Western Times Issue 10 - Preview

The history periodical for students of the GWR and BR(W)

Introduction

The Pannier Story: Part 2 - Wolverhampton Large Locomotives

From the Archives of R C Riley: The 93xx Moguls

Keeping the GWR On Track by Jim Horsnell

Experimental Motive Power: No. 92 & Siemens

City of Truro: A Notable Anniversary of ‘That’ Run

Modern Traction: Diesel Shunters in Colour

Book Review

How the Great Western Kept Its Name

From the Archives: Americans at Barry (Class K)

Paddington to Birkenhead by Freddie Huxtable

Signalman’s Error at Twyford

Castle Portraits

The Great Western Trust (GWT) - Bulletin No.9

The Guard’s Compartment

Middle: For its standard lightweight diesel-mechanical 0-6-0 shunter, British Railways favoured their own design fitted with a 204hp Gardner 8L3 engine. A total of 230 locomotives were constructed at Swindon (145) and Doncaster (85) between December 1957 and October 1961. They were to become Class 03 under TOPS from 1973.

Several examples were put to work across the Western Region, in South Wales, Bristol, St Blazey, Plymouth, Newton Abbot, Taunton, Oxford, Gloucester, Worcester and as recorded here, Swindon. No. D2194 was constructed in May 1961 within ‘A’ Shop, and was immediately put to use as a Works and Yard Pilot within the sprawling Wiltshire complex. Withdrawal came in September 1968 and following a period of industrial use it was scrapped in June 1978 by Birds Long Marston. Roger Thornton.

Top: Ex-works BR English Electric 350hp 0-6-0 shunter, No. D3258 stands on one of the access roads to Swindon shed. The distinctive ‘wasp stripes’ were added to diesel shunters from late 1959. In contrast to the tidy shunter, behind can be glimpsed a workstained Hawksworth ‘County’ and the somewhat dilapidated coaling stage.

Released from Derby Works in June 1956, this locomotive was originally numbered 13258, until receiving the identity seen here in May 1960. It later became No. 08 189 in March 1973 in which guise it remained until withdrawal in December 1981. Like many of its classmates, the locomotive was to return to Swindon Works for scrapping in the ‘killing fields’ of the Conyard in March 1984. Amyas Crump.

Bottom: Adjacent to the Swindon Works turntable on 27 September 1959, we find an immaculate No. PWM 653, undergoing acceptance trials. This 165hp diesel-electric 0-6-0 shunter was one of a batch of five purpose-built by Ruston & Hornsby of Lincoln for the BR(W), to undertake departmental duties.

This particular locomotive was allocated initially to the new Pre Assembly Depot (PAD) at Theale, before a short move to the Reading Permanent Way Depot in 1972. In later life it received BR blue and was renumbered 97653. It was withdrawn in August 1992, and despite a failed preservation attempt and storage at MoD Long Marston, it was moved to Hurst’s (Andover) and scrapped in August 2011. Douglas Twibell.

Above: Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical shunter No. D850 Margaret Bristowe, is seen surrounded by fish vans in Milford Haven Docks on 3 July 1961. Built in Leeds in June 1954, it was named after the wife of one of the Docks Company board members and worked in the South Wales port until withdrawal in 1992. Despite initial preservation at the Milford Maritime Museum, it was subsequently scrapped in 1995. As a footnote, one of its worksplates auctioned for £180 in March 2023. Douglas Twibell (32-2).

Below: One of the original batch of diesel-electric 350hp shunters ordered by the Great Western Railway, No. 15101 shunts agricultural machinery at Cardiff Docks in August 1963. Built at Swindon to Lot: 346 in April 1948, it was later classified Class D3/11 by British Railways and this example remained in service until August 1967. John Wiltshire, courtesy Peter Brabham.

An unidentified 204hp locomotive makes its way along the Weymouth Quay line in July 1966, with a shunter and guard hitching a ride. This locomotive carries the warning bell on the bonnet in front of the cab, whilst on others it was affixed to the front valance. It also appears to have received a non-standard green repaint to its body side doors, which could aid in providing its identity. One wonders what became of the 1965 registered Austin 1100 4-door saloon parked on the garage forecourt.

As part of the Western Region’s diesel-hydraulic programme, the D95xx’s were the small shunter intended for light mainline, transfer and branch work. Their centre cab 0-6-0 design was partly based on the German V60 locomotives. Here the first of class No. D9500 nears completion within ‘A’ Shop at Swindon in late June 1964.

chimneyed No.7024 Powis Castle hauling 285 tons (8 coaches). The engine worked through to Shrewsbury with total net running time for the 152.1 miles from Paddington adding up to (only) 156 minutes, which includes the slow section from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton. The fastest speeds were achieved down Albrighton bank (90mph) and Upton Magna (80mph) on the latter section after Wolverhampton.

The ‘Western’ Class diesel-hydraulics took over on 10 September 1962. Laurence Waters (in his book Paddington to Wolverhampton, page 56) stated the impact of these diesels was immediate. He refers to the trains being rescheduled to cover the 110 miles to Birmingham in 2 hours, including various stops. This can be seen by reference to Appendix 1 (1955 compared with 1966). In August 1963, D1040 Western Queen was at the head of the Birmingham Pullman (standing in for the unit, which had failed) and collided with a freight at Knowle and Dorridge, killing the driver.

The last through train to Birkenhead ran on Saturday 4 March 1967, hauled part of the way by No. 7029 Clun Castle (by then in private ownership). This was one of a pair of special railtours organised by Ian Allan, which were completely sold out.

Wolverhampton Stafford Road (which closed in September 1963) and Old Oak Common sheds were the main providers of the steam locomotives for the Birkenhead services throughout the period. In June 1962 Wolverhampton Oxley received the Type 4 dieselhydraulics Nos. D1000/2/4/5 to its allocation for testing. However, the new locomotives were initially unreliable and some ‘Kings’ were reinstated to cover for the failures. It must be added however that The ‘Westerns’ went on to become the most successful and widely appreciated of the hydraulic locomotives and were a match for any diesel-electric of their era.

Above: The final through train ‘The Zulu’, first seen at Paddington on page 54, has now reached Banbury where the ‘Hymek’ is being relieved by No. 7029 Clun Castle. Privately owned by Patrick Whitehouse, the imposing 126-ton 4-6-0 was to make a spirited run to Chester, and as can be seen attracted great numbers of enthusiasts and bemused onlookers along the way. William A C Smith.

SIGNALMAN’S ERROR AT TWYFORD

This report details an incident involving the 5.15pm Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, which derailed at Twyford on 16 December 1955.

‘I have to report that the leading bogie of the second coach became derailed at Twyford East box at 6.11pm Friday 16 December causing obstruction of the Down and Up Main lines. The circumstances were as under.

‘The 5.15pm Paddington was accepted by East box under ‘Line Clear’ at 6.02pm. ‘Train Entering Section’ was received from Ruscombe at 6.06pm on the Down Main line. Signalman Burton was on 2.00pm to 10.00pm turn of duty. He put back FPL (Facing Point Lock) No. 20, pulled what he thought to be points No. 14 to set the road Down Main to Down Relief, pulled over No. 20 and then tried to pull the Down Main to Down Relief Home Signal No. 26. Burton had reversed points No. 15 instead of 14 but did not realise it and thought the signal to be defective and called the driver forward with a hand signal from the box.

‘The driver obeyed the hand signal but stopped when he found he was continuing on the main line. The signalman instructed him to set back and in doing so the front part of the train went through the crossover towards the up main causing buffer locking between the first and second coach and the leading bogie of the second coach to become derailed.

‘In the forward movement the engine and the first coach and one bogie of the second coach ran through the trailing end of the crossover in the Down Main leaving an open point between the bogies of the second coach for the backward movement.

Right: No. 4075 Cardiff Castle in charge of down milk empties passing Twyford East. The front of the engine is just passing over crossover No. 14 which would take the train, which is the subject of the above discussion, to the Down Relief. The Down Main to Down Relief signal is also seen on the bracket. Notice the 25mph speed restriction for the crossover. Ken Wightman.

Below: Signalling diagram courtesy Signalling Record Society.

‘The 2.25pm Wolverhampton was offered on the Up Main at 6.05pm but was refused for the diversion to be made with the 5.15pm Paddington. The ‘Obstruction Danger’ emergency signal was sent to Ruscombe on the Down Main and to Twyford West on the Up Main at 6.11pm. Approximately 250 passengers were detrained to walk about 250 yards to the station.

‘There was heavy delay, the 2.25pm Wolverhampton terminated at Twyford. The 4.15pm Bristol was withdrawn from Woodley Bridge to Reading; the 5.40pm Paddington was withdrawn from Ruscombe to Maidenhead and the 5.35pm Paddington from Shottesbrook to Maidenhead.

‘The Old Oak vans and steam crane arrived at 9.00pm and the Up Main was opened to traffic at 10.05pm and the Down Main at 10.30pm. There was no damage to the permanent way or signal equipment and only slight damage to the stock the whole of which was made good and worked into Henley from the Down Main at 10.30pm.

‘Signalman Burton was an inter-regional transfer from the Motive Power Department of the Midland Region in December 1954. He was put into training as a signalman and took charge as Class 3 at Woodley Bridge 6 March to 8 October and took charge at Twyford East as a Class 2 on 21 November last.’

The report was signed by the Station Master and the District Inspector.

Above: The evening sun was setting on the ‘Castle’ Class in more ways than one when this image of No. 7008 Swansea Castle was captured arriving at Plymouth in early 1964. The Old Oak resident had around six-months of active service remaining. Terry Nichols.

Below: Forlorn looking classmates Nos. 7025 Sudeley Castle and 7005 Sir Edward Elgar stand on the sidings alongside Worcester shed. The date is late summer 1964 and both locomotives may have already hauled their last trains and await withdrawal. Terry Nichols.