Journal 52 — Summer 2013

Table of Contents

  • W. Richards & Sons, Bridge Builders, Leicester / By John Miles
  • Shunting at Twywell / By Robin Cullup
  • Foreigners / By Ian Howard
  • 0–6–0 No. 371 at Westhouses Shed / By David Hunt & Ian Howard
  • What is a Joint Railway? / By Andrew Surry
  • The Last Trip to Twywell
  • Query Corner
  • Comments on Items in Previous Journals
  • Extracts from the Nottingham Railway Journal
  • Front cover

    Front cover

    Our cover photograph showing several locomotives at Westhouses shed anticipates that of the centre spread of this issue and the short article that goes with it. That on the front cover was taken between 1st February 1903, when the new RCH locomotive head codes were brought into use on the Midland (and the other main railway companies) and May 1904, when Kirtley 0–6–0 No. 539 was broken up. No. 539 can be seen in the gap between the two locomotives at the front, the one on the right being No. 1460. Having chosen this photograph for the front cover, your Editor then noticed something very special; one of those coincidences that seem to be so fortunate that the laws of probability do not apply. The locomotive on the same road as No. 539 and to the right of it was No. 371, the subject of our centre spread. It then seems likely that the unknown photographer who took our centre spread picture of No. 371 also took that on the front cover. The print of No. 371 with driver and foreman on the footplate was possibly a gift from the photographer to the driver, Joseph Brooks. That print was then kept in the family for more than 100 years, the memory of its meaning gradually disappearing, until Mrs. Marriott, Joseph’s grand-daughter brought it to a meeting to try to discover what it was.

    [Jack Braithwaite collection]

  • Rear cover

    Rear cover

    This is one side of a handbill issued by the Midland Railway in 1869 to advertise its excursions to Matlock. The prices seem very steep to modern eyes, ten shillings being about half the weekly wage of an ordinary working man. Also, given what we know of the Midland’s great changes to third class accommodation of only three years hence, the inclusion of only 1st and 2nd class fares here seems peculiar.

    [Ian Howard collection]