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Diesels on the S&D


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I'm looking for any photos of diesels on the line outside of the usual Western allocations (Westerns, Hymeks etc.)

 

This photo has stirred my interest....

 

http://www.flickr.co...ycat/890871193/

 

I know that there were no diesels used when the line was open and any photos generally show them on materials recovery duties.

 

I've also come across a rail simulator pack that has class 20's; is this a figment of someone's imagination or based on an actual working ?

 

Thanks.

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Several other Cromptons worked demolition trains on the southern half of the route, including D6505/34/44, whilst Hymeks, 22s and 08s did this work on the northern half. There's also a picture of a Brush Type 4 said to be on the S&D though not confirmed.

 

Hymeks and Westerns on the Writhlington coal trains, although it was usually 08 that brought the wagons from the colliery over the new link to the B&NS at Radstock with the larger engines taking the trains from the old Radstock GWR yard.

 

Then there were some DMUs on railtours...

 

Can the Highbridge flyash trains be counted as well? If so, then add 37s.

 

Sabotaged & Defeated Revisited by Jeffery Grayer has more photos of this period than most other sources.

 

Nick

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Several other Cromptons worked demolition trains on the southern half of the route, including D6505/34/44, whilst Hymeks, 22s and 08s did this work on the northern half. There's also a picture of a Brush Type 4 said to be on the S&D though not confirmed.

 

Hymeks and Westerns on the Writhlington coal trains, although it was usually 08 that brought the wagons from the colliery over the new link to the B&NS at Radstock with the larger engines taking the trains from the old Radstock GWR yard.

 

Then there were some DMUs on railtours...

 

Can the Highbridge flyash trains be counted as well? If so, then add 37s.

 

Sabotaged & Defeated Revisited by Jeffery Grayer has more photos of this period than most other sources.

 

Nick

 

Together with the recently published two volumes Sabotaged and Defeated - A Final Glimpse. Part One Bath - Evercreech and Part Two Burnham - Evercreech Jct - Bournemouth. All available from Noodle Books.

 

JE

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...Whilst not on the S&D proper, 'Peaks' worked into Bath Green Park on the Midland route, I believe.

Yes, but if we are going to extend the definition of the S&D to include the section between Bath Junction and the station we would need to add a few more DMUs, at least one Teddy Bear and a couple of ex-GWR railcars. Some of us might find that sufficient excuse to suggest that once or twice the points were set the other way :senile:

 

Nick

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Post-closure (1966) saw D1986 pull a special to Blandford. There are photos of this about. There is another photo of a different Brush Type 4 about too (in Jeffery Grayer's book) and it looks like a demolition train just entering Broadstone from off the S&D. Number not known and there is no provenance on this photo.

 

Class 33s pulled post-closure freights to Blandford and also demolition trains to Blandford.

The very occasional Class 73 and 74 Electro diesel was also noted on demo trains (Tim Chapman's book has some these details).

 

A Hymek has been photograhed (photo is in one of Alan Hammond's S&D books). This was a one coach special in 1965 to allow a local MP to traverse the line to try and find out any problems that closure would bring - apparently.

 

Colin Maggs (in his Life of the Somerest and Dorset Railway boo) metions a Peak being used to bank a good train up to Devonshire tunnel near closure. No provenance to this one, however.

 

Some well photograhed excursions of DMUs in Ivo's books.

 

Jeffrey Grayer has just produced two more books. Some super and unusual photos in there in addition to his two previous.

 

 

 

Otherwise Hymeks, Class 22s, and Class 08s on demo train north of Blandford.

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There's a Steve Erlicher photo of a Class 47 on a coal train, about to leave the Down platform at Radstock for Westbury, via the connecting line, in the early 1970s. The photo is towards the back end of one of the 'Radstock Coal & Steam' books and IIRC the caption mentions that this may have been the only time a Class 47 appeared on the S&D, although this is not consistent with what some of the other posts above have said with regards to occasional appearances of Class 47s on the southern part of the line...

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We all talk about closure in 1966 but if my understanding is correct the Blandford and southwards section remained open for some time for freight only.

 

I think the reference to "only 47" in the Radstock book may be correct for the northern half of the line, but it appears that this was not true of the whole route.

 

What really interested me about the Crompton was how much it brought a line I associate with steam to life for me, born in 1969 and therefore my earliest memories are blue diesels and blue grey emus.

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A Hymek has been photograhed (photo is in one of Alan Hammond's S&D books). This was a one coach special in 1965 to allow a local MP to traverse the line to try and find out any problems that closure would bring - apparently.

 

This is on page 93 of Legends of the Somerset & Dorset Railway, and shows D7024 halted at Stalbridge hauling what looks like a chocolate & cream ex-GWR inspection saloon some time in 1965. This is the only picture I've ever found of a diesel loco on the S&D prior to 'closure'.

 

I've also posed this question to a number of long time S&D experts (far far greater than me) and none know of any other example prior to closure. Not even a class 33 working up the southern end of the line for a short distance !

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The line from Broadstone to Blandford remained open for freight until early January 1969. Almost all goods and milk trains were steam hauled (as far as I remember seeing) until the end of Southern Steam in July 1967. One exception to this, however, was D6551 on the Bailey Gate milk train on 26/2/67 (as recorded by Tim Deacon in his book "The Somerset and Dorset - Aftermath of the Beeching Axe").There may have been others as the end of Southern steam came closer. Class 73 Electro-Diesels E6016 and E6012 were also recorded on the milk train by Tim on 13/4/68 and 4/5/68 respectively. I'm sure some 73s also came up on some demolition trains after complete closure as well, though with just 600hp diesel power these must have been severely tested by the Broadstone and Corfe Mullen Bank. The Class 47, D1986 came with a special to Blandford on 3/11/68 and was accompaned by Class 74 E6108. Otherwise after July 1967 Class 33s were predominant. My own records show that the following pulled demolition trains, maybe more than once, though I'm sure this list is far from comprehensive - 6505, 6509, 6516, 6517, 6518, 6519, 6520, 6521, 6523, 6524, 6527, 6533, 6543, 6544, 6545, 6546, 6552, 6553, 6554, 6566, and 6570. On 6543 and 6545 I cadged a lift from Bailey Gate station to Bailey Gate Crossing. One of these was my final trip on the S&D sometime in June 1970. I lived at Sturminster Marshall from 1955 to 1977 with the railway at the end of the garden so quite a few memories as a boy and teenager. Maybe this is why I model the S&D.

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Well before closure, here's a nice view of a North British Type 2 No. D6320 at Glastonbury in October '64 on an inspection train which can be found on Ian Mckechnie's www.3218.co.uk

 

http://www.mckechnie...cials/index.htm

 

Click on the thumb at the URL above to enlarge

Well this does seem to be a 'new one'. No-one I know of has ever mentioned this one before !

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I've seen some lovely footage of diesels on the S&D working track recovery trains recently on U-tube, I'll see if I can dig up the link.

 

Heres one

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grVi_0x38q0

 

Dave

Edited by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71
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Well this does seem to be a 'new one'. No-one I know of has ever mentioned this one before !

Well, the images have been on that website for a while, as far as I know (I certainly recall Chris bringing them to my attention a few years ago). It does seem to have been a one-off, or at least, a very infrequent occurrence.

 

What's so good about this, though, is that it justifies the purchase of one of those nice Dapol D63XXs, with the headcode disc fronts.... :sungum:

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Geoffers on 26 Oct said:

Class 33s pulled post-closure freights to Blandford and also demolition trains to Blandford.

The very occasional Class 73 and 74 Electro diesel was also noted on demo trains (Tim Chapman's book has some these details).

I regretfully have to deny being the author of an S&D book! It was in fact Tim Deacon’s book "The Somerset and Dorset - Aftermath of the Beeching Axe". There is a reference to an electro-diesel is on page 45, confirming that E6108 topped and tailed with D1986 to Blandford on 3 Nov 1968. Are there any published photographs anywhere of E6108 on this occasion, or of any electro-diesel on the S&D?

 

Geoffers on 28 Oct said:

One exception to this, however, was D6551 on the Bailey Gate milk train on 26/2/67 (as recorded by Tim Deacon in his book "The Somerset and Dorset - Aftermath of the Beeching Axe").

 

I’m pretty sure that this occasion can’t have featured in Tim Deacon’s book. It is, however, in Jeffrey Grayer’s “Final Glimpse Part Two” on page 5. I didn’t get any other opportunities to see whether diesel or steam was used on these creamery trains around that time. Interesting that Geoffers recalls them as being mainly steam.

 

I took two more pictures of D6551 on that day which can be seen on www.flickr.com/photos/tingleytim/sets/72157627483363749/

 

All the best.

 

Tim Chapman.

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There is a photo of Class 31 D5824 (green with FYE and double-arrow emblem) on the Bason Bridge milk train, date not advised, in 'British Railways Southern Region in Colour' by Kevin Robertson, published by Ian Allan.

 

Surely another one for the 'really rather rare' category?

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I've seen some lovely footage of diesels on the S&D working track recovery trains recently on U-tube, I'll see if I can dig up the link.

 

Heres one

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grVi_0x38q0

 

Dave

 

Funny enough I stumbled across this footage together with two John Betjamen films from the early sixties on the line.

Well worth looking for if you wish to spend a Saturday afternoon not doing what you planned to do!

 

Wally

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Are there any published photographs anywhere of E6108 on this occasion, or of any electro-diesel on the S&D?[/size]]

 

Page 31 of "Lost Lines, Joint Railways" by Nigel Welbourn has a half page picture of E6108 heading towards Blandford at Corfe Mullen Junction on that date.

 

HTH

Geoff

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".........Geoffers on 28 Oct said:

One exception to this, however, was D6551 on the Bailey Gate milk train on 26/2/67

(as recorded by Tim Deacon in his book "The Somerset and Dorset - Aftermath of the Beeching Axe").

 

I’m pretty sure that this occasion can’t have featured in Tim Deacon’s book........."

There's no photo in Tim's book but it is mentioned in a list on page 45.

 

".....Interesting that Geoffers recalls them as being mainly steam....."

Mainly Standard 2-6-4T tanks. The odd Ivatt 2-6-2T as well. I took a very poor photo of 80011

going under the road bridge at Bailey Gate station with a Box Brownie. I cannot find this set

of photos which is a shame since there is a photo of Clan Line passing through the station

on a last day special and 48706 climbing the bank out of the station too. I'm sure they're about

the house somewhere. If I can find them I may post them - but don't expect too much 'cos they

ain't very good.

 

".....Page 31 of "Lost Lines, Joint Railways" by Nigel Welbourn has a half page picture of

E6108 heading towards Blandford at Corfe Mullen Junction on that date....."

Haven't seen that photo in that particular book. I have seen a photo of E6108 somewhere else

as well as photos of Class 73s, may well be in the bulletins of the S&DRT. .

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I’m pretty sure that this occasion can’t have featured in Tim Deacon’s book........

There's no photo in Tim's book but it is mentioned in a list on page 45.

 

.....Page 31 of "Lost Lines, Joint Railways" by Nigel Welbourn has a half page picture of

E6108 heading towards Blandford at Corfe Mullen Junction on that date.....

Haven't seen that photo in that particular book. I have seen a photo of E6108 somewhere else

as well as photos of Class 73s, may well be in the bulletins of the S&DRT. .

 

 

 

Thanks for these Geoffers. I expect Tim Deacon would have sourced his information from SDRT Bulletin 151 which contained “Photo Feature - Diesels on the S&D” on pages 8 & 9. This had pictures of D2133 at Glastonbury on 13-3-67, E6108 near Bailey Gate and D1986 at Bailey Gate on 3-11-67 and D6317 at Wincanton on 1-11-67, as well as D6551 at Bailey Gate on 26-2-67. It also had D1021 at Bath GP on a local from Bristol.

Tim Chapman.

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Having followed this subject I thought people may be interested in this picture of D5824 shunting milk tanks at Bason Bridge on 10-8-72. taken by a good friend of mine John Cornelius (a retired BR Signalman), who has given me permission for me to put this photograph on this topic . You will probably already know that this section of the former "Branch" was finally closed in October 1972, Milk traffic going by road after that, It is my guess that construction of the M5, which from memory was about that time had led to the final closure.

post-9115-0-27114800-1354388551.jpg

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