jackrob Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Does anyone have any information on the branch that runs from Scunthorpe to Flixborough? I understand that it has infrequent services carrying steel. I also know the shunters that RMS Port Authority uses for the branch, and what wagons run on the branch. But any more detail would be appreciated + pictures. Just any information generally. Regards Jack EDIT- Sorry, i just realised, the thread title could've been better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Hello Jack, A very interesting branch, this! I have some prototype pictures in my 2010 challenge layout thread, see link in my signature(!). There are some pictures of recent operations if you search the photo website, "flickr". I took a private visit round the site of the (privately owned) wharf in 2005 and took a good few photos there, must get them on here into a gallery! Unfortunately i can't remember who built this branch or when right now but will do some digging for you soon. Hopefully that whet your appetite! John E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Unfortunately i can't remember who built this branch or when right now but will do some digging for you soon. Hello again, Further to my post above, according to "The Great Central in LNER Days 2" by David Jackson & Owen Russell, Ian Allen, 1986 ISBN: 0 7110 1612 7, Page 102: the Flixborough Wharf branch was built by the John Lysaght steel company direct from their Normanby Park site to the River Trent. The first shipment of steel left Flixborough Wharf on 11 May 1938 aboard the "Eleanor Brooke" and was 1400 tons of steel billet for Newport, S. Wales. Good job i checked as i had a feeling the branch was built in part, at least by the North Lyndsey light railway! Probably to repeat what i have already written in my layout thread, the original crane at F-W was used as a navigational aid by Luftwaffe bombers coming into Lincolnshire during the war, all they then had to do was follow the river/s! The original crane has since been superceded by a much more modern version (about 15 years ago?) but is (2005) still used at busy times, along with tracked smaller quayside cranes. Currently, the railway isn't used an awful lot but it is still used to transport plate/sheet steel into the wharf warehousing as well as steel girders (heavy!). As well as steel being exported, there is also some steel/iron (ingots?) being imported but AFAIK, these are trucked in, unfortunately. When i contacted RMS for permission to look around their site, they were most gracious and friendly - if you wanted to arrange a visit for yourself, perhaps? Who knows if management and attitudes may have changed in the intervening years, however? Cheers, John E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 For a few years, it also served a chemical works (Nypro UK) at Flixborough, which was destroyed in an explosion on 1st June 1974. 28 people were killed in the explosion, whilst a large number of the nearby houses were severely damaged. There were a pair of programmes on the British chemical industry on BBC4 ('The Way We Work' was the title, I think) the night before last which had some contemporary film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackrob Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 Thanks for the replies. Hello again, Further to my post above, according to "The Great Central in LNER Days 2" by David Jackson & Owen Russell, Ian Allen, 1986 ISBN: 0 7110 1612 7, Page 102: the Flixborough Wharf branch was built by the John Lysaght steel company direct from their Normanby Park site to the River Trent. The first shipment of steel left Flixborough Wharf on 11 May 1938 aboard the "Eleanor Brooke" and was 1400 tons of steel billet for Newport, S. Wales. Good job i checked as i had a feeling the branch was built in part, at least by the North Lyndsey light railway! Probably to repeat what i have already written in my layout thread, the original crane at F-W was used as a navigational aid by Luftwaffe bombers coming into Lincolnshire during the war, all they then had to do was follow the river/s! The original crane has since been superceded by a much more modern version (about 15 years ago?) but is (2005) still used at busy times, along with tracked smaller quayside cranes. Currently, the railway isn't used an awful lot but it is still used to transport plate/sheet steel into the wharf warehousing as well as steel girders (heavy!). As well as steel being exported, there is also some steel/iron (ingots?) being imported but AFAIK, these are trucked in, unfortunately. When i contacted RMS for permission to look around their site, they were most gracious and friendly - if you wanted to arrange a visit for yourself, perhaps? Who knows if management and attitudes may have changed in the intervening years, however? Cheers, John E. It would be great if you could upload those photos to the gallery! And yeah, i already went on Flickr and Fotopic to look for images, but thanks for the heads-up anyway. I would like call them up and arange a site visit, but i live in London, so i might have to do it later on in the year! Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Just to add to this thread, I passed by Flixborough today, and the branch was very rusty and well overgrown at the overbridge by Flixborough village. Not sure when traffic stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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