Mather and Platt Electric Locomotive for Tweedle and Smalley

This early electric locomotive was built by Mather & Platt of Salford Iron Works for the textile factory of Tweedle & Smalley in Castleton. The locomotive was used to shunt wagons containing coal for the boiler house as well as other stores. The locomotive could haul a loaded wagon that weighed up to twenty tons at up to two miles per hour. The locomotive collected power from an overhead conductor wire via two collector bars mounted on the roof. This system was found to work well on with the tight radii of the track circuit the locomotive worked on. The locomotive was of very simple construction and resembled a wagon. Speed was regulated using a resistance box.

Information
Number built: 1
Built: 1895
Builder: Mather & Platt
Motor: Manchester electric motor (DC OHLE)
Wheel arrangement: 4wWE

[1] J.F. Gairns, "Electric locomotives for mining, factory and allied uses", Electrical Age (August 1904) p. 91