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.

Wednesday 23 December 2015

Bow Works 1939 - 1959

The Erecting Shop of Bow Works. 
photo: National Railway Museum, Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike licence 2.0. 

Bow Works
Bow Works was in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It was built in 1853 by the North London Railway.
It was the smallest of 15 workshops operated by the LMS and closed in 1960.
AbbreviationsD - DeeleyF - FowlerFb - FairburnJ - JohnsonSt - Stanier
NLR - North London RailwayLTS - London, Tilbury & Southend RailwayEE - English Electric
Saturday 1 April 1939total:12
cl 1P 0-4-4T (J)cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)cl 8F 2-8-0
1382222325052517303572128078
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)
21382154232734313759
Saturday 5 July 1941total:14
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 1P 0-4-4T (J)cl 8F 2-8-0
352389212321583934396512728110
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)2153cl 4F 0-6-0cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
1552500cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)409127510
2190
Sunday 14 June 1942total:12
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
40425003261367639813997721227510
cl 3F 0-6-0 (D)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
3777452274827494
Saturday 21 April 1945total:23
erecting shop
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)
51317A2107251213D325218D399318D720614A
cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)214813Ccl 4P 2-6-4T (St)347415Dcl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
2372cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)25901C357419E2751013B
218513A
works yard and awaiting works on shed
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J)cl 3F 0-6-0 (D)cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
211213A252313A318315C380715C755813B22931
211413Acl 4F 0-6-00-4-2ST crane tank
213513A425913C2721713B
Shed Codes1C Watford13A Plaistow13B Devons Road13C Tilbury13D Shoeburyness
14A Cricklewood15C Leicester Midland15D Bedford17A Derby18D Staveley B. Hill19E Belle Vue
Wednesday 6th August 1945total:15Monday 25th Feb 1946total:15
erecting shoperecting shop
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)
7421A212115C33472B431C211513A23199C
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)214213Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (D)cl 2P 4-4-0 (F)213913Ccl 4P 2-6-4T (St)
54714Bcl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)378017C62630C216013D24422B
253413Acl 3F 0-6-0T (J)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)
720714A252013D
works yard and awaiting works on shedworks yard and awaiting works on shed
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
113C212813A352921A785E250913D319617A
cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)356115B9214Bcl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
251413D2751413Bcl 4F 0-6-0cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)26068A2751213B
425913C43921B
Shed Codes1C Watford2B Bletchley3C Walsall5E Alsager8A Edge Hill
9C Macclesfield13A Plaistow13B Devons Road13C Tilbury13D Shoeburyness14A Cricklewood
14B Kentish Town15B Kettering15C Leicester Midland17A Derby17C Coalville21A Saltley
21B Bourneville30C Ardrossan
Sunday 31 March 1946total:17Saturday 4th May 1946total:11
erecting shoperecting shop
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)
201C214513C458318A2714A3225A213613C
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)216013Dcl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 4F 0-6-033210C215313C
7515Ccl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)730413B415816A4925A215813D
9916A250313D731513B453013A
cl 3P 4-4-0 (J)253513A754314Aworks yard
76215Dcl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0
works yard345816A aw416218C xw
cl 1P 0-4-4T (J)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0T
138216A215113C722514A
cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)215513D
219313A
Shed Codes1C Watford5A Crewe North10C Preston13A Plaistow13B Devons Road
13C Tilbury13D Shoeburyness14A Cricklewood15C Leicester Midland15D Bedford16A Nottingham
18A Toton18C Hasland
Saturday 15 March 1947total:22
erecting shop
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
213413A222513A218613A389516C741113B2752013B
214419Ccl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)cl 4F 0-6-0748413A
215813A234113A316615C454718A749213B
works yard
cl 1F 0-6-0T (J)cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)cl 3F 0-6-0T0-4-2ST crane tank
167114B233013A405017D723117B750513B2721713B
418718Acl 2F 0-6-0 (J)751813B
2295917A
Shed Codes13A Plaistow13B Devons Road14B Kentish Town15C Leicester Midland16C Kirkby-in-Ashfield
17A Derby17B Burton-on-Trent17D Rowsley18A Toton19C Canklow
Tuesday 26 August 1947total:14Thursday 2 October 1947total:10
erecting shoperecting shop
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0
213413A325020C749013B199213D320121A419118B
213513C340618D750213Bcl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)437119E
214913Acl 1P 0-4-4T (J)cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)224913A399920Fcl 3F 0-6-0T
215513A142613B2750913Bcl 4P 2-6-4T (F)400020F750513B
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)23161Acl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
50017B2751413B
works yard
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
213213A437119E2297620E
Shed Codes1A Willesden13A Plaistow13B Devons Road13C Tilbury13D Shoeburyness
17B Burton-on-Trent18B Westhouses18D Staveley B. Hill19E Belle Vue20C Royston
20E Manningham20F Skipton21A Saltley
Sunday 20 March 1949total:16Saturday 18 June 1949total:15
erecting shoperecting shop
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)cl 1F 0-6-0T (J)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)
2126PLS347415D2296815D166414B393414A725014A
212916Dcl 3F 0-6-0 (D)2301115B182614Bcl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)382118Acl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)447014A4743314A
2219TILcl 4F 0-6-072882B41986PLS457415Acl 1P 0-4-4T (J)
42224SNS411716B73602Acl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)129515D
74981D2127PLS
works yardworks yard
cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)
2223SNS4429714A74901D41959PLS42222SNS324514C
75051Dcl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T
4233414C4726314B
Shed Codes1D Devons Road2A Rugby2B Bletchley14A Cricklewood14B Kentish Town
14C St. Albans15A Wellingborough15B Kettering15D Bedford16B Spital Bridge16D Mansfield
18A TotonPLS PlaistowSNS ShoeburynessTIL Tilbury
Saturday 17 February 1950total:16
erecting shop
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
4193933B4198033B360719A4393817B4423916B4727016B
4196933Acl 2F 0-6-0 (J)4365216B4395416A437618A
35261A
works yard
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 3F 0-6-0T
4016014B4193733C4250333C475141D
475171D
Shed Codes1A Willesden1D Devons Road14B Kentish Town16A Nottingham16B Spital Bridge
17B Burton-on-Trent18A Toton19A Sheffield G'thorpe33A Plaistow33B Tilbury33C Shoeburyness
Tuesday 17 April 1951total:20
erecting shop
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)
400193C404472B4194533A4344814A588521D4720614A
400441A405013Ccl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 4F 0-6-0 (D)cl 1P 0-4-4T(J)cl 3F 0-6-0T
4199133C4378214C5805315D475214A
works yard476495C
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-0on shed
4194933A4198833A4268433A430201Dcl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
4199233C582953D ex works
583062D awaiting works
Shed Codes1A Willesden1D Devons Road2B Nuneaton2D Coventry3C Walsall
3D Aston4A Bletchley5C Stafford14A Cricklewood14C St. Albans
15D Bedford33A Plaistow33C Shoeburyness
Saturday 10 May 1952total:15
erecting shop
cl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T
4197633A4198333A4324514C4386018B4429918D472992E
cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)4198633A4332615C4396414Bcl 1P 0-4-4T (J)
4222733A4351017A5806233A
works yard
cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 3F 0-6-0 (D)cl 2F 0-6-0T (NLR)
4222333B4380318A588531D
Shed Codes1D Devons Road2E Northampton14B Kentish Town15C Leicester Midland17A Derby
18A Toton18B Westhouses18D Staveley B. Hill33A Plaistow33B Tilbury
Saturday 7 April 1956total:14
erecting shop and yard
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 8F 2-8-0
400101C4055316A4198033A4251633C4409118A4830515A
4003714B4198133A4253633Acl 3F 0-6-0T4835915A
400431C4199033C473581B4867815A
Shed Codes1B Camden1C Watford14B Kentish Town15A Wellinborough16A Nottingham
18A Toton33A Plaistow33C Shoeburyness
Saturday 27 April 1957total:10Saturday 5 October 1957total:15
erecting shoperecting shop and yard
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0 (D)cl 3F 0-6-0T (J)
4002414C4054315C4721614A4198233B43829*15D4720614A W
cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)cl 3F 0-6-0T4198333Acl 4F 0-6-04720914B
4253033C4390514A475211Ecl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)4405114A4724814A
475611D4222333A443811Dcl 3F 0-6-0T
4764414Bcl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 8F 2-8-047349*1D
works yard4232914B4816314A473541B
cl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)475906A
4252733C4421014B426692A* ex works on shedW - withdrawn
Shed Codes1B Camden1D Devons Road1E Bletchley2A Rugby6A Chester Midland
14A Cricklewood14B Kentish Town14C St. Albans15C Leicester Midland15D Bedford
33A Plaistow33B Tilbury33C Shoeburyness
Saturday 22 March 1958total:10Saturday 6 September 1958total:10
erecting shop and yarderecting shop
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 3P 4-4-2T (LTS)cl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 8F 2-8-0
4002914B4198733A472705D4196933C4728314B4865115A
cl 4P 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)476711Bcl 3F 0-6-2T (LTS)474121A4867815A
4223714B4386115Acl 8F 2-8-04198133Acl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)4392816A4855318Acl 4P 2-6-4T (F)581243D
4258714Bcl 4F 0-6-04233814D
4452717Bworks yard
cl 4F 0-6-0EE T1 diesel
4457515AD80051D
Shed Codes1A Willesden1B Camden1D Devons Road3D Aston5D Stoke-on-Trent
14B Kentish Town14D Neasden15A Wellinborough16A Nottingham17B Burton-on-Trent
18A Toton33A Plaistow33C Shoeburyness
Saturday 22 November 1958total:10Saturday 19 September 1959total:10
erecting shoperecting shop
cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 4F 0-6-0BR 4MT 2-6-0cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)BR 4P 2-6-4Tcl 3F 0-6-0T
4326321B4415615D7604414D4398521A8013914D4745541E
cl 8F 2-8-04425216CEE T1 dieselcl 4F 0-6-0474831A
483652A4440917AD80071D4457121B4755414C
4457415Aworks yard
works yardcl 4P 2-6-4T (3 cyl)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)EE T1 diesel
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J)cl 4F 0-6-0 (F)4251933C4394714AD8015
406795A4386115A4402017A
Shed Codes1A Willesden1D Devons Road2A Rugby5A Crewe North14A Cricklewood
14C St. Albans15A Wellinborough15D Coalville16C Mansfield17A Derby
21A Saltley21B Bournville33C Shoeburyness41E Staveley B. Hill
Updated and revised - October 2021.