Creating a believable freelance pre-Group company

[HonestTom]

I've been playing with an idea lately, inspired by a London might-have-been, which combines my love of London railways with the wish to invent a pre-grouping company for freelance japery. In reality, as I mentioned on another thread, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway quite seriously looked into the possibility of building a link with the London and Blackwall Railway - this is why they had Terriers with names like Stepney, Fenchurch, Blackwall etc, which were named for places the LBSC never actually served.

 

In my imaginary version of history, this might-have-been not only happened, but went rather further than the original plan. The East London Railway amalgamated with the London and Blackwall Railway to create the London and Docklands Railway. The move was backed by several companies whose interests were well served by the improved links across London, including the LBSC, the MDR, the Metropolitan, the GER, the LTSR, the LCDR, the Midland, the NLR and a number of the dock companies. Even the GWR took an interest, thanks to its depot at Poplar.

 

The rail map of London differs in this reality. The Whitechapel and Bow Railway was not constructed, because the LTSR now had a link to the MDR. The Millwall Extension Railway was now built under the LDR, and went all the way to Greenwich. Many of the lines that in our world were run by the various dock companies also came under the London and Docklands.

 

For a relatively small company, traffic was heavy, and Shadwell Junction would have been a Mecca for rail enthusiasts of the late 19th century. As well as the LDR's own trains, several other companies enjoyed running rights, and the LDR in turn operated services over the Inner Circle and LTSR.

 

To be honest, this is mostly background for a couple of freelance locomotive conversions I wanted to do, but I hope it's fairly plausible.

[whart57]

I've mused about an imaginary SER line running out to Blackwall Point, where today the Blackwall Tunnel crosses the river. I made a start on a micro-layout which assumed a ferry station for a ferry across to the MER's Greenwich station. There would have been a nice symmetry - a Greenwich station north of the river and a Blackwall station on the south side.

[HonestTom]

I've mused about an imaginary SER line running out to Blackwall Point, where today the Blackwall Tunnel crosses the river. I made a start on a micro-layout which assumed a ferry station for a ferry across to the MER's Greenwich station. There would have been a nice symmetry - a Greenwich station north of the river and a Blackwall station on the south side.

 

That would be pretty neat. I've always been rather fond of the L&BR's Blackwall station, which would make a good micro in itself and also served a ferry, but to Woolwich rather than Greenwich.

[whart57]

That bend in the river housed a number of interesting industries. Telegraph cables were being made there in the mid nineteenth century which suggests a use for those cable drum trucks Triang used to sell. I actually went out there for a meeting a dozen or so years ago and I may be wrong but I think the site is now occupied by Alcatel's telecoms business, which would be an amazing longevity for an industry we think of as exceedingly modern

[JimC]

For a relatively small company, traffic was heavy, and Shadwell Junction would have been a Mecca for rail enthusiasts of the late 19th century. As well as the LDR's own trains, several other companies enjoyed running rights, and the LDR in turn operated services over the Inner Circle and LTSR.

 

To be honest, this is mostly background for a couple of freelance locomotive conversions I wanted to do, but I hope it's fairly plausible.

Were there a multiplicity of small dock railways in London, like  South Wales, where there were various railways and docks lines that were on the lines of 50 miles of sidings and 5 miles of mainline? If not could there have been in your scenario? Like the Welsh lines they might have had a multiplicity of misc industrials plus a few larger mainline locomotives.

[wagonman]

Were there a multiplicity of small dock railways in London, like  South Wales, where there were various railways and docks lines that were on the lines of 50 miles of sidings and 5 miles of mainline? If not could there have been in your scenario? Like the Welsh lines they might have had a multiplicity of misc industrials plus a few larger mainline locomotives.

 

 

The Port of London Act of 1908 brought all the dock railways under the control of the PLA as from 1909.

[HonestTom]

Were there a multiplicity of small dock railways in London, like  South Wales, where there were various railways and docks lines that were on the lines of 50 miles of sidings and 5 miles of mainline? If not could there have been in your scenario? Like the Welsh lines they might have had a multiplicity of misc industrials plus a few larger mainline locomotives.

 

The situation is a little complicated. As noted above by wagonman, the dock railways were taken over the the PLA. However, there were a number of private owner lines serving specific industries, some of which had their own locomotives. Beckton gasworks, for instance, had a quite remarkable internal railway. Thomas W. Ward's scrapyard had its own locomotives. There were others, but I don't have access to m'library at the moment. Dave Marden's London's Dock Railways (vol 1 & 2) and Beckton's Railways and Locomotives are extremely comprehensive books on the subject. C R L Coles' Railways Through London is also worth a look, although it's a basic overview.

 

The map on this page gives you some idea of how complex the railways could get - and that's just one half-mile branch.

Edited May 29, 2018 by HonestTom

[Corbs]

Recently I have come up with my fictional railway company, it's route, it's history (somewhat plausible), it's influences, it's locomotives, it's rolling stock, it's architecture, it's style, everything.....except for one rather important thing.

 

The biggest problem I seem to have when coming up with a fictional/freelance company is the livery! I thought I had found the prefect one but now am having doubts about it, just like so many I thought of before it. The problem is I want a livery that sets it apart from other railways, but as I was discussing with some fellow members the other day basically every permeation of livery has been done at some point.

 

I love coming up with fictional/freelance companies, especially the challenge of making them believable, but liveries are a damn nightmare!

 

- Alex

Sounds fun! One that crops up on freelance liveries a lot is green and cream coaching stock which I've always thought looks rather handsome and 'works'.

I basically ripped off BR express passenger blue for mine and applied it to everything (less complex than Caley lined blue).

I think that whatever you choose, it always looks excellent for a fleet of locos and stock to sport a matching livery all lined up together, so making it work across all your stock is key (therefore choose something you would be comfortable with doing more than once!) - most of my stock is only lined on one side for this reason!

 

What kind of locos/stock are you thinking of? Do you have a thread for it?

[Andy Hayter]

I have a theory that companies chose liveries that would set them aside from other companies that their stock might be seen alongside - especially if that other company might be running a competitive route to your own.  

 

So for example the GCR chose to move from maroon (MSL) coaches to brown and french grey when the London extension was opened.   You would not for example want one of your customers to accidentally get into a maroon coach in Manchester believing it to be an MSL coach to London, when in fact it was a Midland one.

 

Today I think this is called brand differentiation.

 

In some cases coach liveries might be similar and then the distinction might be made through the locomotive livery (Cambridge - London - GNR green versus GER blue although both sets of coaches would have been teak coloured).

 

In later days (when levels of literacy were improved) you did end up with similar liveries with competing companies to be found at the same station - GCR/GNR both with teak coach liveries and green engines - but perhaps the exception rather than the rule.

 

So I would suggest that you look at which companies your fictional company might have been in competition with and then choose a livery different to those - either coaching stock, locomotive or both.

[Corbs]

Please do! I love those kinds of threads.

[sem34090]

Well, for a light railway you want grimy green on the locos and a grimy plain livery on the coaches!

 

Or something nicer...

[whart57]

Sounds fun! One that crops up on freelance liveries a lot is green and cream coaching stock which I've always thought looks rather handsome and 'works'.

I basically ripped off BR express passenger blue for mine and applied it to everything (less complex than Caley lined blue).

I think that whatever you choose, it always looks excellent for a fleet of locos and stock to sport a matching livery all lined up together, so making it work across all your stock is key (therefore choose something you would be comfortable with doing more than once!) - most of my stock is only lined on one side for this reason!

 

What kind of locos/stock are you thinking of? Do you have a thread for it?

 

I'm going for green and ivory myself. I don't know why it wasn't more common, can't have been paint technology because many electric tramways used that scheme

[Thunderforge]

Here’s a quick and cheeky way of making a Pre-Grouping company, pick any two names from this site and Bob’s your uncle!

 

http://www.inkalicious.com/elizabethan.html

 

It’s an ‘Elizabethan sounding town name generator’ which will give you such beauties as;

The Cheddarsfield & Folihearst Railway Co.

Great Barberschase and Saltferry Tramway

Fluddcourse Light Railway

Foliden & Coggscleak Mining Cooperative

 

Have fun!

[Regularity]

I'm going for green and ivory myself. I don't know why it wasn't more common, can't have been paint technology because many electric tramways used that scheme

 

Cambrian Railways, Highland Railway, to name but two. At least, for a while...

 

Here’s a quick and cheeky way of making a Pre-Grouping company, pick any two names from this site and Bob’s your uncle!

http://www.inkalicious.com/elizabethan.html

It’s an ‘Elizabethan sounding town name generator’ which will give you such beauties as;

The Cheddarsfield & Folihearst Railway Co.

Great Barberschase and Saltferry Tramway

Fluddcourse Light Railway

Foliden & Coggscleak Mining Cooperative

Have fun!

Only with a sick bucket: apart from Saltferry, none of them sound remotely plausible.

Anyway, Bob isn’t the brother of either of my parents, but he is my son.

[RedGemAlchemist]

 Only with a sick bucket: apart from Saltferry, none of them sound remotely plausible.

 

I don't know. Maplehurst, Nunsley, Keston and Redeston from mine all seem like normal English village names.

Edited June 27, 2018 by RedGemAlchemist

[Caley Jim]

I always fancied the Achtertool and Puddledub Light Railway myself!  Both villages actually exist, but being in Fife (just west of Kirkaldy) they lie in NB territory, so off limits as far as I'm concerned!    

 

Jim

[Annie]

I'm going for green and ivory myself. I don't know why it wasn't more common, can't have been paint technology because many electric tramways used that scheme

My digital imaginary joint railway uses a two tone green livery for coaches which is certainly rare, but to my mind looks very tasteful.

 

[whart57]

I like that. I fear however that railway companies wouldn't have adopted it given that a gentle covering of soot and oil would quickly mask the differences

[RedGemAlchemist]

My digital imaginary joint railway uses a two tone green livery for coaches which is certainly rare, but to my mind looks very tasteful.

 

Very smart! Chocolate and copper here. Just like the colour combination. Though I do also have some blood-and-custards in my roster as many of you probably already know. Edited June 28, 2018 by RedGemAlchemist

[Thunderforge]

I like that. I fear however that railway companies wouldn't have adopted it given that a gentle covering of soot and oil would quickly mask the differences

This isn't the BR era you know!  It's company policy to give all carriages a thorough spit and polish before they leave the station!  Well, the first class ones anyway...

[sem34090]

With that livery, I can't help thinking that over time re-varnishing and ingrained dirt, plus fading, would eventually morph the colours into one and then the company would simply start painting the coaches all over green by circa 1910.

[Annie]

My imaginary line is slightly notorious for trying out coach new liveries so who knows what might come in the future.  Varnished teak seems to being looked at seriously at the moment, but that doesn't mean that some other flight of fancy won't emerge before the board of directors can make up their minds.  Puts me in mind of one of the Peter Barnfield Whimshire drawings of a post merger livery committee trying to make up their minds over what colour to paint their locomotives.

 

http://www.titfield.co.uk/Barnfield/Find_card.php?xfer_text=W97&xfer_type=W&xfer_page=3

[whart57]

This isn't the BR era you know!  It's company policy to give all carriages a thorough spit and polish before they leave the station!  Well, the first class ones anyway...

 

The steam era could be very grubby. Apparently the SE&CR was paying out something like £500 a year in compensation to ladies of quality whose gloves had been ruined through contact with a greasy grubby coach door or grab handle. (So much for the gentlemen opening the doors for them .......)

[Peter Crawford]

I created the Fretton Railway Operating Company for a story I wrote a while back.

[Annie]

Milky coffee and chocolate coach livery on my imaginary railway.  I may return to this as it's nice looking paint scheme.  The coaches are very basic digital models of GER 50 ft coaches.