Locomotive "Hero"

[corneliuslundie]

In their history of the Wrexham & Ellesmere Railway (Oakwood Press) Jenkins and Strange state that a locomotive called Hero from the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway, along with one called Montgomery. also from the L&N, performed on the opening day of the Oswestry and Newtown Railway. The latter appears in the standard histories, but there is no mention of a locomotive called Hero. However, Christensen & Miller mention that Savin owned eight locomotives, only five of which eventually passed to the Cambrian. Could Hero have been one of these other Manning Wardles? A possible clue is that Johnson (in "The Cambrian Railways: a new history") mentions that the Oswestry Advertiser stated that two locomotives hauled the train. Unfortunately the 1860 issues of the newspaper are not available inn the British Newspaper Archive.

Any thoughts?

Jonathan

Edited December 28, 2020 by corneliuslundie
Phrase omitted and company reference typo

[doilum]

21 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

In their history of the Wrexham & Ellesmere Railway (Oakwood Press) Jenkins and Strange state that a locomotive called Hero from the Oswestry & Newtown Railway, along with one called Montgomery. also from the O&N, performed on the opening day. The latter appears in the standard histories, but there is no mention of a locomotive called Hero. However, Christensen & Miller mention that Savin owned eight locomotives, only five of which eventually passed to the Cambrian. Could Hero have been one of these other Manning Wardles? A possible clue is that Johnson (in "The Cambrian Railways: a new history") mentions that the Oswestry Advertiser stated that two locomotives hauled the train. Unfortunately the 1860 issues of the newspaper are not available inn the British Newspaper Archive.

Any thoughts?

Jonathan

Are you sure about 1860? The Wiki article mentions 1890. If it was the earlier date 1859  is first year of production at MW. I cannot find any MW originally called " Hero". There are three: Rutland, Malvern and Ruthin that date to 1860 and worked in this area.

Edited December 28, 2020 by doilum
Additional information

[corneliuslundie]

Thanks for this. I realise that I lost a phrase in the original message. The opening referred to was of the Oswestry & Newtown, not the Oswestry & Ellesmere. I'll edit the post.

So it was 1860 when the first part of the O&N was opened. 

But thanks anyway for the note about Manning Wardle. According to the various Cambrian histories and RCTS Part 10, Savin had nine, several of which ended up with the Cambrian. Ruthin was acquired by Savin in 1860 (WN 19) but the others were all later (Llandinam, Pioneer, Wixhall, Nantclwyd, Hereford, Merion, Cardigan, Usk). Usk, Hereford and Pioneer ended up on the B&M. Llandinam was later used on a contract in south west Wales.

So the only possibility is Ruthin.

Jonathan

PS I note that I stated that the history lists eight Manning Wardles, but I now have nine. I am pretty sure the latter is correct. Possibly the history ignores Llandinam as it was never owned by a railway company.

Edited December 28, 2020 by corneliuslundie
Add footnote

[Compound2632]

Could it be that one of the locomotives was temporarily renamed Hero for the opening day celebrations? In all likelihood, the band, if there was one, played "See the Conquering Hero Comes".

[corneliuslundie]

It has been determined that the original book reference to Hero was by Gasquoine in his 1922 history of the Cambrian when Montgomery and Hero were described as "two heavy engines" - hardly an apt description of a Cambrian Mixed Passenger class even in 1860. Where Gasquoine got his information from I don't know, possibly one of the local papers which I shall now try to follow up.

However, I have now realised that the opening took place in 1863, not 1860, though i think that a Manning Wardle is still unlikely, and unlikely to be called a "heavy engine".

I like Stephen's suggestion of a temporary renaming. If that was the case it could easily have been another of the same class.

Jonathan

Edited December 28, 2020 by corneliuslundie
Correction