Managing the chaos 60 Years ago

Next time you are stationary on the M25, M5 or M6 spare a thought for the locomotive crews of the mid sixties on the Southern as they tried to keep the railway on time whilst the engineers re-laid the permanent way and upgraded the signalling prior to electrification. If BR at the time had a railway equivalent of a ‘cones hot-line’ I suspect that the call centre staff would have been hard pressed and that would have just been from their own drivers and firemen!

We have come to accept that road delays are often the inevitable consequence of the volume of traffic or the road under repair. On the South Western Main Line it was primarily the latter that resulted in trains out of path, unable to maintain their schedules, or both. One advantage of modern traction is that at least recovery from a delay can be rapid. However for crews with fire, steam and water to control it must have made what was a challenging day’s work under normal circumstances nearly impossible at times. And then there were enthusiasts such as myself always hoping, perhaps selfishly that something exceptional in locomotive performance would occur. It is therefore to the credit of those that drove our trains at the time that many tried to make the most of what must have often been a frustrating day’s work.

So let’s look at part of a typical day in 1966 but from the driver’s perspective. The duty I’ve chosen is a Nine Elms ‘top link’ turn that is out to Bournemouth on the 1030 ex Waterloo, returning on the 1325 from Weymouth, due in to London at 1652. This was the old 1640 arrival but with relaxed retimed to take account of the engineering works. The driver is Harry Pope who in common with other railwayman was a professional who took a pride in running to time, but also liked to hurry along if the circumstances were favourable.

We are going to travel with Harry to Southampton and back. Ahead of him are engineering works involving speed restrictions before Woking and at Waltham just before the descent through Winchester. On the return there is more of a challenge with restrictions at Eastleigh, the summit of the climb at Roundwood, Waltham again, and Hook. You wonder whether there was a perverse logic at work that was designed to disadvantage the steam crews whereby the restrictions were where they would hope for some free running. There is Woking, just as the engine would be digging in on the climb to Milepost 31, ditto at Eastleigh before the long 1 in 250 to Roundwood and Hook, where the crew would be hoping to grab back a few minutes with a sprint across the slightly falling grade. Nevertheless, as Harry and his fireman were checking the day’s orders at the depot they would have noted all this, so let’s see how they fared.

Departure from platform 11 at Waterloo is two minutes late behind 35028 with eleven on. Harry would have seen the route indicator that was advising him of a diversion via the Windsor lines. He knows that this will add about a minute on to the time to Clapham Junction. He wonders whether this slow exit is to give the preceding electric service that has only just left, time to get ahead before it is routed onto the slow line for a stop at Surbiton.

Vauxhall is reached in just under four and a half minutes but Clan Line is already into her stride and as the train is now running nearly three minutes down on the clock Harry elects to take Clapham at a liberal 46 mph to give her a bit of a run at the 1 in 330 to Earlsfield. Wimbledon is passed in eleven and a half minutes and the engine is pushed up to 71 mph at Berrylands. The preceding train is still crossing over at Surbiton but speed only drops by 10 mph as the brakes are dragged slightly before the road clears. Hampton Court Junction is passed at 70 mph in 17 minutes, so the slow start has been recovered on the working times.

Speed is maintained in the low seventies until the 20 mph restriction at Woking and then Clan Line lifts the train to Milepost 31 at a minimum of 57 mph. With a clear road and no more planned checks for over twenty miles Harry settles the engine down for some steady running in the low seventies on the rising grade. The speed touches 75 mph at Newnham Sidings but then he sees the tell tale signals suggesting that Basingstoke is not ready for an engine in full flow. After a 15 mph check the Weymouth train is switched to the slow road on which it runs to Worting Junction, passing the box 56 minutes from the start. Nevertheless this leaves an easy 35 minute to get to Southampton for an ‘on-time’ arrival on the relaxed 93 minute schedule.

Harry pushes the train on to Waltham where the restriction is only 40 mph. Roundwood is passed in 63½ min from the start. This is a good stretch of line and Clan Line is riding well so the fire shouldn’t shake itself down to the front of the box if he gives the engine her head on the descent. Winchester Junction is passed at 88 mph and the train is still travelling at 85 mph through Shawford when an emergency brake application is needed to bring the train to a stand in just over two minutes for signals at Allbrook. This is a familiar scenario. There is nothing else to do but to creep behind whatever is in the way ahead. Arrival at Southampton is 8 minutes late by the station clock. Harry reflects on what might have been – an arrival two or three minutes early with a little bit of extra time to pull the coal forward and take water. And if there are more delays ahead, the crew’s stopover time at Bournemouth will be eaten into further.

We can only guess Harry’s reaction to having another Merchant on the way home. It is 35010 and a look at the fire at Bournemouth will have told him and his fireman what the journey back might be like. Departure from Southampton is only five minute late but with the speed restrictions ahead he will probably need all of the 92 minutes now available if Blue Star is to arrive on time at Waterloo.

Harry elects to make a swift start. Blue Star accelerates quickly and hurries its eleven coaches around the Northam curves and through Swaythling in under seven minutes. Eastleigh in ten minutes including the 20 mph restriction through the station is good going. He sets the engine for the climb to Roundwood but unfortunately the train ahead has not quite cleared Winchester and a signal check brings speed down to the mid forties near St Cross. Knowing that there are two further checks ahead, the sensible strategy is to plan for a steady climb as this will make it easier for the fireman and hopefully avoid another check. Speed rises gradually to 57 mph before the Roundwood and Waltham speed restrictions. Worting Junction is passed in 40 minutes from the start and with greens through Basingstoke Harry pushes the train on towards the 20 mph slack at Hook.

The secret of minimising the impact of speed restrictions is to brake skilfully and try to ensure that the train reaches the commencement ‘C’ board with the brakes just off and at the right speed. In common with everything else he has done this day, it’s textbook handling of the locomotive and Blue Star is soon underway again. This is the racetrack of the Southern but nothing extravagant is needed. The train reaches 79 mph at Farnborough and steam is kept on to stop the speed dropping more than a couple of mph at Milepost 31. Harry eases the engine after Brookwood because he knows what the Woking ‘snooker table’ is like. However the train is in its path so Woking is ready and Blue Star sweeps through the station at 72 mph.

All that’s needed now is steady running at around 70 mph to try and time an arrival at Hampton Court Junction that fits in with the other services. Surbiton is passed with a generous 17 minutes remaining so Harry eases Blue Star a little more. Knowledge of other services is helpful in the suburbs. The train ahead that had called at Wimbledon just clears the section and Blue Star is only checked momentarily to 45 mph before slotting into the procession to Waterloo. The train finally slides into platform 11, on time at 1652.

In 1966/67, you never knew what might happen on a day out behind Southern steam. Although many locomotives were not at their best, a major unknown was the railway system itself and crews had to be prepared for most things. I recall that as an enthusiast at the time I was disappointed we didn’t touch sixty up the bank to Roundwood. But for Harry and his fireman, this was a job well done. In other words, just another day’s work in the midst of the signalling and electrification changes.