Orgreave Sidings

[THYLACINE]

Thanks for your update as to the rather sorry fate of 2444/16.

I therefore thought that you might like to see a further photograph of this locomotive taken in happier times.

Taken by myself on the 23rd January 1977, the photograph again shows 2444/16 at Orgreave By-products Works, this time, standing alongside the "Bottom Rail Weigh Office". The brick built building In the background was the locomotive shed.

The morning shift of the "Traffic Department" are stood in front of 2444/16.

The other YEC Ltd Janus working that day was 2444/20. I have photographs of that engine as well somewhere.

These pictures brought back so many memories for me even though I am by no means a locomotive enthusiast. But who could not be stirred by that magnificent colour photo - I started work at Orgreave the same year the picture was taken. I hope you don't mind, I'm printing it on the wide format printer at work, laminating it and putting it on my office wall. I knew so many blokes at the coke ovens - I worked there for 6 years and played in the UCC football team - but I never encounter any in cyber space. I think this is because 1) they are not computer-literate or 2) they are not living. More likely 2)

I started writing and illustrating my memories of adolescent life from 1966 to 71 but it stalled like many other things. When I saw your photogaphs I dug them out and started dreaming (reminiscing) again. Thank you Unitedite (thats something else we have in common)

[madannie77]

Thank you very much again for your kind words.

I will look out the other photographs of these locomotives that I do have and I will be pleased to share them with you, when I do.

In the mean time however, I can share with you the following two photographs, which I have found and which are beyond doubt, the last photographs that I ever took of the UCC Ltd’s Janus Class Shunting Engines.

It is also, the very last time that I ever saw any one of them.

These two photographs were taken late in 1990, by which time, Orgreave Coking and By-products Plant had closed its’ gates for the very last time.

The full-scale demolition of the works had yet to commence and Number 7 Battery Coke Ovens [the last battery to operate at that site] were still in the process of cooling down.

Scrap recovery however had already commenced by this time and the lifting of the railway lines at the very top of the works was already well under way.

The photographs show UCC Ltd Number 2444/17 and 2444/18, both of which appear to have gained additional numbers [2 and 3] by this time.

They are standing alongside the works’ substantive brick built locomotive shed along with a travelling rail crane and they are awaiting disposal.

It would seem that by this time that 2444/17 had already been cannibalised for spare parts and it is my understanding that its’ inevitable fate was to be cut-up on-site, along with most of the internal traffic railway wagons that it had propelled for most of its life.

I understand that 2444/18 was to enjoy a more pleasant fate. I cannot however confirm this, but I do hope that it was transferred out and that it continued to survive as a working locomotive elsewhere.

Of 2444/16 and 2444/20, there was no sign of either and they had certainly been removed from the Orgreave Site by the time that I made my own visit.

2444/17 was YEC works number 2754, 2444/18 was YEC 2866 and 2444/20 was YEC 2670. I can find no details of what happened to 2444/18 on closure of Orgreave, but it is not thought to be in existence.

2444/20 was originally Stanton Ironworks No 50, transferred to the Brookhouse coke ovens as 2444/20 in 1973 and again to Orgreave in 1981. On the closure of Orgreave it went into preservation and is now at the Nene Valley Railway.

A more detailed history of the loco, and a recent photo of the loco. I suddenly have an urge to visit the Nene Valley Railway.

EARLY MORNING EDIT

Once again many thanks for details of the YEC works numbers of these locos to Mr Darvill and Mr Scanes of the Industrial Railway Society. I was so pleased to see the recent picture of YEC2670 that I completely forgot last night.

[andyrad]

Would i be correct in thinking this is the Janus that is at Stocksbridge? how many of these are left?

http://jonprice.fotopic.net/p67033904.html

[Guest Unitedite]

EARLY MORNING EDIT

Once again many thanks for details of the YEC works numbers of these locos to Mr Darvill and Mr Scanes of the Industrial Railway Society. I was so pleased to see the recent picture of YEC2670 that I completely forgot last night.

I have attached herewith a photograph of YEC Ltd "Janus" Class 0-6-0 Number 2670; UCC Ltd Number 2444/20.

I have attached this particular photograph as it was also taken by me on the 23rd January 1977 and along with UCC Ltd Number 2444/16, was the second locomotive in operation at Orgreave Coking Plant that day.

It is also, the second YEC Ltd "Janus" Class 0-6-0 that I was unofficially allowed to drive that day and so, I am especially delighted to learn that this locomotive has gone into preservation at the Nene Valley Railway.

I think that a trip down the A1 to Peterborough in order to meet up with an "old friend" is now very, very definately on the books.

My father [now sadly long departed] was a member of the traffic department at Orgreave [he is in the group photograph of 2444/16] and I was 19 years old when I took these photographs and I learned how to "drive a Janus". So it will be a particularly emotional trip me thinks.

In the meantime, however, I hope that you find the attached to be of interest.

[madannie77]

Would i be correct in thinking this is the Janus that is at Stocksbridge? how many of these are left?

http://jonprice.fotopic.net/p67033904.html

This is one of the Stocksbridge Januses: no 33 is Yorkshire Engine works number 2740, new in June 1959 to the Port of London Authority.

As far as I can ascertain there are four working Januses at Stocksbridge, with a fifth one currently out of use. The working examples carry Stocksbridge numbers 30, 33, 34 and 38 (YEC works numbers 2750, 2740, 2594 and 2798 respectively)

According to Industrial Railway Society records there are still 20 Januses at work in industry: 4 at Stocksbridge, 5 at Aldwarke, 9 at Appleby Frodingham. 1 at Corus Llanelli and 1 at EMR in Attercliffe (YEC2714).

There are also 8 in preservation, including the one already mentioned on the Nene Valley Railway.

[Guest bus man]

this link may be of intrest

regarding beighton yard

http://www.signalboxes.com/beighton-train-depot.php

[hilldweller]

Would i be correct in thinking this is the Janus that is at Stocksbridge? how many of these are left?

http://jonprice.fotopic.net/p67033904.html

I used to work at Stocksbridge Works, first as a technician and later as a manager.

Early in my technician days I was walking back to the workshop past the rail line that went into the side of the Billet Mill. The loco's used to have a bell attached to one of the cranks to warn of their approach and I stopped short of the railway track to allow a loco and trucks to pass.

I was stood there in a daydream when a very loud horn woke me from my thoughts and I saw a Janus loco coming straight at me. I jumped back out of the way and the de-railed loco came eventually to a halt after making it's own tracks through the tarmac. The loco had jumped a set of points.

HD

[andyrad]

seen a Janus at EMR yesterday

thanks to Martin Fuller for the picture

[Guest Unitedite]

I am pleased to share with you the attached photograph of British Steel Corporation 0-6-0 Locomotive No: 2444/16, [Yorkshire Engine Company No: 2753, Built Meadowhall 1959 and scrapped at Shelton, Stoke on Trent 1995] that I have recently turned up in my files.

Taken by myself on 22/04/1977, this photograph shows No: 2444/16 working at the Brookhouse Coke and By-products Works near Beighton and clearly demonstrates the fact that there was a regular interchange of engines between Orgreave and Brookhouse. A feat that was achieved by running these industrial engines, main line under their own power.

The previous photograph taken by me on 23/01/1977 [see above], shows No: 2444/16 at Orgreave By-products Works, standing alongside the "Bottom Rail Weigh Office", so these two photographs show this particular engine operating at two different works, just a matter of three months apart.

In this photograph, taken at Brookhouse; No: 2444/16 has just collected a rake of loaded coal wagons from the interchange sidings on the North Midland Loop and is now proceeding, engine first, towards the coking and by-products works. Someone however, has had a serious accident with the diesel filler hose, has demonstrated by the fact that much of fuel was still splattered down the side of the engine when this photograph was taken.

Brookhouse like Orgreave had connections with both the North Midland and Great Central Lines.

[Guest Unitedite]

I've been searching through my files again and as a result of this, I am now pleased to share with you the attached photograph of United Coke and Chemicals Limited; 0-6-0 Outside Cylinder Saddle Tank No: 2, which I believe to have been built for the Rothervale Colliery Company Limited by the Yorkshire Engine Company in 1921.

This particular photograph is not one taken by me, but it came into my possession by way of my late father, who worked in the traffic department at the Orgreave Coking and Chemicals By-products Plant. This photograph taken at Orgreave is very similar to, but not identical to an image lodged on the Picture-Sheffield Website. In that particular instance, the self-same locomotive that we see here, is also featured that photograph, but with a larger and a different group of individuals stood in front of the engine.

I would therefore hazard a guess that both photographs are contemporary with each other and that perhaps they were captured by the self-same photographer on the very same day.

I cannot place any of the individuals shown on the Sheffield Library photograph, but I can name two of those individuals captured on the image displayed here. The individual stood in the middle of the grouping of three is Hiram Wells and the individual stood on the right of the grouping is Tommy Williamson. The sharp eyed amongst you will spot that these two individuals are featured on at least one of the other photographs attached above. The third individual, stood on the left hand side of the grouping is certainly familiar to me, but I am unable to place his name for now. I will for the sake of completeness and good order, let you know, once that I do.

In the meantime, I hope that you find the attached to be of interest and I will continue to upload other images as I find them.

Kindest regards;

N

PS - perhaps one of the administrators might like to drop all of these Yorkshire Engine photographs into the Yorkshire Engine Thread.

perhaps we ought to start a photographic register of YEC locomotives.

[madannie77]

The only Rothervale No 2 built around the right time that I can find reference to is Yorkshire Engine Co. works number 2241, one of a pair built for United Steels and initially sent to Rothervale in 1929. The other loco, not surprisingly, was Rothervale No 1, works number 2240.