I remember being intrigued in the very early 60s by some photos of the Tiverton Junction to Hemyock branch that were probably in Trains Illustrated magazine. A 1400 Class in an attractive rural setting was shown picking up the milk tanks from the local dairy in a short, mixed rake of passenger and freight rolling stock. All, presumably, part of the efforts to provide London with its daily “pinta”. It offered such a contrast - as local services go - to our own Wirral to Liverpool EMUs.
These neat little Collett 1P 0-6-2 tanks were introduced in 1932 for light branch line working. My own introduction to them was at Gobowen on the Chester to Shrewsbury main line in 1962. From here they worked the Oswestry branch and I photographed No. 1458 about to leave the junction station.
They were also used on the push and pull auto-train on the former Cambrian Railway’s route from Ellesmere to Wrexham Central and John Dyer photographed them in both locations. No. 1432 and No. 1458 are featured, both in 1962. The Ealing comedy film, the Titfield Thunderbolt, brought the 1400 Class to a wider audience, sharing the limelight with the ex-Liverpool and Manchester Railway survivor, Lion.
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