RMweb Gold RThompson Posted March 1, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) Hello everyone, Thought I would start a topic on the companies railway systems they ran at Coulsdon quarry and Croydon. Would anyone have photos or information on the system and locos used? They had a very interesting mc Laren traction engine type loco which a article appeared in brm magazine many years ago on building it, anyone remember which one it is? http://leedsengine.info/leeds/photo.asp?phby=www.leedsengine.info&photo=/leeds/images/J%20H%20McLaren/jhm%201547%20locomotive%20for%20hall%20and%20co%20croydon%20jp.JPG&loco=Jhm%201547%20Locomotive%20For%20Hall%20And%20Co%20Croydon%20Jp They also ran a pre war sentinel and a early fowler 0-4-0 dm. Edited January 25, 2018 by RThompson 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Hello everyone, Thought I would start a topic on the companies 2 railway systems they ran at could on quarry and wad don marsh in Croydon. Would anyone have photos or information on the system and locos used? They had a very interesting mc Karen traction engine type loco which a article appeared in brm magazine many years ago on building it, anyone remember which one it is? http://leedsengine.info/leeds/photo.asp?phby=www.leedsengine.info&photo=/leeds/images/J%20H%20McLaren/jhm%201547%20locomotive%20for%20hall%20and%20co%20croydon%20jp.JPG&loco=Jhm%201547%20Locomotive%20For%20Hall%20And%20Co%20Croydon%20Jp They also ran a pre war sentinel and a early fowler 0-4-0 dm. I found a couple of interesting snippets about this loco in old issues of The Engineer on Grace's guide whilst looking for something else. It seems to have replaced (or supplemented) a similar one from Clayton of Lincoln. http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/images/b/b9/Er19570208.pdf http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/images/0/06/Er19240118.pdf (And when I looked for more info, this page came up.....) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgood Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) You've probably already discovered these - but for others following, try this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnpaddy22/9590606137/in/photolist-7jQady-fBun5e-ouFZ3k-pSZvVc-aFBnLx-od8fXb-oukx5V-7jQnPA-oeRYfk-owda5C-oeJZ2A-oeiuqi-ovPZn6-oeM95R-oy1Qjk-ovTjbt And this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/4151276316/in/photolist-7jQady-fBun5e-ouFZ3k-pSZvVc-aFBnLx-od8fXb-oukx5V-7jQnPA-oeRYfk-owda5C-oeJZ2A-oeiuqi-ovPZn6-oeM95R-oy1Qjk-ovTjbt And this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/4151233916/in/photolist-7jQady-fBun5e-ouFZ3k-pSZvVc-aFBnLx-od8fXb-oukx5V-7jQnPA-oeRYfk-owda5C-oeJZ2A-oeiuqi-ovPZn6-oeM95R-oy1Qjk-ovTjbt Tony Edited June 19, 2016 by Osgood Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted June 19, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) Good evening Robert, I actually worked for Hall & Co and in the 80s managed their Coulsdon builders merchant branch that was on the site of the old lime works. I've got a company book entitled "A century and a quarter" and there are a few photos of the works etc so I could scan and email to you if you like. Regards Bob. Edit. Only just noticed the date of the original post so this may be of no use whatsoever. Edited June 19, 2016 by grandadbob 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RThompson Posted June 20, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2016 Hello, Everyone, thank you for the additions to this thread, it is much appreciated with some interesting articles. Grandad bob, I would be very interested in a scan of the book please if that's still ok? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted June 21, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2016 Hi Robert, Will have a go later or tomorrow when I get a few minutes and send via PM All the best, Bob. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 i was flicking through a pile of secondhand Railway Bylines last november and bought one of them because it had a photo of the mclaren at work, its in the January 2017 issue 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 You've probably already discovered these - but for others following, try this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnpaddy22/9590606137/in/photolist-7jQady-fBun5e-ouFZ3k-pSZvVc-aFBnLx-od8fXb-oukx5V-7jQnPA-oeRYfk-owda5C-oeJZ2A-oeiuqi-ovPZn6-oeM95R-oy1Qjk-ovTjbt And this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/4151276316/in/photolist-7jQady-fBun5e-ouFZ3k-pSZvVc-aFBnLx-od8fXb-oukx5V-7jQnPA-oeRYfk-owda5C-oeJZ2A-oeiuqi-ovPZn6-oeM95R-oy1Qjk-ovTjbt And this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/4151233916/in/photolist-7jQady-fBun5e-ouFZ3k-pSZvVc-aFBnLx-od8fXb-oukx5V-7jQnPA-oeRYfk-owda5C-oeJZ2A-oeiuqi-ovPZn6-oeM95R-oy1Qjk-ovTjbt Tony I reckon the Hunslet 0-4-0 side tank would make a great model. Outside Walschaerts etc., so unusual on a small industrial. Mr Edge - please take note The McClaren loco features in Andrew Neale's article in an 'Archive' last year (?) on 'Traction Engine Locos'. Not sure of the number of the issue, sorry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killian keane Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 The October 2016 'old glory' contains photographs of both their Clayton and shuttleworth and the mcLaren as well as a fair few other traction engine locos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgood Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 .....The McClaren loco features in Andrew Neale's article in an 'Archive' last year (?) on 'Traction Engine Locos'. Not sure of the number of the issue, sorry. Archive 87- an excellent 20 page article with nicely reproduced large format photos, plus cover and inside front photos. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RThompson Posted January 25, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 I'm looking to build a model of Halls Pre war 80HP Sentinel, easily achieved by modifying the axle box spring brackets on the RT Models kit. The question though is, what colour was it painted? Including the fowler Adam and McLaren traction engine. From reading the Hall & co book, the lorries was red so I'm guessing maybe the locos also? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Interesting thread, there was a big builders merchants in Romford, Essex during the 80's called Hall & Co and they're yard was somewhere near the railway lines. I wondered if anybody knew if it could have been a descendant of the same company and could have had a rail connection some time? Steve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) Most certainly was the same company and merged/taken over by RMC in 1968. They were major suppliers of building materials with something like 70 or more locations including builders merchant depots, aggregate pits, brickworks, a lime quarry and works and even a cement works at one time. Most of the depots were by the railway as they were also quite a large coal merchant and at one time owned over 400 railway wagons. The company started in 1824 with a stone quarry in Merstham, Surrey and materials were transported on the Grand Surrey Iron Railway from Merstham to Croydon and other places en route to Wandsworth and thence by barge to London Bridge and other such projects. Seaborne coal from NE England was brought back on return journeys, some sold off as domestic fuel for the wealthy but much of it for the limekilns at Merstham. Edited January 25, 2018 by grandadbob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 Further to Robert's colour question the lorries were red with gold lettering and I suspect the Sentinel would have been the same. Photo of vintage Bedford lorry to give an idea of livery: https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8469/8148630945_8ce020ff83_b.jpg 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 Hall & Co lorry number 2555 used to pass my house on the A25 at Betchworth most mornings, carrying bricks from one of the several brickworks in the Dorking - Horsham area. I wonder if it was headed to Coulsdon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 Might well have been Ian but TBH the company carted bricks all over the place to many sites in and around London and the South East and further afield. These could be from their own works at Newdigate or from other brick companies such as Sussex & Dorking, Ockley, Ewhurst and many others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Hall and co had a large engineering base at Salfords just to the west of the station goods yard. The area has been redeveloped into a small industrial estate. The base as far as I know dealt with vehicle maintenance. There was also a concrete plant that remained in situ after Hall& Co became part RMC. Aggregates supplied by Marinex from the goods yard. Keith Ps I think they also operated a narrow gauge line at Eastbourne on the Crumbles. The LB&SCR also had a siding there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted February 6, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 6, 2018 Interesting thread, there was a big builders merchants in Romford, Essex during the 80's called Hall & Co and they're yard was somewhere near the railway lines. I wondered if anybody knew if it could have been a descendant of the same company and could have had a rail connection some time? Steve. It was indeed rail connected though not directly. It was connected to the LMS goods yard in Victoria Road by a spur running parallel to the branch on the south side and underneath the Victoria Road bridge to Halls yard in Manor Road. Halls yard itself was once a gravel pit but later became a storage yard. I am not aware of any locomotives stationed there, shunting was probably by hand or horse though the tracks and sidings appear to be capable of carrying a locomotive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 It was indeed rail connected though not directly. It was connected to the LMS goods yard in Victoria Road by a spur running parallel to the branch on the south side and underneath the Victoria Road bridge to Halls yard in Manor Road. Halls yard itself was once a gravel pit but later became a storage yard. I am not aware of any locomotives stationed there, shunting was probably by hand or horse though the tracks and sidings appear to be capable of carrying a locomotive. Thanks Phil, that's very interesting. I didn't know there was a LMS goods yard there either. Steve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted February 7, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2018 Salfords was the main engineering workshop for the company and in 1930 spread over 14 acres and dealt not only with maintenance but also major repairs and overhauls. There were also sub workshops at Redhill, Coulsdon, Croydon, Willow Lane Mitcham, East Dulwich, Epsom, Woking, Sevenoaks, Chichster, Kew Bridge, Hove, Worthing, Ringwood, Bristol, Bexhill & Maidstone capable of all but the major repairs. IIRC Salfords built most of the bodies fitted to the lorries as well and repaired and maintained all of the pit plant. It was at one time claimed to be amongst the largest and best equipped engineering shops in the country. They also repaired and overhauled tanks and other armoured vehicles during WW2. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 My late Aunt and Uncle both worked at Salfords must have been late 40's early 50's. They had a book presented to them all about Hall & Co. It was quite a meaty tome and I would love to see a copy of it or even better get a copy. Keith 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted February 8, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2018 Keith, I have one and it's called "A Century and a Quarter". Copies occasionally appear on eBay and also with second hand booksellers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Keith, I have one and it's called "A Century and a Quarter". Copies occasionally appear on eBay and also with second hand booksellers. Thanks very much for the information about the unit and about the book I will be on the look out for that one. Keith (Used to live in Salfords.....) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tractionman Posted February 11, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2018 Thanks very much for the information about the unit and about the book I will be on the look out for that one.Keith (Used to live in Salfords.....) There is a copy for sale listed on amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Century-Quarter-Growth-Business-Present/dp/B0026YRX58 Plus another on Abebooks though the latter is from the US and has £19 postage to the UK even though the book is a tenner there... Cheers, Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted February 11, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2018 I think if you are patient a copy will eventually appear on ebay a lot cheaper than £29.99. Also it says paperback but AFAIK it has always been hardback and was printed for private distribution to members of staff etc and never went on general sale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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