ST10 - Preview

The history periodical for students of the SR BR(S) and pre-grouping constituents

Issue No 10: Autumn / Winter 2024 / 2025

Demolition at Crystal Palace High Level From the camera of R C Riley

The sad end of a once proud station; Crystal Palace High Level. Originally opened on 1 August 1865 it survived until closed to all traffic on 20 September 1954. The impressive terminus building was designed by Edward Middleton Barry and cost £100,000 to build - in the order of £14m today. Four tracks entered the station serving the same number of platforms. A passenger concourse was provided above the tracks at each end incorporating a booking office, waiting and refreshment rooms. The design was very much in contemporary Victorian style with red and terra cotta brick sides and ends and a glass and iron roof - the whole interior protected from the weather. On the approach was a fan of sidings and at the far end a turntable. RCR 323 and 324

The Morning after the Night before Monday 10 July 1967

For well over a century there had been a railway workshop and latterly a steam depot at Nine Elms. The first was in 1839 and on the opposite side of what is now the main line adjacent to the then passenger terminus. Subsequent to this the area developed piecemeal, both the original station giving way to a new terminus at Waterloo and the locomotive works moving to what was then a greenfield site at Eastleigh. An ‘engine house’ however remained, different sizes and slightly different sites developed but all within what was still the Nine Elms area.

From 1839 through to 1967 the local area would be ‘serenaded’ (some might say this is the wrong word but steam sounds can be soporific to the enthusiast), with the noise of engines arriving on shed, being serviced and then leaving, ready to take up their next duty.

One hundred plus years until suddenly on the morning of Monday 10 July 1967 there was a different sound, in effect the sound of nothing.

Anyone who has ever lived near to a main road will confirm the brain can almost get used to the constant sound, getting to the stage of almost blocking it out completely. Instead one becomes almost aware again when the sound stops for some reason and quiet descends. It would be interesting to know if that is what

Right: No 34047, formerly carrying the name Callington, outside the shed on 10 July 1967. This engine had been officially withdrawn from Bournemouth week ending 25 June 1967 but is seen at Nine Elms seemingly intact and looking ready for work. According to the excellent ‘Southern Steam Operations 1966/67’, by Ian C Simpson, this engine had been stopped at Feltham with a hot box (which axle is not reported) back on 11 May and remained at Feltham Shed until moved to Nine Elms sometime between 25 June and 1 July.

Overleaf: Bulleids, and Standard 4s, both tank and tender types at Nine Elms - see also information on page 37. The West Country will be noted as part separated from its tender. All images David Idle / Transport

the residents surrounding Nine Elms shed noticed that morning; gone was the sound of escaping steam, of coal dropping into bunkers and tenders, of wheels slipping on none too well maintained rails and of the uneven exhaust note of a Bulleid Pacific - the latter once heard never forgotten.

Monday 10 July was indeed the morning after the night before. Now there was no more steam. No engines to prepare, no engines to service. Almost all was quiet, except now and for the next few weeks there would be a new sound, of motion being dismantled, rods being dropped perhaps and then craned into tenders or bunkers, of coal being emptied and deposited on the ground or in wagons, of men perhaps engaged in their last few days or weeks of work before being made redundant. Skills and a lifetime of experience now of little use; there were few jobs available at the local labour exchange for former steam engine artisans.

Any number of photographers gained access to Nine Elms before the end of steam but after that time they, like the steam engine, mostly faded away. One who did not was David Idle and as a result we have a record of that Monday morning and engines which look almost ready for another days’ work, a day though that will never come.

Top and bottom: Railway Clearing House maps of 1910 showing the relationship between the LSWR, LBSCR and SER (above) at Guildford, and below, between the first two named at Havant.

Right: Archibald Scott of the LSWR.

Stephen Townroe’s Colour Archive Around the Southern Region

Think of the Southern and a natural reaction would be a railway in an urban environment, electric perhaps; as per the earlier article in this issue on the Mid-Sussex line. Away from the larger centres of population the Southern could also display a rural charm, such as here at Yeovil Town, seen above in July 1958 (complete with Western Region interloper) and below in May of the previous year. The lower view has the shed packed with SR motive power, Moguls, a Light Pacific, M7, S15 and a further unidentified engine behind the Pacific. A footplateman also looks to be going on duty whilst in the stream alongside might the two men even be fishing...?

One thing Stephen Townroe was known for was how he would appear at locations without notice. He would also sometimes ride on an engine or with a particular crew to refresh his own knowledge. One of these occasions was a trip he made between Verwood and Salisbury on the line through Fordingbridge - closed in 1966. This occurred in July 1958, BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0s by now having taken over from the erstwhile T9s on such dutiesperhaps this was a trip to assess how the engines performed on this line? The top view is from the cab near Verwood and the lower view approaching the tunnel at Downton and where what is either a lineside fire or controlled burning is taking place. A point to note is the well kept formation and cess, notwithstanding this being a secondary route; the whole is weed free.

Treasures from the Bluebell Railway Museum Tony Hillman

Special Exhibitions

The Museum has recently created two special exhibitions. Railway Women followed by Trainspotting.

Railway Women

From April to June 2024, the Museum held a special exhibition relating to Women working on the Railways. The exhibition covered the period from before WW1 until the present day. The Southern Railway census shows that in 1931 less than 3% of employees were female.

In 1931 the female staff were typically employed in the inside jobs, barmaids, clerks, maids, cleaners and stewardesses. Outside jobs included female level crossing keepers of which there were 151.

The 2022 Network Rail Report shows that 19% of employees are female. 7% of drivers are female.

All the display texts can be found at: https:// www.bluebell-railway-museum.co.uk/ railwayWomen.php

Women replaced men in several roles during both world wars. They undertook a variety of roles both operational and clerical. The poster seen was used as a carriage print.

Trainspotting

Trainspotting was the next Special Exhibition. It inevitably contained many Ian Allan books and badges but also much other Trainspotting material. A small number of items are shown.

Right: Lyons Maid Trainspotting Trade Cards. In 1962 Lyons Maid produced a set of 50 Trainspotting cards. An album was available to hold the cards. This set plus many others made by Lyons Maid were known as ‘Lolly Cards’, being distributed packed in lollies.

Bottom Right: Train Spotters at Clapham Junction.

Saturday 28 June 1952 and train spotters are on Clapham Junction station watching Merchant Navy class 35008, named Orient Line, pass by. The engine is based at Salisbury and is working the 8.15am service from there to Waterloo. It will be arriving at 10.25am. This engine will have been through Clapham Junction many times, so it is unlikely to be a cop for any of the spotters. If anyone missed it, it will be back on the 1pm service from Waterloo to Exeter.

Bottom Left: Once a year, during the 1960s, usually during the school holidays, Eastleigh Works held Open Days. Recently overhauled locomotives were on display.

This picture, taken in 1960, shows Bulleid Pacific Battle of Britain class 34085 named 501 Squadron receiving the attention of young schoolchildren. The locomotive had just left the works having been rebuilt from its original air-smoothed design.

SOUTHERN TIMES is the periodical for followers of the Southern Railway, British Railways Southern Region, as well as the pre-grouping companies: SECR, LBSCR, and LSWR.

Three issues per year, 80 pages packed with articles and images that are Southern related including, where possible, unseen views in every issue.

A subscription service is available through the publisher:The Transport Treasury.

£12.95

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