‘Hydraulic Memories’ takes the reader on a virtual journey over the former Western Region from Paddington to Penzance, featuring a variety of locations with a few diversions en route and looking back at the times when Westerns, Warships, Hymeks and the North British Class 22s could be seen working. Most of these pictures have not been published before. It is particularly pleasing to have found some unseen pictures of the Class 22s at work, as they were less photographed than the other Hydraulics, whose reign on British Rail came to an end (with the Westerns) on the 26 February 1977. The colour photographs are spread from the 1960s through to 1976 with a variety of liveries carried through those years. Not only have the locomotives changed but we also see the coaching stock and freight wagons in use at that time, along with the stations as they were then. Many of these places have changed beyond recognition, as has the rolling stock of course. This book should be of interest to anyone who had followed the Hydraulics and travelled the Western Region at that time. It should also appeal to Railway Modellers who wish to study train consists and views from the past. Drawing on the Transport Treasury archive, I have supplemented the collection with my own and friends’ pictures to give a good sample of how things were back in those days.
Compiled by Roger Geach
£17.50
Hydraulic Memories
ISBN 978-1-913893-44-6
Hydraulic Memories
Compiled by Roger Geach
Hydraulic Memories
Compiled by Roger Geach
© Images and design: Transport Treasury 2024 Text: Roger Geach ISBN 978-1-913893-44-6 First published in 2024 by Transport Treasury Publishing Limited. 16 Highworth Close, High Wycombe, HP13 7PJ. Totem Publishing an imprint of Transport Treasury Publishing. The copyright holders hereby give notice that all rights to this work are reserved. Aside from brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this work may be reproduced, copied by electronic or other means, or otherwise stored in any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the Publisher. This includes the illustrations herein which shall remain the copyright of the copyright holder. www.ttpublishing.co.uk Printed in Tarxien, Malta by Gutenberg Press Ltd. ‘Hydraulic Memories’ is one of many books on specialist transport subjects published in strictly limited numbers and produced under the Totem Publishing imprint using material only available at The Transport Treasury. Front Cover: D1036 Western Emperor, clean from a Laira depot repaint, exits Parsons Tunnel with the 11.30 Paddington to Paignton service, next stop Teignmouth on Sunday 15 June 1975. Westerns could not provide electric train heat supply - it would be hot on board, as this service is formed of mark two air conditioned coaches - hence it was unusual to see a Western with this type of rolling stock. Frontispiece: Western Pathfinder is stabled with the stock of the afternoon 4A13 15.22 Penzance to Paddington parcels in the sidings alongside Penzance station, 11 August 1976. This service also conveyed the empty newspaper vans back to London. A ‘Syphon G’ type van is the first and third vehicle behind the locomotive and there was normally a couple of these in the consist. There was always a coach marshalled on this service, as it could convey the Smiths news packers from Plymouth to London. D1001 met an unfortunate end: While hauling the 23.15 Paddington to Penzance overnight service at high speed, it hit a Ford Transit works van which had stalled on a crossing at Stoke Canon in the early morning of 3 October 1976. The locomotive was damaged and subsequently withdrawn as a result of the collision; sadly there was a fatality in the van. (Roger Geach) Rear Cover: Paddington, as seen from the country end of the station with D857 Undaunted, which later worked the 13.15 Paddington to Worcester service on 6 July 1971. D857 worked an engineer’s service on the Heathfield branch on Sunday 3 October 1971, one of the last services ever to be worked by a class 43 Warship. (Tony Smith)
Introduction
C
olin Wreyford was an Exeter based driver for many years. He had started his railway service on the Southern Region at Exmouth Junction on 7 August 1962. Five years later and like so many skilled men he was made redundant when Exmouth Junction shed closed on 7 March 1967. This was concurrent with the closure of many of the local lines in consequence of Beeching, whilst in addition steam had been eliminated in the area in 1965 and the Western Region were in the process of rationalising all the former Southern assets from Salisbury to Exeter. With an abundance of redundant men and no local vacancies, Colin moved to Gloucester but was able to return to Exeter, now at St Davids, a few years later. In conversation with the writer a few years later, Colin recalled he had been the very last man to book on duty at the former Exmouth Junction depot at 22.00 the night it closed, but had not been allocated a specific duty and remained ‘spare’. Notwithstanding his redundancy experience, he remained enthusiastic throughout his life taking countless images and particularly in the 1970s when so much was changing.
An enthusiast arriving at Exeter St Davids fifty odd years ago in 1970/71 would invariably look to see what was ‘on shed at the stabling point’. As mentioned at the start, the country end of the station would provide the view, and looking across there would likely be a North British type 2 on shed, probably No 6339 or No 6333 - both common locos at that time. Other long time residents were the vintage red painted tool vans used for breakdowns and derailments, stabled by the water tower. In addition there would probably be a Warship or two on shed, a Hymek, a Newton Abbot based class 08 shunter and possibly a visiting diesel electric locomotive. Weekends would find even more variety.
The remit for this book covers the following hydraulic classes: Class 52, Classes 42 and 43, Class 35 and Class 22, many recorded around the area where Colin lived at Countess Weir (Exeter) as well as at nearby Marsh Barton, Exminster and the Dawlish sea wall.
The year 1971 brought many changes to the railway around the Exeter area. The fleet of North British class 43 Warships were disappearing, together with the Class 22s and soon some of the Swindon built class 42. Then from October 1971 the Waterloo to Exeter services, which had been worked by the Swindon built Class 42 locos, were re-diagrammed to be worked by the lower powered Eastleigh based type 3 class 33 locomotives. This led to a number of the Swindon Warships being literally just switched off from 3 October 1971. No D822 Hercules was one of the locomotives working on Sunday 3 October 1971 and took the very last service diagrammed ‘Warship’ working from Waterloo with the 19.08 to Exeter.
The book is laid out in the form of a journey from Paddington to Penzance, with a few diversions on the way. As much because of its photogenic nature, Devon features probably more than anywhere else.
On arrival back at its home shed of Newton Abbot, this too was simply shut down. It would never work again and was condemned the following day. Meanwhile the first of the ‘Derby Sulzers’ type 2 class 25 had arrived in the west to
replace the class 22s. No 5180 made its way west to Plymouth Laira on 30 July 1971 and thence to St Blazey for crew training. No 5179 was also despatched to Plymouth; the days of the class 22s would soon be over. All of the hydraulic types were mixed traffic locos and in consequence could be seen working passenger, freight and van trains. As with No D822, Warships were also still to be found working passenger services right up to their demise. Of the WR classes described, only the Westerns were fitted with air brakes and then only 70 out of the 74. All other classes were vacuum-only which did not help the case for retention. In addition steam heat for passenger services was for the present still dominant although slowly new rolling stock was being built with electric train heating; none of the hydraulic classed were ever so equipped. October 4 1971 has already been mentioned, but in reality it was not just a bad day so far as No D822 was concerned. That date saw one of the biggest planned withdrawals of BR locomotives ever known. Nationally three per cent of the entire BR fleet was withdrawn. The hydraulic totals were 10 x class 42, 16 x class 43 (class now extinct), 8 x class 22 and 13 x class 35. The total includes a few locomotives that were previously stored. Hence 49 hydraulic locomotives were out of traffic at the stroke of a pen. Subsequent to this, the very last day of December 1971 found No 6339 working the 20.10 local passenger service from Exeter St Davids to Newton Abbot and formed with the stock off a Waterloo service which was booked to Newton Abbot for servicing. A number of local enthusiasts were on
board to savour the very last passenger service worked by a class 22 locomotive. The next day, 1 January 1972, No 6339 worked back from Barnstaple on ‘6B66’ the 09.20 to Exeter, freight and vans. The same afternoon it went to Hemyock to collect milk tanks and returned to Exeter as had happened for many years previously. It transpired this would be the very last working of a ‘63’ in BR service, as on the 3 January class 25 No 5180 arrived at Exeter St Davids from St Blazey hauling dead Nos 6336 and 6338 as part of a train. At Exeter the pair were coupled together and taken to Marsh Junction, Bristol where they were dumped in the former cattle dock. That was to be the very end of the class 22 in BR service, as well as North British built diesels at work anywhere on the network. Thus imagine the surprise of a young Cornish enthusiast touring St Philip’s Marsh on the 4 January 1972 to see those locomotives in the fish dock with all engines running! We look back on it now and realise it was simply a way of burning up fuel. St Philip’s Marsh was in effect a stopover for locomotives making the journey to Swindon for scrap. As a youthful observer, I suddenly realised all the ‘63s’ were gone. It was a shock, although the news would not be seen in the general railway press for another three months. Colin’s pictures, mostly taken during 1970 and 1971, record the last years of the ‘63’ and Warship types. Unseen colour pictures of those times are not plentiful, hence it was a great joy to be able to put together a book depicting these scenes. Of course it is not just the engine classes that have gone;
passenger stock, freight trains, parcel and van trains and semaphore signals have all disappeared. In places even the track got ripped up or rationalised. In days past, the lineside too was far more cut back with few obstructive fences about, everywhere was more open and certainly no radio masts were in view. There were disadvantages, of course as telegraph poles on the lineside could cause some problems with photography back then. So much has changed but I still hope you enjoy this armchair travel from the hydraulic days from Paddington to Penzance, an era that was destined to be a relatively short one, 1958 to 1977. On 26 February 1977 Nos 1023 and 1013 worked the ‘Western Tribute’ rail tour from Paddington to Swansea, then on to Plymouth and finally back to Paddington and with it the end of that era. Sadly Colin too is no more. Born in June 1947, he died in November 2021. The majority of the photographs in this book were taken by Colin, now part of the Transport Treasury collection. I have also provided some pictures, along with my friends Doug Nicholls and Tony Smith; those uncredited are from the Transport Treasury. I wish to thank the many people who have provided information from over 50 years ago, both for the workings and locomotives and about Colin as a driver. Every effort has been made to identify the locos, the workings and the locations correctly, along with a date where known.
The view from the end of platforms 5 and 6 at Exeter St Davids on 6 May 1969, looking at the locomotive stabling point and what were then the station avoiding lines; a typical scene of the time with No D6339 prominent. Behind is Warship class 42 No 829 Magpie in maroon livery with full yellow ends. Just visible behind is another Warship and an unidentified Hymek. A local DMU is stabled behind the type 2 and alongside in blue with full yellow ends stands Warship No D868 Zephyr. One of the local 08s is also seen. The hills beyond give a rural feel to the picture, though most of those fields have now been built on. This was a typical scene in the hydraulic days as recorded by Colin; but times were soon to change.
The green with small yellow warning panels looked rather smart on the Hymeks even when it became quite worn, as seen in this photograph. A few, including this one, were withdrawn in this livery, never being painted in BR Blue with full yellow ends. D7005 is seen at Paddington platform 5 waiting to depart with 1C78, the 15.05 Paddington to Hereford train, 8 May 1972. This was some two months before the locomotive was withdrawn from service.
Train 1A08, the 07.05 Hereford to Paddington service, arrived at its destination behind 7026 on 19 March 1973. The Paddington – Worcester and Hereford services were the last regular Hymek hauled passenger trains. This was until the timetable changed at the end of September 1973, when their replacements were Brush class 31 locomotives. Unlike the majority of the class, No 7026 was cut up at Cohens of Kettering and not at Swindon Works scrap yard. It was towed to Kettering along with sister loco No 7001 during February 1975.
From a passing train, this is a view of the Ranelagh Bridge stabling and fuelling point just outside Paddington and opposite Royal Oak Underground Station. Taken on 19 May 1975, No D1023 Western Fusilier is seen smoking well with a green class 47 stabled beyond. Prior to the introduction of HST sets, there were far more locomotives to fuel and service. With the introduction of fixed formation HSTs and consequently less locomotive hauled services, Ranelagh Bridge was shut during 1980. No doubt those who lived in the flats nearby were glad to be rid of the diesel fumes.
A very smart D1002 Western Explorer seen in the Pullman shed at Old Oak Common depot, Spring 1962. D1002 was new to traffic on 19 March 1962. It was one of just a few painted new into green livery. The others were D1003/4 and D1035 to D1038.
On shed at Old Oak Common, West London is green liveried (with small yellow panels) No D7026 stabled alongside the already stored No D840 Resistance, 30 May 1969. No D7026 was one of the last eight survivors in traffic, withdrawn on the 6 October 1974. The Paddington to Reading and Thames Valley lines were the best places to see the Hymeks in their last year of operation, with the survivors all based at Old Oak but mostly employed on freight and parcel workings by that time. However some of the locomotives still wandered about and could turn up just about anywhere on the former Western Region, including working the occasional passenger turn.
Passing Ealing Broadway, D831 Monarch is seen at speed working the 1B25 13.30 Paddington to Paignton service, 6 July 1971. London Transport underground coaching stock can be seen in the background. (Tony Smith)
Now preserved on the West Somerset Railway and based at Williton is then Old Oak Common’s Hymek D7017, seen working a freight service to Acton Yard past Ealing Broadway, 6 July 1971. Note the letter ‘D’ has been painted out from the numbers under the cab. This locomotive was withdrawn from service during March 1975 and was secured for preservation not long afterwards. (Tony Smith)
Winter at Hayes and Harlington station and with some snow on the ground sees No D1060 Western Dominion passing on a December Sunday in 1967 with 1C80, the 13.30 Paddington to Penzance service. Some may well recall the building at Hayes with the ‘His Masters Voice’ sign, later Messrs EMI. Nearby also was the Nestlé factory. Another landmark was Southall gas works, the whole area still full of the evidence of industry and manufacturing at that time.
A relatively clean blue with full yellow ends, Hymek No 7031 is noted arriving at Slough with 1C58, the 18.15 Paddington to Hereford service on Sunday 10 September 1972. All the Hymeks from Nos D7000 to D7033 inclusive were built without headboard brackets. This was one of the locomotives that remained at Old Oak Common for some time after withdrawal on 11 May 1973, until finally removed to Swindon Works during November 1974.
The first of the Warships, D800 Sir Brian Robertson passing Hare Hatch bridge near Twyford with the 07.15 Plymouth to Paddington service in Summer 1959. Unfortunately D800 was slightly lower rated (at 2070 horsepower) than the rest of the class from D803. Thus D800 to D802 were early withdrawals. D800 was withdrawn from service as long ago as 5 October 1968 after a short period in storage. It was broken up at Cashmore’s scrap yard in Newport during July 1969, still in the green livery with small yellow warning panel. (Doug Nicholls)
Passing Reading non-stop is D1030 Western Musketeer with the 1A13 07.00 Swansea to Paddington service - normally worked by the Blue Pullman in July 1969; obviously a substitute on the day for a non available Pullman set. D1030 was painted into blue with small yellow warning panels during August 1966. It could be easily recognised by the smaller BR Arrows symbol and the red buffer beam. This was until the locomotive was out shopped from its Swindon Works overhaul in blue with full yellow ends on 1 April 1970. (Doug Nicholls)
A general view from the British Rail Western Tower building at Reading in March 1969, looking west: A Hymek is approaching with 3V25 11.50 Wolverton Works to Old Oak Common empty stock move conveying vehicles from overhaul back for traffic use. This area around Reading has been totally transformed since the station was rebuilt, remodelled and electrified as part of the Great Western Electrification Scheme from Paddington to Cardiff. (Doug Nicholls)
A rather scruffy and weather beaten D1024 Western Huntsman calls at Didcot with a Fishguard Harbour to Paddington service, 1 October 1972. No D1024 was one of three Westerns fitted with experimental air vents above the windscreen, D1004 and D1052 being the others. They are not very clear in this picture due to the amount of dirt the locomotive has acquired.
Passing Kennington, south of Oxford is D7057 working the 1A26 10.07 Worcester to Paddington service in May 1967. It’s recently out shopped from Swindon Works with blue half yellow warning panels and the attractive white surrounds to the cab windows. The Paddington to Worcester services were regular work for the Hymeks for a number of years. (Doug Nicholls)
A fine spring morning in 1969 at Oxford finds North British class 22 locomotive No D6336 on the shed with an unidentified Hymek alongside one of the red painted tool vans that formed part of the depot breakdown train. Old Oak Common had a number of these locomotives used primarily for empty coaching stock workings in the Paddington area; in effect replacements for the ubiquitous pannier tanks. The class 22s were also used elsewhere for freight and parcel workings and with a number out-stationed. The Oxford based engines would work the branches to Cowley, Abingdon and Witney as well as on other turns. They were also used on the stub of the Lambourn valley line from Newbury to Welford Park on munitions traffic. A few years earlier in the 1960s, the class 22s could be seen over many parts of the Western Region, though rarely in South Wales.
Oxford North on a spring April day in 1969 with a fine array of signals. No D7087 is approaching the station with 1A37, the 12.10 from Worcester to Paddington, due at 13.22 hours. In the distance a class 47 waits at the signals with 3V25, the 11.50 Wolverton to Old Oak Common which conveyed rolling stock ex-overhaul from those works back to the carriage sidings at Old Oak. Oxford was always a great place to see some Hymeks on both passenger, parcels and freight turns.
Oxford once had a lovely gantry of lower quadrant signals at the north end of the station, seen here before re-signalling took place. The signals are themselves replacements for earlier wooden post examples and would be destined to be some of the last lower quadrant arms in the Oxford area. Immediately above the signal bridge are five separate rectangular route indicators, sometimes known as ‘cash registers’, as more than one indication could be shown. When the respective lower Stop arm was cleared to ‘off’ a stencil indication would appear against the white background indicating to the driver which route he was about to take. This system was only used where the speed limit was low and saved the use of multiple arms. D859 Vanquisher approaches with the 1A51 14.15 Worcester to Paddington service in September 1968. (Doug Nicholls)
D841 Roebuck is working the Banbury to Barrington cement and passing the delightful rural station at Heyford on a wet day during April 1968. Behind the stone wall is the Heyford wharf and Oxford canal which follows the railway for a short distance. The footbridge has now been replaced with a modern structure; the signal box and station buildings are long gone. At this time D841 was based at Old Oak Common depot in London.
Moreton in Marsh station on the Cotswold line pictured during August 1968. Calling at the station is D851 Temeraire, working the 1A37 12.10 Worcester – Paddington service. The North British Warships (class 43) had a short reign on the Cotswold line from 1968 until September 1971. Along with class 35 Hymeks and the odd class 47, they provided the staple power. The vanfits in the siding are being unloaded with fertilizer for local farms. Note the elevator in use. (Doug Nicholls)
D7028 calls at Kingham with 1C48 12.05 Paddington to Hereford service, 10 March 1973. D7028 was one of the final six Hymeks to remain in traffic, being withdrawn on 1 January 1975. It is perhaps best remembered by many as paired up with D7001 to work the ‘Hymek Swansong’ rail tour on 22 September 1973. This proved to be a somewhat premature outing, with the last Hymek surviving in service until March 1975; it had been planned that all remaining locos would be withdrawn by the end of 1973. During the tour, at least one other member of the class was said to have been observed in action!
There was a serious accident just south of Ashchurch station on Saturday 8 March 1969. Hymek No D7038 had been standing in a siding when it was hit by a derailed wagon from the 07.50 Washwood Heath to Stoke Gifford service. Unfortunately the 10.40 Bristol to Newcastle express was also passing at the time and in consequence, its last two coaches were also derailed and seriously damaged. No D7038 received cab damage and required repairs at Swindon Works. In this view taken on the following day, we are looking at the undamaged end but the wreckage across the track can be clearly seen along with a wrecked coach. Sadly there were two fatalities and a number of injuries, all these within the passing passenger train.
Saturday 25 March 1972 finds D1035 Western Yeoman at Newbury with the 1B25 13.30 Paddington to Paignton service. The yellow front is a bit weathered but the brake pipe cocks have clearly been replaced recently, as they stand out in clean yellow and red against the worn front. D1035 was dual brake fitted at Swindon Works, emerging from overhaul during February 1970 over two years previously. The totem signs are still intact at the time, not yet replaced by the standard white and black BR signs.
Gloucester Eastgate in May 1971. A very work stained, then Bristol Bath Road depot based, No D7047 and with paintwork in poor condition, awaits class 45 Peak No 12 to depart with its passenger service. Another unidentified member of the latter Class is heading north from Gloucester Central during this busy period. In the distance at Gloucester Horton Road depot may be seen an unidentified class 22 locomotive and another Hymek. Colin transferred from Exmouth Junction shed to Gloucester on redundancy during 1967 at the time Exmouth Junction depot was shut.
Westbury provided plenty of freight work for the railway with aggregate traffic from the Foster Yeoman quarry at Merehead. This had started to increase from 1970 onwards and it is freight that continues to the present day with large amounts of aggregates moved. Whatley Quarry (near Frome) also sent out services by rail, hence Westbury becoming an important and busy location. Aggregate trains served a number of destinations in the London area, as well as staging points at places such as Wootton Bassett, Botley and Ardingly. Seen here, No D1067 Western Druid waits at Westbury with a rake of the then newer PGA air braked wagons, 17 September 1975. The driver’s bag can be seen through the windscreen; a bit different from the standard issue BR item. At first vacuum braked wagons were used on these services but suffered from a lowish pay load; latterly air brake wagons were introduced and then the higher capacity bogie wagons. During the 1970s Westerns were a regular sight at Westbury on these workings, along with other types of locomotives necessary to deliver the weekly train plan. (Roger Geach)
Bristol Temple Meads, where No D7001 has arrived with 1V30, the 16.35 Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour service via Bristol, 24 May 1969. No D7001 was repainted into blue livery and survived in traffic until 12 March 1974. Best remembered for working the ‘Hymek Swansong’ tour together with No D7028 in September 1973, this was one of the five Hymeks to be sent to Cohens yard at Kettering for scrap.
Druid virtually new as built with no small yellow warning panels stands at Bristol Temple Meads early 1960. D815 was new to traffic on 20 January 1960 and allocated to Plymouth Laira depot. Best remembered by myself as a scruffy maroon with full yellow panels loco, seen around Exeter St Davids in the summer of 1971 it was quite a regular sight. Officially it was withdrawn on 3 October 1971, like so many others of its class. (Doug Nicholls)
Bristol Temple Meads platforms overlooked the depot at Bristol Bath Road where there were plenty of movements on and off the shed. This was because prior to May 1970 most services changed locomotives here. No D832 Onslaught portrays maroon with full yellow ends and is waiting to work the 15.20 departure to Paignton, 17 August 1969. Onslaught is of course, one of two Swindon built class 42 locomotives that survive in preservation. Withdrawn after working back to Plymouth Laira depot on the 6 November 1972, No 832 was stored and officially withdrawn from service on the 16 December 1972 along with the remaining members of the class. The following month it moved under its own power from Plymouth to the Derby Research Centre. Fortunately it was subsequently saved for posterity and at the time of writing is based on the East Lancashire Railway at Bury. (No 821 Greyhound is the other preserved member of the type)
Passing Bristol Temple Meads East signal box is No D6327 on the 7 March 1970. The livery seen, blue with a half yellow panel and small bodyside arrows, was only applied to four class 22 locomotives in total. The others were D6300, D6303 and D6314. When photographed, No D6327 had recently been transferred from Old Oak Common to Bristol Bath Road during February 1970. This was also the time of re-signalling taking place at Bristol Temple Meads, the new signals in position but not yet commissioned. Track work has also taken place with recent ballast drops made along with relaying.
Cardiff Central Station finds a well work worn D1014 Western Leviathan on 1O66, the 09.53 service to Weymouth during summer 1973. D1014 was very much a South Wales based locomotive, spending time based at both Cardiff Canton and Landore depots during its lifetime. However from October 1971, all the Westerns had been reallocated to Plymouth Laira depot, though still with diagrams into South Wales.
The very first Hymek, No D7000, at Cardiff General Station in the attractive green with full yellow panel livery on a wet 24 May 1969. The train is 1F40, the 15.35 Bristol Temple Meads to Cardiff service. There are a number of enthusiasts pictured in the cab practising what was once a common event, ‘cabbing’ a locomotive. The majority of drivers were quite happy to let enthusiasts into the cab in those days, especially if there was an extended station stop. The DMU alongside forms the 16.33 departure to Rhymney. New to Bristol Bath Road in May 1961, No D7000 remained here until transferred to Old Oak Common during January 1972 where it stayed until withdrawal at the end of July 1973.
D7074 at Landore shed, Swansea on 11 September 1966. At the time this was a Cardiff Canton based locomotive. Hymeks had workings into West Wales to Fishguard Harbour, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock over the years. They also worked the milk branches to Newcastle Emlyn and Pont Llanio before class 37s took over. They were truly a mixed traffic locomotive and could be seen on passenger, parcels and freight workings. Canton had a substantial allocation at one time and these locomotives could be seen all over South Wales. They were not so common once Canton lost its allocation but odd ones still turned up, particularly at Severn Tunnel Junction and right up until 1975.
Parked up at Weston Super Mare in the Locking Road sidings is Bristol Bath Road’s D7003 on an engineers spoil train, 1 August 1971; very much a Bristol based locomotive from 1964, until it was withdrawn during January 1972. Never painted into blue livery, D7003 was cut up at Swindon and gone by August 1972.
This locomotive will always be remembered as the last Hymek to remain in service sporting green with small yellow panel livery. Taken out of service on the 30 December 1972 at Bath Road, No 7054 was towed to Plymouth Laira for component recovery during January 1973 before a further move to Swindon for scrap on 26 April 1973. In happier times, No 7054 is seen in the yard at Bridgwater during August 1971, together with plenty of vanfits and a nuclear flask wagon placed in the loading siding. Flask traffic served the Hinkley Point Magnox power station with waste being transported to Sellafield in Cumbria. In this once common scene, the shunter looks on complete with the tool of his trade, the shunter’s pole, ready for the next move.
Western Courier is passing the former station site at Creech St Michael some three miles to the east of Taunton with 1A59 09.50 Plymouth to Paddington service on a Summer Saturday during 1974. The station here shut way back on 5 October 1964. D1062 was the first Western to be preserved, purchased by the Western Locomotive Association and is currently operational on the Severn Valley Railway. Taken out of traffic at the end of July 1974, this locomotive spent some time at Swindon Works on display by the turntable before it was bought by the WLA during November 1976.
Taunton Station, 22 August 1969. 15.40 hours finds North British built class 43 D854 Tiger on a relief service to Leeds. At this time No D854 was still in green livery with small yellow panels. A trip to Swindon Works for overhaul and a repaint into blue with full yellow ends saw the locomotive out-shopped in early January 1970. Even so, it did not have a long time remaining in service, as all the surviving North British built Warships were withdrawn en masse on the 3 October 1971, rendering the class 43 extinct. After this No 854 spent a short time at St Philip’s Marsh before being called to Swindon Works for cutting up, which had been completed by May 1972.
Taunton Station at the London end finds D1056 Western Sultan arriving with 1B65 13.30 Paddington to Penzance express on 8 May 1974. At this time the signals and signage had not changed much from the steam days of the 1960s. On the right was the concrete works and yard along with the then freight lines which avoided the station. D1056 lasted in traffic until 15 December 1976 and I always found this engine a pretty common sight compared to some of the others in the class. (Roger Geach)
Passing the signal box at Cowley Bridge Junction is D6310, working an unidentified mixed freight on 13 January 1969. It retained the green livery seen here until withdrawn from Bristol Bath Road in early 1971. The overbridge at this point provided an ideal vantage point, the enthusiast being able to observe workings on the Western Region main line, as well as the junction for trains on the former Southern route to Ilfracombe and Okehampton.
From the opposite side of the same bridge, No D6354 is observed departing Exeter Riverside yard with a short local trip freight made up of three covered wagons and two loads of coal, 5 May 1969. Whilst the reporting number states 3C47, in reality this is more likely to be 8C07, the 12.28 trip working to Hele & Bradninch. It was common practice to not always change the reporting numbers on the local freight trips, some even showing Class One workings, hence a degree of detective work was required! No D6354 spent just under six months based at Newton Abbot during early 1969, before transferring to Bristol Bath Road during June 1969.
D6310 A busy spell at Exeter Riverside yard on 13 January 1969 finds class 43 D861 Vigilant arriving with 6Z19, a special fitted mixed freight. The locomotive is in the attractive maroon with half yellow panel livery and reasonably clean for the period. January was a time when a number of specials were run with sugar beet from East Anglia to the West Country. Also in view is Newton Abbot based No D6333, a very common locomotive for a number of years often to be seen around Exeter and here paired with sister No D6310. The first vehicle behind these locomotives is a cement ‘presflo’ wagon; there was a distribution depot for cement at Exeter Central. No D6333, along with Nos D6339, D6338 and D6336 were the last four members of the class remaining in service but all were withdrawn on 1 January 1972. Its last depot had been Plymouth Laira, then the final home for the survivors.
D822 Hercules in multiple with D827 Kelly depart Exeter St Davids with the 1A52 11.25 Penzance to Paddington service, the ‘Cornish Riviera Express’, 5 May 1969. This was the first day of the new summer timetable with only two booked double headed Warship diagrams remaining, compared with the previous four. These two diagrams remained until May 1970. In practice a single Western was also used as a substitute for a pairing at certain times. No 822 Hercules had the dubious honour of working the very last Warship hauled service out of Waterloo on Sunday 3 October 1971, departing at 19.00 hrs. No 822 was withdrawn the next day at Newton Abbot together with many other class members. After this, Bristol St Philip’s Marsh became a storage and collection point for the type until came the final call to Swindon for scrapping. No 822 had ceased to exist by 18 February 1972.
Exeter St Davids Station on the Friday, 2 May 1969. No 6597 (later No 33212) awaits departure with the 14.00 Exeter to Brighton service while a maroon liveried with full yellow panels No D815 Druid calls with 1V67, the 09.00 Sheffield to Plymouth service. Class 33 locos had replaced the Warships on the Waterloo services from October 1971 but the ‘Hastings gauge’ narrow-bodied variety such as this one were less common here.
Once an everyday scene at Exeter St Davids, looking from the platform at the stabling point and the then goods lines, the latter meaning that through freight services could by-pass the station platforms. Then Newton Abbot based No D6339 was also a very common loco at the time and is seen with the station pilot, class 08 No D4015. This was also a Newton Abbot based engine at the time. Whilst No D4015 is engaged shunting some vans, the driver of the Cadbury’s lorry watches over events. In the background a green Hymek with 8V30 on the front is stabled around the back of the old steam shed. A three car diesel multiple unit is also awaiting its next duty. May 1969.
Unlike with the rundown of the Westerns, there were no farewell specials for the Warship Class. However, on 16 April 1972, the Plymouth Railway Circle and the Great Western Society did request a Warship for their special train to visit the Bluebell Railway from Plymouth, departing at 07.00 hrs. Running as 1Z64, No 821 Greyhound worked the special from Plymouth to Salisbury, running round at Exeter St Davids and heading up the old LSWR main line. At Salisbury a loco change saw No 810 Cockade take the train on to Haywards Heath, very rare track for the class via St Denys, Havant, the coast route via Chichester, Hove and then up the Brighton main line to Haywards Heath where No 810 is pictured. Participants spent the afternoon at the Bluebell Railway before a late departure of 18.00 back to Plymouth via more rare track for a Warship; up the Brighton main line to Clapham Junction before a return down the main Great Western main line via North Pole Junction. Some lively running was recorded on this trip by 810.
Magpie in the attractive maroon livery at London Waterloo on 16 May 1967 with plenty of dirt on the side of the loco - rather typical of the times. The 83A shed plate of Newton Abbot can be clearly seen under the cab by the buffers. Those of a certain age may well recall the ITV Thames Television children’s programme ‘Magpie’ and something of a rival to the longer-established ‘Blue Peter’ over on BBC. The programme did a feature on D829 at Plymouth Laira depot with a film sequence showing the loco crossing the Royal Albert Bridge, broadcast around March 1969. D829 was withdrawn in October 1971 but became one of three Warships reinstated to traffic without nameplates during 1972, due to a shortage of motive power (D814 and D825 being the others). D829 returned to traffic on 17 March 1972 and was finally withdrawn again on 25 August. Visitors to Plymouth Laira open day on 23 September 1972 may well recall both D825 and D829 parked behind the main building being used for re-railing demonstrations that day.
Class 42 D831 Monarch is stabled at Waterloo station sidings on 3 June 1967, awaiting its next duty which would be the 1B43 11.00 Waterloo to Salisbury service. Class 47 D1923 (based at Eastleigh from September 1966) is also stabled, no doubt to the annoyance of the steam fans here as it had been drafted in during the last days of steam working there. Petrofina House overlooks the railway, providing a fine view for any office workers who were interested in trains. A number of other photographers recorded D831 that day on its way west, no doubt all hoping to capture the last workings of Southern Steam on the Waterloo to Weymouth route.
A clean No 826 Jupiter working 1B05, the 07.30 Paddington to Paignton service at Exeter City Basin on Saturday 31 July 1971. This locomotive had received a deserved repaint during June having previously displayed an appalling external condition, certainly one of the worst of the class at the time, appearance wise. Sadly the repaint did not prolong its life as No 826 was taken out of traffic less than three months later on 18 October 1971. Like many others, it was stored at St Philip’s Marsh, before a final move to Swindon and scrap.
On the 28 August 1971, No 805 Benbow has charge of 1B05, the 12.10 Paddington to Paignton service seen passing Exminster. The outskirts of Exeter can be observed in the background and at this time there was no flyover carrying the M5; this would come six years later in 1977. No 805 Benbow was one of the class that survived into the autumn of 1972 but was condemned in the October.
At Countess Weir, we have a photograph of No D6334 heading west on what is recorded as the 15.42 Exeter to Paignton service, 25 April 1969. The locomotive displays 1C56. Clearly this is quite a substantial train and definitely not the usual Paignton portion off 1C55, the 12.30 Paddington to Penzance service (the Paignton portion on this working was normally just three coaches). No D6334 was withdrawn from traffic during October 1971.
D1056 Western Sultan at Gissons bridge near Exminster working the 09.20 Paddington to Penzance relief service, Thursday 27 May 1976. Behind may be seen the construction of the M5 motorway viaduct, crossing the floodplain and the marshes of the River Exe, plus of course the railway. The new road opened in 1977. No 1056 is well remembered as the locomotive that worked the Railway Pictorial Publications (RPPR) China Clay special to Falmouth, Newquay and Fowey arranged by photographer and author John Vaughan on 4 December 1976. No 1056 was both a common and a popular locomotive with the Western enthusiasts.
No 820 Grenville passes Exminster with 7B59, the 09.35 Plymouth Friary to Exeter Riverside freight service on Friday 22 September 1971. This was one of many freight services that conveyed wagonload traffic out of Devon at this time. Vanfits, a very common vehicle at that time, make up a considerable portion of the train; examples of the goods moved being agricultural supplies, including fertiliser and cattle feed. Grenville is in very clean condition having left Swindon in early September after an intermediate overhaul. It was displayed at the Old Oak Common open day on 2 September 1972 but was withdrawn just three months later on 1 November.
Between Exminster and Marsh Barton and where once there had been a signal box, No D6338 pilots D835 Pegasus with 6B59, the 14.50 Ponsandane (Penzance) to Exeter Riverside freight in the early evening of 20 July 1971. This service was booked to be piloted over the Devon Banks from Plymouth to Exeter Riverside yard, as it was often over the load limit for a single engine. The yellow compressor rock drills forming part of the trailing load were manufactured at Holmans of Camborne, later part of Comp Air. They would have been loaded on to rail at a siding near Roskear Junction and were a regular sight coming out of the West Country during the 1960s and 1970s on late afternoon and early evening workings.
A very regular passenger service that was often hauled by class 22 locomotives was the 2C76, the 20.10 Exeter to Newton Abbot stopper. This train conveyed coaching stock off the Waterloo to Exeter services, along with any other coaching stock that required servicing at Newton Abbot depot. As may be seen in this picture, the service is double headed and conveys more than just one rake of stock. We see it as No D6334 leads an unidentified sister loco passing Cotford on a June evening in 1970. Despite the working being identified, this is another example where the headcode has not been changed from the previous local freight 8C07.
Passing Exminster on 13 April 1971 is Bath Road allocated Hymek, No D7020 on service 4C09, the 15.53 Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth van train. The loco is green with a yellow panel. This particular service could turn up with an assortment of different vans along with different types of locomotives, including Westerns or Warships, perhaps operating on just one engine and returning to Plymouth Laira for repairs. In those days Hymeks were not uncommon on this train and were a welcome sight at Plymouth. D7020 was one of three Hymeks withdrawn in green with full yellow panel livery; D7013 and D7014 being the other two.
Exminster on 10 September 1971 finds 827 Kelly passing with 1B15, the 12.30 Paddington to Penzance service. The engine was named after HMS Kelly, a K type Royal Navy destroyer sunk in 1941 with the loss of over half her crew at the Battle of Crete. No 827 had entered traffic at Plymouth Laira in October 1960 and had a life of just over 11 years before being withdrawn on the 1 January 1972.The writer recalls seeing No 827 standing withdrawn at Newton Abbot depot in early 1972. It was also another machine moved to Laira for component removal before eventual scrapping at Swindon, completed by mid-October 1972.
6B59 again, this time along the levels at Exminster with No D6343 piloting D804 Avenger, 11 May 1971. Note that No D6343 has lost some of its valances - a common situation with the Class 22 locomotive. This service conveyed freight from West Cornwall to Exeter for onward transit; towards the rear of the train are the sundries parcel vans from Drump Lane at Redruth. This service also served Hayle Wharf and a chlorine tank from that location is included in the working. Hayle Wharf was a major exporter and importer of rail traffic at that time.
Seen through the trees near Exminster are class 43 North British Warships Nos 844 Spartan and 834 Pathfinder en route to Plymouth Laira and this time displaying the Laira depot code. This was just a week before their final working of 22 September 1971, both being withdrawn from service on 3 October 1971 from Newton Abbot. No 844 moved north and was briefly used as a static carriage heating unit at Worcester during November 1971 before arriving at Swindon Works for scrap, 26 November 1971.
The inlet at the picturesque Cockwood Harbour just north of Starcross has proved popular with many photographers over the years, including for recording the many steam specials that have passed through South Devon since the GWR150 event back in 1985. Here No D1051 Western Ambassador is passing this location on Sunday 29 February 1976 with 1A35, the 10.05 Penzance to Paddington service which it had taken over at Plymouth. This engine holds the record for being the class member with the longest unbroken spell based at Laira; from January 1964 to withdrawal in September 1976. It might even have been longer, for No 1051 unluckily struck ballast near Taunton which caused damage and its ultimate withdrawal. At the time the loco had recently been released from a full F exam, so possibly would have lasted right to the end of service had it not been for this unfortunate incident.
Approaching Dawlish station is No D1008 Western Harrier on Whitsun Bank Holiday Monday, 28 May 1973 working 1B55, the 12.30 Paddington to Paignton service and seen from Coastguard’s bridge. There were plenty of people out for a stroll along the sea wall that day although a few may be getting wet, by the look of those waves. This lower part of the wall has been rebuilt during 2021 and is now the same height as the rest of the walkway.
Dawlish seaside and a well recalled view taken from Lea Mount. No D1035 Western Yeoman is passing with 1B65, the 13.30 Paddington to Penzance. The driver has also opened up ready to pass through Kennaway tunnel. Train 1B65 was booked to pass Dawlish at 16.24 and ran non-stop from Exeter to Plymouth. The Grand Hotel can be seen by the station along with plenty of holidaymakers enjoying the beach, although the tide is well in with not a great deal of beach remaining available. An early style Ford Transit van can be seen on Marine Parade along with a Ford Granada. Saturday 16 June 1973.
Newton Abbot was once a very busy junction station, along with a sizeable motive power depot and a locomotive works. Gradually with the rundown of steam and withdrawal of the hydraulics, Newton Abbot lost its work and the allocation of locomotives from January 1972 when the remaining survivors were transferred to Plymouth Laira depot. D6334 is seen with three parcel vans arriving at Newton Abbot circa 1970. At this time there was still an extensive collection and delivery service run by National Carriers, as well as far more Post Office mail and parcel services. Behind the locomotive are the chimneys of the power station which continued to generate electricity until 1973, closing completely in March 1974. Also Tuckers Maltings can be seen, which survived until 2018. There was an extensive yard at Hackney to the east of the station alongside the riverbank, opposite the racecourse and also a smaller yard on the start of the Moretonhampstead branch. A motorail service which used the loading dock behind D6334 completed the picture.
Passing under the magnificent gantry that once stood at the west end of the station at Newton Abbot is D1037 Western Empress with 2B44, the 14.30 service to Paignton on Sunday 15 April 1975. Upon arrival at its destination, the locomotive and stock then formed the 15.15 departure from Paignton back to London Paddington. Coaching stock and locomotives were still serviced at Newton Abbot at this time and although the depot had lost its locomotive allocation, it was still quite busy. The replacement of the Warship Class on the Waterloo to Exeter route in 1971 led to Newton Abbot depot losing its final main line loco allocation from January 1972. Subsequent re-signalling during 1986 meant the station was further reduced to just three platforms and was severely rationalised. The former diesel depot is now an industrial estate and there is a supermarket on part of the site.
To the west of Newton Abbot was Aller Junction where the Paignton and Kingswear line left the Plymouth route. D1023 Western Fusilier heads west towards Plymouth and ultimately St Blazey with the return Stoke clay empties, 6V53 04.27 Stoke departure. The photographer has caught two passing Westerns, as on the up line is D1028 Western Hussar just passed under Langford bridge with 1B74, the 15.15 Penzance to Bristol, Saturday 15 May 1976. No D1023 would have worked the clay empties from Bescot Yard (Birmingham), having previously taken 6M55, the 18.05 St Blazey to Stoke north the previous evening. This type of wooden wagon was a familiar sight over the years and would not be replaced until 1982 when bogie ‘Tiger’ wagons were introduced.
D1056 Western Sultan has arrived at Paignton on a Summer Saturday in 1970 with 1C58 13.30 service from Paddington. This locomotive was one of a total of fourteen that was painted in maroon with full yellow ends. The locomotive carried this livery from September 1967 until it entered Swindon Works for overhaul and dual brake fitting during January 1971. It was the last Western in this livery, only D1046 being left in maroon after this date, except that it had small yellow panels.
Passing the wooden signal box at Dainton is D1029 Western Legionnaire with empty ballast wagons for the quarry at Stoneycombe in April 1973. This was a great spot in the rural Devon Countryside to watch the trains go by. The wooden signal box was built in 1965 to replace an older box named Dainton Sidings. The wooden box was saved and moved to Westbury to be used by a local sailing club, after the Devon re-signalling rendered the box redundant in May 1987. Stoneycombe Quarry was on the climb to Dainton summit when heading west from Aller Junction and not far at all from Dainton signal box and tunnel. The quarry supplied ballast used by the Western Region Divisional Civil Engineer up until the early 1980s.
Engineering work on Sunday 7 October 1973 finds No D1050 Western Ruler at Totnes Station with the signal box behind, but facing towards Plymouth on the up side platform avoiding line. Behind the locomotive is a cable carrying wagon after which come a number of Grampus wagons. The circumstances were that work was underway in the Plymouth area with associated re-signalling around Hemerdon, Ivybridge and South Brent, these boxes being taken out of use just a few weeks later in December 1973. Totnes then became the fringe to Plymouth Panel until it too succumbed with the Exeter area re-signalling scheme.
No D1071 Western Renown crosses Blatchford viaduct not far from the village of Cornwood on Sunday 27 April 1975 with 1A35, the 10.05 Penzance to Paddington service. Access to this location was by walking down a farm lane from the Cornwood to Ivybridge road. No D1071, along with the buffet car and first class coaches, will have been added to the Penzance portion at Plymouth station. Note that it appears there is an extra second class coach at the front of the train on this occasion.
In 1972 an open day was held at Plymouth Laira depot on Saturday 23 September and was blessed with good weather. Pictured stabled alongside Embankment Road are Nos D1050 Western Ruler and 806 Cambrian. Also present but inside the shed was No 818 and withdrawn locos Nos 829 and 825. No 806 was a common sight in its day, often seen around Plymouth and Exeter. Withdrawn on 1 November 1972 at Plymouth, it was despatched to Swindon Works quite quickly but was not cut up until 1975.
Plymouth Laira open day, another view. Inside the main shed were No D1000 Western Enterprise along with D1005 Western Venturer, both in clean condition. D1005 had just recently been out-shopped and fitted with dual braking from Swindon Works on the 11 August 1972. Alongside is Class 42 Warship 818 Glory with its red nameplates. Pictures inside the shed from this event are rare and it is lovely to see that line up. Access to the depot for visitors was on a DMU shuttle from Plymouth Station to the depot with the bonus of a chance to travel over the lines between Lipson Junction and Mount Gould to access the depot.
Inside the main shed was No 818 Glory sporting red backed nameplates painted especially for the day. Parked alongside is one of the regular Class 08 shunters, No D4004, which under ‘TOPS’ was renumbered 08836. Pictures of No 818 running in service with the red backed nameplates are not common, as the loco was withdrawn from service a short time later on the last day of October, thus the red backed nameplates lasted for just over five weeks. After withdrawal, No 818 was stored over the winter and eventually left Plymouth for Swindon on the 26 April 1973. Again there was a period of store but it was October 1985 before it was finally cut up, when the Works itself was about to meet its own demise.
D1067 Western Druid departs Plymouth with 1Z55 10.20 Paddington to Penzance relief service for the 10.30 Paddington to Penzance on the sunny afternoon of 29 December 1974. This was one of eight Westerns seen at Plymouth station that afternoon in the hour between 14.00 and 15.00 along with two class 47s and a class 46. Relief services were a regular feature of the railway around Bank Holidays and the Christmas period, as well as busy summer days; they were unadvertised and not in the public timetable. (Roger Geach)
Summer 1970 at Plymouth Station finds D1047 Western Lord stabled on the middle road waiting to re-engine the 1V34 07.45 Kensington Olympia to St Austell Motorail service, due into Plymouth at 12.32. The locomotive was one of only seven to run in blue with small yellow panels. D1047 ran in this livery from December 1966 until called to Swindon works for overhaul and dual brake fitting during March 1971. Locomotive changes were carried out at Plymouth, as it was beyond the fuel range of a type four loco to work from London to Penzance and return without re-fuelling at either Plymouth or Penzance.
If you spent some time at Plymouth station during the late 1960s, perhaps during summer 1969 when this picture was taken, it would not be long before you would have seen one of the local based class 22 Locomotives like D6315 seen here on the through road with a Cornish bound mixed freight. The first four wagons convey containers on conflats. Like all the local D63xx type, this one has been working clay trains and some residue of clay can be seen on the front right hand side buffer and surrounds. D6315 is still in green livery with small yellow ends and was withdrawn in that livery during May 1971, never being repainted into blue.
A pair of unidentified Class 22 locomotives head west through the then Devonport Albert Road station on the outskirts of Plymouth with a Penzance service. Devonport once had two stations, the former London and South Western Railway one at Kings Road closing during September 1964. Thus after closure, Albert Road just became plain Devonport. One can see the recently installed modern colour light signal which would be commissioned during November 1960 when the new Plymouth Panel box took over replacing semaphore signals with colour lights. Pairs of class D63xx locomotives were commonly used in the far West Country on passenger services until more type 4 Warships were introduced. The aim was to displace steam from the area at an early stage. (Roy Vincent)
The Royal Albert Bridge spans the River Tamar between Saltash, Cornwall and Plymouth, Devon, and was completed in 1859. On Sunday 28 September 1975 D1063 Western Monitor crosses from Cornwall into Devon passing the now closed Royal Albert Bridge signal box with 1M49, the 10.50 St Austell to Crewe Motorail and which appears very lightly loaded for this return journey. Note also the sleeping coach towards the rear of the coaching stock. During the summer season the 1V47 train, 22.50 Crewe to St Austell Motorail, ran overnight via the Marches on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Saturday working was hauled by a Crewe allocated Class 47. The Sunday working saw an engine change at Plymouth and it was here that a Western would take the train to St Austell and return again to Plymouth.
The view from Saltash Station on the Cornwall side of the Royal Albert Bridge with D1036 Western Emperor approaching on 1B15, the 10.30 Paddington to Penzance service, Sunday 28 September 1975. The train is crossing from Devon into Cornwall. D1036 had taken over the working at Plymouth from No 50030 which had worked down from Paddington. The writer was on board travelling from Plymouth to St Austell that afternoon and so it might well be me leaning out of the window in the third coach, waiting for the driver to open up once off the bridge and clear of the permanent speed restriction. This engine was always easy to identify as it was the one member of the Class with the numberplate mounted higher on the cab side.
Liskeard was the first station stop in Cornwall for the main line express services back in the 1970s when travelling from Plymouth to Penzance. Passengers also changed here for the Looe branch with the platform for services to Looe built at right angles to the main line. Liskeard has for many years also been the nearest mechanical signals to Paddington on the Cornish main line but plans are at last afoot to replace the remaining semaphores in Cornwall. The nearby stations of Saltash, St Germans and Menheniot were rarely served by main line services and instead passengers were dependent upon a limited local service. In this view we see No D1001 Western Pathfinder arriving with the 10.12 Penzance to Derby, a relief for the up ‘Cornishman’, 23 April 1976. Sometimes this service even led to a Western Class engine working through to Derby but on this occasion D1001 worked only to Plymouth.
Standing on the stone road overbridge by Coombe Junction, we are looking north towards the main line and Moorswater viaduct in June 1962. A recently introduced into service D6349 has the loaded clay from Moorswater driers, bound for export through the Port of Fowey. Firstly though, this train has to wait for a gap in the Looe branch service before it can head up the bank to reach Liskeard goods yard and then make its way to Lostwithiel and onward to Fowey. For many years the clay would depart Moorswater in the morning by eleven o’clock to reach Fowey after lunch. The production of class 22s was largely paused for the whole of 1961 - only D6335/6 emerged in that year. Then D6337-D6357 were delivered into traffic between March and November 1962; production of class 43s had been prioritised. Class 22s were the only diesel locomotives allowed onto the Moorswater branch until they were replaced by class 25s, which started to arrive at Plymouth Laira and St Blazey for driver and fitter training during August 1971. After January 1972, the class 22s were history. Years later it always seemed so strange to see type 5 class 66 and 70s working this branch line! (Roy Vincent)
Bodmin Road station was situated some four miles from the town of Bodmin which hence gave the station its name. Situated off the Fowey Valley, it is a peaceful rural station where up to 1967 one could change for the branch service to Bodmin, Wadebridge and Padstow. D1021 Western Cavalier arrives on the 22 April 1976 with 1B45, the 11.30 Paddington to Penzance service, booked to arrive at 15.40hrs. This train was the ‘Cornish Riviera Express’ and only called at principal stations in the county. The next stop for this service was St Austell. Bodmin Road was subsequently re-named Bodmin Parkway on 4 November 1983.
Lostwithiel Station had once been the changing point for Fowey but this branch lost its passenger service back in January 1965. The line though remains busy for the export of china clay through the deep water port at Carne Point. On this occasion we see No D1013 Western Ranger running around its clay service at Lostwithiel Station, 30 July 1976. D1013 received its red plate background during May 1976 and was the only blue Western to do so. The amount of clay exported has considerably reduced in tonnage in recent times but back in 1976 there was an average of six trains a day down the branch from various locations depending upon the shipping requirements. Western Ranger is happily preserved at the Severn Valley Railway and was receiving a major overhaul at the time of writing. This same engine had been one of the pair (together with D1023) that worked the Class 52 farewell railtour, the ‘Western Tribute’, on Saturday 26 February 1977, from Paddington to Swansea, reverse and south to Plymouth and finally back to Paddington. (Roger Geach)
A view from the stone bridge at the east end of Par station on 26 October 1976 finds D1036 Western Emperor departing with just three wagons of china clay bound for Fowey. At Lostwithiel these will be added to more clay wagons for export at Fowey. D1036 did not have long left in service as it was condemned just three days later with a transmission fault, having spent its final couple of months restricted to freight due to having no working train heat boiler. Its final week was spent working from St Blazey including on 6M55, the 18.05 clay service to Stoke as far as Bescot, returning with 6V53 empties.
A picture from the St Blazey open day of Saturday 2 May 1970, taken in the shed itself. No D6312 shows signs of collision damage to the cab side and is one of the very few that worked in green with full yellow ends. Next to it is No 6323, a Laira based class 22 that was later withdrawn in the livery seen. The roundhouse survives but is in industrial use now.
St Blazey depot in Cornwall provided locomotives for the local area and specifically the many clay trips that ran at that time. There were normally five class 22 locomotives based here along with a number of Type 4 locomotives. At the open day, D6337 was engaged in giving cab rides up and down the yard; one such trip pictured here alongside a rake of loaded wooden clay wagons stabled in the yard. The photographer has caught the young lad with bobble hat looking out of the cab window. And sobering to think this same young lad may well now be a pensioner!
Notwithstanding the popularity of open days, images of the St Blazey events appear few and far between. Three events were held in consecutive years, starting in 1969. Recorded as present for 1970 were diesel locos Nos 6312 / 6323 / 6337 / 845 / 807 / 154 / 1010 / 7014 and steam loco No 1363 from Bodmin, together with Port of Par loco Alfred and the four St Blazey based class 08 shunters, Nos 4007 / 4008/ 4009 and 3526. Here No 6337 is pictured on the turntable admired by some of the visitors. The weather was better for the 1971 event.
D1041 Western Prince departs Par station for Penzance working 1B81, the 08.00 Bristol to Penzance service on 26 October 1976. This was the one down service to convey a buffet car in Cornwall, the vehicle nearly always marshalled behind the locomotive. No D1041 was also the great survivor of the class as although it had appeared on the 1973 hit list for withdrawal before the end of that year, it just kept going and despite the rusty front and bodywork was a reliable locomotive. Last shopped and dual brake fitted, it emerged from Swindon on the 13 October 1969. The end finally came on 21 February 1977 but luckily it was preserved and is now based on the East Lancashire Railway.
The capital city of Cornwall is Truro, where the County Hall is situated along with the Cathedral, plenty of shops and in railway terms the local Area Manager’s office was here. One also changed here for the branch line to Falmouth. Truro boasted a freight yard but the locomotive shed had long since closed way back in the early 1960s. D1045 Western Viscount arrives at Truro with 1V72, the ‘Cornishman’ (07.35 Leeds to Penzance) service passing the signal box at the east end of the station on 20 February 1974. On the right is the farm industry sidings which at the time received many vanfits of agricultural merchandise. D1045 was always easy to recognise as the windscreen wiper on the secondman’s side was mounted at the bottom rather than the top of the cab - the only member of the class with this modification. (Roger Geach)
The days when the Cornish dairies sent out milk to London seven days a week are recalled in this picture with D1029 Western Legionnaire ready to depart with 6A21, the 16.40 St Erth to Acton milk service at St Erth, 10 May 1974. No D1029 looks quite clean as it had been repainted at Laira depot during April 1974, although already it has gained a workaday grime. This service would pick up more milk tanks en-route as required on the day; there were also creameries at Lostwithiel and Totnes. Sadly, not only are milk trains but a distant memory but the number of dairy herds in the West Country has also diminished considerably in recent times.
It is easy to think of summer days past as being warm and sunny; this picture proves otherwise - it could be wet and miserable in the far west! The view is from over the wall at Chyandour Cliff where generations of railway enthusiasts have looked to see what the goings on were at Penzance station. On this particular day No D1017 Western Warrior is departing on 1A79 to Paddington. There is plenty of stock in the station with one of the local class 08 shunters parked up on the perishables dock, from where much traffic from local growers was still being despatched by rail to the markets of London and Manchester. No D1017 was one of four Westerns never fitted with air brakes and these were thus all withdrawn first in 1973 to help provide spares for other members of the class. No D1017 was the last of the four vacuum-only locomotives to be taken out of traffic on 19 July 1973.
Penzance station again and under the wall we find Warship class 43 D864 Zambesi in its well worn and tatty condition with bits of paintwork missing in the summer of 1969. Despite the dirt, the burnt umber valance is recognisable, making the locomotive unique as the only one painted like this by Swindon Works. It retained this right up until withdrawal at the end of March 1971. Behind the locomotive is a ‘Syphon G’ van, a common sight in Cornwall at the time. Whilst the headcode displays 1A65, I am not able to confirm the working as often the headcodes were from a previous service and had not been changed.
‘Hydraulic Memories’ takes the reader on a virtual journey over the former Western Region from Paddington to Penzance, featuring a variety of locations with a few diversions en route and looking back at the times when Westerns, Warships, Hymeks and the North British Class 22s could be seen working. Most of these pictures have not been published before. It is particularly pleasing to have found some unseen pictures of the Class 22s at work, as they were less photographed than the other Hydraulics, whose reign on British Rail came to an end (with the Westerns) on the 26 February 1977. The colour photographs are spread from the 1960s through to 1976 with a variety of liveries carried through those years. Not only have the locomotives changed but we also see the coaching stock and freight wagons in use at that time, along with the stations as they were then. Many of these places have changed beyond recognition, as has the rolling stock of course. This book should be of interest to anyone who had followed the Hydraulics and travelled the Western Region at that time. It should also appeal to Railway Modellers who wish to study train consists and views from the past. Drawing on the Transport Treasury archive, I have supplemented the collection with my own and friends’ pictures to give a good sample of how things were back in those days.
Compiled by Roger Geach
£17.50
Hydraulic Memories
ISBN 978-1-913893-44-6
Hydraulic Memories
Compiled by Roger Geach