| Writing
this page, in the first few days of April 2006, I can recall April
in 1956
as if it were just a short time ago. I was just 17 years of age, and was
about to start a career in Accountancy. But what I remember most is the
Easter of 1956, which fell that year at the beginning of the
month.
I was taken by my father to Tonbridge for a three night stay. And the purpose of the visit was to travel on as many of the Schools class 4-4-0's as I could, and whilst I wasn't travelling, to do some serious South Eastern trainspotting. We drove south from the Midlands on Saturday 31st March, calling at Weybridge on the way. Arriving in Tonbridge in the late afternoon, we found a hotel, had a meal, and at 8pm walked the short distance to Tonbridge station, spending an hour or so there. |
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| On
Sunday 1st April and Monday 2nd April, I managed three round trips with
Schools on the Hastings line. On Sunday I had 30927 from Sevenoaks to
Hastings, and 30939 back to Tonbridge. And also H class 0-4-4T no 31193 from
Tonbridge to Sevenoaks.
On Monday I had 30900 Sevenoaks to Crowhurst, 30904 Crowhurst to Sevenoaks, 30931 Sevenoaks to Hastings, and 30900 Hastings to Sevenoaks. Plus 30904 Sevenoaks to Tonbridge at the end of the day. In between all this activity, there were further morning and evening spells on Tonbridge station. Tuesday was going home day, but in the morning, I did 30934 from Sevenoaks to Ashford on the 9.15am from Charing Cross, and L Class 4-4-0 no 31776 back on a stopping service. |
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| So on Tuesday afternoon, it was back to the Midlands, with short stops at Sevenoaks, Gomshall and Shere, Wokingham, and Pangbourne. | ||||
| From 1954 until 1960, I used to write up detailed log books, that included spotting notes, performance logs, maps , photos, and gradient profiles. Below are two scans from my 1956 log book. | ||||
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Gradient Profile Paddock Wood to Chart and 30934 speed graph. |
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