18 January 1964. 31800 leaves Betchworth past my favourite crossing with the 9.45 am Reading to Redhill.
“It was a good line for photography with barely a mile of level track and lovely scenery throughout”
20 April 1962. 30911 Dover leaves Reigate with the 11.35 am Redhill to Guildford.
This line was one of my regular haunts in the 1960s as it was within cycling distance of home in Shirley near Croydon or could be accessed by bus and train via East Croydon. It had a reasonably regular train service still 100 per cent steam worked as late as 1963 though the Western Region would occasionally turn out a Hymek instead of the booked Manor on its one regular round trip from Reading.
There was also quite a lot of heavy freight and, in the summer, Inter Regional trains from Wolverhampton to Brighton and Hastings. These were normally ‘Schools’ hauled in 1962 but in 1963 were Great Western powered by Manors. The normal service trains and freight were almost all hauled by Maunsell ‘N’ and ‘U’ class 2-6-0s though the occasional BR class 4 tank or Standard class 4 2-6-0 could appear. Most engines were shedded at Redhill (75B). It was a good line for photography with barely a mile of level track and lovely scenery throughout and I continued to visit for photographs and train timing until dieselisation in January 1965. The table shows trains seen on Easter Saturday 1962 when there was less freight than would normally be the case.
18 September 1960. S15 No 30511 at Guildford.
In those days of course linesides were kept clear of vegetation and there were many points where access could be obtained at foot crossings or bridges with nice views of the line. I had a lineside pass during the spring and summer of 1963 which helped though I never strayed far from my trusty Elswick Lincoln Imp bicycle. Although I have a fair selection of photos from 1962 and 1964, most of my lineside photography on this line was in the Spring and Summer of 1963 and was with medium format cameras capable of producing reasonable results; first a 6x9 Kodak folding camera and then from May 1963 an Agifold 6x6 camera, both obtained second-hand and both with limitations not helped by my sometimes dubious developing techniques.
From Redhill there was a bridge about a mile out on the 1 in 100 climb which proved a good vantage point especially for heavy freights slogging uphill from Redhill, and the view towards Reigate wasn’t bad either, though neither shot was any good if the sun was out – not much of a problem in 1963 which was a pretty dismal year.
18 September 1960. N15 class 30457 Sir Bedivere at Guildford.
Reigate station was also good with some nice semaphore signals, but I didn’t favour it much as most passenger trains stopped there and I preferred action shots. Further along was an overbridge near Dowde’s Farm and then a crossing at Kemp’s Farm which I liked as it had a nice background in both directions and then one of my favourite spots, the foot crossing on the Reigate side of Betchworth station. Here trains restarting from Betchworth would make nice actions shots especially in the morning if the sun was out. Moving along past Betchworth station, which was the top of the 1 in 116 climb from Deepdene, there were a few overbridges close to the A25 north of Brockham and then, between Deepdene and Dorking Town, a useful footbridge. But it was Gomshall bank which held the greatest fascination for me with its 4 miles of 1 in 96/100 to a summit bridge at Hackhurst Farm, one of the few places where trains can still be photographed today with easy access and clear views, at least towards Guildford.
8 December 1963. 31622 backs to the shed at Redhill while 31797 waits to work the 2.05 pm to Reading.
8 December 1963. U class 31796 stands at Redhill on a frosty morning.
21 April 1962. S15 class No 30835 near Betchworth with a heavy freight for Redhill.
21 April 1962. The crew of 30835 work hard on a heavy freight to Redhill near Betchworth.
19 July 1962. Schools Class 30913 Christs Hospital arriving at Dorking Town with the 7.27 am Reading to Redhill.
19 July 1962. U class 31796 arrives at Dorking Town with the 8.35 am Redhill to Reading.
11 May 1963. N class 31868 struggles up the 1 in 100 out of Redhill with a heavy freight.
7 April 1963. N class 31852 approaching Betchworth with the 2.05 pm Redhill to Reading.
13 April 1963. N class 31820 has just topped Gomshall summit with a freight to Redhill.
13 April 1963. S15 30847 tops Gomshall bank with a van train from Redhill.
In the early 1960s there were many points where a determined young enthusiast and his bike could get to the line and full use was made of these Strangely I never ventured far beyond Gomshall, as if an iron curtain existed, and even station photographs are few in my collection. Perhaps Gomshall was the limit for my legs on the bicycle!
By the autumn of 1963 the appeal of trips for linesiding had faded somewhat and I undertook quite a long series of outings to ride and time the trains which lasted through to the end of steam, sometimes as a sideline from the L&SW main line but more often as an afternoon outing from home by an RT bus on Route 54 to East Croydon and then 2Hal or 2Bil electric stock from East Croydon to Redhill. Sundays were particularly favoured for these trips, maybe because then there was no television or girlfriend to provide alternative entertainment!
13 April 1963. N class 31864 on the 9.43 am Redhill to Guildford climbing Gomshall bank.
13 April 1963. N class 31851 struggles past Betchworth at walking pace with a heavy freight for Redhill.
11 May 1963. U class 31611 leaves Redhill with the lightly loaded 12.35 to Reading.
11 May 1963. U class 31627 rolls down from Reigate with a heavy freight.
29 June 1963 N class 31862 leaving Guildford with the 12.37 pm to Reading.
8 July 1963. N class 31871 near Deepdene with the 11.05 am Reading to Redhill.
Runs 1 to 3 are fairly typical and though the running was hardly spectacular timekeeping was generally good enough. I had travelled from East Croydon to Redhill on 24 November in a 6-car train of 2 Bil units on the 1.22 pm which took 13 minutes 10 seconds with a maximum speed of 68mph and thus provided an easy connection into my favourite afternoon train from Redhill, the 2.05 pm, which was headed by N class 2-6-0 No 31817 on the usual three coaches for 105 tons (Run 1).
The schedule up to Reigate was a bit tight bearing in mind the slow start and 1 in 100 climb but the Mogul was worked quite easily throughout, blowing off steam at Gomshall and arriving in Guildford in good time for the return run to Redhill on the 2.55 pm train with another Mogul, this time U class No 31797, also on three lightly loaded coaches (Run 7). Once again the running was fairly typical with good steady hill climbing and a nice spin up to 66mph down Gomshall bank.
On Sundays Dorking Town was closed and many of the other intermediate stations produced little or no trade. We had to wait for a time at Deepdene and were slightly early into Redhill before I caught the 3.45 pm Bil stock train back to East Croydon and home by bus. This pattern was repeated on 22 December with 31866 out (Run 3) and 31628 back (Run 9).
The running was similar but the return run on the 2.55 pm was hindered by signal checks, sufficient for me to miss the 3.45 pm train back to East Croydon. But it was enlivened by 70mph down the bank after a very good start up the 1 in 96 to the summit from the Gomshall stop, topped at 40mph. On 8 December for a change I caught the 10.46 am from East Croydon to Redhill with 4 Lav units 2936 and 2943 and was able to see 31796 on the 9.03 am from Reading (see photograph) on a very cold, frosty and misty morning, before catching the 11.36 am to Guildford, formed of three coaches of the stock of the Reading train headed by 31806. It was an uneventful run until we ran into dense fog at Chilworth and were held there for thirteen minutes, presumably as fog working was in place, and so arrived at Guildford the same amount late. My return train was the12.55 pm with Mogul 31622 on three coaches and a van which left 12 minutes late but managed to recover 4 minutes to Redhill. This train was interesting as it stopped on the run down Gomshall bank at Coombe Crossing to exchange water cans with the crossing keeper at this remote location, for which time was allowed in the schedule. At Redhill I was able to take a shot of U class 31797, one of the engines rebuilt from the K class 2-6-4 tanks, sitting in the sun on my usual train, the 2.05 pm to Guildford, before returning to East Croydon in 2 Hal 2694 with 2 Bil 2053 on the 2.15 pm train which put up a very lively performance reaching 71mph at Coulsdon South, covering the 10.4 miles in 3 seconds under 12 minutes, a time which wouldn’t disgrace the electrostar units of today.
2 November 1963. U class 31626 leaving Betchworth with the 11.05 am Reading to Redhill.
2 November 1963. U class 31628 in the rain soon after leaving Reigate with the 1.35 pm Redhill to Reading.
The following Sunday, 15 December, the 2.05 pm train was unusually headed by BR Class 4 Mogul 76033 on four coaches (Run 2) and although we left 12 minutes late, no time was recovered and indeed we lost over 2 minutes to Reigate with the engine slipping violently on the 1 in 100 climb out of Redhill. Things then improved with a very respectable climb of Gomshall bank, topped at 39mph, but the lateness was sufficient for me to miss my usual 2.55 pm train back from Guildford. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the next train, the 3.57 pm was headed by N Class Mogul 31817 on no less than eight coaches of Maunsell Hastings line stock for a gross weight of 250 tons, a heavy load for this route. Run 8 shows the performance, which was accompanied throughout by lots of noise. Understandably time was lost on some sections and we arrived at Redhill 21 minutes late, not helped by a signal stop at Shalford Junction and being held for 10 minutes at Chilworth. The uphill sections with this load were a real slog – 22mph at the top of the long 1 in 100/96 climb from Chilworth really wasn’t bad in the circumstances. Then there was an exhilarating dash down Gomshall bank to reach 71mph before the Deepdene stop, my highest speed anywhere with a Maunsell N Class.
8 July 1963. N class 31858 tops Gomshall summit with the 9.45 am Reading to Redhill.
As I mentioned above sometimes I covered this line as a break from bashing up and down between Waterloo and Woking behind Bulleid Pacifics, and this was quite tempting as the Area Two Day Rovers included the Guildford to Redhill line. This happened on Saturday, 26 October when, having gone down from Waterloo to Woking on the 7.20 am with 34073, I decided that a run on the 10.18 semi-fast from Redhill was required and so I went across to Guildford to catch the 8.22 am train behind U Class Mogul, 31617 on four coaches (Run 6).
This was a good competent performance and enabled me to catch the 10.18 back with N Class 2-6-0 31850 on four coaches for 135 tons (Run 4). The running was enough to keep time and no more, though made a change from the usual stoppers.
29 June 1963. Manor 4-6-0 7818 Granville Manor entering Guildford on the 7.32 am Wolverhampton to Hastings.
Finally for 1963 are two non-stop runs on the Wolverhampton through trains on Saturday, 29 June 1963. The previous year these trains had loaded to as much as thirteen coaches and were hauled by Schools class 4-4-0s but in 1963 Western Region motive power had taken over in the form of Manor Class 4-6-0s. The 7.32 am from Wolverhampton was headed by 7818 Granville Manor and left Guildford on time with a load of ten coaches for 365 tons full (Run 5). Overall time was just kept, though that needed some good work from this moderately sized engine on the hills plus a very fast run down Gomshall bank at 73mph.
8 July 1963. BR class 4 80151 (at that time quite rare) at Gomshall summit with the 10.18 am Redhill to Reading.
29 June 1963 at Redhill. Manor 7824 on the late running 12.20 pm Hastings to Birmingham.
The return was with 7824 Ilford Manor also on ten coaches for about 360 tons and once again time was kept with a good climb of Gomshall at 27mph minimum after no more than 60 at Deepdene (Run 10).
In 1964 I had a number of very good runs on the 10.18 am semi-fast from Redhill with BR Class 4 2-6-4 tanks including one where we ran Dorking to Guildford in 16 minutes 31 seconds with 80034. The minimum on Gomshall was 41mph and we dashed into the dip through Gomshall at no less than 70mph and swept over the next summit at 58 before a more normal run down past Chilworth. The reason for this haste was a 13 minute late departure from Redhill and the overall running time including three stops was only just over 33 minutes.
8 July 1963. Manor 7808 Cookham Manor on the last half mile to Gomshall summit with the 11.20 am Redhill to Guildford.
The final day of steam was on Sunday, 3 January 1965 and on that day I travelled down to Redhill by train as I had so many times before and caught the 11.40 am to Guildford which was hauled by BR class 4 Standard 2-6-4 tank No 80151 (now preserved on the Bluebell line just a few miles away) which had four coaches in tow. It was a good run throughout with 61mph before the Betchworth stop and 62 before Deepdene. We then ran non-stop to Chilworth in 13 minutes 14 seconds and arrived in Guildford a couple of minutes late after taking water at Shalford; a most unusual occurrence! Full details are shown in Log 11. At Guildford I noted USA tank No 30072, Q1 0-6-0 No 33018 and U class 2-6-0 No 31620 before catching the 1.55 pm train back to Redhill behind N class No 31816 also on four coaches, which produced an average run after leaving 12 minutes late to arrive just 6 late with no higher speed than 56mph down Gomshall bank. The return to Guildford was on the 2.05 pm train with U class No 31809 and this also left late at 2.09 pm. With three coaches we did all that was needed with a minimum of 37mph on Gomshall bank and a maximum speed of 60 through Gomshall to arrive in Guildford on time. Our little group then awaited the arrival of the 2.55 pm to Redhill which was to be my last run on this line with steam until the return to steam era. Unusually the train was headed by BR class 4 2-6-0 No 76059 and we had a heavy load of seven coaches of around 240 tons full. Our driver, by the name of Soil, was obviously intent on recovering as much as possible of the thirteen minute late start and so the climbs were attacked with much vigour and noise and the minimum past Shere was an excellent and sustained 34mph. The footplate crew then let fly to reach no less than 74mph down to the Deepdene stop, my highest recorded speed on this line. We continued well to arrive in Redhill just 5 minutes late having regained 8 minutes. What a splendid run to sign off steam with on one of my favourite lines.
2 November 1963. U class 31628 near Kemps Farm, Betchworth with the 9.45 am Reading to Redhill.
2 November 1963. BR class 4 2-6-0 76034 near Betchworth with the 12.35 pm Redhill to Reading.
8 July 1963. N class 31826 on the final half mile to Gomshall with a freight from Redhill.
18 January 1964. Type 33 No D6595 near Betchworth on a heavy freight for Redhill.
18 January 1964. Hymek D7047 approaching Betchworth with the 11.35 am Redhill to Reading.
18 January 1964. 31831 near Brockham with the 9.03 am Reading to Redhill.
18 January 1964. BR class 4 tank No 80144 near Betchworth with the 11.05 am Reading to Redhill.
18 January 1964. 31801 near Betchworth with the 10.18 am Redhill to Reading.
18 January 1964. 31831 near Betchworth with the 12.35 pm Redhill to Reading.
