Any one out there remember the Grimesthorpe railway workshops
at Brightside, and when lt was demolished

I remember passing on the tram in the 40/50s.with the coal waggons lifted high to be emptied into the coal bunker,all steam trains then.

Thanks Hutche,but l know they were still there when l left
the U K in1956.

Just sharing a couple of sites that I've learnt about during my studies of local history - you may learn a bit more from them.

http://bhess.shu.ac.uk/clag.html

Otherwise Abdul may have some info as that's in the area he covers.

There is a great picture of Grimesthorpe Railway Sheds at the corner of Newhall Road and Brightside Lane on the Picture Sheffield Website picturesheffield.com

I used to go to the loco sheds at Darnall in the 50s & 60s

Millhouses sheds was a favourite haunt of mine during the summer holidays in the late 40s. Got escorted off the premises once ! :)

Access was down a long flight of steps from Archer Road and it was pretty hard to sneak down without being seen - but I managed it quite a few times.

Doncaster was my favourite haunt, catch the train from sheffield and see the main line loco's. Paint shop, sheds. Had a bit of a routine really. Was a good day out fora school kid. Cabbed the Mallard at the "donny" sheds one day.Still reckon the "streaks' were something special (A4 Pacifics).
Anyone else go there?

Hi Buster, - I was there too ;) ...around 1950/1952 most Saturdays. Did you have the Edgar Allen booklets with all the loco numbers/names ? Around 11 am I think there was an Edinburgh express passed through Donny - nearlr always pulled by a 'streak' - seemed to be the Siver Fox more often than any other, but I saw the Mallard a few times at Donny.

No, but it was still there in 1960 (http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.id=5640)

Tinsley Marshelling Yard opened in 1965, i think that this spelt the end for local depots such as Millhouses, Canklow,Darnall Neepsend and Brightside.

Originally posted by blue11265
Tinsley Marshelling Yard opened in 1965, i think that this spelt the end for local depots such as Millhouses, Canklow,Darnall Neepsend and Brightside.

Don't think Millhouses ever was a marshalling yard, though I think some passenger coaches were kept there for repair and cleaning etc.

Coaching stock was kept at Nunnery Sidings near the bottom of Sheffield Parkway and all the loco's were transferred to Tinsley which also had a maintainance depot.

Hi Greybeard
More like '55 to '57 for me and I did have the Ian Allen trainspotters book. Used to underline the name/number of the loco when it was "copped". The magic of steam eh!
Golden Plover, John O' Gaunt, Sir Nigel Gresley and many more.
Used to be interesting on the LMS too of course. Anyone remember the footbridge "o'ert line" at Darnall near Cravens?
Great fun timing your walk across as the steam came up and enveloped you and your mates!

Talking of the "links" in Donny, I remember in the late fifties seeing Silver Link pulling a goods train through the station and an old railwayman with a tear in his eye saying what a come down for a great engine

Originally posted by Greybeard
Hi Buster, - I was there too ;) ...around 1950/1952 most Saturdays. Did you have the Edgar Allen booklets with all the loco numbers/names?

I'm amazed that he had the time to compile the train spotting books inbetween writing all those horror stories! ;)

Seriously, I used to go to a little place called Ranskill a few miles from Doncaster. It was on the London - Edinburgh line and a great place to see all the Pacifics go through at full speed.

we would have still got the loco named the city of sheffield today as it would have been preserved only that the day it was withdrawn it was cut up by mistake the engine that should have been cut up was stood at the side of it and the scrap men cut the wrong loco up. I worked with a chap at james neill tools who use to be a fireman at millhouse shed and he told me the story of how they had cut the wrong loco up it seems in them days that some people couldnt read properly. you could still see the city of sheffield nameplate as it use to be in the sheffield midland station next to the master cutler name plate as I dont go to the midland station now know point as all you get is just units there is know loco and stock that uses it so we by pass it.

Originally posted by bigkev
we would have still got the loco named the city of sheffield today as it would have been preserved only that the day it was withdrawn it was cut up by mistake the engine that should have been cut up was stood at the side of it and the scrap men cut the wrong loco up. I worked with a chap at james neill tools who use to be a fireman at millhouse shed and he told me the story of how they had cut the wrong loco up it seems in them days that some people couldnt read properly. you could still see the city of sheffield nameplate as it use to be in the sheffield midland station next to the master cutler name plate as I dont go to the midland station now know point as all you get is just units there is know loco and stock that uses it so we by pass it.

You've been missing for a while bigkev? Where've you been? You ok?

K x

I have had a bit of a scare this past couple of weeks I might have got colon cancer I wont know the true results until wednesday when I find out. I have lost some weight and have been passing a fair bit of blood but apart from that I feel fine. whats the thing they say look on the bright side of life anyway thanks for asking kristain is everything well with yourself.when I get to know I will send you a message just keep your fingers crossed for me bye for now.

Originally posted by bigkev
I have had a bit of a scare this past couple of weeks I might have got colon cancer I wont know the true results until wednesday when I find out. I have lost some weight and have been passing a fair bit of blood but apart from that I feel fine. whats the thing they say look on the bright side of life anyway thanks for asking kristain is everything well with yourself.when I get to know I will send you a message just keep your fingers crossed for me bye for now.

I will have everything crossed for you I promise! Hope you go on okay matey! :thumbsup:

Keep in touch,

K x

Hey Kiwi, I remember the Loco workshops quite well, I was a Fireman at G'thorpe for a few years from about '53 until '57. The job was OK, couldn't stand the hours, they had a negative effect on my social life. I dont know if they're still there, the buildings that is, probably not, I haven't been to the area for a long time now. Regarding the Depot though, Grimesthorpe was largely a goods traffic set up, not many passenger jobs, only specials, all the passenger traffic went from Millhouses. There were some passenger engines registered at 19A though, 19A being the shed number, there were a few Black 5s and old Midland compounds, both marvellous examples of steam engineering. Allsorts came to Grimesthorpe though in those British Railways days.

Hey texas. you ought to go and have a look around there you wouldnt recognise the place now it as changed that much I dont think the sheds are still there but dont quote me on it I use to work on the internal railway system at firth browns and we had to always go down there to pick up the scrap wagons what BR use to drop off in a sidings we never went on to the main line we had a line that went down the side of the main line,so we could just couple up to the wagons and pull them to our sidings mind you thinking back we did once go on to the mainline we had a runner way it was a bogie that had got a very big ingot mould on we had shunted it on to our mainline this is inside firth browns and the bugger took off how it didnt jump the points on to the mainline I will never know and we was glad that there wasnt a mainline passenger train due otherwise there would have been one big derailment. So I suggest you go and have a look down grimesthorpe you will be shocked how it as changed.

Hola BigKev, I cant quite remember whereabouts Firth Browns was. There was a local job working from G'thorpe, we called them 'trippers', number 88 Trips. It took any traffic from G'thorpe sidings up to the Wicker, knocked the wagons about a bit, then maybe get what we used to call a 'hotdog', that was moving an almost white hot ingot between the various mills in the steel firms. Other 'trippers' did 'hotdogging' as well but 88 trips invariably did the Wicker road. I remember that English Steels was opposite G'thorpe and ran almost to Brightside, so it's possible that Firth Browns did go up to the Wicker.

Hi texas.yes firth browns did go up to the wicker you know when you get to the top of brightside lane going towards the wicker and you go under the steel railway bridge well firth browns started just passed the steel viaduct the one that carried the mainline to brightside and to meadowhall now and firth browns finnished just below the wicker goods yard nearly opposite thos wards what was firth browns is now the industrial park have you seen that big drop hammer that stands on the corner just down from the wicker well were that is that was all firth browns in fact the rolling mills was just across from that drop hammer.I dont know if you heard about the atlas melting shop catching fire at firth browns there was the E5 melting shop and the atlas melting shop.We use to have to move some very big ingots when we worked on the railway system have you heard of H5's,G1-G6 ingots. I cant remember the other ones I can recall an incident that happened on saville street where one of our locos was taking one bloody big ingot to the heat treatment and had to cross the road well it broke down in the middle of the street that wasnt so bad apart from the ingot was white hot.we had a right job trying to uncouple the bogie from the loco so that they could pull the dead loco out of the way.

Originally posted by Greybeard
Did you have the Edgar Allen booklets with all the loco numbers/names ?

Hi Greybeard. Not being pedantic here, just trying to help, but wasn't it IAN Allen who did the booklets? Seem to remember the transport (ships, planes, cars, buses, trucks) series he did.

Hi Texas
l probably met you at some time lf you was at Grimesthorpe between 53 and 57 l was serving my apprenticeship as a boiler-smith in the workshop between 1950 and 56 l remember the trainer firemen had to clean the engine and tenders in the shop and we the apprentices used to give them hell, there used to be quite a rivalry between us, all good natured of course.
Since my original posting lv'e had a trip back there and couldn't even recognise the place.
What was the name of that pub a short way up Newall Rd?
we spent quite a few dinner times in there getting on the outside of a few pint's of stones. Great times.
Love to hear from any of my old workmates of that time, thats if any of them are still kicking.
Regards Kiwi.

P.S Best of luck Bigkev, hope everything is fine for you
Kiwi

Originally posted by saxon51
Hi Greybeard. Not being pedantic here, just trying to help, but wasn't it IAN Allen who did the booklets? Seem to remember the transport (ships, planes, cars, buses, trucks) series he did.

Yeah....someone already corrected me further up the thread.

Senility's my excuse and I'm sticking with it :D , but I definitely wasn't thinking of Poe. I used to work at Edgar Allen's and they were quite big in rail track productuion, - points sets etc., so just a mis-association.

Hola BigKev, You've really got me delving in the memory bank now! Firstly though, from your description of the area, I dont think I'd want to see what it's become. I haven't been to the place for almost 50 years, so there must've been some changes for better or worse. I didn't know they numbered the ingots, interesting that. I was thinking of the make up for a 'hotdog' train. Starting from the loco, there would be a flatwagon, then the 'dog', another flat wagon, then the brakevan. There was a signal box halfway up the Wicker line, cant remember the name, was it Firth Browns sidings? Do you remember any of the signalmen, Arnold Booth, by any chance? Always gave the impression he was a bit drunk, he wasn't of course.
I see from an earlier posting that you've not been too well, I offer my best wishes and hope everything turns out O.K. for you.

Hola KIWI, I did all my cleaning for about a month before going in the Army. When I came out I was immediatly made a passed cleaner, sent on the firing course, and got some 'turns' in. Never did get in the Workshops. I certainly remember you guys, like magicians you were. Anything wrong with an engine, fitter appears, BIG spanner, BOP! End of problem.

Hi to kiwi and texas.Thanks for them kind words it is nice to know that there is people like you in the cyber world.Kristian is helping me quite a lot it is just brilliant to be able to talk to you people it is going to get very rough in the next 2 weeks so I might not be able to write back to you all but I will try thats if I am not in too much pain, this past week as been hell for me I have had 3 injections in 4 days straight into my colon.well texas I thought you knew that they had numbers on the ingots it is the size of them thats why if you get an ingot say 150 tonnes it is called a G1 if its a ingot say 250 tonnes then it will be known as a J4 and so on.We had chap work with us he was the weighman most of the time it would be guess work when it comes to the ingots as he was referred to as blind bob he may have been blind or his eyesight wasnt very good but he could lick the best domino players i have seen him walk away with about £30 after he had been playing not bad for a chap who has got bad eyes. oh texas I am going back down to grimesthorpe at the end of april as I have got some photos to do for a chap who is moving abroad he is going to live in the USA he is a fellow railway man dont think he was at grimesthorpe though maybe darnall sheds.

My bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired bigkev, but let me just say good luck and hope you recover asap.;)

Hola bigKev, Trawling through the remains of what I laughingly call my memory, I seem to recall a goods yard to the (SW?)of G'thorpe. That is, when coming out of G'thorpe Depot, and facing the Wicker road, there was a road bearing round to the left. It went over Brightside Lane and you didn't go far, and into a goods yard servicing the works surrounding it. Was it called Attercliffe Goods by any chance? There never seemed to be much happening, an 85 trips worked it, just shunted the yard, then took any wagons for outgoing back down to G'thorpe. If KIWI is reading this, that pub you mentioned could've been the 'Junction', that was a Stones's house. The next one up the road was the Bricklayers or maybe the Brickmakers Arms.

Yes I think it was called attercliffe goods now you come to mention it.Can you remember the sidings where the main post office is now on brightside lane well we use to have to go in there to pick up the scrap wagons for firth browns this is long before they put our goods line into use and we always had to have a plate inspector with us as we had to cross the main line I think we only did for about 6 months,Then our line was brought in to use good job really I should have hated to break down across the mainline as our engines were unreliable mind you what do expect from diesel's. I know that the firm splashed out and bought a brand new one that was a big bugger to drive I swear if you sounded the horn they would have heard you down at BSC, but one joker in the fitters decided to change it and never said anthing to anybody so we was coming down from E5 melting shop with about 60-50ton ingots on when a lorry was across the line what we was travelling on when all of a sudden our driver decided to blow the horn we had the woody woodpecker tune coming out of the horn, I have never seen some many gaffers appear in one go and ours was not too pleased we thought it was brilliant infact my underhand shunter fell off the loco and broke his foot.

Hola bigkev, I can't for the life of me recollect a Post Office anywhere near Brightside Lane, so that must've been brought into being after '57. I fully agree with you on the merits of diesels. They started being used at G'thorpe around 1956 I guess, on the 'jockos'( thats Railway jargon for shunting jobs). The first one I saw was on G'thorpe Sidings, before that, as you know, they used side Tank engines. There was a lot of controversy with the diesels, the main one being they were too light. With a tank engine, say you had a decent sized string of wagons, say twenty plus 16ton coal, loaded, and a couple on the end had to be knocked down a certain road, and the rest somewhere else, obviously you would have to draw them all out over the top points, then on the shunters signals, 'hit 'em up'. If, when you'd done this maneuver and bringing the brake across to come to a stand, the wagons were too heavy, they'd drag the loco. To assist in braking, the Driver(note the capital letter) would simply put the engine in reverse and open the regulator again. You couldn't do that with a diesel. Put one of those babies in reverse while still in forward motion and you were in dead trouble.

hey up texas. Right if you walk up brightside lane past what use to be BSC you come to a roundabout with a steel sculpture in the middle of it, so if you go round to the right you go under the railway bridge towards grimethorpe if you go left at the roundabout you go up to attercliffe but if you carry on you are going towards the wicker well brightside goods yard was on the left handside what is now the new sorting office for the post it started just across from BSC and finnished up right up to the other steel bridge that carried the mainline to meadowhall. I think it had got a fair few roads in the sidings mostly stocked with wagons and bogie bolsters the odd fruit vans plus quite a few guards vans, if I am not mistaken I think that if you walk down under the steel bridge on your way to brightside lane you can still see part of the old goods yard.

Hola bigkev, I've read your description of Attercliffe Sidings and its relation to Brightside Lane and it seems to be the place I was thinking about. But Brightside Lane itself seems to have changed a lot. The roundabout with a piece of sculpture in the middle, dont remember that one.
Looking among the postings on the Website, I see that you're interested in the Railway, or whats left of it, in England. There's one about Treeton Viaduct. Am I right in thinking that it was at the Rotherham end of what we called the'District'. It formed the southern angle of a triangle from Brightside, Masboro' and Treeton or Catcliffe. I bet all of that's gone now.
I suppose you know that the'District' was the old main line of the 'Sheffield and District Railway'. I used to like going over there, breath of fresh air back in the 50's, 103 trips to Woodhouse Mill, always seemed to be a 'rocker bar', a British Railways class 4 freight. I seem to remember the original S&D started at the Wicker, down to Brightside, over the bit I've just mentioned and then who knows where. That was before the London, Midland and Scottish was even thought of, never mind BR. I saw an old print once depicting the Wicker when it first opened as a passenger station, guys in stovepipe hats and dames in crinoline dresses. Bit different to the straw and crap when I knew it! I bet it does'nt exsist at all now.

Texas

You might be interested in this map of SW Yorks in 1904. - it shows all the old railway lines around Sheffield.

http://www.youroldbooksandmaps.com/your_maps_extra/yorkshire_SW.jpg


Takes a while for the map to load, but when it's loaded just right click and use 'Save Image As' to keep it.

Edit: Forgot URL....thanks Strix :D

Hi texas. there is some news for you they have just put the triangle back in at treeton viaduct and they have put a new line down something to do with the old tinsleys sheds what I might add as now been flattened we have heard on the railway talk that they are going to spend a mega amount of money to revamp the frieght yard we have also heard that they are going to put the fueling point back in something to do with mr branson this but until it happens it just hear say. if you go onto this web site called vintage trains you will see that the leander steam loco is coming sheffield on a special it is doing 3 round trips they have said at vintage trains that it is going back to its old stomping ground in and around sheffield.

Hola bigkev, Ickles Dock, does the name ring any bells. It cropped up on another post, it was a Railway siding near G'thorpe, cant remember where.

hey up texas. ickles dock cant remember that name not for a siding near grimesthorpe I might have said near rotherham as they had ickles works but siding know cant help you sorry. I wonder I will try and find out for you as I am going to see a old british railway man he did 50 years on the line so he might know I will let you know as soon as possible.

Hola bigkev, howya doin'.

is Grimesthorpe Works still standing? I worked (on railway) for River Don in 1973-4 and regularly had to make the trip across the main line.
What about the main works-is that still a steel plant?

did they preserve any of the locos?

Can you get in there-I can still picture it but revisiting it would be quite something. (maybe I need a potted history of mid 70's- present so I don't ask questions you've answered many times before)

Am really enjoying reading the posts....can even begin to remember being sent up road to get bread and dripping sandwiches for breakfast!

Doncaster was my favourite haunt, catch the train from sheffield and see the main line loco's. Paint shop, sheds. Had a bit of a routine really. Was a good day out fora school kid. Cabbed the Mallard at the "donny" sheds one day.Still reckon the "streaks' were something special (A4 Pacifics).
Anyone else go there?

Hi Buster. I used to go there late 50's. Some Saturday's we'd stay local at the Dore and Totley triangle. A few Beyer-Garretts there. Some Saturday's we'd park ourselves at the end of Leeds City. Occasional Clans and Scots. My grandparents lived just outside Rhyl. It was good there on an August Saturday. Loads of specials from all over the place. A B1 got there one day.I've still got my 1959 Ian Allens for LMR, LNER and GWR as well as the shed book. I cabbed the Princess Royal at Chester in 1991 when it was hauling a North Wales Coast Express. I took both my sons with me but it meant nothing to them. When I worked in Goring on Thames in 1965, the glamour of the GWR had faded badly. There were a few steam workings but the diesels had all but taken over. Another good place to be on an August Saturday was Exeter St Davids.. Loads of holiday specials. Kings, Castles, Manors, Halls, 9F's, Merchant Navy's, a few black 5's even. Once a train spotter, always a train spotter.

I got ajob there as a bar lad in1939, was due to start the mon;morning after the sun; night blitz, it took me 3 hrs to walk the half mile journey because of unexploded bombs notices everywhere, and when i finally arrived i was sent home, there was a unexploded bomb in the yard. But i only stuck it for a few weeks, it was the worst job i ever had.

Hello everyone.I'm a first-time poster from deepest south-east England,and a big fan of the great city of Sheffield.
With regard to the engine sheds:-
Grimesthorpe was closed in late 1961,then used for stabling for a while before being demoilished in 1962.
Millhouses was closed on Jan 1st 1962,but the building,as far as I am aware,still survives in industrial use.
Darnall was closed to steam in the summer of 1963,and totally in October 1965.
The building was subsequently used as a wagon repair shop and it survived into the 90's with its roof missing,but I believe it is now completely demolished.
Neepsend was closed upon the opening of Darnall (1943),but the building survived into the 60's.
Nunnery closed in 1928,but again, the building lasted into the 60's,albeit in a decrepit state.
Canklow closed in October 1965,and its site was used for housing.

Hi Talbot Where did you get all your info from? Kiwi

Hi — It’s peterw and I know nothing at all about railways, but read the thread out of interest. Fascinating stuff! What interests me is the mention of Beyer-Garrett, and Nunnery. It doesn’t add anything to your stories but during the second world war I saw a massive Beyer-Garrett on the Hope Valley line going towards Manchester.

Nunnery … well … my grandparents lived on Woodbourne Hill, just a few minutes away from the old Nunnery Colliery. Around 1933-35 I spent many a happy hour watching a small 0-4-0 belching out tons of smoke but happily pulling I don’t know how many wagons of coal here, there and everywhere.
Every time it went past me the driver blew his whistle. I was told many a time that it wasn’t safe for me to be there, but I continued going anyway!

My parents then lived on Nidd Road, which wasn’t far from Kettle Bridge, if anyone remembers it? Why it was called Kettle bridge I have no idea. I used to cross it with my dad, on the way to his allotments — I think they were known as Kettle Bridge Allotments. This was probably 1931-32, and I do remember that a new loco shed was under construction. Its specific use was to house the electric locomotives that would eventually haul passengers over Woodhead — when they electrified it. What they didn’t expect was the war, which held their plan up a bit.

All this talk of Beyer-Garretts has reminded me of when I was firing at Grimesthorpe. I was on relief duty one night, my driver was a past fireman called George Cooper. I think we'd got about three hours in and not done a stroke. Anyhow, there was a 'Garrett' on the coal road that Control wanted at Canklow, so we got the job. George and myself were laughing, a 'soft un' we thought, light engine to Canklow, probably a 'tripper' back to Wincobank or Grimesthorpe, we might even get a couple of hours at 'em, so to speak, easy.
Well we got the engine to Canklow alright, they even put us main line to Masboro' curve, and when George called Control they sent us to relieve a train from God knows where to Gowholes. To make things worse it started snowing, I'd eaten all my 'snap', and when we got through the tunnel at Chinley they put us round the triangle at Chapel and we had to run round the wagons on the angle, pick the guard up and go light engine back to G'Thorpe. All this in about three foot of snow. We finished up making two hours overtime.

Hi Talbot Where did you get all your info from? Kiwi

Hi Kiwi

I'm a lifelong enthusiast and I've got loads of books etc.
Most of the info I gave could probably be found in one book," Rail Centres:No.11 Sheffield" by S.R.Batty,published in 2005 by Book Law ISBN 1 901945 21 9, price £7.99.This is a small 128 page hardback printed on glossy art-paper,and packed with photos,text,maps and plans covering the city's railways from 1813-1983.
This is an exact reprint of a 1984 book,so that's where the story ends.Great book though.
Since I'm not yet allowed to post links,I'll PM you.

Hi — What interests me is the mention of Beyer-Garrett, and Nunnery. It doesn’t add anything to your stories but during the second world war I saw a massive Beyer-Garrett on the Hope Valley line going towards Manchester.


I remember those Beyer-Garretts too. My Gran lived at Totley and I often went down to the line alongside the brook 'train spotting'. I'm sure I was told those mineral trains could be up to half a mile long but this could have been an exaggeration. I used to try and count the waggons but always lost count :)

Been over Kettle Bridge a few times too getting from Parkway avenue to Staniforth road, -the allotments were still there in the late eighties but mostly disused by then I think.

Greybeard — the train length is probably about right. I was always a wagon counter when really I should have been a loco spotter, and if I remember rightly the number I counted was 45. Not by any means a record. Up at the Nunnery Colliery as a youngster, counting was a hobby and a main occupation. That 0-4-0 I mentioned was a tough little baby, and the most I saw it pulling was 64 empties. Mind you, the track at Nunnery Colliery was fairly level.

Hi — It’s peterw and I know nothing at all about railways, but read the thread out of interest. Fascinating stuff! What interests me is the mention of Beyer-Garrett, and Nunnery. It doesn’t add anything to your stories but during the second world war I saw a massive Beyer-Garrett on the Hope Valley line going towards Manchester.

Nunnery … well … my grandparents lived on Woodbourne Hill, just a few minutes away from the old Nunnery Colliery. Around 1933-35 I spent many a happy hour watching a small 0-4-0 belching out tons of smoke but happily pulling I don’t know how many wagons of coal here, there and everywhere.
Every time it went past me the driver blew his whistle. I was told many a time that it wasn’t safe for me to be there, but I continued going anyway!

My parents then lived on Nidd Road, which wasn’t far from Kettle Bridge, if anyone remembers it? Why it was called Kettle bridge I have no idea. I used to cross it with my dad, on the way to his allotments — I think they were known as Kettle Bridge Allotments. This was probably 1931-32, and I do remember that a new loco shed was under construction. Its specific use was to house the electric locomotives that would eventually haul passengers over Woodhead — when they electrified it. What they didn’t expect was the war, which held their plan up a bit.
Excuse me butting in but I was interested to read this thread. I have just found the SheffieldForum. My grandfathers both worked for the LMS but retired in 1935 so we are going back a long way! One worked on the weighbridge at [I think] Brightside. When he started as a lad he was on the horse drawn wagons and a horse kicked him very badly. He had worked with the big horses on a farm in the Fens so he never bore the horse any malice!He was lame the rest of his life and was found the job at Brightside. He lived at the top of Wincobank Lane so it didn't stop him walking. :) My other grandfather was clerk of works on the line up to Ambergate. He lived at Burcot Road.

Doncaster was my favourite haunt, catch the train from sheffield and see the main line loco's. Paint shop, sheds. Had a bit of a routine really. Was a good day out fora school kid. Cabbed the Mallard at the "donny" sheds one day.Still reckon the "streaks' were something special (A4 Pacifics).
Anyone else go there?

I also 'cabbed' Mallard at Donny sheds, we used to cycle there most weekends. Another favourite place was Retford which had odd expresses that didnt go through Doncaster. I used to rush down from school (City Grammar) to catch the Flying Scotsman (express not train) going through Sheffield Midland.

[QUOTE=Greybeard]I remember those Beyer-Garretts too. My Gran lived at Totley and I often went down to the line alongside the brook 'train spotting'. I'm sure I was told those mineral trains could be up to half a mile long but this could have been an exaggeration. I used to try and count the waggons but always lost count :)

I didnt actually know Beyer-Garrets ever ran on UK rails, very jealous of you seeing them. Don't they still run in South Africa?

[QUOTE=Greybeard]I remember those Beyer-Garretts too. My Gran lived at Totley and I often went down to the line alongside the brook 'train spotting'. I'm sure I was told those mineral trains could be up to half a mile long but this could have been an exaggeration. I used to try and count the waggons but always lost count :)

I didnt actually know Beyer-Garrets ever ran on UK rails, very jealous of you seeing them. Don't they still run in South Africa?

Here's a couple of links might interest you...

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/LMS+Garratt

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/roysrailpage/frame/260062.jpg

Good Day Guy's,

I've just been reading this thread again. Found your comments really interesting, particularly about your rail experiences at Firth Brown's, around G'thorpe shed, the Wicker roads, etc. This started to jog my memory (not much left there now I'm afraid). For instance:

Garrats - I remember seeing the LMS one(s) a couple of times on the Hope Valley line, around 1950. I think the LNER had one but I never saw it. With that big fat boiler, were they easy to fire?

One thread gave closing dates for the various sheds in the area. The date quoted for Millhouses was 1965. I was out of Sheffield when most of these closings occured and didn't return to the area until 1967. In the summer of 67, I was at the Midland Station waiting for a train to London (almost all diesel by then). Much to my suprise, there was a beat-up Midland compound sitting on the middle track near to platform No.1. If sheds like Millhouses were closed by this time, where would this loco be serviced?

Another question. If you were coming up Brightside Lane from Newhall Road, towards the Wicker and passed under the main rail line, there was a particular steelworks on the right hand side. This set of buildings stretched, I think, from from the main line up to possibly Carwood Road. When I first remember it (mid 1940's) it was called Griffiths but around 1950, it disappeared into Firth Browns. Does any one remember it ?

Regards

One thread gave closing dates for the various sheds in the area. The date quoted for Millhouses was 1965. I was out of Sheffield when most of these closings occured and didn't return to the area until 1967. In the summer of 67, I was at the Midland Station waiting for a train to London (almost all diesel by then). Much to my suprise, there was a beat-up Midland compound sitting on the middle track near to platform No.1. If sheds like Millhouses were closed by this time, where would this loco be serviced?


I'm sorry Falls,but I'm afraid your memory is playing tricks on you,(happens to me all the time).
All the compounds were gone by 1961,and there were no steam services in the City by 1967.
Although Canklow closed in 1965,it was available as a turn-round point for West Riding engines until autumn 1966,and then it was all over for steam in Sheffield.
Are you sure about your dates?

Hi Talbot _ Heath

Yes,I'm sure about my dates. Flew back into UK on June 18, 1967.

As to the loco. it was a 4-4-0 but accept that it may have not been a compound. It was in such a deplorable state it was difficult to see precisely what it was. There were people in the cab (which I took to be the crew) so I assumed that it was capable of moving under its own power. Not just parked there.

Regards

It's been great reading your posts regarding what the railways used to be like in and around Sheffield. I work in the Sheffield area for a national railway co, and very little of what's been mentioned survives today. The goods yard at Attercliffe is still open and serves one scrap yard but it is in regular use. The old Grimesthorpe sheds and works were flattened and now have modern industrial units on them, very little of the railway survives where they once stood. Treeton triangle wasn't put back, there were talks some time ago but as it currently stands Treeton North was lifted and is not to be replaced, Treeton Junction is still in situ but all track from the south of Tinsley Yard either has or is being lifted. Millhouses shed is still there but the company that took over the site has closed down so I wonder how long they will survive now.

You've stumped me ,Falls!
I can't recall any 4-4-0 class that would have survived past the early sixties.
I thought about preserved engines,but they would not have been in poor condition.
Perhaps it was a scrap loco being transferred between sites and had met with mechanical problems and been detached and parked.Dead ,scrap engines carried a footplate rider for safety reasons.
My best guess is that it was a working from outside the area,possibly from the other side of the Pennines,that had an engine failure,and that your loco was an emergency replacement.Water might have been a bit of a problem,but I expect at that date there would still have been a few water-columns remaining in the area.
Bet it wasn't a 4-4-0 though!:)

Bet it wasn't a 4-4-0 though!:)

Hi,

After I sent my comments yesterday, I spent most of the night thinking about it again. ( Don't panic! It was your night but only our evening).

First, I must confess that I cannot catagorically say that it was 4-4-0. I saw part of the left side (it was facing North) as I entered the station. That is: the cab, rear driver and part of another driver. The rest was obscured by a piece of stock.

My next view was from above, on the pedestrian walkway, so here I was guessing the length and also the wheel arrangment. I coudn't see the right side at all: Again because my view was blocked by more stock.

One thing that has kept "bugging me" (N.American expression) was the size of the drivers I saw. In reflection, much larger than was likely on a 4-4-0. Also the running board (walkway) was set very high so most of the driver was exposed. Not a feature that a tradditional 4-4-0 design would have. Could this have been a lone surviving BR class 5 or similar?

I stopped train spotting around 1950 so my detailed knowledge of the various types has dwindled to almost zero.

Regards

Hi Falls

I think we can narrow it down to the following classes:-

Ex LMS Black 5 4-6-0
BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No.Series 73XXX
BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 No.Series 75XXX
BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. Series 76XXX
BR (LMS) Class 4 2-6-0 No.Series 43XXX

All the above had examples extant at the time in Lancashire and all had high footplates,particularly the last four classes.None of the above had really large wheels,but they appeared large because of their exposed nature.
Check out britishsteam.com.
I had to reinstall Java on the site in order to get the menus to come up.
Very good,comprehensive site for locos and sheds.

Hi,

Thanks for the info. It had to be one of these if they were still around and hadn't been sent to Barry, or elsewhere, for breaking up..

On a slightly different topic, the BR Class 5, 73xx series you mentiond jogged my memory. When last living in England (before 1974), I belonged to the Midland Railway, preservation organization with a rail center near Ripley in Derbyshire. They were a little late in aquiring items for preservation, with many of the best pieces having been picked-over or scrapped. They did however, aquire BR Class 5 No. 73129, presumably because it was made at Derby works, or had some other connection to the region. This had the rotor (Caprotti ?) valves. With the drive shafts instead of the conventionable link motion, it was a strange looking animal. Don't know if they still have it.

Regards

Hi,



On a slightly different topic, the BR Class 5, 73xx series you mentiond jogged my memory. When last living in England (before 1974), I belonged to the Midland Railway, preservation organization with a rail center near Ripley in Derbyshire. They were a little late in aquiring items for preservation, with many of the best pieces having been picked-over or scrapped. They did however, aquire BR Class 5 No. 73129, presumably because it was made at Derby works, or had some other connection to the region. This had the rotor (Caprotti ?) valves. With the drive shafts instead of the conventionable link motion, it was a strange looking animal. Don't know if they still have it.

Regards

All restored and running.Last I heard it was on loan at Loughborough.

I've just been re-reading this thread again and I'm thinking, from past memories, that the only engine one is likely to mistake from a compound would be possibly a Midland Class 2P. You spotters will probably castigate me for that observation. I used to love those Compounds, I nearly had one into the shed wall at Grimesthorpe one time. We were on the loco yard, preparing engines for jobs. The driver told me to bring it onto the table which I attempted, the only problem was there was only a few pounds of steam and she wouldn't shift. I opened the regulator full and she trundled onto the table. I tried to stop her but she kept on going, over the stops, and about three feet into the muck.
The thing about compounds was if you opened the regulator full it brought into play the third steam chest and she was off! With about ten pounds of steam there was no brake power at all.
They used to say about compounds, get as much fire on as you could before you started moving because when you did you wouldn't be able to hit the firehole. They were brilliant though. I couldn't say what Garretts were like on a train because, like I said, the only time I ever got on one was between GThorpe and Canklow, and you could spit further than that.

In 1966,I started as an apprentice electrician at Sheffield Freight Terminal (SFT), which was built on the old Grimesthorpe wagon shops, I believe SFT was opened 1965. At that time at the far end of the depot, which was (Newall Rd) Grimesthorpe engine shed was now Newall Rd goods yard, where mobile cranes were used to load/unload the wagons, if you were to go towards town along Brightside Lane/Saville St just under the first bridge on the right side,was and is still there the entrance to a scrap yard, just under the next bridge( main line) again on the right was the entrance to Cardigan sidings, which I believe was Firth Browns sidings, and as been said, along Stephenson Rd was Attercliffe goods yard, were wire was taken off wagons and sent by lorry to Tinsley Wire.

Hi smee' again, my first year with BR(September 1966) was in the Training School at Doncaster Plant Works, and along with other apprentices, we had to travel daily. Living just off Upwell St, I used to walk to Brightside Stn' to catch the 07.20 to Sheffield, to catch the 07.47 to Doncaster, for the first few months, if I got to Brightside for 07.15 a steam train used to come through from Sheffield, I think it was going to Leeds.
After I had finished my first year in Doncaster, I was back at SFT. The foreman sent me to work with a mechanical fitter, Frank Kind, who used to be a steam fitter at Darnall, for some reason I don't know why, we went to Masbrough Station, Rotherham, but I can remember a steam engine standing in a siding near the Train Crew signing on point, which was a big concrete building. Frank being Frank said he would show me how a steam engine works, the engine was in 'low steam' after putting some coal in the fire box steam was soon raised enough to make the engine move up and down the siding. That was 1967, why the engine was there I don't know but it was damned good fun for a 15 year old lad.

Cardigan Sidings, I'd forgotten them. Looking up the old Wicker road they would be on the left, and across the Wicker road, opposite, were Shed Sidings. Pedestrian access was just under the bridge in Newhall Road. That's where goods guards used to sign on.
I'll bet it was a kick to be running about on a steam loco when you where fifteen. They were great days, the old steam days. I'm not a train spotter or anything like that but I'll always have that interest because those days are gone, not to come back, and the little bit of time I was involved will always remain. I think the preservationists do a great job, but it's not the same. We had some great locos in Grimesthorpe back in the middle 50's, notwithstanding the Garrett. I remember an engine, a Class7F 2-8-0, a massive thing, lord knows what it was doing at GThorpe, I remember somebody saying it had come off the old Somerset and Dorset Railway, but then again anything could turn up back then. My love/hate favourites were the engines known at Grimesthorpe as 'Wessys' because they came off the old North West Railway, 0-8-0's, little wheels, bloody big boilers, and to me a firing hell. I worked two on jobs and both of them were 'gruellers', in railway speak. I finished completely with the railway in Sheffield at the end of the 50's/early 60's, who'd of thought that in, say five years, steam would be finished.