Southern Region - 1960s

[ArthurK]

I am pleased that the viewers of my photo threads are enjoying them. Makes posting them worth while. As I said there is just one trip to Weybridge left. That will exhaust my Southern Region Photos. Except that is for the few preserved shots that I have and I don't really count those! After the the Southern - what next? I have literally hundreds from the Midland Region and a few from the Western. Perhaps I will get that latter first.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Wonderful stuff. Look at the dome cover on the Q 30542 standing at Surbiton. That's a great quirky detail to get the 'experts' huffing and puffing at an exhibition proclaiming that dome to be incorrect: the photograph revealing all.

[ArthurK]

TRIPS FROM WATERLOO TO WEYBRIDGE (6).

 

The is the last Photo journey from Waterloo to Weybridge and back. Make the most of it as these are the last of the Southern Region photographs in the days of "real" steam. I have this down as April 1967. Could this be correct?

 

First West Country No. 34013 "Okehampton"newly arrived at Waterloo. In the second shot we have the other side. By this time the nameplates had gone.

 

 

Ex LMS 41298 2-6-2T on station pilot duties.

 

Unrebuilt West Country No. 34012 "Launceston" departs. This one still sports its original boiler cladding.

 

 

A nice shot of 41298 again, this time posed alongside Warship D825 "Intrepid".

 

2-6-2T 41298 prepares to leave the platform having deposited its train in the platform.

 

41298 has now been replaced by West Country No. 34024 "Tamar Valley". It has a "Statesman" headboard. "Intrepid alongside.

[Ceptic]

Stupendous photos ArthurK .

 

The times I've muttered to myself "If only I had a Tardis, a digital 10gig camera and a 60's Rail Rover ticket"

 

Many Thanks for posting. Ceptic.

[ArthurK]

TRIPS FROM WATERLOO TO WEYBRIDGE (6 Finale).

 

I was a bit pressed for time on the last posting and wasn't able to complete the trip. These are the remainder of that journey.

 

41298 is still on pilot duty, this time unobstructed by platforms.

 

Brattle of Britain No. 34052 "Lord Dowding" hurries past.

 

Electro Deisel No E6035. I managed to get two shots of this. Since the trains on the two photos are different I can only assume that one was one was takem on the outward trip and the second on the way back!

 

 

I am afraid that is the last of my trips on the Southern Region, or at least the last time that I was able to photograph it. Unfortunately that also exhausts my collection of Southern Steam. We will have to move elsewhere.

[Fat Controller]

TRIPS FROM WATERLOO TO WEYBRIDGE (6 Finale).

 

I was a bit pressed for time on the last posting and wasn't able to complete the trip. These are the remainder of that journey.

 

41298 is still on pilot duty, this time unobstructed by platforms.

 

Brattle of Britain No. 34052 "Lord Dowding" hurries past.

 

Electro Deisel No E6035. I managed to get two shots of this. Since the trains on the two photos are different I can only assume that one was one was takem on the outward trip and the second on the way back!

 

 

I am afraid that is the last of my trips on the Southern Region, or at least the last time that I was able to photograph it. Unfortunately that also exhausts my collection of Southern Steam. We will have to move elsewhere.

The first shot of the electro-diesel is probably the Wimbledon- Tolworth/Chessington coal train

[ArthurK]

May I thank all that have added information on the whereabouts of the shots were taken. It is now forty two years since the last were photographed. My knowledge of that line is minimal to say the least. The larger towns Woking, Surbiton and Walton are about the limit of my knowledge. Now put me down in the Northeast, then things might be different.

[shortliner]

Arthur - thank you! Those bought back memories of 1950 when, ten years old, I was trusted to get on a bus to Stanmore, get the tube to Waterloo, take the train to Bournemouth and walk down Holdenhurst Road to where my Gran lived (now part of the Abbey Life car park!), clutching my suitcase and paying for my tickets, as I went to stay with her for a fortnight during the summer holidays. Nowadays a child doing that would be taken into care, and the parents castigated in the news media, but it was considered quite normal then. Different times! I had the pleasure of riding behind "Biggin Hill" and some of her sisters, several times.

[ArthurK]

WESTERN REGION STEAM IN THE 1960S

 

I must confess that the Western Region is not one of my favourite regions but if I am there with a camera I do take photographs of whatever presents itself. After my marriage in 1954 we had a holiday in Penzance. I did not photograph anything of railway interest during that visit but on a repeat holiday a year later I did manage a half dozen shots. The date is August 1955.

 

The first is 94xx class No. 9463 complete with shunter's truck on station pilot duties. I believe this was taken some distance to the east of the station.

 

Next Grange No. 6826 "Nannerth Grange"arrives at its destination.

 

Another 94xx No. 8473 on station duties. The Sea Wall and Harbour are visible in the background.

 

A second Grange No. 6838 "Goodmoor Grange" waits for the off.

 

Hall No. 5926 "Grotian Hall" arrives at Penzance.

 

On the journey home, Because of the curvature there is a good view of the Saltash Bridge one of Brunel's impressive structures.

 

[ArthurK]

PADDINGTON MARCH 1963

 

In many ways Paddinton was off the beaten track as far as I was concerned. I don't recall ever travelling from there although we did arrive there from Penzance after the second holiday in Cornwell. However I did make an effort on a couple of occasions when I was in London with a little time to spare. One such occasion was in march 1963 and these are the results.

 

The first arrival that I saw was hauled by the Western Deisel. Sorry I cannot quite make out the name or number so it will have to remain unknown.

 

Next a darparture again hauled by another Western name and number unknown.

 

94xx 0-6-0PT No. 9474 on station duties.

 

61xx 2-6-2T No. 6133 about to remove empty stock to release the train engine. I believe this was the train that arrived pulled by the Western.

 

If I am correct then the Western listed as unknown above must surely be this one now released from its train. It is D1063 "Western Monitor"

 

Another 94xx 0-6-0PT with empty stock. Warship (I believe it is D838) on the left.

 

15xx 0-6-0Pt 1503. I know not how good or how bad these were but to my eyes these have a character lacking in the other panniers. The outside cylinders give it that special look. No doubt I will be torn to shreds for sying that!

 

94xx No. 8458 which we saw arriving in an earlier shot is now at the platform.

[ArthurK]

PADDINGTON MARCH 1963

 

Just one more from 1963, this time in colour.

 

Castle No. 7000 "Viscount Portal" arrives at Paddington.

[ArthurK]

PADDINGTON MAY 1964

 

Moving forward a year we are back at paddington in May 1964.

 

Arriving in platform 4 with empty stock is Pannier 0-6-0Pt No. 9406.

 

Standing in platform 2(?) is a second pannier 0-6-0PT No. 9463

 

 

Hymek No. D7057 arrives with its train.

 

61xx class 2-6-2T No. 6139.

 

94xx No. 9406 again. Warship Diesel No. D841 in the background.

[Martino]

Thanks so much for these - the Paddington ones remind me of my first couple of years at secondary school - LVS at Slough, which backed onto the GW mainline at Slough - and trips to London often had sights like these. Waterloo too.

 

Can anyone identify the 'ghost' diesel in the photo of the pannier?

Padddington Ghost.tiff

[ArthurK]

 

Can anyone identify the 'ghost' diesel in the photo of the pannier?

 

Watch this space!

[10800]

Just caught up with these Arthur, excellent stuff especially the ones at Waterloo - brings back memories of going there most days I could after school in central London on the way home to the SE suburbs. I always check photos of the platform ends at Waterloo in 1966/67 in case I see myself there!

[ArthurK]

Watch this space!

 

The ogiginal negative was very hign contrast. The pannier was in the shadows whereas the deisel was is sunshine. I optimised the Pannier to give a good result for that and the Diesel suffered as a consequence. I went back to the original scan, isolated the diesel then optimised that. The result though not good does show it to be a Brush Type 4. The number apears to be D1684 or is it D1634. It has been blown up a lot and lost sharpness. However we at least know what the ghost was. Hope this helps. Ain't digital manipulation wonderful!

[ArthurK]

PADDINGTON MAY 1964 (Concluded)

 

These next shots wind up my photos of Paddington.

 

Pannier 0-6-0PT No.9495 on pilot duties

 

Manor 2-6-0 No. 7813 "Freshford Manor" backing out of the platform. This had arrived with a Diesel and train behind it. I can only assume that the diesel had failed and that the Manor had gone to its rescue. I can'r recall what type of deisel that was.

 

Three shots of the departure of Castle Class No. 7025 "Sudeley Castle".

 

 

 

Finally 61xx 2-6-2T No. 6125 arriving with empty stock.

[PhilH]

Really enjoying these photos Arthur. I don't think that that can be 34012 at Waterloo though - it was the 10th light pacific to be rebuilt, in Jan 1958!

[Fat Controller]

PADDINGTON MAY 1964 (Concluded)

 

These next shots wind up my photos of Paddington.

 

Pannier 0-6-0PT No.9495 on pilot duties

 

Manor 2-6-0 No. 7813 "Freshford Manor" backing out of the platform. This had arrived with a Diesel and train behind it. I can only assume that the diesel had failed and that the Manor had gone to its rescue. I can'r recall what type of deisel that was.

 

Three shots of the departure of Castle Class No. 7025 "Sudeley Castle".

 

 

 

Finally 61xx 2-6-2T No. 6125 arriving with empty stock.

The Manor would probabaly be the Up Pilot at Reading General. I believe Reading had two Pilots for eventualities such as failed diesels. The Up Pilot, covering the fairly short run in to Paddington, would be something like a Manor; the Down Pilot, which might have a longer run, and higher speeds to contend with, would probably have been a Castle. In between piloting failed trains, they'd attach and detach vans from main line services.

I'd never looked at a Castle photographed from the angle you photographed Sudeley Castle from, Arthur. The way the coupled wheelbase was set out almost makes it look like an Atlantic to which some one rather belatedly added an extra coupled axle.

[ArthurK]

Really enjoying these photos Arthur. I don't think that that can be 34012 at Waterloo though - it was the 10th light pacific to be rebuilt, in Jan 1958!

 

Of course you are correct. It is 34102 "Lapford". Does that make more sense. It was sloppy number reading from a none too clear picture. Looking at the original scan with lots more pixels I am pretty sure it is 34102.

 

My apologies.

[Martino]

The ogiginal negative was very hign contrast. The pannier was in the shadows whereas the deisel was is sunshine. I optimised the Pannier to give a good result for that and the Diesel suffered as a consequence. I went back to the original scan, isolated the diesel then optimised that. The result though not good does show it to be a Brush Type 4. The number apears to be D1684 or is it D1634. It has been blown up a lot and lost sharpness. However we at least know what the ghost was. Hope this helps. Ain't digital manipulation wonderful!

 

 

It is indeed! Thank you very much. Made an old many very happy - or a happy man very old......

[SRman]

Some truly wonderful shots there, Arthurk. ? :icon_thumbsup2: ? Especially the Southern ones - forget that Western rubbish!!! (Just kidding, guys! Honest!) ? 

 

 

 

 

Keep them coming; I think I'm safe in saying they are well appreciated by us all. ?  :icon_wave:

 

 

[buckdancer]

Superb as usual Arthur!

A trip to London in the early to mid sixties was a trip to wonderland.

And your photos capture a bit of that wonder so many thanks again.

Your photo of 34050 at the buffer stops at Waterloo has a magic about it.

Not sure what it is but it's a memorable photo.

Me and a mate spent many happy hours at Waterloo, Clapham and Nine Elms in the endless summers of the sixties and all that on schoolboy pocket money and all the way from the Black Country.

For those interested in the Southern there is a great site dedicated to 70A at http://www.svsfilm.com/nineelms/index.htm

[The Stationmaster]

The Manor would probabaly be the Up Pilot at Reading General. I believe Reading had two Pilots for eventualities such as failed diesels. The Up Pilot, covering the fairly short run in to Paddington, would be something like a Manor; the Down Pilot, which might have a longer run, and higher speeds to contend with, would probably have been a Castle. In between piloting failed trains, they'd attach and detach vans from main line services.

I'd never looked at a Castle photographed from the angle you photographed Sudeley Castle from, Arthur. The way the coupled wheelbase was set out almost makes it look like an Atlantic to which some one rather belatedly added an extra coupled axle.

 

Definitely Reading Up Pilot - even has an 81D shedplate to prove it Brian By that date the Up Pilot was almost invariably a 'Manor' although very occasionally a 'Hall' would be found on the job (probably covering the 'Manor' which had gone off assistinga train to Paddington.

 

The Down Pilot was a 63XX for many years but by about 1962 as more diesels were about it had graduated to a 'Hall' and by '63 it was usually a 'Castle' as they were displaced off other work - and could obviously (hopefully) do a better long distance job than the smaller locos. By that date too I believe the Down Pilot was referred to more as the standby than as the pilot.

 

Thanks for these pics Arthur - Paddington of that era is bringing back lots of happy memories when the platform ends were usually well populated with us youngsters on the lookout for something a bit different (but I had 'finished' my 'Castles' the previous year).

[roythebus]

Some fascinating pics there. In the one showing Launceston leaving Waterloo, note the maroon coach next to the loco, noticable by the waistrail lining.

 

The pics show and convey all the atmosphere and grime of the steam age; the mail bags; 4-wheel wagons; blokes wandering around the track, not a hi-viz in sight! And Paddington BUSY! It was in some ways a wonderful era, with a good mix of steam and diesel (boo, hiss).

 

Some of the shots show a wealth of detail for the modeller, very useful indeed.

 

I spent a bit of time observing at Waterloo, but more often than not at Old Oak Common and Willesden sheds. I was at Waterloo when the last MN arrived from Bournemouth, and have what I am told is the only cine film of the event.