NINETEEN SIXTY TWO – PART 88
The Life and Times of Prairie Tanks 5508 and 5511
Michael L. Roach
In Part 88 of the Series I am going to look at two prairie tanks because both were only photographed on the Launceston Branch just once. Both engines were constructed at Swindon in October / November 1927 being sent to Kidderminster (5508) and Bristol Bath Road (5511) Sheds respectively. Starting with 5511 this engine spent 26 years in the Bristol District before being fitted with auto-gear and sent to South Wales in Autumn 1953 to work their newly introduced regular interval auto-train service. The engine left South Wales and was posted to Laira on 1.11.1958. 5511 was withdrawn three years later and cut up. I photographed it just once on 20 May 1961 at Lifton looking just as it would have done pre-1939. I doubt that it did much work in its last six months at Laira or I would have seen and photographed it more.
The second engine has a more interesting history as it roamed all over the extremities of the GWR and BRWR system from Kidderminster, to Whitland, to Penzance and finally Southall. 5508 was at Penzance a maximum of 10 months arriving on 2 December 1961 before leaving for Whitland in September 1962. On the long journey from Penzance to Whitland it stopped off at Laira and got used on the Launceston Branch. I saw it on the 15 September 1962 working the 12.40pm SO Launceston to Plymouth. In official records 5508 was at Whitland from 6 October 1962. Just over a year later it moved to the London Division, but not to Old Oak Common Shed which was being rebuilt as a diesel depot at the time, but to Southall Shed which had taken over some of OOC's duties, including moving ECS trains in and out of Paddington Station. The 4500/4575 class of small prairies had been around for 57 years but this was a task that they had never done before to the best of my knowledge, and of course the class proved adept at shifting twelve empty coaches out of Paddington to the carriage sidings at Old Oak. Several other members of the 4575 class made the same move to Southall Shed around the same time for the same purpose.
At the beginning of February 1964 I travelled to London to stay with a friend for the weekend; up on Friday afternoon from Plymouth to Paddington behind a Warship, returning on Sunday afternoon from Waterloo behind Merchant Navy 35022 with 9C as far as Exeter Central. Highlights were a sustained 80mph all the way from Whitchurch to Andover (7 miles) and a maximum of 90mph after Grateley. This was the last summer that the Merchant Navies would reign supreme on the line before the Warships took over. On the Saturday my friend and I did a tour of the Thames Valley Branch Lines to Marlow and High Wycombe; to Windsor & Eton Central; and to Staines West. On the way out from Paddington to Maidenhead we passed prairie 5569 (ex Laira on 30.11.1963); and 5531 on Southall Shed (ex Laira also on 30.11.1963). Bubble car W55029 took us from Maidenhead to Marlow and back to Bourne End where branch trains now reverse but in 1964 was a three platform junction station with a bay for Marlow trains and two through platforms on the Maidenhead to High Wycombe line. Bubble car W55028 took us onto High Wycombe where we had just under an hour. We had only been there five minutes when prairie 5508 arrived from the north with a pick-up freight and did a spot of shunting. It too was based at Southall Shed (ex Whitland Shed 30.11.1963). The other prairies which had arrived at Southall in the autumn of 1963 (in addition to 5531 / 5569) were 5564, 5570, 5571 and 5573. All these engines would be withdrawn by the end of 1964 and all would be scrapped; none of the small prairies would survive in BR service into 1965. The only other steam engine seen at High Wycombe was 2-8-0 no. 3850 heading home LE to Banbury Shed at noon. This ex-GWR engine shed at Banbury was then coded 2D.
W55028 returned us from High Wycombe to Maidenhead, but, quite surprisingly our train was delayed at Furze Platt some eight minutes by a large load negotiating the level crossing. Dmus took us from Maidenhead to West Drayton & Yiewsley via Windsor & Eton Central. Waiting for us at West Drayton was W55022 our third bubble car of the day for the six mile trip to Staines West and return. The line was closed to passengers on and from 29 March 1965 but survives in part to serve a stone terminal. The Class 121 single-car double-ended diesel units were built by Pressed Steel in 1960-61 and numbered W55020 to 55035. Of the 16 built 13 survive on heritage railways from Cornwall to Lancashire. In view of the classes’ wide appeal and wide geographical spread some views of the bubble cars seen in the Thames Valley that day in 1964 are attached to this article.
The second engine has a more interesting history as it roamed all over the extremities of the GWR and BRWR system from Kidderminster, to Whitland, to Penzance and finally Southall. 5508 was at Penzance a maximum of 10 months arriving on 2 December 1961 before leaving for Whitland in September 1962. On the long journey from Penzance to Whitland it stopped off at Laira and got used on the Launceston Branch. I saw it on the 15 September 1962 working the 12.40pm SO Launceston to Plymouth. In official records 5508 was at Whitland from 6 October 1962. Just over a year later it moved to the London Division, but not to Old Oak Common Shed which was being rebuilt as a diesel depot at the time, but to Southall Shed which had taken over some of OOC's duties, including moving ECS trains in and out of Paddington Station. The 4500/4575 class of small prairies had been around for 57 years but this was a task that they had never done before to the best of my knowledge, and of course the class proved adept at shifting twelve empty coaches out of Paddington to the carriage sidings at Old Oak. Several other members of the 4575 class made the same move to Southall Shed around the same time for the same purpose.
At the beginning of February 1964 I travelled to London to stay with a friend for the weekend; up on Friday afternoon from Plymouth to Paddington behind a Warship, returning on Sunday afternoon from Waterloo behind Merchant Navy 35022 with 9C as far as Exeter Central. Highlights were a sustained 80mph all the way from Whitchurch to Andover (7 miles) and a maximum of 90mph after Grateley. This was the last summer that the Merchant Navies would reign supreme on the line before the Warships took over. On the Saturday my friend and I did a tour of the Thames Valley Branch Lines to Marlow and High Wycombe; to Windsor & Eton Central; and to Staines West. On the way out from Paddington to Maidenhead we passed prairie 5569 (ex Laira on 30.11.1963); and 5531 on Southall Shed (ex Laira also on 30.11.1963). Bubble car W55029 took us from Maidenhead to Marlow and back to Bourne End where branch trains now reverse but in 1964 was a three platform junction station with a bay for Marlow trains and two through platforms on the Maidenhead to High Wycombe line. Bubble car W55028 took us onto High Wycombe where we had just under an hour. We had only been there five minutes when prairie 5508 arrived from the north with a pick-up freight and did a spot of shunting. It too was based at Southall Shed (ex Whitland Shed 30.11.1963). The other prairies which had arrived at Southall in the autumn of 1963 (in addition to 5531 / 5569) were 5564, 5570, 5571 and 5573. All these engines would be withdrawn by the end of 1964 and all would be scrapped; none of the small prairies would survive in BR service into 1965. The only other steam engine seen at High Wycombe was 2-8-0 no. 3850 heading home LE to Banbury Shed at noon. This ex-GWR engine shed at Banbury was then coded 2D.
W55028 returned us from High Wycombe to Maidenhead, but, quite surprisingly our train was delayed at Furze Platt some eight minutes by a large load negotiating the level crossing. Dmus took us from Maidenhead to West Drayton & Yiewsley via Windsor & Eton Central. Waiting for us at West Drayton was W55022 our third bubble car of the day for the six mile trip to Staines West and return. The line was closed to passengers on and from 29 March 1965 but survives in part to serve a stone terminal. The Class 121 single-car double-ended diesel units were built by Pressed Steel in 1960-61 and numbered W55020 to 55035. Of the 16 built 13 survive on heritage railways from Cornwall to Lancashire. In view of the classes’ wide appeal and wide geographical spread some views of the bubble cars seen in the Thames Valley that day in 1964 are attached to this article.
5508 is leaving Bickleigh on 15 September 1962 with the 12.40pm SO Launceston to Plymouth. Copyright Michael L. Roach
5511 is seen hauling the 6.20pm Plymouth to Launceston just west of Lifton on 20 May 1961. Copyright Michael L. Roach
5508 is seen during shunting operations at High Wycombe on 1 February 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach
3850 speeds through High Wycombe at noon on its way home to Banbury Shed. Copyright Michael L. Roach
Railcar W55029 is seen at Marlow on 01.02.1964 after arriving from Maidenhead. Copyright Michael L. Roach
In this view at Bourne End, looking towards High Wycombe, W55029 is in the Marlow bay platform. Copyright Michael L. Roach
W55022 waits in the branch platform at West Drayton in this view looking towards Paddington. Copyright Michael L. Roach
W55022 is at Staines West looking south towards the buffer stops on 01.02.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach
The West Somerset Railway Diesel Gala
David Tozer
Roger/Jon,
A couple from today's gala at the WSR.
Dave
A couple from today's gala at the WSR.
Dave
Class 24 D5054. Copyright David Tozer.
Class 20 20142 leading classmate 20189. Copyright David Tozer.
Many thanks Dave - looks a good event!
More from the WSR Gala
John Simmons
The West Somerset Railway are currently holding their Diesel Gala ,Some pictures of the guest locomotives at Bishops Lydeard Station.
Class 24 D5054 "Phil Southern". Copyright John Simmons.
Class 50 "Glorious" awaits departure to Minehead. Copyright John Simmons.
Class 46 Peak D182 (46045) arrives from Minehead. Copyright John Simmons.
Again Class 46, after detaching moves to rejoin its train for return journey. Copyright John Simmons.
Class 20 20189 and 20143 Sir John Betjeman Double heading the next train to Minehead. Copyright John Simmons.
Many thanks John - a real variety of traction on offer.
St. Erth Sulzer
Roger Geach
47031 hurries past with the 08:00 Bristol - Penzance, seen west of St. Erth on 04.11.1978. Copyright Roger Geach.
90 Minutes around Par and St. Blazey
Neil Phillips
Hello Roger and Keith,
One of the two remaining blue-liveried Class 150 units working the Newquay branch alongside IET 5-car sets was a good enough reason to visit Par station this afternoon (the other blue unit, 150238, was on the Falmouth branch today). While 802015 had possession of the rails to Newquay 150219 enjoyed a rest in Chapel Siding. Photos from the footpath are difficult on sunny afternoons, so for once the clouds were appreciated!
The trackwork at Middleway Crossing would benefit from the attention of a weedkilling train, although such visits in previous years appear to have had minimal effect on this stretch; however it does allow the incongruous sight of a sleek 125mph train forging its way through the weeds!
Three different 'Castle' HSTs currently run through Par during the 26 minutes between 16.38 and 17.04, but I only recorded the last of these as the light had improved by then.
Best regards
Neil Phillips
Photos:
One of the two remaining blue-liveried Class 150 units working the Newquay branch alongside IET 5-car sets was a good enough reason to visit Par station this afternoon (the other blue unit, 150238, was on the Falmouth branch today). While 802015 had possession of the rails to Newquay 150219 enjoyed a rest in Chapel Siding. Photos from the footpath are difficult on sunny afternoons, so for once the clouds were appreciated!
The trackwork at Middleway Crossing would benefit from the attention of a weedkilling train, although such visits in previous years appear to have had minimal effect on this stretch; however it does allow the incongruous sight of a sleek 125mph train forging its way through the weeds!
Three different 'Castle' HSTs currently run through Par during the 26 minutes between 16.38 and 17.04, but I only recorded the last of these as the light had improved by then.
Best regards
Neil Phillips
Photos:
Blue 150219 stands quietly in Par's Chapel Siding, waiting for a 5-car IET to clear the Newquay branch. 7 June 2024. Copyright Neil Philips.
Welcome to the jungle! 802015 looks rather surreal wading through the weeds at Middleway Crossing while working 1A94 14.55 Newquay - Paddington. 7 June 2024. Copyright Neil Phillips.
It's 150219's turn to tackle the vegetation, working 2N10 16.13 Par - Newquay. 7 June 2024. Copyright Neil Phillips.
43189 prepares to depart Par with 2C31 15.55 Plymouth - Penzance, the red glare from the new up starter signal reflecting off the last coach. 7 June 2024, Copyright Neil Phillips.
Last-built power car 43198 helps 43189 up the gradient out of Par on 2C31, the last coach now reflecting the red glare from a different signal beyond the signal box, already over 3 months into its retirement. 7 June 2024. Copyright Neil Phillips.
Many thanks Neil, a productive 90 minutes!
Blue Survivor
Jon Hird
Still wearing the previous (and in my opinion, more photogenic) First Great Western blue and pink colours, 150219 descends the Luxuylan Valley to Ponts Mill on 07.06.2024 working a Newquay - Par service. Copyright Jon Hird.
A quick stop at Lavrean after work in the hope that the light may have improved since earlier in the day, but it wasn't to be. 150219 is not the only vehicle to run on tracks in this photo, as it passes by an abandoned (or at the least, very unloved) excavator at Lavrean. Copyright Jon Hird.