When Woolwich stopped off in Woolwich

Two pictures of this mornings brief stop off for Woolwich in her journey between Waltham Abbey and Crossness.

Woolwich was one of the locomotives which ran on the internal railways of the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich (when the Arsenal was the Arsenal). She was later run as part of a preservation scheme in Devon and then acquired by the Royal Gunpowder Museum at Waltham Abbey. She is now to be exhibited and used as Crossness Engines.

Woolwich comes to Woolwich on Wednesday May 18th 2011

The Crossness Engines Trust intends to construct a narrow gauge railway. Crossness Pumping Station is adjacent to the former Royal Arsenal and thanks to the good offices of the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills Trust it has been possible to secure the surviving 18 inch gauge equipment from the Royal Arsenal Railway System. It's expected that an initially modest line will be operating within two years and it's very much hoped that it will re-create the former RAR as closely as possible.

On Wednesday 18th May the locomotive 'Woolwich', Avonside 0-4-0T 1748/1916, will be the first item to return to SE London. She's been away since 1959.

Details...

Between 11.30pm - 12.00noon 'Woolwich' will arrive at the Royal Arsenal for display between the Greenwich Heritage Centre and the 'Firepower' Museum, about four or five minutes walk North of Woolwich Arsenal station. The loco will remain there for 60 to 90 minutes. All are most welcome to see her return home. She will then depart for Crossness.

Unfortunately the public cannot be admitted to Crossness Pumping Station on Wednesday but she will be on display there during the next public steaming day on Sunday 26th June. After that date she will be dismantled for restoration.

For further information, please contact;

Ian Bull
On behalf of the Crossness Engines Trust
020 7223 3572
and on May 18th only...
077 998 101 78

Albert Mead - Enquiry

came across your website whilst searching for information about J Stone & Co, the former engineering company at Deptford. My maternal grandfather, Albert Alfred Mead, used to work with them between the wars, possibly as company secretary. He seems to have been a self-made man, and since we know rather little about his professional life I thought it would be interesting to see if we can find any records that might throw light on his involvement with the company. Albert Mead also appears to have had his own company, Mead Mclean, under which several patents have been recorded. Any information about Mead Mclean would be of great interest as well. I wondered if your Society has any medium via which I could post this enquiry?

The Mead family lived at Lee and Blackheath (South Vale House, until around 1939). My father's family, the Eden-Greens, also lived locally and my grandfather Samuel worked at Johnson & Phillips between the wars. We moved away from Blackheath around 1965.

GLIAS 253

Tbe April issue of the Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society newsletter has a lot in it about Greenwich - so much that I can only summarise.

The main item is a long article by Bob Rust - which needs to be read to be appreciated. It runs to three pages and gives the sort of detail which can only come from personal knowleddge. He knows the local names of operations, smells, and what the local kids got up.

Bob Rust - if you are out there and reading this - please get in touch - we would like to talk to you!

GLIAS also notes the local plans for the old coaling jetty on the Greenwich Peninsula and the plans for it as a 'public heritage facility'.


A smaller item laments the imminent demise of John Humpheries House and notes it as the home of the fourth Leo III and refers us to www.leo-comouters.org.uk


GIHS would also like to hear from Chris Lewis who gave the GLIAS lecture on 20th April. He spoke about William Henry Barlow, who was born locally - there is a plaque to him on the presbytery of Our Lady of Grace in Charlton Road. we understand this was an amazing lecture - and - please Chris, we would like to know more.