‘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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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)
‘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