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Lines operated by only one locomotive class?


Alex TM
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18 hours ago, MR Chuffer said:

How about the Leicester West Bridge branch, operated exclusively for many years by Johnson 2F 0-6-0s with cut down cabs to get through Glenfield Tunnel? And the oldest part of the Midland Railway.

 

In its latter days, by Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0s, I think with similarly cut down cabs.

 

The 2MTs were actually Standards (78013/28), with specially modified cabs for clearance in Glenfield Tunnel (introduced at Coalville for use on the line on withdrawal of the Johnson 0-6-0s in 1964). 

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4 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

Although the Saundersfoot Railway had two locos built to different designs, as one operated below the incline and one above, each of the two sections of the railway operated with the same loco throughout the line's existence (apart from possible horse workings in the early days).

 

Same part of the world - Swansea & Mumbles ?

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Hi everyone,

 

Thanks for all the contributions so far.  I'm really pleasantly surprised by the number of replies, and by the sheer variety in them.  Some of the railways are new to me too.

 

[The one that cause me the " ... d'oh! ... " moment was the Killin Railway.  It was operated by Caledonian class 262 0-4-2sts, before being replaced by 0-4-4ts (two different classes over time?), before they were eventually were followed by  a Std. 4MT.  At some point I am sure it also saw a Jumbo in use, though that may have been while the tank was away for servicing.]

 

Again, thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

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The Porthgain Railway, I believe only ever had one loco, so qualifies.

 

The Launceston Steam Railway, and the Llanberis Lake Railway I think have only operated the same class of locos since opening as preserved lines (having previously been other railways to a different gauge). The Bala Lake Railway however has not only been visited by Palmerston, but has a handful of diesel locos, so does not qualify. 

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5 hours ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Standard 78000 series

Of course, I've seen many photos of them but engine classes escape me after about 1910. And the 2Fs, they perhaps didn't have cut down cabs, didn't check my references books, doh, but they adapted standard 6 wheeler carriages to accommodate the narrow tunnel width and put bars on the windows to stop people leaning out. At the time of the passenger services ceasing, 1928, there was the occasional Johnson 0-6-0T 1F, especially shunting West Bridge, but then the 2Fs predominated until the Standards.

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51 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

Llanberis Lake Railway

Afraid not. For starters dolbadarn is a different class to the others (dinorwic port class - dome, different bufferbeams, frames and a touch bigger than an Alice class), but they also have a handful of Ruston diesels and in the past they had locos built by Jung, Henschel and O&K.

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1 hour ago, Alex TM said:

Hi everyone,

 

Thanks for all the contributions so far.  I'm really pleasantly surprised by the number of replies, and by the sheer variety in them.  Some of the railways are new to me too.

 

[The one that cause me the " ... d'oh! ... " moment was the Killin Railway.  It was operated by Caledonian class 262 0-4-2sts, before being replaced by 0-4-4ts (two different classes over time?), before they were eventually were followed by  a Std. 4MT.  At some point I am sure it also saw a Jumbo in use, though that may have been while the tank was away for servicing.]

 

Again, thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

Hi Alex - apologies for my senior moment -  Yes you are correct - I have photograph here on file of a Jumbo on the Killin Branch.  Not sure which book the picture is from, so I cannot verify the copyright for the image. (AM)

57346 at killin.jpg

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2 hours ago, MR Chuffer said:

Of course, I've seen many photos of them but engine classes escape me after about 1910. And the 2Fs, they perhaps didn't have cut down cabs, didn't check my references books, doh, but they adapted standard 6 wheeler carriages to accommodate the narrow tunnel width and put bars on the windows to stop people leaning out. At the time of the passenger services ceasing, 1928, there was the occasional Johnson 0-6-0T 1F, especially shunting West Bridge, but then the 2Fs predominated until the Standards.

 

You'd be forgiven for mixing the Ivatt and Standard 2MTs  2-6-0s up - they're actually very similar indeed and both given the 'Mickey Mouse' nickname. One of the key differences in detail between the two was a different cab profile to give universal route availability but 78013 and 28 had to be altered for the Leicester West Bridge - Desford branch for clearance in Glenfield Tunnel.

 

I also didn't pick up on Poor Old Bruce's reply initially so apologies for any duplication.  

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I am pretty sure the Porthgain Railway had one loco at harbour level and one working traffic from the quarry to the chutes; at various times they owned three locos at least. I will try and find my book on the system. 

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Stourbridge -Stourbridge Town... class 139

 

over the decades, theres not much chance of anything except 156 on Kyle, before that was 37’s, before that 26’s before that 24’s, but at each juncture it was a pretty solitary fleet.

 

Oxted lines are a diet of 171’s, before that 205’s.

Mersey Rail, London Overground Routes are a bit limited too.

 

 

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The Kingsbridge branch was almost exclusively worked by 45xx's, as were several Cornish lines (Helston, St Ives, Looe). There were rare occasions where alternative motive power was found but these were rare and notable. 

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4 hours ago, peanuts said:

wasnt the Holyhead breakwater railway seperate from the rest of the system and only operted by one type of loco class 01 ?

Not in the 1840s when it was built. Originally broad gauge, standard gauged just before ww1 as the broad gauge locos were knackered and it was easier to regauge the line and get standard gauge steam locos, the 01s didn't arrive until the line had been operating for over a century.

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As someone else has said, there would normally have to be special circumstances for this to happen, such as restricted clearance or axle loading, so something would be built or modified specifically for this environment.

 

In diesel days, BP&GV was operated by 03s with cut-down cabs for a period, then by 08s with cut down cabs. Not sure what steam was used prior to the 03s, or if those were unique.

 

Perhaps there was a branch line somewhere that had to be operated by a shunter (03/08/09) and couldn't be used by mainline locos?

 

What line(s) were the 31s with tablet catchers used on? Would the tablet catcher requirement be a reason for only those locos to be used there?

 

Difficult one: IoW had various EMUs, plus the 05 and the 03s. Hastings line had several classes of DEMUs plus the 33/2s. Even the RETB lines in Scotland, which had a dedicated pool of 37s, could run other classes/locos by using portable equipment.

 

The Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway?

Edited by dvdlcs
Added last line :-)
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Hi dvdlcs,

 

I think that line you mention from the top left hand corner of Wales used a class consisting of only one 0-4-0T for its most famous branch, though I am sure I have seen an image of a larger depot with a wider range of locos ....

 

As for shunter only operated lines, the former Auchmuty branch in Fife was operated latterly by class 08, prior to that it was class 06, for reasons of clearance.  When the 08s were introduced they left their marks on one of the bridges.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

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Volks Electric Railway, Brighton. 1892 - 2020

 

Or for steam, the Newhaven Harbour was the preserve of Fenchurch for many years, with occassional help from another Terrier, Cheapside.

 

 

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4 hours ago, luckymucklebackit said:

The Gartverrie Fireclay Works Branch near Coatbridge had two specially modified J36 locos 65285 and 65287 based at Kipps Shed.  These had cut down cab, dome and chimney and were the only locos allowed to work the branch due to a low bridge

 

Jim


There had previously been other pairs of engines from other classes cut down for that branch. I’m far away from the relevant magazine just now, but I think 65285/7 started some time in the 1930s. What replaced them, or was the branch closed while the J36s were working it?

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10 hours ago, pH said:


There had previously been other pairs of engines from other classes cut down for that branch. I’m far away from the relevant magazine just now, but I think 65285/7 started some time in the 1930s. What replaced them, or was the branch closed while the J36s were working it?

The first two were Wheatley J31s 10180 and 10206, then there were two  J33s added around 1923, 9021 and 9249 which were withdrawn in 1938, I have seen conflicting data about the numbers and withdrawal dates though.  The branch closed before diesel traction

 

Jim

Edited by luckymucklebackit
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