Jump to content

Yorkshire Engine Company


madannie77

Recommended Posts

I suppose this could go in several topics on the Forum: the company has gone, the factory is still there, the products were made in Sheffield and the products were largely for transportation purposes.

 

The Yorkshire Engine Company was founded in 1865 and closed in 1965, having built over 1100 steam, diesel and battery-electric locomotives as well as repairing and building locomotive boilers, mining haulage engines and even, in the early years of the 20th century, motor car manufacture.

 

The company built largely to order, so many different types of locomotive were built over the years, both for the home market and overseas. As UK main line railways grew larger through amalgamation and set up their own locomotive works, the export and industrial market became more important for YEC. One notable exception to this was the building of 20 Pannier tanks for the Great Western Railway and British Rail (Western Region) in the late 1940s.

 

Typical of the order book in the early days is that of the first five years' production, which included:

13 locos for the Great Northern Railway, 10 for the Midland Railway, 30 for the East Indian Railway, over 40 for Russia, 2 for Jamaica, 3 for Argentina and several for various mining and industrial concerns.

 

I was going to write a potted history of the Yorkshire Engine Company, but find that there is a good summary on the Wortley Top Forge site.

 

The third page of this history appears to be missing, unfortunately. I assume it deals with the YEC's most successful diesel locomotive, the Janus. 102 of these were built, the majority being for the steel industry, and although the last was built in 1965 there are still some at work, including some at Stocksbridge Works and one at EMR in Attercliffe.

 

A Janus at work at Appleby Frodingham in 2008

 

There are still around 80 YEC locomotives in existence, although some of the Corus locos are waiting to be disposed of as steel making in this country diminishes further. In addition to the working examples and many on preserved railways in Britain, there are two preserved steam locos in Paraguay, 2 in New Zealand and one diesel in the Madrid Railway Museum.

 

An aerial view of the factory, presumably at about the time the company closed it's doors. It is the long building in front of the two gasometers.

 

A couple of photos of the factory in December 2009:

 

yec1.jpg

 

yec2.jpg

 

The path alongside is part of the Trans-Pennine Trail, and used to be part of the Great Central Railway's network. It was used (unofficially, at first) by the company for testing newly built locomotives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The youthful Managing Director, Alfred Sacre, aged 29 (!) was staying at the Victoria Hotel on Census night 1871 ...

anyone know of any other Members of staff please ?

Hints given to keen, newer Members (send me a message, or if you can't send messages yet - security measure, leave me a message here); the "Site Fossils" can fend for themselves :)

Oh Man, first we've got fairies, now fossils ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few names to be going on with:

Robert Hampson was appointed Works Manager in 1865 and remained with the company until 1906, when he retired and was replaced by Watson Foggo

The first company secretary was a W C Stephens, and the first company office was on Bank Street.

Other founding directors included Archibald Sturrock, Charles Sacre and Thomas Rawson Barker.

More to follow, perhaps, as I re-read the book by Tony Vernon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few names to be going on with:

Robert Hampson was appointed Works Manager in 1865 and remained with the company until 1906, when he retired and was replaced by Watson Foggo

The first company secretary was a W C Stephens, and the first company office was on Bank Street.

Other founding directors included Archibald Sturrock, Charles Sacre and Thomas Rawson Barker.

More to follow, perhaps, as I re-read the book by Tony Vernon.

Excellent Madannie; do you want to be an ammonite, a trilobite or some portion of a Stegosaurus ? he he

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent Madannie; do you want to be an ammonite, a trilobite or some portion of a Stegosaurus ? he he

Always had a soft spot for ammonites, but I think being a pterosaur would be quite nice - would have had some good aerial views of the world before fossilisation kicked in.

In addition to Charles and Alfred Sacre, Edward Sacre was a partner in the company which acted as the company's London agents - bit of a family affair!

Robert Schofield Hampson, the first works manager, was born in Dukinfield in 1838 and lived on Norwood Road in the 1880s. By this time he was Manager of the whole site: the works manager (what we would probably call a production manager) was an Edward Sugden.

Chairman of the company in the 1880s was Thomas Vickers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always had a soft spot for ammonites, but I think being a pterosaur would be quite nice - would have had some good aerial views of the world before fossilisation kicked in.

In addition to Charles and Alfred Sacre, Edward Sacre was a partner in the company which acted as the company's London agents - bit of a family affair!

Robert Schofield Hampson, the first works manager, was born in Dukinfield in 1838 and lived on Norwood Road in the 1880s. By this time he was Manager of the whole site: the works manager (what we would probably call a production manager) was an Edward Sugden.

Chairman of the company in the 1880s was Thomas Vickers.

Looking like an A-Z with dates is building here from nothing. Not a personal question but do you have a Henry Cox ... ? Henry Cox Jenkinson that is.

Always fancied being a Lingua myself, 550 million years or thereabouts and no noticeable changes; now Mr Darwin, apart from the Japanese digging me up from sandy beaches, how's that for adaptation ?

Flying chaps, I'd be Archeaoptryx, nice views and fame too :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking like an A-Z with dates is building here from nothing. Not a personal question but do you have a Henry Cox ... ? Henry Cox Jenkinson that is.

Always fancied being a Lingua myself, 550 million years or thereabouts and no noticeable changes; now Mr Darwin, apart from the Japanese digging me up from sandy beaches, how's that for adaptation ?

Flying chaps, I'd be Archeaoptryx, nice views and fame too :rolleyes:

H C Jenkinson, from Wincobank, appointed company secretary in July 1888 at £180 per annum, subsequently increased in 1890 to £250 per annum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

H C Jenkinson, from Wincobank, appointed company secretary in July 1888 at £180 per annum, subsequently increased in 1890 to £250 per annum.

I like that, nice detail; you are just showing me up now - because I don't actually know anything about the topic (I do try) - so you're Tyrannosaurus Rex and I'm a coprolite ... :mellow:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like that, nice detail; you are just showing me up now - because I don't actually know anything about the topic (I do try) - so you're Tyrannosaurus Rex and I'm a coprolite ... :mellow:

Hmmmmm. T-rex. Perhaps I am a bit lardy at the moment (too much sitting in front of a computer).

Nice bit of detail in the book: it has plenty of those about the top brass. Pity it doesn't name more of the people who worked there. As is the way with most books of this type (the company history) it is the managers and directors who get their names in print, not the ordinary folk on the shop floor or in the office.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmmm. T-rex. Perhaps I am a bit lardy at the moment (too much sitting in front of a computer).

Nice bit of detail in the book: it has plenty of those about the top brass. Pity it doesn't name more of the people who worked there. As is the way with most books of this type (the company history) it is the managers and directors who get their names in print, not the ordinary folk on the shop floor or in the office.

Oh so much better than being a coprolite it has to be said; how about a stint as a coelocanthe ? I keep trying to get the wife to ask the fishmonger for ceolocanthe ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stephen Myers book says

Y.E.C.

The Yorkshire Engine Co., Sheffield

The Yorkshire Engine Company were famous for the production of steam locomotives .The Fairley engine was exported to many countries and many factories had works locomotives produced by Y.E.C. In 1878 a steam tram was built for steam tramway trials in Sheffield

The British and Colonial Mercedes Daimler Syndicate commissioned YEC to build a car to be called the Y.E.C. and which was to be the same as the then current 30HP Mercedes. The first order was for fifty units for which agreed royalties were paid to Mercedes Daimler by the Syndicate. Mercedes Daimler successfully undertook litigation to prevent further production when the British and Colonial Mercedes Diamler Syndicate refused to pay royalties on further models.

In the Yorkshire Engine Company papers lodged in the Sheffield Central library is a collection of factory photographs; it would appear that a photograph exists for every locomotive built.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the Yorkshire Engine Company papers lodged in the Sheffield Central library is a collection of factory photographs; it would appear that a photograph exists for every locomotive built.

Well, Letsby Avemun (that doesn't quite work, I know)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a fine shot of a YEC built car in Tony Vernon's book, credited to Sheffield Archives. I would love to see that on here, but alas.....

It looks very odd - perhaps giving a clue as to why the car building was a failure.

It would be quite likely that a photograph was taken of every locomotive built at Meadow Hall Works: it seemed to be the done thing with locomotive builders. Makes illustrating books about these companies quite easy.

YEC appear to have built about 20 of those articulated locomotives, including several batches for Mexico: they must have been Fairlie good at making them he he

I'll get my coat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yorkshire Engine Company advert from a 1962 railway magazine. By this time the company was a subsidiary of United Steel, which explains why so many of the YEC's later production ended up with UEC (and later BSC, and now Corus)

post-6334-127110129258_thumb.jpg

 

yes_ad1962.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suppose this could go in several topics on the Forum: the company has gone, the factory is still there, the products were made in Sheffield and the products were largely for transportation purposes.

The Yorkshire Engine Company was founded in 1865 and closed in 1965, having built over 1100 steam, diesel and battery-electric locomotives as well as repairing and building locomotive boilers, mining haulage engines and even, in the early years of the 20th century, motor car manufacture.

The company built largely to order, so many different types of locomotive were built over the years, both for the home market and overseas. As UK main line railways grew larger through amalgamation and set up their own locomotive works, the export and industrial market became more important for YEC. One notable exception to this was the building of 20 Pannier tanks for the Great Western Railway and British Rail (Western Region) in the late 1940s.

Typical of the order book in the early days is that of the first five years' production, which included:

13 locos for the Great Northern Railway, 10 for the Midland Railway, 30 for the East Indian Railway, over 40 for Russia, 2 for Jamaica, 3 for Argentina and several for various mining and industrial concerns.

I was going to write a potted history of the Yorkshire Engine Company, but find that there is a good summary on the Wortley Top Forge site.

The third page of this history appears to be missing, unfortunately. I assume it deals with the YEC's most successful diesel locomotive, the Janus. 102 of these were built, the majority being for the steel industry, and although the last was built in 1965 there are still some at work, including some at Stocksbridge Works and one at EMR in Attercliffe.

A Janus at work at Appleby Frodingham in 2008

There are still around 80 YEC locomotives in existence, although some of the Corus locos are waiting to be disposed of as steel making in this country diminishes further. In addition to the working examples and many on preserved railways in Britain, there are two preserved steam locos in Paraguay, 2 in New Zealand and one diesel in the Madrid Railway Museum.

An aerial view of the factory, presumably at about the time the company closed it's doors. It is the long building in front of the two gasometers.

A couple of photos of the factory in December 2009:

The path alongside is part of the Trans-Pennine Trail, and used to be part of the Great Central Railway's network. It was used (unofficially, at first) by the company for testing newly built locomotives.

Hi,

I'm late with this one but it took a long, long, time to find the photos plus lots of computer problems.

If the photos have attached as intended, you should have picture of YEC No.168 (c1871) .on static display in the Plaza del Immigrate, San Raphael, Mendoza Province, Argentina. This was taken a few years ago by fellow worker (before we both retired).

I don't think 168 will be running again any time soon. For example the connecting rods shown in orange are not the original but wooden copies.

Regards

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I'm late wit this one but it took a long, long, time to find the photos plus lots of computer problems.

If the photos have attached as intended, you should have picture of YEC No.168 (c1871) .on static display in the Plaza del Immigrate, San Raphael, Mendoza Province, Argentina. This was taken a few years ago by fellow worker (before we both retired).

I dont think 168 will be running again any time soon. For example the connecting rods shown in orange are not the original but wooden copies.

Regards

Brilliant photos, Falls. :) I never expected to see a picture of YEC 168 on here. Built (as the plate says) in 1871 as one of four for the 5 ft 6 ins gauge Buenos Ayres (their spelling at the time) Great Southern Railway. I also note that at the time the works was Meadow-Hall, with a hyphen (which later disappeared)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

taurus.jpgAnother advert: this time from 1962, for the Taurus design of locomotive

Only 2 of these were ever built: Works number 2875 was trialled by British Rail, but no orders were forthcoming and the locomotive was dismantled shortly afterwards, and works number 2892, built for RENFE as their 10601, and currently to be seen at the Madrid Railway Museum:

A few more photos of the loco in the museum can be seen here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EMR currently has a Janus which is used for shunting purposes (works number 2714). Not sure if this is it, though - it looks rather the worse for wear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some shots of Yorkshire Engine Company Janus locomotives at Stocksbridge in 1994:

33, YE 2740 built in 1959

35, YE 2635 of 1957

35 again

36, YE 2739 of 1959

37, YE 2736 of 1959

37 again

38, YE 2798 of 1961, and the last locomotive to be nominally owned by the Stocksbridge Railway Co rather than Samuel Fox (or subsequent owners of Stocksbridge Works)

All these links are to an excellent set of images of the rolling stock at Stocksbridge Works in 1994 by Paul Bartlett:

http://paulbartlett....cksbridgewagons

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another advert: this time a rather plain one from the Sheffield Commercial Handbook 1939-40

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the 3 out of 19 built Class 02 shunters that were still in service in 1974.

This is 02 004, the others were 001 and 003.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the 3 out of 19 built Class 02 shunters that were still in service in 1974.

This is 02 004, the others were 001 and 003.

02 004 was originally D2856, works number 2815. It entered service with British Rail in November 1960, was renumbered 02 004 in February 1974 and withdrawn from service in June 1975, passing to Redland Roadstone for use at Mountsorrel.

Yorkshire Engine Co supplied 20 of these shunters to British Rail in 1960 and 1961: D2850 to D2859 (works numbers 2809 to 2818 respectively) in late 1960, and D2860 to D2869 (works numbers 2843 to 2852) in late 1961. All had been withdrawn from service by June 1975.

D2860 survives as part of the National Collection and is used as a works shunter at the National Railway Museum in York.

D2860 on the NRM Website

Others to survive are D2853, D2854, D2858, D2866, D2867 and D2868.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...