Andrew Barclay 376

Andrew Barclay built this locomotive in the early Post War period, it is very similar to the locomotives built for the Army at the end of the Second World War like Andrew Barclay 371. AB376 however was destined for civilian industrial use, it was supplied to Lever Brothers at their Port Sunlight works.

AB376 at Tyseley in green

Information
Built:	1948
Builder:	Andrew Barclay
Motor:	Gardner 8-cylinder diesel
Power:	150 hp (112 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-4-0

When those works closed AB376 was sold to British Gypsum and worked at their site at Erith until final retirement and preservation in 1985. For a time the locomotive was at the North Downs Steam Railway later at the Spa Valley Railway. Nowadays it is at the Tyseley Locomotive Works where it is being restored.

AB376 at Tyseley Locomotive Works in undercoat

Rear view of 376

Liverpool Corporation Tramways Priestly Bogie Car

This batch of bogie cars, known as Priestly Bogie Cars (or sometimes English Electric Bogie Cars), was built by Liverpool Corporation Tramways in the early 1930s as part of the effort to modernise the tram fleet [1]. The tram cars, which were the first complete class of tram to be built at the Corporation's new Edge Lane Works, were fully enclosed and had two English Electric bogies with all axles being driven. However within a few years the bogies were replaced by lightweight ones by EMB as the original bogies were prone to wheel locking. The trams were withdrawn by the 1950s.

Tram 762 (right) at Wirral Transport Museum

Information
Number built:	12
Built:	1931-32
Builder:	Liverpool Corporation Edge Lane Works / English Electric
Motor:	4 electric motors (550v DC OHLE)

Tram number 762's lower saloon survived to become a bowling green clubhouse after the tram was withdrawn in 1955. The saloon was rescued for preservation in 1977 though this was a slow process. However in 2001 the tram was finally restored to working order and now runs on the Wirral Tramway heritage line.

Side view including the entrance and cab area

[1] Charles Knapper, The Golden Age of Tramways (David & Charles, 1974) p. 90

Harton Railway Siemens Electric Locomotive

In 1908 the Harton Coal Company electrified it's complex network of industrial lines in South Shields, the earliest [1] and largest single electrification project of an industrial railway with over eleven and a half kilometres of track electrified in the first instance. More lines were electrified later on. Six locomotives were built by Siemens Brothers at their Dynamo Works in Stafford for the railway in a variety of configurations [2].

E5 in operation, notice the Siemens bow collector [3]

Information for E5 & E6
Number built:	2
Built:	1908
Builder:	Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works
Motor:	2 Siemens D58wa commutating pole electric motors (550v DC OHLE)
Power:	300 hp (224 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	B+B

The first two locomotives (E1 and E2) had a single two axle chassis (Bo). E3 and E4 were of Bo-Bo configuration and intended to haul trains of up to 110 tons up a gradient. E5 and E6 were intended for shunting duties and had to handle tight radius curves. To avoid excessive overhang (E3 and E4 had problems with locking buffers with the buffers of wagons [4][5] on tight curves) the locomotives were articulated in the middle via a drag link coupling and had a single powered axle in each half of the locomotive. The second axle was driven by coupling rods. The cab roof had two overlapping halves upon which a bow collector was attached (later replaced by a cross-arm pantograph).

In the following years more locomotives were built including from Siemens Brothers, Kerr Stuart, English Electric and Baugley. The Harton Electric Railway remained in use for over eighty years though began to be run down in the 1980s with the final full electric working in 1988 [6]. Of the original six locomotives E2 and E4 remained in use into the early 1980s and both were preserved.

Arrangement of E5 and E6 [5]

[1] William J Hatcher, The Harton Electric Railway (Oakwood Press, 1994) p. v
[2] Ibid. p. 13
[3] "Slow speed direct current locomotives for colliery service", Electric Railway Journal Vol. XXXVII No. 21 (May 27, 1911) p. 925
[4] Hatcher p. 25
[5] "Driving systems of electric locomotives", Electric Railway Journal Vol. XLII No. 26 (Dec 27 1913) p. 1339
[6] Hatcher p. 111

Kent and East Sussex Railway Petrol Railmotor

The Kent & East Sussex Railway operated between 1900 and 1961 (after 1948 as part of British Railways), though a preserved railway with the same name opened in 1974. The railway, in common with a number of other railway companies in the early twentieth century operated a number of early railmotors, with petrol engines, along it's route. The line's general manager Colonel Stephens was a keen enthusiast of this new mode of travel which he hoped would reduce the cost of running services on the line.

Ford railmotor at Tenterden Town [1]

Information for Ford railmotor
Number built:	4
Built:	1923-24
Builder:	Ford / Eaton Coachworks
Motor:	Ford 4-cylinder petrol engine
Power:	20 hp (15 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	2-2wPMR

The railmotors were very similar to contemporary motor buses but with flanged wheels. Indeed the first was purchased as a Wolseley Siddeley motor bus but fitted with flanged wheels. In 1923 a pair of Ford railmotors were purchased from Edmonds of Thetford, these railmotors had bodywork by Eaton Coachworks with the chassis from a Ford Model T. Another pair were bought in 1924. The railmotors were operated until the mid-1930s. Finally a pair of railmotors built by Shefflex Lorries were purchased in 1930 and were operated until the late 1930s.

A replica of the Ford railmotor was built in the early 2000s and has operated on the present day preserved line. It is now preserved at the Colonel Stephens Museum at Tenterden.

[1] Railway Mechanical Engineer (Vol 97 No. 7 July 1923) p. 502

Blackpool Corporation Boat Car

These open-topped trams, also known as Luxury Toastrack Cars, were built as part of the five year modernisation of the Blackpool Corporation tram fleet in the 1930s with modern streamlined tram cars. They earned the name "Boat car" due to their appearance, oweing design ideas and more higher quality internal fittings to contemporary luxury coaches rather than earlier trams. They became an instant success with the public travelling along the Blackpool promenade.

Blackpool 236 at Crich Tramway Museum

Information
Number built:	12
Built:	1934
Builder:	English Electric
Motor:	2 EE327 electric motors (500v DC OHLE)
Power:	80 hp (60 kW)

The trams remained in regular service until the late 1960s when withdrawals began however half of the fleet survived into the 1990s and received a refurbishment. Two remain in service in the heritage portion of the Blackpool tram fleet while others have been preserved in the UK and USA.

236 in the shed, notice the tower for the trolley pole

236 in operation

Overhead view of 236