Prototype Tim Mills' Photos

[oldravendale]

Thank you, Adam and Dan, for confirming the location. The description is altered accordingly by way of an Edit. I've rechecked Tim's original notes and confirmed that he'd wrongly identified the location so I'm very grateful to you both.

60022 again at Tiverton Junction on the West Countryman.





1450 on the Tiverton Junction to Hemyock portion of the train.






4575 Class 2-6-2Ts 4591 and 5564 were used on the Exeter to Tiverton Junction portion of the train. 4591 carries neither smokebox numberplate nor shed plate. The SLS reports that the loco was in store from 9th February 1963 and not returned to use until 9th March at Laira so was presumably taken out of store specially for this train. It went to Yeovil Town shed on 12th June, then to Swindon on 20th July 1964 where it was withdrawn on 10th August. (SLS). It went to Bird's at Newport where it was scrapped by the end of November. (Rail UK). 5564 was allocated to Swindon on 9th February 1963 but had maybe been held at Laira where it was previously allocated awaiting use on this train. It was in store by the end of September and then transferred to Southall on 30th November where it was withdrawn on 4th January 1965. (SLS). It was scrapped at Cox & Danks, Park Royal, by the end of April 1965. (Rail UK).













Brian

 

[simond]

4591 showing wavy plating and bent handrails that would get many a modeller drummed out of the club…

 

[oldravendale]

Quite so, Simon. The biggest exponent of looking knocked about must be the air smoothed Bulleid Pacifics but we'd never build one that way, would we? Having said that I'd love to see someone have a go.

Two posts from me in a day you may say! (Or probably not). I may not be able to post anything tomorrow so I thought I'd finish the West Countryman pictures which require little in the way of research.

4591 and 5564 on the Exeter leg at Tiverton Junction on the West Countryman. 24th February 1963.








1450 on the Hemyock to Tiverton Junction. train.





View from the train of 60022 backing on to the West Countryman at Waterloo.



The train at Waterloo with 60022 ready to go.







Back to Tiverton with 60022. That's 76017 on the left.





A view from the West Countryman.



Finally 4591 and 5564 on the train at Tiverton Junction.



Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Having finished the West Countryman photos it's back to the BR (WR).

A general view of Southall Station looking East on 17th February 1963.

Edit. Looking West!



An unidentified Castle on an up express at Southall on 17th February 1963.

Edit: Travelling in down direction.



Modified Hall 7928 Wolf Hall on arrival at Paddington on 17th February 1963. It was a long term resident of Worcester shed, having been allocated there from new in 1950 and carries the appropriate 85A shed plate here. It was withdrawn from Worcester in April 1965. (SLS). It went to Swindon Works for disposal which was completed by the end of the following month. (Rail UK).



There now follows a series of photos in Old Oak roundhouse many of which are quite under exposed. They are included because of their value in detailing the interior of a working steam shed. The first of the series is below.

This is a rare visitor and of a class I personally never saw at Old Oak. 2251 Class 0-6-0 No 2201 in Old Oak Roundhouse in February 1963. It was allocated to Didcot at the time of the photo, moving to Reading on 27th January 1964 and withdrawn from there on 8th July. (SLS). It was scrapped at Bird's, Newport by the end of January 1965. (Rail UK).



A rather blurry Grange, No 6800 Arlington Grange in Old Oak roundhouse in February 1963. It was allocated to its final shed, Ebbw Junction, Newport, by now and was withdrawn from there on 15th June 1964. (SLS). It was scrapped just down the road, at Bird's, Newport, by the end of November. (Rail UK).



Brian

 

[Dan Randall]

An unidentified Castle on an up express at Southall on 17th February 1963.

I’d say it was a down express, rather than up Brian.

Also, the picture of Southall station, is looking west, not east.


Regards

Dan

 

[oldravendale]

Thanks for your comment, Dan. You are quite correct about the direction the camera is facing - definitely West, so apologies for that. Again a direct transcription from Tim's notes without interrogating the photo. And the express is, indeed a down not an up. I was about to argue with you when I recognised the steps from the bridge which lead to the shed which you can't see in the fog, otherwise I think I'd have realised. Whoops! Descriptions will be changed accordingly.

Today more in the gloom of the shed, some really under exposed. I've taken the grain reduction as far as I dare, the down side of grain reduction being that it tends to soften the image and IMHO picture sharpness is more important than reduced grain. In fact I fond it amazing that the technology was able to see anything from these negs, let alone create a recognisable image.

This first one is a bit of a rarity as it's inside "The Factory" at Old Oak, somewhere I never succeeded in gaining access to although I managed to get a view now and again through open doors. This was a pretty modern building for the time and seemed well equipped - almost a miniature works.

So, Castles 7010 Avondale Castle and 7024 Powis Castle with Modified Hall 7902 Eaton Mascot Hall in The Factory at Old Oak Common in February 1963. 7010 has been seen in post #1064.. It had been at Old Oak Common for a long while - since November 1952 but went to Reading at the end of January 1964. It was withdrawn in March 1964. It went to Hayes at Bridgend and was scrapped in June. (SLS and BR Database).

The first view of 7024 on WT goes all the way back to post #510. 7024 belonged to Old Oak where it had been allocated since being built in 1949. 7024 moved on to Stafford Road in September 1961 and St Blazey in September 1963 before being withdrawn in February 1965. It went to Cashmore's (Newport) where it was finally disposed of in the following May. (SLS and BR Database).

7902 had been allocated to Old Oak since new in 1949. It was withdrawn in June 1964 (SLS) and was scrapped at Swindon Works by the end of September.



Three unidentified locos - well, possibly a Grange and two Castles - around a turntable in Old Oak Roundhouse in February 1963.



57XX 0-6-0PT 3711 in Old Oak Common Roundhouse in February 1963. It was allocated to Old Oak Common from October 1962 and withdrawn in May 1963. It was scrapped in Swindon Works by the end of November.



Brian

 

[Dan Randall]

Is pannier 3711 an oil burner, as it seems to have a tank in its bunker?


Regards

Dan

 

[Dog Star]

I was about to argue with you when I recognised the steps from the bridge which lead to the shed

Without any doubt, the most famous and important footbridge in railway preservation as that is where the four stood and dreamed of having their own steam engine. From those dreams came the Great Western Society and the Didcot Railway Centre. A portion of the footbridge has been preserved at Didcot.

This first one is a bit of a rarity as it's inside "The Factory" at Old Oak, somewhere I never succeeded in gaining access to although I managed to get a view now and again through open doors. This was a pretty modern building for the time and seemed well equipped - almost a miniature works.

"Factory" facilities existed at several sheds across the (greater) GWR.... and I have no idea as to how many such factories existed. Apart from PN, there were similar sites at TYS and WOS.... any others?

regards, Graham

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Modified Hall 7928 Wolf Hall on arrival at Paddington on 17th February 1963. It was a long term resident of Worcester shed, having been allocated there from new in 1950 and carries the appropriate 85A shed plate here. It was withdrawn from Worcester in April 1965. (SLS). It went to Swindon Works for disposal which was completed by the end of the following month. (Rail UK).

Looks like it has a Pressed Steel Company class 117 DMU for company. They were built during 1959-61 and first introduced in 1960 for surburban services out of Paddington.

 

[daifly]

Is pannier 3711 an oil burner, as it seems to have a tank in its bunker?

Good spot Dan!
From Wikipedia: In April 1958, under British Rail, GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT No. 3711 was converted to burn oil, with a fuel tank installed in the bunker. The conversion was done by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns.
Dave

 

[daifly]

Crop of photo of unknown provenence: 3711 at Swindon shed 26May63

Dave

 

[Martin Shaw]

A little to add, 3711 was new to Pontypool Road 11/36, moved to Aberbeeg 10/7/48 and in Feb 58 was sent to RS&H as Dave comments, on it's return (21/1/59) it worked from Swindon shed for evaluation. It moved to Old Oak 6/10/62 where it apparently did little work rarely moving from the location Tim photographed in, until withdrawal in May 1963 when it went back to Swindon for scrapping.

I have my doubts about the date of move to RS&H, a year to convert to oil firing seems like a long time and the same book in a picture caption has it ex Severn Tunnel Junc so I think the info should be treated cautiously pending further confirmation.

Martin

 

[SimonT]

Here's the appropriate entry from the Allocations Book. I can't quite make out the entry for Jan. "Modified for oil returned to stock shed"?

 

[daifly]

The December entry is interesting. I thought that the ALFLOC entry must relate to the oil burning but it would seem that it may be related to conditioning/softening of boiler feed water. If so, 3711 was a real guinea pig.
Dave

 

[SimonT]

Dave,
I've never heard of ALFLOC before. Can you expand?
Simon

 

[daifly]

Hi Simon

Not really. Just gleaned the outline from online researches. There is a book called "Locomotive Feed Water" published by ALFLOC

Barter Books : Alfloc Ltd. : Locomotive Feed Water

Barter Books; Alfloc Ltd.; ; Locomotive Feed Water

www.barterbooks.co.uk

but at £48 I'm not that interested!

Dave

 

[Northroader]

There was a similar facility to OOC “Factory” at Ebbw Junction, Newport.

 

[oldravendale]

You are a Hawkeyes, Dan, in noticing the "difference" as far as 3711 was concerned. I was aware of the oil burning scenario but thought it was all too obscured by the under exposure to be worth mentioning. However, the subsequent details from Graham, Dave, Martin and Simon put some meat on the bare oil burner bones. Thank you all. My info refers to it being modified for oil burning 30th May 1958 although it gives no other detail. (BR Database and SLS). Are we to assume, therefore, that Old Oak had oil available for firing this loco, or had it been converted back? If it was the only one it's not too surprising that it saw little work as it was doubtless easier for crew to deal with the coal fired locos they were used to.

Also Yorkie Dave. Indeed, I'd not noticed (or perhaps not paid attention to the DMU), probably because I remember the sad day they took over the suburban trains from the 61XX tanks.

The last of the Old Oak photos today before a visit to Willesden, probably on the same day.

A view towards an entrance at Old Oak Roundhouse with 7029 Clun Castle "at home" to the right of the door in February 1963. A loco is just visible entering the shed from the outside.



A variety of unidentified motive power at Old Oak Roundhouse in February 1963. Just two years later when I visited in February 1965 there was a single loco on shed, 6956, standing cold outside on one of the shed entrance roads.



Modified Hall 6996 Blackwell Hall with Castles 5041 Tiverton Castle another unidentified in Old Oak Roundhouse in February 1963. The Modified Hall was previously in post #1138. This was a Didcot engine from October 1958 until withdrawn in October 1964. (SLS). It went to Steel Supply Co, Jersey Marine where it was scrapped by the end of February 1965. (Rail UK).

5041 has been seen in post #2248. It was on the Old Oak allocation and went in to store the same month this photo was taken. It was withdrawn from in December 1963. (SLS). It was disposed of in June 1964 at Cashmore's, Newport. (BR Database).



Brian

 

[SimonT]

Dave,
more than enough expansion!

Brain,
The official record says it was modified to oil burning 21 Jan and then to the Stock Shed. To Newcastle Works in Feb, into Swindon Works 9 Sep (Preparation for the Test shed?) and then ex Test Shed 10 Dec to a location I cannot read. The 1959 Allocation book has it at SDN 2 Feb, OOC 30 Sep. 1960 records SDN 29 Jan. Next up is WOL works 13 Mar 1961 for some engineering and the SDN 17 Apr. In 1962 it allocated to OOC 30 Jul, Swindon 13 Aug and then OOC 14 Sep. Condemed SDN has two dates to the entry - 6 & 29.
Simon

 

[daifly]

Are we to assume, therefore, that Old Oak had oil available for firing this loco, or had it been converted back?

Unlikely, as my photo above of the loco at withdrawal shows. There's nowhere for the coal to go!
Dave