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Monday 28 May 2018

Photo Well Worn BR Class 31101 Diesel Loco Northampton 1988

Class 31101 BR Diesel Loco, Northampton Station



photo of british rail diesel locomotive class 31101 at northampton
Photo: Charles Moorhen


In BR Blue livery, Class 31101 passes through Northampton station on the 27th July 1988 hauling a rake of empty flatbed trucks. 


The locomotive was built in October 1958 at Brush Traction in Loughborough and originally numbered D5518 and allocated to Crewe TMD.


Although in 1988 the Class 31's were coming close to the end of their working lives on British Rail, they were still a fairly common sight on Northampton's sidings, or passing through the station on various freight duties.



Hauling a rake of parcels coaches an unidentified Class 31 diesel locomotive enters Northampton station heading towards Bletchley
An unidentified Class 31 diesel locomotive entering Northampton station in the 1980's 
Photo: Charles Moorhen
 
 
Recorded in my old spotting notebooks I found that during a short time, over a two-day period in 1988, the following Class 31 locomotives were seen at Northampton and Bletchley stations.

Northampton: 31101 31317 31135 31112 31141 31205 31215 31420 31108.
Bletchley: 31166 31296 31306 31168 31434 31152 31284.

According to information provided on the Avon Valley Railway website, the locomotive was the first Class 31 to work passenger services on the Southern Region and as a Royal Train locomotive.
 
 
Class 31 Diesel Locomotive Historical Note:
Whilst hauling a train in which Queen Elizabeth II was travelling on 4th January 1961, D5667 (31240), broke down south of Cambridge.  
 
Two onboard Brush fitters, on hand to deal with any mechanical problems that may occur, were unable to fix the problem and a steam loco had to be sent for in order to rescue the stricken diesel adding over an hour to the completed journey.
 

Finally withdrawn from service on British Rail on the 11th January 1993, Class 31101 escaped the fate of the scrapyard and, along with sister locomotive 31130 “Calder Hall Power Station”, has been preserved and resides on the heritage Avon Valley Railway at Bitton Station, Bath Road, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS30 6HD.



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Sunday 27 May 2018

Photo The Southern Railway Tavern That Travelled On Rails

Southern Railway Tavern Coach, Waterloo Station

photo of innovative bulleid railway tavern train at waterloo station
Tavern Coach at Waterloo With Exterior 'Brickwork'

A bar serving alcohol on a train has, in some guise or other, been a feature of railway travel for countless decades. But, imagine if it were possible to have not only a mere bar on your train – but a tavern! 


A real pub that ran on rails providing the same amenities as your local – beer, wine, spirits, bar snacks or a meal. Somewhere to relax, chat with friends or a work colleague in a convivial atmosphere while enjoying a drink on the way home after a hard day at the office.

Well, the notion of such a scheme is not as far-fetched as one might imagine. In fact, more than simply a fanciful idea, it was a reality for a time on the Southern Railway during what is now regarded by many as the 'golden age of steam'.

During the 1930's, New Zealand-born Oliver Bulleid was Chief Mechanical Engineer on the Southern Railway; during which time he designed such steam locomotives as the 'Merchant Navy Class', the 'West CountryClass', the 'Battle of Britain Class' and the somewhat ugly wartime austerity class of 'Q1's', in addition to two double-decker electrictrains and the ill-fated 'Leader' locomotive.


Designed by Oliver Bulleid, West Country Class steam locomotive 34016 'Bodmin' stands in Alton station, Hampshire.
West Country Class Locomotive 34016 'Bodmin' Designed by Oliver Bulleid
Photo: Charles Moorhen

 
In addition to steam locomotives, he also designed coaches for the Southern Railway. And in 1949 he hit upon the radical idea of providing a better, classier refreshment car than those in use at the time.

Oliver Bulleid's idea was to create a tavern.

Between 1949 and 1951, Bulleid took the standard buffet/refreshment car and gutted the whole interior. He then furnished the entire carriage in a style similar to that of a typical English country tavern. It is believed that he modelled his 'tavern' on The Chequers Inn at Pulborough, Sussex.



An interior view of one of Oliver Bulleid's Tavern Cars complete with bar and wood panels
Interior and Bar of a Bulleid Tavern car


Internally, the 'tavern' compartment consisted of a low ceiling with the addition of fake oak beams. Settles and benches abutted onto panelled or rough-rendered walls.

Long narrow leaded windows were set high up in the carriage sides and illumination came from miniatures of the carriage- lamp type; beloved of the 'semi-detached' middle classes of the time.

The bar, solely made from wood, provided everything a tavern, or inn, would offer; including draught and bottled beer.

All that was missing were the horse brasses and a blazing log fire in an open hearth.


A scale model of a Bulleid Tavern Car complete with 'brickwork', leaded windows and a pub sign.
Scale Model of a Bulleid Tavern Car Showing 'Brickwork', Leaded Windows and Pub Sign



The external decoration was a joy to behold. The usual Southern Railway paintwork was removed and replaced with a totally unique design. The outside of the coach was divided horizontally. The bottom half looked like brickwork, while the top half was coloured cream intersected by black timbering (much like that seen on the old wood panelled shooting-brake cars).

To top everything off, the cream and timber section displayed a pictorial pub sign panel with lettering saying, 'At the sign of the Jolly Jack Tar', (or 'At the sign of the White Horse/George and Dragon/Red Lion' etc.).

Four of 'Bulleid's Taverns' became a reality and were subsequently put into service.

On the whole the public enjoyed travelling and drinking in a 'pub-on-wheels'; however, there were dark clouds gathering on the horizon.

The 'Bulleid Taverns' became a hot topic for debate in the House ofCommons, where the majority of MPs denounced the unusual coaches as nothing more than “shoddy Tudoresque monstrosities”. A letter of protest, published in The Times, was signed by heads of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal College of Art, the Council of Industrial Design and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

JamesCallaghan MP, who was at the time Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, went on to say that “nobody likes these tavern cars except for the public”. (A rather pompous remark when one considers that it was the public that were using them).



Regardless of the opinions of those in power, who had totally misjudged the popular mood, the taverns remained in service for around ten years with their interiors intact before being returned to the standard design of the time. The highly controversial 'brickwork' however was removed within a couple of years of entering service. (Pressure from above, maybe?).

Bulleid's Taverns may have been a bit outlandish, some may even say tacky; but they came at a time when Britain was devoid of colour and originality as it struggled to recover from the deprivation of the war years.

It seems a shame that no examples of the Bulleid Tavern survived to the present day. Perhaps our modern railways could have learned a thing or two about pleasing the public.
 

Bulleid Railway Tavern Coach on YouTube:
Tavern On The Train (1949). British Pathe.


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All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


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Wednesday 23 May 2018

Photo Class 43126 Intercity 125 HST Cigarette-Packet Livery Didcot 2004


Class 43126 Livery Intercity 125 HST, Didcot Station

Photo of First Group Intercity 125 Class 43126 in fag packet livery at didcot 2004
Photo: Charles Moorhen


Trainspotting First Great Western Trains, Class 43126 HST Intercity 125, built in June 1979 and allocated to Landore T&RSMD (Swansea), at Didcot station on the 6th October 2004, displaying the somewhat bizarre and none-too-popular 'Fag Packet' livery introduced around 1998.


The FGW train livery was apparently nicknamed by some enthusiasts 'Fag Packet', due to its resemblance to the packaging of a particular brand of Dunhill cigarettes, while others say it looked more like a packet of Golden Virginia rolling tobacco.


Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.
                                


Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".



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