Southern Railway (SR)

Photo: Bullied's Best. The Southern Railway's finest is lined up at Eastleigh Works 100 on the 23rd May 2009.
Left to Right: 35005 Canadian Pacific, 34070 Manston and 34028 Eddystone. (Alex Naughton Collection)

The Southern Railway was the smallest of the “Big Four” railway companies created in 1923 under the Railways Act 1921. However it benefited from a sensible territory and a sound management style under the leadership of Sir Herbert Walker. Indeed Sir Herbert Walker epitomised the Southern and is undoubtedly the greatest British railwayman of his day. The Southern Railway was less well known than the other three “Big Four” railway companies with their glamorous trains and dramatic scenery. Indeed few of the great railway stations were on the Southern and it had few of Britain's famous industries.

The Southern Railway was one of the most sensible large transport organisations the world has ever seen. It had a touch of magic, and among those who really knew it, its achievements were wondered at. So its demise at nationalisation was much lamented.

Yet the Southern went about its business with understated resolve. Its policies were about common sense and were pursued consistently and were economically successful. Also it was not afraid to admit mistakes and change accordingly. It used its finances wisely and nothing ever went to waste. No piece of equipment was ever thrown away if it could be used or incorporated into something else.

Before the age of air travel, the Southern Railway was Britain's front door, via its South Coast ports, and the majority of visiting Royalty, political and other famous visitors first glimpsing Britain's countryside through its windows. In the days before Gatwick Airport and when London's airport was at Croydon, all the world of politics and fashion were to be seen at London Victoria before the departure of the Golden Arrow. With the Golden Arrow Pullman service and other boat train services and, above all, the through Night Ferry sleeper service between London and Paris, it had very special Continental associations.

One of the Southern Railway's main successes was the development of Southampton Docks, often described as the jewel in its crown, and to attract the larger generation of Cunard liners there. Its shipping fleet was also second to none and was responsible for the introduction of many innovations. The Southern Railway also had unrivalled experience in carry great crowds, going to the seaside, on day trips, and later on longer holidays, visiting the racecourse etc. This experience proved invaluable during the Second World War when the Southern Railway was called in the various wartime evacuations of London and in bringing the soldiers back from Dunkirk. Indeed these achievements in the Second World War are legendary. However in the main, it was an everyday railway carrying workers and crops.

Another great achievement was the development of Southern Electric, at the time, the world's largest electrified suburban system. Indeed it also made it work with great precision and its punctuality and reliability was the envy of the world. This electrification was also very well planned and executed very economically. There was none of the stop start pattern of such projects in BR and today's privatised railways with teams being assembled and disbanded. With the Southern Railway one scheme swiftly followed another. This also instigated the use of clockface timetables with regular interval sequences that repeated through the day.

In June 1939 the SR board had approved electrification from South Croydon to Horsted Keynes but work had not commenced when the Second World War broke out. In July 1946 it was announced that the work would be carried out when resources became available. In March 1942 Sir Herbert Walker proposed to the Board that plans should be prepared for the electrification of the whole Central and Eastern sections after the war. But with nationalisation it had to wait until the 1955 Modernisation Plan in the 1950s and 60s until it was realised in the Kent Coast electrification. Further electrification of the Southern then continued under British Rail. The Southern Railway therefore showed a keen interest in modern traction to replace steam. By 1945 the Southern had 1,819 steam locomotives, 890 of which were over 40 years old. Their planned electrification and dieselisation would have eliminated most of these and the remaining steam duties on the South Western division could have been handled by the 140 Bullied pacifics built between 1941 and 51. In 1947 it unveiled its plans to move towards diesel and electric traction in the postwar years.

In the 1930s Maunsell was impressed with the LMS pioneering spirit with diesel traction and so produced three 350hp diesel electric 0-6-0 shunting locomotives in 1937 with English Electric engines. They were more than just yard shunters, being geared for a max speed of 45 mph for freight transfer work. But they hardly had the engine power for such duties and were normally confined to Hither Green and Norwood yards.

Photo: Maunsell's SR 350hp diesel electric 0-6-0 shunting locomotives (built in 1937)

In 1951 Bullied made an attempt at a combined shunter / transfer engine with a single 0-6-0 fitted with a 500hp Paxman engine driving a jackshaft through fluid coupling and gearbox giving three steps in each of high and low ratios. Sadly it was not successful and had a short life. This was built at Ashford Works, though was not introduced until 1950, when it emerged as BR No 11001.

Photo: Bullied's SR 500hp diesel 0-6-0 shunting locomotive (built in 1951) No 11001

The next development was a Co-Co electric freight locomotive for the Central division, the first of which appeared in 1941, to be followed by a further two in later years. They were sufficiently versatile to work not only freight trains but also boat trains to and from Newhaven. These later became classified as BR Class 70 electric locomotives. The initial two were built by the Southern Railway at Ashford Works in 1941 and 1945 and were numbered CC1 and CC2. Electrical equipment was designed by Alfred Raworth and the body by Oliver Bullied. CC2 was modified slightly from the original design by C. M. Cock who had succeeded Raworth as Electrical Engineer. The first two emerged in malachite green livery with Southern "Sunshine" lettering and yellow lines at solebar and cantrail level and "speed whiskers".  The third was built by British Rail in 1948 and numbered 20003. This last locomotive also was painted in malachite green livery but with British Railways yellow lettering and numbering. The success of the prototype electric locomotives CC1 and CC2 would now enable freight traffic, boat trains and cross country services to be electrically hauled and this could lead to the elimination of steam traction from Kent and Sussex. All three locomotives were retired from service in 1968/9 and scrapped. They were relatively successful and proved the concept of booster electric locomotives and led to the BR Class 71 locomotives, although these were slightly more influenced by Swiss design as well. The BR Class 71 were a fleet of 24 electric locomotives provided by British Rail under the 1955 Modernisation Plan to work mainline freight traffic and prestige but non standard trains such as the Golden Arrow and Night Ferry in the Eastern section of the old Southern Railway. One example of the BR class 71 electric locomotive has been preserved. No 71001 was saved by the National Railway Museum in York and has been restored as E5001.


Photo: Southern Railway Co-Co electric locomotive (BR Class 70) built 1941

The Southern Railway also actively explored diesel traction and a report was published in 1947 outlining their plans. It was planned that diesel traction would be used on secondary routes and branch lines and also on main lines for pick up freights, for cross country trains and for relief trains and hoppicker specials. Shunting also was an obvious task for diesel traction and these were the first type of diesel locomotive suggested. As a result the Southern Railway placed orders for twenty-five 400hp diesel locomotives which were built at Ashford Works in 1949-52. These followed the success of Maunsell's diesel shunters built in 1937. These locomotives were Oliver Bulleid's development of Maunsell's original design, but were significantly lighter and incorporated a number of details from the diesel electric shunters built by the LMS in 1936-39. They were later designated as BR Class 12 locomotives. The locomotives were designed for use in the two south London marshalling yards at Norwood Junction and Hither Green, and remained there for much of their working lives. Later some examples were used as works shunters at Ashford, Brighton and Eastleigh. The locomotives were retired from service in 1968-71 and one locomotive No 15224 survives in preservation and can be seen at the Spa Valley Railway.

Photo: SR Bullied 0-6-0 400hp diesel shunter (built 1949-52)

The second type suggested was a general purpose diesel locomotive which was a small machine of about 600hp, adequate for three SECR coaches which comprised most branch line trains or for local freights, and capable of being coupled in pairs for more onerous duties. Railcars were suggested for self contained branches such as Westerham or Hayling Island. In the end what actually happened under the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan was that diesel-electric multiple units (DEMUs) replaced steam on secondary routes in Sussex and Hampshire between 1957 and 1962. Pick up goods trains soon gave way to bulk movement of oil, cement and aggregates as rail freight patterns changed. As a result the Southern Railway's planned general purpose diesel locomotive was not developed and was superceded by changes in rail traffic patterns. With the adoption of electric train heating for the few remaining locomotive hauled services on the BR Southern Region it became possible to adapt the Birmingham Carriage & Wagon Company's (BRCW) Type 2 into the very successful 1,550hp BR Class 33 diesel locomotive. Push and pull working which had been suggested by the SR in 1947 for diesel operation on local services was introduced by BR on the South Western division in 1967 with 19 of the 98 class 33 locomotives being so modified.

The third type of diesel locomotive suggested was a 2,500hp locomotive for the West of England services capable of 100mph and able to haul 500 ton trains. This specification in fact was only met many years later under BR by the Class 50 locomotives in 1980.

Instead the Southern Railway placed orders in August 1947 for three 1,600hp diesel electric locomotives. The design work for these locomotives had been carried out with English Electric and had started back in 1946. The locomotives had a 1Co-Co1 arrangement. The locomotives also demonstrated the progressive uprating of the English Electric 16-cylinder engine from 1600hp used by the LMS's prototypes 10000 and 10001 to 1750hp on the first two Southern locomotives and to 2000hp on the final example. The first one was introduced as No 10201 in December 1950 and all three locomotives were completed. The bogie design and the power train of 10203 were taken almost un-modified for the first ten production BR Class 40 locomotives but with a more traditional English Electric design of body with prominent noses and louvered side panels. These locomotives and the LMS prototypes 10000 and 10001 began a lineage that can be traced through to BR's later Class 40s, 44s, 45s, 46s, 50s, 56s and 58 diesel locomotives.  Indeed the SR prototypes were joined by the two LMS prototypes during 1953-4 on four daily rosters from Nine Elms which involved 8 return trips to Exeter, Weymouth and Bournemouth, covering up to 688 miles per day for each locomotive. In the end early dieselisation of the West of England services did not occur under BR and this route became the last outpost for steam on the Southern. The three Southern prototypes were retired from service in 1963 and scrapped in 1968.


Photo: Southern Railway 1Co-Co1 1750hp diesel electric locomotive No 10201 (built 1950)

The Southern Railway's 1947 report on diesel traction had also suggested dual electro-diesel locomotives. The basic plans for this style of dual power locomotive were first considered in the late 1930s. But it was not until the mid 1950s under the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan, that any firm project emerged. In July 1959 approval was granted for six prototypes which were produced in 1962 followed by a production series in 1966-7 in time for the Bournemouth electrification. These became the successful BR class 73 design. But remarkably this design had its origins in the Southern Railway!

So the Southern Railway was a clean, busy, precise and in many respects was the ultimate model railway. It also was a great pioneer of electric traction with its famous Southern Electric suburban network. 

Chairmen of the Southern Railway:

Sir Hugh Drummond (1923 - 1924)

The Hon. Everard Baring (1924 - 1932)

Gerald Loder (1932 - 1934)

Robert Holland-Martin (1935 - 1944)

Colonel Eric Gore-Brown (1944 - 1947)

General Managers of the Southern Railway:

Sir Herbert Walker (1923 - 1937)

Gilbert S. Szlumper (1937 - 1939)

Sir Eustace Missenden (1939 - 1947)

Chief Mechanical Engineers of the Southern Railway:

Richard Maunsell (1923 - 1937)

Oliver Bullied (1937 - 1947)

Ancillary Services:

Bus Services:

Hants & Dorset Motor Services Ltd

Southern National Omnibus Co. Ltd

Southern Vectis Omnibus Company

Wilts & Dorset Bus Company

East Kent Road Car Co. Ltd

Devon General Omnibus & Touring Co.

Docks:

Southampton Docks

Portsmouth Harbour (Station Pier)

Dover (Admiralty Pier)

Newhaven Harbour

Folkestone Harbour

Lymington Pier

Ryde Pier IoW

Fishbourne IoW

Yarmouth IoW

Air Services:

Railway Air Services

Ferry Services:

Dover to Calais

Dover to Boulogne

Dover to Dunkirk

Folkestone to Calais

Folkestone to Boulogne

Newhaven to Dieppe

Southampton to Le Havre

Southampton to St Malo

Southampton to the Channel Islands

Portsmouth to Ryde IoW

Portsmouth to Fishbourne IoW

Lymington to Yarmouth IoW

Hotels:

Grosvenor Hotel, London Victoria

Charing Cross Hotel, London Charing Cross

Lord Warden Hotel, Dover

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Great Western Railway (GWR)

Photo: A magnificent line up of the Great Western's finest at Didcot on the 3rd May 2010 at the GWR 175th Anniversary Gala.
Left to Right: Mogul 5322, 7808 Cookham Manor, 5029 Nunney Castle (visitor), 5051 Earl Bathurst, 5900 Hinderton Hall, 6998 Burton Agnes Hall and Heavy Goods 3822. (Alex Naughton Collection)

The Great Western Railway was the only one of the Big Four railway companies created in 1923 under the Railways Act 1921 that actually was an enlargement of an existing pre-grouping company. In fact the Great Western Railway was founded in 1833 and kept its identity through the creation of the Big Four and was significantly enlarged by taking over several other companies in its territory. Thus this great tradition of continuity was combined with innovation and a well developed publicity machine to create perhaps the best loved railway company in the world. However while pursuing its individual brand of tradition and continuity it was perhaps seen by other railways as being irritating with its ever more individualistic, superior and very traditional ways.

The Great Western Railway originated from the desire of Bristol merchants to maintain the position of their port as the second port in the country and the chief one for American trade. The increase in the size of ships and the gradual silting of the River Avon made Liverpool an increasingly attractive port, and with its rail connection with London developing in the 1830s it threatened Bristol's status. The answer for Bristol was, with the co-operation of London interests, to build a line of their own, a railway built to unprecedented standards of excellence to outperform other railways.

The Great Western Railway was founded at a public meeting in Bristol in 1833, and was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1835. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was appointed as engineer at the age of 27, and built the London to Bristol route. Controversially he used a broad gauge of seven feet (actually 7 ft 0.25 in or 2140 mm) for the track, to allow large wheels, providing smoother running at high speeds. Eventually in 1892 the broad gauge was replaced with the standard gauge used by other railways.

One of its great achievements was its safety record and in fact introduced the world's first Automatic Train Control system (ATC). There was also a very strong pride in the railway among its staff and this was one of its greatest assets. It also had a strong sense of stability, continuity and tradition accompanied by gradual progress via steady evolution rather than radical revolution. This can be seen in the very clear family pedigree and evolution that is evident in the designs of its generations of locomotives. There was also a lot of standardisation in their locomotive designs, which was another notable success. This is totally unlike in the other Big Four railways which experienced a design upheaval in 1923. However one pioneering area was its ready adoption of steam railmotors and diesel railcars for use on its many branch lines. These were the pioneers of today's DMUs and so it could be said that the Great Western laid the foundations of the modern railway.

In their later years the GWR also experimented with gas turbine-electric locomotives ordering two prototypes in the 1940s. No 18000 was a prototype gas turbine-electric locomotive ordered by the GWR in 1946 from Brown Boveri for main line services but completion was delayed by the Second World War. It eventually was delivered to BR in 1949. The GWR chose a gas-turbine locomotive because, at the time, there was no single-unit diesel locomotive of sufficient power available to match the King class steam locomotives. No. 18000 was of A1A-A1A wheel arrangment and its gas turbine was rated at 2,500 hp (1,900 kW). It had a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour (145 km/h) and weighed 115 long tons (117 t). It was painted in BR black livery, with a silver stripe around the middle of the body and silver numbers. It proved to have limited success and was unreliable. It was retired from service in 1960 and after many decades in Austria from 1975 it was repatriated in the 1990s and is now preserved.

Photo: GWR prototype gas turbine-electric locomotive No 18000 at Barrow Hill Roundhouse in 2008.

A second gas turbine-electric locomotive No 18100 was ordered by the GWR in the 1940s from Metropolitan Vickers for main line services but again completion was delayed by the Second World War and it was delivered to BR in 1951. It was of Co-Co wheel arrangement and its gas turbine was rated at 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW). It had a maximum speed of 90 mph (140 km/h) and weighed 129.5 tons. It was painted in BR black livery, with a silver stripe around the middle of the body and silver numbers. In early 1958 it was withdrawn from operation and was later returned to Metropolitan Vickers for conversion as a prototype 25kV AC electric locomotive. As an electric locomotive, it was numbered E1000 (E2001 from 1959) and was designated as BR class 80. In this role it had a relatively successful life and the locomotive played an important role to prepare the ground for the 25kV AC electrification being installed on the West Coast Main Line, including the testing of overhead line equipment and staff training. This led to the production class which became the BR Class 81 electric locomotives. As such it began a lineage that can be traced through to BR's later 25kv AC Class 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 and 90 electric locomotives. It was retired from service in 1968 and was scrapped in 1972.

Photo: GWR gas turbine-electric locomotive No 18100 (built 1951), later converted to a 25kv AC electric locomotive in 1958.

The Great Western was famous for its green, copper capped locomotives hauling chocolate & cream carriages. It was a legendary holiday line to the seaside resorts of the West Country, including Cornwall and the English Riviera around Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. It was also more than just a railway it had interests in telephones, police, docks & shipping, hotels, buses, air services, road transport, etc. It also operated several narrow gauge railways in Wales including the Vale of Rheidol Railway, the Corris Railway and the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.

In its later years it was even considering setting up holiday camps. Indeed it was a nation within a nation. However it was dominated by a stable continuity and a conservative, traditional approach and this actually delivered very successfully. The Great Western was a very traditional railway but was much loved. So its demise at nationalisation was much lamented.

Locomotive Superintendents of the Great Western Railway:

Daniel Gooch (1837 - 1864)

Joseph Armstrong (1864 - 1877)

William Dean (1877 - 1902)

George Jackson Churchward (1902 - 1915)

Chief Mechanical Engineers of the Great Western Railway:

George Jackson Churchward (1915 - 1921)

Charles Collett (1921 - 1941)

Frederick Hawksworth (1941 - 1947)

Ancillary Services:

Bus Services:

Bristol Omnibus Company

Bristol Commercial Vehicles Ltd

Western National Omnibus Co. Ltd

City of Oxford Motor Services Ltd

Western Welsh Omnibus Company

Devon General Omnibus & Touring Company

Midland Red

Thames Valley Traction

Southern National Omnibus Company

Docks:

Cardiff

Newport

Port Talbot

Barry

Swansea

Fowey

Teignmouth

Plymouth (Millbay)

Weymouth

Kingswear

Dartmouth

Air Services:

Railway Air Services

Ferry Services:

Fishguard to Waterford

Fishguard to Rosslare

Weymouth Quay to the Channel Islands

Kingswear to Dartmouth

Plymouth (Millbay) tenders

Hotels:

Tregenna Castle Hotel, St Ives

Fishguard Bay Hotel, Fishguard

Manor House Hotel, Moretonhampstead

Great Western Royal Hotel, London Paddington

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London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS)

Photo: An impressive LMS line up at Crewe Works on the 11th September 2005 - Two Duchesses and Two Princesses.
Left to Right: 6233 Duchess of Sutherland, 46229 Duchess of Hamilton, 46203 Princess Margaret Rose and 6201 Princess Elizabeth (Alex Naughton Collection).

The LMS was the largest of the “Big Four” railway companies created in 1923 under the Railways Act 1921. Unfortunately unlike the LNER, which was a bringing together of railways had had cooperated in the past, the LMS was a bringing together of rivals. Unlike the LNER, the LMS had a strongly centralised management style brought about by Sir Josiah Stamp who became the company's President. Even this was a break with tradition as instead of the usual General Manager, the LMS had an American style President. 

The LMS was the world's largest transport organisation and the British Empire's largest commercial undertaking and also had the British Empire's largest hotel chain. It was a wide ranging company with interests in every kind of industrial activity from land development, docks and shipping, to bus and air services. However its early years was plagued by rivalry between the former LNWR and the Midland Railway parts of its organisation. Generally, the Midland prevailed, with the adoption of many Midland practices, such as the livery of crimson lake for passenger locomotives and rolling stock. Then in 1933 William Stanier arrived as the new Chief Mechanical Engineer for the LMS and a revolution occurred heralding a change in the LMS. Stanier introduced some of the finest steam locomotive designs ever built.

So centralisation and standardisation were the key things that dominated the LMS. Another great achievement was the vast improvement in passenger comfort. Its mass-produced standard corridor coaches with their then novel picture windows and small opening toplights and even more novel three-a-side seating with intermediate armrests even in third class made a huge impact on the passenger experience. Catering too improved with an emphasis on seasonal variation. There was also great improvement in productivity on freight, mineral, parcels and ordinary passenger trains. However its publicity naturally focussed on its impressive new express locomotive designs and flagship trains such as the Royal Scot and Coronation Scot express services. This was the LMS's real success: its express passenger services: the locomotives, the rolling stock, the timetable and the way it was marketed as a package. This laid the foundation for today's Intercity network as London and the larger industrial cities of Northern England and Scotland were brought closer together by improved transport links. They also pioneered the use of containers on freight services and laid the foundations for the later “Freightliner” network.

It also inherited a miscellaneous collection of electrified networks including the suburban network around Liverpool. In 1938 the LMS introduced the “Southport” and “Wirral” electric trains for these services. These in fact were the first modern electric multiple unit trains ever introduced in Britain. They were the pioneers of today's EMUs and so it could be said that the LMS laid the foundations of the modern railway. They also laid the foundation for today's successful Merseyrail Electrics network.

Photo: LMS "Southport" Electric Multiple Unit introduced into service in 1938.

The LMS also introduced, in their final years, the first diesel express locomotives for Britain. These were Derby built Co-Cos with 1,600 hp English Electric engines and were designed to work in multiple on the heaviest Anglo-Scottish expresses. The first one, No. 10000, was completed just in time to carry LMS on her sides, while her sister 10001 was completed in BR days. These locomotives were built at Derby Works in association with English Electric and Vulcan Foundry. These two pioneering diesels proved to be reasonably successful prototypes and began a lineage that can be traced through to BR's later Class 40s, 44s, 45s, 46s, 50s, 56s and 58 diesel locomotives. 

Photo: LMS pioneer mainline diesel-electric Co-Co locomotive No 10000.

Another prototype started under the LMS was the No 10100 diesel locomotive nicknamed as the "Fell Locomotive". This was built to the design of H G Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London Midland Region of British Railways, in collaboration with Fell Developments Ltd and Ricardo & Company. Developed for the proposed fast inter-city trains, the Fell locomotive was built at British Railways Derby Works in 1949/50, introduced in January 1951, and remained in service until November 1958. Power came from four supercharged 12 cylinder Paxman RPH Series 1 engines, each producing 500 bhp at 1,500 rpm (2,000 bhp in total). The engines were housed under bonnets at each end of the locomotive which had two drivers' cabs, each with a complete set of controls and instruments. Two 150 bhp 9.6 litre AEC auxiliary engines provided the power for driving ancillary equipment including the superchargers, cooling fans for water and oil radiators, gearbox oil pumps and vacuum exhausters. The main drive was through fluid couplings with a system of direct mechanical gearing. With a 4-8-4 wheel configuration, the 'Fell' had a top speed of 78 mph and weighed 116 tons. The complexity of the Fell made maintenance time consuming and expensive, and no more were built. It was an unsuccessful prototype and was scrapped in 1960.

Photo: LMS Ivatt "Fell Locomotive" 2000hp 4-8-4 diesel electric locomotive No 10100 (built 1950)

In 1945 the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMSR) Chief Mechanical Engineer H.G. Ivatt decided to produce a basic design for an 827 hp Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive for comparison with his slightly less powerful Class 2 2-6-0 and 2-6-2T and slightly more powerful Class 4 4-6-0 steam engines for use on secondary and branch lines. In 1946 the LMSR placed an order with the North British Locomotive Co (NBL) of Glasgow to produce a locomotive to their specification. The loco was constructed just after Nationalisation in 1948-50 and when completed carried the British Railways number 10800 (as opposed to the envisaged LMS number 800). As a result it became the first BR mixed-traffic Diesel-Electric locomotive when it was delivered in 1950. Operationally it was successful enough for BR to order a batch of 54 similar locomotives in 1955 and these later became the BR class 15 and class 16 diesel locomotives. No 10800 was eventually retired and scrapped in 1972.

Photo: LMS Ivatt Bo-Bo 827hp diesel electric locomotive No 10800 (built 1948)

Back in the 1930s the LMS also pioneered development of the diesel shunter. It ordered various experimental and prototype designs before in 1936 ordering a new batch which were the first of a new design of diesel shunters based on the English Electric 6K of 350 horsepower (260 kW) diesel engine. One demonstrator and ten production locomotives were built, numbered 7079 and 7069-7078 by the LMS. The pioneer LMS diesel shunters paved the way for the BR Class 08 diesel shunter. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes.As the standard general-purpose diesel shunter on BR, almost any duty requiring shunting would involve a Class 08. The class became a familiar sight at many major stations and freight yards. However, since their introduction, the nature of rail traffic in Britain has changed considerably. Freight trains are now mostly fixed rakes of wagons and passenger trains are mostly multiple units, neither requiring the attention of a shunting locomotive. Consequently, a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn and their numbers in service are declining. 

Thus the LMS was a true pioneer of electric and diesel traction. The LMS was also home to some of the great railway stations of Britain such as Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow Central, London St Pancras etc which made rail travel a real experience. The LMS will be remembered as a true innovator and for its fine locomotives, and standardisation of passenger rolling stock.

Chairmen of the LMS (known as Presidents from 1927):

Charles Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate (1923 - 1924)

Sir Guy Granet (1924 - 1927)

Sir Josiah Stamp (1926 - 1941)

Sir William Valentine Wood (1941 - 1947)

Chief Mechanical Engineers of the LMS:

George Hughes (1923 - 1925)

Henry Fowler (1925 - 1931)

Ernest Lemon (1931 - 1932)

Sir William Stanier (1932 - 1944)

Charles Fairburn (1944 - 1945)

Henry George Ivatt (1945 - 1947)

Ancillary Services:

Bus Services:

Crosville Motor Services Ltd

North Western Road Car Co. Ltd

Docks:

Tilbury (Riverside Pier)

Gravesend (Town Pier)

Holyhead

Garston

Heysham

Fleetwood

Barrow in Furness

Stranraer Harbour

Silloth

Ayr

Troon

Clyde Piers

Shropshire Union Railway & Canal Company

Air Services:

Railway Air Services

Ferry Services:

Associated Humber Lines

Caledonian Steam Packet Co.

Williamson-Buchanan Steamers

David MacBrayne Ltd

Lake Windermere Steamers

S.Y. Gondola - Coniston Water

Tilbury to Gravesend

Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire

Heysham to Belfast

Fleetwood to Larne

Stranraer to Belfast

Hotels:

Euston Hotel, London Euston

Midland Grand Hotel, London St Pancras

Welcombe Hotel, Stratford upon Avon

Midland Hotel, Derby

Midland Hotel, Manchester Central

Queens Hotel, Birmingham New Street

Station Hotel, Holyhead

North Western Hotel, Liverpool Lime Street

Midland Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool Central

Exchange Hotel, Liverpool Exchange

Queens Hotel, Leeds City

Midland Hotel, Bradford Forster Square

Midland Hotel, Morecambe Promenade

Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh Princes Street

Central Hotel, Glasgow Central

St Enoch Hotel, Glasgow St Enoch

Gleneagles Hotel, Gleneagles

Turnberry Hotel, Turnberry

Station Hotel, Ayr

Station Hotel, Inverness

Station Hotel, Dumfries

Lochalsh Hotel, Kyle of Lochalsh

Dornoch Hotel, Dornoch

Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer

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London & North Eastern Railway (LNER)

Photo: The pride of the LNER is lined up at the National Railway Museum York on the 5th July 2008 for the A4 Great Reunion.
Left to Right: 60009 Union of South Africa, 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, 60019 Bittern and 4468 Mallard (Alex Naughton Collection)

The LNER was the second largest of the “Big Four” railway companies created in 1923 under the Railways Act 1921. Unfortunately the LNER was always in financial difficulties for much of its life . It was hit hard by the changing economic circumstances in its territory, especially in its industrial heartlands. The coal industry in Scotland and the North East was declining at the expense of the East Midlands. Heavy industry was declining and the market for coal exports had collapsed after the 1926 strike. There was an agricultural depression in the Interwar Years and there was a rise of imports shipped into south and west coast ports. However despite these difficult circumstances the LNER did have some successes. It produced some of the best steam express locomotives Europe has ever seen under the leadership of Sir Nigel Gresley (Chief Mechanical Engineer), along with expresses that set new standards of speed and reliability.

Unlike other railways it was not dominated by a single manager, like Lord Stamp (LMS) or Sir Herbert Walker (Southern), nor did it have the continuity and traditions of the Great Western, therefore its management ethos was that of devolution and professionalism. It had a small headquarters in London and most of the work was carried out by its three regions: Southern (incorporating Great Eastern, Great Northern and Great Central), North Eastern (basically what was North Eastern Railway), and Scottish.

However although slightly smaller than the LMS, the LNER was still a massive organisation and in addition to the railway it had extensive bus, port, shipping, hotel and other activities. Indeed it was the world's largest railway dock owner in length of quay though its turnover was substantially less than the wealthy GWR docks. However despite this it worked as an organisation although with antiquated equipment in places. It could not afford the massive standardisation and replacement of rollling stock undertaken by the LMS. Despite its financial difficulties the LNER was never in danger of going bust, as it always generated an operating profit.

The LNER carried a large share of the nation's coal and heavy industry and an enormous range of agricultural produce from East Anglia, the Fens and Scotland along with the rich fishing landings of the Scottish ports and Lowestoft. As a result freight was a mainstay of the LNER's business. The Gresley Pacifics were legendary and Mallard achieved the world speed record for steam which has never been broken. The Jazz suburban services out of London Liverpool Street were the world's most intensive steam operated suburban services. It was well known for its queues of holiday expresses and excursion trains to the “bracing” side of England and Scotland.

Like the other Big Four railways, the LNER also dabbled with electric traction. The LNER started to electrify the Shenfield to Liverpool Street line during the 1930s. Civil engineering work had started before the outbreak of World War 2, but the war delayed completion until 1949. The stretch from the new maintenance depot at Ilford and Chadwell Heath opened on 23rd March 1949, and the remainder of the line opened on 26th September 1949. The route was also extended to Chelmsford in 1956. The line was built using the standard 1500V DC overhead system. Stock for the Shenfield route was designed by the LNER and ordered in 1938. A total of 100 three-car multiple units were ordered in 1938, but only 92 were for the Shenfield route. These were built with English Electric equipment. The remaining 8 were built for the Manchester to Glossop line and used GEC equipment. Actual construction of the cars began after 1945, and the first deliveries were made in March 1949.

Photo: LNER "Shenfield" electric multiple unit (introduced 1949)

The LNER also electrified the Woodhead Route. The scheme to electrify the Manchester, Sheffield and Wath line "Woodhead Route" using overhead 1500V DC was announced in November 1936. The initial proposal included 69 mixed traffic (Class EM1), 9 express passenger (Class EM2), and 10 banking (Class EB1) locomotives.

The mixed traffic EM1 design was started first, and tenders were invited at the end of 1937. In January 1939, electrical equipment for 70 locomotives was ordered from Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co. with final assembly to take place at Doncaster Works. The electrification scheme was halted due to World War 2, and the initial order was reduced to one prototype in November 1939. Prototype No. 6701 was completed in August 1940. No. 6701 was then officially added to stock in September 1941 and undertook some trials. No. 6701 returned to Doncaster on 14th October 1941, and entered storage until after the war. No. 6701 came out of storage in 1947, and was renumbered as No. 6000. Its suspension gear was altered, maintained, and thoroughly cleaned; resulting in improved riding during further trials on the East Coast main line. No. 6000 was then shipped to the Netherlands State Railway in September 1947, and was running by the 15th. By November 1947, No. 6000 had clocked up 10,000 miles but the ride quality was already beginning to deteriorate again. Various alterations were tried, and a satisfactory solution was only reached in March 1948 when drastic changes were made to the bogies, upper-structure springing, and the bogie coupling. These changes were very successful, and were still in place when No. 6000 returned to Britain in February 1952. On its return, No. 6000 was officially named Tommy - an affectionate name that the Dutch had used for it, in reference to their recent experiences with British liberation forces.

Authority was given to build the production EM1 locomotives in July 1946, but the order was not placed until after Nationalisation. Twenty four were ordered from Darlington in January 1948, and fifty seven were ordered from Gorton in July 1948. The Darlington order was later cancelled, but the Gorton engines entered service between October 1950 and August 1953. The production locomotives used the modified spring and bogie arrangement adopted in the Netherlands. The last ten EM1s were also fitted with Timken roller bearing axleboxes, in place of plain white metal bearings. Production EM1 locomotives entered full service in February 1952, operating the Wath to Dunford Bridge stretch. The new Woodhead tunnel opened shortly afterwards on 3rd June 1954. Further trials in early 1955 confirmed that the EM1s met their contract specifications, and that they were ideal for freight operations. The EM1s primarily hauled coal over the Woodhead route.The EM1 locomotives proved adequate for passenger services between Sheffield and Manchester, and they took charge of this traffic after the EM2s were withdrawn in 1968. The official end of passenger services in January 1970 spelt the beginning of the end for the locomotives. BR designated them as Class 76 electric locomotives. The Woodhead route eventually closed to all traffic on 18th July 1981, and EM1s were all retired.  Only one complete EM1 locomotive has been preserved, No. 26020, and now resides at the National Railway Museum in York. 


Photo: Preserved LNER EM1 class No 26020 electric locomotive at the National Railway Museum in York.

Its legendary streamliner trains (the Coronation, the Silver Jubilee and the West Riding Limited) were renowned and involved the use of fixed formation articulated trains that served limited stops en route to destinations specifically targeted for the business market, in this case: Leeds, Newcastle, and Edinburgh. They had slick services, limited accommodation, at-seat restaurant service, modern cooking and air conditioning and they were streamlined. These iconic streamliners were in many respects the forerunner of today's TGV and Eurostar high speed services which also are fixed formation, articulated, limited accommodation and streamlined. Thus in a way the LNER pioneered and laid the foundations for today's modern high speed services such as the Intercity 125 High Speed Train, TGV, ICE and Eurostar to name but a few.

The LNER was also interested in its history. After all its territory included the Stockton & Darlington Railway and the birthplace of railways. Indeed it opened the York Railway Museum which set the foundations for today's National Railway Museum.

Despite being run on tight finances the LNER projected an image via its publicity department that has led it to be remembered worldwide as a high speed railway, as an engineering innovator and transporter of royalty to Balmoral and Sandringham. This was the LNER's clear corporate image which was reinforced by its Gill Sans typeface and elliptical logo. Thus the LNER will best be remembered for its passenger business, its publicity and the legendary streamliner trains and expresses. It was these trains such as the Coronation, the Silver Jubilee and the Flying Scotsman pulled by Gresley's iconic express steam locomotives that forever conjures up the glamour and elegance of the LNER.

Chief Mechanical Engineers of the LNER:

Sir Nigel Gresley (1923 - 1941)

Edward Thompson (1941 - 1944)

Arthur H. Peppercorn (1944 - 1947)

Ancillary Services:

Bus Services:

North Western Road Car Co. Ltd

Eastern National Omnibus Co. Ltd

United Automobile Services

Docks:

Immingham

Hull

Goole

Grimsby

Kings Lynn

Lowestoft

Ipswich

Harwich Parkeston Quay

Clyde Piers

Grangemouth

Air Services:

Railway Air Services

Ferry Services:

Associated Humber Lines

Clyde Steamers

Loch Lomond Steamers

Hull to New Holland

Harwich Parkeston Quay to Hook of Holland

Harwich to Felixstowe

Hotels:

Great Northern Hotel, London Kings Cross

Great Eastern Hotel, London Liverpool Street

Great Central Hotel, London Marylebone

Great Eastern Hotel, Harwich Parkeston Quay

Felix Hotel, Felixstowe

Great Northern Hotel, Peterborough North

Royal Station Hotel, York

Royal Station Hotel, Hull Paragon

Royal Victoria Station Hotel, Sheffield Victoria

Royal Station Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Zetland Hotel, Saltburn by the Sea

Station Hotel, Hunstanton

North British Hotel, Edinburgh Waverley

North British Hotel, Glasgow Queen Street