Michael L. Roach
The Nineteen Sixty Four Series
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART ONE
All Change on the Southern
Michael L. Roach
All Change on the Southern
Michael L. Roach
Sixty years ago in September 1964 it was all change on the railway lines around Exeter and on the Withered Arm to the west of Exeter with major changes to many aspects of railway operating. In no particular order: there would be almost no through trains beyond Exeter Central; all trains on the Withered Arm would be local trains; Waterloo to Exeter trains would be dieselised; final elimination of steam on the Exeter - Okehampton - Plymouth route; no steam west of Taunton on the Western Region (in theory); Callington Branch to be dieselised; Exmouth Junction's large fleet of N-class locos were mostly withdrawn with a few transferred elsewhere; and Plymouth's Laira Shed was to receive is last regular visiting steam engines.
That summer I spent more time than usual visiting and travelling on the ex-Southern lines west of Exeter, and the Taunton to Barnstaple line and recording the final weeks of steam on many lines. The resultant photographs will be shown in several parts in this new series mainly, but not exclusively, about the year 1964.
In this first Part I will start with a visit to Exeter Central Station around teatime on Saturday 22 August 1964, just two weeks before most of the changes kicked in.
That summer I spent more time than usual visiting and travelling on the ex-Southern lines west of Exeter, and the Taunton to Barnstaple line and recording the final weeks of steam on many lines. The resultant photographs will be shown in several parts in this new series mainly, but not exclusively, about the year 1964.
In this first Part I will start with a visit to Exeter Central Station around teatime on Saturday 22 August 1964, just two weeks before most of the changes kicked in.
Merchant Navy 35008 Orient Line stands at Central with 12 coaches on the 4.30pm to Waterloo. Copyright Michael L. Roach
34056 Croydon waits with the Okehampton to Surbiton car carrier train. Copyright Michael L. Roach
34056 departs four minutes later. Copyright Michael L. Roach
34032 Camelford runs light through the station heading for Exmouth Junction shed. Copyright Michael L. Roach
Pannier 4694 is seen during shunting operations. Copyright Michael L. Roach
There were two panniers on pilot duty that day – here is the second one 4610. Both panniers were shedded at Exmouth Junction, 4610 from August 1963 to October 1964; and 4694 from January 1963 to June 1965. The engine had previously been at Wadebridge for three years. Copyright Michael L. Roach
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART TWO
Exeter Central on 22.08.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 1 of this new series, I showed some photos taken at Exeter Central on Saturday 22 August 1964 just before a large number of changes were initiated at Exeter and on The Withered Arm. The remainder of the photos taken that day are attached to this article.
I travelled from Plymouth to Exeter at 2.45pm and returned from St. Davids at 7.39pm which gave me 2 hours and 20 minutes at Exeter Central to watch the comings and goings. All four legs of the rail trip were diesel-hauled by consecutively a Western, D63xx, Hymek and Western. A total of ten steam engines were seen at Exeter Central of five different classes: one Ivatt 2-6-2 tank; one BR Standard Class 3 tank; two ex-GWR pannier tanks; two Merchant Navy Pacific’s and four Bulleid Light Pacific’s. All ten engines were withdrawn and scrapped within three years.
I saw two ex-GWR pannier tanks at Central that day and described them as pilot engines, but they were much more than that. When necessary one or both would go down to St. Davids Station to assist a heavy train up the steep incline to Central usually by banking at the rear of the train. The very heaviest of the ballast trains from Meldon Quarry would have two engines at the rear and a pilot engine in front of the train engine, making four steam engines in all.
The first panniers to arrive at Exmouth Junction Shed were in late 1959, when the then Southern Region acquired a number of 57XX locomotives from South Wales sheds. Some did not last long, some moved on to other sheds and the last examples at Exmouth Junction were withdrawn in June 1965 with the closure of the shed to steam. They were 4655, 4666 and 4694. The website shedbashuk.blogspot.com provides an insight into what was on shed on various dates. For example, on Sunday 2 August 1964 there were five panniers on shed.
I travelled from Plymouth to Exeter at 2.45pm and returned from St. Davids at 7.39pm which gave me 2 hours and 20 minutes at Exeter Central to watch the comings and goings. All four legs of the rail trip were diesel-hauled by consecutively a Western, D63xx, Hymek and Western. A total of ten steam engines were seen at Exeter Central of five different classes: one Ivatt 2-6-2 tank; one BR Standard Class 3 tank; two ex-GWR pannier tanks; two Merchant Navy Pacific’s and four Bulleid Light Pacific’s. All ten engines were withdrawn and scrapped within three years.
I saw two ex-GWR pannier tanks at Central that day and described them as pilot engines, but they were much more than that. When necessary one or both would go down to St. Davids Station to assist a heavy train up the steep incline to Central usually by banking at the rear of the train. The very heaviest of the ballast trains from Meldon Quarry would have two engines at the rear and a pilot engine in front of the train engine, making four steam engines in all.
The first panniers to arrive at Exmouth Junction Shed were in late 1959, when the then Southern Region acquired a number of 57XX locomotives from South Wales sheds. Some did not last long, some moved on to other sheds and the last examples at Exmouth Junction were withdrawn in June 1965 with the closure of the shed to steam. They were 4655, 4666 and 4694. The website shedbashuk.blogspot.com provides an insight into what was on shed on various dates. For example, on Sunday 2 August 1964 there were five panniers on shed.
34089 602 Squadron is on the 5.54pm to Waterloo with 7C. Note the 70E shedplate. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The fireman of 34089 watches out for the signal to depart at 5.57pm a couple of minutes late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
BR Standard Class 3MT 2-6-2 no. 82042 runs though the station LE. 82042 had ranged all over the
Western Region since construction in 1955. It had previously been at Taunton for three years and would end its days
at Gloucester one year later in August 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34107 Blandford Forum enters Central with a down stopping train past Ivatt 2-6-2T 41284. 34107 was
withdrawn the following month. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
35013 Blue Funnel Line enters Central under the footbridge with 8C on the 3.00pm from Waterloo. The
time is 6.31pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Five minutes later 35013 runs back to Exmouth Junction shed. The engine moved to Bournemouth Shed
the same month. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4694 is ready to remove the middle three coaches of the 3.00pm from Waterloo including the RC. The
Plymouth portion has already departed, while the Ilfracombe portion was at the rear. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 3
Laira's Last Weekend
Michael L. Roach
In Part 1 of this new series one of the turning points mentioned was the end of steam engines reaching Plymouth via Okehampton and travelling out to a deserted Laira steam shed for turning and servicing before taking up it's return working to Exeter, via Okehampton again. This occurred twice a day and brought rebuilt Bulleid Light Pacifics and BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0s to Laira. These regular visits ended on the weekend of 5/6 September 1964, or that that is what I thought for 60 years. But in 2024 I read, in two different places, that the very occasional large passenger steam engine still arrived at Plymouth Station, and Laira, via Okehampton usually on a special train into the Autumn of 1964. The source of that information was Arthur Westington who was a driver at Friary and Laira. He recorded the last week of steam as 21 to 26 of September 1964 with at least seven 4-6-0s or 4-6-2s that week. Even after that he recorded BR Standard 5 no. 73118 King Leodegrance of Eastleigh Shed on Tuesday 29 September 1964
Here it must be said that steam engines, in the shape of BR Standard 2-6-4 tanks continued to reach Plymouth Station for another four months on commuter trains from Okehampton to Plymouth Station. The engines did not need servicing and stayed at Plymouth Station for a short time until it was time to return to Okehampton. The first one of the day was at 9.50am and the second was at teatime. I only travelled on that train just once, and it was notable for reasons which I will describe in a forthcoming instalment. Steam haulage of these commuter trains ceased on the first weekend of January 1965.
On the afternoon of Saturday 29 August 1964 I visited Laira steam shed for the last time before I thought it closed for good the following weekend when I would be away chasing steam to be seen in the later part. There was just one steam engine standing beside the pumping station after taking water. It was one of Mr. Bulleid's magnificent light pacifics which had been rebuilt into fine looking engines. It was 34096 Trevone of Exmouth Junction Shed. The engine had been transferred to Exmouth Junction in December 1957 from its previous shed of Ramsgate as a result of the Kent Coast Electrification, and only had two sheds in whole of its 15-year working life. The engine was condemned the following month in September 1964 and scrapped. I moved on across Plymouth to St. Budeaux to the last overbridge before St. Budeaux Victoria Road Station alongside Carlton Terrace where there was a good view of the former Southern Railway route to Okehampton and Exeter Central. The train worked by 34096 was the 4.52pm from Plymouth to Eastleigh and eventually Waterloo arriving at the ungodly hour of 3.48am. The train would cease to run a week later and the line would close with trains diverted to the former Great Western route to St. Budeaux. The engine and its six coaches and two vans was perfectly lit by the lowering sun.
I am indebted to Richard Hoskin for making a colourised version of the photograph which I think is very realistic.
Here it must be said that steam engines, in the shape of BR Standard 2-6-4 tanks continued to reach Plymouth Station for another four months on commuter trains from Okehampton to Plymouth Station. The engines did not need servicing and stayed at Plymouth Station for a short time until it was time to return to Okehampton. The first one of the day was at 9.50am and the second was at teatime. I only travelled on that train just once, and it was notable for reasons which I will describe in a forthcoming instalment. Steam haulage of these commuter trains ceased on the first weekend of January 1965.
On the afternoon of Saturday 29 August 1964 I visited Laira steam shed for the last time before I thought it closed for good the following weekend when I would be away chasing steam to be seen in the later part. There was just one steam engine standing beside the pumping station after taking water. It was one of Mr. Bulleid's magnificent light pacifics which had been rebuilt into fine looking engines. It was 34096 Trevone of Exmouth Junction Shed. The engine had been transferred to Exmouth Junction in December 1957 from its previous shed of Ramsgate as a result of the Kent Coast Electrification, and only had two sheds in whole of its 15-year working life. The engine was condemned the following month in September 1964 and scrapped. I moved on across Plymouth to St. Budeaux to the last overbridge before St. Budeaux Victoria Road Station alongside Carlton Terrace where there was a good view of the former Southern Railway route to Okehampton and Exeter Central. The train worked by 34096 was the 4.52pm from Plymouth to Eastleigh and eventually Waterloo arriving at the ungodly hour of 3.48am. The train would cease to run a week later and the line would close with trains diverted to the former Great Western route to St. Budeaux. The engine and its six coaches and two vans was perfectly lit by the lowering sun.
I am indebted to Richard Hoskin for making a colourised version of the photograph which I think is very realistic.
Rebuilt Bulleid pacific 34096 Trevone is seen on Laira steam shed at 3.40pm on the fine afternoon of Saturday 29 August 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of 34096. The fence surrounds a pumping station which was at the bottom of a hole in the ground. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34096 is viewed across the pumping station. The brick wall on the right held up the embankment which supported the track through the coaling stage. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34096 heads out of Plymouth past Carlton Terrace on the Southern route one week before the line closed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The same view of 34096 colourised by Richard Hoskin taken from a fuller (less cropped) version of the whole negative. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The going away shot of 34096. I am standing on a road bridge of which the parapet walls still survive. Note the rear of the signal box which is on the Western main line. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART FOUR
Ross-on-Wye - 05.09.1964 - Part 1
Michael L. Roach
The morning of Saturday 5 September 1964 found me at Ross-on-Wye for some two and a half hours between trains, both in the same direction. Not only did I want to photograph the station which had many similarities to Truro in architectural style, number of platforms, size of goods yard etc but also the trains passing through. The main difference was in the size of the engine shed with Ross's engine shed holding just two engines. Both were junction stations, and in terms of population Ross is half the size of Truro. However, while Truro Station is very much alive and well with over one million passenger uses per annum, Ross was demolished after the line closed. I also wanted to walk down to the River Wye to view a road bridge that had been completed a couple of years earlier. The M50 or Ross Spur motorway runs for 22 miles from Junction 8 of the M5 to a point just north of Ross. It was a very early motorway with most of its length being open for traffic in 1960. At its western end the road continues south westwards as a dual carriageway and a mile and a half from the end of the motorway the dual carriageway passes over the River Wye on a handsome bridge called Bridstow Bridge. The bridge has a 60-metre (203-feet) centre span and was opened in September 1960. The bridge was the recipient of design awards for its simple elegant design.
I arrived at Ross at 10.28am on the 9.48am from Gloucester Central consisting of 73025 with three coaches. I stayed at the station to watch a Manor go through in the opposite direction some 20 minutes later before walking the mile or so to Bridstow Bridge and back. My next train was the 12.56pm off Ross which arrived behind 4107 again with 3C, and this would take me on to Hereford, and later Worcester and other places to be described later. A total of 17 photos were taken at Ross Station and Bridstow Bridge because the line was due to close at the end of October 1964, and I could not be sure that I would return for the “last day.” In fact, I was able to attend, and it was a beautiful autumn day that has stuck in the memory bank ever since. The Gloucester to Hereford line remained steam-hauled until closure and was never dieselised.
Ross-on-Wye was a junction station just like Truro. Branch trains started from a bay at the eastern (Gloucester) end and immediately swung around in a long curve to head south-west towards the valley of the River Wye through the beauty spot that was, and is, Symonds Yat. It was here along the valley of the River Wye that British tourism commenced more than 200 years ago. The branch to Monmouth had closed more than five years earlier on the first weekend of 1959, as had the two other rail routes to Monmouth from Chepstow and Pontypool Road. This was a great pity as two of the routes traversed beautiful countryside and followed the Wye Valley or was close to the River Wye for 20 miles. The people of Ross have not forgotten their railway as there is a permanent reminder. On the way out of town to the north-east the B4234 passed beneath the railway and some bridge abutments have survived beside a small well-kept triangular public open space with a number of display boards giving the history of the lines and photographs of the station.
During the 1950s and early 1960s particularly the line through Ross came into its own. Although there was no Sunday service the line was opened specially on Sundays when the Severn Tunnel was closed for annual maintenance. The north to west expresses were diverted from Hereford via Ross and Gloucester bringing the site and sound of bigger engines and longer trains to the line. Few photographers were out to capture the diverted trains and photographs seem to be quite rare.
I arrived at Ross at 10.28am on the 9.48am from Gloucester Central consisting of 73025 with three coaches. I stayed at the station to watch a Manor go through in the opposite direction some 20 minutes later before walking the mile or so to Bridstow Bridge and back. My next train was the 12.56pm off Ross which arrived behind 4107 again with 3C, and this would take me on to Hereford, and later Worcester and other places to be described later. A total of 17 photos were taken at Ross Station and Bridstow Bridge because the line was due to close at the end of October 1964, and I could not be sure that I would return for the “last day.” In fact, I was able to attend, and it was a beautiful autumn day that has stuck in the memory bank ever since. The Gloucester to Hereford line remained steam-hauled until closure and was never dieselised.
Ross-on-Wye was a junction station just like Truro. Branch trains started from a bay at the eastern (Gloucester) end and immediately swung around in a long curve to head south-west towards the valley of the River Wye through the beauty spot that was, and is, Symonds Yat. It was here along the valley of the River Wye that British tourism commenced more than 200 years ago. The branch to Monmouth had closed more than five years earlier on the first weekend of 1959, as had the two other rail routes to Monmouth from Chepstow and Pontypool Road. This was a great pity as two of the routes traversed beautiful countryside and followed the Wye Valley or was close to the River Wye for 20 miles. The people of Ross have not forgotten their railway as there is a permanent reminder. On the way out of town to the north-east the B4234 passed beneath the railway and some bridge abutments have survived beside a small well-kept triangular public open space with a number of display boards giving the history of the lines and photographs of the station.
During the 1950s and early 1960s particularly the line through Ross came into its own. Although there was no Sunday service the line was opened specially on Sundays when the Severn Tunnel was closed for annual maintenance. The north to west expresses were diverted from Hereford via Ross and Gloucester bringing the site and sound of bigger engines and longer trains to the line. Few photographers were out to capture the diverted trains and photographs seem to be quite rare.
BR Standard Class 5 no. 73025 stands at Ross with the 9.48am Gloucester to Hereford. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
73025 leaves Ross for Hereford some 12 miles and 34 minutes away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7815 Fritwell Manor runs into Ross with the 10.25am Hereford to Gloucester consisting of three coaches, three vans and one truck under a covered footbridge, like Truro. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7815 receives some checks while stopped at Ross before setting out for Gloucester Central 18 miles and 40 minutes away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7815 sets out past the signal box. 7815 was withdrawn the following month. The engine had spent much of the mid-1950s at Laira and Newton Abbot Sheds piloting expresses over the South Devon banks. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Gloucester line can be seen curving to the left in the distance, while the line to Monmouth curved sharply to the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view looking towards Hereford showing the former Monmouth Bay platform on the left and the two main through platforms on the right. The signal box dated from 1938 and replaced two earlier signal boxes. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART FIVE
Ross-on-Wye 05.09.1964 – Part 2
Michael L. Roach
This instalment carries on with the remaining photographs taken at Ross-on-Wye between trains on the morning of Saturday 5 September 1964.
Ross-on-Wye looking west from behind the signal box towards Hereford on 5 September 1964 showing the Monmouth Bay and the through platforms. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A similar view from in front of the signal box looking west. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bridstow Bridge looking upriver. Note the amount of traffic coming off the M50 on a September morning in 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view looking west showing the elegant design of the bridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The underside of the bridge showing the individual prestressed beams supporting the bridge deck. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The forecourt of Ross Station with a BR delivery lorry parked up for the weekend. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4107 arrives at Ross with the train that would carry me on to Hereford. Copyright Michael L. Roach.