4 never made it into preservation although it was one of the final locomotives to work these trains until Diesels took over about a year later.
..16 august 1965..
A pair of Peppercorn A2 Pacifics sit on Dundee Engine Sheds awaiting their next turn of duty.Single chimney version 60530 'Sayajirao' and the now preserved 60532 'Blue Peter'. ..14 august 1965..
Within Six weeks of this picture being taken this superb A4-Pacific 60031 'Golden Plover' was withdrawn for scrap.Seen here inside Dundee Shed (62B) clearly in steam and ready to go.Rather dirty but in full working order.
..14 august 1965..
Ex-LNER Class J36 65319 sits in the yard at Dundee-Tay Bridge MPD awaiting it's next duty.At this time it was still in use and complete with its numberplate and worksplates.The Engine's final allocation was Edinburgh-St Margerets and it was from there it was withdrawn for scrapping just over a year after this shot was taken (Sept-1966).By then it had completed 67 years of service so had earned its retirement albeit to a breakers in Troon!
..14 august 1965..
Here is one from over 50 years ago when I did a lone trip to Scotland a few weeks before I started work.I was 16 years old at the time. Ex-North British Class J37 0-6-0 64558 is pictured moving around the yard in Dundee-Tay Bridge MPD.No problems with shed access in those days,in fact I spent about 4 hours in this depot with no hassle whatsoever!
..14 august 1965..
J37 0-6-0 64558 slowly exits the grimy interior of Dundee-Tay Bridge Shed.I had to wait all day until teatime for a train to Aberdeen as being a sunday in Scotland in 1965 the whole town was like a graveyard--silent and closed! I spend most of that time simply hanging around Tay-Bridge Loco-Shed observing the occasional movement with an odd photo here and there.
..14 august 1965..
Looking just about as filthy as it could the former 'Alferd the Great' 70009 stands at the northern end of Perth Station having just arrived from probably Carlisle judging by the shad allocation plate.Can't remember if it carried on or terminated here,well it was 46 years ago! Interestingly the lampcode on the buffer beam implies that this was a stopping goods train? Something it most certainly wasn't.......
..13 august 1965..
72008 'Clan Macleod' stands on Perth Shed awaiting its next turn of duty.Effectively a 'Britannia' with a smaller boiler these engines were never very popular and entire class was scrapped before they were more than 15 years old.This one 72008 was actually the last one in service withdrawn on 21/May/1966 and also the final one to be cut up in August 1966. ..13 august 1965..
Thompson A2 Pacific 60512 'Steady Aim' stands stored at Perth MPD.Note the yellow diagonal line on the cabside.This was to denote the engine was not to work south of Crewe!.Not much chance of that as it never steamed again.These Thompson 4-6-2's were not very successful with several serious design flaws which made them unpopular with just about everybody!
..13 august 1965..
Black-5 44703 is viewed in Perth Loco Shed yard having its fire built up ready to go off shed on a rostered duty.A this was a very busy shed in the Summer of 1965.Most engines here were active with only a few parked up having been withdrawn.Those on shed on this day included 60512/60019/72006 and quite a few ex-LMS types. Of coarse this area is long gone as far as railways are concerned being built on shortly after the place was demolished in the late 60's.
..13 august 1965..
Thompson B1 61343 charges out of the tunnel near St-Margarets Engine-Sheds in the eastern suburbs of Edinburgh.Destination being Hawick on the now closed Waverley-Route. ..13 august 1965..
V2 60973 sits on St Margarets Shed in Edinburgh.This particular engine still had the original Gresley 3 cylinder arrangement with a monoblock casting and no external steam pipes.It only lasted a further 5 months in service being withdrawn at its home shed of Dundee-Tay Bridge on 24th January 1966.Within 8 weeks it was reduced to scrap at P&W McLellens of Longloan. Its total service life was 22yrs-8 months-28days!
..14 august 1965..
65234 was a J36 and is seen here at St-Margarets Shed in Edinburgh fulfilling its final duties as a stationary boiler supplying steam to the depots system.Still complete with both works-plates and smokebox numberplates.
..13 august 1965..
W29 'Alverstone' indulges in a spot of shunting at Ryde-St-Johns in the Isle of Wight.The railway back then in the mid 60's was still a complete system unlike the truncated branch-line we see today.
..14 april 1965..
Not a particularly good picture due the negative not surviving very well after 38 years.Some of the emulsion seems to have bled across contrast lines. Anyway here is IOW loco number 16 'Ventnor' running into Ryde-St Johns Station going towards the Ryde Pier direction.This engine lasted to the end of steam on the Island in December 1966.After that the line went over to 3rd rail electrification using ex -London Transport Tube Stock!
..14 april 1965..
A rather timeless scene in the Shed at Ryde St-Johns in the Isle-of-Wight.Class O2 number 33 'Bembridge' sits ready for duty with number 30 'Shorwell' in steam as well behind.Less than 2 years later it was all gone replaced by the hum and rattle of old clapped out Tube-Stock transferred from London-Transport.
..14 april 1965..
Class O2 0-4-4T number 32 'Bonchurch' sits discarded and withdrawn in a siding at Brading in the Isle of Wight.It was taken out of service and seemingly just dumped out of the way at this wayside stations. The oos date was October 1964. So although still looking fully complete 6 months later it would never work again.
..April 1965..
Modified Hall 7924 'Thornycroft Hall stands in the yard of Westbury Steam Shed.Still proudly wearing its full set of name and numberplates.As can be seen from the wisps of steam it was still operational and judging by its full tender about to go off-shed to take up a duty.It lasted in service until December 1965 and within 6 months was reduced to scrap at Cashmore's in Newport.
..Spring 1965..
34051 'Sir Winston Churchill' stands in Salisbury ready to take a train towards Waterloo.Partial cleaning around the nameplate area only serves to show just how filthy this engine has become in the six weeks since it hauled the Great Man Churchill's Funeral Train on 30 january 1965.By september another 6 months later this engine also died but was retained as part of the National Collection and can be seen 50 years later in the NRM at York.
..March 1965..
Ivatt 2-6-2 tanky 41320 sits in the yard at Milford-Goods situated less than a mile from Salisbury-Tunnel-Junction on the Southampton line.I pictured this with my little Halina-35X loaded with 400asa film mainly because the camera's top shutter speed was 200th-second. Shot taken unbelievably 47 years ago by me!
..Spring 1965..
Class M7 30133 although withdrawn from Salisbury Depot the previous year ended up stored for a while at Fratton's by then, disused Roundhouse.Looking extreemly complete including the front numberplate with the added touch of a carefully sacked over chimney to protect the inside cylinders.Regrettably it eventually went for scrap by the end of 1965 at Cashmores in South-Wales.
..Spring 1965..
'Freshwater' Number-35 in the Isle of Wight Stud stands on Ryde Pier at the station there ready to depart off the pier onto the island proper. ..Spring 1965..
By late 1964 convoys of redundant ex-southern steam locomotives were quite common passing up the Wylye-valley heading for South-Wales for cutting-up.Sidings at Wylye,Warminster and Westbury were often host to engines that had 'run hot-boxes' so were lain aside for a few days so fitters could attend to get them on their way.This particular convoy was made up of three Q1 Bullied 0-6-0's.This was the only one in a photograhically nice position.Loco was 33029,besides being filthy was probably perfectly servicable.2 days later it had gone,never to be seen again! ..Spring 1965..
6849 on shed at Bristol-Barrow Road in the Spring of 1965 after St Phillips Marsh was closed to steam and its allocation moved here. ..Spring 1965..
Footnore-----6849 Walton Grange. Built October 1937. First shed allocation Wolverhampton Oxley. August 1950 shed allocation Bristol, St. Philip's Marsh. March 1959 shed allocation Plymouth Laira. May 1965 and last shed allocation Oxford. Withdrawn December 1965. Scrapped at Cashmore's, Newport.
Crewe built 92007 stands poking out the back door at Bristol's Barrow Road Midland Shed.This single roundhouse building was by now the only steam depot left in Bristol and just after St-Phillips Marsh closed was pretty congested.Entrance for 'shed-bunkers' was over the back wall and in through the entrance where the 9F was. This area now totally gone and is now either part of the Bristol inner ring-road or Warehouses!
..27 february 1965..
7920 'Coney Hall' stands in the yard at Bristol Barrow Road Depot.By this time Saint Phillips Marsh,the WR Shed was closed and all its remaining WR allocation were moved here.Behind is the concrete coaling tower that was a feature of this LMS-Depot. 53 years later this site is a large storage depot and any hope of identifying surviving landmarks is now quite impossible!
..Spring 1965..
Shortly after this engine was built in 1960 it was allocated for a few weeks to the 13:00 Cardiff to Brighton service as far as Salisbury.Loco was still 'As New' then and immaculate.Myself and most of the other local spotters would wait for its return in the evening at Warminster and beg the driver to 'Cab-it'.Never got up there but worth asking anyway.4 years later I saw it again here at Westbury Shed but looking much more work stained and uncared for.Three months later in March 1965 its short career was over having suffered a minor accident that bent the buffer-beam.Now part of the National Collection as befits the final built steam engine in the UK. ..December 1964..
After Swindon ceased to overhaul GWR based Steam Locomotives it continued refreshing engines from the North (Mainly ex-LMS and Standards) for a few more years.This is 42954 a Stanier 2-6-0 that had seemingly received a full overhaul.It came to Westbury from Swindon on a running-in turn prior to despatch back North.It must have been borrowed whilst as Westbury because I witnessed this loco banking a train up from Westbury to here at Warminster where bankers always got detached.This was the last steam banked working I ever saw and I had seen many many hundreds!.The picture was taken as it was backing slowly over the crossover to return to Westbury. Illustrating what a terribly period this was, 42954 was withdrawn just 18 months later despite the full general overhaul it had got at Swindon-Works.Even worse less than 2 years after this shot is was scrapped by Draper's of Hull. Significantly the final Stanier 2-6-0 to remain in service. ..17 october 1964..
'Small' Prairie Tank 4593 stands in the scrap lines at Westbury-depot along with a redundant Southern 2-6-0.Shot taken during the final few months of this depots useful life.
..October 1964..
7829 'Ramsbury Manor' catches the backlight as it comes off Westbury Depot to do a spot of duty.These tracks here are the headshunt from the depot with the buffer block ending somwhat further down towards what was the Westbury-Avoider know locally then as the 'New Line'.
..October 1964..
Something from the dim and distant past! GWR 4079 considered by some to be as famous as the Flying Scotsman sits abandoned in Westbury Shed after it's famous failure on the approach the Westbury.This was on the Castle-Class Swansong that operated to Cornwall and return on May the 9th 1964.The story goes something like this---------The Western Region went to a huge amount of trouble to make this tour the success it was. It was to be the swansong of G W steam. Nothing was left to chance. The remaining Castle class locos were carefully put through their paces and the best chosen prior to the trip. Stand-by Castles were stationed at all key points and specially selected best Welsh coal was provided for the tour locos, which were thoroughly prepared with boilers washed out and tender water tanks cleaned. Two firemen were employed on each loco. Sadly, this choice of high quality, very hot burning coal - and the high rate of firing - may, it is thought, have contributed to 4079's failure, as the firebars failed, leading to its substitution at Westbury by 6999 'Capel Dewey Hall'.Luckily 'Pendennis Castle' was saved for preservation and after many years on the other side of the world in Australia is now safely home and being restored by the GW-Society at Didcot.Amazingly I was just 15 when I took this shot...Where the hell has the intervening 50 years gone?????-------Summer 1964------
This unmodified 'Hall' class 4-6-0 fitted with a straight sided hawksworth tender was standing outside the single road repair shop on Westbury Depot with its pistons and connecting rods removed.Whether it was repaired at such a late date is unknown but probably not.Behind the engine can be seen the pair of parallel type stationery boilers with their long extended stovepipe chimneys that provided all the steam used on the depot for heating and various washout type requirements.
..Summer 1964..
Ex-NBR Reid 0-6-0 64620 looking as though it has recently returned from a works overhaul is seen in the sun on 62B Dundee Tay Bridge Sheds.Behind it is 60532 'Blue Peter' that went on to become preserved when steam ended a few years later.This loco wasn't so lucky,none of this class survived into preservation-a pity!
..Summer 1964..
The Ex-LNER J38's lasted a lot longer than their larger wheeled J39 counterparts.At this time in 1964 the class was pretty much still intact but all were gone within 18 months or so.Here is 65934 sat at its home depot of Dunfermline just north of the Forth Bridge in Bonnie Scotland. In those days Spotting was the name of the game with a few photos using a Brownie 127 box camera.This was one of the results.A single meniscus lens with no edge definition whatsoever.The only control on it was the single speed shutter button..Happy days!
..Summer 1964..
Britannia Pacific 70003 'John Bunyan' parked conveniently just clear of the shadows in front of the main shed at Perth in Scotland. Not a bad shot from a Brownie Box Camera!