Members' Challenge - Royal Train on the M&GN May 1963

[Norfolkman]

A couple of rare photographs have surfaced this week of B1 61119 working the Royal Train at Weybourne station in north Norfolk. According to A.J.Wrottesley's book 'The Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway' (David & Charles 1970), the Royal Train was stabled at Weybourne in May 1963. Wrottesley states that the Duke of Edinburgh was on board but does not state what the visit was for. If this date is correct it depicts what was possibly the very last steam working on the ex-M&GN in BR days as it was well over a year after the end of steam working on the GE section east of March on 31st March 1962. My question for group members - is the date correct? - I can find nothing on Google relating to a visit to Norfolk by the DoE in May 1963. Also why would they have used a steam loco on the M&GN system a year after steam finished in the Eastern Counties? and if so why isn't the working documented - surely someone would have seen it and commented on it? The second picture shows the Up platform loop is out of use and the signal box has been demolished which is reported to have occurred in 6th June 1961.

[boeing757]

Hello,

I know nothing about this working, but it occurs to me the B1 could have been rostered to provide carriage heating overnight?

Is that possible?

Bob

[1H was 2E]

Maybe someone wanted to avoid ending up in The Tower.
Would this have not been soon after some shiny new Brush/Mirlees Type 2s broke down on the Royal Train and caused national outrage (at least according to the newspapers)?

[R. pike]

I passed this on to a friend of mine. It turns out he was on duty for the events pictured.. I quote from his email..

Hi Richard,

Re the above subject, I can confirm that this did actually take place, as I was late turn signalman at Holt that day, although cannot recall the exact date.
This train followed the last passenger train from Norwich Thorpe that evening and as Weybourne was no longer a block post, the section was between Sheringham West and Holt, and I was retained on duty to allow Sheringham signalman to draw the tablet, a Tyers no 1, to allow the train into the section to Weybourne, where it was placed in the sidings via the ground frame. I never got to see the train as it didn't obviously come through to Holt, but I got some overtime out of it!!
The reason for the visit was never explained, there were rumours at the time which I cannot recall, but it was understood that the Prince did sleep in the carriage overnight.

Regards, Eric.

[R. pike]

Further to the above.

When the North Norfolk Railway took over the line quite a bit of the original infrastructure was still in place. This lock was still on Weybourne ground frame for instance. This would have needed the Sheringham West - Holt tablet to release the points to get the royal train in the siding.

Edit to add..

Note the position of the stud in the slide and compare to this...

http://www.trainweb.org/singleline/m&gn ... 20West.jpg

[R. pike]

Hello,

I know nothing about this working, but it occurs to me the B1 could have been rostered to provide carriage heating overnight?

Is that possible?

Bob

During private discussions about this with various parties another question has come to light. If the train came from Sheringham how did the loco get on that end of the train? Was a diesel the main traction and the B1 just there to blow a bit of heat into the coaches. HRH wouldn't want a diesel chugging away all night and a well managed steam engine would be near silent? The B1 is a long way from water. If it was the main traction to and from somewhere they'd be pushing their luck with a tender full of water. Being stationary overnight and dropping the fire once HRH had awakened from his slumbers and the diesel could take over is quite likely i'm sure.

[R. pike]

During further discussions it has been confirmed the train was diesel hauled. The point rodding in the first picture is newly installed for the ground frame. The trap point was clamped in the open position, set to derail.

[Norfolkman]

Many thanks for the replies. Fascinating and great that a mystery can be resolved 53 years after the event on an excellent forum such as this is. Another photo appeared this week that perhaps shows that the B1 worked the train back to Cromer?

[R. pike]

Despite the loop being intact at Weybourne the points were out of use and could not be used for a run round move. It is possible the steam loco was used to bring the train to place where a run round could take place.