Last one for 2020

Well, as you may have read, Gloucestershire is now in tier 3 as we write, so trains stopped running again after Christmas and there is no volunteering that we know of. At least we got the Santa trains done, and to great passenger acclaim too. A few extra £s after Christmas to early January would have been nice too, but it was not to be. We must be grateful for what we were able to do. 

In fact, just before this blog post went live it was announced that Gloucestershire has been 'upgraded' to tier 4 from Thursday. Inhabitants of the county are now advised to stay at home. Well, unable to volunteer, we were doing that anyway.

You can look up on-line a tool to estimate when you will get your vaccination jab. For yours truly that came out as mid-March. Ho-hum, it could have been sooner, but at least there is a horizon now. Hopefully we will be able to slowly get back into gear next yer, but before that more patience is required.

 

Luckily we have Derek Palmer's slides to look at to while away the time.

For these next ones, Derek says:

On 5 June 1963 the Oxford University Railway Society made a tour of Wolverton Carriage and Wagon Works and some local lines in the area.

 The first picture is of 46256 Sir William A. Stanier F.R.S. on the Up Mancunian at Bletchley.

This big Pacific was one of 38 produced between 1937 and 1948. 46256 just made it into service in 1947 under the LMS while the final one, City of Salford, actually entered traffic as a BR locomotive in 1948. They were stationed along the West Coast main line between Euston and Glasgow. They were withdrawn between 1962 and 1964, with 46256 in the picture being the last one. In its 16 years of service the loco carried 3 liveries: Black, Brunswick Green and Maroon. It was withdrawn from Crewe on October 1964 and scrapped by Cashmore's of Great Bridge. Three examples are preserved: Duchess of Hamilton, Duchess of Sutherland, and City of Birmingham.

 The next picture is of Black 5 45044 passing Wolverton with an up fitted freight.

The Black 5 was a very successful mixed traffic locomotive, evidenced by the large numbers produced (842), its long life (1934 - 1968) and the large number preserved - eighteen! This one was new in 1935 and made it to 1966, a 31 year career. It seemed to move annually from shed to shed, finishing at Chester shed. It was also scrapped by Cashmore's of Great Bridge.

Then in Wolverton Works 'Jinty' 3F 47396 is seen shunting carriages.

This 3F was a very successful Midland railway design whose production was continued by the LMS until 422 had been built between 1924 and 1931. 47396 was built by Vulcan Works, one of several outside contractors roped in to ramp up production. It had a 39 year career, finishing as the Wolverton Works shunter, until withdrawn in 1966 and being scrapped by Cohens of Kettering. A goodly 9 have been preserved.

Back at Wolverton Station Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T 41222 is waiting to depart with the 4:30pm branch train to Newport Pagnell. As you can see we persuaded the crew to mount our headboard on the locomotive, albeit temporarily for photographic purposes.

Now having arrived at Newport Pagnell. [Note the lamp has now changed]

This LMS designed Ivatt tank was actually built by BR at Crewe in 1948. With 130 built up to 1952 it was quite a successful class, and is said to have been the basis for the BR standard class 2 tank (84xxx). Four have been preserved. We don't know to which shed 41222 was allocated when it did the OURS tour, but it ended its 18 year career at Carlisle in 1966. By enlarging the picture we can see a '1' on the shed plate, but the letter is unreadable, and the shed code '1' was associated with a large number of sheds north of London, reporting to Willesden e.g. Bletchley.

The scene at Newport Pagnell and 41222 is awaiting departure with the push-pull 5:17pm to Wolverton. This loco with train at Wolverton appeared in the Railway Magazine September 2020 article on push-pull trains.

And, finally, a picture of the spotter's delight at copping a Coronation Pacific:

 Oh, Yessssss....!

A number of Duffel bags suggest that he was not alone, and that possibly sandwiches were eaten on that bench.

Lockdown Quiz

With thanks to Robert of the PWay gang, who always supplies such excellent quizzes for the PWay Christmas lunch. Although not this year, though hardly his fault.

1. What are the four stations on the Rail Network which are at the most North, South, East, & West points of the compass?

2. Which of the above is the odd one out?

3. Which preserved railway offers you a “trip over the Alps”?

4. Which is the longest standard gauge preserved railway in England and how long is it?

5. What was unusual about Standedge Tunnels in the days of steam?

6. 76077, which is being restored at the GWSR, lost it’s tender whilst at Barry. However this survives but which locomotive is it currently attached to?

7. What is the connection between A3 2563 (BR 60064) and A4 4462 (BR 60004)?

8. What is the purpose of the Gibson ring?

9. What nickname is associated with the GWR 47XX class of locomotives?

10. The unique 71000 Duke of Gloucester was specifically authorised as a replacement for which other locomotive?

11. What name was carried by Jubilee 45700 Amethyst until 1951?

12. Which LMS Royal Scot loco toured the USA in 1933 masquerading as 6100 Royal Scot?

13. What name was given to the Castle built at Swindon in 1924 and which incorporated parts from loco 111 The Great Bear?

14. Four Black 5 locos 45154/6/7/8 were named. Loco 45155 also carried a name between 1942 and 1944. What was it called?

15. In 1951-2 ten standard class Clan Pacifics were built nos. 72000-72009 for use on the Scottish Region. How many more were planned and for which Regions, before the order was cancelled?

16. What locomotive was the 7000^th one to be built at Crewe in 1950?

17. Between which two cities did the Mayflower express operate?

18. Which class of GWR engines were nicknamed “Matchboxes”?

19. What do you understand by the term “XP64”?

20. Where and how high, in feet above sea level, is the highest summit on British Railways?

 

Answers next time.

In the meantime, batten down the hatches and try not to get yourself infected before the vaccine comes.

We wish our readers an excellent new year 2021 - it has to be better than the last one!

See you all again next year.