Jump to content
 

Class 33 Book


slilley
 Share

Recommended Posts

Group members will be interested to hear that I have just signed a contract for a book on the Class 33s which all being well will be due out around the summer of 2020. It will be around 70,000 words long and have about 200 or so pictures. Needless to say I may well be asking a few questions on here to make sure I get things as correct as possible.

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

First of all thank you everyone for the likes and comments, looks like a couple of copies will sell if nothing else.

 

At the moment obviously I am concentrating on text rather than photos, but thank you all of you who have made offers. In all likelihood I will be asking for specific things in due course, just dont expect me to be knocking on your door right now.

 

If anyone has any Class 33 technical manuals they could make available, that would be useful. I have seen several already and they have thrown up a lot of useful information. If you do feel free to message me. Also be interested in hearing from people who have maintained them in service, driven them on their various duties over the years as well.

 

Best wishes

 

Simon

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Excellent news. With you as an author it is sure to be a winner. Looking forward to seeing what you dig up from the archives. Another class with unusual ETH provision- double-pole SR 750v dc and single-pole UIC. Is it 2020 yet, are we nearly there?!

 

Natalie

 

Thank you for the kind words. Already some interesting titbits have floated to the surface courtesy of the National Archives and elsewhere. Much more still to go through though.

 

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

Look forward to this, especially if it is reasonably technical and relates the design history back to Switzerland.

 

One thought: these locos didn’t as much, possibly more, work on engineers’ trains as in revenue service, which is something that albums fail to coney.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Look forward to this, especially if it is reasonably technical and relates the design history back to Switzerland.

 

One thought: these locos didn’t as much, possibly more, work on engineers’ trains as in revenue service, which is something that albums fail to coney.

 

Nearholmer

 

It will be quite technical, along the lines of Class 47 50 Years of Locomotive History. I am intrigued by your remark  about  "the design history back to Switzerland". Could you elaborate please as yo what you mean?

 

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

The ‘Cromptons’ were the very direct descendants of a pre-WW2 Swiss design, of which one is preserved in working order. If you look in the modernisation plan diesels threads on here, we rambled around the entire family that descended from these Swiss locos, including the Irish branch that preceded the BR type 2 and 3. If you PM me, I can possibly help you with the d sign history part of things.

 

Kevin

 

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBB_Am_4/4_1001–1002

Edited by Nearholmer
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

...

One thought: these locos didn’t as much, possibly more, work on engineers’ trains as in revenue service, which is something that albums fail to coney.

Interesting perception. I wonder if it depends where and when you were standing.

I was standing around the Medway Towns on the SE division in the early 80s, and my impression would be more freight than engineers (and the only passenger workings excursions/VSOE). Perhaps a statistical survey of my photos might be interesting.

If you were standing at Basingstoke or Salisbury, the division of labour might be rather different though!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Quite a lot of the time, I was standing, or rather galloping about, in the pitch dark and freezing cold, overseeing work using an engineers' train headed by a Crompton, which probably has left a lasting mark. The most notable feature of the locos seemed to be the luxurious heating in the cabs, which allowed the train crew to "relax' in comfort, while we outside were wearing two hats, three jackets and twelve pairs of socks each (I exaggerate only for affect).

 

Seriously though, it would take a long trawl through a lot of Special Traffic Notices to answer the point definitively, but between the various Departments of track, signals, civil and power-supply, there were tens of locos rostered onto engineering workings, especially on Saturday nights, barely any of which can have been photographed and included in an enthusiast album.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Their need was obvious; on a railway (region) populated by units (emu/demu) something had to pull the freight around when steam finished. However my observations on the SW division highlighted a great many passenger turns. 11 62 89 etc but then there were the numerous Meldon Turns too.

 

Cheers Griff

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

The Central Cromptons actually belonged to the South Eastern, being based at Hither Green, and the two Controls liaised on the locos dispositions. Each morning circa 06.00 there would a reconciliation of numbers and turns, the SE Motive Power controller chafing at the bit to get the info down and the position squared for the early turn.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Their need was obvious; on a railway (region) populated by units (emu/demu) something had to pull the freight around when steam finished. However my observations on the SW division highlighted a great many passenger turns. 11 62 89 etc but then there were the numerous Meldon Turns too.

 

Cheers Griff

 

… and peak hour turns on Reading - Redhill. No idea if they were Central or SW diagrams, but both EH and HG allocated locos turned up, whereas when I saw them the Oxted/East Grinstead peak hour turns were invariably HG.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On the subject of the passenger/freight/engineers split of workings, I just dug out my old copy of Loco-Hauled Travel 1983-84, which shows passenger loco diagrams.

 

Eastleigh 33/0 had 24 diagrams M-F, mostly on the Portsmouth-Bristol-Cardiff-Crewe axis, plus a few Waterloo-Salisbury-Exeter, West Wales and Paignton area. 

EH 33/1 had 8 diagrams M-F, basically Weymouth/Bournemouth plus some Salisburys and the Clapham Jn-Kensington Olympia shuttle
Hither Green 33/0 had 2 diagrams M-F, East Grinstead and Uckfield.
HG 33/2 had 0 passenger diagrams.

 

So 34 M-F passenger diagrams for a class of over 90 locos.

 

For interest, the Southern's 73s had 9 passenger diagrams for ~49 locos, all early hours newspaper trains and Weymouth boat trains as far as Bournemouth, plus 2 extra diagrams for the VSOE on the limited days that it ran.

The Gatwick Express started the following year.  

Edited by eastwestdivide
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I thought I had better give you all an update on progress as it had been quite a while since my last posting on this subject.

 

Book manuscript is progressing well. As of today it is just over 78,000 words long.  Just trying to finish off a few topics and make sure everything else is ship shape.

 

I have most of the photos I need, bar one or two. If anyone does have a picture of D6580 with push-pull equipment in green circ 1965 that is available for publication, do please let me know.

 

The publisher's Crecy have asked me to prepare a 200 word synopsis for their forthcoming catalogue, and also to come up with a title. Another challenge to be overcome.

 

Anyway, all being well it will be out in the summer next year.

  • Like 2
  • Informative/Useful 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Simon 

Thanks for the update on your eagerly awaited Class 33 book.

 

I haven't really got anything useful to share but assume that you are going to detail or talk about the roof and exhaust changes that were applied to the class. I think it was Paul James who has described the fact that some of the later built locos were built with the revised exhaust position but lacked the roof clips that appear with the later modifications. Just wanted to make you aware of this on the very slim chance that you weren't. Any detail photos of this area- especially in original condition would be welcomed by modellers of that period  (ie me!)

 

I am also interested in the livery changes and dates especially with the addition of full yellow ends and the cutting back of the white waist stripes on some. Another of my weird interests is how many- and which- of the class received D prefixes whilst in blue. Were there any Locos that went straight from green to Rail blue with a non D prefixed number.

 

I know that you do tend to like including a lot of what some may refer to as trivia but I regard as important and interesting detail so I would like to offer my support for including lots of detail.

 

Maybe of use or interest is that I have a set of SWD loco diagrams (M-F,Sat and Sun) for Summer 1981 and Summer 1983. The 1983 is the first year I think that the class ventured to West Wales and Manchester Piccadilly andvthis illustrated bybthe cyclic nature of the diagrams. If you would like copies of the documents or just the class 33 diagrams then let me know and I'll be happy to oblige.

 

I can't think of a suitable title but am reminded of an article written by a former shedmaster (I can't remember his name but he is well known) where it is alleged he referred to the class as those "those cute little engines".  How about 'The Cute Cromptons' as a title or is that a bit girly?!!

 

Also need to consider your next book- how about the Bulleid Class 12 shunters or class 73s? If anyone can do the job it is you.

 

Best wishes for the continuation and completion of your current project. It will no doubt become the standard work on the class as your others have done.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Natalie said:

Hi Simon 

Thanks for the update on your eagerly awaited Class 33 book.

 

I haven't really got anything useful to share but assume that you are going to detail or talk about the roof and exhaust changes that were applied to the class. I think it was Paul James who has described the fact that some of the later built locos were built with the revised exhaust position but lacked the roof clips that appear with the later modifications. Just wanted to make you aware of this on the very slim chance that you weren't. Any detail photos of this area- especially in original condition would be welcomed by modellers of that period  (ie me!). SL- I am aware of this but documentary evidence to substatiate it, is not forthcoming.  The exhaust system was modified after 1967 and all the documentation points to a whole class modification.

 

I am also interested in the livery changes and dates especially with the addition of full yellow ends and the cutting back of the white waist stripes on some. Another of my weird interests is how many- and which- of the class received D prefixes whilst in blue. Were there any Locos that went straight from green to Rail blue with a non D prefixed number.

SL- I mention the changes from green to blue obviously, indeed there is a chapter on the subject going back to the first loco with a yellow panel. It does include details of some locomotives that were in blue with D prefix numbers. There will be pictures of locos in blue with D prefix numbers, locos in green with full yellow ends and long waist bands, and short ones. Nailing down exactly which locos had what is not easy and always runs the risk of missing something out.

 

I know that you do tend to like including a lot of what some may refer to as trivia but I regard as important and interesting detail so I would like to offer my support for including lots of detail.SL- Thank you. There will be plenty of detail. The "procurement" story for one is an aspect that has several twists to it, as does their move off the South Eastern Division to other duties, and of course the Bournemouth electrification and their role in that. Notwithstanding the story of the damages claim against BRCW Ltd for late delivery. Hpefully that is a few more appetites whetted. 

 

Maybe of use or interest is that I have a set of SWD loco diagrams (M-F,Sat and Sun) for Summer 1981 and Summer 1983. The 1983 is the first year I think that the class ventured to West Wales and Manchester Piccadilly andvthis illustrated bybthe cyclic nature of the diagrams. If you would like copies of the documents or just the class 33 diagrams then let me know and I'll be happy to oblige. SL-  Thats v kind of you Natalie, both subjects are pretty well covered thus far. I have to be mindful of space. My contract talked about 70,000 words and I am already up to 78,000!!

 

I can't think of a suitable title but am reminded of an article written by a former shedmaster (I can't remember his name but he is well known) where it is alleged he referred to the class as those "those cute little engines".  How about 'The Cute Cromptons' as a title or is that a bit girly?!!  SL- Its an interesting title, not sure though what the publisher would make of it. I have several up for consideration, so watch this space.

 

Also need to consider your next book- how about the Bulleid Class 12 shunters or class 73s? If anyone can do the job it is you.SL- Next book!!! Can I finish this one first LOL! The Bulleid shunters possibly, though quite how much material is out there is a question. The Class 73s well there has been a book by another author on them which came out a few years ago so I am unsure if i wouldnt just be going over ground already covered.

 

Best wishes for the continuation and completion of your current project. It will no doubt become the standard work on the class as your others have done.SL- Natalie that is very kind of you to say so. Fingers crossed you like this one. I am certainly striving to ensure that the book is as full an account as possible of these much appreciated locomotives.

 

 

Natalie.

 

Thanks for the message and support. I have added some comments to your message please see above.

 

Best wishes

 

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Just to let you know, the manuscript for my forthcoming book The Class 33s - A Sixty Year History has just been posted to the publishers Crecy. At the last count it was 81,377 words long. The text is backed up by around 200 photographs.

  • Like 4
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...