S&D 50 YEARS ON
The little-known steam workings that continued after the S&D’s closure
After the finale weekend, it is scarcely recorded that there were several more days before the last fire was dropped
The closure of the Somerset & Dorset system on March 6 1966 was also supposed to be the end of steam on the Western Region. But the truth is that locomotives were still running for another ten days. There was a good deal of tidying up to be done at Bath Green Park shed, and the distinction of being the very last engine to have its fire dropped fell to LMS-design Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41283. Although by now officially withdrawn, it was used on several occasions. It is not known if this had been sanctioned by the higher WR authorities or whether this was just a ‘local’ initiative. I suspect it was the latter. Reports indicate that it was steamed during the first week after closure, and then again from Monday March 14 until it had its fire dropped for a final time on March 17. In keeping with tradition, the steamings were written up and shown on Green Park’s roster board. The engine itself carried a chalked message, at least on the fireman’s side of the cab, which read: ‘Keep off - fire lit’. There are, of course, many films, photographs and accounts that depict that last weekend of S&D operation, of the final public service trains on March 5, and the enthusiast specials that ran over the line the following day. However, there are also workings and movements that weekend that did not appear to have generated the same interest, particularly with the enthusiasts. It is extremely difficult in some cases to find out more about them. I set out to find more information about these workings, and ended up writing a book on the S&D’s closure, but not all questions and queries have yet been answered.
Coach mystery
There is one big mystery surrounding the evening of Saturday March 5 1966, when BR Standard 2-6-4T No. 80041 worked the 6.45pm Bournemouth to Bath Green Park through service train. At Templecombe, another locomotive of its class, No. 80043, which had worked the Down 4.25pm Bath Green Park-Templecombe service, was added with its coaches to get both locomotives and stock up to Bath. This would be the last Up timetabled passenger train on the S&D and the last scheduled steam-hauled passenger train to be officially operated by the Western Region (some passenger trains did still see steam haulage on the WR after this date, but they originated from other regions).
The train arrived in Bath 62mins late, at 10.52pm, and on the run down into the city both locomotives’ whistles were held wide open, piercing the night air. En route to Bath, this last Up passenger train had passed Ivatt No. 41249 running light engine near Cole returning to Templecombe shed. This worked the last service train over the branch to Highbridge, departing from Glastonbury to loud explosions from detonators placed on the line and witnessed by a large crowd. However, the run back to its home shed went virtually unseen. After arrival at Bath, Nos. 80041 and 80043 made their way to the shed, where the fire of No. 80041 was dropped for the last time. No. 80043 would, however, live on for one more day as it was to work a Stephenson Locomotive Society special to Bournemouth and back on the Sunday with LMS ‘8F’ 2-8-0 No. 48706. But what happened to the coaching stock from this last Up scheduled passenger train? When was it removed from Green Park - and by what?
In the dark
The coaches for the Sunday SLS special had been brought in much earlier by ‘Hymek’ diesel No. D7030, and this had then worked the Great Western Society’s special back to Bristol, so it was not this engine. The photographs I have studied do not show the six coaches from this last Up train in the station or yard on the Sunday morning, nor can I find any person who remembers seeing them, or any references in timetables regarding their removal. It is also perceived by many that this train was the last northbound working that night up to Bath, but that is not the case. The earlier 5.37pm service train from Bournemouth to Templecombe had been hauled by No. 80037, with a threecoach set full of passengers. After detaching from its train, this locomotive remained at Templecombe to later pilot the last Bournemouth-bound service, hauled by No. 80138, down from the station to No. 2 junction. This train was now also formed of six coaches, with the addition of those from the 5.37pm Up service. No. 80037 was detached at Templecombe’s No. 2 junction and then made its final journey up to Bath light engine to be withdrawn from service. This was the very last working that night, and the final one to be signalled through Evercreech Junction before the signal box mysteriously burnt down. These movements were, of course, mostly made in the dark and they were not photographed to such a degree as the daylight runs, although many people had turned out to see the final trains pass by. However, earlier in the day, two Bath ‘8Fs’ performed runs that went relatively unnoticed by enthusiasts. No. 48760 had worked the busy 8.15am southbound service from Bath to Templecombe, but then on arrival ran back light engine up to Evercreech Junction.
Tight fit
The 50ft turntable at Templecombe was too small to turn a 63ft ‘8F’, and the Evercreech Junction turntable was 56ft. However, the actual wheelbase of an ‘8F’ was 52ft 7in, which meant it would just fit, with a bit of overhang. After turning at 10.45am, No. 48760 ran back to Templecombe shed to await its final run to Bath on the 4.18pm service, formed of three coaches. The last locomotive ever to use Evercreech Junction turntable that afternoon was BR 2-6-0 No. 76026, which was in a pretty deplorable condition and had arrived on the 3.30pm service from Templecombe, returning on the
4.13pm. No. 48760 was to be kept in light steam overnight at Bath as standby locomotive for the following day, but as it turned out, it was not needed. The other ‘8F’ working was actually on a freight train out of Bath Green Park (Midland Yard) to Bristol West Yard over the Midland route via Bitton and Mangotsfield, and this was a coal train hauled by No. 48309, probably bound for Portishead power station. The ‘8F’ left its train at West Yard and was recorded in the centre road of Temple Meads at 12.10pm, as it was about to head back to Bath, tender first, to be withdrawn on arrival. It passed the very last service train on this route (which also closed to passenger traffic that weekend) near Kelston hauled by ‘Hymek’ No. D7000, working the 1pm from Green Park. It has to be remembered that the Western Region had supposedly rid itself of steam from January 3 1966 (the S&D was originally due to be closed from this date) and the continued use of steam on the line was an embarrassment for Western Region authorities. Bath’s ‘8Fs’ were, however, frequently continuing to run into Bristol on coal workings via the former Midland line and one - No. 48760 - even reached Severn Tunnel Junction in February 1966.
Final battle
In addition to a number of Ivatt 2-6-2Ts running north up to Bath light engine from Templecombe for withdrawal on that final Saturday (these included Nos. 41206, 41290 and 41296) there was also a southbound light engine movement from Bath shed to Evercreech Junction, Bulleid ‘Battle
What happened to the coaching stock from this last Up scheduled passenger train?
of Britain’ 4-6-2 No. 34057 Biggin Hill. This particular locomotive was also to feature on the final Sunday, but it had acquired the distinction on Friday March 4 of being the last Bulleid ‘Pacific’ ever to work a service train over the S&D when it hauled the 6.48pm Bournemouth-Bath. I’ve yet to see a photograph of this working, but some do exist of it running tender first to Evercreech on the Saturday morning where it was joined by classmate No. 34006 Bude, which had also worked Up light engine to Evercreech from Bournemouth shed. The train the two ‘Bulleids’ worked onward, northbound from Evercreech to Bath, was an LCGB special which later returned over the S&D and this train was well recorded by photographers. The final Sunday of the S&D would see two railtours run, a freight working, a light engine movement over the whole line and the removal of two condemned locomotives. There was a further working of interest, away from the S&D, in connection with one of the railtours and involving a ‘West Country’ 4-6-2, which again few seem to have seen. The locomotive booked to take over an RCTS special at Highbridge, after it arrived over the S&D branch from Evercreech Junction, was re-built ‘WC’ No. 34013 Okehampton. This was provided by the Southern Region’s Salisbury shed and, according to the special working timetable I have, would have left Salisbury at 11.30am and run light engine via Westbury and Bath Spa to Bristol East for a crew change. It was then shown to be turned on the North Somerset Junction-Dr Day’s Bridge Junction-Bristol East triangle to then run tender first to Highbridge via Westonsuper-Mare, taking water at Bristol Temple Meads station between 1.49pm and 1.57pm. Despite extensive enquiries, I’ve found no reports or photographs of this movement from Salisbury until No. 34013 arrived at Temple Meads station. As one friend commented to me: “You could have sent Lode Star or a ‘Dean Goods’ through Bath Spa that day, and noone would have been there to photograph it; everyone was over at Green Park witnessing the end of the S&D”. No. 34013 was to run into the Down goods loop at Highbridge at 3pm to await the arrival of the RCTS special, which it worked to Mangotsfield North Junction. ‘Hymek’ No. D7014 came onto the rear of the train to haul it down to Bath Green Park, with the ‘West Country’ following light engine. There cannot have been many instances when a locomotive would visit both of Bath’s stations on the same day.
Volcanic performance
As mentioned earlier, there was also a light engine movement over the whole S&D main line and this was again No. 34057 Biggin Hill, heading to Bath Green Park under dull and murky skies and scheduled to arrive there at 3.33pm. In just under two hours this was joined by Okehampton as pilot engine, and both hauled the final southbound train over the line to Templecombe, an RCTS special. Those who witnessed the special head up over the Mendips and dig in for the last battle of Masbury Summit have described the performance as volcanic, with fire and cinders erupting high into the night sky. The sight was even described in one railway publication as an ‘unforgettable
firework display’. The crew on No. 34057 Biggin Hill (train engine) were driver Peter Guy and passed fireman Mike Standhaft from Bournemouth shed (Mike is still a driver on the Swanage Railway) but they were also accompanied by a Western Region traction inspector from Bristol for this run to Templecombe. Mike Standhaft has told me that the inspector turned a blind eye as both drivers just “went for it”, and had never seen Bulleid ‘Pacifics’ worked so hard. On the footplate the inspector crossed over to Mike and said something he’s never forgotten. “I’ve heard some engines lifted in my time, but nothing lifted like this before”. No. 34013 had driver Arthur Hatcher on the regulator with an unidentified “young” fireman, both of whom were from Templecombe shed. On arrival at Templecombe, Nos. 34013 and 34057 were split, and the former returned to Salisbury behind the special, which went back to London behind ‘Merchant Navy’ 4-6-2 No. 35028 Clan Line. Biggin Hill had run back down onto the S&D to get back to its home shed of Bournemouth, but it had one final task to perform first. The signalman at Templecombe No. 2 box would now be controlling the final movements before it closed, and the ‘Pacific’ ran into the shed yard to collect BR ‘Standard 4’ 4-6-0s Nos. 75072/3, which had been worked south from Bath on the Friday morning by No. 76026 en route to Ringwood for scrapping by Thomas Ward. The Western Region wanted all engines removed from the S&D before it closed (except the concentration at Bath). No. 34057 hauled the two ‘Standards’ out of the yard in order to run round them before setting off southwards. The movements took longer than had been hoped, and as no brake van was provided, driver Johnny Walker and fireman Tony White, who had earlier worked Clan Line up from Bournemouth, each took to the footplate of one of the 4-6-0s in case problems arose. It was also a way of getting home, but the movement of the two ‘Standards’ had not been detailed in the special operating instructions for that day, which showed that Biggin Hill was to run back to Bournemouth light engine from Templecombe.
Milk run
This movement was the last to traverse the S&D between Templecombe and Blandford Forum before closure. On the way, the convoy stopped at Sturminster Newton station for some time where it was met by the local Press, who interviewed the crews, and a large number of locals, who had turned out to witness this last working which passed with very little notice from enthusiasts. On arrival at Blandford, Nos. 75072 and 75073 were shunted and stabled at bridge 197 (Farquharson Bridge) by Langton Garage, on Langton Lane. No. 34057 continued light engine onto Bournemouth with a rather crowded cab; Peter and Mike Standhaft were joined by the other two enginemen, plus 16-year-old John Antell, who was dropped off at Bailey Gate station. He later became very well known in the railway preservation world as a haulier who, for 40 years, transported locomotives around the country by road until his retirement in 2014. The signal box register shows the ‘Battle of Britain’ passed Broadstone at 10.40pm, considerably later than its booked time and keeping it open much later than planned. The very last S&D freight train was to be the Bason BridgeHighbridge milk train, which on this final Sunday would be one hour later than normal. It is known that the Western Region had requested a diesel, but someone at a lower level scheduled it into the weekend’s special working timetable to use an engine off the branch section of the RCTS special. In the event, both Nos. 41249 and 41283 were used with two BR 20-ton brake vans in tow backing down to Bason Bridge. It was, of course, very rare for this train to be double--
Along with class member No. 3758, No. 3681 had been earmarked for preservation
headed, but it was to go down in history as the very last steam-hauled freight train to be officially operated by the WR. On arrival back at Highbridge, the milk tanks were left in the yard for later collection and the 2-6-2Ts then made their way to Bath Green Park shed, routed up the WR main line to Bristol Temple Meads and then the Midland line via Mangotsfield. It is not known who crewed the engines for this journey as it is very unlikely that Templecombe crews would have had the necessary route knowledge. They may have come from Bristol Bath Road or, if Templecombe crews had remained on the footplate, pilotmen would have been provided. The milk train attracted little attention from enthusiasts, but photographs do exist of the locomotives at Bason Bridge and Highbridge. I’ve yet to find any of them working up through Bristol to Bath Green Park. On the morning of Monday March 7 1966, stations and platforms were deserted and most signal boxes stood unattended, in some cases with signals still set in the ‘off’ position, their clocks continuing to tell the right time and log books open on the desks where they had been left the previous day. This would not matter any more as trains would not be running over most of the S&D system again, except for short sections for freight, until the scrap men arrived.
GWR finale
Over the years, rumours have abounded that on March 7 a locomotive was steamed at Bath shed and sent off down the S&D to collect redundant fittings from stations. There is conclusive proof that pannier tank No. 3681 was steamed that day. Historian and author the late Russell Leitch from Keynsham took photographs; I knew Russell and he was extremely meticulous with his dates and notes. The run was also recorded on film. While researching my book, several people have mentioned to me that a locomotive went down the line, and then I came across a statement made by a relief area manager: “An engine from Bath went down the S&D collecting equipment and materials, and this was a pannier tank”. I’ve been unable to prove it happened, but another plausible reason was that it was being checked over, because along with class member No. 3758, it had been earmarked for preservation on the soon-to-be-closed Yatton-Clevedon branch. Both engines went to Bristol Bath Road shed for storage on Friday March 11, with No. 3681 again being steamed to make the move, towing No. 3758 dead. This would have been the last Western Region engine allocated to a WR shed in steam under British Rail, used on its home Region. (No. 3681 was also in steam before closure on March 5 as the Bath pilot). While at Bristol, the two panniers received some attention and appeared at a depot open day on Saturday April 30, along with some other withdrawn locomotives from Bath shed. It appears that BR grew tired of waiting for payment, and sold them for scrap. On Sunday July 31, No. 3758 was seen at Gloucester’s Horton Road shed in immaculate condition en route to John Cashmore’s scrapyard at Newport. I visited this scrapyard on a regular basis and during one trip that summer, spotted this very clean locomotive inside a building by the reception sidings to the yard, and hoped it was being stored for preservation. Sadly this was not to be, as both Nos. 3681 and 3758 were torched during August 1966.
Still unsolved
This article began with the story of Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41283. The engine was used to position the final withdrawn locomotive into train loads for haulage to Bristol by diesels, with its own final movement in steam being to place itself ready to be hauled away with others by ‘Hymek’ No. D7043 on Friday March 18. The others were towed away from Bath that day by ‘Peak’ No. D15. All were parked in a long line for over a month before dispatch to South Wales for cutting up. On March 26, Nos. 41206/16/23/49/83/90/96, 41307, 47276, 47506, 48309, 48760 and 80037/41/3 were all there. Finally, Templecombe still has some unsolved mysteries, and one relates to the lower yard. On March 7, the yard still contained about 20 wagons, consisting of five-plank open wagons and box vans, and also a Departmental mess coach No. DW150203 and a bogie van. All these vehicles must have been removed after the closure came into effect, but it is not known how or when. The general consensus is that a locomotive was sent from Yeovil to perform the task, but I’ve yet to find anyone who saw it happen, let alone photograph it. From a report I’ve received, the yard was probably empty by March 20. A photograph taken on March 30, looking north, where the S&D went underneath the Salisbury to Exeter line, certainly confirmed that the lower yard was empty. One interesting point that has arisen from this photograph is that the S&D single line track heading south towards Blandford Forum had shiny rails, indicating that it had been used, despite being closed from March 7! Had something run over it? The mysteries and unanswered questions continue.