Memories of Welsh coal trains and rural steam

STEAM and electric traction will both be in the mix in the Transport Auctions of London sale on May 8, including a GWR 46 cabside numberplate from an 0-6-2T that started life in 1909 as Rhymney Railway No. 97 and was renumbered by the GWR.

The locomotive, which ended its days at Radyr, a sub-shed of Cardiff Cathays (88A), in July 1950, was one of five in the R class built for heavy coal trains by Robert Stephenson & Co to the design of Rhymney Railway locomotive superintendent Charles Hurry Riches.

Other BR memorabilia includes BR(S) totems from Aylesford and Cuxton, two stations on the Medway Valley Line in Kent that were opened by the South Eastern Railway in June 1856 and remain open today, while there is also a BR steam link with a London Underground Central Line Epping/Ongar cab destination plate.

In the 1950s, prior to electrification in November 1957, this line was operated by London Underground using F5 class 2-4-2Ts hired from BR that were allocated to Epping, a sub-shed of Stratford (30A).

The plate going under the hammer was used on the Underground 1935 stock that worked the line following its electrification. Other Underground plates in the auction are for all three of the proposed Northern Line destinations at Alexandra Palace, Bushey Heath and Elstree that were in the Northern Heights Plan announced in June 1935 but cancelled after the Second World War. Bidding starts at 10am, live online or by email, telephone or commission.