Prototype PhilH's Industrial Railway Photos

[PhilH]

This topic starts with a rather pessimistic note - I don't think there's a great deal of interest on WT in industrial railways, so it may not go very far. Anyway just to test this out for my own curiosity I've decided to post a few photos and the first batch are of ex mainline railway company locos in industrial service. These are posted in order of date taken, so the selection may seem rather random at times.
Information in the captions is largely from Industrial Railway Society records, some published and some unpublished.

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In August 1961 I arranged a visit with a friend to Bowaters narrow gauge system at Sittingbourne in Kent. At Ridham Dock we were taken to the standard gauge loco shed where the working loco JUBILEE, a Bagnall 0-4-0ST new to Bowaters in 1936, pulled out the spare loco for us to photograph. This was an ex SECR P Class 0-6-0T obtained from BR (31178) in June 1958 and painted in SECR livery with the name PIONEER II on the side tanks (There was an earlier PIONEER, an elderly Hunslet 0-4-0ST built in 1867 acquired secondhand in 1942 and scrapped in 1954). The P Class later went to the Bluebell Railway in 1969 and ran for a short period in SECR livery with the PIONEER II name. The Bagnall was also preserved and is currently at the East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel & Wakes Colne Station.
The steam locos were replaced by diesels in 1968/9, again ex BR in the form of Class 04 Nos. D2228 and D2258, and later in 1977 by 08596.

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LMS 0-6-0ST 11456 (ex L&Y 752) was sold to the Blainscough Colliery Co. Ltd. in May 1937 for use at their Welch Whittle Colliery, near Coppull. The colliery was connected to the LMS West Coast Mainline by a 1½ mile line running south west from a connection ½ mile north of Coppull Station. 11456 was still at Welch Whittle on vesting day (1/1/1947) but then had spells at Chisnall Hall Colliery, just to the south of Welch Whittle, and the Standish System which served several collieries nearer Wigan. In December 1958 it went from Chisnall Hall to the NCB Wigan Area's Kirkless Workshops in Wigan for repair. It was ex works in October 1959 in the Wigan Area livery of Green tank, boiler and wheels; Black cab; Red frames, coupling rods, footplate valances and steps. Throughout its NCB career it retained its LMS number, and this was painted in large red numerals on the cab sides. Unfortunately after this repair, as one visitor to Kirkless was told, no colliery would have it. Maybe it was considered too large and with too long a wheelbase for general colliery use. The previous 3 colliery systems it worked at all had fairly length lines connecting with BR, but Welch Whittle was due for closure and closed at the end of 1959, Chisnall Hall had recently received an Austerity 0-6-0ST newly repaired at Kirkless and the Standish System was dieselised in 1958 with two new Yorkshire 0-6-0DEs. After sitting in the yard at Kirkless for about 3 months it was sent to the nearby Ince Moss Colliery for storage. In October 1961 it was sent to Parsonage Colliery, Leigh, where it would have seen some use, then a brief visit to Bickershaw to cover a shortage, but quickly returned to Parsonage because it was not considered suitable. By March 1963 it was out of use at Parsonage with a burst tube which was possibly never repaired and it certainly appeared to have been out of use for some time when I took the above photo in July1964. Parsonage also had two diesels available by that date.
After sale for preservation it left Parsonage in 1968 and spent 3 years in storage at Yates Duxbury's Heap Bridge Paper Mills, one of the last users of industrial steam locos in the Northwest, before arriving at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in November 1971. It is currently resident at the East Lancashire Railway in non-authentic BR livery as 51456.

As restored in L&YR livery at Haworth in September 1981

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[PhilH]

In 1936/37 Manchester Collieries Ltd. purchased 5 ex North Stafford Railway 'New L' Class 0‑6‑2Ts from the LMS for use on its railway system at Walkden near Manchester. The sale might have been aided by the fact that Robert Burrows (Sir Robert from 1937) was at the time a director of both Manchester Collieries and the LMS (and later the last chairman of the LMS), and the naming of the locos came from his close friendship with the Duke of York who became King George VI in December 1936. Kenneth was Robert Burrows' younger brother.

In order of acquisition the locos were:
LMS 2264 NSR 22 KENNETH
LMS 2262 NSR 72 SIR ROBERT
LMS 2257 NSR 69 KING GEORGE VI
LMS 2270 NSR 1 QUEEN ELIZABETH
LMS 2271 NSR 2 PRINCESS

Between 1946 and 1949 all five received new boilers from Hunslet, which had a square edge to the smokebox front and bolts round the periphery instead of the rounded edge of the North Stafford boilers, giving them a slightly more "industrial" look.
QUEEN ELIZABETH was withdrawn circa 1952, the boiler being used as a spare for the other 4 locos. The chassis was modified and retained for a time as a boiler carrier.

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KENNETH was withdrawn in October 1961 and stored alongside Walkden Yard loco shed where it was photographed in September 1964. It was scrapped in April 1967.

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A rather grimy KING GEORGE VI at work at Sandhole in September 1964. It was withdrawn the following January and scrapped in May 1966.

NSR 2 (formerly PRINCESS) at Walkden Yard in September 1964.​

In April 1960 PRINCESS left Walkden Yard under its own steam to Crewe Works, where it was repainted in North Stafford livery as NSR 2 for exhibition at the Stoke-on-Trent Golden Jubilee Celebrations between 11th - 24th May. In its place BR loaned 'Jinty' 47669 to the NCB while it was away. In 1964 NSR 2 was promised for a railtour of the Walkden System on August Bank Holiday Monday, but leading up to the event it was under repair in Walkden Workshops and it was realised that work required on the chassis wouldn't be completed in time. So it was decided to use the chassis from the then withdrawn SIR ROBERT, which required less work, and fit that with the boiler/cab/tanks/bunker of NSR 2. The reassembled loco was completed just two days before the event. As the chassis usually dictates the identity of the loco, in theory the preserved loco should be NSR 72.

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NSR 2 was withdrawn sometime between May (last noted working) and August 1965 with work required on the boiler, which was never carried out. In September 1965 it was photographed outside Walkden Yard shed with part of the boiler cladding removed and a rather ugly chimney, which was fortunately replaced before the loco left for preservation in June 1967.

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Like many preserved locos NSR 2 led a rather transient existence - Staffordshire County Council, Shugborough Hall Museum - Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum (pictured above in April 1992) - Churnet Valley Railway - NRM Shildon. Its currently on static display at the Foxfield Railway. I did consider a 7mm scale model for the colliery layout and measured the loco while it was at Chatterley Whitfield and prepared a drawing, but decided it was a bit too big. I've still got the opened out Shredded Wheat packet I used to trace the shape of the cab opening radii at the top and the reverse curve at the top of the bunker where it meets the cab ! I believe Chowbent did a 7mm kit for these locos many years ago.

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Having carried out some work on the former chassis of NSR 2 it was decided to complete it and use it to resuscitate SIR ROBERT, which had been withdrawn in 1963 with a condemned firebox. The rebuilt SIR ROBERT was back in use by August 1965 and I photographed it working at Sandhole in October. The name was now painted on each side of the bunker as one of the nameplates had been stolen while the loco was stored out of use.

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SIR ROBERT outside Walkden Yard loco shed. The pipe running on top of the boiler and up the chimney is a steam supply from a valve in the cab to a circular pipe round the top of the chimney with a series of holes producing a curtain of steam around the exhaust. Walkden Railways had continual problems with the Local Authority over excessive smoke emissions, particularly on the steeply graded line passing close to Walkden town centre and several systems were tried to eliminate or disguise the problem. The idea was that when in use, the locomotives could be seen working hard, but only producing white smoke. The rings were usually turned on when approaching the overbridge at Walkden where council staff were sometimes watching. Another modification was the secondary air system. Pipes led from six holes, three on each side of the smokebox, through the smoke tubes and into the firebox. These injected secondary air into the firebox above the fire to reduce smoke emissions. The tubes were obtained from East Germany and had a life of 9 - 12 months, before they burnt away and they had a heat resistant coating on their outside within the firebox to insulate them from the heat. This system also had a steam jet feed to each of the six pipes via pipework in the smokebox, which was controlled from the driver’s side of the cab. The steam jets probably assisted the flow of air through the tubes and reduced smoke when the loco was standing or running with the regulator closed.

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SIR ROBERT was withdrawn in October 1967 and stored alongside Walkden Yard loco shed. It was apparently sold for preservation in 1968 and there were suggestions that it might go to the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, but nothing came of this. On 4th September 1969 it was still in Walkden Yard when the photograph was taken, and two weeks later it was cut up on site.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

Excellent stuff. Industrial railways are just as interesting as main or branch lines and often more so. Do you know what colour the NSR tanks were painted at Walkden before they got the NSR livery. Your photo of Kenneth shows it was lined out round the tanks too.

 

[PhilH]

Excellent stuff. Industrial railways are just as interesting as main or branch lines and often more so. Do you know what colour the NSR tanks were painted at Walkden before they got the NSR livery. Your photo of Kenneth shows it was lined out round the tanks too.

Before Nationalisation the Manchester Collieries livery was black lined in red. After Nationalisation the lining was changed to yellow. When NSR 2 returned in 1960 the livery was changed to red lined yellow, so any East Lancashire Area locos going through Walkden Works for major repair after that date would have been red lined yellow.
KENNETH and KING GEORGE VI remained in black up to withdrawal; SIR ROBERT was black up to its 1964 rebuild, then red. I think NSR 2 still carries the livery applied at Crewe in 1960, no doubt with a bit of touching up here and there !

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

Thank's Phil. I always thought it strange that the name plates were on the bunker. However thinking about it that is a more sensible place as the bolt holes weren't inside the tank and a source if leaks and corrosion. Of course there may not have been a small apprentice available to go inside to hold the nuts when fitting the plates!
Ian.

 

[oldravendale]

Thanks for these, Phil.

On the whole industrial railways are a path less well trod but over the years I've come to realise what an esoteric collection of locos and stock was in use. That, perhaps, discounts the Austerity 0-6-0s!

Please keep 'em coming.

Brian

 

[PhilH]

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Lambton Railway No.27, photographed in the 4 road loco shed at Philadephia, Co.Durham in July 1966. In appearance perhaps a fairly straightforward industrial 0-6-0T but with a rather involved 120 year history. It was originally built by Robert Stephenson & Co. works no.491 in 1845 as a 2-4-0 tender loco for the Newcastle & Darlington Junction Railway as their No.22. At the formation of the NER in 1854 it became No.30, later No.1899 and then No.1761. It was rebuilt as a 0‑6‑0 tender loco by Gateshead Works in 1864, and again in 1873 as an 0‑6‑0ST. In 1898 it was sold to Lambton Collieries Ltd. (later LHJC) for the Lambton Railway and rebuilt by Lambton Engine Works as 0‑6‑0T in 1904. Starting off as a 2-4-0 tender loco with 14"x 22" cylinders and 5'-7¼" dia. driving wheels and finishing as a 0-6-0T with 15"x 20" cylinders and 4'-0½" dia. wheels I don't think much (if any) of the original 1845 locomotive would have remained at the end. It was withdrawn with a condemned boiler in 1963 but retained in case there was any interest in preservation, but there wasn't so it was scrapped in 1968 along with many of the Lambton locos after the system was dieselised with ex BR Class 14 and Class 11 locos.

There is a better photograph here:
LAMBTON, HETTON & JOICEY COLLIERIES - Paul Johnson

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I started to build a 7mm scale model from measurements I took at the time, mainly from tinplate, which got as far as the basic bodyshell. The H spoke wheels might have been a problem at that time although Slaters now do a 10 H spoke 4'-0" wheel. Unfortunately it never got much further and after a few years with no progress it went the same way as the prototype loco.

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Lambton Railway No.52 at Burnmoor in June 1966. The Lambton Railway used large 0‑6‑2Ts for trains to Lambton Staithes on the River Wear with running powers over BR inherited from an agreement with the NER. These replaced the 0-6-0 tender locos formerly used and the first 3 were built by Kitson in 1904/7, from which No.29 is now preserved on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. A further 3 came from Robert Stephenson & Co. in 1909/20 and No.5 from this batch is also now on the NYMR. A similar loco came from Hawthorn Leslie in 1934. To supplement these 5 secondhand ex GWR 0-6-2Ts were acquired in 1929-31, 3 former Taff Vale Railway and 2 former Cardiff Railway, of which No.52 was the last working example.

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No.52 a month later, again at Burnmoor but next to the crossing signal box, the crossing gates were just behind the camera. This was ex Taff Vale Railway Class O2 No.85, GWR No.426, built by Neilson Reid works No.5408 of 1899 and obtained via dealer R.H.Longbottom & Co.Ltd. in April 1929. It was initially modified with a curved 'wrap over' top to the cab (similar to No.29 on the NYMR) due to restricted clearance in the tunnel leading to Lambton Staithes and a deeper centre section to the buffer beams with a lower set of buffers for inside frame chauldron wagons, but it still retained the GWR style safety valve cover. Later it was modified again as shown in the photo with a new cab incorporating sloping sides and side windows, a new bunker, Ross pop safety valves and removal of the lower set of buffers. After dieselisation of the Lambton system it was sold to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in 1970 and modified to its original Taff Vale Railway condition as No.85 with a new top section to the cab, new bunker and modified buffer beams.

No.85 as initially restored in unlined black at Keighley in May 2000. It has since been fully lined out in Taff Vale Railway livery.


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The tunnel (on the left) leading to Lambton Staithes with limited clearance which required the modified cabs on Lambton Railway locomotives working through it. It was built to connect the staithes to the NER in 1865. The clearance problem is the shape rather than the size, as the sides curve in rather too quickly from the base. The single bore tunnel on the right was built later when the Hetton Railway was taken over by Lambton Collieries in 1911 to connect Lambton Staithes with the Hetton Staithes.

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Lambton Staithes on a dull wet day in July 1966. Lines led off bottom left to the entrance tunnel, centre foreground is the large two road locomotive shed and the line leading off bottom right led to a landsale yard. The signal in the centre indicated when the line through the tunnel was clear and just to the left 0-4-0ST No.47 is occupied propelling full wagons onto a staithe where a collier is loading, the funnel just visible. While the scene appears busy with plenty of loaded wagons in evidence traffic was declining as collieries were closing and the staithes were closed the following January, which ended the NCB trains running over BR.

 

[PhilH]

1501 at Coventry Colliery in September 1969 shortly before steam was replaced by two new Hunslet diesels.​

1501 was withdrawn by BR at Southall in January 1961 and moved to Swindon. The following month it was sold together with two other members of the class, 1502 and 1509, to the NCB for use at Coventry Colliery. The three locos were sent to the Bagnall works at Stafford for repair in June 1961, but no work had been done when the works were taken over by English Electric in July 1961 and a decision made to cease locomotive work at Stafford. The three locos were therefore sent to Andrew Barclay in Kilmarnock, but before they could be moved by rail the cylinders had to be removed as they would not clear the Scottish Region loading gauge. The cylinders were sent in wagons accompanying the locomotives. After repair and repaint in maroon livery they had to be transported to Coventry Colliery by road, 1501 arrived at the colliery in June 1962, the other two in August 1962 and March 1963.

1501 was saved for preservation on the Severn Valley Railway and moved to Tyseley for tyre turning in July 1970, arriving at Bewdley in October 1970. 1502 and 1509 were stripped of useable parts as spares for 1501 and other GWR locos and sent to John Cashmore Ltd. at Great Bridge for scrap in October 1970. After a long protracted restoration 1501 was first steamed in May 1997.

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9792 at the part demolished (or part never completed ?) loco shed at Mardy Colliery in May 1970. It was acquired from BR Neath in March 1964 for use on the NCB's Aberaman System and transferred to Mardy Colliery in 1965. When photographed it was in light steam so possibly out earlier in the day or as reserve to the diesel then in use.

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When photographed again in August 1970 it was out of use. In place of the missing numberplate on the cab side the lettering "Mardy No.4 9792" was crudely painted on, and chalked below was "your days are numbered" ! In 1973 it was sold to scrap merchant J.Mahony & Co.Ltd. of Newport, and scrapped there in September 1973.

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9642 at the NCB's Maesteg Locomotive Shed in August 1970. Not strictly an industrial loco but a preserved loco which saw some use on an industrial system. 9642 was withdrawn in November 1964 from Old Oak Common and sent to R.S.Hayes Ltd., Bridgend Scrapyard, but instead of being scrapped it was used to shunt other locomotives in the yard. In 1968 it was purchased by the South Wales Pannier Group and moved to the NCB's Maesteg Locomotive Shed, where it was used to give occasional brake van rides over the NCB system. With the impending closure of the NCB system it was moved to BP Chemicals Ltd., Baglan Bay Works for storage in March 1985, thereafter moving to the Swansea Vale Railway Preservation Society at Llansamlet in April 1989, and later the Dean Forest Railway in 1998. It was purchased privately in 2005, and I believe it's currently under restoration for the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.


7754 was withdrawn by BR in January 1959 from Wellington, Shropshire. It was sold to the NCB in July 1959 and sent to Windsor Colliery, Abertridwr, South Wales. Its stay at Windsor Colliery was short as it was at Llanbradach Colliery by June 1960, then to Ogilvie Colliery in September 1962. After a repair at Tredegar Central Workshops it was sent to Elliot Colliery by June 1965, then Talywain Loco Shed in January 1969 from where it worked the 2½ mile line to Blaenserchan Colliery. After closure of the majority of the Talywain System in April 1970 (a short length of track remained in use to serve the nearby landsale yard with coal coming in from BR for another 4 years) 7754 was moved to Mountain Ash in May 1970.

7754 at the back of the loco shed at Mountain Ash in August 1970 with some work being carried out on the safety valves.


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7754 at work in July 1971. It was withdrawn after a cylinder cover blew off in 1975. The NCB donated 7754 to the National Museum of Wales who placed it on permanent loan to the Llangollen Railway in August 1980.

 

[PhilH]

Continuing the theme of BR cast-offs sold to industry

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Ex BR Class 04 D2274 at NCB Maltby Colliery, South Yorkshire, in May 1970. It was last allocated by BR at Allerton, Merseyside and acquired by the NCB in June 1969. When photographed it was painted red with yellow/black bonnet front and cab rear, black buffer beams and red coupling rods. Officially it was numbered 17, although I didn't find any evidence of the number on the loco. It was scrapped on site in 1980.

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Ex BR Class 03 D2373 outside the loco shed at Manvers Main Coal Preparation Plant, South Yorkshire, in May 1970. Built at Swindon in 1961 it was last allocated by BR at Bolton and acquired by the NCB in May 1968. Initially transferred to Manvers Main, it also had spells at Barnburgh and Wath Collieries. It was painted green including the wheels; black frames; red buffer beams and coupling rods. The cab was lined in yellow with a narrow black edging and the lettering was in yellow edged in red. At some time later the loco changed sex and JIM became DAWN ! It was scrapped on site c1982.

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Ex BR Class 04 D2238 also at Manvers Main Coal Preparation Plant loco shed in May 1970. It was last allocated by BR at Birkenhead and acquired by the NCB in November 1968. The livery was the same as the previous loco (Ex D2373) and likewise the name was later changed from TOM to CAROL. It was later transferred to the coking plant on the opposite (south) side of the BR Sheffield to Leeds line to the coal preparation plant as spare to the fireless loco normally used there but also had a spell at the Coventry Homefire Plant in the West Midlands. It was scrapped on site in 1982, presumably after a period of disuse as the coking plant was closed in December 1980.

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At Manvers Main Colliery itself, also like the coking plant situated on the south side of the BR Sheffield to Leeds line, was this line of five out of use locos including three ex BR class 04s, all still in BR livery. Behind the Peckett 0-6-0ST WILF is D2336 ex BR Darlington in June 1969, which was used for spares and the remains scrapped 1977/8. Next in line is D2225, ex BR Wigan in January 1970. This did see further use and after spells at Manvers and Barnburgh, was transferred to Wath Colliery in December 1976 and scrapped there in July 1985. At some stage in its NCB career it received the name DEBRA. Next is Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM ARTHUR No.61, then last in the line D2326 ex BR Gateshead in February 1969. Like D2336 this was also used as a source of spares and the remains scrapped in 1975.

 

[oldravendale]

Phil - you may know that my main interest is in the big railways in the '50s to late '60s so my knowledge of the industrial scene only started when I visited Quainton Road after the end of BR steam. These pictures are superb and I hope we'll see more. I'm pleased to say that Tim Mills spent a few frames on industrial steam which will appear on the appropriate thread when I've talked things through with his family.

Brian

 

[PhilH]

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NCB Cannock Wood Colliery, Staffordshire, No.9 CANNOCK WOOD. Originally built by the LB&SCR at Brighton Works in 1977 as Class E1 No.110 BURGUNDY. Renumbered by the Southern Railway as B110, it was withdrawn from service in 1927 and sold to the Cannock & Rugeley Colliery Co. Ltd. in April 1927. It was fitted with cast number and nameplates inherited from a Fox Walker 0-6-0ST sold by the colliery company about the same time. This was Numbered 6 in the colliery's stock, the Brighton loco was numbered 9 by merely turning the plate upside down. It was also fitted with the raised initials of the colliery company above the nameplates and a rather ugly replacement chimney, possibly from one of the colliery company's Lilleshall locomotives. The loco is pictured at Hednesford in May 1970 after sale by the NCB to the Railway Preservation Society in December 1963. The next month it was moved to Chasewater where the RPS were developing the Chasewater Light Railway. In September 1978 it left Chasewater for the East Somerset Railway at Cranmore, where it was returned to service in 1993. In 1997 it was withdrawn with boiler problems and work commenced on repairs, but these were not completed and instead the loco was cosmetically restored in BR livery as 32110. A deal was made in 2012 with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway involving BR 2MT 2-6-0 46447 moving to the East Somerset for overhaul and long term loan and the Brighton loco moving to the Isle of Wight and its intended to restore it as another member of the E1 Class W2 YARMOUTH which once worked on the island.

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N.C.B. Opencast Executive, British Oak Disposal Point, Crigglestone, West Yorkshire in June 1970. In the rather rudimentary loco shed is ex BR 'Jinty' 47445 which was obtained from BR in May 1966 and approaching with a train is ex BR Class 14 D9531. In July 1970 47445 was acquired for the Midland Railway Project and moved to BR Derby Works for storage and later transferred to the Butterley site in 1977. Work is currently under way to restore the loco to working order.

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D9531 was last allocated by BR to Worcester and sold in July 1968 to dealer W.H.Arnott Young Ltd., who passed it on to the N.C.B.O.E. at British Oak about November 1968. Carrying a revised number D2/9531 it was noted in June 1970 as painted dark green with orange buffer beams and orange/black bonnet ends. In October 1973 it was transferred to Burradon Colliery in Northumberland then Ashington Colliery until sold for preservation to the East Lancashire Railway in October 1987.

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Ex BR Class 14 D9548 as No.27 at British Steel Corporation's Harlaxton Ironstone Quarry, Lincolnshire, photographed on an Industrial Railway Society visit in July 1970. It was last allocated by BR to Hull and purchased by Stewarts & Lloyds Minerals Ltd. (former owners of Harlaxton Quarry) in November 1968. S.& L. purchased a total of 23 Class 14 locomotives from BR for use in its ironstone quarries, 3 of which went to Harlaxton - the other two being D9503 and D9541. Following the closure of the quarry in 1974 No.27 was transferred to BSC's Corby Quarries where it was renumbered 67. Corby Quarries ceased production in 1980 and following a short period of storage at Corby Steelworks it went to Hunslet in Leeds in November 1981 for conversion to 5'- 6" gauge and resale for use in Spain.
In the photo No.27 has pulled GUNBY a Hunslet '50550' type 0-6-0ST out of the loco shed for photography. GUNBY later went to the Stour Valley Railway at Chappel & Wakes Colne Station for preservation in February 1971. After a spell at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway its now under restoration at the Dean Forest Railway.

 

[PhilH]

This is my take on 7754 using the Modelzone limited edition produced for them by Bachmann.
Weathered by yours truly.
Rob.

Rob, I'm assuming in weathering your 7754 that you were aiming for something like its condition while working for the NCB. However you appear to have used a light brown sandy/rusty colour for the cab and tank sides which wouldn't really be appropriate. Weathering on the upperworks (above the footplate) would be either out of the chimney - soot, dark grey in colour - or from the colliery environment - coal dust, dark grey/black in colour. Unfortunately I didn't take any colour photos of 7754 at Mountain Ash, but several photos are available on the internet of the loco at the Blaenserchan Line and at Mountain Ash.

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The type of weathering typical on a colliery locomotive is illustrated on the Peckett SIR GOMER at Mountain Ash, the only sandy/rusty colour is a small patch on the bottom of the tank above the sandbox filler lid where some spilled sand has stuck and on the rear tank support caused by a leaking connection at the rear of the injector, otherwise all the weathering above the footplate is dark grey.

WHISTON at Bold Colliery also has similar dark grey weathering although not quite as bad as SIR GOMER.


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However, contrary to what most people think, working NCB steam locos were not always covered in filth - 3 years after the last photo WHISTON was again photographed at Bold after a repaint and probably a different crew who took a bit more pride in the appearance of their engine, although the white wheel tyres are probably a bit "over the top" !

 

[Rob R]

Didn't Whiston get tarted up for the Rocket 150 do?

 

[oldravendale]

Didn't Whiston get tarted up for the Rocket 150 do?

Hi Rob.

That was Robert. Here it is, on the day! (my copyright) It's under restoration at the GCR as one of Roger Hibbert's locos.

There was also a representative at S & D 150 although not Robert. I have a photo of that as well if required.

Brian

 

[PhilH]

Didn't Whiston get tarted up for the Rocket 150 do?

WHISTON was repainted early in 1977, ROBERT was repainted probably soon after its arrival from Littleton in February 1978 - one report says by May 1978 - certainly by April 1979 when I saw it in use, so neither were painted specially for the event.

 

[NHY 581]

Point made Phil.

However, I model to satisfy myself and that was achieved.

I merely posted those images in the spirit of your thread to illustrate 'my take' on a loco that you made mention of. You clearly take issue with my interpretation and have sought additional images to support your view.

It matters not to me but I do accept that my efforts are not to everyone's liking, though a number of members have 'liked' my posting.

I'll delete these posts and leave you to it.

Rob.

 

[PhilH]

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506 (ex BR D9504) crosses the road near Weetslade Coal Preparation Plant on the NCB's Burradon - Backworth System in September 1975. NCB bought a total of 20 of these BR Class 14s, all but one going to the Durham and Northumberland Areas where they replaced remaining steam locos. 506 later worked on the Ashington System and after rail traffic ceased there in 1987 it was sold to the Kent & East Sussex Railway where its been restored as BR D9504.

At the same location No.41 0-6-0DE Ruston & Hornsby 421438 of 1958 leaves Weetslade with a loaded train for the BR exchange sidings.


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and - No.9 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 7097/44 returns light engine to Backworth loco shed after bringing a loaded train for treatment at the Weetslade Coal Preparation Plant. Steam working from Backworth ceased in January 1976 and No.9 went to the Strathspey Railway in September 1976 where its currently under restoration.

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No.8 (ex BR D8568) at Ribblesdale Cement Ltd., Clitheroe in May 1980. Last allocated by BR to Polmadie and withdrawn in October 1971, it was initially sold to the Hemel Hempstead Lightweight Concrete Co. Ltd. in September 1972, then resold to Ribblesdale Cement Ltd. in June 1977. Due to a reduction in rail traffic at Clitheroe it was sold to the Diesel Traction Group and left for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in February 1983. Its currently based on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway.

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A rather lime encrusted BR 12083 at Tilcon Ltd., Swinden Limeworks, Grassington, in April 1981. Withdrawn by BR from Carlisle in October 1971 it was sold to Tilcon Ltd. in July 1973. After sale for preservation it initially went to the South Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society at Sheffield in May 1998, then in August 2001 to the Battlefield Line at Market Bosworth, where its currently in unrestored condition.

 

[PhilH]

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Ex BR 07001 (originally D2985) an 0-6-0DE built by Ruston & Hornsby in 1962 at Peakstone Ltd. Holderness Limeworks, Peak Forest in October 1983. Withdrawn by BR from Eastleigh in July 1977 it arrived at Peak Forest in May 1978 after overhaul at Tilsley & Lovatt Ltd., Stoke-on-Trent. In 1989 it was sold to the South Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society at Meadowhall, Sheffield and later moved to the Heritage Shunters Trust at Peak Rail, Rowsley where it has been restored in rail blue livery.

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Ex BR D2132 now named LESLEY at NCB Pye Hill Colliery, Nottinghamshire in September 1982. Withdrawn by BR at Swindon in May 1969, it was sold in October 1970 to the NCB at Bestwood, possibly just for repair at Bestwood Central Workshops as it was soon transferred to New Hucknall Colliery, later arriving at Pye Hill Colliery about 1981. It was sold for scrap to C.F.Booth Ltd, Rotherham, in November 1984.

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In September 1982 a loaded train of 16 HAA Hoppers from Moor Green Colliery, Notts. en route to the BR exchange sidings, top and tailed by two ex BR 0‑6‑0DEs. Heading the train is DAVID (ex BR D3613) painted green, withdrawn by BR at Lincoln in February 1969 and sold to the NCB in August 1969. It arrived at Moor Green in 1971.

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At the rear is ROBIN (ex BR D3618) painted red, withdrawn by BR at Lincoln in April 1969 and sold to the NCB in August that year. It arrived at Moor Green in March 1981.

The colliery also had a similar loco SIMON (ex BR D3619). The rail system at the colliery closed in 1984 and all three locos were scrapped on site in March/April 1985.

 

[PhilH]

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Ex BR D2865 a Yorkshire Engine Co. 0-4-0DE built in 1961 at Blue Circle Industries Ltd., Kilvington Gypsum Works, Nottinghamshire in September 1982. This worked the sidings serving the works adjacent to the BR Newark to Bottesford West Junction Line. Withdrawn by BR from Goole in March 1970, it arrived at Kilvington in September 1970. Standard gauge rail traffic ceased about August 1982 and the loco was moved to the firms Beeston Cement Terminal for storage in 1984, then sold for scrap to Vic Berry Ltd. of Leicester later that year.

The main attraction for me at Kilvington was the 3 foot gauge system from the works to the quarry worked by two Simplex 4w diesel hydraulic locos supplied in 1974 and 1976. In September 1982 the 1974 loco (works no.102T007) was working.

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The gypsum occurs in thin layers and is excavated by draglines and dumped into stockpiles ready for loading into the narrow gauge wagons. Overburden and other waste material is dumped on the other side of the pit ready for backfilling and reinstatement of the land.

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Loaded V skip wagons - looking a little bent and battered, not surprising judging by the size of the stones and the fact that they are mechanically loaded.

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The Simplex loco with a loaded train ready to leave the quarry for the works. The frame over the track beyond the train carries the cable supplying power to the dragline excavators. Beyond is a tank wagon used to supply fuel to the smaller machines.

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Simplex works no.102T007 supplied new to Kilvington in 1974. This is one of Motor Rail's T series diesel hydraulics fitted with a 104hp Deutz air cooled engine and hydraulic transmission via a torque converter with chain drive to both axles. Originally designed for underground use, none were actually supplied for that purpose and most were exported, the only UK customers being for the NCB on surface stockyard systems and Kilvington. They were supplied in weights up to a maximum of 14 tons as at Kilvington by the addition of thick steel plates bolted on each end. Quarrying ceased in December 1983 and the railway closed after the last stockpile was removed in March 1984. Both Simplex locos were sold at the end of 1984 to the Shanes Castle Railway in Ireland via Alan Keef Ltd. After the closure of the Shanes Castle Railway in 1995 the 1974 loco (works no. 102T107) went to the Fintown Railway, a new 2¼ mile long line on the trackbed of the former County Donegal Railways along the shore of Lough Finn in the west of Ireland. Initially it worked with a train of 3 ex Belgium tramcars, but was later rebuilt by Alan Keef Ltd. with a completely new body including a much larger cab. In this form it has been used with an ex County Donegal railcar, pulling the railcar in reverse one way and being pulled by the railcar on the return journey. Both these unusual forms of train can be viewed on Youtube, just search "Fintown Railway". The newer 1976 Simplex (works no.102T016) is now on the Giant Causeway and Bushmills Railway in Northern Ireland as No.2 and named RORY.

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The scene outside the loco shed, the shed itself is behind the camera. The tank wagon behind the Simplex loco is being filled from the large static tank and on the right is one of the two Ruston & Hornsby 100DL 0-6-0DM locos built in 1949 which worked the line until replaced by the two Simplex locos. After closure of the system the one in the photo (works no.281291) was scrapped on site, the other (works no.281290), which was in the loco shed, went to the Irchester Narrow Gauge Museum. In 2006 it went to the Manx Electric Railway on loan to RMS Locotec for permanent way work on the line and in late 2010 it was sent for repair to Wolsingham on the Weardale Railway. It was reported still stored at Wolsingham in August last year.

 

[J Whit]

Hi , these are superb photos and excellent informative captions , may i ask what equipment they were captured on ? , as they are very clear
do keep them coming please , a real treat thank you .