Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury shed

Go to http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EPW023947 for a fine aerial photo dating from September 1928 and showing much of railway interest. The loco shed is seen in the centre of the picture on the left hand side. Towards the bottom left corner is the original railway station, still with its overall roof  - it was intact in a later photo, July 1934, but demolished thereafter. The goods shed and yard can also be seen further up on the left side, with the railway track to Ashchurch curving away to the top left.

The Facebook group 'Tewkesbury - The Good Old Days in pictures' had a posting on 24 January 2022 with a picture of some of the locomen at the shed.

A fine view of Ashchurch on 4 July 1959 with 0-4-4T 41900 heading the 2.25pm to Tewkesbury on the left and a 4F 0-6-0 waiting to leave with the 2.20pm for Evesham, Alcester, Redditch and Birmingham on the right. 41900 was due off Tewkesbury shed at 5.55am, returning at 6.35pm after working on Upton branch duties. The 4F was due at Ashchurch at 10.21am off the 8.27am passenger from Birmingham New Street via Evesham- presumably tender-first as there was no way of turning the loco after the flat crossing was removed in May 1957. It would have gone light at 11am to Tewkesbury shed for servicing and crew change before starting back from the shed at 1pm for the 2.20pm departure. Photo P J Shoesmith

1960 - May - December

The survival of a humble BR log book entitled 'Particulars of Engines Arriving on the Ashpit' enables a close scrutiny of Tewkesbury shed's comings and goings between May and December 1960. The engines coming to shed worked local services on the branches at Ashchurch, one to Upton-on-Severn via Tewkesbury and the other to Evesham, Alcester, Redditch and Barnt Green, where this loop line (known as the Evesham branch) rejoined the main Bristol - Birmingham route. 

The first entries are dated just a few days after major changes to passenger services on the Evesham branch. Diesel Multiple Units commenced running between Birmingham New Street and Redditch from 25 April 1960, with the knock-on effect of a reduction in through trains to Ashchurch. The changes included the transfer of three Fairburn 2-6-4T -42137, 42160, 42182 and the longer wheelbase Stanier 2-6-4T 42446 - from Leicester to Saltley, and these all duly turned up at Ashchurch - and Tewkesbury shed - over the next few months. (Saltley's tank engines were also occasionally used on Birmingham - Worcester - Gloucester stopping trains during May and June).

The book starts on Thursday 5 May 1960 and reveals a variety of motive power. Arriving for servicing at 12.25pm after working the 10.38am Redditch - Evesham - Ashchurch passenger, crewed by Redditch men, was 21A Saltley's Fowler 2-6-4T 42340 having come light engine from Ashchurch. The 10.38am replaced what had been a through service from New Street to Ashchurch prior to introduction of the DMUs. The loco had earlier worked the 6.30am Birmingham New Street - Ashchurch passenger, due 8.46am, then the 9.18am from Ashchurch back to Redditch.

Another 21A loco was next to be serviced, Class 5MT 4-6-0 45088, off the 7.55am class K freight from Washwood Heath to Evesham, actually rostered for a Saltley 4F. Driver Broughton of Tewkesbury shed was in charge, having worked the freight from Alcester at 11.30am, arriving Evesham 12.47pm. There appeared to be an ideal return working in the time table, the 2pm class C freight from Evesham to Water Orton ^, but the loco for this came, with a brake van, from Gloucester Barnwood shed, while 45088 ran light, as diagrammed, to Tewkesbury shed, due 1.44pm.

42340, still with its Redditch crew, was on shed until 3.45pm before going to Ashchurch for the 4.39pm working to Redditch, followed by 45088, scheduled to leave shed at 4.25pm to head the 5.0pm Ashchurch - Birmingham Lawley Street class E freight, again along the Evesham branch. The Tewkesbury crew worked to Broom Junction North, then changed footplates with the 5.10pm passenger from Birmingham New Street to return to Ashchurch.

Due in at 6.35pm, the first of the two local engines based here, Barnwood's ex-GWR 0-6-0PT 7723, with Driver Workman, arrived having completed its day on the Ashchurch - Tewkesbury - Upton-on-Severn passenger and freight turns; it had departed from the shed at 5.35am. The engine had last worked the 6.20pm Ashchurch - Tewkesbury passenger, a mere five minute jaunt of just under two miles and was soon followed along the branch by Driver Bounds with 0-6-0T 47506, another 85E loco, coming to shed a little late (due 6.30pm) after working the 5.5pm Evesham - Ashchurch class K pick-up freight. This loco left the depot at 6am for the Ashchurch shunt, but came back on shed between duties from 11.15am to 1.10pm.

Lastly, due at 7.38pm, Driver Swift brought in another Saltley engine, Fairburn 2-6-4T 42160, off the 5.10pm passenger from Birmingham New Street, due Ashchurch at 7.6pm. Like the two local engines, this loco was serviced (or ‘disposed of’ to use the correct term) and remained on shed overnight before working the 7.14am Ashchurch - Birmingham New Street passenger on Friday.

The drivers were all based at Tewkesbury. Another driver was called Frost.

The entry for 11 November 1960 shows drivers by what are presumably their nicknames: Worky; Bumper Bounds; Slippery Jack; Jack Frost.

There was no turntable at the shed, but locos used the triangle at Ashchurch to turn until the direct Tewkesbury - Evesham line was removed in May 1957. Locos on branch workings then had to work tender or bunker-first in one direction. The 42' long turntable at the ex-Midland shed at Evesham was still used but only by smaller engines such as 3F 0-6-0s*; it was too short for the likes of Stanier 5MT and 8Fs. Though officially closed in 1931, Evesham shed remained as a servicing point until the end of steam workings on the branch.

Friday 6 May shows a slight variation in motive power, with Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 43013 on the Redditch and No. 44945 off the Washwood Heath working.

On 7 May, 47506 was swapped for 7756 on the Ashchurch shunt, whilst 10 May saw old faithful 3F 0-6-0 43645 on the Upton passenger in place of 7723.

A different loco on 11 May from the morning Redditch train was Stanier 2-6-4T 42446, this version was less common in the area than the Fowler or Fairburn variety. It only stayed at Saltley for about three months, but made quite a few appearances at Tewkesbury shed.

There was a bit of drama on Thursday 12 May when 42327 was declared a failure with a hot box after coming in off the Redditch passenger. 4F 0-6-0 44264 was rustled up from Gloucester Barnwood as replacement for the return working, while 42327 ended up at the latter for repair.

Another type which appeared on 12 May at Tewkesbury shed was 'Crab' 2-6-0 42791 after working the 7.55am ex Washwood Heath.

This turn produced Stanier 8Fs 2-8-0 48647 on 16 May, 48388 the following day and 48687, seen below, on 19 May. On 18 May, it was 'Black Five' 44821, borrowed by Saltley as it was shedded at 14B Kentish Town. Another common Saltley type, the Fowler 4F 0-6-0, arrived off the 7.55am on 20 May, 44168 doing the honours.

A further depot and type was represented on Saturday 21 May, when BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 75044 of 15C Leicester turned up having worked the 5.10pm passenger from New Street. Prior to the changes brought about by introduction of DMUs a Leicester engine of this class was booked to work the 6.32am New Street to Ashchurch passenger and 9.41am return.

Normally no engines came on or off shed on Sundays, when there were usually three  in residence, the two local ones and the loco from the 5.10pm Birmingham New Street - Ashchurch passenger, so No. 75044 would have been on shed on Sunday 22 May, before leaving next morning to work the 7.14am Ashchurch - Birmingham New Street passenger.

Loco changeovers are sometimes specifically noted in the book as on 1 June with the entry '7723 changed for 7756'. The former had the Upton passenger turn on 31 May, with the latter on 1 June. 7723 was back on 3 June working the Evesham pick-up turn in place of 47417. Thus Barnwood's two ex-GW 0-6-0PT, 7723 and 7756, were at Tewkesbury shed together from 3 to 7 June when, between them, they were working the Upton passenger, Ashchurch shunt and Evesham pick-up. They had transferred to Barnwood by November 1959 - 7723 was a long-time Gloucester Horton Road engine, while 7756 came from Swansea East Dock - as the Western Region increased its influence over the depot's motive power following the change of code from the LMR's 22B to the WR's 85E in February 1958.

Even before 7723 and 7756 arrived, at least one Western Region pannier tank had appeared - Alan Maund took a photo of 8717 of 85B alongside 0-4-4T 41900 at Tewkesbury shed on 3 October 1959 and another that day of 8717 at Upton on the passenger – possibly a trial run. Ex-GWR 0-6-0PT had apparently only recently been passed to work the Upton branch and Tewkesbury Quay line; they were not in the list of authorised locos in the Summer 1959 working time table, but appeared in the one which started in November 1959.

The 0-6-0PT displaced the much photographed 41900 which came to work on the Upton line in summer 1957 as well as Barnwood's most modern engine, Ivatt class 2 2-6-0 46401, a regular performer from summer 1956 when it replaced 58071, Barnwood's last working ex-Midland Railway 0-4-4T, a type used on the branch for many years. 46401 was transferred elsewhere when the pannier tanks came, but 41900 went into store at Barnwood.

The 7.55am Washwood Heath freight had Gloucester Barnwood's own 4F 44264 on 8 June.

Next day the 10.38am Redditch came into Ashchurch behind another Barnwood loco, 75002, whilst 4F 44085 from 15D Coalville had the 7.55am Washwood Heath. 

7756 sustained a hot box on 15 June while working the Evesham turn and went to Barnwood for repairs.

A Coalville loco featured again on 18 June with 4F 44180 on the 5.10pm passenger from New Street (photographed at Ashchurch by Michael Mensing). The loco was crewed throughout by Tewkesbury men on their only turn of the week to and from Birmingham, having travelled 'on the cushions' from Redditch after working there with the 12.20pm Saturdays passenger from Ashchurch. As this was a Saturday, the loco stayed over the weekend.

Tewkesbury had recourse to using a Saltley engine, 3F 43620, on the Evesham pick-up on 23, 24 and 25 June. It was then elevated to three days on the Ashchurch - Upton passenger, so perhaps was on loan as neither of Barnwood's own 3Fs, 43645 and 43754, were around.

On 30 June, Barnwood provided its own 4F,44272, for the Upton passenger. 44272 spent a few more days based at Tewkesbury shed, doing the Evesham pick up and Ashchurch shunt before being replaced by another Saltley 3F, 43263, which was around for about a week.

7723 did not last, working the Upton passenger for the final time on 2 July, being withdrawn from service that month and,with 7756 under repair, it was 12 September before an 0-6-0PT was seen again at Tewkesbury shed.

In retrospect, perhaps 7723's seemingly abrupt demise could have resurrected 41900 for further use on the branch, except that a few days earlier the loco had moved from Barnwood. It was there on 24 June but by 4 July was at Leamington Spa shed, 84D, and got photographed at Coventry station during that month on a parcels train. The loco soon moved again, to Wellington, Salop, 84H, but did very little there, being in store by September after the briefest of trials on the service to Much Wenlock, apparently not being suited to the gradients on the line. The loco's two years or so working the Upton branch seem to have been the most productive in its BR existence!

Former Tewkesbury shed resident 41900 would have had many entries in the Ashpit Books covering the years 1957 to 1959. But it is seen here at Gloucester Barnwood on 5 June 1960, a few weeks before leaving for 84D Leamington shed. 41900's time on the Upton branch while based at Tewkesbury was seemingly its most successful in BR days - at least it worked regularly, judging from pictures taken on the branch in the period. Photo Roger Smith

42327 which got a hot box on 12 May appears to have had a problem again on 4 July with a note that it was 'changed at Ashchurch for 21A 4F' after working the 10.38am Redditch. 

Some days saw five different loco types on shed – 7 July had class 4 2-6-0 43013 and class 5 4-6-0 44920 during the day; 0-6-0T 47506, 0-6-0 43263 and 2-6-4T 42160 overnight.

With 7723 finished, 47506 performed the Ashchurch - Upton passenger duty until 25 July when Barnwood 4F 43924 took over for several days. Ben Ashworth took an excellent picture of 47506 at Ripple with the 5.10pm Ashchurch - Upton on 5 July 1960 and a photograph by Rae Montgomery has been published of 43924 at Tewkesbury station on 30 July.

The scene at Tewkesbury depot on Sunday 17 July 1960. Nothing in steam, all quiet, and no sign of invasion by GW locos - though both the Upton and Evesham/Ashchurch shunt  turns were officially diagrammed for 57XX class 0-6-0PT. No Ashpit book entries were made on Sundays - there was no need -  but those for the previous day show that 47506 worked the Upton passenger; the 4F,44167, had been Ashchurch shunter; while Saltley's 42137 came off the 5.10pm passenger from New Street. Photo copyright Kidderminster Railway Museum.

Only two locos were serviced on Bank Holiday Monday 1 August and both were 4Fs. 43924 was the Upton engine, but the working performed by Saltley's 43985 was not noted, though it was almost certainly the 5.10pm from New Street. It is also likely the Washwood Heath freight and Evesham pick-up did not run, while there were extra Birmingham - Redditch - Evesham - Ashchurch passenger workings on this bank holiday meaning the 10.38am engine did not come on shed.

The final sighting of Stanier 2-6-4T 42446 at Tewkesbury was on 8 August off the 10.38am Redditch passenger, followed later on by the last appearance of stalwart 42327 which had the 5.10pm ex New Street.

Next day saw the first visits by the side window cab and cab door fitted Fowler 2-6-4Ts with 42400 on the 10.38am and 42421 on the 5.10pm. There was a report that crews had complained about draughty cabs when working bunker-first on the line with the earlier type of Fowler 2-6-4T, so these later version engines were brought in from various depots. (This problem had been noted as long ago as 1932 in an LMS report and led to the construction of the side window 'limousine' cab engines from 1933.) Saltley gained seven of them in exchange for the seven 2-6-4T which had worked onto Tewkesbury shed during this survey. The new arrivals became regulars on the Redditch - Evesham - Ashchurch service. (Another booked turn took them to Malvern Wells on a passenger train from New Street via Worcester Foregate Street.)

On 10 August, coal on hand at the shed was shown as 40 tons 10 hundredweight.

Noteworthy on this date was the passage through Ashchurch of ex Midland Railway 0-4-4T 58086 being towed from Bath to Gorton Works for scrap; a type familiar in the area and at Tewkesbury shed for many years. 58086 was the last survivor of the class. Also on this date at Ashchurch was a more recent class in the area, B1 61198, which came up from Barnwood shed to work the 2pm freight from Evesham to Water Orton.

Fowler 3F 0-6-0T were well to the fore from 10 to 15 August with local duties being covered by 47417 and 47422, both of 85E.

The book records that the three locos at the shed on Sunday 14 August, 42422, 47417, 47422 were 'all worked' and there is a published photo of 47422 standing wrong line at Ashchurch on engineers train duties possibly on this date.

There were still two Fowler 0-6-0T on shed on 18 August, 47422 and a newcomer, 47465,from 82F Bath Green Park, possibly covering for 43645. It appears to have worked Upton trains on 26 August, otherwise it was on the Evesham turn until 29 August, being replaced the next day.

18 August also saw 3F 0-6-0 43309 on the 7.55am Washwood Heath, the only one of the class on the train in the period covered by this article. On 30 August, the working produced a real stray, 8F 2-8-0 48208 from 9F Heaton Mersey.

One of the 'new' 2-6-4T, 42398, put in just one appearance at Tewkesbury shed, on 2 September from the 10.38am Redditch. It was withdrawn in November 1960.

The cessation of the summer timetable saw the end of locos coming to Tewkesbury shed off the 7.55am Washwood Heath - Evesham freight. The final week saw Saltley's 45088 on 5, 6 and 9 September with 45333 of 15C Leicester on 7 September. Most noteworthy was 8 September when the turn produced ex-LNWR 0-8-0 49106 from 21B, Bescot depot.  Over the months of this review, the working had produced quite a variety of engines from a number of depots.

Monday 12 September saw the first appearance of 0-6-0PT 7788, newly transferred to Barnwood from 81D, Reading, which took over from 47539 in working the Evesham pick-up turn. One distinctive feature of 7788 was the legend 'GWR' clearly visible on the tanks.

Left: Gloucester's 0-6-0T 47422 is seen at Upton on 15 September 1960 with the usual one-coach passenger train. On this tour of duty 47422 was based at Tewkesbury shed from 30 August to 17 September, sometimes on the Upton, sometimes on the Evesham freight.  Right: An interesting picture on 15 September 1960 looking back from Tewkesbury station towards the signal box and the Quay branch on the right. A 2-6-4T, 42400, can be seen by the box on its way to the loco shed off the morning Redditch service. This would be around 1pm. Photos John Mudge copyright NA3T 

The changing types of motive power at the shed is illustrated by the entries for 19 September: 42400 from the 11.38am (the retimed 10.38am) Redditch passenger; 7756 Upton passenger; 7788 Evesham pick-up; 42415 ex 5.10pm New Street passenger. 7756 had been away since 15 June, awaiting parts from Swindon Works for its hot box repair. The loco was fit for duty again on 28 August, but today was its first appearance at Tewkesbury shed. 7788's first day on the Upton passenger duty was 24 September, having worked the Evesham pick-up turn since arriving on 12 September.

A note on 10 October indicates that 43013 on the 11.38am Redditch failed with firebar problems, but the replacement engine is not shown.

A Fowler 0-6-0T powered the 11.38am on Saturday 15 October when 47308 was in charge. The loco did not go to Tewkesbury shed, due to a quick turnaround, leaving with the Saturdays only 1.5pm to Redditch. The use of 47308 and its shedmate 47276 on these Saturday workings became quite common, they were Bromsgrove, 85F, engines sub-shedded at Redditch during the week for shunting duties. Ex-GWR 0-6-0PT were seen on this turn as well - on 1 April 1961 it was 8426 of 85A Worcester.

Appearances by Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0s made a change from the side window cab Fowler tanks on the Evesham branch passenger workings. There was no sign of a 2-6-4T at Tewkesbury on 17 October with 43017 on the 11.38am working and 43013 on the 5.10pm from New Street.

42419 came to Saltley in November to replace the withdrawn 42398 and was entrusted to work the 5.10pm New Street - Ashchurch between 7 and 18 November.

Barnwood had two working pannier tanks, but still needed to swap them for 3F 0-6-0s, with 43645 or 43754 putting in regular appearances along with the occasional 4F 0-6-0.

28 November had 7756 on the Upton passenger, whilst next day it was 44165 of Saltley. Barnwood produced its own 43924 for the turn on 30 November and 3 December, with 43754 on the intervening days, so there was still some variety and a continuing Midland Railway presence with the aforementioned pre-grouping locos. 

The final entries in the, by now, full 'Ashpit' book were for Thursday 15 December 1960 with 42419 from the 11.38am Redditch passenger; 7788 Upton passenger; 43754 Evesham pick-up; and 42422 off the 5.10pm New Street passenger.

A view from the late 1950s which repays close study, showing so much steam era equipment, with a fine array of fire irons along the wall and a shovel leaning against the shed door. It's all neat and tidy, a credit to the staff at this small shed.The loco is veteran 3F 0-6-0 43754, which appropriately hauled the last passenger train into Tewkesbury.  Another well composed photo by James S Doubleday, copyright Models of Hull Collection

It was appropriate that an ex-Midland engine long associated with Tewkesbury, 43754 with Driver Jim Workman and Fireman Ron Langford, seen in the picture, hauled the last Upton branch passenger train on Saturday 12 August 1961. 43754 shared Tewkesbury shed that day with newcomer 0-6-0PT 4614 (another report says 7788 was also there at some stage). Apparently 4614 had been due to work the turn but, after what a former fireman at the depot described as ‘a bit of a kerfuffle’, the job went to old faithful 43754 which got its day in the limelight. The 'Gloucestershire Echo' report on the last train is nicely descriptive, particularly mentioning the engine is not to be 'retired' but will remain in service in Gloucester.

43754 had also worked last day passenger trains - with a single carriage - on the Nailsworth/Stroud to Stonehouse branch on 14 June 1947 - that was pre B R days when it was numbered 3754.

Withdrawal of the service sounded the death knell for the depot, which had been in use since 1840 or even earlier, over 120 years. The actual closure date has been published as 14 August 1961(Midland Railway Chronology/Gough) and 7 September 1962 (British Railway Journal/Carpenter, also LMS Engine Sheds/ Hawkins & Reeve).The former date was immediately after cessation of Upton passenger services, and was when remaining crews transferred to other depots, as alluded to in the 'Echo' report. If that was the case, then presumably no locos were stabled overnight, going instead to Cheltenham Malvern Road.

Copy of a BR listing of total shed staff numbers dated 2 September 1961 shows no staff on the Tewkesbury shed establishment, though 'actual staff' numbers are shown as 6 drivers and 3 firemen. The men that stayed in railway employment moved to Gloucester and Cheltenham sheds, possibly elsewhere, don't have any information on that.

By 11 September 1961, when a new timetable came into being, the loco off the 5.10pm passenger from Birmingham was certainly stabling overnight at Cheltenham Malvern Road shed; I saw 42419 come down from Ashchurch that evening. If this was the first time it happened, there remains the question of where the loco stabled overnight between 12 August and 10 September - possibly still at Tewkesbury? This question also applied to locos working the branch goods services in that period. 

On and from 17 December 1961 one engine in steam working replaced the electric train token between Upton and Ashchurch. Tewkesbury Signal Box closed, replaced by a ground frame controlling access to the Quay Branch, which was cut back, with the Chance Street to Oldbury Road section closed. This meant access to Tewkesbury shed was no longer possible, casting doubt on the 1962 closure date.

It would be interesting to know the last date a loco actually visited the shed – was it that last passenger weekend of 12/13/14 August 1961 or later? I would welcome more precise information if anyone has it

Full list of 106 locos recorded on Tewkesbury shed from 5 May 1960 to 15 December 1960:

7723/ 7756/ 7788/ 42137/ 42160/ 42182/ 42327/ 42337/ 42340/ 42398/ 42400/ 42415/ 42416/ 42417/ 42419/ 42421/ 42422/ 42446/ 42758/ 42790/ 42791/ 42890/ 43012/ 43013/ 43017/ 43033/ 43040/ 43041/ 43047/ 43049/ 43122/ 43263/ 43309/ 43620/ 43645/ 43754/ 43870/ 43887/ 43911/ 43924/ 43932/ 43940/ 43948/ 43949/ 43963/ 43985/ 44026/ 44082/ 44085/ 44123/ 44137/ 44143/ 44167/ 44168/ 44171/ 44179/ 44180/ 44185/ 44203/ 44209/ 44264/ 44272/ 44463/ 44580/ 44659/ 44660/ 44775/ 44804/ 44810/ 44813/ 44814/ 44818/ 44825/ 44839/ 44841/ 44920/ 44945/ 44962/ 44963/ 44981/ 45088/ 45186/ 45253/ 45265/ 45272/ 45333/ 45447/ 47417/ 47422/ 47465/ 47506/ 47539/ 48000/ 48183/ 48208/ 48217/ 48315/ 48342/ 48388/ 48647/ 48669/ 48687/ 48700/ 49106/ 75002/ 75044.

(Bold - locos off 7.55am Washwood Heath - Evesham freight)

In the 193 working days recorded in the ashpit book, the loco listed most often was 7756 with 70 appearances – it would probably have been more, but was under repair for about three months as noted in the narrative.

3F 43645 put in 53 appearances, but was not seen between 20 May and 26 July.

7788 had 50 entries, with the first being 12 September 1960.

Fowler tank 42422 was on shed 29 times, the first being 13 August 1960.

The engine on the last branch passenger, 43754, was only recorded on 22 occasions, the first being on 6 October as it received a general repair at Derby Works in the earlier part of this period, though was back at Gloucester by 18 August.

Both 43645 and 43754 had been shedded at Gloucester since early 1933, so would have covered thousands of miles working from Tewkesbury.

There did not appear to be any set pattern for the changeover of engines between Barnwood and Tewkesbury. Locos usually spent upwards of four days based at Tewkesbury before changing. The longest period noted was for 47506 which was outstationed from 4 July until 25 July inclusive, encompassing nineteen working days.

The 2-6-0 Fowler 'Crabs' and all the 4-6-0, 2-8-0 and 0-8-0s that worked the Evesham branch were officially restricted to 25 mph throughout - and only the 2-6-0s appear to have been officially authorized between Ashchurch and Tewkesbury! Although various ex-GW types including tender engines were allowed between Ashchurch and Evesham and, indeed, used the section on a daily basis, the list did not include 57XX pannier tanks – probably an oversight, they had only been authorised between Ashchurch and Upton from November 1959, as mentioned earlier.

Eight sets of men were based at Tewkesbury for the six turns listed below, which relate to the period 13 June 1960 to 10 September 1960.

The diagrams had been prepared by the Engine Diagramming Section in the Office of the Operating Officer, Paddington Station.

Enginemen’s turns 1A and 1B - Engine turn No.1, Upton. 85E Gloucester Barnwood engine, 57XX class.

(Worked on Tuesday 9 August 1960 by 3F 0-6-0T 47422)

Monday - Fridays -

5.25am shed pilot; 5.35am light engine Tewkesbury mpd - Ashchurch, arrive 5.50am; 6.50am Ashchurch - Tewkesbury freight; 7.38am empty coaching stock Tewkesbury - Upton, arrive 7.50am+; 7.57am Upton - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 8.16am; 8.35am Ashchurch - Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 8.40am; 8.53am Tewkesbury - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 8.58am; 9.25am Ashchurch - Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 9.30am; 10.40am light engine  Tewkesbury - Ashchurch, arrive 10.45am; 11.15am Ashchurch - Upton freight, arrive 12.30pm; 1.20pm Upton -Ashchurch freight, arrive 3.25pm; 3.55pm light engine Ashchurch - Tewkesbury, arrive 4.2pm; 4.15pm Tewkesbury - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 4.20pm; 5.10pm Ashchurch - Upton passenger, arrive 5.29pm; 5.45pm Upton - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 6.11pm; 6.20pm Ashchurch -Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 6.25pm; 6.30pm light engine  Tewkesbury - Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 6.35pm.

Saturdays-

5.25am shed pilot; 5.50am light engine Tewkesbury mpd - Ashchurch, arrive 6.5am; 6.50am Ashchurch - Tewkesbury freight; 7.18am empty coaching stock Tewkesbury - Upton, arrive 7.30am+; 7.37am Upton - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 7.55am; 8.35am Ashchurch - Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 8.40am; 8.50am Tewkesbury - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 8.55am; 9.40am Ashchurch - Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 9.45am; Shunt; 11.10am Tewkesbury - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 11.15am. 11.30am Ashchurch - Upton passenger, arrive 11.52am; 1.30pm Upton -Ashchurch passenger, arrive 1.48pm; 2.25pm Ashchurch -Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 2.30pm; 4.15pm Tewkesbury - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 4.20pm; 5.10pm Ashchurch - Upton passenger, arrive 5.29pm; 5.45pm Upton - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 6.11pm; 6.20pm Ashchurch -Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 6.25pm; 6.30pm light engine  Tewkesbury - Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 6.35pm.

The first crew, 1A, booked on at 3.55am and off at 11.55am Monday - Friday; on at 4.40am, off at 12.40pm Saturdays.

The second set, 1B, booked on at 11.5am and off at 7.5pm.

The crew change took place at Tewkesbury at 11.25am on the Upton freight Monday - Friday. On Saturdays it occurred at Tewkesbury station at 11.35am with the Upton passenger.

Enginemen’s turns 2A and 2B - Engine turn No.2, Evesham. 85E Gloucester Barnwood engine, 57XX class.

(Worked on Tuesday 9 August 1960 by 3F 0-6-0 43645)

Monday - Fridays -

6.0am light engine  Tewkesbury mpd - Ashchurch, arrive 6.15am for Ashchurch shunt; 11.0am (12.01pm Wednesdays) light engine Ashchurch - Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 11.15am (12.15pm on Wednesdays);

1.10pm light engine Tewkesbury mpd - Tewkesbury, arrive 1.20pm; 1.43pm Tewkesbury - Ashchurch passenger, arrive 1.48pm: 2.20pm Ashchurch - Tewkesbury passenger, arrive 2.25pm; 2.35pm light engine Tewkesbury - Ashchurch, arrive 2.40pm; 2.50pm Ashchurch - Evesham class K freight, arrive 4.20pm; 5.5pm Evesham - Ashchurch class K freight, arrive 5.52pm; 6.15pm light engine  Ashchurch - Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 6.30pm; dispose.

(The working time table in force for this period showed an 'as required' light engine and guard working at 6.20pm from Ashchurch to Cheltenham High Street. The return was 7.40pm light engine and guard with an 8.10pm arrival at Tewkesbury shed. In earlier years there was provision for a trip working at similar times to the intermediate station of Cleeve, but this closed for goods traffic on and from 4 April 1960.)

Saturdays -

6.0am light engine  Tewkesbury mpd - Ashchurch, arrive 6.15am for Ashchurch shunt; 11.0am light engine Ashchurch - Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 11.15am;dispose.

The first set of enginemen for turn 2A booked on duty at 5.15am and off at 1.15pm, Monday - Saturday.

The second set, 2B,  booked on at 12.55pm and off at 8.55pm, Monday - Friday only, taking over from the 1.10pm light engine off shed.

Enginemen’s turn 5 - on duty 6.18am (5.48am Saturdays only), off duty 2.18pm (1.46pm Saturdays only). Workings diagrammed for 21A Saltley engines:

(Worked on Tuesday 9 August 1960 by Fowler 2-6-4T 42327 off at 6.33am; back at 1.44pm with 4F 44580)

Monday: Leave shed light engine at 6.33am, arrive Ashchurch 6.48am with the loco for 7.14am passenger to Birmingham New Street. Work 7.14am passenger from Ashchurch to Evesham, arrive 7.34am.  Change footplate (with engine off the 3.15am Washwood Heath - Evesham class H freight - which was stabled at the old Midland shed at Evesham, officially closed in 1931) and work 8.32am Monday only Evesham - Washwood Heath class H freight.  Change footplate at Alcester at 10.46am and work 7.55am Washwood Heath - Evesham freight. Light engine Evesham - Tewkesbury shed, arrive 1.44pm. 

Tuesday - Friday: Leave shed light engine at 6.33am, arrive Ashchurch 6.48am with the loco for 7.14am passenger to Birmingham New Street. Change footplate with light engine from Evesham ( arrived at 6am off the 1.57am Washwood Heath - Evesham class H freight)  and work 7.35am Ashchurch - Washwood Heath class K freight.

Change footplate at Alcester at 10.24am and work 7.55am Washwood Heath - Evesham freight. Light engine Evesham - Tewkesbury shed, arrive 1.44pm.

Saturday: Leave shed light engine at 6.33am, arrive Ashchurch 6.48am with the loco for 7.14am passenger to Birmingham New Street. Change footplate with light engine from Evesham (off 2.18am Washwood Heath - Evesham class H freight ) and work 7.35am Ashchurch - Washwood Heath class K freight.  Change footplate at Alcester at 10.24am and work 10.38am passenger ex Redditch to Ashchurch, then bus to Tewkesbury.

Enginemen’s turn 6 - on duty 3.40pm (10.50am Saturdays only), off duty 11.40pm (7.48pm Saturdays only) . Workings diagrammed for 21A Saltley engines:

(Worked on Tuesday 9 August 1960 by 4F 44580 off at 4.25pm; back at 7.38pm with Fowler 2-6-4T 42421)

Monday - Friday: Leave shed light engine at 4.25pm, arrive Ashchurch 4.37pm with the loco for 5pm class E freight to Birmingham Lawley Street; Work 5pm freight to Broom Junction; Change footplate with 5.10pm passenger ex New Street, leave at 6.25pm, arrive Ashchurch 7.14pm; light engine at 7.25pm to Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 7.38pm.

Saturday: Leave Tewkesbury at 11.10am, travel as passengers to Ashchurch, arrive 11.15am; Work 12.20pm passenger Ashchurch to Redditch; Travel as passengers from Redditch at 1.48pm to Birmingham New Street, arrive 2.24pm; Work 5.10pm passenger Birmingham New Street to Ashchurch, arrive 7.14pm; light engine at 7.25pm to Tewkesbury mpd, arrive 7.38pm.

Diagrammed Monday - Friday passenger workings at Ashchurch for Saltley Class 4 tank locos, from 13 June 1960:

Engine turn no. 26:

5.10pm Birmingham New Street - Ashchurch;

7.14am Ashchurch - Birmingham New Street.

Engine turn no. 27:

6.30am Birmingham New Street - Ashchurch;

9.18am Ashchurch - Redditch; (10am from 12 September 1960)

10.38am Redditch - Ashchurch; (11.38am from 12 September 1960)

4.39pm Ashchurch - Redditch.

Footnotes:

^ This train was known to railwaymen as 'The Cabbage' as it was used to convey fresh produce from market gardens in the Evesham area.

* Evesham Midland shed turntable was used in unusual circumstances on 27 October 1961 after ex-works 3F 43645 encountered a problem at Beckford whilst working the Ashchurch – Evesham pick up freight. The driver could not shift the reversing lever. With help from the train guard, it was eventually moved into forward gear, but then stuck again. Classmate 43593, also recently ex-works, came over from Barnwood to assist and both 3Fs took the train to Evesham, where 43645 was turned on the table for the return journey. This came from a Loco Casualty Report filed at Barnwood, with additional information from Mike Randall who was fireman of 43593.

+ Until closure in 1931 there had been a small loco shed at Malvern Wells Junction. One engine stabled overnight and ran the first morning passenger train from Great Malvern to Upton, Tewkesbury and Ashchurch. After 1931, it became necessary to work empty stock from Tewkesbury to Great Malvern - cut back to Upton from December 1952 - for this service.

Dennis Bath's visits to Tewkesbury shed produced the following:

19 August 1945 0-4-4T 1353 and 1375; 3F 0-6-0 3695; 4F 0-6-0 4430 of 17D Rowsley

22 May 1949 2-6-2T (40)116; 0-4-4T 1365(58063); 3F 0-6-0 (4)3213; 4F 0-6-0 (4)4145.

Some more shed bash details between 1939 and 1961 are here:http://shedbashuk.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/gloucester-barnwood-1936-1963.html

Four loco stalwarts of Tewkesbury shed and branch were seen and photographed (by Cliff Shepherd) at Burton-on-Trent on 4 June 1963 being towed to Derby for scrapping. These were 47417; 43754; 43645; 43593.