Return to Home Page
Home Contact Us Member’s Area Can you help us? Can we help you? Glossary Site Map Search
London and North Western Railway Society
Mystery Photographs
Number 72

You are here: Home  >  Mystery Photographs  >  No 72                               Registered Charity L&NWR Society No. 1110210

Background
About the Society
Brief LNWR History
Map of the LNWR
Features
Carriages
Goods Engines
Wagons
Staff History
Mystery Photographs
Modelling Info
Press Digest
Services
Archive Drawings
Library Photos
Membership
How to Join
Newsletter Journal
Sales Events
Webb Site
Search Glossary
Site News Links

Another submission from Ted Talbot to complement Mystery Picture no. 70. This print has Tidey's stamp on the back and appears to have been taken at the same time if not on the same occasion as no. 70, because the work on the track appears to be in the same state. The goods train is pulled by a 17in Coal engine, which has a diamond headboard. The date is perhaps round about 1900 (or mid 1895-1902).

As ever your help would be much appreciated.

If you can assist, please email the Webb Master.

Please include the Mystery Photograph number in the subject of your email.

  Believed not to be Carlisle. Click on the photo for a larger image
John Alsop — 18-May-2008 4.44 PM

The only possible view I can see in the Tidey list is only described as "0-6-0 on Goods" - not very helpful. It is also shown as being a copy but he did copy some of his own pictures.

He is a hard man to tie down. In 1949 in the intro to My Best Railway Photographs the heading is 'Forty-two Years of Railway Photography', and he states that his collection of negatives goes back as far as 1906, so from this the 1890s seem to be ruled out for pictures of his own taking. But, in 1954 in Those Were The Trains he states that from about 1900 onwards he made a week each year for railway photography trips, and in the final paragraph says "I am the only one who, starting in the 1890s, is still carrying on....".

It is interesting to note that his trips started when he was 21 - maybe he was not allowed to do so earlier. His numbering of negatives did not start until around 1906 and it seems that any earlier pictures that survive may be copies. Does it rule out pictures from the 1890s for he was born in 1879, so may have started as a teenager but probably only on family holidays?

Numbers for copy negs are prefixed 'C', trains 'T' and locos and some other views 'S'. 'A' indicates Acquired - sources not known. These numbers, which are on the negatives, only appear on cards he printed himself or that were done by B & R in London, in both cases in pencil on the back. None of which helps with the location which does not tie in with any of his regular places.

Harry Jack — 28-May-2008 3.01 PM
H. Gordon Tidey was selling photographs as early as 1900, when he was only 21. The monthly magazine Locomotives & Railways for February of that year carried a small advertisement:
"PHOTOGRAPHS OF LOCOMOTIVES AND TRAINS. Specialities: G.N.R., S.E.R. and L.C.D.R.. Prices: Cabinets, 6d.; Cartes, 3d.; plus postage. Selections on approval. - Apply, by letter only, to H.G.T., 45, Queen Elizabeth's Walk, London, N."

The issue for June 1900 also has an advert:
"RAILWAY PHOTOS. - East Coast down Scotsman passing Harringay, engine 34; West Coast Ditto, passing Bushey, engines Snowdon and Centurion; L.& N.W.R. 2-45pm up, engine Irresistible. The above and many others can be had as Cabinets or Cartes. Cabinets, price 6d.; Cartes, 3d. Selections on approval. - Apply, by letter, H. G. TIDEY, 3, Pentonville Road, London, N."

Your name will appear here
Your comment will appear here – Email to the Webb Master please.
© 2001-08 LNWR Society   Updated: April 22nd 2008 Privacy Notice
Technical   Please pass your comments on this Webb site to Webb Master. Terms of Use