Caley739

I generally drink Spanish CAVA instead.

Is it possible that there was no specific ROD livery for engines called up for continental service? It would make sense to retain existing livery with only addition of ROD lettering, thus saving time and resources.

In period 1960/61 I used to regularly observe the local pickup goods at Strathaven in Lanarkshire. Usual power was a Caledonian Jumbo 0-6-0, occasionally one of the larger Caley 0-6-0s, but one day a huge spindly monster turned up. With the aid of my railway library (Ian Allan ABC part 3) I indentified it as a Riddles WD 2-10-0. Only saw it once. My memory might be playing tricks but I think it had a nameplate "Vulcan".

I've seen this in various 1930s issues of The Railway Observer, possibly very localised or even invented by a single correspondent. Don't think it every really caught on !

Currently 4 listings on eBay for RCTS Locomotives of the Great Western Railway Part 3 Absorbed Engines 1854 - 1921.

Manchester & Milford No. 6 Cater Idris became GWR 1306 withdrawn April 1919, Sharp Stewart 4128 of 1896. Cylinders 17" x 22" Driving Wheels 5' 2", Carrying Wheels 3' 6" Boiler Pressure 140 lbs. Grate 15.25 sq. ft. Wheelbase 6' 6" + 8' 3" + 6' 6" Dimensions said to be from Swindon diagram F per RCTS Locomotives of the Great Western Railway Part 3 Absorbed Engines 1854 - 1921, page C93. regards Tom Robertson

Manchester & Milford No. 2 Plynlimmon became GWR 1304, withdrawn July 1916, Sharp Stewart 3710 of 1891. Cylinders 17"x22" Coupled Wheels 5' 6", Carrying Wheels 3' 6" Boiler Pressure 140 lbs Grate 12.88 sq. ft. Wheelbase 6' 6" + 7' 6" + 6' 6" Dimensions said to be from Swindon diagram E per RCTS The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway Part 3 Absorbed Engines, 1845-1921, page C93. regards Tom Robertson

The Yorkie nickname referred to North British class M 4-4-2T, LNER class C15 passenger locos, because they were constructed by The Yorkshire Engine Company of Sheffield. This was a very unusual builder for a Scottish Railway Co and might actuallybe the only time it ocurred.

LMS "Stove R" 6 wheel brake vans had corridor gangways.

This was a high priority train. It ran with class 1 express lamps. The only other non passenger carrying train accorded this privilege was The West Coast Postal. It was authorised to convey a maximum of 20 loaded tanks which would be over 600 tons, although it usually ran with less thsn the max. The main reason for using a 6 wheel Stove R, apart from a comparitively smooth ride for the guard, was the Stove. Usually some tanks were marshalled in rear of the van to steady the ride. If for any reason a Stove R van was not available a standard BR 20T goods brake was used because of the all important stove. I don't think any of the LMS bogie passenger vans were equipped with a stove.

My interpretation of the stock is 8 milk tanks, horsebox, non corridor 3rd, Stove R Brake. As already mentioned this was a long standing train in the timetable. From many other photos of the same train going back as far as LNWR days it seems to have also been used for any miscellaneous NPS vehicles which had accumulated at Carlisle. The passenger coach is likely to be empty stock, possibly for Wolverton Works.

These look like banana vans rather than fish vans

If this tale is true your friend must have been a passenger. This train would have had 3 different crews between Euston and Glasgow. As far as I recall any passenger train taking a banker at Beattock stopped on the down main. I don't think passenger trains ever used the down loop(s), maybe unauthorised or because rarely unoccupied by goods trains.

The LNER Garrat with its 56.5 sq ft firebox (not 70 sq ft) was certainly unpopular with Bromsgrove firemen, but it was similarly detested by LNER firemen. It was reputedly a poor steamer with pressure as low as 100 lbs at the end of its climb, probably not helped by the bad water available and difficult tunnel working conditions. There seem to have been many nefarious strategies employed to ensure that it could be failed. It spent a lot of time on shed under repair. The real mystery is why it was built in the first place. It might have been ordered by the Great Central and the LNER was presented with a fait accompli. It is even suggested that the order was for 2 of them. Gresley wanted none of it. His preferred number was none. It looks like this powerfull ,expensive machine was aquired with no clear idea of how it was to be utilised, a white elephant right from the start. I do not believe that it was intended for banking work. I refer anyone interested to a sadly defunct magazine with an interesting article, Vintage LNER No 23 by Owen Russell.

Even as late as the 1960s you could hear Carlisle railwaymen refer to "The Lanky", and they meant the Lancaster & Carlisle and not as you might think The Lancashire & Yorkshire. The Caledonian Railway in its publicity material called itself "The True Line" also the present day name of The Caledonian Railway Association magazine.