Capital Capers - 1959, 1960, 1961

A train trip to London was – still is – exciting for a youngster, especially for the trainspotters amongst us.

So many stations, so many trains and so many engines, with many types that you wouldn't see at your local railway.

In 1957 I was in London on a school trip when we visited the usual tourist sights,with tantalising glimpses of 'exotic' steam locos as we travelled round, often by London Underground. I didn't take notes, but particularly remember Moorgate station in the morning rush hour, one day seeing Fowler 2-6-2T 40037 and 40039 on commuter trains, then Gresley 0-6-2T 69543 and 69545 on another occasion. These locos were fitted with condensing apparatus, specifically for working through tunnels on Underground lines. The Fowlers were shedded at 14C St Albans, so that was probably where their trains originated, while the N2s were both based at 34A King's Cross.

This whetted the appetite for more railway focussed trips in 1959, 1960 and 1961.

I still have my notebooks from those trips.

The 1959 trip was just two of us visiting the big terminus stations. I did two trips in a week in April 1960, one visiting various stations plus a very big loco shed with my mate and the other making official shed visits with a loco club. In 1961 I stayed for a few days with relatives who lived in Stockwell and visited various stations.

1959

1959 was a good year for trips, including days spent in the famous field at Tamworth on the West Coast Main Line. Then during the summer holidays, myself and a mate went to London on Saturday 29 August 1959.

Our train to Paddington from Cheltenham was hauled by 2-6-2T 4123 to Gloucester, where 85B Horton Road's 5094 'Tretower Castle' took over. The pilot engine for the climb up Sapperton between Stroud and Kemble was local favourite 2-6-2T 4141.

At Kemble was 4-wheel railbus W79977 – this type worked both branches, to Cirencester and to Tetbury. At Swindon were glimpsed a couple of DMUs built here but destined for the Scottish Region. These appeared at Cheltenham on trial runs which went from Swindon via Gloucester and returned along the ex-MSWJ route through Andoversford and Cirencester Watermoor. Modernisation was definitely on the way!

Some Southern Region locos were noted en route, these could be spotted anywhere from Didcot onwards, often one would be in the nearby sidings at Moreton Cutting, whilst there were plenty at Reading. Not far out of Paddington we saw a GWR type railcar W25W, perhaps working the Greenford branch. Passing through Ealing Broadway with numerous London Underground tube trains, Paddington was now only minutes away.

On arrival we had a quick look to see what was in – 6020 'King Henry 1V' from 84A Wolverhampton Stafford Road shed was waiting to depart while two 86C Cardiff Canton 'Britannia' Pacifics were also noted, these being 70016 'Ariel' and 70020 'Mercury'. No main line diesels were seen, though there were of course DMUs.

Then off by tube train to King's Cross station, where diesel power was well in evidence, including D2XX, D53XX, D59XX and D61XX, plus DMUs. Steam was represented by A1 4-6-2; A2 4-6-2; A3 4-6-2; A4 4-6-2;B1 4-6-0; L1 2-6-4T; N2 0-6-2T;V2 2-6-2. The sole 'Streak' seen was 60032 'Gannet'. Anyway everything I saw was a 'cop'.

We had a brief look in at St Pancras which was very quiet, just a Fowler 2-6-2T 40036, a 'Jubilee' 45594 'Bhopal' which we could see back home, and a D50XX.

Another tube journey took us to Liverpool Street station with more locos and types I had not 'copped' before. Diesel locos seen were D2XX; D53XX; D55XX; D59XX; D84XX. Steam was represented by a couple of 'Britannia' 4-6-2s, 70002 'Geoffrey Chaucer' and 70011 'Hotspur'; some B1 4-6-0s; an L1 2-6-4T; three K3 2-6-0; three B17 4-6-0s;six N7 0-6-2T which worked suburban services – one was station pilot 69614 noted for being immaculately clean, as was the other pilot J69 0-6-0T 68619. All good stuff.

We had a ride on the deep tube, the Waterloo & City line, before emerging at Waterloo. The locos we saw were a 'Merchant Navy' 35022 'Holland-America Line', a couple of 'Battle of Britain' Pacifics ; 'Lord Nelson' 4-6-0 30855 'Robert Blake'; an S15 4-6-0; an H16 4-6-2T; a U 2-6-0 31802 of 71A Eastleigh - this is a loco I had seen at home working the daily Southampton to Cheltenham passenger, for example on 22 July and 18 September.

After that, we paid return visits to Liverpool Street and King's Cross, also St Pancras which had a real mixed selection of locos this time – two D57XX diesels; a 4F 0-6-0; 'Crab' 2-6-0 42873 of 17C Rowsley; a BR Standard class 5 Caprotti; two ex-Midland 0-6-0T 47200 and 47202.

Then it was away to pastures new, namely the nearby Euston station. Awaiting us there were a couple of Rebuilt 'Patriot' 4-6-0s; an unrebuilt 'Patriot'; a 'Royal Scot'; three 'Jubilee' 4-6-0s; two Black Five 4-6-0s; four 0-6-0T; two 425XX 2-6-4T; one Ivatt 2-6-0. No diesel locos, but sadly no 'Princess' or 'Coronation' Pacifics either. Must have picked the wrong time to visit!

A brief stint out at Camden gave us only diesels – a D55XX and three D80XX.

So back to Paddington for the journey home. This time there was a diesel hydraulic, D601. And no less than six 'King' 4-6-0s : 6026, 6010,6017,6003, 6005,6027. Plus 'Castles' , 'Halls' and 'Modified Halls' along with station pilot 0-6-0T 1503 and 1505, a couple of 94XX and four 61XX 2-6-2T for suburban trains. There was also Churchward 2-8-0 2836 in the vicinity, presumably for a goods working.

Our train from Paddington was headed by no less than 'Castle' 4-6-0 7017 'G J Churchward' . Not far out of Paddington, we saw big Southern Region W class 2-6-4T 31920. At Swindon, we changed trains and went to Gloucester behind Horton Road's 4085 'Berkeley Castle'. At Gloucester it was 2-6-2T 6137 that took us home to Cheltenham.

A great day, with over 300 numbers in the book.

MORE TO COME