The End - Locos and rolling stock scrap line memories

[Swanny200]

How long would it have taken for the likes of Vic Berry's and the likes on average to strip a loco bar (as in the case of a lot of the pictures above) the cabs, was there rules on asbestos removal back then or was it just a case of stripping it bare for parts and metal as quickly as possible?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Hither Green in the early 1970s - Class 71s and 74s lined up ready for scrapping. I must dig some photos out.

Remember those well when my parents dragged me up to London's West End on the train. Although I was very young, and too young to know how to use a camera properly, I would rather have wandered around Hither Green than sat at a West End show...

Then there were the scrap lines at Selhurst and Eastleigh. Easy to bunk around in those days and if the works foreman was out, one just hid in between the coaches or locos...

 

[LMS 4F]

My first school was at Ampthill Road, Bedford and at the back was the line from Bedford to Hitching. There were several sidings and at the end of one was an old 0-6-0 steam loco with a number beginning with 5. This stuck in my mind as it was the only loco with a 5 That I ever saw.
I was at the school for over 4 years and as I recall the loco never moved. I would love to
Know which one it was and what became of it.

 

[Harvester]

My first school was at Ampthill Road, Bedford and at the back was the line from Bedford to Hitching. There were several sidings and at the end of one was an old 0-6-0 steam loco with a number beginning with 5. This stuck in my mind as it was the only loco with a 5 That I ever saw.
I was at the school for over 4 years and as I recall the loco never moved. I would love to
Know which one it was and what became of it.

This is a challenge, with no dates specified. Anyway I have had a look at “BR Steam Locomotives (allocations history 1948-1968)” and can find reference to four 5xxxx locos allocated to Bedford after 1948. They are Johnson 2F 0-6-0s 58214, 58215, 58239 and 58241. Only 58239 was withdrawn from Bedford (in May 1950), so it could have remained stored there for a few years. The others were transferred away and saw further use elsewhere. On the other hand the loco in question may never have been officially allocated to Bedford. The periods of the other three at Bedford are:

58214 - Feb 1958 to June 1960
58215 - May 1956 to Feb 1958
58241 - Jan 1948 to Apr 1952

 

[Sultan1056]

I remember going to the Swindon Works Open Day on 7th September 1974, when these were present, possibly being overhauled:
D7093, D7097, D7068, D1007, D1017 & D806.
There were also scrapped cabs from Class 52s D1000, D1024, D1060 and, unusually, enthusiasts were permitted to remove parts from:
D806, D824, D1007, D1017, D7023, D7054, D7055, D7068, D7074 and D7098.
In connection with the last part, I remember being in the cab of a (now) unknown loco and seeing someone kicking the door of it's hinges onto the floor below. Thankfully, it didn't hit anyone, and I've never known what he did with it!

(This information comes from the BR Open Days web site)

I think that all the locos listed were scheduled for scrap, not overhaul. The last mainline loco 1023 was outshopped in September 73.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I think that all the locos listed were scheduled for scrap, not overhaul. The last mainline loco 1023 was outshopped in September 73.

Thanks - the only thing I really remember about the visit was the removal of the door!

 

[LMS 4F]

This is a challenge, with no dates specified. Anyway I have had a look at “BR Steam Locomotives (allocations history 1948-1968)” and can find reference to four 5xxxx locos allocated to Bedford after 1948. They are Johnson 2F 0-6-0s 58214, 58215, 58239 and 58241. Only 58239 was withdrawn from Bedford (in May 1950), so it could have remained stored there for a few years. The others were transferred away and saw further use elsewhere. On the other hand the loco in question may never have been officially allocated to Bedford. The periods of the other three at Bedford are:

58214 - Feb 1958 to June 1960
58215 - May 1956 to Feb 1958
58241 - Jan 1948 to Apr 1952

Thank you for your efforts. I started school in 1953 and left that school on 1957 when we moved house. Whichever one it was it was there a long while. I was a spotter in that area up until 1961 but don’t recall anything smaller than a 4f as a tender engine in that area. That’s not to say they weren’t about.

 

[Sultan1056]

Thanks - the only thing I really remember about the visit was the removal of the door!

My first memory of Swindon Works is from the Open Day September 75. As I was arriving dozens of enthusiasts were leaving with Western memorabilia including windscreens and cab doors. I was amazed that no officials were preventing this from happening!

 

[Crewe Exile]

The scrap line of 40s at Crewe Works was huge. Scrap lines were common place outside the diesel depot too - I remember it was even brought to the local MPs attention by a number of businesses as it gave a poor first impression of the town.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Outside the depot and lines dotted around the marshalling yard too. Basford Hall?

 

[D1537]

And anybody know the history of why the 47 is on its side?

View attachment 92132

I've got a photo quite similar to that, although taken from the other end.

That's 47131, which derailed at Dorrington south of Shrewbury in February 1987, on catch points whilst running wrong line with the Waterston-Albion tanks.

It was there for quite a few days, and was eventually recovered to Shrewsbury and then Crewe where it was promptly withdrawn. It was scrapped at Vic Berry's the following year.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

My first memory of Swindon Works is from the Open Day September 75. As I was arriving dozens of enthusiasts were leaving with Western memorabilia including windscreens and cab doors. I was amazed that no officials were preventing this from happening!

They weren't preventing it from happening because it was officially allowed!

 

[billh]

I visited the Gorton,Manchester works scrap line in 1961 saw, among others, ex Midland S& D 0-4-4T 58086 as a pile of cut metal, identified by the number on the bunker side on the floor. In the same row of locos was D11 4-4-0, 62660, Butler Henderson, filthy and still complete with tarnished nameplates. That loco must
have come very close to being broken up. Thankfully, it survived for us to treasure to this day.

 

[Harvester]

I visited the Gorton,Manchester works scrap line in 1961 saw, among others, ex Midland S& D 0-4-4T 58086 as a pile of cut metal, identified by the number on the bunker side on the floor. In the same row of locos was D11 4-4-0, 62660, Butler Henderson, filthy and still complete with tarnished nameplates. That loco must
have come very close to being broken up. Thankfully, it survived for us to treasure to this day.

Interesting observation of D11 Butler-Henderson, but I don’t think it was in much danger of being scrapped, as it had been selected for preservation well before then. It was at Gorton works for overhaul (after withdrawal in 1960), before becoming part of the National Collection, but it seems this was low priority work for Gorton.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

My first school was at Ampthill Road, Bedford and at the back was the line from Bedford to Hitching. There were several sidings and at the end of one was an old 0-6-0 steam loco with a number beginning with 5. This stuck in my mind as it was the only loco with a 5 That I ever saw.
I was at the school for over 4 years and as I recall the loco never moved. I would love to
Know which one it was and what became of it.

I think that this photo might help you and also help me in identifying the location of this photo taken by my father (he was working at Bedford station in the 1950's) though I am unable at the moment to date it more accurately, I may be able to do so if I can find it in his notes. It certainly looks stored with the chimney covered. Quite a coincidence!

 

[LMS 4F]

That is certainly the type of Loco I recall. The location is the other side of Ampthill Road railway bridge from the present site of St John’s Station.
However I don’t think this photo was taken in that location. Firstly the engine is at the end of a siding but is wrong in relation to the building. The siding ran all the way behind the school with the end up against the bridge embankment.
Also the building doesn’t look old enough to be the School. It was and still is a Victorian building and the windows on the photo do not look right. The building was still there an out 8 months ago but I’ve no idea if it’s still a school.
A wonderful picture, I’m only sorry I can’t help you more.