Interesting and inspiring photos from Flickr....

[Ian Smeeton]

Looking at the maps available through the NLS Site, it looks as if the water tower was just a small part of a (slightly) larger shed.

 

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Andy Kirkham]

On 22/10/2021 at 19:34, Nearholmer said:

That’s an engine drawing it’s own conclusion.

 

To coin a phrase 

 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/210050770091257122/

[Nearholmer]

Exactly where I stole it from. Its one of my favourite period adverts!

[Nearholmer]

2 hours ago, Ian Smeeton said:

Looking at the maps available through the NLS Site, it looks as if the water tower was just a small part of a (slightly) larger shed.

 

There are a few phots online that show the other side of that WT, and it doesnt bear obvious marks of anything having been demolished, so I think that the engine shed was probably a "hutch", built as an extension at the back of the tower. The turntable was there to deal with engines from trains coming off the S&MJ, which was a famously impecunious operation, so a hutch would be about right.

 

The ST&MJR and SMJR were able to use the station and other facilities at Olney. The Midland Railway built a small running shed, opened in 1892, with a water tank on its roof and a 50 ft turntable. The shed was formally closed by the LMSR in 1928, which probably meant that it no longer had an allocation of locomotives or permanent staff, but its facilities continued in use until the late 1950s, probably because engines were usually changed at Olney on through trains between the SMJR and London.

 

If you scroll down here, you can see a model of the tower on Olney MRC's layout http://olneymrc.org.uk/exh18.html

 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Blandford1969]

16 hours ago, montyburns56 said:

The UK's smallest engine shed?

 

Olney 1966 by The Jeyes

 

 

Both Brian and John Evans took great views of the lines around Northampton including the SMJ and lines towards Peterborough and Bedford. They are great for modellers.

[Nearholmer]

I’ve lived in the area for almost 40 years now, and did explore the remnants a bit when I first moved here, but it’s only since semi-retiring that I’ve had time to “bone up” on local railway history properly, and to revisit remains that have faded even further into the undergrowth, but, yes, the SMJ was incredibly interesting, quirky things at every turn. My favourite has to be Salcey Forest station, first on the SMJ from Olney, which was utterly isolated, no road ever reached it, and along with Stoke Bruerne, had a passenger service for no more that about four months of its c100 year existence. For a modeller who likes making station buildings, but hates painting little white metal people, it would be the perfect inspiration.

 

Another very good photographer of the area was the guy who was photographer for one of the Northampton newspapers, who had several excellent railway albums published in the 1980s, truly professional quality stuff both technically and compositionally - I’ve forgotten his name though!

 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Blandford1969]

Are you thinking of the Coleman and Rajzzonek books which are all wonderful?

[Nearholmer]

That’s the gentleman: Rajinoscek.

 

But I’ve probably spelled ibis name incorrectly too! 
 

I had an album of his covering the town of Northampton, rather than railways specifically, too. Superb pre-1960s-modernisation (which did not much positive) portrayal of the everyday

 

PS: The correct spelling is Joe Rajczonek

Edited October 25, 2021 by Nearholmer

[montyburns56]

Garstang and Knott End 1958 By John Phillips

 

 

[montyburns56]

E6004 + 4TC  Hook 1967 by John Evans

 

 

[Andy Kirkham]

Merddin Emrys in yellow by TrainsAndTravel https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/

 

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by Andy Kirkham

[montyburns56]

LNER Sentinel Railcar 273 'Trafalgar'  Selby 1932 by John Law

 

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by montyburns56

[03060]

8 hours ago, montyburns56 said:

LNER Sentinel Railcar 273 'Trafalgar'  Shelby 1932 by John Law

 

 

 

Selby instead of Shelby, Monty ?

Edited October 28, 2021 by 03060
Correction.

[montyburns56]

15 hours ago, 03060 said:

 

Selby instead of Shelby, Monty ?

 

D'oh!

[montyburns56]

Has this picture been used in a magazine as it seems very familiar?

 

St Clears Station by John Law

 

 

[Ramblin Rich]

1 hour ago, montyburns56 said:

Has this picture been used in a magazine as it seems very familiar?

 

St Clears Station by John Law

 

 

That's a LOT of cattle wagons!

[Steven B]

And what looks to be an open wagon at the rear of the passenger train loaded with trunks/cases - possibly with some hand-rails around the ends. Anyone know what it is?

 

Steven B.

[Nearholmer]

Is it an open fish truck? Fish were carried in different sorts of things: boxes packed with ice; large sacks; etc. Not always in baskets. I think it might have depended upon the type/size of fish.

 

At a tangent: my MiL comes from a small town in the west of Ireland that is famous for Salmon and White Sea Trout, the best of which used to be sent to Dublin. Once the railway closed, they went is sacks on the CIE 'bus, becoming more fragrant as the long journey progressed! There are now so few left that it is only sport angling, rather than commercial fishing with nets.

[Andy Kirkham]

A bit of narrow gauge history posted by "Blandford1969" https://www.flickr.com/photos/29644579@N07/with/51636324027/

 

Felin-Hen on its way from Penrhyn to Australia.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2021 by Andy Kirkham

[montyburns56]

Some info here about this line... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallions_railway_station

 

GER loco Gallions station by John Law

 

 

[Nearholmer]

Isnt that a dock company loco, this being one of the few places where what amounted to an industrial railway also ran a public passenger service?

[Arpster]

8 hours ago, Steven B said:

And what looks to be an open wagon at the rear of the passenger train loaded with trunks/cases - possibly with some hand-rails around the ends. Anyone know what it is?

 

Steven B.

 

It's not something to do with WW1 is it? Carriages for soldiers, cattle trucks for horses, open wagons for equipment?

[montyburns56]

On 29/10/2021 at 20:16, Nearholmer said:

Isnt that a dock company loco, this being one of the few places where what amounted to an industrial railway also ran a public passenger service?

 

The picture is also posted here with this caption.

 

https://transportsofdelight.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/BRITISH-INDUSTRIAL-LOCOMOTIVES/INDUSTRIAL-DIESEL-AND-ELECTRIC/i-DMF5Hh7

 

"PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY - ROYAL ALBERT DOCK RAILWAY - No.7 - 2-4-0T - built 1847 by LNWR as 2-4-0 No.102 HERCULES - rebuilt as 2-4-0T, No.436 - 1881 withdrawn - sold to Royal Albert Dock Co. as No.7 - 07/1896 withdrawn when GER took over services - seen here at Gallions with a train for Custom House in about 1890.
The Royal Albert Dock Co. built a short railway line from Custom House to Gallions in 1880 to enable it to move goods and employees to and from the Docks and also to carry passengers joining liners within the Docks. Three venerable 2-4-0T's were bought from the LNWR, No.5 (ex-LNWR No. 1819, built 1850), No. 6 (ex-LNWR No. 1927, built 1849) and No. 7 (ex-LNWR No. 436, built 1847). All three were withdrawn in July 1896."

[montyburns56]

GNR 1501 4-4-2T Wakefield Westgate 1920 by John Law

 

 

[Andy Kirkham]

 

When the caption says it's a loaded wagon, that's a bit of an understatement.