With the withdrawal of older Southern types a few surplus ex G.W.R Pannier Tank engines found themselves working in some strange places during their final years. The Southern crews soon got used to them and they were employed to great effect, including those transferred to Folkestone shed to replace the decrepit R1 class 0-6-0Ts on banking duties up from the Folkestone Harbour branch. One of these transferrees is featured here with this shot of 4631 at rest on Folkestone shed in May 1961

The lovely old branch line that climbed from Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst in Kent, was featured in a Children's TV Production called "The old pull and push" in the late 1950s. The story concerned the local children that lived around the line, and their fight to save it from closure. It was most prophetic, as the line, even at its most popular, was never in its history able to achieve the revenues that it did during the filming of this series. Not long after filming ceased in the early 1960s the line was closed. Very little of it remains but a few lovely artefacts, including the signal box, are extant in what was the old station yard at Hawkhurst, almost two miles from the village it purported to serve. A clue to its closure perhaps?

Nothing to bring, hopefully something to go back! An engine from the L.M.R Midland division on its way to collect a train from Feltham on the Southern. The locomotive is seen passing the level crossings at Barnes deep in suburban third rail territory.

The war long over, but Victory signs still abound in this shot, where one schoolboy displays his chagrin to another, who has been fortunate enough to 'bunk a cab ride' on the old Vulcan, shunting at Wimbledon in 1960

Having had his bends and buckles straightened, and his dignity restored (See Photo Page 1.) Lord Anson Re-appears at Nine Elms, after bringing a boat train from Southampton up to Waterloo in the Spring of 1960. The scar from the huge bend, put in the smoke deflector at the time of the incident, can still be clearly seen however. Lord Anson, although in good condition, having had intermediate works attention whilst under repair, succumbed with all his brothers in 1962, and was scrapped in November of that year.

'Sir Lamiel' running light engine up through the outer London suburbs, passes Berrylands station on June 17th 1961 (date on photograph is wrong). Later in the day a 'Brighton' K class 2-6-0 No.32339 no less, also ran through light engine on the same line! I was suitably miffed as I had used up my film and could not record the incident. To this day I have no idea what it was doing there, but my best guess is it was returning to the Brighton section via Wimbledon, Streatham Jct and Norwood, after a works visit to Eastleigh?

Looking very glum and usurped, a late picture of an ex G.W.R Hall class 4-6-0, acting as Basingstoke (Western) station pilot in the spring of 1964. In the days of steam there were always one or two Halls running backwards and forwards between shunts through Basingstoke station, as much at home there as in Reading from whence they normally came.