Prototype Tim Mills' Photos

[oldravendale]

With a name like Dudley Dimmock he'd have to be dapper, wouldn't he? Bet he wore a bow tie as well and probably a boater in the summer...

My mention above of my one and only visit to the S & D prompted me to think about the motive power. Seaton to Seaton Junction M7 0-4-4T. Seaton Junction to Templecombe Bulleid Merchant Navy. Templecombe to Templecombe S & D Ivatt 2-6-2T. Templecombe to Bournemouth West BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0. Bournemouth West to Bournemouth Central Standard Class 4 2-6-4T. Bournemouth Central to New Milton Bulleid Light Pacific. No wonder it's an experience I never forgot!

The view from the train being hauled by an unidentified GWR 2251 0-6-0 approaching Templecombe S & D on 8th June 1962.



Two views of 57XX 4691 on a Baileygate to Templecombe train at Templecombe S & D on 8th June 1962. The loco was allocated to Templecombe S & D from February 1961 and withdrawn in September 1964. (SLS). It was scrapped at Bird’s, Risca (WHTS) in September1965 (BR Database).





Brian

 

[AJC]

Hi Brian, I do like the S&DJR images, especially the 2251 (the Churchward tender narrows the field, but not enough!), as I'm not sure that I'd ever seen that angle on the approach to the S&D platform at Templecombe LSWR before: it took a bit of placing and peering at maps to make sense of it. The tin chapel-type building is shown on the OS as a Reading Room, presumably paid for by the parish: both it and the embankment are gone now, of course.

Adam

 

[John Palmer]

The first of the two pictures of 75071 shows the locomotive taking water at Blandford rather than Sturminster Newton. The second picture does indeed show departure from the S&D platform at Templecombe; the locomotive can be seen to have just entered the crossover to attain the Up line towards Bath. The subsequent shot of the unidentified 2251 class shows the same train being piloted into Templecombe Upper from Templecombe Junction, 75071 being at the rear of the train for this manouevre.

The train seems likely to be the 3/40 Up Mail from Bournemouth West to Bristol; this is suggested by the vans immediately behind the 2251, at least one of which probably be will be for attachment to the Bristol-Newcastle Mail at Mangotsfield. The importance of this connection was such that the 3/40 Up was accorded precedence over all other trains on the S&D single line sections.

The first of the two pictures of 4691 on the afternoon Bailey Gate-Templecombe 'Milkie' appears to show the train being taken up the Templecombe Junction-Templecombe Upper spur, as it is travelling on the Down line; presumably an out-of-view pilot is attached to the milk tanks at what had been the rear of the train for the journey north from Bailey Gate. The second shot of 4691 is representative of non-gangwayed stock's last gasp on Templecombe-Evercreech-Highbridge 'Branch' services, individual ex-GWR vehicles having displaced B-Sets, which had themselves started to displace ex-LMS 2-car sets from 1959 onwards. These 'Branch' sets also covered the daily Templecombe to Bailey Gate and back milk train workings, the set concerned then being stabled overnight at Templecombe prior to an 8.15 departure to Evercreech and, ultimately, Highbridge on the following day.

 

[oldravendale]

Thank you Adam @AJC and John @John Palmer for those comments. It looks like you've come along just in time, John! There's loads of information here and I'm aware from my own limited knowledge that Tim's details attached to this set of photos are somewhat questionable so any and all data to put that right will be really helpful. Please stick with these photos and update my somewhat sketchy notes as we move forward.

Three photos here of a loco we’ve seen recently at Bournemouth West in post #3886. Here it's BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 75027 on a train from Bournemouth West at Bath (edited from Midford) on 9th June 1962. This was a loco that moved around a lot. At the time of the photo it was a Templecombe S & D loco and had been since February 1960. It moved to Machynlleth in November 1962, then Croes Newydd March 1963, Bank Hall February 1965, Skipton November 1966, Carnforth February and then Tebay in May1967, back to Carnforth in January 1968 where it was withdrawn the following August right at the end of main line steam. It went directly in to preservation. See 75027



This photo has a real S & D feel about it for some reason. The Standard Class 4 passing the locoshed and LMR 4F 44560 at Templecombe S & D on the 7.40am Templecombe to Bournemouth West on 9th September 1962. 44560 was allocated to Templecombe at the time and had been there since April 1960. It moved to Gloucester Horton Road in November 1964 and was reallocated there in June 1965 which suggests there may have been another shed in between those dates. It was withdrawn in August 1965 (SLS) and sold to Bird’s, Long Marston on 24th September the same year (WHTS) where it was scrapped in the following December.



75027 again but this time inside the shed at Templecombe S & D on 9th September 1962.



Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T 41248 and Standard Class 3 2-6-2T 82004 on local trains to and from Bristol in the Bath area on 9th June 1962. 41248 had been at Bristol Barrow Road since December 1960 and went in to store in September 1963 before moving to Barnstaple Junction in December the same year where it went in to store again in September 1964 and was withdrawn in the following November. (SLS). It went to Woodham’s where it was reported in January 1965 but was one of the few unfortunates to be scrapped which occurred in March 1965. (WHTS date confirmed by BR Database)

The Standard Class 3 was allocated to Bath Green Park in October 1959, was withdrawn in October 1965 (SLS) and was scrapped at Bird’s, Bridgend, in February 1966. (BR Database).



West Country 34041 Wilton with (supposedly) Black 5 45185 approaching Bath with a Pines Express relief on 9th June 1962. Note the tablet catcher extended low on the tender side of the West Country. This had been a Bournemouth engine since June 1956 and it was withdrawn in January 1966. (SLS). It was scrapped at Cashmore’s, Newport, in the same month. (BR Database).

I’m doubtful about the identification of the Black 5, though, as the SLS report it as a Carlisle Upperby engine from February 1957, moving to Carlisle Kingmoor in July 1963 and being withdrawn in July 1966. Would a Carlisle engine have travelled as far as Bath? The Railway Observer reports it at Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane where it was cut up in November 1966, the date of which BR Database agrees.



In this second picture on the same date the West Country is leaving Bath. Once again note the tablet catcher extended on the tender.



Brian

 

[76043]

Thanks for these Brian, great as always. That first shot surely is Bath not Midford. Pedantry over.
Cheers
Tony

 

[Dave Holt]

I agree it's Bath. Indeed, the Bulleid is standing at almost the same spot as the Std 3 tank in the first photo, judging by the loading gauge.
Dave.

 

[djparkins]

Thank you Adam @AJC and John @John Palmer for those comments. It looks like you've come along just in time, John! There's loads of information here and I'm aware from my own limited knowledge that Tim's details attached to this set of photos are somewhat questionable so any and all data to put that right will be really helpful. Please stick with these photos and update my somewhat sketchy notes as we move forward.

Three photos here of a loco we’ve seen recently at Bournemouth West in post #3886. Here it's BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 75027 on a train from Bournemouth West at Midford on 9th June 1962. This was a loco that moved around a lot. At the time of the photo it was a Templecombe S & D loco and had been since February 1960. It moved to Machynlleth in November 1962, then Croes Newydd March 1963, Bank Hall February 1965, Skipton November 1966, Carnforth February and then Tebay in May1967, back to Carnforth in January 1968 where it was withdrawn the following August right at the end of main line steam. It went directly in to preservation. See 75027

View attachment 222952

This photo has a real S & D feel about it for some reason. The Standard Class 4 passing the locoshed and LMR 4F 44560 at Templecombe S & D on the 7.40am Templecombe to Bournemouth West on 9th September 1962. 44560 was allocated to Templecombe at the time and had been there since April 1960. It moved to Gloucester Horton Road in November 1964 and was reallocated there in June 1965 which suggests there may have been another shed in between those dates. It was withdrawn in August 1965 (SLS) and sold to Bird’s, Long Marston on 24th September the same year (WHTS) where it was scrapped in the following December.

View attachment 222953

75027 again but this time inside the shed at Templecombe S & D on 9th September 1962.

View attachment 222954

Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T 41248 and Standard Class 3 2-6-2T 82004 on local trains to and from Bristol in the Bath area on 9th June 1962. 41248 had been at Bristol Barrow Road since December 1960 and went in to store in September 1963 before moving to Barnstaple Junction in December the same year where it went in to store again in September 1964 and was withdrawn in the following November. (SLS). It went to Woodham’s where it was reported in January 1965 but was one of the few unfortunates to be scrapped which occurred in March 1965.Woodhams 12 Jan 65 Cut up by March 65 WHTS

The Standard Class 3 was allocated to Bath Green Park in October 1959, was withdrawn in October 1965 (SLS) and was scrapped at Bird’s, Bridgend, in February 1966. (BR Database).

View attachment 222955

West Country 34041 Wilton with (supposedly) Black 5 45185 approaching Bath with a Pines Express relief on 9th June 1962. Note the tablet catcher extended low on the tender side of the West Country. This had been a Bournemouth engine since June 1956 and it was withdrawn in January 1966. (SLS). It was scrapped at Cashmore’s, Newport, in the same month. (BR Database).

I’m doubtful about the identification of the Black 5, though, as the SLS report it as a Carlisle Upperby engine from February 1957, moving to Carlisle Kingmoor in July 1963 and being withdrawn in July 1966. Would a Carlisle engine have travelled as far as Bath? The Railway Observer reports it at Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane where it was cut up in November 1966, the date of which BR Database agrees.

View attachment 222956

In this second picture on the same date the West Country is leaving Bath. Once again note the tablet catcher extended on the tender.

View attachment 222957

Brian

I like the first two coaches of the Bulleid 59’ 3-car side corridor set in the photo with the 2-6-2 tanks. Some of that stock survived in loose coupled form right up to the end of steam on the southern. I used to see them regularly on the Salisbury to Bournemouth West trains, as Daggons Road station was only about five miles from the house l grew up in on the western edge of the New Forest - near the old RAF Ibsley site. We used to play in the watchtower as kids! Drifting off again!

 

[LarryG]

The 2-coach train behind Pannier 4691 had no less than six first class compartments. The brake is a GWR E157. The other coach is GWR pre-war design composite built to Lot 1479 for the L. M. Region as late as 1953.

 

[John Palmer]

The deductions that follow are based upon my copy of the 1961 WTT, and for that reason may be well adrift of the pattern of working in 1962. You have been warned!

Going by position of the sun, the most likely candidate for the train hauled by 75027 on the approach to Bath is the 1/10 Bournemouth West-Bristol, due into Bath at 4/22. The Midland bracket signal indicates that the train is routed to the departures platform, the more southerly of the two at Bath.

44560 is an authentic Somerset & Dorset locomotive, being one of five constructed for the Joint Line by Armstrong Whitworth of Newcastle in 1922, thereby leading to the appellation 'Armstrong' also being applied generally to Midland and LMS 4F 0-6-0s by S&D staff. The two gentlemen on the right may be lubricating the point switch by which they are standing, as I think I detect an oil can in the hand of the one on the right.

I suggest that 82004 is the same locomotive as can be seen in shot of 75027 arriving at Bath, and that this photograph shows the departure for Bristol of the same train from Bournemouth. This may imply that 41248 is hauling a (late?) arrival of the 3/30 ex Bristol, which would go on to form the 4/37 stopping train from Bath to Templecombe.

The stout post that can be seen towards the right of the picture showing 82004's departure carried a mechanical gong, lever number 24 in Bath Station box, alongside which number 25 controlled the nearby 'stop shunting' signal to inhibit shunting moves from Bath yard conflicting with engine movements from Bath shed to the Up Shunting Line, which is the track nearest to the photographer in the two shots of Wilton. My guess is that the gong was used to supply audible warning that the signalman would shortly be changing 25's aspect from clear (its usual aspect) to danger, thereby suspending shunting operations.

It is by no means impossible for a Kingmoor locomotive to have come as far south as Bath. Indeed, 44883 of Kingmoor shed (complete with snowplough!) was captured by Ivo Peters' camera descending the S&D bank into Bath from Devonshire Tunnel on 6 June 1953 with a train from Bournemouth. Bath seems to have had no compunction in borrowing 'foreigners' for a trip over the 'Dorset' if it helped to overcome a motive power shortage.

34041 Wilton was a frequent performer over the S&D, and was one of the four Bulleid Light Pacifics allocated to Bath from 1951 to 1954. The identity of the train Wilton has taken over from the Black Five is a puzzle, as the 1961 WTT doesn't reveal a 1O96, and six bogies is a light load for an inter-regional train over the S&D. 1O95 is the Down Pines, due into Bath at 3/25, and 1O97 is the Saturday Pines Relief, due into Bath at 3/52, having left Manchester at 10.55, and is possibly the incoming train to be seen in the second picture showing Wilton departing with 1O96.

The first picture of Wilton provides exceptionally good detail of Bath's arrangement for attaching a Whitaker tablet exchanger to a Light Pacific. It consists of what appears to have been a standard pocket bolted to the tender, into which the exchanger could be slotted, as the same kind of pocket can be seen on the bunker side in pictures of LMS Standard shunting tanks shedded at Radstock, the exchanger being required on these locomotives for collection of the banking engine tablet from the apparatus at Binegar (which then permitted the banking engine to return wrong road to Binegar having seen the train it was assisting over the sumit at Masbury).

 

[Martin Shaw]

The stout post that can be seen towards the right of the picture showing 82004's departure carried a mechanical gong, lever number 24 in Bath Station box, alongside which number 25 controlled the nearby 'stop shunting' signal to inhibit shunting moves from Bath yard conflicting with engine movements from Bath shed to the Up Shunting Line, which is the track nearest to the photographer in the two shots of Wilton.

John
I hesitate just slightly to contradict you but my info states the gong as lever 25 and the goods yard exit signal as 24. The up shunting line was accessible from just about everywhere in the station and shed areas and indeed could in theory be used as a goods route to the S&D but not the Midland, the relevant facing points were without FPLs.
Regards
Martin

 

[John Palmer]

John
I hesitate just slightly to contradict you but my info states the gong as lever 25 and the goods yard exit signal as 24. The up shunting line was accessible from just about everywhere in the station and shed areas and indeed could in theory be used as a goods route to the S&D but not the Midland, the relevant facing points were without FPLs.
Regards
Martin

Sorry, Martin, I simplified somewhat about the accessibility of the Up Shunting Line, which could indeed be reached directly from most parts of the Bath Station layout.

You're also quite right about the numbering of the gong and 'stop shunting' signal, as confirmed by the diagram in George Pryer's work on S&D signal box diagrams. I managed to transpose these due to a brain fart for which I apologise.

On a slightly macabre note, the picture showing the gong was taken within a few yards of the spot where, in November 1929, S&D 2-8-0 No.89 and her train became derailed following a descent of the bank from Combe Down Tunnel whilst not under the command of her crew, who had probably been incapacitated by conditions in the tunnel. Colonel Trench's report on the accident estimates the train's speed at the moment of derailment as being between 50 and 60 mph. Since it had been routed as planned along the Up Shunting Line at Bath Junction, about a quarter mile distant from the point of derailment, I find it fairly remarkable that the train successfully negotiated the curve and pointwork at the Junction, through which trains to and from the S&D were subject to a 20 mph speed limit.

 

[daifly]

Accident report here

Dave

 

[oldravendale]

I'm so pleased to have so much additional and corrective information regarding these S & D photos. Tony @76043 - many thanks for correcting that location. I'll make that change by way of an edit. Thanks Dave @Dave Holt for the confirmation. Thanks for yours as well, David @djparkins. I believe it was Ibsley where I tried (unsuccessfully) to start to give my wife driving lessons in about 1966. She eventually got her licence in 1980! Good stuff about the coaches too. Useful stuff about those coaches behind the Pannier as well, Larry. John @John Palmer - You've come to my rescue again with a wonderful lot of new (to me) information and background. I'm in your debt, and thanks Martin @Martin Shaw for the follow up and to Dave @daifly for the accident report.

Standard Class 4 4-6-0 75071 and 9F 92245 leaving Bath for Bournemouth with the Pines Express on 9th June 1962. The 9F has been seen very recently here, in post #3918, but to repeat the details: It had only just been allocated to Bath Green Park during the 4 weeks preceding 30th June 1962. In October it went to Oxford and then Southall in November, both in 1962. It was stored in November 1964 and withdrawn in January 1965. It then went to Barry and will never see full restoration although the boiler is to be used – see 92245

75071 was allocated to Bath Green Park in June 1956 and then Templecombe S & D in November 1962. It was in store in June, reinstated on the LMR in July and allocated to Croes Newydd in August, all in 1964. It went to Stoke in June 1967 and was withdrawn the following August. (SLS). It was scrapped at Bird’s Long Marston at the end of February 1968.



Standard Class 4 75023 ascending the link to Templecombe SR with empty stock for a Bristol stopping train on 9th September 1962.

75023 was allocated to Templecombe S & D in October 1961, moved to Machynlleth in October 1962, Croes Newydd in March 1963 and finally Stoke in February 1965 where it was withdrawn in January 1966. (SLS). It was scrapped at T W Ward, Beighton in April 1966. (BR Database).



Suddenly we’re at Swindon but this is really just an intermission purely because I have the scanning out of order. Tim was on the Bristolian passing ex works locos 72XX 7240 and 9F 92208 on 9th June 1962. The 2-8-2T was allocated to Ebbw Junction (Newport) in May 1958, then Pontypool Road in June 1963 where it was withdrawn in September 1964. It was scrapped at Cashmore’s, Newport, in January 1965. (BR Database). The 9F was a Cardiff Canton engine from December 1961, then Cardiff East Dock in September 1962, Newton Heath in October 1963 and finally Carlisle Kingmoor in July 1964 where it was withdrawn in October 1967. (SLS). It was scrapped at J McWilliams, Shettleston at the end of February 1968. (BR Database).



2251 Class 0-6-0 2219 on a freight from Glastonbury at Evercreech Junction on 9th June 1962. The loco had probably just arrived at Taunton as the transfer date is shown as 4 weeks ending 18th June 1962. Previously it was at Ebbw Junction, Newport. It was withdrawn from Taunton in March 1964 (SLS) going to the Slag Reduction Company at Briton Ferry where it was cut up at Albion Works in June 1964. (WHTS). Date confirmed by BR Database.



Brian

 

[timbowales]

Brian, if you zoom in you will see that the loco on The Pines is 75071, not 75023. The locos in the photos have different tenders.

 

[Dave Holt]

Looks like there may be single and double chimney differences, too.
75023 is descending/leaving the Junction Station, which can be seen beyond the loco. It could have been being pulled into the station by a loco at the other end, but I think one can just make out the radius rod in the lower part of the expansion link, so the loco is going forward.
Just love all of Tim's photos you are posting Brian, and all the extra information others add. Please keep them coming.
Dave.

 

[John Palmer]

Brian, it's my great pleasure to be able to contribute at last some commentary on subject matter with which I have a little familiarity, particularly when you come up with such gems as the shot of 2219 alongside the New Sidings at Evercreech: this is the first time I've encountered a panoramic view of these sidings from this particular viewpoint close to their throat.

At any rate in post-war years a Highbridge-Evercreech Junction morning freight formed a well-established part of the working pattern, involving a departure from Highbridge between 7.0 and 8.0, and arriving at the Junction between 1/0 and 2/0 (with a lengthy spell spent shunting the yard at Glastonbury). There is a high probability that it is this working on which 2219 was engaged.

Closer to the camera is a remarkable hotch-potch of track panels forming the sidings, none of which appears to conform to any track panel specification devised by the Southern or LSW companies of which I am aware. It suggests to me that the New Sidings were made up from whatever odds and ends of permanent way materials came readily to hand – how typical of Joint Line parsimony!

Reverting for a moment to the photograph showing the meeting of 41248 and 82004, it's possible, in the gap between the two trains, to glimpse two locomotives standing upon the roads adjacent to the Midland shed that were known as the Gas Sidings. The locomotive to be seen blowing off on the right looks like the front of a Bulleid Light Pacific, that on the left like a 9F. If that's right, then I speculate that the Light Pacific is Wilton, seen before moving across to Up Main preparatory to backing onto the train being brought into Bath by 75027, and that next in the procession is the other locomotive to be seen in in the Gas Sidings, namely 92245, later captured at the head of the train previously seen passing Wilton as the latter departs with 1O96. That would be consistent with the sequencing of 4-character train description codes and with my guess that the train passing Wilton is the Saturday Relief Pines. Of its 1962 allocation of 9Fs, 92245 along with 92233 were regarded as 'good 'uns' by Bath, so the assignment of 92245 to one of the day's most taxing duties would make sense.

Turning to the photograph of 75023 at Templecombe, I am in no doubt that this is a northbound departure: this is indicated by Templecombe Junction's Up Outer Distant standing at clear beneath Templecombe Upper's S&D Line Starting signal, and must mean that Templecombe Junction's signalman has pulled off all his Up line signals up to and including the section signal for the block to Wincanton.

May I take this opportunity to offer a correction to my previous reference to a banking engine tablet taken at Binegar? The pick up apparatus at Binegar was to the standard Whitaker design, which was intended for the exchange of a disc-shaped electric train tablet encased in a leather pouch just large enough to accommodate it. At Binegar, banking engines would collect what is more accurately described as a bank engine staff which took the form of a tee-shaped forging - more details here. Difficult to assess the size of this staff, but what is clear is that it is of so radically different a shape to the usual tablet that it would have been a poor fit in the standard leather tablet pouch, leading me to wonder whether some standard pouches were modified to keep the staff secure during the pick-up.

 

[Martin Shaw]

Re #3190 I would agree with Tim that the Std 5 is 75071 and at the time of the pic is a Bath engine.
Its full allocation was 10/55 Exmouth Junc, 6/56 Bath Green Park, 11/62 Templecombe, 7/64 Croes Newydd, 6/67 Stoke on Trent.
It was one of the batch of 15, 75065-75059 which were allocated to the SR and all bar 71 were withdrawn from that region. They also all had double chimneys fitted mainly in 1961, 75071 on 18/03/61. By the strangest of moves it had an overhaul at Cowlairs in 9/65. Whatever might be the circumstances it does seem like an over provision of power so I can only conclude the Std 5 has been added to avoid finding a separate path south.
Martin

 

[John Palmer]

Bear in mind that the 75xxx 4-6-0s had a 4MT power classification and, upon allocation to the 'Dorset', displaced a number of LMS 2P 4-4-0s from their assisting engine duties. Although there had been expectations of the 9Fs having the power to dispense with such assistance, two factors militated against it. First, taking an unassisted heavy train over Mendip called for an output of stamina and energy on the part of the fireman that could not reasonably be expected from him on a 'day in, day out' basis. Second, the Nines were rated to take a maximum load of 410 tons over Mendip unassisted. Broadly speaking that equated to twelve bogies, but by the time of the Nines' introduction the BR Mark 1 carriages from which the through trains over the S&D were increasingly composed could take the loading over that permitted maximum, particularly in the case of carriages fitted with Commonwealth bogies. In such circumstances S&D crews were entitled to an assisting engine to get their train up to Masbury. Whilst S&D enginemen were by no means averse to accepting an excess loading if the circumstances favoured it, increasingly there were ocasions when it was imprudent to do so, and for that reason assistance persisted to the end of through services, with the Seventy-fives taking the place of the 2Ps that had faithfully performed this duty up to 1961.

 

[Martin Shaw]

I take your point John however the whole reason for the introduction of the four 9Fs to Bath shed in 1960 was to do away with double heading, an exercise judging from books available here to me with notable success. I can only find three examples of a train pulled by a 9F where a pilot has been added, in two cases a 2P which will satisfy the load book and give the 9F something to push. There is no doubt that the Bath extension of the S&D was a hard route with some steep hills but frankly 10 or so miles of hill is just about warming up a 9F. I would suggest that a 9F or Duchess from Crewe to Perth or 460 tons of iron ore from Tyne Dock to Consett was hard work for a fireman and that was done daily so lets not allow the S&D myth to overtake reality.

I think the aversion to fitting 9Fs with steam heating may have originated in the WR who really didn't want any benefits to accrue to the route, keeping the staff costs high for the inevitable lower winter receipts would have strengthened the closure argument

There is some dubiety whether Templecombe Junc had an up outer distant or not. In #3211 the stop signal is Templecombe (SR) up branch starting number 41 with a distant arm beneath it. This is worked as a repeater for Templecombe (SR) up branch advanced starting number 42 which has Templecombe Junc up distant beneath it. It therefore follows that if the distant arm in #3211 is cleared then a driver knows that the line is clear to Templecombe Junc up home signal, the position of that and subsequent stop signals is dictated by it's own distant signal. I have however found a diagram that suggests the original distant arm is slotted by lever A in Templecombe Junc with all the attendant back slotting necessary but I can't confirm this, Chris Osment may know and I should ask him.
Regards
Martin

 

[John Palmer]

Martin, I'm in no position to describe any of the discussions that resulted in a decision to assign an assisting engine to a train hauled by a 9F, so I can only go by what I have seen set down in print, backed up by such photographic evidence as has come my way. The explanation made available in print is as paraphrased in my previous post and came from knowledgeable writers who had no apparent reason to misrepresent it. It's an explanation that seems to me to be borne out by the photographic record, as a perfunctory trawl of the pictures available to me produced more than ten examples of Nines being piloted on inter-regional trains over the S&D. This after exclusion of instances acknowledged as being for operational convenience, such as the occasion when Combe Martin ran coupled ahead of 92245 in August 1962. Whilst I'm entirely prepared to accept that some of the other piloting illustrations I found may also have been for convenience rather than assistance, I'm not convinced that the 9Fs' success in doing away with double heading over Mendip was as comprehensive as I think you are seeking to suggest.

The nature of the S&D myth said to be overtaking reality has unfortunately escaped me, as Crewe-to-Perth 8P duties and Consett iron ore workings seem so little to resemble the working of trains between Bath and Bournemouth that I can see no such myth-making at work.

I confess to having no access to a diagram of Templecombe's SR box, only to George Pryer's diagram for Templecombe Junction. This clearly shows the distant signal in #3211 being controlled by lever A in the Junction box as at 1955 – does your information indicate that at some point it was worked by the SR box? FWIW this distant is also described in Harman and Parkhouse's Atlas as 'Templecombe Junction's Up Outer Distant'. The Atlas goes on to say that the slotting of this Distant was to ensure that it 'could not show clear when another signal immediately in advance [i.e. the Up Branch Advanced Starting signal for the SR box] was still at danger'. This is consistent with what you say about this distant acting as a repeater for the SR box's advanced starter, although it is an incidental result of a signal controlled by the Junction box being slotted with one in advance that is controlled by the SR box.

I should be very surprised to learn that the Junction box interlocking permitted this Outer Distant to be cleared notwithstanding that the section signal for the block to Wincanton remained at danger – and this was really the point I was seeking to make in my previous post: if the Outer Distant is off, it is an indication that the signals in advance, including the starter to Wincanton, have also been cleared.