THE BRIGHTON BRANCH OF A.S.L.E.F.

 I do not want art for a few, any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few
William Morris (1834-1896)

CHANGING TIMES ON THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY

ACCURATE INFORMATION about the relationships between employer and employee during the mid - Victorian years before 
the growth of the trade unions is difficult to discover, especially in any form other than very general terms. This lack of easily 
available detail has forced many a modern historian to make recourse to statistics to illustrate their work, a regrettable 
practice giving rise to all sorts of usually incorrect interpretations. Records on a local level are even more difficult to find so, 
when a batch of accounts dating from the 1870s and covering a series of industrial negotiations on the London Brighton and 
South Coast Railway was recently discovered, it seemed an ideal opportunity to reconstruct events by allowing the accounts to 
speak for themselves, adding only where necessary a historical background by way of explanation.
England's financial crisis of 1866, brought about mainly by the failure of the Overend and Gurney bank that May, spelt the 
beginning of the end for the old L.B.S.C. Company. The inevitable finally came in 1867 when the Railway's strained financial 
position pushed it to the very edge of bankruptcy; the board of directors was forced to declare that no ordinary share dividend 
would be paid that year. The situation had been worsened by the board's mishandling in March of a dispute with engine 
drivers over working hours. This resulted in an unnecessary two day strike that forced the Company to seek Board of Trade 

arbitration. Disenchanted with the directors' financial incompetence and out-moded policies, the shareholders finally ousted 
them all. Within a year the entire board had been swept away, replaced by people more in touch with the reality of the 
changing times and who were to guide the Company through the next 30 years or so. Samuel Laing MP, Chairman of the 
L.B.S.C. from 1848-55, was brought back and a new Company Secretary, Allen Sarle, was installed as his assistant. Between 
them, they began to lay the foundations for the gradual recovery of the Company, a task greatly assisted over the next few 
years by other notable staff changes that were to alter radically the relationship between the Company and its employees. In 
1869, George Hawkins, Traffic Manager since May 1850, retired and was replaced by John Peake Knight from the South 
Eastern Railway. Later that same year, the Company's Locomotive Superintendent, the much maligned John Chester Craven, 
tendered his resignation for the third time and it was finally accepted. His replacement was William Stroudley who took office 
from 1 February 1870. With the help of a few talented assistants and some influential friends, he was to change the L.B.S.C.’s 
image for ever. 
By 1869, the country's economic climate began to change and a revival of trade heralded a period of renewed prosperity 

between 1870 – 73 for the majority of the working population. 
This change, coupled with the social reforms introduced after the return to power, in the election of November 1868 of a 
Liberal government under William Gladstone, produced the favourable conditions under which England's working population 
once again felt able to press for some improvements in their wages and working conditions. The focus of their expectations 
crystallised into a campaign to reduce the period of continuous labour to nine hours per day. The ‘nine hours movement', as it 
came to be known popularly, first grew to prominence among engineering workers in the northeast. It quickly gathered 
support, spreading eventually throughout the country and its significance was not lost on the L.B.S.C.'s senior management. 
By 1870, the movement had reached London and, when signs of impending agitation began to appear among those employed 
at the L.B.S.C.'s New Cross Works (always the Company's most militant group of employees) both Locomotive Superintendent 
and General Manager (J. P. Knight's title had been changed from 1 January 1870) realised the inevitability of the movement. 

Any opposition to it would be clearly futile and quickly lead to a serious confrontation with the men just at the time when the 
Company was experiencing the beginnings of an upturn in its fortunes. As such a confrontation would be disastrous for the 
Company's recovery, both men expressed their fears to the L.B.S.C.'s board in the autumn of 1871. Immediately, they received 
support from the Chairman, Samuel Laing, who appears to have regarded the nine hours movement with a certain degree of 
enlightened sympathy. Acting on the advice of their managers, and guided by the Chairman, the board sensibly decided to act 
without waiting to be approached. On Saturday, 11 November 1871, they announced his long-felt view that rune hours should 
be that they would concede a decrease in the recognised working man's day so that he men's working hours. The news was 
well might be allowed a fair amount of recreation received, such that the men decided to hold and a chance to enjoy his 
domestic life. He public demonstration as an expression of went on to give some indication of his views their approval.

The afternoon of 18 November saw an estimated 1,400 Brighton men, together with a contingent of 300 or so from New Cross, 
assembled in the New England Road yard. Members of the Works' negotiating committee with their chairman, James Webley, 
at the head led the way, followed. by the Brighton Railway Works band. Next came the men from the various departments, 
each shop with its flags and banners headed by the respective foremen, followed at the rear by the Brighton Town Band. The 
procession wound its way out of the yard up the hill via Chatham Place to Dyke Road where a stop was called outside Balnaiti 
House, the home of William Stroudley, the man whom the men considered to be mainly responsible for the introduction the of 
shorter working hours. In response to cheers from the street, Stroudley appeared at a window to acknowledge their greetings. 
The procession then moved on to Montpelier Road, down North. Street and finally along Marine Parade to No 1 Eastern 
Terrace, the residence of the Brighton Company's Chairman. Upon their arrival, Mr Laing came outside to meet them, an act 
that was enthusiastically received. A deputation came forward to be presented to him by Mr Trangmar, Chairman of the 
Brighton Railway Provident Society. At its head there was Mr Webley of the turners' department, who presented Mr Laing with 

an illuminated address expressing the men's appreciation and their hope that the friendly relations so produced might 
continue. A similar address was presented on behalf of the New Cross contingent by a Mr Pawley. In reply, Laing thanked the 
men for their good wishes, but declined to accept all the credit, saying that Messrs Stroudley and Knight, together with his 
fellow directors, all deserved their fair share of praise. He continued by expressing his long-felt view that nine hours should 
be recognised working man's day so that he be allowed a fair amount of recreation and a chance to enjoy his domestic life. He 
went on to give some indication of his views regarding the question of wages in the future and that this was a separate matter 
from the nine hours movement. On their journey back to the New England Road yard. Once more they stopped, this time 
outside the St Peter's Terrace home of their former Locomotive Superintendent, John Chester Craven where the bands played 
“Auld Lang Syne.” Since leaving the Company's employment, Craven had entered local politics and was now a member of the 
Brighton Town Council. His reaction to this 'salute' does not appear to be recorded! The marchers then returned to Works 
yard but, before dispersing to their homes, they passed a vote of thanks to all who ·had helped with the organisation of the 
demonstration.
At the Company's annual general meeting held at the London Bridge terminus on Wednesday, 24 January 1872, the Chairman 
informed the shareholders that the cost of the concession over the nine hours movement would be some £3,000 annually

 The changes in the economy during this period also brought in their wake altered social attitudes that enabled the Gladstone 
government to introduce a number of reforms, including the passing of the Trades Union Act of 1871 which paved the way for 
the establishment of the first lastingly successful railway trades union. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, formed 
the very same year as the Act, established a branch in Brighton in 1872. It should be added that there was none of the 
acrimonious opposition that greeted the establishment of similar branches on other railways.
Although the A.S.R.S. played no recorded part in what follows, the significance of this milestone in social history should I feel 
not go unrecorded for it illustrated the difference between old and new L.B.S.C. boards towards the Railway's employees.
During the winter of 1871/72, the L.B.S.C.'s drivers and fireman' presented their Locomotive Superintendent with a memorial 
whose object was to enlist his support for a reduction in their hours of work, coupled with an increase in the rate of pay. In 
February, Stroudley issued his reply making his position clear when he stated that, in view of the concession granted only two 
months before, he felt unable to' appeal to the directors for any further increases on behalf of his men. He went on to say that 
he was of the opinion that 'the present rates for both engine drivers and firemen were so good and just that it would be a bad 
policy to alter them.
To the petitioners this was naturally an unsatisfactory reply, so they exercised their right to send a deputation to petition the 
directors and Mr Stroudley was requested to arrange such a meeting.
The month of June 1872 also saw the board in receipt of a petition from the deputation of enginemen who pressed their claim 
for hours worked and wages earned. After some considerable debate, the board agreed to raise the men's wages and to revise 
their conditions of work, instructing Mr Stroudley to prepare a printed circular to be given to each man. Issued on ?Thursday, 
2 July 1872, it read as follows:

Later in the month, L.B.S.C.'s Chairman addressed the shareholders' half-yearly meeting and had the following to say 
regarding this latest wage settlement.
Railway companies (he said) had no great difficulty in dealing with the labour question because it was found that for every 
man who thought he was hardly used, there were three others to take his place. But they had met their men fairly, and after 
careful consideration had agreed to a certain advance in the rate of wages that was considered equitable. The policy of the 
board had been to take time by the forelock and meet their men with timely consideration and the result had been the retention 
of a happy, contented body of men in the service of the Company.
In January 1873, Samuel Laing revealed at the annual general meeting that, out of a total increase' in working expenses of 
£43,760 incurred during the previous half year, the new wage settlements and reduced hours of work accounted for £5,760 of 
the total sum. This appears to have been the final settlement in the series as no further accounts from this period of change on 
the L.B.S.C. have been found. The attitude of the board and its senior managers towards their employees is clearly illustrated 
by these events and would appear to be generally in advance of those adopted at this time by some of the country's other 
major railway companies. This attitude held the L.B.S.C. in good stead. It was nearly 10 years before any further agitation 
began among its workforce.
This has been adapted from the original article that appeared in the Railway World Magazine in December 1984. 
The article was written by Michael Cruttenden.
William Stroudley was ever sympathy with his men, who looked up to him as a friend and regarded him as a hero who made 
their interests his own. In labour relations and in industrial psychology, he was far ahead of his time. Stroudley made himself 
known individually to almost every driver and frequently rode on the footplate, even when he travelled as a passenger 
Stroudley would make appoint to stop and speak to the loco-men during his journey. The high regard for Stroudley was 
showed at his funeral procession on the 24th December 1889, when 1,600 men from the various departments of Brighton 
Locomotive Works marched four a breast.

 L.B. & S.C.R. Footplate Rates Of Pay 1870- 1874

In 1872 a Superannuation Fund was established for higher grades of staff, which was extended to become a pension fund for 

all staff in 1899.

 STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL

extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR

A FOOTPLATE IN TWO HALVES
On 3rd February, 1873 a 'Craven 'Chicherster" Class Singles' loco No. 173 was at the head of the 4.10. p.m. Hastings express 
loaded to 10 carriages came to grief when approaching Berwick station at speed. Without warning the iron pin attaching the 
engine and tender broke, and the train ran on to Polegate before it could before it could be stopped. Fortunately Driver 
Robinson kept his head, and, realised that the train and tender were chasing him, opened the regulator and kept his distance, 
giving vocal warning on the whistle. No one was hurt, and by much ingenuity on the part of the crew a fresh pin was 
improvised, and the journey completed with a loss of minutes. Recoupling the various pipes as well as replacing the pin in the 
dark and cold of a February night says much for the spirit of the old Brighton line.

PULLMAN CARS ON THE BRIGHTON LINE
The first Pullman car ran on the London - Brighton service on Monday 1st November, 1875. This parlor car was built in the 
U.S.A. and assembled in 1875 at Derby by the Pullman Palace Car Company, a branch of the American organisation formed 
in 1867 by George Mortimer Pullman. This car was attached to a train of six new first class coached which left Victoria at 
10.45 a.m. and ran non-stop to Brighton in 70 mins., a timing on the London - Brighton service which had been established as 
early as April, 1858. The Pullman supplementary charge was 1s. 6d. over he first class express fare.
The first all-Pullman train on the L.B.S.C.R. was introduced in 1881,and consisted of four Pullman cars. Although described 
as a new train, the vehicles do not appear to have been new, but were probably refurbished and partly rebuilt for the service. 
The Pullman car Beatrice was used as an experimentally between Victoria and Brighton in October of that year as the first 
railway carriage to be lighted by electricity. This was eleven months before a similar experiment in the U.S.A. As a result, the 
new train was electrically lighted.
On Thursday 1st December, 1881, a special inaugural trip was made to Brighton via Dorking, Horsham & Shoreham and 
back by the direct route. The was hauled by a Stroudley “G” class 2-2-2 No.329, ’Stephenson’. On Monday 5th December, 
1881, the “Pullman Limited Express” was placed in regular service. On weekdays it left Victoria at 10 a.m. and 3.50 p.m., 
returning from Brighton at 1.20 p.m. and 5.45 p.m. 
The first Sunday train ran on the 11th December. It left Victoria at 12.30 p.m. and returned from Brighton at 9.30 p.m. and 
consisted only of Pullman cars. 
The all-Pullman train was poorly patronised, and in less than two months the Sunday service was withdrawn. The weekly 
service was continued, but, from Friday 1st December, 1882, ordinary first class coaches were attached and the train ceased 
to be all-Pullman, The name “Pullman Limited Express” remained in the timetable until 1887, when the words “Fast train” 
were substituted for “Express”. In 1882 a British company called the Pullman Co. Ltd. was formed, but under American 
control.
On Sunday 2nd October, 1898, a train consisting exclusively of Pullman cars was once again put on, and, in contrast to 1881, 
was well patronised. The new train left Victoria at 11 a.m. and returned from Brighton at 9 p.m. It ran only on Sundays, and 
not at all during July, August and September, by reason of the difficulty of securing a clear road in the holiday months. During 
June the train left Brighton an hour later. Like its predecessor, it was at first called “ he Pullman Limited Express.” Early in 
1899, the title “Brighton Limited” began to be used, but not to the exclusion of the earlier one, which retained until 1908, 
when it was superseded. From the outset this train was the first to be timed to run from Victoria to Brighton in n hour, and to 
do the same on the return journey.  

SPEEDOMETERS ON THE FOOTPLATE
Extracted and adapted from the N.R.M. website
Judging the speed of the train was done purely through the driver’s skill, using his route knowledge and mileposts next to the track. This is despite the fact that speed recording equipment had existed for decades. 
On the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Class G locomotive, designed by William Stroudley. The first of Stroudley’s speed indicators was fitted to locomotive Grosvenor, built in 1874. 13 more locomotives were ordered with some modifications, the last being delivered in 1881.  The drawings below shows Stroudley’s patented speed indicator as fitted to locomotive No. 350. Southbourne.

 LIST OF BRIGHTON ENGINEMEN 1877

Above in the photo gallery is a reproduced list of all the engine men that where employed at Brighton Locomotive 
Department in 1877. It is not know if this is list was compiled in seniority order or not. However, the list does clearly indicates 
the difference in the ages of both drivers & fireman at that period of time.
There appears to be more Fireman than Drivers. It is not sure if some of the Fireman where Passed Men who carried out 
driving duties when they where required to do so.

THE FELLINGHAM’S OF BRIGHTON LOCO

E.J. BEDFORD COLLECTION

  Left ~ Right: Fireman Jack Fellingham & Driver Charles Pont.

Driver Jack Fellingham was bit of a celebrity among his workmates because of the long period which he had spent exclusively on the Kemp Town service. For about twenty years, first as a fireman and then as a driver, he had done nothing else, just thousands and thousands of trips from Brighton to Kemp Town and back. It might have been continued thus, but for an official edit which said, in effect, 

‘You can't earn a driver's top rate unless you do main line work'. 

In other words if Jack wanted to take his place among the men on top rate, he would have to broaden his horizons. It was a now or never situation and it caused some amusement among his colleagues. "He'll never do it!", they told each other, "He's never been anywhere but KempTown!"

Jack confounded them all by doing it and spent about six months  'learning the road' to London, Portsmouth, Hastings and many other routes that a top rate driver had to go.

Extracted from the book

Yesterday Once More

By Fred Rich

Jack Fellingham was one of  four Fellinghams that at appeared 

According to the 1925 Southern Railway Seniority Book, there was four Fellinghams and their seniority dates are

Jack Fellingham started in May 1877, John Fellingham started at Brighton in 8th September 1903 

(John later transferred to Brighton's motorman's depot in 1936 where he remained until his retirement in 1950)

 Sid Fellingham started on 16th August 1909 & E. Fellingham started on the 1st February 1916

E.J. BEDFORD COLLECTION  

Photo was taken at Kemp Town some time after 1877 “Gypsy Hill"

 STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR
On the 26^th May, 1879, Driver Howells working engine No. 296 'Osborne' had a lucky escape when in charge of the 8.30 a.m. 
ex-Hayward Heath, which was formed of seven decrepit four-wheelers and a brake van. At the entrance to Brighton station 
No. 296 Osborne was travelling at 20 to 25 M.P.H., and could not be stopped before hitting the buffers, because Driver 
Howells had not discovered earlier that, although the engine carried the usual Westinghouse fittings, all the carriages were 
unbraked. Owning to the lightness of the train, the engine hand brake had been employed at all previous stations and it was 
only when attempting to make up a two minute loss by a smart platform stop at Brighton that disaster struck. Seventeen 
passengers complained of bruising, but no one was seriously injured on account of the train being so crowded that little space 
was available for individuals to be flung about.

STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR
THE OIL OFTEN & PLENTY BRIGADE
For some years Driver George Thomlinson (New Cross?) was assigned to a C1 Class engine No. 431, he was commonly 
known behind his back as 'Old Scourer' on account of his habit of burnishing bright such items as coupling rods, piping, 
safety valves, buffers, cab fittings, and above all the copper-capped chimney. He was also a prominent member of the ‘Oil 
often and plenty brigade', and regularly made rounds of No.431 when on the road. Leaving his Fireman at the controls, he 
used to take up a specially long-spouted can, and clamber precariously out of the right side of the cab to oil as necessary on 
that side of the engine, then pass round the smoke box attending the cylinder lubrication to regain the footplate via the left-
hand running plate.
On 17th September, 1889, while hauling a special goods from Hastings to Willow Walk, near Plumpton, 'Old Scourer' was 
topping up his oil can near the cab entrance, when a sudden and unexpectedly violent lurch sent him over board. The Fireman 
was busy breaking coal at the time and for some moments was quite unaware of the situation, and it was only when there was 
no retort to a witty remark that he guessed the truth. Whistling for an emergency stopped and applying the Westinghouse 
brake took only a few moment, but with a heavy train and a speed of 30 m.p.h. The train ran on for another 500 yards, before 
grinding to a halt. After a hasty conference with the bewildered guard it was agreed to back the trim slowly to the point of 
disappearance and their recover the body. However 'Old Scourer' was found very much alive, swearing loudly with both legs 
buried in a pile of sand, which had broken the falland probably saved his life. On being dug out , this tough character insisted 
in completing the journey and signed on to time following day.
A FOUL PRACTISE
The Battersea (?) footplate crew of a C1 Class engine No. 428, had a fine sense of humour, and after working a series of 
specials carrying live poultry from Brighton to the London area, they produced a frame text and hung it in the cab. This 
stated:- "Poultry - Attention is drawn to keeping hens on the engine. The eggs by such hens shall be deemed to belong to the 
crew, excepting those laid when on shed, when they shall be considered the property of the Foreman". On being asked by 
officialdom to remove it, the crew substituted a much smaller one, saying:- "Sand must not be taken from the sandboxes for 
use in the bird cages". The Shed Foreman was a well known canary fancier!!

STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR

LOST IN THE FOG
On the 4^th February, 1882, in dense fog two, engines Nos. 212 ‘Hartlington’ and 211 ‘Beaconsfield’ were involved in what 
could have been a really serious affray. The former had left London Bridge with the 4.00 p.m. Brighton express and been 
followed by five minutes later by No. 211 at the head of the Hastings train. No. 212 had made its way at about 20 m.p.h. 
towards New Cross, when the fog suddenly thickened and speed was slackened to a walking pace, until just before Bricklayers 
Arms Junction. There no signals could be seen so speed was reduced even further with both men searched for the fogman. Just 
as he was found and shouted all was clear, 211 crashed gently into the rear, its speed having been fortuitously lowered by the 
guard applying his brakes when he failed to sight signals. Both trains stopped, and when it was discovered that the damage 
was negligible and no one injured, the guards decided to couple the trains together and proceed slowly to the New Cross box. 
On arrival, the fog had thinned out and each could be despatched separately down the main line.

On the 31^st December, 1888, when no. 126 Gascony ran into the rear of the 7.00 p.m. to London Bridge to Hastings train in 
charge of no. 10 Banstead. It was foggy evening, and at Norwood junction the D1 driver was unable to read the signals, so 
stopped and sent his fireman to climb the post. At this moment Gascony, running light engine to west Croydon, after dropping 
the 5.10 p.m. Epsom to Norwood Junction goods, knocked the last carriage of the line. No one was injured and the inquiry 
found all concerned blameless.

STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR

SALT OF THE EARTH!!
On the evening of 23^rdJanuary, 1892 engine No. 304 “Nice” ,whilst working a short goods train from Lewes to Brighton. Next 
to the guard’s van was a large six wheeled salt wagon on which the centre axle suddenly fractured, but instead of derailing the 
wagon the broken parts miraculously cleared themselves and the train ran on apparently unharmed. However the driver 
suddenly noticed frantic lamp signals from the guard, so he stopped his engine and awaited the guard who reported the van 
was damaged and had no brakes. Inspection of the train failed to reveal the cause until on starting away slowly the trouble 
came to light, for salt began to pour out of the punctured wagon bottom. In daylight a careful search was made of the track 
and surrounding fields, and in due course part of the axle and one wheel was found 240 yards from the point of the breakage, 
but its companion was never discovered.

STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR

RUNNING AMOK
The L.B.S.C.R. company was extremely fortunate on the 14^th April, 1889, when no. 139 Lombardy ran amok from New Cross 
to South Croydon following a collision with engine No. 224 Crowhurst. The latter was heading the 9.20 a.m. London Bridge-
Victoria into New Cross station, when Lombardy was seen passing from the down main line, across the local line to the goods 
sidings. Seeing collision could not be averted, the crew jumped clear after reversing the engine, which somehow remained on 
the track despite the severity of the blow dealt by Crowhurst, and ran on its own down the main line. By a combination of skill 
and luck the 8 ½ miles to south Croydon were covered without mishap, where signal man Philpott partly opened a pair of 
facing points and brought Lombardy to a stand on the ballast. At the subsequent inquiry no blame was placed on the men 
concerned for on inspection the signaling equipment was found to have suffered at the hands of a local scrap merchant who 
had removed wiring, chains and other parts vital to its efficient working.

THE BRIGHTON BRANCH OF A.S.L.E.&F. WEBSITE.

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WHICH EXPLAINS THE EVOLUTION OF THE FOOTPLATE GRADES AND THE 

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