Bulleids on the SDJR in the 50s

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hello,

 

Just collating my father's records, these locos were noted on the SDJR during the 50s.

 

34028 Eddystone 58/59
34037 Clovelly 51
34040 Crewkerne  5/52-r10/54
34041 Wilton 12/51-r10/54
34042 Dorchester 12/51-r10/54
34043 Combe Martin  6/51, 7/52, 6/53, 6/54, 8/54, 1/55, 7/55,8/55, 6/59, 7/59
34093 Saunton 6/51, 8/53, /54, 8/55;
34095 Brentor 7/53, 7/55
34107 Blandford Forum 1/55, 8/55, 8/56, 9/57, 9/58, 12/58,
34099 Lynmouth 7/58
34102 Lapford  8/59
34105 Swanage 6/58, 8/58
34108 Wincanton 6/56, 7/57, 8/58
34109 Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory 3/51, 7/53, 6/57 (Trials)

 

The first Bulleid was 34109 which carried out trials in 1951 and presumably 34040-42 were allocated to BGP during '54 although other Bulleid locos were also regular performers.

 

Please add to the notes, they were my father's observations.

 

Thank you

 

JB

Edited September 27, 2019 by Guest

[geoffers]

34102 Lapford on a Saturday in Feb 66 pulling one of the late afternoon "Emergency Timetable" trains B'mth Central to Blandford. I was on the train. 

34012 Launceston in Oct (?) 66 to Blandford pulling a Flight Refuelling special. This latter well documented.

Edited September 27, 2019 by geoffers

[geoffers]

Firmed up on the 34102 Lapford trip to Blandford - 1543 Sat Only on 15 Jan 1966.

 

 

[down the sdjr]

34046 Braunton 13/08/60.

34103 Calstock 09/62.

34044 Woolacombe 07/55.

34041 Wilton 8/56, 7/58, 8/59. (plus other locos on the list at different dates such as Crewkerne 8/59 etc).

34110 66 Squadron 7/57.

 

34044 and 34110 are the only others i can find in the 50s.

 

Thanks for sharing your Dads list jack, seeing Swanage in 1958 is great, i was not shure if she ran the line or only the time it was diverted via Salisbury.

 

Paul.

[Guest Jack Benson]

Paul,

 

I was under the impression that Combe Martin was actually allocated to BGP in the mid 50s but it was only three BLPs that found a temporary home, even then replicating them as models is not simple as there were variations in details such as fairings in front of the cylinders etc. I am using Hornby's recent model of Camelford and changing it to Crewkerne for this reason. 

 

Cheers

 

Jack

[Dunsignalling]

Combe Martin was a Salisbury engine from new,

 

Combe Martin was allocated new to Exmouth Junction, transferred to Salisbury in 1950, Bath Green Park in May 1951 and to Bournemouth in June 1952, where it remained for the rest of its service. According to the BR Database website, though, it was placed in store at Bath Green Park for about six weeks in late 1954.

 

There are remarks in a number of books that suggest 34043 was not one of the better West Countries. It was transferred (at least on paper) to the Western Region in May 1963, despite accounts to the effect that it had suffered a "terminal" mechanical failure some weeks earlier.

 

This was presumably an accountant's "swap" required to facilitate receipt of a serviceable example from Exmouth Junction. Combe Martin was officially withdrawn a month later, and cut-up at Eastleigh in the September. 

 

John

Edited September 27, 2019 by Dunsignalling

[down the sdjr]

All i can find is that four Light Pacifics had been transferred to Bath MPD in 1951 until 1954, but it does not state which locos.

Edited September 27, 2019 by down the sdjr

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, down the sdjr said:

All i can find is that four Light Pacifics had been transferred to Bath MPD in 1951 until 1954, but it does not state which locos.

 See amendment to my above post. The first reference I checked had omitted a couple of stages. It was actually five locos, 34040-4 inclusive.

 

However, 34044 Woolacombe was only there for about six months and 34043 left in 1952 so from then until 1954, there were just three on Bath GP's books.

 

John 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Dunsignalling

[down the sdjr]

44 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

 See amendment to my above post. The first reference I checked had omitted a couple of stages. It was actually five locos, 34040-4 inclusive.

 

However, 34044 Woolacombe was only there for about six months and 34043 left in 1952 so from then until 1954, there were just three on Bath GP's books.

 

John 

Thank you John.

 

Do you have any information on Swanage? a favourite loco of mine due to family weekends at Swanage sailing club in the late 70s, i used to sneak off and spend time at the railway station.

 

Paul.

[Guest Jack Benson]

Y

On 27 September 2019 at 20:00, down the sdjr said:

Thank you John.

 

Do you have any information on Swanage? a favourite loco of mine due to family weekends at Swanage sailing club in the late 70s, i used to sneak off and spend time at the railway station.

 

Paul.

Paul,

 

We broke our no-Hornby embargo with the purchase of Camelford on special offer from TMC, with the sole reason of the purchase is to create Crewkerne in the mid-50s. Apart from renumbering and plates, we believe, although welcome to be wrong, that BLPs allocated to BGP were not fitted with tablet catchers. BTW,  Ambis, offer a very nice etch of catchers.

 

With cylinder fairings and other early 50s features, Camelford looks to be a good candidate for conversion, TMC have promised to test the loco prior to despatch and we have paid for a light dusting of the wheels and chassis. Peter Smith remarked that the BLPs on loan were kept in good order, always a sign of BGPs pride.

 

This is Wilton, upgraded many years ago by Adam, with just the right level of care of BGPs cleaners.

 

cheers

 

Jack

 

 

 

[RFS]

7 minutes ago, Jack Benson said:

 Apart from renumbering and plates, we believe, although welcome to be wrong, that BLPs allocated to BGP were not fitted with tablet catchers. 

 

They were indeed fitted with tablet catchers. Here's Wilton, for example.

 

https://railphotoprints.uk/p752970880/e31dac9ea

[Guest Jack Benson]

5 minutes ago, RFS said:

 

They were indeed fitted with tablet catchers. Here's Wilton, for example.

 

https://railphotoprints.uk/p752970880/e31dac9ea

Gosh, they are difficult to spot, no wonder we didn't see them. A close-up shot is definitely needed.

 

Very many thanks

 

Jack

[down the sdjr]

Hi Jack,

Just had a look on TMC, Camelford looks the part with cylinder fairings and early logo, really good price as well, bargain.

Look forward to seeing this model progress.

 

Nice to know about Ambis for the catchers cheers for that. I have a few Bachmann spare ones if you have problems sourcing them.

[Guest Jack Benson]

AMBIS

 

This might help, I cannot access the full webpage on an iPhone but it looks promising.

 

Cheers

 

Jack

[Guest Jack Benson]

Just found an image in Ivo Peters Vol1 Picture 52 of Clovelly's catcher being checked. 

 

However not all BLPs at BGP were fitted with catchers. 34109 Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory, used on the initial trials ran without a catcher, possibly the 'pilot' loco's catcher was used?

 

Cheers

 

JB

[Guest Jack Benson]

A welcome gift of an image of a BLP (possibly Wilton) with tablet catcher extended. Courtesy of Duncan Chandler.

 

 

cheers

 

JB

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Jack Benson

[Blandford1969]

Yes Jack, it is 43 leaving Bath, snipped from a larger negative. I still may have a better image somewhere, its just a case of finding it!

[Andy Kirkham]

I have drawn attention to these S&D photos before, but perhaps not everybody here has seen them. There are several of Bulleids from earlier in the 1950s than most that we see. https://www.flickr.com/photos/midsomer-norton-south-station/albums/72157629882634822/page1

 

Including this one still in Malachite

img045 by Regency Bristol, on Flickr

 

And I don't suppose this was a very frequent sight

 

img089 by Regency Bristol, on Flickr

Edited October 7, 2019 by Andy Kirkham

[down the sdjr]

Wow, great link Andy, a lot to take in. Seeing a BLP with 3 on is news to me.

Thank you.

A Wickham trolley as well,,

Edited October 7, 2019 by down the sdjr

[Oldddudders]

7 hours ago, down the sdjr said:

Wow, great link Andy, a lot to take in. Seeing a BLP with 3 on is news to me.

Thank you.

A Wickham trolley as well,,

The 3-set looks like one from the 390-399 batch, with Maunsell 4-compartment BTKs. I think these saw some service on the SDJR. 

[Combe Martin]

You've all missed Rebuilt 34045 Ottery St Mary.   Hornby used to do it along with Wilton and Combe Martin.  Might be available second hand somewhere ?

[Iain.d]

Also seen commonly I can only add:

34039 Boscastle, 1959-62

 

And less common:

34018 Axminster, nk, (Alan Hammond – Heyday of the Somerset & Dorset, p.83)

34094 Morthoe, July 1954 (Alan Hammond – Heyday of the Somerset & Dorset, p.75)

34106 Lydford, c.1957 (Alan Hammond – Spirit of the Somerset & Dorset, p.13)

 

Regards,

 

Iain

[Iain.d]

On 28/09/2019 at 03:00, down the sdjr said:

Thank you John.

 

Do you have any information on Swanage? a favourite loco of mine due to family weekends at Swanage sailing club in the late 70s, i used to sneak off and spend time at the railway station.

 

Paul.

With regard 34105 Swanage on the S&D line, I only have one image to refer to in Alan Hammond’s - Heart of the Somerset & Dorset (p.87), hauling the 9.08am (SO) Birmingham to Bournemouth passing through Charlton Marshall. Image is dated August 1959.

 

Regards,

 

Iain

[Oldddudders]

21 minutes ago, Combe Martin said:

You've all missed Rebuilt 34045 Ottery St Mary.   Hornby used to do it along with Wilton and Combe Martin.  Might be available second hand somewhere ?

34045 only arrived at Bournemouth in March 1959, rather at the end of the period in question. 

[Oldddudders]

If you have the time - and a connection that isn't too slow! - Andy Kirkham's linked flickr photos page (above) appears to be full of good things. There are several pics of piloted Bulleids photographed from nearside, with the Whitaker apparatus extended. And I've only looked at page one so far!