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Delaford Road, LONDON, SE16 3BS

Looking down Delaford Road.

Coming off the Bricklayer's Arms branch is rebuilt Bulleid light Pacific No. 34004 'Yeovil' (built 7/45 as No. 21C104 'Yeovil', renumbered 5/48, rebuilt 2/58, withdrawn 10/66). The bridge behind carries the South London line.

This is Maunsell V class No. 30909 'St Paul's', going to Charing Cross (or perhaps Cannon Street), probably to work an express to Hastings. It was built 7/30, withdrawn 2/62.

View NE near South Bermondsey; No. 77311 is another of the 900+ 2-8-0s built for the War Department and sent to Europe after the OVERLORD operation and returned 2 - 3 years after the Allies' victory. During the first few months after their return many worked briefly on the SR; hence the white discs.

On the corner of Bramcote Grove and Barkworth Road, a typical 19th century London "local" pub, serving the streets around it. Unlike many others, and unlike the local church Image, this one survived redevelopment of the area and is still open.

This is ex-LB&SC R.J. Billinton E4 class 0-6-2T No. 473 'Birch Grove' shunting near North Kent West Junction during its BR days as No. 32473. It was built in 6/1898 and withdrawn in 10/62. It was however preserved, on the Bluebell Railway, where it has been ever since, although out of use and under restoration from 1971 until 1997, when it returned to work in its original umber livery, number and name.

On an unusually fine January day I was fortunate to be able to photograph Maunsell class V 'Schools' 4-4-0 No. 30925 in apparently fresh ex-Works condition near North Kent West Junction, running light off Bricklayers Arms Depot up to Charing Cross or Cannon Street to work a down express, probably to Hastings. Built in 4/34 it was withdrawn 12/62, to be preserved in the National Collection at York, later restored for main line work on the heritage Mid-Hants (Watercress) Line.

WD No. 77180 is one of the 935 'Austerity' 2-8-0s built for War Service in 1943-45 at the North British Locomotive Co. Works (Hyde Park and Queens Park) in Glasgow or at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows. Of these, 450 operated in Britain before virtually all were sent to Liberated Europe between 11/44 and 3/45, some being there used by the US Army. After the end of the war, a large number were sold to the Netherlands Railways or loaned to the German, Belgian or French Railways - a few were lost in accidents or air-raids. However, eventually 733 were returned to Britain and served on British Railways for up to another 20 years: only a few were acquired by the Southern Railway - but only until 1950-51. The locomotive seen here, still fitted with Westinghouse brake pump, is working a freight out of Bricklayers Arms Yard. It was built by NB Loco in 7/43 and was loaned to the LNER (at March and Stratford) until 1/45 when it was shipped to France. It worked in Belgium until repatriated in 3/46 and loaned to the SR at Bricklayers Arms; in 7/51 (now No. 90164) it was moved to the LMR (Central Division) and was withdrawn in 9/65.

No. 32449 is an R. Billinton C2 class 0-6-0 built 10/1894, rebuilt by Marsh as a C2x in 1/12 and withdrawn 6/61. It is standing on the Bricklayers Arms branch - in the same spot and on the same occasion as the 2-6-0 in Image