Neville Hill engine shed
A mile to the east of Leeds New (later renamed Leeds City) station, the NER located its presence on the edge of the West Riding conurbation with a large marshalling yard, carriage sidings and, originally, a four-turntable engine shed. During the 1950s the shed was reduced by half but a new depot was built to house the DMUs.
All this lay two and half miles from where I lived and as a teenager, I used to visit on my push bike, despite two quite steep hills along the way - traffic was still quite light in those days! Some of the pictures were taken with a Brownie 127 when I was 15 years old.
There are now ten parts:
1 - Shed and yard scenes 2 - Shed scenes 1960s 3 - 4-4-0s D20 to D49 4 - B16 4-6-0s 5 - Q6 0-8-0s 6 - Riddles Standard 2-6-4 tanks 7 - Miscaptions 8 - Waterloo Jc and Neville Hill East 9 - Neville Hill West 10 - Leeds City
As usual, all the pictures are in chronological order and unless otherwise stated were taken by me or are from my personal collection and copyright. Please do not reproduce in any form without my permission in writing.
New additions placed here temporarily:
A nice view from c1962 of A3 No 60074 Harvester which never got trough smoke deflectors, standing on one of the sidings in front of the running shed. The general view shows the abandoned ground under what used to be roundhouse No.4 with remains of the original end wall in the distance, the water tower, the old coaling stage and the newer tower. It was quite a spacious shed. The green DMU alongside is a reminder of the great reduction in Neville Hill's passenger tank engines once used on local services and construction of servicing facilities. Photo: Author's collection.
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A view from the 1930s of an early B16 No 1397 on the sidings in front of the repair shop. This loco was at Neville Hill several times, from 1934-43 and as No 61462, during the 1950s. It was never rebuilt. Photo: Author's collection.
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B16 No 61432 was at Neville Hill from 1949 until withdrawal in 1961 and is seen entering Bridlington with at least 9 coaches, many of them ex-LMS. The date is unknown but a 50A shedplate is being carried which suggests a recent transfer to Neville Hill and a summer Saturday train or an excursion from Leeds. Photo: RK Blencowe
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A view from 30th May 1964 shows two of Neville Hill's B1s in No 1 roundhouse, Nos 61224 and 61353. The latter is recorded as only there from 16-6-63 to 6-6-64 and its chimney is already covered with canvas. It went on to Wakefield where it was withdrawn a year later. No 61224 followed the same path at the same time. They give the impression of discards from Darlington. Photo: Author's collection.
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1 - Shed scenes
1940s-1950s
In early BR days the shed was coded 50B (which when the shed was recoded to 55H, was given to Hull Dairycoates). I acquired an example of the early shed plate recently, described as "ex-loco condition" but in truth it's no such thing, having been kicked around in a scrap yard during which most of the paintwork was knocked off and rust kicked in. It looks so grotty that I shall be restoring it. The enlargement is a half-way attempt via Photoshop. Author's collection.
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A rare view of the original shed before it was cut back. Unfortunately it's a tiny contact print which lacks sharpness and I'm not sure how much sharpening it with Photoshop has helped. I offer it to give an idea of the original condition. Author's collection.
52A Gateshead's Peppercorn A1 No 60147 North Eastern runs off Neville Hill shed. It's not a well-taken picture and I have corrected what I can, but I didn't t want to lose the glimpse in the background of the running shed being rebuilt, and the large signal gantry on the main line to the east. Photo: SLS.
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The water tower and its clocks dominate this view from the 1950s with, in the background, a glimpse of the original running shed.
There were many 4-6-0s at Neville Hill such as B16/1 No 61441 which was at Neville Hill for a while in 1951, thereafter at York so it's not possible to tell if the photograph was taken when allocated to Leeds or after working in from York. Photo: R.K. Blencowe Negative Archive.
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Standing by the coaling stage in early 1948 is newly-built Peppercorn A2 No 526 Sugar Palm. The loco was completed in January and finished in LNER apple green livery but, as far as I can tell, no lettering on the tender. Photo: author's collection.
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This is one of three original colour slides that I bought on eBay described as "Neville Hill" (the other two are lower down) and I eventually concluded that they had all been taken at York. But it turns out that....
A J27 at Neville Hill? No 65894 was actually located there briefly c1948 but from 1950-1966 it was a York loco and it's a safe bet that that's where it was photographed. Photo: Author's collection.
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Initially, Neville Hill was under York and coded 50B by BR but this changed in January 1959 when it became part of the Leeds district under Holbeck and the code was revised to 55H. I acquired this shed plate at an auction and have no details as to its provenance. It sits nicely next to my 50B and 56C plates.:).
2 - Shed scenes- 1960s
The running shed was halved in size in the late 1950s leaving scars of two turntables seen in this undated view of the west end. Note the new roof and frontage. What looks like a Thompson B1 stands in the yard and a Class 24 with a "Peak" just visible to the right. The place looked quite tidy at this time. Author's collection.
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A general view from 1964 shows how the four-roundhouse shed had been reduced by half, producing this open space and visible remains of the roads that once radiated out from the turntables. To the right is the three-road repair shop, and beyond, the recently built DMU shed and fuel stores. Photo: Steve Banks.
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My apologies for this iffy undated wintry view of A3 60074 Harvester parked outside the running shed. Close views of the two entrances are not very common.
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A general view outside the running shed in 1965 with K1 No 62007 (NEV) and two Peppercorn A1s. The one on the left has been parked temporarily, the other shed entrance being used. Photos: author's collection.
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As far as I know, V2s were never allocated to Neville Hill (ex-NER B16 and Thompson B1 4-6-0s were used instead) but York had many and they often worked through to Leeds, such as 60967 which is standing by the water tower. Fully coaled, it awaits its return working. The clock is showing just before 1pm, which suggests a weekend visit.
The A3 in the background would have been 60074 Harvester or 60084 Gainsborough, one of the shed's trio at the time, these two never having gained trough smoke deflectors. 1963. Photo: Steve Banks.
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Sometime in the mid-1950s, when B1 No 61086 with self-weighing tender was allocated to Neville Hill, it stands by the ash pits on a sunny evening. Photo: Author's collection.
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A classic view of one of Neville Hill's J39s, used for freight and excursion traffic - they were 4P/5F after all - No 64835 is carrying the early BR shed plate, 50B, part of the York District. In January 1960 it was transferred to the Leeds District under Holbeck and recoded 55H. Photo: Peter Groom.
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A3 No 60081 Shotover was a Neville Hill Pacific for most of the post-WWII years and was captured in fairly good condition c1960. It remained like this, with GN-style tender, double chimney and no smoke deflectors until the end of its days. Photo: Author's collection.
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In 1962 Neville Hill still had seven J39s on its books but BR withdrew the class that year and the remaining 110 en bloc and this view, from winter 1962/63 shows No 64933 alongside a stable-mate in the yard, probably awaiting removal. The concrete coaling tower is in the background. Photo: Steve Banks.
Not the best of pictures on a cold winter's day around 1962, but a fine view of Gresley A3 No 60074 Harvester without smoke deflectors as it stands next to one of the five Riddles 2-6-4 tanks which were at the shed at the time. Photo; Author's collection.
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A decent view of the same loco, A3 60074 Harvester, in its last years. It never got German-style smoke deflectors and to my eye, retained a certain Gresley elegance. Author's collection.
Another visitor from Gateshead around the same time was A4 No 60005 Sir Charles Newton, seen here by the original coaling stage. Note the enormous pile of coal on the tender. Looking at its rather fine texture I wonder how much confidence the crew had in it - and if it passed the loading gauge?! Photo: SLS.
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By 1961 Neville Hill had a pair of Ivatt 2-6-0s, Nos 43051/54 and the latter is seen either running into or out of the shed.
Not until relatively recently did I learn that the Brownie 127 had a pedestrian shutter speed of 1/60 sec, which explains why in this panned shot, the houses in the distance are so blurred! 1963. Photo: Steve Banks.
Fairburn 2-6-4T No 42699 came to Neville Hill in 1963 and is seen by the water tower. And the time is ...? Photo: author's collection.
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When built "Peak" D144 was allocated to Derby on 9th December 1961 but, a week later, transferred to Neville Hill, and can be seen carrying a 55H shed plate on the nose. It was used for crew training and in July 1962, re-allocated to Holbeck. Note the green livery, before the yellow panels were added, and the empty headcode indicator box.
The building in the background was a three-road maintenance shed used to house diesels. In 1962 a diesel shed was opened at Holbeck and "Peaks" which had been housed temporarily at Neville Hill were moved across. Photo: Steve Banks.
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Brand new Brush Type 4s (later Class 47) started arriving around this time and an evening would be a good time to see one, officially allocated to 34G Finsbury Park, being serviced. D1515 was built on 29th March 1963 and could hardly have been more than a few days old. It's standing outside the old repair shop which became a nominal diesel shed.
Under TOPS, the loco became 47416 and was withdrawn from Gateshead in March 1986 after an astonishingly short life of only of only 23 years. 1963. Photo: Steve Banks.
A view from the old brick & timber manual coaling plant that remained in place despite construction of a new "standard" concrete tower. On a dank and windy day, down below is 77010 on the ash pits with its tender water filler cap open. The NER-built swan-neck water column is nearby.
This Riddles class of 2-6-0 was divided between Scotland and the NE Region where ten ended up around Scarborough and Hull (77000-4/10-14). Arrival of the DMU displaced them and they were all sent to Leeds sheds: Stourton and Farnley. 1964. Photo: Steve Banks.
A closer view of D5100 in ridiculously dirty condition, with an even muckier ex-LMS Black 5 beyond it, believed to be 45063. 1964. Photo: Steve Banks.
77010 finally moves towards the running shed to be stabled. Behind it can be seen a remnant of what used to be the outer wall of the shed when it had four roundhouses. 1964. Photo: Steve Banks.
A murky day between the old and the new coaling stages finds two locos taking water, an unidentified B1 and "Black Five" No 45063 (Holbeck). April 1964. Photo: Adam Banks
Peppercorn A1 No 60154 Bon Accord, was a York loco until reallocation to Neville Hill in July 1963 and is being is turned inside a smoke-filled outer roundhouse. April 1964. Photo: Adam Banks.
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J39 64934 stands at Neville Hill in March 1963. It had been withdrawn the previous year but not yet taken away. Rust was beginning to grin through the traffic dust. Photo: Chris Bush.
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The last picture in this batch was taken by Keith Long when he worked on the railway as a signalman, but two dates exist - in 1961 and 1963 - and alas, most of it is out of focus. It's A3 No 60081 Shotover and it's been uncoupled from its tender and parked against Riddles 2-6-4T No 80118. Which was re-allocated to Scotland in November 1963, which doesn't help with the date! The A3 was withdrawn in October 1962. A Class 40 is on the turntable being stabled. Photo: Keith Long.
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Peppercorn A1s from Copley Hill replaced the A3s and No 60118 Archibald Sturrock is coasting into the running shed around 11.30am on a Saturday in October 1964. Photo: Steve Banks.
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Peppercorn A1 No 60154 Bon Accord, formerly a York loco, was re-allocated to Neville Hill and stands in the roundhouse in July 1964. Photo: Author's collection.
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Peppercorn A1 No 60118 Archibald Sturrock came to Neville Hill after Copley Hill closed and is seen in front of the running shed. July 1964. Photo: Author's collection.
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On Saturday 18th September 1965, an Aberdeen A4, No 60004 William Whitelaw was sent to Neville Hill to work an RCTS special the following day, "The Blyth-Tyne express".
It was serviced in the usual way and placed inside the shed, but many people turned up to see it and the foreman agreed to have the loco moved outside again so that it could be photographed. A man with a heart of gold! The sun was getting low and while I took the usual front 3/4 snaps, here are the more interesting views! Photo: Steve Banks.
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The beautiful lines of the A4 catch the sun. Photo: Steve Banks.
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And finally, the front end with a Peppercorn A1 behind it, possibly 60118 Archibald Sturrock, one of the batch transferred from Copley Hill after that shed closed the previous year. Photo: Steve Banks.
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During the winter of 1964/65 the nameplates were, unkindly I always thought, removed from the Peppercorn A1s. No 60154, formerly Bon Accord, stands outside the shed awaiting its next duty. Behind is another unnamed member of the class. Photo: Brian Webb collection.
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An interior view taken in September 1965 shows an A1 without nameplates, two Q6s, two Fairburn tanks, and two BR Mk.1 coaches. Alas the numbers are not known and the digital copy is too pixellated to give up its secrets (although the Q6 on the left may be 63417). Photo: Chris Bush.
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When diesels began to take over they were often as dirty as the steam locos they replaced. Seen on a murky day by the water tower, D5253 (later class 25103) was allocated to Toton when built in 1964 and then Nottingham. It's now carrying a Holbeck shed plate, of which there doesn't seem to be any record. Photo: author's collection.
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3 - Four-coupled from D20 to D49
It tends to be forgotten how many 4-4-0s used to be deployed at Neville Hill for the intermediate secondary services over lines that were not heavily graded and the trains only medium sized. At the Grouping there were ex-NER classes D20, D21 and D23 and they were often interchanged with the shed in Harrogate, Starbeck. Others were allocated to York and Hull so they were a common sight around Leeds for a very long time. Their principal uses were with Link A secondary 4-sets all over the county and as far north as West Hartlepool and Newcastle.
The LNER began modernisation via the more powerful D49 class which could be used for expresses to Newcastle yet such was the variety of traffic that both D20s and D49s remained useful and were to last well into BR days. The two classes didn't become extinct until late 1956 (D20) and 1961 (D49)
A reminder that the engine shed at Neville Hill was built c1900 and that NER and then LNER locos were allocated there before BR! It's a separate subject really with many classes of loco that were replaced by later, more modern types and I shall develop separately. Here is 4-4-0 No 1026 of what became LNER Class D20, a type that lasted into the 1950s. Author's collection.
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The quality is a bit iffy but the view is useful for showing the south side of the running shed that was to be cut back in the 1950s and re-roofed. Note how clean the shed windows used to be kept! D20 No 2011 was one of the longest serving members of the class at Neville Hill - it was there from NER days until late 1940. Photo: Author's collection.
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This picture from the late 1940s shows D20 No 62392 carrying its new BR number, but the tender still branded "LNER". It was a Starbeck (Harrogate) loco at the time. The manual coaling stage was showing signs of neglect, the mechanical tower having already seen a dozen or so year's service. Photo: author' s collection.
D49 No 217 The Belvoir is parked by the water tower. It was one of a large batch built with Lenz rotary cam valve gear and sent new to Neville Hill in July 1934, serving until 1947 (when it was sent to Starbeck). Photo: Author's collection.
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D49 No 375 The South Durham was at Neville Hill for most of its life and tears through Greatham station in the late 1930s with an LMS train captioned as "Leeds-West Hartlepool". The track was level here but the loco is being worked hard. Maybe it was running late? A solar calculation gives a time of around 11.30am and the best fit from the timetables I looked at was for the 9.40am Leeds-West Hartlepool, which may have started from west of the Pennines. The b&w image conceals that this was an apple green loco hauling crimson lake carriages. Photo: H.Gordon Tidey, author's collection.
An enlargement can only take us so far but it's clear that the leading two carriages are ex-LNWR: BTK and TK. The next two are Stanier designs: a P.1 two-window design which could be a CK, and an RB. The trailing trio is impossible to distinguish except that is it also of pre-Grouping origin. Photo: author's collection.
This is the sleek-looking Stanier Buffet Car to D1948 in the middle of the train. Four were built in 1936 following an earlier prototype. Photo: author's collection.
D49 The Oakley was captured between the running shed and the coaling stage. Apart from a brief blip at York in February 1940, this loco was at Neville Hill from December 1934 until May 1948, carrying its Thompson number 2769 as seen here between 1946-48. Photo: R.K. Blencowe collection.
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D49 No 62742 The Braes of Derwent, seen in rather poor condition on 12th October 1952, had spent much of its time at York before coming to Neville Hill in October 1950 for the last eight years of its life. Photo: H.K. Boulter
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D20 No 62345 is running off the shed towards Neville Hill East carrying a 50C Selby shed plate, where it served in 1951 and again in 1956, the year it was condemned. The west end of the shed is being dismantled, which tallies with the later year. Photo: Author's collection.
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A picture taken around the same time shows a Neville Hill D49 running across The Stray in Harrogate with a train for Leeds City. The loco is No 62749 The Cottesmore and the Ordinary Passenger formation is hard to make out in full but looks like a non-gangwayed 4-set which has been strengthened behind the tender by two gangwayed carriages:
TK |
52'6" Gresley teak |
TK |
61'6" Gresley teak |
-------- |
------------------------------ |
BT-CL ? twin |
Gresley steel-panelled |
CL-BT ? twin |
Gresley steel-panelled |
I'll see if I can work out more about the twins. Photo: Cecil Ord collection.
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An example of a D49 in service on 7th August 1956 with No 62761 The Derwent passing Neville Hill East (for details see in that section below). Photo: author's collection.
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4 - B16s at Neville Hill
Worsdell and Raven designed a series of mixed traffic 4-6-0s for the NER which the LNER classed B13-B16. The original version of the last of these with a straight footplate became class B16/1 and dominated the allocation to Neville Hill, many lasting until withdrawal. The rebuilds with Walschaerts valve gear and curved footplate also served but were less numerous. Here are some examples, including the services they operated.
B16 No 908 passes through Durham in 1936 with a No 2 Express Goods. This loco was allocated to Neville Hill in 1949 as No 61411 and served for eleven years until late 1960, when it was transferred to Mirfield and withdrawn the following year. Photo: H.C. Casserley.
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Ex-works B16 No 847 heads south out of York towards Church Fenton and Leeds with a Class B Goods, Most of the leading wagons are LMS, including an empty cattle wagon. This B16 was at Neville Hill for three years during WWII, between 1940-43. Photo: H. Gordon Tidey.
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Covered in grime and the date unknown, B16 No 2371 has another Class B Goods, this time along the four-track north of York.
Note the LNER 10T Perishable Goods or Meat Van behind the tender, almost 700 of which had been built between 1924-32, including a batch on a steel underframe. Just over fifty were converted to carry fish and it is tempting to suggest that this may have been an example. The ventilation slats are in need of repair and one area has already been replaced by a plain panel. Dan Pinnock produced a kit under the D&S label which eventually went to 51L - I'm not sure who owns it now.
The loco became No 61442 and served at Neville Hill for most of the years from 1949 until withdrawal in 1960. Photo: Author's collection.
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One of Neville Hill's unrebuilt Raven B16/1 4-6-0s, No 61413 in early BR livery with a barely visible "BRITISH RAILWAYS" on the tender and the number on the buffer beam in late LNER style "No. 61413", is passing Monkton Moor c1950 with a Class 6 express freight. I can't help thinking that these locos looked better without a number plate on the smokebox door. :) Photo: Author's collection.
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Passing under the gantry at Falsgrave on the approach to Scarborough on Saturday 27th June 1959, B16 No 61470 has a working from Leeds of eight coaches which has been strengthened behind the tender by three Gresley carriages, all of the side-door type.
This loco had also been alocated to Neville Hill in 1949 and is seen here in its last summer of service, being withdrawn later in the year. Photo: K.C.H. Fairey.
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B16 No, 61452 stands at Scarborough shed on Sunday 21st June 1959 after bringing in an excursion from Leeds. This one was at Neville Hill for most of the years between 1953-59.
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Another east coast holiday resort, Bridlington, sees Neville Hill's B16 No 61412 on shed after delivering an excursion almost certainly from Leeds. This B16 had a similar history to No 61411, also arriving in 1949 to serve for 11 years, then sent to Mirfield in 1960 prior to withdrawal. Photo: Author's collection.
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B16/3 No 61420 was at Neville Hill from 1925-45 and is seen near Hessle in BR days with an ex-LMS goods brake van (more of which had been built by BR in 1949). Photo: Author's collection.
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The last years of the B16s saw some interesting changes in fortune. No 61425 was yet another allocation to Neville Hill in 1949 and was photographed in January 1960 in store. On 14th February it was transferred to York, a big home for the class and where it lasted until withdrawal in May 1961. Photo: Author's collection.
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5 - Q6 class 0-8-0s at Neville Hill
There was a long-standing allocation of this 0-8-0 class at Neville Hill, between 5-8 in LNER days, slightly fewer in BR days. In 1963 these six were there:
63348, 63370, 63417, 63420, 63424, 63426.
They had no vacuum brake, were well known on the coal traffic in the North East, and performed similar duties in the Yorkshire coalfield. They also handled local transfers. In fact, they outlived the more modern J39s at Neville Hill and in 1966 a small batch was transferred to the ex-MR shed at Normanton to handle the coal traffic from the Castleford end. That only lasted four months after which the locos went back to the North East.
A view from 1963 shows Q6 No 63348 light engine in front of the running shed. Photo: Adam Banks.
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A scene inside the running shed in March 1964 with Q6 Nos 63417 and 63420. Both had been sent to Neville Hill in December 1962. Photo: Steve Banks.
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Q6 No 63420 stands in steam on a blustery day in April 1964 by the old coal stage in a line between two other locos. The nearer one was probably a Riddles 2-6-0 77xxx, nine of which had come to Farnley and Stourton at the time. Photo: Adam Banks.
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Another view, this time from ground level, of No 63426 at work. This Q6 was one of four which in the summer of 1966 were sent to the MR shed at Normanton to work the coal traffic from the Castleford end. From there it was sent back to the North East proper, in this case Tyne Dock. Photo: Author's collection.
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Q6 No 63424 had been at Neville Hill in the late 1930s and came back in 1962. It stands outside the running shed on 8th June 1963. Photo: author's collection.
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The same loco was captured inside the roundhouse around the same time. Photo: author's collection.
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Q6 No 63348 came new to Neville Hill in 1913 and served for thirty years until 1943, coming back in 1953 and 1959 to serve out its last years. Withdrawal came in June 1964. It is seen here on an unknown date working a York-bound Class H Through Freight, as far as I can tell, through Escrick station. Photo: author's collection.
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6 - Riddles standard 2-6-4 tanks
In 1958 five of these graceful passenger tank engines, 80116-120, were transferred to Neville Hill. Alas, the end of steam was near and advancing allocations of DMUs to the region, and construction of a dedicated depot at Neville Hill, meant that they only stayed for five years, when they were all moved to Scotland.
No 80117 is on the turntable in fine condition. 1962. Photo: D. Hampton.
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No 80019 is seen leaving Harrogate in 1962. Express lights are being carried for this is a portion for Leeds Central and hence, King's Cross. With apologies for the blur, it's not the best of prints. Photo: D. Hardy.
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This time it's 80120 leaving Harrogate with a portion for Leeds Central and King's Cross. Again, my apologies for not the best of prints. Photo: D. Hardy.
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A fine view of No 80119 near Ripon with an Ordinary Passenger train to Northallerton. The 5-set was made up with Gresley 61'6" carriages introdued to such services in the NE Area before WWII and, here, modernised by two Mk.1s. On this day, however, a strengthener was placed on the rear using a non-gangwayed pre-Grouping carriage: an ex-NER 3rd (T). Photo: author's collection.
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7 - Miscaptions
I bought these three original slides on eBay described as "Neville Hill". I was soon a little suspicious that they were in fact taken at York, and I am now pretty certain that that is the case. My apologies for the quality because all three were under-exposed. Photoshop has revealed the content but there's a saying about not being able to make a silk purse.... I leave viewers to judge!
Two locos in the roundhouse, Thompson class K1 2-6-0 No 62042 and Peppercorn A1 No 60140 Balmoral, at York for most of its life, a regular visitor to Leeds. The dark shape to the right is a WD 2-8-0. c1960. Photo: Author's collection.
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York's V2 No 60963 stands in the roundhouse c1960 with shafts of sunlight gleaming in. A mucky Stanier 8F has been stable alongside.Photo: Author's collection.
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8- Waterloo Junction - Neville Hill East
This is the OS 25in map showing Waterloo Junction (to Waterloo Main colliery, lower left), and the signal box, later renamed Neville Hill East. In the top left corner is part of the running shed and to the right, Waterloo carriage sidings. The initials "SB" on the map were moved aside because of a signal post - the small rectangle is the lamp hut, the longer one is the signal box. Source: Ordnance Survey, National Library of Scotland.
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A picture from the early 1960s when Neville Hill still had four A3s shows an unidentified A3 on an express heading towards York. It's an enthusiast's picture, into the light and not too sharp, but it's a rare view of the signal box. Photo: T. Spindler.
Eric Oates has spotted that, in my original caption, it could not have been Trigo because of the GNR-style tender. So that rules out all the 55H A3s and as only "600" can be made out, I am stuck!
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A view from 22nd September 1965 which I miscaptioned before. Taken from Neville Hill East signal box, one of the home shed's Q6 0-8-0s, No 63426, is propelling wagons across the running lines. The end wagon is a BR steel-bodied 13T High Goods Wagon (Shildon 1951 No B476664).
In the distance, somewhat washed out by a bright sun, a new housing estate is being built. Photo: D.Hardy.
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Trains at Neville Hill East
The next batch of pictures was taken by the same photographer and I have just been told (anonymously, I'm afraid) that the photographer's name was Ralph Thurlow who lived in Cross Gates on the East side of Leeds. He died around 2014 and his negatives were lost; only prints like this have survived. I have come across other subjects, in the West Riding and elsewhere (many are on eBay) and shall in future name him as the photographer.
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It's only a pity that the lens quality was so-so and the printing, too; repairing images does them no favours but I like these for the lineside feel that they convey. I'm showing all five in chronological order, from 1956-1959, the first three, only minutes apart. Oh, happy days!
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It's 7.16pm on a sunny August Bank Holiday evening in 1956 although there's a light haze in the air as A4 No 60016 Silver King passes Neville Hill East signal box on the six-mile climb out of Leeds City towards Garforth, which begins easily but steepens to 1:160. It has a holiday relief to the 5pm Liverpool-Newcastle express. The loco was long-lived at Gateshead and may have worked in with a similar relief earlier in the day. A4s were known at Leeds City and Neville Hill but not exactly common.
The formation had been provided by the LMR and is made up smartly with ex-LMS P.III Stanier coaches, except for the strengthener added behind the tender, which is an older P.1 composite with the original panelling modernised.
The signal gantry is worth a closer look for six of the arms are still ex-NER slotted post lower quadrants. One appears to be "off" a little droopily. The upper quadrant "double peg" is for the main line into Leeds and was probably for the train in the next picture. 7th August 1956. Photo: Ralph Thurlow.
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There was another gantry to the east not far from the one in the picture above. It's 7.25pm, nine minutes later, looking the other way as an express coasts down the grade behind D49 No 62761 The Derwent. This loco had been transferred from Starbeck for the back end of the summer season and may have been heading a train from Scarborough, perhaps a relief or an excursion for among the gangwayed carriages there is a 51'1 1/2" semi-corridor lavatory composite still in varnished teak livery (as is another coach further back). None of the carriages is especially new, the turnbuckle trussing dating them from the 1920s and early '30s, the kind of stuff that all carriage sheds kept for busy times.
On this gantry one signal was still ex-NER slotted post lower quadrant and it protected the eastbound main line. It was the only one left and it too is rather droopily "off", in this case for the train in the next picture. 7th August 1956. Photo: author's collection.
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Two minutes later sees the normally timetabled 5pm Liverpool-Newcastle come by and the ER formation, made up with Thompson and BR Mk.1 coaches. Normally hauled by an A3 and No 60083 Sir Visto (Gateshead) is in charge. It appears that a second loco may have been required and Scarborough's D49 No. 62751 The Albrighton was added, although it may simply have been working back to York at the end of a busy day. 7th August 1956. Photo: Ralph Thurlow.
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Moving on a couple of years to Sunday 6th July 1958. It's a miserable day but it's the best of the bunch for showing one of the ex-NER slotted post signals.
The loco, ex-NER A8 4-6-2T No. 69885 is not very clear, which is a pity. It's allocation had oscillated between Scarborough and Neville Hill and the big Pacific tank was on the point of going back north for the last time. A single light is being carried which suggests it may have been on its way to work a passenger train out of Leeds, at a time when these loco hauled services were being ousted by the DMU. Photo: Ralph Thurlow.
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The final picture in this group was captured on Saturday 27th June 1959 at 5.49pm and shows what is captioned as the 8-coach 5.43pm Leeds City-Scarborough. It's a pretty smart set that had already been painted in BR maroon. In charge is B1 No 61062 which, when built, had been delivered to Neville Hill but was now a York loco.
The tender loco in the background is a J39, of which Neville Hill used to have quite a few. Photo: Ralph Thurlow.
9 - Neville Hill West
The next two pictures were taken at Neville Hill West Junction, seen here on the OS 25" map from 1935.
The four-track between Leeds City and Neville Hill runs from top left to right with the junction to Hunslet coming off to the west and south-west. The size of the signal box is plain to see, named Neville Hill West. Source: National Library of Scotland,
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Captured in January 1964 at Neville Hill Junction, B1 N0 61353 (55H) has come off shed and is heading west towards Leeds City on the Slow line with an ex-LMS goods brake van. The junction to the right is for the Hunslet branch and the docks by the Leeds & Calder Navigation. On the far right of the view, three sets of signals covered the running lines and cross-overs, the junction, and the sidings. The signals are off for a working on the Main line which will overtake the B1.
The signals seen on the left side and above the loco covered entry into the loco shed and yards. The signal box is tantalisingly just off the picture to the immediate right.
Neville Hill is still an important location and much of the trackwork here remains. Photo: T. Spindler, author's collection.
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A view at the same location in April 1964 shows B1 No 61274 (Wakefield) passing light engine on the Fast Main line towards Leeds. Use of steam was to last for several more years in the West Riding but this tired-looking B1 would be withdrawn later in the year. Photo: T. Spindler, author's collection.
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10 - Leeds City
The joint LNWR & NER station was originally called "Leeds New", the later name of "Leeds City" included the ex-MR station "Wellington St." alongside.
Peppercorn A1 No 60131 Osprey spent ten years at Copley Hill working expresses to King's Cross and when it closed, was dispersed to Ardsley and, in 1963, to Neville Hill whose cleaners have made a fine job of preparing it for an RCTS special.
The "Tyne-Solway Rail Tour" ran on 21st March 1965 from Leeds-Newcastle (via the Leeds Northern line)-Carlisle-Leeds with a visit to the shed at Gateshead - and the same loco was in charge the whole day. The load was a surprisingly light one of six coaches - hard to imagine, eh? Snow had fallen overnight and hopes had been high for a snow-covered double crossing of the Pennines but, alas, none was to be seen. Photo: Gavin Morrison.
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To be continued...