N.O.S. Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 (edited) I found this image amongst the RAWHS sets and a few more train images Top image - Oh look - Fox's Pressed Steel bogies Which suggests this gun carriage was made by other than a mainline railway company. Where's my anorak? Edited November 12, 2009 by N.O.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 What a shame none of the track was preserved ! I could have been a weekend railroader ! A Fowler in a Fowler :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Tony B you are making me use images I didn't think would appear on an MV site, even thought Woolwich had done all the quality assurance for armaments and vehicles for over 100 years with subsidiaries at Chertsey and Farborough (hants). The original gas Factory was to the west of the prison along the west bank of the old Royal military canal (see Broadwater on current maps), where Whitehead perfected the straight running topedo.This was also deomolished c1952 photos attd. A friend of mine Ian Bull has produced a copy of the 1932 map of the site showing all the rail lines as this was the height of the 18" gauge development.BUt without his permission I cannot show it. The first London railway ran from Spa road Bermondsey down to Abbey wood via Lewisham and even her Majesty Queen Vicoria took a train to plumstead which was reversed in to the Hole in the wall gate under Plumstead bridge and chugged through the site until she reached the T Pier to take a boat to the south of france. She had originally opened the pier in 1857 when the troops returned from the crimea and had been there to greet some. MOst of the narrow gauge was of cast steel plate type (Like scalextrix sections)and was just laid on concrete slabs.Ripped up over the yearsbut mainly when Thamesmead was started 40 years ago. a section of standard gauge remains behind B19 by the large loading doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bystander Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Thanks for these facinating photos. They look like 1894-99 South Eastern Railway coaches in the top photo, but although this was the local railway I would have thought that these are internal user coaches as, as far as I am aware, the later four wheel SER coaches only ran in close-coupled sets with "birdcage" brakes, so these presumably have been fitted with long buffers and conventional couplings. Looks like a five compartment third on the front. If I might be a pedant the first railway in London was the London & Grenwich opened in 1838, but part opened between Spa Road (as you correctly state) and Deptford on 13 December 1836. However, the extension to Woolwich and Dartford came much later (1878). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Pedant Away I am not a train specialist nor any kind of expert just a retired bank official who stumbled on the most amazing collection of images that nobody knew about , and even the Society committee have no real idea of whats available to view, be differentif it was all images of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I too know little about trains other the Kings Cross line runs within a mile of the hooose ( Leuchars Junction FIFE ) Hooose is Lutonian for a dwelling in Scotland ! BUT all these piccies presented by you Alan are just pure nostalgia PLEASE keep them coming TED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Who knows which locomotive this is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Who knows which locomotive this is? "Longmoor" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 WD Austerity 2-10-0 designed by Robert Riddles for the Ministry of Supply, built by the North British Locomotive Company and now in the Dutch Railway Museum in Utrecht. This particular example was the 1000th locomotive to be sent to Europe. I have a drivers and maintenance manual for the beast! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bystander Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Pedant Away I am not a train specialist nor any kind of expert just a retired bank official who stumbled on the most amazing collection of images that nobody knew about , and even the Society committee have no real idea of whats available to view, be differentif it was all images of them. Sorry for being a pedant - thanks for posting such an interesting batch of photos. As a small contribution this NG flat wagon from the Woolwich Arsenal system is is in the Narrow Gauge Museam in Towyn. I am also aware of an ex- London Chatham & Dover Railway four wheel First that is a Quainton Road that came for the Woolwich Arsenal system, but there must be more... ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 with nothing to judge the scale of the item, ecept the closeness of the wheels and no coupling system , is this possibly a handcar that used to be pushed around the site from building to building, or for moving shells in the foundry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 There were still a couple of wagons like that mouldering away in the late 1980's. In the casting shed over at the East. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 (edited) WD Austerity 2-10-0 designed by Robert Riddles for the Ministry of Supply, built by the North British Locomotive Company and now in the Dutch Railway Museum in Utrecht. This particular example was the 1000th locomotive to be sent to Europe. I have a drivers and maintenance manual for the beast! Richard, Steve, Longmoor, correct. Who has a more extensive history on her? Attached is a pic of the "memorial" name plate. Note the mention of it being the 1000th British built freight locomotive ferried to Europe since "D" Day. Was this plate fitted already during the war? I was baffled by that fact, even though I know well of the huge industrial effort needed to win the war. Thanks, Hanno Edited November 15, 2009 by mcspool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 I have a drivers and maintenance manual for the beast! Steve, Well then please point out what all the levers and gauges are for! Hanno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Sorry for being a pedant - thanks for posting such an interesting batch of photos. As a small contribution this NG flat wagon from the Woolwich Arsenal system is is in the Narrow Gauge Museam in Towyn. I am also aware of an ex- London Chatham & Dover Railway four wheel First that is a Quainton Road that came for the Woolwich Arsenal system, but there must be more... ideas? A whole load of railway equipment from Woolwich went to Bicton Gardens in Devon including the 18" gauge Hunslet shown in Alan's picture just below the gun barrel. I was pulled around the circuit by that engine as a lad, many years ago. They had converted the wagons into passenger carrying vehicles which gave a very hard ride, I remember. Pride of place was 'Woolwich' an Avonside 0-4-0 tank engine of 1916 which had been used in the early days of the railway but was always out of service when I went. I believe that it is now at the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey along with a quantity of other Woolwich items. I must go and have a visit. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 the only other surviving WD Riddles designed 2-10-0 is "Gordon" in the museum at Highly on the Severn Valley Railway, she is in post war Longmoor Military Railway livery (blue) There is a 2-8-0 versdion running on the Keithly and Worth Valley Railway, originally used after war by the Swedis State Railways, now rebuilt to British Railway disguise Mark :coffee: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 There are a couple more of the 2-10-0's in this country - brought back from Greece a few years ago, One is on the North Norfolk Railway - and I think the other is on the Watercress Line - tho' not sure about that. One of the two was named "Dame Vera Lynn" after it was returned to working condition. Got a picture somewhere....... Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Steve, Well then please point out what all the levers and gauges are for! Hanno Gosh. Now there's a challenge. I may have to refer to the manual in a minute but here's a start. The big lever going from the top left to the bottom right with the yellow tape is the regulator which is the main throttle control for steam from the boiler to the cylinders. This is so long in order that the driver can drive from either side of the cab depending on which railway the locomotive was operating on. On the left hand side at waist height is the reverser which sets the direction of travel and varies the cut-off in the cylinders. Clockwise for forwards and vice-versa. Right in the centre is the fire-hole door and below that, the levers for the rocking grate. Part of the grate could be tipped through 90° to allow the remains of the fire to be pushed out and speed disposals at the end of the day. This was very much easier than the normal arrangement where it was expected that the fireman would shovel a good part out through the door so in spite of this being a utility machine, it had some very modern features. In the top right hand corner of the cab is the sight feed for the lubrication system for the cylinders. Just over the fire door are the two water gauge sight glasses and between them, the blower valve. The blower is a jet of steam directed up the chimney which induces a draft through the fire when the engine is stopped. This prevents the flames from coming back through the door into the cab which one really wants to avoid. The extra draft also increases the intensity of the fire and speeds up the steam raising process at the beginning of the day or any other time you might be in trouble. Just above and slightly inboard of the water gauges are the main steam valves for the injectors. These put water back into the boiler to replace that turned into steam. The three gauges up on the left should be, left to right, the steam brake gauge, the air brake gauge and the vacuum brake gauge. It is very unusual to have all three but as these engines could be expected to work anywhere in Europe, they had to be equipped to suit stock from any railway. The vacuum brake handle is just below the rh gauge and the air brake handle below that. I cannot see the main boiler pressure gauge but it should be over on the right next to the lubricator. Finally, the whistle valve is controlled by the shiny lever just to the left of the lubricator. So there you are! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Of the Greek pair, one is painted green, named 'Dame Vera Lynn' and operates on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The other was painted Longmoor Military Railway blue to start with and operated on the Watercress line. It was later painted black and operated in various places until finding a permanent home on the North Norfolk Railway where you took this pic! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 On further reflection, I think that the second one is on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and not the Watercress Line - both were on the Watercress Line when they first came back from Greece and then they moved to other Railways. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Attached is a pic of the "memorial" name plate. Note the mention of it being the 1000th British built freight locomotive ferried to Europe since "D" Day. Was this plate fitted already during the war? I was baffled by that fact, even though I know well of the huge industrial effort needed to win the war. Hanno, There were 150 Riddles 2-10-0 locos built by North British for use in Northern Europe during the latter part of the war. Some good anecdotes regarding Riddles and his design are to be found on this webpage; www.steamindex.com/locotype/warloco.htm I think that there were locos taken from railway operators in Britain for use in Europe, my father who was in Southern Railway workshops at that time made mention that they worked on WD Austerity locos destined for overseas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 On further reflection, I think that the second one is on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and not the Watercress Line - both were on the Watercress Line when they first came back from Greece and then they moved to other Railways. Tony I forgot about those 2!!!! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Funnily enough, have been building one of these in 7 1/4" Gauge - 1/8 full size for some time - but it has rather gone on hold since the Dennis came along. Got as far as the tender......... Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 All, Thanks for the replies. I am amazed by what the train enthusiasts are able to realise (also in scale). I sometimes see HMV's being transported across the globe for preservation, but that is nothing compared to shipping a steam locomotive and getting it running again. Hats off! Hanno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 the Dutch Railway Museum in Utrecht Which by the way, is a great day out for the family! Very educational, and where does one see a steam locomotive up on an elevated rail section so one can walk under it? Hanno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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