FROM STEAM TO DIESEL

With the Nationalisation of the railways in 1948, the need to modernise the railways was to 
become very apparent. With introduction of the “Modernisation Plans” of 1956, this was to 
see the beginning of the phasing out of steam locomotives, and replacing them with new 
forms of motive power traction, electric and diesel, locomotives and multiple units.
The main diesel locomotive to be introduce on the Southern Region, was to a TYPE 3 
locomotive (latter Class 33s), even though it was not  originally part of the “Modernisation 
Plan”. 
The original plan was to order more English Electric Co - Co TYPE 3s locomotive  (latter 
class 37s) already in production for the Southern Region, but the Co - Co wheel arrangement was deemed to heavy for the permanent way.

Over the next ten years (1957 - 1967) steam locomotive on the Southern Region was to slowly to be replaced by them on the Central Division with the last Central Division loco shed closing on the 12th June 1965.

Between 1957 and 1960, four orders were placed for the new TYPE 3 diesel locomotives, with a total of 98 locomotives being built for the Southern Region. This is also included 12 
narrowed bodied locomotive for the Hastings to Tonbridge line.

On July 17^th, 1960, the following locomotives D6506On July 17^th, 1960, the following 
locomotives D6506, E5004 & 20001 were on trial Three Bridges and Haywards Heath 
station, with several test runs at various speeds were being made between these locations, 
and later in March 1961, Type 3 locomotives were being used to test the bridges between 
Lewes - Barcombe Mills, this was done in conjunction with a West Country Pacific.
In August 1962, saw the TYPE locomotives, continuing to expand across the Central 
Division, which included various freight workings, empty coaching stock workings between 
New Cross Gate and London Bridge, assorted engineering workings, and an early morning 
diagram between London Bridge and Brighton. They were also visitors to Brighton and 
Eastbourne on summer passengers workings.

By the end of July, 1963, the Central Division had nineteen TYPE 3 locomotives available 
and a large number of Diesel Electric Multiple Units, this had a great impact on the remains 
steam duties within the the Central Division. This diesel regularly working over the Oxted 
lines, and TYPE 3 locomotives taking over the Saturday workings of the 09.40 Brighton  -
 Bournemouth and the 13.45 return.The weekday working continued to be in the hands of the West Country Pacifics. By the end of the summer timetable saw Brighton losing the duties for its Pacific’s class locomotives, and they were transferred away to other sheds.

With the implementation of the Beeching Report routes in Sussex were closed reducing the 
amount of steam workings at Brighton, Bognor, Horsham, Three Bridges, Eastbourne and 
Tunbridge Wells West Depots. Bognor steam shed closed in November1961 its work 
transferred to Brighton. Newhaven and Tunbridge Wells West steam sheds closed on September 9^th 1963, however the remaining work at  Tunbridge Wells West Depot was 
replaced by diesels electric multiple units (D.E.M.U.s).

Bognor steam shed closed on the 8th November, 1961, Enginemen transferred to Brighton 
steam shed.

Horsham steam shed closed on the 12th June 1964. Enginemen transferred to Three Bridges Mixed Traction depot.

Three Bridges steam shed closed on the 27th January 1964 and become a Mixed Traction 
depot which closed in November 1968.

Brighton Steam shed closed on the 12 June 1964 and become a Mixed Traction depot.

Eastbourne steam shed closed on the 13th June 1965 and become a Mixed Traction depot 
which closed in November 1968

The changeover from Steam to Diesel Traction and subsequent drop in the requirement of Drivers and Firemen on the whole of British Railway became the issue of a Industrial Court of Inquiry in September 1965. On 26th December, 1964, the total number of Drivers, 
Firemen and Cleaners on British Railways was 53,359. but by the 19th June, 1965, the total was 50,472; a reduction of 2,887 or 5.4 per cent in six months, and since July 1963 the number of Drivers has been reduced from 34,163 to 30,601; a reduction of 3,562; in the same period the establishment of Firemen and Cleaners has decreased from 28,744 to 19,299, a reduction of 9,445.

The outcome of the Inquiry was that a number of the changes British Railways required were accepted but Single Manning of Locomotives was rejected also British Railways gave a full assurance not only that no footplate staff surplus to requirements as a result of the revised Agreement would be made redundant but that none would be moved from his present depot against his wishes. If footplate staff wished to move to another depot (e.g. to improveprospects of promotion to driver), they would benefit from the provisions of current 

redundancy arrangements. In addition, to encourage retirement of drivers so as to provide 
openings for firemen, drivers over 60 years of age at depots where firemen were surplus to 
requirements in consequence of single-manning would be allowed to retire under the 
redundancy procedure. Over·11,000 drivers were due to retire in the normal way over the 
next five years and this would make it comparatively easy to absorb surplus footplatemen. 
A.S.L.E. & F. were satisfied with these arrangements, although they pointed out that closure 
of depots would cause some added hardship to footplatemen as they would either have to 
move their homes or travel long distances.

“The Board also gave assurances that earnings of footplate staff affected by the revised 

Agreement would be safeguarded". 

This gave rise to the position of “STARRED MEN” where secondmen could remain at their 
own depot until promoted to the position of driver without loss of earnings. This situation 
remained in place at certian Mixed Traction depots for the next 20 years. At Brighton Mixed 
Traction depot the last “STARRED MAN” on the Central Division was Relief Driver Ralph 
Stobbart. Ralph his promotion to driver at Brighton Mixed Traction depot in 1987.

Steam working on the Central Division would continue to dwindle with the final workings and steam sheds closing in 1964 Eastbourne being the final steam shed to close .Although the final workings rostered for Steam Traction lasted until March 1967.These were the through Brighton –Plymouth service(because the coaching stock used required steam heating which the 33s could not provide) and the Waterloo-Bognor Regis Newspaper train (detached at Havant) although the Engines and Crew for these workings came from Fratton Shed on the South Western Division.

During the summer of 1967, the Central and South Eastern Division Diesel locomotive 
diagrams were merged. This allowed the St Leonard's allocated Hastings gauge Type 3's to 
wander further on a regular basis than previously, now handling passenger workings from 
London to Brighton, East Grinstead, Crowborough, and on the Brighton Exeter through 
working.

The two separate Brighton Branches worked side by side with all the Drivers and Secondmen working from the same location after 1964 upon the closure the Brighton Steam Shed. The separate grades of Enginemen and Motormen having being abolished in 1961.

Promotion within the loco department has always been on strict seniority with the date of entry as a cleaner being the deciding factor. At Brighton promotion was very slow as it was very rare for men to leave the Footplate except for medical reasons. It was not uncommon for the senior Firemen to be in their late 40s and still not having reached the position of Engineman. As stated earlier this was made worse for Brighton Firemen & Cleaners during the late 1950’s onwards when Enginemen and Firemen from the South Western Section (former L.S.W.R.) of the Southern Region were being forced to move around the Region looking for vacancies at depots within the Southern Region due to the even slower rate of promotion in that part of the country and also the start of the Railway cuts. Many footplate -men having to find themselves relocating their homes and families across the Southern Region (from as far away as Exmouth Junction. Barnstaple, Exeter, Yeovil, Templecombe, Dorchester, Bournemouth, Salisbury and Eastleigh). Many of these Footplate men moved to Brighton Locomotive depot where they remained for the rest of their careers. This held back many of the local Brighton Firemen and Engine Cleaners in gaining their promotion because the Footplate men transferring in had higher seniority dates. This forced some to seek their promotion to Enginemen and Motormen within the London area. Those Footplate men that transferred to the London area had many years of waiting before their seniority allowed them to transfer back to Brighton. Many of these former Brighton Footplate Men decided to stay at their new locations.

BRIGHTON ON LOAN

During this time, Brighton loco depot, become known as a ‘on loan’ depot with many of the 
junior loco men going 'on loan’ to loco depots throughout the Central Division, Fratton, 
Tunbridge Wells and Redhill, as well as the London depots such as Norwood, Stewarts Lane 
and on some very occasions at Nine Elms. 

The junior cleaners who were passed for firing, or the junior firemen who were passed for 
driving, where often booked out ‘on loan’ to foreign depots during this time (and for many 
years that followed) to carry out higher grade footplate work. This was the only way they 
could achieve the 294 turns (this figure used to be 313) in the grade to enable them to go to 
the next band of pay for their grade (there was a number of different rates for fireman and 
drivers rates of pay). Those who went ‘on loan’ would still book on and off at Brighton Loco depot and would then travel to and from the foreign depot, where they would spend the day or night carrying out the higher grade duty. This quite often meant working on the shed, preparing and disposing of steam locomotives or working in the various yards on the 
shunting locomotives, shunting the wagons and re-marshalling them into formation for their 
later departure.

The junior passed cleaners and firemen would not often be promoted at their home depot, 
owing to the work not being available for them. This was due to a large number of redundant and senior loco-men transferring into the depot and the phasing out of steam locomotives as a result of the introduction of diesel locomotives that replaced them.

On Friday 8th April, railway wagons become unhooked from the goods train on the down 
line. It came off the track and crashed into the side of the subway. The station master was 
alerted of the accident by the staff at the Health Clinic held above yer library then in the grey stone building opposite the subway and footbridge in Yattendon Road. A mother and her baby in a pram were in the subway when one of the wagons burst through and came to rest inverted, covering them in coke. Luckily the baby was uninjured but Mrs Willett received head injuries that required 17 stitches. 

LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL

APRIL 1960

PAGE 125

NEWHAVEN BRANCH

Some long time has elapsed since the last report from Newhaven. We will shortly be experiencing the Modernisation of Newhaven Harbour, which many throughout the country know as the embarkation port for their holiday to the  Continent.

Our Loco., situated directly alongside the Quay, lends itself to many advantages connected with the modernisation which the management have indicated will receive their consideration at Joint Consultation level, in conjunction with the Shipping and Continential Manager. Private enterprise would no doubt welcome the co-operation we are prepared to offer, let us hope the B.T.C. will too.

A new tug has just bee launched named “Meeching”, which was the old name for Newhaven. 1960 starts off with as good a Branch Committee any new Secretary could wish for, namely, Bros. E. King, C. Wickenden, R. Morris, R. Turner, J. Nash, W. Ware, F. Goff, L. Lower and V. Harris, the latter being not only L.D.C. Chairman but a well-known local football referee.

I can now report 100% A.S.L.E.&F. membership.

S. Cheal,

LONDON BRIDGE

25th NOVEMBER 1960

EXTRACTED & ADAPTED FROM 

BLOOD & CUSTARD WEBSITE

On the 25th November, 1960, the 8.17am Coulsdon North to London Bridge arriving platform 12 at London Bridge (at 8.47), collided with the buffers.