Repairs to 'Foreign' Engines at Gloucester Barnwood

REPAIRS TO 'FOREIGN' ENGINES

The late David Bick*, well-known local author of books on railways, canals and mines, was able to save a workbook titled 'Repairs to Foreign Engines' kept by fitting staff at Gloucester Barnwood loco shed. He donated it to the Gloucestershire Archives collection (reference D9467) and the following article has been based on data found in the book. I have added information from my own observations at Cheltenham, supplemented by those of Patrick O'Brien from his excellent website about steam in Bristol, www.bristolsteam64.co.uk.

The term ' Foreign Engines' refers to locos whose home depot was other than Gloucester Barnwood.

The book is hardcover, reference number BR 205/2, roughly A4 size with 78 pages extant – there were probably more, but these were torn out by the look of it. What it does have in full as far as I can tell is the period from 5 October 1962 to 30 April 1964, plus 3 March to 30 March 1962. There are, at a quick estimate, about 3,500 entries. A count up of a couple of typical months found 139 entries for November 1962, 112 steam and 27 diesel. January 1963 had entries for 188 steam locos and 20 diesels. These relate to running repairs, attending to the defects that loco drivers reported when they brought engines to shed - items such as: ' Exhaust injector requires attention'; 'Brakes to adjust, too tight'; 'Ash pan to examine, warped' and other defects that needed repair before the loco went out on its next working.

Bigger repairs carried out at Barnwood, such as attention to a hot box that would keep an engine out of traffic for several days or even weeks if parts were not available, are not listed. As well as steam locos, local diesel shunters and main line diesels of the 'Peak' type were also worked on. Sometimes a quick repair was effected while the loco was on its train at Gloucester Eastgate station or in a yard or loop close to the shed.

The book shows the pay check number of the fitter who carried out the work, and it would appear there were four or five engaged in the work over the period reviewed.

One difficulty interpreting the entries is that usually only four numbers are given for the loco, in the old Midland style. So 3F 0-6-0 43680 is shown as 3680 – which could also be ex GWR 0-6-0PT 3680. Barnwood repaired GW locos as well as Midland, LMS, LNER and BR ones. Where I know, or believe, it is an ex-GW loco, I have added (GW) after the number. Luckily ex-LNER and BR types normally have the full number recorded. Locos' home sheds were not recorded in the book. It was a period of much change on the motive power front, with increasing dieselisation meaning that sheds like Saltley, Burton-on-Trent and Annesley were receiving allocations of 'Jubilees' and/or 'Royal Scots' from other sheds around the LMR. This brought formerly 'rare' locos to Gloucester, adding to the interest. In addition, there was a regular presence of ex-LNER B1 4-6-0s, particularly those based in the Sheffield area and, occasionally, other Eastern Region classes. 

A few entries to start, which show the type of faults recorded by drivers when they brought engines onto Barnwood shed:

14/3/62 3680 Front sands not working

15/3/62 3263 Right clack blows; vacuum to examine

22/3/62 3687 Damper rod hard to open

43687 worked through Cheltenham during the evening.

23/3/62 6113 Front rocker bars stuck

46113 hauled 1V45 12.20pm Newcastle – Bristol on this day, diagrammed for a diesel. As it ended up at Barnwood shed, this suggests it gave up the train at Gloucester. If an engine was in difficulty coming from Birmingham on an express working, Gloucester would normally present the first opportunity for changing engines.

23/3/62 3687 Left gauge glass to change, broken

24/3/62 3687 Engine priming, water to change

24/3/62 61062 Top nut on left gauge frame blows

Barnwood 61062. This 50A York-based class B1 4-6-0 certainly qualifies as a 'foreign' engine. It was attended to by the fitters on 24 March 1962 when the top nut on the left gauge frame was blowing, just a minor job. May explain why it is parked outside the fitters' shop. Photo Roger Smith

Some more entries for 1962:

6/10/62 D106 Panel lights not working; route indicator lights not working

13/10/62 D47 Fuel and water gauges out of order

25/10/62 6135 Regulator gland to pack

30/10/62 6135 Washout plug blows under footplate

46135 was a 55A Leeds Holbeck engine which was on 1V45, 12.20pm Newcastle – Bristol on 2 November. (A notable visitor to Gloucester the same day was K3 2-6-0 61853 on a down fitted freight.)

31/10/62 3958 Valves to examine. Trailing boxes knocking

3/11/62 75062, of 17A Derby, Tubes leaking in firebox

9/11/62 6161 Exhaust injector steam pipe joint blows

46161 worked into Gloucester on 1V67, 1.8pm Leeds – Cardiff, a diesel turn. The loco, from 55A Leeds Holbeck, was withdrawn about a month later.

12/11/62 75062 Right injector steam pipe blowing under footplate

19/11/62 6103 Smoke box door drawing air

46103 worked into Gloucester on 1V67, 1.8pm Leeds – Cardiff. Like 46161, this loco, from 55A Leeds Holbeck, was withdrawn about a month later. The last three Royal Scots mentioned had very brief lives at Holbeck, presumably just working out their mileage before withdrawal.

22/11/62 5650 Large and small tubes to examine, engine not steaming

45650, shedded at 17B Burton, hauled 1V45, 12.20pm Newcastle – Bristol, 91 minutes late at Cheltenham, though not all the lateness may have been the engine's fault, it probably replaced a diesel further north.

5/12/62 4650 (GW) Exhaust injector requires attention

6/12/62 5685 Engine priming bad, change water

15/12/62 5575 Engine not steaming, to examine

16/12/62 Here are the full entries in the book for this date:

8669 Right gauge frame blows through

8607 Tank gauge out of order

8507 Right piston gland blowing

4225 Left rear sand actuation pipe missing

4131 Small ejector will not maintain vacuum

92075 Right gauge glass required

Loco went north light engine.

D117 High water temperature gauge out of order

90230 Left injector steam nut blowing

Loco was from 56B Ardsley, well away from its usual haunts in Yorkshire. It worked a down freight the previous day

8476 Right tender water feed will not open

48476 of 6C Birkenhead headed a down freight two days earlier

5346 Intermediate carriage warming pipe broken

92109 Left side rocking grate will not shut

Apart from 'foreign' engines, no doubt some of the shed's own locos needed attention as well. The fitting staff were kept busy – some of the repair jobs might have been relatively small, but all took time.

20/12/62 61033 Front row of brick arch missing

Loco departed on an up freight.

31/12/62 5742 Tank water scoop to examine

45742 had 1V67, 1.8pm Leeds – Cardiff to Gloucester this day, in lieu of a diesel.

Some entries for 1963:

2/1/63 5685 Engine not steaming

4/1/63 5742 Exhaust injector not working properly

9/1/63 61329 Brake to adjust; piston gland blowing; right side washout plug blows; electric lights not working

11/1/63 D16 Hole in bottom of water tank

16/1/63 6155 Engine washout; all tubes cleaned; examination by boiler inspector

This entry poses a question over the identity of the loco. It could be GW 2-6-2T 6155 from 85A Worcester; it could be Royal Scot 46155; or, my best guess, it is actually B1 4-6-0 61155, seen at Cheltenham on 19 January with 1V43 11.55am York – Bristol and on 21 January with up fitted freight 4N29, 4.48pm Bristol – Leeds Hunslet Lane. 61155 was allocated to 41F Mexborough.

17/1/63 6995 (GW) Left piston gland blowing

18/1/63 5971 (GW) Lubricator pipes leaking

5971 went through Cheltenham next day.

20/1/63 70029 Engine brake poor

70029 hailed from 21D Aston and had worked 5M19 on 17 January and another freight the following day.

22/1/63 70029 Steam blows in cab

29/1/63 43092 Rocker grate defective

43092 of 41F Mexborough worked a down freight two days earlier, as did shedmate 90491.

6/2/63 61004 Ash pan to examine, warped

This loco, shedded at 41D Canklow, had 1V46, 4.55pm Sheffield – Bristol on this day, so may have come off the train at Gloucester

10/2/63 5682 Engine will not steam

10/2/63 5643 Tubes to clean; brick arch to examine

20/2/63 6800 (GW) Exhaust injector joint blowing; vacuum leaking

27/2/63 5049 (GW) Washout; boiler examination

Castle 5049 of 82B Bristol St Philips Marsh got a hot box at Temple Meads on 17 December 1962**. It came to Barnwood for attention but sustained a cracked cylinder during the freezing winter weather. Presumably a decision was made not to effect repairs after the boiler exam, as it was withdrawn and towed by 44941 to Cheltenham Malvern Road shed on 12 March, remaining for some months until returning to Gloucester Horton Road shed where it was dumped.

27/2/63 5564 Engine failed short of steam

The previous day, 45564 hauled the down 'Devonian', in place of a diesel.

6/3/63 5617 Right piston gland blowing

45617, just transferred to 21A Saltley on loan from 5A Crewe North, later took 5M22, 2.32pm Barnwood Sidings – Birmingham Lawley Street class D freight.

8/4/63 D145 Carriage warming pipe to change

A note says this was done at station, presumably Gloucester Eastgate

30/5/63 8000 Left piston gland blowing

48000 arrived on a down freight in the evening.

1/6/63 8000 Left gauge top gland nut blowing bad. Steam brake working very stiff

5/6/63 2900 Steam gauge broken. Vacuum gauge glass to clean

42900 went through Cheltenham next day.

12/6/63 5631 Both boiler gauge frames to clean, showing false level

The previous evening 45631 hauled 3V20, 1.32pm Derby – Bristol parcels, so may have given up at Gloucester.

14/6/63 4963 Footplate to examine, dangerous. Left hand clack dangerous

15/6/63 5700 Engine not steaming. Exhaust injector delivery pipe nut blows

This loco had 1V32, a relief passenger working down through Cheltenham in the morning,

15/6/63 61105 Engine will not steam; right injector not working

61105 of 41A Sheffield Darnall headed 1V34, probably a relief to 'The Cornishman' on this date, so may have given up the working at Gloucester to receive attention at Barnwood

45700 and 61105 were on consecutive relief passenger trains that morning, so would have caused problems for the motive power department in finding engines to take over at Gloucester, as seems likely in both cases.

24/6/63 92082 Injector defective

The entry stated this was fixed at Gloucester South, so the loco would have been attended to while still on its train. It was only a short walk from Barnwood shed to Gloucester South.

26/6/63 92107 Left inspection cover blowing

92107 was observed at Cheltenham in the early afternoon, probably heading towards Gloucester

26/6/63 62035 Injector valve rod disconnected

A very rare visitor, K1 2-6-0 62035 was from 36C Frodingham and arrived on a fitted freight. Said to be the first recorded member of the class in Gloucester, it left the area on 28 June with a freight for Woodford Halse. On 10 June 1965, another K1, 62057 from York depot, came here and was serviced at Horton Road.

28/6/63 90439 Right injector not working; left clack sticks up.

This loco was another from 36C and arrived in the area on a molasses train. But on this day it was working the 2.5am Washwood Heath – Westerleigh class 8 freight until failing at Naas Crossing, south of Gloucester. The fire had to be dropped when neither injector could be induced to work.90439 headed north light engine the following day.

90439 failed at Naas Crossing on 28 June 1963 and received attention at Barnwood. Its home shed, 36C Frodingham, Scunthorpe, provided information about the loco.

28/6/63 2948 Firehole door shield and smokeplate required

Stanier 2-6-0 42948, from 5B Crewe South, was seen the previous day on a down freight. Although not too common in earlier years, the class was starting to be overhauled at Swindon Works, so became a much more familiar sight in the area.

6/7/63 5716 Brakes to adjust; blowdown valve sticks open

45716 of 26A Newton Heath worked to Gloucester on 1V67 1.8pm Leeds – Cardiff, substituting for a diesel.

20/7/63 61399 Engine brake to adjust.

61399 from 41D Canklow headed north on a stopping passenger train later in the day.

2/8/63 6955 (GW) Both injectors failed.

Note says 'Engine not on shed', so presumably a failure en route.

3/8/63 5647 Engine not steaming

4/8/63 5647 Middle piston blows very bad. Firebars to examine. Right bogie spring broken

45647 had worked 1V27 6.40am Leicester – Paignton on Saturday 3 August, seen 25 minutes late at Cheltenham. A note in the book says ' Light engine home.' At this date 'home' was 21A Saltley.

6/8/63 8491 (GW) Lever works very hard in back gear

6/8/63 8431 Firehole doors will not close; left piston gland blows bad

8/8/63 61155 Front rocker bars to close; engine riding very rough; right piston getting insufficient oil; water scoop damaged

8/8/63 6920 (GW) CWA valve blowing very bad. Bad leak on vacuum train brake side. Right hand delivery pipe wants brazing. Right hand water feed handle will not shut. Left hand slipper block to examine, knocking.

6920 was allocated to 87B Duffryn Yard at this date. Presumably the repairs were executed as 6920 was the power that day for 5M22 3.15pm Barnwood Sidings – Birmingham Lawley Street. Although routed via Bromsgrove and the Lickey Incline, this working regularly had an ex-GW engine.

9/8/63 3693 (GW) Union nut on steam brake wants adjusting; brake to take up

13/8/63 D38 Traction motor blower relay sticking. Continuous blue light up to 3/8 open position of power handle

17/8/63 61393 Left injector delivery pipe cracked; exhaust injector wasting water

61393 of 41F was observed going north on a freight on 20 August.

20/8/63 6381 (GW) Right injector feed pipe leaking; sands to examine

26/8/63 3693 (GW) Sands not working

3693 was a recent transfer to 85B Gloucester Horton Road, whereas 6381 had been an 85B engine for some years.

31/8/63 61051 Exhaust injectors to examine

11/10/63 5583 Carriage warming reducing valve drain pipe broken

45583, a rare visitor from 8B Warrington, was observed light engine at Cheltenham heading for Gloucester on this day.

14/10/63 4912 Right back and left front cylinder cocks will not shut

44912 was on IV42 the previous day, possibly a relief to 1V43, the 11.50am York – Bristol. It hailed from 55D Royston, not a shed normally associated with passenger workings in the Gloucester area.

28/11/63 90521 Floor boards to secure; engine riding rough

This was another loco from 41F.

4/12/63 D2196 Air leaking under panel in cab

13/12/63 4092 Piston and spindle glands blowing. Air valve blows. Small ejector creates 25'' of vacuum

18/12/63 5518 (GW) Reversing lever works hard

18/12/63 2974 Right gauge glass leaking

21/12/63 70007 Rocker grate not working; reversing lever stiff

Britannia 70007, a recent transfer to 12A Carlisle Kingmoor, worked 1V43, 11.53am York- Bristol. As the loco's previous shed was 31B March, this may well have been its first visit to Gloucester. On 24 December it headed back north on 1E10 6.46am Gloucester – Sheffield.

24/12/63 5682 Intermediate carriage warming pipe broken

Some entries for 1964:

13/1/64 5690 Piston glands blow. Engine will not steam

45690 worked the 9.15am passenger from Bristol, returning on the 4.15pm from Gloucester.

19/1/64 45588 Exhaust injector not working, live steam injector wasting water.

The previous day, 45588 of 12A Carlisle Kingmoor had 1V28, 3am Leeds – Bristol. Today it was returning on 1N68, 4.45pm Bristol – Bradford, but failed at Gloucester, with the train being worked forward by 73031, probably station pilot at Gloucester Eastgate.

21/1/64 45690 All piston and spindle glands blowing bad, impossible to observe signals when regulator is open

45690 again worked the 9.15am passenger from Bristol, returning on the 4.15pm from Gloucester.

26/1/64 2979 Exhaust injectors not working. Lubricator steam pipe blowing

The loco, one of Stanier's 2-6-0s, returned north light engine, coupled with 43963, 90284 and 48711.

9/2/64 D93 Motor will not stop when test button is pressed

(D93 was the first 'Peak' to appear in Gloucester, in April 1961)

22/2/64 76086 Right air valve blows

28/2/64 4885 Tubes leaking in firebox

An example of an incorrectly recorded number, as 44885 was withdrawn in December 1963. It could be 48085, a 2E Saltley engine, which was seen in Bristol around this date.

2/3/64 5682 Left gauge frame top cock blows. Left air valve blowing.

5/3/64 5690 Regulator gland blows. Exhaust injector wastes water.

45690 worked the 9.15am passenger from Bristol, returning on the 4.15pm from Gloucester. The following day it had the 6.47am passenger from Bristol to Gloucester and that evening arrived back in Bristol on 3V20, the 1.32pm parcels from Derby.

Both 45690, withdrawn on 17/3/64, and 45682, withdrawn on 1/6/64, were long time 82E Bristol Barrow Road engines.

19/3/64 6940 (GW) Brake cylinder gland leaking

25/3/64 6935 (GW) Regulator gland to repack

4/4/64 5557 Left injector steam valve to examine

45557,shedded at 16F Burton-upon-Trent, headed north on the evening passenger from Gloucester Eastgate to Birmingham New Street.

4/4/64 5653 Engine brake to take up

4/4/64 5631 Piston valve glands blowing

Both 45653 and 45631 were 2E Saltley engines, seen at Cheltenham the previous evening, the former on a down local from Birmingham to Gloucester.

10/4/64 90017 Hole in right hand injector steam pipe. Examine play between engine and tender

Seems to be incorrectly recorded, as the loco was withdrawn in September 1963 from a Scottish Region shed! It could be 90007, a 36C Frodingham engine, which did appear from time to time – being observed at Cheltenham on 16 June 1964.

22/4/64 92092 Right hand piston gland blowing

23/4/64 90580 Firehole ring to refix

90580 was allocated to 41E Barrow Hill

27/4/64 6957 (GW) Steam test

The final entries are:

30/4/64 D115 Water fill test valve glass leaking

30/4/64 5447 Brakes to adjust, too tight

This was the last book of repairs as the shed closed in early May 1964, with remaining locos, crews and fitting staff transferring to the nearby ex-GWR Gloucester Horton Road.

Footnotes:

The Working Time Table from 11 September 1961 to 17 June 1962 shows a Stores Van, headcode 3H44, Saturdays excepted which departed Gloucester Eastgate station at 11.18pm arriving at Barnwood shed at 11.26pm. The return headcode was 3H17 Mondays excepted leaving Barnwood shed at 1.45am, due Gloucester Eastgate at 1.53am.  This presumably brought engine parts from Derby and was worked on the short journey to and from the MPD by the Eastgate station pilot,  but confirmation would be welcome.

* More information about David Bick is related in the article on 'Messrs Dowty's Private Siding, Ashchurch'. 

** 5049 also came to Barnwood in 1961 for attention to a hot box which it sustained at Swindon on 2 October whilst working the 11.40pm Sundays  Paddington - Bristol passenger. It is recorded as being at Barnwood from 6 October to 7 November.

The information below is gleaned from 'Casualty Reports' completed at Barnwood during 1960 and 1961 which list heavier work done by the fitters, mainly attention to hot boxes, which the shed was well equipped to do. Consequently as well as locos incurring hot boxes in the locality, others came from quite a wide area to be put right.  It includes Barnwood's own locos, shed code 85E in 1960, 85C from January 1961.

On 8 June 1960 Collett 0-6-0 2273 of 85A Worcester worked the 6.10am Cardiff - Lawley Street class 'D' fitted freight, routed via Hereford where it sustained a hot box. This picture was taken three days later at Barnwood with the loco awaiting repair. Photo Roger Smith.