ESS Articles
To enable all our readers to be able to read all the articles in as many formats as possible (ie electronic and print), we have reproduced all the articles as they appeared in The Railway Magazine and the Engine Shed Society magazine Link as downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat reader for free
Readers who experience any difficulty in accessing these articles should contact Peter Hall.
This page is broken down into two sections – to jump straight to a section click the links below.
Section 1
Download ESS Link Feature Articles in PDF format
Download ESS Link 91
(Winter 2009) article
What really happened to 92034
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 102
(Autumn 2012) article
Storage of Western Region Locomotives
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 103
(Winter 2012) article
Where some Western Region Steam Locomotives were really allocated to
(Richard Strange).
Download ESS Link 104
(Spring 2013) article
What really happened to the 9Fs
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 105
(Summer 2013) article
Trains Illustrated Dating of WR Stock Changes
(Richard Strange).
Download ESS Link 106
(Autumn 2013) article
A Response to the RCTS
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 106
(Autumn 2013) article
Railway Observer “Sale” Dates
(Richard Strange).
ESS Link 107
(Winter 2013) article
What Really Happened to 73031
(Richard Strange).
Download ESS Link 108
(Spring 2014) article
What really happened to No.92233
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 109
(Summer 2014) article
What really happened to No.45504
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 110
(Autumn 2014) article
Where the Eastern Region Departmental Diesel Locomotives
were really allocated to
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 111
(Winter 2014) article
What Really Happened to Some Diesels
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 112
(Spring 2015) article
When Fratton Shed Really Closed
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 113
(Summer 2015) article
When Plaistow Shed Really Closed
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 114
(Autumn 2015) article
When Gillingham Shed Really Closed
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 117
(Summer 2016) article
When Worcester Works Really Closed
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 118
(Autumn 2016) article
Where 77s Was Really Allocated To
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 122
(Autumn 2017) article
When Newport Ebbw Junction Shed Was Really Demolished
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 124
(Spring 2018) article
“What Happened to Steam – Some Facts“
(Richard Strange).
Download ESS Link 126
(Autumn 2018) article
“Was Riccarton Junction Shed Really Inaccessible By Car?“
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 128
(Spring 2019) article
“What Happened to Steam – Some More Facts“
(Richard Strange and Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 130
(Autumn 2019) article
“Did Any R1s Really Get Transferred to Nine Elms?”
(Ross Woollard and Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 132
(Spring 2020) article
“When Wellingborough Shed Really Closed to Steam”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 134
(Autumn 2020) article
“There Was A Master Plan – But Was It Fully Carried Out?”
(Ross Woollard and Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 136
(Spring 2021) article
“When the USAs Really Ceased Working in Southampton Docks”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 138
(Autumn 2021) article
“Was ADB968004 Really a Diesel Shunter built for the LMS in 1934?”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 140
(Spring 2022) article
“When the USAs Really Ceased Working in Southampton Docks – A Postscript” (Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 142
(Autumn 2022) article
“Why 30952 Was Really On Severn Tunnel Junction Shed”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 144
(Spring 2023) article
“What 8466, 8497, 9425 and 9457 were really used for at Swindon Works”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 146
(Autumn 2023 article)
“What Really Happened to the GWR Railcars sold for Scrap in 1964. ”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 148
(Spring 2024 article)
“What really happened to The 015xx numbering
scheme for diesel shunters ”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 150
(Autumn 2024 article)
What really happened to The 015xx numbering
scheme for diesel shunters – A Postscript
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 152
(Spring 2025 article)
“What really happened to 8719?”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 154
(Autumn 2025 article)
“Which Western Region locomotives were really scrapped at the Albion Steelworks, Briton Ferry?”
(Roger Butcher).
Download ESS Link 156
(Spring 2026 article)
“What really happened to 8719 – a postscript”
(Roger Butcher).
Section 2
Download ESS Link Articles on Roger Butcher’s and Terry Hayward’s Shed and Works visits
Download ESS Link 104
(Spring 2013) article
Have you been round the Works yet?
(July 1964 visits).
Download ESS Link 106
(Autumn 2013) article
Don’t forget to bring a Torch!
(October 1964 visits).
Download ESS Link 109
(Summer 2014) article
Pretty Woman
(October 1964 visits).
Download ESS Link 110
(Autumn 2014) article
Land of my Fathers
(November 1964 visits).
Download ESS Link 113
(Summer 2015) article
Return to White Hart Lane Please
(November 1964 visits).
Download ESS Link 115
(Winter 2015) article Footprints in the Snow
(March 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 117
(Summer 2016) article
It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night
(March-April 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 119
(Winter 2016) article
“We have been expecting you!“
(April 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 121
(Summer 2017) article
“Eight, Nine, Ten!“
(April 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 123
(Winter 2017) article
“Can I apologise for Terry?“
(May 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 125
(Summer 2018) article
“What are you doing with my daughter?“
(July 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 127
(Winter 2018) article
“Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Some Locomotives After Midnight“
(July 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 129
(Summer 2019) article
“We must clear Scotland of Steam!“
(August 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 131
(Winter 2019) article
“Let’s do Basingstoke (Shed)!“
(August 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 133
(Summer 2020) article
“Strong (Tea), One Sugar Please!“
(October 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 135
(Winter 2020) article
“We Gotta Get Out Of This Place!“
(November and December 1965 visits).
Download ESS Link 137
(Summer 2021) article
“What are you lads up to?“
(January and February 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 139
(Winter 2021) article
“Never Say Never Again!“
(March 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 141
(Summer 2022) article
“And Now For The Diesels!“
(April-June 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 143
(Winter 2022) article
“They Think It’s All Over!“
(July 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 145
(Summer 2023) article
“It is now!“
(July 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 147
(Winter 2023) article
“Just look at the Spurs’ Fixture list!“
(August and September 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 149
(Summer 2024) article
Where is Rotherwood?
(September and October 1966 visits).
Download ESS Link 151
(Winter 2024) article
“Are You Alright, John?”
(October 1966 visits)
Download ESS Link 153
(Summer 2025) article
Can I sleep here tonight please?
(Winter 1966/67 visits)
Download ESS Link 155
(Winter 2025) article
Reflections of the Lisbon Lions
(August 1967 visit to Scotland)
Download ESS Link 157
(Summer 2026) article
Not quite empty stock to Victoria
(August – December 1967)
Get in touch
If you can help us in any way, or have a specific query on an individual locomotive, please use the details below.
Steam locomotive disposals
steam@whatreallyhappenedtosteam.co.uk
Diesel locomotive disposals
diesels@whatreallyhappenedtosteam.co.uk
Site administration
peter@whatreallyhappenedtosteam.co.uk
Roger Butcher
Chairman, Engine Shed Society.