heritage shunters trust | photographs pot pourri

Photo Pot Pourri

07003 Oakamoor ,Staffs,circa 1983.A strange place to find a strange loco!. Joking aside,this livery suited this particular engine better than BR blue or green ,but thats only my opinion.Sold to Trems,(A loco Dealer) of Finningley in early 1977,and arrived at Oakamoor in October 1978.I imagine it was bought because of its dual brake air facility,and that it could release the brakes on the dedicated sand hoppers?that were dispatched from this site.As the photo is in glorious monochrome ,I should explain that the livery was white,with caramel stripes and a cartoon style camel on the cab side.The lettering on the long bonnet is BIS ,which stood for British Industrial Sand.Excess sand is plainly evident between the rails ,and I should imagine the internals of the 07 also had a liberal coating of the same.It soldiered on in this quite remote location until it was finally cut up on site in June 1985.As I remember access to the site wasnt so easy ,so photos of this here, you dont find every day,No doubt had the loco managed to survive anothe ten years it would have been saved for preservation ,but as with so many other locos ,we only have photos to remind ourselves off the rich and diverse loco scene ,in the past.

Copyright J.Wade

Copyright J.Wade

PWM652 Swindon works makeover, wonder how they coped with the Ruston engine, did they send it back to Lincoln for overhaul? We may never know!!

Copyright J.Wade

PWM651 Radyr yard on an unknown date. By Gum! this loco spent some time there!! Mind you the driver or fitter earn't their wage just starting it up! Perched on the rear of this running board (where the old coat is ), with the rear most panel taken off, then hand crank the notoriously difficult to start donkey engine (To build air up ,to start the main engine), Those were the days!!

06/08/16 War weekend at Peak Rail, what more could you want shunters and (I can Only dream--Owning your own Jerry Tank!), I Wish anyway, the Yanks had got word that the Jerrys had there eyes on invading HST (the swines!!), little did they know that the yanks had already stationed a motorised platoon (Well I don't know the terminology), So they were ready for the advancing jerrys, well okay only one motorbike and sidecar, but what do you want for your money? On spotting the jerrys, who were "casing the joint" they were chased off by the Yanks, and all this at Hst and still restoring D2205 too!! It's just too much excitement for one day!!

Jerrys plot the invasion

The jerrys come scouting,with the beekeeper driving!

The Yanks give chase, how do you mean ,trigger happy?

.As always the Yanks are ready!!

They turn tail when they when they see our

"Heroes"!(John Wayne & Co)

The Yanks pursue the enemy, "mob handed"

06/08/16 Amid all the gunfire and chaos, we still managed to do some restoration work on D2205. As we are getting the loco ready for painting, all the nuts and bolts have got to be secure in the bodywork before this can take place. There are circular blanking plates round the fuel fillers and the water fillers on top of the radiator (Please see newly machined rad fillercaps also) The original ones were beyond redemption, due to our old friend, corrosion. Some of the bolts had snapped into the holes so after drilling out all the holes were retapped (re threaded) before the new rings were fitted as always with these jobs, there is an amount of hand fitting, filing holes out that arent central etc. I have also included a shot of one of the replacement worksplates after it had been installed, around a month ago.

Rare Stuff

In my book all of the shots below are rare, infact some of them are very rare. I feel privileged to say that Mike Kirby, a prominent member of Heritage Shunters, has given us the exclusive rights to publish these, to add more interest to the site, which they most certainly do.

CopyrightM.Kirby

CopyrightM.Kirby

15000 Crewe South shed yard. 21/05/67

D2998 Southampton Docks shed yard. 14/09/68

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2210 Just about the last one of the first batch, seen at Norwich Thorpe MPD 11/09/68

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2443 Later designated as an 06, only found in Scotland. Built by Andrew Barclay. At Edinburgh, Haymarket Depot 11/04/68

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2020 at Lowestoft Dock, nr Riverside Rd. 11/09/68

CopyrightM.Kirby

D9513 Cardiff Canton (86A) before the mass cull of this vastly under utilised class. 10/09/67

CopyrightM.Kirby

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2856 One of the wonderful Yorkshire Engine Co. products of Sheffield, seen here at Allerton depot, Liverpool. The only class of shunter built for BR with a balcony at the rear.

24/09/67.

D2510 Another very short lived design, built by Hudswell of Leeds. Happily, thanks to Ben Wade, one of these survives today at the Keighley and Worth Valley Rly. Seen at Rugby 13/10/67.

CopyrightM.Kirby

In my assessment probably one of the rarest diesel loco photos ever. At the precise time the photo was taken, the shed foreman from St Blazey bending down had just decided to send the loco to oblivion, due to derailment damage. D6317 seen at the china clay driers ,somewhere in deepest Cornwall. Notice the diamond shaped, North British built, worksplate under the number on the cab. 04/09/68.

And Talking of Rare..............These shots were taken at The Slag Reduction Company of Rotherham. The locos had been hauled down from Scotland by rail. Goodness knows what condition the bearings or boxes were in by the time they got there, but it didn't really matter as long as they could be pulled into the scrapyard. This was a very obscure location situated behind British steel at Templeboro, Rotherham on one side and Booths scrapyard on another. The nearest rail location was Holmes yard, a short distance away from the scrapyard they were consigned to. Famous for "Torching " two Merchant Navy Class steam locos, Union castle and Rotterdam Lloyd. Probably the only sequence of shots by one photographer at this yard you may ever see. Mike's lasting regret from these times (Like a lot more of us), was that he couldn't afford enough film to take a shot of every loco. Oh for a high end digital camera 50 years ago. It was even worse for me, I went at the time as i lived local but although I saw most of these being scrapped, I didnt take many photos here although I have included a couple of grainy ones below,after Mike's superb offerings!

CopyrightM.Kirby

Slag Reduction, with a convoy of shunters mainly from Scotland, (Circa 1967). The building in the far background is Rotherham Masboro South ,on the old road

CopyrightM.Kirby

CopyrightM.Kirby

Both these shots show the final death throes of D2594. These locos did have a really roomy cab, even when complete! Notice the size of the radiators which nearly stretch the full length of the sliding side windows. Having driven ours at Rowsley, D2587, I don't need to have an active imagination to know why the Scottish drivers, were glad to see the back of these, but still a beautiful looking loco for their time. In the main shot you can just make out the melting shops of the steelworks in the background.

4th November 1967.

CopyrightM.Kirby

Appearances can be deceptive. D2733, looking as though she had just arrived from Scotland, infact it had just spent the last couple of years prior to the shot in Wolverton Works, before joining its fellow class members for the final "round up". 21/10/67

CopyrightM.Kirby

The dismembered remains of a steam loco sit in the foreground, (47534?), while in the middle distance can be seen again, the twisted remains of D2594, with behind this two of the ill fated NBL Shunters, D2901 & D2903. The melting shops silouetted in the background beckons for them all. 04/11/67.

CopyrightM.Kirby

CopyrightM.Kirby

Fair testament that D2910 was cut up here, is the cab side with the number on. What an auction item that would have made today! 21/10/67.

The broken radiator badge of the same short lived NBL 0-4-0 shunter, D2910. 21/10/67.

Slightly Happier Times ;

CopyrightM.Kirby

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2754 On loan to Bilston Glen colliery 13/09/67

D2775 Millerhill Depot 16/09/67

CopyrightM.Kirby

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2726 Wolverton Works . 13/10/67

D2705/D2717 Stored down the branch@Leith Central 13/08/67

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2518/D2911/D2909/D2913/D2907@ Crewe Sth 21/05/67.

CopyrightM.Kirby

D2578 & D2559, await the call @ Thornton Jnct 14/09/67

More rare shots

Only recently, last week in fact have I've been able to see my large format B&W negatives as positves, because I have just invested in a 120 film scanner. The implications of this is, I have negs going back 50 years+ that I have never seen as prints! This includes steam negs as well. Tucked into the back of the folder were quite a few which over the years i have probably looked at less than half a dozen times, I was amazed to find a couple at Slag reduction in 1968, with one view taken very similarily to Mike's view shown before. So I did go there with a camera.!I have also included a couple of shots I took going past Arnott Young's at Parkgate on the train to Donny, no doubt for a spotting session. These would have all been taken late circa 1968. Apologies for the imperfections, I am not a wizard at tidying phots up.Its the content I want you to see.

Copyright J.Wade

Jackshaft ,early Class 11's a plenty @ the Ickles Reception Sidings (Or that's what i call the place). The number has been painted out on the 04. Why??

Copyright J.Wade

15003 & 12025, Nobody can accuse these two of being good looking shunters!!

D9531, then D9513, and you may just be able to see D9506 in the gloom of Parkgate,Rotherham, goods shed interior.

These held the dubious distinction of being the first three sent for scrap. D9531 & D9513 lived to fight another day as they were sold for use by the NCB in the North East. D9506 never saw the outside of the yard again, and I have been told the cab lingered for a long time after the loco had been cut.

Copyright J.Wade

Copyright J.Wade

Copyright J.Wade

Thought some of you older readers (Like myself), might like my attempt at a night time exposure, taken by my good self at Nine Elms towards the end as the nameplates have gone. 34026 Yes Tor would that be 1967? Someone may know?

03099 03068

Thornaby 19/4/1976 Returning from a three day Grand Scottish coach tour, organised by the Northern Counties Transport Society, this was our last major depot visited on the trip. All three shots taken on this day. Little knowing how the locos destinies would shortly pan out, there were plenty of 03's on TE to photograph :

03010 & 03153 exported to Italy

03068/76 both went 5 months later to Cohen's at Kettering for scrap.

03154 reinstated in October 77 to soldier on for another 6 years before the grim reaper beckoned at Doncaster Plant.

03099 Had a very hard life in industry working at various coking plants, before being rescued for preservation by ourselves. Along with these there where also 13 x 08's on!! Those were the days!!!!

03076 03153 03010

28/07/71 Returning from an interlude at Butlins, Pwhelli, I decided to spend a day spotting in the Liverpool area on my way home, after spending the night in a very seedy b&b behind Lime St Station. 3177 which became 08111 seen in the pw yard at Wigan, adjacent to the Station. Withdrawn in 12/77, and sent to Doncaster Works for conversion to a snowplough. It became ADB966512 and altered shortly after to ADB968012. Allocated to Frodingham Depot, Scunthorpe it was withdrawn in April 1979, it must have lasted less than 12 months in this role as it returned to Donny works and was cut up in April 1979.

Can you spot the Vauxhall Velox, Vauxhall Viva saloon, mini "pick up"and early series MGB? In the background can be seen the Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Ltd, which today wouldn't really be seen as a catchy name! I'm guessing this company will be long gone. The frightening part is, I can remember taking the shot out of the DMU window, but it's 45 years ago!!

16/10/16 and now for something completely different, in between the showers, the sun came out at Heaton Park (Manchester), with one of the vintage trams providing a frequent shuttle service up and down the park. Please visit if you can to support this group.

And after that brief interlude, to get back to the serious stuff,,,Shunters!!

Manvers Main, June 1969 and the NCB had just taken delivery of these three Class 04's from 51A Darlington Depot. D2337,D2334 & D2336 which is furthest from the camera.

D2337 subsequently became "Dorothy", yellow liveried, and always retained its BR number as well as the one designated by the Coal Board.

D2336 was scrapped on site reportedly in February 1978.

D2334 Was acquired by myself for our collection from the NCB at Maltby colliery, and before its removal I went round collecting parts of it up which had been scattered around the site, not least being the engine room doors which were in use as man hole covers! When it arrived at Meadowhall, I sold it on to another "member", who was supposedly restoring it for our collection, but then sold it on without our knowledge, and its final home now, is the North Staffs Railway at Cheddleton. A great shame in a way as my interest in retaining it, was the fact that it was the last ex-BR loco to leave the South Yorkshire Coalfields. But after saying all that its good to see it preserved and being cared for.

And as for Manvers Main? well if you were to stand in the same spot now, which by the way is almost impossible to ascertain, you would most probably be up to your waist in water standing in a man made lake, or on a grassed area of the Country Park, but that's progress.

All Change at Kiveton Park!

The three photos above show D2209, and she is destined never to shunt a wagon again. All the running gear has been removed, as well as the radiator and power unit. I'm taking a punt in saying there was a serious problem with the wheelsets, (Looking at the surrounding track and ground, it's not much of a surprise. Is probably ran hot and broke a bearing or more likely shifted a crank, as the left hand one is missing on the output shaft. Any problems would almost inevitably spell its instant demise as it was only the first ten or so had the 3' 3" dia wheels, so not a lot of parts will interchange. Another problem, it was only the early batch that had roller bearings. Great idea until one fails and then OH DEAR!! (or probably a lot worse language from the lads on the job!!) The big problem, is that the roller bearings are mounted on an integral solid steel ring, which has to be pressed on before the wheels go onto the axle. Reverse the procedure and to replace the bearing you would need to press at least one wheel off the axle first, to remove the offending roller bearing before pressing on a new one, then replacing the wheel by pressing back on ensuring that the crank pin is exactly 180 degrees opposite to the other wheel on the same set (Called "Quartering"), Totally not cost effective, the loco is scrap. The radiator has then been removed to extract the engine without damaging it for resale, and its probably now powering a Junk in Hong Kong!! It doesn't take a genius to figure out why the later batches of 04's were fitted with split white metal bearings!! Whatever it was the loco was cut up on this spot on 19th August 1985.

The above photo shows a Hudswell Clarke in the foreground and to the right of this can be seen another 04, this one being D2328.

Below are a couple of photos of D2328, another favourite of mine, taken on the same day. (You may be able to see the number painted on the air receiver under the left hand running board ). The loco had been transferred to here from Shireoaks Colliery in May 1982, presumably to replace the errant D2209. She would stay here till transferred away to Cortonwood, the Epi Centre of the Miners Strike, where it lasted exactly a year there before being cut upon site at Cortonwood,,,,,,,,But that's another story!!! PS notice the collision damage on the rear lip of the cab roof and the fact that it has not inherited a mop bucket chimney as per the photos of the bonnets strewn around on the floor as depicted in the photos of D2209. The reason for this being that some' but not all, of the 04's originally at Manvers were the only ones to be fitted with this unsightly conversion, as can be still be seen on D2337, "Dorothy" based at Rowsley.

Celebrity Shunter PWM 650

PWM 650 as most of you shunter aficionados know, PWM, stands for "Permanent Way Machine". 650 has been a very remarkable survivor. Lincoln Council wanted a representative locomotive built at Ruston's, railway locomotive division at their home city of Lincoln, to preserve and display in the City. Quite why it wasn't relocated to the Burton Rd museum, which has more Lincoln made exhibits isn't known, but as depicted here, at the old GNR locoshed site which was its first "safe haven" after being procured from British Rail. At the time of writing in August of next year (2017), 650 will have been withdrawn from BR exactly 30 years ago:19/08/87. How or why this standard gauge Ruston was selected to be one of several examples of the cities engineering excellence remains a mystery, taking into account how many industrial versions were still extant at the time, but I have strong suspicions that one of the Councillors or officials of Lincoln City Council, had strong trainspotting "Leanings", and thank goodness he had! I do know one of the past editors of the local daily Lincoln newspaper was an avid railway enthusiast and also raised awareness locally of the locomotive's historical importance. Wanting to free this site up, for eventual development ,it's next stroke of luck took place. Lincoln City Council were approached by the embryonic Grimsby and Louth Railway Society, (Who have evolved into the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway), who asked if they could have the custody of D3167, the 08 plinthed at Lincoln Railway Station and also owned at that time by the Council. Custody was agreed on the condition that PWM 650 would be loaned to the Grimsby and Louth if they wanted the use of D3167. It moved to their site at Ludborough and the PWM followed shortly after it. Not having the manpower or the financial resources 650, got quite literally shunted into the background, while the 08 has given them sterling service in helping to establish their selves as a viable progressive heritage railway with big realistic ambitions for the future. Efforts were made in the late 90's to get 650 up and running but these foundered when it was found that the power unit that had been procured to replace the original life expired one, wasn't really fit for purpose. Literally years of negotiations have followed, before the Heritage Shunter Trust were able to make an offer to purchase 650 and bring it to Rowsley for a well deserved restoration makeover. So in no way belittling the efforts of the Lincolnshire Wolds it's third stroke of luck is it coming to ourselves who don't have to worry about running a Railway, but who focus on rescuing and preserving ex BR Shunters. This one was the first one built and is slightly different from the next four which apart from other differences had a sloping upper cab front and increased wheel diameters. Of course PWM654 will be glad to see 650, as it's vastly outnumbered by the dastardly Drewys, that it shares shed space with!!! Please don't try telling me locos can't have thoughts,as ;how come they can happily chug about all year without much attention but come a Gala they start playing up??? Yes it is one to ponder. Anyway getting back to reality, if you would like to get involved with this, or any other of the projects we undertake at Rowsley, turn up any weekend, and you will be made most welcome,and hopefully you can show us the way forward!!

D2700 ,Darlington 1st of September 1961.