In 1879 the Plaistow Works was set up to supply the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) with locomotives and rolling stock. Initially some 4-4-2 tank locomotives were supplied by Sharp, Stewart & Co Ltd, gradually supplanting those supplied by the GER. The workshops were built by Kirk & Parry of Sleaford and were fully operational by 1881.
In 1879 Thomas Whitelegg (c1841-1911) from the Great Eastern Railway Works at Stratford was appointed Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon and Marine Superintendent at the Plaistow Works of the LTSR. He remained in this position until retirement in June 1910, when he was succeeded by his son, Robert Harben Whitelegg (1871-1957). Thomas had been a draughtsman at Stratford and Robert followed the same trade, joining the LTSR as draughtsman in 1888. The locomotive works did not build its own locomotives, which were purchased from outside contractors, but did carry out extensive repair and rebuilding work. From 1923 some types of locomotives were built for the London Tilbury and Southend Section by the LMS Works at Derby.
The works complex in 1912 consisted of a small Locomotive Works (including an erecting shop, boiler shop and machine shop), a Carriage and Wagon Paint Shop (converted from the old C&W shops) and a Carriage and Wagon Shops building that had once been the locomotive running shed. The overall set-up was cramped and confined.
Essentially reduced to a local maintenance role, the locomotive works at Plaistow were closed in 1925 by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, and any work transferred to the Bow Works of the former North London Railway. The Carriage and Wagon shops continued until 1931 when their work and some staff were transferred to Wolverton.
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) was opened in 1854 as a joint enterprise between the London and Blackwall Railway and the Eastern Counties Railway (later the Great Eastern Railway). The line was completed between Forest Gate and Southend in sections between 1854 and 1856.
In 1862 the LTSR was made independent by act of parliament, though the board continued to be dominated by representatives from the original founding companies. Until 1875 the LTSR was worked under an uneasy and fractious leasing agreement between contractors Peto, Brassey & Betts, and the Eastern Counties Railway (later Great Eastern Railway), with stock hired from the latter. In 1875 the LTSR became more formally independent with Arthur Lewis Stride (1841-1922) as General Manager and Engineer.
The LTSR continued to prosper and expand along with the expansion of the suburbs around Greater London and into Essex. On its own the company was reaching the limits of its capabilities to meet demand, and debate ensued between the GER and the Midland Railway over a takeover. The LTSR was amalgamated with the Midland Railway in 1912.
Date
c 1880 to 1938
Scope and ContentThe majority of these drawings originate directly from the drawing offices of the Plaistow Works and later of the Derby Works of the Midland Railway. These represent only a small proportion of the drawings originally created by this institution. Other drawings in the collection were made for the use of the Plaistow Works by contractors who supplied locomotives, carriages and associated mechanical equipment. These contractors included Dubs & Co Ltd, Sharp Stewart & Co Ltd, Beyer Peacock Ltd, Westinghouse and other companies.
There is also a register that covers drawings made at the Plaistow Works for use in the workshops, drawing numbers 1-2314 over the period December 1876 to August 1913.
A full listing can be found on the National Railway Museum website under 'Drawing Lists' at https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/research-and-archive/further-resources/catalogues.
Extent31 boxes
Physical descriptionThe drawings are on a variety of materials: blueprints, cartridge paper, tracing paper, waxed linen and linen-backed paper. Some drawings have been made in pencil and others have a coloured ink wash. Sizes and condition are variable. Particular caution will be observed when handling coloured drawings, drawings which have been linen-backed and drawings in a fragile condition.
LanguageEnglish
Archival historyDrawings for the Plaistow Works originate both locally and from outside contractors, and after 1912 were increasingly supplied from Derby and Wolverton, with a small number linked to Bow. Additional drawings relevant to stock from the LTSR may therefore also be found in these collections. Catalogues of surviving drawings from the Derby Works, Bow Works and Wolverton Works are also available at the National Railway Museum
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR) was opened in 1854 as a joint enterprise between the London and Blackwall Railway and the Eastern Counties Railway (later the Great Eastern Railway). The line was completed between Forest Gate and Southend in sections between 1854 and 1856.
In 1862 the LTSR was made independent by act of parliament, though the board continued to be dominated by representatives from the original founding companies. Until 1875 the LTSR was worked under an uneasy and fractious leasing agreement between contractors Peto, Brassey & Betts, and the Eastern Counties Railway (later Great Eastern Railway), with stock hired from the latter. In 1875 the LTSR became more formally independent with Arthur Lewis Stride (1841-1922) as General Manager and Engineer.
The LTSR continued to prosper and expand along with the expansion of the suburbs around Greater London and into Essex. On its own the company was reaching the limits of its capabilities to meet demand, and debate ensued between the GER and the Midland Railway over a takeover. The LTSR was amalgamated with the Midland Railway in 1912.
The Midland Railway was formed in 1844 from the merger of the Midland Counties Railway, the North Midland Railway and Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway wit its headquarters in Derby. It expanded its operational territory by acquisition (e.g. railways in the Erewash valley, to Sheffield, serving the Leicestershire coalfields and the route from Birmingham to Bristol), and by construction of new railways and extensions to existing lines, including lines to Peterborough and Lincoln, towards Manchester and, most notably the Settle to Carlisle route. It expanded into the South Wales coalfields, and acquired railways not connected to its main routes: the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway and, in Ireland, the Belfast and Northern Counties Railways. Much of this activity was driven by competition with its geographical rivals, the London and North Western Railway to the west and the Great Northern Railway to the east.
Where its interests were better served by co-operation, it tried to reach agreements with those same companies to share routes and traffic receipts. The most famous of these is the Euston Square Confederation, an agreement between the Midland Railway, the London and North Western Railway and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. Other such arrangements were the Cheshire Lines Committee and the right to run over the Great Northern Railway into King’s Cross station.
The arrangements for through running and sharing of London termini with its competitors proved unsatisfactory. As a consequence the Midland Railway eventually built its own connection to London. The line ran from Bedford on the Midland’s existing Leicester to Hitchin line, to a terminus at St Pancras. It was opened in 1868. The Midland Railway was a partner in several joint railways e.g. the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (with the London and South Western Railway), and the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (the Great Northern Railway).
The Midland Railway came under the control of the Railway Executive during the First World War and ended its independent existence in 1923 under Grouping when it was merged with, amongst other railway companies, its great rival the London and North Western Railway to form the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company.
Conditions governing accessAccess is given in accordance with the NRM access policy. Material from this collection is available to researchers through Search Engine.
Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied of items in the collection, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NRM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation.
Both Bow and Plaistow works were run by the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company. When Bow reverted to repair work some staff moved to Crewe and Wolverton
Drawings for the Plaistow Works originate both locally and from outside contractors, and after 1912 were increasingly supplied from Derby and Wolverton, with a small number linked to Bow. Additional drawings relevant to stock from the LTSR may therefore also be found in these collections. Catalogues of surviving drawings from the Derby Works, Bow Works and Wolverton Works are also available at the National Railway Museum
Drawings for the Plaistow Works originate both locally and from outside contractors, and after 1912 were increasingly supplied from Derby and Wolverton, with a small number linked to Bow. Additional drawings relevant to stock from the LTSR may therefore also be found in these collections. Catalogues of surviving drawings from the Derby Works, Bow Works and Wolverton Works are also available at the National Railway Museum
Drawings for the Plaistow Works originate both locally and from outside contractors, and after 1912 were increasingly supplied from Derby and Wolverton, with a small number linked to Bow. Additional drawings relevant to stock from the LTSR may therefore also be found in these collections. Catalogues of surviving drawings from the Derby Works, Bow Works and Wolverton Works are also available at the National Railway Museum
Drawings for the Plaistow Works originate both locally and from outside contractors, and after 1912 were increasingly supplied from Derby and Wolverton, with a small number linked to Bow. Additional drawings relevant to stock from the LTSR may therefore also be found in these collections. Catalogues of surviving drawings from the Derby Works, Bow Works and Wolverton Works are also available at the National Railway Museum
AppraisalNo formal appraisal has been made of these drawings but a note is included in the catalogue listing of the physical condition for purposes of access, where it may be necessary to make restrictions.
System of arrangementThe original system of arrangement of the drawings has been obscured as a result of successive transfers of location from the original company Works. The drawings have been separated into two categories: those clearly originating with the Plaistow Works and forming a numerical sequence and those clearly originating from other companies and works.
