35023 Holland Afrika LIne

I suspect many will guess the user here!

35023 became my favourite MN for various reasons which I can no doubt add as time goes by. Suffice to say 23 gave me my most exciting moment behind a steam loco (so far!!) when she swept up to 101 mph down from Hurstbourne through Andover on the DW Winkworth Special to Salisbury and Exeter on 15th October 1966. Also by a stroke of luck she gave me my last service steam run on the Southern on the last Saturday of steam in July 1967 on the up Channel Islands after a rip roaring run down with her on the 8.30 Waterloo - Weymouth with Billy Hughes at the helm.

I shall post more about this super loco in due course and look forward to others who no doubt have their own "35023".

Hi 35023 Holland Afrika LIne, and wecome to the forum.

Firstly, Bill Hughes. Sadly Bill passed away at an early age. If I recall correctly, on his last day at work; before he retired. Bill was a friendly chap; and a gentleman. And indeed, he used to hold partys at his home, which I attended many times with fellow colleagues. In fact, he came down to my previous house in kent,. He was a true engineman RIP Bill.

In respect of 35023, excellent power; and a good steamer. Many a trip on that one, sad when the nameplate was taken off

Holland Afrika wrote:I suspect many will guess the user here!

35023 became my favourite MN for various reasons which I can no doubt add as time goes by. Suffice to say 23 gave me my most exciting moment behind a steam loco (so far!!) when she swept up to 101 mph down from Hurstbourne through Andover on the DW Winkworth Special to Salisbury and Exeter on 15th October 1966. Also by a stroke of luck she gave me my last service steam run on the Southern on the last Saturday of steam in July 1967 on the up Channel Islands after a rip roaring run down with her on the 8.30 Waterloo - Weymouth with Billy Hughes at the helm.

I shall post more about this super loco in due course and look forward to others who no doubt have their own "35023".

Good heavens John. Fancy you starting a thread about that wonderful machine!

Bryan Benn wrote:

Holland Afrika wrote:I suspect many will guess the user here!

35023 became my favourite MN for various reasons which I can no doubt add as time goes by. Suffice to say 23 gave me my most exciting moment behind a steam loco (so far!!) when she swept up to 101 mph down from Hurstbourne through Andover on the DW Winkworth Special to Salisbury and Exeter on 15th October 1966. Also by a stroke of luck she gave me my last service steam run on the Southern on the last Saturday of steam in July 1967 on the up Channel Islands after a rip roaring run down with her on the 8.30 Waterloo - Weymouth with Billy Hughes at the helm.

I shall post more about this super loco in due course and look forward to others who no doubt have their own "35023".

Good heavens John. Fancy you starting a thread about that wonderful machine!

If everyone is okay with this, I am going to post this into the relevant section for 35023.

Thanks

Andy

Who remembers that the 830 down had an extra stop at Woking that last Saturday of steam? Why? Well because an intrepid band of gricers had gone down on the 245 am with Gordon Porter and planned to get back to Waterloo at 0811 via a DEMU and Bils from Alton. However the DEMU failed and we found ourselves at Woking too late to get to Waterloo, so a deputation visited the station office and managed to get both the extra stop at Woking and a message to my wife to be who was waiting, wait for it yes under the clock at Waterloo. And so against all the odds we got that fabulous run on the 830 with 35023 which gave me my fastest Southeampton-Bournemouth time with steam that morning.

Don

Oh yes! Wasn't it Les Kent who led the deputation? And that's him walking down the platform by the loco in your photo of 35023 at Bourenmouth!

More logs I need copies of Don when you get a chance! But what were the highlights of that night and morning? I think we got a 90 on the 08.30 down the bank with the "Tylie machine"!

Wasnt Bill Hughes the Driver on that one with Alan Newman. And it was booked 47 haulage?

Believe so although can't check as log books packed. 94 down the bank from memory and great running throughout. I think Mr Wickham from SW train control at Wimbledon got it swapped after steam on the Belle was refused by McKenna.

Don, check the pics filed by 35013 Blue Funnel - your favourite fireboy, maybe, and your favourite engine.

atb

35013 Blue Funnel

I think we need another picture of this excellent machine. Holland Afrika on Weymouth Shed on 17th September 1966 having worked down on the 10.30 Waterloo - Weymouth with Jim Evans as far as Bournemouth.

some fine pics and fond memories here.

Holland Afrika wrote:I think we need another picture of this excellent machine. Holland Afrika on Weymouth Shed on 17th September 1966 having worked down on the 10.30 Waterloo - Weymouth with Jim Evans as far as Bournemouth.

Another lovely photo John. Yet I just cannot remember seeing you ever carrying a camera! Hope there are plenty more to come for these pages.

Fantastic shot as ever John!! I think the only remaining (To go slightly of topic) Coal Stage like this in Operation is at Didcot?

Thanks Bryan. As you can see my camera was in evidence! I am quite pleased considering it was an Ilford Sportsman costing £12! Mind you it was £12 in 1962 so I suppose in cost terms it ranks with a middling compact digital now. The problem with it was a max shutter speed of 1/200 so not too good for moving trains. Also of course no metering so I used a light meter. If the sun was going in and out by the time one had determined the right exposure the subject matter was receding in the distance!

I am sure you are right 'Admin' about Didcot being the only shed remaining like this. Of course Weymouth was originally a GW shed hence their arrangement there. I recall similar coaling arrangements at Old Oak and doubtless many other 'brown' region depots.

Does anyone want to own the 35023 Original 'Holland Afrika Line' Nameplate? Get your cheque books out and get the chance to own it as it is being offered for sale here; http://www.ukrailwayana.com./



It will be interesting to see how much it makes and what the starting price is??