Our Newhaven | Places | NEWHAVEN (East of the river). | Transport | TOWN STATION | SCHOOLS CLASS STEAM LOCO "BRIGHTON" | At Newhaven Loco Shed in the mid-fifties.

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SCHOOLS CLASS STEAM LOCO "BRIGHTON"

At Newhaven Loco Shed in the mid-fifties.

By John Quinton

Taken by my father Charles Quinton in about 1954. We were frequent visitors to Newhaven from London as my Grandmother lived in Newfield Road.

Schools Class Loco

Charles Quinton

Another View on the same day

Charles Quinton

This page was added by John Quinton on 29/03/2009.

Comments about this page

I think that this loco must have been hauling a "special" running since much of the pipework, edge linings and wheel rims are picked out in white, a sure sign of a special train. Possibly a "Royal".

I have since been reliably informed by John Nash that the date was June 1953, the Driver & Fireman were John Nash & Syd Turner and that the loco had hauled the Royal Train from Victoria to Tattenham Corner on Saturday 6th June for HM visit to the Derby.

For the occasion of the train to Tattenham corner, the buffers were always changed and would have been highly polished and buffed but by the time this photo was taken, they had been replaced with the normal workday ones.

In this photo, the loco was actually at Newhaven loco shed for "turning" so that it would be facing forward when hauling the boat-train from the harbour to Victoria, its normal service duty.

By Richard Beckett
On 30/03/2009

That's very interesting, Richard. I've managed to find a video on You Tube showing that Royal Train on its way to the 1953 Derby, hauled by "Brighton" on the Tattenham Corner branch. The loco is described as "over decorated"! The URL is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH2s_qXeQLc&feature=channel_page.

By John Quinton
On 10/04/2009

Hi John, I looked at the youtube video, but if you pause it in the second sequence with the loco coming towards you, you will see the loco number is 30922 not 30915. Richard

By Richard Beckett
On 10/04/2009

Richard, according to the info with the video the sequence you refer to shows another train, the "Bookies' Belle", hauled by Class N1 31822, also on its way to the Derby. I think that is the number you can make out.
The video owner states that the first loco, with the royal train, was 30915 Brighton. It is not possible to see the number in this clip though. No doubt special attention was given to the appearance of 30915 as the Derby took place only four days after the Queen's Coronation. John

By John Quinton
On 12/04/2009

By Dave Brady. In 1939 at the outbreak of WW2 I was on holiday with my mother's brother Jack Hillman, and it was decided that I would stay there and not return to London where my mother worked. As a result Jack Hillman became my guardian. He was a driver at the loco shed as was his brother Ted Hillman. I started there as a cleaner in 1949 and I left in 1954 as a top link fireman. If anyone has any photos of the engine crews of that period, I would appreciate copies please as I only have a couple. Thanks

By Dave Brady
On 05/03/2012