by John Clayson
We arrived from Leicester with Dad's camera loaded with the fairly new (it was introduced in 1961) 35mm Kodachrome II colour slide film. With a film speed of only 25 ASA shots of fast expresses were generally to be avoided in favour of studies of stationary or slow-moving subjects…
I haven't been able to identify the locomotive, but this may yet be possible because its number can be seen stamped into the metal of the combination lever (the near-vertical link on the right). However, at the current scanning resolution it cannot be made out.
The locomotive might be fresh from repairs at Doncaster works and was being run in, although not a general overhaul because it doesn't appear to have received a repaint.
By 1962 a bright, rust-free finish on the steel rods and links was difficult to maintain in normal service because the railway was running down the number of staff involved with the cleaning of its dwindling fleet of steam locomotives.
'Falcon' was built by Brush Traction at Loughborough in 1961 with twin Maybach engines. At this time it was based at Sheffield Darnall (41A) motive power depot and was under test on a range of duties.
In a few minutes’ time it will pass the scene of its high speed dash of 24 years before, on 3rd July 1938. Today 'Mallard' is displayed at the National Railway Museum in York, where it is seen by hundreds of thousands of people every year.
This picture shows the circular window provided in the back of the tender to illuminate a very narrow corridor used when locomotive crews were changed mid-way on non-stop runs between London and Edinburgh.
On the left is, as I've since found out, one of the oldest of the station buildings then in existence, a wooden structure which housed the down side General Waiting Room. There was also an adjoining small room, originally a booking office but by this time it was the train announcers' room. On the right is the south end of a brick building, the down side refreshment room.
Framed in the opening is the streamlined front of class ‘A4’ locomotive No. 60010 'Dominion of Canada' which has paused on the Up and Down Goods line with a northbound express freight train. In the early 1960s these prestige express locomotives of the 1930s were displaced from the fastest passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line by the ‘Deltic’ diesels. In 1963 No. 60010 was among several transferred to Scotland to work passenger expresses between Glasgow and Aberdeen for a few more years. 'Dominion of Canada' still exists, displayed at the Canadian National Railway Museum near Montreal.
Beyond the A4, in the shed yard, is the smokebox of one of the numerous 'Austerity' type heavy freight locomotives and the side of a 'Peak' Type 4 diesel-electric loco.
The posters on the left advertise the delights of Gorleston-on-Sea, Weymouth, Blackpool, St. Ives, Portrush and 'Holiday Camping Coaches' (old railway carriages converted to provide basic accommodation and stabled in sidings at wayside stations).
Unfortunately this photograph suffers a little from camera shake, perhaps because of the longer exposure needed as light was fading late in the afternoon and the lens was 'stopped down' to maintain sufficient depth of field for the scene.
Back to Sixty years and counting: Grantham station photographs on their diamond anniversary.
Very interesting John, looking forward to the rest of the photos. Takes us back a bit again to the wonderful days of steam, and many cherished memories on the footplate.
Regards, Roy.
Hello Roy,
Thanks for staying in touch. I'm very pleased to hear that you're enjoying the first group of pictures, and it's always pleasing to receive a response. We nearly always seemed to travel to Grantham in good weather. Dad had been in the Royal Navy during WW2 and he had some training in meteorology, so he would sometimes listen to the shipping forecast on the radio on a Wednesday evening and decide then if we would go the next day. I used to think that was odd, Leicester being 70 miles from the nearest seashore, but he nearly always got it right!
All the best,
John
The quality of the scans is superb. Presumably the Peak had failed on a service and was shunted into the loco yard until it could be towed to works for attention?
Thanks very much for posting these images.
Jon
Hello Jon,
It's good to hear from you, and I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying this first selection of photos. Fortunately the colour pictures were taken on Kodachrome film which time has shown to be very stable. Digital processing after scanning allows final tweaks to be made and minor blemishes, such as specks of dust on the film, to be dealt with. You could well be right about the Peak being a failure and awaiting collection for repairs. I can remember examples of the 28 Gateshead-based locos, Nos. D166 to D193, passing through on passenger expresses, but in my experience main line diesels of any type weren't a routine sight at the Loco. There were usually only diesel shunters, which had taken over as pilots from L1s, N2s, C12s etc. (going back in time).
Best wishes,
John
John Clayson
Wow. I'm really going to look forward to this series of pictures. Fantastic. The one for me today is the gent reading the newspaper in the Pullman. What a brilliant "moment in time" capture. Thanks for your time in uploading this. Can't wait for the next one. Stay safe.
Andy. 🙂
Thanks for your kind and appreciative feedback Andy. I'll be including more photographs akin to the one you've highlighted, so if you'd like to choose a 'favourite' on a regular basis that will be very welcome ...and I'm sure it goes without saying that the same invitation's open to everyone.
John Clayson