When the Queen prevented a shed visit

IT WAS one day back in 1961, when I was just 13, that I decided to try to gain entry to Guildford shed

(70C). This was during the half-term holiday and the date was May 17, a Wednesday, and what I considered would be a quiet, normal weekday in the Surrey town. My thoughts were, if it’s a quiet day, I may get lucky and could even be allowed in if they do see me and I ask politely. Worth a try anyway.

As my London Country bus approached Guildford, it slowed because of large gatherings of people lining the streets and a large police presence. I had no idea what this was all about, but as I walked, or rather pushed, my way round to the shed entrance I realised this did not look too hopeful. I had clearly chosen the wrong day.

A burly policeman stood in my way at the gate to the shed. I bravely said: ‘Excuse me, I’m here to visit the engine shed’ as if something was pre-arranged. He simply said something like: ‘Not today Sonny Jim’ and stood firm.

‘The Queen has come to open the new cathedral,’ he explained. I have always accepted that, but recently learned it was a ‘consecration’ she was attending along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and other dignitaries.

The policeman suggested I should go round to the station where the Royal Train was waiting. I hadn’t long missed her arrival and was due back later so, as originally planned, I spent the afternoon there until the royal party returned and the train left.

Surprisingly, I was allowed to walk alongside the train and have a good look. I then noticed a loco simmering away in another platform, so I went over to see gleaming ‘West Country’ No. 34009 Lyme Regis just standing there! I had taken my camera, but with so few photos on each film only used it ‘sparingly’. This was one such occasion and attached is the snap I obtained that day.

Perhaps not quite the day as planned, as the arrival of the Queen and her security scuppered any chance of a shed visit, but it was a very memorable one nevertheless.