Western Times Issue 4 Preview

TheStationToday

Theareatodayhasbeenrestoredwiththestation master’shouseandstationbuildingsforminga dwelling,retainingoriginalfeatures.Thegoods shedhasbeensympatheticallyrestoredalsowith originalfeaturesandisanotherhome.When preparingtheoldgoodsyardfortheirgarden,the ownersstumbledacrossanoldpitthathadbeen filledin.Thiswastheoldlocomotivepitonthe original(pre-1910line)thatrantotheturntable. Also,anewhousehasbeenconstructedinthe stationthroatattheBarnstapleend.Theviewfrom theroadbridgehaschangedwithnotrainsortracks buttherestoredbuildingsandgoodsyardareaare acredittotheirowners.Ittakesonlyalittle imaginationtoreflectbackonwhattherewastosee withanExeValleytrainsimmeringinthebay platformandaMogulpreparingtodepartupthe cuttingtoEastAnstey.

MoredetailsofDulvertonstationandtheTauntonto Barnstaplelinegenerallyhavebeencoveredinthe three-volumehistoryoftheroute ‘TheTauntonto BarnstapleLine:AHistoryoftheDevon&Somerset Railway’ publishedbyLightmoorPress.

Oppositepage:Agreyovercastdayon18September1963 findsMogulNo.6372summoningallitspowertostartthe climb‘upthecutting’toEastAnstey.Thelengthofthetrain givestheimpressionthatitismorethanalocalTauntonto Barnstapleservice.TrainsarrivedfromSouthWalesand WolverhamptononsummerSaturdaysupuntil1965,one yearbeforeclosure.Thehutontheleftwasthebaseforthe Signal&Telegraphcrew. MarkBWarburton(MBW-392).

Below:AbeautifullyframedshotlookingfromtheB3222 road,downtheaccessroutetothecattledockandCollett 0-4-2TNo.1466waitingontheExeValleyservice.Arriving ExeValleytrainswouldalwaysstopatthesignalseenon theplatformbythefootbridge.However,ifthetankengine neededwateritwouldpullforwardtotheBarnstapleendof thestationwhereafurthersignalwouldprotecttheexit ontotherunningline. MarkBWarburton(MBW-387).

* Somesources(e.g. APictorialRecordofGreat WesternEngines Part2,Page131byJHRussell, OPC1975)refertothenicknameas‘Galloping Gertie’butthebalanceofopinionfavoursthetitleof thisarticle.‘Gertie’seemstohavemoreusually appliedtofreightclassesthatwereregardedas ploddersi.e.2-6-0Aberdareand2-8-030xx(ROD).

Anotherexampleofimpromptureplacementof motivepoweronaBristol-Paddingtonexpress concerned‘TheBristolian’intheautumnof1954. Somethingwasamisswiththelocomotiveasit passedBadmintonandtofindoutwhatwaswrong, thedriverstoppedatLittleSomerfordalongsidea goodstrainstandingintheplatformroad.Thegoods drivershoutedthathisenginewas‘allright’.Witha co-operativesignalmanandwithoutreferenceto ‘authority’,engineswereexchanged.No.7904 FountainsHall tookoverandthougharrivalat Paddingtonwasalmost15minuteslate,thetiming was58minutesfrompassingSwindontoreaching theterminus.Afterall,theModifiedHallswerevery goodenginesandprobablyHawksworth’sbest design.

Readersareinvitedtoprovideaccountsofother impressiveperformanceswithunusualmotive power.

AnextendedarticlebyMikeBarnsleyaboutrailway connectionstoMarlboroughisplannedforthenext issue.

MODERNTRACTION: BLUEISTHECOLOUR

Top:WebeginashortexaminationofBritishRail corporateblue-liverieddieselmotivepower,with SwindonCross-CountryClass120DMUstanding inthederelictremainsofSwindonTownstation duringthevisitofthe‘SomersetRambler’railtour on27February1971.Thetourwasorganised jointlybytheWirralRailwaySocietyandtheGreat WesternSociety(BristolBranch),travellingfrom Bristolaroundthecountyvisitingplacessuchas Bath,Chippenham,Westbury,Cranmore,Taunton, WappingWharfandPortishead.Theplantotake theunituptheDulcoteQuarrybranchnearWells wasabandonedduetotheunsafenatureofthe trackwork.Thesecomfortable3-carunitswere builtatSwindoninthreebatchesbetween1957 and1961fortheWesternandScottishRegions. ThissetwithDrivingMotorBrakeCompositeNo. W51575nearestthecameraisfrombatchthree, distinguishedbythetrainnumberindicatorbox notfoundontheearlierbuilds.

TransportTreasury.

Middle: NorthBritishType2(Class22)DieselHydraulicNo.6326ispicturedatExeterStDavids stablingpointontheearlymorningofSaturday 18September1971.Alongsideisgreen-liveried BrushType4(Class47)No.1742whichatthis timewasbasedintheBirminghamDivision(D02) ontheLondonMidlandRegion.Comparedtothe majorityofClass22softheperiod,No.6326 appearsinquiteagoodexternalconditionpaintwiseandhasalsonotlostanyofitslowerbody valances,averycommonoccurencelaterintheir lives.OtherclassmembersactiveatExeteron thisdaywereNo.6336andNo.6322which workedinonthe9.20amfreightandvansfrom Barnstaple.TheLaira-allocatedlocomotivewould onlyspendafurthertwoweeksintrafficbefore withdrawalon3Octoberandpromptdespatchto SwindonforeventualscrappinginMarch1972. Thisbroughttoacloseacriminallyshortworking lifeoflessthanelevenandahalfyears.

RogerGeach.

Bottom:Photographedfromthemoving DMUontherailtourfeaturedinthetop image,No.1200 Falcon standsalongside theformerDe-TubingHouse(TheBarn)at SwindonWorks.Builtasasoleprototype Type4Co-CodesignbyBrushTractionat theirLoughboroughWorks(afterwhichit wasnamed)anddeliveredinOctober 1961, Falcon wasfittedwiththesametwin MaybachMD655enginesasthe‘Western’ class,butthepowerwasdeliveredvia generatorsandelectrictractionmotors ratherthanthelatter’shydraulic transmission.Initiallytrialledonthe EasternRegion,itwastransferredto BristolBathRoadin1965andremained ontheWesternRegionuntilscrappedby Cashmore’sofNewportinApril1976, despitepreservationattempts.

TransportTreasury.

WESTERNTIMES

GWRhadbeengrantedBoardofTradepermission. On15November1897theWarOfficereported(to whomitisnotstated),‘…themakingofaline throughthecentreoflandrecentlypurchasedfor militarymanoeuvreswouldinterferewiththeobject forwhichitwaspurchased’.Essentially,the situationwasamessbetweentheGWR,L&SWR, BoardofTradeandWarOffice.Itmighthavebeen causedbypoorcommunication,orlackofjoinedup thinking,orperhapstheGWRwasbeing‘keptin play’lestnegotiationswiththeL&SWRfailed.

Onlearningoftheobjection,theGWRexpressed willingnesstoaccedetothewishesoftheWar Office‘…ineverypossiblewayasregardsthe runningoftrains…’.Thisincludedacommitmentto make‘specialcrossingplacesofanaggregate lengthof3,000yards’overthe4½milesofrailway thatwouldcrossWOland.‘Freeaccess’ wouldbe allowedtotroopswhiletherewouldbeeightpublic levelcrossingsandsevenprivatecrossingsover thesameportionofline.Howanyofthismighthave helpedinpracticeisnotimmediatelyapparent.

Noneoftheseproposalswereacceptablebutthe WOinsteadsuggestedthattheGWRbuildtwo separaterailways.Onewouldextendsouthfrom PewseytotheboundaryofWOlandnearEnford,

andtheotherfromSalisburytothesouthernborder ofWOlandatDurrington.Mattersstalledatthat pointsoformalproceedingswereconvenedto debatetheissuebetweenthepartiesattheCouncil House,Salisburyon25October1897.Thesewere stillcontinuingon3March1898withnoresolution insight.

Below:CoversofthevariousLightRailway,Extensionof Time,andDevizesExtensionOrders.Informationcontained withinincludessuchitemsastheroutetobeofthe standardgauge,anybridgewheretherailwaycrossesa roadtohaveaminimumtenfeetclearance(13bridges wereproposedwithaminimum14feetclearance,cattle guardsorsimilartobeprovidedatlevelcrossings,fences shallnotberequiredexceptwheretherailwayisina cuttingsixfeetormorebelowthesurfaceoftheground, maximumaxleloadingof14tons.Thereisalovely commentinClause27oftheOrderwherebyifelectricitybe usedasmotivepowerthenspecialconditionsshallapply andthatinsulatorsbeprovided.(HeretheBoTwere simplycoveringalleventualitiesanditshouldnotberead thatelectrictractionwasevenbeingconsidered). Elsewherewelearnthat182acresoflandwouldbe requiredand602,800cuydsofexcavationneededoverthe 20+miles.Thetotalcostofconstructionincludingstations, was£116,40613s10d.MessrsJohnFowlerandJames Inglisreportedasengineers.Aswaspracticeatthisstage, detailssuchastrackplansattheproposedstationsorof thejunctionsateitherendarenotgiven.

TheKingsrepresentedthepinnacleofGWRsteam fromtheirintroductionin1927althoughtheir antecedentsgobacktoinceptionoftheStarsin 1906.These30locomotivesworkedtheheaviest trainsontheGWRandBR(WR)for35years.This doesnotdetractfromtheroleandachievementsof theStars,Castle,Countiesetcbuttheendofthe Kingsmarkedremovalofthefleet’sflagship engines,andheraldedtheterminalphaseofthe steam-to-dieseltransition.

OnereasonforkeepingtheKingsatworkhadbeen themoreintensivePaddington-Wolverhampton timetableneededtorelievepressureontheWest CoastMainLine,thenbeingelectrified.From mid-1962onwards,BR(WR)hadsufficientdiesels fortheworkload,andwiththeneworder’s improvingreliabilitythethenforward-looking managementatPaddingtoncouldconfidently pursuethechangeovertheyanxiouslysought. ProbablytherewastacitsupportfromBRHQin stimulatingregionalcompetitionoverwhichwould bethefirsttoouststeam.

AnalysisoftheKings’replacementprogrammehas revealedinterestingdetailsandinconsistencies. Forexample,Nos.6021and6025receivedHeavy Generalrepairsduring1962onlyfortheformerto bewithdrawntwoweekslaterandtenmonthslater

forthelatter.ThissuggeststhatSwindoncontinued toworktoatimetablegovernedbythetraditional maintenanceregimewithoutconsiderationfor,orin ignoranceof,replacementplans.Thissuggests poorcommunicationbetweenseniormanagement atPaddingtonandtheworks.Italsoraisestheissue ofwhethermeaningfulcostingswereconductedor whetheranyconsiderationwasgiventotheimplicit wasteofpublicmoney.Fourdepartmentsshould havebeeninvolvedintheprocess:-MotivePower, Traffic,Works(meaningsplitofworkbetween SwindonorStaffordRoad),andSenior Management.

SevenKingsposedforapublicityphotooutsideSwindon shedon3July1930. GWROfficial(E267).

I wasanewvolunteeratDidcotRailwayCentre (DRC)whenalunchtimebreakfoundagroupof similarrecruitssittingontheedgeofthethenempty turntablepit,hardlyexchangingchit-chataswe werecompletestrangerstoeachother.Amuch moreseniormember,FredGray,couldnotstand thisandtherestisthehistoryoftheTrust,andis alsomyowninvolvement.Fredfoundlyinginthe goosegrassnearbythedismemberedremainsof theWelfordParkBookingOffice,fromthe LambournValleyRailway.ThemodestLVRandthe GWR’sroleinitsrecoveryawokemetoits fascinatingstory.

TheTrusthasgatheredvarioushardwareartefacts fromthelinebutoriginaldocumentshaveproved extremelyrare.Onlyonehadbeensecured,the LVR’s16pagebookletissued circa 1901/2entitled ExcursionstoKingAlfred’sCountry.Fastforwardto 2021andthatsituationchangedonopeningthe boxesbequeathedbythelateTonyAtkinsofBristol (arailwaymanoflongstanding),andweareso muchinhisdebtinconsequence.Untilopeningthe Atkinsbox,IhadnotknownthetruestoryoftheLVR uptoitstakeoverbytheGWRasneither MacDermotnorthemodernLVR-dedicatedbooks provideanyexplanation.

Weholdtheoriginallegaldocument"TheLambourn ValleyRailwayCompanyandSirAlexander HendersonBart-HEADSOFAGREEMENT-RR NelsonPaddingtonStationW"dated24February 1904andrubberstampedItemNo.27882inthe GWRDeedsDepartmentarchive.

TheanswerliesinitscontentsastowhowereSir AlexanderHendersonandRRNelson,andwhythe GWRDeedsDeptconsideredthisdocumentso important.Beyondthecomplexlegallanguage,it basicallystatesthatwiththeLVRinfinancially desperatestraits,Hendersonboughtup£50,000of theirShareStock(roughlyequivalentto£6million today)andthenentreatedtheGWRtopurchasethe Companyfromhim!Miraculously,theGWRdidso whichiswhytheyheldthiscrucialdocument, createdonmockvellumwithallsignatures witnessed.Thedocumentisaccompaniedbytwo otherpaperskeytothetransaction.

Asumof£6mtodayishardlyatrifle,letaloneone torisk,sowhowasthegenerousbenefactor?

Henderson(1850-1934)wasaLiberalUnionist MemberofParliament,from1902theFirstBaron Faringdon(ofBuscotPark),andafinancier.He beganhiscareerwiththeaccountingfirmDeloitte andthenbecameastockbroker.Wellknownasa

railwayfinancierintheUKandOverseas,hewas ChairmanoftheGreatCentralRailwayfrom1899 until1922andthenaDirectoroftheLNER.His estatewassoextensivethatuponhisdeath,an assetmanagementcompanywasformedto administerit!

Hissoninheritedthetitleanddirectorships,and changedhisnameto“Butler-Henderson”whichwill befamiliarasthepreservedGCRlocointhe NationalCollection.Afternationalisation,BR renamedA460034 Peregrine as LordFaringdon in hishonour.Inpassing,RRNelsonwastheGWR Solicitorfrom1875to1909.

Sothiswealthyandinfluentialfinancierwasthe hiddenenablerintheGWRacquisition.Perhapshis presenceinthelocalareaswayedhishearttosuch anact?Hadhenotdoneso,theLVRcouldsoeasily haveslippedawayanditsmeagreassetssoldoff. Manyyearslater,FredGrayandhisformativegang ofvolunteers(includingmyself)wouldnothavehad thatmomentattheturntablepit.Duringthe restorationofWelfordParkBookingOffice,another significantincidentoccurredwhenFredespiedin thestoreofthethenformativehardwarecollection, anotherLVR-relateditem.Thiswouldbecomethe nucleusofthe“SmallRelicsMuseum”,openedin August1982withFreditsfirstCurator.Twoyears latertheGreatWesternTrustwasfounded,with FreditsChairmanandmyselfitsfounding Secretary.

So,thankyouSirAlexanderHendersonand WelfordParkBookingOffice.Theitemwasthecash bagbrassplateasillustrated,thoughitsmodest cashcontentswerealwaysameretriflecompared totoday’s£6M.

PeterRance -GWTTrustee&CollectionManager.

Above:TheGWRWelfordParkcashbagbrassplate referredtointhetext,whichnowresidesinthecollection heldintheGreatWesternTrust’s‘SmallRelicsMuseum’ atDidcot.