Time Capsules
2-4-0 locomotive and train at Penrith in 1934
This photograph of Penrith station shows what is probably a London and North Western Railway Precedent Class "Jumbo" 2-4-0 locomotive.
This famous class of locomotives was developed from John Ramsbottom's 2-4-0 'Newton' class which dated back to 1866. Mr. F.W.Webb took over as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London & North Western Railway in 1871 and from 1874 he built a further 20 locomotives in the same style as the Newton class but with modifications including higher boiler pressure. The first member of this new class was No. 2175 'Precedent'. From 1877 until 1882 a further 76 locos were added giving a class total of 166. However from 1887 to 1902 all 166 members of the Precedent class were renewed or rebuilt at Crewe Works as virtually brand new locomotives.
Called "Jumbos" they were named after the elephant, but were also very fast. On the night of 22/23 August 1895, locomotive No. 790 'Hardwicke' was chosen for the all-important leg of the journey between Crewe and Carlisle. An average speed of 67.2mph for the 141 miles was achieved over this most difficult terrain which includes the famous climb to Shap summit. By the standards of the day this was a monumental achievement. The competitor on the East Coast Route was the famous Great Northern Railway Stirling 8 foot Single and today 'Hardwicke' and GNR No.1 stand together in the National Railway Museum at York.
Penrith Railway Station is midway through Cumbria on the West Coast Main Line, between Carlisle and Oxenholme. Although the station is now relatively quiet, at one time this was the terminus for the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway, and the North Eastern Railway's Eden Valley branch which joined with the Stainmore line at Kirkby Stephen, providing connections to the East Coast Main Line at Darlington.
Photo © The Step Back Through Time Collection
Text courtesy of Peter Langsdale
Picture added on 29 November 2008
This picture is in the following groups
Step back through Time, trains and stations
Step back through Time, trains and stations
Interested to see what appears to be a cattle wagon marshalled next to the locomotive. Horse boxes were more familiar wagons on passenger trains. Beyond this wagon is a 'brake third' or a 'brake composite', evidenced by the 'ducket' - a sort of small bay window allowing the guard to look along the length of the train from inside his compartment or brake.
Added by Martin Bodman on 26 November 2009
The train is bound for Workington over the old Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith line, a route on which passenger services were more commonly worked by LNWR 0-6-0 ‘Cauliflower’ goods engines. The second and third vehicles are LNWR cove roofed carriages and date from then period 1903 to 1906; the fourth coach is an arc roofed carriage and was probably built in the 1890s.
In later years the service was in the hands of Ivatt class 2MT 2-6-0 before the Derby Lightweights took over in 1955. Even so the Lakes Express from Euston and its truncated successor a Saturdays only Keswick to Crewe service were still steam hauled as was the Keswick Convention Special which often brought class 5 or even larger steam locomotives to the route.
Other unusual trains which ran in the 1930s were Sunday buffet car excursions from Glasgow and Newcastle via Carlisle which gave the excursionist about six or seven hours in Keswick. One of the attractions of these excursions being the buffet which served alcohol, especially attractive to their Glasgow patrons because of the strict Sunday licensing laws in Scotland.
In later years the service was in the hands of Ivatt class 2MT 2-6-0 before the Derby Lightweights took over in 1955. Even so the Lakes Express from Euston and its truncated successor a Saturdays only Keswick to Crewe service were still steam hauled as was the Keswick Convention Special which often brought class 5 or even larger steam locomotives to the route.
Other unusual trains which ran in the 1930s were Sunday buffet car excursions from Glasgow and Newcastle via Carlisle which gave the excursionist about six or seven hours in Keswick. One of the attractions of these excursions being the buffet which served alcohol, especially attractive to their Glasgow patrons because of the strict Sunday licensing laws in Scotland.
Added by Stephen W Simpson on 04 December 2010
England
