PORTSMOUTH BRANCH

The Portsmouth Branch of A.S.L.E.& F opens in 1885, with members from the L.B.&S.C. and L.& S.W. Railway Companies.

William Stroudley decided to allocated each of his engines (even thou they belonged to the 
company) their own Engine Drivers who would then come responsible for their own 
locomotive. This was Stroudley’s way of getting his Engine Drivers interested in their work 
and by stimulating their pride, the condition and performance of their engine would be 
maintained to a high standard.These engines would have the name of the Engine Drivers 
painted inside the cab on the weatherboard in gold paint. For example (see below photo) 
Brighton Driver William Love was allocated B1 class locomotive No.214 "Gladstone" and his name was painted in the cab. Stroudley also introduced a bonus scheme for coal saving, 
whereby Engine Drivers would receive payment for burning less coal.

During the palmy days of steam, an engineman's cab was his castle.William Stroudley himself said:

"I consider it a great advantage to keep seperate engines for drivers. I have always believed 

that if an engine is made as carefully as possible, it will respond to the attention that it gets 

afterwards; that the driver will be proud of its appearance, and of the duty he can get out of 

it: and doubly proud to be able to perform a great duty with a small amount of expense. It 

has been found that the same will not take the same care of another engine as he does his 

own; and those engines which have unfortunately to be entrusted to several drivers 

deteriorate in quality, consume more coal, and get dirty and out of repair much more rapidly 

than those which are appropriated to a particular men. I am of the opinion that it is better for 

the railway company to spend more capital, and have more engines, so that one locomotive 

can be retained for each driver, as the cost of stores and maintenance will in that case be 

less."

As a result of this policy, and because the cab fittings constituted the tools of his trade, each 
driver took special pride in the appearance of his footplate. The footplate crews would come 
to work in accordance of the booked work allocated for their locomotive, this practice last up until 1919

The view of the inside of the cab of "B1" class 214 Gladstone now preserved at the National 

Railway Museum

In 1919 enginemen saw he introduction of the 8 hour day and the L.B.S.C.R. was obliged to
abandon its time honoured tradition of 'one driver, one engine' - quite simply it ceased to be 
an economic proposition. Thereafter the best compromise (circumstances permitting) was to 
introduce 'double manning' with each engine allotted to a pair of drivers on opposite turns 
(one early, one late). under this system the locomotive was, in effect, available for about 16 
hours in every 24 hours. 

The working of the locomotive would then be done by these drivers with the exception of 
leave, rest days, sickness etc. when the engine would have been worked by other designated 
Enginemen. The practice of painting the drivers name onto the weatherboard then ceased.
But double manning didn’t suit everybody and there was many an old stalwart who in 1919, 
would gladly have stuck to the 10 hour day in order to keep his own engine to himself.

A.S.L.E.& F. BRANCHES OPEN

ON THE L.B.&S.C.R 

Portsmouth 1885 (L.B.S.CR., & L.S.W.R)