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The CRYPT Mag

Steam Corner 14

A Production for Ryan Productions by B.L.Cann


Our thanks go to Mr. I. Fyvie,  The Watercress Line,  Mr. T. Knowles,   Mr.S. Smalley,  The North Norfolk Rly.,  Severn Valley Rly., and countless others for their assistance in this production.





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The British Railway system became a highly complex and structurally integrated organization;  so much so that even overseas travel was well catered for.  With the plethora of hotels that designed to complement cross-channel ferries which had transferred ownership from the great pre-grouping companies, plus of course the sea-going craft and existing business, a tidy package was so presented.

The era of the pre-grouping companies is where the main interest lies, however, and the great Chief Mechanical Engineers of the time conspired to bring this additional feature to the railways that they commissioned for.  Most noted for his flexibility in design and build was no less than Mr. Isambard Kingdom Brunell, of the Great Western Railway, who not only produced successful bridges and locomotives, but also a plethora of steam ships of varying capacity.  The most notable of these was the S.S. Great Britain, but there were others besides.


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The idea caught on quickly;  here was a way to increase profits and passenger traffic with a new trade from abroad!  The L.N.E.R. were keen to utilise this new trade, and eventually possessed a veritable fleet of vessels, including "The Waverley" which has been restored to it's former glory.


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The Southern Region made an indelible mark in this field, however, with the assistance of Pullman rolling stock  (Wagons le Lits),  and train ferries.  This was built to lavish standards, and gave rise to such services as the Orient Express, which was opulent beyond compare.   Within a relatively short time, this service became the apex of railway travel, and a target to achieve for the rest of the big four companies.   It's noteworthy that this service still operates, and maintains the original opulent standards, though at a price;  the idea being that passengers boarded the train, and remained aboard until their destination, albeit "sur le continent".


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Train services would run throughout the night, conveying passengers in sleeper-cars on extended journeys;  indeed this was the heyday of railway travel, and considered the only way to travel.  By the 1960's, air travel was taking the lion's share of foreign travel, with the advantage of speed.  Railway hotels started to become less frequented, and the flotilla of ships and boats likewise.  This was the beginning of the end for both:  the Beeching report just finished it off, highlighting inefficiencies of a now sadly mis-used service.  Thankfully, not all of the fine craft were scrapped, and various preservation societies sprang up.

On the canals of Britain, a revolution of their own was occurring.  The traditional pack-horse was giving way to a different kind of power.   Steam propulsion was very much the thing in later Victorian times.   Sadly, a great many of these vessels shared the same fate, as the internal combustion engine gained popularity, but that as they say is progress.


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That's all for now;  I'll be trying a little divergence into other aspects of steam power for future issues, but just one more thing before I go - the future of 4472 Flying Scotsman has been secured at last.  She will become a working exhibit at the National Railway Museum, and will remain in the U.K.


Baz.




© RIYAN Productions

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