Temporary Transfer of V2s to the Southern Region

[Pyewipe Junction]

Does anyone have any detail of the temporary transfer of some V2s to the Southern Region in the early 1950s?

Are there any records of their performance?

[badwolf]

I`m not entirely sure but I think they were to cover for Bulleid pacifics whilst they were withdrawn for driving axle fracture inspection, I did have some pics but can`t find them.

[x568wcn]

Can't remember which one, but at least one was withdrawn to Swindon!

[40A]

According to the RCTS green book, nos 60893,60908/16 from New England and 60896, 60917/28 from Doncaster were transferred to Nine Elms on 14/5/53. Apparently they mainly worked on the Bournemouth line, and returned to the ER between 28/6/53 and 9/7/53. Performance was mixed, but remembering they were in the hands of Southern drivers who had never seen them before, that is perhaps not surprising, enginemen being notoriously conservative.

I know a number of withdrawn V2's finished up at Swindon. I have a photo of a number of them lined up there, but I can't at the moment remember where.

[badwolf]

Oddly enough there were some Swindon locos scrapped at Kings in Norwich, the rail connection to the scrapyard was at Trowse , I seem to remember some 28xx and a King being hauled there during the height of the scrapping mania on the Western.

[jwealleans]

There's a photo in one of Ian Allens' books of some ex-GWR and ex-SR locos in that scrapyard.

[52D]

The V2s & B1s were sent south to cover SR duties whilst the light pacifics were being rebuilt after a set of fires and other faults associated with the oil bath chain driven valve gear. At present i do not have numbers involved.

[Sir Nigel Gresley]

I believe the V2 at Swindon (60845?) - in lined black livery - was there for testing purposes - I seem to recollect a photo of it at Hullavington, on the Swindon -Badminton - Bristol line, with the indicator shelter in position on the front running-plate.

[John B]

There are some V2's lined up for scrapping at Swindon in Willie Yeadon's LNER Register Volume four page 87.

The photo is an LNER man's worst nightmare with numbers 60887, 60932, 60964, 60941, 60945, 60916, 60922, 60812 and 60809 all lined up awaiting the cutters torch.

The photo was taken on 27/09/1964 and shows them all without tenders.

There is another shot on the same page of four V2's heading to Swindon passing near Nottingham, 60941 is the only one in steam and has three others in tow.

Oh! the ignominious fate of being scrapped at Swindon!

[52D]

The following B1s were loaned to the Southern region along with the V2s to cover for an axle fault on the WC/MN class and not as i said previously to cover faults in the chain driven valve gear.

Period of transfer May-June 1953.
Locomotives.
61015 Duiker/41/50/109/133/148/188/192/219/273/274/329/338/354.

[hq1hitchin]

Don't suppose there are many Western Section blokes of the SR around who worked V2s out of Waterloo now but I know that when Green Arrow came down to the Bluebell Rly a few years back, the men thought she was a strong engine, no trouble to drive and on a par with Bulleid Pacifics - hooray!

BTW, I remember a conversation with Peter Wince, our Traction Inpector at Watford (who also used to do the steam specials from Marylebone), an ex Willesden and LM man throughout, when he pointed out of the window and told me that, of all engines, if he had to work a train to Crewe his choice would have been Green Arrow - another hooray!

[John B]

Here's a quote from the LNER list posted on 04/04/2008.

It's not good news I am afraid:

"GREEN ARROW WITHDRAWN FROM TRAFFIC

It is with regret that the North Yorkshire Moors Railway must announce that the NRM’s V2 No. 4771 Green Arrow has been permanently withdrawn from traffic and will not be in use over the coming weekend.

Following an inspection of the locomotive, the boiler was found to have cracked flue tubes, the repair of which would have taken eight weeks, and with the locomotive only having three weeks remaining on its boiler certificate, the decision has been taken to place the locomotive on static display at the railway prior to its move to Locomotion – the NRM at Shildon.

As a result, the locomotive will not be in operation at the final weekend of the NYMR’s LNER Festival, and a revised locomotive roster will be in place."

[silver fox]

viewtopic.php?t=1438