RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 14, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2013 Steam working of passenger trains on the henley branch came to an end on Friday 14 June 1963. The branch service had long since gone over to dmu working but the two morning through trains up to Paddington and the two down in the evening continued to be steam hauled for several years longer. The following photos show the last two days of these workings at Henley with a 'Castle' on one train and a 'Hall' on the other - which had been the pattern for some years prior to the end. Some of the pictures are poorly framed but I haven't chopped all of them as they also show a lost railway in the background - the branch is still open and even has through trains to & from London but Henley station is not even a shadow of its former self (although what is there is remarkably good for a 'modern' branchline) with only a single surviving platform face. So look back at the sort of railway we used to think would be there forever - even if the motive power changed. We start on Thursday 13 June, the penultimate day of steam working, with the arrival at 6.18pm of 5038 The usual working was for 'the first London' to propel its stock from the platform to the carriage sidings on the Upside which released Platform No. 2 for 'the second London' The working then varied but on some nights the engine off the first train shunt released the engine off the second then returned the stock to the platform for the 07.48 departure the next morning The two engines then departed, coupled, for Reading shed Now to the final day, and 6924 departs with 'the first London' - the 07.48 to Paddington and the penultimate booked steam worked train from Henley. Alas I couldn't get the last train as I had to be on my way to school And so to the last evening of arrivals, firstly 5038 on the 6.18 arrival and very poorly framed but look what once graced the lineside in the background instead of the appalling timber face monstrosities of terraced housing that now overlook the station from that side And again poorly framed but here 5038 shunts its stock to the sidings, the background here is now just a mess of overgrowth, the brook that was once there has gone - presumably into a pipe - and the whole background is now an overgrown jungle with teh once useful lineside footpath no more than a much loved memory. Waiting for the last train in 5038 stands on the runround loop And here 6924 shunts its stock off the very last booked steam worked passenger train arrival And farewell to steam - the two engines stand on the runround loop waiting the road for departure And just a quick hint of the new order - D7065 shunting its stock on Monday 17 June Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 And now Henley on Thames has the most overcrowed train in the UK- time for more infrastructure and an enhanced service hopefully! XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DavidLong Posted January 14, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2013 The signalling is interesting, Mike. When were the colour lights installed and were they controlled from a panel in the signal box? I notice that they are all plated HY. How long did the loco hauled trains continue? I assume that the branch was rationalised sometime later in the 1960s and the loco hauleds replaced by dmus. Oh for a time when you could travel home from work being hauled by a 'Castle' or a Hymek for that matter! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 14, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2013 The signalling is interesting, Mike. When were the colour lights installed and were they controlled from a panel in the signal box? I notice that they are all plated HY. How long did the loco hauled trains continue? I assume that the branch was rationalised sometime later in the 1960s and the loco hauleds replaced by dmus. Oh for a time when you could travel home from work being hauled by a 'Castle' or a Hymek for that matter! David Henley was chosen to be a test bed for an experimental electronic interlocking - handy for the S&T HQ at reading and the branch was being singled anyway so in 1961 the signalbox acquired a standard WR Integra NX panel which was used to set routes in the usual way but mechanical point operation was retained (presumably to save money) with the lever frame greatly shortened. The electronic circuitry was purpose built from discrete components and after a few months seems to have settled down to work quite well - the colour light signals of course came as part of that installation and replaced semaphores which were not even 10 years old! The through Londons finally went over to Inter-City dmus after they were transferred from Canton to Reading - I'm not sure of the exact year but that was very late 1960s I think. Track rationalisation occurred in various stages reducing gradually to just two platform lines in use and the layout in that form went onto Reading panel in 1972; the second platform went later - I presume when the station was rebuilt to its present form and the extended car park added. Control of the Henley branch is now in the hands of the Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I saw there was several days of class 37 haulage along there in the early 90s , according to one of the logs on the class 37 loco group. never heard anything about it elsewhere Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 14, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2013 I saw there was several days of class 37 haulage along there in the early 90s , according to one of the logs on the class 37 loco group. never heard anything about it elsewhere There was a 'return to steam' thingy in the early '90s (or thereabouts) using - of all things - an Ivatt 'small' 2-6-0 and the train was top & tailed of course as the run rounds at both ends were long gone. I've an idea the 'tail' (or 'top' depending which way it was going of course) might well have been a Class 37 but I'm not certain. And there have been engineering trains in more recent years as well although the last one of those I saw on the branch had a 28XX 2-8-0 on it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 could well be, I can't remember the reg I was searching for now. I had a cab ride down there in the DMU in about 81 or 82. Even Henley had more atmosphere / appeal then than my home station of Marlow with it's depressing leylandii... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Two great new Thames Valley threads from 'The SM' in one fell swoop, Mike you are spoiling us Everything in these photographs looks so 'modelable' and typically GWR / WR to boot..... wonderful! More of the same please! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 15, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2013 Two great new Thames Valley threads from 'The SM' in one fell swoop, Mike you are spoiling us Everything in these photographs looks so 'modelable' and typically GWR / WR to boot..... wonderful! More of the same please! I think I might well be cranking up the scanner later today all being well Nidge - sorry but there'll be some more thousands and even sorrier that a brand new D1502 might put in an appearance as well (but at Newcastle, not on the Western although a few shots at Canton might compensate?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Bring 'em on Mike - you fire up the scanner and I'll pull up an armchair... ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Bear Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Great photos, Mike. The penultimate one - like (if not the same) the one used in Paul Karau's book to me has such pathos to it, especially when combined with the intro to that book IIRC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 15, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2013 Great photos, Mike. The penultimate one - like (if not the same) the one used in Paul Karau's book to me has such pathos to it, especially when combined with the intro to that book IIRC. I'm not sure if it was mine in the book or - but more likely the one taken by the chap standing next to me (Pat Moffat) who was using 120 film and a decent camera instead of my 35mm set-up (with a very cheap camera). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 15, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2013 More Henley branch - the arrival of the Hymeks, and a little surprise - will follow when I get a chance to post them (they're all scanned ready). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DavidLong Posted January 15, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 15, 2013 More Henley branch - the arrival of the Hymeks, and a little surprise - will follow when I get a chance to post them (they're all scanned ready). Hymeks. Green Hymeks. Swoon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted January 15, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2013 There was a 'return to steam' thingy in the early '90s (or thereabouts) using - of all things - an Ivatt 'small' 2-6-0 and the train was top & tailed of course as the run rounds at both ends were long gone. I've an idea the 'tail' (or 'top' depending which way it was going of course) might well have been a Class 37 but I'm not certain. And there have been engineering trains in more recent years as well although the last one of those I saw on the branch had a 28XX 2-8-0 on it. As it happens it was! 37411. Oh really Colin? How do you know? Well, I was there! 1st November 1992. First shot at Twyford, the 37 is near Twyford, and the third shot is at Henley. I have a few more but didn't want to overdo it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 ah ha ! there it is - 411 was what I was researching as a Scottish machine moved to BZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 16, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hopefully additions will to this thread will take place this evening - assuming I manage to survive 'Les Mis' this afternoon. More green Hymeks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 No one has mentioned the cleanliness of the locos.....Paintwork wiped down but not polished. Glad to see these pics Stationmaster. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 16, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2013 No one has mentioned the cleanliness of the locos.....Paintwork wiped down but not polished. Glad to see these pics Stationmaster. A very good point Coach. Reading seem - at least in the last few years - to have put out a 'Castle' regularly for one train and a 'Hall' for the other and what seemed to happen was that the same engine then stayed on the turn for months on end, presumably with washouts taking place over a weekend. While this got rather boring with little variety the opposite side of the coin was that the 'Hall' was usually their latest one off works and was kept up nicely until the next one returned from works and took over - I can remember at one time wondering if any engine other than 7919 would ever work the second Down train, it was on it for months (so I never took a picture of it of course). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Kirkham Posted January 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 16, 2013 Thanks for posting these fascinating pictures. I notice that the locos did not appear to have been turned at Henley. Was there a turntable there - either at that time or in earlier years? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I notice that the locos did not appear to have been turned at Henley. Was there a turntable there - either at that time or in earlier years? There was a TT at Henley in earlier days but I am not sure when it was removed. Not sure it would have been big enough to turn big locos like Castle as it was only 55' IIRC. I can't remember if that was big enough to turn a Hall. On the old RMWeb, there was mention of a Britannia once visiting Henley but no evidence to back it up. I wonder if this story can be confirmed or refuted now? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Bear Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 There was a TT at Henley in earlier days but I am not sure when it was removed. Not sure it would have been big enough to turn big locos like Castle as it was only 55' IIRC. I can't remember if that was big enough to turn a Hall. My recollection from the book; turntable could accomodate up to a Star but not quite a Castle (the first time it was tried it was found to be too long and they had to put brake on the tender and have loco push against it to reduce gap between the two, took a lot of messing around.) Turntable fell into disuse (1930s?) and engines were turned at Reading. Turntable may have been cracked too? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted January 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 16, 2013 Great set of photos Mike, thanks as ever for sharing. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 16, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2013 There was a TT at Henley in earlier days but I am not sure when it was removed. Not sure it would have been big enough to turn big locos like Castle as it was only 55' IIRC. I can't remember if that was big enough to turn a Hall. On the old RMWeb, there was mention of a Britannia once visiting Henley but no evidence to back it up. I wonder if this story can be confirmed or refuted now? A fairly reliable witness claimed (maybe even claims - not sure if he's still going?) to have seen a 'Britannia' and reputedly photographed it although I don't think the photo has ever come to light in the public domain. The chap concerned was the 'W' in the partnership which made the MW motor - a 5 pole version of the old Triang X04. The turntable was basically out of use by the mid-late 1950s - it was only really any use for engines which arrived from Paddington and went back in the same direction as anything to or from the Reading direction had to reverse at Twyford and thus ran tender first for half their journey whichever way they faced The land occupied by the turntable and the radial engine sidings, all with pits, which it served was the first railway land to be sold off at Henley. Now to some further pics, and first a surprise. Steam working of passenger trains over the branch officially finished on Friday 14 June 1963 and as far as I know no wtt passenger train or excursion working was ever worked over the branch again apart from the 'circus' of the little Ivatt in the 1990s. But a big surprise - also never repeated as far as I could ever find out or hear - was the arrival back on the branch on Sunday 16 June of one of the 'London sets' after its Saturday working to the west, and lo and behold it was worked by a 'Manor'. So here are three pics of 7808 shunting its stock that day (incidentally it arrived with Class 1 lamps on the tender but the pic I took isn't reproduced here as it was a truly poor effort. And this was one of Reading's grubbier examples Now to Hymek Dawn. First we have D7057 drawing its stock out of the carriage sidings and about to cut-off to runround D7057 has now dropped back behind the position light on the platform loop (right hand end of bracket signal) and is waiting various other moves the first of which is the departure of the branch bubblecar for Twyford and once that has cleared Shiplake the 07.48 to Paddington will depart from the middle platform line behind D7072, and once that is out of the way D7057 can follow it to reach the crossover at the east end of its stock Then D7072 departs with the first ever diesel loco hauled train to depart Henley - the 07.48 to Paddington on Monday 17 June 1963 The first ever loco hauled arrival was at 18.18 that evening - behind D7065, which was to become quite common on this train (first Hymek I ever cabbed, first Hymek on which I ever - illicitly - rode from Henley to Slough light engine). About an hour later - at 19.17 D7057 made its second appearance of the day on the second diesel hauled arrival Now we step forward to 31 July 1963 and a trip down the branch behind D7078. Seen first on the Down Relief to Down Branch link at Twyford which dated from the 1961 singling - the line under the train is unidirectional for Down trains; the line to the right of it the single (Up & Down) branch. This arrangement allowed a train off the Down Relief to be drawn clear and wait for an Up train off the branch - very handy when things were running adrift. Next, and finally, we see the same train departing from Shiplake heading towards the single line to Henley with theh new (1961) Shiplake signalbox on the right. The single line sections were fully track circuited and worked by Acceptance Levers (an Acceptance Switch in the case of Henley) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Wonderful shots Mike... and look how tidy everything is! Any idea which crews worked the loco hauled Londons... Old Oak or Reading men...? Would it be ok to link these over on the Old Oak facebook page, I'm sure there'll be some folk on there who will remember those jobs...? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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