Slough & Windsor Railway Society

Slough & Windsor Railway Society Social group for anyone interested in rail transport, particularly from area around Slough & Windsor Registered charity
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23/09/2023

Chesham Running Day Update: Despite someone advising us some weeks back that there would be no Met line service to Chesham on 1st October due to engineering works, having checked the TfL website it appears that this is not the case which is certainly good news. More good news is that the event programmes are now ready to collect from the printers and it is planned to post pre-orders out from Thursday onwards. Still plenty of time to order a programme through our website - www.amershammotorbus.co.uk. so you can receive full details of timetables and vehicle allocations to pre-plan and make the most of the day. Vehicles participating this year are BN45, GS13, RFs 354, 406, 600 & 673, RLH69, RMLs 2440 & 2456, RTs 604, 2083, 2293, 3254 & 3491, SNBs 312, 448 & 449, T792 and Western National VR1106 as well as another, hopefully, which has never participated at one of events before. Feeder origins have already been posted and details of these are included in the programme. Finally, shown here is the route diagram of former services we plan to run.

Another first for Slough - December 1858, the first GWR slip coach service! Post also mentions a slip coach into Padding...
10/09/2023

Another first for Slough - December 1858, the first GWR slip coach service! Post also mentions a slip coach into Paddington, from Windsor. Worth a read.

On this day in history – Friday 9 September 1960 saw the last slip coach in Britain released at Bicester off the 5.10 pm Paddington to Wolverhampton hauled by No 6001 ‘King Edward VII’. The practice started in the summer of 1858 with the London Brighton & South Coast Railway, followed in that December by the GWR.

The British Railways Western Region magazine published this photograph of Guard W James at the departure of the last slip working from Paddington station, together with the article below about the operation of slip coaches:

At fourteen minutes past six o’clock on Friday evening, 9 September, when ‘King Edward VII’ was hauling its load of fifteen coaches at 75 mph, Guard W James pulled a lever and the ‘Bicester Slip’ parted company with the 5.10 pm Paddington – Wolverhampton for the last time.

A slip coach was one attached to the rear of an express train, detached whilst the train was still running and brought gently to a stand at the appropriate station. It was attached to the main train by means of the main train coupling; the steam [heat] and vacuum [brake] pipes between the main train and the slip coach were connected by means of special adaptors. In the early days the “slips” were very different from present day equipment, but beyond the fact that the slip guard pulled a rope attached to the coupling, the exact method of detaching the coach is not recorded.

The equipment provided on the modern slip coach consisted of a slipping lever in the guard’s compartment, a hinged slip hook instead of the normal rigid coupling hook and a vacuum reservoir under the coach. At the appointed slipping point the guard pulled the slipping lever from the ‘running’ position to the ‘slip and brake on’ position, thus causing the hinged slip hook to drop and release the main train coupling, at the same time applying the brake to the slip coach; when the slip coach was re****ed the steam and vacuum pipes divided and the special adaptors sealed them automatically.

After the parting had occurred the guard placed the slipping lever to the release position, which was midway between the running and slip and brake on position, and so released the brake on the slip coach. By operating the slip lever between the ‘release’ and ‘slip and brake on’ position the guard controlled the speed of the slip coach and brought it to a stand at the required point.

Slip coach working was inaugurated on the Great Western Railway in December 1858 when Slough and Banbury were served by slips off down Birmingham trains. There have been a couple of very interesting slip workings. In the summer of 1864 an express from Bristol, due into Paddington at 11.15 am, slipped a coach at West London Junction, which was then worked specially to Kensington and Victoria, where it was advertised to arrive at 11.30 am. This was not a success and after five months’ trial the through service was discontinued, never to be revived.

But imagine a slip at Paddington itself! In June 1866 a morning broad gauge train from Windsor to Bishop’s Road and the Metropolitan Line slipped coaches for Paddington just short of the junction, then at Westbourne Bridge Box, and cotinued to do this for two years. The slip portion appears from the working timetable to have run on by its own impetus into the terminus where it was due three minutes after the main train had arrived at Bishop’s Road. As this station was (and is) practically part of Paddington the need for this working is not clear. [We wonder if it was for the convenience of Daniel Gooch who had been appointed Chairman of the GWR at this time and lived at Windsor?]

In 1892 there were over forty “slip” services in operation, and these gradually increased until by July 1914 a maximum of seventy-four “slip” services operated throughout the system. Some of these were continued after the outbreak of the first world war, but by 1917 they all had been discontinued.

In May 1919 slip coach working was reinstated, and with the approach of the second world war and the evacuation of London, slip coach working was again discontinued on 31 August 1939. Although no new slip vehicles were built after the war, the GWR once more re-introduced slip coach working on 6 May 1946, but this feature never reached its pre-war eminence, attaining only a mere twelve services by the summer of 1952, and with the gradual relegation of slip coaches to honourable retirement the number of “slip” services fell sharply to three in the autumn of 1958 until their final withdrawal on Friday, 9 September 1960.

Restoration work on No. 3 well under way.
11/08/2023

Restoration work on No. 3 well under way.

Wednesday saw another day in the workshop with a key focus being on Slough Estates No.3. Here we see one of our volunteers cleaning the wheels down. After this we will sand the wheels, ready for the fresh paint.

#1758

Fascinating story, particularly the part that Slough Station, and its facilities, played in the making of the film.
17/03/2023

Fascinating story, particularly the part that Slough Station, and its facilities, played in the making of the film.

On this day in history – 16 March 1931, a special train was run so that British Movietone News could film the Great Western Railway’s automatic train control apparatus in action. This photograph was published in the Great Western Railway Magazine, May 1931 edition, and shows the special train on the left running alongside the 8.35 am Plymouth to Paddington train between Slough and West Drayton. An article in the magazine explains how it was accomplished:

FILMING THE GREAT WESTERN AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

A special train of unusual character drew out of Paddington station on the morning of March 16. It was drawn by engine No 4073, ‘Caerphilly Castle’ and consisted only of a carriage truck and a saloon. The vehicles, however, carried unique equipment.

The special was run by the Great Western Railway to enable British Movietone News to make a sound film of the automatic train control system in operation. The cameraman travelled on the tender of the engine. His camera and tripod were secured to the top of the water tank by iron clamps, and when fitted, a clearance of 4½ inches under bridges was afforded.

By this means, an unrestricted view was obtained of the interior of the cab, with the driver and fireman in action. A microphone was suspended from the cab roof, just in front of the driver, and this and the camera were connected by cables with the film company‘s sound recording van, which was mounted on the carriage truck, and in which travelled the sound operator.

The special train left Paddington at 9.52 am and proceeded to Slough. The distant signals at Ealing Broadway, West Drayton East, and Dolphin Junction were purposely kept at “danger” in order to record the effect of the automatic application of the brakes and the sounding of the siren in the engine cab indicating distant signal at “danger”. The ringing of the bell was also recorded when passing distant signals in the “off” position. The run to Slough was fortunately achieved in fine weather, although a bitter wind made travelling on the tender anything but an enviable experience.

On arrival at Slough the special train was reversed, backed into the carriage siding, and the necessary readjustments made prior to the return journey. This proved to be full of thrills. In order to provide an action picture for the film, opportunity was taken to film the 8.35 am Plymouth to Paddington express at speed, as it ran on the up main line alongside the film special between Slough and West Drayton. Arrangements had previously been made for both Reading and Taplow to advise Slough East signal box of the passing times of the express, and upon receipt of this information, the special train, which had been moved into the middle road at Slough, left that station four minutes ahead of the express.

It was a thrilling sight to watch the express train bearing down on the special, but the latter had not reached sufficient speed to hold the express, and for a moment it looked as if the time the trains were adjacent would be too short to be of use to the film company. The ‘Caerphilly Castle’, however, with a negligible load, showed her paces and soon overhauled the express. During this sprint a speed of 82 mph was reached, and it speaks well of the pluck and coolness of the cameraman that he worked his camera the whole time with excellent results. For some distance the two trains raced side by side, much to the delight of the closely-observant passengers. At West Drayton the film special slowed down, and then proceeded to Old Oak Common yard. Here, a “close-up” was taken of the driver in his cab describing the system, and although quite unrehearsed, he was able to speak and act so as to produce a really excellent and telling film. Later, “close ups” were taken of the shoe on the engine coming in contact with the ramp, for which purpose an engine of the 2900 class, with shoe fitted on the front, was used, the shoe being specially painted white.

The film will be shown in 950 cinemas, in all parts of the country, and has been sent to France, Germany, America, Canada, and South America. It was exhibited at the British Trade Exhibition at Buenos Aires.

To view the film click on this link:

http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/Automatic-Signal-System-Is-Tested/4f72c743da6246039e169bad3fba6061?query=Great+western+railway¤t=5&orderBy=Relevance&hits=9&referrer=search&search=%2fsearch%3fstartd%3d%26endd%3d%26allFilters%3dBritish%2bMovietone%257C43894%253APartner%253APartner%26query%3dGreat%2bwestern%2brailway%26advsearchStartDateFilter%3d%26advsearchEndDateFilter%3d%26searchFilterHdSDFormat%3dAll%26searchFilterDigitized%3dAll%26searchFiltercolorFormat%3dAll%26searchFilteraspectratioFormat%3dAll&allFilters=British+Movietone%7c43894%3aPartner%3aPartner&productType=IncludedProducts&page=1&b=ba6061

Whatever you may think about the train on the left, this is a fabulous photo!
08/02/2023

Whatever you may think about the train on the left, this is a fabulous photo!

Good morning, we hope you're having a good week!

Thanks to Jonathan Merritt for sending us this fantastic photo of one of our trains next to a steam train 📸

If you need any help with your journey today, please send us a message 💻

04/02/2023
Some steam specials from Slough in February.
21/01/2023

Some steam specials from Slough in February.

The Railway Touring Company has a long-established reputation for providing an interesting variety of UK day trips by steam train and unique railway tours in the UK, Europe and Worldwide.

Stopping at Slough (morning and evening) on rail tours Wednesdays 7th and 21st June. Let's hope it does better than last...
14/01/2023

Stopping at Slough (morning and evening) on rail tours Wednesdays 7th and 21st June. Let's hope it does better than last time it stopped at Slough!

The iconic Steam Locomotive – The Flying Scotsman will be rolling through Berkshire this year in celebration of its 100th birthday.

14/10/2022

*** FRIDAY MEETING CANCELLED ***

This evening's meeting at The Manor has been cancelled because the scheduled speaker, and several SWRS members, have tested positive for Covid.

Our apologies for any inconvenience.

The programme will resume next Friday, 21st Oct, with an illustrated talk by Gordon Adams about Eastleigh.

26/09/2022

This is rather novel thinking.

No. 3 starting to look rather naked!
20/04/2022

No. 3 starting to look rather naked!

20/01/2022

SWRS COVID-19 ANNOUNCEMENT (18 Jan 2022):
Mindful of the health of our members during the Covid-19 pandemic, the SWRS Committee are reviewing the meeting programme on a weekly basis.

We are pleased to announce that Friday meetings will resume at The Manor from 21st January. Members are requested to take an LFT test before attending; to wear a face mask while in The Manor; and to observe other precautions (such as social distancing), as appropriate.

SWRS Meeting – Fri 31st Dec – CANCELLED"New Year's Members' Evening "In line with Prof Chris Whitty's advice, and mindfu...
31/12/2021

SWRS Meeting – Fri 31st Dec – CANCELLED
"New Year's Members' Evening "
In line with Prof Chris Whitty's advice, and mindful of members' health, the SWRS meetings on 17th and 31st Dec have been cancelled.
The next scheduled meeting is on 7th January 2022, and is planned to take place over Zoom.
Check back with the website, or our Twitter feed, for updates. (Details: http://swrs.co.uk)

SWRS Meeting – Fri 17th Dec – CANCELLED"Frank Banfield's Secret Festive Cinema"In line with Prof Chris Whitty's advice, ...
17/12/2021

SWRS Meeting – Fri 17th Dec – CANCELLED
"Frank Banfield's Secret Festive Cinema"
In line with Prof Chris Whitty's advice, and mindful of members' health, the SWRS meetings on 17th and 31st Dec have been cancelled.

The next scheduled meeting is on 7th January 2022, and a decision will be taken nearer the time as to whether this will be held in The Manor, or will take place over Zoom.

Check back with the website, or our Twitter feed, for updates. (Details: http://swrs.co.uk)

01/05/2021

Lots of lovely footage of No.3 hauling freight!

Well, it's a long way to travel, but there's a final chance to see No.3 in steam (for now), hauling some freight special...
14/04/2021

Well, it's a long way to travel, but there's a final chance to see No.3 in steam (for now), hauling some freight specials on the Middleton Railway (Leeds), next Sunday, 18th April.
'Final' because, as the MR post notes, No.3's boiler certificate runs out after the weekend, and she will be withdrawn from traffic, pending a ten-yearly boiler inspection and overhaul.

Considering the parlous (and dismantled) state this loco was in, back in the 1980's, it's slightly astonishing to realise she has been back in steam for over twenty years!

Please see the shared post for details of what's happening.

Well we did promise an update! Next weekend, Sunday 18th April, marks the end of the boiler certificate on Slough Estates No3 which has served our railway so well for the past decade. As we cannot open to the public but are still required to carry out crew training, we have decided to run some demonstration freight trains to say farewell to the loco and showcase our newly overhauled wagons. The planned departures are at 12.00, 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00 to Park Halt and return. If you would like to come and take some photos of the passing trains then you are welcome but please note our site will NOT be open and the trains will not be carrying members of the public. Good spots for lineside photography on a bright spring day are plentiful but remember to maintain social distancing, your own personal safety and never walk on the tracks. We look forward to seeing some of you out and about on Sunday for our farewell to Slough.

Delighted to see No. 3 in use for crew training and shunting on the Middleton Railway. Last chance for a while as her bo...
13/04/2021

Delighted to see No. 3 in use for crew training and shunting on the Middleton Railway. Last chance for a while as her boiler certificate runs out in a matter of days, after which a major overhaul is due.

02/02/2021

"The Architecture The Railways Built"
Series 2, Episode 3 – Windsor (and a bit of Slough!)

A must-watch for anyone interested in the railways around Slough and Windsor!
Tues 2nd Feb, 8pm, on 'Yesterday' – Channel 26 on Freeview

Interesting to learn that Tim Dunn used to go train spotting at Slough Railway station!

31/01/2021

Nothing to do with SWRS, but a lovely high-tech journey back in time. I especially love the 'ghost train' passing over the bridges and viaducts in the inset shots. (Remember, 'sound on' for this.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!from Slough & Windsor Railway Society–(It's never too late to wish you seasonal tidings!)Current Covid-...
11/01/2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
from Slough & Windsor Railway Society

(It's never too late to wish you seasonal tidings!)
Current Covid-19 restrictions prevent SWRS members gathering, but Friday meetings continue, online, using Zoom software.
Please see website for details: http://www.swrs.co.uk/swrsweb/html/event_calendar.html

Congratulations, Ian!
19/12/2020

Congratulations, Ian!

The Middleton Railway is delighted to announce that our Vice President, Ian Smith, has been awarded the Railway Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award for services to preservation.

The award was given for “Outstanding work and personal dedication to the Middleton Railway for 50 years”

The citation reads “For more than 50 years dedicated service as a volunteer at the Middleton Railway, helping to shape the railway for future generations, creating a community asset in a city environment and for recognising the importance of preserving industrial locomotives built in Leeds.”

Ian Smith said “I am both delighted and honoured to receive this award, which reflects on the Middleton Railway and its members dedication towards keeping this historic line open for future generations to enjoy.”

Middleton Railway Chairman, Charles Milner, said “"I am delighted that Ian has been awarded the 2021 Railway Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award. This richly deserved award reflects a lifetime devoted to the service of the Heritage Railway movement. Ian has been at the heart of many of the major developments on the Middleton Railway during its first 60 years as a Heritage Railway, served for six years as the Railway's Chairman and continues to serve the railway as Vice

President and Publicity Officer. He has also been a director of the Heritage Railway Association, is a trustee of the Vintage Carriages Trust and is an active member of the Tramway Museum Society. His enthusiasm and support for the Heritage Railway movement is an inspiration to us all and he has always generously given of his vast knowledge of railway preservation and his beloved industrial locomotives. Congratulations Ian, well done"

This post from Middleton Railway is about great progress with their Sentinel loco. That's the black one in the photo: a ...
03/09/2020

This post from Middleton Railway is about great progress with their Sentinel loco. That's the black one in the photo: a vertical-boilered, chain-driven steam locomotive. Very unusual.

However, I have shared the post because of the van between the two shunters. That's a "PALVAN", an attempt by British Railways in the 1960s to accommodate the trend in mechanical handling away from pure manpower towards pallets and fork lift trucks. It wasn't very successful, because the off-centre doors meant it was often loaded only at one end, making it very unstable in a train.

Anyway, some time back you may remember me posting photos showing the van almost destroyed after an arson attack? So, here is the same van in beautiful condition after a £16k restoration.

The sentinel took another step closer to being ready for service. We fixed one long running problem, only to find another! Though it was very exciting to again see the loco move under its own power

Park Halt is a great place for passengers to get a portrait photo of their train engine. Really glad to see No. 3 earnin...
12/08/2020

Park Halt is a great place for passengers to get a portrait photo of their train engine. Really glad to see No. 3 earning her keep.

If you are in the area, do try and visit the Middleton Railway: friendly staff, a comprehensive museum, and a nice run up the gradient to hear the engines working hard.

(They have other nice engines besides No. 3, but hey, we're allowed to be biased!)

Another superb photo from last weekends running, Slough Estates No.3 rests at Park Halt after the climb from Moor Road.

No. 3 working hard at the Middleton Railway, with the Leeds city skyline in the background.
10/08/2020

No. 3 working hard at the Middleton Railway, with the Leeds city skyline in the background.

The first train yesterday, as Slough Estates No.3 heaves it’s way up the steep gradient towards Park Halt.

We are rather happy to be back and it’s been great to see you all enjoying yourself on the return to more normal running. Don’t forget, you can still donate to our appeal, the link https://gf.me/u/ypf4za or book tickets (via the website) to help support our restoration.


#1758

Text RAILWAY TO 70085 to donate £5.

Texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £5 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text RAILWAYNOINFO to 70085.
To donate more text RAILWAY followed by the amount. To give £10 text RAILWAY 10 to 70085.

No. 3 looking very smart on a service train at the Middleton Railway, last Sunday.
08/08/2020

No. 3 looking very smart on a service train at the Middleton Railway, last Sunday.

We are running trains again on Sunday, online booking is available via the link in the bio. Here a fantastic photo from last Sunday of Slough Estates Number 3 chuffing towards the park.

11am: Very limited availability
12pm: Very limited availability
1pm: Availablity
2pm: Availablity
3pm: Availablity
4pm: Availablity

Great news... Middleton Railway reopening on 2nd August!
06/07/2020

Great news... Middleton Railway reopening on 2nd August!

We have some wonderful news, the railway will reopen for passenger services on Sunday 2nd August!

More details, including how to book will be shared here.

It goes without saying we cannot wait to see you 😄

#1758

Virtual Friday Nights at The ManorDuring the Covid-19 Lockdown, SWRS activities are suspended in line with Government re...
19/05/2020

Virtual Friday Nights at The Manor

During the Covid-19 Lockdown, SWRS activities are suspended in line with Government restrictions. However... ...meetings are continuing online!

Every Friday, the SWRS Mailing List is sent "Virtual Friday Nights at the Manor", an email containing articles, photos, videos, links, etc, to keep members informed and entertained.

Other activities are being planned, including joining together remotely for meetings using the 'Zoom' video conference software. For further information, please consult www.swrs.co.uk .

No.3 with a demonstration freight on the Moor Park branch of the Middleton Railway.
29/04/2020

No.3 with a demonstration freight on the Moor Park branch of the Middleton Railway.

26/09/2019

STATUS UPDATE: the SWRS website is now back up and available again.

Please be patient if it doesn't appear immediately for you, as the 'alive' status takes a while to ripple around the internet. (Which is why I haven't included a link here!)

(You could try +F5 to do a 'hard refresh' and force your browser to re-read the page from the server. That might work...)

20/07/2018

The extent of the damage to the PALVAN. The underframe and metalwork are largely unscathed, but much of the woodwork will need replacing.

The tools stored inside were also destroyed in the fire, so will need to be replaced. Details of the damage may be found on this update http://c9425687.myzen.co.uk/MRT2/index.php/development-projects/after-the-fire

And donations towards repairing the damage may be given via the railway's website.

The Middleton Railway is grateful to all those who have sent messages of support after hearing of the fire damage we sustained at the weekend. Our volunteers have been touched and heartened by this support. We intend to reopen the railway this coming Saturday, 21st July and also officially open our new Running Shed, which will be done by the Leader of Leeds City Council, Cllr Judith Blake, at 1pm.

Should anyone wish to make a donation towards repairs following this terrible incident, we are providing facilities through the railway’s website, www.middletonrailway.org.uk

20/07/2018
LeedsLive

Only just heard about this fire that happened last weekend. The neighbouring builders' merchants was devastated by an arson attack, and items at the Middelton Railway were affected by the heat from the fire.

The main casualty was a BR 'PALVAN' which was used for storing track maintenance tools. No other rolling stock was seriously damaged (see next post for an update) and the raiway has otherwise had a lucky escape.

'The absolute devastation in there is unbelievable'

You won't believe the true extent of the damage from the overnight fire at Jewson in Hunslet 😮

14/11/2017
Western Rail Link to Heathrow update

Don't think there's anything much new to report that we weren't told at The Manor earlier in the year, but shared with you nonetheless...

I wanted to give you an update on our progress with the development of the proposed Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH) scheme, as requested by HM Government.

31/10/2017

Progress...

New Elizabeth line train hauled into Crossrail tunnels for the first time with testing of track & infrastructure to start soon

28/10/2017

Keith Morley – R.I.P.

It is with great sadness that we report the death of SWRS member, Keith Morley, on Friday, 27th October.

"Keith joined the SWRS as recently as 2012 although it seems much longer than that. His tragic death at such a young age will be a loss to the SWRS and, of course, to friends and relatives alike.

Apart from his regular attendance at our Friday evening meetings – and BBQs when he came with his wife – he was a regular member of our quiz team which successfully retained or recovered the Rocket trophy on several occasions. He had a wide knowledge of railway affairs and was popular with all the SWRS members who knew him.

He had been unwell for some time and bore his illness with great fortitude."

– [Jim Ballantyne]

An obituary for Keith will be published in the next edition of the Triangle magazine.

We extend our condolences to Keith's family and friends.

17/10/2017

CHANGE OF PROGRAMME
======================
Please note a change to the programme for 24th November:
Christian Wolmar's evening "My Latest Book – Indian Railways" has been re-scheduled to 5th January 2018

Instead, on 24th November, George Bathurst will be presenting an update of his "Windsor Link Railway" project.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

21/09/2017

"Friday Nights at The Manor"
=======================
The programme of weekly SWRS meetings published in the most recent Triangle magazine is no longer up-to-date. Several Friday night meetings have had to be re-scheduled due to circumstances beyond our control.

For the revised programme, please consult the SWRS website: http://www.swrs.co.uk/swrsweb/html/event_calendar.html

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

19/09/2017

No.3 at Middleton Railway's recent September Steam Spectacular.

Slough on the freight train (ID)

19/09/2017

Unusual view of No.3 at Middleton Railway's recent September Steam Spectacular.

Slough brewing up on shed on Sunday (ID)

Address

"The Manor", Slough Railway Station, Brunel Way
Slough
SL11XW

Opening Hours

7:30pm - 10:30pm

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Slough & Windsor Railway Society

A group for anyone interested in railways and transport in general, particularly from the area around Slough!

Weekly illustrated talks, every Friday, starting 7:30pm

Non-members welcome.

We meet at "The Manor", via the West Car Park, Slough Railway Station


Other Slough museums

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Comments

As I will not be showing any videos this coming Friday, below is a link to my latest on the Pico Railway Videos channel. Enjoy

44871 & 7029 'Clun Castle' Put on a powerful performance pulling 3 Christmas Specials in 2021 / Pico Railway Videos
Hi As an ex-pat, live in midlands now, I remember the Slough Estates railway when I was younger from 1966 onwards. I'm re-creating the line on Train Sim for my own personal use and I was wondering what speed restrictions might have been in place as a whole an in any specific places. Wonder if anyone remembers?
Black 5 No. 44871 called at Slough yesterday on her way to Shrewsbury!
Although we are generally connected with railways and all aspect surrounding railways.

We do tend overlooks how steam power also played it's part on our roads and when people think of road engines, they think of traction engines lumbering slowly along the road holding everyone up which are smelly and noisy, however up until roughly a 100 years ago there we only 2 ways to move goods from railway depots to the customer and thee was only 2 ways available that this could be achieved., because at that time most if not all motor lorries and trucks had seconded by or conscripted by the War Department for military use and this even effected bus service as well.

If light medium weight goods it was transported by horse drawn cart or van depending on the nature of the goods/ for much more heavy goods traction engines towing trailers were employed and these bits of equipment were being by railways almost as long as steam trains were being used/.

The last traction engines of steam vehicles being used by railways ceased operation by 1950, Traction engines generally in shape of Steam rollers ceased operations by 1966.

the horse operation on the railways ceased in 1968 and that time were for shunting.

In effort to speed up delivery time to customer using horse transport decided ot invent a an automatic coupling system fitted to the steering boss on their horse drawn vehicles which saved the railway company time and this also that the carter or vanman only had to put a harness on his only once at the beginning of the working day, instead of having to keep reharnessing the horse every time they forced to change vehicles which an enormous amount of time. for a is not like a car where you just insert a key turn it and go to prepare a horse takes a great deal more time.

The horse harness was fitted with vehicle shafts on the harness so at the start of the once the harness was it stayed on thus making the horse into traction unit.

the carter then reversed his horse onto the coupling where it wold automatically engage with she shafts and the cross member on the shafts , the coupling was spring loaded so the operation was automatic which took a matter of second where before a carter could spend anything up to half an hour or more prepare his to go work in between each delivery and to uncouple, there was a lever just under the coupling which you pushed down to release the shafts and after putting on the handbrake, you just simply walked your horse forward a couple of steps and you were uncoupled form either the van or cart that your horse was pulling.

This got more work out the horse and the carter and speeded up deliveries to the customer and saved the railway company money and made goods delivery much more efficient.

However by the mid 1930's with the introduction of diesel engine and both Karrier Cpbb and Scammell Mehcanical Horse, this form of coupling system ceased to be used.

Just a little insight there of how railway manged before rod motor vehicle came and made such a huge impact on all our lives to the point where we can't do with out them and even this time period the motor road vehicle was beginning to make an impact and was about to change the way that we all live forever

S D Morgan SWRS Life Member L40
A question: Why do the reminders of your events only appear on Facebook just hours before the start time, rather than earlier in the week?

Those of us who are working and don't have Facebook notifications arriving into our smartphones (in my case a business use device, so no social media) during office hours, don't get these prompts until after the event has happened, when logging into Facebook via a laptop, at home in the evenings.

If it's a hectic week, and it usually is, I don't necessarily have lots of free time to scan every website of interest to spot what events are happening. So a timely Facebook notification towards the beginning of the week would act as a useful prompt for me and if the topic was of interest, would result in me adding that event and my travel time into the smartphone's calendar, as an additional reminder. Just my thoughts for how you might want to enhance the promotion of your events, to increase footfall into your society.
Hello. Sorry for the cheeky message, but we wondered if any of your members would be interested in Oxfam Beaconsfield Books' transport promotion? We've had some big donations of fantastic rail and other transport books and are featuring them in the shop until 30th September. Let us know what you think. Thanks. https://www.facebook.com/OxfamBeacoBooks/posts/1249951495110453
Interesting old Pathe newsreel of the 1941 train crash at Slough involving Dudley Castle and a LMS Goods Train
Something for your diaries, Sat 2nd September, our open day. Come celebrate 111 years. See www.ooc111.com 🙂
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