'Change and decline on ex-GWR lines in the Wolverhampton area 1962-1967’,
a talk by Paul Bowen.
33 members attended the meeting on 6th May at Bayston Hall.
This evenings event was Paul's talk on change and decline on ex gwr lines in the Wolverhampton area 1962 to 1967. There follows a near slide by slide description of the talk for anyone wishing to recall any features.
I wrote in the dark so please accept any mistakes with grace. A particular focus was the end of the GWR King class and dieselisation. A map was shown of the GWR lines, main and branch, in and around Wolverhampton, from Codsall in the North to Stourbridge in the south. Stafford road engine shed was then considered via a 1962 slide showing the shed in some state of decay. Castles were in evidence.
At the adjacent Wolverhampton loco works we saw 5678, Rhonda Valley, usually to be found hauling coal trains. Across the viaduct, oxley sidings down yard in 1966 was viewed, a brush loco , later class 47, was being headed by a 9F. The Wolverhampton to Stourbridge line had passenger train services withdrawn considerably before Beeching.
The first king shown, 6018 , had double chimney, twin blast pipes, was superheated and had mechanical lubricators fitted. Snow Hill was next for consideration, and the power panel on platform 5. In September 1962 with withdrawal of Kings imminent, 6002 was put on exhibition. King George 5th complete with Bell from the Baltimore and Ohio railway from its American trip. Stanier was of course, in charge of the whole trip to America.
In September 1952, 9 Kings were withdrawn on the same day, but only after they had been coaled up ready for their return to London. Cox and Danks, a Company who had made their money at Scapa Flow, raising the scuttled WW1 German High seas fleet. Theres a book called The man who bought a navy. Perhaps a film too. Then diesels. Western Glory in 1963 was shown with three persons, training in the cab. The westerns, diesel hydraulics were after a German design but the first monocoque construction locomotive. A particularly nasty accident led to a redesign. However at Ealing Broadway on Christmas Eve? inadequate securing of a redesigned battery Box cover led to a collision with a point motor and subsequently 10 deaths.
The next slide showed another Western and a Butlers Bitter advert.
In 1963/4 200 men left the Stafford Road workshop and the boilermakers Union expected a further 100 to go!
2859 was the last locomotive to be repaired at Stafford Road works. After withdrawal in 1964, it went to Barry, then was rescued to llangollen and now said to be in Congleton at a private site.
Brush type 4 locomotives took over in 1964 with D1695 photographed outside the Taylor & Challer Ltd factory.
Next was a slide of the Birmingham Blue Pullman in 1960 , on the 7.00 a.m. departure. Sadly there were claims that the ride was poor due to bogie problems.
After the break, we read the 1964 press report on the Great Western main line, including closure of the the Wolverhampton low level and Birmingham Snow Hill.
Diesel train services using dmus were introduced in 1957, with Wellington being a very much used station. They were not very comfortable. DMUs were also used for parcel traffic, class 128. A rare model. One was shown in BR parcels livery but post office livery also existed.
A returning service from the South with Southern Region coaches was shown at Birmingham Snow Hill. Many holiday specials wereannounced to be cancelled, but were reprieved. However a warning was issued that without more passengers, the service would be withdrawn.
Lord Rowlan at Wolverhampton a Britannia
Freight haulage by black 5s, 8fs and 9fs. Some panniers survived until 1966.
A "clapper" was installed in Wolverhampton tunnel warning of approach to the end of the tunnel.,
Many special trains were run for the Ffestiniog, Talyllyn and Stephenson locomotive societies.
Flying Scotsmen shown on the Ffestiniog AGM special trip. Owned by Alan Pegler who also saved the Ffestiniog railway, with profits from his business, Northern Rubber.
A period shot slide was shown of Paul at Bewdley. In 1966 William Shakespeare 70004 did a Shakespearean tour. It was used previously on the Golden Arrow.
Fighter Command, a bulleid shown at Shrewsbury, On the Talyllyn AGM Banked into shrewsbury following a stall. Second slide showing Departure to Ruabon and Welshpool.
One of the final shots was of a GWR parcels van shown on the severn Valley Railway. I've got a Hornby example for my layout.
Paul was thanked for his talk by Nick . The meeting closed at 9 p.m.
Philip Hamson.
