Traction Times Preview

‘Traction Times’

Oppositetop:PicturesoftheNBLType1intheD8400seriesareonesoftentakenatStratforddepot (wheretheywereallbasedfortheirentirelife);less oftenoftrainsbeingworkedoutontheline. Therewas areasonforthat!Apartfrombeingunreliable,theirperformancegenerallycomparedpoorlywiththatof theEEType 1anditislikely that,giventhechoicebetweenthetwoon shedofamorning,drivers would pickaD8000forthejobinhand.On30April1960,D8401looksingoodconditionbutwithoneequipment doorslightlyajar,isitreadyfortheroad?Thefirstexampleofthesetenpilotschemelocostobe withdrawnwasD8404,scrappedinJuly1968beforetheendofsteamon BR.Thelasthadgonebytheend of1969.Whatwouldhavebecomeaclass16 hadexperiencedlessdesigninputthantheBTHversion, insteadbeingheavilybasedupontheLMS-conceivedNo.10800:Seeminglycoveredingrillsandgrab handles,thiswasn’taprettylocomotive.(NickNicolsonLN3/2/3)

Oppositebottom:Wasn’titrathercontradictoryforBRtolookforasingleenginedesign foritsstandard Type 4,onthegrounds thatthishelped toreducemaintenancecosts, whilstchoosinga ‘standard’Type 1 thatusedtwoengines? Onebigadvantagethat theClaytonType1had,ofcoursewasitsvastlysuperior visionfromthecab,comparedtotheothersinthesamepowercategory–thiswasn’tenoughtosaveit fromoblivion,sopoorwastheperformanceofitshorizontallymountedPaxmanengines.Theorder fora hundredEEType1replacementshadgonein bythetimeD8616(the finalclassmember,withnumber unusuallyinsertedonthebufferbeam)wasseeninPeterheadyardaround1966/67.Apartfromtheloco interest,onewonderswhatthegentleman inthesuit,gettingoutofaSinger Vogue mightbedoingnextto theoldengineshed.Isheamanageronaninspectionvisitandwonderingwhatthepile ofrubbishis inside?Thephotographer(possiblyaccompanyinghim)wasperchedonthesignal gantryguardingthe stationapproach.Bythistimeallpassengerserviceshadceased;freightwouldfollowin1970. Therehas beensomesuggestionthattheexpansionofthetownmightyet leadtore-openingofthelinefromDyce. However, thatwouldbeexpensive, consideringthatthemainAberdeentoInvernesslinewithwhichit wouldconnectisover50milesdistantplus theoldrouteisnowtheFormartine&BuchanWaycyclepath. (SandyMurdochSM388)

Above:Andsoontoanotherunsuccessfulsmalllocomotive!Orwasit?SomanyoftheSwindon-built diesel-hydraulic0-6-0sendedupworkingin industry, followedbypreservationthatyou havetosaythat therewasn’talotwrongwiththedesign.Itwasacase ofwrongplace,wrongtimewithBRdeliberately runningdownthesortofactivityforwhichitwasmostappropriate. On28November1964,havingbeenin serviceforaboutaweek,No.D9521slowsthroughtheplatformatActonMainLinebeforebeingrouted intotheyardwithitsmixedrakeofstock fromPaddingtonGoods.Thisexampleofclass14spentagood numberofyearswiththeNationalCoalBoardatAshington,incommonwithseveralothersandcannow befoundatthe DeanForestRailway.(AlecSwainR26-1)

Above:Construction ofthe477BRType2swascarriedoutatDerby,CreweandDarlington,aswellas in theprivateworksofBeyer-PeacockatGorton.D5094wasthefirsttoemergefromDarlingtonsixtyyears agoon12January1960,asseenhere.Itcertainlylookslikeit wasabigdayfortheworkforcebecauseit appearssomeonehasarrangedfora localbeautyqueentoattendand‘drive’thelocooutofthebuilding. Luckilyitisn’training,otherwisethelackoffittedwindscreenwipersmighthavebeenaproblem!

(Photographerunknown)

Oppositetop:Onanotherunknowndatearound1966,No.D5178fromthefirstoftheuprated1250hpbatch oflocomotiveshas therelativelyeasy taskofpoweringasaloon aroundtheYork area.Thissix-wheel vehicleE900269EwasbuiltbytheNorthEasternasNo.41,anofficer’sinspectionsaloonwithabalconyat oneend.Itlooksasifitshouldhaveendeduponanallotment somewhere,ormaybeasapavilionfora smalllocalcricketclub butisbelievedtobein preservationnowattheAlneValleyRailway. (HenryFinch)

Oppositebottom:Finally,BRwasableto presentthepreferred versionofitsSulzer-poweredType2,as seenhereinthecaseofD7544:Withtheconnectingdoorsgone,alargersetofwindscreenswaspossible andthesideventswerenowmostlytidiedupatcantrail level.Sidecabwindowswereofthesliding variety, asopposedtothemoretraditional droplight.Thecompulsoryheadcodeboxonthe roofwasnot somethingthedesignerscouldeasilyaddress, however. ThedatewasApril301965andthelocation, MaryleboneGoodsYard,whereanexhibitioninconjunctionwiththe7th International Congresson CombustionEngineswasreportedlybeingheld.Bythetimethelastoftheseclass 25locoswere appearinginservice,theywerebeingturnedoutinBR’snewblueliverywithfullyellowends.Although theyspentmostoftheirlivesworkingfreight,their90mphcapabilitycameinusefulattimes, particularly whencalledupontodoubleheadcertain longerdistanceSummerSaturdayextras.(AlecSwainR94-4)

Oppositetop:Movingtowardstheotherendofthedecade (andalmosttotheothersideoftheSouthern Region),wehaveD6530takinga lengthypassengertrainalongtheSwanagebranchon 7 August1965.A plumeofsteammaybeobservedrisingfrom theareaofCorfeCastlestationsoit’spossiblethatthistrain hasjustpassedanupworking.Thelocomotivewasreportedasbeingthefirstofitsclass toreceivesmall yellowwarningpanelsin1962andwasuniqueinhavingoneswithroundedtopcorners. Manyothers didn’treceivetheirsuntil1966,bywhichtimetheblueliverywithfullyellowendswasstarting tobe applied.TherooftopcoolingfanshowsthatthisistheNo.1endofthe loco.(PeterGray)

Oppositebottom:TheCromptons,astheybecameknownbyenthusiasts,workedawayfrom theirhome depotsfromquiteearlyintheircareers.TherewerethecelebratedCliffeto Uddingstoncementtrains(with locosnormallychangedatYork),andalsoseveraloiltankertraindiagramsemanating fromtheFawley refinerywhichrequiredWesternRegioncrewstobetraineduponthem.D6583isseenpassing theyardof WorcesterWorkson1June1963withoiltankersreturningfrom BromfordBridge;thetrainwouldbe routedonwardsviaOxfordandDidcotandisusingthegoodsavoidinglines,whichdiverged fromthe mainlineatTunnel Junction(inthebackground)andwentroundtheside ofShrubHillstation.Inthe January,No.D6518hadbecomethefirstdieseltobebasedinthe Worcesterareainorderforthe necessarycrew-trainingtobecarriedout.Itsawuseona varietyoflocalpassengerservicesasaresult. (DickRileyRCR17155)

Above:Thestoryofthetransitionfromsteamtodiesel tractionintheStratforddepotdistrictissuperbly relatedinDickHardy’sbook‘Railwaysin theBlood’. Hepresidedover thetransformationofone ofthe country’slargestinstallations,fromasteamshedtoadieseldepot.Thisinvolvedthereskilling ofasmall armyofemployees;theretrainingofboilermakerstoelectricians,beingoneexample.EnglishElectric Type 3D6708sitsalongside BrushType2D5540on17February1962. Thesetwomixed-traffictypes formedthebackboneofEastAnglia’smotivepowerforthirtyyears,practically.Driverstendedtoprefer thelatterforfreightduties,findingthemslightlymore sure-footed–abitsurprisingwhenyouconsider thatonlyfouraxlesweredriven, asopposedtosixontheType3.Despitecedinganadvantageof250hpto theirEEType4cousinsthough,thefutureclass37sperformedalmostasequalsto themonpassenger services. (NickNicolsonLN6/49/1)

Opposite:RightuptotheendofthroughworkingontheGreatCentral,therewasinterest tobefound thereonthemotivepowerfront. ThisviewshowsNo.D7052withthe6.40pmYorktoSwindon,callingat LeicesterCentralon20August 1966.NewHymekshadoftenbeendeliveredtotheWesternRegionusing thisrouteasfaras WoodfordHalseandthenacrosstoBanbury,viaalinkwhichcouldhaveproveduseful onthenetworktoday,haditbeensafeguarded.Thepaucityofcross-countrylines,causingso many journeystobecomefocusedonLondon,isonefactorwhichhashinderedthepossibilityofthe railways shoulderingmoreofthetransportburdeninsouthernBritain.(MikeMitchellMM3268)

Above:Weendthischapterwithanotherlong-lamentedclosure,thelinefromBarnstapleJunctionto Ilfracombe.D7095isviewedfrom theroadbridgeatBarnstapleasit crossesthecurvedrailwaybridge overtheRiverTawwithanuptrainon20July1964-thesummerinwhichdiesels assumedcontrolfrom steamoverthatroute.Althoughthelastservicesranin1970,thefinaltraintocrossthebridgewas believedtobeaninspectionspecialin1975.Demolitioncame in1977.Thisviewemphasiseshowclose thedriversattothefrontonthisdesign oflocomotive.Forsomedrivers,whohadspentmuchoftheir footplatecareerwithalargeboilerbetweenthemandthelineahead,theswitchtothis sortofsituation (withjustawindscreen)wastoomuchtoaccept;theydidn’tlikethethoughtofhavingtodrivelikethis at 80-90mphandoptedforworkintheslowerDMUlinks.(RCRileyRCR17671)

Opposite:The30May1961findsD105freshlyoutofthepaintshop atCreweWorks,where88ofwhat weretobecometheclass45swereconstructed.Theoriginalplanwasfor only70tobebuilttherebutD50 toD67wereswitchedtoCreweandappearedafterD68toD137.Insomewhatsimilarfashion,anorderof five‘Western’diesel-hydraulicswasalsoswitchedtoCrewefromSwindonandthelatter’sproductionline wasbeginningjustasthatofthePeakswaswindingdown.D105wasoneofthe lasttobegiventhesplit boxheadcodes;subsequentfitmentsawthesetwopanelsfittednexttoeachothercentrallyand almost flushwiththebodyworkandthattrendcontinuedintothebatchequippedwithBrushtractionequipment (tobeclass46).Thefinalstyle wasasinglecentralfour-characterheadcode. (AlecSwainK42-3)

Above:D139wasthesecondof the56PeaksfittedwithBrush electricalequipment.Seenat Turvey on8 November1961,duringdrivertrainingontheBedfordtoNorthamptonline,thelocomotiveisinspotless conditionwhichallowseasierstudyofthefront-enddetail,fromitshorizontallyfloating frontaxle(withno externalaxlebox)rightdowntothechainsusedtotie upsomeofthepipework.Thesewereveryheavy locos,turningthescalesintheregionof138tons.Atthistimeofcourse,footplatecrewswouldstilldress astheyhadalwaysdone,inoveralls thatwereappropriateforthefiringanddrivingofa steamlocomotive. Thisgroupseemstobeinarelaxedmoodastheyposefor theircolleaguetorecordthemomentonfilm. ShortlyafterwardsinMarch 1962,Turvey stationwouldclosetopassengersand theroutefromOakley Junction(attheBedfordend)closedentirelyin1964. (AlecSwainL30-5)

Thispage,bottom:WhiletheGreatCentralroutewaslosingitsprincipalpassengerservices,itwasstill provingusefulforspecialtrainsthatwererunfor thebenefitofsportsfansvisitingWembleyfromtheEast Midlands,YorkshireorHumberside.ThesewouldusuallycallatWembleyHill station,whichisashort walkfromthestadium.On9May1964,several trainscamedownfromHullfortheRugbyLeague ChallengeCupFinal(betweenHullKRandWidnes)but werereportedashavingrunintoMarylebone(via Amersham).Thiswaspossiblyduetorebuildingworkgoing onatWembleyCentral,puttingextra pressureonWembleyHill.Whereasinpreviousyearsmanyspecials hadbeensteamhauled,thistime thosecomingfromHullwereEnglishElectricpowered:type3sseenwereNos.D6732/39/40/53/79& D6803plusthiswithYork-basedD354.Thelocationisthesouthendof WoodfordHalsestation,still comparativelybusy(consideringthatcompleteclosurewasonlytwoyearsorsoaway)witha'Hall'anda V2stoodbyas itpasses.AnRCTSspecialfromNottinghamVictoriaheadedby46251 'CityofNottingham' hadalsoworkedthroughthatmorning,whichmightexplaintheextrainterestatthelineside.Thedriver sportsaflatcapandseemskeentobeseenbythecamera–perhapshe’dbeensignalcheckedaswell. Thismayalsohavebeenthelasttimethat Wembley-boundspecialsusedtheLondonextensionoftheGC inquantity,manyfanshavingtoswitchtousingroadcoaches ontheparallelM1intheyears following–wasthatprogress?(GeorgeSmithGS2-40-2)

wayphotographer.Drewrybuiltshunter D2201representedoneof thefirst0-6-0diesel-mechanicaldesignsthatwouldsoonseeservice acrossthecountryintheirhundreds. Itemployedthesame204hp Gardnerengineusedinsimilartypesofshunterfromvariousmanufacturers.It isseenpassingthrough thevillageofOutwell,headingfortheyardatUpwellwithabrake van. AsfortheAustinCambridgeowned byDrAllen,thiswasarguablyachoiceofthemorematuremotorist(thewriter’s grandfatherowneda whiteone,withamaroonstripe!);itwasacomfortablecarfeaturingleather seatsandlotsofchrome,but onlyamodestperformance.TheBritishMotorCorporationproducedthemfornearlyawholedecade.364 URTisparkedoutsideashopbelonging toNormanRNelsonselling‘qualityfish andchips’(andinbusinesstothisday).Inthosedays,shopfrontages tendedtoberatherplain;sometimesjusttakingdownthe signandgivingitalickofpaintwouldleaveabuildinglooking likeanyotherhouseinthestreet.(DrIan AllenD965)

Above:Wenowcome tothefamed WisbechandUpwell Tramway. Althoughit didcarry passengersat first,itsprincipaltaskwastoservetheagriculturalproducers ofthatareaoftheFens.Becomingdieselisedin1952,longbeforetheModernisationPlan,thetramwaywasneverthelessavisual treatfortherail-