Neasden 34E

[alang]

Hello Kudu.
Thanks for your reply and the information you gave. Interested to hear you used to visit the Neasden sheds. When would that have been? Living quite close to both Neasden and Wembley I used to stand by the North Circular and watch the coach loads of supporters making their way to the stadium. For all the reputations that Scots people have I seem to remember on England v Scotland football days that they would lob a few coppers out of the coach windows at us youngsters watching them on their way! At 7 or 8 years of age most locos were the same to me when I went to the sheds to see my father but will never forget the feeling of immense power that those locos impressed on me. Any more thoughts you may recall would be gratefully received.
Kind regards
Alan

[kudu]

I used to visit Neasden from 1956/7, maybe until closure, though I can't remember whether I persisted that long. I can recall once walking the tracks (on a weekday) from Acton Wells Junction to the shed, where an A5 was standing beside the shed. May have been 69824.

If anyone's interested, I posted a 2-parter in the General Railway Chat section called "A Place by the Railway", giving general recollections of the Willesden/Old Oak area in the late 50s. That was back in August 2010. (Read it to discover where the place was - hope I did it justice.)

Kudu

[kudu]

Out of interest I've checked out Neasden's allocations on 1/1/23 and 31/12/47. (It was never 34D, btw, which was always Hitchin's code. It went from 34E to 14D, as stated above.)

In 1923 Neasden had 69 locos, rising to 75 in 1947.

In 1923 27 were tender locos - 6 B7s, 3 D10s, 11 D11s and 7 J11s - and 42 tanks - 21 A5s, 1 C14, the only 2 Sacre E8s, soon withdrawn, 1 J58, 1 J59, 6 L1s and 10 N5s.

In 1947 it had only 12 tender locos - 9 B1s and 3 J11s - and 63 tanks, including both Met L2s, both Met M2s and all 30 A5s. Others were 3 C13s, 1 Y3 Sentinel (what did it do?), 8 L1s, 14 N5s and 3 N2s.

Larger sheds like Neasden with a high proportion of tanks were relatively unusual.

Kudu

[Pyewipe Junction]

I think the 14xx was for the Aylesbury - Princes Risborough service.

Don't forget that Neasden had a relatively large sub-shed at Aylesbury. Aylesbury originally had two sheds (LNER and GWR) but after nationalisation only the ex-LNER shed was used. A couple of 61xx 2-6-2s were stationed at Aylesbury up to the mid-1950s for the Aylesbury - Paddington via Princes Risborough workings.

The Chesham shuttle was worked by C13s up to about 1957/8 when they were replaced by Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2s until electrification in 1961.

Also, I understand that that Marylebone to Ashendon Junction was originally designated as Western Region (at least territorially), although this was quickly overturned, but not before Marylebone had been fitted out with chocolate brown totem signs! So who knows, Neasden could have missed out on Castles, Halls etc!

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Don't forget that Neasden had a relatively large sub-shed at Aylesbury. Aylesbury originally had two sheds (LNER and GWR) but after nationalisation only the ex-LNER shed was used.

I don't know were you got the above info from but there was only ever one shed at Aylesbury Town station it was built in 1863 as a GWR broad gauge single road shed it was later extended and ended up as a two road saw tooth shed owned jointly with The Met and GC. GWR locos were based there till the shed closed in 1962 and the shed was finally demolished in 1967

David

[Pyewipe Junction]

Sorry, you are correct. I wrote my post while at work and was relying on memory. The other shed at Aylesbury was ex-LNW wasn't it?

[Pyewipe Junction]

I used to visit Neasden from 1956/7, maybe until closure, though I can't remember whether I persisted that long. I can recall once walking the tracks (on a weekday) from Acton Wells Junction to the shed, where an A5 was standing beside the shed. May have been 69824.

If anyone's interested, I posted a 2-parter in the General Railway Chat section called "A Place by the Railway", giving general recollections of the Willesden/Old Oak area in the late 50s. That was back in August 2010. (Read it to discover where the place was - hope I did it justice.)

Kudu

That whole W/NW London area was a real melting-pot.

I would love to have done a day's spotting at Kensington Olympia. You might have seen locos from all the big four companies, although I would imagine that ex-LNER locos would have been less common.

[kudu]

I used to visit Neasden from 1956/7, maybe until closure, though I can't remember whether I persisted that long. I can recall once walking the tracks (on a weekday) from Acton Wells Junction to the shed, where an A5 was standing beside the shed. May have been 69824.

If anyone's interested, I posted a 2-parter in the General Railway Chat section called "A Place by the Railway", giving general recollections of the Willesden/Old Oak area in the late 50s. That was back in August 2010. (Read it to discover where the place was - hope I did it justice.)

Kudu

That whole W/NW London area was a real melting-pot.

I would love to have done a day's spotting at Kensington Olympia. You might have seen locos from all the big four companies, although I would imagine that ex-LNER locos would have been less common.

You would also see all four companies' locos at my "place by the railway". A lot more activity than at Olympia, too. Stratford shed had workings over the West London, but not Hornsey, I believe.

Kudu

[Little and often]

Hi I was a fireman at Neasden in the fifties and Tom Butcher was my driver "on the shed" and local runs for maybe 6 months.
Gerry Ross also. My regular driver was Ernie Scroggins on the Rickmansworth to Aylesbury run.
I will be honest I left my apprenticeship at Handley Pages and joined like a few of my pals just for the money when I was sixteen as
firemen were like goldust then, so cannot claim to be an enthusiast. I only realise now what an exciting time it was hurtling through
the night on a "Pacific we called them. I now know they are A 3s.
Have lots of memories of people and locos and experiences from that time but I imagine there are many more like me.
Never written on forums before so will leave it at that.

[MidlandExcursion]

Hi I was a fireman at Neasden in the fifties and Tom Butcher was my driver "on the shed" and local runs for maybe 6 months. .........

Have lots of memories of people and locos and experiences from that time but I imagine there are many more like me.
....

Little and often - it doesn't matter if there are 1,000s 'like you' - except there are not - still, your experiences will still be unique and of interest.

I never knew Neasden when open. I did go by Aylesbury a few times (visiting my Aunt near Reading) , and actually saw a Black 5 leaving with the 16.48 ex Marylebone one day (at least, I assume that was the train) - that was about my lot with the GC - but I find these old memories fascinating.

Please let us know some of your best experiences, as you can remember them.

[tannebri]

My Grandfather was a top link driver at Neasden Mr Jacobs. Until 1963.

Brian

[rockinjohn]

Hi yes remember Neasden MPD pre LMR influx the easiest shed in London to Bunk?the staff could see you coming from a great distance along that cinder track, but never bothered you,seem to remember A3/B1/L1/Standard 4-M-T Tanks/B16/V2's &Robinson tanks(2?)and on my last visit an ex.works Ivatt 2-6-0 43106 awaiting home to Woodford Halse(ex Easleigh or Stratford?)the avoiding lines always producing something intresting like 8F's or Southern U1's,the large yard shunted by an 0-6-0 diesel shunter in the 1310x series which got serviced @Stratford!all before the 14A input of steam&diesel, which gathered pace on the failure on arrival of some locos, even low coal being a reason with none @Marleybone or Neasden of the many Steam Locos from the Midlands,