The LNER Encyclopedia

This nice image is from an unknown amateur lensman. He took quite a few images at King's Cross of GNR No.1 on 11th September 1938. This is the only one that features the crew. It's a shame there's a little camera shake, but does anyone know who they were?

Cant give you an answer but im glad you posted the pic.

Sorry, I can't help with any info on those fellas, either. But this must have been on the same occasion as the day this photo was taken (top left on the Google page). I think we've all seen it before, but I can't remember what the occasion was, though.
http://www.google.ca/search?tbm=isch&hl ... MkzAj_noEI

The occasion at Stevenage was the introduction of the new stock for the 1938 Flying Scotsman. The invited guests changed from one train to another. Sadly, doubt there's many people alive today who can identify those enginemen, but let's hope there is. The old Stevenage station was hopelessly out of date for the new scheme of things, but I'm still sorry to think that I worked on its demolition.

Although the event was over 70 years ago, I'm still hopeful that their names were recorded! Here's another shaky image from the same series of negatives. Amazing that back then a casual photographer could just walk onto the tracks at the 'Cross to get his photo! No one died, no one was injured, no one believed that commonsense was a disease to be eradicated by a H&S desk jockey.

Thanks for the reminder, hq1. I'm sorry you worked on the demolition, too .

Looks like these wonderfully rare shots were taken in the suburban station. Have been looking at them a few times, just to be sure it wasn't up at the Potato Market, but then we have colour light signals so it can't be there. How grim the whole place looks, no wonder the LNER lost traffic when LT opened more tube lines

In the Hulton Picture Library collection published as 'LNER Reflections' there is a picture of no 1 and train at Stevenage alongside no 4498 and the new 'Scotsman' set. Of a small group on the platform alongside no 1, one only is identified as 'Inspector Sam Jenkins'. Did he footplate with the crew one wonders? It would have been an intelligent thing to do if he was an inspector who had at least fired a Stirling single when they were still in regular service, just in case the footplate crew encountered any trouble.

Since we know the date, could someone visiting the Search Engine have a glance in the relevant LNER Staff Magazine? There may be coverage and details in there.

I've had a look at the LNER Magazine on DVD. There are several pages of coverage including photos, but I couldn't see any mention of the names of the crew.

The special train on 11 September 1938 hauled by Stirling ‘single’ No 1 was organised by and for the members of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society and ran from Kings Cross to Peterborough and return. The load was seven ECJS six wheel coaches. Top speed was 69mph at mp 67 two miles south of Holme on the down run.
Driver A Hoskins;
Fireman C E Thomas
Inspector Bramwell
Guard Smitten.
A comprehensive report of the event together with eight photographs, including one showing all four crew members together, occupies pages 324-331 and the frontispiece of the Society monthly magazine the Railway Observer for October 1938 (Vol X No 116)

DG
69999

The above information is historically correct, however, having said all that I am not sure that the two gentlemen standing in front of No 1 in the above photograph are the same as the driver and fireman shown in the RCTS photograph which was taken at Hitchin on the return journey.

DG
69999

This information and comments are greatly appreciated. Perhaps the crew seen in the photograph are not the crew who took the loco out to Peterborough, I expect we may never know! Thanks for the help though.
Steve

Thanks for another photo, Steve. I'm trying to make out what it says on that carriage roof board in the adjacent platform. Is it any clearer on the original? Or maybe someone with a better eye and/or Photoshop can make out what it says.

giner wrote:Thanks for another photo, Steve. I'm trying to make out what it says on that carriage roof board in the adjacent platform. Is it any clearer on the original? Or maybe someone with a better eye and/or Photoshop can make out what it says.

I think it says "THE FLYING SCOTSMAN"!