A few photos from 1949 and 1950 - more added occasionally.

[strang steel]

I have purchased the photos from an estate of a deceased railway enthusiast. Amongst the collections are a few from 1949, and it would appear that these were taken with a recently purchased army surplus SLR camera.

The photographer appears to have developed his own film, but also developed films from his colleagues who probably accompanied him on photographic expeditions and allow him to keep copies of their shots.

I believe they lived in Cambridge, and so are biased towards that city; but there are others from locations further afield. I will endeavour to post them here as I scan them.

The first shows 60024 'Kingfisher' in purple livery at Cambridge on 2nd August 1949.

photo Colin Major



60124 is as yet un-named when working a goods train past Walton, Peterborough on 6th September 1949

photo G K Anderson



B2 61671 'Royal Sovereign' passes Cambridge with the royal train on 2nd August 1949

photo Colin Major

[strang steel]

D2 4-4-0 no 2000 arrives at Grantham with a local train on 23rd Apr 1949.

The notes say the train is arriving in platform 1, and so is likely to be a service from Lincoln or Boston.

Stored at March on 14th April 1949 is S1 0-8-4T no 9902. 9903 just sneaks in behind. Both of these locos were moved to Mexborough about a year later.

Also at March (but operating) on 14th April 1949 was Q1 0-8-0T no 69926. This loco went to Frodingham after a couple more years at March.

[Albert Hill]

Thanks, interesting new pix,

[strang steel]

Two more from March on 14th April 1949.



Firstly, B16 4-6-0 no 61454 is near to the March coaling plant on 14th April 1949. A York loco, and no doubt had previously worked a goods train to Whitemoor yard.

J3 0-6-0 no 64119. A loco with only a couple of years left until withdrawal, but the J3 had served the railways for over 50 years by the time of its appointment with the scrap man.

C1 4-4-2 no 2839 is seen in the sidings by New England depot, also on 14th April 1949. This loco may have been in unofficial storage because withdrawal came in January 1950, and the new BR number was never applied.

D2 4-4-0 no 2161. This was a Grantham loco, but was withdrawn 15 months later and also never received its BR number of 62161

[strang steel]

On 23rd April 1949 Grantham was the destination.


Here is A3 no 60091 'Captain Cuttle' painted dark blue livery, in the shed yard.

D3 no 2000 arrives into platform 1 with a local train.

A2 no 60539 'Bronzino' is also in the shed yard.

L1 no 67760 has arrived in platform 2 with a train from Lincoln.

[strang steel]

There appears to be a limit on the number of photo attachments allowed in each post, so this is the second half of the Grantham trip from 23rd April 1949.


C4 no 2900 has arrived with a local service. Given this was a Boston allocated locomotive, it would be logical to assume the train has originated there.
There is just over a year to go for the loco, but it had given 46 years service at the time of this photo.

V2 no 60835 'The Green Howards, Alexandra Princess Of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment' is on an express. The loco was shedded at Heaton at the time and was only 11 years old.

Another Heaton loco, A2/3 'Sun Stream' has arrived on an up express; but a lamp has been removed suggesting an engine change. This loco was less than 3 years old at the time of the photo; but would only survive until November 1962.

Q4 0-8-0 no 63240 rumbles through the station with a goods train bound for New England. A local Grantham engine, where it would remain for another year or so before moving to Ardsley; and then withdrawal in June 1951.

[strang steel]

On 21st May 1949 a railway exhibition was held just outside Peterborough North station. Here are some of the exhibits, together with a few passing locomotives - as photographed by the late Colin Major.


Ivatt Atlantic no 251 was present. The loco was preserved by this time.

The future (at least for shunting) was represented by 0-6-0 diesel no 8000. Based at March for much of its life, it has yet to receive its BR number of 15000.

A rather shaky shot of A1 60127 (as yet un-named) in blue livery. This brand new loco had been allocated to its first shed at Heaton shed just 7 days prior to the exhibition, and I wonder if it had come to Peterborough direct from Doncaster works on a running in turn?

Another 'new' engine was B1 no 61027 'Madoqua', although compared to the A1 she was an old hand, and had been in service at New England for two years.

[strang steel]

More of Colin's photos from the Peterborough exhibition on May 21st 1949.

L1 no 67762 was only 4 months old at this juncture. A Copley Hill loco at the time, she spent most of her working life in London, but was withdrawn from Colwick after a pitifully short working life of less than 13 years.

N2 no 9589 was passing with K3 61972 in tow; but as the K3 was a New England loco, the pair did not have far to go and the crew seem to be enjoying the scene as they pose for a photo.

A2/1 pacific no 60508 'Duke Of Rothesay' passes North station with a southbound goods train. In the background Immingham's B1 no 61318 is just 10 days old.

A5 no 9817 is parked in the sidings adjacent to North station. This was a Boston loco at the time.

[strang steel]

This is an interesting photo of 60097 'Humorist', because it must show the loco in the relatively short period between receiving its new 5-figure BR number and a lipped double chimney.

This is another Colin Major photo at Cambridge on 3rd August 1949.

According to the internet, the loco should be in Apple Green livery at this time but it must have had no attention from the cleaners at this point, as one could be forgiven for thinking it was still in Wartime Black.

[strang steel]

This vehicle was photographed at Cambridge in 1954.

I have had a quick Google, but can't find any information. Does anyone know anything about its history.

[strang steel]

I was surprised to find this image of D2 e2188 in the collection. The location is Colwick, and the date says 7th September 1949. The loco appears to be in fine condition, but was to be withdrawn just four weeks later.

B4 1482 'Immingham' is seen at Ardsley on 28th August 1949. This loco lasted a little longer than the D2, but succumbed to the cutters torches just over a year later in November 1950, at Gorton Works; without ever carrying a new five figure BR number.

[strang steel]

Q5 no 3251 is at Borough Gardens shed on 26th August 1950. The loco was only months from withdrawal; with the fateful decision coming just prior to Christmas that year.

[STAFFORDA4]

These are all of great interest and thank you for sharing with us. If I may just make a slight correction to the first shot, that of 60024 Kingfisher. This actually shows her in the BR 1948 experimental purple livery, one of only four A4s so adorned. According to RCTS green guide vol 2A this was apparent in black and white photos because of the cab and tender lining coupled with ‘BRITISH RAILWAYS’ on the tender sides. So a rare one indeed particularly at Cambridge

[strang steel]

Thanks for the correction Stafford. The original caption mentions 'blue' livery, and I suppose in those far off days with little or no details as to how locos were to be painted after Nationalisation, the East Anglian spotter on the ground would probably just class it as blue while not realising there were several experimental liveries being tried out.

Below is a photo of C4 Atlantic 2909 leaving Louth with a stopping passenger service on 21st August 1950.

[giner]

Picking up on your point on "several experimental liveries" there, strang steel, I wonder if any photos, preferably colour, still exist anywhere. This must be a subject all unto itself.