ON THE EDGE OF CUTTING: FAREWELL TO 1968 CELEBRITIES
British Rail’s steam disposal policy was ruthless and efficient right down to the very last engine.
On the first day of 1969, the number of locomotives still in existence on its premises or in scrapyards, and all without any future, had fallen to around 50, and all had been cut up by May.
At Newport, Cashmore’s and Buttigieg’s had finally got through their accumulation of Southern Bulleid ‘Pacifics’ withdrawn back in summer 1967, and the last to be cut up at Newport was BR ‘Standard 5’ 4-6-0 No. 73069 during February.
By early 1969, such end-of-steam celebrities as ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ No. 44781, ‘namer’ No. 45156
Ayrshire Yeomanry, and ‘8Fs’ Nos. 48476 and 48775 had all been broken up, along with all the BR ‘Caprotti’ 4-6-0s, ‘75XXX’ 4-6-0s and ‘9F’ 2-10-0s.
The smart external appearance of Carnforth’s BR ‘Standard 4s’ concealed their poor mechanical condition, and while it had to be presumed that several would be preserved, only No. 75027 made it (to the Bluebell). The reported sale of No. 75048 to Scotland was erroneous.
An oddity was the survival at Eastfield of carriage heater 2-6-4T No. 80002.
There were a few rays of hope.
While Keighley & Worth Valley Railway members failed to retrieve ‘Black Five’ No. 44894 from Albert Draper’s scrapyard at Hull (its motion had been cut through), the boss had already decided to save No. 45305 for himself. His choice was reputedly based on its completeness and (broadly speaking) sound mechanical condition.
A couple of other locomotives passed into preservation in 1969. ‘Black Five’ No. 45110 was sold from Lostock Hall to a Kent enthusiast who took it first to Ashford steam shed. It steamed on April 12 and was named ‘RAF Biggin Hill’.
Fears were eased for the future of pioneer BR ‘Pacific’ No. 70000 Britannia, dumped at Redhill shed after it was removed from the official list in favour of sister No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell. A deposit was paid on it by the East Anglian Locomotive Preservation Society.
Finally, London Transport put the word around that it was soon to lay off its ex-GWR pannier tanks, and suggested that three were suitable for preservation at around £500 apiece.
The first sold was No. 5786 (L92) to the Worcester Locomotive Society (it was actually sold for £1,100) after withdrawal in August 1969, and another five were to be saved the following year.
Locomotives still extant on BR premises, or in scrapyards on January 1 1969, are believed to have been Nos. 44713, 44874/8/88/90/4/9, 44942/9/50/71/3, 45017/55/76, 45134/49/87, 45203/55/60/8/87, 45305/12/8/53/86/8, 45420/44, 48253/67/78/82/93/4, 48327/48/69/74, 48410/67/93, 48519/49, 48722/7/30/52/63, 70000, 73069, 75027, and 80002.