THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS

THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS WEBSITE.

 HAS NOW BEEN MOVED TO A NEW SITE CALLED

IGNITING THE FLAMING OF UNITY

https://ignitingtheflameofunity.yolasite.com/

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW 

TO TRANSFER TO THIS NEW SITE

 

 

CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE TO TAKE YOU 

TO THE NEW UPDATED COMBINED AND WEBSITE

IGNITING THE FLAME OF UNITY WEBSITE

https://ignitingtheflameofunity.yolasite.com/

THIS WEBSITE COMBINES THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES 

THE BRIGHTON A.S.L.E.&F.,  THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS 

& THE SUSSEX MOTIVE POWER WEBSITES

WHICH EXPLAINS THE EVOLUTION OF THE FOOTPLATE GRADES AND THE 

HISTORY OF THEIR TRADE UNIONS AND THE STRUGGLES TO IMPROVE 

THEIR WORKING LIVES

BRIGHTON MIXED TRACTION

1964 ~ 1988

 "THE PARAFFIN BURNERS"

 Johnny Knott (ex Newhaven driver) in Brighton Loco

(Aunty John) Johnny Saunders

 Freddie Goff

 (ex Newhaven driver)

 Extracted from a Waterloo South-side training school booklet, this page includes drivers from Brighton M.T that passed out on Class '47 Locos in 1978.

STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL

The Brighton Mixed Tracion Days 1964 ~ 1969

By Passed Fireman & Driver

Ron Terrill

When we went training on the Bo-Bos locomotives, these electric/diesel locos went on to replace the Hornbys and were later known as E5000 class and in the early 1970s becoming renumbered as class73s. We had trials trips running between Redhill & Haywards Heath, which involved testing the brake/unbraked switch, to see if they were suitable for freight workings!  We picked up the train consisting of 3 coaches, 6 parcel vans, 12 hoppers and a brake van. We did several runs at several different speeds and taking our feet of the treadle (D.S.D.) so the emergency brake would operate to confirm stopping distances at full speed, on one attempt we had a job to stop at Wivelsfield.

When we stopped using steam engines on the 07:17 Brighton to London Bridge, we used to have either a Class 33 or a D.E.M.U. (Oxted). on this occasion I had a D.E.M.U. we worked all stations to East Croydon then fast to London Bridge then went empties to New X Gate where we berthed the unit. We then prepared a Crompton which was attached to 7 coaches and worked empties to Victoria via Crystal Palace. On this day as we approached Forrest Hill the engine stop light illuminated and we lost power I kept my finger on the start button we kept the engine ticking over until we cleared the main line and came to a stand just before Crystal Palace 'B' Box. I went to the signal box to arrange assistance and the signalman allowed a 8 SUB to come on to my rear, to give me a shove. Needless to say it wasn't man enough to move us. So back to the box to get assistance from the front which necessitated me to issue my first and only wrong line order driver to Signalman, this was to allow an engine on to my front, and who turned up with the assisting engine was fellow Brighton driver Bernie Haynes! He pulled the whole train into Crystal Palace sidings, 2 engines, 7 coaches and the 8 SUB stock, it was quite a mess. The reason for the loss of power on my engine turned out to be contaminated fuel! This ended up having my return journey 10:38 Vic to Brighton via Oxted cancel .

We had a job about 1964 which involved a Drewary 204 H.P. Were we would work to Holland Road, then on to Carter Patterson siding just before Hove. Then fast to Worthing Goods shed, to pick up and then fast to Bognor Regis. At Bognor we would run round the vans and call at Lec sidings about 1/2 a mile out of Bognor (they made fridges/freezers). Lec. had their own engine for shunting their sidings. We would leave Lec and run fast to Angmering and go over the ground frame and shove back into the yard to pick up vans of Mushrooms & Watercress, and wait for our secondman. Only on this day the secondman happened to be Brian Hobby who jumped on as I was still speeding through the platform to work the ground frame! I swear his arm must have stretched a foot because he managed to hang on until I stopped at the frame. We carried on with the train to Brighton Goods Shed for unloading.

Taffy Jones (this thought to be the driver) on the Ore tanks c1971

 Trevor Fielding at Ardingly on a Class 56034 C1987

Trevor became the last Branch Secretary of the No. 1 Branch 1983 - 1988. Trevor also severed on the L.D.C. for Brighton M.T.

 Left - Right Passed man Brian Overton, unknown & Driver Harry Woolacott

 Trevor Fielding working a Inter - City train towards Eastbourne 1986

Peter Staniford on a Class 33 "K.A. Crompton" in Three Bridges Up Yard.

ANDY GIBBS COLLECTION

UNKNOWN LOCO CREW AT SEAFORD

Driver could be Dave Pumphrey?

RON RABBETTS COLLECTION

RON RABBETTS

Harry Scott & Unknown Secondman leaving Brighton Loco Sidings

 http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com

Left Right: Driver Harry Scott & Secondman Bob Maxim 

02/07/1986 with evening loco hauled train to Newhaven

Harry Scott enteered the footplate grade on the 30.07.1945 at Yeovil and with the closure of many railway lines in the Yeovil area. Harry was one of the many footplatemen who moved eastwards to retain their jobs within the footplate grades.

Bob entered the footplate grades at Brighton on the 09.12.1985 and latered transfered to Littlehampton to get his driver's job in 1989. With the closure of Littlehampton Bob moved to Barnham. Bob decided to transfer to the freight company D.R.S. based at Sellafield in c1996 where he remained until  2006 when emigrated to New Zealand where he is a locomotive engineer in New Zealand..

Chic Debenham 

Lee Ayling Collection

 Peter Gamblin at Hove

Dave (Handcart) Wheeler.

 Dave entered the footplate grade on the 07.09.1953 at Newhaven loco. Dave transferred to Brighton M.T. with the closure of Newhaven loco in 09.09.1963. Dave later moved to Seaford E.M.U.T. in C1987. When Seaford closed in February 1994  Dave transferred back to Brighton.

 John Osborne & Rodney Constable at Ardingly 1985

 John Osborne Gallery of photos

Left ~ Right: Stan Waters, John Osborne, Bill MacKenzie, Mick Webb (LWS), Ian Osborne & Alex Bell (Bton EMUT). Feb 1990

Brighon drivers demonstrating the two things they are good at doing. 

DAVID GILLIAM COLLECTION

DENNIS GILLIAM 

 Tom Bowyer c1983

George Hever 22.11.1948

Brighton Loco football team c1978

Back row: Ron Emsley (2nd Man), Ralph Stobbart, Fred Bartholomew, John Osborne, Pat Kennedy (W.W), Bill Mackenzie, Paul Shephard (EMUT) & Don Taylor (2nd Man). 

Front row: Alex Bell (EMUT),Dougal, Ronnie "Kermit" Abel (EMUT), Brian Watson & Nigel Pettit (2nd Man). 

 Left~Right Driver Laurie Lynn, George Milton Traffic Inspector & Unknown

Brighton Open Day July 1983,

Dickie Potts

Stan Waters in Hove Yard August 1984

 Left ~ Right: Peter Driver Staniford & Secondman Colin Easton

 COLIN EASTON COLLECTION

Peter Staniford on a class 33 working to Salisbury

  Mick Gillam (on the left) in Worthing Yard in 1964.

The photo was taken by that well known photographer Mr Clifford Highams (B'ton Driver), the quizzical look on Mick's face, is due to the fact that he had persuaded loads of people to pose for him all week and had no film in the camera, but on that day he had been and bought one.

 The Brighton Railway club was established 1954

and below are photos featuring Brigton drivers who where active members of the railway club

Bert Franks (back row 3rd from left), Peter Pollard (back row on the end right), Stan Waters (second row, first on the end left) Larurie Lynn (second row 3rd from the left) & Barry Brown (front row  4th from  the left ).

The B.R.S.A. Southern Area Council 1983

 THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS WEBSITE.

 HAS NOW BEEN MOVED TO A NEW SITE CALLED

IGNITING THE FLAMING OF UNITY

https://ignitingtheflameofunity.yolasite.com/

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW 

TO TRANSFER TO THIS NEW SITE

 

 

CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE TO TAKE YOU 

TO THE NEW UPDATED COMBINED AND WEBSITE

IGNITING THE FLAME OF UNITY WEBSITE

https://ignitingtheflameofunity.yolasite.com/

THIS WEBSITE COMBINES THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES 

THE BRIGHTON A.S.L.E.&F.,  THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS 

& THE SUSSEX MOTIVE POWER WEBSITES

WHICH EXPLAINS THE EVOLUTION OF THE FOOTPLATE GRADES AND THE 

HISTORY OF THEIR TRADE UNIONS AND THE STRUGGLES TO IMPROVE 

THEIR WORKING LIVES