Western Times Issue 3 Preview

Top:Whenconvertedtothe 4-2-2wheelarrangement,Nos. 3001to3030retainedthe underhungspringarrangement forthetrailingaxleandthewide cabasshowninthisviewofNo. 3011 Greyhound.Exceptfor relocationofthetrailingsprings ontherunningplateand installationofthenarrowcab, thisengineremainedotherwise unchangedandwasarelatively latersurvivorbeingwithdrawnin September1911.

Middle:No.3020 Sultan following removalofthetrailingspringsto therunningplateoutsidethe narrowedcab.Thedeeperframe profilearoundtheaxleboxisthe onlyremainingevidenceofthe originalspringarrangement.At thisstageoftheircareers,this wastheonlyfeaturethat distinguishedthe3001series fromthelaterseries;compare withthephotographofNo.3065 overleaf.No.3020was withdrawninFebruary1908, togetherwithNo.3005 Britannia asthefirsttobetakenoutof service.

Bottom: Achilles wasthe prototypeofthe3031series. Thisphotographisundatedbut showsthelocomotiveinlater condition.Thelargebrass clackboxontheboilersidehas beenremovedinfavourofa discretefeedatthebottomof theboiler.Thetenderlining detailisunclearbuttheornate monogramhasbeenreplacedby ‘GREAT [Garter] WESTERN’ althoughthecoalrailshaveyet tobereplacedbysidefenders.

Oppositetop: ThisviewofNo 3056 Wilkinson atWestbourne Parkshowsdetailofthelivery transformationprocess.The splasherfaceisnowingreen andthebrasscoatofarmshas beenreplacedwithatransfer whichmeansthattherestofthe IndianRedpartshavebeen paintedblack.Thisissupported bythesingleliningpanelonthe tendersidesandunliketheview of Achilles oppositebottom,the tenderisnowfittedwithside fenders.Thelocostillretains brassoutsideclackboxesonthe boilersidebutthesearethe later,smallerversionwith verticalfeedpipe.Thedomehas yettobepaintedgreenandthere isstillplentyofexposed, polishedmetalbrightwork.

Oppositebottom:Nos.3076 PrincessBeatrice and3031 Achilles attheheadofatleast tenClerestorycoachesatActon. JNMaskelyne.

Martockwastheonlystationwithtwoplatformsonthe13½-mileroutefromYeovilTowntoLangport(West)andNo5563, allocatedtoYeovil,appearsalmosttohavedrawntoahaltattheheadofaTaunton-boundserviceon26July1958.The signalmanisreturningtohisboxwiththetokenandasurprisingnumberofpassengersareawaitingthearrival.Thetrain comprisesthecustomarymixtureofvintageswithalarge-windowedCollettBrakeThirdleading,followingbyoneofthe ubiquitousDiagramC54AllThirds,thenwhatappearstobealateCollettCompositeandanearlyCollettbrakecoach.

Inthebottomimage,No5563isnowunderwayandthepresenceofthesecondplatformwithitsmoremodestfacilitiesis nowrevealed.StaggeredplatformswererelativelyunusualonGWRlines.Thegoodsshedandyardhaveanemptylookin contrasttothenumberofwagonsadjacenttotheindustrialfacilityontheright.

RCR12503/12504

WESTERNWEEDS

WEEDKILLINGONTHEGREATWESTERN

Westernweedsareessentiallynodifferentfrom theSouthern,LMSorLNERvariety.Theymay varyaccordingtoclimaticandlocalconditionsbut theirproliferationleavestrackworkinanunsightly conditionbutmoreimportantlyinextremecases canadverselyaffectpermanentwayin misalignmentandimpededdrainage.

Photographsfromearlydaystypicallyrevealwelltendedpermanentwaywithballastshoulderand cessdevoidofunwantedgrowth.Initially,linesof routewouldhavebeenmaintainedinpristine conditionthroughplentiful,low-paid,manuallabour butmechanisationoftrackreplacementand maintenanceseemstohavestartedinthe1890s. Between1893and1901,theGWRbuiltover400 DiagramD712-tonballasthoppers(latermodified to20-toncapacity).Somehopperswereequipped withploughsandmarshalledintosetswithaplough vanattherear,theyrevolutionisedtheefficiency withwhichtrackcouldbere-ballastedintermsof bothspeedandreductioninnecessarymanpower. Thecatalystforthesedevelopmentswasthevast amountoftracklayingandbaulkroadreplacement followingthegaugeconversionofMay1892.A corollarywasrecognitionoftheneedtoimprove productivitybyremovingwhereverpossiblethe tediousphysicalchoreofweedingbyhand,a networkof3005routemiles.Thiswasa considerablechallengefortheGWRinhavingthe greatestroutemileageofallthepre-Grouping companiesalthoughnotworkedwiththesame intensityasforexampletheLondon&North Western,Midland,andSouthEastern&Chatham railways.

Above:Musclepowerinvolvedinthephysicalreplacingof arailintometalchairedsleepersatanunknownlocation. Thatmetalsleepersarebeingusedindicatesthistobe aroundtheimmediatepost-warperiod,butthepointto makeistheballastandareashowsnosignofweed infestation.Asanaside22menareactuallyinvolvedinthe lift.Assuming96lbsperyardweightofrailanda60foot length,thismeanseachmanwouldbeexpectedtoliftjust over87lbs.OneofthosestandingwillbetheLook-Outand awarethatthestopsignalisshowingclearforatrainto passontheadjacentline.Finallynoticeatthebaseofthe signalpostitself,a‘godfather’hasbeenaddedeitherside ofthepost.Thesewerepiecesoftimber,approximately sleepersize,sunkintothegroundeithersideofthepost andthenboltedtoit.Thepurposewastosupportdecaying poststoextendtheirlifeuntilpermanentreplacement.

Below:GWR‘watertrain’recordedatWeymouthc1920-23. Tendersfroml-r:1)StandardBeyerPeacockdesignof 1700-galcapacity,suppliedin1864-6withthe‘322’Class; 2)Sandwich-framedstandarddesignbuiltfrom1855-1876 of1780/1800-galcapacity;3)Laterversionofthesametype withasymmetrical6’2”+6’10”wheelbase;4)Asprevious butmodernisedbyprovisionofsidefenders.Theclosest tenderfronthasbeenpartlysheeted,allowingthecoal spacetobegivenovertowatercarriage.Standardbuffing gearhasbeenadded,butnovacuumhosemeansthatthe formationwillrununfitted.

38(February1942).Therewasadrivingcabatone endonlywithaguard’s/luggagecompartment immediatelyadjacent.Thiswassignificantly smallerthantheequivalentinunitsNos18to33to maximiseseatingaccommodation.Nos35and37 providedseatingfor60intwoall-thirdsaloonswith asinglecentralaccessdooramidships.Thesaloon nearerthecabaccommodated32passengerswith 28intheother.Immediatelybeforethegangway doorstotheotherrailcar,therewasatoiletonone sideandontheotheraninsulatedcupboardthat housedtheheatinggenerator.WithNos36and38, thecab/guard’s/32seatsaloon/centralaccess layoutmirroredthatofthecompanionvehiclebut theothersaloonhadseatingfor12whileabuffet areatookuptheremainingspace.

Withfour6-cylinderAECdieselenginesgenerating 420hp,thepairshadamaximumoperatingspeed of75mphandattractedbusinessclientele travellingonalimitedstopservicebetween BirminghamandCardiff.Thepotentialforthistraffic hadbeenprovenwithsingleexpressrailcarsNos2 to4whosepopularityhadsooncreatedcapacity difficulties.Thisproblemrecurredwiththepairsand wassolvedbymodificationofaconventionalcoach forinsertionbetweeneachpair.Additionofa70foot AllThirdcoachincreasedthetotalseatingcapacity to184i.e.acrewtopassengerratioof1to61.

Thiswasaconsiderableimprovementoverunits Nos2-4whosesimilarrangeoffacilitiesyieldedan uneconomicmaximumcrew/passengerratioof1to 14.Theextracoachreducedthehorsepowerper tonbyabout30%withadverseeffecton accelerationandspeedmaximabutoverall performanceremainedcompetitivewithsteam services.Thedifferentbodyprofilegavethe ensembleamakeshiftappearanceandprobably

matchingintermediatetrailervehicleswouldhave beenintroducedindifferentcircumstances.

Conventionalcoachconstructionformostofthe waryearswaslimitedtocompletionofoutstanding orders(thelastwasAllThirdDiagramC81in September1941)anddidnotresumeuntil PassengerBrakeDiagramK42inearly1945. DespitemuchofSwindon’scarriageworksbeing givenovertowarproduction,Nos35-8were orderedinMay1940.Constructionwasprolonged andindeedtherewouldhavebeenstrong argumentsforsuspensionofworkfortheduration. Theirentryintoservicein1941reflectedthe significancetheywereaccordedbythecompany.

InFebruary1949,No37wasbadlydamagedbyfire andwithdrawnthefollowingSeptember.Singleunit No22wasadaptedtoworkinmultiplewithNo38 butmodificationswereminimalandthe arrangementwasunsatisfactory.Therewereno toiletfacilitiesavailabletopassengersinNo38,and thoseinNo22hadnoaccesstothebuffet. (The editorshavebeenunabletotraceaphotographof thiscombination–cananyreaderoblige?).

Above:Lookingthroughthegoods yardwhichsawlittleuseby1955. CampCoaches,astheyweretermed bytheGWR,hadbeenintroducedin 1934anditisnosurprisethat,given itspicturesquelocation,thatonewas placedatLustleighfromthestartof thescheme.

Oppositetop:Exteriorviewof Lustleighstationfromtheforecourt side.Constructedoflocalgranite underaslatecoveredroofthe accommodationcomprisedabooking office,waitingroom,stationofficeand theladieslavatory.Thegentlemen’s lavatorywasinasmallextensionat thefurtherendofthebuildingand wasaccessedfromtheplatform.

Left:Inthisviewtheneareststructure isatimbercladgoodslock-up doubtlesspaintedintheattractive GWRpaintschemeofLightandDark Stoneandmakingapleasingcontrast withthegraniteandslateofthe stationbuilding.Theshinynew galvaniseddustbinintheright foregroundwouldhavebeenforthe useoftheholidaymakersinthe CampingCoach.

Right:Theplatformelevationof Lustleighstationtakenfromthe ornamentalgardenthatfacedthe buildingwhich,overtheyears, receivedmanycertificatesinthe annualstationgardenscompetition. Atthetimeofthevisitthestation officehadaluggagelabelrackthat stillcontainedGWRandevenSDR labelsandasmallselectionwere takenassouvenirsaswasthecustom ofenthusiastsatthetime(inset).

HavingcoveredtheTrust’spurposesand collectioninourpreviousBulletinitisnowan opportunitytogivespacetotheilluminatinginsights ourcollectionhastooffer.

MuchhasbeenwrittenaboutRailwayExcursionsin bothrailwayliteratureandinthecontemporary presswithsimplytoomanyexamplestooffer readersreferenceshere.Beforedetailingrelevant GWRmaterialshowever,Ishouldexplainthata deliberateTrustpolicyhasbeentoensurethatour collectionofmodernandcontemporarybooks, sufficientlyreflectsthebroaderpublicperceptionof railwaysaswellastheworksoftheGWR’s contemporarycompetingcompanies.Toextolthe GWRinisolation,treatingitscontemporariesas unworthyofrecord,istofailtoappreciatethereality oftheGWR’sexistenceandbenchmarkitspros andcons.ItismostimportantfortheTrust Collectionanditspurposestogiveevidenceofthe “realGWR”(wartsandall)tocurrentandfuture students.Bydoingso,itspositive,uniqueand lastingachievementscanbeallthemore appreciated.

Webelieve,subjecttocorrection,thatthefirstGWR ExcursionwasthatfromLondontoBathonMonday 2September1844.Todaywecaneasilyappreciate thatBathhasmanyattractionsworthyofourown visitsbutpauseamomenttoconsiderquitehowthe residentsviewedthis“inundation”. TheIllustrated LondonNews isarichsourceofcontemporary observation,andIextractsnippetsfromitsarticleof 12October1850:-

“OnTuesdayameetingofinhabitantsofBath opposedtorunningofexcursiontrainsonSunday washeldintheAssemblyRooms.W.Huntchaired themeetingandhefearedrailwaydirectorshad practicallydeniedtheobligationofkeepingthe Sabbathdayholy,andopenlyinvitedthemultitudes ofLondontoactonanerroneousandirreligious principle.ThreeSundayexcursionshadbrought numerouspassengers,thefirstalone1,200.Inthe eveningupto2,000peoplereturnedtothestation. Itwasadoptedthata‘Memorial’wouldbe presentedtotheGWRDirectorsrequestingthemto discontinue.”Memorialswerethevernacularin Victoriandaysforourpetitions.

Byhappycoincidence,andbythewonderful generosityofthemassivecollectiondonatedtothe TrustbythelateRonKingBird,(acquiredbyhimin 1988andconservedbytheManxMuseum)we possessatreasuredsurvivorofsimilarexcursions fromBath,ofnolessthan161spanning 1858-1865.Somuchforstoppingthemthen?

Webelievetheywerethepersonalrecordofan unidentifiedseniorGWRInspector.Eachexcursion

handbillispastedontosheetsandontheadjacent pagewehavehislonghandinkcommentary(below andopposite).Thatdetailgenerallyincludesthe ticketssoldateachstation,trainrunningaspects, lessonslearnedandsometimesextraordinarily,the weather!Withinthisvast,absolutetreasure-troveof socialhistory,mychoiceofoneillustration,isthe handbilloftheweeklyexcursionsthatbeganin September1859toviewBrunel’s GreatEastern steamshipatWeymouth.Generallythetrainswere dedicatedtothehighersocialclasses,henceFirst and‘ClosedCarriages’(i.e.Seconds)only.Hence therecordedannotationtothetripon26September isquitestartling.“….itwassowetalldaythat InspectorBurtonreportsthatonreturningto Weymouthstation,somepassengerswereactually takingpartoftheirclothesofftowringthewater out”.Whatstatewerethecarriagesinonarrival? Thisoneitemhasofitselfavastcontributionto maketoourappreciationoftheGWR,itsVictorian era,socialhistoryandtheworkanddedicationofits operatingstaff.

Postscript -Iamshockedandsaddenedtorecord thedeathofTonyRiversinDecemberfromCancer. BeyondaverylongandvitalrolewiththeGreat WesternSocietyfromitsformativeyearsandlong serviceonitsManagementCouncilandasa DirectorofGreatWesternPreservations,Tonywas oneofthefourfounderTrusteesoftheGreat WesternTrustin1984,andourlongestserving Chairmantopping14yearsinpost!Hisotherkey contributionwasExcelcataloguingagreatpartof theRKBirdCollectionandspecificallycreatingthe verydetailedlistingofthehandbillsvolume.Such volunteereffortoversoverymanyyearsformsthe bedrockoftheTrust'sworkandachievements. RIPTonyRivers1936-2021.

PeterRance -GWTTrustee&CollectionManager.