Ex GW Loco's on the S&D

[johnofwessex]

I know that after the WR takeover Pannier Tanks & 2251 class 0-6-0's worked the branch & north of Evercreech Junction.

 

I visited Spetisbury with my oldest son today & after seeing a picture of 3205, the surviving 2251 class loco, we wondered how far south did the ex GWR loco's go, & was there any reason for them not getting as far as Bournemouth?

[tingleytim]

Pannier tanks frequently worked to Blandford on the daily pick up goods and sometimes to Bailey Gate for milk traffic.  I seem to recall seeing a picture of a pannier tank at Blandford on the 12.23 Templecombe to Bournemouth train but that was most unusual.  I can't think why GWR locos shouldn't go to Bournemouth - they did go there from Weymouth sometimes.

[Ian J.]

I believe some reached Poole at least. I've seen a pic of a 2251 (possibly 3205) at Poole that I think was on a freight. As for Bournemouth, I think the standards did much of what the Western Region ran into Bournemouth.

[down the sdjr]

Theres a Ivo Peters photo of a Pannier tank crossing Sturminster Newton bridge over the Stour heading north with a local pick up goods.

[geoffers]

A boyhood friend once remarked seeing a Collett 0-6-0 in Bailey Gate yard picking up a goods which included sugar beet. which had been loaded at the yard. 

[Combe Martin]

There's a colour picture in one of the books (not Ivo) of a Pannier at Bailey Gate on the afternoon 'milky', and also the Bradford Barton book has a picture of a Collet 2251 on an up passenger (just leaving Stalbridge ?, probably the same service) on the southern half of the line.  I'm away from home at the moment and havn't got access to my records so cant be more precise right now.    

[Jim49]

Peter Smith's book "Footplate Over The Mendips" has a photo of Ex GWR Prairie tank 5522 and Inspection Coach sitting in the middle road at Evercreech Junction in February 1956. The photo was credited to P. Pike but no other information on how it got there or what routes were inspected was given.

 

Jim

Edited July 20, 2019 by Jim49
Incorrect description Pannier changed to correct Prairie

[RailWest]

On 17/07/2019 at 06:48, Combe Martin said:

There's a colour picture in one of the books (not Ivo) of a Pannier at Bailey Gate on the afternoon 'milky', and also the Bradford Barton book has a picture of a Collet 2251 on an up passenger (just leaving Stalbridge ?, probably the same service) on the southern half of the line.  I'm away from home at the moment and havn't got access to my records so cant be more precise right now.    

Just leaving Henstridge, if we're thinking of the same picture....

[tingleytim]

13 hours ago, RailWest said:

Just leaving Henstridge, if we're thinking of the same picture....

G A Richardson's Bradford Barton book has a picture on page 65 of 2223 leaving Shillingstone tender first on the Bailey Gate to Templecombe milk train.  Must have been draughty for the crew which could explain why photographs of this class on this service are rare.  Perhaps the crew would have preferred to run smokebox first when going south faster to keep to the passenger timetable.  The other three pictures of the returning northbound milkie in this book all show the loco running smokebox first which seems to have been nearly always the case.

[w124bob]

I don't know if this is a definitive list but it's one I refer to for loco working over the S&D http://www.britishrailways.info/S&DJ LOCOS.htm of cause it doesn't answer your question regarding loco workings as far as Bournemouth . I can't believe the Colletts didn't get there.

[Ian J.]

On 14/07/2019 at 22:09, Ian J. said:

I believe some reached Poole at least. I've seen a pic of a 2251 (possibly 3205) at Poole that I think was on a freight. As for Bournemouth, I think the standards did much of what the Western Region ran into Bournemouth.

 

I found the picture, page 93 of 'Glory Days: Steam in Dorset', Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-2610-6. 3218 at Poole coming out from the sidings to the mainline heading 'west'. The caption is suggestive that it is on an S&DJR pick up goods train.

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

 

During the 50-60s, were Collett goods , Panniers and the (possibly) unique visit of 5522,  the only exGWR locos to work over the SDJR?

 

JB

[Captain Kernow]

3 minutes ago, Jack Benson said:

Hi,

 

During the 50-60s, were Collett goods , Panniers and the (possibly) unique visit of 5522,  the only exGWR locos to work over the SDJR?

 

JB

I believe that at some point they also trialled a 56XX 0-6-2T for the Mendip coal trains, but it wasn't up to the job. I recall a photo in one of the Ivo Peters books, will have to check that later.

 

In terms of panniers, as far as I know, it was also only the 57XX (and their 8750 variants) that worked on the S&D. No 54XX/64XX/74XX or other types of pannier such as 94XX or 16XX.

 

I suspect that any GW loco with outside cylinders would have automatically been out of gauge.

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

31 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

I suspect that any GW loco with outside cylinders would have automatically been out of gauge.

 

 Hi Tim,

 

Therein lies the reason* and hence another query about modelling the Collett goods.

 

Thanks, methinks a small unsuspecting 0-6-0 will be bodged into submission.

 

*However, the presence of 5522 at Evercreech Junction in Feb '56 with an inspection saloon is a bit of a head scratcher.....were the small Prairies actually smaller in width than their larger cousins?

 

JB

Edited August 16, 2019 by Jack Benson

[Captain Kernow]

Hi Jack,

 

As regards the 56XX, I've just checked and can't find any photographic evidence for any such trial, so I regret that I'm clearly wrong about that. However, they did trial a WD 2-8-0, but it couldn't control the heavy coal trains down the Mendip gradients.

 

You're right about the 55XX and it's cylinders. Perhaps they are smaller, or perhaps the route along 'The Branch' from Highbridge had different clearances and it came that way?

 

[melmoth]

1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

Hi Jack,

 

As regards the 56XX, I've just checked and can't find any photographic evidence for any such trial, so I regret that I'm clearly wrong about that. However, they did trial a WD 2-8-0, but it couldn't control the heavy coal trains down the Mendip gradients.

 

 

I'm not sure you're wrong. I've read about trialling a 56xx (which was very much a one-off event, if I remember correctly) but I'm sure I've not seen any photographic evidence.

[Guest Jack Benson]

25 minutes ago, melmoth said:

 

I'm not sure you're wrong. I've read about trialling a 56xx (which was very much a one-off event, if I remember correctly) but I'm sure I've not seen any photographic evidence.

 Hi,

 

According to the list that I previously posted on RMweb, 6641 wdn Neath 09/192 was the loco in December '59

 

Does that help?

 

JB

[melmoth]

Yes, December 59 certainly makes sense in terms of the WR take over in 1958, and it's good to be able to identify the loco involved.

 

I still can't remember where I read about it though.

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

 

One more odd factoid, another outside cylinder jobbie, big prairie 6113 was briefly allocated to BGP 11/64, the only photo that I can locate of 6113 was at Taunton on the Minehead turn in '62.

 

The loco did get around, it was Old Oak in '59 and Gloucester 11/63 where it was withdrawn.

 

JP

 

 

[Captain Kernow]

3 hours ago, melmoth said:

Yes, December 59 certainly makes sense in terms of the WR take over in 1958, and it's good to be able to identify the loco involved.

 

I still can't remember where I read about it though.

That's very interesting, gents. I'll have to have another look, although Ivo Peters didn't include it in his &S&D in the 1950s book, which is one of the books I checked earlier today.

 

[geoffers]

The 56XX trial rings a bell with me too. I wonder whether it was mentioned in Peter Smith's books "Mendips Engineman" and "Footplate over the Mendips"?

[Guest Jack Benson]

A bit more about the 56xx

 

6641 was sent from 87E Swansea Landore on 4th December 1959 and noted at Radstock at 09:25 with a train of coal empties for Midsomer Norton, returning at 10:50 that morning. Another sighting on a coal train at Bath at 14:15.

 

JB

[Guest Jack Benson]

On 16 August 2019 at 19:48, Captain Kernow said:

That's very interesting, gents. I'll have to have another look, although Ivo Peters didn't include it in his &S&D in the 1950s book, which is one of the books I checked earlier today.

 

Tim,

 

Try Sabotaged and Defeated Part Two pages 66-67 'Furriners on the Darset' for an full explanation of visitors.

 

JB

[Captain Kernow]

Thanks for the tip, Jack.

[tingleytim]

On 14/07/2019 at 22:09, tingleytim said:

Pannier tanks frequently worked to Blandford on the daily pick up goods and sometimes to Bailey Gate for milk traffic.  I seem to recall seeing a picture of a pannier tank at Blandford on the 12.23 Templecombe to Bournemouth train but that was most unusual.  I can't think why GWR locos shouldn't go to Bournemouth - they did go there from Weymouth sometimes.

Just found the Blandford picture whilst looking for something else.  It's on page 102 of Somerset and Dorset Sunset by Michael Welsh.  Pannier tank 3758 is shown on the 12.23 on 7 July 1962.