Embedded Files
Malvern Road men's iron ore working from Oxford to Chipping Campden
Malvern Road men were rostered to and from Oxford on Banbury to South Wales iron ore workings. Routing varied over the years, but these pictures show this one going via Yarnton Junction and Chipping Campden. Some went on from there through Honeybourne to Evesham, thence to Ashchurch and down the Midland to Cheltenham. Others reversed at Honeybourne and came down through Broadway and Winchcombe.
Robin Stanton had a day on the footplate with Malvern Road driver Chris Betteridge. The picture, above left, shows Chris and his fireman checking their loco, Collett 2-8-0 3864 on shed at Oxford. The picture, above right, shows Oxford shed turntable, with another Collett 2-8-0.
Left: Portrait of a driver at work oiling round his loco.Oil can, cotton waste and, optional accessory, pipe clenched firmly between teeth. Chris Betteridge was rarely seen without his pipe!
Above: And here is the crew's loco, fine looking Collett 2-8-0 3864 shedded at 86E Severn Tunnel Junction, quite possibly the destination for this particular train. Taking water before picking up its load.
Underway from, I believe, the down loop at Wolvercot Junction,north of Oxford,with clear signals for the left hand line to Yarnton. The bridge over the railway carries the A40 London - Oxford - Cheltenham - South Wales trunk road.
The train arriving at Yarnton Junction, with its distinctive tall signal box, whose signalman is checking all is well. This is where the branch for Witney, Lechlade and Fairford diverged from the Worcester line. Extensive sidings were laid here in the War.
Whilst waiting the road, another chance to check round the loco, whilst the fireman, whose name I don't know, is relaxed enough to look out of the cab.
The train might be 7T50 4.10pm Saturdays only Hinksey to Severn Tunnel Junction via Honeybourne and Ashchurch.
Left: Waiting the road on the main line. The carriages appear to be parked on a siding, not sure where this is - Kingham? Above: Chris Betteridge again, complete with ever present pipe.
Looking back along the train, the load is well within the capabilities of the GWR's efficient Churchward/Collett 2-8-0 front line freight haulers.The train is made up of hopper wagons which were used for carrying coke as well as iron ore. One working notice for South Wales - Yarnton freights states that up to ten hoppers could be used to convey coke for Irthlingborough Ironworks.
The location is believed to be Chipping Campden, which has a 'Stop and pin down brakes' notice for freights descending Campden bank. There is four and a quarter miles of 1 in 100 to go down between here and Honeybourne. The loco displays a class 'F' headcode, so is not fitted with automatic braking. Care and skill will be required to descend the bank with a train load of iron ore. In the Dowty RPS newsletter for August 1965, Chris Betteridge recalled an earlier journey from Cheltenham to Oxford on a mixed freight with an incident on the approach to Campden Tunnel necessitating the assistance of a banker. His return train that day was a load of iron ore, with the problem of a breakaway near Toddington.
Wartime Incident
Chris recounted an incident in wartime while he was firing Malvern Road's 'Bulldog' 4-4-0 3449 'Nightingale' out of Cheltenham High Street with 27 vans up to Andoversford. The sand capacity of the 'Bulldog' was very limited and the loco began slipping at Charlton Kings. By the time Sandywell Tunnel was passed, the sand was exhausted and 'Nightingale' stalled before Andoversford could be reached. All couplings were taut, but the sixth van was actually on the catch points, so it was not possible to set back to slacken off the couplings and proceed with a reduced load. The remainder of the vans had to be poled up, but when this was done, 'Nightingale' could not even shift six vans and assistance was eventually obtained from the engine of a train on the down line.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse