The John Chisholm Collection
We were recently sent a large collection of Images by John Chisholm which we would like to share. A gallery has been created at the bottom of the page for the whole collection. For quality results these photos will be uploaded to our flickr site. Thank you John.
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My interest in railways goes back to my very early days when my grandpa used to take me to watch the trains on the BML at my local station. In those days it was interesting as the daily goods would amble into the yard on the up-side and shunt the the trucks. Also to take about ten or a dozen wagons of coal across the layout of all four running lines to the gasworks on the fast side and recovering the empties in the same movements. It is too long ago to remember what the locos were but probably 'N' or 'U' Moguls or possibly 'C2X' 0-6-0s or whatever was available at, I guess Redhill shed.
Move on a good number of years to when I went to school in Redhill and then Reigate by train. Steam was by now rapidly declining towards the end of the '50s and diesels were creeping in at an ever increasing pace in the early '60s. As a railway enthusiast there was always plenty to see at Redhill and I recall deliberately missing the first train home to Horley to let me see the trains and yes, to 'collect' the numbers too. At some time between 4.00pm and 4.45pm there was a regular northbound freight which was always electrically hauled by 20001-3 or one of the E5000s which always went on the up through.
As well as the above mentioned, there was an arrival at Redhill off the Tonbridge line in the same period when brand new D6500s would appear with two or three scruffy carriages in tow. It was around this time too when the same train would be formed of one of the 'East Sussex' or 'Oxted Line' units would be on the diagram. It almost appeared that they were on running-in trials as they were in sparkling condition and I remember them so well with their orange relief lines along the roof-line, I think it was. It did not take very long to spot all of 1301-19 and I have always admired these units with their distinctive front-end styling. One could not ignore their characteristic low revving throbbing engine noise which has led us over the years to know them as 'Thumpers'.
As I left school I went into the Finance industry for a career but have always retained my keen interest and enthusiasm for trains, photographing them when out and about. Over the years I have amassed quite extensive collections of various types, mainly on the S R and mostly within not many miles of my home. If only I had a camera in those earlier days and captured all those new units which I saw on an almost daily basis.
I have recently discovered the 'Preserved Thumpers' website and have taken great pleasure and enjoyment from reading its contents. I have donated to the site, via Chris Cannon, a set of my personal photographs of the 'Thumpers' numbering in excess of 100 images. He has all that I have of the thumpers and when they appear you will see that there are but a few of the 'Hastings' units but plenty of the 205s and 207s but also several of that rare beast 206 101 and as 1113 in its earliest form.
All I can say is 'enjoy' but please respect my copyright on these pictures and to quote the source if you use any of them for public usage.
John Chisholm, Horley, Surrey
August 2013