Most of the express trains I took between Penzance and London naturally used the most direct route – about 35 miles shorter than going via Bristol, but not much quicker because of track curvature and the need for track upgrades. Although a lot of it is within Wiltshire, it is historically known as the ‘Berks and Hants’, being an extension westwards of the trackbed belonging to a former railway company of that name. The “B&H” deviates from the line via Bristol east of Taunton at Cogland Junction, and reconnects at Reading, passing through Castle Cary, Westbury and Newbury. Much of the view from the train is beautiful countryside; quite a few miles runs alongside the Kennet & Avon canal; and ‘White Horse’s are visible carved into the chalk hillsides at a couple of places. If the train pulled off the line to visit Westbury, it is a welcome distraction as there is a very interesting railway facility there.
With clanking rods and escaping steam, 7004 ‘EASTNOR CASTLE’ has been uncoupled from the Newbury train and heads towards Westbury Loco Shed past a “whiskered” DMU set, semaphores, speed limit board, and other stock. 630927A01-WBY-s7004-LIGHT
In April 1964, 5975 ‘WINSLOW HALL’, emitting very little steam, clanks between the bracket signal that gives it “right of way” towards Westbury Station, and a shunt signal. The counterbalance of the tall signal stands erect and stark against the sky. 640425A01-WBY-s5975-LIGHT
Despite it’s double-chimney, 7003 “ELMLEY CASTLE” looks anything other than ‘grand’ in its workworn condition as it moves around Westbury depot in late October 1963. It’s tender is piled high, and the typical trickle of scalding water accompanies its progress. 631018A01-WBY-s7003-LIGHT
D3998, 5039 “RHUDDLAN CASTLE” and 3746 are pictured outside Westbury Shed – of a similar style to Long Rock – though the chimneys are different. Stark above the GWR locomotives are the panes of glass cut to house smoke extraction equipment. 5039 was once converted to oil-burning, but now has a well-stocked coal tender. 6####HL01-UNK-s5039-PARKD
Among other tender locos, Modified-Hall 6960 “RAVENINGHAM HALL” smokes barely perceptibly under the extraction shuttering inside Westbury shed in July 1963. A hose is connected to a water valve in the foreground and the bricked track separation, cast iron pillars, inspection pits and glazing over the entrance are all reminiscent of Penzance. 6307##A01-WBY-s6960-PARKD
Clouds of steam mingle with atmospheric clouds as huge 2-8-0 3864 creaks across the pointwork before the shed at Westbury depot on 14th April 1965. Similar to Penzance depot, it however had a clock on the building’s facade, and a line of trees beside it rather than pump house and boiler house. To its right is a breakdown van, a water column, horizontal piping, and another loco. 650414A01-WBY-s3864-LIG_D
D808 “CENTAUR” leaves the platforms of Newbury westwards. It is in blue livery with sanserif numbers, but retains the ‘D’ prefix. It always amused me that WR locos had ‘Danger. Overhead live wires’ signs spread around their bodies, as they seldom needed them. 69###BB01-UNK—D808-PARKD
Two of the ‘Warship’ locomotives fitted with multiple-working equipment, as signified by the two diamonds on each buffer bar, race through Newbury with a London-bound speeded-up West of England service, to bring journey times up to what was considered a reasonable standard to the capital. 6####DY01-NBY—D826-PAS_U
In recently-applied rail blue livery, D7000 is parked up with a class mate on Westbury depot. The ‘D’ prefix of its number has been painted over, now that steam had been eliminated and so it was no longer necessary to differentiate from steam numbering. 7008#AB01-WBY-D7000-PARKD
D1613, a W.R. allocated Brush Type 4, powers a train of emptiy wagons eastwards across Clink Road Junction, perhaps from nearby Merehead Quarry – the track deviating to the right being a cut off serving the town of Frome, and beyond this the coalfields of Radstock. I only passed through Frome on the odd occasion when engineering works blocked the Main. 7#####A01-FRO-D1613-MINLS
Partially obscured by telegraph wires, D1055 “WESTERN ADVOCATE” passes under a bridge near Westbury with a ‘down’ passenger service on 27th October 1973. The less grimy roof sections containing extractor fans may indicate recent attention. 731027A01-WSB-D1055-PASGR
The insubstantial buildings of Westbury depot made it seem more like a stabling point than a repair facility, and I was glad Long Rock was never reduced to this size. D1029 “WESTERN LEGIONNAIRE” and a four Class 47s are parked up together over oil saturated track. 7411##A01-WBY-LOCOS-PARKD
D1001, D1049 and D1051 at Westbury depot 5th October 1975. The depot buildings were once pretty-well identical to Long Rock’s, with four roads, a repair shop and water tower/coaling stage; now seemingly “lightweight” considering all the important traffic that passed through the area, and still does. 751005A01-WBY-D10XX-PARKD
In the early morning cold, 47495, D1013 “WESTERN RANGER” and 08935 await duties on Westbury depot in November 1975. The depot is “a pale shadow” of what it once was, relegated to not much more than a fueling point and place for attention to minor repairs. 751108A01-WBY-LOCOS-D_YRD
The signal arm indicates ‘All Clear” for a Class 47 to run at speed along a through road at Newbury with a London area passenger train in 1971. A local service DMU waits at a platform, presumably to follow in the wake of the Brush’s train, and the streets either side of the station are completely lined with cars, many awaiting the return of commuters at the end of the day. 7108##B01-NBY-47###-PAS_U
The Eric Curnow Collection 