The Lilleshall Company a little known industrial railway

[Fat Controller]

To add to Arthur's list of uses for slag: it was ground up for use in cement manufacture, and also for use as a 'top dressing' for grassland. In my native South Wales, the liquid slag was sometimes cast into blocks. Smaller ones were used for walling, whilst larger ones (often with a hook inserted to aid lifting) were used as rock armour on the coastal stretch of line between Llanelli and Carmarthen.

[br2975]

The G.K.I.S. / G.K.N. "New Dowlais" - Cardiff works ( later BSC East Moors ) generally tipped their slag in molten state, from temporary trackage along the (Severn Estuary) foreshore.

.

The slag trains worked along BR lines to reach the foreshore, and as a result the locomotives employed were 'registered' by the GWR, later BR (WR) aka BTC.

.

When tipped, the molten slag ran down the bank into the Severn Estuary, solidifying on contact with the water, and later exploding in a shower of sparks and a noise that kept the residents of Penarth (across the bay ) on their toes !

.

Celsa (UK) still transport hot slag from their Tremorfa Works, using large articulated Volvo dump trucks, which actually cross a public road (Rover Way) on their short journey.

.

"Slag Reduction Co." had a plant adjacent to the Cardiff Foreshore where they broke up solidified slag for industrial use.

Edited February 15, 2017 by br2975

[Arthur]

 

.....so my guess would be near to this plant to save re-handling? 

 

Tony

 

That's a reasonable supposition and would be the ideal, the slag bank and reduction plants in close proximity. However, at older works the pattern of piecemeal development over several decades often led to less than ideal layouts.

 

What was adequate space for a slag bank, and where the reduction plant was built, might, thirty years later, become inadequate or be required for something else. The slag bank moves a distance away but moving the reduction plant might be impractical and/or uneconomic.

 

The slag reduction plant in that first photograph is not obvious. They tend to look like quarry process plants, conveyor belts, storage piles, crushing plants and storage bunkers. Depends on the exact nature of the processing i.e. what they did with it, and on what scale. The large building at the bottom edge might just be it, impossible to be sure.

 

.

[Osgood]

Bob Yates's book contains useful maps from various eras, some identifying various slag banks - the largest of which was just to the south of the main works area, also a late map showing location of the asphalt plant (which I think is the area referred to as the slag reduction plant).

 

Most usefully, on Page 15 is an excellent aerial view circa 1950 showing what appears to be solidified ladle-shaped slag tipped off the side of the old slag bank adjacent to the plant.

 

 

There are a couple of references to more remote parts of the network being used for tipping of foundry waste - one being the Lodge tip.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Osgood

[Fat Controller]

Bob Yates's book contains useful maps from various eras, some identifying various slag banks - the largest of which was just to the south of the main works area, also a late map showing location of the asphalt plant (which I think is the area referred to as the slag reduction plant).

 

Most usefully, on Page 15 is an excellent aerial view circa 1950 showing what appears to be solidified ladle-shaped slag tipped off the side of the old slag bank adjacent to the plant.

 

 

There are a couple of references to more remote parts of the network being used for tipping of foundry waste - one being the Lodge tip.

Foundry waste is more probably used sand from moulds.

[Norton961]

Returning to the wagons owned by the company I am attaching the photos of the model wagons I have so far aquired. Bachmann do a good version of the Limestone wagon and I have now bought 3 and converted them to P4, but they are not yet compensated and fitted 3 link couplings. There is a good photo in the Gloucester wagon collection, but I need to renumber 2 of them so I am assuming the first wagon in the batch built by Gloucester is 1750 and I will number up from that. Is this logical or would Gloucester have photographed the last one instead?

The other wagon is a Cambrain kit now unfortuntely not avaliable. I would like to aquire a few more of these but so far no joy.

 

I am still doing some digging on the slag disposal and will post later.

 

In the late 1960s I worked for the Lilleshall Co at the Priorslee site when I had a summer vaction job.By this date (1967 when I was 19) the blast furnaces had been demolished and only the blowing engine remianed (before removal to the Blist Hills Museaum). The company at that time was producing light weight building blocks which was made from slag, but I dont know where it came from. These blocks were then coated in a glaze (the product was called Spectraglaze)  so that buildings such as diarys could be built and the building would be ready tiled.

 

David

Edited February 16, 2017 by Norton961

[steaman]

Hi All,

This is my first post and would like to ask if anyone knows why Hornby have chosen to model Lilleshall No 10 Peckett rather than any other? not that I'm complaining. I know its not a great shot but here is a view of the sad demise of No10 in the new yard of the Lilleshall works, taken by A.J.B.Dodd around 1958. Regards Steaman.

[wagonbasher]

Hi All,

This is my first post and would like to ask if anyone knows why Hornby have chosen to model Lilleshall No 10 Peckett rather than any other? not that I'm complaining. I know its not a great shot but here is a view of the sad demise of No10 in the new yard of the Lilleshall works, taken by A.J.B.Dodd around 1958. Regards Steaman.

lilleshall No 10.jpg

Thanks for the horror photo... I might not sleep tonight..

 

Andy

[Caledonian]

Find out the name of the guy with the gas axe and we'll crucify him to a barn door. 

 

 

Seriously though, its a good question and one which I've always wondered about. Just how do the likes of Hornby and Bachmann choose the identities of their locomotives [famous namers apart]. Why, for example was my first Hornby Black 5 no. 45393 rather than 45394? 

[steaman]

The G.K.I.S. / G.K.N. "New Dowlais" - Cardiff works ( later BSC East Moors ) generally tipped their slag in molten state, from temporary trackage along the (Severn Estuary) foreshore.

.

The slag trains worked along BR lines to reach the foreshore, and as a result the locomotives employed were 'registered' by the GWR, later BR (WR) aka BTC.

.

When tipped, the molten slag ran down the bank into the Severn Estuary, solidifying on contact with the water, and later exploding in a shower of sparks and a noise that kept the residents of Penarth (across the bay ) on their toes !

.

Celsa (UK) still transport hot slag from their Tremorfa Works, using large articulated Volvo dump trucks, which actually cross a public road (Rover Way) on their short journey.

.

"Slag Reduction Co." had a plant adjacent to the Cardiff Foreshore where they broke up solidified slag for industrial use.

Here is a photo to illustrate slag tipping operations, admittedly in China, but I would imagine the process followed in the UK would not be so different.

Taken on the 28^th Jan 1996, we see SY loco No 0571 with a train of loaded cauldron wagons in the slag tipping area at Anshan steelworks. There are two parallel lines on top of the embankment, one as we can see with the cauldron wagons, and another one behind, that has a steam crane on it. The loaded train arrived at the tipping area and the cauldron wagons were pneumatically activated/tipped. The steam crane, with a large iron ball on the end of the jib, swung out and hit the side of the cauldron wagons in order to dislodge any remaining slag. This was done with considerable force, and there was evidence of some of the cauldron wagons being knocked from the embankment. The yellow excavator down below, was used to move the slag away from the tipping point, thus keeping the area clear for further slag to descend. The whole area was quite hazardous/ hot, so it was always wise to keep a safe distance! I hope this may be of interest. Kind Regards, Steaman.

[steaman]

Hi All,

This is my first post and would like to ask if anyone knows why Hornby have chosen to model Lilleshall No 10 Peckett rather than any other? not that I'm complaining. I know its not a great shot but here is a view of the sad demise of No10 in the new yard of the Lilleshall works, taken by A.J.B.Dodd around 1958. Regards Steaman.

lilleshall No 10.jpg

Just scanned this neg by A.J.B.Dodd of Lilleshall No 10 Peckett with just hours left to live. The (gas) axe man has arrived with goggles ready for action. The previous shot uploaded shows the results of his labours.

[Norton961]

The photo of No 10 just before it was cut up shows that it still had its works plate and the registration plate. What happened to them after the scrapping? Perhaps the scrap man kept them?

[Norton961]

Finally got round to scanning in the last 2 photos of Lilleshall No 10 and one of the trackwork somewhere on the system.

The location shows the left hand line going to Lodge tip, the centre line to Granville Colliery and the far right is part of the triangle for Donnington brickworks.

The photos of No 10 clearly show that at some point in the early 1950s the open back of the cab was filled in and it was registered by the railway executive.

The Tim Shuttleworth shot of the trackwork also shows one of the systems primative signals.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Norton961

[Huggy]

What an interesting thread!  Many thanks Norton961, and all those adding more detail. Industrial railway systems like this fascinate me

[Norton961]

I am  attaching a photo of an ancient wagon which has suffered some heavy shunting so that it has broken its back. The photo was taken at Granville Colliery in 1954 but I presume the wagon was one one from the Lilleshall Co and handed over to the newly formed NCB.

 

I will also include some photos of Granville as it was prior to being NCB wa a Lilleshall Co pit and at the formation of the NCB the Lilleshall Co handed over some locomotives and wagons. The locos included

This loco was ex Taff Vale and purchased in 1932 from the GWR. The livery was a light green which it seems to have retained through its life as an industrial engine.It was passed to the NCB on 1-1-1948 at Granville but does not seem to have had much use, being stored by 1951 and scrapped by early 1954. Presumably the Lilleshall Co passed over to the NCB a loco they could afford to loose. The NCB certainly bought in a number of 0-6-0 Austerity tanks and also the Lilleshall Co passed to the NCB one of its own built locos (from 1869) to the NCB in 1950 to the NCB possibly as a recognition that the ex Taff Vale loco was duff!

Edited March 16, 2017 by Norton961

[purplepiepete]

I'd second that (my bold)! I have a tantalising part pic on the Cambrian system, I'm putting together some transfers for Lilleshall wagons and would be nice to be able to put the correct lettering on there. 

 

Hi, not sure if you have seen this one before ?

 

Pete.

[Norton961]

Pete, yes the photo is the inspiration for the recent Bachmann model. I just wish there were more photos of other Lilleshall wagons!

[purplepiepete]

Agreed, and I suspect few were taken (other than 'officials') of what was just an every day subject to employees and visitors. I guess by the 50's when photography was more affordable to the public most PO wagons were gone anyway.

 

I was looking through a book I have called the Lilleshall Company - A history 1764-1964 published by Moorland in 1979 and long out of print, however this doesn't have any further pics of wagons.

 

At the time (1970s') we lived next door to the MD of the Lill Co. My Father sold him some land and the company built a bungalow for him and his family. By that time the building operation was all that was left of a great engineering company !

 

Pete.

[5050]

The thread title says 'little known'.  After 4 pages and probably more to come it's possibly a bit better known now!

 

And a Hornby loco as well.

Edited March 18, 2017 by 5050

[Caledonian]

Finally got round to scanning in the last 2 photos of Lilleshall No 10 and one of the trackwork somewhere on the system.Lilleshal No 10 Peckett 883 of 1901.jpg

Lilleshall No 10 15-2-1958Registered with Railway Executive 1953..jpg

 

The photos of No 10 clearly show that at some point in the early 1950s the open back of the cab was filled in and it was registered by the railway executive.

 

 

I'm intrigued by these photies. Scroll up to the one in #86 and on the day it was scrapped the rear of the cab was open again. Was there in fact a detachable screen from new?

 

Looking at other photies of W4 Pecketts there are in fact two cab styles. One has a closed rear which wraps around the sides and has a short handrail on both sides if the cab entrance. The other, which we can call the Hornby version has a full height handrail with the rear panel attached to it halfway up. Open-back cabs always feature this full height rail, hence the suspicion that the upper panel was removable depending on weather and other operating requirements.

[steaman]

I'm intrigued by these photies. Scroll up to the one in #86 and on the day it was scrapped the rear of the cab was open again. Was there in fact a detachable screen from new?

 

Looking at other photies of W4 Pecketts there are in fact two cab styles. One has a closed rear which wraps around the sides and has a short handrail on both sides if the cab entrance. The other, which we can call the Hornby version has a full height handrail with the rear panel attached to it halfway up. Open-back cabs always feature this full height rail, hence the suspicion that the upper panel was removable depending on weather and other operating requirements.

I agree that there appears to be 2 cab styles used on No 10, Here is a rear view of the half cab version as fitted to with No 10 coupled to "Alberta" in the new yard engineering works. The cab rear appears to have a chalk message which reads "Return to Boot Hill or Return To Boot Mill" which I'm not sure will mean anything to anyone?

[Caledonian]

I agree that there appears to be 2 cab styles used on No 10, Here is a rear view of the half cab version as fitted to with No 10 coupled to "Alberta" in the new yard engineering works. The cab rear appears to have a chalk message which reads "Return to Boot Hill or Return To Boot Mill" which I'm not sure will mean anything to anyone?

 

The only Boot Hill I know was the one where gunfighters were buried...

 

As to the two cab styles, I'm suggesting that the one with rear side-sheets was fixed, while the Hornby style sported by No.10 featured a removable upper panel, hence the different configurations seen at different times.

[Norton961]

Interesting observation regarding the potential of the cab back for No10 being removable. The photo I posted in post 88 (the front view) taken after 1954 shows the cab back in place. Having the cab back removable would make sense given the confined space inside the cab and during the summer it must have been very hot. Given the engineering capability of the Lilleshall Company it would be easy for them to manufacture a removable back.

[Caledonian]

Interesting observation regarding the potential of the cab back for No10 being removable. The photo I posted in post 88 (the front view) taken after 1954 shows the cab back in place. Having the cab back removable would make sense given the confined space inside the cab and during the summer it must have been very hot. Given the engineering capability of the Lilleshall Company it would be easy for them to manufacture a removable back.

 

Given that the "Hornby" style cab looks to be fairly widespread, I doubt that it was a Lilleshall peculiarity. Whereas the other style was clearly a fixture, this one looks as if the rear was effectively a two-piece screen suspended between the two rear corner stanchions, in contrast to the fixed cab which had real corners at the back.

 

As to the reasoning behind the detachable upper screen, I agree. The footplate can cheerfully be described as cramped so old fashioned air conditioning on a hot day in the ironworks would have been a pretty welcome idea.

[Huggy]

The only Boot Hill I know was the one where gunfighters were buried...

 

As to the two cab styles, I'm suggesting that the one with rear side-sheets was fixed, while the Hornby style sported by No.10 featured a removable upper panel, hence the different configurations seen at different times.

Just a guess - maybe the crews there referred to a part of the system where scrapping went on? This loco had perhaps had a reprieve, and been put back into service!