Shotton Narrow Gauge

[Arthur]

In support of Robert's (RT Models) forthcoming release of a former Shotton Steelworks narrow gauge Hudswell I thought I'd add a few photos and notes. Though not standard gauge it's certainly industrial so this forum seemed the most appropriate. The original photos are printed on matt paper and are a bit grainy so the scans are not the best.

 

Shotton already had a 30" gauge system using battery locomotives to move cold coil around. The system described here was commissioned in 1971 as part of a new, tandem, cold reduction mill scheme costing £1.5 million. This required the moving of the existing hot coil storage facility and the opportunity was taken to install a complete new system overcoming some of the problems of the old methods.

 

A new, outdoor, storage area was developed at the end of the hot strip mill with a self contained 30" narrow gauge system used to move coils from the hot coil downenders to the external storage bays and an almost separate system to return coils to the pickling lines. Each half of the system was served by a separate locomotive with a third held spare. The only interchange between the two intertwined systems was for servicing locos and stock. Here's a plan of the scheme

 

 

The right hand end is the end of the hot strip mill and is under cover, the corner end of the building can be identified by the number 76. Hot coil arrives on a conveyor and is lifted by crane onto coil cars standing on one of the two narrow gauge despatch roads. Cold coil returning to the mill for pickling was collected and taken back into the mill building onto one of two pickling line reception roads.

Coming in centre left is a standard gauge line used for coil brought in from elsewhere, total capacity was 51,000 tonnes of coil. Each of the three bays was served by an electric overhead crane.

 

 

 

 

This is the hot coil collection area with one of the Hudswells on a coil train. Two empty coil carriers stand on the other road. The panels by the locomotive allow the drivers to preselect their route out into the stockyard. The incoming tracks for the pickling line are in the bay to the left.

 

 

 

Looking the other way showing the rubber doors, one of the route selectors and the overhead crane serving the bay.

 

 

Coil leaving the receiving bays. Each train consisted of just two, permanently coupled, wagons each capable of carrying four coils of typically 11 tons, but up to 22 tons. Three pairs of wagons served each half of the system. The building above the train is the stock control office.

 

 

The south storage bay looking west with some of the narrow gauge loops showing.

 

 

Cold coils being returned to the pickling bay. The three locomotives were 120 hp diesel hydraulics. A Bedford TK waits for the train to clear.

 

 

Coils, having been returned to the mill building, are unloaded and moved to the pickling line.

 

 

This is the stock control board. Amongst the aims for the new system was improved accuracy in stock location and retrieval.

 

So, a long way from the typical little trains of North Wales but an interesting system in it's own right.

[beast66606]

A year or two back I was chatting to a guy whilst photographing at Hawarden Bridge station, he told me he'd found one of the narrow gauge locos, bought it and took it away for preservation. Not sure if it was one of these or not, and if it's public knowledge or not.

[Arthur]

No idea myself Beast but Robert mentions that there's one here;

 

http://www.statfoldbarnrailway.co.uk/about_the_railway.php

 

not that there is a complete stock listing on that link

[Stevelewis]

There was a NG Diesel loco for sale at an industrial unit on the outskirts of BUCKLEY I have not been past for a while but it was still there last time I did,

Livery was Yellow and it was an 0-6-0 I think,it appeared from memory to be similar to the one in the photo in the above post, should any one like me to go and have a look and try to find its history and take a photo or 2 let me know!

[RThompson]

There's 3 at Statfold barn, all different in details.

 

All I can say about this thread is wow!

[PGH]

This is Hudswell Badger D1418/71 formerley No.49 at Shotton, photographed at the Statfold Barn Railway on 19th September 2009

 

[Arthur]

Nice photo PGH, looks like an interesting little railway and that Hudswell is in good condition.

[cornelius]

Thanks for the photos. I've been interested in the locos since first seeing one at Statfold and was wondering about modelling something based on the system but didn't know a lot about it. Robert's new kit will help!

[Ruston]

I visited this system in the late nineties, when it was working, and had thoughts about building a layout in 7mm but never did anything about it. The locos look to be based on the 100HP flameproofed types that Hudswell Clarke built for the NCB.

 

IIRC they also used some battery-electric locomotives but they seemed to be confined to within the buildings. I think they may have been Greenbats.

[PGH]

These locos were indeed based on the flameproof underground locos produced for the NCB, hence the bolt-on extensions at each end of the frames to facilitate transport down the pit shaft in sections.

 

According to the Industrial Railway Society's Handbook 15EL (2009), No.50 HB D1419/71 was with a private individual in the Chester Area and No.51 was the loco at the Buckley scrapyard of Spencer Industrial (NW) Ltd, this being a later loco built in 1981 with both Hunslet and Hudswell Clarke works numbers, so presumably started by one builder and completed by the other. The fourth loco (No.48) is not listed so presumably has not survived.

 

So Stevelewis, to answer your question !, if the latter loco is still there I'm sure we would be interested to see photos of this loco as it might be slightly different to the other three Hudswell locos.

 

Here is another photo of the loco at the Statford Barn Railway, showing the left hand side with the cab entrance.

 

 

[RThompson]

Now that im at home and not replying on the mobile phone at work last night.

 

Thankyou for this thread Arthur, i've been trying to find out about the system with no luck except except for 3 photos in industrial narrow gauge railways of britain by bradford barton.

 

I've got ideas for a small compact steel works layout with the narrow gauge crossing the standard gauge but as your map shows this didn't happen some modellers licence will be needed!

 

These locos was rebuilt with a larger Gardner engine from what i was told which when you compare these to Arthurs photos the bonnets are very different, looks to be a 6LXB like my Leyland Titan was fitted with but I could be wrong.

 

Heres my photos off the 3 locos at Statfold Barn Railway on the same day i was photograhing and measuring them with permission from the owners of the railway.

 

As you will see, they are all very different!

 

 

 

[ukhunslet]

Arthur - thanks for starting this thread - that plan and series of photos are great - have they been published somewhere before and if so are you able to advise where please?

 

Steve (and others) - The loco which was in the scrapyard at Buckley is indeed now also at Statfold. There was some talk at some point of it having been acquired for the Glyn Valley Tramway project but it would appear that that ultimately didn't happen. It is the yellow one in the photos Robert has posted and there is also a glimpse of it in the background of a photo on Page 92 of the June 2012 Railway Magazine just out.

 

Just by way of further history, the Hudswells were followed at Shotton by two Hunslet 4w diesels which are now on the WHR at Dinas.

 

Regards,

 

Mark

[Arthur]

Arthur - thanks for starting this thread - that plan and series of photos are great - have they been published somewhere before and if so are you able to advise where please?

 

Regards,

 

Mark

 

Pleased that they are of interest Mark. The article is from " Materials Handling in the Iron & Steel Industry" published by The Iron & Steel Institute in 1973. There are no other photographs or plans related to the railway system (two photos and one plan of the original stock bay). There is more text about the system, though the only railway related fact I've missed is mention of a loco shed and fueling facility. I'm, happy to scan the entire article if it's of interest.

[ukhunslet]

Arthur,

 

Thanks for the detail - I've now ordered the book from a second-hand dealer (tip to all - www.abebooks.co.uk is a great place for tracking down the obscure and out of print). I've learned that it is the proceedings of a two day conference on the subject held by the Institute in London in May 1973, so I'm awaiting with interest to see what other fascinating subjects were covered at the conference.

 

Thanks again,

 

Mark