THE INDUSTRIAL RAILWAY RECORD

No.2 - p24-30

 © JULY 1963

BRITISH STEAM LOCOMOTIVES
ON FRENCH INDUSTRIAL
AND LIGHT RAILWAYS

by NOEL A. NEEDLE

    In contrast to the very small number of French built locomotives that have been used in this country, a much larger number of British built locomotives has been used in France, from the earliest recorded examples supplied new in the 1870’s up to several standard Austerity saddle tanks that were sold after the Second World War. In France, as elsewhere, the steam locomotive is being replaced rapidly by the diesel and the electric, and very soon the opportunity of seeing these British locomotives will be lost.

    This list, which omits British and French War Department locomotives, has been compiled from the Section’s extensive records but, inevitably, it will be incomplete. Comments and additions will be welcomed by the writer at 2A, Bradshaw Road, Watford, Herts.

Avonside Engine Company Ltd., Bristol

1430 of 1901

0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) new to Prince Charles de Ligni. Has never been located.

1765 of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to War Office, Inland Waterways & Docks, 35. Shipped to France. No further trace.

1775 of 1917

0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) new to Société des Aciéries de Micheville, Forges de Champagne, St. Dizier, Haut-Marne (per Henri Bergerat & Cie., Paris). This Société became part of the Union Sidérurgique Lorraine (SIDELOR) in 1950.

1776 of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge). Details as for 1775.

1784 of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to War Office, I. W. D. 36. Shipped to France. In service in June 1958 with Hauts Fourneaux de Rouen, Grand Quévilly, Seine Maritime.

1785 of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge). Details as for 1784, except I. W. D. 37.

1786 of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to War Office, I. W. D. 38. Shipped to France. Later purchased by J. Couthon, a Paris dealer. Noted in April 1955 at Société des Sucreries et Distilleries du Soissonnais, Bucy le Long, Aisne. Sold for scrap in 1955.

     ? of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge). Presumed to be one of 1765, 1784-1786 above. Purchased by Mines de Béthune, No. 24, in 1920. Sold in 1924.

     ? of 1917

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge). Details as for previous entry, except Mines de Béthune, No. 25.

Avonside 1785, No. 3 of Hauts Fourneaux de Rouen, under repair on 21st June 1958    (D.T. Rowe)

W. G. Bagnall Ltd., Stafford

2057 of 1917

0-6-0T (Std. gauge) new to Schneider & Cie., Le Creusot, 12. This firm is now Société des Forges et Ateliers du Creusot (Usines Schneider). Locomotive scrapped in January 1952.

2063 of 1917

0-4-0T (2’65/16" = 760mm gauge) new to Schneider & Cie., Le Creusot, 13 FAUVETTE. Scrapped or sold.

2064 of 1917

0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) new to Schneider & Cie., Le Creusot, 14.
Sold to J. Couthon, dealer, La Corneuve, Seine (in 1936 say Schneider). To Sucrerie Distillerie de Bihucourt, Pas de Calais (they say in 1931). Noted in service in October 1960.

2065 of 1917

0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) new to Schneider & Cie., Le Creusot, 15. Noted in service in March 1957.

Andrew Barclay, Sons & Company Ltd., Kilmarnock

1527 of 1917

0-6-0WT (600mm gauge) new to War Office, London. WD 610. Purchased by Becker et Fils et Cie., Soissons, Aisne, about 1920. Noted there derelict in April 1955.

1555 of 1917

0-4-0F (Std. gauge) new to French Ministry of Munitions. Lettered "Pouderie Nationale de Toulouse No.3" when noted at Toulouse SNCF shed in August 1951.

1556 of 1917

0-4-0F (Std. gauge) new to French Ministry of Munitions. Has never been located.

1588 of 1917

0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) new to Inland Waterways & Docks, 51. Later purchased by Mines d’Ostricourt, Pas de Calais. On nationalisation on 1st May 1946 taken over by the Houillères du Bassin du Nord et du Pas de Calais, Groupe d’Oignies, No. 15. Noted at Oignies in April 1954, but had gone by April 1955.

Fletcher, Jennings & Company, Lowca Engine Works, Whitehaven

117 of 1873

0-4-0T (Std. gauge) new to La Société du Baron d’Adelsward, Longwy, Meurthe et Moselle. This firm became Société des Aciéries de Longwy in 1880, and they say that this locomotive was scrapped or sold many years ago.

165 of 1879

0-4-0T (Std. gauge). Details as for 117.

171 of 1879

0-4-0ST (2’4" = 720mm gauge). Other details as for 117.

176 of 1884

0-4-0T (Std. gauge) built for stock in 1880 and delivered new to Société des Aciéries de Longwy. Scrapped or sold.

177 of 1880

0-4-0T (Std. gauge). Details as for 117.

182 of 1881

0-4-0ST (2’4¼" gauge) new to F. de Saintignon & Cie., Longwy, Meurthe et Moselle. Scrapped or sold before closure of works in 1914.

183 of 1881

0-4-0ST (2’4¼" gauge). Details as for 182.

184 of 1882

0-4-0T (Std. gauge) new to Société des Aciéries de Longwy, Meurthe et Moselle. Scrapped or sold.

189 of 1882

0-4-0T (Std. gauge). Details as for 184.

Hudswell, Clarke & Company Ltd., Leeds

811 of 1907

0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) new to J. P. Legrand, Paris, This firm became Ets. Legrand, Sablières de Brevanne, Valenton, Seine et Oise. Locomotive sold to Brunner & Marchand, dealers, Bouray, Seine et Oise, LV 362, in June 1941. Resold to Ets. Sellier le Blanc, Maisons Alfort, Seine, in May 1945. Transferred to their Bourg la Reine Works about April 1955. Noted in service there in March 1956.

1768 of 1944

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 71492. Later owned by Société Anonyme Simca, Poissy, Seine et Oise, No.3. Noted there in service during 1961.

1779 of 1944

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 71502, Later owned by the Cie. Générale de Voies Ferrées d’Intérêt Local where it was noted as 512 of the Velu - St. Quentin section in June 1952. Transferred to the Achiet - Bapaume section by July 1953. The Cie. became Cie. Générale d’Exploit- ations Ferrovaires et Routières about 1958. Taken over by the Pas de Calais Département in January 1960 as the Régie Départemental du Pas de Calais. The locomotive was noted in store at Bapaume in September 1960; it is used during the winter months only.

1780 of 1945

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 71503. Later owned by the Société Anonyme des Forges et Aciéries de Nord et Lorraine, Uckange, Moselle, 71503, where it was noted in June 1955. Renumbered 13 by June 1961.

Hunslet Engine Company Ltd., Leeds

All the locomotives of this builder listed here were supplied new to the British War Department Light Railways for service on the Continent during the 1914-1918 War. Owing to the exchange of parts during hostilities, identification of two of the under mentioned locomotives is not conclusive.

1233 of 1916

4-6-0T (600mm gauge) new to WDLR 321. Offered for sale in France in 1923, but no further details known.

1238 of 1916

4-6-0T (600mm gauge) new to WDLR 326. Later owned by the Sucrerie de Quéant, Pas de Calais, 310, where it was noted in August 1956 with its motion stamped 1238. It was scrapped or sold about 1958. (N.B. WDLR 310 was Hunslet 1226 of 1916.)

1254 of 1916

4-6-0T (600mm gauge) new to WDLR 342. Later owned by the Société F. Béghin, Raperie de Lecluse, Nord, 342, where it was noted in service in August 1956. It was scrapped or sold about 1958.

1273 of 1917

4-6-0T (600mm gauge) new to WDLR 361. Other details as for 1254. (N.B. Hunslet records state that 1273 was rebuilt to 3’0" gauge for Balfour, Beatty & Company Ltd., contractors, but against this must be weighed the evidence that the French locomotive carried the correct running number for its builder’s plate.)

1274 of 1917

4-6-0T (600mm gauge) new to WDLR 362. Later owned by the Chemin de Fer d’Intérêt Local de Pithiviers à Toury, Loiret, where it was noted in service in October 1960.

R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Ltd., Newcastle

3202 of 1916

0-4-0F (Std. gauge) new to the French Government. Its subsequent movements are unknown but, as it was a fireless locomotive, it was probably used in a Munitions Factory.

3203 of 1916

0-4-0F (Std. gauge). Details as for 3202.

Kerr, Stuart & Company Ltd., Stoke-on-Trent

All the locomotives of this builder listed here were part of large consignments delivered new to Nantes to the order of the Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement (otherwise quoted as French Government Artillery Railways, or French Government Commission, or Mission Hauser).

2405 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased in August 1924 at Draize le Romagne by Brunner & Marchand (dealers, of Bouray, Seine et Oise). Resold in June 1930 to Carrières de la Vallée Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent, Pas de Calais, where it was noted derelict in August 1956.

2413 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand at Spincourt in May 1923; resold to Odinet, Le Havre in June 1924.

2428 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand at Verdun in June 1923; resold to Charbonnage de Tonkin, French Indo-China, in June 1924.

2433 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later owned by the Société des Minerais et Produits Chimiques de Pontpeau, Île et Vilaine.

2442 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand at Verdun in June 1923. Resold in October 1930 to Carrières de la Vallée Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent, Pas de Calais, where it was noted derelict in August 1956.

2451 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Spares sent by the builders in May 1924 to the Kent Construction & Engineering Company Ltd. Later owned by Ets. Riffier, Macon, Saone et Loire. Later (about 1932) to Carrières de la Vallée Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent, Pas de Calais, where it was noted derelict in August 1956.

2457 of 1915

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later owned by Cie. de Fives Lille. Purchased in August 1921 by Brunner & Marchand who resold to Carrières de Corgnac, Corgnac sur l’Île, in May 1922.

3004 of 1916

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Spares sent by the builders in December 1930 to Lourches station, Nord, to the order of the contracting firm, Vandervalle et Cie, Gagheraud Père et Fils.

3007 of 1916

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Spares sent by the builders in November 1929 to the Société des Pierres Artificielles. Later 93 LA TAMISE of Entreprises Drouard Frères.

3010 of 1916

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand at Draize le Romagne in August 1924. Resold in June 1930 to Carrières de la Vallée Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent, Pas de Calais, where it was noted derelict in August 1956.

3014 of 1916

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand at Verdun in June 1923. Resold in October 1930 to Carrières de la Vallée Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent, Pas de Calais, where it was noted derelict in August 1956.

3015 of 1916

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand in August 1920, and resold to Entreprises Trouiller & Legrand. in June 1922.

3018 of 1916

0-6-0T (600mm gauge). Later purchased by Brunner & Marchand at Spincourt in June 1923. Resold to Ets. J. Couthon, La Corneuve, in January 1928.

Peckett & Sons Ltd., Bristol

1600 of 1923 0-4-0ST (Std. gauge) ordered by the National Radiator Company Ltd. of Hull but delivered new to their works at Dammarie-les-Lys, near Melun, Seine et Marne (Cie. Nationale des Radiateurs). It was insufficiently powerful, and was sold to an unknown purchaser after a short spell.

Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd., Newcastle

7167 of 1944

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 71513. Later owned by the Cie. Générale de Voies Ferrées d’Intérêt Local where it was noted as 513 on the Velu - St. Quentin section in April 1952 and May 1956. It is believed to have since been scrapped or sold.

7203 of 1945

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 75273. Later owned by the Société Anonyme des Forges et Aciéries de Nord et Lorraine, Uckange, Moselle, where it was noted as number 5 in June 1961.

7209 of 1945 0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 75279. Later owned by the Cie. Générale de Voies Ferrées d’Intérêt Local as 511 on the Boisleux - Cambrai section. Transferred to the Achiet - Bapaume section about 1952, and noted there in July 1953. The Cie. became Cie. Générale d’Exploitations Ferrovaires et Routières about 1958. Taken over by the Pas de Calais Département in January 1960 as the Régie Départementale du Pas de Calais. The locomotive was noted in store at Bapaume in September 1960.

 Vulcan Foundry Ltd., Newton-le-Willows

5281 of 1945 0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) new to British War Department, WD 75291. Subsequently consigned in September 1946 to Ministère des Travaux et des Transports, République Francaise. It has not yet been traced.

Unidentified

          ?

0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) - standard Austerity type - noted in service near Longuyon, Meurthe et Moselle, in July 1952.

          ? 0-6-0ST (Std. gauge) - standard Austerity type - noted in service at Port de la Caronte, east of Marseille, in March 1956.

Abbreviations used in this article include:

F fireless locomotive
I.W.D. Inland Waterways & Docks
SNCF Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Francaises (French National Railways)
ST saddle tank locomotive
Std. Standard = 4’ 8½"
T side tank locomotive
WD War Department
WDLR War Department Light Railways
WT well tank locomotive

Above

Barclay 1588 outside the shed at Oignies, 16th April 1954            (N.A. Needle)

Below A builder's photograph of Kerr Stuart 2445 of 1915, one of the batch supplied to the French Government Artillery Railways.        (Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd.)


For the record . . . .

    "There is an incident not named anywhere in connection with the construction of the Midland Railway from Masbro’ to Chesterfield. The Table Blade Forgers’ Union was at this period over 700 strong. There was a question of wages, and the men went out on strike. The leaders were of the opinion that the tussle would be long and bitter so, instead of settling down to idleness and depending entirely on strike pay, nearly the whole of the men went and worked as navvies on the railway and were thus able to hold out. They were out 17 weeks and threw 22,000 hands idle. At the end of the time named the employers gave in, and the men had won with a balance in hand of exactly one penny."

("Sheffield Weekly News", 6th October 1917.)     (K.P.P.)

    In 1929, before acquisition by Dorman, Long & Co. Ltd., the land occupied by the Cleveland Works in Middlesbrough of Bolckow, Vaughan & Co. Ltd. was 1,273 acres in extent, of which 252 acres were actually covered by buildings and plant. Within the works were 92 miles of standard gauge railway, operated from signal cabins, 84 locomotives, 46 steam cranes, 3,100 wagons of various types, 350 furnace-charging cars and 140 slag ladles.        (K.P.P.)