The LNER Encyclopedia

For those who may be interested, this post is a photo album of ex-LNER subjects taken using a variety of cameras in the late 1950s and early 1960s when I was a teenager.

Coming from a north east of England family where my father was a keen photographer, it was almost inevitable that I followed suit. In addition I was hooked on steam trains at a very early age

There is a bias towards the area of Teesside and Darlington

The first pictures I took were using a Box Brownie and this is probably the best of them. It shows the Darlington standby loco on 18th August 1958. A year later she was given a double chimney, still retaining a measure of good looks but trough deflectors put an end to all that in March '62. Only 23 of the A3s escaped the addition of these.

For a Box Brownie this isn’t a bad shot but the slow shutter speed meant that to attempt moving subjects was just a waste of film, as I quickly discovered.

The same Brownie box camera was used to take a departing excursion from Scarborough later that month. Even though the train was moving slowly the shutter has not quite managed to completely freeze the B16.
Later in '58 the school railway society had its annual trip to Doncaster Works. It was not blessed with good weather. Damp and heavily overcast the camera struggled to find enough light to register any images at all. On that day (18th December) the last surviving C12 was in for cutting up. The only time I saw one of these attractive tank engines with their distinctive GN chimney.
Other sights that day were several B17s in for scrapping, some in very clean condition. Also 60093 ex works newly fitted with a double chimney.

In December ’58 the Box Brownie was superseded by a Kodak Retina 35mm camera. Looking back it was not the best of cameras because the viewfinder did not give an accurate picture of what the lens was seeing. Some of my earliest pictures with this camera were poorer than those of the Box Brownie but at least it had a good lens (f 3.5 Xenar) and a shutter speed up to 1/300 sec.

In March ’59 the camera went to Darlington and recorded D49 No 62745 The Hurworth which had come in for scrapping. The nameplate was still in place but the fox, a separate casting, had already been removed. In the scrapyard several K2s were being rapidly dismembered
Towards the end of the month on a very cold wet day, another visit there found a Y1/2 sentinel No 68150 alongside J72 68728 on the deadline at the MPD. This was the last surviving sentinel in running stock and had previously been in use at Selby. It was cut up in the following May.
Also in March a school visit to Thornaby MPD took place. I wonder if anybody recognizes themselves in this picture. Apart from the usual diet of NER six and eight coupled and WDs, there were two B16s and a Q7 on display that day but not in good positions for photography.

Very nice, Darwin, love 'em all.

One thing always intrigued me about 60051, and it's probably better dealt with in its own thread, but I wonder why the typeface on her nameplates looked to be Gill Sans as opposed to the typeface used on all (I think) the other A3s.

Wonderful photographs Darwin. Please share some more!

In April’59, I was at Kings Cross en route to Switzerland on a school trip. Outward-bound it was too early in the day for taking photographs which was unfortunate as No 61606 was in the station at the time. Coming back we were there in late morning and the day was sunny. The rebuilt Great Northern was preparing to take out a Doncaster train
and N2s were still busy on station pilot duties.
60005 had arrived with an express from Newcastle.
60039 was also there in typical top shed condition and still fitted with a single chimney.

A May Day trip to Doncaster in’59 included shed and works visits for the school Railway Society. The camera was given plenty of work as there was no shortage of interesting material on display.

Our train from York to Doncaster was headed by B16 61438 seen on arrival.(I was about to receive a rollicking from the footplate assemblage on the platform but fortunately the picture was already in the bag.)
The day started dull but it brightened up considerably though very heavy showers became a feature of the afternoon.

K3 61897 in ex-works condition took out a Hull train.
Preparing to enter works were 60111, 70038 and 61057 being shunted past the station by 04/8 63613.
J6s were much in evidence as station pilots, all in very unkempt condition.

K3 61987 probably running in before going back to Heaton for another round of Anglo Scottish goods workings.

Ex-works pacifics included 60539 and 60151 in the station and outside the works.
60105 arrived on a London-Edinburgh train.
A couple on the platform having a discussion with the driver gave the picture added interest.

G'day Gents

Great pictures. Thanks.

manna

Just before our due time to report at the Works, O2 63935 passed through the station with freight heading south.
In the yard awaiting works entry: 70009 and 60086 (with single chimney)

Several B17s in for scrapping including 61631, 61635, 61655, 61665.
(Also 61648 which had arrived the previous December and remained largely intact though without nameplates.)
The last three surviving N1s, 69434, 69443, 69450.
Locomotives being worked on in the Crimpsall were 70039, 60011, 60158,60034, 60110, 60108, 60015, 73074, 60014.

Ex works and ready for steaming were 61803, 61190 and 61817.

J52 Departmental Nos 2 and 9 were both busy on shunting operations.
In the paintshop two Britannias (70005/13) were in grey undercoat.

Many new diesels also observed ready for release though the main line activity during the day saw just one, D209 on express work. All else being in charge of steam.

Great pictures , brings back memories of many trips to Doncaster.

Here are some further pictures taken at Doncaster Works on 1st May 1959.
On leaving the works en route to the shed a prolonged deluge of rain got under way.

Before reporting to the shed office we sheltered under the staff cycle shed whilst V2 60849 posed, waiting for a turn on the triangle.
(This site allows 4 pictures max to be added to each post.)

The V2 had its place taken by B16 61423 before the rain stopped.
Shortly after the skies brightened somewhat, (though big puddles everywhere) as ex-works 61966 was being turned on the triangle.
Laid up at the shed awaiting a decision on its future was the W1 60700, though not in a good position for photography. The weather had deteriorated again and was both dark and wet. So it remained whilst at the shed and no further pictures were possible.
Back at the station the rain had stopped but it was dull and overcast. A Lincoln train was seen at Platform 1 with 61467 in charge. The boy on the platform was not known to me. Has he kept up his interest over the years I wonder? Maybe he's one of us!

Returning the picture of 60700 seen at the shed, it shows clearly that the crest on the tender (fireman's side) is the incorrect original version with the lion pointing towards the right. The error was later corrected for many that received it but the W1 didn't last long enough to be among them. The rear view also shows the unique partly articulated rear bogie which made the engine a 4-6-2-2 in the eyes of some rather than a 4-6-4.

I have read that the W1 was to have received the name Pegasus and that nameplates for it were actually cast in 1952. Does anyone in this forum have any more information regarding this story?

At the station, 60030, 60122 and 60144 all featured on southbound trains.
A local passenger service from Mexborough took us by surprise, arriving with C14 67445 in charge. I had never seen one of these before, nor was I ever to see one again. It rounded off a successful day out for me and my fellow school pals.
Those were the days. It's not like that any more
So ended our May-Day excursion to Doncaster in 1959.