35020 Bibby Line

Back in the early 1960s, I fell in for the 10.30 Waterloo - Bournemouth. It was a very heavy train, and fast to Southampton Central.

We booked on at Nine Elms, and learnt that my Driver for the day was W.Hawkins. I got the engine oil from the stores,put the feeder on the tray; in readiness for Bill to oil the engine up; including the underneath. I ensured I had all the equipment, and then set about making my fire up. Moving the fire from, the left hand side of the firebox; spreading it all over. She soon started making steam, so I blew the engine down, and then put the injectors on to keep her quiet. But she came over again very quickly.

Bill arrived, bid me a good morning, and said to me "thats the last, we will see of that, indicating to the steam pressure. He explained to me the previous night that he had her on the last Weymouth, and that they had a "rough un". Bill, went to make the tea, whilst I blew the whistle, got the go ahead from the shunter, and steadily went back on to the turntable. I stopped the engine by the water column, filled the tender up, and then carried on down the pit to the coal hopper. Having filled the tender up, levelled the coal, moved up to outside the foremans office.

Bill came out smiling, climbed on to the footplate with the can of tea, and off we went LE to Waterloo. I coupled up, Bill had the brake test, and at the stroke of 10.30 we left. A lovely hot fire in there. It was evident going through Vauxhall, that 35020 was a bad steamer. We were back on 140 psi, and she maintained that all the way. Although she came round a bit at Southampton Central, whilst taking water.

We left Ston, and she maintained 140 psi, but Bill had maintained the timings. We went through Christchurch, and approaching Pokesdown, she dropped back further to 120 psi. She came to a grinding halt in Pokesdown platform. Bill had a look in the firebox, and told me to leave it. She mad steam, Bill got the right away, and we headed for Bournemouth. Arrived 6 minutes late approx. So near and yet so far, werent we.

I learnt, later that after detatching at Bomo the rear coaches. the loco carried on to Weymouth, and then went LE to Eastleigh Works. 35020 Bibby Line, entered the works, and was later scrapped. Sad, but true

Might have been 1963, when this photo was taken. Can't be more specific as my notebooks are packed for our move, but I think this is the down ACE at Salisbury. But who is the driver?

I have a vague recollection of that Driver, and I mean vague, he could be a 72A driver. In all honest I think you may struggle in getting a name.

Can I suggest Don, that you try G.Hooper, or Micky Nott, at the Reunion?