The LNER Encyclopedia

Hello

My Grand Father ( Frank Jacobs) was a GCR then LNER working his way up from cleaner, fireman and finally top link driver at Neasden locomotive shed from pre WW1 (1912?) till it closed in 1963. Although I know a lot about the later locomotives he drove, I have no idea what routes he would have driven, although family legend has it he was linked with the Master Cutler. Is there any way of finding out what routes he would have driven, Woodford Halse was mentioned on numerous occasions as well.

Many Thanks
Brian

Depending on your level of interest, you could do worse than get hold of 'The Great Central in LNER Days' Vols 1and 2 by Jackson and Russell. They are available quite easily second hand.

While not specifically about Neasden, they do cover the major passenger workings to and from London and which sheds worked them.

Another title that answers many questions is the Railway Clearing House Atlas of England and Wales 1904. Pub Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-2778-1. Major regret, no coverage of Scotland...

thank you I've ordered the books

Brian

I am guessing that if your Grand Father possibly drove The Master Cuttler he would have driven over the former GCR main line between Marylebone and Sheffield via Harrow-on-the-Hill, Amersham, Aylesbury Town, Rugby and Leicester also he may well have 'signed the road' as a driver between Neasden South Junction across to Northolt East Junction where it joins the GW&GC joint route via High Wycombe, Princes Risborough and north of Princes Risborough to Ashendon Junction for the cross country GCR route in both directions between Ashendon Junction and Grendon Underwood Junction south of Calvert on the GCR main line between Marylebone and Sheffield.

The whole route between Marylebone and Sheffield was 'down graded' to secondary status in 1966 with the old GCR main line being basically cut back to passenger trains only running between Marylebone and Aylesbury Town under proposal of Dr. Beaching in the late 1950s.

I was an early teenage enthusiast of the Great Central Railway back in 1970 and bought the Ian Allan book The Great Central Railway Album which I still own 54 years later.

Hi as an addition to trains covered from Neasden MPD(GC) &crews we can add Marylebone-Aylesbury(pass)/Amersham-Chesham (Pass.Shuttle-Goods/Neasden(Yard)-Woodford Halse Goods(&return workings)local goods pickups, I cant remember any inter-regional goods transfers made with Neasden locos or crews from or to the Yard there, also inter- regional trains on changeover in both directions (South&North) @Kensington (Olympia)& some South Coast workings that were manned from Neasden normally BLK5 hauled until the Southern Region Operations requested the locos to be Standard 5 worked,any shortfall in locos @ Neasden after the transfer to the LMR Region was made up either by Steam or Diesel locos supplied by Cricklewood(14A)MPD.