C126

Here are three of 73 101 at Brighton, on the 22d September:

Scanned and labelled the last of my photos, so herewith the '73's, strting with four of 73 104 bustling round Lewes on 21st September, 1991, for the Brighton Open Day:

You do not happen to have any of the W.W.ii. Cold Store at Hexham, do you? Just asked on the off-chance; I doubt it was rail served at all, anyway, but I do love the structures. Thanks. [Sorry, this was quoting the O.P., but I have messed it up!]

My last '33': 33 103 at Ashford, August 1992.

My last two '47's. 47 817, Brighton, August 1992. 47 824, Lewes, August 1992 again.

Yep, I am not sure of the stops, but this would be one of the off-peak (hourly?) Hastings/Eastbourne to London Victoria services. Judging by the distance along the platform, in a 4+4 formation as well. Wasn't Hastings-Brighton '18'? It is all so long ago, I forget - '4x' for East coast-Brighton I think - but I hope someone has a set of WTTs to give us chapter and verse.

A few more at Banbury and Brighton: 56 059, Banbury, 26th October, 1991. 56 059, Banbury, 26th October, 1991. 56 116, Brighton, May, 1992. 56 033, Brighton, July, 1991.

Found a few 56's on my latest batch of scans labelled and up-loaded, so I hope these might be of interest. So sorry I missed the number of one train, but at least the sun was out. Unidentified 56, Lewes, Aug-Sept, 1991. 56 001+12xPHAs, Lewes, 09.37, 26th March, 1991. 56 032+12xPHAs, Lewes, 12.59, 11th April, 1991. Unidentified 56, Lewes, Aug-Sept, 1991. 56 037 +9xPHAs, Lewes, 13.03 6th August, 1991.

... and the last two: 47 851, Brighton, May, 1992. 47 598, Lewes, 21st September, 1991. Many thanks to '47449xeCD' for identifying this loco.

And a few more... 47 829, Lewes, 20th July, 1991. 47 826, Brighton, May, 1992. 47 805, Brighton, 22d September, 1991. 47 710, Old Oak Common Depot Open Day, 17th August, 1991. 47 710, Old Oak Common Depot Open Day, 17th August, 1991. 47 836, [loc unknown], November, 1990.

Just found a few photos of 47's in my latest batch of scans labelled. Gawd bless furlough! Hope they are of interest, if not of the best quality. 47 320, Lewes, September, 1991. 47 567, Eastbourne, 13.43, 8th September, 1990. 47 568, Brighton (diverted), 20th July, 1991. 47 568, Brighton (diverted), 20th July, 1991. 47 634, Banbury, 26th October, 1991. 47 634, Banbury, 26th October, 1991.

And a day-trip to Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991; hope the roof detail might be of use. 33 029, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991. 33 029, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991. 33 029, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991. 33 110, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991. 33 110, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991. 33 110, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991. 33 110, Tonbridge West Yard, 12th October, 1991.

Also some at Brighton: 33 204, 18th December, 1990. 33 116, May, 1992. 33 050+33 051, 22d September, 1991. 33 050, 22d September, 1991. 33 051, 22d September, 1991. 33 051, 22d September, 1991.

I came across the following when finishing labelling my latest batch of scans. Hope they are of interest. 33 023 +12xPHA, Lewes, 13.15 30th August, 1990. Again, 33 023 +12xPHA, Lewes, 13.15 30th August, 1990. 33 012, Sevenoaks, 12th October, 1991. 33 012, with an unidentified 33/1 behind, Sevenoaks, 12th October, 1991.

Just found a few more detailed shots of the 'tramway', among the latest batch of scans completed. Hope they are of interest. All taken 13th December, 1990. I remember seeing where the track reached the black tarmac boundary of the works themselves (now the industrial estate), they were sawn through, not simply covered in tarmac.

Perhaps of vague interest, I found the following at Lewes in my latest batch of scans 'dumped' in my 'Personal Galleries'. Sorry there is not a specific date (September 1991).

Dear Oldddudders, Many thanks for these reminiscences. It is detail such as this I think so valuable to record, so we may understand how the railways worked, within my life-time, let alone for 'youngsters' for whom rail-blue is just a set of photographs. I always wondered who/what/where "Control" was. My late train driver chum mentioned it in passing, but it was yet another thing I never got chance to interrogate my older friends and acquiantances about before they 'went to that great railway in the sky'. Thanks again and all good wishes in La Belle France. I raise a glass of diabolamenthe (?sp) to you.

Thank you all for your kind words. I am glad it is of interest. My curiosity was roused to having an illustration of just what the wagon-load network was along the coastway lines, and how these connected further 'inland'. Then I became interested in 'perishables' so had to include the Chichester 'market gardens' van train, and newspaper trains (as an ex-paperboy), and the whole thing cascaded from there. Were I to do it again, I would start by making a list of the trains, which could then be used to cross-reference the 4-digit reporting no. I should stress that most of the 'block trains' (not that there were many) were omitted, as are the Reading-Redhill-Tonbridge lines and many inter-regionals, simply because of space. I did want to include all the latter for Norwood Yards though, as 'the' Central Division Marshalling Yard, but fear I have missed a few. If anyone knows of a computer programme that can plot such things in smaller but still legible writing, do tell, please! Some of the arrival and departure times had to be squeezed into gaps very small. Olddudders: if you have the time, I hope I am not alone in desiring to hear how you and your colleagues referred to trains in these times - I thought the 4-digit code was universal - and how you tracked them (wall chart? pieces of paper?). Was it as "the 03.27 News to Bexhill", for example? If I can regain the enthusiasm and locate some decent A1 paper upon return to normality, I will try and re-draw it with fewer omissions. I just wish I had known how much there was then to photograph and had pestered my father to take me out there. Thanks again to you all; all suggestions gratefully received.

Dear @Ben04uk : the least I can do, as your questions inspired the exercise. I have done the 'bottom right A3' as well, to put it all in context. Hope these help. Do say if any more details would be appreciated. All best wishes.

Prompted by many posts here, and a few questions over the last two years, my three weeks' furlough has enabled the completion of the following diagram of Freight and N.P.C.C.S. trains on the B.R. (S.R.) Central Division during the early 1970's. Unfortunately, I did not have two W.T.T.s that matched dates, but I hope it indicates what services were running (and what has been lost over the last forty-five years!). I hope it is of both interest and use. Apologies for the errors and omissions. When the curfew is lifted, I will get it scanned professionally, and take four A3 scans at work on a high-definition scanner as P.D.F.s. Please feel free to use, up-date, amend, and draw your own, for your personal, non-profit, use.

This was in 1985, when it was announced the site was to be sold by Rugby Portland Cement Co. for an industrial estate. I mentioned my intention to photograph it all before demolition to a school chum, and he replied there was a little shunter there, about which I knew nothing. I believe the loco went to the Spa Valley Line (Tunbridge Wells West-Eridge), and it still appears on their fleet list: https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/article.php/18/stock-list Thanks for the coal-filled mineral wagons shot. I remember only the Presflos in the sidings, with orange "Rugby Cement" signs on the sides, when we travelled past on numerous trips to Newhaven beach. Had to get a few when Bachmann brought them out, even if I have nothing to run them on. I went down to Lewes station to photograph the engineers train that removed the final simplified loop and single-slip crossing at about 02.00 one morning, staying up by watching a couple of Bollywood films back-to-back to stay awake. Of course, I can not find my notes or 'wobbly' photo from the time now, to my fury. I remember the last layout was a facing 'loop' off a single slip from the down line, with the slip allowing crossing to the Up Line from the sidings. The 'Up side' engineers siding was removed at the same time. Many thanks for all your contributions.

Much to my surprise, I have been able to locate easily my photographs of the dear little engine... Hope they are of interest.

Thanks to you all for your replies, and sorry for the ambiguity. Definitely Southerham on the S.R. Central Div. I assume the 'empties' were brought down on the 01.50 from Norwood, left at Newhaven Town Yard, and then taken back on the run to Brighton, where they were shunted for the 'fulls' to take away northwards. This saves the cost of running a train specific for that flow, of course. If there is anyone out there who would share memories of working this service, I hope I am not alone in being eager to hear them. Thanks again.

I am working on a project plotting non-passenger trains on the Southern Region in the early 1970's, and can not see, in the few 'Mandatory' and 'Conditional' time tables I have from 1972/1974, when the Pressflo 'empties' were dropped off at Southerham (returning from Norwood Yards, I believe). The train of loaded hoppers departed at 10.15 from Newhaven Town Yard, 10.54 from Southerham Sidings (EDL, 7C52), arriving at Brighton Top Yard at 11.20. However, the only Down train I can see is the 7G55 01.50 departure from Norwood, arriving at Newhaven Town Yard 03.24. I can see nothing in any 'notes' column to say the train shunted Southerham Sidings on the way down. Does anyone know if it did, and dropped off the empty Pressflos? I would be most grateful to read of any memories or documentation that confirms this. My understanding of the various time table types is rather inadequate, so perhaps I have just mis-read something. Thanks as ever for giving this your consideration, and please accept my best wishes to you all in these times.

Pondering this over luncheon, and waiting for the accursed computer 'updates' to finish, I wonder, if this is the basis of a model, you could be persuaded to 'move' west of Eastbourne. There were seven other van trains each 24 hours that terminated at Eastbourne, which would give greater interest. There was also a goods train that ran to Brighton Top Yard, (pl. 70, dated 1st June, 1978, in 'The power of the electro-diesels', C. J. Marsden, 1980), and the goods trains to Newhaven and Beddingham on the Seaford branch. If you were just curious, please accept my apologies for the unwanted suggestion.