NINETEEN SIXTY TWO – PART 82
Railtour of 28 June 1953
Michael L. Roach
Part 54 of this series was devoted to the T9 class of the LSWR. Chatting to my wife's nephew recently about the main line through Basingstoke which was planned by the London and Southampton Railway I learnt that the Company changed its name to the London and South Western Railway in June 1839 even before the line was opened to Southampton on 11 May 1840. The first picture in Part 54 showed T9 4-4-0 30711 of Exmouth Junction Shed at Okehampton on 4 July 1959; the class was introduced by the LSWR in 1899 and had a good reputation, but by the 1950s were getting a bit long-in-the-tooth. The Kent Coast electrification sealed the fate of the T9 class, with many Bulleid light pacifics becoming available to move to the rail lines at the other end of the Southern Region.
The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society was formed in 1928 to bring together those interested in all aspects of railways at a time when little information was available about engines, their allocations and regular duties. A monthly magazine – The Railway Observer – commenced in 1929. The Society started running railtours in the 1930s but the first one to be recorded in detail was that of 11 September 1938 and it became an immediate legend. The route was Kings Cross to Peterborough and return but it was the engine at the head of the seven coaches that caused crowds at the lineside for much of the way because it was the Stirling class A2 4-2-2 “Single” of 1870; the loco had been withdrawn more than 30 years earlier. In 1953 the RCTS chose to commemorate the Society's twentyfifth anniversary by running a railtour from Waterloo to Exeter and return. The route chosen was out via Salisbury, the former Southern Railway route, returning by the ex-GWR route through Taunton and Westbury which includes the long climb to Whiteball summit. The engines chosen were: a D15 4-4-0 to Salisbury; a T9 on to Exeter Central; and a GWR Star 4-6-0 from Exeter to Paddington. In fact the last leg was diverted via Bristol due to engineering work. The D15 was number 30464 and the Star was 4056 “Princess Margaret.”
In June 1953 Exmouth Junction Shed had seven of the T9 class on its books and Salisbury had 5 of the class but it was Exmouth Junction's 30711 that was chosen to haul the RCTS 25th Anniversary Special from Salisbury to Exeter Central a distance of 88 miles with a 160 minute layover at Axminster while the railtour participants travelled down the branch to Lyme Regis and return. The fact that 30711 was worked up to Salisbury to work the special suggests that it was a good one. A pws near Dinton marred the start but after that 30711 went like the wind passing Gillingham at 78½ mph and Sherborne at 86 mph with mile after mile at 75 mph; this for a loco then 54 years old – a truly magnificent achievement. The full log of the special from Salisbury to Exeter is attached. The return journey behind 4056 produced a good climb to Whiteball Summit but a top speed no higher than 75 mph on the descent to Taunton.
The log of the special from Salisbury to Exeter is reproduced by kind permission of the RCTS.
The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society was formed in 1928 to bring together those interested in all aspects of railways at a time when little information was available about engines, their allocations and regular duties. A monthly magazine – The Railway Observer – commenced in 1929. The Society started running railtours in the 1930s but the first one to be recorded in detail was that of 11 September 1938 and it became an immediate legend. The route was Kings Cross to Peterborough and return but it was the engine at the head of the seven coaches that caused crowds at the lineside for much of the way because it was the Stirling class A2 4-2-2 “Single” of 1870; the loco had been withdrawn more than 30 years earlier. In 1953 the RCTS chose to commemorate the Society's twentyfifth anniversary by running a railtour from Waterloo to Exeter and return. The route chosen was out via Salisbury, the former Southern Railway route, returning by the ex-GWR route through Taunton and Westbury which includes the long climb to Whiteball summit. The engines chosen were: a D15 4-4-0 to Salisbury; a T9 on to Exeter Central; and a GWR Star 4-6-0 from Exeter to Paddington. In fact the last leg was diverted via Bristol due to engineering work. The D15 was number 30464 and the Star was 4056 “Princess Margaret.”
In June 1953 Exmouth Junction Shed had seven of the T9 class on its books and Salisbury had 5 of the class but it was Exmouth Junction's 30711 that was chosen to haul the RCTS 25th Anniversary Special from Salisbury to Exeter Central a distance of 88 miles with a 160 minute layover at Axminster while the railtour participants travelled down the branch to Lyme Regis and return. The fact that 30711 was worked up to Salisbury to work the special suggests that it was a good one. A pws near Dinton marred the start but after that 30711 went like the wind passing Gillingham at 78½ mph and Sherborne at 86 mph with mile after mile at 75 mph; this for a loco then 54 years old – a truly magnificent achievement. The full log of the special from Salisbury to Exeter is attached. The return journey behind 4056 produced a good climb to Whiteball Summit but a top speed no higher than 75 mph on the descent to Taunton.
The log of the special from Salisbury to Exeter is reproduced by kind permission of the RCTS.
The log of T9 30711 between Salisbury and Exeter on 28 June 1953. Copyright Michael L. Roach/RCTS.
Many thanks as always Michael. For more of Michaels content, please click here.
Castle set safari!
West Cornwall, 15th April 2024
Craig Munday
Hi there
A few hours in blustery winds with stunning Spring light saw me follow the various Castle sets at work in West Cornwall. All three sets can be seen between 11.45 and 14.00 each weekday, and the timetable allows a hop between various locations. The sun also plays ball nicely as the slanted ends of the power cars catch the sun high in the sky, unlike a slab fronted diesel loco.
Cheers for now
Craig
A few hours in blustery winds with stunning Spring light saw me follow the various Castle sets at work in West Cornwall. All three sets can be seen between 11.45 and 14.00 each weekday, and the timetable allows a hop between various locations. The sun also plays ball nicely as the slanted ends of the power cars catch the sun high in the sky, unlike a slab fronted diesel loco.
Cheers for now
Craig
2C11 with 43098 43004 calls at Hayle whilst 2P13 with 802001 approaches. Copyright Craig Munday.
2C11 with 43098 and 43004 departs Hayle, whilst 2P13 with 802001 arrives at the platform. Copyright Craig Munday.
2C65 in the hands of 43093 and 43042 passing Angarrack. Copyright Craig Munday.
2C68 with 43188 and 43186 heads west at Gwinear Road. Copyright Craig Munday.
2P15 with 43098 and 43004 crosses Angarrack. Copyright Craig Munday.
Finally 2P16 with 43042 and 43093 heads east at Gwinear Road. Copyright Craig Munday.
Many thanks Craig, good weather and HST's - we must make the most of both rarities whilst we can!
A new lease of life for St. Albans Signal Box
John Roberts
Last week I visited St Albans South. This closed in 1979 and lay derelict for 20 years before a Trust was formed to restore it. This required a lot of expensive structural timber work which would not be neccessary if the brick Cornish boxes are adopted in as-closed condition. Fortunately it had not been possible to remove the lever frame, and this was the first time I'd seen a Midland Tumbler Frame where the locking is behind the levers instead of being on the lower floor. The Trust has been able to source some original instruments - BR Block to Harpenden and MR Rotary Block to Napsbury - and install a computer to act as the adjacent boxes so that a train simulation can take upto half an hour. The second photo shows the signal garden operated by a number of ground frames.
I then continued to one of the UK's newest railways, Luton Airport automated people-mover opened March 2023. This runs on rubber tyres with horizontal guide-wheels, and owing to the gradient is cable-hauled using the Austrian Doppelmayr Cable Liner system. The airport is now on the National Rail network so you can buy through tickets, but at £4.90 single for just over a mile it must rival even the Pilatus Bahn as one of the most expensive trips in the World - although Freedom Pass holders can register for free travel.
Best wishes, John Roberts.
I then continued to one of the UK's newest railways, Luton Airport automated people-mover opened March 2023. This runs on rubber tyres with horizontal guide-wheels, and owing to the gradient is cable-hauled using the Austrian Doppelmayr Cable Liner system. The airport is now on the National Rail network so you can buy through tickets, but at £4.90 single for just over a mile it must rival even the Pilatus Bahn as one of the most expensive trips in the World - although Freedom Pass holders can register for free travel.
Best wishes, John Roberts.
The interior of the restored signal box at St. Albans. Copyright John Roberts.
The semaphore garden at St. Albans. Copyright John Roberts.
The Luton Airport people-mover. Copyright John Roberts.
Many thanks John - a little out of area, but very interesting nonetheless. A great use for an unloved signal box.