Welwyn Garden City

[chaz harrison]

Woops! Not for the first time I was talking rubbish.
Having spent a little time this morning with a magnifying glass.....According to the 1950's WGC trackplan in BRILL annual No. 9 there were two coal bunkers in the yard. One was on the east side of the yard served by two loops. There was also a coal office and a coal hopper (for filling sacks?) which are both marked.
The other coal bunker was adjacent to the private sidings opposite the Welgar Shredded Wheat factory. I'm pretty sure the coal bunkers would have been for the delivery of domestic supplies, not for locomotives.
According to the same plan the spur at the south end of the yard, beyond the crossover that would take a departing goods on to the old Hertford branch metals, had an inspection pit.
Also marked, to answer my own question, is the capstan that was used to move wagons on the goods shed road.
A very detailed plan, and a must for anyone planning a model?

Chaz

[hq1hitchin]

A very sad story indeed:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=82673

The date shown is incorrect, it should be 1935

[manna]

G'Day Gents
Interesting little snippet, I tried to look in the background, the road bridge with no trees and a shot of the footbridge with it's roof on. Good one Hitchin
manna

[giner]

Did you guys see the "related videos" piece about the 1957 Welwyn accident involving 60520? I remember being there about a couple of hours after it happened. Does anyone know if 60520 was repaired and returned to regular service after that? I know that withdrawals didn't start in earnest until a good while after that, but I'm just curious to know if 60520 was deemed a write-off at that point and was scrapped early.

[Solario]

Does anyone know if 60520 was repaired and returned to regular service after that?

Giner, 60520 certainly was repaired and put back into service it was withdrawn circa mid '63.

[chaz harrison]

Went up to WGC today for my monthly visit and got an unexpected bonus. Got a train at "The Cross" which stopped at every station before terminating at WGC. At each station I noticed there were small groups of blokes with cameras.
At WGC I alighted and walked across the platform to look north down the main. In the distance the unmistakeable shape of an A4 with a huge cloud of beautiful white steam. Seconds later No. 7 thrashed through the station with a prolonged blast on the chime whistle. It was a very long train (12 coaches at least) and the loco had its BR blue polished. Total magic! Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me, but notwithstanding that a tremendous sight on an otherwise tedious day.

Chaz

[Dublo6231]

Mods not sure if posting urls are allowed:

For information regarding steam specials www.uksteam.info is a site that I frequently keep an eye on to see if there are any steam specials in my local area.
So this weekend found me stood on the end of Reading station watching Bittern depart with the Cathedrals Express to Worcester.
Two weeks back saw me stood on Tilehurst station to see Tornado thunder through, she looked magnificent at what was surely her maximum permitted speed.
From looking at the site it looks like Bittern will be taking a trip through WGC this week on 3rd Dec around 11:20 returning around 20:55.

[richard]

URLs are fine within reason. Should be on topic, no blatant advertising, etc.
(the above is fine)

Richard

[hq1hitchin]

Since we seem to be back talking about Welwyn Gdn City, here is one from my little archive of the prototype HST passing WGC c 1975 heading for Kings Cross. I can't remember, however, if it saw much public service on the East Coast. Can anyone remind us, please?

[manna]

G'Day Gents
I can't remember exactly how much 'public' running she did, but she did a lot of trials up and down the ECML, we chased it down just north of Grantham! one Saturday morning, when the Duke of Ed, was being show around,it was put inside at Retford or Newark to let us pass, the only time Royalty gave way to me???
manna

[52D]

Whilst serving my time i was rewiring a house at Morpeth that backed onto the ECML and saw the prototype several times it must have been around 1973.

[third-rail]

i never saw it running but have seen picture of it visiting south gosforth car sheds dont know the purpose of the visit, some one else may know why???

[Mickey]

I'm sure some of you fella's remember the 2-Shunters that use to work in the yard at Welwyn Garden City back in the late 60s/early to mid 70s?. There was old Fred the black fella he use to live at Finsbury Park and old Sid the white fella he use to live at Cole Green out along the Hertford road and use to cycle into Welwyn every morning or afternoon. They were two nice old boys i wonder what became of those two i presume that they both retired sometime in the 70s or 80s?. Micky

[adge]

Did you guys see the "related videos" piece about the 1957 Welwyn accident involving 60520? I remember being there about a couple of hours after it happened. Does anyone know if 60520 was repaired and returned to regular service after that? I know that withdrawals didn't start in earnest until a good while after that, but I'm just curious to know if 60520 was deemed a write-off at that point and was scrapped early.

Always remember as a youngster picking up the morning paper and seeing the photo of 60520 lying over on one side. About five years later saw her pounding through Grantham at about 70 mph.

[hq1hitchin]

I'm sure some of you fella's remember the 2-Shunters that use to work in the yard at Welwyn Garden City back in the late 60s/early to mid 70s?. There was old Fred the black fella he use to live at Finsbury Park and old Sid the white fella he use to live at Cole Green out along the Hertford road and use to cycle into Welwyn every morning or afternoon. They were two nice old boys i wonder what became of those two i presume that they both retired sometime in the 70s or 80s?. Micky

Yes, I remember Fred well enough, but can't bring Sid to mind. The shunters cabin was a rather elegant affair, as they went, being in the same style as the station and situated opposite the middle of the up back platform. There was also a goods clerk, Bob, who must have had a very steady job indeed, given the little freight there was by that time. He was in a different building, other side of the goods shed.