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Ruston

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Blog Entries posted by Ruston

  1. Ruston
    This little 48DS was acquired from a contractor's yard in Camden, in 1975. Whilst outwardly scruffy it was in good mechanical condition and was used regularly to shunt fuel oil deliveries to the Metal Box works. After the creation of Strong/Shelby's locomotive hire business, it was hired out to civil engineering contractors and the like. The loco was sold in 1982 and is believed to be in a private collection, somewhere in Shropshire.

  2. Ruston
    This engine was built in 1965 and worked at British Leyland, Swindon, before becoming surplus to requirements. It arrived at Strong's yard in 1979 in full working order and after a time working the yard was added to the hire fleet. It was easy to drive and powerful, with a Twin Disc torque convertor and Leyland O.680 engine.

  3. Ruston

    Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM

    By Ruston,


    A
    This 1958 vintage Hudswell was acquired from the National Coal Board's Nottinghamshire area. It was never intended to be used at Strong's yard as the Gardner 8L3 engine had been sold to Hong Kong, for use in a junk, before the locomotive was off the low-loader. Fortunately, the deal fell through and the locomotive went on to spend a couple of years as a yard shunter, before it was finally cut up.

  4. Ruston
    This saddletank was new in 1941 and worked at a munitions factory in North Wales. It was later sold to a gas works, near Worcester and when replaced by diesels in 1961, was stored in its shed. A run-down of the works, just before the coming of north sea gas, saw all the equipment sold for scrap and the loco was acquired by Strong in 1973. It was named Polly Gray and put to work occasionally right up until 1982, when it was presented to the Chasewater Railway. You won't find it there as it is off-site at a private location, undergoing a complete overhaul.

  5. Ruston

    14-ton Motor Rail

    By Ruston,


    A
    This 85HP diesel shunter, built by Motor Rail Ltd. in 1957, formerly worked for The Harboro Stone Co. at their quarry that was located along the Cromford & High Peak line. It was used at Strong's but soon departed to become one of the hire fleet.

  6. Ruston

    Unidentified Peckett W4

    By Ruston,


    A
    Little is known about this one as it seemingly appeared and disappeared. Fortunately, it was recorded on film by Gordon Eggert on one of his visits of various industrial railway sites around the Midlands. As can be seen, it was clearly not in working order as the rods were missing and the whole thing looked to be in a sorry state. A group of IRS members, including Rob Carvill and R.K. Shell, noted it as being outside the cutting area on the 5th of May 1970, but were unable to identify it. Presumed scrapped or sold by June 1970.

     
  7. Ruston

    Fowler 150HP diesel

    By Ruston,


    A
    This 0-4-0DM was built for the Ministry of Supply in 1940 and was used at various munitions works during the war. It was subsequently sold to Shelby Transport Ltd., a company within the Shelby Group. It fell out of use when Shelby's Liverpool depot ceased using rail traffic and was sent to Strong's for re-use. Scrapped or sold by 1984.

  8. Ruston
    This locomotive was formerly owned by the Central Electricity Generating Board and worked at a small power station in Yorkshire.  Strong purchased it, along with much of the scrap when the power station closed in 1975. It was used for several years in the yard, before moving to another company within the Shelby Group. Its ultimate fate is unknown.

     

  9. Ruston

    ICI Ruston 88DS

    By Ruston,


    A
    This 20-ton Ruston 88DS was sold for scrap after the ICI works at which it was used ceased to use rail traffic. It had been well-maintained by the ICI fitters and, instead of being cut up, was put on the sale or hire list at Strong's. It spent some time in use as the yard shunter and also shunting the Watery Lane works of Metal Box Ltd.

    It was later sold for preservation but, as is so often the case, was cast aside as soon as the railway got ideas above its station and started to run an ex-BR steam loco. The Ruston was sold back to Strong but this time it was not so lucky and became razor blades and Rover 75s.

  10. Ruston

    Gasworks Peckett

    By Ruston,


    A
    Another one that had a short career at Strongs was this 14-inch Special Peckett. It was built in 1899 for use at a gasworks in the London area and after several changes of ownership ended up at a gasworks in Saltley, from where Strong purchased it for scrap. It saw limited use at Garrison Lane before being sold to the Harboro Stone Company of Derbyshire. This rare shot, by Terence Torrity, shows it shunting scrap at Watery Lane Sidings.

  11. Ruston

    Andrew Barclay 153HP DM

    By Ruston,


    A
    This 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical was bought from an explosives works, near Coventry. It had originally been built for the war effort and is believed to have landed on the D-Day beaches. After returning to the UK it was sold out of WD service and through a dealer ended up at the explosives works. Strong purchased the entire site and scrapped everything there. The loco was used to move wagons around the site during the demolition and was eventually brought to the yard for further use. It proved to be a very reliable locomotive and was used for many years until the Gardner engine suffered a broken crankshaft. That was the end for the Barclay, which was cut up, sometime in 1982.

  12. Ruston

    The Green Peckett

    By Ruston,


    A
    Never named or numbered, this Peckett had worked at a chemical at Oldbury until being displaced by diesels. It was still in working order and had a boiler ticket when it came to Strongs, due to it having been kept as a spare at the chemical works. A re-organisation and take-over there meant the transport manager, who had a soft spot for the engine, retired and it was sold for scrap. It was used often at Strong's, especially in the winter of 78/79 when fuel froze in the diesel locomotives. It was eventually retired and sold to to be plinthed as "Percy" at a Thomas The Tank Engine theme park.

  13. Ruston
    This 0-4-0DE was built in 1958 and was supplied to a steel rolling mill at Bromford Bridge. Upon closure of the works, in 1976, it was acquired by Strong's and brought by lorry to the yard, where it was inspected and passed fit to run. It wasn't a popular locomotive with the crews as the fly cranks kept hitting scrap that was lying near the tracks. The generator suffered a flashover a few months after arriving and after a couple of weeks lying idle it was despatched.

  14. Ruston

    Rolls-Royce 0-6-0DH

    By Ruston,


    A
    Originally built for use at a steel rolling mill, this Rolls-Royce moved around a lot during its life. It even spent time working at a scrapyard in Rotherham. IRS records are unclear as to when it arrived and left Strong's, but it was photographed at least twice in 1983. Once parked in the yard and once shunting the adjacent Metal Box sidings.

  15. Ruston

    Ruston & Hornsby 165DE (2nd)

    By Ruston,


    A
    This was the second of its type known to have worked at Strong's yard and the adjacent Watery Lane Sidings. It arrived with another of the same type in 1979, from a steel stockholders in Wednesbury. The other was overhauled and sent to work at The White Peak Limestone & Tarmacadam Co., another Shelby company. The one that remained worked on and off at Strongs between hirings as part of the Shelby hire fleet. Fate unknown, presumed scrapped or sold by 1985.

  16. Ruston

    Ruston & Hornsby LSSE 0-6-0DE

    By Ruston,


    A
    This 275HP diesel-electric arrived at the yard in 1977. It had originally been ordered by the MOD but as its electric transmission made it non-standard with their similar hydraulic locomotives it was put into store until being sold as surplus. It worked at the yard for a short period before being sent out as part of the Shelby hire fleet. Its fate remains unknown.

  17. Ruston

    Small Heath No.2

    By Ruston,


    A
    This Andrew Barclay 16-inch 0-4-0ST arrived under its own steam in May 1974, from Small Heath power station, where it had been displaced by diesels. It worked for a few weeks before being sold for preservation. It now resides in the private collection of pig-farming magnate Sir John Taylor.
     

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