Rolls Royce industrial Shunter

[RJL]

While walking on the " High Peak Trail " I saw this industrial Shunter in a car park. It is very unusual in design, is there anyone out there who knows about  and can give some historical background to it ? 

[halfwit]

That's in the car park of the National Stone Centre in Wirksworth.

It started life as an Avonside 0-4-0ST, makers number 1913 bult in 1923, but was rebuilt as a diesel hydraulic at Tunstead in 1960.

[avonside1563]

Still got its Avonside buffers!

[mjcampbell]

Very unusual cab entry!

[lmnp]

Unfortunately this shunter has really suffered over the past 8 months. The radiator was intact and a number of the panels on the engine cover were present. I've been watching its slow demise. I don't know if it is kids or scrap metal thieves.

It's all very sad.

There's a plaque in it some where that says it belongs to the Bahamas railway society.

[PGH]

It does look in a considerably worse state than when I last saw it 15 years ago.  It was previously at Dinting, hence its connection to the Bahamas Society.  

 

By coincidence after posting the photo of the two MR locos at Smalldale - Post #8 in the Standard Gauge Tin Turtle topic - I have been wondering whether to post a new topic on ICI Buxton's 'first generation' diesels.  In addition to RS8, the subject of the above photos, they also rebuilt several Ruston diesels to the similar strange appearance with raised cabs and lowered bonnets for use at Tunstead and Hindlow, most of which I photographed there or elsewhere.

[RJL]

Still got its Avonside buffers!

[gpplumy]

loco is currently under private care and due to be restored in 2017 by the owner and with assistance from the tarmac apprentice program. 

[bennyboy]

Also it spent most of the 70s and 80s at the Dinting Railway Centre, there's a picture of it here.

 

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85326-dave-fs-photos-ongoing-more-added-12th-january/page-93

[PeteBrid]

For anyone interested, Tarmac are now running a website on its restoration - http://rs8restoration.co.uk/index.htm - and there are a few historic photos there from quarry archives.  A number of RS8's parts have already found their way up (back) to Tunstead as the restoration gets under way. The seized torque converter (which was the reason we approached Tarmac in the first place) turned out to be much less severe than we had feared.

 

Although the restoration workis taking place in the quarry workshops, some way from the rail system, it is more than likely that RS8 will find itself back in the quarry eventually.  

[ColinK]

Interesting website, thanks for the link. Delighted to see RS8 being restored, I remember it well from Dinting.

[Signaller69]

Really glad to hear RS-8 is being restored, I also first stumbled on it whilst walking in the Wirksworth area and was intrigued to discover the history of the loco via Google when I returned home. Suitably inspired, I scratch built a model a couple of years or so back around a spare basic Hornby 0-4-0 chassis - hence it is a little over scale for 4mm. Excuse the poor photos and rather bright yellow livery that had just been applied, it has been toned down somewhat since the photo was taken, honest! Sadly due to the size issue it doesn't see any use currently, but may in due course be modified to fit a more suitable chassis.

EDIT TO ADD MORE RECENT PHOTOS:

Edited June 25, 2017 by Signaller69

[ColinK]

Very impressive model, nice build.

[Signaller69]

Very impressive model, nice build.

Thanks Colin.

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

When I first saw this loco next to the High Peak Trail I was intrigued by the height of the cab with its flat roof and the covered cab entrance (presumably a safeguard when loading stone from overhead hoppers).

 

Does anyone know if it still fits within UK loading gauge, or whether the apparent height is just an optical illusion caused by the fairly low bonnet?

 

Better yet, do any dimensioned plans exist of this loco?

 

Edit: PGH's excellent thread on the Tunstead locos (many weird and wonderful machines of which RS-8 was one) is well worth a look: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72947-ici-buxton-tunstead-etc-railways-in-the-1960s/

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

Edited June 25, 2017 by Signaller69

[bennyboy]

When I first saw this loco next to the High Peak Trail I was intrigued by the height of the cab with its flat roof and the covered cab entrance (presumably a safeguard when loading stone from overhead hoppers).

 

Does anyone know if it still fits within UK loading gauge, or whether the apparent height is just an optical illusion caused by the fairly low bonnet?

 

Better yet, do any dimensioned plans exist of this loco?

 

Edit: PGH's excellent thread on the Tunstead locos (many weird and wonderful machines of which RS-8 was one) is well worth a look: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72947-ici-buxton-tunstead-etc-railways-in-the-1960s/

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

 

If you look at this photo of it next a shunter it doesn't seem to be any taller than a standard loco. I think it's just the weird proportions and the tiny wheels that make it look bigger than it is.

 

https://inlanding.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/img_5414.jpg

[Signaller69]

If you look at this photo of it next a shunter it doesn't seem to be any taller than a standard loco. I think it's just the weird proportions and the tiny wheels that make it look bigger than it is.

 

https://inlanding.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/img_5414.jpg

Yes I expect you are right, it just seems very oddly proportioned when you stand next to it; then when you realise the "boxes" under the cab (fuel tanks from what I could make out - the fillers extend out of the front - the gearbox iirc was between them under the cab floor) mean that the cab floor is somewhat higher than on most comparable locos. The cab is also fairly narrow which compounds the tall look.

[PeteBrid]

I thought I'd blow the dust back off this thread and show the progress being made on bringing RS8 back to life. For the last 12 months it has been resident in the workshop where it was transformed from steam to diesel, coming up 60 years ago. It is not runnable - yet - but it is nearing the end of what has been a thorough overhaul.

To pick up on Bennyboy and Signaller69, RS8 is indeed within load gauge, were it not, it could not have passed under the hoppers where the wagons loaded. The cab however is intended for one man operation and has its throttle and brake controls (which are all you require until you need to change direction) duplicated at each corner of the cab, a unique arrangement. We accept that it is not to some peoples' taste - 'aesthetically challenged' is the term we tend to use - but it is nonetheless a fascinating example of industrial railway history.

 

Pete Briddon

 

[HonestTom]

Impressive progress. Even if it's not the prettiest engine out there, it's a notable historical artefact and so I'm glad it's being restored.

[Signaller69]

Impressive progress. Even if it's not the prettiest engine out there, it's a notable historical artefact and so I'm glad it's being restored.

Thanks for sharing, absolutely fantastic to see after the state it was in. I found a YouTube clip of the loco being used to move the crane around whilst at Dinting many years ago, which is worth a look for those interested:

https://youtu.be/JD7lC0_Eguo

[Gordon A]

Thanks for the link Signaller69. I am surprised that the crane did not propel itself.

 

Gordon A

[Corbs]

I posted this on the other thread as well, but can't hurt to have it again!

RS8 recently ran under its own power once more, hats off to the team for the restoration.

[pete_mcfarlane]

I passed that rusting hulk many times when walking the High peak trail. I'm amazed that it's been restored - well done to those involved. 

[montyburns56]

Nice! I remember the old girl when she was at the Dinting Railway centre

[montyburns56]

By a weird coincidence Colin Kennington has just posted some footage of Dinting in 1981 and it includes a few seconds of RS8 pushing Royal Scots Guardsman?? at 28:20.