Bank Hall Locomotive Depot in 1948: two ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire engines outside the smaller through Shed: ex-L&Y 1F 0-6-0T No. 11535, fitted with dumb buffers and swinging spark-arrestor for working in the Docks; behind it is Class 30 6F 0-8-0 No. 12782. (Beyond can be glimpsed an 8F 2-8-0 with the unusual combination of 'M' as well as the BR initial '4' added to its number). Photo: 20 June 1848 by Ben Brooksbank, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

Recording Locomotive Sightings 1943 - 1968
A generation of enthusiasts recorded the movements of locomotives around the railway system. These records of visits to locomotive depots have been collected and carefully analysed to provide an overall portrait for the period 1943 to 1968. During that period of steam's final years, there was a marked change from the pre-grouping types that still found work at a few depots, to the modern BR designs that worked until the end in 1968. The handling of freight and passenger services was a major undertaking from town and cities, ports, coal mines and factories. All of it traversed the labyrinth of lines that criss-crossed the country. There were numerous 'sheds' spread throughout the length and breadth of the land that provided and serviced the vast army of steam locomotives (20,000 in 1948). Here is just a taste of that history.

Saturday 31 October 2015

Watford & St. Albans

A view of Watford shed yard in 1951 with class 7F 0-8-0 49078 and class 4F 44443 in the foreground. 
Photo: Ben Brooksbank Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0

Watford
Pre Grouping Ownership - London & North Western Railwayopened:1872Sep 1935 - Mar 19651C
type:A brick-built 3TS dead-ended shed.closed:Mar-65
location:On the east side of the Bletchley line, north of the station.
AbbreviationsD - DeeleyF - FowlerFb - FairburnH - HughesI - Ivatt
J - JohnsonSt - StanierWb - WebbLNWR - London & North Western Railway
LMS - London, Midland & Scottish RailwayMR - Midland RailwayBR - British Railways
Sunday 27 July 19471Ctotal:22
cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 0-4-4T (St)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)cl 8F 2-8-0cl 7F 0-8-0 G2a
101C19091C24451C66862C86261A92491C
201Ccl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)24461C67251Ccl 7F 0-8-0 G292621C
431C23041C25411Ccl 2F 0-6-0 (J)94002D93231C
23891C25891C34931C94082A93441C
25901C
25931C
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford2A Rugby2C Northampton2D Nuneaton
Sunday 30 July 19501Ctotal:21
cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 8F 2-8-0cl 6F 0-8-0 G1
400091A421191C423041C425901C483982A491451C
400201C421201C423781C425981C486581Acl 7F 0-8-0 G2
400431C421781C423891Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)494152A
cl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)cl 4P 4-4-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T419081C582721C
412201C411222A73551C419091C
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford2A Rugby
Allocation - September 1950 (30)cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)LMS3cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)LMS1
cl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)LMS1cl 2P 0-4-4T (St)LMS2cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)LMS5
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)LMS3cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)LMS5cl 4F 0-6-0LMS2
cl 3F 0-6-0TLMS1cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)MR1cl 6F 0-8-0 G1LNWR2
cl 7F 0-8-0 G2aLNWR4
Sunday 30 March 19521Ctotal:22
cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 8F 2-8-0cl 6F 0-8-0 G1
400101C420614A423041C4404321D484354A491451C
400201C421191Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)440671C485354Acl 7F 0-8-0 G2a
400431C421201C419081C443631Ccl 3F 0-6-0T490781C
cl 2P 4-4-0 (F)421211C419091C443644A473551C
406721C421781C444936B
Shed Codes1C Watford4A Bletchley6B Mold Junction21D Stratford-on-Avon
Sunday 21 February 19541Ctotal:22
BR 4MT 2-6-4Tcl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 8F 2-8-0cl 6F 0-8-0 G1
800341C800661C423891C440671C480202B489151C
800351C800671Ccl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)443431C482482A491451C
800361Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)421781C444431C4830318Acl 7F 0-8-0 G2
800371C419081Ccl 2P 4-4-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T486281A493972A
800641C419091C406721C473551C
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford2A Rugby2B Nuneaton18A Toton
Sunday 7 September 19581Ctotal:20
BR 4MT 2-6-4Tcl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 2MT 2-6-0cl 8F 2-8-0
800341C800641C412231C443481C464581A481221A
800351C800661C412241C444421Ccl 2P 4-4-0 (F)0-6-0 diesel
800361C800671Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)406721C12074
800371C800681C419011C433251Ccl 3F 0-6-0T
800381C473551C
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford
Allocation - March 1959 (20)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)LMS1cl 2MT 2-6-2TLMS2
cl 2P 0-4-4T (St)LMS1cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)MR1cl 4F 0-6-0LMS3
cl 2MT 2-6-0LMS1cl 3F 0-6-0TLMS1BR 4MT 2-6-4TBR10
Sunday 22 March 19591C10.15am - 10.25amtotal:19
BR 4MT 2-6-4Tcl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 8F 2-8-0
800341C800641C412231C423661A443481C485351E
800351C800651C412241Ccl 3F 0-6-0T444421C486561A
800361C800661Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)473551Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)
800371C800681C419011C433251C
800381C
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford1E Bletchley
Sunday 31 January 19601Ctotal:21
BR 4MT 2-6-4Tcl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)cl 2P 4-4-0 (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
800361C400101A412231C406591C443481C473071C
800651Ccl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)412272A406721C444401C473551C
800661C420961Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)cl 5MT 2-6-0 (H/F)444421C0-6-0 diesel
800671C420971C419011C W428912Bcl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)13174
800681C433251C
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford2A Rugby2B Nuneaton
Sunday 25 June 19611Ctotal:22
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 2P 4-4-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 4F 0-6-0cl 8F 2-8-0
420681A420981C406591C473071C443401C4861715A
420951C421021C406721C473551C443481C486571E
420961Ccl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)406831C Wcl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)444401CBR 5MT 4-6-0
420971C412231Ccl 2MT 2-6-0433251C W444421C730391A
464311CBR T2 diesel
D5073
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford1E Bletchley15A Wellingborough
Sunday 17 March 19631Ctotal:17
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 4MT 2-6-0cl 2MT 2-6-0cl 8F 2-8-00-6-0 diesels
420961C425661A430071C464231C482031ED3050D3835
420971C W425731A430211C464311C484351ABR T2 diesel
420991Ccl 3F 0-6-0TD5032
421021C473551C
421181AShed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford1E Bletchley
Sunday 12 July 19641Ctotal:13
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-0BR 2MT 2-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 8F 2-8-00-6-0 diesel
420991C430181C780291C473551C481222AD3018
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)430211C780341C485181ABR T2 diesels
426161C780351CD5028D5034
Shed Codes1A Willesden1C Watford2A Tyseley
Saturday 20 March 19651Cnine days prior to closuretotal:8
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 4MT 2-6-0BR 2MT 2-6-0BR 4MT 2-6-0cl 5MT 4-6-0
420961C426161C430181C780291C760862F447328C
422331C780341C
Shed Codes1C Watford2F Bescot8C Speke Junction
Watford shed closed on 29th March 1965
St. Albans
Pre Grouping Ownership - Midland Railwayopened:1868Sep 1935 - Jan 196014C
type:A brick-built 1TS dead-ended shed.closed:Jan-60
location:On the east side of the line, south of the station.
AbbreviationsD - DeeleyF - FowlerFb - FairburnJ - JohnsonSt - Stanier
LMS - London, Midland & Scottish RailwayMR - Midland RailwayBR - British Railways
Saturday 1 February 193614C4pmtotal:11
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)
2138902380324539621948
2339cl 3F 0-6-0T
347260
Allocation - September 1950 (17)cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)LMS4cl 1F 0-6-0T (J)MR1
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)LMS4cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)LMS4cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)MR2
cl 3F 0-6-0TLMS1cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)MR1
Sunday 21 February 195414Ctotal:18
cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
4002214C4230014C4213414C4324514C4456314B4726114C
4002414C4230214C4213914B4344014Acl 1F 0-6-0T (J)
4233414C4268014C4347415D4167214C
4233514C4268614C4356514C
4234114C
Shed Codes14A Cricklewood14B Kentish Town14C St. Albans15D Bedford
Sunday 8 July 195614Ctotal:17
cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)BR 4MT 2-6-4Tcl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 3F 0-6-0T
4002214C4230014C4213314C8009514C4324514C4726114C
4002314A4230214Ccl 4MT 2-6-04356514C4755414C
4002414C4233514C4301914A4366515D
4002614C4311914C
4003914C
Shed Codes14A Cricklewood14C St. Albans15D Bedford
Allocation - March 1959 (21)cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)LMS6cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)LMS5
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)LMS4cl 4MT 2-6-0LMS1cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)MR2
cl 4F 0-6-0LMS1cl 3F 0-6-0TLMS2
Sunday 22 March 195914C3.55pm - 4.05pmtotal:21
cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (F)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
4002214C4213314C4230014C4353114E4404314C4726114C
4002414C4213414C4230214Ccl 4F 0-6-0 (F)4755414C
4002514C4215614B4233414C4387314C
4002614C4215914C4234114C4397114C
4002914B4234214C
4003214B
Shed Codes14B Kentish Town14C St. Albans14E Bedford
St. Albans shed closed on 11th January 1960.
Updated and revised - October 2021.