‘B&B’ AT KING’S CROSS STATION

I experienced many wonderful sights while trainspotting during the 1950s and the 1960s; one that I recall took place over the weekend of Saturday August 30 to Monday September 1 1958. I and four other teenage trainspotters from my home city of Portsmouth had decided to take advantage of a coach trip emanating from York Way (next to King’s Cross station) to Doncaster, visiting engine sheds en route. The organiser was Mr Ernie Middleton, secretary of the North London Trainspotters’ Club.

We opted to set out on what was to be a most memorable trip by catching an electric unit to London (Victoria) from my local station of Fratton, late on the Saturday afternoon. Noted at Fratton was Western Region ‘Hall’ class 4-6-0 No. 4962 while at Chichester we noted a ‘West Country’ class 4-6-2 No. 34048 Other steam comprised ‘M7’ 0-4-4 tanks Nos. 30054 and 30055 at Horsham; in the Victoria area we