Description

Driver, the late Donald Beale (d.1996) and fireman Peter Smith were a well-known footplate duo on the S&D in the late ’50s and early ’60s, able to extract the very best performance from their steam engines.

On 5 January 1962, Donald and Peter gave Tony Richardson a footplate ride from Blandford to Bath and back again to Blandford. There is a selection of images from this day, as shown below.

Here, Donald and Peter are turning BR Standard Class 5 No. 73019 at Bath Green Park loco depot.

Photo by G A Richardson. Copyright S&DRT. Our ref. WSHSD_2022_14_206.

All images in this group:

WSHSD_2022_14_493: for a view of Peter firing 73019 on the tough climb to Masbury summit.

WSHSD_2022_14_204: for another view of Peter firing 73019.

WSHSD_2022_14_205: Donald Beale and Peter Smith turning 73019 at Bath.

WSHSD_2022_14_206: As 205.

WSHSD_2022_14_356: Peter back on the footplate.

WSHSD_2022_14_130: Peter Smith oiling No. 73019 at Bath.

Also see WSHSD_2022_14_096 for a posed photo of the duo on a locomotive footplate.

9 x 6 cm medium format negative.

Image width 800 pixels, available for immediate download. For personal use only. Publishing by any means, including social media, is prohibited. Higher resolutions of this image are available for personal use; please see photo enquiries page.