Readers ’ Platform
Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. email: railway@mortons.co.uk
NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that the Editor or staff of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents.
Well-travelled ‘Pugs’
I HAVE only just seen the letter on page 60 of the July 2022 Railway Magazine from Martin Sims entitled Southern ‘Pug’. The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Trust, of which I am a Trustee and members’ magazine editor, own both preserved ‘Pugs’ Nos. 51218 and LMS 11243.
Martin Sims wonders if No. 11257, sold to contractors in 1938 for use at Dartford, was the furthest south an L&Y engine had ventured. Our own No. 11243 certainly went further south, being used on the construction of new docks at Southampton, where it was named Bassett.
‘Pugs’ were quite elusive engines and we do not have any photographs of No. 11257, or indeed several others whilst in L&YR, LMS or BR service, and so are always anxious to expand our knowledge if anyone can help.
Robin Higgins By email
STAR LETTER
Paddington returns
I FIRST travelled to London from my home in Australia in November 1975 as a 22-year-old and stayed at the London Walkabout Club at Lancaster Gate. I was always a train enthusiast and had joined the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum in 1974.
Lancaster Gate is quite close to Paddington, and it was there that I purchased a copy of The Railway Magazine at the WHSmith outlet. I enjoyed the magazine and have read it ever since.
Every few years, my wife and I come back to London and we stay at the Corus Hotel at Lancaster Gate – only a few yards from where the Walkabout was located! We recently visited in late April and were there for all of the buzz in thelead up to His Majesty’s coronation.
Even though I have a subscription, I always purchase the latest edition of The RM at the WHSmith outlet at Paddington in case there is anything I should do or see whilst in the United Kingdom. I am so glad I did, because the April edition had an article about the Swanage Railway running its new DMU service through to Wareham on certain days. I realised I would still be in London on Tuesday, May 2 and therefore caught a SWR train to Wareham and the connecting DMU service to Swanage.
I had a great day out and it was all thanks to The RM. Thank you for a lifetime of good reading and keep up the good work.
Alan Sewell By email