SED Freightman

Looking through my old SR timetables, what became the Speedlink Coal Network service based on Didcot Yard commenced on 19/01/1987, Section WK WTT 29/09/1986 - 10/05/1987, Supplement No.1 commencing 19/01/1987 refers. Initially the trains were shown in the WTT as COY (Company) services, however from the Section WK WTT commencing 11/05/1987 they were shown as SCN (Speedlink Coal Network) services. I do have a vague recollection of the term Discrete Coal Network being used, however this may only have been used within the Coal Business / Train Planning Organisations prior to the services actually commencing.

David, I am a little behind with viewing your excellent photos which bring a lot of pleasure, particularly when they depict locations at home and abroad that I am familiar with. For what its worth, should you wish to update your records, the locations of these Gent tramway photos are as follows :- C15234 - Ketelbrug C15235 - Koophandelsplein C15236 - Koophandelsplein C15237 - Bridge over R. Leie, Koophandelsplein C15238 - Koophandelsplein C15239 - Koophandelsplein approaching Ketelbrug C15240 - Kortrijksepoortstraat

Although I do not possess a copy of the book or the 1971 WTT, I believe you are correct. To the best of my knowledge the ARC Terminal at Ardingly never forwarded traffic other than the very occasional single wagon that could not be discharged due to door problems etc. In the WTT commencing 01/05/1972 the empty working from Ardingly departed at 2345 and was routed via Redhill and Guildford, so unlikely to be the train in the photo. The Holmethorpe traffic was certainly conveyed in HKV's (and other types) and in the 1972 WTT at least some was was forwarded on 8M17 1033 Redhill Yd to Newton-le-Willows (headcode GB), which may be the train in the photo.

They are likely to be the vents from the gas heating system.

I suspect that BR, with perhaps the exception of the Scottish Region, may not have had any drawings or diagrams for the road bogies as they were presumably owned by the MoD and did not operate on the railway. It would certainly be interesting to see a photo of the wagon in road mode along with whatever tractor unit/s were used to move it.

I cannot recall the timings for inward workings to Chatham, but latterly in the 1980's outbound loaded workings left the Dockyard in the afternoon, then spent the evening rush hour in Gilligham Down Sdgs before departing as 8Xxx (35mph) later in the evening, generally to Cricklewood Brent Sdgs where the LM took over. I did have the pleasure of travelling on the train up the Branch to Gillingham one afternoon, as I was keen to see the operation that I had been involved in arranging. Having been collected, along with Norman (Ron) Aylen, SED Loads Insp & Ted Funnell, SR Gauging Engineer, by an MoD car from Gillingham (or possibly Chatham), we were taken into the Dockyard and deposited at the Exchange Sdgs. The BR loco and escort coaches were already present and after a while what seemed to be an immaculate but tiny 0-4-0 diesel appeared with MODA 97580. After a bit of shunting to marshall the coaches either side of the wagon, detailed measurements were taken to ensure the flask was correctly positioned and secured. Once all was confirmed to be OK, we set off up the Branch to Gillingham, where a mainline shunt was needed to access the Down Sdgs. After running round, further checks on the load were carried out to ensure everything was still secure and correctly positioned, ready for the evening departure. It is interesting to learn that Peaks had previously worked through to Gillingham on these wokings, presumably the SED provided motive power conductors and guards.

Looking again at the OP's photo at the start of this thread, the wagon looks to have been equipped with three internal baffles, presumably to allow the conveyance of two smaller flasks. Movements to / from Chatham conveyed one cylindrical flask, suspended between the main girders, similar to the Devonport Road model. The wagon had a number of different fixing points on the main girders, so could presumably be adapted to carry several load configurations. I have some copies of photos showing how the Chatham flasks were suspended and secured within the main girders which may be helpful for modellers, once I can locate them I will scan and post them here. It would be very interesting to see the wagon in its road movement configuration, surely photos must exist of such an unusual movement.

Attached photo (apologies for the poor quality) may be of interest, it shows the 1333 Norwood to Ashford VB service hauled by 33046 on 14/04/1980 departing from Tonbridge West Yd with MODA 97580 marshalled behind the loco. It is just possible to make out the antenna restraint supports, but not the provision, or not, of lamp brackets. MODA 97580 was almost certainly en route to Ashford Works for overhaul or modification.

The upright supports are part of the aerial system mentioned above by HGR, and were presumably to prevent the actual aerial from getting too close to the OHL.

Did the Mk1 Escort Coaches ever get fitted with generators before they were replaced ? In the 1980's they had propane gas heating supplied by gas cylinders like the old kitchen cars etc. On the all electric SED it was always a nuisance having to get the gas cylinders changed at Chatham Dockyard before each trip, originally they were obtained from Clapham Jn where there was presumably still some loco hauled catering vehicles that used them, latterly they were obtained from Old Oak Common. Arrangements also had to be made for the gas cylinders to be changed over en route, I think perhaps in the Leeds area for Chatham - Sellafield movements to avoid any risk of the MoD escorts having not cooking or heating facilities.

This copy of the wagon diagram may be of interest as it is the one used by the SR Loads Inspector (Terry Knight) when checking the loaded wagon prior to departures from Chatham Dockyard. Whilst the later movements from Chatham used the converted Mk1's MODA 99150/1 to convey BR staff and the MoD armed escort, in the early days it would appear that normal goods brake vans were used as possibly no military presence was required at the time.

The shuttered area on the ground floor is the original Travellers Fare kiosk, the ticket office was in the area facing the top of the stairs where the ticket vending machine is now located.

Excellent model of the Up Side entrance, looks just like the real thing. Interesting to recall that when originally built it also incorporated a ticket office and Travellers Fare outlet.

Gran was luckily reasonable well off and could easily have afforded gas central heating in her later years, but insisted on retaining the coal boiler and fire until the end of her days. She greatly enjoyed sitting by the coal fire which burned for about six months of the year, being banked up with dust to keep it going overnight. The small coal boiler (Sentinel?) In the kitchen kept going all year to provide hot water and keep the kettle warm on top. I remember an earlier boiler being condemned (furred up inside) at which time the family tried to convince her to switch to gas central heating, but to no avail, after some delay the local heating engineers were able to source a replacement.

Even if the houses used solid fuel for everything other than lighting, they would probably only each need 10T of coal per year at most. Provision of rail facilities to handle 60T / 4 or 5 wagons pa would seen very unlikely. Obviously ignoring modellers licence, any coal yard would realistically need to serve a much wider area than a hamlet of 6 houses, unless there was a nearby industrial user needing a relatively small year round supply such as a brewery, brickworks, water pumping station, etc.