| 05/12/1960 |
West Country at New St. |
The arrival of unrebuilt West Country 34102 in New St., Birmingham, on 5th December, on the 'Pines' created a sensation; it returned the next day, also on the 'Pines' and on this day the 'Pines' arrived from the south behind 4942 with a member/fireman on the footplate! 4942 returned the next day with the 'Pines' and normality returned there-after with locomotive rosters, although probably there were certain enquiries as to how 34102 could have worked all the way from Bournemouth (via Fordingbridge, Salisbury and Bristol (Dr. Day's Junction). The reasons for these exceptional workings will be apparent from a perusal of this report of the Somerset and Dorset Joint line :- Towards the end of November it was noticed that there had been a slight subsidence at a spot on the section of line north of Midford station where it runs (as single line) on a narrow shelf cut into the side of the hill; as this would obviously be a very dangerous place to have a derailment, a constant watch (day and night) was instituted at this place-there being a 40' drop on one side. In the early hours of Sunday, 4th December, after 36 hours of continuous rain, an up freight passed through Midford and immediately afterwards, a watchman, on carrying out an inspection, found that the ground at the edge of the shelf on which the line was carried, had slipped substantially and was starting to crumble away. The Midford signalman immediately notified the Inspector responsible and the line was closed to all through traffic as unsafe. From Monday morning, 5th December, Radstock was the northern terminus of the S & D and buses ran from Bath Green Park; the coal traffic from Radstock area collieries (most of which goes to the Portishead Power Station) was taken down line to Evercreech Junction and then over the branch to Highbridge, thence W.R. to Bristol. The 'Pines' was diverted via Salisbury and Dr. Day's Junction, Bristol, and normally should have re-engined there-it will probably never be divulged as to how 34102 reached Birmingham although this was not the only contretemps ! Many hundreds of tons of ballast had to be dumped down the steep slope at Midford to try and secure consolidation and by mid-morning on Friday, 9th December, the Engineer-in-charge was satisfied that conditions were such that the line could be used again as long as a 5 m.p.h. speed limit operated; shortly after, an engine and brake passed over and information was passed to control in time to divert the down 'Pines' normally via Yate and Bath Green Park and the rostered locomotive for it from Bristol to Bath S & D. |
SLS/196101 |
| 11/09/1963 |
Eastleigh MPD (Ex Works) |
Ex Works on 71A-DS238 (ex-30070 named Wainwright), 34030, 34102, 41290/5, 76007, D3719. Waiting Works or scrap on 71A-30065/89, 30199, 30241, 30346/68, 30500/3/11/5/6/9/48/86, 30911/30/6, 31403/13, 31637, 31794, 31810/20/79/80/90/8/9, 31900/3/5/6/10/6/21/3, 32353, 32417, 32557, 33011/21, 34023/35/71/4, 41312, 73054. |
SLS/196310 |
| 12/08/1967 |
Salisbury MPD |
On 12th August, the following locomotives were in store at Salisbury (70E): USA 0-6-0T 30064/7/9/71/2, W/C Pacific 34102, WC/BB Pacific (Reb.) 34018/21/4/5/37/40/56/60/87/9/90/8, 34104/8, LMS 2-6-2T 41312/9, BR 5MT 4-6-0 73022/9/43/65/85/93, 73115/7/8/55, BR 4MT 4-6-0 75074/5/7, BR 4MT 2-6-0 76005/6/7/11/31/64/6/7, BR 4MT 2-6-4T 80015/6/133/9/40/3/5/6/51/2 and BR 3MT 2-6-2T 82019/29. |
SLS/196709 |
