‘That Was the Year That Was – 1973’, by Geoff Plumb, 5th March 2024
5th March 2024 Meeting
On the 5th March we had our first physical meeting of the year, and it was the turn of Branch Chairman Geoff Plumb for another in his series of ‘That Was the Year That Was’, this time 1973.
An exciting year was ahead for Geoff and a week-long trip in January to mainland Europe started with the 10.00 train from Victoria to Dover, [the ‘Golden Arrow’ used this time and route in the good old days], then by Belgian Ferry to Oostende catching the train to Köln, and the following day to Bebra where the East German Pacifics of Class 015 worked across the border to Erfurt several times a day. Shots of these trains were seen around Bebra on this day and the next, also at Ronshausen and his last shot of the day was a double headed pair of Class 015 approaching Hönebach Tunnel and then he faced an 8km walk back to Bebra!!
On a cold and frosty Tuesday morning we saw the local Uerdingen railbuses which normally worked in singles or pairs, but here we had 5 coupled together. DH Bo-Bo No. 216 091-9 hauled a lengthy freight and a few more Class 015s were seen. That night Geoff travelled overnight from Bebra to Austria, changing at Würzburg, Nürnberg, Passau and Linz, arriving in Hieflau at 06:41!
We went to the famous ‘Erzbergbahn’ [Iron Mountain Railway] operated by ancient rack and adhesion 0-6-2RT of Class 97, in snowy winter scenes. At Eisenerz we saw the engine shed and an ‘E’ electric No. 1080.05. Quite a few shots of Class 97s were seen at various locations, as well as a shot from the rear balcony of the old carriage stock.
We saw a remarkable 0-12-0RT at the head of an ore train. Präbichl Station is at the summit of the Erzbergbahn and is level so no rack in the station area. No. 97.204 was working hard with a fully loaded train with a sister engine on the rear, also there was a rack diesel and a small PW railcar. Many more photos were seen before heading to bed.
On the Saturday, via a few changes, Geoff made his way to Garsten where a flying visit was made to the Steyrtalbahn, one of once many 760mm gauge minor railways in Austria. At its station alongside the SG electrified line. a 4-wheel dining car was stabled in the sidings. We rode behind a Krauss 0-6-2T along the snowy river valley to Molln, then returned to Garsten to start the trip home.
Back in England Sleights station was still largely intact and a lovely scene of a coal truck and lorry in the siding was seen. A Class 101 2-car DMU was approaching Grosmont and outside the tunnel on the NYMR was NER P3 0-6-0. At Pickering we saw NCB 0-6-0T No. 31 being unloaded from a road transporter. Also seen was LHCJR 0-6-2T No. 29 at Goathland. Many photos of HRH The Duchess of Kent and her entourage were taken at the official opening of the NYMR on 1st May.
There then followed a World Steam Tour group to Singapore and Java, Indonesia, from 14th July to 6th August. Due to the outbound plane being cancelled they decided to go to Marlow for the Centenary of the Maidenhead-Bourne End-Marlow Branch at the expense of Singapore Airlines!! There was 2-6-2T 6106 and ‘Hall’ 4-6-0 6998 ‘Burton Agnes Hall’ topping and tailing approaching Cookham, and the other train was the ‘Marlow Donkey’ with 0-4-2T No.1450.
Eventually arriving in Singapore, courtesy of Qantas who made a special stop in Singapore for them, they just had time to visit Keppel Road station before the flight to Djakarta. To get around the island they hired a nearly new Mercedes minibus along with driver and mechanic for the duration.
PNKA (Indonesian State Railways) DD52 Class 2-8-8-0 Mallet No. DD52 03 works a mixed goods train from Tjibatu to Tasikmalaja, approaching Tjipeundeuj in the mountains of south western Java on the afternoon of Thursday 19th July 1973. This engine was built by Hanomag in Germany in 1923. Image Credit: Geoff Plumb.
There were many photos shown of the locomotives, engine sheds and stations of Java and they managed to go almost all the way around the island on the north and south main lines and some branch lines as well. All the larger towns were visited as well as some small ones. Nowadays a lot of the lines are no more and difficult to find nowadays as there were a lot of ‘by the roadside’ running, just like the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway. They had to visit the PNKA HQ to get their photographic permission validated by the authorities and this was duly done. Another problem was the time table was very lax with late running trains and sometimes no trains and very hard to find out information. On the way home Singapore Airlines had ‘bumped’ them off and they returned home in dribs and drabs. Geoff made the most of this delay and Malaysian Railways locos were seen and travelled on, even the Kuala-Lumpur Express.
Back to Blighty and there was 5690 ‘Leander’ about to plunge into Cowburn Tunnel and then after turning it was at Grindleford. Back to the NYMR and NER P3 0-6-0 No. 2392 in various locations. Finally it was down to the Torbay Steam Railway where ‘Flying Scotsman’ is on its way to Goodrington passing a Class 52 Western at the head of ECS. In the final shot of the day we saw 2-6-2T No. 4588 from the cliffs above Goodrington Sands.
Only 18 in attendance who thoroughly enjoyed a top class presentation, as is usual from Geoff.
Rob Davidson, Branch Secretary