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Dean Goods in Devon


Jonathan

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I recently found a black and white photograph of a Dean Goods pulling a long "Up" freight across Castle Hill Viaduct (or Filleigh Viaduct) on the Barnstaple to Taunton line. The photo is dated c.1928. Can anyone suggest where I might find out which member of the class this was and where members of theis class were then shedded?

 

My own layout is set c.1947 on Dartmoor (think Yelverton and the Princetown branch and you have some idea of what I am aiming to recreate). I have numbered all my locos (including Dean Goods) to reflect those of the class which could have worked down in this area, but the photo to which I refer is the first I have come across of a member of the Dean Goods class on this particular route. Of course, there were probably many others, but how do I find out which? And is that possible?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Jonathan

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I haven't got the photo to hand but it may have been 2483 shedded at Taunton at one time.I'm sure I'll find the photo if you're stuck.I was going to model mine at one time

 

A bit of digging found out 2483 was at Taunton in 1923, Exeter in 1914 ,Newton Abbot in 1902 and Laira in 1906.I doubt there were any shedded in Devon after WW2.

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Rob, many thanks for taking the trouble to reply to my query. So, it may well have been 2483.

 

There were certainly others as I recall seeing a photograph of a couple of the same class on passenger trains in the 1940s - crossing over at possibly Wiveliscombe, but I can't for the life of me remember where the photo was (in a book or else loose at an exhibition). Whatever the location, it was certainly on this line. Obviously the date of the photograph on Castle Hill viaduct is outside my period, and you are correct that none of the class seem to have been shedded in Devon after World War II - the nearest location I could find any for the relevant period was at St.Philip's Marsh. Do any detailed shed listings survive? I presume if they do, then not for all sheds, not for all years, not for all classes - judging by the time spread with which you illustrate 2483 from 1902-1923. Then of course one has to ensure that with the Dean Goods the loco one portrays was still in existence and had not either been scrapped or disappeared overseas on military service in either of the two world wars!

 

Jonathan

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Wild Swan published a book giving all GWR loco allocations in 1947. I've no idea if it's still in print. I'm pretty certain that none of the class were shedded west of Bristol after the war - most of them had migrated to the Cambrian system by then.

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Taunton had an allocation of some of the 1930 batch of "2251" class 0-6-0 s, which almost certainly swept the Dean Goods away, and the GWR / BR(WR) had little use for 0-6-0 tender locos in the west country and post war just one solitary 2251 at Exeter St Davids.was the sole representative in Devon and Cornwall .

108 Dean goods were withdrawn in 1940 and the 64 (?) survivors then congregated on the Cambrian and at Bristol St Phillips Marsh where they were needed to haul diverted Bristol to south wales trains across the Severn Bridge from Sharpness to Lydney when the Severn Tunnel was shut for maintenance as until circa 1952 the Deanss were the only Tender Engines allowed across, together with 14XX qnd 2021 tanks, The bridge was later strengthened to take 43XX Moguls and the Deans migrated north to the Cambrian or east to.Swindon's scrap yard.

The Taunton to Barnstaple line was largely the preserve of the Taunton 43XX as they had their cab steps cut back to fit the Southern platforms at Barnstaple Junction so I am surprised to read of Deans crossing in 1940..

I'm afraid it is pretty unlikely that any Dean Goods would have worked into the Dartmoor area in your period, or 2251 or Bulldog, Duke or Dukedog

It rather looks like you are stuck with multiple varieties of Pannier Tanks and 44XX and 45XX Prairies.

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Kevin Robinson Noodle Books has just released a book ('William Dean - the greatest of them all', written by Jeremy Clements, and released at Warley at the weekend) which has incredible detail of the history of the Dean Goods classes. This includes allocations at 31st December 1922, 31st December 1933 and 31st December 1947 as well as individual locomotive details such as dates of boiler changes and fitting of ATC etc.

 

I can't quote you details as I was involved in the production of the book (it would be against the terms of my involvement and confidentiality) but I can encourage you to seek it out! It's probably one of the most detailed and fascinating books I've ever read and I am not a GWR fan.

 

What I can tell you is that there is one sentence in there which may be particularly relevant to what you are seeking, and it's a bit fishy.

 

JE

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Many thanks for taking the trouble to reply. "Fishy" eh? Very enigmatic. It suggests (and i am not "fishing" a port on the coast as a possible location. I will seek out the new book you mention. A shame I did not see this before i went off to Warley as I could have picked up a copy. Many thanks again.

 

Jonathan

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On an earlier posting on a similar subject, I recall a Dean goods appearing at Tavvy Yard and thence to Laira.   Must have been late forties, early fifties as I was on the adjacent sports field when it arrived late afternoon.  There has been speculation that it arrived on a fish train of all things, from Swindon.

 

Brian.

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