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Southern Steam in the 1960s
These black and white photographs were taken with a Kodak box camera by a young me.
The passing of time has not improved the quality sadly.
Photos copyright of Chris Taylor

Photos taken from the platform end at Brighton in 1961.

Maunsell Schools Class 30917 Ardingly waits just beyond the platform end at Brighton in 1961. Built at Eastleigh in May 1933 and withdrawn from 75A Brighton in November 1962. This loco was a 74B Ramsgate engine for many years.

Drummond M7s 30050 and 30056 at Brighton in 1961. 30050 built Eastleigh 30/06/1905 and withdrawn from 71B Bournemouth 31/01/1962. Spent much of her later life at 71B Bournemouth, 71D Fratton and 75D Horsham. Cut up at Eastleigh 28/02/1962. 30056 built Eastleigh 31/01/1906 and withdrawn from 75E Three Bridges 31/12/1963. Spent much of her later life at 70C Guildford, 71B Bournemouth and 75E Three Bridges. Cut up at Eastleigh 31/12/1963.

Billington K Class 32339 at Brighton in 1961. Built at Brighton 31/03/1914 and withdrawn from 75A Brighton 30/11/1962. Appears to have spent most of her life at 75A Brighton. Cut up at Eastleigh 31/12/1962.

Photos taken on an organised visit to Ashford Works in 1961.

Bulleid West Country Light Pacific 34014 Budleigh Salterton outside 74A Ashford Shed in 1961. She was built at Brighton 11/1945, rebuilt by Jarvis 03/1958 and then withdrawn from 72B Salisbury 03/1965. New to 72A Exmouth Junction, then 73B Bricklayers Arms, 75A Brighton and 72B Salisbury.

Billington E4 Class 32468 outside 74A Ashford Shed 1961. Originally named Midhurst she was built at Brighton 31/05/1898 and was withdrawn from 75A Brighton 31/01/1963. She is also known to have spent some time at 73B Bricklayers Arms. She was cut up at Eastleigh 31/08/1963. Also in the picture are Bulleid West Country Light Pacific 34014 Budleigh Stitleerton (see above), a Maunsell 2-6-0 (N or U Class) and a Bulleid Q1.

Maunsell D1 Class 31749 outside 74A Ashford Shed 1961. Built as a Wainwright D Class 31/03/1903 and rebuilt as a Maunsell D1 Class in 1921 at Beyer Peacock & Co's Vulcan Foundry. She spent some time at 73A Stewarts Lane and was withdrawn from 73B Bricklayers Arms 30/11/1961. She was cut up at Ashford 31/01/1962. Also in the picture are Billington E4 Class 32468 (see above), and a Bulleid Q1.

BR Class 4 Standard Tank 80041 outside 74A Ashford Shed 1961. Built at Brighton 05/07/1952 and sent to 4A Bletchley. She was withdrawn from 71H Templecombe 17/03/1966. She was cut up at Cashmores, Newport 30/06/1966. The down Golden Arrow hauled by a Bulleid Light Pacific can be seen in the background just behind a Wainwright H Class Tank engine.

Maunsell Schools Class 30931 Kings Wimbledon in a line of out of use engines outside 74A Ashford Shed in 1961. Built at Eastleigh in January 1935 and withdrawn from 70A Nine Elms in September 1961. This loco seems to have spent much of her time at 73B Bricklayers Arms.

Maunsell Schools Class 30933 Kings Canterbury in a line of out of use engines outside 74A Ashford Shed in 1961. Built at Eastleigh in March 1935 and withdrawn from 70A Nine Elms in November 1961. This loco also seems to have spent much of her time at 73B Bricklayers Arms.

Photos taken at Tonbridge in 1961.

Maunsell Schools Class 30938 St Olaves at Tonbridge Station in 1961. The headcode suggests a Dover/Folkestone to London Bridge/Charing Cross working. She was built at Eastleigh in August 1935 and withdrawn from 70A Nine Elms July 1961. She spent a large proportion of time at 73B Bricklayers Arms.

Bulleid Rebuilt West Country Light Pacific 34100 Appledore rushes the last down steam hauled Golden Arrow through Tonbridge Station on 11/06/1961. Built at Brighton 12/1949, rebuilt by Jarvis 09/1960 and then withdrawn from 72B Salisbury 07/1967. She spent much of her life at 74B Ramsgate.

Wainwright O1 Class 31065 at Tonbridge Shed 10/06/1961. 31065 was built at Ashford 09/1896 as an O Class and was rebuilt as an O1 Class 09/1908. She is known to have had spells at 74B Ramsgate, 74A Ashford and 74C Dover. In this picture she is seen on the turntable at 74D Tonbridge Shed after arrival from 74C Dover Shed. She was dressed to haul a Locomotive Club of GB special over the Hawkhurst Branch on 11/06/1961 following the last public trains on 10/06/1961. The photo is unusual as later photographs show the flower coronet over the safety valves as missing. Sadly 31065 was withdrawn on 12/06/1961 the day after hauling The South Eastern Limited along the Hawkhurst Branch but has been preserved and can be seen (2011) at the Bluebell Railway.

An unidentified Bulleid Light Pacific an up Dover - Victoria Boat Train passing Tonbridge Station 06/1961.

Nearest the camera Maunsell N Class 31874 and on the opposite platform a Wainwright H Class 31518 with a Maunsell U1 Class 31906 at Tonbridge Station 1961. 31874 is on a goods train heading for the Redhill line. 31518 will propel her two carriage push and pull set towards Paddock Wood and then 31906 will set off for the Sussex coast at Brighton (or possibly Eastbourne) via Tunbridge Wells. 31874 was made as a kit of parts at Woolwich Arsenal under a Government plan to preserve jobs there on closure of the munition works after the end of WW1 and the Southern Railway built the loco at Ashford 30/09/1925. She had spells at 72B Salisbury and 73B Bricklayers Arms before being withdrawn from 72A Exmouth Junction 31/03/1964. Happily she survives and can be found (2011) at the Mid-Hants Railway. 31906 was built at Eastleigh 30/09/1931 and spent most of her time at 73A Stewarts Lane. She was withdrawn from 75C Norwood Junction 31/12/1962. 31518 was completed at the Ashford Works of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in July 1906. Her early career is not known to me but in 1951 she was a 74C Dover loco and in 1952 she was stabled at 74E St Leonards. 1957 finds her at 73D Gillingham and she later went to 75E Three Bridges from where she was withdrawn in January 1964 along with the other remaining H class tanks. Cut up at King's, Norwich 30/11/1964. The first carriage behind 31906 is Maunsell corridor brake second (the standard class) S4079S. From 1929 to 1961 this was part of 8 carriage Set 465 allocated to the London-Eastbourne route. It was later in a 2 carriage set E 454 which was part of the former 4 carriage set also E 454. The 2 carriage set was withdrawn in December 1963. Another dating clue is the third rail. This was in place through Tonbridge as far as Headcorn by the end of 1959 and electric services for crew training through Tonbridge commenced in Spring 1961. The third rail in this photograph does not seem to be in use yet (the rail head does not look shiny to me) making the date early 1961.

Maunsell Schools Class 30921 Shrewsbury at 74D Tonbridge Shed in 1961. She was built at Eastleigh 31/11/1933 and withdrawn from 70A Nine Elms 31/12/1962. She spent time at 73B Bricklayers Arms, 74C Dover and 74B Ramsgate.

Photos taken at High Brooms in 1962/3.

Wainwright H Class 31324 at High Brooms in 1962. She was built at Ashford 31/05/1907 and withdrawn from 74D Tonbridge 31/07/1962. She was cut up at Eastleigh 31/08/1962 She spent time at 73B Bricklayers Arms, 73E Faversham and 74B Ramsgate. 31324 is passing the site of the sidings used by The High Brooms Brick and Tile Company and William Corey (oil distributors) of which one rail can be seen in the bottom left hand corner of the photograph.

Maunsell N1 Class 31877 at High Brooms Station 1962. Built at Ashford 30/04/1930 and withdrawn from 73A Stewarts Lane 30/11/1962. She spent much of her life at 73C Hither Green.

Maunsell N1 Class 31878 at High Brooms Station 1962. She was built at Ashford 30/04/1930 and withdrawn from 73A Stewarts Lane 30/11/1962. She spent most of her life at 73C Hither Green.

Maunsell N1 Class 31880 at High Brooms Station 1962. She was built at Ashford 30/11/1930 and withdrawn from 73A Stewarts Lane 30/11/1962. She spent most of her life at 73C Hither Green.

Bulleid Q1 Class 33032 at High Brooms 1962. 33032 is heading towards Tonbridge possibly on a "departmental" working. She was built at Ashford 30/11/1942 and withdrawn Guildford 31/01/1964

BR Class 4 Standard Tank 80085 at High Brooms Station 1963. She was built at Brighton 28/05/1954 and went to 4A Bletchley. She later moved to 70A Nine Elms from where she was withdrawn 09/07/1967. She was cut up at Birds, Risca 30/11/1967. The colour aspect signals shewn were installed in March 1962.

An unidentified BR Class 4 Standard Tank at High Brooms Station 1963.

OS MAP of 1960/64 - Sidings at High Brooms. Brickworks siding is blue with the ends of the foot bridges circled black and brown giving direct access to the siding. Oil depots sidings coloured red. Station yard sidings coloured green. The station yard had a separate junction to the main line. The brickworks and oil depots shared a connection to the main line. I lived in the house coloured yellow.

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