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
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
Partially obscured by telegraph wires, D1055 “WESTERN ADVOCATE” passes under a bridge near Westbury with a ‘down’ passenger service on 27th October 1973. The roof sections containing extractor fans don’t carry so much grime as the others do. 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
With ‘1000’ displayed on its front, a ‘Western’ passes through a station with a 7-coach passenger service of mainly Mk2 coaches towards the end of its working life. As was typical then, it is covered in dirt and its roofline is caked with sooty deposits from the exhaust. 7####BM01-NBY-D10##-PAS_D
The Eric Curnow Collection 