Wandering Wobblers

Inspired by John Hooper's book 'The WD Austerity 2-8-0 The BR Record', Booklaw Publications

Nicknamed 'Wobblers'  by some due to their fore and aft rocking motion as they went along the track.

 'The WDs experienced all the shuttling trouble from total absence of reciprocating balance.' 'Sometimes you did not know if you were on the track or the ballast.' 'The drawbar between engine and tender used to stretch after a time. The tender was forever buffeting against the engine, bucking each other with a fore and aft motion. '   'They will be remembered for their chunky bark, the gentle knock of their motion and the many times one or two pairs of tender wheels were disengaged from the ballast.'

WD 2-8-0s were common in the Cheltenham and Gloucester areas throughout the BR steam era, particularly engines allocated to Cardiff Canton, Newport Ebbw Junction, Banbury and Woodford Halse* which worked mainly on iron ore, coal, coke and steel trains. Additionally both Gloucester sheds had an allocation of the class at various times. In the mid-1950s a daily freight from Cheltenham High Street over the MSWJ route to Andover was often hauled by a Horton Road allocated WD. By the end of 1962 WDs had moved away from Western Region sheds, but Woodford Halse on the London Midland Region retained members of the class until May 1964 and these were regularly seen in the area.

WDs also appeared from sheds further afield as shown by my own or reported observations of the class at Cheltenham and Bristol in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966 when they managed to escape their normal routines of short distance trips from coalfields to nearby power stations and steelworks and do some long haul work. In these latter years it often seemed that the old order, with engines from particular depots being rostered for particular workings, had been cast aside and anything that could turn a wheel was hooked up to trains, regardless of the diagrammed arrangements. Hence the appearance of formerly rare WDs, Black Fives, 8Fs, 9Fs and virtually unheard of types like K1s, K3s, O1s, O4s etc  in the area. With increasing dieselisation, there was less steam, but interest was maintained by seeing locos from distant depots.

90247, seen above, was a 55E Normanton loco when photographed on the down main approaching Churchdown on a steel train, a typical duty for the class. Date unknown, but before 1963 as 90247 was withdrawn in November 1962. Photo Robin Stanton

Another rare WD from the North Eastern Region is 90644 of 56B Ardsley shed approaching Lansdown station on Sunday 16 December 1962 with an extra coal train. One of its shedmates, 90230, was seen the previous day. This was just ten days before the bitter winter weather of 1962/63 set in, so extra fuel stocks were certainly needed to power electricity generating stations, gas works, heavy industry and domestic homes.Photo Dave Smith

Sightings  at Cheltenham, unless otherwise stated,  of WD 2-8-0s - by date; loco; home shed; type of train (where known).

Excludes most sightings of WDs from Woodford Halse which were in the area on a daily basis until May 1964.

1963

8 January 90420, Rose Grove, snowplough fitted, up light engine

22 January 90291 Newton Heath

23 January 90331 Patricroft, according to Hooper, but observed this day to have a 2F Woodford Halse shedplate. Some WDs were transferred from Patricroft  to Woodford Halse around this time, but apparently not this one, which is shown by Hooper to have transferred to Newton Heath in February 1963. Maybe it was on loan pending arrival of the permanent transfers.

27 January 90491 Mexborough

30 January 90617 Normanton, empty iron ore wagons

30 January 90491 Mexborough

30 January 90449 Langwith Junction, on a down local goods

2 February  90497 Wakefield. Was booked at Gloucester Barnwood for attention to tubes and brakes.

3 February 90197 Newton Heath, up light engine with 48182, 44137 and 44180

6 February 90730 Frodingham up light engine

7 February 90218, Woodford Halse , doubleheaded with Collett 0-6-0 2253 on snowplough duty

7 February 90367, Fleetwood, down freight. From a pretty rare shed for this area, 90367  was one of seven WDs allocated there.

12 February 90570 Woodford Halse, recent transfer from Patricroft

13 February 90669 Woodford Halse, recent transfer from Patricroft, down freight

Also at Gloucester this day was 63705, an O4/7 2-8-0 from Staveley (Great Central) shed. It arrived in the area on 8 February on a down freight. 63705's home shed did not have any WDs allocated at this particular date, although it had quite a number over the years.

17 February 90189,Frodingham, down freight. At Gloucester Barnwood next day waiting attention to minor defects.

17 February 90078, York, Repairs booked at Gloucester Barnwood: 'Regulator gland to pack.'

18 February 90530 Newton Heath

20 February 90506 Doncaster, down light engine

28 February 90321,Wakefield, down freight

21 March 90506 on Barnwood shed, with a 21A shedplate according to my note at the time. Hooper's book shows it allocated to Doncaster. If it was a Saltley engine, that does not seem to have been officially recorded.90506 was also seen in Cheltenham on 20 February and was also at Barnwood shed on 10 March, shedplate not noted. ( See also entry of 20 June 1964 for 90392)

21 March 90046 Gorton

16 April 90164, Rose Grove, down freight

14 May 90706, Lancaster, down freight (reported as seen near Worcester)

17 May 90214, Gorton, up train of phosphates

22 May 90486, Woodford Halse, with demolition train on Cheltenham – Andoversford  -MSWJ line

14 June 90051, Colwick, down molasses train

15 June 90051 Colwick, up freight

90051 hailed from 40E Colwick. On 14 June 1963 it hauled a down molasses tanker train - seasonal traffic which often produced fairly rare locos. In this photo 90051 is heading north next day through Hatherley on empty brake vans and mineral wagons. Photo Stephen Mourton collection

26 June 90439, Frodingham, down molasses train

28 June 90439, Frodingham, on 2.5am Washwood Heath – Westerleigh class 8 freight. Failed with injector problems at Naas Crossing, Gloucester, went to Barnwood shed for attention.

29 June 90439, Frodingham, up light engine (See Repairs to 'Foreign Engines' at Gloucester Barnwood)

7 July 90204, Aintree, down coal train

8 August 90579 Mexborough

Cardiff Canton's 90579 trundles past Hatherley Signal Box on a down freight, as the crew peer out of the cab and have their picture taken. Undated, but before the end of December 1962, when the loco was transferred to the Eastern Region, going to 41F Mexborough, a shed with loads of WDs. Whilst there, it put in an appearance at Cheltenham on 8 August 1963. Photo Robin Stanton

9 August 90491 Mexborough

20 September 90211, Canklow, down freight

20 September 90509, Canklow, down freight

23 September 90211 Canklow

24 September 90322, Mirfield, down freight

27 September 90211 Canklow

28 September 90509 Wigan Springs Branch

28 September 90211 Canklow

28 November 90521,Mexborough, received attention at Barnwood shed

16 December 90362, Normanton, up

24 December 90707 Mirfield

1964

9 January  90697 Toton, recent transfer from Woodford Halse

12 January 90346 Toton, recent transfer from Woodford Halse , up light engine with 48748

16 January 90520 Toton,on Gloucester Barnwood shed, problem creating vacuum

19 January 90040 Nottingham, was on Gloucester Barnwood shed

20 January 90136 Canklow, on Gloucester Barnwood shed, minor repairs needed

26 January 90284 Gorton, up light engine with 43963, 42979 and 48711. 90284 had a repair book entry at Gloucester Barnwood : 'Steam Brake blows under footplate.'

2 February 90588 Darlington, reported at Gloucester Barnwood. Chris Baldwin photographed it at Tuffley Junction on a down coal train. 

8 February 90365, Toton, on 4V42 Bradford – Westerleigh and 5M27 Bristol St Philips – Derby. Class 4 and 5 fast freights for a WD more used to trundling along on much slower class 8 workings. A 9F 2-10-0 would have been more suitable.

20 February 90207 Gorton, at Gloucester Barnwood requiring attention: 'Left piston gland blowing.'

4 March 90330 Canklow, at Gloucester Barnwood

13 March 90668, Barrow Hill, on Bristol Barrow Road shed

21 March 90218 Toton, on Frodingham – Severn Tunnel Junction freight reported at Gloucester Barnwood: 'Right injector clack sticks up.'

28 March 90520 Toton on Alexandra Dock Junction – Stourbridge Junction class 6 freight

8 April 90544, Barrow Hill,  on Bristol Barrow Road shed

10 April 90007, Frodingham, received attention at Barnwood shed

21 April 90720 Lostock Hall

23 April 90580, Barrow Hill, received attention at Barnwood shed

April  90719 Canklow, photographed on up freight at Gloucester Central

2 May 90617 Wakefield

3 May 90617, Wakefield, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

4 May 90617,Wakefield, on 7M33 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

7 May 90149 Canklow, an ex Gloucester Horton Road and Barnwood engine

9 May 90330 ,Canklow, hd a down fertiliser special

12 May 90585,Wigan Springs Branch, an ex Banbury engine, took a freight from Westerleigh to Wahwood Heath

15 May 90365 on a down mineral working. Loco transferred from Woodford Halse to Gorton around this time

20 May 90365 8M49 Bristol St Philips – Washwood Heath

21 May 90471 Canklow Demolition train on Cheltenham - Kingham branch

3 June 90384,Canklow, 6M05 Westerleigh – Washwood Heath

3 June 90188 Barrow Hill, an ex Western Region engine

5 June 90139 Canklow

5 June 90572,Barrow Hill, an ex Western Region engine, on shed at Bristol  St Philips Marsh

6 June 90189, Staveley, down mineral train

6 June 90529,Barrow Hill, 8V21 Washwood Heath – Westerleigh then  light engine to Gloucester

7 June 90410 Canklow

8 June 90572 Barrow Hill,

12 June 90529 Barrow Hill

16 June 90007 Frodingham

18 June 90518 ,York, worked a Barnwood - Washwood Heath train

19 June 90392, Gorton?, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

20 June 90392, Gorton?, 6M05 Westerleigh – Washwood Heath

According to Hooper, the Engine History Card shows 90392 was reallocated from Gorton to Saltley at the end of November 1963 until withdrawal a year later, 'the only known instance of a WD being allocated to that depot'. He believes that did not happen, but these appearances might suggest otherwise. (See also entry of 21 March 1963 for 90506)

23 June 90149 Canklow

26 June 90139,Canklow, 8V21 Washwood Heath - Westerleigh

26 June 90587,Barrow Hill, 8V14 Washwood Heath - Westerleigh

29 June 90617,Normanton, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

30 June 90617,Normanton, 8M49 Bristol St Philips – Washwood Heath

3 July 90529 Barrow Hill

6 July 90682,Normanton, 8M49 Bristol St Philips – Washwood Heath

7 July 90587,Barrow Hill, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

10 July 90149,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

15 July, 90149, Canklow, 4E22 Severn Beach – Immingham, another fast freight.

16 July 90395,Normanton, 8M49 Bristol St Philips – Washwood Heath

24 July 90567 ,Barrow Hill, with a Barnwood - Washwood Heath working

25 July 90255,Doncaster, on Bristol Barrow Road shed

31 July 90633,Wakefield, 6V20 Wallerscote – Bridgewater

1 August 90471, Canklow, light engine Bristol - Gloucester

4 August 90633,Wakefield, 6M74 Bridgwater- Wallerscote

4 August 90274 ,Gorton, on  a Trethomas - Bilston freight

12 August 90073,Doncaster, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

14 August 90572, Barrow Hill, down on eight carriages of empty stock, later on shed at Bristol Barrow Road. 90572 was a Western Region loco until the end of 1962.

The rare sight of a WD on coaching stock. (Another WD empty coaching stock working, nine vehicles, occurred at Cheltenham on 28 August 1962 with 90573, a Cardiff Canton loco at that date – and a Gloucester Horton Road engine for over five years in the mid-1950s.)

15 August 90572 8M43 Bristol St Philips – Washwood Heath

18 August 90189,Barrow Hill, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

19 August 90072,Goole, 6V20 Wallerscote – Bridgewater

20 August 90557,Rose Grove, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road (Transferred to Canklow around this time)

21 August 90072,Goole, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

25 August 90401,Canklow, 7M33 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

26 August 90420,Rose Grove, 6V20 Wallerscote – Bridgewater

27 August 90420,Rose Grove, 6M74 Bridgwater- Wallerscote

29 August 90121,Bolton, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

2 September 90271,Rose Grove, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

3 September  90271, Rose Grove, light engine Bristol – Saltley

4 September 90271,Rose Grove, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

6 and 7 September 90139,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

9 September 90139,Canklow, 7M33 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

13 September 90620,Wakefield, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

14 September 90395 Normanton

15 September 90558,Canklow, St Philips Marsh – Swindon

17 September 90620,Wakefield, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

18 September 90620,Wakefield, 8M49 St Philips Yard – Washwod Heath

19 September 90153,Canklow, 4V44 Washwood Heath - Westerleigh

20 September 90125,Lostock Hall, Bristol West Depot - Hookagate

20 September 90139 Canklow. 90153 also of Canklow went north light engine from Barrow Road

22 September 90037,Colwick, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

22 September 90085,Barrow Hill, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

24 September 90471,Canklow, 4V42 Bradford – Westerleigh (see 8 February 1964).

24 September 90471,Canklow, 7M59 Westerleigh – Washwood Heath

26 September 90069,Canklow, 5M27 St Philips Yard – Derby. An ex Western Region engine.

30 September 90276,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

1 October 90276, Canklow, local trips

3 October 90401, Canklow, 8V21 Washwood Heath – Westerleigh

5 October 90149, Canklow, 6M05 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

5 October  90647, Frodingham, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

11 October 90647,Frodingham, loco was tender-first being towed by 48289, so may have failed

20 October  90685, Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road. An ex Gloucester Horton Road and, briefly, Barnwood, engine, it was withdrawn the following month.

22 October 90719, Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

26 October 90699,Normanton, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

2 November 90290,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

3 November 90731,Ardsley, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

6 November 90024,Frodingham, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

7 November 90149,Canklow, 6M05 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

9 November 90276,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

16 November 90572,Barrow Hill, 7M59 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

23 November 90254,Normanton, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

25 November 90383,Colwick, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

30 November 90471,Canklow, 7M59 Stoke Gifford – Washwood Heath

2 December 90274,Aintree, light engine Bristol – Swindon

4 December 90378,Hull Dairycoates, light engine at Bristol Barrow Road

10 December 90655,Mirfield, 5M17 Bristol East Depot – Woodford Halse

15 December 90153,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

16 December 90261,Lower Darwen, 8M49 St Philips Yard – Washwood Heath

21 December 90619,Huddersfield, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

22 December 90491 Barrow Hill

29 December 90202,Canklow, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

30 December 90373,Wakefield, on shed at Bristol Barrow Road

One of 56A Wakefield's large fleet of WD's, 90385 heads a down coal train at Rangeworthy between Gloucester and Bristol on an unspecified date in 1965. Michael Mensing

1965

3 January 90704 Hull Dairycoates, up light engine with 92028 and 44743. A combination of ugly sisters –  Crosti 9F, WD and Caprotti Black Five!

3 January 90069 Canklow

8 January  90516 Aintree

7 February 90189 Barrow Hill

X March 90276 Canklow was photographed working a demolition train on the line between Andoversford and Cheltenham. According to Hooper the loco was withdrawn on 28 February 1965. I suspect the date of the photo is wrong (there are other aspects which suggest this), but it was certainly on the branch at some date, possibly around the end of September 1964 when it was in the Bristol area as listed earlier.

7 March 1965 90384 of 41D Canklow on Horton Road shed

11 March 90369 Doncaster

28 March 90133 Frodingham, up light engine with 45338 and 48719

7 April 90108 Frodingham on 6V21 3.34am Normanby Park, Scunthorpe – Severn Tunnel Junction, due to pass Cheltenham just after midday.  Being a Scunthorpe engine, it seems likely that 90108 had worked throughout. The train was shown in the working time table as a diesel-hauled freight with diesel point-to-point timings -  which would surely have stretched the speed capabilities of a 'Wobbler'!

18 July My trip to Yorkshire sheds with '55' and '56' shed codes produced no less than 96 WD 2-8-0s, including 90385, pictured above, on its home shed.

3 September 90203 noted by me as being 41D Canklow, but allocated to Doncaster according to Hooper, took an unfitted freight north.

7 September My trip to 36C Frodingham shed found 32 locos, of which 17 were WD 2-8-0.

28 November 90032 Frodingham hauled a down mixed freight which traversed the Midland line through Lansdown station. I saw 90032 on my 7 September trip to Frodingham.

11 December 90706 Colwick was noted by me on Gloucester Horton Road shed.

1966

16 January  90037 of Immingham had a down coal train via the Honeybourne line. Though Western Region steam in the area officially ceased on and from 3 January 1966, steam continued to penetrate from the north for several months. I saw three steam-hauled coal trains in a thirty minute period (the other two had Stanier 2-8-0s) on this Sunday. 90037 probably only went as far as Gloucester where it would have turned and headed back north light, possibly coupled with other steam locos. This was my last sighting of a WD at Cheltenham.

Footnote

* It was around the summer of 1951 that trains from Woodford Halse to South Wales were routed via Stratford-on-Avon, Broom Junction and Ashchurch. They continued using this route until June 1960 when a new curve at Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse enabled this traffic to traverse the Honeybourne line into Cheltenham. The location of the curve had been marked out in July 1957.