John Ross
Western Thunderer
As a fan of North British Locomotive Company thanks for sharing these images.
All the best
John
Prototype PhilH's Industrial Railway Photos
- Thread starter PhilH
- Start date
All the best
John
PhilH
Western Thunderer
From the gold mining area on the outskirts of Johannesburg I travelled east to the coal mining area around Witbank (since renamed officially Emalahleni - "place of coal") and in a 2 day stay managed to visit a total of 11 collieries with a total of 32 steam locos.
At South Witbank Coal Mines Ltd. the working loco was No.5 an ex SAR Class 8 4-8-0 built by Neilson Reid works no.6304 in 1903.
Witbank Colliery No.1 was unique as being the only remaining unrebuilt example of the SAR Class H 4‑10‑2T loco design originally built for the Natal Government Railways in 1901-03. All the SAR locos had either been scrapped or converted to 4‑8‑2T by simply removing the trailing coupled wheels, in which form a few still remained in SAR service in 1973 in Durban Docks or with private owners. No.1 was built for colliery service by the North British Loco Co. works no.23722 in 1928 to the same design.
Witbank Colliery shared a common section of line with Landau Colliery on the route to the SAR exchange sidings.
Witbank Colliery No.4 a North British 4-8-2 heads a loaded train along this section of line.
Followed shortly after by Landau Colliery's ex Rhodesian Railways Class 16 2‑8‑2+2‑8‑2 Garratt, built by Beyer Peacock works no.6567 in 1929.
Tavistock & South Witbank Colliery had 3 ex SAR Class H locos converted to 4‑8‑2Ts, this being their number 1, the other two were out of use in the loco shed.
While the loco might be unfamiliar the name carried on the smokebox certainly shouldn't be !
This was an odd one - photographed in the shadows behind the loco shed at Albion Collieries Ltd. was this small Andrew Barclay 0-4-2T works number 2003 of 1934. Originally supplied to a gold mine it seemed very out of place amongst the large tank and tender locos.
At South Witbank Coal Mines Ltd. the working loco was No.5 an ex SAR Class 8 4-8-0 built by Neilson Reid works no.6304 in 1903.
Witbank Colliery No.1 was unique as being the only remaining unrebuilt example of the SAR Class H 4‑10‑2T loco design originally built for the Natal Government Railways in 1901-03. All the SAR locos had either been scrapped or converted to 4‑8‑2T by simply removing the trailing coupled wheels, in which form a few still remained in SAR service in 1973 in Durban Docks or with private owners. No.1 was built for colliery service by the North British Loco Co. works no.23722 in 1928 to the same design.
Witbank Colliery shared a common section of line with Landau Colliery on the route to the SAR exchange sidings.
Witbank Colliery No.4 a North British 4-8-2 heads a loaded train along this section of line.
Followed shortly after by Landau Colliery's ex Rhodesian Railways Class 16 2‑8‑2+2‑8‑2 Garratt, built by Beyer Peacock works no.6567 in 1929.
Tavistock & South Witbank Colliery had 3 ex SAR Class H locos converted to 4‑8‑2Ts, this being their number 1, the other two were out of use in the loco shed.
While the loco might be unfamiliar the name carried on the smokebox certainly shouldn't be !
This was an odd one - photographed in the shadows behind the loco shed at Albion Collieries Ltd. was this small Andrew Barclay 0-4-2T works number 2003 of 1934. Originally supplied to a gold mine it seemed very out of place amongst the large tank and tender locos.
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
I think I've stumbled into the middle of a Colin Garratt book!! 
Just because there isn't that much Industrial - especially "foreign" industrial - modelling on WT doesn't mean there isn't the interest.
Possibly for a lot of us, if it has flanged wheels, we'll be interested to some extent. Even those of us at the Back of the Class.
Just because there isn't that much Industrial - especially "foreign" industrial - modelling on WT doesn't mean there isn't the interest.
Possibly for a lot of us, if it has flanged wheels, we'll be interested to some extent. Even those of us at the Back of the Class.
michael mott
Western Thunderer
PhilH
Western Thunderer
ESCOM (Electricity Supply Commission of South Africa) had an interesting collection of five locos at its Rosherville Power Station site on the outskirts of Johannesburg. The Power Station itself had been closed and mostly demolished by September 1973 but the site still accommodated workshops, stores and offices.
The working loco was an Andrew Barclay 2-4-0T works no.1105, built in 1907 for the Jersey Railway as their No.5 LA MOYE. In 1928 it was sold to the Victoria Falls & Transvaal Power Co. and shipped to South Africa. The VF&TP Co. was taken over by ESCOM in 1948 and the loco has been used at various locations. It didn't seem to be fully occupied with its duties of moving stores or other equipment and I think the crew spent most of their time keeping it well polished.
Kitson 4-6-0T works no.2269 built in 1879 for the Natal Government Railways as their no.13. It was later classified as Class 'C' by the SAR with the number 62, and sold to the VF&TP Co. in 1913. In 1983 the locomotive was declared a National Monument as the oldest steam locomotive then still operating in South Africa.
Hunslet 2-6-0ST works no.790 built in 1902, to the same design as 11 locos supplied by Hunslet to the Table Bay Harbour Board, Cape Town in 1901-03. It was shipped to Hunslet's agent in Natal and the original customer is not known, although the fact that Hunslet records indicate it was supplied with a nameplate "THE COLLIER" may suggest it was to a colliery company. It was purchased by VF&TP Co. in 1914. The rear bunker and frame extension were a later addition.
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 0-4-0ST works no.7677 supplied new to ESCOM in 1951 inside the workshops. Apart from the gauge this is similar to RSH 0-4-0STs supplied to power stations in the UK at about the same time.
Avonside 4-8-2T works no.2009 built in 1927, and originally supplied to the Union Steel Company of South Africa. Although the 4-8-2T was a common industrial type in South Africa, Avonside only built two and they were probably the biggest. The other loco was built a year later for a colliery company. AE 2009 was sold to the VF&TP Co. in 1932.
The Hunslet and Kitson were stored in a shed away from the power station site and I was told if I came back 3 days later they were to be brought out for a visiting party of rail enthusiasts. So I turned up on the day to find the locos parked outside the shed but not in a particularly good position for photography and the enthusiasts had been and gone. The locos were to be taken to the workshops so on the way the staff kindly parked the locos in a better position, where photos 2 and 3 above were taken. The last photo shows the 3 on the way back to the workshops. All 5 locos have been preserved, the Barclay, Kitson, Hunslet and Avonside locos as part of ESCOM's historic locomotive collection.
The working loco was an Andrew Barclay 2-4-0T works no.1105, built in 1907 for the Jersey Railway as their No.5 LA MOYE. In 1928 it was sold to the Victoria Falls & Transvaal Power Co. and shipped to South Africa. The VF&TP Co. was taken over by ESCOM in 1948 and the loco has been used at various locations. It didn't seem to be fully occupied with its duties of moving stores or other equipment and I think the crew spent most of their time keeping it well polished.
Kitson 4-6-0T works no.2269 built in 1879 for the Natal Government Railways as their no.13. It was later classified as Class 'C' by the SAR with the number 62, and sold to the VF&TP Co. in 1913. In 1983 the locomotive was declared a National Monument as the oldest steam locomotive then still operating in South Africa.
Hunslet 2-6-0ST works no.790 built in 1902, to the same design as 11 locos supplied by Hunslet to the Table Bay Harbour Board, Cape Town in 1901-03. It was shipped to Hunslet's agent in Natal and the original customer is not known, although the fact that Hunslet records indicate it was supplied with a nameplate "THE COLLIER" may suggest it was to a colliery company. It was purchased by VF&TP Co. in 1914. The rear bunker and frame extension were a later addition.
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 0-4-0ST works no.7677 supplied new to ESCOM in 1951 inside the workshops. Apart from the gauge this is similar to RSH 0-4-0STs supplied to power stations in the UK at about the same time.
Avonside 4-8-2T works no.2009 built in 1927, and originally supplied to the Union Steel Company of South Africa. Although the 4-8-2T was a common industrial type in South Africa, Avonside only built two and they were probably the biggest. The other loco was built a year later for a colliery company. AE 2009 was sold to the VF&TP Co. in 1932.
The Hunslet and Kitson were stored in a shed away from the power station site and I was told if I came back 3 days later they were to be brought out for a visiting party of rail enthusiasts. So I turned up on the day to find the locos parked outside the shed but not in a particularly good position for photography and the enthusiasts had been and gone. The locos were to be taken to the workshops so on the way the staff kindly parked the locos in a better position, where photos 2 and 3 above were taken. The last photo shows the 3 on the way back to the workshops. All 5 locos have been preserved, the Barclay, Kitson, Hunslet and Avonside locos as part of ESCOM's historic locomotive collection.
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
PhilH
Western Thunderer
An original approach to naming locomotives..??!!
No, they're not named Barclay, Kitson or Hunslet - the "official" names are on small plates mounted on the top of the smokebox, MOGGIE, KITTY and MITZI respectively, named after the power station's cats - far more sensible !
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JimG
Western Thunderer
No, they're not named Barclay, Kitson or Hunslet - the "official" names are on small plates mounted on the top of the smokebox, MOGGIE, KITTY and MITZI respectively, named after the power station's cats - far more sensible !
I suspect, given the relative lifespan of the locomotives and the cats, that the cats are now named after the locomotives.
Jim.
PhilH
Western Thunderer
Now we must stop it, or we'll be incurring the wrath of the Serìous Squad, for having fun on the Forum, and worse still, on someone else's Thread!!
Remember, no S.B.B. allowed!! Where's the "wagging finger" smiley when you need it? Oh, it's Over There, silly me....
No, I'll just stop posting in this topic.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
PhilH
Western Thunderer
I'll finish off the South African industrials with a few "odds and ends".
OLIVE a Bagnall 0-4-2WT of 18" gauge at the Kimberley Mine Museum, located next to the famous "Big Hole" diamond excavation. This is one of four similar locos delivered to De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. at Kimberley in 1906 by Bagnall with works nos.1814-17. OLIVE didn't carry a works plate but the number 1814 was stamped on the motion. Another one of the four was preserved elsewhere in Kimberley and this has since been moved to the museum. These were some of the biggest steam locos built for the 18" gauge with 12"x 16" cylinders and a weight in working order of 16¼ tons - compare that to a 2ft. gauge Quarry Hunslet with 7"x 10" cylinders and a weight in w.o. of about 7 tons. They were built as well tanks with the tanks between the frames to reduce the centre of gravity. John Fowler supplied four 0-4-2Ts to De Beers in 1927, but they were smaller locos with 8" x 12" cylinders.
I should have taken a head on view to emphasise the 18" gauge, but this is as near as I got, the loco is actually 6'- 6" wide - on 1'- 6" wide track !
Valve gear is Bagnall-Price patent, a variation on Walschaerts valve gear.
The 18" gauge tip wagons used on the system, known locally as Cocopans. One carried a plate "Dick Kerr & Co. Ltd., London & Liverpool". According to a nearby notice the rail system was used to take the excavated material to a central treatment plant and was replaced by conveyors in 1958.
OLIVE a Bagnall 0-4-2WT of 18" gauge at the Kimberley Mine Museum, located next to the famous "Big Hole" diamond excavation. This is one of four similar locos delivered to De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. at Kimberley in 1906 by Bagnall with works nos.1814-17. OLIVE didn't carry a works plate but the number 1814 was stamped on the motion. Another one of the four was preserved elsewhere in Kimberley and this has since been moved to the museum. These were some of the biggest steam locos built for the 18" gauge with 12"x 16" cylinders and a weight in working order of 16¼ tons - compare that to a 2ft. gauge Quarry Hunslet with 7"x 10" cylinders and a weight in w.o. of about 7 tons. They were built as well tanks with the tanks between the frames to reduce the centre of gravity. John Fowler supplied four 0-4-2Ts to De Beers in 1927, but they were smaller locos with 8" x 12" cylinders.
I should have taken a head on view to emphasise the 18" gauge, but this is as near as I got, the loco is actually 6'- 6" wide - on 1'- 6" wide track !
Valve gear is Bagnall-Price patent, a variation on Walschaerts valve gear.
The 18" gauge tip wagons used on the system, known locally as Cocopans. One carried a plate "Dick Kerr & Co. Ltd., London & Liverpool". According to a nearby notice the rail system was used to take the excavated material to a central treatment plant and was replaced by conveyors in 1958.
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PhilH
Western Thunderer
No.1 a 3'-6" gauge Kerr Stuart 'Huxley' class 0-4-2T works no.4138 of 1920 at Illovo Sugar Mill, Natal. It was in use shunting the mill sidings while a Hunslet 0-6-0DM worked the connection to the South African Railways. The mill also had two ex SAR 4-8-2Ts, one out of use the other under repair.
No.3 a 2'-0" gauge Kerr Stuart 'Darwin' class 0-4-2T works no.4063 of 1924 out of use at Illovo Mill. This was the last remaining of 3 similar locos and said to be for preservation outside the company offices. Its now at the Sandstone Estates Railway, where its been fully restored to working order as an 0-4-2ST.
The working 2'-0" gauge locos at Illovo were two Hunslet 0-4-4-0DMs and two Hunslet 6wDMs. This is 10 NTINYANA Hunslet 4689 of 1955 under repair.
Mixed 3'-6" and 2'-0" gauge track outside the mill.
PhilH
Western Thunderer
The three mile long South Shields, Marsden & Whitburn Colliery Railway had the distinction of being the first public passenger carrying railway to be nationalised on 1/1/1947, one year ahead of the rest of British Railways because it was owned by a colliery company rather than a railway company. However passenger services didn't survive long under the NCB, finishing in 1953, after which the railway resumed its original main role of serving Whitburn Colliery until closure of the pit in 1968.
A view along the line approaching Whitburn Colliery in July 1966 with an array of signals which were controlled by the large signal cabin in the centre distance, all virtually redundant after the cessation of passenger services. Beyond the signal cabin the line crossed the coast road on a girder bridge and curved to the right to enter the colliery sidings. The siding on the left with the two hopper wagons served coal drops to a landsale yard at a lower level.
A last remnant of the passenger service was this ex Great North of Scotland Railway brake third 6 wheeler built in 1895 and acquired by the colliery company in 1938.
The former passenger terminus at Whitburn Colliery.
In 1965 the steam locos at Whitburn were replaced by 3 new Hunslet 0-6-0DHs and in 1966 an additional 0-6-0DH was supplied by Andrew Barclay works no.514. NCB Area no.509 was just two months old when photographed in July 1966.
No.9 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn 0-6-0ST works no.7749 of 1952 was dismantled ready for the fitting of a replacement boiler when the diesels arrived, but the replacement was never received and the remains were scrapped in 1968. The van to the right was probably intended to serve as a mobile workshop and faint lettering on the side read "REPAIR WAGON".
A view along the line approaching Whitburn Colliery in July 1966 with an array of signals which were controlled by the large signal cabin in the centre distance, all virtually redundant after the cessation of passenger services. Beyond the signal cabin the line crossed the coast road on a girder bridge and curved to the right to enter the colliery sidings. The siding on the left with the two hopper wagons served coal drops to a landsale yard at a lower level.
A last remnant of the passenger service was this ex Great North of Scotland Railway brake third 6 wheeler built in 1895 and acquired by the colliery company in 1938.
The former passenger terminus at Whitburn Colliery.
In 1965 the steam locos at Whitburn were replaced by 3 new Hunslet 0-6-0DHs and in 1966 an additional 0-6-0DH was supplied by Andrew Barclay works no.514. NCB Area no.509 was just two months old when photographed in July 1966.
No.9 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn 0-6-0ST works no.7749 of 1952 was dismantled ready for the fitting of a replacement boiler when the diesels arrived, but the replacement was never received and the remains were scrapped in 1968. The van to the right was probably intended to serve as a mobile workshop and faint lettering on the side read "REPAIR WAGON".
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
I wonder if the brake van is the one that ended up at Beamish? There can't have been many V3 brake vans left by then.
PhilH
Western Thunderer
Westoe Colliery electric No.11 at the site of Westoe Lane Station, northern terminus of the South Shields, Marsden & Whitburn Colliery Railway in July 1966. The former platform would have been adjacent to the nearest track but appears to have been removed fairly recently judging by the new ballast on the left. Had I turned through 180 degrees I could have photographed the extensive station buildings which I think still remained in use as offices by the NCB, but I probably didn't realise the significance of the buildings at the time. The loco was one of the two new locos supplied to the NCB at Westoe by English Electric in 1951.
In 1957 English Electric supplied No.13, similar to Nos.11 and 12 but built to the restricted loading gauge required for the tunnel leading to Harton Low Staithes.
A further two restricted height locos were supplied by English Electric in 1959, Nos.14 and 15. In 1958 the loco livery was changed from black lined in red to royal blue lined in yellow, and No.14 and 15 were supplied in the new livery. By June 1966 all the 5 English Electric locos were in the blue livery.
In the photo No.15 waits to take a loaded train destined for Harton Low Staithes down Erskine Road Bank. There were two rail exits from Westoe Colliery - via Westoe Lane Station to Dean Road Sidings and a connection with BR on the South Shields Branch near Tyne Dock. From there an electrified NCB line continued south to serve Harton Colliery. The other exit was down Erskine Road Bank to St.Hilda Sidings (the former site of St.Hilda Colliery) then through a tunnel to Harton Low Staithes on the River Tyne where most coal was shipped. From St.Hilda Sidings a line ran roughly parallel to the BR line through High Shields to Harton High Staithes, where colliery waste was loaded into barges for disposal off shore.
No.1 built by Siemens in 1907 inside the 4 road loco shed, still in the earlier black lined red livery.
Nos.5 and 6 built by Siemens in 1909/10 were in effect two separate 0-4-0s joined back to back with a fixed drawbar. Only one motor was fitted to each unit geared to one axle, and the axles were connected by coupling rods. A separate cab half was fitted to each unit with one having a roof which overlapped the other to carry the current collector. By June 1966 only the dismantled remains of one loco still existed dumped at the back of the loco shed.
No.3 built by Siemens in 1909 at Harton Colliery, still carrying the cast Harton Coal Co. plate with the number E3. From the sidings where the loco is standing the tracks turned right through 90 degrees to the pithead, and the lattice girder headframe of Shaft No.1 is visible in the distance above the front of the loco.
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John Ross
Western Thunderer
As part of the 1925 Centenary celebrations at Darlington GNSR locomotive No45A and seven four-wheel coaches took part in the parade to represent a mid-Victorian train. There was talk of preserving this set-up that sadly did not come to pass. The locomotive returned to Inverurie and was scrapped later in 1925. Three of the coaches were sold to the South Shields, Marsden & Whitburn Colliery Railway. They must have been impressed with these vehicles as the one in the photograph appears to be a Diagram38 six-wheeler of 1884 vintage. Thanks for sharing these photos, much impressed.
John
John
PhilH
Western Thunderer
William Hatcher in his book on the SSM&WCR (Oakwood Press 2002 - highly recommended for further information on this line) lists the following ex GNSR coaches acquired by the railway:
Nos.58, 59, 64, 71 and 72 - 4 wheel 5 compt. third - Diagram C4 - Built 1859
No.78 - 4 wheel 4 compt. third - Diagram 28 - Built in 1866
No.83 - 4 wheel 5 compt. third - Diagram 29 - Built in 1865 - This was one used in the Railway Centenary trains of 1925, and sold to the Harton Coal Co. soon after. It was withdrawn before 1938.
Nos.7200, 7202, 7206, 7209, 7213, 7214 (LNER numbers) - 6 wheel 5 compt. third - Diagram 45 - Built in 1893
Nos.7586, 7587 (LNER numbers) - 6 wheel 3 compt. plus brake - Diagram 46 - Built in 1895
The last 8 (Diagrams 45 & 46) lasted until closure of the passenger service in 1953, and some of the bodies were used as workmen's huts, etc.
PhilH
Western Thunderer
Having propelled the full wagons to a point where they can be run by gravity, No.15 waits for the wagon brakes to be pinned down before uncoupling from the train.
The loaded wagons are then run by gravity through the teeming sheds, unloaded into hoppers which supply the conveyors of the ship loading elevators, then run in pairs over a set of spring points to a kick back where the wagons reverse and run back through the points to the empties sidings ready for collection by the locomotive.
After uncoupling from the full wagons No.15 runs back to the tunnel entrance to collect the empties. In the background are the teeming sheds where the wagons were unloaded and the two ship loading elevators.
No.15 couples on to the empties ready for the return to St.Hilda Sidings and Westoe Colliery.
A suggested design for a layout in 4mm scale based on Harton Low Staithes was published in the Railway Modeller for July 1981.