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THE WAY IT REALLY WAS

The stirring sight these days, of a glittering preserved steam locomotive, rushing through a country station whistle screaming. Hauling a train of immaculate coaching stock sporting bygone liveries, festooned with goggle eyed, human heads, wedged in every openable window: Although a sight for sore eyes could not possibly echo the visual reality that was the steam operated railways we saw, just fifty years ago. It is easy to look back with rose tinted spectacles at steam hauled trains of the past. The day trip to the seaside for instance, through the lush green countryside in blazing sunshine: Whilst quite forgetting the endless queues for day excursion tickets, the crammed compartments, the baking heat and raging thirst, the spikey cinders in eyes and sandwiches. the soot from the tunnel roofs, the choking smoke through open windows, and the clinging grime on every surface!

And what of the steam railwayman's job? Long hours, filthy, inhuman working conditions, low wages, deprivation, asbestos, coal, coal, and more coal, and grinding hard graft! No wonder there were such crippling vacancies at most engine sheds towards the end of steam traction?

All that being said, I joined the railway as soon as I could, as I was "engine daft", and desperately eager for a career on the footplate before it all came to an end. However, I soon learned that there was not much glamour in it. At the shed from which I worked we were now reduced to two shifts of work, FRONT SHIFT, signing on at any time after 12.00 midnight, and BACK SHIFT, signing on at any time after 12 noon. We worked twenty days out of every twenty one, and more often than not were co-erced by the running foreman to "Help him out" on the twenty first.

I was taken on as an engine cleaner, the first rung of the ladder, but I did little cleaning because of fireman shortages. In fact I had my first firing turn on my third day of work on the coal elevator pilot. Most of my work however was the sweaty, unrewarding graft of engine prep and disposal. You had to really love steam engines to work with them in their final few years. Under locomotives men worked with naked paraffin flare lamps, even though some of our locomotives were fitted with electric lighting via a lead light, which was invariably severed, or so cloaked in filth, rendered un-useable. Locomotives were sent out on the road in a pretty poor state as maintenance was perfunctory, (although it must be said that at The Lane we fared much better than most, as standards remained high. Safety was never compromised, merely working conditions.) That they were absolutely filthy was without dispute, they were deplorable. The coal supplied to the poor struggling fireman, had barely enough calorific value to boil a kettle, let alone the full boiler of a top link locomotive, and yet, amazingly, the old steamers kept going.

It is well recorded that some pretty stunning performances were put up in the last days of SOUTHERN steam, as well documented and recorded by the die-hard enthusiasts of the day. The few remaining, real steam railwaymen that were left, saw to it that SOUTHERN steam did not whimper off into oblivion, but stormed there in a blaze of unforgetable glory.

This site is my tribute to the iron men of the British steam railway.

TRAIN SPOTTING

Whilst a schoolboy, it was inevitable that I joined the great Train spotting fratenity which existed in the late 1940 and 1950s. There were literally thousands of us in those days, and we were to be seen everywhere around the railway system. Every station platform, overbridge, line-side fence, or level crossing would have it's little gathering of spotters, eagerly noting down passing engine numbers and entering them into our well thumbed Ian Allan ABCs. Scorched, frozen or soaked, by the vagaries of the British climate, we were ever there, stalwart and undaunted. We were the absolute bane of the 'bowler hat brigade' of running shed foremen as we were forever 'bunking in' to the dragon's lair - (the engine sheds) driven by our perpetual hunger for that elusive 'COP'.

They were great days, and ABOVE is a photograph taken during the last days of steam's demise in 1968. It shows myself, (no longer a railwayman) and my two great cohorts 'Gray' and 'Lew'. There were very few days of steam traction left, reflected perhaps in the state of the poor old 'number eight' behind us, which has drawn it's last breath and awaits the cutter with patience and great stoicism.

We were no longer spotters by now but real steam railway enthusiasts.

The smiles on our faces were for the camera only.

SPOTTER'S NOTES - A TYPICAL DAY 3.

This is a typical list of engines noted at various locations. On 18th April 1959.

1. From the footbridge at Old Oak Common. B.R.W.R.

Castle Class 4-6-0  - 4077 (83D) Chepstow Castle.  5013 (87E) Abergavenny Castle.  5022 (84A) Wigmore Castle.  5052 (81A) Earl of Radnor.  5058 (83D) Earl of Clancarty.  7014 (82A) Caerhays Castle.  7022 (83D) Hereford Castle.  7032 (81A) Denbigh Castle.

Hall Class 4-6-0 -  4938 (81F) Liddington Hall.  6904 (84E) Charfield Hall.

King Class 4-6-0 - 6007 (83D) King William III.

Grange Class 4-6-0 - 6874 (83B) Haughton Grange.

61xx Class 2-6-2T - 6132 (81A)  6133 (81B)  6141 (81A)  6153 (81D)  6167 (81B)

57xx Class 0-6-0PT - 8757* (81A)  8771 (81A)  8772 (81A)  8773 (81A).

94xx Class 0-6-0PT - 9400 (81A)  9410 (81A)  9412 (81A)  9418 (81A)  9423 (81A).

Seen on West London Line overbridge - Class 4 (Fowler) 2-6-4T - 42351 (1A).

* Still in G.W.R Livery.

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2. Euston Station B.R.L.M.R.

Class 4 (Fowler) 2-6-4T - 42321 (1A)  

Class 4 (Stanier) 2-6-4T - 42611 (1A)  

Class 5 4-6-0 - 44712 (2E)  44938 (2A)  45034 (3E)  45050 (2E)  45292 (2E)

Rebuilt Patriot Class 4-6-0 - 45514 (1B) Holyhead.

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 - 45634 (5A) Trinidad  45681 (8A) Aboukir  45705 (24E) Seahorse  45742 (3B) Connaught.

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 - 46162 (1B) Queen's Westminster Rifleman.

Princess Class 4-6-2 - 46204 (8A) Pricess Louise. 

Coronation Class 4-6-2 - 46233 (5A) Duchess of Sutherland  46240 (1B) City of Coventry

Class 3F 0-6-0T - 47302 (1B)  47514 (1B)  47671 (1B)

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3. Kings Cross Station B.R.E.R.

Class A3 4-6-2 - 60039 (34A) Sandwich  60049 (34F) Galtee More  60103 (34A) Flying Scotsman.

Class A1 4-6-2 - 60114 (36A) W. P. Allen  60117 (56C) Bois Roussel  60157 (36A) Great Eastern.

Class A2/2 4-6-2 - 60501 (50A) Cock o' the North.

Class W1 4-6-4 - 60700 (36A).

Class V2 2-6-2 - 60852 (36A)  60924 (34E).

Class B1 4-6-0 - 61027 (34D) Madoqua  61082 (40B)  61094 (34D).

Class L1 2-6-4T - 67768 (34A)  67784 (34A).

Class N2 0-6-2T - 69541 (34A)  69575 (34A)  69585 (34A).

Class N7 0-6-2T - 69640 (34C)

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4. Liverpool Street Station B.R.E.R.

Class B1 4-6-0 - 61119 (30A)  61279 (32A)  61286 (31A)  61360 (31A)

Class L1 2-6-4T - 67704 (30A)

Class N7 0-6-2T - 69602 (30A)  69622 (30A)  69661 (30A)  69663 (30A)  69674 (30A)  69691 (30A)  69705 (30A)

Britannia Class 4-6-2 - 70010 (32A) Owen Glendower  70037 (30A) Hereward the Wake  70041 (32A) Sir John Moore.

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5. Stewarts Lane Shed B.R.S.R

57xx Class 0-6-0PT - 8751 (81A)  8773 (81A)

N15 King Arthur Class 4-6-0 - 30806 (73C) Sir Galleron

V Schools Class 4-4-0 - 30919 (73G) Harrow

Class O1 0-6-0 - 31048 (73A)

Class C 0-6-0 - 31071 (73B)  31575 (73A)

Class U1 2-6-0 - 31895 (73A)

Class W 2-6-4T - 31914 (73A)

Class E2 0-6-0T - 32102 (73A)

Class WC/BB 4-6-2 - 34068 (73A) Kenley  34086 (73A) 219 Squadron  34089 (73A) 602 Squadron  

Class MN 4-6-2 - 35015 (73A) Rotterdam Lloyd

Class 2 2-6-2T - 41292 (73A)

Class 4 (Fairburn) 2-6-4T - 42088 (73A)  42089 (73A)  42090 (73A)

Class Standard 5 4-6-0 - 73082 (73A)

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6. Queens Road Battersea Station B.R.S.R.

Class 57xx 0-6-0PT - 4672 (70A)

Class M7 0-4-4T - 30249 (70A)

Class H15 (Maunsell) 4-6-0 - 30473 (71A)

Class S15 (Maunsell) 4-6-0 - 30841 (72A)

Class Q1 0-6-0 - 33038 (70A)

Class WC/BB 4-6-2 - 34039 (71B) Boscastle  34040 (71B) Crewkerne  

Class MN 4-6-2 - 35003 (72A) Royal Mail

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7. Willesden Junction Shed B.R.L.M.R.

Class 3 2-6-2T - 40010 (1A)  40043 (1A)

Class 4 (Fairburn) 2-6-4T - 42117 (1A) 

Class 4 (Fowler) 2-6-4T - 42304 (1A)  42351 (1A)  42359 (1A)  42365 (1A)  42367 (1A)  

Class 4 (Stanier) 2-6-4T - 42487 (1A)  42576 (1A)  42579 (1A)  42585 (1A)  42604 (1A)  42627 (1A)  

Class 6P5F Crab 2-6-0 - 42747 (1A)  42812 (1A)  42814 (9A)  42817 (2B)  

Class 6P5F (Stanier) 2-6-0 - 42955 (5A)  42974 (3D)  

Class 4F 0-6-0 - 44058 (1A)  44208 (1A)  44497 (1A)  44561* (82F)

* ex S.D.J.R. locomotive.  

Class 5 4-6-0 - 44758 (5A)  44771 (1A)  44834 (5B)  44892 (24L)  45024 (1A)  45034 (3E)  45071 (3E)  45101 (26A)  45241 (24L)  45278 (1A)  45328 (8B)  45381 (1A)  45404 (1A)  

Patriot Class 4-6-0 - 45500 (1A) Patriot  45511 (1A) Isle of Man  45547 (1A)  

Jubilee Class 4-6-0 - 45567 (8A) South Australia  45583 (8A) Assam  45603 (1A) Soloman Islands

Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 - 46162 (1B) Queen's Westminster Rifleman

Class 2 2-6-0 - 46424 (1A) 

Class 3F 0-6-0T - 47315 (1A)  47483 (1A)  47486 (1A)

Class 8F 2-8-0 - 48122 (1A)  48131 (2A)  48134 (1A)  48171 (1A)  48174 (5B)  48343 (2B)  48476 (1A)  48600 (1A)  48648 (1A)  48657 (1A)  48729 (1A)

Class 7F 0-8-0 - 49070 (1A)  49078 (1A)  49277 (1A)  49344 (1A)  49415 (2B)  49441 (2B)  49447 (15F)

Class Standard 4 2-6-4T - 80068 (1C)

Class Standard WD 2-8-0 - 90235 (40E)  90288 (40E)

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8. Neasden Shed B.R.L.M.R. 

Class 2P 4-4-0 -.40439 (21B)

Class 2 2-6-2T - 41272 (14D)  41284 (14D)

Class 4 (Fairburn) 2-6-4T - 42230 (14D)  42232 (14D)  42250 (14D)  42279 (14D)  42281 (14D)  42291 (14D)

Class 4 (Stanier) 2-6-4T - 42556 (14D)  42588 (14D)  42629 (14D) 

Class 6P5F Crab 2-6-0 - 42870 (1A)

Class 4F 0-6-0 - 44520 (21A)

Class 5 4-6-0 - 44830 (14D)  45191 (2E)  45215 (14D)  45416 (14D) 

Class B1 4-6-0 - 61077 (14D)  61136 (14D) 

Class Standard 4 2-6-0 - 76037 (14D)  76038 (14D)  76039 (14D)  76041 (14D)  76042 (14D)  76043 (14D)

Class Standard 4 2-6-4T - 80059 (14D)  80083 (14D)  80137 (14D)  80138 (14D)  80140 (14D)  80142 (14D)  80144 (14D)

0-6-0 Diesel Shunter - D3573 (14D)

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9. Cricklewood Shed B.R.L.M.R.

Class 3 2-6-2T - 40023 (14A)

Class 4 (Fairburn) 2-6-4T - 42157 (14D)  42222 (14D)  42252 (14D)  42256 (14D)  42680 (14C)   

Class 4 (Fowler) 2-6-4T - 42341 (14C) 

Class 4 (Stanier) 2-6-4T - 42509 (33C)

Class 6P5F Crab 2-6-0 - 42839 (14C) 

Class 4 2-6-0 - 43120 (14A)  43121 (14A) 

Class 3F 0-6-0 - 43529 (14E) 

Class 4F 0-6-0 - 43905 (14A)  43934 (14A)  43935 (14A)  43947 (14A)  44029 (14A)  44051 (14A)  44228 (14A)  44259 (14A)  44270 (14B)  44297 (14A)  44434 (17B)  44529 (14A)  44530 (14A)  44581 (14A)

Class 5 4-6-0 - 44774 (14A)  44777 (14A)  44816 (14A)  44941 (14A)  45059 (14A)  45238 (14A)  45274 (14A)  45335 ( 14A)

Class 3F 0-6-0T - 47210 (14A)  47211 (14A)  47212 (14B)  47214 (14A)  47216 (14A)  47226 (14A)  47248 (14A)  47432 (14A)  47433 (14A)  47434 (14A)  47435 (14A)  47643 (17B)

Class 8F 2-8-0 - 48062 (14A)  48132 (14A)  48180 (14A)  48376 (14A)  48414 (14A)  48638 (14A)  48639 (16A)  48678 (15A)

Class 2F 0-6-0 - 58131 (14B)  

Class Standard 5 4-6-0 - 73143 (17A)

Class Standard 4 2-6-0 - 76040 (14D)

Class 9F 2-10-0 - 92019 (15A)  92027 (15A)  92028 ( 15A)  92058 (15A)  92107 (15A)  92110 (14A)  92122 (15A)  92134 (15A)  92138 (21A)  92154 (15A)  92157 (21A)  92158 (18A)

0-6-0 Diesel Shunter - 12072 (14A)

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Some of the locomotives listed above had come to London from a wide variety of destinations which can be seen by the list of their shed codes printed below.

LMR - 1A Willesden Junction. (London)  1B Camden. (London)  1C Watford.  2A Rugby.  2B Nuneaton.  2E  Northampton.  3B Bushbury. (Near Wolverhampton)  3D Aston (Birmingham).  3E Monument Lane (Birmingham).  5A Crewe North.  5B Crewe South.  8A Edge Hill (Liverpool).  8B Warrington.  9A Longsight (Manchester).  14A Cricklewood. (London)  14B Kentish Town. (London)  14C St. Albans.  14D Neasden. (London)  14E Bedford.  15A Wellingborough.  15F Market Harborough.  16A Nottingham.  17A Derby.  17B Burton.  18A Toton. (Sandiacre & Stapleford)  21A Saltley (Birmingham).  21B Bournville. (Near Birmingham)  24E Blackpool.  24L Carnforth.  26A Newton Heath. (Manchester) 

ER - 30A Stratford. (London)  31A Cambridge.  32A Norwich.  33C Shoeburyness.  34A Kings Cross. (London)  34C Hatfield.  34D Hitchin.  34E New England (Peterborough).  34F Grantham.  36A Doncaster.  40B Immingham (Grimsby).  40E Colwick (Leicester).  

NER - 50A York.  56C Copley Hill. (Leeds)

SR - 70A Nine Elms. (London)  71A Eastleigh.  71B Bournemouth.  72A Exmouth Junction. (Exeter)  73A Stewarts Lane. (London)  73B Bricklayers Arms. (London)  73C Hither Green.  73G Ramsgate.

WR - 81A Old Oak Common. (London)  81B Slough.  81D Reading.  81F Oxford.  82A Bristol Bath Road.  82F Bath Green Park.  83B Taunton.  83D Laira (Plymouth).  84A Wolverhampton Stafford Road.  84E Tyseley (Birmingham).  87E Landore (Swansea).

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