2. RAILWAYS
  3. BRITISH RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOTS, WORKS AND STABLING POINTS.

BRITISH RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOTS, WORKS AND STABLING POINTS.

Photographs in this gallery are of locomotive depots, both steam and diesel, locomotive works, stabling points and withdrawn locomotives but not those being scrapped. Some of these pictures were taken by me, some passed on by friends and others have been bought and are part of my collection. These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone or to spend the rest of my life answering inane questions. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to offend anyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
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THORNABY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (51L/TE) - The Middlesbrough area of the North East was an absolute mass of railway lines and there were many locosheds and railway marshalling yards in the area. In the mid-1950's, it was decided to rationalise this confused situation and build a large new marshalling yard with an adjacent locoshed at Thornaby. BR began construction in 1957, building its last roundhouse for steam locomotives. Developed on a 70 acre site for the shed and its associated facilities alone, it was equipped with a 300 feet diameter octagonal roundhouse, containing 22 covered sidings accessed via a 70 feet turntable, a running shed with covered preparation sheds and wet ash pits, a repair shed with two wheeldrops, a blacksmith, coppersmith and machine shop, a 390 tons mechanised coaling plant, capable of fuelling four locomotives simultaneously and a 200,000 gallon water tank with 15 distribution points, and a second 70 feet turntable. All the structures were made from pre-stressed and pre-formed concrete pieces, and when the shed opened in June 1958 with shed code (51L), the total construction had been completed for £1.25million. On opening, the shed initially took over the allocations at Newport (51B) and Middlesbrough (51D). In June 1959 the depots at Stockton (51E) and Haverton Hill (51G)were closed and the bulk of their locomotives added to Thornaby's allocation. At this time the depot had the largest allocation of any single depot in the country, 109 locomotives in 1959. The depot was closed to steam in December 1964. This picture of Class 17 D8591 dates from 1964 and it looks brand new, straight out of the box. It was withdrawn in December 1968, just over 4 years old. Gradually the yard and depot declined in importance with the rise of the block train that had no need for marshalling and the depot closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2011.
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THORNABY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (51L/TE) - The Middlesbrough area of the North East was an absolute mass of railway lines and there were many locosheds and railway marshalling yards in the area. In the mid-1950's, it was decided to rationalise this confused situation and build a large new marshalling yard with an adjacent locoshed at Thornaby. BR began construction in 1957, building its last roundhouse for steam locomotives. Developed on a 70 acre site for the shed and its associated facilities alone, it was equipped with a 300 feet diameter octagonal roundhouse, containing 22 covered sidings accessed via a 70 feet turntable, a running shed with covered preparation sheds and wet ash pits, a repair shed with two wheeldrops, a blacksmith, coppersmith and machine shop, a 390 tons mechanised coaling plant, capable of fuelling four locomotives simultaneously and a 200,000 gallon water tank with 15 distribution points, and a second 70 feet turntable. All the structures were made from pre-stressed and pre-formed concrete pieces, and when the shed opened in June 1958 with shed code (51L), the total construction had been completed for £1.25million. On opening, the shed initially took over the allocations at Newport (51B) and Middlesbrough (51D). In June 1959 the depots at Stockton (51E) and Haverton Hill (51G)were closed and the bulk of their locomotives added to Thornaby's allocation. At this time the depot had the largest allocation of any single depot in the country, 109 locomotives in 1959. The depot was closed to steam in December 1964. This picture of Class 17 D8591 dates from 1964 and it looks brand new, straight out of the box. It was withdrawn in December 1968, just over 4 years old. Gradually the yard and depot declined in importance with the rise of the block train that had no need for marshalling and the depot closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2011.

  • THORNABY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (51L/TE) - The Middlesbrough area of the North East was an absolute mass of railway lines and there were many locosheds and railway marshalling yards in the area. In the mid-1950's, it was decided to rationalise this confused situation and build a large new marshalling yard with an adjacent locoshed at Thornaby. BR began construction in 1957, building its last roundhouse for steam locomotives. Developed on a 70 acre site for the shed and its associated facilities alone, it was equipped with a 300 feet diameter octagonal roundhouse, containing 22 covered sidings accessed via a 70 feet turntable, a running shed with covered preparation sheds and wet ash pits, a repair shed with two wheeldrops, a blacksmith, coppersmith and machine shop, a 390 tons mechanised coaling plant, capable of fuelling four locomotives simultaneously and a 200,000 gallon water tank with 15 distribution points, and a second 70 feet turntable. All the structures were made from pre-stressed and pre-formed concrete pieces, and when the shed opened in June 1958 with shed code (51L), the total construction had been completed for £1.25million. On opening, the shed initially took over the allocations at Newport (51B) and Middlesbrough (51D). In June 1959 the depots at Stockton (51E) and Haverton Hill (51G)were closed and the bulk of their locomotives added to Thornaby's allocation. At this time the depot had the largest allocation of any single depot in the country, 109 locomotives in 1959. The depot was closed to steam in December 1964. Gradually the yard and depot declined in importance with the rise of the block train that had no need for marshalling and the depot closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2011. Seen here are a trio for the scrapyard in February 1988 - 31117, with a few bits missing, had been withdrawn in March 1987, 47408 in July 1986 and 08334 in September 1987. The 47 went to Vic Berry at Leicester while the other two went to Booth's.
  • THORNABY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (51L/TE) - The Middlesbrough area of the North East was an absolute mass of railway lines and there were many locosheds and railway marshalling yards in the area. In the mid-1950's, it was decided to rationalise this confused situation and build a large new marshalling yard with an adjacent locoshed at Thornaby. BR began construction in 1957, building its last roundhouse for steam locomotives. Developed on a 70 acre site for the shed and its associated facilities alone, it was equipped with a 300 feet diameter octagonal roundhouse, containing 22 covered sidings accessed via a 70 feet turntable, a running shed with covered preparation sheds and wet ash pits, a repair shed with two wheeldrops, a blacksmith, coppersmith and machine shop, a 390 tons mechanised coaling plant, capable of fuelling four locomotives simultaneously and a 200,000 gallon water tank with 15 distribution points, and a second 70 feet turntable. All the structures were made from pre-stressed and pre-formed concrete pieces, and when the shed opened in June 1958 with shed code (51L), the total construction had been completed for £1.25million. On opening, the shed initially took over the allocations at Newport (51B) and Middlesbrough (51D). In June 1959 the depots at Stockton (51E) and Haverton Hill (51G)were closed and the bulk of their locomotives added to Thornaby's allocation. At this time the depot had the largest allocation of any single depot in the country, 109 locomotives in 1959. The depot was closed to steam in December 1964. This picture of Class 03 shunter 2099 inside the roundhouse dates from the late 1960's. Gradually the yard and depot declined in importance with the rise of the block train that had no need for marshalling and the depot closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2011.
  • THORNABY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (51L/TE) - The Middlesbrough area of the North East was an absolute mass of railway lines and there were many locosheds and railway marshalling yards in the area. In the mid-1950's, it was decided to rationalise this confused situation and build a large new marshalling yard with an adjacent locoshed at Thornaby. BR began construction in 1957, building its last roundhouse for steam locomotives. Developed on a 70 acre site for the shed and its associated facilities alone, it was equipped with a 300 feet diameter octagonal roundhouse, containing 22 covered sidings accessed via a 70 feet turntable, a running shed with covered preparation sheds and wet ash pits, a repair shed with two wheeldrops, a blacksmith, coppersmith and machine shop, a 390 tons mechanised coaling plant, capable of fuelling four locomotives simultaneously and a 200,000 gallon water tank with 15 distribution points, and a second 70 feet turntable. All the structures were made from pre-stressed and pre-formed concrete pieces, and when the shed opened in June 1958 with shed code (51L), the total construction had been completed for £1.25million. On opening, the shed initially took over the allocations at Newport (51B) and Middlesbrough (51D). In June 1959 the depots at Stockton (51E) and Haverton Hill (51G)were closed and the bulk of their locomotives added to Thornaby's allocation. At this time the depot had the largest allocation of any single depot in the country, 109 locomotives in 1959. The depot was closed to steam in December 1964. This picture of Class 17 D8591 dates from 1964 and it looks brand new, straight out of the box. It was withdrawn in December 1968, just over 4 years old. Gradually the yard and depot declined in importance with the rise of the block train that had no need for marshalling and the depot closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2011.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This locoshed replaced an older one in 1933 and was a 6-road corrugated iron through building. It boasted a number of subsheds: Anstruther, Burntisland Ladybank and Methil Sheds. In September 1950, it hosted an allocation of 113 engines, mainly ex-North British classes, and 22 WD 8F 2-8-0's. Seen here in June 1960 is Class D30 4-4-0 No.62426 CUDDIE HEADRIGG, newly withdrawn and placed in store.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This locoshed replaced an older one in 1933 and was a 6-road corrugated iron through building. It boasted a number of subsheds: Anstruther, Burntisland Ladybank and Methil Sheds. In September 1950, it hosted an allocation of 113 engines, mainly ex-North British classes, and 22 WD 8F 2-8-0's. Seen here in May 1964 is Class 05 Hunslet 0-6-0DM Shunter No.D2580, built in 1958 and withdrawn from this depot in June 1968, not even 10 years!
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This locoshed replaced an older one in 1933 and was a 6-road corrugated iron through building. It boasted a number of subsheds: Anstruther, Burntisland Ladybank and Methil Sheds. In September 1950, it hosted an allocation of 113 engines, mainly ex-North British classes, and 22 WD 8F 2-8-0's. Seen here under construction in 1933. The GWR wagon is a long way from home!
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This locoshed replaced an older one in 1933 and was a 6-road corrugated iron through building. It boasted a number of subsheds: Anstruther, Burntisland Ladybank and Methil Sheds. In September 1950, it hosted an allocation of 113 engines, mainly ex-North British classes, and 22 WD 8F 2-8-0's. This shot from August 1954 shows Class J83 0-6-0T No.68504 and Class J88 0-6-0T No.68323, both 62A shunting locos. Behind 68504 is Class D30 4-4-0 No.62430 JINGLING GEORDIE. The D30's were named after characters in Walter Scott's 'Waverley' novels and had wonderful names and, in August 1954, Thornton Junction was home to five of them plus Class D11 4-4-0 No.62677 EDDIE OCHILTREE. How much more interesting were LNER names than This Castle, That Hall and King Tut! The shed closed to steam in April 1967, although it remained open to diesels until 1969.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This was a very large depot situated right in the middle of the Scottish coal fields and so home to mainly freight engines. In this July 1966 picture, it would seem the allocation mainly consisted of Class K1 2-6-0's.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This was a very large depot situated right in the middle of the Scottish coal fields and so home to mainly freight engines. In this September 1965 picture, we can see a WD 2-8-0 and Class J37 64569, a 62A loco.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This was a very large depot situated right in the middle of the Scottish coal fields and so home to mainly freight engines. In this September 1965 picture from the Dunfermline end of the depot, we can see an 0-6-0 and a couple of Class B1's with a clutch of WD 2-8-0's away on the left.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This was a very large depot situated right in the middle of the Scottish coal fields and so home to mainly freight engines. It is now August 1969, steam has gone, the depot is semi-derelict and only a Class 40 and another diesel loco lurk inside.
  • THORNTON JUNCTION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (62A) - This was a very large depot situated right in the middle of the Scottish coal fields and so home to mainly freight engines. The steam depot shut in 1969 and in 1984 a new two-road diesel depot was built. Here we see Class 20 Nos.20191, 20221 and 20224 at the fuellers with Class 101 DMU No.101 321 (51249/59542/53146) alongside.
  • THREE BRIDGES LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (75E/TB) - The first depot here was built in 1848 and demolished in 1909 to make way for expansion and a new depot was built in 1911 by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway as a brick 3-road through shed to the south of the station on the Horsham line. Like many ex-Southern Railway depots, it did not have a large allocation, steam being retained mainly for goods duties. In May 1959, this amounted to 29 engines, 10 of which were tank engines for local passenger duties on non-electrified lines. The depot closed in June 1964. In the early 2000's, Virgin CrossCountry built a depot at Three Bridges operated by English Welsh and Scottish Railway to service its Class 220 Voyagers. It closed following CrossCountry withdrawing its Gatwick and Brighton services in December 2008 and was subsequently demolished and replaced with EMU stabling sidings. In 2009 Network Rail submitted a planning application for a rolling stock depot including a five road shed for trains to be procured under the Thameslink rolling stock programme. The depot was opened in October 2015 and is operated by Siemens. Seen here in May 1959 is Billinton LBSCR Class C2X 0-6-0 No.32529, a Three Bridges engine, withdrawn from there just 4 months later.
  • THREE BRIDGES LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (75E/TB) - The first depot here was built in 1848 and demolished in 1909 to make way for expansion and a new depot was built in 1911 by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway as a brick 3-road through shed to the south of the station on the Horsham line. Like many ex-Southern Railway depots, it did not have a large allocation, steam being retained mainly for goods duties. In May 1959, this amounted to 29 engines, 10 of which were tank engines for local passenger duties on non-electrified lines. The depot closed in June 1964. In the early 2000's, Virgin CrossCountry built a depot at Three Bridges operated by English Welsh and Scottish Railway to service its Class 220 Voyagers. It closed following CrossCountry withdrawing its Gatwick and Brighton services in December 2008 and was subsequently demolished and replaced with EMU stabling sidings. In 2009 Network Rail submitted a planning application for a rolling stock depot including a five road shed for trains to be procured under the Thameslink rolling stock programme. The depot was opened in October 2015 and is operated by Siemens. Seen here in May 1962 is Maunsell SR Class Q 0-6-0 No.30547, a local engine withdrawn from there in January 1964.
  • THURSO LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT - This small, stone-built single road shed was built by the Highland Railway in 1874. It was sub-shed of Inverness until 1948 when it became a sub-shed of 60D Wick and it thus had no fixed allocation. There was usually only a single loco in residence, in this case Stanier Class 3P 2-6-2T No.40150, replete with snowplough, in April 1961. This was a Wick loco for 6 years until transferred to Perth in August 1962 and withdrawn.
  • THURSO LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT - This small, stone-built single road shed was built by the Highland Railway in 1874. It was sub-shed of Inverness until 1948 when it became a sub-shed of 60D Wick and it thus had no fixed allocation. There was usually only a single loco in residence and the depot closed in July 1962. Seen here in December 1961, still just about open but unoccupied, as Class 24 No.D5121 stands in the station on a southbound train - they can only go in that direction!
  • TILBURY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (33B) - Tilbury Depot was opened in 1875 by the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway and, judging by its condition in April 1954, was not a very grand place, 42252 sitting in solitary splendour. The allocation consisted almost entirely of tank engines as routes to and from Fenchurch Street were quite short. The depot closed in June 1962.
  • TILBURY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (33B) - Tilbury Depot was opened in 1875 by the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway and the allocation consisted almost entirely of tank engines as routes to and from Fenchurch Street were quite short. Seen here in April 1954 is Johnson MR Class 1142 2F 0-6-0 No.58184, based at 33A Plaistow, withdrawn in November 1956 when 80 years old!
  • TILBURY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (33B) - Tilbury Depot was opened in 1875 by the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway and the allocation consisted almost entirely of tank engines as routes to and from Fenchurch Street were quite short. Seen here in March 1957 is Ivatt GNR Class C12 4-4-2T No.67363, a local engine at that time, was withdrawn from 34E New England in November 1958.
  • TILBURY LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (33B) - Tilbury Depot was opened in 1875 by the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway and the allocation consisted almost entirely of tank engines as routes to and from Fenchurch Street were quite short. Seen here is BR Standard Class 4MT 2-6-4T No.80078 in August 1957, with sister 80077 behind her.
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