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CHANGE OF MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYAs mentioned at the AGM, Peter Jessop and his family have taken up an option of working out in Switzerland once again. This will be for the foreseeable future and a very tempting prospect that must be. Peter has made a big impact on the society in his relatively short time with us. He has been a valuable member of our 1638 volunteer gang and has written regular, informative and witty articles, both for us and the monthly magazines. He has also set up the website (on the Internet) for the Society, which has attracted some new members to us. He certainly intends to keep up his written contributions for us from his mountain "retreat". He will be back to see us occasionally and I believe he is booking a working holiday for July so we will have to sort out a few jobs to keep him out of trouble. So in Peter's absence, George Binns, one of our longest serving Directors and deeply committed member of the Society, has stepped in to take up the post of Membership Secretary. All correspondence on membership matters should be sent to George at his home address:- 21 Barnfield Close, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1TS |
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1997 proved to be another good year for the Society. We continue to make good progress with work on 1638. A lot of effort has gone into rebuilding the tender dragboxes and the tender frames will soon be re-wheeled. The tender will then be one of the best on the railway - in fact the whole overhaul will be the most comprehensive we have ever tackled.
847 put in yet another sound performance for the Summer season but had to be withdrawn in September, following the expiry of its boiler ticket. However such is 847's popularity we have managed to assemble another gang of volunteers to tackle various essential jobs on the locomotive prior to its going into the works for overhaul. We may not have a working locomotive on the line but we are now in the very fortunate position of being able to deploy two working gangs. Progress on both projects will now doubt be followed with interest!
Morale in the Society certainly seems to have taken an upturn at the end of the year, no doubt because we are clearly a group that gets results and spends money wisely. Whilst we have lost a key member of our 1638 gang - Peter Jessop - who, through personal reasons, has returned to work in Switzerland for a while, we have picked up two new working members. I therefore welcome Paul Thorp and Clive Bean who have rapidly become an indispensable part of the 1638 volunteer working party. As to finances, I have to say we had an excellent response for the appeal for funds for a tender tank for 1638. Over 70 members responded and donated the best part of £2,000. A firm endorsement that we are pursuing the right objectives.
Which just leaves me to thank everyone for their continued support over the years without which the cause of Maunsell locomotives would be all the poorer. May I end by wishing you all an enjoyable New Year
The past twelve months have been notable financially - income from subscriptions/ donations and our other efforts was one of the best with nearly £6,500 coming in. On the expenditure side, we ended up paying out nearly £12,000 and have committed ourselves to about £30,000 of further expenditure as a result of sending away all the motion forgings for machining. So an all time record loss!
However we must bear in mind that we are a non profit making organisation with the objective of restoring steam locomotives. We are not in the banking business. It has been quite an achievement to gear ourselves up to getting drawings prepared for the rods, going out to seek quotations from firms we are confident will do the work to the right standard and also to continue to maintain progress at the Park with the various projects.
I have yet to close the books for the year but I can report that the finances are in good shape with about £44,000 in the bank, but the liability of £30,000 to be paid when the machining is finished has to be deducted from this, so we only have about £14,000 spare. From this we need to allow for all the other materials we will ultimately have to purchase in order to complete the work on 1638.
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Finally, I should mention that David Pinkess has been active with his recycling scheme for aluminium cans to raise funds for 830. He has raised about another £250 during the year and as a result the 830 Fund now has nearly £2,000 in the bank.
The
fine Autumn weather allowed us to conclude progress on painting the tender
frames, axle boxes and wheelsets, the latter now make a very presentable sight
in Maunsell dark green by the tender chassis.
Melvyn Frohnsdorff has been able to make very good progress with the rebuilding of the rear dragbox and buffer beam and getting the back steps up again, aided and abetted by our motley crew of volunteers. Four days were spent in October/November installing over 100 rivets to hold all the component parts together. Riveting is a gutsy job at the best of items and requires good coordination between the team of rivet heater, rivet carrier, someone to knock it into place and two others to operate the riveting tools. It only needs one of the gang to be a bit slow and the rivet has cooled down and you have to start all over again.
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Although our gang are of all ages and from all walks of life it says a lot for our morale that the job was completed to a high standard and we are still all smiling. Mind you the odd tea break once in a while does wonders for morale. We are due to conclude work shortly at the back end by getting the buffers back up and the whole buffer beam painted up smart in gloss red. (The buffers are now in place - please see the photograph on the rear cover - Ed.)
With the weather continuing generally fair we have concentrated on getting as much done outside as possible but with winter rushing in upon us we are quite likely to head off indoors and get on with the cab roof, cab doors and drilling out the tubeplate. All good honest jobs when things outside are a touch unpleasant.
One other good bit of news is that Ray Bellingham has managed to obtain another quote for the machining work for the coupling and connecting rods and thereby secure a major saving in the projected cost of the work. The forgings have now been sent off to Central Engineering in north Manchester who are due to start work after Christmas. They have been recommended to us by the Port Line Group and they have considerable experience in this type of work. Part of the reason for the job being cheaper is that they will be doing the work "as and when", between more urgent jobs, and we are therefore not expecting to collect the work until next May. We are not in rush for the work to be done - it seemed a much better use of the funds to go for a slower delivery and better price. We are indebted to Ray and Paul Skinner for spending the time measuring up and preparing the drawings required for this important machining work. This valuable behind-the-scenes work often goes on unseen by the rest of us.
We are also obliged to Paul Thorp for hiring a truck and taking it upon himself to roar up north with the forgings. Rumour has it that he also apparently went on a scenic tour of Manchester City Centre - which can't have taken him too long as there wasn't a lot to see when I were last there - and I can say that as I were born there! One thing that is good in Manchester is the beer so I might be off up there with him to collect the rods in May.
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Ray Bellingham
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Certainly by the time of the next report we expect to have the chassis re-wheeled and a plan sorted out for the construction of the tender tank. Now as mentioned in the Treasurer's report we managed to raise nearly £2,000 in the last appeal. Can we again prevail on your good will to see if we can raise another £1,000 which will take us to about half the expected cost of the tank?
Interested in becoming involved with the 1638 project? If so, then your contact at the Park is Paul Thorp who will find you a job to suit your abilities.
(Or how 847 bowed out of active service plus the first steps that have been taken in its overhaul)
847 bowed out during September for a 10 year examination. A trifle early one might think as she had only turned a wheel in anger for the past five years. However, her hydraulic test was first taken in November 1987 so 847's last trip was on the evening of September 6th with a members' special. Brake problems during its last few days of service caused Colin Turner of the workshop staff a few headaches. The problem was finally located and found to be the rolling ring in the brake cylinder. So for some considerable time we have no Maunsell locomotive in running order at the Bluebell.
A number of working members felt that it was a pity to see the star of our fleet sidelined after so short a time so a suggestion was put forward at the Directors' meeting on November 16th. that we split the volunteer workforce. It was subsequently decided that those working members specifically on the restoration of 1638 should continue and those working on 830, plus a few others, would work on 847. A nucleus of six people committed themselves to starting the overhaul of the S15, so the two projects will move forward together.
Talking with Keith Sturt following the meeting, a rough time scale of two years was envisaged for the S15's overhaul (just in time for the opening to East Grinstead!!). However, a lot will depend on when 847 can be slotted in between the locomotives already in the works (at present, "Blackmore Vale", E4, Dukedog and "Stepney"). We will need access to the wheel drop as all wheels need to be re-profiled, the motion will need re-bushing plus all the other 101 tasks required by the workshop experts.
In true Maunsell tradition, having been given the green light, a start was made that very afternoon following the Directors' meeting. Since then, in just four weeks, the locomotive has had
1) the boiler washed out.
2) most cab fittings removed.
3) the sand boxes drained of sand and pipework removed.
4) the brick arch broken out.
5) the rocking grate and mechanism removed.
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Attention has now turned towards the smokebox end. Over the next few weeks the blower ring, petticoat and main steam pipes will be removed to allow access for the removal of the tubes. Obviously, the work will slow considerably as the complexity of the jobs increases. However, a positive start has been made thanks to the commitment shown by David Pinkess, Paul Skinner, Ray Vistucis, Gavin Johnson and Peter Hazelden to the overhaul of 847. Here's looking forward to its return to steam along with 1638.
(Editor's note: Adrian has been typically modest in not mentioning his own part in 847's overhaul to date. So it's left to me to say that, not only is he one of the committed six, he is also your volunteer contact should you wish to become involved).
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With much sadness we have to record the passing of Felix Cope on Thursday 4th. September.
Felix was involved with our Society for about twenty years and remarkably he only ceased working down at the railway when he was 89. Felix was a very dedicated regular volunteer turning up to muck in to whatever task was required. Also, over the years, he also raised substantial sums for us via his stand at the swapmeet. A full obituary appeared in the Autumn Bluebell News so, rather than repeat what was said there, I thought it might be of more interest to mention some memories and anecdotes here.
He was a very popular member of our volunteer gang, he was never one to try to impose his views but spoke a lot of common sense combined with good humour. This made a conversation with him an enjoyable and memorable event. His many interests and experiences made it easy to have a chat about most topics and the generation gap was a source of fascination rather than an obstacle. He was never one for hanging around with the "old ones" - he much preferred the company of the youngsters" as he termed the likes of anybody between 6 months and 70 years! Even in his final year I will forever remember him having a chat with my four year old niece and their having a little chuckle together.
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Felix and Ian Hawkins |
His charm with the ladies was legendary. In his late eighties he retired off to lighter duties at Sheffield Park station. One day they were short staffed on a charter train for a do for British Caledonian air hostesses. Before the "younger ones" had got their act together, he'd nabbed a decent jacket and hat, staggered out onto the platform, hopped onto the train, got the guard to blow the whistle and left the competition behind on the platform! As a result I recall his showing me a few extra Christmas cards that year which had Gatwick postmarks.
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He always had the knack of knowing where and when someone might need a hand. Up until his mid eighties Felix and I made a motley duo act of being Santa (and occasionally the pixie!) on a few of the Santa trains and after that we retired to working with Vanessa Churchman serving drinks and food. 1 believe he kept that up until he was 88. I never did quite work out where he got his strength from. |  |
Felix and one of the youngsters |
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Such was his charm he had a wide circle of friends and helpers to keep an
eye on him and to help him out when required. Rodney Packham and I spent a merry
morning with him in his garden, after the great gale of October 1987, helping
sort out some fallen trees and another Sunday morning I was up a ladder
on
his roof unblocking a gutter for him that was causing a nuisance before we set
off for a day's work at the Bluebell. I am sure we all have a number of
anecdotes to tell about Felix.
Perhaps his greatest contribution was that of setting an example to all of us with his selfless, good natured approach to life, never complaining but knowing when enough was enough. His generous spirit was always with us at our Directors' meetings - how could we grumble about anything in his presence, we just sorter] out what needed to be done and got on with it. Whilst obviously we will all miss Felix deeply, 1 am sure he would not want us to make a great fuss - that was not part of his nature. However I hope those who have known him well will have absorbed a little of his spirit and will be all the better for it. It was a great pleasure to have known Felix - his charm will remain with us, if we have the will to let it.
The up "Royal |
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I'm going to buy a steam engine", he said.
"Yeah, yeah", I thought, "that's a good one" but somehow I knew he meant it.
A
new employer had meant day release to technical college and an opportunity for
me to continue the quest for professional qualifications. We were a mixed bunch,
that class of '76, from a variety of backgrounds and professions. It was his
S.R. Engineman badge which first suggested that we may have had more in common
than academia. It turned out that we were both Bluebell members. He was a
working member known affectionately as "Yogi" or just plain "Bear",
there was a certain similarity after all. I was more the armchair type, living
remote in my pre M25 N.W. Essex home.
"What do you mean, buy one? There aren't any left, they've all been scrapped".
"There's this place in South Wales", he said. "It's a scrap yard, owned by a man called Dai Woodham, called Barry Island".
His description of this graveyard for steam locomotives intrigued me.
"Tell me more", I said.
I am not sure that I knew what an S15 was at that stage, but "Yogi" or Martin seemed determined to save one. Two S15s had already been purchased, a Urie version No.506 and a Maunsell No.841 which had left the yard and was undergoing restoration in Essex. Of the five remaining, 847 was considered the best of the bunch, what there was of it, that is. Earlier preservationists and souvenir hunters had removed many parts.
The 847 Locomotive Preservation Fund was launched and I became committee member number four. With the post came a heap of unanswered correspondence. Enquiries, offers of help and orders for "merchandise". A sales stand was hastily organised and our first outing was to be at Syon Park, which in those days housed the London Transport Collection. The day was sunny and warm but I was horrified when I saw our stock. "No one's going to buy this stuff", I said, "it's a load of old junk". Martin grinned and replied "Wait and see". To my consternation the "junk", comprising of tatty railway tickets, rusty enamel signs, dusty books and what turned out to be an inexhaustible supply of rusty signal lamps, sold like hot cakes. So much so that by lunch time we nearly put up a sign saying "Sorry, sold out". We went home several hundred pounds richer but poorer in that we had nothing left to sell.
The "Fund" had really been kick started, adverts were placed in the railway press and money started to trickle in, but oh so slowly. There was a desperate sense of urgency as rumours spread that cutting up was going to start virtually any day. I just had to make that pilgrimage to Barry before it was too late.
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Pages 12 & 13
My first impression was of a place that time had forgotten. It was a place of colourful contrasts. The sun shone brilliantly on long curving rows of rusting black and orange hulks. Between the rows of decrepit metal monsters and heaps of discarded twisted metal, banks of wild flowers grew. Tall Yellow Hawks Bit, bright Purple Rosebay Willow Herb, cream Hemp Agrimony and white Queen Anne's Lace. The white trumpet like flowers of Bindweed crawled over the tracks, between the spokes of the wheels and up onto footplates and running plates as if trying to pull the once great locomotives back into the earth from which they came, as iron ore, decades before. Clouds of excited butterflies flew from one bank of flowers to the next, urgently gorging themselves on a nectar feast, almost sensing that the flowers too might soon disappear in clouds of smoke and flames caused by the sparks from the cutters' torches. A feeling of desolation came over me as I walked between the orange black rows of the huge discarded machines. A feeling made worse when I came across engines with their cladding unwrapping, as though they had exploded.
I had found four of the S15s but where was 847? I had no idea that the yard would be so big, she must be in this next row. I could see the distinctive cab of a Maunsell engine ahead, looking far rustier than its neighbours. As I got nearer I was relieved to discover that several coats of red oxide made her look brighter than the others. Martin had been busy a few weeks before. From the cab of 847, with a row of steel wagons alongside, it was possible to imagine being at the head of a long freight train with another passing on the opposite track. But a look behind quickly ended the day dream. A smoke box door with chalk face and sad eyes stared at me. Chalky tears rolled down from those sad eyes past a mouth uttering "Save me".
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A priority was to obtain as many of the missing parts as possible from engines at Barry which were regarded as hopeless cases. Less than half the engines in the yard had tenders and, in those fairly early days of dealing with scrap yard engines, were regarded as being only suitable for spares. Work parties at Barry were organised to tackle a variety of tasks. I volunteered to help Martin obtain brake gear. A suitable donor was selected. We stood in front of the forlorn hulk of 830. The boiler was known to be in very poor condition and all useful fittings were already missing. There was, of course, no tender so no one would ever want to attempt the restoration of this engine! The brake gear was miraculously, however, still in place. We paused, asked for forgiveness from the God of steam locomotive, and crawled in between the wheels to remove whatever we could. We were, after all, only trying to save what was, at that time, the second Maunsell S15 for preservation. My second task that day was to remove five tons of coal from the tender. I use the term "coal" loosely. It may have been coal ten years before, but now looked like so much dust, until that is you tried to shovel it out. Consolidated coal dust has the properties of black concrete. A pick axe was procured and I set about the task with enthusiasm. Two hours later the enthusiasm had been replaced by blisters but the tender was empty. "That should reduce the transport costs", I thought to myself.
January 1978 saw the launch of the 847 Locomotive Fund newsletter. At that time all expenses were paid out of committee pockets and we were exceedingly grateful for the members who sponsored an advertisement in the railway press appealing for funds. The money trickled and dribbled in, it was never what you would call a flood. The Bluebell Railway had been approached and "yes" they were prepared to offer us a permanent home for the locomotive, if only we could raise the money. The first annual general meeting was held in March 1978 and the mood of that meeting was incredibly optimistic. The acting committee was officially elected and the accounts revealed that we had the truly amazing sum of £820.40p after months of fund raising. As there were only 42 paid up members of the group, that represented quite an achievement. One bombshell however, revealed at the meeting was that plans were being considered for building development in Barry docks, which may have affected the scrap yard and could have resulted in locomotives being cut up sooner rather than later. I remember the frustration and the feeling that the locomotive would slip through our fingers just because of a lack of money. The engine was in theory reserved but Dai Woodham no longer took deposits for locomotives. It was cash on the nose or not at all. So it was that the scrap dealer came to be seen as a hard nosed business man, out to make money, with no interest in steam engines whatsoever and yet later he was to be regarded as a saviour of the steam locomotive.
Newsletter number two came out in April 1978 with postage costs sponsored by one of the members. Working parties at Barry continued, including getting the boiler ready for inspection. The inspection was carried out by Norman Payne, CME of the Bluebell Railway which intended to purchase two other engines from the yard.
The frustration of fund raising, or the lack of it, was almost too much to bear. Then suddenly in July things began to happen. Negotiations were started with the Maunsell Locomotive Society, who already had a working engine on the Bluebell, with a view to a possible merger. The MLS offered technical expertise and limited financial help but we were still a long way from that purchase price.
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The Bluebell were planning to move both their locomotives from Woodham's yard in October and there was the possibility of sharing the cost of transport. Time was running out.
Then from within our membership came a saviour. George Binns, a business man with a fondness for S15s, offered to loan the purchase price. This meant we only had to find the cost of transport to secure the locomotive.
847 at Barry |
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Newsletter number 4 was issued in September, a month earlier than planned. It was all very dramatic with the headline "EMERGENCY ISSUE". Inside it was announced that the purchase of the engine had been made but, with loans outstanding, fund raising would have to continue. There was an urgent appeal for funds and to join working parties at Barry, essential to get the locomotive ready for its move.
The move took place in October 1978 and was co-ordinated with the move of the Bluebell's engines from the yard and of another engine, Q class No.541 from the Dowty Railway Preservation Society at Ashchurch. This needed six road vehicle movements, four for engines and two for the tenders. To this day, this is still a record in steam preservation.
847 left the scrap yard on a Wrekin Roadways low loader on a journey scheduled to take several days. I took a couple of days off work, determined to witness the arrival on Bluebell metals. The Bluebell's 9F and Standard Class 4 tank arrived on my first day off. Each heavy load was escorted by police motorcycle outriders. It was a tremendous spectacle I will never forget. I was amazed at the skill of the heavy haulage teams as they negotiated the twisting narrow High Street of Cuckfield village. The sound of powerful diesel engines revving at high speed but moving at no more than walking pace and the police escort dramatically forcing oncoming vehicles to pullover. Nor will I forget the proud sign attached to the smoke box doors which faced the following traffic. "FOLLOW ME TO THE BLUEBELL', it was not a request, more a command as the long frustrated queue of traffic following at snail's pace really had no choice. The police escort saw to that.
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With appetite whetted by the previous day's events, I returned to Sussex the following morning in a mood of expectant excitement. Delayed by London traffic, I was relieved to reach the A22 Sussex bound and get my foot down. Was I too late? Would I have missed the arrival? On the dual carriageway just north of Godstone, I crested a hill at about 65 mph and nearly missed the black gleaming monster in a lay-by set back from the road. I braked urgently and was just able to turn into the end of the lay by. I got out of the car and looked almost in disbelief.
At times it had seemed an impossible task to raise the money to save the engine, but there before me was 847, parked for the night and looking smart in its hastily applied gloss black livery. It stood larger than ever on the 64 wheeled road trailer held securely by the equally impressive Scammell tow vehicle. I wanted to savour this day and there was plenty of time to find a vantage point to take photographs. A road bridge at the top of a long shallow hill seemed the ideal place. A single photographer already stood vigil. Mike Frackiewicz and I struck up an acquaintance that has endured the test of time. Eagerly we chatted like two schoolboys and awaited the object of our attentions. The hum of the great diesel engine could be heard before it came into view, slowly inching its way along the gradient. The half dozen attendant motorcyclists, with blue lights flashing on fluorescent yellow bikes, seemed an entirely fitting escort to this most important load.
With such a slow moving load restricted to main roads, it was easy to get ahead by using country roads and short cuts. It was lunch time when the procession reached Cuckfield. A carnival atmosphere had developed in the village because of the four other large loads that had already negotiated that winding narrow High Street. The pubs were open and people sat outside in the warm autumnal sunshine. It only needed a band to start playing to make the scene complete. Perhaps it was just my elated sense of occasion.
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I strolled through the expectant air to the south end of the village where "The load" was expected to come from. I waited by the roadside, at the top of a slight gradient lined with huge elm trees. All was peaceful apart from the sound of the occasional passing car.
Suddenly a police motorcyclist, blue lights flashing, came into view followed by a second then a third. The leading bike stopped in the middle of the road, its rider waving angrily at the oncoming cars, the second and third police bikes overtook and roared past me into the village to create more traffic chaos. One by one the cars stopped in front of the first motorcyclist who then waved them further off the road forcing them to pull two wheels onto the pavement. He then roared off after his companions.
The roar of the motorbike gave way to that unmistakable sound of the Scammell, changing down to even lower gears to start the ascent of the shallow incline towards me. Two more police motorcyclists came into view followed by the immaculate tow truck and, obediently, 84 7 behind and towering above. At less than walking pace the procession inched up the gradient until, just before the tight bend into the village, a door on the tow truck opened and a man climbed down and stood on the roadside. He waited for the load to pass and stepped onto a small platform on the very back of the trailer where there was a steering wheel controlling all 64 wheels. An assistant walked on the other side of 847 calling instructions. The steersman moved the steering wheel only slightly and the trailer followed the tow truck in a perfect arc. I walked quickly and easily overtook the lumbering load. It seemed as if everyone in the village had turned out. Necks craned and someone said "Here she comes".
The efficient escort had stopped all traffic. A crash helmeted leather clad policeman stood, arms crossed, on the centre of a mini roundabout, his colleagues could be seen in the distance, bullying the traffic to pull onto the pavement.
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As the strange procession neared the waiting traffic cop, he held out his left arm and using, the whole width of the road, the slow moving vehicle made a right turn. At the completion of the turn, the steersman carefully straightened out all those wheels, climbed down onto the road, ran a few yards and climbed into the cab of the tow truck. Seconds later the revs of the diesel engine dropped as a higher gear was selected and the monstrous load began to increase speed slightly. I counted sixteen gear changes as 847, with a long procession of cars following, pulled out of view on the last part of its journey.
The arrival at Sheffield Park was handled with the efficiency that we had come to expect from Wrekin Roadways. The Scammell slowly pulled 847 into the top car park, in front of a group of spectators. The tow truck was unhitched and, using its tow bar on the front end, pushed the trailer and its load to the railhead right alongside the waiting winch lorry, which was an immaculate Bedford 3 tonner in the dark blue Wrekin livery. A timber ramp, supporting rails laid on their side, was quickly constructed and a shunting engine in the diminutive form of "Bluebell" was hooked up to a steel hawser attached to 847's front coupling. With the winch lorry taking the strain, "Bluebell" slowly pulled its charge onto the railway and, as the last wheel of the new arrival touched down, gave several shrill blasts of welcome from its whistle. 847 had arrived on Bluebell metals!
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In the last Newsletter we mentioned that we wanted to mark 847's withdrawal for overhaul by holding a last run over the weekend of 6th./ 7th. September. Sadly 847 had other ideas on the matter. On Thursday 4th. September, the rubber rolling ring in the 30" brake cylinder decided to play up causing the brakes to jam on. Colin Turner nobly spent most of Saturday stripping down the mechanism and getting it back together. A trip was organised for early evening on the Saturday and a good run was made up to Kingscote with the Maunsell set of coaches. Unfortunately the brakes were still playing up - this time it was difficult to get them to come on so the engine had to be withdrawn again and was not available on the Sunday. Apologies to all who came down to see the locomotive in action but we hope you will appreciate it was not available due to circumstances beyond our control.
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847 at Kingscote on
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David Pinkess and Rodney Packham have been busy cleaning and weather proofing exposed parts of the locomotive which now looks quite presentable. At the AGM Ray mentioned that he felt 830 was not an economic proposition for the Society to consider restoring. It was suggested the membership be balloted to see if they were for or against selling it. The Directors met in November and decided to focus attention on restoring 1638 and overhauling 847. While the ballot proposal at the AGM was duly noted, the Directors decided that with two major projects currently under way there was little point in pushing for a decision on whether to keep or sell 830.
Paul Skinner has recently produced some very attractive information panels to replace some rather tatty ones on 541 and 1618. They include colour photographs and other material from the Society's website. Paul has also taken charge of updating the publicity board for the 1638 project and plans to do the same for 847. All useful work which has helped boost takings from the donations box.
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On November 20th 1947, the Southern Railway again had the honour of conveying Royal passengers. It was a very special occasion for on that day Their Royal Highnesses Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh left Waterloo Station by special train for Winchester, en route to Romsey, where the first part of the honeymoon was spent. Earlier that day the happy couple had been married in Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Royal train, which left from platform No. 11, consisted of "Lord Nelson" Class No.857 "Lord Howe", two corridor coaches, the Pullman cars "Rosemary" and "Rosamund" and a corridor guard's brake. Red carpet was laid opposite the entrance to the car "Rosemary" in which Their Royal Highnesses travelled and the platform scene was transformed by floral decorations.
After fifty years, one can only surmise why a "Lord Nelson" Class locomotive was chosen for the occasion rather than one of Mr. Bulleid's Pacifics. Perhaps it was a case of the tried and tested being preferred to the newer machines or maybe the choice was made because of the Duke of Edinburgh's association with the Navy.
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In the past, members have sometimes taken us to task (albeit gently) for reporting that talks about the Society's work had already been given to various groups and societies. What the membership required (we were told) was advance notice of such events. It's a valid request but sometimes difficult to comply with given the relatively long time between issues of the Newsletter. But this time we've got the timing right. On February 6th. 1998, David Jones will be giving his talk on Maunsell/ Bluebell to the Brighton and Hove Society of Model Engineers at the London Road Station Meeting Room, Brighton Station. The talk is called "From scrap to steam" and it starts at 7.45 p.m.
And on April 7th. David is in action again, this time at the Westham Village Hall near Eastbourne. Starting at 7.30 p.m. he will be giving his "Bluebell Review" to the KESR Sussex Group. His talk is understood to have a Maunsell bias!!
Enclosed with this Newsletter, you will find a report of the 1997 A.G.M. which took place on July 27th.
As mentioned in the Autumn News Sheet, the Eastleigh Locomotive Preservation Society have now concluded a ten year agreement with the NRM and the loco was moved, by road, to Eastleigh in September. It is understood to require a certain amount of work to its firebox but the group are aiming to restore it to main line running condition.
We will keep you in touch with developments - in the meantime anyone interested in the project should contact the ERPS fundraiser, Keith Home, 1 Merrytree Close, West Wellow, Romsey, Hunts S051 6RB.
The article on "Schools" snow plough tenders in the last Newsletter generated some correspondence on this subject and also on the use of large buffer beam snow ploughs.
In a letter from Barry Fletcher of Edenbridge, he directed my attention to Derek Winkworth's book "The Schools 4-4-0s", published in 1982 by George Allen and Unwin in their Steam Past series. Pages 81 and 83 contain a great deal of information on tender swapping. Of the five tenders (T705 to 709) which had already done duty with "King Arthur" or "Lord Nelson" engines before being attached to the "Schools", three had changes and, to complete a varied career, T708 was transferred to S15 Class 30833 in May 1962 and, in June 1962, T712 was attached to S15 Class 30837. Of those converted to ploughs
| ADS70210, | T723 had been with 923, 933 and 30936 |
| ADS70224, | T739 was with 939 and 30911 and finally |
| ADS70229, | T733 was with 933 and 923. |
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He goes on to state that "It would seem that the tender number plates were removed during the conversion. Certainly, a photograph of a newly converted plough does not show the plate in position." No plates have been found on those purchased for restoration.
And from Alan Gosling the following:
Dear Mr Hawkins,
At Sheffield Park last weekend (this was written in July - Ed.) I undertook to see what notes there were in my records concerning the use of snowploughs with locomotives, following the article in Newsletter No.35.
Firstly, 700 Class 30368 (70D) was fitted with a large buffer beam plough and ran, I believe, on New Year's Day 1963 from Basingstoke to Salisbury and back to clear snowfalls. The locomotive was later stored and cut up at Eastleigh Works in 1963.
At Eastleigh, 700 Class 30316 (71A) and Q Class 30548 (71A) were fitted with similar large buffer beam ploughs coupled either end of a BR goods brake van for snowplough duties. They were photographed at the shed on 6/1/63 but it is doubtful if they were ever used as the snowfall was not deep in that area.
Incidentally, tender snowplough ADS70211 was still to be seen outside Ashford Crane Shop last Saturday (i.e. mid July - Ed.)
It just remains to say that I think there have been people working on our various it Newsletter No.37. projects every weekend during 1997. Also a number of people have put in many' hours working mid week such is there devotion and commitment to the Society's projects. A hearty vote of thanks is owed to all those who have grafted away during the year.
Thanks are due to all contributors and to our printers, Impressions Printing Technology of Sevenoaks, Kent.
PS. Part 4 of the Maunsell team has been held over again but should appear in Newsletter No.37.
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