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South Eastern Division

Ashford (Kent)

Locomotive Depot & Station

Freshly repaired L1 at Ashford Locomotive Depot
6^th July 1946

SR Maunsell L1 class no.1784 (built April 1926, withdrawn February 1960) has clearly just been through Ashford Works, which were across the Canterbury line from the Locomotive Running Depot.

Ashford’s 1947 allocation of 60 locomotives comprising 4 off 4-6-0, 14 off 4-4-0, 8 off 2-6-0, 5 off 0-6-4T, 11 off 0-6-0, 3 off 0-6-0T, 14 off 0-4-4T and 1 off 0-4-2T.

“This pre-nationalisation shot in 1946 was one my earliest”.

A rare J-class at Ashford Locomotive Depot
6^th July 1946

There were only five of these large SECR Wainwright J-class locomotives, built originally for London outer-suburban services but were redundant after electrification. No.1598 dated from November 1913 and was withdrawn in December 1950.

Ex-LBSCR A1X at Ashford Locomotive Depot
6^th July 1946

No.2678 was built July 1880 as Stroudley class A1 no.678 'Knowle', was rebuilt as an A1X November 1911; it ran on the SR it as B678, was sent in 1925 to the Isle of Wight as W4, then W14 'Bembridge', returned in 1937 and loaned to the Kent & East Sussex line until 1954, finally ran as BR 32678 on the SR until withdrawn October 1963..

Two ex-SER R1 locomotives with cut-down cabs.
6^th July 1946

Ex-SER Stirling class R1 nos.1069 (built June 1898) and 1147 (built November 1890) had cut-down cabs to operate on the restrictive Canterbury & Whitstable line, but were engaged here in shunting ex-Works engines; both withdrawn in August 1958.

Ex-SER Stirling class O1 at Ashford Locomotive Depot
6^th July 1946

Ex-SER Stirling class O1 no.1437 (built October 1897 as Class O, rebuilt March 1914 to O1, withdrawn October 1948) is clearly fresh ex-Ashford Works. Note the man struggling to rotate the turntable.

Ex-LBSCR auto-fitted 0-4-4T at Ashford Locomotive Depot
7^th July 1946

Ex-LBSCR R. Billinton class D3/M no.2380 was built July 1893 and withdrawn April 1953. Ashford had a number of these for working on local branch services and they proved very unlucky with attacks by enemy aircraft during World War II (although not this particular engine).

Up 'Man of Kent' entering Ashford station
20^th April 1957

The 'Man of Kent' was 12.40pm from Margate via Ramsgate and Dover to Charing Cross (arr. 3.48pm), here headed by Bulleid 'Battle of Britain' Light Pacific no.34083 '605 Squadron' (built October 1948, withdrawn June 1964). On the right in a siding is an H Class tank with Ashford Locomotive Works beyond.

Down ‘Man of Kent’ at Ashford station
20^th April 1957

The Down 'Man of Kent', 12.55pm Charing Cross to Margate via Dover, is headed by Bulleid Light Pacific no.34084 '253 Squadron' (built November 1948, withdrawn (air-smoothed) October 1965).

“Note the fireman perched precariously on the tender
while they are taking water - no water-troughs on the SR”.

Down Continental Boat express passing Ashford
20^th April 1957

The express is headed by Bulleid 'Battle of Britain' Light Pacific no.34072 '257 (Burma) Squadron', built April 1948, withdrawn October 1964 but preserved.

Up Special empty stock entering Ashford with a 'King Arthur'
20^th April 1957

Maunsell Class N15 no.30775 'Sir Agravaine' (built June 1925, withdrawn February 1960) steams through under a fine gantry of signals, passing an H class tank engine.

Up express passing Ashford with a 'Schools'
20^th April 1957

Heading an Up express, Maunsell Class V 'Schools' no.30931 'King's Wimbledon' was built December 1934, disfigured with a Lemaître blastpipe and double-chimney in Ju;y 1939 and withdrawn September 1961. The line to Rye and Hastings branches off to the right, past the Works.

Up Continental Boat express passing Ashford
20^th April 1957

The locomotive is SR Maunsell N15 'King Arthur' class no.30766 'Sir Geraint' (built May 1925, withdrawn December 1958)..

Train from Maidstone East at Ashford
20^th April 1957

A typical stopping train, the 2.24pm from Maidstone East is standing at the Down main platform, headed by ex-SE&CR L class. Designed by Wainwright but built in Germany by Borsig in July 1914 - just before World War One, lasting until July 1959.

Up Continental Express entering Ashford
23^rd August 1958

Passing on the Up Through line, the Boat Express is headed by one of the several Bulleid Light Pacific's, no.34092 'City of Wells', built September 1949, not rebuilt and withdrawn November 1964: it was preserved.

On the left, at the Down main platform is SR Maunsell class V 'Schools' no.30911 'Dover' (built December 1932, withdrawn December 1962) on a Down express.

Down Boat express passing through Ashford station.
23^rd August 1958

BR Standard Class 5MT no.73042 (built November 1953, withdrawn August 1965) is passing ex-SE&CR L1 class no.31782 on a Down stopping train. (No. 73042 was involved in a serious accident at Eastbourne two days later).

Ben Brooksbank

In researching photographs for BloodandCustard webpages many excellent the photographs taken by Ben Brooksbank emerged of the geographically-based Geograph website.

Ben granted permission to use these photographs under the Creative Commons licence. Sadly, those of us here at BloodandCustard never got to meet Ben (a lifelong railway enthusiast and Retired Medical Scientist sadly he passed on 24^th February 2018). However, this page is dedicated in gratitude towards both Ben and his foresight to take these photographs which form part of an important historical record.

COPYRIGHT BLOODANDCUSTARD

PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYRIGHT BEN BROOKSBANK (CC-BY-SA/2.0)
(WITH GRATITUDE FOR USE)

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