Tuesday, 18 November 2008

Transfers from Armley Mills


The Moseley Railway Trust is pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with Leeds Museums & Galleries at Armley Mills for the transfer of a number of railway assets. Amongst these is the 1918-built "Tin Turtle" locomotive. This 2’0" gauge petrol loco was built by the Motor Rail & Tramcar Company as their number 1369. Delivered too late for the First World War, it is of the "Protected" type, which offered some limited protection against enemy fire. Rather than France, the loco worked at Knostrop sewage works, near Leeds before being preserved. The locomotive has been in the care of the Moseley Railway Trust for more than ten years, and was restored to working order as part of the "Salvage Squad" TV series in 2003.

The locomotive was formally handed over to the ownership of the Moseley Railway Trust during the MRT’s open day at its Apedale site on 9th November 2008. The locomotive formed the centrepiece of the event, which was held to mark the 90th anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War. Neil Dowlan, Curator of Industry for Leeds Museums & Galleries, handed over the locomotive to Ron Redman, President of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society. Ron was instrumental in preserving the locomotive, and accepted the locomotive on behalf of the MRT.

Neil presented Ron Redman with the starting handle for the locomotive, witnessed by His Worshipful the Mayor of Newcastle-Under-Lyme Councillor John Cooper and the Mayoress Mrs Angela Cooper. The top picture shows Richard Grey, Deputy Chairman MRT, holding the starting handle, along with Mrs Cooper, Cllr Cooper, Ron Redman (with a replica of the loco works plate) and Neil Dowlan. Neil Dowlan said "The MRT has impressed with its professionalism, its attention to detail, and its ethical care of the objects in its care. The condition of the locomotive is a testament to that".

Other locomotives which will be transferred to the MRT are a Hudswell Clarke diesel locomotive which worked at Calverton colliery, and two 18" gauge Greenbat battery locomotives which were used at mines in Derbyshire. A number of wagons will also be transferred. Phil Robinson, the MRT’s Chairman said that "these locos and wagons will help to round-out the MRT’s collection in certain under-represented areas. In particular, the equipment which is from mining industries is very appropriate to our base at Apedale, where we are developing a former coal mine into what will be the UK’s leading industrial narrow gauge railway museum".

The Moseley Railway Trust wishes to place on record its expression of thanks to Neil Dowlan and his team at Leeds Museums & Galleries for their help with this project. The Motor Rail locomotive is on site at the MRT’s base at Apedale, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. The remaining transferred assets will be moved to Apedale over the next few months.
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