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Class D1 4-4-0 No.31739 has arrived at Westerham on the final day of service. Details of these workings are not entirely clear. One source states that, on the final day, the usual push-pull train with Class H No.31518 operated during the morning and for the rest of the day services were operated by the main line stock seen above, with Bulleid Q1 No.33029 later taking over from the D1. However, confusion regarding precise details arises as a photograph has been seen showing the above train shunted into the loop to make way for No.31518 and her push-pull set. It therefore appears there was some overlap with No.31739 and her train making at least one run on the branch in addition to the timetabled services. Class D1 began life as a Belpaire rebuild of Class D and the type was normally seen on services to the Kent coast prior to electrification. At the time of the above photograph she was allocated to Bricklayers Arms and was withdrawn soon after the photograph was taken. The coaching stock is set 277. There were two such sets, both 10-car including an RB (Restaurant Buffet) and comprised mainly BR Mk1 stock. The other set was No.278 and the normal haunt of both was the Waterloo - Weymouth route. Note the open door on the non-platform side of the train and passengers walking where they should not. This was common practice in BR days when special trains operated and although officially prohibited it was tolerated on occasions such as above; otherwise a Track Pass was required and the issue of those often depended upon who one knew within the rail industry. Nowadays and, it has to be said, with some justification, one is prone to arrest for being beyond the bounds of permitted public access. On the right of the above view a single box van is stabled on the goods shed road.
Photo by John Cramp from 30937 Transport Photograph Database Flickr photostream old38.jpg) The D1 No.31739 has arrived at Westerham with set 277 during the afternoon of the final day, 26 October 1961. With the track suitably cleared of people she will shortly uncouple, draw forward and run round her train. Thanks to colour photography the period clothing appears a little less drab but still rather formal in many cases. This was before the time when printed t-shirts, anoraks and denim jeans became acceptable everyday clothing for all but the most formal occasions. Anoraks are an item of clothing; a type of warm hip-length jacket and not a railway or other type of enthusiast as gullible people have been misled into believing by a certain tabloid newspaper.
Photo from David Glasspool collection from Kent Rail web site old82.jpg) A closer view of No.31739 on 28 October 1961, this train being the 3.01pm arrival having taken over from No.31518 and the push-pull set. Not a great deal of effort, if any, appears to have been put into smartening up No.31739 but, as colour images show, at least the coaching stock was clean. Not that a clean train in Southern unlined green was any more attractive than a dirty one, of course. Photographs show a lot of small children were at Westerham on the last day, as on the left of this image. One wonders what these children thought for, as anybody over a certain age will testify, standing next to a huge, to a small child, steam locomotive could be a frightening experience and especially when the safety valves suddenly lifted. For some children, however, standing near a hot, hissing, steam locomotive was a spellbinding experience akin to watching a science fiction film.
Photo
by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream
old84.jpg) On the final day, the 3.01pm service hauled by No.31739 has arrived at Westerham with set 277. Note the large crowd of enthusiasts making the job of railway staff difficult. When the leading carriage is at the platform, quite why people thought it necessary to open a non-platform side door is a mystery. This photograph offers a better view of the Southern style of ground signal, left foreground. In this instance the signal operates in conjunction with the adjacent trap points, the purpose of which is to derail any locomotive or vehicle proceeding without authority. A similar signal controlled the
points in the background. Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream old37.jpg) Saturday 28 October 1961 and D1 No.31739 is in the process of running round her train at Westerham. The rails of the loop received a good polish on this day; since push-and-pull trains appeared on the branch the loop was normally used only twice per day by the locomotive collecting or leaving the push-and-pull set early in the morning at late in the evening. Note the typically period clothing; tweed, raincoats and children’s clothing which to a large degree mirrored that of their parents. Westerham station building is partly visible behind and to the left of the locomotive. The large advertisements on the left are of interest. These were once very common and indeed still are but other means of advertising are gradually taking their place. The advertisement proclaiming 'Beer - it's lovely' has an interesting history and came about following government instructions to cut beer production after WW1. The result was highly taxed weak beer (by the standards of the time) and damage to the hop-growing industry which, as it happened, was a major industry of Kent and to a lesser degree still is. The beer problems were also said to have been a major factor in general industrial unrest through the 1920s. In 1933 government relented following pressure by the Brewer's Society. Conditions attached stipulated that production should increase to aid hop-growers and the lower prices resulting from tax reduction should be passed to the consumer. With this victory the Brewer's Society began a promotional campaign which claimed 'Beer is Best'. The so-called Temperance Movement countered this with the slogan 'Beer is Best - Left alone'. To counter this, the Brewer's Society came up with 'Beer - it's lovely'. This move was a success and the 'Beer - it's lovely' campaign enjoyed a long life, running until 1970. The advertisement was a common sight, especially in southern England, and, as at Westerham, was often found close to railway stations.
Photo by John Cramp from 30937 Transport Photograph Database Flickr photostream old35.jpg) On the final day, 28 October 1961, No.31739 is seen in the process of running round her train, formed of set 277, at Westerham. The image suggests the locomotive may have just taken on water but this is in doubt as the photograph would more likely to have been taken during the process rather than subsequently. The locomotive is, or will be, moving towards the camera in this view having already passed the water crane. Note that the branch approached Westerham on an embankment. The low brick walls and railings mark the site of the engine shed which became redundant in the 1920s and was subsequently demolished; the walls are the base of the shed. It was a through shed and the reason for the locating of the water crane at this point. The shunt signal with ring mounted on its arm can be seen in the background. Signalling on the entire branch was provided by Messrs Stevens & Co.
Photo by John Cramp from 30937 Transport Photograph Database Flickr photostream old80.jpg) October 28 1961 and Class D1 No.31739, having run round her train, blocks all view of Westerham station. Only the goods shed, left, is visible. The train is the 3.23pm to Dunton Green, the train having arrived Westerham at 3.01pm (15:23 and 15:01 respectively, the 12hr clock being used as per the timetables of the period). The Southern Region headcode system for steam locomotives was rather peculiar and used six positions as opposed to the usual four used on other regions. Matters were further complicated according to division; South Western, Central, South Eastern as well as type of train.
Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream old36.jpg) On the final day No.31739 scuttles along the Westerham branch a short distance from the terminus with the 3.23pm service heading towards Dunton Green with set 277. The Southern green coaching stock livery was not very attractive and looked even worse on suburban multiple unit stock. At least it was nice and clean when photographed above. Note the group of enthusiasts on the right. By 1961 railway closures had been by no means rare but their frequency increased greatly in the ‘Beeching’ period. Some pre-Beeching closures attracted mere handfuls of enthusiasts and local people, but closure of the Westerham branch attracted large numbers, no doubt boosted by the appearance of
trains such as this. Photo
by John Cramp from 30937 Transport Photograph Database Flickr photostream
old86.jpg) A further view taken on the last day of service, 26 October 1961. This time, for a change, there are more people on the platform than on the track, at least within camera shot. Westerham station was a little odd, although by no means unique, in that the station building was at the very end of the platform. Extending the platform further west (to the left, above) would have been pointless due to the position of the points for the run-round loop. The layout probably arose as a result of the proposed extension to Oxted being abandoned, otherwise Westerham's platform would likely have extended further west. The hut to the left was a bicycle store.
Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream old87.jpg) Business would appear to be brisk at Westerham until the date is revealed; it is Saturday 28 October 1961 and the final day of the Westerham branch service. A fascinating range of posters can be seen on the station building, but with most partly obscured by the equally fascinating range of period road vehicles. From right to left, on the extreme right the rear of a Ford Zephyr MkII can just be seen while directly ahead of the camera is a Ford Prefect E493A, behind the Prefect is a Ford Anglia 150E, then a Volkswagen Type 2 (better known as the 'Camper'). Next is a Morris Minor keeping company with a convertible brother and next to that is another Anglia 105E. The car at the extreme left is difficult to positively identify but it appears to be a pre-war Austin 14 Goodwood. Some of the vehicles seen above were quite new at the time of the photograph as testified by the reversed registration numbers; for example, the nearest Ford Anglia appears to be 366 XPU or 366 XPD. This was the time when families of modest means found they could afford an average-sized car, thus hammering more nails into the coffins of rural railways which had already been uneconomical for several decades. Had the Westerham branch survived, the scene above would likely now show a taxi rank, a couple of disabled parking bays and a few weirdly shaped and weirdly named modern cars.
Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream old88.jpg) Another view taken on the last day of service, 28 October 1961, this time looking east from the buffers. Regretfully much detail has been obscured by the enthusiasts. In almost all images showing people on the track, the number of young children present is of note. Some would have been local, others would have travelled from elsewhere, but all would have almost certainly been with a parent to witness the end of the Westerham branch although the small boy ahead of the camera appears a little lost. After closure and during the ultimately abortive preservation scheme the goods shed, centre right, was used as a shed for the 'Railmobile' contraption described elsewhere. The building in front of the goods shed was by this time being used as a cement store.
Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream old89.jpg) Directly ahead in this view taken on the last day is the water crane and, in front of it, site of the one-time engine shed while we are afforded a good view of the water tower alongside the shed road. On the far left is the running line and points at the east end of the run-round loop. The houses in Railway Terrace are seen on the right. Photo by Ian Nolan from his Flickr photostream Click here for Westerham Station Gallery 9:
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