NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 54
Day Trip to London 17 July 1964
Michael L. Roach
The A303 was created on 1 April 1933 as the alternative London to Exeter route effectively an 85-mile bypass to the A30 through Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. The A303 became a trunk road in 1958. In fact the A303 rejoined the A30 six miles east of Honiton, and still does – two roads into one. On the eastern outskirts of Honiton the A35 along the South Coast joined the A30 at the bottom of a steep hill – three roads into one. In 1964 the trunk road traffic still passed down the high street of the small town of Honiton and the traffic jams were horrendous and legendary as nose-to-tail traffic crawled through the town centre at low speed. In the Spring of 1964 the Ministry of Transport advertised the Invitation to Tender for construction of the Honiton Bypass – just 2¼ miles of dual carriageway which would take the A30 around the north side of the town. It did little for the A35 traffic which would now come down that steep hill and queue to turn east to access the bypass; but the bypass was a life-saver for the town of Honiton which became a pleasant place for travellers to stop and take a break, and it still is.
The firm that won the construction contract was Turriff Construction. I answered their advert for staff to work on the construction of the bypass; applied for the post of Junior Site Engineer and was lucky enough to get an interview in London. I travelled to London on Friday 17 July 1964 going up on the 8.30am Plymouth to Paddington arriving at 1.16pm just one minute late. The Turriff headquarters were in a new building facing onto the Great West Road at Brentford. How I travelled the seven miles from Paddington to Brentford is forgotten as it is not the easiest place to get to and would have taken about an hour. It was an impressive building 12 stories high and would have held hundreds of staff. I left after the interview with my expenses paid in cash; the main item would have been my train fare which was £5.40 for an ordinary return. I returned to Paddington station to catch the 6.30pm home to Plymouth. Both trains to and from London were Western-hauled; with the 6.30pm consisting of 15 coaches to Newton Abbot where 5 were detached for Paignton.
During the hour or so I was at Paddington at teatime I saw and photographed just two steam engines both on ECS workings. 6117 was seen leaving light engine after the train it brought in had departed. 6117 was then based at Southall Shed and was withdrawn there 14 months later. At 17.44 pannier 9405 brought in ten empty coaches for the 18.08 Fridays Only to Wolverhampton Low Level, which ran non-stop to Birmingham Snow Hill due 20.06. The 18.08 departed just two minutes ahead of the 18.10 to Birkenhead Woodside – first stop Banbury. This was the last time that I saw steam engines at Paddington. On the way home that evening just one steam engine was seen. At Tiverton Junction 0-4-2 tank 1450 with one auto-coach was providing the connecting train to Tiverton at 21.28
A couple of days later I received a letter from Turriff offering me a job on the Honiton Bypass Contract. I did not accept the offer for reasons now forgotten and stayed with my existing employer for another nine months before going to work for a different contractor. Turriff started work that Autumn and constructed the bypass over two years with the road opening to traffic in December 1966 at a cost of about £1,000,000. What has happened since to the roads in the area since 1966 ? The A30 dual carriageway has been extended westwards to Exeter. To the east of Honiton very little has been done to the A30 for many miles and the A35 still approaches Honiton down a steep hill with the need to turn right to get onto the bypass.
What happened to Turriff Construction ? Like many medium and large civil engineering contractors of the postwar period the firm is no longer in business having closed down in 1992. The firm was named after the surname of the founders and not the name of the small town of Turriff in Aberdeenshire. Seven years later I applied for another job on a road contract, but this time on the other side of the fence, on the resident engineer's staff. The contract was for widening and straightening several miles of the A470 through the woods to the north of Dolgellau, which was then in Merionethshire. The A470 is a trunk road 186 miles long (the longest in Wales) linking Cardiff and Llandudno. The scheme had been designed by the Merionethshire County Council, which was abolished on 1 April 1974. Interviews were held at County Hall in Dolgellau which was just north of the town in an elevated position overlooking the town and the railway station. Unfortunately the railway had closed in 1965 and the station was derelict. The nearest railway station is ten miles away at Barmouth, so we decided to drive the 250 miles from Plymouth to Dolgellau for the interview, which was at about 2.00pm on Tuesday 24 August 1971. We would have to spend at least one night in an hotel so opted to leave after lunch on Monday 23 August and stay overnight at Chepstow in both directions. Motoring north from Chepstow to Dolgellau on the Tuesday morning we passed a steam roller in action on another section of the A470 being improved at the Vulcan Arms, Doldowlod. The Vulcan Arms was then a pub but is now a service area. We stopped here that evening on the way back to Chepstow and photographed the roller which was Aveling 10-ton no. 11208 dating from May 1925 and then belonging to Radnor County Council, registration EP3339. It was the very last time that I saw a steam roller in real commercial use. The engine survived into preservation and was last heard of at Kington, Herefordshire. Reverting to the north-bound journey, at Llangurig we had a choice of two routes and opted to head westwards via the A44 to Aberystwyth and then Machynlleth. This enabled me to stop at Devils Bridge and watch the first train of the day arrive at the narrow gauge terminus behind no.8 Llywelyn at 11.07am.
I arrived at Dolgellau in good time for the interview and was led into a large room overlooking the town. It contained an enormous table about 8 – 10 metres long. I was the only one sat on one long side looking out the window at the mountains in the background. There were one or two people at each narrow end and the other long side was full of people, comprising the whole of the Highways Committee plus the County Surveyor and one or two of his assistants; about 20 people in all. Frightening, but I have to say they were very kind and considerate. I explained that if successful I would be buying a house in the area. However this was a time of rapid house inflation, gazumping and houses being sold within 24 to 48 hours of going on the market. The Committee knew of the housing problems in the area and suggested we walk down into the town and visit the estate agents to see what was available, come back and let them know how we got on. We walked down to the town looking over the bridge at the derelict railway station on the way. There were three estate agents in the town; two did not have a single house for sale on their books; and the third had one house which had been on the market for several months. It was nine miles away at Fairbourne which is an area of sand dunes. The house had settled and been strapped up with steel bands which was the reason for everyone, including me, saying no thank you. We returned to County Hall and explained the impossible housing situation and we parted amicably with my expenses being paid. Just a few weeks later I was offered, and accepted, a position with the Camborne-Redruth UDC which was also abolished on 1 April 1974; and that is how I came to live in Cornwall where I have now lived for more than 53 years.
The firm that won the construction contract was Turriff Construction. I answered their advert for staff to work on the construction of the bypass; applied for the post of Junior Site Engineer and was lucky enough to get an interview in London. I travelled to London on Friday 17 July 1964 going up on the 8.30am Plymouth to Paddington arriving at 1.16pm just one minute late. The Turriff headquarters were in a new building facing onto the Great West Road at Brentford. How I travelled the seven miles from Paddington to Brentford is forgotten as it is not the easiest place to get to and would have taken about an hour. It was an impressive building 12 stories high and would have held hundreds of staff. I left after the interview with my expenses paid in cash; the main item would have been my train fare which was £5.40 for an ordinary return. I returned to Paddington station to catch the 6.30pm home to Plymouth. Both trains to and from London were Western-hauled; with the 6.30pm consisting of 15 coaches to Newton Abbot where 5 were detached for Paignton.
During the hour or so I was at Paddington at teatime I saw and photographed just two steam engines both on ECS workings. 6117 was seen leaving light engine after the train it brought in had departed. 6117 was then based at Southall Shed and was withdrawn there 14 months later. At 17.44 pannier 9405 brought in ten empty coaches for the 18.08 Fridays Only to Wolverhampton Low Level, which ran non-stop to Birmingham Snow Hill due 20.06. The 18.08 departed just two minutes ahead of the 18.10 to Birkenhead Woodside – first stop Banbury. This was the last time that I saw steam engines at Paddington. On the way home that evening just one steam engine was seen. At Tiverton Junction 0-4-2 tank 1450 with one auto-coach was providing the connecting train to Tiverton at 21.28
A couple of days later I received a letter from Turriff offering me a job on the Honiton Bypass Contract. I did not accept the offer for reasons now forgotten and stayed with my existing employer for another nine months before going to work for a different contractor. Turriff started work that Autumn and constructed the bypass over two years with the road opening to traffic in December 1966 at a cost of about £1,000,000. What has happened since to the roads in the area since 1966 ? The A30 dual carriageway has been extended westwards to Exeter. To the east of Honiton very little has been done to the A30 for many miles and the A35 still approaches Honiton down a steep hill with the need to turn right to get onto the bypass.
What happened to Turriff Construction ? Like many medium and large civil engineering contractors of the postwar period the firm is no longer in business having closed down in 1992. The firm was named after the surname of the founders and not the name of the small town of Turriff in Aberdeenshire. Seven years later I applied for another job on a road contract, but this time on the other side of the fence, on the resident engineer's staff. The contract was for widening and straightening several miles of the A470 through the woods to the north of Dolgellau, which was then in Merionethshire. The A470 is a trunk road 186 miles long (the longest in Wales) linking Cardiff and Llandudno. The scheme had been designed by the Merionethshire County Council, which was abolished on 1 April 1974. Interviews were held at County Hall in Dolgellau which was just north of the town in an elevated position overlooking the town and the railway station. Unfortunately the railway had closed in 1965 and the station was derelict. The nearest railway station is ten miles away at Barmouth, so we decided to drive the 250 miles from Plymouth to Dolgellau for the interview, which was at about 2.00pm on Tuesday 24 August 1971. We would have to spend at least one night in an hotel so opted to leave after lunch on Monday 23 August and stay overnight at Chepstow in both directions. Motoring north from Chepstow to Dolgellau on the Tuesday morning we passed a steam roller in action on another section of the A470 being improved at the Vulcan Arms, Doldowlod. The Vulcan Arms was then a pub but is now a service area. We stopped here that evening on the way back to Chepstow and photographed the roller which was Aveling 10-ton no. 11208 dating from May 1925 and then belonging to Radnor County Council, registration EP3339. It was the very last time that I saw a steam roller in real commercial use. The engine survived into preservation and was last heard of at Kington, Herefordshire. Reverting to the north-bound journey, at Llangurig we had a choice of two routes and opted to head westwards via the A44 to Aberystwyth and then Machynlleth. This enabled me to stop at Devils Bridge and watch the first train of the day arrive at the narrow gauge terminus behind no.8 Llywelyn at 11.07am.
I arrived at Dolgellau in good time for the interview and was led into a large room overlooking the town. It contained an enormous table about 8 – 10 metres long. I was the only one sat on one long side looking out the window at the mountains in the background. There were one or two people at each narrow end and the other long side was full of people, comprising the whole of the Highways Committee plus the County Surveyor and one or two of his assistants; about 20 people in all. Frightening, but I have to say they were very kind and considerate. I explained that if successful I would be buying a house in the area. However this was a time of rapid house inflation, gazumping and houses being sold within 24 to 48 hours of going on the market. The Committee knew of the housing problems in the area and suggested we walk down into the town and visit the estate agents to see what was available, come back and let them know how we got on. We walked down to the town looking over the bridge at the derelict railway station on the way. There were three estate agents in the town; two did not have a single house for sale on their books; and the third had one house which had been on the market for several months. It was nine miles away at Fairbourne which is an area of sand dunes. The house had settled and been strapped up with steel bands which was the reason for everyone, including me, saying no thank you. We returned to County Hall and explained the impossible housing situation and we parted amicably with my expenses being paid. Just a few weeks later I was offered, and accepted, a position with the Camborne-Redruth UDC which was also abolished on 1 April 1974; and that is how I came to live in Cornwall where I have now lived for more than 53 years.
6117 leaves Paddington light engine on 17 July 1964 photographed from platform 1. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9405 arrives at Paddington with 10 empty coaches for the 18.08 to Wolverhampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9405 arrives at Paddington with 10 empty coaches for the 18.08 to Wolverhampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Vale of Rheidol no. 8 Llewelyn, in BR corporate blue livery, pulls up the last few yards of the steep gradient into Devils Bridge Station on 24 August 1971 with the well-loaded first train of the day from Aberystwyth. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Vale of Rheidol no. 8 Llewelyn, in BR corporate blue livery, pulls up the last few yards of the steep gradient into Devils Bridge Station on 24 August 1971 with the well-loaded first train of the day from Aberystwyth. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A mystery location
Can you help?
David Cook
I wonder if via the C.R.S website any of your members could help me with identifying the location of the attached photograph of 4566 which I hold in the archive.
Sadly, there is no photographers name (possibly from the S.J.Rhodes collection), no date or location. However, I am determined to try to at least identify where this photograph was taken.
Whilst 4566 did not arrive at Penzance until November 1946 and after a period spent in the shops there I know she was shown as being shedded there as from 12.1.47.
From looking at the few 4566 GWR era photographs I have so far discovered I can date this from between September 1932 and mid- January 1951 (when she went to Caerphilly Works for a heavy Intermediate repair). It was here that I am certain she gained her first BR livery (black).
This still spans almost 20 years and during this period she was shedded at the following: Swindon, Westbury/Frome, Yeovil, Bath Road, Andover Junction, Chippenham, Yatton, Wells & Penzance.
I think that none of the smaller sheds/stations would necessarily have such a large timber building as the one seen in the background but you never know!
Could you please put this email and photograph on the C.R.S. website in the hope that someone might be able to help solve this mystery. If anyone knows who the photographer was or if this photograph is from a collection please let me know as I will need to amend the captioning in the archive. Currently, it is shown as unknown.
Sadly, there is no photographers name (possibly from the S.J.Rhodes collection), no date or location. However, I am determined to try to at least identify where this photograph was taken.
Whilst 4566 did not arrive at Penzance until November 1946 and after a period spent in the shops there I know she was shown as being shedded there as from 12.1.47.
From looking at the few 4566 GWR era photographs I have so far discovered I can date this from between September 1932 and mid- January 1951 (when she went to Caerphilly Works for a heavy Intermediate repair). It was here that I am certain she gained her first BR livery (black).
This still spans almost 20 years and during this period she was shedded at the following: Swindon, Westbury/Frome, Yeovil, Bath Road, Andover Junction, Chippenham, Yatton, Wells & Penzance.
I think that none of the smaller sheds/stations would necessarily have such a large timber building as the one seen in the background but you never know!
Could you please put this email and photograph on the C.R.S. website in the hope that someone might be able to help solve this mystery. If anyone knows who the photographer was or if this photograph is from a collection please let me know as I will need to amend the captioning in the archive. Currently, it is shown as unknown.
GWR 4566 at an unknown location/date. Can you help place it? Photographer unknown, image with thanks to The 4566 Preservation Group.
Many thanks David. The location has me beat, but perhaps somebody can help. Please send us an email - [email protected] if you can shed any light on it.
Flying Scotsman heads East
Bill Elston & Steve Widdowson
Ex-LNER 60103 FLYING SCOTSMAN left the West Somerset Railway today (16.07), heading for The Severn Valley Railway at Kidderminster. Because of fire risk it was towed by DB 66003.
Earlier in the morning, making a rare daylight appearance, was turbo 166216 ( vice IET) working 2U12 EXD-CF.
Both seen passing Creech.
Earlier in the morning, making a rare daylight appearance, was turbo 166216 ( vice IET) working 2U12 EXD-CF.
Both seen passing Creech.
166216 ( vice IET) passes Creech working 2U12 EXD-CF. 16.07.2025, copyright Bill Elston.
66003 towing 60103 from the West Somerset Railway to the Severn Valley Railway. Creech, 16.07.2025, copyright Bill Elston.
66003 towing 60103 from the West Somerset Railway to the Severn Valley Railway. Creech, 16.07.2025, copyright Bill Elston.
66003 towing 60103 from the West Somerset Railway to the Severn Valley Railway. Creech, 16.07.2025, copyright Bill Elston.
Further East, Steve Widdowson caught the convoy again.
66003 and 60103 Flying Scotsman pass Worcester Shrub Hill whilst working the 5Z81 1000 Bishops Lydeard to Kidderminster SVR. 16.07.2025, copyright Steve Widdowson.
66003 and 60103 Flying Scotsman pass Worcester Shrub Hill whilst working the 5Z81 1000 Bishops Lydeard to Kidderminster SVR. 16.07.2025, copyright Steve Widdowson.
Thanks, both - farewell to The Scotsman.
Fifties on the road
Paul Barlow
50014 arrives at Exeter St Davids over Red Cow Crossing with a down express. 05.07.1980, copyright Paul Barlow.
50019 leaves Paignton on 26 July 1980 (original photographer unknown). Copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks, Paul - great scenes.