Doing What It Was Built For - Scunthorpe Steel Works (Corus) No.90 shunts wagons loaded with steel blooms in June 2000. Although 35 years old when photographed, this locomotive is one of many of the Janus type still in daily service and is one of a number that have been modified with radio control and of cause, day-glow paintwork.
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Started building Locomotives in 1866
Company became part of the United Steel Companies in 1948
First Diesel locomotives built 1950
Diesel locomotive production gets into full swing by 1953
Last locomotive produced 1965
If you have visited the 'Meadowhall' shopping centre near Sheffield, not only will you have parked your car over the site of a major steelworks, you may have past the gates of Sheffield's own locomotive producer - Yorkshire Engine Company (YEC).
When arriving from the North, you will leave the M1 Motorway by junction 34N and turn right off the round-about, before passing through an 'industrial bit' before going under the railway bridge. The works on the right, immediately off the round-about (formally Mcalls and Rom River/Rom Reinforcements).
The oldest surviving YEC locomotive? One of only two or three YEC steam locomotives in running order! - This is not a mistake or bad link, the photograph above shows Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway No.9 'Winston Churchill' (whilst on loan to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway - April 2000). How much of this locomotive and its twin No.10 'Dr. Syn' were built at Meadowhall is open to debate, but they do carry YEC builders numbers !
No.9 is YEC 2294 of 1931 and was originally named 'Dr Syn', a character from Romney Marsh, until the late 1940s. No.10 is YEC 2295 of 1931 and was originally 'Black Prince' until just after No.9 was renamed when the names was cascaded. Work had been started at New Romney workshop, but when the chief engineers there left, a professional builder was sort to complete the work. Somehow YEC got the job which included finalising the design, but the fragmented construction means that not only were builders drawings never produced, but the pair of locomotives have significant differences in construction.
The vast majority of Yorkshire Engine Co. steam engines were built either for use in British industrial use or for Export. Significant exceptions were the tank engines built for the 'Big Four' main line companies. Meadowhall turned out several batches of GWR 57xx Panier Tanks and the later development the 94xx 0-6-0PT. They also produced engines for the L.N.E.R. Before the 1923 grouping of railway companies, Yorkshire had built locomotives for the Great Northern, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, the Great Eastern, the Hull & Barnsley and a large batch for the North British Railway.
Starting in 1907 and lasting for only a short time, the company produced motorcars. They also undertook general engineering and construction jobs, including the an oil engined boat, safe doors for the Bank of England and Hydraulic equipment for big guns.
Possibly the most impressive steam locomotives produced were those for use in South America on the railways leading up into the Andes Mountains.
As with many other engineering works, Meadowhall was involved with 'Munitions Works' during the second world war.
When YEC started diesel production, there were not exactly breaking new ground, internal combustion locomotives had been in mass production since around 1917 (Petrol engined) and major locomotive builders such as Kerr Stuart, Hunslet and Hudswell Clarke had been producing diesel locomotives since the 1920s.
In common with these companies, YECs first locomotives were heavily influenced by steam engine design (as were many other builders), with such things as high bonnets and cab controls mounted on the front bulkhead. However YEC made one major step, instead of trying to get mechanical transmissions to carry 200+hp (never really mastered), they went for the diesel electric transmission that was already generally acknowledged as necessary for higher powers. It is worth remembering that after much testing and many trials, the London Midland and Scottish Railway adopted diesel electric transmission for its 350hp shunters from 1937.
The Story is CONTINUED on the next page about Yorkshire Engine Co.
For more information on Industrial locomotives and the railways they run on, we recommend the Industrial Railway Society
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