Prototype Tim Mills' Photos

[oldravendale]

If I was asked for my favourite class of loco (which I have been, of course, on another thread) it would have to be the ex LNWR/ex LMS/BR G2/G2a. I'm really fond of lots of the ex LSWR locos and so many others, whichever their railway of origin, but for plain, unadorned functionality it's these 0-8-0s. I remember particularly 49413 at Willesden in the early 1960s.

This is another "Willesden MPD. 15th February 1958." but features 49139. in 1957 it was a Willesden loco but had moved to Springs Branch, Wigan, by March 1958 (the SLS says 19th April 1958 but it's in the Locoshed book for March so must have occurred previous to the SLS information) so was on the cusp of this move at the time of the photo. It was withdrawn on 15th September 1962.


Brian

 

[LarryG]

The LNW 0-8-0's were popular because most everything else LNWR had gone, and the well-known 2-beat exhaust, once they were in their stride, gave them away even when out of sight. Neat photograph, which pretty well sums up the steam-era scene at a large shed.

 

[oldravendale]

A word of explanation..... There will now be an intermission while I carry out some maintenance on these picture files. I'm updating all those which have been on here with the details, comments and reminiscences which have so wonderfully expanded the bare bones of the data which accompanies each of these photos. I've also had the addition of the copyright stamp shown to me so I now understand it (!) - thanks Steph - and I'll be updating all the photos on the thread with an appropriate stamp. Tim wishes me to have the copyright in view of the work I've done in improving these images but I know the copyright should be shared at an absolute minimum.

Normal service will be resumed once I'm up to date. There are still many hundreds to come.

Brian

Edit: I warmly acknowledge Mickoo's willingness to watermark all my images. The process was a little cumbersome and I felt guilty impinging on Mick's time although I know how willing he is to apply his expertise. With my grateful thanks, Mick.

 

[oldravendale]

Apart from filing images in the correct "boxes" the maintenance is now pretty well complete, so time to pick up from the last photo.

I was never successful in photographing a Caprotti Black 5, but Tim managed it on one of his visits to Willesden, also one of my own home grounds. This is "Willesden MPD. 5th May 1958". Whist it's difficult to deny these Caprotti locos had "character" the valve gear did nothing to improve the appearance. This is 44749, at the time a Longsight (Manchester) loco according to the Locoshed book of the time, still there in December 1959 but by November 1961 at Speke Junction from where it was withdrawn on 5th Sept 1964. It was scrapped in the following December.



Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Any visit to Willesden wouldn't be complete without calling in at Old Oak Common which, even by the standards of the 1950s was a huge shed. This is on the same day as the preceding photo. "Old Oak Common MPD. 5 May 1958." The principle loco is "County" 1010 County of Caernarvon next to "Castle" 5089 Westminster Abbey which was rebuilt from "Star Class" 4069. The Counties were not hugely frequent visitors to Old Oak although I saw a few there. At the time of this photo No 1010 belonged to Laira shed, moving to Swindon in October 1959 and subsequently withdrawn in July 1964. It went to Cashmore's (Newport) from whence it was despatched in the following December.

No 5089 was also a Laira engine at the time of the photo moving to Stafford Road in the May, Oxley in September 1963 and was finally withdrawn in November 1964. It was scrapped in February 1965 at Cashmore's (Great Bridge).



Brian

 

[LarryG]

Being a GW fan, the Caprotti Black Fives with just a con-rod and no twiddly bits of valvegear looked natural to me

 

[oldravendale]

This one is proving rather difficult to identify. I know it's "Old Oak Common. 5 May 1958." However the details are difficult to read. (I created a high def image to enable me to check this out and despite some contrast and density changes I'm no nearer being definitive. I suspect I'm reading this as 6902 which was Butlers Hall. If so it's a Swindon engine, withdrawn and scrapped in May 1961.

It's possible, of course, that this cannot be Butlers Hall for any number of reasons, but is the tender right for this loco in 1958? In fact do the details confirm this loco in the correct series of Halls to even allow it to be 6902? Advice from all in a position to provide info will be appreciated.



Brian

 

[simond]

From the nameplate and smokebox plate, I’d suggest 5907 Marble Hall.

 

[simond]

last digit on smokebox looks like a 7 to me.

 

[oldravendale]

Thank you Larry and Simon. I'll go with Simon's interpretation - 5907, Marble Hall which, at the time of the photo was on Gloucester (Horton Road) allocation, although it moved to Reading in the December of '58. It moved to Oxford and Old Oak Common in the following year but returned to Reading in March 1960 being withdrawn in November 1961 and scrapped in the same month. Glad we got that one cleared up!

Next, also "Old Oak Common. 5th May 1958" is one of the big and impressive GWR 2-8-0s, No 4702 - and please don't call it a "Night Owl"! Although I'm not generally particularly enthused by things GWR I remember these locos well and the impression they made on me when I first saw them, even to the extent that I have one of the Finney versions to build - one day! I photographed 4702 myself at Old Oak in August 1961 in good condition - certainly better than this photo would suggest - and carrying an 81A shed plate. It was a long term Old Oak resident but eventually moved to Southall in October 1961 being withdrawn at the end of June 1962 and scrapped in the following November.


Brian

 

[robertm]

Interesting as ever, one of the few classes of ex-GWR locos that I like, but can anyone identify the ex-PO wagon on the left?
I remember bunking OOC in the 60s having taken the short trip (past Camden) to Willesden Junction. Never made it into Willesden shed.
Bob

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

And what is the clerestory carriage behind the PO wagon?

 

[Osgood]

Interesting as ever, one of the few classes of ex-GWR locos that I like, but can anyone identify the ex-PO wagon on the left?
I remember bunking OOC in the 60s having taken the short trip (past Camden) to Willesden Junction. Never made it into Willesden shed.
Bob

There was a Babbington Colliery in Notts - seems a likely candidate.

 

[simond]

And what is the clerestory carriage behind the PO wagon?

doesn’t look typical GW. Perhaps LNWR, LNER or Pullman?

Though the dynamometer car had rounded ends to the clerestory, as did some vehicles in the Royal train - either of those would be a rare snap. The Dyno car is preserved, don’t know the fate of the Royal vehicles, though there’s a photo of one of them as a stores van in Russell’s GW Coaches part 1

Atb
Simon

 

[daifly]

Looking at the clerestory profile, vents etc, and comparing it with this, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t the dynamometer car!
Dave

 

[AJC]

doesn’t look typical GW. Perhaps LNWR, LNER or Pullman?

Though the dynamometer car had rounded ends to the clerestory, as did some vehicles in the Royal train - either of those would be a rare snap. The Dyno car is preserved, don’t know the fate of the Royal vehicles, though there’s a photo of one of them as a stores van in Russell’s GW Coaches part 1

Atb
Simon

I'd wondered about saloon number 249 as found at Buckfastleigh (it's been there so long dad was involved in painting it - he stopped vlunteering at the Dart Valley, as it then was, when he moved to Bournemouth in the '70s): No. 249 - GWR - Family Saloon - South Devon Railway

Old Oak Common was the wrong end of the region for that one (I think), but it's definitely the right sort of thing. The Dynamoter Car might also be plausible.

Adam

 

[oldravendale]

Judging by the "Likes" this thread continues to create interest. Just as well, really, as we're now about half way through the first tranche with several times more than the first lot still to come when I get the time to scan them.

However I'll kick off today by thanking everyone for this latest series of comments. It's this sort of stuff that Tim finds so very absorbing and is his justification (quite rightly) for making the photos available to us. In fact I've given myself a smart slap on the wrists as I'd meant to mention the Babbington's wagon. We've no evidence but I wonder whether it was on a final trip with loco coal - it was common for wagons to be used for this at the end of their life and many were endorsed to be used for one trip only. As for the clerestory I guess we'll never know. Such a shame that the opportunity wasn't taken to photograph that too but our lives are inevitably filled with missed opportunities when we have an interest such as ours.

Anyway, another "Old Oak Common. May 1958." The Granges were not at all common visitors to the London and 6847, Tidmarsh Grange, was the property of 86A Newport Ebbw Junction at the time. This photo shows the Western Region locos at Old Oak as I remember them at the time - certainly those used on passenger duties, which were kept in pretty sparkling condition. Tidmarsh Grange moved around Wales for a bit after 1958 finally ending up at Worcester as a late survivor on the Western being withdrawn on 3rd December 1965 and scrapped in April 1966. The coincidental wagons in the photo and the massive coal stage are, to my mind, really atmospheric additions.



Brian

 

[robertm]

Thank you for the ident on the Babbington wagon, must have been one of the last ex-PO wagons to retain its original livery.
I hadn’t even noticed the clerestory coach behind!
Cheers

 

[LarryG]

I have a particular liking for the GWR Granges class, hence this version. Will delete of course if required. All the mess and soot encrusted walls that accompanied the garaging of the steam loco is in evidence and, for me, it is a really well balanced composition.

 

[oldravendale]

Thank you Larry. I agree, the composition is lovely.

What's becoming clear is that your preference is for a less dense image than I like. It's all in the eye of the beholder, after all.

Brian