On Shed August 2011
"Preserving the steam locomotive legacy..and more..on film"
76079 & 45407 Crossing Denby Dale viaduct 29.3.2009.(C)Alan Lewis
Contents:
Welcome...and site news.
Steam Tube Photographic Highlights
Steam Tube Video Highlights
On This Day-In This Month-In Railway History
Around The World in 80 Railways. No. 15. Hong Kong to Hanoi
Christian Wolmar- July Newsletter
The State of Britains Railways, 1945-1948 (Turnip Rail)
Railways Through Bolan Pass (All Things Pakistan)
My first ‘Streaks’ -My First Visit to Kings Cross. By Dick Bodily
Welcome...and site news.
A very warm welcome to all to this August edition of "On Shed"!
And may we say how pleasing it is to see some high quality images being uploaded this last month.
Perhaps our Photographic Competition has added an extra incentive to our efforts! (More on that later..)
Steam Tube (TM) now has 645 members, 2,990 video clips, 13,600 photographs, over 1,900 friends on our Facebook page, and 613 followers on Twitter. We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to all who access our pages, and hope that you like what you find here.
You will have noticed that we now have a "non"-Steam Tube section.....Diesel, Electric and Disused Tubes were part of Steam Tubes original line up, but pressure (cost!!) forced our hand somewhat.
But we have been able to find some space on this site, so please feel free to upload your very best images ..we shall look forward to seeing them.
On the subject of uploads, we know you wont mind the reminder about Copyright.
Unless you have the permission of the copyright holder, please dont risk uploading on to Steam Tube.
We couldnt afford the litigation!! We are trying to make contact with appropriate broadcasters and programme makers in an effort to minimize this problem...if you have any suitable contacts, please let us know.... You will have noticed that we have added a link to the home page "BBC Archives". We hope to add more sources in the future......
In addition, we have the Photographic Clinic; this is the place to visit for suggestions on photographic technique and preparation for that all elusive master shot. The Steam Room is the place to go to tell us about whats happening on your preserved line-steam talk for grown ups!!
Our thanks, as always, go to you, the members, for your continued support and encouragement.
We field excellent suggestions from time to time, and maybe, just maybe, an idea or suggestion may produce some results....Indeed, any suggestions about the content of "On Shed" would be very much appreciated...
So, on with this edition......
We start off with a wall of photographs uploaded this last month, then a wall of videos...clicking on the thumbnail should activate the clip.........
David Turners historical article takes a look at the state of Britains railways between 1945 and 1948.
A look at the month of August in railway history has to make mention of the Last days of Steam in 1968, and Christian Wolmars regular column takes a look at whats happening on the rail scene at the present...and Derby features in this edition...
Steam Tube Photographic Highlights
Steam Tube Video Highlights
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On This Day-In This Month-In Railway History
--/08/1923
Great Western Railway (Great Britain) takes delivery of its first Castle Class 4-6-0 express passenger steam locomotive from its Swindon Works, No. 4073 Caerphilly Castle
Its first shed allocation was Old Oak Common. Its August 1950 shed allocation was Bath Road, Bristol. Its last shed allocation was Cardiff Canton in March 1959. It was withdrawn in May 1960, and after a period at Paddington and the Science Museum in Kensington, is now preserved at the Swindon Steam Railway Museum
The introduction of the "Castle" class enabled a significant improvement in timings. The name "Cheltenham Spa Express" was given to the service, which reached Paddington in 75 minutes from Swindon, an average speed of 61.8 miles per hour (99.5 km/h).
Fierce rivalry between the four main railway companies during the 1920s and 1930s to run the fastest train in the country, and therefore in the world, led to further accelerations to the service. In July 1929 the scheduled journey time became 70 minutes, an average speed of 66.2 miles per hour (106.5 km/h). Two years later (1931) the train was again accelerated to an average speed of 69.2 miles per hour (111.4 km/h), and by now had acquired its popular nickname of the "Cheltenham Flyer", although this was never adopted officially.
On Monday, June 6, 1932, the train broke all railway speed records with a time of 56 mins 47 seconds at an average speed of 81.6 miles per hour (131.3 km/h). Such a journey speed had never been previously recorded and this made this run the fastest railway run in the world.
02/08/1870
The world’s first underground tube railway, the Tower Subway, opens in London, England. On its first trip, 12 people travel 450 yards(411meteres) in 11(eleven) seconds.
04/08/1883
Volks Electric Railway, the first of its kind in Britain, opens at Brighton.
In 1892 with the Electric Railway comfortably installed as far as Paston Place Magnus cast his eyes towards Rottingdean. To extend the existing railway the three miles would entail either a steep climb to take it along the cliff top or a man-made viaduct along the unstable undercliff. Understandably he was not keen on either alternative so he turned his mind to building a completely new railway that would travel through the sea. A similar system was already in operation across St. Malo harbour in Brittany but this was pulled along the rails by chain rather than being self-propelled, and ran through sheltered water not the English Channel.
Finance for the new railway was found locally. One of the biggest investors was Edward Bleackley who became the first Chairman of the new company. R. StGeorge Moore, later to be engaged as the designer and engineer of the new Palace Pier, was taken on as the project engineer, and under his guidance a Bill was submitted to Parliament applying for an Act to incorporate a Company and then empower that Company to construct an electric railway on the foreshore between Paston Place and Rottingdean, together with the associated works and piers that would be needed.
Continue reading at: http://www.volkselectricrailway.co.uk/
04/08/1914
British Government takes control of railways as a wartime measure.the railways were passed into the wartime control of the Railway Executive Committee made up of the general managers of the 10 major railway companies and responsible to the Government.REC control lasted from 1914 to 1921. It was followed by the Railways Act 1921 which led to the creation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1923.
08/08/1968
Steam locomotive power was withdrawn from British Rail
Footage from the 15 Guineas Special on 11 August 1968. It was the last steam hauled passenger service on British Railways. The train is travelling from Dent station in Yorkshire north towards Carlisle on the Settle-Carlisle railway.
Video courtesy NRM
10/08/1840
Regulation of Railways Act
This act introduced government regulation to the railways
Measures contained in the Act were;
?No railway to be opened without notice;
?Returns to be made by railway companies;
?Appointment of Board of Trade inspectors;
?Railway byelaws to be approved by the Board;
?Prohibition of drunkenness by railway employees;
?Prohibition of trespass on railways.
11/08/1880
The Wennington Junction rail crash in England kills 8 people
Source: http://www.tathamhistory.org.uk/resources/railway/7-accident.php
14/08/1927
Royal Scot class of locomotives introduced
(C) John Edkins
14/08/1915
A rail crash in Weedon kills 10 people
Extract from Lieut.Col E. Druitts report to the Board of Trade:
"In this case as the second part of the 5.30 a.m. Irish Mail train from Euston to Holyhead drawn by two engines was running at high speed between Stowe Tunnel and Weedon, it was derailed, and several of the vehicles were thrown over either side of the line and wrecked.
Ten passengers were killed and 21 injured, some severely, and 33 cases of shock have been reported to the company. The driver and fireman of each engine, and a guard and five dining-car attendants in the train were also injured."
Source: http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/eventsummary.php?eventID=86
17 Aug 1857
West Somerset Railway Company incorporated by Act of Parliament
18/08/1837
Daniel Gooch takes up his position of Locomotive Superintendent of the GWR.
Sir Daniel Gooch by Leslie Ward, 1882
19/08/1921
Publication in the United Kingdom of the Railways Act 1921, which provided for the amalgamation of British railway companies into four large groups, "The Big Four", with effect from January 1, 1923
"1.-(1) With a view to the reorganization and more efficient and economical working of the railway system of Great Britain railways shall be formed into groups in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and the principal railway companies in each group shall be amalgamated, and other companies absorbed in manner provided by this Act."
Source: http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=65
Coat-of-arms of the GWR, LMS crest, carved into the stonework at Leeds station
incorporating the shields of the cities
of London (left) and Bristol (right)
LNER Southern Railway Coat of Arms
24/08/1816
Birth of Daniel Gooch at Bedlington, Northumberland
24/08/1927
The Sevenoaks railway accident in England kills 13.
Report by Colonel Sir John W. Pringle, C.B. on the Derailment of Passenger Train, which occurred on the 24th August, 1927, near Sevenoaks, on the Southern Railway
Go To: http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=307
28/08/1915
The first train operates over the regauged Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway using 1 ft 3 in (381 mm) gauge equipment
First visit to The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway on 3rd June 2010. The 7 mile journey from Ravenglass to Dalegarth is outstanding. Sit back and relax as you...
(C) mollsmyre
30/08/1909
Great Western Railway begins using its Fishguard terminus in Wales for boat trains in connection with the Cunard steamships on Atlantic routes as a first port of call.
See the Hywel Davies Postcard Collection at: http://www.pembrokeshirevirtualmuseum.co.uk/extra_menu/photo_gallery/hywel_davies_collection/album/fishguard/pages/image_001.html
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Around The World in 80 Railways. No. 15. Hong Kong to Hanoi
So, here we are on the 15th leg of Around the World in 80 Railways, Hong Kong to Hanoi.....
This is not so easy to arrange, since there are no direct train routes....however, The Man in Seat 61
has some answers for us...
- Day 1, morning: Take a train from Hong Kong (Kowloon station) to Guangzhou (East station). There are a range of departures daily, including one leaving Kowloon at 11:17 and arriving Guangzhou Dong at 12:58. Fare about HK$190 (£17 or $28). A taxi from Guangzhou East to Guangzhou Main station costs about RMB 30.
- Day 1, evening: Take an overnight sleeper train from Guangzhou (main station) to Nanning, train number 2571 departing Guangzhou at 16:52 and arriving Nanning the next morning at 06:35. Soft and hard class sleepers are available. The fare is about 286 RMB (£29 or $43) in a soft sleeper, or 184 RMB (£19 or $29) in a hard sleeper. There are in fact several alternative trains too, such as the K483 departing Guangzhou main station at 21:08 arriving Nanning at 09:34 next morning. Spend the day in Nanning.
- Day 2, take the daily overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi, It leaves Nanning in the early evening and arrives Hanoi next morning. Soft & hard sleepers available, fare RMB 229 (£23 or $37). Alternatively, there are several modern buses from Nanning to Hanoi every morning.
So, there you have it!
What can we expect along the way?
Chinese Train Ride Guangzhou to Hong Kong(rklingberg on YouTube)
Video of a train ride from my recent trip to China-- this was the "high speed" train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. Midway through the video you can see the DMZ with fences, cameras, and security checkpoints between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Nanning, The Green City of China (waysia on YouTube)
Ga Ha Noi - Main HaNoi train station, Vietnam - Train 02( Yumgui2 on YouTube)
Now, where is our next destination........??
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Christian Wolmar- July Newsletter
On Shed August 2011
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