The Train Now Posing

Shiny, innit?

So. It's been a while. 

After a dangerous swerve into OO and a brief absence from this blog thing, I'm finally ready to show off what I've wasted all my time and money on this month.

'What is it? The Rocket?'

Meet the latest addition to my O gauge fleet: HT&CJLR No. 2 'Gladstone'!

Eh?

Okay, I should probably explain. HT&CJLR stands for the 'Harwell, Tellsbury & Clidden Junction Light Railway' - a non-fictitious* line in the equally real county of Cliddenshire.

The line was one of the lesser known projects that railway engineer H. F. Stephens undertook so it's no surprise that there is very little information about it. However, there is a book (long out of print) that gives quite some detail of the line's existence from 1910-1953. The author has kindly given me permission to reproduce the section about No. 2.

No. 2 ‘Gladstone’ Hudswell Clarke Contractors Saddle Tank - By 1912 it was obvious that one engine wasn’t enough to run the line. The company purchased a relatively new Hudswell Clarke Saddle tank that had had been used at the quarry at Coleburn (later known as Matilda). She was painted green with black and white lining and was fitted with continuous brakes at Clidden works upon purchasing. She gained her name upon entering service (being named after the first chairman of the railway company).

In Service No. 2 could often be seen on the first passenger train of the day and was a particular favourite of the station staff at Clidden Junction. She was primarily used on the line from Monks Wallop to Harwell due to her westinghouse brakes (required for taking LB&SCR trains to Harwell). She was usually a good performer and more than up to any task the railway could throw at her. However, one problem plagued the engine until her withdrawal - the brakes. The continuous brakes fitted to her by Francis Warburton III (the company's first chief engineer) were known for being unreliable on occasion. This can partly be attributed to the rushed nature in which the apparatus was set up but mainly due to the fact that Mr. Warburton was a terrible engineer. Despite the obvious danger to passengers and crew alike, the company never fixed - or even considered fixing - the brakes. This resulted in her eventual withdrawal in 1941 when she collided with the tail end of a goods train at Clidden Junction. Fortunately no one was hurt, but a cattle wagon was pulverised and the engine trapped and beyond repair at the bottom of the steep hill by the trackside. There she remained until 1973 when the last salvageable components were removed and used as spares for surviving class members. The nameplates and bent chimney are currently on display at Clidden Railway museum.

So how about that, eh? Here's some more pictures of the engine (or rather the model) in question.

No. 2 exits Harwell tunnel near the northernmost station on the line with the first train of the day.

No. 2 was named after Joseph Gladstone, the first chairman of the railway.

The rather ornate '2' on the cabside is a stark contrast to her humble role on the railway.

You may have spotted No. 2's small train of two coaches. The railway had a rather odd convention of naming their coaches instead of numbering them!

'Janine' was the first coach purchased by the railway. By the late 1920s most of the railway's stock was very tired and rarely cleaned.

Lorna was bought shortly after Janine along with several other coaches.

I hope you enjoyed this brief look at my latest project and hope to be posting more frequently (I can dream). 


So for now, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, toodle pip, goodbye-ee!

Stuart







*fictional