Western Times - Issue 9

Western Times - Issue 9

he history periodical from Transport Treasury for students of the GWR and BR(W)

Western Times continues in its exploration of all aspects of the Great Western Railway and its nationalised successor up to 1977. Tastes may vary, but few will dispute the stunning quality of the night-time colour portraits of ‘Western’ Class diesel-hydraulics featured in this issue’s Modern Traction feature. A few years further back in time takes the reader to a survey of the line that threaded the beautiful Golden Valley through the Cotswolds, during the closing years of the steam era. Great Western branches exuded a unique charm and the short hop from Cholsey & Moulsford to Wallingford was no exception as is apparent in an informative account. The collection of the late R C Riley this time is drawn from photographs taken during a visit to Didcot and Swindon one Sunday in February 1939.

Consideration of the more unusual elements of the Great Western saga includes an account of unusual traffic movements in the Oxford area during World War 2. Extracted from the archives are details of an attractive 4-4-2 tank locomotive whose intended purpose remains unclear, which is probably why the design never proceeded beyond the prototype. Retired professional railwayman Brian Wheeler again shares his work experiences by providing details of diverse footplate journeys by steam and some diesel power.

In this issue we also begin a benchmark multi-instalment article titled ‘The Pannier Story’, commencing by exploring the origins of this means of locomotive water storage, and of its habitual companion, the Belpaire boiler. The convoluted history of the ‘3521’ Class concludes with a description of its re-incarnation in two distinct styles of 4-4-0 tender engines.

The Bulletin of the Great Western Trust provides a window on another aspect of the company from the everyday viewpoint, this time in recounting customer opinions about pre-World War 1 Dining Car standards. And once again, valuable reader feedback is provided through Guard’s Compartment.