I was born with steam in my blood!

How it got there will forever be a mystery. The fact that my mother was a chocolate box maker, and my father a butcher, only serves to confuse the matter, and could lead one to paths which it might not be prudent to explore? Whatever! The undeniable fact was that from the moment I took my first breath, I was, what my baffled family liked to call, 'Engine Daft!'

As long as I can remember I haved lived railways, especially in the good old days of steam traction, and in these few pages I hope to portray a little of what it was really like back then. You will find no romance or glamour here. No dream weavers playing with pampered, wax polished, hiss and piss locomotives on captive toytown railways. Here you will find images of steam locomotives as they really were, warts and all.

It was not all doom and gloom however. Even at this late stage steam locomotives were still being overhauled in the main works and occasionally a pristine example would be seen in "ex works" condition, a sight for sore eyes. Some of the major sheds still had small bands of cleaners and could turn out a fittingly clean locomotive for a top link working, or a special. In truth though, sights like this were becoming rarer, and mixed traffic and goods types were usually to be seen in quite deplorable condition. Hopefully I have accurately portrayed the run down of the traditional values once associated with railway operations as it was seen back in those wonderful days of a steam hauled BRITISH RAILWAYS.

ABOUT THE LOCOMOTIVES

Living and working, as I did, on the Southern Region of British Railways, most of the locomotives shown here are from South of the Thames. However I have tried to show a selection of locomotives that would be seen at other locations around the Greater London area. The period depicted is from about 1958 until 1962.

ABOUT PRESERVATION

I may have been a little scathing in the comments I made about the "Preservation Scene" (above). I speak as a dedicated preservationist in my own right, having worked for, and with Societies over the years. Experience has enabled me to form my own opinions about the running of such enterprises, which in no way should detract from their sincerity, in the pusuance of their ultimate aims. I urge all true steam enthusists to support the Preservation Societies by all means they can muster, as indeed do I, for they have achieved remarkable feats of engineering and shown dogged determination and dedication, against frightful adversity. It must be remembered that without the efforts of the rank and file members of Preservation Societies, living steam on our railways would be but a memory.

B.C.E.Lewis.