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In which I continue my studies at Reading
University, make my final visit to Shoeburyness and ride the
footplate of a West Country Pacific.
Friday 13 April Went down to Shoeburyness this afternoon. Saturday 14 April I took Mrs. Banyard's nephew, Alan, down to the shed this morning. He is an ardent train spotter and had a good time looking over the engines. I was suprised at the number of dead engines in the shed sidings which were waiting to be towed away to be cut up. One engine that I was particularly sorry to see was 42509, Sam Brown's old engine (he's on the electrics now) which was filthy dirty and was also waiting to be towed away. Only the Stanier three-cylinder engines were dead and some were so rusty that I don't envy the person who has to oil them to make them fit to travel. I went round to see Harry Price this afternoon, he lives at 12, Richmond Avenue. He was pleased to see me. We chatted for about an hour. Monday 16 April I came back from Shoeburyness this morning. I took Allan for a quick run around the shed and then caught the 11.10 up. Ben Diamond was the motorman and I went up with him as far as Barking where he was relieved. The journey up fromPitsea to Laindon was rather soiled by a 20 m.p.h. permanent way restriction caused by relaying. From Upminster to Barking we reached 70 m.p.h., with a full-open controller, and held this for several miles in succesion. It was difficult to believe that we were going so fast even though we were right in front of the train and not behind a boiler. the riding was extremely good indeed, I could have stood up easily without holding on. Saturday 28 April  34105 "Swanage" at Reading West The lookout ahead is somewhat obscured by the very wide casing, it also obscures the chimney which cannot be seen at all from the cab. Steam and smoke tends to drift over the cab making it occasionally impossible to observe the signals. I was told that it is necessary sometimes to shut off steam in order to see the signals. The fireman had not cleaned the fire at Oxford, he said that they steamed well over long distances. One time, they took an engine which had worked down to Bournemouth from London and worked the Bournemouth Belle both ways without cleaning the fire and she still steamed well. They are fitted with a rocking grate and ashpan, there is only one damper. The blowdown cock is inside the cab on the fireman's side. There was quite a variety of steam at Basingstoke, two types of Standard, 4-6-0 No. 75065 and 2-6-0 No. 76010 and many SR tyes including: Schools 4-4-0 No. 30935 "Sevenoaks" was on a down stopping train, this was in quite good condition and obviously had been looked after although there were several leaks of steam. It was carrying its old Bicklayers Arms shed plate (73B). Class S15 4-6-0 No. 30840 on a down goods which had stopped in the platform. Class N 2-6-0 No. 31859 - shunting. Class U 2-6-0 316xx on an up passenger train. Several 4-6-2s of both types, both rebuilt and unrebuilt. No. 35002 on the Atlantic Coast Express. I could see the Drummond 0-6-0 in store at the loco depot, I presume this is No. 30368 (see Saturday 14 February) I had a long wait at Basingstoke and caught the 15.40 diesel back. |
