Steam recordings

1960S steam enthusiasts recorded sounds of steam locos on portable 3in spool reel-to-reel tape recorders, and I was one of those who purchased a Philips model to record the London Transport pannier tanks – initially from the lineside, and then on footplate and brake van rides on a range of duties on the Metropolitan and District Lines from both Neasden and Lillie Bridge depots. I still have these magnetic tapes and the recorder, and play them occasionally. In those past 50+ years I had hoped to have copied and edited them so that they could be made available to anyone interested, but lack of the necessary audio equipment and opportunity has persisted. However, on the professional front, from the late 1950s, steam train recordings were made available on 78rpm records and then on extended play 45rpm vinyl and 33rpm Long Play by Peter Handford on his Transacord and Argo Transacord labels, which covered a wide variety of classes of steam locomotive in differing areas throughout Great Britain. These are still available through various second-hand sources. Peter Hudson By email