BackTrack Volume 26 (2012)

Published by Pendragon, Easingwold, YO61 3YS

Number 1 (January)

SR 4-6-0 No..30850 Lord Nelson, the first of the class named after it, stands commandingly outside Eastleigh shed in March 1961. Trevor Owen. front cover.

Full 'Nelsons'. 4-5.
Colour photo-feature: No. 30853 Sir Richard Grenville on Basingstoke shed in 1958 (G.W. Potter); 30855 Robert Blake at Didcot with through train from South Coast working to Oxford on 5 September 1960 (D. Lloyd); No. 30860 Lord Hawke about to leave Bournemouth Central with up express in September 1960; No. 30861 Lord Anson near Swaythling on 13 September 1960 (D. Lloyd); No. 30854 Howard of Effingham leaves Basingstoke with train of Western Region stock in December 1960 (J. Phillips).

Michael J. Smith: . Minor mishaps on the Metropolitan. 6-12.
The Metropoltan Railway enjoyed an excellent safety record in spite of the difficult working conditions in the days of steam. There were minor accidents due to the weakness of the iron side rods fitted to the Beyer Peacock 4-4-0Ts on 29 August 1873 and on 16 December 1884 when locomotive failures led to rear end collisions by following trains. On 4 June 1891 a C class 0-4-4T failed on the climb to Marlborough Road when the foulness of the atmosphere led to the collapse of the driver and signalman error led to a rear-end collision by a following train. At Baker Street on 28 May 1912 there was a collision due to motorman and signalman error which led Major J.W. Pringle to suggest that staff needed to be informed more fully when alterations to the track were made as had happened at Baker Street. In the summr of 1917 a Midland Railway and a Great Northern Railway train collided due to the Metropolitan Railway's signalman at Barbican incorrectly using the release key in the Sykes apparatus. On 6 June 1923 at what would become New Cross Gate station a Metropolitan Railway multiple unit ran into an LNER locomotive due to an error by the Southern Railway signalman on which Major G.C. Hall commented. At Baker Street on 14 June 1925 an electric locomotive running round its train collided with another train due to the motorman not seeing the signal and acting upon dubious shouted instructions. On 1 May 1939 a collision occurred at Farringdon when the motorman of Metadyne stock failed to observe signals and ran into a Great Western Railway 0-6-0PT No. 9705. Illus.: C class 0-4-4T No. 69 at Harrow-on-the-Hill on 31 May 1902; A class 4-4-0T No. 17 on Chesham train at Harrow-on-the-Hill on 31 May 1902; No. 69 near Pinner with 14.00 Liverpool Street to Verney Junction train with Pullman car on 16 November 1911; electric locomotive No. 9 in original condition inside Neasden shed; E class 0-4-4T and electric locomotive at Harrow-on-the-Hill on 25 September 1915; F class and T class London Transport stock, N2 No. 69583 and Fowler 2-6-2T No. 40023 at Moorgate on 27 July 1956 (H.C. Casserley); damaged multiple unit at New Cross Gate on 6 January 1923 (two views);  rebuilt electric locomotive No. 5 John Hampden at Baker Street; Former F class 0-6-2T No. 93 as L52 hauling breakdown crane crossing from Circle Line to Widened Lines on 23 May 1954 (most of dated photographs from Ken Nunn Collection). See also letter from Nicholas Ridge on page 126..

Anne-Mary Paterson: The railway that never was. 13.
Proposed railway to Ullapool: route sketched out by Murdoch Paterson in 1889 possibly at the behest of Sir John Fowler who had acquired Braemore Lodge.

Alistair F. Nisbet: The gentle art of passenger discomfort. 14-19.
Getting the maximum number of customers (passengers) into railway rolling stock both for commuting and for long distance journeys. Lines considered include the Southern suburban network, the London Underground, and the former LNER lines where articulated sets with very narrow compartments were used. Also overcrowding on LNER (ex-NBR) Glasgow suburban lines. Illus.: Piccadilly Line trains passing near West Ealing in February 1977 (colour); Class 4 No. 75074 on Kenny Belle service running round its train at Olympia; Class 144 four-wheel Pacer at Knaresborough on train for Harrogate on 20 June 1988 (colour); 82024 at Olympia with Kenny Belle; District Line service at High Street Kensington on Wimbledon to Edgware Road service (colour); Class 101 DMU in orange livery at Glasgow Central on 2 November 1997 (colour); ex-LSWR 4-SUB leaving Clapham Junction for Chessington on 25 August 1959 (John Scrace); Bulleid 4-SUB No. 4671 at Earlsfield with sevice from Hampton Court to Watlerloo on 9 August 1982 (John Scrace); two Class 415 at Charing Cross; First Great Eastern advertising horading at Clacton-on-Sea on 1 May 1999. (colour: all colour photographs by Author).

Geoffrey Skelsey: The redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station: "the shining example of public-private partnership". Part One. 20-7.
Shoreditch, on the edge of some of London's worst slums opened in 1840 and this was replaced for passenger traffic by Liverpool Street which opened in 1874 and was adjacent to the North London Railway's Broad Street terminus where the platforms were high above those at Liverpool Street which was at the foot of a steep bank, but level with the Metropolitan Railway and the East London Railway with which junctions were made. For those who had known the station in the days of steam  it was a surprise to learn that the western platforms were sheltered by a lofty delicate roof. In 1892-4 an extension was opened on the eastern side of the station which in effect led to two separate stations with the long distance traffic being served by two long platforms which were in neither or both. High level walkways linked them and links to London Transport services were difficult to locate and narrow. Traffic at Broad Street declined until there was only a residual service to Watford (the main service to Richmond was diverted to North Woolwich) and the Watford service was diverted into Livrerpool Street via the Graham Road spur, but this service ended on 25 September 1992. The sale of the Broad Street site provided fiance for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street station. See also Bob Farmer's the Great Eastern as I knew it..

London calling. 28-31.
Black & white photo-feature: Bulleid light Pacific No. 2C163 backs out of Victoria on 4 March 1948 (Eric Bruton); Fenchurch Street at 09.20 on 29 June 1949 with three cylinder 2-6-4T on train from Southend and L1 2-6-4T with train from Ilford and commuters arriving (Roy Vincent?); Bishopsgate goods with RCTS special for Cambridge hauled by D16/3 No. 62567 on 6 September 1953 (Eric Bruton); Victory Arch at Waterloo in 1930s; Charing Cross with E class No. 165 and 0-4-4T pre-1914; Peppercorn A1 No, 60136 leaving King's Cross with Queen of Scots Pullman on 2 July 1949 (Eric Bruton); Interior of Liverpool Street with Cromer express in Platform 9 and Hotel on 25 August 1948 (Eric Bruton); Nos. 7016 Chester Castle and No. 5007 Rougemont Castle awating departure from Paddington in mid-1950s. 

Wandering the Western branches. 32-3.
Colour photo-feature: former LMS Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46515 at Llanfyllin station on 09.45 to Oswestry in July 1963 (P.A. Fry); 14XX 0-4-2T No. 1451 at Hemyock with former LNER coach in November 1962 (P.A. Fry); 4575 2-6-2T No. 5530 at Chipping Norton with morning train for Kingham in April 1957 (R. Shenton); 45XX No. 4570 (in lined green livery) at St. Ives joining its train in summer of 1960 (J.W.C. Halliday).

George Smith. Brunel's Barmy Army. 34-6.
During construction of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway there were problems with progress in driving Mickleton tunnel north of Chipping Camden and this led to conflict between Brunel, the main contractor which was Peto & Betts, and their sub-contractors; the first of whom Gale & Warden failed and were succeeded by Akroyd, Price & Williams who were failing to make progress and Akroyd and Price left and were replaced by Robert Mudge Marchant. In July 1851 there were battles between the navvies engaged in the main contract and Marchant's men and the police and army were called to intervene and new tunnel contractors (Hawley, Eales, Turner, Holden & Bryan were engaged) but took on the previous workforce and payments were made. The line which it had been intended to be broad gauge was completed as standard gauge. The notes make it clear that the workmanship of the tunnel was sub-standard: Roman-cement had been specified, but was not used. John Parson acted on behalf of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway and later joined the GWR.

Two of a kind at York. 37
Colour photo-feature: A3 Pacifics No. 60074 Harvester (with single chimney) on Newcastle to Leeds express in late 1952 (train formed of carmine & cream stock, partially Gresley and Mk1) (J. Davenport); No. 60056 Centenary (with double chimney) in York station with northbound express in July 1959 (E.S. Russell)

Jeffrey Wells. The Blackburn to Preston Railway 1843-1859. 38-44.
Royal Assent received 6 June 1844. Chairman was Thomas Dugdale. Contractor was Messrs Stephenson, MacKenzie & Brassey. Major works were Hoghton Viaduct and King's Bank cutting where a major accident occurred during construction. There was a junction with the Northern Union Railway at Farington and stations at Pleasington, Hoghton and Bamber Bridge. Captain Coddington inspected the line on 30 May 1846 and the formal opening took place on 4 June 1846. An Act of 3 August 1846 enabled the railway to amalgamate with the East Lancashire Railway and an Act of 22 July 1847 enabled the unsatisfactory junction towards Preston at Farington to be replaced by a more direct route provided that certain conditions imposed by Preston Corporation were met. This required a new viaduct over the Ribble which collapsed on 25 October 1849 and the Preston Extension Line did not open until 2 September 1850. Illus.: Cherry Tree station on 5 August 1964; and in 1925; Pleasington station on 5 August 1964; Hoghton Viaduct in 1846 (drawing); Hoghton station in August 1964; Bamber Bridge station; level crossing with A6 and signal box at Bamber Bridge; 4P compound No. 41100 arriving Bamber Bridge, and Class 5 4-6-0s Nos. 45073 and 45156 near Hoghton on 28 July 1968 (colour: David Idle).

Manx Electric [Railway]. 45-9
Mainly colour photo-feature: Car No. 19 with toast rack trailer and van near Laxey on 17.30 Douglas to Ramsey on 28 August 1969 (David Idle); Snaefell Mountain Railway Car No. 3 descending towards Laxey with roofboard (removed in 1970) (black & white: Roy Cole); Car No. 5 and trailer No. 45 and Car No. 14 at Derby Castle, Douglas on 18 July 1956 (T.J. Edgington); Laxey station with Manx Electric Railway Car No. 32 with trailer and SMR Car No. 5 (black & white: Roy Cole); SMR Car No. 5 at Snaefell Summit in July 1990 (T.J. Edgington); MER Car No. 22 and trailer entering Ramsey station; Car No. 26 crossing Glen Roy Viaduct at Laxey; Car No. 7 at Garwick Glen; SMR No. 5 leaving Laxey (all black & white: Roy Cole); Car No. 22 with trailer and van near South Cape on 28 August 1959 (David Idle); SMR Cars Nos. 1 and 5 at Laxey (T.J. Edgington); Car No. 6 at Derby Castle on 29 August 1959 with work on Summerland leisure centre in progress (David Idle). See also letter from Nicholas Ridge on page 126 concerning the reconditioning of the Snaefell Mountain Railway vehicles.

Bill Beresford as recorded by Paul Joyce: Post-War on the Southern. 50-4.
Senior fireman working on Southern Railway/Southern Region during the 1940s from Nine Elms. Did not like firing Lord Nelson class: "heart would drop at sight of one". Appeared to be happy with Bulleid Pacifics although had reservations about Canadian Pacific fitted with mechanical stoker as in spite of sorting out small lumps by the shed labourers large lumps tended to jam in the stoker mechanism. Also difficult to build up a fire before coming off at Salisbury for return working. Worked on the visiting locomotives during the 1948 Interchange trials namely A4 class No. 60022 Mallard and 60033 Seagull and on rebuilt Scot No. 46154 The Hussar and on Stanier Pacific No. 46236 City of Bradford. Eventually after being a junior steam driver he became a motorman at Orpington and suffered draughts in the old Southern electric multiple units. Steam trains interfered with visibility in Penge Tunnel. He became a foreman at Orpington depot in 1968. Illustrations: light Pacific No. 21C150 at Eastleigh in 1948; Q1 0-6-0 No. C10 in Nine Elms shed; Urie class H15 No. 490 waiting departure from Waterloo; Merchant Navy No. 35019 French Line CGT on 13.30 Paddington to Plymouth in Sonning Cutting (Maurice Earley); rebuilt Scot No. 46154 The Hussar at Waterloo on down Atlantic Coast Express on 7 June 1948 and Stanier Pacific No. 46236 City of Bradford running light through Vauxhall station..

Peter Hay. An evening in Sussex, 1951 55-7.
Boyhood travel for pleasure on the 19.34 to Tonbridge in a birdcage set as far as Lewes which was hauled by a D class 'Coppertop: this would achive 60 mile/h on the descent from Falmer. On the return journey the 19.37 ex-Tunbridge Wells with six Maunsell coaches might still be powered by the last I1X 4-4-2T which would struggle up to Falmer. Whilst at Lewes the struggle of a rebuilt Wainwright 4-4-0 on the 20.18 for London Bridge via the Bluebell Line to start its train from the sharply curved platform and 1 in 50 climb to the bridge over the High Street provided amusement. Illustrations: D class No. 31731 with birdcage set near Falmer with train for Tonbridge; D1 4-4-0 No. 31487 leaving Lewes; E5 0-6-2T No. 32585 on transfer freight at Lewes; C2X No. 32441 with transfer freight on bank and I1X No. 2002 outside Brighton station.

A.J. Mullay: Escape from Rotterdam by LNER. 58-9.
SS Malines escaped from Rotterdam in the face of the German invaders on 10 May 1940 due to the courage and skill of its master, Captain George Mallory. Another LNER vessel the St. Denis did not escape and had to be scuttled. The Malines sailed down the Maas under attack from the shore and aircraft, but this was accomplished under cover of darkness, but with the fear of a boom being raised at the Hook of Holland. The Malines was taken on a northerly route across the North Sea and eventually berthed at Tilbury. It is probable that George Mallory feraed experiencing the fate of Captain Fryatt, Master of the SS Brussels who was murdered by the Germans. Later the vessel participated at the Dunkirk evacuation, evacuation of the Channel Isles, service in the Mediterranean as HMS Malines before return to Britain for breaking up. Both the SS Malines and St. Denis are illustrated.

Rolling stock focus: GWR inspection saloons; photographs from Whitaker Archive and notes by Mike King. 60
Colour photo-feature: W80975 at Bristol Temple Meads coupled to Class 3 2-6-2T No. 82007 (inspection sallon built in 1948 to Hawksworth Diagram Q13 Lot 1701: batch of seven all of which extant — this vehicle on West Somerset Railway); W80971W at Woofferton station (Dean clerstory vehicle built as 1st class saloon, later family saloon Diagram G31 Lot 804, extent at Pontypool & blaenavon Railway). Both vehicles in photographs painted chocolate and cream.

Readers' Forum. 61
London East during war and peace. Peter Barker
The flying bombs and rockets were not launched from Denmark or Holland, but from Peenemünde (Peenemuende) on the German Baltic coast. Holland was actually subjected to rocket fire, as Rotterdam especially was targeted to cause as much disruption as possible to the Allies' supply lines after D-Day. The launch site would have been overrun by the advancing Russian armies when the German defences in the east collapsed.

Somewhere between Manchester and Liverpool. Roderick D. Cannon 
Writer was nephew of Wilfred D. Cooper: captions imply that the line from Eccles to Wigan via Roe Green carried mainly local traffic with some main line trains as weekend diversions from the West Coast route, but there were late afternoon Manchester-Windermere and Manchester-Glasgow trains, along with the evening 'Carlisle goods' from Liverpool Road, Manchester, which seems to be the subject of your picture on p. 531. KPJ: there may also have been a Manchester to Barrow tran.

Newton Heath revisited. S.R. Price.
Caption on p. 700 states Liverpool-Newcastle services were frequent on the Calder Valley route and were occasionally drawn by B1s is not correct: there were four regular daily Liverpool-Newcastle services and only one used the L&YR Calder Valley route, the 10.30 from Liverpool Exchange drawn by a Bank Hall Jubilee or occasionally a Patriot or Class 5. The other three services were from Lime Street and called at Manchester Exchange, took the LNWR route via Huddersfield and thus did not pass Newton Heath. B1s did feature on the Calder Valley route, e.g. on the 17.10 Manchester Victoria-York, but not on the Liverpool-Newcastle train The train pictured on p699 is almost certainly the 10.30am, which did  call at Manchester Victoria as the accompanying caption says but then would have reached Newton Heath via the Cheetham Hill loop and would not have ascended Miles Platting Bank as stated.

Newton Heath revisited. John E. Henderson. 
Caption on p. 699 to  No.45698 Mars at Newton Heath: writer used this service when travelling to Castleford, but train always travelled out of Manchester Victoria via the loop line from East Junction to Thorpes Bridge. as a result the train would not have been banked up the 1 in 47 Miles Platting bank as stated . The gradients were easier on the loop line and he never saw any of these services being banked. It also calls into question whether the photograph does show a Newcastle train as these did travel up the bank but via the Standedge route branching off at Miles Platting and not via the Calder Valley. They also started from Manchester Exchange at that time. Incidentally, the loop line will shortly be reopened as part of the Metrolink line to Oldham and Rochdale which branches off the Bury line at Irk Valley Viaduct.

Rebuilding the Bulleid 4-6-2s. Michael Yardley,
The Waterloo-Weymouth trains which remained steam-hauled until July 1967 were not the last steam-hauled express pasenger service on British Railways; many express passenger trains in the North West remained steam-hauled for a considerable time after that. Every day until Mayor June 1968, and irregularly right up to 3 August 1968, Black 5s (and occasionally other locomotives) powered the Belfast Boat Express between Heysham and Manchester, and portions of trains dividing at Preston to Liverpool, Manchester and Blackpool and return. On Saturdays until September 1967 there was a multitude of steam-hauled expresses across the north of England, regularly headed by Stanier and Standard Clas 5s, Jubilees and Britannia Pacifies, The 'Britannias' had several turns between Crewe and Carlisle, only a mile or so less than Waterloo-Weymouth, some of them non-stop. They may not have been as great in number as those on the Bournemouth line had been but they gave a very good account of themselves with some sparkling running by enthusiastic crews.

Grand openings and inconveniences Michael Knott
Writer was impressed that on the first day of the Elgin to Lossiemouth Line, 18 September 1852, the inaugural train took fourteen minutes for the journey. The last time he undertook the reverse journey in 1963 the Naval Leave Special for RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) managed to take lhr 50min to reach Elgin. ot a good start to a journey that would eventually reach King's Cross sixteen hours later. These specials were notorious for their lack of facilities and the number of set down only stops along the way. He considers the closing of the Morayshire line coincided with the end of Naval Leave Special Trains nationwide.

Western Standards. Martin Johnson
Britannia class suffered from snatching which could be experienced from the passenger coaches through a fore and aft motion and from stopping dead centre which required the assistance of another locomotive and long delays. The writer criticises the lack of a prototype.

To Hampton Court. John Gilks.
States that there was a catch point on the embankment near flying junction where branch left main line and subsequent housing development took place below the catch point; also a V2 went through viaduct and into embankment.

Book Reviews. 62
Rails to Turnberry and the Heads of Ayr: the Maidens & Dunure Light Railway and the Butlin's branch. David McConnell and Stuart Rankin. Oakwood Press. WT. ****
Excellent review of excellent book, but surely deserved the five star treatment.

An outline history of the railways of Nottinghamshire. Michael A. Vanns. Nottingham County Council, CPA. *****
Well received although reviewer notes that Author failed to mantion traffic from the Eakring oilfield, one of the very few sources of onshore oil which was developed during WW2. Also notes that the speed of passenger services from Nottingham to London and to Manchester has not improved as much as comparable locations, but there has been a significant reopening — the Robin Hood Line.

The Slough Estates Railway. Jaye Isherwood. Wild Swan Publications. MJS ****
Based on a major WW1 vehicle repair fascility which failed to be completed in time and became an industrial estate with its own railway and link to the GWR.

All stations to Longridge. David John Hindle, Amberley Publishing. JW ****
Includes the railway to the Whittingham Mental Hospital. Well written.

Snowfall in the Peak District. Alan Tyson. rear cover.
Hope station on 8 January 1967 looking towards Lose Hill during influx of Arctic air.

Number 2 (February 2012) Issue No. 250

Time stands still at Dinting in 1953 as LNER B1 4-6-0 No.61188 backs a couple of brake vans over the Glossop branch level crossing. W. Oliver
A horse watches pensively as the imperturbable farmer waits patiently to proceed with his cart of milk churn and cans.

"January brings the snow, makes your feet and fingers glow, February's ice and sleet, freeze the toes right off your feet...". Alistair F. Nisbet. 67.
Guest Editorial on "wrong kind of snow": in 1861 the LSWR had a plan to overcome snow for some of its locomotives were fitted with 'large scrubbing brushes' attached to the guard irons at the front. It is not clear whether these were a local fitting for use in the Exeter area but the Locomotive Superintendent, William Beattie, knew of them and according to the LSWR Locomotive Committee minutes for 1861 they were technically known as 'Engine snow brooms'. Rather later the conductor rails on the open sections of London's Underground were kept clear in a similar fashion with brushes attached to the shoe beams of its de-icing units known as sleet locomotives. On the Southern Region of the 1950s and 1960s there were standing plans for the way in which operations would be undertaken in foggy, icy or snowy weather conditions including changes to be made to the normal service pattern. These were well tried and tested, but it didn't always work out as planned, however, as a criticism made in Modern Railways in 1964 showed — it concerned the need for the Southern to improve its outdated communications system. On the showing of certain train operating companies during the winter of 2010/11 that attitude seemed to prevail in spite of so much more allegedly advanced communications systems.

Strathclyde Transport. Keith Dungate. 68-9.
Colour photo-feature: all units painted in Clockwork Orange livery: Class 101 DMU No. 101 321 in Glasgow Central with 14.35 to Girvan on 22 February 1886; EMU No. 303 038 on 18.55 to Gourock later on same dreich (wet) day; No. 303 032 at Partick in snow on 22 February 1986; another 303 unit approaching Partick from east on same day; and on 24 February 1986 Class 314 No. 209 at Helesburgh Central on 08.11 limited stop service to Glasgow High Street.

Bob Farmer. The Great Eastern as I knew it. 70-5.
The Great Eastern as perceived from Theydon Bois which might have been on a highly useful line to Chelmsford. Both the Author and his father were users of the line which ran to Loughton, on to Epping and eventually to Ongar from which London Transport measures distances in metric unts, but earlier formed part of the Great Eastern and LNER suburban network. The development of the inner termini at Shoreditch, Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street is considered and to some extent complements Part 1 of the article on Liverpool Street by Skelsey. Journeys over the old Great Eastern main line to Doncaster via Ely and Lincoln are described: this route was used in preference to the Great Northern route to reach Epworth as it was cheaper. Both the Author and his father attended Loughton School and in the case of the Author this involved commuter travel in compartment stock and the misdeamenour which such journeys encouraged.

Alistair F. Nisbet. Sir Robert Menzies and the Highland Railway. 76-9.
On Friday 4 May 1877 Sir Robert Menzies of Farleyer House wished to travel to Edinburgh to attend a meeting to raise a Highland Regiment of Volunteers. There were no through bookings beyond Perth off the Aberfeldy branch and Sir Robert acquired a return ticket to Perth intending to return on the Sunday and arranged for his man to meet the Mail at Ballinluig as there were no Sunday trains on the branch. This transaction took place between Thomas Fyffe, the station master at Aberfeldy. Returning from Edinburgh Sir Robert was ejected from the Mail train at Perth by the Highland Railway staff as it was claimed that his ticket was invalid for travel on a Sunday. Due to this action Sir Robert was forced off the train and had to make other arrangements for his return to Aberfeldy and this led to a claim against the Highland Railway. The case was heard by Sheriff-Substitute Hugh Barclay at Perth Sheriff Courthouse on 8 October 1877: Sir Robert lost his action although the Sheriff criticised the Highland Railway for its obscure ticketing arrangements which even applied to first class ticket holders and people of substance.

Leaving Eastleigh. Alan Tyson. 80.
Colour photographs: rebuilt Bulleid light Pacifics on 7 August 1964 Nos. 34052 Lord Dowding with 09.30 Waterloo to Southampton and 34098 Templecombe departing for Southampton and Bournemouth.:  

Jeremy Clarke. "East Croydon, this is East Croydon". 81-7.
The London & Croydon Railway opened on 5 June 1839 from London Bridge to what was to become West Croydon station. The station at East Croydon did not come into being until the London & Brighton Railway opened as far as Haywards Heath on 12 July 1841. Parliament had dictated that the London & Croydon should be in the joint ownership of the South Eastern and the Brighton companies and that shared tracks should extend to Redhill where the South Eastern's route to Dover branched off. The shared ownership was a cource of tension which was partially resolved by the South Eastern opening its cut off to Tonbridge in 1868. In the same year the Brighton company attempted to recover market edge by opening a Croydon Central station, but this never achieved success although it formed the terminus for services provided by the LNWR and by the Great Eastern (via the Thames Tunnel). The LBSCR opened its Quarry Line which bypassed Redhill. The opening of the Brighton line into Victoria was marked by the division of trains into London Bridge and Victoria portions and this persisted into the early years of the twentieth century. The Post Office used to have a sorting office above the platforms with conveyors to take mail down to them. The station was reconstructed in 1894-6 and rebuilt in 1992. A flyover was constructed in the 1980s to eliminate the Croydon Tangle with its excessive number of flat junctions and speed the Gatwick Express services through without stopping. The LBSCR had intended to electrify to Brighton using its high voltage (6600 v AC system) but the catenary was only present in East Crodon for a short period (1925-8) and the Southern Railway extended the third rail to Brighton from 1 January 1933. Early signal interlocking was introduced at Norwood Fork Junction: John Saxby was a LBSCR employee. In the 1880s Sykes lock & block was introduced. Illustrations: D1 0-4-2T in umber livery arriving New Croydon; King Arthur No. 801 Sir Meliot de Longres on express for London Bridge under unused? catenary; completed catenary, but no third rail looking north; plan showing remodelling of Gloucester Road Junction; Gloucester Road Junction looking north on 6 March 1954; local side of East Croydon station during 1955-70 period; 12-coach 17.53 Victoria to Brighton fast to Haywards Heath alongside 17.49 London Bridge to East Grinstead DEMU leaving East Croydon on 10 June 1964; facing north in early 1050s with many ex-LBSCR signals still in place; Class 4 2-6-4T No. 42089 on Oxted route train with City of Truro alongside on 11 May 1958; panoramic to north over station from Essex House opened in 1961; 4-car EPB No. 5024 on Tattenham Corner to London Bridge peak hour working on 27 June 1964.;  

Over the Lancashire Moors [Bolton to Blackburn line]. 88-90.
Colour photo-feature: Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45096 passing Spring Vale on 1 in 74 climb with an up parcels train on 22 June 1968; Wickham two-car DMU (Eastern Region General Manager's saloon) in Blackburn station on route to Scarborough via Goole on 22 September 1979 (both J.S. Gilks); No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell and Class 5 No. 44781 on Locomotive Club of Great Britain end of steam railtour on 4 August 1968 about to enter Sough Tunnel and begin the descent towards Blackburn (David Idle); Cravens DMU calling at Entwhistle staation with train for Blackburn on 14 April 1967 (J.S. Gilks); Class 5 Nos. 44874 and 45017 at Sough Summit with last day of steam special on 4 August 1968 (David Idle); model of Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ship in glass case in Blackburn station on 22 September 1979; No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell and Class 5 No. 44781 on Locomotive Club of Great Britain end of steam railtour on 4 August 1968 at Walton's Siding (both J.S. Gilks);   

Ken Grainger. The Sheffield Victoria Accident. 91-3.
On 25 January 1954 the 11.16 Bournemouth to York approaching Sheffield Victoria was hit in the rear at about 18.10 by the B16 class locomotive which was scheduled to work the train forward to York. This was due mainly to sgnalman error, but was compounded by the driver of the train engine failing to comply with Rule 55 that is by sounding his whistle and sending the fireman to the signalbox. Colonel D. McMullen reported on the accident which caused minor injuries and serious damage to a Southern Railway restaurant car and the adjacent BR Mk 1 vehicle partly due to the failure of the Buckeye coupling, but mainly through structural faiure of the older vehicle.

Steam on the Woodhead Route. 94-5.
Photo-feature: black & white except for first: 4-4-2 No. 264 emerging from Woodhead Tunnel at western portal and two 4-4-0s double heading an express for Marylebone entering tunnel in Great Central green (Locomotive Publishing Co. postcard); ex-GCR 4-6-0 (with Caprotti valve gear?) approaching tunnel with eastbound express in LNER period; O4/1 No. 63769 on westbound freight between Penistone and Thurlstone on 30 June 1952; C13 No. 67434 on Penistone to Sheffield local at Wadsley Bridge on 19 June 1953; ans No. 4472 Flying Scotsman being hauled into new tunnel by electric locomotive No. 26001 on 18 April 1964.

LNER mixed traffic [B1 4-6-0]. 96-9.
Colour photo-feature: No. 1268 in apple green livery at Wakefield Westgate in 1948 (H.M. Lane); No. 61053 leaving Wjitby Town with 18.10 to York on 24 July 1958 (Michael Mensing); No. 61248 Geoffrey Gibbs on express at Chaloners Whin Junction, York in June 1957; No. 61346 entering Craigellachie with 15.45 Aberdeen to Elgin in July 1959 (Chris Gammell); No. 61280 passing Stratford with down Day Continental in 1956; No. 61066 at Liverpool Street backing onto a down express with N2 No. 69506 in Broad Street above in April 1959 (Trevor Owen); No. 61142 at King's Cross on 16.15 to Grimsby in May 1959 (John C. Hart); No. 61380 on up South Yorkshireman near Tibshelf  on 29 September 1959 (Michael Mensing); No. 61340 on Dundee shed in 1964 (M. Chapman); Class 5 No. 45049 and B1 No. 61278 on 12.05 Oban to Glasgow and Edinburh via Callender on 15 May 1961 (Michael Mensing).

Martin Smith. The Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Railway. 100-8.
Kymer's Canal linked Thomas Kymer's mines and quarries producing anthracite and limestoane in the Gwendraeth Valley with Kidwelly. This later became the Kidwelly & Llanelly Canal & Tramroad Company: by 1838 the canal had reached Cym Mawr 200 feet above sea level and this involved five locks and two inclined planes. The canal did not reach Llanelly, but terminated at a new harbour at Burry Port created in 1832. On 5 July 1865 the canal company was reincorporated as the Kidwelly and Burry Port Company with the aim of converting the canal into a railway. This opened to Pontyberem in July 1869 and to Cwm Mawr in June 1886. There were branches to Kidwelly Quay,  opened in June 1873 and to Sandy Gate Junction in 1891 which linked to the Llanelly & Mynydd Mawr Railway. In 1875 consideration was given to connecting the line to the LNWR at Llanarthney via the Burry Port & North Western Junction Railway. This would have involved steep gradienst and a 500 yard tunnel. Includes notes on the motive power, both steam and diesel, on the pssenger services which began as services for colliers, but eventually became a full passenger service, on the special bogie vehicles eventually provided by the Great Western, and on closure.

Snowdown Colliery: photographs (colour) by Roy Hobbs and notes by John D. Scholes. 109.
Pearson & Dorman Long purchased a pair of Avonside Engine Co. outside cylinder 0-6-0STs in 1927: WN 2004 St. Dunstan is still extant on the East Kent Railway, but shown as at work in October 1970 and WN 1971 St. Thomas at work with modern colliery behind (also extant at Dover Transport Museum).

John D. Mann. Undergraduates on the footplate: the Cambridge University Railway Club engine-driver specials. 110-11.
The Club used to hire a locomotive, coaches and crew for the day to do a spot of driving. The hire fee was £50 and the time was the 1950s early 60s. Actually none of the photographs were by John Mann and most of the notes are by Roger Hennessey, Chris Berridge and Bruce Crisp.

Michael B. Binks. Sunderland — from wagonways to South Dock. 112-21.
A somewhat disappointing introduction to the railways of Sunderland not helped with the use of maps out of context maps from Neil T. Sinclair's Railways of Sunderland (1986) and the juxtaposition of railways near Sunderland with those in Sunderland, notably the Victoria Viaduct (Victoria Bridge) on the mothballed Penshaw section of the East Coast main line. Biddle calls this "an extremely handsome viaduct" and is probably worthy of a specific article. The City grew out of the coal shipment business, both for export and for coastal transport to many locations in Britain, and on shipbuilding. The former led to the creation of staiths on the River Wear served by both the North Eastern Railway and by the colliery companies and their "private" railways most of which continued to operate independently after nationalisation of the coal industry. There is a shortage of dates and a failure to identify what remains to be seen. South Dock receives specific attention. Strangely, Monkwearmouth station (of considerable architectural merit but no longer used as a station is not illustrated). Illustrations: J27 No. 65855 with Presflo wagons passing Wearmouth Colliery, Monkwearmouth on way to South Dock on 27 July 1967 (colour: David Idle); Q6 crossing Victoria Viaduct on 28 August 1964 (I.S. Carr); WD 2-8-0 No. 90348 approaching Sunderland South Tunnel on 20 July 1967 (colour: David Idle); Lambton Coke Works and wagonway exposed during archaeological investigation (I.S. Carr); B1 No. 61014 on 12.54 Sunderland to Durham on Miners' Day Gala on 21 july 1962 (I.S. Carr); Copt Hill incline on 26 August 1959 (I.S. Carr); V2 No. 60964 Durham Light Infantry on down fitted freight at Penshaw on 28 August 1959 (I.S. Carr); Lambton Staiths and Wear Bridge viewed from NCB No. 37 on 9 June 1965 (I.S. Carr); aerial view of South Dock (Sunderland Ecko); WD No. 90445 with Manchester Locomotive Society brake van tour in May 1965 (Harold D. Bowtell); G5 No. 67253 at Sunderland Station with 15.26 arrival from South Shields (I.S. Carr); collier Firelight being loaded at South Doack coaling jetty; Victoria Viaduct with Q6 No. 63411 crossing it on 28 August 1964 (I.S. Carr). Further aerial view of mouth of River Wear see Archive No. 70 p. 24..

Richard Foster. Signalling spotlight: little and large on the London & South Western Railway. 122.
Colour photo-feature of signal boxes: Woodfidley Crossing on 4 June 1965 (A.B. Jeffery); Eastleigh East (Les Elsey), and Stoney Bridge on 27 July 1968 (A.B. Jeffery).

Peter Tatlow. Maintaining railway curves. 123-5.
Measurement of the versine using a string line and subsequent calculation of the smoothness and need to slew the track and the degree of superelevation (cant) required. Also the problem of platforms and other structures. Illus. (by Author): Coronation Pacific No. 46228 Duchess of Rutland arriving Penrith with up express on 1 August 1953; rebuilt West Coiuntry No. 34027 Taw Valley approaching Tonbridge with express for Dover on 31 May 1958 (nearest track has flat bottom rail on outside of curve whilst inner rail remained bullhead); Q1 No. 33009 on freight for Feltham marshalling yard between Wandsworth Town and Putney on 17 June 1959; H16 class 4-6-2T No. 30518 with train of ventilated containers on down Windsor local line on 26 June 1959.

Readers' Forum. 126.
Commemorating the pioneers of the railway age. Andrew Kleissner
See V. 25 p. 740: there is a further statue of George Stephenson on the facade of Keleti (or East) Station in Budapest, together with a statue of James Watt. The station was built in the early 1880s and the statues are by Alajos Strobl.

The Railways of Ayr. David Kelso.
The map on p712 is incorrect in that Castle Douglas station is not at the east end of Loch Ken. The loch itself is much longer than shown, the railway crossing the loch by a bowstring girder bridge at about half its length and then running down the east side of the loch. The station labelled Castle Douglas was Parton and the next station at the south end of the loch was Crossmichael after which the P&W Joint joined the G&SW just west of Castle Douglas, junction station for the Kirkcudbright branch.

Manx Electric. Nicholas Ridge.
The Snaefell cars were given a new lease of life during 1979-80 with the assistance of London Transport engineers. Redundant trams from Aachen in Germany, provided new motors and control gear. New axles and bogie frames were manufactured by the LT overhaul works at Acton, the Aachen gears and wheels being reclaimed and the Fell brake was overhauled. Roller bearings replaced plain.

The One-Puff Railway. Andrew Kleissner.
It is ingenuous to describe William F. Bruff, who surveyed the route, as merely "an engineer from London" and incorrect to state that he was "curiously" also the engineer to the Tendring Hundred Railway. The name of Bruff is hallowed in Suffolk as 'the BruneI of East Anglia', for Peter Shuyler Bruff, born in Portsmouth in 1812, became engineer to the Eastern Counties Railway between Shoreditch and Colchester and then to the Eastern Union Railway which extended its route to Ipswich. Especially notable in the latter project was the construction of Ipswich Tunnel. He was also responsible for the magnificent viaduct at Chappel, on the Sudbury line. Although he appears to have maintained a residence in Bloomsbury, London, Peter Bruff moved to Handford Lodge, Ipswich, in 1846, the same year that the Eastern Union Railway opened. His son, William, had been born in London in September 1837 and was married there in 1861 to Louisa Ayres. However, the couple must have soon moved to Ipswich as their first child was born there in 1862.
William followed in his father's footsteps as a civil engineer and would thus have been in the early stages of his career when engaged by the Mellis & Eye Railway. It was at this time that his father Peter was involved in building the much larger Tendring Hundred Railway in Essex – this would have been an advantageous project for him as he had bought land at both Walton and Clacton and proceeded to develop both towns. His name is remembered by both a street name and a hospital ward in Clacton. William Bruff appears to have had interests in gold mining as well as railways. In the 1870s he was taken to court on a charge of embezzling money from his employers, contractors for the Severn Railway Bridge, but was acquitted for lack of evidence. In later years he made several trips to the United States and may have become an American citizen. He died at Brentford, Middlesex, in 1911.
There is still a level crossing at the site of Mellis station, on the Ipswich-Norwich main line. And Eye is also celebrated in ballet circles, as the noted choreographer Frederick Ashton lived there for many years; he is buried in Yaxley churchyard.

Grand openings and gross inconveniences. Michael J Smith.
The caption to the photograph of Ealing Broadway station refering to the Metropolitan District Railway is confused and thus erroneous. The District's trains began running from Hammersmith over LSWR metals to Richmond via Turnham Green on 1st June 1877, two years earlier than stated. What happened on 1st July 1879 was that the District opened its own line from Turnham Green to Ealing Broadway.

London East during war and peace. William Tollan.
Unlike the V-1, which flew relatively slowly and at low altitude, the V-2 slammed into the ground at 4,000mph without warning, except for a double sonic boom shortly before impact. Targets could not be pinpointed with precision, due to inaccuracies in positioning the missiles at launch and in timing the engine cut-off, so the missiles would fall anywhere within a wide area of the intended target. Since there was no defence against such a weapon, the Allies concentrated on attacking the fixed launch sites, many of which were located in the Pas de Calais region of France, and they were very successful in destroying the sites. However, the Germans also launched the V-2s from mobile sites and the Allies were seldom able to locate and attack those. The Germans often launched V-2s from city streets, hoping that they would be hidden from view by surrounding buildings. This could have disastrous consequences if the rockets were located by the Allies, resulting in catastrophic explosions in population centres. It took a German mobile rocket crew about two hours to erect and prepare a group of three missiles for launch.
The V-2 was first launched successfully in October 1942 and it was first used in combat in an attack on London on 7 September 1944. From this time until March of 1945, more than 1,100 V-2s fell in southern England, most around London and Norwich, causing about 2,700 deaths and over twice that many injuries. Another 2,000 of the missiles were fired at targets on the European continent, primarily Antwerp, Belgium, which had been recaptured by the Allies and had become an important Allied port. London was actually hit by 517 V-2s and 1,265 of the missiles hit Antwerp. At the height of their production, 700 V-2s per month were being built, most under very harsh conditions by slave labourers from concentration camps. A total of about 10,000 V-2s were made. The Germans were making plans to launch V-2s from submarines against the United States, but they were never successful, due to technical difficulties. Shortly after the war ended, the United States was successful in launching captured V-2s from submarines.
The most deadly V-2 attack of the war occurred on 16th December 1944 when a V-2 struck the Rex Theatre in Antwerp, Belgium, killing 567 people (296 of these being servicemen) and wounding an additional 291 people. The most deadly V-2 attack in Britain happened on 25th November 1944 at New Cross Road, London, where a V-2 destroyed a Woolworth's department store and surrounding stores, killing 160 people and seriously injuring 120. The final V-2 attacks of the war occurred on 27th March 1945 - one on Antwerp, which killed 27 people, and one on England, which seriously injured 23 and killed Ivy Mildred Millichamp, the last person to be killed in Britain by enemy action during WW2. A total of about 7,000 people were killed by V-2 rockets during the war. Despite the great damage caused by the V-2s, they were actually considered to be a failure as a weapon due to their poor accuracy, great expense and relatively small warhead size. Each V-2 cost twenty times more money to manufacture than a V-1 and yet their warheads were almost the same size. The greatest value of the V-2 was actually realised after the war, when captured V-2s were used by the United States and the former Soviet Union to begin their own missile and space programmes.

Minor mishaps on the Metropolitan. Nicholas Ridge.
No. L52 on p. ll is Metropolitan Railway F Class which were 0-6-2 as can be seen in the photograph, not 0-4-4. The number of the "unidentified" E Class locomotive on p. 8 had a brass number on the chimney and '9' is clear thus must be '79' as the only number in that class ending in '9'.

The Longridge branch. Emma Hewitt
Writer works as Heritage Officer in the refurbished Longridge Railway Station: after years of decline since the closure of the line in 1967 Longridge station reopened in 2011 as a Heritage Visitor Centre, Cafe and Business Centre which is home to the Town Archive of historical photographs of the area and features special exhibitions about local history and how the Preston and Longridge Railway led to the development of stone and cotton industries in Longridge. Since opening, we have welcomed schools and groups for special visits, talks and heritage trails. Longridge station is once again the hub of activity in Longridge; around 200 visitors stop for a drink in the cafe each day and the Farmers' Market brings over 1,000 visitors to the station on the last Saturday of each month. Longridge station is well supported by a team of 25 volunteers.

Railway bridge of the silv'ry Tay. Trevor Owen. rear cover.
B1 heading freight across Tay Bridge towards Dundee from Wormit in April 1965 with Dundee Law and Sidlaw Hills visible in evening light.