The Lilleshall Company a little known industrial railway

[steaman]

The post on the Granville brakevans didn't seem to attract much interest and chances are this post may attract less, because its definitely not standard gauge industrial but about as narrow gauge as you can get.  It is however part of the Lilleshall story as after the transfer of the Granville section to the NCB and the closure of the remaining section of the standard gauge line it was the last section of railway to be operated by the company.  In deference to the standard gauge devotees this post will be deleted in due course.

 

The Lilleshall Company's Donnington Wood Brickworks was situated at the end of a branch off the Lilleshall Railway's main line, to which it was connected by a triangular junction.  It is shown on the map in Post #8 between New Yard Works and Old Lodge Ironworks.  The works was connected to the clay pit by a 1'-3" gauge system worked by endless chains.  A published account gives the gauge as 1'-6", but in the notes I made at the site I recorded - 1'-3" gauge (actually measures 1'-2¹/₂") - so I'm reasonably confident it was a nominal 1'-3" gauge.

 

The system comprised two parallel lines, one for empties going out to the pit and one for fulls returning to the works, laid in two straight sections with a turn through approximately 70 degrees at about the midway point.  An endless chain driven by an electric motor at the works end drove the first section to a return pulley at the mid point, which in turn drove a similar endless chain on the second section to the pit.  The small tubs (wagons) had steel bodies on timber frames.  Above one end of the tub was fixed a vertical plate with a 'V' shaped gap to engage with the drive chain.  At the mid point where the chain was raised to pass round the guide pulleys the track was graded so that when the tubs were detached from the rising drive chain they would run by gravity round the curve to be picked up by the next section of chain.  At the clay pit and works ends of the line there was no pointwork, just areas of flat steel plates on which the small tubs could be manhandled as required.

 

 

10609B © PGH.jpg

 

View from the midway point towards the clay pit.  My visit was on a Saturday when the system wasn't working and all the tubs were stored away in the works tipping shed.

 

 

10610B © PGH.jpg

 

View from the same point towards the works

 

The works closed in 1972

What a fascinating couple of photographs. I never knew that such a system existed and excellent that you have recorded it and created a great historical record for us all to enjoy. Great stuff!

[PGH]

Well, I was interested but didn't get round to asking: is it known where the Cannock company got them from? Home-made, main-line cast-offs or new from one of the rolling-stock manufacturing companies?

 

I don't know their origins but I would guess either home made or perhaps not one of the regular rolling stock manufacturers.  There were no builders plates on either, the van in use had the lettering "W.H.Ltd." on the axleboxes and the other, No.4, had lettering "E.E.G." on its axleboxes.  Both were painted light grey with black underframes.

[Ian Smeeton]

Please do not delete posts due to lack of interest/irrelevance.

 

Even if no interest is immediately shown, some will come back here later for further info.

 

The number of views, surely, indicates interest, even if, (like me) most visitors do not comment.

 

I am sure that most of us are in awe, or are too shy, to comment.

 

It is all wonderful stuff, and we can't find it anywhere else.

 

Best Regards, & thanks

 

Ian

[wagonbasher]

Please do not delete posts due to lack of interest/irrelevance.

 

Even if no interest is immediately shown, some will come back here later for further info.

 

The number of views, surely, indicates interest, even if, (like me) most visitors do not comment.

 

I am sure that most of us are in awe, or are too shy, to comment.

 

It is all wonderful stuff, and we can't find it anywhere else.

 

Best Regards, & thanks

 

Ian

 

I am amazed by this thread, seeing industrial railway photographs (not that far from my home in Stafford and where I used to work in Halesfield in Telford. I have lots of industrial railway books but all of these photos are new. It's like a few golden nuggets every couple of days. Loving it..

 

Andy

[Guius]

Cracking topic and photographs. Never get tired of looking at stuff like this. Many thanks

 

Guy

[HFM]

Please keep the pics coming,spent most of my childhood playing at the Granville

There are some pics of my late farther in this topic that's him in post #25 leaning on his shunters pole on the colonel

Post #117 I think that's him with his shunters pole in the 4th pic down at the coal wharf crossing

[Guius]

Please keep the pics coming,spent most of my childhood playing at the Granville

There are some pics of my late farther in this topic that's him in post #25 leaning on his shunters pole on the colonel

Post #117 I think that's him with his shunters pole in the 4th pic down at the coal wharf crossing

Must have come as quiet a surprise to see your dad looking back at you from all those decades ago.

Guy

[Respite]

I knew of the Lilleshall Company and that it had its own locos but I hadn't appreciated that the Granville system was part of it.

This thread has been very interesting and I regularly check back for updates.

I only once popped into Granville and that was when diesels had taken over. A fitter who was working on one of these told me that they finished with steam partly because of the difficulty of getting spares.

I got to know No.8 well enough as I saw it working at West Cannock colliery and it came up to Bickershaw. 

I am really enjoying the fascinating photos Phil,  thanks for uploading them.

[Norton961]

I thought it was about time I posted a little more on this thread, I have been pleasantly suprised at both the number of people viewing it and for the contributions so far.

Firstly another photo of a loco at Granville, this time of Holly Bank No 3 taken in 1968 by Jim Peden. It arrived at Granville in 1966 from the Littleton Colliery. It was cut up on site in July 1968.

The second photo is of the Barcley bought new in 1948 and scrapped in late 1967 early 1968. Photo via the Kidderminster Museum.

 

 

[Norton961]

If Hornby or Bachmann are thinking about another Industrial loco then I would suggest the Barcley as used at Granville. The Pecket produced by Hornby is excellent so let's hope other Industrial locos are being considered, preferably the Barcley above!

 

David

[Guius]

I'd settle for anything industrial myself.

 

Guy

[sir douglas]

If Hornby or Bachmann are thinking about another Industrial loco then I would suggest the Barcley as used at Granville. The Pecket produced by Hornby is excellent so let's hope other Industrial locos are being considered, preferably the Barcley above!

 

David

* Barclay

[wagonbasher]

* Barclay

Is that a vote or a pedantic spelling correction?

 

Andy

[sir douglas]

correction and yes pedantry but i felt like i had to, sorry

[Killian keane]

They also had this rather fetching Hudswell Clarke 0-4-4t (no.612 of 1902) aquired from Sir W.G. Armstrong, Whitworth & co in 1919, scrapped in 1934

[Guius]

It is a handsome looking engine, wonder why Armstrong Whitworth opted for a 0-4-4T.

 

Best

 

Guy

[Killian keane]

It is a handsome looking engine, wonder why Armstrong Whitworth opted for a 0-4-4T.

 

Best

 

Guy

The only 0-4-4 I've ever seen as an industrial, , might be ex main line like the great western 0-6-2 tanks, or even bought cheap new because of a cancelled order

Edit: this page gives more information on her origins, plus a better photograph http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/23/Picture_Parade_23.htm

Edited May 27, 2017 by Killian keane

[5050]

The only 0-4-4 I've ever seen as an industrial, , might be ex main line like the great western 0-6-2 tanks, or even bought cheap new because of a cancelled order

Edit: this page gives more information on her origins, plus a better photograph http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/23/Picture_Parade_23.htm

I like the Peckfield Colliery RS 4-4-0 tank. Very unusual (to my eyes anyway!).

[sir douglas]

there was a Hudswell Clarke 0-4-4 that worked on a reservoir contract

 

HC 612 of 1902, Talla reservoir, Peebleshire

[Osgood]

there was a Hudswell Clarke 0-4-4 that worked on a reservoir contract...

That's the very same engine, Sir D - see link to IRS article above 

Edited May 28, 2017 by Osgood

[Killian keane]

I like the Peckfield Colliery RS 4-4-0 tank. Very unusual (to my eyes anyway!).

Off you go! Challenge laid down! using the known buffer height, it shouldn't be too hard to scale from

Edited September 13, 2017 by Killian keane

[pete_mcfarlane]

The Oakwood Press book on 'Boulton's siding and contractors locos' has a drawing of that loco, or a very similar one, from the Locomotive Magazine.

[5050]

The Oakwood Press book on 'Boulton's siding and contractors locos' has a drawing of that loco, or a very similar one, from the Locomotive Magazine.

Can it be found on the web?

 

The drawing I mean!

[sir douglas]

That's the very same engine, Sir D - see link to IRS article above 

oh yes of course it is, i wasnt looking at the text properly

 

now where did i just put my eyes

[Osgood]

oh yes of course it is, i wasnt looking at the text properly

 

now where did i just put my eyes

 

Glad I'm not the only one!!

 

Thanks to the main contributors to this topic - fills a gap in published material.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Osgood