Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Steam Days

The well respected railway photographer John Drydon Edwards sadly passed away on 20 January 2022. John was born in London in August 1938 and from an early age had a great interest in railways, and later in railway photography. According to his notes, his first pictures were taken in January 1955 using a Kodak ‘Hawkette II’ camera, and later a Kodak ‘Vollenda’, both 620 roll film cameras. However, for the majority of his black and white photography he used an Agfa ‘Isolette II’. This medium format 120 roll film camera was fitted with a good quality F4.5 Apotar 85mm lens. His interest in photography was such that he also processed and printed all of his own negatives. There is no doubt that he had a great eye for a photograph,…

After a strange few years for heritage railways and their supporters and volunteers, the sector is bouncing back, and we are able to look forward to a fantastic spring season full of hope and events for all the family – ranging from the die-hard enthusiasts to those simply in need of a great day out. We’re sure you will have your favourite heritage line, museum or attraction to visit, but if you are looking for somewhere a bit special, a part of the country you may not have been to for a while, or an attraction on your doorstep you’d forgotten all about, then take a look at our map and the adverts on these pages to gain some inspiration. All the venues and businesses here provide a memorable day…

I have been a railway enthusiast since 1942, and together with my two sons, Ian and Andrew, since March 1993 have provided a record of Britain’s railway scene when steam ruled supreme, from the 1800s until the end of steam in 1968. With a focus on line histories, train spotters’ memories, technical information, railwaymen’s reminiscences and nostalgic photo-features, our purpose is to bring back those halcyon days. With our subscriptions you can get your magazine delivered straight to your door every month, with a superb saving on the cover price. We hope to welcome you soon to the Steam Days family. CHOOSE WHICH STEAM DAYS SUBSCRIPTION SUITS YOU BEST BEST VALUE 1: 12 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION 12 print issues for £47 direct debit 12 print issues for £54 credit/debit card SAVE…

A ‘Great British railway journey’ should be a jaunt from significance to significance, with fascination in between. Here, I’ll start at Eastleigh, a true railway town since 1891 but from 29 November 1841 the site of the first major junction on what became the London & South Western Railway (L&SWR), and finish at Portsmouth, an important naval base since the late-12th century. Intermediate stops tell of radical journalist William Cobbett, the brick, a Roman fort as medieval castle, and 18th/19th century fortifications spawning a nature reserve. Eastleigh The railway is the raison d’être of Eastleigh, or its modern bulk anyway. There was a 10th century Anglo-Saxon village of ‘East Leah’ mentioned in Domesday Book but little else until the London & Southampton Railway/L&SWR arrived with its Southampton-Winchester line, the railway…

I have long since heard of scarlet women – not that I ever knew any, I hasten to add – but it was not until a few months after his death that I first heard of a scarlet man. The man in question is John Scarlett, who had a quite remarkable railway career. For a while his career had been routine, after starting on outdoor machinery at Kilmarnock Works, and then successively being a cleaner, fireman and driver at Hurlford shed, a transfer to the Southern Region saw new opportunities, these peaking with the distinction of being selected as an ‘Orient Express’ driver. Almost certainly he was the only engineman from ex-Glasgow & South Western Railway (G&SWR) territory to achieve this accolade, and possibly he was the only engineman from…

The fastest steam departure that one of the writers experienced from Skipton was with the winter ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’ of 17 November 1990 in the charge of British Railways Standard ‘8P’ Pacific No 71000 Duke of Gloucester. With a load of 13 BR Mark I coaches and ‘Ethel’ Bo-Bo No 97252, some 525-plus tons, the acceleration was memorable. The sharp staccato exhaust beats rapidly increased in tempo as No 71000 passed the site of Skipton North Junction, and as the train powered towards Gargrave the exhaust was more akin to a Sulzer diesel engine than a three-cylinder steam locomotive. Despite spending many pleasurable hours on the platforms of Willesden Junction station, regularly visiting Willesden shed (1A), peering over the road bridge adjacent to Camden shed (1B), and watching the comings…