The photograph below is of Taff Vale Railway Constable John Wallbridge standing beside the 'Newbridge' a Taff Vale Railway locomotive at Cardiff Docks — a ship's mast can be seen in the background. We know that PC John Wallbridge was in the TVR Police from around 1849, when he would have been 20 years old, and 1852 when he transferred to the Cardiff Borough Police. His identity in this photo, and the remarkable portrait taken with a soldier on the Cardiff Borough Police page, was authenticated by a letter written by his grandson in 1956.

This photograph of Wallbridge beside the locomotive was taken while he was a member of the TVR Police before 1853. It is just a pity that it is not nearly such a clear image of the officer. (A second, unidentified, officer can be seen on the left hand side of the photo). The uniforms of these officers are different from the one of Wallbridge in the portrait photo which looks as though it may be a dress uniform. That the TVR issued this type of 'dress' uniform is established beyond doubt by the fact that a file at the National Archives contains swatches of blue serge (for the jacket) and white cotton drill (for the trousers) thoughtfully attached by the force tailor George Bird in 1858.

I understand from those who know more about railway locomotive history than I do, that if it was nearer 1849, it is quite possibly the earliest photograph of a railway engine anywhere. That leaves the intriguing possibility that it may be the earliest railway engine and the earliest policeman — both on the same photograph. Unless, of course, anyone knows differently… (Submitted by Viv Head)

There is a newspaper report of early January 1846 concerning TVR Constable George Shapland.