castle4073

Call me a dyed-in-the wool steam man, but this is what Bridlington REALLY used to be about! From my late lamented friend Ken Cockerill, an early 1950s picture of 53D with at least 30 - yes gents THIRTY - visiting steam locos with the ubiquitous 61434 the nearest. Plus you get that superb signal gantry and the South Box. Sorry folks there is nothing to compare with such an animated scene - all that lovely pollution, serving thousand of holidaymakers enjoying a day on the Yorkshire coast, then they get to go home with a 2 or 3-cylinder roar from the front end. The perfect way to end the day!

Three more engine sheds with HBR connections: Bullcroft Junction in 1935 (W.A.Camwell); Denaby Junction first shed after a fire of July 1921 (Dr.J.Hollick) and the rebuilt Denaby Junction shed in 1930 (W.H.Whitworth), note the patch repair using as much as possible of the first building.

Hello, with reference to the picture of Hensall Jct/Drax Jct. Did you know that in the trees to the left were, until quite recently, the ruined remains of Hensall Junction engine shed? Built by the HBR in 1885 and closed in 1914, but not demolished as the attached picture of 10th July 1937, by W.A.Camwell, shows.

I am new to RM Web and thus have only just seen the entries from a year ago, celebrating the 9 May 1964, 50th anniversary high speed runs and would like to add my (lengthy) comments if I may. First I was present on the train in 1964 and flew back thousands of miles from my present home, to ride the two specials on 9 and 10 May 2014 – they simply could not have been missed! As further background, my maternal grandfather was an Old Oak engineman who lived, breathed, ate and drank his job! So I grew up with the ethos of the Great Western Railway and (Great!) Western Region every day of my younger life. I would also add that in my humble opinion, the Great Western “Castle” Class is the most wonderful of man’s creations, bar none! So to 9 May 1964. My granddad who had retired a year before, knew Alf Perfect and his crew of course and said we would get a “b----y” good run, adding that 4079 was in as good a condition as any Castle could be, given the class as a whole was in its last year of service. When later, he heard the saga of 4079’s fire bars he was very surprised that Ogilvie A1 coal had exclusively been used, especially as Old Oak’s Chief Locomotive Inspector Andrews was on the loco and would have known of the coal’s qualities. Granddad said Ogilvie was the king of Welsh coal and sparingly used because of cost, but when it was present it was always “cut” with slack of some sort to keep down the fearsome temperatures that would result from using the fuel “neat” under heavy working conditions. So at 96mph with 100mph in sight, 4079 was pulled up and replaced by 6999 in what I think was to everyone, a revelation! With only coal ovoids, but an engine in excellent condition, the Old Oak crew got Capel Dewi Hall quickly warmed up to such an extent that the Special’s pass to pass time (adjusted for the Westbury diversion), Heywood Road to Taunton, of 41 minutes, was covered by 6999 in 43 minutes 9 seconds start to stop! Top speeds were 82mph at Long Sutton and no less than 86½mph at Curry Rivel Junction; the 31.05 miles from passing Bruton to stopping at Taunton, took 24 minutes 49 seconds, an average of just over 76mph. It was always acknowledged that the “Halls,” especially the Modifieds, were able to run when required and interestingly in the June 1964 issue of Railway World, the month before that magazine covered the events of 9 May, Cecil J. Allen’s monthly article on loco performance had been entitled “The Lively Great Western Halls.” The article included an instance of a Modified Hall being taken off a looped freight at Hullavington, to substitute for a failed Castle (yes they did fail!) on the Up Bristolian. That Hall then proceeded to better the Bristolian’s schedule for the remaining 94¼ miles to Paddington! 7025’s start to stop performance from Taunton to Plymouth was in typical workmanlike, 3-row superheat, single-chimney Castle manner, with the Special’s pass to stop schedule of 99 minutes being improved upon by just over a minute. The highlight was the 16½ miles from Whiteball Box, at 45mph, to passing Stoke Canon at 79mph, which took 13½ minutes, an average of 73mph, with a top speed of 82 at Silverton. Given the situation nothing better could have been expected of the loco or her crew, to get the Special to Plymouth, given the severely speed-restricted and hilly, stretch westwards from Newton Abbot. With 4-row superheat and double chimney, 7029’s performance on the Plymouth – Bristol section of the tour, as everyone knows was amazing. But, it is worth mentioning that Clun Castle’s tender had also been filled with Ogilvie A1 coal, but the driver, Harry Roach noted this and with Chief Locomotive Inspector Andress’ total agreement, the tender was mostly emptied, to be refilled with a mix of Ogilvie and lesser grade fuel.(The message was also sent to Bristol, just in case). In a run of highlights several instances stand out: entering Whiteball Tunnel at 79½mph, coming out and accelerating to 92mph then braking to 82mph for a speed restriction before Wellington. That was unfortunate because the Civil Engineer had passed that section of track for 90mph running the day before, but the lifting of the restriction had not been notified, sad to say. If it had been notified there is no doubt that 7029 would have achieved and probably exceeded 100mph. As it was the slack was followed by a positively lightning acceleration – I have never before or since experienced such a speed-up by a steam loco! - to 96mph just before Norton Fitzwarren. A friend was on the platform at that station and when 7029 roared through he said “my jaw just dropped and tears filled my eyes.” After that we blazed away again across the Somerset Levels: 83½ at Bridgwater, 87½ at Highbridge, 90mph continuous over the 7.7 miles between Uphill Junction and Yatton to an astounding 92 on the level, at Nailsea! There, another friend said he could hear the Castle coming for minutes and for some time after its passing. Temple Meads was reached, from Plymouth, in 133 minutes and 9 seconds – a new record for steam. Now I will take small issue with Chris Leigh’s comments in the RM Web article of last year, when he criticised 5054’s performance for the Bristol- London section. Earl of Ducie was like 4079, a 2-row superheater, single-chimney machine, but supposedly the “pick of the bunch” from the pre-Special trials of a number of Castles on the Worcester line. It must also be remembered that there was a strong cross-wind blowing and that would have had an effect on the engine’s performance on the racing ground between Badminton and Wooton Bassett. As it was another 96mph was recorded at Little Somerford, with it has to be said, the loco being mercilessly thrashed, before a spine-tingling, whistle-shrieking 80mph through Swindon. After which 5054 blazed away across “Brunel’s Billiard Table” to such an extent that the 77.3 miles from Swindon, to stopping at Paddington took just 57 minutes and 36 seconds, an average of 80½ mph! Along the stretch of line between Swindon and Old Oak Common the speed only went below 80 on three short occasions; most of the time it was in the mid-upper 80s with a maximum of 90 at Uffington. It must also be said that the overall time of 95 minutes and 33 seconds was only 1 minute, 43 seconds outside that of 7018 Drysllwyn Castle (4-row superheat and double chimney), when it set the record for steam, in 1958! This can hardly be termed a disappointing performance by a Castle in original form, only a few months away from withdrawal! Alright, a double chimney machine would almost certainly have achieved 100mph on that stretch but that was not to be and yet the travellers still got the second fastest time, Bristol –Paddington, behind a steam locomotive – something to savour! The previous RM Web article covered the events of 9 and 10 May 2014 very well but there is a comment that must be made. In 1964, 7029 covered the Taunton – Bristol stretch, pass to stop, in 36 minutes and 20 seconds, whereas in 2014, 5029 took 37 minutes 28 seconds and 5043, 37 minutes, 12 seconds. That was a brilliant performance by single chimney 5029, compared to her double chimney sisters and overall not a lot of difference then, between 1964 and 2014. However, it must be remembered that 7029 was in the 80s and 90s speed-wise, whereas neither 5029 nor 5043 exceeded 80mph – AND the two commemorative tour trains were of eight coaches against 7029’s load of seven. It just goes to prove how station closures, track rationalisation, colour light signalling and radio communications, other than outright velocity, can make the difference! In my many years of travelling behind steam all over the world, I have been privileged to experience prodigious feats of haulage and speed, with numerous “tons” in UK, behind A1s, A4s, Merchant Navy, a Castle (7018) and a Duchess and a 100mph in Austria behind German Railways’ fearsome beast, 4-6-2, 18 201. But, nothing will stay with me more than 9 May 1964, then 50 years, and 50 years and one day after that. Whether I shall still be on this Mortal Coil, if ever a 75th anniversary Special is run, is doubtful, but if by a huge chance, I am compos mentis in what would be my 97th year, guess where I will try to be!