An unidentified Gresley K3 2-6-0 scuttles under the catenary across Dinting viaduct with a rake of stock comprising two vans and five coaches.

Thompson B1 4-6-0 61164 awaits the guard's green flag at an unknown location.

Inclement weather dampens the departure of Thompson B1 4-6-0 61082 but the location isn't known.

Gresley A3 pacific 60090 Grand Parade leaves Newcastle for points north circa 1958/9. Tom Burns points out that the elevated signal box was demolished in 1959 and the tender bears the BR cycling lion logo.

Gresley V2 2-6-2 No. 60862 barges through pouring rain as she moves sedately away from heaven knows where.

Thompson L1 2-6-4T No. 67800 on familiar ecs duty at King's Cross in 1958. Note York Road station in the background just beyond the end of the signal box.

The sight that greeted nearly every train spotter on arrival at King's Cross was a Gresley N2 0-6-2T with its bunker at the buffer stops of platform 9 although this view shows a train parked much further down the platform for some reason. This is 69517 one of those fitted with condensor apparatus and she's being gazed upon by her young fireman back in 1958.

One of the highlights of my own 1950's wanderings was a day trip to Buckinghamshire in April 1959 with a group from The Norbury Club which remains extant. A return trip to Chesham was one of the highlights albeit in rather flat lighting for photography and the reasons for that trip were the sight of two Robinson 4-4-2T's and the Ashbury coaches. The personal irony is that some 13 years later I moved into a house that backed onto the Chesham branch.

For further and excellent web-based data on the subject of the Ashbury coaches please refer to the Bluebell site's web pages. That page opens in a new window.

If you like only sunlit, front threequarter shots then this is definitely not for you but I believe that this view has merit. The loco, a Stanier 2-cyl 2-6-4T, is backlit and so filthy that it's unidentifiable. The location is Brynkir on the ex-LNWR line from Carnarvon to Afonwen and the weather must have been execrable.

Chwilog is only a short distance from Afonwen on the erstwhile LNWR line from the latter to Carnarvon and it was a line that evidently attracted occasional heavy excursion traffic requiring double-heading. An Ivatt Mickey Mouse 2-6-2T pilots a Stanier Black 5 4-6-0 on just such a working circa 1960.

One of the North Wales excursion trains depicted in the previous view is seen here near Chwilog in 1960 but this time the Stanier Black 5 4-6-0 is piloted by a Fairburn 2-6-4T. there is nore chance of identifying this train as the bunker of the pilot loco carries an excursion label 1C68 or 1G68.

Kingsley & Froghall station, sympathetically resurrected in recent times by the Churnet Valley Railway (opens in new window), was a former North Staffs (NSR) outpost that here plays host to Stanier 4MT 2-6-4T 42609 in 1960.

The loco is a very clean Fowler 2-6-4T whilst the headboard proclaims SLS Carnarvonshire MLS.

Dave Lord has kindly sent me the following data: "This is the tour of 5th May 1957, of which there is a report in the SLS Journal for 7/57. 5 coaches started at Manchester Exchange as the rear half of an excursion to Bangor behind 45582. 42366 officiated from Bangor, with 42356 assisting on the Bethesda branch. After that, it went Bangor-Nantlle-Caernarvon-Llanberis-Menai Bridge-Llanfair-Bangor, then back to Manchester behind 45582. The tank locos faced towards Chester. The location is Llanfair and the electric pylon on the right matches the OS map!"

I love atmospheric shots and this takes some beating. Departing from ??????? are Fowler 'crab' 2-6-0 No. 42939 piloting arguably that CME's masterpiece of design in the form of 4-4-0 compund No. 41135 bearing the early BR markings on the tender.

I was led to believe that the location is Oxenholme but a correspondent has pointed out that it definitely isn't. He's suggested that Carlisle is more likely.

Any ideas anyone?

Ex-LNWR G2a class Super D 0-8-0 No. 49081 but the location isn't known although it's certainly in the Birmingham area and very likely Great Barr station..

The farewell to the Abergavenny - Merthyr railtour on January 5th, 1958 was hauled by two LNWR survivors. Here we see from a train window Webb coal tank 58926 piloting Super D 0-8-0 49121 in rousing fashion. Apologies for the image quality but this has been extracted from a small part of a not very good 35mm negative.

The location is almost certainly Winsford..There was a massive cull of pre-grouping locos on BR(M) in 1958/9 and here we see LMSR-built but of LTSR origin Whitelegg 4-4-2T No. 41950 at Winsford awaiting the cutter's torch.

An unidentified Fowler 2-6-4T speeds away from the camera near Saltley carriage sidings in this circa 1958 view.

Gresley D49/1 4-4-0 No. 62701 Derbyshire seen departing from Sheffield (Midland) which was probably a rare event for this class.

Fowler 2P 4-4-0 No. 40443 prepares for departure from Birmingham New St. before the staion became almost the ultimate in claustrophobia!

Another Fowler 4-4-0, compound 4-4-0 No. 41078 prepares dtorms away from the murky confines of Birmingham New St. in 1958 shortly before the loco's demise.

This is my kind of shot. Johnson 3F 0-6-0 No. 43668 drifts through the confines of Birmingham New St. station in 1958.

Stanier 2-cylinder 2-6-4T No. 42470 at an unknown location. The loco was finally withdrawn from service at Watford (1C) in October 1962 but is this by any chance the shot's location?

Double-heading on the West Highland line was commonplace. My personal experiences found a combination of a Lner mogul as pilot with a Stanier Black 5 as train engine but here we see a pair of Black 5's shot from the train window on one of the numerous curves on that route.

Bramber nears the end of its days as a cross country station with typical motive power for the period in the form of an unidentified Ivatt 2-6-2T about to depart. Note the unkempt state of the platform surfaces on both sides of the track.

I don't know which station this was on the so-called West Sussex branch but someone's bound to tell me. Please. the loco is Ivatt Mickey Mouse 2-6-2T No. 41299.

Only 13 months after rebuilding Bulleid Merchant Navy pacific 35016 Elders Fyffes was snapped at the head of an inter-regional working near Sway in May 1958.

Bulleid original West Country pacific 34102 Lapford was nicely turned out for the Surrey Downsman railtour on March 5th, 1967 but ended up with an almighty struggle on her hands on the climb from Tulse Hill to West Norwood Junction. The line is not only a steep incline for a heavily loaded steam engine but is also on a sharp curve. Add the propensity for the infamous Bulleid 'slip' into the equation olus damp condiotions and one has a recipe for an interesting standing start. With not a little help from 75077 the train finally reaches West Norwoood Jct. signal box at less than walking pace.

Bulled-up Bulleid Merchant Navy 35028 Clan Line accelerates away from the obligatory Wimbledon spedd restriction with the BR sponsored end of SR steam special on July 2nd 1967.

This is one of my own favourite 'gowing away' shots. It's spring 1967 - exact date not noted - and BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4t 80145 prepares to leave kensington Olympia with the last departure of the evening bound for Clapham Junction. the green coach just in shot is the plastic one-ff S1000.

It's 1962 at Bournemouth Central and Bulleid Q1 0-6-0 No. 33040 slakes its thirst at the east end of the station.

This very under-exposed slide, one of my own earliest efforts, depicts a sight that was quite common at Exeter St. Davids in the form of double-headed Bulleid pacifics heading towards North devon and points beyond. The identifiable loco is 34054 Lord Beaverbrook but the pilot loco is not identified. the shot was taken in August 1958.

Maunsell Q class 0-6-0 No. 30548 prepares to navigate the level crossing at Wareham circa 1960.

On the Isle of Wight a train bound for Ryde enters Sandown station.

Something of an historic picture that brings back personal memories as I was a frequent user of Victoria station back in steam days. Maunsell 'N' class mogul 31811 storms past the central section signal box as she prepares for the steep climb up to Grosvenor Bridge which was the first railway bridge constructed over the Thames..

April 1963 and it's been bitterly cold since just after Christmas which is evident from the remaining piles of packed snow in the image. A Maunsell mogul blasts away over the level crossing in the direction of Reigate and Redhill.

Elsewhere in this photo gallery is a shot of the inaugural Devon Belle blasting up Morthoe bank with, of course, immaculate 21C117 Ilfracombe i the van. Just about visible in the original image is the banker which was a decidedly grubby Bulleid light pacific. Here we see the back end of the train with loco still unidentifiable but it's not a bad shot of Pullman car Cynthia.

Fairburn 2-6-4T's were a common sight on the Southern's many rural lines for a decade and more. The loco is Brighton-built Fairburn 2-6-4T 42102 with what appears to be a Maunsell ironclad as the leading coach. Tom Burnham has suggested that this is a southbound train depicted looking southwards from the up platform at Woldingham and the fact that what appears to be the same train but taken as it enters the station is elsewhere in my gallery supports his assertion. 42102 entered service in September 1950 and along with her siblings formed the motive power backbone of the Oxted line services until replacement by the Standard 2-6-4T's in the mid-50's after which they all moved to their spritual home on the Midland region.

Fowler 4F 0-6-0 44102 was a long-term resident on the S & D and here we see her drifting into Shepton Mallet (CharltonRoad) station in this undated but probably early 60's scene.

An unknown example of the Standard 2MT 78000 class blasts away from Lossiemouth.

It's the rear end of a Collett 56xx 0-6-2T and the location has been confirmed as Merthyr Tydfil but the date isn't yet known. However, there might be a clue for some of the viewers in the form of the excursion reporting number attached to the bunker which states that it is 1Z10 and there seem to be photographers in the vicinity which might suggest a society sponsored tour.
The sixbellsjunction railtour web site has such a tour listed for 2/5/64.

An unidentified Collett 0-6-0PT at Lambourn identified as the location by Tim Venton. Thank you, Tim.

A nice GWR branch line scene but I have no idea which branch.

This scene will be an anathema to some viewers as it combines a Collett 0-6-0PT No. 4691 with Maunsell two coach set No. 168 at Bodmin circa 1960.

Superbly turned Collett prairie tank No. 4571 on the occasion of the final train over the Leominster - Bromyard line on April 26th, 1958 but where was this taken? Worcester?

Collett 2-8-0 No. 2899 was a survivor as she lasted until March 1965. She's seen here drawing away from Leamington Spa station.

The last Collett King class 4-6-0 was withdrawn from service in December 1962 but 6018 King Henry VI was retained in usable condition for the 'Farewell to the Kings' railtour which ran on April 28th, 1963. The tour was snapped by your truly as it passed through Greenford station after which it took a sharp right turn and headed for an intermediate water stop next to Southall mpd.

I have no record of the date of this railtour which took place on a hot and sunny day in 1966. 7808 Cookham Manor eases past the camera at Hanwell & Elthorne station.

Technically an awful shot which needed a mass of rebuilding but the subject matter is what provides the interest. The location is Winchester (Chesil) on the erstwhile Didcot, Newbury and Southampton line where we see a Collett 2250 0-6-0 about to depart whilst being passed a by a Drummond T9. The negative's definition prevents reliable identification of either locomotive.

Ex-GWR Hall 4-6-0 No. 5965 Horsley Hall at the unlikely location of the Oxted line platform, East Croydon. Much has been written about this one-off incident and there's no point in repeating it here. What does confirm the location is the 6-PUL unit in the middle distance.