The Railway Magazine – July 2019

Another Coalbrookdale-based Sentinel rebuild,
this time W/No. 6185 of 1925, formerly 0-4-0ST

Coalbrookdale No. 6. Though incomplete, it would be
useful under cover as a demonstration exhibit for the

Sentinel locomotive.

P D No. 10 (Hudswell, Clarke W/No. 544 of 1900) is seen here at Cardiff’s Bute Road Museum in 1986, but is now

at Big Pit Mining Museum, Blaenavon. Over the years it has never enjoyed the luxury of covered accommodation,

and sadly on one occasion (prior to display at Bute Road) parts were cut out of each end of the mainframes in

order to enable the use of load-spreading beams for transport.ALL PICTURES MARK SMITHERS UNLESS STATED.

Cottesmore-based Hunslet 0-4-0STVigilant(287/1882)

has been officially under restoration to working order
for many years, although no target date has been set

for completion.

This Sentinel rebuild (6155/1925) contains the

mainframes of Manning, Wardle‘H’class 0-4-0ST
W/No. 437 of 1873, and even with this distinction,

restoration of this loco looks remote. It is outside at
Coalbrookdale’s Museum of Iron.

This Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST No. 3 (2009/1884)

is another Tanfield resident and sadly, despite
repainting, is parked in the open. Rebuilt by Newport

dealer Adams in the 1930s, this engine presents
an interesting dilemma for any potential restorer -

whether to keep it in‘as rebuilt’condition or return it
to original state with round saddle tank.

considerably altered during its working career.

The current smokebox design clearly suggests

a rebuild at some stage by Hunslet Engine Co,

while the axle-driven feed pump – a classic feature

on many Manning, Wardle products as built – has

been replaced by a second injector.

Although such a proposition may not be

welcome among Penrhyn devotees, there is a

natural feeling the locomotive should be restored,

as closely as possible, to its original condition.

This is particularly true for two reasons. Firstly,

the general arrangement drawings of both 1382

and a similar 2ft 2in-gauge locomotive for Bengal

Coal Co, India (1540 of 1901) survive. Secondly,

Jubilee 1897is the maker’s closest surviving

relative that we have anywhere to the historic

18in-gauge Manning, Wardles used at Chatham.

Modifications

On the standard gauge front, a particularly

rare and valuable locomotive currently unrestored

and normally out of public view is ex-Mountain

Ash Colliery Fox, Walker 0-6-0ST (242/1874).

Currently in the care of the Bristol Harbour

Railway, this locomotive has one important

distinction not often referred to by commentators.

If an allowance is made for the sundry detail

modifications made during its industrial career,

then only its flat-sided saddle tank (a detail found

on a relatively few Fox, Walker locomotives)

would distinguish it significantly from the basic

design of the first two locomotives built for the

Whitland and Cardigan Railway in their original

condition. These latter specimens were, however,

fitted with larger boilers and new saddle tanks by

the GWR prior to sale out of service.

Two interesting former industrial locomotives

are currently held in store by the City of Liverpool

Museums. The first of these isM.D.&H.B. No. 1,

an Avonside 0-6-0ST (1465/1904) that spent all

of its revenue-earning life working for the Mersey

Docks and Harbour Board. The other locomotive

isCecil Raikes,a Beyer, Peacock 0-6-4T, originally

built for the Mersey Railway and later sold

to Shipley Colliery after its original owner’s

electrification. This locomotive is significant in

being the only domestically surviving complete

six-coupled ‘double-framer’ – today one would

have to travelto Cairo to seeaclassicBritish

example of the 0-6-0 tender variety.

Although not viewable without prior

appointment,Cecil Raikesis at least fortunate to

be under cover. Sister locomotiveThe Majoris

now at Trainworks Museum, Thirlmere, Australia,

in a thoroughly neglected state, and if within the

scope of this feature would fall into the ‘in danger’

category.

One interesting locomotive that is currently

off the public ‘radar’ is Neilson (4004/1890)

Snipey. Built to an earlier specification – one

ancestor (2408/1878) worked for three decades

at the Caledonian Railway’s St Rollox Works –

this 0-4-0 crane tank locomotive formerly worked

at Millom Hematite Ore and Iron Co mines, and

its crane enabled it to handle sleepers, rail and pit

props with relative ease.

It is noteworthy in being of generally similar

design to two locomotives once owned by the

South Eastern Railway – Nos. 302 and 409 (the

former of which was allocated the BR number

31302 but did not last long enough to carry

it). The one major point of difference was the

method employed to rotate the crane jib – this

mechanism is mounted on the left-hand side

“This locomotive (Cecil Raikes)issignificantin

being the only domestically surviving complete

six-coupled ‘double-framer’ – today one would

have to travel to Cairo to see a classic British

example of the 0-6-0 tender variety.”

56 •The Railway Magazine• July 2019

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