LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL 

MARCH 1946

We are pleased to welcome Bro. H. Bidwell, our executive member, on Sunday, February 10th, at a special meeting held at the Wheatsheaf Hall.

Bro. F. Robinson, in the absence of our chairman, presided over a fair attendance.

we were given an exhaustive report on the recent A.A.D. Conference and National Programme, and Bro. Bidwell gave an interesting talk on the Nationalisation of the Railways. He gave satisfying answewrs to our members' many and varied questions.

Bro. Cornford proposed a vote of thanks to our visitor, who, we hope, will visit our branch again on some future occasion.

Congratulations to Bros. Robinson and Elmer on thier recent sucess in the Municipal Elections.

For attendance at our branch meetings we still rely on the few stalwarts. New face, particularly amongst our cleaner members, will find a welcome if they will make special effort to attend.

K.A. PASSMORE, 

ASST. BRANCH SEC.

 LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

APRIL 1946

THE EDITOR'S NOTES

NATIONALISATION OF TRANSPORT

RAILWAY COMPANIES OBJECTION

The basis of the Leader Class originated in a 1944 review of the Southern Railway’s steam 
locomotive fleet, resulting in a Southern Railway design brief which called for high powered locomotive requiring little maintenance the ageing M7 class tank engines which where still in operation on the Southern Railway. The brief also stipulated that the locomotive would be used on both passenger and goods trains.

The Leader was a class of experimental 0-6-0 + 0-6-0 articulated steam locomotive design by Oliver Bullied and built at Brighton. The Leader was an attempt to extend the life of steam traction by eliminating many of the operational drawbacks associated with 
existing steam locomotives.  

Design work began in 1946 and development continued after the nationalisation of the 
railways in 1948, under the auspices of British Railways.

The Leader project was part of Bulleid's desire to modernise the steam locomotive based on 
experience gained with the Southern Railway's fleet of electric stock Bulleid considered 
that attitudes towards the labour-intensity of steam operation had changed during the post-war period, favouring dieselisation and electrification.  In an effort to demonstrate the continued potential of steam, Bulleid pushed forward the boundaries of steam-power, allowing it to compete with diesel and electric locomotives in terms of labour-saving and ease of operation.

The design incorporated many novel features, such as the use of thermic siphons, bogies and 
cabs at  each end of the locomotive, resulting in its unique—for a steam locomotive—modern diesel-like appearance. Several of its innovations proved to be unsuccessful however, partly accounting for the project's cancellation in the early 1950s. Five Leader locomotives were begun, although only one was completed. The operational locomotive was trialled on the former Southern Railway network around the Brighton area. 

Problems with the design, indifferent reports on performance and political pressure 
surrounding spiralling development costs, led to all locomotives of the class being scrapped 
by 1951.

The engine had to be worked bunker first to make the driving cab usable, the fireman’s cab 
was described as horrendous, with temperatures in excess of 140’f in the fireman's position. It also had a door and window on one side only. A.S.L.E.F. would only allow trials with 
volunteers if it derailed onto the wrong side the fireman would be trapped, as the corridor 
run alongside the firebox and boiler! 

Banned by ASLEF, but N.U.R. footplate men worked on it during the test period from 
Eastleigh men, Driver A. Smith and Fireman Sam Talbolt and Les Grant, worked on Test 
Trips when being tested at Eastleigh Works. Neither of these engimemen have much good 
today about them except that it was usually that it was usually a fairly easy day as you never often got very far. 

ASLE&F men would not work on them, they were much hotter than a Bullied, but it was the safety aspect of only one exit from the firing compartment and the fireman being in there on his own that was contentious. 

In 1960, I think, they had to put two stokers on the ‘Packets' and W.C.s in the summer cos' of the heat.

If the Leader Class had been an Oil firing locomotive, with a water jacket firebox and Piston Valves it may just have worked. 

The ‘Turf Burner’ that Bullied later built in Ireland was closer to the mark. 

Comments by enginemen Bob Cartwright & Glenn Hiscock

 LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

AUGUST 1946

THE EDITOR'S NOTES

MILITARY SERVICE

The White Paper which has been issued on the call up of men to the Forces in 1947 and 1948, makes interesting reading. We are not disposed to take exception to its general provisions, but feel it necessary to point out that if the call up of railwaymen to the Forces on reaching the age of 18 is persisted in, there is likely to be a somewhat serious position created amongst certain sections of this Staff.

It is well known that for the past three years it has been necessary to allow men under this age to act as Firemen on suitable work and this arrangement has operated with reasonable satisfaction. If these men were taken out o the railway service at the present time, or indeed for some months to come, it will be found quite impossible to maintain the present service of trains, much less extend it to meet the demands of the travelling public. Some consideration must obviously be given to this position if difficulty is to be avoided and we hope that it may be found possible to secure the necessary accommodation. 

In saying this, we are expressing no approval, or indeed opposition to any scheme of universal service. This will be a Parliamentary prerogative that will be used in due course. Any such schemes must obviously make provision to avoid creating hardship for young men in certain trades or professions, and the White Paper appears to con- template this. Our only purpose in directing attention to it here, lies in our desire to obviate the slowing up of increased transport facilities which are so much in demand. The reference may be unnecessary, but our purpose is to advise caution.

CONTROLS 

 LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 1946

THE EDITOR'S NOTES

ENGINES IN GOOD REPAIR AND DECENT LOCOMOTIVE 

SHEDS WHEN?

Among the many subjects of a more or less important character, which are exercising the minds of locomotive men at the present time and creating irritation which reaches point where drastic action is threatened, no two things are of more importance than that of the bad condition of engines generally and the unsatisfactory state of locomotive sheds.

From time to time attention has been directed to the urgent need for more labour to be emp-loyed in improving the state of repair of engines, and whilst in certain instances efforts have been made to meet this, the fact remains that in a general way the condition of engines at present hauling important trains and on other work, is anything but what it ought to be. We make allowances for the difficulties which surround this matter, but feel that if men are to be expected to work trains at increased speed and to keep to scheduled timings, they must be provided with machines fit to do the work demanded of them. During the whole period of the war locomotive men worked. trains on very many occasions with engines which were not fit to leave the shed. They did this in the national interest. It cannot be expected that this will continue now that the circumstances provide at least an avenue for executing some of the repairs which are booked from day to day. Our purpose. in referring to this matter here is to bring this to the notice not only of those directly concerned, but of those who may be interested in the matter.

When referring to the condition of things at locomotive sheds and claiming that they are very far from satisfactory, we do not make this point for the sake of sensationalism. The facts are that on three occasions in the past two months, men working at important locomotive sheds in the London district have threatened to withdraw their labour as a protest against the delay in taking steps to make the shed a place fit for men to work in. Men cannot be expected to climb over heaps of ashes and rubble during all hours of the day and night without raising some complaint in regard thereto. When you add to this the fact that in so many sheds the facilities for washing and sanitation are described as being "vile," we must, even if disagreeing with unofficial action, have much sympathy with the feelings which have given rise thereto. In the case of the sheds themselves, of course, these complaints are not confined to drivers, firemen and cleaners.

Will those responsible take notice of this, or shall we be asked to countenance a course which will be much less popular ?

 LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

OCTOBER 1946

THE EDITOR'S NOTES

THE CLOSED SHOP

Much is being said and written in regard to the virtues or otherwise of the principle of the "closed shop" in industry. We think it right to say that, in a general way at least, most of those who are Trade Unionists by conviction would prefer to see men voluntarily joining unions rather than being compelled to do so by the conditions attaching to their place of work.

Unfortunately, however, there are still those who will trade on the activities of their collea-gues and who will decline either to meet the necessary cost of running trade unions and providing benefits, or to lend moral support by acquiring membership of their appropriate union. This the real Trade Unionist is entitled to expect. The necessity for exerting pressure upon certain individuals to become members of Trade Unions thus becomes apparent from time to time.

We believe that a "closed shop" can only be effectively operated if the conditions imposed are that the. work people shall be requested to join their appropriate Trade Unions. These must be unions affiliated to the Trades Union Congress and catering for the particular type of worker concerned. In so far as the railways are concerned, this would mean that all drivers, motor-men, firemen and cleaners should join the A.S.L.E. & F., and if those who desire to see the "closed shop" within the railway service are prepared to accept this, they will find no oppo-sition from the headquarters of the A.S.L.E. & F. Indeed, we should welcome a statement of this description. In the absence of any such undertaking, the creation of an effective "closed shop" is very doubtful of success. We commend this suggestion to all those who are seriously interested in the "closed shop " principle.

MILITARY SERVICE ACT

I think it necessary to advise a number of our younger members that the provisions of the Military Service Act are now being implemented in so far as they affect those in the railway service. This will, to some extent at least, involve those who are at present Cleaners, Passed Cleaners and Junior Firemen, in that a number who were born in 1927 and 1928 are likely to be called to the Forces during the period from October I to December 31st, 1946. As from January 1st, 1947, the call up will be generally confined to those men born in 1929 or later. It is assumed by the Government departments concerned that these releases will not adversely affect essential production in the country, neither will they hamper services which must be maintained. A further point made by the Government is that they desire to release from the Forces men with considerable service as soon as possible, and in order to effect this, it is, of course, necessary to recruit men in sufficient numbers to maintain the Forces at the minimum strength necessary to meet the country's obligations.

I want to make it quite clear that we have approached the Ministry of Labour and the railway companies in regard thereto; as, whilst it is not necessary to contest the universal effect of the Military Service Act as such, it does become necessary for us to secure an assurance that the calling of mell to the Forces will not create abnormal hours of duty for locomotivemen in general during the coming winter months. We are pursuing this point both with the Govern-ment departments concerned and with the railway companies' officers and our members may rest content that we shall watch this matter most carefully.