South Devon Autumn
for Castle HSTs
Clive Smith
for Castle HSTs
Clive Smith
Just over a week left now to capture daylight GWR HST photos on the South Devon main line between Plymouth and Exeter. The concentration of three sets in Cornwall after 10th December will mean just an early Saturday train from Exeter and a weekday evening train to Exeter will be the only 'Castle' operated services in this part of Devon.
Regards
Clive Smith
Regards
Clive Smith
1) 43189 heads past Hemerdon loop at the front of the2U20 10.50 Penzance-Cardiff Central 19th October 2023. Copyright Clive Smith
(2) In near perfect conditions and superb light 43162 leads the 2U12 08.48 Plymouth - Cardiff Central with 43027 on the rear between Newton Abbot and Teignmouth near Bishopsteignton on the 11th November. A two week engineering works blockade in Cornwall resulted in altered HST diagrams with the return of eastbound morning departures from Plymouth. Copyright Clive Smith.
(3) Taken from the Ness Car Park in Shaldon also on the 11th November . This is 43097 leading the 2C67 08.00 Cardiff Central - Plymouth through Teignmouth with 43098 on the rear. Copyright Clive Smith.
(4) The leaves are yellow and brown and have started to fall at Stoneycomb and the field I stood in is now full of cabbages mud. The curving tracks down from Dainton can be seen in the distance. 43098 is at the front of the 2U20 10.50 Penzance - Cardiff Central with 43097 on the rear. Copyright Clive Smith.
(5) Approaching South Brent from Marley Tunnel with Eastern Beacon (378m / 1240ft) looming in the distance, 43097 brings up the rear of the 2C09 06.50 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance with 43153 on the front on the 21st November.
(6) 43153 leading and 43097 on the rear of the Saturday 2C67 08.00 Cardiff Central - Penzance crossing Bittaford Viaduct on the 25th November . What a glorious sight. Copyright Clive Smith.
Many thanks indeed Clive for a glorious panorama of pictures - lovely light.
NINETEEN SIXTY TWO
PART 54
Michael L. Roach
PART 54
Michael L. Roach
LSWR Class of 4-4-0s known as “The Greyhounds”
The London and South Western Railway built 66 of the T9 class between 1899 and 1901, some at their Nine Elms Works in London. The remainder were built by Dubs and Co. of Glasgow. The LSWR works at Eastleigh did not start building engines until 1910. The T9s had a reputation of being fast and reliable and the last of the class was not withdrawn until 1963, a testimony to their usefulness but latterly relegated to lighter secondary work. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond who died in 1912 and his successor Robert Urie carried out several improvements to the class to enhance the performance. The class remained intact at nationalisation in 1948 with the first one being withdrawn in 1951. The tractive effort of 17,670 may be compared to that of the GWR 4-4-0 no. 16 Brunel described in Part 44 of this series.
Four of the T9 class appear in the photographs that follow from July 1959 which was the start of a great summer for weather: 30702/11/17/26. 30711 and 30726 were withdrawn the following month and 30702 in October 1959 leaving just 30717 to soldier on for a further two years until July 1961. A total of ten of the class were withdrawn in 1959 triggered by an influx of Bulleid Light Pacifics to the “Withered Arm” displaced from Kent as a result of the completion of the first phase of the Kent Coast Electrification Project.
Only one member of the class was to be preserved and that was 30120 one of the first batch of ten built in 1899 at the LSWR's own works at Nine Elms, London.
MLR / 25 November 2023
The London and South Western Railway built 66 of the T9 class between 1899 and 1901, some at their Nine Elms Works in London. The remainder were built by Dubs and Co. of Glasgow. The LSWR works at Eastleigh did not start building engines until 1910. The T9s had a reputation of being fast and reliable and the last of the class was not withdrawn until 1963, a testimony to their usefulness but latterly relegated to lighter secondary work. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond who died in 1912 and his successor Robert Urie carried out several improvements to the class to enhance the performance. The class remained intact at nationalisation in 1948 with the first one being withdrawn in 1951. The tractive effort of 17,670 may be compared to that of the GWR 4-4-0 no. 16 Brunel described in Part 44 of this series.
Four of the T9 class appear in the photographs that follow from July 1959 which was the start of a great summer for weather: 30702/11/17/26. 30711 and 30726 were withdrawn the following month and 30702 in October 1959 leaving just 30717 to soldier on for a further two years until July 1961. A total of ten of the class were withdrawn in 1959 triggered by an influx of Bulleid Light Pacifics to the “Withered Arm” displaced from Kent as a result of the completion of the first phase of the Kent Coast Electrification Project.
Only one member of the class was to be preserved and that was 30120 one of the first batch of ten built in 1899 at the LSWR's own works at Nine Elms, London.
MLR / 25 November 2023
2903 30711 is seen outside Okehampton Shed on 4 July 1959. This engine was based at Exmouth Junction Shed right through the 1950s and was condemned there in September 1959. Earlier it had been based at Friary Shed at nationalisation on 1 January 1948. 30711 was built in 1899 by Dubs & Co. and was withdrawn just two months after the photo was taken. It had probably arrived at Okehampton that day on the Plymouth portion of the up ACE. Copyright Michael L. Roach
2931 30717 stands in the sun outside the shed at Wadebridge on 18 July 1959. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
2934 A panoramic view of Padstow's single platform and sidings looking south towards Wadebridge with two T9s in view on same date as the previous photo. Nearest is 30702 and furthest is 30726. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
2935 30726 waits to leave Padstow with the 3.13pm to Exeter Central on 18 July 1959. This was an 88-mile trip taking three hours. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many thanks again Michael for a brilliant set of pictures with very comprehensive notes - keep up the good work - please
Gents, Interesting set of photos at Okehampton. 30726 was the odd one out. From memory it was the only Exmouth Junction based T9 with a six wheel tender. All the others had Drummond eight wheeled water carts. Dave Tozer
Many Thanks David