50 years since the end of steam on BR Southern Region

[rs1952]

Another of my comparisons has been posted on Flickr – Waterloo in April 1967 and July 2017:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/2544378...

[rs1952]

Not strictly on topic and I don't know if anyone might be interested, but I have now posted a photograph on Flickr of the South African Railways class 26 no 3450 "Red Devil," rebuilt from a class 25 4-8-4 between 1979 and 1981 incorporating ideas from the Argentinian mechanical engineer L D Porta.

One of those "what might have beens" from history to go with the LMS 6399 "Fury" and Bulleid's Leader class:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/2757992...

[rs1952]

Yertis said:

By the way Robin, what do you make of this pic from the Period Classic Pics thread? I thought passenger services on this line stopped back the early '60s – what might be going on here?

P5BNij said:

Portishead, 1970...

The short answer is “Dunno mate”

The longer answer is that there were a number of enthusiast’s specials that went down the Portishead branch in the 1970s but most of them were DMUs. The Six Bells junction website lists quite a few and here are two examples – I didn’t find any loco-hauled specials in some skim research on it through the 1970s-

27th March 1971: Somerset Rambler III (booked for a DMU)
https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/710300gw.ht...

24th November 1973 Bristol Avon no 2 railtour
https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/731124rc.ht...

As you say the line closed to passengers in September 1964 and I believe the line into Portishead itself became unused after the power station shut (late 70s/ early 80s). Trains still run to Portbury docks though.

In case anyone is interested in what the final passenger timetable looked like, a posted a scan to Flickr some time ago:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/3056883...

[rs1952]

Thread bumped because we have now passed to 50th anniversary of the end of all steam traction on BR (except the Vale of Rheidol) in August 1968.

I was out during the summer compiling some more "then and now," this time in Northern England where steam held out until the end.

Skipton: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/4521502...

Bradford: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/4338514...

Hellifield: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/4330513...

Rose Grove, Burnley: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/4489476...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/4484343...

And just in case anyone wants to see a steam locomotive painted in rail blue with the double arrow logo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/1534310...