Driving an unfitted train or partially unfitted was an art. For those of you who are unsure about what is meant by “unfitted” it means that the only brakes on the train are those on the locomotive and the Guards brake at the end of the train. Additional wagons with brakes fitted could be added to the locomotive end and are operated by vacuum from the locomotive. This then becomes a partially fitted train.
In my early years on the Railway many freight trains were very long, very heavy and were unfitted or partially fitted. Most wagons did not have brakes, apart from hand brakes used to hold the wagon in position whilst in the yard. Wagons making up the freight train are coupled together with big, strong steel coupling and buffers fitted to each end compress and de-compress to take the shock of wagons hitting each other. When the Driver starts to move the train he does so slowly to pull the wagons away from each other. The Guards brake at the end of the train when applied acts as an anchor. When all of the couplings are stretched the Driver can then increase the power to pull the train. When the Driver applies the brakes the buffers on the wagons compress. Again the Guards brake when applied holds the wagons back to reduce the shock. This may sound pretty easy but when you take into account the weight of the wagons and the power of the locomotive then the big strong steel couplings become a little more susceptible. They were a weak link. They could, and did break frequently. This was known as a breakaway. In addition to the power of the locomotive and the weight of the train we can add further complications.
Pulling freight trains uphill, downhill, over brows, through dips and round curves. Driving unfitted or partially fitted trains was definitely an art.
I wasn’t involved in this breakaway. It occurred on an unfitted or partially fitted freight train from Redhill to Tonbridge. It’s about 25 miles and is nearly all downhill. At some time during the trip the train broke away. Neither the Driver or the Guard were aware. The Driver stopped at the signal at Tonbridge awaiting entry into the West Yard. He’d been there for 5 minutes when the rear of the train came crashing into him. Several wagons were de-railed and thrown down the embankment. Both the Driver and Secondman were taken to hospital with back injuries. The Driver was off work for several months.
Back to steam and my nightmare turn. I got on very well with my Driver. He lived in my home town of Edenbridge. We were on a BR Standard Tank fitted to 3 carriages ready to leave Tonbridge for Redhill. We still had 15 minutes before departure and so I left the engine and went to the Porters room on the station to make tea. On returning to the engine I noticed heavy smoke bellowing from the chimney. My Driver told me that I was on an easy trip as he had filled the firebox with coal and I could sit back and enjoy the journey. My usual performance of little and often was blown out of the window. It wasn’t long into the journey that steam pressure dropped. Out came the bar in an effort to relinquish the fire. The brakes were coming on because of low boiler pressure as we entered the station at Edenbridge. We had a 15 minute delay at Edenbridge to re-gain boiler pressure. We got to Redhill and back but boy was that hard work.
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