Cross-London Transfer Freights

[kudu]

Thanks, THE signalman. I would only add that I've just recalled a photo of a Willesden 8F on a freight descending the single line by Norwood Jnct shed, suggesting a different route after Balham, avoiding Streatham Common and going via Crystal Palace LL. Was this to avoid a busy route or to access the down side sidings that were presumably there then?

Kudu

[kudu]

Not "a small ex M R battery lcomotive", rockinjohn - THE ex MR battery locomotive! This is what I wrote for my local railway society magazine dealing with non-steam locos in the Grouping (part of a series I'm still working on covering ALL locos in the Grouping):

"The oldest [battery loco in the Grouping] was built by the Midland in 1913 at Derby using a modified wagon underframe. This elusive loco lurked in London’s West India Dock Coal Yard, a self-contained network accessed only via a wagon hoist - a parallel here with the LSWR electric locos described above. Closure of the yard in 1964 made the loco redundant."

I hope this is accurate. You must be one of the few people to have seen it.

Kudu

Was this service loco BEL1 (originally scheduled to have been BR number 41550)?

Sorry, I don't seem to have answered this. I can confirm it was BEL1 (BEL2 being the now-preserved North Staffs loco) and am pretty sure it was also 41550 (internet info only), though as you imply I'm not sure it ever carried it.

Kudu

[Pyewipe Junction]

Here is a link to a photo of BEL 1 at work in 1963:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78089679@ ... 2623842228

BEL1 and BEL 2 look very similar. I wonder how often they had to be recharged, given the rather primitive arrangements for batteries in those days.