The last years of the SMJ's pick ups
(Local freight and ironstone trains in the 1950s and
1960s.)
Dick Bodily member of the SMJ Society
Once the Towcester - Ravenstone Junction section of the
former SMJR had closed, through freight workings east of Woodford West Junction
ceased leaving just the ironstone workings to and from Blisworth and Byfield
quarries, the 'Round the World' and the Blisworth - Stratford or Woodford West
pickup goods services.
Blisworth Ironstone Class J
According to a working timetable of 1961 on Mondays and
Wednesdays only, after the Byfield Class J and the Stratford Pick up goods had
departed, iron ore empties were taken from Blisworth exchange sidings to
Blisworth Ironstone sidings at 9:45am as a Class F working. The same loco
bringing back the loaded wagons as a Class J returning to Blisworth by 10:25am.
These trains were allowed 5 minutes only to complete the trip whether loaded or
not. Details of steam locomotives used on this working would be welcome as I
suspect that Ivatt 2MTs were used but have no direct evidence.
After the section from Woodford West to Blisworth ironstone
sidings closed in 1964 it was usual for a diesel shunter to propel empties to a
point on the main line level with the transfer siding, returning with the
loaded wagons collected from the siding. Up to 14 loaded tipplers at a time
could be conveyed in this way. Towards the very end, main line diesels working
the 1245 the Blisworth - Frodingham, including namer class 44 'Peaks', took the
place of the Class 08s, propelling the empty tipplers to the quarry, then
taking the loaded train direct from the quarry sidings back to Blisworth, ready
to go on to Frodingham. These workings finished after 30th September 1967.
Byfield Ironstone Class J
This was the first train of the morning to depart from
Blisworth. Booked to leave at 8:55am daily apart from weekends (1961 Working
Time Table) it took the empty 16 ton ironstone trucks back towards Byfield.
This was invariably a Northampton (2E) Stanier Class 8F working, one of the
engines that appeared on this working was the now preserved 48305 which was
allocated to Northampton from 1957 until November 1962. This engine would have
arrived light engine from Northampton coupled to the engine that would work the
Blisworth class J on the days that it ran.
When Northampton still had 'Super Ds' back in the 1950s
these were sometimes used as occasionally were Black 5s right up to the end of
the workings. A Nuneaton 'Super D' appeared on one occasion during December
1960, earlier in the year a Toton 9F had turned up with the train. Ex-LMS 4Fs
were occasionally used in the 1950s. Loads were presumably slightly lighter as
they would have struggled on the 1 in 98 gradient coming out of the Byfield
Ironstone reception sidings if they had some of the loads that the 8Fs had to
tackle.
If on time the train passed Blakesley at around 9:23am and
often consisted of a longish rake of empty 27 ton wagons. Facing a two mile
climb at 1 in 101 up the bank through Plumpton Wood and confident of the baton
token handling skill of Blakesley signalman Tommy Townsend, the driver would
usually open up the regulator and accelerate smartly sending a plume of black
smoke sky high as the train approached the down home signal. We lads assembled
on the road bridge just past the station would dare each other to get 'a face
full' of the smoke by looking over the parapet, the braver or more foolhardy
would quickly run across the road to get another face full on the other side of
the bridge. Later we would proudly return home looking like chimney sweeps.
According to the 1961 Working Time Table, on arriving with
the empties at Woodford West the 8F and brake van would go on to Byfield where
there was a scheduled 5 minute stop to take on water. The engine and brake van
would arrive at Byfield Ironstone sidings at 10:17am, then would return to
Blisworth with the loaded iron ore wagons arriving back at 12:25pm. How the
empties got from Woodford West to Byfield Ironstone sidings is not clear from
the Working Time Table, presumably they were taken on by the Woodford 'Round
the World' pick up. Neither does this light engine working from Woodford West
to Byfield Ironstone sidings tie in with regular sightings at Byfield during
this era. Rex Partridge recalls that he regularly saw the 8F arrive there,
usually tender first, with the train of empties. He remembers that most of the
wagons were grey steel ones and labelled 'IRON ORE TIPPLER'. They also had a
white diagonal stripe that occupied about one third of the wagon's side. He
recalls being given a ride on K3 61841 from Byfield to the ironstone sidings
one day in 1961 where a Northampton 8F on this working had derailed. He is not
sure whether the K3 took the loaded iron wagons back to Blisworth or whether it
took them just to Woodford.
Most if not all of the loaded Byfield iron ore wagons
assembled daily at Blisworth went forward to Etruria via the West Coast main
line, leaving Blisworth (Tu,W,ThO) at around 2 am (at 3:35am in 1961). In 1960
on average 1000 tons of ore was being conveyed from Byfield to Etruria each
week. A Northampton engine and crew would be relieved at Nuneaton. Another
train which ran on Mondays and Wednesdays only was the 12:45pm Blisworth -
Frodingham. A return working brought back the empties arriving at Blisworth at
6:27pm. Probably most if not all of the Frodingham working consisted of ore
from the Blisworth Ironstone quarry as Byfield iron ore largely went to
Etruria. All freight services east of Woodford West including this iron ore
train officially ceased on 3rd February 1964, but the actual last working may
have taken place slightly earlier.
The 'Round the World'
Pick up goods and minerals This daily weekdays pick up
working linked the various Woodford Yards with the ironstone sidings at Byfield
on the SMJR and Charwelton on the Great Central main line. In 1960 an average
of 1500 tons of ore was being taken away from Byfield alone by these workings
for eventual conveyance to Renishaw in Derbyshire. Although often performed by
a Woodford engine such Thompson L1 tank, an ex LMS 2-6-4 tank, an LNER J39
0-6-0 or a 'Pom Pom' J11, especially towards the end of the SMJ almost any
engine that could be seen on Woodford shed might be used on it. (See the
'Classes seen on SMJ rails' page on this website to appreciate the amazing
variety). Strangely bearing this fact in mind few photographs of this
interesting working seem to have been published. One in 'Branch Lines around
Towcester ' shows it heading for Woodford Yards with its L1 tank carrying a
Class J headcode. Another picture taken by the same photographer of the same
engine probably earlier on the same day shows it leaving Woodford West sidings
working towards Byfield carrying a class K headcode. Strange, but it was
officially a Class K pickup until it got to Byfield Ironstone sidings but
became a Class J minerals as soon as it was due to leave from there. In 1960
the Class J and Class K categories were amalgamated by BR to become Class 9
mineral or pickup goods, so this change of description and lamp code no longer
took place.
As at no point in its comings and goings was the locomotive
in charge of the' Round the World' more than a couple of miles away from the
safety of Woodford shed, this working was frequently used to test out both
Woodford and 'foreign' engines that had recently had some repairs carried out
by Woodford. Rex Partridge noted B16 61444 and York K1 62063 among many unusual
loco workings. They were both tried out on this working after needing some
minor work done following arrival at Woodford Up New Yard with fitted freights.
The now preserved ex -Woodford 'Flying Pig' 43106 also appeared on it on
occasion.
The 'Round the World' was booked to leave Woodford Yards
early afternoon initially running as a Class K pick up goods, its crew signed
on at the sheds and took what ever engine was deemed available. They then
proceeded to the Old Up Yard where they picked up their train at 2:15pm
according to the June - September 1959 Working Time Table, but in other periods
it ran at 2 25pm. First stop was Woodford West sidings (due at 2:20pm 1959
Working Time Table) where shunting took place and where transfers with the SMJR
generally took place. The siding here were along part of the disused south
curve which was initially briefly used for through services from Marylebone -
Stratford. The SMJR morning pick ups bound for Blisworth and Stratford had both
left Woodford West by this time in the morning. Next stop was Byfield Ironstone
sidings where further shunting took place and where loaded iron ore tipplers
eventually bound for Hawarden Bridge via Woodford and Banbury were picked up.
An unusual practice that took place here was for the brake van to be left at a
point on the gradient between the Twistle and Muddy Lane bridges with its brake
firmly applied standing on the SMJ main line for about half an hour, while this
took place, then allowed to run back onto the completed train by the force of
gravity alone. According to the 1959 Working Time Table1950s it was due to
leave at 4 15pm but often by about 3pm the train was on its way back to
Woodford where it dropped its loaded iron stone wagons in the Old Down Yard. By
now it would be running as a Class J ironstone train. It then went on to the
New Down Yard where it picked up a Woodford C&W examiner who would examine
the wagons at Charwelton. Next stop after a short dash along the GCR main line
was Charwelton ironstone sidings. Quite often this part of the working would be
engine and brake only. In 1959 it was booked to arrive at 'Woodford Yards' at 4
15pm and leave at 4:32pm. At Charwelton's transfer sidings (arriving at 4:52pm
1959 Working Time Table) the C&W man would check loaded wagons that were to
be collected and taken to Woodford New Up yard . Towards the end of ironstone
working these wagons were taken to Woodford New Down Yard instead as they were
eventually to leave northbound up the Great Central route. As can be seen the
'Round the World' acted as a trip freight working between the four Woodford
yards as well as a pick up for the ironstone wagons. The loco and crew had not
finished yet as they would then stand as passenger pilot at Woodford station
into the evening. One duty in the 1950s was to transfer coaches used on the
last 'Ord' service from Marylebone to Woodford to siding near Woodford North
Junction. These carriages can be seen standing there in some pictures and
videos of the period taken from the Eydon Road bridge.
Byfield Ironstone closed early in 1965 and with it the
visits by the 'Round the World'. The last such working ran on 12th January 1965
with Woodford 8F 48141 in charge. The last goods to be handled at Byfield
station itself was believed to have been metal rods used in the construction of
the radio communications tower on a hill between the village and
Charwelton.
Stratford-Blisworth Pick up Goods.
By 1961 these workings, which had at one time run from
Broom Junction to Blisworth, ran on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. They
typically consisted of a mixture of vans and mineral (mainly coal) wagons.
My memories of the pick ups were of what happened at
Blakesley. From a very early age in the late 1940s I was taken by my gran to
watch the trains go by. In those days passenger as well as freight workings
passed mainly hauled by tall chimnied Stratford 3Fs or by 4Fs from a variety of
sheds. Occasionally double headed 4Fs worked through freights to and from the
Olney line. East of Woodford West both Towcester and Blakesley received coal
wagons for local coal merchants by means of the pick ups almost up to the end
of the line. Wiggins and Williams stored coal at Towcester, while Ted Botterill
stored his at Blakesley. For a couple of weeks when I was in my teens I was off
school with German Measles and not allowed to go to school. As I was getting
under my mother's feet Ted, who lodged with my gran, offered to take me on his
deliveries. Each morning we would collect his immaculate Morris Commercial
lorry from a lock up garage at the back of Drinkwater's grocery store and drive
to Blakesley station. Ted specialised in bulk deliveries of a quarter of a ton
upwards, leaving most of the casual single sackful trade to the bigger firms.
As he only had one lorry he would tend to have only one wagon to unload at a
time. He would pull up his lorry next to the wagon so that it was easier to
shovel coal from the wagon. When the lorry was full he would drive it a few
yards to his bunkers then tip it. A whole wagon could be quickly unloaded this
way. Often the Blakesley signalman to earn a few extra bob would gradually
unload a wagon for Ted during slack periods. When loading up large bulk
deliveries Ted would use the station weighbridge to weigh his lorry before and
after loading an order to check that he had been accurate and fair in his
measures rather than weigh individual bags. Theft of coal at night time could
be a problem and he sometimes tipped a bucket of whitewash over his coal heap
to check if this was taking place. When Ted became seriously ill just before
the closure of the line he employed two men to carry on his business. So that
these men, who lived in Abthorpe and Woodend, had a shorter distance to collect
the lorry each morning, Ted had a new lock up garage constructed at the station
next to his coal store. This light coloured wood building is prominent in
photos of Blakesley station taken in the 1960s. One of these men, the late
Derrick Bodily recalled that Ted was always looking for a good deal so never
stuck with just one colliery for long. Consequently coal would arrive for him
at Blakesley on the pick ups from both directions. If a wagon was being dropped
from a down pick up, often the 4F would pull forward into the siding then
reverse leaving the wagon in the headshunt, from which point the wagon would be
allowed to roll into the siding once the engine was out of the way. A drop off
from a Blisworth bound pickup would involve simply reversing into the siding,
uncoupling the wagon, then giving it a gentle shove. Ted wasn't adverse to
having coal products especially coke delivered to the station yard by road.
There wasn't any real demand for smokeless fuels for household use in the 1950s
or even the 1960s but coke was used to fire heating boilers in local schools
including Blakesley's which usually received its coke supplies from Wiggins. At
times in the 1950s both Wiggins and Williams were also having occasional coal
deliveries at Blakesley as well as regular ones at Towcester. The village
policeman would cycle to the station most mornings to show a police presence
and also to have a chat with Stationmaster Cecil Smart, his bike can be seen
propped against the main station building in some of the photographs taken at
the time. They were frequently joined in conversation by Ted and the guard from
the Stratford pick up; working life seemed much less pressured and more
leisurely in those days even if it often involved more risk and physical
effort. Ted died around 1962 and Derrick kept the business going for a short
while Ted's legal affairs were wound up in December of that year. Derrick
thought that no more coal wagons arrived at Blakesley after this date and that
by then very little goods was handled there at all.
In addition parcels and other boxed goods would be unloaded
at Blakesley station platforms from the vans and taken into the station
building. One of the local shops still had some of its goods delivered by rail,
some farm animal feed arrived also. This service proved invaluable during the
great snows of 1963 as the village was completely cut off by road for well over
a week. Also it must be remembered that in the 1950s people could relatively
inexpensively send large items by rail to almost anywhere in the country. As a
small child I received my first bicycle in such a manner. My cousin in Cornwall
had grown out of it. It came all the way to Blakesley from Perranwell on the
Falmouth branch, dismantled inside a large cardboard box. While Dad reassembled
it I made a den inside the box! Towcester handled much more general goods
including various assignments for Groom & Tattersalls foundry opposite the
station.
During the early 1950s according to the 1951 Working Time
Table, these services had been daily with calls at Aston le Walls siding and
Byfield Ironstone sidings timetabled by the down Stratford bound train. It's
likely that the latter call was to supply the Byfield ironstone locos with coal
rather than to take or drop iron ore tipplers. Up until the closure of
Stratford shed (21D) these pickups, along with the passengers trains until
their withdrawal, were usually powered by Stratford 3Fs and 4Fs or by
Northampton 4Fs. Northampton only had one 3F of its own but many Northampton
crews preferred the saturated Stratford 3Fs to their own superheated 4Fs
particularly for passenger workings. They were said to accelerate better on
these lightly loaded trains. I recall seeing Northampton's sole 3F 43399 on the
Stratford pickup at least once in the late 1950s. Further back in time
Northampton Johnson 2F 0-6-0s often worked these workings. Engines were stabled
at Stratford 21D or Northampton 2E overnight. Occasionally 4Fs from other
sheds, especially Bedford and Saltley would appear. But by the 1960s all the
pick ups were usually in the hands of Northampton's 4F fleet. Not that other
classes never appeared though. I once saw a Woodford K3 on a Blisworth bound
pick up and when servicing of the locos was transferred to the ex GWR shed at
Stratford very occasionally a Collett 22xx 0-6-0 would work through to
Blisworth, then go on to Northampton shed to be stabled overnight. A
Wellingborough Class 08 Diesel shunter was once seen working a train westwards
near Blakesley. The last few weeks were the preserve of Northampton allocated
'Flying Pigs'.
Crewing was not an all Northampton preserve. Before the
passenger services were withdrawn five crews actually signed on at Blisworth to
work SMJ line trains along with their Northampton and Stratford based
counterparts, they also crewed the 8F hauled chalk tipper trains which
originated from Tottenhoe Quarry sidings on the Dunstable - Leighton Buzzard
line and ran on from Blisworth exchange sidings to Southam cement works on the
Weedon - Leamington line. I well remember these trains thundering through
Banbury lane Crossing on the West coast Main line not quite so spectacularly as
the Annesley - Woodford Runners on the Central but very impressive none the
less. After the demise of the SMJ line passenger trains 2 or 3 crews still
signed on at Blisworth to work these chalk trains.
The standard crewing procedure for the SMJ line pick ups
however from at least the late 1940s onwards was for Stratford crews to work
the up train from Stratford and for Northampton crews to work the down train
from Blisworth. When the two trains met roughly midday at Byfield their
respective crews would swop trains and work back to where they started from,
the opportunity was taken to take on water as Byfield was one of the few SMJ
stations that had a tower water tank. It is said that many of the Northampton
crews were not signed for the route beyond Byfield, but in actuality the
progress of these pickups was so slow that a trip as far as Byfield and back
would comfortably fill up a shift. Incidentally when the Olney line was still
open Bedford crews often worked lodging turns to Gloucester with through
freights over the SMJR.
The last day of the Stratford -Blisworth pick ups was 7th
September 1962. Both trains were worked by Northampton's 'Flying Pigs', 43115
hauled the Blisworth bound train that day. These Ivatt 4MTs which had replaced
2E's 4F fleet were transferred soon after the demise of the SMJ pick ups east
of Woodford West. After they ended John Jennings travelled on a special working
from Stratford which collected stranded empty wagons from sidings at Ettington
and Kineton. Sidings further east continued to be served by other workings as
detailed elsewhere.
Blisworth - Woodford West pick ups
On Saturdays, when there was no Stratford- Blisworth pick
up service scheduled, a pick up goods would run from Blisworth as far as
Woodford West only. The 1961 Working Time Table shows it leaving Blisworth at
8:55am and returning from Woodford West at 11:15am finally arriving back at
Blisworth at 12:55pm. It was booked to stop at Towcester and Blakesley for
about ten minutes at each in both directions. Blakesley signalman Tommy
Townsend would shut down his signal box at about 12 noon then dash off to get
ready to manage Blakesley & Woodend Football Club. This was was a tight
schedule with Kick Off times at around 2pm especially if they were playing an
away match some distance away at Winslow or Brixworth for instance. Loco power
was almost invariably a Northampton 4F although 8Fs and Black 5s very
occasionally appeared. It is not known how any wagons destined to be collected
by this pick up arrived at Woodford West as the 'Round the World' was not
thought to have ran on Saturdays but there are unconfirmed reports that
Woodford's Class1961 Working Time Table 08 shunters may have made local trips
workings to Woodford West in addition to the regular steam hauled 'Round the
World'.
On weekdays there was also a similar service in the
afternoon to Woodford West. This is shown in the 1961 Working Time Table as
taking the form of an engine and brake working from Blisworth to Woodford West
leaving at 1:35pm and arriving at 2 35pm. This would work back as a non stop
pick up goods leaving at 3pm and arriving back at Blisworth at 3 55pm. This
working was usually a Northampton 4F but quite often an 8F. Presumably it was
to collect any wagons or trucks left for it at Woodford West by the 'Round the
World'.
From 7th September 1962 the Stratford - Blisworth pick ups
were discontinued and until the complete closure were replaced by Blisworth -
Woodford West workings similar to the previous Saturday service. At around the
same time the afternoon working was discontinued. I've not been able to
ascertain whether or not this was a MWF only or a daily working. It has
variously been reported as leaving Northampton at 7:30am and also at 9am. By
this time other locomotive types were becoming more frequent on this working,
Black 5s or 8Fs even 9Fs were provided by Northampton shed, while all its 4Fs
had been gone by June '62 to be temporarily replaced by 'Flying Pig' Ivatt
4MTs. These only lasted for 4 months at 2E but one was photographed on the SMJR
by Peter Fleming . The late Ian Lyman working as a railwayman at the time took
trips on some of these last workings to Woodford West leaving Northampton at
7:30am, filming what was eventually to appear on his excellent East Midlands
DVD. He recalled 'The only trains over this end of the SMJ as far as I know in
my time were the 12.45 Blisworth - Frodingham ironstone (empties were pushed up
before taking the full loads away) and the 8.30 Northampton - Woodford West
Junction. pick up freight which ran Mon. to Sat. I travelled on the Woodford
goods on a good many occasions. It was booked to leave Northampton Up Sidings
at 8:30am Mon to Sat taking traffic for the SMJ, worked at Blisworth then left
there around 9.30 depending on how much needed to be done and how long it took
to get across the main line. It worked at Blisworth Ironstone Sidings,
Towcester and Blakesley and on arrival at Woodford West Junction. (see my
Telerail DVD) they shunted the small yard then went down to Byfield box for
lunch where the signalman had the kettle boiling ready. On occasion they would
fly shunt the BRO down whilst the engine took water then followed later.
Northampton Loco and men worked the job. There would be a Blisworth Guard until
they all transferred to Northampton, I think around early 1963, then the job
was one of 12 in a Northampton link. I looked upon this working (along with the
Oundle daily goods which I joined at Billing) as a good day out when I could
get my hand on the regulator ! We had 120 goods guards at Northampton then and
I knew them all together with many drivers and firemen and worked with the
Running Foremen so getting rides at one end of the train or the other was no
problem on any of the Northampton jobs except perhaps running into Euston - it
was prudent to transfer into the train before arrival there as you didn't know
who was about..! Always an interesting day out for me...!'
The last working was believed to have been around January
1964, the official closure date east of Woodford West was 3rd February
1964.
Parcels train?
A photograph exists of a mysterious Northampton - Stratford
'parcels' working, seen reversing into Towcester's up platform headed by now
preserved Northampton 8F 48305. Despite the train being formed of what appear
to be GUV type vehicles the loco carries a pick up freight Class K lampcode
which suggests that the working is the normal Stratford pickup formed of very
unusual stock and unusually 8F hauled. It's dated 16th February 1962. Any
information would be welcome.
Stratford GW yard - Clifford Sidings trip working
There was a trip working from Stratford WR yard to the SMJ
yard that usually took place around 10am. and was worked by a Collett 0-6-0.
According to John Jennings sometimes this was delayed until the afternoon if
the SMJ box had not been open earlier. But when the Stratford - Blisworth pick
ups were discontinued a daily working from the GWR Birmingham Road Yard to
Clifford Sidings continued hauled by a Collett 0-6-0. Coal and ash from motive
power depots including Leamington and Nuneaton would be conveyed in standard 10
ton open wagons. If there was no traffic on a particular day the 2251 class
would still run light engine to take a churn of drinking water to Clifford
Sidings. Coal and agricultural supplies were taken to Old Town yard as well for
the Coop coal depot and for Dingley's.
Occasional ironstone workings Rex Partridge has established
by conversations with a former employee at Byfield that occasionally ironstone
was taken westwards from Byfield, he's not sure whether or not these workings
finished once the the Broom section of the SMJR closed to traffic. John
Jennings has pointed out to me that the quality and type of ironstone mined at
different quarries varied greatly and that different foundries or steelworks
might require a different type of ironstone for a particular task and that this
might well have led to occasional unusual workings from westwards or eastwards
from Byfield or Blisworth as well.
Light engine workings east from 2F Woodford shed
As witnessed by myself and various others including Robin
Patrick (at the time a Blisworth main line signalman) in the 1960s sometimes
engines would travel light engine eastwards from Woodford to Blisworth. The
reason for these working which often took place late morning on Saturdays was
to take engines from Woodford shed to Rugby 2A for work to be done. Sometimes
these engines would spend a night on Northampton shed en route. When the Great
Central London Extension became part of the London Midland Region, Rugby 2A
shed 'pulled rank' over Woodford as the area's main shed and demanded that some
repair work that Woodford had probably been better capable of doing was
transferred to them. This was all part of the grand scheme of things where the
LMR gradually ran down the Great Central main line. It is said that the staff
at Rugby didn't know how to deal with problems with ex LNER 3 cylinder engines
with Gresley conjugated valve gear and that fitters had to urgently sent for
from Woodford to complete some of the very work that they had been unjustly
deprived of! Often engines needing work at Rugby would be towed dead from
Woodford behind a WD 2-8-0. Also engines that had strayed to Woodford from ex
LMS depots would be returned by such workings. Among such workings round 1960-1
on a Saturday I once saw a Woodford WD towing a York B16 and a Wellingborough
Crosti 9F eastwards through Blakesley. Robin Patrick saw ex LNER types and is
pretty sure that these included a V2 at Blisworth around the same time. A
Darnall B1 appeared at Towcester as well.
Cattle trains
Cattle wagon workings had become rare by the 1950s even,
but were observed by the late Derrick Bodily at Towcester and Blakesley while
working for coal merchants at both locations. By necessity such cattle wagons
to avoid unnecessary suffering to the livestock had often to be worked as
special one off workings. Peter Fleming recorded seeing such a working leave
Blisworth in the early 1960s. The engine and brake returned soon after
suggesting that the livestock travelled only as far as Blakesley at the
furthest, more likely Towcester. Clive Boardman (Woodford fireman in the 1950s
recalls taking a couple of cattle tracks from Woodford to Kineton behind a
borrowed B16. (See the 'Clive Boardman Remembers' page on this website)
However, up until the late 1950s possibly later, a dealer at Towcester would
receive unfortunate old horses that had travelled via a normal goods service.
These horses would then be led up to six at a time to a field beside the A5
near the police station where they would stay for a day or so before being
taken to an animal slaughterhouse by lorry.
Breakdowns and Inspections
On the rare occasions that breakdown trains were required
they originated from Woodford and were usually WD hauled. Occasionally
inspection coaches would visit parts of the SMJR usually from Northampton,
occasionally from Stratford. Woodford also sometimes sent route learning trains
especially to learn the new route when the Stratford South Curve opened in June
1960, L1s were photographed on such workings. PW staff were still using a hand
propelled trolley to travel to locations along the line in the early 1950s.
Much earlier in SMJ and LMS days my grandfather used a bicycle type device,
probably the one pictured in Jordan's book. A small petrol engine trolley took
the place of the old 'hand pump'. It was stored at either Towcester or Byfield.
Proper inspection trains were much less frequently seen and a variety of locos
appeared on them ranging from Fowler 2Ps to modern BR Standard types.
Unscheduled pick ups
During the late 1950s or very early 1960s I remember on at
least one occasion a pick up freight arriving at Blakesley at around 3pm on a
Saturday afternoon . Whether or not this was a very late running Saturday
Blisworth - Woodford West morning pick up or a one off trip working I do not
know, but it spent a lot of time shunting at Blakesley station and may well
have returned directly to Blisworth without travelling further west.
Unfortunately I was more interested in watching the football match in an
adjacent field at the time. I also recall that Tommy Townsend would sometimes
have to stay on duty on Saturday afternoons as trains were due to run and he
would miss watching his team play but I've no idea what the workings were but
only that this very rarely happened.
Car carriers
During the late 1940s and/or early 1950s at on at least
four occasions an experimental special car carrier service transported away new
Rootes Group vehicles that had been stored at Silverstone Airfield from a ramp
at or near the cattle dock at Towcester. The Rootes Group rented the 5 hangers
at Silverstone Airfield from the Air Ministry from 1946 onwards, at a time when
the RAC was beginning to lease the runways and perimeter road to develop the
motor racing circuit. Thousands of Rootes vehicles and spares were stored in
the hangers, including Hillman Minxes, Sunbeams and Humber Snipes.
Storage of rolling stock at Towcester and along the closed
Olney branch
From the late 1950s onwards much redundant and frequently
vandalised stock was stored at Towcester. Coaches were stored on the long
siding towards the former Greens Norton Junction which occupied the formation
of the closed Banbury route, while wagons were stored along the former Olney
route. I only saw coaches being added or removed a couple of times, once by two
8Fs and another time by a Jubilee.
By October 1958 "The Railway Observer" reported that "During
the first two weeks of August, over 1000 surplus wagons were placed on the
eastern end of the Ravenstone Wood - Towcester section, extending over the
bridge over the main line". The "R.O." reports in May 1960 that "Track on the
Ravenstone Wood - Towcester section is still intact, and the part from the M1
road bridge to Ravenstone Wood is occupied by about 300 coaches awaiting scrap,
mostly Wolverton products, including a recessed end-door centre-corridor
12-wheeler M816, though there a few examples of CLC and Midland stock. The
wagons from the western half of the line were removed earlier this year, but
the line remains derelict". By September 1960 the "R.O." reports "Buffer stops
have been placed in position on the Ravenstone Wood - Towcester section, near
the bridge over the main line at Roade. Indications are that the bridge is to
be removed". Subsequently it was reported that dismantling of the girder bridge
commenced on August 22nd (1960). A year later in September 1961 the "R.O."
reported that "a steady clearance had been made of the redundant coaching stock
and on 14th May (1961) only about a dozen remained, and a few days later even
these were removed. However, long lines of idle wagons now occupy the sections
between the M1 and Salcey, and between Towcester and the dismantled bridge at
Roade. "
The "R.O." for September 1964 has a short piece "Lifting of
track on the long-closed section between Roade and Towcester is now in
progress, but from Roade to Ravenstone Wood is still rusty and overgrown".
Other independent reports state that track lifting was in progress on the Roade
to Ravenstone Wood section at the end of August 1964.
Kineton MoD Depot supplies trains
During the 1950s occasionally special workings carrying
army vehicles including armoured vehicles and heavy field guns were seen by
myself passing through Blakesley bound for Kineton Camp. These 'tank trains'
caused great excitement for us village kids as it was a badly kept secret when
they were running, but they may well have ceased by the time that the Olney
branch stopped through freights from running east of Woodford.
The short section of the SMJR from Fenny Compton to Kineton
MoD remains open to this day. When the rest of the line was open trains ran to
Kineton Camp most days powered by Banbury locos usually Collett 0-6-0s or Ivatt
2MTs. Later after closure of the SMJR main line various BR diesel types
including Brush Type 4s (Cl 47) and EE type 3s (Cl 37) were used to take these
trains to transfer sidings at Fenny Compton where MoD locos took over. Nowadays
there is provision for MoD supplies trains to work weekdays as required from
Didcot Yard right into the Kineton MoD complex hauled by DB Schenker (ironic
that ...a German company!) Class 66s. Recently a DBS Class 60 appeared on one
working.
In recent years, as at Long Marston, parts of the extensive
sidings at Kineton have been hired out for the storage of surplus main line
rolling stock including Virgin Mk 3 coaches, Class 92 electrics and Class 323
EMUs. In addition preserved locomotives have put in appearances at Kineton
including a Deltic and King 6024 which also ran in steam to Fenny Compton.
Freight over the Olney and Banbury lines
There was no pick up goods service on the Olney line during
the 1950s or 1960s but through freights such as the 'Banana trains' used the
route up to its closure in 1958, the official closure date was 22nd June
'58.
Few details and no pictures at all have been found by me of
pick up freight workings over the Banbury line but it is believed that there
may have been a single pick up working to Banbury and back from Blisworth or
Towcester or else mixed trains were used. All trains over the line were powered
by 3Fs or 4Fs and crewed by Northampton men. Robert Stevens in his booklet
'Towcester memories of the Slow, Miserable & Jolty' talks of a probably
only once weekly goods earlier in the 1940s running from Towcester to Banbury
and back which frequently consisted of one or two wagons and a brake van. Derek
Mutton in his book 'Off Northampton Shed' describes a mixed traffic working in
the late 1940s or early 1950s which involved a single coach school pupils'
special train that ran to Banbury then returned with a service that was not
listed on the public timetable but consisted of the passenger coach with a
couple of vans or trucks behind. Perhaps all regular freight workings took this
form. Surprisingly only one ThO Northampton - Banbury and return cattle train
used the line even though Merton Street had a lot of traffic via the Bletchley
- Buckingham route. The 4F engine on this Thursdays only working from
Northampton would spend time shunting Merton Street's good sidings before
returning to Northampton. Banbury Cattle market held on Thursdays was then the
biggest in Europe so there was potential for such traffic. The line closed
officially after the last working on 30th June 1951.
The final track lifting trains after closure of the SMJR
line
These were worked eastwards and westwards along from
Woodford and provided some much needed work for Woodford's recently required
and largely redundant 8F fleet which had been allocated as replacements for its
WDs. However when the Olney Branch was lifted Northampton crews and engines
were utilised. Ian Lynman gives further details, " The trains came up from
Northampton Far Cotton. Northampton power, men and guard booked on daily around
5:30am and were relieved at around 1:00pm by another engine, men and guard.
This was the case when the track was lifted between Roade and Towcester and
later Ravenstone Wood Junction. to Roade."
Parcels traffic at Blisworth SMJ station after the line's
closure
For a while during the 1960s the SMJ station was used for
sorting parcels which arrived at the main line station and were bound for the
Southern Region. This happened as an indirect result, that isn't quite clear,
of electrification work nearer London. The vans would be left at a main line
platform then shunted into the SMJ station by an Ivatt 2MT tank from
Northampton, probably one of 'the twins', 41218 and 41219 which both lasted at
Northampton until July 1965. It's not known if other classes were used. It's
quite possible that these engines were also used on the trip workings to
Blisworth Ironstone sidings. A new extended canopy was provided at the SMJ
platforms to protect the transfer of parcels during bad weather.
 |
I regard this article as a joint effort rather than by own
work, I've mainly acted as editor putting together other people's information
and plus theirs and my own reminiscences. Special thanks go to Barry Taylor for
providing working timetable information and other invaluable help, to John
Jennings who has provided much information about what went on at Stratford, to
the late Ian Lyman for details about Blisworth - Woodford West pickups, to
Robin Cullup who has provided information about the storage of rolling stock at
Towcester and along the Olney Branch and to Rex Partridge for much help
compiling the 'Round the World' section in particular and being consulted on
all matters Woodford & Byfield. Other people who have provided much needed
information include Alwyn Sparrow, the late Derrick Bodily, Clive Boardman, C
Dilkes, Peter Fleming, Robin Patrick & Bob Salmons. My apologies to anyone
I've forgotten to include. (Let me know and I'll put it right!) If you spot any
inaccuracies or have any additional information, please let me know as I intend
to update the article as required.
Bibliography & further reading
Books
"The Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway" -
J M Dunn (Oakwood Press 1952)
"The Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland
Junction Railway - A Jordan (Oxford PC 1982)
"A History of The
Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway" - Riley & Simpson
(Lamplight Publications 1999)
"The Northampton & Banbury Junction
Railway" - S Jenkins (Oakwood Press 1990)
"The Banbury to Verney Junction
Branch"- B Simpson (Lamplight Publications 1994)
"The Last Years of The
Great Central Main Line" (Woodford Halse chapter by Rex Partridge) R Robotham
(Ian Allan 1986)
"Off Northampton Shed" - D Mutton (Wild Swan Publications
2006)
"Branch Lines Around Towcester" - Mitchell & Smith (Middleton
Press 2008)
"Towcester Memories of the Slow, Miserable & Jolty"- R
Stevens (Towcester LRS 1994)
Magazine Articles
Railway Bylines Jan, Feb& March 2008 all contain
general articles about the SMJ
Steam Days Jan 2009 - Andy Thompson's SMJ
article
Steam Days June 2010 - Rex Partridge's article about Byfield and
Woodford - Stratford through freight in the '60s
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