Trainspotting

Weymouth 1952
 
In August 1952 (the exact dates not known), at the age of 13, I was taken on a two week holiday to Weymouth by my Grandfather, who was totally blind, and my two Aunts, his daughters. Our hotel was ideally situated in the centre of the promenade. Generally, the afternoons were spent in Weymouth itself or in places of interest in the surrounding areas. But I had the mornings to myself. So once breakfast was finished, I was off. It was about ten minutes walk to the elevated embankment that overlooked the approach to Weymouth railway station. 
And most days, I remained there until 12.20pm, when I returned to the hotel for 12.30pm lunch. There were other occasional short visits in the afternoons or evenings.
 
 MORNING DEPARTURES & ARRIVALS AT WEYMOUTH: 
DEPARTURES: ARRIVALS:
 9.20am Bournemouth & Waterloo (S)  9.25am  5.45am Bristol Temple Meads (W)
 9.28am Yeovill Pen Mill (W) 10.00am  9.25am Maiden Newton (W)
10.10am Bournemouth Central (S) 10.07am  5.40am Waterloo (S)
10.32am Wolverhampton (W) 10.35am  8.05am Bristol Temple Meads (W)
10.45am Dorchester West (W) 11.07am 10.23am Wareham (S)
11.30am Bournemouth & Waterloo (S) 11.24am  9.27am Westbury (W)
11.40am Westbury (W) 11.45am  8.35am Eastleigh (S)
12.20pm Bournemouth Central (S) 12.16pm  8.30am Channel Is Boat Train (W)
12.35pm Westbury & Bristol (W) 12.22pm  8.30am Waterloo (S)
Note: I have no 1952 Western region timetable. The above times are based on 1954/1955
 
I was also taken on an afternoon trip to Dorchester on the 2.05pm Railcar from Weymouth. The return was behind 4080 Powderham Castle on the 12.30pm Paddington to Weymouth, arriving Weymouth at 4.25pm.
A day trip to Bournemouth was 30865 Sir John Hawkins on the 10.10am from Weymouth, and back on 34105 Swanage on the 1.30pm from Waterloo, arrival Weymouth being at 5.33pm.
So what locomotives did I see at Weymouth, Dorchester, and Bournemouth? No notes remain. But what I do have is my Autumn 1951 ABC's. All the underlings in which were either in red or green ink. Except, would you guess, those relating to my Weymouth holiday, which were underlined in dark red biro. So I have been able to draw up a list. It is not totally complete, since locomotives that I saw that I had previously seen were not identifiable.
 
 SOUTHERN LOCOMOTIVES SEEN AT WEYMOUTH & BOURNEMOUTH: 
35010 Blue Star 30850 Lord Nelson
35012 United States Line 30851 Sir Francis Drake
35013 Blue Funnel 30857 Lord Howe
35014 Nederland Line 30858 Lord Duncan
35015 Rotterdam Lloyd 30860 Lord Hawke
30861 Lord Hanson
34019 Bideford 30862 Lord Collingwood
34044 Woolacombe 30865 Sir John Hawkins
34055 Fighter Pilot
34063 229 Squadron 30736 Excalibur
34064 Fighter Command 30737 King Uther
34094 Mortehoe 30738 King Pellinore
34095 Brentnor 30740 Merlin
34105 Swanage 30741 Joyous Gard
34106 Lydford 30742 Camelot
34107 Blandford 30743 Lyonnesse
34108 Wincanton 30749 Iseult
34109 Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory 30751 Etarre
34110 66 Squadron
32424 Beachy Head
30915 Brighton
  
30333   H15 4-6-0 31622   U 2-6-0 30117   T9 4-4-0 30106   M7 0-4-4T
30475 31623 30119 30107
30476 31631 30120 30111
30483 31632 30283 30318
30486 30727
30488 30548   Q 0-6-0 30177   O2 0-4-4T
30489 30056   M7 0-4-4T 30197
30490 30690   700 0-6-0 30058 30204
30060 30223
31852   N 2-6-0 31774   L 4-4-0 30105 30087   B4 0-4-0T
 
I recall seeing a Blue Merchant Navy. It was either 35010 Blue Star or 305013 Blue Funnel, I cannot remember which. And I believe that one of the Urie Arthurs was in Malachite, possibly 30743. The class H2 Atlantic seen at Bournemouth would no doubt have worked in from Brighton, but why Schools no 30915 was there, I know not. Perhaps on a running in turn from Eastleigh. The same applies to 31774, an L class 4-4-0 from Kent. 
 
 WESTERN LOCOMOTIVES SEEN AT WEYMOUTH: 
1018 County of Leicester 6910 Gossington Hall
1021 County of Montgomery 6941 Fillongley Hall
6945 Glasfryn Hall
4080 Powderham Castle 6955 Lydcott Hall
5034 Corfe Castle 6979 Helperly Hall
5037 Monmouth Castle 6982 Melmerby Hall
5067 St Fagans Castle 6988 Swithland Hall
7000 Viscount Portal 6992 Arborfield Hall
7028 Cadbury Castle 6993 Arthog Hall
6999 Capel Dewi Hall
5900 Hinderton Hall 7900 St Peters Hall
5906 Lawton Hall 7907 Hart Hall
5910 Park Hall 7909 Heveningham Hall
5922 Caxton Hall 7914 Lleweni Hall
5961 Toynbee Hall 7917 North Aston Hall
5975 Winslow Hall 7923 Speke Hall
5991 Greham Hall
6902 Butlers Hall 6830 Buckenhill Grange
6871 Bourton Grange
  
5314   2-6-0 4507   2-6-2T 7408   0-6-0PT 1453  0-4-2T
5328 4527 1454
5337 4562 1367   0-6-0T    1467
5338 1368
5384 9642   0-6-0PT
  
A particular memory concerns Pannier tank no 7408. I was watching the loco doing a spot of shunting in the Jersey sidings, directly opposite. Clatter, bang, bump, and the loco was off the road. No idea why. No harm done, though, since the same loco was shunting in the same sidings the following day. 
 

 

Above: 1950's Rail map of Wemouth area
 
A thoroughly fascinating week. But have to admit that my holiday highlight had nothing to do with railways. It was the tour of the Aircraft Carrier "Indefatigable", then docked in Portland Harbour, which was so memorable. An experience of a lifetime.