Steam stuff

Well, someone had to start it didn't they?

Spent a great afternoon yesterday in the Midland Beer Company in Castleton with Salty and a few more gentlemen of a certain age talking about steam locos and generally reminiscing over our 99p per pint cask Tetleys which, I have to say, was in fine fettle.

One of the chaps there was a signalman in Rochdale's West Box for many years and we spoke of the various named locos that used to come through. There cannot be many of us left alive who remember that loco number 45517 was of the Patriot Class and was known as the 'unnamed 17'.

Remembered all the old, Newton Heath-shedded 'namers' such as Mars, West Yorkshire Regiment, Seahorse, Carnarvon, Trinidad & Tobago, Dauntless, Glorious Islands. Later on I remember the Britannia Class Oliver Cromwell stood just off Stoneyfield Common, hauling an enthusiasts special and waiting for the signal.

Thankfully the 'Ollie' has been preserved. All the rest went to the cutter's torch in 67/8.

I hear they ain to build a Patriot at Llangollen. It is to be named The Unknown Warrior and numbered 45551. Personally, I found them a rather ugly engine being basically rebuilds of the 1912 Claughton loco. In fact, the first two were actual rebuilds; the rest fairly close copies

I cannot close this post without again reprinting my favourite railway poem; Adlestrop.


Yes, I remember Adlestrop –
The name because one afternoon
Of heat the express-train drew up there
Unwontedly. It was late June.

The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop – only the name

And willows, willow-herb, and grass,
And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,
No whit less still and lonely fair
Than the high cloudlets in the sky.

And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

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Yes I remember standing on the black wall near Milkstone road and seeing an approaching Patriot loco could only groan on seeing 45517 alias City of Rochdale pass by yet again. i think it was the only pat stationed at Bank Hall shed.

Is my memory correct in thinking a double header passed by about 6.10 pm. A loco named Impala 61002? was frequently involved.

Spot on Dave. Almost always a Jub paired with either a Crab, a Standard 4 or occasionally a Class 5. We used to go to a place we called 'The Planks' just up behind the garages off Boundary Street opposite the coach-cleaning shed. Used to make a point of seeing the double-header coming through. Used to have to rush from my paper-round at Boothmans Newsagent to see it.

Occasionally we'd climb over the wall to put a couple of pennies on the line to get flattened out.

I used to hate that 17 though. Still do. Why would anyone want to build a new Pat? A peppercorn you can understand...

I was once allowed to cab a Jub, Seahorse I think, all the way to Guide Bridge. What a day that was. Walked back into Manchester and got a free ride on my Dad's bus (Also a 17!) back to Rochdale.

A4 60009 Union of South Africa is due through Rochdale on Saturday 8th with empty stock move from Crewe to York. due Castleton 15:07 Rochdale 15:10. i'll be at Castleton hoping the driver gives us a whistle.

depends which driver. the Duchess driver has whisled twice could be a doggy fan or the signal man has waved to him. next Friday is your last chance to see the Duchess passing through. next one is Brit Oliver Cromwell late November on a Sunday to York.

I am trying tosee if I can upload pictures onto here. I have a couple that may be of interest but learning to see if I can upload them onto here.

There is an option to upload pictures on the task-bar but am not really sure how much space we are allowed on here yet. Try it and see Teamplayer. Another option is to load it up to a site such as Fickr and post a link.

even the best laid plans and all that. the A4 was on the Flyer yesterday and is not on empty stock today a deasel loco instead. can i claim this as the first hijacked topic?

I dont know where the post was hijacked, TP was asking about putting some photos on and Admin answered.
I summise the photos were of trains.

i would love some Braille photos of steam. (grin)

i remenber that picture especially the sun beams. i've got a photo of a lime streaked loco at Exchange Manchester i must dig it out, well ask Matron to find it, and put it up on STORM website.

Glad you recall it Frank. Very enigmatic picture and as you say, it was those shafts of light that really made it. I'll see if I can source it.

Terence Cuneo was of course the other great railway artist. I always love trying to spot the field-mose he always includes somewhere in his pictures.

How are you managing with the forum layout Frank, any improvement? I got your email on the subject the other day but just wondered if you'd been able to resolve the issues.

Love Eric Treacy's railway writing and Colin Garrett's photography; most of it done with an old box-Brownie.

Old Regulator wrote:even the best laid plans and all that. the A4 was on the Flyer yesterday and is not on empty stock today a deasel loco instead. can i claim this as the first hijacked topic?

Where has it been hijacked and what do you mean?

Old Regulator wrote:even the best laid plans and all that. the A4 was on the Flyer yesterday and is not on empty stock today a deasel loco instead. can i claim this as the first hijacked topic?

That's par for the course these days OR. This season has seen quite a number of railways running only diesel stock and on many occassion running nothing at all. It is due to a dearth of 'qualified' steam drivers. Rumour has it that some of the most well known set-ups are struggling to get (and keep) experienced people. There are many out there who 'think' they are experienced but sad to say are not. Steam locomotives are not toys. They are dangerous in the wrong or inexperienced hands and crewing such is becoming more and more difficult.
I don't view my own experience in this matter as 'normal'. My set-up is way out on a limb and in an area which is very sparcely populated and thus 'crewing' with good experienced people (within reasonable distance) is a big problem. But to be honest the situation grows more serious by the year as the old become infirm or die off and the insuffciently trained younger generation seek other outlets to get their kicks. I need at least two qualified steam drivers as we speak, if only to give my present one some time off. Do you think that's possible. Not a chance.

yes Ray i know what you mean. one of the drivers of the duchess when working for BR only drove deasels. the A4 was a grand sound yesterday at Castleton with the driver whistling twice as it raced through. it is due again today at 15:07 at Castleton with an empty stock move to York so fingers crossed for whistling driver. Frank
ps the format on this new forum is not accessible, as RO was, so my utterings will be limited.

Friday 12th October
Loco 3442 The Great Marquess, a LNER K4 2-6-0, is due at Castleton at 15:06 and Rochdale at 15:09 enroute Crewe to York National Railway Museum. Not my particular type of loco but it’s steam and in our Town. Matron, get me second best anorak out we don’t want to upset the yokels.

Have seen Great Marquess at Bury last time I was back in Rochdale .I was quite impressed as my loco choice was for plain ones that
were hard working types especially WD's and black fives and Ivatt designed ones. What would Freud think of this I wonder?

Ps hate to see locos that have been named since they were taken out of service.

The jubs were a great aide memoire when it came to learning about Indian states,,colonies,naval battles etc. Also remember LNER B1's named after antelopes. Comes in handy when doing crosswords.