Feltham marshalling yard
Encyclopedia
Feltham marshalling yard, also known as Feltham hump yard, was a large railway marshalling yard designed for the concentration of freight traffic to and from South West London, and for transfer to other marshalling yards in London. It was built on the Waterloo to Reading Line
. It opened in 1918 and was closed by British Railways in 1967.
(LSWR) experienced a substantial growth in its freight traffic to and from London, and for transfer to other railways. By 1910 this traffic was beginning to overwhelm the existing facilities at Nine Elms
. Plans were therefore made for a hump marshaling yard and motive power depot
at Feltham. The purchase of 41.5 acres (16.8 ha) of land was confirmed in 1911, with additional land being purchased in 1915. This location gave excellent access to the company main lines as well as direct links to the Great Western Railway
and London and North Western Railway
, and to the Midland Railway
, Great Northern Railway
and Great Eastern Railway
via the North London line.
The plans were confirmed on the 30th March 1916, and work started soon after with the help of around 200 German prisoners of war
. The first nine ‘down’ sidings were opened on the 9th December 1917 and the remainder by 2nd October 1921.
The yard was completed in 1921 and incorporated two gravity shunting humps and equipped with the latest automated technology including electrically operated points
, and widespread use of Track circuit
s. With its 32 miles (51.5 km) of track, (the longest siding being 1662 feet or 506.6 m in length and the shortest being 1331 feet or 405.7 m), it could handle 2500 wagons a day. These were brought in by 50 down and 26 up trains, and being removed by 18 down and 46 up services. This was, probably, the busiest marshalling yard in the country at that time. Up to 3390 wagons could be sorted per day and an incoming train of wagons could be sorted in 12 minutes.
The yard fulfilled an important part in the rail network for over four decades, especially during World War II, passing in to Southern Railway
ownership in 1923 and British Railways in 1948. However, with the reduction of freight traffic carried by rail in the 1960s the yard became redundant and closed on 6th January 1969. Today, it an overgrown wilderness.
(which was converted into an electric multiple unit
servicing depot. The shed was 475 by 125 ft (144.8 by 38.1 ) with six roads and could accommodate 42 locomotives. There were inspection pits throughout and a 50 ton engine-hoist. There was also an electrically driven 65 feet (19.8 m) turntable and an electrically operated coaling plant.
In 1921 Robert Urie
, the Chief Mechanical Engineer
of the LSWR introduced four large 4-8-0
shunting tank locomotive
s of the G16 class
specifically to operate the yard, and five similar H16 class
of 4-6-2
T to undertake the transfer freight workings from Feltham. In addition the depot had a large allocation of H15 and S15 4-6-0
locomotives for heavy freight duties. The G16 and H16 locomotives were all withdrawn between 1959 and 1962, and the depot was closed by British Railways in 1967.
Waterloo to Reading Line
The Waterloo to Reading Line is a National Rail suburban electric railway line running generally westwards from London, England. It is operated by South West Trains...
. It opened in 1918 and was closed by British Railways in 1967.
History
During the early years of the twentieth century the London and South Western RailwayLondon and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(LSWR) experienced a substantial growth in its freight traffic to and from London, and for transfer to other railways. By 1910 this traffic was beginning to overwhelm the existing facilities at Nine Elms
Nine Elms
Nine Elms is a suburb of London, situated in the far north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Wandsworth between Battersea and Vauxhall.It is primarily an industrial area, dominated by Battersea Power Station, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, railway lines, a major Royal Mail sorting office and...
. Plans were therefore made for a hump marshaling yard and motive power depot
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
at Feltham. The purchase of 41.5 acres (16.8 ha) of land was confirmed in 1911, with additional land being purchased in 1915. This location gave excellent access to the company main lines as well as direct links to the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
and London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
, and to the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
and Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
via the North London line.
The plans were confirmed on the 30th March 1916, and work started soon after with the help of around 200 German prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. The first nine ‘down’ sidings were opened on the 9th December 1917 and the remainder by 2nd October 1921.
The yard was completed in 1921 and incorporated two gravity shunting humps and equipped with the latest automated technology including electrically operated points
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
, and widespread use of Track circuit
Track circuit
A track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the absence of a train on rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals.- Principles and operation :...
s. With its 32 miles (51.5 km) of track, (the longest siding being 1662 feet or 506.6 m in length and the shortest being 1331 feet or 405.7 m), it could handle 2500 wagons a day. These were brought in by 50 down and 26 up trains, and being removed by 18 down and 46 up services. This was, probably, the busiest marshalling yard in the country at that time. Up to 3390 wagons could be sorted per day and an incoming train of wagons could be sorted in 12 minutes.
The yard fulfilled an important part in the rail network for over four decades, especially during World War II, passing in to Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
ownership in 1923 and British Railways in 1948. However, with the reduction of freight traffic carried by rail in the 1960s the yard became redundant and closed on 6th January 1969. Today, it an overgrown wilderness.
Motive Power Depot
Plans for a new automated locomotive servicing depot at the marshalling yard, to replace an existing depot at Strawberry HillStrawberry Hill
Strawberry Hill may refer to:*Strawberry Hill, Cambridge, Massachusetts*Strawberry Hill *Strawberry Hill *Strawberry Hill, London, England...
(which was converted into an electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
servicing depot. The shed was 475 by 125 ft (144.8 by 38.1 ) with six roads and could accommodate 42 locomotives. There were inspection pits throughout and a 50 ton engine-hoist. There was also an electrically driven 65 feet (19.8 m) turntable and an electrically operated coaling plant.
In 1921 Robert Urie
Robert Urie
Robert Wallace Urie was a Scottish locomotive engineer who was the last chief mechanical engineer of the London and South Western Railway....
, the Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
of the LSWR introduced four large 4-8-0
4-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. The type was nicknamed the Mastodon or Twelve-wheeler in North America....
shunting tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
s of the G16 class
LSWR G16 class
The LSWR G16 class is a steam tank locomotive class of 4-8-0T wheel arrangement. It was designed by Robert Urie and introduced in 1921 specifically for heavy shunting over humps at Feltham marshalling yard, on the London and South Western Railway...
specifically to operate the yard, and five similar H16 class
LSWR H16 class
The LSWR H16 class were five 4-6-2 tank locomotives designed by Robert Urie for the London and South Western Railway in 1921–1922.-Background:...
of 4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
T to undertake the transfer freight workings from Feltham. In addition the depot had a large allocation of H15 and S15 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
locomotives for heavy freight duties. The G16 and H16 locomotives were all withdrawn between 1959 and 1962, and the depot was closed by British Railways in 1967.
See also
- Aerial view of yard and motive power depot 1931 http://homepages.tesco.net/~early/lswr/004.html
- Shunter Black's Night Off, 194) (filmed at Feltham marshalling yard) http://www.britishrailways.tv/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=2&video_id=1320
- The remnants of Feltham Marshalling Yards still visible in 2011 http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/rail/feltham-marshalling-yards.htm