A FORMER RAILWAY worker has spoken of the closure of Bromsgrove steam shed and the end of steam locomotives on banking duties 60 years after their demise, writes Neil Gordon.
In September 1964 the practice of using steam locomotives to bank trains up Bromsgrove’s Lickey Incline ended in favour of new diesel engines, which coincided with the steam shed closing after 124 years’ service.
Two further losses were the end of taking repaired wagons and empty coal trucks to Washwood Heath, Birmingham due to the closure of Bromsgrove’s Carriage and Wagon Works the week after.
Droitwich resident Ian Tipper was employed as an engine cleaner at the steam shed when it closed and spoke of his memories: “The railway in Bromsgrove was a major employer then with the wagon works once employing 600 workers, plus the steam shed and the depot.
“All of this required some 11 steam locomotives to be allocated to Bromsgrove depot which was known as 85D.
“Each locomotive came into the shed fortnightly to have its boiler washed out and tubes cleaned, before being serviced and returned to duty.
“The last steam engine on the shed was Pannier tank number 8415 after putting a newspaper van in the yard around 2.55am on the Sunday (September 27).
“Once the shed closed there were many items to be cleared out and loaded into vans and sent to Swindon.”
Mr Tipper was retained after the shed’s closure despite only joining the railway six months earlier from school aged 15.
“Cleaning the engines and shovelling the ashes was dirty work, but working on the railway was all I ever wanted to do.”
After a spell at Worcester shed Ian later returned to Bromsgrove as a qualified fireman.
The closure of the shed coincided with the end of steam locomotives on banking duties in favour of the then new diesel engines.
Mr Tipper said: “Locomotives’ 8415 and 8405 were the last two steam engines on banking duties that September weekend.”
However, the closure of the shed and introduction of diesels’ on banking was not the end of steam at Bromsgrove, as a steam engine would come from Worcester for shunting duties, and train crews provided relief for mainline steam-hauled freight until May 1965.
Mr Tipper added: “I have fond memories of my time on the railway and I still enjoy meeting up with former colleagues 60 years on.”
