LNER Steam in the 1930s Preview

LNER Steam in the 1930s

The George Barlow Collection

Compiled by Brian J. Dickson

LNERSteaminthe1930s TheGeorgeBarlowCollection

CompiledbyBrianJ.Dickson

Saturday17June1933.Thisclose-upisofanotheroftheGresleyClassA3salsoseenatNewarkstation.No2544 Lemberg iswaitingtodepartwithapassenger train.ConstructedatDoncasterWorksduring1924asaClassA1,shehadbeenrebuiltasaClassA3locomotivein1927.Namedaftertheracehorsethathadwon the1910Derby,shewouldbecomeNo60045withBritishRailwaysandbewithdrawnfromservicein1964.(GB6)

Leftandabove:1934.ThesetwophotographsshowLNERClassA14-6-2No4479 RoberttheDevil waitingbesidetheYardBoxatGranthaminglisteningcondition withthecrewhappytoposeforthephotographer.AproductofDoncasterWorksin 1923andnamedaftertheracehorsethathadwonthe1880StLeger,shewouldbe rebuiltasaClassA3locomotiveduring1942andbewithdrawnin1963numbered 60110.(GB82/83)

Opposite:1934.OnthismistydayatNottinghamVictoriastation,ex-GCRClass11E (LNERClassD10)’Director’4-4-0No5429 PrinceHenry iswaitingtodepartwitha passengerworking.ConstructedatGortonWorksduring1913,shewasoneofonly tenexamplesoftheclassandwouldbecomeNo62650withBritishRailwaysandbe withdrawnduring1954.Initiallynamed SirAlexanderHenderson until1917when shewouldbecome SirDouglasHaig untilthe1920swhensheacquiredherfinal name.(GB86)

Saturday7July

1934.LNERClass

K32-6-0No118is preparingto departfrom Newarkstation witha‘local’ passengertrain. Constructedat DarlingtonWorks during1924,she wouldbe withdrawnin1961 numbered61833.

TheRansome& MarlesBearingCo factoryinthe background,which wasfamousforits ballbearing production,was bombedduring March1941with forty-oneworkers beingkilled.

(GB149)

Sunday15July

1934.Atthehead ofan‘up’express passengertrainat Nottingham Victoriastation, ex-GCRClass11F

(LNERClass D11/1)‘Large Director’4-4-0No

5503 Somme was theproductof GortonWorks during1922that wouldbe withdrawnin1960 numbered62667 withBritish Railways.

(GB154A)

Wednesday15

July1936.Seenat

speednear Cockburnspathat

theheadofthe‘up’

‘FlyingScotsman’

isClassA34-6-2

No2508 Brown

Jack.Thelastof

theclassof

seventy-eight memberstoenter servicein1935, shewasallocated newtoHaymarket

shedinEdinburgh

untilmovedtoSt

Margaretsin1961

fromwhereshe wouldbe withdrawnduring

1964numbered 60043byBritish Railways.(GB378)

Thursday10March1938.Witha4.00pmdeparturefromKing’sCrossstationinLondonandasixhourjourneytimetoWaverleystationinEdinburgh,‘The Coronation’,inauguratedinJuly1937,sawthefastesttimebetweenthetwocities.Onewonderswhattheyoungenthusiast,standingontheplatformatKing’s Crosswatchingitsdepartureonthisday,couldpossiblybethinking.LNERClassA44-6-2No4488 UnionofSouthAfrica ismakingaverysmartdeparture.A productofDoncasterWorksin1937,shewouldbecomeNo60009withBritishRailways,bewithdrawnfromservicein1966andpurchasedprivately.Returningto mainlineserviceinlateryears,shewouldbeseenhaulingspecialsaroundtheUK.(GB522)

August1938.Thiscloseupofex-GCRClass9P(LNERClassB3)4-6-0No6165 Valour atNottinghamVictoriastationshowsclearlythepowerfullinesofthis class.This4-cylinderdesignofexpresspassengerlocomotivesawonlysixexamplesbeingconstructed,allutilisingStephensonvalvegear,atGortonWorks withNo6165enteringservicein1920.OveraperiodofyearsfourmembersoftheclasswererebuiltwithCaprottivalvegear,butNo6165,alongwithclass premierlocomotiveNo6169,escapedthischange. Valour wasnamedinmemoryoftheGCRstaffwhodiedduringtheFirstWorldWarandwouldbewithdrawnin 1947.(GB615)

Sunday11September1938.ThisdaysawtherunningoftheRCTS‘TheOldFlyingScotsman’tourfromLondonKing’sCrosstoPeterboroughNorthwherethis photographwastaken,beinghauledbyex-GNR4-2-2locomotiveNo1.ConstructedatDoncasterWorksduring1870,shewaslaidasideforpreservationin1907 andwouldbesteamedforanumberofcelebrationsoveraperiodofyearsculminatinginherlaststeamingduring1985.SheisnowondisplayattheNational RailwayMuseuminYork.(GB775)

Notwithstanding the quiet revolution that was taking place at Crewe under the stewardship of Mr Stanier it was to Doncaster that eyes often turned in the 1930s and where the products of Mr Gresley were emerging and often breaking records as they did.

Similar of course to the LMS, the LNER had been an amalgam of different railway companies in 1923 and yet there had been continuity in locomotive development with Gresley able to continue and develop his ideas meaning the LNER was a place of eye catching endeavour especially with the advent of the streamline A4 class in the 1930s.

Here for the first time we are able to see the camera wielding exploits of one photographer, George Barlow. A man who recorded the new, the old, the interesting and the unusual, presented in authoritative form with detailed captions. We even have the massive P2s, at work and under test!

Out of necessity picture books on the railways of generations past are restricted when it comes to the choice of images available; consequently a new collection is welcome, and this is what we have here in this selection from the George Barlow collection held at The Transport Treasury.

What also makes this collection so remarkable is that it is not restricted to loco only portraits, as George was adept at moving train shots as well. We are indeed fortunate his collection has survived and may be appreciated by a wider audience.

ISBN 978-1-913893-24-8

£13.50

Compiled by Brian J. Dickson