IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Horton Road, GLOUCESTER, GL1 3PU

View westward from the level-crossing at Tramway Junction, towards Gloucester Central etc. - for detail see Image] and others. The 09.15 from Paddington has arrived at Gloucester Central with a 'Castle' 4-6-0, then Hawksworth '9400' class large Pannier No. 9477 (built 7/52, withdrawn 6/65) brings it out again for the last 7½ miles to Cheltenham St James' (due 12.50).

View westward, towards Gloucester (Central) and South Wales, to the left Gloucester (Eastgate) and Bristol; ex-GW Cheltenham/Swindon etc. - South Wales, ex-Midland Birmingham - Bristol main lines. (See Image]). The locomotive is '2883' 2-8-0 No. 3830 (built 11/40). The GW Gloucester (Central) station is just visible in the distance, the Midland Gloucester (Eastgate) station being off to the left. Behind the locomotive is the ex-GW Horton Road Locomotive Depot. I am standing on the then very busy Tramway road level-crossing, which required two men to work the wide gates protecting the traffic - and to control the train-spotting kids. (The 'Tramway' title relates to the original Cheltenham & Gloucester Tramway that preceded the Railway).

Seen from Tramway Crossing by the ex-GWR Horton Road locomotive depot, 'Castle' class 4-6-0 No. 7035 'Ogmore Castle' (built 8/50, withdrawn 6/65) storms away from Gloucester Central on an express which started from Cheltenham (St James) at 11.45 and has reversed at Gloucester. Off to the left is Gloucester Eastgate station and the ex-LMSR line to Bristol.

View westward, towards Gloucester Central Station and South Wales; ex-GWR main line; also (to the left) Gloucester Eastgate and Bristol by the ex-Midland main line. This is Tramway Junction, where the two main lines converged briefly before the GWR turned south towards Swindon and London, soon joining the ex-Midland from Eastgate and the ex-GWR (Gloucester avoiding-line) from Cheltenham and Birmingham. Here the express is the 15.50 from Cheltenham (St James) to Paddington, which has reversed in Gloucester Central and now departs for London with a quite new 'Castle' 4-6-0, No. 7025 'Sudeley Castle' (built 8/49, withdrawn 9/64).

The 11.45 from Cheltenham St James' has been reversed in Gloucester Central station and is now heading out east and about to turn south towards Swindon to reach London at 15.00, with ex-GW Collett 4-6-0 No. 5058 'Earl of Clancarty' (built 5/37 as 'Newport Castle', renamed 9/37, withdrawn 3/63). In the opposite direction the lines go to South Wales and on the left are the ex-Midland lines through Gloucester Eastgate to Bristol; on the right is the WR Horton Road Locomotive Depot.

This portrait was taken shortly after Nationalisation, so the locomotive is still in GWR livery: '4575' 2-6-2T No. 5515 (built 11/27) was many years in the locality and survived until 11/61.

A scene that really takes one back! Here is a line-up of some of the former GWR's varied locomotive stock, just after Nationalisation at their Gloucester Shed (soon to be designated 'Horton Road'): a 57XX 0-6-0T, two 'Duke' 4-4-0s and a 22XX 0-6-0. The Shed itself is just off to the right. In 1947, it had an allocation of 63: 17 0-6-0T, 4 0-6-0, 8 2-6-0, 15 4-6-0, 5 2-6-2T, 4 4-4-0, 3 0-6-2T, 2 2-8-0 (1 WD, 1 LMS), 5 0-4-2T.

View westward, towards Gloucester Central and South Wales on the ex-GWR, on the left towards Gloucester Eastgate and Bristol on the ex-Midland. This is a very busy junction - and level-crossing, where the main lines come together and behind to the right part again for Cheltenham, Birmingham etc., then Swindon, Bristol etc. The Class H freight, headed by the youngest of the Collett '2884' class 2-8-0s, No. 3866 (built 12/42, withdrawn 7/65), is passing the ex-GW Horton Road Locomotive Depot. Further back, an ex-Midland Fowler 4F 0-6-0 acting as Eastgate Station Pilot, is shunting carriages beside the LMS station - just visible far left.