Ben Brooksbank was a Senior British Medical Council Researcher who dedicated much of his life to photography, mainly of scenery and railways, in Britain and abroad. His photographs spanned the later war years through BR steam, initially in black and white and also some in colour from 1953. His subjects included railway stations/remains as well as locomotives and train scenes. As a lifelong railway enthusiast, he was a key member of the World War Two Railway Study Group. His books include Western Steam 1948-1966, a photographic study of the last years of steam on the former GWR.

Before he died in 2018, Ben uploaded an extensive collection of his work onto the website www.geograph.org.uk to make the photos available for enthusiasts. The Newport images are reproduced below and are freely useable under the Creative Commons license. There is no need to acknowledge the license if sharing the images here because these versions have the license details at the bottom.

The images of Newport and elsewhere can also be searched here:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Photographs_by_Ben_Brooksbank&from=N

After opening any image at Wikimedia, the ‘More Details’ link takes you to the original Geograph entry and the downloading options as well as the license details. If you take the images off the web, please ensure that you use the watermarked versions as reproduced here; otherwise, acknowledge Ben with the Creative Commons details as explained.

We hope that you enjoy this collection of old Newport railway images.

Really down-at-heel GW 2-6-0 at Newport High Street - 4 Sept 1946

Seen in 1946 from the Up main platform on the Down Through line on one of the constant freight trains through Newport is an extreme example of post-war neglect (delayed maintenance): Churchward 43XX 2-6-0 No. 5374 (built 7/19, modified to heavier No....

GW former Brecon & Merthyr 0-6-2T at Newport Ebbw Junction Locomotive Depot - 15 April 1951

No. 435 was built 2/21 as B&M No. 49, acquired by the GWR in 7/22 as No. 1668, renumbered 435 in 1947-50, and withdrawn in 2/54. Here, in 1951, it is on an outside pit at the major Ebbw Junction Depot, which in 1950 (coded 86A) had an allocation of 1...

Ex-GWR 2-8-0T at Newport Ebbw Junction Locomotive Depot - 15 April 1951

One of the numerous 2-8-0Ts employed on heavy coal traffic in South Wales, No. 5222 is one of the Collett '5205' class, built 5/24, withdrawn 3/65. Photo by Ben Brooksbank. Before he died in 2018, Ben uploaded an extensive collection of his work o...

GW 2-8-0T at Newport Pill Locomotive Depot - 15 April 1951

GW 2-8-0T at Newport Pill Locomotive Depot Dead in the Yard is Churchward '4200' 2-8-0T No. 4280 (built 5/20). Newport Pill Depot was in the extensive Newport Docks area and until 6/65 served the traffic of the former Alexandra (Newport & South Wale...

Paddington - Fishguard Harbour Express at Newport High Street Station - 3 July 1951

View eastward, towards all points east, north, and south; ex-GWR South Wales main line. The 15:45 express from Paddington is headed by the penultimate 'Castle', No. 7036 'Taunton Castle' (built 8/50, withdrawn 9/63). It arrived at Fishguard Harbour a...

Cardiff - Bristol train entering Newport High Street - 6 April 1954

Cardiff - Bristol train entering Newport High Street View westward from the Down main platform, towards Cardiff, etc., etc.: ex-GWR South Wales main line, also Western Valleys branches from Newport - all passing through the Gaer Tunnel - out of view...

A smart '8750' class 0-6-0PT passing through Newport High Street Station - 6 April 1954

View NE, towards the Usk Bridge and all points north, east, and south: ex-GW South Wales main line, etc. The lines and platforms are as they were before the radical alteration of 1961. The locomotive, No. 4634 (built 11/42) on the Class H freight, is...

Newcastle-on-Tyne - Cardiff Express at Newport High Street - 22 July 1955

View eastwards, towards England: ex-GWR South Wales main line, showing the Down main platform at Newport as it was before the major alterations of 1961. The 08:12 from Newcastle has come via York, Sheffield, Birmingham New Street, and Gloucester, whe...

Newport Station, with the Up Red Dragon Express - 10 Oct 1958

View NW, from the main Down platform; ex-Great Western main lines from London, Bristol, etc., also Gloucester, Birmingham, etc., and Hereford, Shrewsbury, and the north-west, to Cardiff, Swansea, and West Wales. Several lines from the Eastern and Wes...

Newcastle - Cardiff Express leaving Newport High Street - 10 Oct 1958

View NE, towards everywhere north, east, and south; ex-GWR South Wales main line. The 08:15 from Newcastle-on-Tyne came via York, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham, and Gloucester, and was due at Cardiff at 16:20. The 4-6-0 (No. 5980 'Dingley Hall', built...

Down iron ore train entering Newport - 5 June 1961

View eastward, on the ex-GW main lines towards Maindee Junctions/Hereford/Shrewsbury, Severn Tunnel Junction/Gloucester, etc./Swindon, etc./Bristol, etc. Running on the Down Through line, the class H train is headed by ex-WD 2-8-0 No. 90672 of Woodfo...

'South Wales Pullman' entering Newport High Street - 5 June 1961

View eastwards on the Down side towards the Usk Bridge and all points except west. The South Wales Pullman, which left Paddington at 08:50 and reached Swansea at 13:10, was introduced in 6/55 and ran as a steam-hauled train until 1962 but was withdra...

Newport High Street Station, with Up freight running through - 5 June 1961

View SW, towards Cardiff, Western Valleys, etc.; ex-GW South Wales main line. In the 1950s and 1960s freight trains were running constantly through here; it would seem that few passengers were about, at least on this day. The Class F freight - its ta...

Up freight passing through Newport Station - 5 June 1961

View westward, towards Cardiff, etc., also the Western Valleys: ex-GW South Wales main line. The Class F freight is headed by Collett-modified (93XX) Churchward 2-6-0 No. 7322 (built 2/32 as No. 9300, renumbered 3/57, withdrawn 11/61 - six months aft...

Smart 2-8-0T bringing Up freight through Newport Station - 5 June 1961

View westward, towards Cardiff, on the ex-GW South Wales main line, also the Western Valleys lines. Collett '4200' 2-8-0T No. 5243 (built 8/24) - evidently ex-Works - is bringing a typical Class H freight on the Up Through line. Photo by Ben Brook...

'8750' class 0-6-0PT on Pilot duty at Newport High Street Station - 14 April 1962

View SW at the east end of the station. No. 9662 was built 4/48 and lasted until 9/65. Photo by Ben Brooksbank. Before he died in 2018, Ben uploaded an extensive collection of his work onto the website www.geograph.org.uk to make the photos availa...

Newport High Street Station from the west - 14 April 1962

View NE from a train from Cardiff leaving the Stow Hill Tunnel, towards the station: ex-GW South Wales main line. On the right is '8750' class 0-6-0PT No. 9616 (built 9/45 and withdrawn 8/65) shunting the Goods Yard, while a Down Class F freight appr...

Standard GW 0-6-0PT at Newport High Street Station - 14 Aug 1963

View NW at the west end of the station. No. 3662 is an '8750' class 0-6-0PT, built 2/40 - one of hundreds to be seen all over the GWR/WR. Photo by Ben Brooksbank. Before he died in 2018, Ben uploaded an extensive collection of his work onto the we...

Down iron ore train entering Newport High Street Station - 14 Aug 1963

View eastward at Newport East across the Usk Bridge; ex-GWR South Wales Main Line. The train exemplifies the constant flow of iron ore from Banbury and its surroundings to the steelworks at Cardiff, Port Talbot, etc. It is headed by a new BR Standard...

A 2-8-2T westbound entering Newport High Street with a Down train of condemned wagons - 14 Aug 1963

The train is a sign of the changing times, as is the recently (1961) installed modern signalling and the abandoned Newport East Box. The locomotive is Collett '7240' class 2-8-2T No. 7249, rebuilt 11/38 from Churchward '4200' class 2-8-0T No. 4209 (b...

Down fast freight entering Newport High Street - still with a 'dirty old steam engine' - 14 Aug 1963

View eastward, towards the Usk Bridge and all points except west: ex-GWR South Wales main line. By August 1963 steam traction on important workings such as Class C freight was very much in decline, but here unkempt Collett 4-6-0 No. 5914 'Ripon Hall'...

Up freight train passing through Newport High Street Station - 14 Aug 1963

View SW, towards Cardiff, etc., and the Western Valleys; ex-GWR South Wales main line. Fifty years ago [Edit: written in 2011], and earlier, trains like this were passing through Newport constantly. This Class F train is headed by an original Churchw...

Up mineral passing Newport High Street Station - 14 Aug 1963

View SW, towards Cardiff, etc. on the ex-GWR South Wales main line, also the Western Valleys. The Class H train of coal in modern 16-ton steel wagons is on the Up Through line and has probably come from Rogerstone' headed by Collett '2884' class 2-8-...

Newport High Street Station, with Down freight passing - 14 Aug 1963

View NE, towards Maindee and everywhere north, east, and south; ex-GWR South Wales main line, Eastern and Western Valleys, etc. The station had been radically re-arranged in 1961, so this Down Class F is not running 'wrong line' because the former Up...

Wood Lane (London) milk empties entering Newport High Street - 14 Aug 1963

View eastward, to the now derelict Newport East Box, the Usk Bridge, and all points except west; ex-GWR South Wales main line. The train is headed by Hawksworth 'Modified Hall' 4-6-0 No. 7913 'Little Wyrley Hall' (built 3/50, withdrawn 3/65). Phot...

Cardiff - Liverpool Express leaving Newport - 14 Aug 1963

View westward, towards Cardiff, etc.; ex-GWR South Wales main line. The 16:40 from Cardiff General is bound for Liverpool Lime Street, via Hereford, Shrewsbury, and Crewe, headed by 'Modified Hall' 4-6-0 No. 6969 'Wraysbury Hall' (built 9/44, named 6...

'Merry-go-round' iron-ore empties passing Newport Station with two Type 3 Diesels - 14 Aug 1963

View eastwards, towards the east, north, and SW generally; ex-GWR South Wales main line. To supply the vast new Steelworks opened by Richard Thomas & Baldwin in 1962 at Llanwern, imported iron ore brought into Newport Docks had to be moved for a shor...

Newport High Street after its 1961 rearrangements; a Diesel-hauled train of car-flats passes a Pannier 0-6-0T - 6 April 1965

View westward, from the new Down main (island) platform, towards Cardiff, etc., on the ex-GW South Wales main line, the Western Valleys, etc. A Station Pilot, Collett '8750' class 0-6-0PT No. 3662 (built 2/40, withdrawn 8/65), stands at the demoted D...

Up coal train passing Newport High Street Station - 6 April 1965

View west, towards Cardiff, the Western Valleys, etc.: ex-GW South Wales main line and branches. Here we have the station and its lines recently rearranged, with the main lines straddling the island on the right, the Down Main nearest. The Class H mi...

A GW 2-8-0T runs through Newport Station towards the Hills Tunnels, passing a new Type 1 Diesel at the Goods Station - 6 April 1965

View SW, towards Cardiff, etc.: ex-GW South Wales main line. The 2-8-0T is one of the newer Collett '4200' ones, No. 5241 (built 8/24). The Diesel is nearly new (built 10/64) BR/Paxman Diesel-hydraulic Type 1 0-6-0 (later Class 14) No. D9519, which, ...

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