LM 2-6-2Ts working from Radstock

[Pines Alan]

There has been questions and answers on a Yahoo Group which has suggested that at one stage 2 LM 2-6-2Ts worked from Radstock to bank trains and work the 0845, 1345, and 1745 trips to Writhlington and back. It is claimed that 41202, 41203, and 41249 were "retained at Barrow Road, BR875/6 diagrams" for this.
I am not sure that this makes sense, and there is no other published evidence to support this.
Anyone any thoughts please?
Many thanks in anticipation.
Regards

[Robin Summerhill]

Afternoon Alan

Certainly all three engines spent some time at Barrow Road in their service histories, but what doesn't make sense to me is that Radstock (S&D) was a sub-shed of Bath Green Park, not Barrow Road, so why Barrow Road should come into the equation at all I'm not quite sure.

As far as I am aware, the only physical rail connection to the Writhlington collieries was from the S&D. I mention this because there could be a theoretical possibility that the class 2s worked into Radstock GW on the North Somerset line, because all three also spent some time at Bath Road and St Phillips Marsh. However, by the time I got to Radstock the only "indigenous" motive power on the GW side was what became the 08 class diesel shunters.

We were discussing on another thread on here just recently that fact that Barrow Road acquired some steam turns from Bath Road when that depot was closed for rebuilding. Member Trafalgar 45682 gave us some information on those turns, so perhaps he may know something.

As regards tank engine banking duties at Radstock S&D, all I ever saw on the job were Jintys. Indeed, until the Standard class 4 tanks started appearing on the passenger service, I don't recall any other tanks working south from Bath except on the 1810 SX Binegar and return.

[trafalgar45682]

I agree with Robin that it would be unusual for Radstock turns to be operated by Barrow Road. I do notice, however, that the three engines in question were all allocated to 82E at the same time, in September 1960. All the class had gone from Barrow Road by the end of December 1963. The "Bath Road Turns" Robin refers to appear on the Roster Board at Barrow Road Shed. I have made the assumption that they are just that, trip workings taken over by Barrow Road after the closure of Bath Road to steam in September 1960. In the October 1965 shot below, the remaining ones can be seen clearly at the top left of the Board in the picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolste ... 402030561/

By 1964 these turns were generally all pannier tanks, but I'm afraid I did not record what was on them prior to 1964, so 412xx tanks could have been used for some of them.

Here are the details of one of them, which Robin has explained from the 1959 Working Timetable.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolsteam/5461311784/

Whether there were others with the code that you have indicated, I don't know.

From 1962 to June 1964 the Roster Board looked like this and none of the turns under Midland Freight match the ones described.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/bristolste ... 402030561/

An interesting question !

Good luck in your search

Patrick O'Brien

[Robin Summerhill]

Another thought crossed my mind.

I doubt if many, if indeed any, Barrow Road men signed the road south of Bath. This suggestion becomes more amd more unlikely the more you look at it.

I'd like to see some evidence of what Barrow Road turns BR875/6 actually were.

[Robin Summerhill]

This evening I've had a conversation with a former cleaner/ fireman based at Green Park and Barrow Road over the period 1957-62 (Allan John, in case anybody around here knows him or knew him from those days).

He confirms what I already thought, that Barrow Road men had no turns over the S&D during his time at either depot so, for Barrow Road to have engines that were simply sent to Radstock or Green Park for other footplate staff to work simply makes no sense. The engines would have been based at Green Park or Radstock in the first place and that would have been the end of the matter.

So, unless the poster on the Yahoo group mentioned in Alan's original post would like to post some evidence over here to support the statements they made, I would contend that, at best, this story is somebody's "urban myth" and has no basis in reality.

[Pines Alan]

Thanks for replies on this subject, all of which confirm my own opinions.
The originator of this remark on the yahoo group has been challenged but has simply replied that "this was the booked class of engine"; he has now been asked to post the diagrams he referred to.
Watch this space, as the saying goes.
Regards

[Pines Alan]

Having consulted on this subject, diagrams for 2 x Ivatt 2-6-2Ts were issued in 1964 (Bristol 975 and 976 - "412xx engine").
I think this forum agrees that these locos never worked as Radstock Bankers and trip locos - at least not regularly but that is not to say they may have done so on a one-off basis.
As to why the diagrams were NOT operated by the booked class of loco I can only surmise:
Perhaps there was a mistake on the diagrams and the amendment to 3F tank was issued on a seperate sheet of paper for handwriting on the original by roster clerk/running foreman etc. Copies of the original diagrams have survived but amendments have not.
The Ivatts were too valuable to use on, or were less suitable for, the work and there was enough of the 3F tanks to continue as in previous practice.
Finally, the "S & D " authorities decided that they were not going to operate diagrams issued by the "Western" at Bristol, thank you very much!
This topic has demonstrated, I think, the danger of accepting "official" documents as absolute proof that something did or did not happen.
Thanks to all who replied on this subject.